"THE KING'S SPEECH" TOPS RIVALS WITH 12 OSCAR NOMINATIONS

Still from The King's Speech

Some surprises, but not really. This year’s Oscar nominations were announced earlier today and The King’s Speech from The Weinstein Co. towers over its rivals with a total twelve nominations, including the most coveted category of Best Picture in which it will be up against nine other titles. It is considered a favourite especially in the Best Actor category based on the strength of Colin Firth’s career-best performance, but also Co-stars Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter also get recognized for their work in the Best Supporting Actor/Actress categories.

Paramount Pictures’ Western-Drama True Grit garnered an impressive ten nominations also with Jeff Bridges surprising some with a Best Actor nomination after having won that Award last year. Meanwhile, Warner Bros.’ Blockbuster Inception earned a total eight nominations, although mostly in technical categories and less for Acting. This ranks Inception as the third most nominated Film in this year’s Oscars race, alongside Sony Pictures’ The Social Network which many consider to be the frontrunner for Best Picture based on its wins in precursor ceremonies like the most recent Golden Globes.  The King's Speech however, edged it out this past weekend in the Producer's Guild Awards. 

Another title from Paramount Pictures’ The Fighter, consistently has been in the thick of it this Awards season, garnering seven nominations (three coming from its outstanding Support Cast members Amy Adams, Melissa Leo and Christian Bale). Many are wondering though whether or not the split votes between Adams and Leo will aid for True Grit’s 14 year-old Star Hailee Steinfeld, who is seen as a Dark Horse to win Best Supporting Actress in her first role ever in a Film.

2011 BAFTA NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

BAFTA Award

The British Academy of Film & Television Arts announced their 2011 Film Awards Nominees earlier today in Piccadilly. Not drawing many distinctions from those Award ceremonies held so far in the U.S., their Best Film category finalists include: Black Swan, Inception, The King’s Speech, The Social Network and True Grit. The inclusion of Inception for some might be the surprise. The King's Speech leads the way with a total 14 nominations.

For Outstanding British Film, nominees include 127 Hours, Made in Dagenham, The King’s Speech, Another Year and the more obscure Four Lions.

There were no real surprises in the Acting categories other than Melissa Leo failing to get a Best Supporting Actress nomination; instead her The Fighter co-star Amy Adams got the nod. They also considered 14 year-old Hailee Steinfeld in the Best Actress category versus Best Supporting Actress, which she has been considered for mostly here. The Academy also recognized The Town Actor Peter Postlethwaite in the Best Supporting Actor category; he hasn’t been mentioned much thus far for Oscar contention in these parts also.

The BAFTA Awards will be held February 13, 2011. Read a Full list of nominees here.

 

(Photo credit: BAFTA)

NATALIE PORTMAN WINS AT CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS

Natalie Portman at the 2010 Critics' Choice Movie Awards

Natalie Portman is winning so many Awards already for Black Swan that I've decided to coin a new term: Congratalie which has been created to save effort in congratulating Natalie Portman on her Award wins.  Portman won Best Actress last night at the 16th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards in Los Angeles and I doubt anybody would dispute her deserving this.  Garbed in a lovely Gianfranco Ferre number which helped flatter that Baby Bump, the Actress was all smiles as she was presented the Award by Kevin Spacey.

Other winners last night include Colin Firth for Best Actor, Hailee Steinfeld for Best Young Actor, a pair of wins for The Fighter in the categories of Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale) and Best Supporting Actress (Melissa Leo).  The Social Network was a big winner last night also winning top honours for Best Movie, Best Director (David Fincher) and also Best Screenplay (Aaron Sorkin).  No surprises here.  Don't forget to tune into tomorrow night's Golden Globe Awards, which air 8 PM EST on NBC.

Kevin Winters, my favourite Paparazzi took some amazing shots last night and you can see all 270+ Photos at Zimbio here.  For more highlights from the night visit the VH1 website.

(Photo credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

LEA MICHELE DENIES "TRUE GRIT" STAR HAILEE STEINFELD AN AUTOGRAPH

Hailee Steinfeld

This just breaks my heart.  I appreciate the fact that while an Entertainer is busy at work, it might not be a "good time", but honestly when there's no one else around and you have Security with you above that, an Autograph or a Photo with a Fan takes only seconds. Your making it to wherever you have to be at that moment should never come at the expense of a young Fan crying.

The tables have turned for Hailee Steinfeld, the 14 year-old Star of True Grit, a certified critical and commercial success and front runner for Best Picture this year at the Oscars.  Steinfeld was auditioning for the part of Mattie Ross (which she got eventually) on the lot of Paramount Studios, when when she had decided to ask Glee Star Lea Michele for an Autograph.  The Girl practically was ignored and told "Sorry, now's not a good time!" by Michele's Bodyguard.

TRUE GRIT (2010) - FILM REVIEW

Still from True Grit

It really did not need to be made, but The Coen Brothers have re-interpreted 1969 Western True Grit. This remake though, more closely follows Charles Portis' Novel than its predecessor zoning-in on its 14 year-old Heroine Mattie Ross, played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. Mattie is out to avenge the murder of her Father by a Traitor named Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin).

Left with none more than $320 and a Family to care for, the Girl hires the help of tough-talking, sharp-shooting Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help capture her Father's Murderer. Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) as it turns out, also is in pursuit of Tom Chaney. Despite having a bit of a challenge in persuading these two Men to aid in her cause, she manages to convince them and together they find themselves trekking through Arkansas in a dangerous guns-out fight for justice. Will Mattie be able to avenge the death of her Father or will she, Laboeuf and Rooster suffer a similar fate?

I'll admit that I am not a fan of Westerns and in a year where there have been many strong, original stories on-screen, it's easy for a Film like True Grit to be forgotten.  Everything about this Film though, feels authentic.  The Screenplay is brilliant and despite little back story being given, we somehow are left wanting to unravel the missing pieces to the murder of Mattie's Father and also understand Chaney's justification.  Chalk full of humorous and memorable one-liners, like Rooster describing Mattie's straight talking ways: "You give out very little sugar with your pronouncements", The Coen Brothers delve that one layer deeper into the Psyche. Never do they underestimate the intelligence of their audience.

Particularly engaging is Steinfeld in one of the finest breakout performances in recent memory.  The level of conviction she delivers here is breathtaking - of a maturity many years beyond her youth.  She nails the physicality and emotionality required of her role effortlessly.

WESTERN "TRUE GRIT" NOW AN OSCARS DARK HORSE

Still from True Grit

Looking more and more like a Dark Horse in the race for Best Picture at next February's Oscars, the reviews are now pouring in for The Coen Brothers' True Grit.  And they're unanimously positive and I mean unanimous.  Critical aggregate Rotten Tomatoes now has the Western at a stellar 96% on the Tomatometer.

Here's what many of the bigger names are saying about it:

Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post - "True Grit has sweep and scope and entertainment value to burn, but it's Mattie who invests even the grandest aesthetic elements with meaning."

Christy Lemire, The Associated Press - "It's sort of a screwball Western, if you will, with vivid performances and strikingly vast, picturesque vistas, the always gorgeous work of the always great Roger Deakins, the Coens' frequent cinematographer."

WHO IS HAILEE STEINFELD?

Still from True Grit

Her name is popping up everywhere of late. Hailee Steinfeld is only 13 years-old and hails from Los Angeles. Before the slew of Award nominations she has been receiving for her role as Mattie Ross in The Coen Brother’s upcoming True Grit remake, she was known mostly for roles on obscure Teen Movies and a K-Mart Television Ad. Steinfeld’s character avenges the death of her Father in the Film, which opens December 22, 2010 via Paramount Pictures. From K-Mart to the Oscars. Thus, is the American Dream.

Just these past few days, Steinfeld has received Awards for Best Supporting Actress from the Southeastern and Toronto Film Critics Associations, in addition to the Indiana Film Journalist Association. Also, she has just been nominated too for a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress and Best Young Performer. Although shut-out of a Golden Globe nomination (announced earlier today), it’s still early and we shouldn’t be surprised to see her pop-up for an Oscar nomination.

(Photo credit: Paramount Pictures)

"THE SOCIAL NETWORK" WINS BIG AT TORONTO FILM CRITICS ASSOCATION AWARDS

Still from The Social Network

No surprises here. The Toronto Film Critics Association announced their year’s best this morning and again David Fincher’s The Social Network cleaned-up. The movie based on the rise of Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, won Picture of the Year in addition to awards for Best Screenplay (Aaron Sorkin), Best Director (Fincher), Best Actor (Jesse Eisenberg) and in a bit of a shocker, Best Supporting Actor (Armie Hammer).  His co-stars Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield actually have been getting a bit more buzz so this comes as a bit of an upset.

Best Actress went to Jennifer Lawrence for her breakthrough performance in Winter’s Bone.  She also was awarded the same honour by the Los Angeles Film Critics this weekend. Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld who before this weekend was known more for her appearance on a K-Mart ad and some Teen Flicks, was Best Supporting Actress for her turn in The Coen Brothers’ True Grit – another breakthrough performance.

Runner-up for Picture of the Year was Cannes’ Palme D’or Winner Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives and also Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan.

Read more here about Toronto’s Winners.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures)