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The WORD of the Week

Matthew 3:7-10

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.


Stupid Fact of the Week
There was only one civilian casualty during the three-day Battle of Gettysburg

20 December, 2007
Award News
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced their nominations today for the 14th Annual awards show to be held on January 27, 2008.

There were a few surprises, IMO, but we'll get into that later.

As noted in a previous post, the WGA will be picketing the Golden Globes show provided that the strike is still in effect (it will be). The producers of the show have stated that the show will still go on even though much of the speculation is now that *most* actors/directors/other "guild" members will not attend (aka cross a picket line) in solidarity with the writers.

The SAG has pretty much been solidly behind the writers since this whole thing began. As such, the WGA is going to support (the) SAG by penning an interim agreement allowing WGA members to work on the SAG awards show. So the SAGs will proceed as normal. Here are their noms with (as always) my analysis:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
GEORGE CLOONEY / Michael Clayton – “Michael Clayton”
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Daniel Plainview – “There Will Be Blood”
RYAN GOSLING / Lars Lindstrom – “Lars And The Real Girl”
EMILE HIRSCH / Christopher McCandless– “Into The Wild”
VIGGO MORTENSEN / Nikolai – “Eastern Promises”

I'm picking Day-Lewis to win the Oscar. I'm sure this is no terrible surprise to anyone which is why I mention it (gotta keep some cards close to the chest). Outside of that, I like George and Viggo to get some love. Emile I really had to wrestle with (and finally eliminate from my picks) because I just feel he's too young and the character of McCandless (in the film) doesn't have a terribly great arch to it. Gosling, I believed I talked about before, had some great moments that were all but erased by an overall stereotypical, monotone portrayal of a socially inept young man.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
CATE BLANCHETT / Queen Elizabeth I – “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
JULIE CHRISTIE / Fiona – “Away From Her”
MARION COTILLARD / Edith Piaf – “La Vie En Rose”
ANGELINA JOLIE / Mariane Pearl – “A Mighty Heart”
ELLEN PAGE / Juno MacGuff – “Juno”

My only beef in this category is Cate. She's going to win for supporting, she's played this role (Elizabeth) before (and very well), but this movie was such a disappointment, both monetarily and critically, does she really deserve one of the five spaces when there were plenty other great performances this year?

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
CASEY AFFLECK / Robert Ford – “The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford”
JAVIER BARDEM / Anton Chigurh – “No Country For Old Men”
HAL HOLBROOK / Ron Franz – “Into The Wild”
TOMMY LEE JONES / Ed Tom Bell – “No Country For Old Men”
TOM WILKINSON / Arthur Edens – “Michael Clayton”

Javier is the out-and-out front runner this year by all accounts. Ever since seeing the Michael Clayton trailer I was sure Tom would score some critical praise and maybe even a golden guy (after nearly scoring it six years ago for In the Bedroom), but most Oscar buzz has him out of the top five. I'm glad to see SAG throwing him a bone. Hal is about the same. Some good critical buzz, but most people thought the role was too small for any awards. Tommy Lee is just out of place here. If the Academy gives him love it will most likely be in the Lead category for In the Valley of Elah.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
CATE BLANCHETT / Jude – “I’m Not There”
RUBY DEE / Mama Lucas – “American Gangster”
CATHERINE KEENER / Jan Burres – “Into The Wild”
AMY RYAN / Helene McCready – “Gone Baby Gone”
TILDA SWINTON / Karen Crowder – “Michael Clayton”

As said before by me and just about everyone on the planet, Cate will win this category at all award shows. Ruby's a bit of a dark horse here. There was definite buzz about her performance, but due to the overall feel of the movie being below par for Scott, and with a strong script and two "lead" actors each worthy (mainly by default) of at least one nomination, most people didn't see a supporting nomination coming this film's way. Obviously she won't win, as she's up against Cate, and I don't think she'll even be considered for the Oscar. I love Catherine Keener and Tilda Swinton and am glad to see them getting some love. Catherine's role, like Hal's, is rather small (as the film revolves around one young man's journey and everyone else sort of just comes and goes) and I wouldn't be surprised if she gets overlooked by the Academy. Amy's a pretty strong candidate, especially now with the support of the SAG nod. What's missing here (as in all categories, though most noticeably here) are the ladies from Atonement. I don't know if SAG has some beef against a producer on Atonement, but that was the one picture that seemed to have the formula down: romance, war, period, epic, adapted novel... Traditionally this formula applies more to the Oscars than SAG, but they don't usually ignore the film altogether. This was the one category I was sure that the three supporting ladies from Atonement (Ronan, Garai, Redgrave) would lock up at least one, possibly two, nominations. I may have to rethink this.

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
3:10 TO YUMA
AMERICAN GANGSTER
HAIRSPRAY
INTO THE WILD
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

Alright, here's where it just gets ludicrous. Hairspray? Really? I mean, I realize this is basically their "Best Picture" category, but when you label it "Performance by a Cast," what are films like 3:10 and Hairspray, whose leading and supporting performances you didn't find worthy of note, doing in this category? I mean, Michael Clayton got three nominations in the four acting categories, but the featured extras must really suck for it to not end up here. This whole category is just stupid. Wild or Country should win. I do want to see 3:10 now. I've got Hairspray down for two Oscar nods right now (not in the Orig. Song category either, which may come back to bite me) and that's certainly not changing. The roomie's getting a screener of Gangster today or tomorrow, so I'll watch it for free and then maybe feel better about it. Probably not.

Finally, something that's slipping a bit under the radar (as it's the LAST nomination on the SAG page... waaaay at the bottom):

Screen Actors Guild Awards 44th Annual Life Achievement Award
CHARLES DURNING

That's right, baby. Chucky D. Here he is doing a little sidestep. Enjoy.

posted by Rockel @ 10:03 AM  
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Lyrics of the Week

ON THE NICKEL
by Tom Waits

("I'd like to do a new song here. This is eh, it's about downtown Los Angeles on 5th Street. And eh all the winos affectionately refer to it as The Nickel. So this is kind of a hobo's lullaby.")

sticks and stones will break my bones,
but i always will be true, and when
your mama is dead and gone,
i'll sing this lullabye just for you,
and what becomes of all the little boys,
who never comb their hair,
well they're lined up all around the block,
on the nickel over there.

so you better bring a bucket,
there is a hole in the pail,
and if you don't get my letter,
then you'll know that i'm in jail,
and what becomes of all the little boys,
who never say their prayers,
well they're sleepin' like a baby,
on the nickel over there.

and if you chew tobacco, and wish upon a star,
well you'll find out where the scarecrows sit,
just like punchlines between the cars,
and i know a place where a royal flush,
can never beat a pair, and even thomas jefferson,
is on the nickel over there.

so ring around the rosie, you're sleepin' in the rain,
and you're always late for supper,
and man you let me down again,
i thought i heard a mockingbird, roosevelt knows where,
you can skip the light, with grady tuck,
on the nickel over there.

so what becomes of all the little boys,
who run away from home,
well the world just keeps gettin' bigger,
once you get out on your own,
so here's to all the little boys,
the sandman takes you where,
you'll be sleepin' with a pillowman,
on the nickel over there.

so let's climb up through that button hole,
and we'll fall right up the stairs,
and i'll show you where the short dogs grow,
on the nickel over there.

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