"Slumdog Millionaire" - the year's underdog tale - took eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, Sunday night at the 81st annual Academy Awards ceremony.
The late Heath Ledger won the long-anticipated Best Supporting Actor for "The Dark Knight," while Sean Penn won his second Best Actor award for "Milk," and Kate Winslet, after five previous tries, finally came out victorious as Best Actress for "The Reader."
Ledger became the second performer ever honored with a posthumous Oscar. As his father, Kim; his sister Kate and his mother, Sally Bell, went onstage to accept his statuette, the celebrities in the Kodak Theatre teared up.
"We'd like to thank the Academy for recognizing our son's amazing work," said his father.
"Heath was such a compassionate and generous soul who added excitement and inspiration to our lives," said his mother. "We choose to be happy tonight for what he has achieved."
Kate Ledger closed the family's comments, invoking Ledger and actress Michelle Williams' 3-year-old daughter.
"Heath, we wish you were here - we proudly accept this award on behalf of your beautiful Matilda."
Penn beat the heavily favored real-life underdog Mickey Rourke. He spoke of equal rights and shame for Californians who voted for a ban on gay marriage.
"You Commie, homo-loving sons of guns - I know how hard I make it to appreciate me," joked Penn as he stood at the podium, before pointing out Rourke and celebrating him.
Winslet recalled the first time she had dreamed of winning an Oscar.
"I'd be lying if I said I haven't made a version of this speech before - I was probably 8 years old and looking in the bathroom mirror and this was a shampoo bottle.
"Well, it's not a shampoo bottle now," she said.
Penelope Cruz won Best Supporting Actress for "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."
"Has anyone ever fainted up here?" Cruz said, "because I may be the first one."
"Slumdog's" first of 10 possible wins was for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also got Best Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Film Editing, Original Score and Best Song ("Jai Ho") in addition to Director and Picture.
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which went into the evening with the most nominations - 13 - won only for Best Art Direction, Makeup and Visual Effects.
"The Dark Knight," last year's No. 1 blockbuster, won Best Sound Editing in addition to Ledger's win.
"Milk" won Best Original Screenplay. "WALL-E" won Best Animated Feature.
The 18th century outfits of "The Duchess" won Best Costume Design. "Man on Wire" won Documentary Feature; "Smile Pinki" won Documentary Short Subject.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Update: 2pac Biopic
Afeni Shakur, the mother of late rapper Tupac Shakur, released a statement today (February 23) responding to a lawsuit filed against her and Amaru Entertainment by film production company Morgan Creek.
As reported earlier, Morgan Creek claimed that Afeni and Amaru Entertainment backed out of an agreement to sell Tupac's life rights to them for a film adaptation.
Afeni and Amaru Entertainment denied Morgan Creek's accusations in the following statement:
We at Amaru Entertainment would like to clarify some of the recent media reports concerning a lawsuit filed by Morgan Creek Productions. This lawsuit has no merit. We felt it was important to bring the story of Tupac Shakur, one of music’s most remarkable icons, to life onscreen and, in realizing this vision; we sought to find the best partner who would be true to Tupac’s vision and bring his unique story to life on the big screen.
In doing so, we have taken every step to ensure that our partner in this process is committed to the integrity of Tupac Shakur’s legacy and, more importantly, that they are the right people. To that end, we have been in discussions and negotiations with several major studios and production companies, including Morgan Creek Productions. However, at no time did we have an agreement with Morgan Creek.
Sadly, Morgan Creek decided to take advantage of this situation and attempt to frustrate our project by interfering with our business relationships. We will not be frightened by Morgan Creek’s tactics and we are absolutely confident that the movie will be produced and released. Tupac’s story is what Hollywood legends are made of - and we want to make sure that the movie tells Tupac’s story like it should be told and lives up to everyone’s expectations.
Tupac touched so many people in his brief life and we are honoured to be keeping his message alive. [We] want to do so with integrity - in the right way with the right people. That’s what Tupac would have wanted.
As reported earlier, Morgan Creek claimed that Afeni and Amaru Entertainment backed out of an agreement to sell Tupac's life rights to them for a film adaptation.
Afeni and Amaru Entertainment denied Morgan Creek's accusations in the following statement:
We at Amaru Entertainment would like to clarify some of the recent media reports concerning a lawsuit filed by Morgan Creek Productions. This lawsuit has no merit. We felt it was important to bring the story of Tupac Shakur, one of music’s most remarkable icons, to life onscreen and, in realizing this vision; we sought to find the best partner who would be true to Tupac’s vision and bring his unique story to life on the big screen.
In doing so, we have taken every step to ensure that our partner in this process is committed to the integrity of Tupac Shakur’s legacy and, more importantly, that they are the right people. To that end, we have been in discussions and negotiations with several major studios and production companies, including Morgan Creek Productions. However, at no time did we have an agreement with Morgan Creek.
Sadly, Morgan Creek decided to take advantage of this situation and attempt to frustrate our project by interfering with our business relationships. We will not be frightened by Morgan Creek’s tactics and we are absolutely confident that the movie will be produced and released. Tupac’s story is what Hollywood legends are made of - and we want to make sure that the movie tells Tupac’s story like it should be told and lives up to everyone’s expectations.
Tupac touched so many people in his brief life and we are honoured to be keeping his message alive. [We] want to do so with integrity - in the right way with the right people. That’s what Tupac would have wanted.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Friday the 13th (2009) Review
Jason is an enormous and imposing figure on the big screen. From the first chee chee chee in the darkened theatre to the last, F13 is filled with everything a horror fan waits for.
The dialogue between the characters AKA the victims was very well written and witty. All the kills were interest worthy and on a sliding scale from three to ten. A nice variety. The storyline was written combing elements from Friday the 13th 1-3 in a skillful and insightful way. The music kind of stood out like a buy the sountrack offer, but I can forgive that. Camera work annoyed me from steady to shakey cam, way too much, and cuts were a bit abrupt in a few scenes. But that can be forgiven also.
Jason is a Horror icon, and I liked how he was positioned throughout the movie, be it a closeup or with the sky as a dark backdrop. My only problem with the story would be not further explaining jasons background, But really that could be further explained in the sequal. Over all it was a good movie for anyone who was a fan of the original franchise or slasher films in general.
The dialogue between the characters AKA the victims was very well written and witty. All the kills were interest worthy and on a sliding scale from three to ten. A nice variety. The storyline was written combing elements from Friday the 13th 1-3 in a skillful and insightful way. The music kind of stood out like a buy the sountrack offer, but I can forgive that. Camera work annoyed me from steady to shakey cam, way too much, and cuts were a bit abrupt in a few scenes. But that can be forgiven also.
Jason is a Horror icon, and I liked how he was positioned throughout the movie, be it a closeup or with the sky as a dark backdrop. My only problem with the story would be not further explaining jasons background, But really that could be further explained in the sequal. Over all it was a good movie for anyone who was a fan of the original franchise or slasher films in general.
Taken (2009) Review
In Taken Liam Neeson is; what I can only describe as an ex-CIA operative or other such thing. He’s not a rich man. He’s divorced and the only two things he has in his life is his work as a security guard (he saves a rich singer from a stalker – laying the beat down on him) and his teenage daughter. He’s a little estranged from her because he feels a little inadequate. Here he is – a handsome man that did great things to help keep our little part of the world safe from the bad douche’s out there. There is no respect from his ex-wife – NONE at all. His daughter is relatively happy living in the mansion her mom’s new sugar daddy owns and mommy is just as comfortable.
I wanted to punch the ex-wife square in the face and put that kid over my knee and teach her what for. It was aggravating watching this jerk of a wife completely discount and ignore her ex-husbands knowledge of the world and the scumbags that reside in it. Little Miss Princess wants to run off to France with her 19-year old friend. I would have a SERIOUS issue with my 17-year old running off to France with a 19-year old and I sure as hell wouldn’t care WHO they were staying with it would be a HUGE no. Daddy agrees with me but mommy is obviously smoking too much from the peace pipe cause to her this is a GREAT chance for Princess to see the world!
Daddy gets thrown under the bus and caves in having to sign the waiver for his daughter to get a passport. He lays down strict ground rules such as CALL me when you get in – CALL me all the time – DON’T go off with strangers and he gives her a MAP of the area and tells her where NOT to go. With the papers signed and the girls ready to board the plane he puts the map into her bag only to find another map with cities circled – what mommy failed to mention was that rich step dad bought Princess tickets to see U2 all over Europe. Nothing he can do about it now.
What follows is an action train ride that has Princess being taken while talking to dad. Being the savvy ex-preventer that he is he makes an honest plea to the kidnapper: let her go now and I will not pursue you; don’t and I will find you and I will kill you. And trust me he follows thru on his promise. There are martial art beat down scenes out the wazzoo, great acting and a hell of a lot of great story points. You are cheering for Liam from scene one. Taken gets a definite stamp of approval on my part.
I wanted to punch the ex-wife square in the face and put that kid over my knee and teach her what for. It was aggravating watching this jerk of a wife completely discount and ignore her ex-husbands knowledge of the world and the scumbags that reside in it. Little Miss Princess wants to run off to France with her 19-year old friend. I would have a SERIOUS issue with my 17-year old running off to France with a 19-year old and I sure as hell wouldn’t care WHO they were staying with it would be a HUGE no. Daddy agrees with me but mommy is obviously smoking too much from the peace pipe cause to her this is a GREAT chance for Princess to see the world!
Daddy gets thrown under the bus and caves in having to sign the waiver for his daughter to get a passport. He lays down strict ground rules such as CALL me when you get in – CALL me all the time – DON’T go off with strangers and he gives her a MAP of the area and tells her where NOT to go. With the papers signed and the girls ready to board the plane he puts the map into her bag only to find another map with cities circled – what mommy failed to mention was that rich step dad bought Princess tickets to see U2 all over Europe. Nothing he can do about it now.
What follows is an action train ride that has Princess being taken while talking to dad. Being the savvy ex-preventer that he is he makes an honest plea to the kidnapper: let her go now and I will not pursue you; don’t and I will find you and I will kill you. And trust me he follows thru on his promise. There are martial art beat down scenes out the wazzoo, great acting and a hell of a lot of great story points. You are cheering for Liam from scene one. Taken gets a definite stamp of approval on my part.
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