Oscar Ballots on the Move
Los Angeles (E! Online) – It all comes down to this for The Dark Knight, Milk, Frost/Nixon, Slumdog Millionaire and all the other films labeled "Oscar hopeful" for whatever reason in 2008.
Ballots for the 81st Annual Academy Awards are due to be mailed Friday to the 5,810 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
So, with holiday shopping (and returns) out of the way, it will be time to finally pencil in their choices for the top films, performances and technical work of 2008, be they Heath Ledger for his terrifying turn as the Joker, director Danny Boyle for Slumdog, Kate Winslet for The Reader (or Revolutionary Road) or WALL-E for either best animated film or best motion picture altogether.
Completed ballots must be back in the hands of the ballot counters and protectors, PricewaterhouseCoopers, by Jan 12.
Oscar nods will be announced in the wee hours of the morning Jan. 22, with the little gold men getting passed out Feb. 22 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.
Ledger's death voted top 2008 entertainment story
Heath Ledger's death was voted 2008's top entertainment story by U.S. newspaper and broadcast editors surveyed by The Associated Press.
Here are the top 10:
1. HEATH LEDGER DIES: When the Australian actor was found dead Jan. 22 at 28, shock and confusion over the circumstances of his death followed. The autopsy concluded Ledger's death was accidental, the result of a toxic combination of prescription drugs. His legacy continued, though, in a roundly acclaimed performance as the Joker in the year's biggest box office hit "The Dark Knight."
2. WRITERS STRIKE ENDS: The Writers Guild of America took to the picket lines Nov. 5 of last year. The strike played havoc on the industry, from award shows to network TV schedules, and didn't conclude until Feb. 12. When an agreement was finally reached, the Academy Awards were saved and scripted television slowly returned to the airwaves.
3. BOFFO BOX OFFICE FOR "DARK KNIGHT": As the release of Christopher Nolan's second Batman installment "The Dark Knight" neared, anticipation over Ledger's performance mounted. The film went on to gross $528 million domestically, second all-time only to "Titanic." Unlike most blockbusters, it also appeared on many critics' top 10 lists.
4. POLITICAL COMEDY SHINES: The long campaign was highlighted by late-night hosts (David Letterman chastising John McCain for missing his scheduled guest appearance), satire veterans (Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impression on "Saturday Night Live") and new media sensations ("Obama Girl"). "SNL," "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" all charted their best ratings.
5. BRITNEY SPEARS' DOWNWARD SPIRAL: Though by year's end Spears had rebounded with a new album and successful TV appearances, her 2008 started at a low point. After a custody dispute with Kevin Federline, Spears was hospitalized and held for psychiatric evaluation. The chaos eventually subsided and in November she released the aptly titled album "Circus."
6. PAUL NEWMAN DIES: Newman, one of the most beloved actors of the 20th century, died Sept. 26 at 83 after a fight with lung cancer at his longtime home in Westport, Conn. In the days after, tributes were paid to the charismatic actor in his various worlds: theater, movies, auto racing and philanthropy.
7. TV NETWORKS EMBRACE THE WEB: Online video turned pro in 2008. Networks increasingly embraced the Web, making many of their most popular shows available to stream online. News Corp. and NBC Universal banded together to created Hulu.com, while ABC and CBS continued to beef up their sites.
8. GEORGE CARLIN DIES: The truth-telling comedian — widely considered one of the greatest ever — died June 22 at 71. "He was more than just a comic," said Paul Rodriguez. "His routines became part of the American lexicon."
9. TIM RUSSERT DIES: Reaction to the unexpected June 13 death of Tim Russert at 58 was widespread and felt throughout Washington by Republicans and Democrats. Tom Brokaw delivered the news live on NBC, and would later temporarily take Russert's spot on "Meet the Press." David Gregory recently became the full-time moderator for the show, the longest-running on TV.
10. JENNIFER HUDSON'S FAMILY TRAGEDY: Days after the release of her film "The Secret Life of Bees," tragedy befell the family of the "American Idol" finalist. Her mother, brother and nephew were killed in a shooting at their Chicago home. Police have charged William Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia, with the murders.
Springsteen, M.I.A., Jenny Lewis Short Listed For “Best Song” Oscar
Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wrestler,” M.I.A.’s Slumdog Millionaire contribution “O… Saya,” Jack White & Alicia Keys‘ “Another Way To Die,” Beyoncé’s “Once In a Lifetime” from Cadillac Records and Jenny Lewis’ Bolt track “Barking At The Moon” are among the 49 songs on the eligibility list for Best Song at the next Academy Awards. Also up for contention are Miley Cyrus’ “I Thought I Lost You,” Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” and Peter Gabriel’s Wall-E theme “Down To Earth,” with all three joining Springsteen and Beyoncé’s songs as this year’s Golden Globe nominees.
Unlike years’ past, when a film like Enchanted and Dreamgirls dominated the category, each film can only be represented by a maximum of two songs at the ceremony. High School Musical 3 leads the short list with 11 selections, but it’s likely the songs will split the votes and wind up with no nominee. Also noteworthy: Danny Elfman’s “The Little Things” from Wanted, Robyn Hitchcock’s “Up To Our Nex” from Rachel Getting Married and the hilarious “Dracula’s Lament” from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Bruce Springsteen Plans Wal-Mart Only “Greatest Hits”
Hoping to cash in on Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band’s Super Bowl appearance, Wal-Mart will exclusively release the group’s Greatest Hits at a low price on January 13th. As opposed to Springsteen’s 1995 collection Hits, the comp’s 12 tracks will focus on Bruce’s work with the E Street Band, thus iconic albums like Nebraska and Lucky Town aren’t represented, nor does the LP feature any unreleased material.
Fans clamoring for new Springsteen songs will get their wish two weeks later on January 27th, as his new album Working on a Dream hits stores. The next issue of Rolling Stone features a preview of the album, and producer Brendan O’Brien opens up about his fourth collaboration with Springsteen. “Bruce was into this material being more orchestral, not just capturing the live feel,” O’Brien says. As for the album’s epic eight-minute opener “Outlaw Pete,” O’Brien says Springsteen wanted every moment of the song to be vibrant.
For much more from O’Brien, news on the tour and David Fricke’s exclusive listen to Dream, check out the issue on newsstands January 7th issue.
Tina Fey voted AP Entertainer of the Year
NEW YORK – Tina Fey is the entertainer of the year? You betcha. Fey was voted The Associated Press' Entertainer of the Year, an annual honor chosen by newspaper editors and broadcast producers across the country.
Fey was selected by AP members as the performer who had the greatest impact on culture and entertainment in 2008.
The 38-year-old comedian bested runner-up Robert Downey Jr., whose comeback was capped with the blockbuster smash "Iron Man," and the third-place vote-getter, Heath Ledger, who posthumously wowed audiences as the Joker in "The Dark Knight."
But it was Fey who most impressed voters largely with her indelible impression of Gov. Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live." Her cameos on her old show (where she had been a head writer until 2006) helped drive the show to record ratings and eventually drew an appearance from Palin herself.
"Tina Fey is such an obvious choice," said Sharon Eberson, entertainment editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "She gave us funny when we really needed it and, in a year when women in politics were making huge strides, Fey stood out in the world of entertainment."
Fey's 2008 was a full year, though.
She also starred for the first time on the big screen in "Baby Mama" (which grossed $60 million at the box office) and won three Emmys for her critically lauded NBC sitcom "30 Rock," which she created, stars in and writes. In the comedy series category, she won for best lead actress and best writing, and shared in the award for best comedy series.
"She simultaneously entertained us with her wit and put a mirror up to the nation during the election and made us think about what was going on," said Scott Shive, assistant features editor at the Lexington Herald-Leader. "She is the epitome of the smart kid coming out on top for once."
As soon as Palin was chosen as Sen. John McCain's running mate, conjecture mounted that the similar-looking Fey would have to return to "SNL" to play her.
In an interview earlier this fall, Fey recalled watching early TV coverage of Palin: "That was the first time I thought, `Well, I kinda do look like her. I'd better really listen to how this lady talks.'"
Fey debuted the impression on the "SNL" season premiere and a sensation quickly followed. She made four more pre-election appearances as Palin on the late-night satire.
"From the winks to the nods to the accent, she nailed it," said Marc Bona, assistant entertainment editor of the Plain Dealer in Cleveland. "And she did so at a time when it seemed the whole country was tuned in — both to the presidential race as well as 'Saturday Night Live.'"
Her Palin impression has benefited "30 Rock," too. The show premiered its fourth season to 8.5 million viewers, a million more than last year's opener.
Recently, she was also nominated for a Golden Globe (for best performance by an actress in a TV series, comedy or musical), as well as a Screen Actors Guild award.
"The `SNL' stuff has certainly changed things for me," Fey said in October. "A lot more people seem to know who I am."
Last year's AP Entertainer of the Year also went to a comedian whose satire blended in with politics: Stephen Colbert.