Oscar Nominations 2010

Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man

Up

Up in the Air
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I can see "Avatar" taking this.  However, on the off chance that, after the Golden Globes, the voters decide that Cameron has been awarded enough by them and at the box office, I see "The Hurt Locker" as the likely second.  Although I personally loved it, I'd be surprised if "A Single Man" took this honor, it being Tom Ford's first foray into film.

Best Director

Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"

James Cameron, "Avatar"

Lee Daniels, "Precious"

Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"

Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
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Kathryn Bigelow is the first female to win the Directors Guild of America award for "The Hurt Locker," and I wouldn't be surprised if she followed that up with Oscar, despite her ex, Cameron, having taken the GG.

Best Actor

Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"

George Clooney, "Up in the Air"

Colin Firth, "A Single Man"

Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"

Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"
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For me it's between Jeff Bridges and Colin Firth. Given the pattern so far, I'd say it's going to Jeff, but it's nice to see the former Mr. Darcy recognized for a job well done.

Best Actress 

Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"

Helen Mirren, "The Last Station" 

Carey Mulligan, "An Education"

Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"

Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"
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Patterns say this goes to Sandra. It'd be quite a coup for Miss Congeniality to beat out La Streep and The Queen, but frankly, Meryl was good but not worth yet another win for her turn as Julia... and I didn't see "The Last Station" so I can't weigh in on Ms. Mirren.  Most of the buzz for "Precious" has been about Mo'nique, so I wouldn't be surprised if people were thinking "The nomination is enough" for Gabourey, a newcomer sure to have a successful career after this, assuming they start writing for non-waifs.

Best Supporting Actor

Matt Damon, "Invictus"

Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"

Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"

Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"

Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
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I'm going to go with Christoph Waltz, purely because the only one of these I saw was "Invictus" and Matt Damon said "focus" like "fuckus."  You gotta do better than that, Matty D.

Best Supporting Actress

Penelope Cruz, "Nine"

Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"

Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"

Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"

Mo'nique, "Precious"
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Hands down, totally deserved, this should go to Mo'nique.  She was breathtaking, and not in a good way.  That's kind of what the Academy looooves, come Oscar season. 

Best Animated Feature Film
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up
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Ugh. This is probably going to go to "Up." I'd rather see it go to "Coraline," but so be it.  Pixar should really stop resting on its laurels, though, and step it Up for their next round.  I think their previous standards of excellence are going down, as it were.  The talking dogs and crazy ass bird in this runaway movie are proof. :::sigh:::

Best Original Screenplay
Mark Boal, "The Hurt Locker"
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman, "The Messenger"
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "A Serious Man"
Peter Docter, Bob Peterson, & Tom McCarthy, "Up"
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No idea.  Not the Coens.  Maybe Quentin?  Maybe this Mark Boal character?  This is one of the categories that I just hope whoever wins is (a) cute and (b) gives a good speech.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell, "District 9"
Nick Hornby, "An Education"
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, & Tony Roche, "In the Loop"
Geoffrey Fletcher, "Precious"
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner, "Up in the Air"
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Precious? Again, see my criteria above.

Best Cinematography

Avatar (Mauro Fiore)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Bruno Delbonnel)

The Hurt Locker (Barry Ackroyd)

Inglourious Basterds (Robert Richardson)

The White Ribbon (Christian Berger)
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Avatar. 

Best Costume Design

Bright Star (Janet Patterson)

Coco Before Chanel (Catherine Leterrier)

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Monique Prudhomme)

Nine (Colleen Atwood)

The Young Victoria (Sandy Powell)
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Unsure. All I know is that Penelope looked damn good in that corset number.

I'm going to cut out the other categories, because as I got further down the list I realized I cared less and less.  A full list can be found here for you zealots :) The ceremony is on ABC on March 7th, 2010, 8:00pm, hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.

Golden Globes 2009

I'll be blogging "live" from PopBopShop Girl's GG party... hopefully re-publishing every 15 minutes from 7:00 on.  Enjoy!

6:55 I settle into the couch and prepare to dish.  We're watching the E! Network red carpet show but note that my time stamps are off because we're catching up via DVR.

7:00 Juliana looks like a tinfoil-wearing martian disco ball and her hair is too blonde.

7:08 Pretty gray and red dress on Sophia Vergara from Modern Family (a fabulous new show you should check out if you haven't seen already).  (Note that Molly respectfully disagrees on the "pretty" assessment.)  Her accent is as intense as PenéLOpe's, but kind of not as sexy, somehow.  She can pull off the not-a-lot-o'-make up look.

7:11 Not really digging the ruffles on the House star.   Aaaaand she's starring in The Miracle Worker on Broadway.  Insert Helen Keller joke here.

7:15 Nate Archibald! AKA Chace Crawford... rockin' the pocket square.  Love it.

7:16 Corey Monteith and others from Glee!

7:17 Lea Michele could stray from black and do well.  But it's still a pretty dress.  Holla for Jane Lynch mentioning her girlfriend :)  Awwww and they just showed the clip of her getting pooped on at another red carpet.  Wah wah.

7:19 Ricky Gervais. Love how he says "lettuce" like it's "leh'us."  Who's his date in that pretty purple dress?

7:20 Not a fan of the fuscia monstrousity on Lorelai Gilmore (sorry: Lauren Graham).  Also, this year Jay Manuel's hair is so white it's purple.  Blue rinse?

7:22 Mickey Rourke.  Good god.  Also, can his 17 year old fiancee maybe do her hair and pretend she's on the red carpet?

7:23 Maggie Gyllenhaal. Love her, think her dress isn't vibrant enough. Although, the pieces are kind of interesting.

7:24 Elisabeth Moss better be pregnant, because there's no other justifiable reason for wearing an Elizabeth Bennett dress.

7:25 Ginnifer Goodwin! Lovely, saturated color, cute little pixie hair cut.  Jean Tripplehorn has sequined cuffs. Not a fan.

7:26 Vera Farmiga - lovely hair. Can't see her dress.

7:29 Neil Patrick Harris just said he bought his umbrella at Gap.  He's kind of awesome.  I should probably start watching How I Met Your Mother.

7:31 Christina Hendrix, from Mad Men. God bless her for having a body (read: boobs bigger than China) but can someone please tell her how to highlight them better? And not wear ruffles* on those hips? Curvy women need to learn these tricks.
*Side note from an hour later: The dress is by Christian Siriano, from Project Runway.  Hmm.

7:32 Ryan Seacrest just called it a "portable umbrella."  This makes me laugh, for reasons it would take too long to explain. Also, love Emily Blunt.  Forgive her for actually being engaged to John Krasinski, while I just wish to be.

7:34 Quentin Tarantino wearing something that looks like it's from Hogwarts.  Apparently it's a hybrid American-Japanese tuxedo.  He's just about the only person who could pull that off, and he's not really.

7:35 Do not like Diane Kruger's outfit.  Again, extraneous fuschia.

7:37 Lea Michele! Okay, so it's pretty.  Note from the couch: a li'l "voluminous" for her petite frame.  And yes please do dish on the Madonna episode of Glee.

7:38 Gabourey Sidibe.  Green.  Patricia Arquette never looks good.

7:39 I love me some Sandra Bullock, but they just blatantly cut off Lea.  She's so gracious in saying "I look good because of other people," but I do feel like she has said that a lot this awards season.   She also just flirted with Seacrest! Out!

7:41 Vera Farmiga, to Ryan Seacrest: My husband saw you in the steam room at the Four Seasons last night.  His response: Awkwardsville.  Times about a hundred.

7:42 Fergie looks lovely from the neck down. I'm unclear as to why they needed to renew their vows less than a year after their wedding.

7:47 Ryan Seacrest, to January Jones' dad: "Are you sweating, or is that rain?" Really? Who asks that? What is he supposed to say!?

7:53 Marion Cotillard! Is her bra showing? Cause that's awkward.

7:54 I always forget that Anna Paquin is an Aussie.  It's a faint accent though, but good to note.  Appreciate that she called Seacrest! Out! on being so pushy.

7:56 Steve Carrell.  Leurve.  I also hope that Ricky Gervais makes fun of him.

7:57 Oh NO Drew Barrymore! What is that awful thing on your hip?!

7:58 Tina Fey.  AKA a Tea Cozy.  She did say "For realsies," however.  Nice abbrev.  Juliana Margolies, looking like she's ready to say "Beam me up, Scottie."

7:59 I am so anti-ruffle.  So many ruffle criminals tonight - coughchloesevignycoughcough.  Not a fan.

8:03 Disappointed in Penelope's dress.  Not gonna lie.

8:06 Oh sweet god Mariah Carey's boobs brought her to the show too.  Christ almighty.  Also, upon more praise being heaped upon her, the couch notes: "Shut the F up! She was in the movie for 4 minutes!!"  Agreed.  Also, social workers don't all have bad fashion and mustaches. But I digress.  Holy boobs.

8:08 Huge white board held by producer telling Seacrest! Out! who's up next.  I like Amy Adams' shoes.

8:13 Jennifer Garner looks gor. geous.   She also said "Girl crush." I know that phrase well.

8:14 Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt. I wish she would do something again.  I feel like after Kissing Jessica Stein she just... stopped. (Incidentally, they met on that set. Cute. He was the nerdy guy they tried to set her up with who turned out to have a girlfriend.)

8:16 Courtney Cox Arquette looks bangin'.

8:20 Kate Hudson, looking very architectural.  The room concurs that we like the dress but not the shoes.

8:28 Watching Juliana try to get George Clooney's attention is horrid.  She just made herself look a damn fool.

Okay. Here we go with the actual show.  Again, time stamps are off.

8:00 And we start with the Gervais-teases-Carrell bit. Love!

8:06 Jabs at NBC, Jay Leno, plastic surgery, and extensive penis commentary.  Oy.

8:08 "You could be a little asian child, with no possessions, and get a glimpse of Angelina Jolie, and think, 'Mummy!'"

8:10 Nicole Kidman presents the Best Supporting Actress award to: Mo'Nique for playing Mary in Precious.  So deserved!!  She was scary good.  Her speech is funny, nice thank you to her hubby, the cast and crew, and the Precious's of the world.

8:15 Sophia Vergara and Matthew Fox present the Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy award to: Toni Colette for United States of Tara.  She looks fa-a-a-abulous in that gold dress!

8:17 Lauren Graham and Jim Parsons present the Best Supporting Actor in a TV Musical or Comedy award to: John Lithgow for Dexter.  Don't care.  Heard it's a good show, never watched it.  He went to Harvard though!

8:20 Paul McCartney (That Guy From Rock Band) jokes about drugs and presents Best Animated Feature Film to Up.  See my review for my thoughts.

8:28 Kate Hudson presents the preview of Nine.  Ricky Gervais self-promotes a little more.  Felicity Huffman messes up her speech, but it seems to be about an irrelevant topic or person so I don't care much.  Ah yes, it's an executive who's not funny and poorly coiffed.  Shmeh.

8:33 Neil Patrick Harris and Jane Krakowski present the Best Actor in a TV Series Drama award to Michael C. Hall for Dexter.  He is sadly sporting a hat to cover the effects of his chemo, having just confirmed he was diagnosed with cancer earlier this week.  Sad.

8:34 Best Actress in a TV Series Drama goes to Juliana Margolies for The Good Wife.  Who watches this?! What is it?

8:42 Harrison Ford seems a bit... drugged... and introduces Up In the Air.  I'm reminded what a great soundtrack that movie had.

8:43 Cher-bear and Christina Aguilera!!! Cher looks like Elvira, but Christina has a cute bob.  They present Best Original Song to "The Weary Kind," theme from Crazy Heart, music by some ugly man.

8:45 Best Original Score for a Motion Picture goes to Michael Gianwhosit for Up.  Nice, short speech.

8:53 Amy Adams and Josh Brolin present Best Miniseries or TV Movie to Grey Gardens.  A woman with a half-backed dress accepts.  Drew Barrymore's hip-coral makes an appearance onstage as well.  They say they're gonna make a short speech, but then it's two double-sided pages.  F that.  Play the music.

8:57 Tom Hanks: "This is the Meryl Streep movie where she doesn't end up in bed with Alec Baldwin, but does with Stanley Tucci -- by any measure, a move UP."  Introduces Julie and Julia.  I LOVE MERYL.

8:58 Colin Farrell (looooooove) says "Balls" within 5 seconds of reaching the microphone.  Awards Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture to Meryl Streep for Julie and Julia.  (I typed that before he said it.  I'm that good.)  Meryl appears to be addled, or drunk, as she starts by saying "I want to change my name to T-Bone.  T-Bone Streep.  I think it sounds good." Her humble nature perseveres however, as she says "I have made such a career out of playing extraordinary women that I am beginning to be mistaken for one. I am very clear on the point that I am the vessel." Then a nice li'l tribute to her mom.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE Meryl?

9:09 Helen Mirren looks phenomenal. She introduces the preview for Precious.

9:10 Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington award Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie to Kevin Bacon for Taking Chances.  Incidentally, I just found out they're remaking Footloose.  I'm upset by this.

9:12 Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie goes to Drew Barrymore for Grey Gardens.  From the couch: "I wouldn't mind it if it didn't have that weird caterpillar thing on the hip." Agreed.  Crazy speech too.

9:21 Cameron Diaz: "This is the film where Meryl Streep does sleep with Alec Baldwin." It's Complicated.

9:22 Ricky is rocking this.  He's freaking hysterical.  Jennifer Aniston (looking BANGIN') and Gerard Butler present Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture to Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner for Up In the Air.  Jason Reitman says to his wife "People like how I write women. I could never write women if it weren't for my wife. You are the fuel to my creative fire."  Damn.

9:27 Ashton Kutcher and Jennifer Garner present Best Actor in a TV Comedy or Miniseries to Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock.  Sad that Michael Morrison from Glee didn't win.

9:32 Samuel L. Jackson introduces Inglourious Basterds.  From the couch: "Is he in velour?!"  He appears to be.  Indeed.

9:33 Sophia Loren.  Can we say hourglass?  I wonder what's with the granny glasses as she presents Best Foreign Language Film to The White Ribbon.  I notice that The Governator is there.

9:38 Amy Poehler and Zack Levi present Best TV Series - Drama to Mad Men.  Again, typed it before they said it.  Oh god Christina Hendrix and her boobs are onstage.  Funny bar mitzvah joke by the director(?).  Okay byeeeeeee.

9:45 Taylor Lautner. From the couch: "Please turn 18 so I can feel less perverted."  Introduces (500) Days of Summer.  I liked this movie.

9:46 Chace Crawford and Kristen Bell present Best Supporting Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries Comedy to Chloe Sevigny and her ruffles for Big Love.  Some dude steps on her dress and rips it and she screams and remarks upon it in her speech.

9:48 Ricky Gervais appears to be drinking beer at the podium.  He introduces Halle Berry who looks amazing.

9:49 She presents Best Supporting Actor to Christophe Waltz for Inglourious Basterds.  I knew I should have seen that damn movie.  He closes by saying they made his world, his globe, golden.

9:54 We catch up on the DVR! Yay! Now I can read my text messages from my aunt about the show.

9:56 Leo. From the couch: "Be still, my 8th grade heart."  DeNiro and he present Martin Scorsese with the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award.

10:04 The Scorsese montage is pretty great. The closing teaser for Shutter Island looks creeptastic and great.  He's so cute with his eyebrows!  He also gives a passionate, informed speech that truly speaks to the glorious history of film and his amazing knowledge thereof.  Well played, Marty.

10:12 Jodie Foster introduces The Hurt Locker.  I really wish I had seen this.

10:14 Ricky's back with his beer.  "I like a drink as much as the next man.  Unless the next man is Mel Gibson."  From the couch: "OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."

10:15 Mel awards Best Director for a Motion Picture to James Cameron for Avatar, who says, "I'm going to try to make this as brief as I can because frankly I have to pee something fierce."  Nice that he acknowledged his ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow, for The Hurt Locker.  And now he's speaking in the fake language they created for his movie.  Touché.

10:19 Kate Winslet looks really beautiful in the audience.  Kiefer Sutherland and Olivia Wilde award Best TV Series Comedy or Musical to Glee!  The couch SCREAMS in agreement!

10:25 Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Justin Bartha and friggin Mike Tyson, from The Hangover, introduce The Hangover.

10:26 Reese Witherspoon, looking stu-u-u-unning in a one-shouldered midnight blue dress, presents best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy to The Hangover.  I hated it, but I know that was the anomolous reaction.  Ah well.  The director looks high.  I bet Mike Tyson threatened to fight everyone unless they let him come onstage.

10:30 From the couch: "What do we have left? Please don't say there's gonna be Best Lighting In a Dark Room."

10:33 The Governator introduces Avatar.  Makes jokes about money.

10:35 Mickey Rourke has snakeskin lapels.  He never ceases to amaze me with his awful fashion choices.  He presents Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama to Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side.  She really is pretty.  She speaks German!

10:39 Sally Hawkins presents Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy to Robert Downey, Jr. for Sherlock Holmes.  "I'm not gonna thank anybody.  They needed me!  Avatar was gonna take us to the cleaners!" Quotes Conan Doyle, nice speech, quick and funny.

10:46 Kate Gorgeous Winslet presents Best Actor for a Motion Picture Drama to Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart.  He gets a standing O and remarks "You're really screwing up my underappreciated status, here."  Another one who credits his wife in a sweet way.  Can someone tell me what the heck this movie is? Is Colin Farrell in it? Because they keep showing him.  If he is, I'm seeing it. 

10:55 Julia Roberts presents Best Motion Picture Drama to Avatar.  James Cameron: "I went to the bathroom so I can take my time."  Luckily he doesn't, too much, and Ricky Gervais is back to close the show ON TIME!


Thanks for following, folks :)  See you at the Oscars.

Golden Globe Nominations

Best Motion Picture - Drama
- Avatar
- Hurt Locker
- Inglourious Basterds
- Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire*
- Up In the Air

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
- Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria)
- Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
- Helen Mirren (The Last Station)
- Carey Mulligan (An Education)
- Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)*

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
- Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
- George Clooney (Up In the Air)
- Colin Firth (A Single Man)
- Morgan Freeman (Invictus)*
- Tobey Maguire (Brothers)

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- (500) Days of Summer*
- The Hangover
- It's Complicated
- Julie & Julia
- Nine

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- Sandra Bullock (The Proposal)
- Marion Cotillard (Nine)
- Julia Roberts (Duplicity)
- Meryl Streep (It's Complicated)
- Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)*

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- Matt Damon (The Informant!)
- Daniel Day-Lewis (Nine)
- Robert Downey, Jr. (Sherlock Holmes)*
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt ((500) Days of Summer)
- Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
- Penelope Cruz (Nine)
- Vera Farmiga (Up In the Air)
- Anna Kendrick (Up In the Air)
- Mo'nique (Precious)
- Julianne Moore (A Single Man)*

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
- Matt Damon (Invictus)
- Woody Harrelson (The Messenger)
- Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)
- Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)
- Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)*

Best Animated Feature Film
- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
- Coraline
- Fantastic Mr. Fox
- The Princess and the Frog
- Up*

Best Director - Motion Picture
- Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
- James Cameron (Avatar)
- Clint Eastwood (Invictus)
- Jason Reitman (Up In the Air)
- Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)*

Then there are all the TV and score, song, etc. movie noms...
* indicates my thought on who will win... not necessarily based on anything cause I haven't seen 'em all yet :)

Julie and Julia

Director: Nora Ephron
Year: 2009
Rating: **

This light cinematic fare tells the story of Julia Child's years in Paris (and the rest of Europe) in the 50s, just as she takes her first cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu and starts to write her seminal book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking; and of Julie Powell, a blogger in New York City circa-2002, attempting to cook her way through the self-same book in 365 days. As many food channel shows do, it will probably make you hungry and potentially endow you with the belief that you, too, can cook like Julia!

To no one's surprise, La Streep nails her impersonation of Julia Child and is quite funny doing so. Although her turn as a middle-aged therapist in Prime remains my favorite comedic offering from Meryl, a line that had me chuckling in my seat was most likely a throwaway for her, hooting "I'm up!" as she whacked her alarm clock to start another day of cooking. Although her 5'6" frame is (surprisingly) convincingly towering over Stanley Tucci (playing a benevolent Paul Child), it's her voice that really recreates the essence of the real Julia. Indeed, her imitation, uttered in jest in a conversation with director Nora Ephron upon leaving a production of Shakespeare in the Park a couple summers ago, was apparently all it took to land Meryl the role. (Not that it can be all too difficult to land any role when you're Meryl Streep...) Seriously, though, she captures the ebullience of Ms. Child in every heady utterance and guffaw.

Amy Adams is fine as the blogger Julie, although I'm still slightly underwhelmed by her in general. Paris looks idyllic, and the steaming, butter-coated dishes of food look absolutely scrumptious. While this was a fun jaunt for a rainy day, you're not missing much if you just see the trailer and register, for once and for all, that Meryl Streep is insanely good at what she does.

Presque-bon appétit...