Third Annual Fangirl Award Winners!

They have arrived! Nominations & winners were decided by tallying up the votes of 106 fangirls from across the world. Sign up to be a member for next year's awards here. Be sure to follow our Fangirls who are on Twitter here.  Last year's awards can be found here, and the first annual Fangirl Award results are thisaway.

 You'll find all the winners typed out, once again, following Nathaniel R's method of highlighting first place in gold, 2nd in silver and in some cases, 3rd place in bronze. Big thanks to the fangirls who participated this year!

Best Picture

The Artist

Bridesmaids

Drive

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Shame

Tree of Life

Note: Worth nothing that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Shame and took 4th and 5th

Honorable Mentions: We Need To Talk About Kevin, Captain America, 50/50

Best Actor

Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Joseph Gordon Levitt - 50/50

Michael Fassbender - Shame

Ryan Gosling - Drive

Honorable Mentions: George Clooney - The Descendants, Brad Pitt - Moneyball, Tom Hardy - Warrior, Leonardo DiCaprio - J Edgar

Best Actress

Kristin Wiig - Bridesmaids

Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn

Rooney Mara - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Tilda Swinton - We Need To Talk About Kevin

Viola Davis - The Help

Honorable Mentions: Meryl Steep - The Iron Lady, Charlize Theron - Young Adult, Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene, Kirsten Dunst - Melancholia

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Rickman - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Albert Brooks - Drive

Andy Serkis - Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Ben Kingsley - Hugo

Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Honorable Mentions: Benedict Cumberbatch - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Patton Oswalt - Young Adult, Tom Hiddleston - Thor

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo - The Artist

Carey Mulligan - Shame

Jessica Chastain - The Help

Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids

Octavia Spencer - The Help

Honorable Mentions: Helen McCrory - Hugo, Shailene Woodley - The Descendants, Marion Cotillard - Midnight in Paris

Best Director

David Fincher - Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Martin Scorsese - Hugo

Nicolas Winding Refn - Drive

Steve McQueen - Shame

Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris

Honorable Mentions: Terrance Malick - Tree of Life, Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist

The rest after the jump!

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How Traditionally Trained Are This Years Oscar Nominees?

For the fourth year in a row, I've taken a look at the education and drama training of the Oscar nominees in the acting categories. In years past, drama degrees have most often proved triumphant, but last year saw acting classes outside of college and no education beyond high school taking the biggest numbers. Where will this years research lead? Read on to find out!

Demián Bichir
Comes from a director father and actor mother and two brothers (referred to, by some, as the Barrymores of Mexico) Bichir was in his first professional play at age 3, started acting on television at age 14, and had his first lead in a play (Ah! Wilderness!) at age 17, all in Mexico. When he auditioned to train at Lee Strasberg in New York they told him he was already an actor and to save the tuition. Years later, he moved back to Mexico where he became a huge success, winning the Mexican equivalent of an Oscar. In terms of training, Bichir has said, "we had all we needed in our library at home"

College Education: None as far as I can find
Acting Training: Training through experience

George Clooney (Previously nominated twice for acting, won once)
No formal training. Attended Northern Kentucky University, then the University of Cincinnati, double majoring in History & Political Science, but did not graduate. Took classes at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

College Education: Yes, but no degree
Acting Training: Classes

Jean Dujardin
No college education, worked in construction and in the army out of high school. Began his career with a one man show in Paris, but first garnered attention when he appeared on a French talent show. Appeared on a French comedy show before landing Brice de Nice, which made him a star.

College Education: None as far as I can find
Acting Training: No formal training

Gary Oldman
Studied at the Greenwich Young People's Theatre, then got his BA in theater arts from Britain's Rose Bruford Drama College. His dream was to go to RADA, but he didn't get in, advised to pursue something other than acting after his audition. Performed in rep for years after graduating, including with the RSC.

College Education: Bachelor of Arts
Acting Training: Formal training

Brad Pitt (previously nominated twice)
Journalism major at the University of Missouri, acting in many of his fraternity's shows on the side. Left college two weeks before earning his degree to move to LA & take acting classes, studying with Roy London.

College Education: Yes, but no degree
Acting Training: Classes and coaching

The rest after the jump

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On The Scene - Jason Reitman Live Read of Reservoir Dogs

Cross-posted on Film.com

Okay. Yes, Shampoo was great, but it had NOTHING on tonight's Live Read.

In the fifth installment of this incredible series, Jason Reitman presented Reservoir Dogs in a brand new light. In honor of Black History Month, the cast was 99% black (the 1%? Patton Oswalt, once again using a variety of voices to fill in smaller characters) and 100% legendary. Sitting on stage from left to right was Reitman reading stage directions, Common as Mr Brown (originated by Quentin Tarantino) and Marvin Nash, Terrence Howard as Mr. Blonde (aka Vic Vega, originated by Michael Madsen), Cuba Gooding Jr. as Mr. Orange (originated by Tim Roth), Laurence Fishburne as Mr. White (originated by Harvey Keitel), Anthony Mackie as Mr. Pink (originated by Steve Buscemi), Anthony Anderson as Nice Guy Eddie (originated by Chris Penn), Chi McBride (originated by Lawrence Tierney) and the aforementioned Patton Oswalt as the K-Billy, Holdaway, and the cop in the bathroom.

As last time, the house was absolutely packed, but I know at least twenty people got in from stand-by, and word to the wise, folks got there as early as 5, so if you plan on seeing the final show in March (already sold out), you'll want to arrive to the stand-by line as early as possible. The energy in the room was palpable even before the actors came on stage. This crowd was clearly more passionate about Reservoir Dogs than anyone in the audience was about Shampoo last month. Which makes sense. The film that put Tarantino on the map is also the film that made Jason Reitman want to be a director when he saw it in high school. After his introduction from Elvis Mitchell, Reitman warned "If you brought children, the time to leave is now … This will be the most profane screenplay you'll ever hear in the Bing Theater." Naturally, Reitman, Mitchell, Common, Howard, Gooding Jr, Fishburne and Mackie were decked out in a black suit and tie, dressing the part, and looking amazing, Howard in particular, who added some flare with a dress vest.

As last time, the locations of each scene were projected onto a screen with the actors digitally removed, but an added bonus for this screenplay? Music! It seemed to be the question on many of our minds. With a writer like Tarantino, who puts such great stock into the music he uses, would music play a role in the reading? Only three songs were played, but man what a difference it made. There was such an excited buzz in the air when Stuck in the Middle With You started playing as Howard danced in his chair and Reitman read the stage directions detailing everyone's favorite cinematic ear chopping. Also different from readings past? This one used the deleted scenes as well, going off of the screenplay itself, not anything that was added or deleted on set or in the editing room.

Details on each performance after the jump!

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Meet leetUP. Best. Idea. Ever. [Event]

If you've been keeping an eye on the social scene in various cities, specifically London or LA over the past couple years, you may have noticed more and more the emergence of the Art Party - a giant bash that encompasses fantastic underground music, art (live, displayed, interactive and multimedia), food, drinks, great people, and creative ways of letting attendees and artists interact. I've truly grown to love these types of shindigs, and the strong community building they promote, and am thrilled to let you know that a whole bunch of people we love and respect have found a way to merge the Art Party with the Convention, my other favorite kind of event, to create what has been referred to as a "Nerd Carnival". The idea of these two worlds coming together is just about the best thing ever and mark my words, this is not an evening you'll want to miss.



leetUP, developed by Attack of the Show darling Kevin Pereira, creator of G4 Charles Hirschhorn and company Iam8bit, appears as though it will hit all of these notes. An Art Party for the Geek crowd.

leetUP, a new live events series, designed as a celebration to share in the experience of nerd art and culture, will debut at Club Nokia in Los Angeles Thursday, March 1. The event is poised to bring an intimate dialogue, a social and conversational setting, to a festival of nerdly delights through panels and podcasts, music, games, and movies, as well as tech and toys.

“We wanted to celebrate all that is nerd — our love for the Internet, podcasting, tech, music, videogames — and remix them in a way that makes us social again,” said Pereira. “We’ve basically designed an intimate and experimental playground, for the discerning nerd, that will constantly evolve at each stop.”

The event will be hosted by Kevin Pereira (host/producer of G4’s Attack of the Show), with programming that includes on-stage podcast sessions with Kevin Smith (Clerks, SMODcast), Chris Hardwick (The Nerdist), Doug Benson (Super High Me), Felicia Day (The Guild), Greg Fitzsimmons (The Howard Stern Show), Jimmy Pardo (NeverNotFunny, Conan), Alex Albrecht (Diggnation, Totally Rad Show), Epic Meal Time and Ask a Ninja, with a special musical performance by VJ extraordinaire Mike Relm. DJ R-Rated will also provide ambience throughout the evening.

leetUP will also treat attendees to a variety of experiential zones, created exclusively for the event. These one-of-a-kind interactions with futuristic technology, videogames, and other lifestyle products will provide for the carnival playground between performances.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, the Staples Center box office or the iam8bit store in LosAngeles (2147 W. Sunset Blvd, LA, CA 90026)

For more information visit leetup.com, follow @leetup or fb.com/leetupshow.

Um. WHAT? Yes please. Wait. WHAT? This is real? This is a real thing? How has this not happened before? What will it even BE? You bet I'll be on the scene covering however this giant pot of awesome turns out. And hey, maybe if it's a hit, we can expect a similar version held during Comic-Con this year? But just in case we can't expect leetUP to reappear anytime soon, mark it on your calendar now - March 1st, 7pm, Club Nokia, cosplay encouraged. Can't. Wait.

Check out Complex for more details on what to expect

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Crushes of the Week

They are many and they are mighty. Note: This is an EXTREMELY dorky edition of Crushes of the Week. Nothing is even genre. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME.

SO who is these is and why?

Well, maybe it was the school uniform, maybe it was growing enough balls to kiss Blair, but Dan Humphrey was all kinds of attractive this week. I shall enjoy the "Dair" ride as long as it lasts, since we all know it won't be for very long.

Next up, and perhaps my worst offense, Johnny from General Hospital. I've been watching soaps on and off since I was twelve, whatever, it happens. Anyway, Johnny's been all sad since discovering his dead sister was actually his mother and his father is actually his grandfather (gotta love soaps) so naturally, this has led to a healthy five o clock shadow and lots of him making out with his enemy's ex wife. Love it.

Finally, Jack Davenport on Smash. I don't even know his character's name and frankly, I don't really clear. He's scruffy, he's British, and he has a bit of an attitude. I'm all about it.

END OF SILLY POST

Or, not quite, cause,

He gets his own photo. And no explanation is required. See full post

The Style of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Santa Barbara, like many Southern California beach cities, offers a sunny climate and casual and comfortable atmosphere that rubs off on the styles and attitudes of residents and visitors. Although I’m a new Manhattanite, who loves New York City, I’m also an Angeleno at heart and I love the vastly different styles of both areas. So when Muse invited me to go to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival to cover the fashion side of the event, I welcomed the change of style and pace.

I kicked off my weekend in Santa Barbara by watching the documentary Diane Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel. The film, which was released with a book of the same title, is based on the life of famous fashion editor Diane Vreeland. It was an excellent way to start my trip covering the fashion and culture of Santa Barbara. Although Vreeland was a European American who worked in New York, she was a big advocate of the bikini and blue jeans so I think she would’ve appreciated how the women attending the festival incorporated the city’s casual beachy style into their wardrobes.

Female attendees and honorees of the festival found simple but clever ways to accessorize their casual apparel for the Virtuosos and Vanguards award ceremonies. Whether they were wearing an evening top with jeans, a t-shirt dress with leggings, or basic cocktail dresses, audience members dressed up their outfits with heels, blazers, and jewelry. Obviously the honored actresses Bérénice Bejo, Rooney Mara, and Shailene Woodley stood out with their red carpet outfits (Melissa McCarthy was also honored but sadly could not attend). At the Virtuosos Award ceremony, Rooney Mara looked chic in am emerald green Louis Vuitton dress. Although the stiff construction of the dress paired well with her sleek pulled-back jet black hair and porcelain-like skin, Mara’s dress unfortunately also matched her energy. She was incredibly uncomfortable and awkward during the whole ceremony! Shailene Woodley, who also opted for stiffer material, wore a navy leather 3.1 Phillip Lim dress. Woodley, a Southern California native, best exemplified the casual chic west coast aesthetic—she
dressed down and softened her edgy leather dress with a basic black blazer and by wearing her her flowy, long, and slightly highlighted brown hair down. The following night was the Vanguard Awards presentation, sponsored by Ugg Australia. I learned that Ugg is actually a Santa Barbara based company, which isn’t that shocking since their footwear epitomizes the comfortable, laidback attitude of the city. At the event, actress Bérénice Bejo surprised me by showing up in a white Dolce & Gabbana pantsuit. At first, I was really disappointed in her outfit choice; it was something only Diane Keaton could truly pull off. It did however pair well with her The Artist costar Jean Dujardin’s black suit. Throughout the ceremony Bejo proved to be such a well-spoken, poised, and charming woman that, by the end of the evening, I was less bothered by her outfit and insanely impressed by her radiating beauty and confidence. She proved the often ignored but incredibly important fashion point that the woman makes the clothes and that the clothes don’t make her.

Overall, the 27th Santa Barbara International Film Festival was a fun, sunny, and chill affair where attendees were able to enjoy great films while dressed in comfortable and cute apparel. See full post

The Film Festival Shoe Challenge - Ugg Australia

A continuation of my pieces on the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Film.com

I had originally come to the 27th Santa Barbara International Film Festival to take an Ugg Challenge of sorts and see if the famously comfortable shoes could help me make it through 48 hours of being on my feet almost constantly, without sacrificing style. I was skeptical at first - we all have our misgivings and preconceptions about Ugg Boots ever since they were commandeered by mini skirt wearing Los Angeles teens in the early 2000s, but after checking out some of their new products, and digging the visual, I decided to give it to a go. Fittingly, since Ugg Australia is based in Santa Barbara, the city was perfectly suited to this challenge. I saw tons of SB residents rocking some of the new styles, which makes sense considering the overall laid back vibe.


Unfortunately, the boots didn't arrive in time, so I only had my "hurty boots" (but man are they cute) and my dress sandals. The result was pretty awful. I ended up in pretty constant pain in my pair of boots, and when I switched to my sandals at night for relief, my feet were then freezing. I, who was initially skeptical of Ugg boots, found myself dying for them to arrive. Upon receiving them back in LA, I made my own version of the Ugg Challenge, wearing them for just as much time, on my feet as much as possible. Did they past the test? WITH FLYING COMFY GAME OF THRONES WARRIOR ELF LORD OF THE RINGS COLORS. This was the pair I got and I am luckily OBSESSED. They can reach almost to my mid thigh, or be pushed all the way down to be scrunchy at the bottom. And they are beyond comfortable. I call them my nap boots. Or my elf boots. Or my elf nap boots. And I can't wait to wear them coming up at Wondercon. The only downside? They are so comfortable, I literally want to fall asleep while wearing them. The more I walk, the more I want to take a nap. It's an odd sensation. But an awesome one, and one I wish I could have felt while still in Santa Barbara!


This has kind of gotten me thinking about pursuing a Film Festival/Convention Shoe Challenge that covers all kinds of brands, perhaps each one local to the city in question. I'm honestly sick of ending up in so much pain after every Convention just because I don't own the right kind of shoes, and I can't imagine I'm the only fangirl in this position. Since we have been trying to incorporate relevant style items (like True Blood makeup!) more and more, maybe this is a challenge that will actually go somewhere and help some of us out. Stay tuned! See full post