And the oscar goes to...

It's a little soon to hear this sentence, but we just know who is going to be nervous when they hear it. Today we know the nominees list for the Academy Awards.

These nominees are quite different to the winner of the Golden Globes, where in the principal categories, "Slumdog Millionaire" won by a landslide, a film that has just been nominated for Best Motion Picture and Adapted Screenplay, and other technical Oscars (ten in total).

The big surprise has been "The curious case of Benjamin Button". They can be happy because it has five of the seven important Oscars, in addition to the artistic Oscars, making thirteen nominees in total. And if Brad Pitt doesn't win the Oscar, maybe will be more lucky his wife, Angelina Jolie with "Changeling" the only film by Clint Eastwood which is going to be in the awards.

Also a surprise, but more for it absence, is "Revolutionary Road" which has nothing, not even, with Kate Winslet for Actress in a Leading Role, a nomination does have for "The Reader". Happiness is what the makers of "Milk" are feeling. It has eight nominations, two of them main awards: Actor in a Leading Role and Actor in a Supporting Role. "The Reader" has four nominees and the one for Kate Winslet. "Doubt" has five, fore of the main Oscars, although two of its actresses were nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role. "Frost/Nixon”, also has five, but just one is for a main award. And "The Wrestler" which has Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei as the only representatives of the film.

Oscar also to "Wall-E" as Best Animated Feature Film, which means that finally the aim to be nominated as Best Film didn't work, but I’m sure that it is the best animated film. It’s the only one of them ("Bolt" and "Kung Fu Panda" are the others) that is in six categories, including Original Screenplay.

Now the nominee list is common knowledge, it's time to do the pools; the Oscar web site has the entire list. In one month we will know the result. Make your bets.

Happiness, disappointment, surprises and obvious prizes in the Golden Globes.

The 11th at night, was the famous prize-giving of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association of cinema and TV. The gala was carried out with style; this contest returning after a year of absence because of the scriptwriter’s strike, and all the participants retuned it with pleasure, enthusiasm and with perfect clothes.

But the red carpet wasn’t the only catwalk for actors and filmmakers. The Beverly Hilton’s assembly hall had its own catwalk of winners and hosts. The ones who were on the stage were the team of “Slumdog Millionaire” (a film half made in Hollywood and half in Bollywood), which won four important prizes: Best Director, Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Screenplay and Best Original Score.

Kate Winslet was the winner of the night, something predictable because she was the favorite, but not so clear because the great opponents that also were nominated. But her role as a seductress of a young man in “The Reader” and her with Leonardo DiCaprio in “Revolutionary Road” deserved to win the two prizes that she was nominated (for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama respectively) and give happiness to her movies, because they didn’t win any others.

The great surprises of the night: Mickey Rourke won as Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for “The Wrestler”, maybe thanks to his campaign that he is carrying out for the Oscars; Sally Hawkins as Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for “Happy-Go-Lucky”, as happy as the actress was in her never ending speech; and Colin Farrel for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy for “In Bruges”, which wasn’t really a surprise although it must be said because he also had great opponents as nominated.

Obvious prizes: Best Animated Feature Film to “Wall-E”, which was also trying to be nominated in the Oscars for Best Film but not Animation, in this way the robot created by Pixar would compete with human actors. Best Original Song - Motion Picture for “The Wrestler” for Bruce Springsteen, who showed what it a good friend is, and why he is “The Boss”. Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture to Heath Ledger for “The Dark Knight” a bittersweet prize that made everybody stands up and also shows that people don’t easily forget great performance, even if the movie star that played can’t take the prize.

There is a bit more to add. Happiness for the Israel team of “Waltz With Bashir” for its prize Best Foreign Language Film and sadness for “Doubt” that didn’t win any prize for Clint Eastwood, also when he has two films nominated, “Changeling” and “Grand Torino”. The tribute was for Steven Spielberg, who had the Cecile B. DeMille prize, a director who was mentioned in his speech as his mentor.

We have to wait to see what happens with the Oscars, about which be able to imagine something from 22th of this month, when we know the nominees.

New Year, New Post

Happy New Year!!

Now we are in 2009, I think it is a good moment to review the flim from last year.

Looking the publicity board I have to say that we can find any kind of film, as always: blockbusters from Hollywood started to appear near to the end of the year although in a smaller number than other years (the crisis is everywhere).

For me, it is a reason for happiness and celebration that the documentaries have increased in number on the big screen. This genre, which in Spain only has a TV audience, has filled the cinema this year. It means that the spectator is not just a popcorn eater and is someone who is worried about the world and interested in the things around them.

And like every year, there were films that did not realized that they were on the cinema, but they appreciated the opportunity, that finally are really good movies with an in-depth study of humanity. Maybe I exaggerate, but for me it's comforting to see that there are people who can think and write these things that others enjoy, and that thanks to that the multi cinema it's not just full of seconds, thirds and infinite parts, which look like the only thing that a group of idle scriptwriters can do.

I don't know what 2009 has in store for us. We have to wait and see.

Again Merry Christmas and I hope Santa Claus has brought a lot of presents for you.