 From the original 63 films that had been ruled eligible for the Best Foreign Language category, we are now down to just 9. There aren’t any huge exclusions, but it’s definitely not the shortlist that I was expecting. Anyway, here are the flicks still in play for the nomination:
Belgium, “Bullhead,” Michael R. Roskam, director;
Canada, “Monsieur Lazhar,” Philippe Falardeau, director;
Denmark, “Superclásico,” Ole Christian Madsen, director;
Germany, “Pina,” Wim Wenders, director;
Iran, “A Separation,” Asghar Farhadi, director;
Israel, “Footnote,” Joseph Cedar, director;
Morocco, “Omar Killed Me,” Roschdy Zem, director;
Poland, “In Darkness,” Agnieszka Holland, director;
Taiwan, “Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale,” Wei Te-sheng, director.
Read more on 9 Foreign Language Films will duke it out for the Oscar noms!…
 Every single year, a few films manage to make the jump from the Sundance Film Festival to the Oscar race. This year, I fully expect that to be the case again. The question is, which film or films will be able to do that? With the festival getting underway this week, I decided to sift through the slate of movies playing there and try to determine which flicks might become the next generation of success stories. The list of titles that have gotten the Academy’s attention after Sundance is an impressive one. Just a sampling of the films include ‘Little Miss Sunshine’, ‘Juno’, ‘An Education’, ‘In the Bedroom’, ‘Precious’, ‘The Kids Are All Right’, and ‘Blue Valentine’. That’s just the tip of the iceberg folks, and this year we could see one or two more join that club. Each year plenty of flicks play the fest and are never heard from again, but we also have at least a few that catch on with the Academy each season. Which of the current crop might wow Oscar? It’s all a guess right now, but here are some that certainly have some potential…
Read more on Which Sundance selections could turn into Oscar players?…
 “On March 21st, 1963, Alcatraz officially closed. All the prisoners were transferred off the island…only that’s not what happened. Not at all.”
Yes, this is the exciting premise to one of the new year’s best, most fascinating shows from the creative imagination of J. J. Abrams. Sci-Fi/Supernatural stories and J.J. Abrams go together about as well as champagne on New Years Eve, so it’s no surprise that Alcatraz could very well be the answer to the absence of Lost. J.J. Abram’s previous television hit launched a legion of fans dedicating their time to decrypting the secrets of its complex narrative, as well as pushing forward the production quality of a Broadcast television show. Before Lost, there had never been a show with such a high concept storyline, stunning visual effects, and set production values that had ever been done before. The show felt like a movie, but better — instead of neatly wrapping itself up in two hours, the show spanned six seasons with layer upon layer of mythology, fleshed out characters whose back-stories were given great weight and importance, and a highly complex science fiction plot that ignited fierce and passionate discussion on message boards across the internet. If ever there was a show that marked the beginning popularity of the post-millennium internet age coming together as an online community in debunking their favorite television show in such lavish detail and commitment, it was Lost. The show launched in 2004, and television has never been the same since thanks to J. J. Abrams. Many shows post-Lost have attempted to mimic its high concept narrative and extravagant production values, but to little avail. Most shows that did this were poorly received by the national audience, sank in the Nielsen ratings, and were forced to shut down production because their rating shares could not cover the cost to maintain expensive production. Only J. J. Abrams, it seems, could revive the high-concept science fiction show on Broadcast television. Even though Alcatraz is nowhere near Lost in its overall quality, it definitely holds promise to develop into a show that is both original, refreshing, and the remedy to the absence most sci-fi fans have been feeling since Lost’s series finale ended in 2010. Read more on TV Review: Alcatraz (***1/2)…
Categories: TV/Music Tags: alcatraz, Fantasy, fox, hitchcock, J.J. Abrams, Jorge Garcia, lost, Monday Night Dramas, neo-noir, Prison Break, prison shows, Sam Neill, san francisco, Sarah Jones, sci-fi, Science Fiction, tv shows set in san francisco, Vertigo, X-Files
 Here’s a look at what the critics from Georgia had to say about 2011′s best:
Best Picture: “The Tree of Life”
Best Director: Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”
Best Actress: Juliette Binoche, “Certified Copy”
Read more on Georgia Film Critics love ‘Tree of Life and Brad Pitt (Twice)!…
 Take a gander at the awards given out by the critics over in Nevada, which focused on a few different contenders than have been the focus this season:
Best Picture: “Hugo”
Read more on Nevada Film Critics Awards choose ‘Hugo’ and Hardy!…
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
Rating: R for violence and terror.
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Director: Troy Nixey
Stars: Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes, Bailee Madison.
Read more on Blu-Ray Review: Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark…
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From the original 63 films that had been ruled eligible for the Best Foreign Language category, we are now down to just 9. There aren’t any huge exclusions, but it’s definitely not the shortlist that I was expecting. Anyway, here are the flicks still in play for the nomination:
