Taken - The passion of Bryan Mills

The passion of Bryan Mills to save his beloved daughter goes along with something that Bette Davis once said, “My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose.” In fact, this could have been a line in the movie.

Passion must lead to aggressive action or it isn’t true passion. In ‘Taken’ Bryan Mills’ passion driven actions are centered in his love for his daughter. Ice T once said, “Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place.” And there in is the message of this film!

The Uninvited - Story in 2 Part Harmony

What the filmmakers attempt to produce is so true to life. Producer Walter F. Parkes says, "Every scene is two scenes. There is the scene the audience is watching …but then it has to be this other scene, which is what's really going on."

For me this is true in real life. Every day we are faced with appearances that may be facades to what lies beneath. Life is not always what it appears to be. This is why great spiritual thinkers have always encouraged focus on the heart and not just the outward appearance. This film is a powerful reminder of this very truth.

New in Town - Fish Out of Water

I like what Renee Zellweger said of her role, “The fun part is making a jerk out of yourself… getting to be creative with it and ridiculous. And there's no way I was going to miss out on that. No way! I laughed myself silly watching what an idiot I was. It’s so funny because Lucy is so determined to be perfect.”

Such self-deprecation is a key to life, others can better identify with you and it helps breaks down false facade. Ahh, the joy of being honest about yourself to yourself and others. Learn to laugh at yourself. Great medicine!

PAUL BLART: MALL COP, Why The Public Likes Him.

PAUL BLART: MALL COP came out during harsh economic times. People are depressed and uncertain about their future. Jobs losses are at record levels. And yet people are hopeful with the new president Barack Obama. PAUL BLART was released the week of the Presidential Inauguration. This film really connects to the moment and makes people feel better. Peter Ustinov said it right, “Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.” The message in PAUL BLART is: “We can get through all this.” And that is the message we all want to believe in. Even though the critics panned this film, the public made it #1 two weeks running! The public gets it! We need PAUL BLART: MALL COP, the bungler who makes it.

Inkheart - Transforming Everything!

INKHEART dramatizes an important truth: Stories shape us. We live by stories. Poet Muriel Rukeyser was exactly correct in saying, “The universe is made of stories, not atoms.” If you want to change your life, change your story. This is true of the whole of our world as well. A better world would result from better stories, as Arthur C. Clarke humorously put it, “Politicians should read science fiction, not westerns and detective stories.”

Stories have the power to transform us, and that is what INKHEART is all about. Stories are the ink that writes on the scrolls of our hearts. INKHEART is an important reminder of this life changing truth.

The 81st Annual Academy Awards 2009 Nominees

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Ceán Chaffin, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall

--Frost/Nixon: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Eric Fellner

--Milk: Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks

--The Reader: Nominees to be determined

--Slumdog Millionaire: Christian Colson


Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:

--Richard Jenkins for The Visitor

--Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon

--Sean Penn for Milk

--Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

--Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:

--Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married

--Angelina Jolie for Changeling

--Melissa Leo for Frozen River

--Meryl Streep for Doubt

--Kate Winslet for The Reader

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees:

--Josh Brolin for Milk

--Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder

--Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt

--Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

--Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees:

--Amy Adams for Doubt

--Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

--Viola Davis for Doubt

--Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

--Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler

Best Achievement in Directing
Nominees:

--Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

--Stephen Daldry for The Reader

--David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

--Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon

--Gus Van Sant for Milk

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Nominees:

--Frozen River: Courtney Hunt

--Happy-Go-Lucky: Mike Leigh

--In Bruges: Martin McDonagh

--Milk: Dustin Lance Black

--WALL·E: Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Nominees:

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Eric Roth, Robin Swicord

--Doubt: John Patrick Shanley

--Frost/Nixon: Peter Morgan

--The Reader: David Hare

--Slumdog Millionaire: Simon Beaufoy

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Nominees:

--Changeling: Tom Stern

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Claudio Miranda

--The Dark Knight: Wally Pfister

--The Reader: Roger Deakins, Chris Menges

--Slumdog Millionaire: Anthony Dod Mantle

Best Achievement in Editing
Nominees:

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter

--The Dark Knight: Lee Smith

--Frost/Nixon: Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill

--Milk: Elliot Graham

--Slumdog Millionaire: Chris Dickens

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Nominees:

Changeling: James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo

--The Dark Knight: Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando

--The Duchess: Michael Carlin, Rebecca Alleway

--Revolutionary Road: Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Nominees:

--Australia: Catherine Martin

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Jacqueline West

--The Duchess: Michael O'Connor

--Milk: Danny Glicker

--Revolutionary Road: Albert Wolsky

Best Achievement in Makeup
Nominees:

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Greg Cannom

--The Dark Knight: John Caglione Jr., Conor O'Sullivan

--Hellboy II: The Golden Army: Mike Elizalde, Thomas Floutz

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Nominees:

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Alexandre Desplat

--Defiance: James Newton Howard

--Milk: Danny Elfman

--Slumdog Millionaire: A.R. Rahman

--WALL·E: Thomas Newman

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Nominees:

--Slumdog Millionaire: A.R. Rahman, Gulzar("Jai Ho")

--Slumdog Millionaire: A.R. Rahman, Maya Arulpragasam("O Saya")

--WALL·E: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman("Down to Earth")

Best Achievement in Sound
Nominees:

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce, Mark Weingarten

--The Dark Knight: Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo

--Slumdog Millionaire: Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Resul Pookutty

--WALL·E: Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Ben Burtt

--Wanted: Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño, Petr Forejt

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Nominees:

--The Dark Knight: Richard King

--Iron Man: Frank E. Eulner, Christopher Boyes

--Slumdog Millionaire: Tom Sayers

--WALL·E: Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood

--Wanted: Wylie Stateman

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Nominees:

--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton, Craig Barron

--The Dark Knight: Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Timothy Webber, Paul J. Franklin

--Iron Man: John Nelson, Ben Snow, Daniel Sudick, Shane Mahan

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Nominees:

--Bolt: Chris Williams, Byron Howard

--Kung Fu Panda: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne

--WALL·E: Andrew Stanton

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Nominees:

--Der Baader Meinhof Komplex(Germany)

--Entre les murs(France)

--Revanche(Austria)

--Okuribito(Japan)

--Vals Im Bashir(Israel)

Best Documentary, Features
Nominees:

--The Betrayal - Nerakhoon: Ellen Kuras, Thavisouk Phrasavath

--Encounters at the End of the World: Werner Herzog, Henry Kaiser

--The Garden: Scott Hamilton Kennedy

--Man on Wire: James Marsh, Simon Chinn

--Trouble the Water: Tia Lessin, Carl Deal

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Nominees:

--The Conscience of Nhem En: Steven Okazaki

--The Final Inch: Irene Taylor Brodsky, Tom Grant

--Smile Pinki: Megan Mylan

--The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306: Adam Pertofsky, Margaret Hyde

Best Short Film, Animated
Nominees:

--La Maison en Petits Cubes: Kunio Kato

--Ubornaya istoriya - lyubovnaya istoriya: Konstantin Bronzit

--Oktapodi: Emud Mokhberi, Thierry Marchand

--Presto: Doug Sweetland

--This Way Up: Alan Smith, Adam Foulkes

Best Short Film, Live Action
Nominees:

--Auf der Strecke: Reto Caffi

--Manon sur le bitume: Elizabeth Marre, Olivier Pont

--New Boy: Steph Green, Tamara Anghie

--Grisen: Tivi Magnusson, Dorthe Warnø Høgh

--Spielzeugland: Jochen Alexander Freydank

Golden Globes 2009 Winners

Golden Globes, USA: 2009

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler (2008)

Best Television Series - Drama
Winner: "Mad Men" (2007)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road (2008)

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Colin Farrell for In Bruges (2008)

Best Director - Motion Picture
Winner: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Tina Fey for "30 Rock" (2006)

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - A.R. Rahman

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Winner: "30 Rock" (2006)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Winner: Paul Giamatti for "John Adams" (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock" (2006)

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - Simon Beaufoy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Winner: Laura Linney for "John Adams" (2008)

Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: Vals Im Bashir (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight (2008)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Winner: "John Adams" (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)

Best Animated Film
Winner: WALL·E (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Winner: Anna Paquin for "True Blood" (2007)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Winner: Gabriel Byrne for "In Treatment" (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Winner: Laura Dern for Recount (2008) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Winner: Tom Wilkinson for "John Adams" (2008)

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Winner: The Wrestler (2008)("The Wrestler")

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Kate Winslet for The Reader (2008)

Bride Wars -Celebrating Friendship

FOREVER FRIENDSHIP!
Bride Wars, despite its title, is at its heart a celebration of friendship. The friendship between Liv and Emma, despite the comical differences, is always the ultimate priority. Both are different and have separate life journeys, but they are always friends. This is the truth of this film. I like how Victor Hugo puts it, “Do you know what friendship is... it is to be brother and sister; two souls which touch without mingling, two fingers on one hand.” Value your friends and celebrate them –despite the differences. Let this film help you do just that.

Gran Torino - Giving Opportunity

GIVING OPPORTUNITY TO OTHERS!
What spoke to me most about the film was the use of first-timers. "I do like to give people a break," Clint Eastwood stated. "I like to see new people come along, and have opportunities.” What could be better than a retiring veteran, like Eastwood, using his influence to give new people opportunity? Not only is this true of the screenwriter and Hmong actors, but of the story itself --Walt Kowalski, an iron-willed veteran becomes the ‘father’ of the new kid on the block. Contributing unselfishly to the lives of others out of one’s acquired resources, is to me a mark of greatness.

Defiance - The Kind of Inspiration We All Need

None of us would wish hardship on anyone. Disasters that cripple human existence are exactly that –disasters! So, it is always amazing to hear of acts of endurance, survival, compassion and solidarity that come out such situations as portrayed in Defiance. Inspiring, to be sure. In stark contrast to the murderous persecution by the Nazis, there is the heroic life-giving saga of the Bielski partisans. I give the highest praise the producers of this film who have given us a testimony of those who stood in defiance to Hitler’s evil. Here the kind of inspiration we all need, to be sure.

“The real legacy of the Bielskis is that so many people are here on earth who might never have lived.”
-- Zvi Bielski, one of Zus’ sons