Showing posts with label The Help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Help. Show all posts

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Octavia Spencer Wins Best Supporting Actress Oscar

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

WINNER - Octavia Spencer for The Help

Nominees:
Bérénice Bejo for The Artist
Jessica Chastain for The Help
Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs

Friday, February 24, 2012

Madonna's "W.E." Among Costume Designers Guild Award Winners

The Costume Designers Guild is an international group that represents motion picture, television, and commercial costume designers, assistant costume designers and costume illustrators. The Costume Designers Guild Awards began in 1999 to annually honor costume designers in Motion Pictures, Television, and Commercials.

The winners were for the 14th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards were announced at an awards gala Tuesday, February 21, 2012.

NOMINEES and WINNERS OF THE 14TH ANNUAL COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD AWARDS:

Excellence in Contemporary Film:
WINNER * "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" – Trish Summerville

"Bridesmaids" – Leesa Evans and Christine Wada
"The Descendants" – Wendy Chuck
"Drive" – Erin Benach
"Melancholia" – Manon Rasmussen

Excellence in Period Film:
WINNER * "W.E." – Arianne Phillips

"The Artist" – Mark Bridges
"Jane Eyre " – Michael O'Connor
"The Help" – Sharen Davis
"Hugo" – Sandy Powell

Excellence in Fantasy Film:
WINNER * "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2" – Jany Temime

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" – Penny Rose
"Red Riding Hood" – Cindy Evans
"Thor" – Alexandra Byrne
"X-Men: First Class" – Sammy Sheldon

Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries:
WINNER * "Downton Abbey" – Susannah Buxton

"The Kennedys" – Christopher Hargadon
"Mildred Pierce" – Ann Roth

Outstanding Contemporary Television Series:
WINNER * "Glee" – Lou Eyrich and Jennifer Eve

"Modern Family" – Alix Friedberg
"Revenge" – Jill Ohanneson
"Saturday Night Live" – Tom Broecker and Eric Justian
"Sons of Anarchy" – Kelli Jones

Outstanding Period/Fantasy Television Series:
WINNER * "Boardwalk Empire" – John A. Dunn and Lisa Padovani

"The Borgias" – Gabriella Pescucci
"Game of Thrones" – Michele Clapton
"Once Upon Time" – Eduardo Castro
"Pan Am (Series)" – Ane Crabtree

Excellence in Commercial Costume Design:
WINNER * Swiffer: "Country Dirt Cowgirl" – Roseanne Fiedler

Carl's Jr.: "Miss Turkey" – Francine Lecoultre
Dos Equis: "The Most Interesting Man in the World" – Julie Vogel

Sunday, February 19, 2012

"The Help" Wins Big at 43rd NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Award an award bestowed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The award honors outstanding achievements by people of color in film, television, music, and literature. The awards are voted on by members of the NAACP.

The 43rd NAACP Image Awards winners were announced in a ceremony, February 17, 2012 and broadcast live on NBC.  I was caught up in two basketball games broadcast on ESPN Friday night, so I had to get help from the Associated Press via the Miami Herald to get this information to you, dear readers.

2012 NAACP Image Awards winners - Motion Pictures:

Motion Picture: "The Help"

Motion Picture directing: Salim Akil, "Jumping the Broom"

Motion picture writing: Ann Peacock, "The First Grader" (National Geographic Entertainment)

Actor in a motion picture: Laz Alonso, "Jumping the Broom"

Actress in a motion picture: Viola Davis, "The Help"

Supporting actor in a motion picture: Mike Epps, "Jumping the Broom"

Supporting actress in a motion picture: Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Independent motion picture: "Pariah" (Focus Features)

Foreign motion picture: "In the Land of Blood and Honey" (FilmDistrict)

Documentary, theatrical or television: "Sing Your Song" (HBO Documentary Films)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

"The Help" Sweeps Up at the 2012 Black Reel Awards

My favorite Negro-American film awards organization (and my favorite film critics awards, for that matter) is The Black Reel Awards.  The Black Reel Awards annually honors African-Americans in feature, independent and television film. The awards were launched in 2000, and this is the 12th 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).

More 50 film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet comprise the voting members of the Black Reel Awards. Winners were announced on Friday, February 10, 2012 in ceremony held in Washington D.C.  The Help dominated this year's awards winning six, including "Best Film."

2012 Black Reel Award Winners:

Theatrical
Outstanding Film – The Help

Outstanding Director – Steve McQueen / Shame

Outstanding Actor – John Boyega / Attack the Block

Outstanding Actress – Viola Davis / The Help

Outstanding Supporting Actor - Don Cheadle / The Guard

Outstanding Supporting Actress – Octavia Spencer / The Help

Outstanding Screenplay, Original or Adapted – Steve McQueen / Shame

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance – Adepero Oduye / Pariah

Outstanding Ensemble – The Help

Outstanding Original Song – “The Living Proof” / Mary J. Blige (The Help)

Outstanding Score – Thomas Newman / The Help

Outstanding Foreign Film – Attack the Block

Outstanding Feature Documentary – Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest / Michael Rapaport

Independent
Outstanding Independent Feature Film – My Last Day Without You / Stefan C. Schaefer

Outstanding Independent Short Film – Wake / Bree Newsome

Outstanding Independent Documentary – Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat By the Door / Christine Acham and Clifford Ward

Television
Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Performance, Male – Idris Elba / Luther

Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Performance, Female – Taraji P. Henson / Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story

Outstanding Television Documentary – Planet Rock: The Story of Hip Hop and the Crack Generation / VH1 (Richard Low and Martin Torgoff)

Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Film – Thurgood / HBO (Michael Stevens)

http://blackreelawards.wordpress.com/

Monday, February 13, 2012

2012 Black Reel Awards Nominations - Complete List

The Black Reel Awards annually honor African-Americans in feature, independent and television film. The awards were launched in 2000, and this is the 12th 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).

More 50 film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet comprise the voting members of the Black Reel Awards. 2012 winners were announced on Friday, February 10, 2012 in ceremony held in Washington D.C.  I'll have the results soon.

The nominations for the 2012 Black Reel Awards:

Outstanding Film
Pariah
Shame
The Help
Attack the Block
Jumping the Broom

Outstanding Director
Steve McQueen – Shame
Dee Rees – Pariah
Qasim Bashir – Mooz-Lum
Ava DuVernay – I Will Follow
Salim Akil – Jumping the Broom

Outstanding Actor
John Boyega – Attack the Block
Demián Bichir– A Better Life
Laz Alonso – Jumping the Broom
Oliver Litondo – The First Grader
Evan Ross – Mooz-Lum

Outstanding Actress
Viola Davis – The Help
Adepero Oduye – Pariah
Zoe Saldana – Columbiana
Nia Long – Mooz-Lum
Naomie Harris – The First Grader

Outstanding Supporting Actor
Anthony Mackie – The Adjustment Bureau
Don Cheadle – The Guard
Isiah Whitlock Jr. – Cedar Rapids
Laurence Fishburne – Contagion
Mike Epps – Jumping the Broom

Outstanding Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer – The Help
Maya Rudolph – Bridesmaids
Kim Wayans – Pariah
Pernell Walker – Pariah
Angela Bassett – Jumping the Broom

Outstanding Screenplay, Original or Adapted
Steve McQueen and Abi Morgan – Shame
Qasim Bashir – Mooz-Lum
Dee Rees – Pariah
Ava DuVernay – I Will Follow
Elizabeth Hunter and Arlene Gibbs – Jumping the Broom

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance
Octavia Spencer – The Help
Adepero Oduye – Pariah
John Boyega – Attack the Block
Kim Wayans – Pariah
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Larry Crowne

Outstanding Ensemble
Pariah
Attack the Block
The Help
Mooz-Lum
Fast Five
Jumping the Broom

Outstanding Original Song
The Living Proof – Mary J. Blige (The Help)
Walkin’ Blues – Cee-Lo Green featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd (Footloose)
Furiously Dangerous – Ludacris (Fast Five)
Fly Love – Jamie Foxx (Rio)
My Last Day Without You – Nicole Beharie (My Last Day Without You)

Outstanding Score
Harry Escott – Shame
Steven Price – Attack the Block
Misha Segal – Mooz-Lum
Thomas Newman – The Help
Alex Heffes – The First Grader

Outstanding Foreign Film
Attack the Block
The First Grader
Kinyarwanda
Life, Above All
Viva Riva!

Outstanding Feature Documentary
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey – Constance Marks
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest – Michael Rapaport
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 – Goran Olsson
Undefeated – Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin
The Interrupters – Steve James

Outstanding Independent Feature Film
My Last Day Without You – Stefan C. Schaefer
The Tested – Russell Constanzo
Mamitas – Nicholas Ozeki
Besouro – João Daniel Tikhomiroff
Billy – Winston Washington Moxam

Outstanding Independent Short Film
Fig – Ryan Coogler
Wolf Call – Rob Underhill
Wake – Bree Newsome
The Abyss Boys – Jan-Hendrik Beetge
The Tombs – Jerry Lamonthe

Outstanding Independent Documentary
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat By the Door – Christine Acham and Clifford Ward

Gang Girl: A Mother’s Journey to Save Her Daughter – Valerie Goodloe

Brown Babies – Regina Griffin

Zero Percent – Tim Skousen

The Manuscripts of Timbuktu – Zola Maseko

Burn: The Evolution of An American City – Harold Jackson III

Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Performance, Male
Idris Elba – Luther
Laurence Fishburne – Thurgood
Samuel L. Jackson – The Sunset Limited
Eric Benet – Trinity Goodheart
Mykelti Williamson – Have A Little Faith

Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Performance, Female
Taraji P. Henson – Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story
Anika Noni Rose – Bag of Bones
Rosario Dawson – Five
Jenifer Lewis – Five
Tracee Ellis Ross – Five

Outstanding Television Documentary
Planet Rock: The Story of Hip Hop and the Crack Generation – VH1 (Richard Low and Martin Torgoff)

Pray the Devil Back to Hell – PBS (Gini Reticker)

The Fab Five – ESPN (Jason Hehir)

Black in Latin America – PBS (Henry Louis Gates)

The Latino List – HBO (Timothy Greenfield-Sanders)

Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Film
Thurgood – HBO (Michael Stevens)
Luther – BBC (Katie Swinden)
Five – Lifetime (Nellie Nugiel)
The Sunset Limited – HBO (Barbara A. Hall)
Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story – Lifetime (Harvey Kahn)

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Black Film Critics Circle Choose "The Help" as the Best of 2011

When I posted my monthly welcome a few days ago, I mentioned that February was Oscar month.  It's also Black History Month.  How could I miss that? (Girl, he ain't nothin' but a Tom).  Anyway, this month I'll also post old reviews I wrote of Black Films.  In the spirit of Negro-centricness, I discovered another film critics of color group.

The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) was founded in 2010 and is a membership organization comprised of film critics of color from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, radio, television and qualifying on-line publications.

2011 Black Film Critics Circle Awards:

Best Picture: "The Help"

Best Director: Dee Rees, "Pariah"

Best Actor: Olivier Litondo, "The First Grader"

Best Actress: Viola Davis, "The Help"

Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks, "Drive"

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Best Independent Film: "Pariah"

Best Adapted Screenplay: "The Help"

Best Original Screenplay: "Pariah"

Best Animated Film: "Rango"

Best Documentary: "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey"

Best Ensemble: "The Help"

Pioneer Award: Harry Belafonte

Rising Star Award: Adepero Oduye

Special Mention: "Attack the Block"

Top 10 Films (in order):
1. "The Help"
2. "The Artist"
3. "Pariah"
4. "Drive"
5. "The Descendants"
6. "Attack the Block"
7. "The Tree of Life"
8. "Hugo"
9. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
10. "Warrior"

Thursday, February 2, 2012

African-American Film Critics Association Picks "The Tree of Life"

The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is a group of African-American film critics that give various awards for excellence in film at the end of each year. The association was founded in 2003 by Gil L. Robertson IV and Shawn Edwards.

2011 African-American Film Critics Association Awards:

Best Picture: 1. The Tree of Life

2. Drive
3. Pariah
4. Rampart
5. Shame
6. Moneyball
7. The Descendants
8. A Better Life
9. My Week With Marylin
10. The Help

Best Director: Steve McQueen (Shame)

Best Actor: Woody Harrleson (Rampart)

Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks (Drive)

Best Actress: Viola Davis (The Help)

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer (The Help)

Best Screenplay: Ava DuVernay (I Will Follow)

Best Breakthrough Performance: Adepero Oduye (Pariah)

Best Independent Film: Pariah

Best song: Jason Reeves & Lenka Kripac, writers, “The Show” from “Moneyball.”

Best foreign film: Alrick Brown, “Kinyarwanda.”

http://www.aafca.com/

Monday, January 30, 2012

"The Help" Cleans Up at 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an American labor union that represents film and television performers worldwide. Most people probably know SAG for the various actors’ strikes or for the Screen Actors Guild Award, which SAG uses to honor outstanding performances by its members. The first SAG Awards ceremony was held in February 1995 (for films released in 1994).

The big winner last night was the 2011 hit movie, The Help.  It won two acting awards and the top prize, "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture" (or Best Ensemble-Film), which is something of an upset.  Going into last night, The Artist, had to be at least a slight favorite because it has won the top prize from most film critics organizations, and it won the top prize at the Golden Globes and from both the Directors and Producers Guilds.  However, in the previous 17 years of the SAG Awards, only 9 "Best Ensemble" winners have also won the best picture Oscar.  Last year's Best Ensemble SAG winner, The King's Speech, did win the Oscar.

The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were presented on Jan. 29, 2012 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and aired live on TBS and TNT.

18th Annual SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® Winners (for the year 2011):

FILM

BEST ENSEMBLE
"The Help" (Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O'Reilly, Sissy Spacek, Octavia Spencer, Mary Steenburgen, Emma Stone, Cicely Tyson, Mike Vogel)

BEST ACTOR
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

BEST ACTRESS
Viola Davis, "The Help"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

BEST STUNT ENSEMBLE
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"

TELEVISION

BEST DRAMA ENSEMBLE
"Boardwalk Empire" (Steve Buscemi; Dominic Chianese; Robert Clohessy; Dabney Coleman; Charlie Cox; Josie Gallina; Lucy Gallina; Stephen Graham; Jack Huston; Anthony Laciura; Heather Lind; Kelly MacDonald; Declan McTigue; Rory McTigue; Gretchen Mol; Brady Noon; Connor Noon; Kevin O'Rourke; Aleksa Palladino; Jacqueline Pennewill; Vincent Piazza; Michael Pitt; Michael Shannon; Paul Sparks; Michael Stuhlbarg; Peter Van Wagner; Shea Whigham; Michael Kenneth Williams; Anatol Yusef)

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"

BEST COMEDY ENSEMBLE
"Modern Family" (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons; Julie Bowen; Ty Burrell; Jesse Tyler Ferguson; Nolan Gould; Sarah Hyland; Ed O'Neill; Rico Rodriguez II; Eric Stonestreet; Sofia Vergara; Ariel Winter)

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland"

BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTOR
Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail"

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

BEST TV STUNT ENSEMBLE
"Game of Thrones"

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Screen Actors Guild Awards 48th Annual Life Achievement Award:
Mary Tyler Moore

Saturday, January 28, 2012

2012 Screen Actors Guild Award Nominatons - Film Categories

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an American labor union that represents film and television performers worldwide. Most people probably know SAG for the various actors’ strikes or for the Screen Actors Guild Award, which SAG uses to honor outstanding performances by its members. The first SAG Awards ceremony was held in February 1995 (for films released in 1994).

The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be presented on Jan. 29, 2012 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and will air live on TBS and TNT.

18th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® NOMINATIONS (for the year 2011):

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
DEMIÁN BICHIR / Carlos Galindo - “A BETTER LIFE” (Summit Entertainment)
GEORGE CLOONEY / Matt King - "THE DESCENDANTS” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / J. Edgar Hoover - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JEAN DUJARDIN / George - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)
BRAD PITT / Billy Beane - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
GLENN CLOSE / Albert Nobbs - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)
VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MERYL STREEP / Margaret Thatcher - “THE IRON LADY” (The Weinstein Company)
TILDA SWINTON / Eva - “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS / Marilyn Monroe - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
KENNETH BRANAGH / Sir Laurence Olivier - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)
ARMIE HAMMER / Clyde Tolson - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JONAH HILL / Peter Brand - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)
NICK NOLTE / Paddy Conlon - “WARRIOR” (Lionsgate)
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Hal - “BEGINNERS” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
BÉRÉNICE BEJO / Peppy - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Celia Foote - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MELISSA McCARTHY / Megan - “BRIDESMAIDS” (Universal Pictures)
JANET McTEER / Hubert Page - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)
OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

1. THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company):
BÉRÉNICE BEJO / Peppy
JAMES CROMWELL / Clifton
JEAN DUJARDIN / George
JOHN GOODMAN / Al Zimmer
PENELOPE ANN MILLER / Doris

2. BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures):
ROSE BYRNE / Helen
JILL CLAYBURGH / Annie’s Mom
ELLIE KEMPER / Becca
MATT LUCAS / Gil
MELISSA McCARTHY / Megan
WENDI McLENDON-COVEY / Rita
CHRIS O’DOWD / Rhodes
MAYA RUDOLPH / Lillian
KRISTEN WIIG / Annie

3. THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures):
BEAU BRIDGES / Cousin Hugh
GEORGE CLOONEY / Matt King
ROBERT FORSTER / Scott Thorson
JUDY GREER / Julie Speer
MATTHEW LILLARD / Brian Speer
SHAILENE WOODLEY / Alexandra King

4. THE HELP (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures):
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Celia Foote
VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark
BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD / Hilly Holbrook
ALLISON JANNEY / Charlotte Phelan
CHRIS LOWELL / Stuart Whitworth
AHNA O’REILLY / Elizabeth Leefolt
SISSY SPACEK / Missus Walters
OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson
MARY STEENBURGEN / Elaine Stein
EMMA STONE / Skeeter Phelan
CICELY TYSON / Constantine Jefferson
MIKE VOGEL / Johnny Foote

5. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Sony Pictures Classics):
KATHY BATES / Gertrude Stein
ADRIEN BRODY / Salvador Dali
CARLA BRUNI / Museum Guide
MARION COTILLARD / Adriana
RACHEL McADAMS / Inez
MICHAEL SHEEN / Paul
OWEN WILSON / Gil

SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES:

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
1. THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)
2. COWBOYS & ALIENS (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)
3. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 (WARNER BROS. PICTURES)
4. TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)
5. X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (20TH CENTURY FOX)

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

2012 Academy Award Nominations: Best Motion Picture of the Year

Best Motion Picture of the Year Nominees:

(There are 9 best picture nominees this year.)

The Artist (2011): Thomas Langmann

The Descendants (2011): Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011): Scott Rudin

The Help (2011): Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan

Hugo (2011): Graham King, Martin Scorsese

Midnight in Paris (2011): Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum

Moneyball (2011): Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt

The Tree of Life (2011): Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner and Grant Hill

War Horse (2011): Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy

Sunday, January 22, 2012

43rd NAACP Image Awards Nominations Announced

The NAACP Image Award an award bestowed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The award honors outstanding achievements by people of color in film, television, music, and literature. The awards are voted on by members of the NAACP.

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

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture
• "Jumping the Broom" (TriStar Pictures)
• "Pariah" (Focus Features)
• "The First Grader" (National Geographic Entertainment)
• "The Help" (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
• "Tower Heist" (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
• Eddie Murphy - "Tower Heist" (Universal Pictures)
• Laurence Fishburne - "Contagion" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Laz Alonso - "Jumping the Broom" (TriStar Pictures)
• Oliver Litondo - "The First Grader" (National Geographic Entertainment)
• Vin Diesel - "Fast Five" (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
• Adepero Oduye - "Pariah" (Focus Features)
• Emma Stone - "The Help" (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
• Paula Patton - "Jumping the Broom" (TriStar Pictures)
• Viola Davis - "The Help" (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
• Zoë Saldana - "Colombiana" (TriStar Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
• Anthony Mackie - "The Adjustment Bureau" (Universal Pictures)
• Charles Parnell - "Pariah" (Focus Features)
• Don Cheadle - "The Guard" (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Jeffrey Wright - "The Ides of March" (Columbia Pictures)
• Mike Epps - "Jumping the Broom" (TriStar Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
• Bryce Dallas Howard - "The Help" (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
• Cicely Tyson - "The Help" (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
• Kim Wayans - "Pariah" (Focus Features)
• Maya Rudolph - "Bridesmaids" (Universal Pictures)
• Octavia Spencer - "The Help" (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
• "I Will Follow" (AFFRM)
• "Kinyarwanda" (AFFRM)
• "MOOZ-lum" (AFFRM)
• "Pariah" (Focus Features)
• "The First Grader" (National Geographic Entertainment)

Outstanding Foreign Motion Picture
• "A Separation" (Sony Pictures Classics)
• "Attack the Block" (Screen Gems)
• "In the Land of Blood and Honey" (FilmDistrict)
• "Le Havre" (Janus Films)
• "Life, Above All" (Sony Pictures Classics)

DOCUMENTARY

Outstanding Documentary - (Theatrical or Television)
• "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest" (Sony Pictures Classics)
• "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey" (Submarine Deluxe)
• "Sing Your Song" (HBO Documentary Films)
• "The Rescuers" (Michael King Productions)
• "Thunder Soul" (Roadside Attractions)

WRITING (for film)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television)
• Alrick Brown - "Kinyarwanda" (AFFRM)
• Ann Peacock - "The First Grader" (National Geographic Entertainment)
• Dee Rees - "Pariah" (Focus Features)
• Elizabeth Hunter, Arlene Gibbs - "Jumping the Broom" (TriStar Pictures)
• Tate Taylor - "The Help" (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)

DIRECTING (for film)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television)
• Alrick Brown - "Kinyarwanda" (AFFRM)
• Angelina Jolie - "In the Land of Blood and Honey" (FilmDistrict)
• Dee Rees - "Pariah" (Focus Features)
• Salim Akil - "Jumping the Broom" (TriStar Pictures)
• Tate Taylor - "The Help" (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

"The Artist" Leads 2012 BAFTA Nominations

Nominations Announced for the Orange British Academy Film Award in 2012

The 2012 Orange British Academy Film Awards nominations were announced today by Daniel Radcliffe and Holliday Grainger at BAFTA's headquarters at 195 Piccadilly in London.

The Artist receives 12 nominations. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is nominated in 11 categories, Hugo has nine nominations, My Week with Marilyn has six nominations and The Help and War Horse are each nominated five times.

Drive, The Iron Lady and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 have four nominations. The Descendants, Moneyball, Senna and We Need to Talk about Kevin all have three nominations apiece and Shame, The Ides of March, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Bridesmaids, The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn each receive two.

The Artist is nominated in the following categories: Best Film, Original Screenplay, Original Music, Cinematography, Editing, Make Up & Hair, Costume Design, Sound and Production Design. Michel Hazanavicius is nominated for Director and Jean Dujardin is nominated for Leading Actor. His co-star Bérénice Bejo is nominated for Leading Actress.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is nominated for Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Adapted Screenplay, Original Music, Cinematography, Editing, Production Design, Costume Design and Sound. Tomas Alfredson is nominated for Director and Gary Oldman for Leading Actor.

Completing the Best Film line up are The Descendants, The Help and Drive.

Hugo is nominated for Cinematography, Editing, Original Music, Make Up & Hair, Production Design, Costume Design, Sound and Special Visual Effects. Martin Scorsese is nominated for Director. He is also nominated in the Documentary category for George Harrison: Living in the Material World and, as previously announced, will receive the BAFTA Fellowship.

George Clooney is nominated for Leading Actor in The Descendants which is also nominated for Adapted Screenplay, as well as Best Film. Joining it in Adapted Screenplay is The Ides of March (co-written by Clooney) which also picks up a nomination for Philip Seymour Hoffman in Supporting Actor.

Also in the Leading Actor category are Brad Pitt for Moneyball and Michael Fassbender for his performance in Shame, which is also nominated in Outstanding British Film.

Nicolas Winding Refn is nominated for Director for Drive and Carey Mulligan is nominated for Supporting Actress. The film is also nominated for Editing, as well as Best Film.

Completing the Director line up is Lynne Ramsay for We Need to Talk about Kevin which also picks up a nomination for Outstanding British Film and a Leading Actress nomination for Tilda Swinton.

Michelle Williams is nominated in the Leading Actress category for My Week with Marilyn, joining in Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress are her co-stars Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. The film is also nominated in Outstanding British Film, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair.

Viola Davis is nominated for Leading Actress for her turn in The Help and her co-stars Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer are nominated in Supporting Actress, it also picks up a nomination in Adapted Screenplay, as well as Best Film.

Completing the Leading Actress line up, Meryl Streep is nominated for her performance in The Iron Lady alongside Jim Broadbent who is nominated for Supporting Actor. Further nominations for this film are: Original Screenplay and Make Up & Hair.

Joining Kenneth Branagh, Jim Broadbent and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Supporting Actor are Christopher Plummer for Beginners and Jonah Hill for Moneyball. Moneyball also picks up a nomination for Adapted Screenplay.

Bridesmaids receives an Original Screenplay nomination, as well as a Supporting Actress nomination for Melissa McCarthy.

Senna is nominated for Outstanding British Film as well as for Editing and Documentary, where it is joined in the Documentary category by George Harrison: Living in the Material World and Project Nim.

War Horse is nominated in five categories: Original Music, Cinematography, Production Design, Sound and Special Visual Effects.

Attack the Block’s Writer/Director Joe Cornish is nominated in the Outstanding British Debut category alongside Director Ralph Fiennes for Coriolanus, Writer/Director Richard Ayoade for Submarine and Director Paddy Considine and Producer Diarmid Scrimshaw for Tyrannosaur. The self-distributed Black Pond is the final film in this category with nominations for Will Sharpe (Director/Writer), Tom Kingsley (Director), Sarah Brocklehurst (Producer).

Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Arthur Christmas and Rango are the nominees in the Animated Film category. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is also nominated in the Special Visual Effects category alongside Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Midnight in Paris and The Guard are nominated in the Original Screenplay category.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is nominated in Original Music and Cinematography.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 has four nominations: Make Up & Hair, Production Design, Sound and Special Visual Effects.

Jane Eyre is nominated for Costume Design.

Incendies, Pina, Potiche, A Separation and The Skin I Live In are all nominated in the Film Not in the English Language category.

The Short Animation nominations are Abuelas, Bobby Yeah and A Morning Stroll and the Short Film nominations are Chalk, Mwansa the Great, Only Sound Remains, Pitch Black Heist and Two & Two.

The nominees for the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award, announced earlier this month, are Adam Deacon, Chris Hemsworth, Chris O’Dowd, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston. This audience award is voted for by the British public and presented to an actor or actress who has demonstrated exceptional talent and promise.

The Orange British Academy Film Awards take place on Sunday 12 February at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. This is the fifteenth year of Orange’s sponsorship of the Film Awards.

The ceremony will be hosted by Stephen Fry and will be broadcast exclusively on BBC One. Red carpet coverage will be hosted by Edith Bowman on BBC Three.

For public information about the 2012 Orange British Academy Film Awards go to the BAFTA Film Awards Information <http://www.bafta.org/film/awards/public-information,2348,BA.html> page.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Critics' Choice Chooses "The Artist" Best Film; "The Help" Best Ensemble

The Broadcast Film Critics Association bestowed the 17th annual Critics' Choice Awards last night (Thurs., Jan. 12) in a ceremony aired live on VH1.

17th Annual Critics' Choice Awards: Complete List of Winners for the Year in Film – 2011 (WINNER in bold):

BEST PICTURE
WINNER - "The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Drive"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Moneyball"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

BEST DIRECTOR
Stephen Daldry – "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
WINNER - Michel Hazanavicius – "The Artist"
Alexander Payne – "The Descendants"
Nicolas Winding Refn – "Drive"
Martin Scorsese – "Hugo"
Steven Spielberg – "War Horse"

BEST ACTOR
WINNER - George Clooney – "The Descendants"
Leonardo DiCaprio – "J. Edgar"
Jean Dujardin – "The Artist"
Michael Fassbender – "Shame"
Ryan Gosling – "Drive"
Brad Pitt – "Moneyball"

BEST ACTRESS
WINNER - Viola Davis – "The Help"
Elizabeth Olsen – "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Meryl Streep – "The Iron Lady"
Tilda Swinton – "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
Charlize Theron – "Young Adult"
Michelle Williams – "My Week With Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Branagh – "My Week With Marilyn"
Albert Brooks – "Drive"
Nick Nolte – "Warrior"
Patton Oswalt – "Young Adult"
WINNER - Christopher Plummer – "Beginners"
Andrew Serkis – "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo – "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain – "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy – "Bridesmaids"
Carey Mulligan – "Shame"
WINNER - Octavia Spencer – "The Help"
Shailene Woodley – "The Descendants"

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Asa Butterfield – "Hugo"
Elle Fanning – "Super 8"
WINNER - Thomas Horn – "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
Ezra Miller – "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
Saoirse Ronan – "Hanna"
Shailene Woodley – "The Descendants"

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
"The Artist"
"Bridesmaids"
"The Descendants"
WINNER - "The Help"
"The Ides of March"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY"The Artist" – Michel Hazanavicius
"50/50" – Will Reiser
WINNER - "Midnight in Paris" – Woody Allen
"Win Win" – Screenplay by Tom McCarthy, Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni
"Young Adult" – Diablo Cody

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
"The Descendants" – Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" – Eric Roth
"The Help" – Tate Taylor
"Hugo" – John Logan
WINNER - "Moneyball" – Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Story by Stan Chervin

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
"The Adventures of Tintin"
"Arthur Christmas"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
WINNER - "Rango"

BEST ACTION MOVIE
WINNER - "Drive"
"Fast Five"
"Hanna"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Super 8"

BEST COMEDY
WINNER - "Bridesmaids"
"Crazy, Stupid, Love"
"Horrible Bosses"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Muppets"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"In Darkness"
"Le Havre"
WINNER - "A Separation"
"The Skin I Live In"
"Where Do We Go Now"

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
"Buck"
"Cave of Forgotten Dreams"
WINNER - "George Harrison: Living in the Material World"
"Page One: Inside the New York Times"
"Project Nim"
"Undefeated"

BEST ART DIRECTION
"The Artist"
Production Designer: Laurence Bennett, Art Director: Gregory S. Hooper

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
Production Designer: Stuart Craig, Set Decorator: Stephenie McMillan

WINNER - "Hugo"
Production Designer: Dante Ferretti, Set Decorator: Francesca Lo Schiavo

"The Tree of Life"
Production Designer: Jack Fisk, Art Director: David Crank

"War Horse"
Production Designer: Rick Carter, Set Decorator: Lee Sandales

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (TIE)
"The Artist" – Guillaume Schiffman
"Drive" – Newton Thomas Sigel
"Hugo" – Robert Richardson
WINNER - "The Tree of Life" – Emmanuel Lubezki
WINNER - "War Horse" – Janusz Kaminski

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
WINNER - "The Artist" – Mark Bridges
"The Help" – Sharen Davis
"Hugo" – Sandy Powell
"Jane Eyre" – Michael O’Connor
"My Week With Marilyn" – Jill Taylor

BEST EDITING
"The Artist" – Michel Hazanavicius and Anne-Sophie Bion
"Drive" – Matthew Newman
WINNER - "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" – Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"Hugo" – Thelma Schoonmaker
"War Horse" – Michael Kahn

BEST MAKEUP
"Albert Nobbs"
WINNER - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"The Iron Lady"
"J. Edgar"
"My Week With Marilyn"

BEST SONG
"Hello Hello" – performed by Elton John and Lady Gaga/written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin – "Gnomeo & Juliet"

WINNER - "Life’s a Happy Song" – performed by Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie – "The Muppets"

"The Living Proof" – performed by Mary J. Blige/written by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman and Harvey Mason, Jr. – "The Help"

"Man or Muppet" – performed by Jason Segel and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie – "The Muppets"

"Pictures in My Head" – performed by Kermit and the Muppets/written by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman – "The Muppets"

BEST SCORE
WINNER - "The Artist" – Ludovic Bource
"Drive" – Cliff Martinez
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
"Hugo" – Howard Shore
"War Horse" – John Williams

BEST SOUND
WINNER - "
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Super 8"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
WINNER - "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Super 8"
"The Tree of Life"

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Women Film Critics Favor "The Help" and "The Iron Lady"

The Women Film Critics Circle is an association of women film critics, who are involved in print, radio, online and TV broadcast media. Founded in 2004, this group is the first women critics’ organization in the United States.

2011 Women Film Critics Circle Awards:

BEST MOVIE BY A WOMAN
WINNERS: (tie) The Iron Lady and We Need To Talk About Kevin
Pariah
The Whistleblower

BEST MOVIE ABOUT WOMEN
WINNER: The Help
Albert Nobbs
Cracks
Rid Of Me

BEST WOMAN STORYTELLER - Screenwriting Award
WINNER: The Iron Lady [Abi Morgan]
In The Land Of Blood And Honey [Angelina Jolie]
Pariah [Dee Reese]
We Need To Talk About Kevin [Lynne Ramsay]

BEST ACTRESS
WINNER: Viola Davis: The Help
Jessica Chastain: The Debt/The Help
Meryl Streep: The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton: We Need To Talk About Kevin

BEST ACTOR
WINNER: George Clooney: The Descendants
Jean Dujardin: The Artist
Tom Hardy: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy/Warrior
Ryan Gosling: Drive, The Ides Of March

BEST COMEDIC ACTRESS
WINNER: Melissa McCarthy: Bridesmaids
Katie O’Grady: Rid Of Me
Sarah Jessica Parker: I Don’t Know How She Does It
Kristen Wiig: Bridesmaids

BEST YOUNG ACTRESS
WINNER: Shailene Woodley: The Descendants
Jordana Beatty: Judy Moody
Liana Liberato: Trust
Amara Miller: The Descendants

BEST FOREIGN FILM BY OR ABOUT WOMEN
WINNER: The Hedgehog
A Separation
In The Land Of Blood And Honey
When We Leave

BEST FEMALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE
WINNER: The Whistleblower
Albert Nobbs
The Iron Lady
Soul Surfer

WORST FEMALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE
WINNER (?): Melancholia
Jack And Jill
My Week With Marilyn
Young Adult

BEST MALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE
WINNER: The Descendants
50/50
Meet Monica Velour
Of Gods And Men

WORST MALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE
WINNER (?): The Hangover 2
No Strings Attached
The Skin I Live In
Straw Dogs

BEST DOCUMENTARIES BY OR ABOUT WOMEN
WINNER: Always Faithful
The Price Of Sex
The Woman With The Five Elephants
Women Art Revolution

BEST FAMILY FILM
WINNER: Hugo
Judy Moody
The Muppets
The Adventures of Tintin

BEST ANIMATED FEMALES
WINNER: Puss N Boots 3D
Arthur Christmas
Gnomeo And Juliet
Kung Fu Panda 2

BEST EQUALITY OF THE SEXES
WINNER: The Debt
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Iron Lady
Midnight In Paris

COURAGE IN ACTING - Taking on unconventional roles that radically redefine the images of women on screen
WINNER: Glenn Close: Albert Nobbs
Josiane Balasko: The Hedgehog
Mimi Chakarova: The Price Of Sex
Tilda Swinton: We Need To Talk About Kevin

THE INVISIBLE WOMAN AWARD - Performance by a woman whose exceptional impact on the film dramatically, socially or historically, has been ignored
WINNER (tie): Miral: Hiram Abbass and Meeks Cutoff: Michelle Williams
Danai Gurira: 3 Backyards
Red Shirley

WOMEN’S WORK: BEST ENSEMBLE
WINNER: The Help
Albert Nobbs
Bridesmaids
The Whistleblower

BEST SCREEN COUPLE
WINNER: The Artist: Berenice Bejo and Jean Dujardin
Gnomeo And Juliet
The Iron Lady
Like Crazy

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
WINNERS: (tie) Kathy Bates and Cicely Tyson
Hiam Abbass
Michelle Yeoh

ACTING AND ACTIVISM
WINNER: Elizabeth Taylor
Mia Farrow
Daryl Hannah
Alfre Woodard

ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD - For a film that most passionately opposes violence against women
WINNER: The Whistleblower
In A Better World
In The Land Of Blood And Honey
Life, Above All

JOSEPHINE BAKER AWARD - For best expressing the woman of color experience in America
WINNER: The Help
America
Pariah
3 Backyards

KAREN MORLEY AWARD - For best exemplifying a woman’s place in history or society, and a courageous search for identity
WINNER: Albert Nobbs
The Conspirator
Meek’s Cutoff
Snow Flower And The Secret Fan

MOMMIE DEAREST WORST SCREEN MOM OF THE YEAR AWARD
Judi Dench: J. Edgar

Monday, January 9, 2012

National Society of Film Critics Feeling "Melancholia"

The National Society of Film Critics was founded in New York City in 1966 and is made up of 58 of the country’s most prominent movie critics. Known for their highbrow tastes, these critics form one of the most prestigious film groups on the United States. Current members include some of my favorite film critics: Roger Ebert, David Edelstein, and J. Hoberman, among others. The society has produced several anthologies about movies, including the must-have for film fans, Produced and Abandoned: The Best Films You’ve Never Seen (1990).

The 46th annual awards used a weighted ballot system. Scrolls will be sent to the winners.

46th Annual (2011) National Society of Film Critics Awards (* denotes winner):

BEST PICTURE
*1. Melancholia – 29 (Lars von Trier)
2. The Tree of Life – 28 (Terrence Malick)
3. A Separation – 20 (Asghar Farhadi)

BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Terrence Malick – 31 (The Tree of Life)
2. Martin Scorsese – 29 (Hugo)
3. Lars von Trier – 23 (Melancholia)

BEST ACTOR
*1. Brad Pitt – 35 (Moneyball, The Tree of Life)
2. Gary Oldman – 22 (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
3. Jean Dujardin – 19 (The Artist)

BEST ACTRESS
*1. Kirsten Dunst – 39 (Melancholia)
2. Yun Jung-hee – 25 (Poetry)
3. Meryl Streep – 20 (The Iron Lady)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. Albert Brooks – 38 (Drive)
2. Christopher Plummer – 24 (Beginners)
3. Patton Oswalt – 19 (Young Adult)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Jessica Chastain – 30 (The Tree of Life, Take Shelter, The Help)
2. Jeannie Berlin – 19 (Margaret)
3. Shailene Woodley – 17 (The Descendants)

BEST NONFICTION
*1. Cave of Forgotten Dreams – 35 (Werner Herzog)
2. The Interrupters – 26 (Steve James)
3. Into the Abyss – 18 (Werner Herzog)

BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. A Separation – 39 (Asghar Farhadi)
2. Moneyball – 22 (Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin)
3. Midnight in Paris – 16 (Woody Allen)

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
*1. A Separation – 67 (Asghar Farhadi)
2. Mysteries of Lisbon – 28 (Raoul Ruiz)
3. Le Havre – 22 (Aki Kaurismäki)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. The Tree of Life – 76 (Emanuel Lubezki)
2. Melancholia – 41 (Manuel Alberto Claro)
3. Hugo – 33 (Robert Richardson)

EXPERIMENTAL
Ken Jacobs, for “Seeking the Monkey King.”

FILM HERITAGE
1. BAMcinématek for its complete Vincente Minnelli retrospective with all titles shown on 16 mm. or 35 mm. film.

2. Lobster Films, Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema and the Technicolor Foundation for Cinema for the restoration of the color version of George Méliès’s “A Trip to the Moon.”

3. New York’s Museum of Modern Art for its extensive retrospective of Weimar Cinema.

4. Flicker Alley for their box set “Landmarks of Early Soviet Film.”

5. Criterion Collecton for its 2-disc DVD package “The Complete Jean Vigo.”

Sunday, January 8, 2012

The SEC Crowns "The Descendants" as Best Picture of 2011

Obviously, I've taken liberty with a film critics association's acronym.  But forgive me because this is the eve of an all-SEC BCS Championship Game.

Anyway, the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) is a professional organization of more than 40 film journalists working in the print, radio and online media.  The group represents the Southeastern section of the United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Since 1992, SEFCA seeks to “promote the art of film criticism, the ethics of journalism and the camaraderie of peers among professionals working in the print, radio and online media in the Southeast.”

2011 SEFCA Winners:

BEST PICTURE
The Descendants

TOP TEN FILMS
The Descendants
The Artist
Hugo
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
Drive
Midnight in Paris
Win Win
War Horse
The Help

BEST ACTOR
Winner – George Clooney (The Descendants)
Runner-up – Michael Fassbender (Shame)

BEST ACTRESS
Winner – Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Runner-up – Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner – Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Runner-up – Albert Brooks, Drive

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner – Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Runner-up – Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

BEST ENSEMBLE
Winner – The Help
Runner-up – The Descendants

BEST DIRECTOR
Winner – Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Runner-up – Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner – Midnight in Paris
Runner-up – The Artist

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner – The Descendants
Runner-up – Moneyball

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Winner – Project Nim
Runner-up – Tabloid

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Winner – A Separation
Runner-up – The Skin I Live In

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Winner – Rango
Runner-up – The Adventures of Tintin

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner – The Tree of Life
Runner-up – Hugo

The GENE WYATT AWARD
Winner – The Help
Runner-up – Undefeated

Saturday, January 7, 2012

2012 BAFTA Longlist - Film Categories

The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is the British counterpart of the Oscars.

The annual British Academy Film Awards “Longlist” is the result of the first round of voting for the awards. The result of Round One is 15 contenders in each award category, and those contenders are not called BAFTA nominees. The results of the second round reduce the contenders to 5 nominees in each category, and this is what is announced to the public as BAFTA nominees (January 17, 2012). The winners are announced February 12, 2012.

2012 BAFTA Longlist - FEATURE FILM CATEGORIES:

Best Film
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
The Iron Lady
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
My Week with Marilyn
Senna
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Outstanding British Film
Arthur Christmas
Attack the Block
Coriolanus
The Guard
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The Iron Lady
Jane Eyre
My Week with Marilyn
Senna
Shame
Submarine
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Tyrannosaur
War Horse
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Film Not in the English Language
Abel
As If I Am Not There
The Boy Mir – Ten Years in Afghanistan
Calvet
Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries)
Incendies
Little White Lies
Pina
Post Mortem
Potiche
Le Quattro Volte
A Separation
The Skin I Live In
Tomboy
The Troll Hunter

Documentary
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Life in a Day
Pina
Project Nim
Senna

Animated Film
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Arthur Christmas
Gnomeo and Juliet
Puss in Boots
Rango

2012 BAFTA Longlist - Acting Categories

The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is the British counterpart of the Oscars.

The annual British Academy Film Awards “Longlist” is the result of the first round of voting for the awards. The result of Round One is 15 contenders in each award category, and those contenders are not called BAFTA nominees. The results of the second round reduce the contenders to 5 nominees in each category, and this is what is announced to the public as BAFTA nominees (January 17, 2012). The winners are announced February 12, 2012.

2012 BAFTA Longlist - ACTING CATEGORIES:


Leading Actor
Antonio Banderas (Robert Ledgard) – The Skin I Live In
Brad Pitt (Billy Beane) – Moneyball
Brendan Gleeson (Gerry Boyle) – The Guard
Daniel Craig (Mikael Blomkvist) – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Eddie Redmayne (Colin Clark) – My Week with Marilyn
Gary Oldman (George Smiley) - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
George Clooney (Matt King) – The Descendants
Jean Dujardin (George Valentin) – The Artist
Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar Hoover) – J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender (Brandon) – Shame
Owen Wilson (Gil) - Midnight in Paris
Peter Mullan (Joseph) – Tyrannosaur
Ralph Fiennes (Caius Martius Coriolanus) - Coriolanus
Ryan Gosling (Driver) – Drive
Ryan Gosling (Stephen Meyers) – The Ides of March

Leading Actress
Bérénice Bejo (Peppy Miller) – The Artist
Carey Mulligan (Sissy) – Shame
Charlize Theron (Mavis Gary) – Young Adult
Emma Stone (Skeeter Phelan) – The Help
Helen Mirren (Rachel Singer) – The Debt
Jodie Foster (Penelope Longstreet) – Carnage
Kate Winslet (Nancy Cowan) – Carnage
Kristen Wiig (Annie) – Bridesmaids
Meryl Streep (Margaret Thatcher) – The Iron Lady
Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre) – Jane Eyre
Michelle Williams (Marilyn Monroe) – My Week with Marilyn
Olivia Colman (Hannah) – Tyrannosaur
Rooney Mara (Lisbeth Salander) – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Tilda Swinton (Eva) – We Need to Talk About Kevin
Viola Davis (Aibileen Clark) – The Help

Supporting Actor
Alan Rickman (Prof. Severus Snape) - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
Albert Brooks (Bernie Rose) – Drive
Ben Kingsley (George Méliès) – Hugo
Benedict Cumberbatch (Peter Guillam) – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Christopher Plummer (Hal) – Beginners
Colin Firth (Bill Haydon) - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Eddie Marsan (James) – Tyrannosaur
Ezra Miller (Kevin - Teenager) – We Need to Talk About Kevin
George Clooney (Mike Morris) – The Ides of March
Jim Broadbent (Denis Thatcher) – The Iron Lady
John Hurt (Control) – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Jonah Hill (Peter Brand) – Moneyball
Kenneth Branagh (Sir Laurence Olivier) – My Week with Marilyn
Paul Giamatti (Tom Duffy) – The Ides of March
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Paul Zara) – The Ides of March

Supporting Actress
Alexandra Roach (Young Margaret Thatcher) – The Iron Lady
Bryce Dallas Howard (Hilly Holbrook) – The Help
Carey Mulligan (Irene) – Drive
Emily Watson (Rosie Narracott) – War Horse
Evan Rachel Wood (Molly Steams) – The Ides of March
Jessica Chastain (Celia Foote) – The Help
Judi Dench (Dame Sybil Thorndike) – My Week with Marilyn
Kathy Bates (Gertrude Stein) – Midnight in Paris
Kathy Burke (Connie Sachs) – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Marion Cotillard (Adriana) – Midnight in Paris
Melissa McCarthy (Megan) – Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer (Minny Jackson) – The Help
Olivia Colman (Carol Thatcher) – The Iron Lady
Shailene Woodley (Alexandra King) – The Descendants
Zoe Wanamaker (Paula Strasberg) – My Week with Marilyn

ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD

Longlist of nominees:
Chris Hemsworth
Adam Deacon
Jessica Chastain
Tom Hiddleston
Felicity Jones
Jennifer Lawrence
Chris O’Dowd
Eddie Redmayne

The final 5 nominees will be announced on Wednesday 11 January.

2012 BAFTA Longlist - Directors and Screenwriters

The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is the British counterpart of the Oscars.

The annual British Academy Film Awards “Longlist” is the result of the first round of voting for the awards. The result of Round One is 15 contenders in each award category, and those contenders are not called BAFTA nominees. The results of the second round reduce the contenders to 5 nominees in each category, and this is what is announced to the public as BAFTA nominees (January 17, 2012). The winners are announced February 12, 2012.

2012 BAFTA Longlist - DIRECTOR AND SCREENPLAY CATEGORIES


Director
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
The Iron Lady
J. Edgar
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Original Screenplay
50/50
Anonymous
Arthur Christmas
The Artist
Beginners
Bridesmaids
The Guard
The Iron Lady
J. Edgar
Midnight in Paris
Senna
Shame
Super 8
Tyrannosaur
Young Adult

Adapted Screenplay
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Coriolanus
The Descendants
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Jane Eyre
Moneyball
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
We Need to Talk About Kevin

2012 BAFTA Longlist Technical Categories

The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is the British counterpart of the Oscars.

The annual British Academy Film Awards “Longlist” is the result of the first round of voting for the awards. The result of Round One is 15 contenders in each award category, and those contenders are not called BAFTA nominees. The results of the second round reduce the contenders to 5 nominees in each category, and this is what is announced to the public as BAFTA nominees (January 17, 2012). The winners are announced February 12, 2012.

2012 BAFTA Longlist - TECHNICAL CATEGORIES:


Editing
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
The Ides of March
The Iron Lady
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
My Week with Marilyn
Senna
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
War Horse
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Production Design
Anonymous
The Artist
Coriolanus
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The Help
Hugo
The Iron Lady
J. Edgar
Jane Eyre
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Cinematography
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
The Ides of March
J. Edgar
Jane Eyre
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Tree of Life
War Horse
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Make Up & Hair
Anonymous
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Coriolanus
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The Help
Hugo
The Iron Lady
J. Edgar
Jane Eyre
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Costume Design
Anonymous
The Artist
Coriolanus
A Dangerous Method
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The Help
Hugo
The Iron Lady
J. Edgar
Jane Eyre
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Sound
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
The Artist
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
The Iron Lady
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
My Week with Marilyn
Senna
Super 8
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Special Visual Effects
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
The Artist
Captain America: The First Avenger
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Super 8
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
X-Men: First Class

Original Music
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
The Artist
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
The Iron Lady
Jane Eyre
Moneyball
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
We Need to Talk About Kevin