`King's Speech' rules obvious batch of Oscar bait

LOS ANGELES -- This Academy Awards season seems all over but the coronation.
"The King's Speech" won top prizes over the weekend from Hollywood actors and directors, securing its standing as the film to beat at the Feb. 27 Oscars, whose winners mostly look like foregone conclusions.
Front-runners coasted to victory at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards - lead performers Colin Firth as Queen Elizabeth II's stuttering dad in "The King's Speech" and Natalie Portman as a ballerina going off her rocker in "Black Swan," plus supporting players Christian Bale as a boxer on the skids and Melissa Leo as his doting but domineering mother in "The Fighter."
"The King's Speech" also won the SAG award for overall acting ensemble. A day earlier, the film was an upset winner at the Directors Guild of America Awards, where its filmmaker Tom Hooper triumphed over David Fincher, who had been considered the favorite for "The Social Network."
While Fincher's Facebook chronicle dominated at the Golden Globes and critics' awards early in the season, momentum abruptly shifted to "The King's Speech" in barely a week.
"I'd like to thank security for letting me into the building," Firth said as he accepted his SAG trophy.
His joke points up how quickly "The King's Speech" usurped front-runner status from "The Social Network," which appeared to have a smooth ride toward a best-picture and director win at the Oscars.
he previous weekend, "The King's Speech" was a surprise recipient for the top award from the Producers Guild of America. Last Tuesday, the film led Oscar contenders with 12 nominations. The directors and actors guild honors, the last major ceremonies before the Oscars, may have sealed the deal for "The King's Speech" at Hollywood's biggest party.
Only six times in the 62-year history of the Directors Guild awards has the winner there failed to go on to claim the best-director Oscar. And whatever film claims best director at the Oscars usually takes best picture, too.
All four Screen Actors recipients preceded their wins with Golden Globes and are safe bets to pick up Oscars. Firth and Bale have appeared unbeatable almost from the moment their films began screening for critics and Hollywood insiders.
If there's room for surprises at the Oscars, it's likely in the actress categories.
Portman faces tough competition from Annette Bening as a stern lesbian mom in "The Kids Are All Right." Bening's a beloved figure in Hollywood who has been nominated for Oscars three times previously without winning, so she might have a shot.
And the supporting-actress lineup includes a dazzling performance from 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld in her screen debut as a girl who hires a boozy lawman to track her father's killer in the Western "True Grit." This is the one Oscar category where teens and preteens have shone, with past wins by 16-year-old Patty Duke ("The Miracle Worker"), 11-year-old Anna Paquin ("The Piano") and 10-year-old Tatum O'Neal ("Paper Moon").
But at age 50, Leo somehow has become a fresh-faced darling in Hollywood despite a decades-long career. She had early success on TV's "Homicide: Life on the Street" in the 1990s and now has caught a second wind at an age when many actresses find roles scarce.
Leo, an Oscar nominee two years ago for "Frozen River, was speechless for a long moment after taking the stage at the SAG Awards.
"I'm much better when I have my words written for me and somebody's costumes to put on," Leo said. "This has been an extraordinary season for me."
Predictable though the awards may be, there still was room for spontaneity Sunday night. As Bale came on stage to collect his SAG Award, his real-life counterpart - former boxer Dicky Eklund, whom he plays in "The Fighter" - popped up at his side.
Eklund's career unraveled amid drugs and crime, yet as Bale's exuberant performance makes clear, the man is an irrepressible showman.
"Thank you for living the life, and thank you for letting me play you. You're a real gentleman," Bale told Eklund. "I like you now."
The 6,000 Oscar voters probably will like Bale's Eklund, along with Firth, Portman and Leo's characters, and that grand, uplifting story "The King's Speech" lays out.
Geoffrey Rush, a supporting-actor nominee as the monarch's wily therapist in "The King's Speech," said his film showcases momentous oratory for modern audiences accustomed to pithy sound bytes. "The King's Speech" builds tension as George VI struggles to find words to inspire his countrymen on the eve of World War II.
"It's so great to hear a speech that kind of galvanizes the psyche of a country," Rush said backstage at the SAG Awards, alongside Firth and supporting-actress nominee Helena Bonham Carter, who plays the king's devoted queen.
Come Oscar night, it looks as though there will be a lot of speeches inspired by that tongue-tied king.

SAG Awards 2011: The surprises, snubs and a complete list of winners

The SAG Award Surprises

Betty White wins for best actress in a TV comedy: "Hot in Cleveland" isn't the kind of show that generally finds itself drowning in accolades. Even though we're talking about the much beloved, 89-year-old White here, it was still something of a surprise to see America's favorite grandma take the Actor instead of Jane Lynch, Tina Fey, Sofia Vergara or Edie Falco.

Natalie Portman's bleep moment: Portman's win for her performance in "Black Swan"? No surprise. The fact that she used a bad word that starts with the letter "a"? A little surprising, even if she did break it out in a nice context. ("I'd like to thank my parents, who taught me never to be an [expletive]." A relatively minor incident, but one that stood out only because the night was so [bleep]ing predictable.

"The King's Speech" wins best ensemble: Not a jaw-dropping moment but significant since the SAGs are focused on acting and not other elements of a production. Because of that, some suspected that "The Fighter" cast would triumph. But with this win, a Directors Guild victory for "King's Speech" director Tom Hooper and a Producers Guild award for best picture, the awards season momentum has officially swung toward "King's Speech" and away from "The Social Network."

The SAG Award Snubs
"Glee": Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer and the ensemble were all ignored while awards instead went to White, Alec Baldwin and the cast of "Modern Family." Lynch's loss may have been the most shocking given her track (suit) record of consistent victories.
"Mad Men": The AMC period piece has won the prize for best TV drama ensemble for the past two years. The streak was broken Sunday night, courtesy of a big win for "Boardwalk Empire."

"The Social Network": Jesse Eisenberg and the cast were overlooked in their respective categories, which means that the Facebook movie walked away empty-handed.
Feel free to vent your outrage and shock over these snubs and surprises -- or any other SAG developments -- by posting a comment. Here's the complete list of winners.

MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture: "The King's Speech"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role: Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role: Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role: Christian Bale, "The Fighter"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role: Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"


TELEVISION
Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series: "Boardwalk Empire"
Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series: "Modern Family"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series: Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series: Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland"
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries: Al Pacino, "You Don't Know Jack"
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries: Claire Danes, "Temple Grandin"

Over-the-top ending bedevils 'The Rite'

LOS ANGELES: Anthony Hopkins classes up "The Rite," as you can imagine he would most every situation. But even his otherworldly powers can only make this overly familiar demonic possession thriller engaging for so long. Despite the ads that would suggest otherwise, Hopkins is actually a supporting player here. The center of the film is Colin O'Donoghue, making his confident, impressive feature debut as Michael Kovak, an aspiring Catholic priest suffering a spiritual crisis. Following his mother's death, Michael joined his father (Rutger Hauer) in the family mortuary business. Swedish director Mikael Hafstrom ("Evil," "1408") details the painstaking process of cleaning and preparing a body for a funeral with precise, clear-eyed detail, which makes it seem even creepier. Still, Michael is obviously a caring and conscientious young man, and it makes sense that he would be interested in tending to others through the church. Trouble is, he's not sure what he believes. Michael Petroni's script, "suggested by" a novel that was "inspired by" actual events, is surprisingly reasonable and even-tempered with its discussions about the nature of faith. For a while, it is neither hyperbolic nor preachy, but open to all possibilities and levels of devotion - or lack thereof. All of this intelligent set-up, as well as the moody, atmospheric way Hafstrom takes advantage of locations in Rome and Budapest, make the over-the-top climax feel like even more of a letdown. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Michael doubts himself, but his mentor at the seminary (Toby Jones) sees the potential in him, and sends him off to Rome to study exorcisms with Hopkins' character, the infamously unorthodox Father Lucas. After witnessing the master's methods, we - like Michael - are left wondering what's real and what's just mere theatrics. (Last summer's "The Last Exorcism" daringly explored the same notion.) In the middle of purging a demon from a pregnant teen's body, Father Lucas' iPhone rings - and he takes the call. He knowingly jokes about spinning heads and pea soup. He also pulls off a little sleight of hand to assuage a troubled boy who claims he's been seeing visions of a mule with burning red eyes. Hopkins makes the character charming, almost irresistible, even as he begins to show signs that he might not be so trustworthy. "The Rite" makes its own turn - from a film that's smart and suspenseful to one that feels hackneyed and overwrought. The pregnant teen contorts her body in impossible ways and curses in languages she doesn't even know. Michael begins to wonder whether he's seeing and hearing things, which he bounces off a journalist (Alice Braga) who has befriended him while working on a piece about exorcisms. And inevitably, even old, reliable Father Lucas starts behaving, um, a little strangely. As we know from his indelible turns as Hannibal Lecter, Hopkins can be frightening enough all on his own, just standing there delivering his lines. He doesn't need any technological trickery and he certainly doesn't need his voice enhanced in any way. Hafstrom apparently didn't think so, though, and overwhelms what might have been a disturbing, final showdown between good and evil.

Brazil fashion week kicks off

SAO PAULO: Despite the arrival of some of the biggest names in the fashion and entertainment world, all eyes at the Winter 2011 fashion week that kicks off here are a new runway star: model Lea T. Representing French brand Givenchy, the Brazilian model has become a rising figure on the global fashion stage thanks to high-profile appearances on the European market in recent months. Lea T. now returns home to grace the fashion week runway for the first time as a leading figure, promising to be one of the most photographed models at the event in the hands of famed designer Alexandre Herchcovitch. Latin America's top fashion event, the 30th, twice annual Sao Paulo Fashion Week promises to showcase 31 home brands, and set the stage for next winter's collection. Among the highlights is the runway appearance walk of top model Gisele Bundchen, the Brazilian beauty who has become the world's top-paid model, who is set to show off the latest creations of the brand Colcci. Also at the event is US film star Ashton Kutcher, who arrived in the country late Thursday alongwith his actress wife Demi Moore. "I'm ready for Brazil. Is Brazil is ready for me?" Kutcher wrote on his hugely popular Twitter account ahead of his arrival here. Billionaire heiress Paris Hilton was also expected to take to the runway to model Brazilian fashion brand Triton, and singer Christina Aguilera was set to attend to promote a new clothing bearing her name. Sao Paulo, which has held the fashion week since in 1996, has emerged as a key fixture on the fashion calender, showcasing mold-breaking designs from Brazil's top fashion houses Ellus, Colcci, Maria Bonita, and leading designers such as Herchcovitch, Reinaldo Lourenco and Ronaldo Fraga. The Brazilian city's place alongside New York, Paris and Milan as a fashion capital has also demonstrated Brazil's growing economic power. Latin America's biggest economy, ranked 10th in the world, is currently expanding at nine percent on an annual basis -- almost as much as the global champion China. The event meanwhile seeks to also promote Brazil's lagging textile industry. The spring 2012 collection will arrive at Sao Paulo's second fashion week this year held in June, a perennial favorite for showcasing Brazil's famed bikini beachware.

American kills three in Lahore

LAHORE: Three people were killed when a US national opened fire on motorcycle riders and hit another with his car in an attempt to escape from the scene at Mazang Chowk on Thursday, Geo News reported. According to details, the man identified as Raymond David, reportedly a staffer of the US Consulate, opened fire at two persons ridding a motorcycle, injuring them seriously. Both the injured were shifted to Services Hospital where they were pronounced dead. Another motorcyclist was also injured when hit by the speeding car of David who was escaping from the crime scene. The injured was rushed to Services Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds during treatment. Later, the suspect was apprehended by police and taken to Old Anarkali police station. Police also recovered arms from his possession. According to SP Operation Umer Saeed, Raymond David killed motorcycle riders in self-defence. He said that a weapon was recovered from the possession of motorcyclists. People staged protest soon after the incident outside Old Anarkali Police Station and burned tyres. They demanded handing over of the accused to them. Later, Police shifted the American national to an unknown location. Police said that case has been registered against Davis. Information officer at the US Consulate refused to comment immediately on the incident.

Protesters surround presidential palace in Cairo

CAIRO: Thousands of protesters besieged presidential palace demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak spread across the capital after Friday prayers, as nationwide demonstrations entered their fourth day. Tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets in several neighbourhoods of Cairo, chanting: "The people want the ouster of the regime." Police appeared overwhelmed as protesters broke through several police barriers and defied a massive security presence, also calling on people looking out of windows to join the rallies. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters in several areas, as nationwide rallies gained momentum, moving into residential areas. The protests, which were inspired by the ground-breaking uprising in Tunisia, have sent shock waves across the region. Authorities cut most mobile phone and Internet services in an attempt to thwart the growing protests, but the April 6 movement spearheading the demonstrations vowed to keep calling for street protests.

Egypt unrest rages; web shut ahead of big protest

CAIRO: Egyptian demonstrators fought security forces into the early hours of Friday in the city of Suez, and the Internet was blocked ahead of the biggest protests yet planned against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. Emboldened by this month's revolt that toppled the authoritarian leader of Tunisia, Egyptians have staged mass protests since Tuesday. The biggest demonstrations yet are planned for Friday afternoon after weekly prayers. "This is a revolution," one 16-year-old protester said in Suez late on Thursday. "Every day we're coming back here." Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, who returned to Egypt from Vienna on Thursday, has called for Mubarak to resign and said he would join the protests on Friday. Internet access was shut down across the country shortly after midnight. Mobile phone text messaging services also appeared to be partially disabled, working only sporadically. Activists have relied on the Internet, especially social media services like Twitter and Facebook, to organise. US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said in a "tweet" message on Twitter: "We are concerned that communications services, including the Internet, social media, and even this tweet are being blocked in Egypt." A page on Facebook social networking site listed more than 30 mosques and churches where protesters were expected gather. "Egypt's Muslims and Christians will go out to fight against corruption, unemployment and oppression and absence of freedom." In Suez, which has been ground zero for some of the most violent demonstrations, police fired tear gas at protesters who hurled stones and petrol bombs into the early hours of Friday. Fires burned in the street, filling the air with smoke. The city fire station was ablaze. Waves of protesters charged towards a police station deep into the night. Demonstrators dragged away their wounded comrades into alleys. Security forces shot dead a protester in the north of the Sinai region on Thursday, bringing the death toll to five. Video images obtained by Reuters showed the man among a small group of protesters some distance from the security forces when he suddenly collapsed with a gunshot wound and was dragged away by other demonstrators. The video circulated widely on the Internet, galvanising anger. Members of the Muslim Brotherhood, including at least eight senior officials of the opposition group and its main spokesmen, were rounded up overnight. A security source said authorities had ordered a crackdown on the group. "WIPED FROM THE GLOBAL MAP" US-based Internet monitoring firm Renesys said the total shut-down of the Internet it recorded early on Friday was "unprecedented in Internet history", going far beyond measures taken during Tunisia's protests or a 2009 uprising in Iran. "Renesys observed the virtually simultaneous withdrawal of all routes to Egyptian networks in the Internet's global routing table," it said. "The Egyptian government's actions tonight have essentially wiped their country from the global map." The United States is Egypt's close ally and major donor, and has tread carefully over unrest in a country it considers a bulwark of Middle East stability. In his first comments on the unrest, President Barack Obama avoided signs of abandoning Mubarak but made clear he sympathised with demonstrators. "...I've always said to him that making sure that they are moving forward on reform -- political reform, economic reform -- is absolutely critical to the long-term well-being of Egypt," Obama said in comments broadcast on the YouTube website. "You can see these pent-up frustrations that are being displayed on the streets." ElBaradei and other opposition figures say the government exploits the Islamist opposition to justify authoritarianism. The Muslim Brotherhood has kept a low profile during the protests, although of its supporters were expected to join demonstrations on Friday. The government has accused it of planning to exploit the youth protests for its "hidden agendas", while the Brotherhood says it is being used as a scapegoat. FRUSTRATED As in many other countries across the Middle East, Egyptians are frustrated over surging prices, unemployment and an authoritarian government that tolerates little dissent. Many of them are young. Two thirds of Egypt's 80 million people are below the age of 30, and many of them have no jobs. About 40 percent of Egyptians live on less than a $2 a day. The government has urged Egyptians to act with restraint on Friday. Safwat Sherif, secretary-general of the ruling National Democratic Party, told reporters: "We hope that tomorrow's Friday prayers and its rituals happen in a quiet way that upholds the value of such rituals ... and that no one jeopardises the safety of citizens or subjects them to something they do not want." ElBaradei, 68, a former head of the UN nuclear watchdog who has campaigned for change in his native country since last year, told reporters at Cairo's airport he would take part in Friday's protests. He added: "I wish we did not have to go out on the streets to press the regime to act."

Sheen hospitalized after wild party

Actor Charlie Sheen was rushed to hospital with 'severe abdominal pains' after a night of partying.

His publicist confirmed that the 'Two and a Half Men' star had been taken in for emergency medical care, but he was not yet aware of the state of Sheen's health.

"All I can tell you is that he was taken to hospital having severe abdominal pains. I don't know any more than that," the Daily Mail quoted Stan Rosenfield as saying.

Rosenfield said Sheen had spent the morning "sleeping" inside the hospital's emergency room but could not confirm whether he was still receiving treatment.

Sheen's father, actor Martin Sheen, and mother, Janet Templeton, are said to be at his bedside while he receives treatment at the Cedars-Sinai hospital in LA.

US website TMZ claims a hospital source has told them Sheen's condition is ''serious''.

A Los Angeles City Fire Department spokesman confirmed that they had received a 911 call requesting help at the Beverly Hills address where Sheen lives.

"We had a call to dispatch at 6.35am this morning. This call came into dispatch as a medical run and we responded out there to the location," the spokesman said.

"We had one of our rescue ambulances, which has two paramedics, and we had one of our engines, which has four firefighters on board and one of our EMS commanders respond to that location.

"We transported at least one individual from that location to an area hospital," he said.

The 45-year-old actor was carried out of his Los Angeles home on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance at 7am.

TMZ claims two ''young women'' left the house at the same time the actor was carried out with a towel partially covering his face.

Neighbours told the website Sheen had thrown ''some sort of party'' on Wednesday night.

The neighbours reportedly heard women inside the actor's house singing along to Red Hot Chili Peppers songs. The party apparently went on until the early hours.

"King's Speech'"gets royal treatment at Oscars

 

"The King's Speech" reigned supreme in Hollywood on Tuesday as Oscar voters bestowed 12 nominations on the British drama, including best picture, actor and director.
The film, revolving around wartime monarch King George VI's struggle to overcome a crippling stammer, led a field packed with commercial and critical hits.
"True Grit," a Western remake about a young girl's brave quest to track down her father's killer, received 10 nominations despite performing poorly in key critics awards. The film's writers/directors/producers, Joel and Ethan Coen, accounted for three of those nominations.
The Facebook drama, "The Social Network," the early favorite during awards season, received eight nominations, tying with the groundbreaking sci-fi thriller "Inception," one of 2010's biggest movies.
All will vie for best picture, a 10-film field rounded out by "Black Swan," "The Fighter," "The Kids Are All Right," "127 Hours," "Toy Story 3" and "Winter's Bone."
Initial consensus among critics indicated a tight race for the top prize between Columbia's "Social Network" and Weinstein Co's "King's Speech," with Paramount's "True Grit" a possible spoiler.
The films' respective studios will ramp up their campaigning in the lead-up to the 83rd annual awards show on February 27. Actor Kevin Spacey, a "Social Network" executive producer, said talk of a bitter contest was "a silly conversation."
"You guys like the horse race. I enjoy the work," he told Reuters.
INDIE DRAMA 'WINTER'S BONE' SURPRISES
As in recent years there was little surprise or controversy among the leading contenders.
Perhaps the most notable omission was that of "Inception" director Christopher Nolan, despite universal acclaim for his bold vision setting a heist thriller in the subconscious.
"As any of the other people on 'Inception' will tell you, our job would not have been possible without Chris' amazing vision," said Guy Hendrix Dyas, the film's Oscar-nominated production designer.
Observers were pleasantly surprised by the four nominations for the indie film "Winter's Bone," a gritty murder-mystery that earned just $6 million during its limited release at the North American box office and is out on DVD.
Awards season favorite Colin Firth was nominated for his lead role in "The King's Speech" as the father of the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth.
His co-stars were also nominated for their supporting roles in the Weinstein Co. release: Helena Bonham Carter, as George's wife, the future Queen Mother; and Australian actor Geoffrey Rush as the king's unorthodox speech therapist.
The film's director, Tom Hooper, was one of three first-time contenders in the category, joined by David O. Russell for seven-time nominee "The Fighter" and Darren Aronofsky for five-time nominee "Black Swan."
The field was rounded out by "Social Network" director David Fincher, a previous nominee for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," and the Coens, who won three years ago for "No Country for Old Men."
A sapphic undertone pervades the best actress race where the leading contenders are Natalie Portman for her role in "Black Swan," which features an erotic coupling between ballerinas, and Annette Bening for playing a lesbian mother in "The Kids Are All Right," another arthouse movie with four nominations.
For the first time since 2001, no black actors received any nominations. But Javier Bardem became the first Spanish-language best actor nominee, for his role in the drama "Biutiful," which opens in North American theaters on Friday.
Virtually all the best picture nominees crossed over to mainstream audiences, and those still in theaters will likely receive an Oscar-related boost in business in coming weeks.
Four of the nominees are in the top 10 at the North American box office: "The King's Speech," "True Grit," "Black Swan" and "The Fighter." "The King's Speech" has been the No. 1 film in Britain for the past three weekends.

Oscar snubs: "Inception" director, Duvall, Kunis

 

The good news for "Inception" director Christopher Nolan is that he received two Oscar nominations on Tuesday.

The bad news is that he failed to score a nomination for best director, perhaps the most notable snub at an announcement generally short on major surprises.
Of course, the 40-year-old British filmmaker is no stranger to the vicissitudes of Oscar voting. He was not nominated for his previous film, "The Dark Knight," and its omission from the best picture race prompted Oscar organizers to double the pool to 10 last year in a bid to include more crowd-pleasers.
But Nolan was considered a lock for a directing nomination this year in recognition of the vision he brought to the groundbreaking heist thriller set in the subconscious.
He was also one of five nominees for the Directors Guild of America Awards, which will take place on Saturday. The other DGA nominees received Oscar nominations, and Nolan lost his Oscar slot to Joel and Ethan Coen for "True Grit."
"They must have had their reasons for those decisions. It just seems strange from my point of view, but obviously I'm biased," said Guy Hendrix Dyas, the film's Oscar-nominated production designer.
No one at Warner Bros., the film's distributor, would talk on the record. But the studio noted that Nolan did land best picture and original screenplay nominations. The film earned eight nominations overall. Nolan's only other nomination was for his "Memento" screenplay in 2001.
DUVALL, KUNIS LEFT OUT
Actors who failed to make the cut included Robert Duvall for his lead role in "Get Low" as a hermit who plans a living funeral, and Mila Kunis for her supporting role as a ballerina in "Black Swan." Both received nominations from the Screen Actors Guild Awards, which will take place on Sunday.
"To leave out Robert Duvall, who gave a career-defining performance in 'Get Low,' is nothing less than inexcusable. Not to mention inexplicable," said Robert Wilonsky, a columnist with the Dallas Observer.
Kunis, also a Golden Globe nominee, might be wondering whether it was worth the effort to lose 20 pounds in three months, and dance five hours a day for seven days a week. The regimen caused her to tear a ligament, dislocate her shoulder and vow never to put on ballerina slippers again.
Mark Wahlberg, another Golden Globe nominee, suffered an Oscar blow with "The Fighter," perhaps overshadowed by his nominated co-stars, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams. But as with Nolan, it was not all bad news. He was among the producers who received a best picture nomination for the boxing drama.
Even a Golden Globe victory is no guarantee of success. Songwriter Diane Warren, who took home the prize earlier this month for a song from the musical "Burlesque," was tuned out by the Oscars. The film's star, Cher, was not amused.
"We didn't get a nomination (for) best song! That sucks! Diane's song is so beautiful," the actress wrote on Twitter.
And then there are the movies that never made it far from the starting gate, despite their pedigree and early buzz about Oscar prospects.
All of Martin Scorsese's collaborations with Leonardo DiCaprio -- "Gangs of New York," "The Aviator," "The Departed" -- garnered best picture nominations. But "Shutter Island" broke the streak.
The psychological drama could have been a contender at last year's Oscars, but Paramount decided at the last minute to delay its release by four months to February because it did not have enough marketing money left in its 2009 budget.
The film's $41 million opening set personal bests for both the director and the actor, and critical acclaim helped make the film an early awards frontrunner.
While end-of-year releases have a better chance of Oscar success, the studio was confident that voters would still remember the film while filling out their ballots. Alas, "Shutter Island" was shut out during awards season.

Factbox:Critical reaction to Oscar nominations

Following is a summary of critical reaction to the announcement of the Oscar nominations on Tuesday. "The King's Speech" led the field with 12 nominations, followed by "True Grit" with 10, and "The Social Network" and "Inception" with eight each

"The list is remarkably broad and eminently fair. The five best leading actor performances are indisputably the five best and the same is true of the leading actresses. My predictions: Colin Firth ("The King's Speech") and Natalie Portman ("Black Swan)."
== James Lipton, host of Bravo's cable TV series Inside the Actors Studio
"How in the hell is (14-year-old "True Grit" star) Hailee Steinfeld a best supporting actress? Is there a height requirement now? You must be this tall for be nominated for a best actress award. Criminal."
== Robert Wilonsky, columnist with Dallas Observer
"It's not a surprise that ("The King's Speech") got all the nominations. I still think it will be a surprise if it wins best picture over 'Social Network'"
== Marshall Fine, Hollywood & Fine.com.
"On the basis of this showing, 'True Grit' may pass the presumed leader 'The Social Network.' My feeling is it may even out-talk the King and win for Best Picture."
== Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"Perhaps the biggest single surprise is one that was left out. Christopher Nolan NOT getting nominated for 'Inception' when some (confused) people actually thought he could be an upset winner is a shocker."
== David Poland, Movie City News
"It was really great to see "Winter's Bone" do so well (with four nominations, including best picture). That's one thing that can be great about the Oscars. It can, in good circumstances, shine a lot of light on a small movie that really deserves attention."
== Bradley Jacobs, senior movie editor at US Week

Facebook film tipped as Oscars nods unveiled

LOS ANGELES: Facebook movie "The Social Network" hopes to make more friends Tuesday when this year's Oscar nominations are to be announced, as the climax to Hollywood's annual awards season looms. But rivals vying for Academy Awards glory include British historical drama "The King's Speech," which many say could come good at the Oscars despite its disappointing Golden Globes showing earlier this month. Movies also likely in the running for Oscars awards next month include Globes winners "Black Swan" and "The Fighter," lesbian parenting film "The Kids are Alright" and the Coen brothers' update of the Western classic "True Grit." Hollywood watchers claim one of the safest Oscar bets is Colin Firth for best actor as the stammering King George VI, while Natalie Portman is tipped for best actress for her role in ballet-themed drama "Black Swan." Jeff Bridges also has a buzz behind him for what would be his second Oscar in a row for "True Grit," while actress tips include Julianne Moore and Annette Bening from "The Kids Are All Right," or Nicole Kidman for "Rabbit Hole." The best director shortlist is expected to include "Social Network" director David Fincher, Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech" and Christopher Nolan for thriller "Inception." The nominations for the Oscars, by far the most prestigious of Tinseltown's awards season, will be unveiled at 5:30 am (1330 GMT) on Tuesday, launching the final straight toward the February 27 Academy Awards show. "The Social Network" grabbed four Golden Globes, including Best Picture, on January 17, in what is traditionally seen as an indicator of success at the Academy Awards. The Facebook movie, about how Mark Zuckerberg founded the social networking site, also won best director Globe for Fincher as well as best screenplay and best score. "The King's Speech" scored only one Globe -- best actor for Firth -- while there were two for boxing movie "The Fighter" and one for "Black Swan," with Portman for best actress. But industry observers note that the British royal movie could do better at the Oscars because it is better suited to the tastes of the 6,000-plus members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The British movie, about King George VI's battle with a stammer, also got a small boost over the weekend when it won best picture award at the Producers Guild of America awards. The Los Angeles Times noted that, for the past two decades, the Producers Guild of America results have correctly forecast the Oscar best picture 13 times. "There's a good chance that 'The King's Speech' will score the most Oscar bids," said the newspaper's awards-watching correspondent, predicting as many as 11 nods for the British movie. The producers' show was the latest in a string of ceremonies that make up the annual awards season. Others still to come include the Screen Actors Guild prizes on January 30. But for insiders, the Oscars are the multi-billion-dollar industry's real deal, and much of Hollywood will therefore be up early Tuesday for the pre-dawn nominations announcement. On the eve of the Oscars nominations, nominees for Hollywood's Oscars spoof the Razzies were revealed Monday, with the "Sex and the City" sequel and the final installment of teen vampire series "Twilight" top of the flops. Jennifer Aniston, Ashton Kutcher, Robert Pattinson, Miley Cyrus and Barbra Streisand were also nominated by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, which organizes the annual salute to the worst of the worst.

'King's Speech' crowned head of Oscar nominees

BEVERLY HILLS: British historical drama "The King's Speech" was crowned the Oscar frontrunner Tuesday, earning 12 nominations for the multibillion-dollar film industry's top honors. The understated royal film starring Colin Firth as a stammering King George VI beat rivals including "True Grit" and Facebook film "The Social Network," in nods for the 83rd annual Academy Awards to be held February 27. "True Grit," the Coen brothers' take on the classic Western, garnered 10 nominations while eight each went to hi-tech thriller "Inception" and "The Social Network," which had been tipped as Oscar favorite. "Your head spins when you hear the news," Firth told the Today Show after the nominations were announced, joking that his career had gone into orbit since he was first nominated for best actor Oscar last year. "It's almost like I was fired out of a cannon this time last year and I'm still orbiting Pluto,' he joked, adding: "It's quite extraordinary." Firth's rivals on the shortlist for the best actor Oscar are Javier Bardem for "Biutiful," Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network," James Franco in "127 Hours," and Jeff Bridges in "True Grit." The British actor, who lost out to Bridges for best actor last year, joked when asked whether he would have to kneecap the "True Grit" star to prevent the same thing happening. "Something has to be done," he quipped. Best actress nods went to Annette Bening in "The Kids Are All Right," Nicole Kidman in "Rabbit Hole," Jennifer Lawrence in "Winter's Bone," Natalie Portman in "Black Swan" and Michelle Williams in "Blue Valentine." "The King's Speech" won Oscar nods for best film, three acting categories, as well as for directing, editing, musical score, art direction, cinematography, costume design, sound mixing and original screenplay. Firth, who won a Golden Globe earlier this month for his performance in the British movie, is widely tipped for a best actor at the Oscars show next month, the climax of Hollywood's annual awards season. And Helena Bonham Carter, who plays his royal wife, was nominated for best supporting actress, while Geoffrey Rush, who plays the speech therapist who helps the king, was also nominated, for best supporting actor. "That's the best thing about it, to be going together, to have the royal flush that's the most gratifying," Firth told the Today Show, The British movie's Oscars nomination success was welcomed by the Stuttering Foundation, saying the film "has brought overwhelmingly positive attention to the plight of people who stutter. "'The King's Speech' gives the stuttering community a hero who inspires and a movie that promotes understanding and acceptance of the complexities of stuttering," said its president, Jane Fraser. Facebook blockbuster "The Social Network" had been tipped to earn the most Oscar nominations, after winning four awards at the Golden Globes on January 16. But industry observers had noted that the British royal movie could do better at the Oscars because it is better suited to the tastes of the 6,000-plus members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The British movie also got a small boost over the weekend when it won best picture award at the Producers Guild of America awards. The Oscar nominations were announced by last year's supporting-actress winner Mo'Nique, joined by the Academy president Tom Sherak. The 10 films nominated for best picture Oscar were: "Black Swan," "The Fighter," "Inception," "The Kids Are All Right," "The King's Speech," "127 Hours," "The Social Network," "Toy Story 3," "True Grit," and "Winter's Bone." Nominated for best animated film -- an increasingly high-profile award as technology helps create stunning blockbuster family movies -- were "How to Train Your Dragon," "The Illusionist" and "Toy Story 3."

For stars, a film's encore happens on the red carpet

When the Academy Award nominations for Best Actress and Best Actor are announced on Tuesday, chances are good they will include an assortment of bona fide celebrities (Natalie Portman! Come on down!) and barely known ingenues (who's Jennifer Lawrence again?).
But whether the nominees are household names or virtual unknowns, one thing is certain: The Oscar ceremony, as well as the months-long campaign trail leading up to it, is likely to cement the stardom of those actors far more firmly than the movies themselves.
Consider: The 10 highest-grossing movies of 2010 were either animated family films such as "Toy Story 3" and "How to Train Your Dragon" or franchise tent poles such as "Twilight: Eclipse" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" - none of them driven by or dependent on stars to lure filmgoers.
Even movies with stars - "Iron Man 2," "Alice in Wonderland" - arguably made their millions not from the presence of Robert Downey Jr. or Johnny Depp alone but thanks to their pre-sold stories and special effects. "Inception" wasn't a Leonardo DiCaprio movie as much as a trippy mind journey by the guy who directed "The Dark Knight."
Meanwhile, such mainstream star vehicles as "The Tourist," "How Do You Know" and the Russell Crowe movies "Robin Hood" and "The Next Three Days" underperformed at the box office, proving like "Duplicity" and "State of Play" before them that stars can no longer be counted on to put tushies in seats simply by virtue of their high-wattage presence.
Chances are fair to certain that no one from those movies will hear their names called Tuesday morning. Instead, if and when Portman is nominated, it will be for "Black Swan," a lurid, visually stunning backstage melodrama-cum-horror film. Should Annette Bening receive a nod, it will be for the small-scale family comedy "The Kids Are All Right." Lawrence, widely favored to be this year's newcomer pick, will be recognized for her assured breakout performance in the tiny "Winter's Bone." If Christian Bale receives his first-ever nomination, it will not be for playing Batman, but for playing a scrappy crack addict in the equally lean and mean drama "The Fighter." If Nicole Kidman receives her third invitation to the big dance, it won't be for an animated film like her biggest box-office hit ("Happy Feet") or the budget-busting extravaganza "Australia," but for the character-driven domestic drama "Rabbit Hole."
All of these movies had modest budgets, and most are well on their way to recouping those budgets in multiples at the box office. Still, compared to the "Despicable Me's" and "Avatars" of the world, a relatively small number of people will have seen them even if they do make money.
With fewer people actually watching them in movies, stars are increasingly deploying their fame, glamour and mass appeal not on-screen but during awards season, the culmination of which is the Academy Awards ceremony itself. For the past few months, Portman, Bale, Michelle Williams and Colin Firth have dutifully shown up at critics' dinners, guild events, Academy lunches and even the ad hoc Friars Club Roast that was this year's Golden Globes, looking their best, giving gracious speeches and exuding the kind of star power that, in movies at least, seems to be on the wane. By the time the Oscars roll around, they've enjoyed months of visibility and press attention that solidify their importance in an entertainment culture increasingly oriented toward special effects, animation and un-star-driven franchises.
And, as this year's crop of likely nominees aptly illustrates, stars are still important, at least to the small films that leverage awards season to gain traction in a crowded market. "Repeat after me," Variety executive editor Steven Gaydos recently commented in the online column Hollywood Elsewhere. "Awards season exists to give movies that don't cost $200 million to make and $100 million to market a chance to recoup, so more of the movies that don't cost $200 million to make and $100 million to market can get made. It's called 'specialty film marketing.' "
Such likely Oscar nominees as "Black Swan," "The Fighter," "The King's Speech," "True Grit" and "The Kids Are All Right" - as well as outliers such as "Rabbit Hole" and "Blue Valentine" - were all made for budgets well south of $100 million. And all have earned back - and sometimes multiplied - their modest-to-minuscule budgets, largely thanks to their stars' game attendance at a succession of press interviews and awards ceremonies. In return, the actors get to do challenging work in substantive movies - and show Hollywood and fans at home that they still matter.
That exchange has led more actors to consider doing the kind of small, low-budget movies they once would have struggled to leave behind them like bad waitressing jobs. "Where historically it's been a challenge to get people to read for indie movies with newer directors, now there's a real willingness," UTA talent agent David Flynn recently told the Hollywood Reporter. Actors see the kind of leverage Lawrence gets from "Winter's Bone" or Williams and Ryan Gosling get from "Blue Valentine," and "more than ever actors are telling [their agents], 'I want to do that,' " he said.
Gaydos points to "The Town" as precisely the kind of film that illustrates how awards season can help mint a star or reinvent a working actor as one. "Jeremy Renner spent dozens of years toiling in forgettable movies and on TV," he says. "Then he did a little specialty film called 'The Hurt Locker' [for which he was nominated for an Oscar] and backed it up with 'The Town.' Now he's doing 'Mission: Impossible.' " Similarly, Lawrence has already signed on to play Mystique in the upcoming "X-Men: First Class," and recent indie "it" girl Greta Gerwig can currently be seen in the mainstream comedy "No Strings Attached" alongside Ashton Kutcher.
"I think actors have got to do both, if they're smart," says Bob Berney, president of distribution for the studio FilmDistrict and a longtime specialty film marketer. With studios making fewer films and hiring fewer stars in the ones they do make, he says, "there's not the constant, continuing [trend of a] bigger and bigger payday. You've got to alternate."
If this year's favorite to win the Supporting Actor Oscar winds up with a statue in hand on Feb. 27, that approach can hereafter be known as the Christian Bale Career Plan.

King's Speech’ reigns with Producers Guild award

CALIFORNIA: "The King's Speech" won best-produced film from the Producers Guild of America on Saturday, a regal boost to its Oscar aspirations in an awards season so far swept by "The Social Network." The producers of "King's Speech" -- Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin -- said they thought they were "the last guys in the running" among the 10 nominees for the top Producers award, which comes just before Tuesday's Oscar nominations. The drama depicts the struggles of the stammering British King George VI, played by Colin Firth, and his unlikely savior of a speech therapist. Firth won best actor at the Golden Globes a week ago, but his film did not fare as well there. The Facebook founding saga "Social Network" took home four Globes, including best dramatic film and best director, and has won several of the critics and industry awards this season. While "The King's Speech" has also made several best movie lists among critics, the Weinstein Company-backed film has not been considered a front-runner. It was not even nominated by the Writers Guild of America for its awards this season. Other films in contention for the best-produced movie of the year were "Black Swan," "The Fighter" and "Toy Story 3," which won best-produced animated film.

Natalie Portman romantic comedy leads box office

Natalie Portman, already riding high during awards season with "Black Swan," took the No. 1 spot at the North American box office on Sunday for the first time in five years with her romantic comedy debut

"No Strings Attached," in which she co-stars with Ashton Kutcher, sold about $20.3 million worth of tickets across the United States and Canada during the three days beginning January 21, distributor Paramount Pictures said.The opening exceeded the modest expectations of the Viacom Inc unit, which said the film cost just $25 million to make. Portman and Kutcher play friends who enter into a sexual relationship with the titular proviso. Complications ensue.
Paramount said women accounted for 70 percent of the audience, and patrons aged under 25 gave it the best reviews in exit polls. Paramount said it was impossible to tell how the "Black Swan" buzz helped, but "everything helps," noted the studio's distribution president Don Harris.
The film was directed by "Ghostbusters" veteran Ivan Reitman who has not had a big hit since "Six Days, Seven Nights" in 1998. Kutcher's last big movie was "What Happens in Vegas," a 2008 romantic comedy with Cameron Diaz. Portman, 29, last led the box office in March 2006 when the thriller "V For Vendetta" grossed $26 million during its first weekend.

OSCAR PICS IN FOCUS
Last weekend's champion, Columbia Pictures' 3D comic-book adaptation "The Green Hornet," slipped to No. 2 with $18.1 million. "The Dilemma," a Universal Pictures romantic comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Kevin James, was also down one, to No. 3, with $9.7 million in its second weekend. Their respective 10-day totals stand at $63.4 million and $33.4 million.
"No Strings Attached" was the weekend's only new wide release, in keeping with January's reputation as a graveyard for new films. Much of the focus is on the awards-season contenders, four of which were in the top 10.
That includes "Black Swan," in which Portman plays an unhinged ballerina. The Fox Searchlight melodrama slipped one to No. 6 with $6.2 million. It has earned $83.6 million to date, and is poised for further gains as the awards season enters the home stretch. Portman has won most of the bellwether awards leading up to Tuesday's announcement of the Academy Award nominations.
Elsewhere, Weinstein Co's royals drama "The King's Speech" was steady at No. 4 with $9.2 million. The film's Oscar chances received a surprise boost on Saturday when it was named best picture by the Producers Guild of America, a group whose picks usually go on to win the top Oscar. Its victory weakened the awards-season dominance of "The Social Network," which has just come out on DVD.
Paramount's hit Western remake "True Grit," largely overlooked during awards season, fell two to No. 5 with $8 million; its total stands at $138.6 million, easily a personal best for filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen.
"The Fighter," also released by Paramount, rose two to No. 7 with $4.5 million; the boxing drama, buoyed by acclaim for Christian Bale's supporting turn as a boxer-turned-crackhead, has earned $73 million to date.
Columbia Pictures is a unit of Sony Corp. Universal Pictures, a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal. Weinstein Co is privately held. Fox Searchlight is a unit of News Corp._reuters

Ricky Gervais says won’t host Golden Globes again

LOS ANGELES: British comedian Ricky Gervais, whose weekend stint as host of the Golden Globes was panned by critics, said on Tuesday he would not host the Hollywood awards show again.
“I’m not going to do it again,” Gervais told celebrity website TMZ.com in a brief video interview on the streets of New York.
“I think twice is enough,” added the creator of hit TV show “The Office”.
Gervais took shots at the televised gala dinner on Sunday at actors Charlie Sheen, Robert Downey Jr., Scientologists, the Golden Globe-nominated movie “The Tourist” and even the Hollywood Foreign Press Association on which organises the annual event celebrating the best in film and television.
But his caustic brand of humor went too far for many US critics, and made some members of the star-studded Beverly Hills audience uncomfortable. Downey Jr. remarked on stage on Sunday that the ceremony was “unusually mean-spirited.”
But Gervais, best known as the creator of “The Office” and “Extras”, brushed off the criticism on Tuesday.
“I loved it more than last year actually”, he told TMZ.com of his performance

Anne Hathaway to play Catwoman in new Batman movie

LOS ANGELES: Anne Hathaway has clawed her way into the latest Batman movie, nabbing the role of Selina Kyle and her alter ego, Catwoman. Warner Bros. announced the casting Wednesday for Christopher Nolan’s latest film in the superhero saga, ”The Dark Knight Rises.” Hathaway will appear opposite Christian Bale, who’s returning as Bruce Wayne and Batman. The studio also announced that Tom Hardy, whom Nolan directed in last year’s ”Inception,” will play one of Batman’s enemies, Bane. ”The Dark Knight Rises” is slated for release on July 20, 2012. Hathaway, an Oscar nominee for 2008′s ”Rachel Getting Married,” will co-host the Academy Awards with James Franco on February 27.

Financial crisis documentary debuts at Sundance

PARK CITY: A documentary opening at the Sundance Film Festival suggests that the 2008 financial meltdown highlighted not only the greed of Wall Street, but the growing economic woes of average Americans, the filmmaker says. "The Flaw," from director David Sington -- whose Apollo mission documentary "In the Shadow of the Moon" won the World Cinema Audience Award after its Sundance premiere in 2007 -- is hoping to garner similar success at the prestigious festival held in the snowy Utah mountains, through January 30. "What attracted me about this story was the compelling attraction of the blank page," Sington said. "I could do anything I wanted, because nobody knew what had happened." The director said he spoke to many senior financial executives on Wall Street, in his attempt to decipher the story: "They were very eloquent on the what. But on the why, they had no more ideas than I did." In the first three months of the documentary, Sington and his team researched what happened, and what had been the intellectual failure. "Is it ideas, is it a question of regulation, was it the ratings agencies? After three months, we just had a long list of possible answers," he said. Only after more months in the editing suite, following hours of interviews and studying reams of statistics, did an understand come through. "About 80 percent of the subprime loans would be given to people who already had loans. So it wasn't a question of a new group of borrowers of low credit quality. It was that the existing borrowers, their credit quality was in decline," he said. "It seemed to me that that was where the focus of the film should be. Trying to explain why it was that ordinary Americans were becoming a bad credit risk when they hadn't been a few years before." Through the making of the film, the director wanted to note the "astonishing fact" of how the US economy doubled in size since the 1980s, yet for 90 percent of the population, "their living standards have certainly not gone up, and probably they've gone down." Everyone, he said, "kind of knows that the riches are getting richer. And everybody knows that somehow the middle class is being squeezed. But for me, the revelation was the scale, particularily in America on which this is happening." To illustrate the perversion of capitalism -- and explain the underlying principles behind the economic system that led to the economic collapse -- the director employed 1950s cartoon propaganda clips to contrast the free market system with that the state-controlled approach of the Soviet Union. Even if the documentary dismisses simple greed of Wall Street as a clear hypothesis for the crisis, Sington's film does not clear financiers completely. He notes that in the years leading up to the meltdown, Wall Street's "attitude to the impending disaster was not 'How can we prevent a disaster?' but 'How could we profit on it?'"

Did Obama dye his gray hair away?

Photos of President Obama released this week are prompting a feverish round of "does he or doesn't he" speculation about whether our commander in chief dyed his hair.


Many have cataloged the before-and-after appearances of presidents past, and Obama and his staff have readily admitted he's no different. "Change is hard," Obama told the Urban League last summer. "I don't know if you've noticed. That's why I've got all this gray hair." After that comment from Obama, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was even asked to weigh in on the state of the presidential hair during a White House press briefing. "I can't imagine that the weight of the job doesn't take a toll physically and mentally on anybody that does it," Gibbs said, adding, "I know he greatly enjoys it, and it will just require him to get more frequent haircuts."

American Idol’ returns, with J.Lo but not Cowell

It’s a kinder ”American Idol” without Simon Cowell. Television’s top show returned with a makeover for its 10th season on Fox. Cowell, everyone’s favorite villain, is gone as a judge. So are Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres, replaced with the star power of Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. Original judge Randy Jackson remains. The first, two-hour episode accentuated the positive, an indication that producers are setting a different tone.
Past audition shows have seemed a procession of train wrecks, narrated by Cowell’s biting putdowns. But the first three contestants shown all made it through to Hollywood.
And the New Jersey auditions ended with two emotional stories: the daughter of a cancer survivor from Staten Island and a boy from the Bronx who kept to his dreams despite time spent living with his family in a homeless shelter. Both are only 16, and both were given go-aheads by the judges.
J.Lo in particular had a difficult time becoming J.No. She seemed in agony the first time she was shown rejecting a contestant.
”Oh, my God, I hate this!” she complained. ”Why did I sign up for this? I want to go home.” She got up to hug a contestant who was crying upon meeting her.
When the theatrical Ashley Sullivan auditioned, Jackson voted no. But when the tears started flowing, Lopez and Tyler overlooked their reservations to keep her in the competition.
”It’s our 10th season, and everything feels brand new,” host Ryan Seacrest said, adding that it was ”the most fun we’ve ever had.”
It’s all a gamble for ”American Idol,” no longer as dominant in the pop firmament as it once was. Last season’s finale was seen by 24 million people, down 5 million from the big night the season before.
The show’s offseason turmoil was dismissed in a two-minute review at the show’s beginning.
”Forget what you think you know,” the show proclaimed, ”because the best is yet to come.”
And the show quickly signaled what producers have been saying, that they want more emphasis on the contestants’ stories.
”This isn’t our story,” Seacrest said. ”It’s yours.”
Tyler easily played the part of the rakish rock star, taking quick notice of the appearance of several female singers and being bleeped for off-color remarks twice in the first six minutes.
”Just the right amount (of leg) shows,” the 62-year-old rocker said, looking at the dress of an energetic 16-year-old contestant.

`Social Network' friends Globes with 4 prizes

 

The Facebook tale "The Social Network" won top honors at the Golden Globes with four prizes, including best drama and director, solidifying its prospects as an Academy Awards favorite. Winning the dramatic lead-acting prizes were Colin Firth for the British monarchy saga "The King's Speech" and Natalie Portman for the psychosexual thriller "Black Swan." Lead-acting honors for the Globes' musical or comedy categories went to Annette Bening for the lesbian-family story "The Kids Are All Right" and Paul Giamatti for the curmudgeon tale "Barney's Version." The boxing drama "The Fighter" earned both supporting acting Globes, for Christian Bale and Melissa Leo. David Fincher, directing winner for "The Social Network," said he thought it was strange when "The Social Network" script came to him, since he usually makes dark character studies about misanthropes or films about serial killers. His films include the murder tales "Seven" and "Zodiac." "I'm personally loath to acknowledge the kind of wonderful response this film has received for fear of becoming addicted to it, so suffice it to say, it's been really nice," said Fincher, whose film also won the Globes for screenplay for Aaron Sorkin and musical score for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Sorkin, creator of TV's "The West Wing," had kind words for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network." 

Awards Calendar

                                           

                                                 January 2011

 

 

4 | WGA film nominees announced

5 | People's Choice Awards

16 | 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards

22 | The Producers Guild of America Awards ceremony

24 | Golden Raspberry "RAZZIE" Award nominees announced

25 | Academy Award nominations announced 5:30 a.m.

30 | 17th annual SAG Awards

 

                                                    February 2011

 

1 | The Visual Effects Society Awards

5 | 2011 WGA Awards

12 | Academy Award Scientific and Technical Awards presentation

13 | 53rd annual Grammy Awards, Staples Center, Los Angeles

13 | 2011 BAFTA Awards

19 | 2011 ACE Eddie Awards

26 | Golden Raspberry "RAZZIE" Awards

27 | 83rd Annual Academy Awards presentation

Natalie Portman's awkward Golden Globes speech and laugh catch fire online

Besides Ricky Gervais, the other talked-about moment from the Golden Globes was Natalie Portman's best actress in a drama film acceptance speech, in which the pregnant beauty attempted a joke regarding her fiance and his lines from their film "Black Swan." The joke landed just fine but it was her giddy laugh that seemed to ring on a bit too long afterward.
Of course, those are the moments that seem to never die on the Internet. And College Humor has taken that joke and run with it, recreating her laugh into a never-ending moment complete with reaction shots from other Globe attendees. Some are calling it Portman's "Norbit" moment, in reference to the theory that Eddie Murphy lost the Academy Award for his part in "Dreamgirls" based on the awful fat-suit comedy that opened in the middle of his campaign. Portman is opening the romantic comedy "No Strings Attached" in the middle of her campaign but that film -- even coupled with her awkward speech -- doesn't seem like nearly enough to derail a performance that has been lauded by critics and audiences alike.
However, the poised and polished Annette Bening rid herself of all her previous acceptance speech demons, delivering an eloquent, concise and funny speech. With the lead actress Oscar race a contest essentially between these two women, it will be interesting to see how this little video plays through the next month.