Women critics like 'The Help,' 'The Iron Lady' and 'The Whistleblower'

Posted by · 5:31 pm · December 20th, 2011

The Women Film Critic Circle has come out in strong favor of “The Help,” “The Iron Lady” and “The Whistleblower.” The association has made selections that feel generally in line with the films and performances one would imagine ought to be be highlighted in this year’s landscape. Though I will confess their choices are seasoned with one or two surprises.

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Off the Carpet: Setting the field with the precursors so far

Posted by · 11:41 am · December 19th, 2011

In just three weeks we’ve gone from zero to a hundred on the circuit as the film awards landscape has been sculpted into a bit of a consensus in these waning moments of 2011. Let’s see what that consensus appears to be.

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Southeastern film critics go for 'Descendants,' Scorsese, Clooney, Streep

Posted by · 8:47 am · December 19th, 2011

The Southeastern Film Critics Association has crowned “The Descendants” the year’s best film, but with no awards for “The Artist,” one wonders if the high on that film is subsiding.

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Oscar Talk: Ep. 74 — LAFCA, SAG, Globes, 'Dragon Tattoo,' 'Extremely Loud' and more

Posted by · 7:58 am · December 16th, 2011

In this week’s podcast, Kris and Anne talk about the week in critics awards, nomination announcements and a pair of late-breaking, heavily-anticipated studio efforts: “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.”

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'The Artist' leads with six Golden Globe nods, Spielberg snubbed

Posted by · 4:27 am · December 15th, 2011

‘The Descendants’ and ‘The Help’ followed with five nominations apiece, but it’s George Clooney’s “The Ides of March,” with four, that is the morning’s big comeback kid.

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'The Help' leads SAG nominations, Demián Bichir surprises in Best Actor

Posted by · 5:51 am · December 14th, 2011

The SAG Awards tend to hew closely to Oscar prognosticators’ lists, but they handed us a few wild cards this morning — not just in terms of who they nominated, but who they left out.

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'The Artist' and 'Hugo' lead the BFCA's Critics' Choice nominees

Posted by · 2:00 am · December 13th, 2011

The Broadcast Film Critics Association has announced its nominees for the 17th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, and there are literally zero surprises, across the board. It’s the roll call of Oscar contenders the list has turned into, more and more.

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'The Artist' leads with 7 Houston film critics nods

Posted by · 4:58 pm · December 11th, 2011

“Win Win” and “Drive” are among the pleasant surprises in the Houston critics’ nominee list, more predictably led by “The Artist” — but is there something suspiciously tokenistic about unaccompanied Best Picture bids for end-of-year Oscar bait?

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'The Descendants,' Terrence Malick win with LA film critics

Posted by · 1:13 pm · December 11th, 2011

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has tapped Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” for its Best Picture prize, a bit of an anti-climactic conclusion to what had until then been a fresh and exciting vote.

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Tech Support: Chris Cornell, Elton John, Madonna and 'The Muppets' throw down for Best Original Song

Posted by · 8:26 am · December 8th, 2011

Wrapping up the weekly category analysis at Tech Support, we turn today to the Best Original Song category.

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The Long Shot: Vehicle trouble

Posted by · 5:11 pm · December 7th, 2011

Many Oscar-watchers are describing this year’s Best Actress race as “weak,” a pejorative that has less to do with the fine performances in play than the iffy films many of them happen to find themselves in. But does it have to be that way?

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'Artist,' 'Tinker,' 'Shame' and 'Marilyn' among contenders not eligible for WGA

Posted by · 3:52 pm · December 2nd, 2011

As happens every year, a list of potential Oscar nominees is ineligible for WGA consideration due to a number of issues (signatory concerns, paperwork avoidance, etc.). This year, though, the list seems particularly long.

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Satellite Award nominations topped by 'War Horse'… and 'Drive'

Posted by · 2:25 am · December 2nd, 2011

The Satellite Awards don’t get much respect on the precursor beat, but it’s hard not to be a little tickled by a nominee list that is jointly led, with seven nods apiece, by two films at such opposite ends of the bait spectrum.

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Oscarweb Round-up: Too much anal rape for Oscar?

Posted by · 5:10 am · November 15th, 2011

After avoiding it scrupulously for months, as is my custom, I was finally faced with the trailer for David Fincher’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” when I paid good money to see “Immortals” last night. (More on that later.) Though the film looks as dourly impressive as I’d expect, any number of reasons why […]

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Oscarweb Round-up: Murphygate

Posted by · 7:08 am · November 10th, 2011

In today’s round-up, well, there is plenty of discussion regarding Eddie Murphy’s bowing out as Oscar host, George Clooney says he’ll be “shocked” if “The Descendants” isn’t nominated for Oscar and Mia Wasikowska hits the circuit to talk “Jane Eyre” and “Albert Nobbs.”

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Tech Support: Best Makeup could go its own way, from 'Green Lantern to 'The Iron Lady'

Posted by · 7:46 am · November 3rd, 2011

In this week’s edition of Tech Support, we round up the possibilities for Best Makeup. Contenders include summer blockbusters like “Green Lantern” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” as well as Best Picture hopefuls such as “J. Edgar” and “The Artist.”

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Calling all original song contenders

Posted by · 1:28 pm · November 1st, 2011

This year’s Best Original Song race is slowly beginning to take shape. But we need to pull together a list of contenders before things get too far along. Possibilities from Chris Cornell’s “The Keeper” to a trio of tracks from “The Muppets” could all be in play this season, but what else?

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Oscarweb Round-up: More on 2011 as 'the year of The Beard'

Posted by · 7:03 am · October 31st, 2011

In today’s round-up, Michael Cieply catches on to “The Year of The Beard,” the original music of “Albert Nobbs” owes plenty to Skype and production of “Iron Man 3” will head to North Carolina.

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