'Carnage': First Look

coming in december

3 oscar winners and an oscar nominee.

and kate winslet is one of those oscar winners. enough said.

and oscar winning director roman polanski.

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1970 for Best Actress

1970's best actress nominees was a strong crop.

#5

sarah miles

ms. miles got her nom for 'ryan's hope'. her performance got lost in david lean's over bloated film. i am surprised she got a nom. she never stood a chance at a win.

#4

ali macgraw

ali macgraw got a nom because of the popularity of 'love story'.otherwise she would have been overlooked. interestingly enough she was not nominated the year before for her wonderful debut in 'goodbye columbus'. however, when all is said and done

ms macgraw was glorious as the middle class heroine jenny. the nom was her win. she would not receive another.

#3

jane alexander

ms alexander repeated her stage role in this still important film 'the great white hope' but her performance as well as the film itself was too 'stagey' as happens with 90% of stage to film transfers. ms alexander is a wonderful actress whose film work never quite matched her stage work.

#2

carrie snodgress

ms snodgress was amazing in this one and only major film of her career, 'diary of a mad housewife'. a loveless marriage with an abusive husband and an affair lead her deeper and deeper into depression. there are moments of her performance that are almost to painful to watch.

#1

glenda jackson

the moment 'women in love' was released ms jackson won her first oscar. ms jackson tore the screen apart in a blazing performance as the strong willed, self confident, predatory gudrun brangwen. another actress would not have made this rather unlikable character an award winner. her performance remains one of the best on film and ranks in my top 10 deserved oscar wins.

'War Horse'

as i review the past in film i always look to the future. one i'm looking forward to this year is the december release of spielberg's 'the war horse'.

this is an award winning play that i'm sure speilberg will do justice to.

When Are Your Favorite Shows Returning and the New Ones Premiering?

2011 Fall Premiere Schedule

Tuesday, September 13
Parenthood - NBC
90210 - The CW
Ringer - (new) The CW

Thursday, September 15
The Vampire Diaries - The CW
The Secret Circle - (new) The CW

Monday, September 19
Castle - ABC
Hawaii Five-O - CBS
The Playboy Club - (new) NBC

Tuesday, September 20
Body of Proof - ABC
NCIS - CBS
NCIS: Los Angeles - CBS
Unforgettable - (new) CBS
Glee - Fox

Wednesday, September 21
Revenge - (new) ABC
Criminal Minds - CBS
CSI - CBS
Harry's Law - NBC
Law & Order: SVU - NBC

Thursday, September 22
Charlie's Angels - (new) ABC
Grey's Anatomy - ABC
Person of Interest - (new) CBS
The Mentalist - CBS
Prime Suspect - (new) NBC

Friday, September 23
A Gifted Man - (new) CBS
CSI: NY - CBS
Blue Bloods - CBS
Fringe - Fox
Nikita - The CW
Supernatural - The CW

Sunday, September 25
Desperate Housewives - ABC
Pan Am - (new) ABC
The Good Wife - CBS
CSI: Miami - CBS
Boardwalk Empire - HBO

Monday, September 26
Terra Nova - (new) Fox
Gossip Girl - The CW
Hart of Dixie - (new) The CW

Thursday, September 29
Private Practice - ABC
Monday, October 3
House - Fox

Monday, October 21
Chuck - NBC
Grimm - (new) NBC

Sunday, October 23
Once Upon a Time - (new) ABC
Thursday, November 3
Bones - Fox

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1969 for Best Actress

I'VE BEEN WANTING TO REVIEW THE OSCAR WINNERS FOR AGES.

i hope you indulge me. the oscars are to gay men what the super bowl is too straight men. they don't always get their favorites in the game. we don't always get the performances in that we think should be there or the one that should have won out of the five choices given.

i hope to make this a sunday regular as we head toward oscar season. more during the week time permitting. but we start today.

for those of you who follow my blog you have probably guessed i love actresses. so that's where i'll begin with the best actress nominees of 1969. i'll endeavor to add supporting actresses from time to time.

1969 was a year that all the female nominees deserved to be nominated.

they were:

genevieve bujold in 'anne of a thousand days'

jane fonda in 'they shoot horses don't they'

liza minelli in ''the sterile cuckoo'

jean simmons in 'the happy ending'

maggie smith in 'the prime of miss jean brodie'

so in ascending order here goes:

#5

jean simmons

a wonderful performance in a small film. ms. simmons always lights up the screen large and small. in this film the light was not quite bright enough. her best film performance was in 'elmer gantry'. as a woman on the verge of a breakup in 'the happy ending' she gives a heartfelt performance but not an oscar winning performance.

#4

liza minnelli

as 'pookie' adams ms minnelli broke your heart. it was her first 'staring' role and she delievered the goods. she went on to win the oscar three years later. in 1969 she should be proud to have been an also-ran.

#3

genevive bujold

in her first major staring role ms bujold held her own opposite richard burton. no small feat. she has never been better than in this film. sadly she was never given a better role. again, she should feel proud she was nominated.

#2

maggie smith

ms smith won the oscar. it was a worthy win when you look at all best actress winners in the academy's history. it's just that her performance was a tad too theatrical. not her fault really. it was a theater piece first and was wonderfully translated to the screen. she gave a brilliant 'stage' performance where she was always more comfortable. she gave a really good film performance but she was not the best actress of 1969 yet remains one of the best actress winners.

#1

jane fonda

jane fonda would no longer be considered a pretty face, a sex symbol or henry fonda's daughter after her performance in 'they shoot horses don't they'. she proved her mettle in a heart wrenching performance in one of the best films in modern history. as a down and out of luck woman in the depression era she tried to make a buck in a dance marathon. she sold her soul, and body, to the slick emcee in an effort to win. but it was lost before it began. she took us on an emotional roller coaster and as much as we rooted for her we knew all was lost. her nomination and her performance stand the test of time.

ms fonda would go on to win two oscars in films that were far less than this one. this remains her best performance ever. her losing it one of oscar's bigger shames.

without reservations i say jane fonda is and was the best actress of 1969

who do you believe was the best actress of 1969 among the nominees. perhaps you believe it was an actress other than these. it can happen. i certainly have years like this.

Oscarbation! It Has to Begun

rumor has it billy crystal is waiting in the wings to host again. he was disgusted with last year's telecast. watch the opening below from one of his outings. it makes me think he is desperately needed as host.

The Best of Summer TV

it has been a good summer for television. actually most of the 13 shows shown here are as good or better than most shows on the winter schedule. what is noteworthy is they are all on cable. over the past few years cable has indeed provided us with some of the best tv offers be it on basic or premium cable. if you are not watching these you are missing great performance on damn good shows. you should catch up either with netflix or on demand.

****************
'against the wall' is interesting in it's premise. the daughter in a family of cops joins internal affairs. the conflict is set up. we'll have to see how far they can take this and for how long. it works on hot summer nights when you just want to stay home. kathy baker plays mom and as always is a grand addition to any series. i still miss 'picket fences'.

the closer' is having it's best season yet as is star kyra sedgwick. it is drawing to a close (next summer) unfortunately but appears to be going out not so quietly into the night. brenda lee johnson you will be missed.

'covert affairs' is cotton candy. it's sweet and keeps you wanting more. it will be back next season.

'drop dead diva' is far from wearing thin. brooke elliot is still one of tv's best actresses although few seem to know. it is renewed and will be back in 2012.

'expedition impossible' has a crowded field of teams but as eliminations begin the competitors become better known. it's a summer ripoff of 'the amazing race' and fills that void although in no way comes close to it's winter competitor.

'in plain sight' remains one of cable's beat offerings. it will be back for one more season in 2012. unfortunately it will be a short 8 episode season. losing this and 'the closer' at the same time is a great loss for summer fare. mary mccormack is a treasure. i await her next outing.

'chloe' is different. super hero with a heart. the frosh season showed it has promise. here's hoping. amy peitz as mom has her best role to date.

'pretty little liars' remains summers best guilty pleasure. the liars keep on jugging the balls and spinning the plates. they seem far from dropping them. troian bellesario (spencer) is still the one to watch with the best acting chops and the best lines. but the other three liars are wonderful too. i just think troian has a bigger career ahead.

'rizzoli and isles' was even better in it's second season. and who knew sasha alexander (isles) is sophia loren's daughter- in -law.you go girl. edoardo ponte is a looker.

'suits' is the best new summer series. i repeat: 'suits' is the best new summer series.  it is smart. it fills in 'the good wife void. it has been renewed for a longer 2012 season as it should be.

'switched at birth' should be seen by everyone. it gives an insight to the non speaking world not seen much...anywhere.

'teen wolf' was the surprise. aimed at teens it works for adults. it is to werewolves what 'vampire diaries' is to vampires. it certainly does not have the same production values and belongs in the summer season. it's like a quick 'get away' vacation. sometimes you just need one.

'true blood' is having it's best season yet. i almost gave up on this one after a dismal season 2. i'm glad i stuck with it. vampires, werewolves and now witches...oh my!

'The Good Wife' Gets Another Sultry Season 3 Poster

julianna all i can say is 'you go girl!' alicia florek ain't standing by her man anymore.

september 25 can't come soon enough for me

'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' ***1/2stars

the best summer film yet and it's what summer movies are all about. by far the best visual effects of the year. if you don't root for the apes you are not human. andy serkis deserves a supporting actor nom for his portrayal of caesar but the academy tends to ignore these roles. perhaps a new category long denied should finally be created. james franco really has a supporting role to mr. serkis but says more with his eyes than most actors with words. just get your popcorn and enjoy this wonderful summer flick.

'Contagion' Coming 9/9

kate, marion and damon together....i'm there the day it opens

'The Good Wife' Gets Better

here is the original 'good wife' ad

but here is the good wife after last seasons hot finale

after all is said and done it seems this good wife is getting better

from the season 2 finale. the beginning (or the end?) of longing. i love this show. season 3 begins on sunday 9/25 at 9et on cbs. please note day and time change.

season 2's final moments

'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Today

not much has come out this year that made me say 'i gotta see it'. well this i have to see...soon. well after what i think will be a weekend rush that is. hey it has james franco in it. that's enough in itself.

trailer

Enter Lauren Ambrose in 'Funny Girl'

after 50 years 'funny girl' is getting a broadway revival. lauren ambrose of 'six feet under' has napped the role of fanny brice. who knew she could sing...belt? lauren beat out lea michelle and laura benati for the 2012 production. let's face it ms. michelle would have generated to many comparisons to barbra streisand. let's face it once again she's a streisand wanna be. ms. ambose may stand a chance. i wish her well.

The House of Reprehensibles

john of orange boehner has no control over the wacky tea partiers. our government is a joke. the inmates have finally taken over the asylum.

Remembering Natalie Wood

natalie wood 7/20/1938 - 11/29/1981

ABC Bequeaths 'All My Children,' 'One Life to Live' to the Internet

 great news for me regarding 'one life to live'

"One Life to Live" might want to consider changing its name to "Two Lives to Live."
The long-running soap and its fellow cancelled ABC daytime staple "All My Children" will be allowed continue online once their TV runs are over, the network announced Thursday.


In a multi-year, multi-platform deal, ABC has licensed the soaps to Prospect Park, the production company responsible for USA Network's "Royal Pains.
Founded in 2008 by Jeff Kwatinetz and former Disney Studios honcho Rich Frank, Prospect Park now holds the right to produce new episodes of the shows and plans to make them a crucial part of a "new, online network" similar to Hulu.

If those plans are carried out, the licensing agreement will allow fans of the shows to watch online and on internet-enabled TV sets. Both soaps would have the same length and format, Prospect Park said.
“We are privileged to continue the legacy of two of the greatest programs to air on daytime television, and are committed to delivering the storylines, characters and quality that audiences have come to love for over 40 years. ‘All My Children’ and ‘One Life to Live’ are television icons, and we are looking forward to providing anytime, anywhere viewing to their loyal community of millions,” said Frank and Kwatinetz.
The New York Post reported Wednesday that the shows would pick up where they leave off and have the same cast and crew. But other than the "storylines, characters and quality" comment above, the exact makeup of the cast has yet to be explicitly disclosed.
The news may lessen the impact of ABC's farewell celebrations for the programs. The network announced last week that "All My Children" would end on September 23 with the return of some key former cast members. "One Life to Live" will end its ABC run in January 2012.
Fans of the daytime soaps picketed outside an ABC advertising event in May to protest the shows' cancellations. We doubt they'll protest the latest news.

(reprinted from 'the wrap')

Happy Gay Pride Day

'True Blood' Season Premiere Tonight on HBO

TV'S Best: First Six Months 2011 Part 2

'the last word' with lawrence o'donnell is the best of the new year for people like me. mr. o'donnell speaks my mind as well as his own. he picked up where keith olberman left off after being unceremoniousy displaced bt msnbc. may he reign long.

'law and order: criminal intent' returned for a final season with the costars it began with. it has always been the best of the franchise and at least is going out intact. it will be repeated this summer on nbc after it's cable run is finished this month. the always underused julia ormond recurred as d'onofrio's psychiatrist to great effect. bravo to vincent d'onafrio and kathryn erbe you will be missed...again.

thank you pbs and cameron macintosh. the musical event of the season here in america. grand score, grand cast...grand event.

hbo's commitment to better tv gave us this elongated version of the novel. perhaps to elongated at that. kate winslet was amazing even though she may have been miscast. however, five hours of kate in anything demands my attention and acknowledgment. it's for winslet fans at most.

i've said it before and i'll say it again: this was the best new series of 2010 and in 2011 it kept the balls in the air and the plates spinning. it never fails and continues to demand attention. if you are not watching this series you are mad. catch up on season 1 via netflix or any other rental. season 2 begins on the 4th and i'll most certainly be there.

the best of network tv. julianna margulies and a great supporting cast deliever the best lines written in the drama genre. it's time to give this the emmy it deserves. enough 'mad men' already. if julianna loses the emmy this year the voters have gone mad or were well paid off.

how do the writers do it. this show builds year by year while others begin their decline early on. if you have not been watching 'the vampire diaries' you are missing one helluva ride. two vampire brothers lusting and loving the heroine. it puts the 'teilight' series and 'true blood' to shame.

hbo and carrie fisher's 'wishful drinking' was a laugh out loud riot. her 'hollywood inbreeding 101' was pure genius. 

i would give them all emmy's and call it a season. check out part 1 posted on 6/14.

ALLELUIA: He Is Risen

Countdown to Keith: Tonight on Current TV

Ode to the Movie Slap

just a little fun

Apes Gone Wild

trailer 2

Idiot of the Week: What a Weiner

it's not often that a democrat gets this spot but in all fairness right is right. we lost one of our better progressive voices due his own stupidity and arrogance. enough said!

The Tony's Best Moments 2011

neil patrick harris: the opening number

'book of mormon'

'anything goes'

neil and hugh duet

'priscilla queen of the desert'

'spiderman'

it's a 'rap'

'Company' In Concert: 5 Performances Only

check for a theater near you