The advertising industry via mainstream media has created an industry off of doing their best, in conjunction with many goods and service companies, to make people feel unimportant, inadequate, and less then, without their products. Their twisted gimmicks make people feel that when they buy the next model laptop, cell phone, car, shoes, clothes, accessories, fragrance, or beyond, that they will then be a bit closer to being a better person, yet still not worthy and great and noble as the product itself, and certainly not as important as the spokesperson for the product--if that spokesperson is the latest star. The agenda of unnecessary consumerism feeds people--through its warped psychology--that they are inferior without the alleged superior goods or services pushed on them via the media and touted by their favorite stars. Meanwhile, to feed this addiction to consumerism, many in the Western world, closely followed by developing regions, have loaded up outrageous tons of consumer debt, never getting enough, never having enough, and always wanting more, and bigger, and better.
Achievement and progress is noble, and being rich is certainly far better than poverty, which is nearer to death. But all of the 'stuff' in the world, and all of the titles, awards, recognitions, and VIP treatment means nothing, if you are standing in that empty room first, all alone, and not happy in your own head. Because if you're first, but not happy, then really, you will just be chasing more positions of first, more human made forms of recognition, or more stuff, and never fully satisfied, because you are attempting to gratify your ego which is, like a drug addict, always wanting more, and never getting its fill.
The true VIP, the true superior human being, the true star, is the person who has found themselves, and who loves who they are on the inside. The true stars can laugh at the game of fame and competition to be the best and have the best, and have fun with it and play the game with the aim to win. But they are also very content because inside they know who they are and inside they know they are the best person they can be, which is enough. They know that each day, in every way, they are getting better and better. The true star does not need awards, accolades, commendations, cheers, applause, and being first in line, awards, or more material things to feel and be--but they'll gladly, and politely, accept it with appreciation.
The true star is a star whether they are famous or unknown, not because of the recognition of others, but because of the recognition of the greatness in themselves and of their ability to be cause over their mind, body, and soul, and a person who is living life with integrity and purpose for something greater than themselves that will stand the test of time. The true star is happy on the inside, and are the rare, special human beings that, when they walk in to a room or down a sidewalk, are the ones that others look at and take notice of the most, as others think, 'Wow, now that must be somebody really special.' And they are. Be true to yourself, know thyself, and be secure with yourself. Then, and only then can you afford the luxury to consider yourself a star. Then, and only then, will the world take notice of you and not destroy you. Every man, woman, and child is a star. The universe is waiting for you to let yourself shine--so lift yourself up, and create the own power and greatness that you were born with. It is not just your right--it's your duty.
- Bruce Edwin
The 84th Academy Awards
The biggest night in entertainment- The 84th Academy Awards was held at the Hollywood and Highland complex on Sunday, February 26th, 2012. This year's balloting rules allowed for the possibility of between five and ten Best Picture nominees, and for the first time in Academy history, nine films were nominated in that category.
The Nominated Categories and Winners are as follows:
Winners Highlighted in Color
Best Motion Picture of the Year:
"The Artist" (The Weinstein Company)
A La Petite Reine/Studio 37/La Classe Américaine/JD Prod/ France3 Cinéma/Jouror Productions/uFilm Production
Thomas Langmann, Producer
"The Descendants" (Fox Searchlight)
An Ad Hominem Enterprises Production
Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" (Warner Bros.)
A Warner Bros. Pictures Production
Scott Rudin, Producer
"The Help" (Touchstone)
A DreamWorks Pictures Production
Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
"Hugo" (Paramount)
A Paramount Pictures and GK Films Production
Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
"Midnight in Paris" (Sony Pictures Classics)
A Pontchartrain Production
Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
"Moneyball" (Sony Pictures Releasing)
A Columbia Pictures Production
Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
"The Tree of Life" (Fox Searchlight)
A River Road Entertainment Production
"War Horse" (Touchstone)
A DreamWorks Pictures Production
Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year:
"A Cat in Paris" (GKIDS)
Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
"Chico & Rita" (GKIDS)
Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2" (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount)
Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots" (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount)
Chris Miller
"Rango" (Paramount)
Gore Verbinski
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Demián Bichir in "A Better Life" (Summit Entertainment)
George Clooney in "The Descendants" (Fox Searchlight)
Jean Dujardin in "The Artist" (The Weinstein Company)
Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" (Focus Features)
Brad Pitt in "Moneyball" (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:
Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn" (The Weinstein Company)
Jonah Hill in "Moneyball" (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Nick Nolte in "Warrior" (Lionsgate)
Christopher Plummer in "Beginners" (Focus Features)
Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" (Warner Bros.)
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs" (Roadside Attractions)
Viola Davis in "The Help" (Touchstone)
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady" (The Weinstein Company)
Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn" (The Weinstein Company)
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist" (The Weinstein Company)
Jessica Chastain in "The Help" (Touchstone)
Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids" (Universal)
Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs" (Roadside Attractions)
Octavia Spencer in "The Help" (Touchstone)
Achievement in Directing:
"The Artist" (The Weinstein Company), Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" (Fox Searchlight), Alexander Payne
"Hugo" (Paramount), Martin Scorsese
"Midnight in Paris" (Sony Pictures Classics), Woody Allen
"The Tree of Life" (Fox Searchlight), Terrence Malick
Adapted Screenplay:
"The Descendants" (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Hugo" (Paramount), Screenplay by John Logan
"The Ides of March" (Sony Pictures Releasing), Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
"Moneyball" (Sony Pictures Releasing), Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" (Focus Features), Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan
Original screenplay:
"The Artist" (The Weinstein Company), Written by Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids" (Universal), Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call" (Roadside Attractions), Written by J.C. Chandor
"Midnight in Paris" (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Woody Allen
"A Separation" (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Asghar Farhadi
Art Direction
"The Artist" Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
"Hugo" Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"Midnight in Paris" Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreui
"War Horse" Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
Cinematography
"The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
"Hugo" Robert Richardson
"The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
"War Horse" Janusz Kaminski
Costume Design
"Anonymous" Lisy Christl
"The Artist" Mark Bridges
"Hugo" Sandy Powell
"Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor
"W.E." Arianne Phillips
Documentary (Feature)
"Hell and Back Again" Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
"Pina" Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
"Undefeated" TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Rich Middlemas
Documentary (Short Subject)
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement" Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
"God Is the Bigger Elvis" Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
"Incident in New Baghdad" James Spione
"Saving Face" Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen
Film Editing
"The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Kevin Tent
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
"Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year:
"Bullhead" Belgium
"Footnote" Israel
"In Darkness" Poland
"Monsieur Lazhar" Canada
"A Separation" Iran
Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
"The Iron Lady" Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland
Music (Original Score)
"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
"The Artist" Ludovic Bource
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams
Music (Original Song)
"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio" from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown; Lyric by Siedah Garrett
Short Film (Animated)
"Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
"La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
"A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
"Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
Short Film (Live Action)
"Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
"Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
"The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George
"Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
"Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witz
Sound Editing
"Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce
""Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
"War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom
Sound Mixing
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
"Hugo" Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
"Moneyball" Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, David Giammarco and Ed Novick
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
"War Horse" Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson
Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
"Hugo", Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossmann and Alex Henning
"Real Steel" Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon", Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier
The Hollywood Sentinel, © 2012, © A.M.P.A.S., All rights reserved.