Top 10 – Movie Queens
This day marks the Diamond Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth II which is just an incredible occasion. I therefore decided to make a top 10 list of movie queen’s we have seen over the years!
God Save The Queen!
No Strings Attached (2011) Review
Emma and Adam have known each other for years and their paths keep crossing at different stages in their life. This leads to them deciding to have a strictly physical relationship, but is that actually possible?
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits (2009) Review
An emotional drama about a woman Emilia (Portman) who after having an affair marries the man after he gets a divorce and has a hostile relationship with her stepson due to his mother’s influence.
Thor (2011) Review
The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard after dishonouring his father and sent to live among humans on Earth, without his powers!
Your Highness (2011) Review
When Prince Fabious’s bride is kidnapped, he goes on a quest to rescue her… accompanied by his lazy useless brother Thadeous. But this is no normal medieval film, it has a very funny take on those type of films. In fact it makes fun of them and itself in such a good way.
The Other Woman (2009) Poster & Trailer
Fresh off her Oscar win this film which has two titles going around originally ‘Love and Other Impossible Pursuits’ and the most recently used ‘The Other Woman’. Fresh off her Oscar win on Sunday seems to have given this film fresh hope, looks pretty good performance wise to me with an interesting storyline to go along with it. Portman certainly is woman of the moment and that is fine by me!
Oscars 2011 – Winners
The winners of the 2011 Academy Awards. The only big shock had to be Tom Hooper picking up the Best Direction Oscar for The King’s Speech ahead of big favorite David Fincher for The Social Network.
Best Picture: The King’s Speech
Best Director: Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Best Actor: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Best Original Song: We Belong Together, Toy Story 3
Best Editing: The Social Network
Best Visual Effects: Inception
Best Documentary: Inside Job
Best Live Action Short Film: God of Love
Best Documentary Short Subject: Strangers No More
Best Costume Design: Alice in Wonderland
Best Makeup: The Wolfman
Best Sound Editing: Inception
Best Sound Mixing: Inception
Best Original Score: The Social Network
Best Foreign Language Film: In A Better World
Best Original Screenplay: The King’s Speech
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Best Animated Feature Film: Toy Story 3
Best Animated Short Film: The Lost Thing
Best Cinematography: Inception
Best Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland
Oscars 2011 – Red Carpet
A trip down the red carpet before the Oscar ceremony. Often the red carpet is more important than the actually show for fashion reasons.
My favorite dress had to be Reese Witherspoons, so elegant.
Oscars 2011 – Live Blog
Live updates with my thoughts on the 2011 Oscars!
- Well I made the decision to watch E! for the red carpet coverage, which I have no idea if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Ready for the Oscar ceremony to start on Sky Movies.
- Alec Baldwin included in the opening scenes with James Franco and Anne Hathaway. Appearing in all the best picture nominees. Brilliant start!
- Ahhh Morgan Freeman making a little appearance too!
- Very clever editing Franco and Hathaway into the films!
- Hugh Jackman looked like he wanted to be back on the stage!
- Getting the parents and grandparents involved. Very funny! Especially Franco’s grandmother saying Marky Mark! Mark Wahlberg, love it!
- A look back at ‘Gone with the Wind’ the ultimate classic <3
- Tom Hanks presenting ART DIRECTION – WINNER - Alice in Wonderland
- CINEMATOGRAPHY – WINNER – Inception
- Credit given to Christopher Nolan!
- Awww Kirk Douglas! Standing ovation for him. He’s just incredible for his age. Very funny with both Franco and Hathaway. Struggling to speak bless him!
- BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – WINNER – MELISSA LEO for The Fighter
- Now for a very over the top speech . . . Or maybe not, she actually sounds very nervous. Just dropped the f-word too.
- Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis presenting. Timberlake claiming to be Banksy!
- BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM – WINNER – THE LOST THING
- BEST ANIMATED FEATURE – WINNER – Toy Story 3
- Hathaway talking about the very first Academy Awards
- Presenters Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem . . . wearing old school white tux’s.
- BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – WINNER – The Social Network – Aaron Sorkin
- BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – WINNER – The King’s Speech – David Seidler
- Oldest person to win that award, he hopes its broken quickly and often.
- Hathaway performing musical number, directed at Hugh Jackman . . . Using ‘On My Own’ from Les Mis. Franco comes on in a very pink dress. Charlie Sheen joke!
- Helen Mirren and Russell Brand presenting
- BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM – WINNER - IN A BETTER WORLD (DENMARK)
- Reese Witherspoon presenting. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – WINNER - CHRISTIAN BALE for The Fighter
- He actually sounds rather nervous with his speech, Dicky Eklund is there too
Very emotional in his speech, especially towards his wife and daughter. - Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman presenting . . . Aussie rules!
- BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – WINNER – THE SOCIAL NETWORK
- SOUND MIXING – WINNER – INCEPTION
- SOUND EDITING – WINNER – INCEPTION
Oscars 2011 – Best Actress in a Leading Role
One last look at the five women nominated for best actress in a leading role. Team Portman for this one!
Annette Bening as Nic in “The Kids Are All Right”
Bening is Nic a woman trying to balance her working life, with the family she has with her longterm partner Jules. Who have two teenage children. Her world is turned upside down when the sperm donor is back in the picture, and Jules’ infidelity. Very well acted performance (as usual) from Bening.
Nicole Kidman as Becca in “Rabbit Hole”
I have not managed to see this film, so cannot comment on the performance. Only heard good things about it!
Jennifer Lawrence as Ree in “Winter’s Bone”
Brilliant performance from the young actress, in such a difficult role. Having to overcome so much and still manage to keep her heard held high, while searching for the truth from people she should not be mixing with.
Natalie Portman as Nina in “Black Swan”
Incredibly haunting performance in a film with exactly the same feel. She really does become both the white and black swan. That is Nina’s life and she must then transfer it onto the stage, feeling the pressure from everywhere. She is a very mixed up young woman who needs help more than anything!
Michelle Williams as Cindy in “Blue Valentine”
Unfortunately I have not seen this film either, has not been released here yet. Looking forward to seeing it, when we eventually get it!
Spirit Awards 2011 – Winners
Black Swan picked up 4 Independent Spirit Awards last night, which was just fantastic to see! The film seems to have been forgotten about in the Oscar race, other than the leading role for Natalie Portman. The Spirit Awards seem to just love Aronofsky and his films.
The King’s Speech picked up another award, this time for Foreign film. Obviously no Colin Firth allowed James Franco to receive a very well deserved award for his role in 127 Hours.
Best Feature: “Black Swan”
Best Director: Darren Aronofsky, “Black Swan”
Best Screenplay: Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko, “The Kids Are All Right”
Best First Feature: “Get Low”
Best First Screenplay: Lena Dunham, “Tiny Furniture”
John Cassavetes Award: “Daddy Longlegs”
Best Female Lead: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Best Male Lead: James Franco, “127 Hours”
Best Supporting Female: Dale Dickey, “Winter’s Bone”
Best Supporting Male: John Hawkes, “Winter’s Bone”
Best Cinematography: Matthew Libatique, “Black Swan”
Best Documentary: “Exit Through the Gift Shop”
Best Foreign Film: “The King’s Speech”
Spirit Awards 2011 – Red Carpet
The Independent Spirit Awards took place tonight, some pictures from the arrivals on the red carpet.
BAFTA 2011 – Pictures
It was all about The King’s Speech last night at the BAFTA’s and it was Colin Firth’s night. Taking home the best actor BAFTA for the second year running! So pleased to see him getting award recognition now, he really does deserve it he is such a fantastic actor.
Top 10 – Anti-Valentine’s Day Films
Well let’s just say that I pretty much hate Valentine’s Day! So decided to do an anti-Valentine’s day list of films, because lets face it real life isn’t all flowers and chocolates! People get hurt and hearts are broken, so I don’t understand why we should have one day that is supposed to be when we declare our love for someone?!?! If we truly loved them wouldn’t we just randomly buy them gifts and tell them of our love whenever we felt like it?
Anyway check out the following 10 films which have made my list . . . not for the people wanting to see love in a nice way with the happily ever after ending!!!
What are your favorites?
BAFTAs 2011 Winners – The King Reigned!
It was certainly the King’s night at the BAFTAs when they picked up pretty much every award it was nominated for!
The Winners are:
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Alexandre Desplat for The King’s Speech
SHORT FILM: Until The River Runs Red
SHORT ANIMATION: The Eagleman Stag
SOUND: Inception
EDITING: The Social Network
MAKE UP & HAIR: Alice in Wonderland
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
COSTUME DESIGN: Colleen Atwood for Alice in Wonderland
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Inception
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS: Inception
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Helena Bonham Carter for The King’s Speech
OUTSTANDING DEBUT: Chris Morris for Four Lions
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM: The King’s Speech
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Geoffrey Rush in The King’s Speech
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: David Seidler for The King’s Speech
OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION: The Harry Potter Films
ANIMATED FILM: Toy Story 3
ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR: Tom Hardy
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Roger Deakins for True Grit
DIRECTOR: David Fincher for The Social Network
LEADING ACTRESS: Natalie Portman for Black Swan
LEADING ACTOR: Colin Firth for the King’s Speech
BEST FILM: The King’s Speech
FELLOWSHIP: Christopher Lee
Oscars 2011 – Luncheon
The annual Oscars Luncheon took place on Monday with a lot of the nominees showing up to be part of the event. As usual plenty of the nominee’s turned up and they had the usual photo with everyone squashed in. So squashed this year that Annette Bening had to sit on Jeff Bridges knee for the picture!
SAG Awards 2011 – Winners
Awards season really is in full swing, but it seems as though the same four actors are picking up the main awards for the films. Doesn’t even look close for the Oscars at all. I guess we could still get quite a surprise but not looking very likely. Quite a surprise for the SAG Awards has to be “The King’s Speech picking up the big award of the night for outstanding ensemble in a motion picture. Great to see a British film doing so well!
SAG Award Winner: Outstanding Ensemble In A Motion Picture
Outstanding Ensemble Motion Picture – Cast of “The King’s Speech”
SAG Awards 2011 – Red Carpet
A great thing about awards season is seeing the fashion on the red carpet. The men don’t really have much chance to really change what they are wearing but always look good in suits/tux’s. The dresses worn by the women often start trends off for everyone else!
No Strings Attached (2011) Trailer
Ok so I seem to be on a bit of a rom-com trailer mission tonight, but why do they always look like they could be pretty good in the trailers? Yes as strange as it may seem I do think this looks like it will be rather amusing throughout. Quite a relevant trailer with it being about no strings attached relationship consisting of just sex.
BAFTA 2011 – Nominations & Predictions
Here are the nominations for this years BAFTA awards with my views and predictions. I really have a feeling that The King’s Speech will sweep the awards! My favorite two films within the nominations have to be “Inception” and “Black Swan” both incredible thought-provoking films. So I shall be rooting for them. Excellent to see “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” getting some recognition!
BEST FILM |
| BLACK SWAN - Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin |
| INCEPTION - Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan |
| THE KING’S SPEECH - Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin |
| THE SOCIAL NETWORK - Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, Céan Chaffin |
| TRUE GRIT - Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen |
If “The King’s Speech” does not take this award, which I think it will do. I would love to see Inception get some recognition in awards terms as it really has been one of the most talked about films in recent times.
Golden Globes 2011
I have grown to enjoy the Golden Globes over the past few years, possibly even more than Oscars. They seem to be more relaxed and fun. Everyone seems to have a good time. This year the big talking point fell around Ricky Gervais who was hosting, some of his jokes not going down very well with the audience. This then lead to him disappearing for more than an hour from the ceremony, leading to talk that he was stopped from coming on to deliver monologue.
So the talk surrounding the Globes is that Gervais will not be asked to host the show for the third time in a row. I personally found his jokes to be rather amusing and I am not usually a massive fan of his. But I guess for the American audience Gervais’ still was a bit extreme. Best moment had to be introducing Bruce Willis as Ashton Kutcher’s dad!
My favorite speech had to be from Robert De Niro when he picked up the Cecil B. DeMille Award (lifetime achievement). He managed to mix thanking people, talking about his career with a very heart warming feel and jokes put in to even it all out. He really is something else!
Colin Firth continued his collection of awards for his performance in “The King’s Speech” and looks almost certain to pick up the Oscar next month. His speech was also just fantastic, being very funny as well. It really is brilliant to see Colin getting the recognition that he so rightly deserves.
My favorite moment had to come from Michael Douglas appearing on stage to present the Best Film (Drama) award. He received a standing ovation from everyone in the room and responded with “there has to be an easier way to get a standing ovation”. It was brilliant to see him on a stage a few days after being given the all clear from his cancer battle. Definetly the most tear jerking moment in the whole ceremony. An icon to all!
The Winners are . . .
