After Thought

i don't know why he left as both he and msnbc are being tight lipped about this. but i am so sure he is not gone for good. he will resurrect somewhere else. bigger and better. can he get any better? who will really really tell it like it is i.e. the truth. matthews? somewhat. o'donnell? he's really getting there. but neither have the olbermann wit. he was, is, unique. mostly i'll miss his right on 'special comments'. sometimes i felt as if i had written them. no one person on tv has ever personified my thoughts so well and seemingly with ease. who will make me think BIGGER now? i feel like i have lost a good and trusted friend. but only for a time i hope.

The Final 'Countdown'

this came as a surprise. an unhappy surprise. i've been a faithful viewer if keith's 'countdown'. the bar at msnbc has been lowered a bit. well thanks for the eight years keith. you made it all easier to take.

NEW YORK — Commentator Keith Olbermann signed off his msnbc cable television show Friday night after nearly eight years. 

"Msnbc and Keith Olbermann have ended our contract," Phil Griffin, president of msnbc, said Friday.
"Msnbc thanks Keith for his integral role in msnbc's success and we wish him well in his future endeavors," Griffin said.

Olbermann announced his departure before closing his show with a reading from a James Thurber novel, a Friday night tradition.

Recounting his move to msnbc after departing ESPN, Olbermann said, "I was supposed to fill in for the late Jerry Nachman for exactly three days. 49 days later there was a four-year contract for me to return to this nightly 8 PM time slot which I had fled four years earlier."

He noted that the show gradually established an anti-establishment position.
"The program grew thanks entirely to your support with great rewards for me and I hope for you," Olbermann told viewers.
"There were many occasions particularly in the last two and a half years where all that surrounded the show — but never the show itself — was just too much for me. But your support and loyalty and if I may use the word insistence ultimately required that I keep going."
Olbermann did not explain why he was leaving.

Happy Birthday Diane

i've always enjoyed diane lane on film. she lived up to her promise in 2002's 'unfaithful'. deservedly she got a best actress nom. it's a hot sexy film with a hot and sexy diane, richard gere and the super hot olivier martinez.

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early on there was the 1997 charmer 'a little romance'. if you've never seen it rent it, sit back, relax and enjoy.

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and most recently there is this year's 'secratariat'. i'm not sure why the box office for this fell way below expectations. probably just one more good film lost in a damn good year for film. it's available 1/25 on blu ray and dvd

DVR Alert: 'Spartacus: Gods of the Arena' Tonight

the prequel to last season's hit 'spartacus' starts tonight night on starz

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Happy Birthday Bill

Happy Birthday Shelley and Dolly

'The King's Speech' Leads BAFTA Noms with 14

2010 BAFTA NOMINATIONS

BEST FILM
"Black Swan," Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin
"Inception," Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan
"The King's Speech," Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
"The Social Network," Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, Cean Chaffin
"True Grit," Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

DIRECTOR
"127 Hours," Danny Boyle
"Black Swan," Darren Aronofsky
"Inception," Christopher Nolan
"The King's Speech," Tom Hooper
"The Social Network," David Fincher

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
"Black Swan," Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John McLaughlin
"The Fighter," Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson
"Inception," Christopher Nolan
"The Kids Are All Right," Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg
"The King's Speech," David Seidler

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
"127 Hours," Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Rasmus Heisterberg, Nikolaj Arcel
"The Social Network," Aaron Sorkin
"Toy Story 3," Michael Arndt
"True Grit," Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

LEADING ACTOR
Javier Bardem, "Biutiful"
Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"
Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"
Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"
James Franco, "127 Hours"

LEADING ACTRESS
Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right"
Julianne Moore, "The Kids Are All Right"
Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"
Noomi Rapace, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale, "The Fighter"
Andrew Garfield, "The Social Network"
Pete Postlethwaite, "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech"

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, "The Fighter"
Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech"
Barbara Hershey, "Black Swan"
Lesley Manville, "Another Year"
Miranda Richardson, "Made in Dagenham"

ORIGINAL MUSIC
"127 Hours," Ar Rahman
"Alice in Wonderland," Danny Elfman
"How to Train Your Dragon," John Powell
"Inception," Hans Zimmer
"The King's Speech," Alexandre Desplat

CINEMATOGRAPHY
"127 Hours," Anthony Dod Mantle, Enrique Chediak
"Black Swan," Matthew Libatique
"Inception," Wally Pfister
"The King's Speech," Danny Cohen
"True Grit," Roger Deakins

EDITING
"127 Hours," Jon Harris
"Black Swan," Andrew Weisblum
"Inception," Lee Smith
"The King's Speech," Tariq Anwar
"The Social Network," Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter

PRODUCTION DESIGN
"Alice in Wonderland," Robert Stromberg, Karen O'Hara
"Black Swan," Therese Deprez, Tora Peterson
"Inception," Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias, Doug Mowat
"The King's Speech," Eve Stewart, Judy Farr
"True Grit," Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh

COSTUME DESIGN
"Alice in Wonderland," Colleen Atwood
"Black Swan," Amy Westcott
"The King's Speech," Jenny Beavan
"Made in Dagenham," Louise Stjernsward
"True Grit," Mary Zophres

SOUND
"127 Hours," Glenn Freemantle, Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Steven C. Laneri, Douglas Cameron
"Black Swan," Ken Ishii, Craig Henighan, Dominick Tavella
"Inception," Richard King, Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo, Ed Novick
"The King's Speech," John Midgley, Lee Walpole, Paul Hamblin
"True Grit," Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff, Peter F. Kurland, Douglas Axtell

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
"Alice in Wonderland," Nominees TBC
"Black Swan," Dan Schrecker
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," Tim Burke, John Richardson, Nicolas Ait'hadi, Christian Manz
"Inception," Chris Corbould, Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Peter Bebb
"Toy Story 3," Nominees TBC

MAKE UP AND HAIR
"Alice in Wonderland," Nominees TBC
"Black Swan," Judy Chin, Geordie Sheffer
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin
"The King's Speech," Frances Hannon
"Made in Dagenham," Lizzie Yianni Georgiou

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
"Biutiful," Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Jon Kilik, Fernando Bovaira
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Soren Stærmose, Niels Arden Oplev
"I Am Love," Luca Guadagnino, Francesco Melzi D'Eril, Marco Morabito, Massimiliano Violante
"Of Gods and Men," Xavier Beauvois
"The Secret in Their Eyes," Mariela Besuievsky, Juan Jose Campanella

ANIMATED FILM
"Despicable Me," Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
"How to Train Your Dragon," Chris Sanders, Dean Deblois
"Toy Story 3," Lee Unkrich

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
"127 Hours," Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy, Christian Colson, John Smithson
"Another Year," Mike Leigh, Georgina Lowe
"Four Lions," Chris Morris, Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Mark Herbert, Derrin Schlesinger
"The King's Speech," Tom Hooper, David Seidler, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
"Made in Dagenham," Nigel Cole, William Ivory, Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
"The Arbor," Clio Barnard (director), Tracy O'Riordan (producer)
"Exit Through the Gift Shop," Banksy (director), Jaimie D'Cruz (producer)
"Four Lions," Chris Morris (director/writer)
"Monsters," Gareth Edwards (director/writer)
"Skeletons," Nick Whitfield (director/writer)

SHORT ANIMATION
"The Eagleman," Stag Michael Please
"Matter Fisher," David Prosser
"Thursday," Matthias Hoegg

SHORT FILM
"Connect," Samuel Abrahams, Beau Gordon
"Lin," Piers Thompson, Simon Hessel
"Rite," Michael Pearce, Ross Mckenzie
"Turning," Karni Arieli, Saul Freed, Alison Sterling, Kat Armour-Brown
"Until the River Runs Red," Paul Wright, Poss Kondeatis

THE ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD (VOTED FOR BY THE PUBLIC)
Gemma Arterton
Andrew Garfield
Tom Hardy
Aaron Johnson
Emma Stone

Remembering Cary on His Birthday

one of the best. handsome, suave and a much better actor than he was give credit for being.

 he appeared with three of my favorite actresses in three of my favorite films

with audrey hepburn in 'charade'

with deborah kerr in 'an affair to remember'

and katharine hepburn in 'bringing up baby'

Golden Globe Winners and Oscar Front Runners

Golden Globe Winners

Best Motion Picture – Drama
* The Social Network
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
* The Kids Are All Right
Best Director – Motion Picture
* David Fincher for The Social Network
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
* The Social Network: Aaron Sorkin
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
* Colin Firth for The King’s Speech
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
* Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
* Paul Giamatti for Barney’s Version
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
* Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
* Christian Bale for The Fighter
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
* Melissa Leo for The Fighter
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
* Burlesque: Diane Warren (“You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me”)
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
* The Social Network: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Best Animated Film
* Toy Story 3
Best Foreign Language Film
* In a Better World (Denmark)

Best Television Series – Drama
* “Boardwalk Empire”
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
* “Glee”
Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
* “Carlos”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Movie – Television
* Al Pacino for You Don’t Know Jack
Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Movie – Television
* Claire Danes for Temple Grandin
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
* Jim Parsons for “The Big Bang Theory”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
* Laura Linney for “The Big C”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama
* Steve Buscemi for “Boardwalk Empire”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama
* Katey Sagal for “Sons of Anarchy”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Television
* Chris Colfer for “Glee”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Television
* Jane Lynch for “Glee”

'Harry's Law' Tonight on NBC

 the great kathy bates in her own series. i hope i hope.....

and an added bonus it brings the talented brittany snow ('american dreams') back to series tv

Happy Birthday Betty

betty's 'lifetime achievement' at 2010 sag awards

betty white on 'hot in cleveland'*

*season 2 of 'hot in cleveland' begins wednesday night, 1/19, on tvland

R.I.P. Susannah York

susannah york was an amazing actress. she should have been bigger. i've always thought her problem was julie christie. they had the same talent, great,  but julie just had that certain something, screen magic, that susannah apparently did not. or maybe she did but julie just got moved to the forefront first having won an oscar in 1965.
however that did not diminish her real talent.

for me susannah will best be remembered for her role as alice in 'they shoot horses don't they'. she was oscar nominated in 1969. she lost to goldie hawn, a ridiculously absurd sham, in 'cactus flower'. 

and there was 'tom jones', 'the killing of sister george' and 'a man for all seasons' amongst others. she made her time on this planet quite memorable.

Golden Globes Today

some of my favorites from past globe awards below

Emma Thompson Golden Globe 1996

my favorite acceptance speech...ever. emma thompson winning screenplay fpr 'sense and sensibility' in the 'manner' of jane austin.

Some of My Favorite Golden Globe Memories

kate's double win

supporting actress for 'the reader'

best actress for 'revolutionary road'*

sandra bullock best actress for 'the blind side'

julianna margulies in 'the good wife'

*as happy as i was, am, that kate won two the oscars got it right: best actress for 'the reader'

Critics' Choice Awards

And the winners are:

Best Picture: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher
Best Actor: Colin Firth
Best Actress: Natalie Portman
Best Young Actress: Hailee Steinfeld
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Best Original Screenplay: The King's Speech
Best Documentary Feature: Waiting for Superman
Best Ensemble: The Fighter
Best Action Movie: Inception
Best Comedy: Easy A
Best Animation: Toy Story 3
Best Picture Made for TV: The Pacific
Best Cinematography: Inception
Best Editing: Inception
Best Art Direction: Inception
Best Visual Effects: Inception
Best Sound: Inception

DVR Alert: 'Big Love' Tomorrow 1/16

'big love' the final season (sigh...big sigh) starts tomorrow night on hbo

trailer 1

trailer 2

Finally Bill Is Back (and just in time) Tonight on HBO

The Idiot from Wasilla and her Anti-Semetic Comments

 HEY MORON...THIS IS  WHAT ' BLOOD LIBEL' IS ALL ABOUT.

Blood libel (also blood accusation[1][2]) refers to a false accusation or claim[3][4][5] that religious minorities, usually Jews, murder children to use their blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays.[1][2][6] Historically, these claims have–alongside those of well poisoning and host desecration–been a major theme in European persecution of Jews.[4]
The libels typically allege that Jews require human blood for the baking of matzos for Passover. The accusations often assert that the blood of Christian children is especially coveted, and, historically, blood libel claims have often been made to account for otherwise unexplained deaths of children. In some cases, the alleged victim of human sacrifice has become venerated as a martyr, a holy figure around whom a martyr cult might arise. A few of these have been even canonized as saints, like Gavriil Belostoksky.
In Jewish lore, blood libels were the impetus for the creation in the 16th century of the Golem of Prague by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel. Many popes have either directly or indirectly condemned the blood accusation, and no pope has ever sanctioned it.[7] These libels have persisted among some segments of Christians to the present time.

and still there are those who think she is qualified to be president. first and foremost she needs to become a member of humanity.

Healer in Chief

Golden Globes January 16th: Keep the Date

The King's Speech' ****stars

a story of friendship and trust. two men from two different classes come together and damn what a bond is formed. the evolving friendship is told and directed so well by tom hooper that we are just swept along through it's ups and downs and we are never let down.

colin firth is brilliant as the stammering king george vi his king is brilliantly supported by geoffrey rush as the non royal friend and teacher lionel logue. the bond they form is at first trying but grows for the lifetime of both men in real life. a wonderful helena bonham carter returns to a 'quieter' role as the king's wife later to be known as the queen mum when daughter elizabeth becomes queen. jennifer ehle radiates as the wife of logue.

the rest of the supporting cast truly support with wonderful performances each. no one misses a beat.

colin firth deserves the oscar this year as he did last year ('a single man") and perhaps this year the academy will hand it to him. he is quite amazing and has grown so much over the past few years. well the reality is it's the parts he's getting. they are better and he makes them better still.

i see a definite oscar nom for rush and quite possibly another for bonham carter. picture, director and screenplay are a lock.

go see 'the king's speech' as it may well win the oscar for best picture. my vote is heading in it's direction fast and furiously.

Marion Expecting

i never really post this sort of news but i adore marion cotillard. she is expecting her first child with boyfriend guillaume canet. the met on the 2003 film 'love if you dare me'.

Director's Guild Picks

David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David O. Russell, The Fighter
Christopher Nolan, Inception 

the oscars may follow thru with the same

Jim Carrey's 'Black Swan' on SNL

i love 'black swan'. i love spoofs. i like this spoof a lot

The Political Far Right

Please Watch This All the Way Through to the End

POINT MADE

Arizona Shootings Not a Surprise

it was bound to happen. and with the 'don't retreat RELOAD' anthem and use second amendment rights of the likes of sarah palin and sharron angle of nevada it may happen again. these are dangerous women in dangerous times. they need to be prosecuted as well as the assassin. they are assassins too. the rhetoric of the right, far right, is deliberate. glenn beck should be prosecuted too. his nightly hate speech is continual fuel to the fire of hate. this all began as a response to a black man in a white house. for the record i'm a white man. sure the economy is the excuse. an economy handed to barack obama by a white man named bush. and sure the economy sucks. but not as much as the racism of the far right. 

it's the right that constantly and consistently demands 'softer' gun ownership laws. sure let's make them 'softer' and what happened in arizona yesterday will continue to happen. six americans were killed yesterday including a child. a child for god sakes. america the beautiful. not today i think.

last night keith olbermann addressed the madness in a special saturday 'countdown'. perhaps we should listen to him this time. the sad part is that those who hear him will say...'oh he doesn't mean me. hello in there he does mean you...and me.

all said and done please keep the victims, the friends and family of the victims in your hearts and good thoughts today. a child for god sakes!

Happy Birthday Joan

Happy Birthday Lara

lara fabian has an amazing voice. she has never caught on in the states as well as she has worldwide. the states are the losers here.

'for always forever' with josh groban

'i've cried enough

'i will love again'

'papa can you hear me/a piece of sky'

'i am who i am'

************

Another Look Back at Film 2010

Josh's Juke Box: 'Sunset Boulevard'

hugh jackman is a grade A showman

Song of the Day: 'Don't Sleep in the Subway'

you probably figured out by now that i love pet.


extended version

the original version live