Best Foreign Language Movie Goes English

Actors Ulrich Muehe and Ulrich Tukur in a scene from the Oscar®-winning foreign movie THE LIVES OF OTHERS. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
When it came time for me to choose a Best Foreign Language Film, I was stumped. The winner in the too-close-to-call race was THE LIVES OF OTHERS from Germany.

As I posted 23 February, it was easy to conclude that the two front runners were THE LIVES OF OTHERS (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director, Germany), and PAN'S LABYRINTH (Guillermo del Toro, director, Mexico), order of rank undeterminable. I, like many writing about the Oscars®, found myself unable to make a decision in this category. I bemoaned I had seen neither movie. Had I seen both of them, I would have gone out on a limb and picked THE LIVES OF OTHERS. I did warn PAN'S fans that I was doubtful it would win.

Possible reasonsing for LIVES win? The Academy mandates that all Academy members casting final votes in this category must prove that they have seen all five nominees. Up until this time it was only important for members of the two evaluating committees who made the preliminary cuts to see the movies.

Let's face it, the younger members of the Academy are busy. In the main, they do not have time to view all the films in the Foreign Language category. Many are simply not interested.

That skews the votes towards the older members of the Academy. Now, knowing that, I should have gone out the limb and predicted THE LIVES OF OTHERS as the winner. I was about 90% certain that this was the way the votes would come down but, in the Oscar race, 90% is not good enough. Well, next year is another year, and since Martin Scorsese did win the Best Director Oscar, I will, God willing, be watching and evaluating this category again next year.

MEANWHILE, Daily Variety reported yesterday (Thursday), that THE LIVES OF OTHERS will be remade as an English-language movie, if the current round of plans and deal-making is successful. The team is composed of former Miramax Films chiefs Bob and Harvey Weinstein, and Oscar-winning filmmakers Sydney Pollack (OUT OF AFRICA, 1985) and Anthony Minghella (THE ENGLISH PATIENT, 1996), partners in Mirage Productions. The Weinstein brothers will develop the project through their Weinstein Co., partnering with Mirage.

According to Pollack, the partners teamed to secure the rights to do the project from the writer/director von Donnersmarck. The development team feels that this movie about wiretaps, spying, and loss of personal privacy is relevant in the lives of Americans today, and the movie deserves wider distribution than it will receive in the original German language. The remake in English will facilitate this.

LIVES is von Donnersmarck's debut movie. Oh, my. Might we possibly see this movie nominated again in the best feature motion picture category for 2008? It is possible. Keep watching the movies!

Honorary Oscars® at Gala - Morricone and Lansing

Composer-conductor Ennio Morricone, who has composed more than 300 motion picture scores over a 45-year career, was voted an Honorary Award by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last December. The Oscar statuette, was presented at the 79th Academy Awards® Gala, 25 February 2007, by Clint Eastwood for "Morricone's magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music.” Eastwood translated into English as Morricone read his acceptance speech in Italian.

Morricone has never received an Oscar, although he has earned five Academy Award nominations for original scores, DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978), THE MISSION (1986), THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987), BUGSY (1991) and MALẺNA (2000).

It was fitting for the Oscar presentation was made by Eastwood, long associated with Morricone and director Sergio Leone in the so-called "spagetti westerns." Born in Rome, Morricone was hired in 1964 by Leone and began a long collaboration with him, although Morricone's career has spanned most film genres from comedy and romance to horror.

The bulk of his work has been on Italian films, including THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY; A FISTFULL OF DOLLARS; ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA; and CINEMA PARADISO. Yet, Morricone has composed memorable scores for such international titles as BULWORTH; IN THE LINE OF FIRE; LA CAGE AUX FOLLES; and TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA. Due for a 2008 release is his current project, LENINGRAD. More about Morricone.

Also, the Board of Governors voted to honor Sherry Lansing, the former chairman of Paramount Communications Motion Picture Group, and first woman to head a major movie studio, with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Tom Cruise presented the golden statuette at the gala. The Hersholt Award is given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.

Lansing helped Dr. Armand Hammer form the nonprofit organization Stop Cancer and serves on its board. She is on the board of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation, founded to honor excellence in basic and clinical science, and is a trustee of the American Association for Cancer Research. In addition, she serves on the Citizens’ Oversight Committee of the California Institute for Stem Cell Research, on the American Red Cross Board of Governors Advisory Committee and is a trustee of the Carter Center, the human rights organization formed by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn. She also serves as a regent of the University of California.

A graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, Lansing got her feet wet in Hollywood as an actress, a career she quickly abandoned for production. She joined Talent Associates as an executive in charge of development in 1974, moving to MGM in 1975. Two years later, she became vice president in charge of production at Columbia Pictures.

She was named president of 20th Century-Fox Productions in 1980, and in 1983 formed Jaffe-Lansing Productions with Stanley Jaffe. After Jaffe was appointed president of Paramount Communications in 1990, Jaffe-Lansing Productions disbanded, and Lansing became chairman of the Motion Picture Group in 1992. Viacom became the parent company of Paramount Communications in 1993 after a hostile takeover fight with Barry Diller.

Under pressure from Viacom's Chief Executive Sumner Redstone, she resigned that position when her contract expired in 2000. While at Paramount, Lansing was responsible for the studio's biggest hit, FORREST GUMP, among others. More about Lansing.

Actors, Director, and Best Motion Picture Oscars®

ACTORS AND ACTRESSES

I apologize that I will be unable to make a more evaluative post concerning these categories. We had bad storms for over 24 hours, which cut into my time on the computer the last couple of days. Here are some of my picks. I'll justify them later, if I must. Okay?

For best performance by a lead actress in a motion picture: Helen Mirren for THE QUEEN, winner of a Golden Globe. Period.

For best performance by a lead actor in a motion picture: Forrest Whitaker, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, winner of a Golden Globe. Ditto.

For best supporting actor or actress in a motion picture: This is one I never try to call, and that's especially true this year. The Academy has the habit of picking a newcomer here and all but Cate Blanchett (NOTES ON A SCANDAL) are in that sphere in the supporting actress category. There are two nominations from BABEL, a best motion picture nominee. A win for either Adriana Barraza or Rinko Kikuchi could bode well for BABEL as best motion picture, but not necessarily. Then, there's LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE'S Abigail Breslin, the youngest nominee this year, and that gives her an edge. A win for her could bode well for a best picture win for SUNSHINE. Not to be left behind is DREAMGIRLS' Jennifer Hudson, whom many consider a shoo-in.

In the supporting actor category, look early on to see if either of the veterans Alan Arkin (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) or Mark Wahlberg (THE DEPARTED) win. A win here could bode well for either of these candidates for best motion picture, but not necessarily.

The favorite here is Eddy Murphy from DREAMGIRLS. Yet, it seems to me that he had more screen time performing than acting. We'll see. The two unknowns are Jackie Earle Haley (LITTLE CHILDREN) and Djimon Hounsou (BLOOD DIAMOND).

BEST DIRECTOR

I have seen BABEL(Alejandro González Iñárritu), THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese), and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Directors are nominated for the first two, but not for SUNSHINE. Also, the directors for LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood), and THE QUEEN (Stephen Frears) are nominated. PAN'S LABYRINTH (Guillermo del Toro) is nominated in the best foreign-language motion picture category.

I've only seen the directing in BABEL and THE DEPARTED. In my opinion, Scorsese's direction is miles above Iñárritu's. Get the bonus disk for THE DEPARTED. The interview "Scorsese on Scorsese" is not to be missed.

THE AVIATOR was not his best work but with THE DEPARTED Scorsese is back doing what he does best. This time, he's walking the Mean Streets of Boston with the Irish Goodfellows. He's my pick to win.

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) named Scorsese the Best Director for THE DEPARTED. Although Scorsese has been nominated by the Guild seven times, this is his first win. He received a lifetime achievement award in 2003. This year marks Scorsese's sixth Oscar nomination for best director, which he has never won. Fifty-one of the last 57 DGA winners have gone on to win best director Oscars, and many of the movies they directed have won best picture awards.

If Scorsese doesn't win? I may never follow the Academy Awards® again.

BEST MOTION PICTURE of 2006

By now you should know the nominees in this category. I have only seen three. Two of those were disappointments.

BABEL is too slow and contemplative for my taste. It's a good premise. A Japanese businessman gives his hunting guide from a Muslim country a high-powered rifle as a gift. The recipient sells it to a goat herder, who turns it over to his two young sons. The younger foolishly shoots at a tour bus, wounding a young American woman. This sets in motion actions that will devastates five families in four countries, including the family of the Japanese man. The moral? We are all connected on Planet Earth. However, overall, the movie doesn't jell.

I also feel that LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE doesn't jell, either. The movie is great in the beginning, but it falls apart when the family reaches its destination at the beauty pageant. The stereotypes at the event, and outlandish action of the family members during the talent competition are both over the top.

As for LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, what the heck is this film in Japanese doing being nominated in this category? Okay, they are throwing flowers at Eastwood, a favorite son. However, it is totally a foreign-language film. Can't judge this movie, or THE QUEEN, as I have seen neither.

That brings me back to THE DEPARTED, which won the DGA award. In light of not having seen all the nominated movies, I can't pick one, but I will be disappointed if either of the other four win. Can't help it. You see, I'm mainly Irish, but I have a wee bit of I-tie blood, too. I get this movie!

This category is a 52-card pickup. Toss the cards and see which one hits the floor first.

Well, it's time to prepare the snacks, chill the wine and get dressed for my party tonight. Hope everyone has a very enjoyable evening!

Songs, Scores, Performers for Tonight's Oscar® Gala

SONGS and PERFORMERS

Beyoncé, Melissa Etheridge, Jennifer Hudson, Randy Newman, Keith Robinson, Anika Noni Rose, and James Taylor are set to perform this year’s Oscar®-nominated songs on the 79th Academy Awards® show tonight, telecast producer Laura Ziskin announced late last week. In case you haven't heard, the host is Ellen DeGeneres. To read my post about DeGeneres, click my Archive for September 2006 on the right sidebar.

Three nominated songs from DREAMGIRLS will be sung. Beyoncé will sing “Listen” (music by Henry Krieger and Scott Cutler, lyric by Anne Preven). “Love You I Do” (music by Henry Krieger and lyric by Siedah Garrett) will be song by Jennifer Hudson. “Patience” (music by Henry Krieger and lyric by Willie Reale) will be sung and performed by Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson, and other cast mates.

“I Need to Wake Up” from the documentary feature AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH will be sung by Melissa Etheridge, who also wrote the music and lyric for the nominated song.

Randy Newman wrote both the music and lyric for "Our Town," nominated from the animated feature CARS, and he will perform with singer-guitarist James Taylor. Newman also composed the score for CARS.

NOMINATED SCORES

First of all, you can read about, and listen to, excerpts from all five nominated scores from the features BABEL, THE GOOD GERMAN, NOTES ON A SCANDAL, PAN'S LABYRINTH, and THE QUEEN at NPR.org. There you can also read excellent evaluations by NPR's movie-music expert Andy Trudeau. So, go there first, but please come back.

When I attended film school, two things about film scores were drummed into our heads:

1. The score should not overpower the visuals, dialog, and story. If the viewer keeps noticing it, then it is not a good score.
2. The score should stand alone as a unique musical composition, allowing it to be performed in concerts.

Based the second criteria, Gustavo Santaolalla's score for BABEL should be disqualified. I noticed it more than a few times, too. Second strike. It is unique, so that may give it some extra points.

Thomas Newman's score for THE GOOD GERMAN captures the big orchestrations in the Hollywood scores of the golden age with enough variations to ward off the copycat label. It can definitely stand alone as a composition but since I haven't seen the film, I must wonder about it being intrusive. Yes, he is the son of Alfred, the famous film-score composer, but Thomas has his own track record, including the score for AMERICAN BEAUTY.

Composer Philip Glass's score for NOTES ON A SCANDAL? Well, Philip Glass is Philip Glass, is Philip Glass, is Philip Glass. Even a rank amateur listener can discern a Glass composition. To me his music gets monotonous but Trudeau says that in NOTES Glass actually reaches moments of crescendo when there should be a crescendo to match the action of the movie. I did notice more contrast. I'm not sure I would go all the way with Trudeau's statement, "The result is a soundtrack brimming with melodic writing and a moody oboe theme." With those crescendos and melodic moments, the score is not as boring as his earlier works. Nonetheless, it is still somewhat sedate.

As to Alexandre Desplat's score for THE QUEEN, Trudeau says it is a score with many levels, which manages the movie's transitions between pomp and lightheartedness. Since I haven't seen the film, or heard much of the score, there it rests.

Trudeau says that Javier Navarette's score for PAN'S LABYRINTH, is a "rich, intimate score that walks the delicate line between fantasy and horror." Navarette has been composing in Spain for 20 years. His work is well known there and in Europe, but this is his first exposure in the U.S.

Since I have some knowledge of Spanish music and scores for Spanish movies, I've listened to some of this score, and I think the musical references in the score are excellent, especially the overarching theme of the lullaby, a rich tradition in Spanish music. I may have a bias here, but I'm going to choose this score as my favorite. I think it has an excellent chance of winning.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented tonight, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®. The Oscars® will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour red carpet arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars.”

Foreign Language Features in Oscar® Race

The nominees are:

Algeria, DAYS OF GLORY (Indigènes), Rachid Bouchareb, director.
Canada, WATER, Deepa Mehta, director.
Denmark, AFTER THE WEDDING, Susanne Bier, director.
Germany, THE LIVES OF OTHERS, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director.
Mexico, PAN'S LABYRINTH, Guillermo del Toro, director.

All of the above are set during WW II, or relate to it in some way, save one, WATER, which is the only one I have seen. Before you continue, please read my post of 2 February.

Did that? Now, you are back? Good. Proceed.

Lets look at the country list again, this time noting the countries that have received a nomination, and/or have received a win since the category began with the 29th Academy Awards in 1956:

Algeria - 3 nominations, 1 win
Canada - 3 nominations, 1 win
Denmark - 6 nominations, 2 wins
Germany - 6 nominations, 1 win
Mexico - 6 nominations, 0 wins

Just in case you are interested, the top six countries nominated have been:
France - 34 noms, 9 wins
Italy - 27 noms, 10 wins
Spain - 19 noms, 4 wins
Sweden - 14 noms, 3 wins
Japan - 11 noms, 0 wins
U.S.S.R. - 9 noms, 3 wins

Statistics aside, the front-runner in this competition is without a doubt Guillermo del Toro's PAN'S LABYRINTH. Yet, when it comes to the Academy, the voters who must see all five nominated films to vote in this category seldom favor movies with magical, or surrealistic qualities. They tend to prefer their foreign-language movies served straight-up - strong linier story, simple, emotional, nostalgic, beautifully filmed, well acted, no frills. The final choice also depends upon how many females and males vote in the final round.

PAN'S LABYRINTH (Mexico, Guillermo del Toro, coping in Franco's rural Spain, 1944, WW II.) definitely has identity problems. A.O. Scott, wrote in the New York Times that Pan's Labyrinth, ". . . is a political fable in the guise of a fairy tale. Or maybe it's the other way around. Does the moral structure of the children's story - - with its clearly marked poles of good and evil, its narrative of dispossession and vindication - - illuminate the nature of authoritarian rule? Or does the movie reveal fascism as a terrible fairy tale brought to life?"

Here's the biggest irony. A Mexican making a film about Spain with a subject that still stirs mixed emotions within Spaniards. Because I can't see this film, I can only surmise that del Toro is bringing forward the works of Buñuel, Borau, Erice, Saura, and so many others of the New Spanish Cinema.

I have seen all of their movies. Yet, none of these directors were ever honored in this category, except for Luis Buñuel. He won for his French language version of THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOSISE (1972), nominated by France. Considering more irony, despite a number of nominations, Spain first won and Oscar in this category in1982 for TO BEGIN AGAIN, ten years after that award to Buñuel for a "French" movie.

PAN'S LABYRINTH, a Mexican/Spanish/USA co-production, swept the Spanish Goya Awards. Mexico has never won a foreign language Oscar®. It is overdue. Perhaps this is Mexico's year. PAN'S LABYRINTH is also nominated for: Original screenplay (Guillermo del Toro), achievement in art direction, achievement in cinematography (Guillermo Navarro), achievement in makeup, achievement in music - original score (Javier Navarrete from Spain), 6 nominations over-all.

THE LIVES OF OTHERS (Germany, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Cold War), working with and against the East German D.D.R.'s STASI toward the end of the Cold War is considered the movie that will give PAN the biggest competition. However, neither movie won a Golden Globe. That honor went to a movie that should have been in this category for the Oscars but couldn't be, because there is no mechanism in place in the U. S. to submit a foreign language movie made by an American to the Academy. I am referring to LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, Clint Eastwood director.

Will someone found an AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CINEMATIC ARTS in the U.S.A.? In this time when the Academy is going more international, we need another Academy in the U.S. to champion U.S. movies. An Academy that equally honors various genres in American cinema, and can nominate to AMPAS® in this category. Listening, George Lucas?

But, I digress.

WATER (Canada, Deepa Mehta), a film about India, with Indian actors, in two Indian languages plus some English is the third main contender. This movie portrays the treatment of widows in India in the 1930's, 175 years after India’s former colonial rulers outlawed sati, an ancient Hindu practice whereby a widow is obligated by law to burn herself alive on her husband’s funeral pyre. There are documentations of this practice in rural areas as late as last December, but this movie does not go there. Instead, it deals with the practice of disenfranchising widows in all areas of their lives by sending them away to live in poverty under the care of Hindu nuns, or whatever they are called.

WATER's director, a female, was born in Indian but has been based in Toronto, Canada, for most of her life. She began filming in India around 2001. It was immediately shut down, the set dismantled and thrown in the Ganges River, because Hindus considered it dangerous to the Hindu religion. It was finally filmed in Sri Lanka, and is the bookend to two of her previous movies FIRE and EARTH, completing the trilogy.

This film is a long shot in this category, but it has all those things voting Academy members like: a cause, made under difficult conditions, beautiful cinematography, excellent editing, handsome actor (John Abraham) and beautiful lead actress (Lisa Ray) both of Bollywood fame, exotic locale, great love story, linier, simple, emotional, and nostalgic with a social conscience. If more women members vote in this category in the final round, its chances are enhanced.

I would vote for this one. Sorry, PAN'S fans, but I think WATER is excellent. If the votes for either of the leaders from Mexico and Germany are not overwhelming, WATER's chances are enhanced. When, and if, I see PAN, I reserve the right to amend my choice and offer a mea culpa.

As to the other two? Well, I don't know enough about either to vote for or against. They are: AFTER THE WEDDING (Denmark, Susanne Bier, after WW II), A manager of an orphanage in India is sent to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he discovers a life-altering family secret; and DAYS OF GLORY (Indigènes, Algeria, Rachid Bouchareb, WW II), Four North African men enlist in the French army to liberate that country from Nazi oppression, and to fight French discrimination.

Good luck in making your decision!

Nicholson, Streep to present at Oscars®

Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep, each holding the record for most Academy Award® nominations by actors in their respective categories, will join Oscar® winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as presenters on the 79th Academy Awards, telecast producer Laura Ziskin announced today. Also announced as presenters: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey, Jr., Greg Kinnear, Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Ken Watanabe, Naomi Watts, Gael Garcia Bernal, Emily Blunt, Catherine Deneuve, former Vice President Al Gore, James McAvoy, and Jerry Seinfeld.

Previously listed in the post of 22 February:
Ben Affleck, Jessica Biel, Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, George Clooney, Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kirsten Dunst, Will Ferrell, Jodie Foster, Eva Green, Tom Hanks, Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Diane Keaton, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Tobey Maguire, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, Rachel Weisz, Kate Winslet, and Reese Witherspoon.

Once PricewaterhouseCoopers has tabulated the votes, the winners’ names will be placed in sealed, foil-lined envelopes. Only two people at PWC will know the results before the envelopes are opened onstage Oscar Night®, Sunday, 25 February, lead partners Brad Oltmanns and Rick Rosas. 5,830 final ballots were mailed to voting members of the Academy on Wednesday, 31 January.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented this Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®. The Oscars® will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST).

The evening begins with a half-hour arrivals segment, "The Road to the Oscars®," before the start of the presentation ceremony at 5 p.m., PST. Film historian, television host, and Hollywood Reporter columnist Robert Osborne will once again serve as the Academy's red carpet celebrity greeter. Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley will be the voice of fashion, and Allyson Waterman will interview the various celebrities.

Animated and Doc Features in Oscar® Race

Animated Features -

I have seen two of the animated features nominated for an Oscar, CARS and MONSTER HOUSE. I was not impressed with MONSTER HOUSE, getting bored within the first half. If I had young children, I would not let them see it.

No offense to HAPPY FEET. I haven't seen it, so I can't judge it, but after seeing the American heart and soul contained in CARS, I think it will be the winner. It did win the Annie Award as best animated feature. At any rate, I would vote for it, and not having seen HAPPY FEET makes no difference.

Once I saw CARS, the deal was sealed. The setting is the small town of Radiator Springs on the famous old Route 66 after the Interstate has bypassed the town. As a consequence, the town sank into despair and depression. When a hot-shot race car named Lightning McQueen gets waylaid in Radiator Springs, the town cars, with McQueen's help, find a cause, which helps them gain back their self esteem through collective positive action, and they help McQueen find the true meaning of friendship and family. There's nothing more American than that!

Also, unlike the characters in MONSTER HOUSE, the cars are downright loveable. In the viewer's mind they grow almost human during the course of the movie, each one keeping "his/her" individual behavior characteristics throughout.

Documentary Features -

I have seen three out of the five documentary features nominated for an Oscar, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, JESUS CAMP, and MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY. Therefore, I can only judge these three. They all deal with strong, often controversial subjects.

The first - the environment, effects of global warming, and Al Gore. Just remember, the threat is real and it is here today! When there is no Planet Earth, there will be nothing.

The second - indoctrination of innocent children by fundamentalist evangelical Christians (here, Pentecost). Their elders use fear and other abusive tactics to warp their young minds. Child abuse in the name of relgion.

The third - the negative impact upon one Iraqi family in Baghdad during the first election after the U.S. invaded, and the gradual demise of the Sunni father's idealism as he runs for a political office, facing life-threatening odds. Filmmaker Laura Poitras actually lived with an Iraqi family for over seven months, documenting the routine and the horror of their everyday lives.

DELIVER US FROM EVIL is about sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. Sorry, seen several of these. It, too, addresses child abuse in the name of relgion.

IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS is about the situation in Iraq. I'm not sure of the time frame, or the actual subject matter, except that it contains stories from modern day Iraq as told by Iraqis living in a time of war, occupation and ethnic tension.

It behooves me as to why the Academy nominated two documentaries about Iraq. Why didn't they do as they did when confronted with two Spanish language features for the Best Foreign Movie, pick the one they thought was better? Well, it seems the Academy today is not a standout when logic is involved.

I am sure that the front runner here is AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH. I would vote for it. It is possible that those who are anti Al Gore will vote for one of the other four, but I think the Academy members on the whole support this documentary and that for which it stands. So, I think it will be the winner.

Click the movie titles to read more about these feature films.

Presenters at 79th Academy Awards®

UPDATE - 22 February - Academy Award®-winning actress Jodie Foster is slated to be an Oscar presenter, and has been added to the following.

So far, the following presenters have been announced for Sunday's gala: Ben Affleck, Jessica Biel, Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, George Clooney, Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kirsten Dunst, Will Ferrell, Jodie Foster, Eva Green, Tom Hanks, Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Diane Keaton, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Tobey Maguire, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, Rachel Weisz, Kate Winslet, and Reese Witherspoon.

See previous posts for more details about the telecast.

BERLINALE prizes awarded at jaded festival

The Bears were awarded today at the 57th International Berlin Film Festival, and some question the continued virility of the Festival. But, first, the awards:

TUYA'S MARRIAGE (Tu ya de hun shi) from China received the top prize, the Golden Bear for Best Film. It was chosen from among 22 competitors in competition at the festival by a seven-member jury led by TAXI DRIVER screenwriter Paul Schrader. The other jury members were: Hiam Abbas, Mario Adorf, Willem Dafoe, Gael García Bernal, Nansun Shi, and Malene Stensgaard.

Director Wang Quan'an's movie follows the troubles of a young farming woman in fast-changing China. It stars Yu Nan as Tuya, a herdswoman in Inner Mongolia trying to resist pressure to leave her pastures and move to the city as China's industry expands. She seeks a man who can help her look after her sick husband and two children. Director Wang Quan'an and producer Le Wang accepted the Bear. The other Chinese movie at the festival, LOST IN BEIJING (Ping Guo) and directed by Li Yu, screened too late to generate any buzz.

The Silver Bear for the Grand Jury Prize went to Argentina's EL OTRO (The Other), directed by Ariel Rotter.

Silver Bears for acting went to Argentina's Julio Chavez as Juan in EL OTRO, and Germany's Nina Hoss for her role as the heroine of the film's title, YELLA, directed by Christian Petzold.

U.S.-born Israeli director Joseph Cedar won the Silver Bear for best director for BEAUFORT, which takes place in an outpost in southern Lebanon ahead of Israel's withdrawal from that country in 2000.

The Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution 2007 was awarded to the ensemble cast of Robert D Niro's THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

French director Francois Ozon's ANGEL made its world premiere as the Festival's closing film.

As to the Festival being jaded, "Berlin film festival fails to reel in the critics," was the header for a Reuters' news release written by Mike Collett-White late in the Festival in which he quotes A. O. Scott, New York Times, as writing, "The 57th Berlinale might best be thought of as an average festival." Scott went on, to say that Berlin, once a bastion of serious cinema, has become "something bigger, more varied and perhaps less distinctive."

For instance there are critics who argue that some of the best films in Berlin this year were outside the main lineup, and wondered whether festival director Dieter Kosslick had shied away from incendiary topics. Collett-White mentions one such film, THE LARK FARM, a drama depicting the tragedy of a family almost wiped out in the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915. According to him, this could have been this year's FAHRENHEIT 9/11 at the Berlinale.

Turkey continues to deny allegations by Armenia and others that 1.5 million Armenians died in systematic genocide at Turkish hands. Critic Peter Zander of the German newspaper Die Welt (The World) wrote, "The film comes at precisely the right time -- after the murder of the Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and threats against the Turkish Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk . . . It would have been a highlight of the Berlinale, perhaps the most important film of the year. But it's not in the main section. Perhaps they wanted to avoid the big controversy. How unfortunate."

I went to the Berlinale when it was held in the summer. They moved it to February, the Berlin Wall came down, and I no longer had an appetite to attend. Also when I went, Germany was still divided. The Festival was the showcase of East German and Eastern European movies, showing at least twice as many movies as they do today. It was a fantastic opportunity to see wonderful films that I could never see in the U.S. because of State Department restrictions, and dance the night away at the U.S.S.R.'s party.

The festival has grown rapidly in recent years, now mainly spotlighting Hollywood glamour-types and art-house films. This year, they had an agreement with Sundance to feature the top movies shown at the Sundance International Film Festival and, of course, to attract the stars of those movies. I have followed this Festival since the late 1970's, and have watched the Festival's slide. I agree that it is now an average film festival. What made it unique is gone. As we approach the end of this decade, the "old gal" ain't what she used to be. Sad.

That said, the Festival this year had some films, besides the winners, from which you will hear more this year:

IRINA PALM, starring British singer and actress Marianne Faithful; Germany's YELLA; the French biopic Edith Piaf, LA VIE EN ROSE; Germany's THE COUNTERFEITERS, based on a real Nazi plot to disrupt Britain's wartime economy by flooding it with counterfeit banknotes made by Jewish craftsmen in a concentration camp; Brazilian director Cao Hamburger's THE YEAR MY PARENTS WENT ON VACATION, about the country's military dictatorship seen through the eyes of a boy; as well as two French films, WITNESSES (Andre Techine, director) about the start of the AIDS epidemic and Jacques Rivette's DON'T TOUCH THE AXE, a version of a Balzac novella.

For more, click the link for my Film Festival Page on the right sidebar, or click the title of this post.

Final Oscar® Ballots Due by 5 p.m. Tuesday

Voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are reminded the Post Office will be closed this Monday, 19 February, for Presidents Day. Since they must return their completed final Oscar ballots to PricewaterhouseCoopers before 5 p.m. Tuesday, 20 February, California voters should post them today or tomorrow. New York voters better get overnight delivery now, if they have not yet done it. Ballots received after the 5 p.m. deadline will not be counted.

I remember receiving a call, at what was then Price Waterhouse, from actor Richard Crenna the day after the ballot deadline. He said his secretary had failed to mail his ballot, he had just discovered it, and asked if he could send it by courier immediately. I told him, as politely as possible, that the deadline had passed, and there were no exceptions to the rule. He understood, just thought he would give it the old college try.

Once PricewaterhouseCoopers has tabulated the votes, the winners’ names will be placed in sealed, foil-lined envelopes. Only two people at PWC will know the results before the envelopes are opened onstage Oscar Night®, Sunday, 25 February, lead partners Brad Oltmanns and Rick Rosas. 5,830 final ballots were mailed to voting members of the Academy on Wednesday, 31 January.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented that night at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®. The Oscars® will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST).

The evening begins with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars®,” before the start of the presentation ceremony at 5 p.m., PST. Film historian, television host, and Hollywood Reporter columnist Robert Osborne will once again serve as the Academy's red carpet celebrity greeter. Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley will be the voice of fashion, and Allyson Waterman will interview the various celebrities.

Banderas' SUMMER RAIN in Berlinale

Antonio BanderasI was in Spain, including Malaga, the summer of 1978, traveling, studying and teaching Spanish Cinema for the University of Southern California (USC). It was my first time in Spain, and I was struck by the repression lingering after the death of Francisco Franco in 1975. It was everywhere. At that time, movies were concerned with two subjects: religion and sex, in that order. However, it wasn't overt sex. Everything was cloaked, including criticism of the church. Yet, they were already taking open potshots at Franco.

There was no love lost between the new King Juan Carlos and the late dictator, although Franco had picked Juan Carlos as successor. The new king was already easing Franco's fascistic fist that controlled Spanish society.

I went back three years later. Censorship had been lifted, and the order of movie themes had definitely reversed. Most of the films dealt with sexual repression. Oh, my, titillating sexual images were on display everywhere, especially in the movies.

Now, someone who was there at the same time and experiencing this enormous change has made a movie about it. SUMMER RAIN, (El Camino de los Ingleses, Spain, 2006), directed by Antonio Banderas, had its world premiere at this year's Sundance International Film Festival, and will screen at the Berlin Film Festival. RAIN is set in Malaga, Spain, in the late 1970's as Spain emerges from the almost four-decade dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

During a news conference at the Berlinale, talking about SUMMER RAIN and his life in Malaga, the AP reported that "Banderas, 46, recalled being laughed at for wanting to be an actor. 'The 70s were years in which they actually didn't allow me to dream — not only in a political context but in my family, even my friends. What I remember being in Malaga at the time, very strongly was the complex of inferiority that we had.' "

I first saw Banderas in Carlos Saura's LOS ZONCOS (The Stilts, 1984), during another time in Spain. Then, I saw MATADOR (1986) at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in 1987. I remarked to my companion, "Wow! If Banderas can speak English, he can be a huge international star." He didn't at the time, but he learned, and broke out in the U.S. market in the 1992 THE MAMBO KINGS as one of the Castillo brothers. It was his first English-language movie and in it he did it all -- act, sing and dance. Hollywood noticed!

Pedro Almodóvar is given credit for discovering Bandares. Actually, he didn't, but he gave Bandaras his first starring roles in the 1986 MATADOR and 1987 La Ley del deseo (LAW OF DESIRE). Both screened in the U.S., and were well received. In 1999, Banderas directed his first film, CRAZY IN ALABAMA, and then returned to acting in SPY KIDS and THE LEGEND OF ZORRO. With SUMMER RAIN, he returns to his Spanish roots.

This movie, based on a novel by Banderas' childhood friend Antonio Soler who also cowrote the screenplay with Banderas, follows the lives, loves and dreams of a group of teens growing up in the Mediterranean resort still impacted by fascistic repression, especially sexual repression. The cast: Victoria Abril, Alberto Amarilla,Raúl Arévalo, María Ruiz, Juan Diego, Félix Gómez, and Fran Perea.

See post of 27 January for more details about SUMMER RAIN, and click the links on the right sidebar for my Film Festival Page and Spain/Cinema page. Note: I cannot explain why the movie's English title is SUMMER RAIN when the Spanish title literally translates to THE ENGLISH ROAD. Hu-u-u-um.

Oscar's "Shorts" to Show in NYC

Prior to the 79th Academy Awards® show, New York moviegoers will have two opportunities to see all ten of this year’s Oscar®-nominated films in the Animated and Live Action Short Film categories on Saturday, 17 February.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences annual “Shorts!” program will be presented 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Academy Theater in New York City.

Robert Osborne, Hollywood Reporter columnist, host of Turner Classic Movies, and official biographer of the Academy Awards, will host. The 2006 Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film nominees are:

Short Film (Animated) and director(s) - -
“The Danish Poet," Torill Kove, director;
“Lifted,” Gary Rydstrom, director;
“The Little Matchgirl,” Roger Allers, director;
“Maestro,” Geza M. Toth, director;
“No Time for Nuts,” Chris Renaud and Michael Thurmeier, directors.

Short Film (Live Action) and director - -
“Binta and the Great Idea,” Javier Fesser, director;
“Eramos Pocos,” Borja Cobeaga, director;
“Helmer & Son,” Soren Pilmark, director;
“The Saviour,” Peter Templeman, director;
“West Bank Story,” Ari Sandel, director.

Tickets for “Shorts!” are $5 for the general public, $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. All seating is unreserved. Reserve tickets by calling 1-888-778-7575. Depending on availability, tickets may be purchased the day of the screenings. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. The Academy Theater is located at 111 East 59th Street in New York City.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars.” Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley, and Allyson Waterman will co-host. Talley will be the voice of fashion, and Waterman the main interviewer for the Oscar® red carpet arrivals segment.

Foreign Language Motion Picture Nominees

Nominees for the Best Motion Picture in a Foreign Language for 2006, listed by country with director:

Algeria, DAYS OF GLORY (Indigènes), Rachid Bouchareb;

Canada, WATER, Deepa Mehta;
Denmark, AFTER THE WEDDING, Susanne Bier;
Germany, THE LIVES OF OTHERS, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck;
Mexico, PAN'S LABYRINTH, Guillermo del Toro.


Other foreign-language movies that made the final cut for possible nomination but were not nominated, listed in alphabetical order by country with director:

France, AVENUE MONTAIGNE, Daniele Thompson;
Spain, VOLVER, Pedro Almodovar;
Switzerland, VITUAS, Fredi M. Murer;
The Netherlands, The Netherlands, BLACK BOOK, Paul Verhoeven.


Nominated Best Motion Picture in a Foreign Language for 2006, listed by title and with some detail:

AFTER THE WEDDING (Denmark, Efter brylluppet), Susanne Bier, director / co-writer A manager of an orphanage in Denmark is sent to Copenhagen, where he discovers a life-altering family secret.

DAYS OF GLORY (Algeria, Indigènes), Rachid Bouchareb, director / co-writer. During WWII, four North African men enlist in the French army to liberate that country from Nazi oppression, and to fight French discrimination.

PAN'S LABYRINTH (Mexico, El Laberinto del Fauno), Guillermo del Toro, director / writer / producer. A young girl travels with her pregnant mother to live with her mother's new husband in a rural area of northern Spain in 1944. Franco's fascist repression is at its height in Spain and the girl must come to terms with it through her imaginary world. This movie is NOT for children.

THE LIVES OF OTHERS (Germany, Das Leben der Anderson), Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director / writer). This is Von Donnersmarck's debut movie, which focuses on the horrifying, sometimes unintentionally funny former East Germany, set in the 1980s.

WATER (Canada), Deepa Mehta, director / writer. The plight of a group of widows forced into poverty at a temple in the holy city of Varanasi. It focuses on a relationship between one of the widows, who wants to escape the social restrictions imposed on widows, and a man who is from a lower caste and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi.


Mimi Comments - -

LABYRINTH reminds me of Spanish director Victor Erice's THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE, (El Espíritu de la colmena, 1973) in which two young sisters, also in Franco's rural Spain of the 1940s, set out to find the Frankenstein monster after a traveling picture show visits their small town. One sister, played by Ana Torrent in her movie debut, finds only an army deserter, despite all her fantasizing about the monster Mary Shelley created within her own imagination. The late great Fernando Fernan Gomez plays Ana's detached bee-keeping father. Actually, the entire family is never seen together, leading the viewer to speculate if the family is also imaginary. If you can, rent the DVD.

I really think this category should be called Best Motion Picture in a Foreign Language. I once had a professor in film school who constantly reminded us that film is the physical material that facilitates the process of making a motion picture so that it may be exhibited. That was before video tape, digital, or computer generated images (CGI). The award IS given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, not the Academy of Film Arts and Sciences.

Furthermore, is it necessary to attach "film" to the categories? Why not Best Animated Short, Best Animated Feature, Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, etc. The use of "film" is superfluous in all the categories except, Achievement in Film Editing. That is, if anyone actually edits using film stock anymore. Think about it.

8-)

Final Oscar® Ballots Mailed Today & Tidbits

Final ballots for the 79th Academy Awards® were mailed today to the 5,830 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Completed ballots must be returned to Pricewaterhouse-Coopers by 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 20. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Listed on the ballots are nominees in 19 Oscar® categories. Separate ballots for five Awards categories (Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, and Animated and Live Action Short Films) will be distributed after verification of mandatory member attendance at screenings.

Following the tabulation of the votes, the winners’ names will be placed in sealed envelopes to be opened on Oscar Night®, Sunday, February 25.

TIDBITS:

1 - Laura Ziskin, 79th Academy Awards® telecast producer, announced yesterday that Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley will be the voice of fashion for “Road to the Oscars®,” the Oscar red carpet arrivals segment. Talley would be one of four commentators tapped to co-host the pre-show. Talley’s comments will focus on red carpet fashions.

2 - Representing Algeria, Canada, Denmark, Germany and Mexico, five of the world’s leading filmmakers will participate in the Academy’s standing-room-only Foreign Language Film Award (FLFA) Nominees Symposium on Saturday, February 24, at 10 a.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. In addition to presenting clips from the nominated films, the two-hour event will also provide the opportunity for questions from the audience. Doors open at 9 a.m. All seating is unreserved.

Free advance tickets to the Foreign Language Film Award Nominees Symposium are necessary to secure admission. There is a two ticket per person limit. Tickets will be available beginning tomorrow, February 1st, at the Academy’s ticket office. For ticket order information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit http://www.oscars.org/events.

3 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced 15 winners of Scientific and Technical Academy Awards on 11 January, which will be presented at the Beverly Wilshire hotel on Saturday, February 10.

Awards Administration Director Rich Miller said that unlike other Academy Awards, achievements receiving Scientific and Technical Awards do not have to have been developed and introduced during 2006. “The achievement can be a device or a discovery, a formula or a method, but it must demonstrate a proven record of contributing significant value to the process of making motion pictures,” Miller said.

4 - For the 18th consecutive year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has chosen special events producer Cheryl Cecchetto to produce its annual Governors Ball, the post-telecast celebration for the 79th Academy Awards® on Sunday, February 25, 2007. Cecchetto, along with her Sequoia Productions team, will work with Governors Ball Chair Cheryl Boone Isaacs (not Pat's daughter) to manage every detail pertaining to the event, including décor, entertainment, food and personnel.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars.”

PADRE NUESTRO Wins at Sundance

PADRE NUESTRO, an immigrant saga about a Mexican teen's heartbreaking search for his father in America, received the grand-jury prize for best U.S. drama at the Sundance Film Festival. Jorge Adrian Espindola portrays the youth who sneaks into the U. S., Jesus Ochoa the father, and Armando Hernandez a conniving fellow illegal immigrant.

PADRE NUESTRO (Our Father, U.S.) is Christopher Zalla's debut film, and it follows last year's QUINCEAÑERA (Fifteenth Birthday, Brazil/ U.S., 06 - also known as Echo Park), which qualified for this year's Oscars but received no nominations. This makes two years in a row that a Mexican-immigrant tale with U.S. producing credits have won top dramatic honors.

For more about PADRE NUESTRO, see the previous post, "Banderas Film Premieres at Sundance." For more of my notes about the winners, click my Film Festival Page's link on the right sidebar.

The grand-jury award in the U.S. documentary competition went to another Latin Amercian story recounting government corruption and kidnapping in Brazil, MANDA BALA (Send a Bullet, Brazil / U.S.), directed by Jason Kohn, MANDA BALA also won the documentary cinematography prize for Heloisa Passos.

From the U.S., GRACE IS GONE, a tear-jerker movie about a father (John Cusack) who takes his young daughters on a road trip to postpone breaking the news that their Army sergeant mother has been killed in Iraq, won the audience award for favorite U.S. drama. The award is chosen by balloting among Sundance movie-goers. Writer-director James C. Strouse won the Waldo Salt screenwriting award for the movie.

For a full list of winners, click (.pdf).

Banderas Film Premieres at Sundance

SUMMER RAIN, (El Camino de los Ingleses, Spain), directed by Antonio Banderas had its world premiere at this year's Sundance International Film Festival, wrapping tonight. The film is adapted from an award-winning novel written by the director's childhood friend, Antonio Soler, who wrote the screenplay. It is a deeply personal and lyrical recreation of their generation growing up in Malaga in the late 1970s, pulsating with sexuality, resonant with poetry and song. The cast: Alberto Amarilla, María Ruiz, Raúl Arévalo, Victoria Abril, Félix Gómez, Juan Diego, and Fran Perea. In 1999, Banderas directed his first film, Crazy in Alabama, and then returned to acting in Spy Kids and The Legend of Zorro. With SUMMER RAIN, he returns to his Spanish roots.

— The film follows the lives of three young men--Miguelito, Paco, and Babirusa--each of whom must confront his past, as well as his future, while indulging in the expected pursuits of youth on the threshold of adulthood, especially, of course, love and sex. For Miguelito, the poet, this centers on one girl in particular, Luli. As each young man discovers what life's erratic fortunes have in store for him, they venture forth together, leaving their past and youthful indiscretions behind.

SUMMER RAIN also screened on the evening of 24 January as a part of SUNDANCE EN ESPAÑOL (Sundance in Spanish), which featured a collection of six Spanish Language films, selected from throughout the Festival program. Each film was selected by the Festival’s programming team and reflects a variety of Spanish speaking cultures from Spain, Mexico, Bolivia, and the U.S. The other films screened were:

BAJO JUAREZ, THE CITY DEVOURING ITS DAUGHTERS (Mexico, Alejandra Sánchez and José Antonio Cordero, directors)

— In an industrial town in Mexico near the U.S. border, hundreds of women have been sexually abused and murdered. As the body count continues to rise, a web of corruption unfolds that reaches the highest levels of Mexican society. U.S. Premiere.

COCALERO (Bolivia/Argentina, Alejandro Landes, director)

— Set against the backdrop of the Bolivian government’s attempted eradication of the coca crop and oppression of the indigenous groups that cultivate it and the American war on drugs, an Aymara Indian named Evo Morales travels through the Andes and the Amazon in jeans and sneakers, leading a historic campaign to become the first indigenous president of Bolivia. World Premiere.

LA MISMA LUNA (The Same Moon, U.S., Patricia Riggen, director, and Ligiah Villalobos, screenwriter.)

— When his grandmother dies a young Mexican boy struggles to cross the border to reunite with his beloved mother, who is working hard in Los Angeles to create a better life for the family. World Premiere.

EL BUFALO DE LA NOCHE (The Night Buffalo, Mexico, Jorge Hernandez Aldana, director. Jorge Hernandez Aldana and Guillermo Arriaga, screenwriters,) BUFALO, adapted from a novel by Guillermo Arriaga, who also co-wrote and produced the film, is best known for his longtime collaboration with director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Amores Peros, 21 Grams), and for making waves with their film BABEL at the Golden Globes this year, winning best picture and six other nominations including best screenplay. BABEL is one of the five nominees for best screenplay and best picture Oscar®. See most previous posts.

— The Night Buffalo tells the erotic tale of, Manuel a young man of 22, whose lust for beautiful women leads him down a path of deception, betrayal, and disillusionment. He lays out a plan that will drive him and his lover into an abyss of madness. World Premiere.

PADRE NUESTRO (Our Father, U.S., Christopher Zalla, director and screenwriter)

— Fleeing a criminal past, Juan hops a truck transporting illegal immigrants from Mexico to New York City, where he meets Pedro, who is seeking his long-lost father. World Premiere.

For more on Sundance, click Film Festival Page link on right sidebar.

More on DREAMGIRLS Snub and Tidbits

According to an article supplied to Yahoo! by Reuters, it turns out that the movie DREAMGIRLS, which led all the Oscar nominees with eight nominations, is a historical omission in the Best Film category. Never in the 79-year history of the awards has the film with the most nominations failed to earn a best picture nomination. Furthermore, DREAMGIRLS box office gross is second only to THE DEPARTED.

BEST FILM NOMINEES (in order of best gross, millions, as of 21 January. DREAMGIRLS, not nominated in this category is in brackets, shows where it would have ranked in the box office gross had it been):

THE DEPARTED = $121,732,446
[DREAMGIRLS = $78,669,177]
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE = $59,593,606
THE QUEEN = $35,557,521
BABEL = $23,658,420
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA = $2,442,552

BABEL received seven nominations, Mexico's PAN'S LABYRINTH (nominated in the best foreign language film category) and THE QUEEN, six each. Martin Scorsese's THE DEPARTED snared five each as did BLOOD DIAMONDS.

TIDBITS:

1 - SUNSHINE A SLEEPER? - THE DEPARTED will be re-released to theaters this Friday, 26 January. Watch for it at your local theater, if you have not seen it. The DvD will be available 13 February, so get Netfilx (link on right sidebar), and/or put it in your queue, now! I've seen it, and with DREAMGIRLS out of the running, I think DEPARTED's closest competition is THE QUEEN.

However, as I wrote in yesterday's post, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE might squeeze through and win. The article from Reuters (linked above) stated, "Rolling Stone magazine critic Peter Travers said the best picture race was now a toss-up. If Oscar voters find the Scorsese and Eastwood films too violent, THE QUEEN too British and BABEL too multilingual, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE could win. The low-budget comedy was recently named best picture by the Producers Guild of America, a group whose choices are often echoed by the Oscars."

Another however - - The Producers Guild missed the last two years. See my recent entry for Producers Guild on my Film Awards Page (link on right sidebar). Also, the article was released after I made my post and prediction.

2 - SCORSESE/EASTWOOD BEST DIRECTOR DUEL - Interesting quote in that Reuters article, "Movie pundit Tom O'Neil was quoted as having said Eastwood and his low-profile IWO JIMA -- with U.S. ticket sales of just $2.4 million -- have 'once again ambushed the Oscar race when Martin Scorsese was out front, and was now the one to beat."

I know, with what happened to DREAMGIRLS it's easy to speculate, but I think THE DEPARTED is way out front in direction compared to MILLION DOLLAR BABY and THE AVIATOR. If Scorsese does not win this year . . . well, when?

3 - STREEP'S RECORD - Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) is the sole American contender for the best actress in the leading role. Penelope Cruz (Volver) is from Spain, while the other three are Brits Kate Winslet (Little Children) and the two Dames, Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal) Helen Mirren (The Queen). This year Streep breaks her 2002 record for the most nominations for anyone with her 14th nomination this year. The DvD will be in my mailbox Friday!!

4 - MORE INTERESTING BOX OFFICE - Gross for some other films as of 21 January (in millions):

CARS (Best Animated Film ) = $244,082,982
HAPPY FEET (Best Animated Film ) = $190,695,949
MONSTER HOUSE (Best Animated Film) = $73,661,010
PAN'S LABYRINTH (Best Foreign Language Film) = $9,932,414
VOLVER (film not nominated) = $6,718,079

The 2006 Box Office Champ - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest = $423,315,812.

The Box Office Reports from: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/

No DREAMGIRLS, VOLVER

It is hard to believe that with television viewers of the Academy Awards® consistently decreasing over the past decade, the members of the Academy did not nominate DREAMGIRLS for Best Picture of 2006. What were they thinking? The awards will lose even more viewers this year because of this oversight. I have seen it, and it is an audience pleaser with a powerful message, and great music. I watched the nominations today on Good Morning America, and the first thing out of Diane Sawyers mouth was, "No DREAMGIRLS for best picture?"

DREAMGIRLS, the motion picture, is nominated for art direction, costume, sound mixing, and three original songs, "Listen," "Love You I Do," and "Patience.” Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy are nominated for best acting in supporting roles. Surely, Hudson and Murphy will each sing one of the nominated songs. That could be a tiny crumb of saving grace for the Academy's best picture snub.

Martin Scorsese vs. Clint Eastwood for best director, again? Looks that way. If Scorsese does not win this year, many will be disappointed. I have seen THE DEPARTED and Eastwood's FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS. I am rooting for THE DEPARTED to win best motion picture on the merits of the film itself, best adapted screenplay, and Scorsese is way overdue that best director nod.

I know, too, that LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA is a huge achievement, a film in Japanese with a Japanese POV made by an American director, but that film will not play in Peoria. The smaller theaters rarely show films with subtitles. BABEL screened in my area for a only a shortened booking, a few days. I missed it because of bad weather.

VOLVER. The situation here is that two excellent Spanish-language films were submitted for best foreign language film, VOLVER (Pedro Almodóvar, director) from Spain and PAN'S LABYRINTH (El Laberinto del Fauno, Guillermo del Toro, director) from Mexico. The first in Castilian Spanish and the second in South American/Mexican Spanish. Guess which is more understood in New York and L.A.?

Plus, Almodóvar has won at least two Oscars® with a number of nominations, and VOLVER is visually much the same as his other films, while del Toro's LABYRINTH is something new visually, and this is his first nomination. Two films containing the same language, in this case technically Spanish, and the Academy must choose one to nominate. They chose LABYRINTH, and I am not surprised. Of course, neither film will screen anywhere near me. I must wait for the DvD.

I think LABYRINTH will win the best foreign language film, and possibly more, because it has five other nominations: art direction, cinematography, makeup, original score and original screenplay. Penélope Cruz is nominated in the best actress in a leading role category for her performance in VOLVER but if I were betting, I would go with Helen Mirren for her performance in THE QUEEN.

Other than the three nominated films mentioned above, I think THE QUEEN will be a strong contender as best picture and in other categories. The sleeper film could be LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE because of big splits in the votes for the other four nominees. Remember CRASH and SIDEWAYS? Will it happen with SUNSHINE this year? I think it is possible. It is available on DvD and in my queue at Netflix, as are THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, CARS and MONSTER HOUSE. See Netflix link on the right sidebar.

The ABC-assisted Official Oscar Web site, http://www.oscar.com/, is now up and running. See all the nominees by category listings as well as by film. There are direct links to the films, categories, and much more, plus the printer-friendly options for the full nomination list and a handy ballot!

I will be writing more on the major categories in the days to come, but I must give a nod to Al Gore's AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH for its nomination in the best documentary category. I have seen it, and it is available on DvD. So, get it and watch it!

The Oscars® will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour red carpet arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars.”

OSCAR® POSTER FOR SALE

Dozens of the most memorable and quotable lines from motion pictures will share the 79th Academy Awards® poster canvas with Oscar. The commemorative poster features words and phrases that have become part of society’s colloquial speech.

All of the lines showcased in the poster except one are from films that have received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Picture, Writing, or both, between 1936 and 2005. (Finding the exception should be the first of many trivia contests that the Academy expects the poster to generate.)

The concept and design for the poster was created for the Academy by TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles. Photographer Albert Watson captured the Oscar statuette featured on the poster. You can read the lines, and order the poster until 12 March, by clicking the link below, or the link for the Academy (AMPAS®) on the right sidebar.

The 27x40 poster, printed on premium recycled paper, uses a black canvas and highlights the quotes in gold metallic ink, each in a distinctive typeface to reflect the movie it represents.

The poster will be available for purchase only through March 12, 2007, on the Academy’s Web site at http://www.oscars.org/publications/ or by calling 1-800-554-1814. The price is $25 per poster, which includes tax and shipping within the U.S. for up to five posters. Shipping and handling for international orders is an additional $15 for each five posters.

Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis and Academy member, plus past Oscar® nominee, Salma Hayek will preside.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment.

Nine Foreign Language Films Make Cut

Nine films will advance in the voting process in the Foreign Language Film category for the 79th Academy Awards®, 2006 Oscar®.

The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 61 eligible films qualified in the Best Foreign Language Film Category, and their ballots determined the shortlist of nine which is listed in alphabetical order by country:

Algeria, DAYS OF GLORY, Rachid Bouchareb, director.
Canada, WATER, Deepa Mehta, director.
Denmark, AFTER THE WEDDING, Susanne Bier, director.
France, AVENUE MONTAIGNE, Daniele Thompson, director.
Germany, THE LIVES OF OTHERS, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director.
Mexico, PAN'S LABYRINTH, Guillermo del Toro, director.
The Netherlands, BLACK BOOK, Paul Verhoeven, director.
Spain, VOLVER, Pedro Almodovar, director.
Switzerland, VITUS, Fredi M. Murer, director

Next, the Phase II committee, made up of ten randomly selected members from the Phase I group and joined by additional ten-member contingents in New York and Los Angeles, will view the short-listed films and select the five 2006 nominees for the category. Screenings for this group will take place from Friday, January 19, through Sunday, January 21, in both Hollywood and New York City.

Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced this coming Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Actress Salma Hayek will join Academy President Sid Ganis in announcing the nominees.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST), beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars®.”

GLOBES ALL OVER THE MAP

If you did not attend the Golden Globe awards, or watch it on television last night (January 15th), you missed one of the best award shows since the Academy Awards® last year. Beautiful people everywhere, including Lorraine Nicholson, 16, daughter of actor Jack Nicholson with Rebecca Broussard. Miss Nicholson is Miss Golden Globe this year and assisted in the ceremony.

The awards were scattered among various films and television shows. Only one person emerged as a true winner, actress Helen Mirren. She won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama - for THE QUEEN, as Elizabeth II. She also won and Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television - for her role as Elizabeth I in the series Elizabeth I. The series also won the "best" Globe for a mini-series.

BABEL won Best Motion Picture - Drama. As I expected, DREAMGIRLS won Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, plus two others. Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson won for Best Supporting Actor/Actress in a Motion Picture. Therefore, with three awards, DREAMBIRLS won the most for the night.

The Globes made history last night in regards to the awards in particular and Hollywood in general. As for the awards, this year marked the first time the Globes had a Best Animated Motion Picture category. CARS, HAPPY FEET and MONSTER HOUSE were nominated. CARS won. HAPPY FEET'S song, "The Song of the Heart" by Prince, won the Best Song.

The Globes made history last night for the Hollywood film industry in general by nominating two movies made in the U.S. in the Best Foreign Language category: Mel Gibson's APOCALYTO and Clint Eastwood's LETTERS FRM IWO JIMA, which won, from the Hollywood Foreign Press at that. A total history-making event. Will the Academy Awards nominate likewise?

Hopefully, the win by Martin Scorsese as Best Director - Motion Picture - for THE DEPARTED will hold true for the Academy Awards. Some have felt that he has been deprived of the golden statuette because he made THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, a movie the Christian Fundamental Evangelicals railed, still rail against, and one that was mainly misunderstood. Listen up, you'll. Forgiveness, already.

You can see the full list of winners and make your own analysis at the Golden Globes Official Web Site. Also, you might like to check my Film Awards Page, updated today. See link on right sidebar.

Now, I have some awards I wish to make:

1. Best Acceptance Speech - Meryl Streep, accepting Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - for THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. The runner up is Warren Beatty, accepting the honorary Cecil B. De Mille Lifetime Achievement Award.

2. Best Presentation - Tom Hanks, presenting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement to Warren Beatty. However, Hanks went a bit over the top when honoring him for having balls, which Hanks defined as artistic determination and talents.

3. Most Crude and Vulgar Acceptance - Sacha Baron Cohen, accepting the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. If he receives a nomination by AMPAS, I hope he is not allowed to repeat this performance. It was embarrassing and disgusting.

4. Most Disappointing - Apparently, neither Dame Judi Dench or Peter O'Toole attended.

Since the nomination ballots for the Academy Awards were already at PWC by last night, these awards will have no impact upon the Oscar® nominations. However, there is no doubt that many Academy members may take them into account when they vote for the final winners.

Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment.

OSCAR® BALLOTS DUE

AMPAS® members must return their completed Oscar nomination ballots by 5:00 PM tomorrow (Saturday, January 13) to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), which means Academy members must make their nomination choices before the Golden Globe winners are known. The Golden Globes will be give out January 15. See previous post about Golden Globes.

Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards® will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills.

For more, click the links on the right sidebar for Mimi's Film Awards Page, AMPAS, and IMDB's Road To the Oscars.

DOWNLOAD GOLDEN GLOBES BALLOT

The Foreign Press Association will award its 64th annual Golden Globes for film and television Monday night (15th), broadcast live (NBC) beginning at 8:00 p.m., EST. See the nominee list on the official Web site and download a ballot (.pdf) at the IMDB's Road to the Oscars. You can make your choices and mark the results.

For more click the link on the right sidebar for Mimi's Film Awards Page.

307 Feature Films Compete for Oscar®

Three-hundred-seven feature films are eligible for the Academy Award® for Best Picture of 2006. See link on right sidebar for list of films, with credits, eligible for 79th Academy Awards®.

To be eligible, feature films have until midnight, December 31, to open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days. Films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.

Also, Academy rules stipulate that a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes. It must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.

Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Oscar® Nomination Ballots in the Mail

Nomination ballots for the 79th Academy Awards® were mailed yesterday (Tuesday, December 26) to the 5,830 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS®). The Reminder List of Eligible Releases – the list of 2006 motion pictures eligible for Oscar consideration – was mailed along with the nomination ballots.

Completed ballots must be returned to PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) by 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 13, 2007, which means Academy members must make their choices before the Golden Globe winners are known. The Golden Globes will be give out January 15.

As always, ballots received at PWC after the deadline will not be counted. Nomination and final award ballots are tabulated by PWC to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are conducted with fairness and accuracy. Prior to mailing, the PWC staff administers a thorough verification process to ensure there are no duplicate ballots and that none are missing. In addition to being counted and sorted, each ballot is numbered to guarantee that it is addressed to the appropriate Academy voter.

Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars®.”

56 SONGS VIE FOR OSCAR® NOMS

UPDATED ** Nominated for a Golden Globe

Fifty-six songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures are being considered in the Original Song category for the 79th Academy Awards®. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences® (AMPAS®) will screen clips featuring each song, in random order, for voting members of the Music Branch in both Beverly Hills and New York City, Tuesday, January 16. Following the screenings, members will vote to determine which three, four, or five songs become nominees in the category.

To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film. A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film, or as the first music cue in the end credits.
Here is a list in alphabetical order of 26 motion pictures, among those submitting songs, that I think have a chance of being nominated:

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, "I Need to Wake Up"
BARNYARD, “Hillbilly Holla”
BLOOD DIAMOND, “Shine on ‘Em”
BOBBY, ** “Never Gonna Break My Faith” - Music and Lyric by Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy, Andrea Remanda.
BORAT . . ., “O Kazakhstan”
CHARLOTTE'S WEB, “Ordinary Miracle”
CARS, "Our Town" and "Real Gone"
CASINO ROYALE, “You Know My Name”
CURIOUS GEORGE, “Upside Down”
DEJA VU, “Coming Back to You”
DREAMGIRLS, “Patience," ** "Listen" - Music and Lyric by Scott Cutler, Beyoncé Knowles, Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, and “Love You I Do”
FLICKA, “My Little Girl”
GLORY ROAD, “Sweet Music”
HAPPY FEET, ** “The Song of the Heart” - Music and Lyric by Prince.
HOLLYWOOD FAMILIA (Family), "Hollywood Familia" and “Sueños” (Dreams)
HOME OF THE BRAVE, ** “Try Not to Remember” - Music and Lyric by Sheryl Crow.
IDLEWILD, “PJ & Rooster”
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, “Til the End of Time”
ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING, “Kingdom of Love”
OVER THE HEDGE, “Family of Me," Heist," and "Still”
POSEIDON, “Won’t Let You Fall”
PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, ** "A Father's Way" - Music by Chris Bruce, Seal. Lyric by Seal.
ROCKY BALBOA, “It’s a Fight”
SAVING SHILOH, “Open Your Heart”
STRANGER THAN FICTION, “The Book I Write”
THE NATIVITY STORY, “In Rosa Vernat Lilium”

Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, the awards presented Sunday, February 25, 2007.

See link on the right sidebar for AMPAS®, if you wish to view all the songs submitted. Also see link for my Film Awards Page and Film Festivals Page, if you wish to see some movie songs that have won awards so far this season.