'12 Years a Slave' and 'Her' lead the way with Washington D.C. critics nominations

Posted by · 10:42 pm · December 7th, 2013

Spike Jonze’s “Her,” Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” and especially Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” turned up great showings in the nominations stage for the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association this year. All three films were nominated for Best Film along with David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” and the Coen brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis.”

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

It's Adele vs. Lana Del Rey at the 2014 Grammys as 'Skyfall' and 'Gatsby' face off

Posted by · 10:20 pm · December 6th, 2013

Adele, Coldplay, Regina Spektor, Diane Warren and Lana Del Rey are some of the names nominated in the Grammy Awards categories that recognize film, TV and visual media this year.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Tech Support: Can 'Catching Fire' crack the costume design Oscar race?

Posted by · 3:38 pm · December 5th, 2013

HitFix’s Gerard Kennedy surveys the field of Best Costume Design Oscar contenders, from period stand-out “12 Years a Slave” to the contemporary designs of “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Roundup: 'Gatsby' goes down well in Down Under Oscars

Posted by · 4:38 am · December 3rd, 2013

In today’s roundup of online news and views, “The Great Gatsby” may be headed only for technical attention at the Oscars, but its fans can revel in its dominance at the Australian Academy Awards, where it scored a leading 14 nominations. Meanwhile, Variety picks 10 Directors to Watch,

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Carey Mulligan on finding her inner Mumford in 'Inside Llewyn Davis'

Posted by · 7:35 pm · December 2nd, 2013

Oscar-nominated actress Carey Mulligan talks to us about her uncharacteristically abrasive role in the Coen Brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis,” as well as the directors that she’ll follow anywhere.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Tech Support: Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar race features 'Rush,' 'The Butler' and… 'Bad Grandpa?'

Posted by · 4:31 pm · November 21st, 2013

HitFix’s Gerard Kennedy surveys the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category, featuring contenders such as “Rush,” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “12 Years a Slave” and even a movie from the “Jackass” guys.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Tech Support: Best Original Song Oscar race heats up with Taylor Swift and Beyoncé

Posted by · 2:01 pm · November 7th, 2013

We’re a little ways off yet from the Academy unveiling its long list of eligible contenders in the Best Original Song Oscar race. But in the meantime, and particularly since we finally started populating the category’s Contenders section with entrants in the last week or so, it doesn’t hurt to put a finger to the wind and see what’s what.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Tech Support: The production designers go it alone this year

Posted by · 12:18 pm · October 31st, 2013

This year’s race for Best Production Design is a little different in that the costumers have split off and formed their own branch. How will that affect the race? From this vantage point, films like “12 Years a Slave,” “The Great Gatsby” and “Inside Llewyn Davis” seem formidable.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Roundup: Defying the NC-17 rating for 'Blue is the Warmest Color'

Posted by · 4:44 am · October 24th, 2013

Also: Clooney justifies ‘Monuments’ delay, and is ‘Captain Phillips’ jingoistic?

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

3 on 3: Who wins and who loses with the 'Monuments Men' move to 2014?

Posted by · 9:40 am · October 23rd, 2013

The Oscar race just got a bit less crowded, but what’s in it for the movie?

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Tech Support: Can anything beat 'Gravity' for Best Cinematography?

Posted by · 10:33 am · October 10th, 2013

Gerard Kennedy surveys the category of Best Cinematography in this week’s installment of Tech Support. Will films like “Captain Phillips” and “12 Years a Slave” be able to match “Gravity?”

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Tech Support: Kicking off crafts coverage of the 2013-2014 Oscar season

Posted by · 6:27 am · October 3rd, 2013

Welcome back. It’s hard for me to truly appreciate that this is the eighth season of Tech Support here at In Contention (third in our association with HitFix). I’m pleased to say that this column has come a long way during this time, as has media coverage of below-the-line Oscar races as a whole.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Taking stock of the Best Visual Effects race during the summer blockbuster season

Posted by · 11:04 am · July 9th, 2013

We’re right in the middle of the blockbuster movie season so it seems now would be a nice opportunity to look at the race for Best Visual Effects.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Off the Carpet: Half-time

Posted by · 8:06 am · July 1st, 2013

The mid-way point of 2013 is here. How has the first half of the year shaped up for awards hopefuls? A month-by-month dissection answers that very question.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Tech Support: Lana Del Rey lulls you into this 'Great Gatsby' visual effects featurette

Posted by · 3:27 pm · June 26th, 2013

Before-and-after video makes a strong case for the film in the category.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Beautiful but not damned: why 'Gatsby' was the right film to open Cannes 2013

Posted by · 4:13 pm · May 15th, 2013

It’s not a world premiere, but Luhrmann’s latest lends the Croisette some glitter.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

Tell us what you thought of 'The Great Gatsby'

Posted by · 9:32 am · May 10th, 2013

F. Scott Fitzgerald hits theaters this weekend…in 3D.

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention

3 on 3: 'The Great Gatsby' finally hits theaters, now what?

Posted by · 11:50 pm · May 8th, 2013

Three HitFix movie insiders answer some pertinent questions surrounding the long awaited opening of Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby.”

Continue reading »

Filed in: HitFix · In Contention