Oscars 2012 Nominations

Best Picture

War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Best Actress

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

Best Actor

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

Supporting Actress

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

Supporting Actor

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

Best Director

Michel Hazanivicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Best Original Screenplay

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

Best Adapted Screenplay

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

Best Foreign Feature

Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

Best Animated Feature

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

Art Direction

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

Cinematography

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

Costume Design

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

Film Editing

Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Kevin Tent, The Descendants
Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Thelma Schoonmaker, Hugo
Christopher Tellefsen, Moneyball

Makeup

Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle, Albert Nobbs
Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland, The Iron Lady

Music (Original Score)

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

Music (Original Song)

“Man or Muppet” from The Muppets, Bret McKenzie
“Real in Rio” from Rio, Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett

Sound Editing

Drive
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon
War Horse

Sound Mixing

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon
War Horse

Visual Effects

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

Short Film (Animated)

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

Short Film (Live Action)

Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic

كارمن…محمد صبحي

ايه ده .. أنت اتجننت … أنت قتلتها … قتلت كريمه

لا أنا قتلت كارمن

كارمن هي كريمه… الاتنين واحد

أنا قتلتها علشان كان لازم تموت

الديكتاتور الي زيك هو الي لازم يموت

وأنا مين علشان أموت … دا أنا مفيش في أيدي كرباج ولا نبوت … ده أنا ديكتاتور صغير يادوب لسه في حضانة  بتهجي أول حروفي في القهر والأهانه من كتر خوفي من خوف ابن الجبانه والكذب والخيانة قلت أعمل ديكتاتور .. ولو إن لسالي كتير علشان أكمل علامي وأخد في ايدي الشهادة… شهادة ديكتاتوراه … والعب لعب الحواة وافسد الحياه وادوس على الجباه واشعلل الحرائق و أظلم  الخلائق واتيح في خلق الله

كارمن هي اللي حرة وأنا الديكتاتور, طب وانتو عايشين كماله ولا عايشين عواله ولا كمالة طابور
كارمن رمز الحياه وأنا اللي شرير وقاتل. والدنيا محترفة في صناعة الشخص الديكتاتور، من يوم بدء الخليقة مش قادرة تحمي حق ولا قادرة ضد ظلم ولا قادرة عالحقيقة…ولا تمنع ديكتاتور من كل صنف ولون من قهره للعباد

تعالوا نشوف ونقرا في كتاب الإنسانية… أنواع مالهاش نهاية من الديكتاتورية
في ديكتاتور سياسي وديكتاتور حماسي
في ديكتاتور اراري وديكتاتور حواري
في ديكتاتور فظيع وديكتاتور وديع وديكتاتور رقيع
في ديكتاتور ذكي وديكتاتور غبي  وديكتاتور عبيط
في ديكتاتور حويط وديكتاتور أليط
في ديكتاتور مهذب وديكتاتور ملزق
في ديكتاتور شقي وديكتاتور عفي وديكتاتور عجوز
في ديكتاتور شجاع وديكتاتور جبان

وديكتاتور زمان غير ديكتاتور الزمن ده .. ديكتاتور زمان كان زي جنكيزخان وهولاكو وريتشارد وموسلييني وهتلر. الديكتاتور معشش في وجدان التاريخ وقلب الانسانية، وكل واحد فينا جوه ديكتاتور.. بصوا على أي حد وحققوا، هتلاوه موجود اهوه تحت جلده بقايا الديكتاتور

أنا عشقت كارمن، كارمن لحن الحياه والحرية الطليقة والأمنية البريئة… بتهرب من سناني للناب الأولاني لمخالب ديناصور …سايبين الكون بحاله بظلمه وبظلامه وجايين علي أنا وتقولوا ديكتاتور وظلمت الانسانية وكارمن النبيلة ضحيتي الجميلة  قتلها ديكتاتور

ايوة قتلتها … أيوة قتلت كارمن وكريمه هي كارمن مفيش أي فرق … كارمن قلتلي لا وكريمه كمان قلتها وأنا نويت ليليتها اقتل البنت دي قتل مالوهش ديه يعني اقتل الحرية. طب وانتو عملتوا ايه … ساكتين من بدري ليه؟.. مبتقولتوش لا ليه؟ …  علشان مابتقولوش طلعلنا قراقوش ومليون عافراكوش ده غير الي منعرفوش من كل صنف ولون .. بالذمة أنا أبقى مين، أبقى مين في وسط دول … ده أنا ديكتاتور لسة بليه عند معلم كبير بيومورني أنفذ وانتوا اهوه ساكتين … ده أنا بتلاكك بيكم واتعكزعليكم وعشمان لسه فيكم إنك تقول لا …  نفسي أسمعكوا مرة بتقولوا لا للديكتاتور إياه الكبير

قولوا لا لللامريكان والصهاينة والعنف والاحتلال

قولوا لا لكوبانهاجن وبلاش ذل وهوان

قولوا لا وبلاش نفاق … قولوا لا للحاصل في الخليج وفي العراق

قولوا لا للمذابح في جنوب لبنان

قولوا لا وأوقاف مع كل ثائر في القدس والجولان

قاطعوا في يوم البضائع والوجبات السريعة وإفساد الطبيعة

أصرخ… أصرخ بعزم صوتك وأنا هاقول معاك

قولوا لا للحروب

قولوا لا للمجاعة

قولوا لا للتآمر

قولوا لا للخيانة

قولوا لا للخنوع

قولوا لا للخداع

قولوا لا للباع و لسة حايبيع … قولوا لا والسلام

The 82nd Academy Awards…

Best Motion Picture of the Year (10 nominees )
Avatar (2009)
The Blind Side (2009)
District 9 (2009)
An Education (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
A Serious Man (2009)
Up (2009)
Up in the Air (2009/I)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)
George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)
Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009)
Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)
Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009)
Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)
Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon for Invictus (2009)
Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009/I)
Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009)
Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009)
Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Maggie Gyllenhaal for Crazy Heart (2009)
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Best Achievement in Directing
Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)
James Cameron for Avatar (2009)
Lee Daniels for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Screenplay, Written Directly for the Screen
The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger (2009/I): Oren Moverman, Alessandro Camon
A Serious Man (2009): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up (2009): Bob Peterson, Pete Docter

Best Adapted Screenplay, Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
An Education (2009): Nick Hornby
In the Loop (2009): Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009): Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air (2009/I): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Avatar (2009): Mauro Fiore
Das weisse Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009): Christian Berger
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009): Bruno Delbonnel
The Hurt Locker (2008): Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Robert Richardson

Best Achievement in Editing
Avatar (2009): Stephen E. Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron
District 9 (2009): Julian Clarke
The Hurt Locker (2008): Bob Murawski, Chris Innis
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Sally Menke
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009): Joe Klotz

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Avatar (2009): Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009): Anastasia Masaro
Nine (2009): John Myhre
Sherlock Holmes (2009): Sarah Greenwood
The Young Victoria (2009): Patrice Vermette

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Bright Star (2009): Janet Patterson
Coco avant Chanel (2009): Catherine Leterrier
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009): Monique Prudhomme
Nine (2009): Colleen Atwood
The Young Victoria (2009): Sandy Powell

Best Achievement in Makeup
Il divo (2008)
Star Trek (2009)
The Young Victoria (2009)

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Avatar (2009): James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009): Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker (2008): Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders
Sherlock Holmes (2009): Hans Zimmer
Up (2009): Michael Giacchino

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham(“The Weary Kind”)
Faubourg 36 (2008): Reinhardt Wagner, Frank Thomas(“Loin de Paname”)
Nine (2009): Maury Yeston(“Take It All”)
The Princess and the Frog (2009): Randy Newman(“Down in New Orleans”)
The Princess and the Frog (2009): Randy Newman(“Almost There”)

Best Achievement in Sound
Avatar (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Star Trek (2009)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Avatar (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Star Trek (2009)
Up (2009)

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Avatar (2009)
District 9 (2009)
Star Trek (2009)

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Coraline (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
The Secret of Kells (2009)
Up (2009)

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Ajami (2009): Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani(Israel)
Das weisse Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009): Michael Haneke(Germany)
El secreto de sus ojos (2009): Juan José Campanella(Argentina)
Un prophète (2009): Jacques Audiard(France)
La teta asustada (2009): Claudia Llosa(Peru)

Best Documentary, Features
Burma VJ: Reporter i et lukket land (2008): Anders Østergaard
The Cove (2009): Louie Psihoyos
Food, Inc. (2008): Robert Kenner
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009): Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith
Which Way Home (2009): Rebecca Cammisa

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province (2009) (TV)
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner (2009)
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant (2009) (TV)
Królik po berlinsku (2009)
Music by Prudence (2010)

Best Short Film, Animated
French Roast (2008)
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty (2008)
La dama y la muerte (2009)
Logorama (2009)
Wallace and Gromit in ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’ (2008) (TV)

Best Short Film, Live Action
The Door (2008)
Istället för abrakadabra (2008)
Kavi (2009)
Miracle Fish (2009)
The New Tenants (2009)

The BAFTA Awards Winners 2010 …

For the full list of nominees please visit:  http://thoughtsofmarconsi.wordpress.com/2010/01/21/bafta/

BEST FILM
The Hurt Locker

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Fish Tank

DIRECTOR
The Hurt Locker – Kathryn Bigelow

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Hurt Locker – Mark Boal

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Up In the Air – Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
A Prophet

ANIMATED FILM
Up

LEADING ACTOR
Colin Firth - A Single Man

LEADING ACTRESS
Carey Mulligan – An Education

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Mo’nique – Precious: Based On The Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire

MUSIC
Up – Michael Giacchino

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Hurt Locker – Barry Ackroyd

EDITING
The Hurt Locker – Bob Murawski, Chris Innis

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Avatar – Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair

COSTUME DESIGN
The Young Victoria – Sandy Powell

SOUND
The Hurt Locker – Ray Beckett, Paul N. J. Ottosson, Craig Stauffer

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar – Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R. Jones

MAKEUP & HAIR
The Young Victoria – Jenny Shircore

ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD
Kristen Stewart

أولاد العم فيلم يستحق المشاهدة… ولكن

لنتفق شريف عرفة … مخرج عبقري …هو الإرهاب و الكباب و الإرهابي و المنسي و اللعب مع الكبار و طيور الظلام و إضحك الصورة تطلع حلوة و مافيا و الجزيرة ..و هو نفسهسمع هس و الناظر و ابن عز و فول الصين العظيم و عبود على حدود… شريف عرفة منتج و مؤلف و مخرج أضاف الكثير للسينما المصرية

و لنتفق أن العلاقة بين مصر و العرب من ناحية و إسرائيل من ناحية أخرى هي مادة ممتازة، لم تطرح بقدر كافي ؛ سوى في أفلام حرب أكتوبر و أفلام نادية الجندي مهمة في تل أبيب و٤٨ ساعة في إسرائيل و سذاجة خالتي بتسلم عليكي
الفيلم الوحيد الذي تعامل مع إسرائيل من ناحية إجتماعية من غير حروب أو قصص واقعية أو بطولات ملحمية هو فتاه من إسرائيل و مش حنتكلم عن مستواه الفني. و هناك عدد من الأفلام تعاملت مع القضية كحبكة للدراما في الفيلم مثلما في همام في أمستردام و أصحاب ولا بزنس و عندليب الدقي و هو نوع من الأفلام يعرض واقع يحدث في الكثير من الأحيان أثناء التعامل مع الطرف الأخر.. ربما كان للتلفزيون نصيبا أكبر في التعامل مع الموضوع من خلال قصص من ملفات المخابرات المصرية رأفت الهجان و دموع في عيون وقحة و الثعلبو السقوط في بئر سبع و المسلسل شديد السذاجة العميل ١٠٠١ و أخيرا حرب الجواسيس

السنة دي شريف عرفة نازل بفيلم ولاد العم …. فيلم رائع مستواه الفني مذهل… أداء ممتاز من أبطاله كريم عبد العزيز و منى زكي و النجم اللي يستحق لقبه على التترات شريف منير… في فيلم يحاكي الصراع العربي الإسرائيلي على مستوى واقعي إجتماعي بطولي الغرض الأول منه هو تعريف جيل كامل بما يدور الآن في العلاقة مع إسرائيل… صورة شديدة الإبهار لأيمن أبو المكارم .. و لازم و أنت خارج من الفيلم تفكر فحاجات كتير أوي.. حتفكر فالحقيقة …الحقيقة المجردة ..  التي لايجوز أن نظل ننكرها أو نخفيها دون أسباب…و أكتر جملة صح فالفيلم …إن لو العرب و المصريين عرفوا حجمهم الحقيقي إسرائيل حتبقى صغيرة أوي

أكتر حاجة عجبتني في الفيلم إن الإسرائيليين طالعين بيتكلموا عبري و مش قصيرين و مناخرهم مش طويلة و مش بيقولوا يا حبيبي طول الوقت

فيلم يستحق المشاهدة جدا و لكن … حسيت في الفيلم إن باتمان مصر يواجه الجوكر الإسرائيلي … ظابط مخابرات مصري مطلوب في قائمة اغتيالات الموساد يدخل إسرائيل بشخصه و جنسيته و يتسلل لبيت ظابط إسرائيلي يأخذ بصماته و يتحرى عن علاقاته بزوجته و ينقذ حياته و حياة فتاه فلسطينية من انفجار في ملهى ليلي ويجند زوجته دون أي مساعدة … المساعدة الوحيدة كانت عبارة عن تصريح لدخول مبني الموساد …و يدخل فعلا و يشوف القائمة فنكتشف إن الظابط الإسرائيلي جايب مراته المصرية معاه إسرائيل كطعم لاصطياد الظابط المصري و إنه أكيد كان عارف إنه هييجي …مفيش فالموساد غير شريف منير و مفيش في إسرائيل عميل مجند واحد يرجع منى زكي …. لازم كريم عبد العزيز !!!! الله يرحمك يا رأفت يا هجان. و برضو هو إلي يرجعها فالأخر بنفسه …بعد ما يقتل الظابط الإسرائيلي و ٣ آخرين … و يوقف ينظر لتل أبيب .. و يقول هنرجع بس مش دلوقتي ..
الحبكة البطولية أمريكاني أوي …أه نقدر ندخل إسرائيل و نقدر نجيب المعلومات و نرجع الست اللي إتخطفت و نعمل قد اللي اتعمل في فيلم ده مرتين بس مش واحد لواحده … ماهو جمعة الشوان بطل و رأفت الهجان بطل …بس مش لوحدهم في منظومة كاملة بترشدهم… يا سلام على رأفت الهجان لو كان قال لمحسن بيه .. أن عايز أدخل الموساد … قاله لا ده خطر و مشي لحد العربية ١٠٠ متر و بصله و قال .. على بركت الله بس خلي بالك من نفسك يا رأفت مصر كلها محتاجك !!!! أكيد كان في مخاطرة بس أكيد برضو كانت محسوبة و معروف هتوصل لفين…آخر حاجة .. مافهمتش يعني إيه مبحبش القطارات يا ابن عمي … هاراجعها بالتوك توك

في رأيي الفيلم كان يحتاج لأن تكون الحبكة البطولية اكثر واقعية حتى تصل لنا وجبة دسمة من الحقائق دون أن تتوه في مشاهد أكشن أمريكية

Invictus

Sometimes… things that seems not so important, may change a whole country …things that leaders are blamed about, may turn to be the reason for  history to remember them …

Everyday, you must hear someone blaming the government, criticising a certain minister or a businessman. Every hour you must hear a depressed young man willing to pay anything to leave this country. Till the day when Egypt wins an important match or a championship in football .. You go in the streets to find real loyalty and passion for this country, you hear the songs everywhere praising our home land …
Clint Eastwood’s latest movie, with the two Oscar Nominations; best actor in leading Role (Morgan Freeman) and Best actor in supporting role (Matt Damon) proved that this doesn’t take place only in Egypt, it took place in South Africa and for sure it may take place everyday in different countries, because people always seek happiness and inspiration.

Nelson Mandela the great African Leader, in his first round of presidency after spending 27 years in prison, used the 1995 Rugby world cup, hosted in his country to unite South Africa…
He convinced the National Sport Council, he inspired the captain of the South African national team, believed in a team experts confirmed that it will never reach the finals… He dreamt of the Rainbow nation and he saw it in the final match, during the 100 mins; 43 million people supporting and cheering without thinking about the race or the origin or the social level or any other discriminations that took place at that time, People only holding the South African Flag and crying out loud for the players.

A great, worth to see, inspirational movie.
Morgan Freeman deserves an Oscar for his role as Nelson Mandela.

“Invictus” is a short poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). It was written in 1875 and first published in 1888. The Movie title comes from the fact that Mandela had the poem written on a scrap of paper on his prison cell while he was incarcerated. In the movie, Mandela gives the “Invictus” poem to his national rugby team’s captain Francois Pienaar before the start of the Rugby World Cup. In reality, Mandela provided Pienaar with an extract from Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Man in the Arena” speech from 1910.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Cairo Time 2009… A movie in Egypt

It has never been a concern of mine to search for a Canadian movie, I don’t even know they had a cinema industry, but someday a friend of mine was walking in down town and saw the film being shot. He knew it’s an international movie filmed in Egypt but he never got to know the name, until that day when he saw the same scene he attended in a youtube video titled “The Making of Cairo Time”. A year now, I have been trying to download this movie, Last week I found it’s torrent coincidentally and saw it today.

The movie is a story of a Juliette (Patricia Clarkson) arriving to Egypt for a vacation with her husband who works for the UN. He was stuck in GAZA, so she had to explore Egypt with her husband’s old friend; Tarek (Alexander Siddig) , a single Egyptian  retired policeman who owns a coffee shop. A brief, unexpected love affair catches their hearts. The film won Best Canadian Feature Film in Toronto International Film Festival.  it’s rated as 6.7/10 movie on the IMDB… and personally I don’t care.

What made me really enthusiastic about this movie is that it takes place in Egypt. I was happy to see that the international cinema is starting to see our homeland as the new city of romance; specially that according to the movie director Ruba Nadda (who has Arab origins); she was influenced by her visit to Egypt when she was young with her mother. On the other hand side I had fears that the country shall be misused in such a movie; misused in the sense of stating trivia about Egypt or shooting places that won’t really represent Egypt. Unfortunately, I saw what I was afraid of during the 90 minutes runtime of the movie.Tarek as an Egyptian and Juliette being a writer in a magazine interested in social and woman-related topics, talked about religious ideas, Egyptian street kids, secret marriage and other topics that drew her attention (and actually draws everyone’s attention about Egypt). However there is a huge difference between making a movie to discuss those problems and just throwing words that can be understood in different ways about a culture in a romance movie. I can understand that a movie showing a country shall treat the good and the bad or else it would be a touristic documentary which of course is not the case, this is why I appreciated showing the slums & the Bedouin life together with Semiramis intercontinental view… The Pyramid, the Nile & the white desert together with highly crowded down town street with youth following pretty women, however, the involvement of the previously mentioned topics stopped me from enjoying the charm of the love story rising at some very well written and filmed scenes.

Personally, I would like to see more international movies taking place in Cairo and I’d rather see more Egyptian movies showing the world the beauty of our beloved country and explaining many aspects regarding our culture and ideas.

- The Academy awards nominated Patricia Clarkson’s performance was magnificent in playing the middle-aged lonely woman and Alexander Siddig convinced me very much playing an Arab.

- I was happy seeing Mona Hala an Egyptian Actress as Jamila.

- Om Kolthom’s Alf Leila w Leila was played through out the movie like 5 times

- The wedding scene in Alexandria was very poor. It didn’t show what really a Wedding is in Egypt

- The way both Patricia and Alexander smoked water pipe was hilarious, seems it was their first time.

- Most of the extras were plucked off the street.

- Filmed in Cairo in about 25 days. Temperatures on average were 50 degrees Celsius.

- The making of Cairo Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK8uueeqqMI

Bedazzled and طير انت

Let’s Imagine;
What will happen if the devil really meets you and grants you 7 wishes in the return of your soul …
What will happen if a  Kind witch – who always fails at school-  grants you 7 wishes, just to sign his school certificate for him to be able to graduate…
What if in both cases you are just a lonely, pathetic desperate loser and your only hope is to fall in love with a beautiful girl…

That’s Bedazzled and طير انت…

Once I heard Ahmed Mekky in a TV interview saying that, it won’t be necessary to quote a movie unless you have an idea that adds up to it. Mekki, together with Ahmed el Guindy and Omr Taher quoted the American “Bedazzled 2000″ in their hit comedy “Teer Enta” and i have to admit they added up much to the movie. I loved both movies; Bedazzled with it’s spiritual perspective and Teer enta with the social perspective. and i laughed much more in the Egyptian treatment.

Both Elliot Richards and Doctor Bahig lacked self-confidence and never had the courage to admit to their dream girls how much they admire them, they both thought that magic would change the reality, they both failed to believe that it’s all about them from the inside. Dr. Bahig after the unsuccessful 7 wishes – or I can call them the 7 sketches criticising the entire Egyptian society- discovered the reality of the relation between man and woman, found what’s best in himself and was able to marry his Dream Girl. Elliot Richards after the unsuccessful 7 wishes discovered that no one can buy his soul – because simply it belongs to GOD - knew the secret behind Heaven and Hell, and met his soul mate someday..

Watch the 2 movies and u have 14 wishes to learn from.

Special Mention: Donia Samir Ghanem Stunning performance in Teer enta.

82nd Academy Awards Nominees (2010)

Best Motion Picture of the Year (10 nominees )
Avatar (2009)
The Blind Side (2009)
District 9 (2009)
An Education (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
A Serious Man (2009)
Up (2009)
Up in the Air (2009/I)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)
George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)
Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009)
Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)
Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009)
Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)
Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon for Invictus (2009)
Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009/I)
Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009)
Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009)
Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Maggie Gyllenhaal for Crazy Heart (2009)
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Best Achievement in Directing
Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)
James Cameron for Avatar (2009)
Lee Daniels for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Screenplay, Written Directly for the Screen
The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger (2009/I): Oren Moverman, Alessandro Camon
A Serious Man (2009): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up (2009): Bob Peterson, Pete Docter

Best Adapted Screenplay, Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
An Education (2009): Nick Hornby
In the Loop (2009): Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009): Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air (2009/I): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Avatar (2009): Mauro Fiore
Das weisse Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009): Christian Berger
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009): Bruno Delbonnel
The Hurt Locker (2008): Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Robert Richardson

Best Achievement in Editing
Avatar (2009): Stephen E. Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron
District 9 (2009): Julian Clarke
The Hurt Locker (2008): Bob Murawski, Chris Innis
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Sally Menke
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009): Joe Klotz

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Avatar (2009): Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009): Anastasia Masaro
Nine (2009): John Myhre
Sherlock Holmes (2009): Sarah Greenwood
The Young Victoria (2009): Patrice Vermette

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Bright Star (2009): Janet Patterson
Coco avant Chanel (2009): Catherine Leterrier
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009): Monique Prudhomme
Nine (2009): Colleen Atwood
The Young Victoria (2009): Sandy Powell

Best Achievement in Makeup
Il divo (2008)
Star Trek (2009)
The Young Victoria (2009)

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Avatar (2009): James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009): Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker (2008): Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders
Sherlock Holmes (2009): Hans Zimmer
Up (2009): Michael Giacchino

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham(“The Weary Kind”)
Faubourg 36 (2008): Reinhardt Wagner, Frank Thomas(“Loin de Paname”)
Nine (2009): Maury Yeston(“Take It All”)
The Princess and the Frog (2009): Randy Newman(“Down in New Orleans”)
The Princess and the Frog (2009): Randy Newman(“Almost There”)

Best Achievement in Sound
Avatar (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Star Trek (2009)
Up (2009)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Avatar (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Star Trek (2009)
Up (2009)

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Avatar (2009)
District 9 (2009)
Star Trek (2009)

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Coraline (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
The Secret of Kells (2009)
Up (2009)

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Ajami (2009): Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani(Israel)
Das weisse Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009): Michael Haneke(Germany)
El secreto de sus ojos (2009): Juan José Campanella(Argentina)
Un prophète (2009): Jacques Audiard(France)
La teta asustada (2009): Claudia Llosa(Peru)

Best Documentary, Features
Burma VJ: Reporter i et lukket land (2008): Anders Østergaard
The Cove (2009): Louie Psihoyos
Food, Inc. (2008): Robert Kenner
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009): Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith
Which Way Home (2009): Rebecca Cammisa

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province (2009) (TV)
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner (2009)
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant (2009) (TV)
Królik po berlinsku (2009)
Music by Prudence (2010)

Best Short Film, Animated
French Roast (2008)
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty (2008)
La dama y la muerte (2009)
Logorama (2009)
Wallace and Gromit in ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’ (2008) (TV)

Best Short Film, Live Action
The Door (2008)
Istället för abrakadabra (2008)
Kavi (2009)
Miracle Fish (2009)
The New Tenants (2009)

بالألوان الطبيعية

إبنك… ممكن تبص على رسوماته تعجبك جدا… لكن لما يقولك عايز أدخل فنون جميلة أو معهد سينما تبصله كدة و تقوله “دي دراسة تكميلية إدرس الأول حاجة تنفعك و تكون عندك رؤية خاصة و بعدين لو عايز تدخل كلية فنية معنديش مانع”. ده كدة أنت متفتح جدا … غيرك بقى يبدأ يزعق و ممكن يضرب كمان لأن بقية ولاد العائلة مهندسين و دكاترة و هو عايز يطلع “ولا حاجة” … و لو بنت… أمها ممكن تحرمها من التعليم نهائي علشان السافلة عايزة تخش الكلية دي بس علشان تقابل رجالة سفلة زيها .. ده إحنا كدة بنتكلم عن العائلة إلي مش مدخلة الموضوع فالدين أوي… لكن لو أب متعصب (سواء مسيحي أو مسلم) يبقى دخلنا فالحرام و الحلال …حرام ترسم موديلز عريانة .. و حرام تدرس تشريح جسم الإنسان من وجهة نظر فنية … .. لو عايز ترسم.. بلاش ترسم بني أدميين … ده غير بقى إن الوسط الفني قذر…و فلوس الفن حرام

و لما تيجي تحلل دفعة الكلية الفنية حتلاقي مجموعة من أنصاف موهوبين مجموعهم جبهم هنا و مجموعة داخلة أقسام ديكور و عمارة علشان يتقال عليهم مهندسين بعد كدة و مجموعة مش مهتمة بالفن أوي و شايفة إن  في أقسام  هما إلي بيجيبوا فلوس اليومين دول و الباقي موهوبين بجد بس جزء منهم بيضل طريقه فشغل السوق و قليل أوي إلي يبقى فنان بجد. ده كدة من حيث الاتجاه الفني… أما من حيث الأنماط حتلاقي الملتحين و المنقبات و المحجبات والشكلهم محجبات و العاديين جدا و المطولين شعرهم و الحالقين زيرو و مسقطين البنطلون… و من حيث الاتجاه الديني حتلاقي شديد التعصب و المتدين و المعتدل و المتفتح و الملحد… ده غير بقى اللي بيخش الكلية حاجة و يطلع حاجة تانية خالص

ببساطة الفن هو كل حاجة حوالينا… ربنا هو الفنان الأعظم … النيل فن، مشهد الغروب فن، تجانس الألوان بين الجبال و البحر فن، جسم الإنسان خارجيا و داخليا فن … ده لما ميكانيكي بيشغل عربية بايظة بتقول عليه فنان

الفن هو وسيلة التعبير عن الذات بكل مافيها من تناقضات أو أهداف سامية أو حتى شهوات. و رؤية الفنان هي رؤية ذاتية خاصة نابعة من خبراته و تجاربه في الحياة، و على الجمهور المتلقي أن يقبل أو يرفض دون أن يحجر على حرية الإبداع. لكل عصر أو حقبة من الزمن ستجد ما يعبر عنه من رسومات أو أعمال نحتية أو صور أو أفلام .والمجتمع بعدما تعرض للتغيرات الدينية و الاقتصادية.. لم يعد للفنان أو للفن إحترامه

فيلم “بالألوان الطبيعية” هو تحليل مدقق و رمزي لما سبق أو لأزمة الفن من خلال يوسف (كريم قاسم) الذي يدخل كلية فنون جميلة و ياخذنا معه في رحلة الفن طوال السنوات الخمس…مصارعا أربعة عناصر – هي السر الرئيسي في ابداع الفنان أو فشله بعد الموهبة بطبيعة الحال- المجتمع، الطموح ، الجنس و الدين. يوسف يصل إلى معادلة مرضية في الصراع اللانهائي. الفيلم لا يسيء إلى الفن أو الفنانين أو حتى طلبة الكليات الفنية إنما هو يعالج الحالة التي وصل إليها مجتمعنا في التعامل مع الفن. و كل ما ظهر فالفيلم حقيقي حتى لو لم يكون موجود في فترة الدراسة فهو واقعي يواجهه الفنان مهما كان مجاله. نعم… الفنان لازم يواجه نظرة المجتمع ليه إنه رسام أو مصور او نحات … لازم يحس إن اللي بيعملوا مش حرام أو عيب … لازم يعرف إن الجنس شهوة موجودة جواه و لازم يوظفها صح و يتعامل معها … لازم يعرف هو عايز يعمل إيه و يبقى متأكد إنه حيوصل

نعم… أنصاف الموهوبين بيستغلوا الموهوبين للوصول إلى أغراضهم مش بس فالفن في كل مجالات الحياة… و لو رفضوا ممكن يدمروهم
نعم … في لحظة ضعف معينة ممكن كل حاجة تبقى صنعة و ينتهي كل ما يشعر به الإنسان
نعم … الفن أقوى من الجنس و ويستطيع السيطرة عليه
نعم … كل مايقوله الفيلم صحيح !!!! هذا هو حال الفن في مصر
الفيلم أكثر من رائع و يستحق المشاهدة لا الهجوم

أهم مشاهد و أقوال الفيلم

لما دفعة أولي ديكور كانت سهرانة في الأتيلييه…و بدأ كل نمط من الأشخاص الموجودين بتشغيل مايعبر عنه.. موسيقي غربية… أغاني حكيم … الأذان… التراتيل المسيحي

يوسف بيكلم ربنا في وسط الكليه -
طز فيكم كلكم … طز فيكم و فالكلية… طز فالداكتره و المعيدين … و طز فالعميد… ليه جبتني هنا .. هأبقى إيه حطلع إيه قولي كلمني … أنا موهوب ولا لا … أنا موهوب ولا فالأخر حبقى زي عم محمود… ليه جبتني هنا بتعاقبني ده…أنا عديت الدنيا كلها علشان أجي أتعلم و أبقى فنان… عايز أبقى فنان … مش حنفع فأي حاجة تانية لو مبقتش فنان هضيع …حبقى ولا حاجة و حفضل طول عمري ولا حاجة … انقذني إلحقني .. لو أهمك صحيح متسبنيش.. لو بتحبني متسبنيش

د.سعيد لما قال ليوسف -
في حاجة مقيداك من جوا لازم تنطلق… فرغ المخزون إلي جواك … لما تخرجه حاتعرفه فتقدر تحكم عليه و تختار إيه اللي لازم تقدمه للناس إيه اللي ترفضه و إيه اللي تتعالج منه… طلع إلي جواك حلو وحش صح غلط حرام حلال كله خايف من إيه.. خايف الناس تشوف جروحك… لما تطلع إلي جواك حتعرف نفسك على حقيقتها حاتكتشف إنك إنسان تاني غير إلي كنت تعرفه غير إلي حواليك صورهولك… لكن طول ما أنت كبته بيتعبك… مقيدك… و مانع حاجات مهمة يمكن عبقرية إنها تطلع للنور..أنت عامل زي بقيت الناس في مجتمعنا قافلين على نفسهم و فاكرين إن هي دي القشرة اللي بتحميهم و هي ف الحقيقة بتسجنهم… ماتخافش إتحرر… إنطلق

لما يوسف رسم فتاة الليل… و عيطت … و مشيت من غير ولا كلمه

هدي تقول لعمر -
عارف أنت بتحس بكدة ليه… علشان مابتعملش أي حاجة بصدق…من قلبك… من جواك …كله من برا… علي أنت بتقول إنك بتعمل شغل لل ناس علشان الفلوس زي اللوحة المعفنة دي و شغل تاني ل نفسك … لمزاجك… للفن …لكن الحقيقة إن كل إلي بتعملوا للناس مش لنفسك… أنت مابتعملش أي حاجة لمزاجك كله للسوق… كله شغل تجاري… تكنيك… من غير روح… أنت نصاب يا علي أنت مش حقيقي مش فنان … أنت صنايعي … مابتحاولش تعرف أنت من جواك عايز إيه… و الكارثة إنك بتحاول تقنع الناس و نفسك إنك فنان… أنت بترسم حلو … نسبك، تكويناتك، تلوينك مبهر … لكن كل ده صنعة… الرسم صنعة و الجنس صنعة … و كل شئ ف حياتك صنعة

يوسف لدكاترة الكليه -
أنا مش عايز اتعين .. أنا مش عايز أنتمي للمكان ده .. أنا لو اتعينت حكمل رحلة التوهان إلي ابتدتها أول مادخلت القسم …أنا دخلت هنا علشان اسم مهندس علشان أرضي به أمي… أنا منفعش موظف و منفعش مهندس ديكور .. أنا رسام و هي دي موهبتي الحقيقية إلي لازم أخرج من هنا و أدور على نفسي فيها

Exploring your life (Meet the Robinsons)

One simple fact all movies dealing with time traveling agreed upon; changing one single detail in the past may change your  whole future.

It’s a humanity dream to control it’s life, know the future and change it ..
This one dream that will never be achieved has been triggered in several movies. Meet the Robinsons is a MUST see animation picture that stressed that future is better than the past.. so search for your future instead of getting back to change the past.

Everyday each one of us regrets some actions he did, or something he said and sometimes it extends to regretting major life decisions. There is always 2 solutions: Changing the past or Changing the future.
Louis is an orphan who loves science and  inventions, and gets 124 adoption rejections, the thing that made him invent a memory scanner to remember his mother and search for her. He succeeds in inventing the scanner, gets adopted by the science fair judge, signs a contract in a big research company and in few years he is running the leading scientific and research company and invented a time machine.
Michael “Goob” Yagoobian his roommate only dreams of winning a baseball game, but his team loses because of him sleeping during the game, because Louis spent the night working on his invention and Goob couldn’t sleep. Years passes and he never get’s adopted and his failure changes to hatred and he tries to ruin Louis’s life, stealing the time machine and changing things in his past.
The movie ends with both futures saved It’s a Must see and i don’t want to spoil it.

In real life there is no time machine to change the past or to explore the future..
Building a future without knowing it’s mysteries is the idea behind our creation and actually it’s the fun part about life .. you are taking risks in your career, in your love life, in your relations and there is a margin of unknown that makes you curious. when you fail or the result is not as desired.. you just have to .. KEEP MOVIN’ ON..

remains to say…
- Meet the Robinsons 2007 is the 47th Disney animated feature and the first Disney Animation pictures production.
- One memorable quote of the movie:
“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long… We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

BAFTA 2010 Nominations

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation. They are often cited as a British equivalent to the Oscars.

Here are the Nominations for
British Academy Film Awards

the winners will be announced on the 21st, February 2010

BEST FILM

- AVATAR. James Cameron, Jon Landau

- AN EDUCATION. Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey

- THE HURT LOCKER. Nominees TBC

- PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE. Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

- UP IN THE AIR. Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

- AN EDUCATION. Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Lone Scherfig, Nick Hornby

- FISH TANK. Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Andrea Arnold

- IN THE LOOP. Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy, Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche

- MOON. Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler, Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker

- NOWHERE BOY. Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Kevin Loader, Sam Taylor-Wood, Matt Greenhalgh

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

- LUCY BAILEY, ANDREW THOMPSON, ELIZABETH MORGAN HEMLOCK, DAVID PEARSON. Directors, Producers –

Mugabe and the White African

- ERAN CREEVY. Writer/Director – Shifty

- STUART HAZELDINE. Writer/Director – Exam

- DUNCAN JONES. Director – Moon

- SAM TAYLOR-WOOD. Director – Nowhere Boy

DIRECTOR

- AVATAR. James Cameron

- DISTRICT 9. Neill Blomkamp

- AN EDUCATION. Lone Scherfig

- THE HURT LOCKER. Kathryn Bigelow

- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Quentin Tarantino

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

- THE HANGOVER. Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

- THE HURT LOCKER. Mark Boal

- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Quentin Tarantino

- A SERIOUS MAN. Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

- UP. Bob Peterson, Pete Docter

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

- DISTRICT 9. Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell

- AN EDUCATION. Nick Hornby

- IN THE LOOP. Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche

- PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE. Geoffrey Fletcher

- UP IN THE AIR. Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

- BROKEN EMBRACES. Agustín Almodóvar, Pedro Almodóvar

- COCO BEFORE CHANEL. Carole Scotta, Caroline Benjo, Philippe Carcassonne, Anne Fontaine

- LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Carl Molinder, John Nordling, Tomas Alfredson

- A PROPHET. Pascale Caucheteux, Marco Chergui, Alix Raynaud, Jacques Audiard

- THE WHITE RIBBON. Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka, Margaret Menegoz, Michael Haneke

ANIMATED FILM

- CORALINE. Henry Selick

- FANTASTIC MR FOX. Wes Anderson

- UP. Pete Docter

LEADING ACTOR

- JEFF BRIDGES. Crazy Heart

- GEORGE CLOONEY. Up in the Air

- COLIN FIRTH. A Single Man

- JEREMY RENNER. The Hurt Locker

- ANDY SERKIS. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

LEADING ACTRESS

- CAREY MULLIGAN. An Education

- SAOIRSE RONAN. The Lovely Bones

- GABOUREY SIDIBE. Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

- MERYL STREEP. Julie & Julia

- AUDREY TAUTOU. Coco Before Chanel

SUPPORTING ACTOR

- ALEC BALDWIN. It’s Complicated

- CHRISTIAN McKAY. Me and Orson Welles

- ALFRED MOLINA. An Education

- STANLEY TUCCI. The Lovely Bones

- CHRISTOPH WALTZ. Inglourious Basterds

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

ANNE-MARIE DUFF. Nowhere Boy

VERA FARMIGA. Up in the Air

ANNA KENDRICK. Up in the Air

MO’NIQUE. Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS. Nowhere Boy

MUSIC

- AVATAR. James Horner

- CRAZY HEART. T-Bone Burnett, Stephen Bruton

- FANTASTIC MR FOX. Alexandre Desplat

- SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL. Chaz Jankel

- UP. Michael Giacchino

CINEMATOGRAPHY

- AVATAR. Mauro Fiore

- DISTRICT 9. Trent Opaloch

- THE HURT LOCKER. Barry Ackroyd

- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Robert Richardson

- THE ROAD. Javier Aguirresarobe

EDITING

-AVATAR. Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron

- DISTRICT 9. Julian Clarke

- THE HURT LOCKER. Bob Murawski, Chris Innis

- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Sally Menke

- UP IN THE AIR. Dana E. Glauberman

PRODUCTION DESIGN

- AVATAR. Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair

- DISTRICT 9. Philip Ivey, Guy Poltgieter

- HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan

- THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS. Nominees TBC

- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds Wasco

COSTUME DESIGN

- BRIGHT STAR. Janet Patterson

- COCO BEFORE CHANEL. Catherine Leterrier

- AN EDUCATION. Odile Dicks-Mireaux

- A SINGLE MAN. Arianne Phillips

- THE YOUNG VICTORIA. Sandy Powell

SOUND

- AVATAR. Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Tony Johnson, Addison Teague

- DISTRICT 9. Brent Burge, Chris Ward, Dave Whitehead, Michael Hedges, Ken Saville

- THE HURT LOCKER. Ray Beckett, Paul N. J. Ottosson, Craig Stauffer

- STAR TREK. Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Mark Stoeckinger, Ben Burtt

- UP. Tom Myers, Michael Silvers, Michael Semanick

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

- AVATAR. Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R. Jones

- DISTRICT 9. Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, Matt Aitken

- HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. John Richardson, Tim Burke, Tim Alexander, Nicolas Aithadi

- THE HURT LOCKER. Richard Stutsman

- STAR TREK. Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, Burt Dalton

MAKE UP & HAIR

- COCO BEFORE CHANEL. Thi Thanh Tu Nguyen, Jane Milon

- AN EDUCATION. Lizzie Yianni Georgiou

- THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS. Sarah Monzani

- NINE. Peter ‘Swords’ King

- THE YOUNG VICTORIA. Jenny Shircore

SHORT ANIMATION

- THE GRUFFALO. Michael Rose, Martin Pope, Jakob Schuh, Max Lang

- THE HAPPY DUCKLING. Gili Dolev

- MOTHER OF MANY. Sally Arthur, Emma Lazenby

SHORT FILM

- 14. Asitha Ameresekere

- I DO AIR. James Bolton, Martina Amati

- JADE. Samm Haillay, Daniel Elliott

- MIXTAPE. Luti Fagbenle, Luke Snellin

- OFF SEASON. Jacob Jaffke, Jonathan van Tulleken

THE ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)

- JESSE EISENBERG

- NICHOLAS HOULT

- CAREY MULLIGAN

- TAHAR RAHIM

- KRISTEN STEWART

Julie and Julia…

Julie & Julia (2009) is a story of passion and ambition, an answer to the question each of us always asks “Do I reallyhave what it takes to do it?” It’s an invitation to discover yourself and search your inside for what you really want to do and make you happy. Cooking for both Julie and Julia changed their lives. I bet, many of us needs to find this thing that would change their lives. A lot of us get busy with the routine of work and forget many important things we love to do or some important dreams we wished to be.

No matter what your age, culture, background, the era you are living in is … it’s just the same. Decide what you really want do and FIGHT for it. Don’t give a shit for those who do nothing except de-motivating others when they try to do what they want; with some social nonsense or with trying to make them feel guilty towards leaving or being less committed to what they did before. The ironic thing is that those de-motivating people are the first to congratulate if it turned to be perfect.

It’s the Feel good movie of the year…
Julia Child started a cooking career in 1949; it was crowned by publishing her book “Mastering the French cooking” in 1961 including many French cuisine recipes. Influenced by this book, Julie Powell in 2002, started blogging “Julie/Julia project” a diary of experiencing the French cook through Julia’s book in 356 days and it was a life-changing experience that ended with her dream of becoming a writer coming true in 2005.
The movie plots the two stories of Julia starting her career and Julie finding herself paralleling in a very interesting way with an amazing performance by Meryl Streep (Julia Child)& Amy Adams (Julie Powell) and their very supporting husbands Stanely Tucci (Paul Child) & Chris Messina (Eric Powell)

I wouldn’t have watched this movie unless a good friend recommended it for me and here is my turn to recommend this movie to you all.

Check more about the real Julia Child http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Child

This movie is the first motion picture to be based on a Blog that turned into a book later J you can check Julie and Julia project http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/

67th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Avatar (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Up in the Air (2009/I)

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

The Hangover (2009)
(500) Days of Summer (2009)
It’s Complicated (2009)
Julie & Julia (2009)
Nine (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)
George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)
Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009)
Tobey Maguire for Brothers (2009/I)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)
Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria (2009)
Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009)
Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)
Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Robert Downey Jr. for Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Matt Damon for The Informant! (2009)
Daniel Day-Lewis for Nine (2009)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt for (500) Days of Summer (2009)
Michael Stuhlbarg for A Serious Man (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)
Sandra Bullock for The Proposal (2009/I)
Marion Cotillard for Nine (2009)
Julia Roberts for Duplicity (2009)
Meryl Streep for It’s Complicated (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Matt Damon for Invictus (2009)
Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009/I)
Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009)
Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009)
Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Julianne Moore for A Single Man (2009)

Best Director – Motion Picture

James Cameron for Avatar (2009)
Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)
Clint Eastwood for Invictus (2009)
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Up in the Air (2009/I): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino
It’s Complicated (2009): Nancy Meyers

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham(“The Weary Kind”)
Avatar (2009): James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell(“I See You”)
Brothers (2009/I): U2, Bono(“Winter”)
Everybody’s Fine (2009): Paul McCartney(“(I Want To) Come Home”)
Nine (2009): Maury Yeston(“Cinema Italiano”)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

Up (2009): Michael Giacchino

Avatar (2009): James Horner
The Informant! (2009): Marvin Hamlisch
A Single Man (2009): Abel Korzeniowski
Where the Wild Things Are (2009): Carter Burwell, Karen Orzolek

Best Animated Film

Up (2009)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Coraline (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Best Foreign Language Film

Das weisse Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
Los abrazos rotos (2009)
Baarìa (2009)
La nana (2009)
Un prophète (2009)

Best Television Series – Drama

“Mad Men” (2007)
“Big Love” (2006)
“Dexter” (2006)
“House M.D.” (2004)”True Blood” (2008)

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

“Glee” (2009)
“Entourage” (2004)
“Modern Family” (2009)
“The Office” (2005)
“30 Rock” (2006)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)
Into the Storm (2009) (TV)
“Little Dorrit” (2008)
Taking Chance (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Kevin Bacon for Taking Chance (2009) (TV)
Kenneth Branagh for ”Wallander” (2008)
Chiwetel Ejiofor for Endgame (2009)
Brendan Gleeson for Into the Storm (2009) (TV)
Jeremy Irons for Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Drew Barrymore for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Joan Allen for Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)
Jessica Lange for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Anna Paquin for The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (2009) (TV)
Sigourney Weaver for Prayers for Bobby (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Alec Baldwin for ”30 Rock” (2006)
Steve Carell for ”The Office” (2005)
David Duchovny for ”Californication” (2007)
Thomas Jane for ”Hung” (2009)
Matthew Morrison for ”Glee” (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Toni Collette for ”United States of Tara” (2009)
Courteney Cox for ”Cougar Town” (2009)
Edie Falco for ”Nurse Jackie” (2009)
Tina Fey for ”30 Rock” (2006)
Lea Michele for ”Glee” (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Michael C. Hall for ”Dexter” (2006)
Simon Baker for ”The Mentalist” (2008)
Jon Hamm for ”Mad Men” (2007)
Hugh Laurie for ”House M.D.” (2004)
Bill Paxton for ”Big Love” (2006)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama

Julianna Margulies for ”The Good Wife” (2009)
Glenn Close for ”Damages” (2007)
January Jones for ”Mad Men” (2007)
Anna Paquin for ”True Blood” (2008)
Kyra Sedgwick for ”The Closer” (2005)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

John Lithgow for ”Dexter” (2006)
Michael Emerson for ”Lost” (2004)
Neil Patrick Harris for ”How I Met Your Mother” (2005)
William Hurt for ”Damages” (2007)
Jeremy Piven for ”Entourage” (2004)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Chloë Sevigny for ”Big Love” (2006)
Jane Adams for ”Hung” (2009)
Rose Byrne for ”Damages” (2007)
Jane Lynch for ”Glee” (2009)
Janet McTeer for Into the Storm (2009) (TV)

आख़री रास्ता … The Last Option

One of the Indian Cinema best movies of all times.. A 1986 production that made me stare into my laptop screen throughout  it’s 164 mins, amazed with the marvelous performance of Amitabh Bachchan in a Drama movie plotting the war between beliefs and duty …sympathizing the Father willing to help him take his revenge and proud of the son who is trying to do his work faithfully.

David (Amitabh Bachchan) spent 24 years in prison, for no reason except corruption. A Parliament member, a police inspector and a Doctor conspired on him after the first rapped David’s wife leading her to commit suicide ,burnt the only evidence for this – a letter she wrote before hanging herself- and witnessed that he tried to kill the parliament member. He is now out of prison, and seeking revenge because law never gave him his right. Insp. Vijay Sandaliya (Amitabh Bachchan) is David’s only son and he doesn’t know the truth, he as been raised as the son of  Mahesh Sandaliya – David’s closest friend – and in love with his boss’s daughter Vinita Bhatnagar (Sri Devi), happens to be the police officer responsible for David’s case.The movie ends with the father taking the mother’s revenge and the son keeping his duty as his first concern even after he knew the truth, but proud with what his father did.

Amitabh Bachchan credited as “your favorite Star” on the movie opening titles and one of  Bollywood’s most recognizable faces in the last two decades, had a hard mission of performing both the father & the son that turned into a stunning performance. I loved him being the old man who loves his wife and willing to take her revenge and believed him being the young enthusiastic police officer trying to apply justice.
I couldn’t hold my tears in two parts, when the young Amitab knew the truth and in the final scene. Unlike any other Indian movie i saw, it wasn’t easy to predict the end …

The war between beliefs and duty has been explained when the father stood against the son and Drew no. 9 on his hand then he showed it to him to appear as no. 6 … both the 6 and the 9 are right depending on from where do you look.

The idea is easy to be addressed in a movie but in real life -in my opinion- one, in some cases, gets emotional or do what he really beliefs in, no matter how his work duty says. The reaction of  the son – deceiving the man who raised him to know the truth, saving the Parliament member life and chasing his father till the end – can never be achieved, although as i said in the beginning i was proud of him doing it, may be because i am sure it’s 100% correct if i am looking from his point of view. However, when i put myself in his place, even if i could chase my father or deceive the man,  at least i won’t save the life of the man who lead to my mother’s death.

Nevertheless, the movie is a a MUST see if you are interested in the Indian Cinema.