By Adrienne Papp

The Golden Globe Awards, a casual, yet glamorous celebration of the film and television industries brought out Hollywood’s elite in a dazzling display of high fashion and exquisite looks, with some edgy Ricky Gervais remarks thrown in for spice.  Now, that’s a good way to start off the awards season in the Entertainment Capital of the World! The Hollywood Foreign Press impressed every one more this year than any other year before!  And, the talks both on Ricky’s style continued forever just as much as the Fashion Police from Channel E gave a full run down on everyone’s choice of style with Joan Rivers, who is just histerically funny. Gervais and Rivers make these events memorable forever.

Ricky Gervais

After a red carpet prequel that featured stunning fashion elegance, baby bumps, and the finest talent in town, Gervais opened the show. Big winners included The Social Network, the Aaron Sorkin-penned drama based on the unauthorized book about the founding of Facebook.  The Social Network picked up a lot of friends and some major momentum in the competition for more industry awards as it got the Golden Globes for best drama, director and screenplay, steeling the award from The King’s Speech, which by far is one of the best movies ever made. And, I am not saying that just because the writer, David Seidler is my next door neighbor, who was also nominated as Best Screenplay Writer.

Other big winners included Annette Bening, who won the comedic actress trophy for The Kids Are All Right, which also won for best comedy. Natalie Portman’s performance as an obsessive dancer in Black Swan demonstrated that she’s an actress to be reckoned with, and she took the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a dramatic role.

Colin Firth also added to a Golden Globe Award to his shelf on Sunday for his acclaimed role in The King’s Speech, which also probably makes him the favorite to pick up the best-actor Oscar on February 27.

The show kicked off by honoring Christian Bale with a supporting-actor award for his portrayal of real-life crack addict Dickie Ecklund in The Fighter, a boxing drama inspired by the real-life struggles of boxer Micky Ward, and Melissa Leo later earned an award for her supporting role in the same film, and was obviously thrilled with her win.

Robert De Niro received the honorary Cecil B. DeMille Award, after a film montage of his work in some of the most memorable films in history. Adding weight to its Academy Awards chances, family favorite and big money earner Toy Story 3 took the trophy for best animated film. Denmark’s In a Better World took the Golden Globe for best foreign-language film.

Anne Hathaway as Best Dressed at the 2011 Golden Globes

The tone of the evening was an energetic mix of emotional gravitas and wisecracking, with beer toting host Ricky Gervais making remarks that sometimes ended up being controversial.  Bruce Willis seemed especially perplexed when he was introduced as “Ashton Kutcher’s dad,” and later in the evening Tom Hanks and Tim Allen took shots at Gervais in retaliation.  It all made for a lively and exciting evening.

In the television category, it was a big night for Fox’s Glee, which won for best comedy series and was also awarded best supporting-acting trophies for Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer, who spoke inspirationally about being true to one’s self.  HBO’s Boardwalk Empire took the award for best TV miniseries, with star Steve Buscemi also winning a Golden Globe for his role in the series.  Claire Danes took the award for Best Actress for her performance in Temple Grandin, a true story.

Angelina Jolie at the 2011 Golden Globes

Part of the excitement at the Golden Globes comes from the stunning show of fashion that begins on the red carpet and then wends its way to the stage as the awards are handed out.  Burlesque star Christina Aguilera wore a black lace over nude strapless Zuhair Murad gown and wore her blonde hair parted in the center.  Other stars who displayed a sense of Hollywood glamour included Anne Hathaway in a sparkling long sleeved high necked Armani dress, Easy A star Emma Stone in a short-sleeved peach-colored Calvin Klein design and Angelina Jolie, a true movie goddess in a sparkling backless green Versace gown.  A popular favorite for the best dress award was Catherine Zeta Jones in a shimmering strapless emerald green gown, a look made even more attractive with a healthy Michael Douglas at her side.

In the end, it was an exciting and sometimes moving event beginning the New Year and the traditional start of the awards season. There was a lot of Hollywood sizzle and glamour, plenty of laughs, and an acknowledgement of some of the finest talent and film and television work, the kind of creativity that lifts our spirits in even the most challenging times.

About the Author of This Article:  Lady Adrienne Papp is a recognized journalist who has written for many publications including Savoir, Beverly Hills 90210, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica Sun, The Beverly Hills Times, Brentwood News, Bel-Air View, Celebrity Society, Celeb Staff, It Magazine, Chic Today, LA2DAY, West Side Today among many others. She is the President and CEO of Los Angeles / New York-based publicity company, Atlantic Publicityand publishing house, Atlantic Publisher. Adrienne writes about world trends, Quantum Physics, entertainment and interviews celebrities, world leaders, inventors, philanthropists and entrepreneurs. She also owns Atlantic United Films that produces and finances true stories made for theatrical release or the silver screen. Spotlight News Magazineis owned by Atlantic United, Incwith Adrienne Pappbeing the majority shareholder.

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By Adrienne Papp

Not that it would be a concern to anyone, but Sean Penn is not a showy and conceited exhibitionist that some of  the well known actors have a tendency toward, which their fans sometimes even fancy and certainly mimic.  Instead, he is a cool, down to Earth guy who makes it a point to go unnoticed in public if he only can!

Penn is known in Hollywood as an intense film actor capable of unforgettably moving performances and who has drawn much media attention for his stormy private life, political viewpoints and a certain non-conformist approach.

Despite his obvious celebrity “vibe,” intensive energy and unique chain-smoking habit, or as expressed in the media: his addiction to nicotine, I would call it a non-conformist approach to life, he is humble and caring. Someone you would call a true humanitarian!

Penn manages to go incognito driving a beat up car that looks more like a movie prop and pulls absolutely no attention at all, but only because there is seemingly no one who makes it a point to look at their fellow drivers on the PCH! Yet, Sean Penn got too much of a presence for any lively soul to miss him despite the old car, the baseball heat and the sunglasses. His driving style gives out the same intense energy that he himself projects.  “I’ve been a road-rat since I got my driver’s license at 16, so I’ve probably gone across America 20 times,” he says.

I was one of those people who did not mean to notice him, but could not help it! Sean Penn is a work of art!  He does not need to say a word, or do anything much, his presence is enough!

Of course, he also has an enviable record in making films.  As an actor he first appeared in Taps in 1981, and then as the too cool for school surfer dude Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High in 1982.  It was a performance that became part of the culture, and propelled him to stardom.

Which is not necessarily what he wanted.  For Penn, craft has always been the motivator.   “I became an actor because of Robert De Niro,” he says.

The 1990s was a decade in which Sean received a lot of critical acclaim as a mature, versatile and accomplished actor, with a string of dynamic performances in first-rate films.

With frizzy hair and thin rimmed glasses, make up and wardrobe making him look like an authentic Jewish New York attorney, Penn delivered a brilliant performance as a corrupt lawyer in Brian De Palma’s Carlito’s Way opposite Al Pacino, which was followed by a Death Row inmate pleading with a caring nun to save his life in Dead Man Walking in 1995, resulting in his first Oscar nomination. Penn then continued to an exceptional career path with perfect choices of characters.  I still have the script of Dead Man Walking signed by him, Susanne Sarandon and the director. Someone somehow made a mistake and when I lived at the Chateau Marmont, the script was on my desk in the room one day. I do not know to this day what happened.

Sean followed that performance with a role as Michael Douglas’ brother in The Game (1997) and a key role in the star-studded anti-war film The Thin Red Line in 1998.

More recently Penn received his third Oscar nomination for I Am Sam (2001) and won an Oscar as an anguished father seeking revenge for his daughter’s murder in the gut-wrenching Clint Eastwood-directed Mystic River.  He received accolades and a second Academy Award for his role in Milk in 2008,the story of Harvey Milk, and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California’s first openly gay elected official.  Penn has never been one to shrink from challenging roles, and he has been recognized by his peers as one of the greatest actors of his generation.

As we got into a great car chase for a good half an hour on the PCH we  came close to saying hello to one another. But, that might have required a collision.

I have been pulled over a few times for speeding, and I know he had a run-in with the law at some point for reckless driving, but this time I thought if I get yet another ticket it will be worth it.

I enjoyed the chase , the incognito, the ‘reckless” driving style of very impatient people who really do not have the time to stick to the speed limits, or stop at every stop sign. He made that half an hour a lot of fun for me.

Wanting to be mostly invisible in public is fully justified: it is an international epidemic that celebs get torn apart wherever they go. And, even worse, one word taken out of context, or one bad photo, and the tabloid creates a spiraling untrue story only so that these less than ethical publications can sell their papers. And, obviously on the part of the celebrity paying no attention to all that nonsense is easier than fighting it, as these hard working stars hardly have the time for a decent enough private life let alone fighting with the tabloid.

Is this media frenzy around celebs pathetic? No, I think it is worse than that, I think it is desperate sensationalism that has become a cultural habit!

Why is it of any news channel’s business to know who does what outside their jobs, celebrity or not? God forgive me, but I never understood how any channel could make it their business to report on anyone’s private life! Why is that okay?

Excuse my ignorance but is there any reason besides profits to do all this? And, is this ethical?

Anyone going against these principles I believe is just wrong and I will say that no matter if the “Keeping Them Honest”  news channel, or the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” reality show have a different point of view on all this because instead of the bull they just should come up with a matching content to their titles and really keeping them “honest” (for the first time since man walked the Earth) and for those who got nothing better to do than keeping up with the Kardashians. I’ve got five diplomas and I still do not get the meaning of all this. Or, maybe I just cannot keep up?

What captivates me about Sean Penn is that he is one of those really talented megastars, who also really cares, but without the show, and rather just through real work. Let’s not make philosophies about what the World needs, but instead put the bandages where they are needed, and this time let’s go even further: let’s actually work on getting these people real help and not just bandages!   He does care for Haiti and other charities with complete sincerity, rolling up his sleeves, getting hand on with the locals and pleading for help on the silver screen instead of throwing a red carpet “patronage” for one charity or another serving mostly star publicity, which cost a fortune all by itself rather than much anything else. There are of course serious charities endorsed by celebrities but they tend to really walk the walk  instead of talking the talk.

Thankfully Sean Peen is on my side, or so I think.  I bet, he would not want to have a fun-based, foregone conclusion type of red carpet dinner about Haiti, or a scripted reality show, but rather gets on with actual down and dirty work.

Putting his full passion into the relief effort, Sean founded the J/P HRO Haitian Relief Organization in the wake of the January earthquake and has spent months helping to rebuild the Caribbean nation.

As a result of his honest determination and effort, Sean Penn’s charity efforts in Haiti are now receiving substantial aid, including a donation by former U.S. President Bill Clinton of $500,000 to the actor’s cause.

The Clinton Foundation‘s donation will go towards a camp in Petionville, which is run by the Penn’s organization.  Even though the efforts in Haiti will have to continue for many years, Penn appreciates all the aid and support that has come his way. “The support of President Clinton and the Clinton Foundation is an extraordinary boost in our organization’s ability to continue its work in Haiti,” he says.

When it comes to creative talent in Hollywood, there are actors and actor’s actors, and then there are those people who do it all, whose talent and passion transcend simple categorization, who become a representative spokesperson for their industry and even their country.

Sean Penn is one of the few people in Hollywood who fits that category.  Not only does he have an enviable record as an actor and director, he has recently earned the respect of fans outside the entertainment community, like Bill Clinton, through his efforts to help relieve the misery and human suffering. Not a bad cause to chose as one of many true meanings of one’s life!

About the Author of This Article:  Adrienne Papp is a recognized journalist who has written for many publications including Savoir, Beverly Hills 90210, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica Sun, The Beverly Hills Times, Brentwood News, Bel-Air View, Celebrity Society, Celeb Staff, It Magazine, Chic Today, LA2DAY, West Side Today among many others. She is the President and CEO of Los Angeles / New York-based publicity company, Atlantic Publicity and publishing house, Atlantic Publisher. Adrienne writes about world trends, Quantum Physics, entertainment and interviews celebrities, world leaders, inventors, philanthropists and entrepreneurs. She also owns Atlantic United Films that produces and finances true stories made for theatrical release or the silver screen. Spotlight News Magazine is owned by Atlantic United, Incwith Adrienne Pappbeing the majority shareholder.

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Cannes Film Festival 2010

By Adrienne Papp

Even with the international community facing difficult challenges, the Cannes Film Festival remains one the world’s most prestigious film festivals, an event where the best in international filmmaking and traditional Hollywood glamour coming shining through.

In a very challenging year for filmmaking, the jury at the 63rd Festival de Cannes bestowed its Palme d’Or on the strongest movie in the competition, a low budget, part-Buddhist part-animist fantasy by the 39-year-old Thai director whose fans call him “Joe.” The Jury president named Apichatpong Weerasethakul‘s Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives as the winner of the coveted Palm d’Or Grand Jury Prize.

Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s film traces the dreamlike final days of a man dying of kidney failure as the ghost of his dead wife returns to tend him and his long-lost son comes home in the form of a furry jungle spirit.

The festival got off to a big start, with Hollywood’s big budget reinvention of Robin Hood opening the festival, with Russell Crowe hoping to turn the English folk hero’s adventures into a blockbuster franchise. The film, dubbed “Gladiator in Sherwood Forest” because it reunites the actor-director team of Crowe and Ridley Scott, co-stars Cate Blanchett as Marian.

Films at Cannes

Other well-received films include the runner-up Grand Prix prize-winner, French director Xavier Beauvois‘s well-received Of Gods and Men, an understated docudrama about a group of French monks taken hostage by Algerian terrorists. An early favorite, Juliette Binoche was named best actress for her role in Abbas Kiarostami‘s Certified Copy.  In a political departure, she used her acceptance speech to bring attention to the plight of jailed Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who was on a hunger strike and has since been released. The prize for best actor was split between Javier Bardem, star of Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s Biutiful and Elio Germano, who appeared in Italian director Daniele Luchetti‘s La Nostra Vita.

Cannes Film Festival Red Carpet

In a relatively low key year for film, celebrities played a big part in bringing pizzazz to the glamorous event, beautiful actresses wearing gorgeous gowns at the très formal red carpet premieres and sexy soirees.  In 2010, fashion A-listers included Kate Beckinsale wearing a Marchesa gown, Salma Hayek modeling a maroon Gucci creation, Naomi Watts in a strapless pleated pink Gucci gown, Jennifer Lopez in a gray Gucci frock, Cate Blanchett wearing a gown by the late Alexander McQueen and Eva Longoria in a white silk Pucci.  Adding a little more sizzle, Pamela Anderson was spotted on a huge yacht before promoting her new film, Blonde and Blonder. One of Hollywood’s enduring male stars, Michael Douglas, was also on hand to promote his role as Gordon Gekko in 20th Century Fox‘s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

About the Author: Adrienne Papp is a recognized journalist who has written for many publications including Savoir, Beverly Hills 90210, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica Sun, The Beverly Hills Times, Brentwood News, Bel-Air View, Celebrity Society, Celeb Staff, It Magazine, Chic Today, LA2DAY, among many others. She is the President and CEO of Los Angeles / New York-based publicity companies, Atlantic Publicity andAtlantic Publisher. Adrienne writes about world trends, Quantum Physics, entertainment and interviews celebrities and world leaders. She also owns Spotlight News Magazine.

Cannes 2010 soirée

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Oliver Stone Getty Images

By Adrienne Papp

Oliver Stone is a household name. A master of controversial subjects in award winning movies, a legendary provocateur, a brilliant film-maker, director, writer and producer.  Somewhat of a rebel, an influential visionary and a prominent portrayer of uncensored contemporary political and cultural issues, he does not beat around the bush about any issue.  Why would he? He had his own battle fields to win not only as a war veteran who was awarded a Bronze Star for Gallantry and a Purple Heart, but also as a creative genius in Hollywood with a long list of films behind him, winning one Oscar after another.

His first win was for Midnight Express in 1978, but that was just the beginning of his expanding career and fame as a filmmaker.

In 1986 he directed the political film Salvador, starring Oscar-nominated James Woods. But his big hit was the Vietnam war film Platoon, starring Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, and Francesco Quinn. Stone then followed up with the critically acclaimed Wall Street . The movie, starring Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas, focused on the business world of tycoons and stock brokers. The film won an Oscar for Douglas’ portrayal of the villainous Gordon Gekko.

Stone then directed Tom Cruise in an Oscar-nominated role in Born on the Fourth of July for which Oliver Stone won an Academy Award for Directing, which was his third win to date. Later he took a hand in producing several movies, including the Academy Award-winning film Reversal of Fortune, which movie played a crucial role in my own life as well when I contacted Alan Dershowitz, a respected Professor of Law at Harvard University who represented Claus von Bülow (played by Jeremy Irons) on whose actual case the movie was based.

Oliver Stone then returned to the director’s chair in 1991, once again with two giant films in one year: Val KilmerJim Morrison starring as the legendary in Stone’s psychedelic film The Doors. The Doors was overshadowed by Stone’s colossal film JFK, which Stone himself considers the best of his films. In the film, Jim Garrison tackles the conspiracy behind the murder of America’s president John F. Kennedy. The large cast featured such well-known names as Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, John Candy, Joe Pesci, Donald Sutherland, and Walter Matthau.

Stone’s energy and commitment to his craft is extraordinary without a doubt. Besides the obvious wonder if the man ever sleeps, his list of movies whether as a producer, writer, or director seems endless. Or at least, endlessly successful continuing onto such films as Nixon and Natural Born Killers, both of which he directed. He then moved onto films such as The People vs. Larry Flynt, Any Given Sunday, The Day Reagan Was Shot, and the epic, Alexander, all of which he produced, in addition to South of the Border, a documentary about Hugo Chavez that Stone also directed.

Now he is shooting Wall Street 2. The cast includes Michael Douglas reprising his Gordon Gekko role 23 years later, Shia LaBeouf, Carrie Mulligan, Frank Langella, Josh Brolin and Susan Sarandon.

I first met Oliver Stone in person at a party in his Santa Monica apartment 13 years ago when I was young and naive, and pretty much intimidated by anything and everybody. I choked up in his charismatic, almost regal presence. He seems preoccupied with his thoughts, as most geniuses are, and burns a hole on your forehead with his eyes as he talks. Yet, there is something very humble and reserved about him, almost as if he just wanted to be left alone and away from the celebrity hype and work behind the scenes undisturbed.

Always controversial, Stone recently expressed his concerns about government, media and politics in an interview: “I’d like America to succeed. I get a little nervous about the country making it. The war in Afghanistan is a disaster. We make enemies. Our news media is terrible, they don’t analyze well. TV in America has reached the Babel-state. It’s all crap and bullshit. There’s no news in America, not even on the best channels. It’s superficial, the news is for profit, it’s selling entertainment.”

I take great joy in the fact that we hear this from Oliver Stone. I have been sickened about the news having been analyzed and interpreted by “experts” on TV who get paid handsomely for telling us what to think and how to interpret who said what and why. I find this offensive and outrageous! Not only the news is becoming opinionated and sensational entertainment, but they keep on discussing the stupidest things while the world is going down the drain faster than water can flow down the gutter. Newscast has become a control system more than anything by literally telling us what to think! Where is the integrity in all this?

And when asked about the current presidency Oliver Stone says,

“The question is: Is there a permanent government that makes people do things like go on with this “War on Terror” and “War on Drugs“? The thing is: We have to fix our own country; we’ve said this for years. How do we break gridlock? How do we get healthcare? How do we get anything done? I’m wondering.”

And, I am wondering too along with most Americans and the World!

The richest, most advanced country on Earth and we hardly do or say much anymore that makes any sense at all.

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