Tech Support: Final predictions for Best Cinematography, Makeup, Score, Song and Visual Effects

Posted by · 12:16 pm · January 9th, 2014

Here we go again. A week from today, the nominees for the 86th annual Academy Awards will be announced. Here at Tech Support, we’ve analyzed each of the 10 crafts categories, and interviewed several of the contenders. It’s now a waiting game with final calls to be made. Today, we take a final look at the fields of cinematography, music, makeup and hairstyling and visual effects.

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'Gravity' wins four from North Texas film critics

Posted by · 1:06 pm · January 5th, 2014

The North Texas Film Critics Association has declared Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” the year’s best film. The space drama also received prizes for Best Director, Best Actress and Best Cinematography. Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”), Jared Leto (“Dallas Buyers Club”) and Jennifer Lawrence (“American Hustle” rounded out the acting victories.

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Nevada critics award '12 Years,' McConaughey, Streep

Posted by · 10:21 am · December 20th, 2013

The Nevada Film Critics Society has hopped on the “12 Years a Slave” bandwagon, awarding the film Best Film honors (though nothing else). Meanwhile, Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” picked up three prizes, including Best Director, while Meryl Streep landed her first prize of the year for her performance in “August: Osage County.”

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Utah critics flip the script, award 'Gravity,' Nighy, 'World's End'

Posted by · 10:19 pm · December 19th, 2013

The Utah Film Critics Association has come along and done for Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” what no other critics group has: handed it its own, tie-free win for Best Picture of 2013. It also received Best Director and Best Cinematography from the group, while recent circuit hog “12 Years a Slave” walked away for just one prize: Best Actor.

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'12 Years a Slave' named best film of the year by Alliance of Women Film Journalists

Posted by · 1:32 pm · December 19th, 2013

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists has crowned “12 Years a Slave” the years Best Film and given Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor” a shellacking. The latter film “won” three awards: the AWFJ Hall Of Shame Award, the Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent award (Cameron Diaz) and the Movie You Wanted To Love But Just Couldn’t Award.

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'12 Years a Slave' tops with Florida film critics

Posted by · 10:06 am · December 18th, 2013

The Florida Film Critics Circle wasn’t looking to flip the script today as members of the group handed Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” the prize for Best Picture of 2013. The film’s star, Lupita Nyong’o, picked up two honors, for Best Supporting Actress and the year’s Breakout Award.

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Phoenix critics award '12 Years a Slave,' 'Gravity,' 'Frozen'

Posted by · 11:12 am · December 17th, 2013

After a some taste-testing elsewhere by some more regional critics, it’s back to the grind with another Best Picture win for “12 Years a Slave,” this time from the Phoenix Film Critics Society. The film won three awards, as did Disney’s “Frozen,” but Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” was a more dominant figure winning four, including Best Director.

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Jay Z, Coldplay and U2 make the Oscar eligibility cut for Best Original Song

Posted by · 3:04 pm · December 16th, 2013

On the heels of our piece detailing the unfortunate ineligibility of “Please Mr. Kennedy” from “Inside Llewyn Davis,” the Academy has announced 75 original songs in competition for the Best Original Song Oscar at the 86th annual Academy Awards.

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'Philomena' and 'Before Midnight' top Women Film Critics Circle awards

Posted by · 10:04 am · December 16th, 2013

After a colorful list of nominations last week (check them out here if you missed them), the Women Film Critics Circle has deemed “Philomena” the best film of 2013…about women. The film picked up two other awards as well (the only other two for which it was nominated, in fact, making it a sweeper). “Before Midnight” also scored a hat trick.

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'12 Years a Slave' wins seven from St. Louis film critics

Posted by · 8:58 am · December 16th, 2013

You didn’t think “12 Years a Slave” was done winning awards today, did you? Another group, the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association, has singled it out as the year’s best after the film dominated the group’s list of nominations last week. Steve McQueen’s drama picked up seven awards in total.

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Indiana film critics board the '12 Years' bandwagon

Posted by · 8:33 am · December 16th, 2013

The Indiana Film Journalists Association has hopped onto the runaway “12 Years a Slave” train, ticking the film off for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Musical Score awards today. But they provided a little more intrigue in other acting categories, giving prizes to Adèle Exarchopoulos and Barkhad Abdi, and a runner-up tip of the cap to “American Hustle” star Jeremy Renner (his first mention of the season).

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'12 Years a Slave' leads Southeastern film critics winners

Posted by · 8:13 am · December 16th, 2013

The Southeastern Film Critics Association went for “12 Years a Slave” in a big way, handing it prizes for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay in addition to Best Picture.

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'American Hustle' and '12 Years a Slave' lead Critics' Choice Movie Awards nominations

Posted by · 7:47 am · December 16th, 2013

“American Hustle” and “12 Years a Slave” led the way with this year’s Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nominations with 13 apiece. David O. Russell’s Abscam comedy had the added benefit of padding in the comedy categories, however, a luxury “12 Years a Slave” couldn’t boast.

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'12 Years a Slave' tops with San Francisco critics, but 'Gravity' wins four

Posted by · 3:12 pm · December 15th, 2013

Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” was a big favorite with the San Francisco Film Critics Circle this year, picking up four awards from the group including Best Director. But it was “12 Years a Slave” that the group named Best Picture of the year. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Cate Blanchet took top acting honors, while James Franco nabbed his second prize of the critics circuit. “American Hustle” won two awards, for Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence) and Best Original Screenplay.

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'12 Years a Slave' wins four from Houston film critics

Posted by · 1:10 pm · December 15th, 2013

Also handing out awards today was the Houston Film Critics Society. The group also went with “12 Years a Slave,” bringing the film’s Best Picture tally up to six, for those keeping score at home. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Sandra Bullock picked up top acting honors, while Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong’o maintained their impressive dominance in the supporting ranks.

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'12 Years a Slave' wins big with Kansas City film critics

Posted by · 12:34 pm · December 15th, 2013

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle has tapped Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” as the year’s best, falling in line with a number of regional critics as of late.

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From 'All is Lost' to 'The Wolverine,' 114 films vying for the Best Original Score Oscar

Posted by · 3:49 pm · December 12th, 2013

The Academy today revealed the 114 films in contention for the Best Original Score Oscar. All the widely predicted contenders are present, but don’t look for “Frozen,” “Nebraska” or “The Lone Ranger.”

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'12 Years a Slave' leads female-voted AWFJ nods, as 'The Counselor' is shamed

Posted by · 3:40 am · December 12th, 2013

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists celebrates a lot of the expected contenders in their list of the year’s best — “12 Years a Slave” leads with 13 nods — but their individuality emerges in their categories that celebrate female filmmaking and denigrate industry sexism.

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