Review: Spike Lee's "25th Hour" Focuses on Mood (Remembering Philip Seymour Hoffman)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 116 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

25th Hour (2002)
Running time:  135 minutes (2 hours, 15 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong language and some violence
DIRECTOR:  Spike Lee
WRITER:  David Benioff (based upon his novel, The 25th Hour)
PRODUCERS:  Spike Lee and Jon Kilik and Julia Chasman and Tobey Maguire
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Rodrigo Prieto
EDITOR:  Barry Alexander Brown
COMPOSER:  Terrence Blanchard
Golden Globe nominee

DRAMA

Starring:  Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Tony Siragusa, Tony Devon, and Isaiah Whitlock, Jr.

The subject of this movie review is 25th Hour, a 2002 drama from director, Spike Lee.  The film is based on The 25th Hour, a 2001 novel by David Benioff, who also wrote the screenplay for this film.  25th Hour the movie focuses on a convicted New York City drug dealer who reevaluates his life in the last 24 hours of freedom he has before he begins serving a seven-year jail term.

Montgomery “Monty” Brogan (Edward Norton) is just a day away from entering prison on a seven-year stint for dealing heroin.  He spends the last 24 hours of his freedom with his two best friends – his childhood buddies, Frank (Barry Pepper), a Wall Street bond trader; and Jakob (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a high school English teacher; and his girlfriend, Naturelle (Rosario Dawson).  They plan to party the night away at their New York City haunts as they ruminate on the their pasts and futures and on 9/11.  Monty also touches base with his widower father, Frank (Brian Cox), who has trouble dealing with what has happened to his only child.

Spike Lee’s 25th Hour isn’t so much about plot and story as it is about emotions and moods.  The story is certainly compelling – a man trying to find some closure the last day of is freedom (especially when one considers that Monty Brogan really doesn’t look like he’s going to do well in prison).  However, Lee emphasizes the raw feelings and powerful emotions, as well as the thoughts that press and weigh on the mind of a condemned man.  It makes for some riveting scenes, such as the one in which Monty asks Frank to help him get the right look for prison (by beating him up).  There is an equally poignant, heart-rending, and ultimately beautiful monologue in which Monty’s dad, Frank, offers him a vision for a better tomorrow.  Combine that with the 9/11 references, and this is a New York film that is familiar to us all.

There are good performances all around, making the most of Lee’s stunning succession of potent moods.  No really stands out, because all the leads: Norton, Hoffman, Pepper, Dawson and Cox get at least a few chances to show their dramatic chops in an earthy way that tests their intellects as actors.  The film does dry up in a few places, but its closing sequence will remind viewers of how well a film can capture the human story.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2003 Golden Globes, USA:  1 nomination: Best Original Score - Motion Picture (Terrence Blanchard)

2003 Black Reel Awards:  3 nominations: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress” (Rosario Dawson), “Theatrical - Best Director” (Spike Lee), “Best Film” (Spike Lee, Tobey Maguire, Jon Kilik, and Julia Chasman)

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Updated:  Monday, February 03, 2014

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman Dead at 46

Yesterday, Sunday, February 2, 2014, I was living under the rock that is known as the Super Bowl.  So I did not learn until this morning (Monday, February 3, 2014) that Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his New York apartment on Sunday. He was 46-years-old.

Hoffman was born on July 23, 1967.  He made his first screen appearance on an episode of Law & Order in 1991.  After that, he made people notice him in Scent of a Woman (1992).  Hoffman certainly made an impression on me in that film.  That is why I describe myself as an admirer of Hoffman's work more than I am a fan of him, although I certainly like him.

He appeared in a number of films, working with many noted directors and earning acclaim; then, he won a best actor Oscar for his starring role in Capote (2006).  He received three other Oscar nominations for his supporting work in the films:  Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Doubt (2008), and The Master (2012).

Go to Variety for more on this sad news.  Negromancer offers condolences to Hoffman's family and friends.  R.I.P. Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"Her" and "Captain Phillips" Win at 2014 Writers Guild Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) honored outstanding achievement in writing during the year 2013 with the 2014 Writers Guild Awards.  The winners of the 2014 Writers Guild Awards were announced on Saturday, February 1, 2014, during simultaneous ceremonies held in both Los Angeles and New York.

A complete list of 2014 Writers Guild Award nominees and winners can be found here: http://www.wga.org/wga-awards/nominees-winners.aspx.

The 2014 Writers Guild Award winners (for the year in film and TV 2013):

SCREEN WINNERS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Her, Written by Spike Jonze; Warner Bros. - WINNER

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
Captain Phillips, Screenplay by Billy Ray; Based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty; Columbia Pictures - WINNER

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY:
Stories We Tell, Written by Sarah Polley; Roadside Attractions - WINNER

TV-NEW MEDIA-RADIO WINNERS

DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC - WINNER

COMEDY SERIES:
"Veep," Written by Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO - WINNER

NEW SERIES:
"House of Cards," Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix - WINNER

EPISODIC DRAMA:
“Confessions” (Breaking Bad), Written by Gennifer Hutchison; AMC - WINNER

EPISODIC COMEDY:
“Hogcock!” (30 Rock), Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock; NBC - WINNER

LONG FORM – ADAPTED:
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Written by Shawn Slovo, Based on the book by Howard Bingham and Max Wallace; HBO - WINNER

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ORIGINAL:
“Episode 4: The Collected Sylvia” (Sylvia Plath: Girl Detective), Written by Mike Simses; sylviaplathgirldetective.com - WINNER

ANIMATION:
“A Test Before Trying” (The Simpsons), Written by Joel H. Cohen; Fox - WINNER

COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES:
"The Colbert Report," Writers: Stephen Colbert, Tom Purcell, Michael Brumm, Nate Charny, Rich Dahm, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Gabe Gronli, Dan Guterman, Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Opus Moreschi, Bobby Mort, Meredith Scardino, Max Werner; Comedy Central - WINNER

COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS:
"Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas," Head Writers: Jay Martel, Ian Roberts; Writers: Alex Rubens, Charlie Sanders; NBC - WINNER

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:
"Jeopardy!", Written by John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Steve D. Tamerius, Billy Wisse; ABC - WINNER

DAYTIME DRAMA:
"Days of Our Lives," Written by Lorraine Broderick, David Cherrill, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, Christopher Dunn, Janet Iacobuzio, David A. Levinson, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Melissa Salmons, Christopher J. Whitesell; NBC - WINNER

CHILDREN'S – EPISODIC & SPECIALS:
“influANTces” (A.N.T. Farm), Written by Vincent Brown; Disney Channel - WINNER

DOCUMENTARY – CURRENT EVENTS:
“Egypt in Crisis” (Frontline), Written by Marcela Gaviria & Martin Smith; PBS - WINNER

DOCUMENTARY – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS: (TIE)
“The Choice 2012” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk; PBS - WINNER - TIE

“Silicon Valley” (American Experience), Telescript by Randall MacLowry and Michelle Ferrari; Story by Randall MacLowry; PBS - WINNER - TIE

NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT:
“Tragedy at Newtown” Special Edition (ABC World News with Diane Sawyer), Written by Lisa Ferri and Matt Negrin; ABC - WINNER

NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY:
“Lethal Medicine” (60 Minutes), Written by Michael Rey, Oriana Zill de Granados, Michael Radutzky; CBS – WINNER

RADIO WINNERS

DOCUMENTARY:
“2012 Year in Review,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News - WINNER

NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR BREAKING REPORT:
“Afternoon Drive,” Written by Bill Spadaro; CBS Radio/1010 WINS - WINNER

NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE OR COMMENTARY:
“Remembering C. Everett Koop,” Written by Scott Saloway; CBS Radio News - WINNER

PROMOTIONAL WRITING AND GRAPHIC ANIMATION NOMINEES
ON-AIR PROMOTION (TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA OR RADIO):
“The Crazy Ones – Building a Better Comedy,” Written by Erial Tompkins; CBS - WINNER

TELEVISION GRAPHIC ART AND ANIMATION:
CBS News Animations: “Brain Injury,” “Pills,” “Bionic Leg,” “Midland Parade,” “Concordia Salvage;” Animation by David Rosen; CBS News - WINNER

(*WGA Note: There were no nominees in Long Form – Original, Short Form New Media – Adapted, or Children’s – Long Form or Special awards categories this year.)

VIDEOGAME WINNER:
The Last of Us, Written by Neil Druckmann; Sony Computer Entertainment - WINNER


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

Academy Awards Explains Why "Alone Yet Not Alone" Loses Oscar Nom

Statement Regarding "Alone Yet Not Alone" Song Decision

The Board of Governors’ decision to rescind the Original Song nomination for “Alone Yet Not Alone,” music by Bruce Broughton, was made thoughtfully and after careful consideration.  The Academy takes very seriously anything that undermines the integrity of the Oscars® voting process. The Board regretfully concluded that Mr. Broughton’s actions did precisely that.

The nominating process for Original Song is intended to be anonymous, with each eligible song listed only by title and the name of the film in which it is used—the idea being to prevent favoritism and promote unbiased voting.  It’s been a long-standing policy and practice of the Academy—as well as a requirement of Rule 5.3 of the 86th Academy Awards® Rules—­­to omit composer and lyricist credits from the DVD of eligible songs that are sent to members of the Music Branch.  The Academy wants members to vote for nominees based solely on the achievement of a particular song in a movie, without regard to who may have written it.

Mr. Broughton sent an email to at least 70 of his fellow Music Branch members—nearly one-third of the branch’s 240 members.  When he identified the song as track #57 as one he had composed, and asked voting branch members to listen to it, he took advantage of information that few other potential nominees are privy to.  As a former Academy Governor and current member of the Music Branch’s executive committee, Mr. Broughton should have been more cautious about acting in a way that made it appear as if he were taking advantage of his position to exert undue influence. At a minimum, his actions called into question whether the process was "fair and equitable," as the Academy's rules require. The Academy is dedicated to doing everything it can to ensure a level playing field for all potential Oscar® contenders—including those who don’t enjoy the access, knowledge, and influence of a long-standing Academy insider.

"Alone Yet Not Alone" Loses Oscar Nomination

Academy Rescinds Original Song Nomination For "Alone Yet Not Alone"

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — On Tuesday night, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted to rescind the Original Song nomination for “Alone Yet Not Alone,” music by Bruce Broughton and lyric by Dennis Spiegel. The decision was prompted by the discovery that Broughton, a former Governor and current Music Branch executive committee member, had emailed members of the branch to make them aware of his submission during the nominations voting period.

"No matter how well-intentioned the communication, using one’s position as a former governor and current executive committee member to personally promote one’s own Oscar submission creates the appearance of an unfair advantage,” said Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President.

The Board determined that Broughton’s actions were inconsistent with the Academy’s promotional regulations, which provide, among other terms, that “it is the Academy's goal to ensure that the Awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner. If any campaign activity is determined by the Board of Governors to work in opposition to that goal, whether or not anticipated by these regulations, the Board of Governors may take any corrective actions or assess any penalties that in its discretion it deems necessary to protect the reputation and integrity of the awards process.”

An additional nominee in the Original Song category will not be named. The remaining nominees in the category are:

“Happy” from “Despicable Me 2”
Music and Lyric by Pharrell Williams

“Let It Go” from “Frozen”
Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

“The Moon Song” from “Her”
Music by Karen O; Lyric by Karen O and Spike Jonze

“Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen; Lyric by Paul Hewson

The members from each of the Academy’s branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, musicians and composers nominate song and score.

During the nominations process, all 240 voting members of the Music Branch received a Reminder List of works submitted in the Original Song category and a DVD copy of the song clips with film and song title only (additional information including composer and lyricist is not provided).  Members were asked to watch the clips and then vote in the order of their preference for not more than five nominees in the category. A maximum of two songs may be nominated from any one film.

Academy Awards® for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

The 2014 NAACP Image Award Nominations - Television Categories

Leroy Douresseaux

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 nominations for the 45th NAACP Image Awards were recently announced.  The categories are divided into seven groups:  Television, Recording (Music), Literary (Books), Motion Picture, Documentary (film and television), Writing (for film and television), and Directing (for film and television).

The 2014 NAACP Image Awards will be presented in a 2-hour special that will air live on Saturday, February 22, 2014 on TV One at 9pm ET (tape-delayed for PT – Pacific Time).  The ceremony will be preceded by a one-hour pre-show, which will air live from the red carpet at 8pm ET (PT tape-delayed).

Television nominees for the 2014 45th NAACP Image Awards:


TELEVISION

Outstanding Comedy Series
•         "House of Lies" (Showtime)
•         "Modern Family" (ABC)
•         "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)
•         "The Game" (BET)
•         "The Soul Man" (TV Land)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
•         Andre Braugher - "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (FOX)
•         Cedric The Entertainer - "The Soul Man" (TV Land)
•         Don Cheadle - "House of Lies" (Showtime)
•         Dulé Hill - "Psych" (USA Network)
•         Kevin Hart - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
•         Aisha Tyler - "Archer" (FX Networks)
•         Mindy Kaling - "The Mindy Project" (FOX)
•         Niecy Nash - "The Soul Man" (TV Land)
•         Tasha Smith - "Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" (OWN)
•         Wendy Raquel Robinson - "The Game" (BET)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
•         Boris Kodjoe - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)
•         Jerry "J B Smoove" Brooks - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)
•         Morris Chestnut - "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
•         Nick Cannon - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" (BET)
•         Tracy Morgan - "30 Rock" (NBC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
•         Anna Deavere Smith - "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
•         Brandy Norwood - "The Game" (BET)
•         Nia Long - "House of Lies" (Showtime)
•         Rashida Jones - "Parks and Recreation" (NBC)
•         Sofia Vergara - "Modern Family" (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series
•         "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
•         "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
•         "Scandal" (ABC)
•         "The Good Wife" (CBS)
•         "Treme" (HBO)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
•         James Pickens, Jr. - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
•         LL Cool J - "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
•         Michael Ealy - "Almost Human" (FOX)
•         Shemar Moore - "Criminal Minds" (CBS)
•         Wendell Pierce - "Treme" (HBO)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
•         Chandra Wilson - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
•         Kerry Washington - "Scandal" (ABC)
•         Khandi Alexander - "Treme" (HBO)
•         Nicole Beharie - "Sleepy Hollow" (FOX)
•         Regina King - "SouthLAnd" (TNT)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
•         Columbus Short - "Scandal" (ABC)
•         Guillermo Diaz - "Scandal" (ABC)
•         Jeffrey Wright - "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
•         Joe Morton - "Scandal" (ABC)
•         Michael Kenneth Williams - "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
•         Archie Panjabi - "The Good Wife" (CBS)
•         Debbie Allen - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
•         Diahann Carroll - "White Collar" (USA)
•         Taraji P. Henson - "Person of Interest" (CBS)
•         Vanessa L. Williams - "666 Park Avenue" (ABC)

Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
•         "Being Mary Jane" (BET)
•         "Betty & Coretta" (Lifetime)
•         "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story" (VH1)
•         "Luther" (BBC America)
•         "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" (HBO)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
•         Chiwetel Ejiofor - "Dancing on the Edge" (Starz)
•         Danny Glover - "Muhammad Ali's Greatest (HBO)
•         Idris Elba - "Luther" (BBC America)
•         Malik Yoba - "Betty & Coretta" (Lifetime)
•         Omari Hardwick - "Being Mary Jane" (BET)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
•         Angela Bassett - "American Horror Story: Coven" (FX Networks)
•         Angela Bassett - "Betty & Coretta" (Lifetime)
•         Gabourey Sidibe - "American Horror Story: Coven" (FX Networks)
•         Gabrielle Union - "Being Mary Jane" (BET)
•         Keke Palmer - "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story" (VH1)

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
•         Aaron D. Spears - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
•         Kristoff St. John - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
•         Lawrence Saint Victor - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
•         Redaric Williams - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
•         Tequan Richmond - "General Hospital" (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
•         Angell Conwell - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
•         Christel Khalil - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
•         Karla Mosley - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
•         Kristolyn Lloyd - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
•         Tatyana Ali - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)

Outstanding News/ Information - (Series or Special)
•         "Justice for Trayvon" (BET)
•         "Mandela: Freedom's Father" (BET)
•         "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" (OWN)
•         "The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr." (PBS)
•         "Unsung" (TV One)

Outstanding Talk Series
•         "Oprah's Lifeclass" (OWN)
•         "Oprah's Next Chapter" (OWN)
•         "Steve Harvey" (Syndicated)
•         "The Arsenio Hall Show" (Syndicated)
•         "The Queen Latifah Show" (Syndicated)

Outstanding Reality Series
•         "Iyanla: Fix My Life" (OWN)
•         "Shark Tank" (ABC)
•         "Sunday Best" (BET)
•         "The Voice" (NBC)
•         "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" (OWN)

Outstanding Variety Series or Special
•         "12 Years A Slave: A TV One Special with Cathy Hughes" (TV One)
•         "Black Girls Rock!" (BET)
•         "Key & Peele" (Comedy Central)
•         "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth" (HBO)
•         "Oprah's Master Class" (OWN)

Outstanding Children’s Program
•         "2013 HALO Awards" (Nickelodeon/TeenNick)
•         "A.N.T. Farm" (Disney Channel)
•         "Dora the Explorer" (Nickelodeon)
•         "Postcards: Mandela" (The Africa Channel)
•         "Wynton Marsalis: A YoungArts MasterClass" (HBO)

Outstanding Performance in a Youth/ Children’s Program - (Series or Special)
•         China Anne McClain - "A.N.T. Farm" (Disney Channel)
•         Eric I. Keyes, III - "Live Life and Win!" (Syndicated)
•         Fatima Ptacek - "Dora the Explorer" (Nickelodeon)
•         Karan Brar - "Jessie" (Disney Channel)
•         Zendaya - "Shake It Up" (Disney Channel)


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

The 2014 NAACP Image Award Nominations - Recording and Literature Categories

The 2014 NAACP Image Awards will be presented in a 2-hour special that will air live on Saturday, February 22, 2014 on TV One at 9pm ET (tape-delayed for PT – Pacific Time).  The ceremony will be preceded by a one-hour pre-show, which will air live from the red carpet at 8pm ET (PT tape-delayed).

Recording and Literature nominees for the 2014 / 45th NAACP Image Awards:

RECORDING (Music)

Outstanding New Artist
•         Ariana Grande (Republic Records)
•         Candice Glover (19 Recordings/Interscope Records)
•         K. Michelle (Atlantic Records)
•         RaVaughn Brown (Columbia Records)
•         Zendaya (Hollywood Records)

Outstanding Male Artist
•         Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)
•         Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
•         John Legend (Columbia Records)
•         Justin Timberlake (RCA Records)
•         Robin Thicke (Star Trak/Interscope)

Outstanding Female Artist
•         Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
•         India.Arie (Motown Records)
•         Janelle Monáe (Bad Boy/Atlantic)
•         Ledisi (Verve Records)
•         Mary J Blige (Verve Records/Interscope)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
•         "#Beautiful" - Mariah Carey feat. Miguel (Island Def Jam)
•         "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell (Star Trak/Interscope)
•         "Fire We Make" - Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell (RCA Records)
•         "Hurt You" - Toni Braxton feat. Babyface (Motown Records)
•         "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z (RCA Records)

Outstanding Jazz Album
•         "Summer Horns" - Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot (Concord Records)
•         "The Beat" - Boney James (Concord Records)
•         "The Messenger" - Kevin Eubanks (Mack Avenue Records)
•         "The Morning After: A Musical Love Journey" - Najee (Shanachie)
•         "The Songs of Stevie Wonder" - SFJAZZ Collective (SFJAZZ Records)

Outstanding Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary)
•         "20 Year Celebration Volume 1 - Best For Last" - Donald Lawrence (Quietwater Entertainment/eOne Music)
•         "Azusa: The Next Generation" - Hezekiah Walker (RCA Inspiration)
•         "Best Days Deluxe Edition" - Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music)
•         "Good God" - Shirley Caesar (eOne Music)
•         "Music From the Motion Picture Black Nativity" - Various (RCA Inspiration)

Outstanding World Music Album
•         "Coming from a Lady" - Lady Ele (13 Black Records)
•         "Live At The Royal Albert Hall" - Emeli Sande (Capitol)
•         "Natalie Cole en Español" - Natalie Cole (Verve Records)
•         "Sing To The Moon" - Laura Mvula (Columbia Records)
•         "The Standards" - Gloria Estefan (Masterworks)

Outstanding Music Video
•         "Cocoa Butter" - India.Arie (Motown Records)
•         "Fire We Make" - Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell (RCA Records)
•         "Made To Love" - John Legend (Columbia Records)
•         "Q.U.E.E.N." - Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu (Bad Boy/Atlantic)
•         "Treasure" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Song
•         "All Of Me" - John Legend (Columbia Records)
•         "Blurred Lines " - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell (Star Trak/Interscope)
•         "Fire We Make" - Alicia Keys feat. Maxwell (RCA Records)
•         "Q.U.E.E.N." - Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu (Bad Boy/Atlantic)
•         "Treasure" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Album
•         "20/20 Experience - The Complete Experience" - Justin Timberlake (RCA Records)
•         "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke (Star Trak/Interscope)
•         "Love In The Future" - John Legend (Columbia Records)
•         "Love, Charlie" - Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
•         "The Electric Lady" - Janelle Monáe (Bad Boy/Atlantic)


LITERATURE

Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction
•         "A Deeper Love Inside: The Porscha Santiaga Story" - Sister Souljah (Atria/Emily Bestler Books)
•         "Anybody's Daughter" - Pamela Samuels Young (Goldman House Publishing)
•         "Little Green: An Easy Rawlins Mystery" - Walter Mosley (Doubleday)
•         "Never Say Never: A Novel" - Victoria Christopher Murray (Touchstone/Simon & Schuster)
•         "Who Asked You?" - Terry McMillan (Viking)

Outstanding Literary Work - Non-Fiction
•         "Bartlett's Familiar Black Quotations: 5,000 Years of Literature, Lyrics, Poems, Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs from Voices Around the World" - Retha Powers (Little, Brown and Company)
•         "Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery" - Deborah Willis, Barbara Krauthamer (Temple University Press)
•         "High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society" - Carl Hart (HarperCollins, Harper)
•         "Letters to an Incarcerated Brother: Encouragement, Hope, and Healing for Inmates and Their Loved Ones" - Hill Harper (Gotham Books)
•         "The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross" - Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Donald Yacovone (SmileyBooks)

Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author
•         "Better Than Good Hair - The Curly Girl Guide to Healthy Gorgeous Natural Hair!" - Nikki Walton with Ernessa T. Carter (Harper Collins- Amistad)
•         "Ghana Must Go" - Taiye Selasi (The Penguin Press)
•         "Nine Years Under" - Sheri Booker (Gotham Books)
•         "On The Come Up" - Hannah Weyer (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday)
•         "The Returned" - Jason Mott (Harlequin MIRA)

Outstanding Literary Work - Biography/ Auto-Biography
•         "Buck: A Memoir" - MK Asante (Spiegel & Grau)
•         "Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington" - Terry Teachout (Gotham Books)
•         "Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker" - Stanley Crouch (HarperCollins, Harper)
•         "Mom & Me & Mom" - Maya Angelou (Random House)
•         "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks" - Jeanne Theoharis (Beacon Press)

Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional
•         "Do I Look Like An ATM? A Parent's Guide to Raising Financially Responsible African American Children" - Sabrina Lamb (Chicago Review Press)
•         "Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don't Have It)" – Sherri Shepherd with Billie Fitzpatrick (HarperCollins, It Books)
•         "Recruiting and Retaining Culturally Different Students in Gifted Education" - Donna Y. Ford, Ph.D. (Prufrock Press Inc.)
•         "The Entrepreneur Mind: 100 Essential Beliefs, Characteristics, and Habits of Elite Entrepreneurs" - Kevin D. Johnson (Johnson Media Inc.)
•         "The Vegucation of Robin: How Real Food Saved My Life" - Robin Quivers (Avery)

Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry
•         "Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid" - Nikki Giovanni (HarperCollins, William Morrow)
•         "Hum" - Jamaal May (Alice James Books)
•         "The Cineaste: Poems" - A. Van Jordan (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.)
•         "The Collected Poems of Ai" - Ai (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.)
•         "Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers" - Frank X Walker (University of Georgia Press)

Outstanding Literary Work - Children
•         "I'm A Pretty Little Black Girl!" - Betty K. Bynum (Author), Claire Armstrong-Parod (Illustrator) (Dream Title Publishing)
•         "Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me" - Daniel Beaty (Author), Bryan Collier (Illustrator) (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
•         "Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song" - Andrea Davis Pinkney (Author), Brian Pinkney (Illustrator) (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
•         "Nelson Mandela" - Kadir Nelson (HarperCollins Children's Books/Katherine Tegen Books)
•         "You Never Heard of Willie Mays?!" - Jonah Winter (Author), Terry Widener (Illustrator) (RH Childrens Books; Schwartz & Wade)

Outstanding Literary Work - Youth/Teens
•         "Courage Has No Color, The True Story of the Triple Nickles: America's First Black Paratroopers" - Tanya Lee
  Stone (Candlewick Press)
•         "God's Graffiti: Inspiring Stories for Teens" - Romal Tune (Judson Press)
•         "Invasion" - Walter Dean Myers (Scholastic Press/Scholastic)
•         "Raising the Bar" - Gabrielle Douglas (Zondervan)
•         "Serafina's Promise: A Novel In Verse" - Ann E. Burg (Scholastic Press/Scholastic)

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

The 2014 NAACP Image Award Nominations - Motion Picture and Documentary Categories

The 2014 NAACP Image Awards will be presented in a 2-hour special that will air live on Saturday, February 22, 2014 on TV One at 9pm ET (tape-delayed for PT – Pacific Time).  The ceremony will be preceded by a one-hour pre-show, which will air live from the red carpet at 8pm ET (PT tape-delayed).

Motion Picture and Documentary nominees for the 2014 / 45th NAACP Image Awards:

MOTION PICTURE

Outstanding Motion Picture
•         "12 Years A Slave" (River Road/Plan B/New Regency/Fox Searchlight Pictures)
•         "Fruitvale Station" (The Weinstein Company/Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions, OG Project)
•         "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (The Weinstein Company/Lee Daniels Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Pam Williams Productions)
•         "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" (The Weinstein Company/Distant Horizon, Origin Pictures, Pathé, Videovision Entertainment)
•         "The Best Man Holiday" (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
•         Chadwick Boseman - "42" (Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures)
•         Chiwetel Ejiofor - "12 Years A Slave" (River Road/Plan B/New Regency/Fox Searchlight Pictures)
•         Forest Whitaker - "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (The Weinstein Company/Lee Daniels Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Pam Williams Productions)
•         Idris Elba - "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom" (The Weinstein Company/Distant Horizon, Origin Pictures, Pathé, Videovision Entertainment)
•         Michael B. Jordan - "Fruitvale Station" (The Weinstein Company/Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions, OG Project)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
•         Angela Bassett - "Black Nativity" (Fox Searchlight Pictures/Mavin Pictures/Wonderful Films)
•         Halle Berry - "The Call" (TriStar Pictures)
•         Jennifer Hudson - "Winnie Mandela" (Ma-Afrika Films (PTY) LTD and Equinoxe Films Inc.)
•         Kerry Washington - "Tyler Perry Presents Peeples" (Lionsgate)
•         Nicole Beharie - "42" (Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
•         Cuba Gooding Jr. - "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (The Weinstein Company/Lee Daniels Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Pam Williams Productions)
•         David Oyelowo - "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (The Weinstein Company/Lee Daniels Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Pam Williams Productions)
•         Morris Chestnut - "The Best Man Holiday" (Universal Pictures)
•         Terrence Howard - "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (The Weinstein Company/Lee Daniels Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Pam Williams Productions)
•         Terrence Howard - "The Best Man Holiday" (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
•         Alfre Woodard - "12 Years A Slave" (River Road/Plan B/New Regency/Fox Searchlight Pictures)
•         Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years A Slave " (River Road/Plan B/New Regency/Fox Searchlight Pictures)
•         Naomie Harris - "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" (The Weinstein Company/Distant Horizon, Origin Pictures, Pathé, Videovision Entertainment)
•         Octavia Spencer - "Fruitvale Station" (The Weinstein Company/Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions, OG Project)
•         Oprah Winfrey - "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (The Weinstein Company/Lee Daniels Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Pam Williams Productions)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
•         "Blue Caprice" (Sundance Selects)
•         "Dallas Buyers Club" (Focus Features)
•         "Fruitvale Station" (The Weinstein Company/Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions, OG Project)
•         "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete" (Codeblack Films/Lionsgate/iDeal Partners/State Street)
•         "The Trials of Muhammad Ali" (Kartemquin Films)

Outstanding International Motion Picture
•         "Call Me Kuchu" (Lindy Hop Pictures LLC)
•         "High Tech, Low Life" (Argot Pictures)
•         "La Playa D.C." (Burning Blue)
•         "Lion Ark" (ADI Films)
•         "War Witch" (Item 7)


DOCUMENTARY

Outstanding Documentary - (Theatrical)
•         "20 Feet from Stardom" (Tremolo & Gil Friesen Productions)
•         "Call Me Kuchu" (Lindy Hop Pictures LLC)
•         "Free Angela and All Political Prisoners" (Codeblack Films/Lionsgate)
•         "Girl Rising" (The Documentary Group)
•         "The New Black" (Promised Land Film)

Outstanding Documentary - (Television)
•         "Beyoncé: Life Is But a Dream" (HBO)
•         "Dark Girls" (OWN)
•         "Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic " (Showtime)
•         "Venus Vs." (ESPN)
•         "Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley" (HBO)


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

2014 NAACP Image Award Nominations - Writing and Directing Categories

The 2014 NAACP Image Awards will be presented in a 2-hour special that will air live on Saturday, February 22, 2014 on TV One at 9pm ET (tape-delayed for PT – Pacific Time).  The ceremony will be preceded by a one-hour pre-show, which will air live from the red carpet at 8pm ET (PT tape-delayed).

Writing and Directing nominees for the 2014 / 45th NAACP Image Awards:

WRITING

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
•         Erica Montolfo-Bura - "The Game" - In Treatment (BET)
•         Karin Gist - "House of Lies" - Sincerity is an Easy Disguise in This Business (Showtime)
•         Mara Brock Akil - "The Game" - The Blueprint I & II (BET)
•         Ralph Farquhar, Chris Spencer - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" - Rock, Paper, Stealers (BET)
•         Vincent Brown - "A.N.T. Farm" - influANTces (Disney Channel)

Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series
•         Aaron Rahsaan Thomas - "SouthLAnd" - Babel (TNT)
•         Chitra Elizabeth Sampath, Damian Kindler - "Sleepy Hollow" - Sanctuary (FOX)
•         Janine Sherman Barrois - "Criminal Minds" - Strange Fruit (CBS)
•         Karin Gist - "Revenge" - Mercy (ABC)
•         Sara Hess - "Orange is the New Black" - Blood Donut (Netflix)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television)
•         Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón - "Gravity" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
•         Brian Helgeland - "42" (Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures)
•         Danny Strong - "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (The Weinstein Company/Lee Daniels Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Pam Williams Productions)
•         John Ridley - "12 Years A Slave" (River Road/Plan B/New Regency/Fox Searchlight Pictures)
•         Ryan Coogler - "Fruitvale Station" (The Weinstein Company/Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions, OG Project)

DIRECTING
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
•         Anton Cropper - "House of Lies" - Sincerity Is an Easy Disguise in This Business (Showtime)
•         Eric Dean Seaton - "Mighty Med" - Saving The People Who Save People (Disney XD)
•         Millicent Shelton - "The Hustle" - Rule 4080 (FUSE)
•         Paris Barclay - "Glee" - Diva (FOX)
•         Stan Lathan - "Real Husbands of Hollywood" - Rock, Paper, Stealers (BET)

Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series
•         Carl Franklin - "House of Cards" - Chapter 11 (Netflix)
•         Ernest Dickerson - "Treme" - Dippermouth Blues (HBO)
•         Millicent Shelton - "The Fosters" - Clean (ABC Family)
•         Regina King - "SouthLAnd" - Off Duty (TNT)
•         Rob Hardy - "Criminal Minds" - Carbon Copy (CBS)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television)
•         Jono Oliver - "Home" (The Home Film Group)
•         Justin Chadwick - "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" (The Weinstein Company/Distant Horizon, Origin Pictures, Pathé, Videovision Entertainment)
•         Lee Daniels - "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (The Weinstein Company/Lee Daniels Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Follow Through Productions, Salamander Pictures, Pam Williams Productions)
•         Malcolm D. Lee - "The Best Man Holiday" (Universal Pictures)
•         Steve McQueen - "12 Years A Slave" (River Road/Plan B/New Regency/Fox Searchlight Pictures)

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

February 2014: Negromancer History Month.

Welcome to Negromancer 2.0.  This is the rebirth of Negromancer, the former movie review website as a new movie review and movie news site.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.

The Negromancer item of the month is a book I want really badly:

Paramount Pictures Reveals Official "Noah" Poster

Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe stars as Noah, a man chosen by God for a great task before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world.

In theaters March 28, 2014

#Noah

Official Website: http://www.noahmovie.com/
Official Facebook: Facebook.com/Noah
Official Twitter: Twitter.com/NoahMovie

Happy Birthday, Ed

Have the best day, "old" friend.  Well, the good thing about 65 is that you will be exempt from paying state taxes next year...  Happy Birthday and many, many, many more.

"The Wizard of Oz" Gets Oscar Celebration of 75th Anniversary

Oscars® To Celebrate The 75th Anniversary Of "The Wizard Of Oz"

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — The Oscars will honor the 75th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz,” a best picture nominee in 1939, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.

"We are delighted to celebrate the birthday of one of the most beloved movies of all time at this year’s Oscars,” said Zadan and Meron.

“The Wizard of Oz” received six Oscar nominations, winning two for Original Score and Song.

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The telecast, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Review: "Equilibrium" Borrows from Dystopian Classics (Happy B'day, Christian Bale)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 165 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Equilibrium (2002)
Running time:  107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Kurt Wimmer
PRODUCERS:  Jan de Bont and Lucas Foster
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dion Beebe
EDITORS:  Tom Rolf and William Yeh
COMPOSER:  Klaus Badelt

SCI-FI/ACTION/DRAMA with elements of mystery and thriller

Starring:  Christian Bale, Taye Diggs, Emily Watson, Sean Bean, Sean Pertwee, William Fichtner, Angus Macfadyen, Dominic Purcell, Matthew Harbour, and Emily Siewert

The subject of this movie review is Equilibrium, a 2002 dystopian science fiction film and action movie from writer-director Kurt Wimmer.  Starring Christian Bale and Taye Diggs, the film is set in a fascist future where all forms of feeling are illegal, and the story focuses on a law enforcement officer who rises to overthrow the system.

In a dystopian future, the totalitarian regime of the city-state, Libria, has eliminated war by suppressing emotions.  The rulers believe that ultimately emotions cause humans to kill one another.  The cost of ridding the world of violent emotions, however, is the loss of love and kindness.  Books, art, music, or any kind of creativity that might arouse the emotions are also strictly forbidden, and such material is contraband to be destroyed on sight.  Feeling is a crime, and those who insist on feeling are called sense offenders.  Sense offenses are punishable by death, and the government requires its citizens to inject themselves with a drug called prozium, which keeps their emotions in check.

Of course such a government would face rebellion, and it does from the regions outside the city known as the Nethers.  To fight sense offenders in the city and in the Nethers, the government created an elite unit made of a special kind of police officer/warrior known as the Grammaton Cleric.  Stronger, inhumanely agile, and quicksilver fast, clerics use a form of fighting known as “the Gun-Katas,” which mixes martial arts and firearms handling that makes it possible for one cleric to kill a room full of armed men in the span of several seconds.

The best of these warriors is John Preston (Christian Bale), who destroys sense offenders with ease (and perhaps relish, if he could feel emotions).  However, when Preston misses a dose of Prozium, he begins to have feelings again, and he experiences a pang of conscience when he must kill in the Nethers.  Suddenly being capable of feeling, he finds himself drawn to a sense offender scheduled for execution, Mary O’Brien (Emily Watson).  There is, however, danger in Preston’s feelings.  His new partner, Brandt (Taye Diggs, who gives a nice sheen to Brandt’s bold and ruthless ambition), is, like Preston, intuitive – able to sense when someone is have feelings and emotions, and Brandt is determined to make a name for himself – even if it means bringing Preston down.

Some might mistake writer/director Kurt Wimmer’s 2000 film, Equilibrium, for a clone of The Matrix (1999).  The fancy, martial arts fighting (Gun-Kata, a style developed by Wimmer and the film’s choreographer, Jim Vickers) certainly encourages that belief, but unlike The Matrix, wire work martial arts (or wire-fu) – using wires to lift the actors high off the ground – wasn’t used here.

Equilibrium actually borrows from or resembles (in part or whole) such classic science fiction novels dealing with dark futures as Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, George Orwell’s 1984, and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, and even a bit of William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson’s Logan’s Run.  In the case of Equilibrium, the filmmakers make the right choice of focusing on crime (feeling) and punishment (death) rather than on the practicality of these future laws against emotion and feeling.  In that way, the plot is free to unfold as a narrative about the struggle for freedom in a futuristic setting.  In terms of entertainment, that’s better than an examination of the hard science of using drugs to suppress emotions or even telling the story from a sociological point of view.

Christian Bale is expert at playing the tightly coiled male or the stoic warrior.  However, he’s also quite artful at slowly revealing his emotional side in ways that endear him to the viewer.  Watching his government-issued impassive and detached façade crumble to reveal a fully functional human is a joy.  Bale may not be the leading man, but he is a leading man.  Good performances from Taye Diggs, Emily Watson, and Sean Bean add credibility to Equilibrium’s concept.  Still, it would have been nice to see more character in the supporting characters.

7 of 10
B+

Friday, August 4, 2006

Updated:  Thursday, January 30, 2014

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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

2014 Sundance Film Festival Jury and Audience Award Winners

by Amos Semien

Actor and filmmaker Robert Redford founded the Sundance Institute, a non-profit organization, in 1981.  The Sundance Institute actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide.  Through its offices in Park City, Los Angeles, and New York City, the organization provides creative and financial support to emerging and aspiring filmmakers, directors, producers, film composers, screenwriters, playwrights, and theater artists via a series of Labs and Fellowships

One of the programs put on by the Sundance Institute is the Sundance Film Festival, one of the premier platforms for American and international independent film.  This American film festival takes place annually in January in Utah – Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort.  One of the largest independent film festivals in the United States, it comprises competitive sections for American and international dramatic and documentary films, both feature-length films and short films, and a group of out-of-competition sections, including “NEXT,” “New Frontier,” “Spotlight,” and “Park City At Midnight.”

The 2014 Sundance Film Festival took place in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.  The festival opened Thursday, January 16, 2014 and closed Sunday, January 26, 2014.

Sundance Institute announced the Jury, Audience and other special awards of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the feature film Awards Ceremony, hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, in Park City, Utah. Video of the ceremony in its entirety is available at www.sundance.org/live.

2014 Sundance Film Festival Awards with presenter and recipient:

[Film description and synopsis provided by Sundance Film Festival:]

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Tracy Chapman to:
Rich Hill / U.S.A. (Directors: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos) — In a rural, American town, kids face heartbreaking choices, find comfort in the most fragile of family bonds, and dream of a future of possibility.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Leonard Maltin to:
Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Andrea Nix Fine to:
Return to Homs / Syria, Germany (Director: Talal Derki) — Basset Sarout, the 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, becomes a demonstration leader and singer, and then a fighter. Ossama, a 24-year-old renowned citizen cameraman, is critical, a pacifist, and ironic until he is detained by the regime's security forces.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Nansun Shi to:
To Kill a Man / Chile, France (Director and screenwriter: Alejandro Fernández Almendras) — When Jorge, a hardworking family man who's barely making ends meet, gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront the attacker, only to get himself shot. Even though Jorge's son nearly dies, Kalule's sentence is minimal, heightening the friction. Cast: Daniel Candia, Daniel Antivilo, Alejandra Yañez, Ariel Mateluna.

The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary Presented by Acura, was presented by William H. Macy to:
Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett) — Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia—many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted.

The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic Presented by Acura, was presented by William H. Macy to:
Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.

The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Felicity Huffman to:
The Green Prince / Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (Director: Nadav Schirman ) — This real-life thriller tells the story of one of Israel’s prized intelligence sources, recruited to spy on his own people for more than a decade. Focusing on the complex relationship with his handler, The Green Prince is a gripping account of terror, betrayal, and unthinkable choices, along with a friendship that defies all boundaries.

The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Felicity Huffman to:
Difret / Ethiopia (Director and screenwriter: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari) — Meaza Ashenafi is a young lawyer who operates under the government's radar helping women and children until one young girl's legal case exposes everything, threatening not only her career but her survival. Cast: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere.

The Audience Award: Best of NEXT <=&gt; was presented by Nick Offerman to:
Imperial Dreams / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles. Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De'aundre Bonds.

The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Morgan Neville to:
Ben Cotner & Ryan White for The Case Against 8 / U.S.A. (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Lone Scherfig to:
Cutter Hodierne for Fishing Without Nets / U.S.A., Somalia, Kenya (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey, David Burkman) — A story of pirates in Somalia told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman. Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Sally Riley to:
Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard for 20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Sebastián Lelio to:
Sophie Hyde for 52 Tuesdays / Australia (Director: Sophie Hyde, Screenplay and story by: Matthew Cormack, Story by: Sophie Hyde) — Sixteen-year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition, and their time together becomes limited to Tuesdays. This emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility, and transformation was filmed over the course of a year—once a week, every week, only on Tuesdays. Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane, Imogen Archer, Mario Späte, Beau Williams, Sam Althuizen.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Peter Saraf to:
Craig Johnson & Mark Heyman for The Skeleton Twins / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Johnson, Screenwriters: Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman) — When estranged twins Maggie and Milo feel that they’re at the end of their ropes, an unexpected reunion forces them to confront why their lives went so wrong. As the twins reconnect, they realize the key to fixing their lives may just lie in repairing their relationship. Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason.

The Screenwriting Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Sebastián Lelio to:
Eskil Vogt for Blind / Norway, Netherlands (Director and screenwriter: Eskil Vogt) — Having recently lost her sight, Ingrid retreats to the safety of her home—a place she can feel in control, alone with her husband and her thoughts. But Ingrid's real problems lie within, not beyond the walls of her apartment, and her deepest fears and repressed fantasies soon take over. Cast: Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Vera Vitali, Marius Kolbenstvedt.

The Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Jonathan Oppenheim to:
Jenny Golden, Karen Sim for Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action.

The Editing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Sally Riley to:
Jonathan Amos for 20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit.

The Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Kahane Cooperman to:
Rachel Beth Anderson, Ross Kauffman for E-TEAM / U.S.A. (Directors: Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman) — E-TEAM is driven by the high-stakes investigative work of four intrepid human rights workers, offering a rare look at their lives at home and their dramatic work in the field.

The Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Peter Saraf to:
Christopher Blauvelt for Low Down / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Preiss, Screenwriters: Amy-Jo Albany, Topper Lilien) — Based on Amy-Jo Albany's memoir, Low Down explores her heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany, as he teeters between incarceration and addiction in the urban decay and waning bohemia of Hollywood in the 1970s. Cast: John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Flea.

The Cinematography Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Caspar Sonnen to:
Thomas Balmès & Nina Bernfeld for Happiness / France, Finland (Director: Thomas Balmès) — Peyangki is a dreamy and solitary eight-year-old monk living in Laya, a Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas. Soon the world will come to him: the village is about to be connected to electricity, and the first television will flicker on before Peyangki's eyes.

The Cinematography Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Carlo Chatrian to:
Ula Pontikos for Lilting / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Hong Khaou) — The world of a Chinese mother mourning the untimely death of her son is suddenly disrupted by the presence of a stranger who doesn't speak her language. Lilting is a touching and intimate film about finding the things that bring us together. Cast: Ben Whishaw, Pei-Pei Cheng, Andrew Leung, Peter Bowles, Naomi Christie, Morven Christie.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Use of Animation was presented by Charlotte Cook to:
Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Intuitive Filmmaking was presented by Charlotte Cook to:
The Overnighters / U.S.A. (Director: Jesse Moss) — Desperate, broken men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor's decision to help them has extraordinary and unexpected consequences.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score was presented by Dana Stevens to:
The Octopus Project for Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter / U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent was presented by Dana Stevens to:
Justin Simien for Dear White People / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Simien) — Four black students attend an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over an “African American” themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in postracial America while weaving a story about forging one's unique path in the world. Cast: Tyler Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell.

A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for the Delightful Ensemble Performance, and How the Director Brought His Own Unique Universe into Cinema was presented by Carlo Chatrian to:
God Help the Girl / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stuart Murdoch) — This musical from Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian is about some messed up boys and girls and the music they made. Cast: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Pierre Boulanger, Cora Bissett.

A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematic Bravery was presented by Caspar Sonnen to:
We Come as Friends / France, Austria (Director: Hubert Sauper) — We Come as Friends is a modern odyssey, a science fiction–like journey in a tiny homemade flying machine into the heart of Africa. At the moment when the Sudan, Africa's biggest country, is being divided into two nations, a "civilizing" pathology transcends the headlines—colonialism, imperialism, and yet-another holy war over resources.

The Short Film Audience Award, Presented by YouTube, based on web traffic for 15 short films that screened at the Festival and were concurrently featured on www.youtube.com/sff, was presented to:
Chapel Perilous / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matthew Lessner) — Levi Gold is paid an unexpected visit by Robin, a door-to-door salesman with nothing to sell. The ensuing encounter forces Levi to confront his true mystical calling, and the nature of reality itself. A metaphysical comedy trip-out with Sun Araw.


www.sundance.org/festival.

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

2014 Sundance Film Festival Short Film and Special Award Winners

The 2014 Sundance Film Festival took place in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.  The festival opened Thursday, January 16, 2014 and closed Sunday, January 26, 2014.

Short Film Award Winners (Descriptions provided by Sundance Institute):

Short Film Grand Jury Prize: "Of God and Dogs"/Syrian Arab Republic (Director: Abounaddara Collective) — A young, free Syrian soldier confesses to killing a man he knew was innocent. He promises to take vengeance on the God who led him to commit the murder.

Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction: "Gregory Go Boom"/U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Janicza Bravo) — A paraplegic man leaves home to be on his own.

Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction: "The Cut"/Canada (Director and screenwriter: Geneviève Dulude-Decelles) — The Cut tells the story of a father and a daughter, whose relationship fluctuates between proximity and detachment, at the moment of a haircut.

Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction: "I Think This Is the Closest to How the Footage Looked"/Israel (Directors: Yuval Hameiri, Michal Vaknin) — A man with poor means recreates a lost memory of the last day with his mom. Objects come to life in a desperate struggle to produce a single moment that is gone.

Short Film Jury Award: Animation: "Yearbook"/U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto) — A man is hired to compile the definitive history of human existence before the planet blows up.

Short Film Special Jury Award for Unique Vision: "Rat Pack Rat"/U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Todd Rohal) — A Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator, hired to visit a loyal Rat Pack fan, finds himself performing the last rites at the boy's bedside.

Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-fiction: "Love. Love. Love."/Russia (Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram) — Every year, through the endless winters, her love takes new shapes and forms.

Short Film Special Jury Award for Direction and Ensemble Acting: "Burger"/United Kingdom, Norway (Director and screenwriter: Magnus Mork)

2014 Sundance SPECIAL AWARDS winners:

The winning directors and projects of the Sundance Institute:
Mahindra Global Filmmaking Awards, in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world, are: Hong Khaou, Monsoon (Vietnam/UK); Tobias Lindholm, A War (Denmark); Ashlee Page, Archive (Australia); and Neeraj Ghaywan, Fly Away Solo (India).

The Sundance Institute/NHK Award, honoring and supporting emerging filmmakers, was presented to Mark Rosenberg, director of the upcoming film Ad Inexplorata.

The 2014 Red Crown Producer’s Award and $10,000 grant was presented to Elisabeth Holm, producer of Obvious Child.

The 2014 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, presented to outstanding feature films focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character, was presented to I Origins, directed and written by Mike Cahill. The film received a $20,000 cash award from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

www.sundance.org/festival.

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

Renowned Casting Director Swims with "Sharknado 2"

Mike Fenton & Ann Frederick to Cast ‘SHARKNADO 2’

Iconic casting director drafting A-level talent for TV smash sequel

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Legendary casting director Mike Fenton, together with partner Ann Frederick, have struck a deal with The Asylum to cast SHARKNADO 2: THE SECOND ONE, set to film in New York City. Fenton’s long and storied career includes casting credits on THE GODFATHER: PART II, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, BACK TO THE FUTURE, and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

Mike Fenton and Ann Frederick are currently looking to cast A-list talent, from film actors to Broadway stars to music celebrities to television hosts, in a wide range of cameo roles.

The sequel to 2013’s summer TV smash will reunite the creative team from the original, headed by director Anthony Ferrante. SHARKNADO 2: THE SECOND ONE will air on Syfy in July 2014.

Fenton-Frederick Casting will hire all cameo casting alongside Gerald Webb, The Asylum’s Director of Talent.

About The Asylum
The Asylum is one of the world's leading brand-oriented motion picture and television studios. With a focus on high-concept, market-driven entertainment, like SHARKNADO, The Asylum finances, produces and releases 25 films per year through its direct pipeline to the nation's top retailers and its network of international partners. Since its founding in 1997, The Asylum has released more than 500 films and built a library of over 200 original productions, including top-rated movie premieres for Syfy and Lifetime networks. The Asylum is releasing 10 theatrical films in 2013 and is developing TV properties for 2014, including a comedy-horror series for MTV.

About Fenton-Frederick
CHINATOWN, THE GODFATHER II, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, NORMA RAE, TOTAL RECALL, ALIENS, E.T., RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, BLADE RUNNER, HONEYMOON IN VEGAS, RISKY BUSINESS, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE GOONIES, CHAPLIN …These are just a few of more than 250 motion pictures and television shows from Fenton-Frederick Casting. Acclaimed for his creative contributions to many of the greatest films of the past 25 years, Mike Fenton has acquired legendary status among Casting Directors. Also, Mike Fenton has the distinction of co-founding the Casting Society of America (C.S.A.) in 1982. Ann Frederick is co-owner of Fenton-Frederick Casting and has been working with Mike Fenton for over twelve years. Ann has worked on many films including “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D,” cult-favorite Allan Moyle’s “Weirdsville,” “Camille” starring James Franco and Sienna Miller and “A Very Muppet Christmas.” Ann has also cast music videos for such major music artists as Katy Perry, Janelle Monae, Gym Class Heroes, Ashlee Simpson and Panic at the Disco, as well as several commercials, including one of Coca-Cola’s “Open Happiness” commercials starring CeeLo Green. Mike and Ann are members of Local Union no. 399 (IBT), the Casting Union.

Happy Birthday, Anna

Hello Kitty super-fan, Anna, is 8-years-old today.  Miss Anna, have a Happy Birthday and many, many, many more!

Happy B'day, Negromancer 2.0

It was four years ago, on or about today, that Negromancer returned, after a two-and-a-half year absence as an active website.  It arrived on Blogger, and things have worked out - for the most part...

Daft Punk Wins "Album of the Year" at 56th Grammy Awards - Complete Winners List

by Leroy Douresseaux

"Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk is "Album of the Year."

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

They are helmeted, mute, and mysterious, and now, French electronic music pioneers, Daft Punk, are the toast of the music world following their big night at music’s biggest night, the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.  Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter are the guys behind the masks.  They perform as Daft Punk; last night at the Grammy Awards ceremony, however, everyone seemed to be referring to them as “the French robots.”

Daft Punk won four awards, including “Album of the Year” for the album, Random Access Memories, and “Record of the Year” for their worldwide hit song, “Get Lucky.”  The song features Pharrell Williams (who also won the Grammy for “Producer of the Year, Non-Classical”) and Nile Rodgers, a renowned songwriter and producer best known as the co-founder of Chic, one of the bestselling and most popular dance bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Daft Punk’s four Grammy Awards in one night is a first for a French music group.  Random Access Memories also received a Grammy for “Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.”  Since Daft Punk only appears in public behind helmets, Pharrell Williams, who accompanied them on stage, made the acceptance speeches for their awards.

Other big winners at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards included Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Justin Timberlake, Lorde, and Kacey Musgraves.

The eligibility period for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards is October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013.  The 56th annual Grammys awards ceremony was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California and aired on CBS on Sunday, January 26, 2014.  See a complete list of nominees at http://www.grammy.com/nominees

2014 / 56th annual Grammy Awards winners:

1. Album of the Year: "Random Access Memories," Daft Punk

2. Record of the Year: "Get Lucky," Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers

3. Song of the Year: "Royals," Joel Little & Ella Yelich O'Connor, songwriters (Lorde)

4. Best New Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

5. Best Pop Solo Performance: "Royals," Lorde
6. Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Get Lucky," Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers
7. Best Pop Instrumental Album: "Steppin' Out," Herb Alpert
8. Best Pop Vocal Album: "Unorthodox Jukebox," Bruno Mars
9. Best Dance Recording: "Clarity," Zedd Featuring Foxes
10. Best Dance/Electronica Album: "Random Access Memories," Daft Punk
11. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: "To Be Loved," Michael Buble
12. Best Rock Performance: "Radioactive," Imagine Dragons
13. Best Metal Performance: "God Is Dead?" Black Sabbath
14. Best Rock Song: "Cut Me Some Slack," Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear, songwriters (Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear)
15. Best Rock Album: "Celebration Day," Led Zeppelin
16. Best Alternative Music Album: "Modern Vampires Of The City," Vampire Weekend
17. Best R&B Performance: "Something," Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway
18. Best Traditional R&B Performance: "Please Come Home," Gary Clark Jr.
19. Best R&B Song: "Pusher Love Girl," James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (Justin Timberlake)
20. Best Urban Contemporary Album: "Unapologetic," Rihanna
21. Best R&B Album: "Girl On Fire," Alicia Keys
22. Best Rap Performance: "Thrift Shop," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz
23. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "Holy Grail," Jay Z feat. Justin Timberlake
24. Best Rap Song: "Thrift Shop," Ben Haggerty & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz)
25. Best Rap Album: "The Heist," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
26. Best Country Solo Performance: "Wagon Wheel," Darius Rucker
27. Best Country Duo/Group Performance: "From This Valley," The Civil Wars
28. Best Country Song: "Merry Go 'Round," Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
29. Best Country Album: "Same Trailer Different Park," Kacey Musgraves
30. Best New Age Album: "Love's River," Laura Sullivan
31. Best Improvised Jazz Solo: "Orbits," Wayne Shorter, soloist
32. Best Jazz Vocal Album: "Liquid Spirit," Gregory Porter
33. Best Jazz Instrumental Album: "Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue," Terri Lyne Carrington
34. Best Large Jazz Ensemble: "Night In Calisia," Randy Brecker, Włodek Pawlik Trio & Kalisz Philharmonic
35. Best Latin Jazz Album: "Song For Maura," Paquito D'Rivera And Trio Corrente
36. Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance: "Break Every Chain [Live]," Tasha Cobbs
37. Best Gospel Song: "If He Did It Before... Same God [Live]," Tye Tribbett, songwriter (Tye Tribbett)
38. Best Contemporary Christian Music Song: "Overcomer," David Garcia, Ben Glover & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Mandisa)
39. Best Gospel Album: "Greater Than [Live]," Tye Tribbett
40. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: "Overcomer," Mandisa
41. Best Latin Pop Album: "Vida," Draco Rosa
42. Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: "Treinta Días," La Santa Cecilia
43. Best Regional Mexican Music Album: "A Mi Manera," Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
44. Best Tropical Latin Album: "Pacific Mambo Orchestra," Pacific Mambo Orchestra
45. Best American Roots Song: "Love Has Come For You," Edie Brickell & Steve Martin, songwriters (Steve Martin & Edie Brickell)
46. Best Americana Album: "Old Yellow Moon," Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
47. Best Bluegrass Album: "The Streets Of Baltimore," Del McCoury Band
48. Best Blues Album: "Get Up!" Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite
49. Best Folk Album: "My Favorite Picture Of You," Guy Clark
50. Best Regional Roots Music Album: "Dockside Sessions," Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience
51. Best Reggae Album: "Ziggy Marley In Concert," Ziggy Marley

52. Best World Music Album: (TIE) "Savor Flamenco," Gipsy Kings; AND "Live: Singing For Peace Around The World," Ladysmith Black Mambazo

53. Best Children's Album: "Throw A Penny In The Wishing Well," Jennifer Gasoi
54. Best Spoken-Word Album: "America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren't," Stephen Colbert
55. Best Comedy Album: "Calm Down Gurrl," Kathy Griffin
56. Best Musical Theater Album: "Kinky Boots"
57. Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media: "Sound City: Real To Reel," Butch Vig, compilation producer

58. Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media: "Skyfall," Thomas Newman, composer
59. Best Song Written For Visual Media: "Skyfall," Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)

60. Best Instrumental Composition: "Pensamientos For Solo Alto Saxophone And Chamber Orchestra," Clare Fischer, composer (The Clare Fischer Orchestra)
61. Best Instrumental Arrangement: "On Green Dolphin Street," Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band)
62. Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): "Swing Low," Gil Goldstein, arranger (Bobby McFerrin & Esperanza Spalding)
63. Best Recording Package: "Long Night Moon," Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds, art directors (Reckless Kelly)
64. Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: "Wings Over America (Deluxe Edition)," Simon Earith & James Musgrave, art directors (Paul McCartney And Wings)
65. Best Album Notes: "Afro Blue Impressions (Remastered & Expanded)," Neil Tesser, album notes writer (John Coltrane)
66. Best Historical Album: (TIE) "Charlie Is My Darling - Ireland 1965," "The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums"
67. Best Engineered Album: "Random Access Memories," Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta & Daniel Lerner, engineers; Antoine "Chab" Chabert, Bob Ludwig, mastering engineers (Daft Punk)
68. Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Pharrell
69. Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: "Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)," Cedric Gervais, remixer (Lana Del Rey)
70. Best Surround Sound Album: "Live Kisses," Al Schmitt, surround mix engineer; Tommy LiPuma, surround producer (Paul McCartney)
71. Best Engineered Album, Classical: "Winter Morning Walks," David Frost, Brian Losch & Tim Martyn, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Dawn Upshaw, Maria Schneider, Australian Chamber Orchestra & St. Paul Chamber Orchestra)
72. Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost
73. Best Orchestral Performance: "Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4," Osmo Vänskä, conductor (MinnesotaOrchestra)
74. Best Opera Recording: "Adès: The Tempest," Thomas Adès, conductor; Simon Keenlyside, Isabel Leonard, Audrey Luna & Alan Oke; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
75. Best Choral Performance: "Pärt: Adam's Lament," Tõnu Kaljuste, conductor (Tui Hirv & Rainer Vilu; Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; Sinfonietta Riga & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra; Latvian Radio Choir & Vox Clamantis)
76. Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: "Roomful Of Teeth," Brad Wells & Roomful Of Teeth
77. Best Classical Instrumental Solo: "Corigliano: Conjurer - Concerto For Percussionist & String Orchestra," Evelyn Glennie; David Alan Miller, conductor (Albany Symphony)
78. Best Classical Vocal Solo: "Winter Morning Walks," Dawn Upshaw (Maria Schneider; Jay Anderson, Frank Kimbrough & Scott Robinson; Australian Chamber Orchestra & St. Paul Chamber Orchestra)
79. Best Classical Compendium: "Hindemith: Violinkonzert; Symphonic Metamorphosis; Konzertmusik," Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
80. Best Contemporary Classical Composition: "Schneider, Maria: Winter Morning Walks," Maria Schneider, composer (Dawn Upshaw, Jay Anderson, Frank Kimbrough, Scott Robinson & Australian Chamber Orchestra)
81. Best Music Video: "Suit & Tie," Justin Timberlake Featuring Jay Z - David Fincher, video director; Timory King, video producer
82. Best Music Film: "Live Kisses," Paul McCartney - Jonas Akerlund, video director; Violaine Etienne, Aron Levine & Scott Rodger, video producers

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

2014 International Cinephile Society Award Nominations Announced

by Amos Semien

The International Cinephile Society (ICS) was formed in 2003.  The ICS is an online group made up of approximately 80 members, who it describes as “accredited journalists, film scholars, historians and other industry professionals who cover film festivals and events on five continents.”

Each year, in February, the ICS honors the finest in American and international cinema with the ICS Awards.  On the Sunday, January 12, 2014, they announced the nominees for their 11th annual awards.  The nominations are a mixture of critical favorites such as Inside Llewyn Davis, Her, and 12 Years a Slave, which each received seven nominations, including “Best Picture.”  However, they also went with such films as Frances Ha and Spring Breakers, which have not received much, if any, best picture love.  The winners will be announced Sunday, February 23, 2014.

2014 / The 11th ICS Awards nominees (for the year in film, 2013):

PICTURE
• 12 Years a Slave
• Before Midnight
• Blue is the Warmest Color
• Frances Ha
• Gravity
• The Great Beauty
• Her
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Laurence Anyways
• Spring Breakers
• The Wolf of Wall Street

DIRECTOR
• Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - Inside Llewyn Davis
• Alfonso Cuarón - Gravity
• Xavier Dolan - Laurence Anyways
• Spike Jonze - Her
• Abdellatif Kechiche - Blue is the Warmest Color
• Paolo Sorrentino - The Great Beauty

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
• Beyond the Hills
• Blancanieves
• Blue is the Warmest Color
• Faust
• The Great Beauty
• The Hunt
• In the House
• Laurence Anyways
• The Past
• A Touch of Sin

ACTOR
• Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street
• Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
• Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis
• Mads Mikkelsen - The Hunt
• Joaquin Phoenix - Her
• Melvil Poupaud - Laurence Anyways

ACTRESS
• Juliette Binoche - Camille Claudel 1915
• Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
• Suzanne Clément - Laurence Anyways
• Adèle Exarchopoulos - Blue is the Warmest Color
• Greta Gerwig - Frances Ha

SUPPORTING ACTOR
• Anton Adasinsky - Faust
• Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave
• James Franco - Spring Breakers
• Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club
• Matthew McConaughey - Mud

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
• Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine
• Scarlett Johansson - Her
• Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
• Léa Seydoux - Blue is the Warmest Color
• Kristin Scott Thomas - Only God Forgives

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
• Blue Jasmine - Woody Allen
• Frances Ha - Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig
• Her - Spike Jonze
• Inside Llewyn Davis - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
• Laurence Anyways - Xavier Dolan

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
• 12 Years a Slave - John Ridley
• Before Midnight - Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
• Blue is the Warmest Color - Abdellatif Kechiche, Ghalia Lacroix
• In the House - François Ozon
• Short Term 12 - Destin Cretton

CINEMATOGRAPHY
• Blancanieves - Kiko de la Rica
• Faust - Bruno Delbonnel
• Gravity - Emmanuel Lubezki
• Inside Llewyn Davis - Bruno Delbonnel
• Leviathan - Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Verena Paravel

EDITING
• Blue is the Warmest Color - Sophie Brunet, Ghalia Lacroix, Albertine Lastera, Jean-Marie Lengelle, Camille Toubkis
• Frances Ha - Jennifer Lame
• Gravity - Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger
• Leviathan - Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Verena Paravel
• Spring Breakers - Douglas Crise
• The Wolf of Wall Street - Thelma Schoonmaker

PRODUCTION DESIGN
• Blancanieves - Alain Bainée
• Faust - Elena Zhukova
• The Great Gatsby - Catherine Martin
• Her - K.K. Barrett
• Inside Llewyn Davis - Jess Gonchor

ORIGINAL SCORE
• 12 Years a Slave - Hans Zimmer
• All is Lost - Alex Ebert
• Blancanieves - Alfonso de Vilallonga
• The Great Beauty - Lele Marchitelli
• Her - Owen Pallett

ENSEMBLE
• 12 Years a Slave
• American Hustle
• Frances Ha
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Short Term 12

ANIMATED FILM
• Ernest & Célestine
• From Up On Poppy Hill
• Frozen
• Monsters University
• The Wind Rises

DOCUMENTARY
• The Act of Killing
• At Berkeley
• Leviathan
• Room 237
• Stories We Tell

BEST PICTURE NOT RELEASED IN 2013
• Child's Pose
• The Congress
• Gloria
• Home from Home: Chronicle of a Vision
• The Immigrant
• Like Father, Like Son
• Norte, The End of History
• Only Lovers Left Alive
• The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu
• Snowpiercer
• The Strange Little Cat
• Stranger by the Lake
• Stray Dogs
• Tom at the Farm
• Young & Beautiful

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