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Italian Film Critics Awards 2009

2009 Nastri d’Argento
National Union of Italian Film Journalists’ 2009 Nastri d’Argento (Silver Ribbons) nominations: May 29, 2009
2009 Nastri d’Argento winners: Taormina Film Festival, Sicily, on June 27, 2009
(”*” denotes the winner in each category)
 

Toni Servillo (center) as Italian prime-minister Giulio Andreotti in Paolo Sorrentino’s scathing political comedy-drama Il Divo. At the Nastri d’Argento awards ceremony, Sorrentino remarked that if he were to make Il Divo today, “and revolving around a woman, it’d certainly be about Veronica Lario.” Former actress Lario is right-wing prime-minister Silvio Berlusconi’s soon-to-be former wife, who recently filed for divorce while accusing her family-values proponent husband of being much too interested in some very young women.
 

Best Director
Francesca Archibugi (Questione di cuore)
Pupi Avati [...]

2009 David di Donatello Winners

Matteo Garrone’s organized crime drama Gomorrah (above, top photo), based on Roberto Saviano’s polemical book, took top honors at the 2009 David di Donatello awards. The Italian Film Academy voted Gomorrah the best Italian film of the year and Garrone the best director, in addition to handing the film five other awards, including best screenplay and best producer.
Paolo Sorrentino’s Il Divo (above, lower photo), which also deals (however indirectly) with the mafia, also received a total of seven statues (out of 16 nominations), including the best actor trophy for star Toni Servillo’s brilliant caricature of former Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti, and a best supporting actress win for Piera Degli Espositi.
Last year, Gomorrah won the Cannes [...]

David di Donatello 2009

2009 David di Donatello Awards
2009 David di Donatello Award nominations: April 9, 2009
2009 David di Donatello Award winners: May 8, 2009
("*" denotes the winner in each category)
 

Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah (top photo); Toni Servillo in Il Divo (lower photo)
 

Best Film / miglior film
Il divo
produced by Andrea Occhipinti, Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima, Maurizio Coppolecchia
directed by Paolo Sorrentino
Ex
produced by Fulvio Lucisano, Federica Lucisano
directed by Fausto Brizzi
* Gomorra
produced by Domenico Procacci
directed by Matteo Garrone
Si può fare
produced by Angelo Rizzoli
directed by Giulio Manfredonia
Tutta la vita davanti
produced by Motorino Amaranto – Medusa
directed by Paolo Virzì
Best Film from the European Union / miglior film dell’Unione Europea
Entre les murs, by Laurent [...]

PAUL BLART Beats UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS

Paul Blart: Mall Cop topped the North American box office for the second consecutive weekend with $21.5 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Steve Carr’s comedy starring Kevin James as a mall security guard successfully fought off its competition, lifting its domestic gross to an impressive $64 million after only two weeks in release.

Following closely in second place was new entry Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, which took home $20.7 million but failed to beat the $26.8 million opening weekend gross of its predecessor, Underworld: Evolution.

Things didn’t go so well for Inkheart, this weekend’s second wide release. The Iain Softley-directed adaptation of Cornelia Funke’s novel [...]

PAUL BLART Beats GRAN TORINO at the Box Office

Paul Blart: Mall Cop secured the top spot at the North American box office this weekend with $33.8 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Sony’s Steve Carr-directed comedy stars Kevin James as a devoted security guard struggling to protect his mall against a bunch of ruthless crooks. The film just fell short of surpassing the $34.2 million opening weekend gross of James’ previous big-screen comedy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.

Still going strong at No. 2 was Clint Eastwood’s drama Gran Torino, which earned $22.2 million for a total gross of $73.2 million after six weeks in release. Eastwood stars as a racist Korean War vet who [...]

GRAN TORINO at the Top of the Box Office

Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino raced to the top of the North American box office this weekend with $29 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The film, which stars Eastwood as a war veteran who bonds with a Hmong teenager, easily shook off its competition after expanding into 2,808 theaters. Its domestic total currently stands at $40 million.

Debuting at No. 2 with $21.5 million was Gary Winick’s latest comedy, Bride Wars, starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson (above) as best friends who become the worst enemies after their weddings are accidentally booked on the same day.

Meanwhile, new entry The Unborn finished third with $21 million. The David [...]

Oscar 2009 Predictions: Best Director, Screenplay

Danny Boyle

BEST DIRECTION
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)
Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight)
Gus Van Sant (Milk)
All the nominees match the films found in the best picture list — something that is less common than one might think. Fincher has been getting plenty of recognition from critics’ and other groups, which makes me believe that, despite some unenthusiastic reviews for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, he’ll land a best director nomination come next January.
Doubt director John Patrick Shanley will have to be content with a screenwriting nod.
Runners-up: Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky), who may pull off another Vera Drake upset and take Ron Howard’s place; Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road); the idolized Clint Eastwood (Gran [...]

AFI Awards 2008

2008 AFI Awards
2008 AFI Awards: Dec. 14, 2008
 

Christian Bale in The Dark Knight
 

FILM
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
FROST/NIXON
FROZEN RIVER
GRAN TORINO
IRON MAN
MILK
WALL•E
WENDY AND LUCY
THE WRESTLER
 
TELEVISION
BREAKING BAD
IN TREATMENT
JOHN ADAMS
LIFE
LOST
MAD MEN
THE OFFICE
RECOUNT
THE SHIELD
THE WIRE
 
AFI AWARDS 2008 JURORS
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Leonard Maltin
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan University
Mary Corey
University of California, Los Angeles
Mark Harris
Author
Entertainment Weekly
Jim Hosney
American Film Institute
Rick Jewell
University of Southern California
Elvis Mitchell
THE TREATMENT
Daniel Petrie, Jr.
Writer/Producer/Director
Tom Pollock
Producer
Vice Chair and Chair Emeritus, AFI Board of Trustees
Richard Schickel
Time
Vivian Sobchack
University of California, Los Angeles
[...]

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