OK, the Oscar nominations have been announced. And maybe Hollywood has decided to join the rest of U.S. society. But it's clearly easier to elect a Black President than for a Black or female director to win an Oscar.
The best picture fight is between Avatar and The Hurt Locker. As I said earlier, Kathryn Bigelow is the fourth woman to be nominated for Best Director (Lina Wertmuller, Seven Beauties ; Jane Campion, The Piano,; and Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation). Only The Piano was nominated for Best Picture. Bigelow would be the first woman to ever win for Best director.
But there is another important award to focus on. Lee Daniels (Precious) is the second African American to be nominated for Best Director (John Singleton, Boyz N the Hood, was the first). But Daniels has already made Oscar history, because Precious is the first film by a Black director to be nominated for a Best Picture award.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Monday, February 01, 2010
Oscar nominations tomorrow (Tues)
Tommorow (Tues) morning the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences will announce its nominations for the Oscars. The winners will be announced March 7th.
Here's a tip for those who plan to wager on the outcome: In 54 out of the last 60 years the winner of the Directors Guild award for best picture went on to win the Oscar. Last Saturday the Directors gave their award to The Hurt Locker.
More importantly, if The Hurt Locker wins it will be the first movie directed by a woman -Kathryn Bigelow - to win the Best Picture Oscar. If she wins the Best Director, that would also be a first for women.
As a Hollywood gossip footnote Bigelow and her main competitor - James Cameron (Avatar) used to be married. Sounds like a Spencer Tracy/Kathryn Hepburn movie to me.
Here's a tip for those who plan to wager on the outcome: In 54 out of the last 60 years the winner of the Directors Guild award for best picture went on to win the Oscar. Last Saturday the Directors gave their award to The Hurt Locker.
More importantly, if The Hurt Locker wins it will be the first movie directed by a woman -Kathryn Bigelow - to win the Best Picture Oscar. If she wins the Best Director, that would also be a first for women.
As a Hollywood gossip footnote Bigelow and her main competitor - James Cameron (Avatar) used to be married. Sounds like a Spencer Tracy/Kathryn Hepburn movie to me.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Howard Zinn: 1922-2010, Presente!
graphic By Sergio Iniarte
(from Thank You Howard Zinn on Facebook)
Howard Zinn revolutionized the way we understand history - from the bottom up - but he did much more than that. He changed the way we see ourselves in relation to history and social change. He made it clear that we all have a role to play in history. In other words, he was not only a radical historian, he was also an activist. He taught, not just with his writing and teaching, but also by example. Howard Zinn died on Wednesday at 87 of a heart attack. Fortunately for all of us he was able to work until the very end. His last contribution to history (as far a I know) was "The People Speak" on the History Channel, a TV version of his magnificent A People's History of the United States. (1980)
Always the activist, his 1967 work, The Logic of Withdrawal, was, as Amy Goodman said this morning (1/28),
(from Thank You Howard Zinn on Facebook)
Howard Zinn revolutionized the way we understand history - from the bottom up - but he did much more than that. He changed the way we see ourselves in relation to history and social change. He made it clear that we all have a role to play in history. In other words, he was not only a radical historian, he was also an activist. He taught, not just with his writing and teaching, but also by example. Howard Zinn died on Wednesday at 87 of a heart attack. Fortunately for all of us he was able to work until the very end. His last contribution to history (as far a I know) was "The People Speak" on the History Channel, a TV version of his magnificent A People's History of the United States. (1980)
Always the activist, his 1967 work, The Logic of Withdrawal, was, as Amy Goodman said this morning (1/28),
the first book on the war to call for immediate withdrawal, no conditions. A year later, he and Father Daniel Berrigan traveled to North Vietnam to receive the first three American prisoners of war released by the North Vietnamese.She also reminded us that,
When Daniel Ellsberg needed a place to hide the Pentagon Papers before they were leaked to the press, he went to Howard and his late wife Roz.Also on the tribute to Zinn on Democracy Now ,author and journalist Naomi Klein summarized his contribution in these words:
But the thing about Howard is that the history that he taught was not just about losing the official illusions about nationalism, about the heroic figures. It was about telling people to believe in themselves and their power to change the world. So, like any wonderful teacher, he left all of these lessons behind. And I think we should all just resolve to be a little bit more like Howard today.For more of Democracy Now's tribute - which also includes Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker and Zinn' collaborator Anthony Arnove - go to http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/28/howard_zinn_1922_2010_a_tribute
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Restore democracy in the U.S.
The Supreme Court today (1/21) decided there should be no restraints on corporate spending on elections. In other words, they decided that corporations should have the same free speech rights as individuals. This completely distorts the Constitution. What is already an oligarchy (not a democracy) will become a virtual dictatorship of the corporations. Check all this out on freespeechforpeople.org
Share This Video Far And Wide | freespeechforpeople.org
Share This Video Far And Wide | freespeechforpeople.org
Monday, January 18, 2010
Dennis Brutus and the struggle to isolate Apartheid South Africa's sports teams
In memory of Dennis Brutus - who was remembered Sunday at The Brecht Forum - here is a preview of a new film about the struggle to create an international sports boycott of Apartheid South Africa. This was one of Brutus' lasting accomplishments (If your seeing this on Facebook, please go to http://contestedterrain.blogspot.com/2010/01/dennis-brutus-and-struggle-to-isolate.html to see the video preview)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Jan 21: Protest Wall Street greed
Jan 21, 12:00 - 2:00pm
85 Broad St, (Goldman Sachs Headquarters)
On January 21st, Goldman Sachs and other major banks and financial institutions will announce the huge bonuses that will be given out to its elite bankers--the very people who destroyed our economy and threw hard-working Americans out on the streets. Rally in front of the headquarters of Goldman Sachs.
Americans are living through the most difficult economic crisis in the last 50 years. One in five Americans does not have decent, full-time paying work.
Goldman Sachs' behavior is un-American and unpatriotic.
Come rally on behalf of America. Come rally to demand a new economic system which rewards all Americans, not just a few.
Bring your signs and banners.
INITIAL CONVENORS:
Progressive Democrats of America
Democrats.com
Democracy for America
Jonathan Tasini For U.S. Senate
Happy birthday Ellen!
We went to a couple of events today - more about that later {with photos). Fortunately because of the weather they were in the same place. One of these events was Ellen Davidson's report back from Gaza and her 50th birthday party. After the report back there were supposed to be toasts to Ellen and the party. Unfortunately, we had to leave before the toasts to Ellen so here's mine:
I have known Ellen for nearly 30 years, we worked together at the Guardian and she and Ann were in a singing group- "Womansong"- with four other wonderful women {Barbara, Jill, Mara, Carmen) who sang at our wedding (27 years ago). I say all this so you'll know how well I've known Ellen. So let me say that when I heard that Ellen went to Gaza to support the people there, I was not in the least surprised, even for a moment, because I know that wherever people are fighting for liberation Ellen will be there. She understands, as few of us do, that we are a human race and wherever one of us is oppressed we are all oppressed and it is always all our struggle.
I have known Ellen for nearly 30 years, we worked together at the Guardian and she and Ann were in a singing group- "Womansong"- with four other wonderful women {Barbara, Jill, Mara, Carmen) who sang at our wedding (27 years ago). I say all this so you'll know how well I've known Ellen. So let me say that when I heard that Ellen went to Gaza to support the people there, I was not in the least surprised, even for a moment, because I know that wherever people are fighting for liberation Ellen will be there. She understands, as few of us do, that we are a human race and wherever one of us is oppressed we are all oppressed and it is always all our struggle.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sunday, January 17: Dennis Brutus Memorial
Sunday, January 17, 2:00 PM
Dennis Brutus Memorial
A celebration of the life of South African poet, anti-Apartheid fighter, and human rights activist Dennis Brutus (1924-2009)
Speakers TBA
Brecht Forum
451 West Street
(bt Bank & Bethune Streets)
Phone: (212) 242-4201 - Email: brechtforum at brechtforum.org
Co-sponsors: Black Left Unity, Haymarket Books, Activist-Poets Roundtable, War Resisters League, The Indypendent
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