Features
Yesterday we began our final look at the 10 crafts categories. Check out part one here. Today, the conclusion. Meanwhile, you can find my final predictions in all categories here. Best Music (Original Score) Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, despite their atypical approach to film music composition, are very much contenders in this race. Having […]
TECH SUPPORT: Final analysis, part two
Posted by gerardkennedy · 8:40 am · February 25th, 2011
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TECH SUPPORT: Final analysis, part one
Posted by gerardkennedy · 10:35 am · February 24th, 2011
So this is it. Over the last seven-plus months here at Tech Support, we have tried to illuminate and analyze the craft races as they unfolded. On Sunday, the winners will be revealed, ushering some new faces into Oscar’s club. And indeed, I expect the vast majority of the winners to make their first trip […]
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OSCAR GUIDE: Best Visual Effects
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:34 am · February 17th, 2011
This year the visual effects branch of the Academy followed the lead of the sound editing category and widened its net to five nominees. It did not, however, follow suit by eliminating the superfluous bake-off process, which whittles the contenders down to seven before deciding on the ultimate slate of nominees. This year the two […]
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Desplat leads International Film Music Critics nods
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:18 am · February 11th, 2011
Alexandre Desplat has enjoyed a brilliant career in U.S. features as of late (on the back of immense talent, naturally). 2010 was a grand year for the composer as he, once again, balanced scoring duties on a number of notable films. Today, the final announcement from the critics awards circuit has landed in the form […]
Filed in: Daily
OSCAR GUIDE: Best Art Direction
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:30 am · February 9th, 2011
The art directors settled on a wonderful quintet to represent their form in 2010. Each of these films (okay, I haven’t seen one of them) manages to showcase art direction in organic ways, even when it comes to the contender with the most robust and vibrant design to offer. When it comes to the design […]
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BAFTA honors ‘Harry Potter’ series
Posted by Guy Lodge · 9:12 am · February 7th, 2011
The penultimate film in the series may only be up for two BAFTAs on Sunday night — ones it probably won’t win — but devoted “Harry Potter” fans have been given an extra reason to tune in, as the entire series is being honored by the British Academy with their Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema […]
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TECH SUPPORT: Analyzing the nominees
Posted by gerardkennedy · 11:53 am · January 28th, 2011
So the 83rd Annual Academy Award nominations were finally announced this week, and I did fairly well in handicapping the nominees. Outside of Best Sound Mixing, I never missed more than one nominee in a category. Unfortunately, there were no categories where I scored 100% (apart from Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay). Oh well. […]
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TECH SUPPORT: Final analysis, part two
Posted by gerardkennedy · 9:48 am · January 21st, 2011
Yesterday I began a final look at the crafts categories. Today, a look at the four remaining fields: Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and Best Film Editing. BEST ART DIRECTION The precursors of the BFCA, BAFTA and Art Directors Guild have been fairly consistent in citing four titles in this category. Last […]
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TECH SUPPORT: Final analysis, part one
Posted by gerardkennedy · 8:57 am · January 20th, 2011
It seems hard to believe that it’s been more than six months since I wrote this year’s introductory Tech Support column ( a dissection of the art direction race). Much has changed since then, naturally, as we are less than a week away from the big day when we find out the nominees for the […]
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Predict the ASC nominees
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:32 am · January 10th, 2011
Now that the DGA has spoken, something to pass the time. Tomorrow the crafts guilds continue to roll out the season as the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) offers its picks for the best work behind the camera in 2010. This is perhaps my favorite of the below-the-line categories, so I thought I’d offer up […]
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‘Scott Pilgrim,’ ‘Hereafter’ make visual effects bake-off
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 4:19 pm · January 5th, 2011
As we await the USC Scripter finalists (which should drop any minute), I should pass along the Academy’s bake-off finalists in the Best Visual Effects category. Last month the field was narrowed down to 15 titles. Today, seven titles remain, from which five nominees will be selected in a bake-off (which is an odd extra […]
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Visual effects race whittled down to 15
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:43 pm · December 10th, 2010
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 […]
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12/3 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: ‘Black Swan’ costumes, Tarantino roasted, ‘Harry Potter’ tries for Oscar one more time
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:52 am · December 3rd, 2010
• David Poland writes up the history of Oscar coverage. [Movie City News] • Costume designs from Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan.” [Daily Telegraph] • Paula Schwartz reports from the Friars Club Roast of Quentin Tarantino. [The Carpetbagger]
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TECH SUPPORT: Best Visual Effects — Volume II
Posted by gerardkennedy · 8:19 pm · December 2nd, 2010
I find it somewhat appropriate to be ending my in-depth looks at the crafts categories with a discussion of Best Visual Effects. This is, after all, a category which awards the sort of behind-the-scenes crafts work that is often prominently displayed in advertisements and talked about with reverence after the film ends. When looking at […]
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BOX OFFICE: ‘Potter’ tops ‘Tangled’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:28 pm · November 28th, 2010
“Megamind” held pretty well for a fourth weekend, though of course it would given the holiday. “The Social Network,” meanwhile, crossed $90 million, which ought to be considered a big deal for a talky fall drama with no movie stars. “127 Hours” added nearly 200 screens and almost pushed into the top 10, while “Love […]
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WEEKLY WRAP: Holiday cheer and seasonal grousing
Posted by In Contention Staff · 11:24 pm · November 26th, 2010
• Calmed by the holiday spirit, this week’s Off the Carpet column took stock of the season, and gave thanks where appropriate. • The Long Shot looked at the number of one-time rebel auteurs in this year’s Oscar race, and wondered if awards glory comes at the expense of creative edge. • Life Without Oscar […]
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BOX OFFICE: ‘Potter,’ ‘Potter,’ ‘Potter’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:46 am · November 21st, 2010
The opening weekend for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” was good enough for sixth-best all time (I don’t use the adjusted stats Chad did) and the best debut for the franchise yet. But there wasn’t exactly competition with “Megamind” having already been in theaters for two weeks. (Courtesy: Exhibitor Relations)
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CINEJABBER: Way out in the water, see it swimming
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:38 am · November 20th, 2010
Catch up with the idea behind these weekend posts here. The photo to the right represents the early haul on screeners this year. Usually this time of year I find myself delighting in second and sometimes third viewings of this or that, but oddly enough, I still have some catch-up to do. I’m glad the […]
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