councilor.org
| Source | Louis Proyect |
| Date | 08/12/29/20:37 |
| NOT LONG ago, I became a member of a new film review group that just announced its 2008 nominees:
Received from Ed Rampell, who got it going: For those of you who may not have heard the live announcement of The Progie Nominees on Thom Hartmann's Air America program today, here you go - 2008 PROGIES NOMINEES FOR BEST PROGRESSIVE PICTURES 1. THE TRUMBO: The Progie Award for BEST PROGRESSIVE PICTURE is named after Oscar-winning screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, a member of the Hollywood Ten, who was imprisoned for his beliefs and refusing to inform. Trumbo helped break the Blacklist when he received screen credit for "Spartacus" and "Exodus" in 1960. MILK CHE BATTLE IN SEATTLE THE VISITOR WENDY AND LUCY WALTZ WITH BASHIR 2. THE GARFIELD: The Progie Award for BEST ACTOR is named after John Garfield, who rose from the proletarian theatre to star in progressive pictures such as "Gentleman's Agreement" and "Force of Evil," only to run afoul of the Hollywood Blacklist. SEAN PENN (Milk) FRANK LANGELLA (Frost/Nixon) BENICIO DEL TORO (Che) JOSH BROLIN ("W.") RICHARD JENKINS ("THE VISITOR") 3. KAREN MORLEY AWARD: For BEST ACTRESS. Named for Karen Morley, who was driven out of Hollywood in the 1930s for her leftist views, but who maintained her militant political activism for the rest of her life, running for Lieutenant Governor on the American Labor Party ticket in 1954. She passed away in 2003, unrepentant to the end, at the age of 93. ANGELINA JOLIE (Changeling) MICHELLE WILLIAMS (WENDY AND LUCY) SALLY HAWKINS (Happy-Go-Lucky) KATE WINSLET ("REVOLUTIONARY ROAD", "THE READER") MELISSA LEO ("FROZEN RIVER") 4. THE RENOIR: The Progie Award for BEST ANTI-WAR FILM is named after the great French filmmaker Jean Renoir, who directed the 1937 anti-militarism masterpiece "Grand Illusion." STOP-LOSS WALTZ WITH BASHIR WAR, INC. BODY OF WAR THE LUCKY ONES 5. THE GILLO: The Progie Award for BEST PROGRESSIVE FOREIGN FILM is named after the Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo, who lensed the 1960s classics "The Battle of Algiers" and "Burn!" WALTZ WITH BASHIR CHE THE EDGE OF HEAVEN THE COUNTERFEITERS THE YEAR MY PARENTS WENT ON VACATION 6. THE DZIGA: The Progie Award for BEST PROGRESSIVE DOCUMENTARY is named after the Soviet filmmaker Dziga Vertov, who directed 1920s nonfiction films such as the "Kino Pravda" ("Film Truth") series and "The Man With the Movie Camera." BODY OF WAR (Phil Donahue) TROUBLE THE WATER TRUMBO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE RELIGULOUS 7. ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD: Named after brutally slain young actress, Adrienne Shelly. For the movie this year most opposing violence against women. CHANGELING BEFORE THE RAIN 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL GRAN TORINO 8. LA PASSIONARA AWARD: For the most positive female images in a movie, and in light of the historically demeaning portrayal of women in movies. CHANGELING HAPPY-GO-LUCKY TROUBLE THE WATER FROZEN RIVER NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH 9. OUR DAILY BREAD AWARD: For the most positive and inspiring working class images in a movie this year. KIT KITTREDGE GRAN TORINO BATTLE IN SEATTLE TAKE OUT THE GARDEN 10. THE ROBESON AWARD: Named after courageous performing legend, Paul Robeson. The award is for the movie that best expresses the people of color in light of the historically demeaning portrayal of them in films. MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA CADILLAC RECORDS EXILES TROUBLE THE WATER BALLAST 11. THE BRANDO: The Progie Award for BEST PROGRESSIVE FILM ACTIVIST is named after Marlon Brando, who starred in movies such as the Black power-themed "Burn!" and 1987's anti-apartheid "A Dry White Season," and championed underdogs like the American Indian Movement offscreen. SEAN PENN DANNY GLOVER JOHN CUSACK SPIKE LEE ROBERT GREENWALD 12. THE TOMAS GUTIERREZ ALEA AWARD: Named after the late legendary Cuban filmmaker. For best depicting mass popular uprising or revolutionary transformation in a movie. BATTLE IN SEATTLE CHE CHICAGO 10 HUNGER DEFIANCE 14. THE SERGEI: The Progie Award for Best Progressive LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT is named after the Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein, who created Russian revolutionary classics such as 1925's "Potemkin" and 1927's "10 Days That Shook the World." PAUL NEWMAN JEAN-LUC GODARD KEN LOACH (UK) HARRY BELAFONTE DANNY GLOVER 15. THE LAWSON: The Progie Award for BEST ANTI-FASCIST FILM this year, is named after screenwriter John Howard Lawson, one of the Hollywood Ten, who wrote Hollywood's first feature about the Spanish Civil War, 1938's "Blockade," with Henry Fonda, and anti-Nazi movies such as 1943's "Sahara," starring Humphrey Bogart. VALKYRIE DEFIANCE GOOD BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS THE READER 16. THE MODERN TIMES: The Progie Award for Best Progressive Film SATIRE is named after Charlie Chaplin, who made 1936's "Modern Times" and 1940's "The Great Dictator." FROST/NIXON W. RELIGULOUS WAR, INC. WALL-E 17. THE ORSON: The Progie Award for BEST OVERLOOKED OR THEATRICALLY UNRELEASED [seen at festivals, or on TV or DVD only] Progressive Film is named after actor/director Orson Welles. After he directed the masterpiece "Citizen Kane" Welles had difficulty getting most of his other movies made. THE REAL GREAT DEBATERS 24 CITY A TIME TO STIR FIELDS OF FUEL WINGS OF DEFEAT 18. THE LORENTZ: The Progie Award for Best ENVIRONMENTALIST film is named after Pare Lorentz, who directed the Depression era classic documentaries "The Plow That Broke the Plains" and "The River." THE GARDEN THE HAPPENING WALL-E THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL FLOW: FOR LOVE OF WATER 19. THE PASOLINI: The Progie Award for Best PRO-GAY RIGHTS Film is named after Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini, who directed 1964's "The Gospel According to St. Matthew" and "The Decameron" and "The Canterbury Tales" in the 1970s. MILK CHRIS & DON NO REGRET (KOREAN) THE SECRETS SAVE ME 20. THE LENNON: The Progie Award for Best Progressive MUSICAL OR FILM ABOUT MUSIC is named after peace activist and musician John Lennon, who co-starred in the 1967 satire "How I Won the War" and the 2006 doc "The U.S. vs. John Lennon." ANITA O'DAY: THE LIFE OF A JAZZ SINGER CADILLAC RECORDS WAR DANCE THE GITS PATTI SMITH: DREAM OF LIFE 21. HALL OF SHAME (Reactionary flicks) SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE THE DARK KNIGHT DARK STREETS NOBEL SON CHE ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES HOUSE OF THE SLEEPING BEAUTIES DOUBT YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON AN AMERICAN CAROL MILITARY RECRUITMENT ADS IN THEATRES AND ON TV RICK WARREN'S VIDEO on his church's website the week of Dec. 21. |
Copyright (c) 1998, Joongpil Cho