Black Reel Award Nominees

Posted on December 15, 2010 at 10:13 pm

One of the most profound professional honors I have received is the opportunity to vote for the Black Reel Awards. I am especially proud of this year’s nominees:
Outstanding Film
The Book of Eli
Warner Bros. Pictures
Brooklyn’s Finest
Overture Films
For Colored Girls
Lionsgate
Night Catches Us
Magnolia
Just Wright
Fox Searchlight
Outstanding Actress
Thandie Newton – For Colored Girls
Queen Latifah – Just Wright
Kerry Washington – Night Catches Us
Anika Noni Rose – For Colored Girls
Kimberly Elise – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Actor
Don Cheadle – Brooklyn’s Finest
Denzel Washington – The Book of Eli
Jaden Smith – The Karate Kid
Anthony Mackie – Night Catches Us
Denzel Washington – Unstoppable
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Phylicia Rashad – For Colored Girls
Kerry Washington – For Colored Girls
Viola Davis – Eat Pray Love
Janet Jackson – For Colored Girls
Shareeka Epps – Mother and Child
Outstanding Supporting Actor
Wesley Snipes – Brooklyn’s Finest
Sean Combs – Get Him to the Greek
Samuel L. Jackson – Mother and Child
Brandon T. Jackson – Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Laurence Fishburne – Predators
Outstanding Director
Antoine Fuqua – Brooklyn’s Finest
Sanaa Hamri – Just Wright
Tanya Hamilton – Night Catches
Allen and Albert Hughes – The Book of Eli
Tyler Perry – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Screenplay, Original or Adapted
Tanya Hamilton – Night Catches Us
Michael C. Martin – Brooklyn’s Finest
Michael Elliott – Just Wright
Peter Allen, Gabriel Casseus, John Lussenhop and Avery Duff – Takers
Tyler Perry – For Colored Girls
Outstanding Original Score
The Karate Kid
Brooklyn’s Finest
Night Catches Us
The Book of Eli
For Colored Girls
Outstanding Original Song
Shine (John Legend) | Waiting for Superman
Champion (Queen Latifah) | Just Wright
Run This Town (Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kayne West) | Brooklyn’s Finest
Never Say Never (Justin Bieber featuring Jaden Smith) | The Karate Kid
I Know Who I Am (Leona Lewis) | For Colored Girls
Outstanding Ensemble
For Colored Girls
Brooklyn’s Finest
Unstoppable
Night Catches Us
Takers
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance
Omari Hardwick – For Colored Girls
Tessa Thompson – For Colored Girls
Amari Cheatom – Night Catches Us
Zoe Kravitz – It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Yaya DaCosta – The Kids Are All Right
Outstanding Feature Documentary
The Lottery
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
Waiting on Superman
My Mic Sounds Nice
Outstanding Indie Feature Film
Preacher’s Kid
Warner’s Bros.
Kings of the Evening
Picture Palace Films / Indican Pictures
Toe to Toe
Strand Releasing
Black Venus
MK2 Productions/France 2 Cinéma/CinéCinéma
Finding God in the City of Angels
Flying Limbs Productions
Outstanding Indie Short Film
Cred
Stag and Dow
Katrina’s Son
Outstanding Indie Documentary Film
For the Best and For the Onion
One of These Mornings
Gefilte Fish
Outstanding Television Documentary
If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise
The Black List, Vol. 3
A Small Act

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Awards

Golden Globe Nominees! (And a few comments)

Posted on December 14, 2010 at 9:30 am

BEST PICTURE: DRAMA
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
Comment: Where is “True Grit?” And “Toy Story 3” should be in this category.
BEST PICTURE: COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are Alright
Red
The Tourist
Comment: “The Tourist?” Wait, it was supposed to be funny? And where are “Get Him to the Greek” and “The Other Guys?”
BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronosfsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter
BEST ACTOR: DRAMA
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter
BEST ACTRESS: DRAMA
Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
BEST ACTRESS: COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Anette Bening, The Kids Are Alright
Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are Alright
Emma Stone, Easy A
Comment: Hurray for Emma Stone! Look for her next year as a best actress nominee for “The Help.”
BEST ACTOR: COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp, The Tourist
Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version
Jake Gyllenhaal, Love and Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Michael Douglas, Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Biutiful
The Concert
The Edge
I Am Love
In a Better World
Comment: Nice to see a nomination for “The Concert.”
BEST SCREENPLAY
Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David Seidler, The King’s Speech
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexandre Desplat, The King’s Speech
Danny Elfman, Alice in Wonderland
A.R. Rahman, 127 Hours
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network
Hans Zimmer, Inception
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3
Comment: This is the toughest category. Every one of them deserves the prize.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Bound To You” (Burlesque)
“Coming Home” (Country Strong)
“I See The Light” (Tangled)
“There’s a Place For Us” (The Chronicles of Narnia)
“You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me” (Burlesque)

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Awards

WAFCA Movie Award Winners 2010

Posted on December 6, 2010 at 8:42 am

And the Washington Area Film Critic Awards go to…

Best Film?: “The Social Network”
Best Director: David Fincher, “The Social Network”
Best Actor: Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone”
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, “The Fighter”
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, “The Fighter”
Best Adapted Screenplay: “The Social Network”
Best Original Screenplay: “Inception”
Best Animated Feature: “Toy Story 3“
Best Documentary: “Exit Through the Gift Shop”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Biutiful”
Best Art Direction: “Inception”
Best Cinematography: “Inception”
Best Score: “Inception”
Best Acting Ensemble: “The Town”
Many thanks to my dear friends Brandon Fibbs, Dustin Putman, Patrick Jennings, and our fearless leader Tim Gordon for making this a pleasure.

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Awards Critics

Washington Area Film Critic Nominations

Posted on December 4, 2010 at 11:53 pm

The Washington Area Film Critics are proud to announce the nominees for our 2010 awards. Stay tuned — the winners will be announced Monday morning on the Punch Drunk Critics podcast.
Best Film:
Black Swan
Inception
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
Best Director:
Daren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
Danny Boyle (127 Hours)
Joel and Ethan Coen (True Grit)
David Fincher (The Social Network)
Christopher Nolan (Inception)
Best Actor:
Jeff Bridges (True Grit)
Robert Duvall (Get Low)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King’s Speech)
James Franco (127 Hours)
Best Actress:
Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)
Anne Hathaway (Love & Other Drugs)
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale (The Fighter)
Andrew Garfield (The Social Network)
John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone)
Sam Rockwell (Conviction)
Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech)
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech)
Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)
Best Acting Ensemble:
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The Social Network
The Town
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours)
Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)
Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3)
Joel and Ethan Coen (True Grit)
Debra Granik and Anne Rossellini (Winter’s Bone)
Best Original Screenplay:
Mike Leigh (Another Year)
Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin (Black Swan)
Christopher Nolan (Inception)
Stuart Blumberg and Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right)
David Seidler (The King’s Speech)
Best Animated Feature:
Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
Megamind
Tangled
Toy Story 3
Best Documentary:
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Inside Job
Restrepo
The Tillman Story
Waiting for ‘Superman’
Best Foreign Language Film:
Biutiful
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I Am Love
Mother
White Material
Best Art Direction:
Alice in Wonderland
Black Swan
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Inception
True Grit
Best Cinematography:
Black Swan
Inception
127 Hours
The Social Network
True Grit
Best Score:
Black Swan
Inception
127 Hours
The Social Network
True Grit

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Awards

Razzies and Spirit Awards

Posted on March 7, 2010 at 11:58 am

Sandra Bullock certainly gets the good sport award for her gracious acceptance of the worst actress Razzie for her performance in All About Steve. She came out on stage with a wagon full of DVDs for everyone. If she wins tonight, that will make her the first person to win both an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year.

I really hated the movie, but I recognized that she had good intentions and a good idea and her performance was not the problem. And Bradley Cooper (her co-awardee for worst couple) was certainly blameless. The Razzie should go to the screenwriter. I also thought the Jonas Brothers’ award was mean-spirited. They weren’t acting; it was a documentary. But I completely support the Razzie for Land of the Lost.

Worst Picture of 2009:

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

Worst Actress of 2009:

Sandra Bullock

All About Steve

Worst Actor(s) of 2009:

All Three Jonas Brothers

Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience

Worst Screen Couple:

Sandra Bullock & Bradley Cooper

All About Steve

Worst Supporting Actress:

Sienna Miller

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Worst Supporting Actor:

Billy Ray Cyrus

Hannah Montana: The Movie

Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel

Land of The Lost

Worst Director:

Michael Bay

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

Worst Screenplay:

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

On a happier note, the Spirit Awards for independent films were given out on Friday night. Eddie Izzard was surprisingly disappointing as the host and Ben Stiller ruined his segment with a trashy stunt, but the laid-back ceremony continues to have the best sense of passion and community of any of the award shows. “Precious” was the big winner with awards for leading and supporting actresses, best director, and best picture. All of their acceptance speeches were sensational. I especially loved seeing the documentary award go to Anvil, who also got a chance to perform with a great introduction from Dave Grohl. Here are the very worthy winners:

Best Film: Precious

Best Director: Lee Daniels, Precious

Best Actress: Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Supporting Actor: Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

Best Documentary: Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Best Foreign film: An Education

Best Debut film: Scott Cooper, Crazy Heart

Best First screenplay: Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious

Best Screenplay: Scott Neustader and Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer

Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, A Serious Man

John Cassavetes Award: Lynn Shelton, Humpday

Robert Altman Award: A Serious Man

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