I Got a Feeling

Here are my predictions for tomorrow's Grammy Awards:

album of the year: Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King (Dave Matthews Band)
record of the year: "Use Somebody" (Kings of Leon)
song of the year: "Pretty Wings" (Maxwell)
best new artist: Zac Brown Band

best pop vocal album: The E.N.D. (Black Eyed Peas)
best contemporary R&B album: I Am... Sasha Fierce (Beyonce)
best rap album: Relapse (Eminem)
best country album: Fearless (Taylor Swift)
best rock album: Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King (Dave Matthews Band)

best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals: I Gotta Feeling
best dance recording: Poker Face (Lady Gaga)
best alternative music recording: The Open Door (Death Cab for Cutie)

Blinded

The winners of the 16th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards today are:

for film-

best cast: "Inglourious Basterds"

best lead actor: Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"

best lead actress: Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side"

best supporting actor: Christoph Waltz in "Inglorious Basterds"

best supporting actress: Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"

best stunt ensemble: "Star Trek"

for television-

best drama series cast: "Mad Men"

best comedy series cast: "Glee"

best actor in a drama series: Michael C. Hall in "Dexter"

best actress in a drama series: Julianna Margulies in "The Good Wife"

best actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin in "30 Rock"

best actress in a comedy series: Tina Fey in "30 Rock"

best actor in a movie or miniseries: Kevin Bacon in "Taking Chance"

best actress in a movie or miniseries: Drew Barrymore in "Grey Gardens"

best stunt ensemble: "24"

Life Achievement: Betty White

The Gloriously Mad Will Rock

Here are my thoughts for tomorrow's Screen Actors Guild awards tomorrow morning, Manila time:


Those who will win for film are-

best cast: Inglourious Basterds

best lead actor: Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart
best lead actress: Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia

I hope Bullock will not pull off an upset.

best supporting actor: Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds
best supporting actress: Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire


best stunt ensemble- Star Trek



For television-

best drama series cast: Mad Men deserves to win, and it will take this one.

best comedy series cast- Curb Your Enthusiasm is overdue, but the trophy will go to 30 Rock.


best actor in a drama series- Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) deserves to win, but the votes will go to Michael C. Hall (Dexter).

best actress in a drama series- Patricia Arquette is overdue for Medium, but Glenn Close will win for Damages.


best actor in a comedy series- Alec Baldwin will be awarded for 30 Rock, but I think Larry David deserves it for Curb Your Enthusiasm.

best actress in a comedy series- Edie Falco has a good chance for Nurse Jackie, but Tina Fey will most likely win for 30 Rock. I think Julia Louis-Dreyfus deserves it for The New Adventures of Old Christine.

best actor in a movie or miniseries- Kevin Bacon will win for Taking Chance.
best actress in a movie or miniseries- Jessica Lange will win for Grey Gardens.


Stunt ensemble- The deserving nominee is The Unit.


For nominations, click here.

Zero for Nine

The winners of today's Golden Globes are:

for film-

best picture (drama)- Avatar

best picture (musical or comedy)- The Hangover

best director: James Cameron for "Avatar"

best actor (drama)- Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"

best actress (drama)- Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side"

best actor (musical or comedy)- Robert Downey Jr. in "Sherlock Holmes"

best actress (musical or comedy)- Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia"

best supporting actor- Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds"

best supporting actress- Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"

best foreign-language film- The White Ribbon

best animated film- Up

best screenplay- Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner for "Up in the Air"

best original score: Michael Giacchino for "Up"

best original song: "The Weary Kind (Theme from 'Crazy Heart')" (written by Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett) for "Crazy Heart"


for television-

best drama series- "Mad Men" (AMC)

best musical or comedy series- "Glee" (Fox)

best miniseries or movie- "Grey Gardens" (HBO)

best actor (drama)- Michael C. Hall in "Dexter"

best actress (drama)- Julianna Margulies in "The Good Wife"

best actor (musical or comedy)- Alec Baldwin in "30 Rock"

best actress (musical or comedy)- Toni Collette in "United States of Tara"

best actor (miniseries or movie)- Kevin Bacon in "Taking Chance"

best actress (miniseries or movie)- Drew Barrymore in "Grey Gardens"

best supporting actor (series, miniseries or movie)- John Lithgow in "Dexter"

best supporting actress (series, miniseries or movie)- Chloe Sevigny in "Big Love"

Damages

Here's who should win the Golden Globes tomorrow morning, Manila time (For nominations, click here):

best drama:
House is overdue, but it does not look like it's going to win.

best comedy:
The Office is also overdue, but it also has slim chances.


best actor (drama):
Bill Paxton in Big Love

best actress (drama):
Glenn Close in Damages


best actor (musical or comedy):
Matthew Morrison in Glee

best actress (musical or comedy):
Toni Collette in United States of Tara


best supporting actor:
Neil Patrick Harris in How I Met Your Mother

best supporting actress:
Rose Byrne in Damages

Not So Complicated

The Golden Globe Awards will be telecast Monday morning, Manila time. ( Click here for nominees. ) Here are my predictions in the movie categories:

best drama:
Up in the Air, but look to Avatar to possibly snatch the top prize.

best musical or comedy:
Nine, but this movie has been slipping in critical appreciation in the past few weeks. Watch out for a win by It's Complicated. The Hangover has good chances and 500 Days of Summer is a dark horse.

best director: James Cameron for Avatar, although critics would say it's his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow (for "The Hurt Locker") who should win.


best actor (drama):
George Clooney (in "Up in the Air"). Jeff Bridges (in "Crazy Heart") is a distant possibility.

best actress (drama):

Sandra Bullock (in "The Blind Side"), possibly Carey Mulligan (in "An Education").


best actor (musical or comedy):
This is the one most widely open to anybody. In descending order of possibility: Daniel Day-Lewis (in "Nine"), Robert Downey Jr. (in "Sherlock Holmes"), or Matt Damon (in "The Informant!").

best actress (musical or comedy):
Meryl Streep (in "Julie & Julia"), the surest thing this year for the Globes. Her closest competition would be herself (in "It's Complicated").


best supporting actor:
Christoph Waltz (in "Inglourious Basterds"). Damon (in "Invictus") is still a possibility, however small his chances are.

best supporting actress:
Mo'Nique (in "Precious"). The next sure thing.


best screenplay:
Up in the Air

best animated film:
Up

best foreign-language film:
The White Ribbon. A possibility: A Prophet, then Broken Embraces.

May It Be

For Christmas, Lamplighter gave me "Hobbits, Elves, and Wizards" by Michael N. Stanton (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2001), addicted as I have been to The Lord of the Rings. In this book, Stanton treats the geography and history and themes of LOTR, along with (as the title implies) the races of Middle-earth, such as dwarfs, ents, and humankind. The book includes a long essay on the first part of the movie trilogy.

In his preface, Stanton writes:

"It always was and still is a pleasure for me to talk about and write about The Lord of the Rings, and I hope that pleasure shows through."

This is an accessible book even to non-fans.


During the holidays, I picked up the "Cambridge Guide to Fiction in English" by Ian Ousby (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998) at a used books store for Php 40. This is a survey of the English-speaking countries, and the Philippines is included. Here is the entry for F. Sionil Jose:

"Sionil, F(rankie) Sionil. 1924- Filipino. The foremost anglophone writer in the Philippines, he has published novels, novellas and collections of short stories. His reputation rests on the 'Rosales Quinology', consisting of The Pretenders (1962), Tree (1978), My Brother, My Executioner (1979), Mass (1982) and Po-on (1984). Beginning in contemporary middle-class settings, the sequence goes on to chronicle more than a century of life in every sphere of Philippine society."


The book deals with genres of fiction, types of novel, literary history and theory, and trends such as modernism, naturalism, realism, and magic realism. There are summaries of major novels, suggested reading among resources and references, and a list of selected literary prizes.

Most entries are relatively short, but this is nevertheless a helpful study of fiction in English.


These two books have been on my reading load since the holidays. Here's hoping 2010 will be a very good year in books.

Frakking Stellar

The third season of Battlestar Galactica begins in New Caprica about four months after the Cylon occupation.

Of the principal characters, Gaius Baltar has become a puppet president. Colonel Tigh is incarcerated and is missing an eye. Galen Tyrol and Samuel Anders lead the rebellion against the Cylons. Starbuck is being held by the Cylon Leoben.

The fleet had escaped, and Admiral Adama is preparing the rescue of the human population in New Caprica. By the fourth episode, Galactica returns to New Caprica and successfully liberates the humans. By the fifth, a tribunal called The Circle secretly metes out sentences to Colonials who had collaborated with the Cylons by having them airlocked. Later, Baltar is tried for crimes against humanity.

The rest of the season shows how they continue their search for a new home planet, while dealing with food supply and health issues along the way.

The main theme of the series has been questions of identity, and in this season identity is expanded to include not just race (humans vs. Cylons), but also loyalties, faith, and social class. It asks, among other things, the question, How does one become a collaborator? In the case of Baltar, where do we draw the line between self-preservation and being a traitor?

In the continuing efforts of the insurgency, suicide bombing becomes an option. Where in the first season the suicide bombers were the Cylons, this time it is men who blow themselves up. In times of desperation, how can man allow self-destruction? How Macchiavellian can he get? How noble is it to belong to the human race? Where should our sympathies lie now? Especially when these people believe in the gods of Kobol, and the Cylons believe in one God, and one God only.

In techniques that borrow from the TV news, BSG effectively tackles the horrors of sleeper cells and America's War on Terror.

There are 12 Cylon models, and for most of the season, the identities of the seven are known. There is a lot of speculation on who comprise the Final Five, and when four of them are revealed, the results are heartbreaking, given the roles they have played in the series so far.

With a single pout, Mary McDonnell (as President Laura Roslin) reminds you of Meryl Streep. And with her steely resolve, special guest star Lucy Lawless (as Number Three/ D'Anna) suggests that she can be up for parts available to Jodie Foster.

Battlestar Galactica is absolutely riveting, and illuminates the human condition in ways you have never seen before. It is consistently excellent, and only three or four of the 20 episodes can be rated very good only.

More than any other TV series, Battlestar Galactica may have been the most relevant and the most resonant in this decade.

There Will Be Lists

Lisa Schwarzbaum has picked her 10 Best Movies of the Decade:

1. There Will Be Blood (2007)
2. Sideways (2004)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
4. Yi Yi (2000)
5. The New World (2005)

6. Zodiac (2007)
7. The Dark Knight (2008)
8. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005)
9. Moolaade (2005)
10. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)

Heavenly

Owen Gleiberman has listed his 10 Best Movies of the Decade:

1. Far from Heaven (2002)
2. Sideways (2004)
3. The Century of the Self (2004)
4. Gladiator (2000)
5. Chuck & Buck (2000)

6. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
7. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
8. Munich (2005)
9. Lilya 4-Ever (2003)
10. Casino Royale (2006)

Another Report

Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune has selected his 10 favorite movies of the decade:

1. There Will Be Blood
2. Ratatouille
3. Climates
4. Once
5. Y Tu Mama Tambien

6. Zodiac
7. United 93
8. Mulholland Drive
9. Gosford Park
10. Minority Report

Mad Men in a Modern Family

The nominees for the 16th annual Screen Actors Guild awards have been announced.

The nominees for film are:

best cast-
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire

best lead actor-

Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart
George Clooney in Up in the Air
Colin Firth in A Single Man
Morgan Freeman in Invictus
Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker

best lead actress-
Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side
Helen Mirren in The Last Station
Carey Mulligan in An Education
Gabourey Sidibe in Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire
Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia


best supporting actor-
Matt Damon in Invictus
Woody Harrelson in The Messenger
Christopher Plummer in The Last Station
Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds

best supporting actress-
Penelope Cruz in Nine
Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air
Diane Kruger in Inglourious Basterds
Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire


best stunt ensemble-
Public Enemies
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen


The nominees for television are:

best drama series cast-
The Closer
Dexter
The Good Wife
Mad Men
True Blood

best comedy series cast-
30 Rock
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Glee
Modern Family
The Office


best actor in a drama series-
Simon Baker in The Mentalist
Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall in Dexter
Jon Hamm in Mad Men
Hugh Laurie in House

best actress in a drama series-
Patricia Arquette in Medium
Glenn Close in Damages
Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter in Saving Grace
Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife
Kyra Sedgwick in The Closer

A tie yielded six nominees in this category.



best actor in a comedy series-
Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock
Steve Carell in The Office
Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm
Tony Shalhoub in Monk
Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men

best actress in a comedy series-
Christina Applegate in Samantha Who?
Toni Collette in United States of Tara
Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey in 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus in The New Adventures of Old Christine


best actor in a movie or miniseries-
Kevin Bacon in Taking Chance
Cuba Gooding Jr. in Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
Jeremy Irons in George O'Keefe
Kevin Kline in Great Performances: Cyrano de Bergerac
Tom Wilkinson in Salter

best actress in a movie or miniseries-
Joan Allen in Georgia O'Keefe
Drew Barrymore in Grey Gardens
Ruby Dee in America
Jessica Lange in Grey Gardens
Sigourney Weaver in Prayers for Bobby


Stunt ensemble-
24
The Closer
Dexter
Heroes
The Unit

Big, Mad, True Love

The nominees for the Golden Globe Awards for television are:

best drama series-

"Big Love" (HBO)
"Dexter" (Showtime)
"House" (Fox)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
"True Blood" (HBO)

best musical or comedy series-
"30 Rock" (NBC)
"Entourage" (HBO)
"Glee" (Fox)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"The Office" (NBC)


best actor (drama)-
Simon Baker in "The Mentalist"
Michael C. Hall in "Dexter"
Jon Hamm in "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie in "House"
Bill Paxton in "Big Love"

best actress (drama)-
Glenn Close in "Damages"
January Jones in "Mad Men"
Julianna Margulies in "The Good Wife"
Anna Paquin in "True Blood"
Kyra Sedgwick in "The Closer"


best actor (musical or comedy)-
Alec Baldwin in "30 Rock"
Steve Carell in "The Office"
David Duchovny in "Californication"
Thomas Jane in "Hung"
Matthew Morrison in "Glee"

best actress (musical or comedy)-
Toni Collette in "United States of Tara"
Courteney Cox in "Cougar Town"
Edie Falco in "Nurse Jackie"
Tina Fey in "30 Rock"
Lea Michele in "Glee"

best miniseries or movie-
"Georgia O'Keeffe" (Lifetime Television)
"Grey Gardens" (HBO)
"Into the Storm" (HBO)
"Little Dorrit" (PBS)
"Taking Chance" (HBO)


best actor (miniseries or movie)-
Kevin Bacon in "Taking Chance"
Kenneth Branagh in "Wallander: One Step Behind"
Chiwetel Ejiofor in "Endgame"
Brendan Gleeson in "Into the Storm"
Jeremy Irons in "Georgia O'Keeffe"

best actress (miniseries or movie)-
Joan Allen in "Georgia O'Keeffe"
Drew Barrymore in "Grey Gardens"
Jessica Lange in "Grey Gardens"
Anna Paquin in "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler"
Sigourney Weaver in "Prayers for Bobby"


best supporting actor (series, miniseries or movie)-
Michael Emerson in "Lost"
Neil Patrick Harris in "How I Met Your Mother"
William Hurt in "Damages"
John Lithgow in "Dexter"
Jeremy Piven in "Entourage"

best supporting actress (series, miniseries or movie)-
Jane Adams in "Hung"
Rose Byrne in "Damages"
Jane Lynch in "Glee"
Janet McTeer in "Into the Storm"
Chloe Sevigny in "Big Love"

The Glorious and the Precious

Nominees for the Golden Globe Awards were announced yesterday by John Krasinski, Diane Kruger, and Justin Timberlake. "Up in the Air" has a leading six nominations, followed by "Nine" with five nods. Each movie has three acting nominations.

The finalists for film are:

best picture (drama)-

Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, Up in the Air

In general, "Up in the Air" is thought of as a comedy, so its inclusion in the drama category is surprising. This may help its Oscar chances since comedies do not fare as well as dramas with the Academy. "Up in the Air" was reportedly submitted by its distributor Paramount to the Globes in the musical or comedy category.


best picture (musical or comedy)-
500 Days of Summer, The Hangover, It's Complicated, Julie & Julia, Nine


best director:

Kathryn Bigelow for "The Hurt Locker"
James Cameron for "Avatar"
Clint Eastwood for "Invictus"
Jason Reitman for "Up in the Air"
Quentin Tarantino for "Inglourious Basterds"

Cameron is in the running against his ex-wife Bigelow.


best actor (drama)-

Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney in "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth in "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman in "Invictus"
Tobey Maguire in "Brothers"

The biggest surprise in this year's announcements may have been the inclusion of Maguire in this category.

Fox Searchlight submitted Crazy Heart as a musical, but Bridges nabbed a nod for best actor in a drama.


best actress (drama)-

Emily Blunt in "The Young Victoria"
Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren in "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan in "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"


best actor (musical or comedy)-

Matt Damon in "The Informant!"
Daniel Day-Lewis in "Nine"
Robert Downey Jr. in "Sherlock Holmes"
Joseph Gordon-Levitt in "(500) Days of Summer"
Michael Stuhlbarg in "A Serious Man"

best actress (musical or comedy)-

Sandra Bullock in "The Proposal"
Marion Cotillard in "Nine"
Julia Roberts in "Duplicity"
Meryl Streep in "It's Complicated"
Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia"

Streep, Bullock, and Damon are double nominees. Streep is nominated twice in the same category, and so are both of her movies.


best supporting actor-
Matt Damon in "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson in "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer in "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci in "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds"

War movies did well, with nominations going to Brothers, The Messenger, and The Hurt Locker.


best supporting actress-
Penelope Cruz in "Nine"
Vera Farmiga in "Up in the Air"
Anna Kendrick in "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Julianne Moore in "A Single Man"


best foreign-language film-

Baaria, Broken Embraces, The Maid (La Nana), A Prophet, The White Ribbon

best animated film-

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Princess and the Frog, Up


best screenplay-

Neill Blomkamp for "District 9"
Mark Boal for "The Hurt Locker"
Nancy Meyers for "It's Complicated"
Jason Reitman for "Up in the Air"
Quentin Tarantino for "Inglourious Basterds"


Inglourious Basterds's four nods seem like a surprise.


best original score:

Michael Giacchino for "Up"
Marvin Hamlisch for "The Informant!"
James Horner for "Avatar"
Abel Korzeniowski for "A Single Man"
Karen O, Carter Burwell for "Where the Wild Things Are"

best original song:

"Cinema Italiano" (written by Maury Yeston) for "Nine"

"I Want to Come Home" (written by Paul McCartney) for "Everybody's Fine"

"I Will See You" (written by James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell) for "Avatar"

"The Weary Kind (Theme from 'Crazy Heart')" (written by Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett) for "Crazy Heart"

"Winter" (written by U2) for "Brothers"


The Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Martin Scorsese.

The awards are to be presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which is comprised of about 85 critics and reporters for overseas publications and other media.


The Globes will be presented on January 17, six days before the Oscar deadline for voting on nominations. Therefore, the awards may help in landing an Oscar nod.

The Fierce, The Fearless, and the Heartless

Beyonce led nominations for the 52nd Grammy Awards announced Thursday with 10 nods.

Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is nominated for Song of the Year, but was not submitted for Record of the Year. She is represented in this category, however, by "Halo." This is her fourth nod for Record of the Year, having been nominated before for "Say My Name" (when she was still with Destiny's Child), "Crazy in Love" (with Jay-Z), and "Irreplaceable."

She is nominated for Album of the Year for the first time with "I Am... Sasha Fierce," her third solo album.

Beyonce and Taylor Swift are competing for the top three categories, along with Lady Gaga. Madonna did not get bids in the top three in the same year until "Ray of Light" (1999).

Swift is second with eight nominations. She is the first female country solo artist to be tapped for the top three since Shania Twain in 1999 (for the album "Come on Over" and the song "You're Still the One). She is also the youngest solo artist ever to be a finalist for Album of the Year (for "Fearless," the best-selling album of the year). She will be 20 years and one month old on Grammy night. The record was previously held by Janet Jackson, who was 20 years and nine months old in 1987 when she was in the running for "Control."

The nominees for Album of the Year are:

I Am...Sasha Fierce (Beyonce)
The E.N.D. (Black Eyed Peas)
The Fame (Lady Gaga)
Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King (Dave Matthews Band)
Fearless (Taylor Swift)


This is the first time that the Black Eyed Peas have been nominated for Album of the Year. Dave Matthews Band has been one of the best-selling artists in the last 15 years, but this is their first Album of the Year nomination. Kings of Leon could have been nominated for Album of the Year, but "Only by the Night" was released before the eligibility period (October 1, 2008 to August 31, 2009).



The nominees for Record of the Year are:

Halo (Beyonce)
I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas)
Use Somebody (Kings of Leon)
Poker Face (Lady Gaga)
You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift)


This is the third nomination for Black Eyed Peas in this category, having been previously nominated for "Where is the Love?" (with Justin Timberlake in 2004) and "Let's Get It Started" (in 2005).


The nominees for Song of the Year are:

Poker Face (Lady Gaga and RedOne)
Pretty Wings (Maxwell Musze and Hod David)
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) [Beyonce Knowles, Thaddis Harrell, Terius Nash and Christopher Stewart]
Use Somebody (Kings Of Leon)
You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift and Liz Rose)


Lady Gaga could have been nominated for best new artist, but was ineligible because she had been nominated for best dance recording last year for "Just Dance," when her album was not yet eligible.


The nominees for Best New Artist are:

Zac Brown Band, Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings


David Cook, the latest American Idol, did not get nominated for best new artist. Carrie Underwood won the category in 2006, the only one to be nominated from among eight American Idols. Also not making the cut are Owl City, who had a number one single recently with "Fireflies," and the Lonely Island, the comedy troupe of Adam Samberg (he of Saturday Night Live).



Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell, and Kanye West each received six nods. Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, and DJ David Guetta each have five.

Surprisingly- perhaps not- Kanye West was shut out of the top three. Surprising because his first three albums all won best rap album and were nominated for Album of the Year. "808s and Heartbreak" is not even a finalist for best pop vocal album. The year saw his hit "Heartless" covered by The Fray and Kris Allen, yet it was snubbed for Record of the Year. However, it may not be much of a surprise if his poor showing is read as a backlash from the MTV Video Music Awards fiasco.

Others passed over were Bruce Springsteen for best rock album ("Working on a Dream"), Diana Krall for best jazz vocal album ("Quiet Nights"), and Whitney Houston for best R&B album ("I Look to You").

The Grammy Awards will be held January 31.

Enthralled

No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti won the top Golden Horse Award in Taiwan yesterday. It won best picture, best director for Leon Dai, and best original screenplay in the 46th edition of the awards.

Presenters of the best director statue were Hou Hsiao-hsien, Stanley Kwan, Ang Lee and Johnnie To.

The best actor award went to Nick Cheung (Hong Kong, for "The Beast Stalker") and Huang Bo (China, for "Cow")- the first tie in Golden Horse Awards history. Cheung also received the best actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards earlier this year.

Best actress is Li Bingbing (China) for The Message, winning over co-star Zhou Xun.

The award for best supporting actor went to Wang Xueqi (China) for Forever Enthralled. Best supporting actress is Wai Ying-hung for At the End of Daybreak.

The documentary KJ: Music and Life surprisingly won three awards: best editing, best sound effects, and best documentary.

Jurors and entries come from Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China.

The lifetime achievement award was given to Ming Ji, the retired general manager of Central Motion Pictures. A special contribution award was given to George Wang, 92, who has had a career of 55 years.

Something to Give Thanks For?

The Swedish director Lukas Moodysson has a new movie. Reminiscent of Babel, the film Mammoth stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Michelle Williams as a New York couple who leave their eight-year old under the care of a Filipino nanny. She is played by Marife Necesito.

It remains to be seen how Filipinos will be depicted in this movie, and the reception it will get around here and over there.

Dreaming of a Golden Horse

Finalists in Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards have been announced.

The nominees for best feature film are:
No Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti, Cow, Crazy Racer, Face, Like a Dream

The nominees for best director are: Clara Law for "Like a Dream;" Leon Dai for "No Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti;" Guan Hu for "Cow;" Tsai Ming-liang for "Face"


"Like a Dream" has nine nods; No "Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti" has eight; and "Cow" has seven.


The nominees for best actor are:
Daniel Wu in "Like a Dream;" Chen Wen-pin in "No Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti;" Huang Bo in "Cow;" Nick Cheung in "The Beast Stalker"

For best actress: Sandrine Pinna in "Yang Yang;" Yolanda Yuan in "Like a Dream;" Zhou Xun in "The Message;" Li Bingbing in "The Message"

for best supporting actor: Cai Zhennan in "Ending Cut;" Huang Chien-wei in "Yang Yang;" Zhang Hanyu in "The Equation of Love and Death;" Wang Xueqi in "Forever Enthralled"

for best supporting actress: Liou Yiin Shang in "Sleeping with Her;" Lu Yi-ching in "A Place of One's Own;" Wai Ying-hung in "At the End of Daybreak;" Zhang Ziyi in "Forever Enthralled"

for best original screenplay: Leon Dai, Chen Wen-pin for "No Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti;" Cui Siwei, Xing Aina, Wang Hongwei, Wang Yao, Zhou Zhiyong, Yue Xiaojun, Zhang Cheng for "Crazy Racer;" Cheng Wen-tang, Cheng Jin-fen, Chang I-Feng for "Tears;" Eddie Fong, Clara Law for "Like a Dream"

for best cinematography: Song Xiaofei for "Cow;" Sion Michel for "Like a Dream;" Zhao Xiaoshi for "Wheat;" Cao Yu for "City of Life and Death"

for best editing: Cheung King-wai for "KJ: Music and Life;" Leon Dai for "No Pudeo Vivir Sin Ti;" Kong Jinlei for "Cow;" Zhang Yifan, Du Yuan, Tang Hua for "Crazy Racer"


Blockbusters such as Ip Man, Red Cliff II, and Shinjuku Incident were passed over. Chen Kaige's "Mei Lanfang" was also snubbed.

Winners will be announced on Saturday.

Battlefield Coals

The subtitle of the book "In the Can" (Emmis Books, 2005) announces what it is about: "The greatest career missteps, sophomore slumps, what-were-they-thinking decisions, and fire-your-agent moves in the history of the movies." Whew! what a subtitle!

The authors Lou Harry and Eric Furman choose the biggest critical and commercial duds for many of contemporary Hollywood stars. There are box-office champions (Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Mel Gibson) and master thespians (De Niro, Streep, Hoffman, Lange); there are old favorites (Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand) and there are new players (Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore).

In their introduction, Harry and Furman first note that James Dean and John Cazale (above) are the only actors to have a perfect record in the movies. Consider:

James Dean- Rebel Without a Cause; East of Eden; Giant

John Cazale- The Godfather Parts I and II; The Conversation; Dog Day Afternoon; The Deer Hunter

Not a clunker for each of them. May I add that Cazale's filmography consists of three best picture Oscar winners, and the other two were nominated in the category (The Conversation and Dog Day Afternoon).

Harry and Furman clarify that they are not out to make a list of the worst films of all time, but one that declares the worst movie for each actor. For example, there is Town & Country for Warren Beatty; Beyond Borders for Angelina Jolie; The Adventures of Pluto Nash for Eddie Murphy; and Waking Up in Reno for Charlize Theron.

Of course, there are the usual suspects: Kevin Costner in The Postman; Jennifer Lopez in Gigli; Demi Moore in The Scarlet Letter; Adam Sandler in Little Nicky; and, naturally, Madonna in Swept Away.

Some of their select entries:

On Michael Keaton in Jack Frost- "Actors: Don't take a role that has you die in the early stages of a film and then brought back as something that doesn't look at all like you. Rarely- and, by rarely, we mean occasional parts of Robocop- will the results be anything but embarrassing."

On Keanu Reeves- "Here's a strategy: If you have a reputation as one of the stiffest actors in movies, perhaps appearing in a movie with even worse actors might help. Problem with that strategy: It doesn't work. Case in point: Johnny Mnemonic...."

On Vin Diesel in The Chronicles of Riddick: "In the case of most actors in this book, there's an expectation of quality- otherwise, how could one be disappointed? Vin Diesel is a different matter."

On the one hand, you might be disappointed that some stars are not included when many A-listers are. Like, where's Leonardo DiCaprio or Susan Sarandon? On the other hand, it is comforting that they do not make this particular list.

"In the Can" also deflates the notion that Brad Pitt and Drew Barrymore have been some of the biggest movie stars in the last two, three decades. On Pitt: "It's hard to give him credit for bringing viewers in to Interview with a Vampire or Seven. Other factors (Tom Cruise; graphic, gimmicky serial killing) held more sway. And when he was paired with other big, big stars [The Mexican, The Devil's Own, Twelve Monkeys, Sleepers], the films actually underperformed." And, of Barrymore: "(She) was more of a cultural icon than an actress for most of her first 20 years."

If you cannot take their word for it, they turn to reviews by critics like John Simon, J. Hoberman, Manohla Dargis, and Kenneth Turan. For example, in their entry for Kevin Spacey, they quote John Anderson from Newsday: "The real problem seems to be that Spacey has caught might be called Kevin Costner-itis - a sense that he thinks he's doing the audience a favor every time he appears on screen. He isn't doing anyone a favor with Beyond the Sea and that, sadly, includes Bobby Darin."

For a book that thrives on actors doing bad movies, it is somewhat surprising that some are mentioned only in passing. No main entries for Dan Aykroyd, Garry Shandling, or Michael Caine, for instance. The book throws in some praise, though, for such players as David Paymer.

Harry and Furman also take note of some guiding principles that Hollywood- and you- should already know about. In the entry for Gwyneth Paltrow, they write of Huey Lewis: "Watching Duets, you start to get an idea as to why smart directors, like Moulin Rouge's Baz Luhrman (sic), use real actors who can kind of sing (e.g., Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor), as opposed to real singers who can kind of act (Neil Young, Tom Petty and Ric Ocasek in Made in Heaven anybody?....)

"In the Can" also notes that TV stars probably ought to stay TV stars, that actors who make bombs will most likely bounce back, and that even the best directors like Martin Scorsese and Billy Wilder can stumble. As for Robert Altman, it is possible to make a flop out of a John Grisham (The Gingerbread Man).

The book, though, could have used some more proofreading. The factual errors are most noticeable, as in spelling (Jon Voigt?) and history (Bruce Davison did not get an Oscar for Longtime Companion- or any other movie).

Harry and Furman claim to have learned a few lessons while doing the book, the biggest one being, "...we can't help but appreciate how hard it must be to make a decent film. Hell, look at all the terrific actors and directors involved in these turkeys. If they can't figure out a formula that always works, then who could?" But when they spend the next 158 pages taking glee at these failures, it is hard to take their word on that one.

Other than that, this is an enjoyable collection of reviews of bad movies, even when you can't agree with a few of the choices.

Ang Demonyang Fashionista

It is regrettable that Hollywood got to make The Devil Wears Prada first.

If it didn't, it would have been nice to see Vilma Santos play Miranda Priestley. Yes, Vilma Santos. Naturally, we're going to have to fashion (ahehe) a local name for her, and we will adapt it to local sensibilities. Or Star Cinema will.

Andie's adventures in the city can be translated into the travails of the working girls in Makati. I'd like to see Angel Locsin play her, and Luis Manzano her boyfriend. Then this would have been Vilma and Luis' first movie together, although they wouldn't share a scene.

Think about it: Vilma will boss Angel around, pushing her to her limits as only in-laws would. Then, when Angel goes home, she screams at Luis: "She's not happy when people around her are happy. She wants everybody to be miserable just like her." Short of yelling, Why is your mother such a monster?

Vilma is a good match to Meryl Streep, as Angel is to Anne Hathaway. Vilma is as towering a presence as Meryl, and Angel is as much a beginner as Anne is.

What is most thrilling is to see Vilma without the hysterics. It will be a challenge to the Star for All Seasons not to raise her voice for the entire movie. Please do not think that I am a Noranian (even though I admire Nora as well), especially since I like Vilma more than the Superstar. Can you see Vilma delivering these lines: "I told myself, Go ahead, hire the smart, fat girl. But you ended up disappointing me more than the other girls did." Is it not exciting to see Vilma for two hours up on the big screen without the wailing and the flailing of the arms?

It is regrettable that Hollywood got there first.

The Devil Wears Rajo

Nanghihinayang ako at nauna ang Hollywood sa paggawa ng pelikulang The Devil Wears Prada.

Kung hindi sana iyon naisalin sa puting tabing, masayang isipin na ang papel ni Miranda Priestley ay napunta kay Vilma Santos. Oo, si Vilma Santos. Siyempre, babaguhin natin (o ng Star Cinema) ang pangalan ng bida sa ating bersyon, at iaangkop natin sa ating kultura ang kuwento.

Naisip kong ang mga pakikipagsapalaran ng bidang si Andie ay maaari nating ihalintulad sa working girls ng Makati. Gusto kong ibigay ang papel na ito kay Angel Locsin. Pagkatapos, si Luis Manzano ang gaganap na nobyo niya. Disin sana'y ito ang unang pagkakataon na magkasama ang mag-ina sa isang pelikula, kahit pa wala silang eksena na magkasama sila.

Isipin n'yo na lang: Uutus-utusan ni Vilma si Angel, pahihirapan na para bang sinusubok ang pasensya ng isang mamanugangin. Pagkatapos, magdadayalog si Angel kay Luis pag-uwi ng bahay: "Hindi siya natutuwa nang masaya ang mga tao sa paligid niya. Gusto niya miserable ang lahat ng tao." Kulang na lang itanong niya, Bakit ganun ang nanay mo?!

Sakto ang tambalang Vilma-Angel sa parehang Meryl Streep-Anne Hathaway. Kung anong tayog ni Meryl ay siya namang taas din ni Vilma. Si Angel, tulad ni Anne, ay nagsisimula pa lang sa pag-arte. Wala silang sinabi sa mga reyna ng pelikula.

Pero ang mas magpapasabik sa mga tao ay ang makita si Vilma na hindi sumisigaw o humihiyaw. Isang bagong hamon sa Star for All Seasons ang hindi magtaas ng boses sa kabuuan ng pelikula. Huwag po ninyong ipagkakamali na ako ay isang Noranian (kahit pa humahanga din naman ako kay Nora), lalo pa at mas gusto ko siya kaysa Superstar. Naiisip ba ninyo kung paano sasabihin ni Vilma ang linyang ito: "Ang sabi ko sa sarili ko, Sige, kunin mo 'yung matabang babae na matalino naman. Pero ang nangyari, mas na-disappoint pa ako sa 'yo kesa sa mga nauna sa iyo." Hindi ba masarap isipin na dalawang oras na hindi lilitaw ang mga litid ni Vilma sa malaking tabing?

Sayang talaga at nauna na ang Hollywood.

'Yun lang.

Let the American Salvage Spin

Finalists for the National Book Award were announced Wednesday.  

Fiction nominees are:

American Salvage -  story collection by Bonnie Jo Campbell

Let the Great World Spin -  Colum McCann

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders -  stories by Daniyal Mueenuddin

Lark & Termite -  Jayne Anne Phillips

Far North -  Marcel Theroux (son of Paul Theroux)

The finalists in young people's literature are:

Claudette Colvin -  by Phillip Hoose

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith -  Deborah Seligman

Stitches -  David Small

Lips Touch - Laini Taylor

Jumped -  Rita Williams-Garcia

Poetry nominees are:

Versed -  Rae Armanytrout

Open Interval -  Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon

Or to Begin Again -  Ann Lauterbach

Speak Low -  Carl Phillips 

Keith Waldrop -  Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy

The winner in each category will be known November 18 in New York and will get $10,000.

Gore Vidal and Dave Eggers are honorary awardees.  

A Passport on One Leg

Herta Mueller, 56, was tapped Thursday to receive this year's Nobel Prize in Literature.

Many observers believe her selection is in accordance with the commemoration of the 20th anniversay of the fall of communism, although Peter Englund denies this. Englund is the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy.

The prizes have been given to European writers in the last three years. 

Last year Horace Engdahl said Europe remains the literary center of the world and that American writers are not at par with them.

This year Englund has said he thinks the Academy finds it easier to pick European authors because the Academy is comprised of Europeans, and therefore share the same sensibilities. Mueller was born in Romania, and she and her husband emigrated to Germany in 1987. 

Mueller is the 10th German to receive the prize, the latest being Gunter Grass in 1999. Her body of work is mostly in German, but there have been translations in English, Spanish, and French.

Mueller began in 1982 with "Niederungen" (Nadirs), a short-story collection. Her most recent novel, "Atemschaukel" (Swinging Breath) is in contention for the German Book Prize tomorrow. It would be interesting to see how it fares.

Mueller is also the 12th woman to cop the Nobel in this category, the latest being Doris Lessing in 2007 .  This year marks the first time four women have taken the Nobel in the same year, with two of them from the United States and another one from Israel.

The Nobel Prize in Literature includes 10 million kronor (equivalent to $1.4 million), and will be awarded December 10 in Stockholm.

Mantel's Mantel

Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" has won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction on Tuesday.

Mantel, 57, has written film criticism, a memoir, novels, and short stories. Her novel "Beyond Black" (2005), was a finalist in the races for the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

The prize comes with 50,000 pounds (or $80,000). Last year's recipient was "The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga.

The Collected Fiction of NBA

Organizers of the National Book Awards want to know the best fiction in their 60 years.

On Monday the finalists were announced:

Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man" 

Thomas Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow"

"The Stories of John Cheever"

"Collected Stories" by William Faulkner

"The Complete Stories" by Flannery O'Connor

"The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty"

The American public may vote online up to October 21. 

Wowza! That's Legen-

Wasn't he awesome?

Yesterday's Emmy ceremonies were amazing, and the tone was set wonderfully by Neil Patrick Harris singing "Put Down the Remote," composed by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (Hairspray).

One of my favorite moments was when a team of three accountants walked to the stage to explain how the votes were tallied- only to be interrupted by Harris showing up as Dr. Horrible. 

Another one was a clip of Family Guy with re-recorded dialogue involving Brian the talking dog voting for How I Met Your Mother for best comedy series. Stewie the baby beats him up, only to say in the end, "Hey, suit up."

Just like the Oscars this year, the montages focused on genre highlights in the past year (e.g., the year in comedy, the year in drama, etc.), and the In Memoriam segment was set to a live musical performance. Sarah McLachlan sang- fittingly- "I Will Remember You."

The one segment I always tune in for is the presentation of the nominees for outstanding writing for variety, music, or comedy series. This year's standout was that of Conan O'Brien's, with him ignoring on Facebook friend requests from his writers.

In the drama category, the winners were:

series: Mad Men, AMC

lead actor: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), AMC

lead actress: Glenn Close (Damages), FX

supporting actor: Michael Emerson (Lost), ABC

supporting actress: Cherry Jones (24), Fox

For comedy, the trophies went to:

series: 30 Rock, NBC.

lead actor: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), NBC

lead actress: Toni Collette (United States of Tara), Showtime

supporting actor: Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), CBS

supporting actress: Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies), ABC

miniseries: Little Dorrit, PBS

made-for-TV movie: Grey Gardens, HBO


variety, music, or comedy series: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Comedy Central.

reality-competition program: The Amazing Race, CBS

How I Handicap the Emmys

In the drama categories, here's who should win:

best series- Mad Men (AMC)

directing- Battlestar Galactica (Syfy)

writing- Mad Men (AMC)

lead actor- Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), but Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment) has a good chance, and Hugh Laurie (House) is overdue.

lead actress- Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer), but Glenn Close (Damages) is going to take it.

supporting actor- John Slattery (Mad Men), but Michael Emerson (Lost) should have won it two years ago.

supporting actress- Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy)


In the comedy categories, here's who will win:

best series- 30 Rock (NBC), but I'd like to see Entourage (HBO) take it this time.

directing- 30 Rock (NBC)

writing- 30 Rock (NBC) is the prohibitive favorite.

lead actor- Steve Carell (The Office), but I'd like Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) get the trophy.

lead actress- Tina Fey (30 Rock), but I'd like to see Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) this time.

supporting actor- Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), but it should be Rainn Wilson (The Office). Or Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother).

supporting actress- Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live). Vanessa Williams should have won last year, but how about Elizabeth Perkins (Weeds) this year?

The Quickening Race

Finalists in the Man Booker Prize were announced Tuesday. 

They are:

A.S. Byatt- for "The Children's Book"

J.M. Coetzee- for "Summertime"

Adam Foulds- for "The Quickening Maze"

Hilary Mantel- for "Wolf Hall"

Simon Mawer- for "The Glass Room"

Sarah Waters- for "The Little Stranger"

Byatt received the award for "Possession" in 1990. Coetzee has won the award twice previously, for "Life & Times of Michael K" (1983) and "Disgrace" (1999). If he wins again this year, he will be the first to win the Booker thrice. Reportedly, though, the favorite is Mantel. All the finalists are British, aside from Coetzee.

The chair of the judging panel this year is journalist James Naughtie. The winner will be known on October 6.

The prize comes with 50,000 pounds ($82,000). To be considered for the award, the writer must be from Britain, Ireland, or the Commonwealth of former British colonies. The awards started in 1969.

Alexis Tioseco- Gone Too Soon

May you be our light when all other lights go out.

A Separate Peace

Aren't you glad we have men in unform?

They go to battle so we can fight our own little private wars in peace.