SAG Award Winners

Sorry that this is going up a bit late, guys. Please bear with me, but I just thought that its better late than never (right?) to announce the winners of the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Best Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

The Cast of  Slumdog Millionaire

Awesome. From what I hear from...well....EVERYBODY is that I MUST see this movie, or I won't be considered a fully operational human being. A film about a love story set in India winning? Also, very very cool.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Sean Penn for his performance as Harvey Milk in Milk

Nice to see Penn win this, he's an extremely versatile actor. I mean come on, the dude started out as Spicoli the stoner, for christ sakes. Way to win, buddy. I love you. 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Meryl Streep for her performance as Sister Aloysius Beauvier in Doubt

Yay. Really what else can I say? Way to go, Streep, but personally I wanted Hathaway to win here. Jeesh.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Heath Ledger for his performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight

Awesome awesome awesome awesome. Really, I'm quite happy with this. While some might say that all of this means nothing because of Ledgers tragic passing, I disagree. It shows that the kind of performances and movies that can get recognized at these types of awards don't have to be the usual cookie cutter variety (aka indie, dramatic, etc

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Kate Winslet for her performance as Hannah Schmitz in The Reader

Great. Don't really have much to say here, because I think that Winslet should have won for Revolutionary Road instead.

Stay tuned for Academy Award coverage to come later!!

Glden Globes: The Aftermath

So the Golden Globes are done and over with: after parties have been cleaned up, hang overs cured and all the free food consumed by celebrities. BUT we don't care about that! Any self-respecting person only cares about how close I was with my predictions! Lets get it started, then. This will be set up like my previous article on who I thought will win, with the category followed by the winner.

Best Motion Picture, Drama

Slumdog Millionare

Well, I can't say that I didn't see this one coming. Everyone that's seen this movie highly recommends it and I'm happy that this little film (that wasn't going to be shown in America/North America at all) is getting the recognition it deserves. I can't say much personally for this film, seeing as how I have yet to actually watch it, but I'll be sure to sit down and enjoy it as soon as I can, hopefully before the Oscars come around. And as for this category, I was kind of right (I said either BB or Slumdog would win....hey, it still counts!)

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Yes! I am happy to say that I got this one wrong: dead wrong. I assumed that Mamma Mia! would walk away the victor here, seeing as how...well, its MAMMA MIA! for christ sakes, it seems like everything that Abba music touches turns to gold (obviously not Golden Globe gold, though). Again, I haven't seen this film, but I've heard okay things about it: not great, not terrible. Well....at least In Bruge didn't win.

Best Actor, Motion Picture Drama

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Wrong AGAIN! Rourke owned this one, leaving the other incredible actors in the dust. But I do have to say, Leo DiCaprio was out of his league....but it doesn't make me want to watch Revolutionary Road any less. 

Best Actress, Motion Picture Drama

Kate Winslet (Revolutoionary Road)

The only thing better than Winslet winning (and me being right about this one) is her acceptance speech. A genuinely shocked Winslet accepted her award, flubbing on Angelina Jolie's name and almost shaking to death. This is why I like Winslet: she seems genuine. Jolie looked a little too smug on camera when her name was called during the 'and the nominee's are...' portion, but Kate seems very..human. Now if only I could say the same about our next winner.....

Best Actor, Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

Colin Ferrell (In Bruge)

Wait, WHAT?! That drunk  leprechaun of a human being won? As if it wasn't absurd that he won, his acceptance speech tops it. What is he talking about? Curiosity is love? Ignorance is nemesis? I'm not kidding, those are his actual words, check it out here. Sorry for the bad quality. Looks like someones been doing some coke with Mickey Rourke.......I'm sure if James Franco won, his stoned-up speech would've been more coherent and entertaining. 

Best Actress, Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky)

Again, not much to say here. Streep didn't win for Mamma Mia! (yay) but I was surprised that with VCBarcelona's win, that Rebecca Hall wouldn't walk away with the award here. Wrong again, I guess. 

Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture

Heath Leder (The Dark Knight)

Two words: Hell. YES! I literally jumped out of my chair when Ledgers name was called and ran around the house yelling 'YES! Hell YES!'....until reality sunk in and I realized that he was dead, and although the win is a great achievement, its also a bit tragic. Christopher Nolans acceptance speech was good, and summed up that feeling. A few shots of the celebrity audience did show that it's obvious Heath will be missed........now if only (Dare I say it) the Oscar were to go to him also......

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Apparently, this is the first time in a major awards show that one person has won for best actress and best supporting.....so congratulations to Winslet, I really am happy for her. And I got this one right! Yes!

Best Animated Feature Film

Wall E

Oh, who called it? Yes, that's right, I did. But really, this one was all sewn up. And by the way...The Jonas Brothers? Really? You couldn't find anyone else to present the award so you dragged out the Disney duds? Way to go, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, way to go.

Best Foreign Language Film

Waltz with Bashir

Wow, this is an interesting choice. An animated documentary on war? Now that is good.

Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Original Score

Slumdog Millionare

I'm just going to clump these all together because Slumdog took them all. Again, good going guys. I'm happy for the cast and crew.

Best Original Song

'The Wrestler' by Bruce Springsteen (from The Wrestler)

I was pretty sure that this one would win.....the Gabriel song was a long shot, and to be fair, this is a good song...classic, acoustic, blue collar Springsteen, but still good. After another listen or two, I've come to love it. Take a listen here, too.

So, those are the winners, folks. Some are expected, some are astounding (in the good and bad sense of the word). The Golden Globes is the first major award show of the year...and some have called it the Oscar Predictor......and sometimes, that's what it is. The difference between the GG's and the Academy Awards is that there are many, many, many more people that vote for who wins an Oscar than there are for who wins a GG....so its more unexpected and random. 

Hopefully, my boy Benjamin Button will come through a little more during the Academy Awards, seeing as how the film won nothing at this years GG's. No matter who wins though, its all about recognition: when you watch an awards show like this, you're introduced to films that you might not have heard of, or were interested in before the show. Afterwards, you might go out and rent that foreign film you heard so much buzz about, thus you are introduced to more cultures and you experience more films, and different films that what your used to. Its in this way that your mind is cinematically broadened, and you become a more well rounded person. So when the Academy Award Nominations come out on the 22nd (9 days from now)....you might want to write down a few titles, watch some movies, and experience some damn good cinema.

Golden Globe: Predictions

So I have to admit: I'm terrible at these award shows. No, I'm not talking about weather or not I win the heated debates over who had the nicest dress ( I frankly could care less about what garb the celebs have decided to drape over their delicate frames). I mean that I am terrible at guessing who will win what.

I'm torn between what I want to win, and what I honestly think will win. This year, I'm much more interested than I usually am, seeing as how I'm listened to and read MANY reviews of the films that are nominated this year, and even seen a few of them myself (Benjamin Button review, coming soon by the way). That being said, on with the predictions!

Best Motion Picture: Drama

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

The Reader

Revolutionary Road

Slumdog Millionaire

Hmm, this is a hard one, but I'm pretty sure that either Benjamin Button or Slumdog Millionaire will take this one...I'm honestly surprised that Milk wasn't nominated and but in the race in this category, but meh, what can you do? I'd be surprised if Rev. Road or The Reader took this (sorry, Kate Winslet) and Frost/Nixon would be a good surprise.

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Burn After Reading

Happy-Go-Lucky

In Bruges

Mamma Mia!

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

I'm thinking that sadly, Mamma Mia! will steal this award......Abba and Streep? Its too powerful a concept to ignore. Personally though, I'd like to see Burn After Reading to get this one.

Best Actor, Motion Picture Drama

Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road)

Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)

Sean Penn (Milk)

Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button)

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

So many good performances, so few awards....I hate to say it Leo, but I think you're out of your league here. I love you, I really do. But I'm pretty sure that the real race is between Langella, Penn, Pitt and Rourke.......possible win for Pitt? I hope so.

Best Actress, Motion Picture Drama

Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)

Angelina Jolie (Changeling)

Meryl Streep (Doubt)

Kristen Thomas (I've Loved You So Long)

Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)

My bet here is that either Streep or Winslet will win this one....Jolie isn't due for a GG yet, Hathaways film was too indie (although I would love to see her win) and to be honest, I've heard nothing about I've Loved You So Long.....so I doubt it will win.....

Best Actor, Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

Javier Bardem (Vicky Christina Barcelona)

Colin Farrell (In Bruges)

James Franco (Pineapple Express)

Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges)

Dustin Hoffman (Last Change Harvey)

Okay, I'll say this now: if either actor for In Bruge wins.....I don't even know what I'll do...but it will be drastic and un called for. My bet is for Hoffman....but my heart belongs to Franco....his performance made me laugh so hard I fell out of my chair and cried...'nuff said.

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy

Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky)

Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading)

Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!)

Emma Thompson (Last Chance Harvey) 

Basically none of the performances here are outstanding...and I don't really care about who wins this one.....but I'm going to assume that an un-deserved GG is going to Streep for this one....god, how I'm starting to hate musicals.....

Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture

Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)

Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder)

Ralph Fiennes (The Dutchess)

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

This category is the one that has my knickers in a knot.......I'm hoping, no, PRAYING that Ledger wins this. He deserves it, he really honestly does. BUT I fear that Hoffman might steal this one......Downey Jr. would be my second hope for who wins...and seriously? Tom Cruise?! Who in the hell thought that his performance was honestly so amazing that he deserved an award? WHO?!

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

Amy Adams (Doubt)

Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

Viola Davis (Doubt)

Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)

Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Ideally, Winslet will win this one ( I think that she put out two solid performances this year, and at least ONE of them should be recognized). Its possible that either Cruz or (less possibly) Tomei might take it, though.

Best Animated Feature Film

Bolt

Wall E

Kung Foo Panda

Wall E is going to win this, hands down. I will be extremly surprised if it doesn't....Pixar usually does, and lets face it: a cute dystopian movie with a lovable robot love story mixed in? Done deal, my friends, done deal. 

Best Foriegn Language Film

I hate to say it, but this year I have seen none of the films that are nominated in this category, and I apologize. I really can't say who I think will win this category...but a blind stab in the dark is I've Loved You So Long. But hey, what do I know?

Best Director, Motion Picture

Danny Boyle Slumdog Millionaire

Stephen Daldry The Reader

David Fincher Benjamin Button

Ron Howard Frost/Nixon

Sam Mendes Revolutionary Road 

Another tough one...but I'm thinking either Boyle, Howard or Fincher will win (in that order, Boyle being most likely, etc).

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture

Frost/Nixon

Benjamin Button

Doubt

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire 

Both Doubt and BB are adaptations....so although they could win, this award might be given to a more original work like Slumdog or Frost/Nixon.

Best Original Score

Benjamin Button (Alexandre Desplat)

Changeling (Clint Eastwood...wait, what!!!)

Defiance (James Newton Howard)

Slumdog Millionaire (A. R. Rahman)

Frost/Nixon (Hans Zimmer) 

I have no idea, who will win this!! I try really hard to try and remember the music and the ambience in a film as a result of that music, but I never can. But the big news here is omigodclinteastwood!! I honestly didn't know that he was that big of a composer. Thats pretty impressive......but for me, Hans Zimmer is the man (random fact: he and fellow nominee James Newton Howard composed The Dark Knight score together....speaking of which, why isn't TDK score nominated?! It was mind blowing).

Best Original Song

Down to Earth by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newton (Wall E)

Gran Torino by Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Micheal Stevens (Gran Torino)

I Thought I Lost You by Miley Cyrus and Jeffery Steele (Bolt)

Once in a Lifetime by Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarmon, Ian Dench, James Dring and Jody Street (Cadillac Records)

The Wrestler by Bruce Springsteen (The Wrestler)

This is the last category that I'm going to discuss, and, although its been said before, I'll say it again: This is a tough one. I love my man Gabriel, and hope he pulls through....but Springsteen is a good contendor, too. Oh, and god help us if the Cyrus song wins....just sayin'.

Well, that's that. No, I'm not going into the tv awards because I don't watch television and thus don't really care. The film awards are the only things that really matter to me, and tomorrow we'll see how right I was (don't hold your breath though, I'm usually wrong about these sorts of things). And remember, even if your favourite film/performance/song/score  doesn't win, there's always the barrage of other award shows coming up (DGA's, Oscar's, etc etc). And if you want, you can see the full, official list of categories and nominees here. Enjoy!

PS You'll notice that I've linked some of the nominees to individual trailers. Also, the nominees for Best Original Song are linked to youtube videos...most are amv's...sorry, its the best I could do, but I thought I'd do a little something extra for my fellow film fans.