Character actor Ernest Borgnine will be honored with the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in January 2011.  Oscar winner Borgnine will be the 47th star to receive this SAG award.

A statement from SAG reads:

Whether portraying brutish villains, sympathetic everymen, complex leaders or hapless heroes, Ernest Borgnine has brought a boundless energy which, at 93, is still a hallmark of his remarkably busy life and career. It is with that same joyous spirit that we salute his impressive body of work and his steadfast generosity,” SAG president Ken Howard said. It is with that same joyous spirit that we salute his impressive body of work and his steadfast generosity.

Borgnine career has spanned nearly six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, including his Academy Award-winning turn in the 1955 film Marty. On television, he is best known for playing Quinton McHale in the 1962-66 series McHale’s Navy, costaring in the mid-1980s action series Airwolf, and voicing the character Mermaid Man in the animated series, SpongeBob SquarePants. Borgnine earned an Emmy nomination at age 92 for his work on the series ER.

Borgnine will receive his SAG Lifetime Achievement Award in a live telecast January 30, 2011.

Toronto International Film Festival brings heavyweight fare (and some of their old faves) to mark it’s 35th year . Old favorite 2002 cult comedy Fubar comes back to TIFF in a sequel. Canadian director, Michael Dowse and his comedy ‘Fubar II’ opens TIFF Midnight Madness 2010 with 6 films of the 10 nights coming from the USA.

The Butcher, The Chef And The Swordsman

Wu Ershan directs a story is about a butcher in a brothel who is in love with a courtesan. When he suffers a humiliating rejection, he decides to become a swordsman and wanders around the city of Jianghu bringing the hurt. Its a martial-arts comedy called, ‘The Butcher, The Chef and the Swordsman‘ and is the first film from mainland China to ever have a world premiere at TIFFs Midnight Madness.

Dante Lam brings his explosive urban action flick ‘Fire of Conscience‘ to close Midnight Madness. To purchase tickets online please click here.

Special Presentation and Galas at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is code for ‘high profile’ films. Among them are: Philip Seymour Hoffman with his first directorial effort the unconventional set in new York city romantic dramedy ‘Jack Goes Boating‘. Other special presentation premieres are:

Dan Rush’s ‘Everything Must Go’, starring Will Ferrell as a motivational speaker who turns a lawn sale into a new life strategy. Closing the London Film Festival on Thursday October 28 is Danny Boyle’s new movie, ‘127 Hours’ starring Golden Globe winner James Franco (Milk) as mountain climber Aron Ralston. Danny Boyle brought us hits ‘28 Weeks Later’ and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.

Ralson, an American mountain climber became famous in 2003, when he was forced to amputate his lower right arm with a dull knife in order to free himself after his arm became trapped by a boulder for 5 days with no help in sight.

Just announced to close the New York Film Festival is Clint Eastwood’s morality tale ‘Hereafter’ (Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Derek Jacobi) will also be at TIFF, as well as Matt Reeves’ ‘Let Me In’, based on the acclaimed Swedish novel and film ‘Let The Right One In’. Can any film match up to the Norwegian masterpiece by Tomas Alfredson and writer of both novel and screenplay John Ajvide Lindqvist’s original? I think it’s an impossible task. See the trailer here and tell me what you think.

Casey Affleck brings his much awaited doc ‘I’m Still Here‘, that follows actor Joaquin Phoenix in his pursuit of a hip-hop career. You do remember Joaquin’s Andy Kaufman-like David Letterman appearance don’t you…?

Also programmed is Benoit Jacquot’s 1865-set vagabond tale ‘Deep In The Woods’, Milcho Manchevski’s investigative chiller ‘Mothers’, Christ Kraus’ World War 1-era family drama ‘The Poll Diaries’ and 2008 GLBT voice of the year, Oscar winning screenwriter (Milk) Dustin Lance Black and his small-town psychological film ‘What’s Wrong With Virginia’.

The 35th International Toronto International Film Festival runs September 09-19, 2010. To purchase tickets online please click here.

As an early response to petty violence, preventative measures were taken to discontinue a large section of public transit Saturday in Toronto, Ontario’ due to the G20 Summit.

Toronto the Good...?

There was no choice but to walk home Saturday amidst helicopters, bike cops, riot police and smoke filled skies. It was a repulsive and unnerving experience.

I texted my fella to tell him what I was witnessing on my way home. Both of us put in our texts: “Stay in Contact”. Both of us forgot to sign off: “I Love You”. My Blackberry was low on battery power. I felt anxious.

Minutes later I got a text from my fella again who had been home sick for the last 5 days. I thought he wanted me to pick something up for him on the way home.

He explained there was a cooler left in front of the Royal Theater and that that there was a bomb squad directly across the street from our home.

Then suddenly, no more texts. As someone who’s had a long-time love affair with New York City, I’m one of those people that has not fully gotten over 9/11. I panicked and I almost broke my ankle busting into a run until I received another text.

I tried all Sunday to unwind to escape from the senseless violence, thuggery and poor choices made by all in the air and on the ground.

I walked in a direction away from the mayhem. While out, I observed and overheard a scruffy type dude ask some other folks ‘where the riots were, so he could “maybe get on TV”.

I went back home feeling uneasy. I arranged spices in my kitchen cupboards, did laundry, made dinner, watched ‘The Hangover‘, ‘True Blood‘ and ‘Entourage‘. I wasn’t that successful in creating the diversion I was seeking. Even though I have a very early Monday morning, it’s 1:20AM and I’m still wide awake…

Toronto wasted almost a billion dollars on the G20, that could have gone to social and mentoring programs, summer camps, education, better transit, food banks, more bike and rollerblade paths, creative expression. I have no idea where this money really went. Do you..?

Faux police cars set up as burn traps to create sensationalist photo-ops. Thrill seekers taking videos and pictures. The vandalism in a major retail core. The loss of business in adjoining neigborhoods such as Queen Street and College Street. The Black Bloc and their misdirected wannabes.

When you understand that the holding cells  for anyone arrested during the G20 is a defunct film studio you think to yourself – This is a joke. But, today -  no one is laughing.

After trying to scrub my brain and make some sense of how everything got so out of hand, I’m still, in a word Toronto -
DISGUSTED…

With the political statement made by Mo’Nique at the Oscars during her acceptance speech, the story below about Gabourey Sidibe is not a huge surprise to me. We’re not saying the two ladies are the same, we’re saying there seems to be an attitude attached to certain stars of the film ‘Precious’.

Washington Post writer Jonathan Capehart Article is below. Read on…(and thank you for writing it)

‘Precious’ little time — or grace — for fans

It’s always a let-down when folks you’ve admired or respected from afar turn out to be jerks in person. Case in point: Gabourey Sidibe, the Oscar-nominated actress in the title role of “Precious.”

Y’all know how much I loved the powerful film from director Lee Daniels about an obese New York City teenager enduring unspeakable abuse at the hands of her parents. After Oscar night, I wrote, “I was rooting for Gabourey Sidibe for best actress. But the moment edgy comedienne Mo’Nique won the Oscar for supporting actress, I knew that the divine Sidibe was toast.” But after meeting Sidibe at the White House Correspondents dinner and hearing about others’ negative encounters with her, I’m putting down my pompoms.

I was thrilled to spot her at a table laughing uproariously with the man sitting to her right. “I know you’re having a good time and I’m sorry to interrupt,” I began. My next sentence didn’t come out because Sidibe shouted over the din, “Yeah, come back in five minutes!” Thinking she was joking, I laughed and pretended to walk away. When I noticed that the look in her eyes meant she was serious, I walked back to her and said, “I just wanted to congratulate you on your nomination. I thought your performance was spectacular. I even wrote a column about it.” After wishing her good luck, I rejoined my friends.

Back at the table, I sheepishly related the incident to my colleague Jo-Ann Armao. “Oh! She’s horrible,” Armao said in her wonderfully blunt way. She told me that she saw Sidibe at the pre-cocktails and told her that she’d seen “Precious” three times (an amazing emotional feat that only adds to my awe of Armao) and that she thought Sidibe’s performance was “incandescent.” What was Sidibe’s response? “I guess I should say, ‘Thank you.’”

At the MSNBC after party, the partner of a “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” producer said to me, “Look! There’s Gabby Sidibe. I’m going to ask her to take a picture with me.” I warned him, “She’s mean.” To which he said, “I don’t care. I just want a picture.” I didn’t see what went down, but the dejected fan came back and said incredulously, “She said no.” No doubt the constant interruptions and jostling are bothersome. Her ever-shrinking zone of privacy must be irksome, too. And there’s no law that says Sidibe has to show grace to her fans or appreciation for their kind words. But a true star would.

At a dinner for the BET Honors back in January here in Washington, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Oscar-nominated actress and singer Queen Latifah. To be honest, I expected to get the Sidibe treatment. Instead, Latifah was as interesting as she was interested. She greeted fans who came over with a smile and warmth that made people happy they worked up the courage just to say hello. Latifah knows that without fans she has no career. Sidibe’s behavior shows she has yet to learn that.

Much to the delight of every female from 15-105, Johnny Depp will indeed star in the 4th installment of ‘Pirates’, this time titled ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.‘

“I had a very good conversation with Dick Cook who is someone I admire greatly and that helped,” Depp said. “And also we’re going to come at it with a different angle at it. And director, Rob Marshall has a completely different take on it.”

In September 2009, Dick Cook, Chairman of Walt Disney Studio Entertainment, resigned after working for Disney for over 38 years. Cook was one of the few that accepted Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow on the first Pirates movie.

On October 7, 2009, author Tim Powers confirmed that Disney bought the rights of his novel On Stranger Tides. As detailed in The Art of the Pirates of the Caribbean, the proposed story for the fourth film is for Jack Sparrow and Barbossa to meet up in the newly founded New Orleans, before they sail to find the Fountain of Youth together.

According to Gregory Ellwood of HitFlix.com

He may be the “Mad Hatter” in the upcoming blockbuster “Alice in Wonderland,” but this summer Johnny Depp will be heading to Hawaii to shoot the fourth installment in the popular “Pirates” franchise. For awhile, Depp openly questioned whether a fourth installment would ever occur.

After Depp’s longtime friend Dick Cook was essentially fired as Chairman of Walt Disney Studios early last Fall, the superstar raised some doubt over whether he still wanted to return for another go around as Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp revealed today that it was actually the dismissed Cook who helped convince him to still do the picture

What that “take” is remains to be seen, but so far changes include the addition of Penelope Cruz in a mysterious, but prominent role.

However, “Stranger Tides” is a long way off for Depp at this point. He’ll soon head to London for the Royal World Premiere of “Alice” and still has endless questions ahead of him about his seventh, yes, seventh collaboration with director Tim Burton. The biggest surprise? It turns out Burton didn’t have to approach his old friend with a hard sell to make the movie.

“To be honest he could have said Alice and I would have said [yes],” Depp tries to get out as the assembled press irrupt in laughter. “I would have done whatever character Tim wanted. Certainly the fact it was the Mad Hatter was a bonus and a great challenge. And to try and find this guy and not just to be a rubber ball that you heave into an empty room and bounce all over the place, But also to bring a little bit more of history or gravity to the guy.”

Depp embraced the role by doing research not just into Lewis Carroll’s books, but where the origin of the term “mad as a hatter.” It turns out the glue hat makers used to use had high levels of mercury in them which had severely adverse side effects.

“So, [I looked at him] as damaged goods — physically damaged and a little obtuse — instead of this hyper nutty guy,” Depp recalls. “He could go from one second high fluting and a lot of levity and then into some dangerous, potential rage and some tragedy.”

Burton adds, however, “Being that it was a Disney movie, we tried to not focus so much on the Mercury poisoning aspect. ”

One of Depp’s other major concerns was the fact he’s used an English accent a number of times already in films such as “Finding Neverland,” “Chocolat” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Depp notes,

“You’ve got to really pay attention to where you have been. That’s the great challenge. You may get it wrong. There is a very good possibility you could fall flat on your face. I think that’s a healthy thing for an actor.”

With Burton by his side, Depp was asked if his kids had a favorite movie in the now growing Burton/Depp library. Without a beat Depp says “Edward Scissorhands.”

“They connect with the character and I think they see their dad feeling that isolation — that loneliness and he’s a tragic character,” Depp says. “They ball everytime they see it.”

Starting on Tuesday Johnny Depp will be starring opposite Angelina Jolie in the new thriller “The Tourist.” As the session ended, Depp was asked to comment on what should turn out to be one of his increasingly rare contemporary roles.

“I think it will be swell. I like the French film I liked it a lot and my friend played the part in that and I liked it and I thought it might be interesting to explore this character,” Depp says. “You never know what’s going to happen. I suspect there might be a few paparazzi in Venice.”

Continuing with award season, four-time Actor® Nominee John Slattery (Mad Men) will open the 16th Annual SAG Awards® with a ‘Red Carpet Toast’ courtesy of their sponsor Taittinger Champagne. The SAG Awards will broadcast tonight, Saturday January 22, on TBT and TNT at 8PM, EST.

Two randomly selected panels-one for television and one for film-each comprised of 2,100 Guild members from across the United States, chose this year’s Actor and Stunt ensemble honors nominees. Integrity Voting Systems, the Awards’ official teller, mailed the nominations secret ballots November 25, 2009 and Voting was completed by 5:00 PM, Monday, December 14, 2009.

Two categories with heated nominations toward the road to Oscar include:

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
MERYL STREEP for “Julie & Julia” (7 previous category noms)
SANDRA BULLOCK for “The Blind Side” (1st category nom) *Already Won Golden Globe
HELEN MIRREN for “The Last Station” (2 previous category noms)
CAREY MULLIGAN for An Education” (1st category nom)
GABOUREY SIDIBE / “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” (1st category nom)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
JEFF BRIDGES for “Crazy Heart” (2 previous category noms)
GEORGE CLOONEY / “Up in the Air” (4 previous category noms)
COLIN FIRTH / “A Single Man” (3 previous category noms)
MORGAN FREEMAN for “Invictus” (4 previous category noms)
JEREMY RENNER / “The Hurt Locker” (1st category nom)

For a complete downloadable and long list of the nominees, please click here.