Thread: Academy Awards 2015

'Birdman,' 'Budapest' top Oscar nominations with 9 nods each
By JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer - 8 hrs ago

Two extravagant comedies, "Birdman" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel," tied for the most Oscar nominations Thursday morning with nine nods each, including best picture.

They were joined in best-picture nominations by "Boyhood," ''Whiplash," ''The Theory of Everything," ''The Imitation Game," ''American Sniper" and "Selma." Nominations for the 87th annual Academy Awards were announced from Beverly Hills, where they were broadcast and streamed live.

World War II code-breaker thriller "The Imitation Game," about unsung hero Alan Turing, trailed close behind with eight nominations. Clint Eastwood's Navy SEAL drama "American Sniper" did especially well, landing six nods including best actor for Bradley Cooper.

Also with six nominations was Richard Linklater's coming-of-age epic "Boyhood," which remains the best-picture favorite. On Sunday, the 12-years-in-making drama won best drama at the Golden Globes.

But Wes Anderson's old Europe caper "The Grand Budapest Hotel," which also won best comedy or musical at the Globes, has emerged as the most unexpected awards heavyweight. With $59.1 million at the North American box office (opening all the way back in March), it's also the most money-making best-picture entry in an especially modestly sized batch of nominees. That, however, is likely to change soon after "American Sniper" expands nationwide this weekend.

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" managed nine nominations without a single acting nod. Instead, it was repeatedly cited for Anderson's meticulous craft in categories like directing, production design, makeup and screenplay.

The nominees for best actor are: Cooper, Steve Carell ("Foxcatcher"), Benedict Cumberbatch ("The Imitation Game"), Michael Keaton ("Birdman") and Eddie Redmayne. David Oweloyo, who stars as Martin Luther King Jr. in "Selma," was left out.

Ava DuVernay's civil rights drama, at one point considered a major contender, faded even after its late debut. The film, which has been nagged by criticism over its portrayal of President Lyndon Johnson, managed just two nominations. (The second was for best song.)

Marion Cotillard for the French-language "Two Days, One Night" was the surprise nominee for best actress. She was joined by Felicity Jones ("The Theory of Everything"), Julianne Moore ("Still Alice"), Rosamund Pike ("Gone Girl") and Reese Witherspoon ("Wild"). That left Jennifer Aniston's pained and grieving performance in "Cake" on the outside.

The eight best-picture nominees left out two wild cards that might have added a dose of darkness to the category: the creepy Jake Gyllenhaal thriller "Nightcrawler" and the tragic wrestling drama "Foxcatcher." In the three previous years since the category was expanded (anywhere between five and 10 film may be nominated), there were nine movies contending for best picture.

"Foxcatcher" helmer Bennett Miller (previously nominated for "Capote") did squeak into best director. Joining him and Anderson are Linklater ("Boyhood"), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Birdman") and Morten Tyldum ("The Imitation Game").

One of the most notable snubs came in the best animation category, usually a particularly staid category. Despite critical love and major box office, "The Lego Movie" failed to join nominees "Big Hero 6," ''The Boxtrolls," ''How to Train Your Dragon 2," ''Song of the Sea" and "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya."

This year's smaller sized but much-beloved favorites — "Boyhood," ''Birdman" — have been largely locked in as front runners throughout much of the ever-expanding industrial complex of Hollywood's lengthy awards season. As studios have focused more and more on easily marketed blockbusters, Oscar season increasingly exists apart from the regular business of the movies, in its own highfalutin, red-carpeted realm.

Ratings, though, are on the rise. Last year's Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, drew 43 million viewers, making it the most-watched entertainment telecast in a decade. "12 Years a Slave" took best picture. This year's ceremony on Feb. 22 will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

The nominees for best foreign language film are: "Ida" (Poland), "Leviathan" (Russia), "Tangerines" (Estonia), "Timbuktu" (Mauritania) and "Wild Tales" (Argentina).

Best documentary nods went to "CitizenFour," ''Finding Vivian Maier," ''Last Days in Vietnam," ''The Salt of the Earth" and "Virunga." The last gave Netflix its second Oscar nomination. (It last year released the nominated documentary "The Square.")

http://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/osca...id=ansnewsap11

The Oscar nominations made this morning a great one for several Hollywood A-listers.

"Birdman" and "Grand Budapest Hotel" tied for the most nominations with nine, while "The Imitation Game" garnered eight.

Several stars received their first-ever nomination, including Steve Carell, Emma Stone and Eddie Redymayne, while Meryl Streep took home her 19th.

However, it was a truly historic morning for Robert Duvall, who, at 84, became the oldest actor to get an Oscar nod.

The Academy Awards will take place Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center, and broadcast live on ABC at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Neil Patrick Harris will host.

Best Actor

Steve Carell, "Foxcatcher"
Bradley Cooper, "American Sniper"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"
Michael Keaton, "Birdman"
Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"

Best Actress
Marion Cotillard, "Two Days, One Night"
Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"
Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"
Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"
Reese Witherspoon, "Wild"

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

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
Laura Dern, "Wild"
Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game"
Emma Stone, "Birdman"
Meryl Streep, "Into the Woods"

Cinematography
"Birdman"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Ida"
"Mr. Turner"
"Unbroken"

Costume Design
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Inherent Vice"
"Into the Woods"
"Maleficent"
"Mr. Turner"

Directing
Alejandro González Iñárritu, "Birdman"
Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"
Bennett Miller, "Foxcatcher"
Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Morten Tyldum, "The Imitation Game"

Foreign Language Film
"Ida," Poland
"Leviathan," Russia
"Tangerines," Estonia
"Timbuktu," Mauritania
"Wild Tales," Argentina

Makeup and Hairstyling
"Foxcatcher"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Guardians of the Galaxy"

Original Score
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"The Imitation Game"
"Interstellar"
"Mr. Turner"
"The Theory of Everything"

Adapted Screenplay
"American Sniper"
"The Imitation Game"
"Inherent Vice"
"The Theory of Everything"
"Whiplash"

Original Screenplay
"Birdman"
"Boyhood"
"Foxcatcher"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Nightcrawler"

Best Picture
"American Sniper"
"Birdman"
"Boyhood"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"The Imitation Game"
"Selma"
"The Theory of Everything"
"Whiplash"

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/...ry?id=28229482

Oscar Nominations Expose Academy’s Lack of Diversity
Variety - Brent Lang 8 hrs ago

This year’s crop of Oscar contenders reveals a stunning lack of diversity that is certain to reawaken complaints that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is tone deaf when it comes to issues of race and gender.

All of the acting categories on Thursday were dominated by white performers and no female writers or directors were included in the Oscar race. It’s the kind of monochromatic constellation that flies in the face of a moviegoing public that is becoming more multi-cultural by the day.

Oscar voters had a chance to make history by nominating the first African-American woman in the Best Director category with “Selma” helmer Ava DuVernay, but instead they opted to reward a contingent that was all-male and heavily white. Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu, rewarded for “Birdman,” was the sole instance of diversity in that category.

Moreover, “Selma” star David Oyelowo has earned raves for his work as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but he was also left off of too many ballots to make the final cut.

DuVernay seemed to take it in stride, emphasizing “Selma’s” Best Picture and Best Song nods and tweeting, “Happy Birthday, Dr. King. An Oscar gift for you. To SELMA cast + crew led by our miracle David Oyelowo! To Common + Legend! Kudos! March on!”

DuVernay wasn’t alone. Oscar voters ignored “Unbroken” director Angelina Jolie and “Citizenfour” director Laura Poitras (although the film was nominated for best documentary). In the supporting actor categories, Carmen Ejogo’s sensitive portrayal of Coretta Scott King in “Selma” was ignored, as was Miyavi’s frightening work as an abusive prison guard in “Unbroken.”

Past reports on the makeup of the Academy’s membership have exposed a disturbing level of racial and demographic homogeneity. A Los Angeles Times article from 2012, revealed that Oscar voters were 94% white, 77% male and only 14% under the age of 50.

To its credit, the Oscars have made efforts to diversify, appointing African-American Cheryl Boone Isaacs as president in 2013, for example. It has also rewarded black actors such as Forest Whitaker and Octavia Spencer in recent contests, and last year handed its top prize to “12 Years a Slave.”

But Thursday’s nominations represent a step back. Host Ellen DeGeneres kicked off last year’s Oscars telecast with a joke that read as a warning, noting that the night could end two ways.

“Possibility number one: ’12 Years a Slave’ wins best picture,” DeGeneres said. “Possibility number two: You’re all racists.”

Who’s laughing now?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/osca...d=ansvariety11

The top 5 biggest Oscar nomination snubs
By Tariq Khan · Published January 15, 2015 · FoxNews.com

The nominations for the 87th Annual Academy Awards are out, and it’s a very good morning for ten actors and ten actresses. (Congratulations to Steve Carell, Bradley Cooper, Julianne Moore and all of the rest.)

But with only five spots per category, there’s always going to be someone who just misses out - by what might have been just a handful of votes.

There are several big stars who found themselves in that predicament this morning. Here are the top five omissions from Oscar’s fiercely competitive acting categories.

1. Jennifer Aniston in "Cake"
It’s been more than a decade since the smash sitcom “Friends” went off the air, and Aniston has been trying desperately to prove that she can play more than just Rachel Green. With her work in the gritty independent drama “Cake,” the actress appeared to have finally done that. As a woman suffering from chronic pain and fighting addiction and depression, audiences saw Aniston like they've never seen her before and she delivered a knockout performance. Her Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) nominations put her at the forefront of the Academy Awards conversation, making a first-ever nod appear to be a real possibility. But today, Aniston was squeezed out in favor of dark horse Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night.” Aniston should fear not. With the impressive notices she’s received for “Cake,” there could still be a piece of Oscar somewhere in her future.

2. Jake Gyllenhaal in "Nightcrawler"
A previous Oscar nominee for Best Supporting Actor of 2005 for “Brokeback Mountain,” Gyllenhall has since worked steadily in Hollywood with a series of solid (if unspectacular) roles. He finally hit the jackpot with last fall’s “Nightcrawler,” playing a wide-eyed sociopath breaking into the world of local television news. Like Aniston, Gyllenhaal was recognized by the Golden Globe and SAG voters, making an Oscar invite seem only logical. The film earned a bid for Best Original Screenplay, but Gyllenhaal’s awards buzz came to an unexpected crawl.

3. Amy Adams in "Big Eyes"
With five previous nominations and no wins, Adams is quickly becoming the Susan Lucci of the Oscars. Her role as a gifted but timid painter in “Big Eyes” has been touted as an Oscar possibility since last awards season. She just won her second consecutive Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and was also cited by the British Film and Television Academy for her “Big Eyes” work. Her fans were probably left big-eyed after not seeing her name on today’s list. Adams has seemed content being something of an Oscar bridesmaid, but this she year she won’t even be going to the wedding.

4. Jessica Chastain in "A Most Violent Year"
A previous Academy Awards contender for both “The Help” and “Zero Dark Thirty,” Chastain delivered several strong performances in 2014. Her awards focus seemed to be for her role as the long-suffering wife of Oscar Isaac in the crime drama “A Most Violent Year.” She was just at the Golden Globes and was likely preparing for her another trip to the Oscars. Chastain’s omission prove that 2014 was a most unpredictable year for supporting actresses.

5. Ralph Fiennes in "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
A past Oscar nominee for “Schindler’s List” and “The English Patient,” Fiennes has been described by some as the Laurence Olivier of his generation. With nearly two decades since his last Academy recognition, he seemed overdue for another nod. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” registered strongly with the Academy, earning an impressive nine bids including for Best Picture. However, its star Fiennes was overlooked despite executing a truly fine performance. The film is likely to win awards in the craft categories, but leaving Fiennes out of the running seems like a truly grand mistake.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...biggest-snubs/


People I know in the industry are also surprised that "UNBROKEN" went unnoticed.

Oscar Nomination Snubs: Ava DuVernay, ‘The Lego Movie’, Jennifer Aniston & More

Every year on the pre-dawn morning of the Oscars nominations, hopes are raised flagpole high in anticipation of the official announcement. Today hope stood still for a moment or two as the names and titles were read out in two batches by directors Alfonso Cuarón and J.J. Abrams and then AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs and Star Trek’s Chris Pine. For some like For some like The Theory Of Everything and The Imitation Game, there was a plethora of Academy voter good news. For Selma director Ava DuVernay, American Sniper helmer Clint Eastwood, Roger Ebert docu Life Itself, Jennifer Aniston and The Lego Movie, among others …well, it’s hard to believe some of these fine films, actors like David Oyelowo and directors were snubbed but that’s the way the Oscar can crumble:

Ava DuVernay – The first feature on Martin Luther King Jr is a long overdue achievement but that film being Selma and from Oscar Statuettes Wide Shotthis already barrier-breaking director is nothing short of stunning. That Selma got Best Picture and Original Song noms and DuVernay did not get a Best Director is as stunning. Perhaps being snubbed already by the Director’s Guild, the Screen Actors Guild and the Producers Guild, past Sundance Best Director winner DuVernay should have expected today’s Oscar door to stay shut to her. Was it the fallout from Paramount’s decision not to send screeners to guild members? Was it questions over historical accuracy? Regardless, DuVernay’s examination of a pivotal time in American history and the players shaping it was more than worth of a place in what is the Academy’s boy’s club this year.

David Oyelowo - Speaking of another Selma snub. This lack of a Best Actor nomination also comes just days before the MLK holiday that celebrates the life and legacy of the great American – which shows a near zero sense of both appreciation for Oyelowo’s performance and timing on the part of Academy voters.


Lego BatmanThe Lego Movie – This is a real shock. Everyone in Hollywood seemingly did voiceover work for this blockbuster Warner Bros pic and it was even talked of as a Best Animated frontrunner going in. Now the bricks are all in pieces and not feeling very awesome despite the Original Song nomination.

(Update, 6:30 AM: Co-director Phil Lord tweeted this reaction after this morning’s announcement

philip lord ✔ @philiplord

It's okay. Made my own!

8:13 AM - 15 Jan 2015

Timothy Spall – Maybe he and the Mike Leigh helmed Mr. Turner peaked too early with the film’s debut at Cannes last year. Yet Spall is an actor who has often raised the worth of projects far lesser than his performances in them. In this case the film about the life of J.M.W. Turner was on par with Spall’s talent. Reunited with Leigh, he painted a glorious portrait of the artist and the art. In the process, he also won the Best Actor at Cannes and more recently took home the top acting prize from the National Society of Film Critics.


Jennifer Aniston - Despite a SAG Awards nom, it seems there will be no Oscar cake for the hard campaigning Cake actress.

“Shine” – An evocative toe-tapper and hip shaker from Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams from the Paddington soundtrack, this tune should have seen Pharrell back in the Best Original Song category after his “Happy” loss last year.

Life Itself – The Roger Ebert docu directed by Steve James had the audience crying with loss and appreciation when it debuted at Sundance last year. Today, the movie about the great movie critic was dry when it came to Oscar love.

Clint Eastwood – Four Oscar nominations and two wins over the years and a DGA nomination this year but despite Best Picture and Best Actor noms there was no Best Director to make the American Sniper helmer’s day today.

Foxcatcher - Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo and Best Director for Bennett Miller but no Best Picture wrestling themed drama? Someone got thrown to the mat here.

Jake Gyllenhaal - A smart and increasingly seasoned actor inhabiting a role that speaks directly to our era. This creature of the 24/7 news cycle night from the Dan Gilroy directed Nightcrawler made it look so easy and creepy at the same time. A modern Travis Bickle? The fact that we pose the comparison means this past Oscar nominee was worthy of another shot this year. So do the collection of Indie Spirit, SAG Awards and BAFTA nominations, among other accolades, for his Nightcrawler performance.

Unbroken – This is the sort of film that Oscar voters has traditionally opened their hearts and ballots too. Sure it got a few technical noms but what happened? Was director Angelina Jolie just too high profile? Were the slights by the Golden Globes and the guilds too much for this portrait of Louie Zamperini too much for Unbroken to break through?

Jessica Chastain – Nothing for the A Most Violent Year actress? I’m just assuming you haven’t seen the movie, that has to be the only answer.

Nick Hornby – A 1-man cottage industry on the shelf and on the screen with a near flawless populist touch, the best selling author was given a WGA Awards nomination for his adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s best selling 2012 memoir. But Oscar didn’t want to take a Best Adapted Screenplay walk with him for Wild? Is it because of Fever Pitch?

Amy Adams– Well, looks like that Golden Globe win on the weekend for her Big Eyes role didn’t get a second coat from Oscar.

Ralph Fiennes – How the Academy could overlook giving the man a nomination for his masterful role as the concierge Monsieur Gustave H. in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel is simply an insult to his exceptional service to the craft of acting.

Christopher Nolan – Sorry, but really an epic isn’t enough for you people?

Interstellar – Speaking of the epic, sure it got some technical noms but in a Best Picture field with 10 spots and only 8 of them filled, this out of this world dive into what it is to be both human and universal, on a literal and figurative level couldn’t get a place? Seriously, big doesn’t automatically mean best but in the case of Interstellar it was like a dream unfolding before our eyes – something that only a very select sort of film can do.

http://deadline.com/2015/01/oscar-no...es-1201350302/

Originally Posted by Jolie Rouge

Oscar Nominations Expose Academy’s Lack of Diversity
Variety - Brent Lang 8 hrs ago

This year’s crop of Oscar contenders reveals a stunning lack of diversity that is certain to reawaken complaints that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is tone deaf when it comes to issues of race and gender.

All of the acting categories on Thursday were dominated by white performers and no female writers or directors were included in the Oscar race. It’s the kind of monochromatic constellation that flies in the face of a moviegoing public that is becoming more multi-cultural by the day.

Oscar voters had a chance to make history by nominating the first African-American woman in the Best Director category with “Selma” helmer Ava DuVernay, but instead they opted to reward a contingent that was all-male and heavily white. Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu, rewarded for “Birdman,” was the sole instance of diversity in that category.

Moreover, “Selma” star David Oyelowo has earned raves for his work as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but he was also left off of too many ballots to make the final cut.

DuVernay seemed to take it in stride, emphasizing “Selma’s” Best Picture and Best Song nods and tweeting, “Happy Birthday, Dr. King. An Oscar gift for you. To SELMA cast + crew led by our miracle David Oyelowo! To Common + Legend! Kudos! March on!”

DuVernay wasn’t alone. Oscar voters ignored “Unbroken” director Angelina Jolie and “Citizenfour” director Laura Poitras (although the film was nominated for best documentary). In the supporting actor categories, Carmen Ejogo’s sensitive portrayal of Coretta Scott King in “Selma” was ignored, as was Miyavi’s frightening work as an abusive prison guard in “Unbroken.”

Past reports on the makeup of the Academy’s membership have exposed a disturbing level of racial and demographic homogeneity. A Los Angeles Times article from 2012, revealed that Oscar voters were 94% white, 77% male and only 14% under the age of 50.

To its credit, the Oscars have made efforts to diversify, appointing African-American Cheryl Boone Isaacs as president in 2013, for example. It has also rewarded black actors such as Forest Whitaker and Octavia Spencer in recent contests, and last year handed its top prize to “12 Years a Slave.”

But Thursday’s nominations represent a step back. Host Ellen DeGeneres kicked off last year’s Oscars telecast with a joke that read as a warning, noting that the night could end two ways.

“Possibility number one: ’12 Years a Slave’ wins best picture,” DeGeneres said. “Possibility number two: You’re all racists.”

Who’s laughing now?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/osca...d=ansvariety11

Sharpton says Oscars are too white.
Is NBA too black?
Written by Michele Hickford, Editor-in-Chief on January 16, 2015

Liberals may be terrible at handling the economy or protecting our nation, but they sure are entertaining. The latest side-splitter comes from the White House official court jester, Al Sharpton.

As the Washington Times reports, Reverand Al “announced he was holding an “emergency meeting” to discuss Hollywood’s all-white list of Oscar nominees and talk about possible action against the Academy Awards’ powers-who-be.”

“The movie industry is like the Rocky Mountains,” he said in a statement reported by Business Insider. “The higher you get, the whiter it gets. … I have called an emergency meeting early next week in Hollywood with the task force to discuss possible action around the Academy Awards.”

Now bear in mind this is only the second time in the last 20 years that only white folks were nominated for best actor, actress or director Oscars, so it’s not like there’s a continuing pattern of racism.

http://launch.newsinc.com/share.html...deoId=28360339

http://allenbwest.com/2015/01/sharpt...say-nba-black/

there wasn't not 1 white not 1 even mentioned at the BET awards

What’s Inside 2015 Oscar Gift Bags Is Worth More Than 3 Times What Most Americans Make in a Year
By Larry O'Connor 8 hours ago


They say “it’s an honor just to be nominated” for an Oscar, but it’s pretty lucrative, too.

After this Sunday’s broadcast, the lucky stars who are asked to read a teleprompter for a couple minutes and then hand a trophy to a winner will walk away with gift bags worth over $167,000.



They say “it’s an honor just to be nominated” for an Oscar, but it’s pretty lucrative, too.

After this Sunday’s broadcast, the lucky stars who are asked to read a teleprompter for a couple minutes and then hand a trophy to a winner will walk away with gift bags worth over $167,000.

USA Today breaks down some of the impressive swag the nominees will be receiving: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...ions/23624065/

•Holiday in Tuscany. With the Italian Luxury Hotel Package, nominees will receive three complimentary nights in a suite at the five-star Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Value: $11,500.

•Chi-Chi car rental. A year’s worth of Silvercar rentals, the all-Audi airport car rental service that promises no lines, free GPS, free Sirius radio and free Wi-Fi every time. Value: $20,000

•Whiz-bang bicycle. Martone Cycling, known for its fashion and design-driven bikes, will hand out certificates for free designer bikes with automatic transmission and its signature red bike chains. Value: $1,200.

This serves as “Exhibit A” to explain how Hollywood elitists might be completely out of touch with the average American.

Exhibit B, well, are these “interesting” items, as reported by USA Today:

•“Laser vibrator. The Afterglow Pulsewave Vibrator bills itself as the world’s only adult toy that utilizes a low-level laser to enhance arousal. Value: $250.”

•“Orgasm booster. ‘The Couple’s Love Shot,'” as it’s called, is available to each of two ‘lovers’ who can receive orgasm boosters including the O-Shot (Orgasm Shot), created by the same doctor who invented the Vampire Facelift to reduce wrinkles. Value: $5,000.”

•“Pricey condoms. Naked Luxury Condoms, dubbed ‘the world’s only luxury condom’ and ‘the most pleasurable condom in the world.’ Value: $56 for two 6-packs.”

Because nothing says glamour like grab bag items that were seemingly taken from the vault of a local adult bookstore.

Now, consider the value of the nominees’ gift bags in light of the economic reality for the majority of Americans:

•The median household income is just under $52,000. The gift bag is worth over three times that amount. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/...e-in-15-years/

•The median cost of a home in America is $188,000. That gift bag could be traded for a modest home in our country. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/0...n_4957604.html

•The cost of providing a K-12 education for a child in America is $122,000.

The excess doesn’t seem to bother Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets — the company that assembles the swag in the gift bags.

“We aren’t doing this as a charitable initiative,” he told USA Today. “We do it because it makes sense for many brands to align their products with the stars. Brands benefit by associating with celebrities.”

Particularly new brands looking for buzz.

The hope of every one of these brands is that the celebrity will actually like the product and be seen publicly using the product, says PR guru Katharine D. Paine. "With a huge amount of luck," Paine says, the brand will end up in a caption on the gossip page of Vanity Fair.

"Part of me says this whole thing is one big joke, but really it's not," says Paine. It's part "desperation" on the part of small brands wanting to be bigger, she says. It's also partly the "ego" of business advisers who think that by getting their clients in the gift bag, it will get them attention.

Finally, she says, it's big business for the public relations firms that place them. Brands in the bag probably paid PR firms up to $10,000 each just to get into the bag — which totals nearly $1 million in fees, Paine estimates.

There are lots of items in the bag — which seems to get bigger every year. In fact, says Fary, this year's booty will be delivered in two, huge duffle bags to the nominees. Larger items, such as the bikes, are given as certificates — so celebs can personalize them the way they want.

And some of the racier items — such as condoms and vibrators — actually are appreciated by some celebrities, says Fary.

"Meryl Streep is not going to the Pleasure Chest to pick up a vibrator," says Fary, nor would most other movie stars. "I'm trying to simplify their lives — and add a little extra pleasure."

Simple pleasures? Perhaps that's why each gift bag also includes $75 worth of juicy, Ambrosia apples.

http://www.ijreview.com/2015/02/2542...erican-income/

[I]comments

For all the liberal elites who like to complain about the 1%, here is your chance...{{crickets chirping}}.

..

'Birdman' wins award as best indie film of 2014

The Wrap on MSN.com · 1 hour ago

The Alejandro G. Inarritu film won the Film Independent Spirit Award, beating out 'Boyhood,' just hours before the 2015 Academy Awards.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/awar...s-trophy-case/

87th Academy Awards Winners and Nominees - Complete List
HitFix - Kristopher Tapley - 15 hrs ago

The 87th Academy Awards were handed out Sunday, February 22nd at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Here is a complete list of all the nominees and the winners as they were announced.

BEST PICTURE

"American Sniper" (Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan)

"Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole)***WINNER***

"Boyhood" (Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland)

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson)

"The Imitation Game" (Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman)

"Selma" (Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner)

"The Theory of Everything" (Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten)

"Whiplash" (Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster)

DIRECTING

"Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (Alejandro G. Iñárritu)***WINNER***

"Boyhood" (Richard Linklater)

"Foxcatcher" (Bennett Miller)

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Wes Anderson)

"The Imitation Game" (Morten Tyldum)

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Steve Carell, "Foxcatcher"

Bradley Cooper, "American Sniper"

Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"

Michael Keaton, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"

Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"***WINNER

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Marion Cotillard, "Two Days, One Night"

Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"

Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"***WINNER***

Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"

Reese Witherspoon, "Wild"

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Robert Duvall, "The Judge"

Ethan Hawke, "Boyhood"

Edward Norton, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"

Mark Ruffalo, "Foxcatcher"

J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash" - ***WINNER***

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"***WINNER***

Laura Dern, "Wild"

Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game"

Emma Stone, "Birdman of (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"

Meryl Streep, "Into the Woods"

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

"American Sniper" (Written by Jason Hall)

"The Imitation Game" (Written by Graham Moore)***WINNER***

"Inherent Vice" (Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson)

"The Theory of Everything" (Screenplay by Anthony McCarten)

"Whiplash" (Written by Damien Chazelle)

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

"Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr. & Armando Bo)***WINNER***

"Boyhood" (Written by Richard Linklater)

"Foxcatcher" (Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman)

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness)

"Nightcrawler" (Written by Dan Gilroy)

CINEMATOGRAPHY

"Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (Emmanuel Lubezki)***WINNER***

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Robert D. Yeoman)

"Ida" (Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczweski)

"Mr. Turner" (Dick Pope)

"Unbroken" (Roger Deakins)

COSTUME DESIGN

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Milena Canonero)***WINNER***

"Inherent Vice" (Mark Bridges)

"Into the Woods" (Colleen Atwood)

"Maleficent" (Anna B. Sheppard, Jane Clive)

"Mr. Turner" (Jacqueline Durran)

FILM EDITING

"American Sniper" (Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach)

"Boyhood" (Sandra Adair)

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Barney Pilling)

"The Imitation Game" (William Goldenberg)

"Whiplash" (Tom Cross)***WINNER***

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

"Foxcatcher" (Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard)

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier)***WINNER***

"Guardians of the Galaxy" (Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White)

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Alexandre Desplat)***WINNER***

"The Imitation Game" (Alexandre Desplat)

"Interstellar" (Hans Zimmer)

"Mr. Turner" (Gary Yershon)

"The Theory of Everything" (Jóhann Jóhannsson)

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

"Everything is Awesome" from "The LEGO Movie" (Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson)

"Glory" from "Selma" (Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn)***WINNER***

"Grateful" from "Beyond the Lights" (Music and Lyric by Diane Warren)

"I'm Not Gonna Miss You" from "Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me" (Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond)

"Lost Stars" from "Begin Again" (Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois)

PRODUCTION DESIGN

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Adam Stockhausen; Anna Pinnock)***WINNER***

"The Imitation Game" (Maria Djurkovic; Tatiana Macdonald)

"Interstellar" (Nathan Crowley; Gary Fettis, Paul Healy)

"Into the Woods" (Dennis Gassner; Anna Pinnock)

"Mr. Turner" (Suzie Davies; Charlotte Watts)

SOUND EDITING

"American Sniper" (Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman)***WINNER***

"Birdman of (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (Martin Hernández and Aaron Glascock)

"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" (Brent Burge and Jason Canovas)

"Interstellar" (Richard King)

"Unbroken" (Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro)

SOUND MIXING

"American Sniper" (John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin)

"Birdman of (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga)

"Interstellar" (Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten)

"Unbroken" (Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee)

"Whiplash" (Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley)***WINNER***

VISUAL EFFECTS

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick)

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" (Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist)

"Guardians of the Galaxy" (Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould)

"Interstellar" (Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher)***WINNER***

"X-Men: Days of Future Past" (Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer)

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

"Big Hero 6" (Don Hall, Chris Williams and Roy Conli)***WINNER***

"The Boxtrolls" (Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable and Travis Knight)

"How to Train Your Dragon 2" (Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold)

"Song of the Sea" (Tomm Moore and Paul Young)

"The Tale of Princess Kaguya" (Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

"Ida" (Poland; Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski)***WINNER***

"Leviathan" (Russia; Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev)

"Tangerines" (Estonia; Directed by Zaza Urushadze)

"Timbuktu" (Mauritania; Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako)

"Wild Tales" (Argentina; Directed by Damián Szifrón)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"CITIZENFOUR" (Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky)***WINNER***

"Finding Vivian Maier" (John Maloof and Charlie Siskel)

"Last Days in Vietnam" (Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester)

"The Salt of the Earth" (Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier)

"Virunga" (Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara)

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

"Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1" (Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry)***WINNER***

"Joanna" (Aneta Kopacz)

"Our Curse" (Tomasz Sliwinski and Maciej Slesicki)

"The Reaper (La Parka)" (Gabriel Serra Arguello)

"White Earth" (J. Christian Jensen)

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

"The Bigger Picture" (Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees)

"The Dam Keeper" (Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi)

"Feast" (Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed)***WINNER***

"Me and My Moulton" (Torill Kove)

"A Single Life" (Joris Oprins)

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

"Aya" (Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis)

"Boogaloo and Graham" (Michael Lennox and Ronan Blaney)

"Butter Lamp (La Lampe au Beurre de Yak)" (Hu Wei and Julien Féret)

"Parvaneh" (Talkhon Hamzavi and Stefan Eichenberger)

"The Phone Call" (Mat Kirkby and James Lucas)***WINNER***

http://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/osca...id=ansHitFix11

Oscars 2015: Patricia Arquette Rallies for Wage Equality
The Hollywood Reporter - Ramona Saviss- 11 hrs ago

Snagging a best supporting actress statue for her role in Boyhood, Patricia Arquette accepted her award with an empowering speech on women's rights and equality. After thanking a long list of people including her famous family members, who accompanied her to this year's ceremony the actress went on to thank the women in the world and ended on a powerful note, calling for wage equality.

"It's our time to have wage equality once and for all!" she said, calling on equal rights for women and thanking all the women who gave birth to the taxpayers of America.

Powerful women in the audience, including an enthusiastic J-Lo and Arquette's fellow nominee Meryl Streep, who clapped and leapt to her feet, cheered on the winner and her girl-power message.

Love Meryl Streep. pic.twitter.com/caeiVu6rlV

http://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/osca...woodReporter11

Patricia Arquette's Net Worth is$24 Million, in 2011 she was earning $225,000 per episode for the series "Medium" and now she is in a new series CSI Cyber ... so I hardly see her as a champion of the underclass. Does she share her salary with the minimum wage earners on the set ?

‘Spontaneous synergy, or planned propaganda’?
Labor Dept all over Patricia Arquette’s demand for ‘wage equality’
http://twitchy.com/2015/02/23/sponta...wage-equality/

5 Ways Our Nation’s Biggest Heroes Were Front and Center at This Year’s Academy Awards
By Joseph Perticone - 14 hours ago

The 2015 Academy Awards have a unique theme compared to years’ past. A handful of nominees across the plethora of have carried a strong message about the sacrifice and importance of U.S. military veterans.

While American Sniper, the story of legendary U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle captivated the country as box-office juggernaut, other military-centric films garnered praise and critical acclaim as well.

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, a film about the Veterans’ Affairs 24-hour emergency hotline, won best short-subject documentary on Sunday night

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
***WINNER***
"Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1" (Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry )

“Crisis Hotline” detailed the experiences of the hotline responders attempting to help war veterans who call in when they’re on the verge of committing something drastic and are seeking help. The 40-minute documentary was directed by Ellen Goosenberg Kent and can be streamed online at HBOGO.com.

Another documentary earned an Oscar nomination. The Last Days in Vietnam focused on the final weeks of the casualty-ridden war. The film described the events as the North Vietnamese army closed in on Saigon, while South Vietnamese civilians feared for their lives in various attempts to flee. http://www.lastdaysinvietnam.com/



Other films carried a semi-military theme, like The Imitation Game, which focused on British scientist Alan Turing attempting to crack Nazi codes during World War II. Benedict Cumberbatch earned a nomination for best actor for his portrayal of Turing.



Keira Knightely earned a best supporting actress nomination for her performance as well. The Imitation Game also received nomination for best picture.

And while many films were able to snag that best picture nomination, some earned lesser-known nominations.

Unbroken earned a few nominations like best cinematography and best sound editing. Aside from the awards, the Angelina Jolie-directed film was a box-office hit, earning almost three times its budget.



Unbroken was the story of Louis “Louie” Zamperini, a pilot and Olympic athlete who became a prisoner of war during World War II.



And finally, the biggest success in films honoring veterans and the military was American Sniper.

The Clint Eastwood film raked in nearly $300 million, had six Oscar nominations, won an Oscar award for Best Sound Editing, and most importantly, showed countless Americans the story of a legendary man and his family.



Social media was buzzing all day Sunday with praise and support for American Sniper and the Kyle family. Many expressed their adoration and support for the legendary SEAL’s widow, Taya Kyle, who was present on the red carpet – and was carrying a very special set of dog tags:





Congratulations to all of these nominees but especially the veterans who inspired them and who keep us safe, defending our freedom everyday.

http://www.ijreview.com/2015/02/2564...mpaign=Culture