'Imitation Game' gets multiple Oscar nods
The Imitation Game—a movie about the life of the late gay British codebreaker Alan Turing—received eight Academy Award nominations when they were announced Jan. 15.
The film was nominated for actor ( Benedict Cumberbatch ), supporting actress ( Keira Knightley ), director, film editing, original score, production design, adapted screenplay and picture.
Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel led the Oscar pack with nine nods each.
Boyhood, Birdman, Selma, Whiplash, American Sniper, The Grand Budapest Hotel,The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything were nominated for best picture. Among the omissions were Foxcatcher, Gone Girl and Angelina Jolie's Unbroken.
Best actor nods went to Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne ( The Theory of Everything ), Michael Keaton ( Birdman ), Steve Carell ( Foxcatcher ) and Bradley Cooper ( American Sniper ). One omission was Selma's David Oyelowo, who portrayed Martin Luther King Jr.
Julianne Moore ( Still Alice ), Reese Witherspoon ( Wild ), Rosamund Pike ( Gone Girl ), Felicity Jones ( The Theory of Everything ) and Marion Cotillard ( Two Days, One Night ) received best actress nominations. Amy Adams ( who won the Golden Globe Jan. 11 for her role in Big Eyes ) and Jennifer Aniston ( Cake ) were snubbed.
Robert Duvall ( The Judge ), J.K. Simmons ( Whiplash ), Edward Norton ( Birdman ), Mark Ruffalo ( Foxcatcher ) and Ethan Hawke ( Boyhood ) were nominated for best supporting actor.
Best supporting actress nods went to Meryl Streep ( her 19th Oscar nod, for Into the Woods ), Laura Dern ( Wild ), Emma Stone ( Birdman ), Patricia Arquette ( Boyhood ) and Knightley.
Richard Linklater ( Boyhood ), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ( Birdman ) Bennett Miller ( Foxcatcher ), Wes Anderson ( The Grand Budapest Hotel ) and Morten Tyldum ( The Imitation Game ) received nods for best director. Among those snubbed were Jolie, Ava DuVernay for Selma and David Fincher for Gone Girl.
Earning nods in the best animated feature category: Big Hero 6, Box Trolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Song of the Sea. The LEGO Movie was left out this year.
In the music category, however, The LEGO Movie's "Everything Is Awesome" ( which lesbian duo Tegan & Sara performed ) is up for best original song. Competitors include "Glory" ( from Selma ), "Grateful" ( from Beyond the Lights ), "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" ( from Glen Campbell ... I'll Be Me ) and "Lost Stars" ( from Begin Again ).
The 87th Academy Awards take place Sunday, Feb. 22. Neil Patrick Harris will host.
Train kills fitness model
Fitness guru, actor and model Greg Plitt, 37, has died after being struck by a train in L.A., the UK Mirror reported.
Plitt appeared on the covers of more than 250 fitness magazines and 25 romance novels in the last four years. Men's Fitness once named him among America's 25 Fittest Americans, while DNA Magazine called him one of the 60 Sexiest Men Alive alongside Bond actor Daniel Craig.
Read a 2008 WCT interview with Plitt—in which he talks about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," among other things—at www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Greg-Plitt-works-it-out/18663.html . The Mirror article is at http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/greg-plitt-dead-live-updates-4999016.
Frida Kahlo exhibit through Jan. 25
"The Complete Frida Kahlo: Her Paintings. Her Life. Her Story" is at South Shore Arts Gallery, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana, through Jan. 25, 2015.
The exhibit features licensed re-creations of Kahlo's paintings, costumes and artifacts.
Admission is $2-$5, with South Shore members admitted for free.
'Burly' party Jan. 21
The alternative queer party "Burly" will start things off in 2015 with a tribute to iconic singer Dolly Parton.
In honor of Parton's 69th birthday this month, Burly presents "Welcome to Burlywood" Wed., Jan. 21, at The Burlington Bar, 3425 W. Fullerton.
"Burly" is a free night of music and drink "for queer, gay, lesbian, and otherwise funky and/or bearded individuals" that takes place the third Wednesday of every month, according to a press release.
Visit www.facebook.com/events/436177943197025/ .
Sam confirms engagement
Michael Sam confirmed on Twitter that he is engaged, NBC News noted.
"Thank you for saying yes," Sam tweeted to his new fiancé, Vito Cammisano. The tweet was accompanied by a picture of Sam on one knee and a beaming Cammisano atop St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Sam posted a picture of the view on Jan. 7, which also happened to be his 25th birthday, but the engagement wasn't announced until Jan. 16.
Sam is still waiting to be signed by a pro football team after the St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys cut him.
The original article is at www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/michael-sam-confirms-his-engagement-tweet-n288086 .
Chicago Pride Classic calls for volunteers
The Chicago Gay Hockey Association will host the Chicago Pride Classic hockey tournament June 25-28, during the city's annual Pride weekend.
The tournament will be held at Chicago Park District's McFetridge Sports Center, 3843 N. California Ave. Online registration will open Feb. 15.
Volunteers are needed for a variety of committes, including sponsorship, hockey operations, Chicago Pride Day/Parade, social events, giveaway/award, marketing/advertising and tournament weekend groups.
Visit www.ChicagoGayHockey.org/ChicagoPrideClassic or email anthony@chicagogayhockey.org .
