The Academy Awards Has Never Looked Better,

By Adrienne Papp

Who says there’s nothing new in Hollywood anymore?  Defying all current trends involving high octane, action hero 3D extravaganzas, it was movie of almost no words that made the biggest noise at the Oscars this year.  In a nod to old Hollywood and the nostalgia of early films, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave its most prestigious awards to a silent black and white movie made by a French creative team.  The Artist, an almost completely wordless film about Hollywood’s awkward transition to the talkies, took home coveted Oscars for best picture, best director and lead actor. It was the first time in Academy Awards history that a French actor (Jean Dujardin) and a French filmmaker (Michel Hazanavicius) had been honored with the top awards for acting and directing.

“I love your country!” Dujardin proclaimed as he accepted the award for his role as a silent film star whose career begins to slide as the film industry transitions to talkies. The Artist was also the only one of the nominees to be filmed entirely in Los Angeles, and the first silent film to received best picture award since the Academy Awards were first held in 1929, when Wings won the Oscar.

This year, for the 84th Academy Awards presentations on Sunday night, the production team of Brian Grazer and Don Mischer, used familiar industry veterans to set a tone that was classy and nostalgic rather than controversial or edgy. All in all, it was a night of delights and surprises, with a return of Billy Crystal as host, and was an especially good night for French filmmaking.

The show started with a comedy scene in which Crystal was forced to take on the role as host and was then catapulted into scenes from some of the year’s top nominated movies, a skit which included a full face kiss with George Clooney and a sudden meet up with Tom Cruise. That was followed with a song-and-dance medley gently satirizing each best picture nominee.

The Artist went into the awards show with 10 nominations, and eventually won 5, including statuettes for costume design and original score. Hugo, Martin Scorsese’s homage to cinema, which recounts the career of French film pioneer Georges Melies and is set in a Parisian train station, received 11 nominations. It took home 5 awards, all in technical categories: cinematography, art direction, sound editing, sound mixing and visual effects. The Iron Lady was the only other film to take home multiple awards with two honors, including Meryl Streep’s third Oscar.

Other films winning the coveted gold statue include The Descendants (adapted screenplay for Alexander Payne), A Separation (foreign film), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (film editing), Undefeated (feature length documentary), The Muppets (best song), Midnight in Paris (original screenplay for Woody Allen) and the short films “The Shore,” “Saving Face” and “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.”

In another historic win and striking a blow against ageism, Christopher Plummer, at age 82, became the oldest actor to win an Oscar. He won supporting actor for playing a widower who reveals that he is gay in Beginners.  ‘You’re only two years older than me, darling,” the always debonair Plummer said, holding the statuette over his head. “Where have you been all my life?”

In one of the night’s surprises, Meryl Streep won the Oscar for her uncanny portrayal of English Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Much of the pre-show buzz had predicted the Oscar would go to Viola Davis for her role in The Help.  ”Oh, come on,” Streep said of the standing ovation she received. “When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America say, ‘Oh, no, not her again,’ “

Streep has been Oscar-nominated 17 times, more than any other performer.  She last won 29 years ago for her role in Sophie’s Choice, and also won in 1980 for Kramer vs. Kramer. The Iron Lady also won for makeup for Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland.

In the supporting actress category, Octavia Spencer took home the statuette for her role as Minnie Jackson in The Help.  She also received a standing ovation, and thanked longtime friend and author of The Help Kathryn Stockett during an emotional speech, saying “Thank you for putting me with the hottest guy in the room” as she looked at her statuette.

The broadcast ran more than 3 hours and was filled with skits and reminiscences about movie memories. The theater at Hollywood & Highland Center, formerly the Kodak Theater, was decorated as an old movie palace, and ushers dressed in vintage costumes handed out popcorn to the glamour stars in the audience.  A film montage accompanied by Cirque de Soleil performers showed classic scenes from some of the best movies of past decades.

Throughout the night themes of nostalgia and age were frequently honored with Crystal making jokes about both.  Acknowledging the advanced age of some of the winners and nominees, Crystal made a running joke about the demographically challenged Academy, noting at one point that with very senior nominees like Plummer and Max von Sydow, “we’re going to slam the 78-to-84 group.”

Behind the scenes stars were pampered with the all so famous gift bags. The various luxury lounges were full of products and services along with the latest Spotlights in magazines with features on Dr. John Demartini ( one of the stars of the popular movie, The Secret,) and one of the most useful products of our times, Cognition Ignition by David Litell, which not only the entertainment community needs badly, but the entire world with its fast paced life style.

As the curtain came down on yet another celebration of Hollywood and film, this year’s show was an example of what the entertainment industry does best, offering creativity and glamor in an event that sometimes surprises, always delights, and is a classy celebration of the motion picture arts that can be enjoyed by the rest of the world.

The Winners:

BEST PICTURE – The Artist

ACTRESS – Meryl Streep

ACTOR – Jean Dujardin

SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Octavia Spencer

SUPPORTING ACTOR – Christopher Plummer

DIRECTOR – Michel Hazanavicius

ANIMATED FEATURE -Rango

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – Midnight in Paris

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – The Descendants

ART DIRECTION - Hugo

CINEMATOGRAPHY – Hugo

COSTUME DESIGN – The Artist

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE) – Undefeated

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT) – Saving Face

FILM EDITING – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM – A Separation

MAKEUP – The Iron Lady

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) – The Artist

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG) – “Man or Muppet”

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED) – The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION) – The Shore

SOUND EDITING – Hugo

SOUND MIXING – Hugo

VISUAL EFFECTS – Hugo

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 Todayamong 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

Many stars came out to support the 40^th Anniversary Presentation of The Vision Awards™ in an elegant black tie setting in the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills that is famous for its high profile guests and events. The 2010 Awards recognized a number of pioneering visionaries across the fields of film, television, music, research, technology, sports, and leadership. The evening was produced by Helen Harris, founder of both The Vision Awards™ and Retinitis Pigmentosa International, the presenting organization behind The Vision Awards™

The 2010 Awards were given to legendary TV news journalist Dan Rather; renowned music producer Quincy Jones; Apollo 11 Moon walking astronaut,Buzz Aldrin; humanitarian/businessman Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong; longtime entertainment industry figures Stanley Jaffe (producer of Kramer Vs. Kramer and Fatal Attraction);  George Schlatter (creator of Laugh-In); Steve Jobs & Apple, Inc.; Precious director Lee Daniels; The Blind Side producer Molly Smith; Showtime executive Melinda Benedek;  World renowned inventor Ray Kurzweil; comedian Norm Crosby; U.S. Gold Medal winning athlete Steve Holcomb; and Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, the Beverly Hills-based doctor who had restored Holcomb’s vision from near blindness.

Will.i.am, Quinton Aaron, Vision Awards Founder Helen Harris, Patrick Soon-Shiong, Jolene & George Schlatter, Sherry Lansing, Lily Tomlin

Celebrity Presenters for the 2010 Vision Awards™ included Billy Bob Thornton; Lily Tomlin; actor John Cho;  director/producer Jerry Zucker; Sherry Lansing, former CEO of Paramount Pictures; writer/producer Clyde Phillips; director Luke Greenfield; Sideways director Alexander Payne; athlete Tristan Gale; and Extreme Makeover dentist Dr. Bill Dorfman, among others.

Mrs. Harris, being blind herself, launched both RP International and The Vision Awards™ in 1970 as high profile vehicles by which to raise awareness of the millions of people who fight against the gradual loss of their vision from both RP and Macular Degeneration. The Vision Awards™ also raise funds for medical research.

Past recipients of The Vision Awards™ include Bob Hope, Aaron Spelling, Bill Cosby, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, Joel Schumacher, Oliver Stone, Richard and Lauren Shuler-Donner, Lawrence Bender, William Friedkin, Tim Burton, John Frankenheimer, Roone Arledge, Sherry Lansing, Robert Towne, Tom Cruise, Bill Mechanic, Phil Collins, and Jon Landau, among many others.

Helen Harris has been a tireless advocate on behalf of people with visual impairments for the past 40 years. Herself a victim and legally blind for more than three decades (the disease attacked her when she was a young mother, and two of her three sons, ages 2 and 5, were also afflicted by the disease,) Mrs. Harris personally knows all too well the helpless and hopeless feeling of having a disease that is hardly known at all. She established both organizations for the “preservation and restoration of sight.”

Harris is also an author of the book, How to Survive Losing Vision, as well as a poet, a painter, and a member of the Producers Guild of America. She has testified before Congress about major issues facing the blind, and has also enlisted the aid of hundreds of major Hollywood directors, producers, and stars — as well as that of former President George H. W. Bush — in the creation of TheatreVision™ presentations, in which blind audiences can experience a major motion picture in a theatre that offers them a special audio soundtrack.

From its modest beginnings 40 years ago, RPI (Retinitis Pigmentosa International) has grown into a global organization and with the support of dedicated volunteers of all walks of life has raised over $ 5-million to date for eye research and education.

Steve Holcomb, Lois & Buzz Aldrin, Tristan Gale

In addition, RPI has also enlisted other donors into contributing more than THREE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS directly to medical research for eye health.

What was impossible just to imagine five years ago will almost certainly become a reality within the next decade due to the contribution of Helen Harris, who is one of those people who walk the walk by making a difference in the World, and not just talking the talk.  Due to her dedication to a serious cause new technologies and medical techniques have brought us to the threshold of hope, and to the day when Retinitis Pigmentosa or Macular Degeneration will no longer carry a lifetime of darkness.

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, Inc with Adrienne Papp being the majority shareholder.

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Kristen Stewart MTV Awards

By Adrienne Papp

The MTV Awards are always the biggest highlights of the awards season.  Without all the pomp and glamour that comes with the other major award shows, MTV makes sure things stay lively by offering a show that’s a little low brow but with plenty of high jinks, some surprise stage pranks, outrageous fashion choices, and an unexpected surprise or two. From Sandra Bullock and Scarlett Johansson’s stage kiss, to Tom Cruise’s funny opening dance sketch reprising his ‘Tropic Thunder‘ character Les Grossman, there was plenty of entertainment, a few f-bombs, and of course, a full slate of winners from the year’s most popular movies.

While much of the actual award ceremony is a forgone conclusion, with films like Twilight New Moon winning numerous categories through the huge vote from its online fan base, there was plenty of good television and at least two major stars used the occasion to refurbish their images.

Tom Cruise at the MTV Awards

Cruise opened the show in his sleezy Les Grossman guise from Tropic Thunder and his fly dance moves went a long way to recast his public image from uptight Scientology pretty boy to a life-of-the-party greaseball.  It was a Tom Cruise character who looked like he was having a lot of fun, and it kicked things off in great style.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock was presented the Generation Award,  at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards and marking her first televised appearance since the March 7 Oscars and the domestic drama that followed. During her presentation Bullock shed even more baggage than Cruise. Scarlett Johansson, Bradley Cooper and Betty White introduced Bullock, with the very mention of her name receiving a standing ovation, followed by prolonged applause – all as Bullock was sitting in the audience. White said of Bullock, “You are grace defined, and I adore you madly.” Then, in keeping with the irreverent nature of the MTV Awards, White made fun of Bullock’s movies, twisting all their plots shamelessly (At the Jan. 23 Screen Actors Guild Awards it was Bullock who presented the Life Achievement Award to White).  Scarlett Johansson, the wife of her absentee Proposal leading man Ryan Reynolds was there to help hand over Bullock’s award, and hinted she wanted to plant a kiss on Bullock, who awkwardly obliged.  What would the VMAs be without an outrageous kiss or two?

Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart at the MTV Awards

In the awards categories, The Twilight Saga almost ran the table for the second straight year. New Moon picked up trophies for Best Movie Kiss, Best Female Performance for Kristen Stewart and Best Male Performance and Global Superstar for Robert Pattinson.

Other winners selected by online votes included Obsessed co-stars Beyonce Knowles and Ali Larter for best fight, Jennifer’s Body star Amanda Seyfried for “Scared-As-S–t moment,” Ninja Assassin star Rain for “Biggest Badass Star,” The Hangover star Zach Galifianakis for Comedic Performance and Up in the Air co-star Anna Kendrick for Breakout Star.

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.

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