Film and Book Reviews

C-Drama Series - Jiu Liu Overlord

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 10:56:00 +0000

Historical Costume Drama. 2020. 36 episodes approx 44min each. Available on Viki Rakuten and can also be found on You Tube, both with English subs.
Set in the Tang Dynasty, this Chinese historical drama has some light relief moments. Principal characters are successful silk merchant, Li Jing Liu and Chief Long Ao Yi is the leader of the Dragon Bamboo Gang of Yincheng. These two are representative of the upper and lower classes. A valuable shipment of gold thread for the New Silk Road business goes missing and Chief Long helps Li Jing Liu investigate (whilst clearing her Gang's name). Both of these have unusual weaknesses though! A mutual respect and attachment grows between the two and they continue to work together. The story moves to Cheng'du in the second half of the series and the storyline become a little more serious. No historical costume drama is complete without scheming officials and so there are plenty of those! The streetwise, gambling, heavy drinking, smart mouthed but caring Chief Long (played by popular actress Bai Lu). The reserved and clever silk merchant (played by Lai Yi) who is intrigued by Chief Long. A good supporting cast of business partners, friends, servants, gang members, ladies of the night, royalty and more makes a series that is definitely easy to watch.

Whilst the story slows down a little in places and some little things get left behind and not revisited, it's not boring. As I became invested in the story and characters I started to love some and intensely dislike others - to me this is a sign of a good drama! Both leads are excellent actors and the two have good on-screen chemistry and I suspect there was much laughter by the actors on the set between takes. Great costumes and hair, great looking sets and some on-location filming. A little romance, adventure, intrigue and more. Well worth watching and good enough for me to add to my "watch again down the track" pile.

Enjoy!

His 'n' Hers by Mike Gayle

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 09:19:00 +0000

A light romp through a couple’s life – today as divorcees and looking back to the 80s to when they met and fell in love. Written with wry wit and humour, the story is an enlightening read into a man’s mind (if you’re a woman!) and no doubt into a woman’s mind should you be a man!

Jim and Allison meet at University –their first encounter is less than promising – and the first few years the relationship doesn’t progress far at all. With the end of Uni and changes to those around them though, their relationship moves quickly and soon they share a flat, a cat and their lives. Life often sends us curveballs though, and Jim & Allison are no exception as they find their relationship shattered and their lives head in different directions.

A few years later with their new lives, they meet and as they remember their former relationship they try and work out where it went wrong and ultimately, is it too late for them.

A good holiday read and worthwhile for the insights into how our other halves think.

Last Voyage of the Valentina by Santa Montefiore

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:13:00 +0000

As I’m currently in love with all things Italian (I'll blame the lovely Carla Coulson for encouraging this addiction!), but tending to read heavily in the memoir department, I decided to take a sidewards step when I saw this book recommended on a blog and instead read a novel set in Italy.

Although the story didn’t grab me in the first chapter or so, it didn’t take long to get its hooks into me and I really didn’t want to put it down.

Written in two time periods – the end of WWII and the swinging sixties/seventies the story takes place in England and Italy. Starting with an assassination it sets the scene immediately that there is more to this story than meets the eye.

Alba, an extremely attractive young woman in her twenties, who lives for the moment, uses men for sexual companionship and odd-jobs but doesn’t let herself get involved emotionally with any of them, and manages to live on her allowance rather than work. She lives on her father’s houseboat in London (called the Valentina) and grew up in a comfortably well off family in rural England with her father, Thomas, her stepmother Margo (“the Buffalo”) and step siblings.

Apart from knowing her mother Valentina was Italian and that she died shortly after her birth at the end of WWII, Valentina is a mystery to Alba as she is not a topic of conversation and indeed is never referred to by the family. In a rather spoilt-brat style, she tries to get her father to impart details about Valentina and squarely lays the blame on her step mother for wiping out her mother’s memory.

In an effort to find out more, her novelist neighbour suggests the use of her literary agent, Fitz, as a pretend boyfriend (who is already in love with her from a distance) as he is the sort of ‘suitable’ young man her family would approve of and her father may indulge more information to another man about the mysterious Valentina.

The information is enough to set Alba to discover more about her mother in Italy – specifically the small village of Incantellaria, on the Amalfi Coast. In the process of discovering her mother’s story in which she sees some uncomfortable similarities between them both, she learns the value of community, the love of family and we see Alba finally grow up.

The story could have happily ended a number of times in the latter quarter of the book, with a satisfactory “happy” ending, but the author drew it out more and personally I was a little unsettled with the actual ending, but it didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story overall.

The descriptions of Italy appear very accurate, and you can feel the heat, the dryness and the light of the Amalfi Coast in summer as you read. The characters were also brought to life with descriptive writing. I was surprised to learn that the author, Santa Montefiore isn’t Italian, but Argentinian/English and this was her first published novel that was set in Italy.

Overall, an enjoyable romance with enough action, suspense and tragedy to keep the story rolling along.

69th Annual Golden Globes Awards (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:07:00 +0000

The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards, were held at the International Ballroom, Beverly Hilton Hotel, 15 January 2012:

Best Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER : The Descendants (2011)

Other Nominees: The Help (2011); Hugo (2011/II); The Ides of March (2011); Moneyball (2011); War Horse (2011)

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER: The Artist (2011)

Other Nominees: Bridesmaids (2011); 50/50 (2011); Midnight in Paris (2011); My Week with Marilyn (2011)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER: George Clooney for The Descendants (2011)

Other Nominees:Leonardo DiCaprio for J. Edgar (2011); Michael Fassbender for Shame (2011); Ryan Gosling for The Ides of March (2011); Brad Pitt for Moneyball (2011)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER : Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady (2011)

Other Nominees:Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs (2011); Viola Davis for The Help (2011); Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011); Tilda Swinton for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : Jean Dujardin for The Artist (2011)

Other Nominees: Brendan Gleeson for The Guard (2011); Joseph Gordon-Levitt for 50/50 (2011); Ryan Gosling for Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011); Owen Wilson for Midnight in Paris (2011)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn (2011)

Other Nominees: Jodie Foster for Carnage (2011); Charlize Theron for Young Adult (2011); Kristen Wiig for Bridesmaids (2011); Kate Winslet for Carnage (2011)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
WINNER : Christopher Plummer for Beginners (2010)

Other Nominees: Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn (2011); Albert Brooks for Drive (2011); Jonah Hill for Moneyball (2011); Viggo Mortensen for A Dangerous Method (2011)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
WINNER : Octavia Spencer for The Help (2011)

Other Nominees: Bérénice Bejo for The Artist (2011); Jessica Chastain for The Help (2011) ; Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs (2011); Shailene Woodley for The Descendants (2011)

Best Director - Motion Picture
WINNER : Martin Scorsese for Hugo (2011/II)

Other Nominees: Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris (2011); George Clooney for The Ides of March (2011); Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist (2011) ; Alexander Payne for The Descendants (2011)

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
WINNER : Midnight in Paris (2011): Woody Allen

Other Nominees: The Artist (2011): Michel Hazanavicius ; The Descendants (2011): Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash ; The Ides of March (2011): George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon ; Moneyball (2011): Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
WINNER : W.E. (2011): Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry("Masterpiece")

Other Nominees: Albert Nobbs (2011): Brian Byrne, Glenn Close("Lay Your Head Down"); Gnomeo & Juliet (2011): Elton John, Bernie Taupin("Hello Hello"); The Help (2011): Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas("The Living Proof"); Machine Gun Preacher (2011): Chris Cornell("The Keeper")

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
WINNER : The Artist (2011): Ludovic Bource

Other Nominees: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross; Hugo (2011/II): Howard Shore; War Horse (2011): John Williams; W.E. (2011): Abel Korzeniowski

Best Animated Film
WINNER : The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Other Nominees: Arthur Christmas (2011) ; Cars 2 (2011) ; Puss in Boots (2011) ; Rango (2011)

Best Foreign Language Film
WINNER : A Separation (2011)(Iran)

Other Nominees:The Flowers of War (2011)(China) ; In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011)(USA) ; The Kid with a Bike (2011)(Belgium); The Skin I Live In (2011)(Spain)

Best Television Series - Drama
WINNER : "Homeland" (2011)

Other Nominees: "American Horror Story" (2011) ; "Boardwalk Empire" (2010) ; "Boss" (2011); "Game of Thrones" (2011)

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : "Modern Family" (2009)

Other Nominees: "Enlightened" (2011) ; "Episodes" (2011) ; "Glee" (2009) ; "New Girl" (2011)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : "Downton Abbey" (2010)

Other Nominees: Cinema Verite (2011) (TV) ; "The Hour" (2011) ; "Mildred Pierce" (2011); Too Big to Fail (2011) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
WINNER : Kelsey Grammer for "Boss" (2011)

Other Nominees: Steve Buscemi for "Boardwalk Empire" (2010) ; Bryan Cranston for "Breaking Bad" (2008); Jeremy Irons for "The Borgias" (2011) ; Damian Lewis for "Homeland" (2011)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
WINNER : Claire Danes for "Homeland" (2011)

Other Nominees: Mireille Enos for "The Killing" (2011) ; Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" (2009)' Madeleine Stowe for "Revenge" (2011) ; Callie Thorne for "Necessary Roughness" (2011)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : Matt LeBlanc for "Episodes" (2011)

Other Nominees: Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock" (2006); David Duchovny for Californication" (2007); Johnny Galecki for "The Big Bang Theory" (2007); Thomas Jane for "Hung" (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : Laura Dern for "Enlightened" (2011)

Other Nominees: Zooey Deschanel for "New Girl" (2011) ; Tina Fey for "30 Rock" (2006); Laura Linney for "The Big C" (2010) ; Amy Poehler for "Parks and Recreation" (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : Idris Elba for "Luther" (2010)

Other Nominees: Hugh Bonneville for "Downton Abbey" (2010) ; William Hurt for Too Big to Fail (2011) (TV); Bill Nighy for Page Eight (2011) (TV) ; Dominic West for "The Hour" (2011)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : Kate Winslet for "Mildred Pierce" (2011)

Other Nominees: Romola Garai for "The Hour" (2011) ; Diane Lane for Cinema Verite (2011) (TV); Elizabeth McGovern for "Downton Abbey" (2010) ; Emily Watson for "Appropriate Adult" (2011)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : Peter Dinklage for "Game of Thrones" (2011)

Other Nominees: Paul Giamatti for Too Big to Fail (2011) (TV); Guy Pearce for "Mildred Pierce" (2011); Tim Robbins for Cinema Verite (2011) (TV) ; Eric Stonestreet for "Modern Family" (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : Jessica Lange for "American Horror Story" (2011)

Other Nominees: Kelly Macdonald for "Boardwalk Empire" (2010); Maggie Smith for "Downton Abbey" (2010) ; Sofía Vergara for "Modern Family" (2009); Evan Rachel Wood for "Mildred Pierce" (2011)

Critics Choice Awards 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:05:00 +0000

The results of the Critics Choice Awards for 2012 was announced earlier today. These awards are bestowed by the 250 members of the Broadcast Film Critics' Association and recipients often do well in the Academy Awards.

Best Picture

WINNER : The Artist (2011)

Other Nominees: The Descendants (2011); Drive (2011); Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011); The Help (2011); Hugo (2011/II) ; Midnight in Paris (2011); Moneyball (2011); The Tree of Life (2011); War Horse (2011)

Best Actor

WINNER: George Clooney for The Descendants (2011)

Other Nominees: Leonardo DiCaprio for J. Edgar (2011); Jean Dujardin for The Artist (2011) ; Michael Fassbender for Shame (2011) ; Ryan Gosling for Drive (2011); Brad Pitt for Moneyball (2011)

Best Actress

WINNER: Viola Davis for The Help (2011)

Other Nominees: Elizabeth Olsen for Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011); Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady (2011); Tilda Swinton for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011); Charlize Theron for Young Adult (2011); Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn (2011)

Best Supporting Actor

WINNER: Christopher Plummer for Beginners (2010)

Other Nominees: Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn (2011); Albert Brooks for Drive (2011); Nick Nolte for Warrior (2011); Patton Oswalt for Young Adult (2011); Andy Serkis for Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Best Supporting Actress

WINNER: Octavia Spencer for The Help (2011)

Other Nominees: Bérénice Bejo for The Artist (2011); Jessica Chastain for The Help (2011);Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids (2011); Carey Mulligan for Shame (2011); Shailene Woodley for The Descendants (2011)

Best Acting Ensemble

WINNER: The Help (2011)

Other Nominees: The Artist (2011); Bridesmaids (2011); The Descendants (2011); The Ides of March (2011)

Best Director

WINNER: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist (2011)

Other Nominees: Stephen Daldry for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011); Alexander Payne for The Descendants (2011); Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive (2011); Martin Scorsese for Hugo (2011/II); Steven Spielberg for War Horse (2011)

Best Original Screenplay

WINNER: Midnight in Paris (2011): Woody Allen

Other Nominees: The Artist (2011): Michel Hazanavicius; 50/50 (2011): Will Reiser ; Win Win (2011): Thomas McCarthy, Joe Tiboni ; Young Adult (2011): Diablo Cody

Best Adapted Screenplay

WINNER: Moneyball (2011): Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin

Other Nominees: The Descendants (2011): Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011): Eric Roth ; The Help (2011): Tate Taylor; Hugo (2011/II): John Logan

Best Animated Feature

WINNER: Rango (2011)

Other Nominees: The Adventures of Tintin (2011); Arthur Christmas (2011); Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011); Puss in Boots (2011)

Best Young Actor/Actress

WINNER: Thomas Horn for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)

Other Nominees: Asa Butterfield for Hugo (2011/II); Elle Fanning for Super 8 (2011); Ezra Miller for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011); Saoirse Ronan for Hanna (2011); Shailene Woodley for The Descendants (2011)

Best Action Movie

WINNER: Drive (2011)

Other Nominees: Fast & Furious 5 (2011); Hanna (2011); Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011); Super 8 (2011)

Best Comedy Movie

WINNER: Bridesmaids (2011)

Other Nominees: Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011); Horrible Bosses (2011); Midnight in Paris (2011); The Muppets (2011)

Best Foreign Language Film

WINNER: A Separation (2011)

Other Nominees: In Darkness (2011); Le Havre (2011); The Skin I Live In (2011); Where Do We Go Now? (2011)

Best Documentary Feature

WINNER: George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011)

Other Nominees:Buck (2011); Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010); Page One: Inside the New York Times (2011); Project Nim (2011); Undefeated (2011)

Best Song

WINNER: The Muppets (2011): Bret McKenzie("Life's a Happy Song")

Other Nominees: Gnomeo & Juliet (2011): Elton John, Bernie Taupin("Hello Hello"); The Help (2011): Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr.("The Living Proof"); The Muppets (2011): Bret McKenzie("Man or Muppet"); The Muppets (2011): Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis, Chen Neeman("Pictures in My Head")

Best Score

WINNER: The Artist (2011): Ludovic Bource

Other Nominees: Drive (2011): Cliff Martinez; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross ; Hugo (2011/II): Howard Shore ; War Horse (2011): John Williams

Best Cinematography

WINNERS: The Tree of Life (2011): Emmanuel Lubezki; War Horse (2011): Janusz Kaminski

Other Nominees: The Artist (2011): Guillaume Schiffman; Drive (2011): Newton Thomas Sigel; Hugo (2011/II): Robert Richardson

Best Art Direction

WINNER: Hugo (2011/II): Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo

Other Nominees: The Artist (2011): Laurence Bennett, Gregory S. Hooper ; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011): Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan ; The Tree of Life (2011): Jack Fisk, David Crank ; War Horse (2011): Rick Carter, Lee Sandales

Best Editing

WINNER: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall

Other Nominees: The Artist (2011): Michel Hazanavicius, Anne-Sophie Bion; Drive (2011): Matthew Newman ; Hugo (2011/II): Thelma Schoonmaker ; War Horse (2011): Michael Kahn

Best Costume Design

WINNER: The Artist (2011): Mark Bridges

Other Nominees: The Help (2011): Sharen Davis ; Hugo (2011/II): Sandy Powell ; Jane Eyre (2011): Michael O'Connor ; My Week with Marilyn (2011): Jill Taylor

Best Makeup

WINNER: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Other Nominees: ; Albert Nobbs (2011); The Iron Lady (2011); J. Edgar (2011); My Week with Marilyn (2011)

Best Visual Effects

WINNER: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Other Nominees: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011); Hugo (2011/II); Super 8 (2011); The Tree of Life (2011)

Best Sound

WINNER: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Other Nominees: Hugo (2011/II); Super 8 (2011); The Tree of Life (2011); War Horse (2011)

Academy Awards 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:55:00 +0000

The winners and nominees of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, held 27 January 2011:

Best Motion Picture of the Year
The King's Speech
Other Nominees: 127 Hours ; Black Swan ; The Fighter ; Inception ; The Kids Are All Right ; The Social Network ; Toy Story 3 ; True Grit ; Winter's Bone

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Colin Firth for The King's Speech
Other Nominees: Javier Bardem for Biutiful ; Jeff Bridges for True Grit ; Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network ; James Franco for 127 Hours

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Other Nominees: Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right ; Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole ; Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone ; Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale for The Fighter
Other Nominees: John Hawkes for Winter's Bone; Jeremy Renner for The Town ; Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right ; Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Melissa Leo for The Fighter
Other Nominees: Amy Adams for The Fighter ; Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech ; Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit ; Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom

Best Achievement in Directing
Tom Hooper for The King's Speech
Other Nominees: Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan ; Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for True Grit ; David Fincher for The Social Network ; David O. Russell for The Fighter

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
The King's Speech - David Seidler
Other Nominees: Another Year - Mike Leigh ; The Fighter - Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington ; Inception - Christopher Nolan ; The Kids Are All Right - Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
The Social Network - Aaron Sorkin
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy; Toy Story 3 - Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich ; True Grit - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen ; Winter's Bone - Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Toy Story 3 - Lee Unkrich
Other Nominees: How to Train Your Dragon - Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders ; The Illusionist - Sylvain Chomet

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
In a Better World - Susanne Bier(Denmark)
Other Nominees: Biutiful - Alejandro González Iñárritu(Mexico); Dogtooth - Giorgos Lanthimos(Greece) ; Incendies - Denis Villeneuve(Canada) ; Outside the Law - Rachid Bouchareb(Algeria)

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Inception - Wally Pfister
Other Nominees: Black Swan - Matthew Libatique ; The King's Speech - Danny Cohen ; The Social Network - Jeff Cronenweth ; True Grit - Roger Deakins

Best Achievement in Editing
The Social Network - Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - Jon Harris ; Black Swan - Andrew Weisblum ; The Fighter - Pamela Martin ; The King's Speech - Tariq Anwar

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Alice in Wonderland - Robert Stromberg, Karen O'Hara
Other Nominees: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan ; Inception - Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias, Douglas A. Mowat; The King's Speech - Eve Stewart, Judy Farr ; True Grit - Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Alice in Wonderland - Colleen Atwood
Other Nominees: I Am Love - Antonella Cannarozzi ; The King's Speech - Jenny Beavan ; The Tempest - Sandy Powell ; True Grit - Mary Zophres

Best Achievement in Makeup
The Wolfman - Rick Baker, Dave Elsey
Other Nominees: Barney's Version - Adrien Morot ; The Way Back - Edouard F. Henriques, Greg Funk, Yolanda Toussieng

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
The Social Network - Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - A.R. Rahman ; How to Train Your Dragon - John Powell ; Inception - Hans Zimmer ; The King's Speech - Alexandre Desplat

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Toy Story 3 - Randy Newman("We Belong Together")
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - A.R. Rahman, , Dido("If I Rise") ; Country Strong - Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges("Coming Home") ; Tangled - Alan Menken, Glenn Slater("I See the Light")

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Inception - Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo, Ed Novick
Other Nominees: The King's Speech - Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen, John Midgley ; Salt - Jeffrey J. Haboush, William Sarokin, Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell ; The Social Network - Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Mark Weingarten ; True Grit - Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff, Peter F. Kurland

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Inception - Richard King
Other Nominees: Toy Story 3 - Tom Myers, Michael Silvers ; TRON: Legacy - Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Addison Teague ; True Grit - Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey ; Unstoppable - Mark P. Stoeckinger

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Inception - Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley, Pete Bebb, Paul J. Franklin
Other Nominees: Alice in Wonderland - Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas, Sean Phillips ; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz, Nicolas Aithadi ; Hereafter - Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojansky, Joe Farrell ; Iron Man 2 - Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright, Daniel Sudick

Best Documentary, Features
Inside Job - Charles Ferguson, Audrey Marrs
Other Nominees: Exit Through the Gift Shop - Banksy, Jaimie D'Cruz ; GasLand - Josh Fox, Trish Adlesic ; Restrepo - Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger ; Waste Land - Lucy Walker, Angus Aynsley

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Strangers No More - Karen Goodman, Kirk Simon
Other Nominees: Killing in the Name - Jed Rothstein ; Poster Girl - Sara Nesson, Mitchell Block ; Sun Come Up - Jennifer Redfearn, Tim Metzger ; The Warriors of Qiugang - Ruby Yang, Thomas Lennon

Best Short Film, Animated
The Lost Thing - Shaun Tan, Andrew Ruhemann
Other Nominees: Day & Night - Teddy Newton ; The Gruffalo - Jakob Schuh, Max Lang ; Let's Pollute - Geefwee Boedoe ; Madagascar, a Journey Diary - Bastien Dubois

Best Short Film, Live Action
God of Love - Luke Matheny
Other Nominees: The Confession - Tanel Toom ; The Crush - Michael Creagh ; Na Wewe - Ivan Goldschmidt ; Wish 143 - Ian Barnes, Samantha Waite

BAFTA's 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:34:00 +0000

Best Film
WINNER : The King's Speech
Other Nominees: Black Swan ; Inception ; The Social Network ; True Grit

Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the Year
WINNER : The King's Speech
Other Nominees: 127 Hours ; Another Year ; Four Lions ; Made in Dagenham

Best Actor
WINNER : Colin Firth for The King's Speech
Other Nominees: Javier Bardem for Biutiful ; Jeff Bridges for True Grit ; Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network ; James Franco for 127 Hours

Best Actress
WINNER : Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Other Nominees: Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right ; Julianne Moore for The Kids Are All Right ; Noomi Rapace for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ; Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit

Best Supporting Actor
WINNER : Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech
Other Nominees: Christian Bale for The Fighter ; Andrew Garfield for The Social Network ; Pete Postlethwaite for The Town ; Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right

Best Supporting Actress
WINNER : Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech
Other Nominees: Amy Adams for The Fighter ; Barbara Hershey for Black Swan ; Lesley Manville for Another Year ; Miranda Richardson for Made in Dagenham

David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction
WINNER : David Fincher for The Social Network
Other Nominees: Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan ; Danny Boyle for 127 Hours ; Tom Hooper for The King's Speech ; Christopher Nolan for Inception

Best Screenplay (Original)
WINNER : The King's Speech - David Seidler
Other Nominees: Black Swan - Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin ; The Fighter - Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson ; Inception - Christopher Nolan ; The Kids Are All Right - Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg

Best Screenplay (Adapted)
WINNER : The Social Network - Aaron Sorkin
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy ; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Rasmus Heisterberg, Nikolaj Arcel ; Toy Story 3 - Michael Arndt ; True Grit - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Best Cinematography
WINNER : True Grit - Roger Deakins
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - Anthony Dod Mantle, Enrique Chediak ; Black Swan - Matthew Libatique ; Inception - Wally Pfister ; The King's Speech - Danny Cohen

Best Editing
WINNER : The Social Network - Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - Jon Harris ; Black Swan - Andrew Weisblum ; Inception - Lee Smith ; The King's Speech - Tariq Anwar

Best Production Design
WINNER : Inception - Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias, Douglas A. Mowat
Other Nominees: Alice in Wonderland - Robert Stromberg, Karen O'Hara ; Black Swan - Thérèse DePrez, Tora Peterson ; The King's Speech - Eve Stewart, Judy Farr ; True Grit - Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh

Best Costume Design
WINNER : Alice in Wonderland - Colleen Atwood
Other Nominees: Black Swan - Amy Westcott ; The King's Speech - Jenny Beavan ; Made in Dagenham - Louise Stjernsward ; True Grit - Mary Zophres

Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
WINNER : The King's Speech - Alexandre Desplat
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - A.R. Rahman ; Alice in Wonderland - Danny Elfman ; How to Train Your Dragon - John Powell ; Inception - Hans Zimmer

Best Make Up/Hair
WINNER : Alice in Wonderland
Other Nominees: Black Swan ; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ; The King's Speech ; Made in Dagenham

Best Sound
WINNER : Inception
Other Nominees: 127 Hours ; Black Swan ; The King's Speech ; True Grit

Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects
WINNER : Inception
Other Nominees: Alice in Wonderland ; Black Swan ; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ; Toy Story 3

Best Film not in the English Language
WINNER : The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Other Nominees: Biutiful ; I Am Love ; Of Gods and Men ; The Secret in Their Eyes

Best Animated Feature Film
WINNER : Toy Story 3
Other Nominees: Despicable Me ; How to Train Your Dragon

Orange Rising Star Award
WINNER : Tom Hardy
Other Nominees: Gemma Arterton ; Andrew Garfield ; Aaron Johnson ; Emma Stone

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
WINNER : Four Lions - Christopher Morris(Director/Writer)
Other Nominees: The Arbor - Clio Barnard, Tracy O'Riordan(Director, Producer) ; Exit Through the Gift Shop - Banksy, Jaimie D'Cruz(Director, Producer) ; Monsters - Gareth Edwards(Director/Writer); Skeletons - Nick Whitfield(Director/Writer)

Best Short Animation
WINNER : The Eagleman Stag
Other Nominees: Matter Fisher ; Thursday

Best Short Film
WINNER : Until the River Runs Red
Other Nominees: Connect ; Lin ; Rite ; Turning

Academy Awards 2011 - nominees

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:49:00 +0000

And the Oscar nominees are:

Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem in Biutiful
Jeff Bridges in True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network
Colin Firth in The King's Speech
James Franco in 127 Hours

Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale in The Fighter
John Hawkes in Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner in The Town
Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech

Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman in Black Swan
Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine

Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech
Melissa Leo in The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit
Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom

Animated Feature Film
How to Train Your Dragon - Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
The Illusionist - Sylvain Chomet
Toy Story 3 - Lee Unkrich

Art Direction
Alice in Wonderland - Production Design: Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Karen O'Hara
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
Inception - Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Larry Dias and Doug Mowat
The King's Speech - Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Judy Farr
True Grit - Production Design: Jess Gonchor; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh

Cinematography
Black Swan - Matthew Libatique
Inception - Wally Pfister
The King's Speech - Danny Cohen
The Social Network - Jeff Cronenweth
True Grit - Roger Deakins

Costume Design
Alice in Wonderland - Colleen Atwood
I Am Love - Antonella Cannarozzi
The King's Speech - Jenny Beavan
The Tempest - Sandy Powell
True Grit - Mary Zophres

Directing
Black Swan - Darren Aronofsky
The Fighter - David O. Russell
The King's Speech - Tom Hooper
The Social Network - David Fincher
True Grit - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Documentary (Feature)
Exit through the Gift Shop - Banksy and Jaimie D'Cruz
Gasland - Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
Inside Job - Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
Restrepo - Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
Waste Land - Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley

Documentary (Short Subject)
Killing in the Name - Nominees to be determined
Poster Girl - Nominees to be determined
Strangers No More - Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon
Sun Come Up - Jennifer Redfearn and Tim Metzger
The Warriors of Qiugang - Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon

Film Editing
Black Swan - Andrew Weisblum
The Fighter - Pamela Martin
The King's Speech - Tariq Anwar
127 Hours - Jon Harris
The Social Network - Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

Foreign Language Film
Biutiful - Mexico
Dogtooth - Greece
In a Better World - Denmark
Incendies - Canada
Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi) - Algeria

Make-Up
Barney's Version - Adrien Morot
The Way Back - Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
The Wolfman - Rick Baker and Dave Elsey

Music (Original Score)
How to Train Your Dragon - John Powell
Inception - Hans Zimmer
The King's Speech - Alexandre Desplat
127 Hours - A.R. Rahman
The Social Network - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Music (Original Song)
Coming Home from Country Strong - Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
I See the Light from Tangled - Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
If I Rise from 127 Hours - Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
We Belong Together from Toy Story 3 - Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

Best Picture
Black Swan - Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
The Fighter - David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
Inception - Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
The Kids Are All Right - Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray,

Producers
The King's Speech - Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
127 Hours - Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
The Social Network - Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
Toy Story 3 - Darla K. Anderson, Producer
True Grit - Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
Winter's Bone - Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

Short Film (Animated)
Day & Night - Teddy Newton
The Gruffalo - Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
Let's Pollute - Geefwee Boedoe
The Lost Thing - Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
Madagascar, Carnet de Voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary) - Bastien Dubois

Short Film (Live Action)
The Confession - Tanel Toom
The Crush - Michael Creagh
God of Love - Luke Matheny
Na Wewe - Ivan Goldschmidt
Wish 143 - Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite

Sound Editing
Inception - Richard King
Toy Story 3 - Tom Myers and Michael Silvers
Tron: Legacy - Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague
True Grit - Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey
Unstoppable - Mark P. Stoeckinger

Sound Mixing
Inception - Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick
The King's Speech - Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen and John Midgley
Salt - Jeffrey J. Haboush, Greg P. Russell, Scott Millan and William Sarokin
The Social Network - Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Mark Weingarten
True Grit - Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland

Visual Effects
Alice in Wonderland - Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
Hereafter - Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
Inception - Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
Iron Man 2 - Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
127 Hours - Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
The Social Network - Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
Toy Story 3 - Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
True Grit - Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Winter's Bone - Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini

Writing (Original Screenplay)
Another Year - Written by Mike Leigh
The Fighter - Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
Inception - Written by Christopher Nolan
The Kids Are All Right - Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
The King's Speech - Screenplay by David Seidler

Who do you think should win!?

68th Annual Golden Globe Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:51:00 +0000

Held 16 January 2011

Best Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER The Social Network
Other Nominees: Black Swan ; The Fighter ; Inception ; The King's Speech.

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER The Kids Are All Right
Other Nominees: Alice in Wonderland ; Burlesque ; Red ; The Tourist.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER Colin Firth for The King's Speech
Other Nominees: Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network ; James Franco for 127 Hours ; Ryan Gosling for Blue Valentine ; Mark Wahlberg for The Fighter.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Other Nominees: Halle Berry for Frankie and Alice ; Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole ; Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone ; Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER Paul Giamatti for Barney's Version
Other Nominees: Johnny Depp for The Tourist ; Johnny Depp for Alice in Wonderland ; Jake Gyllenhaal for Love and Other Drugs ; Kevin Spacey for Casino Jack.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right
Other Nominees: Anne Hathaway for Love and Other Drugs ; Angelina Jolie for The Tourist ; Julianne Moore for The Kids Are All Right ; Emma Stone for Easy A.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
WINNER Christian Bale for The Fighter
Other Nominees: Michael Douglas for Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps ; Andrew Garfield for The Social Network ; Jeremy Renner for The Town ; Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
WINNER Melissa Leo for The Fighter
Other Nominees: Amy Adams for The Fighter ; Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech ; Mila Kunis for Black Swan ; Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom.

Best Director - Motion Picture
WINNER David Fincher for The Social Network
Other Nominees: Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan ; Tom Hooper for The King's Speech ;
Christopher Nolan for Inception ; David O. Russell for The Fighter.

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
WINNER The Social Network - Aaron Sorkin
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy ; Inception - Christopher Nolan ; The Kids Are All Right - Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko; The King's Speech - David Seidler

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
WINNER Burlesque - Diane Warren("You Haven't Seen The Last of Me")
Other Nominees: Burlesque - Samuel Dixon, Christina Aguilera, Sia Furler("Bound to You"); Country Strong - Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges("Coming Home"); The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Carrie Underwood, David Hodges, Hillary Lindsey("There's A Place For Us") ; Tangled - Alan Menken, Glenn Slater("I See the Light")

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
WINNER The Social Network - Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Other Nominees: 127 Hours - A.R. Rahman ; Alice in Wonderland - Danny Elfman ; Inception - Hans Zimmer ; The King's Speech - Alexandre Desplat

Best Animated Film
WINNER Toy Story 3
Other Nominees: Despicable Me ; How to Train Your Dragon ; The Illusionist ; Tangled.

Best Foreign Language Film
WINNER In a Better World (Denmark)
Other Nominees: Biutiful (Mexico/Spain); The Concert (France); The Edge (Russia); I Am Love (Italy)

Best Television Series - Drama
WINNER "Boardwalk Empire"
Other Nominees: "Dexter" ; "The Good Wife" ; "Mad Men" ; "The Walking Dead"

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER "Glee"
Other Nominees: "The Big Bang Theory" ; "The Big C" ; "Modern Family" ; "Nurse Jackie" ; "30 Rock".

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER "Carlos"
Other Nominees: "The Pacific" ; "The Pillars of the Earth" ; Temple Grandin ; You Don't Know Jack.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER Al Pacino for You Don't Know Jack
Other Nominees: Idris Elba for "Luther" ; Ian McShane for "The Pillars of the Earth" ; Dennis Quaid for The Special Relationship ; Édgar Ramírez for "Carlos"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER Claire Danes for Temple Grandin
Other Nominees: Hayley Atwell for "The Pillars of the Earth" ; Judi Dench for "Cranford" ; Romola Garai for "Emma" ; Jennifer Love Hewitt for The Client List.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER Jim Parsons for "The Big Bang Theory"
Other Nominees: Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock" ; Steve Carell for "The Office: US Version" ; Thomas Jane for "Hung" ; Matthew Morrison for "Glee"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER Laura Linney for "The Big C"
Other Nominees: Toni Collette for "United States of Tara" ; Edie Falco for "Nurse Jackie" ; Tina Fey for "30 Rock" ; Lea Michele for "Glee"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
WINNER Steve Buscemi for "Boardwalk Empire"
Other Nominees: Bryan Cranston for "Breaking Bad" ; Michael C. Hall for "Dexter" ;
Jon Hamm for "Mad Men" ; Hugh Laurie for "House"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
WINNER Katey Sagal for "Sons of Anarchy"
Other Nominees: Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" ; Elisabeth Moss for "Mad Men" ; Piper Perabo for "Covert Affairs" ; Kyra Sedgwick for "The Closer"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER Chris Colfer for "Glee"
Other Nominees: Scott Caan for "Hawaii Five-0" ; Chris Noth for "The Good Wife" ; Eric Stonestreet for "Modern Family" ; David Strathairn for Temple Grandin

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER Jane Lynch for "Glee"
Other Nominees: Hope Davis for The Special Relationship ; Kelly Macdonald for "Boardwalk Empire" ; Julia Stiles for "Dexter" ; Sofía Vergara for "Modern Family"

16th Annual Critics Choice Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:30:00 +0000

Held 14 January 2011 at the Hollywood Palladium.

Best Picture
The Social Network

Other Nominees: 127 Hours; Black Swan ; The Fighter; Inception ; The King's Speech ; The Town ; Toy Story 3 ; True Grit; Winter's Bone.

Best Actor
Colin Firth for The King's Speech

Other Nominees: Jeff Bridges for True Grit; Robert Duvall for Get Low ; Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network ; James Franco for 127 Hours ; Ryan Gosling for Blue Valentine.

Best Actress
Natalie Portman for Black Swan

Other Nominees: Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right; Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole ; Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone ; Noomi Rapace for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ; Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine.

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale for The Fighter

Other Nominees:
Andrew Garfield for The Social Network ; Jeremy Renner for The Town ; Sam Rockwell for Conviction ; Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right ; Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech.

Best Supporting Actress
Melissa Leo for The Fighter

Other Nominees: Amy Adams for The Fighter ; Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech ; Mila Kunis for Black Swan ; Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit ; Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom.

Best Acting Ensemble
The Fighter

Other Nominees: The Kids Are All Right ; The King's Speech ; The Social Network ;
The Town.

Best Director
David Fincher for The Social Network

Other Nominees: Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan ; Danny Boyle for 127 Hours ; Joel Coen, Ethan Coen for True Grit ; Tom Hooper for The King's Speech ; Christopher Nolan for Inception.

Best Original Screenplay
The King's Speech - David Seidler

Other Nominees: Another Year - Mike Leigh ; Black Swan - Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin ; The Fighter - Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson ; Inception - Christopher Nolan ; The Kids Are All Right - Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Social Network - Aaron Sorkin

Other Nominees: 127 Hours - Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle ; The Town - Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, Sheldon Turner ; Toy Story 3 - Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich ; True Grit - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen ; Winter's Bone - Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini

Best Animated Feature
Toy Story 3

Other Nominees: Despicable Me ; How to Train Your Dragon ; The Illusionist ; Tangled.

Best Young Actor/Actress
Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit

Other Nominees: Elle Fanning for Somewhere ; Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone ; Chloe Moretz for Let Me In ; Chloe Moretz for Kick-Ass ; Kodi Smit-McPhee for Let Me In.

Best Action Movie
Inception

Other Nominees: Kick-Ass ; Red ; The Town ; Unstoppable.

Best Comedy Movie
Easy A

Other Nominees: Cyrus ; Date Night ; Get Him to the Greek ; I Love You Phillip Morris ; The Other Guys.

Best Foreign Language Film
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Other Nominees: Biutiful ; I Am Love.

Best Documentary Feature
Waiting for Superman

Other Nominees: Exit Through the Gift Shop ; Inside Job ; Restrepo ; Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work ; The Tillman Story.

Best Song
127 Hours ("If I Rise")

Other Nominees: Burlesque ("You Haven't Seen the Last of Me Yet") ; Tangled ("I See the Light") ; Toy Story 3 ("We Belong Together") ; Waiting for Superman ("Shine")

Best Composer
The Social Network - Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

Other Nominees: Black Swan - Clint Mansell ; Inception - Hans Zimmer ; The King's Speech - Alexandre Desplat ; True Grit - Carter Burwell

Best Picture Made for Television
"The Pacific"

Other Nominees: Temple Grandin ; You Don't Know Jack.

Best Cinematography
Inception

Other Nominees: 127 Hours ; Black Swan ; The King's Speech ; True Grit.

Best Art Direction
Inception

Other Nominees: Alice in Wonderland ; Black Swan ; The King's Speech ; True Grit.

Best Editing
Inception

Other Nominees: 127 Hours ; Black Swan ; The Social Network.

Best Costume Design
Alice in Wonderland

Other Nominees: Black Swan ; The King's Speech ; True Grit.

Best Makeup
Alice in Wonderland

Other Nominees: Black Swan ; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Best Visual Effects
Inception

Other Nominees: Alice in Wonderland ; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ; TRON: Legacy.

Best Sound
Inception

Other Nominees: 127 Hours ; Black Swan ; The Social Network ; Toy Story 3

The Puzzle Ring by Kate Forsyth

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:47:00 +0000

Review from Celia, age 9:

Hannah lives in Australia and is 13 years old, but she is meant to be in Scotland and be called Lady Hannah. One day, Hannah and her mum get a letter from Hannah's grandmother who lives in a castle in Scotland. Hannah talks her mum into going to Scotland to visit.

When they get there, Hannah finds a hag-stone at the Witch's Pool and an old rusted key in her Dad's old bedroom. Her dad has been missing for 13 years. Everybody says different things about where her father went, but he actually went through a portal into the time of Mary Queen of Scots. With the hag-stone you can see stuff that used to be there and magic things. With the key she could unlock a door in the music room that was her Dad's study.

Hannah meets other kids her age and makes friends. Then on a thin day she is going to go through the portal when her friends show up and argue that she didn't tell them she was going to leave. They all go back in time to the time of Mary Queen of Scots where they look for the pieces of the puzzle ring that may bring her father back and break the curse on Wintersloe Castle.

Eglantyne of the Fair Folk was married to one of Hannah's ancestors, she put a curse on Wintersloe Castle because people thought she was a witch and they tried to kill her as they burned witches in those days. She threw her puzzle ring into the air and sent them to the four corners of the world, so it couldn't be put back together and break the curse.

There, they meet an evil witch named Irata (don't say her name out loud!). They find all four pieces of the puzzle ring by using the hag-stone and find Hannah's father and escape back home.

In the nearby village there is a lady called Morgana Underhill, who is a descendant of the Morgana who was sister to Eglantyne. Hannah summons Irata by saying her name nine times. Irata comes through the portal and Morgana traps Irata in a mirror which they throw into the loch and the curse is broken. Morgana goes to be queen of the Fair Folk and for the rest of the years, everybody was happy at Wintersloe.

Comment on why she liked it : "Because it went back in time to the time of Mary Queen of Scots and had magic in it."

Torment by Lauren Kate

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:06:00 +0000

Having read the first in this series, Fallen, last year I was keen to read this sequel.

At the end of Fallen, Luce learned of the real identity of a number of her classmates at the Sword & Cross school and realised that the man she had fallen instantly and inexplicably in love with (Daniel) was an angel. She learned of his immortal status and her previous relationships with him, a relationship repeated every 17 years, as in each life a kiss with Daniel would result in her fiery doom. The story concluded with a battle between angels and demons, Luce being almost killed by an Elder, saved by angels and whisked away to safety by a mortal but angel-friendly teacher.

The prologue in Torment set some of the scene of the truce between angels and demons in order to allow both sides time to destroy other players in the game - the Outcasts (angels that were barred from entering both heaven and hell) and the Elders. Hints are given that Luce's mortality in this life (due to never having been baptised) has changed the state of play dramatically and it is imperative that she is kept safe and alive.

Chapter 1 ignored the epilogue from Fallen and started with Luce aboard a flight to California on her way to a new school - Shoreline - organised by Daniel. This turns out to be a school of 'gifted' and elite students. The gifted students in particular being nephilim - the offspring of angels and mortals who have some angelic abilities. Luce is placed in a dormitory with Shelby, an ascerbic character who I spent almost the whole book wondering if she is on the side of good or evil. A couple of bouncy girls make her feel a bit more at ease, and a boy, Miles, becomes a friend she feels she can confide in.

The book covers a period of a mere 17 days - from the beginning of the truce to the day before it ends. During this time, Luce is asked and warned to stay within the campus grounds, but irritatingly, Luce keeps endangering herself (and potentially her rescuers) as she travels away from the school a number of times.

Luce learns a little of the nephilim world and the some of the things that they can manipulate in the world around them. She sees Daniel a few times but although her heart sings at a glimpse of him, the stubborn side of her continually surfaces when she wants to know more and he won't tell her. This goes for her new angel/demon teachers too - although the demon one at least gives her a few hints.

She misses her family and her old school friend Callie and at this school there is no bar to her accessing a phone or email, yet she declines to have more than cursory contact with them during her stay which is a puzzling change from her mindset in the last book.

Thanksgiving arrives and she is surprised to be allowed home to her parents for the day - along with a host of angels, demons and nephilim, as well as her friend Callie. Word has leaked out however as to her location and a battle starts with the Outcasts who see Luce as their key back into heaven. The story concludes with Luce running away and avoiding everyone that cares for her.

Overall, I found the book very frustrating and started to wonder if the title was aptly named for the reader. So little was learned to advance the plot and add depth to the story. The characters were mostly shallow sketches and a number of them acted in ways that made little sense.

Luce repeatedly acted disappointed/upset/annoyed and frankly came across as quite bratty. She was constantly annoyed with not knowing enough about her situation yet didn't seek out the angel-teacher who had offered her help on arrival at the school, nor did she actively seek Arriane when she made an appearance back in the story to find out more. At the conclusion of Fallen, Luce was given a book by Gabe on angels/watchers that must have contained pertinent information, yet no mention is made of this at all and she even acts vague about the whole topic when talking to Daniel about it on her way to Shoreline. Was Luce so struck into immobility in the days between her rescue and her setting off to Shoreline that she couldn't open a book? One must assume so. She continues throughout the book as needing everything spelled out letter by letter for her, otherwise she becomes despondent and annoyed and almost a damsel in distress (yet annoyed by being rescued and treated as such).

She latches on to one lesson - that about the Announcers (or shadows) and learns to use them for the memories they hold as she seems fixated on finding out more about her past relationships with Daniel and her past lives families. Consequently we are taken on many a side trip that don't really add much to the story, so one hopes that they will come have a meaning in the next book.

Basically her character annoyed me terribly!

Whilst the reader can see that Daniel is afraid to tell her anything - worried that too much information will kill her and hoping that she can work it out herself - it is easy for the reader to see that telling her these small facts would certainly have eased the situation. Is Daniel really so dense after living for thousands of years, or is the fault of the writer purposefully using lack of information as a device for keeping everyone (her characters and her readers) guessing?

Daniel's character could have been improved upon as well - he gets very little character development and seems to perpetually be mooning after Luce. He only gets a starring role at the beginning and end of the book (where we finally get to see some more human traits like jealousy and pain). Otherwise he is limited to only quick appearances. Add this to the fact none of the nephilim seem to want to talk about him (even though the Daniel/Lucinda story has entered angel folklore) and the result is that both Luce and the reader are kept in the dark.

Most disappointing of all is that the sweet romance and gut twisting emotion that the first book had is missing and the book definitely suffers from the lack of this ingredient.

I think the writer has done her readers a disservice by not enlightening them but rather hoping that hints will be sufficient to keep her readers returning. She may be sadly mistaken.

I hold out hope that the next novel, Passion, will tidy things up. However, given the vagueness of the first two stories, I have to wonder if Lauren Kate even knows where it is heading.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 07:20:00 +0000

Having read and enjoyed a couple of Neil Gaiman's books - notabably the Anansi Boys and Stardust - I was given The Graveyard Book to read, and I'm so glad I did.

Aimed at all ages, but principally a children's book, it is a typical Neil Gaiman book - just a little off centre, or almost normal,but with a supernatural twist.

A toddler escapes his bed at the precise moment that the rest of his family are murdered by a knife wielding "Jack". The child toddles out, along the road and into an old graveyard where the residents take it upon themselves to protect and look after him by giving him the Freedom of the Graveyard.

He becomes Nobody (Bod) Owens and grows up quite normal - even if he does happen to have parents, carers, teachers and friends that have long since passed over and are invisible to everyone else. Chats with, for example, long dead poets, an old Roman, ghouls and even the non-dead (but not alive either) make for a emminently enjoyable read.

His education is, to say the least, interesting. Of course instruction in things like how to Fade, Dreamwalk and ask for help in numerous supernatural languages, is of questionable benefit in the land of the living. Nevertheless, he IS a living boy and as such does long to be outside the graveyard. However venturing outside also means that his protectors have limited power to help him and the mysterious Jack could find him again and finally finish his work of so many years ago.

An adventure story sprinkled with wisdom, mystery and excitement, I urge you to read and enjoy.... and start looking for more books by this wonderful author.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:20:00 +0000

A Newberry Medal winner, this book was recommended to me as a classic in children's literature and I really enjoyed the story.

Set in the late 17th century the story is about Kit Tyler, an independent and confident young lady (age 16) who travels from a relatively carefree life in Barbados to an Aunt who resides in cold and bleak Connecticut.

Having come from a life where she had been free to do as she wished, never expected to work and with a personal servant who had been with her since childhood, Kit finds her Aunt and Uncle's Puritan household to be overly strict and she can't help but rebel against the rules and restrictions they expect her to follow as a member of their family.

Kit is constantly at conflict with her Uncle and the expectations of the community's Puritan beliefs. After one such conflict she escapes the confines of the house to the peaceful meadows outside of the town. An old quaker widow, Hannah, lives there and all are warned to stay away as there are suspicions the woman could be a witch. However Kit finds comfort with Hannah who seems to have a calming influence on her and makes the rest of her life more bearable.

There are young men in Kit's life - the keen suitor William, the annoying but good looking sailor, Nat, and a divinity student John who is one of the few people she feels able to talk to beside her cousins Mercy and Judith.

As she has been well educated, Kit helps Mercy in 'the dame school' and befriends a little girl, Prudence, who she met on the last leg of her voyage and who is somewhat dazzled by the capable Kit. Kit works hard to overcome early objections to her by the community but her continued friendship with Hannah fuels suspicions. Combined with jealousy and fear this culminates in Kit being accused of witchcraft.

The book moves with a fast pace and there are occasions when you are filled with terror for what could happen to Kit. She is an easy character to identify with - after all, haven't we all wanted to rebel against people telling us what we can and can't do?

A great read for older children/young adults, or just the young at heart!

2010 Academy Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:04:00 +0000

L to R: Sandra Bullock, best actress winner ; Kathryn Bigelow winner of best director for the best movie, the Hurt Locker ; Jeff Bridges, best actor winner.

The 2010 Academy Awards was a glittering affair and rightly so. Dominated by wins by The Hurt Locker, these were the winners and nominees:

Best Motion Picture of the Year
WINNER : The Hurt Locker
Other Nominees: Avatar ; The Blind Side; District 9 ; An Education ; Inglourious Basterds ; Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire ; A Serious Man ; Up ;
Up in the Air

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
WINNER : Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart
Other Nominees: George Clooney for Up in the Air ; Colin Firth for A Single Man ; Morgan Freeman for Invictus ; Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
WINNER : Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side
Other Nominees: Helen Mirren for The Last Station ; Carey Mulligan for An Education ;
Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire ; Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
WINNER : Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds
Other Nominees: Matt Damon for Invictus ; Woody Harrelson for The Messenger ; Christopher Plummer for The Last Station ; Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
WINNER : Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Other Nominees: Penélope Cruz for Nine ; Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air ; Maggie Gyllenhaal for Crazy Heart ; Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air

Best Achievement in Directing
WINNER : Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker
Other Nominees: James Cameron for Avatar ; Lee Daniels for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire ; Jason Reitman for Up in the Air ; Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
WINNER : The Hurt Locker - Mark Boal
Other Nominees: Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino ; The Messenger - Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman ; A Serious Man - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen ; Up - Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
WINNER : Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire - Geoffrey Fletcher
Other Nominees: District 9 - Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell ; An Education - Nick Hornby ; In the Loop - Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche ; Up in the Air - Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Best Achievement in Cinematography
WINNER : Avatar - Mauro Fiore
Other Nominees: Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte - Christian Berger ; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Bruno Delbonnel ; The Hurt Locker - Barry Ackroyd ; Inglourious Basterds - Robert Richardson

Best Achievement in Editing
WINNER : The Hurt Locker - Bob Murawski, Chris Innis
Other Nominees: Avatar - Stephen E. Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron ; District 9 - Julian Clarke ; Inglourious Basterds - Sally Menke ; Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire - Joe Klotz

Best Achievement in Art Direction
WINNER : Avatar - Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair
Other Nominees: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - David Warren, Anastasia Masaro, Caroline Smith ; Nine - John Myhre, Gordon Sim ; Sherlock Holmes - Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer ; The Young Victoria - Patrice Vermette, Maggie Gray

Best Achievement in Costume Design
WINNER : The Young Victoria - Sandy Powell
Other Nominees: Bright Star - Janet Patterson ; Coco avant Chanel - Catherine Leterrier ; The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Monique Prudhomme ; Nine - Colleen Atwood

Best Achievement in Makeup
WINNER : Star Trek - Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, Joel Harlow
Other Nominees: Il divo - Aldo Signoretti, Vittorio Sodano ; The Young Victoria - John Henry Gordon, Jenny Shircore

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
WINNER : Up - Michael Giacchino
Other Nominees: Avatar - James Horner ; Fantastic Mr. Fox - Alexandre Desplat ; The Hurt Locker - Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders ; Sherlock Holmes - Hans Zimmer

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
WINNER : Crazy Heart - T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham("The Weary Kind")
Other Nominees: Faubourg 36 (2008): Reinhardt Wagner, Frank Thomas("Loin de Paname"); Nine - Maury Yeston("Take It All") ; The Princess and the Frog - Randy Newman("Almost There"); The Princess and the Frog - Randy Newman("Down in New Orleans")

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
WINNER : The Hurt Locker - Paul N.J. Ottosson, Ray Beckett
Other Nominees: Avatar - Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Tony Johnson ; Inglourious Basterds - Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti, Mark Ulano ; Star Trek - Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson, Peter J. Devlin ; Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Geoffrey Patterson

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
WINNER : The Hurt Locker - Paul N.J. Ottosson
Other Nominees: Avatar - Christopher Boyes, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle ; Inglourious Basterds - Wylie Stateman ; Star Trek - Mark P. Stoeckinger, Alan Rankin ; Up - Michael Silvers, Tom Myers

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
WINNER : Avatar - Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andy Jones
Other Nominees: District 9 - Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, Matt Aitken ; Star Trek - Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, Burt Dalton

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
WINNER : Up - Pete Docter
Other Nominees: Coraline - Henry Selick ; Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson ; The Princess and the Frog - John Musker, Ron Clements ; The Secret of Kells - Tomm Moore

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
WINNER : El secreto de sus ojos (Argentina)
Other Nominees: Ajami (Israel); Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (Germany); Un prophète (France); La teta asustada (Peru)

Best Documentary, Features
WINNER : The Cove - Louie Psihoyos, Fisher Stevens
Other Nominees: Burma VJ: Reporter i et lukket land - Anders Østergaard, Lise Lense-Møller ; Food, Inc. - Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein ; The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers - Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith ; Which Way Home - Rebecca Cammisa

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
WINNER : Music by Prudence - Roger Ross Williams, Elinor Burkett
Other Nominees: China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province - Jon Alpert, Matthew O'Neill ; The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner - Daniel Junge, Henry Ansbacher ; The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant - Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert ; Królik po berlinsku - Bartosz Konopka, Anna Wydra

Best Short Film, Animated
WINNER : Logorama - Nicolas Schmerkin
Other Nominees: French Roast - Fabrice Joubert ; Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty - Nicky Phelan, Darragh O'Connell ; La dama y la muerte - Javier Recio Gracia ; Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'- Nick Park

Best Short Film, Live Action
WINNER : The New Tenants - Joachim Back, Tivi Magnusson
Other Nominees: The Door - Juanita Wilson, James Flynn ; Istället för abrakadabra - Patrik Eklund, Mathias Fjällström ; Kavi - Gregg Helvey ; Miracle Fish - Luke Doolan, Drew Bailey

2010 BAFTAs

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:34:00 +0000

Earlier this week the 2010 BAFTAs were held in London. Here are the results:

Best Film
WINNER : The Hurt Locker (2008)
Other Nominees: Avatar (2009); An Education (2009); Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009); Up in the Air (2009/I)

Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the Year
WINNER : Fish Tank (2009)
Other Nominees: An Education (2009); In the Loop (2009); Moon (2009) ; Nowhere Boy (2009

Best Actor
WINNER : Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)
Other Nominees: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009); George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009); Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker (2008) ; Andy Serkis for Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010)

Best Actress
WINNER : Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)
Other Nominees: Saoirse Ronan for The Lovely Bones (2009) ; Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) ; Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009) ; Audrey Tautou for Coco avant Chanel (2009)

Best Supporting Actor
WINNER : Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Other Nominees: Alec Baldwin for It's Complicated (2009) ; Christian McKay for Me and Orson Welles (2008) ; Alfred Molina for An Education (2009) ; Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)

Best Supporting Actress
WINNER : Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Other Nominees: Anne-Marie Duff for Nowhere Boy (2009) ; Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009) ; Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009) ; Kristin Scott Thomas for Nowhere Boy (2009)

David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction
WINNER : Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)
Other Nominees: Neill Blomkamp for District 9 (2009) ; James Cameron for Avatar (2009); Lone Scherfig for An Education (2009) ; Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Screenplay (Original)
WINNER : The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal
Other Nominees: The Hangover (2009): Jon Lucas, Scott Moore ; Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino ; A Serious Man (2009): Ethan Coen, Joel Coen ; Up (2009): Bob Peterson, Pete Docter

Best Screenplay (Adapted)
WINNER : Up in the Air (2009): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
Other Nominees: District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell ; An Education (2009): Nick Hornby ; In the Loop (2009): Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche ; Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009): Geoffrey Fletcher

Best Cinematography
WINNER : The Hurt Locker (2008)
Other Nominees: Avatar (2009) ; District 9 (2009) ; Inglourious Basterds (2009); The Road (2009)

Best Editing
WINNER : The Hurt Locker (2008)
Other Nominees: Avatar (2009) ; District 9 (2009) ;Inglourious Basterds (2009) ; Up in the Air (2009)

Best Production Design
WINNER : Avatar (2009)
Other Nominees: District 9 (2009); Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) ;
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) ; Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Costume Design
WINNER : The Young Victoria (2009)
Other Nominees: Bright Star (2009) ; Coco avant Chanel (2009) ; An Education (2009) ;
A Single Man (2009)

Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
WINNER : Up (2009): Michael Giacchino
Other Nominees: Avatar (2009): James Horner ; Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Stephen Bruton ; Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009): Alexandre Desplat ; Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010): Chaz Jankel

Best Make Up/Hair
WINNER : The Young Victoria (2009)
Other Nominees: Coco avant Chanel (2009) ; An Education (2009) ; The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) ; Nine (2009)

Best Sound
WINNER : The Hurt Locker (2008)
Other Nominees: Avatar (2009) ; District 9 (2009) ; Star Trek (2009) ; Up (2009)

Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects
WINNER : Avatar (2009)
Other Nominees: District 9 (2009) ; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) ; The Hurt Locker (2008); Star Trek (2009)

Best Film not in the English Language
WINNER : Un prophète (2009)
Other Nominees: Los abrazos rotos (2009) ; Coco avant Chanel (2009) ; Låt den rätte komma in (2008) ; Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)

Best Animated Feature Film
WINNER : Up (2009)
Other Nominees: Coraline (2009) ; Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Orange Rising Star Award
WINNER : Kristen Stewart
Other Nominees: Jesse Eisenberg ; Nicholas Hoult ; Carey Mulligan ; Tahar Rahim

Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer
WINNER : Duncan Jones for Moon (2009)(Director)
Other Nominees: Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson, Elizabeth Morgan Hemlock, David Pearson for Mugabe and the White African (2009)(Directors, Producers) ; Eran Creevy for Shifty (2008)(Writer/Director) ; Stuart Hazeldine for Exam (2009)(Writer/Director) ; Sam Taylor Wood for Nowhere Boy (2009)(Director)

Best Short Animation
WINNER : Mother of Many
Other Nominees: The Gruffalo (2009); The Happy Duckling (2008)

Best Short Film
WINNER : I Do Air (2009)
Other Nominees: 14 (2008) ; Jade (2009) ; Mixtape (2009) ; Off Season (2009)

The Kingdom by Jennifer McBay Barry

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:40:00 +0000

I read this book as part of a book club read. Unfortunately it is not available in Australia (at least through Independent booksellers and the main book chains), whether this is because it was only recently published or because it was a short first print run I'm not sure, but I had to obtain it overseas. It IS stocked by Amazon.com at the moment.

The first thing that struck me about the book is that it is quite a slim volume. In the large paperback format it is a mere 237 pages. In the YA category it's written simply and its size makes it is a nice, quick read!

The story is set in modern day Ireland and is written from the viewpoint of Rioghan, an incredibly handsome young man that we quickly learn has unearthly charms and talents. Toying with people's emotions he is clearly bored yet little things he does shows he really does care - providing it doesn't involve him!

Upon meeting the sharp-tongued, red haired Lily, daughter of a famous opera singer, he feels a niggle of something more. She doesn't fall for his charms and he starts to find her fascinating. The more Lily resists Rioghan, the more he feels and soon she becomes the centre of his universe.

The story is a wonderful blend of mythology and legend, of an immortal/ mortal relationship and of finding what is most important versus what you are expected to do.

The picturesque country of Ireland, described so well, provides a wonderful setting for this modern fairy tale.

Although I wasn't immediately impressed, the characters are interesting, have a depth to them that made me want to know more and I was soon in the can't-put-it-down mode! I couldn't help but think back on the legends and stories of the past and everything became completely plausible. By the end I was disappointed that there weren't a few hundred more pages!

I do have a bit of a problem with a couple of the terms used (eg. 'fairy' seems a bit light for the story and perhaps a more archaic spelling or term, eg 'faerie' or 'fair folk' would raise the level a little) but this is a fairly minor concern.

This is the start of a series and I must say that I am looking forward to reading more about Rioghan and his Kingdom in the future!

100 Cupboards by N D Wilson

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:09:00 +0000

On the recommendation of my local bookstore I bought this for my son earlier last year. My requirements were that he needed a novel - something a boy would like with some adventure, perhaps a little magic and aimed at his age (11/12).

He liked the look of it, started it, loved it and about 2/3 of the way through he stopped. It languished for months on his bedside table being overtaken by shorter novels borrowed from the school library. He finally started it again during the holidays and then put it down a couple of chapters from the end as it was a bit scary to read at night!

He finally finished it (during the daytime) and I finally got a chance to read it (he's quite strict that I CANNOT read his books before he does).

The story starts in a small country town named Henry in the state of Kansas. A young (12 y.o.) boy (also called Henry) who has lived a very sheltered, protected life goes to live with his Aunt and Uncle after his parents have been taken hostage while on a bicycle tour of Colombia. His Aunt Dotty is a friendly, frugal woman, his uncle is tall, thin and appears a little absent minded, however he deals well with the out-of-his-element Henry, and to top it off, his three cousins are all girls! The large front bedroom of the house is mysteriously referred to as "Grandfather's Room" but it has been locked since his death a couple of years previously and no-one can find the key to get in.

Henry is moved into the attic room where on his first night he hears some unusual scratching. He also sees coming out of the bathroom a mysterious short man in a purple robe who promptly becomes a hazy sort of memory.

On his second night, some plaster from the wall falls on his head and when he looks up, two small knobs are protruding from the plaster in the wall. Henry picks at the plaster and ends up uncovering, with his cousin Henrietta's help, a wall with 99 small cupboard doors that all appear locked.

Henry is wary, but Henrietta is excited and so the adventure begins. The mystery of the cupboards is slowly revealed, as Henry and Henrietta receive mysterious letters through them, realise that they are doors to other worlds, and have some quite scary moments before Henry finally starts using them.

The pace doesn't slacken, the momentum if anything keeps building and although there is a happy ending, there are some spine chilling events too!

I really enjoyed it, however I can see how my son got a little scared towards the end. The witch character is definitely not nice and the treatment is a little horror-style, albeit aimed at children. I am looking forward to reading the second instalment - the Dandelion Fire, although this may take months at son's previous reading rate!!

Some bestselling books and award winners from 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:36:00 +0000

I picked up a great reading guide from my local bookshop call "the Independent Book Guide" (Summer 2009) put out by a group of Australian independent booksellers.

Here are some interesting lists from the guide.

Bestsellers 2009 (Jan-Oct):

Fiction

The elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Breath by Tim Winton
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Non Fiction

Dreams From My Father by Barak Obama
The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
The Audacity of Hope by Barak Obama
Heaven and Earth by Ian Plimer
Geed Me Now by Bill Granger
The House At Salvation Creek by Susan Duncan
The SMH Food Guide
A Lion Called Christan by Bourke and Rendell

Children's books

Twilight Saga
The Diary of A Whimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
The Henderson Boys by Robert Muchamore
Zac Power by H I Larry
Cherub by Robert Muchamore
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
The Magic Ballerina by Darcey Bussell
The 39 Clues by various authors
Harry Potter by J K Rowling
Grug by Ted Prior
Rainbow Magic by Daisy Meadows

Other children's bestsellers not necessarily part of a series were:

Evernight by Claudia Gray
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Imagine by Alison Lester
Where Is The Green Sheep by Mem Fox
Ten Little Fingers by Mem Fox
Tales of Beedle the Bard by J K Rowling
Possum Magic by Mem Fox
Thomas the Tank Engine by Rev. Awdry
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
Hairy Maclary From Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Todd
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

The booklet also mentioned some 2009 award winners:

The Crime Writers Association 2009 Gold Dagger Awards

Winner:
A Whispered Nam by William Brodrick

Shorlist:
When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
In the Dark by Mark Billingham
Hit and Run by Lawrence Block
A Whispered Name by William Brodrick
The Coroner by M R Hall
Dark Times in the City by Gene Kerrigan

The Australian Independent Booksellers Indie Award 2009
(decided by popular vote of independent bookshops Australia wide). Prize: $15,000 AUD

Category Winners:
Non Fiction - The Tall Man by Chloe Hooper
Debut Fiction - The Virtuoso by Sonia Orchard
Children's book - Pearl Verses the World by Sally Murphy and Heather Potter
Fiction - Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

The overall award went to the Fiction winner, Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey.

The Miles Franklin Award 2009
(Awarded for the novel of the year which is of "the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases"). Prize: $42,000AUD

Shortlist:
Breath by Tim Winton
Ice by Louis Nowra
The Pages by Murray Bail
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
Wanting by Richard Flanagan

Winner: Breath by Tim Winton

The Orange Prize for Fiction 2009
(open only to women, established by journalists and publishers). Prize: 30,000 pounds

Shortlist:
Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman
The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey
The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt
Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden
Home by Marilynne Robinson
Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie

Winner: Home by Marilynne Robinson

The Man Booker Award 2009
(awarded to works of literary fiction written by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the republic o Ireland). Prize: 50,000 pounds.

Shorlist:
The Children's Book by A S Byatt
Summertime by J M Coetzee
The Quickening Maze by Adam Foulds
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Glass Room by Simon Mawer
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Winner: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

The 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Finalists:
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
All Souls by Christine Schutt
Oliver Kitterdige by Elizabeth Strout

Winner: Olive Kitterdige by Elizabeth Strout

Looks like I have some reading to do!

2010 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:39:00 +0000

Announced Saturday 23 January 2010

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
WINNER: Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Other Nominees: An Education (2009); The Hurt Locker (2008) ; Nine (2009); Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
WINNER : Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)

Other Nominees: George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009/I); Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009) ; Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009) ; Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker (2008)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
WINNER : Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)

Other Nominees: Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009); Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009) ; Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) ; Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
WINNER : Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Other Nominees: Matt Damon for Invictus (2009); Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009/I) ; Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009); Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
WINNER : Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Other Nominees: Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009); Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009/I) ; Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009/I) ; Diane Kruger for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
WINNER : "Glee" (2009)

Other Nominees: "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000); "Modern Family" (2009) ; "The Office" (2005) ; "30 Rock" (2006)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
WINNER : "Mad Men" (2007)

Other Nominees: "The Closer" (2005); "Dexter" (2006); "The Good Wife" (2009) ;"True Blood" (2008)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
WINNER : Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock" (2006)

Other Nominees: Steve Carell for "The Office" (2005) ; Larry David for "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000) ; Tony Shalhoub for "Monk" (2002) ;Charlie Sheen for "Two and a Half Men" (2003)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
WINNER : Tina Fey for "30 Rock" (2006)

Other Nominees: Christina Applegate for "Samantha Who?" (2007) ; Toni Collette for "United States of Tara" (2009) ; Edie Falco for "Nurse Jackie" (2009) ; Julia Louis-Dreyfus for "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (2006)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
WINNER : Michael C. Hall for "Dexter" (2006)

Other Nominees: Simon Baker for "The Mentalist" (2008) ; Bryan Cranston for "Breaking Bad" (2008) ; Jon Hamm for "Mad Men" (2007) ; Hugh Laurie for "House M.D." (2004)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
WINNER : Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" (2009)

Other Nominees: Patricia Arquette for "Medium" (2005); Glenn Close for "Damages" (2007) ; Mariska Hargitay for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999) ; Holly Hunter for "Saving Grace" (2007) ; Kyra Sedgwick for "The Closer" (2005)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
WINNER : Kevin Bacon for Taking Chance (2009) (TV)

Other Nominees: Cuba Gooding Jr. for Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009) (TV) ; Jeremy Irons for Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV) ; Kevin Kline for "Great Performances: Cyrano de Bergerac (#37.8)" (2008) ; Tom Wilkinson for A Number (2008) (TV)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
WINNER : Drew Barrymore for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)

Other Nominees: Joan Allen for Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV) ; Ruby Dee for America (2009) (TV) ; Jessica Lange for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV) ; Sigourney Weaver for Prayers for Bobby (2009) (TV)

67th Annual Golden Globes Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:09:00 +0000

Held 17 January 2010

Best Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER : Avatar (2009)

Other Nominees: The Hurt Locker (2008) ; Inglourious Basterds (2009) ; Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) ; Up in the Air (2009/I)

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : The Hangover (2009)

Other Nominees: (500) Days of Summer (2009) ; It's Complicated (2009) ; Julie & Julia (2009) ; Nine (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER : Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)

Other Nominees: George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009/I) ; Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009) ; Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009) ; Tobey Maguire for Brothers (2009/I)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
WINNER : Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)

Other Nominees: Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria (2009) ; Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009) ; Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009) ; Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER: Robert Downey Jr. for Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Other Nominees: Matt Damon for The Informant! (2009) ; Daniel Day-Lewis for Nine (2009) ; Joseph Gordon-Levitt for (500) Days of Summer (2009) ; Michael Stuhlbarg for A Serious Man (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

Other Nominees: Sandra Bullock for The Proposal (2009/I) ; Marion Cotillard for Nine (2009) ; Julia Roberts for Duplicity (2009) ; Meryl Streep for It's Complicated (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
WINNER : Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Other Nominees: Matt Damon for Invictus (2009) ; Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009/I) ; Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009); Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
WINNER : Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Other Nominees: Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009); Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009/I) ; Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009/I); Julianne Moore for A Single Man (2009)

Best Director - Motion Picture
WINNER : James Cameron for Avatar (2009)

Other Nominees: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008) ; Clint Eastwood for Invictus (2009) ; Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009/I) ; Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
WINNER : Up in the Air (2009/I): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Other Nominees: District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell ; The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal ; Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino ; It's Complicated (2009): Nancy Meyers

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
WINNER : Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham("The Weary Kind")

Other Nominees: Avatar (2009): James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell("I See You"); Brothers (2009/I): U2, Bono("Winter") ; Everybody's Fine (2009): Paul McCartney("(I Want To) Come Home") ; Nine (2009): Maury Yeston("Cinema Italiano")

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
WINNER: Up (2009): Michael Giacchino

Other Nominees: Avatar (2009): James Horner ; The Informant! (2009): Marvin Hamlisch ; A Single Man (2009): Abel Korzeniowski ; Where the Wild Things Are (2009): Carter Burwell, Karen Orzolek

Best Animated Film
WINNER: Up (2009)

Other Nominees: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) ; Coraline (2009); Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009); The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Best Foreign Language Film
WINNER : Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)

Other Nominees: Los abrazos rotos (2009) ; Baarìa (2009) ; La nana (2009); Un prophète (2009)

Best Television Series - Drama
WINNER: "Mad Men" (2007)

Other Nominees: "Big Love" (2006) ; "Dexter" (2006) ; "House M.D." (2004) ; "True Blood" (2008)

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : "Glee" (2009)

Other Nominees: "Entourage" (2004) ; "Modern Family" (2009) ; "The Office" (2005) ; "30 Rock" (2006)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)

Other Nominees: Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV) ; Into the Storm (2009) (TV) ; "Little Dorrit" (2008); Taking Chance (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : Kevin Bacon for Taking Chance (2009) (TV)

Other Nominees: Kenneth Branagh for "Wallander" (2008) ; Chiwetel Ejiofor for Endgame (2009) ; Brendan Gleeson for Into the Storm (2009) (TV) ; Jeremy Irons for Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : Drew Barrymore for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)

Other Nominees: Joan Allen for Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV) ; Jessica Lange for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV) ; Anna Paquin for The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (2009) (TV) ; Sigourney Weaver for Prayers for Bobby (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock" (2006)

Other Nominees: Steve Carell for "The Office" (2005) ; David Duchovny for "Californication" (2007) ; Thomas Jane for "Hung" (2009) ; Matthew Morrison for "Glee" (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
WINNER : Toni Collette for "United States of Tara" (2009)

Other Nominees: Courteney Cox for "Cougar Town" (2009); Edie Falco for "Nurse Jackie" (2009); Tina Fey for "30 Rock" (2006) ; Lea Michele for "Glee" (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
WINNER : Michael C. Hall for "Dexter" (2006)

Other Nominees: Simon Baker for "The Mentalist" (2008) ; Jon Hamm for "Mad Men" (2007) ; Hugh Laurie for "House M.D." (2004) ; Bill Paxton for "Big Love" (2006)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
WINNER : Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" (2009)

Other Nominees: Glenn Close for "Damages" (2007) ; January Jones for "Mad Men" (2007); Anna Paquin for "True Blood" (2008) ; Kyra Sedgwick for "The Closer" (2005)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER: John Lithgow for "Dexter" (2006)

Other Nominees: Michael Emerson for "Lost" (2004) ; Neil Patrick Harris for "How I Met Your Mother" (2005) ; William Hurt for "Damages" (2007) ; Jeremy Piven for "Entourage" (2004)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER : Chloë Sevigny for "Big Love" (2006)

Other Nominees: Jane Adams for "Hung" (2009); Rose Byrne for "Damages" (2007) ; Jane Lynch for "Glee" (2009); Janet McTeer for Into the Storm (2009) (TV)

15th Annual Critics Choice Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:15:00 +0000

Winners were announced January 15, 2010:

Best Picture : The Hurt Locker

Other nominees : Avatar ; An Education ; Inglourious Basterds ; Invictus ; Nine ; Precious : Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire ; A Serious Man ; Up ; Up in the Air

Best Actor : Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart

Other nominees : George Clooney for Up in the Air ; Colin Firth for A Single Man ; Morgan Freeman for Invictus ; Viggo Mortensen for The Road ; Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker

Best Actress : Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side AND Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia

Other nominees : Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria ; Carey Mulligan for An Education ; Saoirse Ronan for The Lovely Bones ; Gabourey Sidibe for Precious : Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Best Supporting Actor : Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds

Other nominees : Matt Damon for Invictus ; Woody Harrelson for The Messenger ; Christian McKay for Me and Orson Welles ; Alfred Molina for An Education ; Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones

Best Supporting Actress : Mo'Nique for Precious : Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Other nominees : Marion Cotillard for Nine ; Vera Farminga for Up in the Air ; Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air ; Julianne Moore for A Single Man ; Samantha Morton for The Messenger

Best Acting Ensemble : Inglourious Basterds

Other nominees : Nine ; Precious : Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire ; Star Trek ; Up in the Air ;

Best Director : Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker

Other nominees : James Cameron for Avatar ; Lee Daniels for Precious : Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire ; Clint Eastwood for Invictus ; Jason Reitman for Up in the Air ; Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds

Best Original Screenplay : Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds

Other nominees : Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber for (500) Days of Summer ; Mark Boal for The Hurt Locker ; Ethan Coen and Joel Coen for A Serious Man ; Bob Peterson and Pete Docter for Up

Best Adapted Screenplay : Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner for Up in the Air

Other nominees : Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell for District 9 ; Nick Hornby for An Eductation ; Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach for Fantastic Mr Fox ; Geoffrey Fletcher for Precious : Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire ; Tom Ford and David Scearce for A Single Man

Best Animated Feature : Up

Other nominees : Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs ; Coraline ; Fantastic Mr Fox ; The Princess and the Frog

Best Young Actor/Actress : Saoirse Ronan for The Blind Side

Other nominees : Jae Head for The Blind Side ; Bailee Madison for Brothers ; Max Records for Where the Wild Things Are ; Kodi Smit-McPhee for The Road

Best Action Movie : Avatar

Other nominees : District 9 ; The Hurt Locker ; Inglourious Basterds ; Star Trek

Best Comedy Movie : The Hangover

Other nominees : (500) Days of Summer ; It's Complicated ; The Proposal ; Zombieland

Best Foreign Language Film : Los abrazos rotos

Other nominees : Coco avant Chanel ; Chi bi ; Sin Nombre ; Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte

Best Documentary Feature: The Cove

Other nominees : Anvil! The Story of Anvil ; Capitalism : A Love Story ; Food, Inc. ; This Is It

Best Song : 'The Weary Kind' by T-Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham for the movie Crazy Heart

Other nominees : 'I Want to Come Home' by Paul McCartney for the movie Everybody's Fine ; 'Cinema Italiano' by Maury Yeston for the movie Nine ; 'Almost There' by Randy Newman for The Princess and the Frog ; 'All is Love' by Karen Orzolek and Nick Zinner for Where the Wild Things Are.

Best Composer : Michael Giacchino for Up

Other nominees : Marvin Hamlisch for The Informant! ; Randy Newman for the Princess and the Frog ; Hans Zimmer for Sherlock Holmes ; Carter Burwell and Karen Orzolek for Where the Wild Things Are

Best Picture made for Television : Grey Gardens

Other Nominees : Gifted Hands : The Ben Carson Story ; Into the Storm ; Taking Chance

Best Cinematography : Avatar

Other Nominees : The Hurt Locker ; Inglourious Basterds ; The Lovely Bones ; Nine

Best Art Direction : Avatar

Other nominees : Inglourious Basterds ; The Lovely Bones ; Nine ; A Single Man

Best Editing : Avatar

Other nominees : The Hurt Locker ; Inglourious Basterds ; Nine ; Up in the Air

Best Costume Design : The Young Victoria

Other nominees : Bright Star ; Where the Wild Things Are ; Nine ; Inglourious Basterds

Best Makeup: District 9

Other nominees: Avatar ; Nine ; The Road ; Star Trek

Best Visual Effects: Avatar

Other nominees: District 9 ; Star Trek ; The Lovely Bones ; 2012

Best Sound : Avatar

Other nominees : District 9; The Hurt Locker; Nine; Star Trek

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:04:00 +0000

When I was recently purchasing some more Fanny Burney books I saw the Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. Remembering the references to it in Northanger Abbey, I thought it was a book that I should read and I'm glad I did!

The most popular book of the author's time, this Gothic Romance was published in 1794 and was read with excitement - in 1824 Sir Walter Scott recalled the eagerness of whole familes as the four volumes of the work "flew, and were sometimes torn, from hand to hand".

Set in France and Italy two centuries before it was written, it is a wonderful tale of suspense. Our heroine, Emily St Aubert, is orphaned a short period before she is of legal age. Aware of the proprieties and social moires of the time, she goes to live with her aunt, a cold, selfish woman. Before her father dies, she meets and falls in love with the Chevalier Valancourt and her early expectation of marriage to him under her Aunt's care is dashed when her Aunt marries Signor Montoni, and they remove to Italy - firstly Venice and then to the Apennines to the secluded Castle Udolpho.

Emily's fears of inpropriety, marriage to any man but her beloved Valancourt, and the loss of her family estate are soon expanded to almost permanent periods of terror induced by Montoni's heartless treatment and fearful associations, not to mention ghostly mysteries within the dark and gothic castle.

The novel is full of descriptive scenic views of the place and time, which belies the fact that the author only travelled abroad once in her life; poetry appears frequently and I must admit I skimmed over those passages a bit!

The pace of the novel can be slow and there is the occasional thread that lacks continuity (perhaps this is only something that the modern reader would note). Personally I don't think the romance aspect of the novel is all that convincing although the overall devotion of Emily and Valancourt is obvious.

The author's real strength is suspense and intrigue - for example, we wait right until the end of the novel before we find out what scares Emily so much in the remote room of Udolpho where a picture is hidden behind a black veil.

It is not a particularly 'easy' read. I found I needed quiet and preferably solitude to read it, and in that environment I could envision and enjoy the story more and make steady progress through the volumes.

It is a wonderful example of its genre and should be mandatory reading for lovers of Austen et al.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:35:00 +0000

My 11 y.o. niece who is a confessed Twilight fan is now reading this book. She left it at my house a couple of days ago and I thought, 'why not?', picked it up and finished it that day.

A story of everlasting love with a handsome and aloof immortal male lead and a confused somewhat troubled mortal female lead, as well as a highschool setting with little parental input, it does bear some similarity to the Twilight novel and I can definitely see the appeal to the same audience. However instead of vampires, we're dealing with angels.

The book opens with an emotionally and sexually charged prologue where a young woman, mid 1850s, finds herself inexplicably drawn to a handsome young man. She succumbs to the magnetic pull she feels towards him, desire flames brightly and she disappears.

We then turn to the modern day. Luce, a troubled teen who has seen 'shadows' most of her life, is sent to a reform school, the Sword and Cross, after the mysterious and somewhat suspicious death of a boy she liked at her previous, ivy league school. Her new school is filled with a motley assortment of hard-core reform cases and she is quickly 'claimed' by a somewhat crazy girl who guides her through her first days.

Within hours of arriving at the school, she sets her eyes on Daniel, a gorgeous boy who almost immediately acts coldly towards her. However, there is a pull towards him she can't explain and she feels strongly that she knows him from somewhere.

As the story continues, Luce is befriended by a 'normal' fellow student who aids her sanity and need to find out more about Daniel, a boy with piercing green eyes attempts to romance her, she is involved in a suspicious death at the school and moments of closeness with Daniel that confuse Luce further while reinforcing the depth of her feelings for him.

Written for the young adult market, this is no great literary work. However it is a good story, rather hard to put down with stomach-twisting emotion that will appeal to girls and women who need a romantic/eternal love fix. (Yes, I'm one of them!)

The next instalment in the story, Torment, is due out September 2010.

Evelina by Fanny Burney

noreply@blogger.com (Annette Piper) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:54:00 +0000

I was fortunate enough to see a blog mention this little gem. First published in 1778, this classic is a delightful romance set in 18th century England. First published anonymously, it was an immediate success and was the first of the novels written by Fanny Burney (later Madame D’Arblay).

Basically a love story constrained by the social mores of the time, it will have you avidly reading - occasionally sighing at the longing and love story between Evelina and Lord Orville, sometimes frustrated by Evelina’s inability to extricate herself from some people and situations, wincing at poor Evelina's discomfort, and even laughing out loud to the Captain’s tricks.

Written as a series of letters, the story follows the introduction into society of Evelina, unrecognized daughter of Sir John Belmont and his deceased first wife. Brought up in the country by Rev. Villers, who was both the tutor of her grandfather, Mr Evelyn, and guardian of her mother, Carolyn, Evelina at the tender age of 17 is sent for a visit to Lady Howard at Howard Grove. Lady Howard’s daughter, Mrs Mirvan then takes her daughter Maria and Evelina with her to London to await the return of her husband from sea, Captain Mirvan. Thence really begins Evelina’s awakening!

Evelina’s visit to London and exposure to society is both awe inspiring and confusing for the innocent girl and she makes the first of many social faux pas as we are introduced to the social moirés of 18th century England.

Twists and turns, confusion and false identities abound and it is a surprisingly hard book to put down!

Although it predates her, any lovers of Jane Austen will definitely enjoy this satirical look at the fashionable society of the day. Highly recommended!!