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  • Best Original Song performances are back

    The Academy’s Twitter feed just noted the following:

    You heard it 1st: Best Song performances are back for 83rd #Oscars! Gwyneth Paltrow set to sing…more on the way.

    To which I say: Great.  It was grossly disrespectful, I thought, to suddenly jerk them from the telecast last year (and if you heard some of the things being said of the nominees — by the telecast’s producers — behind the scenes last year, you might have been riled up a bit, too).  I think Ryan Bingham missed out on a great opportunity to reach a global audience with one of the best winners in that category in some time.

    But anyway, obviously they see having someone like Gwyneth Paltrow perform on the show (as she did recently on the CMT awards) as a ratings asset.  Ditto Mandy Moore (who will be performing “I See the Light” with Zachary Levi and Alan Menken).  A.R. Rahman will do “If I Rise” with Florence + the Machine (no Dido) and Randy Newman will be there to belt out “We Belong Together.”

    Check out the Oscar Guide to Best Original Song here.

    [Photo: Screen Gems]

  • OSCAR GUIDE: Best Makeup

    The makeup branch of the Academy has often been criticized for making “Oscar nominees” of artistically dubious films. But I submit that it’s one of the bravest and noblest branches, sticking properly by the point of their task: to single out the greatest achievement in their field, no matter the other factors.

    This year’s line-up is a clear indication of as much. Each nominee is unique to this category, having not been recognized in any other field. The variety of work is also compelling, including realism and fantasy in equal measure. But the branch once again turned its back on a number of more gruesome makeup depictions this year, which seems to be a hurdle yet to be cleared.

    The nominees are:

    “Barney’s Version” (Adrien Morot)
    “The Way Back” (Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng)
    “The Wolfman” (Rick Baker and Dave Elsey)

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  • 2/4 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Entering the final stretch, Hawkes on being the underdog, last ‘Network’ hurrah?

    • Pete Hammond on campaigns entering the final stretch, voters with ballots in hand. [Deadline]

    • Anne Thompson discusses Oscar voting procedures and more with AMPAS president Tom Sherak. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Jen Yamato talks being the underdog with “Winter’s Bone” star (and Oscar nominee) John Hawkes. [Movieline]

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  • THE LONG SHOT: It was always you

    “Let me get this straight. The one’s about a precocious computer geek who’s also a bit of an asshole.”

    “Yeah.”

    “And the other’s about King George VI.”

    “Yeah.”

    “And King George VI has a disability.”

    “Well, he has a stutter. I mean, it’s not crippling or anything — ”

    “But it’s an obstacle that needs to be overcome.”

    “Yeah.”

    “And I assume, at the end, he does. And becomes King.”

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  • TECH SUPPORT INTERVIEW: ‘Salt’ sound re-recording mixer Greg P. Russell and ‘Unstoppable’ supervising sound editor Mark P. Stoeckinger

    When Oscar voters spoke up last Tuesday, two intriguing craft category nominations stuck out, both coming from the same branch: Mark P. Stoeckinger’s third bid to date for the sound editing of “Unstoppable” and Greg P. Russell’s fourteenth — yes, fourteenth — for the sound mixing of “Salt.”

    The Academy’s sound branch consists of 405 members, enough to be the fourth-largest voting block of the organization.  Including Best Picture, they have three opportunities on a nominations ballot to make their voices heard, as opposed to the usual two for other disciplines.

    It seemed a good idea to sit down with these two lone representatives of their films, given that they were ushered into the race by the same community (and hey, they share a middle initial).  Both are also coming off of nominations last year.

    After one of the most intricate jobs of his career on “Star Trek” in 2009, Stoeckinger was fortunate to work with both Ridley Scott (“Robin Hood”) and his brother Tony (“Unstoppable”) for the first time this year.  “They’re similar in that sound is an important tool for their film-going experience, for sure,” he says.  “And they’re amazingly creative guys.”

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  • Could there be another ‘Network’ dagger lurking?

    I’m really not trying to drop another grenade on the season here, but I was wondering recently about surprises this year and whether there are more in store.  And one undeniable shock would be an upset in the Best Adapted Screenplay race.

    Some would point to “True Grit” or “Winter’s Bone” as the likely runner-ups to Aaron Sorkin’s all-but-assured win, but if members are voting with their heart in the Best Picture field, why not in the screenplay races, too?  In “Toy Story 3,” I think you’ve got the makings of a real spoiler.  It’s a wonderful close to a beloved series and, look at that, it has “story” right there in the title, waiting to be capitalized upon in advertising.  (That one’s free, Disney flacks.)

    In all likelihood, the Academy will feel comfortable sticking with the Best Animated Feature (and potentially Best Original Song) fields as a way to recognize this film and franchise, but if they wanted to spring for more, this would be the place.  And Michael Arndt, an Oscar already in tow, isn’t some unknown newbie making his way through the season.  When it comes to screenplays, the Academy at large simply thinks about dialogue before all else.  That’s the extent of sweeping understanding of the form.  And Sorkin has that in spades, so the smart money, no question, is on “The Social Network.” I’m just saying the smart money was also on David Fincher once upon a time.

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  • ‘In a Better World’ trailer

    Following “Incendies” on Tuesday, we have another trailer today for a Best Foreign Language Film nominee seeing a 2011 domestic release: Susanne Bier’s “In a Better World” (which also won the Golden Globe).  I’ll get into the film more in-depth when the Oscar Guide makes its way to the category, but for now, I have to say it’s a stirring, brilliant movie, relevant and engrossing in the most human ways.  Seek it out when it comes to a theater near you.  Click on the image below to see the trailer, via Yahoo! Movies, or watch an embed after the jump.

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  • The Bagger in-studio with Reznor/Ross

    A little difficult not to be totally envious of Melena Ryzik’s recent trip to Trent Reznor’s crib/studio to talk “The Social Network” with the Nine Inch Nails front man and his composing partner, Atticus Ross:

  • ‘Crazy’ ‘Bone’ ‘Network’

    I guess this whole episode is worth posting, given the Oscar relevance throughout.  After the nervous-as-hell tone Eisenberg and Lawrence set (endearingly, sure), it was nice to have Bingham there to smooth things out on clean-up:

  • OSCAR GUIDE: Best Documentary (Short Subject)

    This is the first year the documentary shorts will be a part of Magnolia Pictures and Shorts International’s annual program.  They will open with the live action and animated contenders in New York on February 11 and in Los Angeles on February 18.  Bravo for including them.

    It’s also a great slate of films.  As we know, 2010 was a very strong year for documentary feature filmmaking.  But that quality seems to have extended well into the short subject side of things if this year’s nominees in the category are any indication.  Each entry is powerful in its own way, a wide array of issues and personas skillfully tackled across the board.

    The nominees are:

    “Killing in the Name” (Jed Rothstein)
    “Poster Girl” (Sara Nesson and Mitchell W. Block)
    “Strangers No More” (Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon)
    “Sun Come Up” (Jennifer Redfearn and Tim Metzger)
    “The Warriors of Qiugang” (Ruby Young and Thomas Lennon)

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  • 2/3 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Animated feature speculation, Cameron says Nolan was robbed, ‘Network’ doc online

    • Carolyn Giardina floats the possibility of “How to Train Your Dragon” beating “Toy Story 3” for Best Animated Feature with nothing but those (not unexpected) Visual Effects Society wins to justify it. [The Race]

    • James Cameron thinks Christopher Nolan should have been nominated for Best Director this year. [Hollywood Reporter]

    • Steve Pond explains the voting procedure of the five categories not on the ballots that went out yesterday. [The Odds]

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  • Oscar nominees

    Bingham just Tweeted this pic of his Jay Leno appearance tonight.  If you can’t tell, that’s Jennifer Lawrence off to the side.  And I think you know the gentleman next to Leno.  Nifty:

  • ‘Cold Weather’ trailer

    Here’s a welcome breath of fresh air amid the oppressive mechanics of Oscar season. Some of you might remember that my personal Top 10 of 2010 featured a few films only hitting US theaters this year — and here’s the first of them. Aaron Katz’s “Cold Weather,” a bracing fusion of gentle indie shuffle and playful noir leanings, opens on Friday, and I implore you to take a chance on it. Apple has a shiny new trailer that does a neat job of reflecting the film’s brittle atmospheric charms, if not its cockeyed humor. (It also offers a taste of the year’s most strikingly original score.) Check it out by clicking on the image, or watch the embed after the cut.

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  • Taking questions for Oscar Talk

    You know the drill.  Cut loose with your queries and we’ll try to address as many as we can.  PLEASE KEEP IT TO ONE QUESTION, and as always, steer clear of anything we’ve covered ad nauseam.

  • Ballots are out

    It’s all happening.  Via AMPAS press release, in part:

    Final ballots for the 83rd Academy Awards® were mailed today (February 2) to the 5,755 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) by 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 22. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

    Listed on the ballots are nominees in 19 Awards categories. Separate ballots for five categories (Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film) will be distributed after verification of mandatory member attendance at screenings.

    Following the tabulation of the votes, the winners’ names will be placed in sealed envelopes to be opened on Oscar Night®, Sunday, February 27.

  • OSCAR GUIDE: Best Short Film (Live Action)

    As noted yesterday, Magnolia Pictures and Shorts International will be releasing the Oscar-nominated short films this year on February 11. It’s the third year running and it is a great little program. And in the case of this category, it could provide an early glimpse at tomorrow’s star talent.

    Recent winners of the Best Short Film (Live Action) category that have gone on to feature film careers include Martin McDonagh (“Six Shooter” to “In Bruges”), Andrea Arnold (“WASP” to “Fish Tank”) and Aaron Schneider (“Two Soldiers” to “Get Low”). Taylor Hackford won the award back in 1978. So you never quite know where the individuals in this year’s field will end up.

    The nominees are:

    “The Confession” (Tanel Toom)
    “The Crush” (Michael Creagh)
    “God of Love” (Luke Matheny)
    “Na Wewe” (Ivan Goldschmidt)
    “Wish 143” (Ian Barnes and Samantha Walte)

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  • So this happened

    I was previously engaged.

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  • 2/2 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: ‘Hurt Locker’ producers fire back, ‘Gasland’ smeared, Superstitious Harvey

    • “The Hurt Locker” producers finally respond to last year’s law suit, and how. [Hollywood Reporter]

    • SMEAR ALERT: The oil and gas industry has the gall to send a letter to AMPAS urging them to steer clear of the Oscar-nominated documentary “Gasland.” [New York Times]

    • Lisa Schwarzbaum shallowly attributes the dramatic success of two scenes in “The King’s Speech” to classical composers, rather than Tom Hooper’s directorial choice to use them in said scenes. [Entertainment Weekly]

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