I finally got to see “Slumdog Millionaire” the other day. And while it’s not a “family film” per say, I recommend it for older kids and teenagers (along with adults). However, it’s not as good as “Frost/Nixon”, even though “Slumdog” is winning most of the Best Picture honors at all of the award ceremonies. (I kept waiting for them to thank Regis Philbin in the credits at the end for helping make the “Millionaire” game show so popular in the U.S., but it never happened).
The 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards were handed out a few nights ago. In case you missed the show, here are the winners in the film categories:
Best Actor: Will Smith, “Seven Pounds”
Best Actress: Rosario Dawson, “Seven Pounds”
Best Supporting Actor: Columbus Short, “Cadillac Records”
Best Supporting Actress: Taraji P. Henson, “Benjamin Button”
Best Film: The Secret Life of Bees”
Now, for some Pre-Oscars drama:
First, one of the Oscar statues missed it’s flight from Chicago to Hollywood. Number 3453 was accidentally set aside and mistaken for one of the statuettes that’s set to be part of an exhibit in Chicago. However, authorities got it on a later flight so, don’t worry, it will be at the Kodak Theater Sunday for the ceremony. I wonder who will end up with it?
Finally, Peter Gabriel, writer of the Oscar nominated song “Down To Earth” from “WALL-E”, is refusing to perform the song during the show Sunday night because producers are allowing each nominated song to be sung for only 65-seconds, as part of a medley.
First, the Academy cuts the number of nominated songs from 5 to 3. Now they aren’t even allowing the entire song to be sung. I don’t blame Gabriel for protesting. Maybe if the performers of the other two nominated songs did the same thing the shows producers would realize what a big mistake they’re making.