2013 Golden Globe nominations REVEALED: Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway are sure winners whilst Jennifer Lawrence faces the ‘Meryl Streep’

Best drama

Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty

Best comedy or musical

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Moonrise Kingdom
Les Miserables
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook

Best screenplay

Chris Terrio (Argo)
Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Tony Kushner (Lincoln)
David O Russell and Matthew Quick (Silver Linings Playbook)
Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best director

Ben Affleck (Argo)
Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)
Ang Lee (Life of Pi)
Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)
Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)

Best actor in a drama

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)
Richard Gere (Arbitrage)
John Hawkes (The Sessions)
Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)
Denzel Washington (Flight)

Best actress in a drama

Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)
Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone)
Helen Mirren (Hitchcock)
Naomi Watts (The Impossible)
Rachel Weisz (The Deep Blue Sea)

Best actor in a comedy or musical

Jack Black (Bernie)
Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables)
Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook)
Bill Murray (Hyde Park on Hudson)
Ewan MacGregor (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen)

Best actress in a comedy or musical

Emily Blunt (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen)
Judi Dench (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Maggie Smith (Quartet)
Meryl Streep (Hope Springs)

Best supporting actress

Amy Adams (The Master)
Sally Field (Lincoln)
Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)
Helen Hunt (The Sessions)
Nicole Kidman (The Paperboy)

Best supporting actor

Alan Arkin (Argo)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)
Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)
Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)

Best foreign film

Amour
A Royal Affair
The Intouchables
Kon-Tiki
Rust and Bone

Best animation

Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph

Best original score

Mychael Danna (Life of Pi)
Alexandre Desplat
Argo
Dario Marianelli (Anna Karenina)
Tom Tyker, Johnny Klimek, Rein Holdheil (Cloud Atlas)
John Williams (Lincoln)

Best original song

‘For You’ (Act of Valor)
Not Running Anymore (Stand Up Guys)
Safe and Sound (The Hunger Games)
Skyfall (Skyfall)
Suddenly (Les Miserables)

Paramount’s Anniversary Photo: That’s how you celebrate a century of cinematic brilliance!

On the occasion of Paramount Pictures’ 100th Anniversary in 2012, the famed Hollywood studio, lead by Chairman and CEO Brad Grey, gathered over 100 of the world’s biggest stars to participate in a historic photo in celebration of the studio’s illustrious past and bright future.

Intro source: http://www.starmometer.com/2012/06/18/paramount-100th-anniversary-photo-brad-pitt-justin-bieber-tom-cruise-and-more/

Movie Review: The Help

THE HELP – One of the biggest and most celebrated films of 2011, The Help tackled a very sensitive societal issue but has given it a very refreshing and clever approach. In terms of the actual genre, it sits between drama and comedy but either way, this film is full of heart. It is brave and powerful. And just like one of the lines used in this film, it is full of courage – courage to tell what is right. I like how this motion picture gave me a chance to see the real drama behind this ‘black vs white’ subject.

More than the amazing and poignant storyline that this film has to offer, The Help boasts a fantastic ensemble – all equally brilliant and fascinating in their respective roles. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer lead a spectacular line-up of award-winning performances. I can see now why Viola, despite her stunning portrayal of Aibileen, did not win the Oscars Best Actress as this is a film of various stories – not just hers. Whilst Davis’ performance is worth of every nomination she got, it wasn’t as strong as Meryl Streep’s solid acting in The Iron Lady. Still kudos to Davis for giving what could be classified as one of the bests last year. Viola may not have won the Academy Award for the lead actress category but her good friend Octavia Spencer definitely raised the roof and swept all the Best Supporting Actress awards – well deserved by the way. Spencer’s acting was so natural, it’ll hit you like a bullet – intense but relaxed. It’s strong and emotional – I actually thought that if she competed for Best Actress, she’d have greater chances. What I couldn’t understand is the fact that most award-giving bodies have ignored Emma Stone’s performance which, in my opinion, was one of the core points of this film. She was like the light of the movie and the force that held it together. Same with Jessica Chastain who was very good, you’d hate her (at least her character) so much. I believe that’s The Help’s strongest element – the acting. Whilst you cannot fault the screenplay and the production value, the acting was exemplary and brings the film to a lot more excellent level. If I am to choose one best scene it was the revelation as to what happened with Constantine. It was a very precious moment and I think that scene alone, easily, deserves the SAG Best Picture award they’ve won.

We need more films like The Help – not only that it is brave and bold in terms of telling the real story behind the issues we didn’t believe to be that bad but also a fantastic venue to showcase amazing talents like the actors and actresses in this film. Very few masterpieces stands out nowadays because of pure genius acting and this is what Hollywood cinema should be all about. No thrills, no frills, no exaggerations, no effects – amazing!

8.5/10

Movie Review: Larry Crowne

LARRY CROWNE – What happens when you put two movie icons in a rom-com?! I’d say, it’ll be a big flop. We expect them to appear in massive cinematic epics and not on what would you normally classify as a ‘Jennifer Aniston’ film. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, two of Hollywood’s biggest names joined forces once again in a light comedy-drama picture, Larry Crowne. Notable for their remarkable performances in Forrest Gump, Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan (for Hanks) and Erin Brokovich, Pretty Woman and My Best Friend’s Wedding (for Roberts), I can’t help but question why they’ve said ‘yes’ to top-bill this movie – as I’ve said, a rom-com but having seen the entire piece, it was’t that bad at all.

The story is very light – not an Oscar material or something you’d expect from these actors. I think the movie’s main aim was to showcase the other side of these Hollywood stars just like what ‘It’s Complicated’ did to Meryl Streep. Since this is a rom-com, my expectations of their performances weren’t too high. Although having said that, Tom and Julia were still incredible and acted as if it was for real. I’m not sure if it was because the story was too light for them or because they’re so good, they’ve given a straightforward (boring) storyline some spice and brought it to life. The role perfectly suits Julia and I can’t think of any other actress to play that strict and yet likeable college professor. The same goes for Tom Hanks although personally, I think it would have worked better if George Clooney played that character – George’s cheeky side would have given Larry Crowne’s character a much more depth and justice – though Hanks portrayal was a success in a way. I’ll rather pass on criticizing the film’s technical and production value as there’s really nothing to comment on. It’s what you expect from these type of pictures. Not that I am underestimating the quality of rom-coms but we have to be realistic here that such movies focus on  exhibiting the actors’ screen charisma/commercial viability rather than their talent or the story itself.

Watch this if you want some cosy evening with your partner. It is a feel-good film but don’t be fooled by the gravity of stars leading the cast. Will I watch it again? Ermmm, maybe.

6/10

 

The Oscars is too popular it even hit the social media…

Bit worried with the fact that Jean Dujardin didn’t generate a good amount of mentions considering he beat Brad Pitt and George Clooney in the Best Actor race.

Love the Potter bit though and it’s true, the Academy is a bit unfair on that note

The Artist, Streep and Dujardin continued their winning streak – Oscars 2012 winners REVEALED!

I’m very happy as 6 out of the 6 major categories I have predicted won the Oscars! And that includes one of my favourite films of all time, The Artist.

The battle between Viola Davis and Meryl Streep has finally ended and it has been revealed that the Academy favoured Streep’s powerful portrayal of Thatcher as opposed to Davis’ poignant performance in The Help. And as for the Best Actor, no question about it… it’s Jean Dujardin’s night!

Here’s a complete list of winners:

Best Picture
WINNER: The Artist — Thomas Langmann
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Directing
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
WINNER: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Actor
Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
WINNER: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Actress
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
WINNER: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
WINNER: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Best Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
WINNER: Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best Adapted Screenplay
WINNER: The Descendants — Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Original Screenplay
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
WINNER: Midnight in Paris — Woody Allen
A Separation

Best Animated Feature
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
WINNER: Rango — Gore Verbinski

Best Documentary Feature
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
WINNER: Undefeated — Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin, and Rich Middlemas

Best Foreign Language Film
Bullhead (Belgium)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
WINNER: A Separation (Iran) — Asghar Farhadi

Best Cinematography
The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
WINNER: Hugo — Robert Richardson
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Film Editing
The Artist
The Descendants
WINNER: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo — Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter
Hugo
Moneyball

Best Art Direction
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
WINNER: Hugo — Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

Best Costume Design
Anonymous
WINNER: The Artist — Mark Bridges
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Best Makeup
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
WINNER: The Iron Lady — Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Best Original Score
The Adventures of Tintin
WINNER: The Artist — Ludovic Bource
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Best Original Song
WINNER: “Man or Muppet,” The Muppets — Bret McKenzie
“Real in Rio,” Rio

Best Sound Mixing
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
WINNER: Hugo — Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Best Sound Editing
Drive
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
WINNER: Hugo — Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Best Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
WINNER: Hugo — Robert Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossmann, Alex Henning
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Best Animated Short Film
Dimanche/Sunday
WINNER: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore — William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

Best Documentary Short Subject
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
WINNER: Saving Face — Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Best Live-Action Short Film
Pentecost
Raju
WINNER: The Shore — Terry George and Oorlagh George
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic

 

Prince of all Media Awards 2011: And the winners are….

Few hours before the Academy Awards, I think there’s no other perfect time to unveil the Prince of all Media’s choice for 2011′s best of the best. I’ll be looking at 4 main divisions and will be selecting the winner from a list of the very best from their respective fields. Fashion, TV, Movie and Music… 6 major recognitions for each division – and with no further ado, here are your winners:

FASHION

Most fashionable male celebrity:

This is a really tough category as a number male celebrities of 2011 stepped up their game and conquered the glam with their amazing fashion sense.

Bubbling up: George Michael, Olly Murs and Harry Styles

Runner-up: Ryan Gosling

Winner: HENRY CAVILL

 

Most fashionable female celebrity:

This is pretty exciting as a lot of female stars, as expected, hit 2011 with their unique fashion statements. But only one, in my opinion, graced the scene with such elegance and beauty – truly unparalleled!

Bubbling up: Nikki Minaj, Beyonce Knowles and Cheryl Cole

Runner-up: Kate Middleton

Winner: VICTORIA BECKHAM

 

Most fashionable celebrity couple:

This is a no-brainer… Let’s go straight to the winner!

(ok)

Bubbling up: Beyonce & Jay-Z, Justin & Selena and Brad & Angelina

Runner-up: Kate & William

Winner: POSH & BECKS

 

Most ‘glamorous’ TV show of the year:

It doesn’t have to be a ‘fashion fix’ show to win this category. A soap opera, a variety show and even a reality show could win this as long as FASHION and STYLE is written all over it.

Bubbling up: X-Factor USA, How To Look Good Naked and The Royal Wedding

Runner-up: Gok’s Fashion Fix

Winner: THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX

 

Most fashionably weird celebrity of the year:

Love this! Although everyone thinks Gaga should win this, well you might be up for some sort of surprise…

Bubbling up: Rihanna, Nikki Minaj and Misha B

Runner-up: Kitty Brucknell

Winner: LADY GAGA and PEREZ HILTON

 

And last but not the least… the Ultimate Fashionista of the year:

Four gorgeous ladies and one fashion hunk… who will take home the crown?!

Bubbling up: Ryan Gosling, Lady Gaga and Nikki Minaj

Runner-up: Victoria Beckham

Winner: KATE MIDDLETON

Well done Kate!

Next stop… TV

Most controversial TV show of the year:

The usual winner for this category might not be able to get the award this year…. well, just maybe!

Bubbling up: Big Brother, The Only Way is Essex and X-Factor USA

Runner-up: The Royal Wedding

Winner: X-FACTOR UK

 

Most popular Reality TV star of the year:

A group, two ladies, two hunkies…. who will grab the spotlight?!

Bubbling up: Amy Childs, Dougie Poynter and Little Mix

Runner-up: Fatima Whitbread

Winner: MARK WRIGHT

 

Most popular TV presenter of the year:

Will the power duo beat the new king of Big Brother?!

Bubbling up: Davina McCall, Brian Dowling and Caroline Flack/Olly Murs

Runner-up: Dermot O’Leary

Winner: ANT & DEC 

 

Most popular reality TV judge of the year:

Love this so much… 3 from the XF UK panel vs 2 from the XF USA panel – all about XF!

Bubbling up: Kelly Rowland, Gary Barlow and Simon Cowell

Runner-up: Nicole Scherzinger

Winner: TULISA CONSTATOLOVOS

 

Most popular drama series of the year:

The nanas are loving this category! Who will reign supreme?

Bubbling up: Hollyoaks, Downtown Abbey and Desperate Housewives

Runner-up: Eastenders

Winner: CORONATION STREET

 

and finally, TV ICON of 2011:

Two got their 2011 popularity through a reality show, 2 made name from being ordinary people of Essex and 1 is the ‘god’ of TV!

Bubbling up: Amy Childs, Tulisa and Mark Wright

Runner-up: Gary Barlow

Winner: SIMON COWELL

 

Moving on… MUSIC

Most  promising musician of the year:

I have a personal choice for the winner in this category and it turned out that the Brit agreed with me

Bubbling up: Cher Lloyd, One Direction and The Wanted

Runner-up: Nikki Minaj

Winner: ED SHEERAN

 

Best pop music video of the year:

Two from Queen Adele, 1 from the Gaga, 1 from Miss B and 1 from Ed Sheeran… Well, who will it be?!

Bubbling up: Run The World, The A Team and Someone Like You

Runner-up: Rolling in the Deep

Winner: THE EDGE OF GLORY

 

Best male artist of the year:

Can the newbie Ed trump the likes of Bruno and Bieber?!

Bubbling up: Olly Murs, Neyo and David Guetta

Runner-up: Justin Bieber & Ed Sheeran

Winner: BRUNO MARS

 

Best female artist of the year:

Four of them can dance…. the other one, can’t. BUT CAN SHE WIN IT?!

Bubbling up: Rihanna, Beyonce and Katy Perry

Runner-up: Lady Gaga

Winner: ADELE

 

Bets group of the year:

The kiddies take on the oldies with some middies on the side

Bubbling up: Take That, JLS and One Direction

Runner-up: Coldplay

Winner: THE WANTED

 

2011 SONG of the year:

This is the ultimate award for this category. Two nominated songs came from Queen Adele, 1 each for Rihanna, Gaga and Bruno… so, will it be Adele?

Bubbling up: We Found Love, Grenade and Edge of Glory

Runner-up: Rolling in the deep

Winner: SOMEONE LIKE YOU

 

And finally…. the MOVIES – oh yeah!

Best animated feature:

My personal favourite SHOULD WIN THIS and I don’t know why the Oscars have ignored it…

Bubbling up: Shrek 4-ever, Rango and The Adventures of Tin-tin

Runner-up: Rio

Winner: KUNG FU PANDA 2

 

Best performance by an artist in a supporting role:

Everyone says Octavia and Christopher are both shoo-in for this category but what if we combine the categories? Who will get it?!

Bubbling up: Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Marion Cotillard (Contagion) and Christopher Waltz (Water for Elephants)

Runner-up: Octavia Spencer (The Help)

Winner: CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER (BEGINNERS)

 

Best director:

Straight to the winner please….

Bubbling up: Martin Scorsese (Hugo), Steven Spielberg (War Horse) and Phylidda Lloyd (The Iron Lady)

Runner-up: Alexander Payne (The Descendants)

Winner: MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS (THE ARTIST)

 

Best performance by an actor in a leading role:

Here we go again… but this time I have included performances who were snubbed by the Academy!

Bubbling up: Leonardo Di Caprio (J Edgar), Robert Pattinson (Water for Elephants) and Brad Pitt (Moneyball)

Runner-up: George Clooney (The Descendants)

Winner: JEAN DUJARDIN (THE ARTIST)

 

Best performance by an actress in a leading role:

Once again…. VIOLA OR MERYL? or GLENN?

Bubbling up: Kate Winslet (Contagion), Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Viola Davis (The Help)

Runner-up: Gwyneth Paltrow (Contagion)

Winner: MERYL STREEP (THE IRON LADY)

 

2011′s Best Picture:

Five different stories: a story about the golden age of cinema, a story about the joys and miseries of circus life, a story of the Gods and Goddesses, a story of British’ Iron Lady and a story of a sexy but mysterious detective…

Bubbling up: Immortals, The Iron Lady and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Runner-up: Water for Elephants

Winner: THE ARTIST

 

There you have it… No Glenn Close in the list – hahahaha.

See you all later at the Oscars

 

 

 

Viola vs Meryl: The race will come to an end soon!

The biggest and closest race in this year’s Academy Awards is about to end in no longer than 24 hours…

Will it be Viola Davis’ night and turn to win the gold statuette or will the Iron Lady herself, Meryl Streep, claim her overdue Oscar victory?

The online community is divided in terms of who they back to win. I, myself is torn between the two magnificent performances. As I have raised in my earlier Oscar predictions, I think Meryl Streep should win but I wouldn’t mind Viola beating the former as her portrayal in The Help was incredible too.

After spending some time looking through various online predictions, here are a few commentaries as to why Meryl or Viola should win the Oscars;

TEAM VIOLA

1. Viola Davis won the SAG Award
Meryl Streep may have beaten Viola Davis for the Golden Globe, but the star-struck journalists who make up the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. (the ones who nominated “The Tourist” for Best Picture, lest we forget) have no say at the Oscars.

SAG, on the other hand, is decided by industry actors, many of whom are also Academy members, and their picks tend to be more reliable predictors of the Academy’s taste. In the Oscar race ten years ago, there was a similar result: veteran Sissy Spacek won the Golden Globe for “In the Bedroom,” but Halle Berry won SAG for “Monster’s Ball,” and it was Berry who ended up winning the Oscar.

2. Nobody really liked “The Iron Lady”
The general consensus is that Streep is excellent, but “The Iron Lady” is far from it. In fact, it’s hard to make a case for Streep without the caveat that she greatly outclasses the film she’s in. You could say the same about Marion Cotillard a few years ago in ‘La Vie en Rose,’ but even that film’ssomewhat mixed reviews were better than ‘The Iron Lady’s.’ To rally behind Streep, voters will have to selectively ignore the movie she’s in.

This is a problem that has plagued Streep for a number of years. She used to be nominated for films with broad support – including Best Picture winners “The Deer Hunter,” “Kramer vs. Kramer,” and “Out of Africa” – but now her films all seem to revolve around her performances in them, without much affection going to the films themselves.

Of her 10 most recent Oscar nominations, none of the films were nominated for Picture or Director, and only two were nominated for writing (“Adaptation” and “Doubt”). In four of those films, she was the only nomination (“A Cry in the Dark,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “One True Thing,” and “Julie & Julia”). The Academy clearly loves Meryl Streep, but they’re not particularly fond of Meryl Streep movies anymore.

It’s worth noting that, of the four actors who have won three or more Oscars (Katharine Hepburn,Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman, and Walter Brennan), none of them won their third for a film without at least a writing nomination. Nicholson’s third win (“As Good as It Gets”) and Hepburn’s third and fourth wins (“The Lion in Winter” and “On Golden Pond”) were for Best Picture nominees.

3. Even Meryl seems to be rooting for Viola Davis
The ever-gracious Streep, who appeared with Davis in “Doubt,” gave a Golden Globe acceptance speech in which she lauded the great performances by women from 2011, even those who were mostly ignored during the awards season, like Mia Wasikowska in “Jane Eyre” and Adepero Oduye in “Pariah.” But she made special mention of Davis, ending her speech by saying, “I love you Viola – you’re my girl.”

In Entertainment Weekly’s “Entertainers of the Year” issue, Streep went even further, saying, “It’s [Davis's] seeming reluctance to draw attention to herself that draws us in and pulls us close. It’s her interest in the quiet, the patient ones; and it’s her respect, the great respect she pays to those who bear unbearable burdens without a sound, that makes us lean in and listen and unable to turn away. Her modesty is her majesty.”

Davis couldn’t ask for a better Oscar campaign manager than her Oscar rival.

4. Meryl’s overdue status is overestimated
Streep, with the most acting nominations in Oscar history but not a single victory in almost 30 years, is considered overdue a third trophy, and that narrative – The “It’s about time” award – is a powerful one, helping Martin Scorsese(“The Departed”), Jeff Bridges (“Crazy Heart”), and Kate Winslet (“The Reader”) finally win Oscars. But none of them had won before, giving the Academy greater incentive to vote for them.

But even when the overdue nominee has never won, it’s not a foolproof path to Oscar. Consider: Lauren Bacall (“The Mirror Has Two Faces”) lost Best Supporting Actress toJuliette Binoche (“The English Patient”) in 1996, and just last year Annette Bening (“The Kids Are All Right”) lost Best Actress to Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”). Peter O’Toole has never won a competitive Oscar, and he lost his most recent nomination (his eighth, for “Venus”) to first-time nominee Forest Whitaker.

The overdue factor is also complicated by the presence of Glenn Close in the category this year. Close has now been nominated six times without winning, and she’s unlikely to prevail this year, so a voter looking at his ballot might wonder, “If Meryl’s due, what does that make Glenn?”

Most importantly, there’s one Oscar factor that trumps the “overdue” narrative …

5. Viola’s win would be historic
When Halle Berry won Best Actress for “Monster’s Ball,” she was the first – and to date only – black woman ever to do so. In her acceptance speech, she said tearfully, “This moment is so much bigger than me.” Oscar likes those kinds of moments. In 2009, against all odds, the grim, low-grossing indie war drama “The Hurt Locker” won Best Picture, due in no small part to the fact that it gave the Academy the opportunity to honor a woman (Kathryn Bigelow) as Best Director for the first time.

When Viola Davis won at the SAG Awards, a sense of impending history was in the air; she gave a stirring acceptance speech in which she thanked acting legend and “The Help” co-star Cicely Tysonfor inspiring her. Davis is the second black actress ever to receive multiple Oscar nominations, and she would be only the second to win Best Actress. If she and Best Supporting Actress nomineeOctavia Spencer both win, it’ll be the first time two black actors win for the same film and the first time two black women win acting prizes in the same year (giving voters the chance to check their racial and gender progressiveness boxes). It helps that their film is all about racial inequality, a Best Picture nominee, a box office hit, and a zeitgeist-tapping drama about the haves and have-nots.

 

TEAM MERYL

1. She plays a real-life person

This can’t be overstated. Since the earliest days of Oscar, when George Arliss won for “Disraeli,” Charles Laughtonwon for “The Private Life of Henry VIII” and Paul Muni won for “The Story of Louis Pasteur,” the Academy has shown a tendency to reward actors for playing historical figures.

In the past 12 years, an astounding 14 of the 24 lead acting awards have gone to actors who played real people: Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech,” Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side,” Sean Penn in “Milk,” Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose,” Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland,”Helen Mirren in “The Queen,” Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Capote,” Reese Withersoon in “Walk the Line,” Jamie Foxx in “Ray,” Charlize Theron in “Monster,” Adrien Brody in “The Pianist,” Nicole Kidman in “The Hours,”Julia Roberts in “Erin Brockovich” and Hilary Swank in “Boys Don’t Cry.”

Streep has the added benefit in that she plays a widely known figure, and that we see the character age significantly onscreen.

2. Hers is the most dramatic performance in the category
I’ve always argued that Oscar voters go for the showy over the subtle, most recently when I insisted that Marion Cotillard’s flashy work in “La Vie en Rose” would prevail over Julie Christie’s quieter turn in “Away From Her.”

Other recent examples include Natalie Portman in “Black Swan” over Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right,” Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Capote” over Heath Ledger in “Brokeback Mountain,” Reese Witherspoon in “Walk the Line” over Felicity Huffman in “Transamerica,” Sean Penn in “Mystic River” over Bill Murray in “Lost in Translation” and Halle Berry in “Monster’s Ball” overSissy Spacek in “In the Bedroom.”

Viola Davis is superb in “The Help,” but the performance has relatively few of the classic “Oscar scenes” which make for a win. Meanwhile, virtually every line from Streep in “The Iron Lady” seems custom-made for the Best Actress montage.

3. She’s due for her third Oscar
We’ll never see the numbers, but most pundits would probably guess that Streep came extremely close to winning for both 2009’s “Julie and Julia” and 2008’s “Doubt.” While Helen Mirren likely won by a landslide for 2006’s “The Queen,” Streep might have finished second for “The Devil Wears Prada.”

Sentiment would finally appear to be on her side this year, after almost 30 years of consistent Oscar losses. This is only the second nomination for Davis and her first leading role, and “The Help” is not a starring vehicle for her the way that “The Iron Lady” is for Streep. Davis is 16 years younger and many voters will feel that she’ll have plenty of chances for the Oscar in the future.

4. She won the Golden Globe
I never thought that I would say this but could the Globe actually be the best indicator of success in the Best Actress race? Believe it or not, the last time an actress won the lead Oscar without having taken a Golden Globe first was 10 years ago, when Sissy Spacek won for “In the Bedroom” over eventual Oscar winner Halle Berry in “Monster’s Ball.” (Much of that can be explained by Spacek winning both the New York and Los Angeles Film Critics awards for her big comeback.)

I suspect that some are reading too much into the SAG win by Davis; “The Help” had simply been seen by far more Guild members than “The Iron Lady.” Hilary Swank in “Boys Don’t Cry,” Nicole Kidman in “The Hours” and Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose” all stumbled at SAG after winning Globes, but still rebounded on Oscar night. Streep can do the same.

5. She isn’t hurt by “The Help”
It’s true that being in a Best Picture contender improves an acting nominee’s chances. It’s probably made the difference in several close races, like Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side” over Streep in “Julie in Julia,” Sean Penn in “Milk” over Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler,” Kate Winslet in “The Reader” over Streep in “Doubt,” Russell Crowe in “Gladiator” over both Tom Hanks in “Cast Away” and Ed Harris in “Pollock,” and Kevin Spacey in “American Beauty” over Denzel Washington in “The Hurricane.”

But keep in mind that “The Help” earned just four nominations, and zero outside of the picture and acting categories. Even “The Iron Lady” scored for Best Makeup. That suggests that “The Help” doesn’t have the type of broad support in the Academy which might sweep Davis to victory. And as I explained earlier, Davis doesn’t carry the film the way that a traditional starring role does. WithOctavia Spencer looking like a sure thing for Best Supporting Actress, voters may think that’s enough help for “The Help.” One out of four isn’t bad.

There you go, you decide people! Or better yet, let’s wait till that envelope reveals our winner

The American Dream (Pt.1)

Ever since I was child, I’ve always dreamt of going to America. I don’t know exactly why but the only reason I can think of is the huge influence America has in the Philippines. From fashion to food, from entertainment to sports, Philippines has become the mini-America of Asia. And I, the little boy who grew up watching the Beverly Hills series, have become the new son of America!

When my mum said she’ll send me to America after my graduation, I was the happiest in the world. Imagine, the country I’ve loved for years – I am going to visit it. I was counting days and been holding back my excitement. Until the 20th of January has arrived…

The whole flight was good. I sat next to an American dude who was kind enough to stay asleep the whole journey (seriously…). It was my first-time to fly with American Airlines and it’s probably the best one I’ve ever had. Come on, it’s not because I’m a huge lover of anything American but the whole experience was just great. The food, to start with, was incredible. I think they served around 5 meals which is amazing – they surely wanna keep you comfy and full all throughout the 11-hour flight. Very tasty selection of course. In-flight entertainment was good too. I watched Moneyball – Brad Pitt was great, well not his best, but he’s great in this film. I’ve also spent some time sleeping as I haven’t had a proper sleep the night before (as a result too much anticipation I guess). My PPC book also gave me some company but the best part was when the staff started clearing up everything and reminded us that we’re landing soon. I cannot explain how excited I was… This is it! To make everything more interesting… I saw Henry Cavill at the airport! Yes, Henry, the new SUPERMAN! One celebrity spotted already – you can tell I’m in LA!

After giving my mum a quick call to say I have arrived US of A, I hopped in the shuttle and headed straight to my hotel. I was originally planning to go to the nearest Jollibee restaurant and have dinner but I was reminded by the shuttle driver right away that it is a bit dangerous to walk around in the evening so if I haven’t got anything important to do, I better stay indoors. I stayed at the Historic Mayfair Hotel which to be fair wasn’t as bad as what the online reviews are saying. It is old but not dirty. The free internet access inside the rooms topped it all. Very nice and friendly staff. The room I got is tidy, cozy and just perfect to keep me safe and comfy all throughout this trip. Later that night, my mum’s friend and Kirby’s godfather, Jun, took me out to Glendale. It was like half an hour drive from downtown LA. We went to The Cheesecake Factory. The food was lovely – I know I’m easy to please when it comes to food but this one is different! I ordered their Vietnamese Chicken with brown rice which was incredibly delicious (unbelievably delicious!). The whole area was so cool and alive even if it was already around 11 in the evening. Very far from the boring setting of Cirencester. This is what life should be all about!

 

Friday ended so well but the real adventure begins the next day… SATURDAY!

I woke up really early to catch the LA bus to Anaheim. I was told that the bus terminal is not very far but oh dear, it was like 40 minutes by walk. To make things worse, it was raining hard! Oh well, I am in America, who am I to complain. The whole journey to Anaheim was quiet. There are plenty of Mexicans in the bus who I believe were going to New Jersey. When I arrived Anaheim, my American brother (from a different mother lol), Kurt, was waiting for me. We’ve planned this catch-up for like two weeks and I’m glad he had a day off on that day to tour me around the Orange County. He also brought his pal, Ky, who joined us in the first half of our trip. Our first stop: Anaheim Disney! Well, we didn’t really go inside as I’ve been to Disney before anyway – you expect to see the same thing in every Disney so for me, there’s really no point . We went around the Disney Village instead, visited some stores and just strolled along the area like kids! It was raining a bit but hey, who cares?!

We then drove to the nearest mall as I wanted to see what a typical American mall looks like. I wasn’t surprised to be honest as it looked like the ones we have in the Philippines. I love it! Kurt and Ky showed me some traditional American shops. We head off to In n’ Out next to have some proper American burger. I’m telling you guys, if you visit California, you have to visit In n’ Out. I’ve never had a sensational burger as what this place got to offer. I don’t know what is so special about it but it tastes so different. I also got myself a rootbeer which I miss so much since UK hasn’t welcomed this wonderful invention in their beverage section. I had to thank Kurt for bringing me in this place. It’s a shame I didn’t get a chance to come back. Actually, can I also say the fries weren’t that great but that doesn’t really matter… it’s all about their burger!

Ky had to say goodbye so the adventure is all down to myself and Kurt. We drove around and visited a number of malls. We then went to Huntington Beach or what they refer to as the Surf City – not a surfer myself but I’m already there so why not?!. ‘Twas amazing – again, very far from what you see in UK. I ain’t being biased but this sort of place is very cool. Kurt and I walked around the beach area and towards the far end of the pier. Oh, and the rain has finally disappeared which made it a lot better. The sun, the happy people around, the water… Again, this is what I call life! The stroll along Huntington was really good. I was starting to like the Orange County. It was not as busy and as ‘glamorous’ as Los Angeles, but hey, America is America!

Our last stop for the day was the good old town of Orange. Very quiet and different from the manic streets of LA. It kind of reminded me of Cheltenham. We stopped by the ‘biggest’ Starbucks I have seen ever before we carried on touring the town. They love antique shops and bargain stores. Well, who would not like a bit of a bargain nowadays. The sun continued to shine and I have never appreciated sun until this day. And whilst I can still taste the In n’ Out burger we had for lunch, Kurt and I decided to go to Chipotle Mexican Restaurant – I am not a huge fan of Mexican food but I’m up for the challenge. And I’m glad I said yes… of all the restaurants I visited in America, this is the best one! Apart from the fact that the food is cheap and the actual place is so homey, it’s the best tacos I’ve ever had. Kurt had a quesadilla which looks really sumptuous too. The salsa that goes with the tasty chicken sits between the sweet and spicy bench. Very very very good – I could put more ‘very’ in there actually! After that heavenly meal, Kurt drove me back to the terminal station. He is working for the rest of the week so this is our only time to bond and chill together. He’s such a great lad and I couldn’t thank him enough for his hospitality that day. I’ve promised him that I’ll do the same for him when he decides to visit me here in UK. I also assured him more Munchies once his supply runs out

What a day it was! Shame Anaheim is a bit of a travel from LA which means it will be a bit tricky for me to visit it again but looking at the brighter side, at least I’ve seen it. No regrets or whatsoever. And if Day 2 was so cool, Day 3 was even cooler – well, the weather was warmer but the experience was way cooler. Rowdy hits Hollywood!

I was very excited, as usual, and as soon as I got off the Metro, I literally ran towards the exit and started looking at the Hollywood stars (Walk of Fame). Very cool! I only see them in pictures and in TV, but this time… IT’S FOR REAL! I didn’t hesitate to get out my camera and start taking photos. I was unstoppable. I can’t help but notice Jackie Chan’s star – a lot of tourists are lurking around his piece – definitely one of the favourites! There are also plenty of people in front of the Kodak Theatre (the home of the Oscars). I didn’t get a chance to have a photo taken in front as I can’t find anyone who’s free; they’re all busy taking photos as well (oh gosh!).

I was surprised to see there is more to find inside the Kodak Theatre, well not inside the hall but if you go further in through the entrance, there is like a mini shopping area and a few food stalls to hang around at. They also have a special section dedicated for those who wanted to see the famous Hollywood sign. I, obviously, went on that one. You can use one of the telescopes provided to see the sign clearer. I used my amateur-ish camera to take one photo of it. To be honest, I could just grab one from Google and pretend it was my shot but its still different if you took a photo of it on your own. Here it is by the way:

I wanted to go a bit closer but unless you drive or got somebody to take you there, it is impossible to access the vicinity by a public transportation or, worse, by walking. I’m happy with the picture I got. Seeing the sign in real-life is, for me, an amazing moment. It’s  like when I first stepped inside the Basillica in Rome. The feeling was surreal – very surreal. After spending some time staring at the sign, I carried on with my star-sighting and with star-sighting I mean through the Walk of Fame. I had a few names on my list and since I really don’t want to spend $5 for the Walk of Fame map, I have to crack on otherwise, I might not have time to see who I want to see! Right outside the Kodak Theatre, you’ll find the stars of Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Keannu Reeves, Sandra Bullock and many others. If you walk further down, you’ll see more of course. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the favourites are those of Jackie Chan and Michael Jackson. I had a great opportunity to take a photo of Jacko’s star and it felt good – not a huge Michael fan but the star made me closer to the King of Pop, in a way!

Not very far from the area is the Chinese Grauman Theatre which was jam-packed with tourists as well. Starline Tours’ main Hollywood office is here hence a lot of people were going this way to book their sight-seeing tours and other exciting packages. There were also plenty of impersonators around the lot; Spiderman, Star Wars, Michael Jackson, Captain Jack Sparrow, LA cops, name it – they’re all here! I think you have to pay them a dollar or two before you can actually take a photo with them. I’m not that desperate for one so I stayed cool and just enjoyed looking at the people around. A dollar is a dollar so why waste it

And speaking of dollars, I thought its time to buy some stuff for my family so I went inside one of the massive souvenir stores in the Hollywood Boulevard. Geez, there’s plenty to choose from! Not only that, they’re quite expensive… the Lakers jersey my dad was after costs around $100!!! I don’t think I’m prepared to spend that sort of amount lol Finally, after spending a good hour walking around canvassing which store offers the cheapest souvenirs, I’ve managed to buy some stuff so that’s Hollywood shopping sorted. On my way back, I walked along a few more stars including those of Colin Firth, Sylvester Stallone, Destiny’s Child, Emma Thompson and the great Meryl Streep. I love Hollywood. I feel safer here – I wish I’ve booked my hotel in this area and not in Downtown. The people seems friendlier and nicer in general. The area is always busy but not stressful – it’s exactly what you see in TV! And because I know there’s more to see in this place, I’ve decided to come back here on my last day in America. I was originally down to visit Staples on my final day but I immediately changed my itinerary and put Hollywood back on the list. I know I have to come back for more!

So that’s Day 3 done and dusted… very happy! Hollywood was amazing and I had a great time. I went back to the hotel with lovely pictures to look at. I knew why I love America haha – and Day 4 should be fun too!

Coming up… The American Dream Pt. 2 including LA Live, Staples Centre, Beverly Hills and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

Julia and Meryl in one film?! HOW EXCITING!

 

So the rumour has been confirmed! Oscars best actresses Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep are starring in a massive epic drama soon… Tracy Letts’ acclaimed play “August: Osage County.”

The Weinstein Company confirmed today that, after being in talks with the A-list actresses for more than a year, Streep and Roberts will appear on screen together for the first time in the film,according to EW.com.

John Wells, who recently helmed the recession drama “The Company Men” starring Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper and Tommy Lee Jones, will direct the film version of of Letts’ Pulitzer- and Tony-winning family drama about a dysfunctional family living outside Pawhuska.

“I’m delighted and feel very privileged to have the opportunity to direct Meryl and Julia in this magnificent piece written by Tracy Letts,” said Wells, adding, “Meryl’s extraordinary body of work made her the only conceivable choice to play Violet. Coupled with Julia’s effortless mastery of every role she undertakes and her fearlessness as an actress, I’m confident this first ever collaboration with Meryl and Julia will produce an exciting and moving film.” (Source: http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/2012/02/16/meryl-streep-and-julia-roberts-to-co-star-in-film-version-tulsa-native-tracy-letts-august-osage-county/)

Am I looking forward to it? HELL YEAH!

Another nomination for Meryl I guess… and maybe one for Julia too