By Craig Stephens

Tween idol Zac Effron has a stab at serious acting in his new sensitive drama/love story Charlie St Cloud.  Here he hopes to embrace the transition from tween idol to seasoned actor while still managing  to satisfy his target audience, compensating for a slopping script with shirtless scenes

The nautical drama sees Zac play a college-bound sailing star destined for a quality nine to five, cute wife and manicured lawn. Yet Charlie flips out after his kid brother’s tragic death, momentarily derailing his white bread destiny.

Essentially Charlie St. Cloud offers a formulaic soiree of all things expected  from a Universal backed hopeful, exploring some guaranteed  tried and true themes – puritanical  family values, brotherly love  and boating being great for developing ab muscles are explored here .

Kim Bassinger does an effective job as the tortured mother, while the huge romance dimension  via the supreme crafts(woman)ship of Amanda Crew (Tess Carroll) is the  key hook of the film and  destined to fuel eager patronage by Effron’s loyal fan base.

Effron dropped out of his role in Footloose and signed on to play Charlie St. Cloud shortly thereafter. He confirmed his involvement while attending the 2009 Kid’s Choice Awards.

At a recent junket for the film Zac explained. He explained that he wasn’t quite so nice to his real brother, Dylan, as his character Charlie was to brother Sam.

“One of the main reasons I wanted to do Charlie St. Cloud is because it’s a story about brothers and that bond, and that’s something me and my brother have,” Efron says, “but we’re really competitive and Dylan’s a little bit older than Sam was.”

Ironically just hours before the New York premiere of his big earning film Effron and two of his pals reportedly spent more than $2,000 on lap dancers and vodka at a top New York strip club.

According to esteemed gossip bible Page Six, The Disney-produced High School Musical prodigy showed up at Flashdancers Gentlemen’s Club on Broadway on Sunday night and stayed until 3 a.m.

Efron, 22, with another male friend and his former High School Musical castmate Corbin Bleu, 21, took a shine to three pretty brunette dancers, showering them with cash and requests for personal dances, witnesses said.

The strip club source added, “Zac came in Sunday night around midnight with Corbin and one other male friend, who paid for everything. They were seated in the VIP lounge behind the main stage. There was only a rail between them and the girls who were dancing.

“They ordered one bottle of Belvedere vodka and were enthralled with the dancers. They were interacting a lot with the girls and reaching out and showering money on them. There were three girls who Zac and his friends particularly liked and they asked to do personal dances at their table.”

“The girls were all slim pretty brunettes, a bit like Zac’s girlfriend, Vanessa Hudgens. They were two Americans, called Shannon and Brandi, and a gorgeous Brazilian called Raquel. “Zac and the boys had a great time and left around 3 a.m. Monday morning.”

That night, Efron walked the red carpet at the premiere of Charlie St. Cloud. Hudgens was not at his side, although she attended the LA screening last week.

There may be hope for Zac’s legions of fans after all..?

By Adam Spunberg

I left my screening of Brigitte Berman’s Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel persuaded that Hugh Hefner was one of the most influential figures in American history.  The Playboy Mansion?  Just an erotic sideshow.  Objectifying women?  Irrelevant.  Civil rights advocate?  Nothing short of Martin Luther King.  Perverted sex maniac?  Try editorial workaholic.

Berman’s plan was to gather a slew of recognizable faces – many who had been touched by Hefner’s kindness – and let them campaign on his behalf.  Then the camera would return to Hefner, who would dazzle the audience with sparkling stories of his unusual life (reminiscent of Philippe Petit’s stirring narrations in Man On Wire).  It was a simple formula in theory, but the effect worked extremely well.

If you can accept Berman’s film as an ode to Hefner’s good works, then the documentary will resonate strongly with you.  If you have reservations about Hefner’s exploitation of women (which he denies, and the film lets him get away with it), then you may leave dissatisfied.  Berman fails to challenge Hefner on those gritty issues, partly because she recognizes it has been done numerous times.  This is about Hefner the humanitarian, a title he most certainly deserves.

Among his accomplishments are rebelling against racism, sodomy laws, McCarthyism, and religious fanaticism.  Those stands were often brave, putting his businesses at great risk, and his interests in these matters were highly cultural and intellectual.  In a sense, Hefner was the epitome of anti-prejudice, defending against civil injustices because it seemed the natural thing to do.  He was not a racist because he saw people as people.  He did not judge sexual orientation or political belief.  All he cared about was providing a haven for every kind of person, and there happened to be a bunch of gorgeous naked girls involved to finance the pot, to entertain the guests.

Most people see him now as the old geezer with multiple young girlfriends (how many depends on the year), but don’t discredit his achievements because he turned unconventionally adolescent in his twilight years.  Hugh Hefner may have been a controversial figure, but as Berman’s quality documentary illustrates, he was also a great man.

Perhaps George Lucas summed it up best: “I create fantasies, Hef creates fantasies.”  Hefner’s dream may have been a little different from the norm, but he helped a staggering number of people along the way, and Berman does a solid job of conveying that on screen.

By Phil Wallace

Jay Roach’s new comedy Dinner for Schmucks is meal-ful of fun and probably the funniest movie of the year. A remake of Francis Veber’s French film The Dinner Game (Le diner de cons), Dinner for Schmucks is well cast, has a witty script, and it will keep you entertained.

The film stars Paul Rudd as Tim, a financial analyst at a private equity firm who is in line for a major promotion. In order to make it happen, Rudd must attend a dinner hosted by his boss (Bruce Greenwood) and each executive at the firm is required to bring most idiotic guest they can find.

Despite the protestations of his girlfriend, Tim coincidentally meets Barry (Steve Carell) a ridiculous taxidermist with a fondness for making mice dioramas. Barry is the perfect person to bring to the dinner, and Tim will make sure he’s there, regardless of whether him or his girlfriend think it’s right. From that point on, hilarity ensues, as Barry unwittingly brings chaos to both Tim’s personal and professional life.

Roach paces the film perfectly, as the viewer is entertained with a steady stream of jokes that is neither overwhelming nor boring. Today’s comedies often start with an avalanche of jokes and sophomoric incidents, only to devolve into a schmaltzy story for the last 30-45 minutes. But Roach, who also directed the Austin Powers and Meet the Parents movies, builds the viewer up to the climatic dinner.

Rudd works well as the straight man who finds himself unable to control the hilarious events surrounding him. Carell is on the verge of being too old for these kinds of roles, but he still works as a pathetic loser who is desperate for a best friend.

Dinner for Schmucks also thrives thanks to a host of well-played secondary characters. Zac Galifianakis is always welcome on the screen, and he has a hilarious turn as Barry’s boss who believes he has mind control. Jemaine Clement makes a nice change from Flight of the Conchords to play a wacky artist with a deep love for animals, stealing every scene he’s in. Kristen Schaal also takes a fun turn as Tim’s cranky but witty assistant.

It’s hard to imagine Dinner for Schmucks following in The Hangover’s footsteps as a Golden Globe winner for Best Comedy or Musical. While it has a witty script from David Guion and Michael Handelman, the film is missing the full-throttle punch that some of the greatest comedies possess. But Dinner for Schmucks is still a first-class funny film that you will thoroughly enjoy.

By Dantzler Smith

From 1998 to 2002 The Late Show with David Letterman won the Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series five straight times. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart has won the award every year from 2003 to 2009, that’s seven years running. Clearly Emmy voters in this category seem happy to build dynasties by heaping praise on the same show year after year. However, just as is the case with sports, dynasties eventually collapse and someone new walks away with the trophy. So the question in this category is whether or not there is a challenger who can upset the John Wooden UCLA-like dynasty of The Daily Show?

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – The defending champs didn’t have a national election to cover and the only major legislative topic open for ridicule was health care, which doesn’t particularly lend itself to high comedy. Still, The Daily Show proved yet again that it can whip up a satirical feast from even the most meager of ingredients. From cutting barbs launched at politicians holding up heath care to their hysterical coverage of the British elections and on to the BP oil spill, which they managed to lampoon in a way that made oil covered seagulls slightly less depressing, Jon Stewart and company didn’t seem to skip a beat. Thus, the defending champs made a great case for consecutive win number 8. The only way they will lose is if one of the challengers has raised their game above The Daily Show’s high standards. My odds would be 1:5

The Colbert Report – Can the student defeat the master? Steven Colbert has made it his mission to derail Jon Stewart’s gravy train and if ever he had the chance this is the year. Colbert sponsored the US Olympic Speed Skating team and took his act to the Olympics themselves. That coverage of the Winter Olympics was certainly funny and it might have been a big enough event to lure in Emmy voters who typically go for the status quo of The Daily Show. And of course there were a bevy of great and hilarious interviews, which has quickly become Colbert’s distinguishing virtue. Throw in the usual strong fanbase and their massive internet presence and The Colbert Report appears to be the greatest threat to The Daily Show’s dominance. My odds would be 2:1

Real Time with Bill Maher – Believe it or not, I think this show is the best long shot or sleeper pick. First of all, I watch this show religiously (which is ironic given Maher’s disdain for religion) so maybe I’m biased but I truly believe that this is the best example of substantive political dialogue on television, period. Sure Maher has his own political views and agenda, but he’s open about that from the get-go and does a good job of allowing his guest panel to share their own views without letting them go into a painfully long and practiced diatribe. In other words, Bill Maher is the only political pundit on TV who isn’t afraid to call B.S. on someone. The trouble with Real Time is that given its format as a panel show the quality of each episode depends on whether or not the panel was good or bad. If a longwinded politician or some bleary eyed partisan monopolizes the conversation then the show struggles. Still, Bill’s monologues and New Rules are consistently great week in and week out. The Emmy voters tend to agree with Maher’s politics so if they want to abandon the political satire genre in favor or something more substantive Maher could sneak in as a surprise winner. My odds would be 5:1

The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien – I guess the nominating committee was on Team Coco. Look, I’ve been a fan of Conan for a long time now but can’t we all admit that when he moved to the 11:30 spot the show simply wasn’t as good as it used to be? And yet everyone is willing to forget those lackluster months because the final week of his show was absolutely spectacular. If the entire lifetime of Conan’s Tonight Show had been as funny as the final week, he would have won this category hands down. As it is, Conan’s best chance for a win is as a sympathy vote. Almost everyone outside of the NBC board rooms thought the situation was handled terribly and as a result Conan has become this great sympathetic hero, remembered primarily for the last week of his Tonight Show (which was both funny and emotional) and all those great years as the king of the 12:30 slot. While I love the fact that his nomination is like a thumb in the eye of NBC, who will be broadcasting the Emmys, I get the feeling that Jeff Zucker would burn the building down before he’d let Conan O’Brien win the award on ‘his’ network. My odds would be 12:1

Saturday Night Live – Really? SNL got nominated, really? Seth Meyers writes like Stevie Wonder sees. And really, shouldn’t the January Jones episode alone disqualify SNL from getting nominated? At the end of the day this show has two good bits and the rest is just filler, I mean really? Joking aside (and I use the term ‘joking’ loosely), just as iTunes has corroded the need for bands to make quality albums so long as there are one or two downloadable songs on there, Hulu has allowed SNL to sneak into people’s conscious as something that is funny because everyone watches the two sketches that were good on the Monday after the show aired and then ignore the fact that if those were the only two funny parts then the other 90% of the hour was filled with dreck. My odds would be 1000:1

Road to the Emmys Series

July 5: Nomination Preview Podcast – Lilit Marcus, Andrew Payne, Rebecca Rose, and Phil Wallace

July 8: Nomination Analysis Podcast – Rebecca Rose, Dantzler Smith, Phil Wallace, and Bryce Van Kooten

July 12: Outstanding Host: Reality Show or Reality Competition – Adam Spunberg

July 14: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie – Adam Spunberg

July 15: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie – Phil Wallace

July 19: Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Movie – Phil Wallace

July 21: Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or Movie – Gene Williams

July 26: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special – Savanna New

July 28: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series – Dantzler Smith

August 2: Outstanding Reality Program – Gene Williams

August 4: Outstanding Reality Competition Program – Savanna New

August 7: Outstanding Made for TV Movie – Savanna New

August 8: Outstanding Miniseries – Adam Spunberg

August 9: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Colin Campbell

August 10: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Kit Bowen

August 11: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Rebecca Rose

August 12: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Andrew Payne

August 16: Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Phil Wallace

August 17: Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – Steve Neumann

August 18: Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series – Andrew Payne

August 19: Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series – Bryce Van Kooten

August 23: Outstanding Comedy Series – Kit Bowen

August 25: Outstanding Drama Series – Adam Spunberg

August 29: 62nd Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards

Hope for Haiti Now

By Savanna New

Relegated to the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special category does not usually receive as much attention as its peers, despite always showcasing a collection of both critically and popularly acclaimed programs. Specials are somewhat of an odd breed, as they tend to cater to specific sets of people (fans of a particular musician or comedian, for example) and, due to their “one night only” status, are not as publicly visible as regular series. In many ways, though, the award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special can be viewed as an especially great achievement, given the time and effort required to create a single televised event that runs its course within a few hours and lives on only in DVD form. Second chances here are rare (unless you are The Kennedy Center Honors).

The six specials nominated this year are fairly diverse, as you will see, but the networks represented are not. HBO clearly dominates, having produced four out of the six nominees.

The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert (HBO)

Forget silver; what better way to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame than by  bringing together an impressive bunch of music legends for a two-night concert series at Madison Square Garden? The concerts were recorded live on October 29 and 30, and HBO did a fantastic job of distilling this epic event into a four-hour televised special.  The concerts featured an illustrious line-up that truly captured the evolution of rock and roll from the 1950s to today: Aretha Franklin, Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, the Jeff Beck Group, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, U2 and Metallica. These performers were accompanied by an equally iconic set of guest artists that included, among others, the Black-Eyed Peas, Mick Jagger, Annie Lennox, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Lee Lewis and James Taylor.

Bill Maher …But I’m Not Wrong (HBO)

…But I’m Not Wrong, an evening of comedy centered around hot button political and social issues ranging from the Tea Party movement and Sarah Palin to Tiger Woods and healthcare, marks the ever-irreverent Bill Maher’s ninth stand-up special. Widely hailed as the “biggest loser” of the Emmys, Bill Maher has received a total of 22 nominations over the last 15 years but has yet to win a single award. With four more nominations this year, Maher has a chance to either finally proclaim victory, or add to an already laughably large number of losses.

Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction (HBO)

Filmed in Washington, D.C., at one of the stops on his one-man Weapons of Self Destruction tour, HBO’s next entry sees two-time Emmy winner Robin Williams in his first televised comedy special in nearly a decade. Like Bill Maher, Williams tackles a variety of politically charged topics, but he also delves into some of his own personal experiences (such as his battle with alcoholism and recent open-heart surgery), adding a more introspective flavor to his humor.

Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me (HBO)

Rounding out the comedy nominees this year is the undeniably outspoken and often controversial Wanda Sykes, whose trademark frank humor takes center stage in her HBO special I’ma Be Me. Sykes previously won an Emmy in 1999 for her writing work on The Chris Rock Show. Leaving no subject taboo, Sykes draws upon an endless stream of material in I’ma Be Me, including Barack Obama, Somali pirates, Michael Jackson, life as a black lesbian and her first bikini wax.

Hope for Haiti Now (Tenth Planet Productions and MTV)

One of only two non-HBO-produced nominees in this category this year, charity telethon Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief originally aired on January 22. Co-hosted by Wyclef Jean, Anderson Cooper and George Clooney (who will be receiving the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award this year for his abundant charity work), Hope for Haiti Now raised a staggering $61 million through donations received over the phone, online, by mail and via text message. Broadcast from New York, Los Angeles, London and Haiti, this international event included performances by an impressive array of singers and bands, an assemblage of moving speeches and a miles-long celebrity phone bank.

The Kennedy Center Honors

The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)

Frequently lauded (its awards roster includes six Emmys, seven Writers Guild awards and the Peabody Award for Outstanding Contribution to Television), The Kennedy Center Honors has emerged as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special five times in the past, winning as recently as last year. The Honors have been doled out since the late 1970s, and the ceremony celebrating the latest Honorees (performing artists who have made lasting contributions to American culture) is the culminating event of a weekend-long series of gala luncheons and dinners. This year’s Kennedy Center Honors, broadcast on December 9, was hosted by Caroline Kennedy and honored new Honorees Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert De Niro and Bruce Springsteen. Performers and presenters included Melissa Etheridge, Jack Black, Harry Connick, Jr., Meryl Streep, Sharon Stone, Ben Stiller and Glee’s Matthew Morrison.

Prediction

Given the fact that The Kennedy Center Honors has won so many times in the past, it would be nice to see another special shine this year. I can’t help but predict that the three comedy nominees will cancel each other out (sorry, Bill Maher), leaving The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert and Hope for Haiti Now as top contenders. While both specials have received a great deal of praise and possess a uniquely historical, once-in-a-lifetime significance, it is virtually impossible to compare the two. The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert was a large-scale event celebrating the 60-year history of rock and roll, while Hope for Haiti Now was quickly organized and televised a mere 10 days after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, its mission one of pure philanthropy and altruism rather than entertainment. The impact of Hope for Haiti Now can’t be ignored, and I think it has the best chance of winning the Emmy.

Road to the Emmys Series

July 5: Nomination Preview Podcast – Lilit Marcus, Andrew Payne, Rebecca Rose, and Phil Wallace

July 8: Nomination Analysis Podcast – Rebecca Rose, Dantzler Smith, Phil Wallace, and Bryce Van Kooten

July 12: Outstanding Host: Reality Show or Reality Competition – Adam Spunberg

July 14: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie – Adam Spunberg

July 15: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie – Phil Wallace

July 19: Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Movie – Phil Wallace

July 21: Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or Movie – Gene Williams

July 26: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special – Savanna New

July 28: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series – Dantzler Smith

August 2: Outstanding Reality Program – Gene Williams

August 4: Outstanding Reality Competition Program – Savanna New

August 7: Outstanding Made for TV Movie – Savanna New

August 8: Outstanding Miniseries – Adam Spunberg

August 9: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Colin Campbell

August 10: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Kit Bowen

August 11: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Rebecca Rose

August 12: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Andrew Payne

August 16: Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Phil Wallace

August 17: Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – Steve Neumann

August 18: Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series – Andrew Payne

August 19: Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series – Bryce Van Kooten

August 23: Outstanding Comedy Series – Kit Bowen

August 25: Outstanding Drama Series – Adam Spunberg

August 29: 62nd Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards

By Adam Spunberg

Best Song is arguably the least important Oscar category, at least from a film perspective. In some cases, the offered song is nothing more than an after-the-movie splash, like a cool toy in a cereal box or the throw-in “Graty” to Vince Offer’s “Slap Chop” (that’s a ridiculous infomercial, if you didn’t know). Some megastar is called upon to write a song – loosely based on the movie, usually – to gloss up the end credits and to play nonstop on a pop station near you.

There are other instances, however, when the song is absolutely essential to the movie, often to further character development or illuminate a defining moment. And in pictures where a strong musical element is already in place, the song can be the very fabric of the production. Egyptian cotton or sooty rags? (Or in the case of Uptown Girls, the song “Sheets of Egyptian Cotton” may have been a sooty rag to some.) Here are our rankings:

10. “If I Didn’t Have You” – Randy Newman: Monsters Inc (2001): Average score of 7.82
9. “I Need to Wake Up” – Melissa Etheridge, An Inconvenient Truth (2006): Average score of 7.73
8. “Al otro lado del rio” – Jorge Drexler, The Motorcycle Diaries (2004): Average score of 7.64
7. “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp – Three 6 Mafia, Hustle & Flow (2005): Average score of 6.45
6. “Things Have Changed” – Bob Dylan, Wonder Boys (2000): Average score of 5.91
5. “Into the West” – Annie Lennox, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003): Average score of 5.55
4. “Jai Ho” – A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Average score of 4.55
3. “The Weary Kind” – Ryan Bingham & T-Bone Burnett, Crazy Heart (2009): Average score of 4.36
2. “Lose Yourself” – Eminem, 8 Mile (2002): Average score of 2.82
1. “Falling Slowly” – Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová, Once (2007): Average score of 2.00

And now for the usual statistical analysis:

1. “Falling Slowly” was the clear victor, with Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” posing a nominal challenge. “Lose Yourself” collected four of 11 first-place votes, but “Falling Slowly” gathered five and also registered three second-place tallies. That means nine of the 11 first-place votes went to these two songs; they are unquestionably the top two, despite being of very different natures.

2. “The Weary Kind” and “Jai Ho” were almost even. “Jai Ho” received five votes in the top three, but “The Weary Kind” took full advantage of a first-place tally. Both end-of-the-decade candidates experienced a wide array of support and consternation.

3. “Into the West,” “Things Have Changed,” and “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” three completely different songs, form an unlikely group in the middle. “Into the West” gains some popularity points for being attached to Lord of the Rings, but the song itself falls short for some voters. “Things Have Changed” gets a boost for featuring Bob Dylan, even if the song is somewhat flat. In the case of “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” however, we have the most controversial pattern. Three 6 Mafia’s shocker claimed a first-place vote, but it also finished last on three ballots. Chalk that up to its genre.

4. The cellar features the utterly unremarkable “If I Didn’t Have You,” along with Melissa Etheridge’s cry for global warming awareness (Note to Etheridge: perhaps our voters heard you, because your song got a pretty chilly reception). As for the song from The Motorcycle Diaries, the fact that it’s in Spanish probably contributed to its demise.

Now that we have scrutinized the will of the collective, it’s time for my personal rankings, along with the songs themselves. Instead of just posting the winners, I will also include the song that I think should have won, when applicable:

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10. “If I Didn’t Have You” – Randy Newman: Monsters Inc (2001)

This was a horrendous selection by the Academy. The song is uncreative, hokey, and lacking any sort of original insight. That it beat Enya’s “May it Be” from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a travesty. Just listen to both songs and then you can ponder – as I have – whether there was some crack affixed to the Best Song ballot in 2001.

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9. “Things Have Changed” – Bob Dylan, Wonder Boys (2000)

Now we get into respectable song territory (it’s as if we have nine competitors and one atrocity). I have nothing against Bob Dylan’s grungy reflection piece; I just don’t think the song quite achieves the level of the others, and it really lacks inventiveness in its musical exposition. I would give a slight advantage to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s “A Love Before Time,” but only for its multicultural aspect. Essentially, 2000 was an extremely weak year for Best Song.

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8. “I Need to Wake Up” – Melissa Etheridge, An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

This was a classic case of three songs from the same movie (Dreamgirls) canceling each other out. I distinctly remember co-writer Nate Freiberg predicting exactly that to happen in our Oscar Pool, setting the standard for future Best Song strategies. “I Need to Wake Up” is pretty self-explanatory, although An Inconvenient Truth’s audience was presumably awake already, unlike its detractors who continue to doubt global warming as a real threat. The chords are adequate enough and the message clear, but I doubt it rattles your Ozone layer. Still, I share no more fervor for the Dreamgirls songs or “Our Town” from Cars, despite James Taylor’s legendary voice.

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7. “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp – Three 6 Mafia, Hustle & Flow (2005)

I fully expected to rank this lower, but I found something strangely appealing about this underdog effort. It played perfectly within the frame of the film, even if its style is a little less than traditional. However, this is the second time I find myself calling for random drug testing, as the Academy – in its attempt to gain street cred – completely blew it. Bird York’s “In the Deep” from Crash was a monumental portrait, which left a lasting impact on a Best Picture film and stirs something igneous inside its listeners. You tell me this isn’t beautiful:

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6. “Al otro lado del rio” – Jorge Drexler, The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

There is no denying that this is a lovely song, wonderful to slip on in the background while you sip a margarita on a pleasant summer’s day. The soft guitar strums are mesmerizing beneath a relaxed, but still passionate voice. “Believe” from The Polar Express effectively captures the essence of its Christmas-themed film, but one cannot overlook the cheesiness, even if it is a nice listen. The most deserving candidate – at least in this admitted Francophile’s opinion – is “Voir Sur Ton Chemin” from Les Choristes, which manages to be both mysterious and magical at the same time, all while making fantastic use of an ensemble choir. You decide for yourself:

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5. “The Weary Kind” – Ryan Bingham & T-Bone Burnett, Crazy Heart (2009)

One of the few times the Academy got it right, “The Weary Kind” received my endorsement around Oscars time and still does, perhaps even more assuredly. There is something refreshingly genuine about the coarse voice and the sad, but still hopeful guitar ascensions. Only “Loin de Paname” from Paris 36 has a case for uprooting “The Weary Kind,” and that argument seems weaker as Crazy Heart’s opus gains appeal with age.

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4. “Into the West” – Annie Lennox, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)

Hear the words “you have come to journey’s end” in the first verse and let them ooze within your pores. Lord of the Rings needed a dramatic, after-the-thrill complexion to its closing song, and Lennox provides that sense of epic in her feverish choruses. Perhaps I am blinded by the virtuosity of Peter Jackson’s trilogy, which I feel indescribably in every listening session. I must admit, however, that Cold Mountain’s “The Scarlet Tide” is absolutely exquisite. Immerse yourself in the soft voice of Alison Krauss, which envelops you like satin sheets on sockless feet.

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3. “Jai Ho” – A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

“Jai Ho” was another excellent choice by the Academy, although its two competitors were also outstanding. On some days, I can be persuaded that Slumdog Millionaire’s other flagship song, “O Saya,” is even better, since it projects the gritty realism of the film. On other days, I pop on Peter Gabriel’s enchanting “Down to Earth” from WALL-E and contemplate whether it also should have claimed the prize. In the end, however, it had to be “Jai Ho,” for its significance in the picture and the jewel of hope it conveys, Bollywood style.

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2. “Lose Yourself” – Eminem, 8 Mile (2002)

At first glance, there may be a tendency to group “Lose Yourself” with “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” but that would be doing Eminem’s magnum opus a disservice. There are few figures as controversial as Eminem, from his bad-boy reputation to his frequently misogynist lyrics, but in these five minutes of unprecedented artistry, we can see the brilliance behind the curtain. Even if you despise hip hop, you have to find inspiration in these magnificent lyrics, spouted with such deep-rooted passion and desperation. His struggle and triumph is wonderfully articulated through a medium he has mastered, as his only ticket out of a forsaken life, with adversities beyond our comprehension, yet transferable to the pettier hurdles in our own lives.

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1. “Falling Slowly” – Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová, Once (2007)

Only something truly exceptional could top Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” and that is what we have in Once’s pastry of a song, “Falling Slowly.” To fully appreciate the depths of this song, you must see the movie. Fortunately, enough Oscar voters grasped the right feeling (as did our pool of writers) and were breathlessly transported to the underground world of Dublin, where a down-on-his-luck songwriter poured every aorta in his heart, fervently, into verse. All the credit must go to Glen Hansard, who pixies the air with no-holding-back emotion, and does so with memorable melodies that accentuate his passion. Within the context of the story, the lyrical progression is immensely meaningful, but the song is quite incredible on its own two feet.

When Hansard and Irglová accepted the Oscar with unmistakable humility, John Stewart could not help joking about Hansard’s “arrogance.” It was appropriately funny, because such honors could not have fallen on a more deserving duo, who sang not with expectation but with the hope of making a meager contribution. Enjoy and savor their efforts.

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Additional note:

We have passed the halfway point in 2010 and some great candidates have already emerged. This one may not get the attention it deserves on Oscar night, but you might enjoy the Icelandic group, Jonsi’s, adrenaline-pumping “Sticks and Stones” from How to Train Your Dragon:

Oscar Decades Series

2000s Best Picture
2000s Best Actor
2000s Best Actress
1990s Best Picture
1990s Best Actor
1990s Best Actress
1980s Best Picture
2000s Best Supporting Actor
2000s Best Supporting Actress
1990s Best Supporting Actor
1990s Best Supporting Actress
2000s Best Original Song
Podcast

Revenge is sweet, justice is even sweeter, but redemption is sweetest of all.  Classic American themes such as this might not be as American as we’d like to believe, evident by The Concert from French director, Radu Mihaileanu, who defines it through a poignant yet hilarious film.  I’ve often criticized the “Dramedies” for being a tug-of-war between the two, but there are a few films that manage to blend this kind of tragedy with comedy so well.

The story centers on Andrei Filipov (Aleksei Guskov), once a prodigy and prestigious conductor of the world renown Bolshoi orchestra, now a janitor in the same building where they rehearse.  He and his orchestra were victims of anti-semitism after Andrei’s refused to fire the Jewish musicians in his orchestra.  Humiliated and berated during a performance, the orchestra was disbanded 30 years ago, crushing the futures of each musician.  Even Andrei’s wife resorts to rounding up extras to perform as protestors or wedding guests depending on the clients as he watches helplessly and winces at the horrible sounds coming from the current Bolshoi orchestra.

Salvation comes on the fax machine one afternoon, when the Pleyel in Paris requests the Bolshoi perform for them in two weeks time as a last minute replacement for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.  Without so much as a second thought, he confronts his former cellist, Dimitri (Sacha Grossman), and tells him he intends to impersonate the Bolshoi.  Dimitri reluctantly approves but soon finds motivation after manhandling their former manager into working for them again, the same hard line communist supporter who interrupted their performance 30 years ago and one who clearly has ulterior motives in Paris.  Rounding up their former musicians in the most unlikely places by way of Dimitri’s run down ambulance, they manage to bring together most of the old orchestra with a few new and highly questionable choices to fill in the gaps.  Later negotiating a deal for formal wear and instruments through a black market dealer with connections in Paris, the glimmer of hope this might actually work begins to show.

Despite some outrageous demands from their manager (including a meal at a restaurant that no longer exists) and his stubborn approach of doing business, he succeeds in booking lodging, meals, payment, and tourist attractions for the orchestra.  Most impressive is his success in getting a very popular soloist, Anne-Marine Jacquet (Melanie Laurent), to perform with the Bolshoi.  Andrei’s insistence on getting her and no one else along with a shoebox filled with articles and CDs that he seems emotionally attached to worries those around him.  When Dimitri confronts him about it, Andrei reveals some startling secret that we as an audience aren’t made aware of.

Just as the plan seems to come together, the orchestra arrives in Paris and heads off in different directions after getting their per diem money, eager to enjoy the City of Lights and possibly exploit the local economy a bit.  Andrei curses at his manager to do his job and get them to rehearsal, but his frustration disappears as Anne-Marie Jacquet arrives.  Though music is a central part of the film and pieces of it abound throughout the film, there’s probably no better expression of music as tied to kinship between strangers than the scene that follows.  The few musicians that remain begin playing and Anne-Marie instantly seems to know each of them.  She’s amazed by their skill and begins to question her own, particularly for the conductor’s unwavering choice of playing Tchaikovsky’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.

As Anne-Marie and Andrei have dinner together, a combination of Andrei’s 30 year old torment and current drinking problem lead to a dramatic retelling of his last attempt to perform the Concerto, but falls short of telling her it was his last.  Concerned with the general instability of the orchestra and it’s conductor, she comes to the bitter conclusion that she nor the orchestra is capable of performing at the level its conductor wants.  With the performance’s future uncertain, Dimitri makes a last desperate effort to convince Anne-Marie to play while the musicians are gathered together.  Dimitri hints at the secret Andrei revealed, which is enough to convince her to rejoin the orchestra.  Her manager, already suspected of some secret history with Andrei, offers Anne-Marie a 30 year old copy of the performance with handwritten notes made by the last musician, Ana.  The words “For Ana” manage to get the musicians together in formal dress just in time, and as the music starts… the outlook is grim.

Notes are both flat and sharp, the audience is already showing signs of disappointment.  Even the conductor winces in much the same way he did when he was watching the real Bolshoi.  But once Anne-Marie begins, it’s as if the orchestra is feeding off her energy.  As they say in jazz, she wakes the band up, and the concert that follows is an amazing medley of not only music, but a montage of that great secret revealed.  Sentimental and possibly far-fetched, the imagery combined with the incredible sound of Tchaikovsky seems to be enough to suspend disbelief and embrace the film for what it is.

Although the film hovers between comedy and drama a bit longer than most, there’s a balance to the film that makes those changes subtlety and takes the chance of doing so in order to remain true to the story.  Although a French film, the opening takes place in Russia and even the French is distinctly Russian in it’s delivery, but this mashing of languages adds to the film’s comedy and is actually translated well through the English subtitles.  Like many films that compare cultures, jabs at the French, Russians, and even the Americans are common.  There are a number of great performances, both from the leads and in moments with the collection of character actors, but it’s the music itself that truly steals the show.

The Concert opens in limited release on July 30.

Prince of Persia

But that wouldn’t be accurate. Look at the biggest moneymakers so far this summer: four sequels (Iron Man 2, Shrek Forever After, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, and Toy Story 3) and a reboot that proved to be a surprise contender (Karate Kid). And that’s apart from the stuff that didn’t perform as the studios hoped: A-Team, Prince of Persia, Sex and the City 2, The Last Airbender, and Marmaduke (despite the presence of both Owen Wilson and George Lopez). The only truly original works have been Inception, Despicable Me, Knight and Day, Killers, and Get Him to the Greek. So the public seems fine with recycling.

Jonah Hex

Two of the biggest turkeys, critically speaking, were franchise films the studios really had their hearts set on. Sex and the City 2 had no reason to fail; it was a sequel to the massive first film adaptation of the show. Reviews were bad, but many thought it could be the Transformers 2 of the adult female demo and transcend the reviews to huge box office. Then the reviews got really bad, and they seemed to scare off the audience Warner Bros was hoping for. It opened almost 50% down from the previous movie, and lost half its audience every week thereafter. Despite almost making its budget back, if the studio envisioned a series of films, those dreams are pretty much dashed.

Which brings us to the latest, and probably worst, offender: The Last Airbender. M. Night Shyamalan has been batting significantly less than 1.000, with a string of films each more poorly-received than the previous. But, there might have been a glimmer of hope: he was adapting an established, and beloved, cartoon. Hopefully, the restraints of an adaptation could keep the film decent. But critics destroyed the film, and fans – hardcore fans already in the tank for this – complained that M. Night did a terrible job adapting a story he claimed to know and enjoy. Opening numbers were decent, but only three weeks later, the film is already #7 on the charts (and, incidentally, opening at my local dollar theater this Friday – not good).

Even the moneymakers (or the ones breaking even) aren’t drumming up a lot of enthusiasm. Iron Man 2 did well, but despite its massive build-up, the adulation for the first film didn’t carry over to this one, leaving critics and fans somewhat cold. Get Him to the Greek made more than its budget, but it was a minor hit; not quite the Hangover the studio seemed to want. And despite being shoved down America’s throats promotionally, Grown Ups just came and went.

The Last Airbender

This summer, though, had a series of films that few people seemed truly excited about. I don’t think The A-Team or Prince of Persia really wowed moviegoers with their previews (nor did the films themselves impress them). The trailers for Marmaduke and Jonah Hex looked horrible. And this summer had some ideas that seemed out of touch with what audiences want now. Neither Ashton Kutcher nor Katherine Heigl had a hit in a while, so putting them together in Killers was a match no one asked for. An overly-serious take on Robin Hood with Russell Crowe (whose last big success was A Beautiful Mind, over eight years ago) didn’t register. Tom Cruise as America’s Leading Man hasn’t worked since War of the Worlds; this was proven with Knight and Day‘s low gross. And Jake Gyllenhaal as Prince of Persia?

The simple answer to “What happened this summer?” is that audiences weren’t jazzed about a lot of this summer’s films. So, the real debate behind Inception v. Sorcerer’s Apprentice is one of inspiration, for lack of a better word. The big successes were the films that, even if they weren’t entirely original, appealed to audiences in unique ways. Toy Story 3 managed to inject new life into a franchise that hadn’t been visited since 1999, presenting some shockingly adult concepts along the way, and Despicable Me tweaked the usual supervillain archetype by saddling him with kids. Marmaduke, on the other hand, was a generic talking-dog movie. Inception, whether you enjoyed it or not, gave the heist movie a vibrant psychological twist. The A-Team had stuff blowing up. This is not to say that unique and inspired films succeeding is something that only happened this summer. Rather, it seems like a lot of this summer’s films were aggressively uninspired, and America responded in kind. Maybe that’s the real lesson Hollywood can learn; if they can be less cynical about the product they release, we might be more willing to come to the theaters.

And enough with the 3D. As my friends and I agree: if your defense of a movie is “it’s better if you see it in 3D,” then you don’t have a movie, you have an amusement park ride.

By Louis Allred

In looking at this year’s nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series, we find that four of them fit the usual concept of what a television comedy is. Until recently, nominees were often classical, three-camera sitcoms, a format that goes unrepresented this year (mainly because there are so few left on TV right now). But the new vogue of single-camera comedies fills out the ranks with four of the six nominations (30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Modern Family, and The Office). The remaining two, however, don’t fit as neatly into the category, raising the question: What qualifies as a comedy anymore?

Glee, on runtime alone, is one of the odd ducks, being the only hour-long show nominated this year. This isn’t entirely without precedent; Weeds was nominated last year, and the past decade also had Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives on the list. There have been rare nominations of hour-long Comedies throughout Emmy history, but they were usually variety shows. Love American Style was nominated twice, but that show had a very “sitcom” sensibility to it. The recent nominees have more in common with standard hour-long dramas than sitcoms, often blending dramatic storylines with humor. The trendsetter for this new wave was Ally McBeal; its nomination in 1998 drew debate as to whether it belonged in Comedy, debate that still continues with the current batch of nominees.

Glee dances this line as well, mixing humor (Sue Sylvester, need I say more?) with often weighty drama (teen pregnancy, struggling with homosexuality, divorce). As mentioned in the Variety article, Ally McBeal seemed to be chosen for Comedy almost as if they flipped a coin. Glee seems the same way, though one can easily make a case that it belongs in Comedy. Despite its dramatic tendencies, the mood of the show is usually light, and most of the dramatic issues presented are, if not solved, at least handled by episode’s end. Plus, there are the songs, and as creator Ryan Murphy notes, “This genre is never called ‘musical drama.’ We’re a comedy.”

Nurse Jackie is a thornier issue. I doubt anyone would dispute calling it the most dramatic of the Comedy nominees this year. The lead character is a gruff, pill-popping (or snorting) ER nurse who swears like mad and suffers no fool. Apart from her drug use, she also juggles a home life (strained due to her job) and an affair with a pharmacist who supplies her the pills (an affair that quickly went south this season). On top of all that, we get a non-stop stream of patients with grievous injuries and terminal diseases. Most don’t make it through an episode.

Laughing yet?

Honestly, though, the Comedy category is probably the better home for Nurse Jackie. Structurally, it’s a half-hour show, and from the early 60s on, there hasn’t been a half-hour show nominated for Drama. More importantly, despite the material, it does have a distinct comedic tone, pitch-black as it may be. Jackie’s interplay with the other characters is funny, and the dramatic plots often take humorous turns. In one episode, where Jackie assists a cancer patient, her suggestion to use medical marijuana riles the uptight Dr. Cooper, who reacts in a typically petulant way, and the patient’s introduction to weed is played for laughs. All of this acts as a buffer against the fact that the guy is dying, and probably soon. For all the drama involved, there are plenty of laughs on the show, probably enough to tip the ratio toward the Comedy side.

So again we ask, “What qualifies as a comedy anymore?” In the earlier days of Lucille Ball and Dick van Dyke, it was more cut-and-dry. You had an audience, a ridiculous situation, and jokes, jokes, jokes. The recent wave of Comedy nominees sometimes toe the drama line, covering serious matters with more effort and more often than a sitcom’s occasional “very special episode.” It sometimes feels like Comedy has become more of a “dumping ground” for shows the Academy – and producers themselves – have trouble classifying. But the decisions have been sound, I think. Glee, like Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, has a sense of camp that keeps the drama from getting too serious. And Nurse Jackie, bleak as it is, finds the humor in any situation it covers.

This will be a continuous debate as shows cross-pollinate genres and tones. Down the line, the Academy may split show nominations even further, or just give up and have one category like the Oscars. Who knows? But, as it stands now, shows like Glee and Nurse Jackie are best served in the Comedy category.

At least until the “Best Musical Set in High School” and “Best Dark Hospital Comedy” categories are approved. They’re locks for those.

By Gene Williams

This year’s Emmys race for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries is brought to you by HBO and BBC, oh yeah and Lifetime too. Over ten years cable juggernaut HBO, has won seven times in this category, awarding Emmys to actresses such as Halle Berry, Helen Mirren, Laura Linney and last year’s winner Jessica Lange. This year HBO has another commanding lead with three of its films nominated, with PBS and Lifetime each with one film nomination.

It’s been fifteen years since we have seen Claire Danes at the Primetime Emmys at that time for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Drama as Angela Chase in 90’s teen-drama My So-Called Life. This year Emmy recognizes Danes in HBO’s Temple Grandin who plays the title character. This biopic of ranch handler Temple Grandin tells her story and practices for humane handling of livestock on cattle ranches and slaughterhouses, while overcoming obstacles as a woman with autism. Gaining mostly positive reviews Danes’ portrayal of Grandin is a stand out in this category, as this film touches on the seldom mentioned topic of Autism. Temple Grandin received 10 nominations and David Strathairn is also nominated for Supporting Actor for the film.

This year Lifetime has eleven chances to earn its first Primetime Emmy in the networks 26-year history, thanks to Oscar and Emmy nominee Joan Allen. This year Lifetime presents to us the life of acclaimed American painter Georgia O’Keeffe, known for her vibrant works of flowers, rocks, and animal bones. This film is more of a two person film which focuses on O’Keeffe’s relationship and her love of husband Alfred Stieglitz, played by highly acclaimed Jeremy Irons, who by the way is unfortunately snubbed this year for his performance. Allen receives the only acting nomination of nine for Georgia O’Keeffe.

As former first lady, Hillary Clinton, Hope Davis stars in HBO’s history drama The Special Relationship. The film follows the relationship between the Blair’s and Clintons during the 90’s and early part of 2000’s. The film receiving mainly mixed reviews in regards to Michael Sheen’s Tony Blair. Davis anchors the film putting her superb acting abilities to use. Her portrayal of Mia in HBO’s In Treatment should get her notice by academy voters, showcasing her versatility as an actress. Davis is also joined by fellow nominees Dennis Quaid and Michael Sheen. The Special Relationship receives a total of five nominations.

Shakespeare in Love (1999) was the first time I have ever seen a film with Dame Judi Dench. I enjoyed her Academy Award winning portrayal of Queen Elisabeth. This year the Emmys recognize Dench in PBS’s drama Return to Cranford, a follow up to 2008’s Cranford. In the many years of excellent acting it’s hard to comprehend that Dench has only one Academy Award and been nominated for two Primetime Emmy in her fifty years in the business.  Losing to Laura Linney as Abigail Adams in John Adams two years ago, I don’t think this is a year that Denche’s Matty Jenkyns will see Emmy gold. Return to Cranford is up for seven nominations including Outstanding Miniseries.

Lastly, HBO’s Capturing Mary receives its sole Emmy nomination in Maggie Smith who plays Mary Gilbert, former journalist and socialite who recounts her memories of her childhood home. Smith is a great character actress playing mostly strong elderly heroines, but unfortunately I think this category goes to the two other HBO nominated films. Smith anchors the film but that’s all I see as significant in this film.

So it’s a race between Danes and Davis. My prediction for Emmy gold is Danes edging out Davis, mainly because of her portrayal of Temple. It’s a unique biopic that raises awareness for Autism, proclaiming that this is not a debilitating disease; people with the disease can still succeed with passion and love for what you do in life. The real life Temple, now in her early sixties is an acclaimed professor at Colorado State University, and activist in Autism Spectrum Disorder, who promotes early intervention to address autism. I hope to see a win for Danes as she deserved to be given this role and deserves to win.

Road to the Emmys Series

July 5: Nomination Preview Podcast – Lilit Marcus, Andrew Payne, Rebecca Rose, and Phil Wallace

July 8: Nomination Analysis Podcast – Rebecca Rose, Dantzler Smith, Phil Wallace, and Bryce Van Kooten

July 12: Outstanding Host: Reality Show or Reality Competition – Adam Spunberg

July 14: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie – Adam Spunberg

July 15: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie – Phil Wallace

July 19: Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Movie – Phil Wallace

July 21: Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or Movie – Gene Williams

July 26: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special – Savanna New

July 28: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series – Dantzler Smith

August 2: Outstanding Reality Program – Gene Williams

August 4: Outstanding Reality Competition Program – Savanna New

August 7: Outstanding Made for TV Movie – Savanna New

August 8: Outstanding Miniseries – Adam Spunberg

August 9: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Colin Campbell

August 10: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Kit Bowen

August 11: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Rebecca Rose

August 12: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Andrew Payne

August 16: Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Phil Wallace

August 17: Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series – Steve Neumann

August 18: Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series – Andrew Payne

August 19: Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series – Bryce Van Kooten

August 23: Outstanding Comedy Series – Kit Bowen

August 25: Outstanding Drama Series – Adam Spunberg

August 29: 62nd Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards