Oscar Statement from Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”)
“I’m ecstatic! Thank you to the Academy from the cast and crew here in Mumbai where the film was made and where it’s being premiered tonight. It feels like you’ve given us a billion nominations!”
Oscar Statement from Richard Jenkins (“The Visitor”)
“This nomination is such an unexpected honor and I am grateful to the Academy for the recognition. I’ve been awed by the work of my fellow nominees this year and am truly humbled to be in their company. Having been an actor for many years now, I am moved by the fact that something like this can happen at this point in my career, particularly for a film that has meant so much to me.”
Oscar Statement from Anne Hathaway
“It is such a thrill to be recognized in this category with these remarkably talented women. I was with my parents and my dog when I got the news and we were all overjoyed- although I’m not sure my dog knew what was going on. This is a great day to be an actress!”
Video of the Day: Animal Collective, “My Girls”
This is the first video from Merriwether Post Pavilion, which is in the early running for most acclaimed CD of 2008, and is certainly the most accessible release of the Collective’s career.
Oscar Nominations and a Big Snub for “The Dark Knight”
Harvey lobbies for “The Reader.” (Well, not really)
The Academy Awards will be presented Feb. 22 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Personally, I’m mightily ticked off that Christopher Nolan and “The Dark Knight” failed to receive nominations for director and best picture. My take is that Harvey pulled out all the stops for “The Reader,” which aced out Bruce Wayne.
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Gus Van Sant, Milk
BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Frozen River , Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road
Watch It! For January 21, 2009: Get “Lost”
Season 5 of “Lost” begins with an extravaganza, including a needed 7 p.m. recap and a two-hour premiere at 8 p.m. tonight on ABC, and it could not come a moment too soon. After the election supplied far more entertainment than any narrative series this fall, it seems the real TV season started this week, beginning Sunday with “Big Love” on HBO and tonight with a return to the island.
When we last visited “Lost,” the Oceanic Six were mostly miserable in their post-island existences as a result of lying about their experiences on the island and what happened to the other survivors of Oceanic 815. So now, with the help of Ben Linus (Michael Emerson), Jack (Matthew Fox) is trying to assemble the Six, most of whom aren’t speaking to him, and return to the island — which, by the way, has been moved.
Yes, the recap will definitely help. And for those with a taste for shrill novelty, there’s the Brooklyn-based (of course) duo Previously On Lost, who devote entire songs to summarizing individual episodes of the show.
“Lost” has its detractors, especially those who came in late to the party and have no patience for purposely labyrithine plotlines and red herrings, but for the rest of us, there’s no other option:
Video of the Day: The Safes, “The Sky is Falling”
Watch as puppets totally lose their cool to manic garage-punk, but beware of the loony. I swear that moustachioed one is a member of the Hives.
Random 10 for January 19, 2009
1. Calexico, “Alone Again Or.” The great Arizonan roots-rock collective does more than mere justice to the Love classic.
2. Cat Power, “Willie.”
3. Common, “They Say.”
4. Wolf Parade, “Fancy Claps.”
5. Kidz in the Hall, “Driving Down the Block.” Yes, there is a subgenre known as “hipster rap,” but it basically means anyone who isn’t pushing hardcore image. Like The Knux, KITH tends to find favor with the college crowd and exudes genuine humor, which somehow became a negative in mainstream hip-hop.
6. Animal Collective, “Grass.”
7. Forward Russia, “Nineteen.”
8. Otis Redding, “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.”
9. Belle & Sebastian, “String Bean Jean.”
10. David Bowie, “Boys Keep Swinging.” I remember this being one of the few Bowie clips MTV wouldn’t show back in its pre-mersh days, mainly because Bowie shows up in three different kinds of drag as his own backup singers. Today this is beyond tame, but it’s also proof that so much can be done with just a few hundred dollars and a brain full of ideas.
Video of the MLK Day: U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)”
This live performance from 1984 captures the power of this song when the band played it with fresh energy and enthusiasm, rather than out of a 25-year obligation. In particular, Adam Clayton is pounding the hell out of the bass line on this version. The video loses sync about 2/3 of the way through, but that’s the joy of moving old VHS recordings to digital.
Hangin’ Tough in Tulsa — Yes, Another Tulsa Concert Announcement
New Kids On The Block’s reunion hasn’t been the gold-plated return to fame they might have hoped — the hits just haven’t been coming — but it soldiers on with success at the concert level. Two decades after they forced me to give up on pop radio, Donnie Wahlberg, the Knights, Danny Wood and Joey McIntire will perform at 8 p.m. March 9 at the BOK Center in Tulsa. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. next Saturday, Jan. 24.
By the way, SMG and DCF: give OKC some action after the Ford Center gets renovated. We’re feeling like you don’t love us anymore. Not that I was looking for NKOTB to come here, but the Fleetwood Mac announcement this week hurt… me… deep… inside.
