Countdown To The Oscars: Today The Best Director Nominees

The countdown is here
So today I make my pick for Best Director.

The Oscar should and will go to Danny Boyle.

He just created a film of joy and eye filling pleasures on the smallest budget of all these nominees. He directed a cast of thousands in a new way. A real way. Not the Cecil B. DeMille way. From the leads and the kids who played them as children he got real performances. Only Robert Mulligan's direction of kids has been able to do this so naturally until Danny Boyle.

I am not going along with the crowd here. I never do. This year the crowd happens to agree with me and not vice versa. Danny Boyle is and will be Best Director come Sunday night.



(Tomorrow Best Supporting Actor)

'Frozen River'

I've always enjoyed Melissa Leo's work starting with 'Homicide: Life on the Streets'.
Her performance here is certainly Oscar worthy.

The film itself taught me something. It took me to a place I did not know existed. It introduced me to people I only heard about in passing. Therefore, I say it is a wonderful film. Worth a watch.

'The Visitor'

Caught up with this nominee on DVD. It is certainly worth a watch. One of those small but surprising films.
Richard Jenkins in a quiet role gives an Oscar worthy performance here.

Happy Valentine's Day From My Friends At ABC Daytime

Nominees: The Glamour Shots*

*courtesy of entertainment weekly

Oscar Winners 10-25-50-75 Years Ago

10 Years ago:



25 Years ago:



50 Years ago:



75 Years ago:

'Vicky Chistina Barcelona'

Finally caught up with this on DVD. Not being a big Woody Allan fan I must admit he is great directing actresses. Especially his new muse Scarlett Johansen.

Penelope Cruz certainly deserves her supporting nod and there is no argument from me if she wins. I'll tell you the Supporting Actress category this year is full of great performances making it a tough choice to make a final decision. But I will.

Kate on 'Nightline' on Acting and Oscar

Kate 2/8/2009 Wins BAFTA

OSCARless To Date

Here are a handful of OSCARless actors. There are others of course but these are, were, most deserving.
Some for the obvious reason will never win.

Hopefully one of these will leave this illustrious group on February 22nd.

I wonder who I mean?!?

OSCARless

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?

Oscar Posters Revisited

Best Picture Winners 1980's

Keith's Special Comment On Darth Vader

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'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.

Some OSCAR Memories Past

'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!!!

'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

Nominees Luncheon 2/2/2009

Ashley Judd Slams Sarah Palin For Promoting Aerial Killing Of Wolves

OBAMA WITH MATT LAUER

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'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.