'Cloud Atlas' leads nominees for German Academy Awards

Posted by · 6:00 am · March 25th, 2013

‘Lore’ and ‘Oh Boy’ also feature prominently.

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'Cloud Atlas,' 'Impossible,' 'Life of Pi,' 'Lincoln' lead International Film Music nominations

Posted by · 10:38 am · February 7th, 2013

Sometimes I feel like it would be helpful for the International Film Music Critics Association to release its list of nominees prior to the Oscar nominations. There is no real “precursor” to help understand what the music branch might be thinking. Then again, as evidenced by this year’s slate, maybe they wouldn’t be that helpful at all. A critics group’s choices are bound to differ from a group of composers’ choices, and so it has this year.

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Tech Support: Final predictions for Makeup, Score, Song, Production Design, Visual Effects

Posted by · 7:24 am · January 8th, 2013

So here we go. After several months of previewing the contenders, it’s time to predict the nominees for the 85th Annual Academy Awards in the crafts categories.

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'Argo' wins with Houston film critics

Posted by · 7:35 pm · January 5th, 2013

After “Lincoln” led the way with nominations from the Houston Film Critics Society last month, it was “Argo” that took the prizes for Best Picture and Best Director. Steven Spielberg’s film did win Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Screenplay, while most other awards followed established canon. This is the seventh Best Film prize for “Argo” on the critics circuit so far, bringing it ever closer to the “Zero Dark Thirty” tally of eight.

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Tech Support: John Toll and Frank Griebe on shooting 'Cloud Atlas' across six stories

Posted by · 6:51 am · January 4th, 2013

As usual, the Oscar race for Best Cinematography presents an embarrassment of riches this year. Contending directors of photography have offered exemplary work, whether highlighting fantasy or history, focusing on land or water, displaying composed and gorgeous widescreen shots or gripping action and dynamic camera movement. One film managed to do all of these things, and used two DPs to do it.

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'Anna Karenina,' 'Cloud Atlas,' 'Skyfall' among Art Directors Guild nominees

Posted by · 7:56 pm · January 2nd, 2013

The Art Directors Guild has announced nominees for excellence in production design. A wide cross-section of work was selected, though high-profile exclusions include “The Master,” “Django Unchained” and “Moonrise Kingdom.”

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2012: the year in superlatives

Posted by · 8:28 am · December 31st, 2012

Awarding the best in Oscar’s categories and ours.

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'Lincoln' leads Houston Film Critics nods

Posted by · 11:10 am · December 16th, 2012

‘Anna Karenina’ nabs a nomination… as the year’s worst

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Indiana Film Journalists Association announces longlists of nominees, 'The Master' leads the way

Posted by · 9:27 am · December 15th, 2012

The Indiana Film Journalists Association has, for the first time this year, elected to publicly acknowledge its full list of nominees for superlatives to be announced on Monday. It’s a massive list including, apparently, every film mentioned in each category by the group’s respective members.

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Tech Support: 'Lincoln,' 'Life of Pi' and 'Anna Karenina' lead the race for Best Original Score

Posted by · 11:58 am · December 13th, 2012

As always, international flavor abounds.

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Roundup: Almodóvar to receive an Academy tribute in London

Posted by · 4:00 am · December 5th, 2012

Also: The best-ever lone Oscar nods, and is ‘Cloud Atlas’ really 2012’s worst?

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Roundup: Unpicking the NYFCC vote

Posted by · 6:31 am · December 4th, 2012

Also: ‘Lore’ and ‘Sapphires’ rule Down Under, and Sundance premieres revealed

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'Impossible' snubbed as Oscar's VFX race is cut to 10 films

Posted by · 11:41 am · November 29th, 2012

‘Life of Pi,’ ‘Cloud Atlas’ and a trio of superhero movies all make the cut.

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Tech Support: 'Anna Karenina,' 'Snow White and the Huntsman' and 'A Royal Affair' feature in Best Costume Design

Posted by · 6:29 am · November 29th, 2012

Oscar night is known for its glamor. “Who are you wearing” becomes a popular question to ask nominees as they make their way down the red carpet. But on screen, clothes do more than make actors look good. They certainly do that, but they also tell us something about the characters who wear them. They reveal things, telling the story visually like every other element of a production.

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Off the Carpet: The Oscar bait got good

Posted by · 7:07 am · November 26th, 2012

They looked good on paper AND the screen in 2012.

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Oscar Talk: Ep. 96 — Thanksgiving on the way, 'Anna Karenina' and 'Silver Linings' open

Posted by · 8:00 am · November 16th, 2012

In this week’s podcast, Kris and Anne discuss the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and films looking to capitalize, revisit this weekend’s openers — “Anna Karenina” and “Silver Linings Playbook” — and dig in on Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

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Tech Support: 'Cloud Atlas' and 'The Hobbit' lead the race for Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Posted by · 6:47 am · November 15th, 2012

The category gets a name change as a varied field takes shape.

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Roundup: Low screen count for high frame rate in 'The Hobbit'

Posted by · 7:10 am · November 7th, 2012

Also: Hollywood under Obama, and ‘Skyfall’ still storming Britain

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