Roundup: Is there a holiday movie overload?

Posted by · 2:55 am · December 18th, 2013

In today’s roundup of notable online news and views, The Wall Street Journal looks at the unusually high number of wide releases set for the holiday season, and wonders if the box office is overloaded. Meanwhile, Film Comment names “Inside Llewyn Davis” the year’s best.

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Toronto critics go their own way, name 'Inside Llewyn Davis' the year's Best Picture

Posted by · 9:24 pm · December 16th, 2013

“Inside Llewyn Davis” won Best Picture and Best Actor from the Toronto Film Critics Association, splitting from the herd and handing the Coen Bros. musical its first top critics award in the process.

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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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How 'Please Mr. Kennedy' was born and why it's not eligible for Oscar consideration

Posted by · 1:04 pm · December 16th, 2013

With nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Broadcast Film Critics Association in the span of a week, not to mention being a stand-out track on the year’s prestige “musical,” produced by recent Academy Award winner T Bone Burnett with pop superstar Justin Timberlake on the mic, you would think “Please Mr. Kennedy” from the Coen brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis” was on a collision course with Oscar. But due to stricter AMPAS rules, the tune will not be on the list of songs eligible to compete in the Best Original Song category at this year’s Academy Awards. That’s no skin off Burnett’s back.

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Kristopher Tapley's top 10 films of 2013

Posted by · 10:30 am · December 16th, 2013

HitFix Editor-at-Large Kristopher Tapley runs down his top 10 films including “Out of the Furnace,” “Spring Breakers,” “The Place Beyond the Pines” and “Gravity.”

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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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'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' 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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Gregory Ellwood's top 10 films of 2013

Posted by · 12:18 am · December 15th, 2013

HitFix Editor-in-Chief Gregory Ellwood runs down his top 10 films including “Gravity,” “Under the Skin,” “Stories We Tell” and “12 Years A Slave.”

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'12 Years a Slave' leads with 11 Chicago Film Critics Association nominations

Posted by · 8:49 am · December 13th, 2013

I was hit with a pang of sadness this morning when it occurred to me that the Chicago Film Critics Association’s list of nominees this year are the organization’s first since the passing of legendary Chicago critic Roger Ebert. What might he thought of this year’s crop of movies, and this group’s nominations, which were led by “12 Years a Slave?”

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Roundup: The building blocs of the Academy

Posted by · 4:25 am · December 13th, 2013

In today’s roundup of notable online news and views, Mark Harris examines what he sees as the seven key voting contingents in the Academy, from Traditionalists to Auteurists. Meanwhile, did yesterday’s Golden Globe nods prove the pointlessness of dividing drama and comedy?

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T Bone Burnett on a New York evening of music and magic: 'Another Day, Another Time'

Posted by · 9:52 pm · December 12th, 2013

Music maestro T Bone Burnett talks to HitFix about the passion that went into “Another Day, Another Time,” a music documentary covering the Sept. 29 concert celebration of American folk music held at New York’s Town Hall in honor of the Coen brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis.”

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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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Chiwetel Ejiofor, Oscar Isaac, Greta Gerwig talk to HitFix about their Golden Globe nods

Posted by · 12:37 pm · December 12th, 2013

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Oscar Isaac, Greta Gerwig reflect on their nominations for the 2014 Golden Globe Awards with HitFix.

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Best and Worst of the 2014 Golden Globes nominations

Posted by · 11:03 am · December 12th, 2013

A rundown of some of the best and worst Golden Globes nominations by the HFPA this year. No. 1? Not the lack of nominations for “Homeland,” “Mad Men” or “August: Osage County” for best picture – comedy or musical. You just can’t snub Oprah.

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'Philomena' and 'Rush' spark with Globe nominations, but no room for Oprah

Posted by · 7:02 am · December 12th, 2013

Coming into today’s Golden Globes nominations announcement, we knew “Philomena” and “Rush” had gone over well with the HFPA. We knew “August: Osage County” and “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” had not. Their fates were sealed, but it’s “American Hustle” that surprised with a near field-leading showing.

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Globe snubs and surprises: 'Rush' returns, 'Banks' retreats, Lana del Rey is unloved

Posted by · 6:15 am · December 12th, 2013

We round up the most surprising inclusions and exclusions from this morning’s Golden Globe nominations announcement — including a surprise Best Picture nod for “Rush,” and the underperforming “Saving Mr. Banks.”

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Golden Globes do the 'Hustle' and reward '12 Years A Slave' with key movie nominations

Posted by · 6:05 am · December 12th, 2013

The HFPA rewarded mostly spread the wealth with their 2014 Golden Globe nominations as “American Hustle,” “Her,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Gravity,” “Philomena,” “Captain Phillips” and “Rush” all came away with key nods.

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