Next Stop Baltimore, Maryland

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Biden's Join Obama's in Delaware

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

His Presidential Journey To D.C. Starts In Philadelphia

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Montage of the Moron in Chief from David Letterman

Here's a Way to Say Goodbye!!!

As Much As I Love Her...

I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR MONTHS.


Some deserved actress will not be nominated in the supporting category.
It also lessens Kate's chance of winning the top prize which she definitely deserves for either role. And damn I do want her to win!!!



NEW YORK — I would never want to rain on Kate Winslet's parade, especially when she has given two such impressive performances as she did in "Revolutionary Road" and "The Reader."

But a best supporting actress Golden Globe victory for "Reader?" If one goes along with that theory, why not Sean Penn in the supporting actor division for "Milk?"

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group famous for making strange award choices in its umpteen-year history, obviously bought in to the campaign being waged to win recognition for each of Winslet's two strong 2008 performances, a plan that requires us to believe that this fine actress plays a leading role in "Revolutionary" but a supporting one in "Reader."

One wonders whether those Oscar-campaign planners actually have seen the latter movie.

I'm in favor of actors getting all the awards and rewards they can comfortably haul away in a stretch limo, but it seems time for a reality check here. Who in "Reader" does the noble Kate support? She is the hub and thrust of the story. She's the one with top billing. Further, she plays her character throughout the entire movie, unlike teammates David Kross and Ralph Fiennes, who take turns playing younger-older versions of one person.

Pretending that Winslet's "Reader" role is a supporting one negates why the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences inaugurated a supporting category in the first place, which was to honor work by actors with only limited screen time.

During the first eight years of the Academy, performances that lasted 10 minutes or two hours were lumped together in the same category. For instance, in 1935, when there was no special recognition for supporting actors, Franchot Tone's performance in a secondary role in "Mutiny on the Bounty" competed in the same best actor category as "Mutiny" leads Clark Gable and Charles Laughton.

It's one reason, perhaps, that just before the 1936 awards, the Academy Board of Governors decided to make a distinction: In the future, there would be four categories for performers instead of two, with recognition at last given to those who added much to films with their shorter, if no less potent, support.

In the early years, it was the studio that made the decision as to which category, lead or support, a performance would be eligible for. (An asterisk next to the performer's name on the Academy's Reminder List meant that person could be nominated only in the lead division.) The Academy eventually decided to let voters make the upstairs or downstairs decision, and it's remained that way ever since; studios might suggest "for your consideration" in a specific category, but it's the voters who make the decision.

There's been many a year when a performer has had two or more strong performances, like Winslet. During the landmark movie year of 1939, Bette Davis gave tour de force performances in four flashy films. But all were leads, and because Academy rules allow only one nomination per category, her sole nomination was for "Dark Victory."

It also is worth noting that there have been several years in which an actor or actress has received two nominations in the same year -- one in the lead category, the other in the support division, as the Winslet camp is trying to accomplish.

Fay Bainter was the first double-header, in 1938; more recently, there's Jamie Foxx (2004: "Ray" and "Collateral") and Cate Blanchett (2007: "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" and "I'm Not There"). But those have been cases in which the actors in question played a clearly defined lead role in one and an unmistakable supporting role in the other.

Bottom line: Does it really matter who gets nominated where? Yes, I think it does, particularly if it means the inclusion of someone in a slot where they don't belong shuts the door on someone who genuinely deserves to be there.

(Hollywood Reporter columnist Robert Osborne is the primetime host and anchor of Turner Classic Movies.)

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

THREE!!!

BAFTA Nominations: Kate Gets 2 For Best Actress

The full list of nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards in 2009.

BEST FILM
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Ceán Chaffin
FROST/NIXON – Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard
MILK – Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen
THE READER – Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Donna Gigliotti, Redmond Morris
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Christian Colson

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
HUNGER – Laura Hastings-Smith, Robin Gutch, Steve McQueen, Enda Walsh
IN BRUGES – Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Martin McDonagh
MAMMA MIA! – Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman, Phyllida Lloyd, Catherine Johnson
MAN ON WIRE – Simon Chinn, James Marsh
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Christian Colson, Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy

THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD
for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer for their First Feature Film
SIMON CHINN (Producer) – Man On Wire
JUDY CRAYMER (Producer) – Mamma Mia!
GARTH JENNINGS (Writer) – Son of Rambow
STEVE McQUEEN (Director/Writer) – Hunger
SOLON PAPADOPOULOS, ROY BOULTER (Producers) – Of Time And The City

DIRECTOR
CHANGELING – Clint Eastwood
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – David Fincher
FROST/NIXON – Ron Howard
THE READER – Stephen Daldry
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Danny Boyle

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BURN AFTER READING – Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
CHANGELING – J. Michael Straczynski
I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG – Philippe Claudel
IN BRUGES – Martin McDonagh
MILK – Dustin Lance Black

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Eric Roth
FROST/NIXON – Peter Morgan
THE READER – David Hare
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – Justin Haythe
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Simon Beaufoy

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX – Bernard Eichinger, Uli Edel
GOMORRAH – Domenico Procacci, Matteo Garrone
I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG – Yves Marmion, Philippe Claudel
PERSEPOLIS – Marc-Antoine Robert, Xavier Rigault, Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Parannaud
WALTZ WITH BASHIR – Serge Lalou, Gerhard Meixner, Yael Nahl Ieli, Ari Folman

ANIMATED FILM
PERSEPOLIS – Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Parannaud
WALL•E – Andrew Stanton
WALTZ WITH BASHIR – Ari Folman

LEADING ACTOR
FRANK LANGELLA – Frost/Nixon
DEV PATEL – Slumdog Millionaire
SEAN PENN – Milk
BRAD PITT – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
MICKEY ROURKE – The Wrestler

LEADING ACTRESS
ANGELINA JOLIE – Changeling
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS – I’ve Loved You So Long
MERYL STREEP – Doubt
KATE WINSLET – The Reader
KATE WINSLET – Revolutionary Road

SUPPORTING ACTOR
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. – Tropic Thunder
BRENDAN GLEESON – In Bruges
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – Doubt
HEATH LEDGER – The Dark Knight
BRAD PITT – Burn After Reading

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
AMY ADAMS – Doubt
PENÉLOPE CRUZ – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
FREIDA PINTO – Slumdog Millionaire
TILDA SWINTON – Burn After Reading
MARISA TOMEI – The Wrestler

MUSIC
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Alexandre Desplat
THE DARK KNIGHT – Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard
MAMMA MIA! – Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – A. R. Rahman
WALL•E – Thomas Newman

CINEMATOGRAPHY
CHANGELING – Tom Stern
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Claudio Miranda
THE DARK KNIGHT – Wally Pfister
THE READER – Chris Menges, Roger Deakins
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Anthony Dod Mantle

EDITING **
CHANGELING – Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall
THE DARK KNIGHT – Lee Smith
FROST/NIXON – Mike Hill, Dan Hanley
IN BRUGES – Jon Gregory
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Chris Dickens
**As there was a tie in this category there are six nominations

PRODUCTION DESIGN
CHANGELING – James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo
THE DARK KNIGHT – Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Mark Digby, Michelle Day

COSTUME DESIGN
CHANGELING – Deborah Hopper
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Jacqueline West
THE DARK KNIGHT – Lindy Hemming
THE DUCHESS – Michael O'Connor
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – Albert Wolsky

SOUND
CHANGELING – Walt Martin, Alan Robert Murray, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff
THE DARK KNIGHT – Lora Hirschberg, Richard King, Ed Novick, Gary Rizzo
QUANTUM OF SOLACE – Jimmy Boyle, Eddy Joseph, Chris Munro, Mike Prestwood Smith, Mark Taylor
SLUMDOG MILLIONARE – Glenn Freemantle, Resul Pookutty, Richard Pryke, Tom Sayers, Ian Tapp
WALL•E – Ben Burtt, Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Matthew Wood

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Eric Barba, Craig Barron, – Nathan McGuinness, Edson Williams
THE DARK KNIGHT – Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul Franklin, Tim Webber
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL – Pablo Helman
IRON MAN – Shane Patrick Mahan, John Nelson, Ben Snow
QUANTUM OF SOLACE – Chris Corbould, Kevin Tod Haug

MAKE UP & HAIR
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Jean Black, Colleen Callaghan
THE DARK KNIGHT – Peter Robb-King
THE DUCHESS – Daniel Phillips, Jan Archibald
FROST/NIXON – Edouard Henriques, Kim Santantonio
MILK – Steven E. Anderson, Michael White

FOUR!!!

Barack's Letter To His Daughters

Dear Malia and Sasha,


I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me--about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

He then goes on to address education, the environment, war, and the lessons their grandmother -- his mother, Ann Dunham -- taught him.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better--and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

He concludes by echoing the message in his victory speech on November 4th.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.


Love, Dad

Kate On Oprah

Kate The Golden Girl

 

**(CLICK ON COLLAGE)

Other Golden Globe Moments

 

'Revolutionary Road'

And now there is brilliance. The desolution of a marriage right before our eyes as directed by Sam Mendes.
Two brilliant performances: Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio.
Leo has become a man. Leo is becoming one of our finest actors.
Kate? What more can I say? I still wonder how she does it. How does she go so deep inside herself to create such real and in this case tortured and believable characters.

Kate the Great is no longer named Hepburn but Winslet.
This film is a ready made classic.
Run. Just run to a theatre and see it.
This is no picnic though. This is a rough, tough, soul wrenching film.
This is not 'Titanic'. This is not Rose and Jack. This is April and Frank who bear no resemblance to Rose and Jack at all.

I must note an exceptional performance by Michael Shannon as the disturbed none to sane John Givings. But maybe he is the sanest of all. And just maybe there is no maybe about it.

*(kate deservedly won the golden globe this past sunday night as best actress for this film)

Kate The Great Times Two!!!

The GOLDEN GLOBES honored Kate Winslet with TWO count them TWO awards last night. Even just one would have been long overdue. So my heartfelt congratulations to Kate. And now I can only hope Oscar finally comes through with at least one. And for the record Hollywood make it the TOP one. I am mad with joy today!!!


THE BEST ACTRESS WIN: 'REVOLUTIONARY ROAD'






THE SUPPORTING ACTRESS WIN: 'THE READER'










Kate and Leo on 'Revolutionary Road' with Charlie Rose:





And once again the TRAILERS of both 'Revolutionary Road' and 'The Reader':

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

GOLDEN GLOBE WINNERS

The WINNERS are shown by **

BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
FROST/NIXON
THE READER
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
**SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

ANNE HATHAWAY - RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
ANGELINA JOLIE - CHANGELING
MERYL STREEP - DOUBT
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS - I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG
**KATE WINSLET - REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

LEONARDO DICAPRIO - REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
FRANK LANGELLA - FROST/NIXON
SEAN PENN - MILK
BRAD PITT - THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
**MICKEY ROURKE - THE WRESTLER

BEST MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BURN AFTER READING
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
IN BRUGES
MAMMA MIA!
**VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

REBECCA HALL - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
**SALLY HAWKINS - HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
FRANCES MCDORMAND - BURN AFTER READING
MERYL STREEP - MAMMA MIA!
EMMA THOMPSON - LAST CHANCE HARVEY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

JAVIER BARDEM - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
**COLIN FARRELL - IN BRUGES
JAMES FRANCO - PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
BRENDAN GLEESON - IN BRUGES
DUSTIN HOFFMAN - LAST CHANCE HARVEY

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
BOLT
KUNG FU PANDA
**WALL-E

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX - GERMANY
(DER BADDER MEINHOF KOMPLEX)
EVERLASTING MOMENTS - SWEDEN/DENMARK
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK)
GOMORRAH - ITALY
(GOMORRA)
I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG - FRANCE
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T'AIME)
**WALTZ WITH BASHIR - ISRAEL

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

AMY ADAMS - DOUBT
PENELOPE CRUZ - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
VIOLA DAVIS - DOUBT
MARISA TOMEI - THE WRESTLER
**KATE WINSLET - THE READER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

TOM CRUISE - TROPIC THUNDER
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. - TROPIC THUNDER
RALPH FIENNES - THE DUCHESS
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN - DOUBT
**HEATH LEDGER - THE DARK KNIGHT

BEST DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE
**DANNY BOYLE - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
STEPHEN DALDRY - THE READER
DAVID FINCHER - THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
RON HOWARD - FROST/NIXON
SAM MENDES - REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE

**SIMON BEAUFOY - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
DAVID HARE - THE READER
PETER MORGAN - FROST/NIXON
ERIC ROTH - THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY - DOUBT

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE

ALEXANDRE DESPLAT - THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
CLINT EASTWOOD - CHANGELING
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD - DEFIANCE
**A. R. RAHMAN - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
HANS ZIMMER - FROST/NIXON

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE

"DOWN TO EARTH" - WALL-E
Music by: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel

"GRAN TORINO" - GRAN TORINO
Music by: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by: Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens

"I THOUGHT I LOST YOU" - BOLT
Music & Lyrics by: Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele

"ONCE IN A LIFETIME" - CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street

**"THE WRESTLER" - THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
HOUSE (FOX)
IN TREATMENT (HBO)
**MAD MEN (AMC)
TRUE BLOOD (HBO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

SALLY FIELD - BROTHERS AND SISTERS
MARISKA HARGITAY - LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
JANUARY JONES - MAD MEN
**ANNA PAQUIN - TRUE BLOOD
KYRA SEDGWICK - THE CLOSER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

**GABRIEL BYRNE - IN TREATMENT
MICHAEL C. HALL - DEXTER
JON HAMM - MAD MEN
HUGH LAURIE - HOUSE
JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS - THE TUDORS

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

**30 ROCK (NBC)
CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
WEEDS (SHOWTIME)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE - SAMANTHA WHO?
AMERICA FERRERA - UGLY BETTY
**TINA FEY - 30 ROCK
DEBRA MESSING - THE STARTER WIFE
MARY-LOUISE PARKER - WEEDS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

**ALEC BALDWIN - 30 ROCK
STEVE CARELL - THE OFFICE
KEVIN CONNOLLY - ENTOURAGE
DAVID DUCHOVNY - CALIFORNICATION
TONY SHALHOUB - MONK

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

A RAISIN IN THE SUN (ABC)
BERNARD AND DORIS (HBO)
CRANFORD (PBS)
JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
RECOUNT (HBO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

JUDI DENCH - CRANFORD
CATHERINE KEENER - AN AMERICAN CRIME
**LAURA LINNEY - JOHN ADAMS
SHIRLEY MACLAINE - COCO CHANEL
SUSAN SARANDON - BERNARD AND DORIS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

RALPH FIENNES - BERNARD AND DORIS
**PAUL GIAMATTI - JOHN ADAMS
KEVIN SPACEY - RECOUNT
KIEFER SUTHERLAND - 24: REDEMPTION
TOM WILKINSON - RECOUNT

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

EILEEN ATKINS - CRANFORD
**LAURA DERN - RECOUNT
MELISSA GEORGE - IN TREATMENT
RACHEL GRIFFITHS - BROTHERS AND SISTERS
DIANNE WIEST - IN TREATMENT

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS - HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
DENIS LEARY - RECOUNT
JEREMY PIVEN - ENTOURAGE
BLAIR UNDERWOOD - IN TREATMENT
**TOM WILKINSON - JOHN ADAMS

SEVEN

Nine!!!

"Doubt"

This film borders almost on excellence but misses the mark.
By it's final moments it shows it has missed the emotional punch that would have made it excel.
Where is the emotion?
The only real emotion comes from Viola Davis in a supporting role where she alone reaches brilliance and whose performance transcends the film itself.

Meryl is as good as ever but that is the problem here. Meryl is simply Meryl. She was actually better in 'Mamma Mia'
Philip Seymour Hoffman does well in a vague and really undefined role.
Amy Adams proves yet again her future potential given good roles.

All that said i do recommend this movie for home viewing. You can wait for the DVD.

Giuliana's First Chritmas

AND SHE BELONGS ON TELEVISION!