Alliance of Women Film Journalists go with 'The Artist,' Hazanavicius

Posted by · 8:37 am · January 10th, 2012

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists has revealed its list of winners in 30 (!) categories after announcing a slate of nominees recently. The big winner in the traditional categories was “The Artist,” which won Best PIcture and Best Director.

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'Descendants,' Malick, Clooney and Dunst win with Kansas City critics

Posted by · 5:10 pm · January 8th, 2012

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle held its vote this evening and “The Descendants” was named the year’s best. I was somewhat confused that “Hugo” won an award designated for sci-fi/fantasy/horror films, though. How does that perception even happen?

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First-Half FYC: Best Original and Adapted Screenplay

Posted by · 3:15 pm · January 3rd, 2012

From ‘Rango’ to ‘Jane Eyre,’ several films from the first six months of the 2011 release calendar deserve more buzz in the screenplay categories than they’re getting. We pick out 10 for your consideration.

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Celebrate 100 years of Paramount on your iPad

Posted by · 4:17 pm · January 2nd, 2012

Paramount Pictures has launched a new app for the iPad that celebrates the studio’s landmark 100th anniversary this year. The 100 Years of Movie Magic app “is an exploration of the studio’s incredibly rich and storied history,” the iTunes blurb reads. Every studio should do something like this.

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Predicting the 2011 PGA nominees

Posted by · 10:57 am · January 2nd, 2012

This year’s PGA nominees will do little to clear up the Best Picture scenario at the Oscars. Why? Because the guild will be chalking up a full slate of 10 nominees once again, despite the fact that the Academy’s final line-up could be anywhere from five to 10. So what will the PGA spring for?

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'Tree of Life,' Fassbender, Swinton win with Online critics

Posted by · 9:20 am · January 2nd, 2012

After releasing quite the agreeable slate of nominees last week, the Online Film Critics Society has awarded “The Tree of Life” its 2011 Best Picture prize. The film won five awards in total. Previously announced special awards go to Jessica Chastain and Martin Scorsese.

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Round-up: Did cinematography turn a corner in 2011?

Posted by · 7:45 am · December 29th, 2011

Also: A potential Oscar double for ‘Pina,’ and Hollywood’s sequel binge

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'The Artist' triumphs with Phoenix critics

Posted by · 8:22 pm · December 27th, 2011

After recently releasing a slate of nominees, the Phoenix Film Critics Society has named “The Artist” the best picture of the year, but I have to say, I was stopped dead in my tracks by this line of boast at the organization’s official site…

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Utah critics award 'Drive,' '50/50'

Posted by · 10:02 am · December 21st, 2011

The Utah Film Critics Association has chosen “Drive” as the Best Picture of the year. The film also won Best Supporting Actor for Albert Brooks and Best Cinematography. The group handed two awards to Jonathan Levine’s “50/50,” Best Actor for Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Best Original Screenplay.

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Black Film Critics Circle taps 'The Help' best of the year

Posted by · 6:13 pm · December 20th, 2011

The Black Film Critics Circle has chosen “The Help” as the best film of the year. The film won four other awards, including Best Actress for Viola Davis. “Pariah” director Dee Rees won Best Director, one of three awards for the film. And Albert Brooks added yet another honor to his mantle.

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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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'Tree of Life' wins four awards from Chicago critics, including Best Picture

Posted by · 8:03 am · December 19th, 2011

After Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” led with seven nominations from the Chicago Film Critics Association, it seemed obvious the film was likely to win the group’s Best Picture award. But the film ended up walking away with four big wins in total.

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'Smurfs' animated feature DQ raises questions about vague regulations

Posted by · 6:15 pm · December 17th, 2011

“The Smurfs” was unlikely to become one of the five animated films nominated for an Academy Award this year. However, the film’s disqualification does point to an interesting question: What does qualify as an animated film in today’s cinematic landscape?

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2011: the year in superlatives

Posted by · 10:11 am · December 16th, 2011

Who am I to complain about the amount of year-end kudos announcements when I had this post coming all along? I know. I’m so hypocritical.

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Dallas-Fort Worth critics REALLY like 'The Descendants'

Posted by · 8:28 am · December 16th, 2011

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association has picked its jumped into the fray with a list of winners and it’s rather clear they kind of had a thing for Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants.” The film won awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Screenplay. Check out the full list below.

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'Rango,' 'Puss in Boots,' 'Tintin' and more fight it out for Best Animated Feature Film

Posted by · 3:11 pm · December 15th, 2011

This year’s race for Best Animated Feature Film is a bit of a full one. After only 15 titles qualified last year (yielding just three nominees), the total number of qualifying films in the hunt this time around is 19, meaning we’ll have a set of five contenders when the nominees are announced in January. And now’s as good a time as any to handicap the field.

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The 2011 Longlists

Posted by · 8:19 am · December 14th, 2011

The Longlists are just that: a series of lists in various categories featuring what I thought was the top echelon of each. I trotted out 10, rather than the Oscar-centric five, throughout.

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'The Descendants' takes Best Picture from Houston critics

Posted by · 9:00 pm · December 13th, 2011

“The Descendants” has been crowned Best Picture with the Houston Film Critics Society. Nicholas Winding Refn received his second Best Director prize of the day and Michael Fassbender was recognized for “Shame.” Check out the full list of winners below.

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