Posted on November 30, 2011 at 3:41 pm
The Heart of Christmas is based on the inspiring true story of a community that came together to give one very ill little boy one last Christmas. It will be broadcast this Sunday at 7 and 9 Eastern and we are lucky enough to have an exclusive clip.
Posted on November 30, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Roger Ebert reports that “Star Trek” captain William Shatner and “Star Wars” princess Carrie Fisher are engaged in a battle bigger than anything involving Klingons or The Empire — the relative merits of their two franchises. Check out the warring YouTube videos on Ebert’s blog — lots of fun for fans of either and both.
Posted on November 30, 2011 at 9:42 am
Barbara Walters has announced the line-up for her annual “Most Fascinating” television show (as always, leaving one player-to-be-named-later spot at the end for a surprise). This is the best she could do? Pippa Middleton? Her two achievements of 2011 were (1) being pretty and (2) having her sister marry a prince. Many of Walters’ choices seem so-five-years-ago. Donald Trump? Simon Cowell? Derek Jeter? The Kardashians???? Talk about shark-jumping. I’m a huge “Modern Family” fan and love Cameron, Mitchell, and Lily, but I don’t think they reach the level of previous “most fascinating” subjects like General Petraeus, Betty White, Sarah Palin, Lady Gaga, Barack and Michelle Obama, or Justin Bieber.
I might pick Jessica Chastain, who appeared in five of the year’s most significant films, including “The Help,” “Tree of Life,” and “Take Shelter” or Brad Pitt for his performances in “Tree of Life” and “Moneyball.” “The Help’s” Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis would definitely be on my list. I might pick the NBA and the owners as the most fascinating sports story of the year and would have a tough time picking between Republican candidates Newt Gingrich, John Huntsman, Michelle Bachman, or Herman Cain as possible “fascinating” choices. Elizabeth Warren would be high on my list as well. Who do you think deserves this year’s “most fascinating” selection?
Posted on November 30, 2011 at 8:00 am
Join George Lucas, J.J. Abrams, Seth MacFarlane and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry Jr. for “Trek Nation,” tonight at 8 (Eastern and Pacific) on the Science channel for “Trek Nation,” with never-before-seen footage in a 45th anniversary of one of the greatest television franchises of all time, Star Trek. This tribute follows Gene Roddenberry’s son, Rod, as he explores the deep impact of his father’s singular vision for the future through interviews with fans and many notable Star Trek alums. The show draws on hours of exclusive footage, including never-before-seen home movies from the Roddenberry family collection and the first-ever Star Trek convention.
If you enjoy this, be sure to watch one of my all-time favorite documentaries, Trekkies
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Like the Presidential primaries, the end-of-year movie award lists get earlier all the time. Here’s what’s come in so far:
Gotham Awards (for independent films)
Best feature: “Tree of Life” and “Beginners”
Best ensemble: “Beginners” New York Film Critics Best film: “The Artist”
Best actor: Brad Pitt in “Moneyball” and “Tree of Life”
Best actress: Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”
Best supporting actor: Albert Brooks in “Drive”
Best supporting actress: Jessica Chastain in three performances — “Take Shelter,” “Help,” and “The Tree of Life”
Best screenplay: “Moneyball”
Best documentary: “Cave of Forgotten Dreams”
Best foreign language: “A Separation”
Best cinematography: “Tree of Life”
Independent Spirit Nominations (for independent films)
Best feature “The Artist” “Beginners” “The Descendants” “Drive” “50/50” “Take Shelter”
Best director: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist” Mike Mills, “Beginners” Jeff Nichols, “Take Shelter” Alexander Payne, “The Descendants” Nicolas Winding Refn, “Drive”
Best screenplay Joseph Cedar, “Footnote” Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist” Tom McCarthy, “Win Win” Mike Mills, “Beginners” Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, “The Descendants”
Best first feature “Another Earth” “In the Family” “Margin Call” “Martha Marcy May Marlene” “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”
John Cassavetes award (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000) “Bellflower” “Circumstance” “Hello Lonesome” “Pariah” “The Dynamiter”
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”
Best male lead Demian Bechir, “A Better Life” Jean Dujardin, “The Artist” Ryan Gosling, “Drive” Woody Harrelson, “Rampart” Michael Shannon, “Take Shelter”
Best supporting female
Jessica Chastain, “Take Shelter” Anjelica Huston, “50/50” Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs” Harmony Santana, “Gun Hill Road” Shailene Woodley, “The Descendants”
Best supporting male Albert Brooks, “Drive” John Hawkes, “Martha Marcy May Marlene” Christopher Plummer, “Beginners” John C. Reilly, “Cedar Rapids” Corey Stoll, “Midnight in Paris”
Best cinematography Joel Hodge, “Bellflower” Benjamin Kasulke, “The Off Hours” Darius Khondji, “Midnight in Paris” Guillame Schiffma, “Pariah” Jeffrey Waldron, “The Dynamiter”
Best documentary “An African Election” “Bill Cunningham New York” “The Interrupters” “The Redemption of General Butt Naked” “We Were Here” Best international film “A Separation” “Melancholia” “Shame” “The Kid With a Bike” “Tyrannosaur”
Piaget Producer’s award Chad Burris, “Mosquita y Mari” Sophia Lin, “Take Shelter” Josh Mond, “Martha Marcy May Marlene”
Someone to watch award Simon Arthur, “Silver Tongues” Mark Jackson, “Without” Nicholas Ozeki, “Mamitas”
Truer than fiction award Heather Courtney, “Where Soldiers Come From” Danfung Dennis, “Hell and Back Again” Alma Har’El, “Bombay Beach”
