(500) Days of Summer

"This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should know up front, this is not a love story."

So often it's the woman who tries to turn the hopelessly noncomitted man into a one-woman-monogamous-serious-relationship type guy. But in (500) Days of Summer, it's the other way around. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Tom, the eternal romantic who's looking for his one and only. In comes Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel, who sweeps Tom off his feet in an instant love at first sight romance. Trouble is, Tom is the only one who's in love. He's in a romantic relationship in his head, and by himself. Summer isn't trying to be locked down, and just wants to have fun enjoying Tom's company--no strings attached. For those of us who've been in a "relationship" like this, you can only imagine what happens next.
(500) Days is one of the few chick flicks with a male protagonist, which makes for a quite interesting movie. Gordon-Levitt is adorable as the lovable and charming love-chaser who's miserably in love with a movable target. And Deschanel is subtly spectacular as the beautiful Summer who captured Tom's heart.
What makes this movie so seamless is the spot-on performances of the two lead actors and the very relatable story of what happens when love--and life--happens.

Reel Talk rating: B+

Coraline

"Stay here with us. We will listen to you, and laugh with you. If you stay here, you can have whatever you want... always."

What child doesn't think the grass is always greener on the other side? In Coraline's case, it's on the other side of a door...in her parents' house. In Coraline, 11-year-old Coraline Jones is feeling neglected and unloved by her ho-hum parents who've got their noses in their work and are often too busy to tend to Coraline as she struggles to adjust in a new neighborhood. Bored and restless, Coraline quenches her adventurous side when she discovers a new world behind a door where all her dreams come true: delicious food, fun toys that spring to life in vibrant color, parents who are always willing to give her anything she wants and hang out with her every chance they get. But then Coraline finds that life on the other side comes with its own set of problems, ones that are deeper and more sinister than she ever imagined.
Coraline, voiced by Dakota Fanning and the devilishly awesome Teri Hatcher as her mother, is the clever depiction of how the idle mind of a child can yield marvelous adventures. Entertaining, funny and surprisingly suspenseful a times, Coraline is the perfect movie for your little one...and for the child in all of us.

Reel Talk rating: A

The Top 17 Movies of the Decade

As we near the end of a remarkable decade in film, lets remember some of those that paved the way during 2000-2009:

Crash (2004): This movie not only is one of my favorite movies of the decade. But it's also one of my favorite movies of all time. It was more than a movie to me--it was a conversation, a dialogue explaining what happens when ignorance and non-communication collide.

Training Day (2001): This is the first time we see Academy award winner Denzel Washington become the bad guy--not the guy who rescues everyone from a burning house and walk on water afterwards--but the curse-mouthed, maniacal, corrupt policeman who shakes down rookie Ethan Hawke in one of the grittiest cop dramas we'd seen in a while.

Ray (2004): In Living Color alum and former B-movie magnet Jamie Foxx shreds his past image and literally transforms into the late great Ray Charles in this bioflick about the deceased musician's rise to fame and personal turmoil. Ray offers an elegant look at a beloved musician we hardly knew and creates a bonafide actor (Foxx).

Ali (2001): Before this movie, Will Smith was just the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to me (no matter how many action movies and alien flicks he starred in). But after seeing him become the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, I was finally convinced of his acting ability. Ali was the captivating and inspiring true story of how a Kentucky-born boxer merged politics and the ring to become one of the most memorable forces in sports and U.S. history.

The Departed (2006): Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, and Matt Damon teamed up to star in what i would like to call an ode to old Scorsese, a celebration of gangster films everywhere. This time, the gangsters invaded the streets of Boston in this beautifully-directed flawlessly-edited tale very much worthy of the Best Picture Oscar it received.

Revolutionary Road (2008): Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reteam in this 1950s drama about the most desperate housewife I've seen on screen and her underwhelmed husband who both struggle to reclaim their own longtime dreams as they go slipping through their grasps. Heartbreaking, relatable story indicative of the times.

Knocked Up (2007): Drunk girl meets drunk loser boy. Girl sleeps with boy. Then boy and girl end up pregnant after a one-night stand. Okay, not the usual film that would top any "best of" list, but somehow this quirky anti-romantic comedy made it on here. It's the hilarious movie that was that jumpstarted the rebirth of the good stoner flicks.

The Dark Knight (2008): As a HUGE batman fan, I didn't think anyone could play the caped crusader any better than Michael Keaton on the big screen. Then came along Christian Bale and all just seemed to turn around. In The Dark Knight, Batman brings along a few familiar faces, namely The Joker (Heath Ledger) and Two-Faced (Aaron Eckhart), for one devilishly hellish ride through the valley of good and evil in Gotham City--a ride we'll never forget.

The Bourne films (2004-2007): Yes, I'm squishing these three action-packed films (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Bourne Supremacy) together because I just couldn't decide which one to choose. It was one of the few action franchises that had a terrific story along with it that made you want to crack the mystery of Jason Bourne just as much as he did. And we all waited on the edge of our seats until the very end to see it through.

25th Hour (2002): This is the gripping story following one man's last 25 hours of freedom before he heads to jail. But before then he goes in, he reevaluates the friends and foes he made on the outside and the choices he made throughout his life. With a nearly perfect cast and riveting screenplay, 25th Hour remains one of the most underrated films of the decade.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): I wouldn't necessarily call myself a fan of romantic movies, but if you ever wished there was a way to erase heartbreak from a previous relationship, you probably enjoyed this movie. Entertaining, extremely quirky and amazing performances throughout led by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, this movie kicks all other "romantic" movies to the wayside.

Hotel Rwanda (2004): Don Cheadle earned his first (and long overdue) Oscar nod for his portrayal as the real life Rwandan hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina who bravely sheltered over a thousand Tutsi refugees in a fight for their lives against the Hutu militia. Hotel Rwanda is a courageous, inspiring movie that was one of the first stories about the Rwandan crisis to gain major Hollywood attention.

Volver (2006): Director Pedro Almodovar's brilliantly quirky story of a heartbroken housewife with a haunting maternal instinct (played by Penelope Cruz) is here quite simply because it's better than you think it is. The multi-layered story becomes more enticing as it progresses, leaving the audience wild with anticipation.

Kill Bill Vol. 1...and 2 (2003-2004): Director Quentin Tarantino resurrected his career with these odes to bad-ass martial arts merged with a true vengeance flick. Uma Thurman is awesome as the jaded bride who seeks to annihilate her number one enemy: the late great David Carradine as Bill.

Frida (2002): Frida is the beautiful story of legendary artist Frida Kahlo who never quite got her due, much like the actress who played her--Salma Hayek. Touching, courageous and filled with heartache, Frida sheds light on the artist behind the painting.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Curious indeed. This is the amazingly awesome story of a young boy with a peculiar defect, but one which made him see further beyond his years. Death was life and life was living and age was...just a number, and a state of mind.

Mystic River (2003): The best thing about Mystic River is the brilliant performance by Sean Penn, and the the subdued tortured performance by his second mate Tim Robbins. A father loses his beloved daughter to a brutal crime and stops at nothing to get to the bottom of it. Everyone becomes a suspect--even his closest friends. In true Eastwood fashion, the film is always quite dim and dark indicative to the solemn nature of the story. This is just flawless filmmaking.

Share your thoughts on the list. Don't see your favorite film here? Tell me about it.

Avatar

"Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world and in here is the dream."

It's the year 2054 and American scientists and military personnel are on a mission to collect a valuable mineral named "unobtanium," which is said to make millions back on earth from a planet named Pandora, home to the Na'vi--the native alien-like residents of the forest-like region who are one with nature. The only thing is, the scientists have to virtually destroy the world they live in order to dig up the unobtainable unobtainium, which means there may be casualties. Before that, they must send a few American soldiers there who can infiltrate as one of their own by scientific morphosis to learn any information they may have about the substance. One of those soldiers is Jake Sully, the paraplegic ex-marine whose brother was killed in battle. While in Pandora as his own avatar, he gets to really learn about the Na'vi and is protected by one Na'vi in particular--Neytiri, with whom he falls in love. After learning about the tribe, he feels indebted to them as a member of their family. That's when the young ex-marine's native mission drastically changes.
The movie runs a bit long at times, and really could have been cut down to two hours, but for the sake of the special effects and inevitable James Cameron-like love story, probably not. It was entertaining and moved along fairly swiftly, but in no means is it my favorite movie of 2009 as it has become to others. The story was better than I thought, though it did often draw similarities to both Pocahontas and many other instances when men killed to take over and destroy people in a land they saw value in. The acting was just okay, though Zoe Saldana's Neytiri portrayal is a standout. Overall, Avatar was really about the jaw-dropping visual effects--that's the great thing about it.

Reel Talk rating: B

The Blind Side

"We were wondering if you would like to become a part of this family."
--"I kinda thought I already was."

I finally caved in and saw The Blind Side on Christmas Day (despite my kicking and screaming to avoid the typical-ness of it all), and I gotta say I was pleasantly surprised. I was surprised to see that Sandra Bullock can actually act (because she really could have fooled me from her abysmal, though entertaining, resume). I don't get why she's been the face of the awards race this season, but I guess after the long career she's had, you gotta give her a pat on the back (just don't give her that Oscar I've been hearing about).
You've got your usual Hollywood format: Enter underprivileged Black male Michael Oher (played by Quinton Aarton) who's also slightly dim-witted. Now enter highly privileged white woman, the smart-lipped Erin Brokovich-like Leigh Ann Touhy (Bullock), who scoops him up and takes him into her home and raises him (even if it's just for the 6 months it takes for him to turn 18) as her own son. She gets him a better education and puts him back on his feet again. Since this is a true story, I can't really fault a hyper fabricated background/story and how he was raised prior to joining the Touhy clan. But you can certainly tell that the movie was slightly white washed for the big screen and slightly biased toward the Touhy family. Touhy for the first time in her life ventured out of her side of town to learn how someone else is living and in turn learned how to live her own life in a better way.
I wouldn't mind reading Oher's story in his own words in his book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. Though, I must say that I doubt I'd like the film as much had it not been Christmas and just a plain ole good family flick to see with my mom. I think it actually could have been on Lifetime. But since it's Christmas, I'll say the movie was solid for the big screen.

Reel Talk rating: B

First Look: "The Karate Kid"

I'm usually not a fan of remakes (but there have been special circumstances), however this updated version of the 1984 classic The Karate Kid doesn't look half bad. Starring Will Smith's son Jaden Smith, Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson and Jackie Chan, this newly revised version follows twelve-year-old Dre (Smith) and his mother (Henson) as they migrate from Detroit to China where Dre goes toe to toe with a relentless bully (similar to the original film). Trouble is, the pint-size Dre is no match for his nemesis. That's when he meets martial arts master Mr. Han who teaches him the elements of street karate. This is pretty much the original '80s script with an urban twist. Looks like it might work though. Check out the trailer below. The Karate Kid is in theaters June 11, 2010. Will you watch it?

Check out an exclusive clip from the movie below:

Jennifer Lopez in "The Back-Up Plan"

Jennifer Lopez heads back to the big screen in yet another romantic comedy. This time, the actress plays Zoe, a woman who's given up on finding her knight in shining armor after countless failed relationships and decides to undergo artificial insemination to fulfill her dream of becoming a mother. But of course, the day she becomes pregnant is the day she meets the man of dreams. Not knowing how to tell her new beau she's expecting, Zoe tries hiding her protruding belly for as long as she can, which is slapstick in itself, until she is forced to reveal her secret. Luckily he sticks with her but they both learn that trying to start a new relationship with a baby on board may not be as easy as they first thought.
Sigh..this movie sounds a bit ridiculous but somehow Lopez always seems to bring folks running to the box office, despite the fact that her movies all tend to be mediocre at best. The Back-Up Plan hits theaters April 16, 2010. Take a look at the trailer. What do you think?

Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise in "Knight and Day"

You'd think after the disastrous Vanilla Sky, Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise wouldn't dare team up again in another movie. But even after shooting was unexpectedly halted after bulls ran loose onto the set (can you say random?), the two a-listers still managed to complete their next flick together. Knight and Day follows a married couple on the run whose daily escapades lead them to later doubt each other and those who they meet along the way. They learn that no, including themselves, is who they seem. Check out the trailer below. Knight and Day heads to theaters on June 23, 2010.

First Look: "Marmaduke"

Owen Wilson is on a dog kick. First it was Marley and Me, next year it will be Marmaduke, where he'll voice the classic canine as he gets himself into one sticky situation after another when his family moves into a quiet surburban neighborhod. Other famous actors lending their voices are Jeremy Piven, George Lopez, Stacy Ferguson and Damon Wayans. Marmaduke hits theaters June 4, 2010.

The Princess and the Frog

"The only thing I know, is that one minute I am a prince, charming and handsome, cutting-a-rug, and the next thing I know...[trips over his feet]"

Back in May when I first introduced the trailer and poster for The Princess and the Frog, never did I think it would go on to hit the number spot at the box office in its opening weekend and garner a Golden Globe nomination. But I knew when I first heard about Disney rolling out the red carpet with a long overdue African-American lead, it was something special. It's funny because when I walked into the movie theater today I thought I was going to be the only adult watching this animated movie. But I was certainly not alone. Yes, there were kids there but surprisingly there were many adults there who did not bring kids. And we were all in for quite a treat.
Much like my favorite Disney film The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Frog follows a young girl with a big dream. For Tiana, a determined young waitress from New Orleans, she dreamed of fulfilling the wish her father never saw come true--opening up her own restaurant featuring her savory Big Easy dishes like etoufee, gumbo and beignets. All she needed was a few extra dollars saved from working two jobs to be able to pay the down payment on the spot she'd be eyeing. Overworked and missing out on all the other things other girls her age were doing, Tiana's dream got slightly deferred when a prince leaped into her life one day and turned it all around. Only thing is, he's been turned into a frog by an evil voodoo slinger after his own arrogance got the best of him. The prince must be kissed by a princess in order to revert the curse. In the end, Tiana learns another lesson--when you have love in your life, all your dreams come true.
Filled with heartfelt songs led by Toni Award winner Anika Noni Rose (Tiana), humor, and a brilliant capturing of the vibrance of the Big Easy The Princess and the Frog will certainly be remembered years later as not only a pioneer Disney movie, but also one that allowed audiences to never let go of their dreams and that with love anything is possible, no matter your age or color. That's something everyone can take pride in.

Check out an exclusive clip from the movie below. The Princess and the Frog is in theaters now.


The Princess and the Frog Exclusive Clip

Trailer Park | MySpace Video

Reel Talk rating: A

First Look: "The Bounty Hunter"

Jennifer Aniston teams up with Gerard Butler in this upcoming romantic (?) comedy about a bounty hunter who's basking in the fact that his next target is his ex wife. Personally I'd much rather see Butler do more movies like 300 and Law Abiding Citizen than this. Looks like a snooze, but may be a fun date movie. The Bounty Hunter hits theaters March 19, 2010. Check out the an exclusive new clip from the movie below.

First Look: "Valentine's Day"

Just in time for the chocolate and roses holiday in February comes the latest movie from the director of the ultimate chick flick Pretty Woman--Valentine's Day. Though it stars an all-star cast (including Anne Hathaway, Julia Roberts, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Queen Latifah to name a few), the trailer is lacking a key ingredient--a plot. The characters all seem to be intertwined in their various romantic dramas reminding me a little of He's Just Not That Into You. Let's just hope this comes together a little better than that. Valentine's Day hits theaters February 12, 2010.

First Look: "Shrek Forever After"

Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey and the rest of the gang are back in this latest installment in the wildly popular and ever-lovable Shrek franchise will surely sweep the box office when it hits theaters on May 21, 2010. Shrek, now domesticated as a family man gets restless and longs for the days of scaring off the villagers and embarking on other wild shenanigans, makes a fateful deal to trade it all in for his old lifestyle which has dreadful consequences. Take a look at at the exclusive new IMAX trailer for Shrek Forever After below.

And check out this new clip:

2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards

Just moments ago the 2010 Screen Actors Guild Award nominees were announced, with very few surprises. Precious, Inglourious Basterds, and Up in the Air are at a three-way tie with the most nominations. Check out the list below:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

JEFF BRIDGES / Bad Blake - "CRAZY HEART" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
GEORGE CLOONEY / Ryan Bingham - "UP IN THE AIR" (Paramount Pictures)
COLIN FIRTH / George Falconer - "A SINGLE MAN" (The Weinstein Company)
MORGAN FREEMAN / Nelson Mandela - "INVICTUS" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JEREMY RENNER / Staff Sgt. William James - "THE HURT LOCKER" (Summit Entertainment)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

SANDRA BULLOCK / Leigh Anne Tuohy - "THE BLIND SIDE" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
HELEN MIRREN / Sofya - "THE LAST STATION" (Sony Pictures Classics)
CAREY MULLIGAN / Jenny - "AN EDUCATION" (Sony Pictures Classics)
GABOUREY SIDIBE / Precious - "PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE" (Lionsgate)
MERYL STREEP / Julia Child - "JULIE & JULIA" (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

MATT DAMON / Francois Pienaar - "INVICTUS" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
WOODY HARRELSON / Captain Tony Stone - "THE MESSENGER" (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Tolstoy - "THE LAST STATION" (Sony Pictures Classics)
STANLEY TUCCI / George Harvey - "THE LOVELY BONES" (Paramount Pictures)
CHRISTOPH WALTZ / Col. Hans Landa - "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS" (The Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Carla - "NINE" (The Weinstein Company)
VERA FARMIGA / Alex Goran - "UP IN THE AIR" (Paramount Pictures)
ANNA KENDRICK / Natalie Keener - "UP IN THE AIR" (Paramount Pictures)
DIANE KRUGER / Bridget Von Hammersmark - "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS" (The Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures)
MO'NIQUE / Mary - "PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE" (Lionsgate)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

AN EDUCATION (Sony Pictures Classics)
DOMINIC COOPER / Danny
ALFRED MOLINA / Jack
CAREY MULLIGAN / Jenny
ROSAMUND PIKE / Helen
PETER SARSGAARD / David
EMMA THOMPSON / Headmistress
OLIVIA WILLIAMS / Miss Stubbs

THE HURT LOCKER (Summit Entertainment)
CHRISTIAN CAMARGO / Col. John Cambridge
BRIAN GERAGHTY / Specialist Owen Eldridge
EVANGELINE LILLY / Connie James
ANTHONY MACKIE / Sgt. J.T. Sanborn
JEREMY RENNER / Staff Sgt. William James

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (The Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures)
DANIEL BRÜHL / Fredrick Zoller
AUGUST DIEHL / Major Hellstrom
JULIE DREYFUS / Francesca Mondino
MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Lt. Archie Hicox
SYLVESTER GROTH / Joseph Goebbels
JACKY IDO / Marcel
DIANE KRUGER / Bridget Von Hammersmark
MÉLANIE LAURENT / Shosanna
DENIS MENOCHET / Perrier LaPedite
MIKE MYERS / General Ed French
BRAD PITT / Lt. Aldo Raine
ELI ROTH / Sgt. Donny Donowitz
TIL SCHWEIGER / Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz
ROD TAYLOR / Winston Churchill
CHRISTOPH WALTZ / Col. Hans Landa
MARTIN WUTTKE / Hitler

NINE (The Weinstein Company)
MARION COTILLARD / Luisa Contini
PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Carla
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Guido Contini
JUDI DENCH / Lillian
FERGIE / Saraghina
KATE HUDSON / Stephanie
NICOLE KIDMAN / Claudia
SOPHIA LOREN / Mamma

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL "PUSH" BY SAPPHIRE (Lionsgate)
MARIAH CAREY / Ms. Weiss
LENNY KRAVITZ / Nurse John
MO'NIQUE / Mary
PAULA PATTON / Ms. Rain
SHERRI SHEPHERD / Cornrows
GABOUREY SIDIBE / Precious

PRIMETIME TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

KEVIN BACON / Lt. Col. Michael R. Strobl - "TAKING CHANCE" (HBO)
CUBA GOODING, JR. / Ben Carson - "GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY" (TNT)
JEREMY IRONS / Alfred Stieglitz - "GEORGIA O'KEEFFE" (Lifetime)
KEVIN KLINE / Cyrano de Bergerac - "GREAT PERFORMANCES: CYRANO de BERGERAC" (PBS)
TOM WILKINSON / Salter - "A NUMBER" (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

JOAN ALLEN / Georgia O'Keeffe - "GEORGIA O'KEEFFE" (Lifetime)
DREW BARRYMORE / Little Edie - "GREY GARDENS" (HBO)
RUBY DEE / Mrs. Harper - "AMERICA" (Lifetime)
JESSICA LANGE / Big Edie - "GREY GARDENS" (HBO)
SIGOURNEY WEAVER / Mary Griffith - "PRAYERS FOR BOBBY" (Lifetime)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

SIMON BAKER / Patrick Jane - "THE MENTALIST" (CBS)
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White - "BREAKING BAD" (AMC)
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan - "DEXTER" (Showtime)
JON HAMM / Don Draper - "MAD MEN" (AMC)
HUGH LAURIE / House - "HOUSE" (FOX)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

PATRICIA ARQUETTE/ Allison Dubois - "MEDIUM" (NBC/CBS)
GLENN CLOSE / Patty Hewes - "DAMAGES" (FX)
MARISKA HARGITAY / Det. Olivia Benson - "LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT" (NBC)
HOLLY HUNTER / Grace Hanadarko - "SAVING GRACE" (TNT)
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick - "THE GOOD WIFE" (CBS)
KYRA SEDGWICK / Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson - "THE CLOSER" (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - "30 ROCK" (NBC)
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott - "THE OFFICE" (NBC)
LARRY DAVID / Himself - "CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM" (HBO)
TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk - "MONK" (USA NETWORK)
CHARLIE SHEEN / Charlie Harper - "TWO AND A HALF MEN" (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Samantha Newly - "SAMANTHA WHO?" (ABC)
TONI COLLETTE / Tara Gregor - "UNITED STATES OF TARA" (Showtime)
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton - "NURSE JACKIE" (Showtime)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - "30 ROCK" (NBC)
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Christine Campbell - "THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE" (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

THE CLOSER (TNT)
G.W. BAILEY / Lt. Provenza
MICHAEL PAUL CHAN / Lt. Mike Tao
RAYMOND CRUZ / Det. Julio Sanchez
TONY DENISON / Lt. Andy Flynn
ROBERT GOSSETT / Commander Taylor
PHILLIP P. KEENE / Buzz Watson
COREY REYNOLDS / Sgt. David Gabriel
KYRA SEDGWICK / Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson
J.K. SIMMONS / Asst. Police Chief Will Pope
JON TENNEY / FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard

DEXTER (Showtime)

PRESTON BAILEY / Cody
JULIE BENZ / Rita Bennett
JENNIFER CARPENTER / Debra Morgan
COURTNEY FORD / Christine
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan
DESMOND HARRINGTON / Joey Quinn
C.S. LEE / Vince Masuka
JOHN LITHGOW / Arthur Mitchell
RICK PETERS / Elliot
JAMES REMAR / Harry Morgan
CHRISTINA ROBINSON / Astor
LAUREN VÉLEZ / Lt. Maria Laguerta
DAVID ZAYAS / Angel Batista

THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)

CHRISTINE BARANSKI / Diane Lockhart
JOSH CHARLES / Will Gardner
MATT CZUCHRY / Cary Agos
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick
ARCHIE PANJABI / Kalinda Sharma
GRAHAM PHILLIPS / Zach Florrick
MacKENZIE VEGA / Grace Florrick

MAD MEN (AMC)

ALEXA ALEMANNI / Allison
BRYAN BATT / Salvatore Romano
JARED S. GILMORE / Bobby Draper
MICHAEL GLADIS / Paul Linsey
JON HAMM / Don Draper
JARED HARRIS / Lane Pryce
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS / Joan Holloway (Harris)
JANUARY JONES / Betty Draper
VINCENT KARTHEISER / Peter Campbell
ROBERT MORSE / Bertram Cooper
ELISABETH MOSS / Peggy Olson
KIERNAN SHIPKA / Sally Draper
JOHN SLATTERY / Roger Sterling
RICH SOMMER / Harry Crane
CHRISTOPHER STANLEY / Henry Francis
AARON STATON / Ken Cosgrove

TRUE BLOOD (HBO)

CHRIS BAUER / Andy Bellefleur
MEHCAD BROOKS / Eggs
ANNA CAMP / Sarah Newlin
NELSAN ELLIS / Lafayette Reynolds
MICHELLE FORBES / Maryann Forrester
MARIANA KLAVENO / Lorena
RYAN KWANTEN / Jason Stackhouse
TODD LOWE / Terry Bellefleur
MICHAEL McMILLIAN / Steve Newlin
STEPHEN MOYER / Bill Compton
ANNA PAQUIN / Sookie Stackhouse
JIM PARRACK / Hoyt Fortenberry
CARRIE PRESTON / Arlene Fowler
WILLIAM SANDERSON / Bud Dearborne
ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD / Eric Northman
SAM TRAMMELL / Sam Merlotte
RUTINA WESLEY / Tara Thornton
DEBORAH ANN WOLL / Jessica Hamby

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 ROCK (NBC)
SCOTT ADSIT / Pete Hornberger
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy
KATRINA BOWDEN / Cerie
KEVIN BROWN / Dot Com
GRIZZ CHAPMAN / Grizz
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon
JUDAH FRIEDLANDER / Frank Rossitano
JANE KRAKOWSKI / Jenna Maroney
JOHN LUTZ / Lutz
JACK McBRAYER / Kenneth Parcell
TRACY MORGAN / Tracy Jordan
KEITH POWELL / Toofer

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO)

LARRY DAVID / Himself
SUSIE ESSMAN / Susie Greene
JEFF GARLIN / Jeff Greene
CHERYL HINES / Cheryl David

GLEE (FOX)

DIANA AGRON / Quinn Fabray
CHRIS COLFER / Kurt Hummel
PATRICK GALLAGHER / Ken Tanaka
JESSALYN GILSIG / Terri Schuester
JANE LYNCH / Sue Sylvester
JAYMA MAYS / Emma Pillsbury
KEVIN McHALE / Arty Abrams
LEA MICHELE / Rachel Berry
CORY MONTEITH / Finn Hudson
HEATHER MORRIS / Brittany
MATTHEW MORRISON / Will Schuester
AMBER RILEY / Mercedes
NAYA RIVERA / Santana Lopez
MARK SALLING / Puck
HARRY SHUM JR. / Mike Chang
JOSH SUSSMAN / Jacob Ben Israel
DIJON TALTON / Matt Rutherford
IQBAL THEBA / Principal Figgins
JENNA USHKOWITZ / Tina

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)

JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O'NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy

THE OFFICE (NBC)

LESLIE DAVID BAKER / Stanley Hudson
BRIAN BAUMGARTNER / Kevin Malone
CREED BRATTON / Creed Bratton
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott
JENNA FISCHER / Pam Beesly
KATE FLANNERY / Meredith Palmer
ED HELMS/ Andy Bernard
MINDY KALING / Kelly Kapoor
ELLIE KEMPER / Kellie Erin Hannon
ANGELA KINSEY / Angela Martin
JOHN KRASINSKI / Jim Halpert
PAUL LIEBERSTEIN / Toby Flenderson
B.J. NOVAK / Ryan Howard
OSCAR NUÑEZ / Oscar Martinez
CRAIG ROBINSON / Darryl Philbin
PHYLLIS SMITH / Phillis Lapin-Vance
RAINN WILSON / Dwight Schrute

SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

PUBLIC ENEMIES (Universal Pictures)
STAR TREK (Paramount Pictures)
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (Paramount Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

24 (FOX)
THE CLOSER (TNT)
DEXTER (Showtime)
HEROES (NBC)
THE UNIT (CBS)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild Awards 46th Annual Life Achievement Award

Betty White

Share your reactions!

First Look: "Alice in Wonderland"

After purposely missing Johnny Depp in all the wacky Pirates of the Caribbean movies, I am glad to see that his latest project Alice in Wonderland, based on the popular children's book, is something I can get excited about. The role of the mad hatter in this classic tale, which has a new gothic edge brought to us by the visionary director Tim Burton, could not be any more perfect for Depp. Check out a newly released clip below. Alice in Wonderland, which also stars Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter, hits theaters March 5, 2010. Can't wait.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

First Look: "Inception" starring Leonardo DiCaprio

After seeing The Dark Knight, I think I'll just about see anything director Christopher Nolan comes up with. Next up for Nolan? The sci-fi thriller Inception, starring Academy Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio who plays a businessman who gets mixed up in a high stakes blackmailing scandal. Take a look at the poster and check out the trailer below. Inception heads to theaters July 16, 2010.

The 2010 Golden Globe nominations

Right off the heels of the Independent Spirit Award nominations announced just a few short days ago comes this morning's anouncement of the 2010 Golden Globes nominees, with Up in the Air leading the pack:

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. AVATAR
Lightstorm Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox
b. THE HURT LOCKER
Voltage Pictures C/O 42West; Summit Entertainment
c. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
The Weinstein Company; The Weinstein Company
d. PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
A Lee Daniels Entertainment / Smokewood Entertainment Group Production;
Lionsgate
e. UP IN THE AIR
Paramount Pictures; Paramount Pictures

2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. EMILY BLUNT THE YOUNG VICTORIA
b. SANDRA BULLOCK THE BLIND SIDE
c. HELEN MIRREN THE LAST STATION
d. CAREY MULLIGAN AN EDUCATION
e. GABOUREY SIDIBE PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL
PUSH BY SAPPHIRE

3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. JEFF BRIDGES CRAZY HEART
b. GEORGE CLOONEY UP IN THE AIR
c. COLIN FIRTH A SINGLE MAN
d. MORGAN FREEMAN INVICTUS
e. TOBEY MAGUIRE BROTHERS

4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
Watermark Pictures; Fox Searchlight Pictures
b. THE HANGOVER
Warner Bros. Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures
c. IT’S COMPLICATED
Relativity Media, Scott Rudin Productions; Universal Pictures
d. JULIE & JULIA
Columbia Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing
e. NINE
The Weinstein Company; The Weinstein Company

5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR
MUSICAL
a. SANDRA BULLOCK THE PROPOSAL
b. MARION COTILLARD NINE
c. JULIA ROBERTS DUPLICITY
d. MERYL STREEP IT’S COMPLICATED
e. MERYL STREEP JULIE & JULIA

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY
OR MUSICAL
a. MATT DAMON THE INFORMANT!
b. DANIEL DAY-LEWIS NINE
c. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. SHERLOCK HOLMES
d. JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
e. MICHAEL STUHLBARG A SERIOUS MAN

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
a. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS
Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing
b. CORALINE
Laika, Inc.; Focus Features
c. FANTASTIC MR. FOX
American Empirical Picture; Twentieth Century Fox
d. THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
e. UP
Walt Disney Pictures/PIXAR Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures

8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
a. BAARIA (ITALY)
Medusa Film; Summit Entertainment
b. BROKEN EMBRACES (SPAIN)
El Deseo SA; Sony Pictures Classics
c. THE MAID (CHILE)
(LA NANA)
Forastero; Elephant Eye Films
d. A PROPHET (FRANCE)
Chic Films; Sony Pictures Classics
e. THE WHITE RIBBON (GERMANY)
(DAS WEISSE BAND – EINE DEUTSCHE KINDERGESCHICHTE)
Wega Films; Sony Pictures Classics

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a. PENÉLOPE CRUZ NINE
b. VERA FARMIGA UP IN THE AIR
c. ANNA KENDRICK UP IN THE AIR
d. MO’NIQUE PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL
PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
e. JULIANNE MOORE A SINGLE MAN

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a. MATT DAMON INVICTUS
b. WOODY HARRELSON THE MESSENGER
c. CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER THE LAST STATION
d. STANLEY TUCCI THE LOVELY BONES
e. CHRISTOPH WALTZ INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
a. KATHRYN BIGELOW THE HURT LOCKER
b. JAMES CAMERON AVATAR
c. CLINT EASTWOOD INVICTUS
d. JASON REITMAN UP IN THE AIR
e. QUENTIN TARANTINO INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
a. NEILL BLOMKAMP, DISTRICT 9
TERRI TATCHELL
b. MARK BOAL THE HURT LOCKER
c. NANCY MEYERS IT'S COMPLICATED
d. JASON REITMAN, UP IN THE AIR
SHELDON TURNER
e. QUENTIN TARANTINO INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
a. MICHAEL GIACCHINO UP
b. MARVIN HAMLISCH THE INFORMANT!
c. JAMES HORNER AVATAR
d. ABEL KORZENIOWSKI A SINGLE MAN
e. KAREN O,
CARTER BURWELL WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
a. “CINEMA ITALIANO” — NINE
Music & Lyrics by: Maury Yeston
b. “I WANT TO COME HOME” — EVERYBODY'S FINE
Music & Lyrics by: Paul McCartney
c. “I WILL SEE YOU” — AVATAR
Music by: James Horner, Simon Franglen
Lyrics by: James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell
d. “THE WEARY KIND (THEME FROM CRAZY HEART)” — CRAZY
HEART
Music & Lyrics by: Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett
e. “WINTER” — BROTHERS
Music by: U2
Lyrics by: Bono

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a. BIG LOVE (HBO)
Anima Sola and Playtone in association with HBO Entertainment
b. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde
Phillips Productions
c. HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z
Productions and Bad Hat Harry
d. MAD MEN (AMC)
AMC
e. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Entertainment in association with HBO Entertainment

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
DRAMA
a. GLENN CLOSE DAMAGES
b. JANUARY JONES MAD MEN
c. JULIANNA MARGULIES THE GOOD WIFE
d. ANNA PAQUIN TRUE BLOOD
e. KYRA SEDGWICK THE CLOSER

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a. SIMON BAKER THE MENTALIST
b. MICHAEL C. HALL DEXTER
c. JON HAMM MAD MEN
d. HUGH LAURIE HOUSE
e. BILL PAXTON BIG LOVE

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. 30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little
Stranger Inc.
b. ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO
Entertainment
c. GLEE (FOX)
Twentieth Century Fox Television
d. MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
Twentieth Century Fox Television
e. THE OFFICE (NBC)
Universal Media Studios, Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC

19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. TONI COLLETTE UNITED STATES OF TARA
b. COURTENEY COX COUGAR TOWN
c. EDIE FALCO NURSE JACKIE
d. TINA FEY 30 ROCK
e. LEA MICHELE GLEE

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. ALEC BALDWIN 30 ROCK
b. STEVE CARELL THE OFFICE
c. DAVID DUCHOVNY CALIFORNICATION
d. THOMAS JANE HUNG
e. MATTHEW MORRISON GLEE

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. GEORGIA O'KEEFFE (LIFETIME TELEVISION)
Sony Pictures Television
b. GREY GARDENS (HBO)
Specialty Films and Locomotive in association with HBO Films
c. INTO THE STORM (HBO)
Scott Free and Rainmark Films Production in association with the BBC and HBO
Films
d. LITTLE DORRIT (PBS)
Masterpiece/BBC Co-production
e. TAKING CHANCE (HBO)
Motion Picture Corporation of America and Civil Dawn Pictures in association
with HBO Films

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION
PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. JOAN ALLEN GEORGIA O'KEEFFE
b. DREW BARRYMORE GREY GARDENS
c. JESSICA LANGE GREY GARDENS
d. ANNA PAQUIN THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA
SENDLER
e. SIGOURNEY WEAVER PRAYERS FOR BOBBY

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION
PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. KEVIN BACON TAKING CHANCE
b. KENNETH BRANAGH WALLANDER: ONE STEP BEHIND
c. CHIWETEL EJIOFOR ENDGAME
d. BRENDAN GLEESON INTO THE STORM
e. JEREMY IRONS GEORGIA O'KEEFFE

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. JANE ADAMS HUNG
b. ROSE BYRNE DAMAGES
c. JANE LYNCH GLEE
d. JANET McTEER INTO THE STORM
e. CHLOË SEVIGNY BIG LOVE

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES,
MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. MICHAEL EMERSON LOST
b. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
c. WILLIAM HURT DAMAGES
d. JOHN LITHGOW DEXTER
e. JEREMY PIVEN ENTOURAGE

I'm pleasantly surprised to see Julianne Moore nominated for A Single Man and not so plesantly shocked to see Julia Roberts nominated for Duplicity and Sandra Bullock's nomination for The Proposal, which I thought were both unwatchable. Robert Downey Jr. gets nominated for the goofy Sherlock Holmes and NOT The Soloist? I don't get that. On the TV side, I'm happy to see Jane Adamas nominated for HBO's Hung (she's so deliciously awkward in that role--love it), and pleased to see Jeremy Piven has redeemed his career with another nomination for the other HBO hit Entourage. The rest of the nominees seem pretty predictable. The ceremony will air January 17, 2010 on NBC at 8pm EST.

Share your thoughts on the nominees.

First Look: Tina Fey & Steve Carrell in "Date Night"

Tina Fey and Steve Carrell (who I tend to think are better on the small screen) team up for the new comedy Date Night, about a usually boring married couple whose decision to go out on a date outside the house turns into a dangeours night due to mistaken identity. Check out the trailer below. Date Night, which also stars Mark Wahlberg and Common, hits theaters April 19, 2010.

First Look: Mel Gibson in "Edge of Darkness"

The last time we saw Oscar winner on the big screen he was chasing aliens in M. Night Shyamalan's Signs in 2002. Next year the actor will star in the remake of the 1986 thriller Edge of Darkness, about a Boston man who discovers the dangerous truth about his daughter after she's viciously killed before his very eyes. Check out the trailer below. Edge of Darkness hits theaters January 29, 2010.

First Look: Ben Stiller in "Greenberg"

Ben Stiller is back on the big screen trying to find meaning in his life by doing absolutely nothing in the upcoming comedy, Greenberg. Check out the trailer below. Greenberg hits theaters March 12, 2010.

2010 Critics Choice Award nominees

The 2010 Critics Choice nominees have been announced with Inglourious Basterds and Nine leading the pack with ten nominations each:

Check out the full list of nominees below:

BEST PICTURE

Nominees:
• Avatar
• An Education
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Invictus
• Nine
• Precious
• A Serious Man
• Up
• Up In The Air


BEST ACTOR

Nominees:
• Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
• George Clooney - Up In The Air
• Colin Firth - A Single Man
• Morgan Freeman - Invictus
• Viggo Mortensen - The Road
• Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker



BEST ACTRESS

Nominees:
• Emily Blunt - The Young Victoria
• Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
• Carey Mulligan - An Education
• Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones
• Gabourey Sidibe - Precious
• Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Nominees:
• Matt Damon - Invictus
• Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
• Christian McKay - Me And Orson Welles
• Alfred Molina - An Education
• Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
• Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Nominees:
• Marion Cotillard - Nine
• Vera Farmiga - Up In The Air
• Anna Kendrick - Up In The Air
• Mo’Nique - Precious
• Julianne Moore - A Single Man
• Samantha Morton - The Messenger


BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Nominees:
• Jae Head - The Blind Side
• Bailee Madison - Brothers
• Max Records - Where The Wild Things Are
• Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones
• Kodi Smit-McPhee - The Road


BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

Nominees:
• Inglourious Basterds • Nine
• Precious
• Star Trek
• Up In The Air


BEST DIRECTING

Nominees:
• Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
• James Cameron - Avatar
• Lee Daniels - Precious
• Clint Eastwood - Invictus
• Jason Reitman - Up In The Air
• Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Nominees:
• Mark Boal - The Hurt Locker
• Joel Coen & Ethan Coen - A Serious Man
• Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber - (500) Days Of Summer
• Bob Peterson, Peter Docter - Up
• Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Nominees:
• Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach - Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell - District 9
• Geoffrey Fletcher - Precious
• Tom Ford, David Scearce - A Single Man
• Nick Hornby - An Education
• Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner - Up In The Air



BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Nominees:
• The Hurt Locker
• Nine
• Avatar
• The Lovely Bones
• Inglourious Basterds


BEST ART DIRECTION

Nominees:
• A Single Man
• Avatar
• Nine
• The Lovely Bones
• Inglourious Basterds


BEST EDITING

Nominees:
• Up In The Air
• Inglourious Basterds
• The Hurt Locker
• Avatar
• Nine


BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Nominees:
• Nine
• Bright Star
• The Young Victoria • Inglourious Basterds
• Where The Wild Things Are


BEST MAKEUP

Nominees:
• Avatar
• District 9 • Nine
• The Road
• Star Trek


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Nominees:
• Avatar
• District 9
• The Lovely Bones
• Star Trek
• 2012


BEST SOUND

Nominees:
• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Nine
• Star Trek


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Nominees:
• Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
• Coraline
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Princess And The Frog
• Up


BEST ACTION MOVIE

Nominees:
• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Star Trek


BEST COMEDY

Nominees:
• (500) Days Of Summer
• The Hangover
• It’s Complicated
• The Proposal
• Zombieland


BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Nominees:
• Gifted Hands
• Grey Gardens
• Into The Storm
• Taking Chance



BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Nominees:
• Broken Embraces
• Coco Before Chanel
• Red Cliff
• Sin Nombre
• The White Ribbon


BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Nominees:
• Anvil
• Capitalism: A Love Story
• The Cove • Food, Inc.
• Michael Jackson’s This Is It


BEST SONG

Nominees:
• "All Is Love" - Karen O, Nick Zinner - Where The Wild Things Are
• "Almost There" - Randy Newman - The Princess And The Frog
• "Cinema Italiano" - Maury Yeston - Nine
• "(I Want To) Come Home" - Paul McCartney - Everybody’s Fine
• "The Weary Kind" - T Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham - Crazy Heart


BEST SCORE

Nominees:
• Michael Giacchino - Up
• Marvin Hamlisch - The Informant!
• Randy Newman - The Princess and the Frog
• Karen O, Carter Burwell - Where The Wild Things Are
• Hans Zimmer - Sherlock Holmes

So happy to see Gabourey, Mo'Nique, writer Geoffrey Fletcher here for Precious. I'm also thrilled Morgan Freeman is here for Invictus, as well as The Princess and The Frog and Michael Jackson's This is It. Happy to see Jeff Bridges get a nod as well. Still surprised Inglourious Basterds has been received so well this award season. Could director Quentin Tarantino be up for another Oscar?

The ceremony will air on January 15, 2010 on VH1 at 9pm EST.

Share your thoughts on the nominees.

First Look: Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island"

Leonardo DiCaprio re-teams with director Martin Scorsese in this thriller set back in 1954 about an investigator (DiCaprio) who's latest case leads him to Shutter Island, where he is hot on the trail of a murderer who's escaped from a mental facility located on the island. While there, he learns that not everything is what he seems, and that Shutter Island may be hiding a dark secret. The film was originally supposed to hit theaters back in October, but was later moved to February 19, 2010 for "economic reasons." In any case, check out the trailer. I don't know about you, but I will not be missing this one. DiCaprio + Scorsese = awesome.

First Look: Clash of the Titans

A few weeks back the first trailer for the 2010 remake of the 1981 mythological sci-fi classic Clash of the Titans was released with minimal feedback. More recently the studio released a second trailer that is gaining all kinds of buzz throughout cyberspace. Check it out below. The movie hits theaters March 26, 2010.



I'm usually a bit weary of remakes for fear they will only taint the original, but after seeing the trailer what do you think?

12/16 ADDENDUM TO THIS POST: Warner Bros. has just released an exclusive new trailer for Clash of the Titans and you can check it out here.

Your First Look at Iron Man 2

It's ba-ack! That's right, the long-awaited sequel to the the blockbuster Iron Man hits theaters May 7, 2010. Check out the exclusive new trailer below:

'Iron Man 2' Theatrical Trailer @ Yahoo! Video

And click two exclusive clips from the movie.

The Lovely Bones

"I wasn't gone. I was alive in my own perfect world. But in my heart, I knew it wasn't perfect. My murderer still haunted me."

It's hard to imagine that a story about a fourteen-year-old girl getting murdered and going off into the afterlife could be visually stunning, but director Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones accomplishes just that. Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) stars as Susie Salmon, the oldest of three children to Jack and Abigail Salmon (played by Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weitz), whose young life is taken away from her in 1973 by a pedophile neighbor Mr. Harvey (played by Stanley Tucci). But rather than dying and going to heaven, young Susie gets trapped in between worlds as the news of her passing sends a shockwave throughout her family. Susie lingers in the afterlife to watch over her family and help them find her murderer. Only until then can her spirit be at ease for her to cross over.
Truly an experience, The Lovely Bones is narrated in first person by the young victim, whose calming and youthful spirit in the midst of a heavenly backdrop can best be described as beautiful as she struggles to understand what has happened to her all the while longing for what she will miss by not being able to grow older. It's an interesting way to tell a heartbreaking story a young girl whose life was taken away too soon, and whose family fights to pull the pieces together after their loss.

Click here to see the trailer. The Lovely Bones is in theaters now.

Reel Talk Rating: B+

The Reviews Are In: Avatar ROCKS!

Or at least that's what they're telling me. I haven't actually seen this James Cameron "masterpiece" yet, but based on all the great reviews, it's gearing up to be a monster hit of Titanic proportions. Here's the first U.S. review from The Hollywood Reporter:

As commander-in-chief of an army of visual-effects technicians, creature designers, motion-capture mavens, stunt performers, dancers, actors and music and sound magicians, [James Cameron] brings science-fiction movies into the 21st century with the jaw-dropping wonder that is "Avatar."

To read the rest of the review, click here.

And click here to check out an exclusive clip from the movie. Avatar is in theaters December 18. How many of you will watch? Or maybe the better question is: how many of you won't be watching?

First Look: Chris Rock's "Death at a Funeral"

I happen to think that Chris Rock is HILARIOUS in his standup (Kill the Messenger anyone?), but not so hilarious is his movies. So I kinda looked the other way when I heard he was going to remake the 2007 British comedy Death at Funeral , about a family whose skeletons come flying out the closet during the funeral of the family patriarch. But after reading a few negative reviews citing that Rock stereotyped the "urban" remake, I decided to at least check out the trailer. Though it doesn't look like anything I'd watch (again, not a fan of Rock's movies), what I like about Rock's style is that he always keeps it real as far as race relations and politics. What may go down in other folks' homes may not go down the same way in his, and vice versa. Take a look at the trailer for Death at a Funeral (co-starring Martin Lawrence, Luke Wilson, Zoe Saldana, Danny Glover and James Marsden) in theaters April 16, 2010. Will you watch the movie?

Your First Look at Twilight: Eclipse

It's he-re!! The eagerly-awaited trailer for Twilight: Eclipse Eclipse finally emerges in the blogosphere. Take a look at the sneak peak below (courtesy of ComingSoon.net). Apparently Bella is still caught in a blood-thirsty love triangle. Twilight: Eclipse hits theaters June 30, 2010.

Check out a fresh new clip that debuted at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards:

Your First Look at Toy Story 3

For all the kids out there (and some of you adults) it's hard to believe it's been a decade since we last saw Buzz Lightyear and his posse get into one shenanigan after another in Toy Story 2. Next year, the crew returns with Toy Story 3. Here's your first look at what's sure to smoke the box office when it hits theaters June 18, 2010:





And take a look at an exclusive clip from the movie here.

Not-So-Christmas Flicks

Ironically most of the movies coming out on Christmas day this year don't have a thing to do with the actual holiday. But, if you're looking for a flick to catch after you're done with all the gift-giving and eggnog, here's a rundown of what's hitting theaters this Christmas:

Nine: The film adaptation of the Broadway musical teams Academy-award winners Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman and of course Kate Hudson in an all-star cast that illuminates the sexcapades of fictional film director Guido Contini (Day-Lewis) in the glitzy world of high glamour:



It's Complicated: Oscar insiders say Meryl Streep may be up for her third Academy Award in this Nancy Meyers-directed romantic comedy about a woman (Streep) who dumps her husband when she finds out about his pretty young thing on the side and tries to reclaim her single life again with a new beau (Steve Martin), while also falling back into a steamy love affair with her scumbag ex-husband (Alec Baldwin):

>

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus: Oscar-winner Heath Ledger's last movie is said to be "a fantastical mortality tale," following a traveling show headed by Dr. Parnassus who asks that his audience choose between two things: light and joy or darkness and gloom. Taking place in the present day, what his audience doesn't know is that their host has made a deal with the devil for his immortality in exchange for youth, that is until his first born turns 16, at which she will then be sold to the devil. The film also stars Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell:

@ Yahoo! Video

Sherlock Holmes: Newly cemented Robert Downey Jr. plays the famed investigator and takes Rachel McAdams and Jude Law along for the ride as they embark on his latest assignment in this wacky remake of the fictional icon. Check out the trailer below and see an exclusive clip here.

What will you see this Christmas?

The Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington is off to save the world from eternal damnation in this trailer for the upcoming movie The Book of Eli. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic world, The Book of Eli follows Washington as Eli, the lone man fighting his way across the country in search of a sacred book thought to have the answers to preserving mankind. The Book of Eli comes to theaters January 15, 2010. Check out the trailer below. And click here to see an exclusive clip from the movie taken from Washington's USA Weekend cover story on stands January 8, 2010.

Your First Look at Sex And The City 2

They're ba-ack! Yes, the ladies who reinvented the Cosmopolitan, made love to New York City, and found their way into our hearts are back for round two in the sequel to the smash hit Sex And The City. While the crew has been extremely tight-lipped about the details on the plot, word is they'll be a throwback to the '80s, A-list cameos (Alicia Keys, Liza Minelli!) and a possible wedding! But for now, here's something to whet your appetite--your first look at the new poster and trailer for the May 28, 2010 premiere. Drum roll please!!

Check out a hot new clip:

Brothers

"You want to know what I did to get back to you?!"

When I first saw the film Born on the Fourth of July, I thought two things: Tom Cruise should have won the Oscar, and 2) when soldiers return home from war, just how much of them is still in combat? Director Jim Sheridan explores the latter in his new movie Brothers.
Starring Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal, Brothers follows a young marine captain Sam McNeil (Maguire) and his family as he heads back to Afghanistan to serve in the war where his plane is shot down while on duty causing his team to assume he's dead after he doesn't return to base. What they didn't realize is that he was captured by the enemy, tortured and nearly starved to death for almost two months all the while his family at home thought he was dead and gone.
As his wife Grace (Portman) and two daughters grieve for him at home, they are comforted by Sam's brother Tommy (Gylenhaal), who's fresh out of jail and the black sheep of his family, but who also later develops a soft spot for Grace. When they find out that Sam is alive and coming home, they are shocked to learn how dramatically Sam has changed (he's lost several pounds and is harboring a horrific secret about what happened to him while at war) and just how much Tommy's assuring presence had affected their family.
Meanwhile Tommy is struggling to assimilate back into his own life at home, and realizes his family notices his incapability to do so, which in turn drives him to assume that his wife and brother have been sleeping together and that his family has turned on him. For the first time, he felt he was the reject brother, the one who didn't belong. This drives him further over the edge; he realizes that war to him had become his home, and what he was comfortable with.
Maguire gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a shell-shocked war hero (or victim?), even shedding 25 pounds for the role. He's heartbreaking, shocking, and he scary at times and truly captures the elements of war. Portman and Gylenhaal are perfect as the young man and woman trapped in their own grief and struggle to understand what happened to Sam. Brothers subtly yet brilliantly captures one soldier's fight to end the war in his mind months after leaving the battlefield.

Brothers is in theaters now.

My rating: A

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

And I've got just the movies to help ring in the holiday spirit! Here are my personal go-to flicks:

Scrooged (1988): I love everything about this film from start to finish. It's a remake of the Charles Dickens classic the only way Bill Murray knows how--hilarious, raunchy, cynical, and of course wildly entertaining.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1967): Yes, the original one (though the Jim Carrey version is good too). This little green monster is devilish, slick and a serious klepto in this classic about a green menace that wants nothing more than to ruin the Christmas of all the young'uns in Whoville.

Gremlins (1984): Trust me, this is a Christmas movie, just a little different from your average sweet festive cinema. Gremlins celebrates the holidays with tons of aesthetically-challenged creatures who are multiplying by the minute. Just don't feed them after midnight.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989): Christmas gets Griswold in this hysterical flick about the famous family with the worst luck ever. Luckily for us, it provides for some awesome laughs. Who can forget the classic dinner table scene which ended with the Christmas tree catching on fire and burning to a crisp? I know I can't.

Home Alone (1990): Remember cute little Macaulay Culkin? He was adorable in this role as the mischievous youngster who gave a couple of pesky robbers a piece of his mind, and left them bruised, battered and bewildered all just before Christmas day.


What's your favorite Christmas flick?