'Jack and Jill'は見ていないが、ここで言っていることが理解できる。どの映画も同じようなものだからだ。サンドラーの映画はファンではない。彼はたくさんの映画を過去に作っている。ところがどの映画も-全部ではないが主要作品の殆どは所有の7、8本のDVDで見ている-始まりもだが、終り方もまったく中途半端で、見終えても満足するものがない。彼の下手糞な演技も筋も、映画にのめりこめない理由だ。30分のギャグ物を、無理して一時間以上の映画物に作りなおしたようなものばかり。短ければ、それなりにギャグとして面白いと思う。ところが映画にしているから、時間を持たせるために筋が必要であるが、それが机上で生み出したような滑稽なもの。無理やりに話を組み立てているため、そこに人生の真実がまったく心で感じられない。馬鹿げていて首をかしげたくなる場面の続出。映画がとんでもなく間延びしているから、全体にパンチがまったくなく、見ていて欠伸がでる。たとえて言えばファンシーレストランにいってオードブルからメインのデナーを食べ終え会計後外に出るが、食べた満足感がない。あるいは口直しが欲しくなる。それが彼の映画。よくも次から次と筋があるような無いような映画を大量生産できるなと感心する。時間をじっくりかけて、練った筋をもとにすれば、どんなにか映画が見るに耐えるものになるだろうとつくづく思う。サンドラーの映画を形容するとすれば以下の言葉が良く似合う。Annoing、 bizarre、unfunny、bad acting、silly、to say the least strange、disturbing、drained and strained、chirpy。
*****
'Jack and Jill'
Friday, Jan. 13, 2012
Sandler is still unfunny, no matter how many parts he plays
By KAORI SHOJI
Director: Dennis Dugan
Running time: 91 minutes
Language: English
Opens Jan. 21, 2012
[See Japan Times movie listing]
------------------------------------
Sandler may have once been considered a semi-serious actor with a funny streak ("The Wedding Singer" and "Punch-Drunk Love" come to mind), but his latest vehicle, "Jack and Jill," is a potentially career-sinking torpedo of a stinkbomb. In the United States, this was actually Thanksgiving fare (released Nov. 11) and rated PG. The U.S. army would be well advised to use it as a weapon in the fight against terrorism.
Just to make sure I wasn't the only one suffering from acute chest pains and checking my watch every five seconds, only to be horrified to discover that the movie had just begun, I looked around the screening room, and I saw that many of my fellow critics had closed their eyes, shutting out everything and pretending they were somewhere else. Most likely a world where Sandler does not exist, or one where he's decided to ditch making movies altogether to do volunteer work in Africa.
Does Sandler know that worthy people are going jobless and hungry while he's allowed to make what could aptly be described as a colossal insult against humanity — and being paid for it? Shouldn't there be an Occupy Bad Movies? Just thinking that Sandler and director Dennis Dugan (who's another can of worms all by himself) are among the 1 percent does major inflammatory damage to the soul.
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One of the gaping open wounds that mar "Jack and Jill" is that Sandler is never off-camera — ever. He plays both title roles, twins Jack and Jill Sadelstein, and though we're given to understand that Jack is a better person (more mature, compassionate, etc.) than the bizarrely obnoxious Jill, they're essentially the same. Sit down with them at a dinner table and within a second you'd want to pack up and take the next bus out of town.
The story never acknowledges the fact that Jack and Jill are equally and painfully annoying. It kicks off with the premise that every year, Los Angeles-based hotshot ad executive Jack must endure the presence of his less privileged sister Jill for an entire Thanksgiving weekend and that it gets worse each time. His saintly wife, Erin (Katie Holmes), acts like it's no trouble at all and coos, "But she's your one and only sister!" when Jack gets all het up over his twin's imminent arrival. And when Jill does show, the delivery is a whole lot worse than the promise. At this point in his life, Sandler isn't what you'd call "cute," but the sight of him in a wig, fake boobs and an array of god-awful dresses ups the need for a sick bag.
The wonder of this vehicle is that Al Pacino (yes, the real one) makes a rather long cameo appearance as himself, and he falls for Jill at a Lakers game. Jill then has a perfect excuse to overstay her welcome at Jack's place: Her brother needs Pacino to star in a TV commercial, and the only way he can swing the deal is through Jill.
Even in this setting, Pacino exudes his own indefatigable aura, which saves the movie from eroding entirely into a lava pit of silliness. And admittedly, he's great fun to watch here. Pacino moves through the story like a man who accidentally came to the wrong party, but was welcomed inside and handed a drink. His body seems constantly on the verge of lunging for the door, and the look on his face (an interesting blend of confusion, resignation and panic) isn't something you'd normally associate with one of Hollywood's cinema legends.
The other wonder is Holmes, aka Mrs. Tom Cruise. In the same year that her husband had starred in and produced "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol," Holmes had starred in "Jack and Jill" as Jack's wife. This discrepancy in their careers is, to say the least, strange as hell.
It would probably be less disturbing if Holmes had looked as if she were enjoying the whole thing, but there's not one instance where her expression registers happiness. She looks more drained and strained with every scene, as though she is suffering from an undetected flu virus (though some may argue that this is her normal appearance anyway).
Surrounded by Sandler and Sandler-in-drag, Holmes as Erin (despite her chirpy and encouraging dialogue) is a woman on the verge. Erin should have got her hands on a chain saw at an early stage in her marriage. No such luck, however, is in store for the poor woman.
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___
Golden Globe Awards 2012 Winners List
January 15, 2012 8:01:00 PM by Drusilla Moorhouse
Paul Drinkwater/NBC
Here are the winners in movies and TV categories for the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards...
MOTION PICTURES
Motion Picture, Drama: The Descendants
Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: The Artist
Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama: George Clooney, The Descendants
BACKSTAGE SHOCKERS! Kate Winslet Wants to Be a Man?!
Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Jean DuJardin, The Artist
Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
MORE: 2012 Golden Globes Red Carpet Trend: Jewel Tones
Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Screenplay, Motion Picture: Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Foreign Language Film: A Separation, Iran
Animated Feature Film: The Adventures of Tintin
Original Score, Motion Picture: The Artist, Ludovic Bource
Original Song, Motion Picture: "Masterpiece," Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry; W.E.
MORE: Best & Worst of the 2012 Golden Globe Awards: Ricky Gervais Breaks All the Rules Again!
TELEVISION
TV Series, Drama: Homeland
TV Series, Comedy: Modern Family
TV Movie or Miniseries: Downton Abbey
Actor in a TV Series, Drama: Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Actress in a TV Series, Drama: Claire Danes, Homeland
MORE: Kelsey Grammer's Wife, Kayte Walsh, Is Pregnant!
Actor, TV Series Comedy: Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Actress in a TV Series, Comedy: Laura Dern, Enlightened
Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Idris Elba, Luther
Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
MORE: Did Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Deliver on the Golden Globes Red Carpet?
Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie: Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or TV Movie: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
SAG Awards 2012 Winners List
'The Help' nabs Best Ensemble' in a stunning upset, while awards-show fave 'The Artist' leaves light on wins.
By Eric Ditzian (@ericditzian) Jan 29 2012 10:39 PM EST 56,062
The SAG Awards, as we have noted, often have a curious way of letting us know what the Oscars are going to deliver. So when the Screen Actors Guild doled out its golden statuettes on Sunday night (January 29), we couldn't help but feel there were more than a few hints at how the Academy Awards might shake out in a few weeks.
What are we to make of the upset SAG win for "The Help" in outstanding cast in a movie, for instance? Where does this leave "The Artist," which had been looking increasingly, inevitably like the big champ come Oscar night, yet only won outstanding male performance (Jean Dujardin) at the SAGs?
Things were more predictable on the TV side of things. In 2012, for the second year in a row, "Modern Family" (Outstanding Cast in a Comedy) and "Boardwalk Empire" (Outstanding Cast in a Drama and a Lead Actor win for Steve Buscemi) had strong showings. Check out the full list of winners:
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
"Bridesmaids"
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
☆"The Help"
"Midnight in Paris"
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar"
☆Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
☆Viola Davis, "The Help"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Armie Hammer, "J. Edgar"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
☆Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
☆Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
"The Adjustment Bureau"
"Cowboys & Aliens"
☆"Harry Potter and the Deahtly Hallows - Part 2"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"X-Men: First Class"
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie Or Miniseries
Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood"
☆Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail"
Greg Kinnear, "The Kennedys"
Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce"
James Woods, "Too Big to Fail"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie Or Miniseries
Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult"
Betty White, "The Lost Valentine"
☆Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"
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Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Patrick J. Adams, "Suits"
☆Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates, "Harry's Law"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
☆Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
☆Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
☆Betty White, "Hot In Cleveland"
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
☆"Boardwalk Empire"
"Breaking Bad"
"Dexter"
"Game of Thrones"
"The Good Wife"
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
"30 Rock"
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Glee"
☆"Modern Family"
"The Office"
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
"Dexter"
☆"Game of Thrones"
"Southland"
"Spartacus: Gods of the Arena"
"True Blood"
Screen Actors Guild Awards 48th Annual Life Achievement Award
Mary Tyler Moore
Track all of 2012's hottest red-carpet-stunners from awards season at MTV Style and come back to Style every day for the latest fashion news.
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テレビのバラエティ番組でどんなだったかその様子を話題にしている。ケーブルないから見たことない。ここにも書かれているが、高い確率でオスカーを予想するらしい。
****
Screen Actors Guild
SAG Awards 2012: "The Help," Jean Dujardin win big honors
By Lauren Moraski January 29, 2012 7:35 PM
(CBS/AP) "The Help" took home three top honors at the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday: best picture, best actress for Viola Davis and supporting actress for Octavia Spencer.
Dreaming big was perhaps the theme of the night. When French actor Jean Dujardin accepted the lead actor trophy for his role in the black-and-white silent film, "The Artist," he talked about being a bad student growing up.
"Thank you for this dream," he said.
Davis also spoke about following a dream.
"What is there but a dream? You can't trade in your dream for another dream," "The Help" star said while accepting the lead actress award. She ended her speech with a word of advice: "Dream big and dream fierce."
Veteran actor Christopher Plummer took home the first acting honor of the evening: outstanding male actor in a supporting role for "Beginners."
"I'm so flattered to be on the same bill" as the other actors in the category, Plummer, 82, said while accepting the honor, adding that his co-star Ewan McGregor makes "acting look so easy."
"30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin and Betty White of "Hot in Cleveland" won the best acting in a TV comedy series awards.
During her speech, the 90-year-old White said, "I remember you sweetheart," while touching the trophy.
The cast of "Modern Family" took home outstanding ensemble in a comedy series, and it was the younger actors who got the chance to accept the award.
Kate Winslet, who wasn't present to accept the award, won outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries for her role in "Mildred Pierce." Paul Giamatti, also absent from the ceremony, won the TV mini-series/movie actor award for "Too Big to Fail."
The "Bridesmaids" cast caught some laughs for their "Scorsese" drinking game sketch. Every time director Martin Scorsese's name gets mentioned, they said, it was time to take a swig -- and the girls, including Melissa McCarthy (with drink in hand), managed to utter Scorsese quite a few times while on the stage. Other actors followed suit later in the evening, including Tina Fey and Steve Buscemi.
Jessica Lange scored the honor for female actor in a TV drama series for "American Horror Story, while "Boardwalk Empire" star Buscemi won the best male actor prize for TV drama series. He thanked his cast members, including the ones who were killed off last season.
"Please stop yelling at me on the street," Buscemi said, referring to the reaction from "Boardwalk" fans about the season finale.
Prior to the televised ceremony, the final "Harry Potter" installment won the stunt ensemble film award, while HBO's "Game of Thrones" earned the TV stunt honor.
SAG recognized Mary Tyler Moore, 75, with the lifetime achievement award. The prize was presented by Dick Van Dyke, her co-star on the 1960s sitcom "The Dick Van Dyke Show."
"I love that woman," Van Dyke said during his introduction. "Beautiful and bright and talented ... She's given so much of herself to help other people."
The SAG Actor winners are picked by their acting peers. Going into the evening, the Deep South drama "The Help" led the with four nominations. "The Artist" was second with three nominations.
In the past, SAG Awards winners have gone on to earn Oscars. In 2011, all four acting winners also won Academy Awards.
セリン・デオンやマライヤ・カレイとよく並び称されるホイットニー・ヒュウストン。世界を代表する3大歌手の一角の死には悲しいものがある。
****
48歳のホイットニー・ヒューストン、ビバリーズヒルズホテルで死す。
Award-winning singer Whitney Houston dies at age 48
By Bob Tourtellotte
Sat Feb 11, 2012 11:04pm EST
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Grammy-winning singer and actress Whitney Houston, one of the most talented performers of her generation who lived a turbulent personal life and admitted drug use, died on Saturday in a Beverly Hills hotel room. She was 48.
A Beverly Hills police officer told reporters they were called to the Beverly Hilton, in Los Angeles, at around 3:20 p.m. PST and that emergency personnel found Houston's body in a fourth-floor room, and she was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.
"She has been positively identified by friends and family (who) were with her at the hotel, and next of kin have already been notified," Lieutenant Mark Rosen told reporters.
Police said there were no obvious signs of criminal intent at the scene and her death is under investigation.
Houston was in Los Angeles for the Grammy Awards, the music industry's biggest honors program that will take place on Sunday night. She died hours before she was expected to perform at record producer Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy party on Saturday, which is held at the Beverly Hilton
Houston, inspired by soul singers in her New Jersey family, including mother Cissy Houston and cousins Dionne Warwick and the late Dee Dee Warwick, as well as her godmother Aretha Franklin, became one of the most celebrated female singers of all time, taking multiple Emmy, Grammy and Billboard Music awards.
STELLAR CAREER, PERSONAL TROUBLES
Her popularity soared in the 1980s and 1990s with consecutive No. 1 hits including the smash single "I Will Always Love You," from the soundtrack of the feature film "The Bodyguard," in which she starred.
She also appeared in "Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996)."
By the early 1990s, Houston had become the queen of pop music, achieving great critical and commercial acclaim, but her personal life was becoming troubled. In 1992 she married singer Bobby Brown, who had a bad-boy reputation, and during their 14 years together had a tumultuous relationship fueled by drugs.
In 2000, she and Brown were stopped at an airport in Hawaii and security guards discovered marijuana in their luggage.
The pair also starred in reality TV series, "Being Bobby Brown," which painted an often unflattering portrait of the pair.
The last 10 years of Houston's life were dominated by drug use, rumors of relapses and trips to rehab. In a 2002 TV interview, she admitted using marijuana, cocaine, alcohol and prescription drugs.
She launched a comeback tour in 2009 and in April 2010 she called media reports she was using drugs again "ridiculous." In May 2011, Houston enrolled in a drug and alcohol rehab program.
Reactions came pouring in from fans and friends in the music industry.
"I am absolutely heartbroken at the news of Whitney's passing," legendary music producer Quincy Jones said in a statement. "... I always regretted not having had the opportunity to work with her. She was a true original and a talent beyond compare. I will miss her terribly."
Neil Portnow, chief executive of the Recording Academy that gives out the Grammys, called her "one of the world's greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades."
Pop star Rihanna posted on Twitter "No words, just tears," and rapper Nicki Minaj tweeted "Jesus Christ, not Whitney Houston. Greatest of all time."
(Additional reporting by Mary Slosson; Editing by Philip Barbara)
アメリカ音楽界の最大のイベント、グラミー賞。
Grammys 2012 preview: start time, TV schedule, list of performers and presenters
Here are some answers to basic questions about the 2012 Grammys: start time, TV rights, and performers
Vancouver Sun February 12, 2012 2:06 PM
The 2012 Grammy Awards are set for Sunday, February 12. Usually the music industry's biggest night, the 2012 Grammys will be a more sombre affair following the death of singer Whitney Houston.
Here's some basic info on what you need to know about the 2012 Grammys:
When do the 2012 Grammy start?
The Grammys start time is 8:00 pm ET/PT.
What channel will broadcast the 2012 Grammys?
The Grammys will air on CBS in the U.S. In Canada, the awards show will air on Global.
Where are the Grammy taking place?
The awards ceremony will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California
Who will host the Grammys?
Rapper LL Cool J is set to host.
Who will be performing at the Grammys?
Some of the notable musicians scheduled to perform at the Grammys: Adele in her first live performance since undergoing vocal cord surgery; Coldplay and Rihanna; Foo Fighters; Bruno Mars; Paul McCartney; Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson; Nicki Minaj; Katy Perry; Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band; and Taylor Swift. Chris Brown, Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood are also slated to hit the stage together while Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt will perform a tribute to the late Etta James.
Who are some of the presenters at the Grammys?
Notable presenters include Jack Black, Drake, Fergie, Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots, and Ringo Starr.
Will there be a tribute to Whitney Houston at the Grammys?
The Recording Academy intends to include a "respectful" tribute to Houston in Sunday evening's show at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, according to Grammys show producer Ken Ehrlich. Singer Jennifer Hudson is expected to perform as part of a "respectful" tribute at the Grammys,
KABC-TVのチャンネル7でライブ中継をみた。かつて映画で共演したケビン・コスナーと10代の若いホイットニーをスターダムにのし上げたスポンサーのクリーブ・デイビスの弔辞が、歌では生前彼女が才能を大いに讃えたアリーシア・キイがピアノを自ら弾いての熱唱が印象的だった。スティービー・ワンダーを久しぶりにみた。ピアノを弾きながらの、いつもの張りのある歌声を披露。彼の年齢という時が止まっているかのような、少しも歳を感じさせない姿に驚いた。
****
ホイットニー・ヒューストンの葬式
Stars mourn Whitney Houston at rousing New Jersey funeral
By Christine Kearney and Jonathan Allen
NEWARK, New Jersey | Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:24pm EST
NEWARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - Stars, family and friends mourned Whitney Houston in a spirited Baptist funeral service at her hometown church on Saturday, a week after the death of the singer whose spectacular voice made her one of the biggest pop stars of her era.
Gospel and soul music greats, celebrities and family members swayed to gospel hits and delivered tributes both sung and spoken to the crowded New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where Houston honed her wide vocal range as a young choral singer with her mother Cissy Houston, a backup singer for Aretha Franklin.
"Whitney returns home today to the place where it all began," said actor Kevin Costner, who starred opposite Houston in the 1992 hit film, "The Bodyguard."
He urged those around the world to "dry our tears, suspend our sorrow - and perhaps our anger - just long enough, just long enough to remember the sweet miracle of Whitney."
Houston, who died in a Beverly Hills hotel room last week, recorded stirring love songs and vibrant dance tunes during a 30-year career that peaked with her 1992 signature hit "I Will Always Love You" and paved the way for a generation of singers that followed.
She was among the greatest singers of the 1980s and 1990s, but later admitted to heavy use of cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and prescription pills. Officials have said prescription drugs were found in the hotel room where she died.
Her death at age 48 shocked her family, fans and the music industry. Houston was found underwater in a hotel bathtub on the eve of the music industry's Grammy Awards. Her cause of death has yet to be determined.
She suffered a turbulent personal life and marriage to singer Bobby Brown, who said in a statement he left the service early after being repeatedly asked to move by security, who prevented him from seeing the daughter he shared with Houston, Bobby Kristina Brown, 18.
"This was a day to honor Whitney," Brown said. "I doubt whether Whitney would have wanted this to occur."
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During the service, her cousin and famed soul singer Dionne Warwick read out a funeral poem and introduced music greats from the past and present, including Alicia Keys who said "it was so obvious the way she just crept into everybody's heart" before singing an emotional rendition of "Prelude to a Kiss."
GOSPEL AND SOUL
Singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder spoke of once having "a little crush" on Houston before singing a version of his 1982 R&B hit "Ribbon In The Sky," inserting the lyrics "No more, Whitney, No more, Do you have to cry - You'll always be a ribbon in the sky."
Others spoke eloquently of Houston's passion, strong-willed spirit and once hopeful future, including Clive Davis, the founder of her label Arista Records, who discovered and molded Houston into a global pop phenomenon. He said shortly before she died, Houston had promised she was getting back into shape.
"You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. You wait for a face like that, a smile like that, a presence like that, for a lifetime. And when one person embodies it all it takes your breath away," he said. "Music was her passion. Whitney lived music. Whitney loved music."
R. Kelly performed the 2009 song he wrote for Houston, "I Look To You," and director Tyler Perry talked about Houston's "grace that led her all the way to the top of the charts." The service was dominated by gospel music, by singers Kim Burrell, Donnie McClurkin and others.
Houston's family decided against a public memorial, as was done for pop star Michael Jackson after his 2009 death, but they agreed to allow the four-hour service to be broadcast live by television networks and on the Internet.
Many of Houston's fans left cards and balloons around the church dedicated to the singer, who became a global star with her 1985 debut album, which included the hits "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love Of All."
Police urged fans to stay home and watch the funeral on the Internet or television, but some flew and drove from around the country to get as close as they could to the late singer.
"This is history," said fan Hedwig Berthold, 40, who flew from Miami and watched the broadcast with dozens of others in a nearby cafe. "I bought her records, I saw her concerts, I saw her in the good times. So I wanted to be here for her final farewell."
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Others gathered on the streets, including Wendy Saunders, who drove from Detroit to pay her respects to Houston and said "She meant so much to me," while Renee Taylor, from Baltimore, held a sign, "You gave us more love than we will ever need."
Houston grew up surrounded by gospel and soul music legends like Franklin - who fell ill and was unable to attend the service - as well as Warwick. She later forged new territory for a black female artist who brought R&B and gospel touches into pop music's mainstream.
After her debut, her popularity grew exponentially with her second album, "Whitney" (1987), with all four singles - "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "So Emotional," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" - hitting No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Her music videos featuring her 1980s style and innocent, fun-loving image made her wildly popular around the world. In "The Bodyguard," with Costner, Houston played a character not far removed from her real self: an international singing sensation coping with fame.
Costner recalled during his speech that Hollywood executives were hesitant to cast Houston in her first starring role, preferring "somebody white," but she soon won everyone over. He also spoke of Houston's immense talent - and insecurities.
"The Whitney that I knew, despite her worldwide success and fame, still wondered, 'Am I good enough, Am I pretty enough, Will they like me?' It was the burden that made her great, and the part that caused her to stumble in the end," he said. "People didn't just like you, Whitney. They loved you."
She made other films, including "The Preacher's Wife," but the 15-year period when she was married to singer Brown coincided with a decline in the quality and frequency of her albums. The couple, who have an 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, divorced in 2007.
Houston's powerful voice suffered in recent years. On her last world tour in 2010, she struggled to hit the high notes.
But the service ended by focusing on the old, soaring voice she had promised to reclaim. Her inimitable "I Will Always Love You," rang out as the casket was carried out of the church.
(Additional reporting by Patricia Reaney and Gianna Palmer; editing by Anthony Boadle and Todd Eastham)
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オスカー3時間前。ここ一週間はTVはオスカー一色。アメリカTV視聴率のランキングはアメリカンフットボールのスーパーボウルが第1位。2位がアカデミー賞、3位がグラミー賞。今年はウィットニー・ヒューストンの死によってグラミー賞が大幅増の40million viewers。オスカーが3位に落ちるとの見通しを告げている。
****
Oscars aim for surprises to spice up show
By Bob Tourtellotte
Sun Feb 26, 2012 3:17pm EST
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After the curtain rises on Sunday's Oscars, producers hope a few surprise winners and heartfelt acceptance speeches will spice up the program in which silent movie "The Artist" is widely seen as the choice for best movie.
The world's top film honors are in jeopardy of losing their status as the second most-watched TV event in the United States behind professional football's Super Bowl if the show can't lure more than 40 million viewers, which could be difficult.
Producers have brought back popular host Billy Crystal to provide laughter, but the best solution for a lively TV awards program, sponsors at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences say, is a group of surprise winners or ones who give genuinely emotional or rousing acceptance speeches.
"Be memorable, and you will be remembered," co-producer Don Mischer told nominees at a recent luncheon.
It's hard to forget 73-year-old Jack Palance doing one-arm pushups on the Oscar stage after winning best supporting actor for 1991's "City Slickers," or more recently the heartfelt speech by writers Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of best song winner "Falling Slowly" from 2007 film, "Once."
The Oscars need a few surprises because silent movie romance "The Artist," while critically lauded, has generated only around $30 million at U.S. and Canadian box offices, and the Oscars generally enjoy larger TV audiences when popular hits like "Avatar" are in the hunt for best movie.
The show annually is the second most-watched program on U.S. TV behind professional football's Super Bowl, but this year's Grammy Awards, music's top honors, lured 40 million viewers the night after Whitney Houston's death and could easily surpass the Oscars, which only twice since 2002 has had a larger audience.
Oscar producers also hope a return of popular comedian Crystal as host of the program for the ninth time will lure viewers. He hasn't been emcee of the show since 2004 when it drew roughly 44 million viewers and box office smash "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" was the big winner.
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This year "The Artist," a tale of old Hollywood that sees a fading star find redemption through the love of a woman just as silent movies are being taken over by talkies, is widely picked to take home best film by most industry pundits.
It comes into the night with 10 nominations, second only to Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" with 11. But most of the nods for "Hugo" are in technical categories like cinematography, whereas "The Artist" nominations are spread across several categories.
"It's unbeatable," said Dave Karger, movie writer for Entertainment Weekly magazine.
While it faces keen competition from civil rights drama "The Help," "The Artist" has come out on top in most award shows this year. Still, pundits point out that "The Help" did win best ensemble cast from the Screen Actors Guild, and actors make up the biggest group of Oscar voters.
The third movie that has had Hollywood buzzing this season is family drama "The Descendants," starring George Clooney as a man trying to keep his family together after his cheating wife is hospitalized in a coma. But "Descendants" has failed to spark Oscar voters, and its key win is seen as adapted screenplay.
The category of best actress features a too-close-to-call race between Viola Davis playing a maid in "The Help" and Meryl Streep as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady." Tom O'Neil of awards website Goldderby.com calls that race "neck and neck."
The best actor category sees American Clooney "Descendants" face Frenchman Jean Dujardin, star of "The Artist." For a long time, Clooney seemed to have the upper hand, but Dujardin has won most every time the two have been pitted against each other.
Supporting actor and actress appear locked for Christopher Plummer, playing an elderly gay man in "Beginners," and Octavia Spencer as one of the black maids in "The Help."
At age 82, Plummer would be the oldest Oscar winner ever, and if both Spencer and Davis are victorious, then it would be the first time two African American women have won those categories in the same year for the same movie.
The race for director is widely tipped to go to "The Artist" maker Michel Hazanavicius, but could see a surprise by "Hugo" and Scorsese, Woody Allen with "Midnight in Paris" or Alexander Payne and "The Descendants."
Finally, Iranian film "A Separation" goes up against Israel's "Footnote" in the category for foreign language film, bringing world politics into the movie industry awards.
(Reporting By Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Sandra Maler and Cynthia Osterman)
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ワースト映画賞 - The Golden Raspberry awards
And the Worst Film of the Year Is Officially…
Adam Sandler's Jack and Jill. At least according to the Razzies, which just "honored" the film with a dozen nominations for its annual worst-of-the-year awards.
By Nick Carbone | February 25, 2012 | The Time Mag
The Razzies (also known as the Golden Raspberry awards), are in their 32nd year of celebrating the industry’s worst films. And Adam Sandler’s Jack & Jill cleaned up in this year’s nominations, receiving 12 Razzie nods though it was eligible in only 10 categories. That’s right, the film was so heinous in the eyes of the Razzie voters that it was nominated multiple times per category. Talk about a dis-honor. Not even the vampiric action of Twilight could outshine Sandler’s gender-bending travesty.
Though its not as if anyone expected Jack & Jill to be good. The cross-dressing comedy has been rated in the single digits on Rotten Tomatoes since its November release (it currently holds an abysmal 3% positive rating). One movie critic wrote in his review that it “gives fart jokes a bad name.” We even voted it the worst movie of 2011. But none of those landmarks could have prepared it for such a Razzies sweep. The awards even went outside their own standard boxes to dish out disgrace. Adam Sandler notched a nod for both worst actor (as Jack) and worst actress (as Jill). David Spade was nominated for best supporting actress for his drag queen role in the film.
The Razzies note that Jack & Jill is the fourth film to tally more nominations than there are categories. It joins such esteemed company as Lonely Lady, Showgirls and Battlefield Earth, all which took home the Razzies’ Worst Picture award. What a drag.
See the full list of nominees on the next page.
Worst Picture
- Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
- Jack & Jill
- New Year’s Eve
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon
- Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
Worst Actor
- Russell Brand, Arthur
- Nicolas Cage, Drive Angry 3-D, Season Of The Witch, and Trespass
- Taylor Lautner, Abduction and Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I
- Adam Sandler, Jack & Jill and Just Go With It
- Nick Swardson, Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star
Worst Actress
- Martin Lawrence (As “Momma”), Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
- Sarah Palin (As “Herself”), Sarah Palin: The Undefeated
- Sarah Jessica Parker, I Don’t Know How She Does It and New Year’s Eve
- Adam Sandler (As “Jill”), Jack & Jill
- Kristen Stewart, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I
Worst Supporting Actress
- Katie Holmes, Jack & Jill
- Brandon T. Jackson (As “Charmaine”), Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
- Nicole Kidman, Just Go With It
- David Spade (As “Monica”), Jack & Jill
- The Underwear Model (Aka Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
Worst Supporting Actor
- Patrick Dempsey, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
- James Franco, Your Highness
- Ken Jeong, Big Momma’s #3, Hangover Part 2, Transformers #3 and Zookeeper
- Al Pacino (As “Al Pacino”), Jack & Jill
- Nick Swardson, Jack & Jill and Just Go With It
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- The Entire Cast of Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star
- The Entire Cast of Jack & Jill
- The Entire Cast of New Year’s Eve
- The Entire Cast of Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
- The Entire Cast of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I
Worst Director
- Michael Bay, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
- Tom Brady, Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star
- Bill Condon, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I
- Dennis Dugan, Jack & Jill and Just Go With It
- Garry Marshall, New Year’s Eve
Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel
- Arthur
- Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star (Rip-Off of Boogie Nights and A Star Is Born)
- The Hangover Part 2 (Both a sequel and a remake!)
- Jack & Jill (Remake/Rip-Off of Ed Woods’ Glen or Glenda)
- Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I
Worst Screen Couple
- Nicolas Cage & Anyone Sharing the Screen with Him in Any of His Three 2011 Movie
- Shia Lebeouf & The Underwear Model (Aka Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), Transformers #3
- Adam Sandler & EITHER Jennifer Aniston OR Brooklyn Decker, Just Go With It
- Adam Sandler & EITHER Katies Holmes, Al Pacino OR Adam Sandler, Jack & Jill
- Kristen Stewart & EITHER Taylor Lautner OR Robert Pattinson, Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part I
Worst Screenplay
- Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star, Written by Adam Sandler, Allen Covert and Nick Swardson
- Jack & Jill, Screenplay by Steve Koren & Adam Sandler, Story by Ben Zook
- New Year’s Eve, Written by Katherine Fugate
- Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, Written by Ehren Kruger
- Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I, Screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg, from the novel by Stephenie Meyer
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今年はフランス色。ベスト映画賞にフランス監督の「アーテスト」、主演男優賞にフランス人ジャン・デュジャルダン。マーティン・スコセッシ監督「フューゴ」やウッディ・アレン監督の「ミッドナイト・イン・パリ」もフランスを舞台に見立てている。また外国語映画賞にはイランの「セパレーション」、主演女優賞のMeryl Streepは元イギリス首相を演じた「鉄の女」 、助演女優賞を獲得したオクティビア・スペンサーのドレスを作ったのは日本人デザイナーのタダシ・ショウジと国際色を飾る。授賞の言葉で印象に残ったのはクリストファー・プラマーが一番、その次にメリル・ストリープとオクタヴィア・スペンサーに続く。
****
"The Artist" paints golden picture at Oscars
By Bob Tourtellotte
Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:55am EST
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood showed some love for its history at the Oscars on Sunday, giving its best film award and four others to silent movie "The Artist" in a ceremony that recalled why cinema is special to so many people.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also gave Oscars to playing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," marking Streep's third Academy Award in 17 nominations, and veteran Christopher Plummer made history by becoming the oldest winner ever at age 82 with his role as an elderly gay man in "Beginners."
But it was the "The Artist," a French movie that has been called a love letter to old Hollywood by its makers, that charmed Oscar voters. Made in the style of old silents, it tells a romantic story of a fading star in the era when silent movies were overtaken by talkies.
"The Artist" collected Oscars for its star Jean Dujardin and director Michel Hazanavicius, as well as for musical score and costume design.
"I am the happiest director in the world right now. Thank you for that," Hazanavicius told the audience of stars including George Clooney, Michelle Williams, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and members of the Academy.
Dujardin was equally excited, exclaiming "I love this country" before thanking the Academy, the film's makers and his wife, and calling silent actor Douglas Fairbanks an inspiration.
Streep's victory surprised Oscar pundits who thought Viola Davis would win the Academy Award with her portrayal of a black maid in a southern white home in civil rights drama "The Help."
But Streep's turn as an elderly Thatcher who is slipping into dementia was too good to be ignored. It was Streep's third Academy Award out of 17 nominations, and even she reckoned that Oscar voters would think she's been there, done that. Backstage she termed it "Streep fatigue" to reporters.
"When they called my name, I could feel America saying, 'Oh why her again?' But whatever," she joked. Yet even the steely veteran could not hold back the emotion of an Oscar victory. When she thanked her husband and talked about her career she came close to breaking into tears, and backstage she said it made her feel like a kid again.
MAKING HOLLYWOOD HISTORY
Veteran Plummer, a star of classic film "The Sound of Music," won his first ever Oscar for his portrayal of an elderly gay man who comes out to his family in "Beginners."
"You're only two years older than me, darling. Where have you been all of my life," he said, looking at his golden Oscar, which was celebrating its 84th awards ceremony.
Spencer, a relative newcomer in contrast to Plummer, had to hold back tears as she accepted her trophy for her portrayal of a black, southern maid in civil rights drama "The Help."
"Thank you Academy for putting me with the hottest guy in the room," she said holding her Oscar in her hand. She then went on to talk about her family in Alabama and could not hold back her tears as she joyously accepted her trophy.
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Director Martin Scorsese's "Hugo," which like "The Artist" pays tribute to early filmmaking, came into the night with a leading 11 nominations - one more than "Artist" - and also picked up five wins. But its Oscars came in technical categories cinematography, art direction, sound editing and mixing and visual effects.
Another highly touted movie, family drama "The Descendants," walked off with only one Oscar, adapted screenplay for its writer and director Alexander Payne and co-writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. Woody Allen won for original screenplay with "Midnight in Paris," but he was not on hand to accept his trophy.
In other major wins, the foreign language film award went to Iranian divorce drama "A Separation." "I proudly offer this award to the people of my country, the people who respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment," said its director, Ashgar Farhadi.
Asked backstage how he thought the Iranian government might respond, he said he really did not know. "I can't predict what's going to happen," he said.
"Rango" claimed best animated film, while "The Iron Lady," won a second award for makeup.
BILLY'S RETURN
The documentary category saw another major surprise for "Undefeated," a film about football players in a poor struggling community to make their lives better. "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" had been widely picked to win by pundits.
One of the film's makers, T.J. Martin, used an expletive onstage in a sign of his joy, but it was edited out for television audiences. He apologized backstage in the press room.
Comedian Billy Crystal, who returned to emcee the show for the ninth time, had the crowd laughing loudly with an opening video in which he was edited into the year's top movies.
He was kissed by George Clooney on the lips in a scene out of "The Descendants" and even ate a tainted pie from "The Help." He opened with a monologue in which he joked: "there's nothing like watching a bunch of millionaires present each other with golden statues" and sang a comic song about the movies.
Other highlights included stars like Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks, Adam Sandler and others in brief video vignettes telling audiences why they loved movies. The clips highlighted this year's themes of reminding people what makes movies magical.
Finally, Hollywood's biggest fashion parade on the Oscar red carpet heated up with Michelle Williams in a stunning red dress from Louis Vuitton, "The Help" star Jessica Chastain in a dazzling Alexander McQueen black and gold embroidered gown, while Gwyneth Paltrow chose Tom Ford and white, a popular color.
(Reporting By Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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2012 Oscars: Complete List of Winners
Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:00am EST By TheWrap Staff at TheWrap
The complete list of winners and nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards. The winners are noted; scroll down to see entire list.
ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
Demin Bichir in "A Better Life"
George Clooney in "The Descendants"
WINNER: Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
WINNER: Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis in "The Help"
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
WINNER: Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Benice Bejo in "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
WINNER: Octavia Spencer in "The Help"
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
"A Cat in Paris " Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli"
"Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
WINNER: "Rango" Gore Verbinski
ART DIRECTION
"The Artist" Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
WINNER: "Hugo" Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"Midnight in Paris" Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
"War Horse" Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
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CINEMATOGRAPHY
"The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
WINNER: "Hugo" Robert Richardson
"The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
"War Horse" Janusz Kaminski
COSTUME DESIGN
"Anonymous" Lisy Christl
WINNER: "The Artist" Mark Bridges
"Hugo" Sandy Powell
"Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor
"W.E." Arianne Phillips
DIRECTING
THE WINNER: "The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Alexander Payne
"Hugo" Martin Scorsese
"Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen
"The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick
DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
"Hell and Back Again" Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
"Pina" Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
WINNER: "Undefeated" TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement" Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
"God Is the Bigger Elvis" Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
"Incident in New Baghdad" James Spione
WINNER: "Saving Face" Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen
FILM EDITING
"The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Kevin Tent
WINNER: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
"Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Bullhead" Belgium
"Footnote" Israel
"In Darkness" Poland
"Monsieur Lazhar" Canada
WINNER: "A Separation" Iran
MAKEUP
"Albert Nobbs" Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
WINNER: "The Iron Lady" Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
WINNER: "The Artist" Ludovic Bource
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
WINNER: "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio" from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett
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BEST PICTURE
THE WINNER: "The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
"The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
"The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
"Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
"Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
"Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
"The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined
"War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
"Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
WINNER: "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
"La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
"A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
"Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
"Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
"Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
WINNER: "The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George
"Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
"Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø
SOUND EDITING
"Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce
WINNER: "Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
"War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom
SOUND MIXING
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
WINNER: "Hugo" Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
"Moneyball" Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
"War Horse" Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson
VISUAL EFFECTS
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
WINNER: "Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
"Real Steel" Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
WINNER: "The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan
"The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
"Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
"The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
WINNER: "Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
"A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi
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2012 Oscars: And the winners of best Academy Award winners’speeches are...
Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer, Asghar Farhadi among memorable speakers
Opinion By Joe Neumaier / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, February 27, 2012, 11:32 AM
Despite an overriding sense of inevitability, the 84th annual Academy Awards had its share of memorable moments (including a hilarious faux-film of a 1939 "focus group" critiquing "The Wizard of Oz," courtesy of Christopher Guest and company).
"I love your country," Dujardin said, holding up his award for his portrayal of fictional silent-film star George Valentin.
"If George Valentin could speak, he’d say, "Formidable! Merci beaucoup," he said, using French words for "terrific" and "thank you very much."
Many speeches were heartfelt or moving, but here are five that stood out.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Alexander Payne, co-writer/director of "The Descendants" - who previously won for 2004's "Sideways" — collected his film's only award of the evening alongside co-writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rush by first thanking "our beautiful Hawaiian flower, Kaui Hart Hemmings, wrote wrote the novel." Payne then pointed out his mom, who came to L.A. from Omaha for the event and who, Payne said, "made me promise that if I ever won another Academy Award, that I'd have to dedicate it to her, just like Javier Bardem did with HIS mother. Thanks for letting me skip nursery school so we could go to the movies."
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Octavia Spencer, genuinely moved and shaken by her walk to the stage to accept her Oscar, breaks down while thanking her real family "and my 'Help' family." Despite winning at SAG and the Golden Globes, the impact of an Oscar isn't lost on this 39-year-old working actress.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, the first filmmaker from his country to win this award, makes a from-the-gut, eloquent, thoughtful acceptance speech in which he states Iran is "a rich and ancient culture that has been hidden under politics… I kindly offer this award to the people of my country , a people who respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment."
BEST ACTOR: Jean Dujardin, the underdog who defeated George Clooney — and the first Frenchman to win the award — gives an ebullient acceptance speech, starting with "I love your country!" and winds up with a sincere, nearly-shouted "Merci! Merci beaucoup!"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: With his manner as smooth and warm as his velvet tuxedo, the ever-elegant 82-year-old Christopher Plummer — the newly minted oldest Oscar winner ever — takes the stage. "You're only two years older than me — where have you been all my life?" he coos at his statuette. Complimentary, witty and self-effacing, the onetime "Sound of Music" co-star thanks his fellow nominees, his director and co-star, his daughter Amanda Plummer, and his wife, "who deserves a Nobel Peace prize for coming to my rescue every day."
アメリカのテレビ高視聴率3大イベント(2012年) 第1位スーパーボウル111.3 million 、第2位グラミー授賞式39.9 million、 第3位アカデミー授賞式は39.3 million
Billy Crystal Helps Improve Oscar Viewership
By Associated Press | February 27, 2012 | Mark J. Terrill | TV Ratings
Billy Crystal performs during the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (NEW YORK) — The return of Billy Crystal helped boost viewership for the Academy Awards but not enough to prevent a cultural oddity: The Oscars weren’t even the most-watched awards show on television this month.
The Nielsen Co. estimated Monday that 39.3 million people watched the Oscars on ABC Sunday night, up from the 37.9 million viewers during the much-panned 2011 show where James Franco and Anne Hathaway shared hosting duties.
Crystal was called in after original host Eddie Murphy pulled out. It was the ninth time Crystal has done that job and he delivered, despite worries that best picture winner “The Artist” would not be much of an audience draw.
Nielsen said 39.9 million people watched the Grammy Awards on CBS on Feb. 12. That huge audience was likely due to the popularity of big winner Adele and curiosity about how Grammy producers would address the death of singer Whitney Houston the day before the show.
It was only the second time since the two events were televised that the Grammys earned a bigger audience than the Oscars. After the Super Bowl, the Oscars are frequently the second most-watched TV event of the year.
In 1984, when Michael Jackson was the big winner at the Grammys, the show had 51.7 million viewers. The Oscars that year, when “Terms of Endearment” won best picture, had 42.1 million viewers, Nielsen said.
The social media analysis company Trendrr estimated that there were some 4.2 million examples of social media action during the Oscars on Sunday — such as tweets on Twitter and posts or likes on Facebook.
That more than doubled the 2.02 million estimate from last year’s Oscars, Trendrr said. It illustrates the growth in social media as well as the tendency of people to comment online with their friends as they share the experience of watching on TV, said Chris Thonis, spokesman for Trendrr.
Still, it paled in comparison with the 17.47 million examples of social media activity during the Super Bowl earlier this month, and the 17.12 million for the Grammys, he said.
The Grammys have become more of a performance show than an awards show in recent years, increasing their television ratings and giving viewers plenty to talk about.
“There were great story lines for the Grammys this year versus the Oscars, which didn’t have as many story lines,” Thonis said.
アカデミー賞にノミネートされた人達は授賞を逃しても手ぶらでは帰らない。彼らが受け取るフリーギフトが入ったバッグ。その中身は39 品目にわたり総額は$62,023。昨年は$75,000。その中の主なもの8品目を挙げている記事。
The 8 Most Opulent Gifts in the Oscar Swag Bags
Swag Bag Bliss
By Nick Carbone | February 26, 2012 | 1
People bustle about the red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre as preparations continue for the 84th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.=写真
Even those actors who don’t receive a little gold man at tonight’s Oscars won’t be going home empty-handed. The swag bags that each Academy Award nominee receives will almost certainly dull any lingering disappointment, to the tune of $62,023. This year’s goodie bags contain swag of all purposes and prices, from bath products and cosmetics worth hundreds to vacation getaways worth tens of thousands.
The 39 items have been carefully curated to be seen in the hands of the biggest Hollywood stars. Lash Fary, the founder of Los Angeles-based marketing company Distinctive Assets, is celebrating a decade of curating the Oscars swag bags. And he’s had his hand in the Grammys’ gift bags for 13 years now. So he’s something of an expert at curating the celebs’ consolation prizes. “These people don’t make decisions based on a price tag,” Fary tells NewsFeed, so he views it as an opportunity to “help them shop for things that they might not normally buy.”
Sure, celebrities might not typically buy these items, but normal Americans simply can’t afford many of them. After all, you’d have no idea we were in the midst of a recession. This year’s bags are worth more than $60,000. But that’s a drastic decrease from last year’s Oscars, where the swag given away to each nominee was valued at more than $75,000. The reason for this year’s decline? Fewer vacations, Fary says. “Last year there were four major trips, each valued at over $10,000. This year, there are only two.” Half the number of tropical getaways this year. And we probably won’t even have a single one. But then again, we don’t have an Oscar nomination either.
While most of the items are beauty products, there are certain items that are overly opulent, even for an A-list celebrity. Here are eight of the most extravagant items the also-rans will receive after the Oscars statuettes are handed out.
African Safari
Value: $15,580
For those celebrities that won’t be enjoying the glint of a golden statue, they can instead enjoy the golden-colored sunsets of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Premier Tours has offered the Oscar nominees an inimitable vacation for the past four years, and they’ve cut no cost this year. For the 2012 crop of best actors and actresses, the travel company has put into the swag bag an African safari package worth more than $15,000. The star (and a guest, naturally) will be able to view the exotic wildlife while riding atop elephants from the Abu herd on the 5-day trip that seems guaranteed to pamper them even in remote Africa.
Disaronno Customized Party
Value: $15,000
So you didn’t win an Oscar, but surely the mere fact that you were nominated should be reason to celebrate, right? Disaronno, the Italian amaretto liqueur, is offering to throw each celebrity a lavish party starring the fruity, nutty booze and hosted by an artisan mixologist like Willy Shine, Steve Levigni or Carlo Splendorini. But that’s about all the restrictions that the company provides. The rest is up to the stars. They can choose the location, the cocktail menu, and most importantly, the guests – up to 100 of them – to create a unique celebration that’s “fit for Hollywood royalty.” A Disaronno spokewoman said, “We wanted to provide something personal, unique and organic.” Here’s hoping it doesn’t turn into a pity party.
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Blinged-Out Purell
Value: $135
Hand sanitizer knows no social class boundaries, but you can still dress up your tiny $3 bottle of antibacterial gel to show off your elite status. For the stars, Purell has dreamt up a hot pink, Swarovski crystal-studded carrying case for their hand sanitizers. Purell commissioned Crystal Ninja, the Swarovski supergeeks who crystallize everything from iPhones to Range Rovers, to create a custom design for their carrying case. It seems they were able to cram so much bling into the design that it notched the price above a C-note. Which makes us wonder: when did sanitizing become so stylish? Usually we just covertly splash some Purell on our hands, but maybe we should be more flashy about our sanitizing habits.
Inhalable Dessert from Vaportrim
Value $9.95
So it’s not the priciest item in the bag – in fact, it’s the second-cheapest out of all of the 39 items – but it is among the most interesting. If you’re one known to inhale dessert like it were your last meal, Vaportrim is giving you the opportunity to literally inhale your dessert without the caloric penalties. Fooling your senses into thinking that you’re eating a delicious blueberry muffin or peach cobbler, Vaportrim has no calories and nothing to get stuck in your teeth, for that matter. It’s simply artificial flavors that you can inhale from a tube. It looks like a faux cigarette, and you exhale water vapor in just the same way while, well, “eating,” – but it seems rather OK to get addicted to this!
Unlimited Blowouts for One Year
Value: $2,000
Channel your inner DJ Pauly D and treat yourself to unlimited blowouts for an entire year. In all seriousness, these aren’t the same blowouts that the Jersey Shore star gets – the blowouts offered by Beverly Hills’ JM Blowdry are rather sophisticated and involve a full shampoo, blow-drying and your hair-styling of choice. And with each blowout valued at $35 a pop, the stars have the potential to save quite a bit of cash thanks to the swag bags, which will entitle them to become VIBs (Very Important Blowouts, of course) at the salon. They’ll receive walk-in treatment whenever they desire – and, naturally, all the cupcakes and champagne that come with a visit. While this seems like a gift skewed toward the women, we wonder if the treats would be enough to sway, say, George Clooney into a visit.
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Fitness Retreat
Value: $4,850
Punishment by exercise is a premium many will pay for. And Live In Fitness Enterprise, a Los Angeles-based boot camp, realizes that you should probably live under their roof while you undergo your weight loss regimen. So they’ve built an entire facility dedicated to fitness. But it’s not for penny-pinchers. The program, which costs nearly $5,000 a week, comes with everything included: lodging in a private apartment, four – presumably small and ridiculously healthy – meals per day, a seven-hour-a-day workout regime and start-to-finish personal coaching. Their facility boasts a 14,000-square-foot gym (that’s the size of a small New York City apartment building), and Le Cordon Bleu-certified chefs who teach cooking classes. Stars like Jessica Biel and Blake Griffin have all taken advantage of the L.I.F.E. services – and their trainers are now even helping out the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. With all the pressure to look good on the red carpet, might we suggest saving this gift until just before next year’s Oscars?
Tropical Resort in Mexico
Value: $3,350
After the incessant flashing lights and microphones of the evening, a secluded vacation might be at the forefront of these stars’ minds. Imanta Resorts is offering the nominees a two-night stay (with a guest of their choosing) at their Pacific Ocean resort in Punta de Mita, Mexico. Though party-centric Puerto Vallarta is just 30 miles away, the stars will be shrouded from gawkers and paparazzi alike at Imanta’s ocean casas, housed in stunning 2,500-square-foot villas nestled in the forestland of the Mexican coast with a private beach just steps away. It might be tricky attracting the celebs back to Hollywood’s hustle and bustle.
Interior Design
Value: $10,000
For the celebrity that can’t possibly cram any more free swag into his or her home, perhaps a little interior design is of the order? Seyie Design is offering $10,000 worth of their services to the Hollywood tastemakers. Designer Seyie Putsure is an Indian-born fashion and design guru who formerly was an executive for Dolce & Gabbana and Chanel and now focuses on creating chic interiors for homes and businesses. She’s ready to dress up the stars’ dwellings with a mix of haute fashion and functional design. We hope Seyie can help fill the void of the shelf where a little gold man may sadly not stand tomorrow.
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Fans Devour The Hunger Games for a $155-Million Feast
By Richard Corliss | March 25, 2012
Murray Close“You really want to know how to stay alive?” Haymitch Abernathy tells Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of The Hunger Games. “Get people to like you.” Well, Katniss not only survived, she thrived. The movie based on Suzanne Collins’s teen-fave best-seller smashed nearly every record in the box-office annals with $155 million in its first three days of release in North American theaters, according to Lionsgate, its delirious distributor. That number is the third highest ever for an opening weekend, behind the $169.2 million for the Harry Potter finale and $158.4 million for The Dark Knight and ahead of Spider-Man 3. It is the all-time tops for a nonsequel and the best for a film released between December and April. As Haymitch or Sally Field might say about Katniss, they like her, they really like her!
Invading 4,237 theaters and occupying nearly 10,000 screens, including 268 IMAX venues, The Hunger Games played to sold-out crowds and enthralled fans across the country. Audiences surveyed by the CinemaScore polling company awarded the film a straight A, reflecting the indulgent 86% approval grade on the critics’ aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. (Among the few negative voices were reviews from The New York Times, The Financial Times and TIME. The few, the proud, the utterly ignored.) The weekend’s humungous crowd skewed slightly older than the audience for a typical blockbuster: 54% were 25 or older.
(MORE: Is The Hunger Games Too Dark for Kids?)
The movie’s record-smashing success also attested to Girl Power. Fully 61% of the attendees were women — now the largest, most reliable filmgoing audience. It also proves that women will see stories created by women. With two Twilight Saga episodes (New Moon and Breaking Dawn, Part 1) in fifth and sixth places, four of the top six all-time opening weekends are now held by films based on children’s and young-adult novels written by women.
Credit much of the wow status of The Hunger Games to Lionsgate’s a wizardly digital campaign, whose aim was unerring as Katniss’s archery. Essentially, the Lionsgate marketers convinced kids that they were discovering the film on internet sites, rather than being cunningly led to them. Last month Lionsgate bought Summit, the producers of the Twilight franchise, just in time to exceed the megagrosses of New Moon and Breaking Dawn 1. The indie company, which geared up for film production in 2006, can now boast three of the top six openings of all time. Because of the merger, the marketing geniuses who made The Hunger Games work may soon loses their jobs. In Hollywood, “thanks” is a four-letter word.
We’ll have a wrapup of the other box-office data later today.
Houston drowned in hot water, coroner says
Heart disease and cocaine use contributed to the Grammy winner's death, final report concludes. An expert says the amount of coke was not at a toxic level.
April 5, 2012 By Andrew Blankstein and Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times
The coroner's investigation into the death of Whitney Houston came to a close Wednesday with a final autopsy report that described the singer submerged face-down in hot water in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel suite with a unidentified white powdery residue left in a spoon on the bathroom counter.
The report released Wednesday confirmed that the 48-year-old singer drowned in a bathtub, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors. It concluded that Houston's death was accidental.
A personal assistant found her dead in the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the report said. The water was described as "extremely hot," and the singer had scalding burns when she was examined.
Houston was last seen alive by her personal assistant Feb. 11 between 2:45 p.m. and 3 p.m., the report stated.
The singer had complained of having a sore throat in the days leading up to her death. Before the assistant left, she told Houston to "take a bath to start getting ready for tonight," referring to a pre-Grammy party thrown by her mentor, producer Clive Davis.
The personal assistant left to pick up items at Neiman Marcus and returned to the locked hotel room at 3:36 p.m. When she went into the bathroom, she found Houston face-down and unresponsive in the tub, the report stated.
She called out to a bodyguard, the report stated, and they pulled Houston out of the bathtub. The assistant ran to call the front desk and told them to call 911.
On a counter in the bathroom, investigators found an ashtray filled with cigarette butts and a "small spoon with a white crystal-like substance in it, and a rolled-up piece of white paper." They also found prescription drug bottles on the counter and a small plastic bag that had been ripped open. In a drawer, they found a portable mirror with more remnants of a white, powdery substance. Coroner's officials said they did not test the powder, saying that was a job for police. The Beverly Hills Police Department did not release any information about the substance Wednesday.
Houston had battled drug addiction for years, and the report found that she had a perforation in her nose typical of habitual cocaine users. Toxicology test results showed that she had cocaine in her system at the time of death. The coroner's office also found traces of several other drugs — including marijuana, the anti-anxiety medication Xanax, the muscle relaxant Flexeril as well as Benadryl — in her system.
Dr. Nachman Brautbar, a toxicologist and professor emeritus at USC who reviewed the toxicology report, said the level of cocaine in Houston's system was not at a toxic level. He estimated that she had taken the cocaine two hours or more before getting in the tub.
Brautbar said none of the drugs on their own were at a toxic level, but the combination might have contributed to her losing consciousness and slipping under water.
"The combination was toxic for her," he said.
The release of the report also means that police will be able to wrap up their investigation into Houston's death. Lt. Mark Rosen, a spokesman for the Beverly Hills Police Department, said the investigation had been on hold pending release of the final coroner's report.
今シーズンのアメリカンアイドルのコンテスタントは例年になく粒ぞろいで目が話せない。3人のジャッジが優勝候補の筆頭と太鼓判を推すフィリピン系アメリカンのジェシカ・サンチェスが前日の舞台の視聴者投票で最低数を獲得。今週で消える運命になったが、納得しない3人のジャッジが唯一許された拒否権を行使し彼女を助ける。来週もコンテストに参加できるようにした。予想外のちょっと趣の違ったエピソードであった。
"American Idol" judges save Jessica Sanchez
By Andrea Burzynski
NEW YORK | Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:20am EDT
NEW YORK(Reuters) - Jessica Sanchez, the youngest finalist on TV singing contest "American Idol," was dramatically saved from elimination on Thursday by the show's judges as she performed a last chance song to prove she was worthy of continuing.
With Jennifer Lopez leading the way, fellow judges Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler stormed the stage and announced they were using their only "save" to keep Sanchez on the show shortly after Sanchez was told she had received the fewest fan votes this week.
"Give me that mic!," Lopez exclaimed as she rushed up to Sanchez. "This is crazy!"
This season, "Idol" judges were allotted one "save" to override audience votes and keep a promising contestant on the show. All of them must agree, and if the "save" had not been used by next week's performance, it would have expired.
Sanchez, who sang Deborah Cox's song "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" to close out the show, appeared bewildered by both her last place finish and her save.
Then again, bewilderment seemed to be a theme of a wild evening on the No. 1-rated U.S. TV singing contest.
Host Ryan Seacrest began by directing contestants to opposite sides of the stage without telling them which group was safe and which group was in danger of going home. With three singers in each group, Seacrest told remaining contestant Skylar Laine that she would stay and instructed her to "pick the group you think you belong with."
After a shocked Laine protested, Seacrest guided her to a group he finally pronounced as safe, leaving Elise Testone, Joshua Ledet and Sanchez in the bottom three. All three judges expressed confusion and dismay with this outcome. At the end of the show, Jackson admonished audiences to vote more wisely.
This week, audiences judged contestants based on performances of songs from the present decade in Wednesday night's telecast.
Thursday's results episode featured two performances from former "Idol" contestants. Jennifer Hudson, who received an assist from Ne-Yo, sang "Think Like a Man", and James Durbin sang his song "Higher than Heaven."
"Idol", which first aired in on Fox in 2002, has launched the careers of singers Kelly Clarkson and Adam Lambert. Audiences vote for their favorite performers by phone and text message each week as contestants are challenged by a variety of musical styles. The winning contestant receives a recording contract. This season's winner will be decided in May.
(Reporting By Andrea Burzynski; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)