The Screening Room

The Oscars in March are huge, but let's not forget all the smaller awards given out leading up to them. To name a couple:

The Beliefnet Film Awards give viewers a chance to select films, released the previous year, that are the most spiritual or inspirational. Each category gets a People's Award and a Judges' Award. Voting ends Feb. 26, so get your votes in. Winners will be announced March 1. A couple of the categories and nominees:

Best Spiritual Film of 2009: The Blind Side, Avatar, A Serious Man, The Stoning of Soraya M. and The Road
Best Inspirational Film of 2009: Up, Precious, American Violet, Away We Go and Invictus
Best Spiritual Documentary of 2009: Oh My God, Enlighten Up, More Than a Game, Earth and Unmistaken Child.

Then, soon after those awards, we have the 25th Film Independent's Spirit Awards at 10 p.m. March 5 on IFC, which will be hosted by Eddie Izzard. All independent films nominated in these awards must: be at least 70 minutes long; have either played one week in a commercial theater in 2009, or have been shown at one of six film festivals (the Los Angeles Film Festival, New Directors/New Films, New York, Sundance, Telluride, or Toronto); be made for no more than $20 million, including post.

You can vote for these too, but must do so by Feb. 22. A few categories and nominees:

Best Feature: (500) Days of Summer, Amreeka, Precious, Sin Nombre and The Last Station.
Best Screenplay: Adventureland, The Messenger, The Vicous Kind, (500) Days of Summer and The Last Station.
John Cassavetes Award (best feature made for under $500,000): Big Fan, Humpday, The New Year Parade, Treeless Mountain and Zero Bridge.

As the blaring Oscar nom headlines begin to fade I'd like to put in a plug for a couple of under-the-radar honorees opening in Dallas in the coming weeks.

This Friday brings The Last Station, for which both Helen Mirren (actress) and Christopher Plummer (supporting actor) earned nominations. Plummer plays Leo Tolstoy in his final years (or at his Last Station, if you will). Mirren is his wife Sofya, increasingly frustrated at her man's focus on the Tolstoyan cause and lack of attention to marital life. As director Michael Hoffman has pointed out, both performances are larger than life yet firmly grounded. Film acting doesn't get much better. Look for my story on Plummer - who somehow had never previously been nominated - in this Sunday's Dallas Morning News.

The following Friday we finally get The White Ribbon, which has bounced around the release schedule like a ping pong ball. The foreign language film nominee, directed by Michael Haneke, is among the best Bergman films Bergman never made. In a small German town, on the eve of World War I, bad things keep happening as floundering and corrupt authority figures and urchin-like kiddos shirk accountability. The White Ribbon is an ascetic jewel that could have been subtitled The Seeds of Nazism. Good times? No, but a great film.

Movies critic Chris Vognar, media critic Tom Maurstad and myself discussed the nominees for the 82nd annual Academy Awards' best supporting actress and best supporting actor categories. Read the conversation down below.

Supporting actor nominees: Matt Damon (Invictus), Woody Harrelson (The Messenger), Christopher Plummer (The Last Station), Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)

Supporting actress nominees: Penelope Cruz (Nine), Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart), Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Mo'Nique (Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire)

Chris Vognar: 10-film format varies little from Oscar tradition
Full list of Oscar nominees

We'll be chatting each Friday leading up to the March 7 awards show.

Next week: Discussing the best actor and best actress nominees

Having 10 Best Picture nominations is already making a difference. As the writer who reviewed The Blind Side (which won nominations for Best Actress and, amazingly, Best Picture), I gave it an A-minus -- though some have complained (correctly) that it's too commercial, even too corny. (To read my review, click here.) It is, however, an enduring crowd-pleaser and a remarkable true story, involving the life of Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher, which may account for its box-office tally of more than $238 million. It proved to be the perfect vehicle for Best Actress candidate Sandra Bullock, who has undermined her talent over the years by saying yes to so many bad movies. Bullock, who spends much of her time these days in Austin, has already won Best Actress from the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes and deservingly so. At the Oscars, of course, she will have serious competition from the ever-popular Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia), Helen Mirren (The Last Station), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Carey Mulligan (An Education). She was aided by Texan John Lee Hancock, who wrote and directed The Blind Side. (To read my feature on Hancock, click here.) I was thrilled to see that Jeff Bridges, whose first major role came in The Last Picture Show in 1971, was nominated for Best Actor for Crazy Heart. No less an authority than Jackson Browne was raving about Crazy Heart before his recent sold-out performance at Music City Texas Theater in Linden. So far, Bridges has copied Bullock's success, winning Best Actor from the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes.

Photo: A scene from The Blind Side

Interesting that though Avatar got nominated as Best Picture and James Cameron for Best Director, the film didn't receive a single acting or writing nomination. Seems a reflection of the art vs commerce split within the Hollywood community. Avatar is the perfect big-tent nominee to drive public interest and, more to the point, TV ratings, just as Cameron's Titanic was back in 1997.

But Titanic's record-setting 14 nominations included a Best Actress nod for Kate Winslet (she didn't win) and some critical grousing that co-star Leonardo DiCaprio was overlooked. Not so with Avatar. The film is a box-office-shattering behemoth and a spectacle-generating stunner and now seems likely to be Oscar night's top contender for its two biggest prizes. But in this whole-is-greater-than-its parts scenario, won't it send a strange message to say that neither the writing nor the acting is all that great (or even all that important) in what may be crowned the best film of the year?

Couple of quick notes before I get cranking on my story:

Big ups for District 9. Great to see something that edgy score a best picture nod.

The Final Ten: Not so populist. No Hangover. No Star Trek. Great to see Up in there though.

If you checked in yesterday you know I'm stoked about Jeremy Renner. Good call, Oscar.

Gotta write.

Good morning movie lovers! We're up, it's early, and we're ready to hear who's been nominated for the 82nd Academy Awards. Watch the announcement along with us on ABC. 7:30 a.m.

7:35: In just a few moments we're going to see which 10 films get the Best Picture nom. Read Chris Vognar's predictions here.

7:38: It's starting! Anne Hathaway walks on to the stage to begin the announcement.

WHAT STUCK OUT TO ME
Supporting actor: Matt Damon (Invictus), Woody Harrellson (The Messanger), Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)

Best actress: Sandra Bullock, any surprise here? Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)

Best actor: Jeff Bridges *heart!*, George Clooney (Up in the Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man), Morgan Freeman (Invictus), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)

Best director: James Cameron, bigelow, tarantino, lee daniels precious, reitman up in the air

7:42: The guys for Up

7:42: animated: Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Princess and the Frog, The Secret of Kells, Up -- My favorite category!

7:43: film: avatar, the blind side, district 9, an education, hurt locker, inglorious basterd, precious, a serious man, up, up in the air

Precious got 4 noms: Monique for supporting actress, and Gabourey for best actress, best film and screenplay

Up in the Air got 2 supporting actress noms, actor, director, picture, and adaptive screenplay. I wonder if it'll do better than it did at the Golden Globes.

Here's the full list on Oscar.com.

As you may have heard the Oscar nominations will be announced before anyone has a good reason to be out of bed Tuesday morning. Check here for some blog action starting at 7:30 a.m. In the mean time, here's a plug for someone who hasn't been getting a whole lot of buzz.

The Hurt Locker is a piercing look at the dangerous adrenaline highs of war; it will deserve its best picture nod, and Kathryn Bigelow will be a rightful best director nominee. But what about Jeremy Renner? His cock-of-the-walk swagger, and the coiled manic energy behind it, are vital to the film's effectiveness. I'd be very pleased to see him get some Oscar love. But I don't think he will. When a film is this well made, and so much of the vision belongs to the folks behind the camera, performances often get overlooked. (Anthony Mackie would be a solid supporting actor nominee as well). Hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

Next week's Sapphire Blue-ray release of The Godfather and The Godfather II brings up a debate that's always fun: Which movie is better? In today's Couch Potato column I state my case for Part II, but by no means is it a slam dunk. One point I make only in passing: Part II does a brilliant job of using the Mafia as a metaphor for the American corporation, especially in the Cuba section ("That's why they call him Superman." Thanks Fredo). In some ways the bottom line ends up corrupting Michael just as much as family loyalty.

In any case, any excuse to watch these movies is a good one. They get better with every viewing. And how about this '70s hot streak for Coppola: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Conversation (see it now if you haven't) and Apocalypse Now. As they used to say on SportsCenter, en fuego.

Once again, we have a movie that's opening to little or no fanfare (and not being screened for critics). But, as usual, we have your back. Here's what all the non-fuss is about "Preacher's Kid," starring LeToya Luckett. Editor's note: Tough still not my cup of tea, I probably will eventually see this movie. Should be interesting to say the least.

By Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star
Rated PG-13
Time: 1:41
What is it? The sheltered daughter (LeToya Luckett) of a small-town widowed preacher (Gregalan Williams) strikes out on her own, joining the cast of a touring gospel musical and falling for the company's charismatic leading man (Durrell "Tank" Babbs). It's a modern update of the parable of the prodigal son.
Why didn't Gener8Xion Entertainment show it to us? The studio did not respond to our request for comment. But it seems to be following the marketing plan laid out by Tyler Perry's recent movies -- no advance reviews, emphasize TV advertising.
Who else is in it? Clifton Powell, one of the movies' more reliable black baddies.
Why we'd see it: First-time director Stan Foster has been getting positive buzz. And you've gotta love gospel music.
Why we wouldn't: Not our cup of tea.

(Photo by Paul Hawthorne/The Associated Press)

That's this Saturday, so if you haven't added them to your collection yet, now's the time. My Disney Movie Club e-newsletter reminds me that production will stop on DVDs and Blu-rays on Jan. 30 for Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition, The Jungle Book 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition, The Jungle Book 2 Special Edition, and four 101 Dalmatians movies, including 101 Dalmatians Platinum Edition, 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Special Edition, 101 Dalmatians (the 1996 live-action one), and the 2000 live-action 102 Dalmatians. A couple box sets of these films exclusive to the club are being locked away too.

I'm anxiously awaiting the liberation of Beauty and the Beast from the vault later this year. I don't know how, but I somehow missed that one. And the waiting has been looooong. If any of these are on your list of must-haves, I suggest getting them now, because who knows when your next chance will be.

Not much of interest opening this week, though I do love the fact that Mel Gibson is still seeking revenge. (What are the odds he'll get tortured in this one)? So this Friday we'll be having some fun with the expanded 10-film Oscar field.

As you may have heard the Academy has doubled the usual number of best picture nominees. I'm going to take a stab at picking ten worthies, keeping in mind the Academy's stated purpose of including quality blockbusters and popular favorites along with with the "important" stuff. (If you ask me it's just another industry money grab but hey, it's fun). So think about how you might take advantage of the beefed-up ballot, and stay tuned for our grand experiment. The real noms will announced the morning of Feb. 2.

When I chose to review 35 Shots of Rum and write about Paris, Texas for the Couch Potato column I didn't immediately see the connection - at least not consciously. Rum director Claire Denis (an acquired taste that I long ago acquired) cut her teeth with fellow minimalists including Jim Jarmusch and Wim Wenders. She was an assistant director on Wenders' indelible Paris, Texas. That's not all - Rum's cinematographer, the great Agnes Godard, was first assistant camera on Wenders' film.

Watching Rum and Paris back to back was quite the immersive experience. They are both, by any objective measure, slow. But they're also very assured; they absolutely nail a dreamlike mood of wandering and uncertainty. I'm thrilled that Denis' films still get distribution in a mid-size market like Dallas (thanks to The Cinema Guild and the Angelika for making that happen). The big Oscar contenders are all well and good but it's always a pleasure to have the option of something different.

Get the family out this Saturday and Sunday to the Angelika Film Center on Mockingbird for the 26th annual KidFilm Festival, presented by the USA Film Festival.

For just $3 per movie ($2.50 for USA Film Festival members), you and the kiddies can experience both classics - such as The Muppet Movie and The Wizard of Oz - and newer kid flicks - The Secret of Kells and Barbie and the Three Musketeers - on the big screen.

From the schedule: "This year's program is all about journeys, both earthly and otherwise, and learning that with a positive spirit and a little tenacity, one can accomplish most anything -- Whether climbing a beanstalk, thwarting crime, helping a lost friend find her family, or following dreams of stardom all the way to Hollywood!"

Though organized for children in mind, all ages could find this local fest of interest. Also on the agenda are prize giveaways, a tribute to author and Illustrator Mo Willems, an Aardman Animations tribute (Wallace and Gromit anyone?) and more. Tickets go on sale at the theater at noon Saturday. Call 214-821-3456 for more info.

Read movie critic Chris Vognar's analysis story of the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards motion picture winners: 'Avatar' and its directors are winners at Golden Globes

Read media critic Tom Maurstad's analysis of the show and it's host Ricky Gervais: All seemed on their best behavior, and that's too bad

AP Photo: Robert Downey Jr. won Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical for Sherlock Holmes.

Avatar gets it! Is there any surprise here? Well, maybe a little for all you holding out for Up in the Air, which had the most nominations with 6 but only one win tonight (Best Screenplay).

Thanks to all for watching the 67th annual Golden Globes and blogging along with us! Read below for insights on the show, speeches, winners and losers from our critics Chris Vognar and Tom Maurstad and others. And if you missed any of the not-as-drunken-show-as-expected, get the full list of Globe holders here, see photos from the night and dish on the red carpet fashion here.

Stay tuned for deeper analysis of the show from both critics. In the meantime, tell us, what did you think of the show, its presenters and winners?

Jeff Bridges gets this one for Crazy Heart. I haven't seen it, but boy was he charming on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien Friday night. He sang "I Don't Know" from the film.

And in case you missed it last week, Chris Vognar wrote a fun piece on down-to-earth dudes George Clooney and Jeff Bridges.

Sandra Bullock wins the Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for her great work in The Blind Side. I don't know if she 100% deserves it - I think I'd have given it to Carey Mulligan or Gabourey Sidibe. But such are the Golden Globes. Sandra Bullock is still having the best year of her career.

So what does this mean for Bullock's Oscar chances?

Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical goes to Robert Downey Jr. for Sherlock Holmes. Another surprise win!

Jeff Bridges wins Best Actor in a Drama for his work in Crazy Heart. Again, what does this mean come Oscar time? Who else do you think could win?

'Glee' wins Best TV Series - Comedy/Musical and 'The Hangover' wins Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical. As my friend Mark Norris just said to me, "Best Golden Globes for twenty-somethings ever!"

I know I'm pleased as punch.

Gervais: "I like a good drink as much as the next man. Unless the next man is Mel Gibson."