ER is Looking for a Successor

The 2009 Fall Season is beginning and the US networks compete themselves with a few new medical dramas. The long running ER ended last season and everybody is looking for the “new ER”. This season, we have three potential candidates.

Mercy Preview

Trauma Preview

Three Rivers Preview

Mercy starts September 23rd on NBC, Trauma starts September 28th on NBC and Three Rivers starts October 4th on CBS. Probably not all of the shows will survive this fall, it is highly likely that one of them will be canceled before Christmas (the bets are on Three Rivers). I will be watching all three of them and you can expect reviews from me from their first episodes.

81st Academy Awards on Feb. 22, 2009

In a couple of minutes there will be some Oscars given away. As long as the online stream I am watching doesn’t fail, I will be blogging live.

3:29pm: Watching the red carpet with Ryan Seacrest. I just watched the Salt Lake City auditions of American Idol. Didn’t know he is a host.

3:30pm: Zack (or Zach, I don’t know his name) from the HSM movies is talking about a new movie with Matthew Perry… hm.

3:35pm: Looking for a new stream. Maybe I’ll find a better one.

3:44pm: My search was successful. Finally a stream with a better quality.

3:45pm: Anthony Hopkins talks about his next projects. Wolfman and a movie with Woody Allen.

3:50pm: Will Vanessa Ann Hudgens perform tonight? Some rumors about it…

3:52pm: Everybody is screaming for Richard Jenkins…

3:55pm: The actors all love Slumdog Millionaire. Will it win some awards?

3:56pm: John Legend performing tonight. Part of a medley, singing for “Original Song”.

4:05pm: Now the kids from Slumdog Millionaire in an interview. First plane ride for them.

4:07pm: Heidi Klum and Seal just arrived. What is she wearing tonight?

4:09pm: The kids from Slumdog Millionaire are really cute.

4:12pm: The interviewer to one of the Slumdog Millionaire kid, who is hyper active: “Did you take any sugar before you came here.”

4:15pm: Okay, John Legend is singing “Down to Earth” instead of Peter Gabriel, who wouldn’t come because of this medley thing…

4:23pm: ROFL, Brian Grazer takes the microphone from the interviewer, haha. “In my face, bitch. In my face.”

4:32pm: The Indian guys find Heidi Klum hot, lol. One of them won’t wash his hands for a couple of days now.

4:39pm: My stream’s first fail… Let’s see how often that will happen today.

4:47pm: 13 minutes to the big show. I am waiting…

4:54pm: “Please take your seats. The Academy Awards will begin in…”

5:03pm: Great, I have to find another stream. AP won’t stream the awards show

5:15pm: Still searching… Can’t watch the preshow.

5:30pm: Okay, it’s starting. The host of tonight is Hugh Jackman.

5:31pm: The Oscars: very international today. Like Kate Winslet, an American, playing a German, nominated…

5:33pm: Hugh Jackman is singing, and dancing, lol.

5:35pm: Very funny. A medley about the nominated movies. Now Anne Hathaway as Nixon, ROFL.

5:37pm: A seven-minute sports opening. Very cool. Great. I loved it.

5:40pm: Meryl Streep – 15 career Oscar nominations. A record?!?

5:42pm: Five great actresses on stage now. Standing ovations for them.

5:44pm: Whoopi Goldberg about Amy Adams, nominated (Doubt): It’s not easy being a nun.

5:47pm: Penelope Cruz (Vicky Christina Barcelona) winning the first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. These were great five minutes.

5:48pm: Aha, 45 second speeches? I don’t think so, lol. Penelope takes her time.

5:53pm: Wow, Tina Fey and Steve Martin. God is he funny.

5:56pm: Winner for Best Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black for “Milk”. Don’t know that movie, still have to watch it.

5:58pm: Steve to Tina: Don’t fall in love with me. ROFL.

6:01pm: Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay goes to Simon Beaufoy for his work on Slumdog Millionaire. First Oscar for the favorite.

6:03pm: Jennifer Aniston and Jack Black would be a good couple.

6:06pm: Best Animated Feature is Wall-E.

6:09pm: Best Animated Short Film is a Japanese movie (or French)… La maison en petits cubes. The guy (a Japanese) can’t speak any English.

6:15pm: Sarah Jessica Parker: what a dress.

6:16pm: And what a great art design of the Oscars. This looks great.

6:17pm: Oscar for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration goes to Donald Graham Burt and the other guy (I didn’t catch his name) for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

6:20pm: Oscar for Best Costume Design goes to Michael O’Connor for The Duchess.

6:22pm: Second stream fail.

6:23pm: Oscar for Best Make up goes to Greg Cannom for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

6:24pm: Third stream fail, OMG

6:26pm: The romance of 2008 in a medley. With Coldplay in the background. And almost a fourth stream fail :/

6:30pm: There it is: fourth fail

6:33pm: Ben Stiller is doing some Joaquin Phoenix, lol.

6:34pm: Oscar for Best Cinematography goes to Anthony Dod Mantle for Slumdog Millionaire. Second Oscar for this movie.

6:39pm: Jessica Biel = worst dress of the night?

6:41pm: Now a medley about Comedy of 2008 with James Franco and Seth Rogen. And again a stream fail – the fifth or sixth I think.

6:47pm: Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film goes to Toyland (Spielzeugland), a German one. Cool

6:52pm: Now, Hugh Jackman is doing a musical, that’s cool.

6:53pm: … with Beyonce

6:55pm: Oh man, now the guys from HSM on the stage. Now a crossover between musical and the HSM music.
Great choreography.

6:57pm: Hugh: THE MUSICAL IS BACK.
Well, it was back in 2001…

7:03pm: Now five of the best actors on stage to present the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

7:07pm: Oscar goes to Heath Ledger. RIP

7:10pm: Medley of documentary movies in 2008. Damn, I know that score in the background, but the movie title won’t come into my mind :/

7:13pm: Bill Maher: Everyone is crying and now I have to go on.

7:15pm: Oscar for Best Documentary goes to Man on Wire.

7:16pm: Hey, that speech was cool, a little bit of magic.

7:17pm: Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film goes to Smile Pinki.

7:22pm: Medley for action movies 2008. My genre.

7:26pm: Oscar for Visual Effects goes to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. A lot of names to write them in here.

7:29pm: Oscar for Sound Editing goes to Richard King for The Dark Knight (yeah).

7:31pm: Oscar for Best Sound Mixing (the superheroes of post production) goes to Slumdog Millionaire. Again too many names on short notice.

7:35pm: Oscar for Film Editing goes to Chris Dickens for Slumdog Millionaire.

7:44pm: Jerry Lee Lewis medley. He gets an Oscar for his achievements. This is going to be a long speech.

7:45pm: …or not, lol.

7:54pm: Oscar for Best Score goes to A.R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire.

7:58pm: Seriously: How bad is John Legend?

8:01pm: Oscar for Best Song goes to A.R Rahman and somebody other for one of the two songs for Slumdog Millionaire.

8:06pm: Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film goes to Departures (Japan).

8:13pm: Queen Latifah is singing. In the background all the deaths of the last year.

8:16pm: Did I miss Heath Ledger? Or wasn’t he in the clip?
Oh, okay, he was in last year’s montage…

8:19pm: Best Director is Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire.

8:26pm: Now five great actresses for presenting the Oscar for Best Actress.

8:32pm: Oscar for Best Actress goes to Kate Winslet for The Reader.

8:33pm: Finally some tears.

8:34pm: Long speech… And tears.

8:37pm: Another round of great actors for giving away the Oscar for Best Actor.

8:43pm: Oscar goes to Sean Penn for Milk.

8:51pm: The final Oscar for the Best Motion Picture.

8:52pm: Slumdog Millionaire wins.

8:55pm: Five minutes before deadline the show is over. Hugh Jackman says good night.

9:00pm: I am out. Maybe I will write about the Academy Awards some more words later.

Dames of Deception

These two shows will be reviewed from me – but only in German. Finally The Sarah Connor Chronicles comes back with the final ten episodes of the season (highly possible these are the very last ten episodes of the series – or FOX cancels the show much earlier, then there will be less episodes) and the previous high-buzzed Dollhouse is starting in its very first season.
Let’s hope the ratings will improve, the shows don’t get canceled after four Fridays and the stories of both shows are well enough. Or it will be Canterbury’s Law all over again…

Golden Globes 2009

Yesterday, some Golden Globes were given away. I thought about short-comment some winners (or losers).

Best Motion Picture:
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire (winner)

I saw Benjamin Button (German review in progress) and Frost/Nixon. And I knew they wouldn’t win, because they are not THAT good. Slumdog Millionaire I want to see. And The Reader I HAVE to see, the book was really great (for a school reading)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama:
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas – I’ve Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road (winner)

Don’t know any of these movies. Kate Winslet is okay.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio – Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn – Milk
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler (winner)

The right winner. I knew it. Rourke deserves it. I want to see Milk, btw

Best Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (winner)

In Bruges I have here, as well as Vicky Cristina Barcelona. When there’s time I will watch these movies this month. The rest I’m not really interested in

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Rebecca Hall – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky (winner)
Frances McDormand – Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson – Last Chance Harvey

Rebecca Hall would be cool, but only because I liked her in Frost/Nixon. I don’t know Happy-Go-Lucky, can’t say much about the winner.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Javier Bardem – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Colin Farrell – In Bruges (winner)
James Franco – Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleeson – In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman – Last Chance Harvey

Colin Farrell… how cool is that? I like him, really good actor.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Kate Winslet – The Reader (winner)

Marisa didn’t win Now I am excited to see The Reader. And the second award for Kate Winslet…

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Tom Cruise – Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes – The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight (winner)

The bashing can begin: How can a dead actor win this award… *eyes rolling* I hate that old discussion. Heath’s acting was superb. He deserves it the most RIP Heath

Best Animated Feature Film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E (winner)

The right winner. A really lovely film. And Wall-E is so damn cute. I’m going to see the other two this or maybe next month (they are both on my waiting list).

Best Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
Everlasting Moments (Sweden, Denmark)
Gomorrah (Italy)
I’ve Loved You So Long (France)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel) (winner)

Don’t know any of these movies. Indeed I have to watch Baader Meinhof. But not now. No interest to see the other movies.

Best Director – Motion Picture
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire (winner)
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes – Revolutionary Road

Danny Boyle is a good guy. I even loved Sunshine. But I thought, David Fincher would win, he’s THE man for great big pictures.

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button – Written by Eric Roth
Doubt – Written by John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon – Written by Peter Morgan
The Reader – Written by David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire – Written by Simon Beaufoy (winner)

Should be right. Benjamin Button wasn’t good enough; Frost/Nixon only an adaptation.

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button – Composed by Alexandre Desplat
Changeling – Composed by Clint Eastwood
Defiance – Composed by James Newton Howard
Slumdog Millionaire – Composed by A. R. Rahman (winner)
Frost/Nixon – Composed by Hans Zimmer

Missed the Dark Knight score. This was some great work. Thankfully Clint Eastwood didn’t win

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Down To Earth” – Wall-E – Music By: Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyrics By: Peter Gabriel
“Gran Torino” – Gran Torino – Music By: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens, Lyrics By: Jamie Cullum
“I Thought I Lost You” – Bolt – Music & Lyrics By: Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele
“Once In A Lifetime” – Cadillac Records – Music & Lyrics By: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarmon, Ian Dench, James Dring and Jody Street
“The Wrestler” – The Wrestler – Music & Lyrics By: Bruce Springsteen (winner)

The song is alright. And Miley Cyrus didn’t win. The world is in balance again

Best Television Series – Drama
Dexter (SHOWTIME)
House (FOX)
In Treatment (HBO)
Mad Men (AMC) (winner)
True Blood (HBO)

I LOVED In Treatment, waiting for season 2. I hate True Blood, don’t know why it’s under these nominees. Wished to see In Treatment win, Mad Men already won last year.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Sally Field – Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Mariska Hargitay – Law & Order
January Jones – Mad Men (AMC)
Anna Paquin – True Blood (HBO) (winner)
Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer (TNT)

Anna Paquin??!?!?!??!?!? Are you fucking NUTS?!?!?!?!?!??!! Flagrant decision

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Gabriel Byrne – In Treatment (HBO) (winner)
Michael C. Hall – Dexter (SHOWTIME)
Jon Hamm – Mad Men (AMC)
Hugh Laurie – House (FOX)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers – The Tudors (SHOWTIME)

Jonathan Rhys Meyers?!??!? ROFL Gabriel deserves it, great actor.

Best Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
30 Rock (NBC) (winner)
Californication (SHOWTIME)
Entourage (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Weeds (SHOWTIME)

30 Rock again? How boring Liked to see Entourage with the award.
btw: I don’t like 30 Rock, and I don’t know why. I watched two seasons and it’s boring for me…….

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Christina Applegate – Samantha Who? (ABC)
America Ferrera – Ugly Betty (ABC)
Tina Fey – 30 Rock (NBC) (winner)
Debra Messing – The Starter Wife (USA)
Mary-Louise Parker – Weeds (SHOWTIME)

……….But Tina Fey is a great woman. Love her. And she’s the reason, why I still watch 30 Rock.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock (NBC) (winner)
Steve Carell – The Office (NBC)
Kevin Connolly – Entourage (HBO)
David Duchovny – Californication (SHOWTIME)
Tony Shalhoub – Monk (USA)

Now Kevin Connolly was nominated, but he didn’t win. What a shame

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television
A Raisin In The Sun (ABC)
Bernard And Doris (HBO)
Cranford (PBS)
John Adams (HBO) (winner)
Recount (HBO)

As expected. I still have to watch it. Maybe some times this year.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Judi Dench – Cranford (PBS)
Catherine Keener – An American Crime
Laura Linney – John Adams (HBO) (winner)
Shirley MacLaine – Coco Chanel
Susan Sarandon – Bernard And Doris (HBO)

As expected. Catherine Keener is great, too (but I didn’t watch any of these shows/movies)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Ralph Fiennes – Bernard And Doris (HBO)
Paul Giamatti – John Adams (HBO) (winner)
Kevin Spacey – Recount (HBO)
Kiefer Sutherland – 24 (FOX)
Tom Wilkinson – Recount (HBO)

As expected. But why was Kiefer Sutherland nominated?

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Eileen Atkins – Cranford (PBS)
Laura Dern – Recount (HBO) (winner)
Melissa George – In Treatment (HBO)
Rachel Griffiths – Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Dianne Wiest – In Treatment (HBO)

Missed Mia Wasikowska (In Treatment) under these nominees. And Melissa George didn’t win

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Denis Leary – Recount (HBO)
Jeremy Piven – Entourage (HBO)
Blair Underwood – In Treatment (HBO)
Tom Wilkinson – John Adams (HBO) (winner)

As expected again. Jeremy Piven has enough awards, Blair Underwood is a boring actor (thinking about his role in Dirty Sexy Money).

btw: I didn’t watch the ceremony. I wanted to, but instead I ended up listening to some music, lol. I heard the ceremony was boring, so I think I didn’t miss that much.

Dollhouse

There’s a new trailer out for the upcoming TV show Dollhouse. I am waiting for that show; Eliza Dushku as lead and Joss Whedon behind the cameras as mastermind of the series could be something.
But the new trailer… I don’t like it, bad cutting and terrible music in the background – urgh :/ First trailer was better.

And I’m still waiting…

Dakota Fanning

Time to do more posts

Yesterday I saw the Tonight Show with Jay Leno from October, 14th and Dakota Fanning was guest. And I was stunned how big she is. When I think about her past films and TV shows she really grew a lot

Dakota as a little kid

And as a growing teenager on the Tonight Show

It’s nice to see a girl grow up, you don’t see it very often except you have a daughter or a younger sister. BTW: She has a new movie coming out: The Secret Life of Bees (to give this post some relevance, lol)