We got SPIRIT yes we do...

The Independent Spirit Awards were yesterday.  THE WRESTLER was the big winner of the night.  After seeing clips of the other nominees, I really want to see WENDY AND LUCY!!!

Each year they do a song parody of the Best Feature nominees.

Here is Rainn Wilson in an ode to THE WRESTLER...

Here are all the parodies of the night.  This isn't the clearest video, but you get the idea.

AND... the ACADEMY AWARDS are just hours away.

The past couple of days I've caught up on most of the films....

VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA - Penelope Cruz was amazing!

CHANGELING

FROZEN RIVER

and REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

They all were really good.

You can also find the short film nominees available on itunes.  I just watched TOYLAND and THIS WAY UP.

ENJOY the broadcast tonight.

These are not my predictions, but who I hope wins...

ACTOR, LEADING - Sean Penn MILK or Richard Jenkins THE VISTOR (also thought Leonardo really should have been nominated for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD) I'm over the praise for Mickey Rourke.  Yes, he was good in the film... but I liked the performances of Sean and Richard a lot more.

ACTOR, SUPPORTING - Heath Ledger THE DARK NIGHT will and should get it (thought Josh Brolin was really good too and loved the performances of James Franco and Emile Hirsch MILK and Brad Pitt BURN AFTER READING)

ACTRESS, LEADING - I'm torn between Kate Winslet and Anne Hathaway.  

Kate was really good in THE READER (and REVOLUTIONARY ROAD) and really deserves it for a great body of work the past few years.  However, I thought Anne was astounding in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED.  

I have many friends that did not like this movie or thought it was ok, but I LOVED it.  I thought Bill Irwin, Debra Winger, and the wonderful Rosemarie DeWitt should have received supporting nods, as well as the music (which is really an important element in the movie.) Finally, I really liked Sally Hawkins as leading actress in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY. 

ACTRESS, SUPPORTING - I thought Viola Davis gave an amazing raw performance in DOUBT, but I'm rooting for Penelope Cruz in VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA.

BEST PICTURE/DIRECTION - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is going to get both of these and it certainly deserves it.  It was a WONDERFUL film.  I am rooting that the equally extraordinary MILK takes home one of the prizes.  I also thought WALL-E should have been nominated for picture.

The nominee I'm really rooting for is Dustin Lance Black for Best Screenplay - MILK.  

Read about him HERE.

You can find a downloadable ballot here.

Nomination Celebration!

The Oscar Nominees for 2009 came out this week.  Here is a link for the full list.

Oscar Night may have some BIG surprises this year...

(just kidding... Jessica Simpson was NOT nominated! Also she did not win one for "The Dukes of Hazzard."  This is a lovely photoshopped pic that I found online.)

Each year I make it my mission to see as many of the nominated films as humanly possible.  My birthday is on Sunday.  To celebrate turning 31, birthday festivities will be seeing "3" movies on "1" day with loved ones... (also one on Saturday... but that doesn't sound cool with the 3-1 theme!)

I was pretty happy with the nominations.  I will post more after the "movie weekend" when I feel I am more "qualified" to make overall comments.

However, here are some thoughts after hearing the nominations....

1. So excited Richard Jenkins was nominated for best actor in "The Visior" - I really loved this movie and Richard (who is normally plays character roles) gave a wonderful touching performance.

2. So happy for Anne Hathaway for best actress nom in "Rachel Getting Married."  I'm seeing that and "The Reader" (Kate Winslet - best actress nom) this weekend.  Love both of these women.

3. LOVED Viola Davis in "Doubt."  She MADE the movie for me and was happy to see her best supporting actress nom.  Also glad the much deserving Mr. Ledger got one for "The Dark Knight"

4. So far my favorite 2 movies have been "Milk" and "Slumdog Millionaire."  I was very happy that both got a lot of Oscar love.  These are the 2 movies I would highly recommend seeing before Oscar night.

5. I was surprised "Revolutionary Road" got little Oscar love.

6. Very disappointed that Sally Hawkins didn't get a best actress nomination for "Happy Go Lucky" and that "Wall-E" did not receive one for Best Picture.  I would also like to have seen "Gran Torino" nominated for best song... if only to see Jamie Cullum performing on Oscar Night.

If you are wanting to go on an Oscar Nominee Viewing Spree.. here is a list of the movies nominated for more than one award and the number of nominations.  Oscar night is Sunday Feb 22nd, so get to work!!

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - 13 noms

"Slumdog Millionaire" - 10 noms

"The Dark Knight - 8 noms (out on dvd)

"Milk" - 8 noms

"WALL-E" - 6 noms (out on dvd)

"Doubt" - 5 noms

"Frost/Nixon" - 5 noms

"The Reader" - 5 noms

"Changeling" - 3 noms (out on dvd Feb 17)

"Revolutionary Road" - 3 noms

"The Duchess" - 2 noms (out on dvd)

"Frozen River" - 2 noms (out on dvd Feb 10)

"Iron Man" - 2 noms (out on dvd)

"Wanted" - 2 noms (out on dvd)

"The Wrestler" - 2 noms

Explore with Indy AND Indies

Let me start out by saying I am so excited for some amazing Summer Blockbusters.... Sex and the City, Mamma Mia, The Dark Knight, Wanted, Mamma Mia!,  and opening this week -- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

In addition to INDY and friends there are some INDIE films I'm very excited about. 

First up is SON OF RAMBOW.  It is about 2 british boys who film their own movie about their hero Rambo.  Here's the trailer.

Here are 2 films that focus on teen life. The first is a documentary following 4 teenagers going to high school in a small town in Indiana. It is called AMERICAN TEEN.

Next is GO GETTER. It's a coming of age story about a boy ("Thumbsucker's" Lou Taylor Pucci) who steals a car and goes off to find his long lost brother after the death of his mother. Also stars Zooey Deschanel and Jena Malone.

And we must have a quirky comedy for the summer.  Here's hoping HAMLET 2 delivers.  The school is about to shut down the drama department, so the drama director/failed actor (Steve Coogan) decides write an original (very politically incorrect) musical sequel to Hamlet.  (Also features Catherine Keener, David Arquette, Elizabeth Shue, and the fabulous Amy Poehler. 

Finally, I HIGHLY recommend THE VISITOR.  I just saw it this week and LOVED it!  The Visitor is the 2nd film by writer/director Thomas McCarthy. His debut movie THE STATION AGENT is one of my favorite films.... EVER!

Both movies have a wonderful theme on the connections we make with other people. Sometimes the most important moments of human connection in our life come from people with whom we assume we have nothing in common. We all live in our own "little world," and are quite happy doing so. I believe these 2 films celebrate the fact that sometimes we need those "little worlds" to collide in order to fully realize our humanity. (Sorry that was either very profound or very Hallmark!) The brilliance of these films is that this is shown in small snapshots of life. They are lessons in the subtlety of storytelling... where so much can be revealed in understatement.

Please check out THE VISITOR and definitely rent THE STATION AGENT.

THE VISITOR - Starring Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira, and Haim Abbas

THE STATION AGENT - Peter Dinklage, Bobby Cannavale, and wonderful Patricia Clarkson