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Steve Gilliard, 1964-2007
It is with tremendous sadness that we must convey the news that Steve Gilliard, editor and publisher of The News Blog, passed away June 2, 2007. He was 42.
To those who have come to trust The News Blog and its insightful, brash and unapologetic editorial tone, we have Steve to thank from the bottom of our hearts. Steve helped lead many discussions that mattered to all of us, and he tackled subjects and interest categories where others feared to tread.
Please keep Steve's friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.
Steve meant so much to us.
We will miss him terribly.
Oscar Contest--Courtesy of the Amazing Doc Jesse Wendel
The Nominees
You probably don't know my mother-in-law is Emmy Winner Judith Holstra. Sure, I've been divorced a good while, but with four kids to whom she's grandma, Judith is more my mother-in-law now than when I was married. Every Thanksgiving and again at the Holiday dinner, the talk is about movies & television -- what parts are going to whom, what directors are doing what, how these actors are doing, what screenwriters are being successful, and so on. And the hot gossip. My second daughter, Chelsea (19), told me this week she's changing her last name to her grandma's and become a Casting Director also, succeeding Judith in running the family business. *smiles* For those of you whom remember, this is the kid who stunned me several months ago by announcing she was applying to the Naval Academy to fly jets. To take after her Grandma, a very successful, highly regarded Casting Director, would be a good, good, thing. My sister-in-law works at one of the major studios. My father-in-law used to write on a network comedy show. I've written a screenplay. And I'm working on the financing for a feature documentary I'm going to direct. In other words, the Oscars are my Super Bowl.Steve hates the Oscars. Can't stand them. For Your Consideration: I'm not saying there's any connection between Steve mocking Oscar and being smitten down by illness, but I'm sure next year he won't be so quick to mock the great Oscar to whom many millions in Variety ad dollars are sacrificed.
Hey... I could write a movie about that... dibs...Anyway, it's time for our Second Annual The News Blog Academy Awards Contest.The Oscar nominees are listed below. You've no doubt been carefully considering your choices for weeks. Or at least for a few minutes, now that you know there's a prize.You can watch Trailers for all the nominated movies by category at Apple Movie Trailers. Send your picks to me and I'll count them up. DEADLINE FOR PICKS TO ARRIVE IS Sunday February 25, 2007 - 5PT/8ET. We're not responsible for delays in your email system, so send early. We may publish your entry and name even if you don't win unless you tell us otherwise.The contest winner gets a copy of Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need or the classic Inside Oscar, 10th Anniversary Edition from Amazon, their choice.Tiebreakers: 1) Music (Score), 2) Cinematography, 3) Documentary Short, 4) Short Film (Live Action), 5) Film Editing, and if we must, 6) time of email delivery.
So...Oscar fans -- tell us whom you think will win.Also, hopefully during the awards we'll have an Open Thread available to make remarks about the speeches, Ellen as Host, the winners, the dresses, George, Julia, Jack, and everything else you want to talk about... Hey -- it's The Oscars! Get your picks in. See you Sunday night.Jesse "Doc" Wendel/Seattle
Will post an update on Gilly later if I can...thank you all so much again for your good wishes and offers of help.
UPDATE: I fucked up and forgot to post the categories. Without further ado:
Thanks again Doc! You rock. And thanks for talking this afternoon. I've cancelled my plans for this evening to just eat soup and watch whatever crap Netflix sent and drink wine and try to forget that I still don't have hot water.
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Leonardo DiCaprio – BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling – HALF NELSON
Peter O'Toole – VENUS
Will Smith – THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker – THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Alan Arkin – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley – LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou – BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy – DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg – THE DEPARTED
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Penélope Cruz – VOLVER
Judi Dench – NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren – THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep – THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet – LITTLE CHILDREN
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Adriana Barraza – BABEL
Cate Blanchett – NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson – DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi – BABEL
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE
ART DIRECTION
DREAMGIRLS
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
PAN'S LABYRINTH
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
THE PRESTIGE
CINEMATOGRAPHY
THE BLACK DAHLIA
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE ILLUSIONIST
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE PRESTIGE
COSTUME DESIGN
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
MARIE ANTOINETTE
THE QUEEN
DIRECTING
BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
THE QUEEN
UNITED 93
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
DELIVER US FROM EVIL
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
JESUS CAMP
MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT
RECYCLED LIFE
REHEARSING A DREAM
TWO HANDS
FILM EDITING
BABEL
BLOOD DIAMOND
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
UNITED 93
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
AFTER THE WEDDING
DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGÈNES)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
PAN'S LABYRINTH
WATER
MAKEUP
APOCALYPTO
CLICK
PAN'S LABYRINTH
MUSIC (SCORE)
BABEL
THE GOOD GERMAN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN
MUSIC (SONG)
"I Need to Wake Up" – AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
"Listen" – DREAMGIRLS
"Love You I Do" – DREAMGIRLS
"Our Town" – CARS
"Patience" – DREAMGIRLS
BEST PICTURE
BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
THE DANISH POET
LIFTED
THE LITTLE MATCHGIRL
MAESTRO
NO TIME FOR NUTS
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
BINTA AND THE GREAT IDEA (BINTA Y LA GRAN IDEA)
ÉRAMOS POCOS (ONE TOO MANY)
HELMER & SON
THE SAVIOUR
WEST BANK STORY
SOUND EDITING
APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
SOUND MIXING
APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND
DREAMGIRLS
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
VISUAL EFFECTS
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
POSEIDON
SUPERMAN RETURNS
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
LITTLE CHILDREN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN