BREAKING NEWS: Nominations For The 82nd Oscars Announced!!

HO BOY!! Here are the noms for this years Oscar race. Congrats Up! I'll have an Editorial up tomorrow on the Oscar snubs.

BEST PICTURE:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), A Lightstorm Entertainment Production, James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
The Blind Side (Warner Bros.), An Alcon Entertainment Production, Nominees to be determined
District 9 (TriStar), A Block/Hanson Production, Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
An Education (Sony Pictures Classics), A Finola Dwyer/Wildgaze Films Production, Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), A Voltage Pictures Production, Nominees to be determined
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), A Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures/A Band Apart/Zehnte Babelsberg Production, Lawrence Bender, Producer
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate), A Lee Daniels Entertainment/Smokewood Entertainment Production, Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
A Serious Man (Focus Features), A Working Title Films Production, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
Up (Disney•Pixar), A Pixar Production, Jonas Rivera, Producer
Up in the Air (Paramount), A Montecito Picture Company Production, Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

DIRECTING:
James Cameron - Avatar (20th Century Fox)
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air (Paramount)
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment)
Lee Daniels - Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate)
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company)

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight)
George Clooney - Up in the Air (Paramount)
Colin Firth - A Single Man (The Weinstein Company)
Morgan Freeman - Invictus (Warner Bros.)
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment)

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side (Warner Bros.)
Helen Mirren - The Last Station (Sony Pictures Classics)
Carey Mulligan - An Education (Sony Pictures Classics)
Gabourey Sidibe - Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate)
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia (Columbia Pictures)

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Matt Damon - Invictus (Warner Bros.)
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger (Oscilloscope)
Christopher Plummer - The Last Station (Sony Pictures Classics)
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones (Paramount)
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company)

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Penelope Cruz - Nine (The Weinstein Company)
Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air (Paramount)
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight)
Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air (Paramount)
Mo'Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
District 9 (TriStar), Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
An Education (Sony Pictures Classics), Screenplay by Nick Hornby
In the Loop (IFC Films), Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate), Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air (Paramount), Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Written by Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Written by Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger (Oscilloscope), Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
A Serious Man (Focus Features), Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Up (Disney•Pixar), Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
Ajami (Kino International), An Inosan Production, Israel
El Secreto de sus Ojos (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haddock Films Production, Argentina
The Milk of Sorrow, A Wanda Visión/Oberon Cinematogràfica/Vela Production, Peru
Une Prophéte (Sony Pictures Classics), A Why Not/Page 114/Chic Films Production, France
The White Ribbon (Sony Pictures Classics), An X Filme Creative Pool/Wega Film/Les Films du Losange/Lucky Red Production, Germany

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Coraline (Focus Features), Henry Selick
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Fox Searchlight), Wes Anderson
The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), John Musker and Ron Clements
The Secret of the Kells (GDKIDS), Tomm Moore
Up (Disney•Pixar), Pete Docter

ART DIRECTION:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg, Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Sony Pictures Classics), Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro, Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
Nine (The Weinstein Company), Art Direction: John Myhre, Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood, Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Art Direction: Patrice Vermette, Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Mauro Fiore
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Warner Bros.), Bruno Delbonnel
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Robert Richardson
The White Ribbon (Sony Pictures Classics), Christian Berger

COSTUME DESIGN:
Bright Star (Apparition), Janet Patterson
Coco Before Chanel (Sony Pictures Classics), Catherine Leterrier
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Sony Pictures Classics), Monique Prudhomme
Nine (The Weinstein Company), Colleen Atwood
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Sandy Powell

FILM EDITING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
District 9 (TriStar), Julian Clarke
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Sally Menke
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (Lionsgate), Joe Klotz

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
Burma VJ (Oscilloscope Laboratories), A Magic Hour Films Production, Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
The Cove (Roadside Attractions), An Oceanic Preservation Society Production, Nominees to be determined
Food, Inc. (Magnolia Pictures), A Robert Kenner Films Production, Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (First Run Features ), A Kovno Communications Production, Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
Which Way Home, A Mr. Mudd Production, Rebecca Cammisa

MAKEUP:
Il Divo (MPI Media Group through Music Box), Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

ORIGINAL SCORE:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Fox Searchlight), Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.), Hans Zimmer
Up (Disney•Pixar), Michael Giacchino

ORIGINAL SONG:
"Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Loin de Paname" from Paris 36 (Sony Pictures Classics), Music by Reinhardt Wagner, Lyric by Frank Thomas
"Take It All" from Nine (The Weinstein Company), Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
"The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

SOUND MIXING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro, Distributed by Paramount), Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

SOUND EDITING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Paul N.J. Ottosson
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Wylie Stateman
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
Up (Disney•Pixar), Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

VISUAL EFFECTS:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
District 9 (TriStar), Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

DOCUMENTARY SHORT:
China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province, A Downtown Community Television Center Production, Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner, A Just Media Production, Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant, A Community Media Production, Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
Music by Prudence, An iThemba Production, Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
Rabbit à la Berlin (Deckert Distribution), An MS Films Production, Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

ANIMATED SHORT FILM:
French Roast, A Pumpkin Factory/Bibo Films Production, Fabrice O. Joubert
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty (Brown Bag Films), A Brown Bag Films Production, Nicky Phelan and Darragh O'Connell
The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte), A Kandor Graphics and Green Moon Production, Javier Recio Gracia
Logorama" (Autour de Minuit), An Autour de Minuit Production, Nicolas Schmerkin
A Matter of Loaf and Death (Aardman Animations), An Aardman Animations Production, Nick Park

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM:
The Door (Network Ireland Television), An Octagon Films Production, Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
Instead of Abracadabra (The Swedish Film Institute), A Directörn & Fabrikörn Production, Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
Kavi, A Gregg Helvey Production, Gregg Helvey
Miracle Fish (Premium Films), A Druid Films Production, Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
The New Tenants, A Park Pictures and M & M Production, Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

SYS

The PGA Nomminations Are Announced!

Excitingly, the PGA nominations have been revealed. Below are the noms. On January 24th, by the way, we will know who wins. Fingers crossed for Up!

Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures:

Avatar
Producers: James Cameron, Jon Landau

District 9
Producers: Carolynne Cunningham, Peter Jackson

An Education
Producers: Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey

The Hurt Locker
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

Inglourious Basterds
Producer: Lawrence Bender

Invictus
Producers: Clint Eastwood, Rob Lorenz, Lori McCreary , Mace Neufeld

Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness

Star Trek
Producers: J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof

Up
Producer: Jonas Rivera

Up in the Air
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

9
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

Coraline
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

Fantastic Mr. Fox
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

The Princess and the Frog
Producer: Peter Del Vecho

Up
Producer: Jonas Rivera

PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:

Burma VJ
Producer: Lise Lense-Moller

The Cove
Producers: Paula DuPre Pesman, Fisher Stevens

Sergio
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

Soundtrack for a Revolution
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

SYS

Avatar Makes A Billion,Holmes Drops 38.5%, Chipmunks A Hit, Complications Continue, Princess Increases, Up In The Air A Smash

Avatar made the biggest 3rd weekend ever, landing 68.3 million dropping a mere 10%. The film has made 352.1 million here, but has reached over 1 billion worldwide. The film has surpassed the juggernaut that was The Dark Knight worldwide and overseas. It'll soon surpass Pirates of The Caribbean 2 and beat The Return of The King. Avatar could even beat Titanic.

To add on to this, the film had the biggest 3rd weekend ever and is the biggest Non-Sequel since Steven Spielberg's E.T. Avatar is the 1st film in 12 years to outdo Titanic and become the biggest film of all-time.

Sherlock Holmes made 38.3 million and has reached 140.6 million thus far. The film could wind up with 225 million and become the next big franchise for Warner Bros.

Alvin and The Chipmunks 2 went down 25% with 36.6 million. It will make around 240 million, beating it's predecessor and guranteeing a third film.

It's Complicated did amazing, dropping the least out of all of last weekends new releases, dropping 15%. The film made 18.7 million and has made 59 million. Meryl Streep seems to have, like Sandra Bullock, hit her stride late in ehr life.

Speaking of Sandra Bullock, her film The Blind Side made 12.6 million this weekend. It's total now stands at 2009 million and could reach 250 million by the end of it's run.



Up in The Air made 11.3 million this weekend. The Best Picture possible film has made 45 million, handily doing it's 25 million budget back.

The Princess and The Frog increased this weekend by 10%. The masterpiece has made 86 million and will have a total similar to Bolt, Disney's 2008 CGI flick.

The Top 12 overall made 214.1 million estimated and up 62% from last year. This could bode well for 2010 overall.

Avatar Drops Miraculously, Holmes With Bells On, Chipmunks a Powerhouse, Complications? Nah, The Blind Side Continues, Nine Zero, Up In The Air Flies

Avatar led the biggest weekend of all-time, making 75 million. It only dropped 3.6% and could become the biggest second weekend of all-time when all the money is counted tomorrow. Avatar has also become the biggest IMAX film ever and could surpass Transformers 2 by the end of the year.

Sherlock Holmes had the second biggest debut at the 2nd spot this weekend making 65 million. The film will likely make 230 million and become a new franchise for Warner Bros.

Up in The air made 11.7 million and made 11,000 per theatre. The film has made 24.5 million and could become a huge OScar contender soon.

The Chipmunks Sequel became the first film at number 3 to make 50 million. This sequel could be a rare film to surpass it's predeccesor at the box office.

Nine was a bomb, making only 5 million. Unlike Invictus, reception has been tepid so Oscar noms are unlikely.

The Blind Side went up 17% and will make 210 million total. Sandra Bullock's year continues fabuosly.



The Princess and The Frog has made 63.3 million and dropped 28.4% this weekend. A 100million gross may not happen after all.

The weekend was overall stupendous, shattering records and capping of the greatest year in film history.

SYS

Avatar Reigns Supreme...Princess Is Sliced in Half...BLind Side Beats Proposal...Up In The Air Up...No One Heard About The Morgans

Avaatr was the champion of the weeken, making 73 million. Thanks to it opening all around the world this weekend, it had now a gross of 232 million worldwide. The giant take will likely mean a 900 million total worldiwde and over 300 million here.

Avatar has garnered an A+ from moviegoers on average and the word could spread on the new masterpiece. Expect a ton more money to go towards the epic by the time Winter is over.

The Princess and The Forg dropped 49.8%. It has now made 44.7 million and will liekly make a total of 100 million, perhaps proving 2D could be dead after all.

The only other new release, Did You Hear About The Morgans flopped, only making 7 million. That film may make only 20 million when all the hoidays are over.

The Blind Side dropped a mere 33%. It's total now stands at 164.7 million, beating The Proposal to become Sandra Bullock's biggest film ever (co-incidentally, Entertainment Weekly has dubbed her entertainer of 2009). The BLind Side may make 200million by the end of it's run.



Up In the Air increased it's theatre count to 175 and made 3 million. Epxect it to be huge next weekend when it enters 1800 theatres.

A Christmas Carol dropped 50% to 130 million. A nice total of 150 million should come soon.

Invictus had made 15.8 million now. Some Oscar buzz and increasing theatres next weekend should bring it to another hit for clint Eastwood.

The weekend made overall 125 million, up from 2008, but down from 2007.

SYS

For Your Consideration: The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Where The Wild Things Are

These two films relaly deserve Best Picture nominations at the Oscars. Each push boundaries in their kid film boundaries and bring fun and tears anyway. Below are what should be nominatted in the Best Picture category:

Up In the Air
Precious
The Hurt Locker
Invictus
Up
Where The Wild Things Are
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
A Serious Man
Avatar
Inglorious Basterds



Please Academy, Give all of those films the nominations. I beg you. Break the duldroms.

SYS

Box Office: The Princess and The Hit, The Blind Side Barely Falls, Invitus OK, New Moon Keeps Dropping & Lovely Bones Ugly

The Princess and The Frog made 25 million and hit number 1. Although at first this seems bad, it actually could wind up being awesome for Disney. After all, most films in December 6 times the buisness they do on the 1st weekend. This could be like 150 million. It seems 2D could be back for good.

The Blind Side dropped only 19% to 15 million an has now made 150.2 million dollars. It is now the biggest Sports Drama and will be the biggest Sports film soon enough. There's a good chance it'll hit 200 million by the end of the Holiday season.

Invictus had an OK weekend. It only made 9 million, but like The Princess and The Frog will likely hold thanks to huge Oscar talk.

New Moon made 8 million and has now made 267.3 million. A total of 280-285 million is likely to happen.

A Christmas Carol only dropped 11.5% to 6.8 million and has made 124.4 million. It is 1.1 million dollars ahead of The Polar Express at this point.

2012 made 4.4 million and has now made 155 million. It has made nearly 700 million worldwide.



Old Dogs made 4.3 million and a total of 39.9 million.

Up In the Air made 2.4 million and now has a wonderful total of 4 million. It and Precious are right now front-runners in the Oscar race.

The Lovely Bones and A Single Man went into limited release. The Lovely Bones only made 116,000 at 3 theatres and A Single Man made 216,000 at 16 cinemas. The embarrasing part about The Lovely Bones is that it cost 100 million dollars and with bad hype surrounding it, expect a bad outcome for that film.

The weekend made 89 million, the first time in years that the second December weekend was below the 1st December weekend. However, Avatar should change the course of this so far lackluster month.

SYS

Editorial: The Oscar Race Is The Most Boring Thing On The Planet

Wow. I mean...wow. The Oscar Race this year is so drab, so predictable...well there's no two ways around it. The Lovely Bones is starting to become out of the race, which is leading a few lower films to catch up. Now, here are my predictions for this years Academy Awards. Below are my list of nominees in the big categories and who I predict to win.


Best Picture:
Up In The Air
Precious
The Hurt Locker
Invictus
Up
Avatar
Where The Wild Things Are
A Serious Man
Nine
Inglorious Basterds

Best Actor:
Geroge Clooney- Up in The Air
Colin Firth- A Single Man
Morgan Freeman- Invictus
Daniel Day-Lewis- Nine
Jeff Bridges- Crazy Heart

Best Actress-
Carey Mulligan- An Education
Merryl Streep- Julia & Julia
Gabourey Sidibe- Precious
Sandra Bullock- The Blind Side
Saoirse Ronan- The Lovely Bones

Best Supporting Actor-
Alfred Molina- An Education
Stanley Tucci- The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz- Inglorious Basterds
Woody Harrelson- The Messanger
Zach Galifianakis- The Hangover

Best Supporting Actress-
Anna Kendrick- Up In The Air
Mo'Nique- Precious
Julian Moore- A Single Man
Judi Dench- Nine
Vera Farmiga- Up In The Air

Best Original Screenplay-
Up
Inglorious Basterds
A Serious Man
The Hurt Locker
Avatar

Best Director-
Kathryn Bigelow- The Hurt Locker
Jason Reitman- Up In The Air
Joel And Ethan Choen- A Serious Man
Clint Eastwood- Invictus
Lee Daniels- Precious

Best Animated Feature-
The Fnatastic Mr. Fox
Up
The Princess and The Frog
Coraline
Ponyo

I'll still watch the Oscars, but I'll be surprised if my guess's differ.

SYS