It’s probably a bit ridiculous that I haven’t seen Jonathan Levine’s “The Wackness” yet. I have the screener somewhere around here and it’s just one of those films I keep forgetting to watch, despite constant encouragement to do so. Therefore, “50/50,” a dramedy from writer Will Reiser based on his own experience being diagnosed with […]
‘50/50’ draws laughs and tears, but Gordon-Levitt owns it
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:44 am · August 18th, 2011
AMPAS welcomes 135 new members
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:12 pm · June 25th, 2010
Well, we already knew Jeremy Renner had got the nod. And no surprise that many of his fellow acting nominees from this year’s Oscar race — Christoph Waltz, Mo’Nique, Carey Mulligan, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick among them — have now been granted Academy membership. (Lest you think that the invitation automatically follows a nomination, […]
Filed in: Daily
OSCAR GUIDE: Best Supporting Actress
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 2:03 pm · February 3rd, 2010
This year’s Best Supporting Actress race made for, in many ways, one of the most wide open categories of the major nominees. While three of the contenders seemed fairly locked in place, the other two slots appeared up for grabs, and there was no shortage of deserving contenders waiting to fill out the field. Contenders […]
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The nominees react
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:08 am · February 2nd, 2010
Throughout the morning and early afternoon we took statements from or hopped on the phone with 44 of today’s Oscar nominees. Their reactions… Maggie Gyllenhaal, supporting actress, “Crazy Heart”: The thing is, you know, I’m so proud of the movie and I always have been, more proud of it than any of the work I’ve […]
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Cornish, Mulligan on cover of Vanity Fair’s Hollywood issue
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:30 pm · February 1st, 2010
Abbie Cornish may have received less than her due this awards season, but she at least has the consolation of gracing the cover of this year’s Vanity Fair Hollywood issue — that annual measure of the screen’s hottest up-and-comers. She’s joined by surefire nominee Carey Mulligan and teen princess Kristen Stewart, so the magazine’s canny […]
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1/21 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:25 am · January 21st, 2010
• Cathy Yan chats with “Up in the Air” star Anna Kendrick. [Speakeasy] • James Schamus sets to work on “tragic, suicidally depressing” script for Ang Lee. Terrific. [Hollywood Reporter] • Peter Bradshaw saddles back up to “Toy Story 2,” with a father’s eye. [The Guardian]
Filed in: Daily
An evening at the CCMAs
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:46 am · January 16th, 2010
Alright, now that the booze and the hangover have worn off, let’s talk last night’s Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. It was a decently produced evening, the venue having shifted from the Santa Monica Civic Center to the Hollywood Palladium, right in the middle of Tinseltown. The scheme of having 10 tables rounding the stage representing […]
Filed in: Daily
1/12 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:23 am · January 12th, 2010
• Steve Pond talks “In the Loop” with Armando Ianucci and Peter Capaldi. [The Odds] • Dave Karger makes his Golden Globe picks. [Entertainment Weekly] • Katey Rich runs down the pros and cons in a four-way race (but it’s actually a three-way race). [Cinema Blend]
Filed in: Daily
‘Air,’ ‘Basterds,’ ‘Precious’ lead the way with SAG
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:01 am · December 17th, 2009
There wasn’t much in the way of a surprise with this year’s Screen Actors Guild announcement. The nods that are least likely to translate to Oscar, if I were a betting man, are Diane Kruger’s supporting actress bid for “Inglourious Basterds” and (I guess I just have a feeling) Matt Damon, supporting for “Invictus.” The […]
Filed in: Daily
12/4 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:49 am · December 4th, 2009
• Peter Knegt talks to “Up in the Air” supporting actress hopeful (and newly minted NBR award recipient) Anna Kendrick. [indieWIRE] • Stanley Tucci and how to (reluctantly) play a pervert. [The Carpetbagger] • Peter Jackson, meanwhile, doesn’t much care about an Oscar campaign but does hope that people look closely at Tucci and Saoirse […]
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Anna Kendrick: the year’s up-start
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:44 am · November 3rd, 2009
Last week’s Off the Carpet column charting this year’s Best Supporting Actress contenders would have been remiss to ignore Anna Kendrick, whose spark-plug turn in Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air” is likely on its way to an Oscar nomination, perhaps even opposite co-star Vera Farmiga in the same category. Gregory Ellwood over at HitFix […]
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NYT spotlights Jarvis, Hoult, Kendrick, Smit-McPhee
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:24 am · November 3rd, 2009
The New York Times makes an annual tradition of rounding up the season’s most notable breakthrough turns in upcoming films, and it’s typically an intelligent, even prescient, selection of faces. Last year’s crop ran the gamut from François Bégaudeau (“The Class”) to the ultimately Oscar-nominated Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road”). In keeping with the youthful slant […]
Filed in: Daily
11/2 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:44 am · November 2nd, 2009
• Brian Brooks sits down with “Precious” star Gabourey Sidibe. [indieWIRE] • Mark Harris on Penelope Cruz and Pedro Almodovar: cinematic soul mates. [New York Times] • Mark Salisbury writes up “The Young Victoria” from across the pond with quotes from actress Emily Blunt and screenwriter Julian Fellowes. [Los Angeles Times]
Filed in: Daily
OFF THE CARPET: Looking at the supporting ladies
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:37 am · October 26th, 2009
A few weeks ago in this space I took a dedicated look at the lead actress category. With little in the way of actual development (this season is curiously divided on the timeline as we’ve got maybe another month before more major titles begin screening), I figured it would be a good idea to keep […]
Filed in: Off the Carpet
LONDON: ‘In the Air’ tonight
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:19 pm · October 18th, 2009
To use the umpteenth bad aviation metaphor in connection with the film, “Up in the Air” landed in London this evening with a gala festival screening — though this time it came unaccompanied by George Clooney, who had skipped off to the Rome fest after doing double-duty at the LFF earlier this week with “Fantastic […]
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10/14 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:46 am · October 14th, 2009
• Dave Karger, in a slow news week, digs up the old “‘Hangover’ for Best Pic” notion. No. [Oscar Watch] • Jeff Wells face-to-face with “Fantastic Mr. Fox” director Wes Anderson. [Hollywood Elsewhere] • Susan King talks to editing legend Anne V. Coates, whose career was showcased at the Academy last night. [Los Angeles Times]
Filed in: Daily
9/16 Web Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:00 am · September 16th, 2009
• Keanu Reeves on Patrick Swayze: “He was a beautiful person, an artist.” [People] • Peter Bart salutes John Calley for landing an honorary Oscar but highlights the producer’s roller coaster career. [BF Deal Memo] • Peter Knegt talks to the beautiful Anna Kendrick about butterflies going into the “Up in the Air” shoot. [indieWIRE]
Filed in: Daily
INTERVIEW: Jason Reitman
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:17 am · September 11th, 2009
Telluride Film Festival Four days ago, Jason Reitman finalized his latest film, “Up in the Air,” by making one final song change. Two days ago he unveiled it to its first-ever first audience, his nerves shot. Today, somewhat more relaxed in the wake of a warm reception to the film, he’s sitting outside at a […]
Filed in: Interviews