The Best and the Worst: Results
We'll give Trailer Tuesday a miss this week (or maybe a postponement to tomorrow) seeing as it was both the Razzies and Oscars this last weekend... and I love these specific movie awards shows.
The Razzies, as I'm sure you know, seek to "honour" the year's worst films, performances and cinematic trends. The nominees were announced a month ago, and on Saturday, the "winners" were revealed. And it was Mike Myers and Paris Hilton who came out on bottom, with 3 wins apiece for the apparently awful comedies The Love Guru and The Hottie and the Nottie.
29th Annual Golden Raspberry Award “Winners”
Worst Picture: The Love Guru
Worst Actor: Mike Myers - The Love Guru
Worst Actress: Paris Hilton - The Hottie and the Nottie
Worst Supporting Actress: Paris Hilton - Repo: The Genetic Opera
Worst Supporting Actor: Pierce Brosnan - Mamma Mia!
Worst Screen Couple: Paris Hilton and either Christine Lakin or Joel David Moore (The Hottie and the Nottie)
Worst Prequel,Remake, Rip-off or Sequel: Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull
Worst Director: Uwe Boll (1968: Tunnel Rats, In The Name of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, Postal)
Worst Screenplay: The Love Guru - Written by Mike Myers & Graham Gordy
Worst Career Achievement: Uwe Boll
-----------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile at the opposite side of the movie quality spectrum, Sunday night's Academy Awards sought to honour the year's best films. And it was Danny Boyle's India-set underdog drama, Slumdog Millionaire that dominated proceedings, with wins in 8 of the 10 categories it was nominated in - including Best Director and Best Film.
Again, you can see the Oscar nominee list here. These were the winners:
81sth Annual Academy Award Show Winners
Motion Picture: Slumdog Millionaire.
Actor: Sean Penn, Milk.
Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader.
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight.
Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire.
Foreign Film: Departures, Japan.
Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire.
Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, Milk.
Animated Feature Film: WALL-E.
Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire.
Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire.
Sound Editing: The Dark Knight.
Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman.
Original Song: Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman and Gulzar.
Costume: The Duchess.
Documentary Feature: Man on Wire.
Documentary (short subject): Smile Pinki.
Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire.
Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Animated Short Film: La Maison en Petits Cubes.
Live Action Short Film: Spielzeugland (Toyland).
Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Jerry Lewis
-----------------------------------------------------
Just a few random comments about this year's Academy Awards:
1) Hugh Jackman was certainly fun as a singing and dancing host, but I think I prefer it when the show has a comedian hosting who takes sometimes controversial digs at stars in the audience, politicians etc. So bring back Whoopi or Steve Martin (who was hilariously dry while interacting with Tina Fey at this year's show).
2) I thoroughly enjoyed the personal introductions in the 4 acting categories, with 5 past winners coming onto the stage to speaking personally to each of the nominees, praising their work with insight and intelligence. My favourite of these interactions was definitely Shirley MacLaine speaking to Anne Hathaway. I thought it was a really nice touch, and I hope that the concept is used again next year.
3) A concept I didn't like though was the In Memoriam treatment, where the camera hung way back, and spent so much time tracking the stage that it was often difficult to see which deceased actors and filmmakers were on screen. Also, there was no sign of Heath Ledger in the tribute. I know he died in early 2008 but I'm pretty sure he didn't make last year's montage either. So I presume there's a period in January/February where if you die it's too late to be included in that year's show... and by the time next year rolls around you've been forgotten.
4) It was really nice to see the Soweto Gospel Choir on-stage last night during the Best Song performances. My sister did comment though, and I thought it was amusing, that with the Choir sandwiched between 2 Slumdog dance routines that it was like being at a Durban cultural evening at the Playhouse - with representatives from Chatsworth, Umlazi and Wentworth showing off their stuff.
The Razzies, as I'm sure you know, seek to "honour" the year's worst films, performances and cinematic trends. The nominees were announced a month ago, and on Saturday, the "winners" were revealed. And it was Mike Myers and Paris Hilton who came out on bottom, with 3 wins apiece for the apparently awful comedies The Love Guru and The Hottie and the Nottie.
29th Annual Golden Raspberry Award “Winners”
Worst Picture: The Love Guru
Worst Actor: Mike Myers - The Love Guru
Worst Actress: Paris Hilton - The Hottie and the Nottie
Worst Supporting Actress: Paris Hilton - Repo: The Genetic Opera
Worst Supporting Actor: Pierce Brosnan - Mamma Mia!
Worst Screen Couple: Paris Hilton and either Christine Lakin or Joel David Moore (The Hottie and the Nottie)
Worst Prequel,Remake, Rip-off or Sequel: Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull
Worst Director: Uwe Boll (1968: Tunnel Rats, In The Name of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, Postal)
Worst Screenplay: The Love Guru - Written by Mike Myers & Graham Gordy
Worst Career Achievement: Uwe Boll
-----------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile at the opposite side of the movie quality spectrum, Sunday night's Academy Awards sought to honour the year's best films. And it was Danny Boyle's India-set underdog drama, Slumdog Millionaire that dominated proceedings, with wins in 8 of the 10 categories it was nominated in - including Best Director and Best Film.
Again, you can see the Oscar nominee list here. These were the winners:
81sth Annual Academy Award Show Winners
Motion Picture: Slumdog Millionaire.
Actor: Sean Penn, Milk.
Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader.
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight.
Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire.
Foreign Film: Departures, Japan.
Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire.
Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, Milk.
Animated Feature Film: WALL-E.
Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire.
Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire.
Sound Editing: The Dark Knight.
Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman.
Original Song: Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman and Gulzar.
Costume: The Duchess.
Documentary Feature: Man on Wire.
Documentary (short subject): Smile Pinki.
Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire.
Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Animated Short Film: La Maison en Petits Cubes.
Live Action Short Film: Spielzeugland (Toyland).
Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Jerry Lewis
-----------------------------------------------------
Just a few random comments about this year's Academy Awards:
1) Hugh Jackman was certainly fun as a singing and dancing host, but I think I prefer it when the show has a comedian hosting who takes sometimes controversial digs at stars in the audience, politicians etc. So bring back Whoopi or Steve Martin (who was hilariously dry while interacting with Tina Fey at this year's show).
2) I thoroughly enjoyed the personal introductions in the 4 acting categories, with 5 past winners coming onto the stage to speaking personally to each of the nominees, praising their work with insight and intelligence. My favourite of these interactions was definitely Shirley MacLaine speaking to Anne Hathaway. I thought it was a really nice touch, and I hope that the concept is used again next year.
3) A concept I didn't like though was the In Memoriam treatment, where the camera hung way back, and spent so much time tracking the stage that it was often difficult to see which deceased actors and filmmakers were on screen. Also, there was no sign of Heath Ledger in the tribute. I know he died in early 2008 but I'm pretty sure he didn't make last year's montage either. So I presume there's a period in January/February where if you die it's too late to be included in that year's show... and by the time next year rolls around you've been forgotten.
4) It was really nice to see the Soweto Gospel Choir on-stage last night during the Best Song performances. My sister did comment though, and I thought it was amusing, that with the Choir sandwiched between 2 Slumdog dance routines that it was like being at a Durban cultural evening at the Playhouse - with representatives from Chatsworth, Umlazi and Wentworth showing off their stuff.
Comments
G
And Christopher, that's exactly what I keep hearing about the film as well - a charming, engaging movie but not really deserving of the masses of praise heaped on it. I suppose poverty and class disparity is something new and exciting to the Academy and other awards bodies, whereas in South Africa you see it on a daily basis so the concept has less of an impact. I'm looking forward to seeing the film though...