The Envelope - LA Times - Independent Spirit Awards

'Juno' scores at Spirit Awards

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Page, Cody bask in their individual wins as the comedy takes the top prize.

The quirky coming-of-age comedy "Juno" cleaned up at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday afternoon as it continues its Cinderella season going into Sunday night's Academy Awards.

Indie host gets 'down and dirty'

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Rainn Wilson doesn't do stand-up but he does do Youtube.

You may have noticed a new Internet chat-show that popped up a week or so ago "Rainn On Film." As a preview/teaser for this Saturday's Film Independent Spirit Awards, the show's host, actor Rainn Wilson, asked a few questions of some of the nominees.

Spirits pull up a chair for Bardem

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The Oscar nominee and past Spirit Award winner will also present at the star-studded event.

"No Country for Old Men" Oscar nominee Javier Bardem was named honorary chair today of the 2008 Spirit Awards, which will be held Feb. 23 on the beach in Santa Monica.

See a whole new side of Rainn Wilson

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The co-star of "The Office" and host of the Spirit Awards says he dropped trou for a few comedy sketches.

Get ready to see a whole lot more of Rainn Wilson than you ever would have imagined.

Spirit Awards announces '08 nominees

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

'I'm Not There,' Todd Haynes' Bob Dylan surrealistic biopic, dominates with four nods.

"I'm Not There," Todd Haynes' quirky biopic on Bob Dylan, may have puzzled mainstream critics and audiences with its surrealistic vision of casting several actors and actresses as the famed troubadour -- a deep knowledge of Dylan and an open mind are recommended -- but the indie world has embraced the film, as evidenced Tuesday by its domination of the first major award nominations of the season.

Ex-stripper in movie spotlight

Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The "Juno" screenwriter also has written a sweet movie that's shaping up as a surprise hit.

Diablo Cody has a tough-chick reputation -- the tattooed, punkish sex blogger wrote a book about her year as a stripper, and the name of her blog is too risque for family newspapers.

'Sunshine' day at Spirit Awards

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Dark comedy wins four awards including best feature, director.

"Little Miss Sunshine," the dark comedy about a dysfunctional family, won best feature Saturday afternoon at the 2007 Film Independent Spirit Awards. "Sunshine," which is nominated for five Academy Awards including best picture, won a total of four awards at the beachside Santa Monica event -- best director for Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, supporting male actor for veteran Alan Arkin and best first screenplay for Michael Arndt.

Many meanings of 'indie'

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800

The Spirit Awards honor the divergent interests that make up independent film.

Like a word that starts to sound funny after being said too many times, the notion of "independent film" initially seems simple and yet becomes hazier and hazier the harder one tries to define it.

Indie Spirit nominations unveiled

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800

'Little Miss Sunshine,' 'Half Nelson' top list of contenders.

In a year when the Gotham Awards, handed out by a former partner organization, received intense criticism for giving nominations to studio-funded, bigger-budgeted films, Film Independent's Spirit Awards moved in the complete opposite direction.

An Oscar prequel?

Sun, 5 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

'Brokeback,' 'Crash,' Hoffman and Huffman continue streak with Indie Awards

The melancholy western "Brokeback Mountain" continued its domination of the awards season Saturday, receiving two Independent Spirit Awards: best picture and best director, for Ang Lee.