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And the Winner of the $1,000 Oscar Ballot Prize Is...

BuzzSugar — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0700

This year's Academy Awards didn't draw that many viewers, but they sure drummed up a lot of excitement here on the Sugar Network!

Before the ceremony last month, I asked you to predict the night's winners by filling out my Oscar ballot. This was a tricky year with a lot of great talent in each of the categories and plenty of surprises, so this was no easy task. But these 12 Buzz readers made it look simple: Each of them got at least 15 of the winners right!

Our 10 third-place winners, who each get $100 gift cards to the movies, are:
a_remy
jkingqm
terpsichoria
gaby10002
MizzSpry
MrDy83
akf0601
jennaration y
Woop
ThatGuamGuy

The second place, $500 prize goes to: fullhart!

And the winner of the grand $1,000 prize is: pat2645!

Congratulations are in order for pat2645 and all of the winners. I expect all of you to leave your acceptance speeches below. And thanks to everyone for playing!

Source

Have Your Own Oscar Shorts Screening, Courtesy of iTunes

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:30:24 -0800

The live-action short films and animated short films from this year's Oscars are still working their way through theaters, but if the tour isn't stopping near you or you just don't have time for a trip to the movies, there's another option. All of the Oscar shorts are available on iTunes for $1.99 each.

That's really not a bad deal, considering that you could buy all 10 films for $20 — about what it would cost to see both shorts programs in the theater. And while you'd have to watch on a smaller screen, maybe the chance to make your own move snacks balances it out.

Several past winners — including last year's winning films and nominees — are also available for the same price. I'll tell you, I bought last year's winning animated short, The Danish Poet, a while back, and I still watch it all the time. Not bad for my 2 bucks!

Source

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 07:00:00 -0800

The Buzz Book Club officially wrapped up The Other Boleyn Girl this week. What did you all think? Going to see the movie? Next up: Revolutionary Road!
In case you missed it (and a lot of people did) the Oscars gave us a lot of wonderful moments and a few surprises. You can see a 60-second version of the show here, and I also researched what's next for this year's big winners.
Time to play casting director: Who would you recast as Will Hunting and who would you cast as you in a movie?
This week in music videos we learn that Jack McBrayer is Mariah's love slave, Jay-Z likes his cinematography dark, and Willie Nelson is still tight with Jessica Simpson.
American Idol is picking up speed and already we're down to 16. I think the boys need to step it up this week and it's time for those talented girls to pick some great songs and show us what they've got, don't you?
NBC ordered more episodes of Lipstick Jungle, though we haven't heard a peep about the fate of Cashmere Mafia.
Adorable indie duo alert!: Zooey Deschanel and Paul Dano are pairing up for a movie. Also, this casting news has me laughing/crying a little: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to play the tooth fairy.

Photo courtesy of Sony

Which Awards Show Has Been Your Favorite?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:30:57 -0800

As the Oscars hubbub subsides, so concludes another frenzied season of major awards shows. There was the Emmys ceremony back in September, before the writers strike, and then the starkly pared-down Golden Globes during the strike. There were the Grammys and, of course, last Sunday's Oscars show.So tell me: Which awards show has been your favorite?

Which Awards Show Has Been Your Favorite?

The Emmys — it was fun!

The Golden Globes — maybe no show is the best show.

The Grammys — the performances were so entertaining.

The Oscars — the queen bee of award ceremonies.

Other (tell us below)

Link Time! 2/26

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:31:46 -0800

Deadline Hollywood Daily talks to Tilda Swinton's agent — you know, the one with the buttocks of an Oscar.
Popwatch seeks out answers to some of our most burning questions about this year's Oscars, like what Gary Busey was thinking when he accosted Jennifer Garner.
Give Me My Remote speculates about Karen Filippelli's upcoming return to the office.
There have been plenty of actresses who have tried to cross over into music, with Scarlett Johansson and Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester being some of the most recent attempts. PopUK wants to know what you think of actors releasing albums: Yay or nay?
Vulture checked out the screenplay for the Notorious BIG. biopic — and they're not optimistic.
The TV Addict gets excited for the return of Back to You by interviewing star Patricia Heaton.
Cinematical analyzes the new poster for the Indiana Jones movie, in which Shia looks like he "has a bad feeling about this."
Want to mimic Katherine Heigl's cool decor? CasaSugar found her chandelier.

Source

Which Oscar-Winning Film Do You Want to See Next?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Well, the results are in, and we now have movies that will forever be known as Oscar-winning. A lot of you said you go see the films once they're nominated, but if you didn't get to all of them before Sunday's show, maybe now's the time. Some people were so smitten with Marion Cotillard's acceptance speech that they want to rush out to see La Vie En Rose for her performance. Others want to check out There Will Be Blood so they know why everyone is talking about milkshakes. What about you? Which Oscar-winner is next on your list of must-sees?Source

Which Oscar-Winning Film Do You Want to See Next?

Ratatouille — It looks so cute!

La Vie En Rose — I have to see what everyone's talking about.

No Country For Old Men — It may be bleak, but Oscar loved it.

There Will Be Blood — I need to know what the deal with this milkshake is.

Juno — Backlash, smacklash.

Michael Clayton — Gotta see if Tilda Swinton deserved that surprise win.

Other (tell me below)

Why Were the Oscars So Poorly Rated?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:30:00 -0800

According to the Nielsen ratings company, Sunday's Oscars were the least-watched edition of the show in history, at least since Nielsen started tracking the ratings in 1974. They scored just about 32 million viewers — which is down from down from last year's 40 million and is smaller than the number of people who watched this year's American Idol premiere. The previous low came in 2003, when a Steve Martin-hosted ceremony brought in 33 million viewers. I thought a lot of deserving films and performances were recognized this year, and so I'm surprised that more people didn't tune in for the show. Why do you think they stayed away? Source

Why Were the Oscars So Poorly Rated?

The movies themselves — there's barely a blockbuster in the bunch.

The writers' strike — it sucked the momentum out of awards season.

Jon Stewart — one time with him as host was enough.

Oscar parties — maybe people watched on someone else's TV.

Other (tell me below)

Did the Academy Snub Whoopi?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:30:48 -0800

Today there has been some fall-out about some of the editing choices made with the many montages featured in this year's Oscars ceremony. One of the bigger ones is the omission of Whoopi Goldberg from the Oscar hosts reel. As the ladies of The View discuss in the clip below, Whoopi's hosting broke several records, so it does seem strange that they would leave her out. On the other hand, I don't envy producers of these award shows, given the egos in this business and how impossible it would be to assuage all of them. Take a look at the clip below and let me know what you think about all this. Source

Did the Academy Snub Whoopi?

Yes. She is an integral part of Oscar history.

No. This was clearly a last minute show and more shouldn't be made of it.

Other (I'll tell you below)

2008 Oscars the Lowest-Rated Ever

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:21:25 -0800

2008 Oscars the Lowest-Rated Ever The Oscars recorded their smallest audience in history on Sunday, according to Nielsen ratings estimates. Approximately 32 million viewers watched the ceremony, down from 40 million last year and just below the previous low of 33 million viewers in 2003.

Oscar Winners: Where Will We See Them Next?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:32:29 -0800

With the 2008 Oscars now just a memory, I'm looking ahead today to where we'll see this year's big winners working next. As a group, they have numerous projects in the works for screens both big and small — and, conveniently for us, several of them will be working together. To see where you'll see all the winners next , just hit "start."

Buzz News Roundup, 2/25

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:29:49 -0800

Last night's Oscars look like they'll have record-low viewing numbers based on the preliminary ratings, Reuters reports. Stay tuned for the final numbers later today.
Though its showrunners were recently fired, Women's Murder Club will still produce three more episodes this season, writes the Hollywood Reporter.
Zap2It reports that the Tina Fey-hosted Saturday Night Live — the first post-strike episode — produced strong ratings over the weekend.
According to ComingSoon, production on Steven Spielberg's next project The Trial of the Chicago 7 will be delayed "for the foreseeable future."
Writer Stephen Marlowe, best known for his pulp crime novels, has died at age 79, the Associated Press reports.
Billboard reports that Donna Summer will break her 17-year hiatus with the May 20th release of her studio album, Crayons.
The typically comedic actress Teri Polo will star in indie thriller The Beacon, writes Hollywood Reporter
Leighton Meester, aka Blair on Gossip Girl, has recorded her first album, CTV reports.

Source

2008 Oscars Poll: Which Musical Performance Was Your Favorite?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:30:48 -0800

This year's Oscars was pretty subdued for the most part, but we did still manage to get the performances of the nominated musical numbers — three of which were from Enchanted! Which of the five performances from this year's Oscars was your favorite?

2008 Oscars Poll: Which Musical Performance Was Your Favorite?

"Falling Slowly" from Once

"Happy Working Song" from Enchanted (performed by Amy Adams)

"Raise It Up" from August Rush

"So Close" from Enchanted

"That's How You Know" from Enchanted (performed by Kristin Chenoweth)

The 2008 Oscars in 60 Seconds!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:39:56 -0800

Want to catch the 2008 Oscars in one minute? Well, now you can do just that! Experience all the highs and lows of Hollywood's glamour-fest in just 60 seconds — starting with Gary Busey's extreme affection for Jennifer Garner on the red carpet, continuing through Tilda Swinton's shout-out to her agent's Oscar-like buttocks and ending with the Coen Brothers running out of things to say by the time they win Best Picture. To watch, just click below!

Buzz In: What Were Your Favorite Oscar Moments?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:30:00 -0800

This year's Oscars ceremony wasn't the most upset-filled or exciting in history — but there were still so many wonderful, touching little moments that made the show memorable. Several of them stood out to me when I was live blogging the ceremony: Jon Stewart bringing Markéta Irglová back onto the stage so she could address the crowd, Diablo Cody clasping hands with Ellen Page before accepting her award for Best Original Screenplay, and Marion Cotillard's giddy, lovely acceptance speech were a few of my favorites. What about you? Which moments stood out? You can watch a video of Cotillard's speech and weigh in with your greatest hits of the 2008 Oscars if you

Box Office: Vantage Point Thrills Audiences

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

The star-studded cast of Vantage Point enjoyed the No. 1 spot at the box office this weekend earning an estimated $24 million. The biggest weekend of the year for Hollywood also helped Academy Award-nominated films, giving movies like No Country For Old Men a significant boost at the box office, Variety reports.

Jumper came in at No. 2, followed by The Spiderwick Chronicles in the third spot. The silly-funny Be Kind Rewind came in at No. 7 followed by Juno, which took in another $4.1 million this weekend. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins slid in at No. 9 and There Will Be Blood rounded out the top 10.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

What Was the Biggest Surprise of the 2008 Oscars?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 -0800

Many of the wins at this year's Oscars were to be expected — Javier Bardem was sure to win Best Supporting Actor, Diablo Cody was more or less expected to win for her Juno screenplay, and I definitely foresaw the Best Original Score win for Atonement. Yet there were some surprises, too. While I think Marion Cotillard's win is fully deserved, I had expected the Academy to give that one to Julie Christie, for example. What do you think was most surprising about this year's Oscar wins?Source

What Was the Biggest Surprise of the 2008 Oscars?

Tilda Swinton winning Best Supporting Actress

Marion Cotillard winning Best Actress

The Coen Brothers winning for Best Director

No Country for Old Men winning for Best Adapted Screenplay

Other (tell us below)

Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:30:00 -0800

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! This year's Best Picture Oscar went to No Country for Old Men.
The following words are taken from a former Best Picture winner. Can you name the movie from which this quote is taken?
Character 1: "Now, what is the rule?"
Character 2: "Protect myself at all times."
Character 1: "Good. Good."

What Did You Think of the Oscar Winners? Vote in My Polls!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 04:30:00 -0800

The 2008 Oscars have come and gone, but that doesn't mean we're done talking about the awards! Did you think No Country for Old Men deserved its honors? What about Marion Cotillard's victory for La Vie en Rose? Click here to weigh in on all the major category winners!

Announcing the 2008 Oscar Winners!

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:10:57 -0800

Well, the Oscars are over, and it's safe to say the Coen Brothers swept this year's awards ceremony! We chuckled at Jon Stewart's jokes, swooned at Best Actress Marion Cotillard's acceptance speech and grew a little teary-eyed at the "dearly departed" montage which ended with Heath Ledger. I blogged about all my thoughts during the ceremony and asked you what you thought of the wins, some of which were easy to predict (Daniel Day-Lewis, duh) while others were surprises (Tilda Swinton!).

To see a full list of all the 2008 Oscar winners, just

What Do You Think About the Best Picture?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:58:21 -0800

Big night for the Coen family — No Country for Old Men won for Best Picture! The movie beat out Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, and There Will Be Blood. What do you think of this win?Source

What Do You Think About the Best Picture?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

Live Blogging the 2008 Oscars!

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:53:18 -0800

The 2008 Oscars are now history, but throughout Sunday's ceremony, I live-blogged some of the highlights, dull spots, and sweetest moments of the night. Read on to see what I made of the ceremony as it was happening — and share your thoughts in the comments! (All time stamps PST, last entry first.)

8:52 p.m.: So, No Country for Old Men is the 80th Best Picture, the Coens took home a couple of twin statuettes, several of the year's best performances got their due — I'm pretty pleased with this year's awards. You?

8:48 p.m.: And, that's it! Only 18 minutes over, with just credits left to go — well played, Stewart.

8:46 p.m.: And No Country takes it! This really was their night. Oh, wow, and Cormac McCarthy is there!

8:45 p.m.: OK, this one's for all the marbles . . .

8:43 p.m.: I'm so torn: On the one hand, I'm disappointed that Diving Bell and the Butterfly will be shut out tonight; I thought Schnabel was a lock for Best Director. On the other hand, the Coens are wonderful. And Frances McDormand looked so pleased!

8:35 p.m.: Daniel Day-Lewis got an Oscar and a near-knighthood. Pretty good for one night, eh? It always amazes me how little he seems like any of his characters — very sweet and gracious, not brooding at all.

8:31 p.m.: Helen Mirren is just the very embodiment of classiness. I want to be Helen Mirren when I grow up!

Lots more, so

What Do You Think About the Best Directors?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:51:09 -0800

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen won an Oscar for Best Director! Looks like they each received their own statue and don't have to share. They beat out Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Jason Reitman for Juno, Tony Gilroy for Michael Clayton and Paul Thomas Anderson There Will Be Blood. What do you think about this win?Source

What Do You Think About the Best Directors?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

What Do You Think About the Best Actor?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:43:54 -0800

No surprise here: the incomparable Daniel Day-Lewis won the award for Best Actor. He was among a distinguished group of actors that included George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Tommy Lee Jones, and Viggo Mortensen. What do you think about this win?Source

What Do You Think About the Best Actor?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

What Do You Think About the Best Original Screenplay Winner?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:38:40 -0800

Oh. My. Gosh. Diablo Cody just won for Best Original Screenplay! This category was awesomely female-dominated, and Ms. Cody beat out the writers of Lars and the Real Girl, Michael Clayton, Ratatouille, and The Savages. What do you think of this win?Source

What Do You Think About the Best Original Screenplay Winner?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

What Do You Think About the Best Actress?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:19:20 -0800

Marion Cotillard won the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. Her fellow nominees included Cate Blanchett, Julie Christie, Laura Linney and Ellen Page, and her speech was absolutely adorable ("You rocked my life!"). How do you feel about this win?Source

What Do You Think About the Best Actress?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

What Do You Think About the Best Adapted Screenplay?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:54:17 -0800

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen just won Best Adapted Screenplay for No Country for Old Men! They beat out adaptations for Atonement, Away from Her, There Will Be Blood and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. What do you think about this win?Photos courtesy of Miramax

What Do You Think About the Best Adapted Screenplay?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

What Do You Think About the Best Supporting Actress?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:46:18 -0800

Woah! Tilda Swinton just won Best Supporting Actress for her work in Michael Clayton! She was up against some stiff competition, including Cate Blanchett, Ruby Dee, Saoirse Ronan and Amy Ryan. What do you think about Tilda Swinton's win?Source

What Do You Think About the Best Supporting Actress?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

Jon Stewart's Opening Oscar Monologue: Love It or Leave It?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:39:24 -0800

Jon Stewart is back tonight with his easy wit and funny political commentary. His opening monologue addressed many of the topics one would expect this year, like the writers strike and how hilarious it is that Norbit was nominated. What did you think of Jon Stewart's opening monologue?

Jon Stewart's Opening Oscar Monologue: Love It or Leave It?

Love it! He is so classy and funny.

Leave it! Too political and boring.

Other (I'll tell you below)

What Do You Think About the Best Supporting Actor?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:22:22 -0800

Javier Bardem won Best Supporting Actor for his role in No Country for Old Men. He was up against Casey Affleck, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Holbrook and Tom Wilkinson. Do you agree with this win?Source

What Do You Think About the Best Supporting Actor?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

What Do You Think About the Best Animated Film?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:01:12 -0800

Ratatouille just won Best Animated Feature Film! This was a great category this year that included Persepolis and Surf's Up. What do you think of this win?Image courtesy of Disney/Buena Vista Entertainment

What Do You Think About the Best Animated Film?

Agree

Disagree

I'm indifferent

Oscar Party on Sugar!

PopSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:40:51 -0800

It's Oscar Sunday so it's party time on the Sugar network! Join us as we post pictures from the red carpet on Fab and Bella so you can vote on all your favorite fashion and beauty looks. Buzz is live blogging and we're live chatting so click here to join us in the chat room to dish on George's lucky date, Angelina's baby bump, and the best and worst speeches or shocking winners of the night. We've been looking forward to the Oscars for a long time and thankfully the strike is over so hopefully Jon Stewart will be cracking us up in between little gold men being given away.

See you at 3p.m. PST when E!'s red carpet kicks off and then of course at 5p.m. PST when the Oscars officially start.

Which Best Picture Nominee Do You Want to Win the Oscar?

BuzzSugar — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:00:00 -0800

The 2008 Oscars are so close we can almost reach out and touch 'em! I've been speculating all week about what each of the Best Picture nominees has going for and against it in the race. Now for your personal opinion: Which of this year's nominees would you like to see take home the little gold man this weekend?

Which Best Picture Nominee Do You Want to Win the Oscar?

Atonement

Juno

Michael Clayton

No Country for Old Men

There Will Be Blood

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:00:00 -0800

The Oscars are coming! The Oscars are coming! All week I have been previewing foreign films, breaking down the best picture nominees, and sharing pictures from best costume nominees. Oh, and I also made some bold predictions for who would win. Here's hoping you feel fully prepped for Sunday!
I've been sticking with Lipstick Jungle and Cashmere Mafia, mentally willing them to be better, but let's face it: Weeks of those shows still couldn't match what seconds of the trailer for the Sex and the City movie did for my happiness levels.
I had a really fun time watching Be Kind Rewind and found an inspiring picture from the movie that I need you to caption!
American Idol is truly back as the first 12 guys and girls hit the stage. I definitely was not shocked with who was sent packing; were you?
Childhood flashbacks! An odd, maybe fake clip from Where the Wild Things Are leaked to the web, and we also got a peek at the Smurfs movie animation.
America's Next Top Model premiered with a bang, and those more legitimately suited to high fashion gathered on the beloved Project Runway reunion show.
It's the last leg of the Buzz Book Club. Read up so you can join the fun!

Photos courtesy of Miramax and Source

Hurry! Fill Out Our Oscar Ballot for a Chance to Win $1,000!

BuzzSugar — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 06:00:00 -0800

If you haven't made your Oscar picks already, it's time to get serious. The Oscars are just a day away, and so time is winding down for you to fill out our Oscar ballot!

Knowing you picked the most winners can be its own reward — but it's not the only reason to fill out the ballot. We're offering a whole slew of great prizes this year. Here's the biggie: If you pick the most winners, you'll win $1,000 cash! But that's not all: One second-place winner will receive $500 cash, and 10 third-place winners will get $100 gift cards to the movies!

The ballot will be open until noon PST on Feb. 24 — so what are you waiting for? For the official rules, click here — and good luck!

The 2008 Oscars: Buzz's Bold Predictions

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:30:07 -0800

See those giant, plastic-wrapped Oscars up there? It's just two more days till they'll be on display for everyone to see during the 2008 Oscars! All month, I've been breaking down the Best Picture nominees, posting trailers for Best Documentary and Best Foreign Language Film nominees, checking out the art direction and costume nominees, and generally getting pumped up for Sunday's show.

A big part of my preparation has been careful consideration of my official Oscar picks. If you still need help filling out your Oscar ballot, or you're just curious to see how I think the Academy will vote, just

Oscar Hosts: The Good, the Bad, and the Hilarious

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:30:41 -0800

Besides the winning films and nominees, there's another factor that distinguishes one Oscar ceremony from another: the host. In honor of Jon Stewart's return to the stage this Sunday, I decided to take a look back at some of the other memorable folks — from the awkward to the hysterical — who have helped keep the show rolling over the years. To walk down Oscar-host memory lane with me, just hit "Start." Source

Best Picture Breakdown: No Country For Old Men

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:30:04 -0800

The wait is almost over for the 2008 Oscars, which will air on Sunday night. This week, I've been breaking down the five contenders for Best Picture, giving you the scoop on why each film could win and why it might not stand a chance. I've already examined There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton, Atonement, and Juno. Today, I'm looking at the final nominee in the category, No Country For Old Men.

For this film, the Coen Bros. toned down their usual quirkiness to create a stark, spare thriller that creates an overwhelming feeling of dread. Adapted from Cormac McCarthy's novel of the same name, the movie tells the story of a crazed killer, a man on the run, and a sheriff who desperately wants to intervene before the worst happens. It's won the most awards of any nominated movie this season by far, and it seems to be the presumptive favorite heading into Sunday's awards. But is it a sure thing? To see how I think the movie will fare in the Best Picture race, just

Oscar Movie Preview: Mongol for Best Foreign Film

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:39:20 -0800

As part of my coverage of this year's Oscars, I'll be posting the trailers for as many of the Best Documentary and Best Foreign Language Film nominees as I can find. Since it's often harder to see these films in theaters, it's nice to get a taste of them before Oscar night — not to mention that it might help you when you fill out your Oscar ballot.

Kazakhstan may be well known for being the butt of most of Borat's jokes, but this year it's making its mark on the film world in a different way. Mongol marks the first time one of the country's films has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

The film focuses on the life of Temudgin, the boy who grows up to be the warrior Genghis Khan. Enslaved as a boy, he eventually escaped captivity and went on to conquer much of the world. The movie has been a controversial project in Mongolia itself, but ultimately the filmmakers were able to shoot much of the film in the region. It's envisioned as the first of three movies tracing the life of Genghis Khan.

The movie will be released in the US in June, and you can watch an English-language trailer at this site. Or, to watch a subtitled version of a fight scene from the movie as well as the Russian trailer, just