2014 Razzie Award Nominations - Complete List

by Leroy Douresseaux

The 34th Annual Razzie Awards are tonight.

The Golden Raspberry Award or, as it is best known, the Razzie Award, is basically the opposite of the Academy Awards (the Oscars).  This award honors the worst achievements in film in a calendar year, as determined by the paid membership of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation.

Unlike the Oscars, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and other awards, black and African-American performers and filmmakers are well represented in the Razzies.  Razzie voters seem to have a particular hatred for Tyler Perry.  That is why I often think of the Razzies as nothing more than a hater fest for jealous bitches and envious ho’s.  I hear charges of nepotism concerning Will Smith and his son, Jaden, around the movie After Earth.  Nepotism in Hollywood:  is that a new thing?  Really?

The nominations for 34th Annual Razzie Awards were announced weeks ago.  The winners of the 2014 Razzie Awards will be announced, Saturday, March 1, 2014, one day before the Academy Awards ceremony (or “Oscar eve”).  This is the traditional date for the Razzies, although the 32nd awards ceremony was held on April Fool’s Day.

2014 / 34th Annual Razzie Awards nominations (for the year in film, 2013):

WORST PICTURE
After Earth
Grown Ups 2
The Lone Ranger
A Madea Christmas
Movie 43

WORST ACTOR
Johnny Depp: The Lone Ranger
Ashton Kutcher: Jobs
Adam Sandler: Grown Ups 2
Jaden Smith: After Earth
Sylvester Stallone: Bullet To The Head, Escape Plan, Grudge Match

WORST ACTRESS
Halle Berry: Movie 43, The Call
Selena Gomez: Getaway
Lindsay Lohan: The Canyons
Tyler Perry: A Madea Christmas
Naomi Watts: Diana, Movie 43

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lady Gaga: Machete Kills
Salma Hayek: Grown Ups 2
Katherine Heigl: The Big Wedding
Kim Kardashian: Tyler Perry’s Temptation
Lindsay Lohan: In-App-Propriate Comedy, Scary Movie 5

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Chris Brown: Battle Of The Year
Larry the Cable Guy: A Madea Christmas
Taylor Lautner: Grown Ups 2
Will Smith: After Earth
Nick Swardson: A Haunted House, Grown Ups 2

WORST DIRECTOR
The 13 People Who Directed Movie 43
Dennis Dugan: Grown Ups 2
Tyler Perry: A Madea Christmas, Temptation
M. Night Shyamalan: After Earth
Gore Verbinski: The Lone Ranger

WORST SCREEN COMBO
The Entire Cast of Groan-Ups, Too
The Entire Cast of Movie 43
Lindsay Lohan & Charlie Sheen: Scary Movie 5
Tyler Perry & EITHER Larry the Cable Guy OR That Worn-Out Wig & Dress: A Madea Christmas
Jaden Smith & Will Smith on Planet Nepotism: After Earth

WORST SCREENPLAY
After Earth: Screenplay by Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan, Story by Will Smith
Grown Ups 2: Written by Fred Wolfe & Adam Sandler & Tim Herlihy
The Lone Ranger: Screen Story & Screenplay by Ted Elliott, Justin Haythe & Terry Rosso
A Madea Christmas: Written by Tyler Perry
Movie 43: Written by 19 “Screenwriters”

WORST REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL
Grown Ups 2
Hangover III
The Lone Ranger
Scary Movie 5
Smurfs 2

http://www.razzies.com/

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2013 Grammy Nominations in the Top Catagories - A List

The Grammy Awards (or Grammys) are given out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences 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.

There are currently 81 categories, up from 78 at the 54th Grammy Awards. The three new categories are “Best Classical Compendium,” “Best Latin Jazz Album,” and “Best Urban Contemporary Album.”

The 55th Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show will be broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and will be hosted for the second time by LL Cool J. Nominations were announced on December 5, 2012

Nominees in top categories for the 55th annual Grammy Awards:

Record of the Year:
"Lonely Boy," The Black Keys
"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)," Kelly Clarkson
"We Are Young," fun. featuring Janelle Monae
"Somebody That I Used To Know," Gotye Featuring Kimbra
"Thinkin Bout You," Frank Ocean
"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," Taylor Swift.

Album of the Year:
"El Camino," The Black Keys
"Some Nights," fun.
"Babel," Mumford & Sons
"Channel Orange," Frank Ocean
"Blunderbuss," Jack White.

Song of the Year:
"The A Team," Ed Sheeran, songwriter (performed by Ed Sheeran)
"Adorn," Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
"Call Me Maybe" Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)," Jorgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
"We Are Young," Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (fun. featuring Janelle Monáe).

New Artist:
Alabama Shakes
fun.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean

Pop Vocal Album:
"Stronger," Kelly Clarkson
"Ceremonials," Florence & The Machine
"Some Nights," fun.
"Overexposed," Maroon 5
"The Truth About Love," Pink

Rock Album:
"El Camino," The Black Keys
"Mylo Xyloto," Coldplay
"The 2nd Law," Muse
"Wrecking Ball," Bruce Springsteen
"Blunderbuss," Jack White

R&B Album:
"Black Radio," Robert Glasper Experiment
"Back To Love," Anthony Hamilton
"Write Me Back," R. Kelly
"Beautiful Surprise," Tamia
"Open Invitation," Tyrese

Rap Album:
"Take Care," Drake
"Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1," Lupe Fiasco
"Life Is Good," Nas
"Undun," The Roots
"God Forgives, I Don't," Rick Ross
"Based on a T.R.U. Story," Chainz

Country Album:
"Uncaged," Zac Brown Band
"Hunter Hayes," Hunter Hayes
"Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran," Jamey Johnson
"Four The Record," Miranda Lambert
"The Time Jumpers," The Time Jumpers

Latin Pop, Rock or Urban Album:
"Campo," Campo;
"Dejenme Llorar," Carla Morrison
"Imaginaries," Quetzal
"Electro-Jarocho," Sistema Bomb
"La Bala," Ana Tijoux

Jazz Vocal Album:
"Soul Shadows," Denise Donatelli
"1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project," Kurt Elling
"Live," Al Jarreau (And The Metropole Orkest)
"The Book Of Chet," Luciana Souza
"Radio Music Society," Esperanza Spalding

A top category that does not get enough attention, as far as I’m concerned:
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical:
1. Dan Auerbach
2. Jeff Bhasker
3. Diplo
4. Markus Dravs
5. Salaam Remi

Of concern to movie fans are the film music and soundtrack categories:

Music for Visual Media

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media (best movie soundtrack)
1. The Descendants – Various Artists
2. Marley – Bob Marley & The Wailers
3. Midnight In Paris – Various Artists
4. The Muppets – Various Artists
5. Rock Of Ages – Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (best original music-score for a film)
1. The Adventures Of Tintin - The Secret Of The Unicorn – John Williams, composer
2. The Artist – Ludovic Bource, composer
3. The Dark Knight Rises – Hans Zimmer, composer
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, composers
5. Hugo – Howard Shore, composer
6. Journey – Austin Wintory, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media (best song for film or television)
"Abraham's Daughter" (from The Hunger Games)
T Bone Burnett, Win Butler & Régine Chassagne, songwriters (performed by Arcade Fire)

"Learn Me Right" (from Brave)
Mumford & Sons, songwriters (performed by Birdy & Mumford & Sons)

"Let Me Be Your Star" (from Smash)
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman, songwriters (performed by Katharine McPhee & Megan Hilty"

"Man or Muppet" (from The Muppets)
Bret McKenzie, songwriter (performed by Jason Segel & Walter)

"Safe & Sound" (from The Hunger Games)
T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, John Paul White & Joy Williams, songwriters (performed Taylor Swift Featuring The Civil Wars)

Nominees in the three new categories for the 55th Grammys:

Best Classical Compendium
1. Partch: Bitter Music - Partch, ensemble; John Schneider, producer
2. Penderecki: Fonogrammi; Horn Concerto; Partita; The Awakening Of Jacob; Anaklasis - Antoni Wit, conductor; Aleksandra Nagórko & Andrzej Sasin, producers
3. Une Fête Baroque - Emmanuelle Haïm, conductor; Daniel Zalay, producer

Best Latin Jazz Album
1. Flamenco Sketches – Chano Domínguez
2. ¡Ritmo! – The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band
3. Multiverse – Bobby Sanabria Big Band
4. Duos III – Luciana Souza
5. New Cuban Express – Manuel Valera New Cuban Express

Best Urban Contemporary Album
1. Fortune – Chris Brown
2. Kaleidoscope Dream – Miguel
3. Channel Orange – Frank Ocean

"Think Like a Man" a Frothy Battle of the Sexes

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 72 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Think Like a Man (2012)
Running time: 122 minutes (2 hours, 2 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual content, some crude humor, and brief drug use
DIRECTOR: Tim Story
WRITERS: Keith Merryman and David A. Newman (based on the book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, by Steve Harvey)
PRODUCER: William Packer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Larry Blanford
EDITOR: Peter S. Elliot
COMPOSER: Christopher Lennertz

ROMANCE/COMEDY

Starring: Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence J, Jenifer Lewis, Romany Malco, Gary Owen, Gabrielle Union, La La Anthony, Chris Brown, Wendy Williams, Sherri Shepherd, Caleel Harris, Arielle Kebbel, Steve Harvey, Tony Rock, and Luenell with Matt Barnes, Shannon Brown, Rasual Butler, Darren Collison, Lisa Leslie, and Metta World Peace

Think Like a Man is a 2012 ensemble romantic comedy from director Tim Story (Fantastic Four). The film is based on comedian and actor Steve Harvey’s 2009 advice book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. The film follows four male friends who conspire to turn the tables on the women in their lives when they discover that their ladies have been using Steve Harvey’s relationship advice against them.

Cedric (Kevin Hart), Dominic (Michael Ealy), Zeke (Romany Malco), Michael (Terrence J), Jeremy (Jerry Ferrara), and Bennett (Gary Owen) are friends who like to get together and talk about their relationships with women. Cedric is going through a divorce, and Bennett is happily married. Jeremy’s relationship with his longtime girlfriend, Kristen (Gabrielle Union), is frayed, although he doesn’t seem to notice it. Dominic uses deception to begin a relationship with Lauren (Taraji P. Henson), a successful businesswoman.

Zeke meets Mya (Meagan Good), a young woman who has just decided that before she has sex with a new boyfriend, he has to wait 90 days. Zeke, however, always wants to “hit it” right away. Michael begins a relationship with Candace (Regina Hall), a single mother, but Michael is a mama’s boy, and that creates strife in the new relationship.

However, Kristen, Lauren, Mya, and Candace decide to take the advice of Steve Harvey (playing himself) as presented in his book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, to help them get the upper hand in their relationships. When the guys discover what their ladies are doing, they decide to get familiar with the same book. Game on!

The first thing I want to say is that Kevin Hart is a pure scene-stealer. Hart not only plays a character, Cedric, but he is also the film’s narrator. As the narrator, he practically owns half this movie. He’s good; he’s funny.

The other half of the ownership goes to director Tim Story. I think that Story’s talent as a director is largely untapped. His two Fantastic Four films for 20th Century Fox were underserved by uneven screenwriting. Story shows his skills in Think Like a Man, because there are so many characters and so many actors playing them that the director has to get a handle on them. Handle them Story does, which is quite a feat, as there are way too many characters in this movie. Still, Story gives every actor the opportunity to make the most of his or her character, and most of the actors take advantage of the opportunities. That is why Think Like a Man movie works.

Think Like a Man is a frothy, romantic comedy, and it has the same cinematic bubbles and fizz to tickle the nose that movie audiences find in frivolous romantic comedies featuring predominately white casts. Tim Story delivers the same feel-good charm which directors of those other films do, but with a way-too large cast.

Think Like a Man may be the best romantic comedy starring a predominately African-American cast to date. It’s sweet and filled with empty calories, but they feel good going down. They’re so good that you might want more… later.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, September 08, 2012

2012 Grammy Awards - Complete Winners List

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 54th Grammy Awards were held on February 12, 2012 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS.  Adele won six awards including the big three: Album, Record, and Song of the Year.

54TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS (2012) – Complete List of Winners:

1. Record of the Year
"Rolling in the Deep" - Adele

2. Album of the Year
"21" - Adele

3. Song of the Year
“Rolling in the Deep” - Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)

4. Best New Artist
Bon Iver

5. Best Pop Solo Performance
"Someone Like You" - Adele

6. Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
"Body And Soul" -Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse

7. Best Pop Instrumental Album
"The Road From Memphis" - Booker T. Jones

8. Best Pop Vocal Album
"21" - Adele

9. Best Dance Recording
"Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" - Skrillex

10. Best Dance/Electronica Album
"Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" - Skrillex

11. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
"Duets II" - Tony Bennett & Various Artists

12. Best Rock Performance
"Walk" - Foo Fighters

13. Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance
"White Limo" - Foo Fighters

14. Best Rock Song
"Walk" - Foo Fighters, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

15. Best Rock Album
"Wasting Light" -Foo Fighters

16. Best Alternative Music Album
"Bon Iver" - Bon Iver

17. Best R&B Performance
"Is This Love" - Corinne Bailey Rae

18. Best Traditional R&B Performance
"Fool For You" - Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona

19. Best R&B Song
"Fool For You" - Cee Lo Green, Melanie Hallim, Jack Splash, songwriters (Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona)

20. Best R&B Album
"F.A.M.E." - Chris Brown

21. Best Rap Performance
"Otis" - Jay-Z & Kanye West

22. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"All of the Lights" - Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie

23. Best Rap Song
"All of the Lights," Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)

24. Best Rap Album
"My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Kanye West

25. Best Country Solo Performance
"Mean" - Taylor Swift

26. Best Country Duo/Group Performance
"Barton Hollow" - The Civil Wars

27. Best Country Song
"Mean" - Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)

28. Best Country Album
"Own The Night" - Lady Antebellum

29. Best New Age Album
"What's It All About" - Pat Metheny

30. Best Improvised Jazz Solo
"500 Miles High" - Chick Corea, soloist

31. Best Jazz Vocal Album
"The Mosaic Project" - Terri Lyne Carrington & Various Artists

32. Best Jazz Instrumental Album
"Forever" - Corea, Clarke & White

33. Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
"The Good Feeling" - Christian McBride Big Band

34. Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance
"Jesus" - Le'Andria Johnson

35. Best Gospel Song
"Hello Fear" - Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin)

36. Best Contemporary Christian Music Song
"Blessings" - Laura Story, songwriter (Laura Story)

37. Best Gospel Album
"Hello Fear" - Kirk Franklin

38. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
"And If Our God Is For Us..." - Chris Tomlin

39. Best Latin Pop, Rock, Or Urban Album
"Drama Y Luz" - Maná

40. Best Regional Mexican Or Tejano Album
"Bicentenario" - Pepe Aguilar

41. Best Banda Or Norteño Album
"Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends" - Los Tigres Del Norte

42. Best Tropical Latin Album
"The Last Mambo" - Cachao

43. Best Americana Album
"Ramble At The Ryman" - Levon Helm

44. Best Bluegrass Album
"Paper Airplane" - Alison Krauss & Union Station

45. Best Blues Album
"Revelator" - Tedeschi Trucks Band

46. Best Folk Album
"Barton Hollow" - The Civil Wars

47. Best Regional Roots Music Album
"Rebirth Of New Orleans" - Rebirth Brass Band

48. Best Reggae Album
"Revelation Pt 1: The Root Of Life" - Stephen Marley

49. Best World Music Album
"Tassili" - Tinariwen

50. Best Children's Album
"All About Bullies... Big And Small" - (Various Artists); Jim Cravero, Gloria Domina, Kevin Mackie, Steve Pullara & Patrick Robinson, producers

51. Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)
"If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't)" - Betty White

52. Best Comedy Album
"Hilarious" - Louis C.K.

53. Best Musical Theater Album
"The Book Of Mormon" - Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells, artists; Anne Garefino, Robert Lopez, Stephen Oremus, Trey Parker, Scott Rudin & Matt Stone, producers; Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)

54. Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
"Boardwalk Empire: Volume 1" (Various Artists); Stewart Lerman, Randall Poster & Kevin Weaver, producers

55. Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
"The King's Speech" - Alexandre Desplat, composer

56. Best Song Written For Visual Media
"I See The Light (From Tangled)" Alan Menken & Glenn Slater, songwriters (Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi)

57. Best Instrumental Composition
"Life In Eleven" - Béla Fleck & Howard Levy, composers (Béla Fleck & The Flecktones); Track from: Rocket Science

58. Best Instrumental Arrangement
"Rhapsody In Blue" - Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band); Track from: That's How We Roll

59. Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
"Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" - Jorge Calandrelli, arranger (Tony Bennett & Queen Latifah); Track from: Duets II

60. Best Recording Package
"Scenes From The Suburbs" - Caroline Robert, art director (Arcade Fire)

61. Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package
"The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story" - Dave Bett & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)

62. Best Album Notes
"Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond As Recorded By The San Francisco Bay By Chris Strachwitz In The 1960s" - Adam Machado, album notes writer (Various Artists)

63. Best Historical Album
"Band On The Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection - Deluxe Edition)" Paul McCartney, compilation producer; Sam Okell & Steve Rooke, mastering engineers (Paul McCartney & Wings)

64. Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
"Paper Airplane" - Neal Cappellino & Mike Shipley, engineers; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)

65. Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Paul Epworth:

1. Call It What You Want (Foster The People) (T)
2. I Would Do Anything For You (Foster The People) (T)
3. I'll Be Waiting (Adele) (T)
4. Life On The Nickel (Foster The People) (T)
5. No One's Gonna Love You (Cee-Lo Green) (S)
6. Rolling In The Deep (Adele) (T)

66. Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
"Cinema (Skrillex Remix)" - Sonny Moore, remixer (Benny Benassi); Track from: Electroman

67. Best Surround Sound Album
"Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe Edition)" - Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek & The Dominos)

68. Best Engineered Album, Classical
"Aldridge: Elmer Gantry" - Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

69. Producer Of The Year, Classical
Judith Sherman:

1. Adams: Son Of Chamber Symphony; String Quartet (John Adams, St. Lawrence String Quartet & International Contemporary Ensemble)
2. Capricho Latino (Rachel Barton Pine)
3. 85th Birthday Celebration (Claude Frank)
4. Insects & Paper Airplanes - Chamber Music Of Lawrence Dillon (Daedalus Quartet & Benjamin Hochman)
5. Midnight Frolic - The Broadway Theater Music Of Louis A. Hirsch (Rick Benjamin & Paragon Ragtime Orchestra)
6. Notable Women - Trios By Today's Female Composers (Lincoln Trio)
7. The Soviet Experience, Vol. 1 - String Quartets By Dmitri Shostakovich & His Contemporaries (Pacifica Quartet)
8. Speak! (Anthony De Mare)
9. State Of The Art - The American Brass Quintet At 50 (The American Brass Quintet)
10. Steve Reich: WTC 9/11; Mallet Quartet; Dance Patterns (Kronos Quartet, Steve Reich Musicians & So Percussion)
11. Winging It - Piano Music Of John Corigliano (Ursula Oppens)

70. Best Orchestral Performance
"Brahms: Symphony No. 4" - Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)

71. Best Opera Recording
"Adams: Doctor Atomic" - Alan Gilbert, conductor; Meredith Arwady, Sasha Cooke, Richard Paul Fink, Gerald Finley, Thomas Glenn & Eric Owens; Jay David Saks, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

72. Best Choral Performance
"Light & Gold" - Eric Whitacre, conductor (Christopher Glynn & Hila Plitmann; The King's Singers, Laudibus, Pavão Quartet & The Eric Whitacre Singers)

73. Best Small Ensemble Performance
"Mackey: Lonely Motel - Music From Slide" - Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird

74. Best Classical Instrumental Solo
"Schwantner: Concerto For Percussion & Orchestra" - Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Christopher Lamb (Nashville Symphony)

75. Best Classical Vocal Solo
"Diva Divo" - Joyce DiDonato (Kazushi Ono; Orchestre De L'Opéra National De Lyon; Choeur De L'Opéra National De Lyon)

76. Best Contemporary Classical Composition
"Aldridge, Robert: Elmer Gantry" - Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein

77. Best Short Form Music Video
"Rolling In The Deep" – Adele; Sam Brown, video director; Hannah Chandler, video producer

78. Best Long Form Music Video
"Foo Fighters: Back And Forth" - Foo Fighters; James Moll, video director; James Moll & Nigel Sinclair, video producers

http://www.grammy.com/

43rd NAACP Image Awards Nominations: Music Categories

The 43rd NAACP Image Awards winners will be announced in a ceremony, February 17, 2012 and broadcast live on NBC.

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist
• Committed (Epic)
• Diggy Simmons (Atlantic Records)
• Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. (Columbia Records)
• Mindless Behavior (Streamline/Conjunction/Interscope Records)
• Wynter Gordon (Big Beat/Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Male Artist
• Anthony Hamilton (RCA Records)
• Bruno Mars (Elektra Records)
• Cee Lo Green (Elektra Records)
• Chris Brown (Jive Records)
• Common (Warner Bros. Records)

Outstanding Female Artist
• Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
• Jennifer Hudson (Arista Records)
• Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records)
• Ledisi (Verve Forecast)
• Mary J. Blige (Geffen)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
• Boyz II Men (Benchmark Entertainment/MSM Music Group)
• Cee Lo Green feat. Melanie Fiona (Elektra Records)
• Mary J. Blige feat. Drake (Geffen)
• Sounds of Blackness (Malaco Music Group)
• The Roots (Island Def Jam Music Group)

Outstanding Jazz Album
• "Chano y Dizzy" - Terence Blanchard and Poncho Sanchez (Concord Music Group Inc.)
• "Friends" - Stanley Jordan (Mack Avenue Records)
• "Guitar Man" - George Benson (Concord Jazz)
• "Legacy" - Gerald Wilson (Mack Avenue Records)
• "Road Show Vol. 2" - Sonny Rollins (Emarcy)

Outstanding Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary)
• "Becoming" - Yolanda Adams (N House Music Group)
• "Church on the Moon" - Deitrick Haddon (Verity Gospel Music Group)
• "Hello Fear" - Kirk Franklin (Verity Gospel Music Group)
• "Something Big" - Mary Mary (Columbia Records)
• "The Journey" - Andraé Crouch (RiverPhlo Entertainment)

Outstanding World Music Album
• "Afrodiaspora" - Susana Baca (Luaka Bop)
• "Carnival Fever" - Brother B (King Chero Records)
• "Live at 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival" - Boukman Eksperyans (MunckMix, Inc.)
• "Sounds of Blackness" - Sounds of Blackness (Malaco Music Group)
• "The First Grader" - Alex Heffes (Varese Sarabande)

Outstanding Music Video
• "25/8" - Mary J. Blige (Geffen)
• "Hear My Call" - Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records)
• "I Was Here" - Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
• "Someone Like You" - Adele (Columbia Records)
• "Where You At" - Jennifer Hudson (Arista Records)

Outstanding Song
• "Best Thing I Never Had" - Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
• "Fool for You feat. Melanie Fiona" - Cee Lo Green (Elektra Records)
• "I Smile" - Kirk Franklin (Verity Gospel Music Group)
• "So In Love feat. Anthony Hamilton" - Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records)
• "Someone Like You" - Adele (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Album
• "4" - Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
• "F.A.M.E" - Chris Brown (Jive Records)
• "I Remember Me" - Jennifer Hudson (Arista Records)
• "Lasers" - Lupe Fiasco (1st & 15th/Atlantic Records)
• "The Light of the Sun" - Jill Scott (Warner Bros. Records)

Review: "Takers" Brings Heat

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Takers (2010)
Running time: 107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R for intense sequences of violence and action, a sexual situation/partial nudity
DIRECTOR: John Luessenhop
WRITERS: Peter Allen, Gabriel Casseus, John Luessenhop, and Avery Duff
PRODUCERS: Jason Geter, William Packer, and Tip “T.I.” Harris
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Barrett (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Armen Minasian

CRIME/DRAMA/ACTION

Starring: Idris Elba, Paul Walker, Matt Dillon, Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen, Michael Ealy, T.I., Jay Hernandez, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Zoe Saldana, Steve Harris, Gaius Charles, Johnathan Schaech, and Glynn Turman

Arriving in theatres last August 2010, Takers is an ensemble crime drama that focuses on a seasoned team of professional bank robbers and the hard-nosed detective that is hunting them. Though not great, Takers is nonetheless an exciting little heist movie that manages to walk its own way, while showing its influences.

Gordon Cozier (Idris Elba), John Rahway (Paul Walker), A.J. (Hayden Christensen), and brothers Jake Attica (Michael Ealy) and Jesse Attica (Chris Brown) are a highly-organized team of bank robbers. They describe themselves a “takers,” because they see something they want and they take it. After shocking Los Angeles with their latest heist, they plan to lead a life of luxury for a long time before taking on their next job.

They get a surprise, however, from former team member, Dalonte Rivers A.KA. Ghost (Tip “T.I.” Harris). Caught in a previous robbery five years earlier, Ghost received an early release from prison and is on parole. Claiming he harbors no ill will towards his former teammates, Ghost convinces them that now is the right time to strike an armored car carrying $20 million. The “takers” carefully plot out their strategy and draw nearer to the day of the heist, but their activities have brought a reckless, rule-breaking police officer named Jack Welles (Matt Dillon) closer to learning their identities. As Welles and his partner, Eddie Hatcher (Jay Hernandez), get closer, things get crazy and new players move into the game.

Early on in the film, I recognized Takers as a sort of urban contemporary take on Michael Mann’s influential heist flick, Heat (1995), but Takers isn’t the complex and insightful character study that Mann’s film is. Takers’ characters are either shallow (John, A.J.), potential poorly executed (Ghost), or well-developed, but shorted on time (Jack Welles, Gordon Cozier).

Takers moves quickly and has a cool, slick visual manner befitting an L.A. crime film. Gripping set pieces open the film, straddle the film’s middle, and close the film, all of which make this work very well as an action movie. Takers is a thrill to watch. It’s a shame that the writing on the character side isn’t stronger, because that is pretty much what keeps Takers from being an exceptional action and crime film. Still, Takers is better than most recent crime films, and I wouldn’t mind seeing a sequel or even a prequel.

7 of 10
B+

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

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Eminem Leads Grammy Nominations, Justin Bieber Scores "Best New Artist" Nod

Press release:

Eminem Leads GRAMMY® Nominations with 10; Bruno Mars Earns Seven; Jay-Z, Lady Antebellum, and Lady Gaga Each Garner Six; and Jeff Beck, B.o.B, David Frost, Philip Lawrence, and John Legend Each Earn Five

Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry Vie for Album of the Year at 53rd Annual Grammy Awards Feb. 13, 2011, Live on CBS

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nominations for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards® (http://www.grammy.com/) were announced tonight by The Recording Academy® and reflected an eclectic mix of the best and brightest in music over the past year, as determined by the voting members of The Academy. For the third year, nominations for the annual GRAMMY Awards were announced on primetime television as part of "The GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night®," a one-hour special broadcast live on CBS from Club Nokia at L.A. Live. The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on "GRAMMY Sunday," Feb. 13, 2011, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live in high definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). For updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook: www.twitter.com/thegrammys, www.facebook.com/thegrammys. For a complete nominations list, please visit http://www.grammy.com/.

Eminem tops the nominations with 10; Bruno Mars garners seven; and Jay-Z, Lady Antebellum, and Lady Gaga each earn six nods. Jeff Beck, B.o.B, David Frost, Philip Lawrence, and John Legend receive five each; and Alex Da Kid, the Black Keys, Drake, Cee Lo Green, Ari Levine, Katy Perry, Rihanna, the Roots, Dirk Sobotka, and Zac Brown each have four nominations.

"This year's nominations are a true reflection of an exceptional and talented community of music makers that embody some of the highest levels of excellence and artistry in their respective fields," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "It is most gratifying to see the GRAMMY Awards process once again produce a broad cross-section of diverse and impressive nominees across multiple genres. Coupled with the third year of our primetime nominations special, the road to Music's Biggest Night, the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards in February, is off to an exciting start."

Following is a sampling of nominations in 108 categories from the GRAMMY Awards' 30 Fields:

GENERAL FIELD

Album Of The Year:
The Suburbs — Arcade Fire
Recovery — Eminem
Need You Now — Lady Antebellum
The Fame Monster — Lady Gaga
Teenage Dream — Katy Perry

Record Of The Year:
"Nothin' On You" — B.o.B Featuring Bruno Mars
"Love The Way You Lie" — Eminem Featuring Rihanna
"F*** You" — Cee Lo Green
"Empire State Of Mind" — Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
"Need You Now" — Lady Antebellum

Best New Artist:
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence & The Machine
Mumford & Sons
Esperanza Spalding

Song Of The Year:
"Beg Steal Or Borrow" — Ray LaMontagne, songwriter (Ray LaMontagne And The Pariah Dogs)
"F*** You" — Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Cee Lo Green)
"The House That Built Me" —Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
"Love The Way You Lie" — Alexander Grant, Skylar Grey & Marshall Mathers, songwriters (Eminem Featuring Rihanna)
"Need You Now" — Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum)

POP FIELD

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:
"Don't Stop Believin' (Regionals Version)" — "Glee" Cast
"Misery" — Maroon 5
"The Only Exception" — Paramore
"Babyfather" — Sade
"Hey, Soul Sister (Live)" — Train

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals:
"Airplanes II" — B.o.B, Eminem & Hayley Williams
"Imagine" — Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No. 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare
"If It Wasn't For Bad" — Elton John & Leon Russell
"Telephone" — Lady Gaga & Beyoncé
"California Gurls" — Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg

DANCE FIELD

Best Dance Recording:
"Rocket" — Goldfrapp
"In For The Kill" — La Roux
"Dance In The Dark" — Lady Gaga
"Only Girl (In The World)" — Rihanna
"Dancing On My Own" — Robyn

ROCK FIELD

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:
"Ready To Start" — Arcade Fire
"I Put A Spell On You" — Jeff Beck & Joss Stone
"Tighten Up" — The Black Keys
"Radioactive" — Kings Of Leon
"Resistance" — Muse

Best Hard Rock Performance:
"A Looking In View" — Alice In Chains
"Let Me Hear You Scream" — Ozzy Osbourne
"Black Rain" — Soundgarden
"Between The Lines" — Stone Temple Pilots
"New Fang" — Them Crooked Vultures

Best Rock Song:
"Angry World" — Neil Young, songwriter (Neil Young)
"Little Lion Man" — Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)
"Radioactive" — Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings Of Leon)
"Resistance" — Matthew Bellamy, songwriter (Muse)
"Tighten Up" — Dan Auerbach & Patrick Carney, songwriter (The Black Keys)

ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album
The Suburbs — Arcade Fire
Infinite Arms — Band Of Horses
Brothers — The Black Keys
Broken Bells — Broken Bells
Contra — Vampire Weekend

R&B FIELD

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:
"Take My Time" — Chris Brown & Tank
"Love" — Chuck Brown, Jill Scott & Marcus Miller
"You've Got A Friend" — Ronald Isley & Aretha Franklin
"Shine" — John Legend & The Roots
"Soldier Of Love" — Sade

Best Contemporary R&B Album:
Graffiti — Chris Brown
Untitled — R. Kelly
Transition — Ryan Leslie
The ArchAndroid — Janelle Monáe
Raymond V Raymond — Usher

RAP FIELD

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
"Nothin' On You" — B.o.B Featuring Bruno Mars
"Deuces" — Chris Brown, Tyga & Kevin McCall
"Love The Way You Lie" — Eminem & Rihanna
"Empire State Of Mind" — Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
"Wake Up! Everybody" — John Legend, The Roots, Melanie Fiona & Common

Best Rap Song:
"Empire State Of Mind" — Shawn Carter, Angela Hunte, Burt Keyes, Alicia Keys, Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic & Alexander Shuckburgh, songwriters (Sylvia Robinson, songwriter) (Jay-Z & Alicia Keys)
"Love The Way You Lie" — Alexander Grant, Skylar Grey & Marshall Mathers, songwriters (Eminem & Rihanna)
"Not Afraid" — M. Burnett, J. Evans, Marshall Mathers, L. Resto & M. Samuels, songwriters (Eminem)
"Nothin' On You" — Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Bobby Simmons Jr., songwriters (B.o.B Featuring Bruno Mars)
"On To The Next One" — Shawn Carter, J. Chaton & K. Dean, songwriters (G. Auge & X. De Rosnay, songwriters) (Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz)

Best Rap Album:
The Adventures Of Bobby Ray — B.o.B
Thank Me Later — Drake
Recovery — Eminem
The Blueprint 3 — Jay-Z
How I Got Over — The Roots

COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals:
"Bad Angel" — Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert & Jamey Johnson
"Pride (In The Name Of Love)" — Dierks Bentley, Del McCoury & The Punch Brothers
"As She's Walking Away" — Zac Brown Band & Alan Jackson
"Hillbilly Bone" — Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins
"I Run To You" — Marty Stuart & Connie Smith

Best Country Song:
"The Breath You Take" — Casey Beathard, Dean Dillon & Jessie Jo Dillon, songwriters (George Strait)
"Free" — Zac Brown, songwriter (Zac Brown Band)
"The House That Built Me" — Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
"I'd Love To Be Your Last" — Rivers Rutherford, Annie Tate & Sam Tate, songwriters (Gretchen Wilson)
"If I Die Young" — Kimberly Perry, songwriter (The Band Perry)
"Need You Now" — Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum)

Best Country Album:
Up On The Ridge — Dierks Bentley
You Get What You Give — Zac Brown Band
The Guitar Song — Jamey Johnson
Need You Now — Lady Antebellum
Revolution — Miranda Lambert

AMERICAN ROOTS FIELD

Best Americana Album:
The List — Rosanne Cash
Tin Can Trust — Los Lobos
Country Music — Willie Nelson
Band Of Joy — Robert Plant
You Are Not Alone — Mavis Staples

Best Traditional Blues Album:
Giant — James Cotton
Memphis Blues — Cyndi Lauper
The Well — Charlie Musselwhite
Joined At The Hip — Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites — Jimmie Vaughan

This year's Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical nominations go to: Rob Cavallo, Danger Mouse, Dr. Luke, RedOne, and The Smeezingtons (Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine).

This year's GRAMMY Awards process registered the highest number of submissions ever with nearly 20,000 entries. However, due to low entries in Category 60 — Best Regional Mexican Album — submissions in this category were sorted into other categories for consideration. As a result, the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards will feature 108 out of 109 categories.

GRAMMY ballots for the final round of voting will be mailed on Dec. 15 to the voting members of The Recording Academy. They are due back to the accounting firm of Deloitte by Jan. 12, 2011, when they will be tabulated and the results kept secret until the GRAMMY telecast.

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, and Louis J. Horvitz is director.

"The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night," hosted by two-time GRAMMY-winner LL Cool J, featured the announcement of nominations in several categories as well as performances by pop star Justin Bieber, rapper B.o.B, country artist Miranda Lambert, singer/songwriter/producer Bruno Mars, singer/songwriter Katy Perry, and GRAMMY-winning band Train. Presenters included actor and late-night TV host Craig Ferguson, singer/actor Selena Gomez, seven-time GRAMMYwinner Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), singer/songwriter Hayley Williams (Paramore), and 25-time GRAMMY winner Stevie Wonder.

Established in 1957, is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks as a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/thegrammys, a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/thegrammys, and a YouTube channel subscriber at www.youtube.com/thegrammys.

Review: Sylvain White Made "Stomp the Yard" Step with Fire

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 79 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Stomp the Yard (2007)
Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for a scene of violence, some sexual material, and language
DIRECTOR: Sylvain White
WRITERS: Robert Adetuyi (based upon Gregory Anderson’s earlier screenplay)
PRODUCERS: William Packer and Rob Hardy
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Scott Kevan (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: David Checel
NAACP Image Awards nominee

DRAMA/MUSIC/ROMANCE

Starring: Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Ne-Yo, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Brian J. White, Laz Alonso, Valarie Pettiford, Jermaine Williams, Allan Louis, Harry J. Lennix, Allan Louis, and Chris Brown

In the film, Stomp the Yard, “stepping,” an ages-old style of dance done by African-American college fraternities, takes center stage. Steppers demonstrate complex moves and use their bodies to create rhythmic sounds (slapping their legs, clapping their hands, stomping their feet, etc.) While the drama is certainly good, this film’s electric vibe is the result of both Sylvain White’s direction and Dave Scott’s choreography.

After the shooting death of his brother, Duron (Chris Brown), Darnell James Williams or DJ (Columbus Short), a talented Los Angeles street dancer, finds himself in Atlanta with his Aunt Jackie (Valarie Pettiford) and Uncle Nate (Harry J. Lennix) and attending the historically black college, Truth University. As DJ struggles to adjust to this new world, much of it about class and privilege, his life becomes even more complicated when two rival fraternities recruit him. Mu Gamma Xi has won the college step championship for 7 years in a row. Theta Nu Theta wants to win, and they see DJ, with his hip-hop inspired moves, as the stepper who will get them over Mu Gamma’s title hump. However, it is DJ’s romance of April Palmer (Meagan Good), the refined daughter of Dean William Palmer (Allan Louis) and the girlfriend of Mu Gamma’s star stepper, Grant (Darrin Dewitt Henson), that just might derail his college career.

It is of great importance to reiterate how good the film’s raucous dancing is and how much of the film’s drama is invested in these astonishing dance moves. That’s why quite a bit of the film’s success should be credited to Dave Scott, who also choreographed You Got Served. Scott skillfully blends various dance styles into something new and very explosive.

Still, it’s director Sylvain White (I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer) who builds a sustainable narrative structure and riveting character drama out of the dancing. For the film’s opening minutes, White creates a sequence that is as intense and visually vibrant and forceful as anything in the film 300, which was released about a month after Stomp the Yard. White adroitly balances the eye-popping dance numbers with the drama of college life. In fact, White has directed the most realistic film about African-American college life since Spike Lee’s School Daze.

White makes the best of his leads, Columbus Short, who is more willing as an actor than he is skilled (so far), and Meagan Good, who is pretty but still very raw as an actress. Short is an accomplished dancer, having toured with Savion Glover’s “Stomp” dance extravaganza. Through the duo of Short and Good, however, White makes potent social statements about class conflict amongst African-Americans and also poverty and justice, and all the while, Stomp the Yard dances until your heart and spirit soar with these stunning steppers.

7 of 10
B+

Friday, May 18, 2007

NOTES:
2008 Image Awards: 3 nominations: “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Columbus Short), “Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture-Theatrical or Television” (Sylvain White), and “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Meagan Good)

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