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The Dallas Film Society Announces Dates for the 10th Annual Dallas International Film Festival

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : August 25, 2015
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DALLAS (August 24, 2015) – The Dallas Film Society has announced that the 10th annual Dallas International Film Festival will take place April 14 – April 24, 2016. The film society is now accepting submissions for the Festival. The early deadline is Friday, October 16, 2015, the regular deadline is Friday, December 4, 2015 and the late deadline is Friday, December 11, 2015.

DIFF is one of the fastest growing festivals in the world and has brought over 250,000 film lovers together to view over 1,680 films from more than 50 countries. DIFF has consistently featured the finest cinema has to offer, including 95 world premieres and 31 US premieres to date.

This past April, the festival successfully completed a marathon of 169 screenings with attendance surpassing 26,000. The 2016 festival will once again span 11 days and feature International Premiere screenings with red carpet entrances at theaters throughout the city, award presentations, filmmaker panels and other special events.

“We can’t wait to get started on selecting films to showcase at the 2016 DIFF and looking forward to highlighting another group of incredible and diverse talent from around the world,” said Sarah Harris, Dallas International Film Festival Senior Programmer. “We are so excited to celebrate a decade of sharing our love of film with the community and continuing to introduce Dallas to some of the finest work filmmaking has to offer.”

The festival welcomes submissions for all categories. Grand Jury Prizes will be presented for Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Film, Animated Short Film, Student Short Film and Texas Film Competition presented by Panavision. Audience Awards will be given for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and Best Short Film. Additional programming categories include World Cinema Latino Cinema Showcase, Deep Ellum Sounds (music documentaries), Family Films, and Midnight Specials.

This year, DIFF has added the Mavericks category to its programming strand, presented by the L.M. Kit Carson Storyfinders Foundation. Last year, DIFF honored the life and career of the late Texas writer, actor and producer L.M. Kit Carson by featuring his 1983 film BREATHLESS and posthumously awarding him with the Dallas Star Award, accepted by his son, Hunter Carson. This year, DIFF will continue to honor his legacy with the Mavericks screening program, which will feature four groundbreaking and cutting edge films that spotlight unique cinematic voices breaking the rules of filmmaking to advance the art form.

“I truly believe that the art of creating ‘maverick’ films is rarified air,” said Hunter Carson. “Films that introspectively look at the world in challenging ways deserve to be celebrated.”

In addition, one Maverick filmmaker will be the inaugural recipient of the L.M. Kit Carson Maverick Filmmaker Award at Dallas Film Society Honors.

Over the past nine years, DIFF has presented filmmakers with more than $740,000 in awards. This year, the winner of the Texas Film Competition presented by Panavision will receive a camera rental package valued at $30,000. Also, the Embrey Family Foundation will present The Silver Heart Award and a $10,000 cash prize to one inspirational filmmaker or film to honor their dedication for fighting injustices and/or creating social change for the improvement of humanity. Additionally, each recipient of a 2016 DIFF award will receive MOVIE MAGIC Budgeting and Scheduling software bundles from Entertainment Partners, which allows filmmakers to create and view production scheduling.

Submissions are open on WithoutABox and Film Freeway. For more information and to submit films, visit http://www.dallasfilm.org/submit-your-film-for-diff-2016/. Questions can be emailed to submissions@dallasfilm.org.

The 2015 Dallas International Film Festival Award Winners Are…

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : April 20, 2015
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The Dallas Film Society has announced the winners of the 9th Annual Dallas International Film Festival’s competition series. This year’s Festival, presented by AutoNation, features 169 films representing 32 countries, with a total of 18 premieres including 11 World Premieres, three North American Premieres and four US Premieres.

Grand Jury Awards and Special Jury Prizes were presented for the Narrative Feature Competition, Short Film Competition and Texas Feature Competition during Dallas Film Society Honors, co-presented by the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation, Sheri Deterling, Geoff Hawkes and the Highland Dallas, at The Highland Dallas. Grand Jury Awards were also given for the Documentary Feature Competition, Animated Short Competition and Student Short Competition.

And the winners are…

Narrative Feature Competition Grand Jury Award

RADIATOR (United Kingdom)

Director: Tom Browne

Cast: Richard Johnson; Gemma Jones; Daniel Cerqueira

A dark, difficult comedy concerning the middle aged Daniel who returns home to help his elderly parents, Leonard and Maria who live in squalor, eccentrically.

 

Narrative Feature Competition Special Jury Prize, Ensemble Acting

ECHOES OF WAR (USA) – World premiere

Director: Kane Senes

Cast: James Badge Dale; Ethan Embry; William Forsythe; Maika Monroe

A Civil War veteran returns home to the quiet countryside, only to find himself embroiled in a conflict between his family and the brutish cattle rancher harassing them.

 

Narrative Feature Competition Special Jury Prize, Cinematography

SOME BEASTS (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Cameron Nelson

Cast: Frank Mosley; Lindsay Burdge; Heather Kafka

Living in an insular farming community, Sal Damon, a modern-day Thoreau, seeks solace from a past relationship in Appalachia. After his neighbor dies and he discovers a feral child living on the lam, he must reconcile his place in a world that lives outside of the law.

 

Documentary Feature Competition Grand Jury Award

BARGE (USA)

Director: Ben Powell

Dry land’s misfits find purpose and direction twenty-eight days at a time as the steady hands of a towboat due for the port of New Orleans. From a green deckhand following his father and grandmother into the family business, to a former convict working his way to First Mate, job by job; as long as the boat’s moving they’re making money.

 

Short Film Competition Grand Jury Award

THE CHICKEN (Germany/Croatia)

Director: Una Gunjak

The day-to-day life of a six-year-old girl growing up during unstable times in Sarajevo is shaken up when a chicken joins her family.

 

Short Film Competition Special Jury Prizes

THE FACE OF UKRAINE: CASTING OKSANA BAIUL (Australia)

Director: Kitty Green

Adorned in pink sequins, little girls from across a divided, war-torn Ukraine audition to play the role of gold medal-winning figure skater Oksana Baiul, whose tears of joy once united their troubled country.

 

ONE HITTA QUITTA (USA)

Director: Ya’Ke Smith

A boy, who has never had to suffer the consequences for his actions, becomes severely addicted to internet violence, leading him to act out in violent ways himself.

 

Student Short Film Competition Grand Jury Award

CAST IN INDIA (India/USA)

Director: Natasha Raheja

Iconic and ubiquitous, thousands of manhole covers dot the streets of New York City. Enlivening the everyday objects around us, this short film is a glimpse of the working lives of the men behind the manhole covers in New York City.

 

Animated Short Film Competition Award

WORLD OF TOMORROW (USA)

Director: Don Hertzfeldt

A little girl is taken on a mind-bending tour of her distant future.

 

Texas Film Competition Grand Jury Award

SACRIFICE (USA)

Director: Michael Cohn

Cast: Luke Kleintank; Dermot Mulroney; Melora Walters; Austin Abrams; Brandon Smith; Lewis Tan

HANK (Luke Kleintank) is a handsome, multi-talented high school student who has just led his football team to a stunning victory during the biggest game of the season. Eager scouts are circling and Hank’s blue-collar parents, (played by Dermot Mulroney and Melora Walters), are counting on their golden boy to win a scholarship to a good college so he can enjoy a brighter future, far away from their hardscrabble life in Texas. Their younger son, TIM (Austin Abrams) more of a loser than a winner, idolizes his older brother and persuades Hank and his friends, KAZ (Brandon Smith) and BENNY (Lewis Tan), to let him tag along on their celebratory hunting trip. It is a decision they soon regret. Tim’s immature behavior after an accidental shooting leads to a series of bad decisions, a second wave of tragedy, and a hasty cover-up. Hank finds himself at the center of a desperate and rapidly deteriorating situation that tests his moral compass and threatens to destroy his family…and his dream.

 

Texas Film Competition Special Jury Prize

THE LOVE INSIDE (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Andy Irvine; Mark Smoot

Cast: Zachary Knighton; Joey Kern; Kat Foster; Betsy Phillips; Bryon Brown; Ashley Spillers; Indigo Rael

When Vaughn invites his closest friends to a cabin in rural Texas to meet his fiancée, he expects a relaxing weekend reminiscing about the old days. But when a friend arrives with his ex-girlfriend, long repressed feelings are reawakened and his engagement is suddenly thrown into doubt in this subversive romantic comedy.

 

Silver Heart Award

FRAME BY FRAME (USA)

Director: Alexandria Bombach; Mo Scarpelli

After decades of war and an oppressive Taliban regime, four Afghan photojournalists face the realities of building a free press in a country left to stand on its own – reframing Afghanistan for the world and for themselves.

 

Narrative Feature Audience Award

THUNDER BROKE THE HEAVENS (USA) – World Premiere

Director: Tim Skousen

Cast: Alex Peters; Gavin Howe; Tanner Beard; Tom Nowicki; Hadley Eure

In a Hansel and Gretel-esque modern fairy tale, siblings Samantha (13) and William Paul (6) must survive on their own after a tragedy kills their family. They are placed in an abusive foster home, but when Samantha overhears that they are to be split up, they escape to live in a crumbling shack in the woods. Life is hard, but they receive help from a mysterious source. When supplies run out and William Paul falls ill, Samantha must find a way for them to survive – before it’s too late.

 

Documentary Feature Audience Award

BATKID BEGINS: THE WISH HEARD AROUND THE WORLD (USA)

Director: Dana Nachman

On one day, in one city, the world comes together to grant one 5 year old cancer patient his wish. BATKID BEGINS: THE WISH HEARD AROUND THE WORLD looks at the ‘why’ of this flash phenomenon. Why did the intense outpouring of spontaneous support for a child reverberate around the world and become one of the biggest ‘good news stories’ ever?

 

Short Film Audience Award

MELVILLE (USA)

Director: James Johnston

Marcus is dealing with some serious shit but he can’t seem to talk to anyone about it.

Dallas International Film Festival Announces First 10 Films for 2015!

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : February 16, 2015
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The Dallas Film Society announced the first 10 films chosen to screen at the 9th annual Dallas International Film Festival presented by AutoNation. The 2015 Festival, taking place April 9-19, will feature national and international films, as well homegrown selections. The Festival will also host the North American premiere of PLAYING IT COOL, a romantic comedy starring Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan. Making its world premiere at this year’s Festival is the Civil War drama ECHOES OF WAR, starring James Badge Dale, Ethan Embry and William Forsythe.

The Dallas Film Society is proud to announce that director John Landis will receive the Dallas Star Award at DFS Honors on Friday, April 17 at the Highland Hotel in Dallas. The Dallas Star Award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to modern cinema and the advancement of the art of film. The award presentation will be followed by a special screening of John Landis’s 1980 comedy classic THE BLUES BROTHERS on Saturday, April 18. John Landis has left a lasting impression on the film world as director of many iconic comedies such as NATIONAL LAMPOON’S ANIMAL HOUSE, ¡3 AMIGOS!, COMING TO AMERICA, TRADING PLACES, and INTO THE NIGHT. John Landis also wrote and directed AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and the groundbreaking theatrical short MICHAEL JACKSON’S THRILLER.

“Confirming our first 10 films is a major milestone in producing our festival,” said James Faust, Artistic Director of the Dallas Film Society. “We plan to screen around 170 films this year, and are well on our way to selecting the best cinema has to offer. We’re also elated to mark the 35th anniversary of THE BLUES BROTHERS by honoring legendary filmmaker John Landis.”

The Festival will also celebrate the incredible life and career of Texas writer, actor and producer L.M. Kit Carson by featuring his 1983 film BREATHLESS. Carson is recognized for writing the Palme d’Or winning PARIS, TEXAS, and also for inventing the first ‘mockumentary’ with his film DAVID HOLZMAN’S DIARY.

Here are the first 10 films announced so far…

 

BG_5 Flights Up 2015 movie Still 1

5 FLIGHTS UP

Director: Richard Loncraine

USA

Cast: Morgan Freeman; Diane Keaton; Cynthia Nixon

Synopsis: Over one crazy weekend, a long-time married couple discovers that finding a new apartment is not about winding down, but starting a new adventure.

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BEING EVEL

Director: Daniel Junge

USA

Synopsis: Millions know the man, but few know his story. In BEING EVEL, Academy Award® winning filmmaker Daniel Junge (SAVING FACE) and actor/producer Johnny Knoxville take a candid look at American daredevil and icon Robert “Evel” Knievel, while also reflecting on our voracious public appetite for heroes and spectacle.

Echoes-of-War-2D-thumb-630xauto-53626

ECHOS OF WAR (World premiere)

Director: Kane Senes

USA

Cast: James Badge Dale; Ethan Embry; William Forsythe; Maika Monroe

Synopsis: A Civil War veteran returns home to the quiet countryside, only to find himself embroiled in a conflict between his family and the brutish cattle rancher harassing them.

Doat-hon-slide

HOLLOW

Director: Ham Tran

Vietnam

Cast: Kieu Chinh; Jayvee Mai The Hiep; Ngoc Hiep Nguyen

Synopsis: A young girl falls into a river and drowns. When her body is found in a remote village along the river, her uncle arrives to claim her body, only to find that she is very much alive. But when she returns to her family, unexplainable occurrences lead them to believe she is possessed.

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JASMINE

Director: Dax Phelan

USA

Cast: Jason Tobin; Byron Mann; Sarah Lian

Synopsis: JASMINE is a gripping and chilling psychological thriller about a man still struggling to come to terms with his grief nearly a year after his wife’s unsolved murder.

Fence

THE BLUES BROTHERS

Director: John Landis

USA

Cast: John Belushi; Dan Aykroyd; James Brown; Cab Calloway; Ray Charles; Aretha Franklin; John Lee Hooker

Synopsis: Jake Blues, just out from prison, puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and brother Elwood were raised.

the-look-of-silence

THE LOOK OF SILENCE

Director: Joshua Oppenheimer

Denmark/Finland/Indonesia/Norway/UK

Synopsis: In Joshua Oppenheimer’s companion piece to the Oscar® nominated THE ACT OF KILLING, a family of survivors of the 1965 Indonesian genocide discovers how their son was murdered and the identity of the men who killed him. The youngest brother is determined to break the spell of silence and fear under which the survivors live, and so confronts the men responsible for his brother’s murder – something unimaginable in a country where killers remain in power.

chris-evans-starring-playing-it-cool-released

PLAYING IT COOL (North American Premiere)

Director: Justin Reardon

USA

Cast: Chris Evans; Michelle Monaghan; Luke Wilson; Aubrey Plaza; Topher Grace; Anthony Mackie

Synopsis: It’s this generation’s SWINGERS meets (500) DAYS OF SUMMER. The story is fresh, quirky, and weirdly relatable as this young, slightly pretentious man falls for an unlikely girl, and will stop at nothing to get her even after realizing she’s already in a relationship.

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WELCOME TO LEITH

Director: Michael Beach Nichols; Christopher K. Walker

USA

Synopsis: A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.

western

WESTERN

Director: Bill Ross; Turner Ross

USA/Mexico

Synopsis: For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas from Piedras Negras, Mexico was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life.

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Online ticket sales will be available for members only beginning Monday, March 16 at www.DallasFilm.org , with online ticket sales opening to the public on Thursday, March 19. The physical Prekindle Box Office at Mockingbird Station will open on Thursday, March 26.

Finding “The One”-Top 5 Films that put your Love Life in Perspective

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : February 11, 2015
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Category: Movie Reviews, Special Features

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Are you looking for “The One” this Valentine’s Day? Or maybe, you’ve already found that person. In honor of this heart-filled holiday, I’ve made a list of the top 5 films that can put your love life in perspective. These films are geared toward everyone, whether you’re in a relationship or not. For couples, these movies could shed light on issues you may be having, or just make you appreciate that special someone in your life. For singles, this list can maybe help you better understand what you’re realistically looking for in a relationship. Either way, all 5 romantic movies are great choices to watch this V-Day.

Here’s what I take away from these films…

5. Don Jon (2013)

Listen and Connect

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut, Don Jon, discusses how the media can often lead us to objectify people and treat them more like things instead of humans. A lot of times movies and television can give us a false expectation of what we’re looking for in a partner. Though it can be fascinating to watch a Hollywood romance or adult films, we must separate fantasy from reality. Maybe the person you’re dating or crushing on fits the mold of what you expect in a partner, but is it really what you want? Truly listen to that person and make sure you connect with them on both, a psychical and emotional level.

4. Ruby Sparks (2012)

Nobody’s Perfect

We’ve almost all had that check list which bullet points the requirements for our partners. Whether it’s based on their looks, or their jobs, or even their sense of humor, it DOES NOT matter. That list needs to be deleted from your brain. We have no idea what we want until we meet “that someone.” Ruby Sparks is about a novelist (Paul Dano) who writes an ideal female character (Zoe Kazan) that comes to life overnight. The film focuses on how there is no perfect person. Part of really loving someone is seeing their imperfections and dealing with them in a way that isn’t bothersome to you. When you wish your partner was a different way, it can actually speak more about something in you.

3. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

Different Points of View

I’m aware I’ve referenced this film a few times for my top 5 lists, but that’s only because you can take away so many lessons from the story and characters. In 500 Days of Summer, Tom (Gordon-Levitt) believes his entire relationship with Summer (Deschanel), up until they break up, was perfect.  He’s in love and she’s almost so clearly not. I truly believe the cruelest feeling we can experience is strongly caring for someone who doesn’t reciprocate that same feeling. It makes you wonder how it was even possible to have those feelings in the first place. Unfortunately, people are stuck in this situation all the time. In the film, Tom copes with his heartache by reflecting back and noticing the signs. For the most part, entering a relationship shouldn’t be that complicated, both people need be on the same page. If one person is stalling to commit, then he or she may not be right for you.

2. TiMER (2009)

Do you Believe in Soul Mates?

If you could install a device that counts down the exact moment you’re going to meet your soul mate, would you want to? Oona (Emma Caulfield) got one. Only problem is her TiMER is blank, meaning her soul mate hasn’t yet signed up for the service. This film raises the question of whether or not you believe that there is ONE perfect person out there for each of us. And for those who have doubts in their own relationships, do you think there is someone else out there better suited for you? Though very few have heard of this movie, TiMER is a charming, thought-provoking story that everyone should make time for.

1. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Life is Too Short

I’m sure many people don’t want to ball their eyes out this Valentine’s Day, but I assure you The Fault in Our Stars is much more than a movie about teens with cancer. Gus (Ansel Elgort) and Hazel’s (Shailene Woodley) inspiring, genuine love story reminds us to make the most of each day. In a romantic aspect, life is too short to not be with someone you care about. If you’re lucky enough to truly fall in love, then don’t take that love for granted. Because even if it’s short-lived, you won’t regret the time spent with each other.

Top 5 Oscar 2015 Nomination Snubs

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : January 16, 2015
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Category: Special Features

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5. Foxcatcher for Best Picture

The film is nominated for Best Director, Actor, and Supporting Actor.   Somehow this movie couldn’t nab a nomination for Best Picture when there is still room for TWO more nominees??

 

4. The Lego Movie for Best Animated Feature

Everything is NOT awesome for The Lego Movie.  However, director/writer, Phil Lord took to twitter yesterday to show that he can just build his own Lego Oscar.  The film is still being represented at the Oscars by it’s Best Original song nomination.

 

3. Jake Gyllenhaal for Best Actor

Guess the Academy didn’t think it was much of a transformation? Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance in Nightcrawler became one of awards seasons strongest contenders throughout the last two months, yet he was snubbed on Thursday in the Best Actor category.  Shocking, considering Gyllenhaal previously grabbed nominations from the Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards.

 

2. Gone Girl for Best Picture & Adapted Screenplay

Smart, twisted, and a hell of thrill ride.  Gone Girl not only got snubbed for Best Picture, but for Adapted Screenplay as well!  Not sure what happened here, still processing.

 

1. Ava DuVernay for Best Director

DuVernay would have been the first African American woman ever nominated for Best Director and the only woman to be nominated in the category this year.  Her direction for Selma  is more than worthy of a nomination, seeing as how she managed to give audiences a powerful and original perspective on a part of history we thought we’d already seen.

To see a full list of the nominees click here.

 

North Texas Film Critics Association Name “BOYHOOD” Best Picture Of 2014

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : January 5, 2015
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2014
The North Texas Film Critics Association is proud to announce their Best of 2014 and winners in eleven categories…

The coming-of-age drama BOYHOOD was voted as the best film of 2014, according to the results of its annual critics’ poll which was released today.

The finalized list of the top 10 films of the year were WHIPLASH (2), THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (3), BIRDMAN (4), THE IMITATION GAME (5), GONE GIRL (6), THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (7), NIGHTCRAWLER (8), CHEF (9) and INTERSTELLAR (10).

Jake Gyllenhaal was voted Best Actor for NIGHTCRAWLER. Runners-up included Eddie Redmayne for THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (2), Benedict Cumberbatch for THE IMITATION GAME (3), Michael Keaton for BIRDMAN (4) and David Oyelowo for SELMA (5).

For Best Actress, Rosamund Pike was the winner for GONE GIRL. Runners-up included Reese Witherspoon for WILD (2), Felicity Jones for THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (3),  Amy Adams for BIG EYES (4) and Julianne Moore for STILL ALICE (5).

In the Best Supporting Actor category, the winner was J.K. Simmons for WHIPLASH. He was followed by Edward Norton for BIRDMAN (2), Ethan Hawke for BOYHOOD (3), Mark Ruffalo for FOXCATCHER (4) and Tom Wilkinson for SELMA (5).

In the Best Supporting Actress category, the winner was Patricia Arquette for BOYHOOD. Runners-up were Emma Stone for BIRDMAN (2), Keira Knightley for THE IMITATION GAME (3), Jessica Chastain for A MOST VIOLENT YEAR (4) and Tilda Swinton for SNOWPIERCER (5).

Best Director went to Richard Linklater for BOYHOOD. Alejandro González Iñárritu was next for BIRDMAN (2), Wes Anderson for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (3), Damien Chazelle for WHIPLASH (4) and Joon-ho Bong for SNOWPIERCER (5).

The Best Foreign Language film of the year was awarded to IDA. Second place was a three way tie between (in alphabetical order) ACCUSED, FORCE MAJEURE and WINTER SLEEP (2) and rounding out the list, WILD TALES (5).

LIFE ITSELF won Best Documentary followed by CITIZENFOUR (2), SUPERMENSCH: THE LEGEND OF SHEP GORDON (3) JODOROWSKY’S DUNE (4) and THE CASE AGAINST 8 (5).

THE LEGO MOVIE was named the Best Animated film of 2014, with HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (2), THE BOOK OF LIFE (3) and BIG HERO 6 (4).

The award for Best Cinematography went to Hoyte Van Hoytema for INTERSTELLAR. This was followed by Emmanuel Lubezki for BIRDMAN (2) and Roger Deakins for UNBROKEN (3).

This is the first year that the North Texas Film Critics Association has given an award for Best Ensemble Cast. It was awarded to BIRDMAN followed by THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2) and BOYHOOD (3).

NTFCA

The North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) is an unincorporated, members-only organization of print, broadcast and internet film reviewers serving the North Texas area.   The association was founded in 2005 and consists of a group of twelve film critics.  For more information, visit www.northtexasfilmcritics.com.

Top 10 Best Films of 2014

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : December 19, 2014
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10. Joe

15-year-old Gary (Tye Sheridan) is desperate to find work so that he may be able to take care of his sister and mother who live in squalor.  His abusive, alcoholic father lends no helping hand to his family, as he is lazy and only thinks to provide for himself.  Luck briefly turns around when Gary begins working for Joe (Nicholas Cage), an ex-con who has gone straight but is still haunted by his past.  Nicholas Cage gives one of the best performances of his career and Tye Sheridan continues to impress as a young actor on the rise.  Though the film barely saw the light of day in theaters, it remains to be one of the most powerful dramas of 2014.

9. The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars goes beyond a Nicholas Sparks romance.  There is more here than just an illness or cheesy one-liners.  This film portrays a genuine love story that isn’t forced or dramatized.  From the moment Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort) meet, you can tell you’re about to witness something special.  I’d be lying if I said I rarely cry during movies, I do cry, but this is the first time I have balled my eyes out over watching a beautiful relationship and wanting that kind of “true love.”

 

8. Neighbors

As far as the best “laugh out loud” comedy goes, Neighbors wins by a landslide.  It is the only film this year that had my ribs hurting from laughing so hard.  What is most satisfying about this film is how it is more than just a hilarious slapstick comedy.  There is heart and a sense of authenticity.  A lot of us are afraid to grow up.  It can feel as though we will be missing out on “the party,” but Neighbors shows us that in reality, your life and how you choose to live it can be the most legendary party that never ends.

 

7. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson has been on a roll for several years now, with stop motion animation, a childhood romance, and now, his biggest and boldest film yet.  The Grand Budapest Hotel  follows the adventures of Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary concierge at a famous hotel from the fictional Republic of Zubrowka between the first and second World Wars.  And Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

 

6. Gone Girl

Every year I look forward to the “dark mystery drama” that will keep me on the edge of my seat, dying to know what will happen next, and eventually leave me with a satisfying conclusion.  Last year that film was Prisoners, this year it’s Gone Girl.  Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel is masterfully directed with a mix of satire and menace by David Fincher.  Ben Affleck gives his best performance yet, and Rosamund Pike shines as the conniving yet brilliant “Amazing Amy.”

 

 

5.Guardians of the Galaxy

There is not much explanation needed for why Guardians of the Galaxy is placed so high on my list, simply watch the film and be blown away by a witty cast, exciting adventure, and Groot!

 

 

4. Boyhood

Richard Linklater has made cinematic history with a true coming-of-age story.  Linklater filmed over 12 consecutive years to chart the growth of a boy into a young man.  As you watch Mason (Coltrane) and his family through the years, you can’t help but reflect back on your own life journey.

 

 

3.The Guest

Last year, Wingard brought us the ingenious You’re Next, which like The Guest, is a horror that calmly lets things escalate to a state of restless violence.  Wingard and Barrett have admirably paid homage to the old-school slashers with their John Carpenter-influenced 1980’s styling.  From their music, to their by the numbers outline that follows the rules of the usual scary movies.   The Guest may welcome audiences to a familiar plot, but there is enough gusto in this story that makes for a surprisingly, hell of a good time!

 

2. Whiplash

It’s a simple story.  An ambitious student continuously tries to excel in his music school and impress the prominent drum teacher.  Miles Teller and J.K. Simons take their characters beyond the cliché student teacher stereotypes.  J.K. Simmons as Fletcher is one of the most terrifying villains I’ve seen in years.  With heart pounding performances, a perfectly paced story, and a jaw-dropping, exhilarating conclusion, Whiplash is a phenomenal film that came very close to nabbing the top spot.

1. Obvious Child

I could go on for days raving about this film, sharp script, break out performance by Jenny Slate, and the most endearing on-screen romance.  Gentlemen, take note: Always warm the butter for your date’s bread.  Though Obvious Child deals with a sensitive subject that most people have strong opinions on, it is important to understand that there is so much more to this story.  It’s about finally facing the reality of being independent for the first time.  Donna (Slate) must make tough decisions that she would otherwise avoid.  Like the film quote says “creative energy can sometimes come at the lowest point your life.”  Regardless of the circumstances, audiences can relate to this film when reflecting on a dark time that forced you to start over.

Honorable Mentions: Babadook, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Skeleton Twins, The Lego Movie, Birdman, Chef, Rosewater, The One I Love

Bottom 5

5. Think Like a Man Too
4. When the Game Stands Tall
3. Heaven is for Real
2. Are you Here
1. The Other Woman

The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards Nominations!

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : December 11, 2014
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Category: Breaking News, Special Events, Special Features

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Best Motion Picture, Drama
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything

Best Director
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ava DuVernay, Selma
David Fincher, Gone Girl
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Best Actor, Drama
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
David Oyelowo, Selma
Eddie Redmayne, Theory of Everything

Best Actress, Drama
Jennifer Aniston, Cake
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Birdman
Into the Woods
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Pride
St. Vincent

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy
Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Bill Murray, St. Vincent
Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice
Christoph Waltz, Big Eyes

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams, Big Eyes
Emily Blunt, Into the Woods
Helen Mirren, The Hundred-Foot Journey
Julianne Moore, Maps to the Stars
Quvenzhané Wallis, Annie

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Best Foreign Language Film
Force Majeure
Gett
Ida
Leviathan
Tangerines Mandarinid

Best Screenplay
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game

Best Animated Motion Picture
Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
The Lego Movie
How to Train Your Dragon 2

Best Original Score, Motion Picture
Johann Johannsson, The Theory of Everything
Alexandre Desplat, The Imitation Game
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Gone Girl
Antonio Sanchez, Birdman
Hans Zimmer, Interstellar

Best Song
“Big Eyes,” by Lana Del Ray—Big Eyes
“Glory,” by John Legend & Common—Selma
“Mercy Is,” by Patti Smith & Lenny Kaye—Noah
“Opportunity,” by Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck—Annie
“Yellow Flicker Beat,” by Lorde—Mockingjay

Best TV Drama
The Affair
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
House of Cards

Best Actor, TV Drama
Clive Owen, The Knick
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
James Spader, The Blacklist
Dominic West, The Affair

Best Actress, TV Drama
Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Ruth Wilson, The Affair
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Girls (HBO)
Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Transparent (Amazon)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Jane the Virgin (CW)

Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical
Louis C.K., Louie
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Ricky Gervais, Derek
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black

Best TV Movie or Mini-series
The Normal Heart (HBO)
True Detective (HBO)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Fargo (FX)
The Missing (Starz)

Best Actor in a TV Movie or Mini-series
Martin Freeman, Fargo
Woody Harrelson, True Detective
Matthew McConaughey, True Detective
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart
Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo

Best Actress in a TV Movie or Mini-series
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable Woman
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge
Frances O’Connor, The Missing
Allison Tolman, Fargo

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Colin Hanks, Fargo
Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Allison Janney, Mom
Michelle Monaghan, True Detective

The Golden Globes Awards will be hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and will air on NBC on Jan. 11.

21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : December 10, 2014
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Category: Breaking News, Special Features

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THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
STEVE CARELL / John du Pont – “FOXCATCHER” (Sony Pictures Classics)
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Alan Turing – “THE IMITATION GAME” (The Weinstein Company)
JAKE GYLLENHAAL / Louis Bloom – “NIGHTCRAWLER” (Open Road Films)
MICHAEL KEATON / Riggan – “BIRDMAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
EDDIE REDMAYNE / Stephen Hawking – “THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
JENNIFER ANISTON / Claire Bennett – “CAKE” (Cinelou Films)
FELICITY JONES / Jane Hawking – “THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING” (Focus Features)
JULIANNE MOORE / Alice Howland-Jones – “STILL ALICE” (Sony Pictures Classics)
ROSAMUND PIKE / Amy Dunne – “GONE GIRL” (20th Century Fox)
REESE WITHERSPOON / Cheryl Strayed – “WILD” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
ROBERT DUVALL / Joseph Palmer – “THE JUDGE” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
ETHAN HAWKE / Mason, Sr. – “BOYHOOD” (IFC Films)
EDWARD NORTON / Mike – “BIRDMAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
MARK RUFFALO / Dave Schultz – “FOXCATCHER” (Sony Pictures Classics)
J.K. SIMMONS / Fletcher – “WHIPLASH” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Olivia – “BOYHOOD” (IFC Films)
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY / Joan Clarke – “THE IMITATION GAME” (The Weinstein Company)
EMMA STONE / Sam – “BIRDMAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
MERYL STREEP / The Witch – “INTO THE WOODS” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
NAOMI WATTS / Daka – “ST. VINCENT” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
BIRDMAN (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
ZACH GALIFIANAKIS / Jake
MICHAEL KEATON / Riggan
EDWARD NORTON / Mike
ANDREA RISEBOROUGH / Laura
AMY RYAN / Sylvia
EMMA STONE / Sam
NAOMI WATTS / Lesley

BOYHOOD (IFC Films)
PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Olivia
ELLAR COLTRANE / Mason
ETHAN HAWKE / Mason, Sr.
LORELEI LINKLATER / Samantha

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
F. MURRAY ABRAHAM / Mr. Moustafa
MATHIEU AMALRIC / Serge X.
ADRIEN BRODY / Dmitri
WILLEM DAFOE / Jopling
RALPH FIENNES / M. Gustave
JEFF GOLDBLUM / Dep. Kovacs
HARVEY KEITEL / Ludwig
JUDE LAW / Young Writer
BILL MURRAY / M. Ivan
EDWARD NORTON / Henckels
TONY REVOLORI / Zero
SAOIRSE RONAN / Agatha
JASON SCHWARTZMAN / M. Jean
LÉA SEYDOUX / Clotilde
TILDA SWINTON / Madame D
TOM WILKINSON / Author
OWEN WILSON / M. Chuck

THE IMITATION GAME (The Weinstein Company)
MATTHEW BEARD / Peter Hilton
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Alan Turing
CHARLES DANCE / Commander Denniston
MATTHEW GOODE / Hugh Alexander
RORY KINNEAR / Nock
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY / Joan Clarke
ALLEN LEECH / John Cairncross
MARK STRONG / Stewart Menzies

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (Focus Features)
CHARLIE COX / Jonathan Hellyer Jones
FELICITY JONES / Jane Hawking
SIMON McBURNEY / Frank Hawking
EDDIE REDMAYNE / Stephen Hawking
DAVID THEWLIS / Dennis Sciama
EMILY WATSON / Beryl Wilde

TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
ADRIEN BRODY / Harry Houdini – “HOUDINI” (History)
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Sherlock Holmes – “SHERLOCK: HIS LAST VOW” (PBS)
RICHARD JENKINS / Henry Kitteridge – “OLIVE KITTERIDGE” (HBO)
MARK RUFFALO / Ned Weeks – “THE NORMAL HEART” (HBO)
BILLY BOB THORNTON / Lorne Malvo – “FARGO” (FX)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
ELLEN BURSTYN / Olivia Foxworth – “FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC” (Lifetime)
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL / Nessa Stein – “THE HONORABLE WOMAN” (Sundance TV)
FRANCES McDORMAND / Olive Kitteridge – “OLIVE KITTERIDGE” (HBO)
JULIA ROBERTS / Dr. Emma Brookner – “THE NORMAL HEART” (HBO)
CICELY TYSON / Carrie Watts – “THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL” (Lifetime)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson – “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister – “GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)
WOODY HARRELSON / Martin Hart – “TRUE DETECTIVE” (HBO)
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Rust Cohle – “TRUE DETECTIVE” (HBO)
KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series (6 nominees)
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)
VIOLA DAVIS / Annalise Keating – “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER” (ABC)
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick – “THE GOOD WIFE” (CBS)
TATIANA MASLANY / Sarah/Coxima/Alison/Rachel/Helena/Tony/Jennifer and Various Others – “ORPHAN BLACK” (BBC America)
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)
ROBIN WRIGHT / Claire Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY ” (ABC)
LOUIS C.K. / Louie – “LOUIE” (FX)
WILLIAM H. MACY / Frank Gallagher – “SHAMELESS” (Showtime)
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren – “ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK” (Netflix)
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)
AMY POEHLER / Leslie Knope – “PARKS AND RECREATION” (NBC)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson
PAUL CALDERON / Arquimedes
NICHOLAS CALHOUN / Sean
LOUIS CANCELMI / Mike D’Angelo
JOHN ELLISON CONLEE / Commodore
MICHAEL COUNTRYMAN / Frank Wilson
STEPHEN GRAHAM / Al Capone
DOMENICK LOMBARDOZZI / Ralph Capone
NOLAN LYONS / Enoch Thompson (young)
KELLY MACDONALD / Margaret Thompson
BORIS McGIVER / Sheriff Smith Johnson
VINCENT PIAZZA / Charlie “Lucky” Luciano
PAUL SPARKS / Mickey Doyle
TRAVIS TOPE / Joe Hardy
SHEA WHIGHAM / Eli Thompson
ANATOL YUSEF / Meyer Lansky
MICHAEL ZEGEN / Benny Siegel

DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
BRENDAN COYLE / Mr. Bates
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
KEVIN DOYLE / Mr. Molesley
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna Bates
LILY JAMES / Lady Rose
ROBERT JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas Barrow
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
MATT MILNE / Alfred
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
ED SPELEERS / Jimmy Kent
CARA THEOBOLD / Ivy
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
JOSEF ALTIN / Pyp
JACOB ANDERSON / Grey Worm
JOHN BRADLEY / Samwell Tarly
DOMINIC CARTER / Janos Slynt
GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE / Brienne of Tarth
EMILIA CLARKE / Daenerys Targaryen
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU / Jaime Lannister
BEN CROMPTON / Dolorous Edd
CHARLES DANCE / Tywin Lannister
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister
NATALIE DORMER / Margaery Tyrell
NATHALIE EMMANUEL / Missandei
IAIN GLEN / Ser Jorah Mormont
JULIAN GLOVER / Pycelle
KIT HARINGTON / Jon Snow
LENA HEADEY / Cersei Lannister
CONLETH HILL / Varys
RORY McCANN / Sandor “The Hound” Clegane
IAN McELHINNEY / Ser Barristan Selmy
PEDRO PASCAL / Oberyn Martell
DANIEL PORTMAN / Podrick Payne
MARK STANLEY / Grenn
SOPHIE TURNER / Sansa Stark
MAISIE WILLIAMS / Arya Stark

HOMELAND (Showtime)
NUMAN ACAR / Hassan Haqqani
NAZANIN BONIADI / Fara Sherazi
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison
RUPERT FRIEND / Peter Quinn
RAZA JAFFREY / Aasar Khan
NIMRAT KAUR / Tasneem Qureishi
TRACY LETTS / Sen. Andrew Lockhart
MARK MOSES / Dennis Boyd
MICHAEL O’KEEFE / John Redmond
MANDY PATINKIN / Saul Berenson
LAILA ROBINS / Martha Boyd
MAURY STERLING / Max

HOUSE OF CARDS (Netflix)
MAHERSHALA ALI / Remy Danton
JAYNE ATKINSON / Catherine Durant
RACHEL BROSNAHAN / Rachel Posner
DEREK CECIL / Seth Grayson
NATHAN DARROW / Edward Meechum
MICHEL GILL / President Walker
JOANNA GOING / Tricia Walker
SAKINA JAFFREY / Linda Vasquez
MICHAEL KELLY / Doug Stamper
MOZHAN MARNÒ / Ayla Sayyad
GERALD McRANEY / Raymond Tusk
MOLLY PARKER / Jackie Sharp
JIMMI SIMPSON / Gavin Orsay
KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood
ROBIN WRIGHT / Claire Underwood

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler
KALEY CUOCO-SWEETING / Penny
JOHNNY GALECKI / Leonard Hofstadter
SIMON HELBERG / Howard Wolowitz
KUNAL NAYYAR / Rajesh Koothrappali
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper
MELISSA RAUCH / Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (FOX)
STEPHANIE BEATRIZ / Det. Rosa Diaz
DIRK BLOCKER / Hitchcock
ANDRE BRAUGHER / Capt. Ray Holt
TERRY CREWS / Sgt. Terry Jeffords
MELISSA FUMERO / Det. Amy Santiago
JOE LO TRUGLIO / Det. Charles Boyle
JOEL McKINNON MILLER / Scully
CHELSEA PERETTI / Gina Linetti
ANDY SAMBERG / Det. Jake Peralta

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
AUBREY ANDERSON EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O’NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Netflix)
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren
JASON BIGGS / Larry Bloom
DANIELLE BROOKS / Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson
LAVERNE COX / Sophia Burset
JACKIE CRUZ / Flaca
CATHERINE CURTIN / Wanda Bell
LEA DELARIA / Carrie “Big Boo” Black
BETH FOWLER / Sister Ingalls
YVETTE FREEMAN / Irma
GERMAR TERRELL GARDNER / Charles Ford
KIMIKO GLENN / Brook Soso
ANNIE GOLDEN / Norma Romano
DIANE GUERRERO / Maritza Ramos
MICHAEL J. HARNEY / Ofc. Sam Healy
VICKY JEUDY / Janae Watson
JULIE LAKE / Angie Rice
LAUREN LAPKUS / Susan Fischer
SELENIS LEYVA / Gloria Mendoza
NATASHA LYONNE / Nicky Nichols
TARYN MANNING / Tiffany “Pennsatucky” Doggett
JOEL MARSH GARLAND / Scott O’Neill
MATT McGORRY / Ofc. John Bennett
ADRIENNE C. MOORE / Black Cindy
KATE MULGREW / Galina “Red” Reznikov
EMMA MYLES / Leanne Taylor
JESSICA PIMENTEL / Maria Ruiz
DASCHA POLANCO / Dayanara Diaz
ALYSIA REINER / Natalie “Fig” Figueroa
JUDITH ROBERTS / Taslitz
ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ / Aleida Diaz
BARBARA ROSENBLAT / Miss Rosa
NICK SANDOW / Joe Caputo
ABIGAIL SAVAGE / Gina
TAYLOR SCHILLING / Piper Chapman
CONSTANCE SHULMAN / Yoga Jones
DALE SOULES / Frieda
YAEL STONE / Lorna Morello
LORRAINE TOUSSAINT / Yvonne “Vee” Parker
LIN TUCCI / Anita DeMarco
SAMIRA WILEY / Poussey Washington

VEEP (HBO)
SUFE BRADSHAW / Sue Wilson
ANNA CHLUMSKY / Amy Brookheimer
GARY COLE / Kent Davidson
KEVIN DUNN / Ben Cafferty
TONY HALE / Gary Walsh
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer
REID SCOTT / Dan Egan
TIMOTHY SIMONS / Jonah Ryan
MATT WALSH / Mike McLintock

SAG AWARDS HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
“FURY” (Columbia Pictures)
“GET ON UP” (Universal Pictures)
“THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“UNBROKEN” (Universal Pictures)
“X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST” (20th Century Fox)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series (6 nominees)
“24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY” (FOX)
“BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)
“GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)
“HOMELAND” (Showtime)
“SONS OF ANARCHY” (FX)
“THE WALKING DEAD” (AMC)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild 51st Annual Life Achievement Award
DEBBIE REYNOLDS

 

*The SAG Awards will be handed out Sunday, January 25 at the Shrine Auditorium in LA in a ceremony airing live on TNT and TBS. *

Quick Reviews: “Tracks” & “Good People”

Posted by :Susan Kamyab On : September 26, 2014
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Category: Movie Reviews

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Tracks

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Adam Driver, Lily Pearl

Directed By: John Curran

Written By: Marion Nelson (Screenplay), Robyn Davidson (Novel)

Rating: 3.5/5

I guess by now, we can expect that at least one film a year will be about someone’s struggling, isolated travels.  Though, unlike Life of Pi and All Is Lost, Robyn Davidson’s (Wasikowska) rough journey was by choice. Tracks follows the true story of Davidson as she treks 1,700 miles across the Australian desert with four camels and her faithful dog.  Since National Geographic ends up sponsoring her trip, Robyn agrees to the monthly drop-in of the magazine’s pestering photographer Rick Solman (Adam Driver), who must take pictures of her progress.

Unfortunately, this film does lack a certain amount of excitement that we would expect from most dangerous adventures.  Nevertheless, Tracks portrays an authentic voyage that is heightened by its stunning cinematography and the brilliant performances led by Wasikowska and Driver.

 

Good People

Rated: R

Starring: James Franco, Kate Hudson, Tom Wilkinson

Directed By: Henrik Ruben Genz

Written By: Kelly Masterson (Screenplay), Marcus Sakey (Novel)

Rating: 3/5

What good has ever come to people who find large sums of money in the movies?  None you say?  Well you’re right!  And that redundant premise that we have so often seen follows just as predictably in Henrik Ruben Genz’s thriller, Good People.

Tom and Anna Reed (Franco and Hudson), a young American couple, fall into serious debt while renovating Anna’s home in London.  As they begin to accept their losses of having a dream home and finally starting a family, they discover the dead body of their tenant who lives below them and the bag of cash worth $400,000 that he stashed away.  Since no one comes forward to claim the cash, Tom and Anna agree to only spend money that they need.  Unaware that this loot was stolen from a deadly enemy, they are now the crook’s latest target.

Good People is as formulaic as they come.  There are no twist or turns.  However, the story manages to stay engaging the whole way through and ends with a climactic, suspenseful conclusion.  Even though this movie probably won’t even get a bleep on the cinematic radar, Good People does pass for a solid rental.

Good People and Tracks are currently playing in select theaters on September 26.