The Moon of Liberty

On the eve of the OSCARS, here are my film award results (which will look nothing like the OSCAR results of course, lol) 

Best Supporting Actor

Previous winners : 05/06 Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man), 06/07 Paul Bettney (The De Vinci Code) 08/09 Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

Nominations

John Malcovich (Changeling)

Heath Ledger (The Dark Night)

Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)

Ian McShane (Death Race)

Toby Kebbell (Rocknrolla)

And the winner is..... John Malcovich (Changeling)

NB - A brilliant performance as the churchman standing against corruption in the Los Angeles police department, just pips Ledger and Seymour Hoffman to the post. Ledger will get his OSCAR this evening I have no doubt, and he was great, but for me Malcovich has the edge.

Best Supporting Actress

Previous Winners : 05/06 Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) 06/07 Cate Blanchett (Notes On A Scandal, 07/08 Amy Adams (Charlie Wilson's War)

This years nominations

Anna Popplewell (The Chronicals of Narnia - Prince Caspian)

Amber Beattie (The Boy In Striped Pyjamas)

Joan Allen (Death Race)

Amy Adams (Doubt)

Thandie Newton (Rocknrolla)

And the winner is ..... Amy Adams (Doubt)

NB - Adams takes my Supporting actress award for a second straight year, nobody does a quietly powerful supporting performance better, and in two very different roles. While fine performances by young Popplewell and Beattie deserve recognition, the award was between Adams and Thandie Newton. Will Adams have another role to go for 3 next year? and can anyone stop her if she does?

Best Entertainment Film

Previous winners : 05/06 The Chronicals of Narnia - The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, 06/07 Eragon, 07/08 Ratatouille

This years nominations

The Chronicals of Narnia - Prince Caspian

The Dark Night

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

High School Musical 3

Mamma Mia

And the winner is ..... Mamma Mia

NB - An absolute clear cut choice. the tribute to the grestest Eurovision act of all time is one of this years film gems.

Best Director

Previous winners : 05/06 Ron Howard (The Cinderella Man) 06/07 Andrew Davies (The Guardian) 07/08 Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd)

This years Nominations

Mark Herman (The Boy In Striped Pyjamas)

Clint Eastwood (Changeling)

Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)

Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage)

Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road)

And the winner is ..... Clint Eastwood (Changeling)

NB - Totally overlooked by the OSCARS, but for me the beauty of the film was due to Eastwood wonderful directing and gives him the edge over a strong line up.

Best Leading Actor

Previous winners : 05/06 Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man), 06/07 Christian Bale (The Presige), 07/08 Jamie Foxx (The Kingdom)

This years Nominations

Daniel Craig (Defiance)

Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon)

Mark Whalburg (Max Payne)

Leonardo Dicaprio (Revolutionary Road)

Tom Wilkinson (Rocknrolla)

And the winner is ..... Leonardo Dicaprio (Revolutionary Road)

NB - The chemistry between Decaprio and Kate Wisnlet was electric in this film, while winslet deserves all the plaudits, Dicaprio was excellent too, and just pips Tom Wilkinson's gangster role in Rocknrolla to the Lead Actor title.

Best Leading Actress

Previous winners : 05/06 Risse Witherspoon (Walk The Line) 06/07 Judy Dench (Notes On A Scandal) 07/08 Kiera Knightley (Atonement)

This years Nominations

Angelina Jolie (Changeling)

Kiera Knightley (The Dutchess)

Kelly Reilly (Eden Lake)

Belen Rueda (The Orphanage)

Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)

And the winner is ..... Kate Winslet (Revolutionry Road)

NB - Tonight Winslet will get an OSCAR for her role in 'The Reader.' I prefered this perfomance in Revolutionary Road. This was a tough category with both Angelina Jolie and Belen Rueda in the fantastic Spannish film 'The Orphanage' both giving brilliant performances that in other years would have taken it. This is Kate Winslet's year though and she gets it by a short head.

Best Film

Previous winners : 05/06 The Constant Gardener, 06/07 The Prestige, 07/08 Charlie Wilson's War

This years Nominations

The Boy In Striped Pyjamas

Changeling

Frost/Nixon

The Orphanage

Revolutionary Road

And the winner is ..... Changeling

NB - A straight fight between Changeling and Revolutionary Road, the two outstanding films of the year for me. Very little to choose between them, both had great acting, but the direction and way the film was put together narrowly gives Changeling the edge.

 

OK, it's film award season again, and my turn to join in. It's been the best year for films since I have been doing this and some tough close calls. My nominations this year are as follows.

Best Supporting Actor

Previous winners : 05/06 Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man), 06/07 Paul Bettney (The De Vinci Code) 08/09 Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

This years nominations

John Malcovich (Changeling)

Heath Ledger (The Dark Night)

Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)

Ian McShane (Death Race)

Toby Kebbell (Rocknrolla)

NB Hoffman gets a second consective nomination in this Category, Ledger has been nominated for best actor before for Brokback Mountain, the rest are first time nominees for me, Nobody in this category has won before, either for lead orsupporting actor.

Best Supporting Actress

Previous Winners : 05/06 Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) 06/07 Cate Blanchett (Notes On A Scandal, 07/08 Amy Adams (Charlie Wilson's War)

This years nominations

Anna Popplewell (The Chronicals of Narnia - Prince Caspian)

Amber Beattie (The Boy In Striped Pyjamas)

Joan Allen (Death Race)

Amy Adams (Doubt)

Thandie Newton (Rocknrolla)

NB Adams goes for two in a row for her role as Sister James in 'Doubt.' Joan Allen is in this category for the second year running too after her nominationg for 'The Bourne Ultimatum' last year.

Best Entertainment Film

Previous winners : 05/06 The Chronicals of Narnia - The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, 06/07 Eragon, 07/08 Ratatouille

This years nominations

The Chronicals of Narnia - Prince Caspian

The Dark Night

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

High School Musical 3

Mamma Mia

NB Narnia goes for two in a row after the first film took this category 3 years ago. Can Batman and the Joker, a romantic comedy, a fun musical, or a tribute to the greatest Eurovision act ever steal the crown?

Best Director

Previous winners : 05/06 Ron Howard (The Cinderella Man) 06/07 Andrew Davies (The Guardian) 07/08 Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd)

This years Nominations

Mark Herman (The Boy In Striped Pyjamas)

Clint Eastwood (Changeling)

Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)

Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage)

Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road)

NB Howard took this 3 years ago, the rest are here for the first time, including Bayona for the wonderful Spannish film 'The Orphanage'

Best Leading Actor

Previous winners : 05/06 Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man), 06/07 Christian Bale (The Presige), 07/08 Jamie Foxx (The Kingdom)

This years Nominations

Daniel Craig (Defiance)

Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon)

Mark Whalburg (Max Payne)

Leonardo Dicaprio (Revolutionary Road)

Tom Wilkinson (Rocknrolla)

NB Wilkinson gets his 3rd acting nomination, he won Supporting actor last year, this year he goes for the lead category. The rest are here for the first time.

Best Leading Actress

Previous winners : 05/06 Risse Witherspoon (Walk The Line) 06/07 Judy Dench (Notes On A Scandal) 07/08 Kiera Knightley (Atonement)

This years Nominations

Angelina Jolie (Changeling)

Kiera Knightley (The Dutchess)

Kelly Reilly (Eden Lake)

Belen Rueda (The Orphanage)

Kate Winslett (Revolutionary Road)

NB Knightley goes for two in a row, but this is tough competition from fantastic performances from jolie, Rueda and Winslett, by far the strongest category this year. The five are made up by kelly Reilly for her role as the prim and proper teacher turned on it's head in a dogfight for survival in the chilling horror 'Eden Lake'

Best Film

Previous winners : 05/06 The Constant Gardener, 06/07 The Prestige, 07/08 Charlie Wilson's War

This years Nominations

The Boy In Striped Pyjamas

Changeling

Frost/Nixon

The Orphanage

Revolutionary Road

NB A very tough year to narrow down to five, with excellent films like Defiance, Slumdog Millionaire, and Max payne all narrowly missing out due to the highest quality year of film during the four years i have done this.

The Winners will be up over the weekend 

Childrens television, once an integral part of early evening and Saturday mornings, is now very difficult to find on maninstream TV. There is of course the temptation to go down the 'It was better in my day' route, Every generation remembers it's own, the problem now is todays children seem to have virtually nothing at all.

This report in the Times suggests the two remaining flagship chidlrens TV shows, Blue Peter and Newsround, have seen plummeting viewing figures after the BBC decided to move the timeslot for these shows forwards to accomodate the ritual of seeing Anne Robinson mauling contestant on the 'Weakest Link.' Nothing worng with that in itself of course, but if it means the Blue Peter ship, and the wrekage of TV for young people sinks with it, It would be a sad thing indeed.

The BBC of course are an easy target with the decision that has been made, Fear that there will no new generation of cartoons, entertainment shows ect that todays chidlren can remember as there own is alive and well. But whatever can be said of the BBC, at least they still make, however token, an effort. Unlike ITV who just gave up completely. The channel that gave us Button Moon, The Sooty Show, T-Bag, Childrens Ward and Rainbow to name a few, now have absolutely nothing in the mainstream schedule. The old 4-5.15 slot has been taken over by gameshows like Golden Balls. They have decided to try and compete with Channel 4's gameshow slot where Countdown and Deal Or No deal rule the roost, rather than have the imagination to serve it's younger audience coming home from school.

It appears all the younger viewers have left is digital cartoon channels. The BBC have a CBBC channel and a CBEEBIES channel for the very young, it appears this in their view justifies the reduced schedule on mainstream BBC1. These channels generally have repeats of what has already been on BBC 1 earlier in the day anyway, or repeats of aged shows. There is also it may surprise some, a CITV channel digitally as well, although it's content is a combination of cartoons made years ago with no direct link to CITV, or the odd show which adults can remind themselves of days gone by, not the sort of output children would want to watch today anyway.

So there are some places to go for a child today, but nothing new is there for them. Nothing that will stick in the memory, nothing to call their own. Many say childhood is dying anyway, broadcasters appear to be feeding that view with their lack of imagination. It seems Blue Peter and Newsround may be all that is left, and even those brand names are not enough to keep a flicker of hope alive. There will be no new Crackerjack, or watch with mother, or magpie, or Art attack, or Rolf's Cartoon Club, or even the Tewwnies from more recent years. There will be no more stars like Roy Castle, or The recently departed Tony Hart to come through the world of chilrens TV presenting. No more anchors like Phillips Schofield, or Andy Peters to come through the ranks. No more shows like SMTV live, or Byker Grove or Grange Hill, that set up the careers of the likes of Ant and Dec and many of todays soap stars. If it is not re thought, childrens TV will soon be dead without trace, and be under no illusions that we will ALL be worse for it.

 

 

 

 

I have not written a good partisan political piece for a while, so here goes. 

First things first, as a libertarian, mainly tory leading blog read by few, I want to put on record my congratualations to Derek Draper for setting up labourlist.org. Leaving aside the sites charmless description of far superior blogs as the 'Z-List,' a deeply delusional set of writers who don't seem to understand anything much going on at all, it is at least nice to see the Labour Party getting online and joining the 21st century world of debate. So well done Derek.

I had a look at Labourlist and did to it's credit find some humour however, Gordon won't be amused. How much of the humour is intentional is of course a mute point, but at least it's there. First up is this hilaroius avatar of Peter Mandleson which I have linked from the Sun Website. The image of virtual Peter, like one wasn't enough, comes from the site Second life, a site I assume for people who consider themselves failures in the first lives. Far be it for us to speculate on

Secondly, it bravely links to this fantastic article, which is so good I'm linking to it here. A definitive definition of what Cyber Peter and company tells us about Labour. If you want a good laugh give Labourlist and Gordon's virtual Britian a go, it may take your mind off losing your home, mortgage or job.

Talking of Gordon, or should that be Superman, he has opened his mouth again. This time to The Sun. Not content withsaving the world. now he has felt the Martin Luther King force. Apparently he 'has a dream.' But that was not the best quote. Get this one, apparently he also claims that the election of Barak Obama “gives us a historic chance to move the clock forward”. er, right, funny that because I'm watching my watch now, and the clock is moving forward as it has been for centuries. Seems I'm making history, didn't realise it was quite that easy.

 

Australia

Starring - Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Brian Brown, Jack Thompson, Brandon Walters

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

A soft romance with a hard edge as it's set in the midst of World War 2, takes us Down Under as we follow English Aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley travelling to Australia. After thinking she would not be there for long, she finds herself teaming up with the local herd drover (Hugh Jackman) and an affection for half-caste boy Nullah (Bradon Walters) the leads her to stick around and fight for 'Faraway Downs' to stop corparate baron Mr Carney from sweeping up a monopoly on all profitable land across Australia.

The story relating to Nullah also adds in dose of race to the issue. As white domanance attempts to sweep all Aborigional children into the 'Christian mission' to segreagate non-whites in the region and destroy local aborigional culture. In addition Nullah's greandfather known as 'King George' is falsely accused of the death of Sarah Ashley's husband, but who can prove it, and can the wise old aborigional man with an instinct for survival be caught anyway.

The film covers a multitude of plotlines covering romance, war, race, a battle for the future of society, along with underlying links to the story of the Wizard of Oz after Lady Ashley sings Nullah some of the songs of the story, which adds a fairyale element in a similar way to a film like 'The Orphange.' The chesmitry between Jackman, Kidman and Walters brings you right into their story as they battle with all the issues the period in Australian History would bring.

This is a love it or hate it film with little middle ground. For me it was beautifully Written, acted with wonderful backdrops and directed in a way that brought a serious of plotlines together in a way much more engagingly than something like 'No Country for old Men.' It could have unravelled tryign to do to many things at once, but it didn't. It also did not hide from the harsh realities of World War 2, yet managed to keep the balance of the emotional elements of the story firmly to the forefront.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'A' - A beautiful film with so many aspects pulled together so well. The acting, and msot importantly the directing, was the key, a triumph for Baz Luhrmann above all.