Review: "Species" is Kooky and Entertaining (Happy B'day, Natasha Henstridge)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 10 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux


Species (1995)
Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)
MPAA – R for sci-fi violence, strong sexuality and some language
DIRECTOR: Roger Donaldson
WRITER: Dennis Feldman
PRODUCERS: Dennis Feldman and Frank Mancuso Jr.
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Andrzej Bartkowiak (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Conrad Buff
COMPOSER: Christopher Young

DRAMA/SCI-FI/THRILLER with elements of action and horror

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina, Forest Whitaker, Marg Helgenberger, Natasha Henstridge, and Michelle Williams

The subject of this movie review is Species, a 1995 science fiction and horror film from director Roger Donaldson. The film follows a group of scientists who are trying to track down an alien killer that looks like a human female. The alien’s creature form (which is a bipedal being with tentacles on her shoulders and back) was created by Swiss artist, H.R. Giger, who also created the creature in the original, 1979 Alien film.

In 1979, the scientist at S.E.T.I., (the giant radio telescope that searches outer space for signals from intelligent extraterrestrial life) sends out a message that includes a map of human DNA. They get the message back with instructions on how to modify DNA. Human scientists use that information to create a genetically modified human child named Sil (Michelle Williams). Sil later escapes when the scientists decide to abort the project by killing her, and due to her incredible rate of growth, she morphs into a sexy, adult blonde bombshell. The head scientist, Xavier Finch (Ben Kingsley), leads a team of experts in their respective fields that tracks Sil to Los Angeles as she seeks a human male with whom she will mate.

When this film was first released, the film’s production company tried to sell Species as some kind of creature flick featuring a sexy monster who could arouse a man as easily as she could kill him. Species is actually a very entertaining movie that is as much a dramatic thriller as it is a sci-fi horror flick. The eroticism is mostly non-existent, other than the fact that the actress playing the “creature,” Natasha Henstridge is a very beautiful woman with the an athletic build and the kind of long legs that turn men on like a light switch.

The cast is made up of a group of fine character actors, including a personal favorite, the incomparable Ben Kingsley (Ghandi), who makes any role he plays something special. Although Marg Helgenberger seems slightly out of place with all these male players, she holds her own with the always-delightful Michael Madsen, the oddly charming Forest Whitaker, and the chameleonic Alfred Molina.

Director Roger Donaldson (Cocktail) does a fine job assembling his cast and getting them to make a passable sci-fi concept into a really good thriller that maintains its quality even through some bad CGI at the end.

6 of 10
B

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Meryl Streep Wins Best Actress Oscar for "The Iron Lady"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

WINNER - Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady

Nominees:
Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis for The Help
Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

"The Artist" Wins Best Film at 2012 Independent Spirit Awards

The Film Independent Spirit Awards is an annual celebration honoring artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers who embody independence and originality. The Spirit Awards recognizes the achievements of American independent filmmakers and promotes the finest independent films of the year to a wider audience. This is the 27th year of the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The 27th Film Independent Spirit Awards were given out in a televised ceremony on Saturday, February 25, 2012.  The Artist won the best picture and best director awards and now seems like a runaway train on the way to tonight's 84th Academy Awards.

2012 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS:

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)
The Artist - Producer: Thomas Langmann

BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist

BEST SCREENPLAY
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash for The Descendants

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Margin Call
Director: J.C. Chandor
Producers: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Will Reiser for 50/50

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 listed
PariahWriter/Director: Dee Rees
Producer: Nekisa Cooper

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

BEST MALE LEAD
Jean Dujardin for The Artist

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Shailene Woodley for The Descendants

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Christopher Plummer for Beginners

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Guillaume Schiffman for The Artist

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
The Interrupters
Director/Producer: Steve James
Producer: Alex Kotlowitz

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
A Separation (Iran)
Director: Asghar Farhadi

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Margin Call
Director: J.C. Chandor
Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey
Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci

FILMMAKER GRANT NOMINEES:

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 15th annual Piaget Producers Award 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.
WINNER: Sophia Lin for Take Shelter

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 18th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
WINNER: Mark Jackson for Without

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 17th 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.
WINNER: Heather Courtney for Where Soldiers Come From

Jameson FIND Your Audience Award:
Alysa Nahmias and Benjamin Murray

http://www.spiritawards.com/

2012 Academy Award Nominations: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Nominees:

Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs (2011)

Viola Davis for The Help (2011)

Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady (2011)

Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn (2011)

69th Golden Globe Award Winners - Complete List

The 69th Golden Globes Awards were given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Sunday, Jan. 15th 2012 in a ceremony broadcast live on NBC.

2012 Golden Globe Awards Winners (For the year ended December 31, 2011):

FILM

BEST DRAMA PICTURE
"The Descendants"

BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL PICTURE
"The Artist"

BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
George Clooney, "The Descendants"

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL ACTOR
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL ACTRESS
Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Chrisopher Plummer, "Beginners"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

BEST ANIMATED PICTURE
"The Adventures of Tintin"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE PICTURE
"A Separation"

BEST SCORE
Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"

BEST SONG
"Masterpiece" ("W.E.")
Music and Lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jim Harry

TELEVISION

BEST DRAMA SERIES
"Homeland"

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Kelsey Grammer, "Boss"

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Claire Danes, "Homeland

BEST COMEDY SERIES
"Modern Family"

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Laura Dern, "Enlightened"

BEST MOVIE/MINISERIES
"Downton Abbey"

BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTRESS
Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"

BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTOR
Idris Elba, "Luther"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"

Cecil B. DeMille Award: Morgan Freeman

Florida Film Critics Name "The Descendants" The Best Pic of 2011

The Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) was founded in 1996 is comprised of 20 writers from state publications.

Complete list of 2011 winners:

Best Picture: The Descendants

Actor: Michael Fassbender, Shame

Actress: Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks, Drive

Supporting Actress: Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Descendants

Original Screenplay: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist

Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life

Visual Effects: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Art Direction/Production Design: Dante Ferretti, Hugo

Foreign Language: The Skin I Live In

Animated: The Adventures of Tintin

Documentary: Project Nim

Breakout: Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Note: The FFCC did not hand out the "Golden Orange" award this year.

Oklahoma Film Critics Really Like "The Artist"

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. 2011 is the OFCC’s sixth annual list of awards for achievement in cinema.

Like other film critics circles, they've chosen The Artist as their best picture.  I like that they chose to give the Fright Night remake an award, "Best Guilty Pleasure."  It really is a good movie and should not have been a flop at the box office.  Goodness, I'd love to see a sequel.

Complete List of OFCC 2011 Film Awards:

Top 10 Films:
1. “The Artist”
2. “Drive”
3. “The Descendants”
4. “Hugo”
5. “Shame”
6. “Moneyball”
7. “Midnight in Paris”
8. “Melancholia”
9. “Tree of Life”
10.“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”

Best Film
“The Artist”

Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”

Best First Feature
Sean Durkin, “Martha Marcy May Marlene”

Best Actress
Michelle Williams, “My Week with Marilyn”

Best Actor
George Clooney, “The Descendants”

Best Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer, “The Help”

Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks, “Drive”

Best Screenplay, Adaptation
“Moneyball,” Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin

Best Screenplay, Original
“The Artist,” Michel Hazanavicius

Best Documentary Film
“Page One: Inside The New York Times”

Best Foreign Language Film
“The Skin I Live In”

Best Animated Film
“The Adventures of Tintin”

Obviously Worst Film
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”

Not-So-Obviously-Worst Film
“The Hangover Part II”

Best Guilty Pleasure
“Fright Night”

Utah Film Critics Put it in "Drive"

Obviously, the Utah Film Critics Association is made of Utah-based film critics who ply their trade in print, television, and new media.  Apparently, 13 of them voted for these awards, according to a newspaper article I found.

2011 Winners:

Best Picture: Drive
(runner-up: The Artist)

Best Achievement in Directing: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
(runner-up: Nicholas Winding Refn, Drive)

Best Lead Performance by an Actor: Joseph Gordon-Levitt: 50/50
(runner-up: Jean Dujardin, The Artist)

Best Lead Performance by an Actress: Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
(runner-up: Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Best Supporting Performance by an Actor: Albert Brooks, Drive
(runner-up: Christopher Plummer, Beginners)

Best Supporting Performance by an Actress: Amy Ryan, Win Win
(runner-up: Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus)

Best Original Screenplay: Will Reiser, 50/50
(runner-up: Mike Mills, Beginners)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Descendants
(runner-up: Jason Segel & Nicholas Stoller, The Muppets)

Best Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel, Drive
(runner-up: Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life)

Best Documentary Feature: Senna
(runner-up: Project Nim)

Best Non-English Language Feature: A Separation
(runner-up: 13 Assassins)

Best Animated Feature: Rango
(runners-up: The Adventures of Tintin and Kung Fu Panda 2)

Chicago Film Critics Have Green Thumb for "The Tree of Life"

The Chicago Film Critics Association is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization that hands out the Chicago Film Critics Awards, hold critics roundtables, and takes on industry and artists’ rights issues. The association was founded in 1990 by film critic Sue Kiner after the successful launch of the Chicago Film Critics Awards in 1989.

The 2011 winners were announced on Monday (Dec 19th).  People who follow film critics' awards will notice that The Artist, The Descendants, and, as it does here, The Tree of Life are the favorite films.

23rd Annual/2011 Chicago Film Critics Award Winners:

PICTURE: The Tree of Life

DIRECTOR: Terrence Malick (-) The Tree of Life

ACTOR: Michael Shannon (-) Take Shelter

ACTRESS: Michelle Williams (-) My Week With Marilyn

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Albert Brooks (-) Drive

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jessica Chastain (-) The Tree of Life

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Artist (-) Michel Hazanavicius

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Moneyball (-) Steven Zaillian & Aaron Sorkin

CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Tree of Life (-) Emmanuel Lubezki

ORIGINAL SCORE: Drive (-) Cliff Martinez

ANIMATED FEATURE: Rango

DOCUMENTARY: The Interrupters

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: A Separation

PROMISING PERFORMER: Elizabeth Olsen (-) Martha Marcy May Marlene

PROMISING FILMMAKER: Sean Durkin (-) Martha Marcy May Marlene

Dallas and North Texas Film Critics Raise "The Descendants"

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association is also known as the DFW Film Critics Association. The group describes itself as a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary organization of print, broadcast and internet film critics based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and greater North Texas who meet its membership criteria. The DFW Film Critics Association currently consists of 29 broadcast, print, and online journalists from throughout North Texas.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association 18th Annual Critics’ Poll:

Best Film: THE DESCENDANTS

Runner-ups:
2. THE ARTIST
3. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
4. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
5. THE TREE OF LIFE
6. HUGO
7. 50/50
8. DRIVE
9. SHAME
10. MONEYBALL

Best Director: Alexander Payne for THE DESCENDANTS

Runner-ups:
Michel Hazanavicius for THE ARTIST
Terrence Malick for THE TREE OF LIFE
Martin Scorsese for HUGO
Woody Allen for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

Best Actor: George Clooney for THE DESCENDANTS

Runner-ups:
Jean Dujardin for THE ARTIST
Michael Fassbender for SHAME
Brad Pitt for MONEYBALL
Michael Shannon for TAKE SHELTER (5).

Best Actress: Michelle Williams for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN.

Runner-ups:
Tilda Swinton for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
Meryl Streep for THE IRON LADY
Charlize Theron for YOUNG ADULT
Kirsten Dunst for MELANCHOLIA

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer for BEGINNERS

Runner-ups:
Albert Brooks for DRIVE
Max von Sydow for EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
Armie Hammer for J. EDGAR
Kenneth Branagh for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Best Supporting Actress: Shailene Woodley for THE DESCENDANTS

Runners-up:
Berenice Bejo for THE ARTIST
Octavia Spencer for THE HELP
Melissa McCarthy for BRIDESMAIDS
Carey Mulligan for SHAME

Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year: A SEPARATION

Runners-up:
THE SKIN I LIVE IN
INCENDIES
13 ASSASSINS
Tie: OF GODS AND MEN and CERTIFIED COPY

Best Documentary: CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS

Runners-up:
PROJECT NIM
THE INTERRUPTERS
PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES
BUCK

Best Animated Film: RANGO

Runner-up:
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

Best Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash for THE DESCENDANTS

Runner-up:
Woody Allen for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for THE TREE OF LIFE

Runner-up:
Janusz Kaminski for WAR HORSE.

The association voted WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN as the winner of the Russell Smith Award. Named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic, this honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film.

Detroit Film Critics are Patrons of "The Artist"

According to John Serba, film critic for The Grand Rapids Press and member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, the group has announced its 2011 winners.

The Detroit Film Critics Society Winners for 2011:

Best Picture: “The Artist”

Best Director: Michel Hazanivicius

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender, “Shame”

Best Actress: Michelle Williams, “My Week with Marilyn”

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”

Best Supporting Actress: Carey Mulligan, “Shame”

Best Ensemble: “Carnage”

Best Breakthrough Performance: Jessica Chastain, “The Tree of Life,” “Take Shelter,” “The Help”

Best Screenplay: Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, “Moneyball”

Best Documentary: “Tabloid”
 

Las Vegas Film Critics Support "The Artist"

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society is a non-profit organization that describes itself as “progressive” and “dedicated to the advancement and preservation of film.” The LVFCS membership is comprised of “select” print, television and internet film critics in the Las Vegas area. The LVFCS presents its "Sierra" awards each year for the best in film, including The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award, which is named for the late Academy Award winning actor.

As are many other film critics groups in 2011, Las Vegas film critics are down with The Artist.

2011 Sierra Award winners:

Best Picture
“The Artist”

Best Actor
Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”

Best Actress
Michelle Williams, “My Week with Marilyn”

Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks, “Drive”

Best Supporting Actress
Melissa McCarthy, “Bridesmaids”

Best Director
Nicholas Winding Refn, “Drive”

Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted)
Aaron Sorkin & Steve Zaillian, “Moneyball”

Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezski, “Tree of Life”

Best Film Editing
Thelma Schoonmaker, “Hugo”

Best Costume Design
Mark Bridges, “The Artist”

Best Art Direction
Gregory S. Hooper, “The Artist”

Best Visual Effects
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”

Best Documentary
“Project NIM”

Best Foreign Film
“13 Assassins”

Best Song
“Man or Muppet” - Written by Bret McKenzie

Best Score
Ludovic Bource, “The Artist”

Best Family Film
“Hugo”

Best Animated Film
“Rango”

Youth in Film
Asa Butterfield, “Hugo”

Best DVD (Packaging, Design, and Content)
“Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy (Blu-Ray)

William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award for 2010:
Albert Brooks


http://www.lvfcs.org/lvfcs/Home.html

Boston Film Critics Pick "The Artist"

The Boston Society of Film Critics was formed in 1981. The group claims that its mission is to make “Boston's unique critical perspective heard on a national and international level by awarding commendations to the best of the year's films and filmmakers and local film theaters and film societies that offer outstanding film programming.”

2011 Winners:

Best Picture - The Artist

Best Actor - Brad Pitt for Moneyball

Best Actress - Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor - Albert Brooks for Drive

Best Supporting Actress - Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids

Best Director - Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Best Screenplay - Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin for Moneyball

Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of Life

Best Documentary - Project Nim

Best Foreign-Language Film - Incendies

Best Animated Film - Rango

Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) - Christian Marclay for The Clock

Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) - Sean Durkin for Martha Marcy May Marlene

Best Ensemble Cast - Carnage

Best Use of Music in a Film - TIE: Drive and The Artist

Hollywood Movie Awards Top 10 Revealed

The 15th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards together with Yahoo! Movies are pleased to announce the nominees for the 2011 "Hollywood Movie Awards" competition.

The ten nominees in alphabetical order are "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Cowboys & Aliens," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2," "The Help," "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," "Rango," "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," "Super 8," "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," "X-Men: First Class."

The Hollywood Movie Awards® are presented by Yahoo! Movies and cover the public's favorites of the year. The voting takes place at the Yahoo! Movies site at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?HollywoodNetwork/21bfd04b36/5c5b76e819/b6ccdd304a

"We are very excited that once again the Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards, together with Yahoo! Movies, will continue their tradition of providing the public at large with the opportunity to vote for their favorite movie," said Founder and Executive Director, Carlos de Abreu.

"The Hollywood Movie Awards sets the early tone for the upcoming movie awards season, and Yahoo! Movies is delighted to once again be the destination where film fans can vote for their favorite movie of the year," said Sean Phillips, executive producer Yahoo! Movies. The Hollywood Movie Awards winner by popular vote will receive the award at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony on Monday evening, October 24, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The 2011 Hollywood Film Festival has also announced that they will honor five-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close with the "Hollywood Career Achievement Award," Academy Award-nominated actress Michelle Williams with the "Hollywood Actress Award" for "My Week with Marilyn," Academy Award-nominated actor Christopher Plummer with the "Hollywood Supporting Actor Award" for "Beginners," actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt with the "Hollywood Breakthrough Actor Award" for "50/50,"and actress Felicity Jones with the "New Hollywood Award" for "Like Crazy."

Other honorees include the cast of "The Help" (Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O'Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Cicely Tyson, and Mike Vogel), Director Michel Hazanavicius, Producer Letty Aronson, Screenwriter Diablo Cody, Film Composer Alberto Iglesias, Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, Editor Stephen Mirrione, Production Designer James Murakami, and Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Farrar at their annual Awards Gala. In addition, Gore Verbinski's "Rango" will be honored at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony, along with additional honorees to be announced in the coming weeks.

The festival and awards will mark their return on October 20 for a weeklong series of screenings and awards. The Hollywood Film Festival will take place at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood.


YAHOO! MOVIES:
Yahoo! Movies is one of the leading websites for movie trailers, news and information.

ABOUT STARZ ENTERTAINMENT, LLC:
The Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards presenter is Starz Entertainment, LLC, a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 17 premium channels including the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® brands with approximately 19 million and 32.9 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its STARZ, ENCORE and MOVIEPLEX brands. Starz Entertainment (http://www.starz.com/) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation and is attributed to the Liberty Starz tracking stock group (NASDAQ: LSTZA).

Natalie Portman Wins Best Actress Oscar for "Black Swan"

Actress in a Leading Role

Natalie Portman in “Black Swan” WINNER

Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”

Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”

Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter's Bone”

Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”
 

2011 Oscar Nominations: Lead Actress

Actress in a Leading Role

Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”

Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”

Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter's Bone”

Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”

Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”

Natalie Portman Wins Best Actress Drama Golden Globe for "Black Swan"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama:

Natalie Portman for Black Swan WINNER

Halle Berry for Frankie and Alice

Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone

Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine

Countdown to Oscar 2011: 2011 Spirit Awards Nominations

Press release:

2011 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

- $125,000 in grants to be awarded to filmmakers -

LOS ANGELES (November 30, 2010) – Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations this morning for the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner served as presenters and 2011 Spirit Awards host Joel McHale was also on hand. Nominees for Best Feature include 127 Hours, Black Swan, Greenberg, The Kids Are All Right and Winter’s Bone.

Please Give was selected for the Robert Altman Award, which is given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

2011 SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS:

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)
127 Hours
Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson, John Smithson

Black Swan
Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver

Greenberg
Producers: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Scott Rudin

The Kids Are All Right
Producers: Gary Gilbert, Philippe Hellmann, Jordan Horowitz, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray, Daniela Taplin Lundberg

Winter’s Bone
Producers: Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Anne Rosellini

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
Danny Boyle - 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko - The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik - Winter’s Bone
John Cameron Mitchell - Rabbit Hole

BEST SCREENPLAY
Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko - The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini - Winter’s Bone
Nicole Holofcener - Please Give
David Lindsay-Abaire - Rabbit Hole
Todd Solondz - Life During Wartime

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Everything Strange and New - Director: Frazer Bradshaw, Producers: A.D. Liano, Laura Techera Francia

Get Low - Director: Aaron Schneider
, Producers: David Gundlach, Dean Zanuck

Night Catches Us - Director: Tanya Hamilton
, Producers: Sean Costello, Jason Orans, Ronald Simons

The Last Exorcism - Director: Daniel Stamm
, Producers: Marc Abraham, Tom Bliss, Eric Newman, Eli Roth

Tiny Furniture - Director: Lena Dunham
, Producers: Kyle Martin, Alicia Van Couvering

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Diane Bell - Obselidia
Lena Dunham - Tiny Furniture
Nik Fackler - Lovely, Still
Bob Glaudini - Jack Goes Boating
Dana Adam Shapiro, Evan M. Wiener - Monogamy

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 listed

Daddy Longlegs
Writer/Directors: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
Producers: Casey Neistat, Tom Scott

Lbs.
Director: Matthew Bonifacio
Writer/Producers: Matthew Bonifacio, Carmine Famiglietti

Lovers of Hate
Writer/Director: Bryan Poyser
Producer: Megan Gilbride

Obselidia
Writer/Director: Diane Bell
Producers: Chris Byrne, Mathew Medlin

The Exploding Girl
Writer/Director: Bradley Rust Gray
Producers: Karin Chien, Ben Howe, So Yong Kim

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Greta Gerwig - Greenberg
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

BEST MALE LEAD
Ronald Bronstein - Daddy Longlegs
Aaron Eckhart - Rabbit Hole
James Franco - 127 Hours
John C. Reilly - Cyrus
Ben Stiller - Greenberg

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Ashley Bell - The Last Exorcism
Dale Dickey - Winter’s Bone
Allison Janney - Life During Wartime
Daphne Rubin-Vega - Jack Goes Boating
Naomi Watts - Mother and Child

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
John Hawkes - Winter’s Bone
Samuel L. Jackson - Mother and Child
Bill Murray - Get Low
John Ortiz - Jack Goes Boating
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Adam Kimmel - Never Let Me Go
Matthew Libatique - Black Swan
Jody Lee Lipes - Tiny Furniture
Michael McDonough - Winter’s Bone
Harris Savides - Greenberg

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director)
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Director: Banksy

Marwencol
Director: Jeff Malmberg

Restrepo
Directors: Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger

Sweetgrass
Directors: Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor

Thunder Soul
Director: Mark Landsman

BEST FOREIGN FILM (Award given to the director)
Kisses
(Ireland)
Director: Lance Daly

Mademoiselle Chambon
(France)
Director: Stéphane Brizé

Of Gods and Men
(France)
Director: Xavier Beauvois

The King’s Speech (United Kingdom)
Director: Tom Hooper

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
(Thailand)
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul

ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 17th annual Acura Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Acura.

Hossein Keshavarz

Dog Sweat

Laurel Nakadate

The Wolf Knife

Mike Ott

Littlerock

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 14th annual Piaget Producers Award 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.

In-Ah Lee

Au Revoir Taipei

Adele Romanski

The Myth of the American Sleepover

Anish Savjani

Meek’s Cutoff

AVEENO® TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 16th annual AVEENO® 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 funded by AVEENO®.

Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor - Sweetgrass

Jeff Malmberg - Marwencol

Lynn True, Nelson Walker - Summer Pasture

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD - (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

Please Give
Director: Nicole Holofcener
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Ann Guilbert, Rebecca Hall, Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Lois Smith, Sarah Steele

http://www.spiritawards.com/

http://www.filmindependent.org/content/2011-film-independent-spirit-award-nominations-announced

Review: "Brokeback Mountain" is Broke in the Middle (Happy Birthday, Ang Lee)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Running time: 134 minutes (2 hours, 14 minutes)
MPAA – R for sexuality, nudity, language, and some violence
DIRECTOR: Ang Lee
WRITERS: Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana (based upon the short story by Annie Proulx)
PRODUCERS: Diana Ossana and James Schamus
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rodrigo Prieto, A.S.C.
EDITORS: Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor, A.C.E.
Academy Award winner

DRAMA/ROMANCE

Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and Randy Quaid

Two young men: Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger), a ranch hand, and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), a rodeo cowboy, meet in the summer of 1963 while shepherding sheep on Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming. They unexpectedly fall in love and form a lifelong connection. At the end of the summer, they part ways. Ennis remains in Wyoming and marries his girlfriend, Alma (Michelle Williams), and they have two daughters. Jack returns to Texas to ride bulls in the rodeo where he falls in love with and marries a cowgirl, Lureen Newsome (Anne Hathaway), and they have a son. However, for the next 20 years, Ennis and Jack meet a few times a year for a fishing trip where they can freely express their love for one another, both emotionally and physically. The film shows the toll hiding their forbidden love takes on them and their relationships outside their romance.

Brokeback Mountain has the burden of history on its shoulders, being a movie about a love between cowboys, and the fact that it is the first film distributed by a big Hollywood studio (Focus Features, a division of Universal) and getting a wide release that directly focuses on a gay love affair between men. While the film can take a lot of credit for being a landmark in American cinematic history, the contents of the film aren’t as great. Mainly it is a combination of faulty direction and a flawed script. Like director Ang Lee’s previous film, 2003’s The Hulk, Brokeback Mountain is choppy, clumsy, and often dull. Add the fact that this film is alternately dry and cold, and you don’t have the makings of a great romance film. Sometimes The Hulk had moments that were quite novel, really clever, or simply brilliant filmmaking choices, and Brokeback Mountain is that way. However, dross sometimes weighs down the clever cinema. As for the script, an adaptation of an E. Anne Proulx story by Diana Ossana and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove), it does indeed seem like a short story padded with a sagging and problematic middle to make a longer story.

That shakiness carries over to the acting. Heath Ledger is superb, often rising above the material and sometimes dragging the material up to his heights. His performance rings true; he certainly comes across as a dirt-poor cowboy, trouble and conflicted about all his personal relationships. His eyes are so expressive, and his facial expressions are riveting and absorbing. On the other hand, Jake Gyllenhaal really isn’t that good, and except for a moment here and there, his performance seems forced… phony even. That especially puts a damper on the screen chemistry between the leads. The supporting performances are good, though the parts are too small. Randy Quaid is menacing as the surly rancher who discovers Ennis and Jake’s secret. Michelle Williams is also quite good as Ennis’ long-suffering wife, Alma, and there are moments when she lights a fire that is as good as anything else in this film.

Certainly there are moments in Brokeback Mountain that completely impressed me. The opening act of the film, which reveals the origin of the cowboy’s love, is truly, truly expert filmmaking. The ending is heart-rending and poignant, with Ledger giving a performance in the last act that is good enough to save the entirety of another film. It’s the vast, clunky wasteland in the middle of Brokeback Mountain that keeps it from meeting its promise greatness.

6 of 10
B

Sunday, January 29, 2006

NOTES:
2006 Academy Awards: 3 wins: “Best Achievement in Directing” (Ang Lee), “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score” (Gustavo Santaolalla), and “Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana); 5 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Diana Ossana and James Schamus), “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Rodrigo Prieto), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Heath Ledger), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jake Gyllenhaal) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Michelle Williams)

2006 BAFTA Awards: 4 wins: “Best Film” (Diana Ossana and James Schamus), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jake Gyllenhaal), “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), and David Lean Award for Direction” (Ang Lee); 5 nominations: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Gustavo Santaolalla), “Best Cinematography” (Rodrigo Prieto), “Best Editing” (Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Heath Ledger), and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Michelle Williams)

2006 Golden Globes: 4 wins: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture: (Ang Lee), “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Gustavo Santaolalla-music and Bernie Taupin-lyrics for the song “A Love That Will Never Grow Old”), and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana); 3 nominations: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Gustavo Santaolalla), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Heath Ledger) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Michelle Williams)

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