And the Oscar Nominees are...

Congrats to all the nominees of the 84th Academy Awards! Now the race is on (with myself) to watch all the nominated films. I have quite a bit of homework to do. Stay tuned for the awards show on Sunday, February 26th at 4pm on ABC. (And of course, stick around for my Oscar predictions. Wanna make a wager?)

84th Annual Academy Award Nominations


BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR

"The Artist"(The Weinstein Co.)
Thomas Langmann, Producer
"The Descendants"(Fox Searchlight)
Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" (Warner Bros.)
Scutt Rudin, Producer
"The Help"(Touchstone)
Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
"Hugo"(Paramount)
Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
"Midnight in Paris"(Sony Pictures Classics)
Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
"Moneyball"(Sony Pictures)
Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
"The Tree of Life"(Fox Searchlight)
Nominees TBD
"War Horse"(Touchstone)
Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"
Alexander Payne - "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"
Woody Allen - "Midnight in Paris"
Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Life."

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Glenn Close - "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis - "The Help"
Rooney Mara - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Demián Bichir - "A Better Life"
George Clooney - "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"
Gary Oldman - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Kenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill - "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte - "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"
Max von Sydow - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain - "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy - "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer - "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer - "The Help."

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash - "The Descendants"
John Logan - "Hugo"
George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon - "The Ides of March"
Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin - "Moneyball"
Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy."

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"
Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig - "Bridesmaids"
J.C. Chandor - "Margin Call"
Woody Allen - "Midnight in Paris"
Asghar Farhadi - "A Separation."

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR

"A Cat in Paris"
"Chico & Rita"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

"Dimanche/Sunday"
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"
"La Luna"
"A Morning Stroll"
"Wild Life"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

"Bullhead" (Belgium)
"Footnote" (Israel)
"In Darkness" (Poland)
"Monsieur Lazhar" (Canada)
"A Separation" (Iran)

CINEMATOGRAPHY

"The Artist"
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

SOUND MIXING

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"

SOUND EDITING

"Drive"
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse

ORIGINAL SCORE

Ludovic Bource - "The Artist"
Alberto Iglesias - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Howard Shore - "Hugo"
John Williams - "The Adventures of Tintin"
John Williams - "War Horse"

ORIGINAL SONG

"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" - Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio" from "Rio" - Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett.

COSTUME

"Anonymous"
"The Artist"
"Hugo"
"Jane Eyre"
"W.E."

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"Hell and Back Again"
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front"
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"
"Pina"
"Undefeated"

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)

"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement"
"God Is the Bigger Elvis"
"Incident in New Baghdad"
"Saving Face"
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"

ART DIRECTION

"The Artist"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"War Horse"

FILM EDITING

"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"

MAKEUP

"Albert Nobbs"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"The Iron Lady"

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

"Pentecost"
"Raju"
"The Shore"
"Time Freak"
"Tuba Atlantic"

VISUAL EFFECTS

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Real Steel"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Happy New Year!

It's never too late to wish you a Happy New Year! Where have I been? Perhaps I took a hiatus from my own life. No, I wish! I've been quite busy - I am excited to announce that my first interview with Korean Film Director Bong Joon-ho was published in the December 2010 issue of KoreAm. I was so excited and honored to have interviewed such an incredibly talented director. He directed hits such as the sci-fi horror film, "The Host" and the critically acclaimed drama, "Mother", starring veteran Korean actress Kim Hye-ja. Next up, he is working on a sci-fi film titled "Snow Piercer" which is based off of a french comic book. I hear rumors that "Captain America's" Chris Evans is considering working on this film - very exciting.

So, take a look at my interview and keep reading for more of my "two-cents" on various films - old and new!

Golden Globes Time!

Okay, I won't do it. But thanks to twitter and the east coast, us west coasters already know who won what categories. I do love the Golden Globes as it kick starts the awards shows for the new year and also is indicative of who will be nominated for an Oscar. It is also the personal competition that I have with myself every single stinking year, too, to see every nominated film and I have yet to win.

So in advance, I congratulate you and you and you...! I will go ahead and just announce who the nominees are. You can look up or watch the winners on your own so I don't spoil the surprise. Well done all!

Motion pictures

Picture, drama:

"The Descendants," ''The Help," ''Hugo," ''The Ides of March," ''Moneyball," ''War Horse."

Picture, musical or comedy:

"50/50," ''The Artist," ''Bridesmaids," ''Midnight in Paris," ''My Week with Marilyn."

Actor, drama:

George Clooney, "The Descendants"; Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar"; Michael Fassbender, "Shame"; Ryan Gosling, "The Ides of March"; Brad Pitt, "Moneyball."

Actress, drama:

Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"; Viola Davis, "The Help"; Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"; Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"; Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin."

Director:

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; George Clooney, "The Ides of March"; Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"; Martin Scorsese, "Hugo."

Actor, musical or comedy:

Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"; Brendan Gleeson, "The Guard"; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "50/50"; Ryan Gosling, "Crazy, Stupid, Love"; Owen Wilson, "Midnight in Paris."

Actress, musical or comedy:

Jodie Foster, "Carnage"; Charlize Theron, "Young Adult"; Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids"; Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"; Kate Winslet, "Carnage."

Supporting actor:

Kenneth Branagh, "My Week with Marilyn"; Albert Brooks, "Drive"; Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"; Viggo Mortensen, "A Dangerous Method"; Christopher Plummer, "Beginners."

Supporting actress:

Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"; Jessica Chastain, "The Help"; Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"; Octavia Spencer, "The Help"; Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants."

Foreign language:

"The Flowers of War," ''In the Land of Blood and Honey," ''The Kid with a Bike," ''A Separation," ''The Skin I Live In."

Animated film:

"The Adventures of Tintin," "Arthur Christmas," "Cars 2," "Puss in Boots," "Rango."

Screenplay:

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"; Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"; Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, "Moneyball."

Original score:

Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"; Abel Korzeniowski, "W.E."; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"; Howard Shore, "Hugo"; John Williams, "War Horse."

Original song:

"Hello Hello" (music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin), "Gnomeo & Juliet"; "The Keeper" (music and lyrics by Chris Cornell), "Machine Gun Preacher"; "Lay Your Head Down" (music by Brian Byrne, lyrics by Glenn Close), "Albert Nobbs"; "The Living Proof" (music by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr., lyrics by Mary J. Blige, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas), "The Help"; "Masterpiece" (music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry), "W.E."

Television

Series, drama:

"American Horror Story," FX; "Boardwalk Empire," HBO; "Boss," Starz; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "Homeland," Showtime.

Actor, drama:

Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"; Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"; Kelsey Grammer, "Boss"; Jeremy Irons, "The Borgias"; Damian Lewis, "Homeland."

Actress, drama:

Claire Danes, "Homeland"; Mireille Enos, "The Killing"; Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"; Madeleine Stowe, "Revenge"; Callie Thorne, "Necessary Roughness."

Series, musical or comedy:

"Enlightened," HBO; "Episodes," Showtime; "Glee," Fox; "Modern Family," ABC; "New Girl," Fox.

Actress, musical or comedy:

Laura Dern, "Enlightened"; Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"; Tina Fey, "30 Rock"; Laura Linney, "The Big C"; Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation."

Actor, musical or comedy:

Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"; David Duchovny, "Californication"; Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory"; Thomas Jane, "Hung"; Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes."

Miniseries or movie:

"Cinema Verite," HBO; "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS; "The Hour," BBC America; "Mildred Pierce," HBO; "Too Big to Fail," HBO.

Actress, miniseries or movie:

Romola Garai, "The Hour"; Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite"; Elizabeth McGovern, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult"; Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce."

Actor, miniseries or movie:

Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)"; Idris Elba, "Luther"; William Hurt, "Too Big to Fail"; Bill Nighy, "Page Eight (Masterpiece)"; Dominic West, "The Hour."

Supporting actress, series, miniseries or movie:

Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"; Kelly Macdonald, "Boardwalk Empire"; Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)"; Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"; Evan Rachel Wood, "Mildred Pierce."

Supporting actor, series, miniseries or movie:

Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"; Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail"; Guy Pierce, "Mildred Pierce"; Tim Robbins, "Cinema Verite"; Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family."

Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award:

Morgan Freeman