ACADEMY AWARDS

Round-up: On the Viola-Meryl pact

Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:18 am · February 23rd, 2012

Also: ‘Drive”s lone Oscar nominee, and predicting by mathematics

The Long Shot: Don't go to bed angry

Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:35 pm · February 22nd, 2012

It seems every critic or blogger has an issue with this year’s Oscar race — so why do I feel oddly content ahead of Sunday’s proceedings?

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

International Cinephile Society awards 'A Separation,' 'The Tree of Life'

Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:59 pm · February 22nd, 2012

The International Cinephile Society is the last critics’ group to announce their winners for 2011, and they made it count with some highly original picks.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

In advance of Sunday's Oscars, the Kodak Theatre officially loses its name

Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 1:23 pm · February 22nd, 2012

After a bankruptcy court granted Kodak permission to remove its name from the Kodak Theatre where the annual Oscars are held, the change is officially in effect.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oscar-nominated shorts make their way to cable

Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:54 am · February 22nd, 2012

Many of you would really like to see the Oscar-nominated shorts prior to Sunday’s telecast but can’t make it to one of the theaters currently running the package. Well, better late than never, I guess.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oscar’s big miss: ‘Hoop Dreams’

Posted by Roth Cornet · 10:35 am · February 22nd, 2012

Recent changes in the documentary nominations process remind us of one of the Academy’s most significant omissions.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

My favorite Oscar win: Anton Furst and Peter Young for 'Batman'

Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:40 am · February 22nd, 2012

The spring and summer of 1989 were dominated by a solitary image — the Batman logo — plastered on lunch boxes, hats, posters, anything marketable. It was a beautiful image, a painting by Anton Furst, in fact, boldly stretched across the film’s one-sheets and cut off on the sides, indicating that, indeed, this film would be big, too big even for the poster.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oscar Guide 2011: Best Director

Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:45 am · February 22nd, 2012

As was the case last year, this year’s Best Director race pits one foreign first-time nominee against a quartet of more established American auteurs — will the outsider emerge victorious again? We examine who will win, and who should.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Round-up: Calling for a collaborative performance Oscar

Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:00 am · February 22nd, 2012

Also: Clothing ‘Jane Eyre,’ and rejecting the idea of ‘Oscar bait’

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Costume Designers Guild speaks up for 'Harry Potter,' 'Dragon Tattoo' and 'W.E.'

Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:20 pm · February 21st, 2012

The 14th annual Costume Designers Guild Awards were held this evening, and it was a good night for wizards, hackers and, uh, Madonna.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

My favorite Oscar win: Kevin Kline for 'A Fish Called Wanda'

Posted by Roth Cornet · 12:09 pm · February 21st, 2012

As we prepare ourselves for the inevitable moments of disappointment and satisfaction on Sunday night, let us recall some of Oscar’s finer moments.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oscar Guide 2011: Best Music (Original Song)

Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:34 am · February 21st, 2012

So, 39 songs were qualified for eligibility in this year’s Best Original Song race. 39. That’s one short of 40. But apparently 37 of them just weren’t good enough for the sound branch, as the category turned up two — yes, two — contenders. And one of them is dubious at best, while the other appears now to be entering a cake walk for the win.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

The Lists: Top 10 Oscar upsets we'd like to see

Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:04 am · February 21st, 2012

With ballots due in a matter of hours, we’re in the home stretch of Oscar season. But while some of the races are decided, that doesn’t mean we’re not crossing our fingers for this upset or that for deserving competitors watching the inevitability from the sidelines.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Round-up: McQueen blames America's fear of sex for Fassbender snub

Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:40 am · February 21st, 2012

Also: The oldest Oscar voter speaks, and Ebert sinks ‘Titanic 3D’

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Cannes regains its Oscar foresight

Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:43 pm · February 20th, 2012

With “The Tree of Life” the first Cannes Palme d’Or winner in nine years to receive a Best Picture nomination, and “The Artist” set to join the short list of top Oscar champs that debuted on the Croisette, was the French festival last year’s most important Oscar hunting ground?

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Off the Carpet: We won't get another hero

Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:44 am · February 20th, 2012

Oscar season heads into the home stretch with no real surprises in sight.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Oscar Guide 2011: Best Film Editing

Posted by gerardkennedy · 9:25 am · February 20th, 2012

Of all the crafts categories, Best Film Editing always tends to parallel the Best Picture race the most, both in the nominations stage and again during the race for the win. This year’s final five fit squarely into that paradigm.

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention