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With the season now unshakeably upon us, it’s time to dust off the annual conversation topic of who should host the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony. I am prompted to do so, of course, by Deadline’s recent scoop that 2009 host Hugh Jackman — the first choice of new Oscarcast producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer [...]
Jackman turns down Oscar hosting gig
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:03 pm · November 7th, 2010
Filed in: Daily
What might have been
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:25 am · February 20th, 2010
I agree with Anne Thompson in yesterday’s edition of Oscar Talk when she cautiously says that the hosting is one of the few things she’s not worried about in the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony. Steve Martin — tried, tested and funny on two previous hosting dates — is the definition of a safe pair of [...]
Filed in: Daily
THE LONG SHOT: The pre-nomination shuffle
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:53 pm · January 27th, 2010
This, ladies and gentlemen, will be the last Long Shot column I write before the 2009 Academy Award nominations are announced, and it’s not just because it’s the column’s 17th week that the well of subject matter is looking rather dry. I have followed longer awards seasons than this one (the awards used to take [...]
Filed in: The Long Shot
Baldwin on Letterman
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:14 am · December 30th, 2009
This is from the holiday episode, which aired 12/23. Early in the interview they touch on the Oscar hosting gig and later, of course, there’s “It’s Complicated” talk. And a great story mid-way through about when Baldwin met Burt Lancaster in an elevator. Hilarious stuff. Here’s part one, part two after the jump.
Filed in: Daily
The Great Performances: 2003
Posted by John Foote · 9:14 am · December 4th, 2009
There is little doubt in my mind I am going to take some heat this week, so let’s kick it off right away with my belief that Sean Penn deserved his Best Actor Oscar for “Mystic River,” a performance of overwhelming ferocity and staggering emotional power. Yes, I too loved Bill Murray in “Lost in [...]
Filed in: Daily
12/1 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:35 am · December 1st, 2009
• Pete Hammond reports on a last minute surge to get “Iron Cross,” Roy Scheider’s final film, into Oscar contention. [Notes on a Season] • Gregory Ellwood takes note of the season’s box office champs so far: “Inglourious Basterds” and “Up.” [Awards Campaign] • Geoff Boucher talks to “Avatar” composer James Horner. [Hero Complex]
Filed in: Daily
11/24 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:09 am · November 24th, 2009
• Pete Hammond, with box office ammunition in hand, keeps banging the gong for Sandra Bullock in a bad movie. And it just might happen. [Notes on a Season] • Speaking of “The Blind Side,” Patrick Goldstein dedicates a great many words to the film’s director, John Lee Hancock. [The Big Picture] • “Nine,” the [...]
Filed in: Daily
Could Baldwin be a sure thing for ‘It’s Complicated?’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:41 pm · November 20th, 2009
Since I made my first Oscar nomination predictions in early June, I’ve had a weird hunch about Nancy Meyers’s “It’s Complicated” being something of a surprise package in the race. Now while I’ve known all along that Best Picture and Best Actress nods for the film were in the extreme wild-card class of prediction, a [...]
Filed in: Daily
AMPAS chief Sherak promises “more fun” Oscars
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:00 am · November 15th, 2009
As a former Fox chairman with a background in marketing, it’s unsurprising that Tom Sherak, who recently replaced Sid Ganis as president of the Academy, wants to bring a more populist approach to the Oscars. In this LA Times interview, he makes it clear that the primary objective of the move to 10 Best Picture [...]
Filed in: Daily
You know what it takes to host the Oscars?
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:31 am · November 10th, 2009
Filed in: Daily
OFF THE CARPET: Looking at the supporting gentlemen
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:10 am · November 9th, 2009
In recent weeks we’ve been covering the performance categories in this space. With little else of tangible interest, what else can we possibly discuss? It’s as good a time as any to take note of what we have on our hands. Be sure to check out our looks at Best Actor, Best Actress and Best [...]
Filed in: Off the Carpet
WEEKLY WRAP: Oscar hosts, Bridges arrives, animated five
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:50 am · November 7th, 2009
• Oscar season ramped up this week, with the popular selection of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as this year’s Oscar emcees. • This week’s Off the Carpet column surveyed the runners and riders for Best Actor … • … only to be immediately outdated as Jeff Bridges and “Crazy Heart” arrived to turn that [...]
Filed in: Daily
OSCAR TALK: Ep. 9 — Baldwin/Martin, ‘Crazy Heart,’ animated contenders and the Gurus’ latest chart
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:29 pm · November 6th, 2009
Welcome to the latest installment of Oscar Talk, a weekly kudocast between yours truly and Anne Thompson of indieWIRE’s Thompson on Hollywood. On the docket this afternoon: • Anne and I discuss the week’s biggest Oscar news, the tapping of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin as this year’s Oscar telecast hosts. • Another substantial news [...]
Filed in: Oscar Talk
Same-but-different trailer for ‘It’s Complicated’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:28 am · November 6th, 2009
Handily coinciding with its two male stars’ big news this week, the second trailer for Nancy Meyers’ romcom mostly overlaps with the first, with a few added flourishes. Despite having never liked a Meyers confection before, something about this one is working for me. Steve Pond has a mole who says the film is “absolutely [...]
Filed in: Daily
11/5 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:07 am · November 5th, 2009
• Anthony Breznican on the opening of “A Christmas Carol” and the early holiday grab. [USA Today] • Dissecting “Amelia”‘s troubled road to the screen. [Hollywood Reporter] • Hugh Jackman gives newly tapped Oscar hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin his blessing. [Vulture]
Filed in: Daily
Shankman talks Oscar hosts, admits Fey was on the cards
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:06 am · November 4th, 2009
I couldn’t be more delighted with the selection of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as the 2009 Oscar hosts. Martin remains the smartest, sharpest, most urbane Oscar host I’ve seen in my lifetime, and the pairing of his wit with Baldwin’s goofier charm should ensure a ceremony that’s adult, but not too elitist. Either way, it’ll be [...]
Filed in: Daily
Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin tapped to host the 82nd annual Academy Awards
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:45 pm · November 3rd, 2009
Well, I guess Martin was available after all. And he’s going to have company. The Academy has announced this year’s Oscar emcee, and as expected, it’s a pair: Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, stars of “It’s Complicated” and one person removed from the suggestion our own Guy Lodge made last month. Lodge proposed Tina Fey [...]
Filed in: Daily
Supporting actors, step forward
Posted by Guy Lodge · 9:19 am · October 1st, 2009
A while back, certain folks were (rather unfairly) dredging up the routine annual complaint about the supposed scarcity of viable Best Actress contenders. Dave Karger, however, has located the real weak spot of this year’s awards race, and it concerns the opposite sex for a change: where, he asks, are the Best Supporting Actor standouts? [...]
Filed in: Daily
