David vs Goliath as Oscars race heats up
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – The race for the Oscars goes into overdrive here on Tuesday when nominees for Hollywood's most coveted awards are unveiled, with the best picture battle shaping up as a David and Goliath showdown.
The identities of Oscars contenders will be revealed before hundreds of bleary-eyed media shortly after 5:30 am (1330 GMT) at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
All eyes are on the race for best picture, where low budget Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker" has emerged as the favorite to thwart James Cameron's science fiction blockbuster "Avatar," the most expensive film ever made.
The contrast between the two films couldn't be more stark.
Cameron's film -- with a reported budget of 500 million dollars -- has rewritten the box office record books, earning more than two billion dollars since December to become the highest grossing film in history.
Yet it is "The Hurt Locker" -- directed by Cameron's ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow -- which has become a surprise contender in the best picture race after winning a series of awards, indicators that augur well for the March 7 Oscars.
As a commercial venture, however, the film has flopped, earning just 16 million dollars worldwide after costing around 15 million dollars.
Yet Bigelow's film about a US Army bomb disposal squad in Iraq has been a critical darling, winning a series of prizes and accolades so far this year.
The latest of those came on Saturday when Bigelow pipped Cameron to the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards top prize, the first time a woman has ever won the award.
In 62 years, only six winners of the DGA award have failed to go on and win the corresponding best director Oscar -- and the directing Oscar often goes to the film which wins best picture.
Bigelow's film also scored a surprise win at the Producers Guild of America Awards in January, another reliable Oscars barometer.
"'The Hurt Locker' is definitely the front-runner," said Tom O'Neil, an awards season pundit for The Los Angeles Times's theenvelope.com.
"There doesn't seem to be any confusion. There is a clear consensus within the industry, which is strange because 'The Hurt Locker' is a movie without stars, it's made no money.
"In recessionary times, voters seem to be turning their back on the most successful film ever made in favor of a money loser."
Oscars organizers doubled the number of best picture nominees in a move analysts have said was intended to help boost television ratings for the awards show, which increased by 13 percent in 2009 after hitting a record low in 2008.
The expansion of nominees could see a number of interesting sub-plots unfold, with Pixar's "Up" likely to be only the second animated film to win a best picture nomination.
There is also the possibility of science-fiction -- a genre traditionally ignored at the Oscars -- being well represented, with "District 9" and "Star Trek" both outside bets to join "Avatar" on the shortlist.
While the best picture race is close, the competition for the coveted acting awards is starting to acquire a look of inevitability.
Popular Hollywood veteran Jeff Bridges is the heavy favorite in the best actor race after already winning a slew of honors for his portrayal of a washed-up country singer in the drama "Crazy Heart."
Bridges's likely rivals are expected to include George Clooney for "Up In the Air," Morgan Freeman for "Invictus" and Colin Firth for "A Single Man."
In the best actress stakes, Sandra Bullock has emerged as a front-runner after winning at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Bullock's accolades have come for her performance in "The Blind Side," where she plays a southern housewife who takes in homeless black teen Michael Oher, who goes on to become an American football star.
However, Bullock is expected to face stiff competition from perennial Oscar favorite Meryl Streep, who is tipped to pick up her 16th Academy Award nomination for her performance in "Julie & Julia."
"There's still some suspense about the best actress but it looks like Bullock has the momentum," O'Neil said.
In the supporting acting categories, "Inglourious Basterds" star Christoph Waltz and Mo'Nique of the drama "Precious" are favorites.
Tuesday's nominations announcement takes place at 5:38 am (1338 GMT) local time.
Stars gather to cover 'We Are the World' for Haiti
LOS ANGELES – Twenty-five years after star-studded anthem "We Are the World" raised millions of dollars to aid famine relief in Africa, celebrities of a different generation were set to gather Monday night to re-record the charity tune to benefit Haiti.
Among those scheduled to perform on the revamped track the night after the Grammy Awards were Akon, Jason Mraz, Bono, Wyclef Jean, Carlos Santana, Enrique Iglesias, Usher, Toni Braxton and Lady Gaga. The session will be held at the same recording studio where the original was cut — the historic A&M complex in Hollywood.
Quincy Jones, who produced the 1985 anthem, announced last week that he planned to redo the song to benefit recovery from the deadly Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti.
The session was all the talk at Sunday night's Grammy festivities. Music producer RedOne said being asked to participate was "the biggest honor a musician can ever do."
"Having Quincy, our father of music ... and Lionel Richie asking me to contribute and help, I said of course, because this is not about me," he said. "It's about Haiti."
Written by Michael Jackson and Richie, the original "We Are the World" thundered up the charts when it was released on the radio and in record stores in March 1985.
An unprecedented number of top pop musicians gathered at A&M the night of Jan. 28, 1985, following the American Music Awards, to record the tune. The song featured 45 American superstars, including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan and Cyndi Lauper.
The record raised more than $30 million for USA for Africa, a nonprofit organization founded by the singers to fund hunger relief in African nations.
CBC host Andy Barrie to retire
Andy Barrie, the widely respected host of Toronto's CBC Radio One program Metro Morning, has announced he's stepping down from the top-rated show.
With his deep baritone voice and incisive questioning, Barrie will continue his hosting duties until March 1.
The 65-year-old broadcaster, who revealed in 2007 that he had been diagnosed with the degenerative disorder Parkinson's disease, made his announcement at the end of his show Monday.
Barrie said that when the show moved to a new start time of 5:30 a.m., he found it especially difficult to adjust.
"All I know was that body was getting a very loud wake-up call of its own, and the call said: 'Fifteen years is more than anybody's held this job. A guy's got just so much stamina. You have been there and done that, and it's time to do something new,'" said the host.
"If we go back to my student radio days hosting something called The Suppertime Show in university, I've been doing daily radio now for 45 of my 65 years. Forty-five years of me doing the talking and you doing the listening. Well, it's that part of the conversation where it's time to say, well, enough about me."
"We're sad to see Andy give up the morning show microphone, and we're sure that's a view shared by his loyal audience," stated Denise Donlon, executive director of CBC Radio.
"We celebrate his legacy and honour the immense contribution he has made to CBC, to the broadcasting industry and to this city and community during his esteemed career."
Managers at the Toronto station say they'll announce a new host for the show later this month.
Susan Marjetti, managing director of CBC Toronto, expressed her sadness at the veteran announcer's departure, noting that the workers at Metro Morning are like an "extended family."
"He will continue to be part of that family and certainly part of this station's rich history," said Marjetti.
Born in Baltimore, Barrie can trace the beginnings of his broadcast career to age nine, when he was assigned to wake up campers every morning over the public address system at summer camp. After university, he snagged radio jobs in various cities as an announcer and reporter before getting his own program with Metromedia Radio in Washington.
In 1969, Barrie made a decision that set his life's path, leaving the United States during the Vietnam War and coming to Canada.
Jumped to CBC in 1995
He landed in Montreal and was hired by CJAD radio. In 1977, he moved to Toronto to take on a new job at CFRB, where his commentaries garnered him an ACTRA Award. The Andy Barrie Show was the highest-rated program in its time slot for many years.
Barrie made the leap to public broadcasting in 1995. His presence boosted ratings on the CBC show and Metro Morning now attracts more than a quarter of a million listeners every day.
Barrie's personal life hit the headlines twice, when he divulged his Parkinson's and when his wife of 39 years passed away in 2009.
Barrie indicated he might turn up at the CBC once in a while.
"As far as CBC is concerned, the adoption papers were signed long ago. I'm family. So I'll be here at the Broadcasting Centre trying to do less talking and more listening, sticking my nose into all kinds of interesting projects, and turning my ears to Metro Morning from the comfort of home.
"Again, this is for me, good news. This is my idea," Barrie said to his listeners. "This is not the end, this is just the beginning."
The show ended with a rendition of the 1939 Vera Lynn song We'll Meet Again, with the host joined by his co-workers.
'Transformers,' `Land of the Lost' lead Razzies
LOS ANGELES – "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" made a fortune. "Land of the Lost" tanked.
Both films are equal earners at the Razzies, though, grabbing seven nominations each on Monday, including worst picture of 2009 and worst-acting slots for Will Ferrell and Megan Fox.
Other worst-picture nominees: Sandra Bullock's romance "All About Steve," the action tale "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and the Robin Williams-John Travolta comedy "Old Dogs."
Bullock earned a worst-actress nomination for "All About Steve." She's expected to score an Academy Award nomination Tuesday for her hit drama "The Blind Side."
"She could be the first person ever to win a Razzie and an Oscar in the same weekend," said John Wilson, founder of the Golden Raspberry Awards, now in their 30th year of singling out Hollywood's low points. Winners will be announced March 6, the night before the Oscars.
Razzie voters also are making worst-of-the-decade picks. The worst-picture nominees are Travolta's "Battlefield Earth," Tom Green's "Freddy Got Fingered," Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's "Gigli," Lindsay Lohan's "I Know Who Killed Me" and Madonna's "Swept Away."
Affleck and Travolta are up for worst actor of the decade, along with Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers and Rob Schneider. Lohan, Lopez and Madonna are nominated for the decade's worst actress, along with Mariah Carey and Paris Hilton.
Wilson said the worst-actress category probably would come down to Hilton and Lohan, while "Eddie Murphy I would guess would be pretty hard to beat as worst actor of the decade."
Razzie 2009 nominees also include Miley Cyrus as worst actress and her dad, Billy Ray, as worst supporting actor for "Hannah Montana: The Movie."
All three Jonas brothers shared a worst-actor nomination for "Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience." Razzie voters also included "any two (or more)" Jonas brothers in the category for worst screen couple.
Robert Pattinson was nominated as worst supporting actor for "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." Co-star Kristen Stewart is in the running for worst screen couple paired with either Pattinson or "New Moon" player Taylor Lautner.
Ferrell has nominations as worst actor for "Land of the Lost" and as worst screen couple paired with "any co-star, creature or `comic riff'" in the action comedy inspired by the children's TV show. "Land of the Lost" also was nominated for worst supporting actor (Jorma Taccone), director (Brad Silberling), screenplay and worst sequel, rip-off or remake, a category that includes the "Transformers" sequel.
Fox was nominated as worst actress for both "Revenge of the Fallen" and "Jennifer's Body." "Revenge of the Fallen" star Shia LaBeouf was cited for worst screen couple alongside Fox or any Transformer, while the movie also had nominations for supporting actress (Julie White), director (Michael Bay) and screenplay.
Joining Ferrell and the Jonas brothers for worst actor were Steve Martin in "The Pink Panther 2," Murphy in "Imagine That" and Travolta in "Old Dogs."
For worst actress, Bullock, Cyrus and Fox are up against Beyonce Knowles for "Obsessed" and Sarah Jessica Parker for "Did You Hear About the Morgans?"
Taylor wins Grammy best album; Beyonce wins 6
LOS ANGELES – Beyonce became the most decorated female on a Grammy night as she collected six trophies, including song of the year for her anthem "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," but it was another diva — Taylor Swift — who nabbed the top honor, album of the year, for her best-selling "Fearless."
Swift, who won a total of four awards, jumped around like the 20-year-old kid that she is when beat out Beyonce, the Dave Matthews Band, Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas for the honor.
"Oh wow — thank you so much! I just hope that you know how much this means to me.... that we get to take this back to Nashville," said Swift, whose "Fearless" was last year's best-selling album of any genre.
"Oh my God, our families are freaking out in their living rooms," she added. "My dad and my little brother are losing their minds in the living room right now."
Although Beyonce also lost out on record of the year, which went to the Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody," the multihyphenate entertainer still owned the most awards of the evening.
Beyonce, who in 2004 won five Grammys on the strength of her debut album "Dangerously in Love," a mark tied by the likes of Alicia Keys, Norah Jones and Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse and Alison Krauss, reached that milestone again Sunday en route to the new record. She is the first to reach that mark twice.
She shared the song of the year trophy with three writers for "Single Ladies" and also won best R&B contemporary album for "I Am ... Sasha Fierce."
"This has been such an amazing night for me and I'd love to thank the Grammys," Beyonce said after winning best female pop vocal for "Halo."
The Kings of Leon were a bit more entertaining when they picked up their record of the year trophy, the family quartet's third of the night.
"I'm not going to lie, we're all a little drunk. But we're happy drunks," said lead singer Caleb Followill.
Lady Gaga won two Grammys during the pre-telecast ceremony but didn't get a chance to show her multitude of outrageous dresses during the primetime show, losing out on record, song and album of the year. But she made her presence felt when she kicked off the night with a sequined green leotard with massive shoulders as she sang her Grammy-nominated hit "Poker Face," then brought out Elton John as they melded her song "Speechless" and his classic "Your Song" together in a performance that featured dueling pianos, and glitter-painted faces.
Swift, who was second to Beyonce in Grammy nominations with eight nods, also won best country album among her other awards. The victory capped an amazing run for Swift, whose "Fearless" is only her second album. Her self-titled debut was a platinum success but "Fearless," with songs like "You Belong With Me," took her into the superstar stratosphere, as she won accolades across genres.
Another country act to take a top award was the Zac Brown Band, which won best new artist.
The Black Eyed Peas also had three trophies, as well as Jay-Z, who won for best rap solo performance and two awards for "Run This Town" with Rihanna and Kanye West.
Rihanna — who was forced to bow out of last year's awards as a performer after being assaulted by then-boyfriend Chris Brown, accepted the trophy along with Jay-Z and with Beyonce's young nephew in tow. West — who has kept a relatively low profile since his dustup with Swift a few months back — was a notable no-show.
Maxwell, up for six awards, also won his first Grammys — best R&B male vocal for the ballad "Pretty Wings" and best R&B album for "BLACKsummers' night." The album marked the R&B crooner's return after an absence of eight years from the music business.
Many participants in the program wore red cross buttons in support of Haiti earthquake relief. Mary J. Blige joined Andrea Bocelli in a rousing rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water," which was not only designed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the song's big Grammy wins, but to raise money for the people in Haiti. The performance, introduced by Haitian native Wyclef Jean, will be available via iTunes.com/target, with the funds going to earthquake relief.
The show also included a special 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson featuring a video clip he made of "Earth Song" as Usher, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson sang along.
Jackson's young children, Prince and Paris, accepted a lifetime achievement award for their late father.
"Through all his songs his message was simple, love. We will continue to spread his message and help the world," Prince said.