Now that the voters have chosen Troy Polamalu over Clay Matthews for The Associated Press 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, the two stars can prove their worth against each other on the field.
In the Super Bowl.
Despite missing two games with an Achilles injury in his right ankle, in which Pittsburgh went 1-1, Polamalu became the sixth Steeler to win the award. He had seven interceptions this season along with 63 tackles, but made his mark with big plays. In a late-season victory at Baltimore, his leaping tackle forced a fumble that set up the winning touchdown.
That victory catapulted the Steelers to the AFC North title. Now, they are in the Super Bowl for the third time in six seasons, where they face Matthews and the Packers.
"I don't imagine their game plan changing over one player," Polamalu said. "We don't single out anybody. Anything we achieve here is done as a team, as a whole."
Added Steelers linebacker James Harrison, who finished third in the balloting with eight votes and won the award two years ago: "Troy brings this defense from a 'C' defense to an 'A' defense. He's someone that you have to account for in the secondary."
So much so that one opponent called the eighth-year pro the NFL's top player, regardless of position.
"With all due respect, I honestly think Troy Polamalu is probably the greatest player I've ever played with or even seen play in person," gushed Jets receiver Santonio Holmes, who was the MVP of Pittsburgh's 2009 Super Bowl win over Arizona. "Everybody has their one person they think is the greatest player. In my eyes, I think he's the greatest player I've ever played with."
Polamalu has had better statistical years than 2010, including the 2008 championship season and in 2005, when he had a career-high 91 tackles and three sacks as the Steelers won the title. He hasn't had any season where he made more big plays than in 2010.
That fit perfectly with defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's claim that Polamalu is the most versatile defensive back he's ever worked with. And LeBeau has been involved with the NFL for about a half-century and is in the Hall of Fame.
"I know Troy is going to do the right things," LeBeau said.
Matthews did plenty of things correctly in only his second pro season, enough to make the All-Pro team thanks to 60 tackles, 13½ sacks (fourth in league), an interception return for a touchdown and, like Polamalu, a penchant for delivering game-turning plays.
"Game-changing plays," Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley said with emphasis. "I mean, you look at all the plays Troy's made -- game-changing plays. ... So many game-changing plays to go out there and help win football games. Things that he [does], not only in the secondary -- coming up, tackling backs in the backfield. Troy does it all."
Matthews said it would have been a "unique honor" to win in his second year. His goal, he said, is to become "world champions."
Added Matthews: "Despite defensive player of the year, I get the chance to play Sunday for the world championship."
Considered the lesser of three linebackers drafted in the first round in 2009 from Southern California, Matthews has had the biggest impact of that trio. Yes, Brian Cushing was the league's top defensive rookie in '09, but he tailed off in 2010 while Matthews was surging.
Matthews' sensational season came while facing consistent double-teaming.
"You really just attack it," said Matthews, whose father and grandfather played in the league and whose uncle, Bruce, is a Hall of Fame offensive lineman. "I think last year, obviously, was about winning the one-on-one battles. Towards the playoffs, that's when I saw the increase and it's kind of continued. ... So you deal with it, you try and beat one, then another, and get to the quarterback."
Polamalu and Matthews take their competition to Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Sunday. They already are considered marketing adversaries, with Polamalu's jersey the top seller in the league, and both vying for hirsute superiority.
"Well, I can guarantee you my hair's more expensive," Polamalu said.
Also receiving votes for AP Defensive Player of the Year were Chicago end Julius Peppers with six and linebacker Brian Urlacher with two; and Baltimore safety Ed Reed and nose tackle Haloti Ngata, one each.
Showing posts with label Top. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Top. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Knicks Top Wizards, End 6-Game Skid
Amare Stoudemire shook the basket with his dunks. Raymond Felton found his shooters on the wings, and knocked down his own shots when left open.
The New York Knicks looked right again, and it sure helped that the Washington Wizards do everything wrong on the road — even something as simple as getting dressed Monday night.
Stoudemire ended a mini-slump with 30 points, and the Knicks snapped a six-game losing streak and dropped the Wizards to 0-21 on the road with a 115-106 victory.
"We knew how important this game was," Stoudemire said. "We all pretty much showed the urgency to get this win."
Felton ended his dismal stretch with 17 points and 15 assists as the Knicks (23-21) avoided falling back to .500 with what would have been their longest skid of the season — and with Miami visiting Thursday. They beat Washington for the seventh straight time at Madison Square Garden and sixth in a row overall, sweeping the series for the first time since going 4-0 in 2003-04.
"Everything was clicking tonight," Felton said. "It was one of our better games."
Nick Young scored 22 points for the Wizards, now more than halfway to the NBA's first winless road mark in an 82-game schedule. They are closing in on the longest road skid to open a season, 29 straight losses by the Dallas Mavericks during the 1992-93 season.
The Wizards are still a long way from the 1990-91 Sacramento Kings, who lost their final 37 road games and finished 1-40.
"I'm not going to lie about that. If you lose on the road, you're going to think about it. You watch SportsCenter, you're going to see what everybody's talking about: you not winning road games. It gets tough," rookie John Wall said. "But for us to get them to stop talking about it, we've got to do what we've got to do on the road and get one."
Wall had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but the Wizards committed 20 turnovers that led to 24 points for the Knicks.
They also had one wardrobe malfunction. Rookie reserve Kevin Seraphin began the game with his shorts on backward and had to change in front of the bench during a first-quarter timeout as his teammates surrounded him.
Stoudemire had been held to 18 points in each of the Knicks' last two losses after scoring 20 or more in 26 consecutive games, but was 13 of 23 and added nine rebounds.
But the bigger problem lately may have been Felton, who might've wrecked his All-Star hopes by going 23 for 79 from the field in the last five games. He was 7 of 14 Monday and the Knicks turned it over only 11 times.
New York finally put it away midway through the fourth, holding Washington to one field goal in more than 5½ minutes during an 11-4 run that turned a four-point lead into a 110-99 advantage.
Wilson Chandler finished with 25 points and Danilo Gallinari had 17 for the Knicks, who finally got their offense going again after a tough road trip — with some help from the woeful Wizards.
"When we got (Chandler) and Gallo shooting the ball the way they do, guys coming off the bench contributing, Amare doing what he does, me getting everybody the ball, that's when we're at our best," Felton said. "Then our defense was clicking, we were getting rebounds, we were pushing the ball. I think we can play with anybody when we do that."
The Knicks' locker room board noted that the Wizards would turn it over, ranking near the bottom of the league, and sure enough they coughed it up 10 times in the first quarter, leading to 12 points that helped New York build a 33-26 lead.
"You can't turn it over 20 times and beat people on the road," Wizards coach Flip Saunders said.
But down 13 early in the second, Wall went to the bench and the Wizards surged back behind their reserves. Rookies Trevor Booker and recent NBA Development League call-up Mustafa Shakur were on the floor as Washington put up 36 points in the period and led by as many as five before the Knicks tied it at 62 at the half.
Stoudemire played the whole third quarter, throwing down a couple of powerful dunks en route to 15 points. The Knicks led 93-91 after a potential tying dunk by Seraphin was ruled after the buzzer.
Notes: The Wizards' reserves stood until they scored their first point, angering the fans behind them. The players were back sitting in time to catch a pass the Wizards fired out of bounds right after they took a 1-0 lead on a technical free throw after a defensive 3-second violation on the Knicks. ... The Knicks' game Thursday against Miami will be on TNT, the first time the network has televised a game from Madison Square Garden in five years. Longtime Knicks radio and TV voice Marv Albert will call the game with Reggie Miller, who thrived at MSG against the Knicks, and Steve Kerr. The studio team will broadcast from the arena and announce the starters for the All-Star game during the pregame show.
The New York Knicks looked right again, and it sure helped that the Washington Wizards do everything wrong on the road — even something as simple as getting dressed Monday night.
Stoudemire ended a mini-slump with 30 points, and the Knicks snapped a six-game losing streak and dropped the Wizards to 0-21 on the road with a 115-106 victory.
"We knew how important this game was," Stoudemire said. "We all pretty much showed the urgency to get this win."
Felton ended his dismal stretch with 17 points and 15 assists as the Knicks (23-21) avoided falling back to .500 with what would have been their longest skid of the season — and with Miami visiting Thursday. They beat Washington for the seventh straight time at Madison Square Garden and sixth in a row overall, sweeping the series for the first time since going 4-0 in 2003-04.
"Everything was clicking tonight," Felton said. "It was one of our better games."
Nick Young scored 22 points for the Wizards, now more than halfway to the NBA's first winless road mark in an 82-game schedule. They are closing in on the longest road skid to open a season, 29 straight losses by the Dallas Mavericks during the 1992-93 season.
The Wizards are still a long way from the 1990-91 Sacramento Kings, who lost their final 37 road games and finished 1-40.
"I'm not going to lie about that. If you lose on the road, you're going to think about it. You watch SportsCenter, you're going to see what everybody's talking about: you not winning road games. It gets tough," rookie John Wall said. "But for us to get them to stop talking about it, we've got to do what we've got to do on the road and get one."
Wall had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but the Wizards committed 20 turnovers that led to 24 points for the Knicks.
They also had one wardrobe malfunction. Rookie reserve Kevin Seraphin began the game with his shorts on backward and had to change in front of the bench during a first-quarter timeout as his teammates surrounded him.
Stoudemire had been held to 18 points in each of the Knicks' last two losses after scoring 20 or more in 26 consecutive games, but was 13 of 23 and added nine rebounds.
But the bigger problem lately may have been Felton, who might've wrecked his All-Star hopes by going 23 for 79 from the field in the last five games. He was 7 of 14 Monday and the Knicks turned it over only 11 times.
New York finally put it away midway through the fourth, holding Washington to one field goal in more than 5½ minutes during an 11-4 run that turned a four-point lead into a 110-99 advantage.
Wilson Chandler finished with 25 points and Danilo Gallinari had 17 for the Knicks, who finally got their offense going again after a tough road trip — with some help from the woeful Wizards.
"When we got (Chandler) and Gallo shooting the ball the way they do, guys coming off the bench contributing, Amare doing what he does, me getting everybody the ball, that's when we're at our best," Felton said. "Then our defense was clicking, we were getting rebounds, we were pushing the ball. I think we can play with anybody when we do that."
The Knicks' locker room board noted that the Wizards would turn it over, ranking near the bottom of the league, and sure enough they coughed it up 10 times in the first quarter, leading to 12 points that helped New York build a 33-26 lead.
"You can't turn it over 20 times and beat people on the road," Wizards coach Flip Saunders said.
But down 13 early in the second, Wall went to the bench and the Wizards surged back behind their reserves. Rookies Trevor Booker and recent NBA Development League call-up Mustafa Shakur were on the floor as Washington put up 36 points in the period and led by as many as five before the Knicks tied it at 62 at the half.
Stoudemire played the whole third quarter, throwing down a couple of powerful dunks en route to 15 points. The Knicks led 93-91 after a potential tying dunk by Seraphin was ruled after the buzzer.
Notes: The Wizards' reserves stood until they scored their first point, angering the fans behind them. The players were back sitting in time to catch a pass the Wizards fired out of bounds right after they took a 1-0 lead on a technical free throw after a defensive 3-second violation on the Knicks. ... The Knicks' game Thursday against Miami will be on TNT, the first time the network has televised a game from Madison Square Garden in five years. Longtime Knicks radio and TV voice Marv Albert will call the game with Reggie Miller, who thrived at MSG against the Knicks, and Steve Kerr. The studio team will broadcast from the arena and announce the starters for the All-Star game during the pregame show.
‘The King’s Speech’ Is Top Film At Producer Awards
“The King’s Speech” claimed the crown for best film at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Saturday, knocking off Golden Globes best drama winner and presumed Oscar front-runner “The Social Network.”
The film also beat out nominees “127 Hours,” '‘Black Swan,” '‘Inception,” '‘The Fighter,” '‘The Kids Are All Right,” '‘The Town,” '‘Toy Story 3,” and “True Grit.”
The PGA awards, hosted by filmmaker Judd Apatow at the Beverly Hilton, are part of the steady stream of ceremonies leading up to the Academy Awards.
“The Social Network,” which stars Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, appeared to be on the fast track to a best picture Oscar after dominating honors from top critics groups and winning the Golden Globe last week.
But Saturday’s win solidified a spot as an Academy Award contender for “The King’s Speech,” which features Golden Globe best actor winner Colin Firth playing Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI, as he tries to overcome a debilitating stammer.
The Producers Guild followed the lead of the Oscars last year and doubled its best-picture field to 10 movies.
In other PGA categories, Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” won for best animated feature and the chronicle of modern education “Waiting for Superman” took top documentary honors.
On the television side, AMC’s “Mad Men” won for best drama series for the third straight year, and ABC’s “Modern Family” won best comedy, beating out previous two-time winner “30 Rock.”
HBO’s “The Pacific” won for best TV movie or miniseries, and Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” won for top live entertainment or reality show.
The film also beat out nominees “127 Hours,” '‘Black Swan,” '‘Inception,” '‘The Fighter,” '‘The Kids Are All Right,” '‘The Town,” '‘Toy Story 3,” and “True Grit.”
The PGA awards, hosted by filmmaker Judd Apatow at the Beverly Hilton, are part of the steady stream of ceremonies leading up to the Academy Awards.
“The Social Network,” which stars Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, appeared to be on the fast track to a best picture Oscar after dominating honors from top critics groups and winning the Golden Globe last week.
But Saturday’s win solidified a spot as an Academy Award contender for “The King’s Speech,” which features Golden Globe best actor winner Colin Firth playing Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI, as he tries to overcome a debilitating stammer.
The Producers Guild followed the lead of the Oscars last year and doubled its best-picture field to 10 movies.
In other PGA categories, Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” won for best animated feature and the chronicle of modern education “Waiting for Superman” took top documentary honors.
On the television side, AMC’s “Mad Men” won for best drama series for the third straight year, and ABC’s “Modern Family” won best comedy, beating out previous two-time winner “30 Rock.”
HBO’s “The Pacific” won for best TV movie or miniseries, and Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” won for top live entertainment or reality show.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Why Blaine Gabbert Has Risen to the Top of NFL Draft Boards
While reporting from the East-West Shrine Game in Orlando, Florida, NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay remarked that there was an outside chance the Carolina Panthers could select Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert with the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
This is astonishing, considering just one month ago, Gabbert’s meager draft buzz was being overshadowed by fellow quarterbacks Andrew Luck, Jake Locker, Ryan Mallet and Cam Newton.
Now, obviously Andrew Luck’s decision to return to Stanford for his junior season benefited Gabbert, but what can be attributed to the Missouri quarterbacks sudden climb up NFL executive’s draft boards?
Let’s analyze why many NFL teams are buying stock in Blaine Gabbert:
NFL Size:
At 6'5", 240 lb, Gabbert has the type of height and weight that scouts love to see at the next level. His 6'5" build throws out any worries or speculation that the quarterback might have trouble scanning the field or seeing over NFL defenders. You might remember Gabbert’s predecessor Chase Daniel also had a storied career under center with Missouri that ended with Daniel throwing 39 touchdown passes as a senior.
Ultimately though, Chase Daniel’s small 6'0", 225 lb-build scared off many scouts, and as a result, he was not selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. Gabbert is obviously not dealing with the same issue; in fact, Blaine Gabbert’s prototypical NFL size has become one of his selling points.
Mobility:
If you look at the statistics from some of Blaine Gabbert’s games last season at Missouri, you will find he is not a “statue” in the pocket. Blaine had 89 rushing yards against Kansas State, 74 rushing yards against Nebraska and finished the season with four rushing touchdowns. Now, of course, those statistics are modest in comparison to the rushing yards draft prospects such as Cam Newton and Tyrod Taylor put up. Those numbers do show you he can keep defenses honest with his legs, and if the play breaks down, he has the ability to improvise.
This is another aspect that bodes well for Blaine in terms of his draft prospects. Blaine Gabbert won’t be Tim Tebow bull rushing head first on the goal line, and he won’t break off 60-yard rushes from the shotgun a la Mike Vick, but he has just enough mobility and quickness to take off and go when needed.
High Character
One aspect of the drafting process NFL executives heavily scrutinize is a prospect's character and off-the-field history. Obviously, Cam Newton is going to get absolutely grilled in the interviews by executives in regard to his father trying to arrange money for his signature and for allegations he cheated on tests as a student at Florida.
Ryan Mallet has also admitted he got too emotional during games two years ago. Now, Mallet has since said he has worked on the problem and is more composed. Ryan will surely be fielding questions about his composure and calmness on the field though.
Blaine Gabbert meanwhile has never been arrested and has no serious “character flags” against him to speak of. It can’t be understated how much NFL scouts, executives and coaches love kids with high character—especially at the quarterback position.
If there is one thing that has NFL teams nervous about Blaine Gabbert, it’s the offensive scheme he played in while at Missouri. Gabbert spent the majority of his college career in the shotgun with multiple wide receivers lined up on both sides of him. He almost played in a system that was comparable to what Mike Leach ran at Texas Tech where they would spread you out with that same sort of shotgun look.
That system is not used in the NFL at any level; in fact, the Panthers rely heavily on running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Under head coach John Fox, they ran a lot of their offense out of the I formation though it’s unclear if there will be a philosophy change under new coach Ron Rivera. So NFL teams in general and the Panthers in particular are nervous about Gabbert making the transition from sort of a “gimmick” college offense to a pro style NFL offense.
Going back to what Todd McShay said earlier about Gabbert possibly being selected with the first overall pick by Carolina, as farfetched as it may sound, it’s still possible this scenario could occur. Remember, Carolina was almost certainly going to take Andrew Luck with the No. 1 overall pick had he remained in the draft so you know they are not certain about their quarterback prospects.
Yes, Carolina did draft Jimmy Clausen in the second round last season, but Clausen’s four-year deal is only worth $6.3 million max. This is not a case of Al Davis and the Raiders paying JaMarcus Russell a ridiculously high rookie salary and then being determined to get a return on their investment. If you also throw in the fact that Clausen battled injuries and only threw three touchdowns and nine interceptions last season, then you can see why they are not exactly sold on him just yet.
Now with all this talk about quarterbacks, I should also mention Carolina allowed opponents to rush for 123.8 yards per game last season. They really had trouble stopping the run, and they want to upgrade their talent on the defensive line. That is why they are so interested in defensive tackle Nick Fairley out of Auburn and defensive end Da'Quan Bowers out of Clemson. Right now, I would guess Fairley in particular and possibly even Bowers are higher on the Panthers draft board than Gabbert.
The one thing that could change the wheel back in Blaine Gabbert’s favor is the fact that he is most likely going to get a workout with the Carolina Panthers. Gabbert would have to absolutely wow new Panthers head coach Ron Rivera and Carolina executives to have any chance of leapfrogging Fairley and Bowers for the top spot though.
This is astonishing, considering just one month ago, Gabbert’s meager draft buzz was being overshadowed by fellow quarterbacks Andrew Luck, Jake Locker, Ryan Mallet and Cam Newton.
Now, obviously Andrew Luck’s decision to return to Stanford for his junior season benefited Gabbert, but what can be attributed to the Missouri quarterbacks sudden climb up NFL executive’s draft boards?
Let’s analyze why many NFL teams are buying stock in Blaine Gabbert:
NFL Size:
At 6'5", 240 lb, Gabbert has the type of height and weight that scouts love to see at the next level. His 6'5" build throws out any worries or speculation that the quarterback might have trouble scanning the field or seeing over NFL defenders. You might remember Gabbert’s predecessor Chase Daniel also had a storied career under center with Missouri that ended with Daniel throwing 39 touchdown passes as a senior.
Ultimately though, Chase Daniel’s small 6'0", 225 lb-build scared off many scouts, and as a result, he was not selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. Gabbert is obviously not dealing with the same issue; in fact, Blaine Gabbert’s prototypical NFL size has become one of his selling points.
Mobility:
If you look at the statistics from some of Blaine Gabbert’s games last season at Missouri, you will find he is not a “statue” in the pocket. Blaine had 89 rushing yards against Kansas State, 74 rushing yards against Nebraska and finished the season with four rushing touchdowns. Now, of course, those statistics are modest in comparison to the rushing yards draft prospects such as Cam Newton and Tyrod Taylor put up. Those numbers do show you he can keep defenses honest with his legs, and if the play breaks down, he has the ability to improvise.
This is another aspect that bodes well for Blaine in terms of his draft prospects. Blaine Gabbert won’t be Tim Tebow bull rushing head first on the goal line, and he won’t break off 60-yard rushes from the shotgun a la Mike Vick, but he has just enough mobility and quickness to take off and go when needed.
High Character
One aspect of the drafting process NFL executives heavily scrutinize is a prospect's character and off-the-field history. Obviously, Cam Newton is going to get absolutely grilled in the interviews by executives in regard to his father trying to arrange money for his signature and for allegations he cheated on tests as a student at Florida.
Ryan Mallet has also admitted he got too emotional during games two years ago. Now, Mallet has since said he has worked on the problem and is more composed. Ryan will surely be fielding questions about his composure and calmness on the field though.
Blaine Gabbert meanwhile has never been arrested and has no serious “character flags” against him to speak of. It can’t be understated how much NFL scouts, executives and coaches love kids with high character—especially at the quarterback position.
If there is one thing that has NFL teams nervous about Blaine Gabbert, it’s the offensive scheme he played in while at Missouri. Gabbert spent the majority of his college career in the shotgun with multiple wide receivers lined up on both sides of him. He almost played in a system that was comparable to what Mike Leach ran at Texas Tech where they would spread you out with that same sort of shotgun look.
That system is not used in the NFL at any level; in fact, the Panthers rely heavily on running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Under head coach John Fox, they ran a lot of their offense out of the I formation though it’s unclear if there will be a philosophy change under new coach Ron Rivera. So NFL teams in general and the Panthers in particular are nervous about Gabbert making the transition from sort of a “gimmick” college offense to a pro style NFL offense.
Going back to what Todd McShay said earlier about Gabbert possibly being selected with the first overall pick by Carolina, as farfetched as it may sound, it’s still possible this scenario could occur. Remember, Carolina was almost certainly going to take Andrew Luck with the No. 1 overall pick had he remained in the draft so you know they are not certain about their quarterback prospects.
Yes, Carolina did draft Jimmy Clausen in the second round last season, but Clausen’s four-year deal is only worth $6.3 million max. This is not a case of Al Davis and the Raiders paying JaMarcus Russell a ridiculously high rookie salary and then being determined to get a return on their investment. If you also throw in the fact that Clausen battled injuries and only threw three touchdowns and nine interceptions last season, then you can see why they are not exactly sold on him just yet.
Now with all this talk about quarterbacks, I should also mention Carolina allowed opponents to rush for 123.8 yards per game last season. They really had trouble stopping the run, and they want to upgrade their talent on the defensive line. That is why they are so interested in defensive tackle Nick Fairley out of Auburn and defensive end Da'Quan Bowers out of Clemson. Right now, I would guess Fairley in particular and possibly even Bowers are higher on the Panthers draft board than Gabbert.
The one thing that could change the wheel back in Blaine Gabbert’s favor is the fact that he is most likely going to get a workout with the Carolina Panthers. Gabbert would have to absolutely wow new Panthers head coach Ron Rivera and Carolina executives to have any chance of leapfrogging Fairley and Bowers for the top spot though.
Monday, January 17, 2011
'The Social Network' Wins Top Honors at Golden Globe Awards
The Facebook drama "The Social Network" took home four of the Golden Globes' biggest awards, winning best motion picture drama, best director and best screenplay, and solidifying its spot as a top Oscars contender in the process.
For most of the major awards, the Globes was a night without many big surprises, as many of the predicted winners took home trophies.
The critical favorite "The Kids Are All Right" took home the top award for best motion picture comedy or musical, while actor Colin Firth firmed up his standing as a front-runner at the Feb. 27 Oscars with his Globe win for best dramatic actor in "The King's Speech."
Actresses Natalie Portman and Annette Bening won top actress honors for their respective roles in “Black Swan” and “The Kids Are All Right,” no doubt setting them up for a showdown at the upcoming Academy Awards.
It's familiar territory for Bening. She won the same prize at the Globes 11 years ago for "American Beauty" and went in as the best-actress favorite at the Oscars, where she lost to Globe dramatic actress winner Hilary Swank for "Boys Don't Cry."
The boxing drama "The Fighter" earned both supporting-acting prizes, for Christian Bale and Melissa Leo. Bale secured his position as front-runner for the same prize at the Oscars, while Leo boosted her own prospects at Hollywood's big night.
Paul Giamatti won for best actor in a musical or comedy for the curmudgeon tale "Barney's Version," winning over a lineup that included Johnny Depp, who had two nominations in the category.
"Barney's Version" follows the many loves in his life: his three wives, played by Rachelle Lefevre, Minnie Driver and Rosamund Pike, whom Giamatti described as "a trifecta of hotties."
"I got to smoke and drink and get laid in this movie and I got paid for it. An amazing, amazing thing," Giamatti said.
"The Social Network" led Sunday at the Globes with four prizes, among them best director for David Fincher and screenplay for Aaron Sorkin.
Fincher said he thought it was strange when "The Social Network" script came to him, since he usually makes dark character studies about misanthropes or films about serial killers. His films include the murder tales "Seven" and "Zodiac."
"I'm personally loathe to acknowledge the kind of wonderful response this film has received for fear of becoming addicted to it, so suffice it to say, it's been really nice" Fincher said.
"The Social Network" also won the Globe for musical score for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Sorkin, creator of TV's "The West Wing," had kind words for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network."
"Mark Zuckerberg, if you're watching, Rooney Mara makes a prediction at the beginning of the movie. She was wrong. You turned out to be a great entrepreneur, a great visionary and an incredible altruist," Sorkin said.
Bening received her prize for the lesbian-family tale "The Kids Are All Right," winning in a field that included "The Kids Are All Right" co-star Julianne Moore. The film stars Bening and Moore as a couple whose family falls into turmoil after their teen children seek out the sperm donor that fathered them.
"I'm very proud to be a part of this very special film about two women who are deeply in love and try to keep their family together," Bening said. "My partner, Julianne Moore, I have to thank first. She asked me to do the picture with her. She made it possible for us to shoot it where we shot it, when we did, so Julianne -- you are a class act, thank you."
The buzz around town on Globes weekend was not only about likely winners, but also about a lawsuit filed Thursday by a former longtime publicist for the Globes claiming the organization that runs the show, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, engages in payola schemes for nominations and awards. The allegations have been denied by the HFPA, a group of about 90 reporters covering show business for overseas outlets.
Ricky Gervais returned as Globes host for the second-straight year. Gervais joked that Globe nominees weren't picked just so that Globe voters could hang out with stars such as Depp.
"They also accepted bribes," Gervais said, referring to the publicist lawsuit.
Philip Berk, who heads the HFPA, made no reference to the lawsuit during his appearance early in the show, simply offering a perfunctory plug for the quality of Hollywood movies.
Gervais pulled few punches as the night progressed, mocking Hugh Hefner, Charlie Sheen, Cher, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Scientologists and Robert Downey Jr., among others.
"Aside from the fact that it's been hugely mean-spirited, with mildly sinister undertones, I'd say the vibe of the show is pretty good so far, wouldn't you?" Downey, a presenter, shot back, perhaps only half-jokingly.
Bale, who won for his role as a former boxer whose career unraveled amid drugs and crime, thanked his collaborators on "The Fighter," among them director David O. Russell and star and producer Mark Wahlberg, who plays boxer Micky Ward to Bale's Dicky Eklund, Ward's older half brother.
"I've really got to give a shout out to Mark, because he drove this whole movie, and you can only give a loud performance like the one I gave when you have a quiet anchor and a stoic character," Bale said. "I've played that one many times, and it never gets any notice."
Bale seems to be on the same awards track as his "Batman" co-star, the late Heath Ledger, was two years ago, when he won supporting actor at the Globes for "The Dark Knight" on the way to earning a posthumous Oscar.
Leo, who plays the domineering mother of Ward and Eklund, had gushing words for all of her co-stars -- along with her own mother and other ancestors.
"Here in Southern California, home of my mother, her mother, her mother before her -- look Mom, I got a Golden Globe!" Leo said. "Mark Wahlberg, you are a prince, you are amazing. It was so beautiful to play your mother."
"The Fighter" also is competing for best drama at the Globes, along with "Black Swan," "Inception," "The King's Speech" and "The Social Network."
The regal 1930s saga "The King's Speech" and the contemporary Web tale "The Social Network" are considered the favorites for best drama. "The King's Speech" led the Globes with seven nominations and "The Social Network" dominated awards from top critics groups.
"Toy Story 3," the top-grossing film released last year and the second sequel to 1995's digital animation pioneer "Toy Story," won the Globe for animated films, making Disney's Pixar Animation unit five-for-five in the category since it was added in 2006. Past Pixar winners are "Up," "WALL-E," "Ratatouille" and "Cars."
"Wow, were you two even born when the first `Toy Story' came out?" "Toy Story 3" director Lee Unkrich said to his award's presenters, 16-year-old pop star Justin Bieber and 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, co-star of the hit Western "True Grit."
Robert De Niro received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for career achievement.
The usually taciturn De Niro gave an uncharacteristically interesting acceptance speech, making jokes about members of the HFPA being deported (along with most of the waiters working the event) and suggesting that most people in the room hadn't seen a lot of the films he was proud of, including "Stone," "Marvin's Room" and "Stanley and Iris."
"Some of you would be seeing them for the first time. You didn't even watch the screeners, did you?" De Niro said.
Among TV winners, "Glee" won three prizes, best comedy and supporting-acting prizes for Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer. "Boardwalk Empire" won two prizes, for best drama and dramatic actor for Steve Buscemi.
The Globe ceremony traditionally had a strong track record as a forecast for what film would win best picture at the Oscars. But the two shows have split in recent times, with only one top Globe recipient -- 2008's "Slumdog Millionaire" -- also winning the main prize at the Oscars over the past six years.
A year ago, the sci-fi sensation "Avatar" won best drama at the Globes, but the Iraq War saga "The Hurt Locker" took best picture at the Oscars.
For most of the major awards, the Globes was a night without many big surprises, as many of the predicted winners took home trophies.
The critical favorite "The Kids Are All Right" took home the top award for best motion picture comedy or musical, while actor Colin Firth firmed up his standing as a front-runner at the Feb. 27 Oscars with his Globe win for best dramatic actor in "The King's Speech."
Actresses Natalie Portman and Annette Bening won top actress honors for their respective roles in “Black Swan” and “The Kids Are All Right,” no doubt setting them up for a showdown at the upcoming Academy Awards.
It's familiar territory for Bening. She won the same prize at the Globes 11 years ago for "American Beauty" and went in as the best-actress favorite at the Oscars, where she lost to Globe dramatic actress winner Hilary Swank for "Boys Don't Cry."
The boxing drama "The Fighter" earned both supporting-acting prizes, for Christian Bale and Melissa Leo. Bale secured his position as front-runner for the same prize at the Oscars, while Leo boosted her own prospects at Hollywood's big night.
Paul Giamatti won for best actor in a musical or comedy for the curmudgeon tale "Barney's Version," winning over a lineup that included Johnny Depp, who had two nominations in the category.
"Barney's Version" follows the many loves in his life: his three wives, played by Rachelle Lefevre, Minnie Driver and Rosamund Pike, whom Giamatti described as "a trifecta of hotties."
"I got to smoke and drink and get laid in this movie and I got paid for it. An amazing, amazing thing," Giamatti said.
"The Social Network" led Sunday at the Globes with four prizes, among them best director for David Fincher and screenplay for Aaron Sorkin.
Fincher said he thought it was strange when "The Social Network" script came to him, since he usually makes dark character studies about misanthropes or films about serial killers. His films include the murder tales "Seven" and "Zodiac."
"I'm personally loathe to acknowledge the kind of wonderful response this film has received for fear of becoming addicted to it, so suffice it to say, it's been really nice" Fincher said.
"The Social Network" also won the Globe for musical score for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Sorkin, creator of TV's "The West Wing," had kind words for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network."
"Mark Zuckerberg, if you're watching, Rooney Mara makes a prediction at the beginning of the movie. She was wrong. You turned out to be a great entrepreneur, a great visionary and an incredible altruist," Sorkin said.
Bening received her prize for the lesbian-family tale "The Kids Are All Right," winning in a field that included "The Kids Are All Right" co-star Julianne Moore. The film stars Bening and Moore as a couple whose family falls into turmoil after their teen children seek out the sperm donor that fathered them.
"I'm very proud to be a part of this very special film about two women who are deeply in love and try to keep their family together," Bening said. "My partner, Julianne Moore, I have to thank first. She asked me to do the picture with her. She made it possible for us to shoot it where we shot it, when we did, so Julianne -- you are a class act, thank you."
The buzz around town on Globes weekend was not only about likely winners, but also about a lawsuit filed Thursday by a former longtime publicist for the Globes claiming the organization that runs the show, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, engages in payola schemes for nominations and awards. The allegations have been denied by the HFPA, a group of about 90 reporters covering show business for overseas outlets.
Ricky Gervais returned as Globes host for the second-straight year. Gervais joked that Globe nominees weren't picked just so that Globe voters could hang out with stars such as Depp.
"They also accepted bribes," Gervais said, referring to the publicist lawsuit.
Philip Berk, who heads the HFPA, made no reference to the lawsuit during his appearance early in the show, simply offering a perfunctory plug for the quality of Hollywood movies.
Gervais pulled few punches as the night progressed, mocking Hugh Hefner, Charlie Sheen, Cher, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Scientologists and Robert Downey Jr., among others.
"Aside from the fact that it's been hugely mean-spirited, with mildly sinister undertones, I'd say the vibe of the show is pretty good so far, wouldn't you?" Downey, a presenter, shot back, perhaps only half-jokingly.
Bale, who won for his role as a former boxer whose career unraveled amid drugs and crime, thanked his collaborators on "The Fighter," among them director David O. Russell and star and producer Mark Wahlberg, who plays boxer Micky Ward to Bale's Dicky Eklund, Ward's older half brother.
"I've really got to give a shout out to Mark, because he drove this whole movie, and you can only give a loud performance like the one I gave when you have a quiet anchor and a stoic character," Bale said. "I've played that one many times, and it never gets any notice."
Bale seems to be on the same awards track as his "Batman" co-star, the late Heath Ledger, was two years ago, when he won supporting actor at the Globes for "The Dark Knight" on the way to earning a posthumous Oscar.
Leo, who plays the domineering mother of Ward and Eklund, had gushing words for all of her co-stars -- along with her own mother and other ancestors.
"Here in Southern California, home of my mother, her mother, her mother before her -- look Mom, I got a Golden Globe!" Leo said. "Mark Wahlberg, you are a prince, you are amazing. It was so beautiful to play your mother."
"The Fighter" also is competing for best drama at the Globes, along with "Black Swan," "Inception," "The King's Speech" and "The Social Network."
The regal 1930s saga "The King's Speech" and the contemporary Web tale "The Social Network" are considered the favorites for best drama. "The King's Speech" led the Globes with seven nominations and "The Social Network" dominated awards from top critics groups.
"Toy Story 3," the top-grossing film released last year and the second sequel to 1995's digital animation pioneer "Toy Story," won the Globe for animated films, making Disney's Pixar Animation unit five-for-five in the category since it was added in 2006. Past Pixar winners are "Up," "WALL-E," "Ratatouille" and "Cars."
"Wow, were you two even born when the first `Toy Story' came out?" "Toy Story 3" director Lee Unkrich said to his award's presenters, 16-year-old pop star Justin Bieber and 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, co-star of the hit Western "True Grit."
Robert De Niro received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for career achievement.
The usually taciturn De Niro gave an uncharacteristically interesting acceptance speech, making jokes about members of the HFPA being deported (along with most of the waiters working the event) and suggesting that most people in the room hadn't seen a lot of the films he was proud of, including "Stone," "Marvin's Room" and "Stanley and Iris."
"Some of you would be seeing them for the first time. You didn't even watch the screeners, did you?" De Niro said.
Among TV winners, "Glee" won three prizes, best comedy and supporting-acting prizes for Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer. "Boardwalk Empire" won two prizes, for best drama and dramatic actor for Steve Buscemi.
The Globe ceremony traditionally had a strong track record as a forecast for what film would win best picture at the Oscars. But the two shows have split in recent times, with only one top Globe recipient -- 2008's "Slumdog Millionaire" -- also winning the main prize at the Oscars over the past six years.
A year ago, the sci-fi sensation "Avatar" won best drama at the Globes, but the Iraq War saga "The Hurt Locker" took best picture at the Oscars.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
RottenTomatoes Picks "Toy Story 3" as Top 2010 Flick
The popular movie review aggregator RottenTomatoes.com Tuesday named Disney's "Toy Story 3'' critics' top movie for 2010.
The "Golden Tomato'' award for the best-reviewed wide-release film went to the animated Pixar release, which had a 99 percent positive rating based on 248 reviews.
"Pixar and Disney hit yet another home run with 'Toy Story 3,''' Rotten Tomatoes editor Matt Atchity said. "Once again, the talented filmmakers at Pixar have shown that animation is as powerful a method of storytelling as live-action, and both audiences and critics were won over by 'Toy Story 3.'''
It was the fourth year in row that a Pixar film has won the award.
The worst reviewed movie was "Vampires Suck,'' which was given the "Moldy Tomato'' award for its 4 percent rating.
The Chinese documentary "Last Train Home'' was awarded the Golden Tomato for best-reviewed film in limited release. All of its 45 reviews by Rotten Tomatoes critic were positive.
Other Golden Tomato awards went to:
The "Golden Tomato'' award for the best-reviewed wide-release film went to the animated Pixar release, which had a 99 percent positive rating based on 248 reviews.
"Pixar and Disney hit yet another home run with 'Toy Story 3,''' Rotten Tomatoes editor Matt Atchity said. "Once again, the talented filmmakers at Pixar have shown that animation is as powerful a method of storytelling as live-action, and both audiences and critics were won over by 'Toy Story 3.'''
It was the fourth year in row that a Pixar film has won the award.
The worst reviewed movie was "Vampires Suck,'' which was given the "Moldy Tomato'' award for its 4 percent rating.
The Chinese documentary "Last Train Home'' was awarded the Golden Tomato for best-reviewed film in limited release. All of its 45 reviews by Rotten Tomatoes critic were positive.
Other Golden Tomato awards went to:
- "True Grit,'' in the action/adventure category, with 95 percent of reviews positive
- "The Kids Are All Right,'' in the comedy category, with 94 percent positive reviews
- "Mawencol,'' in the documentary category, with 100 percent positive reviews
- "The Social Network,'' in the drama category (97 percent)
- "Let Me In,'' in the horror category (89 percent)
- "Nanny McPhee Returns,'' in the non-animated kids/family category (77 percent)
- "The Runaways,'' in the musical category (68 percent)
- "Cairo,'' in the romance category (81 percent)
- "Inception,'' in the sci-fi/fantasy category (86 percent)
- "Animal Kingdom,'' in the thriller category (96 percent)
- "Exit Through The Gift Shop,'' as the top U.K. release (98 percent)
- "Animal Kingdom,'' as the top Australian movie (96 percent)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)