New York, January 12, 2010 – The National Board of Review’s annual awards dinner was, as always, not televised and therefore loose, with lots of jokes and back-and-forth banter between the evening’s honorees and presenters.  Accepting his Best Actor trophy, Up in the Air star George Clooney noted that actors are only as good as the screenplay and director, and gave one illustrious example: “You know, I was also Batman in Batman & Robin, so I know how to be bad,” Clooney told the crowd.  “I mean, you give me a rubber suit with nipples on it, I can rock Batman.  Give me another shot; I’m on it!”

Woody Harrelson, named Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Messenger, thanked his handlers and the studio “for giving me the opportunity to do what I love to do most – tons of press. That’s where the fun is.”  Harrelson, who plays a military messenger in the movie, also thanked members of the U.S. armed forces he met “who accepted a Hawaiian hippie peacenik as part of the family.”

Precious star Gabourey Sidibe acknowledged her newcomer status among the crowd of Hollywood luminaries, saying, “I’d like to thank you all for not throwing rocks when I walked in, because I really feel very different, and it’s really hard to get used to this room.” 

Other winners and presenters included Joel and Ethan Coen, J.J. Abrams, Jeremy Renner, Anna Kendrick, Morgan Freeman, Carey Mulligan and Clint Eastwood, who sent regards via video, since he was off shooting a movie.

New York, January 11, 2010 – Awards season got into full swing this week, kicking of on Monday with the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.  Everyone forgot all about movies when George Clooney, named Best Actor for both Up in the Air and Fantastic Mr. Fox, walked in - and not because of his blindingly good looks.  On his arm was his latest lady love, Elisabetta Canalis.  The two walked the red carpet together, officially putting an end to speculation about whether the Italian beauty would be George’s arm candy on this year’s awards circuit.  Designers must be sending her dresses by the truckload. 

Best actress Meryl Streep was press shy, as usual, breezing into the venue and not even posing for a photo.  The equally shy Wes Anderson, whose Mr. Fox was Best Animated Film, nervously smiled for pictures and then zipped away before saying a word to reporters.  The press-averse Mo’Nique, as expected, did not show up to pick up her Best Supporting Actress trophy.

The Hurt Locker had a big night, with Kathryn Bigelow taking home two awards for Best Picture and Best Director.  And after his many years as a relatively unknown actor, suddenly everyone knows Best Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz after his stunning performance in Inglorious Basterds.  

Presenters and guests included James Gandolfini, Lynn Redgrave, Amy Ryan and Christine Lahti.

Additional photos by Caroline Torem Craig

New York, January 6, 2010 – Patti Smith and Steven Sebring collaborated for eleven years on the documentary Patti Smith: Dream of Life, which aired on PBS on December 30.  The two artists just put together an exhibition, Objects of Life, consisting of a range of works, some collaborative, some individually executed, in a celebration of the odyssey that the filming itself was.  The installation at Chelsea’s Robert Miller gallery includes significant objects belonging to Smith - her childhood dress, her Land 250 Polaroid camera, and a tambourine made by Robert Mapplethorpe - along with Sebring’s monumental photographs of these objects.

The opening night was a revolving door of celebrities and artists.  We noticed Sam Shephard wandering around the gallery, later on, his lady Jessica Lange joined him.  Filmmaker Albert Maysles, artist Ryan McGinley, Zoe Kravitz and fashion designers Calvin Klein, Zac Posen, John Bartlett, Reed Krakoff, Nicole Miller and Nanette Lepore all popped in.  Kelly Cutrone waltzed in with photographers Mary Ellen Mark and Roxanne Lowit.  Once Patti’s dear friend Michael Stipe arrived, she led him through the entire exhibit, and the two remained inseparable for the rest of the evening. 

Photos: Caroline Torem Craig

New York, January 5-7, 2010 – While seemingly all of Hollywood fled to ski slopes or beaches during the holidays, a few red carpets unfurled in the first days of January as stars trickled back to work.  New York was the site of three movie premieres, a good number for one week at any time of year.  On Tuesday, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis and Fred Willard debuted their Youth in Revolt. The next day Amy Adams and Matthew Goode rolled out their romantic comedy Leap Year, and then Willem Dafoe and Ethan Hawke jumped on the vampire bandwagon with their neck-biter Daybreakers. 

TLC had “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger on hand at the screening of Brace for Impact, a documentary about how the hero safely landed US Air flight 1549 in the Hudson River after a flock of geese knocked out the plane’s engines. 

Tween girls had their knickers in knots when Nick Jonas, the youngest Jonas brother, turned up at David Letterman’s studio for his solo appearance with his new, sibling-free band, The Administration. 

And hunky Brits Hugh Dancy and Ben Whishaw (Bright Star) introduced themselves to the press during rehearsals for the off-Broadway play The Pride, opening January 27 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre downtown.