OSCAR – Academy Awards
Oscar 2009 Live!
After last year’s Oscars delivered their worst TV ratings ever, producers this time say they aim to liven up the show with some surprises and new ways of presenting awards.
While some details have surfaced in the past week (the major stars could be Jack Nicholson, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, and Kate Winslet, turned down the chance to present awards) presenters names are being kept top secret. Some stars will sneak backstage, not enter on the red carpet.
Kate Winslet Will Enter Academy Award History
Kate Winslet will either win her first Oscar for her performance as a woman with a secret Nazi past in “The Reader,” or get the title of biggest loser for having been nominated for the coveted honor, and lost, six times! Winslet was nominated for “Sense and Sensibility” (1995), “Titanic” (1997), “Iris” (2001), “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004), “Little Children” (2006).
Oscar 2009 – 81st Annual Academy Award Nominations
The 81st Annual Academy Award nominations have been announced. Academy award winner Forest Whitaker and movie producer Sid Ganis had the privilege to announce the 81st Academy Award Oscar Nominations at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
Leading the 81st Annual Academy Awards nominations list is “The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button” with 13 nominations – Best picture, Performance by an actor in a leading role (Brad Pitt), Performance by an actress in a supporting role (Taraji P. Henson), Directing (David Fincher), Adapted screenplay, Art direction, Cinematography, Costume design, Film editing, Makeup, Sound mixing, Visual effects and Original score.
“$9.99″ Trailer
Fourteen features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 81st Academy Awards.
For Your Consideration: “Kirk Lazarus” For Best Supporting Actor
One of the potential nominees for Best Supporting Actor Academy is Kirk Lazarus…I mean Robert Downey Jr.
As we know Oscar season is approaching and Parmount Pictures are pushing their reminder of Downey’s work in “Tropic Thunder” who underwent a controversial procedure in order to play the role of the gritty black sergeant Lincoln Osiris. Check out one of the ads below which is great.
Oscar Buzz – Gran Torino And Two TV Spots
Warner Brothers recently debuted two short TV spots for “Gran Torino” and here they are. You can also see some images from the movie.
Movie critics were not so thrilled by Clint Eastwood‘s “Changeling,” but numerous early reviews of “Gran Torino” put Eastwood’s second movie in 2008 into Oscar consideration.
In “Gran Torino” Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, an iron-willed veteran living in a changing world, who is forced by his immigrant neighbors to confront his own long-held prejudices.
The Dark Knight – For Your Consideration
As we know Oscar season is approaching and Warner Bros. has been putting out their “For Your Consideration” ads featuring a shot of Heth Ledger as The Joker to remind the Academy for best picture category and best supporting actor. Check them out below.
$9.99
Fourteen features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 81st Academy Awards. One of them is “$9.99” a stop motion animated movie for grown-ups based on the Short Stories of Israeli writer Etgar Keret. Tatia Rosenthal is director and co-writer.
Despite the low budget constraints of the production, the filmmakers and casting agent Nikki Barrett decided to aim high with the casting of the puppet’s voices. Sending the script out to a number of internationally acclaimed Australian actors, the filmmakers were gratified by the response.
14 Animated Features For Oscar 2008
Fourteen features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 81st Academy Awards.
Under the rules for this category, a maximum of 3 films can be nominated in a year in which the field of eligible entries numbers at least 8 but fewer than 16. Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.
The 14 submitted features are:
- Bolt
- Delgo
- Horton Hears a Who!
- Dragon Hunters
- Fly Me to the Moon
- Igor
- Kung Fu Panda
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
- $9.99
- The Sky Crawlers
- Sword of the Stranger
- The Tale of Despereaux
- WALL-E
- Waltz with Bashir
The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22nd 2009.
Source: The official site for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
