One of the reasons I started a blog about chick flicks is because I love romantic movies. Sad love stories, funny love stories, it doesn’t matter as long as the stories are good and real. There is something incredibly wonderful about the basic human story of boy meets girl that I enjoy. Will they fall in love? Will they stay together or break up? Will they live happily ever after?  It’s the possibilities that make me want to watch the movie. The important thing for me is a good story with real characters, people who make me want to know them and care about them.

Chris Grissom and Matt Brown, two young filmmakers from Dallas, TX made a love story like that. Between Notes is the story of  David and Annie, two musicians who meet in the park and start a friendship and start to  fall in love with each other. With the addition of some lovely songs from Austin musician, David Ramirez, Between Notes is a not really a musical, but music definitely plays a part in the story.

On my way to see Potiche at the Angelika Film Center for the Dallas International Film Festival, I met a couple of guys who invited me to see the movie they made. The movie was Between Notes. I am glad they convinced me to stay late for the premiere of their movie. It was one of my favorite films of the entire festival.

Made in and around Dallas in two weeks, with a budget of $10,000, Between Notes “ is a classic love story with a not so classic ending.  It  makes  people ask questions, and it features some of the best music you will  find in any  film.”  Like Once and (500) Days of Summer, Between Notes is a love story from the guy’s point of view, where music plays an important part in the story. And like those movies, you will want to buy the Between Notes soundtrack. David Ramirez wrote and sang many of the songs, with Summer Ames as the voice of Annie.

A Love Story Set to Music

David Ramirez plays David, an aspiring singer who gave up his own dreams of pursuing a musical career for his girlfriend.  He leaves his music behind, takes a job in corporate America to please her, but she pursues her dreams and leaves him broken-hearted in Dallas to further her career in New York City.

Brandi Price plays Annie, a girl with a similar story. Recently, back in Dallas after living for a while in Chicago, Annie too has had a bad experience with love. The two recently wounded people meet one day in a local park  and soon a friendship starts. But Annie wants to keep the friendship casual, so they leave notes in on the park bench for each other. The park becomes their special place. Things get complicated when she unknowingly moves into the lofts as David.  Shelby Cook is delightful as David’s roommate, Will and Britney Joyner plays Jen, Annie’s roommate.

As a Dallas resident, it was cool to recognize some of the locations in the Dallas neighborhood of Deep Ellum, where they lived and sang their beautiful songs. It made the movie feel familiar and real to me. As though I might run into the movie’s characters at Starbucks or West Village. However, I have no idea in which park the stone bench is located.

Will they fall in love? Will they stay together or break up? Will they live happily ever after?

Between Notes Teaser Trailer from BFM Creative on Vimeo.

Those are the questions you will ask in this movie. Love, finding ‘the one‘, someone to love is something we all long for.  But what if this is the right person comes along at the wrong time? The questions and the answers are what make the love story interesting and they are found between notes.

Between Notes has not been released in theaters yet. For more information about the movie, visit the Between Notes Facebook Page and follow them on Twitter.

Potiche was one  of the films I watched at the Dallas International Film Festival earlier this month. Starring the great Catherine Deneuve and directed by François Ozon, Potiche is my idea of a French Chick Flick.  In French, a potiche is a pretty vase or decorative object of little value and no real practical use. It is also the slang expression for  a ‘trophy wife‘, a woman who is just eye candy, living in the shadow of her husband  and o doesn’t  have any identity of  her own.

The Plot of Potiche

Set in 1977 in a provincial French town, Potiche is a comedy about  Madame Suzanne Pujol (Catherine Deneuve), a submissive housebound ‘trophy wife’  who is married to Robert Pujol, her wealthy, tyrannical  and unfaithful husband.  Monsieur Pujol is the president of an umbrella factory where he treats his employees just as bas as he treats his wife. Fed up with working conditions, the workers go on strike and take him hostage.

Madame Pujol surprises everyone, especially her husband when she reaches out to a ‘friend’ from the past to help negotiate her husband’s release. Gérard Depardieu plays a former union leader and Suzanne’s ex-beau who still holds a flame for her. The ordeal of being a hostage and being released with the aid of his mortal enemy is too much for M Pujol to bear. He has a heart attack. His doctor recommends a restful cruise to calm his nerves.

In his absence,  Susanne takes over the operation of the umbrella factory and  proves herself a competent and assertive  business woman. Deneuve is wonderful in Potiche, as a woman who reveals her hidden talents and a few of her long hidden secrets and comes out on top. She is not the useless decorative object or trophy wife she appears to be.

Acclaimed writer-director François Ozon (“Swimming Pool,” “Under the Sand,” “Time to Leave,”) who had previously directed Ms. Deneuve in the international hit “8 Women”,  creates a satirical and hilarious take on the war between the sexes and classes. He also faithfully recreates the feel of the late 1970′s with the fashions, hairstyles and even popular french music from the period.

Check Fandango or your local theater for a release date for Potiche.

I am very excited to interview Katrina Hill, the woman behind the popular blog,  Action Flick Chick. I met Katrina on Twitter last year and we enjoyed many lively discussions about our taste in movies. Our tweets about the differences between Action Chick Flicks or Action Flicks with Chicks is the inspiration for my upcoming series on Action Chick Flicks.

Katrina took time out of her busy schedule to talk to me about action flicks, zombies, Schwarzenegger and even chick flicks.

BLOG, BLOGGING AND THE INTERNET

Hello Katrina. How are you doing today?

I’m doing great! How about yourself?

I am great and very excited to have this opportunity to talk to you. Tell my readers a little bit about yourself. Who is the The Action Flick Chick?

She is an awesome woman who reviews movies based on their action, not the plot. Okay, so I still talk about the plot some, but I score each film based on how much action is in them. The Action Flick Chick also keeps you informed on all the upcoming attractions, convention news, and interviews. She will straight up kick you in the ass!

How did you start blogging and when did you start the Action Flick Chick blog?

I started blogging accidentally really. My friends started their own website, www.rocketllama.com, and I wanted to help out in some way. So I decided to write a review of the action in Rambo IV (because it’s so awesome). I had no intentions of creating my own site or even doing the reviews for a long time, but then they started getting a lot of hits.

I wrote my first review about 2 years ago, and decided to branch off into my own Action Flick Chick site about 1 ½ years ago.

Wow! You have come a long way in a very short time. Are you a full-timer blogger?

I am a full-time blogger in the sense that it takes up enough time to be a full time job. However, I am still working another job to supplement the income from the website for now.

Congratulations are in order… You just reached the big 100,000 followers on Twitter.  And you are on the Top 10 of Twitter Grader’s The Most Powerful Women on Twitter. How does this happen?

I’m not sure how that happened, myself! I try to tweet movie news and all my articles that I put on my website. I also like to interact with my followers and throw out questions that I then compile the answers to in a blog post.

So people aren’t just reading about what I ate for lunch or what happened to me at the grocery store that day, they are able to read legit news and reviews if they want to, or interact and have a conversation.

MOVIES & MOVIE STARS

Why action flicks and not some other genre?

I love, love, love action movies! They are so much fun! And I didn’t feel like they were getting the proper respect on the internet when I first started blogging. Sure, there are a ton of people out there who love action films like I do, but I didn’t know of anyone focusing specifically on that genre.

I have to admit, there are a few action movies that I like too. (especially if they star Hugh Jackman). What is it about action movies that you love and gets your blood pumping?

Hands down the ass kicking! I don’t get to see most kinds of action in real life like explosions or someone getting their ass handed to them (I’m okay with not seeing that IRL though). Action movies are a way to see all those cool things and to also see some stuff that is impossible, but still cool.

Tell me, what is your all time favorite action flick and how many times have you seen it?

Tremors! (Even though it’s not really a true “action” film). I’ve seen this film at least a 100 times, if not more. I’ve been watching it for over a decade.

So, who is your favorite male action movie star?

Arnold Schwarzenegger is my favorite classic action star. He has the best one liners and a ton of great movies under his belt. My favorite action star that is still working right now though is Jason Statham! He’s a transporter, mechanic, and likes to crank things up!

I am starting a series  blog posts next week about Action Chick Flicks. I would love to know who is your favorite female action star?

Angelina Jolie has recently become my favorite female action stars. She keeps pumping out the action films. She’s great in that role and does a lot of the stunts herself.

The Expendables brought together some big name action stars like, Stallone, Bruce Willis, even Arnold, which female stars would you like to see together in an action movie?

I would love to see a team of female action stars: Michelle Rodriguez, Angelina Jolie, Mila Jovovich, Chloe Moretz, and Maggie Q.

Are there any recent  or upcoming action flicks that you are looking forward to seeing?

I am curious and yet scared of Sanctum,  just because I have a problem with seeing people trapped under water. I am looking forward to Unknown only because Liam Neeson is in it, and I hope he kicks a lot of ass.

Spring and Summer Releases… I am also looking forward to Sucker Punch. Battle: Los Angeles looks like it will have great action, Drive Angry looks fun, and The Green Hornet looks like it has some potential.

Besides action and horror movies, what other genre of movies do you enjoy

I like…what else is there besides action and horror? Oh, I love comedies. I love to laugh.

When you are not blogging and being the awesome Action Flick Chick, what do you do with your free time for fun?

In what little free time that I have, I play video games and read graphic novels. I also like to travel a lot and go to a lot of conventions. And of course, I watch a lot of movies! I mix it up with plenty of action movies and some comedies.

Since I am the Chick Flicks Chick, I have to ask: Is there a chick flicks that you have enjoyed? Which one?

Sigh. Okay… I will admit that I enjoy America’s Sweethearts and Wimbledon. I like everyone in those films and they crack me up.

THE FUTURE OF THE ACTION FLICK CHICK

What is next for the Action Flick Chick? For you and your blog?

World domination? Other than that, I am working on getting more YouTube videos and skits out there on my channel. Some zombie skits and more!

This was so much fun. I enjoyed talking to a fellow movie blogger and film fan.

You can find Katrina at:

www.actionflickchick.com

@actionchick on Twitter

Action Flick Chick on Facebook

Action Flick Chick on YouTube

The nominations for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards were announced earlier today. After the Golden Globes wins and other award show nominations, many of the Oscar noms were not a surprise. What surprised many people were the people and films who were not nominated. Like the glaring omission of Christopher Nolan for Inception. While it is not a Chick Flick, Inception was one of the best movies of the year. With Inception, The Dark Knight and The Prestige, I realized that  Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite directors.

The King’s Speech leads with 8 nominations, including one for Helena Bonham Cater for Best Supporting Actress. Black Swan has 5 nominations, including Natalie Portman for Best Actress. I can’t deny that Natalie did a fantastic job, even though I wasn’t as crazy about Black Swan as the rest of the world.

A few of my favorite movies, True Grit, Inception and The Social Network all received multiple nominations, including Best Picture; as well as Best Supporting Actress for Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit. Although, I think she was more of a lead actress, since she was in almost every scene, which is why I kind of consider True Grit a Western Chick Flick. Otherwise, besides Black Swan, and TThe Kids Are All Right, where are the Chick Flicks?

What do you think of the Oscar nominations? Who do you think should (or should not) win?

The Oscar Nominations

Best motion picture of the year

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

The King’s Speech

127 Hours

The Social Network

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter’s Bone

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Javier Bardem in Biutiful

Jeff Bridges in True Grit

Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network

Colin Firth in The King’s Speech

James Franco in 127 Hours

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Christian Bale in The Fighter

John Hawkes in Winter’s Bone

Jeremy Renner in The Town

Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right

Geoffrey Rush in The King’s Speech

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right

Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone

Natalie Portman in Black Swan

Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Amy Adams in The Fighter

Helena Bonham Carter in The King’s Speech

Melissa Leo in The Fighter

Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit

Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom

Best animated feature film of the year

How to Train Your Dragon

The Illusionist

Toy Story 3

Achievement in art direction

Alice in Wonderland

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Inception

The King’s Speech

True Grit

Achievement in cinematography

Black Swan, Inception, The King’s Speech, The Social Network, True Grit

Achievement in costume design

Alice in Wonderland, I Am Love, The King’s Speech, The Tempest. True Grit

Achievement in directing

Darren Aronofsky for The Black Swan

David O. Russell for The Fighter

Tom Hooper for  The King’s Speech

David Fincher for The Social Network

Joel and Ethan Coen for  True Grit

Achievement in film editing

Black Swan, The Fighter, The King’s Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network

Achievement in makeup

Barney’s Version, The Way Back, The Wolfman

Related Posts:

Reel Arty: Oscar Nominations

Reel Talk: 2011 Oscar Nominations

A man watching chick flicks? Yes, if that man is Nick Waters. Last month I interview Nick, a guy  from a small town in Oklahoma who planned to watch 30 Chick Flicks in 30 Days. Since then, Nick has not only learned something new about relationships, love and women, but he has become famous. In the past 30 days, not only has he watched 30 Chick Flicks, but he has also been interviewed by reporters all over the world.

Nick and his wife Nicci also appeared on the CBS Morning Show. There might even be a book deal in the works. Wow! That is the power of Chick Flicks at work!

I caught up with Nick again recently, after he finished his 30 day Chick Flick challenge.

Just Chick Flicks: Hello, there Mr. Famous Chick Flicks Guy. I saw your appearance on CBS Morning Show. You guys were really good.

30chickflicks: Haha, thank you. It was definitely an experience for both of us! I had been in NYC before, but it was my wife’s first trip.

Just Chick Flicks: I LOVE New York City.

30chickflicks: It is a beautiful city. We enjoyed our time; wish we could have stayed longer, though.

Just Chick Flicks: When we spoke in January  you were about to begin your 30 Chick Flicks in 30 Days Challenge. Did you have any idea then, that you would have received not only local and national, but international attention?

30chickflicks: Not to this extent. I knew this idea had potential, but I didn’t know that it would have the reach that it’s had.

Just Chick Flicks: You even have fans as far away as Ireland. Any plans for a trip over there?

30chickflicks: My wife, and I would love to go to Ireland. It would be an honor to visit the people that we’ve connected with there.

Just Chick Flicks: When you started the  Chick Flicks in 30 Days Challenge, your intent was to understand your wife better by watching movies about women. What is the most important thing you have learned from the movies you’ve watched?

30chickflicks: Wow, one thing?… The most important, sure.

I would have to say ‘Forgiveness.’

Every relationship at some level must have forgiveness. Whether it’s between a parent, and a child, a woman, and a man in love, or best friends, a lasting relationship contains forgiveness.

Just Chick Flicks: Very true…In which movie(s) did you see the best example of that?

30chickflicks: Honestly, this theme of forgiveness wasn’t something that I expected to see portrayed in so many movies.

Some examples, in the movie The Women, Couples Retreat, Georgia Rule and in Whip It.

I should clarify that forgiveness of self is big, too. One movie where that didn’t take place, and a character suffered was “Atonement“. The little sister never forgave herself, even in adulthood, and it affected how she did (or didn’t live) her life.

Just Chick Flicks: forgiveness. That is an important lesson to learn. So you have watched 30 chick flicks and your man card has not been revoked. Was it worth it?

30chickflicks: Hahaha, man card still in hand…It was worth every hour spent in front of a TV, and computer screen.

This whole experience has been just that: an experience. The things I’ve learned, the memories shared with my wife, the people we’ve met, the places we’ve been; it’s all worth it.

Just Chick Flicks: I bet am sure  were…. So, now what is next? Perhaps  a 30 Day Action Flicks in 30 Days for your wife Nicci?  I believe  a book deal might be in the works? What is the proposed topic of the book? Chick Flicks (I hope).

30chickflicks: No “dude flick” challenge; at least none that we know of, or have planned right now.

About the book…I’m in the process of working on a manuscript, and have been since last week. There is no guaranteed publisher as of yet. According to our literary agent, the process to being published begins with me having a portion of the book already written. Time is of the essence, and I’ve been given a six-week deadline to have that portion written and to the agent.

Just Chick Flicks: Who knew all of this would happen to a guy from Oklahoma who watched a few chick flicks? Did you have any plans to write a book before this challenge?

30chickflicks: No. People even asked me when the 30 days was just beginning if I would turn this into a book. I laughed.

Just Chick Flicks: Well, let me be the first  to say, that the book will be a hit and turned into a movie (ala Julie & Julia) . If you have room in the movie for Just Chick Flicks Girl, I want to be played by Halle Berry .

30chickflicks: It would fun to honor everyone that suggested a movie that I watched; both in a book, and in a film.

Just Chick Flicks: Congratulations on your success! One last question: Who is your pick for the Best Picture Oscar?

30chickflicks: Hmm, good question…First, let me clarify that I haven’t seen all the nominated films.

Of those that I’ve seen—Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, Inglorious Basterds, and Up—I choose…

Just Chick Flicks: …the envelope please….

30chickflicks: “Avatar” seems like the best answer. Though some might argue it’s a default selection because of its numbers (money), I take into consideration EVERYTHING that went into making the movie. Now, your pick?

Just Chick Flicks: They always pick something I have not seen, so I think it will be Up in the Air…Kathryn Bigelow will get best director, Avatar will get a bunch of technical awards , Sandra Bullock is likely to win for best actress and Mo’Nique is sure to win  for Precious. That way everybody gets a little something. How is that for Oscars in a nutshell? haha

30chickflicks: That covers it.

Just Chick Flicks: Thanks so much for taking time to do this interview. I appreciate it. Keep me informed on your continued success, the book and your other endeavors.

30chickflicks: Will do, and thank you for the interview.

Nick’s Favorite Chick Flicks

1. “Bright Star

2. My Life in Ruins

3. Couples Retreat

4. Whip It!

5. Atonement

Take the 30 Chick Flicks in 30 Days Challenge. This is Nick’s list of 30 Chick Flicks. Which movies have you seen?

That is the question that one man asked himself. Recently, I spoke with Nick Walters, a Oklahoma native that is taking on a very unique project. In order to understand his wife and other female family members better, Nick will watch 30 chick flicks in 30 days. The  idea is to watch 30-straight days; 30-straight chick flicks. It will begin Friday, January  15, 2010  and end  on the day before Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 13, 2010

What is 30 Chick Flicks?

• Nick  will watch a different chick flick every night for 30 days
• He will review each film on his blog 30 Chick Flicks on this site the next morning
• The movies I  must be first-time views for Nick
• All the movies will  date from 2007 to present
• 5 of the films will be chosen by myself, 10 chosen by a pre-selected “panel” of women—my wife, mother-in-law, and mother, and 15 chosen by everyone else.

Just Chick Flicks: Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living?

30chickflicks: I’m from Oklahoma; born, and raised. I do freelance work from home in a small town (Pauls Valley: pop. 6,000-plus) in the field of communications. That includes writing, some photography, and developing content for the Web.

I’m also married. My wife, and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary last month. She’s a school teacher, and coach…We have no pets, no children, and one house plant.

Just Chick Flicks: Tell me about your blog 30 Chick Flicks and  why you picked Chick Flicks as your subject?

30chickflicks: The idea behind “30 Chick Flicks in 30 Days” dates back to July 2009. It was my wife’s birthday, and one of the things she wanted to do was watch a chick flick. I don’t recall (neither does she) what we watched that day, but during our watching I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be neat to watch 30 chick flicks in 30 days?‘

She said, ‘Yeah! Let’s start now.’ But I told her I wanted to wait, and put more thought into the possible adventure. Months went by, and the idea lingered. I even discussed the thought with my mother, and one of my  male friends.

As to ‘why chick flicks’, I’m trying to answer the question: How far would you go to understand the opposite sex? Chick flicks seemed appropriate given that I want to better understand my wife. Plus, watching movies with others can be fun. So chick flicks it is!

Just Chick Flicks: What do you guy friends think of you watching chick flick? I bet you have taken some teasing about it.

30chickflicks: Actually, very little  teasing has taken place. In fact, the two of my guys friends that know the story behind all of this are supportive. In fact, one of them is scheduled to watch a chick flick with me before the Super Bowl, Feb. 7th. He, his wife, me, and my wife, Nicci. The other male friend has shared ideas with me about 30chickflicks.com

Just Chick Flicks: Chick Flicks before the Super Bowl, that is a good one….Before you started 30 Chick Flicks in 30 Days, what was your favorite genre of movie? What is the title of your favorite (non-chick flick) movie?

30chickflicks: Favorite genre, wow! Hmm…Favorite “non-chick flick” movie…I like my share of “action movies”, but I don’t need mindless killing and explosions to be entertained. Depth of character, and an actual plot appeal to me. Comedies are nice; I like to laugh, but not at juvenile humor.
These are some favorite films:
Dances With Wolves
Black Hawk Down
The Cowboys, starring  John Wayne
Old Yeller (which is actually a Disney movie)

Just Chick Flicks: That is a great list. Especially Dances with Wolves. I saw that movie so many times, I could almost speak Lakota.

30chickflicks: Haha, that’s great!

Just Chick Flicks:  Have you finalized the 30 movies you plan to watch? If so, what are some of the titles?

30chickflicks: Finalized, not yet, but I do know some of the titles. I’m waiting until at least Wednesday, January 13th to finalize the list. That’s an effort to allow everyone the opportunity to suggest their recommended title(s). So far,  48 different, eligible chick flicks have been suggested.

Five films received five recommendations, each: Made of Honor, It’s Complicated, Sex & The City, Mamma Mia!, and (500) Days of Summer. All four of those titles were mentioned by my “panel of pre-selected women” (my wife, mom, and mother-in-law) They–combined–have a total of 10 films to suggest; my wife has dibs at the remaining six yet-to-be-chosen titles

The 30 movies titles will be announced this Friday, January  15th.   (Current suggestions )

Just Chick Flicks:  Great!  I can’t wait to see which movies made the list. Chick Flicks sometimes get a ‘bad rap‘, saying that they are cheesy , overly romantic or unrealistic. It will be interesting to get a man’s perspective on chick flicks. What do you hope to learn about women and chick flicks after the 30 days are over?

30chickflicks: First-and-foremost, I hope to gain a deeper appreciation for; and understanding of my wife. Secondly, I hope to have grown closer to my wife as we will have shared these 30 days and 30 movies together.

Just Chick Flicks: That is really sweet!

30chickflicks: I also hope to have some fun, and learn some things about myself.

Just Chick Flicks: Maybe after your 30 days of chick flicks, your wife will do 30 days of action flicks?

30chickflicks:  Haha Haha, we’ll see!

Just Chick Flicks:  Well, I can’t wait to see how this turns out. I am glad to have an ally in the chick flick arena. Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to share with the readers of Just Chick Flicks?

30chickflicks: I appreciate the opportunity to have audience with the community that is JustChickFlicks.com. To your  readers, I encourage them to explore the answers to the question: ‘How far would you go to understand the opposite sex?’

Just Chick Flicks:   I am sure we all need to find the answer to that question. Thanks so much for talking time out of your Sunday afternoon to chat with me. Where can we find you?

To learn more about “30 Chick Flicks in 30 Days: One Guy’s Exploration of Romance Through Movies Loved by Women” visit  30 Chick Flicks

Nick Waters

Twitter: @30chickflicks

E-mail: 30ChickFlicks@gmail.com

Video: YouTube.com/30ChickFlicks

A Good Year For Chick Flicks

The Golden Globe Awards will be broadcasted on Bravo this week. This is supposed to be the precursor to the Oscars, but without all the glitz. Even though it is a much more relaxed ceremony, it is star-studded and  it is still interesting to watch. There are several movies on the list that I am ashamed to say that I haven’t seen. fortunately, most of them are now available on DVD.

This was a very  good year for Chick Flicks. Meryl Streep continues her comic reign in the delightful Julie & Julia and It’s Complicated. Sandra Bullock also had a good year (we won’t mention All About Steve) with The Blind Side and The Proposal. Disney gave us a Jazzy new Princess and  Rob Marshall’s Nine feeds my need for musicals.

See my reviews of some of the nominated movies:

500 DAYS OF SUMMER

Julie and Julia

The Proposal

Duplicity

The Nominees

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

AVATAR
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
UP IN THE AIR

The Ones To Watch: Precious has received a lot of press and seems to be a popular choice. But Up In The Air may be a close contender.

Who I Want to Win: I suppose I should say Precious.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE –DRAMA

EMILY BLUNT   Young Victoria
SANDRA BULLOCK  The Blind Side
HELEN MIRREN    The Last Station
CAREY MULLIGAN    An Education
GABOUREY SIDIBE    Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

JEFF BRIDGES    Crazy Heart
GEORGE CLOONEY    Up In the Air
COLIN FIRTH    A Single Man
MORGAN FREEMAN     Invictus
TOBEY MAGUIRE  Brothers

The Ones To Watch: Sandra has 2 nominations this year and this is a first nomination for Precious star Gaourey Sidibe. For the men, Jeff Bridges has a great chance for playing an alcoholic, as does Tobey Maguire, who is playing quite a different role than Spiderman.

Who I Want to Win: It would be nice to see Jeff Bridges win, even though I think George Clooney might be the favorite. I think this will be Sandra Bullock’s year.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

500 Days of Summer
The Hangover
It’s Complicated
Julie & Julia
Nine

The Ones To Watch: Believe it or not, I didn’t see The Hangover. But the other nominees are all Chick Flicks. 500 Days of Summer is such an amazing movie, two movies with Meryl and a musical!

Who I Want to Win: 500 Days of Summer!

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE- COMEDY OR MUSICAL

SANDRA BULLOCK THE PROPOSAL
MARION COTILLARD   Nine
JULIA ROBERTS  Duplicity
MERYL STREEP    It’s Complicated
MERYL STREEP Julie & Julia

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

MATT DAMON   The Informant!
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS    Nine
ROBERT DOWNEY JR    Sherlock Holmes
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT    500 Days of Summer
MICHAEL STUHLBARG    A Serious Man

The Ones To Watch: Who knew Daniel Day-Lewis could sing and dance, but then again, he can do anything. As can Meryl Streep, nominated twice in the same category. We won’t discuss Julia (you know how I feel about her).

Who I Want to Win: Marion Cotillard was amazing in Nine. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the heart-broken young man in 500 Days of Summer.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Let’s just cut to the chase, you know I’m going to say: THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

PENÉLOPE CRUZ    Nine
VERA FARMIGA    Up In the Air
ANNA KENDRICK    Up In the Air
MO’NIQUE    Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
JULIANNE MOORE    A Serious Man

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

MATT DAMON    Invictus
WOODY HARRELSON  The Messenger
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER  The Last Station
STANLEY TUCCI T  The Lovely Bones
CHRISTOPH WALTZ Inglourious Basterds

The Ones To Watch: Up in the Air has a lot buzz going, but those actresses are up against some very stiff compitition.

Who I Want to Win: No disrespect to Penelope or Julianne, but Mo’Nique went to another place to play the role of Precious’ horrible mother. I would be very surprised if she didn’t win this award.

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

KATHRYN BIGELOW    The Hurt Locker
JAMES CAMERON    Avatar
CLINT EASTWOOD  Invictus
JASON REITMAN   Up In the Air
QUENTIN TARANTINO   Inglourious Basterds

The Ones To Watch: This is an interest category, since it is almost the same as the nominations for the Director’s Guild Awards. Except for the DGA nomination of Lee Daniels for Precious. The DGA’s will be held on January 30th. They are usually a good indication for the Oscar winner for Best Director.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

CINEMA ITALIANO– NINE Music & Lyrics by: Maury Yeston
I WANT TO COME HOME – EVERYBODY’S FINE Music & Lyrics by: Paul McCartney
I SEE YOU – AVATAR Music by: James Horner, Simon Franglen Lyrics by: James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell
THE WEARY KIND  – CRAZY HEART Music & Lyrics by: Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett
WINTER – BROTHERS Music by: U2, Lyrics by: Bono

Who I Want to Win: I would have left this category out all together, but Bono and U2 were nominated, so you know who I want to win.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

BIG LOVE (HBO), DEXTER (SHOWTIME), HOUSE (FOX), TRUE BLOOD (HBO), MAD MEN (AMC) AMC

Who I Want to Win: Mad Men, of course! See 5 Reasons You Should Watch Mad Men.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –DRAMA

GLENN CLOSE   Damages
JANUARY JONES   Mad Men
JULIANNA MARGULIES  The Good Wife
ANNA PAQUIN   True Blood
KYRA SEDGWICK    The Closer

Who I Want to Win: I really love Kyra Sedgwick as Chief Brenda Lee Johnson on The Closer, but January Jones gives such a wonderful perfomance as the repressed wife Betty Draper on Mad Men .

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

SIMON BAKER The Mentalist, BILL PAXTON Big Love, MICHAEL C. HALL   Dexter, HUGH LAURIE  House, JON HAMM  Mad Men

Who I Want to Win: Do I even have to say it. Come on…Hugh Laurie won last year, give Jon Hamm a chance.

The Lesser Luminaries

The People’s Choice Awards (January 6th) See the list of the Winners.

Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) ( January 23, 2010)

The BIG One.

The nominations for the Academy Awards will be announced Tuesday, February 2, 2010, and all of Hollywood is sitting on pins and needles to see is will be the chosen few. The Oscar show will air on Sunday, March 7th. Start planning your Oscar parties now.

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On The Road To Stardom

The road to being a success in the acting business is long and hard. The old Hollywood fable of  movie stars being discovered on the streets and going on to fame and fortune is more of a fairy tale than reality. The fact is most actors work very hard for years before they “hit it BIG.Working in commercials, local theater, as extras on movie sets and anything else that will help them practice their craft.

I recently spoke to Erik  A. Williams, an actor living in St. Louis who has appeared in several movies as an extra, like The Informant, The Dark Knight and Whip It, as well a numerous local productions.

Erik A. Williams

Interview With Actor Erik A. Williams

Clarabela: First of all, Erik…Tell me about yourself.

Erik : Well I am an actor at heart and have been performing for over fifteen years. I got my start on the stage doing many productions with my local community theatre, in college and then branched out to go on tour with Up with People.

If you’re not familiar with the group, they are an international, multi-cultural organization that takes students on a tour throughout at least two continents. They perform a show, stay with host families and work with the communities they visit on projects to help improve the area.

After traveling with Up with People., I knew I wanted to go onto much bigger things and in 2005, I landed a supporting role in my first film titled, The Book.

Clarabela: That sounds like a wonderful experience for a young actor. How old were you at the time?

Erik : I was 19 and turned 20 during the tour.  We traveled through the Midwest and Northeast United States,  as well as Austria, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

Clarabela:  Wow! That is incredible. You must have learned a lot about acting during that time. What has that experience taught you, that you are using in your career now.

Erik : It taught me more than I could ever learn in a classroom or a guide book, that’s for sure. What I learned most that helped me in my acting was learning about myself.  I learned that I could take on much more than I ever imagined. The journey helped me to be a leader and find just how strong a person I am.

I learned how to better communicate with those around me, to be more open to cultures outside my own, and to understand just how powerful a performer I could be. I also helped to create the new show and program in 2006 when Up with People came back from a small hiatus.

Since my journey with the group, I have transitioned pretty much exclusively to film. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the theatre because I am always ready to be on stage. But it seems I am able to accomplish so much more in film in a shorter amount of time.

I can work on several films in a month and have numerous projects and experience to come away with while for a theatre production, I would be rehearsing for that one show for a month or more.

Since 2005 working on The Book, I have been a part of over 60 films from all types, genres, independent and studio.

Clarabela:  Sounds like you are one very busy actor. I reviewed your IMDB profile, but I would rather you tell me about some of your favorite roles and the films you have worked on.

Erik: Well, I just finished working on a film called Johnny B. Gone from director Trevor Juenger. It revolves around two gay man whose relationship is strained by a spirited young woman who comes into their lives.   I play one of the two leads and also produced the film under my company banner Rock Your Socks Productions.  It was an amazing project to work on because it really brought me out of the box, so to speak.

I am comfortable straight so playing a gay man was one thing but there are also some a very intimate scenes with the other lead played by Joe Hammerstone. Also,  I am also a cross dresser in the picture so there were all sorts of things to keep track of in my psyche for the role.

Clarabela: Interesting… I see that you have also worked on several films in the Horror genre. What about these movies appeals to you?

Erik: Well…to tell you the truth, horror is my least favorite genre. But somehow I keep finding myself in horror roles.  My business partner and actor friend Joe Hammerstone is really the horror guy and he has brought me into some of those roles.

I think horror is one of the easier genres to do on a low-budget so there are a lot of horror productions that shoot in and around the greater St. Louis area. Some of the most fun I have in the genre comes with the work I do with Hack Movies, a horror comedy production company.

The writer/director/producer Kevin Strange gets his muse from the work of Lloyd Kaufman and Troma.  Their latest release, CockHammer is actually the first Hack title to gain distribution. It will be released through Tempe Video on January 12, 2010. I was one of the leads in the flick. Kevin and the team are great to work with. The thing I like most about working with the company is that they realize what they are and what they’re not and market a great (although schlocky) product.

I am also gearing up to work on their next project which is tentatively titled Nixon and Hogan Save Christmas. ( Nixon and Hogan are recurring characters in the Hack universe.)

Clarabela: You seem to  have a lot of projects going on in St. Louis, but you have also worked on some major film projects like Whip It, The Informant and The Dark Knight. What is that like?

Erik:  It’s fantastic! I have worked on over 30 films as an extra and it’s always a new, great experience. I will admit I am a little nutty for some of the travel time and money I’ve put into it but I can’t get enough.

Whip It was AMAZING!  I left crazy early in the morning to travel over eight hours to Detroit to work on it. It was one of the longest days I’ve ever had on set. I think I was there about 17 hours altogether. But it was so worth it! I have always admired Drew for her work and her spirit. I made the trip mostly to have the experience of working with her, if only in a small way.

She was just as lovely and wonderful as I had imagined her to be and was a truly great director as well. Most of the cast was there that day including Ellen Page and Jimmy Fallon.  Ellen was quiet outside her work but Jimmy took every moment between takes to interact with us extras, shake hands, and be hilarious. It was a hard day but I would do it again and again.

Though that experience is right up there with the best I’ve ever had on set, the very best has to be my time on set for The Dark Knight.  I worked over nights for the scene in Bruce’s penthouse when Joker busts in looking for Harvey Dent.

Clarabela: Tell me about it. What was your role in The Dark Knight?

Erik:  Well, again I was only an extra but it was fantastic. I played one of the guests at the political rally party. (You can see me on-screen on the right after Joker comes in.)  I actually show up in a few shots and the full trailer as well so I am very proud of that.

The scene was so great to work on. I saw things in that room that made my little geek mind explode.  Most of the principals were there. I got to see Christian Bale kick butt in the suit, Maggie Gyllenhaal in all her beauty, Aaron Eckhart do his thing, and of course, Heath Ledger giving what may be his greatest performance of his career. This all took place less than ten feet from where I was placed!

Maggie was also really great. It’s sort of a  no-no to talk to the talent while on set unless they talk to you first. She spoke with us quite a bit between shots. She was very sweet.

Clarabela:  Did you have any interaction with Heath Ledger during filming?

Erik : No.  It’s usually quite difficult to converse with the actors while they are working. Maggie was really the only one we got to speak with one on one. I recently worked on Little Fockers in Chicago with Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro.  Mr. DeNiro was quiet as you expect but Ben also did a lot of talking with the extras when not on camera.

Clarabela: I bet he was hilarious. Isn’t Barbra Streisand also in the movie?

Erik : Yes she is!  It’s an all-star cast. Jessica Alba and Raven Symone are in it as well.

Clarabela: What is the release date for Little Fockers?

Erik: It will be out next Summer.  I think it’s slated for July 30, 2010.

Clarabela:  So…you have a ton of local projects with your production company and several upcoming roles as an extra in major movies. What is the next step for Erik A. Williams? Are you planning a move to LA or NY to further your career?

Erik : Yes! I want to move to LA as soon as I can.  Right now I am admittedly looking for a 9-5 (anyone reading this blog, please hire me!) so I can continue to get back and forth from set. The most current projects I have coming up include the new flick with Hack Movies and a great dramatic comedy called Flushed I just optioned for RYSP.

I am also doing promotions for the projects I’ve recently completed including  The Heart III: Final Pulse,  Casualties of the State, The Pizza Delivery Massacre, The Devil at Lost Woods, and of course, Johnny B Gone.

Clarabela: How are you promoting these movies? On your website? Twitter?  Tell me how we can find you?

Erik : I am on every social networking site imaginable and Twitter , Facebook, MySpace everything as soon as it’s out.

Clarabela: You are an actor, writer, casting director and you have even done been a director. What is your ultimate goal in show business? What is your BIG show biz dream!

Erik : I would truly love to work with Drew Barrymore for a project, any project. Whip It was amazing but I would it would be incredible to work with her as more than an extra.

Other than that I would simply like to be a working actor in LA. It is very difficult to be an actor here in the Midwest and I am more than ready to officially take the leap to the land of the palms.

Clarabela: You are a hardworking actor. I am sure you will be a success!

Erik: Thank you!

Clarabela: Is there anything you would like to say to my readers.

Erik.: Strive to achieve that which compels you. In other words, never give up on your dream. Don’t listen to anyone that tells you you’re not pretty, smart, or talented enough. Make connections, stay out there, and do the best you can in all you can.

Clarabela:  Very wise words to live by. If you keep doing this, I am sure we will see your name above the title one day soon.

Erik: Thank you so much!

For more information about Erik A. Williams

MySpace.com: unchartedcharisma
Official Site: www.rockyoursocksproductions.com
IMDB: www.imdb.com/name/nm2269943