The Global Film Village

SAG Awards Signal Front Runners in Several Oscar Categories

// January 24th, 2010 // Comments Off // Awards

by Marla Lewin

Sandra Bullock continued her remarkable year where she has dominated the box office and been declared the number one top grossing star in the movies today. Bullock has become a serious best-actress competitor in the past month, with her SAG win, a win last week at the Golden Globes and a tie with Meryl Streep in the Critics Choice Movie Awards. The stars seem to be aligning for this well liked actress who has entertained audiences for her entire career. Jeff  Bridges is the clear front runner in the Oscar race for his role as a fading country singer. These latest awards  make it a virtual lock for Christoph Waltz and Mo’Nique in their supporting actor categories.

The Screen Actors Guild Award winners:

MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Mo’Nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: “Inglourious Basterds” (more…)

A Conversation with Scott Cooper about Crazy Heart

// January 19th, 2010 // Comments Off // People

Director Scott Cooper on the set with Jeff Bridges Photo Credit: Lorey Sebastian TM and (C) Twentieth Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.

by Marla Lewin

I spoke with Scott Cooper the morning after the Palm Springs International Film Festival  Awards Gala about his first film Crazy Heart, which he wrote and directed. He is very excited about all the buzz and nominations that the film has generated.  Jeff Bridges was honored with an award at the Palm Springs Film Festival Awards Gala and last night he won the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.

Scott said, “I was thrilled with all the excitement”.

Marla: How did this film come into being?

Scott: I wrote the role for Jeff, I told Robert Duvall, if I don’t get Jeff and T-bone to do the music, I shouldn’t do the film. (more…)

Jason Reitman, Jeremy Renner, T Bone Burnett to be honored at 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala

// December 10th, 2009 // Comments Off // Film Festivals

by Marla Lewin

Three more names have been added to honorees list at the 21st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.  Academy Award nominated director Jason Reitman will receive its Director of the Year Award for Up in the Air, Jeremy Renner will receive the Breakthrough Performance Award for The Hurt Locker and T Bone Burnett will receive the Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing for Crazy Heart. The Awards Gala, presented by Cartier, will kick off the Festival on January 5 at the Palm Springs Convention Center and will be hosted by “Entertainment Tonight’s” Mary Hart. The Festival runs January 5-18, 2010.

Jason Reitman

Up in the Air stars Oscar-winner George Clooney and Anna Kendrick who is also being honored at the gala. The film also stars Vera Farmiga and Jason Bateman.

Reitman was honored by the Festival in 2008 with the Chairman’s Vanguard Award for Juno, which was also presented to the cast and writer Diablo Cody. Juno won three Independent Spirit awards and a Grammy Award. Reitman made his feature film directing debut with the 2006 hit, Thank You For Smoking. The film went on to earn a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture, an Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay, and a WGA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Reitman was also named Best Debut Director by the National Board of Review. (more…)