Golden Globes Nominations 2013

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Surprises:
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen came out of nowhere and landed two noms for its actors?!
TWO Django actor nominations
NO Tom Hooper for Les Mis, which means Mis is so dead
Richard Gere?!!!
NO Javier Bardem!

Set: Supporting Actress category looks pretty done and done

Mess: Song category is all free, except for Adele. So nom'ed. Should've known the Swift was gonna happen.

PICTURE (DRAMA) 
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty

PICTURE (MUSICAL / COMEDY)
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserable
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon fishing in the Yemen (??!!)
Silver Linings Playbook

ANIMATED
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-it Ralph

DIRECTOR

Ben Affleck
Kathryn Bigelow
Ang Lee
Steven Spielberg
Quentin Tarantino

FOREIGN
Amour
Intouchables
Kon-Tiki
A Royal Affair
Rust and Bone

SCREENPLAY
Argo
Django Unchained
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

ACTOR (DRAMA)
Daniel Day Lewis
Richard Gere
John Hawkes
Joaquin Phoenix
Danzel Washington

ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Jessica Chastain
Marion Cotillard
Helen Mirren
Naomi Watts
Rachel Weisz

ACTRESS (COMEDY/MUSICAL)

Emily Blunt
Judi Dench
Jennifer Lawrence
Maggie Smith
Meryl Streep

ACTOR (COMEDY / MUSICAL)
Jack Black
Bradley Cooper
Hugh Jackman
Ewan McGreggor
Bill Murray

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Arkin
Leonardo diCaprio
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Tommy Lee Jones
Christoph Waltz

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams
Sally Field
Anne Hathaway
Helen Hunt
Nicole Kidman

SCORE
Anna Karenina
Argo
Cloud Atlas
Life of Pi
Lincoln

SONG
"For You" (Act of Valor)
"Not Running Anymore" (Stand Up Guys)
"Safe and Sound" (The Hunger Games)
"Skyfall" (Skyfall)
"Suddenly" (Les Misérables)

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Golden Globes Nominations 2013 Predix!

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Apparently, it's awards season, because I'm here again. Making predictions. For the Golden Globes nominations tomorrow. Why? Because, why not. Who knows why the call of awards still gets to me? As I am lazy and it is late, I shall copy and paste my old post, and make new predictions. Because, guess what, that's the way awards work. Funny how that goes.

My special guest, Grizzly, once again helpfully contributes (in purple?).

Actual nominations included (red means I got it wrong).

PICTURE (DRAMA)
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Alt. Beasts of the Southern Wild

• Argo
• Django Unchained
• Life of Pi
• Lincoln
• Zero Dark Thirty
------------------------------
Alt: The Master
Dark Horse: Beasts of the Southern Wild
 


The absence of Django Unchained on the SAG list is troublesome for its chance. However, given that Inglorious Basterds made the list in 2010, I'm betting on the same horse dressed as a mule again. Why I am not worried about the fact that Zero Dark Thirty was left out of SAG ensemble? Probably because it's not an actorly film. I'm making that judgement right now, sight unseen, because I can and I'm right.

PICTURE (COMEDY/MUSICAL)
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Misérables
Silver Linings Playbook
Moonrise Kingdom
Hope Springs X Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (?!)
Alt. Magic Mike

• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• Les Misérables
• Moonrise Kingdom
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Ted
X Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (?!)
------------------------------
Alt: Pitch Perfect
Dark Horse: This is 40


This is the crowd pleasing category voted by a bunch of old folks, so maybe Magic Mike may get in, depending on how much they want to bone Channing Tatum. It'd have to win the Hope Springs spot though. Hope Springs, you say? Yes, because it stars Meryl Streep. La Streep factor is always en vogue. I'm predicting it now, Silver Linings Playbook is going to win best picture at the Oscars. Anyone marking my word?

DIRECTOR
Ben Affleck
Kathryn Bigelow
Tom Hooper X Quentin Tarantino (!!!)
Ang Lee
Steven Spielberg
Alt. David O. Russell

• Ben Affleck - Argo
• Kathryn Bigelow - Zero Dark Thirty
• Tom Hooper - Les Misérables
X Quentin Tarantino (!!!)
• Ang Lee - Life of Pi
• Steven Spielberg - Lincoln
------------------------------
Alt: David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
Dark Horse: Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained
 

You think I oughta put David O. Russell in there for the final five? If I'm predicting Silver Linings Playbook, it only makes sense if he's also nominated, right? But this isn't about sense. It is about consensus, and the crowd is yelling, dfjaweajw3!#$@. That's what I hear.

ACTOR (DRAMA) 

John Hawkes
Anthony Hopkins X Richard Gere
Daniel Day Lewis
Joaquin Phoenix
Danzel Washington 

Alt. Jamie Foxx

• Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln
• John Hawkes - The Sessions
• Anthony Hopkins - Hitchcock
X Richard Gere
• Joaquin Phoenix - The Master
• Denzel Washington - Flight
------------------------------
Alt: Jamie Foxx - Django Unchained
Dark Horse: Ben Affleck - Argo

 
I don't care how much people think he hammed it up: I love Phoenix in The Master. That boy can act.

ACTOR (COMEDY/MUSICAL)

Bradley Cooper
Hugh Jackman

Tommy Lee Jones X Ewan McGregor (?!)
Bill Murray

Channing Tatum X Jack Black (!)
Alt.Mark Wahlberg

• Jack Black - Bernie VV
• Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
• Zach Galifianakis - The Campaign
X Ewan McGregor (?!)
• Hugh Jackman - Les Misérables
• Mark Wahlberg - Ted
------------------------------
Alt: Channing Tatum - 21 Jump Street
Dark Horse: Paul Rudd - This is 40

 
Will Tatum get nominated for Magic Mike or 21 Jump Street? Or will he split his own two-headed votes? To be announced! << GUESS NOT.

ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Jessica Chastain

Marion Cotillard
Keira Knightley X Rachel Weisz - got her as alternate!
Helen Mirren
Naomi Watts 

Alt. Rachel Weisz

• Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty
• Mario Cotillard - Rust and Bone
• Keira Knightley - Anna Kareninina
X Rachel Weisz
• Helen Mirren - Hitchcock
• Naomi Watts - The Impossible
------------------------------
Alt: Emmanuelle Riva - Amour
Dark Horse: Quvenzhané Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild
 

I'm not really sure about any of these actresses. I think they are probably voted on how often they get nakkkid in the movies. Mirren, Watts, Knightley, or Weisz? Mirren wins. Dat sass.

ACTRESS (COMEDY / MUSICAL) 

Judi Dench
Jennifer Lawrence
Laura Linney X Emily Blunt
Maggie Smith
Meryl Streep
Alt. Anna Kendrick
 

• Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
• Judi Dench - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• Meryl Streep - Hope Springs
• Rebel Wilson - Pitch Perfect
X Emily Blunt
• Leslie Mann - This is 40
X Maggie Smith
------------------------------
Alt: Anna Kendrick - Pitch Perfect
Dark Horse: Shirley MacLaine - Bernie

 
There's a real chance Katniss may win something something this year.

SUPPORTING ACTOR 
Alan Arkin
Javier Bardem X Christoph Waltz
Leonardo diCaprio!

Philip Seymour Hoffman 
Matthew McConaughey
X Tommy Lee Jones
Alt. Tommy Lee Jones

• Alan Arkin - Argo
• Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook
X Christoph Waltz
• Leonardo DiCaprio - Django Unchained
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master
• Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln
------------------------------
Alt: Javier Bardem - Skyfall
Dark Horse: Matthew McConaughey - Magic Mike
  


Go Leo! I'm so going to get owned in this category.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams

Sally Field
Ann Hathaway
Helen Hunt
Nicole Kidman 

Alt. Maggie Smith

• Amy Adams - The Master
• Sally Field - Lincoln
• Anne Hathaway - Les Misérables
• Helen Hunt - The Sessions
• Maggie Smith - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel X Nicole Kidman
------------------------------
Alt: Judi Dench - Skyfall
Dark Horse: Ann Dowd - Compliance
  


There are too many actresses vying for the five spots, any of these gals can be left off the ballot. Well, except for Ann Hathaway and Helen Hunt. Nicole has to be there because they luuurve her.

SCREENPLAY
Argo
Lincoln

The Master X Django Unchained (!!)
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Alt. Django Unchained

• Argo
• Les Misérables
X Django Unchained (!!)
• Lincoln
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Zero Dark Thirty
------------------------------
Alt: Django Unchained
Dark Horse: Moonrise Kingdom


The Master deserves to be there. But this is not about deservedness, is it now. It's about spreading. Just spreading. I don't know. I'm sleepy.

FOREIGN FILM FEATURE
Amour

A royal affair
The Intouchables
Rust and Bone

War Witch X Kon-Tiki
Alt. Barbara
 
• Amour
• Holy Motors
X Kon-Tiki
• The Intouchables
• A Royal Affair
• Rust and Bone
------------------------------
Alt: Headhunters
Dark Horse: Caesar Must Die
 


I have no clue, but Tabu is not going to be nominated, and that makes me sad panda.

ANIMATED FEATURE
Brave
Frankenweenie
Paranorman X Hotel Transylvania

Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-it Ralph
Alt. Wreck-it Ralph
 
• Brave
• Frankenweenie
• ParaNorman
X Hotel Transylvania
• The Pirates! Band of Misfits
X Rise of the Guardians
• Wreck-It Ralph
------------------------------
Alt: Rise of the Guardians
Dark Horse: Hotel Transylvania
 


Are they going for 3 or 5? I don't know, and I'm not sure I care. No, I'm certain I don't care.

SCORE
Anna Karenina 

Argo
Lincoln
Life of Pi
The Hobbit X Cloud Atlas
Alt. The Master

• Anna Karenina
• Argo
• The Hobbit
X Cloud Atlas
• Lincoln
• Life of Pi
------------------------------
Alt: The Master
Dark Horse: Brave
 


What do I know? I can't hum any of this.

SONG
Um ...

Something from Brave X "Not Running Anymore," Stand-Up Guys
Something from Les Mis (Suddenly)
That Adele song from Skyfall (Skyfall)
Something from The Hobbit X "For You," Act of Valor
Something else X "Safe and Sound," The Hunger Games
That's all I got.

• Brave
X "Safe and Sound," The Hunger Games
• The Hobbit
X "Not Running Anymore," Stand-Up Guys
• Les Misérables
• Life of Pi
X "For You," Act of Valor
• Skyfall
------------------------------
Alt: Brave
Dark Horse: Frankenweenie

 

I faded.


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Best Swedish films, according to the Swedes

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A friend sent me this list: "A Swedish film magazine conducted a poll with film critics and such to determine the all-time best Swedish films." Hey look, Moodysson is on it. And Bergman is not #1. Why isn't Bergman #1? Why didn't they consult me, their honorary citizen? Sjöström? It's those darn "ö" isn't it?

1. The Phantom Carriage (Körkarlen, Sjöström, 1921)
2. Raven’s End (Kvarteret Korpen, Widerberg, 1963)
3. Here’s Your Life (Här har du ditt liv, Troell, 1966)
4. A Swedish Love Story (En kärlekshistoria, Andersson, 1970)
5. Fanny and Alexander (Fanny och Alexander, Bergman, 1982)
6. Persona (Persona, Bergman, 1966)
7. Man on the Roof (Mannen på taket, Widerberg, 1976)
8. Girl with Hyacints (Flicka och hyacinter, Ekman, 1950)
9. A Decent Life (Ett anständigt liv, Jarl, 1979)
10. Songs from the Second Floor (Sånger från andra våningen, Andersson, 2000)
11. Wild Strawberries (Smultronstället, Bergman, 1957)
12. Sawdust and Tinsel (Gycklarnas afton, Bergman, 1953)
12. Involuntary (De ofrivilliga, Östlund, 2008)
12. The Simple-Minded Murderer (Den enfaldige mördaren, Alfredson, 1982)
15. Lilya 4-ever (Lilja 4-ever, Moodysson, 2002)
15. The Emigrants/The New Land (Utvandrarna/Nybyggarna, Troell, 1971/72)
15. Torment (Hets, Sjöberg, 1944)
18. Loving Couples (Älskande par, Zetterling, 1964)
18. You, the Living (Du levande, Andersson, 2007)
20. The Girls (Flickorna, Zetterling, 1968)
20. Show Me Love (Fucking Åmål, Moodysson, 1998)
20. Winter Light (Nattvardsgästerna, Bergman, 1963)
20. Play (Play, Östlund, 2011)
20. Smiles of a Summer Night (Sommarnattens leende, Bergman, 1955)
25. The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet, Bergman, 1957)
25. Ingeborg Holm (Ingeborg Holm, Sjöström, 1913)
25. Sven Klang’s Combo (Sven Klangs kvintett, Olsson, 1976)

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A Real Life WALL-E Robot!

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This brought up tearful, happy memories of a well loved film: somebody with a lot of love for robots (Mike Senna) made a real-life WALL*E!


It's only two years and 25 hr/wk work. Slacker! *sniffles*

(via Slashfilm)

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2012 so far: film comments

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I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I am back now, after an eventful first half of 2012, to hopefully write more than I ever did in my entire life in dog years. I will ease into this endeavour with short comments on the handful of films released this year that I've seen so far:

Men in Black 3 (Sonnenfeld,2012) **1/2 Fun, somewhat of a throwback in the pacing of the film. It's not in a rush to get anywhere. It doesn't really get anywhere memorable either.


Prometheus (Scott, 2012) ***1/2 There's so much to admire in this film, and so much to dislike as well. On the plus side, it's atmospheric, well photographed, and thought provoking (I highly recommend reading cavalorn's analysis). On the annoying side, its characters and entire reasoning behind the "aliens" need a little rework, especially Charlize Theron's disappointing arc and whatever happened to cross-mating aliens. There's little "science" in this sci-fi work. Noomi Rapace has a really cool sequence that, if you think about it, makes no sense. Oh Ridley, you are frustrating.


Moonrise Kingdom (Anderson, 2012) ***1/2 The film is a gorgeous living postcard. Unfortunately, the emotional core - which normally lends weight to Anderson's whimsical pictures - is postcard-sized too. It is stiffly stylized, which makes it the odd one out in Anderson's carefully considered feeling universe. I enjoyed the film. I wish I loved it.


Marvel's The Avengers (Whedon, 2012) ***1/2
So much fun, I almost wished I'd seen it twice. Scarlet Johansson gave her character such surprising depth, almost outshining everyone in the film for me.


Hodejegerne (Headhunters; Tyldum, 2012) ****
An amazingly tight and funny film that deserves to be seen by anyone who loves a good oddball thriller. You should probably watch it before Hollywood steals its identity and turns it into an American film.


The Cabin in the Woods (Goddard, 2012) *** Good time at the theatre - way funnier than it was scary. Except for that Japanese ghost. I hate little ghost girls. So much.


The hunger games (Ross, 2012) ** Talk about a silly picture aimed straight for the under age crowd. If you got more guts, may I suggest Battle Royale?


Serbuan maut (The raid: redemption; Evans, 2012) ***1/2 Speaking of guts, this picture delivers a lot of it, probably in compensation for its brain. But who cares about a good story with nuanced characters when you got some seriously breathless and spectacular chop sockying to do? 

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Batman: The Dark Knight Rises

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There's only one word I could think of to describe the Dark Knight Rises (Nolan, 2012) to anyone who hasn't seen it, and it's "epic." The film struts loudly and looks like it's made out of Phoenix tears and diamonds. It's a thrilling conclusion to a very sombre Batman series, the mother of all reboots so far. However, in addition to lacking a striking villain of the same caliber as the Joker, it shares the same problem that plagues the other two installments in the series: it is an utterly silly philosophical musing sold with a straight face.

Watching the latest exaggerated "moral" battle is the equivalent of having a nice dinner at an expensive restaurant with a newly aware 18 year old on a date. The discourse is, of course, topical and interesting. Yet, a closer examination of the ideas presented reveals very little meat on the bones. People in Gothamverse are divided cleanly into "good guy authority figures" and "everyone else." The idea that without a vigilant order enforcer, a society will give in to chaos and death because it is people's nature to steer ourselves that way, really disservices our complex human nature and provides a lazy argument for a police state.

Philosophical immaturity aside, the story of the Batman/Bruce Wayne struggle continues to grow as the soul of the film, and despite some odd provisions here and there about his physical ability, it is quite touching and well thought out. The acting is classy all around, making some awkwardly drawn situations momentarily a bit more palatable (especially concerning Marion Cotillard's character, and that bus load of orphans). The little twist towards the end is predictable, and unfortunately cheapens the already overshadowed villains involved. The Dark Knight Rises is neither fun nor funny. It is a serious ride at the amusement park that you go on for the thrills. It really delivers that way. Just don't expect it to change your life (unless you were in Aurora :(  ).

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Erland Josephson died

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One of Ingmar Bergman's frequent alums died February 25th at 88. He was in many of Bergman's greatest films, but his performance in Scenes from a marriage and its sequel Saraband, an astutely observed masterful series on intimate relationship, stands tall with time as one of Erland's most intricate, devastating achievements - and my favourite. A career well built, Erland. R.I.P.

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Movie: The Movie or: Jimmy Kimmel for Oscars 2013 host!

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Oscars need to get young and silly real quick. I don't have all my life time to wait for something like this to be on the telecast?

"I'm blind."
Christoph Waltz dirty dancing!
That Requiem for a dream music in every trailer!
And the obvious, "how do you like them grapes!"

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A meme was born last night

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Its name starts with Angelina and ends with eg. I can not. stop. laughing.

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Oscars 2012 Winners Predictions! And Winners!

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It's coming! It's coming! As usual, I'm up for some hot predix with my friend Griz. We've been doing this for as long as Maru has been in existence. Maybe. Wait, how old is Maru again? Speaking of whom:


Alright, here we go: Me / Griz / Actual win

BEST PICTURE - The Artist
Will Win: The Artist / The Artist
Alternate: The Descendants / The Descendants
My Pick of the lot: The Artist / Moneyball

BEST DIRECTOR - Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Will Win: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist / Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alternate: Martin Scorses, Hugo / Martin Scorses, Hugo
My Pick of the lot: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist / Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

BEST FOREIGN FILM - A Separation
Will Win: A Separation / A Separation
Alternate: In Darkness - Holocaust movie! / In Darkness
My Pick of the lot: A Separation, though I haven't seen the other ones except Footnote / Abstain due to not having seen any

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE - Rango
Will Win: Chico & Rita / Rango
Alternate: Rango / Chico & Rita
My Pick of the lot: Anything but Kung Fu Panda 2 / Rango

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE - Undefeated
Will Win: Undefeated / NO CLUE
Alternate: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory / NO CLUE
My Pick of the lot: Pina - I haven't seen this, but omg have you seen the trailer? / NOPE

BEST ACTOR - Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Will Win: Jean Dujardin, The Artist / Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Alternate: Brad Pitt, Moneyball / George Clooney - The Descendants
My Pick of the lot: Jean Dujardin, The Artist / Brad Pitt, Moneyball

BEST ACTRESS - Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Will Win: Viola Davis, The Help / Viola Davis, The Help
Alternate: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady / Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
My Pick of the lot: Michelle Williams, My week with Marilyn / Rooney Mara, The girl with the dragon tattoo

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Octavia Spencer, The Help
Will Win: Octavia Spencer, The Help / Octavia Spencer, The Help
Alternate: Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids / Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
My Pick of the lot: Jessica Chastain, The Help / Jessica Chastain, The Help

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Will Win: Christopher Plummer, Beginners / Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Alternate: Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close / Nick Nolte, Warrior
My Pick of the lot: Anyone but Jonah Hill, the WTF nomination of the season. / Abstain - the only one I've seen is Jonah Hill and I'm not rooting for him to win

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY - Midnight in Paris
Will Win: Midnight in Paris / Midnight in Paris
Alternate: The Artist / The Artist
My Pick of the lot: A Separation, though Margin Call would be nice, too. / Midnight in Paris

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY - The Descendants
Will Win: The Descendants / The Descendants
Alternate: Moneyball / Moneyball
My Pick of the lot: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy / Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Hugo
Will Win: The Tree of Life / The Tree of Life
Alternate: The Artist / Hugo
My Pick of the lot: The Tree of Life / The Tree of Life

BEST EDITING - The girl with the dragon tattoo
Will Win: The Artist / The Artist
Alternate: The Descendants / Hugo
My Pick of the lot: The girl with the dragon tattoo / Moneyball

BEST ART DIRECTION - Hugo
Will Win: Hugo / Hugo
Alternate: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 / The Artist
My Pick of the lot: Hugo / Hugo

BEST SOUND EDITING - Hugo
Will Win: Hugo / War Horse
Alternate: The girl with the dragon tattoo / Transformers: The Dark of the Moon
My Pick of the lot: Drive, please let it win the only nomination it got / Transformers: The Dark of the Moon

BEST SOUND MIXING - Hugo
Will Win: Hugo / War Horse
Alternate: The girl with the dragon tattoo / Hugo
My Pick of the lot: The girl with the dragon tattoo / Transformers: The Dark of the Moon

BEST SCORE - The Artist
Will Win: The Artist / The Artist
Alternate: Hugo / Hugo
My Pick of the lot: Hugo / The Artist

BEST SONG - The Muppets
Will Win: Man or muppet, The Muppets / Man or muppet, The Muppets
Alternate: Real in Rio, Rio (duh?) / Real in Rio, Rio
My Pick of the lot: Man or muppet / Man or muppet, The Muppets

BEST COSTUME DESIGN - The Artist
Will Win: Hugo / Hugo
Alternate: W.E. / The Artist
My Pick of the lot: Don't care, but ok, Hugo / Hugo

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - Hugo
Will Win: Rise of the Planet of the Apes / Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Alternate: Hugo / Real Steel
My Pick of the lot: Rise of the Planet of the Apes, obviously for Andy Serkis / Rise of the Planet of the Apes

BEST MAKE-UP - The Iron Lady
Will Win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 / The Iron Lady
Alternate: Albert Nobbs / Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
My Pick of the lot: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 / NOPE

We're not doing Live Action and Animated short categories. Who'd seen them, anyway? Not that I don't want to, but it's not like they're readily screened in theatres?

TALLY:
The Artist - 5 wins (Picture, Director, Actor, Costumes, Score)
Hugo - 5 wins (Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound mixing & editing, Visual effects)
The Iron Lady - 2 wins (Actress, Make-up)
A separation - 1 win (Foreign)
Rango - 1 win (Animated)
Undefeated - 1 win (Documentary)
The Help - 1 win (S. Actress)
Beginners - 1 win (S. Actor)
Midnight in Paris - 1 win (O. Screenplay)
The Descendants - 1 win (A. Screenplay)
The girl with the dragon tattoo - 1 win (Editing)
The Muppets - 1 win (Song)

I got 14/21 = 67% (17/21 with Alternates)
Griz got 13/20 = 65% (17/20 with Alternates)

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Spirit Awards Winners

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Best Feature
50/50 - Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen
Beginners - Producers: Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Jay Van Hoy
Drive - Producers: Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel
Take Shelter - Producers: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
The Artist - Producer: Thomas Langmann *WINNER
The Descendants - Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

Glad to see Drive and Take Shelter getting some love from the Indie Awards crowd, but disappointed to see The Artist took it home instead when there are superior pictures in the lot.

Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist *WINNER
Mike Mills - Beginners
Jeff Nichols - Take Shelter
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn - Drive


At least Alexander Payne didn't win!

Best Screenplay
Joseph Cedar - Footnote
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Tom McCarthy - Win Win
Mike Mills - Beginners
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash - The Descendants *WINNER


D'oh! This was not a very good short list anyway?

Best First Feature
Another Earth - Director: Mike Cahill, Producers: Mike Cahill, Hunter Gray, Brit Marling, Nicholas Shumaker
In the Family - Director: Patrick Wang, Producers: Robert Tonino, Andrew van den Houten, Patrick Wang
Margin Call - Director: J.C. Chandor, Producers: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto *WINNER
Martha Marcy May Marlene - Director: Sean Durkin, Producers: Antonio Campos, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Josh Mond
Natural Selection - Director: Robbie Pickering, Producers: Brion Hambel, Paul Jensen


Good call on Margin Call. I think. Haven't seen Another Earth, In the Family or Natural Selection.

Best First Screenplay
Mike Cahill, Brit Marling - Another Earth
J.C. Chandor - Margin Call
Patrick deWitt - Terri
Phil Johnston - Cedar Rapids
Will Reiser - 50/50 *WINNER


Uh, serious? With Margin Call in the mix and they picked this mediocre script?

John Cassavetes Award
Bellflower - Writer/Director: Evan Glodell, Producers: Evan Glodell, Vincent Grashaw
Circumstance - Writer/Director: Maryam Keshavarz, Producers: Karin Chien, Maryam Keshavarz, Melissa M. Lee
Hello Lonesome - Writer/Director/Producer: Adam Reid
Pariah - Writer/Director: Dee Rees, Producer: Nekisa Cooper *WINNER
The Dynamiter - Writer: Brad Inglesby, Director: Matthew Gordon, Producers: Kevin Abrams, Matthew Gordon, Merilee Holt, Art Jones, Mike Jones, Nate Tuck, Amile Wilson


What is this?

Best Female Lead
Lauren Ambrose - Think of Me
Rachael Harris - Natural Selection
Adepero Oduye - Pariah
Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn *WINNER


YAY! It sucks that the awards season so far for best actress has been all about Viola Davis vs. Meryl Streep. Awesome to see Michelle winning something.

Best Male Lead
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
Jean Dujardin - The Artist *WINNER
Ryan Gosling - Drive
Woody Harrelson - Rampart
Michael Shannon - Take Shelter


Ah well, no Gosling for Indie. Fassbender should've been nominated here though. What a SHAME.

Best Supporting Female
Jessica Chastain - Take Shelter
Anjelica Huston - 50/50
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Harmony Santana - Gun Hill Road
Shailene Woodley - The Descendants *WINNER


Wow. How did Jessica Chastain lose this one? Ridiculous.

Best Supporting Male
Albert Brooks - Drive
John Hawkes - Martha Marcy May Marlene
Christopher Plummer - Beginners *WINNER
John C. Reilly - Cedar Rapids
Corey Stoll - Midnight in Paris


Eh, haven't seen Beginners so no comment.

Best Cinematography
Joel Hodge - Bellflower
Benjamin Kasulke - The Off Hours
Darius Khondji - Midnight in Paris
Guillaume Schiffman - The Artist *WINNER
Jeffrey Waldron - The Dynamiter


It was good, but not that great?

Best Documentary
An African Election - Director/Producer: Jarreth Merz
Bill Cunningham New York - Director: Richard Press, Producer: Philip Gefter
The Interrupters - Director/Producer: Steve James, Producer: Alex Kotlowitz *WINNER
The Redemption of General Butt Naked - Director/Producers: Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion
We Were Here - Director/Producer: David Weissman


Where's Project Nim?

Best International Film
A Separation (Iran) *WINNER
Melancholia (Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany)
Shame (UK)
The Kid With a Bike (Belgium/France/Italy)
Tyrannosaur (UK)


So there's the best category at the Spirits.

Piaget Producers Award
Chad Burris - Mosquita y Mari
Sophia Lin - Take Shelter *WINNER
Josh Mond - Martha Marcy May Marlene


OK.

Someone to Watch Award
Simon Arthur - Silver Tongues
Mark Jackson - Without *WINNER
Nicholas Ozeki - Mamitas


HM.

Truer Than Fiction Award
Heather Courtney - Where Soldiers Come From *WINNER
Danfung Dennis - Hell and Back Again
Alma Har'el - Bombay Beach


SURE.

Robert Altman Award
Margin Call - Director: J.C. Chandor
Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey
Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci


I wholeheartedly agree. Fantastic cast. Very deserving of this special mention.

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Kids re-enact Oscar Best Picture Nominees

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There is no way the actual ceremony tomorrow is going to be funnier that this. So, so spot on.

"This movie is about ??? nature." "Wait, this is supposed to be my voice over." "A dinosaur!"
"If I find out where this key goes, may be I'll understand why this movie was nominated for an Oscar."
"By the way, your shirts are really ugly."
"Puppy"
"Quiet! This isn't about you anymore."
"What kind of Scorsese movie is this?"
"I must be some f**king horse!"

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Cinemap's 2011 Year in Review

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'TIS WAS THE YEAR OF ...
Michael Fassbender | Ryan Gosling
X-men: First Class, Shame, A Dangerous Method | Ides of March, Drive, Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Emma Stone | Jessica Chastain
Crazy, Stupid, Love., The Help, Friends with Benefits | The Tree of Life, Take Shelter, The Help, Coriolanus

3D wuz here: 3D took a leap further this year, with some of the best effects since that blue Pocahontas movie came out: Hugo and The adventures of Tintin definitely made it worthwhile to see them in 3D.

Retrospective films for film devotees: Hugo resurrected George Méliès' films, The Artist re-framed silence films, Drive went all 80s, and Le Havre paid breathtaking visual homage to classic French cinema.

Apocalypse now: 2012 is coming, and our filmmakers were very concerned with "the end," as evident in Take Shelter, Contagion, and Melancholia. I'll add Attack the block and Super 8, since they dealt with aliens, and we all know aliens = end of Earth!

Year of the dog: In particular, it was the year of the Jack Russell. The IT dog appeared - and stole scenes from its costars - in The adventures of Tintin, The Artist, Le Havre, and Attack the block.

CINEMAPS' BEST OF
Cinemapsychologia's version of the Oscars ballot, with best director category expanded to 10 - 2011 was that good! (June 13, 2012 edit: added PINA)


Top 10
01. Jodái-e Náder az Simin (A separation; Farhadi, 2011) ****1/2
"Iran's official entry for Foreign Film Oscar is a sophisticated, nuanced, meaningful portrait of Iran as it wrestles class, religion, gender, and the wheel of modernity in the frontier of its people's home."
02. Le Gamin au vélo (The kid with a bike; Dardene & Dardene, 2011) ****1/2
"It was sweet, without the saccharine, tough without the embellishment, and heartbreaking without the melodrama."
03. Drive (Refn, 2011) ****1/2
"Ryan Gosling stamped his "forever" with an impeccable "Driver." This is what cinema with a pulse looks like."
04. Pina (Wenders, 2011) ****1/2
I cried. It's indescribable what watching Pina was like. It was worth every 3D penny I spent on it.
05. Le Havre (Kaurismäki, 2011) ****
"Sometimes, a film is a romanticized version of a dream of a true emotion. This was such a film, and gosh darn what an absolute delight it was."
06. Take Shelter (Nichols, 2011) ****
"Moody, deeply felt portrait of a loving family man's descend into insanity - or is it clarity? Michael Shannon delivered an intricate, intense performance to match Jessica Chastain's best of the year."
07. Attack the block (Cornish, 2011) ****
"This funtastic film was recommended to me by a videostore clerk: "it's like aliens versus the kids from The Wire." What more do you want?"
08. Margin Call (Chandor, 2011) ****
"A clever, well-paced, well-acted account of the beginning of the economic crisis."
09. Melancholia (von Trier, 2011) ****
"A tour de force of a hell-before-the-apocalypse film."
10. Project Nim (Marsh, 2011) ****
"Rise of Planet of the Apes came to life - except, there was no rising, only a heart-breaking web of tragic consequences of misguided human curiosity and short-sighted negligence."



Grin & Pulse
The most fun I had watching a movie this past year
Drive
Attack the block
The muppets
Le Havre
The adventures of Tintin



Director
Jean Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne, Le Gamin au vélo
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
Nicholas Winding Refn, Drive
Wim Wenders, Pina
Aki Kaurismäki, Le Havre



Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter
 Lars von Trier, Melancholia
Julia Leigh, Sleeping Beauty
Steven Spielberg, The Adventures of Tintin
Joe Cornish, Attack the block



Performances
Ryan Gosling, Drive
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Thomas Doret, Le Gamin au vélo
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Sareh Bayat, A separation

Peter Mullan, Tyrannosaur
Aggeliki Papoulia, Alps
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter
Michelle Williams, My week with Marilyn
Jeremy Irons, Margin Call



Writing
A Separation
Margin Call
Take Shelter
Le Gamin au vélo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy




Editing
Drive
A Separation
Take Shelter
Le Gamin au vélo
The girl with the dragon tattoo




Cinematography
Melancholia
The Tree of life
Sleeping Beauty
Drive
Le Havre



Art Direction
Hugo
Le Havre
Sleeping Beauty
The skin I live in
Pina



Effects
Pina
Hugo
The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist
Melancholia




Sound
Drive
Take shelter
The Turin Horse
The girl with the dragon tattoo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes




Score
Pina
Drive
The girl with the dragon tattoo
Melancholia
The muppets


Uncharted (yet to be seen)
Beginners
We need to talk about Kevin
Albert Nobbs
The Iron Lady
Bridesmaids
Chico & Rita

Charted

****1/2
Drive (Refn, 2011)
Le Gamin au vélo (The kid with a bike; Dardene & Dardene, 2011)
Jodái-e Náder az Simin (A separation; Farhadi, 2011)

Pina (Wenders, 2011)

****
Attack the block (Cornish, 2011)
Le Havre (Kaurismäki, 2011)
Margin call (Chandor, 2011)
Melancholia (von Trier, 2011)
Project Nim (Marsh, 2011)
Take shelter (Nichols, 2011)

***1/2
The Artist (Hazanavicius, 2011)
The boy Mir: 10 years in Afghanistan (Grabsky , 2011)
Dernier étage gauche gauche (Top floor, Left Wing; Cianci, 2011)
Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (Herzog & Vasyokov, 2011)
The Muppets (Bobin, 2011)
Shame (McQueen, 2011)
Sleeping Beauty (Leigh, 2011)
Take this Waltz (Polley, 2011)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Alfredson, 2011)
The tree of life (Malick, 2011)
The trip (Winterbottom, 2011)
We Were Here (Weissman & Weber, 2011)

***
A dangerous method (Cronenberg, 2011)
The adventures of Tintin (Spielberg, 2011)
Alps (Lanthimos, 2011)
Bir Zamanlar Anadolu'da (Once upon a time in Anatolia; Ceylan, 2011)
Buck (Meehl, 201!)
Contagion (Soderbergh, 2011)
The Girl with the Dragon tattoo (Fincher, 2011)
Michael (Schleinzer, 2011)
Midnight in Paris (Allen, 2011)
Miss Bala (Naranjo, 2011)
Moneyball (Miller, 2011)
My week with Marilyn (Curtis, 2011)
La piel que habito (The skin I live in; Almodóvar, 2011)
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Wyatt, 2011)
Starbuck (Scott, 2011)
Super 8 (Abrams, 2011)
Tyrannosaur (Considine, 2011)
Weekend (Haigh, 2011)

**1/2
50/50 (Levine, 2011)
A torinói ló (The Turin Horse; Tarr, 2011)
Crazy, Stupid, Love (Ficarra, 2011)
The Descendants (Payne, 2011)
Elena (Zvyagintsev, 2011)
The green hornet (Gondry, 2011)
Hanna (Wright, 2011)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Yates, 2011)
The help (Taylor, 2011)
He'arat Shulayim (Footnote; Cedar, 2011)
Hugo (Scorsese, 2011)
The ides of March (Clooney, 2011)
Like Crazy (Doremus, 2011)
Martha Marcy May Marlene (Durkin, 2011)
Rango (Verbinski, 2011)
Source Code (Jones, 2011)

**
X-men: First class (Vaughn, 2011)
Bad Teacher (Kasdan, 2011)
Kung Fu Panda 2 (Nelson, 2011)

*
The Adjustment Bureau (Nolfi; 2011)

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Jean Dujardin as villain of everything

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Now this is what I'd call an Oscar campaign straight for the heart. Brad Pitt, watch out!

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Recently Seen (out of *****)

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