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Rainn, Teri, and More Serenade the Independent Spirits

BuzzSugar — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:30:40 -0800

Some of my favorite parts of the Independent Spirit Awards are the parody songs the show's writers whip up for each of the Best Feature nominees. I still can't hear Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly" without hearing the jokey lyrics poking fun at The Diving Bell and the Butterfly last year ("I can't move my toes/and I can't move my nose . . . ").

This year, Teri Hatcher took the stage to pay a special kind of tribute to Wendy and Lucy, Rainn Wilson donned spandex and grabbed the mike for a homage to The Wrestler, Christina Applegate retold Frozen River to the tune of "Proud Mary," and Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson broke it down for Ballast. Unfortunately - or fortunately, depending on your perspective - Rachel Getting Married didn't get a parody, but Robyn Hitchcock showed up to sing "Up to Our Nex" from the film's soundtrack.

In case you missed it, I've clipped all the videos together, and you can check out all the celebrity parodies if you read more.

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Announcing the Winners: The 2009 Independent Spirit Awards

BuzzSugar — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:32:40 -0800

This year the Film Independent's Spirit Awards spread the love around, dealing out prizes to a wide range of projects. The Wrestler was a big winner at today's ceremony, snagging several of the major awards including Best Feature, Best Male Lead for Mickey Rourke, and even Best Cinematography. Vicky Christina Barcelona's star Penelope Cruz began what many hope will be an awards filled weekend for her, winning for Best Supporting Female.

Her director, Woody Allen, took home an award for Best Screenplay. Milk received its share of accolades as well including a Best Supporting Male prize for James Franco and a Best First Screenplay award going to young up-and-comer Dustin Lance Black.

I really enjoyed The Class and am thrilled it won in the foreign film category. Interestingly, Rachel Getting Married didn't win much despite leading in nominations. Finally, Synecdoche, New York, a movie virtually ignored by the Oscars, walked away with several prizes including Best First Feature.

Don't forget an edited version of the ceremony will air tonight on AMC at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. That's it folks! Next stop: Oscars! To check out the winners for yourself, read more.

BEST FEATURE
The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie
Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel

BEST MALE LEAD
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
James Franco (Milk)

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black (Milk)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Maryse Alberti (The Wrestler)

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
In Search of a Midnight Kiss

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire

FOREIGN FILM
The Class (France)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Williams

IFC/ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Lynn Shelton, director of My Effortless Brilliance

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TV Today: The Independent Spirit Awards, Twice

BuzzSugar — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:00:01 -0800

Can't wait till the Oscars for your awards fix this weekend? Well today, you can get a quirky take on the red carpet and awards show fun with Film Independent's Spirit Awards live at 5 p.m. Eastern/2 p.m. Pacific on IFC. If you're unable to catch it live in the afternoon, an edited version will re-air on AMC at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

This year's host is funny man Steve Coogan, star of Hamlet 2, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he does with the show's free-flowing format. Based on some recent Twitter updates from last year's host, Rainn Wilson, I'm sure the night will offer up some memorable moments. You can check out a list of this year's nominees here and come back a little later today to see a full list of winners.

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Rachel Getting Married Leads 2009 Independent Spirit Noms

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:35:45 -0800

After all the acclaim heaped on Rachel Getting Married, the family drama starring Anne Hathaway, it makes sense that the movie would lead (along with two other films that also received six nominations each: Sundance favorites Ballast and Frozen River) the year's batch of nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards.

Other titles in the Best Feature category include the heartbreaking Wendy and Lucy, starring Michelle Williams, and the Mickey Rourke drama The Wrestler. Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona is getting some love, with acting nominations for Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz and a Best Screenplay nomination for Allen. Milk scored several nominations as well, including a Best Actor nod for Sean Penn and a Best Supporting Actor for James Franco.

The winners will be announced at the ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. To check out the full list of this year's Independent Spirit Award nominees, read more.

The 2009 Spirit Award Nominees:

BEST FEATURE
Ballast
Frozen River
Rachel Getting Married
Wendy and Lucy
The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Ramin Bahrani (Chop Shop)
Jonathan Demme (Rachel Getting Married)
Lance Hammer (Ballast)
Courtney Hunt (Frozen River)
Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Afterschool
Director: Antonio Campos
Producers: Sean Durkin, Josh Mond

Medicine for Melancholy
Director: Barry Jenkins
Producer: Justin Barber

Sangre De Mi Sangre
Director: Christopher Zalla
Producers: Per Melita, Benjamin Odell

Sleep Dealer
Director: Alex Rivera
Producer: Anthony Bregman

Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie
Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel

BEST MALE LEAD
Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)
Sean Penn (Milk)
Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Summer Bishil (Towelhead)
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)
Tarra Riggs (Ballast)
Michelle Williams (Wendy and Lucy)

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
James Franco (Milk)
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker)
Charlie McDermott (Frozen River)
Jim Myron Ross (Ballast)
Haaz Sleiman (The Visitor)

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married)
Rosie Perez (The Take)
Misty Upham (Frozen River)
Debra Winger (Rachel Getting Married)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (Sugar)
Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York)
Howard A. Rodman (Savage Grace)
Christopher Zalla (Sangre De Mi Sangre)

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black (Milk)
Lance Hammer, (Ballast)
Courtney Hunt (Frozen River)
Jonathan Levine (The Wackness)
Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Maryse Alberti (The Wrestler)
Lol Crawley (Ballast)
James Laxton (Medicine for Melancholy)
Harris Savides (Milk)
Michael Simmonds (Chop Shop)

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
Prince of Broadway
The Signal
Take Out
Turn the River

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
Man on Wire
The Order of Myths
Up the Yangtze

FOREIGN FILM
The Class (France)
Gomorra (Italy)
Hunger (UK/Ireland)
Secret of the Grain (France)
Silent Light (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)

IFC/ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Barry Jenkins, director of Medicine for Melancholy
Nina Paley, director of Sita Sings the Blues
Lynn Shelton, director of My Effortless Brilliance