Independent Spirit Awards Nominations

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)

(500) Days Of Summer
Producers: Mason Novick, Jessica Tuchinsky, Mark Waters, Steven J. Wolfe
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Amreeka
Producers: Paul Barkin, Christina Piovesan
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Precious
Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness
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Sin Nombre
Producer: Amy Kaufman
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The Last Station
Producers: Bonnie Arnold, Chris Curling, Jens Meuer
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BEST DIRECTOR

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
A Serious Man
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Lee Daniels
Precious
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Cary Joji Fukunaga
Sin Nombre
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James Gray
Two Lovers
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Michael Hoffman
The Last Station
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BEST SCREENPLAY

Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman
The Messenger
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Michael Hoffman
The Last Station
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Lee Toland Krieger
The Vicious Kind
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Greg Mottola
Adventureland
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Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
(500) Days Of Summer
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BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)

A Single Man
Director: Tom Ford
Producers: Tom Ford, Andrew Miano, Robert Salerno, Chris Weitz
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Crazy Heart
Director: Scott Cooper
Producers: T Bone Burnett, Judy Cairo, Rob Carliner, Scott Cooper, Robert Duvall
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Easier With Practice
Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Producer: Cookie Carosella
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Paranormal Activity
Director: Oren Peli
Producer: Jason Blum, Oren Peli
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The Messenger
Director: Oren Moverman
Producers: Mark Gordon, Lawrence Inglee,
Zach Miller
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BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

Sophie Barthes
Cold Souls
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Scott Cooper
Crazy Heart
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Cherien Dabis
Amreeka
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Geoffrey Fletcher
Precious
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Tom Ford, David Scearce
A Single Man
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JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD - Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer. Executive Producers are not listed


Big Fan
Writer/Director: Robert Siegel
Producers: Elan Bogarin, Jean Kouremetis
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Humpday
Writer/Director/Producer: Lynn Shelton
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The New Year Parade
Writer/Director: Tom Quinn
Producers: Steve Beal, Tom Quinn
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Treeless Mountain
Writer/Director: So Yong Kim
Producers: Bradley Rust Gray, Ben Howe,
So Yong Kim, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy
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Zero Bridge
Writer/Director: Tariq Tapa
Producers: Josee Lajoie, Hilal Ahmed
Langoo, Tariq Tapa
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BEST FEMALE LEAD

Maria Bello Downloading Nancy
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Nisreen Faour Amreeka
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Helen Mirren The Last Station
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Gwyneth Paltrow Two Lovers
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Gabourey Sidibe Precious
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BEST MALE LEAD


Jeff Bridges
Crazy Heart
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Colin Firth
A Single Man
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt
(500) Days Of Summer
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Souleymane Sy Savane
Goodbye Solo
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Adam Scott
The Vicious Kind
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BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Dina Korzun
Cold Souls
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Mo'Nique
Precious
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Samantha Morton
The Messenger
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Natalie Press
Fifty Dead Men Walking
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Mia Wasikowska
That Evening Sun
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BEST SUPPORTING MALE

Jemaine Clement
Gentlemen Broncos
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Woody Harrelson
The Messenger
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Christian McKay
Me and Orson Welles
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Raymond McKinnon
That Evening Sun
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Christopher Plummer
The Last Station
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BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Roger Deakins
A Serious Man
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Adriano Goldman
Sin Nombre
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Anne Misawa
Treeless Mountain
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Andrij Parekh
Cold Souls
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Peter Zeitlinger
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
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BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director)

Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Director: Sacha Gervasi
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Food, Inc.
Director: Robert Kenner
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More Than A Game
Director: Kristopher Belman
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October Country
Directors: Donal Mosher, Michael Palmieri
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Which Way Home
Director: Rebecca Cammisa
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BEST FOREIGN FILM (Award given to the director)

A Prophet
Director: Jacques Audiard (France)
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An Education
Director: Lone Scherfig (UK/France)
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Everlasting Moments
Director: Jan Troell (Sweden)
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Mother
Director: Bong Joon-Ho (South Korea)
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The Maid
Director: Sebastian Silva (Chile)
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ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD - The 16th annual Acura Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Acura.



Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Easier With Practice
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Asiel Norton
Redland
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Tariq Tapa
Zero Bridge
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TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD - The 15th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Natalia Almada
El General
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Jessica Oreck
Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
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Bill Ross, Turner Ross
45365
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PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD - The 13th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.


Karin Chien
The Exploding Girl, Santa Mesa
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Larry Fessenden
I Sell the Dead, The House of the Devil
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Dia Sokol
Beeswax, Nights & Weekends
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ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD - (Given to one film's director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

A Serious Man
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Casting Directors: Ellen Chenoweth, Rachel Tenner
Ensemble Cast: Richard Kind, Sari Lennick, Jessica McManus, Fred Melamed,
Michael Stuhlbarg, Aaron Wolff
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The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

The two main reasons to see The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans are Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage.

Herzog is an amazing director and his work is on par in this film. I really liked the look of the film and there are some very interesting scenes that include some lovely creatures. The script, written by William Finkelstein, is good but not great. Herzog is such a good director that he gets the most out of it. The story held my interest but I was much more impressed when something happened. I certainly will not say what.

In this film Cage has his best role in a long time. His Lt. Terence McDonagh is a drug addicted, nutty character. He really blows off steam and seems over the top but I found him a lot of fun to watch. The rest of the cast is fine but it doesn't matter because this is Cage's film.

So if you want to be entertained by a good black comedy check out The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.

DVD Mini Review - Lilya 4-Ever

Lukas Moodysson's Lilya 4-Ever is one of the most heartbreaking films you will ever see. It takes place in the former Soviet Union. Sixteen year old Lilya (Oksana Akinshina) thinks she is going to the US with her mother (Lyubov Anapova) and her mother's boyfriend. But she is in for a rude awakening. Her mother decides to leave her behind because Lilya will just be an inconvenience. Lilya is left to her Aunt Anna (Liliya Shinkaryova) who forces the girl to move to a smaller, rattier apartment. And this is just at the beginning of the film.

Lilya is good friends with Volodya (Artyom Bogucharsky) who is younger than she is and has a crush on her. Lilya spends many a day with little to eat. She doesn't know what to do so she starts visiting bars where older men hang out. In steps Andrei (Pavel Pomonaryov) who treats her well and promises her a better life in Sweden. But in Sweden she meets Witek (Tomasz Neuman) and things go in a different direction.

I usually cry in films that are emotionally harrowing but this one was just too shocking and I just sat there and stared in disbelief. Moodysson does a great job of bringing this sad tale to life. All of the acting is very good with the young Alinshina and Bogucharsky being outstanding. It is hard to believe but these things happen everyday. If you love world cinemas as I do then check this one out.

The Messenger

The Messenger is one powerful film. It is a small film that has gotten great reviews and it needs to be seen. It is not going to get the release that 2012 or Twilight got but it is slowly opening around the country so try to catch it if you can.

The film is directed by Oren Moverman (he co-wrote the wonderful I'm Not There). He is a first time director but you would never know it. The script was co-written with Alessandro Camon. The protagonist is Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster). Montgomery is a Iraq war vet. He has suffered some injuries and he is considered a hero. He has three months left before his enlistment is complete. He is assigned to a duty that no one wants - telling families that their loved ones have been killed. Montgomery will be working with Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) who is very experience in doing this. Stone is quite a character and sometimes seems too much for the reserved Montgomery.

What follows is harrowing. They go to several different families and you can only imagine their. However, one woman - Olivia Pitterson (Samantha Morton) seems almost cool about the news. Montgomery takes a keen interest in her and wants to get to know her better.

I really don't want to say more about what happens. The film takes its time telling the story and that is a good thing - at least for me it is. You get to know Montgomery and Stone pretty well. The film doesn't go into politics but it is an anti-war film of the highest order. Moverman was in the Israeli army and certainly knows the score. He is a filmmaker to watch and Camon is also someone to watch. Foster, Harrelson and Morton all give outstanding performances. And Steve Buscemi, as the father of one of the fallen soldiers, is simply wonderful in a two scene cameo.

So, if The Messenger is playing in your neck of the woods do yourself a favor and take yourself to see it. You won't be sorry that you did. It is definitely one of the best films of the year!

DVD Mini Review - The Unknown Woman

A few words about Giuseppe Tornatore's The Unknown Woman. It is a thriller with a number of twists and turns. And it really draws you in from the beginning.

Irena (Xenia Rappoport) is a woman from the Ukraine who has become involved in the sex trade. During flashbacks we see what she went through and I can say the violence is very graphic in those scenes. But the are real and must be part of the film. She eventually escapes and tries to start over. She wants to work as a maid and she enlists the help of a porter (Alessandro Haber) to help her. However, she is hellbent of working for a couple who already have a maid. Irena will not let anything stand in her way of what she wants. She is particularly interested in the couple's young daughter Tea (Clara Dossena). Things move along but eventually a man from her past (Michele Placido) comes back to haunt her.

The Unknown Woman is such a good film and I was riveted throughout. Tornatore really knows how to make a film. All of the actors are terrific and Rappoport is just amazing in the lead role. You can't take your eyes off of her face. I would like to see her in other films. The young Dossena is wonderful as well. In addition to a great story and a good looking film you have the outstanding musical score by Ennio Morricone.

So do yourselves a favor and rent this film as soon as you can. You won't be sorry that you did.

Precious and Pirate Radio

A few words about two movies I saw today.

Precious has been getting attention since it played at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It is Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. And it is one powerful film. Directed by Lee Daniels and scripted by Geoffrey Fletcher Precious really packs a punch.

Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) is sixteen and still in junior high school. She has been raped by her father and is now expecting her second child. Her mother Mary (Mo'Nique) is verbally and physically abusive. Precious is also quite overweight and although she is smart she has trouble reading. She has a miserable life. But there are people out there who want to help her. One is her teacher Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) who sees potential in Precious. Another is her case worker Mrs. Weiss (Mariah Carey).

The film partly takes place in Precious's head through fantasies. That is how she tries to deal with reality. This is not an easy film to watch. It is pulls no punches and goes for the gut. Daniels pulls you right into the film. Newcomer Sidibe is terrific as Precious. And Mo'Nique is amazing as her witch of a mother. Carey is really good as Mrs. Weiss - I was pleasantly surprised at how good she is. And not enough has been said about Patton as the sympathetic Ms. Rain. Also good in a small role is Lenny Kravitz as Nurse John.

Look for Precious come Oscar time. I think that the film will get a number of nominations and perhaps a win for Mo'Nique. Don't let the rough subject matter keep you away from this outstanding film.

Pirate Radio was a perfect film to see after Precious. I felt a great heaviness on my head after seeing the first film. Pirate Radio is a lot of fun and I needed a few laughs.

Based on a true story taking place in the late 1960s the story is about the time the UK banned rock music over the airwaves. With all that great music coming out of there back then you wonder why. So a group of rebel disc jockeys started up a radio station on a boat. And boy did they rock! In the film the head dj is The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman). He is the king until his rival Gavin (Rhys Ifans) comes back. Bill Nighy plays Quentin, the man who appears to be in charge. He has given refuge to his godson Carl (Tom Sturridge). Kenneth Branagh plays the government official who is hellbent on shutting down the station.

I really enjoyed the film and I love the music. Sometimes the script seems a little corny and the plot goes a bit overboard. I don't think that the film is all that accurate. But it doesn't matter because you can have a very good time if you let yourself just get into the film. Nighy, Hoffman, Ifans and Branagh are all wonderful in their roles. Emma Thompson makes a cameo appearance as Carl's mother Charlotte. And Man Men's January Jones has a small role in the film.

So if you love The Kinks, The Who, The Rolling Stones and other music from that time period do yourself a favor, kick back and enjoy Pirate Radio.

DVD Mini Review - The Country Teacher

Bohdan Slama's The Country Teacher is a terrific little film. It is a simple story but one that can resonate with many people.

Petr (Pavel Liska) leaves a good teaching job in Prague to go and live in a rural area. He takes a position teaching natural science. He strikes up a strong friendship with Marie (Zuzana Bydzovska) but ultimately Zuzana wants more than a friendship. That is not possible because Petr is gay. In fact, he left Prague because he wanted to get away from his boyfriend George (Marek Daniel). Throw into the mix Marie's troubled son Lada (Ladislau Sedivy) and you have one interesting story.

The Country Teacher is a gentle film and it is quite realistic. It is a very sensitive film. It is about loneliness, friendship and redemption. And those are themes that I find very important (and personal). All of the acting was very naturalistic. Liska gives a find low key performance and Bydzovska is very strong. The scenery is lovely. And how often do we see a real calf being born to a mother cow?

The DVD features a wonderful short (10 minutes) film entitled Peter and Ben. It is a British film about the friendship between two dropouts. Peter is a human and Ben is a lamb. Both of them prefer to be with each other instead of their own species. I really liked this little film a lot.

I recommend this DVD to those of you who like good world cinema.