And the 2011 Winners are...

Well by now most of you know the big winners at the 2011 - 83rd Academy Awards. Even though, Inception, The Social Netwrok and The King's Speech were the big winners, I love the fact that so many different movies won awards instead of one movie walking away with everything.

AND THE WINNERS ARE ...

BEST PICTURE

THE KINGS SPEECH

BEST ACTOR

COLLEEN FIRTH

BEST ACTRESS

NATALIE PORTMAN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

CHRISTIAN BALE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

MELISSA LEO

BEST DIRECTOR

TOM HOOPER, THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST EDITING

ANGUS WALL and KIRK BAXTER, THE SOCIAL NETWORK

BEST DOCUMENTARY

CHARLES FERGUSON and AUDREY MARRS, INSIDE JOB

BEST ANIMATION FILM

TOY STORY 3

BEST MAKEUP

RICK BAKER and DAVE ELSEY,  WOLFMAN

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

COLLEEN ATWOOD,  ALICE IN WONDERLAND

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

IN A BETTER WORLD (DENMARK)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

PAUL FRANKLIN, CHRIS CORBOULD, ANDREW LOCKLEY and PETER BEBB INCEPTION

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
TRENT REZNOR and ATTICUS ROSS, THE SOCIAL NETWORK

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

WALLY PFISTER, INCEPTION

you can see all the winners here.

The 2010 Nominees

Later on this evening we will know the results of all the 2010 Academy Award Winners but just to recap some of the top,

The nominies are....

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Javier Bardem - "Biutiful"
Jeff Bridges - "True Grit"
Jesse Eisenberg - "The Social Network"
Colin Firth - "The King's Speech"
James Franco - "127 Hours"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Christian Bale - "The Fighter"
John Hawkes - "Winter's Bone"
Jeremy Renner - "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo - "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush - "The King's Speech"

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Annette Bening - "The Kids Are All Right"
Nicole Kidman - "Rabbit Hole"
Jennifer Lawrence - "Winter's Bone"
Natalie Portman - "Black Swan"
Michelle Williams - "Blue Valentine"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Amy Adams - "The Fighter"
Helena Bonham Carter - "The King's Speech"
Melissa Leo - "The Fighter"
Hailee Steinfeld - "True Grit"
Jackie Weaver - "Animal Kingdom"

Best animated feature film of the year
"How to Train Your Dragon" - Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
"The Illusionist" - Sylvain Chomet
"Toy Story 3" - Lee Unkrich

Achievement in art direction
"Alice in Wonderland" - Production Design: Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Karen O'Hara
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" - Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
"Inception" - Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Larry Dias and Doug Mowat
"The King's Speech" - Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Judy Farr
"True Grit" - Production Design: Jess Gonchor; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh

Achievement in cinematography
"Black Swan" - Matthew Libatique
"Inception" - Wally Pfister
"The King's Speech" - Danny Cohen
"The Social Network" - Jeff Cronenweth
"True Grit" - Roger Deakins

Achievement in costume design
"Alice in Wonderland" - Colleen Atwood
"I Am Love" - Antonella Cannarozzi
"The King's Speech" - Jenny Beavan
"The Tempest" - Sandy Powell
"True Grit" - Mary Zophres

Achievement in directing
"Black Swan" - Darren Aronofsky
"The Fighter" - David O. Russell
"The Social Network" - David Fincher
"The King's Speech" - Tom Hooper
"True Grit" - Joel Cohen and Ethan Cohen

Best documentary feature
"Exit Through the Gift Shop" - Banksy and Jaimie D'Cruz
"Gasland" - Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
"Inside Job" - Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Restrepo" - Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
"Waste Land" - Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley

Best documentary feature
"Killing in the Name"
"Poster Girl"
"Strangers No More"
"Sun Come Up"
"The Warriors of Qiugang"

Achievement in film editing
"Black Swan" - Andrew Weisblum
"The Fighter" - Pamela Martin
"The King's Speech" - Tariq Anwar
"127 Hours" - Jon Harris
"The Social Network" - Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

Best foreign language film
"Beautiful" - Mexico
"Dogtooth" - Greece
"In a Better World" - Denmark
"Incendies" - Canada
"Hors la Loi" ("Outside the Law") - Algeria

Best makeup
"Barney's Version" - Adrien Morot
"The Way Back" - Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
"The Wolfman" - Rick Baker and Dave Elsey

Best Music (Original Score)
"How To Train Your Dragon" - John Powell
"Inception" - Hans Zimmer
"The King's Speech" - Alexander Desplat
"127 Hours" - A.R. Rahman
"The Social Network" - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Best visual effects
"Alice in Wonderland" - Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" - Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
"Hereafter" - Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
"Inception" - Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
"Iron Man 2" - Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

Best motion picture of the year
"Black Swan" - Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
"The Fighter" - David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
"Inception" - Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
"The Kids Are All Right" - Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
"The King's Speech" - Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
"127 Hours" - Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
"The Social Network" - Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
"Toy Story 3" - Darla K. Anderson, Producer
"True Grit" - Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
"Winter's Bone" - Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

more Academy nomines

Zola's Movie Pics Reaches 50,000 Hits

Hey everyone

I just wanted to toot my horn a little bit and acknowledge my 50,000 hit this morning. It may not seem like much to some, Facebook probably gets that many hits an hour, but for little old me, It's great news!!! It means you are reading my reviews and I want to thank you all for that. Now let's see how fast we can make it to 100,000.

Zola

Zola's Intermission Take 17 - December 25th, 2010

Happy Holidays to all my loyal readers. Yes I've been away for many months now but that doesn't mean I haven't been watching my movies. Sorry to not be posting my reviews in a while but starting January 1st, look for Zola's Movie Pics to be back in full swing. I'm working hard now at scheduling one a day so there will be no interruptions in posts and so far I have the first three weeks of posts ready to go up. Weeeeeeeee!

Let me take this time to wish each and every one of you a very Prosperous New Year - 2011 and looking forward to some great movie viewing.

Zola

And the 2010 Academdy Award Winners Are...

BEST PICTURE - HURT LOCKER
I couldn't disagree more and view the movie's win at as a political statement by the academy in an almost justified approval of the war we shouldn't even be involved in. I've seen both movies and while Hurt Locker is an excellent movie, for me it doesn't compare to the complete visual entertainment and much bigger universal message in the outstanding movie Avatar. I thought the "best movies" were supposed to be the ones most entertaining for their audience. I'm wondering if the Academy even saw Avatar. I'm not trying to take the importance of what these soldiers that risk theirs lives encounter diffusing bombs. Hurt Locker is a very realistic tribute to their bravery. But all of my other major picks were correct, even Kathryn Bigelow for director and I just feel Hollywood didn't get Avatar's message and/or was not ready for people who look differently.


BEST ACTOR - JEFF BRIDGES

BEST ACTRESS - SANDRA BULLOCK

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - CHRISTOPH WALTZ

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - MO'NIQUE

BEST DIRECTOR - KATHRYN BIGELOW

BEST DOCUMENTARY - THE COVE

BEST ANIMATION FILM - UP

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - AVATAR

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - AVATAR

you can see all the winners here.

Zola's Intermission Take 18 - March 7, 2010

Later on this evening we will know the results of all the 2010 Academy Award Winners but just to recap some of the top,

The nominies are....

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart" (Fox Searchlight)
George Clooney in "Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)
Colin Firth in "A Single Man" (The Weinstein Company)
Morgan Freeman in "Invictus" (Warner Bros.)
Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Matt Damon in "Invictus" (Warner Bros.)
Woody Harrelson in "The Messenger" (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Christopher Plummer in "The Last Station" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Stanley Tucci in "The Lovely Bones" (DreamWorks in association with Film4, Distributed by Paramount)
Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros.)
Helen Mirren in "The Last Station" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Carey Mulligan in "An Education" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia" (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Penélope Cruz in "Nine" (The Weinstein Company)
Vera Farmiga in "Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)
Maggie Gyllenhaal in "Crazy Heart" (Fox Searchlight)
Anna Kendrick in "Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)
Mo'Nique in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)

Best animated feature film of the year

"Coraline" (Focus Features) - Henry Selick
"Fantastic Mr. Fox" (20th Century Fox) - Wes Anderson
"The Princess and the Frog" (Walt Disney) - John Musker and Ron Clements
"The Secret of Kells" (GKIDS) - Tomm Moore
"Up" (Walt Disney) - Pete Docter

Achievement in art direction

"Avatar" (20th Century Fox) -Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert StrombergSet Decoration: Kim Sinclair
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (Sony Pictures Classics) - Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia MasaroSet Decoration: Caroline Smith
"Nine" (The Weinstein Company) - Art Direction: John MyhreSet Decoration: Gordon Sim
"Sherlock Holmes" (Warner Bros.) - Art Direction: Sarah GreenwoodSet Decoration: Katie Spencer
"The Young Victoria" (Apparition) - Art Direction: Patrice VermetteSet Decoration: Maggie Gray

Achievement in cinematography

"Avatar" (20th Century Fox) - Mauro Fiore
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (Warner Bros.) - Bruno Delbonnel
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment) - Barry Ackroyd
"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company) - Robert Richardson
"The White Ribbon" (Sony Pictures Classics) - Christian Berger

Achievement in costume design

"Bright Star" (Apparition) - Janet Patterson
"Coco before Chanel" (Sony Pictures Classics) - Catherine Leterrier
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (Sony Pictures Classics) -Monique Prudhomme
"Nine" (The Weinstein Company) - Colleen Atwood
"The Young Victoria" (Apparition) -Sandy Powell

Achievement in directing

"Avatar" (20th Century Fox) - James Cameron
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment) - Kathryn Bigelow
"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company) - Quentin Tarantino
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate) - Lee Daniels
"Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios) - Jason Reitman

Best documentary feature

"Burma VJ" (Oscilloscope Laboratories)A Magic Hour Films Production - Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
"The Cove" (Roadside Attractions)An Oceanic Preservation Society Production - Nominees to be determined
"Food, Inc." (Magnolia Pictures)A Robert Kenner Films Production - Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers"A Kovno Communications Production - Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
"Which Way Home"A Mr. Mudd Production - Rebecca Cammisa

Best documentary short subject

"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"A Downtown Community Television Center Production - Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill
"The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner"A Just Media Production- Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant"A Community Media Production - Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
"Music by Prudence"An iThemba Production -Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
"Rabbit à la Berlin" (Deckert Distribution)An MS Films Production - Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Achievement in film editing

"Avatar" (20th Century Fox) - Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
"District 9" (Sony Pictures Releasing) - Julian Clarke
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment) - Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company) - Sally Menke
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate) - Joe Klotz

Best motion picture of the year

"Avatar" (20th Century Fox)A Lightstorm Entertainment Production - James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
"The Blind Side" (Warner Bros.)An Alcon Entertainment Production - Nominees to be determined
"District 9" (Sony Pictures Releasing)A Block/Hanson Production - Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
"An Education" (Sony Pictures Classics)A Finola Dwyer/Wildgaze Films Production - Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)A Voltage Pictures Production - Nominees to be determined
"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company)A Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures/A Band Apart/Zehnte Babelsberg Production - Lawrence Bender, Producer
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)A Lee Daniels Entertainment/Smokewood Entertainment Production - Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
"A Serious Man" (Focus Features)A Working Title Films Production - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
"Up" (Walt Disney)A Pixar Production - Jonas Rivera, Producer
"Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)A Montecito Picture Company Production - Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

more Academy nomines

Zola's Intermission Take 17 - Where Did Our Patriotism Go?

Sorry, I have been away on a mini vacation and not able to post any new movie reviews, but never fear, I have a list of at least 400 more I have viewed but yet found the time to post. Stay tuned for new reviews coming soon.

I wanted to take a moment, to recognize today - September 11, 2009, America's 8 year anniversary of the horrible tragic act of terrorism that struck our great nation.


Eight years later, it seems we have gotten all too comfortable again and forgotten the patriotism the entire nation had in those days that followed. To me, it appears we've gone back to the daily rat races of our lives instead of realizing what's important in them. On September 11, 2001, we all united together to call ourselves Americans, cars proudly displayed the American flag and kind words were spoken to our neighbors and passersby. Now, eight years later, it would seem we are back to separating ourselves again, calling our American citizenship but other names. Africa American, Asian American, Mexican American, Armenian Americans, Italian Americans, Latinos, Jews, Muslims, etc. We've become separated again causing hatred and prejudices. Will it take yet another tragedy to bring us back together as a nation. If nothing else, for at least today, find the patience in your fellow mankind for a kind word and most importantly, tell somebody you care for that you love them before you do not have the chance to.

Zola's Intermission Take 16 - August 9th, 2009

I just wanted to take some time out and thank all of you readers for your continued support reading my blog. The 700th movie was just posted with at least another 400 movies, I've already watched, just needing to get posted. Awwwwwww so many movies ... so little time ...



Also Zola's Movie Pics has just gotten the 20,000th hit. Wow, you guys are awesome and I am honored to know that someone actually reads my blog and comes back again and again. My goal is to get a new review up every day and even though I have tried, it's still very hard to do just that. We all know that with our busy lifestyles, that is not always possible. But, knowing that you appreciate reading more movie reviews, I'll keep trying to get as many movies up as possible. Thank you for reading and I welcome all of your comments.

Zola's Intermission Take 15 - July 13th, 2009

Hey gang and sorry to not have posted any current movie reviews. BUT I have a good excuse.

I was hiding out in the "Avenue of the Giants" camping in the Coastal Redwoods of northern California, with no phone reception, wi-fi, or current movies. But never fear, I'm back now and more movie reviews will be coming soon.


Thank you for your patience as I needed that sanity break.

Zola's Intermission Take 14 - June 25th, 2009

Wow some very sad news today, not once, but twice.

We've lost two more special people on the planet,


Farrah Fawcet, 62, passed away at 9:28 a.m at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica. By her side was Ryan O'Neal, her longtime friend and lover and friend Alana Stewart. Perhaps best remembered for her role as Jill Munroe on Charlie's Angels, she will also be remembered for her wing tipped hair style of the late 70's and 80's. I know all of us teen girls wanted our hair to look just like hers.

She was really good as an actress in the 1984 movie, The Burning Bed.

And on another sad note music star, Michael Jackson, 50, died of an alleged heart attack at his home. Fans gathered outside of UCLA Medical Center awaiting the confirmation of his death.

If you were lucky enough to have seen Michael Jackson in concert, you know what a treat that was. I was fortunate to see him at his 1988 "BAD" concert tour. I must say, it was one of the best and most entertaining concerts I have ever been to.

Though we've seen Michael go through many changes in the last few decades, he will always be rememebered as one of the greatest ledgends of the music world.

Zola's Intermission Take 13 - May 14th, 2009

Zola's Movie Reviews gets some recognition. My blog has been given the prestige honor of reviewing a new upcoming movie. I'd thought I'd share her letter and also help spread awareness of the film. I received my copy today and normally would have it on my blog over the weekend, if it weren't for the fact I'll be away in my tent camping, with out the luxury of a DVD player and electricity. But stayed tuned early next week, as I am looking forward to watching what looks to be a fun movie.

Dear Zola;

I'm the co-writer and executive producer on of an independent feature film Man Overboard, a comedy which revolves around a used boat lot and a sociopath salesman. We're currently trying to reach out to the film community to build awareness for the film. I'm hoping you would be willing to watch the movie and post a review of it on your website. It's a really fun film and so far just about everyone who has seen it thinks it's quite funny.

If you would be willing to watch Man Overboard please let me know and I'll mail you a copy of the DVD.

Thanks,

Ashley Scott Meyers