Hollywood is adding to its marketing vocabulary at a rapid clip. Here are some of the terms describing new concepts and technologies now used in the promotion of movies and TV shows.

ARG (alternate reality game): Players access them via multiple methods – including cell phones, email and websites — to interact with a storyline that’s influenced by their choices. Studios and TV networks have created them for movies and TV shows like ”The Dark Knight” and ”Lost.”

READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE AT VARIETY

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But every year the people choose garbage, glamorously hosted by one of America’s finest thespians, Queen Latifah.  Last year the favorite movie was Pirates of the Caribbean 3.  This year, the winner doesn’t make me lose complete faith in humanity.  The Dark Knight won “Favorite Movie” as one of five awards it took home to decorate the bathroom.

My personal favorite categories are “Favorite Leading Man” and “Favorite Male Movie Star.”  Strangely enough, the same person didn’t win both awards.  Will Smith and Brad Pitt split the “oh, hey, I recognize that guy” votes.

In the female category, Reese Witherspoon enjoyed a repeat victory from last year’s “Favorite Female Movie Star.”  I doubt any one of the voters could tell me what Witherspoon starred in during 2007.  (It was called Rendition)  This year, however, she was more shrill than ever in Four Christmases, a role that is being considered for a Razzie or “Worst Actress in 2008.”  The logic is baffling.

Meanwhile, Kate Hudson won for the redundant “Leading Lady” and I can’t decide which awful movie she was worse in.  Fool’s Gold or My Best Friend’s Girl.  If you guessed the secret “it doesn’t matter” answer, you’re right!

Here are your winners, because after all you’re the people!

Movie: The Dark Knight

Family Movie: WALL-E

Action Movie: The Dark Knight

Movie Comedy: 27 Dresses

Movie Drama: The Secret Life of Bees

Independent Movie: The Secret Life of Bees

Favorite Movie Cast: The Dark Knight (Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman)

Male Movie Star: Will Smith

Leading Man: Brad Pitt

Male Action Star: Will Smith

Female Movie Star: Reese Witherspoon

Leading Lady: Kate Hudson

Female Action Star: Angelina Jolie

On-Screen Match Up: Christian Bale and Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

Superhero: Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman

25. Fame (1980)

Cast:
Irene Cara
Debbie Allen
Gene Anthony Ray
Lee Curreri
Paul McCrane

The School of the Performing Arts, where people break into song and spirited choreographed dance routines! It could happen… but probably doesn’t in real life. Coco, Bruno, Leroy and company have their fair share of real world troubles too though – it’s not all taxi top dance fun.

24. Lucas (1986)

Cast:
Corey Haim
Kerri Green
Charlie Sheen

First crushes aren’t easy when you’re a dorky, awkward teenager who gets teased endlessly at school. But you gotta give the kid credit for joining the football team to impress the girl he’s infatuated with. Plus, the nostalgia of a sweet, adorable Corey Haim versus his current washed up status lets us remember Haim in the happy 80s.

23. Carrie (1976)

Cast:
Sissy Spacek
Piper Laurie
Betty Buckley
Amy Irving

Oh shit, Carrie is all kinds of creepy, but her whack job mom doesn’t exactly help her fit in at school. And then that disgusting pig blood soaked prom scene. Kids can be so fuckin cruel, but don’t piss off a girl with telekinetic powers. Carrie exacts her revenge in the end. That’ll teach ‘em.

22. Friday Night Lights (2004)

Cast:
Billy Bob Thornton
Lucas Black
Garrett Hedlund
Derek Luke
Jay Hernandez

Friday Night Lights presents high school football as an obsession for the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas. With little else going on in this small town, Friday night football is something to look forward to, but hopes of winning the championship is a lot of pressure for these players fighting for an escape from the same dead-end lives their parents endure.

21. Dead Poets Society (1989)

Cast:
Robin Williams
Robert Sean Leonard
Ethan Hawke
Josh Charles

Dramatic and truly inspiring, Dead Poets’ English professor John Keating (Robin Williams) teaches his students to seize the day by thinking outside the confines of their prep school. Make sure you have a box of tissues nearby for this high school tale – there wasn’t a dry eye in the theater when I saw it the first go-around.

20. Rushmore (1998)

Cast:
Jason Schwartzman
Bill Murray
Olivia Williams

From the quirky mind of Wes Anderson, we get our first look at Jason Schwartzman as the eccentric over-booked prep school student who finds a father figure and nemesis in Bill Murray - as student and rich dude vie for the affection and attention of elementary school teacher Miss Cross.

19. Donnie Darko (2001)

Cast:
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jena Malone
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Mary McDonnell

It’s a cult classic - cue “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” – well, at least as teenager Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) knows, via a big burned bunny. All the sci fi coolness, while hitting the high school themes, Donnie Darko is an original, no doubt about it. We’re still scratching our head about a few things though.

18. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Cast:
Jon Heder
Efren Ramirez
Tina Majorino

Oh, awkward youth – Napoleon Dynamite has you rooting for this majorly uncool title character with Jon Heder’s brilliant performance. And we never see such energy from the low vibe Napoleon as when he performs his dance routine in front of the entire school. Vote for Pedro!

17. Risky Business (1983)

Cast:
Tom Cruise
Rebecca De Mornay
Curtis Armstrong

It launched Tom Cruise (for better or for worse) into the stratosphere of super stardom, gave us the memorable air guitar underwear scene – and oh, yeah… one of the hottest sex on a train scenes ever. This is one high school experience that takes Cruise’s straight-laced character, Joel, on a wild ride.

16. Say Anything (1989)

Cast:
John Cusack
Ione Skye
John Mahoney
Lili Taylor

He’s the loveable underachiever – she’s the class valedictorian. The star-crossed lovers in Say Anything are meant to be despite the odds. Check out Lloyd Dobler as he proves his love in that classic boom box scene. Sigh. A million John Cusack fans were born from this movie.

15. Sixteen Candles (1984)

Cast:
Molly Ringwald
Michael Schoeffling
Anthony Michael Hall

Sixteen Candles is when we fell in love with freckly Molly Ringwald – her family forgets her birthday, nerds want to see her panties, and her infatuation with Jake (ultimately) leads to a happy ending. Even nerdy Anthony Michael Hall finds love with the most popular girl in school. So, all’s well that ends well.

14. Hoop Dreams (1994)

Cast:
William Gates
Arthur Agee

The inspiring true story of two kids trying to make it out of the Chicago slums on a basketball dream, this documentary follows both the struggles and the joy, making it a must-watch on our high school film list. Hoop Dreams follows Arthur Agee and William Gates for five years, from high school to college recruitment.

13. Superbad (2007)

Cast:
Jonah Hill
Michael Cera
Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Raunchy and ridiculous, Superbad gave us so many things that were oh-so-wrong, yet oh-so-right. The comedy duo of Michael Cera and Jonah Hill combined with a script by Seth Rogan and his buddy struck a chord with audiences with this hilarious high school tale of two buddies. And c’mon… McLovin? It’s all good.

12. Clueless (1995)

Cast:
Alicia Silverstone
Paul Rudd
Stacey Dash
Brittany Murphy
Donald Faison

Alicia Silverstone is such a Betty in this movie! Plus Clueless put Paul Rudd on the map – so thank the heavens for that. An adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, director Amy Heckerling nailed this funny look at a rich girl who learns there’s more to her than just the superficial, shallow Cher.

11. Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Cast:
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Ice Cube
Morris Chestnut
Larry Fishburne
Angela Basset

Boyz n the Hood was a masterpiece for director John Singleton, capturing the gritty realities of high school life for three high school friends on different paths – one an athlete, one with college aspirations and one a drug dealer. Nothing is easy in this tale and Tre, played by Cuba Gooding Jr., learns hard life lessons when his friend is murdered. With guidance from his dad, he escapes the cycle of crime and violence and gets out of the hood.

10. Mean Girls (2004)

Cast:
Lindsay Lohan
Rachel McAdams
Lacey Chabert
Amanda Seyfried

Can Tina Fey do no wrong? Mean Girls was a killer script by Fey, featuring Lindsay Lohan before she had a party-girl reputation, and included turns by Rachel McAdams, Lizzy Caplan and Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia) before they were bigger names. Mean Girls confirmed that girls can be so bitchy – and cruel.

9. Grease (1978)

Cast:
John Travolta
Olivia Newton-John
Stockard Channing
Jeff Conaway

The original High School Musical… well, sorta. Singing and dancing was never so cool as in Grease, what with Sandy, Danny and the gang at 1950s Rydell High. Who doesn’t love the Goody Two Shoes/Bad Boy dynamic in Grease, but please answer this burning question – what the hell with Sandy and Danny flying off in the car at the end? Never got that one.

8. Hoosiers (1986)

Cast:
Gene Hackman
Barbara Hershey
Dennis Hopper

Everybody loves a story with heart – small-town Indiana high school basketball underdogs beat the odds and win the state championship in this early-50s tale of redemption. Gene Hackman gives a fantastic performance as a washed up former collegiate coach who has a lot to prove to the town – and himself.

7. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Cast:
Matthew Broderick
Alan Ruck
Mia Sara
Jeffrey Jones
Jennifer Grey

If you could have gotten away with the shit that Ferris Bueller did when he skipped school, wouldn’t you have done it? Matthew Broderick rocks this John Hughes classic, taking audiences along for one helluva ride – from Ferrari to Abe Froman (The Sausage King of Chicago), to riding atop a parade float. Ditching school has never been more fun.

6. Election (1999)

Cast:
Reese Witherspoon
Matthew Broderick
Chris Klein

Forget her Academy Award win for Walk the Line, Reese Witherspoon’s role as uber annoying overachiever Tracy Flick in Election was easily her best work. Ever. Throw in pathetic Matthew Broderick, his contempt for Tracy and his ill fortunes (that’s one mother of a bee sting reaction!), and you’ve got one darkly funny look at the politics of high school.

5. Heathers (1989)

Cast:
Winona Ryder
Christian Slater
Shannen Doherty

With lines like “Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw,” Heathers takes high school bitches to a whole new level. Smarmy Christian Slater has never been better and hot fingers Winona Ryder plays bitchy with precision in this dark high school tale. Heathers was a stark contrast to the feel good high school flicks of the 80s, for sure.

4. Dazed and Confused (1993)

Cast:
Jason London
Rory Cochrane
Wiley Wiggins
Matthew McConaughey

This is familiar territory, given that Dazed and Confused topped our Stoner Movies list. Dazed captures the life of seventies high schoolers, as the upcoming seniors ceremoniously haze the incoming freshmen on the last day of school in 1976. Sex, drugs and music of the day comes into play and Matthew McConaughey gives one of the best performances ever with his classic line: “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.”

3. American Pie (1999)

Cast:
Jason Biggs
Seann William Scott
Shannon Elizabeth
Alyson Hannigan
Thomas Ian Nicholas
Tara Reid
Chris Klein

When American Pie hit theaters, no one could have guessed how an actual pie would be so affectionately regarded by a horny high schooler. Pie was like the Porky’s of the 90s, with four friends making a pact to lose their virginity by graduation. Plus, American Pie gave us classics like MILF and the ever popular “this one time?… at band camp?”

2. Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

Cast:
Sean Penn
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Judge Reinhold
Phoebe Cates

Penned by Cameron Crowe and directed by Amy Heckerling, Fast Times introduced us to Sean Penn as ultimate stoner Spicoli and a host of other interesting characters, including Jennifer Jason Leigh and Phoebe Cates (which led to Judge Reinhold’s infamous bathroom scene – yikes). Fast Times was a coming-of-age story that hit all the right notes with audiences.

1. The Breakfast Club (1985)

Cast:
Judd Nelson
Molly Ringwald
Emilio Estevez
Anthony Michael Hall
Ally Sheedy

We’ve got the classic high school types (jock, princess, brain, basket case, criminal) locked together for Saturday detention in this John Hughes’ classic. They each learn that they’re not so different after all… and The Breakfast Club became the quintessential high school movie, but seriously? Saturday detention?

The trophies covered favorite cast, favortie superhero, best action movie and most successful on-screen matchup that pitted Christian Bale’s Batman and the late Heath Ledger’s Joker in the what critics are calling the best hero/villain portrayal to ever hit the silver screen.

Upon excepting the crowning awared for Best Action Movie Bale held it high and shouted to the viewing audience — “On behalf of all of the cast from the movie, thank you very much to the fans….Here’s to Heath!”

Other award winners of the night included singer Carrie Underwood, actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Adam Sandler, Kate Hudson, Robin Williams, Hugh Laurie, Reese Witherspoon and comedienne/TV host Ellen DeGeneres.

[AP Photo: Christian Bale accepts 1 of 5 awards for The Dark Knight]

"The Dark Knight" won Favorite Movie and Favorite Action Movie. The film's cast also won Favorite Cast, while Christian Bale and Heath Ledger were named Favorite Onscreen Match Up.

"27 Dresses" picked up the Favorite Comedy Movie (you're kidding, right?), while "The Secret Life of Bees" won Favorite Movie Drama and Favorite Independent Movie. "WALL-E" was named Favorite Family Movie.

Will Smith is the Favorite Male Movie Star, and Reese Witherspoon is the Favorite Female Movie Star. Also, Angelina Jolie is the Favorite Female Action Star, and Brad Pitt is the...zzzzzzzz....

This is making me sleepy. Just check out the rest of them here.

Mostly odd results I must say. Then again, why bother? These awards are not important anyway.

• Free Fiction [courtesy of QuasarDragon]
  • Chris Roberson has posted his story "Death on the Crosstime Express", originally published in Sideways in Crime edited by Lou Anders.
  • Chiaroscuro has a new issue out with Dark fiction and poetry by Kurt Dinan, Shira Lipkin, Daniel A. Rabuzzi, Jonathan Wood, M. Frost, Maurice Oliver, and Jacqueline West.
  • @Weird Tales: "The Last Great Clown Hunt" by Chris Furst.
  • @Planet Magazine: "The Tears of Lakshmi" by Ian James.
  • @St. Martin's Griffin: "Countdown" by Jonathan Maberry (Patient Zero) available in PDF download, but a signup is required.
  • @MindFlights: "Quanruzaman's Gateway" by Peter Simon.
  • @At Manybooks: Masterpieces of Mystery in Four Volumes. Ghost Stories by Various Authors (1920).
  • @Grantbridge Street and other misadventures: A comic book version of William Nolan's "... And Before I Go to Sleep" drawn by Al Williamson.
  • Audio Fiction:
    • @StarShipSofa: audio fiction and poetry by O G Clark, Ian Watson,and David Brin.
    • @Transmissions from Beyond: "Knowledge" by Grace Dugan, read by the author.
    • Author Scott Sigler reads part five of his book Contagious.
    • Cory Doctorow reads part one of his book Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town.


• Interviews & Profiles:
  • The Wall Street Journal (!) interviews Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, Kirk and Spock from the New Star Trek movie. [via Slice of SciFi]
  • The Nebula Awards site interviews Karen Joy Fowler.
  • @BookSpot Central: Eric Nylund (Mortal Coils).
  • @Post-Weird Thoughts: Jeff Carlson (Plague War).


• Harper Collins will publish a new book by author J.R.R. Tolkien. The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, edited and introduced by Tolkien's son Christopher, will be published in hardback in May 2009 and was written in the 1920s, before The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. [via File 770]


• The latest issue of Internet Review of SF has been posted


• Nick Mamatas reviews why authors shouldn't write their own promotional copy.


• Ellen Datlow has posted photos of the recent Poe celebration in New York City.


• Over at the Guardian, Steampunk: The Future of the Past: "Forget spaceships and laser guns - steampunk says it's the Industrial Revolution that shows us what we've got to look forward to. Dress code: polished brass."


• Christian filmographers will take a detailed look at the widespread cultural impact that Science Fiction has had through film during the Fourth Annual Christian Filmmakers Academy (CFA) held January 5-7 in San Antonio, Texas. The "Symposium on Science Fiction and Christian Filmmaking" will focus on the theology of Science Fiction, analyzing how the worldview conveyed through Sci-Fi films has shaped cultural priorities.


• Over at Futurismic, Jonathan McCalmont compares the rhetoric of American foreign and domestic policy with the thematic underpinnings of the super hero movie genre, and explains why he'll be as glad to see the back of costumed crusaders as he will the back of Bush.


• James at Big Dumb Object has posted video for the upcoming Terminator Salvation Rollercoaster ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain.


• Joss Whedon promises more Dr. Horrible but is vague on details.


• SciFi Wire lists 9 Reasons George Lucas Should Just Retire Already.


• Neil Gaiman is not too fond of io9.

Variety breaks it.  The British Academy of Film and Television’s long list — it seems like we used to really crunch the numbers with BAFTA but after a while it became clear that there wasn’t much of a similarity between the Oscars and the BAFTA — but it is fun anyway.  Here are the nominees on the long list:

In what promises to be a tight race for BAFTA gold this year, nine films boast 10 or more longlist noms. “Slumdog Millionaire,” “The Reader,” “Revolutionary Road,” “Changeling” and “The Dark Knight” boast 13 noms apiece and “Milk” and “Burn After Reading” sport 11. Last year, “Atonement” collected 17 longlist noms, four ahead of the next best contenders.

The BAFTA longlists include 15 contenders in each category, from which the five nominees will be chosen in the second round of voting. Once the nominees are finalized, the whole membership votes again to decide the best film, four acting prizes and film not in the English language.  In all remaining categories, the members of each chapter (or jury) determine the vote.

Longlist for the British Academy Film Awards:

BEST FILM
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“Burn After Reading”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight ”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“In Bruges”
“I’ve Loved You So Long”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“Wall-E”
“The Wrestler”

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“The Baader Meinhof Complex”
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight ”
“Dean Spanley”
“Defiance”
“Doubt”
“The Duchess”
“Frost/Nixon ”
“Gomorrah”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Persepolis”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

DIRECTOR
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“Burn After Reading”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight ”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Hunger”
“In Bruges”
“I’ve Loved You So Long”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“The Wrestler”

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Burn After Reading”
“Changeling”
“Che Part One”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”
“Hunger”
“In Bruges”
“I’ve Loved You So Long”
“Milk”
“Rachel Getting Married”
“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
“The Visitor”
“W.”
“Wall-E”
“Waltz With Bashir”
“The Wrestler”

MAKE UP & HAIR
“Australia”
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“Brideshead Revisited”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“The Duchess”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“Tropic Thunder”
“The Wrestler”

VISUAL EFFECTS
“Australia”
“Changeling”
“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”
“Cloverfield”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Hancock”
“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
“Iron Man”
“Quantum of Solace”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“Tropic Thunder”
“Wall-E”
“Waltz With Bashir”

SOUND
“Australia”
“Burn After Reading”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Frost/Nixon”
“In Bruges”
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
“Iron Man”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Quantum of Solace”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“Wall-E”

EDITING
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“Burn After Reading”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“In Bruges”
“Man on Wire”
“Milk”
“Quantum of Solace”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“The Wrestler”

COSTUME DESIGN
“Australia”
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“Brideshead Revisited”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“The Duchess”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Sex and the City”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“The Wrestler”

PRODUCTION DESIGN
“Australia”
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
“Brideshead Revisited”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“The Duchess”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Milk”
“Quantum of Solace”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Australia”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Doubt”
“The Duchess”
“Frost/Nixon”
“In Bruges”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Milk”
“Quantum of Solace”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“The Wrestler”

ANIMATED FILM
“Kung Fu Panda”
“Persepolis”
“The Tale of Despereaux”
“Wall-E”
“Waltz With Bashir”

MUSIC
“Australia”
“Burn After Reading”
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“The Duchess”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Milk”
“Quantum of Solace”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“The Visitor”
“Wall-E”

LEADING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro - “Che Part One”
Brad Pitt - “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Christian Bale - “The Dark Knight”
Colin Farrell - “In Bruges”
Dev Patel - “Slumdog Millionaire”
Frank Langella - “Frost/Nixon”
George Clooney - “Burn After Reading”
Javier Bardem - “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Josh Brolin- “W.”
Leonardo DiCaprio - “Revolutionary Road”
Michael Fassbender — “Hunger”
Michael Sheen - “Frost/Nixon”
Mickey Rourke - “The Wrestler”
Richard Jenkins- “The Visitor”
Sean Penn - “Milk”

LEADING ACTRESS
Angelina Jolie - “Changeling”
Anne Hathaway - “Rachel Getting Married”
Cate Blanchett - “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Frances McDormand - “Burn After Reading”
Kate Winslet - “Revolutionary Road”
Kate Winslet - “The Reader”
Keira Knightley - “The Duchess”
Kristen Scott Thomas - “I’ve Loved You So Long”
Meryl Streep - “Mamma Mia!”
Meryl Streep - “Doubt”
Nicole Kidman - “Australia”
Penelope Cruz - “Elegy”
Rebecca Hall - “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Sally Hawkins - “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Scarlett Johansson - “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Brad Pitt - “Burn After Reading”
Brendan Gleeson - “In Bruges”
David Kross - “The Reader”
Eddie Marsan - “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Heath Ledger - “The Dark Knight”
John Malkovich - “Burn After Reading”
John Malkovich - “Changeling”
Josh Brolin - “Milk”
Kevin Bacon - “Frost/Nixon”
Peter O’Toole - “Dean Spanley”
Philip Seymour Hoffman - “Doubt”
Ralph Fiennes - “The Duchess”
Ralph Fiennes - “In Bruges”
Ralph Fiennes - “The Reader”
Robert Downey Jr. - “Tropic Thunder”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams - “Doubt”
Charlotte Rampling - “The Duchess”
Elsa Zylberstein - “I’ve Loved You So Long”
Emma Thompson- “Brideshead Revisited”
Freida Pinto - “Slumdog Millionaire”
Judi Dench - “Quantum of Solace”
Julie Walters - “Mamma Mia!”
Kathy Bates - “Revolutionary Road”
Marisa Tomei - “The Wrestler”
Penélope Cruz - “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Rebecca Hall - “Frost/Nixon”
Tilda Swinton - “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Tilda Swinton - “Burn After Reading”
Vera Farmiga - “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”
Viola Davis - “Doubt”

Tonight, ABC has the series premiere of Homeland Security USA, the eighth season premiere of Scrubs and the season premiere of Primetime: What Would You Do?, CBS has the return of new episodes of NCIS, The Mentalist and Without a Trace, The CW has the return of new episodes of 90210 and Privileged, MyNetworkTV has the series premiere of Vice Squad, and NBC has the seventh season premiere of The Biggest Loser and the return of new episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Over on cable, Discovery Channel has the series premiere of Wreckreation Nation and FX has the fifth winter season premiere of nip/tuck,

In late night, TBS has the third season premiere of 10 Items or Less.

Prime Pick

NCIS (CBS): New. While investigating a murder at a women’s prison, McGee ends up in the middle of a standoff after the inmates take over the prison.

Scrubs (ABC): Season Premiere. The show returns for its eighth season on its new network with two new episodes. Courteney Cox (Friends) begins her guest stint has Dr. Kelso’s replacement and really shakes things up. J.D. is dealing with a new set of interns.

Without a Trace (CBS): New. A 13-year-old has gone missing after being picked up by her mother from school. Things between Sam and Jack get a little bumpy.

Solid Selections

90210 (The CW): New. Annie hears someone on the phone and gets suspicious. Adrianna asks Brenda to visit her at the rehab center on support day.

Privileged (The CW): New. This has become one of my favorite new shows of the season and it returns tonight with a very good episode. There are a couple of great Megan moments and she also finally confronts her mother who has stuck around. Marco is looking at maybe opening his own place. Sage and Rose throw a charity dinner, which also provides some great moments, especially for Rose. If you like this show, you will like this episode. If you haven’t seen this show, you should really check it out.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC): New. A missing teenager has returned home after four years and Benson and Stabler think there is something not right about his story about where he has been.

Cable Choices

Good Eats (Food Network): Repeats. Alton cooks up “A Chuck for Chuck” and then ends up “Fit to be Tied.” Both play again later.

Dirty Jobs (Discovery Channel): New. Mike makes bologna and fixes a toilet in Alaska. A repeat episode, “Ice Salvage Crew,” replays right before. Both play again later.

Leverage (TNT): New. An adoption agency is running scams on couples looking to adopt and the team takes over the production of a horror movie as part of their plan to get them back. It plays again later and again on Saturday afternoon. I’m really enjoying this show, as they have done well not to make it seem too similar each week.

Other Options

• Fringe (FOX): Repeat. “In Which We Meet Mr. Jones” from earlier in the season replays, where Olivia thinks a man with a huge parasite is related to the Pattern and Peter and Walter tap into the man’s brain waves. Starts a minute after the hour and runs 59 minutes. New episodes return on January 20th.
• The Mentalist (CBS): New. Patrick goes off on his own to work for the release of a prisoner that says he has information on Red John that he will tell Patrick if he gets out of jail. Runs 61 episodes.
• nip/tuck (FX): Winter Premiere. Sean is facing emotional problems after having been attacked and Christian gets some news he doesn’t want to here. Runs 64 minutes. Plays twice.

Sports Notes

• ESPN has the GMAC Bowl with Ball State vs. Tulsa.
• ESPN2 has a college basketball doubleheader with Ohio State at Michigan State followed by Texas at Arkansas.
• NBA TV has the New Orleans Hornets at the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Versus has NHL action.

Late Night

• 10 Items or Less (TBS): Season Premiere. The third season begins with a little “Turkey Bowling” and new cast member Kim Coles (Living Single, In Living Color). Plays again later and again late night Friday. This show has always been a little hit or miss for me, but when it hits it is really funny. I would include this episode in the hit category. I’m also looking forward to the “Star Trok” episode in a few weeks, which sounds really funny. Next week’s episode, “Eye Can See Clearly,” wasn’t quite as good. Listen to my interview with star John Lehr who plays Leslie Pool.

TV Marathons

Bravo has seven episodes of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Nickelodeon has 18 episodes of George Lopez late.
Oxygen has 17 hours of The Bad Girls Club episodes.
Sci Fi has 11 episodes of Stargate Atlantis.
Spike has nine episodes of Unsolved Mysteries.
Travel Channel has seven episodes of Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern.

• Printable Winter 2008-09 TV Schedule v1.04 (PDF) - Last Updated: 12.11.2008 - Added some premiere and return dates.
• Printable Winter 2008-09 Cable TV Schedule v1.01 (PDF) - Last Updated: 12.04.2008 - Corrected the return date of The Closer and the premiere date of Trust Me on TNT and added a couple of HBO shows to Sunday nights.