The thing about Heath Ledger was that he was beginning to emerge as a serious actor - even hints of it showed back with his supporting role in Monster's Ball and up to his last performance (other than Joker) as Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There". But he really did have the potential to pull off daring performances - all the acclaim and accolades he got for Brokeback Mountain alone could show that - and I really thought he should won the Best Actor Oscar that year instead of just being nominated. To PandaBear, I do believe it takes an artist to form a poignant, full-fleshed character out of a 20-page source material as Ledger did in BBM. He really did pull that role off, man, and moved a lot of people with it - how is that not being an artist? And it's a shame we cannot see him do it again in the future.

So I'd put him above 'average actor' and it's always sad when talent like this is lost.

I would love to be a killer clown

Spot reserved for Tim Curry...

Man, I love how all you can think about is AUTOGRAPHS

Turkey feathers and kitsune poetry

Oh man! This is so fucked up! Like I really thought he would be like a GREAT new guy, with Brokeback Mountain and Dark Knight and all. SHIT

The Raspberry Awards (Razzies) are basically a means of making fun of all the bad movies and performances or dumb celebrities in the spotlight. Not sure if they have an actual "ceremony" but some people have collected their awards, like Tom Green for Freddy Got Fingered and Halle Berry for Catwoman.

It's usual to have all the BP contenders as recently released as that's when the studios decide to release them, just for Oscar contention, I guess.

Like uh... last year, the line-up was Babel, Letters from Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine, The Departed and The Queen and all of these were released in October or later. Babel and Little Miss Sunshine competed in various film festivals earlier in the year, though (Babel at Cannes, LMS at Sundance), but decided to release later on so they won't be forgotten when nomination ballots are sent out.

Oh, and here's the Razzie nominations too.

Worst Picture
Bratz
Daddy Day Camp
I Know Who Killed Me
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Norbit

Worst Actor
Nicolas Cage (Ghost Rider, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and Next)
Jim Carrey (The Number 23)
Cuba Gooding Jr. (Daddy Day Camp and Norbit)
Eddie Murphy (as Norbit) (Norbit)
Adam Sandler (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry)

Worst Actress
Jessica Alba (Awake, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and Good Luck Chuck)
Logan Browning, Janel Parrish, Nathalia Ramos, and Skyler Shaye (A Four For One Deal!) (Bratz)
Elisha Cuthbert (Captivity)
Diane Keaton (Because I Said So)
Lindsay Lohan (as Aubrey) (I Know Who Killed Me)
Lindsay Lohan (as Dakota) (I Know Who Killed Me)

Worst Supporting Actor
Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Carob-Bean: At Wit’s End)
Kevin James (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry)
Eddie Murphy (as Mr. Wong) (Norbit)
Rob Schneider (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry)
Jon Voight (Bratz, National Treasure 2, September Dawn, and Transformers)

Worst Supporting Actress
Jessica Biel (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and Next)
Carmen Electra (Epic Movie)
Eddie Murphy (as Rasputia) (Norbit)
Julia Ormond (I Know Who Killed Me)
Nicolette Sheridan (Code Name: The Cleaner)

Worst Screen Couple
Jessica Alba & Hayden Christensen (Awake) or Dane Cook (Good Luck Chuck) or Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer)
Any Combination of Two Totally Air-Headed Characters (Bratz)
Lindsay Lohan & Lindsay Lohan (I Know Who Killed Me)
Eddie Murphy (as Norbit) & Eddie Murphy (as Mr. Wong) or Eddie Murphy (as Rasputia) (Norbit)

Worst Remake or Rip-Off
Are We Done Yet (of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House)
Bratz (if ever there was one)
Epic Movie (of every movie it rips off)
I Know Who Killed Me (of Saw, Hostel, and The Patty Duke Show)
Who’s Your Caddy (of Caddyshack)

Worst Prequel or Sequel
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Daddy Day Camp
Evan Almighty
Hannibal Rising
Hostel: Part II

Worst Director
Dennis Dugan (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry)
Roland Jaffe (Captivity)
Brian Robbins (Norbit)
Fred Savage (Daddy Day Care)
Chris Siverston (I Know Who Killed Me)

Worst Screenplay
Daddy Day Camp
Epic Movie
I Know Who Killed Me
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Norbit

Worst Excuse For A Horror Movie
Aliens vs Predator: Requiem
Captivity
Hannibal Rising
Hostel: Part II
I Know Who Killed Me

EPIC MOVIE SNUBBED FOR BEST PICTURE IMO

So I always follow these awards races, guessing here and guessing there who would be nominated and who would be snubbed. There mightn't even be a ceremony this year because of the writer's strike. So, anyway, if anyone's interested, here are the nominations for this year's Oscars:

(winners in bold)

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

George Clooney for Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones for In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen for Eastern Promises

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchett for Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie for Away from Her
Marion Cotillard for La Vie En Rose
Laura Linney for The Savages
Ellen Page for Juno

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Casey Affleck for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman for Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook for Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson for Michael Clayton

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Cate Blanchett for I'm Not There.
Ruby Dee for American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan for Atonement
Amy Ryan for Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton for Michael Clayton

Best Achievement in Directing

Paul Thomas Anderson for There Will Be Blood
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy for Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman for Juno
Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Juno : Diablo Cody
Lars and the Real Girl : Nancy Oliver
Michael Clayton : Tony Gilroy
Ratatouille : Brad Bird
The Savages : Tamara Jenkins

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Atonement : Christopher Hampton
Away from Her : Sarah Polley
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly : Ronald Harwood
No Country for Old Men : Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
There Will Be Blood : Paul Thomas Anderson


Best Achievement in Cinematography

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford : Roger Deakins
Atonement : Seamus McGarvey
No Country for Old Men : Roger Deakins
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly : Janusz Kaminski
There Will Be Blood : Robert Elswit

Best Achievement in Editing

The Bourne Ultimatum : Christopher Rouse
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly : Juliette Welfling
Into the Wild : Jay Cassidy
No Country for Old Men : Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
There Will Be Blood : Dylan Tichenor, Tatiana S. Riegel

Best Achievement in Art Direction

American Gangster : Arthur Max
Atonement : Sarah Greenwood
The Golden Compass : Dennis Gassner
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street : Dante Ferretti
There Will Be Blood : Jack Fisk

Best Achievement in Costume Design

Across the Universe : Albert Wolsky
Atonement : Jacqueline Durran
Elizabeth: The Golden Age : Alexandra Byrne
La Vie En Rose : Marit Allen
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street : Colleen Atwood

Best Achievement in Makeup

La Vie en Rose : Didier Lavergne, Loulia Sheppard
Norbit : Rick Baker
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End : Ve Neill, Martin Samuel

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

Atonement : Dario Marianelli
Into the Wild : Michael Brook, Kaki King, Eddie Vedder
Michael Clayton : James Newton Howard
Ratatouille : Michael Giacchino
3:10 to Yuma : Marco Beltrami

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

August Rush ("Raise It Up")
Enchanted ("Happy Working Song")
Enchanted ("So Close")
Enchanted ("That's How You Know")
Once (“Falling Slowly” )

Best Achievement in Sound

The Bourne Ultimatum : Scott Millan, David Parker, Kirk Francis
No Country for Old Men : Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff, Peter F. Kurland
Ratatouille : Randy Thom, Michael Semanick, Vince Caro, Doc Kane
3:10 to Yuma
Transformers : Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, Peter J. Devlin

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

The Bourne Ultimatum : Karen M. Baker, Per Hallberg
No Country for Old Men : Skip Lievsay
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood : Matthew Wood, Christopher Scarabosio
Transformers : Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

The Golden Compass : Michael L. Fink, Susan MacLeod, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End : John Knoll, Hal T. Hickel, Charlie Gibson, John Frazier
Transformers : Scott Farrar, Shari Hanson, Russell Earl, Scott Benza

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Persepolis : Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi
Ratatouille : Brad Bird
Surf's Up : Ash Brannon, Chris Buck

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Fälscher, Die (Austria)
Beaufort (Israel)
Mongol (Kazakhstan)
Katyn (Poland)
12 (Russia)

Best Documentary, Features

No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
War Dance

Best Documentary, Short Subjects

Freeheld
Corona, La
Salim Baba
Sari's Mother

Best Short Film, Animated

Même les pigeons vont au paradis
I Met the Walrus
Madame Tutli-Putli
Moya lyubov
Peter & the Wolf

Best Short Film, Live Action

At Night
Supplente, Il
Mozart des pickpockets, Le
Tanghi argentini
The Tonto Woman

--

So, basically:

Yay:
No Country for Old Men
Coen brothers
Atonement for Best Pic (for some reason I thought it was going to be snubbed)
Javier Bardem
Paul Thomas Anderson's first directing nomination!
Viggo Mortensen!
Daniel-Day Lewis (always good)
Cate Blanchett double nomination


Bleh:
NO ZODIAC ANYWHERE
Ruby Dee for American Gangster (she had like what, 5 minutes screen-time?)
Tim Burton snub
Russell Crowe/Christian Bale snubs
Three songs from Enchanted?
Surf's Up
Academy Award nominee Norbit
3:10 to Yuma not in any major categories
Ellen Page (I dunno why, I just hate this bitch)
I actually liked The Kite Runner and was hoping that it'd turn up for something other than just Score
Diving Bell and Persepolis off Foreign Language film? Or were they ineligible for some reason?

Most Deserving, Imo:
Daniel-Day Lewis
Viggo Mortensen
Javier Bardem
Amy Ryan
Ratatouille for Best Animation/Screenplay
Bourne for Editing
Coens for No Country for Old Men
Roger Deakins double cinematography nom for No Country and Jesse James

Left this to download overnight (dial-up). I must say, if you have dial-up, leave this to download overnight... it gives you a reason to get up in the morning.

All in all, I was pretty much amazed by this and definitely worth the time. The battle system is a refreshing change from click-select-buttonmash and works effectively. The cutscenes and dialogue are top-notch (oh, and the voice acting in the intro really threw me off-guard). I'm only up to Cesspool X so far and will be playing more later! Kudos to Chef and GZ.

The average filmgoer probably wouldn't know Javier Bardem. He has mostly acted in Spanish movies like The Sea Inside and Before Night Falls. He has had a couple of minor roles in other movies too, though, like as Tom Cruise's boss in Collateral.

Wow. These are pretty neat, man. So many to watch!

*goes back to clicking links*

A big one too. Best Picture. Beat out No Country for Old Men!

Man, I still have to see a lot of them so I'll post later on. But I really liked 3:10 to Yuma, Zodiac, Eastern Promises and Ratatouille.

Here's AFI's top 10 list for 2007 (just thought I'd add this):

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD

    BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD is a film that races with the pulse of a young filmmaker, but is constructed with the depth and maturity of an American master at the top of his game. Sidney Lumet’s dark and intricate tale takes place in a world you will not want to enter, but the powerful screenplay by Kelly Masterson grabs you and won’t let go. The film is a grand opera of immorality and is staged exquisitely by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei and Albert Finney, whose performances fuse to form a diamond that sparkles with the dazzlement of dysfunction.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY

    THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERLY is a soaring cinematic achievement, one where the transportive nature of film takes us inside the mind of a paralyzed protagonist. Director Julian Schnabel astounds in his fusion of poetry, humor and profound humanity to examine the struggle from inside the mind as the character reaches for the impossible. Janusz Kaminski’s brilliant cinematography illuminates the film’s commanding point of view, visually enveloping the audience in the deeply emotional, but remarkably unsentimental screenplay by Ronald Harwood. Adapted from an extraordinary true story, the film challenges us to look into a mirror, appreciate the fragility of our own lives and marvel at the power of the mind.

INTO THE WILD

    INTO THE WILD is a vast journey across America - and deep inside oneself. Writer/director Sean Penn’s sensitive adaptation and expansive direction brilliantly captures the exuberance and idealism of youth - and the danger of pushing love away. The story lives in the eyes of Emile Hirsch, the warm smile of Catherine Keener, and the luminous spirit of Hal Holbrook. INTO THE WILD celebrates the dreamer in all of us - and the danger of dreaming alone.


JUNO

    Deep inside JUNO is the tiny but true heartbeat of American film. Director Jason Reitman has an extraordinary control of tone, shifting sympathies and a clear respect for the fully realized characters created by screenwriter Diablo Cody. The result is a surprise in almost every scene as cliches are upended and life is celebrated at every turn. Ellen Page delivers the breakthrough performance of the year - one that embodies the comedy inherent in being a misfit and the strength that comes when facing life’s biggest challenges.

KNOCKED UP

    KNOCKED UP delivers the funniest, freshest comedy of the year. Writer/director Judd Apatow stretches the boundaries of romantic comedies by introducing one of American film’s most unlikely pairings, and then brilliantly crafts a story where moment by moment, laugh by laugh - the couple embrace each other - and the audience - in a world of humor and heart. The film marks a star turn for Katherine Heigl, who lights up the screen with every smile.

MICHAEL CLAYTON

    MICHAEL CLAYTON is pulse-quickening entertainment for both the heart and mind. Driven by a screenplay that ranks among the finest in American film, Tony Gilroy’s film astounds at every turn - each word, each scene resonating beyond their literal meanings. George Clooney shines as one of the great actors of his generation, adding a dimension to his movie star persona that harkens back to the classic roles of Humphrey Bogart - still and silent, dark and deep. Extraordinary supporting roles by Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton add humor and horror to the riddles posed throughout the plot, and when the answers begin to arrive, no one is safe at the film’s surprising and spectacularly satisfying end.

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

    NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN breathes new life - and death - into the classic American western. Joel and Ethan Coen construct the film like a steel trap, one that springs and snaps with a ferocity seldom seen in the movies. The film features a killer combination of acting talent - Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem, who creates and then unleashes one of the great screen villains of our time. Driven by heart-stopping tension and pacing, the Coen Brothers’ masterful juxtaposition of savagery and innocence is a powerful tale of morality in a bleak world where a life can end with the flip of a coin.

RATATOUILLE

    RATATOUILLE is a soaring, sumptuous feast for all who love the movies. Writer/director Brad Bird continues to define himself as one of the great filmmakers of our generation, this time with the inspiring tale of a rat who aspires to be a chef. This animated gem creates environments that are so fully realized, so rich with detail, that both young and old alike will feel as though their passports have been stamped and their palates sated. At the film’s significant heart, is the relationship of artist and critic - and to celebrate their union here, AFI raises a glass of a fine French cabernet to RATATOUILLE.

THE SAVAGES

    THE SAVAGES paints an intimate portrait of America’s emotional future. Writer/director Tamara Jenkins’ richly detailed character study beautifully captures the complexity of a sibling relationship and the struggle to deal with an aging parent. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman - two of our finest actors - portray people at an awkward moment in their lives who step backward into their heart and heroism. Intelligent and entertaining, funny and yet rigorously unsentimental, THE SAVAGES places our destiny firmly in the hands of talented artists, and, ultimately, proves the power of film in bringing us all together to celebrate life.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

    THERE WILL BE BLOOD is bravura filmmaking by one of American film’s modern masters. Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic poem of savagery, optimism and obsession is a true meditation on America. The film drills down into the dark heart of capitalism, where domination, not gain, is the ultimate goal. In a career defined by transcendent performances, Daniel Day-Lewis creates a character so rich and so towering, that “Daniel Plainview” will haunt the history of film for generations to come.

Oh yah, Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead did the score, as Ragnar said. The score won a Critics Choice award and got nommed for a Golden Globe too, I think.

This movie looks terrific if you're into those tycoon epic thingies, man.

Based on the Upton Sinclair novel "Oil!", There Will Be Blood is a film produced, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. P.T. Anderson is perhaps most well known for his sprawling multi-character epics Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), as well as the quirky romance-comedy Punch Drunk Love (2002) with Adam Sandler.

Shooting began in mid-May 2006 in New Mexico and Marfa, Texas, with principal photography wrapping August 24, 2006. The film was released on December 26, 2007 in New York and Los Angeles. A sneak preview screening was held in 14 select cities on December 29, 2007. The national release is planned for January 11, 2008.


On imdb, it is described as "A story about family, greed, religion, and oil, centered around a turn-of-the-century Texas prospector (Daniel Day-Lewis) in the early days of the business."

There Will Be Blood stars Academy Award winner and three-time nominee, Daniel-Day Lewis (probably best known as Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York) and Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine). Day-Lewis has won a slew of awards so far for his performance and is even expected to take him the Best Actor Oscar. The movie itself has been nominated for Best Picture at the Golden Globes and Critics' Choice Awards. Paul Thomas Anderson has been nominated for Best Director at the DGA, one of the most prestigious awards.

I am very interested in seeing this movie as I am a fan of Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel-Day Lewis (this has to be like the most consistently good actor nowadays).


Additional Information
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movie trailer

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I blame MTV



By MTV I mean MadTV...

Yeah, these movies are pretty horrible. I didn't even see Epic Movie but Date Movie was very bad. It's from the same people who made those, right?

They're just dumb comedy, not even good dumb comedy.

First one I played was Final Fantasy VI so yah.