First Image of Dreamworks "Oobermind"

Though it was announced a mere couple weeks ago it looks like Dreamworks is planning on bringing this movie out as early as next year (November 5th to be precise). Dreamworks have come a long way since making "Shrek." With "Kung fo Panda," "Monsters vs. Aliens," and now "Oobermind" Dreamworks is finally starting to up the quality of their films a bit. So what's "Oobermind" about? Well it's about a villain (played by Robert Downey, Jr.) who finds life a little boring after defeating the hero of the city (Ben Stiller...of all people). The movie is being directed by Gary Trousdale, one of the men responsible for directing Disney's acclaimed classic "Beauty & The Beast." With Trousdale directing you can bet this will be something to keep an eye out for. Maybe Dreamworks will finally snatch another Best Animated Feature Oscar since they won for "Shrek" in 2001.

Not Your Father's Sherlock Holmes

Now Sherlock Holmes gets a reboot. I'm doubtful this will be praised as much as J.J. Abrams "Star Trek" reboot was though. While Abrams showed great respect to the Star Trek franchise and rebooted it with the old shows spirit, Guy Richies "Sherlock Holmes" seems to be screaming "this is old, boring, and I can make it better." Can he do it? We'll see, but I'm skeptical. Robert Downey, Jr. looks good in the lead role but I feel Jude Law may be miscast as Dr. Watson.

'Soloist' Fails To Inspire

Well, the much delayed Joe Wright film "The Soloist" has finally been released to theaters with a big thud. It's opened at number 5 at the box office and the reviews haven't been much kinder. This was originally supposed to be released last year for Oscar consideration, but the studio decided to push it back to this year.

Looks like we know why now.

The only thing that has been resonated with people are the lead performances of both Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx. Right now though it's too early to see whether only won can get nominated (much less both). If I were to bet money though I'd bet on Downey, Jr. getting the nomination. Right now he's Hollywood's golden actor, the guy who does great work and makes a difficult job look easy. If one of these men are getting the nomination it is. But gee, only 61% fresh at Rotten Tomatoes? If that doesn't make you pause with anxioty then I don't know what will.

The Good, The Bad, & The Confusing (SAG 2008)

The Good

Richard Jenkins and Robert Downey Jr. scored Best Actor and Supporting Actor nods for their great work in "The Visitor" and "Tropic Thunder." "The Dark Knight" gets more then one nomination. Penelope Cruz is riding her way to a locked Oscar win.

The Bad

"The Dark Knight" is snubbed in the Best Ensemble Cast category (though it did get nominated in the Stunt Ensemble category). Rosemary Dewitt gets snubbed for "Rachael Getting Married." "Doubt" leads the nominations (though the acting is great, the movie is not, so hopefully the Academy will take that into consideration when looking at these noms). Sally Hawkins is robbed of a nomination. What? Don't the members of SAG like to laugh?

The Confusing

Basically, I don't get the whole "Slumdog Millionaire" nominations. For starters, that Best Ensemble nomination is very stupid. There are many films beyond "The Dark Knight" that have better ensembles that that movie ("Burn After Reading," "Tropic Thunder," even the virtually unseen "Mrs. Petigrew Lives For A Day"). Then, to add more confusion to the situation, Dev Patel was nominated in the Best Supporting Category, even though he's pretty much the main character. Look, I know people in Hollywood love this film, but even if they want this film to be godfather to their children they shouldn't be nominating it for things just to nominate it. Frankly, I think 'Slumdog,' good as it was, had no place being nominated here (though I wouldn't rule it out for Oscars).

Screen Actors Guild Nominees

From their official website, here are the SAG nominees:

Full List from SAG’s site:
THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
RICHARD JENKINS / Walter Vale - “THE VISITOR” (Overture Films)
FRANK LANGELLA / Richard Nixon - “FROST/NIXON” (Universal Pictures)
SEAN PENN / Harvey Milk - “MILK” (Focus Features)
BRAD PITT / Benjamin Button - “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” (Paramount Pictures)
MICKEY ROURKE / Randy - “THE WRESTLER” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
ANNE HATHAWAY / Kym - “RACHEL GETTING MARRIED” (Sony Pictures Classics)
ANGELINA JOLIE / Christine Collins - “CHANGELING” (Universal Pictures)
MELISSA LEO / Ray Eddy - “FROZEN RIVER” (Sony Pictures Classics)
MERYL STREEP / Sister Aloysius Beauvier - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
KATE WINSLET / April Wheeler - “REVOLUTIONARY ROAD” (Paramount Vantage)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
JOSH BROLIN / Dan White - “MILK” (Focus Features)
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR. / Kirk Lazarus - “TROPIC THUNDER” (Paramount Pictures)
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN / Father Brendan Flynn - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
HEATH LEDGER / Joker - “THE DARK KNIGHT” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
DEV PATEL / Older Jamal - “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
AMY ADAMS / Sister James - “DOUBT” (Miramax Flms)
PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Maria Elena - “VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA” (The Weinstein Company)
VIOLA DAVIS / Mrs. Miller - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
TARAJI P. HENSON / Queenie - “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” (Paramount Pictures)
KATE WINSLET / Hanna Schmitz - “THE READER” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
DOUBT (Miramax)
FROST/NIXON (Universal Pictures)
MILK (Focus Features)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (Paramount Pictures)

TV and nomination count after the cut (can I just say that I hate the all-caps thing?)

PRIMETIME TELEVISION


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
RALPH FIENNES / Bernard Lafferty - “BERNARD AND DORIS” (HBO)
PAUL GIAMATTI / John Adams - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)
KEVIN SPACEY / Ron Klain - “RECOUNT” (HBO)
KIEFER SUTHERLAND / Jack Bauer - “24: REDEMPTION” (FOX)
TOM WILKINSON / Benjamin Franklin - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
LAURA DERN / Katherine Harris - “RECOUNT” (HBO)
LAURA LINNEY / Abigail Adams - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)
SHIRLEY MacLAINE / Coco Chanel - “COCO CHANEL” (Lifetime)
PHYLICIA RASHAD / Lena Younger - “A RAISIN IN THE SUN” (Lifetime)
SUSAN SARANDON / Doris Duke - “BERNARD AND DORIS” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan - “DEXTER” (Showtime)
JON HAMM / Don Draper - “MAD MEN” (AMC)
HUGH LAURIE / Gregory House - “HOUSE” (FOX)
WILLIAM SHATNER / Denny Crane - “BOSTON LEGAL” (ABC)
JAMES SPADER / Alan Shore - “BOSTON LEGAL” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
SALLY FIELD / Nora Walker - “BROTHERS & SISTERS” (ABC)
MARISKA HARGITAY / Det. Olivia Benson - “LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” (NBC)
HOLLY HUNTER / Grace Hanadarko - “SAVING GRACE” (TNT)
ELISABETH MOSS / Peggy Olson - “MAD MEN” (AMC)
KYRA SEDGWICK / Dep. Chief Brenda Johnson - “THE CLOSER” (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott - “THE OFFICE” (NBC)
DAVID DUCHOVNY / Hank Moody - “CALIFORNICATION” (Showtime)
JEREMY PIVEN / Ari Gold - “ENTOURAGE” (HBO)
TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk - “MONK” (USA)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Samantha Newly - “SAMANTHA WHO?” (ABC)
AMERICA FERRERA / Betty Suarez - “UGLY BETTY” (ABC)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
MARY-LOUISE PARKER / Nancy Botwin - “WEEDS” (Showtime)
TRACEY ULLMAN / Various Characters - “TRACEY ULLMAN’S STATE OF THE UNION” (Showtime)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
DEXTER (Showtime)
HOUSE (Fox)
MAD MEN (AMC)
THE CLOSER (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 ROCK (NBC)
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
WEEDS (Showtime)

SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
THE DARK KNIGHT (Warner Bros. Pictures)
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (Universal Pictures)
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (Paramount Pictures)
IRON MAN (Paramount Pictures)
WANTED (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (NBC)
HEROES (NBC)
PRISON BREAK (FOX)
THE UNIT (CBS)
THE CLOSER (TNT)


LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild Awards 45th Annual Life Achievement Award
James Earl Jones

14th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS®
NOMINATIONS FACT SHEET
ACTORS WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS - THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES AND PRIMETIME TELEVISION
TARAJI P. HENSON (3)
FEMALE SUPPORT – “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
CAST – “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
ENSEMBLE DRAMA – “Boston Legal”

ACTORS WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS - THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
AMY ADAMS (2)
FEMALE SUPPORT – “Doubt”
CAST – “Doubt”

JOSH BROLIN (2)
MALE SUPPORT – “Milk”
CAST – “Milk”

VIOLA DAVIS (2)
FEMALE SUPPORT – “Doubt”
CAST – “Doubt”

PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (2)
MALE SUPPORT – “Doubt”
CAST – “Doubt”

FRANK LANGELLA (2)
MALE LEAD – “Frost/Nixon”
CAST – “Frost/Nixon”

DEV PATEL (2)
MALE SUPPORT – “Slumdog Millionaire”
CAST – “Slumdog Millionaire”

SEAN PENN (2)
MALE LEAD – “MILK”
CAST – “MILK”

BRAD PITT (2)
MALE LEAD – “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
CAST – “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

MERYL STREEP (2)
FEMALE LEAD – “Doubt”
CAST – “Doubt”

KATE WINSLET (2)
FEMALE LEAD – “Revolutionary Road”
FEMALE SUPPORT – “The Reader

ACTORS WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS - PRIMETIME TELEVISION
ALEC BALDWIN (2)
MALE COMEDY – “30 Rock”
ENSEMBLE COMEDY – “30 Rock”

STEVE CARELL (2)
MALE COMEDY – “The Office”
ENSEMBLE COMEDY – “The Office”

TINA FEY (2)
FEMALE COMEDY – “30 Rock”
ENSEMBLE COMEDY – “30 Rock”

MICHAEL C. HALL (2)
MALE DRAMA – “Dexter”
ENSEMBLE DRAMA – “Dexter”

JON HAMM (2)
MALE DRAMA – “Mad Men”
ENSEMBLE DRAMA – “Mad Men”

HUGH LAURIE (2)
MALE DRAMA – “House”
ENSEMBLE DRAMA – “House”

MARY LOUISE-PARKER (2)
FEMALE COMEDY – “Weeds”
ENSEMBLE COMEDY – “Weeds”

ELISABETH MOSS (2)
FEMALE DRAMA – “Mad Men”
ENSEMBLE DRAMA – “Mad Men”

JEREMY PIVEN (2)
MALE COMEDY – “Entourage”
ENSEMBLE COMEDY – “Entourage”

KYRA SEDGWICK (2)
FEMALE DRAMA – “The Closer”
ENSEMBLE DRAMA – “The Closer”

WILLIAM SHATNER (2)
MALE DRAMA – “Boston Legal”
ENSEMBLE DRAMA – “Boston Legal”

JAMES SPADER (2)
MALE DRAMA – “Boston Legal”
ENSEMBLE DRAMA – “Boston Legal”

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS
DOUBT - 5
MILK – 3
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON - 3
THE DARK KNIGHT - 2
FROST/NIXON - 2
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - 2

PRIMETIME TELEVISION PROGRAMS WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS
30 ROCK - 3
JOHN ADAMS - 3
MAD MEN- 3
THE CLOSER - 3
BERNARD AND DORIS - 2
DEXTER - 2
ENTOURAGE - 2
HOUSE - 2
RECOUNT – 2
THE OFFICE - 2
WEEDS - 2

NOMINATIONS BY STUDIO FOR THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
PARAMOUNT PICTURES - 6
MIRAMAX FILMS - 5
UNIVERSAL PICTURES – 5
FOCUS FEATURES - 3
FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES - 3
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS - 2
WARNER BROS. PICTURES - 2
THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY - 2
OVERTURE FILMS - 1
PARAMOUNT VANTAGE – 1

NOMINATIONS BY NETWORK FOR PRIMETIME TELEVISION
HBO - 9
NBC - 8
ABC - 7
SHOWTIME - 6
FOX - 4
TNT - 4
AMC - 3
LIFETIME - 2
CBS - 1
USA – 1

So "Doubt" is picking up some steam in the acting categories is it? Well, that should help it's Oscar chances (though I still doubt it's going to wind up in the final five for Best Picture). I'm sorry to see "The Dark Knight" get snubbed for Best Ensemble, but it's not out of the race yet (more on that later). I'm just giddy to see Robert Downey Jr. nominated for "Tropic Thunder." Maybe this weird, blackface role will be nominated come Oscar time? I'll write about the The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, and The Confused later on.

"Valkryie" Trailer Released

So we finally get a look at "Valkryie," Tom Cruises big comeback. I admit that I was skeptical of this movie. Neither Cruise nor director Bryan Singer have been worth talking about recently (movie wise that is), but this project is shaping up to return both men to some of their former glory. But will it be nominated for Oscars? I'm going to go out on a limb and give a very firm no. I'm sorry, but Cruise has been doing little more then destroying his career these past few years. He destroyed it in a few short weeks with the couch incident and the arguement about chemical imbalance, and he's been kicking the corpse ever since. Now, after he's killed and mutilated his corpse for a career he wants to revive it. Well, in Hollywood it can be done (ask Robert Downey Jr.) but it's going to take one hell of an effort.

I think the proper steps were taken when he took that cameo role in "Tropic Thunder" to shake things up, and if this movie is any good he'll have set the path for a full career revival. But I think the Oscars are going to pass this film on principle alone. His next project maybe...but there is one unwritten rule with the Academy: If you screw up in your career, you've got to prove you still want it before they give you an Oscar. And if you don't believe me on this, just go ask Eddie Murphy where his locked in Oscar went after "Norbit" was released.

"The Soloist" Trailer

Seeing as how Joe Wright's previous two films have attracted Oscar attention (particularly "Atonement," which got a Best Picture nomination) I feel that we can expect great things from "The Soloist." It looks like a movie with great performances, it a personal film, and (if the trailer is to be believed) it's based on a true story. Sounds like Oscar bait to me. Robert Downey Jr. has been having an esspecially good year. With "Iron Man" he revived his career in a big way. In "Tropic Thunder" he stole the show and looks to have a good shot at a Best Supporting Actor nomination. And now we have "The Soloist," which looks like potential Best Actor material. There's just five things standing in his way right now:

1. Voters could get confused as to which role to vote for, and he could walk away nomination-less.
2. Jamie Foxx could steale the nomination here.
3. The two actors could split the vote and neither get nominated.
4. Too much Downey could prove fatel to his chances.
5. "The Soloist" could be a terrible film, and thus not be award worthy.

Well, either way, glad to see Downey making films again. Whether he gets an Oscar nod or not it's difficult to revive a troubled career (just as Ben Affleck), and he managed to revive his in several big ways. So bravo to him.

Power To The Black Man (I Think)

"Tropic Thunder" is a very funny movie. This much is obvious to those who have seen it. What is even more obvious is that Robert Downey Jr. is brilliant as a white man playing a black character.



This image may be offensive to some, but frankly I don't care because the character is just so stinking funny. Every time he's on screen the movie gets better instantly. It's a comedy role, but one that I think would have a great chance at winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar almost any year. So it's kind of a shame that the movie was released during The Year of the Joker (as I'm going to call it.



Heath Ledger has got this award in the bag. Not only because this is a great performance, but because Ledger is dead (sorry guys, but it's hard to beat a dead guy). I think Downey will at least get a nomination in the supporting category, it's just a shame the movie wasn't released next year when he'd (more then likely) have a chance at winning it. Oh well, that's the Oscar game for you.