The 2009 Academy Awards: Live Commentary
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Awards,
After a year away from live Oscars coverage, I’m thrilled to be back for the 2009 Academy Awards.
Even though Dark Knight‘s snub will probably keep a number of viewers away (how many can honestly say they’ve seen The Reader?), I’m eagerly anticipating several moments from this evening’s broadcast.
Will Heath Ledger’s family bring the house to tears? Is Mickey Rourke going to make the producers wince? Will the cameras pan to Brangelina after Jennifer Aniston’s presentation? Are Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron really (really?) going to do a song and dance number?
To find out if this will be the year of the Slumdog or the underdog, stay tuned here for the live results!
Click to continue reading The 2009 Academy Awards: Live Commentary
Read More 
| Oscars
Advertisement
Winslet, Rourke Awarded with BAFTAs
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Awards,
While it’s looking pretty clear that Slumdog Millionaire will take home the Oscar later this month, the race for Best Actor and Best Actress remains a bit muddy.
At yesterday’s Orange British Academy Film Awards, Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) and Kate Winslet (The Reader) both took home the top honors for acting. Although this is similar to how they performed at the Golden Globes, neither actor was a winner at the recent SAG Awards. (Sean Penn and Meryl Streep took home the statues that evening.)
Click to continue reading Winslet, Rourke Awarded with BAFTAs
Read More | British Academy of Film and Television Arts
2009 Golden Globe Nominations (Film)
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Family, Foreign, Foreign Language, Independent, Musicals, Period, Political, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Awards, Lists,
Although a looming SAG strike may threaten next year’s Academy Awards, the Golden Globes ceremony should finally go on as planned. The 66th annual event is scheduled to air on Sunday, January 11th, just 11 days before the Oscar nominations are announced.
Here are some of the noteworthy mentions from this year’s list of film nominees:
- Frost/Nixon and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button both led the field with five nominations each.
- Despite being chosen Best Film by the New York Film Critics, Sean Penn was the only nod Milk received by the HFPA.
- Meryl Streep earned two nominations for her work in Doubt and Mamma Mia.
- Kate Winslet is also up for two awards. Her films - Revolutionary Road and The Reader - are also up for Best Picture.
- Heath Ledger did get a posthumous nomination as expected.
- Although he was recently recognized for his acting work in Gran Torino, director Clint Eastwood (Changeling) was only acknowledged for his musical achievements.
(You can find the full list of film nominees after the jump. Click here for the TV nominations.)
Click to continue reading 2009 Golden Globe Nominations (Film)
Read More | Hollywood Foreign Press Association
Box Office Breakdown: Chihuahua Refuses to Kneel Down
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Miramax, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Family, Horror, Period, Religious, Romance, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Put a couple of Oscar-nominees in a Middle East-based film and what do you get? Answer: Third place.
Despite the star-wattage in Ridley Scott’s new CIA movie, Body of Lies failed to meet expectations this weekend. The Russell Crowe/Leonardo DiCaprio thriller pulled in a surprising $12.9 million for Warner Bros. That turnout is especially low given the film’s reported $100 million budget.
On the flip side, an entry with a relatively small price tag did better than Lies this week. Quarantine, Sony Screen Gem’s horror contribution, earned $14.2 million and a second place finish. In just three days, the film has already surpassed its $12 million production costs.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Chihuahua Refuses to Kneel Down
Variety
Box Office Breakdown: Eagle Eye Soars to #1
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, FOCUS, Disney, MGM, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Animation, Drama, Family, Period, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Despite mixed reviews for his latest film, Shia LaBeouf once again proved he has box office appeal. Eagle Eye, a film from Disturbia‘s D.J. Caruso, earned $29.2 million over the past three days and the #1 spot. Even a Friday night presidential debate couldn’t stop the thriller from putting nearly $16 million between itself and Nights in Rodanthe, this weekend’s #2. Although Nights - the third pairing for Diane Lane and Richard Gere - took in $13.4 million, the romantic drama did almost $1 million less than 2002’s Unfaithful.
Fireproof - a faith-based film starring Kirk Cameron - surprised many with its 4th place finish. Although it was only available in 839 theaters, the movie had an impressive $8111 per screen average. Meanwhile, two films outside the Top Ten boasted averages over the $10,000 mark. The Duchess (ranked #13) pulled in $10,238 per theater while Ed Harris’ Appaloosa (#35) did slightly better with $10,469.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Eagle Eye Soars to #1
Variety
In Theaters This Weekend: September 19, 2008
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, IFC Films, Magnolia, MGM, Miramax, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Foreign Language, Period, Romance, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases,
Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:
- Ghost Town (PG-13): starring Ricky Gervais, Tea Leoni, Greg Kinnear (directed by David Koepp)
- Igor (PG): starring Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, John Cusack (directed by Chris McKenna)
- Lakeview Terrace (PG-13): starring Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington (directed by Neil LaBute)
- My Best Friend’s Girl (R): starring Kate Hudson, Dane Cook, Jason Biggs (directed by Howard Deutch)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: September 19, 2008
Keira Knightley Takes a Stand Against Photoshop
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Paramount, Adventure, Drama, Foreign, Period, Political, Romance, Box Office, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Distribution, Rumors, Upcoming Releases,
Despite past alterations of her breasts for publicity, Pirates of the Caribbean beauty Keira Knightley has finally put her foot down about the issue for her upcoming film.
Back in 2004, promotional posters for her film King Arthur raised her eyebrows as they appeared as if she had received an enlargement procedure she did not recall. “Those things certainly weren’t mine,” she said in a 2006 interview, despite the fact that upon her approval, she had told marketing, “OK, fine. I honestly don’t give a s—-.”
This time around, Knightley isn’t as disinterested about her chest in The Duchess. Instead, she has told studio executives that she refuses to have her physique altered in any way for promotional purposes. Kudos to Keira for sticking up for those who aren’t as gifted as most celebrities nowadays!
What’s sad is the fact that she has to fight. Gotta love a society that has to enlarge a woman’s bosom in order to bump up ticket sales, eh?
New York Daily News
Advertisement
© Gear Live Media, LLC. 2007 – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.