Actors Outshine Melodrama in 'Brothers'

The three actors who star in director Jim Sheridan's Brothers -- Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal -- give performances worthy of a much better film.

Portman is rather believable as the former cheerleader turned bereaved soldier's wife. And Gyllenhaal sort of one-ups the performance he gave way-back-when in Donnie Darko -- you know, the troubled, bad-boy younger brother.

Maguire does the most work here. His performance is a major departure from everything else he's done thus far (his Golden Globe nod is quite deserved). He's physically transformed, and, emotionally, he's battered, brittle, so on edge.

The raw material of the film could have been spun into something hearty and fulfilling. The last movie I saw that dealt with PTSD, In the Valley of Elah with Charlize Theron, was excellent: superior acting and a screenplay that kept you interested.

What we get in Brothers, however, is melodrama that drips heavy like syrup. If you've seen the trailer for this movie, there will be no twists beyond some zingers delivered by the youngest actors on the screen. The story unfolds predictably, and Maguire's breakdown seems rather sudden. As does the ending.

Trailer Alert: Iron Man 2

I must admit, I was a bit nervous when I read some months ago about the cast changes on the Iron Man sequel -- you know, Terrance Howard replaced with Don Cheadle. Both great actors, but switching out a central character on the second film? Why mess with chemistry when it worked the first go round.

After seeing the trailer at http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/ironman/ I'm confident this movie is going to be hot shit (urban colloquialism for "good").

Out in theaters May 2010.

Screen Actors Guild Awards

(Diane Kruger is nominated for a SAG award for her work in Inglourious Basterds)

Quentin Tarentino's latest movie, Inglourious Basterds, is violent escapism at its best. Though it did not have history on its side, it is now one of the most honored films of the year.

With the announcement of the Screen Actors Guild nominations this morning, Inglourious Basterds, along with Up in the Air and Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire, became a film-to-beat on the road to Oscar gold.

I'd be surprised if Academy Award nominations don't match-up exactly to the SAG nods this year.

The nominations for the 16th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which will be announced on TV Jan. 23, are as follows:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for Television

Simon Baker, "The Mentalist"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House M.D."

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for Television (Because there was a tie, there are six nominees instead of the traditional five in this category.)

Patricia Arquette, "Medium"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for Television

"The Closer"
"Dexter"
"The Good Wife"
"Mad Men"
"True Blood"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for Television

Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine"

Oustanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for Television

Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for Television

"30 Rock"
"Curb Your Enthusiasm"
"Glee"
"Modern Family"
"The Office"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance"
Cuba Gooding Jr., "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"
Jeremy Irons, "Georgia O'Keeffe"
Kevin Kline, "Great Performances: Cyrano de Bergerac"
Tom Wilkinson, "A Number"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Joan Allen, "Georgia O'Keeffe"
Drew Barrymore, "Grey Gardens"
Ruby Dee, "America"
Jessica Lange, "Grey Gardens"
Sigourney Weaver, "Prayers for Bobby"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Matt Damon, "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Penelope Cruz, "Nine"
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
Diane Kruger, "Inglourious Basterds"
Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture

Jeff Bridges - "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney - "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth - "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman - "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner - "The Hurt Locker"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture

Sandra Bullock - "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren - "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan - "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe - "Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire"
Meryl Streep - "Julie and Julia"

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

"An Education"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Nine"
"Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire"

The Genius of Tim Burton on Display in 'Alice'

Check out the newest trailer for the upcoming Alice In Wonderland, from director Tim Burton. Genius.

With Globe Nods Announced, Oscar Match-Ups Become Clearer

(From Avatar, nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama)

The awards season kicked into high gear this morning when the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. announced the nominations for its Golden Globe Awards.

If you've been paying attention to pundits thus far, you weren't surprised when the nominations were read. Precious, The Hurt Locker, Avatar, Up in the Air and Inglourious Basterds all earned nominations for Best Motion Picture -- Drama. In the Comedy/Musical category, the nominations were, again, no surprise: (500) Days of Summer, The Hangover, It's Complicated, Julie & Julia and Nine.

Here are the rest of the nominees. Once the Screen Actors Guild announces nominations for the Actor awards, I'll begin whittling down my annual list of Must-See-Oscar-Hopeful-Films.

Best Motion Picture - Drama
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Precious"
"Up in the Air"
"Avatar"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Emily Blunt, "The Young Victoria"
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
Tobey Maguire, "Brothers"

Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
"The Hangover"
"It's Complicated"
"Julie & Julia"
"Nine"
"(500) Days of Summer"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Sandra Bullock, "The Proposal"
Marion Cotillard, "Nine"
Meryl Streep, "It's Complicated"
Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"
Julia Roberts, "Duplicity"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Daniel Day-Lewis, "Nine"
Robert Downey Jr., "Sherlock Holmes"
Michael Stuhlbarg, "A Serious Man"
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "(500) Days of Summer"
Matt Damon, "The Informant!"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Mo'Nique, "Precious"
Julianne Moore, "A Single Man"
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
Penelope Cruz, "Nine"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Matt Damon, "Invictus"
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"

Best Animated Feature Film
"Coraline"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs"
"The Princess and the Frog"
"Up"

Best Foreign Language Film
"Baaria"
"Broken Embraces"
"The Prophet"
"The White Ribbon"
"The Maid"

Best Director - Motion Picture
Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
James Cameron, "Avatar"
Clint Eastwood, "Invictus"
Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, "District 9"
Mark Boal, "The Hurt Locker"
Nancy Meyers, "It's Complicated"
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, "Up in the Air"
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Michael Giacchino, "Up"
Marvin Hamlisch, "The Informant!"
James Horner, "Avatar"
Abel Korzeniowski and Karen O, "A Single Man"
Carter Burwell, "Where the Wild Things Are"

Best Original Song -- Motion Picture
"I See You," "Avatar"
"The Weary Kind," "Crazy Heart"
"Cinema Italiano," "Nine"
"I Want to Come Home," "Everybody's Fine"
"Winter," "Brothers"

Best Television Series - Drama
"Dexter"
"Mad Men"
"House M.D."
"True Blood"
"Big Love"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Glenn Close, "Damages"
January Jones, "Mad Men"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Anna Paquin, "True Blood"
Kyra Sedgewick, "The Closer"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Simon Baker, "The Mentalist"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House M.D."
Bill Paxton, "Big Love"

Best Television Series - Comedy
"30 Rock"
"Entourage"
"Glee"
"The Office"
"Modern Family"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
David Duchovny, "Californication"
Thomas Jane, "Hung"
Matthew Morrison, "Glee"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara"
Courteney Cox, "Cougar Town"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Lea Michele, "Glee"

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
"Georgia O'Keefe"
"Grey Gardens"
"Into the Storm"
"Little Dorrit"
"Taking chance"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Joan Allen, "Georgia O'Keefe"
Drew Barrymore, "Grey Gardens"
Jessica Lange, "Grey Gardens"
Anna Paquin, "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler"
Sigourney Weaver, "Prayers for Bobby"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance"
Kenneth Branagh, "Wallander: One Step Behind"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "Endgame"
Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm"
Jeremy Irons, "Georgia O'Keefe"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jane Adams, "Hung"
Rose Byrne, "Damages"
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Janet McTeer, "Into the Storm"
Chloe Sevigny, "Big Love"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
William Hurt, "Damages"
John Lithgow, "Dexter"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"

Toni Braxton's New Video: Yesterday featuring Trey Songz

Check out the new video for Toni Braxton's first single off the new album. Toni remains the baddest, sexiest R&B/soul singer in the game. She could sing the A-B-Cs and I'd be ok with that.


If you can't see this video, go to http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid340480126?bctid=51648704001

Critics Agree: New Twilight Sucks

The new Twilight film isn't something I'd ever pay to see, considering the last one -- which I also didn't pay to see -- was so boring I imagine taking a non-stop flight from LA to Miami without a laptop, earphones or in-flight film would be more interesting.

So, I rely on others to tell me if this one is worth watching or not. And it's not.

My friend Mara reports: "Was bored out of my skull for most of New Moon."

Her assessment is pretty consistent with the critics. The Twilight Saga: New Moon only scores 29 percent on Rottentomatoes.com.

Tom Long of the Detroit News says, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon is a mess."

Stephanie Zacharek over at Salon.com calls it "badly shaped."

David Germain, reporting for the AP, says, "All three lovers are so joyless, it's hard to imagine why any of them would want to spend eternity together."

And, the best, comes from Peter Travers of Rolling Stone: "I can't comment on the acting because I didn't catch Pattinson, Stewart and Lautner doing any. They basically primp and pose through the same humdrum motions they did before."

Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal enter the Oscar Race

Check out the trailer for the new Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal flick, Crazy Horses. Current buzz is both are serious contenders for Academy Award nods -- and Bridges (with four nods behind him) is considered a front-runner in his category.

Bridges stars as the richly comic, semi-tragic romantic anti-hero Bad Blake in the debut feature film Crazy Heart from writer-director Scott Cooper. Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who's had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean (Gyllenhaal), a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician. As he struggles down the road of redemption, Bad learns the hard way just how tough life can be on one man’s crazy heart.

Bridges has four Academy Award nominations and two Screen Actor's Guild nominations. Gyllenhaal has been nominated twice for the Golden Globe and Indy Spirit, and she should have gotten an Academy Award nod for her work in SherryBaby.

See the trailer at http://www.foxsearchlight.com/crazyheart/

Angie Does Action Again: First Look at Salt

Angelina Jolie's newest movie, Salt, probably won't compete for major awards like the Oscar or Golden Globe next year. Still, it looks kinda hot. The movie is set for July 23, 2010 release. Check out the trailer.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfV5CTyVkwI

Must See - Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire

(Gabourey Sidebe and a refreshing Paula Patton in Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire)

As Precious opens, the 16-year-old Claireece “Precious” Jones is pregnant for the second time with her father’s baby. She is illiterate, overweight and living with a mother who beats and rapes her. But things begin to change for Precious when she enrolls at an alternative school for young women. Here, with the help of her teacher, Ms. Rain, she begins to learn her value and starts the slow processes of learning to read. She also starts to confront and excise her demons.

Lee Daniels manages something remarkable with his adaptation of PUSH, a 1997 novel by the poet Sapphire. Where the novel is perhaps the bleakest, must unsettling work of fiction I've ever read, the film is sometimes humorous despite the pain, and it ends with the clearest signs of hope. We have Gabourey Sidebe to thank for this.

Sidebe raises Precious above caricature and stereotype by displaying the fullest range of emotions. She’s, at first, understandably withdrawn, tight-lipped and angry. She shouts at her classmates when they cut up in class. She fantasizes about what her life could be if she were wealthy, pretty, skinny, white and living in Westchester or somewhere with the math teacher who smiles at her. In her fantasies, we see a happy Precious, someone effusive and expressive. The contrast is striking and wholly believable.

Then, there is Mo’Nique. And my god, Mo’Nique is brilliant. She’s grotesque in her physical want for her daughter and horrifying in the violence. Mo’Nique digs deep within the soul of this woman and lays bare the pathology that brought her here.

In a 1988 interview for Women’s Review of Books, Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison said no one who’s been hurt or abused tells her story voluntarily, but “when they do say it, and hear it, and look at it, and share it, they are not only one, they’re two, and three, and four, you know? The collective sharing of their information heals the individual – and the collective.”

We witness a sort of collective healing in Precious. The story belongs to the title character; it's her journey. But the healing is also Ms. Rain's, the girls in Precious' class, even the counselor (a convincing Mariah Carey).

It's also ours. Yes, this is a work of fiction. But the circumstances that created Precious -- the fucked-up school system, the cycle of violence in the inner city, parents so downtrodden and wanton they abuse their children -- all of this is part our America, one that resides alongside the pretty picture of Barack and Michelle Obama in the White House.

Some people won't like this movie. They'll say it's too harsh, that what Precious endures isn't realistic, that movies are supposed to entertain. But I think movies -- and stories in general -- are supposed to do much more. They're supposed to inform and uplift. And if they're truly great, enlighten. Monster's Ball, the Lee Daniels-produced movie that won Halle Berry her Oscar, fell short by a few miles. Precious, though not perfect, gets rather close.

Review: This Is It

This Is It is about Michael Jackson and his music. And through his work we get glimpses of his humanity.

I saw This Is It at a Sunday matinee with my sister, niece and mother. We waited in line to see the film, and by the time the lights dimmed, the theater was full. Children hushed, phones went to silent, and the woman sitting two seats away leaned forward against the rail as if she would be able to more fully experience Michael Jackson this way.

This film is, of course, a final farewell to the King of Pop. But there is no sadness here. Only a celebration of what made Michael Michael.

The film opens with "confessionals" from dancers preparing to rehearse. They're all overcome with just the possibility of performing with him, though they've yet to be selected. This opening vignette offers the films only tears. But these tears are filled with optimism, some hope.

Then we watch what would have been. Michael choreographing dance numbers. Michael singing and dancing in jeans and blazers, and once in sweats. We watch Michael the perfectionist correcting his musical director, at one point telling the man: "I want it the way I wrote it." He's talking about the opening of "The Way You Make Me Feel" here, and the musical director isn't getting it. In another memorable scene, a frustrated Michael takes his ear piece out and complains to the show director that volume is so high "it's like someone's shoving a fist in my ear."

And despite reports that he had lost it (a newspaper claimed he'd lost his voice and could barely dance anymore), Michael does it all. Rewrites melodies to some of his best tunes, goes to church at the end of "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," and the dancers and crew members go crazy! And so does the audience at Aventura AMC 24.

Bottom line: If you weren't a fan, this ain't for you. If you were a fan, there's nothing here you won't like. It's a celebration of a body of work that has withstood tabloids, scandal, macabre news reports about autopsy photos and the like. It's about a man who lived, from the time he was five, for music and entertainment. We know based on published reports and a family biopic that the road was never easy. We witnessed a decade of decline in general public image. But here, with this film, we're reminded that despite it all, there was -- there is -- his music.

Undeniably, hands down, the most important pop culture figure of the 20th century.

Later This Year: Heath Ledgers Final Film

The title of Heath Ledger's final film: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Check out the trailer. Looks like its going to be a fun ride.

Here's a synopsis from David Stratton for At the Movies: The aged Dr Parnassus, CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, is an immortal showman whose ancient caravan, set up by the Thames in London, contains a magic mirror leading to amazing worlds beyond. The sage-like doctor, who is accompanied by his assistants Anton, ANDREW GARFIELD, and the diminutive Percy, VERNE TROYER, is devoted to his beautiful daughter, Valentina, LILY COLE; but in a centuries old pact with the Devil, TOM WAITS, Parnassus must deliver the girl to him when she turns 16, which she’s about to do, unless he can deliver five new souls.

Avoid: Amelia

There had been some early talk that Hilary Swank could nab her third Oscar nod -- if not win -- from the biopic Amelia. But the reviews have begun trickling in, and if The New York Times has its finger on the pulse of a serious movie-watching public, this film is a dud not worth the $10 admission ticket.

Manohla Dargis writes:

Alas, excesses of any pleasurable kind are absent from this exasperatingly dull production. ... I don’t recall a single dented automobile or a fissure of real feeling etched into a face.

...

The actors (Swank and Richard Gere) don’t make a persuasive fit, despite all their long stares and infernal smiling. (The movie is a more effective testament to the triumphs of American dentistry than to Earhart or aviation.) It’s hard to imagine anyone, other than satirists, doing anything with the puerile, sometimes risible dialogue. The screenwriters, Ron Bass and Anna Hamilton Phelan, give Earhart a voice-over even as they forget her voice.

Harsh.

In Two Weeks: Precious

Precious, the film adaptation of Saphirre's 1996 novel PUSH, will hit theater's Nov. 6. Industry insiders say the film -- directed by Lee Daniels and starring Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey in critically-acclaimed dramatic roles -- promises to pack the same emotional punch as last-year's Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaires. Unlike Slumdog, however, Precious tells a decidedly American story of class, race and sexual struggle. It's central character is an overweight black girl from the ghetto who endures horrific physical and sexual violence from both of her parents. It's a tough story. Though I read through the work in a single sitting more than a month ago, the power of the piece rests with me still. Saphirre's prose is unrelenting. And the film, critics say, is an equally visceral experience.

The New York Times Magazine published an insightful feature titled "The Audacity of Precious." It's an interesting piece, offering the director's vision but also presenting a context in which the film should be viewed. “Precious is so not Obama,” Daniels said. “Precious is so not P.C. What I learned from doing the film is that even though I am black, I’m prejudiced. I’m prejudiced against people who are darker than me. When I was young, I went to a church where the lighter-skinned you were, the closer you sat to the altar. Anybody that’s heavy like Precious — I thought they were dirty and not very smart. Making this movie changed my heart. I’ll never look at a fat girl walking down the street the same way again.”

Read the entire piece at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/magazine/25precious-t.html?ref=movies

Attention Movie Buffs: International Films at Tower Theater

(Tokyo Sonata screens Sept. 25 - Oct. 1 at Tower Theater in Miami)

A little theater in Miami's Little Havana is serving up a weekly dose of critically acclaimed feature films from around the world.

Tower Theater, at 1508 S.W. Eighth Street in Miami, screens the most diverse range of quality cinema in South Florida. This includes the Oscar-winning Departures (Best Foreign Film) to indy Rudy y Cursi (with Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal), Spanish-dubbed Up and festival darling Lion's Den.

Most of what you find at Tower Theater you can't find on a big screen anywhere else in the county. Besides that, where else can you get a $6 movie ticket?

Next week, the critically hailed Tokyo Sonata will screen at Tower Theater. The drama, about the misfortunes of a Japanese family, scores 92% positive reviews on RottenTomatoes. Critics agree director Kiyoshi Kurosawa brings a "unique perspective to the universal subject of family and identity." The film nabbed the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

For schedules, go to www.mdc.edu/culture/tower.htm

'Mad Men' Returns in One Week

Only one week left until the new season of Mad Men. AMC's ad campaign reveals almost nothing about the new season (see it here; it's rather awesome) -- but in an interview with the New York Times, show creator Matthew Weiner gave us some clues:

In the new season we see this ultimate self-made man of midcentury America — outwardly confident but hollow at the core — smacked, like the culture he embodies, by the earthquake of the ’60s. “I started off writing the show as a scathing analysis of what happened to the United States,” Mr. Weiner said. “But the more I got into Don, the more I realized this is an amazing place. Something really did change in those years” — the late ’50s and early ’60s. “What would it be like to go to that place?”

He continued: “I’m interested in how people respond to change. Are they excited by the change, or are they terrified that they’ll lose everything that they know? Do people recognize that change is going on? That’s what the show’s about.”

Here's More on Season Three:

Marked for November: Precious - Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire

I encountered Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire earlier in the year when it screened at Miami International Film Festival. I was proofreading a program schedule and only gave a passing glance to the blurb about the hard-luck life of an overweight girl from the city. The blurb was accompanied by the photo above.

Then there were articles in the New York Times and LA Times. A glowing review in the Hollywood Reporter. And Sundance. The movie, then only called Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, walked away with the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Dramatic Film, the Audience Award, and A Special Jury Prize for Acting (awarded to Mo'Nique).

Below is the synopsis in full, pulled directly from the folks at Sundance. But I warn you in advance, it does no justice. Instead, I suggest you simply watch the TRAILER by clicking here or by going to YouTube. And unless you are completely vapid and without soul or intellect, you'll be floored.

With sheer audacity and utter authenticity, director Lee Daniels tackles Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire and creates an unforgettable film that sets a new standard for cinema of its kind. Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is a high-school girl with nothing working in her favor. She is pregnant with her father’s child—for the second time. She can’t read or write, and her schoolmates tease her for being fat. Her home life is a horror, ruled by a mother (Mo’Nique) who keeps her imprisoned both emotionally and physically. Precious’s instincts tell her one thing: if she’s ever going to break from the chains of ignorance, she will have to dig deeply into her own resources. Don’t be misled—Push is not a film wallowing in the stillness of depression; instead, it vibrates with the kind of energy derived only from anger and hope. The entire cast are amazing; they carry out a firestorm of raw emotion. Daniels has drawn from them inimitable performances that will rivet you to your seat and leave you too shocked to breathe. If you passed Precious on the street, you probably wouldn’t notice her. But when her story is revealed, as Daniels does in this courageous film, you are left with an indelible image of a young woman who—with creativity, humor, and ferocity—finds the strength to turn her life around.

That Glorious Season!

(Photo: Mo'Nique in Precious)

So, it’s that time of year again. Here's my late summer/early fall list of must-see films.

Julie & Julia: August 7
Synopsis: Meryl Streep is Julia Child and Amy Adams is Julie Powell in writer-director Nora Ephron’s adaptation of two bestselling memoirs: Powell’s Julie & Julia and My Life in France, by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme.
(Is there any doubt Meryl Streep and Amy Adams will be nominated… and didn’t you like my play on the word “doubt”?)

District 9: August 14
Synopsis: Genre master Peter Jackson produces this science-fiction film, the directorial debut of Neill Blomkamp. In District 9, South Africa has become a haven for refugees--from outer space. Genre master Peter Jackson produces this science-fiction film, the directorial debut of Neill Blomkamp. In District 9, South Africa has become a haven for refugees--from outer space.
(Won’t get any major acting awards, but it looks interesting. Will probably land effects or some award like that)

Inglourious Basterds: August 21
Synopsis: Inglourious Basterds begins in German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz).
(No awards buzz… just looks like a cool movie)

I Can Be Bad All By Myself: September 11
The Plot: Madea (Perry) delivers three young adults who tried to rob her home to their aunt (Henson), a hard-living nightclub singer who doesn't want the responsibility of parenting the trio. Can Madea's influence, coupled with the arrival a handsome, industrious new tenant (Rodriguez), help April turn a corner in her life?
(It’s a Tyler Perry movie… so far, he hasn’t disappointed his audience)

The Informant: September 18
The Plot: The U.S. government decides to go after an agri-business giant with a price-fixing accusation, based on the evidence submitted by their star witness, company-man-turned-whistleblower Mark Whitacre (Damon).
(This is directed by Steven Soderbergh)

Coco Before Chanel: September 25:
The Plot: The story of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (Tautou) and her rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world..
(This is classic Oscar-bait… Tautou starring in a biopic)

Shutter Island: October 2
The Plot: When a psychotic killer (Mortimer) disappears from a mental institution on Shutter Island, a pair of U.S. Marshals (Ruffalo and DiCaprio) race against the clock in order to track her down.
(More Oscar bait… just look at the cast list. And did I mention Scorcese is the director?)

Where the Wild Things Are: October 16
The Plot: Young, mischievous Max is sent to bed without his supper, but when his bedroom turns in to a magical jungle landscape filled with strange creatures, he embarks on a wild imaginary adventure.
and now here's the trailer!.

The Road: October 16
The Plot: A father (Mortensen) and son (Smit-McPhee) walk for months across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic landscape in search of civilization.

Amelia: October 23
The Plot: A look at the life of Amelia Earhart (Swank), the American pilot who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 on her history-making flight around the world.
(Hilary Swank in serious picture in which her character dies equal Oscar nod if not Oscar win)

Precious - Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire: November 6
The Plot: In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen (Sidibe) who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.
I’ve heard talk of this since early in the year since film festivals. Mo’Nique is a sure-fire nod (if not win) for Best Supporting Actress

Nine: November 27
The Plot: Famous film director Guido Contini (Day-Lewis) struggles to find harmony in his professional and personal lives, as he engages in dramatic relationships with his wife, his mistress, his muse, his agent, and his mother.
(Dude, three recent Oscar winners - Daniel Day-Lews, Marion Cotillard and Penelope Cruz - in a single movie!)

Brothers: December 4
The Plot: Sam Cahill (Maguire) returns from being held as a prisoner-of-war in Afghanistan to find that his ex-con brother (Gyllenhaal) has become the man, of sorts, of the household where Sam's wife, Grace (Portman) had been living under the assumption that she was a widow.

The Princess and the Frog: December 11
The Plot: A fairy tale centered on a young girl named Princess Tiana who lives in New Orleans French Quarter during the Jazz Age.
(It’s Disney. Animated nod)

The Lovely Bones: December 11
The Plot: Young Susie watches over her family from heaven as they deal with the aftermath of her brutal rape and murder.
(Stars Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Mark Wahlberg, Saoirse Ronan – two Oscar winners and two past nominees. The trailer is awesome)

Sherlock Holmes: December 25
The Plot: Detective Sherlock Holmes (Downey Jr.) and his stalwart partner Watson (Law) engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England.

The Book of Eli: January 15
The Plot: In a post-apocalyptic United States, a lone man (Washington) fights his way across the country in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.

Why I Did Not Like "Half-Blood" Prince

I guess I should make this plain: It's not that I think Half-Blood prince was an awful film. It's just that David Yates clearly didn't read the book on which it was based and his screenwriter didn't fully understand which elements of the tome were most important to the story. So we get a movie that is untrue to the book series, that breaks the rules established by the author, and ignores elements that are crucial.

Case in point -- The Dursleys. Harry's aunt, uncle and cousin get no play in this movie. The last time we saw them they were taking Dudley to the hospital because he was attacked by a Dementor. Ok, pause. A hospital? And Petunia says nothing about knowing anything about Azkaban. And this time around, they don't even show up, even though it's important to know Harry is living with them specifically because he remains protected while in the home of his aunt, his mother's only living blood relative. The power of her love protects him until he comes of age. This is key.

Absence of the Order. Um, are we forgetting that Sirius Black died last go 'round. I don't think he was mentioned at all in this movie. What the F? Then, when the Death Eaters arrive at Hogwarts, the Order fails to show up. There's no battle, and Greyback doesn't maim anyone. Oh, and Tonks and Lupin are together when the movie starts? Again, what the F? The battle at Hogwarts, Bill Weasley's injury and Fleur's willingness to have him still are what brings these two together. Again, love, a central theme, emerges at the end of the book because love binds and protects, and will ultimately defeat Voldemort.

These are the major flaws... little things bother, like apperating and disapperating -- NO ONE can do this. And the attack at the Burrough -- DID NOT happen and would not happen because the Weasly's are protected with the same kind of magic that protects Hogwarts. They lose that protection in the final chapter when the Minister of Magic is murdered and the ministry falls. That's when they get the warning that the Death Eaters are coming and Harry, Hermione and Ron go on the run. Speaking of Minister of Magic -- where was he?!

I can't imagine what kind of ridiculous yarn they'll pull together to fill the gaps. I imagine Mr. Yates will give us a story only loosely resembling the novels on which his movies are supposed to be based. It will make tons of money. People who haven't read the books (i.e., all of the film critics) will say they're pleased, and I'll probably be dissatisfied as I've been the last two times.

Mr. Ebert, I beg to differ. Transformers Totally Rocks

Even when I don't agree fully with Roger Ebert, I can understand his point of view. Not when it comes to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Mr. Ebert and the rest of the film-reviewing world decided they didn't like this latest Michael Bay film. They didn't understand the story, thought there were too many explosions. The comedy, they said, was sub-par, nonsensical.

I and the rest of the film-viewing world beg to differ. The film raked in $201 million this weekend. I saw it on Sunday, and as I was leaving my noon-time screening at the megaplex, hundreds more people were standing in line. Many for a second time.

"I didn't expect to like it," an elderly woman said on her way out. "But it was good, and it had a lot of chuckles."

"That. Was. Awesome," a little boy told his father.

I agree with the kid.

If you ever owned a Hasbro Transformers toy as a kid, were a fan of the cartoon or enjoyed the first Bay film, you'll most definitely enjoy Revenge of the Fallen.

The Last Airbender: Teaser Trailer

If this trailer is to be believed, M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender is going to be freaking awesome!

The Passing of an Icon -- Reactions

"It's taken me a moment to grasp this ... I understand life and death are part of the same magnificent cycle. But ...I litterally stopped and broke down When I recieved ' that' text . Mike's music lives in my DNA. It's bigger than tabloids...that music shaped me . The freaquency is real My heart and artistry are truly influenced and forever impacted. ..." -- Erykah Badu on Twitter

"His passing will be grieved far beyond that of any other singer, composer, producer, dancer and choreographer, in the history of the world. Indeed, in my very firmest, personal, belief there will never, ever, be another Michael Jackson!" -- Don Cornelius

"Michael Jackson was my generations most iconic cultural hero. Courageous, unique and incredibly talented. He'll be missed greatly." -- Russell Simmons

"He was a kind, genuine, and wonderful man. He was also one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived. I loved him very much and I will miss him every remaining day of my life." -- Liza Minnelli

"I am so grateful to have worked with the King (and always will be King) of the music industry. He was a gift to the world, he is a bright light and I wouldn't be surprised if the world stopped spinning tomorrow." -- will.i.am

"It is extremely difficult. It's an incredible shock to me. I dont have words to say. I will miss Michael. The world will miss Michael. His greatness was perfection. Michael was one of those people who wojldnt stop until he was perfect. And he kept going. I will miss his light. I will miss his star. He upped the standard." -- Donna Summer

"I hope he's remembered as a great musician, and not for the circus sideshow that has become his life over the last several years." -- Jamie Foxx

"My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend Michael. He was an extraordinary friend, artist and contributor to the world. I join his family and his fans in celebrating his incredible life and mourning his untimely passing." -- Brooke Shields

"This loss has deeply saddened me! It is with a heavy heart I composed this statement. May God cover you Michael. We all lift your name up in prayer. I pray for the entire JACKSON family particularly Michael's mother, children and all his fans that loved him so much. I would not be the artist, performer, and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael. I have great admiration and respect for Him and I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to meet and perform with such a great entertainer, who in so many ways, transcended the culture. He broke barriers, he changed radio formats! With music, he made it possible for people like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to impact the mainstream world. His legacy is unparalleled. Michael Jackson will never be forgotten." -- Usher

Michael Jackson, Music Icon, Dead at 50

"Like the loss of sunlight
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soon"
-Michael Jackson, Gone Too Soon

These lyrics seemed appropriate today, as Jackson's death came hours after Farah Fawcett's.

Grey's Anatomy: Remember when it was good?

Seriously, remember when Thursday night everything stopped for an episode of Grey's Anatomy? When the drama between Christina and Burke was so thick nothing else seemed to matter? When you actually gave a damn about what happened to Meredith and Derek?

Then, there was the dismantling. The removal of Isaiah Washington and thus, the end of Christina and Burke. Kate Walsh leaving Seattle Grace to launch the insanely pathetic Private Practice spin-off. Ellen Pompeo did something to her face and she was no longer remotely interesting to watch. And Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight got really, really annoying, on and off camera.

As the producers and writers spend the summer months trying to write themselves out of a season finale that left two major characters on the brink of death and the others kind of not doing anything interesting, I propose the following to breath life back into the show:

• Bring back Burke. The reintroduction of Washington's character would lend the show some much-needed dramatic gravitas and provide for an interesting set of complications now that Christina has moved on with that guy who was in HBO's Rome.
• Kill George and Issie. They spend the last season not doing much, and we hate them and rather Seattle Grace find interns we actually care about.
• Fix Ellen Pompeo's face. Okay, that was just mean. But seriously, the Meredith Derek thing is stale. Her family dramas were much more interesting.
• Let Bailey get her groove back. Why hasn't this powerhouse actress been given a romantic storyline. She's getting a divorce, so she needs to now have some fun. Give her an intern or two to play with. That might be fun.
• Let some patients live. E'rbody been dying this season. Don't they remember that Deny's story was interesting because they gave him room to grow as a character before killing him (ditto with the crazy chick who had to get a new face). Bring some folks on. Let em hang a little bit, then kill 'em in sweeps. We'll appreciate it.
  

Return of the Slayer?

So, two of the producers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are talking about rebooting the franchise. This would awesome considering the UPN show and its spin-off Angel were, shall we say, seriously kick ass escapism. The problem, though, is the absence of idea man, Joss Whedon. Now, we admit Whedon's newest series, Dollhouse, was some stupid sh*t, but the Buffyverse he penned was top-notch genre TV with smarts. What has Fran Kazui done since Buffy (and did you even know the name before I asked this question)? Well, she and her husband, Kaz, bank-rolled Angel (also Whedon's idea) and produced nothing else, according to IMDB. If they don't bring Whedon in on this reboot, I pray they get no support and their idea dies where it now stands.

Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation is cold and gray, dusty and loud. People die. Machines reek havoc. And the only hope for mankind is John C ... I mean, a new guy whose name I can't remember.

The only thing that annoyed me about this movie was the presence of this newest character. I won't tell you why he's important, just in case you haven't seen it already. But his presence makes no sense to us.

Everything else about the Terminator mythology remains intact. John Conner is alive. He's morphed from Nick Stahl to Christian Bale and is leading a band of resistance fighters. His wife Kate (Claire Danes in Rise of the Machines, but here, a pregnant Bryce Dallas Howard) is by his side. His mother, Sarah, is present too, but only in voice; he listens to her "chronicles" on cassette tape for inspiration and direction. John's father, Kyle Reece, is present as well, but he's yet to grow into Michael Beihn and is a teenage Anton Yelchin.

Half of mankind believes John is their salvation. The other half think he's full of shit. The machines, though, know better. They've got John and Kyle on the top of a termination list, and they've set about a complicated plot -- which includes some time travel (you knew there would be time travel, for god sakes, this is Terminator), brainwashing, bombs, missiles, explosions, and the California governor, either in a cameo or just some look-alike CGI.

Salvation is not a think film. It doesn't tug at the heart like T2; but it's a decent action flick, enjoyable... much more than, say, the third movie in the series, which blew so desperately hard the negatives should be erased.

Star Trek: Time, money and a sense of humor does an idea good

I'd never understood the phenomenon. Stories of boys and girls glued to TVs to watch Cap. Kirk and his crew boldly going where no man has gone before. Pointy-eared first mates who subdued enemies by pinching nerves in their shoulders. Scotty beaming folks from point A to B. Hogwash! And that damn theme song. Jesum Petes! It got on my nerves. Gave me reason enough to make the trek across our living room to switch the channel. When I was a kid, watching the news or, lets say, blades of grass growing, was more interesting than watching any a new Star Trek movies or television show. Didn't matter if they added Kunta Kinte to the crew, Woopie Goldberg, or Iman in a major movie. Star Trek, in my estimation, was something I never ever wanted to experience. Ever. (I did, in the interim, see the In Living Color sketch with Jim Carrey. Seriously funny shit.)

Then I saw the trailer.

No cheese there. Familiar, somehow. Explosions like Star Wars. Action like Star Gate and Transformers. A killer cast that includes Zoe Saldana and Zachary Quinto (aka Syler).

The new Star Trek flick benefits from a big budget and the innovations of its successors. This time they got it right. This time they created assessable, entertaining fair. It was funny. It was dangerous. It was sexy in a way its predecessors were not.

The writers even paid homage to that In Living Color sketch. In one scene, Doc Whats-His-Face sounds just like Jim Carrey when he says: "Spock, are you out of your Volcan mind." Check out the scene BEFORE you see the movie (or right now if you've seen it already).

The summer begins: Wolverine kicks butt at box office

Screw the critics. Since when did you last watch a movie based on Marvel comics for the drama? And when did we say we were interested in Wolverine because his character was so complex? We like the X-Men comics, cartoons and films because things blow up, mutants do bad things, and Wolverine kicks ass. Why do you think X2: X-Men United was more entertaining than the first in the series? It's because of that one scene, when he leaps off the second floor landing to the first, two masked men impaled on his claws.

If you're with me so far, you'll probably enjoy X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The movie pulled $160 million (worldwide) at the box office this weekend despite stupid reviews like this from the Star Ledger: "If it's truly an 'Origins' tale, as advertised -- well, where are the explanations?" Is Stephen Witty seriously that daft? The story isn't so complicated that a college-educated man can't follow. Entertainment Weekly, though, got the point: "Heroes and villains clash, then rise up to clash again, just because that's what X-Men do. The truth is, it doesn't matter Y."

My only critique: Gambit was missing the signature Cajun accent that made his character in the Fox cartoon series.

New Harry Potter Trailer!

It's been a while since I've had anything to say about the movies. That's because there hasn't been much to say. The spring has been pretty much a season of box office boredom. But as we all know, that's about to change. Wolverine! Star Trek! Harry Potter! Transformers! Terminator! The movies will be simply off-the-chain this summer.

With that said, I present to you the latest trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (Go to YouTube or RottenTomatoes and search for the final trailer if you don't see the embeded video below).

MTV gets its reality groove back

MTV launched the reality TV craze two decades ago with its long-running Real World. Since the first two seasons, the show has strayed from social experiment to girls/guys gone wild, spawning guilty pleasures like The Challenge and The Gauntlet, but not serious television. This changed with Real World: Brooklyn. Iraq War vet Ryan is to Real World: Brooklyn what Pedro Zamora was to Real World: San Francisco. Both put human faces on issues of the day. Not since the start of the war has the American media been able to perfectly articulate what a soldier experiences when he must weigh his personal convictions, service to country and down-right fear of having to return.

Check out the episode below.

Real World: Brooklyn - MTV Shows

LA Times: Bless the 'Big Love' mess

The third season of the best drama on TV -- aka, HBO's Big Love -- came to an end last night, and I'm already feeling the withdrawal. Part of the issue, I think, is Big Love's third season ended on such a dramatic high, that the season finale felt like the height of sweeps. There were new plot developments, loose ends, raw tension -- hell, TV so damn good I don't think I want to wait another year for the series to pick up again.

(Side note: When is Chloe Sevigny gonna get an Emmy for her work on this show?!)

Here's what the LA Times' Mary McNamara wrote of the show:

HBO's Emmy-free and too long under-appreciated Big Love came out of its yearlong, writers-strike-created hiatus like the buffed-up guy tired of eating sand.

But instead of going for fireballs and kidnappings (OK, there were a few of those, but they were totally incidental), cancer scares and intra-cast murder attempts (well, yes, there were those too, but again, not the point), creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer took their strange and startling American fable to new heights, and depths.

All of which came to a DefCon 1 "conclusion" in the season finale Sunday night. Oh, there were several moments of "closure" in the final minutes, but that was just the writers handing a bit of narrative Xanax to keep viewers from developing unsightly nervous tics while they wait to see what will really happen next season. Read the rest by CLICKING HERE

Rant: Beyonce Knowles and acting. Why?

I saw THIS TRAILER recently for Beyonce's latest movie, Obsessed. The movie, which is released April 16, is a weak update of Fatal Attraction, with Beyonce playing the devoted housewife, Idris Elba (The Wire) as the suspect husband and Ali Larter (Heroes) as the crazed stalker vixen. We have no plans to watch this movie. If it had any shot of being remotely entertaining in that cheap thrill, guilty pleasure kind of way that Halle Berry's Perfect Stranger satisfied, the director's erased that possibility when they cast Beyonce as the housewife.

This is Beyonce's eighth movie. And while she was able to show some fortitude as an actor in Cadillac Records, she's overall quite bland on the big screen. The ferocious entertainer that you see in her music videos or her stage performances is generally dwarfed by the talent that shares the screen with her in film. In short, she can't act. when you place her with actors who have even minor chops -- let's say Ali Larter, for example -- the outcome is quite painful to watch.

So why does she do it? I doubt she has some innate desire within her to express herself artistically through acting. Nothing about her Dreamgirls performance suggested this to be the case, and that was her biggest role to date. And even though she pulled off that one dramatic scene in Cadillac Records, she was essentially asleep emotionally through the rest of the film.

So why the hell does she insist on embarrassing herself in this way? The answer is quite simple. If you can pull $4 million for simply memorizing lines and walking through a production, why not.

UpComing -- X-Men Origins: Wolverine

The newest trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine is awesome. Check it out.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

UpComing: Watchmen

The highly anticipated film adaptation of the most acclaimed graphic novel, Watchmen, is released March 6 to a wide audience. This film -- from 300 director Zack Snyder -- will either be ridiculously awesome, or it will blow, hard.

Synopsis: A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the Doomsday Clock -- which... A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the Doomsday Clock -- which charts the USA's tension with the Soviet Union -- moves closer to midnight.

When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the outlawed but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion -- a disbanded group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers -- Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future.

Their mission is to watch over humanity...but who is watching the Watchmen? --© Warner Bros

'Slumdog' dominates at the Oscars

The only surprises at the 81st Academy Awards had nothing to do with who got the awards.

As the Academy promised, the program was retooled. The coolest change was how the acting awards were presented. Instead of a series of clips and the immediate past winner giving out the Oscar, five past winners paid homage to the five nominees, then welcomed the newest winner into their prestigious club.

When it came to actual winners, I was never surprised. I was disappointed, though, in one category: supporting actress. I've seen every nominated role in this category, and Penelope Cruz's performance was the weakest of the five - and in the weakest movie, no less.

Anywho, here's the rundown in the top categories:

BEST ACTOR
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn, "Milk" (Winner)
Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"
Penn and Rourke split the awards this season, Penn took home the SAG award, and the race, as I said, was decided. Penn was awesome in this. You forget you're watching him while watching this movie.

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader" (Winner)
I was happy for Kate when she won, admired her work this year in Revolutionary Road and The Reader. But after watching all of the films nominated in this category, my heart wanted Anne Hathaway to win. She delivered the most devastating performance.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (Winner)
Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler"
Point is, everyone in this category but the winner brought their A game to their nominated performances. Watch Cruz in Volver and you'll see the difference. Her role was borderline cartoonish here, and I never felt connected to her caricature. Davis was on fire, blew Meryl Streep away in the one scene they share. Henson was the heart of her film. Adams was essentially a lead player in the powerhouse Doubt. And Tomei was brilliant in The Wrestler.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight" (Winner)
Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road"
Hands down, the best man won.

BEST PICTURE
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire" (Winner)
Going into this, I knew there was no way Slumdog would not win. It took home every other major prize this year. But Deep down, I was hoping it would get derailed by Benjamin Button, the grandest of the nominees this year. The year's real "best picture" (Dark Knight) wasn't even nominated.