Ellen Elaborates: January 2012

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

2012 Academy Award Nominations

Here are the 2012 Academy Award Nominations:

Best Picture

"The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
"The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
"The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
"Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
"Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
"Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
"The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined
"War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"
George Clooney in "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis in "The Help"
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Actress in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

Who do you think will win? Best picture - probably between The Artist and Descendants. Best actor I will say Demian Bicher. Best supporting actor - They will probably give it to the older actors - Christopher Plummer or Max von Sydow. Best Actress - Meryl Streep will probably win it but I say Viola Davis - she did a great job in the Help. Best Supporting Actress - I though Octavia Spencer was great.

Well here you have it - my predictions we will see in a couple of weeks.

Hi!

Sorry I haven't been blogging - you know how it is life gets in the way and then it is almost the end of January. Time sure does fly!!

We saw a bunch of movies over the past month. Moneyball with Brad Pitt & Jonah Hill. It was really good. I love watching movies about real people. They both did a great job and also were nominated for an academy award.

We saw the Ides of March with George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamitti, Philip Seymour Hoffman. That was great too. After watching that movie - you won't like either political party.

We saw Abduction with Taylor Lautner (Twilight). It was good. Taylor is not a very good actor in this one - some lines were just like Twilight. He is good with the action. I can see him being an action star like Steven Segal.

We also saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes with James Franco and John Lithgow. I don't remember watching the original Planet of the Apes movies but this was was definitely good. You should give a try.

And last but certainly not least Cowboys and Aliens. I didn't care for it. I don't know if it was the mixing of westerns with aliens or what. Daniel Craig from James Bond was in it along with a very older looking Harrison Ford. I want to remember Harrison looking like he did in Indiana Jones.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Paper Garland Chains

Remember when we used to make paper garland in school when we were little well Torie Jayne has done a shabby chic look to it. You really could do any color scheme. I just love it!! (from the Torie Jayne blog)

Another Idea for next Christmas

What an inexpensive idea using pinecones and nuts - aren't these just adorable.

This has to be one of the cheapest, cute decorations I have seen this year. Just simply collect pine cones from your local woods, park etc. wash them in soapy water and leave to dry. Then paint them in shades of colours to match your Christmas decor. She also PVA glued a few and sprinkled them in coarse glitter to give them an icy effect. I just love them!! (By Torie Jayne Blog)