N ew on DVD this week is Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman, and a sweet family film starring Jeff Daniels and William Baldwin.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Brad Pitt plays a guy who ages backwards, falling in love with Cate Blanchett along the way. Interesting premise, but a little dreary and self-involved. Official Site 

Enchanted April. Josie Lawrence and Miranda Richardson play two proper Englishwomen who find enchantment on the Italian Riviera. IMDB 

Last Chance Harvey. Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson star in this sweet love story about middle-aged romance. Official Site

Wendy and Lucy. An idealistic young drifter (Michelle Williams) and her dog roam the Pacific Northwest. Official Site

A Plumm Summer. Jeff Daniels and William Baldwin star in this sweet family tale that revolves around a stolen marionette. Official Site

Twilight: Ultimate Collector’s Set (Blu-ray). It really is the ultimate set, including everything from a jewelry box to a charm bracelet. Check it out here.

Image: Amazon.com

Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston, Anne Hathaway and the rest of the A-List Stars shown brightly at the 2009 Academy Awards.

My favorites included Winslet’s darkish-blue gown, Hathaway’s shimmery mermaid affair, and Penelope Cruz’s princess gown. What about you? Did you have a favorite dress this year?

For more Film Gecko Oscar coverage: Live-Blog, Winners, and Photos.

The 2009 Academy Awards is already fading, but there are plenty of pictures to keep us occupied for days!

We live-blogged the show right here on Film Gecko (and had a blast!). Read the transcript here, and check out the full list of winners here.

So did you watch the Oscars? What did you think? Any favorite moments? Voice your opinions in the comments below the photos!

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Did you watch the Oscars last night? If so, you were one of 36.3 million viewers, according to this story in Variety. That’s 13% better than last year, which seems good.

I know a lot of people were pretty nonchalant about the awards ceremony, but I still think people tune in to check out the fashions, see who wins, see if there’s any awesome acceptance speeches, and just get out of their own world for a few hours.

If you missed our live-blog of the event, you can still replay it here, and read the full list of winners here. Overall, I thought it was a good show, and the live-bloggers and I loved hanging out together. Highlights for me:

Hugh Jackman. I loved his singing and dancing, and his musical numbers were a high point of the show for me. The live-bloggers and I all wanted more Hugh.

The Fashions. Jessica Biel’s look was the only one I really didn’t like (one of the live-bloggers said it looked like she forgot to take her dinner napkin off after she got done eating). My favorites were Kate Winslet and Natalie Portman, but most of the dresses were either very nice or downright spectacular.

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The Oscars are already a fading memory, and I’ve got all the winners below (and even got a lot of my predictions right, too!). The big surprise for me was Sean Penn winning Best Actor instead of Mickey Rourke. Other than that, I don’t know that there were any shockers. Check out all the winners:

Best Motion Picture of the Year:

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Actor in a Leading Role:

Sean Penn, Milk

Actress in a Leading Role:

Kate Winslet, The Reader

Achievement in Directing:

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

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My friend, Vicki Powers, who blogs at Houston on the Cheap, tipped me off about this cool offer. Thanks, Vicki!

If you haven’t seen the 2009 Oscar Nominees for Best Picture, now’s your chance – if you have an AMC Theatre in your town, that is. The details:

Date: Feb. 21, 2009

Cost: $30 for all 5 Best Picture Nominees; come and go with your all-day pass. Also includes a large popcorn with free unlimited refills all day.

Schedule:

• Milk – 10:30 a.m.
• The Reader – 1:05 p.m.
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 3:45 p.m.
• Slumdog Millionaire - 7:15 p.m.
• Frost/Nixon – 9:45 p.m.

Get Tickets: At participating box offices or online at AMC Theatres; enter your zip code to find theaters near you.

Happy Oscar Watch, Geckos!

"Paul Blart: Mall Cop" is still tops at the box office! I guess other moviegoers liked the funny Kevin James as much as I did. Here’s the roundup from Box Office Mojo:

1. Paul Blart: Mall Cop, $21.62M
2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, $20.82M
3. Gran Torino, $16.24M
4. Hotel for Dogs, $12.86M
5. Slumdog Millionaire, $10.69M
6. My Bloody Valentine 3D, $10.01M
7. Inkheart, $7.60M
8. Bride Wars, $6.86M
9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, $6.08M
10. Notorious, $5.77M

Image: Sony Pictures, 2009

I’m not surprised that "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Slumdog Millionaire" were top dogs in Oscar noms, announced earlier today. Both films are up for Best Picture, as well as director and screenplay.

Honestly? I think they should just give everything to "Slumdog Millionaire" now, because that’s going to walk away with most awards.

I’m bummed but not surprised that "The Dark Knight" was shut out of the major categories, except for an expected Best Supporting Actor nod for Heath Ledger. The movie did get eight nominations, mostly in technical categories.

The Academy Awards will be handed out Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009 in Los Angeles at the Kodak Theater.

After the jump, the entire list of nominees and my picks…

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Clint Eastwood is a master at making thoughtful, interesting movies, and "Gran Torino" is no exception. It sailed into first place at the box office this weekend, with "Bride Wars" placing second. Here’s the rundown from Box Office Mojo:

Gran Torino, $29.48M

Bride Wars, $21.05M

The Unborn, $19.81M

Marley & Me, $11.39M

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, $9.21M

Bedtime Stories, $8.80M

Valkyrie, $6.61M

Yes Man, $6.03M

Not Easily Broken, $5.31M

Seven Pounds, $3.81M

Image: Tran Torino, Warner Bros., 2009

This time of year, most of us look back to what we did right, what we could have done better, and just life, in general. The American Film Institute has compiled their own list; specifically, their Top 10 Movies of 2008. Here it is below. I’ll be posting my own list shortly, and I definitely agree with "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," and "Wall*E." Any thoughts on the AFI list?

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

"The Dark Knight"

"Frost/Nixon"

"Frozen River"

"Gran Torino"

"Iron Man"

"Milk"

"Wall*E"

"Wendy and Lucy"

"The Wrestler"

After the jump, a little compilation video from AFI:

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