Oscars Nominees - The Top 10 for 2010

The yearly Academy Awards is moving the buzz circles once again as the 2010 Oscars shines its spotlights on a total of 10 films for the best picture category, the most nominations since 1944.

This year's nominations are a curious mix of the critically acclaimed and the popular blockbusters. James Cameron's science fiction hit "Avatar" and Kathryn Bigelow's war drama "The Hurt Locker" are pitted against each other with 9 nominations including best picture and best director.

The animation "Up" is nominated for both best animation and best picture categories. Other luminaries in contention are Sandra Bullock as best actress for "The Blind Side" going up against Oscar mainstays Meryl Streep for "Julie and Julia" and Dame Helen Mirren for "The Last Station". For best actor, Morgan Freeman gets the Academy's nod for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in "Invictus", as well as George Clooney for "Up In The Air" and Jeff Bridges, who earlier won the best actor award in the Golden Globes for his role in "Crazy Heart".

The nominees for best picture are:

• Avatar
• The Blind Side
• District 9
• An Education
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Precious
• A Serious Man
• Up
• Up In The Air

The 82nd Academy Awards will air March 7th and will be hosted by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.

What Sort Of Daemon Are You? Exploring The Lore Of "The Golden Compass"

Got a daemon on your back? This is just the sort of thing that the religious is dogging at the upcoming New Line Cinema presentation of the "The Golden Compass" ("Northern Lights", in the UK). Based on the critically acclaimed legerdemain-themed trilogy novels of Philip Pullman collectively known as "His Dark Materials".

"The Golden Compass" stars Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliot, Eva Green, Daniel Craig and 12-year old newcomer Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra, out to save their world from evil tyranny - and so on ,and so forth. Its a "Lord of the Rings" meets "Narnia" meets "Harry Potter" with a sci-fi/fantasy aesthetic reminiscent of Naboo in the "Star Wars" movies.

Looking at the trailer however, it doesn't look at all like a Frankenstein-stitch-job of movie elements that sold in the past. The Golden Compass may just be able to stand on its own as the next big (although unfortunately not bigger, nor biggest) magical movie franchise.

So what's up with the daemons? In the film's parallel world, people's souls are hosted within their animal-spirit companions or "daemons". Children's daemons can morph according to the child's infinite potential then gradually settles to a particular form as one ages. If you want to know what sort of daemon you might have, head over to the resource link below and play a short game of 20-questions. My daemon profile is below. In the next few days, you can twiddle with it to confirm or change whether my daemon ought to be a "Xanthia".



Quite frankly though, I don't like spiders.

Anyway, here's a sneak peak at the majestic visual style of the movie.

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"The Golden Compass" has evident anti-religious overtones, toned-down however compared to the books, despite the fact that its still basically a battle between good and evil story. Pullman is known to be a self-confessed atheist and some Catholic groups have called for a boycott of the film crying foul at the perceived intent to sell "atheism for kids".

Well, that's exactly what the religious groups bellyached before about the Harry Potter series. Let's see how far this "bad" publicity is going to buoy New Line's $200 million plus gamble.

Personally, I don't think one's faith should be affected nor determined by a 2-hour plus sitting in a dark movie house. If you seek to be indoctrinated, don't watch the movie. On the other hand, if you just want to be entertained, then just enjoy the film.

There's a bit of a name game going on with this movie production. Two Ian's, McKellen and McShane (two mac's at that too), are battling it out as the voices behind the armoured polar bears in the film. Then there's Richards - I mean, how many young girl actors may sport Dakota, of all the 51 US States, as their name? What's up with that?

"The Golden Compass" premieres at a Red Carpet launch in London's Odeon Leicester Square on the 27th of November. The film opens worldwide, December 2.

Venice Film Fest Climax: Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt Wins

The 64th Venice International Film Festival came to another glitzy conclusion, September 8, with the film worlds' top honors awarded to some familiar illustrious names.

The envelope is open, the names are out, and the winners are:

• Volpi Coppa for Best Actress - Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There", a Bob Dylan biopic by Director Todd Haynes
• Volpi Coppa for Best Actor - Brad Pitt in "The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" by Director Andrew Dominik
• Golden Lion for Best Film - Ang Lee for "Se, Jie (Lust, Caution)"
• Silver Lion for Best Direction - Brian De Palma for "Redacted"

Complete film festival winners at the Venice Film Festival official website.

A hearty congratulations to the winners. 'Til the next Mostra Internazionale D'Arte Cinematografica La Biennale di Venezia.