Neil Anthony Moon

Manchester United Complete Squad 2009-2010

2009-08-02T16:45:00.001+01:00

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First Team, Reserves, & Academy players

(Positions and squad numbers)

GOALKEEPER
1 Edwin Van Der Sar
12 Ben Foster
29 Tomasz Kuszczak
40 Ben Amos
Tom Heaton
38 Ron-Robert Zieler
Conor Devlin
Sam Johnstone
James Wren (TRIAL)

RIGHT BACK
21 Rafael Da Silva
2 Gary Neville
Danny Simpson
36 David Gray
Scott Moffatt
Alberto Massacci
Michael Keane
Luke Giverin

LEFT BACK
3 Patrice Evra
22 John O'Shea
20 Fabio Da Silva
Joe Dudgeon
Ezekiel Fryers

CENTRE BACK
5 Rio Ferdinand
15 Nemanja Vidic
23 Jonny Evans
6 Wes Brown
37 Craig Cathcart
44 Ritchie De Laet
39 James Chester
Oliver Gill
Reece Brown
Scott Wootton
Sean McGinty
Tom Thorpe

MIDFIELD
16 Michael Carrick
8 Oliveira Anderson
11 Ryan Giggs
24 Darren Fletcher
18 Paul Scholes
4 Owen Hargreaves
28 Darron Gibson
34 Rodrigo Possebon (LOAN)
33 Sam Hewson
Adem Ljajic (LOAN)
35 Tom Cleverley
43 Davide Petrucci
45 Corry Evans
46 Danny Drinkwater
47 Matt James
Oliver Norwood
Magnus Eikrem
Ryan Tunnicliffe
Etzaz Hussain
Larnell Cole
Paul Pogba

RIGHT WING
25 Antonio Valencia
13 Ji-Sung Park
Cameron Stewart
Ravel Morrison

LEFT WING
17 Nani
14 Zoran Tosic
26 Gabriel Obertan
Rob Brady
Johnny Gorman
Rico Gomes

STRIKER
10 Wayne Rooney
9 Dimitar Berbatov
7 Michael Owen
41 Federico Macheda
19 Danny Welbeck
Mame Biram Diouf (LOAN)
Febian Brandy
Nicky Ajose
Joshua King
Will Keane
John Cofie
Michael Ngoo (TRIAL)
Jesse Lingard

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AWARDS SEASON 1990

2009-04-07T10:49:00.002+01:00

At the Awards ceremonies in early 1991, celebrating the cinematic performances of 1990, the big winner was Whoopi Goldberg, who took all three Best Supporting Actress awards for "Ghost". Jeremy Irons and Kathy Bates both took home the OSCAR and Golden Globe for "Reversal of Fortune" and "Misery" respectively.
The two leads of "Cinema Paradiso" (Philippe Noiret and Salvatore Cascio) took the male acting awards at the BAFTA's, while the other notable gongs went to Julia Roberts for "Pretty Woman" at the Globes, and Joe Pesci's supporting "Goodfellas" gangster at the OSCARS.

In total, 42 actors and actresses were nominated in 1990.

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Whoopi Goldberg “GHOST”
Best Supporting Actress WINNER (OSCARS, Golden Globes, BAFTA’s)

Jeremy Irons “REVERSAL OF FORTUNE”
Best Actor WINNER (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Kathy Bates “MISERY”
Best Actress WINNER (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Jessica Tandy “DRIVING MISS DAISY”
Best Actress WINNER (BAFTA’s)

Anjelica Huston “THE GRIFTERS”
Best Actress Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes),
“CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Al Pacino “DICK TRACY”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes, BAFTA’s),
“THE GODFATHER PART III”
Best Actor Nominee (Golden Globes)

Gerard Depardieu "GREEN CARD"
Best Actor Musical & Comedy WINNER (Golden Globes),
"CYRANO DE BERGERAC"
Best Actor Nominee (OSCARS)

Joe Pesci “GOODFELLAS”
Best Supporting Actor WINNER (OSCARS), Nominee (Golden Globes)

Kevin Costner “DANCES WITH WOLVES”
Best Actor Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Richard Harris “THE FIELD”
Best Actor Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Bruce Davison “LONGTIME COMPANION”
Best Supporting Actor WINNER (Golden Globes), Nominee (OSCARS)

Philippe Noiret "CINEMA PARADISO"
Best Actor WINNER (BAFTA's)

Salvatore Cascio “CINEMA PARADISO”
Best Supporting Actor WINNER (BAFTA’s)

Julia Roberts “PRETTY WOMAN”
Best Actress Musical & Comedy WINNER (Golden Globes), Nominee (OSCARS, BAFTA’s)

Robert De Niro “AWAKENINGS”
Best Actor Nominee (OSCARS), “GOODFELLAS” Best Actor Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Shirley MacLaine “POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE”
Best Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s), Best Supporting Actress Nominee (Golden Globes),
“STEEL MAGNOLIAS”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Joanne Woodward “MR. & MRS. BRIDGE”
Best Actress Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Meryl Streep “POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE”
Best Actress Nominee (OSCARS), Best Actress Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Andy Garcia “THE GODFATHER PART III”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Lorraine Bracco “GOODFELLAS”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Mary McDonnell “DANCES WITH WOLVES”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Diane Ladd “WILD AT HEART”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Michelle Pfeiffer “THE RUSSIA HOUSE”
Best Actress Nominee (Golden Globes),
“THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS”
Best Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Robin Williams “AWAKENINGS”
Best Actor Nominee (Golden Globes)

Susan Sarandon “WHITE PALACE”
Best Actress Nominee (Golden Globes)

Johnny Depp “EDWARD SCISSORHANDS”
Best Actor Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Patrick Swayze “GHOST” Best Actor Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Richard Gere “PRETTY WOMAN” Best Actor Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Macaulay Culkin “HOME ALONE” Best Actor Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Demi Moore “GHOST” Best Actress Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Andie Macdowell “GREEN CARD” Best Actress Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Mia Farrow “ALICE” Best Actress Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Tom Cruise “BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY” Best Actor Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Sean Connery “THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER” Best Actor Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Graham Greene “DANCES WITH WOLVES” Best Supporting Actor Nominee (OSCARS)

Annette Bening “THE GRIFTERS” Best Supporting Actress Nominee (OSCARS)

Hector Elizondo “PRETTY WOMAN” Best Supporting Actor Nominee (Golden Globes)

Armand Assante “Q & A” Best Supporting Actor Nominee (Golden Globes)

Winona Ryder “MERMAIDS” Best Supporting Actress Nominee (Golden Globes)

Alan Alda “CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS” Best Supporting Actor Nominee (BAFTA’s)

John Hurt “THE FIELD” Best Supporting Actor Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Billie Whitelaw “THE KRAYS” Best Supporting Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

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The OSCARS, Golden Globes, and BAFTA's all have a Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress category. However, the Globes also have additional Best Actor & Actress categories for roles in Musical & Comedy films. Therefore an entire "awards season" for the three major ceremonies involves fourteen different awards on offer.
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AWARDS SEASON 1989

2009-04-06T16:47:00.003+01:00

At the Awards ceremonies in early 1990, celebrating the cinematic performances of 1989, the big winners were Daniel Day-Lewis and Jessica Tandy for their respective roles in "My Left Foot" and "Driving Miss Daisy". But Tandy had to wait until the following year to collect her BAFTA for the same role, while Day-Lewis lost out to Tom Cruise in "Born On The Fourth of July" at the Golden Globes. Michelle Pfeiffer picked up two awards for "The Fabulous Baker Boys" and "Dangerous Liaisons", while Denzel Washington's turn in "Glory" won two of the three Supporting Actor statues up for grabs. It was closer in the Supporting Actress category where Brenda Fricker ("My Left Foot") and Julia Roberts ("Steel Magnolias") took the OSCAR and Golden Globe respectively.

In total, 44 actors and actresses were nominated in 1989.

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Daniel Day-Lewis “MY LEFT FOOT”
Best Actor WINNER (OSCARS, BAFTA’s), Nominee (Golden Globes)

Michelle Pfeiffer “THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS”
Best Actress WINNER (Golden Globes), Nominee (OSCARS),
“DANGEROUS LIAISONS” Best Supporting Actress WINNER (BAFTA’s)

Jessica Tandy “DRIVING MISS DAISY”
Best Actress WINNER (OSCARS), Best Actress Musical & Comedy WINNER (Golden Globes)

Denzel Washington “GLORY”
Best Supporting Actor WINNER (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Pauline Collins “SHIRLEY VALENTINE”
Best Actress WINNER (BAFTA’s), Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Tom Cruise “BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY”
Best Actor WINNER (Golden Globes), Nominee (OSCARS)

Morgan Freeman “DRIVING MISS DAISY”
Best Actor Musical & Comedy WINNER (Golden Globes), Best Actor Nominee (OSCARS)

Julia Roberts “STEEL MAGNOLIAS”
Best Supporting Actress WINNER (Golden Globes), Nominee (OSCARS)

Robin Williams “DEAD POETS SOCIETY”
Best Actor Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes, BAFTA’s)

Marlon Brando “A DRY WHITE SEASON”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes, BAFTA’s)

Brenda Fricker “MY LEFT FOOT”
Best Supporting Actress WINNER (OSCARS), Nominee (Golden Globes)

Kenneth Branagh “HENRY V”
Best Actor Nominee (OSCARS, BAFTA’s)

Jessica Lange “MUSIC BOX”
Best Actress Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Jack Nicholson “BATMAN”
Best Actor Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes), Best Supporting Actor Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Danny Aiello “DO THE RIGHT THING”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Dianne Wiest “PARENTHOOD”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (OSCARS, Golden Globes)

Sean Connery “INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (Golden Globes, BAFTA’s)

Laura San Giacomo “SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (Golden Globes, BAFTA’s)

Ray McAnally “MY LEFT FOOT”
Best Supporting Actor WINNER (BAFTA’s)

Isabelle Adjani “CAMILLE CLAUDEL”
Best Actress Nominee (OSCARS)

Jack Lemmon “DAD”
Best Actor Nominee (Golden Globes)

Al Pacino “SEA OF LOVE”
Best Actor Nominee (Golden Globes)

Sally Field “STEEL MAGNOLIAS”
Best Actress Nominee (Golden Globes)

Andie Macdowell “SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE”
Best Actress Nominee (Golden Globes)

Liv Ullmann “THE ROSEGARDEN”
Best Actress Nominee (Golden Globes)

Dustin Hoffman “RAIN MAN”
Best Actor Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Jodie Foster “THE ACCUSED”
Best Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Melanie Griffith “WORKING GIRL”
Best Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Billy Crystal “WHEN HARRY MET SALLY ...”
Best Actor Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Steve Martin “PARENTHOOD”
Best Actor Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Michael Douglas “THE WAR OF THE ROSES”
Best Actor Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Meg Ryan “WHEN HARRY MET SALLY ...”
Best Actress Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Kathleen Turner “THE WAR OF THE ROSES”
Best Actress Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Meryl Streep “SHE-DEVIL”
Best Actress Musical & Comedy Nominee (Golden Globes)

Glenn Close “DANGEROUS LIAISONS”
Best Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Dan Aykroyd “DRIVING MISS DAISY”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (OSCARS)

Martin Landau “CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (OSCARS)

Anjelica Huston “ENEMIES, A LOVE STORY”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (OSCARS)

Lena Olin “ENEMIES, A LOVE STORY”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (OSCARS)

Ed Harris “JACKNIFE”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (Golden Globes)

Bruce Willis “IN COUNTRY”
Best Supporting Actor Nominee (Golden Globes)

Bridget Fonda “SCANDAL”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (Golden Globes)

Sigourney Weaver “WORKING GIRL”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

Peggy Ashcroft “MADAME SOUSATZKA”
Best Supporting Actress Nominee (BAFTA’s)

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The OSCARS, Golden Globes, and BAFTA's all have a Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress category. However, the Globes also have additional Best Actor & Actress categories for roles in Musical & Comedy films. Therefore an entire "awards season" for the three major ceremonies involves fourteen different awards on offer.
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Moon's Oscars! My Nominations!

2009-02-25T11:55:00.002Z

"Slumdog Millionaire" was a good movie, but I always like it when the Academy Awards are shared among a number of films. If I was able to nominate, I would make the following selections in the major categories:

BEST PICTURE
MILK
Rachel Getting Married
The Wrestler
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost / Nixon

BEST DIRECTOR
GUS VAN SANT (MILK)
Jonathan Demme (Rachel Getting Married)
Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler)
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
Baz Luhrmann (Australia)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
DUSTIN LANCE BLACK (MILK)
Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)
Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky)
Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married)
Martin McDonagh (In Bruges)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
PETER MORGAN (FROST / NIXON)
Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)
Eric Roth & Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)
Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road)

BEST ACTOR
SEAN PENN (MILK)
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
Frank Langella (Frost / Nixon)
Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)

BEST ACTRESS
KATE WINSLET (THE READER)
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
Meryl Streep (Doubt)
Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky)
Kristin Scott Thomas (I've Loved You So Long)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (DOUBT)
James Franco (Milk)
Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)
Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges)
Michael Sheen (Frost / Nixon)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
PENELOPE CRUZ (VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA)
Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married)
Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)
Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds)
Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

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Oscar Winners 2008 (February 2009 ceremony)

2009-02-25T11:06:00.002Z

So most of the predictions came true - "Slumdog Millionaire" almost swept the board at the Oscars, leaving the 13 nominations of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" in its wake. I really thought the Academy might end up giving Best Picture to "Button" while praising "Slumdog" director Danny Boyle, as history says that the epic Americana often takes home the top prize.
Had I been a betting man I would have lost money on Best Actor where the exceptional Sean Penn deservedly picked up his second trophy in a matter of years, ahead of sentimental favourite, Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler".

Here are the results in full:

BEST PICTURE
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Frost / Nixon
The Reader

BEST DIRECTOR
DANNY BOYLE (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE)
David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Gus Van Sant (Milk)
Ron Howard (Frost / Nixon)
Stephen Daldry (The Reader)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
DUSTIN LANCE BLACK (MILK)
Andrew Stanton & Peter Docter (Wall-E)
Martin McDonagh (In Bruges)
Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky)
Courtney Hunt (Frozen River)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
SIMON BEAUFOY (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE)
Eric Roth & Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)
Peter Morgan (Frost / Nixon)
David Hare (The Reader)

BEST ACTOR
SEAN PENN (MILK)
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
Frank Langella (Frost / Nixon)
Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)
Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

BEST ACTRESS
KATE WINSLET (THE READER)
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
Meryl Streep (Doubt)
Angelina Jolie (Changeling)
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
HEATH LEDGER (THE DARK KNIGHT)
Robert Downey, Jr. (Tropic Thunder)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)
Josh Brolin (Milk)
Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
PENELOPE CRUZ (VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA)
Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)
Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Amy Adams (Doubt)
Viola Davis (Doubt)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
DEPARTURES (Japan)
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Class (France)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
Revanche (Austria)

BEST ANIMATED FILM
WALL-E
Kung-Fu Panda
Bolt

CINEMATOGRAPHY
ANTHONY DOD MANTLE (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE)
Claudio Miranda (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Roger Deakins & Chris Menges (The Reader)
Wally Pfister (The Dark Knight)
Tom Stern (Changeling)

EDITING
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Frost / Nixon
The Dark Knight

ART DIRECTION
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
The Duchess
The Dark Knight
Changeling
Revolutionary Road

COSTUME DESIGN
THE DUCHESS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Australia
Revolutionary Road

VISUAL EFFECTS
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

MAKE-UP
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

ORIGINAL SCORE
A.R. RAHMAN (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE)
Alexandre Desplat (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Danny Elfman (Milk)
Thomas Newman (Wall-E)
James Newton Howard (Defiance)

ORIGINAL SONG
"JAI-HO" (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE)
"O Saya" (Slumdog Millionaire)
"Down To Earth" (Wall-E)

SOUND
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Wall-E
Wanted

SOUND EDITING
THE DARK KNIGHT
Slumdog Millionaire
Iron Man
Wall-E
Wanted

Total Wins

*Only 9 0f the 31 movies nominated actually won an Oscar
* "Frost / Nixon" was the only Best Picture nominee to not win an award

8 Slumdog Millionaire
3 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2 Milk
2 The Dark Knight
1 The Reader
1 Vicky Cristina Barcelona
1 Wall-E
1 The Duchess
1 Departures
0 Frost / Nixon
0 Doubt
0 Changeling
0 The Wrestler
0 Revolutionary Road
0 Frozen River
0 Wanted
0 Iron Man
0 Rachel Getting Married
0 The Visitor
0 Tropic Thunder
0 Happy-Go-Lucky
0 In Bruges
0 Australia
0 Defiance
0 Kung-Fu Panda
0 Bolt
0 Hellboy II: The Golden Army
0 The Baader Meinhof Complex
0 The Class
0 Waltz With Bashir
0 Revanche

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Oscar Nominations 2008 (February 2009 ceremony)

2009-01-22T22:38:00.003Z

All the guessing is over! The nominations for the 81st Academy Awards have been announced, and with only one month until the ceremony, the predictions can start for who will actually go home with the Oscars!

With the most nods, it looks like a straight battle between "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Slumdog Millionaire" for Best Picture. I have a feeling that this could be one of those rare years when the Picture and Director Oscars go to different films. What price Best Picture for "Benjamin Button" while rewarding the vitality of Danny Boyle's direction of "Slumdog Millionaire"?

Here are the nominations in full:

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13 nominations

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

* Best Picture
* Best Director - David Fincher
* Best Adapted Screenplay - Eric Roth & Robin Swicord
* Best Actor - Brad Pitt
* Best Supporting Actress - Taraji P. Henson
* Best Cinematography - Claudio Miranda
* Best Original Score - Alexandre Desplat
* Best Sound
* Best Editing
* Best Art Direction
* Best Costume Design
* Best Make-Up
* Best Visual Effects

10 nominations

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
* Best Picture
* Best Director - Danny Boyle
* Best Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy
* Best Cinematography - Anthony Dod Mantle
* Best Editing
* Best Original Score - A.R. Rahman
* Best Original Song - "O Saya"
* Best Original Song - "Jai Ho"
* Best Sound
* Best Sound Editing

8 nominations

THE DARK KNIGHT
* Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger
* Best Cinematography - Wally Pfister
* Best Editing
* Best Art Direction
* Best Make-Up
* Best Sound
* Best Sound Editing
* Best Visual Effects

MILK
* Best Picture
* Best Director - Gus Van Sant
* Best Original Screenplay - Dustin Lance Black
* Best Actor - Sean Penn
* Best Supporting Actor - Josh Brolin
* Best Editing
* Best Original Score - Danny Elfman
* Best Costume Design

6 nominations

WALL-E
* Best Original Screenplay - Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter
* Best Animated Feature
* Best Original Score - Thomas Newman
* Best Original Song - "Down To You"
* Best Sound
* Best Sound Editing

5 nominations

DOUBT
* Best Adapted Screenplay - John Patrick Shanley
* Best Actress - Meryl Streep
* Best Supporting Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman
* Best Supporting Actress - Amy Adams
* Best Supporting Actress - Viola Davis

FROST / NIXON
* Best Picture
* Best Director - Ron Howard
* Best Adapted Screenplay - Peter Morgan
* Best Actor - Frank Langella
* Best Editing

THE READER
* Best Picture
* Best Director - Stephen Daldry
* Best Adapted Screenplay - David Hare
* Best Actress - Kate Winslet
* Best Cinematography - Roger Deakins & Chris Menges

3 nominations

CHANGELING
* Best Actress - Angelina Jolie
* Best Cinematography - Tom Stern
* Best Art Direction

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
* Best Supporting Actor - Michael Shannon
* Best Art Direction
* Best Costume Design

2 nominations

THE DUCHESS
* Best Art Direction
* Best Costume Design

FROZEN RIVER
* Best Original Screenplay - Courtney Hunt
* Best Actress - Melissa Leo

IRON MAN
* Best Sound Editing
* Best Visual Effects

WANTED
* Best Sound
* Best Sound Editing

THE WRESTLER
* Best Actor - Mickey Rourke
* Best Supporting Actress - Marisa Tomei

1 nomination

AUSTRALIA
* Best Costume Design

THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX
* Best Foreign Language Film

BOLT
* Best Animated Feature

THE CLASS
* Best Foreign Language Film

DEFIANCE
* Best Original Score - James Newton Howard

DEPARTURES
* Best Foreign Language Film

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
* Best Original Screenplay - Mike Leigh

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
* Best Make-Up

IN BRUGES
* Best Original Screenplay - Martin McDonagh

KUNG-FU PANDA
* Best Animated Feature

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
* Best Actress - Anne Hathaway

REVANCHE
* Best Foreign Language Film

TROPIC THUNDER
* Best Supporting Actor - Robert Downey Jr.

VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
* Best Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz

THE VISITOR
* Best Actor - Richard Jenkins

WALTZ WITH BASHIR
* Best Foreign Language Film

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Oscar Contenders 2008 (2009 ceremony)

2009-01-18T23:57:00.004Z

This week we shall finally see which films will be nominated for the 2008 Academy Awards. After the major triumphs of "Slumdog Millionaire" at the Golden Globes, with major contenders "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Doubt", and "Frost / Nixon" going away empty-handed, which way will the Oscar voters be leaning?

Here is an alphabetical list of the movies that I think are potential Oscar-nominees across all of the categories. Movies in italics are the final short-list for the Foreign Language Film award. Movies in bold print WILL be nominated:

Adam Resurrected
Appaloosa
Australia
The Baader-Meinhof Complex
Ballast
Blindness
Body of Lies
Bolt
Brideshead Revisited
The Brothers Bloom
Burn After Reading
Cadillac Records
Changeling
Che: Part One (The Argentine)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Class
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Defiance
Departures
Doubt
The Duchess
Elegy
Everlasting Moments
The Fall
Flash of Genius
Frost / Nixon
Frozen River
Gomorrah
Good
Gran Torino
Happy-Go-Lucky
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
In Bruges
The Incredible Hulk
Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
I've Loved You So Long
Journey To The Center of the Earth
Kung-Fu Panda
Last Chance Harvey
Local Color
Mamma Mia!
Milk
The Necessities of Life
Nothing But The Truth
The Other Boleyn Girl
Pineapple Express
Quantam of Solace
Rachel Getting Married
The Reader
Revanche
Revolutionary Road
Seven Pounds
Slumdog Millionaire
Snow Angels
Synechdoche, New York
3 Monkeys
Tear This One Out
Tropic Thunder
Valkyrie
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The Visitor
W.
Wall-E
Waltz With Bashir
Wendy & Lucy
What Doesn't Kill You
The Wrestler

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BAFTA Nominees 2008-2009

2009-01-16T16:02:00.002Z

Here are the BAFTA nominations announced in January 2009:

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11 nominations

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
* Best Film
* Best Director – David Fincher
* Best Adapted Screenplay – Eric Roth
* Leading Actor – Brad Pitt
* Music – Alexandre Desplat
* Cinematography – Claudio Miranda
* Editing
* Production Design
* Costume Design
* Special Visual Effects
* Make-Up and Hair

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
* Best Film
* Outstanding British Film
* Best Director – Danny Boyle
* Best Adapted Screenplay – Simon Beaufoy
* Leading Actor – Dev Patel
* Supporting Actress – Freida Pinto
* Music – A.R. Rahman
* Cinematography – Anthony Dod Mantle
* Editing
* Production Design
* Sound

9 nominations

THE DARK KNIGHT
* Supporting Actor – Heath Ledger
* Music – Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
* Cinematography – Wally Pfister
* Editing
* Production Design
* Costume Design
* Sound
* Special Visual Effects
* Make-Up and Hair

8 nominations

CHANGELING
* Best Director – Clint Eastwod
* Best Original Screenplay – J. Michael Straczynski
* Leading Actress – Angelina Jolie
* Cinematography – Tom Stern
* Editing
* Production Design
* Costume Design
* Sound

6 nominations

FROST / NIXON
* Best Film
* Best Director – Ron Howard
* Best Adapted Screenplay – Peter Morgan
* Leading Actor – Frank Langella
* Editing
* Make-Up and Hair

5 nominations

THE READER
* Best Film
* Best Director – Stephen Daldry
* Best Adapted Screenplay – David Hare
* Leading Actress – Kate Winslet
* Cinematography – Chris Menges & Roger Deakins

4 nominations

IN BRUGES
* Outstanding British Film
* Best Original Screenplay – Martin McDonagh
* Supporting Actor – Brendan Gleeson
* Editing

MILK
* Best Film
* Best Original Screenplay – Dustin Lance Black
* Leading Actor – Sean Penn
* Make-Up and Hair

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
* Best Adapted Screenplay – Justin Haythe
* Leading Actress – Kate Winslet
* Production Design
* Costume Design

3 nominations

BURN AFTER READING
* Best Original Screenplay – Joel & Ethan Coen
* Supporting Actor – Brad Pitt
* Supporting Actress – Tilda Swinton

DOUBT
* Leading Actress – Meryl Streep
* Supporting Actor – Philip Seymour Hoffman
* Supporting Actress – Amy Adams

I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG
* Best Original Screenplay – Philippe Claudel
* Film Not In The English Language
* Leading Actress – Kristin Scott Thomas

WALL- E
* Animated Film
* Music – Thomas Newman
* Sound

2 nominations

THE DUCHESS
* Costume Design
* Make-Up and Hair

MAMMA MIA!
* Outstanding British Film
* Music – Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus

PERSEPOLIS
* Film Not In The English Language
* Animated Film

QUANTAM OF SOLACE
* Sound
* Special Visual Effects

THE WRESTLER
* Leading Actor – Mickey Rourke
* Supporting Actress – Marisa Tomei

1 nomination

THE BAADER-MEINHOF COMPLEX
* Film Not In The English Language

GOMORRAH
* Film Not In The English Language

HUNGER
* Outstanding British Film

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
* Special Visual Effects

IRON MAN
* Special Visual Effects

MAN ON WIRE
* Outstanding British Film

TROPIC THUNDER
* Supporting Actor – Robert Downey, Jr.

VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
* Supporting Actress – Penelope Cruz

WALTZ WITH BASHIR
* Animated Film

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Ten Years of Awards: Oscar and Golden Globe Acting nominations from 1999-2008

2009-01-04T14:10:00.004Z

The past decade, from 1999-2008, represents a pretty interesting and vital time in cinema history. In terms of who the Oscars and Golden Globes chose to nominate in their various acting categories, only 214 performers have the distinction of being a "nominee" or "winner" to boost their box office potential.

I came up with a points system to represent the combination of Best Actor / Actress and Best Supporting Actor / Actress wins and nominations that could have been accrued from both the Oscar and Golden Globe ceremonies. I believe even an Oscar nomination holds more kudos than a victory at the Globes (with a Globe Best Actor victory just about having the higher value than an Oscar Supporting nod!), so my points scale is as follows:

20 points - Oscar WIN for Best Actor / Actress
17 points - Oscar WIN for Best Supporting Actor / Actress
15 points - Oscar NOMINATION for Best Actor / Actress
13 points - Golden Globe WIN for Best Actor / Actress
12 points - Oscar NOMINATION for Best Supporting Actor / Actress
10 points - Golden Globe WIN for Best Supporting Actor / Actress
8 points - Golden Globe NOMINATION for Best Actor / Actress
5 points - Golden Globe NOMINATION for Best Supporting Actor / Actress

When you tally up the points, can you guess who has had the most Hollywood acclaim in the past decade? No, you probably can't!

Well, top of the list is Renee Zellweger! Her 107 points tally as follows:

In 2000

* 13 points
GLOBES WIN Best Actress (Musical or Comedy)
NURSE BETTY

In 2001

* 8 points
GLOBES NOM Best Actress (Musical or Comedy)
BRIDGET JONES' DIARY

* 15 points
OSCAR NOM Best Actress
BRIDGET JONES' DIARY

In 2002

* 13 points
GLOBES WIN Best Actress (Musical or Comedy)
CHICAGO

* 15 points
OSCAR NOM Best Actress
CHICAGO

In 2003

* 10 points
GLOBES NOM Best Supporting Actress
COLD MOUNTAIN

* 17 points
OSCAR WIN Best Supporting Actress
COLD MOUNTAIN

In 2004

* 8 points
GLOBES NOM Best Actress (Musical or Comedy)
BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON

In 2006

* 8 points
GLOBES NOM Best Actress (Musical or Comedy)
MISS POTTER

But is she really top of the tree at the start of 2009? Most of her awards success was between 2000-2003.

Right now in Hollywood, I believe there are certain actors and actresses who are "hot" and most likely to gain awards success. Many others are on the down slide, even if they had success a few years ago. How about those "one hit wonders" who had a great role, scooped up every award going, but seem destined to never repeat the acclaim? Halle Berry in "Monster's Ball" for example?

Here is my full pecking order:

Actresses Moving Up!

CATE BLANCHETT - 100 points
MERYL STREEP - 97 points
KATE WINSLET - 76 points
ANGELINA JOLIE - 43 points
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY - 39 points
LAURA LINNEY - 63 points
HILARY SWANK - 66 points
REESE WITHERSPOON - 49 points
FRANCES McDORMAND - 42 points
AMY ADAMS - 25 points
SCARLET JOHANSSON - 29 points
PENELOPE CRUZ - 28 points
TILDA SWINTON - 30 points
MARION COTILLARD - 33 points

Actresses Sliding Down!

RENEE ZELLWEGER - 107 points
JUDI DENCH - 86 points
NICOLE KIDMAN - 85 points
HELEN MIRREN - 58 points
JULIANNE MOORE - 66 points
CHARLIZE THERON - 56 points
ANNETTE BENING - 53 points
JULIA ROBERTS - 46 points
DIANE LANE - 31 points

Actors Moving Up!

JOHNNY DEPP - 85 points
LEONARDO DICAPRIO - 75 points
SEAN PENN - 79 points
JAVIER BARDEM - 66 points
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN - 63 points
GEORGE CLOONEY - 63 points
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS - 56 points
WILL SMITH - 46 points
BEN KINGSLEY - 40 points
BENICIO DEL TORO - 39 points
TOM WILKINSON - 32 points

Actors Sliding Down!

RUSSELL CROWE - 95 points
DENZEL WASHINGTON - 64 points
JACK NICHOLSON - 41 points
JAMIE FOXX - 50 points
JOAQUIN PHOENIX - 45 points
KEVIN SPACEY - 44 points
JUDE LAW - 45 points
TOM CRUISE - 35 points
MICHAEL CAINE - 45 points
TOM HANKS - 36 points

Actors Who Have Passed Away

HEATH LEDGER - 28 points

To be continued .......

Golden Globe Nominated Films Since 2000

2009-01-03T14:05:00.014Z

At the nine Golden Globes ceremonies held from 2000-2008 (including the awards to be given out in January 2009) there were 300 films receiving a combined 611 Golden Globe nominations.

Unlike the Oscars with a whole raft of production awards on offer, the Golden Globes has a smaller number of statues to dish out. However, due to the distinction between 'Drama' and 'Musical or Comedy' there are two additional acting categories.

The Best Picture (for both the 'Drama' and the 'Musical or Comedy' categories) nominees are in bold type, with the Best Pictures of the year also underlined. The director and year of the movie is listed afterwards:

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8 nominations

CHICAGO (Rob Marshall, 2002)
COLD MOUNTAIN (Anthony Minghella, 2003)

7 nominations

ATONEMENT (Joe Wright, 2007)
BABEL (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 2006)
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (Ang Lee, 2005)
THE HOURS (Stephen Daldry, 2002)
SIDEWAYS (Alexander Payne, 2004)

6 nominations

ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze, 2002)
THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese, 2004)
A BEAUTIFUL MIND (Ron Howard, 2001)
THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese, 2006)
MOULIN ROUGE! (Baz Luhrmann, 2001)

5 nominations

ABOUT SCHMIDT (Alexander Payne, 2002)
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (Mike Nichols, 2007)
CLOSER (Mike Nichols, 2004)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (David Fincher, 2008)
DOUBT (John Patrick Shanley, 2008)
DREAMGIRLS (Bill Condon, 2006)
FINDING NEVERLAND (Marc Forster, 2005)
FROST / NIXON (Ron Howard, 2008)
GANGS OF NEW YORK (Martin Scorsese, 2002)
GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott, 2000)
GOSFORD PARK (Robert Altman, 2001)
LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sofia Coppola, 2003)
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Clint Eastwood, 2004)
MYSTIC RIVER (Clint Eastwood, 2003)
TRAFFIC (Steven Soderbergh, 2000)

4 nominations

ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe, 2000)
BIG FISH (Tim Burton, 2003)
CHOCOLAT (Lasse Hallstrom, 2000)
ERIN BROCKOVICH (Steven Soderbergh, 2000)
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry, 2004)
FAR FROM HEAVEN (Todd Haynes, 2002)
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK (George Clooney, 2005)
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (Peter Jackson, 2001)
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson, 2003)
MATCH POINT (Woody Allen, 2005)
MICHAEL CLAYTON (Tony Gilroy, 2007)
MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch, 2001)
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2007)
THE PRODUCERS (Susan Stroman, 2005)
THE QUEEN (Stephen Frears, 2006)
THE READER (Stephen Daldry, 2008)
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (Sam Mendes, 2008)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Danny Boyle, 2008)
SWEENEY TODD (Tim Burton, 2007)
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (Woody Allen, 2008)
WONDER BOYS (Curtis Hanson, 2000)

3 nominations

A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (Steven Spielberg, 2001)
ALI (Michael Mann, 2001)
AMERICAN GANGSTER (Ridley Scott, 2007)
THE CONSTANT GARDENER (Fernando Meirelles, 2005)
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee, 2000)
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (David Frankel, 2006)
THE DIVING BELL & THE BUTTERFLY (Julian Schnabel, 2007)
EASTERN PROMISES (David Cronenberg, 2007)
HAIRSPRAY (Adam Shankman, 2007)
HOTEL RWANDA (Terry George, 2004)
IN BRUGES (Martin McDonagh, 2008)
IN THE BEDROOM (Todd Field, 2001)
IRIS (Richard Eyre, 2001)
JUNO (Jason Reitman, 2007)
KINSEY (Bill Condon, 2004)
THE LAST SAMURAI (Edward Zwick, 2003)
LITTLE CHILDREN (Todd Field, 2006)
THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2001)
MASTER AND COMMANDER (Peter Weir, 2003)
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS (Stephen Frears, 2005)
NOTES ON A SCANDAL (Richard Eyre, 2006)
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Joel Schumacher, 2004)
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE (Noah Baumbach, 2005)
SUNSHINE (Istvan Szabo, 2000)
WALK THE LINE (James Mangold, 2005)
THE WRESTLER (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)

2 nominations

ABOUT A BOY (Chris & Paul Weitz, 2002)
BANDITS (Barry Levinson, 2001)
BILLY ELLIOT (Stephen Daldry, 2000)
BOBBY (Emilio Estevez, 2006)
BOLT (Byron Howard & Chris Williams, 2008)
BORAT (Larry Charles, 2006)
BRIDGET JONES' DIARY (Sharon Maguire, 2001)
BURN AFTER READING (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2008)

CHANGELING (Clint Eastwood, 2008)
CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, & THE WARDROBE (Andrew Adamson, 2005)
CINDERELLA MAN (Ron Howard, 2005)
THE CONTENDER (Rod Lurie, 2000)
THE COOLER (Wayne Kramer, 2003)
CRASH (Paul Haggis, 2005)

DANCER IN THE DARK (Lars Von Trier, 2000)
DE-LOVELY (Irwin Winkler, 2004)
ENCHANTED (Kevin Lima, 2007)
FRIDA (Julie Taymor, 2002)
GHOST WORLD (Terry Zwigoff, 2001)
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING (Peter Webber, 2003)
GRACE IS GONE (James C. Strouse, 2007)

HAPPY FEET (George Miller, 2006)
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (Mike Leigh, 2008)
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (David Cronenberg, 2005)
IGBY GOES DOWN (Burr Steers, 2002)
IN AMERICA (Jim Sheridan, 2003)
INTO THE WILD (Sean Penn, 2007)

KATE & LEOPOLD (James Mangold, 2001)
KILL BILL: VOLUME 2 (Quentin Tarantino, 2004)
KING KONG (Peter Jackson, 2005)
THE KITE RUNNER (Marc Forster, 2007)
LEGALLY BLONDE (Robert Luketic, 2001)
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood, 2006)
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, 2006)
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (Peter Jackson, 2002)
LOVE ACTUALLY (Richard Curtis, 2003)
I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (Philippe Claudel, 2008)
LAST CHANCE HARVEY (Joel Hopkins, 2008)

MALENA (Giuseppe Tornatore, 2000)
MAMMA MIA! (Phyllida Lloyd, 2008)
MEMOIRS OF GEISHA (Rob Marshall, 2005)
MISS CONGENIALITY (Donald Petrie, 2000)
MUNICH (Steven Spielberg, 2005)
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (Joel Zwick, 2002)
NORTH COUNTRY (Niki Caro, 2005)
O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2000)
PEARL HARBOR (Michael Bay, 2001)
THE PIANIST (Roman Polanski, 2002)
PRIDE & PREJUDICE (Joe Wright, 2005)
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (Gabriele Muccino, 2006)
QUILLS (Philip Kaufman, 2000)
RAY (Taylor Hackford, 2004)
SEABISCUIT (Gary Ross, 2003)
THE SEA INSIDE (Alejandro Amenabar, 2004)
THE SHIPPING NEWS (Lasse Hallstrom, 2001)
SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE (Nancy Meyers, 2003)
SYRIANA (Stephen Gaghan, 2005)

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING (Jason Reitman, 2006)
THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
THIRTEEN (Catherine Hardwicke, 2003)
TRANSAMERICA (Duncan Tucker, 2005)
TROPIC THUNDER (Ben Stiller, 2008)

VANILLA SKY (Cameron Crowe, 2001)
VOLVER (Pedro Almodovar, 2006)
WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY (Jake Kasdan, 2007)
WALL-E (Andrew Stanton, 2008)
YOU CAN COUNT ON ME (Kenneth Lonergan, 2000)

1 nomination

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (Julie Taymor, 2007)
ALFIE (Charles Shyer, 2004)
ALL THE PRETTY HORSES (Billy Bob Thornton, 2000)
AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)
AMERICAN SPLENDOR (Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini, 2003)
AMORES PERROS (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 2000)
APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson, 2006)
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES (Andrew Dominik, 2007)
AWAY FROM HER (Sarah Polley, 2007)

THE BAADER-MEINHOF COMPLEX (Uli Edel, 2008)
BAD SANTA (Terry Zwigoff, 2003)
BALZAC & THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS (Sijie Dai, 2002)
THE BANGER SISTERS (Bob Dolman, 2002)
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS (Denys Arcand, 2003)
BEE MOVIE (Steve Hickner & Simon J. Smith, 2007)
BEFORE NIGHT FALLS (Julian Schnabel, 2000)
BEHIND THE SUN (Walter Salles, 2001)
BEING JULIA (Istvan Szabo, 2004)
BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (Gurinder Chadha, 2003)
BEST IN SHOW (Christopher Guest, 2000)
BEYOND THE SEA (Kevin Spacey, 2004)
BIRTH (Jonathan Glazer, 2004)
BLOOD DIAMOND (Edward Zwick, 2006)
THE BRAVE ONE (Neil Jordan, 2007)
BREAKFAST ON PLUTO (Neil Jordan, 2005)
BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON (Beeban Kidron, 2004)

CADILLAC RECORDS (Darnell Martin, 2008)
CALENDAR GIRLS (Nigel Cole, 2003)
CAPOTE (Bennett Miller, 2005)
CARS (John Lasseter, 2006)
CAST AWAY (Robert Zemeckis, 2000)
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (Steven Spielberg, 2002)
CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (Tim Burton, 2005)
CHICKEN RUN (Peter Lord & Nick Park, 2000)
THE CHORUS (Christopher Barratier, 2004)
CHRISTMAS IN LOVE (Neri Parenti, 2005)
CITY OF GOD (Fernando Meirelles, 2002)
COLLATERAL (Michael Mann, 2004)
THE CRIME OF FATHER AMARO (Carlos Carrera, 2002)

THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
THE DA VINCI CODE (Ron Howard, 2006)
THE DEEP END (Scott McGehee & David Siegel, 2001)
DEFIANCE (Edward Zwick, 2008)
DIE ANOTHER DAY (Lee Tamahori, 2002)
THE DUCHESS (Saul Dibb, 2008)

8 MILE (Curtis Hanson, 2002)
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (Shekhar Kapur, 2007)
THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE (Mark Dindal, 2000)
EVERLASTING MOMENTS (Jan Troell, 2008)

THE FAMILY STONE (Thomas Bezucha, 2005)
FINDING NEMO (Andrew Stanton, 2003)
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (Clint Eastwood, 2006)
THE FOUNTAIN (Darren Aronofsky, 2006)
4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, AND 2 DAYS (Cristian Mungiu, 2007)
FREAKY FRIDAY (Mark Waters, 2003)
FREQUENCY (Gregory Hoblit, 2000)

GOMORRAH (Mateo Garrone, 2008)
GONE BABY GONE (Ben Affleck, 2007)
GOOD BYE LENIN! (Wolfgang Becker, 2003)
GRAN TORINO (Clint Eastwood, 2008)
THE GREAT DEBATERS (Denzel Washington, 2007)

HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH (John Cameron Mitchell, 2001)
HERO (Zhang Yimou, 2002)
HIGH FIDELITY (Stephen Frears, 2000)
HOLLYWOODLAND (Allen Coulter, 2006)
HOME OF THE BRAVE (Irwin Winkler, 2006)
HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS (Zhang Yimou, 2004)
HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG (Vadim Perelman, 2003)
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (Ron Howard, 2000)
THE HUNDRED STEPS (Marco Tullio Giordano, 2000)
HUSTLE & FLOW (Craig Brewer, 2005)

I'M NOT THERE (Todd Haynes, 2007)
THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird, 2004)
IN HER SHOES (Curtis Hanson, 2005)

JOYEUX NOEL (Christian Carion, 2005)
KILL BILL: VOLUME 1 (Quentin Tarantino, 2003)
KINKY BOOTS (Julian Jarrold, 2006)
KUNG FU HUSTLE (Stephen Chow, 2005)
KUNG FU PANDA (Mark Osborne & John Stevenson, 2008)

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (Nancy Oliver, 2007)
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (Kevin MacDonald, 2006)
LIFE AS A HOUSE (Irwin Winkler, 2001)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006)
LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA (Mike Newell, 2007)
A LOVE SONG FOR BOBBY LONG (Shainee Gabel, 2004)
LUST, CAUTION (Ang Lee, 2007)

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (Jonathan Demme, 2004)
THE MATADOR (Richard Shephard, 2005)
MEET THE PARENTS (Jay Roach, 2000)
MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan, 2001)
A MIGHTY HEART (Michael Winterbottom, 2007)
MILK (Gus Van Sant, 2008)
MISS POTTER (Chris Noonan, 2006)
MONA LISA SMILE (Mike Newell, 2003)
MONSIEUR IBRAHIM (Francois Dupreyon, 2003)
MONSOON WEDDING (Mira Nair, 2001)
MONSTER (Patty Jenkins, 2003)
MONSTER HOUSE (Gil Kenan, 2006)
MONSTER'S BALL (Marc Forster, 2001)
THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (Walter Salles, 2004)

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (Douglas McGrath, 2002)
NOMAD (Sergei Bodrov & Ivan Passer, 2006)
NO MAN'S LAND (Danis Tanovic, 2001)
NOWHERE IN AFRICA (Caroline Link, 2002)
NURSE BETTY (Neil LaBute, 2000)
OSAMA (Siddiq Barmak, 2003)
THE OTHERS (Alejandro Amenabar, 2001)

THE PAINTED VEIL (John Curran, 2006)
PAN'S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)
PARADISE NOW (Hany Abu-Assad, 2005)
PERSEPOLIS (Vincent Parronaud & Marjane Satrapi, 2007)
PIECES OF APRIL (Peter Hedges, 2003)
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (David Gordon Green, 2008)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski, 2003)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (Gore Verbinski, 2006)
THE POLAR EXPRESS (Robert Zemeckis, 2004)
THE PROMISE (Chen Kaige, 2005)
PROOF (John Madden, 2005)
PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002)

THE QUIET AMERICAN (Phillip Noyce, 2002)
RABBIT-PROOF FENCE (Phillip Noyce, 2002)
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (Jonathan Demme, 2008)
RATATOUILLE (Brad Bird, 2007)
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)
THE RETURN (Andrei Zvyagintsev, 2003)
ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes, 2002)
THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson, 2001)
RUNNING WITH SCISSORS (Ryan Murphy, 2006)

THE SAVAGES (Tamara Jenkins, 2007)
SAVING GRACE (Nigel Cole, 2000)
THE SCHOOL OF ROCK (Richard Linklater, 2003)
SECRETARY (Steven Shainberg, 2002)
SEXY BEAST (Jonathan Glazer, 2001)
SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE (E. Elias Merhige, 2000)
SHATTERED GLASS (Billy Ray, 2003)
SHERRYBABY (Laurie Collyer, 2006)
SHREK (Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson, 2001)
SHREK 2 (Andrew Adamson et al., 2004)
THE SIMPSONS MOVIE (David Silverman, 2007)
SMALL TIME CROOKS (Woody Allen, 2000)
SPANGLISH (James L. Brooks, 2004)
SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON (Kelly Asbury & Lorna Cook, 2002)
STRANGER THAN FICTION (Marc Forster, 2006)

TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar, 2002)
TRAINING DAY (Antoine Fuqua, 2001)
TSOTSI (Gavin Hood, 2005)
25th HOUR (Spike Lee, 2002)

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN (Audrey Wells, 2003)
UNFAITHFUL (Adrian Lyne, 2002)

VENUS (Roger Michell, 2006)
VERA DRAKE (Mike Leigh, 2004)
VERONICA GUERIN (Joel Schumacher, 2003)
A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2004)
LA VIE EN ROSE (Olivier Dahan, 2007)

WALTZ WITH BASHIR (Ari Folman, 2008)
WHAT WOMEN WANT (Nancy Meyers, 2000)
THE WIDOW OF SAINT-PIERRE (Patrice Leconte, 2000)
THE WILD THORNBERRYS MOVIE (Cathy Malkasian & Jeff McGrath, 2002)
Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN (Alfonso Cuaron, 2001)

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Golden Globes Nominees 2008-2009

2008-12-11T14:14:00.004Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominees announced on December 11, 2008:

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5 nominations

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - Brad Pitt
* Best Director - David Fincher
* Best Screenplay - Eric Roth & Robin Swicord
* Best Original Score - Alexandre Desplat

DOUBT
* Best Actress (Drama) - Meryl Streep
* Best Supporting Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman
* Best Supporting Actress - Amy Adams
* Best Supporting Actress - Viola Davis
* Best Screenplay - John Patrick Shanley

FROST / NIXON
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - Frank Langella
* Best Director - Ron Howard
* Best Screenplay - Peter Morgan
* Best Original Score - Hans Zimmer

4 nominations

THE READER
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Supporting Actress - Kate Winslet
* Best Director - Stephen Daldry
* Best Screenplay - David Hare

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - Leonardo DiCaprio
* Best Actress (Drama) - Kate Winslet
* Best Director - Sam Mendes

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Director - Danny Boyle
* Best Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy
* Best Original Score - A.R. Rahman

VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Javier Bardem
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Rebecca Hall
* Best Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz

3 nominations

IN BRUGES
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Colin Farrell
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Brendan Gleeson

THE WRESTLER
* Best Actor (Drama) - Mickey Rourke
* Best Supporting Actress - Marisa Tomei
* Best Original Song - "The Wrestler"

2 nominations

BOLT
* Best Original Song - "I Thought I Lost You"
* Best Animated Film

BURN AFTER READING
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Frances McDormand

CHANGELING
* Best Actress (Drama) - Angelina Jolie
* Best Original Score - Clint Eastwood

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Sally Hawkins

I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG
* Best Actress (Drama) - Kristin Scott Thomas
* Best Foreign Language Film (France)

LAST CHANCE HARVEY
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Dustin Hoffman
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Emma Thompson

MAMMA MIA!
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Meryl Streep

TROPIC THUNDER
* Best Supporting Actor - Tom Cruise
* Best Supporting Actor - Robert Downey, Jr

WALL E.
* Best Original Song - "Down To Earth"
* Best Animated Film

1 nomination

THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX
* Best Foreign Language Film (Germany)

CADILLAC RECORDS
* Best Original Song - "Once In A Lifetime"

THE DARK KNIGHT
* Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger

DEFIANCE
* Best Original Score - James Newton Howard

THE DUCHESS
* Best Supporting Actor - Ralph Fiennes

EVERLASTING MOMENTS
* Best Foreign Language Film (Sweden / Denmark)

GOMORRAH
* Best Foreign Language Film (Italy)

GRAN TORINO
* Best Original Song - "Gran Torino"

KUNG FU PANDA
* Best Animated Film

MILK
* Best Actor (Drama) - Sean Penn

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - James Franco

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
* Best Actress (Drama) - Anne Hathaway

WALTZ WITH BASHIR
* Best Foreign Language Film (Israel)

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Golden Globes 2007-2008

2008-12-10T18:11:00.003Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominations for the ceremony held in January 2008 (winners underlined):

7 nominations

ATONEMENT
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - James McAvoy
* Best Actress (Drama) - Keira Knightley
* Best Supporting Actress - Saoirse Ronan
* Best Director - Joe Wright
* Best Screenplay - Christopher Hampton
* Best Original Score - Dario Marianelli

5 nominations

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Tom Hanks
* Best Supporting Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman
* Best Supporting Actress - Julia Roberts
* Best Screenplay - Aaron Sorkin

4 nominations

MICHAEL CLAYTON
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - George Clooney
* Best Supporting Actor - Tom Wilkinson
* Best Supporting Actress - Tilda Swinton

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Director - Joel & Ethan Coen
* Best Supporting Actor - Javier Bardem
* Best Screenplay - Joel & Ethan Coen

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Johnny Depp
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Helena Bonham Carter
* Best Director - Tim Burton

3 nominations

AMERICAN GANGSTER
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - Denzel Washington
* Best Director - Ridley Scott

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
* Best Director - Julian Schnabel
* Best Screenplay - Ronald Harwood
* Best Foreign Language Film (France)

EASTERN PROMISES
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - Viggo Mortensen
* Best Original Score - Howard Shore

HAIRSPRAY
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Nikki Blonsky
* Best Supporting Actor - John Travolta

JUNO
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Ellen Page
* Best Screenplay - Diablo Cody

2 nominations

ENCHANTED
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Amy Adams
* Best Original Song - "Enchanted"

GRACE IS GONE
* Best Original Score - Clint Eastwood
* Best Original Song - "Grace Is Gone"

INTO THE WILD
* Best Original Score - Michael Brook & Eddie Vedder
* Best Original Song - "Guaranteed"

THE KITE RUNNER
* Best Original Score - Alberto Iglesias
* Best Foreign Language Film (Afghanistan)

THERE WILL BE BLOOD
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - Daniel Day-Lewis

WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - John C. Reilly
* Best Original Song - "Walk Hard"

1 nomination

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES
* Best Supporting Actor - Casey Affleck

AWAY FROM HER
* Best Actress (Drama) - Julie Christie

BEE MOVIE
* Best Animated Film

THE BRAVE ONE
* Best Actress (Drama) - Jodie Foster

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE
* Best Actress (Drama) - Cate Blanchett

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, AND 2 DAYS
* Best Foreign Language Film (Romania)

GONE BABY GONE
* Best Supporting Actress - Amy Ryan

THE GREAT DEBATERS
* Best Motion Picture - Drama

I'M NOT THERE
* Best Supporting Actress - Cate Blanchett

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Ryan Gosling

LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA
* Best Original Song - "Despedida"

LUST, CAUTION
* Best Foreign Language Film (Taiwan / Hong Kong)

A MIGHTY HEART
* Best Actress (Drama) - Angelina Jolie

PERSEPOLIS
* Best Foreign Language Film (France / Persia)

RATATOUILLE
* Best Animated Film

THE SAVAGES
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Philip Seymour Hoffman

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE
* Best Animated Film

LA VIE EN ROSE
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Marion Cotillard

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden Globes 2006-2007

2008-12-09T12:34:00.002Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominations for the ceremony held in January 2007 (winners underlined):

7 nominations

BABEL
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Supporting Actor - Brad Pitt
* Best Supporting Actress - Rinko Kikuchi
* Best Supporting Actress - Adriana Barraza
* Best Director - Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
* Best Screenplay - Guillermo Ariaga
* Best Original Score - Gustavo Santaolalla

6 nominations

THE DEPARTED
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - Leonardo DiCaprio
* Best Supporting Actor - Jack Nicholson
* Best Supporting Actor - Mark Wahlberg
* Best Director - Martin Scorsese
* Best Screenplay - William Monahan

5 nominations

DREAMGIRLS
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Beyonce Knowles
* Best Supporting Actor - Eddie Murphy
* Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Hudson
* Best Original Song - "Listen"

4 nominations

THE QUEEN
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actress (Drama) - Helen Mirren
* Best Director - Stephen Frears
* Best Screenplay - Peter Morgan

3 nominations

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Meryl Streep
* Best Supporting Actress - Emily Blunt

LITTLE CHILDREN
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actress (Drama) - Kate Winslet
* Best Screenplay - Todd Field & Tom Perrotta

NOTES ON A SCANDAL
* Best Actress (Drama) - Judi Dench
* Best Supporting Actress - Cate Blanchett
* Best Screenplay - Patrick Marber

2 nominations

BOBBY
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Original Song - "Never Gonna Break My Faith"

BORAT
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Sacha Baron Cohen

HAPPY FEET
* Best Animated Film
* Best Original Song - "The Song of the Heart"

LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
* Best Director - Clint Eastwood
* Best Foreign Language Film (Japan)

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Toni Collette

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
* Best Actor (Drama) - Will Smith
* Best Original Song - "A Father's Way"

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Aaron Eckhart

VOLVER
* Best Actress (Drama) - Penelope Cruz
*Best Foreign Language Film (Spain)

1 nomination

APOCALYPTO
* Best Foreign Language Film (Mexico)

BLOOD DIAMOND
* Best Actor (Drama) - Leonardo DiCaprio

CARS
* Best Animated Film

THE DA VINCI CODE
* Best Original Score - Hans Zimmer

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
* Best Director - Clint Eastwood

THE FOUNTAIN
* Best Original Score - Clint Mansell

HOLLYWOODLAND
* Best Supporting Actor - Ben Affleck

HOME OF THE BRAVE
* Best Original Song - "Try Not To Remember"

KINKY BOOTS
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Chiwetel Ejiofor

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
* Best Actor (Drama) - Forest Whitaker

THE LIVES OF OTHERS
* Best Foreign Language Film (Germany)

MISS POTTER
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Renee Zellweger

MONSTER HOUSE
* Best Animated Film

NOMAD
* Best Original Score - Carlo Siliotto

THE PAINTED VEIL
* Best Original Score - Alexandre Desplat

PAN'S LABYRINTH
* Best Foreign Language Film (Mexico)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE DEAD MAN'S CHEST
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Johnny Depp

RUNNING WITH SCISSORS
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Annette Bening

SHERRYBABY
* Best Actress (Drama) - Maggie Gyllenhaal

STRANGER THAN FICTION
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Will Ferrell

VENUS
* Best Actor (Drama) - Peter O'Toole

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden Globes 2005-2006

2008-12-07T11:25:00.002Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominations for the ceremony held in January 2006 (winners underlined):

7 nominations

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - Heath Ledger
* Best Supporting Actress - Michelle Williams
* Best Director - Ang Lee
* Best Screenplay - Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana
* Best Original Score - Gustavo Santaolalla
* Best Original Song - "A Love That Will Never Grow Old"

4 nominations

GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actor (Drama) - David Strathairn
* Best Director - George Clooney
* Best Screenplay - George Clooney & Grant Heslov

MATCH POINT
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Supporting Actress - Scarlett Johansson
* Best Director - Woody Allen
* Best Screenplay - Woody Allen

THE PRODUCERS
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Nathan Lane
* Best Supporting Actor - Will Ferrell
* Best Original Song - "There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway"

3 nominations

THE CONTANT GARDENER
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz
* Best Director - Fernando Meirelles

MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Judi Dench
* Best Supporting Actor - Bob Hoskins

THE SQUID AND THE WHALE
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Jeff Daniels
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Laura Linney

WALK THE LINE
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Joaquin Phoenix
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Reese Witherspoon

2 nominations

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA:
THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE
* Best Original Score - Harry Gregson-Williams
* Best Original Song - "Wunderkind"

CINDERELLA MAN
* Best Actor (Drama) - Russell Crowe
* Best Supporting Actor - Paul Giamatti

CRASH
* Best Supporting Actor - Matt Dillon
* Best Screenplay - Paul Haggis & Robert Moresco

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
* Best Motion Picture - Drama
* Best Actress (Drama) - Maria Bello

KING KONG
* Best Director - Peter Jackson
* Best Original Score - James Newton Howard

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
* Best Actress (Drama) - Zhang Ziyi
* Best Original Score - John Williams

MUNICH
* Best Director - Steven Spielberg
* Best Screenplay - Tony Kushner & Eric Roth

NORTH COUNTRY
* Best Actress (Drama) - Charlize Theron
* Best Supporting Actress - Frances McDormand

PRIDE & PREJUDICE
* Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Keira Knightley

SYRIANA
* Best Supporting Actor - George Clooney
* Best Original Score - Alexandre Desplat

TRANSAMERICA
* Best Actress (Drama) - Felicity Huffman
* Best Original Song - "Travelin' Thru"

1 nomination

BREAKFAST ON PLUTO
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Cillian Murphy

CAPOTE
* Best Actor (Drama) - Philip Seymour Hoffman

CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Johnny Depp

CHRISTMAS IN LOVE
* Best Original Song - "Christmas In Love"

THE FAMILY STONE
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Sarah Jessica Parker

HUSTLE & FLOW
* Best Actor (Drama) - Terrence Howard

IN HER SHOES
* Best Supporting Actress - Shirley Maclaine

JOYEUX NOEL
* Best Foreign Language Film (France)

KUNG FU HUSTLE
* Best Foreign Language Film (China / Hong Kong)

THE MATADOR
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Pierce Brosnan

PARADISE NOW
* Best Foreign Language Film (Palestine)

THE PROMISE
* Best Foreign Language Film (China / Hong Kong)

PROOF
* Best Actress (Drama) - Gwyneth Paltrow

TSOTSI
* Best Foreign Language Film (South Africa)

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Golden Globes 2004-2005

2008-12-06T19:49:00.000Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominations for the ceremony held in January 2005 (winners underlined):

7 nominations

SIDEWAYS
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Paul Giamatti
* Best Supporting Actor - Thomas Haden Church
* Best Supporting Actress - Virginia Madsen
* Best Director - Alexander Payne
* Best Screenplay - Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor
* Best Original Score - Rolfe Kent

6 nominations

THE AVIATOR
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Leonardo DiCaprio
* Best Supporting Actress - Cate Blanchett
* Best Director - Martin Scorsese
* Best Screenplay - John Logan
* Best Original Score - Howard Shore

5 nominations

CLOSER
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Supporting Actor - Clive Owen
* Best Supporting Actress - Natalie Portman
* Best Director - Mike Nichols
* Best Screenplay - Patrick Marber

FINDING NEVERLAND
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Johnny Depp
* Best Director - Marc Forster
* Best Screenplay - David Magee
* Best Original Score - Jan A.P. Kaczmarek

MILLION DOLLAR BABY
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actress (Drama) - Hilary Swank
* Best Supporting Actor - Morgan Freeman
* Best Director - Clint Eastwood
* Best Original Score - Clint Eastwood

4 nominations

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Jim Carrey
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Kate Winslet
* Best Screenplay - Charlie Kaufman

3 nominations

HOTEL RWANDA
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Don Cheadle
* Best Original Song - "Million Voices"

KINSEY
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Liam Neeson
* Best Supporting Actress - Laura Linney

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Emmy Rossum
* Best Original Song - "Learn To Be Lonely"

2 nominations

DE-LOVELY
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Kevin Kline
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Ashley Judd

KILL BILL: VOLUME 2
* Best Actress (Drama) - Uma Thurman
* Best Supporting Actor - David Carradine

RAY
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Jamie Foxx

THE SEA INSIDE
* Best Actor (Drama) - Javier Bardem
* Best Foreign Language Film (Spain)

1 nomination

ALFIE
* Best Original Song - "Old Habits Die Hard"

BEING JULIA
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Annette Bening

BEYOND THE SEA
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Kevin Spacey

BIRTH
* Best Actress (Drama) - Nicole Kidman

BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Renee Zellweger

THE CHORUS
* Best Foreign Language Film (France)

COLLATERAL
* Best Supporting Actor - Jamie Foxx

HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS
* Best Foreign Language Film (China / Hong Kong)

THE INCREDIBLES
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

A LOVE SONG FOR BOBBY LONG
* Best Actress (Drama) - Scarlet Johansson

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE
* Best Supporting Actress - Meryl Streep

THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES
* Best Foreign Language Film (Brazil)

THE POLAR EXPRESS
* Best Original Song - "Believe"

SHREK 2
* Best Original Song - "Accidentally In Love"

SPANGLISH
* Best Original Score - Spanglish

VERA DRAKE
* Best Actress (Drama) - Imelda Staunton

A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT
* Best Foreign Language Film (France)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden Globes 2003-2004

2008-12-05T20:14:00.001Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominations for the ceremony held in January 2004 (winners underlined):

8 nominations

COLD MOUNTAIN
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Jude Law
* Best Actress (Drama) - Nicole Kidman
* Best Supporting Actress - Renee Zellweger
* Best Director - Anthony Minghella
* Best Screenplay - Anthony Minghella
* Best Original Score - Gabriel Yared
* Best Original Song - "You Will Be My Ain True Love"

5 nominations

LOST IN TRANSLATION
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Bill Murray
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Scarlett Johansson
* Best Director - Sofia Coppola
* Best Screenplay - Sofia Coppola

MYSTIC RIVER
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Sean Penn
* Best Supporting Actor - Tim Robbins
* Best Director - Clint Eastwood
* Best Screenplay - Brian Helgeland

4 nominations

BIG FISH
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Supporting Actor - Albert Finney
* Best Original Score - Danny Elfman
* Best Original Song - "Man of the Hour"

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Director - Peter Jackson
* Best Original Score - Howard Shore
* Best Original Song - "Into The West"

3 nominations

THE LAST SAMURAI
* Best Actor (Drama) - Tom Cruise
* Best Supporting Actor - Ken Watanabe
* Best Original Score - Hans Zimmer

MASTER AND COMMANDER
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Russell Crowe
* Best Director - Peter Weir

2 nominations

THE COOLER
* Best Supporting Actor - Alec Baldwin
* Best Supporting Actress - Maria Bello

GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
* Best Actress (Drama) - Scarlett Johansson
* Best Original Score - Alexandre Desplat

IN AMERICA
* Best Screenplay - Jim, Naomi, and Kirsten Sheridan
* Best Original Song - "Time Enough for Tears"

LOVE ACTUALLY
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Screenplay - Richard Curtis

SEABISCUIT
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Supporting Actor - William H. Macy

SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Jack Nicholson
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Diane Keaton

THIRTEEN
* Best Actress (Drama) - Evan Rachel Wood
* Best Supporting Actress - Holly Hunter

1 nomination

AMERICAN SPLENDOR
* Best Supporting Actress - Hope Davis

BAD SANTA
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Billy Bob Thornton

THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS
* Best Foreign Language Film (Canada)

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

CALENDAR GIRLS
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Helen Mirren

FINDING NEMO
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

FREAKY FRIDAY
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Jamie Lee Curtis

GOOD BYE LENIN!
* Best Foreign Language Film (Germany)

HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
* Best Actor (Drama) - Ben Kingsley

KILL BILL: VOLUME 1
* Best Actress (Drama) - Uma Thurman

MONA LISA SMILE
* Best Original Song - "The Heart of Every Girl"

MONSIEUR IBRAHIM
* Best Foreign Language Film (France)

MONSTER
* Best Actress (Drama) - Charlize Theron

OSAMA
* Best Foreign Language Film (Afghanistan)

PIECES OF APRIL
* Best Supporting Actress - Patricia Clarkson

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:
THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Johnny Depp

THE RETURN
* Best Foreign Language Film (Russia)

THE SCHOOL OF ROCK
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Jack Black

SHATTERED GLASS
* Best Supporting Actor - Peter Sarsgaard

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Diane Lane

VERONICA GUERIN
* Best Actress (Drama) - Cate Blanchett

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden Globes 2002-2003

2008-12-04T07:38:00.000Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominations for the ceremony held in January 2003 (winners underlined):

8 nominations

CHICAGO
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Richard Gere
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Renee Zellweger
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Catherine Zeta-Jones
* Best Supporting Actor - John C. Reilly
* Best Supporting Actress - Queen Latifah
* Best Director - Rob Marshall
* Best Screenplay - Bill Condon

7 nominations

THE HOURS
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actress (Drama) - Nicole Kidman
* Best Actress (Drama) - Meryl Streep
* Best Supporting Actor - Ed Harris
* Best Director - Stephen Daldry
* Best Screenplay - David Hare
* Best Original Score - Philip Glass

6 nominations

ADAPTATION
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Nicolas Cage
* Best Supporting Actor - Chris Cooper
* Best Supporting Actress - Meryl Streep
* Best Director - Spike Jonze
* Best Screenplay - Charlie Kaufman

5 nominations

ABOUT SCHMIDT
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Jack Nicholson
* Best Supporting Actress - Kathy Bates
* Best Director - Alexander Payne
* Best Screenplay - Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor

GANGS OF NEW YORK
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Daniel Day-Lewis
* Best Supporting Actress - Cameron Diaz
* Best Director - Martin Scorsese
* Best Original Song - "The Hands That Built America"

4 nominations

FAR FROM HEAVEN
* Best Actress (Drama) - Julianne Moore
* Best Supporting Actor - Dennis Quaid
* Best Screenplay - Todd Haynes
* Best Original Score - Elmer Bernstein

2 nominations

ABOUT A BOY
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Hugh Grant

FRIDA
* Best Actress (Drama) - Salma Hayek
* Best Original Score - Elliot Goldenthal

IGBY GOES DOWN
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Kieran Culkin
* Best Supporting Actress - Susan Sarandon

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Director - Peter Jackson

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Nia Vardalos

THE PIANIST
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Adrien Brody

1 nomination

BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS
* Best Foreign Language Film (France / China)

THE BANGER SISTERS
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Goldie Hawn

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
* Best Actor (Drama) - Leonardo DiCaprio

CITY OF GOD
* Best Foreign Language Film (Brazil)

THE CRIME OF FATHER AMARO
* Best Foreign Language Film (Mexico)

DIE ANOTHER DAY
* Best Original Song - "Die Another Day"

8 MILE
* Best Original Song - "Lose Yourself"

HERO
* Best Foreign Language Film (Hong Kong / China)

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

NOWHERE IN AFRICA
* Best Foreign Language Film (Germany)

PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Adam Sandler

THE QUIET AMERICAN
* Best Actor (Drama) - Michael Caine

RABBIT-PROOF FENCE
* Best Original Score - Peter Gabriel

ROAD TO PERDITION
* Best Supporting Actor - Paul Newman

SECRETARY
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Maggie Gyllenhaal

SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON
* Best Original Song - "Here I Am"

TALK TO HER
* Best Foreign Language Film (Spain)

25TH HOUR
* Best Original Score - Terrence Blanchard

UNFAITHFUL
* Best Actress (Drama) - Diane Lane

THE WILD THORNBERRYS MOVIE
* Best Original Song - "Father and Daughter"

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Golden Globes 2001-2002

2008-12-03T21:15:00.000Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominations for the ceremony held in January 2002 (winners underlined):

6 nominations

A BEAUTIFUL MIND
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Russell Crowe
* Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Connelly
* Best Director - Ron Howard
* Best Screenplay - Akiva Goldsman
* Best Original Score - James Horner

MOULIN ROUGE!
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Ewan McGregor
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Nicole Kidman
* Best Director - Baz Luhrmann
* Best Original Score - Craig Armstrong
* Best Original Song - "Come What May"

5 nominations

GOSFORD PARK
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Supporting Actress - Maggie Smith
* Best Supporting Actress - Helen Mirren
* Best Director - Robert Altman
* Best Screenplay - Julian Fellowes

4 nominations

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Director - Peter Jackson
* Best Original Score - Howard Shore
* Best Original Song - "May It Be"

MULHOLLAND DRIVE
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Director - David Lynch
* Best Screenplay - David Lynch
* Best Original Score - Angelo Badalamenti

3 nominations

A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
* Best Supporting Actor - Jude Law
* Best Director - Steven Spielberg
* Best Original Score - John Williams

ALI
* Best Actor (Drama) - Will Smith
* Best Supporting Actor - Jon Voight
* Best Original Score - Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke

IN THE BEDROOM
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actress (Drama) - Sissy Spacek
* Best Supporting Actress - Marisa Tomei

IRIS
* Best Actress (Drama) - Judi Dench
* Best Supporting Actor - Jim Broadbent
* Best Supporting Actress - Kate Winslet

THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Billy Bob Thornton
* Best Screenplay - Joel & Ethan Coen

2 nominations

BANDITS
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Billy Bob Thornton
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Cate Blanchett

BRIDGET JONES' DIARY
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Renee Zellweger

GHOST WORLD
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Thora Birch
* Best Supporting Actor - Steve Buscemi

KATE & LEOPOLD
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Hugh Jackman
* Best Original Song - "Until ..."

LEGALLY BLONDE
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Reese Witherspoon

PEARL HARBOR
* Best Original Score - Hans Zimmer
* Best Original Song - "There You'll Be"

THE SHIPPING NEWS
* Best Actor (Drama) - Kevin Spacey
* Best Original Score - Christopher Young

VANILLA SKY
* Best Supporting Actress - Cameron Diaz
* Best Original Song - "Vanilla Sky"

1 nomination

AMELIE
* Best Foreign Language Film (France)

BEHIND THE SUN
* Best Foreign Language Film (Brazil)

THE DEEP END
* Best Actress (Drama) - Tilda Swinton

HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - John Cameron Mitchell

LIFE AS A HOUSE
* Best Supporting Actor - Hayden Christensen

MEMENTO
* Best Screenplay - Christopher Nolan

MONSOON WEDDING
* Best Foreign Language Film (India)

MONSTER'S BALL
* Best Actress (Drama) - Halle Berry

NO MAN'S LAND
* Best Foreign Language Film (Bosnia)

THE OTHERS
* Best Actress (Drama) - Nicole Kidman

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Gene Hackman

SEXY BEAST
* Best Supporting Actor - Ben Kingsley

SHREK
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

TRAINING DAY
* Best Actor (Drama) - Denzel Washington

Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN
* Best Foreign Language Film (Mexico)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden Globes 2000-2001

2008-12-02T23:41:00.000Z

Here are the Golden Globes nominations for the ceremony held in January 2001 (winners underlined):

5 nominations

GLADIATOR
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Russell Crowe
* Best Supporting Actor - Joaquin Phoenix
* Best Director - Ridley Scott
* Best Original Score - Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard

TRAFFIC
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Supporting Actor - Benicio Del Toro
* Best Supporting Actress - Catherine Zeta-Jones
* Best Director - Steven Soderbergh
* Best Screenplay - Stephen Gaghan

4 nominations

ALMOST FAMOUS
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Supporting Actress - Kate Hudson
* Best Supporting Actress - Frances McDormand
* Best Screenplay - Cameron Crowe

CHOCOLAT
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Juliette Binoche
* Best Supporting Actress - Judi Dench
* Best Original Score - Rachel Portman

ERIN BROCKOVICH
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actress (Drama) - Julia Roberts
* Best Supporting Actor - Albert Finney
* Best Director - Steven Soderbergh

WONDER BOYS
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Actor (Drama) - Michael Douglas
* Best Screenplay - Steve Kloves
* Best Original Song - "Things Have Changed"

3 nominations

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
* Best Director - Ang Lee
* Best Foreign Language Film (Taiwan)
* Best Original Score - Tan Dun

SUNSHINE
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Director - Istvan Szabo
* Best Original Score - Maurice Jarre

2 nominations

BILLY ELLIOT
* Best Motion Picture (Drama)
* Best Supporting Actress - Julie Walters

THE CONTENDER
* Best Actress (Drama) - Joan Allen
* Best Supporting Actor - Jeff Bridges

DANCER IN THE DARK
* Best Actress (Drama) - Bjork
* Best Original Song - "I've Seen It All"

MALENA
* Best Foreign Language Film (Italy)
* Best Original Score - Ennio Morricone

MISS CONGENIALITY
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Sandra Bullock
* Best Original Song - "One In A Million"

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - George Clooney

QUILLS
* Best Actor (Drama) - Geoffrey Rush
* Best Screenplay - Doug Wright

YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
* Best Actress (Drama) - Laura Linney
* Best Screenplay - Kenneth Lonergan

1 nomination

ALL THE PRETTY HORSES
* Best Original Score - Mary Stuart et al.

AMORES PERROS
* Best Foreign Language Film (Mexico)

BEFORE NIGHT FALLS
* Best Actor (Drama) - Javier Bardem

BEST IN SHOW
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

CAST AWAY
* Best Actor (Drama) - Tom Hanks

CHICKEN RUN
* Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE
* Best Original Song - "My Funny Friend and Me"

FREQUENCY
* Best Original Song - "When You Come Back To Me"

HIGH FIDELITY
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - John Cusack

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Jim Carrey

THE HUNDRED STEPS
* Best Foreign Language Film (Italy)

MEET THE PARENTS
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Robert De Niro

NURSE BETTY
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Renee Zellweger

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
* Best Actress (Drama) - Ellen Burstyn

SAVING GRACE
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Brenda Blethyn

SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE
* Best Supporting Actor - Willem Dafoe

SMALL TIME CROOKS
* Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) - Tracey Ullman

WHAT WOMEN WANT
* Best Actor (Musical or Comedy) - Mel Gibson

THE WIDOW OF SAINT-PIERRE
* Best Foreign Language Film (France)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oscar Nominated Films from 1990-1999

2008-11-26T17:57:00.014Z

At the ten Academy Award ceremonies held from 1990-1999, there were 362 films receiving a combined 908 Oscar nominations. The Best Picture nominees are in bold type, with the top films of the year also underlined. The director and year of the movie is listed afterwards:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14 nominations

TITANIC (James Cameron, 1997)

13 nominations

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (John Madden, 1998)
FORREST GUMP (Robert Zemeckis, 1994)

12 nominations

THE ENGLISH PATIENT (Anthony Minghella, 1996)
SCHINDLER'S LIST (Steven Spielberg, 1993)
DANCES WITH WOLVES (Kevin Costner, 1990)

11 nominations

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (Steven Spielberg, 1998)

10 nominations

BRAVEHEART (Mel Gibson, 1995)
BUGSY (Barry Levinson, 1991)

9 nominations

GOOD WILL HUNTING (Gus Van Sant, 1997)
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (Curtis Hanson, 1997)
APOLLO 13 (Ron Howard, 1995)
HOWARDS END (James Ivory, 1992)
UNFORGIVEN (Clint Eastwood, 1992)

8 nominations

AMERICAN BEAUTY (Sam Mendes, 1999)
THE PIANO (Jane Campion, 1993)
THE REMAINS OF THE DAY (James Ivory, 1993)
JFK (Oliver Stone, 1991)

7 nominations

THE CIDER HOUSE RULES (Lasse Hallstrom, 1999)
THE INSIDER (Michael Mann, 1999)
ELIZABETH (Shekhar Kapur, 1998)
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (Roberto Benigni, 1998)
THE THIN RED LINE (Terrence Malick, 1998)
AS GOOD AT IT GETS (James L. Brooks, 1997)
FARGO (Joel & Ethan Coen, 1996)
SHINE (Scott Hicks, 1996)
BABE (Chris Noonan, 1995)
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (Ang Lee, 1995)
BULLETS OVER BROADWAY (Woody Allen, 1994)
PULP FICTION (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (Frank Darabont, 1994)
THE FUGITIVE (Andrew Davis, 1993)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (Jim Sheridan, 1993)
THE PRINCE OF TIDES (Barbra Streisand, 1991)
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (Jonathan Demme, 1991)
DICK TRACY (Warren Beatty, 1990)
THE GODFATHER PART III (Francis Ford Coppola, 1990)

6 nominations

THE SIXTH SENSE (M. Night Shyamalan, 1999)
THE CRYING GAME (Neil Jordan, 1992)
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise, 1991)
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (James Cameron, 1991)
THELMA & LOUISE (Ridley Scott, 1991)
GOOD FELLAS (Martin Scorsese, 1990)

5 nominations

THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (Anthony Minghella, 1999)
EVITA (Alan Parker, 1996)
JERRY MAGUIRE (Cameron Crowe, 1996)
SECRETS & LIES (Mike Leigh, 1996)
IL POSTINO (Michael Radford, 1995)
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE (Martin Scorsese, 1993)
PHILADELPHIA (Jonathan Demme, 1993)
ALADDIN (Ron Clements & John Musker, 1992)
THE FISHER KING (Terry Gilliam, 1991)
HOOK (Steven Spielberg, 1991)
CYRANO DE BERGERAC (Jean-Paul Rappeneau, 1990)
GHOST (Jerry Zucker, 1990)

4 nominations

THE GREEN MILE (Frank Darabont, 1999)
THE MATRIX (Andy & Larry Wachowski, 1999)
TOPSY-TURVY (Mike Leigh, 1999)
ARMAGEDDON (Michael Bay, 1998)
AMISTAD (Steven Spielberg, 1997)
THE FULL MONTY (Peter Cattaneo, 1997)
KUNDUN (Martin Scorsese, 1997)
THE WINGS OF THE DOVE (Iain Softley, 1997)
HAMLET (Kenneth Branagh, 1996)
DEAD MAN WALKING (Tim Robbins, 1995)
LEAVING LAS VEGAS (Mike Figgis, 1995)
NIXON (Oliver Stone, 1995)
THE LION KING (Roger Allers & Rob Minkoff, 1994)
THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE (Nicholas Hytner, 1994)
QUIZ SHOW (Robert Redford, 1994)
BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (Francis Ford Coppola, 1992)
A FEW GOOD MEN (Rob Reiner, 1992)
SCENT OF A WOMAN (Martin Brest, 1992)
AVALON (Barry Levinson, 1990)
THE GRIFTERS (Stephen Frears, 1990)

3 nominations

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (Spike Jonze, 1999)
MAGNOLIA (Paul Thomas Anderson, 1999)
SLEEPY HOLLOW (Tim Burton, 1999)
STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE (George Lucas, 1999)
GODS AND MONSTERS (Bill Condon, 1998)
PLEASANTVILLE (Gary Ross, 1998)
THE TRUMAN SHOW (Peter Weir, 1998)
BOOGIE NIGHTS (Paul Thomas Anderson, 1997)
MEN IN BLACK (Barry Sonnenfeld, 1997)
BATMAN FOREVER (Joel Schumacher, 1995)
CRIMSON TIDE (Tony Scott, 1995)
TOY STORY 2 (John Lasseter, 1995)
LEGENDS OF THE FALL (Edward Zwick, 1994)
LITTLE WOMEN (Gillian Armstrong, 1994)
SPEED (Jan De Bont, 1994)
THREE COLOURS RED (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1994)
CLIFFHANGER (Renny Harlin, 1993)
IN THE LINE OF FIRE (Wolfgang Petersen, 1993)
JURASSIC PARK (Steven Spielberg, 1993)
CHAPLIN (Richard Attenborough, 1992)
ENCHANTED APRIL (Mike Newell, 1992)
THE PLAYER (Robert Altman, 1992)
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT (Robert Redford, 1992)
BACKDRAFT (Ron Howard, 1991)
BARTON FINK (Joel & Ethan Coen, 1991)
AWAKENINGS (Penny Marshall, 1990)
THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (John McTiernan, 1990)
REVERSAL OF FORTUNE (Barbet Schroeder, 1990)
TOTAL RECALL (Paul Verhoeven, 1990)

2 nominations

ANNA AND THE KING (Andy Tennant, 1999)
BOYS DON'T CRY (Kimberley Peirce, 1999)
THE END OF THE AFFAIR (Neil Jordan, 1999)
MUSIC OF THE HEART (Wes Craven, 1999)
SWEET AND LOWDOWN (Woody Allen, 1999)
AFFLICTION (Paul Schrader, 1998)
CENTRAL STATION (Walter Salles, 1998)
A CIVIL ACTION (Steve Zaillian, 1998)
HILARY AND JACKIE (Anand Tucker, 1998)
THE MASK OF ZORRO (Martin Campbell, 1998)
OUT OF SIGHT (Steven Soderbergh, 1998)
PRIMARY COLORS (Mike Nichols, 1998)
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, & Simon Wells, 1998)
A SIMPLE PLAN (Sam Raimi, 1998)
WHAT DREAMS MAY COME
2
1998
AIR FORCE ONE
2
1997
ANASTASIA
2
1997
CON AIR
2
1997
MRS. BROWN
2
1997
SWEET HEREAFTER, THE
2
1997
WAG THE DOG
2
1997
CRUCIBLE, THE
2
1996
EMMA
2
1996
GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI
2
1996
INDEPENDENCE DAY
2
1996
MICHAEL COLLINS
2
1996
MIRROR HAS TWO FACES, THE
2
1996
PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT, THE
2
1996
PORTRAIT OF A LADY, THE
2
1996
SLING BLADE
2
1996
TWISTER
2
1996
LITTLE PRINCESS, A
2
1995
MIGHTY APHRODITE
2
1995
POCAHONTAS
2
1995
RESTORATION
2
1995
RICHARD III
2
1995
SABRINA
2
1995
TWELVE MONKEYS
2
1995
USUAL SUSPECTS, THE
2
1995
CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
2
1994
ED WOOD
2
1994
FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL
2
1994
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
2
1994
NOBODY'S FOOL
2
1994
TOM & VIV
2
1994
FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE
2
1993
FIRM, THE
2
1993
ORLANDO
2
1993
SHADOWLANDS
2
1993
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE
2
1993
WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
2
1993
BASIC INSTINCT
2
1992
BATMAN RETURNS
2
1992
BODYGUARD, THE
2
1992
HOFFA
2
1992
HUSBANDS AND WIVES
2
1992
INDOCHINE
2
1992
LORENZO'S OIL
2
1992
MALCOLM X
2
1992
PASSION FISH
2
1992
TOYS
2
1992
UNDER SIEGE
2
1992
BOYZ 'N' THE HOOD
2
1991
CAPE FEAR
2
1991
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
2
1991
RAMBLING ROSE
2
1991
STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
2
1991
HAMLET (mel gibson)
2
1990
HOME ALONE
2
1990
POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE
2
1990
ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER
1
1999
ANGELA'S ASHES
1
1999
AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME
1
1999
BICENTENNIAL MAN
1
1999
EAST-WEST
1
1999
ELECTION
1
1999
FIGHT CLUB
1
1999
GIRL, INTERRUPTED
1
1999
HIMALAYA (CARAVAN)
1
1999
HURRICANE, THE
1
1999
LIFE
1
1999
MUMMY, THE
1
1999
RED VIOLIN, THE
1
1999
SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS
1
1999
SOLOMON AND GAENOR
1
1999
SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER, AND UNCUT
1
1999
STRAIGHT STORY, THE
1
1999
STUART LITTLE
1
1999
TARZAN
1
1999
TITUS
1
1999
TOY STORY 2
1
1999
TUMBLEWEEDS
1
1999
UNDER THE SUN
1
1999
AMERICAN HISTORY X
1
1998
BABE: PIG IN THE CITY
1
1998
BELOVED
1
1998
BUG'S LIFE, A
1
1998
BULWORTH
1
1998
CHILDREN OF HEAVEN
1
1998
GRANDFATHER, THE
1
1998
HORSE WHISPERER, THE
1
1998
LITTLE VOICE
1
1998
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG
1
1998
MULAN
1
1998
ONE TRUE THING
1
1998
PATCH ADAMS
1
1998
QUEST FOR CAMELOT
1
1998
TANGO
1
1998
VELVET GOLDMINE
1
1998
AFTERGLOW
1
1997
APOSTLE, THE
1
1997
BEYOND SILENCE
1
1997
CHARACTER
1
1997
CONTACT
1
1997
DECONSTRUCTING HARRY
1
1997
DONNIE BRASCO
1
1997
FACE / OFF
1
1997
FIFTH ELEMENT, THE
1
1997
FOUR DAYS IN SEPTEMBER
1
1997
GATTACA
1
1997
HERCULES
1
1997
IN & OUT
1
1997
JACKIE BROWN
1
1997
LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK, THE
1
1997
MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING
1
1997
OSCAR & LUCINDA
1
1997
SECRETS OF THE HEART
1
1997
STARSHIP TROOPERS
1
1997
THIEF, THE
1
1997
ULEE'S GOLD
1
1997
ANGELS & INSECTS
1
1996
BIRDCAGE, THE
1
1996
BREAKING THE WAVES
1
1996
CHEF IN LOVE, A
1
1996
DAYLIGHT
1
1996
DRAGONHEART
1
1996
ERASER
1
1996
FIRST WIVES' CLUB, THE
1
1996
FLY AWAY HOME
1
1996
GHOST AND THE DARKNESS, THE
1
1996
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, THE
1
1996
JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
1
1996
KOLYA
1
1996
LONE STAR
1
1996
MARVIN'S ROOM
1
1996
NUTTY PROFESSOR, THE
1
1996
ONE FINE DAY
1
1996
OTHER SIDE OF SUNDAY, THE
1
1996
PREACHER'S WIFE, THE
1
1996
PRIMAL FEAR
1
1996
PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS
1
1996
RIDICULE
1
1996
ROCK, THE
1
1996
SLEEPERS
1
1996
STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT
1
1996
THAT THING YOU DO!
1
1996
TRAINSPOTTING
1
1996
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
1
1996
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO & JULIET
1
1996
ALL THINGS FAIR
1
1995
AMERICAN PRESIDENT, THE
1
1995
ANTONIA'S LINE
1
1995
BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, THE
1
1995
CASINO
1
1995
DON JUAN DE MARCO
1
1995
DUST OF LIFE
1
1995
GEORGIA
1
1995
MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS
1
1995
MY FAMILY, MIA FAMILIA
1
1995
O QUATRILHO
1
1995
ROB ROY
1
1995
ROOMMATES
1
1995
SEVEN
1
1995
SHANGHAI TRIAD
1
1995
STAR MAKER, THE
1
1995
UNSTRUNG HEROES
1
1995
WATERWORLD
1
1995
ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT, THE
1
1994
BEFORE THE RAIN
1
1994
BLUE SKY
1
1994
BURNT BY THE SUN
1
1994
CLIENT, THE
1
1994
EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN
1
1994
FARINELLI: IL CASTRATO
1
1994
HEAVENLY CREATURES
1
1994
HOOP DREAMS
1
1994
JUNIOR
1
1994
MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN
1
1994
MASK, THE
1
1994
MAVERICK
1
1994
NELL
1
1994
PAPER, THE
1
1994
QUEEN MARGOT
1
1994
STRAWBERRY AND CHOCOLATE
1
1994
TRUE LIES
1
1994
WYATT EARP
1
1994
ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES
1
1993
BEETHOVEN'S 2ND
1
1993
BELLE EPOQUE
1
1993
DAVE
1
1993
FEARLESS
1
1993
GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND
1
1993
HEDD WYN
1
1993
MRS. DOUBTFIRE
1
1993
POETIC JUSTICE
1
1993
SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA, THE
1
1993
SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER (INNOCENT MOVES)
1
1993
SHORT CUTS
1
1993
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
1
1993
TIM BURTON'S NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
1
1993
WEDDING BANQUET, THE
1
1993
WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE
1
1993
ALIEN 3
1
1992
CLOSE TO EDEN
1
1992
DAENS
1
1992
DAMAGE
1
1992
DEATH BECOMES HER
1
1992
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
1
1992
LAST OF THE MOHICANS, THE
1
1992
LOVE FIELD
1
1992
LOVER, THE
1
1992
MAMBO KINGS, THE
1
1992
MR. SATURDAY NIGHT
1
1992
MY COUSIN VINNY
1
1992
PLACE IN THE WORLD, A
1
1992
SCHTONK!
1
1992
ADDAMS FAMILY, THE
1
1991
CHILDREN OF NATURE
1
1991
CITY SLICKERS
1
1991
COMMITMENTS, THE
1
1991
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE
1
1991
EUROPA EUROPA
1
1991
FOR THE BOYS
1
1991
GRAND CANYON
1
1991
MADAME BOVARY
1
1991
MEDITERRANEO
1
1991
OX, THE
1
1991
RAISE THE RED LANTERN
1
1991
ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES
1
1991
ALICE
1
1990
DAYS OF THUNDER
1
1990
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
1
1990
FIELD, THE
1
1990
FLATLINERS
1
1990
GREEN CARD
1
1990
HAVANA
1
1990
HENRY AND JUNE
1
1990
JOURNEY OF HOPE
1
1990
JU DOU
1
1990
LONGTIME COMPANION
1
1990
METROPOLITAN
1
1990
MISERY
1
1990
MR. & MRS. BRIDGE
1
1990
NASTY GIRL, THE
1
1990
OPEN DOORS
1
1990
PRETTY WOMAN
1
1990
WILD AT HEART
1
1990
YOUNG GUNS II
1
1990

Oscar Nominated Films Since 2000

2008-11-26T14:24:00.003Z

At the eight Academy Award ceremonies held from 2000-2007, there were 278 films receiving a combined 733 Oscar nominations. The Best Picture nominees are in bold type, with the top films of the year also underlined. The director and year of the movie is listed afterwards:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13 nominations

CHICAGO (Rob Marshall, 2002)
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
(Peter Jackson, 2001)

12 nominations

GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott, 2000)

11 nominations

THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese, 2004)
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson,
2003)

10 nominations

MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (Peter Weir, 2003)
GANGS OF NEW YORK (Martin Scorsese, 2002)
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee, 2000)

9 nominations

THE HOURS (Stephen Daldry, 2002)

8 nominations

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2007)
THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
DREAMGIRLS (Bill Condon, 2006)
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (Ang Lee, 2005)
A BEAUTIFUL MIND (Ron Howard, 2001)
MOULIN ROUGE! (Baz Luhrmann, 2001)

7 nominations

ATONEMENT (Joe Wright, 2007)
MICHAEL CLAYTON (Tony Gilroy, 2007)
BABEL (Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu, 2006)
FINDING NEVERLAND (Marc Forster, 2004)
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (Clint Eastwood, 2004)
COLD MOUNTAIN (Anthony Minghella, 2003)
SEABISCUIT (Gary Ross, 2003)
THE PIANIST (Roman Polanski, 2002)
GOSFORD PARK (Robert Altman, 2001)

6 nominations

PAN'S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)
THE QUEEN (Stephen Frears, 2006)
CRASH (Paul Haggis, 2005)
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK (George Clooney, 2005)
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (Rob Marshall, 2005)
RAY (Taylor Hackford, 2004)
MYSTIC RIVER (Clint Eastwood, 2003)
FRIDA (Julie Taymor, 2002)
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (Peter Jackson, 2002)
ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes, 2002)

5 nominations

RATATOUILLE (Brad Bird, 2007)
BLOOD DIAMOND (Edward Zwick, 2006)
THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese, 2006)
CAPOTE (Bennett Miller, 2005)
MUNICH (Steven Spielberg, 2005)
WALK THE LINE (James Mangold, 2005)
SIDEWAYS (Alexander Payne, 2004)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski, 2003)
AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)
IN THE BEDROOM (Todd Field, 2001)
CHOCOLAT (Lasse Hallstrom, 2000)
ERIN BROCKOVICH (Steven Soderbergh, 2000)
TRAFFIC (Steven Soderbergh, 2000)

4 nominations

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (Julian Schnabel, 2007)
JUNO (Jason Reitman, 2007)
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood, 2006)
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, 2006)
NOTES ON A SCANDAL (Richard Eyre, 2006)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (Gore Verbinski, 2006)
THE CONSTANT GARDENER (Fernando Meirelles, 2005)
KING KONG (Peter Jackson, 2005)
PRIDE & PREJUDICE (Joe Wright, 2005)
THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird, 2004)
LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (Brad Silberling, 2004)
CITY OF GOD (Fernando Meirelles, 2003)
FINDING NEMO (Andrew Stanton, 2003)
THE LAST SAMURAI (Edward Zwick, 2003)
LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sofia Coppola, 2003)
ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze, 2002)
FAR FROM HEAVEN (Todd Haynes, 2002)
BLACK HAWK DOWN (Ridley Scott, 2001)
MONSTERS, INC. (Pete Docter, 2001)
PEARL HARBOR (Michael Bay, 2001)
ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe, 2000)

3 nominations

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (Paul Greengrass, 2007)
ENCHANTED (Kevin Lima , 2007)
LA VIE EN ROSE (Olivier Dahan , 2007
SWEENEY TODD (Tim Burton, 2007)
TRANSFORMERS (Michael Bay, 2007
APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson, 2006)
CHILDREN OF MEN (Alfonso Cuaron, 2006)
LITTLE CHILDREN (Todd Field, 2006)
CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE (Andrew Adamson, 2005)
CINDERELLA MAN (Ron Howard, 2005)
WAR OF THE WORLDS (Steven Spielberg, 2005)
HOTEL RWANDA (Terry George, 2004)
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (Mel Gibson, 2004)
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Joel Schumacher, 2004)
THE POLAR EXPRESS (Robert Zemeckis, 2004)
SPIDER-MAN 2 (Sam Raimi, 2004)
VERA DRAKE (Mike Leigh, 2004)
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING (Peter Webber, 2003)
HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG (Vadim Perelman, 2003)
IN AMERICA (Jim Sheridan, 2003)
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE (Chris Columbus, 2001)
IRIS (Richard Eyre, 2001)
BILLY ELLIOTT (Stephen Daldry, 2000)
DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (Ron Howard, 2000)
THE PATRIOT (Roland Emmerich, 2000)
QUILLS (Philip Kaufman, 2000)
WONDER BOYS (Curtis Hanson, 2000)

2 nominations

AMERICAN GANGSTER (Ridley Scott, 2007)
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES (Andrew Dominik, 2007)
AWAY FROM HER (Sarah Polley, 2007)
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (Shekhar Kapur, 2007)
THE GOLDEN COMPASS (Chris Weitz, 2007)
INTO THE WILD (Sean Penn, 2007)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END (Gore Verbinski, 2007)
THE SAVAGES (Tamara Jenkins, 2007)
3:10 TO YUMA (James Mangold, 2007)
CARS (John Lasseter, 2006)
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (David Frankel, 2006)
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (Clint Eastwood, 2006)
THE PRESTIGE (Christopher Nolan, 2006)
UNITED 93 (Paul Greengrass, 2006)
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (David Cronenberg, 2005)
HUSTLE & FLOW (Craig Brewer, 2005)
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS (Stephen Frears, 2005)
NORTH COUNTRY (Niki Caro, 2005)
SYRIANA (Stephen Gaghan, 2005)
TRANSAMERICA (Duncan Tucker, 2005)
THE CHORUS (Christophe Barratier, 2004)
CLOSER (Mike Nichols, 2004)
COLLATERAL (Michael Mann, 2004)
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry, 2004)
HARRY POTTER & THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (Alfonso Cuaron, 2004)
THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (Walter Salles, 2004)
THE SEA INSIDE (Alejandro Amenabar, 2004)
SHREK 2 (Andrew Adamson, 2004)
A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2004)
21 GRAMS (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 2003)
THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE (Sylvain Chomet, 2003)
ABOUT SCHMIDT (Alexander Payne, 2002)
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (Steven Spielberg, 2002)
SPIDER-MAN (Sam Raimi, 2002)
TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar, 2002)
A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (Steven Spielberg, 2001)
ALI (Michael Mann, 2001)
MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan, 2001)
MONSTER'S BALL (Marc Forster, 2001)
SHREK (Andrew Adamson, 2001)
TRAINING DAY (Antoine Fuqua, 2001)
CAST AWAY (Robert Zemeckis, 2000)
THE CONTENDER (Rod Lurie, 2000)
MALENA (Giuseppe Tornatore, 2000)
O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2000)
THE PERFECT STORM (Wolfgang Petersen, 2000)
POLLOCK (Ed Harris, 2000)
SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE (E. Elias Merhige, 2000)
U-571 (Jonathan Mostow, 2000)
YOU CAN COUNT ON ME (Kenneth Lonergan, 2000)

1 nomination

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (Julie Taymor, 2007)
AUGUST RUSH (Kirsten Sheridan, 2007)
BEAUFORT (Joseph Cedar, 2007)
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (Mike Nichols, 2007)
THE COUNTERFEITERS (Stefan Ruzowitzky, 2007)
EASTERN PROMISES (David Cronenberg, 2007)
GONE, BABY, GONE (Ben Affleck, 2007)
I'M NOT THERE (Todd Haynes, 2007)
IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH (Paul Haggis, 2007)
KATYN (Andrzej Wadja, 2007)
THE KITE RUNNER (Marc Forster, 2007)
LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (Craig Gillespie, 2007)
MONGOL (Sergei Bodrov, 2007)
NORBIT (Brian Robbins, 2007)
ONCE (John Carney, 2007)
PERSEPOLIS (Vincent Parronaud & Marjane Satrapi, 2007)
SURF'S UP (Ash Brannon & Chris Buck, 2007)
12 (Nikita Mikhalkov, 2007)
AFTER THE WEDDING (Susanne Bier, 2006)
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (Davis Guggenheim, 2006)
THE BLACK DAHLIA (Brian De Palma, 2006)
BORAT (Larry Charles, 2006)
CLICK (Frank Coraci, 2006)
THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER (Zhang Yimou, 2006)
DAYS OF GLORY (Rachid Bouchareb, 2006)
THE GOOD GERMAN (Steven Soderbergh, 2006)
THE GOOD SHEPHERD (Robert De Niro, 2006)
HALF NELSON (Ryan Fleck, 2006)
HAPPY FEET (George Miller, 2006)
THE ILLUSIONIST (Neil Burger, 2006)
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (Kevin MacDonald, 2006)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006)
MARIE ANTOINETTE (Sofia Coppola, 2006)
MONSTER HOUSE (Gil Kenan, 2006)
POSEIDON (Wolfgang Petersen, 2006)
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (Gabriele Muccino, 2006)
SUPERMAN RETURNS (Bryan Singer, 2006)
VENUS (Roger Michell, 2006)
VOLVER (Pedro Almodovar, 2006)
WATER (Deepa Mehta, 2006)
BATMAN BEGINS (Christopher Nolan, 2005)
CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (Tim Burton, 2005)
DON'T TELL (Cristina Comencini, 2005)
HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE (Mike Newell, 2005)
HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE (Hayao Miyazaki, 2005)
JOYEUX NOEL (Christian Carion, 2005)
JUNEBUG (Phil Morrison, 2005)
MATCH POINT (Woody Allen, 2005)
THE NEW WORLD (Terrence Malick, 2005)
PARADISE NOW (Hany Abu-Assad, 2005)
SOPHIE SCHOLL (Marc Rothemund, 2005)
THE SQUID & THE WHALE (Noah Baumbach, 2005)
STAR WARS III: REVENGE OF THE SITH (George Lucas, 2005)
TIM BURTON'S CORPSE BRIDE (Tim Burton & Mike Johnson, 2005)
TSOTSI (Gavin Hood, 2005)
WALLACE & GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT (Steve Box & Nick Park, 2005)
AS IT IS IN HEAVEN (Kay Pollak, 2004)
BEFORE SUNSET (Richard Linklater, 2004)
BEING JULIA (Istvan Szabo, 2004)
DOWNFALL (Oliver Hirschbiegel, 2004)
HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS (Zhang Yimou, 2004)
I, ROBOT (Alex Proyas, 2004)
KINSEY (Bill Condon, 2004)
MARIA FULL OF GRACE (Joshua Marston, 2004)
SHARK TALE (Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson, & Rob Letterman, 2004)
TROY (Wolfgang Petersen, 2004)
THE VILLAGE (M. Night Shyamalan, 2004)
YESTERDAY (Darrell Roodt, 2004)
AMERICAN SPLENDOR (Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini, 2003)
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS (Denys Arcand, 2003)
BIG FISH (Tim Burton, 2003)
BROTHER BEAR (Aaron Blaise & Robert Walker, 2003)
THE COOLER (Wayne Kramer, 2003)
DIRTY PRETTY THINGS (Stephen Frears, 2003)
EVIL (Mikael Hafstrom, 2003)
A MIGHTY WIND (Christopher Guest, 2003)
MONSTER (Patty Jenkins, 2003)
PIECES OF APRIL (Peter Hedges, 2003)
SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE (Nancy Meyers, 2003)
THIRTEEN (Catherine Hardwicke, 2003)
THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI (Yoji Yamada, 2003)
TWIN SISTERS (Ben Sombogaart, 2003)
WHALE RIDER (Niki Caro, 2003)
ZELARY (Ondrej Trojan, 2003)
ABOUT A BOY (Chris & Paul Weitz, 2002)
THE CRIME OF FATHER AMARO (Carlos Carrera, 2002)
8 MILE (Curtis Hanson, 2002)
HERO (Zhang Yimou, 2002)
ICE AGE (Chris Wedge, 2002)
LILO & STITCH (Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders, 2002)
THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST (Aki Kaurismaki, 2002)
MINORITY REPORT (Steven Spielberg, 2002)
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (Joel Zwick, 2002)
NOWHERE IN AFRICA (Caroline Link, 2002)
THE QUIET AMERICAN (Philip Noyce, 2002)
SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON (Kelly Asbury & Lorna Cook, 2002)
SPIRITED AWAY (Hayao Miyazaki, 2002)
STAR WARS II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES (George Lucas, 2002)
THE TIME MACHINE (Simon Wells, 2002)
TREASURE PLANET (Ron Clements & John Musker, 2002)
UNFAITHFUL (Adrian Lyne, 2002)
THE WILD THORNBERRYS MOVIE (Cathy Malkasian & Jeff McGrath, 2002)
Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN (Alfonso Cuaron, 2002)
ZUS & ZO (Paula van der Oest, 2002)
THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE (Charles Shyer, 2001)
BRIDGET JONES' DIARY (Sharon Maguire, 2001)
ELLING (Petter Naess, 2001)
GHOST WORLD (Terry Zwigoff, 2001)
I AM SAM (Jessie Nelson, 2001)
JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS (John A. Davis, 2001)
KATE & LEOPOLD (James Mangold, 2001)
LAGAAN (Ashutosh Gowariker, 2001)
THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2001)
MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch, 2001)
NO MAN'S LAND (Danis Tanovic, 2001)
THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson, 2001)
SEXY BEAST (Jonathan Glazer, 2001)
SON OF THE BRIDE (Juan Jose Campanella, 2001)
VANILLA SKY (Cameron Crowe, 2001)
AMORES PERROS (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 2000)
BEFORE NIGHT FALLS (Julian Schnabel, 2000)
THE CELL (Tarsem Singh, 2000)
DANCER IN THE DARK (Lars von Trier, 2000)
DIVIDED WE FALL (Jan Hrebejk, 2000)
THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE (Mark Dindal, 2000)
EVERYBODY'S FAMOUS! (Dominique Deruddere, 2000)
HOLLOW MAN (Paul Verhoeven, 2000)
MEET THE PARENTS (Jay Roach, 2000)
102 DALMATIANS (Kevin Lima, 2000)
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)
SPACE COWBOYS (Clint Eastwood, 2000)
THE TASTE OF OTHERS (Agnes Jaoui, 2000)
VATEL (Roland Joffe, 2000)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

England Rugby Union Player Pool

2008-11-16T21:13:00.002Z

Martin Johnson's reign as England's Rugby Union manager has only just begun with plenty of positives and negatives to take from victory over the Pacific Islands, and defeat against Australia. But what should give him heart is the phenomenal number of player options at his disposal.

#1 Loose Head Prop
ANDREW SHERIDAN (SALE SHARKS)

Although Sheridan is reputed to be a fearsome scrummager, for such a big guy, surely he needs to be more of a battering ram around the park?

The alternatives:
Tim Payne (London Wasps)
Nick Wood (Gloucester Rugby)
David Barnes (Bath Rugby)
David Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
Nick Lloyd (Saracens)
Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
Alex Clarke (Bristol Rugby)
Jon Golding (Newcastle Rugby)
David Flatman (Bath Rugby)
John Brooks (Harlequins)
Perry Freshwater (Perpignan, France)
Kevin Yates (Nice, France)
Billy Moss (Bath Rugby)

#2 Hooker
LEE MEARS (BATH RUGBY)

Mears looks to be more mobile and interested in carrying the ball than other recent hookers. But who is the best at getting the lineout moving effectively? That's what I call a rhetorical question!

The alternatives:
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
George Shuter (Leicester Tigers)
Andy Titterell (Gloucester Rugby)
David Paice (London Irish)
Andy Long (Newcastle Falcons)
Rob Webber (London Wasps)
Mark Regan (Bristol Rugby)
Matt Cairns (Saracens)
Joe Ward (London Wasps)
Chris Brooker (Harlequins)
Matt Thompson (Newcastle Falcons)
Steve Thompson (Brive, France)
James Buckland (London Irish)
Scott Freer (Leeds Carnegie)
Joe Gray (Northampton Saints)
Ross McMillan (Gloucester Rugby)

#3 Tight Head Prop
MATT STEVENS (BATH RUGBY)

I'd pick a prop that can run with the ball and knock over a few tacklers as opposed to a "more assured" scrummager any day. The so-called specialists in the scrum tend to be the same old-school thugs who end up giving away stupid penalties that cost England three points at the feet of the opposition's deadly kicker!

The alternatives:
Phil Vickery (London Wasps)
Jason Hobson (Bristol Rugby)
Jack Forster (Gloucester Rugby)
Stuart Turner (Sale Sharks)
Julian White (Leicester Tigers)
Tom French (London Wasps)
Micky Ward (Newcastle Falcons)
Darren Crompton (Bristol Rugby)
Tom Mercey (Saracens)
Duncan Bell (Bath Rugby)
Daniel Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Robbie Morris (Connacht, Ireland)
Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
Charlie Beech (London Welsh - on loan from Wasps)

#4 and #5 - Second Rows
STEVE BORTHWICK (SARACENS) - CAPTAIN
TOM PALMER (LONDON WASPS)

Watching Steve Borthwick play live is a far different experience to watching him in a televised game. Sitting on your couch at home you could sometimes be forgiven for thinking he goes missing during a game. But rugby is a game of tactical positioning, and Borthwick is like a chess grand master pushing his pawns into position, and making sure his castles are protecting the flanks. I saw him play for his former club Bath at the Leicester Tigers, and decided to focus on him rather than the ball for a few minutes. While his team was attacking, at the possibility of a Leicester kick to touch, a good 60 seconds before it happened, Borthwick retreated down his own sideline in anticipation of being able to prevent the ball going to touch and feeding his back line. He's not captain for nothing you know!

The alternatives:
Nick Kennedy (London Irish)
Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers)
Chris Jones (Sale Sharks)
Richard Blaze (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Brown (Gloucester Rugby)
Peter Short (Bath Rugby)
James Hudson (London Irish)
Dean Schofield (Sale Sharks)
Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers)
Danny Grewcock (Bath Rugby)
George Skivington (London Wasps)
Roy Winters (Bristol Rugby)
Jim Evans (Harlequins)
David Attwood (Bristol Rugby)
Graham Kitchener (Worcester Warriors)
James Cannon (Northampton Saints)
Andrew Springgay (Bayonne, France)
Scott Hobson (Bath Rugby)
Gregor Gillanders (Bedford)
Ben Thomas (London Welsh)
Phil Hoy (Northampton Saints)

#6, #7, #8 - Flankers & No. 8 (Back Row)
TOM CROFT (LEICESTER TIGERS)
TOM REES (LONDON WASPS)
NICK EASTER (HARLEQUINS)

I really like this trio at the back of the scrum, but they all seem like quiet characters on the pitch. There's no galvanising Dallaglio-type, wild-man Micky Skinner, or kamikaze Lewis Moody. They seem like effective rather than flashy players. Perhaps it's the job of the replacement back row crew to come on to the field and stir things up while the opposition has tired legs?

The alternatives:
James Haskell (London Wasps)
Michael Lipman (Bath Rugby)
Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers)
Luke Narraway (Gloucester Rugby)
Joe Worsley (London Wasps)
Steffon Armitage (London Irish)
Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers)
Magnus Lund (Biarritz, France)
Tom Guest (Harlequins)
Dan Ward-Smith (Bristol Rugby)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
James Scaysbrook (Bath Rugby)
Phil Dowson (Newcastle Falcons)
Ben Skirving (Saracens)
Will Skinner (Harlequins)
Stuart Hooper (Bath Rugby)
Andy Hazell (Gloucester Rugby)
Dave Seymour (Saracens)
Ben Woods (Leicester Tigers)
Pat Sanderson (Worcester Warriors)
Kieran Roche (London Irish)
Adam Balding (Newcastle Falcons)
Hugh Vyvyan (Saracens)
Andy Beattie (Bath Rugby)
Chevvy Pennycook (Bristol Rugby)
Hugo Ellis (London Welsh - on loan from Wasps)
Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors)
Calum Clark (Leeds Carnegie)
Jon Fisher (London Irish)
Andy Saull (Saracens)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Brett Deacon (Leicester Tigers)
Isoa Damudamu (Newbury Rugby)
Tom Sargeant (Harlequins)
David Tait (Sale Sharks)
Peter Buxton (Gloucester Rugby)
Chris Cracknell (Cornish Pirates)
Tony Roques (Cornish All Blacks)
James Rodwell (Moseley)
Alex Shaw (Sale Sharks)

#9 Scrum Half
DANNY CARE (HARLEQUINS)

Care looks like an exciting runner, so he could hold on to the number 9 shirt for some time to come. Being a Leicester fan I'd have to root for Harry Ellis to get another shot though! Ellis and Toby Flood in combination fills me with greater confidence than the Care / Cipriani half back pairing.

The alternatives:
Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers)
Peter Richards (London Irish)
Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks)
Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
Andy Gomarsall (Harlequins)
James Grindal (Newcastle Falcons)
Shaun Perry (Bristol Rugby)
Nick Walshe (Bedford)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Scott Bemand (Bath Rugby)
Johnny Arr (Worcester Warriors)
Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
Kevin Barrett (Exeter Chiefs)
Mickey Young (Newcastle Falcons)
John Brake (Northampton Saints)
Simon Amor (London Scottish)

#10 Fly Half
DANNY CIPRIANI (LONDON WASPS)

Ok, I'll admit that Cipriani has his moments but already I have this feeling that in the black shirt of Wasps he is dynamic and exciting while in the white of England he will often fail to impress, rather like Steven Gerrard of Liverpool in the national football team. I know Jonny Wilkinson was quite "boring" with his kick-friendly game, metronomic penalty strikes at goal, and shoulder-dislocating (usually his own!) tackles on his opposite number. If we could get 80 minutes of Cipriani looking like a world beater, then fine, let him have the shirt for a decade. Alas I feel we'll get one or two major gaffes each game that undo a lot of other hard work around the pitch. I'd select a certain Toby the Tiger!

The alternatives:
Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
Shane Geraghty (London Irish)
Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle Falcons)
Ryan Lamb (Gloucester Rugby)
Adrian Jarvis (Bristol Rugby)
Andy Goode (Brive, France)
Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Ben Gollings (Sunnybank, Australia)
Adam Greendale (Leeds Carnegie)
Rob Miller (Newcastle Falcons)
Seb Jewell (Harlequins)
James Brooks (Leeds Carnegie)

#12 and #13 Centres
JAMIE NOON (NEWCASTLE FALCONS)
RIKI FLUTEY (LONDON WASPS)

It seems to be the conventional wisdom now in the modern game that your centre partnership needs to include one dazzling attacker and one defensive tackling machine (a "run and gun" combo, if you will). Current incumbents are the exciting Flutey with the "hard as nails" Noon to lead the line. But how is it that the southern hemisphere seems to have centres the size of second rows with Olympic speed? If only we could get Andy Farrell to wear rocket-propelled boots!

The alternatives:
Dan Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers)
Olly Barkley (Gloucester Rugby)
Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby)
Andy Farrell (Saracens)
Anthony Allen (Gloucester Rugby)
Dominic Waldouck (London Wasps)
Adam Powell (Saracens)
Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
Ayoola Erinle (Leicester Tigers)
Jon Clarke (Northampton Saints)
Henry Paul (Leeds Carnegie)
Alex Crockett (Bath Rugby)
Ollie Smith (Montpelier, France)
Jack Adams (Gloucester Rugby)
Ben Johnston (Brive, France)
Kevin Sorrell (Saracens)
Chris Mayor (Northampton Saints)
Chris Bell (Sale Sharks)
Luke Eves (Bristol Rugby)
Mike Catt (London Irish)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Andy Vilk (Treviso, Italy)
Nils Mordt (Northampton Saints)
Andrew Higgins (Bath Rugby)
Greg King (Worcester Warriors)
Andrew Thompstone (London Irish)
Sam Vesty (Leicester Tigers)
Greg Barden (Bristol Rugby)
Rob Vickerman (Leeds Carnegie)
Ben Russell (Coventry)
Liam Gibson (Plymouth Albion)

#11, #14, #15 Wingers and Full Back
UGO MONYE (HARLEQUINS)
PAUL SACKEY (LONDON WASPS)
DELON ARMITAGE (LONDON IRISH)

Johnson could have immediately struck gold by adding Monye and Armitage to the impressive presence of Paul Sackey. All three could turn into try-scoring machines in the coming months. So far against the Pacific Islands and Australia, Delon Armitage has looked like a composed veteran of fifty caps rather than a newcomer! But there are plenty of other flyers in the Guinness Premiership .....

The alternatives:
Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks)
Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby)
Josh Lewsey (London Wasps)
Dave Strettle (Harlequins)
Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby)
Lesley Vainikolo (Gloucester Rugby)
Topsy Ojo (London Irish)
Tom Voyce (London Wasps)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Tom Biggs (Leeds Carnegie)
Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
Tom Varndell (Leicester Tigers)
Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester Rugby)
Iain Balshaw (Gloucester Rugby)
Richard Haughton (Saracens)
John Rudd (Newcastle Falcons)
Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
David Doherty (Sale Sharks)
Tom Arscott (Bristol Rugby)
Olly Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Mark Van Gisbergen (London Wasps)
Alex Tait (Newcastle Falcons)
Noah Cato (Saracens)
Ben Cohen (Brive, France)
Miles Benjamin (Worcester Warriors)
Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)
Paul Diggin (Northampton Saints)
Dominic Shabbo (London Irish)
Mark Odejobi (London Welsh - on loan from Wasps)
Dan Norton (Gloucester Rugby)
Seb Stegmann (Harlequins)
Michael Horak (Treviso, Italy)
Ollie Phillips (Newcastle Falcons)
Anthony Elliott (Bristol Rugby)
Charlie Amesbury (Harlequins)
Greig Tonks (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Williams (Harlequins)
Selorm Kuadey (Sale Sharks)
Phil Christophers (Castres, France)
James Collins (Worcester Warriors)
Dan Scarbrough (Saracens)
Michael Stephenson (Bath Rugby)
Uche Oduoza (Suntory, Japan)
Oliver Dodge (Bedford)
Simon Hunt (Birmingham & Solihull)

So Mr. Johnson, sir ...... ok I'll call you "Johnno" ..... what about this for a line-up?:

1 ANDREW SHERIDAN
2 DYLAN HARTLEY
3 MATT STEVENS
4 STEVE BORTHWICK
5 NICK KENNEDY
6 TOM CROFT
7 MICHAEL LIPMAN
8 JAMES HASKELL
9 HARRY ELLIS
10 TOBY FLOOD
11 MATT BANAHAN
12 JAMIE NOON
13 DAN HIPKISS
14 PAUL SACKEY
15 DELON ARMITAGE

16 Jason Hobson
17 Lee Mears
18 Tom Palmer
19 Tom Rees
20 Danny Care
21 Olly Barkley
22 Mathew Tait

Come on England!

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NBA Basketball: A New Season Chasing the Celtics on Paper!

2008-11-05T12:44:00.000Z

Last week the NBA basketball season started with the Boston Celtics beginning where they left off in last seasons Finals against the Lakers - by winning! Their calm and skilful dismantling of LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers shows that the "Big Three" of Pierce, Garnett, and Ray Allen are ready to fight for another title in the 2008-2009 season. But are there any other pretenders to the crown, or will champions of recent years make their way back into contention?

I've been looking at the NBA rosters on paper. When you compare their respective squads, how much they are being paid, and how high players were drafted, it's very interesting to start a new season wondering whether a team predominantly comprised of lower-tier draft picks and undrafted players, such as the Golden State Warriors, has any ambition or likelihood to make it to the post-season? Probably not! But high spending doesn't automatically equal success (just look at the New York Knicks!), nor does having a roster crammed with high draft picks, because in actual fact, it's the teams that continually finish bottom of their divisions that annually take the best of the college crop. The future may look bright (on paper!) for the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder (the new name for the relocated Seattle Supersonics), Chicago Bulls, or Portland Trailblazers, but how successful will their young "stars" be in the present?

NBA executives may at this very moment be poring over data and analysing the success of the Boston Celtics last season, trying to replicate their business model in the way that NFL teams labour to reproduce the annual winning formula of the New England Patriots. Maybe it's actually really simple?! You position your NBA team as one of the league's worst, you ditch expensive contracts, wait around for a nice free agent crop, persuade a couple of them to come and earn a fat pay packet, and hope they gel together with a bench-load of humble "team-orientated" guys who don't mind being paid a fraction of the superstars' earnings. It also helps if the veteran stars in question have languished on struggling teams for their entire careers and actually DO care about winning the Championship!

As the 2008-2009 season begins, Boston stand to spend nearly 81 million dollars on players' salaries (up from over 74 million in 2007-2008). These numbers come courtesy of ESPN's data, indicating that Kevin Garnett will receive $24,751,934, Ray Allen will get $18,388,430, and long-time loyal Celtic, Paul Pierce, will pick up $18,077,903. Garnett's wages equate to over 30% of the team's total salary, and when you factor in Pierce, Allen, and Boston's other two starting players, point guard Rajon Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins, their combined $67,112,227 mean they share a whopping 83% of the Celtics player purse. As much as this terrific starting lineup led Boston to NBA glory, without their very deep bench of veteran talent taking comparatively low salaries, their would not have been a chunky diamond- and-emerald-encrusted ring for every bling-hungry oversized hand at the season opener this week! With the completion of the Allen Iverson to Detroit for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver trade, both teams have also moved around their starting line-ups to produce a similar ratio of starting salaries to bench pay (between 80-85%).

So which teams look good on paper, according to the draft credentials of their players? And which players are taking home all of the pay? Here's a look at the NBA by the numbers, before a ball even gets anywhere near a hoop! Remember this is entirely theoretical! We know from experience that it often takes only one great player, surrounded by passionate teammates, to beat teams filled with stars playing only for themselves.

The NBA's best starting five would appear to be the Denver Nuggets! As a result of trading away #1 pick, Allen Iverson, in exchange for a #3 pick, Chauncey Billups, this sent undrafted PG Anthony Carter to the bench, returning #18 pick, shooting guard JR Smith to the Nuggets starting 5. So the draft calibre of their line-up works out as follows:

Point Guard - Chauncey Billups #3
Shooting Guard - JR Smith #18
Small Forward - Carmelo Anthony #3
Power Forward - Kenyon Martin #1
Center - Nene Hilario #7

Average draft position of starting line-up: #6.4

The only team close to this average is the Atlanta Hawks! They have two #2 draft picks, a #3, a #10, and a #17 in their starting five. For those of you unfamiliar with the underachieving Hawks, those players are:

Point Guard - Mike Bibby
Shooting Guard - Joe Johnson
Small Forward - Marvin Williams
Power Forward - Josh Smith
Center - Al Horford

Their average draft position works out as pick number 6.8. Fairly pointless to note this, you might think, but as I said above, on paper a team really can look amazing but really not play as well as their earlier reputations might suggest. When you follow the same analysis, the starting line-up ranked 29th in the NBA for draft pedigree is the San Antonio Spurs. Their starters include future Hall of Famer, Tim Duncan (a #1 pick), two who were drafted at #21 and #28, and two who were not drafted at all. Michael Finley has been a long-standing top quality NBA player, and Tony Parker is an All-Star point guard! Center Fabricio Oberto is definitely not David Robinson, but he's a decent big body, and undrafted Small Forward, Bruce Bowen, is consistently ranked as one of the NBA's top defensive players. On paper they're not supposed to be that good, but come game-time and it's no accident that the Spurs win more often than they lose.

Off the bench, the roster that is apparently rich in talent is the Portland Trailblazers. They have five Top 10 draft picks who are currently not able to break in to the starting rotation! Similarly the Chicago Bulls have an equally rich group of substitutes. At the other end of the spectrum, it's the Atlanta Hawks who have the poorest reserves, as five were not drafted and the other five went between picks 11 and 42.

A look around the NBA reveals just how many players selected in the Top 10 of the draft they have on their rosters:

1. 8 picks - Portland Trailblazers (including #1 Center, Greg Oden)
2. 8 picks - Chicago Bulls (including #1 Point Guard, Derrick Rose)
3. 7 picks - New Jersey Nets (including #5, All-Star Vince Carter)
4. 6 picks - Dallas Mavericks (including #2, All-Star Jason Kidd)
5. 6 picks - Oklahoma City Thunder (including #2, Kevin Durant)
6. 5 picks - Charlotte Bobcats (including #2, Emeka Okakor)
7. 5 picks - LA Clippers (including #3, Point Guard, Baron Davis)
8. 5 picks - Denver Nuggets (including #1 picks, Allen Iverson & Kenyon Martin)
9. 5 picks - Memphis Grizzlies (including #3 Shooting Guard, OJ Mayo)
10. 5 picks - Detroit Pistons (including #3, Chauncey Billups)
11. 4 picks - Atlanta Hawks (including #2 Point Guard, Mike Bibby)
12. 4 picks - Philadelphia 76ers (including #1, Elton Brand)
13. 4 picks - LA Lakers (including #3 Power Forward, Pau Gasol)
14. 4 picks - Boston Celtics (including #5, Kevin Garnett)
15. 4 picks - New York Knicks (including #4 Center, Eddy Curry)
16. 4 picks - Minnesota Timberwolves (including #5, Mike Miller)
17. 4 picks - Houston Rockets (including #1 Center, Yao Ming)
18. 4 picks - Miami Heat (including #2, Power Forward, Michael Beasley)
19. 3 picks - Washington Wizards (including #4, Antawn Jamison)
20. 3 picks - Milwaukee Bucks (including #1 Center, Andrew Bogut)
21. 3 picks - Orlando Magic (including #1 Center, Dwight Howard)
22. 3 picks - Phoenix Suns (including #1 Center, Shaquille O'Neal)
23. 3 picks - Cleveland Cavaliers (including #1 Forward, LeBron James)
24. 2 picks - Indiana Pacers (including #3 Guard, Mike Dunleavy)
25. 2 picks - New Orleans Hornets (including #2, Tyson Chandler)
26. 2 picks - Toronto Raptors (including #4 Power Forward, Chris Bosh)
27. 2 picks - San Antonio Spurs (including #1 Forward, Tim Duncan)
28. 2 picks - Sacramento Kings (including #5 Forward, Shelden Williams)
29. 1 pick - Utah Jazz (USA Olympian, Point Guard Deron Williams)
30. 1 pick - Golden State Warriors (reserve Forward, Brandan Wright)

Teams differ on the composition of their rosters, how many high draft picks mix with undrafted or lower-salaried veterans. They differ in the relative percentages of salary devoted to starting fives versus their bench players. It's not really clear what the winning combination is!

To be continued ......... this post will soon include more stats about salaries, highest paid, overpaid, and value starters .....

2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Picture (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-28T21:11:00.025+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 AcademyAwards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

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BEST PICTURE

These are my very early predictions for the twenty movies that may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Picture" category. Many of these films have directors and stars who have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. Others are not very well known, and are caught up in awards fever due to the “buzz” surrounding their movie. Movies in the "Best Picture" category manage to combine powerful stories, often epic backdrops, quality acting and star names, excellent writing, editing, music, and production values, with a general appeal to the viewing public. Will we see a mix of newcomers with old favourites welcomed back into the fold?

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WINNER:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (producers: Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, & Cean Chaffin)

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NOMINEES:

Australia (producers: Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Knapman, & G. Mac Brown)

The Dark Knight (producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, & Charles Roven)

Doubt (producers: Scott Rudin)

Revolutionary Road (producers: Scott Rudin, John Hart, Sam mendes, Bobby Cohen, & Karen Gehres)

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Burn After Reading (producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Joel Coen, & Ethan Coen)

Changeling (producers: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Clint Eastwood, & Robert Lorenz)

Defiance (producers: Edward Zwick & Pieter Jan Brugge)

The Duchess (producers: Michael Kuhn & Gabrielle Tana)

Frost / Nixon (producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Brian Grazer, & Ron Howard)

Happy-Go-Lucky (producers: Simon Channing-Williams)

Milk (producers: Michael London, Dan Jinks, & Bruce Cohen)

The Road (producers: Steve Schwartz, Nick Wechsler, & Paula Mae Schwartz)

Slumdog Millionaire (producers: Christian Colson)

Valkyrie (producers: Bryan Singer, Christopher McQuarrie, & Gilbert Adler)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (producers: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, & Gareth Wiley)

The Visitor (producers: Michael London, Mary Jane Skalski, & Jeff Skoll)

W. (producers: Bill Block, Moritz Borman, Paul Hanson, & Eric Kopeloff)

Wall-E. (producers: Jim Morris)

The Wrestler (producers: Darren Aronofsky & Scott Franklin)

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Director (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-28T20:49:00.001+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

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BEST DIRECTOR

These are my very early predictions for the twenty directors who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Director" category. Many of these figures have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. Others are not very well known, and are caught up in awards fever due to the “buzz” surrounding their movie. Will we see a mix of newcomers with old favourites welcomed back into the fold?

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WINNER:

Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight) - he was previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "Memento".

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NOMINEES:

Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Baz Luhrmann (Australia) - he was previously nominated in the Best Picture category (with Fred Baron and Martin Brown) for "Moulin Rouge!".

Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road) - he won the Best Director Oscar for "American Beauty".

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) - he won the Oscars for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay (with Marshall Brickman), and was nominated as Best Actor, all for the movie "Annie Hall". He won a further Best Original Screenplay Oscar, and Best Director nomination, for "Hannah and Her Sisters" and was also nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "Manhattan" (with Marshall Brickman), "The Purple Rose of Cairo", "Radio Days", "Alice", "Husbands and Wives", "Mighty Aphrodite", "Deconstructing Harry", and "Match Point". He received both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay nominations for the films "Interiors", "Broadway Danny Rose", "Crimes and Misdemeanors", and "Bullets Over Broadway".

Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Stephen Daldry (The Reader) - he was previously nominated in the Best Director category for both "Billy Elliot" and "The Hours".

Clint Eastwood (Changeling) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby". He won the Best Picture and Director Oscars for both "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby", and was also nominated for the top two awards for "Mystic River" and "Letters From Iwo Jima".

John Hillcoat (The Road) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Ron Howard (Frost / Nixon) - he won the Best Picture (with Brian Grazer) and Best Director Oscars for "A Beautiful Mind".

Spike Lee (Miracle At St. Anna) - he was previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "Do The Right Thing", and in the Best Documentary Feature category for "4 Little Girls".

Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky) - he was previously nominated in the Best Director and Best Original Screenplay categories for both "Secrets & Lies" and "Vera Drake", with a further Best Original Screenplay nomination for "Topsy-Turvy".

Ridley Scott (Body of Lies) - he was previously nominated in the Best Director category for "Thelma & Louise", "Gladiator", and "Black Hawk Down".

John Patrick Shanley (Doubt) - he won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for "Moonstruck". "Doubt" is based on his own stage play of the same name.

Bryan Singer (Valkyrie) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Steven Soderbergh (Che) - he won a Best Director Oscar for "Traffic" and was also nominated in the same category (in the same year!) for "Erin Brockovich". He also received an earlier nomination in the Best Original Screenplay category for "sex, lies, and videotape".

Oliver Stone (W.) - he won Best Director Oscars for both "Platoon" and "Born On The Fourth of July", and an Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for "Midnight Express". He also previously received Best Original Screenplay nominations for "Platoon", "Salvador", and "Nixon", Best Adapted Screenplay nominations for "Born On The Fourth of July" and "JFK", a Best Director nomination for "JFK", and Best Picture nominations for "Born On The Fourth of July" and "JFK" (both with A. Kitman Ho).

Gus Van Sant (Milk) - he was previously nominated in the Best Director category for "Good Will Hunting".

Edward Zwick (Defiance) - he won Best Picture (as co-producer) for "Shakespeare In Love" and was also nominated for "Traffic".

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Original Screenplay (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-28T18:13:00.001+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

These are my very early predictions for the twenty screenwriters who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Original Screenplay" category. Their work is original and is not based on a short story, play, novel, comic book, or newspaper article previously in existence. Many of these figures have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. Others are not very well known, and are caught up in awards fever due to the “buzz” surrounding their movie. Will we see a mix of newcomers with old favourites welcomed back into the fold?

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WINNER:

Wall-E. (Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon) - Stanton was previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "Finding Nemo" (with Bob Peterson & David Reynolds), and he won the Best Animated Feature Oscar for the same film. He was also previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category (in a large group of writers) for "Toy Story". Reardon has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

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NOMINEES:

Burn After Reading (Joel & Ethan Coen) - The Coen Brothers won Best Director, Best Picture (with Scott Rudin), and Best Adapted Screenplay for "No Country For Old Men", as well as a further nomination in the Editing category (under their pseudonym, Roderick Jaynes). Previously they won an Oscar in the Best Original Screenplay category for "Fargo", as well as nominations for Editing and Best Director (only Joel) of the same movie. Their other nomination was in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?".

Happy-Go-Lucky (Mike Leigh) - he was previously nominated in the Best Director and Best Original Screenplay categories for both "Secrets & Lies" and "Vera Drake", with a further Best Original Screenplay nomination for "Topsy-Turvy".

Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman) - he won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" as well as a nomination in the same category for "Being John Malkovich". He also received a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for "Adaptation".

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Woody Allen) - he won the Oscars for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay (with Marshall Brickman), and was nominated as Best Actor, all for the movie "Annie Hall". He won a further Best Original Screenplay Oscar, and Best Director nomination, for "Hannah and Her Sisters" and was also nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "Manhattan" (with Marshall Brickman), "The Purple Rose of Cairo", "Radio Days", "Alice", "Husbands and Wives", "Mighty Aphrodite", "Deconstructing Harry", and "Match Point". He received both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay nominations for the films "Interiors", "Broadway Danny Rose", "Crimes and Misdemeanors", and "Bullets Over Broadway".

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Australia (Baz Luhrmann & Stuart Beattie) - Luhrmann was previously nominated in the Best Picture category (with Fred Baron and Martin Brown) for "Moulin Rouge!" while Beattie has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

The Brothers Bloom (Rian Johnson) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Changeling (J. Michael Straczynski) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Frozen River (Courtney Hunt) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Milk (Dustin Lance Black) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Nothing But The Truth (Rod Lurie) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Pineapple Express (Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg) - neither of them have previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Rachel Getting Married (Jenny Lumet) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Seven Pounds (Grant Nieporte) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Slumdog Millionaire (Simon Beaufoy) - he was previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "The Full Monty".

Stop-Loss (Kimberley Peirce & Mark Richard) - neither of them have previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Valkyrie (Christopher McQuarrie & Nathan Alexander) - McQuarrie won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for "The Usual Suspects" but Alexander has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

The Visitor (Thomas McCarthy) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

W. (Stanley Weiser) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

The Wrestler (Robert D. Siegel) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Adapted Screenplay (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-28T17:19:00.011+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

----------------------------------------------------------------

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

These are my very early predictions for the twenty screenwriters who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Adapted Screenplay" category. Their work is not original but is based on a short story, play, novel, comic book, or newspaper article previously in existence. Many of these figures have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. Others are not very well known, and are caught up in awards fever due to the “buzz” surrounding their movie. Will we see a mix of newcomers with old favourites welcomed back into the fold?

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WINNER:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Eric Roth) - he won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for "Forrest Gump", and was also nominated for "The Insider" (with Michael Mann) and "Munich" (with Tony Kushner). "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

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NOMINEES:

Doubt (John Patrick Shanley) - he won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for "Moonstruck". "Doubt" is based on his own stage play of the same name.

Frost / Nixon (Peter Morgan) - he was previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "The Queen". "Frost / Nixon" is based on his own stage play of the same name.

Revolutionary Road (Justin Haythe) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar. "Revolutionary Road" is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Yates.

The Road (Joe Penhall) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar. "The Road" is based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy.

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Body of Lies (William Monahan) - he won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for "The Departed". "Body of Lies" is based on the novel of the same name by David Ignatius.

Brothers (David Benioff) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar. "Brothers" is based on the Danish film of the same name ("Brødre"), directed by Susanne Bier.

Che (Peter Buchman & Benjamin van der Veen) - neither of them have previously been nominated for an Oscar. "Che" (or the two parts, "The Argentine" and "Guerrilla") is based on the writings of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara.

The City of Your Final Destination (Ruth Prawer Jhabvala) - she won two Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars for "A Room With A View" and "Howards End", and was also nominated in the same category for "The Remains of the Day". "The City of Your Final Destination" is based on the novel of the same name by Peter Cameron.

The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan) - they were both previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "Memento". "The Dark Knight" is based on the original "Batman" comic book characters.

Defiance (Clayton Frohman & Edward Zwick) - Frohman has not previously been nominated for an Oscar but Zwick won Best Picture (as co-producer) for "Shakespeare In Love" and was also nominated for "Traffic". He has not previously been nominated for his writing.

The Duchess (Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen, & Saul Dibb) - none of them have previously been nominated for an Oscar in the Screenplay categories. Jensen won an Oscar and was nominated a further two times in the Short Film category. "The Duchess" is based on Amanda Foreman's non-fiction book "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire".

Elegy (Nicholas Meyer) - he was previously nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution". "Elegy" is based on the novel "The Dying Animal" by Philip Roth.

Miracle At St. Anna (James McBride) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar. "Miracle at St. Anna" is based on his own novel of the same name.

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day (David Magee & Simon Beaufoy) - Magee was previously nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for "Finding Neverland" while Beaufoy was previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "The Full Monty".

The Other Boleyn Girl (Peter Morgan) - see notes above for "Frost / Nixon".

The Reader (David Hare) - he was previously nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for "The Hours". "The Reader" is based on the novel of the same name by Bernhard Schlink.

The Soloist (Susannah Grant) - she was previously nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category for "Erin Brockovich". "The Soloist" is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Steve Lopez.

The Time Traveler’s Wife (Bruce Joel Rubin) - he won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for "Ghost". "The Time Traveler's Wife" is based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger.

Towelhead (Alan Ball) - he won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for "American Beauty". "Towelhead" is based on the novel of the same name by Alicia Erian.

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Actor (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-26T18:50:00.001+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST ACTOR

These are my very early predictions for the twenty actors who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Actor" category. Many have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. Others are not very well known, and are caught up in awards fever due to the “buzz” surrounding their movie. Will we see a mix of newcomers with old favourites welcomed back into the fold?

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WINNER:

Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) - he was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Twelve Monkeys".

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NOMINEES:

Benicio Del Toro (Che) - he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "Traffic" and was also previously nominated for "21 Grams".

Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "The Aviator" and "Blood Diamond", and as Best Supporting Actor for "What's Eating Gilbert Grape".

Frank Langella (Frost / Nixon) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Sean Penn (Milk) - he won the Best Actor Oscar for "Mystic River" and was also nominated for "Dead Man Walking", "Sweet and Lowdown", and "I Am Sam".

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Josh Brolin (W.) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Daniel Craig (Defiance) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Tom Cruise (Valkyrie) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Born On The Fourth of July" and "Jerry Maguire", and was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Magnolia".

Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby". He won the Best Picture and Director Oscars for both "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby", and was also nominated for the top two awards for "Mystic River" and "Letters From Iwo Jima".

Ralph Fiennes (The Duchess) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "The English Patient", as was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Schindler's List".

Harrison Ford (Crossing Over) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Witness".

Jamie Foxx (The Soloist) - he won a Best Actor Oscar for "Ray" and was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Collateral".

Ed Harris (Appaloosa) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Pollock", and was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Apollo 13", "The Truman Show", and "The Hours".

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Synechdoche, New York) - he won the Best Actor Oscar for "Capote", and was also previously nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Charlie Wilson's War".

Hugh Jackman (Australia) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Ben Kingsley (Elegy) - he won a Best Actor Oscar for "Gandhi", and was nominated "House of Sand and Fog". In addition he was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Bugsy" and "Sexy Beast".

Greg Kinnear (Flash of Genius) - he was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "As Good As It Gets".

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Will Smith (Seven Pounds) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Ali" and "The Pursuit of Happyness".

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Actress (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-26T18:15:00.000+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

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BEST ACTRESS

These are my very early predictions for the twenty actresses who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Actress" category. Many have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. Others are not very well known, and are caught up in awards fever due to the “buzz” surrounding their movie. Will we see a mix of newcomers with old favourites welcomed back into the fold?

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WINNER:

Meryl Streep (Doubt) - she won the Best Actress Oscar for "Sophie's Choice" and the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Kramer vs. Kramer", and was also previously nominated as Best Actress for "The French Lieutenant's Woman", "Silkwood", "Out of Africa", "Ironweed", "A Cry In The Dark", "Postcards From The Edge", "The Bridges of Madison County", "One True Thing", "Music of the Heart", and "The Devil Wears Prada". She also received Best Supporting Actress nominations for "The Deer Hunter" and "Adaptation".

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NOMINEES:

Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Angelina Jolie (Changeling) - she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Girl, Interrupted".

Melissa Leo (Frozen River) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road) - she was previously nominated as Best Actress for "Titanic", "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", and "Little Children", as well as Best Supporting Actress nominations for "Sense and Sensibility" and "Iris".

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Kate Beckinsale (Nothing But The Truth) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Cate Blanchett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) - she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "The Aviator", and was also nominated for "Notes on a Scandal" and "I'm Not There". In addition she received Best Actress nominations for "Elizabeth" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age".

Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Scarlett Johansson (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Nicole Kidman (Australia) - she won the Best Actress Oscar for "The Hours" and was also nominated for "Moulin Rouge!".

Keira Knightley (The Duchess) - she was previously nominated as Best Actress for "Pride & Prejudice".

Keira Knightley (The Edge of Love) - see notes above.

Laura Linney (The Other Man) - she was previously nominated as Best Actress for "You Can Count On Me" and "The Savages", and as Best Supporting Actress for "Kinsey".

Rachel McAdams (The Time Traveler’s Wife) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Frances McDormand (Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day) - she won the Best Actress Oscar for "Fargo" and was also previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "Mississippi Burning", "Almost Famous", and "North Country".

Julianne Moore (Blindness) - she was previously nominated as Best Actress for "The End of the Affair" and "Far From Heaven", and as Best Supporting Actress for "Boogie Nights" and "The Hours".

Natalie Portman (Brothers) - she was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "Closer".

Julia Roberts (Fireflies In The Garden) - she won a Best Actress Oscar for "Erin Brockovich" and was nominated for "Pretty Woman", and was nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "Steel Magnolias".

Meg Ryan (The Women) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Emma Thompson (Brideshead Revisited) - she won a Best Actress Oscar for "Howards End" and was nominated for "The Remains of the Day" and "Sense and Sensibility" (for which she won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar). In addition she was nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "In The Name of the Father".

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Supporting Actor (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-26T17:24:00.000+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

These are my very early predictions for the twenty actors who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Supporting Actor" category. Many have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. Others are not very well known, and are caught up in awards fever due to the “buzz” surrounding their movie. Will we see a mix of newcomers with old favourites welcomed back into the fold?

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WINNER:

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) - died tragically on 22nd January, 2008. He was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Brokeback Mountain".

As a tribute to a brief but talented career, the Academy will reward the many excellent reviews of Ledger's performance in "The Dark Knight" with a posthumous Oscar in this Best Supporting Actor category. Along with "Brokeback Mountain", Heath Ledger's roles in "10 Things I Hate About You", "The Patriot", "A Knight's Tale", "Monster's Ball", "Casanova", "Candy", and "I'm Not There" will be on the minds of voters as they will no longer have the chance to nominate him in future decades.

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NOMINEES:

(I believe all other nominees in this category will realise that the award will go to the late Heath Ledger.)

Josh Brolin (Milk) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Robert Downey Jr. (The Soloist) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Chaplin".

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) - he won the Best Actor Oscar for "Capote", and was also previously nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Charlie Wilson's War".

Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Viggo Mortensen (Appaloosa) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "Eastern Promises".

Bryan Brown (Australia) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Rade Serbedzija (Battle In Seattle) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Russell Crowe (Body of Lies) - he won a Best Actor Oscar for "Gladiator" and was nominated for "The Insider" and "A Beautiful Mind".

John Malkovich (Burn After Reading) - he was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Places In The Heart" and "In The Line of Fire".

Jason Butler Hamer (Changeling) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Damian Bechir (Che) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Liev Schreiber (Defiance) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Matthew Rhys (The Edge of Love) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Michael Sheen (Frost / Nixon) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Miracle at St. Anna) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Ciaran Hinds (Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder) - see notes above.

Tom Wilkinson (Valkyrie) - he was previously nominated as Best Actor for "In The Bedroom", and nominated as Best Supporting Actor for "Michael Clayton".

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Supporting Actress (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-26T12:51:00.005+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

These are my very early predictions for the twenty actresses who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Supporting Actress" category. Many have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. Others are not very well known, and are caught up in awards fever due to the “buzz” surrounding their movie. Will we see a mix of newcomers with old favourites welcomed back into the fold?

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WINNER:

Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) - she was previously nominated as Best Actress for "Volver".

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NOMINEES:

Amy Adams (Doubt) - she was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "Junebug".

Kathy Bates (Revolutionary Road) - she won the Best Actress Oscar for "Misery" and was also previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "Primary Colors" and "About Schmidt".

Vera Farmiga (Nothing But The Truth) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Amy Adams (Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day) - see notes above.

Patricia Clarkson (Elegy) - she was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "Pieces of April".

Viola Davis (Doubt) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Romola Garai (The Other Man) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Patty McCormack (Frost / Nixon) - she was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "The Bad Seed".

Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading) - she won the Best Actress Oscar for "Fargo" and was also previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "Mississippi Burning", "Almost Famous", and "North Country".

Sienna Miller (The Edge of Love) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Amy Ryan (Changeling) - she was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for "Gone Baby Gone".

Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!) - she won the Best Actress Oscar for "Sophie's Choice" and the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Kramer vs. Kramer", and was also previously nominated as Best Actress for "The French Lieutenant's Woman", "Silkwood", "Out of Africa", "Ironweed", "A Cry In The Dark", "Postcards From The Edge", "The Bridges of Madison County", "One True Thing", "Music of the Heart", and "The Devil Wears Prada". She also received Best Supporting Actress nominations for "The Deer Hunter" and "Adaptation".

Charlize Theron (The Road) - she won the Best Actress Oscar for "Monster" and was also nominated for "North Country".

Misty Upham (Frozen River) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Rachel Weisz (The Brothers Bloom) - she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "The Constant Gardener".

Debra Winger (Rachel Got Married) - she was previously nominated as Best Actress for "An Officer and a Gentleman", "Terms of Endearment", and "Shadowlands".

Kate Winslet (The Reader) - she was previously nominated as Best Actress for "Titanic", "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", and "Little Children", as well as Best Supporting Actress nominations for "Sense and Sensibility" and "Iris".

Renee Zellweger (Appaloosa) - she won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Cold Mountain" and was nominated for Best Actress in "Bridget Jones' Diary" and "Chicago".

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Cinematography (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-25T16:41:00.006+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

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BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

These are my very early predictions for the twenty cinematographers who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Cinematography" category. Many have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. The high-profile cinematographers are also the ones selected to sit behind the camera alongside celebrated directors for the "serious" Oscar-friendly films, so it is no coincidence that winners in this category are often nominated for Best Picture.

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WINNER:

Revolutionary Road (Roger Deakins) - he has been previously nominated for "Fargo", "Kundun", "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "The Man Who Wasn't There", "The Assassination of Jesse James", and "No Country for Old Men".

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NOMINEES:

Australia (Mandy Walker) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Claudio Miranda) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

The Dark Knight (Wally Pfister) - he was previously nominated for "Batman Begins" and "The Prestige".

Miracle at St. Anna (Matthew Libatique) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Appaloosa (Dean Semler) - he won an Oscar for "Dances With Wolves".

Blindness (Cesar Charlone) - he was previously nominated for "City of God".

Body of Lies (Alexander Witt) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Changeling (Tom Stern) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Defiance (Eduardo Serra) - he was previously nominated for "The Wings of the Dove" and "Girl With A Pearl Earring".

Doubt (Roger Deakins) - see notes for "Revolutionary Road".

Milk (Harris Savides) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

The Road (Javier Aguirresarobe) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Slumdog Millionaire (Anthony Dod Mantle) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

The Soloist (Seamus McGarvey) - he was previously nominated for "Atonement".

Stop-Loss (Chris Menges) - he won two Oscars for "The Killing Fields" and "The Mission" and he was previously nominated for "Michael Collins".

The Time Traveler’s Wife (Florian Ballhaus) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Valkyrie (Newton Thomas Sigel) - he has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Javier Aguirresarobe) - see notes for "The Road".

The Wrestler (Maryse Alberti) - she has not previously been nominated for an Oscar.

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2008 Oscar Contenders: Best Original Score (2009 ceremony)

2008-09-25T15:07:00.010+01:00

These are my Top 20 contenders for the 2008 Academy Awards.

The ceremony will be held on 22nd February, 2009.

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BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

These are my very early predictions for the twenty composers who may be in line for an Oscar nomination in the "Best Original Score" category. Many have been to the ceremony before, so perhaps they will gain favour with voters. The high-profile composers are also the ones selected to provide the music for the "serious" Oscar-friendly films, so it is no coincidence that winners in this category are often nominated for Best Picture.

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WINNER:

The Dark Knight (James Newton Howard) - he was previously nominated for "The Prince of Tides", "The Fugitive", "My Best Friend's Wedding", "The Village", and "Michael Clayton".

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NOMINEES:

Australia (David Hirschfelder) - he was previously nominated for "Shine" and "Elizabeth".

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Alexandre Desplat) - he was previously nominated for "The Queen".

Revolutionary Road (Thomas Newman) - he was nominated for "The Shawshank Redemption", "Little Women", "Unstrung Heroes", "American Beauty", "Road to Perdition", "Finding Nemo", "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events", and "The Good German".

The Soloist (Dario Marianelli) - he won an Oscar for "Atonement" and was previously nominated for "Pride & Prejudice".

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OTHER CANDIDATES:

Che (Alberto Iglesias) - he was previously nominated for "The Constant Gardener" and "The Kite Runner".

Defiance (James Newton Howard) - see "The Dark Knight" notes.

Doubt (Howard Shore) - he won two Oscars for "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the King" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King".

The Duchess (Rachel Portman) - she won an Oscar for "Emma" and was also previously nominated for "The Cider House Rules" and "Chocolat".

Fireflies in the Garden (Javier Navarrete) - he was previously nominated for "Pan's Labyrinth".

Frost / Nixon (Hans Zimmer) - he won an Oscar for "The Lion King" and was previously nominated for "Rain Man", "The Preacher's Wife", "As Good As It Gets", "The Prince of Egypt", "The Thin Red Line", and "Gladiator".

Milk (Danny Elfman) - he was previously nominated for "Men In Black", "Good Will Hunting", and "Big Fish".

Miracle at St. Anna (Terence Blanchard) - he has not yet been nominated for an Oscar.

The Other Man (Stephen Warbeck) - he won an Oscar for "Shakespeare in Love".

The Reader (Alberto Iglesias) - see notes on "Che".

The Road (Nick Cave & Warren Ellis) - neither have previously received Oscar nominations.

Stop-Loss (John Powell) - he has not yet been nominated for an Oscar.

Valkyrie (John Ottman) - he has not yet been nominated for an Oscar.

The Visitor (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek) - he won an Oscar for "Finding Neverland".

Wall E. (Thomas Newman) - see notes on "Revolutionary Road".

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Ryder Cup Golf: The Last 15 Events

2008-09-25T12:35:00.003+01:00

Last Sunday the United States beat Europe to win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1999. Golf isn’t a sport I play nor particularly enjoy watching save for the annual U.S. Masters event at Augusta, and the biannual competition between America and Europe’s twelve best.

Having seen Europe easily beat the U.S.A. in ’06, ’04, and ’02 I felt confident that the streak would continue under captain Nick Faldo in September 2008.

By the close of play on Sunday America had done more than enough to win the event and made me think about the faces, new and old, who have made up the respective teams. Here is a look at the past fifteen Ryder Cup competitions, who captained them, who played in them, and who will likely lead the two teams into future battles!

For the following Ryder Cup contests: 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004,2006, and 2008, the U.S.A. used 74 players while Europe only fielded 65.

Based on their number of appearances during this time period (1979-2008), an elite 1st and 2nd team for each region could look like this:

U.S.A.

1st Team

Captain: Jack Nicklaus (1 playing + 2 captain)

Paul Azinger (4 playing + 1 captain)
Fred Couples (5 playing)
Raymond Floyd (5 playing + 1 captain)
Jim Furyk (6 playing)
Tom Kite (7 playing + 1 captain)
Davis Love III (6 playing)
Phil Mickelson (7 playing)
Mark O’Meara (5 playing)
Curtis Strange (5 playing)
Payne Stewart (5 playing)
Lanny Wadkins (7 playing)
Tiger Woods (5 playing)

2nd Team

Captain: Tom Watson (3 playing + 1 captain)

Mark Calcavecchia (4 playing)
Chad Campbell (3 playing)
Stewart Cink (4 playing)
Ben Crenshaw (4 playing + 1 captain)
Jay Haas (3 playing)
Hale Irwin (3 playing)
Tom Lehman (3 playing + 1 captain)
Justin Leonard (3 playing)
Jeff Maggert (3 playing)
Corey Pavin (3 playing)
Hal Sutton (4 playing + 1 captain)
David Toms (3 playing)

Europe

1st Team

Captain: Tony Jacklin (1 playing + 4 captain)

Seve Ballesteros (8 playing + 1 captain)
Darren Clarke (5 playing)
Nick Faldo (10 playing + 1 captain)
Sergio Garcia (5 playing)
Padraig Harrington (5 playing)
Mark James (6 playing + 1 captain)
Bernhard Langer (10 playing + 1 captain)
Colin Montgomerie (8 playing)
Jose-Maria Olazabal (7 playing)
Sam Torrance (8 playing + 1 captain)
Lee Westwood (6 playing)
Ian Woosnam (8 playing + 1 captain)

2nd Team

Captain: Bernard Gallacher (3 playing + 3 captain)

Thomas Bjorn (2 playing)
Ken Brown (4 playing)
Jose-Maria Canizares (4 playing)
Paul Casey (3 playing)
Howard Clark (5 playing)
Miguel Angel Jimenez (3 playing)
Robert Karlsson (2 playing)
Sandy Lyle (5 playing)
Paul McGinley (3 playing)
Jesper Parnevik (3 playing)
Ian Poulter (2 playing)
Constantino Rocca (3 playing)

It would seem to be a pre-requisite of being a Ryder Cup captain that you have appeared in the team multiple times as a player. Of these elite twelves, ten Americans have served the non-playing captain role (Jack Nicklaus, Ray Floyd, Tom Watson, Lanny Wadkins, Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Hal Sutton, Tom Lehman, and Paul Azinger) while only eight of the Europeans have (Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Seve Ballesteros, Mark James, Sam Torrance, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, and Nick Faldo). This is partly due to Jacklin and Gallacher captaining Europe on a combined seven occasions. The current trend seems to be towards a new captain for each tournament, so with this in mind, the next fifteen Ryder Cup competitions (predicting thirty years ahead!) could be led by the following pairings:

U.S.A. v. Europe

2010 Hale Irwin v. Sandy Lyle

2012 Fred Couples v. Howard Clark

2014 Corey Pavin v. Jose Maria Olazabal

2016 Jay Haas v. Colin Montgomerie

2018 Mark O’Meara v. Darren Clarke

2020 Jeff Maggert v. Miguel Angel Jimenez

2022 Mark Calcavecchia v. Jesper Parnevik

2024 Davis Love III v. Paul McGinley

2026 Jim Furyk v. Padraig Harrington

2028 David Toms v. Robert Karlsson

2030 Phil Mickelson v. Lee Westwood

2032 Justin Leonard v. Sergio Garcia

2034 Tiger Woods v. Ian Poulter

2036 Chad Campbell v. Paul Casey

2038 Stewart Cink v. Justin Rose

My crystal (golf) ball isn’t perfect, but there will definitely be future captaincy stints for the likes of Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, Fred Couples, and Corey Pavin. Can Tiger Woods stay fit and at the top of his game for the next two decades, breaking every record on the way, before taking over the Ryder Cup reigns for the U.S.A. in a quarter of a century from now?! And what of all the superstars who have not emerged yet? Only time will tell.

The 20 Major Film Festivals and Award Ceremonies

2008-09-05T00:09:00.003+01:00

If you're a fan of good cinema and want to note the significant films of a given year, check out the movies recognised by these 20 major Film Festivals and Awards ceremonies. The Oscars may get the most attention each year, but you need to be aware of what is going on further afield to fully appreciate some excellent cinema.

The Top 20 List

In the USA:
Academy Awards
American Film Institute (AFI) Top 10 Lists
DGA (Directors Guild of America)
Golden Globes
Independent Spirit Awards
MTV Movie Awards
National Board of Review, USA
PGA (Producers Guild of America)
SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards
Sundance Film Festival
WGA (Writers Guild of America)

In Britain:
BAFTA Awards

In Canada:
Toronto Film Festival

In Australia:
Australian Film Institute Awards

In Europe:
Berlin Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
Cesar Awards, France
European Film Awards
Goya Awards, Spain
Venice Film Festival

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20 Years of the Cannes Film Festival: 1989 - 2008

2008-09-03T17:09:00.003+01:00

Over the past two decades, the Cannes Film Festival in the South of France has grown enormously and is now one of the major launching pads for films around the world to gain a mainstream audience. In many cases movies are then catapulted into the spotlight for the prestigious Hollywood award shows such as the Golden Globes and the Oscars.

Here are the award winners and rest of the films nominated for the Palme D'Or (Golden Palm) over the past twenty installments of the Cannes Film Festival. The titles are followed by the year they were entered for Cannes, with award winners at the top of the list.

Class, The (2008) - Laurent Cantet (Golden Palm)

Gomorrah (2008) - Matteo Garrone (Grand Prize)

Divo, Il (2008) - Paolo Sorrentino (Jury Prize)

Three Monkeys (2008) - Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Best Director - Nuri Bilge Ceylan)

Argentine, The & Guerrilla (2008) - Steven Soderbergh (Best Actor - Benicio Del Toro)

Line of Passage (2008) - Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas (Best Actress - Sandra Corveloni)

4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007) - Cristian Mungiu (Golden Palm)

Forest of Mogari, The (2007) - Naomi Kawase (Grand Prize)

Persepolis (2007) - Marjane Satrapi; Vincent Paronnaud (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Silent Light (2007) - Carlos Reygadas (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The (2007) - Julian Schnabel (Best Director - Julian Schnabel)

Edge of Heaven, The (2007) - Fatih Akin (Best Screenplay)

Banishment, The (2007) - Andrei Zvyagintsev (Best Actor - Konstantin Lavronenko)

Secret Sunshine (2007) - Chang-dong Lee (Best Actress - Do-yeon Jeon)

Paranoid Park (2007) - Gus Van Sant (60th Anniversary Prize)

Wind That Shakes The Barley, The (2006) - Ken Loach (Golden Palm)

Babel (2006) - Alejandro González Iñárritu (Best Director - Alejandro G. Iñárritu)

Volver (2006) - Pedro Almodóvar (Best Screenplay & Best Actress - all of the female cast)

Days of Glory (2006) - Rachid Bouchareb (Best Actor - all of the male cast)

Flanders (2006) - Bruno Dumont (Grand Prize)

Red Road (2006) - Andrea Arnold (Jury Prize)

Child, The (2005) - Jean-Pierre Dardenne; Luc Dardenne (Golden Palm)

Broken Flowers (2005) - Jim Jarmusch (Grand Prize)

Shanghai Dreams (2005) - Xiaoshuai Wang (Jury Prize)

Hidden (2005) - Michael Haneke (Best Director - Michael Haneke)

Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The (2005) - Tommy Lee Jones (Best Screenplay & Best Actor - Tommy Lee Jones)

Free Zone (2005) - Amos Gitai (Best Actress - Hana Laszlo)

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) - Michael Moore (Golden Palm)

Oldboy (2004) - Chan-wook Park (Grand Prize)

Ladykillers, The (2004) - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (Jury Prize - joint winner - for Irma P. Hall)

Tropical Malady (2004) - Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Exiles (2004) - Tony Gatlif (Best Director - Tony Gatlif)

Look At Me (2004) - Agnès Jaoui (Best Screenplay)

Nobody Knows (2004) - Hirokazu Koreeda (Best Actor - Yuya Yagira)

Clean (2004) - Olivier Assayas (Best Actress - Maggie Cheung)

Elephant (2003) - Gus Van Sant (Golden Palm & Best Director - Gus Van Sant)

Uzak (2003) - Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Grand Prize & Best Actor - Muzaffer Ozdemir & Emin Toprak)

At Five In The Afternoon (2003) - Samira Makhmalbaf (Jury Prize)

Barbarian Invasions, The (2003) - Denys Arcand (Best Screenplay & Best Actress - Marie-Josee Croze)

Pianist, The (2002) - Roman Polanski (Golden Palm)

Man Without a Past, The (2002) - Aki Kaurismäki (Grand Prize & Best Actress - Kati Outinen)

Divine Intervention (2002) - Elia Suleiman (Jury Prize)

Punch-Drunk Love (2002) - Paul Thomas Anderson (Best Director - Paul Thomas Anderson - joint winner)

Drunk On Women and Poetry (2002) - Kwon-taek Im (Best Director - Kwon-taek Im - joint winner)

Sweet Sixteen (2002) - Ken Loach (Best Screenplay)

Son, The (2002) - Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne (Best Actor - Olivier Gourmet)

Bowling for Columbine (2002) - Michael Moore (55th Anniversary Prize)

Son's Room, The (2001) - Nanni Moretti (Golden Palm)

Piano Teacher, The (2001) - Michael Haneke (Grand Prize, Actor - Benoit Magimel, Actress - Isabelle Huppert)

Man Who Wasn't There, The (2001) - Joel Coen (Best Director - Joel Coen - joint winner)

Mulholland Dr. (2001) - David Lynch (Best Director - David Lynch - joint winner)

No Man's Land (2001) - Danis Tanovic (Best Screenplay)

Dancer In The Dark (2000) - Lars von Trier (Golden Palm & Best Actress - Bjork)

Devils On The Doorstep (2000) - Wen Jiang (Grand Prize)

Blackboards (2000) - Samira Makhmalbaf (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Songs From The Second Floor (2000) - Roy Andersson (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Yi Yi: A One and a Two (2000) - Edward Yang (Best Director - Edward Yang)

Nurse Betty (2000) - Neil LaBute (Best Screenplay)

In The Mood for Love (2000) - Wong Kar Wai (Best Actor - Tony Leung)

Rosetta (1999) - Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne Golden Palm & Best Actress - Emilie Dequenne - joint winner)

L'Humanite (1999) - Bruno Dumont (Grand Prize, Actor - Emmanuel Schotte, Actress - Severine Caneele)

Letter, The (1999) - Manoel de Oliveira (Jury Prize)

All About My Mother (1999) - Pedro Almodóvar (Best Director - Pedro Almodovar)

Moloch (1999) - Aleksandr Sokurov (Best Screenplay)

Eternity and A Day (1998) - Theodoros Angelopoulos (Golden Palm)

Life Is Beautiful (1998) - Roberto Benigni (Grand Prize)

Festen (Celebration) (1998) - Thomas Vinterberg (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Class Trip (1998) - Claude Miller (Jury Prize - joint winner)

General, The (1998) - John Boorman (Best Director - John Boorman)

Henry Fool (1998) - Hal Hartley (Best Screenplay)

My Name Is Joe (1998) - Ken Loach (Best Actor - Peter Mullan)

Dream Life of Angels, The (1998) - Erick Zonca (Best Actress - Elodie Bouchez & Natacha Regnier - joint winners)

Taste of Cherry, A (1997) - Abbas Kiarostami (Golden Palm - joint winner)

Eel, The (1997) - Shohei Imamura (Golden Palm - joint winner)

Sweet Hereafter, The (1997) - Atom Egoyan (Grand Prize)

Western (1997) - Manuel Poirier (Jury Prize)

Happy Together (1997) - Wong Kar Wai (Best Director - Wong Kar Wai)

Ice Storm, The (1997) - Ang Lee (Best Screenplay)

She's So Lovely (1997) - Nick Cassavetes (Best Actor - Sean Penn)

Nil by Mouth (1997) - Gary Oldman (Best Actress - Kathy Burke)

Secrets & Lies (1996) - Mike Leigh Golden Palm & Best Actress - Brenda Blethyn

Breaking the Waves (1996) - Lars von Trier (Grand Prize)

Crash (1996) - David Cronenberg (Jury Special Prize)

Fargo (1996) - Joel Coen (Best Director - Joel Coen)

Self-Made Hero, A (1996) - Jacques Audiard (Best Screenplay)

Eighth Day, The (1996) - Jaco van Dormael (Best Actor - Daniel Auteuil and Pascal Duquenne - joint winners)

Underground (1995) - Emir Kusturica Golden Palm

Ullyses' Gaze (1995) - Theodoros Angelopoulos (Grand Prize)

Don't Forget You're Going To Die (1995) - Xavier Beauvois (Jury Prize)

Carrington (1995) - Christopher Hampton (Jury Special Prize & Best Actor - Jonathan Pryce)

Haine, La (1995) - Mathieu Kassovitz (Best Director - Mathieu Kassovitz)

Madness of King George, The (1995) - Nicholas Hytner (Best Actress - Helen Mirren)

Pulp Fiction (1994) - Quentin Tarantino (Golden Palm)

Burnt By The Sun (1994) - Nikita Mikhalkov (Grand Prize of the Jury - joint winner)

To Live (1994) - Yimou Zhang (Grand Prize of the Jury - joint winner) and Best Actor - You Ge)

Reine Margot, La (1994) - Patrice Chéreau (Jury Prize & Best Actress - Virna Lisi)

Dear Diary (1994) - Nanni Moretti (Best Director - Nanni Moretti)

Dead Tired (1994) - Michel Blanc (Best Screenplay)

Piano, The (1993) - Jane Campion (Golden Palm - joint winner and Best Actress - Holly Hunter)

Farewell My Concubine (1993) - Chen Kaige (Golden Palm - joint winner)

Faraway, So Close! (1993) - Wim Wenders (Grand Prize)

Raining Stones (1993) - Ken Loach (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Puppetmaster, The (1993) - Hsiao-hsien Hou (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Naked (1993) - Mike Leigh (Best Actor - David Thewlis and Best Director - Mike Leigh)

Best Intentions, The (1992) - Bille August (Golden Palm & Best Actress - Pernilla August)

Stolen Children, The (1992) - Gianni Amelio Grand Prize

Dream of Light, The (Quince Tree of the Sun) (1992) - Víctor Erice (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Independent Life, An (1992) - Vitali Kanevsky (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Player, The (1992) - Robert Altman (Best Actor - Tim Robbins and Best Director - Robert Altman)

Howards End (1992) - James Ivory (45th Anniversary Prize)

Barton Fink (1991) - Joel Coen (Golden Palm and Best Actor - John Turturro and Best Director - Joel Coen)

Belle noiseuse, La (1991) - Jacques Rivette (Grand Prize)

Europa (1991) - Lars von Trier (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Out of Life (1991) - Maroun Bagdadi (Jury Prize - joint winner)

Double Life of Véronique, The (1991) - Krzysztof Kieslowski (Best Actress - Irene Jacob)

Jungle Fever (1991) - Spike Lee (Best Supporting Actor - Samuel L. Jackson)

Wild at Heart (1990) - David Lynch (Golden Palm)

Sting of Death, The (1990) - Kôhei Oguri (Grand Prize - joint winner)

Law, The (Tilai) (1990) - Idrissa Ouedraogo (Grand Prize - joint winner)

Hidden Agenda (1990) - Ken Loach (Jury Prize)

Taxi Blues (1990) - Pavel Lungin (Best Director - Pavel Lungin)

Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) - Jean-Paul Rappeneau (Best Actor - Gerard Depardieu)

Interrogation, The (1990 - 8 years after release) - Ryszard Bugajski (Best Actress - Krystyna Janda)

sex, lies, and videotape (1989) - Steven Soderbergh (Golden Palm and Best Actor - James Spader)

Cinema Paradiso (1989) - Giuseppe Tornatore (Grand Prize - joint winner)

Trop Belle Pour Toi (1989) - Bertrand Blier (Grand Prize - joint winner)

Jesus of Montréal (1989) - Denys Arcand (Jury Prize)

Time of the Gypsies (1989) - Emir Kusturica (Best Director - Emir Kusturica)

Cry In The Dark, A (Evil Angels) (1989) - Fred Schepisi (Best Actress - Meryl Streep)

2046 (2004) - Kar Wai Wong
24 City (2008) - Zhang Ke Jia
24 Hour Party People (2002) - Michael Winterbottom
8 ½ Women (1999) - Peter Greenaway
About Schmidt (2002) - Alexander Payne
Adoration (2008) - Atom Egoyan
Adversary, The (2002) - Nicole Garcia
Alexandra (2007) - Aleksandr Sokurov
All or Nothing (2002/I) - Mike Leigh
Angels and Insects (1995) - Philip Haas
Anna Karamazoff (1991) - Rustam Khamdamov
Aprile (1998) - Nanni Moretti
Assassin of the Tsar, The (1993) - Karen Shakhnazarov
Assassin(s) (1997) - Mathieu Kassovitz
Barnabo of the Mountains (1994) - Mario Brenta
Bashing (2005) - Masahiro Kobayashi
Basic Instinct (1992) - Jerry Goldsmith
Battle In Heaven (2005) - Carlos Reygadas
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (1995) - Marion Hänsel
Beyond Rangoon (1995) - John Boorman
Bix (1991) - Pupi Avati
Black Rain (1989) - Shohei Imamura
Blindness (2008) - Fernando Meirelles
Body Snatchers (1993) - Abel Ferrara
Brave, The (1997) - Johnny Depp
Bread and Roses (2000) - Ken Loach
Breath (2007) - Ki-duk Kim
Bright Future (2003) - Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Broken Highway (1993) - Laurie McInnes
Brown Bunny, The (2003) - Vincent Gallo
Browning Version, The (1994) - Mike Figgis
Caimano, Il (2006) - Nanni Moretti
Captive of the Desert (1990) - Raymond Depardon
Carandiru (2003) - Hector Babenco
Casanova's Return (1992) - Edouard Niermans
Changeling (2008) - Clint Eastwood
Chimère (1989) - Claire Devers
Christmas Tale, A (2008) - Arnaud Desplechin
Chronicle of an Escape (2006) - Adrián Caetano
Chunhyang (2000) - Kwon-taek Im
City of Lost Children, The (1995) - Jean-Pierre Jeunet; Marc Caro
Claire Dolan (1998) - Lodge Kerrigan
Climates (2006) - Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Code Unknown (2000) - Michael Haneke
Cold Moon (1991) - Patrick Bouchitey
Colossal Youth (2006) - Pedro Costa
Come See the Paradise (1990) - Alan Parker
Confucian Confusion, A (1994) - Edward Yang
Consequences of Love, The (2004) - Paolo Sorrentino
Convent, The (1995) - Manoel de Oliveira
Côtelettes, Les (2003) - Bertrand Blier
Cradle Will Rock (1999) - Tim Robbins
Crush (1992) - Alison Maclean
Dance Me to My Song (1998) - Rolf de Heer
Dark At Noon, or Eyes and Lies (1993) - Raoul Ruiz
Dead Man (1995) - Jim Jarmusch
Death Proof (2007) - Quentin Tarantino
Delta (2008) - Kornél Mundruczó
Demonlover (2002) - Olivier Assayas
Desert Moon (2001) - Shinji Aoyama
Destinées Sentimentales, Les (2000) - Olivier Assayas
Destiny (1997) - Youssef Chahine
Distance (2001) - Hirokazu Koreeda
Do the Right Thing (1989) - Spike Lee
Dogville (2003) - Lars von Trier
Don't Come Knocking (2005) - Wim Wenders
Drifting Clouds (1996) - Aki Kaurismäki
Dyuba-Dyuba (1993) - Aleksandr Khvan
Ear, The (Ucho) (1990 - 20 years after release) - Karel Kachyna
Ed Wood (1994) - Tim Burton
Edukators, The (2004) - Hans Weingartner
Election (2005) - Johnny To
Eloge De L'Amour (2001) - Jean-Luc Godard
Emperor and the Assassin, The (1998) - Chen Kaige
End of Violence, The (1997) - Wim Wenders
Esther Kahn (2000) - Arnaud Desplechin
Eureka (2000) - Shinji Aoyama
Everybody's Fine (1990) - Giuseppe Tornatore
Exotica (1994) - Atom Egoyan
Faithless (2000) - Liv Ullmann
Falling Down (1993) - Joel Schumacher
Family Friend, The (2006) - Paolo Sorrentino
Fast Food Fast Women (2000) - Amos Kollek
Fast Food Nation (2006) - Richard Linklater
Father and Son (2003) - Aleksandr Sokurov
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) - Terry Gilliam
Felicia's Journey (1999) - Atom Egoyan
Fiorile (1993) - Vittorio Taviani; Paolo Taviani
Flesh, The (1991) - Marco Ferreri
Flowers of Shanghai (1998) - Hsiao-hsien Hou
Foolish Heart (1996) - Hector Babenco
Forbidden Woman, The (1997) - Philippe Harel
Francesco (1989) - Liliana Cavani
Frauds (1993) - Stephan Elliott
Friends (1993) - Elaine Proctor
Frontier of Dawn, The (2008) - Philippe Garrel
Funny Games (1997) - Michael Haneke
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) - Jim Jarmusch
Golden Bowl, The (2000) - James Ivory
Good Men, Good Women (1995) - Hsiao-hsien Hou
Goodbye South, Goodbye (1996) - Hsiao-hsien Hou
Guilty by Suspicion (1991) - Irwin Winkler
Harry He's Here To Help (2000) - Dominik Moll
Headless Woman, The (2008) - Lucrecia Martel
Heart is Everywhere, The (2003) - Pupi Avati
History of Violence, A (2005) - David Cronenberg
Holy Girl, The (2004) - Lucrecia Martel
Homicide (1991) - David Mamet
Hudsucker Proxy, The (1994) - Joel Coen
Hyenas (1992) - Djibril Diop Mambéty
Idiots, The (1998) - Lars von Trier
Illuminata (1998) - John Turturro
I'm Going Home (2001) - Manoel de Oliveira
Import/Export (2007) - Ulrich Seidl
In The Country of Juliets (1992) - Mehdi Charef
Innocence: Ghost in the Shell (2004/I) - Mamoru Oshii
Irréversible (2002) - Gaspar Noé
Jefferson in Paris (1995) - James Ivory
Ju Dou (1990) - Yimou Zhang
Kadosh (1999) - Amos Gitai
Kandahar (2001) - Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Kansas City (1996) - Robert Altman
Kedma (2002) - Amos Gitai
Khrustalyov, My Car! (1998) - Aleksei German
Kids (1995) - Larry Clark
Kikujiro (1999) - Takeshi Kitano
Kilometre Zero (2005) - Hiner Saleem
King of the Hill (1993) - Steven Soderbergh
King's Whore, The (1990) - Axel Corti
Kini and Adams (1997) - Idrissa Ouedraogo
Kippur (2000) - Amos Gitai
Kish Tales (1999) - Abolfazl Jalili, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Naser Taghvai
Kuarup (1989) - Ruy Guerra
L.A. Confidential (1997) - Curtis Hanson
Land and Freedom (1995) - Ken Loach
Last Dance, The (1998) - Ming-liang Tsai
Last Days (2005) - Gus Van Sant
Last Mistress, The (2007) - Catherine Breillat
Lemming (2005) - Dominik Moll
Léolo (1992) - Jean-Claude Lauzon
Les Chansons D'Amour (2007) - Christophe Honoré
Libera me (1993) - Alain Cavalier
Life According to Luc (1991) - Jean-Paul Civeyrac
Life and Death of Peter Sellers, The (2004) - Stephen Hopkins
Life Is a Miracle (2004) - Emir Kusturica
Life On A String (1991) - Chen Kaige
Lights In The Dusk (2006) - Aki Kaurismäki
Limbo (1999) - John Sayles
Lion's Den (2008) - Pablo Trapero
Little Lili (2003) - Claude Miller
Long Day Closes, The (1992) - Terence Davies
Lost Angels (1989) - Hugh Hudson
Louis, The Child King (1993) - Roger Planchon
Love Will Tear Us Apart (1999) - Nelson Yu Lik-wai
Luna Park (1992) - Pavel Lungin
Magnificat (1993) - Pupi Avati
Malina (1991) - Werner Schroeter
Man By The Shore, The (1993) - Raoul Peck
Man From London, The (2007) - Béla Tarr
Manderlay (2005) - Lars von Trier
Marie Antoinette (2006) - Sofia Coppola
Marie-Jo and Her Two Lovers (2002) - Robert Guédiguian
Mazeppa (1993) - Bartabas
Millennium Mambo (2001) - Hsiao-hsien Hou
Mondovino (2004) - Jonathan Nossiter
Monsieur Hire (1989) - Patrice Leconte
Moon Child / The Son of the Moon (1989) - Agustí Villaronga
Mother (1989) - Gleb Panfilov
Motorcycle Diaries, The (2004) - Walter Salles
Moulin Rouge! (2001) - Baz Luhrmann
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994) - Alan Rudolph
Much Ado About Nothing (1993) - Kenneth Branagh
My Blueberry Nights (2007) - Kar Wai Wong
My Favourite Season (1993) - André Téchiné
My Magic (2008) - Eric Khoo
My Own (1994) - Shaji N. Karun
My Sex Life .... Or How I Got Into An Argument (1996) - Arnaud Desplechin
Mystery Train (1989) - Jim Jarmusch
Mystic River (2003) - Clint Eastwood
Nanny, The (1999) - Marco Bellocchio
Nasty Love (1995) - Mario Martone
Neon Bible, The (1995) - Terence Davies
New Wave (1990) - Jean-Luc Godard
No Country for Old Men (2007) - Joel Coen; Ethan Coen
No One Writes to the Colonel (1999) - Arturo Ripstein
Noce, La (1991) - Joëlle Bouvier; Regis Obadia
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) - Joel Coen
Of Mice and Men (1992) - Gary Sinise
Officer's Ward, The (2001) - François Dupeyron
Once You're Born You Can No Longer Hide (2005) - Marco Tullio Giordana
Our Happy Lives (1999) - Jacques Maillot
Palermo Shooting (2008) - Wim Wenders
Pan's Labyrinth (2006) - Guillermo del Toro
Patriots, The (1994) - Eric Rochant
Pau and His Brother (2001) - Marc Recha
Picture Bride (1994) - Kayo Hatta
Pledge, The (2001) - Sean Penn
Pola X (1999) - Leos Carax
Prince of Homburg, The (1997) - Marco Bellocchio
Profession of Arms, The (2001) - Ermanno Olmi
Promise Me This (2007) - Emir Kusturica
Pure Formality, A (1994) - Giuseppe Tornatore
Purple Butterfly (2003) - Ye Lou
Queen of the Night, The (1994) - Arturo Ripstein
Quiet Room, The (1996) - Rolf de Heer
Rage in Harlem, A (1991) - Bill Duke
Raison du plus faible, La (2006) - Lucas Belvaux
Religion Hour, The (2002) - Marco Bellocchio
Replay (2001) - Catherine Corsini
Reunion (1989) - Jerry Schatzberg
Rice People, The (1994) - Rithy Panh
Ridicule (1996) - Patrice Leconte
Roberto Succo (2001) - Cédric Kahn
Rodrigo D: No future (1990) - Víctor Gaviria
Rosalie Goes Shopping (1989) - Percy Adlon
Rose Seller, The (1998) - Víctor Gaviria
Russian Ark (2002) - Aleksandr Sokurov
Ryaba My Chicken (1994) - Andrei Konchalovsky
School of Flesh, The (1998) - Benoît Jacquot
Scorta, La (1993) - Ricky Tognazzi
Second Time, The (1995) - Mimmo Calopresti
Selon Charlie (2006) - Nicole Garcia
Sentinelle, La (1992) - Arnaud Desplechin
Serpent's Kiss, The (1997) - Philippe Rousselot
Service (2008) - Brillante Mendoza
Shanghai Triad (1995) - Yimou Zhang
Shara (2003) - Naomi Kawase
Sharaku (1995) - Masahiro Shinoda
Shrek (2001) - Vicky Jenson; Andrew Adamson
Shrek 2 (2004) - Andrew Adamson; Kelly Asbury; Conrad Vernon
Silence of Lorna, The (2008) - J.P. Dardenne; Luc Dardenne
Simple Men (1992) - Hal Hartley
Sin City (2005) - Frank Miller; Robert Rodriguez
Singer, The (2006) - Xavier Giannoli
Snail's Senator, The (1995) - Mircea Daneliuc
Southland Tales (2006) - Richard Kelly
Spider (2002) - David Cronenberg
Spider's Web (1989) - Bernhard Wicki
Splendor (1989) - Ettore Scola
Splitting Heirs (1993) - Robert Young
Stealing Beauty (1996) - Bernardo Bertolucci
Stories From The Kronen (1995) - Montxo Armendáriz
Straight Story, The (1999) - David Lynch
Stranger Among Us, A (1992) - Sidney Lumet
Strayed (2003) - André Téchiné
Summer Palace (2006) - Ye Lou
Sunchaser, The (1996) - Michael Cimino
Suspended Step of the Stork, The (1991) - Theodoros Angelopoulos
Sweetie (1989) - Jane Campion
Swimming Pool (2003) - François Ozon
Synecdoche, New York (2008) - Charlie Kaufman
Taboo (1999) - Nagisa Oshima
Tale of Cinema (2005) - Sang-soo Hong
Tehilim (2007) - Raphaël Nadjari
Telets (2001) - Aleksandr Sokurov
Temptress Moon (1996) - Kaige Chen
Ten (2002) - Abbas Kiarostami
That Day (2003) - Raoul Ruiz
These Foolish Things (Daddy Nostalgie) (1990) - Bertrand Tavernier
Those Who Love Me Can Take The Train (1998) - Patrice Chéreau
Three Lives and Only One Death (1996) - Raoul Ruiz
Three Times (2005) - Hsiao-hsien Hou
Through The Olive Trees (1994) - Abbas Kiarostami
Tierra (1996) - Julio Medem
Time Regained (1999) - Raoul Ruiz
Tiresia (2003) - Bertrand Bonello
To Paint or Make Love (2005) - Arnaud Larrieu; J-M Larrieu
Too Late (1996) - Lucian Pintilie
Torrents of Spring (1989) - Jerzy Skolimowski
Tree of Blood (1996) - Flora Gomes
Trois couleurs: Rouge (1994) - Krzysztof Kieslowski
Truce (1997) - Francesco Rosi
Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story, The (2003) - Peter Greenaway
Turbulence (2000) - Ruy Guerra
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) - David Lynch
Two Lovers (2008) - James Gray
Uncertainty, Principle, The (2002) - Manoel de Oliveira
Unforgettable Summer, An (1994) - Lucian Pintilie
Unknown Pleasures (2002) - Zhang Ke Jia
Va Savoir (2001) - Jacques Rivette
Van Gogh (1991) - Maurice Pialat
Van, The (1996) - Stephen Frears
Velvet Goldmine (1998) - Todd Haynes
Violin Player, The (1994) - Charles Van Damme
Voleurs, Les (1996) - André Téchiné
Voyage, The (1992) - Fernando E. Solanas
Waati (1995) - Souleymane Cissé
Waltz with Bashir (2008) - Ari Folman
Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001) - Shohei Imamura
We Own the Night (2007) - James Gray
Wedding, The (2000) - Pavel Lungin
Welcome to Sarajevo (1997) - Michael Winterbottom
Well, The (1997) - Samantha Lang
What Time Is It There? (2001) - Ming-liang Tsai
Where the Truth Lies (2005) - Atom Egoyan
White Hunter Black Heart (1990) - Clint Eastwood
Whores, The (1994) - Aurelio Grimaldi
Woman Is the Future of Man (2004) - Sang-soo Hong
Women On The Roof, The (1989) - Carl-Gustav Nykvist
Wonderland (1999) - Michael Winterbottom
Xime (1994) - Sana Na N'Hada
Yards, The (2000) - James Gray
Yes Man, The (1991) - Daniele Luchetti
Zodiac (2007) - David Fincher

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Adam Duritz of Counting Crows

2008-09-03T16:42:00.001+01:00

My girlfriend, Izabela, and I filmed Adam Duritz of Counting Crows arriving at the stage door of the "Late Show With David Letterman" in Manhattan in March 2008.

I asked him to "say hello to England!"

Manchester United Depth Chart 2008 - 2009

2008-09-03T16:04:00.001+01:00

Players as of 3rd September, 2008

Squad numbers from 1-41 are official. Higher numbers are my creation!

The 2008-2009 season has begun with Manchester United introducing a number of young faces to its first team squad. Notable promotions from the Reserves include the Brazilian twins, Rafael and Fabio Da Silva (at right back and left back respectively), midfielders Rodrigo Possabon and Darron Gibson, and strikers Fraizer Campbell (now on-loan at Spurs as part of the Berbatov deal) and Danny Welbeck. I'm also excited at the prospect of seeing Angolan striker Manucho in action! For the early part of the season Utd fans have not seen Cristiano Ronaldo, Owen Hargreaves, Park Ji-Sung, or Ben Foster, while a further six fringe players are away on loan to other clubs.

Hopefully Dimitar Berbatov will do a great job of filling the number 9 shirt, as he replaces Louis Saha who has moved to Everton.

GOALKEEPER
1 Edwin Van Der Sar
29 Tomasz Kuszczak
12 Ben Foster
38 Ron-Robert Zieler
40 Ben Amos

43 Tom Heaton (on loan to Cardiff)
64 Conor Devlin
68 Gary Woods

RIGHT BACK
6 Wes Brown
21 Rafael Da Silva
25 Danny Simpson (on loan to Blackburn)
36 David Gray

47 Richard Eckersley

RIGHT CENTRE BACK
5 Rio Ferdinand
2 Gary Neville
37 Craig Cathcart (on loan to Plymouth)

55 Joe Dudgeon
62 Kenny Strickland

LEFT CENTRE BACK
15 Nemanja Vidic
23 Jonny Evans
39 James Chester

51 Reece Brown (younger brother of Wes Brown!)
58 Scott Wootton
63 Oliver Gill

LEFT BACK
3 Patrice Evra
22 John O’Shea
20 Fabio Da Silva

67 Scott Moffatt

RIGHT MIDFIELD
16 Michael Carrick
4 Owen Hargreaves
35 Rodrigo Possebon
28 Darron Gibson

44 Danny Drinkwater
46 Jimmy Derbyshire
53 Corry Evans
60 Matt James

LEFT MIDFIELD
18 Paul Scholes
8 Luis De Abreu Anderson
33 Sam Hewson

34 Tom Cleverley
49 Magnus Wolff Eikrem
50 Davide Petrucci
56 Oliver Norwood
59 Cameron Stewart

RIGHT WING
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
24 Darren Fletcher
13 Park Ji-Sung

57 Chris Curran

RIGHT STRIKER
10 Wayne Rooney
32 Carlos Tevez
31 Fraizer Campbell (on loan to Tottenham)
45 Febian Brandy (on loan to Swansea)

52 Evandro Brandao
-- Nick Ajose

LEFT STRIKER
9 Dimitar Berbatov
26 Goncalves Manucho
19 Danny Welbeck
41 Federico Macheda

48 Antonio Bryan
61 Joshua King

LEFT WING
17 Luis Carlos Nani
11 Ryan Giggs
30 Lee Martin (on loan to Nottingham Forest)

54 Daniel Galbraith
65 Robert Brady

Shirt numbers not being used: 14, 27

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If I was in Sir Alex's shoes, my personal selection (with conventional shirt numbering!) would be as follows:

1 Ben Foster

2 Owen Hargreaves
5 Rio Ferdinand
6 Nemanja Vidic
3 Patrice Evra

4 Michael Carrick
8 Anderson

7 Cristiano Ronaldo
11 Nani

10 Wayne Rooney
9 Dimitar Berbatov

Subs:
12 Gary Neville
13 Edwin Van Der Sar
14 Paul Scholes
15 John O'Shea
16 Ryan Giggs
17 Carlos Tevez

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The Ex-Manchester United Ultimate Squad from the Premiership Years!

2008-08-26T18:10:00.006+01:00

Apart from the long-serving current players such as Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, and Ryan Giggs, there have been many Manchester United "legends" who donned the shirt at Old Trafford since the early 1990s. Many other players came and went with barely an appearance to their name. Here's a list for Man Utd fans!

1 Peter Schmeichel (Goalkeeper) - RETIRED

2 Paul Parker (Right Back) - RETIRED

3 Gabriel Heinze (Left Back) - playing for Real Madrid

4 Roy Keane (c) (Midfield) - SUNDERLAND MANAGER

5 Jaap Stam (Centre Back) - RETIRED

6 Gary Pallister (Centre Back) - RETIRED

7 David Beckham (Right Wing) - playing for Los Angeles Galaxy

8 Paul Ince (Midfield) - BLACKBURN MANAGER

9 Eric Cantona (Striker) - RETIRED

10 Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Striker) - playing for Real Madrid

11 Lee Sharpe (Left Wing) - RETIRED

12 Denis Irwin (Left / Right Back) - RETIRED

13 Fabien Barthez (Goalkeeper) - ALMOST RETIRED!

14 Steve Bruce (Centre Back) - WIGAN MANAGER

15 Bryan Robson (Midfield) - RETIRED

16 Mark Hughes (Striker) - MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER

17 Andrei Kanchelskis (Right Wing) - RETIRED

18 Teddy Sheringham (Striker) - RETIRED

19 Andrew Cole (Striker) - playing for Nottingham Forest

20 Dwight Yorke (Striker) - playing for Sunderland

21 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Striker) - RETIRED

22 Brian McClair (ST / MF)- RESERVE TEAM MANAGER AT MAN
UTD

23 Phil Neville (LB / MF)- playing for Everton

24 Nicky Butt (Midfield) - playing for Newcastle

25 Ronny Johnsen (Centre Back) - playing for Valerenga in Norway

26 Henning Berg (RB / CB) - LILLESTROM MANAGER (from January
2009)

27 Mikael Silvestre (Left Back / Centre Back) - playing for Arsenal

28 Louis Saha (Striker) - playing for Everton

29 Juan Sebastian Veron (Midfield) - playing for Estudiantes de la Plata in
Argentina

30 Tim Howard (Goalkeeper) - playing for Everton

31 Laurent Blanc (Centre Back) - BORDEAUX MANAGER

32 Quinton Fortune (Left Wing) - playing for Western Province Utd in S.
Africa

33 Keith Gillespie (Right Wing) - playing for Sheffield United

34 Neil Webb (Midfield) - RETIRED

35 Henrik Larsson (Striker) - playing for Helsingborgs in Sweden

36 David May (Right Back / Centre Back) - RETIRED

37 Kieran Richardson (Left Wing) - playing for Sunderland

38 Mike Phelan (Midfield) - ASSISTANT MANAGER AT MAN UTD

39 Karel Poborsky (Right Wing) - RETIRED

40 Danny Wallace (Left Wing) - RETIRED

41 Mark Bosnich (Goalkeeper) - playing for Central Coast Mariners in
Australia

42 Gerard Pique (Centre Back) - playing for Barcelona

43 Phil Bardsley (Right Back) - playing for Sunderland

44 Jonathan Spector (Centre Back / Left Back) - playing for West Ham

45 John Curtis (Right Back) - playing but currently without a contract

46 Alan Smith (Midfield / Striker) - playing for Newcastle

47 Clayton Blackmore (Left Back) - RETIRED

48 Dion Dublin (Striker) - RETIRED

49 Diego Forlan (Striker) - playing for Atletico Madrid

50 Jose Kleberson (Midfield) - playing for Flamengo in Brazil

51 Roy Carroll (Goalkeeper) - playing for Derby County

52 Jesper Blomqvist (Left Wing) - playing / coaching for Enkopings in
Sweden

53 Jordi Cruyff (Midfield) - playing for Metalurh Donetsk in Ukraine

54 Eric Djemba-Djemba (Midfield) - playing for OB (Odense) in Denmark

55 David Bellion (Left Wing / Striker) - playing for Bordeaux

56 Jonathan Greening (Right Wing) - playing for West Bromwich Albion

57 Darren Ferguson (Midfield) - PETERBOROUGH MANAGER

58 Giuseppe Rossi (Striker) - playing for Villarreal

59 Lee Martin (Left Back) - RETIRED (no relation to current player of
same name)

60 Luke Chadwick (Right Wing) - playing for Norwich City

61 Raimond Van Der Gouw (Goalkeeper) - SUNDERLAND GK COACH

62 Liam Miller (Midfield) - playing for Sunderland

63 Paul McShane (Centre Back) - playing for Sunderland

64 Danny Higginbotham (Centre Back) - playing for Stoke City

65 Ronnie Wallwork (Centre Back) - playing but without a contract

66 Chris Eagles (Left Wing) - playing for Burnley

67 Gary Walsh (Goalkeeper) - DERBY GK COACH

68 David Healy (Striker) - playing for Sunderland

69 John O'Kane (Right Back) - RETIRED

70 Terry Cooke (Right Wing) - playing for Colorado Rapids

71 Felipe Ricardo (Goalkeeper) - playing for Osasuna in Spain

72 Ben Thornley (Left Wing) - playing for Wilmslow Albion

73 Philip Mulryne (Right Wing) - playing but without a contract

74 Erik Nevland (Striker) - playing for Fulham

75 Colin McKee (Right Wing) - RETIRED

76 Pat McGibbon (Centre Back) - LURGAN CELTIC MANAGER

77 Andy Goram (Goalkeeper) - CLYDE GK COACH

78 Mark Wilson (Midfield) - playing for Doncaster Rovers

79 David Jones (Midfield) - playing for Wolves

80 Chris Casper (Centre Back) - BRADFORD YOUTH TEAM COACH

81 Simon Davies (Left Wing) - CHESTER CITY MANAGER

82 William Prunier (Centre Back) - RETIRED

83 Kieran Lee (Full Back / Midfield) - playing for Oldham

84 Massimo Taibi (Goalkeeper) - playing for Ascoli in Italy

85 Michael Stewart (Midfield) - playing for Heart of Midlothian

86 Michael Clegg (Left Back) - COACH AT SUNDERLAND

87 Ryan Shawcross (Centre Back) - playing for Stoke City

88 Ritchie Jones (Midfield) - playing for Hartlepool United

89 Kevin Pilkington (Goalkeeper) - playing for Notts County

90 Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Striker) - playing for Wolves

91 Dong Fangzhui (Striker) - released in August 2008

92 Danny Pugh (Midfield) - playing for Stoke City

93 Bojan Djordic (Midfield) - playing for AIK in Sweden

94 Paul Rachubka (Goalkeeper) - playing for Blackpool

95 Lee Roche (Right Back) - playing for Droylsden

96 Nick Culkin (Goalkeeper) - RETIRED

97 Michael Appleton (Midfield) - WEST BROM RESERVE MANAGER

98 Michael Barnes (Left Wing) - playing for Northwich Victoria

99 Daniel Nardiello (Striker) - playing for Blackpool

100 Graeme Tomlinson (Striker) - RETIRED

101 Eddie Johnson (Midfield / Striker) - playing for Chester City

102 Adam Eckersley (Left Back) - playing for AC Horsens in Denmark

103 Richard Wellens (Midfield) - playing for Doncaster Rovers

104 Michael Twiss (Midfield) - playing for Morecambe

105 Mark Lynch (Right Back) - playing for Rotherham United

106 Danny Webber (Striker) - playing for Sheffield United

107 Philip Marsh (Striker) - training with Northwich Victoria

108 Jimmy Davis (Winger) - tragically killed in a car crash in August 2003

Please get in touch if I've missed anyone off the list!

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American Hoop Dreams from "Dream Team" to "Redeem Team": NBA Stars Wearing the Flag for Olympic Glory!

2008-08-12T15:09:00.003+01:00

It was the Barcelona Olympics in the summer of 1992 when I really caught basketball fever. Up until then I’d been a fan of the NBA, living in England, making do with the occasional video of a “game of the week” arriving in the post. But this was the Summer Games of the “Dream Team”, the magical collective of multi-millionaires rubbing shoulders with amateurs, ready to school the world in the art of basketball. The fact that they won the Gold Medal is almost immaterial, as it was expected of them. I’m more interested in the NBA stars who have subsequently taken their place on the US Men’s Basketball team, and how many times they have played for their country.

Olympics 1992 (8-0, gold medal) & and an identical roster for FIBA 1992 (6-0)

If you follow any kind of fantasy sport in a newspaper or online, delighting in picking your favourite players and wishing that they could ever have the chance to play together, 1992’s US Olympic Basketball team truly was that dream come to life. All-time NBA superstar Michael Jordan and his sidekick Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls were suiting up alongside Earvin “Magic” Johnson of the L.A. Lakers and his classic ‘80s rival Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics. Then there was the “Round Mound of Rebound”, Charles Barkley, the ever-intense seven feet tall center, Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler of the Portland Trailblazers, and “The Admiral”, David Robinson. Everybody’s favourite dynamic duo that you loved to hate, John Stockton and Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz were there, leaving the man with the tight shorts and buzz haircut, Chris Mullin, and the twelfth man on the roster, Duke University representative (and later NBA journeyman) Christian Laettner.

World Championships 1994 (8-0, gold medal)

So what happened next to the victorious US basketball team? Two years after Barcelona, all twelve of the “Dream Team” had either retired or been set aside in favour of showcasing the NBA’s next generation at the World Championships. Ewing and Robinson at center were replaced by the new athletic powerhouses of Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning. Steve Smith and Dan Majerle, comfortable at both shooting guard and small forward, moved in to Pippen and Mullin’s slots. The powerful front court of Barkley and Malone were rested in favour of Derrick Coleman and Larry Johnson, and the slow-moving skills of Larry Bird and Christian Laettner were replaced by young superstar Shawn Kemp and perhaps the only other big-name star who should have been on the ’92 Olympic team, Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins. In the back court, the guard positions were slightly more reliant on age and experience. Point guards Magic Johnson and John Stockton had their spots taken by Kevin Johnson of the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Mark Price. The extraordinary pair of shooting guards, Jordan and Drexler, could hardly be “replaced” but their positions were filled by the charismatic Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers, and the Detroit Pistons’ well-respected Joe Dumars.

Olympics 1996 (8-0, gold medal)

Maybe sentiment was part of the selection process of the USA Basketball organization, as Olympics on home soil in 1996 saw the return of some of the “Dream Team”. Five of the twelve players who won the Gold medal in Barcelona lined up at the Atlanta games: David Robinson, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and Scottie Pippen. Of the ’94 World Championship team, only Shaquille O’Neal and Reggie Miller held on to their spots for the 1996 Olympics. The other five roster spots went to the Houston Rockets center, Hakeen Olajuwon, guards Penny Hardaway, Gary Payton, and Mitch Richmond, and young forward Grant Hill.

FIBA 1999 (10-0, gold medal)

With the NBA labour dispute putting paid to the USA fielding a team of its top stars for the 1998 World Championships, it wasn’t until the FIBA "Tournament of the Americas" in 1999 that America was next able to send out the big guns in an international tournament. Only point guard Gary Payton still remained on the team from the ’96 Olympic team, Steve Smith returned having been on the ’94 World Championship roster, and a further ten new faces made their debut for the United States: Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs, forwards Kevin Garnett, Tom Gugliotta, Elton Brand, and Vin Baker, and the guards Jason Kidd, Tim Hardaway, Allan Houston, Richard Hamilton, and Wally Szczerbiak.

Olympics 2000 (8-0, gold medal)

The following year when the Olympics took place in Sydney, the USA team managed to maintain some continuity. Kidd, Payton, Tim Hardaway, Houston, Garnett, Steve Smith, and Baker were still on the roster that competed in 1999. At center, Alonzo Mourning came back in place of Tim Duncan having not featured since the 1994 World Championships. Forwards Elton Brand and Tom Gugliotta were left off in favour of Antonio McDyess and Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and two of the NBA’s brightest talents, Ray Allen and Vince Carter, replaced Hamilton and Szczerbiak.

World Championships 2002 (6-3, 6th Place)

However, as with the interim World Championship squad between the ’92 and ’96 Olympic Games, the players on the USA team were almost entirely made up of international “rookies” for the 2002 World Championships. The only exceptions were Reggie Miller, who was back at shooting guard for the first time since the Atlanta Olympics six years earlier, and Elton Brand returned to a spot in the front court having earlier been on the ’99 FIBA roster. The new guards were Baron Davis, Andre Miller and Jay Williams, the big men were Antonio Davis, Raef LaFrentz, Ben Wallace and Jermaine O’Neal, and a rather small group of forwards comprised Michael Finley , Shawn Marion of the Phoenix Suns, and Paul Pierce of the Celtics. Inexperience no doubt told as the USA lost three of its nine games to finish 6th overall behind Yugoslavia, Argentina and Germany in the medal positions.

FIBA 2003 (10-0, gold medal)

The selections for the 2003 FIBA tournament, with the exception of Elton Brand and Jermaine O’Neal, reflected a new roster. But this time it was a combination of totally new players, and previous US stars being brought back into the fold. Guards Jason Kidd, Ray Allen, and Vince Carter returned for the first time since the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Kidd’s teammate from the last FIBA competition in 1999, Tim Duncan, was also back in USA colours. Allen Iverson made it onto the squad for the first time, as did Mike Bibby. The final four places went to forwards not previously selected – Richard Jefferson, Tracy McGrady, Kenyon Martin, and Nick Collison.

Olympics 2004 (5-3, bronze medal)

When the following year’s Olympic squad was announced to travel to Athens only Allen Iverson, Richard Jefferson and Tim Duncan kept their roster spots. Forward Shawn Marion returned having missed the 2003 FIBA competition, and previously been on the 2002 World Championships roster. Center Emeka Okafor replaced Jermaine O’Neal, point guard Stephon Marbury took over from Jason Kidd, and Dwyane Wade and Lamar Odom took the final back court places from Ray Allen and Vince Carter. Gone were forwards Elton Brand, Tracy McGrady, Nick Collison, and Kenyon Martin, and in their place the high-powered quartet of LeBron James (Cleveland), Carmelo Anthony (Denver), Carlos Boozer (Utah), and Amare Stoudamire (Phoenix). As they had done two years earlier, the US team suffered disappointing losses and ended with the bronze medal behind Argentina and Italy.

World Championships 2006 (8-1, bronze medal)

James, Anthony and Wade continued on from the Athens Games to head to the World Championship of 2006. Young star point guard Chris Paul joined the team along with Kirk Hinrich (Chicago) and shooting guard Joe Johnson. Iverson, Marbury and Odom all made way for the trio. Elton Brand returned for the first time since the 2003 FIBA competition in addition to a group of new forwards: Antawn Jamison, Shane Battier and Chris Bosh. Meanwhile the center spot went to Brad Miller (Sacramento) and the “next Shaquille” Dwight “Superman” Howard (Orlando Magic) in place of Tim Duncan and Emeka Okafor.

FIBA 2007 (10-0, gold medal)

LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard were now the mainstays of the USA team, point guard Jason Kidd was back to offer leadership and experience, and amazingly for the first time on the roster was Kobe Bryant of the Lakers. Amare Stoudamire was back for the first time since the 2004 Olympics, along with a group of six first-timers: Deron Williams (Utah), Michael Redd (Milwaukee), Chauncey Billups (Detroit), Mike Miller (Memphis), Tayshaun Prince (Detroit), and Tyson Chandler (New Orleans).

Olympics 2008 (final placing not yet known!)

The "Redeem Team" currently duelling for the gold medal in Beijing show a good deal of continuity with the 2006 World Championship and 2007 FIBA rosters, with all twelve of the USA roster previously having represented their country. But this time they are trying to make up for the disappointment of only coming home with bronze medals at the 2004 Olympics and 2006 World Championships. Dwight Howard has a lock on the center position, alongside forwards Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. Kidd and Bryant remain in the back court with 2007 FIBA “rookies” Michael Redd and Deron Williams, with Wade and Paul returning from their last outings at the 2006 Worlds. Tayshaun Prince kept his place, Carlos Boozer was a holdover from the previous Olympic squad in Athens, while Chris Bosh was also last used at the World Championships in 2006. So plenty of experience indicating that the selection committee wish to take no chances with the Olympic title this time around!

The Combined Roster of 16 Years of the USA Team

When you tally up the rosters that the US has fielded ever since the 1992 Dream Team captured glory and the world’s imagination in Barcelona, a player could conceivably have been selected a total of 12 times to represent his country. There have been 92 players filling the 144 roster spots with point guard Jason Kidd appearing the most times. Here is how a combined roster of American talent stacks up:

5 selections Guard Jason Kidd (Phoenix / New Jersey / Dallas)

4 selections F / G LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
4 selections Forward Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)
4 selections Forward Elton Brand (Duke Uni / L.A. Clippers)

3 selections Guard John Stockton (Utah Jazz)
3 selections Guard Reggie Miller (Indiana Pacers)
3 selections Guard Gary Payton (Seattle Supersonics)
3 selections Guard Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
3 selections G / F Steve Smith (Miami / Portland / Atlanta)
3 selections Forward Scottie Pippen (Chicago Bulls)
3 selections Forward Charles Barkley (Phoenix Suns)
3 selections Forward Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)
3 selections F / C Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
3 selections F / C Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)
3 selections Center David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs)

2 selections Guard Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
2 selections Guard Magic Johnson (L.A. Lakers)
2 selections Guard Clyde Drexler (Portland Trailblazers)
2 selections Guard Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers)
2 selections Guard Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers)
2 selections Guard Ray Allen (Milwaukee / Seattle)
2 selections Guard Vince Carter (Toronto Raptors)
2 selections Guard Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)
2 selections Guard Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks)
2 selections Guard Deron Williams (Utah Jazz)
2 selections Guard Allan Houston (New York Knicks)
2 selections Guard Tim Hardaway (Miami Heat)
2 selections Forward Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
2 selections Forward Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves)
2 selections Forward Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz)
2 selections Forward Shawn Marion (Phoenix Suns)
2 selections Forward Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors)
2 selections Forward Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons)
2 selections Forward Chris Mullin (Golden State Warriors)
2 selections Forward Richard Jefferson (New Jersey Nets)
2 selections Forward Christian Laettner (Duke University - later NBA)
2 selections Forward Vin Baker (Seattle Supersonics)
2 selections C / F Amare Stoudamire (Phoenix Suns)
2 selections C / F Jermaine O’Neal (Indiana Pacers)
2 selections Center Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks)
2 selections Center Shaquille O’Neal (Orlando Magic)
2 selections Center Alonzo Mourning (Charlotte Hornets)

1 selection Guard Dan Majerle (Phoenix Suns)
1 selection Guard Kevin Johnson (Phoenix Suns)
1 selection Guard Baron Davis (New Orleans Hornets)
1 selection Guard Andre Miller (L.A. Clippers)
1 selection Guard Anfernee Hardaway (Orlando Magic)
1 selection Guard Mitch Richmond (Sacramento Kings)
1 selection Guard Mark Price (Cleveland Cavaliers)
1 selection Guard Joe Dumars (Detroit Pistons)
1 selection Guard Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)
1 selection Guard Mike Bibby (Sacramento Kings)
1 selection Guard Richard Hamilton (Connecticut Uni. - later NBA)
1 selection Guard Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons)
1 selection Guard Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies)
1 selection Guard Stephon Marbury (New York Knicks)
1 selection Guard Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls)
1 selection Guard Jay Williams (Chicago Bulls)
1 selection G / F Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)
1 selection G / F Tracy McGrady (Orlando Magic)
1 selection G / F Lamar Odom (L.A. Lakers)
1 selection G / F Michael Finley (Dallas Mavericks)
1 selection G / F Wally Szczerbiak (Miami Uni (Ohio) - later NBA)
1 selection Forward Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)
1 selection Forward Shawn Kemp (Seattle Supersonics)
1 selection Forward Derrick Coleman (New Jersey Nets)
1 selection Forward Larry Johnson (Charlotte Hornets)
1 selection Forward Grant Hill (Detroit Pistons)
1 selection Forward Antawn Jamison (Washington Wizards)
1 selection Forward Shane Battier (Houston Rockets)
1 selection Forward Antonio McDyess (Denver Nuggets)
1 selection Forward Kenyon Martin (New Jersey Nets)
1 selection Forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Vancouver Grizzlies)
1 selection Forward Tom Gugliotta (Phoenix Suns)
1 selection F / C Emeka Okafor (Charlotte Bobcats)
1 selection F / C Tyson Chandler (New Orleans Hornets)
1 selection F / C Nick Collison (Seattle Supersonics)
1 selection F / C Raef LaFrentz (Dallas Mavericks)
1 selection Center Hakeen Olajuwon (Houston Rockets)
1 selection Center Brad Miller (Sacramento Kings)
1 selection Center Antonio Davis (Toronto Raptors)
1 selection Center Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons)

The Future USA Basketball Roster?

So what will the future hold for the USA Basketball team? Based on the dynamic squad put together for the Beijing Olympics, it’s likely that a few of the same names will be selected for the 2010 World Championships and 2011 FIBA tournament. Will any of them still be around for the London Olympics in 2012?

I think we could see LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat move forward from the current twelve man Olympic roster. Jason Kidd and Kobe Bryant may step aside in favour of younger talent, while less “glamorous” stars such as Chris Bosh (Toronto), Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams (both Utah), Tayshaun Prince (Detroit), and Michael Redd (Milwaukee) could be set aside to further the NBA’s global publicity drive for its ever-changing new and exciting player pool.

So the obvious candidates to join the USA squad are: Brandon Roy and his Portland Trailblazers teammate Greg Oden (depending on how he plays having sat out his true rookie year injured), Amare Stoudamire (Phoenix Suns), Kevin Durant (Seattle Supersonics), and Josh Smith (Atlanta Hawks). The other two stars of the future that may emerge are the top two picks from the 2008 Draft – guard Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls) and forward Michael Beasley (Miami Heat). How about this for a USA team depth chart of the future?

Point Guard - Chris Paul / Derrick Rose
Shooting Guard - Dwyane Wade / Kevin Durant / Brandon Roy
Small Forward - LeBron James / Carmelo Anthony / Josh Smith
Power Forward - Amare Stoudamire / Michael Beasley
Center - Dwight Howard / Greg Oden

New stars and fan favourites will no doubt emerge, but the future of both the NBA and the US Men’s national basketball team’s gold medal prospects look assured for many years to come!

Waiting for Oscar?: Keep It In The Family! = Who's Your Daddy?!

2008-07-19T12:28:00.002+01:00

In many ways I would imagine being the son or daughter of a famous (and possibly award-winning) parent is a tough act to follow. Your whole career has the potential to be introduced with the statement "son of legend [fill in the blank!] .....", to whose accomplishments you never match up to. But then maybe it's easier? You grow up meeting famous people, hanging out on movie sets, and when it comes time to casting you already have an "in" because the producer knows your parents and used to take you horse-riding as a kid. I'm not saying that any of the following names have favours and connections to thank for where they are today. It just stands to reason that Hollywood might have a soft spot for the children of its own community! Which of them might be welcomed to the Oscars in the near future?

1. Josh Brolin – he was the lead in the Oscar-winning “No Country For Old Men” as well as featuring in two other 2007 Academy Award nominees, “In The Valley of Elah” and “American Gangster”. He is soon to play George W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s “W.”

2. Emma Roberts – the niece of Oscar-winner Julia Roberts and daughter of Oscar nominee Eric Roberts has already got several teen movie starring roles to her name so it’s only a matter of time before she graduates to grown-up material.

3. Bryce Dallas Howard – director Ron Howard’s daughter has already garnered attention for her parts in “The Village” and “Manderlay”. The film of Tennessee Williams’ “The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond” is next!

4. Drew Barrymore – she seems to have always been in the movies, ever since playing Gertie in “E.T.”. I like her in “Donnie Darko”, “Riding In Cars With Boys”, “Music and Lyrics”, and “Lucky You”. One of the legendary Barrymore acting clan.

5. Colin Hanks – son of double Oscar winner, Tom Hanks, it may be that Colin isn’t able to step out of his father’s shadow. However he surely has plenty of Hollywood types rooting for him so I’m sure his breakout role will come.

6. Danny Huston – a very accomplished actor, but less well-known than half-sister Anjelica Huston or father John. He’s one of those faces you recognise but are not sure where from! Try him in “Birth” as Nicole Kidman’s husband, or not being completely honest with Ralph Fiennes in “The Constant Gardener”.

7. Liv Tyler – daughter of Aerosmith rocker, Steven Tyler, Liv has made a curious career from the excellent “Stealing Beauty”, through “Onegin” to “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “Reign Over Me” and “The Incredible Hulk”. Is she art house or blockbuster?

8. Jared Harris – son of the incredible Richard Harris, Jared plays some real oddballs as in “Happiness” and “Igby Goes Down”. He’s very good in “Sylvia”, and I will always have a soft spot for Paul Auster’s “Smoke”. Not likely to get a starring role, but look out for his Supporting turns.

9. Jennifer Ehle – a very good actress, the daughter of Oscar nominee Rosemary Harris. They played the same character at different ages in Istvan Szabo’s brilliant “Sunshine”. Other good roles include “Possession” and her debut in TV drama “The Camomile Lawn”. I always think she should be cast as Meryl Streep’s daughter (although Mamie Gummer, Streep’s real daughter, might disagree!).

10. Scott Caan – son of James Caan, noticeable for being short and often having big hair! He’s always fighting with Casey Affleck in the “Ocean’s” trilogy, and he’s very funny in “Friends With Money”.

Honourable Mention:

Schuyler Fisk – daughter of Sissy Spacek

Mamie Gummer – daughter of Meryl Streep

Jordan Ladd – daughter of Cheryl Ladd

Waiting for Oscar?: Old Timers Ready for Reward!

2008-07-14T15:13:00.002+01:00

There are plenty of actors and actresses who receive countless Oscar nominations and always go home with the words "it was an honour to be nominated" sounding in their minds. But then this is a group of performers who have been in movies with Oscar nominees but always been ignored when it comes to the acting categories. Which of them will make up for lost time?

1. Frank Langella – his year might have arrived already as he portrays Richard Nixon in Ron Howard’s “Frost / Nixon”. Worth watching as the bad guy in Kevin Kline comedy “Dave” or Adrian Lyne’s “Lolita”, not to mention a supporting turn in “Good Night and Good Luck”.

2. Richard Gere – one of the Hollywood pretty boys who may have become “too political” to some more conservative voters’ taste. Could have had a nom for “Chicago”, but he has been the leading man to a number of Oscar-nominated women in films such as “Unfaithful”, “Pretty Woman”, and “An Officer and a Gentleman”.

3. Donald Sutherland – in recent years he has taken on many minor film roles so even a shot at Supporting Actor might be a step too far. But I have a feeling that at some point he’ll get a nom as a tip of the hat for a brilliant career. I think he’s terrific in “Without Limits” and “Six Degrees of Separation”, gave a great cameo in “JFK”, and in his heyday the Oscar movies “M*A*S*H” and “Ordinary People”.

4. Martin Sheen – a legend of film and TV, and perhaps the Hollywood star most likely to be elected President in line with his role on “The West Wing”. From the first time I saw his “breakdown” in “Apocalypse Now”, I’ve thought he’s ripe for an Oscar nomination. “Badlands” and a very good supporting role in “Wall Street” might have been his best chance.

5. Steve Martin – I could have included him under comedians trying to be serious, but he’s a long time removed from his early film persona. Now he just qualifies as someone who’s been around a long time! “Roxanne”, “L.A. Story”, “Shopgirl”, “Grand Canyon”, and “Novocaine” all show an actor with plenty of range, but how did he not get nominated for his supporting role in David Mamet’s “The Spanish Prisoner”?

6. Mia Farrow – She’s been to the BAFTA’s and Golden Globes, mainly for her Woody Allen film roles, but not the Oscars. It’s a long time since “Rosemary’s Baby”, so how many award-worthy performances does she have left?

7. Jeff Daniels – has a habit of being in Oscar movies while only getting a couple of Golden Globe noms. “Terms of Endearment”, “The Purple Rose of Cairo”, “Pleasantville”, “The Hours”, and “The Squid and the Whale”. A few roles in large-scale films are already in the works!

8. Jeff Goldblum – he has to be one of the most popular “quirky” actors! Leaving “The Fly” and “Jurassic Park” aside, see him in “Igby Goes Down” and “The Big Chill” in particular.

9. Scott Glenn – look out for him as Donald Rumsfeld in Oliver Stone’s “W.” He’s got one of those appealing voices that stand out in roles such as “Training Day”, “The Shipping News”, “Carla’s Song”, “The Silence of the Lambs”, and “The Right Stuff”.

10. Mel Gibson – does he have any friends left? Sure he won the big Oscars for “Braveheart” but they’ve never recognised his acting. He was pretty good in “The Year of Living Dangerously” and “Gallipoli”, but people tend to showcase their acting skills in Peter Weir movies. Maybe “Mad Max” and “Lethal Weapon” made him a movie star, not an actor?

Waiting for Oscar?: From TV Star to Big Screen Wannabe!

2008-07-05T17:39:00.000+01:00

Not all stars of television successfully make that transition to the movies. How many of them actually get the good roles and will be taken seriously as film actors? These would be my picks for potential Oscar consideration:

1. James Gandolfini – famous for “The Sopranos” but was he unlucky that he gave a great performance in the terrible film “The Mexican”, stealing the show from Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts? I think his time will come as Ernest Hemingway when Philip Kaufman’s biopic makes it to the screen.

2. Allison Janney – “The West Wing” is her dominant credit, but she has a habit of playing decent roles in Oscar movies! Witness her in “American Beauty”, “The Hours”, and “Juno”.

3. Keri Russell – she got plenty of attention for “Waitress”, but is better known for “Felicity” on TV. Roles are starting to come her way, so we’ll see what happens!

4. Patrick Dempsey – I remember him from “JFK: Reckless Youth” on TV, but all the attention seems to be on him in “Grey’s Anatomy”. He’s recently come back to prominence in “Enchanted” alongside Amy Adams, as well as “Made of Honor”. Maybe more substantial parts will follow?

5. Gillian Anderson – she may never shed her “X-Files” identity, but I like her in a few movies: “The House of Mirth”, “Playing By Heart”, “A Cock and Bull Story”, and “The Last King of Scotland”. I’m looking forward to seeing her in Richard Kwietniowski’s “No One Gets Off In This Town”.

6. Jennifer Aniston – Rachel from “Friends” may remain in the gossip columns, but I have a hunch that an Oscar nom will be hers, even if she’s 80 when it happens! She was good in “She’s The One”, “The Break Up”, “The Good Girl”, “Rumor Has It”, and “Friends With Money”, and is scheduled to appear in any number of upcoming films.

7. Zach Braff – I’m getting a “slightly cooler Woody Allen” vibe from Zach Braff. If he keeps directing himself with cute leading ladies, and being slightly neurotic, the comparison will hold water! His next project is remaking Susanne Bier’s Danish film “Open Hearts”, but he’s very likeable away from his “Scrubs” role in films like “The Last Kiss”, “The Ex”, and “Garden State”.

8. Amy Brenneman – “Private Practice” and “Judging Amy” followed “NYPD Blue”, but her film roles are worth watching. “Your Friends and Neighbors” and “The Jane Austen Book Club” are good solid performances.

9. Jason Lee – I already liked him in “Almost Famous” and “Vanilla Sky” before he grew his moustache for “My Name is Earl”. Will he get trapped in comedy hell and not find the meatier roles?

10. Debra Messing – “Ned and Stacey” and “Will and Grace” have been her bread and butter, but with roles in the new film “The Women” and playing Drew Barrymore’s sister in “Lucky You”, maybe her future is in film?

Honourable Mention:

Sarah Jessica Parker

Teri Hatcher

Topher Grace

Waiting for Oscar?: The British Invasion for Best Supporting Actor

2008-06-30T18:14:00.000+01:00

The Brits always seem to do well come Oscar time, and this list highlights a number of recognisable actors who could do well to get into the Best Supporting Actor category in future years. It's a Hollywood staple to cast the Brit as the "baddie" or the cuckolded husband to a smooth American leading man, but why not if the Academy notices?

1. Michael Sheen – playing Tony Blair alongside Helen Mirren’s Oscar-winning “The Queen” was a precursor to this year’s role as David Frost in “Frost / Nixon”. Will he get his nom this year? British fans may be intrigued to see him as Brian Clough in 2009’s “The Damned United”.

2. Ciaran Hinds – a superb actor in any number of films. His appearance always seems to change, but look out for him in “Munich”, “Road to Perdition”, “Veronica Guerin”, “Miami Vice”, “Margot at the Wedding”, and “There Will Be Blood”.

3. Brian Cox – another brilliant performer, and he really has been unlucky not to have had an Oscar nomination come his way. Think of Hannibal Lecter in “Manhunter” before Anthony Hopkins took over the role, or Matt Damon’s foe in “The Bourne Identity” and “The Bourne Supremacy”. Also excellent in “25th Hour”, “Running With Scissors”, “Adaptation”, “Troy”, “The Boxer”, and “L.I.E.”.

4. Ray Winstone – I think he’s great in British movies, but when will Hollywood realise that he cannot do accents? So “Nil By Mouth”, “Face”, “The War Zone”, “Last Orders”, and “Sexy Beast” ..... excellent. “Cold Mountain” and “The Departed” .... can someone find him a dialect coach? But America must like him or he wouldn’t be in the latest “Indiana Jones” instalment!

5. Brendan Gleeson – right off the bat I believe he should have been Oscar nominated for his brilliant performance as Martin Cahill in “The General”. Film fans will know him from “Braveheart”, “The Butcher Boy”, “The Tailor of Panama”, “28 Days Later”, “Gangs of New York”, “In Bruges”, and the Harry Potter films.

6. Sean Bean – always with a hint of menace, Mr. Bean has had some decent roles - “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “Ronin” in particular. Playing Macbeth in “Comes Like Shadow” alongside Tilda Swinton could be his time for a nomination.

7. Hugh Bonneville – I think Bonneville could shoot up this list with the right role. I first noticed him as the idiot dinner guest in “Notting Hill” who isn’t aware how famous Julia Roberts’ character is. He was terrific in “Iris” and “Stage Beauty”, and he stands out in “Scenes of a Sexual Nature”.

8. Martin Freeman – known to British audiences for his role alongside Ricky Gervais in “The Office”, he has been in a lot of film roles in a short period of time. I think he could be one actor whose star continues to rise.

9. Colin Firth – I think he was unlucky not to have rode the Oscar wave of “The English Patient”. Other notable roles have been in the “Bridget Jones” films, “Girl With a Pearl Earring”, “Love Actually”, and “And When Did You Last See Your Father?”. The Americans do seem to like prim and proper British types!

10. Michael Gambon – it helps his profile that he’s in the Harry Potter films, and he does showcase a wide range of roles. Have you seen him in “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover”, “The Gambler” as Dostoyevsky, the hilarious “Gosford Park”, “Being Julia”, or “Charlotte Gray”?

Honourable Mention:

Robert Carlyle

Alan Rickman

Bill Nighy

Rufus Sewell

Jeremy Northam

Timothy Spall

Patrick Stewart

Alfred Molina

Rhys Ifans

Toby Jones

Ben Chaplin

Richard E. Grant

David Thewlis

Gabriel Byrne

Gary Oldman

Jonathan Pryce

Waiting for Oscar?: Indy Stars in the Mainstream!

2008-06-25T11:25:00.002+01:00

It must be hard showing up in any number of movies where the average popcorn eater will vaguely recognise you, but not remember your name, nor be able to remember where they saw you. These are the "character actors" or better the "stars of Independent / low budget cinema". Occasionally they get a supporting role in a more mainstream movie, so perhaps Oscar will come calling eventually?

1. John Turturro – maybe he is easing into the mainstream with his role in the “Transformers” movies but I still think of the excellent Turturro enhancing this diverse group of movies: “Do The Right Thing”, “Barton Fink”, “Fearless”, “Quiz Show”, “The Big Lebowski”, “Rounders”, “The Luzhin Defence”, and “Margot at the Wedding”. He deserves a nomination!

2. Christina Ricci – she plays in a curious mix of movies, and as with “Monster” alongside Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, could put herself in a position to pick up a nomination in the future. Highlights include “The Ice Storm”, “Buffalo ‘66”, “Sleepy Hollow”, and “Prozac Nation”.

3. Stanley Tucci – a role in Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones” could push him in the Academy’s direction. “Big Night”, “The Terminal”, and “The Devil Wears Prada” are all highlights.

4. Hope Davis – blessed with a voice for irksome characters (such as in “About Schmidt” and “American Splendor”), she’s also had a good run in “Hearts in Atlantis”, “The Secret Lives of Dentists”, “Proof”, “The Weather Man”, and “Infamous”.

5. Sam Rockwell – consistently excellent in his slightly wacky performances. He could be a good bet for a Supporting Actor nomination based on previous form: “Lawn Dogs”, “The Green Mile”, “Galaxy Quest”, “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”, “Matchstick Men”, and “The Assassination of Jesse James”.

6. Steve Buscemi – as the line goes in “Fargo”, he’s “kinda funny looking”, but fun to watch. He made a mark in “Reservoir Dogs”, and through “Pulp Fiction”, “Trees Lounge”, “Con Air”, and “Ghost World” he has always been notable.

7. Adam Goldberg – I knew him from “Saving Private Ryan” and “A Beautiful Mind”, but “Zodiac” and particularly “Two Days in Paris” with Julie Delpy brought him to my attention as a good character actor.

8. Sarah Polley – she was excellent in “The Sweet Hereafter” and “The Claim”, plus has already been Oscar nominated for her Adapted Screenplay of the Julie Christie movie “Away From Her” that she directed. Will an acting nod follow?

9. Jason Schwartzman – his debut “Rushmore” raised high hopes, and his quirky on and off screen persona could be rewarded in future. Check out “The Darjeeling Limited”, “Shopgirl”, and “Marie Antoinette”.

10. Oliver Platt – he always manages to make me laugh, so I’ll assume a future nomination would be a wildly popular choice! “Pieces of April” is a personal highlight.

Honourable Mention:

Maria Bello

Nicky Katt

Norah Jones

Barry Pepper

Rachel McAdams

Luis Guzman

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Amber Tamblyn

Paul Rudd

Hugo Weaving

Campbell Scott

Peter Berg

Judy Greer

Bob Balaban

Parker Posey

Peter Dinklage

Bruce Greenwood

Aidan Quinn

Mary Louise Parker

Alan Cumming

Waiting for Oscar?: Funny Man Goes Straight!

2008-06-17T10:12:00.000+01:00

It is often hard for a comedian who has worked on American or British TV to transform their success into legitimate movie roles. Many of the following names are already big box office stars in film comedies, but unless they want to continue aging in front of their predominantly juvenile audiences, an Oscar will forever remain a dream. However, going by their appearances at the otherwise austere Academy Award ceremony, a few of these stars may actually take on more "serious" film roles and therefore find Oscar nominations are bestowed upon them with ease in the coming years!

1. Will Ferrell – his performance in “Stranger Than Fiction” was superb, so maybe he’s following Robin Williams down the ‘straight’ road to future Oscar glory? Woody Allen’s “Melinda and Melinda” also showed his serious acting chops, although “Semi-Pro”, “Blades of Glory”, “Talladega Nights”, and “Anchorman”, serve only to draw box office and (often very funny!) cheap laughs.

2. Jack Black – granted he’s unlikely to find Oscar glory with the forthcoming “Tropic Thunder”, but his forays into films like “Margot at the Wedding”, or even playing it low-key in “King Kong” or “The Holiday”, show that there might be more to Mr. Black than his entertaining “Tenacious D” musical offerings or a string of character-driven comedies (such as “Nacho Libre”, “The School of Rock”, “High Fidelity”, and “Be Kind Rewind”.)

3. Mike Myers – in a few years time, Myers might be Oscar-nominated for his remake of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, but until then, a career producing the “Wayne’s World”, “Shrek”, and “Austin Powers” franchises won’t convince many people that a talent for many voices is the equivalent of “serious” acting. Still, making that much money for big studios makes you many friends!

4. Sacha Baron Cohen – his Hollywood star is on the rise thanks to “Borat”. Once his “Bruno” character has similarly performed on the world stage, we may forget the likes of “Ali G” and see Baron Cohen in more high-brow projects. Tim Burton’s “Sweeney Todd” was an early glimpse.

5. Steve Carell – setting aside his contributions to Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” in addition to his recent success with the American TV remake of “The Office”, Carell is carving out quite a bit of success in Hollywood. This summer’s action comedy “Get Smart” followed the charming “Dan In Real Life”, while “Evan Almighty”, “Little Miss Sunshine”, and “The 40 Year Old Virgin” all showed his talent for being the butt of many jokes.

6. Steve Coogan – a well-known TV personality in the UK, with characters Paul Calf and Alan Partridge making it hard for film audiences to accept him in any other roles. Michael Winterbottom’s forthcoming “Murder in Samarkand” might change that, although he was excellent in the witty “A Cock and Bull Story”.

7. Jim Carrey – has he missed the boat? He had a run of terrific performances in “The Truman Show”, “Man on the Moon”, “The Majestic”, and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” to counter his “Dumb and Dumber” / “Ace Ventura” persona .... but no nominations. Surely the Academy will remember him eventually?!

8. Simon Pegg – it is truly one of the mysteries of modern cinema how he has achieved any degree of popularity, in my mind! I suppose playing a lovable loser has worked for any number of actors, but “Shaun of the Dead”, “Hot Fuzz”, and “Run Fatboy Run” don’t appeal to me. However, his upcoming roles in “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People”, and the new version of “Star Trek”, show he has come to Hollywood’s attention.

9. Adam Sandler – question: how many “Sandman” movies does it take to make me laugh? Answer: I’ll never know. After “Happy Gilmore”, “Billy Madison”, “The Wedding Singer”, “The Waterboy”, “Big Daddy”, and “Little Nicky”, my eyes were hurting from stabbing pencils into them. However, Paul Thomas Anderson’s misfire “Punch Drunk Love” aside, Sandler in “Reign Over Me”, “Spanglish”, and “Click” gave me hope that he isn’t completely one-dimensional. The Academy does tend to reward names that generate plenty of box office. But he may have to wait a while!

10. Seth Rogen – he has crept in under the radar with roles in “40 Year Old Virgin” and “Superbad”, but it was his turn in “Knocked Up” as an expectant father that brought Rogen into the mainstream. As long as he sticks close to Judd Apatow, or transforms the good will from his leading man comic roles into something substantial, an Oscar nomination for some quirky role in a “award worthy” movie might be in his future.

Honourable Mention:

Ben Stiller

Billy Crystal

Jeremy Piven

Vince Vaughn

Waiting for Oscar?: Pretty Girls Can Act Can't They?

2008-06-15T10:58:00.000+01:00

Aside from the big-name leading ladies, there is another group of recognisable actresses who often get noticed for their physical appearance. But are they good enough to do more than show up at the Oscars to look pretty and present the statues to other performers? Maybe these names will join the "superstar" list?

1. Jessica Biel – Hollywood seems to love Ms. Biel at the moment. She’s got a number of leading roles in the works, and already attracted attention for “The Illusionist” and “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”.

2. Rosario Dawson – recently seems to have entered the world of Tarantino and Rodriguez, but stands out for differing reasons in “Alexander”, “25th Hour”, “Ash Wednesday”, and “He Got Game”.

3. Eva Mendes – a star on the rise for “We Own The Night”, “Trust the Man”, and “Hitch”, but she could feel the lure of a number of action films.

4. Amanda Peet – quietly she is a really good actress. “Igby Goes Down”, “Something’s Gotta Give”, and “Syriana” have been her noteworthy roles.

5. Emmanuelle Chriqui – looking good in an Adam Sandler movie isn’t necessarily the sign of a future Oscar winner, but films like “Cadillac Records” alongside Adrien Brody and Beyonce Knowles might put her in the right direction.

6. Megan Fox – the “Transformers” movies have put her on the map – but what next?

7. Kate Beckinsale – the British actress hasn’t hit the heights after “Brokedown Palace”, “Pearl Harbor”, “Serendipity”, and “Laurel Canyon”. Husband Len Wiseman has her on the vampires and action route, so we’ll see if more Oscar-friendly fare is on the horizon.

8. Vera Farmiga – best-known as Matt Damon’s girlfriend in the Oscar-winning “The Departed”, and very different as a prostitute trying to sweet-talk Jude Law in “Breaking and Entering”. A steady string of roles is coming her way, so will an Oscar nomination result?

9. Michelle Monaghan – Ben Stiller’s love interest in “The Heartbreak Kid” followed roles in “Gone Baby Gone”, “Mission Impossible III”, “North Country”, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”, and “The Bourne Supremacy”.

10. Rachel Bilson – she should really be listed under TV stars who could make the grade on the big screen for her time in “The O.C.”, but catching Zach Braff’s eye in “The Last Kiss” led to “Jumper” and the “New York, I Love You” ensemble. Maybe this is just the start?

Honourable Mention:

Tea Leoni

Katie Holmes

Embeth Davidtz

Heather Graham

Julia Ormond

Ashley Judd

Kelly Preston

Lake Bell

Radha Mitchell

Robin Wright Penn

Waiting for Oscar?: Pretty Boys Can Act, Can't They?

2008-06-09T19:57:00.001+01:00

This is an interesting category, as I consider all of the following to be actors who are perhaps considered for their “movie star good looks”, while trying hard to be appreciated for their acting abilities.

1. Billy Crudup– how has he not been nominated already??! He always plays interesting roles – check out “Stage Beauty”, “Almost Famous”, “Jesus’ Son”, “Big Fish”, “The Good Shepherd”, “Trust the Man”, “Without Limits”, “Waking The Dead”, or “The Hi-Lo Country”. He’s soon to be seen playing J. Edgar Hoover in Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” chasing gangster Jonny Depp.

2. Jared Leto – Like Crudup who played the runner Steve Prefontaine in “Without Limits”, Leto portrayed him in “Prefontaine”. He also stood out for roles in “Chapter 27”, “American Psycho”, “Requiem for a Dream”, and “Alexander”.

3. Ryan Phillippe – the former “Mr. Reese Witherspoon” would like to emulate his ex’s Oscar victory. “Stop-Loss” didn’t capture audiences as intended, but he’s had weighty roles in “Breach”, “Crash”, “Igby Goes Down”, and “Gosford Park”.

4. Josh Hartnett – From “Pearl Harbor” to “O”, “Black Hawk Down”, and “The Black Dahlia” he hasn’t been short of screen time.

5. Orlando Bloom – being in the “Lord of the Rings” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogies can’t have hurt his career, but “Troy”, “Kingdom of Heaven”, “Elizabethtown”, haven’t propelled him towards Oscar glory just yet.

6. Hayden Christensen – there was plenty written about his role as Anakin Skywalker in the new “Star Wars” movies, but for signs of his ability, “Life as a House”, “Shattered Glass”, and “Factory Girl” are more revealing.

7. Michael Pitt – no relation to Brad! See him in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, “The Dreamers”, and “Silk”, with a role in Oliver Stone’s new Vietnam pic “Pinkville” coming next.

8. Alessandro Nivola – perhaps not a household name, but “Laurel Canyon” and “Junebug” show him in a good light.

9. Jim Caviezel – best known for Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”, he also was noteworthy in Terrence Malick’s “The Thin Red Line”. He’s also had leading roles in “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “Angel Eyes”.

10. Kevin Bacon – “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” theory aside, he may well have worked with everyone in Hollywood and be popular enough to one day pick up an Oscar nod, most likely in the Supporting Actor category. “Mystic River”, “Apollo 13”, “A Few Good Men” and “JFK” had him in Oscar movies, while “Murder in the First” and “The Woodsman” were his award-worthy roles.

Honourable Mention:

Benjamin Bratt

Keanu Reeves

Pierce Brosnan

Waiting for Oscar?: The Multicultural Awards Experience!

2008-06-07T12:25:00.000+01:00

In the 21st century it feels terribly wrong to highlight a category of actors and actresses for the colour of their skin. However, in recent years, a feature of the Oscar experience has been the self-congratulation of the Academy when African-Americans are awarded (or nominated for) Oscars.

In 2006, Forest Whitaker won Best Actor for “The Last King of Scotland”, and other black nominees were Eddie Murphy, Djimon Hounsou, and Will Smith. In 2005, Terrence Howard and Sophie Okonedo made it into the acting categories, while in 2004 the Best Actor and Supporting Actor Oscars went to Jamie Foxx (“Ray”) and Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) respectively. In 2001, both top awards went to Denzel Washington (“Training Day”) and Halle Berry (“Monster’s Ball”).

It’s no longer an anomaly when the acting nominees aren’t 100% white, but I feel the mainstream media may still flag such nominations as being noteworthy in the future. For what it’s worth, I think there are a number of quality actors and actresses who have a great chance at getting Oscar nominations, and therefore destined to be immediately compared with their illustrious predecessors.

1. Zoe Saldana – perhaps not a household name as yet, but that may change with the new “Star Trek” movie, and James Cameron’s forthcoming “Avatar”. She was in Spielberg’s “The Terminal”, played Ashton Kutcher’s girlfriend in “Guess Who”, as well as the Dennis Quaid / Forest Whitaker film “Vantage Point”.

2. Jeffrey Wright – I first noticed Wright as the artist “Basquiat”, and he’s moved between a variety of roles since: Woody Allen’s “Celebrity”, “Ride With the Devil”, “Ali”, “The Manchurian Candidate”, “Syriana”, and most recognisably as American CIA agent Felix Leiter in both Daniel Craig Bond outings. Look out for him as General Colin Powell in Oliver Stone’s forthcoming Bush drama “W.”

3. Thandie Newton – beautiful, British, and talented! Thandie has flirted with the Oscars in both “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Crash”, although other performers received nominations. She was stunning in Bertolucci’s film “Besieged”, and since going down the comedy route with “Run Fat Boy Run” and “Norbit”, will playing Condoleeza Rice in Oliver Stone’s “W.” put her on the awards track?

4. Chiwetel Ejiofor – he could be a great bet for Hollywood superstardom, having played second fiddle to Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s “Inside Man” and Ridley Scott’s “American Gangster”. He’s had good roles in “Dirty Pretty Things” and “Children of Men”, so will David Mamet’s “Redbelt” or Roland Emmerich’s big budget “2012” get him noticed?

5. Beyonce Knowles – she’s already a singing superstar, and it seems Hollywood wants to build her up too. “Dreamgirls” showcased her acting alongside her singing, and playing Etta James in “Cadillac Records” will likely do the same. Following that is the thriller “Obsessed”.

6. Naomie Harris – British actress known for roles in two of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, as well as “28 Days Later”, “A Cock and Bull Story”, and “Miami Vice” alongside Farrell and Foxx.

7. Dennis Haysbert – arguably should have been nominated at the same time as Julianne Moore for “Far From Heaven” in 2002. He played Nelson Mandela in “Goodbye Bafana”, is well-known for the TV series “24”, starred opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in “Love Field”, and was terrific in two baseball movies “Major League” and “Mr. Baseball”!

8. Danny Glover – he’s one of those likeable and recognisable actors who you know from being Mel Gibson’s buddy in the “Lethal Weapon” films, but has starred in a number of Oscar-calibre movies too. They include “Witness”, “The Color Purple”, “Beloved”, “Grand Canyon”, and “The Royal Tenenbaums”.

9. Omar Metwally – he was superb as the husband of Reese Witherspoon in “Rendition”, and should get attention for co-starring with Anthony Hopkins in James Ivory’s “The City of Your Final Destination”. An American actor with Dutch / Egyptian parentage.

10. Shaun Toub – British actor with Persian roots, he was in “Crash”, the big budget “Iron Man”, and most notably “The Kite Runner”.

Honourable Mention:

Blair Underwood

Naveen Andrews

Ving Rhames

Waiting for Oscar?: Foreign Stars With Subtitles!

2008-06-02T19:27:00.000+01:00

Oh the Oscars LOVE subtitles! If the movie seems serious, and your acting looks pretty good, even if we can’t understand what you’re saying, then Hollywood is ready to celebrate you! Witness last year’s Best Actress winner, Marion Cotillard, for “La Vie En Rose”. Well, at least her singing in French made a change from just reading subtitles for the duration of the performance. In recent years, Roberto Benigni took Best Actor in 1997 for “Life Is Beautiful”, and Fernanda Montenegro was nominated for her leading Actress role in the Brazilian film “Central Station” in 1998. Ken Watanabe’s Supporting nomination for “The Last Samurai”, alongside Tom Cruise, was in Japanese. Catalina Sandino Moreno for “Maria Full of Grace”, and Penelope Cruz for “Volver”, were both Best Actress nominees for their performances given in Spanish. Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi were nominated for their Supporting Actress roles in the multi-lingual “Babel” in 2006. Spanish actor Javier Bardem won his recent Supporting Actor Oscar for “No Country for Old Men”, although his performance was in English. Here are the prominent “foreign” stars who have a good chance at getting Oscar recognition in the future, either for roles in English, or in their native tongues.

1. Gael Garcia Bernal – a superb Mexican actor noted for his roles in “The Motorcycle Diaries”, “Amores Perros”, “Babel”, “Y Tu Mama Tambien”, and Almodovar’s “Bad Education”.

2. Daniel Brühl – this German actor is best-known for “The Edukators”, “Joyeux Noel”, and “Goodbye Lenin!”, in addition to small roles in “The Bourne Ultimatum” and Julie Delpy’s “2 Days in Paris”.

3. Mathieu Amalric – he has really come to Hollywood’s attention in the past few years, having been prolific in French cinema for several decades. His stunning performance as Jean-Do Bauby in Julian Schnabel’s “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” followed on from a key role in Spielberg’s “Munich”. Look for him in the new Bond movie, “Quantum of Solace”.

4. Mads Mikkelsen – best-known as the weeping eyed poker opponent of Daniel Craig in “Casino Royale”, this Danish actor should have been nominated for the beautiful Best Foreign Language Oscar nominated “After the Wedding”.

5. Vincent Cassel – one half of European cinema’s golden couple (with the Italian beauty, Monica Belluci – see no. 9!) and son of the late Jean-Pierre Cassel, Frenchman Vincent has been seen in “Ocean’s Thirteen”, “Eastern Promises”, “Derailed”, and “Birthday Girl”. His notable French roles include “Irreversible”, “L’Appartement”, and the celebrated black and white tale of Parisian urban youth, “La Haine”.

6. Audrey Tautou – she may always be known as the delightful “Amelie”, but look out for her in the forthcoming biopic about Coco Chanel. Will this role do for her what Edith Piaf did for Oscar winner Marion Cotillard? Audrey has also been in “The Da Vinci Code”, “Dirty Pretty Things”, and “A Very Long Engagement”.

7. Thomas Kretschmann – in Adrien Brody’s Oscar-winning “The Pianist”, German Kretschmann played the Nazi officer who showed compassion to the Pole in hiding. He has also been in “Downfall”, “King Kong”, and will be seen in Tom Cruise’s World War Two drama “Valkyrie”.

8. Franka Potente – another German, she came to prominence in “Run Lola Run”, but was Matt Damon’s captive love interest in the Bourne movies. Her profile should rise again as she is in Soderbergh’s pair of Che Guevara films, “The Argentine” and “Guerrilla”.

9. Monica Belluci – Italian Belluci could have been nominated for her lead role in “Malena” back in 2000. Hollywood came calling with roles in both of the Matrix sequels, as well as Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”.

10. Antonio Banderas – Spaniard Banderas probably suffered from being cast as a pretty boy, but he’s respected as a decent actor. “Philadelphia”, “Evita”, a couple of Zorro movies, and voicing Puss in Boots for the “Shrek” franchise have kept him busy. Will Richard Eyre’s “The Other Man” get him noticed during awards season?

Honourable Mention:

Virginie Ledoyen (France)

Emmanuelle Beart (France)

Charlotte Gainsbourg (France)

Julie Delpy (France)

Zineb Oukach (France)

Stellan Skarsgard (Sweden)

Paz Vega (Spain)

Diane Kruger (Germany)

Waiting for Oscar?: The Leading Ladies

2008-05-25T14:44:00.000+01:00

To join the ranks of Julia Roberts, Hilary Swank, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon, Halle Berry, Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightley, Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep, Renee Zellweger, and Kate Winslet, a leading lady has to command both serious movie roles, and a certain amount of graceful time in the celebrity limelight. Hollywood loves its leading ladies to be elegant in public, sexy on screen, and display great reverence come Oscar time. Which of the women yet to be nominated for an Academy Award have the best chance for the future?

1. Anne Hathaway – she’s best-known for “The Devil Wears Prada”, but jumping between “Brokeback Mountain” and “Becoming Jane” will likely see her picking up an Oscar nom before too long.

2. Sienna Miller – she’s playing enough small-scale interesting leading roles to get noticed, and a propensity for nudity does tend to reward actresses who show they will do anything for the craft.

3. Jennifer Garner – “Catch and Release”, “The Kingdom” and “Juno” have put her in the picture, as has becoming Mrs. Ben Affleck.

4. Scarlett Johansson – “Lost in Translation” and “Girl With a Pearl Earring” seemed to offer her a double Oscar nod possibility in 2003, but look out for “Mary, Queen of Scots” in 2009.

5. Cameron Diaz – “Being John Malkovich” and “Gangs of New York” showed the former model wanted to get rid of the looks to get the roles. Once the “Charlie’s Angels” / “Shrek” / light comedy period ends, will she seek out the award-friendly work again?

6. Kirsten Dunst – she walks the line between “Spider Man” blockbusters and interesting directors. Perhaps a worthy performance as a relief worker in the Middle East in “Sweet Relief” (2009) will attract Oscar attention?

7. Katherine Heigl – she’s in Hollywood’s glare at the moment thanks to “Grey’s Anatomy” on TV, and “Knocked Up” / “27 Dresses” in the cinemas. Can she attract the big roles?

8. Sandra Bullock – small roles in “Crash” and “Infamous” aside, there have been many a comedy and thriller starring Miss Bullock since she raced onto our screens in “Speed” in 1994.

9. Demi Moore – once a star always a star? She still looks great, and it’s a long time since “Striptease” and “GI Jane”. Maybe supporting roles in “Bobby” and “Mr. Brooks” are a sign of things to come? “Passion of Mind” is still her best performance.

10. Meg Ryan – British fans will remember her odd interview at the hands of Michael Parkinson. The ‘90s were kind to Meg, but maybe Diane English’s “The Women” will get her back on track?

Waiting for Oscar?: The Leading Men

2008-05-17T15:20:00.002+01:00

If you’re a “leading man” in Hollywood, more often than not you flex your biceps, you’re the good guy, your eyes twinkle at appropriate moments, and you usually smile, save the world, and get the girl. Of the current crop, I would rate the following ten as having the best chance of getting into the Best Actor category at the Oscars:

1. Hugh Jackman – the “X-Men” series keeps him the limelight but could Baz Luhrmann’s “Australia” get him nominated? He has entertained in "Kate & Leopold", "Swordfish", and "Someone Like You", with recent roles, "The Fountain" and "The Prestige", becoming more ambitious.

2. Daniel Craig – playing 007 isn’t the only string to Bond’s bow, as Mr. Craig cuts his serious acting chops in his spare time, with roles in the likes of “Munich”, "Sylvia", "Enduring Love, and “Infamous”!

3. Christian Bale – all of his forthcoming movies are big-name projects, but can he better his brilliant performance in “American Psycho” or literally waste himself away for projects like “The Machinist”?

4. Gerard Butler – his rise through Hollywood has been meteoric since “Phantom of the Opera”. But "300" and "P.S. I Love You" aren't going to trouble the Oscar ballots. Will directors Frank Darabont and Brian De Palma be his big ticket?

5. Ryan Reynolds – perhaps the next big-name leading man? Being on Scarlett Johansson’s arm may help! Parts alongside Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock should keep him in the public eye.

6. Colin Farrell – he seems to want serious recognition, as weightier parts are replacing the action roles. Look out for “Dirt Music”. "Alexander" didn't quite connect, while "In Bruges", "The New World", and "Miami Vice" were aimed at vastly different audiences.

7. Eric Bana – you won’t believe the guy who played “Chopper” is the same star of “Munich” or “Lucky You”. He was known as a comic in Australia, and after some serious movie roles ("The Other Boleyn Girl" and "The Time Traveler's Wife") may go back to comedy in the form of Judd Apatow's "Funny People".

8. Aaron Eckhart – he has quietly put together a good career alongside many of Hollywood’s top leading ladies, ever since he stunned audiences in the controversial “In The Company of Men”. "Possession", "Your Friends and Neighbors", "Erin Brockovich", "The Pledge", "Thank You For Smoking", and "The Black Dahlia" should be seen ahead of the schmaltzy "No Reservations".

9. Ashton Kutcher – Mr. Demi Moore seems to be shedding his MTV Punk’d / “Dude Where’s My Car?” image in favour of worthy action (“The Guardian”) or mainstream comedy ("Guess Who" and "What Happens in Vegas"). Will “serious” follow?

10. Tobey Maguire – he may be “Spiderman”, but he’s been in plenty of Oscar-worthy movies. They include "Seabiscuit", "The Cider House Rules", "Wonder Boys", "Pleasantville", and "The Ice Storm".

Honourable Mention:

John Cusack

Ewan McGregor

Owen Wilson

Ben Affleck

Hugh Grant

Brendan Fraser

Bruce Willis

Waiting for Oscar?: An Overview

2008-05-02T11:24:00.000+01:00

Question: Which of your favourite movie stars have been nominated for, or have won, an Oscar? How many of them haven’t? It’s hard to remember to be honest, so I’ve done all the counting for you! But right now I’m interested in the ones that haven’t, because if my theory holds any water, many of them will be added to the list of celebrated Academy stars in the near or distant future!

For every critic of the Oscars and how much they mean to the movie industry, I will happily concede that the Academy Awards (in part) are designed to congratulate the very system that spawned them. If Hollywood likes a particular star, they have every interest in that actor or actress winning awards so that they can pat themselves on the back that they were right to get behind a particular performer in the first place. You could argue that if the top directors and producers get a sudden liking for the “next big thing” then it may be a self-fulfilling prophecy that the superstar in question is nominated or wins an Oscar partly for his or her talent, but largely due to he or she appearing in the film with the best script, best co-stars, and biggest budget.

It’s VERY hard to get Oscar recognition if you’re a great actor in a movie that nobody has seen and there hasn’t been a marketing campaign to push to all the Oscar voters. It stands to reason! So my theory is this: in the next couple of years, or maybe decades, I think there is a pecking order of performers who will receive Oscar nominations and win the little golden guys because they are in the Hollywood system with people behind them who have every interest in them doing well. But that’s not the end of the theory!

The Oscars love to celebrate the new star who has appeared from nowhere as much as they love the old favourite who has been in the wilderness for five decades, only to return in glory or be finally noticed for a whole career’s worth of work. They also love those serious British types in supporting roles, those mysterious foreign stars who are very flamboyant on screen and sound great, even if you have to follow the subtitles to keep up with the story, or more importantly, those champions of the box office, the leading lady and leading man material who are already household names.

You know when you’re in the cinema watching a trailer for a future movie and you hear a deep and serious voiceover announcing a string of stars with the prefix “Academy Award winner ....” or “Academy Award nominee ....”? You’re meant to register this glorious ensemble cast as signifying an artistic and worthy production that may (or may not) be good enough to command critical or box office acclaim at a later date, but at the very least features a number of performers who have previously been recognised at the Oscars for something that was quite good! In other words, the cache of an actor or actress having been nominated or awarded an Academy Award is meant to sell the next film on the back of their earlier successes.

But do you know just how many of these stars are out there in the Hollywood universe? By my count 183 Actors / Supporting Actors and 207 Actresses / Supporting Actresses who are still working in Film and / or Television at the present time. If the Hollywood / English-speaking film industry is churning out somewhere in the region of 400 movies per year and there are 390 “Academy Award Nominee .....” / “Academy Award Winner ....” stars to fill them, then how special does a movie become when most of them have one or more Oscar-prefixed performers in them?

As you look back through Oscar history, you get a sense that certain stars were destined to receive nominations. With these trends in mind, I have come up with fifteen categories of performers. They are ranked according to what I think are their chances of being selected in any of the Academy Award acting categories in the years ahead. Of course, it all depends on what movies they star in, but Hollywood seems predicated to reward some stars over others. The categories are as follows:

1. The Leading Men - who would make "Best Actor" material?

2. The Leading Ladies - who would make "Best Actress" material?

3. Foreign Stars with Subtitles - which non-English speaking stars could be nominated?

4. The Multicultural Awards experience! - which non-white actors and actresses will make the Academy feel better about itself?

5. Pretty Boys Can Act, Can't They? - which Hollywood actors, better-known for their looks, could get an Oscar nomination?

6. Pretty Girls Can Act, Can't They? - which Hollywood actresses, better-known for their looks, could get an Oscar nomination?

7. Funny Man Goes Straight - which comedians could transform themselves into "serious" Oscar-calibre actors, following the likes of Robin Williams?

8. Indy Stars in the Mainstream! - which actors and actresses frequently gain notice for their talents in small / independent films, but could make it into the Supporting roles in bigger "Oscar" movies?

9. The British Invasion! - Oscar loves the Brits, so which of the current un-nominated crop could pick up a nomination for Best Supporting Actor?

10. From TV Star to Big Screen Wannabe - which performers are best-known for their television roles, but could be recognised by Oscar for their movie roles?

11. Old Timers Ready for Reward? - which long-time stars could finally gain some Oscar recognition?

12. Keep It In the Family: "Who's Your Daddy"? - which stars could gain Oscar acceptance because the Academy loves their family tree?

13. Serious Actors Please Get in Line for an Oscar! - which actors continually appear in "artistic" or "serious-minded" cinema, indicating their careers are geared more to plaudits than dollars?

14. Serious Actresses Please Get in Line for an Oscar! - which actresses continually appear in "artistic" or "serious-minded" cinema, indicating their careers are geared more to plaudits than dollars?

15. Did You Miss Your Chance? Are There Any Oscars left for ME?? - which stars may have seen their hopes of a nomination vanish in an earlier decade, or been ignored at the time for a decent role?

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