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  • ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’ trailer

    I’ve said before that the “Harry Potter” films are frankly just collapsing in on one another in my head as of late. I can’t tell them apart. But then, I’m not overly interested in the series and I recognize there are tons of people out there who are. With that in mind, the anticipation around “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” (which has been divided into two parts) is at a fever pitch. I may just sit down and rock out a marathon and square it all away in my mind before diving into the final two installments. We got a teaser for the whole shebang back in June.  Now a new trailer specifically for Part 1 has been released via Yahoo! Movies. Check it out by clicking the image below or watch an embed after the jump.

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  • THE LONG SHOT: I’m just here for the movies

    “You’re the Oscar guys, aren’t you?” asked the spike-heeled PR officer upon eyeing the press badge dangling from my neck, her voice exuding the steely sweetness they teach you on the first day of public relations boot camp. It was midway through the Venice Film Festival and I was too beat — or my mouth just too full of complimentary cheese — to rephrase her blunt description. I nodded in reply: yes, I am indeed “the Oscar guys.” One of them, at any rate.

    “Thought so,” she said, eyes darting across the room, perhaps in search of my chart-brandishing entourage. “Not much for you here, is there?”

    On the one hand, I could hardly argue, not least since we’d both just emerged from a film — Chilean auteur Pablo Larrain’s brilliant nightmare of a black comedy “Post Mortem” — that stands as much chance of securing an invitation to the Kodak Theater as Kim Kardashian does to the Kennedy Center Honors.

    Five days into the festival, and the only film screened that belonged in the Oscar conversation (following the critical belly-flop of Julian Schnabel’s “Miral,” at least) was high-gloss opener “Black Swan,” and even that was generating “too cool for the Academy” conclusions. Oscar-watching at European festivals, even blogger-inundated Cannes, is a pretty spotty sport compared to the FYC frenzy of Telluride and Toronto.

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  • Teasing Phoenix’s return to Letterman

    Now that the cat’s out of the bag on “I’m Still Here,” all eyes are on The Late Show tonight where Joaquin Phoenix parks it on David Letterman’s chair one more time. Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, here’s a rather, well, nothing teaser clip of tonight’s appearance, which would have wrapped filming I guess about five ours ago:

    Once the entire appearance is available I’ll try to track down an embed and post it up.

  • ‘Hereafter’ poster

    I assume Warner Bros. will start screening Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter” (which opens a month from today) to the Los Angeles crowd when their good and ready.  Still waiting (and still intrigued, despite some less-than-stellar early reviews).  Reaction out of Toronto was ultimately quite split, you’ll recall.  Today we get a look at the new poster for the film.  Check it out after the jump.

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  • ‘Red Hill’ trailer

    Okay, so “Red Hill” has about as much of a future in awards season as I do in pro football, but I can’t resist flagging up this trailer anyway — because Patrick Hughes’s debut feature, which I reviewed in brief at the Berlinale in February, is pretty much a blast. A gleefully schlocky, but genuinely jolting, comedy-western-horror hybrid from Down Under, it’s one of the year’s most spirited and inventive genre outings, and also makes a very strong case for “True Blood” star Ryan Kwanten as a leading man. My only question is why Sony is rolling out such obvious Halloween fodder on November 5. Click on the image below to check out the trailer via Apple, or watch the embed after the jump.

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  • Sorkin empathizes with the nerds

    Boy, the publicity machine is well-oiled around “The Social Network.” After profiles of Mark Zuckerberg (rumored to have been at a screening of the film last night), Sean Parker and a giant spread in New York Magazine, Aaron Sorkin gets his moment in the sun, alone, in this major W Magazine piece.

    It’s a fascinating portrait of a writer, really digging into who this guy is, his process, his addictions, his hang-ups.  Most fascinating, perhaps, is what he has to say about his Los Angeles home, which he says feels more like a hotel room and isn’t really his style, but he’d rather not appear to be a poser trying to live in Westchester.  Really vibrant characterization from the always on-it Lora Hirschberg.

    Like I said when I offered up my thoughts on the film, Sorkin is the real star of this show.  I expect he might be holding his fair share of trophies by season’s end.

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  • Israel, Bosnia among latest foreign Oscar submissions

    I know a couple of you have been curious about what Israel submits as its Best Foreign Language Film contender, given that the country been on something of an Oscar hot streak of late — securing nominations in each of the last three races, though the country remains the most-nominated in the category’s history never to have taken the gold. (Zero from nine, for those keeping score.)

    As usual, the country has automatically entered the top winner at its national film awards ceremony, the Ophirs, which took place last night. Most pundits saw this as a slam-dunk for “Intimate Grammar,” a high-prestige literary adaptation that led the race with 12 nods.

    However, in a sizable upset, it was bested by Eran Riklis’s “The Human Resources Manager,” a gentle, character-centered dramedy about a bakery personnel officer tasked with shipping the body of a foreign employee back to her native Romania. (Thanks to reader Cameron McAllister for the tip.)

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  • Mel Gibson Oscar buzz? Get right outta town!

    Someone stop me if I’m out to lunch here, but is it not absolutely ludicrous to think that Mel Gibson would have a shot at a Best Actor nomination in this or any other universe in a year where the star is as plagued with controversy as he is in 2010?

    Look, I’m all for forgiveness and “kumbaya.”  And I really couldn’t care less about Gibson’s domestic issues.  So this isn’t a personal perspective or anything, but you’re talking about a guy thought to be anti-Semitic in a community with, well, its fair share of Jews, who happened to rock out the biggest public embarrassment any star has seen since, I don’t know, the LAST time Gibson went on ranting and raving?  I love that Jodie Foster is sticking by her friend (noted in today’s round-up), as she should, but seriously, does anyone legitimately think Hollywood wants this kind of situation representing the community in the form of a BEST ACTOR NOMINATION?

    Well, that’s not stopping the gears from turning.  Pete Hammond, God love him, is looking for the silver lining like he’s looking for a positive word to say about the latest “Resident Evil” film over at Deadline.

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  • Cameron to be feted by PGA

    The press release, in part:

    The Producers Guild of America (PGA)…announced today that the legendary Oscar award-winning producer, director, writer James Cameron will be honored with the 2011 Milestone Award. The award will be presented to Cameron at the 22nd Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Saturday, January 22nd at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

    The Milestone Award is the Guild’s highest honor that recognizes an individual (or team) who has made historic contributions to the entertainment industry. The Producers Guild has paid tribute to such luminaries as Clint Eastwood, Alfred Hitchcock, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ron Howard & Brian Grazer, and Walt Disney, among others.

    “James Cameron is an exceptionally talented producer—a true innovator with the rare combination of technical ingenuity and creative vision,” said Paula Wagner, Chair of the 2011 Producers Guild Awards. “Jim has continued to change the film landscape with his ability to deliver groundbreaking masterpieces that present audiences and the industry with unrivaled beauty, originality and impact.”

    [Photo: 42 West]

  • 9/22 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Carrey’s Oscar potential, ‘Inception’ with a joystick, demanding to see ‘Beaver’

    • Sasha Stone ponders Oscar possibilities for Jim Carrey in “I Love You Phillip Morris” as the hate-mongering right looks to block the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. [Awards Daily]

    • Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy reunite to celebrate 25 years of “The Breakfast Club.”  Come on, Emilio.  Too cool for school?  (See what I did there?) [People]

    • Christopher Nolan briefly mentions that he’d like to develop “Inception” as a video game (and if you have a film-related news feed then you’ve already seen plenty of webmasters climbing over themselves to re-report this). [Variety]

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  • ‘Tangled’ trailer

    Disney’s latest throwback, “Tangled,” could make a real dent this fall, which could harness a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film by season’s end.  But it’ll have DreamWorks’s “Megamind” to contend with in the same frame.  Gerard doesn’t seem to think it’ll make the cut, and I’ll confess I’m not entirely impressed by the latest trailer, but I’m looking forward to the film regardless.  Check out the trailer via Apple by clicking the link below or watch an embed after the jump.

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  • Stone charges back with subprime ‘Money Never Sleeps’

    It’s taken me some time to get around to writing about Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” because watching the film was like have your bubble burst (no pun intended).  Where the director’s 1987 original worked from a tight, disciplined script that never took its eye off the ball, this follow-up is a loose, less refined piece of work with a forehead-smackingly bad ending.

    Also, due respect to Rodrigo Prieto (one of the best lensers working in the business), I feel there is something lost without Robert Richardson’s hand behind the camera.  The lenser hasn’t worked with Stone since 1997’s “U Turn,” but he gave the original film a palpable energy (as he does any film he shoots, whether it’s for Stone, Scorsese or Tarantino).  The energy on screen in the sequel is cooked up, awkward, false.  There’s an obsession with quirky transitions and visual flourishes (which comes to a head in an over-bearing closing credits sequence) that Stone can’t seem to relinquish.

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  • But is it?

    I’m not sure how I missed the memo, but in the past 48 hours, “The Town” apparently became an Oscar contender and nobody told me.

    You may recall that when I posted my updated predictions on Sunday, I actually found room for Ben Affleck’s popular sophomore feature in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. I thought that a relatively off-center guess at the time, but now others, emboldened by strong reviews and excellent box office for the straight-ahead thriller, are going much further.

    Just yesterday, both Deadline’s Pete Hammond and THR’s Gregg Kilday bestowed the “O” word upon “The Town,” with both reporters citing a wildly enthusiastic reception at the film’s Academy screening on Saturday. (I always take such screening reports with a pinch of salt — a film can play well without inspiring reverence — but I’m just passing along the message.) Kilday goes on to suggest that Affleck could benefit from the Academy’s noted fondness for heartthrob actors turned serious filmmakers.

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  • 9/21 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Gosling and Williams’s “real love,” Bardem blushes, defending Affleck

    • According to director Derek Cianfrance, committed actors Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams had “some real things happening” while portraying lovers in “Blue Valentine.” [Hollywood Reporter]

    • Nicole LaPorte on Toronto’s Oscar-launching ground and the films that made a splash. [Daily Beast]

    • Javier Bardem can’t believe he’s a heartthrob. [Daily Telegraph]

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  • As reported, Moore will go lead in ‘Kids’

    Due respect to Dave Karger (better at and a longer player in this game than me, I assure you), but the line on Julianne Moore’s Oscar campaign for “The Kids Are All Right” has been lead alongside co-star Annette Bening since day one (as reported repeatedly in this space).  Plenty of people have raised consistent doubts over this throughout the summer, so if my word hasn’t been good enough, maybe his will be.

    In any case, I’m long on the record as thinking Moore is the more deserving actress of the two.  I believed her work much more and it just settled into a more authentic groove, but at the end of the day, we’re probably still looking at a nomination for Bening alone.  Maybe Focus can turn a “Thelma & Louise” corner, but I’m doubtful, given how competitive the field is.

  • ‘Meek’s Cutoff,’ Franco top Toronto critics’ poll

    “The King’s Speech” may have come out on top with Toronto Film Festival audiences, but the critics — at least, the broad cross-section surveyed by indieWIRE in their annual post-festival poll — have other ideas. Kelly Reichardt’s period western “Meek’s Cutoff,” my own pick of the Venice fest, was voted film of the festival by a sizable margin, with 76 points to 58 for runner-up “127 Hours.”

    Of course, regular audiences will have to wait until 2011 to see what the fuss is about, but expect critical reaction to be as breathless when Oscilloscope eventually open Reichardt’s film. It’s too rarefied an arthouse item to get the awards attention it merits, of course, but no matter: I sense a future classic is being born.

    Higher-profile awards-season fare comes next on the list, with “Black Swan” and “The King’s Speech” all but tied for third place, while foreign-language titles finding their way into the top 10 include Palme d’Or champ “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives,” Venice prizewinners “Attenberg” and “Silent Souls.” and Canada’s probable Oscar submission “Incendies.”

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  • HBO’s ‘Boardwalk Empire’ quenches thirst for good TV

    Moving away from the big screen for a moment, I’ve been looking for a series to come along and take the place of “Deadwood” (RIP), and I think I may have found it.  It’s not that HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” is immediately up to the genius level of David Milch’s series, but it absolutely showcases the potential for a world as densely populated, one that I look forward to losing myself in week after week.

    The Martin Scorsese-directed pilot debuted last night, mostly to critical approval.  It was an event to say the least (fit with a pre-show) and Scorsese’s hand behind the camera was welcome on the small screen.  The cinephile’s film-loving little touches here and there (an iris-out and in to open and close the episode, a Fatty Arbuckle silent arbitrarily enjoyed by characters in one scene) were unmistakable, and even though he’ll be a creative force behind the scenes, I can already tell I’ll miss him after this opener.

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  • Rockwell, Carter, Garfield, Wasikowska tapped for HFF honors

    On the heels of last week’s introductory announcement, it has been announced that Sam Rockwell, Helena Bonham Carter, Andrew Garfield and Mia Wasikowska will be recognized at this year’s Hollywood Film Festival awards.  The press release, in part:

    The 14th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Awards, presented by Starz, are pleased to announce honorees who will be recognized for their achievements at the festival’s Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony.

    Academy Award-nominated actress Helena Bonham Carter will receive the “Hollywood Supporting Actress Award,” actor Sam Rockwell will be honored with the ” Hollywood Supporting Actor Award, ” actress Mia Wasikowska will receive the ” Hollywood Breakthrough Actress Award, ” and actor Andrew Garfield will be recognized with the ” Hollywood Breakthrough Actor Award. ”

    “These honorees have been steadily laying the groundwork of choice projects upon which to build their Hollywood careers, and this is their year to really stand out,” said [founder Carlos] de Abreu.

    Full list of awards recipients announced thus far after the jump.

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