ROTTEN TOMATOES BEST REVIEWED LIST

Rotten Tomatoes announced their best reviewed movies of the year. They compile reviews, score them and give a percentage of how well it was reviewed. TOY STORY 3 was  #1 with 99% of the 247 people reviewing. THE SOCIAL NETWORK was #2 at 97%. Here are some other Oscar contenders and their scores:

THE SOCIAL NETWORK-97%
INSIDE JOB-97%
THE KING'S SPEECH-96%
TRUE GRIT-95%
BLUE VALENTINE-94%
127 HOURS-93%
THE FIGHTER-89%
ANOTHER YEAR-89%
BLACK SWAN-87%
RABBIT HOLE-85%

The magic number seems to be 86% for a Best Picture qualification. No film has been under that number and gone on to win.  Just to put it in perspective LITTLE FOCKERS is at 10%.

Some movies that were thought to be contenders and their scores:

FAIR GAME-80%
SOMEWHERE-76%
SECRETARIAT-62%
LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS-51%
HEREAFTER-48%
BURLESQUE-37%
FOR COLORED GIRLS-32%
THE TOURIST-21%

INELIGIBLE FOR A WGA

Some big movies this year are ineligible for the Writer's Guild of America awards. THE KING'S SPEECH for example cannot be considered since it does not meet the "guild's Minimum Basic Agreement, or the agreements of several affiliated international guilds". In other words the writers were not in the union so they can't be considered. Other movies out of the running are:

Another Year

Biutiful

Blue Valentine

The Ghost Writer

Green Zone

How to Train Your Dragon

Love and Other Drugs

Made in Dagenham

Never Let Me Go

Nowhere Boy

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Toy Story 3

The Way Back

Winter’s Bone

 

It is interesting to note that movies rarely win Best Picture or screenplay without a WGA nomination. GLADIATOR in 2000 was the last time a film won an Academy Award for Best Picture without a WGA nomination.

MY REVIEW BLACK SWAN

 Natalie Portman plays Nina Sayers who wants to be the perfect ballet dancer.  The film zeros in on the relationship between her and her rival. Portman is sure to get an Oscar nomination and is the front runner for a win, but the movie itself does not really live up to the hype. I did appreciate the movie, but Darren Aronosky manipulates the audience too much so you are not sure what is real or not. I am not a fan of films that do this. It is a horror film or a more artsy psychological thriller. Portman is the highlight. She worked five hours a day for 10 months practicing ballet and lost a tremendous amount of weight. Her performance is surely Oscar worthy. Barbara Hershey is also very good as Portman's controlling mother. Mila Kunis is excellent playing the rival. It will most likely be nominated in the Best Picture category, but not good enough for a win.

MY GRADE: B+ 

BALLOTS MAILED TODAY

The Oscar ballots get shipped out today to all of the Academy voters.  It's interesting to note that some of the voters do not see all of the films that they vote for. Some just vote according to the buzz or word of mouth. They all receive screeners, but often there are too many for them to see before they have to get them mailed back in. Here is the timeline:


FRIDAY, JANUARY 14: Ballots must be returned by 5pm PT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25: Nominations announced
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2: Final ballots mailed
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7: Nominees luncheon
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12: Scientific and technical awards presented
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22: Final ballots due by 5pm PT
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27: Oscars ceremony

From MATTAWARDS.COM.

SOCIAL NETWORK OR KINGS SPEECH?

THE SOCIAL NETWORK is winning critics award after award and many are changing their Best Picture prediction from THE KINGS SPEECH to THE SOCIAL NETWORK.  At this point it looks like a tie. It could go either way, but wait THE FIGHTER is buliding a lot steam. Could it rise above the other two? Stranger things have happened. BLACK SWAN is still on the short list, but most likely will only get a nomination. TRUE GRIT will be nominated, but it needs to make a ton of money to be considered as a Best Picture winner. My original prediction was THE KINGS SPEECH as Best Picture.....now not so sure...

A VIDEO LOOK AT THE YEAR

Here is a montage of all of the greatest moments in movies from 2010:

OPENING TODAY

Due to the holiday weekend today is Friday at the Box Office:

-TRUE GRIT-The movie to see this weekend.  This Coen Brothers film will be nominated in many categories. (Rotten Tomatoes a whopping 96%)

-LITTLE FOCKERS-Has had horrible reviews (Rotten Tomatoes 7%).

-GULLIVER'S TRAVELS-Really have nothing to say about this.

SOME THOUGHTS

Here are few thoughts and updates from the last few days:

-TRUE GRIT has yet to be released, but it is getting mixed reviews. It is the one film that everyone is waiting to see how it does before deciding if it can get a Best Picture nomination. Hailee Steinfeld is getting a lot of attention. She is in every frame of the movie and I hear that she is great. They are pushing her for a Best Supporting Actress nod because she does not have a chance in the Best Actress category this year. Her shot at winning is growing due to the fact that newcomers seem to do well.

-THE SOCIAL NETWORK continues to gain steam. It is winning almost every critics award for Best Picture. I am not changing my prediction yet that THE KINGS SPEECH will win.

-127 HOURS is sorta losing steam. It does not seem to be playing as well as it was in the fall.

-Best Actress will still come down to Natalie Portman or Annette Bening, but Portman is now looking like the favorite.

THE FIGHTER MY REVIEW

     THE FIGHTER is a story about the early years of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and his brother (Christian Bale) who helped train him before going pro in the mid 1980s. Christian Bale deserves all of the praise that he is getting for his part in this film. He plays and looks the part of a gritty crack addict. Mark Wahlberg does alright, but sometimes he is talking so low or mumbling that you can't understand what he is saying. He clearly worked hard to look and move like a boxer and the acting came second.  Melissa Leo as Micky's mother is great. One of my favorite films is FROZEN RIVER and Leo is at her best in both movies. The best performance in this film is by Amy Adams. She plays the part of Micky's abrasive no nonsense girlfriend effortlessly. It would be great to see her win in the Best Supporting Actress, but most likely she will only get a nomination. THE FIGHTER is more character driven than just a story about a boxer trying to go pro. I really liked this movie and hope to see it get many nominations.

My Grade: A 

THANKS!

Thanks to Brinton at Awards Breach for mentioning this website.

OPENING THIS WEEKEND

-THE FIGHTER-A lot of nominations to come out of this film. This is the one to see this weekend. It has received great reviews. Rotten Tomatoes number is 89%

-HOW DO YOU KNOW-A romantic comedy and bad reviews.

-TRON: LEGACY- So-so reviews. Tron fans will enjoy.

-YOGI BEAR-Not much to say. Rotten Tomatoes number 13%

SAG NOMINATIONS

Early this morning the SAG nominations were announced. The SAG's are probably a better indicator of an Academy Award nomination than the Golden Globes. No real surprises here.....

Here is the list copied for the SAG website:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
JEFF BRIDGES / Rooster Cogburn – “TRUE GRIT” (Paramount Pictures)
ROBERT DUVALL / Felix Bush - "GET LOW” (Sony Pictures Classics)
JESSE EISENBERG / Mark Zuckerberg - "THE SOCIAL NETWORK" (Columbia Pictures)
COLIN FIRTH / King George VI - "THE KING’S SPEECH" (The Weinstein Company)
JAMES FRANCO / Aron Ralston - "127 HOURS" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
ANNETTE BENING / Nic - "THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT” (Focus Features)
NICOLE KIDMAN / Becca – “RABBIT HOLE” (Lionsgate)
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Ree Dolly – “WINTER’S BONE” (Roadside Attractions)
NATALIE PORTMAN / Nina Sayers – “BLACK SWAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
HILARY SWANK / Betty Anne Waters – “CONVICTION” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
CHRISTIAN BALE / Dicky Eklund – “THE FIGHTER” (Paramount Pictures)
JOHN HAWKES / Teardrop – “WINTER’S BONE” (Roadside Attractions)
JEREMY RENNER / James Coughlin – “THE TOWN” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
MARK RUFFALO / Paul – “THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT” (Focus Features)
GEOFFREY RUSH / Lionel Logue – “THE KING’S SPEECH” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
AMY ADAMS / Charlene Fleming – “THE FIGHTER” (Paramount Pictures)
HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Queen Elizabeth – “THE KING’S SPEECH” (The Weinstein Company)
MILA KUNIS / Lily – “BLACK SWAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
MELISSA LEO / Alice Ward – “THE FIGHTER” (Paramount Pictures)
HAILEE STEINFELD / Mattie Ross – “TRUE GRIT” (Paramount Pictures)


Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
BLACK SWAN (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
VINCENT CASSEL / Thomas Leroy
BARBARA HERSHEY / Erica Sayers
MILA KUNIS / Lily
NATALIE PORTMAN / Nina Sayers
WINONA RYDER / Beth Macintyre

THE FIGHTER (Paramount Pictures)
AMY ADAMS / Charlene Fleming
CHRISTIAN BALE / Dicky Eklund
MELISSA LEO / Alice Ward
JACK MCGEE / George Ward
MARK WAHLBERG / Micky Ward

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (Focus Features)
ANNETTE BENING / Nic
JOSH HUTCHERSON / Laser
JULIANNE MOORE / Jules
MARK RUFFALO / Paul
MIA WASIKOWSKA / Joni

THE KING’S SPEECH (The Weinstein Company)
ANTHONY ANDREWS / Stanley Baldwin
HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Queen Elizabeth
JENNIFER EHLE / Myrtle Logue
COLIN FIRTH / King George VI
MICHAEL GAMBON / King George V
DEREK JACOBI / Archbishop Cosmo Lang
GUY PEARCE / King Edward VIII
GEOFFREY RUSH / Lionel Logue
TIMOTHY SPALL / Winston Churchill

THE SOCIAL NETWORK (Columbia Pictures)
JESSE EISENBERG / Mark Zuckerberg
ANDREW GARFIELD / Eduardo Saverin
ARMIE HAMMER / Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss
MAX MINGHELLA / Divya Narendra
JOSH PENCE / Tyler Winklevoss
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE / Sean Parker

SUPPORT ROGER EBERT

     Roger Ebert has always been my favorite movie critic, even though I disagree with him quite often. "At The Movies" the movie review show that he started 30 years ago was cancelled this past summer. After Ebert left in 2005 due to health problems the show tried rotating critics and attempted to redesign the show. The audience just didn't follow along. After the show was cancelled Ebert said that there was a market for a movie review show and that he was going to produce one beginning in January. More details have been announced and it will premiere in syndication in January.  I ask that you please support Ebert's new show. Through great adversity Ebert has continued to view multiple films a day and still write reviews.

Here is the link on where to find "Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies" in your area:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/television/-as-of-now-this.html

GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS

THE KINGS SPEECH leads with 7 nominations. THE FIGHTER and THE SOCIAL NETWORK both have 6.

A few surprises:

-BURLESQUE and THE TOURIST for Best Mostion Picture Musical Comedy??
-Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp for THE TOURIST??
-TRUE GRIT snubbed
-Armie Hammer and Justin Timberlake snubbed

Here is the complete list:

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
BLACK SWAN
THE FIGHTER
INCEPTION*
THE KING’S SPEECH
THE SOCIAL NETWORK*

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Halle Berry, FRANKIE AND ALICE
Nicole Kidman, RABBIT HOLE
Jennifer Lawrence, WINTER’S BONE*
Natalie Portman, BLACK SWAN
Michelle Williams, BLUE VALENTINE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Jesse Eisenberg, THE SOCIAL NETWORK*
Colin Firth, THE KING’S SPEECH
James Franco, 127 HOURS*
Ryan Gosling, BLUE VALENTINE
Mark Wahlberg, THE FIGHTER

BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
BURLESQUE*
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT*
RED
THE TOURIST

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Annette Bening, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT*
Anne Hathaway, LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS
Angelina Jolie, THE TOURIST
Julianne Moore, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT*
Emma Stone, EASY A

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE -MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Johnny Depp, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Johnny Depp, THE TOURIST
Paul Giamatti, BARNEY’S VERSION
Jake Gyllenhaal, LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS
Kevin Spacey, CASINO JACK

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky, BLACK SWAN
David Fincher, THE SOCIAL NETWORK*
Tom Hooper, THE KING’S SPEECH
Christopher Nolan, INCEPTION
David O. Russell, THE FIGHTER


BEST SCREENPLAY
Danny Boyle, 127 HOURS*
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Hart, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT*
Christopher Nolan, INCEPTION*
David Seidler, THE KING’S SPEECH
Aaron Sorkin, THE SOCIAL NETWORK*

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexander Desplat, THE KING’S SPEECH
Danny Elfman, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
A.R. Robin, 127 HOURS*
Trent Reznor, THE SOCIAL NETWORK*
Hans Zimmer, INCEPTION*

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BIUTIFUL
THE CONCERT
THE EDGE
I AM LOVE
IN A BETTER WORLD

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Amy Adams, THE FIGHTER
Helena Bonham Carter, THE KING’S SPEECH
Mila Kunis, BLACK SWAN
Melissa Leo, THE FIGHTER
Jacki Weaver, ANIMAL KINGDOM*

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Christian Bale, THE FIGHTER
Michael Douglas, WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS
Andrew Garfield, THE SOCIAL NETWORK*
Jeremy Renner, THE TOWN*
Geoffrey Rush, THE KING’S SPEECH

BEST ANIMATED FILM
DESPICABLE ME
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
THE ILLUSIONIST
TANGLED
TOY STORY

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“Bound to You” – BURLESQUE*
“Coming Home” – COUNTRY STRONG
“I See the Light” – TANGLED
“There’s a Place for Us” – THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE DAWN TREADER
“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” – BURLESQUE*

*films I have seen

GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS TOMORROW

The Golden Globe nominations will be announced Tuesday morning at 8am ET. I will have all of the nominations and thoughts tomorrow.

BROADCAST FILM CRITICS NOMINATIONS

The Critics Choice nominees have a been announced. BLACK SWAN received a record 12 nominations making it look even more like a Best picture nomination.  THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT surprisingly was not nominated in the Best Picture or Best Director category. It may be losing steam. Another surprise is the nomination of Noomi Rapace for THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.  THE TOWN seems to be hanging in there with nominations and also appearing on AFI's top ten movies of the year.


BEST PICTURE
127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges – “True Grit”
Robert Duvall – “Get Low”
Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network”
Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
James Franco – “127 Hours”
Ryan Gosling – “Blue Valentine”

BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening – “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman – “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”
Noomi Rapace – “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
Michelle Williams – “Blue Valentine”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
Andrew Garfield – “The Social Network”
Jeremy Renner – “The Town”
Sam Rockwell – “Conviction”
Mark Ruffalo – “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams – “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter – “The King’s Speech”
Mila Kunis – “Black Swan”
Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom”

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Elle Fanning – “Somewhere”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
Chloe Grace Moretz – “Let Me In”
Chloe Grace Moretz – “Kick-Ass”
Kodi Smit-McPhee – “Let Me In”
Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
The Fighter
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
The Town

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky – “Black Swan”
Danny Boyle – “127 Hours”
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – “True Grit”
David Fincher – “The Social Network”
Tom Hooper – “The King’s Speech”
Christopher Nolan – “Inception”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Another Year” – Mike Leigh
“Black Swan” – Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin
“The Fighter” – Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson)
“Inception” – Christopher Nolan
“The Kids Are All Right” – Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
“The King’s Speech” – David Seidler

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“127 Hours” – Simon Beaufoy and Danny Boyle
“The Social Network” – Aaron Sorkin
“The Town” – Ben Affleck, Peter Craig and Sheldon Turner
“Toy Story 3” – Michael Arndt (Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich)
“True Grit” – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“Winter’s Bone” – Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“127 Hours” – Anthony Dod Mantle
“Black Swan” – Matthew Libatique
“Inception” – Wally Pfister
“The King’s Speech” – Danny Cohen
“True Grit” – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION
“Alice in Wonderland” – Stefan Dechant
“Black Swan” – Therese DePrez and Tora Peterson
“Inception” – Guy Hendrix Dyas
“The King’s Speech” – Netty Chapman
“True Grit” – Jess Gonchor and Nancy Haigh
BEST EDITING

“127 Hours” – Jon Harris
“Black Swan” – Andrew Weisblum
“Inception” – Lee Smith
“The Social Network” – Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
“Alice in Wonderland” – Colleen Atwood
“Black Swan” – Amy Westcott
“The King’s Speech” – Jenny Beavan
“True Grit” – Mary Zophres

BEST MAKEUP
Alice in Wonderland
Black Swan
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
True Grit

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Inception
Tron: Legacy

BEST SOUND
127 Hours
Black Swan
Inception
The Social Network
Toy Story 3

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3

BEST ACTION MOVIE
Inception
Kick-Ass
Red
The Town
Unstoppable

BEST COMEDY
Cyrus
Date Night
Easy A
Get Him to the Greek
I Love You Phillip Morris
The Other Guys

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
The Pacific
Temple Grandin
You Don’t Know Jack

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Biutiful
I Am Love
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Inside Job
Restrepo
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
The Tillman Story
Waiting for Superman

BEST SONG
“I See the Light” – performed by Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi/written by Alan Menken & Glenn Slater – Tangled
“If I Rise” – performed by Dido and A.R. Rahman/music by A.R. Rahman/lyrics by Dido Armstrong and Rollo Armstrong – 127 Hours
“Shine” – performed and written by John Legend – Waiting for Superman
“We Belong Together” – performed and written by Randy Newman – Toy Story 3
“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me Yet” – performed by Cher/written by Diane Warren – Burlesque
BEST SCORE

“Black Swan” – Clint Mansell
“Inception” – Hans Zimmer
“The King’s Speech” – Alexandre Desplat
“The Social Network” – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
“True Grit” – Carter Burwell

NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES FILM CRITIC AWARDS

Both NY and LA film critic awards were announced this weekend. THE SOCIAL NETWORK won Best Picture in both competitions. Here is the list of the winners:


NEW YORK WINNERS

Picture
The Social Network
Actor
James Franco, 127 Hours
Actress
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Director
David Fincher, The Social Network
Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The FighterSupporting Actress
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Breakthrough Performer
Noomi Repace, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Debut Director
John Wells, The Company Men
Ensemble Cast
The Kids Are All Right
Screenplay
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Documentary
Exit Through The Gift Shop
Foreign Language
I Am Love
Animated
Toy Story 3
Cinematography
Black Swan
Film Music or Score
Black Swan

LOS ANGELES WINNERS

Best Picture

The Social Network
Runner-up: Carlos

Best Actor

Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Runner-up: Edgar Ramirez (Carlos)

Best Actress

Kim Hye-ja (Mother)
Runner-up: Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)

Best Supporting Actor

Niels Arestrup, A Prophet
Runner-up: Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actress

Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Runner-up: Olivia Williams, The Ghost Writer

Best Director

Olivier Assayas (Carlos) and David Fincher (The Social Network) (tie)

Best Screenplay

The Social Network (Aaron Sorkin)
Runner-up: The King's Speech (David Seidler)

Best Cinematography

Black Swan (Matthew Libatique)
Runner-up: True Grit (Roger Deakins)

New Generation Award

Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture)

Best Documentary/Non-fiction Film

Last Train Home (dir. Lixin Fan)
Runner-up: Exit Through The Gift Shop (dir. Banksy)

Best Foreign-Language Film

Carlos
Runner-up: Mother

Best Animated Film

Toy Story 3
Runner-up: The Illusionist

Best Music/Score

The Ghost Writer (Alexandre Desplat) and The Social Network (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) (tie)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS PICKS

Here are my predictions for Best Supporting Actress nominations:

-Jackie Weaver-ANIMAL KINGDOM*

-Helena Bonham-Carter-THE KING'S SPEECH

-Melissa Leo-THE FIGHTER

-Hailee Steinfeld-TRUE GRIT

-Amy Adams-THE FIGHTER

Bonham-Carter playing Queen Elizabeth seems like a winner to me.

*films I have seen

OPENING TODAY

Two movies opening to day in wide release:

-THE TOURIST

-THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER


The reviews of THE TOURIST have been horrible and NARNIA is NARNIA  nothing special unless you are a fan. THE FIGHTER and THE BLACK SWAN are both in limited release and both will have nominations.

BEST ACTRESS UPDATE

Here are my current picks for a Best Actress nomination:

-Annette Bening-THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT*

-Jennifer Lawrence-WINTER'S BONE*

-Natalie Portman-BLACK SWAN

-Lesley Manville-ANOTHER YEAR

-Julianne Moore-THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT*

This is a tough list to predict. Bening, Lawrence and Portman are a pretty good bet for a nomination.  Manville did get a National Board of Review award and Moore is great in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT. Lawrence is also getting a lot of attention. Right now I would predict Annette Bening as the winner, but it will become more clear when I see more of the films.

*films I have seen

BEST ACTOR UPDATE

-Colin Firth-A KING'S SPEECH

-James Franco-127 HOURS*

-Jesse Eisenberg-THE SOCIAL NETWORK*

-Jeff Bridges-TRUE GRIT

-Robert Duvall-GET LOW

The first three names on the list are pretty much a sure thing. Still a toss up for the other two, but right now I going with these names and will make updates if I see any trends. My prediction is that Colin Firth will win in this category.

*films I have seen

BEST PICTURE UPDATE

This week I will be updating my predictions for this years Academy Award nominations. Today is Best Picture. My original list from October has not changed:

-THE SOCIAL NETWORK*

-THE KING'S SPEECH

-127 HOURS*

-TRUE GRIT

-BLACK SWAN

-THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT*

-TOY STORY 3

-INCEPTION*

-THE FIGHTER

-WINTER'S BONE*

The reviews of THE FIGHTER have been mixed, but it is still on my list for now.  BLACK SWAN could also go either way, but I am leaving it there for now. I still think that it will come down to THE SOCIAL NETWORK and THE KING'S SPEECH with THE KING'S SPEECH winning Best Picture.

*films I have seen

WASHINGTON DC AREA FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS

This time of year there are  lot of film awards from various movie associations. Obviously the films that win these awards the better chance of a nomination at Oscat time. THE WINTER'S BONE is hanging in there by winning all kinds of awards so far. I would expect it to get a BEST PICTURE nomination. INCEPTION also is still in the mix and should not be counted out. Here is a list of winners of the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards:


Best Film: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher (The Social Network)
Best Actor: Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale (The Fighter)
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Best Original Screenplay: Inception
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Best Foreign Language Film: Biutiful
Best Art Direction: Inception
Best Cinematography: Inception
Best Score: Inception
Best Acting Ensemble: The Town

BOX OFFICE RESULTS

Hee are the top ten movies from the weekend. HARRY POTTER is the only real potential for any nominations.  A lot of films will released in December in order to make the cut for this years awards. The weekend after Thanksgiving usually doesn't have much new to offer.


1. "Tangled," $21.5 million.
2. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," $16.7 million.
3 (tie). "Burlesque," $6.1 million.
3 (tie). "Unstoppable," $6.1 million.
5. "Love & Other Drugs," $5.7 million.
6. "Megamind," $5 million.
7. "Due Date," $4.2 million.
8. "Faster," $3.8 million.
9. "The Warrior's Way," $3.1 million.
10. "The Next Three Days," $2.7 million.

OPENING TODAY

The week after Thanksgiving usually does not do well at the box office. The only film being released wide this weekend is THE WARRIORS WAY and by wide I mean only about 1600 theaters.  BLACK SWAN is opening in limited release. The more people that see BLACK SWAN are convinced that Natalie Portman will not only be nominated, but will win Best Actress this year.

NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW

The National Board of Review announced their winners yesterday. The announcement is the unofficial start to the Oscar season. THE SOCIAL NETWORK won big including Best Film. There are a few surprises like the winner for Best Actress Lesley Manville for ANOTHER YEAR and THE TOWN for Best Ensemble Cast. Best Original Screenplay for BURIED also came out of nowhere. 127 HOURS, BLACK SWAN and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT were completely shut out. Here is the entire list of winners:

Best Film
“The Social Network”

Best Director
David Fincher, “The Social Network”

Best Actor
Jesse Eisenberg, “The Social Network”

Best Actress
Lesley Manville, “Another Year”

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, “The Fighter”

Best Supporting Actress
Jacki Weaver, “Animal Kingdom”

Best Adapted Screenplay
Aaron Sorkin, “The Social Network”

Best Original Screenplay
Chris Sparling, “Buried”

Best Foreign Language Film
“Of Gods and Men”

Best Documentary
“Waiting for Superman”

Best Animated Feature
“Toy Story 3″

Best Ensemble Cast
“The Town”

Breakthrough Performance
Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone”

Debut Directors
Sebastian Junger, Tim Hetherington, “Restrepo”

Spotlight Award
Sylvain Chomet, Jacques Tati, “The Illusionist”

Special Filmmaking Achievement Award
Sofia Coppola, “Somewhere”

William K. Everson Film History Award
Leonard Maltin

NBR Freedom of Expression
“Conviction,” “Fair Game,” “Howl”

Production Design Award
Dante Ferretti, “Shutter Island”

Ten Best Films
“Another Year”
“The Fighter”
“Hereafter”
“Inception”
“The King’s Speech”
“Shutter Island”
“The Town”
“Toy Story 3″
“True Grit”
“Winter’s Bone”

Five Best Documentaries
“A Film Unfinished”
“Inside Job”
“Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work”
“Restrepo”
“The Tillman Story”

Top 10 Independent Films
“Animal Kingdom”
“Buried”
“Fish Tank”
“The Ghost Writer”
“Greenberg”
“Let Me In”
“Monsters”
“Please Give”
“Somewhere”
“Youth in Revolt”

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS NOMINATIONS

 WINTER'S BONE received 7 nominations, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT received 5. 4 nominations for GREENBERG, RABBIT HOLE &  BLACK SWAN. The awards show will be Saturday February 26th at 10pm EST on IFC. Joel McHale is the host.

***After winning 3 Gotham Independent Awards last week including Best Feature, it is well on its way to a Best Picture nomination.


BEST FEATURE

• 127 HOURS
• BLACK SWAN
• GREENBERG
• THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
• WINTER’S BONE

BEST DIRECTOR

• DARREN ARONOFSKY – Black Swan
• DANNY BOYLE – 127 Hours
• LISA CHOLODENKO – The Kids Are All Right
• DEBRA GRANIK – Winter’s Bone
• JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL – Rabbit Hole

BEST SCREENPLAY

• STUART BLUMBERG & LISA CHOLODENKO – The Kids Are All Right
• DEBRA GRANIK & ANNE ROSELLINI – Winter’s Bone
• NICOLE HOLOFCENER – Please Give
• DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE – Rabbit Hole
• TODD SOLONDZ – Life During Wartime

BEST FIRST FEATURE
(Award given to the director and producer)

• EVERYTHING STRANGE AND NEW
• GET LOW
• NIGHT CATCHES US
• THE LAST EXORCISM
• TINY FURNITURE

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

• DIANE BELL – Obselidia
• LENA DUNHAM – Tiny Furniture
• NIK FACKLER – Lovely, Still
• BOB GLAUDINI – Jack Goes Boating
• DANA ADAM SHAPIRO & EVAN M. WIENER – Monogamy

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD

• DADDY LONGLEGS
• LOVERS OF HATE
• OBSELIDIA
• THE EXPLODING GIRL

BEST FEMALE LEAD

• ANNETTE BENING – The Kids Are All Right
• GRETA GERWIG – Greenberg
• NICOLE KIDMAN – Rabbit Hole
• JENNIFER LAWRENCE – Winter’s Bone
• NATALIE PORTMAN – Black Swan
• MICHELLE WILLIAMS – Blue Valentine

BEST MALE LEAD

• RONALD BRONSTEIN – Daddy Longlegs
• AARON ECKHART – Rabbit Hole
• JAMES FRANCO – 127 Hours
• JOHN C. REILLY – Cyrus
• BEN STILLER – Greenberg

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

• ASHLEY BELL – The Last Exorcism
• DALE DICKEY – Winter’s Bone
• ALLISON JANNEY – Life During Wartime
• DAPHNE RUBIN-VEGA – Jack Goes Boating
• NAOMI WATTS – Mother and Child

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

• JOHN HAWKES – Winter’s Bone
• SAMUEL L. JACKSON – Mother and Child
• BILL MURRAY – Get Low
• JOHN ORTIZ – Jack Goes Boating
• MARK RUFFALO – The Kids Are All Right

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• ADAM KIMMEL – Never Let Me Go
• MATTHEW LIBATIQUE – Black Swan
• JODY LEE LIPES – Tiny Furniture
• MICHAEL McDONOUGH – Winter’s Bone
• HARRIS SAVIDES – Greenberg

BEST DOCUMENTARY
(Award given to the director)

• EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
• MARWENCOL
• SWEETGRASS
• RESTREPO
• THUNDER SOUL

BEST FOREIGN FILM
(Award given to the director)

• KISSES (Ireland)
• MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON (France)
• OF GODS AND MEN (Morocco)
• THE KING’S SPEECH (United Kingdom)
• UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (Thailand)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD

• PLEASE GIVE (DIRECTOR: Nicole Holofcener)

BREAKING!

Hope you had a great holiday weekend. I am back with some breaking news...This news just broke from Access Hollywood. James Franco and Anne Hathaway will be hosting the Academy Awards this year. I had heard this was a rumor, but it is looking more and more to be true.
Its hard to believe that these are the only two people that they could come up with. I will say that they both did a great job hosting Saturday Night Live, but the Oscars? We'll see....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

On vacation for a few days...will be back soon with more Oscar race updates. Happy Thanksgiving!

OPENING TODAY

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART ONE- Apparently if you are a Harry Potter fan then this is a great set up to Part which comes out in the summer. This film starts in the middle so if you have not seen the previous Potter films don't see this one first. It will be a huge Box Office hot this weekend and if course will be the number one movie. In the end it may be nominated for some technical awards.

THE NEXT THREE DAYS-Looks like a great movie with Russell Crowe breaking his wife played by Elizabeth Banks out of prison. But the reviews haven't been great (Rotten Tomatoes 43%, BFCA 77% , Metacritic 51%). Don't look for it on an Oscar list.

GREEN LANTERN TRAILER

I know it is early to talk about next next years awards season, but the trailer for THE GREEN LANTERN has been a huge internet hit. I am not really a fan of super hero movies, but this looks pretty good. Check it out below:



GREEN LANTERN TRAILER

DISNEY WANTS IT BAD

Disney is pushing hard for TOY STORY 3 as a Best Picture this year.  An animated film has never won Best Picture. Disney is hoping to change that with a pretty cool ad campaign Walt Disney Studio Chairman Rich Ross says:

"We’re going for the Best Picture win. We wanted to have the best movie and the reviews have clearly said that and it’s the number one box office hit of the year so I’m not sure why we would not go for it all."

As part of the campaign they are going to have ads where characters from TOY STORY re-enact famous images from previous Oscar winners, like;  WEST SIDE STORY, ON THE WATERFRONT, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, TITANIC and FORREST GUMP .
Ross also says:


""As far as 'Up' last year it’s not surprising but I think the strategy is you go for Best Picture and as a fallback you end up as Best Animated Feature. And I guess I always thought that was not confident. With this movie we wanted to come up with a campaign that kept our aspirations clear but at the same time used a tongue in cheek approach. It's all to recognize the quandary which is that no animated picture had won Best Picture, so we used only Best Picture images to reflect that. I feel very confident we have a movie everybody loves and I want to make sure with our support and our campaign that people don’t feel the consolation prize is the appropriate prize for a movie like Toy Story 3. I think people will look at the ads and feel it's very Pixar and very Disney. At the same time it’s very clear. Toy Story 3 is a Best Picture. Vote for it. Please.”
We continue to fully support your efforts, Disney! It'd be very cool to see history made at this year's Oscars with Toy Story 3 being the first animated feature to win Best Picture.

Good luck to Disney, but I don't see TOY STORY 3 winning Best Picture....

 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE SUBMISSIONS

The Academy bylaws state that there needs to be sixteen qualifying submissions to qualify for five Best Animated Feature nominations. Unfortunately there were only fifteen submissions so that means only three nominees are possible. The fifteen submissions are:


-ALPHA AND OMEGA
-CATS & DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE
-DESPICABLE ME
-THE DREAMS OF JINSHA
-HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
-IDIOTS AND ANGELS
-THE ILLUSIONIST
-LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS
-MEGAMIND
-MY DOG TULIP
-SHREK FOREVER AFTER
-SUMMER WARS
-TANGLED
-TINKER BELL AND THE GREAT FAIRY RESCUE
-TOY STORY 3

I predict that the three nominees will be:
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
TOY STORY 3
DESPICABLE ME

The award will go to TOY STORY 3

BOX OFFICE RESULTS

Here are the Box Office results from this weekend. There aren't really any films in the top ten that have any Oscar potential. UNSTOPPABLE could be nominated for some technical awards, but I wouldn't even bet on that.

1. "Megamind," $30 million.
2. "Unstoppable," $23.5 million.
3. "Due Date," $15.5 million.
4. "Skyline," 11.7 million.
5. "Morning Glory," $9.6 million.
6. "For Colored Girls," $6.75 million.
7. "Red," $5.1 million.
8. "Paranormal Activity 2," $3 million.
9. "Saw 3-D," $2.75 million.
10. "Jackass 3-D," $2.3 million

OPENING TODAY

No Oscar contenders being widely released this weekend...

MORNING GLORY-Harrison Ford in film about a morning news show returning to work after retirement. Reviews haven't been that great (Rotten Tomatoes 54%).

SKYLINE-All special effects and not a great story. The trailer is better than the movie.

UNSTOPPABLE-Highest rated movie coming out this weekend, but wont be in the Oscar race.



MEGAMIND will most likely be the number one movie again this week.

IT IS STILL EARLY

Thanks to the Oscar bloggers the race seems to have ended. Many bloggers say that the Best Picture winner will be between THE SOCIAL NETWORK and THE KINGS SPEECH. Remember there are still 7 weeks left in the year with many films yet to be released. THE FIGHTER is gaining strength since being screened by more critics. Mark Wahlberg is a strong contender for a Best Actor nomination, Christian Bale as Best Supporting Actor, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo as Best Supporting Actresses. BLACK SWAN still hasn't been released and seen by many critics. TRUE GRIT also has a lot of potential once it opens. We cant forget about THE RABBIT HOLE, HARRY POTTER and LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS either. I am sticking my top ten list for Best Picture now, but it is still early.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEADLY HALLOWS PART 1: November 19th
LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS-November 24th
BLACK SWAN-December 3rd
THE FIGHTER-December 10th
TRUE GRIT-December 22nd
THE RABBIT HOLE-TBA

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT REVIEW

    

The Kids are All Right is about two children who are conceived by artificial insemination and bring their birth father into their family life. It is a small quiet movie that really showcases a great ensemble of actors. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore play a gay couple raising two teenage kids. Films like this tend to play slow, but The Kids are All Right is not one of them. It plays at just the right pace to keep it interesting and with a few laughs.
     The big argument concerning this film is who should be nominated for best Actress. Should both Bening and Moore compete in the same category based on how much they are in the film? Some say Julianne Moore should concede to a Best Supporting Actress so that Annette Bening can go all the way to win Best Actress. Both are great in their roles and both deserve a nomination, but Bening will be tough to beat. My prediction is Best Actress nomination for both of them with Bening being the winner. Definitely check out The Kids Are All Right. It will be released on DVD on November 16th.

MY GRADE: A

NO HUGH!

Last year at this time we knew Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were hosting the Academy Awards. So far this year Hugh Jackman was asked to host again and declined. He hosted in 2009 and people generally thought he did a good job. I will let you know when this years host is announced....

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE RESULTS

 
 

   
 
No surprises this weekend. Most Oscar contenders still haven't had wide releases yet. THE SOCIAL NETWORK is the only Oscar movie still in the top ten...
 
1. "Megamind," $47.7 million.
2. "Due Date," $33.5 million.
3. "For Colored Girls," $20.1 million.
4. "Red," $8.9 million.
5. "Saw 3D," $8.2 million.
6. "Paranormal Activity 2," $7.3 million.
7. "Jackass 3D," $5.1 million.
8. "Hereafter," $4.02 million.
9. "Secretariat," $4 million.
10. "The Social Network," $3.6 million.

OPENING THIS WEEKEND

No real Oscar potential for any movies opening in wide release this weekend:


-DUE DATE-Not great reviews. No Oscar potential.

-MEGAMINDS-It will do well at the Box Office, but nothing to write home about.
-FOR COLORED GIRLS-This Tyler Perry movie did have some Oscar buzz in August. Rumor had that they were pushing for some nominations, but the film has had horrible reviews. You can count it out altogether.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Here is a list of possible Best Animated Feature. There is no doubt that TOY STORY 3 will be the winner in this category. Some are saying it will be nominated in the Best Picture category and win. I doubt that it will win Best Picture, but with 10 films in the nomination category it could show up on the list.

-TOY STORY 3
-HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
-DESPICABLE ME
-SHREK FOREVER AFTER
-THE ILLUSIONIST

BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS

Here is a list is a few categories for the British Independent Film Awards. It starts to give a good indication of films that have legs to make it to an Oscar nomination. The big surprise is all of the nominations for
KICK-ASS. The winners will be announced December 5th.


BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
Four Lions
Kick-Ass
The King's Speech
Monsters
Never Let Me Go

BEST DIRECTOR
Mike Leigh – Another Year
Matthew Vaughn – Kick-Ass
Tom Hooper – The King's Speech
Gareth Edwards – Monsters
Mark Romanek – Never Let Me Go

BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR
Debs Gardner Paterson – Africa United
Clio Barnard – The Arbor
Rowan Joffe – Brighton Rock
Chris Morris – Four Lions
Gareth Edwards – Monsters

BEST SCREENPLAY
Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Simon Blackwell, Christopher Morris – Four Lions
Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn – Kick-Ass
David Seidler – The King's Speech
William Ivory – Made In Dagenham
Alex Garland – Never Let Me Go

BEST ACTRESS
Manjinder Virk – The Arbor
Ruth Sheen – Another Year
Andrea Riseborough – Brighton Rock
Sally Hawkins – Made In Dagenham
Carey Mulligan – Never Let Me Go

BEST ACTOR
Jim Broadbent – Another Year
Riz Ahmed – Four Lions
Colin Firth – The King's Speech
Scoot McNairy – Monsters
Aidan Gillen – Treacle Junior

Here is this weekends top ten Box Office results. No Surprise that the horror films were in the top two spots on Halloween weekend. The films in bold are possible Oscar contenders.

1. Saw 3D
2. Paranormal Activity 2
3. Red
4. Jackass 3D
5. Hereafter
6. Secretariat
7. The Social Network
8. Life as We Know It
9. The Town
10. Conviction

BFC SCORES

Some say its just a number and doesn't mean anything, but I believe that the Broadcast Film Critic scores give a good indication for a Best Picture nomination.  Last year all of the nominees were an 85 or above. Here is a list of films that have had Oscar buzz and their scores:

Toy Story 3 – 97
The Social Network – 95
Inception – 94
127 Hours – 90
The Town – 87
The Kids Are All Right – 85
Winter’s Bone – 85
Fair Game – 83
Made in Dagenham – 83
Secretariat – 83
Shutter Island – 81
Never Let Me Go – 80
Conviction – 79
Love and Other Drugs – 77
Hereafter – 73
For Colored Girls – 61

BEST DIRECTOR

Here is a list of possible Best Director nominations:

David Fincher,The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Joel Coen, True Grit
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Christopher Nolan, Inception
Doug Liman, Fair Game
Mike Leigh, Another Year
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right
Nigel Cole, Made in Dagenham
Ben Affleck, The Town
Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island

My best guess right now would be David Fincher for The Social Network, but we will have to see how The King's Speech and 127 Hours make out after being released.

OPENING TODAY

CONVICTION-This movie is opening in more theaters today. It did have some Oscar buzz for the performances of Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell and Juliette Lewis. That has died down a little, but worth checking out.

SAW 3D-This is the 7th and final movie of the Saw franchise. An 8th was planned, but the poor performance of the 6th made them stop at 7, but never say never. I have liked all of the previous Saws I have seen. Great film for the Halloween weekend, but not an Academy Award winner.

If you want to see a movie this weekend that has a better chance of being in the Oscar race check out:

-THE SOCIAL NETWORK
-THE TOWN
-THE TILLMAN STORY
-SECRETARIAT

OSCAR NOTES

-Halle Berry will now be in the running for the film FRANKIE & ALICE. She is being pushed for a Best Actress nomination for her performance as a woman suffering from multiple personality disorder. The film will get a one week qualifying release in December before its actual release in 2011. This film was on the qualifying list in 2009 also, but can be considered again this year.  I would not count on Berry receiving a nomination, but they are giving it a try. She needs something after that great performance in CATWOMAN!

-WINTER'S BONE was released yesterday on DVD. You will be seeing this film a lot at awards time so check it out. 

-FOR COLORED GIRLS was moved up from January release to November in order to qualify for this years awards season.  Kimberly Elise and Thandie Newton will be campaigning for Supporting Actress, despite early buzz for Loretta Devine and Janet Jackson. The reviews for Tyler Perry's work have not been steller. The Hollywood Reporter described it as a "train wreck of a movie".  Sounds like the performances are good, but just another Tyler Perry film.

A NEW WAY TO MARKET

A few movies vying for an Oscar nomination are using a line from their movie as URL to get them to go viral.
Here are the links...

http://www.youknowwhatscool.com/   THE SOCIAL NETWORK

http://www.ijustwanttobeperfect.com/   BLACK SWAN

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

1. "Paranormal Activity 2," $41.5 million.
2. "Jackass 3D," $21.6 million.
3. "Red," $15 million.
4. "Hereafter," $12 million.
5. "The Social Network," $7.3 million.
6. "Secretariat," $6.9 million.
7. "Life as We Know It," $6.2 million.
8. "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole," $3.2 million.
9. "The Town," $2.7 million.
10. "Easy A," $1.8 million.

Oscar contenders are in bold.

REVIEWS

I saw a few movies this weekend trying to stay ahead of the game:

WINTER'S BONE-An Ozark Mountain girl hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact. It was an official selection of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival's Dramatic Competition and was the recipient of the Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. This film is the definition of an independent movie. It plays rather slow and the characters are the story more than the plot. Jennifer Lawrence is great in the role and deserves at least a Best Actress nomination. If you are not a fan of independent films this movie will seem slow.  It is still a Best Picture contender, but not a Best Picture winner. My Grade: B

ANIMAL KINGDOM-A teenage boy is trying to live with his arm robbing family after the death of his mother. This is another independent movie that is more about the acting. It is an Australian movie so its takes a few minutes to get used to the accent and understand what they are saying. Jacki Waver plays the Grandmother who will do anything to keep her family together. It is a great performance and deserves a Best Supporting nomination. They are sure pushing hard for it. My Grade: A-

JACKASS 3D- I can guarantee that this will not win any awards, but entertaining and in 3D. My Grade If you are a Jackass fan: B.  If you are not a Jackass fan: D