'Old Men,' Europeans seize Oscars

[Rasputin]

No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood, two violent portraits of moral decline, led the Oscar race with eight nominations each on Tuesday, but the main drama was whether a Hollywood writers strike would cancel the awards show altogether.

The British period romance Atonement and the legal thriller Michael Clayton, both dealing in lies and deceit, picked up seven nominations each.

All four films were nominated for best picture, along with the quirky teen comedy Juno, a rare showcase for levity in a field packed with heavy material.

"These are grim pictures for grim times," said Robert Wilonsky, movie critic with Village Voice Media and the Dallas Observer.

Indeed, the main question in Hollywood was not who would win the entertainment industry's most coveted awards, but whether the ceremony would take place at all.

Hollywood has been crippled by a writers strike now in its 12th week. If the walkout is not settled by the time the awards take place on February 24, the Writers Guild of America has threatened to protest at the ceremony, and the Screen Actors Guild vowed its members would not to cross any picket lines.

"I don't think anybody is going to go (to the Oscars ceremony)," Oscar-nominated "Michael Clayton" writer-director Tony Gilroy told Reuters at a union rally in New York. "It won't be a decision I'll be taking individually. It's one of these situations where you just don't cross a picket line, and I think everybody knows that."

Oscar organizers insist the show will go on one way or another as scheduled.

Crime pays for Bardem
No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood each got only one acting nomination. Spanish actor Javier Bardem was cited for his supporting role as a cool-headed killer who cuts a random swath of destruction across small-town Texas in No Country For Old Men.

British actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who previously won an Oscar for 1989's My Left Foot, was cited for his lead role as a misanthropic oilman in There Will Be Blood.

Both movies were set up as co-productions between Walt Disney Co's Miramax Films and Viacom Inc's Paramount Vantage by producer Scott Rudin.

No Country, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, is a gory meditation on slipping moral values presented within the framework of a highly stylized chase movie.

"People are living with a certain amount of fear and don't quite know what it means to feel safe anymore. And I think that's really what this movie is describing," Rudin said.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood, while set in the early 20th century, presents two themes that still dominate America's political life -- oil and religion, Rudin added.

"That's a movie that deals with the collision of those two factors in a way that has incredible contemporary resonance."

The Coen brothers, Anderson and Gilroy will compete for the directing Oscar with two first-time Oscar nominees, Canadian filmmaker Jason Reitman for Juno and American artist Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

Rolling Stone magazine critic Peter Travers said No Country For Old Men will be "the one to beat" for best picture. But if it splits the vote with There Will Be Blood -- they will face off in six categories -- Michael Clayton could take the big prize, he said.

Michael Clayton, which stars best-actor nominee George Clooney as a legal "fixer," also was nominated for the supporting turns of Britons Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton.

Day-Lewis and Clooney will compete against Johnny Depp for the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Tommy Lee Jones for the war-themed In the Valley of Elah and Viggo Mortensen for the mob movie Eastern Promises.

Australian actress Cate Blanchett received two nominations -- for her title role as the British monarch in Elizabeth: The Golden Age and for her supporting role as Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. Her nomination for Elizabeth surprised some critics. Wilonsky said the film was "totally disposable."

The other lead-actress contenders were British veteran Julie Christie for Away From Her, French actress Marion Cotillard for La Vie en rose, Laura Linney for The Savages and Canadian actress Ellen Page for Juno.

Sean Penn's acclaimed wilderness adventure Into the Wild earned just two nominations, one for veteran actor Hal Holbrook, a first-time nominee at age 82.

[Rasputin]

Spanish actor Javier Bardem and mob drama "The Sopranos" took early movie and television awards at the Screen Actors Guild ceremony on Sunday, Hollywood's first full-scale awards show in a season marred by a bitter industry strike.

Bardem won for his supporting actor role as a cold-blooded killer in "No Country For Old Men" at a star-studded dinner at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles preceded by a red-carpet parade that even wintry rain failed to dampen.

"The Sopranos," which ended after six seasons in June 2007, took the top TV drama prize for best ensemble cast. Stars James Gandolfini and Edie Falco won awards for best actor and actress in a TV drama.

Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Eva Longoria and Tom Cruise provided some much-missed star power at the SAG event. During the three months of the ongoing strike by Hollywood screenwriters, celebrities have boycotted the Golden Globes and People's Choice Awards to honor the Writers Guild of America's picket line.

"The entire town has been going through a very difficult time. So to be able to celebrate something is a wonderful thing," former "Will & Grace" star Debra Messing told Reuters.

The WGA allowed its members to write for the SAG awards show and said it would not protest outside the event because actors have been strong allies of the writers in their bid for higher payments for work distributed over the Internet.

The strike threatens the February 24 Oscars, the movie industry's biggest showcase, although hopes have risen for a settlement after informal talks resumed last week between the WGA and major studios.

Winners at SAG are normally seen as key contenders for an Oscar since actors make up the biggest group of the 6,000 Academy Award voters.

But this year, SAG appears out of sync with the Oscars in the best picture race. The true-life wilderness story "Into the Wild," written and directed by actor Sean Penn, leads the SAG field with four nominations but received a disappointing two Oscar nods.

Britons Daniel Day Lewis, who plays a malicious oil entrepreneur in "There Will Be Blood," and Julie Christie, who plays a woman with Alzheimer's Disease in "Away From Her," as well as France's Marion Cotillard, who played singer Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose," are front-runners for SAG's best actor and actress awards. All won Golden Globes and Oscar nominations.

In the supporting actress category, Cate Blanchett, playing Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There," faces Tilda Swinton for her performance in the legal thriller "Michael Clayton" and Amy Ryan as a wayward mother in "Gone Baby Gone."

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

"No Country for Old Men" emerged as the Oscars favorite Sunday by taking top honors for overall cast along with Javier Bardem's supporting-actor prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the lone gathering of A-list stars in an awards season hobbled by the writers strike.

Bardem had kind words for Joel and Ethan Coen, who directed "No Country" and adapted the screenplay from Cormac McCarthy's novel.

"Thank you, guys, for hiring me, and thank you for taking the hard work of choosing the good takes," Bardem said. The native of Spain won the same honor at the Golden Globes, and has been universally praised for his chilling role as a relentless killer tracking a fortune in missing drug money.

"This is Javier Bardem's 497th award," said co-star Josh Brolin in the acceptance speech for the film's cast prize, the equivalent of best picture honors. "It's sad, sad for the rest of us."

Past Oscar winners Daniel Day-Lewis of "There Will Be Blood" and Julie Christie of "Away From Her" won the lead-acting honors, also giving them a boost to win the same trophies at the Academy Awards on Feb. 24. Day-Lewis dedicated his win to Heath Ledger, the 28-year-old Australian actor who was found dead in his Manhattan loft last week.

"In `Brokeback Mountain,' he was unique, he was perfect," said Day-Lewis, already an Oscar winner for "My Left Foot." "That scene in the trailer at the end of the film is as moving as anything I think I've ever seen."

Two weeks after the glam-free Golden Globes "news conference," the presence Sunday night of blue-chip Hollywood stars such as presenter Tom Cruise, a pregnant Cate Blanchett, and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (in a flowing, is-she-or-isn't-she dress that did little to quell twins rumors) reminded that the SAGs may stand as the highlight of Hollywood's film-honors season — if the writers strike undermines the Oscars, that is.

But the SAG show itself was generally free of labor talk, with only Christie addressing the matter openly among the winners.

"It's lovely to receive an award from your own union," she said, "especially at a time when we're being so forcefully reminded how important unions are."

Actors bid fond farewell to one of TV's most-acclaimed series ever as "The Sopranos" swept the dramatic categories, grabbing the lead-acting honors for James Gandolfini and Edie Falco and, minutes later, the overall cast award.

Ruby Dee won supporting actress for "American Gangster." She shared fond thoughts of her late husband and frequent acting partner, Ossie Davis, who died in 2005.

"I accept it also for my husband Ossie," the 83-year-old Dee said, "because he's working on things up there."

Though its last episode aired several months ago, "The Sopranos" grabbed all three TV drama categories to open the ceremony.

"Ten years ... I wish for everybody in every walk of life, but particularly for actors, to have the opportunity to have a work experience like I have had with my family here," Falco said. "You're not supposed to get this attached because it's a transient business. I have fallen in love with these people and I don't know how you walk away from that."

Minutes before, Gandolfini took the first trophy of the night in a star-studded ceremony — something of an anomaly in this strike-hobbled awards season.

"This is our last official act as Sopranos together," Gandolfini said. "Here's to you guys. Thank you very much. It's been 10 years. It's been an honor. That's all I can say."

For comedy series, Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey were the lead-acting winners for "30 Rock," while "The Office" won for best ensemble.

Normally a lesser cousin to the Golden Globes and Oscars, the SAG Awards could end up being the biggest celebration this time around: The swanky Globes were canceled because of a strike by the Writers Guild of America, which refused to let its members work on the show, and the fate of the Oscars on Feb. 24 is in question because of the same labor quarrel.

Not so for the SAG honors. The actors union has been steadfast in support of striking writers, who in turn gave their blessing to the SAG ceremony.

Instead of the debacle for the Globes, which were curtailed to a star-free news conference after actors and filmmakers made it clear they would not cross writers' picket lines, the SAG ceremony came off with a full complement of Hollywood A-listers.

"We're really proud of the solidarity we've built with the Writers Guild," said Alan Rosenberg, SAG president. "Our members have understood that and taken it to heart. I was really moved by their decision not to go to the Golden Globes, our nominees. It's tough times, but it's been gratifying, as well."

Backstage, Fey said the writers strike leaves "30 Rock" at risk since the show is a critical success but not necessarily a huge hit with viewers.

"We are exactly the kind of show that's put in jeopardy by the strike," Fey said.

The obligatory package of clips to honor stars who died in the past year took on more immediacy, ending with a moment from "Brokeback Mountain" featuring Ledger. The cause of his death had not yet been determined.

The guild presented its life-achievement award to Charles Durning, whose credits include "The Sting," "Tootsie" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

"There's nothing more gratifying than having an achievement award from one's peers," Durning said. "Over 50 years ago, I had the honor of working with some of the best actors, directors and writers in our industry. It's been a dream come true."

The guild's first-ever prizes for best stunt ensemble went to "The Bourne Ultimatum" for films and "24" for TV before the ceremony began.

On Saturday, "No Country" won top honors at the Directors Guild of America Awards for the Coen brothers; the winner there usually goes on to take home the directing Oscar.

As with the Golden Globes, the Writers Guild has made it clear that its members would not be allowed to work on the Oscars. While stars generally have said they would skip the show rather than cross picket lines, Oscar organizers insist their telecast will take place as scheduled.

Amy Ryan, a SAG and Oscar supporting-actress nominee for "Gone Baby Gone," said at the Directors Guild awards Saturday that she would not cross a picket line to attend the Oscars.

"I hope it ends but, more, I hope the writers get their due," Ryan said. "I think that, at the end of the day, is more important than a party. But I really hope it works out because I'd like to go to the party."

[Rasputin]

[gg666]

It was all Suprizes this year. Nothing went with the expectations

[Rasputin]

It was all Suprizes this year. Nothing went with the expectations

Nah aziz,,,Beh gheir az Perspolis,Baghieh unhaei keh Oscar gereftan,hagheshun bud va emsal kheili bishtar az salhaye ghabl,hagh beh hagh dar resid .