December, 2008

Instead of talking about the Harry Potter’s, 2012’s or The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’s of 2009 that are so far away from hitting theaters it seems like they won’t premiere until … well 2012, we’re going to look at five upcoming flicks that will be at a theater near you before the Obama’s have time to fully move in.

Bride Wars – Opening January 9, 2009. There’s nothing like sharing wedding plans with a best girlfriend, but when plans start to overlap, it’s likely to evoke more nightmares than Freddy Krueger. “Wars” seems to have a bouquet of comedic potential as well as girls in white dresses – fighting. But before all the guys zone out this movie does offer something for them too. Two of the prettiest actresses in Hollywood – Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson.

Taken – Opening January 30, 2009.  Staring Liam Neeson as an ex-Secret Agent who has to rescue his estranged daughter (former “Lost” star Maggie Grace) who was kiddnapped while in Paris.  As reviewer Mr. Green from CrimeCritics.com describes, “it’s a film in which you enjoy watching HOW he will succeed. And let me state, you will enjoy every punch Bryan (Neeson) delivers to every henchmen.”

Fanboys – Opening February 6, 2009. I think “Fanboys” will be the “Superbad” of 2009. Yes, it’s about a group of “Star Wars” fans set to break into George Lucas’ business headquarters, Skywalker Ranch, and steal a copy of “Star Wars Episode 1.” Before you groan at the sound of a Sci-Fi movie, know that it’s really a coming of age story about friends who take a huge risk for one of their own. To lend some credibility, Producers include Kevin Spacey and the Weinstein Company.

He’s Just Not That Into You – Opening February 9, 2009. This chick flick makes the list because: 1) it’s based on a NY Times Best Seller, Oprah endorsed book and 2) EVERYONE is in it. That’s no exaggeration. Here’s just some of the cast: Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love), Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly (The Day The Earth Stood Still), Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Justin Long (Mac commercials), Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers), Sasha Alexander (Yes Man), Kevin Connolly (Entourage), and MANY others.

Push – Opening February 9, 2009. Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans and Djimon Hounsou star in this film about “psychic espionage.” A Government agency is genetically modifying people to have psychic abilities and “getting rid” of those who don’t want to participate. Fanning and Evans need to find an individual who could help end the dangerous agency. So, Government Misconduct + Exotic Location (Hong Kong) + Psychic, Telekinetic, Move Stuff With Your Mind Abilities + The Cinematographer Who Did “Donnie Brasco,” “Gangster No. 1,” “Wicker Park” & “Lucky Number Slevin” = A Must See Movie!

There’s a running joke that there’s more award shows than there are days in a year. That is a lot. Plus, with that many it might be hard to keep track of what’s the difference between the Golden Globes and the Oscars.  What does SAG stand for? Or is the Oscars the only award show worth paying attention to?

If you don’t know the answer to these questions but love award shows, read on. Here’s Positively Celebrity’s A – Z guide to the awards show season.

Academy Awards aka. the Oscars:

Widely considered to be the most prestigious awards show, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selects winners in the film industry. Major categories include best director, actor and actress, supporting actor and actress, writers, and picture.

Hugh Jackman hosts the 81st annual show on Feb. 22, 2009 on ABC. The nominations will be announced on Jan. 22, 2009.

The Golden Globe Awards:

Unlike the Academy Awards, this show honors the best in movies and television. Whereas the Academy Awards honors just one best picture, actor, actress, etc., the Golden Globes honors the best picture, television show, actors, and actresses, etc., in both the drama and comedy categories. The winners are selected by The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which is made up of a group of 90 international journalists. 

This show is also unlike most other awards shows because there is no host. The nominations were announced Dec. 11, and the show airs Jan. 11, 2009 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations.

The SAG (Screen Actors Guild Awards):

In this awards show, actors award other actors. This show is unique because only actors and actresses are honored. Like the Golden Globes, this show honors peformances in both movies and television. Besides individual awards, the SAG Awards also honor ensemble casts in a TV drama, TV comedy and movie. 

Nominations were announced Dec. 18, and the 15th annual show will air on TNT and TBS on January 25, 2009.

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations. 

Independent Spirit Awards:

This awards show differs from the others because It is generally laid back and only honors independent movies and performances in independent movies. The awards are presented by Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers. 

It takes place in a tent on a Santa Monica, CA beach the day before the Academy Awards and airs on the Independent Film Channel. The nominations were announced Dec. 2, and the show will take place on Feb. 21 at 5 pm ET.

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations.

Broadcast Film Critics Awards aka Critics’ Choice Awards:

Like the Academy Awards, this show just honors the best in filmmaking. The winners are selected by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, which is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada and is made up of 199 television, radio and online critics.

The nominations were announced Dec. 9, 2008, and the 14th annual show airs Jan. 8, 2009 on VH1 at 9 p.m. ET.

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations.

People’s Choice Awards:

This is your awards show because everyday people like you get to vote. So instead of films like “The Reader” and “Slumdog Millionaire” going at it for Best Picture, films like “The Dark Knight” and ”Iron Man” are the leading contenders. 

This year, Queen Latifah hosts the 35th annual show on Jan. 7 airing on CBS from 9-11 p.m., ET.

The People’s Choice don’t just honor movies or TV – they also award your favorite talk-show host, rock song and on-screen matchup. New categories include favorite movie cast, TV drama diva and superhero. Vote at PCAvote.com. The nominations were announced on Nov. 10. 

Visit this site for the complete list of nominations.

Before “Doubt” came to the big screen, it was a Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play. And it shows. 

Set in a 1964 Catholic school, it’s a morality tale about Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a priest who’s accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy. It’s aptly titled “Doubt” because we never know if he really did what Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) is so sure he did. 

The title isn’t the only obvious element of the film. It’s filled with so many not so subtle metaphors that it almost gets in the way. For example, Sister Aloysius pulls the blinds so the sunlight hits Father Flynn right in the eyes like an FBI interrogation light. The wind blows ominously while she skulks around trying to prove that he’s guilty. A cat catches a mouse. And so on.

One metaphor that’s effectiveness I won’t argue with, however, is the tilt of the camera during intense moments of questionability. When Sister Aloysius confronts Father Flynn, the camera slants so we’re seeing the characters from a diagonal view. We’re not looking at them straight on because we don’t see the situation straight on.

We don’t know who’s telling the truth, which makes the film compelling. We’re supposed to have doubt about what is the truth, which teaches us about the validity of certainty and asks us “Do we ever know something for sure?” and “How do we know?” 

While it’s fun watching Streep and Hoffman go at in their intense verbal exchanges, you can’t help but be reminded of their previous roles. The actors are so perfect for their roles, they almost come off as caricatures of themselves.

Sister Aloysius is basically “The Devil Wears Prada’s” Miranda Priestly in a nun’s getup. She struts though Sister James’ (Amy Adams) classroom complaining about her students using ballpoint pens and pitching her cough drops, or as she says “candy,” into the trash.

It’s all too reminiscent of Miranda, the overbearing editor, strutting through the halls of “Runway” magazine deriding and rattling off demands to Anne Hathaways’ scurrying, scared assistant.

Adams’ innocent, upbeat Sister James who gets caught in between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn is also all too reminiscent of Adams herself and her previous roles in “Enchanted” and “Junebug.”

The movie revolves around the four principle characters of the two nuns, Father Flynn, and the mother of the boy in question. The mother played by Viola Davis is just in one scene, but she gives off a very real, emotional performance that’s so good it garnered her a Golden Globe nomination.

Since it originally was a play, it’s heavy on the dialogue. This story should not be action-packed by any means; yet, it’s a little disappointing that the verbal exchanges are so intense and the characters spout off such threatening and powerful words but action barely ensues. When the movie was over it left me wanting more.

It’s no surprise that John Patrick Shanley, the writer of the play, also directed the film. Besides extending the movie by 15 minutes and using actors to portray the students who were absent from the play, the movie was essentially a play just on the big screen. And it probably just should have stayed a play.

Even though the actress had to work and was away from her hubby Tom Cruise on her 30th birthday, festivities weren’t far from her.

After a performance of her Broadway show, All My Sons, Katie got an unexpected surprise from her husband and scheming costars.

 When the curtain fell on the performance crew members rolled out a round, five-tiered cake.  Her costar John Lithgow announced to the audience that Cruise was “heartsick” not to be there “but wanted to make his presence felt,” reports E! News.

Holmes was definitely taken by surprise when she came on stage with daughter Suri and fellow play mates to the audience singing “Happy Birthday.”

“I planned it so that when she comes out for the standing ovation, John get the whole audience to wish her a happy birthday,” Cruise told People magazine, confessing that the two already had a private celebration. “It’s going to be great. I’m waiting to talk to her now, to see her reaction.”

The Hollywood Foreign Press recently announced the nominees for this year’s Golden Globes airing on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. on NBC. This year’s Golden Globes has special significance because last year the winners were announced during a lackluster press conference due to the writer’s strike. 

Usually, the Golden Globe nominations and winners are a good indicator of who and what will be nominated for the Academy Awards. So if you haven’t seen these movies or TV shows yet, now is your time to start checking them out.

MOTION PICTURES

Drama

Best picture

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Frost/Nixon”

“The Reader”

“Revolutionary Road”

“Slumdog Millionaire”

Positively fact: Kate Winslet has two chances to be in a Best Picture winner. She stars in “The Reader” and “Revolutionary Road” where she is reunited with “Titanic” costar, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Best actress

Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”

Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”

Meryl Streep, “Doubt”

Kristin Scott Thomas, “I’ve Loved You So Long”

Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road”

Positively fact: While all the other actresses are previous nominees, this is Hathaway’s first Golden Globe nomination.

Best actor

Leonardo DiCaprio, “Revolutionary Road”

Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”

Sean Penn, “Milk”

Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Positively fact: This is Rourke’s first Golden Globe nomination, and Langella’s first nomination since 1970’s “Diary of a Mad Housewife.”

Comedy or musical

Best picture

“Burn After Reading”

“Happy-Go-Lucky”

“In Bruges”

“Mamma Mia!”

“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Positively fact: You may not have heard of some of these comedies. “Happy-Go-Lucky” came out in April and is about a woman who’s optimism has a less than cheerful effect on others. “In Bruges” was released in February and stars Colin Farrell as a hitman in Belgium.

Best actress

Rebecca Hall, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”

Frances McDormand, “Burn After Reading”

Meryl Streep, “Mamma Mia!”

Emma Thompson, “Last Chance Harvey”

Positively fact (s): This is the first Golden Globe nomination for Hall and Hawkins. Also, McDormand is married to Joel Coen, one of the directors of “Burn After Reading.”

Best actor

Javier Bardem, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Colin Farrell, “In Bruges”

James Franco, “Pineapple Express”

Brendan Gleeson, “In Bruges”

Dustin Hoffman, “Last Chance Harvey”

Positively fact: Bardem won at last year’s Golden Globes for best actor in a drama for his performance in “No Country for Old Men.”

TELEVISION

Drama

Best television series

“Dexter” (Showtime)

“House” (Fox)

“In Treatment” (HBO)

“Mad Men” (AMC)

“True Blood” (HBO)

Positively fact: If “Mad Men” wins, it will the show’s second, consecutive win.

Best actress in a drama series

Sally Field, “Brothers and Sisters”

Mariska Hargitay, “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”

January Jones, “Mad Men”

Anna Paquin, “True Blood”

Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer”

Positively fact: Jones didn’t earn a nomination last year, but the Hollywood Foreign Press must have warmed up to her portrayal of cold, isolated housewife, Betty Draper.

Best actor in a drama series

Gabriel Byrne, “In Treatment”

Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”

Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”

Hugh Laurie, “House”

Jonathan Rhys Meyers, “The Tudors”

Positively fact: Hamm won in this same category at last year’s awards.

Comedy or musical

Best television series

“30 Rock” (NBC)

“Californication” (Showtime)

“Entourage” (HBO)

“The Office” (NBC)

“Weeds” (Showtime)

Positively fact: All of these shows have been nominated before, but none have ever won. Past winners include “Extras,” “Ugly Betty,” and “Desperate Housewives.”

Best actress

America Ferrera, “Ugly Betty”

Tina Fey, “30 Rock”

Debra Messing, “The Starter Wife”

Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds”

Positively fact: Fey won last year and could be on track to win two years in a row. Messing, who also was nominated last year for “The Starter Wife,” has never won in this category despite being nominated six times for “Will & Grace.”

Best actor

Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”

Steve Carell, “The Office”

Kevin Connolly, “Entourage”

David Duchovny, “Californication”

Tony Shalhoub, “Monk”

Positively fact: All of these actors have been nominated before, but Duchovny won last year.

The final five – Matty, Susie, Kenny, Sugar and Bob – are back at camp after Tribal Council.  Kenny is annoyed about not being told the plan to save Matty with Sugar’s hidden Immunity Idol and vote out Crystal. Kenny seems convinced he was going but Bob says that’s why he didn’t give Kenny the immunity necklace, knowing Crystal was going home.

Sugar and Bob discuss their voting plans – next is either Kenny or Susie.  Sugar goes for a walk with Kenny, playing along with their alliance and says, “if Bob looses, then he’s gone but if Bob wins…then Sue’s gone, right?” Kenny replies, “He won’t win, I’ll make sure of it.”  The walk with Sugar reassures him of their alliance. He even asks if there is a blindside for him coming and Sugar says no.

The treemail has costumes and makeup so each Survivor can dress up in their own warrior gear.  They arrive at the first challenge in costume. The challenge – dig under a wall, make their way across planks in an elevated maze, untie knots, enter a regular maze interspersed with huts, collect bags of puzzle pieces from 3 huts then assemble the puzzle. Complicated enough? In a long race, Bob wins immunity and his 5th straight challenge.

Kenny is thinking highly of himself and confesses he can take it easy for the rest of the day.  Matty fills Kenny in on the latest plans – Sugar will tell Susie everyone is voting for her, but not until later in the day so Susie doesn’t start to scramble to save herself. Kenny seems paranoid and Matty reassuringly states he’s not the type of guy to blindside Kenny.  Next Susie asks Matty if Kenny is “working him” – a.k.a. scrambling for votes. Matty tells Susie he doesn’t know the plan for that night, but Susie is suspicious saying she usually knows something by now but no one is talking to her. 

Matty and Sugar make a solid pact NOT to write each other’s names no matter what and agree Susie should be next.  Sugar has reservations and thinks it might need to be Kenny because if he stays he has time to influence either Bob or Matty into voting with him and not Sugar.

At Tribal Council – Matty expresses his admiration for Bob. And Jeff refers to Kenny for opinions about the frustration with Bob’s every win. Kenny says he’s repaired some damage and bonds are stronger now. Jeff mentions the Bob and Kenny “Immunity Necklace” deal during the last game. Kenny, again, calls out Bob for seemingly breaking that deal. Bob bites back saying that as soon as he agreed to give Kenny the necklace Kenny went back to camp and tried to get everyone to vote Bob out, knowing he’d be vulnerable. Kenny explains his side but says, “I feel safe tonight…” – sealing his fate.  Once the votes are read, Kenny is the next voted off Survivor: Gabon.

The next day, Matty reads the treemail that has Susie, Bob, Matty and Sugar on the trail of remembrance. They go to Exile and visit a torch representing each voted off Survivor. Once done, they compete in their final immunity challenge.

The final challenge is building a house of cards that has to be 10 feet tall and made of wooden tiles. Each Survivor approaches the challenge differently, some going for height others for stability. After 30 minutes, it is Susie who has another surprising win and a guaranteed spot in the final 3.  Everyone thought Bob would win and had planned to vote out Susie, but with her assured spot, Bob (and teammates) accept their fate and know its Bob’s time to go.

At camp the thought of Bob not being in the final three causes emotional reactions in Sugar. She thinks about causing a tie between Bob and Matty who would compete in a tie breaker for the final 3rd spot and another shot at $1 million.  Sugar hints at this to Bob who promptly goes into the jungle to practice his fire making skills incase that’s the challenge.

At Tribal Council – Sugar sobs about feeling torn because she either votes for Bob, a father figure, or Matty, a brother figure.  The votes are cast and it’s a tie. Matty and Bob go one on one in a fire making challenge.  Bob has fire first, but it burns out. Matty continues to try to be the first to get fire. Bob’s practice in the jungle earlier pays off and lands him a spot in the final three. Matty smiles and is off to join the jury.

On the final day at camp Survivors get a breakfast feast. When they finish, Bob leads the bunch in a final farewell to Nobag by burning their hut.

The Final Tribal Council – as is customary in Survivor, the final three plead their case and the jury asks any remaining questions to help determine who is worthy of the one million dollars.  Susie begins by explaining her reasons for being on the show –she wanted to show her son and her students that no matter what you try for the things you want. Bob states that he simply outlasted his fellow jury members and thanks them for being a part of the biggest adventure of his life. Sugar states she played the game and should be rewarded for her strategies.  Then it’s the jury’s turn, most are not positive comments or questions. Corinne states the comment heard ‘round Survivor land saying, “You are an unemployed, uneducated leech on society. And the only thing I would vote to give you is a handful of anti-depressants so that no one else has to be subjected to your constant crying anymore. And maybe if you get some, then it would seem a little more sincere when you are crying about your dead father.” 

Ouch!  Kenny brings up again that Bob didn’t fulfill his promise. Randy scolds Sugar for her laughter when playing the fake hidden Immunity Idol. With that we cut to the live show and find out that 3 votes were cast for Susie, 0 votes for Sugar and the winning 4 votes were cast for Survivor: Gabon’s winner Robert “Bob” Crowley.  Bob also wins the Sprint Player of the Season award voted on by the viewers and putting an extra $100,000 in Bob’s bank account.

Lindsay Lohan’s night out came to an unsettling end when a man accused of stalking the actress was busted after he aggressively tried to get her attention as she exited a nightclub.

The actress and gal-pal Samantha Ronson had been at Scottsdale, Arizona’s Jackrabbit Lounge, where Ronson had been on official DJ duty.

The two were exiting the lounge around 1:25 a.m. when 38-year-old Daniel Patrick Combs allegedly lunged at Lohan according to reports from the local ABC affiliate. 

Police say Combs attempted to get around security and pushed one of the guards.

Jackrabbit Lounge club owner Dan Wierck said, “The gentleman became very excited when he realized he was so close to Samantha and he has a history of being a stalker with Lindsay Lohan so he immediately attacked her and started yelling, ‘I love her, I love her.’”

Wierck also acknowledged that Lohan recognized Combs during the altercation.  Bodyguards were quick to take down the attacker and keep him detained until the police arrived.

Lohan and Ronson left the scene without incident.

Last Monday former “SNL” star Jimmy Fallon started a daily video blog on nbc.com to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at his new late night show. Let’s hope his real show is a lot funnier.

The video blogs were originally supposed to be a practice run of how Fallon’s going to host the “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” predecessor, according to Variety; but, now they are meant to be more of a free-style look at the preparations before the show debuts on March 2. Yet, the video blogs could benefit with a little more structure.

Some of Fallon’s insider information is interesting. For example, the Roots are going to be his in-house band, and every night fans of the guest band will be able to come out on the stage à la concert-style. We also got to see a model of the set including where there’s going to be trap doors for surprise guests to arrive.

Otherwise his blogs are kind of a snore. We got to watch Fallon read comments on his website where he practiced his sad face when someone called him “a douchebag who doesn’t deserve his job.” There was also the bit where he and his announcer, Steve Higgins, endlessly went back and forth about if his dismal movie with Queen Latifah was called “Taxi” or “Taxi Cab: The Movie.” We’d expect funnier from Fallon.

We’d also expect funnier when current “SNL” star Fred Armisen stopped by one night to do a mock interview with Fallon. Armisen was supposed to play the role of a bad guest to test Fallon’s interviewing skills, which just turned out to be a bad skit. 

So log onto nbc.com for his insider bits; but, if the comedy doesn’t get funnier Fallon will have a hard time keeping viewers awake at their laptops let alone at 12:35 a.m.