The Long Shot: Acting important and playing nice

Posted by · 10:37 am · November 13th, 2013

In this week’s Oscar-focused column, Guy Lodge looks at the tricky balance Oscar contenders usually have to strike between being likeable and being laudable — will “12 Years a Slave,” “Gravity” or “Saving Mr. Banks” manage it? Also: this week’s updated Oscar predictions.

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Telluride announces 40th anniversary festival celebration and creation of new venue

Posted by · 10:31 am · February 28th, 2013

Excitement will be as high as ever for the Telluride Film Festival this year as it celebrates its 40th anniversary with an extra day added to the long Labor Day weekend festivities. Not only that, but a new venue has been announced bearing the name of the fest’s most famous regular, director Werner Herzog.

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'Tinker, Tailor' dominates biennial International Online Film Critics' Poll

Posted by · 9:41 am · December 21st, 2012

Here’s something novel. A biennial awards presentation. The eligibility period for the International Online Film Critics’ Poll is November 16, 2010 to November 15, 2012, leaving a wide array of films to choose from. Pity, then, that the critics’ choices aren’t themselves as varied. Tomas Alfredson’s “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” won five awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.

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The Long Shot: A hazy shade of winter

Posted by · 3:55 pm · October 31st, 2012

Should the annual December glut of prestige fare be discouraged?

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The Long Shot: Are the British coming?

Posted by · 10:50 am · October 17th, 2012

In a weak year for UK, ‘Les Mis’ carries the Limeys’ Oscar hopes.

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Universal moves Tom Hooper's 'Les Misérables' to December 25

Posted by · 9:15 am · September 18th, 2012

When Warner Bros. shuffled “The Great Gatsby” on to 2013, there was an opportunity for another holiday bow on December 25 opposite “Django Unchained.” I had been wondering if any of the big latter-year films were going to jump on it but it started to seem like everyone was comfortable, until today, when Universal announced that it would be pushing Tom Hooper’s “Les Miserables” two weeks to that date.

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PGA awards the Weinsteins the 2013 Milestone award

Posted by · 5:00 pm · July 23rd, 2012

Award comes after TWC productions took Guild’s top prize two years running.

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The Long Shot: Searching for sleepers in the Oscar guessing game

Posted by · 9:34 am · June 11th, 2012

As early Oscar charts hype up juggernauts like “Lincoln” and “Les Misérables,” what’s this year’s little engine that could?

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Hugh Jackman gets serious in first official still from 'Les Misérables'

Posted by · 4:08 am · March 28th, 2012

Rarely given a chance to show his dramatic chops on screen, Hugh Jackman has a point to prove in Tom Hooper’s “‘Les Misérables” — so it’s no surprise that the first official still finds him in super-serious mode.

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Punching out: Final Oscar predictions

Posted by · 11:22 am · February 24th, 2012

While Best Picture and Director wins may be a done deal for “The Artist,” this year’s Oscars become less predictable the further down the list of categories one goes. Guy Lodge offers his final picks in all 24 races.

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Round-up: Enough about Max von Sydow's burst of applause, already!

Posted by · 7:34 am · February 9th, 2012

In today’s round-up, yet another journalist gloms onto the amount of applause for Max von Sydow at Monday’s Nominees Luncheon as an indicator of something, Todd McCarthy critiques the year in movie music and some are declaring David Gordon Green “back” with that “Halftime in America” Super Bowl spot.

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Off the Carpet: Harvey's victory lap

Posted by · 8:37 am · February 6th, 2012

A trip down memory lane as ‘The Artist’ sets its sights on The Weinstein Company’s second-straight Best Picture Oscar.

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The Long Shot: Fade away and radiate

Posted by · 1:50 pm · January 25th, 2012

This year’s Oscar nominations were not only kind to Hollywood’s old guard, but a number of films with their eye on the rear-view mirror.

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The Long Shot: Backlash to the future

Posted by · 6:10 pm · January 4th, 2012

If you believe certain Oscar-watchers, nominal Best Picture favorite “The Artist” is currently facing a “backlash” in certain quarters, but what does that mean — and does it even exist? Plus, this week’s revised nominee predictions.

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Lars von Trier maintains his silence at European Film Awards

Posted by · 10:40 am · December 5th, 2011

As predicted, Lars von Trier’s “Melancholia” won top honors at the European Film Awards on Saturday, but received some karmic payback when fellow Dane Susanne Bier, whom he insulted in his now-famous Cannes press conference, beat him to the Best Director award.

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'Tyrannosaur' wins top prize as British Independent Film Awards spread the love

Posted by · 9:47 am · December 4th, 2011

Paddy Considine’s gritty directorial debut upset the likes of “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” and “Shame” to win top honors at the UK’s answer to the Spirit Awards, and took three awards overall — though there was something for everyone at tonight’s ceremony in London.

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'Melancholia' rules European Film Award nods

Posted by · 5:09 am · November 7th, 2011

Lars von Trier’s “Melancholia” is a sophisticated choice of film to lead Europe’s alternative to the Oscars — but a middlebrow mindset prevails elsewhere.

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The Long Shot: Let England shake

Posted by · 11:38 am · November 2nd, 2011

In this week’s Oscar-themed column, I discuss the tricky outlook for Britain’s hard-edged Oscar hopefuls, and update my nomination predictions.

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