Best Limited Performance - Female

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The small but powerful women are:

Mariah Carey - 'Precious'
She manages to make such an impact by just reacting. She reached a new level as an actress. Clip

Catherine Keener - 'Where The Wild Things Are'
The woman can deliver a complex and lived in performance, even without trying it seems.

Juliette Lewis - 'Whip It'
Ballsy and scary. She has been around the block a few times and wears it so well.

Melanie Lynskey - 'Away We Go'
Her happy life slowly crumbles away the more time you spend with her. Her sorrow is deafening.

Xosha Roquemore - 'Precious'
The humor to survive is all too real, and as a result says so much about her character. We all know our Joann's

Cara Seymour - 'An Education'
She stays a little back from the rest of the family, but her expressions tell a story almost more interesting then the one in the film.

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Best Limited Performance - Male

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The small but powerful men are:

Colin Farrell - 'Crazy Heart'
On of the most interesting things about the film. He breezes in and steals the light.

Ralph Fiennes - 'The Hurt Locker'
Your eyes can't stay off him. Nails the weary and tired soldier. Clip

Fred Melamed - 'A Serious Man'
Hysterical. Steals the scene and almost walks away with the entire movie.Clip

Chris Messina - 'Away We Go'
The rock for his wife. His love is strong, but he too begins to crumble.

David Rasche - 'In The Loop'
His distain to mouth bleeding was hysterical.

Andrew Wilson - 'Whip It'
His frustration is hysterical to watch. You believe he has been with this teams forever. Clip

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'Mother and Child' trailer

This looks wonderful

Amanda Waller gets cast.

Oh Joy.
Angela Bassett, one of my favourite actresses who does not do nearly enough work (she should be working as much as Meryl) has been cast in ‘The Green Lantern’.
Now I was not really interested in the film as I never really rated TGL as much of a super hero, but now I am all interested because she play a villain.

Here is hoping they do not stick her as a minor player ala Shohreh Aghdashloo in X-Men: Last Stand who went from Oscar nominee to being killed by blow fish boy.

Shooting is starting now in New Orleans. Here is hoping we see much more of Bassett on the screen because she has been so missed.

'Maleficent' moves forward

You might recall that I reported on Tim Burton circling a new planned take on the Sleeping Beauty story, one that would focus on Maleficent, possibly trying to Elphaba her up a la 'Wicked'. Well, it’s definitely going ahead, though Burton is still not officially attached, which I am hoping against hope means the man will not be directing as his past few offerings have all been rather disappointing (for me at least).

'Alice In Wonderland' writer Linda Woolverton trying to get the screenplay together. Good luck to her! Judging my reactions to 'Alice' it was a bit of a incoherent nightmare.

Let's hope they bring on a director who can not only tell a story, but who can resist over doing it all the while having the capability to elicit a superb central performance. How awesome would it be to cast Sigourney.
That would be totally Wicked.

'Accidents Happen' trailer

How wonderful would it to see Geena Davis back in the awards race.

"You can't be fat and mean"

I just want her to prove them all wrong!

This little sneak peak couldn't come at a better time since I read this piece of casting news from Empire.

I had previously read in Variety that she was being considered for the lead. I was furious since the book (which is wonderful) has three leads. Skeeter (Stone), Minney (an black maid who cannot keep her opinions silent) and Abeline (an older black maid who is fiercely intelligent but keeps this quiet).
Of course Hollywood would have these two lead characters as supporting and make it all about the brave white woman helping the poor blacks. I hope against hope that this is a three lead film, with a slew of rich supporting players.

I am also hoping that someone hands the script to Sidibe as she would be fantabulous as Minney.

Someone make this happen!

Best Voice Acting

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The vocally dexterous are:

Teri Hatcher - Mel Jones / Other Mother - 'Coraline'
She is warm, and then oh so creepy. Some of the best work of her career.

Philip Seymour Hoffman - Max Jerry Horovitz - 'Mary & Max'
Hysterical line delivery. His final line chokes you up something fierce.
Clip

Anna Faris - Sam Sparks - 'Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs'
Like the best of her comedy, her Sam is funny, ditzy yet so warm.
Clip

Dawn French - Miss Miriam Forcible - 'Coraline'
Only one of the best comedic actresses could pull off such phenomenal voice work.
Shame I do not have a clip.

Jenifer Lewis - Mama Odie - 'The Princess and the Frog'
She sounds like she is having an absolute ball doing this. The energy is infectious.

Jordan Nagai - Russell - 'Up'
So funny and real. The line readings are hysterical, and the touching moments are heart breaking.
Clip

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Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait, Can't Wait

Best Editing

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The masterful editors are:

James Cameron, John Refoua and Stephen E. Rivkin - 'Avatar'
The pacing was masterful.....you were never bored and never confused.

Julian Clarke - 'District 9'
The docu style and the action never felt forced.

Chris Innis and Bob Murawski - 'The Hurt Locker'
Repetitive bomb diffusing was always thrilling to watch.
Clip

Ant Boys and Billy Sneddon - 'In The Loop'
All the dialogue running rampant need a good shepherd to round it up.
Clip

Sally Menke - 'Inglourious Basterds'
Knows when to let the dialogue have centre stage.
Clip

Joe Klotz - 'Precious'
The fantasy sequences, the class room and the quick flash cuts of years of abuse never felt forced. The focus of Precious's face shows her growth.
Clip

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Best Visual FX

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And the most visually effective are:

'Avatar'
It changed the game.
Clip

'Coraline'
The whole world was one wonderful and special effect.
Clip

'District 9'
Christopher Johnson. At that budget, to be able to give those eyes such expression, masterful.
Clip

'Star Trek'
Other worlds, other creatures and space...the final frontier.
Clip

'Watchmen'
It looked like a comic book, and Dr Manhattan alone was worth the admission.
Clip

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'Where the Wild Things Are'
So subtle, you hardly notice. Those eyes carry such emotion
Clip

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Best Sound

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And sonically wondrous were:

'Avatar'
The whole planet of Pandora was sonically mesmerizing. Click and listen (and watch)

'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs'
The sound of food raining down has never made me so damn hungry!

'District 9'
The Aliens voices, their weapons. Nothing this year sounded so new.
Click and listen (and watch)

'Drag me to Hell'
If, after covering your eyes from the visual horror, you then have to cover your ears, you know the sound is excellent.
Click and listen (and watch)

'The Hurt Locker'
Blam! Ka-boom! The explosions were great, but it was the sound of heavy breathing from inside the bomb gear that shakes you.

'Up'
The bogs, the chases and the small sqeaks of balloons rubbing together. Pixar does it again. Click and listen (and watch)

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Best Art Direction

And the most interesting and creative are:

'Avatar'
The scope of this work was mind boggling. Everything seemed so well thought out (script aside) that you imagine this work existing somewhere on Earth.

'Coraline'
The imagination on display here was awe inspiring. One of the most unusual looking films of the year.

'District 9'
From the military building to the slums, every set seemed individually cluttered, as though it were being used for many many years.

'Fantastic Mr Fox'
Animated films this year seemed to be the best looking. That warm country design seen in every frame.

'Precious'
Perhaps a controversial choice, but that apartment was masterful. The trinkets of years past giving clues to the characters. As a viewer you almost feel suffocated.

'Where the Wild Things Are'
I think every boy wanted to live in a fort like that. Clever and organic to the rest of the film.

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Best Make Up

And the most inventive are:

'District 9'
Not overly showy, but serves the story impeccably. You never question the transformation.

'Drag Me To Hell'
Gruesome and startling. Sometimes showy works wonders, and this work was hard to look at

'Inglourios Basterds'
The women were stunning, but it was the scalping and swastika carving that really made you look....away

'Moon'
His deterioration was sickening to watch. The hues his skin became turned your stomach.

'Star Trek'
Aliens and prothetic ears galore, but it was alienizing Eric Bana, yet keeping him sexy that did it for me.

'Zombieland'
That can I say. I am a total sucker for the living dead.

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