The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, and the Very, Very Independent — the Spirit Awards and the Razzies

Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:05 pm

The Spirit Awards for independent film were announced yesterday, as were the Razzie nominations for the worst films and performances of 2011. Good news for “The Artist,” not such good news for Adam Sandler, who broke the record for the most Razzie nominations, because three of his films were included along with his performances as both actor and actress (in drag) in “Jack and Jill.”

Spirit Awards

BEST FEATURE: “The Artist”
BEST DIRECTOR: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
BEST MALE LEAD: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”
BEST FEMALE LEAD: Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn”
BEST SUPPORTING MALE: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE: Shailene Woodley, “The Descendants”
BEST FIRST FEATURE: “Margin Call”
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Feature Under $500,000): “Pariah”
BEST SCREENPLAY: “The Descendants”
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY: “50/50”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: “The Artist”
BEST DOCUMENTARY: “The Interrupters”
BEST FOREIGN FILM: “A Separation”
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD: “Margin Call”

The Razzies (Golden Rasberry Awards)

WORST PICTURE • Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star • New Year’s Eve •Transformers: Dark of the Moon •The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1

WORST ACTOR • Adam Sandler, Just Go With It & Jack and Jill • Nick Swardson , Bucky Larson •Russell Brand , Arthur • Taylor Lautner , Abduction & Breaking Dawn • Nicholas Cage , Drive Angry 3-D, Season of the Witch, & Trespass

WORST ACTRESS • Adam Sandler, Just Go With It & Jack and Jill • Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin: The Undefeated • Sarah Jessica Parker, I Don’t Know How She Does It & New Year’s Eve • Kristen Stewart, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 • Martin Lawrence, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR • Al Pacino, Jack and Jill • Patrick Dempsey, Transformers: Dark of the Moon • James Franco, Your Highness, • Nick Swardson , Jack and Jill & Just Go With It • Ken Jeong for four movies—Big Mommas,The Hangover: Part II, Transformers & Zookeeper.

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS • David Spade , Jack and Jill • Martin Lawrence, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son • Nicole Kidman , Just Go With It • Rosie Huntington-Whiteley , Transformers: Dark of the Moon • Katie Holmes, Jack and Jill

WORST SCREEN ENSEMBLES • The Entire Cast of Bucky Larson • The Entire Cast of Jack and Jill • The Entire Cast of New Year’s Eve • The Entire Cast of Transformers • The Entire Cast of Breaking Dawn

WORST SCREEN COUPLE • Nicholas Cage & “anyone sharing the screen with him in any of his three 2011 films” • Shia LaBeouf & Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Transformers • Adam Sandler & Jennifer Aniston or Brooklyn Decker, Just Go With It • Adam Sandler & Katie Holmes, Al Pacino or himself, Jack and Jill • Kristen Stewart & Taylor Lautner or Robert Pattinson, Breaking Dawn.

WORST PREQUEL, SEQUEL, REMAKE OR RIPOFF • Arthur • Bucky Larson • The Hangover: Part II • Jack and Jill • Breaking Dawn

WORST DIRECTOR • Michael Bay, Transformers • Tom Brady, Bucky Larson • Bill Condon, Breaking Dawn • Dennis Dugan, Jack and Jill & Just Go With It • Garry Marshall, New Year’s Eve.

WORST SCREENPLAY • Bucky Larson • Jack and Jill • New Year’s Eve • Transformers • Breaking Dawn

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Awards

Teenage Paparazzo Empowerment Tour

Posted on February 26, 2012 at 8:00 am

The Teenage Paparazzo Empowerment Tour is raising money to deliver messages about media and celebrity to high schools across the country. Adrian Grenier (HBO’s Entourage) gets behind the camera to explore the concepts of celebrity and fame in today’s media saturated society. The documentary interviews scholars, celebrities, and paparazzo themselves in order to take an in-depth look at why and how people consume popular culture and are affected by media saturation and technology. The Empowerment Tour will bring together teachers, students, local media, guest speakers, and educators at high school campuses across the country. Schools get the opportunity to screen the film, engage in a live exhibit of art reflecting themes presented in the film, and engage in local media events. They are reaching 80 schools and 50,000+ students in a 6 month period, beginning in the fall of 2012.

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Contests and Giveaways Teenagers

British Teenager Creates Lego Tribute to 10 Classic Movies

Posted on February 25, 2012 at 3:54 pm

Congratulations to Harry Bossert — how many of these scenes can you identify?

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Shorts

Paulzeye Interviews Me!

Posted on February 25, 2012 at 8:00 am

Many thanks to Paulzeye for the opportunity to answer very thoughtful questions about being a movie critic. I was very touched by his kind words:

Whether Minow’s busy being a mom or busy being the Movie Mom, one thing is certain: she encompasses all the qualities and virtues of the hard-working 21st Century woman. And her commentary is a reflection of her own persona: honest, sharp, to the point, and always very insightful.

Here’s an excerpt from the interview:

Paulzeye: As a critic, you’ve seen a fair share of good films and bad films. How would you define a masterful or good film? How would you define a bad film?

Nell Minow: I evaluate every movie according to its aspirations – otherwise, every review will be, “It’s not ‘Citizen Kane.’” How well does it meet the expectations of its intended audience? If it is a silly comedy or a chases and explosions film it makes no sense to compare it to an Oscar contender. But, at its core, every movie should be grounded in the sincere commitment of the people who made it to do the best they can for the audience they are trying to reach. The one kind of film I really hate is the kind that condescends to its audience.

Paulzeye: What are five films, new or old, that should be on every family’s ‘must-see’ list and why?

Nell Minow: “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “The Court Jester,” “Some Like it Hot,” “The Miracle Worker,” and “The Wizard of Oz” are all classics that have something for every age and give families a lot to talk about.

Paulzeye: People tend to think that being a film critic is an easy profession but surely it must be difficult to spend hours in a multiplex watching several films back to back and then reviewing them. Talk to us about that process. What’s a day at the movies like for you?

Nell Minow: Most days, I see only one or two movies. The independent and foreign films are most often in a little screening room at the Motion Picture Association building across Lafayette Square from the White House during the day and the big studio films are in the evening, in movie theatres with a couple of rows reserved for critics and the rest filled with people who won tickets on radio stations or other giveaways. I really enjoy the other local critics, who have become friends and colleagues. They make even the worst movies fun to watch.

Paulzeye: As a critic, what do you feel more comfortable writing about: a film that you absolutely loved or one that you absolutely loathed?

Nell Minow: Both are fine because they both inspire a lot of thoughts. The toughest ones are the bland and mediocre movies, because it is so hard to think of anything to say or any vivid way to say it.

Paulzeye: You’ve interviewed several important figures (politicians, actors, and directors) over the years. What are some of your most memorable interviews and why?

Nell Minow: I especially like talking to writers and directors, who are not interviewed as often as actors and who are more interested in talking. Some of the most memorable include John Irving, Jason Reitman, Randall Wallace, Mike Mills, and John Cameron Mitchell. One of my favorite recent interviews was with Martin Sheen for “The Way.” He is an enthralling raconteur and I could have listened to him all day. I was also very impressed at how kind he was to the staff in the hotel, introducing himself to everyone and really listening to them. Another actor I won’t name infuriated me by being very rude to the waitress and maître d’.

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Media Appearances

Slate Analyzes Oscar Acceptance Speeches

Posted on February 24, 2012 at 11:32 pm

The dresses and the acceptance speeches are often more hotly debated than the awards on Oscar night. Everyone remembers Sally Fields’ famous, “You like me!” speech and Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s impetuous, “I love you!” Jack Palance did one-handed push-ups. Adrian Brody saw one of the most beautiful woman in history read his name and it was easy to understand why he could not resist the temptation to sweep Halle Berry into his arms for a passionate kiss. Julia Roberts told the conductor he’d better not start waving his baton to start the music because she had more to say. Roberto Benigni climbed over the chairs on his way to the stage. Louise Fletcher (Best Actress, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) memorably used American Sign Language for her thank yous because her parents are deaf. When Tom Hanks thanked his high school drama teacher in his acceptance speech for playing a gay lawyer in “Philadelphia,” he appeared to out him as well (Hanks had called for permission). That inspired the Kevin Kline movie “In and Out.”

Clark Gable (Best Actor, “It Happened One Night”) gave the shortest speech, just “Thank you.” Greer Garson (Best Actress, “Mrs. Miniver) gave the longest speech. While it is sometimes reported as having lasted over an hour, in reality, according to the official historian of the awards, it was just seven minutes. But it was after 1 am and it probably seemed longer. Garson was a good sport. The following year, as a presenter, she got up to the podium and said, “As I was saying….”

What’s your guess about who gets thanked the most often? Parents? Drama coach? Director? Agent? Slate has done a comprehensive analysis of the past decade of Oscar acceptance speeches and it is a lot of fun. I wonder why God is thanked so much more frequently at the Grammys and MTV awards than the Oscars.

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Actors Awards