The nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards are out. These awards highlight the best in independent cinema and have often helped Academy Awards voters who don’t see indie films realie there’e more to life than what they get at the local multi-plex. Not that Academy Awards voters actually ever go to a multi-plex either.

Looking over the list we can guess what you’re thinking: where’s Michael Fassbender’s nomination for Shame? We don’t know either. We are, however, very happy to see Ryan Gosling, Nicolas Winding Refn and Albert Brooks get nods for their work on Drive. Great movie and great performances.

Here’s all the nominees:

BEST FEATURE
50/50 Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen
Beginners Producers: Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Jay Van Hoy
Drive Producers: Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel
Take Shelter Producers: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
The Artist Producer: Thomas Langmann
The Descendants Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius The Artist
Mike Mills Beginners
Jeff Nichols Take Shelter
Alexander Payne The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn Drive

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Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive is a film I enjoyed very much. It’s stylish, almost absurdly violent and immensely entertaining.

It’s what movies should be. Well, it’s what drama/action movies should be at the very least, Don’t get me wrong, it’s also got a brain.

But what makes this movie so cool are the visuals and the anti-hero played by Gosling. He’s a man of few words who lets his actions speak for him.

In the film Gosling plays “Driver,” a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman that will take any job and not ask questions. All is well until that fateful day he discovers a contract has been put on him after a heist goes wrong. And oh boy does it go wrong.

Because I enjoyed it so much I want to do whatever I can to help get the word out. Like we’ve already done. Now, We’ve got even more from the film to share with you.

This time around it’s a bunch of videos including some behind-the-scenes stuff as well as a few scenes from the film itself. You can check them out after the break.

In addition to Gosling, Drive stars Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Oscar Isaac, and Albert Brooks. It hits theaters this Friday. See it.

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Let me just say, for the record, I enjoyed director Nicolas Winding Refn’s film Drive immensely. I’m going to do a full review of the film down the road, but for now, let’s just say the movie had an influence on me that few movies have of late.

Because I enjoyed it so much I want to do whatever I can to help get the word out. So, to that end, we’ve got some new stuff from the movie to share with you today.

In case you’re not familiar with Drive, it stars Ryan Gosling as “Driver,” a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman that will take any job and not ask questions. However, as is often the case (especially in the movies), he discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist goes wrong.

And seriously, it goes really wrong. They are not kidding.

Drive features a great cast who, to a man or woman, do a superb job. It includes Ryan Gossling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Oscar Isaac, and Albert Brooks.

Check out the video and some stills after the break. Drive hits theaters September 16, 2011.

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In spite of its surface similarities to another recent series of movies about a guy who drives for a living and doesn’t ask questions, the upcoming Drive from director Nicolas Winding Refn looks pretty damn good. So good, in fact, we feel compelled to bring you a trailer for it right now

In case you’re not familiar with Drive, it stars Ryan Gosling as “Driver,” a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman that will take any job and not ask questions. However, as is sometimes the case, he discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist goes wrong.

The film also features a great supporting cast including Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Oscar isaac, and Albert Brooks. Oh, forgot to mention that Winding Refn also won the Best Director award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. That, the cast and the trailer should be enough to sell you on Drive. If not, I’ve got nothing more for you.

Check out the video below. Drive hits theaters September 16, 2011.

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