Movie Pick of the Week!

Wide Release: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Most already have seen the interesting trailers for this film with a very peculiar plot line and for those reasons I pick it as the must see film this week.

Limited Release: Waltz With Bashir
At first thought my pick would have been Revolutionary Road. However after watching the trailer for this film I don't see how you can't be intrigued by it. Directed by Ari Folman, this film is shown as an animated documentary. Hard to grasp at first, but watch the trailer and I'm pretty sure you'll be just as excited for it as I am!

Trailer

Book Pick of the Week!

Voluntary Madness by Norah Vincent is a nonfiction account of her pretending to be seriously depressed to enter into a mental rehabilitation facility.  This is her second book where she pushes the envelope to see the truth behind what it feels like to be in someone else's shoes.  In her first book Self-Made Man, she went undercover as a man and speculated the differences in  behavior from others around her toward the new identity.  Check this Girl, Interrupted book out for a true story that will change your mind about "loony bins" forever.

Golden Globe Nominees

The nominees were announced today, one month before, the Golden Globe Awards Ceremony is scheduled with a few surprises and some well bet on films.

Here are some categories:

Best Movie, drama

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon                                                  

The Reader

Revolutionary Road

Slumdog Millionaire

The Visitor

Actress, drama

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie, Changeling

Meryl Streep, Doubt

Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long

Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Actor, drama

Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road

Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn, Milk

Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Best movie, comedy or musical

Burn After Reading

Happy-Go-Lucky

In Bruges

Mamma Mia!

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Actress, comedy or musical

Rebecca Hall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading

Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!

Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey

Actor, comedy or musical

Javier Bardem, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Colin Farrell, In Bruges

James Franco, Pineapple Express

Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges

Dustin Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey

Director

Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Stephen Daldry, The Reader

David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road

Screenplay

Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

David Hare, The Reader

Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon

Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

John Patrick Shanley, Doubt

For a full list of the nominees: CLICK HERE!

Uh Oh! SAG strike could be close

SAG will distribute voting ballots to paid up members of the organization on Friday, January 2nd. The ballots will be due back for count on the 23rd. If 75% of the members vote yes to the strike then we might be on the verge of seeing some picketing. The SAG board of directors have to announce the strike before anyone does any actual picketing but if the union feels that they have not recieved what they wanted from their new contract then the announcement may very well be made. SAG is the last Hollywood union without a new deal and members have been working without a contract since June. Lets hope they are happy with their new contract or get what they want or our future films in pre/production might not get too far off the ground for awhile...not to mention what will happen to our tv viewing...I dont want to but I'll say it....More reality TV! GASP!

New York Film Circle Critics Awards

After the West coast critics announced their picks for the best in film this year, the East coast has followed with their choices as well. Among the winners were Milk for Best Film with Sean Penn recieving the award for Best Actor in the lead role of the film. Best Actress and Director went to Sally Hawkins and Mike Leigh for Happy-Go-Lucky. Quite exciting as the Oscar Nom annoucements are right around the corner!

Book Pick of the Week!

This weeks book pick is How to Talk to Girls and comes from first time nine year old author Alec Greven of Colorado.  The story is too cute to pass up!  Apparently Greven wrote the book as a $3 pamphlet that he sold in school to troubled, nervous young boys that needed help with the ladies.  Greven thus spread his many wisdoms which included points like these:

• Comb your hair and don't wear sweat pants.
  
• Control your hyperness (cut down on sugar if necessary).
  
• A crush is like a love disease that can drive you mad.
  
• It is easy to spot pretty girls because they have big earrings, fancy dresses and all the jewelry, but they are like cars that need a lot of oil.

Now not only has this fourth grader received a six figure publishing deal with HarperCollins but a movie deal is in talks as well!  Not bad for the fourth grade.

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards!

The LA Film Critics Association announced their picks for this year's best of the best in the film industry and their choice for top flick was non other than family friendly WALL-E.  Best Actor and Actress were Sean Penn for Milk and Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky and Danny Boyle took away Best Director for Slumdog Millionaire.  

Re-Release of the Dark Knight in Theaters!

January 23rd 2009: the day after the 2009 Oscar Nominees are announced.  Also the day that The Dark Knight is being re-released in theaters!  The film is $77 million short of beating Titanic in its number one grossing movie of all time spot and Warner Bros. believes it can surpass the $600 million domestic record when they re-release the film.  Even if The Dark Knight does not get a nominee for best picture, actor, or director, which I believe is very unlikely that one of the three categories, plus some will have it as a contender, it will probably reel in fans from this summer for a winter viewing plus some....so the chances of it beating the record seem pretty high to me!

National Board of Review Awards

Last year the National Board of Review announced that the Best Film recipient was No Country For Old Men. A few months later that same film won Best Picture at the Oscars. Could this year have the same event occur? The NBR picked Slumdog Millionaire as its Best Film this year and after having seen the film I definitely believe in its strong possibility of an Oscar.

Other winners included Clint Eastwood for Gran Torino and Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married for Best Actor and Actress. David Fincher took best director for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Now the anticipation comes of Oscar nominees and the follow up of the big night winnners!

Full List of Winners!

Book Pick of the Week!

Do Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes?: Bodies, Behavior, and Brains--The Science Behind Sex, Love, and Attraction by Jena Pincott sounds not only fun but interesting. A book about human behavior written in a witty way...check it out!

Movies you don't mind crying to...

I love lists of things and countdowns, and apparently EW does too. They listed the 50 biggest tearjerkers with explanations, pictures, and all! Although Steel Magnolias and Kramer vs Kramer make my top 10, go arrange your own with a look at their list of sobfests you don't mind having a box of tissues for.

1-25

25-50

Smartest People on TV

EW announced their list of smartest people on tv, and on the very top is Family Guy and American Dad creator Seth Macfarlane. In second is 30 Rock's Tina Fey and in third Nancy Tellem, CBS Paramount Network Entertainment Chief. Macfarlane earned his top spot because of his over billion dollar earnings through his Family Guy franchise, making him not only well paid, but the highest paid writer on TV. Congrats to all the Smarties!

2009 Grammy Nominees

Lil Wayne is leading this year with the most nominations than any other artist: 8; while Coldplay is right behind them with 7. Rounding the curb of most nominated are Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Ne-Yo with 6. It really is anybody's ball game though, because there could be one big winner or spatterings for each of the artists nominated! Tune in on Sunday, February 8th, 2009 on CBS at 8 to see how it all goes down.

Complete List of Nominees

Film Pick of the Week

Let Them Chirp Awhile is out this week in limited release, but if its playing somewhere near you then I definitely recommend it on your viewing list for this weekend.

Directed by Jonathan Blitstein and starring Justin Rice, Brendan Sexton III, Laura Breckenridge, Pepper Binkley, Zach Galligan.

Synopsis:
The film follows three twentysomething artists as they juggle their careers, relationships and emotions in New York City.

Trailer