Welcome 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 […]
OSCAR TALK: Ep. 55 — Special Edition! — Oscars postmortem
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 1:03 pm · February 28th, 2011
Filed in: Oscar Talk
OFF THE CARPET: Sun came up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:11 am · February 28th, 2011
Steven Spielberg couldn’t have put it more concisely during his presentation of the Best Picture category last night. To paraphrase, he noted that whichever films did not happen to win Best Picture this year would join the ranks of numerous classics of the medium. Was it preemptive damage control? I hope not. Why be apologetic? […]
Filed in: Off the Carpet
The In Contention Readership Ballot
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:20 am · February 27th, 2011
Today’s the big day. No more Oscar Guide, no more polls, just a few choice hours left in the season and then, the 83rd annual. (And not a moment too soon.) I appreciate everyone participating in the daily polls this month and last, which accompanied each of our Oscar Guide entries. It offers us a […]
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THE LONG SHOT: A toast to the douchebags
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:34 pm · February 24th, 2011
(Not-quite-final predictions here.) 176 days from the unofficial opening of my Oscar season — a breakfast-hour press screening of “Black Swan” on the first day of the Venice Film Festival — it’s fair to say I’m ready for the endgame. Aren’t we all? Whether you’re delighted or disappointed by where the awards trail has led […]
Filed in: The Long Shot
Previewing BAFTA
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:15 am · February 12th, 2011
In the 10 years since they moved up in the calendar to pre-Oscar status, the BAFTAs have hovered uncertainly between complying with awards trends across the pond, thereby establishing themselves as a viable precursor, and stubbornly standing by their own – as in 2007, when they opted out of the Coen Brothers-P.T. Anderson faceoff by […]
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‘Social Network’ tops London Critics’ awards
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:08 pm · February 10th, 2011
By having separate categories for British films and individuals — though Brits compete in the general awards too — the London Film Critics’ Circle Awards generally get to have their cake and eat it. So it was this year: “The King’s Speech” received obligatory recognition in the categories for Best British Film and Best British […]
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OSCAR GUIDE: Best Supporting Actor
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:59 am · February 8th, 2011
Very few of the 20 actors nominated for Oscars this year (if any) feel like egregious calls. As usual, the lead actor race is the most impressive, but the Best Supporting Actor slate isn’t too shabby, either. Each performance is masterful in its own way, and each serves its respective narrative to the fullest. Two […]
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‘The King’s Speech’ takes top honors at SAG Awards
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:17 pm · January 30th, 2011
Well, if you didn’t get the message after last night’s DGA result, SAG’s Best Ensemble award just underlined it for you — the Best Picture race is over. In the 16 years that the three Guilds have co-existed, only one film has taken the big prize from the DGA, PGA and SAG and not won the […]
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Predict the SAG winners
Posted by Guy Lodge · 10:43 am · January 28th, 2011
This weekend completes the trio of Guild awards with the most bearing on the Best Picture race, as the Directors’ Guild of America and the Screen Actors’ Guild dish out their prizes on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Following the Producers’ Guild’s surprise coronation of “The King’s Speech” last week, the next two days could help […]
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Ruffalo finally gets the nod
Posted by Guy Lodge · 9:54 am · January 26th, 2011
Amid the assorted geeky stat-studies I made in the wake of yesterday’s Oscar nominations, I noticed that it hasn’t been a vintage year for first-time nominees in the acting categories. Of the 20 actors selected, 12 are repeat nominees — the highest number since 2002. But among the eight thesps making their Oscar debut are […]
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Post-nod winner predictions (and a new poll)
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:32 am · January 25th, 2011
Did you hear? The Oscar nominations were announced this morning. And there was a lot to chew on. (And boy can we be grateful for that.) With a full slate of contenders in front of us, it seemed only right to go ahead and offer up the latest set of winner predictions. They are indicated […]
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Frontrunners stay strong at the Golden Globes
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 4:01 pm · January 16th, 2011
Zzzzz…huh?, wha? Oh… First and foremost, I have to note Ricky Gervais’s work as emcee. Last year’s stint was a bit stale, I thought, but this year the gloves were off. Way off. Which, for whatever reason, I was okay with tonight. The difference between Gervais and Armond White, though, if you want to go […]
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A night at the CCMAs
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:11 am · January 15th, 2011
It was a good time. The evening started off with a bit of a surprise as “The Fighter” took in the award for Best Ensemble. I happened to be seated with Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo, David O. Russell and, a real treat, Jack McGee, so it was an exciting pop to start things […]
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January winner predictions
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:27 am · January 11th, 2011
After taking a stab at winner predictions early last month, it seemed now would be a good time to re-assess. Only three adjustments, though — for Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Original Score. I’ll try my hand at another set post-nominations. Best Picture: “The Social Network” Best Director: David Fincher, “The Social Network” […]
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NYT offers some pointers to the Academy
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:03 am · January 3rd, 2011
The New York Times has an annual tradition of getting its three top critics — Manohla Dargis, A.O. Scott and Stephen Holden — to craft ideal Oscar ballots, and the results this year point to more scattered affections than the critics’ award trail would have you believe. Interestingly, only one title features on all three […]
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12/31 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: ‘Way Back’ last on the scene, 70 votes gets you in, Sparling breaks the rules
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:14 am · December 31st, 2010
• Peter Weir’s “The Way Back” intentionally hits voters’ doorsteps last, just s ballots are arriving. Shrewd, given the P&A budget. Will it pay off? [Deadline] • Steve Pond does the Oscar math and discovers that fewer than 70 votes will secure you a nomination everywhere except the four acting categories and Best Picture. [The […]
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Best in show 2010: the year in superlatives
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:07 am · December 17th, 2010
The week, and with it, the bulk of my 2010 coverage, draws to a close today with a look at the best of the best. I’m offering up a personal list of superlatives, including most Oscar categories and some other fun fields thrown in for good measure. A tradition at this point. There will be […]
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‘Social Network’ rules Boston critics’ awards
Posted by Guy Lodge · 11:22 am · December 12th, 2010
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. […]
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