BuzzSugar

Song of the Day: Papercuts, "John Brown"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:00:35 -0800

San Francisco's Papercuts have been a hot ticket on the local music scene for a while now. But with its upcoming album, Can't Go Back, the band may really be headed for the big time. I particularly love the track "John Brown," which the Papercuts' label just posted online. Despite some cutting-edge components - Jason Quever's shaky falsetto and the fidgety violins - the song really sounds like something from another era. To listen, read more

Pilot Watch: Fringe

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:30:54 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: Fox's Fringe, which will air Tuesdays this Fall after House.

What's it about? After a creepy incident on an airplane (creator JJ Abrams seems to like those), an FBI agent ends up getting sucked into the world of fringe science, which essentially uses humankind as one large laboratory for exploring cloning, mind reading, and the like.

Who's in it? Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown

The good: The first episode does quick work of establishing the premise, the characters, and their central conflicts while also dropping some hints as to the mythology (and cool science-y plot twists) that will likely develop later. Jackson and Noble are great as a dysfunctional father-son team, grudgingly interacting again after years of silence. Two actors in relatively smaller roles - Lance Reddick as a Department of Homeland Security agent and Blair Brown as the head of science corporation Massive Dynamic - carry a lot of the weight of setting up the series' framework and do an outstanding job with it.

The bad: The pilot is super-sized (just under 90 minutes), and I'm not sure it needed to be. Some of the middle section dragged, which prevented me from being as completely wowed by the show as I'd hoped. I'm still not sure I completely understand Noble's character (he was borderline deranged at the start, then just kind of quirky by show's end), but that could have been intentional, since part of the premise is that he is a bit of a wild card.

Will I watch? Absolutely. A lot goes down in the final 15 minutes, and it was enough to make me want to see where the story leads.

To check out a preview and see a gallery of photos, just read more.

View 16 Photos ›

Photos courtesy of Fox

Buzz News Roundup, 9/26

BuzzSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:31:05 -0700

Do Not Disturb is the first casualty of Fall TV. - Broadcasting & Cable
It's only in the rumor stage, but still: People are saying Ricky Gervais may be the host for the 2009 Oscars! - E! Online
Steven Spielberg may adapt the sci-fi novel Chocky for his next project. - Zap2It
HBO wants to turn the Tom Wolfe novel I Am Charlotte Simmons into a TV series with Tina Brown as executive producer. - Variety
Helen Mirren is set to play a Mossad agent in director John Madden's The Debt, an English-language remake of Israeli thriller Ha-hov. - Variety
Melissa George of Alias will guest-star on Grey's Anatomy as a possible love interest for Callie or Erica. - Entertainment Weekly
Nick Nolte will star in an indie coming-of-age-drama titled Arcadia Lost. - Hollywood Reporter
Bob Dylan's new album will be released one week early as a free online stream on National Public Radio's website. - AP
The American Idol tour did better this year than last year but still couldn't match the 2006 edition. - USA Today

Photo courtesy of Fox

Buzz News Roundup, 8/15

BuzzSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:30:38 -0700

Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black are filming a pilot for Comedy Central. - Zap2it
Mike Myers is joining the peculiar cast (Brad Pitt, Simon Pegg, Eli Roth, B.J. Novak) for Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Bastards. - ComingSoon
A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame annex will open in downtown Manhattan. - Billboard
Sigourney Weaver will play a therapist on Eli Stone, while Audrina Patridge will guest-star on Do Not Disturb. - TV Guide
Liam Neeson and possibly Javier Bardem will join Orlando Bloom in the untitled dramatic film about Sarajevo. - Variety
David Duchovny and Tea Leoni will star together in the comedy Born to Rock. - Hollywood Reporter
Director Matthew Vaughn will direct an adaptation of the comic book Kick-Ass, with Christopher Mintz-Plasse in negotiations to star. - ComingSoon
Singer/songwriter Jackson Browne is suing John McCain and the Republican party for using his song "Running on Empty" in a TV commercial. - Billboard
Claire Danes will play Temple Grandin in an HBO biopic. - Hollywood Reporter

Source

Announcing the 2010 Grammy Award Winners!

BuzzSugar — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:56:49 -0800

And the Queen of the 2010 Grammys is . . . I'm calling it a tie! Everyone was waiting to see Beyonce battle with Taylor Swift for the most awards, and both women walked away winners in their own respect. Beyonce earned six honors, the most ever won by a female performer; Swift not only took home her first Grammy - and three others to go with it - but she also took home the big prize of the night: Best Album. The only time neither lady won? In a surprising upset, Kings of Leon beat them both for Record of the Year for their “Use Somebody.”

This year’s performances seemed even more exciting than in years past, and I’d have a hard time choosing a favorite. As the honorees came back into the press room (more on that later), there was a ton of buzz about Pink's Cirque du Soleil-type ribbon routine, but I also enjoyed Beyonce's cover of “You Oughta Know," and Lady Gaga and Elton John's piano duet in matchy glittered glasses. And of course, the 3-D Michael Jackson tribute brought in artists from every spectrum of music for a standing ovation.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts, but right now, let's go over the winners when you read more.

For a complete list in all 110 Grammy categories, click here. The following is a partial list.

RECORD OF THE YEAR
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Fearless, Taylor Swift

SONG OF THE YEAR
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyonce

BEST NEW ARTIST
Zac Brown Band

BEST FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Halo," Beyonce

BEST MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Make It Mine," Jason Mraz

BEST POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"I Gotta Feeling," Black Eyed Peas

BEST POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
"Lucky," Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"Throw Down Your Heart," Bela Fleck

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
Potato Hole, Booker T. Jones

BEST POP ALBUM
The E.N.D., The Black Eyed Peas

BEST DANCE RECORDING
"Poker Face," Lady Gaga

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM
The Fame, Lady Gaga

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden, Michael Buble

BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Working on a Dream," Bruce Springsteen

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Use Somebody," Kings Of Leon

BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE
"War Machine," AC/DC

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE
"Dissident Aggressor," Judas Priest

BEST ROCK INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"A Day in the Life," Jeff Beck

BEST ROCK SONG
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon

BEST ROCK ALBUM
21st Century Breakdown, Green Day

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Phoenix

BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyonce

BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Pretty Wings," Maxwell

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Blame It," Jamie Foxx and T-Pain

BEST TRADITIONAL R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"At Last," Beyonce

BEST URBAN/ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE
"Pearls," India.Arie and Dobet Gnahore

BEST R&B SONG
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyonce

BEST R&B ALBUM
Blacksummers' Night, Maxwell

BEST CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM
I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyonce

BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE
"D.O.A.," Jay-Z

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
"Crack a Bottle," Eminem, 50 Cent, and Dr. Dre

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION
"Run This Town," Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West

BEST RAP SONG
"Run This Town," Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West

BEST RAP ALBUM
Relapse, Eminem

BEST FEMALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"White Horse," Taylor Swift

BEST MALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Sweet Thing," Keith Urban

BEST COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"I Run to You," Lady Antebellum

BEST COUNTRY COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
"I Told You So," Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis

BEST COUNTRY INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"Producer's Medley," Steve Wariner

BEST COUNTRY SONG
"White Horse," Taylor Swift

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
Fearless, Taylor Swift

BEST COMEDY ALBUM
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All, Stephen Colbert

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
Up

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
"Jai Ho" (From Slumdog Millionare), Gulzar, A.R. Rahman, and Tanvi Shah

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (NON-CLASSICAL)
Brendan O'Brien

BEST REMIXED RECORDING
"When Love Takes Over (Electro Extended Remix)," David Guetta (David Guetta Featuring Kelly Rowland)

BEST SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO
"Boom Boom Pow," Black Eyed Peas

BEST LONG FORM MUSIC VIDEO
The Beatles Love - All Together Now, Various Artists

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:30:00 -0800

This Winter Tuesday brings lots of great new DVD releases (a blessing if you're stuck inside!). In addition to the titles below, Robert Pattinson's Little Ashes, The Boys Are Back, horror flick Saw VI, and Surrogates are all out on video.

Whip It

Drew Barrymore's directorial debut didn't chart highly at the box office, but I enjoyed her girl-power good time a great deal. The story of a meek young girl who finds freedom with a roller derby league, Whip It is way too much fun. Providing hilarious support are Arrested Development alum Alia Shawkat, funny girl Kristen Wiig, and Barrymore herself - rent it for your next girls' night in.

The DVD extras include nine deleted scenes and an alternate opening scene.

82%

This Is It

Kenny Ortega's documentary about Michael Jackson, This Is It, gives you a chance to experience what would have been the king of pop's last tour. That Jackson died this year just makes the experience of getting to see the tireless work and production put into Jackson's concerts that much more special. I thought it was a striking, intimate tribute, and worth seeing if you're a fan.

The DVD's extras include an hour of unseen footage, a making-of documentary and featurettes about the costumes, the dancer auditions, and Jackson's closest friends revealing memories of him.

80%

See one more new release when you read more.

Bright Star

Jane Campion's quiet romance Bright Star had two of my favorite performances of last year: Abbie Cornish and Paul Schneider. I fell in love with this lush film about the poet John Keats and his young love, Fanny Brawne (played by Cornish). Schneider stars as Keats's surly best friend, fellow poet Charles Armitage Brown.

It's a shame that Bright Star hasn't gotten too much recognition this awards season, but hopefully more people will give the passionate and intellectual movie a chance now that's available on video. The extras on the DVD include deleted scenes, commentary, and a couple of featurettes.

83%

Fringe Rundown: Episode Two, "The Same Old Story"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:30:29 -0700

After last week's super-sized premiere of Fringe, Tuesday's episode was the first chance to see what the show might look like on a weekly basis. Well, sort of. There was a lot of clunky recap in this episode, most of it crammed into the first 10 minutes. ("And now we're working with Walter Bishop, a scientist with questionable ethics who up until recently was institutionalized in a mental facility." "Yes, and also with his son, a college dropout with an IQ of 190.") It's a problem a lot of second episodes run into, but I still did a lot of eyerolling at the beginning.

The episode picked up after that, though, moving to the next case in The Pattern and some revelations about Walter Bishop's science and Peter Bishop's very being. To see what I made of it all and add your thoughts, just read more.

So, most interesting things first: Let's talk about Peter's "medical history." Walter has altered him somehow - but how? Is he a clone? That was my guess, going off the closing image, but I'm sure we'll discover any number of weird, quasi-scientific processes that could lead to the creation of a wisecracking, gambling 20-something guy. The most interesting things to me about it right now are a) that Peter doesn't know (even the serial killer/rapidly aging guy knew what was happening to him), and b) that, because the records were gone from the file, presumably someone else does know.
Meanwhile, the actual science case wasn't quite as interesting as I wanted it to be - and I think that's because the pieces fit together too neatly. There's an obvious link to Walter's work, and then to his old partner, and then to the killer, and the actual science seemed relatively straightforward save for that one special Massive Dynamic camera. Which is just awfully convenient, no? I hope that the show has something else up its sleeve beyond a formula that's essentially "science-y thing happens; Walter Bishop solves it by drawing on his work from back in the day."
What did creep me out was the scene of Olivia screaming and hallucinating that she, too, would birth a surprise baby. I guess we know by now that Agent Scott didn't have that particular affliction, but there's obviously still something fishy in his history.

I'm really enjoying the wackiness of Walter Bishop. Maybe it will start to wear on me eventually, but right now, lines like "Do you have any cocaine?" and "Even condoms are not 100 percent effective; you two should be aware of this" are cracking me up. And hooray for a reappearance of the cow.
My favorite Walter line deserves its own bullet point: "I've never seen a feature like this before. It warms your ass. It's wonderful."
Massive Dynamic: Good? Evil? Somewhere in between? I'm a sucker for a conspiracy, and I want to know how much Nina Sharp knows about The Pattern. Why are she and Broyles in cahoots? Why is she offering Olivia a job? My sense is that Nina may be a double agent of sorts, working both the good and bad sides of this science.
Here's the No. 1 thing I hate: those big, place-identifying letters. I know people will disagree, but they just look silly to me. Also, I would like the opening credits a lot more if they weren't throwing all these words at us, like "Science! Cloning! Time travel! Smart-people stuff!"

What did you think? Are you hooked, or was this episode tough to get into? Are you liking the procedural elements, or do you want more of a continuing story? The show has a lot of potential, but it hasn't totally come together for me yet. You?

Photos courtesy of Fox

Link Time! Ewan McGregor Cast in Steven Soderbergh's Knockout

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:30:16 -0800

Ewan McGregor will star in Steven Soderbergh's upcoming Knockout, along with Dennis Quaid and Michael Douglas - MTV Movies Blog
OMG! Disney is working on a Lost ride? - Movieline
Christina Ricci and Kristin Scott Thomas get to play along with Robert Pattinson in Bel Ami - PopSugar
Showtime has greenlit Laura Linney's cancer series The Big C - TV Squad
Salma Hayek and Maggie Grace to play opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Dwayne Johnson in Faster - Coming Soon
See what creator Alan Ball has to say about the Sookie/Alcide romance on True Blood - The Ausiello Files
The Director's Guild Association announces its nominees - Rotten Tomatoes
Neil Patrick Harris wins the title of Gay Man of the Decade - TV.com
Fox has pulled game show Our Little Genius prior to its air date due to a scandal - The AV Club
I dare you to watch this video of John Travolta covering - and dancing to - Bobby Brown's '80s hit "Every Little Step" - Videogum

Announcing the 2010 Grammy Award Nominees!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:22:28 -0800

The Grammy Awards rolled out the red carpet this evening with a one-hour live show to celebrate their 2010 nominees. (Check out photos from the event here.) The night featured performances by previous winners like the Black Eyed Peas, along with the announcement of the acts who will be competing for the special honor. The results? This year is all about the ladies. Taylor Swift has already run away with the majority of awards in 2009, and she's towards the top here too, earning eight nominations including Record of the Year and Album of the Year. But somewhere out there, Kanye West is smiling, because his girl Beyonce bested Ms. Swift tonight with a total of ten nods.

As for me, I'm especially happy to see Lady Gaga get recognition in multiple categories following a disappointing run for her at the American Music Awards. Also worth noting - the boys of The Lonely Island are nominated for their music video "I'm on a Boat" featuring T-Pain. Nice to see the nomination committee has a sense of humor.

We'll find out who takes home the golden record player when the awards show airs on Jan. 31. To see who made the cut, just read more.

RECORD OF THE YEAR
"Halo," Beyonce
"I Gotta Feeling," Black Eyed Peas
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon
"Poker Face," Lady Gaga
"You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyonce
The E.N.D., The Black Eyed Peas
The Fame, Lady Gaga
Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, Dave Matthews Band
Fearless, Taylor Swift

SONG OF THE YEAR
"Poker Face," Lady Gaga
"Pretty Wings," Maxwell
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyonce
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon
"You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift

BEST NEW ARTIST
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings

BEST FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Hometown Glory," Adele
"Halo," Beyonce
"Hot N Cold," Katy Perry
"Sober," Pink
"You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift

BEST MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"This Time," John Legend
"Love You," Maxwell
"Make It Mine," Jason Mraz
"If You Don't Know Me By Now," Seal
"All About the Love Again," Stevie Wonder

BEST POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"I Gotta Feeling," Black Eyed Peas
"We Weren't Born to Follow," Bon Jovi
"Never Say Never," The Fray
"Sara Smile," Hall and Oates
"Kids," MGMT

BEST POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
"Sea of Heartbreak," Rosanne Cash and Bruce Springsteen
"Love Sex Magic," Ciara and Justin Timberlake
"Lucky," Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
"Baby, It's Cold Outside," Willie Nelson and Norah Jones
"Breathe," Taylor Swift and Colbie Caillat

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"Besame Mucho," Herb Alpert
"Throw Down Your Heart," Bela Fleck
"The Fire," Imogen Heap
"Phoenix Rise," Maxwell
"Funk Joint," Marcus Miller

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
In Boston, Chris Botti
Legacy, Hiroshima
Potato Hole, Booker T. Jones
Modern Art The Rippingtons Featuring Russ Freeman
Down the Wire, Spyro Gyra

BEST POP ALBUM
The E.N.D., The Black Eyed Peas
Breakthrough, Colbie Caillat
All I Ever Wanted, Kelly Clarkson
The Fray, The Fray
Funhouse, Pink

BEST DANCE RECORDING
"Boom Boom Pow," The Black Eyed Peas
"When Love Takes Over," David Guetta and Kelly Rowland
"Poker Face," Lady Gaga
"Celebration," Madonna
"Womanizer," Britney Spears

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM
Divided By Night, The Crystal Method
One Love, David Guetta
The Fame, Lady Gaga
Party Rock, LMFAO
Yes, Pet Shop Boys

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
A Swingin' Christmas, Tony Bennett
Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden, Michael Buble
Your Songs, Harry Connick, Jr.
Liza's At the Palace, Liza Minnelli
American Classic, Willie Nelson

BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Beyond Here Lies Nothin,'" Bob Dylan
"Change in the Weather," John Fogerty
"Dreamer," Prince
"Working on a Dream," Bruce Springsteen
"Fork in the Road," Neil Young

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Can't Find My Way Home," Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood
"Live in Technicolor II," Coldplay
"21 Guns," Green Day
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight," U2

BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE
"War Machine," AC/DC
"Check My Brain," Alice in Chains
"What I've Done," Linkin Park
"The Unforgiven III," Metallica
"Burn It to the Ground," Nickelback

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE
"Dissident Aggressor," Judas Priest
"Set to Fail," Lamb of God
"Head Crusher," Megadeath
"Senor Peligro," Ministry
"Hate Worldwide," Slayer

BEST ROCK INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"A Day in the Life," Jeff Beck
"Warped Sister," Booker T. Jones
"Playing With Fire," Brad Paisley
"Mr. Surfer Goes Jazzin,'" Brian Setzer Orchestra
"Now We Run," Steve Vai

BEST ROCK SONG
"The Fixer," Pearl Jam
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight," U2
"21 Guns," Green Day
"Use Somebody," Kings of Leon
"Working on a Dream," Bruce Springsteen

BEST ROCK ALBUM
Black Ice, AC/DC
Live From Madison Square Garden, Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
21st Century Breakdown, Green Day
Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, Dave Matthews Band
No Line on the Horizon, U2

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, David Byrne and Brian Eno
The Open Door, Death Cab for Cutie
Sounds of the Universe, Depeche Mode
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Phoenix
It's Blitz!, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)," Beyonce
"It Kills Me," Melanie Fiona
"That Was Then," Lalah Hathaway
"Goin' Thru Changes," Ledisi
"Lions, Tigers & Bears," Jazmine Sullivan

BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"The Point of It All," Anthony Hamilton
"Pretty Wings," Maxwell
"Sobeautiful," Musiq Soulchild
"Under," Pleasure P
"There Goes My Baby," Charlie Wilson

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Blame It," Jamie Foxx and T-Pain
"Chocolate High," India.Arie and Musiq Soulchild
"Ifuleave," Musiq Soulchild and Mary J. Blige
"Higher Ground," Robert Randolph and The Clark Sisters
"Love Has Finally Come at Last," Calvin Richardson and Ann Nesby

BEST TRADITIONAL R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"At Last," Beyonce
"Soul Music," Anthony Hamilton
"Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," Boney James and Quinn
"Sow Love," Ann Nesby
"Woman Gotta Have It," Calvin Richardson

BEST URBAN/ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE
"Daykeeper," The Foreign Exchange
"All Matter," Robert Glasper and Bilal
"Pearls," India.Arie and Dobet Gnahore
"A Tale of Two," Eric Roberson, Ben O'Neill, and Michelle Thompson
"Blend," Tonex

BEST R&B SONG
"Blame It," Jamie Foxx and T-Pain
"Lions, Tigers, and Bears," Jazmine Sullivan
"Pretty Wings," Maxwell
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyonce
"Under," Pleasure P

BEST R&B ALBUM
The Point of It All, Anthony Hamilton
Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics, India.Arie
Turn Me Loose, Ledisi
Blacksummers' Night, Maxwell
Uncle Charlie, Charlie Wilson

BEST CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM
I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyonce
Intuition, Jamie Foxx
The Introduction of Marcus Cooper, Pleasure P
Ready, Trey Songz
Thr33 Ringz, T-Pain

BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE
"Best I Ever Had," Drake
"Beautiful," Eminem
"D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," Jay-Z
"Day 'N' Nite," Kid Cudi
"Casa Bey," Mos Def

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
"Too Many Rappers," Beastie Boys and Nas
"Crack A Bottle," Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent
"Money Goes, Honey Stay," Fabolous and Jay-Z
"Make Her Say," Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Common
"Amazing," Kanye West and Young Jeezy

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION
"Ego," Beyonce and Kanye West
"Knock You Down," Keri Hilson, Kanye West and Ne-Yo
"Run This Town," Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West
"I'm on a Boat," The Lonely Island and T-Pain
"Dead and Gone," T.I. and Justin Timberlake

BEST RAP SONG
"Best I Ever Had," Drake
"Day 'N' Nite," Kid Cudi
"Dead and Gone," T.I. and Justin Timberlake
"D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," Jay-Z
"Run This Town," Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West

BEST RAP ALBUM
Universal Mind Control, Common
Relapse, Eminem
R.O.O.T.S., Flo Rida
The Ecstatic, Mos Def
The Renaissance, Q-Tip

BEST FEMALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Dead Flowers," Miranda Lambert
"I Just Call You Mine," Martina McBride
"White Horse," Taylor Swift
"Just a Dream," Carrie Underwood
"Solitary Thinkin," Lee Ann Womack

BEST MALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"All I Ask for Anymore," Trace Adkins
"People Are Crazy," Billy Currington
"High Cost of Living," Jamey Johnson
"Living for the Night," George Strait
"Sweet Thing," Keith Urban

BEST COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Cowgirls Don't Cry," Brooks & Dunn
"Chicken Fried," Zac Brown Band
"I Run to You," Lady Antebellum
"Here Comes Goodbye," Rascal Flatts
"It Happens," Sugarland

BEST COUNTRY COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
"Beautiful World," Dierks Bentley and Patty Griffin
"Down the Road," Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally
"Start a Band," Brad Paisley and Keith Urban
"I Told You So," Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis
"Everything But Quits," Lee Ann Womack and George Strait

BEST COUNTRY INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"Under the (Five) Wire," Alison Brown
"The Crystal Merchant," The Greencards
"Mansinneedof," Sarah Jarosz
"Producer's Medley," Steve Wariner

BEST COUNTRY SONG
"All I Ask for Anymore," Trace Adkins
"High Cost of Living," Jamey Johnson
"I Run to You," Lady Antebellum
"People Are Crazy," Billy Currington
"White Horse," Taylor Swift

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
The Foundation, Zac Brown Band
Twang, George Strait
Fearless, Taylor Swift
Defying Gravity, Keith Urban
Call Me Crazy, Lee Ann Womack

BEST NEW AGE ALBUM
Faith, Jim Brickman
Prayer for Compassion, David Darling
Laserium for the Soul, Henta
In a Dream, Peter Kater, Dominic Miller, Kenny Loggins, and Jaques Morelenbaum
Impressions of the West Lake, Kitaro

BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM
Urbanus, Stefon Harris and Blackout
Sounding Point, Julian Lage
At World's Edge, Philippe Saisse
Big Neighborhood, Mike Stern
75, Joe Zawinul and The Zawinul Syndicate

BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM
No Regrets, Randy Crawford and Joe Sample
Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music of Coltrane and Hartman, Kurt Elling
So In Love, Roberta Gambarini
Tide, Luciana Souza
Desire, Tierney Sutton

BEST AMERICANA ALBUM
Together Through Life, Bob Dylan
Electric Dirt, Levon Helm
Willie and the Wheel, Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel
Wilco (The Album), Wilco
Little Honey, Lucinda Williams

BEST COMEDY ALBUM
Back From the Dead, Spinal Tap
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, Stephen Colbert
Internet Leaks, Weird Al Yankovic
My Weakness Is Strong, Patton Oswalt
Suckin' It for the Holidays, Kathy Griffin
Tall, Dark, & Chicano, George Lopez

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
Cadillac Records
Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds
Slumdog Millionaire
True Blood
Twilight

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Disc 1)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Milk
Star Trek
Up

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURE, TV, ETC
"The Climb" (From Hannah Montana: The Movie), Miley Cyrus
"Decode" (From Twilight), Paramore
"Jai Ho" (From Slumdog Millionaire), A.R. Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer, and Vijay Prakash
"Once in a Lifetime" (From Cadillac Records), Beyonce
"The Wrestler" (From The Wrestler), Bruce Springsteen

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (NON-CLASSICAL)
T Bone Burnett
Ethan Johns
Larry Klein
Greg Kurstin
Brendan O'Brien

BEST REMIXED RECORDING
"Don't Believe in Love (Dennis Ferrer Objektivity Mix)," Dennis Ferrer (Dido)
"The Girl and the Robot (Jean Elan Remix)," Jean Elan (Royksopp)
"I Want You (Dave Aude Remix)," Dave Aude, (Dean Coleman Featuring DCLA)
"No You Girls (Trentemoller Remix)," Anders Trentemoller (Franz Ferdinand)
"When Love Takes Over (Electro Extended Remix)," David Guetta (David Guetta Featuring Kelly Rowland)

BEST SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO
"Mr. Hurricane," Beast
"Boom Boom Pow," The Black Eyed Peas
"Life in Technicolor II," Coldplay
"Wrong," Depeche Mode
"Her Morning Elegance," Oren Lavie

BEST LONG FORM MUSIC VIDEO
In Boston, Chris Botti
Johnny Cash's America, Johnny Cash
Anita O'Day - The Life of a Jazz Singer - Anita O'Day
Love Pain and the Whole Crazy World Tour Live - Keith Urban
The Beatles Love - All Together Now - Various Artists

Bright Star: A Vibrant Love Story

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:30:43 -0700

I remember reading the poet John Keats's work as a college student, and I very specifically recall the page-long description of his life. Two facts dominate his bio: that he died young and that he fell in love with the girl next door, Fanny Brawne. It was obvious that a romantic love story existed in that bare-bones text - and filmmaker Jane Campion has brought it to life in Bright Star.

Campion's film is the gorgeous and tragic story of Keats and Brawne. She doesn't merely set her movie in the early 1800s England and leave it there, she gives you an appreciation for a time when literature was exalted and marriage was a financial transaction.

To hear what I thought about the film, just read more.

While the Internet provides access to every medium of entertainment, hearing the characters' fervor and esteem for poetry made me fantasize about living in this quieter era. Helping my cause are the swoon-worthy ways that lovers had to express their devotion while still remaining chaste. Though their love goes unconsummated, they achieve an even higher level of intimacy. One of his best poems is written for and about her - the "bright star" of the film's title.

As leading man John Keats, Ben Whishaw jettisons memories of his handful of supporting character credits (and one unsettling lead role). His character is sensitive and introspective to a fault, but Whishaw delivers a sexy, captivating performance.

The force that really carries the movie is Abbie Cornish's portrayal of Fanny Brawne; the film belongs to her and her emotional portrayal of the girl left behind. She makes you feel every stage of her involvement with Keats, from crush to infatuation to heartbreak when she fears she's been forgotten - and finally, to devastation when she loses her beloved to death. It's almost unbelievable that Brawne was supposed to have been seen as a silly girl only interested in fashion and flirting, because Cornish plays her so earnestly and with so much depth.

Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Paul Schneider and his portrayal of Keats's best friend, curmudgeonly fellow writer Charles Armitage Brown. I've been anxious to see Schneider in a meatier role since All the Real Girls - while he's cute in things like Parks and Recreation, he gets to shine as an actor in Bright Star. A full-on Scottish brogue isn't the only thing that Schneider uses to distance himself from his lighter work; he's charmingly loathsome as Brown, picking apart Fanny's every move. But when Keats's health is threatened, Brown's love for his friend overcomes his hard exterior to as he nurses Keats day and night.

Even if history couldn't do the same for Keats and Brawne, the love in Bright Star, platonic or romantic, lifts you up.