79th Academy Awards Results

The winners have been named. I actually got several predictions right. Out of 24 categories...I got 11 right. Anyway the winners are in yellow. If its just aqua...that means I predicted correctly.


Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson” (THINKFilm)
Peter O’Toole in “Venus” (Miramax, Filmfour and UK Council)
Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children” (New Line)
Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed” (Warner Bros.)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penélope Cruz in “Volver” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Helen Mirren in “The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)
Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox)
Kate Winslet in “Little Children” (New Line)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Adriana Barraza in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Cate Blanchett in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Rinko Kikuchi in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)

Best animated feature film of the year
“Cars” (Buena Vista) John Lasseter
“Happy Feet” (Warner Bros.) George Miller
“Monster House” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Gil Kenan

Achievement in art direction
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount) Art Direction: John Myhre Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
“The Good Shepherd” (Universal) Art Direction: Jeannine OppewallSet Decoration: Gretchen Rau and Leslie E. Rollins
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Art Direction: Eugenio CaballeroSet Decoration: Pilar Revuelta
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)Art Direction: Rick HeinrichsSet Decoration: Cheryl Carasik
“The Prestige” (Buena Vista)Art Direction: Nathan CrowleySet Decoration: Julie Ochipinti

Achievement in cinematography
“The Black Dahlia” (Universal) Vilmos Zsigmond
“Children of Men” (Universal) Emmanuel Lubezki
“The Illusionist” (Yari Film Group) Dick Pope
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Guillermo Navarro
“The Prestige” (Buena Vista) Wally Pfister

Achievement in costume design
“Curse of the Golden Flower” (Sony Pictures Classics) Yee Chung Man
“The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox) Patricia Field
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount) Sharen Davis
“Marie Antoinette” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Milena Canonero
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Consolata Boyle

Achievement in directing
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Alejandro González Iñárritu
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Stephen Frears
“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal) Paul Greengrass

Best documentary feature
“Deliver Us from Evil” (Lionsgate)A Disarming Films Production Amy Berg and Frank Donner
“An Inconvenient Truth” (Paramount Classics and Participant Productions)A Lawrence Bender/Laurie David ProductionDavis Guggenheim
“Iraq in Fragments” (Typecast Releasing)A Typecast Pictures/Daylight Factory Production James Longley and John Sinno
“Jesus Camp” (Magnolia Pictures)A Loki Films ProductionHeidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
“My Country, My Country” (Zeitgeist Films)A Praxis Films Production Laura Poitras and Jocelyn Glatzer

Best documentary short subject
“The Blood of Yingzhou District”A Thomas Lennon Films ProductionRuby Yang and Thomas Lennon
“Recycled Life”An Iwerks/Glad Production Leslie Iwerks and Mike Glad
“Rehearsing a Dream”A Simon & Goodman Picture Company ProductionKaren Goodman and Kirk Simon
“Two Hands” A Crazy Boat Pictures Production Nathaniel Kahn and Susan Rose Behr

Achievement in film editing
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Stephen Mirrione and Douglas Crise
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.) Steven Rosenblum
“Children of Men” (Universal) Alex Rodríguez and Alfonso Cuarón
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)Thelma Schoonmaker
“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal) Clare Douglas, Christopher Rouse and Richard Pearson

Best foreign language film of the year
“After the Wedding” A Zentropa Entertainments 16 ProductionDenmark
“Days of Glory (Indigènes)” A Tessalit ProductionAlgeria
“The Lives of Others” A Wiedemann & Berg ProductionGermany
“Pan’s Labyrinth” A Tequila Gang/Esperanto Filmoj/Estudios Picasso Production Mexico
“Water” A Hamilton-Mehta Production Canada

Achievement in makeup
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista) Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
“Click” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Kazuhiro Tsuji and Bill Corso
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) David Marti and Montse Ribe

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Gustavo Santaolalla
“The Good German” (Warner Bros.) Thomas Newman
“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight) Philip Glass
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Javier Navarrete
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Alexandre Desplat

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth”(Paramount Classics and Participant Productions) Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge
“Listen” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount) Music by Henry Krieger and Scott CutlerLyric by Anne Preven
“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount) Music by Henry KriegerLyric by Siedah Garrett
“Our Town” from “Cars”(Buena Vista)Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount)Music by Henry KriegerLyric by Willie Reale

Best motion picture of the year
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) An Anonymous Content/Zeta Film/Central Films ProductionAlejandro González Iñárritu, Jon Kilik and Steve Golin, Producers
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)A Warner Bros. Pictures Production Graham King, Producer
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)A DreamWorks Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures ProductionClint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz, Producers
“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)A Big Beach/Bona Fide ProductionDavid T. Friendly, Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub, Producers
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)A Granada ProductionAndy Harries, Christine Langan and Tracey Seaward, Producers

Best animated short film
“The Danish Poet” (National Film Board of Canada)A Mikrofilm and National Film Board of Canada ProductionTorill Kove
“Lifted” (Buena Vista)A Pixar Animation Studios Production Gary Rydstrom
“The Little Matchgirl” (Buena Vista)A Walt Disney Pictures ProductionRoger Allers and Don Hahn
“Maestro” (Szimplafilm)A Kedd ProductionGeza M. Toth
“No Time for Nuts” (20th Century Fox)A Blue Sky Studios ProductionChris Renaud and Michael Thurmeier

Best live action short film
“Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)”A Peliculas Pendelton and Tus Ojos ProductionJavier Fesser and Luis Manso
“Éramos Pocos (One Too Many)” (Kimuak)An Altube Filmeak ProductionBorja Cobeaga
“Helmer & Son”A Nordisk Film Production Soren Pilmark and Kim Magnusson
“The Saviour” (Australian Film Television and Radio School)An Australian Film Television and Radio School ProductionPeter Templeman and Stuart Parkyn
“West Bank Story” An Ari Sandel, Pascal Vaguelsy, Amy Kim, Ravi Malhotra and Ashley Jordan ProductionAri Sandel

Achievement in sound editing
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista) Sean McCormack and Kami Asgar
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.) Lon Bender
“Flags of Our Fathers” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount)Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)Christopher Boyes and George Watters II

Achievement in sound mixing
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista)Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell and Fernando Camara
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer and Ivan Sharrock
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)Michael Minkler, Bob Beemer and Willie Burton
“Flags of Our Fathers” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount) John Reitz, Dave Campbell, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista) Paul Massey, Christopher Boyes and Lee Orloff

Achievement in visual effects
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and Allen Hall
“Poseidon” (Warner Bros.)Boyd Shermis, Kim Libreri, Chas Jarrett and John Frazier
“Superman Returns” (Warner Bros.)Mark Stetson, Neil Corbould, Richard R. Hoover and Jon Thum

Adapted screenplay
“Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” (20th Century Fox) Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Peter Baynham & Dan MazerStory by Sacha Baron Cohen & Peter Baynham & Anthony Hines & Todd Phillips
“Children of Men” (Universal)Screenplay by Alfonso Cuarón & Timothy J. Sexton and David Arata and Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.) Screenplay by William Monahan
“Little Children” (New Line) Screenplay by Todd Field & Tom Perrotta
“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight) Screenplay by Patrick Marber

Original screenplay
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)Written by Guillermo Arriaga
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)Screenplay by Iris YamashitaStory by Iris Yamashita & Paul Haggis
“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)Written by Michael Arndt
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse)Written by Guillermo del Toro
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)Written by Peter Morgan

Just My Luck (2006)

Lindsay Lohan plays Ashley, the luckiest woman on earth. She's young, has a great career, gets a taxi whenever she wants and the sun always shine when she's out. But it all changes when she kisses a stranger at a costume party. He is the unluckiest man on earth and they somehow change their luck.

I read or heard somewhere that this was suppose to be Lindsay's first venture into more adult roles...the character Ashley is about 23...but I didn't really think it worked. She was hardly believable as a 23 year old....and a career woman??...No no...she still looked like as if she's in high school. I'm not sure who's to blame...her for not being able to play the role?...but then again it may have been written that way. The story and the script are pretty weak. Everything is just soo cheesy (Don't you think it also has horrible posters?). And I can't believe they actually have McFly in it...didn't know until I watch the movie...obviously desperately trying to break into the American market. I think you can always tell that a movie is going to be bad once you see a pop band weaved into it as a back story.

Basically yes it was quite bad. Not something I would watch again. Its a movie for those who love teen flicks, romantic comedies or anyone below the age of 12.

Disturbia, The Nanny Diaries, Hidden Picture Game

Disturbia Poster

Disturbia poster is finally released. It has been said how similar the storyline is to Rear Window...I'm not really sure it is intented to be a remake...but anyway I have mentioned that I wanted to watch Rear Window first so that I could compare Disturbia with it later...So anyhow I have recently watch Rear Window...and I will put up a short review of it soon. Really curious how this movie will turn out.






The Nanny Diaries Trailer

Yes yes. The trailer is out....and it looks funny. Should be good. Check it out yourself here.

LOVEFiLM Hidden Picture Game



I love hidden picture gave. Several weeks ago I posted the link to M&M movie hidden picture game. You can still view it here. I recently found another one by LOVEFiLM. This time you have to find 100 films. I've found at least half. Click on the picture to view a larger version.

P.S. (2004)

P.S. is about basically about Louise who works at Admissions for Columbia. She is a lonely 39 year old woman whose only friends are her ex-husband and her long time best friend who lives in another town. One day she gets an application from a certain F. Scott Fienstadt ...the same name as her high school love who died very young. Curious as to who he is, she sets up an interview. Shockingly...she found that not only does he share the same name...they are pretty much alike in character...using the same quotes...even her best friend agrees...Could he be an incarnation...maybe a relative? And seeing also how much alike he is...she could hardly resist him and they soon begin an affair.

**May Contain Spoilers**

Another movie that I've heard close to nothing about. Rented it cause I thought the story seemed interesting...a tad like Birth right?? But that movie wasn't really that good...P.S was actually quite good...wasn't as freaky as seeing a grown woman going into a bathtub with a child. Here Louise is 39 and F Scott is at least 20...hardly a child...now it kinda sounds like The Graduate right?...Only that its not. Through out the film I did find myself wondering who is this F Scott...of course he couldn't be Louise late lover...as she some how believes...In the end...it was a simple coincidence...which I thought was the best way to end it.

Keeping this short. The movie was worth the watch. The story is there. The acting was rather good. Laura Linney as the lonely woman living a rather unfulfilled life and Topher Grace playing the usual smart alec role. I say watch this instead of Birth.

If Only (2004)

Jennifer Love Hewitt doesn't really act in much movies does she? Even if she does...it'll be like in those crappy looking ones like The Tuxedo and Garfield ( I say that because I haven't actually watch them) or her movies go entirely unnotice...at least thats what I thought happened to The Truth About Love and If Only. I don't think they even got a theatrical release in Singapore...it was straight to DVD.

Well anyway...I actually liked The Truth About Love. I thought it was a rather funny,sweet and sad tale of a woman who believed she was in a happy marriage until she found out the truth...So when I found If Only at the rental store...thought I might like this one too...but nope I didn't. I was truly bored...I wanted it to end.

The Truth About Love was sweet and even funny at times...but If Only was just extremely heavy on romance...and melodramtic too I thought. Basically the story is of Ian and Samantha... a young couple who love each other dearly... only problem is that Ian has trouble showing his love. One day, after a fight where they nearly broke up...Samantha dies in a car crash...and Ian regrets that he never told her how much he love her. Luckily for him though...by some miracle...he got to relive the day...Thus he tries to change little things...so that the end would be different and of course to tell Samantha that he loves her in every way possible....and blah blah...

The story was just ok...the dialogue was pretty bad...acting so so...Way too may cringe worthy moments. Sometimes I think...this was just an excuse to have Jennifer sing on screen...or maybe...she was just making use of the time she was in England (get it? The Truth About Love was also set in England). So overall...bad movie. Not recommended.

After.Life Poster

This poster has recently been released and the movie stars Kate Bosworth. Not really sure what the movie is really about. The movie's page on IMDB is pretty empty. Its plot outline only says that its the story of a young woman caught between life and death who fights against the funeral director who has a hand in her fate. You can check it out here. But does the poster not look interesting? I thought it did. And creepy too...A spirit arising from its dead body. It kinda reminds me of the Corpse Bride and even Sally from the Nightmare Before Christmas. I mean with the pale skin and tangled hair...a bit like Sally right? Of course Sally has dark hair and is only an animated character...Could this be a good supernatural flick? By the looks of the poster...it could be.

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

Four friends and small time criminals pool their money together to play in a high stakes game. But when they loose, they ended up owing half a million pounds to Hatchet Harry. Pay within one week or start losing their fingers. Where are they going to get the money? Maybe the thin walls will save them??

I didn’t know much about this movie in the first place. It just looked like the typical gangster type of flick…with a lot of guns and violence. I also knew that this was a British film…and when I was checking out the special features…they had a guide to Cockney…I was thinking….not another movie I won’t be able get what they’re saying with their thick accents and slang.

Surprisingly though…I managed to pretty much understand what they were talking about…the slang used wasn’t that bad….ok maybe the subtitles helped me a bit…especially since they fast talk a lot. And Hah…was I wrong about the movie. I mean sure it’s a gangster movie with guns and violence…but ultimately it is a comedy. Even the tagline goes…Disgracing Criminals Everywhere.

And it is a very funny comedy at that… with a lot of dark humour. Almost everything that comes out of Eddie and his friends mouth is bound to draw a few laughs. The plot too is there . Its fast paced with a lot of twist and turns…that makes you want to watch what kind of ridiculous hole everyone is getting themselves into. The shots are stylish, the music is loud and very fitting for such a movie…and the dialogue…very sharp and smart. Overall…an entertaining and funny film. I would have never have thought that I would actually like it…but I do. Recommended.

Hard Candy (2005)

Hayley, a 14 year old girl has been chatting with Jeff, a 32 year old fashion photographer for a while now. One day they finally decide to meet at a coffee shop. After having a really good first meeting, Hayley invites herself over to his house to innocently listen and borrow some cds. Will she become the victim to this paedophile?

**May Contain Spoilers**

I finally finally rented this movie. Heard soo much about it…plus it was a rather well received movie right. I wasn’t disappointed. This is a great movie. Riveting stuff. Intense. I loved how the cameras moved from one doorway, past the walls and then we finally get to see what actually happens…who won the struggle. As you might have already known…Hayley isn’t the victim, or even prey, if you might call it, in fact she planned, orchestrated everything. And she was brilliantly played by Ellen Page (I'm sure we'll see more of her). When we first meet Hayley she looked like the typical, chirpy and naïve teenager. But of course she’s smart, mature beyond her years (actually…come to think of it….she might not even be 14…remember Alison Lohman’s character in Matchstick Men?) and absolutely determined to seek out revenge. Patrick Wilson on the other hand plays Jeff, the unsuspecting prey, a man living in denial of what he really is…and did the role just as well…
So basically this is a terrific film... The plot is engaging…with the whole role reversal thing…and nothing is ever as it is...you'd never guess how everything actually ends. The script is good ( of course it has to right? With mainly only two characters…you have to have a great script to keep people watching right?) The shots as I mentioned keeps up with all the suspense. Hence this is a movie I would definitely recommend to watch. So go Watch.

New Harry Potter Shots

Its been out for a while now...but I've only just seen it. Its over at the Newsweek site, you can check it out here. Most of them are only of Harry...too bad we don't really get to see the other characters.

Talking about Harry Potter have you heard about Daniel Radcliffe's new play Equus...you must have right? I can't help but think that he's trying way hard to do the mature challenging roles. And I think he should have tried the Rupert Grint type of route, like with Driving Lessons...that worked well for Rupert did it not. What do you think...will Daniel's efforts work for his acting career?

Yours, Mine and Ours (2005)

Admiral Frank Beardsley runs the Coast Guard Academy. He is also a widower with eight children and runs his family like the academy. Helen North on the other hand is a free spirited bag designer with ten children...most of them adopted. During a high school reunion, Frank and Helen, who as it turns out were high school sweethearts, are reunited and almost immediately fall in love all over again. Soon they are married. How do you bring together two families with a total of 18 kids to live together under one roof. Will it be chaos?

Yours, Mine and Ours is actually a remake of the original 1968 version starring Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda as the two leads. I have actually watched the original movie and really really like it. It was a fun and funny family film. I loved seeing how things worked in the 60’s…and how they dressed too. And with 18 kids…it was fun seeing how the family get through the typical family stuff like preparing breakfast and getting ready for school/work…Then there was the scene where they were buying groceries…how many loaves of bread did they buy???

Anyway…so I was kinda apprehensive when I heard that they were making a remake…most remakes a couple steps down from the original. Any how…I still decided to watch this one…just to see how bad it could be…And surprisingly…I didn’t find it horribly bad. I actually enjoyed watching it. I mean seriously I thought it was much much better than the Cheaper by the Dozen remakes…I found them annoying…ok maybe…that’s attributed to Hilary Duff’s character’s constant whining…actually all the children were whiny. And I also found Yours, Mine and Ours to have less cringe worthy scenes…compared to Cheaper by the Dozen.

But don’t be mistaken…this movie does have several flaws…or more like stuff that I didn’t like. I’d much prefer if they stick more to the original storyline…where…Helen North was not a free spirited hippie type…who loves mess and adopted a bunch of kids. And I have no idea…why today’s made for family flick loves mess…there was the eating breakfast mess…the painting mess…oh and the shopping mess…where the twins got on the lifting machine…I mean seriously those scenes were not funny…I can’t remember the original having any of that stuff…and of course we all know…the original was much better…Maybe its time people stick to the old formula?

Coming Soon


Across the Universe

I’m not really a fan of musicals…and it’s been along time since I’ve watched a musical that I actually liked…way back in 2001, Moulin Rouge.

Across the Universe is a new musical coming to us in September. According to IMDB, It is an original musical film and is a fictional love story set in the 1960s amid the turbulent years of anti-war protest, the struggle for free speech and civil rights, mind exploration and of course rock and roll. The film is also paired with many Beatles songs that defined the time and stars Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess as Lucy and Jude, the young lovers.

I’ve recently caught the trailer and I think it looks pretty. Its colourful, loud and seems quite theatrical too. The story itself looks pretty interesting.…of course the songs we know should be good right…So hope this is a good musical…Definitely something I would want to check out. You can view the trailer here.

Source: IMDB


Paris, je t'aime

Another movie that’s coming to us this time in May is Paris, je t'aime. Now this is an interesting movie to watch out for. Its actually made up of 20 films, all directed by different directors…to name a few, Alfonso Cuarón, Gus Van Sant, Tom Tykwer, Wes Craven. I’m really curious how they’re going to weave all the stories together to make one coherent movie. If it works…then this would be a great film…I kinda think it is…I mean why else…would all these well known directors and actors would want to be involved in it if its not…Well of course…there’s also the money thing…
Anyway you can check out the plot summary at IMDB here.

Brick (2005)

Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a highly intelligent loner. When his ex-girlfriend, the one he loves, disappears and is found dead, he goes all out to find the truth behind her death and enlists the help of his only friend Brain. The investigation soon becomes dangerous and he finds himself involve in the world of rich girl Laura, school jock Brad, theatre temptress Kara, hot-headed Tugger and the Pin, leader of the high school drug ring…who actually is no longer a student at their high school. So what actually happened? Who killed Emily? Will Brendan be able to uncover the truth without getting himself killed?

I’ll try to keep this one as short as possible. This is an interesting movie to say the least with the whole film noir thing going on…and I for one don’t even know much about film noir. But the shots are stylish. The dialogue is sharp, slick and smart…and delivered very fast…I would probably be lost if it were not for subtitles. The plot is rather complex and difficult to follow…especially if you don’t get all the slang. It's easy to get lost especially with all the twist and turns. For me though, I had to keep watching to see what happens next. Hence if you’re patient and read the subtitles (haha..like I do) and watch it till the very end, the story does come together and everything makes sense. Overall it is something new and different (because I don’t really watch film noir...in fact maybe this is my first) and I did found it entertaining.

79th Academy Awards

The Academy Awards will be shown on Sunday,25th February...but over here in Singapore...we'll probably get to see it on Monday 26th February. Anyway, I'm making my predictions again...lets see how many I get it right this time.


Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson” (THINKFilm)
Peter O’Toole in “Venus” (Miramax, Filmfour and UK Council)
Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children” (New Line)
Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed” (Warner Bros.)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penélope Cruz in “Volver” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Helen Mirren in “The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)
Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox)
Kate Winslet in “Little Children” (New Line)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Adriana Barraza in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Cate Blanchett in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Rinko Kikuchi in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)

Best animated feature film of the year
“Cars” (Buena Vista) John Lasseter
“Happy Feet” (Warner Bros.) George Miller
“Monster House” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Gil Kenan

Achievement in art direction
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount) Art Direction: John Myhre Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
“The Good Shepherd” (Universal) Art Direction: Jeannine OppewallSet Decoration: Gretchen Rau and Leslie E. Rollins
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Art Direction: Eugenio CaballeroSet Decoration: Pilar Revuelta
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)Art Direction: Rick HeinrichsSet Decoration: Cheryl Carasik
“The Prestige” (Buena Vista)Art Direction: Nathan CrowleySet Decoration: Julie Ochipinti

Achievement in cinematography
“The Black Dahlia” (Universal) Vilmos Zsigmond
“Children of Men” (Universal) Emmanuel Lubezki
“The Illusionist” (Yari Film Group) Dick Pope
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Guillermo Navarro
“The Prestige” (Buena Vista) Wally Pfister

Achievement in costume design
“Curse of the Golden Flower” (Sony Pictures Classics) Yee Chung Man
“The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox) Patricia Field
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount) Sharen Davis
“Marie Antoinette” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Milena Canonero
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Consolata Boyle

Achievement in directing
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Alejandro González Iñárritu
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Stephen Frears
“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal) Paul Greengrass

Best documentary feature
“Deliver Us from Evil” (Lionsgate)A Disarming Films Production Amy Berg and Frank Donner
“An Inconvenient Truth” (Paramount Classics and Participant Productions)A Lawrence Bender/Laurie David ProductionDavis Guggenheim
“Iraq in Fragments” (Typecast Releasing)A Typecast Pictures/Daylight Factory Production James Longley and John Sinno
“Jesus Camp” (Magnolia Pictures)A Loki Films ProductionHeidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
“My Country, My Country” (Zeitgeist Films)A Praxis Films Production Laura Poitras and Jocelyn Glatzer

Best documentary short subject
“The Blood of Yingzhou District”A Thomas Lennon Films ProductionRuby Yang and Thomas Lennon
“Recycled Life”An Iwerks/Glad Production Leslie Iwerks and Mike Glad
“Rehearsing a Dream”A Simon & Goodman Picture Company ProductionKaren Goodman and Kirk Simon
“Two Hands” A Crazy Boat Pictures Production Nathaniel Kahn and Susan Rose Behr

Achievement in film editing
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Stephen Mirrione and Douglas Crise
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.) Steven Rosenblum
“Children of Men” (Universal) Alex Rodríguez and Alfonso Cuarón
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)Thelma Schoonmaker
“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal) Clare Douglas, Christopher Rouse and Richard Pearson

Best foreign language film of the year
“After the Wedding” A Zentropa Entertainments 16 ProductionDenmark
“Days of Glory (Indigènes)” A Tessalit ProductionAlgeria
“The Lives of Others” A Wiedemann & Berg ProductionGermany
“Pan’s Labyrinth” A Tequila Gang/Esperanto Filmoj/Estudios Picasso Production Mexico
“Water” A Hamilton-Mehta Production Canada

Achievement in makeup
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista) Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
“Click” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Kazuhiro Tsuji and Bill Corso
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) David Marti and Montse Ribe

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Gustavo Santaolalla
“The Good German” (Warner Bros.) Thomas Newman
“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight) Philip Glass
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Javier Navarrete
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Alexandre Desplat

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth”(Paramount Classics and Participant Productions) Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge
“Listen” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount) Music by Henry Krieger and Scott CutlerLyric by Anne Preven
“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount) Music by Henry KriegerLyric by Siedah Garrett
“Our Town” from “Cars”(Buena Vista)Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount)Music by Henry KriegerLyric by Willie Reale

Best motion picture of the year
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) An Anonymous Content/Zeta Film/Central Films ProductionAlejandro González Iñárritu, Jon Kilik and Steve Golin, Producers
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)A Warner Bros. Pictures Production Graham King, Producer
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)A DreamWorks Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures ProductionClint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz, Producers
“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)A Big Beach/Bona Fide ProductionDavid T. Friendly, Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub, Producers
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)A Granada ProductionAndy Harries, Christine Langan and Tracey Seaward, Producers

Best animated short film
“The Danish Poet” (National Film Board of Canada)A Mikrofilm and National Film Board of Canada ProductionTorill Kove
“Lifted” (Buena Vista)A Pixar Animation Studios Production Gary Rydstrom
“The Little Matchgirl” (Buena Vista)A Walt Disney Pictures ProductionRoger Allers and Don Hahn
“Maestro” (Szimplafilm)A Kedd ProductionGeza M. Toth
“No Time for Nuts” (20th Century Fox)A Blue Sky Studios ProductionChris Renaud and Michael Thurmeier

Best live action short film
“Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)”A Peliculas Pendelton and Tus Ojos ProductionJavier Fesser and Luis Manso
“Éramos Pocos (One Too Many)” (Kimuak)An Altube Filmeak ProductionBorja Cobeaga
“Helmer & Son”A Nordisk Film Production Soren Pilmark and Kim Magnusson
“The Saviour” (Australian Film Television and Radio School)An Australian Film Television and Radio School ProductionPeter Templeman and Stuart Parkyn
“West Bank Story” An Ari Sandel, Pascal Vaguelsy, Amy Kim, Ravi Malhotra and Ashley Jordan ProductionAri Sandel

Achievement in sound editing
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista) Sean McCormack and Kami Asgar
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.) Lon Bender
“Flags of Our Fathers” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount)Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)Christopher Boyes and George Watters II

Achievement in sound mixing
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista)Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell and Fernando Camara
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer and Ivan Sharrock
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)Michael Minkler, Bob Beemer and Willie Burton
“Flags of Our Fathers” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount) John Reitz, Dave Campbell, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista) Paul Massey, Christopher Boyes and Lee Orloff

Achievement in visual effects
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and Allen Hall
“Poseidon” (Warner Bros.)Boyd Shermis, Kim Libreri, Chas Jarrett and John Frazier
“Superman Returns” (Warner Bros.)Mark Stetson, Neil Corbould, Richard R. Hoover and Jon Thum

Adapted screenplay
“Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” (20th Century Fox) Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Peter Baynham & Dan MazerStory by Sacha Baron Cohen & Peter Baynham & Anthony Hines & Todd Phillips
“Children of Men” (Universal)Screenplay by Alfonso Cuarón & Timothy J. Sexton and David Arata and Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.) Screenplay by William Monahan
“Little Children” (New Line) Screenplay by Todd Field & Tom Perrotta
“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight) Screenplay by Patrick Marber

Original screenplay
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)Written by Guillermo Arriaga
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)Screenplay by Iris YamashitaStory by Iris Yamashita & Paul Haggis
“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)Written by Michael Arndt
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse)Written by Guillermo del Toro
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)Written by Peter Morgan

Art School Confidential (2006)

Jerome Platz wants to be an artist. No…he wants to be a great artist. So after finishing high school he enrols in an art school. But he soon learns how the art world works and gets his first hit of criticisms. What’s more he’s in love with the art model. Can his dreams of being a great artist come true and get the girl too?

**May Contain Spoilers**

One of the reasons I wanted to watch this movie was that scene in one of the trailers, where Bardo starts labelling the students coming into the class. There was the mother, the freak, the suck up and him, the guy who keeps changing his major cause he’s afraid that he suck at everything…I thought that was very funny and that it would be a rather funny film that pokes fun at the art world.

And yes the movie is pretty funny in all its art school clichés, at least the first half of the movie is. We get to see all Jerome’s wacky classmates …and roommates, one is gay and as aspiring fashion designer and the other a film student trying to get funding from his grandfather to direct a movie based on the local serial killer. Than there’s the thing where Jerome tries to lose his virginity…another zany affair which ends unsuccessfully. And of course he later falls in love with the art model…which maybe the reason he even joined this particular art school…so he can meet her.

But the movie takes a serious turn in the second half. Even though Jerome works very hard on his art, his work doesn’t even get recognised by he’s classmates…they much rather see a painting with weird big strokes or a plain picture of a car. And after getting criticism and even criticism for criticising a fellow classmate’s work, Jerome falls into despair. He starts smoking, drinking, and visiting Jimmy, (Jim Broadbent) a washed up art school graduate living a dingy apartment, who starts giving him weird dark advice.

Then a drastic event happen which changes Jerome’s life…and after that his art started getting recognized and he finally even gets the girl…which I thought was a fitting end for a movie that’s poking fun at the art world right? Don’t artists need drastic events before their art get recognized….I mean look at Van Gogh…did he not cut his ear off?? Did he not die first??? Before his art fetch a ton of money. Suddenly his art was impressive, fascinating and great?

I actually like this little flick, its funny, with a little seriousness, and actually I didn’t mind the serious turn like some people do…I mean it’s needed to lead to the chosen ending…right??…which I thought was rather funny…don’t you think??…with the media interviewing the art teacher and all. Plus don’t you think the art world takes itself way too seriously…they probably should watch this film and take a look at themselves. Oh and theres probably tons of Jeromes out there who only needs a drastic event…to finally make them a great artist right? :)

The Quiet (2006)

Dot (Camille Belle) is a deaf and mute teenager. When her father dies she is orphaned and sent to live with her godparents and their daughter, Nina (Elisha Cuthbert) who seemingly looks like the perfect family. But of course all families have their secrets right? Although, Dot’s presence was not immediately welcome, people around her soon found out that her deafness and silence was great way for them to rant bout their lives and secrets…well in secret. And soon Dot finds out what happens behind close doors.

**May Contain Spoilers**

If you have not watch the trailer…maybe you want to check it out here. I thought the trailer was pretty good…it made me want to see the film.

One of the main characters is Dot and she is one extremely sympathetic character. Losing your parents is one thing. Moving in with a family you don’t really know that well is another. But being deaf and mute and not be able to communicate with the new family is a whole new different level of isolation. At first she was seen as a freak by Nina and the kids at school, but soon people around her starts telling their private thoughts believing that their secrets are safe with her since she can't hear or mutter a word.

One night, unable sleep, Dot stumbles upon Nina’s secret…her father has been sleeping with her. And when Nina herself suspects that Dot has found out the truth, she starts telling her off her plans to kill her father. Will Dot say a word to anyone? After all she’s deaf and mute right? What about Dot? Surely she has a secret too?

This movie is dark…has that eerie look and pretty twisted too. What we have here is the dysfunctional family. The father…not being very father like…pretty much crossed every line. A mother who chooses to drown herself in drugs just so she can’t see and hear what’s happening. And the daughter, the victim, who is very confused. She loves her father, in a way that daughters do and in the sick way that lovers do…but also hates him for everything that he has done to her. And Dot the outsider…also the traumatised child after losing both parents and living in isolation.

If you like movies about dark family secrets…check this one out…if you don’t…well check out the trailer…and you might still want to check out this movie. Personally I thought it is pretty good movie. It is dark, with a disturbing subject matter and it is probably one of the better thrillers aimed at teenagers that actually has an interesting, intriguing storyline and characters. I give it 3/5.