Green Lantern and Super 8 Movie Review

Over the weekend, this blogger saw both much-anticipated films Green Lantern, and Super 8. Here's a quick review, as I head out of the door.

The Green Lantern movie wasn't as bad as a number of critics would have you believe, and the problem with their takes, is they didn't explain how the movie could be fixed. I will here.

I give it a 6.5 out of 10, and because the script took four story lines - Hal Jordan, Jordan / Green Lantern (Ryan Reynolds), Carol Harris (Blake Lively), and Hector (Peter Sarsgaard), and spent about 40 minutes of a two-hour film explaining them, then getting to the point.

By contrast, what marked Jurassic Park and Mission: Impossible Screenwriter David Koepp's success, was that he grew to understand the importance of getting the explanation done quickly, because everyone wanted to see the main event - in the case of Jurassic Park, the dinosaurs.

Having someone like David Koepp do the screenwriting would have made for a much better Green Lantern.

But there was that other problem: the CGI.

The flying bleed lines were evident in the 3D version, as Hal Jordan came in to meet Carol Harris as he was The Green Lantern for the first time. The audience grumbled.

How Warner Bros allowed that obvious error to get by is the question of the day.

For Super 8, such issues never popped up, but then it was a 2D movie!

What I liked about Super 8 was that J.J. Abrams obviously tried for a film that was a kind of homage to Steven Spielberg and he almost nailed it.

I don't know what the deal was with the use of grainy film, but other than that, it was a tight movie that wrapped you in its story and didn't let go. I would be surprised if it didn't get an Oscar best picture nomination.

Stay tuned.

Is “Queers for Avalos” Offensive? - SF Mayor's Race

Over at Able Dart's Bathroom Wall, the premier forum for online discussion of San Francisco political issues, one SF man who goes by "Chrysippus" took issue with the naming of a recent "John Avalos For Mayor" event called "Queers for Avalos," asserting that the term "Queer" was offensive, and that a straight person should not use it.

In the SF Mayor's Race, every meeting counts, including how it's named.

Frankly, the idea that the term "Queer" was offensive never occurred to me, but then I don't use it, and perhaps I don't have the sensitivities that a Gay person would have in this case. Plus, I grew up with such elements of pop-culture like the TV show Queer Eye For The Straight Guy.

Chrysippus states:

Gay supporters of John Avalos, mostly Milk Clubbers, have formed a group called “Queers for Avalos” (link below).

The use of the term “queers” to refer to gay people is offensive. The term implies that there’s something queer about being gay.

In fact, however, homophobia is what’s queer. Being gay is part of the natural spectrum of human experience. Hostility to people’s ability to love other members of their own gender is queer.

The term “queer” in reference to gay people is especially offensive when straights use it in this sense. And even more offensive, when straight politicians do so. And most offensive all, when done in the name of progressive politics.

I’ve been a gay activist since the 1960s, arrested nine times in gay liberation demonstrations, attacked and beaten.

I’m not queer. I’m not LGBT. I’m gay and proud.

Shame on John Avalos for being a party to this internalized homophobia on the part of the Milk Clubbers.

Here’s the link:

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=220413784644475

The blast from Chrysippus started a healthy debate over at The SF Wall, here's some samples:

westside progressive: Get with the times. The term "queers" has long ago been turned into a positive term by the queer community. I guess you're just grumpy because you weren't invited to the party.


Able Dart: I do believe from the above that the term "Queer" is in fact offensive to LGBT persons who prefer to see their identity as part of a larger society as opposed to those who wish to emphasize identity politics. Unless of course Westie want to venture down Queer Street again and claim that Wikipedia is a global conspiracy...


el Greco SF: What I find offensive are just plain "citizens" for Avalos.

From the looks of things, it appears the people who formed the event are Gay, not straight, and elected to use the term. That's there choice.

I don't think John Avalos should be held responsible for an event he did not form himself, or at least this one. Not to say any person running for office should attend every meeting that's formed for the person, no. I'm just saying that in this case, I don't see the big deal.

But then that's why I presented it, to learn if it was, indeed a big deal. After all, the use of one wrong term can impact the SF Mayor's Race.

I dated a wickedly brilliant woman for several years who, even with our sexual component, if you will, consistently called herself Lesbian, not Gay and certainly not "bi."

I never asked her why that was, perhaps because I was having too good a relationship with her at the time and didn't want to blow it with a philosophical argument. Lord knows we ended because of a much more concrete one!

Blog Her Blood Drive For Erin Kotecki Vest, August 6, 2011

Erin Kotecki Vest, a blogger who's very active with Blog Her as its Social Media Strategist, needs your help. Frankly, I can't put the words together better than Lori Luna has on the Blog Her website. Here's part of what she wrote, or at least enough to give you a good idea of what's going on with Erin, and why your attending this blood drive, August 6, 2011 at The San Diego Convention Center is so important:

For Erin, without the assistance of plasma through her IVIG treatments, she would not have the ability to build her immune system, which as of today was at a scary zero, meaning she has absolutely no immune system. She cannot, on her own, fight off something so small as the common cold, never mind flu season. She lives in a world of constant hand washing, so much so that when her kids, ages 6 and 8, come home from school, the new normal is wash hands, then hug and kiss Mommy.

In her home there are a lot of new normals. It is now normal that “Mommy needs medicine in her arms” in order to be healthy and protect her major organs and live. This cocktail of medicine that enters through her arm includes much needed plasma; plasma that of course comes from blood donors like you and me. While plasma is not the single source that is keeping Erin alive, it is a critical element of her recovery and immune-building process.

For more information, click here, and remember that it's Saturday, August 6th, 2011, from 10:30 AM to 3:45 PM at The San Diego Convention Center, where the BlogHer 11 Convention will be.

You can also donate at your local blood bank.

Clarence Clemons Dies - Played In Mill Valley, October 2010

The legendary Clarence Clemons died at the young age of 69 and due to complications from a stroke he suffered last week. While Mr. Clemons is best known for his sax work with the iconic Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, he's also fondly remembered as a frequent performer in the San Francisco Bay Area, most famously in Mill Valley.

Clemons is fondly remembered for his habit of showing up during open mic night at the now-closed Sweetwater bar, as well as for being a part of the Marin county community of musicians who put the town on the World's map.

Here, Clarence Clemons is shown in this YouTube video I found, playing with the "The Temple of Soul West," on October 22nd, 2010, and featuring Austin de Lone on keys, guitar, vocals; Jimmy Dillon on lead guitar; vocals by Paul Revelli; Eric McMann on drums; and Clemons providing "sax, vocals, and charm."

A sad day. Clarence Clemons is a known because, as Bruce Springsteen said, it was hard to tell where he separated from his sax. His amazing sound helped give Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band it's unique sound.


Clarence Clemons is a signpost on the Zeitgeist.

Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe, Oakland, Gets Hammered On Yelp

Well, now that Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe is open in Downtown Oakland, in the Fox Theater at the Uptown District, it's time to ask "How's it doing?" When this blogger visited the eatery it was the first day of official public service - not crowded and the food and service were good.

But the next week, Rudy's had an "official grand opening," complete with Mayor Jean Quan and other people who may not visit Rudy's regularly, but had to be there - and that included the media.

So now, with all the hoopla out of the way, Rudy's is a known place. What's the verdict on it?

One visit to Yelp.com, the online hub for reviews on food places, can help answer that question. The answer is that visitors and Oaklanders are excited that Rudy's is open, and they gave me a great little tour of the place in this video, too:



But where Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe gets rave reviews for its space, it gets panned for its service on Yelp. Here's a few samples from Yelpers:

New as they are, it's pretty expected that they're working out a few kinks. Seeing as how they're offering this sometimes sketchy neighborhood (I say this as I used to live 2 blocks away) a respite for liquor soak-me-ups until 1am, Rudy's is a blessing and I look forward to making it my post-bar asylum. Also, if you're looking for grub at 7am, you can find a home here as well.

On the first Saturday it was open, I went with a friend and their computer system crashed and they had to close for about an hour while they rebooted it. They can't work without a computer? But in any case, I used to work for a restaurant and I understand that they're still trying to get everything worked out so we left and got chicken and waffles instead.

The food was pretty average, and a decent price. Apparently our food was held up by a large fish and chips back up in the kitchen, which turned out to be more like fish sticks-although tasty ones.

This places does serve alcohol and I adore that they had the balls to move into downtown and are until 1am (thank you!!) so I can walk over before or after the bar and get a bite. What a novel thought. All in all, I will be coming back because this is what the neighborhood needed, meaning there is a demand and I see it consistently busy with 20 and 30 somethings (and families, a great place for kids, if that's your style).

Love the space. We had very attentive service. I didn't chose well off of the menu but that was totally my bad. Love that they had several good beers on tap and a FULL bar. I need to come back during the full breakfast or brunch menu.

And here's part of one review from a really steam-blowing, pissed-off Yelper named Eddy S:

Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe... can fail. BIG TIME!

I was told I was being too harsh but Im sorry, a Taco Bell has their shit together better then this place. If I had an option of zero stars, I would choose it. This isn't just some rant from an unsatisfied customer but a mere observation from a person who expected nothing more and nothing less from any other restaurant. Below is a list of reasons why I gave it a low rating.

1) Just after saying that it was his first day, the water boy spilled a full cup over my friends shoulder.

2) It took two waiters to take our order (Ok. maybe someone was in training... but the other should have been on point). They still came back and said they didn't know if we wanted our burgers medium or medium rare.

3) I ordered their BBQ Pulled Pork Burrito (yes, I know. Don't expect too much or anything really from a cafe serving a burrito but anything would have been better then what they gave me) I received pulled pork wrapped in tortilla with beans and rice on the side. No, seriously. Just pulled pork in a tortilla and beans and rice on the side. If I wanted to make my own simple burrito I would, at home.

If that's what you're gonna serve then fine, but don't have the audacity to charge $10 for it. Seriously?

4) My friend ordered a BLT with A and the only thing they forgot was the A... seriously?

5) Last but certainly not least, our bill came out to $95 and some change. We collected $50.00 in cash from our crew and asked to split the remaining on two credit cards.

One friend received a credit for $75.00 and the other a credit for $20.00. EXCUSE ME! Did you really think we were giving you a $50 tip on a $95 bill.... are you seriously effing with me?

It's sad to say that this is my very first YELP and it had to be in Oakland. I love Oakland and the Fox Theatre but if this is my choice for late night meals then I will easily stick to my last resort... chips and another beer.

Goodnight.

In short, Rudy's is experiencing "opening restaurant growing pains," but those are generally borne of trying to service a lot of people, which means it's busy, and probably crazy busy after 12 midnight. That's good news, for Rudy's and good news for Oakland's economy.

Robert Reich Tells The Truth About the Economy

Leave it to one of my favorite economic professors, Robert Reich, The Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley, to explain our economy in just two minutes, in this video sponsored by MoveOn.org. (My all time favorite economist is the late John Kenneth Galbraith.)

The basic point that Professor Reich is making is that there are not enough good jobs for the middle class because we allowed much of the manufacturing industry to leave America. Meanwhile, what he calls "The Super Rich" only pay 17 percent of their total income in taxes, causing massive budget deficits.

I think Professor Reich could have gone many steps beyond this, and made a six minute video. That video would have shown how costs for everything from cars to homes have increased beyond middle class incomes adjusted for inflation, and how that caused the giant wave of foreclosures.

But all this explaining of what happened is fine; we need to come up with a solution, and do it ASAP.

Stay tuned.

New Academy Members: Katy Perry's Russell Brand, Beyonce Knowles, Lead List

The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences (home of The 84th Annual Academy Awards) has announced it's annual list of new members, and this one of 178 is really exciting, as it's paced by the popular trio of Russell Brand, of the Arthur remake, but better known as Ms. Katy Perry, and Bradley Cooper of Limitless, and The Hangover movie series, and the incomparable Beyonce Knowles, and for her performance in Dreamgirls.

The Academy also took the unprecedented step of adding the documentary film maker Tim Hetherington as a member, who was killed in action Libya.

"These individuals are among the best filmmakers working in the industry today. Their talent and creativity have entertained moviegoers around the world, and I welcome each of them to our ranks," said Academy Board President Tom Sherak.

No Twitter tweet from either Brand or Perry on the news, and Cooper is said to "shun" social networking, and Beyonce has had a ton of problems with Twitter Trolls, but there's no word from the fake Bradley Cooper or Beyonce Twitter sites, either.

Academy Picks Less Than 211 Maximum

The Academy could have selected up to 211 eligibles for membership in 2011, but it elected not to do so, leaving observers wondering who should have been on the list that's not there. But that's for another blog, because relative newcomers like Jesse Eisenberg, and Rooney Mara , who played well together with he as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and she as the first girlfriend who told him off in The Social Network, and long-time actors Gerard Butler, David Duchovny, Tea Leoni, have made it this year.

And Ellen Page and Anthony Mackie, who I met at the 2010 NFL Draft...



Are on the list.

Mackie's still living that dream...

Public Relations People?

And before we look at the full list, a special mention of the PR people who really run things in Hollywood. No actor is known. No movie is seen without their influence, and this group of ten is no exception.

There's Ira Rubenstein, the EVP for Msrvel Entertainment, who's helped succesfully steer Marvel from comic book icon organization to movie icon organization in an effort that only looks easy.

Among those joining Ira are Susan Ciccone of 42 West and Alissa Grayson of Universal,

42 West is a marketing company with such clients as Woody Allen, Uma Thurman, Kate Winslet, and picked up Tom Cruise away from Rogers and Cowan. 42 West arguably has some of the most powerful women in entertainment, with Ciccone, and the ever-active Leslee Dart, as well. (And no, 42 West has NO idea I'm blogging this.)

Alissa Grayson, a 16-year industry veteran, was promoted to EVP of Publicity (that's Executive Vice President) of Universal in 2010, and manages a staff of almost 50 people.

Rounding out the list are Jeffrey Hall, Jill Ann Jones (J.J. Jones Creative), Mark Markline (Universal's International Publicity head), Carmelo Pirrone of Sony Pictures, Loren Schwartz of Screen Gems, the Sony ad agency, and Lance Volland of Warner Bros.

Here's the full list of new Academy Members for 2011:


Actors
Russell Brand – "Arthur," "Get Him to the Greek"
Gerard Butler – "The Ugly Truth," "300"
Vincent Cassel – "Black Swan," "Eastern Promises"
Robbie Coltrane – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1," "Mona Lisa"
Bradley Cooper – "Limitless," "The Hangover"
John Corbett – "Sex and the City 2," "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"
Rosemarie DeWitt – "The Company Men," "Rachel Getting Married"
Peter Dinklage – "Find Me Guilty," "The Station Agent"
David Duchovny – "Things We Lost in the Fire," "The X-Files"
Jesse Eisenberg – "The Social Network," "The Squid and the Whale"
Jennifer Garner – "Arthur," "Juno"
John Hawkes – "Winter's Bone," "The Perfect Storm"
Thomas Jane – "The Mist," "The Thin Red Line"
Nastassja Kinski – "An American Rhapsody," "Tess"
Beyonce Knowles – "Dreamgirls," "Austin Powers in Goldmember"
Mila Kunis – "Black Swan," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"
Jennifer Lawrence – "Winter's Bone," "The Burning Plain"
Tea Leoni – "Ghost Town," "Spanglish"
Anthony Mackie – "The Hurt Locker," "Million Dollar Baby"
Lesley Manville – "Another Year," "Topsy-Turvy"
Rooney Mara – "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "The Social Network"
Dominic Monaghan – "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
Connie Nielsen – "Brothers," "Gladiator"
Ellen Page – "Inception," "Juno"
Wes Studi – "Avatar," "The Last of the Mohicans"
Mia Wasikowska – "Jane Eyre," "The Kids Are All Right"
Jacki Weaver – "Animal Kingdom," "Cosi"

Animators
Geefwee Boedoe – "Let's Pollute," "Monsters, Inc."
Alessandro Carloni – "How to Train Your Dragon," "Over the Hedge"
Sylvain Chomet – "The Illusionist," "The Triplets of Belleville"
Jakob Hjort Jensen – "How to Train Your Dragon," "Flushed Away"
Biljana Labovic – "The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger," "Idiots and Angels"
Tomm Moore – "The Secret of Kells," "Backwards Boy"
Teddy Newton – "Day & Night," "Ratatouille"
Bob Peterson – "Up," "Finding Nemo" (also invited to the Writers Branch)
Javier Recio Gracia – "The Lady and the Reaper," "The Missing Lynx"
Andrew Ruhemann – "The Lost Thing," "City Paradise"
Kristof Serrand – "How to Train Your Dragon," "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas"
Shaun Tan – "The Lost Thing," "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!"
Simon Wells – "Mars Needs Moms," "The Prince of Egypt"
Art Directors
Anahid Nazarian – "The Virgin Suicides," "The Godfather, Part III"
Lauren E. Polizzi – "Cowboys & Aliens," "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"
At-Large
George Aguilar
Barry Bernardi
Christopher Dodd
Ted Gagliano
James L. Honore
Dawn Hudson
Beverly Pasterczyk
Randall Poster
Ric Robertson
David Schnuelle
Randy Spendlove
Beverly Joanna Wood
Casting Directors
Nina Gold – "The King's Speech," "Jane Eyre"
Jina Jay – "The Reader," "Layer Cake"
Lora Kennedy – "The Town," "Syriana"
Cinematographers
Frank Byers – "Illegal Tender," "Boxing Helena"
Patrick Cady – "Lottery Ticket," "Broken Bridges"
Danny Cohen – "The King's Speech," "Pirate Radio"
Lukas Ettlin – "The Lincoln Lawyer," "Middle Men"
Steven Fierberg – "Love & Other Drugs," "Secretary"
Barry Markowitz – "Crazy Heart," "Sling Blade"
Charles Minsky – "Valentine's Day," "Pretty Woman"
Lawrence Sher – "The Hangover," "Garden State"
Eric Steelberg – "Up in the Air," "(500) Days of Summer"
Costume Designers
Odile Dicks-Mireaux – "An Education," "The Constant Gardener"
Sarah Edwards – "Salt," "Michael Clayton"
Danny Glicker – "Up in the Air," "Milk"
Directors
Gregg Araki – "Kaboom," "Nowhere"
Susanne Bier – "In a Better World," "After the Wedding"
Neil Burger – "Limitless," "The Illusionist"
Lisa Cholodenko – "The Kids Are All Right," "Laurel Canyon" (also invited to the Writers Branch)
Debra Granik – "Winter's Bone," "Down to the Bone" (also invited to the Writers Branch)
Tom Hooper – "The King's Speech," "The Damned United"
John Cameron Mitchell – "Rabbit Hole," "Shortbus"
Yojiro Takita – "Departures," "Himitsu"

Documentary
Jon Alpert – "China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province," "Lock-up: The Prisoners
of Rikers Island"
Amir Bar-Lev – "The Tillman Story," "Fighter"
Lesley Chilcott – "Waiting for 'Superman'," "It Might Get Loud"
Carl Deal – "Capitalism: A Love Story," "Trouble the Water"
Charles Ferguson – "Inside Job," "No End in Sight"
Tim Hetherington – "Restrepo" (posthumous)
Sebastian Junger – "Restrepo"
Thomas Lennon – "The Warriors of Qiugang," "The Blood of Yingzhou District"
Diane Weyermann – "Waiting for 'Superman'," "Food, Inc."
Ruby Yang – "The Blood of Yingzhou District," "The Warriors of Qiugang"
Executives
William J. Damaschke
Richard M. Fay
Donna Langley
Leslie Moonves
Vanessa L. Morrison
Bill Pohlad
Rich Ross
Jeff Small
Thomas Tull
Film Editors
Tariq Anwar – "The King's Speech," "American Beauty"
Naomi Geraghty – "Limitless," "Reservation Road"
Jon Harris – "127 Hours," "Layer Cake"
Darren Holmes – "How to Train Your Dragon," "The Iron Giant"
Pamela Martin – "The Fighter," "Little Miss Sunshine"
Joel Negron – "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," "The Karate Kid"
Terilyn A. Shropshire – "Jumping the Broom," "Eve's Bayou"
Angus Wall – "The Social Network," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Andrew Weisblum – "The Black Swan," "The Wrestler"
Live Action Short Films
Luke Matheny – "God of Love," "Earano"

Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Judy Chin – "Black Swan," "Requiem for a Dream"
Kathrine Gordon – "3:10 to Yuma," "Ocean's Eleven"
Trefor Proud – "W.," "Topsy-Turvy"
Cindy Jane Williams – "Burlesque," "Hancock"
Wesley Wofford – "Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son," "A Beautiful Mind"
Music
Terence Blanchard – "Inside Man," "Malcolm X"
Fernand Bos – "Crazy Heart," "Cold Mountain"
Graeme Revell – "Darfur Now," "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider"
Producers
Iain Canning – "Oranges and Sunshine," "The King's Speech"
Cean Chaffin – "The Social Network," "Fight Club"
Kevin Feige – "Thor," "Iron Man"
Gary Goetzman – "Where the Wild Things Are," "Mamma Mia!"
Sisse Graum Jorgensen – "In a Better World," "After the Wedding"
Jeffrey Levy-Hinte – "The Kids Are All Right," "Laurel Canyon"
Todd Lieberman – "The Fighter," "The Proposal"
Robert Lorenz – "Letters from Iwo Jima," "Mystic River"
Celine Rattray – "The Kids Are All Right," "Grace Is Gone"
Emile Sherman – "The King's Speech," "Candy"
Emma Thomas – "Inception," "The Dark Knight"
Gareth Unwin – "The King's Speech," "Exam"
Production Designers
Howard Cummings – "I Love You, Beth Cooper," "John Grisham's The Rainmaker"
Therese DePrez – "Black Swan," "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"
Guy Hendrix Dyas – "Inception," "The Brothers Grimm"
Jess Gonchor – "True Grit," "Capote"
Jane Musky – "Something Borrowed," "Finding Forrester"
Eve Stewart – "The King's Speech," "Topsy-Turvy"
Public Relations
Susan Ciccone
Alissa Grayson
Jeffrey Hall
Jill Ann Jones
Mark Markline
Carmelo Pirrone
Ira Rubenstein
David Schneiderman
Loren Schwartz
Lance Volland
Set Decorators
Judy Farr – "The King's Speech," "Death at a Funeral"
Gene Serdena – "The Fighter," "House of Sand and Fog"

Sound

Andrew DeCristofaro – "Hall Pass," "Crazy Heart"
Joe Dorn – "The Wolfman," "Spider-Man 3"
Marc Fishman – "Bridesmaids," "Crash"
Lora Hirschberg – "Inception," "The Dark Knight"
Chris Jargo – "Robin Hood," "American Gangster"
John Midgley – "The King's Speech," "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace"
Ed Novick – "Inception," "The Dark Knight"
Hammond Peek – "King Kong," "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
Brian Vessa – "Nemesis," "Lambada"
Mark Weingarten – "The Social Network," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Visual Effects

Tim Alexander – "Rango," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
Rob Bredow – "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," "The Polar Express"
Tim Burke – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1," "Gladiator"
Peter Chesney – "No Country for Old Men," "Men in Black"
Paul Franklin – "Inception," "The Dark Knight"
Kevin Tod Haug – "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse," "Quantum of Solace"
Florian Kainz – "Mission: Impossible III," "The Perfect Storm"
Marshall Krasser – "Iron Man 2," "Titanic"
Sean Phillips – "Alice in Wonderland," "The Polar Express"
Peter G. Travers – "Watchmen," "The Matrix Reloaded"
Brian Van't Hul – "Coraline," "I, Robot"
Mark H. Weingartner – "Sex and the City 2," "Inception"

Writers

Stuart Blumberg – "The Kids Are All Right," "Keeping the Faith"
Lisa Cholodenko – "The Kids Are All Right," "Laurel Canyon" (also invited to the Directors Branch)
Debra Granik – "Winter's Bone," "Down to the Bone" (also invited to the Directors Branch)
Karen McCullah Lutz – "The Ugly Truth," "Legally Blonde"
Aline Brosh McKenna – "27 Dresses," "The Devil Wears Prada"
Bob Peterson – "Up," "Finding Nemo" (also invited to the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch)
David Rabe – "The Firm," "Casualties of War"
Anne Rosellini – "Winter's Bone"
David Seidler – "The King's Speech," "The King & I"
Scott Silver – "The Fighter," "8 Mile"
Kirsten Smith – "The Ugly Truth," "Legally Blonde"
Aaron Sorkin – "The Social Network," "A Few Good Men"
Daniel Waters – "Batman Returns," "Heathers"

NOTE FROM AMAPAS: Additionally, the Academy invited John Coffey, Risa Gertner and Robert C. Rosenthal to Associate membership. Associate members are not represented on the Board and do not have Academy Awards® voting privileges.

Individuals invited to join multiple branches must select one branch upon accepting membership.
New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception in September.