The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Cashmere Mafia - Ladies, Please, Behave!

The Sarah Connor Chronicles - The Turk - Ep. 103
Cashmere Mafia - Dangerous Liaisons - Ep. 102, The Deciders - Ep. 103

I still have my problems with The Sarah Connor Chronicles (like the fact that, as TiFaux nicely polled, Thomas Dekker is a total tool. Look, even Summer Glau thinks so.) but I enjoyed this week's episode, yet, if you were to ask me what it was about, I could not for the life of me tell you what the hell happened. Even when I was watching the show, let alone 2 days later with my bad memory.

All I remember is the teacher in Love Actually (Adam Godley) is the genius in breeding skin and a terminator forces him to help make some for him. Remind me not to eat dinner while watching this show anymore.

Yech.

Meanwhile, the robotic Summer Glau returns to school with John Connor and we get a nice 80's style Fox sitcom within the show. Seriously, technically the worst part of the show is also the best part of the show and my favorite as Cameron figures out the "human behaviour" in school and pisses off some of the mean girls. Except, wasn't she more "normal" in the pilot? I guess a time leap makes you forget some stuff. Seriously, I love Summer Glau. I don't even know why.

Meanwhile, I'm reluctantly enjoying Cashmere Mafia more and more. I still have problems with it. I can't believe we are are only on episode 3 because it feels like it's been on forever (in a bad way) but I'm still reluctantly enjoying it. Mainly because I'm really liking Lucy Liu and her whole Chinese dating storyline.

Wait. Lucy Liu is Chinese? She's ASIAN? Strangely, I've never really thought of her that way. I've never thought of her having parents either though (wonderfully played by Jodi Long who is always such a hoot as a character actress that even though she stands WAY out in any show she's in, she should still be in it despite being a bit overdramatic sometimes) but her intrusive Chinese mother (ah yes, I can hear the voices that I ignore already, yea yea mom, go away, I'm watching TV) sets Lucy's Mia Mason (Mason?) up with a nice handsome Chinese doctor Jason (Jack Yang) which goes surpsingly well. Until the whole "I don't date Asians" gets in the way.

Wow. I'm so glad they went there. I think it's kinda hilarious they went there.

Jason admits to it, and Mia realises she does (or doesn't date) it too. There could be whole studies on this.

But it's TV so Mia asks Jason to playflirt with her as they attend a party with her ex Jack (Tom Everett Scott) and his new arm candy Liz (Tara Westwood) and of course, things go way better than expected and they actually start feeling things for each other. Usually I would groan but having ANY Asian Male lead on a TV show can only be a good thing. Yeah, you Latino's and Blacks think you're underrepresented on TV? HA!

Meanwhile, Zoe is still having problems at work and being undermined by Katherine and Clayton but in the end they get their comeuppance and everything works out perfectly well for Zoe with her perfectly handsome husband (Julian Ovenden). How perfect. Okay, moving on.

Juliet and Davis are still working things out and they go back and forth and back and forth and she suspects he's still cheating but instead it's a money protection thing blah blah blah, thank god I love Miranda Otto and Peter Hermann looks good without his shirt on or I'd be bored.

Finally, it's episode 3 and Caitlin has already discovered she might be lesbian, kissed Alicia (Lourdes Benedicto), gone to a lesbian baby shower, and then is now flirting with some random hot dude Sam and gives him her card. You go girl!

Who wouldn't give their number to Sam (Chris Beetem)?

More After the Jump...

Chuck Versus An Early Season Finale (?)

Chuck Versus the Undercover Lover - Ep. 112
Chuck Versus the Marlin - Ep. 113

For the Americans, you'll get to watch Chuck Versus Ugly Betty tonight, but make sure you do (and yes, I wrote that sentence that way on purpose, Betty and Chuck both deserve our love).

Meanwhile, Chuck's last two pre-WGA strike episodes (being burned off by NBC tonight before and after an Apprentice episode that is so inane you wonder if the network even deserves to have such creatively rich shows on its air) ends its shortened first season with a nice bang which will make me miss the lovable geek even more.

In Chuck Versus the Undercover Lover, a flashback to 2004 actually shows Casey in love with Ivana Milicevic (Love Monkey, Casino Royale), a photojournalist who dies in a bombing that Casey escapes from. Except, the actress playing Ilsa is Ivana Milicevic. Which means there's going to be more to it than just that. Those eyes SCREAM "I'm a spy". Or something mysterious at least.

Meanwhile, we flash back to the present with the ever-hardass Casey at the Buy More, Ilsa resurfaces on the arms of a some old Russian baddie and Casey becomes jealous/heartbroken showing Chuck that "he's ALIVE!".

Ilsa claims she's working for the French, and had been working to infiltrate this Russian spy circle by marrying into it, and thus the dance of relationship woes begins and the sparks between a lovelorned Casey and questionably trustworthy Ilsa begins. It's like a Noel Coward play directed by one of the Scott Brothers (Ridley or Tony? Let's hope it's Ridley).

Somehow Chuck and Casey get tied up together back to back in a chair while trying to save Ilsa from marrying the old Russian baddie, and must fight off the Russian baddies henchmen in a hilarious fight sequence worthy of Jackie Chan (in his good pre-Chris Tucker days) in a hotel room on a really high floor. A really high floor with a balcony that Casey and Chuck get cornered onto, before they get pushed over falling many storeys into the pool below. Where the wedding happens to be taking place.

Sarah tries to come to save the day, but with one woman against a wedding full of gun totting guests/henchmen, she's a little trapped, until some more female ass kicking (worthy of the best Michelle Yeoh days!) and Ilsa and Sarah manage to work together to get themselves (including the very wet Casey and Chuck) out of their bind.

However, in the end, Ilsa, free of her undercover obligation to marry the mobster, decides to continue on with her undercover job, leaving Casey alone with Chuck. Best buds. Forever. At least until Chuck gets pushed by Casey into the bushes.

Then Chuck finds a bug in the Buy More leading Sarah and Casey to believe that someone has been infiltrating the store and may have leads on who the Intersect is already in Chuck Versus the Marlin. They have 48 hours to solve it before Chuck would have to be carted into protection so in walks Big Mike into an emptied Buy More after Casey and Sarah cart off the entire store to locate the bug transmitter.

Meanwhile, Captain Awesome (whose picture on Chuck's iPhone is the BEST EVER!) is ready to propose to Ellie and asks Chuck to protect his grandmothers mega wattage diamond ring for him while he thinks of an AWESOME way to propose. Unfortunately, Chuck had placed it in his locker at the Buy More just before it was emptied out.

As the staff gets excited by the arrival of lunch from the Pita Palace delivery girl (and in Lester and Jeff's case, the bonus cleavage shot that they zero in on with their camcorder), Big Mike is going crazy, interrogating the entire staff after thinking his store was robbed, playing bad cop to the real cop on hand to investigate (Mike Derwin of Life with Bonnie). Yes, his store was robbed but that was insured. It's his big Marlin hanging on the side of his wall that he bought from ebay that he's more concerned about. A Marlin that was actually stolen by drunks Lester and Jeff in an afterhours prank. A prank that leads to Chuck's apartment where Morgan (still being annoying in an annoying way and not a funny annoying way), who found Captain Awesome's ring, thinking Chuck was about to propose to Sarah, steals and hides within the Marlin, and somehow in the end, the Marlin is hidden in the freezer at Wienerlicious Oh, and did I mention the transmitter Sarah and Casey were looking for was placed in the Marlin? That's sure an important fish to cash.

Meanwhile, Chuck figures out that the Pita Palace delivery girl was really the spy, everyone is now after the Marlin, and there's another kick ass scene between Pita Palace girl versus our favorite Wienerlicious girl Sarah, but the Marlin gets stolen, Sarah gets locked in the freezer, and Chuck fails to shoot open the lock before getting carted off by the cops. A cop who of course is not just a cop, and is taking Chuck to be hidden away forever.

All this while Captain Awesome is ready to propose to Ellie and waiting for Chuck to bring the ring. The ring that disappeared with the Marlin.

And you thought you had problems? I mean, Morgan is Chuck's best friend. That alone deserves a humanitarian award or something.

Sarah and Casey fight for Chuck, the Pita girl is finally defeated, the ring is found, and Chuck gets to return back to his family... for now. And all is well as we go into the strike and at least we aren't hanging onto major cliffhanger. The strike is stressful enough already, I don't need more. Not if I had to worry about Chuck's safety and well being.

So all is well, Captain Awesome proposed to Ellie except she's fallen asleep, Not awesome.

Chuck as a series? After it's first season (albeit sadly shortened)? Totally Awesome!

More After the Jump...

Chinese People Can Be Just As Racist (Or Dumb), or Maybe It's Just a Tribute to Jolson?

I just had to tell you all about this because... well, just read on.

So I've been behind in my blogging (I have about 6 posts in the works that still aren't completed yet) because I've been spending a lot of time with my grandmother lately because basically we moved her into a nursing home 2 weeks ago and she is not taking it well (and yelling to either return to her apartment so she can cook for herself again (even though she can barely stand or walk) or die early. So depressing. And I inadvertently decided to watch Away From Her that very first weekend we moved my grandmother into a home too) and since I basically live the closest to the home and have not been working during most of the week this month, I go to appease her (and yes, guilt is a big factor). Plus, now all of my three living grandparents are in the same facility. In different wings. My sister and I traverse the different wings back and forth and I think we confuse the nurses. That or they have security watching us carefully.

Anyways, that's not the story. That's just to tell you I'm a good grandson. (And no, I'm not trying to win the inheritance. I'm not sure there's much to win. The commies took everything (apparently, seriously))

So I walked in 2 days ago into her room to see her watching the television, always permanently tuned to the Chinese channel in Canada (FairchildTV).

And what do I see?

A Chinese Man. Playing the piano, with sunglasses, swaying from side to side, with cornrows, in BLACKFACE.

BLACKFACE???

Full makeup blackface. BLACKFACE! WITH CORNROWS. WITH BEADS ON THEM. (OF THE JAMAICAN COLOURS TOO (well, at least they got that detail right. I'll give them points for research)).

It was a f#$KEN Chinese Stevie Wonder.

Holy Jolson What year is this?

(And then, it was confirmed that it was some variety/charity show from 2007, just last year, oh, and checking the schedule, apparently it was called Enjoy Yourself Tonight 2007 (?!? OMG I actually know what this show is. I watched it growing up. A long running variety show this time with a big 40th anniversary special in 2007)).

Man, I'm so horrified I can't even love the ridiculousness of it all.

At least I can rest easy that there are probably very few if any black people watching the Chinese Network in Canada.

Because I would have no idea how to explain THAT.

More After the Jump...

What's Left On TV?

It's Chuck Versus Ugly Betty. Honestly, I would put my money on Betty if they had to actually brawl. I would actually kill to see Betty meet up with Casey and give him the full brunt of Betty's enthusiasm. I bet you he never got special training ops on dealing with that!

There's the last new Ugly Betty episode tonight (8pm on ABC/CITY) and it's up against the last 2 episodes of Chuck in the States (8pm and then 10pm on NBC)(luckily in Canada, the same network carries both shows and already aired Chuck on its regular Monday date, but I'll have the recap up later today but let's just say it was totally great and made me miss it during the Christmas holidays and now will make me miss it during the WGA strike) so even though we've been in a TV drought, it's time to work those tape machines (whether it be tivo/pvr/dvr/vcr/recordable dvd's etc etc) again tonight!

Anyways, Ausiello updated the number of remaning episodes of our favorite shows which I've copied below.

The good news, there's still the whole (though shortened) seasons of The New Adventures of Old Christine (starting Feb. 4th), Lost (starting Jan. 31st), Greek (starting Feb. 24th)!

Plus there are still 11 (ELEVEN???!!!) episodes left of Men In Trees (and if you didn't watch this terrific fluff piece, well nows the time!), 3 of Bones (though it doesn't return until APRIL!???), 2 more of House, 7 (SEVEN!!!) more of Aliens in America (and if you didn't watch this terrific biting satire on American society, well nows the time!). 2 more episodes of Brothers & Sisters. 4 more episodes of Friday Night Lights.

The full list is below, with my main recommendations highlighted (red's are must-sees, green's are enjoyable), if there are episodes still left. This list is accurate as of Wed. Jan. 23, 2008.

30 Rock: Ten episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Aliens in America: Seventeen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are seven left.

Back to You: Nine episodes have been produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are two left. 

The Big Bang Theory: Eight episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are zero left. 

Bionic Woman: Eight episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Bones: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left. 

Boston Legal: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are two left.

Brothers & Sisters: Twelve episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are two left.

Carpoolers: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are five left.

Cavemen: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are seven left.

Chuck: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are two left.

Criminal Minds: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there is one left.

CSI: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

CSI: Miami: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left. 

CSI: NY: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are two left.

Desperate Housewives: Ten episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Dirty Sexy Money: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.

ER: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Friday Night Lights: Fifteen episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are four left.

Gossip Girl: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Greek: Eight episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight left.

Grey's Anatomy: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Heroes: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

House: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left.

How I Met Your Mother: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left. 

Jericho: Seven episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are seven episodes left.

Las Vegas: Nineteen episodes have been produced. Fourteen have aired, so there are five left.

Law & Order: SVU: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Fourteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Life is Wild: Twelve episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are two left.

Lost: Eight episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight episodes left.

Medium: Nine episodes have been produced. Two episodes have aired, so there are seven left.

Men in Trees: Nineteen episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are 11 left.

Moonlight: Twelve episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are zero left. 

My Name is Earl: Thirteen episodes have been produced (that includes two one-hour eps, which count double). Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

NCIS: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left. 

The New Adventures of Old Christine: Eight episodes have been produced. No episodes have aired, so there are eight left.

Nip/Tuck: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are five left.

Numbers: Twelve episodes have been produced. Twelve have aired, so there are zero left.

October Road: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are four left.

The Office: Twelve half-hour episodes have been produced. Twelve half-hour episodes have aired, so there are zero half-hour episodes left.

One Tree Hill: Twelve episodes have been produced. Four episodes have aired, so there are eight left.

Prison Break: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.

Private Practice: Nine episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Pushing Daisies: Nine episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Reaper: Twelve episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are two left.

Samantha Who?: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left.

Scrubs: Eleven episodes have been produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are five left.

Shark: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there is one left.

The Shield: All 13 season-seven episodes have been produced. None have aired (the final season gets underway in '08), so there are 13 left. 

Smallville: Fifteen episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are six left.

Supernatural: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are four left.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Nine episodes have been produced. Three episodes have aired, so there are six left. 

Ugly Betty: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there is one left.

The Unit: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left. 

Without a Trace: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

More After the Jump...

The Amazing Race - Late Finish

The Final Push - Ep. 1211

Oh yeah, and I never managed to post about The Amazing Race finale earlier this week. It was good. That's about all the reaction I could muster. I love this show, and the final challenge, which actually seemed challenging requiring good memory, clever smarts and patience just to understand all the rules (how long did Phil take to explain it?), was actually better but while I would have preferred Ron and Christina winning the whole shebang, I didn't really mind (and thus care) if any of the final three teams won.

Say what you will about Nathan and Jen but it would have been more exciting to have an antagonist on the final leg (as long as they didn't win, which I do understand since many of the antagonists on previous seasons HAVE won which makes it truly annoying).

TK & Rachel Winners Ron & Christina 2nd Place Nicolas & Donald 3rd Place

Nathan & Jennifer - eliminated (4th) Kynt & Vyxsin - eliminated (5th) Azaria & Hendekea - eliminated (6th) Shana & Jennifer - eliminated (7th) Lorena & Jason - eliminated (8th) Marianna & Julia - eliminated (9th) Kate & Pat - eliminated (10th) Ari & Staella - eliminated (11th)

More After the Jump...

Atonement - Actually, the Oscar Nods WERE Warranted - Movie Review

Atonement
written by Christopher Hampton, based on the book by Ian McEwan
directed by Joe Wright

I was mistaken.

I called Atonement the big bloated Hollywood movie that fits all the Oscar criteria and thus got nominated despite getting good but not great reviews from critics and bloggers alike.

I was wrong.

Atonement is a big bloated BRITISH movie that fits all the Oscar criteria but damnit if those British accents didn't get me because I loved every bloated moment set to a sweeping score by Oscar nominee Dario Marianelli over Seamus McGarvey's Oscar nominated beautiful cinematography that basically glows while the camera makes love to James McAvoy and Keira Knightly, probably another reason why I loved the movie.

And boy are James McAvoy and Keira Knightly so pretty... ... ... where was I? Oh yeah, and they were standardly terrific in their parts and if it weren't such a crowded year for great performances, they would have been shoo-ins for the Best Actor and Actress categories at the Oscars but in they end they were shut out and I could understand both scenarios, but in the end, these two are such talents that they will have plenty of chances in the future to win.

Meanwhile, newcomer Saoirse Ronan steals the show (and an Oscar nomination) as the younger sister Briony Tallis to Knightley's Cecilia Tallis who becomes the catalyst for splitting up the lovely couple but I'll leave the rest of the plot at that for those of you haven't read Ian McEwan's book yet.

The movie is another Working Title film that is expertly producing consistently enjoyable Hollywood style British fare (and I mean that in the good Hollywood connotation)(About A Boy, Bridget Jones' Diary, Love Actually, United 93, Pride and Prejudice, O Brother Where Art Thou etc), and while Atonement might have been slightly too glossy at times, with a few scenes that normally would be cliched and now laughable, goshdarn those British accents help cover up the schmaltz to make the whole thing sound smarter. The movie was imperfect and I should have felt a bigger emotional wallop at the end but I still loved Joe Wright's direction and the sweeping cinematography and structurally, it kept me involved and riveted the entire time, even though the tale is pretty simple in the end.

Plus, James McAvoy is so pretty.

And Keira Knightley is so pretty.

Atonement = A- or 9/10



For My Reviews of the other Best Picture Oscar nominees:

Juno
No Country For Old Men

More After the Jump...

RIP Heath Ledger

At this point I'm sure you all know that actor Heath Ledger, 28, has died since every blog, radio, and TV station has already broken the news this afternoon.

So sad. So shocking. I'm truly shocked. 

When the talented but troubled Brad Renfrow past away last week, I was sadly not that surprised. This Heath Ledger news, I am.

It's not that I loved Heath but I did think he was a pretty cool actor that chose good roles (like in Monster's Ball) and he was one of those actors I just wanted to do well. 

My sister was just mentioning that 10 Things I Hate About You is almost nearing 10 years now (good god, how old am I?) and I still remember Heath making a pretty good introduction into my awareness. Loved that movie!

Then of course Brokeback Mountain, which I truly thought was the best movie from 2 years ago (and was totally robbed at the Oscars), with Heath Ledger creating the now iconic role of Ennis Del Mar. 

He truly had a great future ahead of him but I guess the news of his death is all the more shocking since he was quite private and not exactly known as a partyer that might have been prone to an early death, but I guess everybody is vulnerable and life is fragile.

More After the Jump...

The 80th Academy Award Nominations - They Might Have Actually Gotten It Mostly Right

The Oscar Nominations for 2008 (for 2007 movies) are out.

I'll keep updating this as I digest the nominations (with comments in Red) but a few surprises (mostly good for people we never thought would get a nomination) and even though I'm still groggy and not totally thinking properly this morning yet, no glarring nominations, or, at least a list that seems generally pretty good.

Though I've been saying, the past few years, Oscars may not have gotten the actual winner right, but they have been getting better at the nominations, with lists that usually include more quality smaller pictures instead of larger bloated Hollywood picks. People may be complaining that the Oscars are less fun now and less relevant because nobody has heard of half the films but that's actually a good thing because it means the Oscars are actually doing their homework before nominations.

Best Motion Picture of the Year

AtonementTim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster

JunoLianne Halfon,Mason Novick,Russell Smith

Michael ClaytonSydney Pollack,Jennifer Fox,Kerry Orent

No Country for Old MenEthan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin

There Will Be BloodPaul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Lupi, JoAnne Sellar

I've seen two of the 5 right now, and I guess Atonement is the traditional Hollywood Oscar pick that made it through. I would have loved to see Ratatouille up here but I know animation/Pixar never gets the respect it deserves (plus, my top picks usually don't make it onto the list, as like last years United 93). I do need to catch up with a ton more movies though before I could get mad at any omissions, and while Sweeney Todd nom would have been nice, I knew it had the whole dark musical slasher thing against it.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

George Clooneyfor Michael Clayton

Daniel Day-Lewisfor There Will Be Blood

Johnny Deppfor Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Tommy Lee Jonesfor In the Valley of Elah

Viggo Mortensenfor Eastern Promises

Wow, Viggo. Apparently showing all your assets can help a lot! I don't really have any complaints. I hear Tommy Lee Jones performance is much deserved and thus negates the old-guy nomination.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchettfor Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Julie Christiefor Away from Her

Marion Cotillardfor Môme, La (La Vie En Rose)

Laura Linneyfor The Savages

Ellen Pagefor Juno

As for the old person nomination, this time, I totally approve Julie Christie's nomination. She was luminious and exceptional. Coolio to see Juno's Ellen Page, the new it girl from Halifax! I'm still surprised Cate Blanchett is up especially since she's also nominated in the Best Supporting category but I guess I should never doubt the love for Cate Blanchett. I would have loved to see Amy Adams for Enchanted but it was a hard sell. Comedy rarely gets the respect and this year that slot went to newbie Ellen Page. Yay Laura Linney! She ALWAYS deserves a nomination. And Yay to Marion Cotillard for breaking through! It's going to be a tough category to pick from. I guess Angelina Jolie was snubbed for A Mighty Heart but it was possibly the first time I thought she actually might deserved to be nominated but her omission isn't really bothering me either. 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Casey Affleckfor The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Javier Bardemfor No Country for Old Men

Philip Seymour Hoffmanfor Charlie Wilson's War

Hal Holbrookfor Into the Wild

Tom Wilkinsonfor Michael Clayton

Nothing really that surprising here. It's really Javier Bardem's for the losing though. For everyone else, it's just an honour to be nominated.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Cate Blanchettfor I'm Not There.

Ruby Deefor American Gangster

Saoirse Ronanfor Atonement

Amy Ryanfor Gone Baby Gone

Tilda Swintonfor Michael Clayton

Yay Tilda Swinton! I haven't even seen the movie but I know from every other performance she's done that she's ALWAYS amazing. Kinda neat that Saoirse Ronan (good luck to whoever has to present the awards, assuming there is an awards ceremony) got a nod, and I've heard good and overated things about Amy Ryan and I'm guessing Ruby Dee is there because she's usually consistently good, but more so because she's old, black and the bone they are going to throw American Gangster (hey, I just call it as I see them, but I guess I should watch the movie to judge for myself). I would have loved to see Jennifer Garner sneak in there for Juno but if she can continue picking smarter roles like that, she'll have more chances in the future. 

The rest of the nominations after the jump below:

Best Achievement in Directing

Paul Thomas Anderson for There Will Be Blood
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy for Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman for Juno
Julian Schnabel for Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly)

Wow, Jason Reitman made it through. Sweeney Todd was glorious but I think it owed more to the music than the direction (not that the direction was bad, it was still amazing but I can see why Tim Burton might have missed the votes). 

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Juno - Diablo Cody
Lars and the Real Girl - Nancy Oliver
Michael Clayton - Tony Gilroy
Ratatouille - Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco
The Savages - Tamara Jenkins

Oh thank goodness, at least Ratatouille was deservedly recognized here. 

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Atonement - Christopher Hampton
Away from Her - Sarah Polley
Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) - Ronald Harwood
No Country for Old Men - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
There Will Be Blood - Paul Thomas Anderson

Wow, Sarah Polley got recognized. Now I feel really behind in life. 

Best Achievement in Cinematography

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - Roger Deakins
Atonement - Seamus McGarvey
No Country for Old Men - Roger Deakins
Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) - Janusz Kaminski
There Will Be Blood - Robert Elswit


Best Achievement in Editing

The Bourne Ultimatum - Christopher Rouse
Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) - Juliette Welfling
Into the Wild - Jay Cassidy
No Country for Old Men - Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
There Will Be Blood - Dylan Tichenor


Best Achievement in Art Direction

American Gangster - Arthur Max, Beth A. Rubino
Atonement - Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
The Golden Compass - Dennis Gassner, Anna Pinnock
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo
There Will Be Blood - Jack Fisk, Jim Erickson


Best Achievement in Costume Design

Across the Universe - Albert Wolsky
Atonement - Jacqueline Durran
Elizabeth: The Golden Age - Alexandra Byrne
Môme, La (La Vie En Rose) - Marit Allen
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Colleen Atwood

Best Achievement in Makeup

Môme, La (La Vie En Rose) - Didier Lavergne, Jan Archibald
Norbit - Rick Baker, Kazuhiro Tsuji
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Ve Neill, Martin Samuel

Norbit got a nomination? And Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End? I was going to joke yesterday about seeing how many Razzie nominated movies would also get an Oscar but then I didn't think it would actually happen. Oops. 

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

Atonement - Dario Marianelli
The Kite Runner - Alberto Iglesias
Michael Clayton - James Newton Howard
Ratatouille - Michael Giacchino
3:10 to Yuma - Marco Beltrami

Yay! Michael Giacchino! Seriously, I can't believe he hasn't won before yet (he should have for The Incredibles). Alberto Iglesias? For The Kite Runner? I thought the score RUINED the movie. It was so bloated and overdone. Yech.  

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

August Rush - "Raise It Up"
Enchanted - "Happy Working Song"
Enchanted - "So Close"
Enchanted - "That's How You Know"
Once - “Falling Slowly” 

Oh sweet! Enchanted got 3 nominations! And cool to see Once there! I'm surprised Into the Wild's Eddie Vedder songs were snubbed but they were alright and fit the movie but weren't spectacular or anything, plus, I'm getting tired of the rock star winning the awards now. I know it was cool at first against all the animation kid family friendly songs but now I'm backlashing that backlash.

Best Achievement in Sound

The Bourne Ultimatum - Scott Millan, David Parker, Kirk Francis
No Country for Old Men -  Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff, Peter F. Kurland
Ratatouille - Randy Thom, Michael Semanick, Doc Kane
3:10 to Yuma - Paul Massey, David Giammarco, Jim Stuebe
Transformers - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, Peter J. Devlin


Best Achievement in Sound Editing

The Bourne Ultimatum - Karen M. Baker, Per Hallberg
No Country for Old Men - Skip Lievsay
Ratatouille - Randy Thom, Michael Silvers
There Will Be Blood - Matthew Wood
Transformers - Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn


Best Achievement in Visual Effects

The Golden Compass - Michael L. Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris, Trevor Wood
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - John Knoll, Hal T. Hickel, Charlie Gibson, John Frazier
Transformers - Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl, John Frazier


Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Persepolis - Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi
Ratatouille - Brad Bird
Surf's Up - Ash Brannon, Chris Buck

Surf's Up? Really? The other two yes, definitely. But Surf's Up? Really? I didn't see it but I've never heard anything about it. Good or bad. In a typical year, I would want something like Persepolis to win (though I still need to see it), but it's up against Ratatouille, which I just LOVED. 

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Fälscher, Die (Austria)
Beaufort (Israel)
Mongol (Kazakhstan)
Katyn (Poland)
12 (Russia)

Oh poo, Canada's entry didn't make it in. Uh, I haven't heard of ANY of these.

Best Documentary, Features

No End in Sight 
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
War Dance


Best Documentary, Short Subjects

Freeheld 
Corona, La 
Salim Baba 
Sari's Mother 


Best Short Film, Animated

Même les pigeons vont au paradis 
I Met the Walrus 
Madame Tutli-Putli 
Moya lyubov 
Peter & the Wolf 


Best Short Film, Live Action

At Night 
Supplente, Il 
Mozart des pickpockets, Le 
Tanghi argentini 
The Tonto Woman

More After the Jump...