Academy Hosts Luncheon for Oscar Nominees

Quvenzahané Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Monday, February 4, 17 of the 20 nominees in the acting categories will be among more than 160 Oscar nominees who will gather at noon at the Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, Ca, when the Academy honors this year's Oscar contenders during its annual Nominees Luncheon. Wallis, pictured above, a nine-year-old is the youngest person ever to be nominated for best performance by a lead actress.

From the Lead Actress and Actor categories, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Quvenzahané Wallis, Naomi Watts, Bradley Cooper, Daniel Day-Lewis, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix and Denzel Washington are expected to attend.

Four of the five nominees in the Directing category – Ang Lee, David O. Russell, Steven Spielberg and Benh Zeitlin – also are expected to attend. Three of the Academy's four 2012 Governors Awards recipients, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Hal Needham and George Stevens, Jr., will join this year's nominees.

Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, Christoph Waltz, Amy Adams, Sally Field, Anne Hathaway, Helen Hunt and Jacki Weaver will represent the Supporting Actor and Actress categories.

Oscars® for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood and Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Golden Globes® Gala Tonight

The second annual biggest party in the electronic Universe, the Golden Globes Gala, sponsored by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), is back tonight after a horrible makeshift televised awards program last year. More than 50 Hollywood stars are confirmed as presenters.

Steven Spielberg will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award for his "outstanding contribution to the entertainment field." He was scheduled to receive it last year, but the HFPA postponed it due to the scaled down event.

The HFPA Golden Globes honor their choices for both the film and television professionals at the same gala. So, welcome back HFPA. I, among many others, missed the glitz and glam last year.

There is no doubt that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association suffered financial loss and the honorees lost valuable "buzz" because the gala was canceled due to the Writers Guild strike. The HFPA promises that the 66th annual gala tonight, broadcast on NBC (8-11 EST), will be bigger and better. The Globe nominations are a roster of the hot and new films, actors, technical achievements, etc.

Because the members represent the foreign press there is a much greater emphasis on who and what is hot at the very moment they fill out their nomination, or final, ballots. Their choices are often based on the feedback the members get from residents of their native countries. After all, they want as many of their fellow country persons to watch as possible.

One advantage of the Globe broadcast is that it is leaner, cleaner, tighter, and not as long, as the top awards show, the Academy Awards®, a.k.a., The Oscars. In the past, one disadvantage was the members seemed to nominate and vote for their favorite "eye candy," not necessarily upon the film or nominee's professional achievements and skills.

The Golden Globes broadcast has been increasing the number of countries and cities where it is broadcast, undoubtedly helped by Internet broadcast. In other words, what fifteen years ago was a little step child of the Oscars is no longer.

It's a big self-sufficient grownup player. One thing evident is that the members of the foreign press are becoming more knowledgeable about cinematic arts and less into voting for that "eye candy".

However, I'm sure there will be lots of hot new eye candy, and they venerate those older actors, actresses, directors, cinematographers and writers, honoring them whenever they can. They don't wait until the film professionals are 80 years old, or almost on their deathbed to do it.

Check the Links Relevant at the bottom of this post to quickly find some information that will increase your viewing pleasure.

For quick access to posts on this blog you can sign up for an Atom instant notice when Mimi makes a post. Look at the top of the right sidebar under "Profile" for Atom.

LINKS RELEVANT:

Yahoo article about Globes Gala tonight.

Mimi's Quick Links to helpful info about tonight at the Golden Globes' Gala.

Link to Mimi's previous post about the 66th Golden Globes on "Mimi at the Movies" blog.

Private Golden Globes Web Site with archive of previous winners.

HFPA Site.

Official Posters for 80th Academy Awards

The Official Poster of the 80th Annual Academy Awards®

Yesterday, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences® (AMPAS®) unveiled the 80th Academy Awards poster for the Oscars®, 24 February.

This year's official Academy Awards' poster was originally conceived by Drew Struzan. For more than 30 years Struzan created some of cinema’s most memorable advertising posters, including the one-sheets for all six of George Lucas’ “Star Wars” films and, most recently, the key art for Steven Spielberg’s upcoming feature, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

The Academy's 80th Anniversary poster was executed by Struzan's son Christian, who with his creative team at XL Laboratories, Inc., designed and produced the poster for the Academy. The company has created poster art for such films as SWEET HOME ALABAMA, HELLBOY, and SIDEWAYS.

AMPAS President Sid Ganis with the original of the Struzans' poster.

Starting today, more than 50,000 posters will be distributed worldwide. The 27 x 40-inch poster is printed on premium quality, Forest Stewardship Certified paper. It is available for purchase on the Academy’s Web site (link on right sidebar), this link, or by calling 1-800-554-1814.

There will be another official poster for this historic 80th anniversary, "80 Years of Best Picture Winners," shipped in March 2008. The cost is also $25.00, and Pre-publication orders are accepted now on the same page.

The 80th Academy Awards nominations will be announced this coming Tuesday, 22 January 2008, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2007 will be presented on Sunday, 24 February 2008, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, Hollywood, CA, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Academy Foundation November Calendar

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Foundation® Calendar of Events for November (and part of December) is now online. Let's face it, the Academy is now in the business of exhibition, but the programs are unique, and their prices can't be beat. Most screenings are $5.00, and some special events are free. It doesn't get better than that.

For November they have a special reunion event and screening for ET's 25th anniversary. Some cast members will attend. His honor, director Steven Spielberg may, too. This year is also the 30th anniversary of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. No. Say it isn't so. Well, it is, and there is a special screening for it, too.

Events usually take place at one of four Academy locations: The Linwood Dunn Theater, Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Academy's Grand Lobby Gallery, or Academy Theater at Lighthouse International. The first three are in Los Angeles, and the last one in New York. All the information, plus exact locations, contact phone numbers, and methods for ordering tickets in advance are in the calendar.

So, go! There is much, much, more than mentioned here. Click the link in the title to this post and you shall fly there without having to peddle a bicycle past the moon, or shake your booty on a dance floor.