The Desert of Forbidden Art (1:20) 2010

Igor Savitsky's efforts to save forty-four thousand works of art is highlighted. This documentary tells the incredible true story of this man's tireless effort to save the works of artists who were the enemies of Stalin's government. Savitsky risk his life many times in doing so. Naturally, one would ask, "Where do you hide all these works?"  The works are displayed in a museum in the desert of Uzbekistan, To be more precise the works are held by Karakalpakstan State Museum of Art. Also known as the Nukus Museum, the museum is located in Karakalpakstan, a independent state of Uzbekistan. This independent state is one of the world's poorest but is rich in avant garde Russian works. The Nukus Museum is highlighted, many paintings are shown and their system of keeping the dry air humidified is discussed. The museum workers manually place pans of water in the different galleries .to help keep moisture in the air. I highly recommend this documentary about a determined man and the artists who held on to the belief that their art said it all and needed to be kept alive.

A Smile as Big as the Moon (Hallmark Hall of Fame) 2012

The Hallmark Hall of Fame shown tonight is titled A Smile as Big as the Moon. The movie is based on a book about the experiences of a Michigan high school class of students with special needs who attend Space Camp in Huntsville in the late 1980s. Mike Kersjes realizes that his Forest Hills students are much more capable then people realize. When given opportunities and high expectations, the students will rise to the occasion. The teachers work with the class practicing all the skills they will need for the camp experience for seven months. The most important skill is teamwork which will be quite a challenge for this diverse group of students. With a generous donation and school board support, the class reaches their US Space Camp destination. The group competes against other teams. Given the strengths of the students, the team remains competitive. The last task the team must perform is a simulation of a space shuttle flight. The closing scene is the award ceremony. I won't give away ending but I cried. And that's what special education teachers do when they are witness to the triumph of the human spirit.

SAG Awards 2012 Announced Continued

The SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture is:

                                           The Help

Congratulations to the cast of The Help. The award is greatly deserved, The Help is the movie I was rooting for.

SAG Awards 2012 Announced Continued

The winners of SAG awards are:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:  Jean Dujardin in The Artist
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role:  Viola Davis in The Help

SAG Awards 2012 Announced

The winner for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role is Christopher Plummer.
The winner for Outstanding  Female Actor in a Supporting Role is Octavia Spencer.

Congratulations!

First Thoughts on 2012 Oscar Nomination for Actress in Supporting Role

Without a doubt, the Oscar Nomination for Actress in Supporting Role is the tightest contest this year. The following list of the five nominees are as follows:  Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, Melissa McCarthy, Janet McTeer, Octavia Spencer. Althought I am rooting for and predict that Octavia Spencer will take home an Oscar for her fantastic performance as Minnie, one of housemaids in The Help. Spencer had great lines which she delivered with humor and feistiness. I was fascinated with her eyes, they said it all! Having said that I thought that Melissa McCarthy was hysterically funny in The Bridesmaids. I still laugh at her performance in the ladies room as she and the other bridesmaids are dealing with the effects of food poisoning. Jessica Chastain also deserved a nomination for her role as the social outcast with a heart of gold in The Help. Berenice Bejo is the up and coming starlet and love interest in The Artist. Since it is a silent movie, she has no dialogue but she can act and dance. Lastly, Janet McTeer is Mr. Page in Albert Nobbs, a house painter in 1898 Dublin. McTeer befriends Nobbs and encourages Nobbs to reach his goal.

Albert Nobbs (1:53) 2011

Glenn Close portrays Albert Nobbs, a quiet butler working in a Dublin Hotel in 1898. Nobbs is a competent worker who saves all his money with the goal of opening a Tobacco Shop. A painter discovers the Nobbs is closely guarding a secret - Nobbs is a woman. The painter, Mr. Page, promises Nobbs he will keep his secret. And he does since Page has a secret of his own. As Nobbs continues to inch his way to his goal, he asks a young servant girl, Helen, to take a walk. Each week Nobbs and Helen take walks during which Nobbs buys treats and clothing for Helen. Helen does have another boyfriend, Joe, who wants Helen to use Nobbs for his money. A typhoid fever hits Dublin and lives are changed for ever. Albert Nobbs is quiet, somber movie which deals with the issues women, especially poor women, faced a hundred years ago. Glenn Close speaks very little, she acts with her eyes. She has been nominated for an Oscar and it is well deserved. Close's scene walking on the beach riveted me. Janet McTeer  has received multiple nominations for Best Supporting Actress. They, too, are well deserved. I would recommend the movie for Close and McTeer's performances. The movie is, I suspect, is not everyone's cup of Irish Breakfast tea.