Keisha Castle-Hughes for Best Actress?

With direction by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen), a cast including Keisha Castle-Hughes as the young Virgin Mary and Shoreh Aghdashloo as her sister, and a December release, Nativity seems to be poised to at least get some Oscar attention. I'm looking forward to this film a lot, if only because of my personal devotion to Mary. I don't expect this to sneak into the Best Picture race (unless it's phenomenal), but if there's someone from the film who can get a nod, it's previous nominee Castle-Hughes. I've updated my Best Actress predictions accordingly, dropping Meryl Streep (A Prairie Home Companion) for now. I know it's La Streep that we're talking about here (how dare I drop her, hehe), but her film's 9 June release just isn't too Oscar-friendly.

I've Got the McPheever!

I was not able to watch the first two seasons (Kelly and Ruben) of American Idol, only the season starting from the one won by Fantasia. But after a few weeks of seeing her, particularly after last night's 50s performances, I am convinced that Katherine McPhee has the purest, sultriest, highest-quality singing voice that I've heard from any female singer in the competition. I've got the McPheever! As Randy would say, "We've got a hot one here!" I'll so hate and stop watching A.I. if Kate gets voted out before the final 2 contestants are chosen. Right now, her only tough competition from the girls seem to be Paris and Mandisa (both great last night), with Kelly (back to her adorable self) threatening with her "It" factor. Among the guys, Chris is consistently very good, Elliott still has the best singing voice, and Taylor, though he stumbled last night in my opinion (why did he choose that song?!), has a strong fanbase that won't let him go early (thankfully). Ace and Lisa were OK last night, as was Kevin. Did you notice how much humbler he seemed to be last night? Someone probably had a talk with Chicken Little and told him to stop ruffling the feathers of birds bigger than he. Who should get voted off: Bucky for that terrible performance (it didn't help that he came after powerhouse Mandisa).

Review: V for Vendetta

Visually spectacular, vibrant, volatile, violent, V for Vendetta (sorry, can't resist adding all the v's) is an unexpected masterpiece from the genre of graphic novel adaptations. I had expected it to be good, but not THIS good. The action sequences are top notch, and though the film was written by the Wachowski brothers, you won't end up thinking that the fighting style is just a rehash of what you've seen in The Matrix. In his directorial debut, James McTeigue creates an artful film whose pace never slows, and whose power (in terms of both the messages and the visuals) grips you and never lets go. It's one of the more emotionally involving adaptations of a graphic novel to have been released recently, given how timely the themes (i.e. terrorism, repressive governments, etc.) are. And even if you don't end up thinking, "Hey, that situation seems familiar," you can't help but be drawn into the world that Alan Moore has so brilliantly created and that McTeigue has adapted with respectful creativity. While Stephen Rea, John Hurt, and of course Hugo Weaving turn in highly commendable performances (you won't get to see Weaving's face, but with that voice, who needs to be seen to be felt?), it is Natalie Portman who shines in the film. Her performance is nothing short of brilliant, allowing her to show a range that many older actresses would envy. The film works on all levels. "Remember, remember the 5th of November." Watch this film and it's something you won't soon forget. Grade: A

To the Academy: Remember, remember V for Vendetta come nomination time. I loved this film and Natalie in it so much that I'm adding a new section to the sidebar of my blog: my own FYCs. While I'd love to see the film itself up for a Best Picture award and think it worthy of such a recognition, my first FYC will be Natalie Portman for Best Actress. Remember, remember...

American Idol Final 12

Getting over the painful loss of Ayla Brown from the competition, I went home early from work to catch the Final 12 perform the theme shows for the first time. I think Simon Cowell was able to encapsulate the night in a few words. To paraphrase: the first half was just all right, while the second was brilliant. Well, to be more precise, the last four (Katharine, Taylor, Paris, Chris) were brilliant. Everyone else ranged from good (Elliott) to boring (Kelly--what happened?!) to just plain off (Melissa--yup, residual bitterness at her having survived instead of Ayla, but she did forget her lyrics and was pitchy all over). Wrong, potentially fatal song choice for Kelly. Good thing she's so adorable or else she'd be a sure goner. I actually kinda liked Kevin's performance for the first time, but he's still a terrible dancer, and that attitude is a definite turn off. It's everyone's (with the exception of Simon) fault for building up his ego. How many times has Kevin said that he was the show's sex symbol? Whatever. Reality check.

It's now a competition between Katharine McPhee and Paris Bennett for the girls, and between Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry for the boys. All of them were magnificent last night.

Who I hope would get eliminated tonight: Melissa McGee or Kevin Covais. Who I think will: Melissa for messing up her lyrics.

Thoughts on the 78th and Predictions for the 79th

I am one of those [few?] who are really happy that Crash won the Best Picture award at the Oscars. Several reasons: 1) It's the first big surprise win since Shakespeare in Love prevailed (deservedly) over Saving Private Ryan. I love Oscar surprises (and was hoping for one in the Supporting categories, with wins by Michelle Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal). 2) It DESERVED to win. In my humble opinion, it's the easily the most deserving winner since the glorious sweep of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Granted, Brokeback Mountain was a good film and will remain one of the most important in recent film history, but I thought it overrated. Crash was the most well-crafted film this year. 3) I got it right. I'm one of the not-so-many people who predicted that it would take the award from Brokeback Mountain. I'm glad I risked that call.

That having been said, I don't get why some people are reacting so vehemently against the win of Crash (see the article in Oscarwatch). It's personal preference, of course, but does the victory of Crash really deserve such spite? I don't think so.

Ok, that's over. It was fun, though I'm not so happy with Clooney's win. Now, I've posted my VERY EARLY predictions for the 79th Academy Awards. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

78th Academy Awards Winners

Here are the winners of the 78th Academy Awards. Categories with asterisks are those that I predicted correctly.

Best Picture*
Crash

Best Director*
Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Actor*
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)

Best Actress*
Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)

Best Supporting Actor*
George Clooney (Syriana)

Best Supporting Actress
Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)

Best Original Screenplay*
Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco (Crash)

Best Adapted Screenplay*
Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Foreign Language Film*
Tsotsi

Best Animated Feature Film*
Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Best Art Direction*
Memoirs of a Geisha

Best Cinematography
Memoirs of a Geisha

Best Costume Design*
Memoirs of a Geisha

Best Editing*
Crash

Best Makeup*
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Best Original Score
Brokeback Mountain

Best Original Song*
"It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp" (Hustle & Flow)

Best Visual Effects*
King Kong

Best Sound Editing*
King Kong

Best Sound Mixing
King Kong

Best Documentary Feature*
March of the Penguins

Best Documentary Short
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin

Best Animated Short
The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation

Best Live Action Short
Six Shooter

My Film Awards 2005

Best Picture
1. King Kong
2. Crash
3. Pride & Prejudice
4. Good Night, and Good Luck.
5. Memoirs of a Geisha




6. The New World
7. Brokeback Mountain
8. Munich
9. Cinderella Man
10. Walk the Line

Best Director
1. Paul Haggis (Crash)
2. Terrence Malick (The New World)
3. Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)
4. Peter Jackson (King Kong)
5. George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck.)




6. Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice)
7. Steven Spielberg (Munich)
8. Rob Marshall (Memoirs of a Geisha)
9. Stephen Frears (Mrs. Henderson Presents)
10. Ron Howard (Cinderella Man)

Best Actor
1. Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line)
2. Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
4. Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow)
5. Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man)


6. David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
7. Ralph Fiennes (The Constant Gardener)
8. Eric Bana (Munich)
9. Viggo Mortensen (A History of Violence)
10. Jake Gyllenhaal (Jarhead)

Best Actress
1. Naomi Watts (King Kong)
2. Charlize Theron (North Country)
3. Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
4. Felicity Huffman (Transamerica)
5. Keira Knightley (Pride & Prejudice)


6. Judi Dench (Mrs. Henderson Presents)
7. Ziyi Zhang (Memoirs of a Geisha)
8. Toni Collette (In Her Shoes)
9. Gwyneth Paltrow (Proof)
10. Joan Allen (The Upside of Anger)

Best Supporting Actor
1. Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain)
2. Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man)
3. Donald Sutherland (Pride & Prejudice)
4. Terrence Howard (Crash)
5. Anthony Hopkins (Proof)


6. Soliman Cruz (Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros)
7. Ryan Philippe (Crash)
8. Clifton Collins, Jr. (Capote)
9. Michael Caine (Batman Begins)
10. Matt Dillon (Crash)

Best Supporting Actress
1. Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain)
2. Gong Li (Memoirs of a Geisha)
3. Maria Bello (A History of Violence)
4. Rachel McAdams (The Family Stone)
5. Thandie Newton (Crash)


6. Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
7. Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)
8. Anne Hathaway (Brokeback Mountain)
9. Frances McDormand (North Country)
10. Taraji P. Henson (Hustle & Flow)

Best Original Screenplay
1. Crash
2. Good Night, and Good Luck.
3. The New World
4. Mrs. Henderson Presents
5. Cinderella Man

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Pride & Prejudice
2. The Constant Gardener
3. Brokeback Mountain
4. Proof
5. Capote

Best Animated Feature
1. Howl's Moving Castle
2. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
3. Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit







Best Score
1. Memoirs of a Geisha
2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. Pride & Prejudice
4. The New World
5. Syriana

Best Song
1. "Wunderkind" (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
2. "Isipin Mo Na Lang" (Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros)
3. "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp" (Hustle & Flow)
4. "Senkai no Yakusoku" (Howl's Moving Castle)
5. "Wonka's Welcome Song" (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

Best Art Direction
1. Memoirs of a Geisha
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
4. King Kong
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Best Cinematography
1. Memoirs of a Geisha
2. The New World
3. Brokeback Mountain
4. Pride & Prejudice
5. The Constant Gardener

Best Costumes
1. Memoirs of a Geisha
2. The White Countess
3. Pride & Prejudice
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
5. Seven Swords

Best Makeup
1. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2. King Kong
3. Land of the Dead
4. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
5. Memoirs of a Geisha

Best Visual Effects
1. King Kong
2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
4. War of the Worlds
5. Serenity

Best Action Sequence
1. Cloud and co. vs Bahamut (Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children)
2. The war (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
3. Harry being chased by the dragon (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
4. Kong vs the three T-rexes (King Kong)
5. The final 3-way race (Initial D)

Breakthrough Performance
1. Matthew Macfadyen (Pride & Prejudice)
2. Suzuka Ohgo (Memoirs of a Geisha)
3. William Moseley (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
4. Nathan Lopez (Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros)
5. Ashton Holmes (A History of Violence)

Best Cameo Performance
1. Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
2. Judi Dench (Pride & Prejudice)
3. Miranda Richardson (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
4. William Hurt (A History of Violence)
5. Devon Aoki (Sin City)


Best Ensemble
1. Crash
2. Good Night, and Good Luck.
3. Sin City
4. Brokeback Mountain
5. Memoirs of a Geisha

Best One-on-One Fight
1. Peter vs Jadis (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
2. Harry Potter vs Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
3. Marv vs Kevin (Sin City)
4. Yoda vs Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)
5. Cloud vs Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children)

Best Villain
1. Jadis, the White Witch (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
2. Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
3. Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)
4. Hatsumomo (Memoirs of a Geisha)
5. Kevin (Sin City)

All photos taken from IMDb

My Film Awards 2004
My Film Awards 2003

American Idol Week 2

What a boring week. Only a few standout performances, and most of the contestants played it safe with their song selections. While easily impressed Randy and Paula praised several of them who shouldn't have been so complimented, Simon was (as usual) the only sane judge who saw the flaws in performances like those of Ace Young and Kevin Covais. I'm hoping that we don't have to put up with such a snooze fest next week.

Girls
Amazing
Paris Bennett (though never near as exciting as she was last week)

Impressive
Ayla Brown (whoa! Didn't think she was this good.)
Kelly Pickler (Kawaii!)

Good
Katherine McPhee (lovely voice, boring song)
Lisa Tucker
Mandisa
Melissa McGhee

?
Brenna Gethers

Bad, but let's give her another chance
Kinnik Sky

Please end the torment
Heather Cox (valiant effort in singing a Mariah song, but what was she thinking?!)

Boys
Amazing
Elliott Yamin (darn, this guy's voice is unbelievable)
Chris Daughtry (raw and powerful, as usual)

Impressive
Taylor Hicks
Gedeon McKinney

Good
Will Makar
Jose 'Sway' Penala

Not so Good
Ace Young (pitchy, and Simon was right: he obviously struggled)

Boring
Kevin Covais (the guy cannot dance to save his life, and his voice isn't that good either)
David Radford (sure, good voice, but can't he do anything else?!)

Who I won't care to see next week
Bucky Covington (I just don't get him)

American Idol

I love watching American Idol. And while poking fun at the horrible auditions was really entertaining, my favorite parts are when the [supposedly] really good ones take the stage and the audience votes begin to matter. That started with the performances of the 24 semi-finalists last night and the night before, and here are my thoughts on the matter:

Girls
If only Stevie Scott had sung something better suited to her voice, like something from a Broadway musical. If only Heather Cox were more than just a pretty face (and a hot figure). But there were shining moments that night: wonderfully energetic fireball Paris Bennett; soulful Lisa Tucker; and just plain amazing (and gorgeous) Katharine McPhee (no relation, I assume, to Nanny McPhee). They're my favorites right now, but if I had to say which one is most likely to win the competition, it would have to be McPhee. Here's my rundown:

Amazing
Paris Bennett
Katharine McPhee
Lisa Tucker

Impressive
Mandisa

Good
Kinnik Sky
Ayla Brown
Kellie Pickler
Becky O'Donohue

? (I'm not sure what to think)
Melissa McGhee

Wrong Song Choice
Brenna Gethers
Stevie Scott

Shouldn't be back next week
Heather Cox

Boys
Simon Cowell was much more vicious with the guys than he was with the girls, and in many cases he was actually right to be so. The girls generally brought stronger performances, though there were, of course, stand-outs as well among the guy. Among them were Chris Daughtry (powerful performance), Elliott Yamin (according to Simon, the best male in five seasons), Jose "Sway" Penala (soulfully unique), and, of course, the always amusing and impressive Taylor Hicks. That guy does not look like an American Idol, but if he doesn't mess up, he's gonna get there.

Amazing
Chris Daughtry

Impressive
Taylor Hicks
Elliott Yamin
Jose "Sway" Penala

Good
Ace Young
Patrick Hall
Will Makar
David Radford
Gedeon McKinney

Emotionless
Kevin Covais

Shouldn't be back next week
Bucky Covington
Bobby Bennett (how did he get in in the first place?!)

Who (and What) I'd Love to See Nominated

There is something really fun and amusing about trying to predict who will get Oscar nominations even a full year before the actual ceremonies, but it's even better if your favorite films or actors get a nod for their work. There are loads of actors who have shown powerful, stellar work but have never been nominated. It's either that their films are too small, their roles are too small, or the Academy just doesn't like them enough (tough). Thankfully, my favorite actors, namely Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, and Julianne Moore have all been recognized (though the great Julianne hasn't won yet, and Cate should have won for Elizabeth), but there are many other actors and film genres and technical artists who should have been nominated or should be in the near future. I'm not going to list here specific performances that should have gotten an actor a nomination; there's too many of that. Instead, I'm listing people who I'd love to see nominated eventually. So here goes:

FILMS
Comic book/graphic novel adaptations. Yes, many could argue that films based on comics haven't yet reached the quality looked for by Academy members in films like, say, Brokeback Mountain or Million Dollar Baby. But artistically, some of the best films in every year have been comic book or graphic novel adaptations: Spider-Man 2, Batman Begins, A History of Violence. I really hope that soon, a film of this genre could break into the Best Picture race. Perhaps if a really good one had a December release instead of summer? Perhaps something like a film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series?


ACTORS
Dakota Fanning. Whatever you say about this kid, she's great, perhaps the best of her generation of actors. When she fears something, like she does in War of the Worlds, you feel her fear. Thing is, I'm sure she can handle heavy dramatic roles; she's mature enough. I wonder when we'll see her among the nominees list?

Christopher Lee. Lee has been in more films that almost every other actor alive, and he has brought so many grand, iconic characters to screen, among them Dracula, Saruman and Count Dooku. He no doubt has the acting chops. It's most likely because his roles are either too small or too mainstream pop that he can't get the recognition that he deserves. He should have a meatier dramatic role before he retires (the guy isn't young anymore, after all).

Gong Li / Ziyi Zhang. I think Asians are fantastic actresses, particularly the Chinese. Either Ziyi Zhang or Gong Li (or both) could have made it had Memoirs of a Geisha not been a critical disaster, and they would have fully deserved the recognition. Both are luminous, Zhang with innocence and sorrow (2046, her best performance ever), Li with intense passion (any of her films). I don't see Li getting one with Miami Vice, even if it's directed by Michael Mann, but I'm sure both of them, particularly younger Zhang, will have more shots in the future (perhaps Li has one with Zhang Yimou's Autumn Remembrance?). I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Tobey Maguire. If Tobey gets stuck with Spider-Man 2, a nomination wouldn't be coming his way soon. But he is a very good actor, so I'm hoping he can snag one soon. Kinda sucks that Jake Gyllenhaal, who was once thought to just look like Maguire, got a nomination even before he did (though Gyllenhaal is great in Brokeback Mountain and in fact should win for it).

DIRECTORS
Hayao Miyazaki. I think there should be a new addition to the rules given by prognosticators on how to predict Oscar nominations: Whenever a Hayao Miyazaki film is eligible for the Best Animated Feature Film award, it's going to get nominated. How I wish that rule extended to the Best Director category as well. To date, Beauty and the Beast is still the only animated film to ever get a nod for the top prize, but even its director didn't get a nom for Best Director. Isn't it about time a director of an animated film got that recognition? How more fitting than one for the god of animation himself?

Lars Von Trier. One of the primary proponents of Dogme 95, Von Trier is also one of the boldest. If only for his vision and commitment to it, he should get a nomination. He should have for Dogville or Dancer in the Dark.

Zhang Yimou. One of the greatest visual directors alive. His films are the most vibrant and among the more emotionally resonant. Perhaps he can get one for Autumn Remembrance, which reunites him with Gong Li. He should have been for Hero.

TECHNICAL ARTISTS
Christopher Doyle. It's one of the greatest injustices of the Oscars that cinematographer extraordinaire Christopher Doyle, who has worked on most Wong Kar Wai films and lent them their almost otherwordly look, has NEVER been nominated. What will it take to get this uber-talented man recognized for his work?!

Joe Hisaishi / Yoko Kanno. Two of the most talented composers of Japanese themes, particularly anime, with Hisaishi being the frequent collaborator of Hayao Miyazaki. A significant part of the charm of Miyazaki's masterpieces, and of many epic fantasy animes, comes from the music. It cannot be denied that Hisaishi and Kanno are among the best in that field. Perhaps they have to compose themes for live-action films to get noticed.

All images taken from IMDb.

Oscar winner predictions and should-have-beens

I've posted my predictions of who will win in the major categories, plus my opinions on who should win and who should have been nominated.

78th Academy Awards Nominees

Here is the list of nominees for the 78th Academy Awards, with some comments and my scores:

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Munich
Score: 3/5. I predicted Walk the Line and King Kong (silly me) instead of Capote and Munich.

Achievement in Directing
Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)
Bennett Miller (Capote)
Paul Haggis (Crash)
George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Steven Spielberg (Munich)
Score: 4/5. I predicted Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener) instead of Spielberg.

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow)
Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)
Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line)
David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Score: 4/5. I predicted Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man) instead of Howard.

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Judi Dench (Mrs. Henderson Presents)
Felicity Huffman (Transamerica)
Kiera Knightley (Pride & Prejudice)
Charlize Theron (North Country)
Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
Score: 4/5. I predicted Ziyi Zhang (Memoirs of a Geisha) instead of Knightley.

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
George Clooney (Syriana)
Matt Dillon (Crash)
Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man)
Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain)
William Hurt (A History of Violence)
Score: 4/5. I predicted Terrence Howard (Crash) instead of Hurt.

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams (Junebug)
Catherine Keener (Capote)
Frances McDormand (North Country)
Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)
Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain)
Score: 5/5!

Original Screenplay
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Match Point
The Squid and the Whale
Syriana
Score: 4/5. I predicted Cinderella Man instead of Match Point.

Adapted Screenplay
Brokeback Mountain
Capote
The Constant Gardener
A History of Violence
Munich
Score: 5/5!

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Don't Tell (Italy)
Joyeux Noel (France)
Paradise Now (Palestine)
Sophie Scholl - The Final Days (Germany)
Tsotsi (South Africa)
Score: 3/5. I predicted Belgium's L'Enfant and China's The Promise instead of Don't Tell and Sophie Scholl - The Final Days.

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Howl's Moving Castle
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
Wallce & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Score: 3/3! I'm one of a very few people who predicted Howl's Moving Castle. I was banking on support of the animation branch for animation god Miyazaki Hayao, and I was right.

Achievement in Art Direction
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
King Kong
Memoirs of a Geisha
Pride & Prejudice
Score: 3/5. I predicted Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe instead of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Pride & Prejudice.

Achievement in Cinematography
Batman Begins
Brokeback Mountain
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Memoirs of a Geisha
The New World
Score: 3/5. I predicted The Constant Gardener and King Kong instead of Batman Begins and The New World.

Achievement in Costume Design
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Memoirs of a Geisha
Mrs. Henderson Presents
Pride & Prejudice
Walk the Line
Score: 3/5. I predicted Cinderella Man and The White Countess instead of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Walk the Line.

Achievement in Film Editing
Cinderella Man
The Constant Gardener
Crash
Munich
Walk the Line
Score: 2/5. I predicted Brokeback Mountain, Good Night, and Good Luck., and A History of Violence instead of Cinderella Man, The Constant Gardener, and Walk the Line.

Achievement in Makeup
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Cinderella Man
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Score: 2/3. I predicted The New World instead of Cinderella Man.

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
Brokeback Mountain
The Constant Gardener
Memoirs of a Geisha
Munich
Pride & Prejudice
Score: 2/5. I predicted Cinderella Man, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and King Kong instead of The Constant Gardener, Munich, and Pride & Prejudice. Interestingly, we have three first-time nominees in a category that usually shuns non-veterans. But hey, this year John Williams has two more noms to add to his gazillion.

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
"In the Deep" (Crash)
"It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp" (Hustle & Flow)
"Travelin' Thru" (Transamerica)
Score: 2/3. I predicted the other Hustle & Flow song, "Hustle and Flow."

Achievement in Visual Effects
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
King Kong
War of the Worlds
Score: 2/3. I predicted Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith instead of War of the Worlds. The snub for the last Star Wars film hurts. I was expecting War of the Worlds to be ignored instead. Well, at least I correctly predicted a nod for Narnia, which was left out of many other predictors' lists.

Achievement in Sound Mixing
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
King Kong
Memoirs of a Geisha
Walk the Line
War of the Worlds
Score: Ouch, 2/5. I suck at predicting this category. I predicted Batman Begins, Munich, and Syriana instead of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Memoirs of a Geisha, and War of the Worlds (why is this one popping up?!).

Achievement in Sound Editing
King Kong
Memoirs of a Geisha
War of the Worlds
Score: 2/3. Wow, Memoirs of a Geisha is reaping technical noms. I predicted Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith instead of Memoirs.

Best Documentary Feature
Darwin's Nightmare
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
March of the Penguins
Murderball
Street Fight
Score: 3/5. I predicted Mad Hot Ballroom and Rize instead of Darwin's Nightmare and Street Fight.

I'll be posting my Should Win, Will Win, and Should Have Been Nominated lists for the major categories soon.

Final Predictions

Final Oscar predictions are up. Yes, I'm going out on a limb by still predicting a King Kong nomination for Best Picture and Howl's Moving Castle for Best Animated Feature, but what the heck. I'm hoping for variety.

Screen Actors Guild Winners

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has named the following winners in this year's SAG Awards:

Best Ensemble
Crash

Best Male Actor in a Leading Role
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)

Best Female Actor in a Leading Role
Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man)

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)

Directors Guild Winner

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has named Ang Lee as the best director of the year.

Movie News: Nativity

New Line has announced that they will release a film called Nativity, which is on the life of the Virgin Mary. After being mesmerized and greatly inspired by The Passion of the Christ, I say bring it on. I wonder who's going to direct this? And who's going to play the Virgin?

Producers Guild winner

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has named "Brokeback Mountain" the best picture of the year.

My Film Awards

For the past two years, I've also been posting my own Film Awards (check out last year's list here). I've always been at least a month late in posting it since I kinda "cheat" and wait to get to watch most of the year's acclaimed releases. Here in the Philippines, "Brokeback Mountain;" "Walk the Line;" "Good Night, and Good Luck.;" and a slew of other praised films have yet to be shown, so I don't want to name my "Bests" just yet. This month and February are crucial; most of the good films are going to be shown here during that period. I'll have my final awards out sometime around Oscar night (note: that doesn't mean it influences my own decisions), but here's the list of my Top 10 Films of 2005, thus far. I'll be regularly updating this list in the sidebar (if it needs to be updated) until the final one comes out in March.

1. "King Kong"
2. "Cinderella Man"
3. "Crash"
4. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
5. "The Constant Gardener"
6. "Batman Begins"
7. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"
8. "In Her Shoes"
9. "A History of Violence"
10. "Sin City"

Golden Globes Winners and my comments

Golden Globe winners:

Best Picture-Drama
Brokeback Mountain

Best Director
Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Picture-Comedy/Musical
Walk the Line

Best Actor-Drama
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
*I predicted Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Actress-Drama
Felicity Huffman (Transamerica)

Best Actor-Comedy/Musical
Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line)

Best Actress-Comedy/Musical
Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)

Best Supporting Actor
George Clooney (Syriana)

Best Supporting Actress
Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)
*I predicted Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Screenplay
Diana Ossana, Larry McMurtry (Brokeback Mountain)
*I predicted Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco (Crash)

Best Score
John Williams (Memoirs of a Geisha)

Best Song
"A Love That Will Never Grow Old" (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Foreign Language Film
Paradise Now
*I predicted, and hoped for, Kung Fu Hustle

Some notes on the Golden Globes:

-Though Oscarwatch predicted it, I was still surprised over the win of Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener). Michelle Williams was the clear favorite. Still, it was always Williams and Weisz duking it out in the precursor critics awards.
-A bigger surprise was the win of Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry for the screenplay of Brokeback Mountain over the expected winners, Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco for Crash. Right now, Brokeback Mountain seems unstoppable, with wins for Best Picture-Drama and Best Director (Ang Lee).
-Everything else was rather predictable, though I was seriously rooting for a surprise and delightful win by Kung Fu Hustle for Best Foreign Language Film.
-Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie were hilarious. Ironically, they were winners for Best Actress and Actor, respectively, in Drama. They even upstaged Steve Carrell (Best Actor-Comedy).

Another Guild Citation

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS (ASC)

Wally Pfister (Batman Begins)
Rodrigo Prieto (Brokeback Mountain)
Robert Elswit (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Andrew Lesnie (King Kong)
Dion Beebe (Memoirs of a Geisha)

Updated Preidictions for Best Make-up and Best Original Song

The Academy has released its official list of finalists for the Best Makeup category, and neither Memoirs of a Geisha nor King Kong is there. So a major overhaul of the predictions for that category.

Critics Choice Awards winners

Here is the list of winners from the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA):

Best Film - Brokeback Mountain
Best Director - Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)
Best Actress - Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
Best Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
Best Supporting Actor - Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man)
Best Supporting Actress - Amy Adams (Junebug) AND Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain)
Best Ensemble - Crash
Best Writer - Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco (Crash)
Best Family Film - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Best Documentary - The March of the Penguins
Best Young Actor - Freddie Highmore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Best Young Actress - Dakota Fanning (War of the Worlds)
Best Foreign Film - Kung Fu Hustle
Best Animated Feature - Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Best Composer - John Williams (Memoirs of a Geisha)
Best Soundtrack - Walk the Line
Best Song - "Hustle and Flow" (Hustle and Flow)
Best Comedy - The 40 Year-Old Virgin

More Guild Citations

VISUAL EFFECTS SOCIETY (VES)

Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
King Kong
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Supporting Visual Effects:
Jarhead
Kingdom of Heaven
Memoirs of a Geisha

Updated Predictions

I have updated predictions in the major categories and added my predictions to all other categories except Best Sound Mixing and Sound Editing, Best Animated Short, and the Documentary categories.

Just a few notes:
-I greatly struggled over whether Russell Crowe or Terrence Howard was going to get the fifth, rather uncertain slot (all the others are practically locks). I am settling for Crowe, who had a resurgence with nominations in the Golden Globes and from the SAG (Howard lacks the latter).
-The Best Supporting Actress category is such a pain to predict this year. If you look at the precursor awards, it's a mess! Only Michelle Williams, Frances McDormand, and, to some extent, Rachel Weisz seem to be constants. It's a free-for-all for at least three spots, I think. I have great doubts about Amy Adams, but what the heck.

My Favorite Books of 2005

5) Tori Amos: Piece by Piece (Tori Amos, Ann Powers). Didn't I say that I loved Tori Amos? This book shows a lot of Tori's insights and reveals a lot of the things that Toriphiles have been wondering about. With that said, it's a book that non-Tori fans might be able to appreciate only for its lyrical writing and for Tori's unique views (fans of The Da Vinci Code may like her treatise on Mary Magdalene here), but Tori's trademark oddness might not get across to those not accustomed to it. I, along with other Toriphiles, love that oddness, so this book is a real treasure and rare opportunity for us to share in everything that is real Tori.

4) Eldest (Christopher Paolini). The sequel to the immensely popular Eragon, Eldest manages to maintain that sense of exhilaration and excitement felt in the first book, with its tale of dragons and dragon-riders and lost legacies re-discovered. It's easy to sympathize with Eragon, though not necessarily with his world, which as far as fantasy worlds go isn't very well-detailed or involving. I hope that changes in the third, which I look forward to.

3) A Feast for Crows (George R.R. Martin). Just like Tori Amos in my list of favorite albums, my favorite author has to take only the third spot this year. His writing is still top-notch and better than any other fantasy author alive, but the absence of my favorite Song of Ice and Fire characters, Jon Snow and Daenerys, takes away a significant bit of delight. Still, I loved reading about Jaime and Arya and Cersei (not so much Sansa) again, and if anything, my excitement over the release of A Dance with Dragons has been multipled at least five-fold. Can't wait to get my hands on that.

I rather agonized over which of the Top 2 books to name number 1. I immensely loved both books and believe that both are among the best in their respective series (in the case of my #1, it's the best), of which they are both the penultimate installments. But in terms of sheer readability and emotional involvement, I finally decided that the less "high-fantasy" type had to take the top spot this time.

2) Knife of Dreams (Robert Jordan). Book 10 in the series, Crossroads of Twilight, is by general consensus the worst and most useless one in the series. So of course, Jordan had to make up for that with the 11th, right? In my opinion, he did. I still have no idea how he can finish the whole story in the next book short of making it at least 1,500 pages long, but more than enough of the big, heart-stopping events Jordan was once known a lot for were present in Knife of Dreams. A lot of loose ends were finally resolved, and Tarmon Gai'don is palpable. My favorite plot-lines here: Elayne's and Egwene's, with the former taking the top prize for "It's about freakin' time" (the second doesn't make the cut; it's moving along but far from being resolved). Actually, that or Mat's story, which progresses finely. Mr. Jordan: please finish this series before you write anything else. We've had too long a wait already. Hehe, talk about pressure.

1) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling). With a few expert strokes of her wand, J.K. Rowling managed to propel her series from children's book to epic fantasy. The book has lost none of its predecessors' readability or innocent wonder, but the story ripens beautifully (and I'm not just talking about the three leads' significant...maturity). Without giving any spoilers, I'm saying that you'd have to be a complete stiff not to be moved by the events in the last few chapters, or stirred by excitement over how potentially magnificent and huge in every sense of those words Book 7 could be. I believe it will be, if J.K. Rowling's great writing magic so far is any indication.

The Guilds Have Spoken...

The past few days have been a whirlwind of nomination frenzy, with some films losing significant steam, some cementing their front-runner status, and others surprising nearly everyone, even the most experienced prognosticators. And these nominations are not to be scoffed at: these are the Guilds speaking, and in terms of Oscar push, they hold A LOT of undeniable power.

So here's a rundown of how the Guilds have been playing out so far (the technical guilds, e.g. visual effects , makeup, etc., have yet to release their nominations):

PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA (PGA)

Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Walk the Line

DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA (DGA)

George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Paul Haggis (Crash)
Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)
Bennett Miller (Capote)
Steven Spielberg (Munich)

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD (SAG)

Actor:
Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)
Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line)
David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.)

Actress:
Judi Dench (Mrs. Henderson Presents)
Felicity Huffman (Transamerica)
Charlize Theron (North Country)
Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
Ziyi Zhang (Memoirs of a Geisha)

Supporting Actor:
Don Cheadle (Crash)
George Clooney (Syriana)
Matt Dillon (Crash)
Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man)
Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain)

Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams (Junebug)
Catherine Keener (Capote)
Frances McDormand (North Country)
Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)
Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain)

WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA (WGA)

Original:
Cliff Hollingsworth, Akiva Goldsman (Cinderella Man)
Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco (Crash)
Judd Apatow, Steve Carell (The 40 Year-Old Virgin)
George Clooney, Grant Heslov (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale)

Adapted:
Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana (Brokeback Mountain)
Dan Futterman (Capote)
Jeffrey Caine (The Constant Gardener)
Josh Olson (A History of Violence)
Stephen Gaghan (Syriana)

Films Eligible for Oscar Nominations

Check out the complete, official list of films vying for Oscar honors here.

Unconfirmed Oscar host: Jon Stewart

It's not to be confirmed until a few hours from now, but the reliable word is that Jon Stewart will be the host of the 78th Annual Academy Awards ceremonies. Read the article here.

My Favorite Music Albums of 2005

In the heat of the Oscar and awards season, I've neglected the fact that my site is about my being an "otaku," and by definition, I'm into more than just movies. Music and literature are also significant joys in my life. So I'm doing something here that I didn't get to do in my original website (which was exclusively on films): give a list of my favorite albums and books of the year. I can't say that I'm as non-selective with books and albums as I am with movies; whereas I try (try being the operative word here) to watch as many films as I can every year, I buy only the albums and books that I'm really interested in. After all, I'm no album or book reviewer.

Anyway, here's my list of Top 5 Albums of 2005:

5) Love. Music. Angel. Baby. (Gwen Stefani). At times reminiscent of 80s pop, sometimes sweetly mellow, but always entertaining, Gwen Stefani's debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. is as enjoyable as sensible, quality dance albums can be. I'd be hard-pressed to name a catchier, more "last-song-syndrome" tune than that of "Hollaback Girl" (B-A-N-A-N-A-S), although "What You Waiting For?" and "Rich Girl" are nearly as addictive. For someone like me who loves practically everything Japanese, "Harajuku Girls" was a cute (kawaii), amusing song. In fact, that Japanese theme was all over the album, making it additionally novel and worth adding to any musical collection of anyone who just wants to have fun.

4) Amarantine (Enya). While A Day Without Rain was a good album with very catchy ("Wild Child") and inspiring ("Only Time") tunes, it had nowhere near the mystic, ethereal beauty that held me in thrall when I listened to The Memory of Trees and the albums prior to that. It has been said that Enya has gone too pop and mainstream, and I was getting inclined to agree. Amarantine is a welcome return to the otherwordly music that this Irish songstress has long been known for. There's a sorry absence of songs in Gaelic, but the fictional language Loxian makes an interesting substitute. Apparently, Enya and constant collaborator Roma Ryan enjoyed their turn at speaking Elvish for the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack. I hope that this is a sign of better, more mystical things to come for Enya.

3) The Beekeeper (Tori Amos). I still think that Tori Amos is brilliant. In fact, she's my favorite artist of all time. But the last Amos album that I could call brilliant is From The Choirgirl Hotel. After that, the albums have ranged from good to great, but none of them have been as inspired as her previous releases (particularly my favorite, Boys For Pele). The Beekeeper almost makes it back to those great days for Toriphiles, with "Sleeps With Butterflies" being a worthy Amos single and "Sweet the Sting" being amazingly, lovingly cloying. But it's still not in the leagues of Tori's first releases. I'm probably just missing the harpsichord. Well, at least Tori's going back to more piano pieces. I'm still a big Toriphile and still waiting for the next release from this fiery, brilliant artist.

2) Aerial (Kate Bush). Twelve years after The Red Shoes (unfortunately my only other Kate Bush album), which is considered by many to be rather inferior to her previous works, Kate Bush returns with a bang. Well, perhaps that isn't very appropriate; Aerial is quietly, subtly mesmerizing. The themes of the two discs (A Sea of Honey and A Sky of Honey) are diverse: among the subjects of her songs are her son Bertie, Joan of Arc, laundry, birds, and pi. Yes, the infinite number pi. Ever heard someone sing the number as the chorus? Sounds kitschy, but it's very well made. And yes, birds. In several pieces in the second disc, Bush sings in birdsong. Unlike #3 in this list, Aerial does not fall short of brilliant. I eagerly await her next project. Until then, I'll listen to birdsongs with newfound appreciation.

1) Comet's Tail (Cynthia Alexander). Okay, some of you (particularly those not from the Philippines) will be scratching your heads in confusion. Who's Cynthia Alexander? She is widely considered (at least by those who are in tune with the best local music, and not just the mainstream) to be one of the country's greatest musicians. She's a premiere bassist (she won an Asian competition back in the 90s), but she also plays other instruments. In fact, she's responsible for most of the instrumentation in this third album, Comet's Tail. The songs play like dreams, for that's in fact what they are; Alexander says that most of her songs find their roots in her actual dreams. It's hard to find a more luminous, serene, involving album in recent years than this one. You're probably tired of me using this adjective, but this album is BRILLIANT, a cut above all the rest. You can't know how much I want those of you who don't know her to actually get to hear her music. Though her songs are not available here, you might want to check out her website. I'm sure you can find other sources for her songs online (wink wink).

Note: Here in the Philippines, Fiona Apple's much lauded album Extraordinary Machine is yet to be released. I love Fiona's music, so if I had been able to get this one in time, it probably would have made it to my Top 5.

Golden Globe Predictions

Here are my predictions for the upcoming Golden Globe awards:

Best Motion Picture-Drama
Brokeback Mountain

Best Motion Picture-Comedy/Musical
Walk the Line

Best Actor-Drama
Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Actor-Comedy/Musical
Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line)

Best Actress-Drama
Felicity Huffman (Transamerica)

Best Actress-Comedy/Musical
Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)

Best Supporting Actor
George Clooney (Syriana)

Best Supporting Actress
Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Director
Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Foreign Language Film
Tsotsi

Best Screenplay
Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco (Crash)

Best Original Score
John Williams (Memoirs of a Geisha)

Best Original Song
"A Love That Will Never Grow Old" (Brokeback Mountain)

Updated Predictions

My updated predictions, my last before 2006, are up.

Golden Globe nominees

Here's the list of nominees for the 63rd annual Golden Globe awards, courtesy of Oscarwatch. Just a few surprises: Maria Bello for Best Actress, not Supporting; no Gong Li or Diane Keaton in the Supporting race; and no Munich for Best Motion Picture-Drama (instead there's Match Point). My prediction scores and some notes are to be seen after each category.

MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
"Brokeback Mountain"
"The Constant Gardener"
"Good Night, and Good Luck"
"A History of Violence"
"Match Point"
Score: 2/5. Where's Munich?

ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
Maria Bello, "A History of Violence"
Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica"
Gwyneth Paltrow, "Proof"
Charlize Theron, "North Country"
Ziyi Zhang, "Memoirs of a Geisha"
Score: 3/5. I mistakenly placed Huffman in the Comedy/Musical category. Joan Allen failed to get the boost she needed.

ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
Russell Crowe, "Cinderella Man"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"
Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow"
Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain"
David Strathairn, "Good Night, and Good Luck"
Score: 4/5. With Eric Bana missing, Munich just isn't the HFPA's cup of tea.

MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
"Mrs. Henderson Presents"
"Pride & Prejudice"
"The Producers"
"The Squid and the Whale"
"Walk the Line"
Score: 4/5.

ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents"
Keira Knightly, "Pride & Prejudice"
Laura Linney, "The Squid and the Whale"
Sarah Jessica Parker, "The Family Stone"
Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line"
Score: 4/5.

ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Pierce Brosnan, "The Matador"
Jeff Daniels, "The Squid and the Whale"
Johnny Depp, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
Nathan Lane, "The Producers"
Cillian Murphy, "Breakfast on Pluto"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk the Line"
Score: 4/5(6). Missed out on Depp and Brosnan in favor of Murray.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Kung Fu Hustle" (China)
"Master of the Crimson Armor" aka "The Promise" (China)
"Merry Christmas (Joyeux Noel)" (France)
"Paradise Now" (Palenstine)
"Tsotsi" (South Africa)
Score: NA.

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Scarlett Johansson, "Match Point"
Shirley MacLaine, "In Her Shoes"
Frances McDormand, "North Country"
Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"
Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain"
Score: a dismal 1/5. Got only Scarlett right. I was thinking they'd go for Streep (over Williams) as they usually do. Where's Gong Li?!

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
George Clooney, "Syriana"
Matt Dillon, "Crash"
Will Ferrell, "The Producers"
Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man"
Bob Hoskins, "Mrs. Henderson Presents"
Score: 3/5. Geoffrey Rush, like costar Bana, missing. Surprise nom for Ferrell.

DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE
Woody Allen, "Match Point"
George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck"
Peter Jackson, "King Kong"
Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"
Fernando Meirelles, "The Constant Gardener"
Steven Spielberg, "Munich"
Score: 4/5(6).

SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE
Woody Allen, "Match Point"
George Clooney & Grant Heslov, "Good Night, And Good Luck"
Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco, "Crash"
Tony Kushner & Eric Roth, "Munich"
Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana, "Brokeback Mountain"
Score: NA.

ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE
Alexandre Desplat, "Syriana"
James Newton Howard, "King Kong"
Gustavo Santaolalla, "Brokeback Mountain"
Harry Gregson-Williams, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"
John Williams, "Memoirs of a Geisha"
Score: NA.

ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE
"A Love That Will Never Grow Old" -- "Brokeback Mountain"Music by: Gustavo Santaolalla, Lyrics by: Bernie Taupin
"Christmas in Love" -- "Christmas in Love"Music by: Tony Renis, Lyrics by: Marva Jan Marrow
"There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway" -- "The Producers"Music & Lyrics by: Mel Brooks
"Travelin' Thru" -- "Transamerica"Music & Lyrics by: Dolly Parton
"Wunderkind" -- "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"Music & Lyrics by: Alanis Morissette
Score: NA.

Random Oscar thoughts

How to solve the problem with Memoirs of a Geisha... It hasn't been performing well in the first few awards (even heavily buzzed actresses Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li were snubbed by the BFCA), and reviews range from mixed to downright vicious (it currently has a sad 28% rating at Rotten Tomatoes). I am no longer confident at all about its chances for a Best Picture nomination, but I'm still hoping for (and rather expecting) noms for the two actresses. Let's see how the Golden Globe nominations unfold. They'll be coming out tomorrow.

Recently learned from its FYC ads that Disney is pitching Tilda Swinton for a Best Actress nomination for her praised performance in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. What the hell are they thinking?! She has no chance whatsoever of scoring that nom! The buzz that she's getting (which isn't very much to begin with) is all for a possible Supporting consideration. Someone please tell me that they've recently changed this tactic of theirs.

Broadcast Film Critics Association nominees

Here's the list of nominees for the 11th annual Critics' Choice Awards. Note the absence of Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li from the list. Sad.

BEST PICTURE:
Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Cinderella Man
The Constant Gardener
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck.
King Kong
Memoirs of a Geisha
Munich
Walk the Line

BEST ACTOR:
Russell Crowe – “Cinderella Man”
Philip Seymour Hoffman – “Capote”
Terrence Howard – “Hustle & Flow”
Heath Ledger – “Brokeback Mountain”
Joaquin Phoenix – “Walk the Line”
David Strathairn – “Good Night, and Good Luck.”

BEST ACTRESS:
Joan Allen – “The Upside of Anger”
Judi Dench - “Mrs. Henderson Presents”
Felicity Huffman – “Transamerica”
Keira Knightley – “Pride & Prejudice”
Charlize Theron – “North Country”
Reese Witherspoon – “Walk the Line”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
George Clooney – “Syriana”
Kevin Costner – “The Upside of Anger”
Matt Dillon – “Crash”
Paul Giamatti – “Cinderella Man”
Jake Gyllenhaal – “Brokeback Mountain”
Terrence Howard – “Crash”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Amy Adams – “Junebug”
Maria Bello – “A History of Violence”
Catherine Keener – “Capote”
Frances McDormand – “North Country”
Rachel Weisz – “The Constant Gardener”
Michelle Williams – “Brokeback Mountain”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE:
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Rent
Syriana
Sin City

BEST DIRECTOR:
George Clooney – “Good Night, and Good Luck.”
Paul Haggis – “Crash”
Ron Howard – “Cinderella Man”
Peter Jackson – “King Kong”
Ang Lee – “Brokeback Mountain”
Steven Spielberg – “Munich”

Go here for the complete list.

Golden Globe Predictions

Hey, just for fun, I'm posting my predictions for the big film categories of the Golden Globes. I don't think I really need to wait for the NBR list to come out.

Best Motion Picture-Drama
Brokeback Mountain
Good Night, and Good Luck.
King Kong
Memoirs of a Geisha
Munich
Alternate: Crash

Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical
The Family Stone
Mrs. Henderson Presents
Pride and Prejudice
The Producers
Walk the Line
Alternate: In Her Shoes

Best Actor-Drama
Eric Bana (Munich)
Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)
David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Alternate: Ralph Fiennes (The White Countess)

Best Actor-Comedy or Musical
Jeff Daniels (The Squid and the Whale)
Nathan Lane (The Producers)
Cillian Murphy (Breakfast on Pluto)
Bill Murray (Broken Flowers)
Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line)
Alternate: Steve Carell (The 40-Year Old Virgin)

Best Actress-Drama
Joan Allen (The Upside of Anger)
Gwyneth Paltrow (Proof)
Charlize Theron (North Country)
Naomi Watts (King Kong)
Ziyi Zhang (Memoirs of a Geisha)
Alternate: Q'Orianka Kilcher (The New World)

Best Actress-Comedy or Musical
Judi Dench (Mrs. Henderson Presents)
Felicity Huffman (Transamerica)
Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice)
Sarah Jessica Parker (The Family Stone)
Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
Alternate: Claire Danes (Shopgirl)

Best Supporting Actor
Matthew Broderick (The Producers)
George Clooney (Syriana)
Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man)
Bob Hoskins (Mrs. Henderson Presents)
Geoffrey Rush (Munich)
Alternate: Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Supporting Actress
Scarlett Johansson (Match Point)
Diane Keaton (The Family Stone)
Gong Li (Memoirs of a Geisha)
Meryl Streep (Prime)
Uma Thurman (The Producers)
Alternate: Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain)

Best Director
George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Peter Jackson (King Kong)
Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)
Rob Marshall (Memoirs of a Geisha)
Steven Spielberg (Munich)
Alternate: James Mangold (Walk the Line)

The Music of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe hasn't been putting up much of a campaign for the Oscars so far, but its soundtrack seems promising. And there are two possibilties for a Best Original Song nomination: Imogen Heap's "Can't Take It In," and the one that is certain to be more high-profile, Alanis Morissette's "Wunderkind." Check it out here.

More Films You Must See Before You Die

My recent obsession with films, particularly the classics, was sparked in large part by my purchasing last year a wonderful film book called "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die." It's a survey of not necessarily the best films but the most important, beginning with Le Voyage Dans La Lune (1902). There are several films that I believe should have been included in this list for one reason or another, although I am not going to say which ones should NOT have been there (though in my opinion, the inclusion of 1998's There's Something About Mary is surely questionable). Here are the films that I would have included:

Jui Kuen (Drunken Master; 1978)
Superman (1978)
The Karate Kid (1984)
Before Sunrise (1995)
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
Shakespeare In Love (1998)
Batoru Rowaiaru (Battle Royale; 2000)
Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo (My Sassy Girl; 2001)
Spider-Man (2002)
Wu Jian Dao (Infernal Affairs; 2002)
Love Actually (2003)

Rotten Tomatoes and Oscar Nominations

Critics and Academy voters have never completely seen eye-to-eye when it comes to Oscar nominations, but critical praise for a film can surely influence a film's chances for Oscar recognition. I don't know if someone has actually done this, but surveying the ratings of all nominees for Best Picture in the last ten Oscar ceremonies (since the 68th) in Rotten Tomatoes yields very interesting results. For one, none of these 50 nominees got a Rotten score (59% and below). The closest to a Rotten score was the 61% of Chocolat (2000). Interestingly, the fifth lowest unadjusted (the number of reviewers differs per film, with generally more critics reviewing more recent films) is Gladiator, the Best Picture winner in 2000, with 77%. In fact, only four of the 10 winners got ratings of 90% and higher, with The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) being the highest at 95%, followed by 1998's Shakespeare In Love (94%) and last year's winner, Million Dollar Baby (91%). Out of all the 10 winners, only The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was the highest rated among the films nominated in its year. The big champion (unadjusted) is the 1995 nominee Sense and Sensibility, the only film to get a rating of 100%.

Of course, we have to take into consideration the fact that, as mentioned above, the earlier movies generally have less reviewers. If we use the complicated weighted formula used by Rotten Tomatoes, the same three Best Picture winners have the highest weighted scores, and Gladiator is still the lowest. But this time, the big champ is The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), with a whopping grade of 98% from 201 reviewers.

But the nominees aren't always what the Rotten Tomatoes critics think are the best. There are many films with higher ratings that failed to get a Best Picture nomination, so a very high score here doesn't necessarily mean a nom. Still, it's probably safe to say that if a film's score is Rotten, then it won't be nominated for Best Picture. That would mean that Oscar-buzzed Jarhead (Rotten at 58%) will be ignored for the top prize, while Good Night, and Good Luck. (94%, 151 reviewers) has a very good chance for one of the five slots.

Best Supporting...Villainess?

It's a three-way catfight between Hatsumomo, Nola Rice, and Jadis.

In a film year of dark-horse champions, hope amidst racism and political turmoil, cultural sensitivity, and the magic of witches and wizards, the usually intriguing Best Supporting Actress category of the Oscars is shaping up to be exactly that, maybe even more so now than in recent years. While most pundits are confidently placing ever nice (though sometimes with a streak of mischief, frighteningly so in the 2001 TV movie Sister Mary Explains It All) Diane Keaton (The Family Stone) at the head of the pack, a number of the other potential nominees show more than just a spark of that Bette Davis spirit. Heck, Bette Davis's Baby Jane Hudson would cringe when faced with the baleful glare of the geisha from hell or with the malevolent witchcraft of the frosty witch of Narnia. Among these darker possibilities for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, Scarlett Johansson is getting the most buzz for playing a femme fatale in Woody Allen's Match Point. Undoubtedly a big, juicy role, but her Nola Rice would have to take a backseat to another heavily talked-about performance this year. Early reviews of the film say that Chinese superstar Gong Li plays vindictive geisha Hatsumomo in Rob Marshall's adaptation of Memoirs of a Geisha with gusto and uncanny fire. For those who have read the book, it's a completely enticing and frightening prospect, as Hatsumomo is chilling enough offscreen. Still a possible nominee despite lack of buzz is respected actress Tilda Swinton for playing the mother of all bitch roles this year: Jadis, the White Witch, who has frozen over the land of Narnia and kept Christmas celebrations off the Narnian itinerary, in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Who can top that?

But have female film villains always been so visible in the race for Supporting Oscar? A quick survey of the Academy Awards' history would show only a smattering of vicious vixens in this category, whether we're talking about winners or nominees. It's hard enough to find nominees whose roles can be considered more than a bit naughty or mischievous. There are few that stand out: chilling child murderess Rhoda Penmark, played by 11-year-old Patty McCormack in The Bad Seed (1956), Angela Lansbury as the manipulative (some may say evil, as Lansbury herself does) mother in The Manchurian Candidate (1962), and Linda Blair as diabolically driven Regan MacNeill in The Exorcist (1973). Regan can even be considered a mere victim; she's an ideal child sans Pazuzu. Brat-to-the-end Veda (Ann Blyth) in Mildred Pierce (1945), Piper Laurie's fanatical mom to Carrie (1976), and Barbara Hershey's opportunistic Madame Serena Merle in The Portrait of a Lady (1996) may be sadistic and selfish, and may in fact be considered villainous, but calling them evil would be a stretch.

The list of winners gives up even less chilling prospects: among them only Ruth Gordon shines out as satanical neighbor Minnie Castevet in Rosemary's Baby (1968). All right, so that one's sufficiently dark, but that's as far as the rogue's gallery goes; Catherine Zeta-Jones's unrepentive criminal Velma Kelly in Chicago (2002) isn't so much a villain when studied beside Mrs. Castevet. Neither is Rose Ann D'Arcy, the restrictive mother in 1965's A Patch of Blue, played by Shelley Winters.

The Academy and other award-giving institutions have always had a dilemma in placing a clear-cut delineation between a lead and a supporting performance. But cold-blooded females have not had very much difficulty scoring Best Actress nominations, with icons Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck, and Joan Crawford leading the way. Villainous females like Annie Wilks (Kathy Bates in 1990's Misery) don't have problems getting noticed as leads, with often strong, smoldering performances that allow them to steal the show from their costars. While in the past some leads have campaigned for Supporting honors (often because their chances for a nomination in that category were greater), the category is, as the label suggests, for those that offer the necessary back-up to the leads. Sometimes the supporting characters manage to upstage those in the leading roles, but it seems that the Academy prefers their supporting actresses to be sympathetic; it's a well-known fact that long-suffering wives have been greatly favored in this category, with characters played by Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock, 2000), Shoreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog, 2003), and Laura Linney (Kinsey, 2004) among the more recent examples. In fact, in the last ten Oscar ceremonies, only Hershey, Zeta-Jones, and, to some extent, Catherine Keener (as opportunistic Maxine in 1999's Being John Malkovich) showed some sort of villainy, and only because they aren't as nice as all the other nominees (though Dame Maggie Smith as Constance in 2001's Gosford Park wasn't very nice).

Still, female villains that have an underlying passion, a sort of justification for their behavior however vile, may have a shot at a nomination. This could explain why Johansson and Gong are among the leaders in Oscar buzz in their category and may in fact be among the five. Swinton's climb will be more uphill, as her villain is as one-sided (read: evil) as one can get. If the Academy were a bit friendlier to such roles, Kill Bill: Vol. 2's Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) would have whistled her nasty way to Oscar honors, and so would have other dark, sadistic, brilliant but oh so easily dismissed actresses who just happen to have fun being bad.

Pictures taken from IMDb (Johansson and Swinton) and Yahoo! Movies.

Mini-Review: Initial D

Two things that should describe any film on street car racing: "exciting" and "cool." Both could easily be said about Tau man chi D (Initial D), one of the better manga adaptations and Hong Kong films to come out recently. Though I haven't read a single volume of the manga or watched a single episode of the anime, and even if I'm not very interested in this sport, I feel that the film was able to capture the excitement and thrill that enthusiasts undoubtedly get when racing or watching someone else do so. This the directors, Wai Keung Lau and Siu Fai Mak (Infernal Affairs) were able to do without resorting to overly fancy and dizzying special effects that other directors who adapt manga or anime tend to incorporate into their films to less than flawless effect. There are special effects, but they merge almost seamlessly with the intense action of the actual cars racing. In the parts where they are obvious, the effects only serve to emphasize the power of the vehicles, which could be said to be as much the stars of the film as the actors.

Jay Chou holds his own as lead Takumi Fukiwara, effectively seeming bored when he needs to project that initially non-plussed but increasingly passionate attitude about racing. This role does not require that he overact, and he doesn't. Hong Kong heartthrobs Edison Chen and Shawn Yue have small but important supporting roles that they manage to handle well, and Chapman To is a source of a lot of laughs as he nearly always is, but it is Anthony Wong who, just as often, steals the show. He is extremely effective as a constantly drunk (or otherwise just unstable) former racing god who seems to not care about his son but, as is often the case, actually does. This film just solidifies Wong's status as a brilliant actor, particularly in supporting roles.

Plot-wise, the film has a simple story detailing the rise of Fukiwara as a race car driver and the beginnings of the Initial D storyline in the anime. Though it was clear from the start that the romantic angle would not be the focus of the film, the way it is (un)resolved at the end is not as smooth as I would have preferred. The direction, with key scenes being emphasized with brief stop-motion, can be distracting at times, in the worst cases a bit jarring, and may lead you to think that the disc is skipping in the player. But as a whole, the film is a real treat even for those who are not fans of the anime (or anime in general). The ending begs for a sequel, which I am now eagerly looking forward to.

Grade: B
FYC: Best Supporting Actor (Anthony Wong), Best Sound Mixing

Munich Trailer is up, and Other Movie News

Just saw the Munich trailer. It looks like it's going to be a very powerful film with an awesome performance by Eric Bana. This trailer solidifies the claim of the film as Oscar frontrunner, and easily catapults Bana to the potential five for Best Actor. Check it out here.

In other movie news, here's something I'm pretty excited about: a Castlevania movie (finally!). I've been waiting for a big screen adaptation of this game for ages! Not sure how good a job Paul W.S. Anderson will do, but as long as it ends up being better than Van Helsing, then it's on the right track.

Recent Viewings and Recommendations

I've put up a list of my 10 most recent viewings and my grade for each one on the sidebar at the left side. I'll be updating this every time I get to see a new film. I'll also be recommending some films that I feel did not get as much attention as they should have. For this week, it's a nice, dark little treat called May (2002).

When this was shown in theatres here in the Philippines, I ignored it, having easily dismissed it as another one of those horror films with angry, crazy girls popping up almost every week. But then I managed to catch it on cable TV, and I was mesmerized by the lead actress (the eponymous May) and the plot development.

May was played with eerie brilliance by Angela Bettis (who I'd want to see making more films), who captured the ticks and mannerisms of an unstable girl who needed just a push to go overboard. The score of the film, designed to play a creepy, almost innocently sinister background to May's deeds, succeeds in casting an odd light on May's character development. The inherent eerieness of dolls and their subsequent influence on May's act of revenge are used very effectively, but of course I won't spoil it for you and go into that. To give you an idea, though, take note of this tagline: "If you can't find a friend, make one."

If you want to see a disturbing but also entertaining film on how far a girl's psychosis would bring her, then May is definitely something that you have to see. I'll easily give this one a B. Why not a B+? Because Angela Bettis happens to have annoying, vapid costars named Jeremy Sisto and Anna Faris.

Source of photo: IMDb

Official Foreign Language Submissions

The official list of contenders for the Best Foreign Language Film plum is up here. Sadly, no Philippine entry this year. I wonder why? (I'm NOT being sarcastic.)

Mini-Reviews

Doom (2005)
What a dumb movie this was. Instead of retaining the demonic aspect of the game, the movie version was turned into another one of those monster movies on genetic aberrations. And yeah, throw in the zombie aspect of infected humans going around mindless. If I wanted zombies in space I'd ask George A. Romero to make a Planet of the Dead. (Hmm...that DOES sound like a good idea...)
Grade: D (barely passing)
FYC: dream on.

Cinderella Man (2005)
Can Russell Crowe do any wrong (as an actor, at least)? He was amazing in this film and made Renee Zellweger lame by comparison. I suddenly realized with this movie that Renee isn't that good an actress (in my humble opinion). I don't think she'll be getting any Oscar attention for this one. As usual, Paul Giamatti delivered a strong, interesting performance. Regardless of the flaw in casting (though I can't name one right now, I'm sure someone could have done a better job than Renee), it was a great film overall, very involving and moving. I'm not into boxing in and out of movies, but this one had me rooting for Jim Braddock as if so much depended on his victory. And I'm sure that's exactly what the film wanted to accomplish (that and box office success, of course, but you can't have everything).
Grade: B+ (would have been an A if not for Ms. Zellweger)
FYC: Best Picture, Best Director (Ron Howard), Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Best Supporting Actor (Paul Giamatti) Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Editing, Best Art Direction

The Upside of Anger (2005)
A simple but moving film with a great performance by Joan Allen, a nice commendable turn by Kevin Costner, and so-so contributions by the four daughters (Alicia Witt, Keri Russell, Erika Christensen, Evan Rachel Wood). Recommended viewing if only to see Allen's mesmerizing portrayal of a mother who is driven to anger by her sense of loss.
Grade: B
FYC: Best Actress (Joan Allen)

New Narnia Trailer

A totally magnificent new trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is up at Moviefone. Click here.

All the King's Men...Gone

Slight changes have been made to the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories due to the recent announcement that All the King's Men is out of the Oscar race this year. I replaced Sean Penn with Jeff Daniels (The Squid and the Whale) and Patricia Clarkson with Uma Thurman (The Producers). Clarkson's exit saddens me, but maybe it's Thurman's chance to get a nom. But I'm doubtful; if she failed to get a nod for her great turns in the Kill Bill films, how strong are her chances for this one? Then again, these films are completely different, the latest being a musical that might allow Uma to show erstwhile unseen acting skills. As for Daniels...well, it's the buzz, and the long career without an award. But this actor has personally annoyed me a lot more times than he has impressed me, and his filmography doesn't exactly say, "You owe me an Oscar."

Updated Predictions

I've made updates to my predictions in all categories. I also included three alternates for each category. These are the ones that I feel could take the slot from any of the five, which are listed in order of potential (highest to lowest).

Foreign Language Film

The list of submissions for consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category has appeared in The Film Experience. But where is the Philippines's entry? Did we submit anything? Could it be Sigaw, which is making its rounds in horror film festivals in the U.S.? It's a good film, but not very solid and not the type that we usually submit for the Oscars. Pinoy Blonde, perhaps? Or La Visa Loca, which was directed by Mark Meily (director of last year's submission, Crying Ladies)? My bet is on Cesar Montano's Panaghoy sa Suba (The Call of the River), but I honestly have no idea. If anyone does, I'd greatly appreciate the information.