Meryl Streep

2009 Universal Fall Picture Preview: ‘It’s Complicated,’ ‘Couples Retreat,’ More

BrianTT — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:02:43 -0600

CHICAGO – This 17-image slideshow contains the official press images for the Fall/Winter schedule from Universal Pictures including “Love Happens,” “Couples Retreat,” “Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant,” The Fourth Kind,” and “It’s Complicated.”

Movie synopsis and cast information in order of release date:

“LOVE HAPPENS”
Release date: September 18, 2009
Genre: Romantic drama
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Jennifer Aniston, Dan Fogler, Judy Greer, Joe Anderson, John Carroll Lynch, Frances Conroy and Martin Sheen
Directed by: Brandon Camp
Written by: Brandon Camp & Mike Thompson

Synopsis: “Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston star in the romantic drama Love Happens. When a self-help author arrives in Seattle to teach a sold-out seminar, he unexpectedly meets the one person who might finally be able to help him help himself.

Dr. Burke Ryan (Eckhart) is on the precipice of a major multimedia deal, but the therapist who asks his patients to openly confront their pain is secretly unable to take his own advice.

Eloise Chandler (Aniston) has sworn off men and decided to focus on her floral business. However, when she meets Burke at the hotel where he’s speaking, there is an instant attraction. But will two people who have met the right person at exactly the wrong time be able to give love another chance?

As each struggles with the hurt of love and loss, they realize that in order to move forward, they need to let go of the past. And if they can, they’ll find that, sometimes, love happens when you least expect it.”

“COUPLES RETREAT”
Release date: October 9, 2009
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Kristin Davis, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell, Kali Hawk and Jean Reno
Writers: Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn & Dana Fox
Directed by: Peter Billingsley

Synopsis: “Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Ackerman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell and Faizon Love star in Universal Pictures’ comedy Couples Retreat. The comedy follows four Midwestern couples who embark on a journey to a tropical island resort. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the other three set out to jet ski, spa and enjoy some fun in the sun. They soon discover that participation in the resorts couples therapy is not optional. Suddenly, their group-rate vacation comes at a price. What follows is a hilarious look at real world problems faced by all couples. The film also stars Kali Hawk and Jean Reno.”

“CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT”
Release date: October 23, 2009
Genre: Fantasy adventure
Cast: John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Massoglia, Ray Stevenson, Patrick Fugit, Orlando Jones, with Willem Dafoe and Salma Hayek
Directed by: Paul Weitz
Screenplay by: Paul Weitz and Brian Helgeland
Based on the “Cirque du Freak” Series of Books by: Darren Shan

Synopsis: “CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT, based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan, is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.

16-year-old Darren (Chris Kelly) was like most kids in his suburban neighborhood. He hung out with his best friend Steve (Josh Hutcherson), got decent grades and usually stayed out of trouble. But when he and his buddy stumble upon a traveling freak show, things begin to change inside Darren. That’s the exact moment when a vampire named Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly) turns him into something, well, bloodthirsty.

Newly undead, he joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with monstrous creatures from a snakeboy and a wolfman to a bearded lady (Salma Hayek) and a gigantic barker (Ken Watanabe). As Darren flexes his newfound powers in this dark world, he becomes a treasured pawn between the vampires and their deadlier counterparts. And while trying to survive, one boy will struggle to keep their brewing war from devouring what’s left of his humanity.”

“THE FOURTH KIND”
Release date: November 6, 2009
Genre: Thriller
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Will Patton, Elias Koteas
Directed by: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Story by: Olatunde Osunsanmi & Terry Lee Robbins
Screenplay by: Olatunde Osunsanmi

Synopsis: “In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document…until now.

Structured unlike any film before it, The Fourth Kind is a provocative thriller set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where—mysteriously since the 1960s—a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered.

Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich) began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented.

Using never-before-seen archival footage that is integrated into the film, The Fourth Kind exposes the terrified revelations of multiple witnesses. Their accounts of being visited by alien figures all share disturbingly identical details, the validity of which is investigated throughout the film.”

“IT’S COMPLICATED”
Release date: December 25, 2009
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin
Written and Directed by:Nancy Meyers

Synopsis: “Writer/director Nancy Meyers (What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday) directs Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin in It’s Complicated, a comedy about love, divorce and everything in between.

Jane (Streep) is the mother of three grown kids, owns a thriving Santa Barbara bakery/restaurant and has—after a decade of divorce—an amicable relationship with her ex-husband, attorney Jake (Baldwin). But when Jane and Jake find themselves out of town for their son’s college graduation, things start to get complicated. An innocent meal together turns into the unimaginable—an affair. With Jake remarried to the much younger Agness (Lake Bell), Jane is now, of all things, the other woman.

Caught in the middle of their renewed romance is Adam (Martin), an architect hired to remodel Jane’s kitchen. Healing from a divorce of his own, Adam starts to fall for Jane, but soon realizes he’s become part of a love triangle.

Should Jane and Jake move on with their lives, or is love truly lovelier the second time around? It’s…complicated.”

Cirque_1: (L to R) Crepsley (John C. Reilly) introduces Darren (Chris Massoglia) to a new world in Cirque Du Freak. Credit: David Lee.
Cirque_2: (L to R) Darren (Chris Massoglia) is introduced by Crepsley (John C. Reilly) to the freak show in Cirque Du Freak. Credit: David Lee.
Cirque_3: (L to R) Crepsley (John C. Reilly) makes a curious proposal to Darren (Chris Massoglia) in Cirque Du Freak. Credit: David Lee.
Cirque_4: (L to R) Crepsley (John C. Reilly) makes a curious proposal to Darren (Chris Massoglia) in Cirque Du Freak. Credit: Universal Pictures.
Couples_1: (L to R) Joey (Jon Favreau), Ronnie (Malin Akerman), Dave (Vince Vaughn), Shane (Faizon Love) and Lucy (Kristin Davis) in Couples Retreat. Credit: John Johnson.
Couples_2: Faizon Love and Kali Hawk star as Shane and Trudy in Couples Retreat. Credit: John Johnson.
Couples_3: Kristen Bell and Jason Bateman star as Cynthia and Jason in Couples Retreat. Credit: John Johnson.
Couples_4: (Clockwise from top left) Kristen Bell, Jon Favreau, Kristin Davis, Faizon Love, Kali Hawk, Malin Akerman, Vince Vaughn, and Jason Bateman in Couples Retreat. Credit: John Johnson.
Couples_5: Kristin Davis and Jon Favreau star as Lucy and Joey in Couples Retreat. Credit: John Johnson.
Couples_6: Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman star as Dave and Ronnie in Couples Retreat. Credit: John Johnson.
Fourth_Kind_1: Milla Jovovich stars as Dr. Abigail Tyler in The Fourth Kind. Credit: Simon Vesrano.
Fourth_Kind_2: Milla Jovovich stars as Dr. Abigail Tyler in The Fourth Kind. Credit: Simon Vesrano.
Its_Complicated_1: Jane (Meryl Streep) and new love interest Adam (Steve Martin) in the new film from writer/director Nancy Meyers, Its Complicated. Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon.
Its_Complicated_2: Jane (Meryl Streep) and ex-husband Jake (Alec Baldwin) in the new film from writer/director Nancy Meyers, Its Complicated. Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon.
Love_Happens_1: Jennifer Aniston stars as florist Eloise in the romantic drama Love Happens. Credit: Kimberley French.
Love_Happens_2: Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston star as Burke and Eloise in the romantic drama Love Happens. Credit: Kimberley French.
Love_Happens_3: Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston star as Burke and Eloise in the romantic drama Love Happens. Credit: Kimberley French.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘Julie & Julia’ Misses Some Ingredients But Still Goes Down Smoothly

BrianTT — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:08:30 -0600

Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Like a long meal at a good restaurant where no one can agree on the best course of the evening, Nora Ephron’s “Julie & Julia” with Amy Adams and Meryl Streep will have different highlights for different viewers.

For some, it will be Streep’s pitch-perfect performance, while others find Adams lovable. Thematically, some will latch on to the “do what you dream” message of the film. For this viewer, “Julie & Julia” works best when it focuses not on how we make something of ourselves but the fact that no one does so alone. There is no “Julie” without “Julia” and even the women at the core of the film succeed mostly through the support of the men in their lives.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Julie & Julia” in our reviews section.

Julia Child found her passion through cooking. Julie Powell found it through writing. The fact that one passed along her drive to break out of her dull lot in life through the decades and allowed the other to escape her cubicle drudgery makes for a cinematic and arguably inspirational story. Ephron doesn’t do much more with the material (and two great actresses) than push it along like a TV movie director and there’s a ridiculously unecessary conflict added to the final act, holding “Julie & Julia” back from potential greatness, but there’s still more than enough to take a bite of this cinematic meal about two women with similar names.

Julie Powell (Amy Adams) tried to break free from her boring life and rekindle her passion for writing with “The Julie/Julia Project” in 2002. The goal was to cook all of the 500+ recipes in Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” in one year in her tiny Queens apartment and blog about it without losing her job or her husband (Chris Messina).

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Julie & Julia” review.

‘Julie & Julia’ stars Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and Jane Lynch. It was written and directed by Nora Ephron. It opens on August 7th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

Amy Adams as Julie Powell.
Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk and Columbia Pictures

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Doubt’ Spotlights Spectacular Performances in HD

BrianTT — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:27:39 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The history of films to score four acting Oscar nominations would make for a very short list. And yet most critics knew the rare set of nods was inevitable when they saw the quartet of talent on display in John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt”. Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis shine in “Doubt,” now available on Blu-Ray.

“Doubt” is not a perfect film. Some of the overt symbolism (the burned-out bulb, the changing winds) is a little too on-the-nose and the piece doesn’t quite break free from its theatrical roots to feel like much more than a filmed play, but what a play. This is an acting powerhouse, a dialogue-driven examination of faith that includes some of the best performances of 2008.

Doubt was released on Blu-Ray on April 7th, 2009.
Photo credit: Buena Vista

Essentially, “Doubt” is a three-character show - Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), Father Brendan Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and Sister James (Amy Adams). Sister A. finds herself up against the consistently changing tides of her Bronx Catholic school in the mid-’60s.

Doubt was released on Blu-Ray on April 7th, 2009.
Photo credit: Buena Vista

Father Flynn represents change and progress with his more laid back and lenient style with the students. It immediately makes Sister A. suspicious and those suspicions quickly turn into something more serious when one of the Father’s students, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), comes back from a meeting with Flynn acting unusually.

The uncertain younger sister feeds the elder’s doubts when she sees the Father placing Donald’s undershirt back in his locker and a battle of will between Flynn and Beauvier begins. The Father is unwavering in his denial of any wrongdoing, claiming that all his actions with Miller were to support a troubled child. Sister A. not only doesn’t believe Father Flynn but seems like a woman who would never admit if she did. Once she believes in something, she does with all her heart.

“Doubt” is a character piece with theme of faith, sin, change, and, of course, doubt. The exchanges between Steep, Hoffman, Adams, and Davis (who plays the young boy’s mother in two of the most powerful scenes of last year) are riveting. History will recognize that Kate Winslet may have won what was essentially a lifetime achievement award for “The Reader” but that Streep was more deserving for her work here. Many thought she might pull the upset and win her third Oscar.

And no one would have been surprised if Amy Adams or Viola Davis had walked off with an Oscar as well. (Hoffman’s very good but he should have been eligible for lead, not supporting, and in the latter category he never stood a chance against Heath Ledger.)

Doubt was released on Blu-Ray on April 7th, 2009.
Photo credit: Buena Vista

“Doubt” is well-worth the rental on Blu-Ray just for one of these four excellent performances, much less the sum of the acting parts. This may be Streep and Hoffman’s show, but Adams and Davis are nearly as good. This is the kind of old-fashioned, acting showcase that they don’t make that often any more. It leaves you in awe of the performances, even if the direction and writing may not completely match them.

“Doubt” is presented in 1080p high definition with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and has been given an English 5.1 DTS-HD track and a French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. Miramax/Disney always produces quality video transfers and “Doubt” is no exception. This is not the kind of material that really displays the true potential of HD but the video and audio are never distracting.

The special features are not extensive but are appropriately detailed for a non-technical film that really kind of speaks for itself. The best special feature is the commentary by writer/director Shanley. No one knows this material better than the man who wrote the play and adapted/directed the film. It’s fantastic that he decided to take the time to discuss it.

The rest of the special features make up a pretty standard quartet of featurettes entitled “Doubt: From Stage to Screen,” “Scoring Doubt,” “The Cast of Doubt,” and “The Sisters of Charity”. No one’s coming to a Blu-Ray like “Doubt” looking for a gag reel or games to play, so a commentary and four featurettes is about what you’d expect.

‘Doubt’ is released by Miramax/Buena Vista Home Entertainment and stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. It was written and directed by John Patrick Shanley. It was released on April 7th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: From Central Falls to Oscar With Viola Davis of ‘Doubt’

BrianTT — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:32:50 -0700

CHICAGO – Having met Viola Davis, Oscar-nominated for “Doubt,” it’s easy to believe that people who have spent time with this charming, fascinating woman might be more inclined to give her the edge in the very close Best Supporting Actress race.

It’s been long-rumored that an actor’s personality can play a major role in if they win an Oscar. It’s not that the performance isn’t the main focus of the award, but it’s human nature for people to want to reward colleagues that they respect and like. Davis is very easy to like and impossible not to admire.

Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller.
Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz/Miramax Film Corp.

Davis has been doing a quick PR tour to promote her role in “Doubt,” one that earned her a first Oscar nomination, alongside nods for Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, and she was kind enough to give a little time to HollywoodChicago.com. In an all-too-brief interview, Davis covered her past in Central Falls, Rhode Island, the process she used to bring Mrs. Miller to life, and what it feels like to be an Oscar nominee.

Going all the way back to the beginning, Viola Davis remembers vividly when she knew she wanted to be an actress. She was only six, living on Washington Street in Central Falls, when she saw Cicely Tyson in “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” and it was over.

“It was like Christ himself had appeared or Moses had parted the Red Sea,” Davis says. “She was dark-skinned. She had full lips. She had an afro. She looked just like my mother. She was vulnerable. She was feminine. I thought that I was watching a miracle unfold before me. And I said, “I want to do that. That’s what I want to do. I want to create that kind of magic.””

Growing up in Central Falls was not easy for Davis, but her background played in to her understanding of Mrs. Miller and influenced her performance in “Doubt”. She gave us a little history - “[“Doubt” is set in] ‘64. I was born in ‘65 in St. Matthews, South Carolina on a farm. My grandmother delivered me.”

Viola Davis from the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
Photo credit: TNT.

“Two months after I was born we moved to Central Falls, Rhode Island where my father groomed and trained horses. Central Falls is a predominately Catholic and white community. We were the only black family. And we’re not Catholic. So, we very much were on the periphery and very much wanting to be a part of something and be accepted. Shunned. I’ve had to see my mom being an advocate for us several times in situations that normally wouldn’t be thrown at you. So, a lot of my research came from life. I always say that Mrs. Miller makes a “Sophie’s Choice”. She doesn’t make your average, everyday choice.”

Davis admits that she saw the potential of her role in “Doubt” from the very beginning, largely due to the quality of her “perfectly cast” colleagues in the film, all of whom were signed on before Davis. And the part did win a Tony for the actress who played it on Broadway.

In fact, if anything, even though she’s won a Tony herself, Davis was intimidated by her fellow castmates. She says, “To me, when I walked into it, I said, they’re extraordinary, they’re exquisite. I felt like the hack. I felt like the unknown. I felt like the one who really had to prove herself and hold up my end of the bargain. I think that I felt, at first, that this could possibly just get me some attention and more work. That’s what I thought. And then once I went to my first rehearsal, I went into survival mode. I went from “It could get me attention” to “Oh my God, I just need to hold up my end of the bargain.”

Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius and Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller
Photo credit: Miramax Film Corp.

In working to hold up her end of the bargain, Davis wrote dozens of pages of back story for Mrs. Miller. As she notes, this was her only shot. “I don’t have another scene to establish her. I don’t have a scene where you establish her relationship with her husband or her son. I have nothing but this scene, so I had to create this back story.”

And Davis was careful not to be a social mouthpiece or merely a plot device for the rest of the film. She says, “For this role, I thought there was a trap where you could hear the argument with Sister Aloysius but not see the person behind the argument. You could get the effect. But I wanted to create someone where you could see what her life is like. “I can see that she loves her son. I can see that life is probably not what she thought it would be. I can see that she’s not always strong.” I wanted people to feel for her as well as hear the argument.”

After the film’s release and several nominations came the morning of January 22nd, 2009, when the Oscar nominations were announced. With a bottle of champagne and joined by her husband and publicist, Viola Davis slept for only an hour the night before and spent most of that morning “screaming down the frickin’ hallways of the Four Seasons. I think about now. It was so primal.”

And she hasn’t really stopped screaming. When asked if she still feels that primal joy that made her want to jump up and down, a full, beautiful smile crosses her face, she nods, and says, “Jumping up and down. Absolutely. Absolutely. Jumping up and down, still. I’ll be jumping up and down for years to come.”

‘Doubt’ stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. ‘Doubt,’ was written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, is currently in theaters.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 44-Image Gallery For 15th-Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

BrianTT — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 09:17:19 -0700

CHICAGO – This 44-image slideshow contains a selection of official press images from The 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which were handed out on Sunday, January 25th, 2009.

The Screen Actors Guild gave out their coveted awards on Sunday, January 25th, 2009 and Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, and Meryl Streep walked away with the major film acting prizes. “Slumdog Millionaire” was awarded the prize for best ensemble of the year.

Predictably, “30 Rock” and “Mad Men” took home the television ensemble prizes. Images of all winners are included in the slideshow.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. Photo credits listed on each individual slide.

Read our news story with the winners of the 2009 SAG awards.

SAG_Awards_01: Kate Winslet and Freida Pinto arrive to the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevn Mazur.
SAG_Awards_02: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt arrive to the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Lester Cohen.
SAG_Awards_03: Mickey Rourke and Josh Brolin arrive to the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Lester Cohen.
SAG_Awards_04: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt arrive to the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner.
SAG_Awards_05: Kate Winslet in the Press Room at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner.
SAG_Awards_06: Forest Whitaker and James Earl Jones in the Press Room at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner.
SAG_Awards_07: Laura Linney in the Press Room at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner.
SAG_Awards_08: Sean Penn in the Press Room at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner.
SAG_Awards_09: The cast of Slumdog Millionaire in the Press Room at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner.
SAG_Awards_10: Freida Pinto in the Press Room at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner.
SAG_Awards_11: Meryl Streep in the Press Room at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Buckner.
SAG_Awards_12: Kate Winslet on stage at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Caulfield
SAG_Awards_13: James Earl Jones on stage at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Caulfield
SAG_Awards_14: Gary Oldman on stage at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Caulfield
SAG_Awards_15: Taraji P. Henson and Brad Pitt on stage at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Caulfield
SAG_Awards_16: Meryl Streep on stage at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Caulfield
SAG_Awards_17: Penelope Cruz and Meryl Streep attend the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris.
SAG_Awards_18: Evan Rachel Wood, Mickey Rourke, Angelina Jolie, and Brad Pitt attend the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris.
SAG_Awards_19: Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski in the audience at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by John Shearer.
SAG_Awards_20: Actors Penelope Cruz and Marisa Tomei in the audience at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur
SAG_Awards_21: Actress Tina Fey, actress Amy Poehler and actor Will Arnett in the audience at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_22: Actors Penelope Cruz and Kate Winslet in the audience at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_23: Sean Penn backstage at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_24: Tina Fey backstage at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Lester Cohen.
SAG_Awards_25: Tracy Morgan backstage at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Lester Cohen.
SAG_Awards_26: Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn in the audience at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_27: Actor Alec Baldwin poses for his portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_28: Actress Tina Fey and actor Alec Baldwin poses for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_29: The Cast of “30 Rock” pose for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_30: Actress Tina Fey poses for her portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_31: Actress Tina Fey poses for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_32: Actress Sally Field poses for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_33: Actress Kate Winslet and actress Sally Field pose for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_34: Actress Kate Winslet poses for her portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_35: Actor Hugh Laurie poses for his portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_36: Actor Hugh Laurie poses for his portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_37: The cast of “Mad Men” pose for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_38: Actor Forrest Whittaker and actor James Earl Jones pose for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_39: Actress Laura Linney poses for her portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_40: Actor Sean Penn poses for his portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_41: Actress Meryl Streep poses for her portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_42: Actress Meryl Streep poses for her portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_43: Actors Irrfan Kahn, Frieda Pinto, Dev Patel and Anil Kapoor pose for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.
SAG_Awards_44: Actor Dev Patel and actress Freida Pinto poses for their portrait at the TNT/TBS broadcast of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur.

Read our news story with the winners of the 2009 SAG awards.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet Win 2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards

BrianTT — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:41:34 -0700

CHICAGO – The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) gave out its coveted awards on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009 and Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet, Sean Penn and Meryl Streep walked away with the major film acting prizes. “Slumdog Millionaire” was awarded the prize for best ensemble of the year. Predictably, “30 Rock” and “Mad Men” took home the television ensemble prizes.

The 15th Annual SAG Awards
Photo credit: Turner

“Slumdog Millionaire” beat “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Doubt,” “Frost/Nixon,” and “Milk” for the main prize, often a good indication of what will win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Last year’s winner, “No Country For Old Men,” went on to win the Oscar. “Crash” also won the award on its way to a surprising Oscar for Best Picture.

Sean Penn won best actor for “Milk,” beating Mickey Rourke for “The Wrestler” and making that race for the Oscar a dead heat. Other nominees included Richard Jenkins for “The Visitor,” Frank Langella for “Frost/Nixon,” and Brad Pitt for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.

The win for Meryl Streep for “Doubt” throws that Oscar category into complete disarray. She beat Anne Hathaway for “Rachel Getting Married,” Angelina Jolie for “Changeling,” Melissa Leo for “Frozen River,” and Kate Winslet for “Revolutionary Road”.

Winslet was nominated for the Oscar as well but for “The Reader,” a performance which she won the SAG Award, Golden Globes, and other award for this year. And many people still think Hathaway has a shot. With Streep winning last night, this is a three-lady race like none we have seen in years.

Heath Ledger took the prize for his supporting work in “The Dark Knight” and an emotional Gary Oldman accepted on his behalf. Ledger beat Josh Brolin from “Milk,” Robert Downey Jr. for “Tropic Thunder,” Philip Seymour Hoffman for “Doubt,” and Dev Patel for “Slumdog Millionaire”.

Kate Winslet won for “The Reader,” beating Amy Adams for “Doubt,” Penelope Cruz for “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” Viola Davis for “Doubt,” and Taraji P. Henson for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.

“30 Rock” and “Mad Men” won the ensemble awards for television. Predictably, Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey took the individual acting honors for comedy series. The drama prizes were a little more surprising with Hugh Laurie winning for “House” and Sally Field taking the trophy for “Brothers & Sisters”. The male and female lead of HBO’s “John Adams” - Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney - took the awards for the television movie or miniseries categories.

Check out our 44-image gallery for the 15th-annual SAG awards.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Anne Hathaway ‘Randomly,’ Inadvertently Awarded Early Golden Globe For ‘Rachel Getting Married’

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:10:11 -0700

CHICAGO – At least one “Web site technician” for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) revealed a secret crush on Anne Hathaway’s lead role in “Rachel Getting Married” when the worker “randomly” awarded the actress an early Golden Globe two days before the official NBC telecast.

For a very short period of time, a star was noticed indicating Hathaway as the winner on the official Web site of the Golden Globes for her against-type role as a recovering junkie in “Rachel Getting Married”.

If the star stands, she’d best a powerhouse of other actresses in the lead-actress category including Angelina Jolie for “Changeling,” Meryl Streep for “Doubt,” Kristin Scott Thomas for “I’ve Loved You So Long” and Kate Winslet for “Revolutionary Road”.

Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married”.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

Quickly after the snafu went public, the HFPA posted the following whoopsie notice on Jan. 9, 2008 on its Web site:

In the process of preparing for Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, a technician working on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Web site made a mistake and a name of a nominee was randomly marked as a winner. The mistake was immediately corrected.

The ballots are tabulated by the accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP. Only four executives of the accounting firm know the identity of the winners before the envelopes are opened and recipients are announced during the live telecast.

No one else – including the members of the HFPA – knows who the winners are prior to the live announcement.

The 66th-annual Golden Globes will air on NBC at 8 p.m. EST on Jan. 11, 2009. The full official list of Golden Globe nominees can be found below.

Read the official results of the 66th-annual Golden Globes.
Read more HollywoodChicago.com articles on the Golden Globes.

Best Motion Picture, Drama
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Frost/Nixon”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
Kristin Scott Thomas, “I’ve Loved You So Long”
Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Revolutionary Road”
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn, “Milk
Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
“Burn After Reading”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”
“In Bruges”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Rebecca Hall, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Frances McDormand, “Burn After Reading”
Meryl Streep, “Mamma Mia!”
Emma Thompson, “Last Chance Harvey”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Javier Bardem, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Colin Farrell, “In Bruges”
James Franco, “Pineapple Express”
Brendan Gleeson, “In Bruges”
Dustin Hoffman, “Last Chance Harvey”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams, “Doubt”
Penélope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”
Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Tom Cruise, “Tropic Thunder”
Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
Ralph Fiennes, “The Duchess”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”

Best Animated Feature Film
“Bolt”
“Kung Fu Panda”
“Wall-E”

Best Foreign Language Film
“The Baader Meinhof Complex” (Germany)
“Everlasting Moments” (Sweden, Denmark)
“Gomorrah” (Italy)
“I’ve Loved You So Long” (France)
“Waltz With Bashir” (Israel)

Best Director, Motion Picture
Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”
David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
Sam Mendes, “Revolutionary Road”

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (written by Eric Roth)
“Doubt” (written by John Patrick Shanley)
“Frost/Nixon” (written by Peter Morgan)
“The Reader” (written by David Hare)
“Slumdog Millionaire” (written by Simon Beaufoy)

Best Original Score, Motion Picture
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (composed by Alexandre Desplat)
“Changeling” (composed by Clint Eastwood)
“Defiance” (composed by James Newton Howard)
“Slumdog Millionaire” (composed by A. R. Rahman)
“Frost/Nixon” (composed by Hans Zimmer)

Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“Down to Earth,” “WALL-E” (lyrics by Peter Gabriel)
“Gran Torino,” “Gran Torino” (lyrics by Jamie Cullum)
“I Thought I Lost You,” “Bolt” (music/lyrics by Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele)
“Once in a Lifetime,” “Cadillac Records” (music/lyrics by Beyoncé Knowles, etc.)
“The Wrestler,” “The Wrestler” (music/lyrics by Bruce Springsteen)

Best Television Series, Drama
“Dexter” (Showtime)
“House” (FOX)
“In Treatment” (HBO)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“True Blood” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Sally Field, “Brothers & Sisters” (ABC)
Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order”
January Jones, “Mad Men” (AMC)
Anna Paquin, “True Blood” (HBO)
Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer” (TNT)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Gabriel Byrne, “In Treatment” (HBO)
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter” (Showtime)
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men” (AMC)
Hugh Laurie, “House” (FOX)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, “The Tudors” (Showtime)

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy
“30 Rock” (NBC)
“Californication” (Showtime)
“Entourage” (HBO)
“The Office” (NBC)
“Weeds” (Showtime)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Christina Applegate, “Samantha Who?” (ABC)
America Ferrera, “Ugly Betty” (ABC)
Tina Fey, “30 Rock” (NBC)
Debra Messing, “The Starter Wife” (USA)
Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds” (Showtime)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock” (NBC)
Steve Carell, “The Office” (NBC)
Kevin Connolly, “Entourage” (HBO)
David Duchovny, “Californication” (Showtime)
Tony Shalhoub, “Monk” (USA)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
“A Raisin in the Sun” (ABC)
“Bernard and Doris” (HBO)
“Cranford” (PBS)
“John Adams” (HBO)
“Recount” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Judi Dench, “Cranford” (PBS)
Catherine Keener, “An American Crime”
Laura Linney, “John Adams” (HBO)
Shirley MacLaine, “Coco Chanel”
Susan Sarandon, “Bernard and Doris” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Ralph Fiennes, “Bernard and Doris” (HBO)
Paul Giamatti, “John Adams” (HBO)
Kevin Spacey, “Recount” (HBO)
Kiefer Sutherland, “24” (FOX)
Tom Wilkinson, “Recount” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Eileen Atkins, “Cranford” (PBS)
Laura Dern, “Recount” (HBO)
Melissa George, “In Treatment” (HBO)
Rachel Griffiths, “Brothers & Sisters” (ABC)
Dianne Wiest, “In Treatment” (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother” (CBS)
Denis Leary, “Recount” (HBO)
Jeremy Piven, “Entourage” (HBO)
Blair Underwood, “In Treatment” (HBO)
Tom Wilkinson, “John Adams” (HBO)

Read the official results of the 66th-annual Golden Globes.
Read more HollywoodChicago.com articles on the Golden Globes.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Mamma Mia!: The Movie’ Makes Musical Magic

BrianTT — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:28:35 -0700

CHICAGO – To some people, a “Sing-Along” version of “Mamma Mia!: The Movie” might sound like a threat. “No, Timmy, you can’t watch The Dark Knight for the hundredth time and if you don’t do your chores, I’m going to make you sing along with Pierce Brosnan again.” But “Mamma Mia!” has a very specific, very satisfied audience and they will be giddy with ABBA glee at the Blu-Ray release of their favorite movie of 2008.

It might have slipped under your radar while film goers were deluged with superheroes this summer. Maybe you didn’t notice that the ABBA musical with Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Brosnan, Colin Firth, and dozens of singing-and-dancing Greeks made over $140 million domestically and over half-a-BILLION worldwide. It’s the number one film in the history of the United Kingdom, passing “Titanic” just last month. Yes, ever. I always knew those Brits were different.

Mamma Mia! is available on DVD/Blu-Ray on December 16, 2008.

“Mamma Mia!: The Movie” tells the story of Sophie (the movie-stealing Amanda Seyfried), a young Greek woman who longs to have the birth father she’s never known attend her impending wedding. She reads her mother’s (Meryl Streep) journal, learns of the summer of sin in which she was conceived, and decides to invite all three potential papas, assuming she’ll know him when she sees him. Of course, she doesn’t, and hilarious hijinks ensue, all to the musical stylings of ABBA.

Mamma Mia! is available on DVD/Blu-Ray on December 16, 2008.

My own critical reaction to “Mamma Mia!” is somewhat conflicted. Yes, Brosnan sounds vaguely like a wounded water buffalo and the choreography looks like it was staged by someone on an Ouzo bender, but “Mamma Mia!” eventually wore down my defenses. Having seen the play, I’m not sure a much-better film version could have been produced. Amanda Seyfried will eventually be a star and Meryl Streep nails the numbers she needs to, particularly “Slipping Through My Fingers” and “The Winner Takes It All” in the final act. They carry the movie over the many rough patches.

“Mamma Mia!” is the ugly duckling of musicals. It’s not very well-made and features some ridiculous choices and performances but it’s hard NOT to fall for it a little bit by the time the group takes its final curtain call in the Greek sun. “Who cares about the stupid plot, the choppy editing, or the weak supporting cast? They’re singing “Dancing Queen” again!!”

With the clear knowledge that they have not just a cult classic but a film that fans are going to watch repeatedly, as my generation did “Grease” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, Universal pulls out all the stops with the Blu-Ray release of “Mamma Mia!” It’s as comprehensive and well-organized a Blu-Ray release as I’ve seen during this crowded holiday season. Fans could spend days with this title and that’s not counting the repeated viewing.

First and foremost, all musicals need to look and sound right. The colors of the Greek isles need to pop off the screen and the vocals need to be mixed perfectly with the music. Check and check. The 1080P High-Definition widescreen picture looks more vibrant on Blu-Ray than it did in theaters and the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 features the perfect mix of dialogue and disco tunes.

Mamma Mia! is available on DVD/Blu-Ray on December 16, 2008.

What will truly stand out for the musical fans who find “Mamma Mia!” checked off their holiday wish list are the copious, detailed, and interactive special features. To start, there’s the aforementioned “Sing-Along” version, which is just a karaoke subtitle track on the flick’s musical numbers. Now you too can sing along to “Honey Honey”. Try not to scare the neighbors.

But that’s just the tip of the mirrorball with the “Mamma Mia!” Blu-Ray release. With “My Movie Commentary”, fans can join in the celebration and record their own video and/or text commentary on the film and send it to their friends. “My Chat” allows fans to discuss the movie live while they watch it. Surprisingly, Universal doesn’t include BD-Live capabilities on “Mamma Mia!” but these two special features more than make up for it.

As for traditional DVD features, where do we start? There’s a feature commentary with director Phyllida Lloyd, picture-in-picture featurettes accessible through U-Control, a “Behind the Hits” trivia track that provides full details and trivia on the ABBA songs and albums as they play in the film, and featurettes like “Anatomy of a Musical Number: Lay All Your Love on Me”, “The Making of Mamma Mia! The Movie”, “Becoming a Singer”, and “A Look Inside Mamma Mia! The Movie”. Deleted scenes include an entire musical number called “The Name of the Game” (with great vocals by Seyfried but clearly cut for pacing near the end of the film) and there’s even a music video for “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”

Can a home release have too many special features? Not if it’s a movie like “Mamma Mia!”, where “too many” is never enough. Give in and enjoy one of the most comprehensive and impressive Blu-Ray releases of the year, whether you want to or not.

Mamma Mia! is released by Universal Home Video on DVD/Blu-Ray and stars Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, and Christine Baranski. It was written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Law. It will be released on December 16th, 2008.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ Lead Nominees From Chicago Film Critics Association

BrianTT — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:09:26 -0700

CHICAGO – The Chicago Film Critics Association announced its choices for the best of 2008 on Monday morning. The biggest blockbuster of the year, “The Dark Knight,” and the sleeper hit of the season, “Slumdog Millionaire,” tied for the most nominations and will compete for best picture of the year from Chicago film critics.

The Chicago Film Critics Association

“The Dark Knight”, the massively successful continuation of the Batman franchise, and “Slumdog Millionaire”, the magical tale of a young man forced to prove he didn’t cheat on a game show, scored six nods a piece, including Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Picture.

Four films nearly matched the big two this year for the CFCA with “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, “Doubt”, “Milk”, and “WALL-E” all landing five nods. Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married” scored four nominations and the Swedish vampire film “Let the Right One In” came away with three.

Major acting nominees for the Chicago Film Critics Association include Clint Eastwood, Sean Penn, Mickey Rourke, Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Heath Ledger, Penelope Cruz, and Kate Winslet alongside nominated newcomers like Sally Hawkins, Melissa Leo, Michael Shannon, and Rosemarie DeWitt.

The members of the CFCA, which includes HollywoodChicago.com Publisher Adam Fendelman and Content Director Brian Tallerico, are currently in the midst of their second and final round of voting and the winners will be announced on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 18 on WGN-TV in three chunks at 6:50 AM, 7:50 AM and 8:50 AM with Richard Roeper, Dean Richards and CFCA President Dann Gire. They will be released to the public immediately afterwards.

2008 Chicago Film Critics Association Nominees

Slumdog Millionaire

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL*E

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle—Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher—The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan—The Dark Knight
Andrew Stanton—WALL*E
Gus Van Sant—Milk

BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood—Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins—The Visitor
Frank Langella—Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn—Milk
Mickey Rourke—The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway—Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins—Happy-Go-Lucky
Angelina Jolie—Changeling
Melissa Leo—Frozen River
Meryl Streep—Doubt

Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey Jr.—Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman—Doubt
Bill Irwin—Rachel Getting Married
Heath Ledger—The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon—Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams—Doubt
Penelope Cruz—Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis—Doubt
Rosemarie DeWitt—Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet—The Reader

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
In Bruges—Martin McDonagh
Milk—Dustin Lance Black
Rachel Getting Married—Jenny Lumet
Synecdoche, N.Y.—Charlie Kaufman
WALL*E—Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button—Eric Roth
The Dark Knight—Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan
Doubt—John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon—Peter Morgan
Slumdog Millionaire—Simon Beaufoy

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The Band’s Visit
Che
A Christmas Tale
I’ve Loved You So Long
Let the Right One In

BEST DOCUMENTARY
American Teen
Dear Zachary
IOUSA
Man On Wire
Standard Operating Procedure

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung-Fu Panda
Tale of Desperaux
WALL*E
Waltz with Bashir

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Australia—Mandy Walker
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button—Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight—Wally Pfister
The Fall—Colin Watkinson
Slumdog Millionaire—Anthony Dod Mantle

WALL*E

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button—Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight—Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
Milk—Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire—A.R. Rahman
WALL*E—Thomas Newman

MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Russell Brand—Forgetting Sarah Marshall
David Kross—The Reader
Lina Leandersson—Let the Right One In
Dev Patel—Slumdog Millionaire
Brandon Walters—Australia

MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Tomas Alfredson—Let the Right One In
Lance Hammer—Ballast
Courtney Hunt—Frozen River
Martin McDonagh—In Bruges
Steve McQueen—Hunger

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

8:54 p.m. update on Dec. 18, 2008: The 2008 awards from the Chicago Film Critics Association are in. Read our coverage here.

Despite Smothered Direction, ‘Doubt’ Brings Out Best in Performers

Dustin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:01:00 -0700

CHICAGO – The inherit drama of a Catholic priest accused of molesting an African American boy during the 1960s would be enough to make for an interesting film on its own. In “Doubt,” this is one of the less-explored themes writer and director John Patrick Shanley examines.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Instead, there is a tale of Machiavellian ethics, power struggles within the church, and of course the gray areas that encircle certainty and doubt.

Read Dustin Levell’s full review of “Doubt” in our reviews section.

Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) is everything you could expect from a pre-Vatican II nun in 1964. Playing the strict disciplinarian at her Catholic St. Nicholas Church School in the Bronx, Beauvier doesn’t believe that the students should be coddled with things like ball point pens.

“Every easy choice today will have its consequence tomorrow,” she explains to her colleague, a cynically free and more hopeful Sister James played by Amy Adams. What seems to be a simple personality clash between Sister Beauvier and the younger, progressive thinking Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), comes to a head when Sister James reports that Father Flynn might have “interfered” with school’s first black student.

“Doubt” stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. “Doubt,” which is written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, opened on December 12, 2008. In Chicago, the film opened at Landmark Century Centre Cinema and AMC River East.

Continuing reading for Dustin Levell’s full “Doubt” review.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn and Amy Adams as Sister James in “Doubt”.
Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz, Miramax

Continuing reading for Dustin Levell’s full “Doubt” review.