'Argo' wins three from Phoenix critics including Best Picture

Posted by · 5:01 pm · January 1st, 2013

“Argo” won top honors with the Phoenix Film Critics Society, which announced nominees two weeks ago. Kathryn Bigelow took the Best Director prize for “Zero Dark Thirty,” however. Daniel Day-Lewis and Jessica Chastain took top acting honors, with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Anne Hathaway filling out the supporting ranks.

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Lovers and masters: Guy's top 10 films of 2012

Posted by · 9:15 am · December 31st, 2012

Counting down the year’s best, from the multiplex to the festival fringes.

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2012: the year in superlatives

Posted by · 8:28 am · December 31st, 2012

Awarding the best in Oscar’s categories and ours.

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'Lincoln' leads Vancouver film critics nominations

Posted by · 4:54 pm · December 27th, 2012

The Vancouver Film Critics Circle has announced nominees this year, and Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” led the way with five nominations, for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Screenplay. “Cosmopolis,” “Rebelle” and “Stories We Tell” were chalked up in the Best Canadian Film category. Winners will be announced January 7.

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'The Master' leads Online Film Critics' Society nominations

Posted by · 7:21 am · December 24th, 2012

The Online Film Critics Society decided to make us a Christmas present of their nominations — or perhaps that should be a gift for “The Master,” which underlined its status as a critical darling with a field-leading eight nominations. “Argo” and “Zero Dark Thirty” were a distant second with five each.

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Oklahoma critics name 'Argo' the year's best, stick to the book elsewhere

Posted by · 10:56 am · December 23rd, 2012

The Oklahoma Film Critics Association has also chimed in for “Argo” today, giving the film Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay honors. The group was in lock-step with the rest of the season throughout: Daniel Day-Lewis, Jessica Chastain, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Anne Hathaway, etc.

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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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Dublin critics award Haneke, Phoenix, Riva and…'The Artist?'

Posted by · 9:22 am · December 21st, 2012

If you thought we had escaped the year of “The Artist,” you were wrong. The Dublin Film Critics Circle has chosen Michel Hazanavicius’s Best Picture winner as the year’s best film, as it opened on those shores in 2012. It joins Michael Haneke, Joaquin Phoenix, Emmanuelle Riva and more for top honors this year.

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Utah critics award 'Zero Dark Thirty,' Wes Anderson

Posted by · 7:33 am · December 21st, 2012

The Utah Film Critics Association has announced its 2012 winners, and, big surprise, “Zero Dark Thirty” took top honors. But the group went in a couple of different directions elsewhere, tapping Dwight Henry for Best Supporting Actor, Wes Anderson for Best Director and “Indie Game: The Movie” for best doc.

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Roundup: Witherspoon stumps for Watts

Posted by · 2:19 am · December 19th, 2012

Also: Hooper, Danna honored by Palm Springs, ‘Holy Motors’ tops IndieWire poll

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'Zero Dark Thirty' wins Best Picture from Austin film critics…and nothing else

Posted by · 8:27 am · December 18th, 2012

“Zero Dark Thirty” remains on top of the critics awards haul today with another Best Picture nod, this time from the Austin Film Critics Association. Oddly, though, the film won nothing else. “The Master” seemed to be more of a favorite, taking Best Director, Best Actor and Best Cinematography.

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'Argo' wins big with Florida Film Critics Circle

Posted by · 6:50 am · December 18th, 2012

The Florida Film Critics Circle has joined a recent build for Ben Affleck’s “Argo” in the critics awards circuit, handing the film Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay honors. Daniel Day-Lewis and Jessica Chastain added to their lead actor and actress haul, while Philip Seymour Hoffman and Anne Hathaway were singled out in the supporting ranks.

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'Amour' and 'The Master' lead London Critics' Circle nominations

Posted by · 6:15 am · December 18th, 2012

‘Beasts,’ ‘Pi’ fend off ‘Lincoln,’ ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ in Film of the Year field

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Toronto critics favor 'The Master,' Lavant, Weisz

Posted by · 2:23 am · December 18th, 2012

Plus, the year’s first award for Gina Gershon.

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From 'A(mour)' to 'Z(ero Dark Thirty)': the best films of 2012

Posted by · 6:56 am · December 17th, 2012

It’s been said here and in the podcast a number of times, but I might as well offer it up once more for good measure: 2012 was a pretty good year for movies.

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'Zero Dark Thirty,' 'The Master' win big with Chicago film critics

Posted by · 6:27 am · December 17th, 2012

Another swift turnaround from nominations, as the Chicaco Film Critics Association has joined the chorus of “Zero Dark Thirty” supporters. The film won five awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress. “The Master,” meanwhile, won four, for Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography and Best Score.

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Off the Carpet: Ballots are out

Posted by · 6:00 am · December 17th, 2012

Normally this column would begin with something like, “Ballots have been mailed to Oscar voters today,” but that begs reminding that for the first time ever, the Academy has adopted an electronic voting system in addition to paper ballots (for those who request them). How will that change the course of the season? Is chatter about glitches and lack of understanding just a facile talking point blown out of proportion? Maybe. But what is tangible in all of this is the landscape as a result of the first major nominations announcements of the season.

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'The Master,' Bigelow, Phoenix, Riva win San Francisco Film Critics Circle awards

Posted by · 7:16 pm · December 16th, 2012

The San Francisco Film Critics Circle has joined the game, and the bandwagon for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master,” handing the film Best Picture and Best Actor honors. Kathryn Bigelow won Best Director for “Zero Dark Thirty” while Emmanuelle Riva won Best Actress for “Amour.”

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