Entertainers of the Year 2011

Ryan Gosling
Smoldering hot and fantastic in Crazy Stupid Love, paired with the drama of Ides of March, 2011 was Gosling's year. Stylish, well acted, hot Gosling. Much improved from the depressing drivel that was Blue Valentine in last year's award season. Though the Canadian mouseketeer was an executive producer and plays a mean ukulele. His starring role in Drive was also well reviewed. I have yet to see Drive but it will be on DVD January 31st.

Emma Stone
Also strong in Crazy Stupid Love, Stone was incredible as Skeeter in the Help. She seemed natural in the role while maintaining the book's spirit. Stone also hosted SNL and had a quick scene in Friends With Benefits. Stone certainly built on her momentum of quality roles from last year (Easy A, her first time hosting SNL came in 2010). I plan on forgiving her for the Amazing Spiderman in 2012.

Kristen Wiig
Star of Bridesmaids and countless SNL sketches, Wiig is hilarious and thanks to the success of Bridesmaids many more people realized that in 2011. Wiig will reteam with Maya Rudolph and Jon Hamm in Friends With Kids in June. The movie was written and directed by Hamm's longtime girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt. "Approved!" -- think Target lady!

honorable mention: comedy
The Sitcom Renaissance - returning favs Modern Family and Parks and Rec, new gems like 2 Broke Girls, Up All Night, Happy Endings and New Girl. Quality SNL and Jimmy Fallon. Movies --Bridesmaids, Crazy Stupid Love, Midnight in Paris. 2011 was a good year for my preferred genre.

2012 Golden Globe nominations

Finally getting to the discussion of this year's Golden Globe nominations. The drama movie categories may not always provide predictions for the Oscars, but they are good indicators and fun homework. I do love me some good tv and the Globes also recognize television. The tv drama categories are not appealing or favorites of mine, we are enjoying the Sitcom Renaissance after all.
Below is the full list of nominees:

Movies
Drama
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

Comedy or musical
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

Actor, comedy or musical
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brendan Gleeson, The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50
Ryan Gosling, Crazy Stupid Love
Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris

Actress, comedy or musical
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
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Animated film
Rango
The Adventures of Tintin
Puss in Boots
Winnie the Pooh
Arthur Christmas

Foreign-language film
The Flowers of War
In the Land of Blood and Honey
The Kid with a Bike
A Separation
The Skin I Live In

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

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

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.

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

Television
Drama
American Horror Story (FX)
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Boss (Starz)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Homeland (Showtime)

Comedy or musical
Enlightened (HBO)
Episodes (Showtime)
Glee (Fox)
Modern Family (ABC)
New Girl (Fox)

Actor, drama series
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Kelsey Grammer, Boss (Starz)
Jeremy Irons, The Borgias (Showtime)
Damian Lewis, Homeland (Showtime)

Actress, drama series
Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime)
Mireille Enos, The Killing (AMC)
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS)
Madeleine Stowe, Revenge (ABC)
Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness (USA)

Actor, comedy or musical series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)
David Duchovny, Californication (Showtime)
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Thomas Jane, Hung (HBO)
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes (Showtime)

Actress, comedy or musical series
Laura Dern, Enlightened (HBO)
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl (Fox)
Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)
Laura Linney, The Big C (Showtime)
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)

Supporting actor
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail (HBO)
Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce (HBO)
Tim Robbins, Cinema Verité (HBO)
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family (ABC)

Supporting actress
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story (FX)
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family (ABC)
Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce (HBO)

Miniseries or TV movie
Cinema Verité (HBO)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
The Hour (BBC America)
Mildred Pierce (HBO)
Too Big to Fail (HBO)

Actor, miniseries or TV movie
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Idris Elba, Luther (BBC America)
William Hurt, Too Big to Fail (HBO)
Bill Nighy, Page Eight (PBS)
Dominic West, The Hour (BBC America)

Actress, miniseries or TV movie
Romola Garai, The Hour (BBC America)
Diane Lane, Cinema Verité (HBO)
Elizabeth McGovern, Downton Abbey
Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult (ITV)
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce (HBO)

The Artist

This week the Artist remains at the top of the list for most likely to be nominated for Best Picture, increasing the fun factor that I was able to see it early in the season and not at Fox Tower. Emily scored screening passes for the Artist before Christmas last week and I am now getting around to blogging about the experience. While not movie specific but of note: Emily ran into to traffic and was not going to be able to join me in line prior to seating. As soon as I knew this was the case, I asked the couple in front of me in line if they would save my spot, they agreed and I mentioned that I was leaving my lunch bag in line. I hurried to the ladies and then to get my popcorn. As I was grabbing napkins, I noticed that the line was moving and they were seating earlier than usually. Well the nice strangers in front of me in line, not only carried my lunch bag in for me, but they saved me and Emily seats! They were not sure if I had someone coming or not, so they saved two spots. I had made my peace with loosing my place in line and it was such a wonderful surprise to have these sweet people be so kind. Now back to the movie...

The Artist is a silent film about two actors in the late twenties as the transition from the silent film era to talkies begins. The music in the film is excellent, which really is a necessity for a silent film. There are subtitle cards of dialogue. The story is simple and sweet with its fair share of drama but certainly not the darkness that can occupy many Oscar contenders. To quote Owen Gleiberman who I rarely agree with but here he perfectly sums up: "The Artist is delightfully old-fashioned, but it's also poppingly contemporary, with a puckish spark of self-awareness."

The director-writer of the movie and the two leads are French. Both the lead actors, Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, seem to be of the era, their looks so fitting with the style and cinematography that you have to remind yourself, this film was made in 2011. Dujardin resembles Gene Kelly and the beginning of the story calls to mind the opening plot points of Singin' In the Rain. Dujardin is also near the top of the list of those most likely to be nominated for Best Actor.

Weekly list to Best Picture nominees

I have not been obsessing on Dave Karger of Entertainment Weekly's online list ranking which movies are most likely to be nominated for Best Picture as I was last year, but I certainly am excited about the most recent list from December 13th. Two reasons; one, The Artist is number 1 on the list and I am seeing a screening Wednesday with the woman who rocks all screening passes -- Emily. Second of all, I have already seen six of the movies: the Help, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, Harry Potter, Ides of March and J Edgar (and it will be seven after Wednesday).

Hugo -- Martin Scorsese's adventure about an orphaned boy in 1930s Paris

BEST PICTURE
1. The Artist (last week: 1)
2. The Descendants (last week: 2)
3. War Horse (last week: 3)
4. Hugo (last week: 7)
5. The Help (last week: 6)
6. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (last week: 4)
7. Midnight in Paris (last week: 5)
8. The Tree of Life (last week: 10)
9. Moneyball (last week: 8 )
10. Drive (last week: 14)
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 (last week: 12)
12. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (last week: 13)
13. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (last week: 11)
14. The Ides of March (last week: 9)
15. J. Edgar (last week: 15)

Here is the link to the full article and lists. They include all the top categories, Best Director and all four acting categories.

Young Adult

Or "YA, that's industry speak for young adult." I scored passes to a screening of director Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air, Thank You for Smoking) and Diablo Cody (Juno)'s new movie and of course my number one sneak peek buddy Emily joined me.

Charlize Theron is in the lead role as a stunted author of a young adult book series. She makes the abrupt decision to return to the small town where she is from where she shined in her high school days.
The movie is very funny, has heart and I enjoyed routing for the fabulous antihero that Theron cultivated. Reitman and Cody rejoined forces nicely, this time focusing on what happens after high school. You know that the Breeders tv shirt worn by one character was as carefully chosen as was the Twilight joke in the same scene. The 90s inspired music and the supporting cast were strong. Patton Oswald is excellent has a former classmate of Theron's Mavis. In her few scenes, Collette Wolfe is brilliant as Oswald's sister. I had to consult imdb but I believe I recognize Wolfe most from Cougar Town. Or possibly Hot Tub Time Machine (fun trivia, the first movie ever watched at movie night was Hot Tub Time Machine).

I really enjoy this alternate YA book cover style poster. 

For my coworkers, you will note a familiar name mentioned as one of the characters in the series Mavis Gary writes...