Keira Knightley Dissed By BAFTAs

Not to rub it in, but it's been sort of a rough awards season for Keira Knightley. Girl was placed at the top of many people's favorites list after her performance in Atonement - but so far she's been shut out. Stuffed. Stoned. Has put up a big goose egg. Hasn't won diddly-poo.

Possibly the worst snubbing happened for Keira today, at the BAFTAs. A lot of people thought this would be the one Keira finally took home - Atonement being a British film, Keira a British actress, and the BAFTAs the British Oscars. But something funny happened on the way to Keira winning her little award - they gave it to Marion Cotillard instead.

Of course Cotillard deserved it - her performance in La Vie en Rose was classic, while Keira's work in Atonement was good but clearly not up to that level. Luckily for Keira, she's still young - she'll have many more chances.

Not so for old fart Julie Christie, who was also up for Best Actress but lost. I finally got around to seeing that movie too, Away From Her. It's okay. It's sort of sweet and sad, the way she gets Alzheimer's and goes into the nursing home and forgets who her husband it. Christie is undoubtedly fine in the film. But, the movie is just a little too tame and pipsqueak for my tastes. It's pretty close to being a cable movie, to be frank. La Vie en Rose has a lot more fire and guts in it. Cotillard's performance is pretty stylized and melodramatic - and that's what I like. Bigness. Something that's almost over-the-top, but so skillfully wrought that you forgive it its excesses. Christie is touching and subtle and all that, but in the end the effect is sort of blah.

So I'm pretty happy about Marion getting some recognition. I'm pretty sure Christie will win the Oscar...but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.

Sean Young Hits 10 On The Crazy-Scale

Sean Young has emerged from her cocoon, where she spent the last several years storing up crazy, readying herself for her grand rebirth. And where did the fabled maniac strike this time? The Directors' Guild Awards.

Why she was actually there, no one can say. She was in rare form though. Clearly soused, and in the company of a man who was said to be "oblivious" to her antics, Ms. Young randomly picked out targets from amongst the high-falutin. According to witnesses, Ms. Young variously heckled Marion Cotillard, shouted things at a clip of George Clooney from Michael Clayton, burst spontaneously into song, and, most notoriously, shouted obscenities at The Diving Bell and the Butterfly director Julian Schnabel, who bravely stared down the legendary maniac, shouting back at her, "Have another drink, honey." It was at this point that security decided to cut Ms. Young's act short. A guard took her by the arm, dragged her out through a side door and tossed her.

Oh, if only every awards show had Sean Young. Imagine how much more fun last night's stuffy SAG Awards would've been had Sean been there to yell hideously inappropriate things. Like at the end of Daniel Day-Lewis's speech when he dedicated his award to Heath Ledger. How much better would that have been had Sean then stood up and screamed, "Did him!" Or when Julie Christie paid tribute to the striking writers. What did that moment need? Sean Young hollaring, "Who did your make-up, a mortician? Get off the stage you dried-up old crone. I could've played your part in my sleep. And without expelling the reek of the crypt from my vagina!"

I love Sean Young.

(source)

Oscar Nominations

The nominations have been announced for this year's Oscars. There were a few surprises - like Angelina Jolie not being picked for A Mighty Heart. Unsurprising, to me, was the lack of a nomination for either Keira Knightley or James McAvoy for Atonement. Saw that movie, liked it, liked them in it, but didn't feel like either one of them had enough screentime or impact to deserve a lead actor nod. Sucks to be them I guess. Here are the major nominees:

Best Picture

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Best Director

Julian Schnabel -- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman -- Juno
Tony Gilroy -- Michael Clayton
Joel and Ethan Coen -- No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson -- There Will Be Blood

Best Leading Actor

George Clooney -- Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis -- There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp -- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen -- Eastern Promises

Best Leading Actress

Cate Blanchett -- Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie -- Away from Her
Marion Cotillard -- La vie en rose
Laura Linney -- The Savages
Ellen Page -- Juno

Best Adapted Screenplay

Christopher Hampton -- Atonement
Sarah Polley -- Away From Her
Ronald Harwood -- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel and Ethan Coen -- No Country For Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson -- There Will Be Blood

Best Original Screenplay

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

Best Supporting Actor

Casey Affleck -- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem -- No Country for Old Men
Phillip Seymour Hoffman -- Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook -- Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson -- Michael Clayton

Best Supporting Actress

Cate Blanchett -- I'm Not There
Ruby Dee -- American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan -- Atonement
Amy Ryan -- Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton -- Michael Clayton

Best Animated Feature

Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up

Not a lot of gimmies in there, I don't think. Bardem for Supporting Actor is probably the surest (though a lot of people like Casey Affleck for Long-Titled Jesse James Movie). I think Blanchett will win Supporting Actress but I'd prefer it go to the Ronan kid from Atonement (not Amy Ryan or Ruby Dee - give me a break). It's a toss-up between Marion Cotillard and Julie Christie for Best Actress. Actor is probably between Daniel Day-Lewis and George Clooney, but it's nice to see Viggo in there. And Best Picture? That sucker's so up in the air, I wouldn't even venture a guess. If it's Juno...well, whatever.

Marion Cotillard @ Critics' Choice Awards

Marion Cotillard showed up for the Critics' Choice Awards and got beaten for Best Actress by Julie Christie in Away From Her. I can't really say anything about Christie's work because I haven't seen that particular movie, but I honestly can't imagine her being better than Cotillard as Edith Piaf in La vie en rose.

If Christie wins the Golden Globe too, you can kiss goodbye any hope of Marion winning the Oscar. Of course this will be pure "let's give it to the old dame" sentiment but whatever. I can't crab much cause I like Julie Christie. She's been a good actress for a long time, and has gotten more beautiful with age, in my humble gay opinion. That being said...nothing in Christie's entire long, distinguished career is as good as Marion Cotillard's work in La vie en rose. That shit is practically transcendent. Marion should not be penalized for being young, French and unknown in America. Plus, I was really hoping if she won the Oscar, she would start lip-syncing an Edith song on-stage without the backing track. Everyone would think she was batshit and it would be hilarious. But now my dream will never come true. C'est la vie.