YOU'LL HAVE A ROARING GOOD TIME AT FOR THE RECORD: BAZ LUHRMANN

Last Friday, I had the good fortune of seeing For The Record: Baz Luhrmann 2.0! Rockwell on Vermont has been remodeled into one large cohesive restaurant/bar/nightclub. While dining on fine food and drinks, you relive the classic movie soundtracks of Australian director Baz Luhrmann. What I like most about this revamped musical is how the different movies are intertwined by theme: LOVE! They are Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and recently The Great Gatsby. The scenes are acted out in between the musical numbers by a group of wonderful talent. These ladies and gentlemen have extensive resumes Broadway-worthy! A new addition to the FTR family caught my eye. First it was the long red hair, then the voice and acting. Then I thought she looked like Rumer Willis. After checking the credits, turns out it WAS her! Kudos to everyone involved!! Please check out fortherecordlive.com for details on upcoming shows. If you miss this one, there are plenty of other director shows to check out! http://fortherecordlive.com/ UPDATE: The Baz Luhrmann show has been extended! Check their website for details.

AUSTENTATIOUSLY FUNNY AUSTENLAND OPENS IN LA AND NY TODAY!!!

The austentatiously funny Austenland comes out today in limited release. If you are in or near LA or NYC, please make the effort to see this movie. It is a play on the Austen movies which have been on television primarily, here on PBS or in the UK. Austenland stars Keri Russell as Jane Hayes, a woman utterly obsessed with the 1995 production of Pride & Prejudice. (It starred Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.) Jane spends her savings to attend a castle resort right out of a production of P&P. Jennifer Coolidge is the hysterically funny scene stealer, Miss Elizabeth Charming. The cast of "actors" within the setting are: JJ Feild as Mr. Knobley, Bret McKenzie as Martin, Georgia King as Lady Amelia Heartwright, and the irrespresible Jane Seymour as the mistress of ceremony, Mrs. Wattlesbrook. Amelia seems to hop a bit in the movie which the Austen-ites will understand. It is refreshing to see Jane Seymour poke fun at her past period piece productions. And she does it with such ease. I sincerely hope this movie gets a wide release because it is this year's Moonrise Kingdom, IMHO. A second viewing is in order! Enjoy with some tea and crumpets;}

THE WOLVERINE SLASHES THE COMPETITION AND IS #1 AT THE BOX OFFICE

THE WOLVERINE was #1 in domestic box office coming in at...

THE POLICE'S ANDY SUMMERS' DEBUTS NEW BAND CIRCA ZERO AT THE EL REY

Last Thursday, not only did I win tickets to see CIRCA ZERO, I met Andy Summers!!!

THE POLICE EXPERIENCE IS AN EXPERIENCE I WILL REMEMBER

Last Monday night, AXS TV continued with THE POLICE EXPERIENCE.  tbc

HOLLYWOOD U2 HAS SO MUCH TO BE DESIRE-D AT THE ROXY!

Hollywood U2 Show at The Roxy June 2013

Earlier this month, I saw the fantastic U2 tribute band HOLLYWOOD U2.  As you may or may not know, The Police, U2 and The Who are my top favorite bands.  So, I have a critical eye when it comes to these men.  Well, I was gobsmacked by how close to U2 they really are!  They played longer than any other tribute night... a full hour and 20 minutes.  If they kept on going, I wouldn't have minded!

Joe Heir is lead singer/guitarist (Hollywood) Bono.  He's got the moves down, the vocals, hair and clothes.  Even Bono's charm.  For example, he pulled up a young woman from the audience to dance with her.  Classic Bono!  (Side note: Joe reminds me of John Corbett who reminds me of Bono.  All are handsome.)

CJ. Macchia is lead guitarist/keys (Hollywood) Edge.  When he first struck his guitar, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor!  CJ is crazy good!  Seeing him up close took me back to when I saw U2 for the first
time.  Too bad U2 perform in such large venues.  But lucky for us locals, Hollywood U2 are based out of well, Hollywood/LA.  Now now, don't fret... Hollywood U2 perform all over the world.  What a life they have! Check out their resume at www.hollywoodU2.com and on Facebook.

Steve Judd as (Hollywood) Larry and Mikhail Davies (Hollywood ) Adam round out the rhythm section and do resemble the men.  Just like the originals, Larry and Adam play their instruments very well.  However,
I couldn't quite figure out Adam's shirt.  Guess real Adam did that back in the day?  I do remember, it was Larry Mullen Jr. who was looking to start a band that finally transformed into U2. 

Seeing this tribute band live is a drug that I've missed out on!  The band have been together for 10 years!!  Where have I been?  My friend Deborah saw them a few years back and raved about their performance.  Guess I was nervous to see how they would compare to U2.  Well, nerves be gone.  I am hooked! 

Hollywood U2 can be, dare I say... Even better than the real thing!  They are up for any challenging song.  Bullet The Blue Sky was just electric!!  The audience went nuts!!!  A nice surprise was to hear B-side single, The Sweetest Thing. Great news is Hollywood U2 are LA based so seeing them more is possible.  (Last time I saw U2 was 2 years ago which feels like ages.)

Thank you AXS TV for putting on this tribute band festival.  Now, on to Season 2 where I plan to catch more tribute bands including The Police.  Word on the street is they have Stewart Copeland's blessing.
This outta to be good...

Setlist:
Even Better Than The Real Thing
Desire
Until The End Of The World
Bullet The Blue Sky
New Year's Day
One
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Vertigo
Beautiful Day
The Sweetest Thing
With Or Without You
Pride
Elevation
All I Want Is You
Where The Streets Have No Name

DJ JULIE SLATER ROCKS AS AN INDY PERFORMER!

Julie Slater at Hotel Cafe June 2013

Earlier this month, Julie Slater rocked the house at  my new favorite place...Hotel Cafe.  She has an easiness with the audience which is no surprise since Julie is a DJ!  Imagine if Aimee Mann had a younger, hipper sister (from another mister).  LOL!  Some songs were originals with a few covers in the mix.  One was a stripped down version of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here.  Those of us who know Julie, know she loves Tom Petty.  So it is no surprise she covered American Girl.  For those that missed the show, catch her next month performing at Pershing Square.

Julie Slater is an afternoon DJ at 100.3 the Sound (www.thesoundla.com) in LA.  On Saturday nights, she also hosts a two-hour specialty show Out on a Limb at 88.5 KCSN (www.outonalimbmusic.com or www.kcsn.org).  While living in NYC, Julie Slater was the Midday DJ following Howard Stern on 92.3 KROCK NYC for ten plus years.  Also, she was in the band Plankton, but now performs as a solo artist (with a backup band).  She's obsessed with beards, music like Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Band of Horses, Jim James, Ray Lamontagne, and PJ Harvey.

Julie's bandmates are: Nick Tracz on bass (currently in Sandbox, formerly of Wires in the Walls, also works at the Sound) and Jimmy Harrison on mandolin/acoustic guitar (formerly of West Coast Grand).
Her next show is Thursday July 11th at Pershing Square 8pm. And its Free!

Setlist:
All The Way
Itzall
Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
Echo Park
Stuck
Clearly Not
Winter Birds
Date with Tom/
American Girl (Tom Petty)
See It Coming

HOPEFULLY NOW YOU SEE ME WILL NOT DISAPPEAR FROM MOVIE THEATERS

NOW YOU SEE ME is a new movie that stars an ensemble cast of...

Be back...

ALLISON ANDERS DIRECTS A PERFECT JEWEL AS JUNE CARTER CASH IN LIFETIME'S RING OF FIRE

On Lifetime, Allison Anders directs Jewel as June Carter Cash in RING OF FIRE.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SPRINGS TWO NEW MOVIES FROM TWO FRANCHISES

Two new movies are out from two movie franchises... Fast Furious 6 and Hangover III.

WE SAY GOODBYE TO LAURA LINNEY'S CATHY JAMISON IN THE BIG C

This week was the series finale of showtime's The Big C.

BAZ LUHRMANN'S RETELLING OF THE GREAT GATSBY BOX OFFICE A HIT DURING MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND!

Warner Brothers and the powers-that-be were smart to wait until Spring to release the retelling of THE GREAT GATSBY.  Box Office earnings were estimated to be just over $57 Million this weekend.  More tomorrow...

DAVID POE-TRY IN MOTION AT THE HOTEL CAFÉ MONDAY NIGHT

Monday night, I had the good fortune of seeing David Poe try out new songs at the Hotel Café in Hollywood.  This was his first Monday concert at the club this month.  (He’ll be performing there every Monday in April with a mixed set list and guests.)  Tonight’s guests were Amy Raasch, Lili Haydn and Philip Krohengold.  David began the night with a song called Lonely Like Me and ended it with the 2002 fan favorite You’re The Bomb (violin full of longing sadness like a torch song).  His songs are moody, reflective, smart and simply “poetry in motion”- A purpose of graceful fluidity, such that moves with tactful elegance throughout. A noun; abstract yet direct and completely beautiful to all 5 senses.

David Poe is a troubadour’s troubadour.  It is easy to jump on the David Poe train and take a ride say to either Portland, OR or Nashville, TN.  (I overheard someone mention if McCartney/Lennon were writing together, it’d sound something like this.)  No surprise that his songs have been covered by several other artists… including Curtis Stigers, Thomas Dybdahl, Anna Bergendahl, Amy Raasch, Duncan Sheik, Grace Potter & Daryl Hall.  Most recently, Thank You (Big Bloody Heart) was recently recorded by Portuguese fado singer Ana Moura for her latest record Desfado, produced by Larry Klein.  Monday night’s version was smokey, passionate and fun!  It was the one of the evening’s highlights.  Another was when Lili Haydn played her violin in such a way that the two became one.  I got the chills!  (See Lili Haydn and her band perform a set at 8:00 pm on April 22 at Hotel Cafe.) 

During his 9-song set, I imagined a few of them would be a great fit for my new favorite network drama, Nashville.  Come to find out his songs will be featured in upcoming episodes (118 & 119)!  Nashville is created by Callie Khouri (Thelma & Louise) and the music is produced by her husband, the Über-talented T-Bone Burnett.  (T-Bone produced David's eponymous debut record.)

All of tonight’s songs are from a new, forthcoming solo effort entitled God & The Girl, recorded in Los Angeles, produced by Emile Kelman (except for You're The Bomb, which is at http://davidpoe.bandcamp.com/album/the-late-album)

twitter.com/poedavid

facebook.com/david.poe

I highly recommend that you make your way over to the Hotel Café on Monday nights this April.  You’ll see not only David Poe, but some other great artists as well.  And I must give a quick shout out to the Hotel Café for having an excellent sound system.  It makes all the difference!

David Poe plays Hotel Cafe every Monday in April at 9:00 pm. 

1623 1/2 Cahuenga Blvd. 

Set List

Lonely Like Me

Remember

Taffeta

More Than God 

Bed Of Memory

Thank You… Big Bloody Heart (Amy Raasch, vocal)

When I Fly (Lili Haydn, violin)

Loves A Sinner (Philip Krohengold, piano & vocal)

You're The Bomb (Lili and Philip join in)

STEVIE NICKS' NEW DOCU "IN YOUR DREAMS" ALLOWS YOU TO ENTER HER WORLD!

Stevie Nicks has a new documentary on the making of her latest record with Dave Stewart, IN YOUR DREAMS.

IT IS FINALLY HERE! UPSIDE DOWN STARRING JIM STURGESS AND KIRSTEN DUNST IS A MUST SEE!

I am very fond of this unusual movie, UPSIDE DOWN, directed by Juan Solanas.  It is a movie like no other.  It was completed over a year ago but with changes, it had finally been released today.  Let me try and give you a synopsis...

Jim Sturgess (Adam) and Kirsten Dunst (Eden) star as star-crossed lovers who met as children.  Both live on opposing planets that mirror each other.  He lives on the bottom poor planet while she lives above on the rich one.  The odds are stacked against them as well as gravity!  Adam makes many daring attempts.  Will love conquer all?

I must mention actor Timothy Spall who plays Adam's employee.  He may be the comic relief but he can also pull off the drama.  Check out his credits on IMDB.  The movie wouldn't be the same without him.  Upside Down's visuals are amazing, mesmerizing and stunning.  Best to see this movie on the big screen in a city or town near you!

There will be more comments after I see the finished product.  Twice before wasn't enough.  He he he...

IT IS NO WONDER THAT THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE WILL BE A HIT THIS OPENING WEEKEND!

I had the chance to see THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE earlier this week.  I laughed out loud throughout the whole movie.  Steve Carell plays the oblivious and ditzy magician Burt Wonderstone and Steve Buscemi plays his show partner Anton Marvelton.  Their act was once a must-see on the Vegas Strip but then starts to wane, as do their longtime friendship. 

Up-and-comer Steve Gray is played by the ever-so-funny Jim Carrey.  Both Carell and Carrey are in their element trying to out do each other in this silly comedy.  Steve Gray is a Chris Angel type. Oh my!  Jim Carrey is in fine (ahem) shape for a man just over 50.  Holla! 

Olivia Wilde completes this circle of Las Vegas magicians as the assistant Jane who has aspirations of her won.  She has certainly picked some interesting movies to be in and this one is no exception.  Ms Wilde will surprise you with her comedic timing.

Want to escape for a few hours?  See this movie and prepare to laugh yourself silly.  That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it

OZ, THE GREAT & WONDERFUL LANDS INTO THEATERS TODAY

I am uber-excited about the release of OZ: THE GREAT & WONDERFUL starring James Franco as the wizard.  Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis round out the cast as the witches of Oz.

Sam Raimi helms this big budget, whimical visually stunning picture.  Jpe Roth is the producer.

More notes tomorrow after I see this in REAL-D! 

-Z

LAST NIGHT THE WALKING DEAD FATHOM EVENT WOKE UP ITS FANS!

Last night, Fathom Events had The Walking Dead Panel from the Paley Festival screening across hundreds of theatres across the country.  For those of us not lucky to get the coveted Paley tickets for the Saban Theatre, this was the next best thing.  It began with a 24-minute segment consisting of the Clear episode teaser and clips, plus behind the scenes footage.

Nerdist and The Talking Dead host, Chris Hardwick, moderated the Q&A which consisted of people behind the scenes and many of the actors.

It was a 2-hour delight full of insight and comments which included audience questions.

Thank you Fathom and Paley for partnering up for such an event.

JACK THE GIANT SLAYER IS A THRILL OF A REAL-D RIDE!

I saw the new movie JACK AND THE GIANT SLAYER starring the "IT GUY" NICHOLAS ROULT.  Roult plays the title character based on the tale Jack and the Beanstalk.  BTW- Nicholas is the guy I told you about last week. Currently out in theatres is the hit movie WARM BODIES.

Jack and the Giant Slayer is directed by the ever-wonderful Bryan Singer.  I've been a fan of his ever since he broke out with indy film The Usual Suspects.  Be sure to check it out if you haven't seen it.  Bryan has gone on to direct many X-Men movies with my favorite movie star, Hugh Jackman.

Okay, so back to Jack And The Giant Slayer.  It also stars another favorite of mine, Ewan McGregor as Elmont the Princess’ guardian.  Stanley Tucci plays Roderick, a funny but corrupt man with his own agenda.  There is excellent usage of the Real-D technology.  Kids, parents, adults and seniors can all attend this movie and enjoy it.  See it in Real-D, if you can.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

OSCARS CONTEST: I TIED FOR FIRST PLACE AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS COOL CONGRATS VIA YOUTUBE!

How cool is this?  I've never been congratulated before via YouTube!  I tied for first place in guessing the most categories correctly in this Oscars Ballot Contest 2/24/13.  19 out of 24 correct.  Not too shabby.  Thanks Jeffrey!  Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu3sD3c9tws

NOT TOO MANY SURPRISES AT YESTERDAY'S ACADEMY AWARDS OSCARS!

Yesterday, was The Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in the heart of Hollywood.  Not too many surprises.  tbc...

LOTS OF PRETTY GLAMOROUS GOWNS AT YESTERDAY'S ACADEMY AWARDS OSCARS!

Lots of glam and bling at yesterday's Academy Awards Oscars.  tbc...

MY OSCAR WINNER PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2012 SEASON

Here are my predictions of who will win.  Who should win will be starred.  If there is no star, then I agree on who should win, will win... IMHO!  Enjoy the show.

Best Picture
Argo
(If SLP or Les Miz won, I'd be okay with that)

Lead Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Hugh Jackman*

Lead Actress
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Naomi Watts*

Supporting Actor
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook

Supporting Actress
Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables

Director
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
David O' Russell*

Adapted Screenplay
Chris Terrio, Argo
Silver Linings Playbook*

Original Screenplay
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Moonrise Kingdom*

Documentary Feature
Searching for Sugar Man

Documentary Short
Open Heart

Animated Feature
Wreck-It Ralph
Frankenweenie*

Foreign Language Film
Amour (Austria)

Film Editing
Argo

Cinematography
Life of Pi

Production Design
Les Misérables

Animated Short
Paperman

Live Action Short
Curfew

Visual Effects
Life of Pi

Sound Mixing
Les Misérables

Sound Editing
Skyfall
Argo*

Costume Design
Anna Karenina

Makeup
Les Misérables

Original Score
Mychael Danna, Life of Pi
Argo*

Original Song“Skyfall,” by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth, Skyfall

MY REVISED TOP TEN LIST OF MOVIES FROM 2012

Okay, so I was able to see more Oscar nominated films since my posting earlier this year.  There was one slight change because I really couldn't take off many of the movies listed.  At the AFI Film Festival in late 2011, I saw Jeff Who Lives at Home.  I still couldn't get to all the movies so I will have to wait for the DVD releases of The Hobbit and Skyfall.  What?  Yes, I know shocking!  Usually, I would have seen these in the theatre but didn't make it.  Skyfall was the very secret screening at the AFI Film Festival which I didn't know about in time:[  I really liked Life of Pi and think it's a technological marvel.  Lincoln was very talky but Daniel Day Lewis' performance was remarkable and uncanny!  Even though I want Hugh Jackman to win Best Actor, I think it will go to DDL.  Flight was a surprise from beginning to end.  I liked it way more than I thought I would.  Starting with the script to the acting and directing, I'm glad it has some recognition.  Especially after reading about the screenwriter's journey.  The one movie that took my breath away is The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  I watched the DVD today and was taken aback at how poignant and relatable it was!  Expect a review soon... after all this Oscars stuff.  Immediately following this blog entry will be my Oscar Winner Predictions!  Enjoy the show and we'll connect on the flip side.

-Z

10. Beasts of the Southern Wild

  9. The Sessions

  8. Les Miserables

  7. Ted

  6. Moonrise Kingdom

  5. The Dark Knight Rises

  4. Zero Dark Thirty

  3. Argo

  2. Silver Linings Playbook

  1. Impossible

THE RESULTS OF YESTERDAY'S FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

Yesterday, was the Film Independent Spirit Awards held on the Santa Monica beach.  I was surprised to find out I don't get the IFC Channel in my current lineup:{  So hence, I will have to view the ceremony online and give you the results/my take later.  Between you and me, I have a feeling Silver Linings Playbook is going to get many accolades that it has deserved since the movie's release!  tbc...

IMHO, THE IT GUYS RIGHT NOW ARE LOGAN LERMAN AND NICHOLAS HOUGHT

Just who are LOGAN LERMAN and NICHOLAS HOUGHT?  At first, I thought they were the same person.  But, after looking up their credits on IMDB, they couldn't be more different.  LOGAN LERMAN caught my eye in the heartfelt, quirky and beautiful independent movie THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.  He plays an introverted freshman who is taken under the wings of two seniors that welcome him to the real world.  Now NICHOLAS HOUGHT is enjoying success right now in the hit WARM BODIES.  He plays a teen zombie that falls for a teen girl ().  Think of it as a zombie-esque Romeo and Juliet.  Talk about being really really star crossed lovers!

ACTRESS JUNO TEMPLE IS THE IT GIRL AND DESERVEDLY SO!!!

Juno Temple won herself a BAFTA Award last weekend and deservedly so!  It was for The Rising Star.  She has been busy the past decade but things have sped up the past few years.  Today, I watched the independent movie LITTLE BIRDS.  I LOVE, LOVE independent films and am so thrilled when they are recognized among the Goliath films of Hollywood.  Hopefully, this blog entry will help LITTLE BIRDS get noticed.

LITTLE BIRDS stars Juno Temple and Kay Panabaker.  They play Lily and Alison, who face a life-changing event after they leave their Salton Sea home and follow some boys back to Los Angeles.  I never knew about the Salton Sea, which lies in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys.  What I also didn't know until recently is Juno Temple is 1) British and 2) The daughter of director Julien Temple and producer Amanda Temple.  This is a testament to her ability to play Americans so well.

Honorable mention must go to the first-time Director/Writer, Elgin James.  He surely lucked out with such a cast including in a non-comedic role, Leslie Mann.  And the mesmerizing Neal McDonough.  (Just caught up on Justified Season 3, which Neal was in!)

YESTERDAY, THE TALKING DEAD DEBUTS AS AN HOUR LONG SHOW

Last night, I was part of THE TALKING DEAD audience as it debuted to an hour-long show.  Director/Producer/Writer Kevin Smith and Steven Yuen (Glenn) were the guests.  Luckily, we saw the episode, "The Suicide King", before going into The Talking Dead studio.  Nice to see the episode without the commercials;)

THE WALKING DEAD IS BACK AND LIVING ON AMC

The Fall hiatus is over and The Walking Dead has returned with episode 9 of Season 3.

THE GRAMMYS WERE HELD YESTERDAY HERE IN LOS ANGELES

Last night was the Grammy Awards here in Los Angeles.

WINNERS ACROSS THE BOARD AT THE BAFTA AWARDS

Yesterday, the BAFTA Awards aired here in the US on BBC America.

IMHO, NETFLIX'S HOUSE OF CARDS IS A GAMBLE THAT PAYS OFF!

Last weekend, Netflix released a 13-part series called House of Cards.

RESULTS OF THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD (SAG) AWARDS LAST NIGHT

Last night was the SAG Awards and I guessed only 6 correctly out of 13!  Think I did better last year!!

Ho hum:[ Tommy Lee Jones won for Lincoln. I thought Robert De Niro would win this. Silver Linings Playbook showed him in fine form. Like we are seeing the De Niro of the long past. But WHOO HOO! For Anne Hathaway:}

Baldwin and Fey won for their work on 30 Rock. What a way to go out. But haven't they won many already? People thought Louis C.K. and Amy Poehler would win. I certainly thought Poehler would. Didn't Tina and Amy kill it hosting the Golden Globes?! Esp Amy, he he he...

In the category of Actors in a TV Movie or Miniseries... SAG loves Kevin Costner because he won the Emmy and now a SAG award. People thought it would go to Ed Harris. Hey, it's not easy to play John McCain! But Julianne Moore did win for playing Sarah Palin in Game Change. She is so freakin' good at her craft. Did anyone see the E! Red Carpet? They showed old footage of her on As The World Turns, which was a soap opera. Love it! and her! BTW- Daytime soaps got a lot of actors their start.

Anne and Hugh are presenting the movie Les Miserables. They look so nice, she in a black Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown and he in a nice tux. This movie gets me so verklempt. I love musicals and am proud to say so! He he he...

And now a special presentation to Dick Van Dyke. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

Wow!  Bryan Cranston wins for Breaking Bad!  I LOVE this show and now understand why he wins awards.  I came in about two years ago.  Many, including myself thought it'd go to Damian Lewis.  (He won the Emmy in 2012).  Damian is a Brit though so that may have been a factor, IMHO.  (A SAG friend made a valid point.)  Now for Female Actor in a TV Drama, it went to the beloved Claire Danes.

It's always sad to see the In Memoriam part of any awards show. I saw Ben Gazzara in the independent film, Buffalo 66. Real sad we won't see Lupe Ontiveros in anymore movies or tv shows:{ And how quickly we lost Michael Clark Duncan!! What a presence and a voice. We'll always have The Green Mile. Can you believe it's almost a year since Whitney Houston has died. Hey, when did Deborah Raffin and Gary Coillins die?!!

I guessed DDL for Lincoln but was really hoping for Hugh Jackman or even Bradley Cooper as an option.  I LOVED Silver Lining's Playbook!  Daniel Day Lewis has won two Oscars among other awards.

WOW!  Argo won for Outstanding Performance By A Cast.  It did win the Producers Guild last night.  It is some consolation since John Goodman was NOT nominated for SAG or the Oscars.  But did love to see Ben Affleck give his speech.  Not much love for SLP though, except for Jennifer Lawrence.

Argo, bleep yourself!  Ha ha!

MY PREDICTIONS ON TONIGHT'S SCREEN ACTORS GUILD (SAG) AWARDS

So, tonight is the airing of The Screen Actors Guild Awards on TNT/TBS (8pm est/5pm pst).  Here are my predictions on who will win...  But let me say that I wish upon a star Hugh Jackman will take home the Best Actor in a Movie Award and Naomi Watts for Best Actress in a Movie.  Be back tomorrow for the results and wrap up.  BTW- Click on this link to access a printable ballot sheet.  http://www.people.com/people/ballot/0,,20662328,00.html

Best Actor	Day-Lewis
Best Actress	Chastain
Supporting Actor	De Niro
Supporting Actress	Hathaway
Movie Ensemble	SLP
Drama Ensemble	Homeland
Actor in TV Drama	Lewis
Actress in TV Drama	Danes
Actor in TV Movie	Harris
Actress in TV Movie	Moore
Comedy Ensemble	Modern Family
Comedy Actor	Baldwin
Comedy Actress	Poehler

MY TAKE ON THE GOLDEN GLOBES AND THE WINNERS

The Golden Globes were handed out tonight at the Beverly Hilton.  The awards were ind of spread out but there were some surprises…

First, I’d like to shout out to my favorite actor Hugh Jackman!  He won for Les Miserables.

It also took an award for Best Picture, Musical and Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway.

Right off the bat, scene-stealer Christoph Waltz won for Supporting Actor, Django Unchained.  IMHO, he was my favorite character in the movie.  The HFPA love Quentin and awarded him for Best Screenplay.  It was a tough call since this category mixes original with adapted.

Adele won for her theme song to Skyfall.  And gave one of the best off-the-cuff speeches.

Homeland took home awards for Actor, Actress and TV Series. 

HBO’s Game Change was a winner for Actress, Actor and TV movie. 

GIRLS won for Actress and Series.  Lena Dunham not only bears her skin, but also her soul.  (BTW- Season Two began today.) 

Argo received some love by winning Director for Ben Affleck and Best Picture.  Deservedly so.

HFPA'S GOLDEN GLOBES AWARDS WERE GIVEN TODAY

Congrats to all the winners of the Golden Globe Awards!  Below are the nominees, winners in bold:

MOTION PICTURES
Best Drama"Argo"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Musical/Comedy"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
"Les Miserables"
"Moonrise Kindgom"
"Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
"Silver Linings Playbook"

Best DirectorBen Affleck, "Argo"
Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"
Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"
Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"

Best Actress in a DramaJessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Marion Cotillard, "Rust and Bone"
Helen Mirren, "Hitchcock"
Naomi Watts, "The Impossible"
Rachel Weisz, "The Deep Blue Sea"

Best Actor in a DramaDaniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"
Richard Gere, "Arbitrage"
John Hawkes, "The Sessions"
Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"
Denzel Washington, "Flight"

Best Actor in a Musical or ComedyJack Black, "Bernie"
Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"
Ewan McGregor, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Bill Murray, "Hyde Park on Hudson"

Best Actress in a Musical or ComedyEmily Blunt, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Judi Dench, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"Maggie Smith, "Quartet"
Meryl Streep, "Hope Springs"

Best Supporting Actress Amy Adams, "The Master"
Sally Field, "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"
Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"
Nicole Kidman, "The Paperboy"

Best Supporting ActorAlan Arkin, "Argo"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Django Unchained"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"
Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"
Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"

Best ScreenplayMark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"
David O'Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"
Chris Terrio, "Argo"

Best Foreign Language Film"Amour"
"A Royal Affair"
"The Intouchables"
"Kon-Tiki"
"Rust and Bone"

Best Animated Feature"Rise of the Guardians"
"Brave"
"Frankenweenie"
"Hotel Transylvania"
"Wreck-It Ralph"

Best Original Song"For You," music and lyrics by Monty Powell, Keith Urban ("Act of Valor")
"Not Running Anymore," music and lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi ("Stand Up Guys")
"Safe & Sound," music and lyrics by Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams, T Bone Burnett ("The Hunger Games")
"Skyfall," music and lyrics by Adele and Paul Epworth ("Skyfall") "Suddenly," music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil ("Les Miserables")

Best Original ScoreMychael Danna, "Life of Pi"
Alexandre Desplat, "Argo"
Dario Marianelli, "Anna Karenina"
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil, "Cloud Atlas"
John Williams, "Lincoln"

TELEVISION
Best TV Comedy or Musical"The Big Bang Theory"
"Episodes"
"Girls"
"Modern Family"
"Smash"

Best TV Drama "Breaking Bad"
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Downton Abbey"
"Homeland"
"The Newsroom"

Best Actress in a TV DramaConnie Britton, "Nashville"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Michelle Dockery, "Downton Abbey"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"

Best Actor in a TV Drama Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Damian Lewis, "Homeland"

Best Actress in a TV ComedyZooey Deschanel, "New Girl"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

Best Actor in a TV ComedyAlec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Louis C.K., "Louie"
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"

Best Miniseries or TV Movie"Game Change"
"The Girl"
"Hatfields & McCoys"
"The Hour"
"Political Animals"

Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV MovieNicole Kidman, "Hemingway & Gellhorn"
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Sienna Miller, "The Girl"
Julianne Moore, "Game Change"
Sigourney Weaver, "Political Animals"

Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV MovieKevin Costner, "Hatfields & McCoys"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "Sherlock (Masterpiece)"
Woody Harrelson, "Game Change"
Toby Jones, "The Girl"
Clive Owen, "Hemingway & Gellhorn"

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV MovieHayden Panettiere, "Nashville"
Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife"
Sarah Paulson, "Game Change"
Maggie Smith, "Downtown Abbey: Season 2"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV MovieMax Greenfield, "New Girl"
Ed Harris, "Game Change"
Danny Huston, "Magic City"
Mandy Patinkin, "Homeland"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"

BFCA'S CRITICS CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS WERE GIVEN OUT TODAY

Today, the BFCA Critics Choice Movie Awards were given out today.  My guesses were pretty good... 24 out of 27!

Complete list of winners and nominees:

BEST PICTURE
Winner: Argo

Nominees:
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Master
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

BEST ACTOR
Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln

 
Nominees:
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln
John Hawkes – The Sessions
Hugh Jackman – Les Miserables
Joaquin Phoenix – The Master
Denzel Washington – Flight

BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty

Nominees:
Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard – Rust and Bone
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
Emmanuelle Riva – Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts – The Impossible

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master

Nominees:
Alan Arkin – Argo
Javier Bardem – Skyfall
Robert De Niro – Silver Linings Playbook
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master
Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln
Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables

Nominees:
Amy Adams – The Master
Judi Dench – Skyfall
Ann Dowd – Compliance
Sally Field – Lincoln
Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables
Helen Hunt – The Sessions

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Winner: Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild

Nominees:
Elle Fanning – Ginger & Rosa
Kara Hayward – Moonrise Kingdom
Tom Holland – The Impossible
Logan Lerman – The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Suraj Sharma – Life of Pi
Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Winner: Silver Linings Playbook

Nominees:
Argo
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook

BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Ben Affleck – Argo

Nominees:
Ben Affleck – Argo
Kathryn Bigelow – Zero Dark Thirty
Tom Hooper – Les Miserables
Ang Lee – Life of Pi
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Steven Spielberg – Lincoln

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained

Nominees:
Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained
John Gatins – Flight
Rian Johnson – Looper
Paul Thomas Anderson – The Master
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola – Moonrise Kingdom
Mark Boal – Zero Dark Thirty

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: Tony Kushner – Lincoln

Nominees:
Chris Terrio – Argo
Tony Kushner – Lincoln
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
David Magee – Life of Pi
Stephen Chbosky – The Perks of Being a Wallflower

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Life of Pi – Claudio Miranda

Nominees:
Life of Pi – Claudio Miranda
Lincoln – Janusz Kaminski
Les Miserables – Danny Cohen
The Master – Mihai Malaimare Jr.
Skyfall – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION
Winner: Anna Karenina – Sarah Greenwood/Production Designer, Katie Spencer/Set Decorator

Nominees:
The Hobbit – Dan Hennah/Production Designer, Ra Vincent & Simon Bright/Set Decorators
Les Miserables – Eve Stewart/Production Designer, Anna Lynch-Robinson/Set Decorator
Life of Pi – David Gropman/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
Lincoln – Rick Carter/Production Designer, Jim Erickson/Set Decorator

BEST EDITING
Winner: Zero Dark Thirty – William Goldenberg, Dylan Tichenor

Nominees:
Argo – William Goldenberg
Les Miserables – Melanie Ann Oliver, Chris Dickens
Life of Pi – Tim Squyres
Lincoln – Michael Kahn
Zero Dark Thirty – William Goldenberg, Dylan Tichenor

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Winner: Anna Karenina – Jacqueline Durran

Nominees:
Anna Karenina – Jacqueline Durran
Cloud Atlas – Kym Barrett, Pierre-Yves Gayraud
The Hobbit – Bob Buck, Ann Maskrey, Richard Taylor
Les Miserables – Paco Delgado
Lincoln – Joanna Johnston

BEST MAKEUP
Winner: Cloud Atlas

Nominees:
Cloud Atlas
The Hobbit
Les Miserables
Lincoln

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Winner: Life of Pi

Nominees:
The Avengers
Cloud Atlas
The Dark Knight Rises
The Hobbit
Life of Pi

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Winner: Wreck-It Ralph

Nominees:
Brave
Frankenweenie
Madagascar 3
ParaNorman
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph

BEST ACTION MOVIE
Winner: Skyfall

Nominees:
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
Looper
Skyfall

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Winner: Daniel Craig – Skyfall

Nominees:
Christian Bale – The Dark Knight Rises
Daniel Craig – Skyfall
Robert Downey Jr. – The Avengers
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – Looper
Jake Gyllenhaal – End of Watch

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Winner: Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games

Nominees:
Emily Blunt – Looper
Gina Carano – Haywire
Judi Dench – Skyfall
Anne Hathaway – The Dark Knight Rises
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games

BEST COMEDY
Winner: Silver Linings Playbook

Nominees:
Bernie
Silver Linings Playbook
Ted
This Is 40
21 Jump Street

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Winner: Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook

Nominees:
Jack Black – Bernie
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
Paul Rudd – This Is 40
Channing Tatum – 21 Jump Street
Mark Wahlberg – Ted

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Winner: Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook

Nominees:
Mila Kunis – Ted
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
Shirley MacLaine – Bernie
Leslie Mann – This Is 40
Rebel Wilson – Pitch Perfect

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
Winner: Looper

Nominees:
Cabin in the Woods
Looper
Prometheus

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Winner: Amour

Nominees:
Amour
The Intouchables
A Royal Affair
Rust and Bone

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Winner: Searching for Sugar Man

Nominees:
Bully
The Imposter
Queen of Versailles
Searching for Sugar Man
The Central Park Five
West of Memphis

BEST SONG
Winner: “Skyfall” – performed by Adele/written by Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth – Skyfall

Nominees:
“For You” – performed by Keith Urban/written by Monty Powell & Keith Urban – Actor of Valor
“Skyfall” – performed by Adele/written by Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth – Skyfall
“Still Alive” – performed by Paul Williams/written by Paul Williams – Paul Williams Still Alive
“Suddenly” – Performed by Hugh Jackman / Music by Claude Michel Schonberg, Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil
“Learn Me Right” – performed by Birdy with Mumford & Sons/written by Mumford & Sons – Brave

BEST SCORE
Winner: Lincoln – John Williams

Nominees:
Argo – Alexandre Desplat
Life of Pi – Mychael Danna
Lincoln – John Williams
The Master – Jonny Greenwood
Moonrise Kingdom – Alexandre Desplat

85TH ACADEMY AWARD OSCAR NOMINATIONS WERE TODAY

The Academy Award Oscar nominations were held early this morning.  And what a few surprises and omissions!

Complete list of 85th Annual Academy Award nominations announced Thursday:

1. Best Picture: "Amour," `'Argo," `'Beasts of the Southern Wild," `'Django Unchained," `'Les Miserables," `'Life of Pi," `'Lincoln," `'Silver Linings Playbook," `'Zero Dark Thirty."

2. Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"; Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"; Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"; Denzel Washington, "Flight."

3. Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"; Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"; Quvenzhane Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Naomi Watts, "The Impossible."

4. Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin, "Argo"; Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"; Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"; Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained."

5. Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "The Master"; Sally Field, "Lincoln"; Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"; Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"; Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook."

6. Directing: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"; Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

7. Foreign Language Film: "Amour," Austria; "Kon-Tiki," Norway; "No," Chile; "A Royal Affair," Denmark; "War Witch," Canada.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, "Argo"; Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; David Magee, "Life of Pi"; Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

9. Original Screenplay: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"; John Gatins, "Flight"; Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, "Moonrise Kingdom"; Mark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Brave"; "Frankenweenie"; "ParaNorman"; "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"; "Wreck-It Ralph."

11. Production Design: "Anna Karenina," `'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," `'Les Miserables," `'Life of Pi," `'Lincoln."

12. Cinematography: "Anna Karenina," `'Django Unchained," `'Life of Pi," `'Lincoln," `'Skyfall."

13. Sound Mixing: "Argo," `'Les Miserables," `'Life of Pi," `'Lincoln," `'Skyfall."

14. Sound Editing: "Argo," `'Django Unchained," `'Life of Pi," `'Skyfall," `'Zero Dark Thirty."

15. Original Score: "Anna Karenina," Dario Marianelli; "Argo," Alexandre Desplat; "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna; "Lincoln," John Williams; "Skyfall," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," J. Ralph; "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted," Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane; "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri; "Skyfall" from "Skyfall," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; "Suddenly" from "Les Miserables," Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil.

17. Costume: "Anna Karenina," `'Les Miserables," `'Lincoln," `'Mirror Mirror," `'Snow White and the Huntsman."

18. Documentary Feature: "5 Broken Cameras," `'The Gatekeepers," `'How to Survive a Plague," `'The Invisible War," `'Searching for Sugar Man."

19. Documentary (short subject): "Inocente," `'Kings Point," `'Mondays at Racine," `'Open Heart," `'Redemption."

20. Film Editing: "Argo," `'Life of Pi," `'Lincoln," `'Silver Linings Playbook," `'Zero Dark Thirty."

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Hitchcock," `'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," `'Les Miserables."

22. Animated Short Film: "Adam and Dog," `'Fresh Guacamole," `'Head over Heels," `'Maggie Simpson in `The Longest Daycare,'" "Paperman."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Asad," `'Buzkashi Boys," `'Curfew," `'Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)," `'Henry."

24. Visual Effects: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," `'Life of Pi," `'Marvel's The Avengers," `'Prometheus," `'Snow White and the Huntsman."

 

NEW YEAR, NEW LIST OF MY TOP TEN FILMS OF 2012

Thought I'd post my top-10 movie list of 2012 on this first Friday of 2013.  Here we go...

10.  The Sessions

09.  Jeff Who Lives At Home

08.  Les Miserables

07.  Ted

06.  Moonrise Kingdom

05.  TDKR

04.  Zero Dark Thirty

03.  Silver Linings Playbook

02.  Argo

01.  The Impossible

Shout out to other 2012 releases: Haywire, The Avengers and Frankenweenie.

Biggest letdown goes to Prometheus.

Movies I have yet to see:
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Hobbit
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

DON'T MIZ OUT ON SEEING LES MISERABLES STARRING HUGH JACKMAN

Finally got to see the charming and wonderful triple-threat, Hugh Jackman.  He stars as Jean Valjean in the new cinematic adaptation of Les Miserables.  It also stars Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried.  Tune in later for more details.