'Gravity' wins big with Denver critics

Posted by · 12:58 pm · January 22nd, 2014

We’re about a week late in wising up to the Denver Film Critics Society’s list of winners this year but, well, better late than never. “Gravity” was the big winner, taking prizes for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Score and Best Sci-Fi/Horror Film. The acting categories all went to the frontrunners save Best Supporting Actress, which went to “American Hustle’s” Jennifer Lawrence rather than “12 Years a Slave’s” Lupita Nyong’o. Steve McQueen’s slavery drama, which was nominated for seven awards, received no trophies.

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Sarah Polley, Joshua Oppenheimer among DGA doc nominees

Posted by · 10:46 am · January 14th, 2014

The DGA kept the documentary race competitive yesterday by nominating five Oscar-shortlisted films — three of them from female directors. “Stories We Tell” and “The Act of Killing” are among the titles in the hunt.

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'The Act of Killing,' 'Stories We Tell' take top awards at Cinema Eye Honors

Posted by · 9:10 am · January 9th, 2014

The Cinema Eye Honors for documentary filmmaking spread the wealth at last night’s awards, as winners ranged from “The Act of Killing” to “Stories We Tell” to Dave Grohl’s “Sound City.”

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'12 Years a Slave,' Alfonso Cuarón win Vancouver critics prizes

Posted by · 8:00 pm · January 7th, 2014

The Vancouver Film Critics Circle has hopped on the “12 Years a Slave”/Alfonso Cuarón bandwagon, but I’m mostly interested in that Best Actor win for Oscar Isaac. After the guy couldn’t get arrested on the circuit, he’s finally landed a couple of wins, first from the National Society of Film Critics over the weekend and today with the Vancouver crowd. “Inside Llewyn Davis” also won the group’s screenplay prize.

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From 'Inside Llewyn Davis' to 'Frances Ha,' the consensus favorites of year-end polls

Posted by · 4:56 pm · December 22nd, 2013

“Inside Llewyn Davis” has topped both the Film Comment and Village Voice critics’ polls, while factoring in other polls reveals different consensus favorites. The critical conversation is not clear-cut in 2013, and that’s a good thing.

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Roundup: On this year's not-quite-comic Globe nominees

Posted by · 1:45 am · December 20th, 2013

In today’s roundup of notable online news and views, a critic debates the pros and cons of this year’s unusually prestigious comedy races at the Globes. Meanwhile, Edgar Wright lists his favourite films of 2013.

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'12 Years a Slave' dominates Chicago film critics awards

Posted by · 6:36 pm · December 16th, 2013

Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” kept up its regional precursor dominance tonight winning the Best Picture prize from the Chicago Film Critics Association. The group’s acting winners filled out accordingly with nary a surprise to be found.

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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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'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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Roundup: 'Out of the Furnace' gets a mayoral endorsement

Posted by · 2:27 am · December 12th, 2013

In today’s roundup of notable online news and views, “Out of the Furnace” is the subject of an impassioned plea to audiences and voters from the mayor of the town in which it’s set. Meanwhile, Palestian Oscar submission “Omar” triumphs at the Asia Pacific Awards.

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The 2013-2014 Film Awards Circuit

Posted by · 10:12 am · December 9th, 2013

Welcome to the 2013-2014 Film Awards Circuit. In Contention will be tracking all the ups and downs of the season right here, from critics awards to industry kudos and more.

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New York Film Critics Online award '12 Years a Slave,' Cuarón, Ejiofor

Posted by · 3:33 pm · December 8th, 2013

The New York Film Critics Online also jumped into the fun on a very busy day for the precursor circuit by handing “12 Years a Slave” its Best Picture award. “Gravity” helmer Alfonso Cuarón took Best Director while acting honors went to Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong’o: the consensus quartet at this stage, I think it’s safe to say. Check out the full list of winners below.

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'Gravity' ties with 'Her' as LA critics' Best Picture winner

Posted by · 12:14 pm · December 8th, 2013

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association were in an indecisive mood today, as three categories ended in ties — most notably Best Picture, which was shared by two very different technological visions: “Gravity” and “Her.”

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Boston online critics hand '12 Years a Slave' seven awards

Posted by · 11:02 pm · December 7th, 2013

It’s safe to say members of the Boston Online Film Critics Association were big fans of Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave.” The group handed the film seven awards Friday including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Best Supporting Actress (Luipta Nyong’o). Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”) and Jared Leto (“Dallas Buyers Club”) rounded out the acting honors, while “Before Midnight” took Best Screenplay. Check out the full list below.

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Italian Oscar entry 'The Great Beauty' wins big at European Film Awards

Posted by · 12:45 pm · December 7th, 2013

Italy’s foreign-language Oscar hopeful “The Great Beauty” took four awards — Film, Director, Actor and Editor of the Year — at a ceremony that offered few surprises, but some quirky diversions. Check out our on-the-scene live blog.

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European Film Awards: Who will win, and who should

Posted by · 4:30 am · December 7th, 2013

The European Film Awards take place in Berlin tonight, with “Blue is the Warmest Color,” Keira Knightley and Naomi Watts among the nominees. We break down who’s likeliest to win, and who deserves to.

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At least Alex Gibney got ONE of his docs to the next phase of Academy voting

Posted by · 9:47 am · December 3rd, 2013

The Academy has narrowed the field of 147 documentary feature contenders to 15, and the key omissions appear to be Alex Gibney’s “We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks,” Martha Shane and Lana Wilson’s “After Tiller” and and Errol Morris’ “The Unknown Known,” among others.

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