87th Academy Awards (OSCARS) Winners

and the OSCAR goes to...

Actor in a Supporting Role:  J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"

Costume Design:  "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Foreign Language Film: “Ida”

Live Action Short Film:  “The Phone Call”

Documentary Short Subject:  "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"

Sound Mixing:  “Whiplash”

Sound Editing:  “American Sniper”

Best Supporting Actress:  Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"

Visual Effects:  "Interstellar"

Animated Short Film: “Feast”

Animated Feature Film:  “Big Hero 6”

Production Design:  "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Cinematography:  “Birdman”

Film Editing: “Whiplash”

Documentary Feature:  “Citizenfour”

Original Song:  "Glory," "Selma"

Original Score:  "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Original Screenplay: "Birdman"

Adapted Screenplay: "The Imitation Game"

Directing:  Alejandro González Iñárritu, "Birdman"

Best Actor:  Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"

Best Actress:  Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"

Best Picture:  "Birdman"

Unfortunately, Neil Patrick Harris was panned by viewers on his hosting stint :(

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)

Based on the comic book "The Secret Service" by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons.  It was directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Very slick and elegant action-comedy movie.  Bloody brilliant except sometimes it's hard to understand due to the heavy British accent.

Paddington (2014)

Paddington gives a warm hug to its viewers.  

Delightful and thoughtful.  It teaches us to be open-minded and welcoming to ideas and changes.

The supporting casts of Paddington gave amusing performances, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Imelda Staunton, and Nicole Kidman.

Fifty Shades Of Grey (2015)

Based from the controversial novel of the same name by EL James.  Tried reading novel but was not able to complete it.  If you know me, you know that I am a visual person so instead of reading letters, I prefer reading dialogues with images.

More than the story and adaptation, I am impressed on DeLuca's choice of songs to accompany the movie.  Annie Lennox's "I Put A Spell On You" set the tone of the film and then you have Sia, Ellie Goulding, Beyonce, etc contributing to the OST.

I don't think you will watch this film if you don't have any idea what this is about, so a recommendation to have an open mind is no longer required.  

Personally, the two main casts did a great job of portraying Ms. Steele and Mr. Grey.  I don't agree that this should be compared to the source material because it's challenging to compress the book in 2 hours.  For me, they did justice.  

I have to say though, one of the cheesiest love stories in the big screen I have seen.

What else did I miss?

Sorry, what sex scenes?  There's hardly any of those stuff and even if there were, so disinterested!  LOL!!!

Sex scenes in 2 words - intense and tasteful. (Naging straight yata ako for a while haha!)

The 57th Annual Grammy Awards (Winners)

Winners of music's biggest night...

Record of the Year: Sam Smith, Stay With Me

Song of the Year: "Stay With Me," Sam Smith

Album of the Year: Beck, Morning Phase

Best Country Album: Miranda Lambert, Platinum

Best R&B Performance: "Drunk in Love," Beyonce feat. Jay Z

Best Rock Album: Beck, Morning Phase

Best Pop Vocal Album: Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Happy,” Pharrell Williams

Best New Artist: Sam Smith

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Max Martin for “Bang Bang,” “Break Free,” “Dark Horse,” “Problem,” “Shake It Off,” “Unconditionally”

Best Folk Album: Old Crow Medicine Show, Remedy

Best Americana Album: Rosanne Cash, The River and the Thread

Best American Roots Song: “A Feather’s Not a Bird,” Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal

Best American Roots Performance: “A Feather’s Not a Bird,” Rosanne Cash

Best R&B Album: Toni Braxton & Babyface, Love Marriage Divorce

Best Urban Contemparry Album: Pharrell Williams, Girl

Best R&B Song: “Drunk in Love,” Shawn Carter, Rasool Diaz, Noel Fisher, Jerome Harmon, Beyoncé Knowles, Timothy Mosely, Andre Eric Proctor & Brian Soko, songwriters (Beyoncé feat. Jay Z)

Best Traditional R&B Performance: “Jesus Children,” Robert Glasper Experiment feat. Malcolm Jamal Warner & Lalah Hathaway

Best Rap Album: Eminem, Marshall Mathers LP2

Best Rap Song: “I,” K. Duckworth & C. Smith, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "The Monster," Eminem feat. Rihanna

Best Rap Performance: “I,” Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "The Monster," Eminem feat. Rihanna

Best Rap Performance: “I,” Kendrick Lamar

Best Comedy Album: Weird Al Yankovich, Mandatory Fun

Best Spoken Word Album: Joan Rivers, Diary of a Mad Diva

Best Blues Album: Johnny Winter, Step Back

Best Alternative Music Album: St. Vincent, St. Vincent

Best Rock Song: "Ain’t It Fun," Hayley Williams and Taylor York

Best Metal Performance: "Last in Line," Tenacious D

Best Rock Performance: "Lazaretto,” Jack White

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer, Bass and Mandolin

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Cheek to Cheek

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Say Something,” Great Big World & Christina Aguilera

Best Bluegrass Album: The Earls of Leicester, The Earls of Leicester

Best Country Song: "I'm Not Going to Miss You," Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond, songwriters (Glen Campbell)

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “Gentle on My Mind,” The Band Perry

Best Country Solo Performance: “Something in the Water,” Carrie Underwood

Best Music Film: 20 Feet From Stardom, Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer & Judith Hill

Best Music video: "Happy," Pharrell Williams

Best Song Written for Visual Media: "Let It Go," Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters (Idina Menzel)

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat, composer

Best compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: Frozen, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Tom MacDougall & Chris Montan, compilation producers

Best Musical Theater Album: Beautiful: the Carole King Musical, Jessie Mueller, principal soloist; Jason Howland, Steve Sidwell & Billy Jay Stein, producers (Carole King, composer & lyricist)

Best Latin Jazz Album: Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, The Offense of the Drum

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Life in the Bubble

Best Jazz Instrumental: “Trilogy,” Chick Corea Trio

Best Jazz Vocal Album: Dianne Reeves, Beautiful Life

Best Improvised Jazz Solo:: “Fingerprints,” Chick Corea

Best Dance/Electronic Album: “Syro,” Aphex Twin

Best Dance Recording: “Rather Be,” Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne

Best Tropical Latin Album: Carlos Vives, Mas + Corazon Profundo

Best Regional Mexican Music Album: Vicente Fernandez, Mano a Mano

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative: Calle 13, Multiviral

Best Latin Pop Album: Ruben Blades, Tangos

Best Roots Gospel Album: Mike Farris, Shine For All the People

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: For King and Country, Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong

Best Gospel Album: Erica Campbell, Help

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: “Messengers,” Lecrae feat. For King and Country

Best Gospel Performance/Song: “No Greater Love,” Smokie Norful & Aaron W. Lindsey, songwriters (Smokie Norful)

Best Contemporary Classical Composition: John Luther Adams, Adams, John Luther: Become Ocean (Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony)

Best Classical Compendium: Partch, Partch: Plectra & Percussion Dances

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album Anne Sofie Von Otter, Douce France (Carl Bagge, Margareta Bengston, Mats Bergström, Per Ekdahl, Bengan Janson, Olle Linder & Antoine Tamestit)

Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Jason Vieaux, Play

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Hilary Hahn & Cory Smythe, In 27 Pieces - The Hilary Hahn Encores

Best Choral Performance: Craig Hella Johnson, The Sacred Spirit of Russia (Conspirare)

Best Opera Recording: Charpentier: La Descente D'Orphée Aux Enfers

Best Orchestral Performance: John Adams (City Noir)

Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman

Best Surround Sound Album: Beyonce, Beyonce

Best Remixed Recording Non-Classical: “All of Me (Tiesto’s Birthday Treatment Remix,” Tijs Michiel Verwest, remixer (John Legend)

Best Engineered Album Non-Classical: Beck, Morning Phase

Best Historical Album: Hank Williams, The Garden Spot Programs, 1950

Best Album Notes: John Coltrane, Offering: Live at Temple University

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Jack White, Susan Archie & Dean Blackwood, The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Vol. One (1917-27)

Best Recording Package: Pearl Jam, Lighting Bolt

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) : “New York Tendaberry,” Billy Childs feat. Renee Fleming & Yo-Yo Ma

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Capella: “Daft Punk,” Pentatonix

Best InstrumentRecord of the Year: Sam Smith, Stay With Me

Song of the Year: "Stay With Me," Sam Smith

Album of the Year: Beck, Morning Phase

Best Country Album: Miranda Lambert, Platinum

Best R&B Performance: "Drunk in Love," Beyonce feat. Jay Z

Best Rock Album: Beck, Morning Phase

Best Pop Vocal Album: Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Happy,” Pharrell Williams

Best New Artist: Sam Smith

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Max Martin for “Bang Bang,” “Break Free,” “Dark Horse,” “Problem,” “Shake It Off,” “Unconditionally”

Best Folk Album: Old Crow Medicine Show, Remedy

Best Americana Album: Rosanne Cash, The River and the Thread

Best American Roots Song: “A Feather’s Not a Bird,” Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal

Best American Roots Performance: “A Feather’s Not a Bird,” Rosanne Cash

Best R&B Album: Toni Braxton & Babyface, Love Marriage Divorce

Best Urban Contemparry Album: Pharrell Williams, Girl

Best R&B Song: “Drunk in Love,” Shawn Carter, Rasool Diaz, Noel Fisher, Jerome Harmon, Beyoncé Knowles, Timothy Mosely, Andre Eric Proctor & Brian Soko, songwriters (Beyoncé feat. Jay Z)

Best Traditional R&B Performance: “Jesus Children,” Robert Glasper Experiment feat. Malcolm Jamal Warner & Lalah Hathaway

Best Rap Album: Eminem, Marshall Mathers LP2

Best Rap Song: “I,” K. Duckworth & C. Smith, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "The Monster," Eminem feat. Rihanna

Best Rap Performance: “I,” Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "The Monster," Eminem feat. Rihanna

Best Rap Performance: “I,” Kendrick Lamar

Best Comedy Album: Weird Al Yankovich, Mandatory Fun

Best Spoken Word Album: Joan Rivers, Diary of a Mad Diva

Best Blues Album: Johnny Winter, Step Back

Best Alternative Music Album: St. Vincent, St. Vincent

Best Rock Song: "Ain’t It Fun," Hayley Williams and Taylor York

Best Metal Performance: "Last in Line," Tenacious D

Best Rock Performance: "Lazaretto,” Jack White

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer, Bass and Mandolin

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Cheek to Cheek

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Say Something,” Great Big World & Christina Aguilera

Best Bluegrass Album: The Earls of Leicester, The Earls of Leicester

Best Country Song: "I'm Not Going to Miss You," Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond, songwriters (Glen Campbell)

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “Gentle on My Mind,” The Band Perry

Best Country Solo Performance: “Something in the Water,” Carrie Underwood

Best Music Film: 20 Feet From Stardom, Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer & Judith Hill

Best Music video: "Happy," Pharrell Williams

Best Song Written for Visual Media: "Let It Go," Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters (Idina Menzel)

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat, composer

Best compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: Frozen, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Tom MacDougall & Chris Montan, compilation producers

Best Musical Theater Album: Beautiful: the Carole King Musical, Jessie Mueller, principal soloist; Jason Howland, Steve Sidwell & Billy Jay Stein, producers (Carole King, composer & lyricist)

Best Latin Jazz Album: Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, The Offense of the Drum

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Life in the Bubble

Best Jazz Instrumental: “Trilogy,” Chick Corea Trio

Best Jazz Vocal Album: Dianne Reeves, Beautiful Life

Best Improvised Jazz Solo:: “Fingerprints,” Chick Corea

Best Dance/Electronic Album: “Syro,” Aphex Twin

Best Dance Recording: “Rather Be,” Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne

Best Tropical Latin Album: Carlos Vives, Mas + Corazon Profundo

Best Regional Mexican Music Album: Vicente Fernandez, Mano a Mano

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative: Calle 13, Multiviral

Best Latin Pop Album: Ruben Blades, Tangos

Best Roots Gospel Album: Mike Farris, Shine For All the People

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: For King and Country, Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong

Best Gospel Album: Erica Campbell, Help

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: “Messengers,” Lecrae feat. For King and Country

Best Gospel Performance/Song: “No Greater Love,” Smokie Norful & Aaron W. Lindsey, songwriters (Smokie Norful)

Best Contemporary Classical Composition: John Luther Adams, Adams, John Luther: Become Ocean (Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony)

Best Classical Compendium: Partch, Partch: Plectra & Percussion Dances

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album Anne Sofie Von Otter, Douce France (Carl Bagge, Margareta Bengston, Mats Bergström, Per Ekdahl, Bengan Janson, Olle Linder & Antoine Tamestit)

Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Jason Vieaux, Play

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Hilary Hahn & Cory Smythe, In 27 Pieces - The Hilary Hahn Encores

Best Choral Performance: Craig Hella Johnson, The Sacred Spirit of Russia (Conspirare)

Best Opera Recording: Charpentier: La Descente D'Orphée Aux Enfers

Best Orchestral Performance: John Adams (City Noir)

Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman

Best Surround Sound Album: Beyonce, Beyonce

Best Remixed Recording Non-Classical: “All of Me (Tiesto’s Birthday Treatment Remix,” Tijs Michiel Verwest, remixer (John Legend)

Best Engineered Album Non-Classical: Beck, Morning Phase

Best Historical Album: Hank Williams, The Garden Spot Programs, 1950

Best Album Notes: John Coltrane, Offering: Live at Temple University

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Jack White, Susan Archie & Dean Blackwood, The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Vol. One (1917-27)

Best Recording Package: Pearl Jam, Lighting Bolt

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) : “New York Tendaberry,” Billy Childs feat. Renee Fleming & Yo-Yo Ma

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Capella: “Daft Punk,” Pentatonix

Best Instrumental Composition: “The Book Thief,” John Williams

Best Children's Album: I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

Best World Music Album: Angelique Kidjo, Eve

Best Reggae Album: Ziggy Marley, Fly Rasta

Best Regional Music Album: Jo-El Sonnier, The Legacy

Best New Age Album: Ricky Kej & Wouter Kellerman, Winds of Samsara

al Composition: “The Book Thief,” John Williams

Best Children's Album: I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

Best World Music Album: Angelique Kidjo, Eve

Best Reggae Album: Ziggy Marley, Fly Rasta

Best Regional Music Album: Jo-El Sonnier, The Legacy

Best New Age Album: Ricky Kej & Wouter Kellerman, Winds of Samsara

2015 EE BAFTAs (Winners)

BAFTA Winners...

Film — “Boyhood”

British Film — “The Theory of Everything”

Director — Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Actor — Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

Actress — Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”

Supporting Actor — J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

Supporting Actress — Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”

Rising Star — Jack O’Connell

British Debut — Writer Stephen Beresford and producer David Livingstone, “Pride”

Original Screenplay — Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Adapted Screenplay — Anthony McCarten, “The Theory of Everything”

Film Not in the English Language — “Ida”

Music — Alexandre Desplat, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Cinematography — Emmanuel Lubezki, “Birdman”

Editing — “Whiplash”

Production Design — “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Costume Design — “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Sound — “Whiplash”

Visual Effects — “Interstellar”

Makeup and Hair — “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Animated Feature — “The Lego Movie”

Short Film — “Boogaloo and Graham”

Short Animation — “The Bigger Picture”

Documentary — “Citizenfour”

Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema — BBC Films

Academy Fellowship — Mike Leigh

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

I really feel bad for the Wachowskis having the hard time to step out from the shadows of the monumental Matrix Trilogy.   I am afraid that this one will join the ranks of Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas, both flopped in the box office.

Even the beautiful Mila and shirtless Channing couldn't save the movie from burning.

Jupiter Ascending is your usual Sci-Film - lots of great action sequences and visually stunning but it lacks coherence.

That Thing Called Tadhana (2014)

The beauty of an indie film.  Thanks to producers who are willing to risk their money by supporting a wonderful thing such as this.

I really have to say this but eto na siguro ang pinaka-romantic Pinoy film na napanood ko. No pretense very natural ang lahat dito sa film na ito.  Medyo takot ako dahil baka hyped lang pero infernes nagustuhan ko.

Kung nanalo man si Angelica sa role na ito, well-deserved. Magaling siya dito.  Wala akong nakikitang ibang actress na perfect for this role except her.

Si JM din, I am glad after mag-adik-adik eto na siya mas lalong gumwapo... sarap ikiss hahaha hiyang niya pag-aadik charot lang!

May bonus pang Sagada and Bontoc sceneries.

Di ako gaanong fan ng way nung ending pero maganda pa rin.  Nothing but praises.

Sa SM North namin pinanood, masarap manood ng ganitong movie sa mga SM level, walang hiya hiya sa hiyawan at mga naiihing babae sa kilig naririnig mo, mas enjoy!

Beauty And The Beast (Musical)

Two Broadway musical productions came in Manila last year (until this year), first was Chicago and then this, Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

I think this entry will be more Beauty and the Beast as a general work of art rather than focusing on the musical play.  The fairy tale was written by French novelist Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756.

There were several adaptations made but I think the most famous for me would be the CBS Television drama series (cue song: The First Time I Loved Forever) and of course, Disney's animated film.

The film served as a catalyst to Disney's renaissance.  The other films were Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Lion King.

Beauty and the Beast became more special for me because of the story behind the screen.  Just like Mary Poppins, this film had a real sad story.  The life of Howard Ashman, a gay-man died of AIDS complications.  

An excerpt from his Wikipedia

On March 10, 1991, the Disney animators had their first screening for Beauty and the Beast and it was an enormous success. Afterward, they visited Howard in the hospital. He was 80 pounds, lost all of his sight, and could barely speak. His mother showed the animators that he was wearing a Beauty and the Beastsweatshirt. The animators told him that the film was incredibly well received by the press and described to him in detail how it had gone. He nodded appreciatively to the news. As everyone said their goodbyes, producer Don Hahn leaned over to Howard and said, "Beauty and the Beast is going to be a great success. Who'd have thought it?", to which Ashman replied with "I would have." Four days later, on March 14, Ashman died following complications from AIDS at the age of 40 in New York City.  Beauty and the Beast is dedicated to him: "To our friend Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman 1950–1991."

The film was the first of its kind to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Then, came the stage musical...

For the Philippine leg, I have nothing but praise to the entire production team.  While it's not as glitzy and glamorous as "Wicked", this one has more soul and better dance numbers plus I know the songs except for the 2 new ones which are also good.  The lack of attendance was beneficial on our end, we were moved to closer seats.

Just like its music, Beauty and the Beast will always be a loved tale that is as old as time.