A regular look at whats hot and whats not in the wild, weird and ever changing world of Hollywood.
RED HOT:
RICKY GERVAIS ROASTS THE STARS AT THE GOLDEN GLOBES
Going into the Golden Globes ceremony last Sunday host
Ricky Gervais took second billing to the hype surrounding films such as The Social Network, Black Swan, The King's Speech and the usual celebrity frenzy that occurs whenever Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt so much as breathe. Coming out of the ceremony however and there was only one name or rather one question on every reporters lips, What did you make of Ricky Gervais? Ricky had promised to turn up the volume from his debut performance as host in 2010 and he certainly wasn't joking around as he pulled no punches in dividing audiences and managing to offend stars such as Bruce Willis. The most controversial moment occurred when he mocked the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the suspicious manner in which The Tourist (a critical and commercial flop) had inexplicably picked up significant nominations in the comedy/musical categories. Controversy is not always a good thing but when you make a positive impression on a number of audience members as Gervais did it can really only help to strengthen ones Hollywood appeal. Think of this ceremony as Gervais's last stand, he helped to turn a lame awards event into comedic gold and if he is invited back again to handle proceedings it will be a near miracle.
HOT:
DAVID FINCHER's LATEST WINS BIG AT THE GOLDEN GLOBES 
David Fincher made himself and his film The Social Network early favourites for the Academy Awards with a win in the Best Motion Picture (Drama) and Best Director categories at the Golden Globes. Statistically however the Golden Globes are not the greatest measure of Oscar success. In fact only four of the last ten best film winners (in either category) have gone onto win the Best Picture prize (A Beautiful Mind, Chicago, The Return of the King, Slumdog Millionaire) and only four Best Director winners have gone onto match their success come late February (Peter Jackson, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese and Danny Boyle.) In recent years Best Picture winners such as The Hurt Locker and No Country Old Men both lost out at the Globes to Avatar and Atonement respectively. A much more reliable source of Oscar success is the Director's Guild Awards which take place on January 29th. At this event David Fincher will compete for the Outstanding Achievement in Direction award against contenders Christopher Nolan (Inception), David O Russell (The Fighter), Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) and Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan). Whoever prevails in this category will have to be considered heavy favourites for the Academy Awards as recent history shows that eight of the last ten DGA winners have seen their film go on to take the Best Picture prize.
LUKEWARM:
CLINT EASTWOOD WORKING WITH BEYONCE
I'm an unashamed fan of
Beyonce as a musical performer. She has a strong work ethic, phenomenal showmanship and is a first rate dancer and vocalist. Her qualities as an actress however leave a lot to be desired. Whether it be lame Fatal Attraction rip-off Obsessed, terrible and tacky musical Dreamgirls or Austin Powers: Goldmember she has never managed to disguise her celebrity face, a struggle which also cursed Madonna during her legendary hideous film career. News then that iconic director
Clint Eastwood is working with the popular singer on an updated version of A Star is Born, originally a 1954 musical starring Judy Garland was definitely surprising. A surprise however is all I'm going to treat this newspiece as for now. It would after all be stupid to doubt a man who hasn't made a bad film since the late nineties and who has been responsible for some of the most emotionally powerful material of the past decade (Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iow Jima, Changeling). Thats all for now but check back for more from The Filmometer soon.