Bluray Picks 3/31

We've chosen two new releases to point out to you guys today. One you will certainly want to get as it is a MUST BUY film. The other is a film I actually really want to see as it's part of a film genre I love (also loved the book).

The first is Slumdog Millionaire.

This is a incredible film. Danny Boyle has delivered an amazing piece of art with this movie. It is my favorite film of last year and one that I absolutely CAN NOT wait to see again. I can't wait to see how it looks on bluray.

The second film is one I haven't actually seen yet but one I really want to (In fact I am hoping to pick it up later this evening.)

I'm referring of course to Marley and Me.

It made a huge amount of money this past Christmas and is based of a wonderful book about a overly rambunctious dog (that may be underplaying it a bit). It's the story of a family and their pet, not only about the dog, but about the dynamic of the entire family and how they relate to him. I have heard nothing but good things about the movie and I can't wait to pick up my own copy.

Slumdog Millionaire and Marley and Me are available on Bluray and DVD today.

RAWR(for more)

81st Annual Academy Award Winners!

I have to say this was the most enjoyable Oscar's I've watched in quite awhile. I absolutely LOVED the new presentations with the past award winners. It was really excellent to see the nominees reactions to the comments of the past winners. Really great stuff. Made for some great surprises also to see who was going to be featured.

One thing though: Where was Jack Nicholson??

Anyway, here are the winners of tonight's festivities. A few big surprises and some great speeches as well.

Oh I shouldn't forget Hugh Jackman. Stellar job! He was charming and very funny.



Congrats to all the nominees and the following winners:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Actor in a Leading Role: Sean Penn, Milk

Actress in a Leading Role: Kate Winslet, The Reader

Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Foreign Language Film: Departures (Japan)

Original Song: "Jai Ho," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar; Slumdog Millionaire

Original Score: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire

Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire

Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire

Sound Editing: The Dark Knight

Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Documentary Short Subject: Smile Pinki

Documentary Feature: Man on Wire

Actor in a Supporting Role: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Live Action Short Film: Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire

Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Costume Design: The Duchess

Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Animated Short Film: La Maison en Petits Cubes

Animated Feature Film: WALL-E

Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, Milk

Actress in a Supporting Role: Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Let's talk about how Beyonce, a professional vocalist, is lip-syncing and Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Vanessa Hudgens, who are professional actors, are not.

RAWR(for more)

SAG Award Winners!

Winners are in bold!

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
'Doubt'
'Frost/Nixon'
'Milk'
'Slumdog Millionaire'
'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkins - 'The Visitor'
Frank Langella - 'Frost/Nixon'
Sean Penn - 'Milk'
Brad Pitt - 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Mickey Rourke - 'The Wrestler

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway - 'Rachel Getting Married'
Angelina Jolie - 'Changeling'
Melissa Leo - 'Frozen River'
Meryl Streep - 'Doubt'
Kate Winslet - 'Revolutionary Road'

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin - 'Milk'
Robert Downey Jr. - 'Tropic Thunder'
Philip Seymour Hoffman - 'Doubt'
Heath Ledger - 'The Dark Knight'
Dev Patel - 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams - 'Doubt'
Penelope Cruz - 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Viola Davis - 'Doubt'
Taraji P. Henson - 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Kate Winslet - 'The Reader'

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
James Earl Jones
TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie "House"
James Spader "Boston Legal"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
David Duchovny, "Californication"
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"
Tracey Ullman, "Tracey Ullman's State of the Union"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
"Weeds"
"30 Rock"
"Desperate Housewives"
"The Office"
"Entourage"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
"Mad Men"
"Dexter"
"House"
"The Closer"
"Boston Legal"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Paul Giamatti, "John Adams"
Ralph Fiennes, "Bernard and Doris"
Kevin Spacey, "Recount"
Kiefer Sutherland "24: Redemption"
Tom Wilkinson "John Adams"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Shirley MacLaine, "Coco Chanel"
Laura Dern, "Recount"
Laura Linney, "John Adams"
Phylicia Rashad "A Raisin in the Sun"
Susan Sarandon "Bernard and Doris"

Congrats to all the winners!

RAWR(for more)

81st Annual Academy Awards Nominations

This years Oscars are being handed on on February 22 and we have the nominations today. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button received 13 nominations including Best Actor, Best Picture, and Best Supporting Actress. I have to see a few more of these movies so our picks are forthcoming but if I had to choose right now I would say that Slumdog Millionaire needs to sweep.

The Dark Knight received ten nominations including one for Heath Ledger (on the anniversary of his death) however it was snubbed for Directing, Writing, and Best Picture which was seeming more likely in recent weeks.

There are a few surprises in this list including a Best Picture nod to Milk (I'm not sure anyone saw that coming) and nominations for Melissa Leo, Taraji P. Henson, Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon, and especially Robert Downey Jr.

It should be an exciting show this year. Now I just have to catch up on my movies so I can make some accurate picks (not to mention my best of list).

Here are the nominations:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

• Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
• Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
• Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
• Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
• Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

• Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
• Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
• Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
• Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

Performance by an actress in a leading role

• Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
• Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

• Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
• Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
• Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Best animated feature film of the year

• “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
• “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton

Achievement in art direction

• “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
• “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
• “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

Achievement in cinematography

• “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle

Achievement in costume design

• “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
• “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
• “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky

Achievement in directing

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Sear
  Publish Post
  chlight), Danny Boyle

Best documentary feature

• “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
• “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
• “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
• “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
• “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

Best documentary short subject

• “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
• “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
• “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
• “The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde

Achievement in film editing

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens

Best foreign language film of the year

• “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
• “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
• “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
• “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
• “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel

Achievement in makeup

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
• “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.),Alexandre Desplat
• “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

• “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
• “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
• “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman andMaya Arulpragasam
  

Best motion picture of the year

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production,Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
• “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Nominees to be determined
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production,Christian Colson, Producer

Best animated short film

• “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
• “Lavatory - Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit
• “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films) A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
• “Presto” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland
• “This Way Up”, A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes

Best live action short film

• “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
• “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
• “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
• “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
• “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank

Achievement in sound editing

• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
• “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
• “Wanted” (Universal),Wylie Stateman

Achievement in sound mixing

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
• “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

Achievement in visual effects

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
• “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

Adapted screenplay

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
• “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

Original screenplay

• “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
• “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
• “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

RAWR(for more)

Golden Globe Winners!

Here are the winners of this years golden globes. Not much in the way of surprises.

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.; Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.


2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

KATE WINSLET REVOLUTIONARY ROAD


3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

MICKEY ROURKE THE WRESTLER


4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Mediapro; The Weinstein Company

5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

SALLY HAWKINS HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

COLIN FARRELL IN BRUGES

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

WALL-E
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures


8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics


9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

KATE WINSLET THE READER


10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

HEATH LEDGER THE DARK KNIGHT


11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

DANNY BOYLE SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE


12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

SIMON BEAUFOY SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE


13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

A. R. RAHMAN SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE


14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

“THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen


15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

MAD MEN (AMC)
Lionsgate Television


16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

ANNA PAQUIN TRUE BLOOD


17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

GABRIEL BYRNE IN TREATMENT


18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little
Stranger Inc.


19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

TINA FEY 30 ROCK


20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

ALEC BALDWIN 30 ROCK


21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
Playtone in association with HBO Films


22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

LAURA LINNEY JOHN ADAMS


23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

PAUL GIAMATTI JOHN ADAMS


24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

LAURA DERN RECOUNT


25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

TOM WILKINSON JOHN ADAMS

ok, there were a few surprises after all. I certainly didn't expect Colin Farrell, Gabriel Byrne, or Anna Paquin to win. I'm definitely more curious to see all the projects they won for.

Slumdog Millionaire won four awards and will most likely win handily at the Oscars as well. It's certainly deserved as it is a beautiful film.

Congrats to all the winners.

Edit: pardon my error In Bruges did NOT win best picture. My mistake has been corrected. Thanks Amy!!

RAWR(for more)