In Contention

Blog

  • TCM’s In Memoriam

  • 12/13 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: HFPA’s “unsavory business practices,” Elswit talks ‘Town,’ the Zen of ‘TRON’

    • Golden Globes PR chief slams HFPA for “unsavory business practices.” [The Wrap]

    • David Heuring chats with “The Town” cinematographer Robert Elswit. [Variety]

    • Oscar marketing smackdown: “127 Hours” and “Buried.” [The Hollywood Reporter]

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  • ‘Black Swan’ leads BFCA field with a record 12 nominations

    The most striking thing about this year’s slate of BFCA nominations is that, to go by the films listed in the various categories, apparently there were only 30 or so movies released this year. And most categories were dominated by the same five films, which is disappointing, if a bit predictable.

    When the organization added below-the-line categories last year, though, it was probably asking for this kind of distillation. I’m not sure a great many of the membership knows from quality sound in a motion picture, but this is their (our — I am a member) platform. You’ll see my ballot Wednesday, but it’s considerably different than this.

    Anyway, “Black Swan” led the field with a record 12 nominations. “The King’s Speech” and “True Grit” weren’t far behind with 11 each. “Inception” netted 10, “The Social Network” landed nine and “127 Hours” nailed down eight. Those are clearly the favorites throughout.

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  • Indiana critics go with…do I have to say it?

    Check out The Circuit for the list of winners.

    UPDATE: The St. Louis critics have announced their nominees.  I won’t bother with a separate post.  Check them out here.

  • LAFCA admirably goes its own way…well, kinda

    I’m happy to see that this year the Los Angeles Film Critics Association has gone its own way and really planted a flag on behalf of a number of out-of-the-box contenders.

    In the lead actress category, “Mother” star Kim Hye-ja edged out critical darling Jennifer Lawrence, while Niels Arestrup’s unsettling work in “A Prophet” beat out Oscar heavy Geoffrey Rush in ‘The King’s Speech.” Colin Firth did win the lead actor for that film, however.

    The director race ended in a tie between “Carlos” helmer Olivier Assayas and David Fincher, whose “The Social Network” pulled in wins for Best Screenplay and, ultimately, Best Picture.  But the other stray-from-the-pack picks?  Much appreciated.  Check out the fill list of winners at The Circuit.

    [Photo: Sony Pictures Classics]

  • AFI top 10 list hits; NYFCO goes with ‘Social Network’

    And the films, voted on by like a handful of people (so whatever) are:

    “Black Swan”
    “The Fighter”
    “Inception”
    “The Kids Are All Right”
    “127 Hours”
    “The Social Network”
    “The Town”
    “Toy Story 3”
    “True Grit”
    “Winter’s Bone”

    Meanwhile, the New York Film Critics Online have announced their winners. No surprise “The Social Network” won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. The winners at The Circuit.

    Also, the AFI’s “Announcing the Honorees” video after the jump.

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  • ‘Social Network’ rules Boston critics’ awards

    Okay, let’s lead with the really interesting news. By handing their Best Supporting Actress award to Juliette Lewis for her barnstorming, dialogue-jiggering hammery in “Conviction” (I mean that in wholly admiring terms, by the way), the Boston Society of Film Critics officially take the title for the coolest go-your-own-way pick of this admittedly young season. Is this win a one-night-only deal, or is Lewis a fun new name to add into the Oscar mix? The latter, I’m hoping.

    Beyond that, it was back to regular business, as “The Social Network” furthered its reputation is this year’s critical darling by sweeping the top categories — Best Picture, Director, Actor and Screenplay, as well as a citation of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score. Jesse Eisenberg toppled Colin Firth by a single vote to claim yet another handy precursor: that Oscar nomination is looking ever more comfortably in his grasp.

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  • BOX OFFICE: ‘Swan’-tastic

    A few things of note: “Tangled” passed the $100 million earlier this week; “Black Swan” pulled in $3.5 million on merely 90 screens; “The Tourist” underperformed considerably given the leads.  In other news, the Houston Film Critics Society dished out a ton of noms this morning.  The LA Film Critics are likely filing in right now and will announce their kudos in two waves, starting around noon.’

    (Courtesy: Exhibitor Relations)

  • CINEJABBER: My dear, we’re still goodbying

    Catch up with the idea behind these weekend posts here.

    I totally just rolled out of bed.  And yes, if you’re keeping score at home, it’s past noon.  These last two weeks have owned my soul.  That’s how I feel right now. —————————>

    But it’s nice to have at least laid the foundations for wrapping 2010 up with yesterday’s top 10 list reveal.  I’m happy that was a success and that everyone seems to have enjoyed the podcast.  And thanks to Joe Rogan for the linkage.

    I probably spend way too much time deliberating my list every year.  I try to be as honest with myself as I possibly can but everything just turns to mush by December.  The films that really spoke to me always find room and bubble up to the surface, though, and so the further I spin away from having settled on the collective, the better I feel about it and the more I think it represents my subjective interpretation of an interesting year of film product.  But more on that Monday.

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  • Predict the LA and NY critics’ awards

    Tomorrow brings out the big guns in the critics’ awards derby, as the Los Angeles Film Critics’ Circle unveil their picks, with the New York Film Critics’ Circle following on Monday. (I believe the less prestigious but often interesting New York Online crix are announcing tomorrow too.)

    I offered some thoughts on the significance of these awards in this week’s Long Shot column. As for predictions, Kris and I both offered our best guesses in the top six categories over at Tom O’Neil’s Gold Derby site, so check ’em out there.

    I seem to be out on a limb with my LAFCA Best Picture prediction (though at least Sasha Stone thinks I’m onto something) — after last year’s overwhelming consensus among the critics’ groups, I can’t help sensing at least one of the majors will want to assert their individuality.

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  • “I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world as it is is vexing enough.”

  • WEEKLY WRAP: The circuit takes hold, chatting up DiCaprio and Harris, top 10 lists

    • The week started off with “How to Train Your Dragon” predictably dominating the slate of Annie Award nominations.

    • Kris sat down with Leonardo DiCaprio and got Martin Scorsese on the phone for a large two–part piece on the actor and his impressive year.

    • He also caught up with actor Ed Harris to talk “The Way Back” and director Peter Weir.

    • It was good and bad news for The Weinstein Company as “Blue Valentine” won its ratings appeal with the MPAA, while “The King’s Speech”‘s was shot down.

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  • ‘Winter’s Bone’ leads Detroit critics nods with six

    This is a somewhat more interesting set of nominations, even if it is flowing in the general current of the season for the most part.  I like the love for Gosling and even Edgar Wright (despite my feelings on the film).  Have a look at the full slate at The Circuit.

  • Visual effects race whittled down to 15

    This is the first year the race for Best Visual Effects will feature five nominees.  So take a third of these lucky semi-finalists and there we are.  The five I think most are expecting to show up are still in the mix.

    The most surprising omission for me is “Black Swan,” which used digital wizardry to very startling effect, especially in the film’s final act.  I also expected “The Tempest” to show up, but I guess it just leaves too bad a taste in people’s mouths.

    I’m happy to see “Shutter Island” get singled out.  If we start seeing the guilds respond to the work in this film (and indeed, we might), I think it would be fair to start taking it’s Best Picture chances seriously.  It’s holding up for more than you might expect.  And “Hereafter” shows up on this list, too.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it slid in for its opening sequence (which is rather respected in the VFX community).

    Full list after the jump.  The category’s Contenders page has also been updated with a proposed ranking.

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  • OSCAR TALK: Ep. 44 — The top 10 films of 2010 (x2)

    Oscar TalkWelcome to Oscar Talk.

    In case you’re new to the site and/or the podcast, Oscar Talk is a weekly kudocast, your one-stop awards chat shop between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. The podcast is weekly, every Friday throughout the season, charting the ups and downs of contenders along the way. Plenty of things change en route to Oscar’s stage and we’re here to address it all as it unfolds.

    It’s the middle of the season, critics’ awards are set to unleash next week, the guild announcements are right around the corner, the holidays are breathing down our necks and it couldn’t be a busier time of year. There’s plenty to discuss, but Anne and I are nevertheless straying from the usual format this week…

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  • CONTEST: Win DVDs of ‘Inception’ and ‘Shutter Island’

    This morning we wrapped up a massive two-part interview with actor Leonardo DiCaprio, whose performances in “Inception” and particularly “Shutter Island” in 2010 reflected a movie star very much at the top of his game.  So in the spirit of his wonderful year of output, it seemed a good time to kick off our contests with a chance to win a DVD of each film.

    But you have to work for it.  Stretch the ole’ brain a bit and come up with an engaging piece of persuasive writing.  Using the comments section below, tell us what your favorite DiCaprio performance is to date.  That’s the full canon, starting with the groundbreaking, brilliant, truly stunning and revelatory, uh, “Critters 3,” and moving all the way through his latest portrayal in Christopher Nolan’s summer blockbuster.  Be convincing.

    It’s best to put a limit on things, for purposes of length and also to make sure we get some potent responses.  I think 100 words is plenty, so anything that goes over that mark, I’ll have to disqualify.  Have at it!

    [Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures]

  • INTERVIEW: Leonardo DiCaprio on ‘Inception’ and ‘Shutter Island’ parallels and a shifting industry landscape

    *PLEASE NOTE: There will be spoilers of both “Inception” and “Shutter Island” in this two-part interview with actor Leonardo DiCaprio.  For yesterday’s installment, featuring extended conversation with the actor and director Martin Scorsese, click here.

    Leonardo DiCaprio was very aware of the similarities between “Shutter Island” and “Inception” when he was considering starring in the latter. The idea of a man haunted by his past and living in an alternate reality, these are themes that interest him, in particular because he enjoys playing characters which are in some ways unreliable protagonists (to play on the “unreliable narrator” literary device).

    “There’s nothing obvious,” he says. “It forces you to sit with the other characters and be deceitful to yourself and to the people around you. No line is taken for what it is. You can never read a line with either of these characters and say to yourself, ‘He means exactly what he says.’ There’s a hidden agenda there. Both of these characters are lost in the labyrinth of their own mind and living an alternate life completely that they hadn’t come to terms with. And how one lies to oneself is interesting, too, with both of these guys.”

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  • 12/10 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: ‘The Fighter’ moves in, Sturgess taks ‘The Way Back,’ Timberlake gets serious

    • Elle Fanning: the next Golden Child. [New York Times Magazine]

    • Pete Hammond joins the flavor of the week: “The Fighter” is insinuating itself into the Best Picture race in a big way. [Deadline]

    • Anne Thompson chats with “The Way Back” star Jim Sturgess. [Thompson on Hollywood]

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