The WGA Award Winners!

I love the Writer’s Guild of America.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Inception, Written by Christopher Nolan; Warner Bros.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Social Network, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich; Sony Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Inside Job, Written by Charles Ferguson; Co-written by Chad Beck, Adam Bolt; Sony Pictures Classics

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Finally, FINALLY, Christopher Nolan gets his much deserved recognition. I’m extremely happy with the winners. EXTREMELY.

And Aaron Sorkin rightfully wins his award for The Social Network.

Thank you, Writer’s Guild of America, for making me happy and awarding the correct people!

(I’m praying that this will put Inception back into the Oscar conversation. Praying, Praying, Praying.)

The Golden Globes Winners and Reactions

The Golden Globes are not my favorite awards, or even the most important in Hollywood, but they’re always quite fun. I had a good amount of fun watching these awards over my lovely dinner prepared by my lovely grandmother, and I hope everyone else enjoyed them as well.

First off, the television nominations were a hot mess, but the winners made up for it. I have no clue as to why Glee was nominated for anything or won anything, the show used to be fantastic, but it just isn’t anymore. Boardwalk Empire won big! I’m so excited for that show and I hope more people will watch it.

I abused my Twitter account during the telecast:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(if you dare to look me up on Twitter: @brittany_darby)

So basically, this award show went as I expected it to. The Social Network took Best Director, Best Picture-Drama, Best Score, and Best Screenplay. I’m so happy Aaron Sorkin won that award because he is the most deserving screenwriter of the year. Though, I’m glad that The Academy Awards separates the writing awards to Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay, because that means that both Christopher Nolan and Aaron Sorkin could win Oscars this year, a thought that comforts me. I’m unhappy that Inception didn’t win a thing, but The Academy Awards are more important and in a month, so I’m taking additional comfort in the fact that Inception can win big there.

(I believe in both The Social Network and Inception so much, so its really a conflict for these two movies to both be nominated this year against each other. Though it may not seem like it, I’m genuinely happy for The Social Network to be winning so many awards because its such a great film.)

Annette Benning won Best Actress for her role in The Kids Are All Right, that film also won Best Picture-Musical or Comedy. Two things I’m very, very happy with.

The Golden Globes telecast was entertaining, and I’m happy for all the winners. (complete winner list here.)

Award season is not over yet though! Next up: The Producer’s Guild of America presents awards on January 22nd, The Director’s Guild of America presents awards on January 29th, and The Screen Actor’s Guild presents awards on January 30th. I’m looking forward to all of those!

Deadline Interviews Scott Rudin

Scott Rudin is a producer of The Social Network and True Grit, both critically acclaimed films nominated for PGA awards and there’s speculation that both will be nominated for Academy Awards. His credits are amazing, my favorites of the set being There Will Be Blood, It’s Complicated, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Truman Show.

Deadline Hollywood interviewed Rudin today, and I must admit that I have a brand new appreciation for the man. I enjoy that the successful people in Hollywood are the ones that are the most devoted to their craft, passionate, and respect it, too. He answered every question interestingly and thoughtfully, so read the full interview here.

Here is my favorite Q and A:

DEADLINE: The Social Network has passed $200 million at the worldwide box office, and True Grit has been the Coen Brothers’ highest grossing movie ever. What does this tell you?
RUDIN: They’re just good. I also don’t buy the idea that audiences don’t enjoy dramas. I think that audiences historically have just not responded to weak films. I got really lucky this year with two strong films from fantastic filmmakers. That’s why both worked, along with the advantage of being well marketed by both studios. A couple of years ago, either movie might conceivably have gone out through a specialty division. Neither would have reached anywhere near the level of gross they did. Because you are looking at two movies that opened in 2,200 and 3,000 screens respectively. That’s got to be powered by a decent amount of advertising money. There’s no way to bet halfway. Part of the reason you’re looking at them turn into blockbusters is that the studios that made them loved them, believed in them, and chased them. The chase is a big part of this.

 

The Best Picture of 2010

There are so many films vying for the Best Picture Nomination this year. I don’t know what way the Academy will lean in.

This year would be a good year to embrace the really big movies like Inception or The Social Network.

Inception is the most imaginative summer release in years… maybe in the history of summer releases. Usually such intellectual subject matter is left to the winter season, but Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros boldly put this film on the summer landscape. It made a mark and Inception has not only made a ton of money, but it captured the minds of many, many people. This was a film that people could discuss for hours and hours. This was a film that people wanted to analyze and try to understand. Inception is a cultural phenomenon. This film will definitely get the Best Picture nomination, and it deserves to win it based on the fact that its a phenomenal movie and it made such a impact on American Audiences. This film has the power to change Hollywood for the better. The success of this film will encourage other Hollywood studios to produce films that involve intellectual thought and provoke intellectual and philosophical discussion.

The Social Network is the film that defined a generation… my generation to be exact. I sat through this film seeing for the first time a movie that shows the way that technology is incorporated into the everyday lives of young adults all over the country. The Social Network felt like I was seriously seeing my generation and my time on screen and shown to me. This is a generational-defining film just like The Graduate was, and for that reason, I would like to see it win the Best Picture Award. This film is smart, the characters are completely developed and relatable, the script’s amazing, and its visually stunning. I would even like to see David Fincher get a Best Director nomination.

I want both of these films to win Best Picture, I also wouldn’t mind seeing Toy Story 3 or The Kids are All Right get Best Picture. I’m glad I’m not an Academy voter this year, because I genuinely wouldn’t know what to do. There are also a bunch of other small, indie films making a run for Best Picture like Black Swan, Rabbit Hole, and The King’s Speech. The documentary Waiting for ‘Superman’ is also making a Best Picture run. Though its debated on whether or not Toy Story 3 or Waiting for ‘Superman’ will be accepted in the Best Picture category or not, I do think that these films are qualified to be in that category and either of those could take the top prize.

I have always watched The Academy Awards but this is the first time that I’ve seen so many movies that qualify to win Academy Awards and I’m emotionally invested in seeing that some of them win. I really want Inception to sweep, but I want The Social Network and The Kids are All Right to be honored as well. Black Swan and Harry Potter 7 also deserve recognition as well. I remember that in the beginning of the year, a lot of people were worried that there would be a deficit of good movies to get Oscars. At this point, I think there are too many deserving movies and not enough Oscars.

What film do you think should win Best Picture at this year’s Oscars?

Oscar Nomination Predictions!

I’m doing my predictions by film instead of by category, because its more fun. These aren’t the only films I think will get nominated this year, these are just the ones I’ve thought through so far. The Holiday season is going to deliver a bunch more movies that will need to be Oscar evaluated, so I’ll save my full list for just before Oscar Nomination Day. I’ll shoot to announce my full list of picks during the 2nd week of January so I’m ready to see how wrong or right I am on January 25th.

Inception:

• Best Picture
• Best Director
• Best Supporting Actress for Marion Cotillard
• Best Original Screenplay
• Achievement in Art Direction
• Best Sound Mixing

The Kids Are All Right:

• Best Picture
• Best Director (less likely, but its possible)
• Best Actress for Annette Benning
• Best Actress for Julianne Moore
• Best Original Screenplay

Toy Story 3:

• Best Picture
• Best Animated Picture
• Best Director
• Musical Score

The Social Network:

• Best Picture
• Best Director
• Best Adapted Screenplay (if Aaron Sorkin does not win an Oscar this year it will be a tragedy)
• Achievement in Art Direction