Independent Spirit and Razzie Awards

Posted on February 27, 2011 at 9:49 am

Just before the Oscars every year, the Film Independent Spirit and Razzie awards are given out. It was a good year for “Black Swan” and not such a good year for “The Last Airbender” and Jessica Alba.
Film Independent gives awards for independent films, some of them produced on micro-budgets. Some of them feature big Hollywood stars; others feature unknowns or the film-makers themselves. But all of them are deeply personal works that reflect the passionate commitment of the people who make them.
Best Feature
Black Swan Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky Black Swan
Best Screenplay
The Kids Are All Right Writers: Stuart Blumberg & Lisa Cholodenko
Best First Feature Sony Pictures Classics
Get Low Director: Aaron Schneider
Producers: David Gundlach, Dean Zanuck
Best First Screenplay
Lena Dunham Tiny Furniture
John Cassavetes Award
(For the best feature made under $500,000) Writers/Directors: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
Daddy Longlegs Producers: Casey Neistat, Tom Scott
Best Supporting Female
Dale Dickey Winter’s Bone
Best Supporting Male
John Hawkes Winter’s Bone
Best Female
Natalie Portman Black Swan
Best Male
James Franco 127 Hours
Best Cinematography
Matthew Libatique Black Swan

Best Foreign Film
The King’s Speech Director: Tom Hooper
Best Documentary
Exit Through The Gift Shop
And the Razzies recognize the worst that Hollywood gave the world over the last year. The “winners” for 2011 are:
Aang Last Airbender.jpg Worst Picture
The Last Airbender
Worst Actor
Ashton Kutcher, Killers and Valentine’s Day

Worst Actress
Sex and the City 2 — All four leading ladies
Worst Supporting Actor
Jackson Rathbone, The Last Airbender‘ and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Worst Supporting Actress
Jessica Alba, The Killer Inside Me, Little Fockers, Machete, and Valentine’s Day
Worst Eye-Gouging Mis-Use of 3-D
The Last Airbender
Worst Screen Couple/Ensemble
The Entire Cast, Sex and the City 2
Worst Director
The Last Airbender, M. Night Shyamalan

Worst Screenplay
The Last Airbender, M. Night Shyamalan
Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel
Sex and the City 2

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The Razzies!

Posted on January 24, 2011 at 1:52 pm

The Razzies salute the worst movies of the year. A day before the Oscar nominations, they announce their candidates for the most excruciatingly painful cinematic experiences of the previous 12 months. The best thing about them — anyone can vote! If you suffered through something truly awful in the theater last year and want to get your revenge, now is your chance. Here is the Hall of Shame, I mean list of candidates:
Worst Picture
“The Bounty Hunter”
“The Last Airbender”
“Sex and the City 2”
“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
“Vampires Suck”
Worst Actor
Jack Black – “Gulliver’s Travels”
Gerard Butler – “The Bounty Hunter”
Ashton Kutcher – “Killers” and “Valentine’s Day”
Taylor Lautner – “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” and “Valentine’s Day”
Robert Pattinson – “Remember Me” and “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
Worst Actress
Jennifer Aniston – “The Bounty Hunter” and “The Switch”
Miley Cyrus – “The Last Song”
Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon – “Sex and the City 2”
Megan Fox – “Jonah Hex”
Kristen Stewart – “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
Worst Supporting Actress
Jessica Alba – “The Killer Inside Me,” “Little Fockers,” “Machete” and “Valentine’s Day”
Cher – “Burlesque”
Liza Minnelli – “Sex and the City 2”
Nicola Peltz – “The Last Airbender”
Barbra Streisand – “Little Fockers”
Worst Supporting Actor
Billy Ray Cyrus – “The Spy Next Door”
George Lopez – “Marmaduke,” “The Spy Next Door” and “Valentine’s Day”
Dev Patel – “The Last Airbender”
Jackson Rathbone – “The Last Airbender” and “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
Rob Schneider – “Grown-Ups”
Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3-D
“Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore”
“Clash of the Titans”
“The Last Airbender”
“The Nutcracker 3D”
“Saw 3D”
Worst Screen Couple/Ensemble
Jennifer Aniston & Gerard Butler – “The Bounty Hunter”
Josh Brolin’s Face & Megan Fox’s Accent – “Jonah Hex”
The Entire Cast of “The Last Airbender”
The Entire Cast of “Sex and the City 2”
The Entire Cast of “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
Worst Director
Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer – “Vampires Suck”
Michael Patrick King – “Sex and the City 2”
M. Night Shyamalan – “The Last Airbender”
David Slade – “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
Sylvester Stallone – The Expendables
Worst Screenplay
“The Last Airbender”
“Little Fockers”
“Sex and the City 2”
“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
“Vampires Suck”
Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel
“Clash of the Titans”
“The Last Airbender”
“Sex and the City 2”
“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
“Vampires Suck”

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Winners: Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards

Posted on January 17, 2011 at 12:04 am

It’s looking good for “The Social Network,” Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, and Trent Reznor as the leading predictors of the Oscar race gave out their awards this weekend.
Golden Globe winners:
MOTION PICTURES:
— Picture, Drama: “The Social Network.”
— Picture, Musical or Comedy: “The Kids Are All Right.”
— Actor, Drama: Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech.”
— Actress, Drama: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan.”
— Director: David Fincher, “The Social Network.”
— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right.”
— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Paul Giamatti, “Barney’s Version.”
— Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, “The Fighter.”
— Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, “The Fighter.”
— Foreign Language: “In a Better World.”
— Animated Film: “Toy Story 3.”
— Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, “The Social Network.”
— Original Score: “The Social Network.”
— Original Song: “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me,” (written by Diane Warren), “Burlesque.”
TELEVISION:
— Series, Drama: “Boardwalk Empire,” HBO.
— Actor, Drama: Steve Buscemi, “Boardwalk Empire.”
— Actress, Drama: Katey Sagal, “Sons of Anarchy.”
— Series, Musical or Comedy: “Glee,” Fox.
— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory.”
— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Laura Linney, “The Big C.”
— Miniseries or Movie: “Carlos,” Sundance Channel.
— Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Claire Danes, “Temple Grandin.”
— Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Al Pacino, “You Don’t Know Jack.”
— Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jane Lynch, “Glee.”
— Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Chris Colfer, “Glee.”
Critic’s Choice Awards
Best Picture: ‘The Social Network’
Best Actor: Colin Firth, ‘The King’s Speech’
Best Actress: Natalie Portman, ‘Black Swan’
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, ‘The Fighter’
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, ‘The Fighter’
Best Young Actor/Actress: Hailee Steinfeld, ‘True Grit’
Best Acting Ensemble: ‘The Fighter’
Best Director: David Fincher, ‘The Social Network’
Best Original Screenplay: ‘The King’s Speech,’ David Seidler
Best Adapted Screenplay: ‘The Social Network,’ Aaron Sorkin
Best Cinematography: ‘Inception,’ Wally Pfister
Best Art Direction: ‘Inception,’ Guy Hendrix Dyas and Larry Dias & Doug Mowat
Best Editing: ‘Inception,’ Lee Smith
Best Costume Design: ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ Colleen Atwood
Best Makeup: ‘Alice in Wonderland’
Best Visual Effects: ‘Inception’
Best Sound: ‘Inception’
Best Animated Feature: ‘Toy Story 3’
Best Action Movie: ‘Inception’
Best Comedy: ‘Easy A’
Best Picture Made For Television: ‘The Pacific’
Best Foreign Language Film: ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’
Best Documentary Feature: ‘Waiting for ‘Superman” ‘
Best Song: ‘If I Rise,’ performed by Dido and A.R. Rahman/music by A.R. Rahman/lyrics by Dido Armstrong and Rollo Armstrong; ‘127 Hours’
Best Score: ‘The Social Network,’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

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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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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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