Yesterday I sat down with “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” star and Oscar nominee Max Von Sydow for about a half hour to talk about this and that but mostly his and his film’s surprising Academy goodwill. Warner Bros. has him in town for a few days for some TV here, some radio there, plenty of interview opportunities and a fair share of post-screening Q&As. Perhaps they smell a window of opportunity.
'Extremely Loud' star Max Von Sydow talks inhabiting the silent Renter in this new featurette
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:30 am · February 4th, 2012
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscar Talk: Ep. 80 — The runaway 'Artist' train and Santa Barbara tributes
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:58 am · February 3rd, 2012
In this week’s podcast, Kris and Anne discuss the continued dominance of “The Artist” this season, the tribute circuit at Santa Barbara fest and the release of “The Grey,” among other things.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Hugo' wins big with International 3d Society
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:22 pm · February 2nd, 2012
The International 3D Society announced its list of award winners today, and, well, I guess they pretty much did a good job of pointing out all the NON-crappy 3D in theaters this year. Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” won three awards.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Taking questions for 2/3 Oscar Talk
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:03 am · February 2nd, 2012
Offer up your burning queries.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support Interview: Hair and makeup designers Marese Langan and Mark Coulier on turning Meryl Streep into 'The Iron Lady'
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:48 am · February 2nd, 2012
Transforming a well-known actor into a well-known political figure on the screen is tricky business. The visual familiarity with both can be a huge challenge, leaving viewers scrutinizing the work more than they might otherwise. In the case if “The Iron Lady,” one of the most recognizable actresses in the world, Meryl Streep, had to undergo such a transformation as prosthetics designer Mark Coulier and hair designer Marese Langan were tasked with turning her into former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention · Interviews
Oscar Guide 2011: Best Animated Feature Film
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 2:14 pm · January 31st, 2012
Early on in the season it was decided that a full slate of five nominees in the Best Animated Feature Film category would be allowed, as there were at least 16 qualifying titles. However, that didn’t necessary mean there WOULD be five, as the scoring system within the branch might still have yielded less that were deemed worthy. But in the end, five managed to surface after all.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Martin Scorsese talks 'Mean Streets,' 'Taxi Driver' and rediscovering that childlike spark with 'Hugo'
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:26 am · January 31st, 2012
Last night the big tributes wrapped up here at the Santa Barbara fest with the presentation of the American Riviera Award to “Hugo” director Martin Scorsese. Leonard Maltin conducted the on-stage interview, which got started nearly a half hour late and still blew past the usual two-hour time frame as a captivated, capacity audience at the Arlington Theatre never budged and delighted in hearing the director’s tales of 50 years at work in the film industry.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
As Oscar season goes to the dogs, Martin Scorsese stumps for Blackie
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:33 am · January 30th, 2012
Martin Scorsese pens an LA Times op-ed in support of Blackie, the not-so-lovable Doberman star of “Hugo.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscar Guide 2011: Best Short Film (Animated)
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:41 am · January 30th, 2012
US audiences will get a chance to see the Oscar-nominated shorts again this year as Shorts International (via ShortsHD) and Magnolia Pictures will be launching its popular program for the seventh-straight year. The nominees for animation, live action and documentaries will hit theaters for a limited time on February 16. But this year’s crop of contenders in the animated field is a bit thin compared to years past, I feel.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'The Help' wins big at the SAG Awards
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:01 pm · January 29th, 2012
The 18th annual Screen Actors Guild went down tonight and added, well, nothing to the conversation.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Christopher Plummer takes a trip down memory lane as Santa Barbara's Modern Master
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:59 pm · January 28th, 2012
Tonight brought the second tribute of this year’s Santa Barbara film fest, a spotlight for “Beginners” star Christopher Plummer and the festival’s highest honor: the Modern Master Award.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
On Woody and Terrence, Oscar's inevitable no-shows
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 5:29 pm · January 28th, 2012
The DGA Awards will be going down tonight, and the smart money remains on Michel Hazanavicius. And speaking of directors, I hadn’t quite taken note yet of the fact that two of the Academy’s nominees in the field are inevitable no-shows for the event.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Viola Davis talks Steven Soderbergh, Tyler Perry, Meryl Streep and humanizing her characters
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:46 am · January 28th, 2012
The tributes at this year’s Santa Barbara Film Festival kicked off with a bang tonight as Viola Davis took the stage at the Arlington Theatre to be fluffed up for her Outstanding Performer of the Year Award. And in my four or five years of attending the festival, it was one of the better productions I’ve seen.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Exclusive: Root for the underdog in the trailer for Weinstein's Oscar-nominated doc 'Undefeated'
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:42 am · January 27th, 2012
One of the documentary features nominated by the Academy Tuesday was Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Matin’s “Undefeated.” No, not the Sarah Palin thing. This is a chronicle of an inner-city North Memphis, Tennessee high school football team’s journey through, with all the petty and profound drama that comes with it, and it’s an outstanding portrait.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
SBIFF raises the curtain on the 27th annual
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:44 pm · January 26th, 2012
The 27th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival kicked off tonight with the world premiere of Lawrence Kasdan’s “Darling Companion,” starring Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it down in time to catch it, but I’m here now and ready for a few days of awards season awareness.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscar Guide 2011: Best Art Direction
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:09 am · January 25th, 2012
The art directors ended up with a slate packed with Best Picture-contending films this year, the one outlier being the closing installment of a franchise that has been a perennial fixture of the category. Nostalgia rules the field, reflective of the thematic undercurrent at play throughout the season.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
In Contention's interviews with the nominees
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:04 pm · January 24th, 2012
Get to know this year’s contenders.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscar Talk: Ep. 79 — Special Edition! — Thoughts on the the 2011 Oscar nominations
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:14 pm · January 24th, 2012
In this week’s podcast Kris and Anne are joined by Guy Lodge to discuss this morning’s Oscar nominations and offer up predictions in each category.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
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