'Atonement' leads Golden Globes with 7 nominations

Atonement has sweep the board in leading with seven Golden Globe Award nominations Thursday morning. The World War II-era romance film has taken top nod for best drama and is clearly seen to be this years favorite in much the way Babel was last year. The Globe nominations are renown for being the lead up to Oscar nomination set almost in stone films to be contenders. The most highly praised Golden Globe best drama winner especially often do go onto take top honors at the Academy Awards.

Atonement, based on the novel by Ian McEwan, is a stunning tale of a young girl whose lie then separates two young lovers in the midst of an imminent war. Film landed coveted nominations for both lead actor and lead actress as well as in supporting actress and director categories. Atonement stars Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, 13-year-old Saoirse Ronan, and is directed Joe Wright (the recent Pride & Prejudice). Atonement also received nods for its screenplay written Christopher Hampton and musical score by Dario Marianelli's.

Charlie Wilson's War, starring Tom Hanks and Julia Robert received the second most nominations with five nods including both the lead actor and supporting actress nominations. The film is based on the true life story of a maverick politician who redirects money to Afghanistan to fight the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Other nominations for this film are best musical/comedy and West Wing's Aaron Sorkin for screenplay.

The acclaimed Michael Clayton was not to be overlooked from day one of its release and today’s nomination has more than affirmed that very fact without a doubt. Thrillers No Country for Old Men and the bloody musical Sweeney Todd are also among the Globes top nominations. It comes as no surprise the “MIGHTY” Ridley Scott’s American Gangster is amongst the nominees giving a Globe run for lead actor to Denzel Washington. Washington also has his directorial film The Great Debaters in the running for best drama category along side American Gangster.

The great and impeccable Cate Blanchett has received two nominations for supporting actress for her version of Bob Dylan in the offbeat biopic I'm Not There and lead actress for her warring monarch in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Others nominated in the supporting actress category along with Blanchett are Julia Roberts, and Saoirse Ronan, Amy Ryan, and Tilda Swinton.

Well deserved nominations for supporting actor goes to Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War, John Travolta in Hairspray, and Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton. In the directors category the contenders are Tim Burton, Joe Wright, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen for No Country for Old Men, Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and Ridley Scott for American Gangster.

Ang Lee awarded for his film 'Lust, Caution' at the 44th Golden Horse Awards

With an illustrious career already under his belt, Taiwan born Ang Lee with honors Saturday in his native country for his spy thriller "Lust, Caution" which took seven prizes, including best film, director and actor at the Golden Horse Awards.
The reserved director closed his acceptance speech by chanting "Go Taiwanese film!"
The triumph of "Lust, Caution" at the awards ceremony came at no surprise after the film’s success in both Taiwan and China. The film is noted for its steamy sex scenes which has revived interest in celebrated writer Eileen Chang, who wrote the short story on which the movie is based.

The awarded "Lust, Caution," is about an undercover activist who seduces the Japanese-allied spy chief in World War II-era Shanghai to later carry out his assassination. The praise this film has derived also suggests a triumphant return to Chinese-language film for Lee. Lee who is no stranger to Hollywood successes has been previously awarded states side for films like "Brokeback Mountain.” He said of his home land win, "I feel very warm in the heart to receive everyone's affirmation."

Lee confessed at a news conference on Saturday that he had to edit a line in "Lust, Caution," at the request of Chinese censors, to make its main female character emerge less of a traitor to the Chinese. In all "Lust, Caution" won seven of the 11 prizes it was nominated for on Saturday. Congradualations!