NEGROMANCER 2.0: 2015

Showing posts with label 2015. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Review: "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" a Nation onto Itself

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
Running time: 131 minutes (2 hours, 11 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, and brief partial nudity
DIRECTOR: Christopher McQuarrie
WRITERS: Christopher McQuarrie; from a story by Christopher McQuarrie and Drew Pearce (based upon the television series created by Bruce Geller)
PRODUCERS: Tom Cruise, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, David Ellison, and Don Granger
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robert Elswit (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Eddie Hamilton
COMPOSER: Joe Kraemer

ACTION/ADVENTURE/SPY/THRILLER

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Simon McBurney, Jen Hultén, Hermoine Corfield, and Nigel Barber

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is a 2015 action-thriller and espionage film directed by Christopher McQuarrie and starring Tom Cruise. It is the fifth film in the Mission: Impossible film franchise, which is based on the American television series, “Mission: Impossible,” that was created by Bruce Geller and that originally aired on CBS from 1966 to 1973.

Rogue Nation finds the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) taking on their most impossible mission yet, defeating an international rogue organization that is every bit as highly skilled as IMF. A little over three year ago, I called Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol the best M:I film since the first one, 1996's Mission: Impossible. Now, I think Rogue Nation is the best since the first film.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation opens in Belarus. Agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is on a mission with his IMF team – technical field agent, Benjamin “Benji” Dunn (Simon Pegg) and IMF agent Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames). They have to intercept a shipment of VX nerve gas aboard an airplane before it is flown away to be sold to terrorists.

Later, CIA Director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) and IMF Field Operations Director William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) testify before a U.S. Senate committee. The IMF is currently without a secretary in charge, but Hunley believes that the Senate should not appoint new secretary. He believes that the IMF is dangerous and destructive and that any successes its agents have are the result of luck. Hunley wants the IMF disbanded and absorbed into the CIA.

Ethan Hunt has been trying to prove the existence of the Syndicate, an international criminal consortium. He believes that the Syndicate is both the equal and the opposite of the IMF. It is an anti-IMF that acts as a “rogue nation,” committing acts of terror and assassination. Hunley believes that the Syndicate is a figment of Hunt's imagination and sends CIA agents and assets to capture Hunt. Hunt believes that a mysterious operative, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), is the person who can lead him to the Syndicate and its formidable leader, the mysterious Solomon Lane (Sean Harris).

I always want to be honest with you, dear readers, even when I'm being a fanboy who really loves a movie in spite of its faults. I absolutely love Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, and I think that it is a genuinely good movie. I don't know if it is possible that any other filmmakers could do a better job than director Christopher McQuarrie and film editor Eddie Hamilton did with Rogue Nation. Maybe James Cameron could?

I think it is preposterous that this movie is so entertaining. The action is so bracing and invigorating. The ebb and flow of the thrills could cause you to ask for a cigarette after seeing this movie. Rogue Nation is a way more entertaining action movie than Jurassic World, which made three times as much money at the box office as Rogue Nation did. I kinda have to admit that I enjoyed watching Rogue Nation more than I did watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens three nights ago. It hurts me to write this, cause I love me some Star Wars, but...

Seriously, Tom Cruise is as glorious as ever as Ethan Hunt. This time, however, the mix of quality supporting cast as IMF agents and as allies, adversaries, and people somewhere in the middle is just right – like a stew or soup with that almost-perfect blend of ingredients, preparation, and cooking. Yes, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is a golden gumbo of flavorful characters, settings, plot, and execution. I plan on experiencing this cinematic dish many, many more times.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, December 25, 2015

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Review: "American Ultra" is Impossibly Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 6 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

American Ultra (2015)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, drug use and some sexual content
DIRECTOR: Nima Nourizadeh
WRITER: Max Landis
PRODUCERS: David Alpert, Anthony Bregman, Kevin Scott Frakes, Britton Rizzio, and Raj Brinder Singh
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Bonvillain
EDITOR: Andrew Marcus and Bill Pankow
COMPOSER: Marcelo Zarvos

ACTION/COMEDY

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walter Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, Tony Hale, Stuart Greer, Michael Papajohn, Monique Ganderton, Lavell Crawford, and Sam Malone

American Ultra is a 2015 action-comedy written by Max Landis and directed by Nima Nourizadeh. The film focuses on a stoner who finds himself targeted for extermination because he is a government sleeper agent, facts of which is he unaware.

American Ultra opens in small town Liman, West Virginia where we meet Mike “Mikey” Howell (Jesse Eisenberg), a stoner and slacker. He lives with his girlfriend, Phoebe Larson (Kristen Stewart), in a small wooden house, and he works at a convenience story. Meanwhile, in Langley, Virginia, CIA section boss, Adrian Yates (Topher Grace), has decided Mike's fate. Mike is the sole remaining asset of “Wiseman” which was part of the “Ultra” program, and Yates considers Mike a liability, thus targeting him for extermination.

Yates deploys a team of “Toughguy” operatives to kill Mike, but Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton), who once supervised the Wiseman program, is determined to save Mike's life. She arrives in Liman ahead of Yates' men, but reactivating Mike is a bit more difficult than she realized. Mike slowly begins to remember his training, but it is a messy and chaotic process... for everyone.

American Ultra's CIA conceits are preposterous, of course. What sells this is that the screenplay by Max Landis constructs a love that feels real and a relationship that seems genuine between Mike and Phoebe's characters. Director Nima Nourizadeh takes the time to properly transform Landis' romantic conceit into a true-blue movie romance. Once you buy the Mikey-Phoebe dynamic, the rest of the movie – the believable, the ridiculous, and the sublime – encourages the audience to suspend disbelief so they can enjoy one of the most inventive action-comedies of the 21st century.

Landis's script offers some interesting ideas, and Jesse Eisenberg's turn as the stoner Mikey distracts the viewer from taking a good, hard look at those ideas. After all, the fun is in running through the world of secret and sleeper agents, not in examining what is and isn't plausible in that world. [Of course, how many people actually take that hard look in the real world.] Landis' concept is perfect for Eisenberg's performance, and Eisenberg's performance makes Landis' concept work perfectly.

I admire how director Nima Nourizadeh maintains the off-beat, slacker charm of this story even as the movie turns increasingly violent, but here, the gore actually has a splattery charm all its own. In truth, Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables movie franchise could use the Nourizadeh-Landis touch. I cannot emphasize enough that this movie is just a blast to watch, and it is fresh and imaginative in a genre, CIA-themed films, that is rapidly growing stale.

Any action-movie franchise could use some Kristen Stewart. There is something about her that goes beyond merely being the spine of a billion-dollar movie franchise (Twilight). Stewart is authentic in this movie, and her performance is one of the many things that come together like serendipity to make American Ultra one of the best films of 2015.

9 of 10
A+

Saturday, December 5, 2015

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Review: "Jurassic World" is a Vending Machine Treat

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 5 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

Jurassic World (2015)
Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril
DIRECTOR: Colin Trevorrow
WRITERS: Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver and Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly; from a story by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (based on characters created by Michael Crichton)
PRODUCERS: Patrick Crowley and Frank Marshall
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Schwartzman (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Kevin Stitt
COMPOSER: Michael Giacchino

SCI-FI/ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLER

Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy, B.D. Wong, Judy Greer, Andy Buckley, Lauren Lapkus, Katie McGrath, Eric Edelstein, and Jimmy Fallon

Jurassic World is a 2015 science fiction-thriller and action-adventure film from director Colin Trevorrow. The film is a restart of the Jurassic Park film franchise. Thomas Tull of Legendary Pictures and Steven Spielberg, who directed the original film, Jurassic Park (1993), are the executive producers of this movie. Jurassic World returns to the setting of the first film, which is now a popular dinosaur theme park, but a new attraction turns the place into a nightmare.

Over two decades after the disaster that was the late John Hammond's Jurassic Park, the island of Isla Nublar now has a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, named Jurassic World. That is where Gray Mitchell (Ty Simpkins) and his older brother, Zach (Nick Robinson), are headed, with VIP access thanks to their aunt, Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is Jurassic World's operations manager.

This new park is run by the Masrani Global Corporation, which also owns InGen, Hammond's genetics company that invented the process of using DNA found in dinosaur fossils to make new dinosaurs. However, after a decade in operation, Jurassic World has been experiencing a decline in visitor rates, because dinosaurs are no longer the “hot thing.”

Park owner Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) demanded that a new attraction be created to spark visitors' interest. Behold Indominus‍ rex, a hybrid dinosaur made by combining the DNA of an unknown number of animals. U.S. Navy veteran, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), trains Jurassic World's four Velociraptors, which have imprinted on him as the pack alpha. Masrani wants Owen to evaluate Indominus‍ rex before this new attraction is presented to the public. Owen discovers that this hybrid dinosaur is really dangerous. Then, everything goes bad...

Jurassic World is quite an entertaining movie. I watched it on DVD, and there were times that I could not stop watching it, even when the phone rang. Like the Indominus rex, Jurassic World is itself a hybrid, as it blends the disaster film with the monster movie (much in the way a Godzilla film does). This is pure escapist entertainment. Pop some popcorn; sit on the sofa and turn out the lights. Watch this movie and have a blast...

...because beyond that, you won't have much. Jurassic World may be a restart of the franchise, but it lacks the newness and freshness, the sense of wonder and awe, that defined the original, 1993's Oscar-winning Jurassic Park. So rather than being a restart, Jurassic World is in actuality nothing more than another Jurassic Park film.

The characters are not interesting, and their plight did not grab me, as the characters' troubles in the first film did. When the most interesting female character in this film is a CGI dinosaur, as is the case with the raptor, Blue, then, the movie has fundamental problems. Even the relationship troubles between the two brothers and its resolution feel forced and phony. I can't remember the last time juvenile sibling characters had the kind of stiff dialogue that the Mitchell brothers had.

I like Chris Pratt, and he uses all his charm to make something out of Owen Grady, a character with potential, which the writers and director of this film did not seem to realize. Bryce Dallas Howard uses her acting skills to make something of the mannequin that is Claire, but that character is beneath her. And poor Omar Sy comes across as a pitiful token, playing Owen's stuck-in-the-corner assistant, Barry; yeah, Barry wasn't even worth a last name.

Yeah, Jurassic World is a blast as a scary monster movie, a dumb sci-fi thriller that actually delivers on the thrills. But in the end, it is nothing more than film product – the equivalent of a fast food hamburger that you have already forgotten a few minutes after eating it.

6 of 10
B

Saturday, November 28, 2015

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

2016 Canadian Screen Award Nominations - Complete Film Category List

The Canadian Screen Awards honor achievements in Canadian film and television production, as well as achievements in digital media. In 2012, the formerly separate Genie Awards (for film) and Gemini Awards (for television) merged into a single ceremony, the Canadian Screen Awards.

The Canadian Screen Awards are presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. This is a national, no-profit, professional association dedicated to the promotion, recognition and celebration of exceptional achievements in Canadian film, television and digital media. The Academy describes itself as a “Unifying industry professionals across Canada, the Academy is a vital force representing all screen – based industries.”

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 13, 2016. The nominations list below is only for the film categories, excluding the television, digital media, and special award categories (except for two).

2016 Canadian Screen Awards Nominations:

Best Motion Picture / Meilleur film

    Brooklyn – Pierre Even, Marie-Claude Poulin, Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey
    Corbo – Félize Frappier
    The Demons | Les Démons – Philippe Lesage
    Felix and Meira | Félix et Meira – Sylvain Corbeil, Nancy Grant
    The Forbidden Room – Phoebe Greenberg, Penny Mancuso, Phyllis Laing, David Christensen, Guy Maddin
    My Internship in Canada | Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre – Luc Déry, Kim McCraw
    Our Loved Ones | Les êtres chers – Sylvain Corbeil, Nancy Grant
    Remember – Robert Lantos, Ari Lantos
    Room – David Gross, Ed Guiney
    Sleeping Giant – Karen Harnisch, Andrew Cividino, Marc Swenker, James Vandewater, Aaron Yeger

Achievement in Direction | Meilleure réalisation

    Philippe Lesage – The Demons | Les Démons
    Maxime Giroux – Felix and Meira | Félix et Meira
    Anne Émond – Our Loved Ones | Les êtres chers
    Lenny Abrahamson – Room
    Andrew Cividino – Sleeping Giant

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | Interprétation masculine dans un premier rôle

    Maxim Gaudette – Our Loved Ones | Les êtres chers
    Christopher Plummer – Remember
    Rossif Sutherland – River
    Jacob Tremblay – Room
    Jasmin Geljo – The Waiting Room

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | Interprétation masculine dans un rôle de soutien

    Waris Ahluwalia – Beeba Boys
    Tony Nardi – Corbo
    Irdens Exantus – My Internship in Canada | Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre
    Nick Serino – Sleeping Giant
    Patrick Hivon – Ville-Marie

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | Interprétation féminine dans un premier rôle

    Leah Goldstein – Diamond Tongues
    Hadas Yaron – Felix and Meira | Félix et Meira
    Karelle Tremblay – Our Loved Ones | Les êtres chers
    Céline Bonnier – The Passion of Augustine | La Passion d’Augustine
    Brie Larson – Room

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role | Interprétation féminine dans un rôle de soutien

    Balinder Johal – Beeba Boys
    Mylène Mackay – Endorphine
    Christine Beaulieu – The Mirage | Le Mirage
    Joan Allen – Room
    Cynthia Ashperger – The Waiting Room

Achievement in Art Direction / Production Design | Meilleure direction artistique

    Louisa Schabas – Felix and Meira | Félix et Meira
    Galen Johnson, Brigitte Henry, Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski – The Forbidden Room
    Ken Rempel, Kathy McCoy, Erik Gerlund – Forsaken
    Arv Greywal, Steve Shewchuk, Larry Spittle – Hyena Road
    Ethan Tobman, Mary Kirkland – Room

Achievement in Cinematography | Meilleures images

    Yves Bélanger – Brooklyn
    Sara Mishara – Felix and Meira | Félix et Meira
    Rene Ohashi – Forsaken
    Karim Hussain – Hyena Road
    Danny Cohen – Room

Achievement in Costume Design | Meilleurs costumes

    Joanne Hansen – Beeba Boys
    Judy Jonker – Corbo
    Christopher Hargadon – Forsaken
    Katelynd Johnston – Hyena Road
    Arabella Bushnell – Songs She Wrote About People She Knows

Achievement in Editing | Meilleur montage

    Renee Beaulieu – Adrien | Le Garagiste
    David Wharnsby – Hyena Road
    Mathieu Bouchard-Malo – Our Loved Ones | Les êtres chers
    Nathan Nugent – Room
    James Vandewater – Sleeping Giant

Achievement in Make-Up | Meilleurs maquillages

    Catherine Beaudoin – Anna
    David Scott, Trina Brink – Backcountry
    Gail Kennedy, Rochelle Parrent, Jojo Preece – Forsaken
    Jayne Dancose, Debra Johnson, Charles Porlier – Hyena Road
    Sid Armour – Room

Achievement in Music – Original Score | Meilleure musique originale

    Michel Corriveau – Anna
    Michael Brook – Brooklyn
    François Dompierre – The Passion of Augustine | La Passion d’Augustine
    Stephen Rennicks – Room
    Chris Gestrin – Songs She Wrote About People She Knows

Achievement in Music – Original Song | Meilleure chanson originale

    Peter Katz, Karen Kowsowski – 88 – “Where the Light Used to Be”
    Martin Léon – Our Loved Ones | Les êtres chers – “Red and Yellow”
    Noah Reid – People Hold On – “People Hold On”
    Jenny Salgado – Scratch – A Hip-opera | Scratch – Un Hip-Opéra – “C’est aujourd’hui que je sors”
    Kris Elgstrand – Songs She Wrote About People She Knows – “Asshole Dave”

Achievement in Overall Sound | Meilleur son d’ensemble

    Sylvain Brassard, Arnaud Têtu, Pascal Van Strydonck, Olivier Léger – Adrien | Le Garagiste
    Bernard Gariépy Strobl, Daniel Bisson, Jean-Charles Desjardins, François Grenon – Endorphine
    Lou Solakofski, Ian Rankin, Joe Morrow, Russ Dyck, Graham Rogers, James Bastable, André Azoubel, Don White, Jack Hereen – Hyena Road
    Lou Solakofski, Kirk Lynds, Kristian Bailey, Don White, Jack Heeren,
    Rob Coxford, Peter Caristedt – Into The Forest
    Bernard Gariépy Strobl, Daniel Bisson, Claude La Haye, Benoît Leduc – My Internship in Canada | Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre

Achievement in Sound Editing | Meilleur montage sonore

    Benoît Dame – Adrien | Le Garagiste
    Sylvain Bellemare, Claire Pochon, Jérôme Décarie, François Senneville – Endorphine
    Mark Gingras, Jill Purdy – Forsaken
    John Gurdebeke, David Rose – The Forbidden Room
    Jane Tattersall, David McCallum, Martin Gwynn Jones, Barry Gilmore, David Evans, Dave Rose, Brennan Mercer, Ed Douglas,
    Kevin Banks, Goro Koyama, Andy Malcolm – Hyena Road

Achievement in Visual Effects | Meilleurs effets visuels

    Darren Wall – Borealis
    Alain Lachance, Eve Brunet – Endorphine
    Phil Jones, Sarah Wormsbecher, Eric Doiron, Anthony DeChellis, Lon Molnar, Geoff D.E. Scott, Nathan Larouche, Mark Fordham – Hyena Road
    Eric Doiron, Sarah Wormsbecher, Nathan Larouche, Anthony DeChellis, Geoff D.E. Scott, Jason Snea, Joel Chambers, Kaiser Thomas, Lon Molnar, Rob Kennedy – Remember
    Marcelo Alves de Souza, Paulo Barcellos, Adams Carvalho, George Schall, Luis Dourado, Emerson Bonadias, Diego Moreira, Luciano Santa Barbara, Thiago Sá, Luis Dreyfuss – Zoom

Adapted Screenplay | Meilleure adaptation

    Josh Epstein, Kyle Rideout – Eadweard
    Emma Donoghue – Room
    Wiebke von Carolsfeld – The Saver

Original Screenplay | Meilleur scénario

    André Turpin – Endorphine
    Philippe Falardeau – My Internship in Canada | Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre
    Anne Émond – Our Loved Ones | Les êtres chers
    Benjamin August – Remember
    Matt Hansen – Zoom

Academy Legacy Award
EUGENE LEVY AND CATHERINE O'HARA

Lifetime Achievement Award
MARTIN SHORT

-------------------------------

Monday, February 29, 2016

2016 / 88th Academy Awards Announced; DiCaprio Wins Best Actor; "Mad Max" Wins Six Oscars

Sunday, February 28, 2016

2016 Cesar Awards Announced;

Saturday, February 27, 2016

2016 Cesar Award Nominations

First given out in 1975, the César Award is the national film award of France. Some even think of the César Award as the French equivalent of the American Academy Awards (Oscars). The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, and the award ceremony is held in Paris each February. The name of the award comes from the late sculptor César Baldaccini, and the trophies are actual sculptures of the artist.

The 41st Cesar Awards ceremony will take place on Friday, February 26, 2016 at the Theatre du Chatelet in central Paris presided over by Florence Foresti over by French comedian and actress Florence Foresti. Hollywood star Michael Douglas is due to receive an honorary Cesar for his career at the ceremony.

The 2016 / 41st Cesar Award nominees (for the year in 2015):

BEST FILM
Dheepan, dir: Jacques Audiard
Fatima, dir: Philippe Faucon
La Loi Du Marché, dir: Stéphane Brizé
Marguerite, dir: Xavier Giannoli
Mon Roi, dir: Maiwenn
Mustang, dir: Deniz Gamze Erguven
La Tete Haute, dir: Emmanuelle Bercot
Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse (aka My Golden Days), dir: Arnaud Desplechin

BEST FIRST FILM
L’Affaire SK1, dir: Frédéric Tellier
Les Cowboys; dir: Thomas Bidegain
Mustang, dir: Deniz Gamze Erguven
Ni Le Ciel Ni La Terre, Clément Cogitore
Nous Trois Ou Rien, dir: Kheiron

BEST DIRECTOR
Jacques Audiard, Dheepan
Stéphane Brizé, La Loi Du Marché
Xavier Giannoli, Marguerite
Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Mustang
Emmanuelle Bercot, La Tête Haute
Arnaud Desplechin, My Golden Days
Maïwenn, Moi Roi

BEST ACTOR
Jean-Pierre Bacri, La Vie Très Privée De Monsieur Sim
Vincent Cassell, Mon Roi
François Damiens, Les Cowboys
Gérard Depardieu, Valley Of Love
Antonythasan Jesuthasan, Dheepan
Vincent Lindon, La Loi Du Marché
Fabrice Luchini, L’Hermine

BEST ACTRESS
Loubna Abidar, Much Loved
Emmanuelle Bercot, Mon Roi
Cécile de France, La Belle Saison
Catherine Deneuve, La Tête Haute
Catherine Frot, Marguerite
Isabelle Huppert, Valley Of Love
Soria Zeroual, Fatima

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Michel Fau, Marguerite
Louis Garrel, Mon Roi
Benoit Magimel, La Tête Haute
André Marcon, Marguerite
Vincent Rottiers, Dheepan

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sara Forestier, La Tête Haute
Agnès Jaoui, Comme Un Avion
Sidse Babett Knudsen, L’Hermine
Noémie Lvovsky, La Belle Saison
Karin Viard, 21 Nuits Avec Pattie

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Adama; dir: Simon Rouby
Le Petit Prince, dir: Mark Osborne
Avril Et Le Monde Truqué, dirs: Christian Desmares, Franck Ekinci

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Birdman, dir: Alejandro G Inarritu
Son Of Saul, dir: Laszlo Nemes
Je Suis Mort Mais J’ai Des Amis, dirs: Guillaume Malandrin, Stéphane Malandrin
Mia Madre, dir: Nanni Moretti
Taxi Tehran, dir: Jafar Panahi
The Brand New Testament, dir: Jaco van Dormael
Youth, dir: Paolo Sorrentino

BEST NEWCOMER (FEMALE)
Lou Leroy-Collinet, My Golden Days
Diane Rouxel, La Tête Haute
Zita Hanrot, Fatima
Sara Giraudeau, Les Bêtises
Camille Cottin, Connasse, Princesse Des Coeurs

BEST NEWCOMER (MALE)
Swann Arlaud, Les Anarchistes
Quentin Dolmaire, My Golden Days
Félix Moati, A trois On Y Va
Finnegan Oldfield, Les Cowboys
Rod Paradot, La Tête Haute

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Eponine Momenceau, Dheepan
Glynn Speeckaert, Marguerite
David Chizallet, Mustang
Irina Lubtchansky, My Golden Days
Christophe Offenstein, Valley Of Love

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
David Oelhoffen, Frédéric Tellier, L’Affaire SKI
Samuel Benchetrit, Asphalte
Vincent Garenq, Stéphan Cabel, L’Enquete
Philippe Faucon, Fatima
Héléne Zimmer, Benoît Jacquot, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre

BEST EDITING
Juliette Welfing, Dheepan
Cyril Nakache, Marguerite
Simon Jacquet, Mon Roi
Mathilde Van De Moortel, Mustang
Laurence Briau, My Golden Days

BEST SOUND
Daniel Sobrino, Valérie Deloof, Cyril Holtz, Dheepan
François Musy, Gabriel Hafner, Marguerite
Nicolas Provost, Agnès Ravez, Emanuel Croset, Mon Roi
Ibrahim Gök, Damien Guillaume, Olivier Goinard, Mustang
Nicolas Cantin, Sylvain Malbrant, Stéphane Thiébaut, My Golden Days

BEST SHOR FILM
La Contre Allée, dir: Cécile Ducrocq
Le Dernier Des Céfrans, dir: Pierre-Emmanuel Urcun
Essaie De Mourir Jeune, dir: Morgon Simon
Guy Moquet, dir: Demis Herenger
Mon Héros, dir: Sylvain Desclous

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC
Raphaël, Les Cowboys
Ennio Morricone, En Mail, Fais Ce Qu’Il Te Plaît
Stephen Warbeck, Mon Roi
Warren Ellis, Mustang
Grégoire Hetzel, My Golden Days

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Noé Debré, Thomas Bidegain, Jacques Audiard, Dheepan
Xavier Giannoli, Marguerite
Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Alice Winocour, Mustang
Emmanuelle Bercot, Marcia Roman, La Tête Haute
Arnaud Desplechin, Julie Peyr, My Golden Days

BEST COSTUMES
Anaïs Romand, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre
Pierre-Jean Larroque, Marguerite
Selin Sözen, Mustang
Catherine Leterrier, L’Odeur De La Mandarine
Nathalie Raoul, My Golden Days

BEST SET DECORATION
Michel Barthélémy, Dheepan
Katia Wyszkop, Journal D’Une Femme De Chambre
Martin Kurel, Marguerite
Jean Rabasse, L’Odeur De La Mandarine
Toma Baqueni, My Golden Days

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
La Nuit Américaine D’Angélique, dirs: Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet, Joris Clerté
Le Repas Dominical, dir: Céline Devaux
Sous Tes Doigts, dir: Marie-Christine Courtès
Tigre A La Queue Leu Leu, dir: Benoît Chieux

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Le Bouton De Nacre, dir: Patrico Guzman
Cavanna, dirs: Denis and Nina Robert
Tomorrow, dirs: Cyril Dion, Mélanie Laurent
The Missing Picture, dir: Rithy Panh
Une Jeunesse Allemande, dir: Jean-Gabriel Periot

---------------------------

2016 Spirit Awards Announced; "Spotlight" Dominates

Film Independent’s Spirit Awards (formerly known as the Independent Spirit Awards) were founded in 1984 and are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and also the Los Angeles Film Festival.

The 2016 / 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards were announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 27, 2016. The awards ceremony was held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, just north of the Santa Monica Pier. The show was broadcast live exclusively on IFC at 2:00 pm PT/ 5:00 pm ET.

2016 / 31st Film Independent's SPIRIT AWARD winners:

BEST FEATURE – Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.
Spotlight
Producers: Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar

BEST DIRECTOR
Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Brie Larson -Room

BEST MALE LEAD
Abraham Attah - Beasts of No Nation

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Mya Taylor - Tangerine

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Idris Elba - Beasts of No Nation

BEST FIRST FEATURE - Award given to the director and producer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Director: Marielle Heller
Producers: Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.
Krisha
Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults
Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith

BEST SCREENPLAY
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer - Spotlight

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Emma Donoghue - Room

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ed Lachman - Carol

BEST EDITING
Tom McArdle - Spotlight

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

Spotlight
Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors:Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee
Ensemble Cast: Michael Cyril Creighton, Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci

BEST DOCUMENTARY - Award given to the director and producer.
The Look of Silence
Director:Joshua Oppenheimer
Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM - Award given to the director.
Son of Saul (Hungary)
Director: László Nemes

19th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 19th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

Mel Eslyn - WINNER

22nd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 22nd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.

King Jack
Director: Felix Thompson

21st TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 21st annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Incorruptible
Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

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Friday, February 26, 2016

2016 Black Reel Awards Announced; Creed Leads with 5 Wins

The Black Reel Awards annually honor African-Americans in feature, independent, and television film. The awards also take notice of the work in film by people of color throughout the African Diaspora. The awards were launched in 2000, and this is the 16th year the awards will be handed out. The Black Reel Awards are now given out by the Foundation for the Advancement of African-Americans in Film (FAAAF).

The Black Reel Awards are comprised of more than 80 voters across the country. The voters annually select and spotlight films and performances featuring African-Americans, as well as people of color throughout the African Diaspora. The 16th Annual Black Reel Awards were held on Thursday, February 18, 2016.

16th Annual Black Reel Award Winners:

FILM

Outstanding Film
Creed
Sylvester Stallone, Irwin Winkler, David Winkler, Robert Chartoff, William Chartoff, Kevin King-Templeton, Producers

Outstanding Actor
Michael B. Jordan | Creed

Outstanding Actress
Teyonah Parris | Chi-Raq

Outstanding Supporting Actor
Idris Elba | Beasts of No Nation

Outstanding Supporting Actress
Tessa Thompson | Creed

Outstanding Director
Ryan Coogler | Creed

Outstanding Screenplay
Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington | Creed

Outstanding Documentary
What Happened, Miss Simone | Liz Garbus

Outstanding Ensemble
Straight Outta Compton | Victoria Thomas and Cindy Tolan

Outstanding Foreign-Language Film
Girlhood | Céline Sciamma (France)

Outstanding Score
Joseph Trapanese | Straight Outta Compton

Outstanding Original Song
“See You Again” | Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth (Furious 7)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male
Abraham Attah | Beasts of No Nation

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female
Kiersey Clemons | Dope

Outstanding Voice Performance
Rihanna | Home

INDEPENDENT

Outstanding Independent Film
Tangerine | Sean Baker

Outstanding Independent Documentary
Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Blues | Carol Bash

Outstanding Independent Short
Addiction | Danny Dzhurayev

TELEVISION

Outstanding TV Documentary or Special
The Wiz Live! | Kenny Leon

Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series
Bessie | Ron Schmidt, Producer

Outstanding Actor, TV Movie or Limited Series
David Oyelowo | Nightingale

Outstanding Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series
Dana Owens (Queen Latifah) | Bessie

Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie or Limited Series
Bokeem Woodbine | Fargo

Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series
Regina King | American Crime

Outstanding Director, TV Movie or Limited Series
Dee Rees | Bessie

Outstanding Screenplay, TV Movie or Limited Series
John Ridley | American Crime

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2016 / 88th Academy Awards Nominations; Complete All-White List

The Academy Awards is an American film accolade. It is best known as the “Oscars,” and is an annual awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements primarily in the American film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette that is officially called the “Academy Award of Merit,” but has become commonly known by its nickname, the “Oscar.” The awards were first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The Academy Awards are overseen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

The 88th Oscars nominations were announced on Thursday, January 14, 2016 from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2015 will be presented on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center. The ceremony will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will be hosted by Chris Rock.

2016 / 88th Academy Award nominations:

Best Picture
The Big Short - Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers

Bridge of Spies - Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers

Brooklyn - Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers

Mad Max: Fury Road - Doug Mitchell and George Miller, Producers

The Martian - Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam, Producers

The Revenant - Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent and Keith Redmon, Producers

Room - Ed Guiney, Producer

Spotlight - Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers

Best Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge Of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Directing
The Big Short, Adam McKay
Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller
The Revenant, Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Room, Lenny Abrahamson
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Film Editing
The Big Short - Hank Corwin
Mad Max: Fury Road - Margaret Sixel
The Revenant - Stephen Mirrione
Spotlight - Tom McArdle
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

Foreign Language Film
Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)
Mustang (France)
Son of Saul (Hungary)
Theeb (Jordan)
A War (Denmark)

Original Score
Bridge of Spies - Thomas Newman
Carol - Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight - Ennio Morricone
Sicario - Jóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - John Williams

Production Design
Bridge of Spies
Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard Henrich

The Danish Girl
Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Michael Standish

Mad Max: Fury Road
Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson

The Martian
Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Celia Bobak

The Revenant
Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Hamish Purdy

Visual Effects
Ex Machina
Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett

Mad Max: Fury Road
Andrew Jackson, Tom Wood, Dan Oliver and Andy Williams

The Martian
Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence and Steven Warner

The Revenant
Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith and Cameron Waldbauer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould

Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short - Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
Brooklyn - Screenplay by Nick Hornby
Carol - Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy
The Martian - Screenplay by Drew Goddard
Room - Screenplay by Emma Donoghue

Original Screenplay
Bridge of Spies - Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Ex Machina - Written by Alex Garland
Inside Out - Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
Spotlight - Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy
Straight Outta Compton - Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff

Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa - Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and Rosa Tran

Boy and the World - Alê Abreu

Inside Out - Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera

Shaun the Sheep Movie - Mark Burton and Richard Starzak

When Marnie Was There - Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura

Cinematography
Carol - Ed Lachman
The Hateful Eight - Robert Richardson
Mad Max: Fury Road - John Seale
The Revenant - Emmanuel Lubezki
Sicario - Roger Deakins

Costume Design
Carol - Sandy Powell
Cinderella - Sandy Powell
The Danish Girl - Paco Delgado
Mad Max: Fury Road - Jenny Beavan
The Revenant - Jacqueline West

Documentary Feature
Amy- Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
Cartel Land - Matthew Heineman and Tom Yellin
The Look of Silence - Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen
What Happened, Miss Simone? - Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby and Justin Wilkes
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom - Evgeny Afineevsky and Den Tolmor

Documentary Short Subject
Body Team 12 - David Darg and Bryn Mooser
Chau, Bbeyond the Lines - Courtney Marsh and Jerry Franck
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah - Adam Benzine
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness - Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Last Day of Freedom - Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman

Makeup and Hairstyling
Mad Max: Fury Road - Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared - Love Larson and Eva von Bahr

The Revenant - Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini

Original Song
“Earned It” from Fifty Shades of Grey
Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio

“Manta Ray” from Racing Extinction
Music by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony Hegarty

“Simple Song #3” from Youth
Music and Lyric by David Lang

“Til It Happens To You” from The Hunting Ground
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga

“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre
Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

Animated Short Film
Bear Story - Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala
Prologue - Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton
Sanjay’s Super Team - Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle
We Can’t Live without Cosmos - Konstantin Bronzit
World of Tomorrow - Don Hertzfeldt

Live Action Short Film
Ave Maria - Basil Khalil and Eric Dupont
Day One - Henry Hughes
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut) - Patrick Vollrath
Shok - Jamie Donoughue
Stutterer - Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage

Sound Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road - Mark Mangini and David White
The Martian - Oliver Tarney
The Revenant - Martin Hernandez and Lon Bender
Sicario - Alan Robert Murray
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Matthew Wood and David Acord

Sound Mixing
Bridge of Spies - Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew Kunin
Mad Max: Fury Road - Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo
The Martian - Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac Ruth
The Revenant - Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom and Chris Duesterdiek
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Oklahoma Film Critics Gives "Spotlight" its Best Picture Award

The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) is the statewide group of professional film critics. OFCC members are Oklahoma-based movie critics who write for print, broadcast and online outlets that publish or post reviews of current film releases.

The OFCC announced its 10th annual awards winners in early January of 2016.

2015 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award winners:

Best Picture - "Spotlight"

Best Actor – Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"

Best Actress – Brie Larson, "Room"

Best Animated Film - "Inside Out"

Best Body of Work – Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina," "The Danish Girl," "Testament of Youth," "Burnt"

Best Director – George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Best Documentary - "Amy"

Best First Feature – Alex Garland, "Ex Machina"

Best Foreign Language Film - "Son of Saul" (Hungary)

Best Original Screenplay - "Spotlight"

Best Adapted Screenplay – Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, "The Big Short"

Best Supporting Actor (TIE)
Michael Keaton "Spotlight"
Sylvester Stallone "Creed"

Best Supporting Actress – Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina"

Most Disappointing Film – "Tomorrowland"

Top 10 Films
"Spotlight"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Brooklyn"
"Ex-Machina"
"The Big Short"
"Carol"
"The Revenant"
"Inside Out"
"Sicario"
"The Hateful Eight

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Sunday, February 21, 2016

Morgan Freeman and John Legend Added as Presenters at 2016 Oscars Ceremony

OSCAR WINNERS MORGAN FREEMAN AND JOHN LEGEND ADDED AS PRESENTERS ALONG WITH J.J. ABRAMS, SACHA BARON COHEN AND HENRY CAVILL DAVE GROHL WILL GIVE A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

Oscar winners Morgan Freeman and John Legend have been added to the list of presenters along with J.J. Abrams, Sacha Baron Cohen and Henry Cavill for the 88th Oscars® telecast. Oscar producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin also announced a special performance by Dave Grohl for the 88th annual event, hosted by Chris Rock, airing live Oscar Sunday, February 28, 2016, on ABC.

The most recent list of presenters marks the return of Sacha Baron Cohen, Morgan Freeman and John Legend. J.J. Abrams, Henry Cavill and Dave Grohl take to the Oscar stage for the first time.

“We’re thrilled to be joined by a movie icon, a filmmaking dynamo, a larger than life action hero, a master of satire and two world renowned music power-hitters, “said Hill and Hudlin. “This year’s show reflects a commitment to showcase cinematic contributions from a variety of genres and this latest list of presenters reflects just that.”

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7:00 p.m. EST/4:00 p.m. PST. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Review: "Mr. Holmes" Shows that Ian McKellan is as Sharp as Ever

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 4 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[A version of this review originally appeared in Patreon.]

Mr. Holmes (2015)
Running time: 104 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR: Bill Condon
WRITER: Jeffrey Hatcher (based on the novel, A Slight Trick of the Mind, by Mitch Cullin)
PRODUCERS: Iain Canning, Anne Carey, and Emile Sherman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tobias A. Schliessler
EDITOR: Virginia Katz
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell

DRAMA with elements of a mystery

Starring: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Milo Parker, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hattie Morahan, Patrick Kennedy, Frances de la Tour, Roger Allam, and John Sessions

Mr. Holmes is a 2015 British-American drama from director Bill Condon and writer Jeffrey Hatcher. The film is based on the 2005 novel, A Slight Trick of the Mind, from author Mitch Cullin. Mr. Holmes the movie focuses on an aged and retired Sherlock Holmes, who struggles with early dementia as he tries to remember his final case, which haunts him.

Mr. Holmes opens in 1947. The long-retired Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) returns from abroad and travels to Headley House, his farmhouse in Sussex. He shares his home with Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney), his housekeeper and a war widow, and Roger (Milo Parker), her young son. Holmes is suffering from early dementia or “senility.” His trip abroad was to Japan, specifically Hiroshima, where he hoped to find the prickly ash plant, as he believes a “jelly” made from the plant can act as an elixir and help his failing memory.

Holmes is trying to recall his last case, which occurred over 30 years prior. A suspicious husband, Thomas Kelmot (Patrick Kennedy), had asked Holmes to investigate his wife, Ann (Hattie Morahan). Something happened, leaving the case unfinished and causing Holmes to retire. Unhappy with his ex-partner, Dr. John Watson's account of the case, Holmes hopes to write his own account. However, he has trouble recalling the details, but young Roger's curiosity drives the legendary detective to close a troubled chapter in his famed career.

Sherlock Holmes first appeared in the 1887 detective novel, A Study in Scarlet, which was written by British author, Arthur Conan Doyle. Just over a decade later, the Holmes character began appearing in films, and after a little more than a century, Holmes has appeared in over 200 films (according to the British newspaper, The Telegraph).

Although I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I would be surprised if I have seen even 30 of those films. I am certainly happy to have experienced Mr. Holmes. It is one of the best Sherlock Holmes films that I have ever seen, primarily because of Ian McKellen's tenderly-wrought and alluring turn as Holmes.

As the 93-year-old Holmes, McKellen fashions a vulnerable man, who doggedly fights a losing battle with his health. Still, he maintains his dignity and learns to change and to acknowledge his errors and misjudgments, both in the past and in the present. As the Holmes seen in this film's flashbacks, who is in his late 50s or early 60s (which is somewhat unclear), McKellen presents a Holmes who is clearly a man of some age, but who is also clearly still a detective in full. It is a testament to McKellen's skills and talent as a thespian that he can make two versions of “old-man Holmes” that are distinct from one another and are of different states of mind and intellect.

Laura Linney is potent and fiery as Mrs. Munro, although the script mostly keeps her restrained, even silently suffering. Once again, a consummate actor takes what is given to her and makes it more than an actor of lesser skills could. Young Milo Parker steals the movie as the brash Roger, who is on the cusp of young manhood and whose curiosity is a torch that brings light to what could have been a dark and moody film.

I recommend Mr. Holmes without reservations to fans of Sherlock Holmes movies and to fans of director Bill Condon. He seems always to deliver interesting films that grab the audience with their unique way of being film narratives. I think that there must simply be at least a few film award nominations in its future because Mr. Holmes does Sherlock Holmes so differently and so delightfully.

8 of 10
A

Saturday, November 21, 2015

The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

2016 Grammy Award Winners - Complete List; Kendrick Lamar Leads with 5 Wins

The Grammy Awards (or Grammys) are given out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) of the United States. The Grammy is an accolade that recognizes outstanding achievement in the music industry. It is the music industry equivalent to the Academy Awards for film, the Emmy Awards for television, and the Tony Award for stage.

The 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards were held on Monday, February 15, 2016, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony was broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The 58th Annual Grammy Awards recognized the best musical (and some spoken word and video) recordings, compositions, and artists for the eligibility year that began on October 1, 2014 and ended on September 30, 2015.

2016 / 58th Grammy Award winners:

Record of the Year
“Uptown Funk,” Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars

Album of the Year
“1989,” Taylor Swift

Song of the Year
“Thinking Out Loud,” Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge (Ed Sheeran)

New Artist
Meghan Trainor

Pop Solo Performance
“Thinking Out Loud,” Ed Sheeran

Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Uptown Funk,” Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars

Traditional Pop Vocal Album
“The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern,” Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap

Pop Vocal Album
“1989,” Taylor Swift

Dance Recording
“Where Are Ü Now,” Skrillex and Diplo With Justin Bieber

Dance/Electronic Album
“Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü,” Skrillex and Diplo

Contemporary Instrumental Album
“Sylva,” Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest

Metal Performance
“Ghost,” Cirice

Rock Performance
“Don’t Wanna Fight,” Alabama Shakes

Rock Song
“Don’t Wanna Fight,” Alabama Shakes (Alabama Shakes)

Rock Album
“Drones,” Muse

Alternative Music Album
“Sound & Color,” Alabama Shakes

R&B Performance
“Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey),” the Weeknd

Traditional R&B Performance
“Little Ghetto Boy,” Lalah Hathaway

R&B Song
“Really Love,” D’Angelo & Kendra Foster (D’Angelo and The Vanguard)

Urban Contemporary Album
“Beauty Behind the Madness,” The Weeknd

R&B Album
“Black Messiah,” D’Angelo and the Vanguard

Rap Performance
“Alright,” Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
“These Walls,” Kendrick Lamar, featuring Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat

Best Rap Song
“Alright,” Kendrick Duckworth, Kawan Prather, Mark Anthony Spears and Pharrell Williams (Kendrick Lamar)

Rap Album
“To Pimp a Butterfly,” Kendrick Lamar

Country Solo Performance
“Traveller,” Chris Stapleton

Country Duo/Group Performance
“Girl Crush,” Little Big Town

Country Song
“Girl Crush,” Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose (Little Big Town)

Country Album
“Traveller,” Chris Stapleton

New Age Album
“Grace,” Paul Avgerinos

Improvised Jazz Solo
“Cherokee,” Christian McBride

Jazz Vocal Album
“For One to Love,” Cécile McLorin Salvant

Jazz Instrumental Album
“Past Present,” John Scofield

Large Jazz Ensemble Album
“The Thompson Fields,” Maria Schneider Orchestra

Latin Jazz Album
“Made in Brazil,” Eliane Elias

Gospel Performance/Song
“Wanna Be Happy?,” Kirk Franklin (Kirk Franklin)

Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“Holy Spirit,” Francesca Battistelli (Francesca Battistelli)

Gospel Album
Israel and Newbreed, Covered: Alive Is Asia” [Live] (Deluxe)

Contemporary Christian Music Album
“This Is Not a Test,” Tobymac

Roots Gospel Album
“Still Rockin’ My Soul,” The Fairfield Four

Latin Pop Album
“A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition),” Ricky Martin

Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album TIE
“Hasta La Raíz,” Natalia Lafourcade
“Dale,” Pitbull

Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
“Realidades — Deluxe Edition,” Los Tigres Del Norte

Tropical Latin Album
“Son De Panamá,” Rubén Blades With Roberto Delgado and Orchestra

American Roots Performance
“See That My Grave Is Kept Clean,” Mavis Staples

American Roots Song
“24 Frames,” Jason Isbell (Jason Isbell)

Americana Album
“Something More Than Free,” Jason Isbell

Bluegrass Album
“The Muscle Shoals Recordings,” The Steeldrivers

Best Blues Album
“Born to Play Guitar,” Buddy Guy

Folk Album
“Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn,” Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn

Regional Roots Music Album
“Go Go Juice,” Jon Cleary

Reggae Album
“Strictly Roots,” Morgan Heritage

World Music Album
“Sings,” Angelique Kidjo

Children’s Album
“Home,” Tim Kubart

Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)
“A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety,” Jimmy Carter

Comedy Album
“Live at Madison Square Garden,” Louis C.K.

Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
“Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me,” Julian Raymond, compilation producer

Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
“Birdman,” Antonio Sanchez, composer

Song for Visual Media
“Glory,” from “Selma,” Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith and John Stephens (Common & John Legend)

Musical Theater Album
“Hamilton”

Instrumental Composition
“The Afro Latin Jazz Suite,” Arturo O’Farrill (Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa)

Arrangement, Instrumental or a Cappella
“Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” Ben Bram, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado and Kevin Olusola (Pentatonix)

Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“Sue (Or in a Season of Crime),” Maria Schneider (David Bowie)

Recording Package
“Still The King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys,” Sarah Dodds, Shauna Dodds and Dick Reeves, art directors (Asleep at the Wheel)

Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
“The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume Two (1928-32),” Susan Archie, Dean Blackwood and Jack White, art directors (Various Artists)

Album Notes
“Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, a Ballet, Waiting to Be Danced,” Joni Mitchell (Joni Mitchell)

Historical Album
“The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11,” Steve Berkowitz, Jan Haust and Jeff Rosen, compilation producers; Peter J. Moore & Mark Wilder, mastering engineers (Bob Dylan and the Band)

Engineered Album, Non-Classical
“Sound & Color,” Shawn Everett, engineer; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Alabama Shakes)

Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
“Uptown Funk (Dave Audé Remix),” Dave Audé, (Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jeff Bhasker

Surround Sound Album
“Amused To Death,” James Guthrie, surround mix engineer; James Guthrie and Joel Plante, surround mastering engineers; James Guthrie, surround producer (Roger Waters)

Engineered Album, Classical
“Ask Your Mama,” Leslie Ann Jones, John Kilgore, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum and Justin Merrill, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (George Manahan and San Francisco Ballet Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical
Judith Sherman

Orchestral Performance
“Shostakovich: Under Stalin’s Shadow — Symphony No. 10,” Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

Opera Recording
“Ravel: L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges; Shéhérazade,” Seiji Ozawa, conductor; Isabel Leonard; Dominic Fyfe, producer (Saito Kinen Orchestra; SKF Matsumoto Chorus and SKF Matsumoto Children’s Chorus)

Choral Performance
“Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil,” Charles Bruffy, conductor (Paul Davidson, Frank Fleschner, Toby Vaughn Kidd, Bryan Pinkall, Julia Scozzafava, Bryan Taylor & Joseph Warner; Kansas City Chorale & Phoenix Chorale)

Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
“Filament,” Eighth Blackbird

Classical Instrumental Solo
“Dutilleux: Violin Concerto, L’Arbre Des Songes,” Augustin Hadelich; Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony)

Classical Solo Vocal Album
“Joyce & Tony — Live From Wigmore Hall,” Joyce DiDonato; Antonio Pappano, accompanist

Classical Compendium
“Paulus: Three Places of Enlightenment; Veil of Tears & Grand Concerto,” Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer

Contemporary Classical Composition
“Paulus: Prayers & Remembrances,” Stephen Paulus, composer (Eric Holtan, True Concord Voices & Orchestra)

Music Video
“Bad Blood,” Taylor Swift, featuring Kendrick Lamar

Music Film
“Amy,” Amy Winehouse

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Third Wave of 2016 Oscar Presenters Announced; Daisy Ridley Among New Names

STARS TO LIGHT UP OSCAR NIGHT

Six Oscar Winners Join Presenter Line Up

Oscars producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today a third slate of presenters for the 88th Oscars telecast. The Oscars, hosted by Chris Rock, will air live Oscar® Sunday, February 28, 2016 on ABC.

The presenters, including several Oscar winners, are:

Patricia Arquette

Abraham Attah

Cate Blanchett

Emily Blunt

Louis C.K.

Common

Russell Crowe

Chris Evans

Jennifer Garner

Louis Gossett, Jr.

Michael B. Jordan

Rachel McAdams

Dev Patel

Eddie Redmayne

Daisy Ridley

Sarah Silverman

Sofia Vergara

"Through their work, these artists have shown us the unique, transformative power of cinema,” said Hill and Hudlin. “We are delighted they will be joining us on the Oscars stage this year.”

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Monday, February 15, 2016

2016 BAFTA Awards Announced; "The Revenant" Wins "Best Film"

The British Academy Film Awards (also known as the BAFTAs) are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). They are the British counterpart of the Oscars.

Previously known as the Orange British Academy Film Awards, they are now known as the EE British Academy Film Awards. The British telecommunications company, EE, replaces Orange as the title sponsor of the awards.

The 69th EE British Academy Film Awards took place on Sunday, February 14, 2016 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. The ceremony was hosted by Stephen Fry and was broadcast exclusively on BBC One and BBC One HD, preceded by a red carpet show on BBC Three.

2016 / 69th BAFTA Film Award winners (for the year in film 2015):

BEST FILM
THE REVENANT Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Arnon Milchan, Mary Parent, Keith Redmon

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
BROOKLYN John Crowley, Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Nick Hornby

DIRECTOR
THE REVENANT Alejandro G. Iñárritu

LEADING ACTOR
LEONARDO DICAPRIO The Revenant

LEADING ACTRESS
BRIE LARSON Room

SUPPORTING ACTOR
MARK RYLANCE Bridge of Spies

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
KATE WINSLET Steve Jobs

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
NAJI ABU NOWAR (Writer/Director) RUPERT LLOYD (Producer) Theeb

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
WILD TALES Damián Szifron (Argentina, Spain)

DOCUMENTARY
AMY Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees

ANIMATED FILM
INSIDE OUT Pete Docter

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
SPOTLIGHT Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE BIG SHORT Adam McKay, Charles Randolph

ORIGINAL MUSIC
THE HATEFUL EIGHT Ennio Morricone

CINEMATOGRAPHY
THE REVENANT Emmanuel Lubezki

EDITING
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Margaret Sixel

PRODUCTION DESIGN
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson

COSTUME DESIGN
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Jenny Beavan

MAKE UP & HAIR
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Lesley Vanderwalt, Damian Martin

SOUND
THE REVENANT Lon Bender, Chris Duesterdiek, Martin Hernandez, Frank A. Montaño, Jon Taylor, Randy Thom

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
EDMOND Nina Gantz, Emilie Jouffroy

BRITISH SHORT FILM
OPERATOR Caroline Bartleet, Rebecca Morgan

THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
JOHN BOYEGA

OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA
Angels Costumes

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Sunday, February 14, 2016

2016 Writers Guild Awards Announced; "Spotlight," "The Big Short" Lead

The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, video game, and new media writers. The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio and has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949.

On Saturday, February 13, 2016, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced the winners for outstanding achievement in screenwriting during 2015. Winners were honored at the 2016 / 68th Writers Guild Awards at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City.

Richard LaGravenese received the 2016 Ian McClellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement. David Crane and Marta Kauffman received the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory scribe John August received the “Valentine Davies” award which is given to a member for their humanitarian efforts. John McNamara (a WGA nominee for Trumbo) was honored with the Paul Selvin award “given to a member whose script best embodies the spirit of constitutional and civil rights and liberties that are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere” per the WGA. Arthur Sellers received the Morgan Cox award for guild service.

2016 / 68th Writers Guild Awards (for the year 2015):

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Spotlight

Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy; Open Road Films

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Big Short

Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay; Based on the Book by Michael Lewis; Paramount Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films

DRAMA SERIES

Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Semi Chellas, Jonathan Igla, Janet Leahy, Erin Levy, Tom Smuts, Robert Towne, Matthew Weiner, Carly Wray; AMC

EPISODIC DRAMA

“Uno” (Better Call Saul)

Written by Vince Gilligan & Peter Gould; AMC

COMEDY SERIES

Veep

Written by Simon Blackwell, Jon Brown, Kevin Cecil, Roger Drew, Peter Fellows, Neil Gibbons, Rob Gibbons, Sean Gray, Callie Hersheway, Armando Iannucci, Sean Love, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Andy Riley, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO

EPISODIC COMEDY

“Sand Hill Shuffle” (Silicon Valley)

Written by Clay Tarver; HBO

COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES

Real Time with Bill Maher

Writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Billy Martin, Danny Vermont; HBO

COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS

Jimmy Kimmel Live: 10th Annual After The Oscars Special

Written by Jack Allison, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Greg Dorris, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Jimmy Kimmel, Bess Kalb, Jeff Loveness, Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker, Joe Strazzullo, Bridger Winegar; ABC

COMEDY / VARIETY – SKETCH SERIES

Inside Amy Schumer

Head Writer: Jessi Klein Writers: Hallie Cantor, Kim Caramele, Kyle Dunnigan, Jon Glaser, Kurt Metzger, Christine Nangle, Dan Powell, Tami Sagher, Amy Schumer; Comedy Centraland Jimmy Kimmel Live: 10th Annual After The Oscars Special won for Comedy/Variety Special.

LONG FORM ORIGINAL

Saints & Strangers

Written by Seth Fisher, Walon Green, Chip Johannessen, Eric Overmyer; National Geographic Channel

CHILDREN’S EPISODIC

“Gortimer and the Surprise Signature” (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street)

Written by Gretchen Enders & Aminta Goyel; Amazon Studios

CHILDREN’S LONG FORM

Descendants, Written by Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott; Disney Channel

TV NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

“Cuba” (60 Minutes)

Written by Scott Pelley, Nicole Young, Oriana Zill de Granados, Andy Court and Robert Anderson; CBS News

TV NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“The Storm After the Storm” (60 Minutes)

Written by Sharyn Alfonsi, Michael Rey and Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS

“American Terrorist” (Frontline)

Written by Thomas Jennings; PBS

LONG FORM ADAPTED

Fargo

Written by Steve Blackman, Bob DeLaurentis, Noah Hawley, Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert, Based on the film Fargo; FX

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS

“The Great Math Mystery” (Nova)

Written by Daniel McCabe; PBS

DAYTIME DRAMA

General Hospital

Writers: Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, Andrea Archer Compton, Suzanne Flynn, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Jean Passanante, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Chris Van Etten; ABC

RADIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“Passages”

Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News

EPISODIC COMEDY

“Sand Hill Shuffle” (Silicon Valley)

Written by Clay Tarver; HBO

RADIO DOCUMENTARY

“Marking the End of Vietnam: 40 Years Later”

Written by Andrew Evans; ABC News Radio

ANIMATION

“Housetrap” (Bob’s Burgers)

Written by Dan Fybel; Fox

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ORIGINAL

“Back to Reality” (Weight)

Written by Daryn Strauss; weighttheseries.com

NEW SERIES

Mr. Robot

Written by Kyle Bradstreet, Kate Erickson, Sam Esmail, David Iserson, Randolph Leon, Adam Penn, Matt Pyken; USA

VIDEOGAME WRITING

Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lead Narrative Designer John Stafford; Narrative Designer Cameron Suey; Lead Writer Rhianna Pratchett; Additional Writer Philip Gelatt; Microsoft

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Hollywood Game Night

Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers: Michael Agbabian, Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter, Dwight D. Smith; NBC

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ADAPTED

“Chapter Two: Phoebe” (Heroes Reborn: Dark Matters)

Written by Zach Craley; nbc.com

ON-AIR PROMOTION (TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA OR RADIO)

“The McCarthys and Under the Dome Promos”

Written by Erial Tompkins; CBS

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Saturday, February 13, 2016

Nevada Film Critics Choose "Spotlight" as Best Film of 2015

The Nevada Film Critics Society (NFCS) is apparently a society of film critics who reside in Nevada and produce film reviews for print, broadcast, radio, and online.

The Nevada Film Critics Society's 2015 Awards for Achievement in Film:

Best Film – Spotlight

Best Actor - Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant

Best Actress - Brie Larson – Room

Best Supporting Actor - Tom Hardy - The Revenant

Best Supporting Actress - Alicia Vikander - Ex Machina

Best Youth Performance - Jacob Tremblay – Room

Best Director - Alejandro Iñárritu - The Revenant

Best Original Screenplay - Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer – Spotlight

Best Adapted Screenplay (TIE)
Drew Goddard for The Martian
Emma Donoghue for Room

Best Ensemble Cast - Spotlight

Best Documentary - Amy

Best Animated Movie - Inside Out

Best Production Design - Francois Séguin - Brooklyn

Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki - The Revenant

Best Visual Effects - Ex Machina

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Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Second Wave of 2016 Oscar Presenters Announced

THE ACADEMY ANNOUNCES SECOND SLATE OF PRESENTERS FOR 88TH OSCARS®

Oscars producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today the second slate of presenters for the 88th Oscars telecast. The Oscars, hosted by Chris Rock, will air live Oscar Sunday, February 28, 2016 on ABC.

The presenters, including Oscar winners and nominees, are:

Steve Carell
Priyanka Chopra
Quincy Jones
Byung-hun Lee
Jared Leto
Julianne Moore
Olivia Munn
Margot Robbie
Jason Segel
Andy Serkis
J.K. Simmons
Kerry Washington
Reese Witherspoon

These artists have enriched the international moviegoing experience with a range of memorable work from the comic to the profound,” Hudlin and Hill said. “In the process, they have won over millions of fans, and we count ourselves among them.”

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Tuesday, February 9, 2016

2016 Grammy Award Nominations; Kendrick Lamar Leads with 11

“Alright” — Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
“Blank Space” — Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“Girl Crush” — Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Little Big Town)
“See You Again” — Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
“Thinking Out Loud” — Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)

Best New Artist:
Courtney Barnett
James Bay
Sam Hunt
Tori Kelly
Meghan Trainor

POP FIELD

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Ship To Wreck” — Florence + The Machine
“Sugar” — Maroon 5
“Uptown Funk” — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
“Bad Blood” — Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“See You Again” — Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth

DANCE/ELECTRONIC MUSIC FIELD

Best Dance Recording:
“We’re All We Need” — Above & Beyond Featuring Zoë Johnston
“Go” — The Chemical Brothers
“Never Catch Me” — Flying Lotus Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Runaway (U & I)” — Galantis
“Where Are Ü Now” — Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber

ROCK FIELD

Best Rock Performance:
“Don’t Wanna Fight” — Alabama Shakes
“What Kind Of Man” — Florence + The Machine
“Something From Nothing” — Foo Fighters
“Ex’s & Oh’s” — Elle King
“Moaning Lisa Smile” — Wolf Alice

ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album:
Sound & Color — Alabama Shakes
Vulnicura — Björk
The Waterfall — My Morning Jacket
Currents — Tame Impala
Star Wars — Wilco

R&B FIELD

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Ego Death — The Internet
You Should Be Here — Kehlani
Blood — Lianne La Havas
Wildheart — Miguel
Beauty Behind The Madness — The Weeknd

RAP FIELD

Best Rap Performance
"Apparently" – J. Cole
"Back to Back" – Drake
"Trap Queen" – Fetty Wap
"Alright" – Kendrick Lamar
"Truffle Butter" – Nicki Minaj featuring Drake & Lil Wayne
"All Day" – Kanye West featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"One Man Can Change The World" – Big Sean featuring Kanye West & John Legend
"Glory" – Common & John Legend
"Classic Man" – Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur
"These Walls" – Kendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
"Only" – Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown

Best Rap Song
"All Day"
        Ernest Brown, Tyler Bryant, Sean Combs, Mike Dean, Rennard East, Noah Goldstein, Malik Yusef Jones, Karim Kharbouch, Allan Kyariga, Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Victor Mensah, Charles Njapa, Che Pope, Patrick Reynolds, Allen Ritter, Kanye West, Mario Winans & Cydel Young, songwriters (Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney)

"Alright"
        Kendrick Duckworth, Kawan Prather, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

"Energy"
        Richard Dorfmeister, A. Graham, Markus Kienzl, M. O'Brien, M. Samuels & Phillip Thomas, songwriters (Drake)

"Glory"
        Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)

"Trap Queen"
Tony Fadd & Willie J. Maxwell, songwriters (Fetty Wap)

Best Rap Album:
2014 Forest Hills Drive — J. Cole
Compton — Dr. Dre
If Youre Reading This Its Too Late — Drake
To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
The Pinkprint — Nicki Minaj

COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Album:
Montevallo — Sam Hunt
Pain Killer — Little Big Town
The Blade — Ashley Monroe
Pageant Material — Kacey Musgraves
Traveller — Chris Stapleton

JAZZ FIELD

Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
My Favorite Things — Joey Alexander
Breathless — Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective
Covered: Recorded Live At Capitol Studios — Robert Glasper & The Robert Glasper Trio
Beautiful Life — Jimmy Greene
Past Present — John Scofield

GOSPEL/CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD

Best Gospel Album:
Destined To Win (Live) — Karen Clark Sheard
Living It — Dorinda Clark-Cole
One Place Live — Tasha Cobbs
Covered: Alive Is Asia [Live] (Deluxe) — Israel & Newbreed
Life Music: Stage Two — Jonathan McReynolds

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Whatever The Road — Jason Crabb
How Can It Be — Lauren Daigle
Saints And Sinners — Matt Maher
This Is Not A Test — Tobymac
Love Ran Red — Chris Tomlin

LATIN FIELD

Best Latin Pop Album:
Terral — Pablo Alborán
Healer — Alex Cuba
A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition) — Ricky Martin
Sirope — Alejandro Sanz
Algo Sucede — Julieta Venegas

AMERICAN ROOTS FIELD

Best Americana Album:
The Firewatcher’s Daughter — Brandi Carlile
The Traveling Kind — Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Something More Than Free — Jason Isbell
Mono — The Mavericks
The Phosphorescent Blues — Punch Brothers

SPOKEN WORD FIELD

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
Blood On Snow (Jo Nesbø) — Patti Smith
Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks — Dick Cavett
A Full Life: Reflections At Ninety — Jimmy Carter
Patience And Sarah (Isabel Miller) — Janis Ian & Jean Smart
Yes Please — Amy Poehler (& Various Artists)

PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Jeff Bhasker
Dave Cobb
Diplo
Larry Klein
Blake Mills

MUSIC VIDEO/FILM

Best Music Film:
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown — James Brown
Sonic Highways — Foo Fighters
What Happened, Miss Simone? — Nina Simone
The Wall — Roger Waters
Amy — Amy Winehouse

Music for Visual Media

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Empire: Season 1 – various artists
Fifty Shades Of Grey – various artists
Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me – various artists
Pitch Perfect 2 – various artists
Selma – various artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Birdman - Antonio Sánchez, composer
The Imitation Game - Alexandre Desplat, composer
Interstellar - Hans Zimmer, composer
The Theory of Everything - Jóhann Jóhannsson, composer
Whiplash - Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media

"Earned It" (from Fifty Shades of Grey) – Ahmad Balshe, Jason Quenneville, Stephan Moccio & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
"Glory" (from Selma) – Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)
"Love Me like You Do" (from Fifty Shades of Grey) – Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Tove Nilsson, Ali Payami, & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Ellie Goulding)
"See You Again" (from Furious 7) – Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth)
"Til It Happens to You" (from The Hunting Ground) – Lady Gaga & Diane Warren, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

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