'Drive' wins with Central Ohio critics

Posted by · 7:33 am · January 6th, 2012

After “The Tree of Life” led the way with nominations from the Central Ohio Film Critics Association, it was “Drive” that took top honors, winning Best Picture and Best Director for Nicolas Winding Refn. Refn also won the Breakthrough Film Artist award.

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Round-up: Anticipating Oscar voters' passion play

Posted by · 6:59 am · January 6th, 2012

Also: Defending ‘The Artist’ and delaying ‘Wettest County’

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'Marilyn' and 'Tinker, Tailor' top embarrassing BAFTA longlists

Posted by · 5:28 am · January 6th, 2012

“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” and “My Week With Marilyn” lead the BAFTA longlists with 16 mentions apiece, setting both films up for multiple nominations on January 17. But the list of omissions is egregious.

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Lonergan's 'Margaret' is so authentic it hurts

Posted by · 7:54 pm · January 5th, 2012

We look at the stark realities that Kenneth Lonergan’s long awaited “Margaret” presents and recommend that you go see Anna Paquin in her most gripping role since “The Piano” at a rare screening opportunity.

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'Beginners' nominated for Cinema Eye Heterodox Award

Posted by · 3:20 pm · January 5th, 2012

The Cinema Eye Honors may chiefly be a celebration of the documentary form, but their Heterodox Award has been created to recognize documentary influences in fiction filmmaking. Mike Mills’s autobiographical indie “Beginners” is one of this year’s nominees.

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Tech Support Interview: Bret McKenzie on his 'Muppety' additions to 'The Muppets'

Posted by · 2:24 pm · January 5th, 2012

Bret McKenzie is not a fan of musicals. Or so he says. But his (alleged) lack of interest in musical theater is somewhat ironic given that he has made his name as one half of the folk comedy duo “Flight of the Conchords” (his other half being Jemaine Clement), and that he is (in all likelihood) about to receive one, if not two, Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song.

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'Descendants' leads with Denver critics nods

Posted by · 1:57 pm · January 5th, 2012

The Denver Film Critics Society has announced its list of nominees this year, and “The Descendants” was the vote-leader. The film even scored two nominations in the Best Supporting Actress category, as Judy Greer joined Shailene Woodley for the fun.

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Predicting the 2011 DGA nominees

Posted by · 11:43 am · January 5th, 2012

On Monday, the most important precursor announcement of them all drops: the Directors Guild of America offers up its list of nominees for excellence in directing.

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Taking questions for 1/6 Oscar Talk

Posted by · 11:30 am · January 5th, 2012

Offer up your burning queries.

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Santa Barbara fest taps Bichir, Mara, McCarthy, Oswalt, Serkis and Woodley for Virtuosos Award

Posted by · 11:24 am · January 5th, 2012

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced, along with its film schedule, the recipients of this year’s Virtuosos Award. And they cast the widest net yet, honoring Demián Bichir, Rooney Mara, Melissa McCarthy, Patton Oswalt, Andy Serkis and Shailene Woodley.

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Internet Film Critics award 'Tree of Life,' 'Midnight in Paris,' 'Attack the Block,' 'Drive'

Posted by · 10:35 am · January 5th, 2012

The Internet Film Critics Society has jumped into the fray with a list of winners this year. It’s a nifty list because rather than just a “Best Picture” field, things are divided into a couple genres (drama, comedy, action, horror/sci-fi). Though I don’t qualify “Drive” as “action.”

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WGA nominees include 'Bridesmaids,' '50/50,' 'Dragon Tattoo' and 'Young Adult'

Posted by · 9:33 am · January 5th, 2012

The WGA has announced screen nominees this year, and given the gutted field (due to ineligibilities), it wasn’t hard to figure out which way they’d go.

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Round-up: Davis and Clooney are EW's Oscar cover stars

Posted by · 7:53 am · January 5th, 2012

Also: Farewell to Hoberman, and Hollywood’s fear of gay sex

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The Long Shot: Backlash to the future

Posted by · 6:10 pm · January 4th, 2012

If you believe certain Oscar-watchers, nominal Best Picture favorite “The Artist” is currently facing a “backlash” in certain quarters, but what does that mean — and does it even exist? Plus, this week’s revised nominee predictions.

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10 films shortlisted for visual effects Oscar

Posted by · 1:10 pm · January 4th, 2012

After 15 titles were longlisted for the Best Visual Effects Oscar last month, that number was cut to 10 today: ‘The Tree of Life,’ ‘Hugo’ and ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ are still in the running for a nomination.

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Martin Scorsese to receive BAFTA Fellowship

Posted by · 10:01 am · January 4th, 2012

The news that Martin Scorsese is to receive BAFTA’s highest honor, the Fellowship, at the British Academy’s awards ceremony next month is neither unexpected nor unwelcome — but why in a year when he’ll likely be in the regular BAFTA race for “Hugo?”

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Predicting the 2011 WGA nominees

Posted by · 9:48 am · January 4th, 2012

Tomorrow the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announces its narrative feature and documentary nominees. Something to remember is that a number of this year’s Oscar-contending screenplays are ineligible for the award due to membership or signatory issues, meaning this is just an opportunity for other films that wouldn’t normally have much room to get into the awards conversation.

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Round-up: What the movies wore in 2011

Posted by · 7:32 am · January 4th, 2012

Also: The darkening of Keira Knightley and Kingsley’s under-acting

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