Monday, February 9, 2009

Kate, 'Slumdog' and Penelope Get BAFTA Awards





Best film
Slumdog Millionaire

Director
Slumdog Millionaire - Danny Boyle

Leading Actor
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Leading Actress
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Original Screenplay
In Bruges - Martin McDonagh

Adapted Screenplay
Slumdog Millionaire - Simon Beaufoy

Animated Film
WALL•E
Music
Slumdog Millionaire - A. R. Rahman

Cinematography
Slumdog Millionaire - Anthony Dod Mantle

Editing
Slumdog Millionaire - Chris Dickens

Production Design
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Donald Graham Burt / Victor J. Zolfo

Costume Design
The Duchess - Michael O'Connor

Make Up & Hair
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Jean Black / Colleen Callaghan

Sound
Slumdog Millionaire - Glenn Freemantle / Resul Pookutty / Richard Pryke / Tom Sayers / Ian Tapp

Special Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Barba / Craig Barron / Nathan McGuinness / Edson Williams





''What If'' Kate Finally Won?


Sunday, February 8, 2009

Oscar Posters Revisited





Best Picture Winners 1980's


Keith's Special Comment On Darth Vader



Saturday, February 7, 2009

'Far From The Madding Crowd'







Warner Brothers finally released this Julie Christie film a spectacle of exploding passions.
The luminous Julie is reunited with director John Schlesinger and screenplay writer Frederic Raphael of 'Darling' fame.
Her costars are Terence Stamp, Alan Bates and Peter Finch. That's a menage to die for.
Now if only they'd release 'The Go-Between' a much better film that is truly a classic.











Julie at the London premiere:




'Frost/Nixon'



It appears I spoke to soon. 'Frost/Nixon' is the weak link in the Best Picture and Director Oscar nominations.
It is a cold look at the most disgraceful presidency ever in American history.
This is a movie that would have been a natural for HBO not a theatrical release
Just a frosty look at a cold man. No new insight. No nothing!
'Revolutionary Road', 'The Dark Knight', 'Mamma Mia' or 'The Duchess' should have been in the fifth spot.



Thursday, February 5, 2009

'Milk'



With only one nominee for Best Picture yet to see I can happily say this year the Academy seems to have gotten it right.

'Milk' is just great.
It has an amazing supporting cast headed by Sean Penn in his most amazing performance to date. Like Kate Winslet he just keeps getting better. Here he performs in a way we have never seen him before. Understated, controlled and in complete grasp of the character and his performance.

I just do not get the supporting nomination of Josh Brolin over James Franco. A minor quibble I guess.
With one to go, 'Frost/Nixon', I can only say any of the four already blogged and reviewed could win and should win with no quibbling on my part. So far I say give them all an Oscar. Never happen!!!







Wednesday, February 4, 2009

'Brideshead Revisited'



Caught up with this 2008 film on DVD. It was released in July and got lost in the midst of the summer movies. I guess Miramax didn't have enough faith in it to hold to the fall blitz of more serious film. I t should have been held up. I t is not a great film but it isn't bad either. Having never seen the BBC adaptation it was new for me. Good story. Very British. Worth a look.

Emma Thompson is always a welcome presence in any film and plays the matriarch of Brideshead beautifully.




Best Picture Winners 1970's


Monday, February 2, 2009

OBAMA WITH MATT LAUER

Sunday, February 1, 2009

'The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button'


Another brilliant film in what appears to be a great year for films.

This is so curiously different.

It's long but never boring or dull. I cannot think of a single frame that could have been cut and kept it's perfect flow.

Brad Pitt has never been better. Cate Blanchett delivers another amazing performance.
Tilda Swenton shines in a low key supporting role.
Julia Ormond is amazingly graceful as Caroline THE daughter.

But it is Taraji Penda Henson who really breaks out in a most deserved oscar nominated role. She just may be the one to beat in the end game.

David Fincher follows up 'Zodiac' and one of my favorites 'Seven' with award worthy direction. In another year when there was no 'Slumdog Millionaire' he could have won.






Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Best Picture Winners 1950's




Second Time Honored At Santa Barbara International Film Festival

On January 24th Kate was honored at the film festival.
She is the only actor/actress to be honored twice.


'Rachel Getting Married': THE WORST MOVIE OF 2008!!!

This film for all it's critical acclaim is a one huge BORE!
Don't ask. Most importantly don't go. Don't bother when it's released on DVD or shows up on cable.

Ann Hathaway for Best Actress??? DUH!
I don't get it. Nor will most of you.








THE ONLY GOOD THING ABOUT THIS FILM IS THAT IT BROUGHT DEBRA WINGER BACK ONCE MORE. HOWEVER, I MUST ADMIT DEBRA HAS A PRETTY SMALL AND MOSTLY THANKLESS ROLE.