"THE ARTIST" WINS AT PRODUCERS GUILD AWARDS

Angelina Jolie at 23rd Annual Producers Guild Awards

The Producers Guild Awards were held earlier this evening at the Beverly Hilton, honouring the Producers behind the finest in Television and Film. The Awards are considered a major precursor to determining who might win at the Oscars. The Artist has solidified its status as the Frontrunner for Best Picture at the Oscars with its Producer Thomas Langmann winning for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures.  Nominations will be announced early Tuesday.

Other Winners tonight included:

• Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy & Peter Jackson for The Adventures of Tintin (Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Picture

• Angelina Jolie's directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey (The Stanley Kramer Award)

• Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Morton, Jeffrey Richman, Dan O’Shannon, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel & Danny Zuker for Modern Family (Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy)

• Julian Fellowes, Nigel Marchant & Gareth Neame for Downtown Abbey (Outstanding Producer of Long-form Television) 

 

See Photos from the Awards at Zimbio. View a complete list of Winners here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

"IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY": MOVIE REVIEW

Still from In the Land of Blood and Honey

Many curious eyes will be fixed upon Angelina Jolie's written and directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey. I might even go out on a limb to say that perhaps over-ambitious, she delivers ably. Set during the Bosnian War in the '90s, we see an unconventional Love Story between both Ajla (Zana Marjanović) and Danijel (Goran Kostić), held together during War and forever divided by their ethnic differences.  

Ajla, of Muslim descent, is captured and contained at a Rape Camp during the Bosnian-Serbs' Ethnic Cleansing regime.  She falls in love prior to the War with Danijel, a Serbian Soldier and subsequently one of her Captors, raising a few eyebrows among his peers and Father, Nebojsa (Rade Šerbedžija). Although Danijel vows to protect Ajla secretly, we see the impact of circumstance on their relationship as their true allegiances to one another and their beliefs are tested to the extreme by torture.  We see all sorts of horrible things happen, including the rape and humiliation of any non-Serbian Women, to their being used as Human Shields at battle - a brutal side to a Story seldom acknowledged in Hollywood.

Although In the Land of Blood and Honey struggles a bit early in its tone with a Script that reads almost too text book-like and perhaps one too many coincidences to be fully believable, Jolie masters the art of suspense and this is palpable as the Story progresses.  For much of the latter part of the Film, I was overcome with the agonizing feeling that something is terribly wrong for Ajla nor Danijel. Jolie's efforts in humanizing both sides of the complex struggle are respectable, but I for one would have gotten more from this had she explored the emotional element of Loss a bit more here.  The costs paid by Ajla and Danijel are great, including Friends and Family but do we ever get a full grasp of this?

ANGELINA JOLIE ON "60 MINUTES"

Angelina Jolie on 60 Minutes

CBS' 60 Minutes profiled Angelina Jolie earlier this evening, catching up with her in Budapest where she had filmed forthcoming directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey. Touching upon heavy subject matter, even she surprised herself by looking at topics like Rape, Genocide and War in Bosnia. "I think I'd be terrible in a Comedy", she laughs.

When asked about her Humanitarian efforts and whether or not she still has a "bad side" to her, Jolie says, "I'm still a Bad Girl.  I still have that side of me that belongs to Brad and our adventures.". Wow.

Jolie opens-up,  revealing a delicate side to her we don't always see. Marcheline Bertrand, Jolie's Mother, is credited for teaching her how to raise her own Kids. "I will never as good a Mother as she was... she was just grace incarnate, the most generous loving".  Jolie breaks down for a moment before declaring, "She's better than me."

The Oscar Winner also comments on her new-found love for directing stating, "I'd like having the spotlight on somebody else. I'd much prefer it.".  She does express fears that her Fans might not understand In the Land of Blood and Honey, but admits to being scared, "in a good way".

Watch the Profile in full below:

TRAILER: "IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY" BY ANGELINA JOLIE

Still from In the Land of Blood and Honey

"Love can change what we want,

War can change who we are."

The Trailer for Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey, looks rather intense and we shouldn’t expect any less of the Academy Award-winning Actress. The Drama takes place in the mid-90s in a war-torn Bosnia, centering around the passionate relationship between a man who oversees a Serbian Rape Camp, and also a Woman who is a Bosnian-Muslim War Victim. It appears she didn't get too ambitious, working with a modest budget and little-known Actors, but this looks like the real deal.

FilmDistrict releases in the U.S. on December 23, 2011.

Watch the Trailer in full below:

(Photo/video credit: FilmDistrict)

ANGELINA JOLIE HEADS BACK TO CAMBODIA FOR LOUIS VUITTON

Angelina Jolie for Louis Vuitton

While we're all waiting to see if her directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey will premiere at TIFF in September, Angelina Jolie, currently the face of Louis Vuitton, has the Fashion House follow her back to Cambodia where she reflects upon memories there while filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - the same country she found her eldest Son, Maddox.

Click here to watch Jolie reflect upon her experiences.  

Apparently she loves receiving Maps and Globes as gifts?  And her Children love eating Crickets?

(Photo credit: Annie Leibovitz/Louis Vuitton)

SARAH JESSICA PARKER & ANGELINA JOLIE ARE HOLLYWOOD'S HIGHEST-PAID ACTRESSES

Sarah Jessica Parker in Toronto - March 2010

Forbes Magazine has published their list of Hollywood's Highest-Paid Actresses and right at the top unsurprisingly is Angelina Jolie. Many might be shocked though also to see Sarah Jessica Parker right there alongside her in a tie with both Actresses earning $30 million between May 2010 through May 2011.

Much of Parker's success though is attributed to the big numbers which Sex and the City 2 brought in last year, with it having grossed $290 million.  She can next be seen in I Don't Know How She Does It and also New Year's Eve both out later this year.  

Jolie had to work a bit harder for her money starring in two Action Flicks last year, Salt and The Tourist.  Her directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey will be released this December.

Following Jolie and Parker are Jennifer Aniston and former list-topper Reese Witherspoon who both tied with $28 million each.  Ranking in fifth is another Highest-Paid Actress, Julia Roberts with $20 million.

To see the list in full, click here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)