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And you thought “The Tree of Life” had a protracted journey to its eventual release. It’s well over two years since I first wrote about the woes of Kenneth Lonergan’s chronically delayed sophomore feature, “Margaret,” and even then, it was a stale issue. The film was shot in 2005 — long before co-producers Sydney Pollack […]
‘Margaret’ finally goes free
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:19 pm · August 4th, 2011
Filed in: Daily
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 […]
Filed in: Oscar Guide
WEEKLY WRAP: Nomination week
Posted by In Contention Staff · 6:16 am · January 29th, 2011
• In case you’ve just emerged from a coma, “The King’s Speech” led the Oscar nominations on Tuesday with 12 bids. • “The King’s Speech” was also the surprise winner at the Producers’ Guild Awards, drastically shaking up the Best Picture race. • In the wake of these developments, Kris adjusted his winner predictions accordingly. […]
Filed in: Daily
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 […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Social Network’ adds NYFCC to its tally
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:54 am · December 13th, 2010
Well, the (rather predictable) steamroller keeps on going today as “The Social Network” adds the New York Film Critics Circle to its tally of early kudos. The question now and through the next few weeks will be, is it “L.A. Confidential?” That was the question for “The Hurt Locker” last year, though, and we know […]
Filed in: Daily
12/2 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Hickenlooper’s photo diary, the race’s generation gap and the ‘My Dog Tulip’ Oscar campaign
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:38 am · December 2nd, 2010
• Anne Thompson has George Hickenlooper’s “Casino Jack” photo diary. [Thompson on Hollywood] • Patrick Goldstein writes up the “My Dog Tulip” Oscar campaign. [The Big Picture] • Vincent Cassel on “Black Swan,” movie overkill and the politics of selling out. [Movieline]
Filed in: Daily
11/10 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: ‘Biutiful’ crew on the circuit, Hooper’s Hollywood education, Weinstein v. Rudin II
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:54 am · November 10th, 2010
• Anne Thompson ponders how the year’s mainstream studio pics might fare with Oscar. [Thompson on Hollywood] • Patrick Goldstein catches up with Tom Hooper and the director’s Hollywood education. [The Big Picture] • Steve Pond dutifully reports from a “Biutiful” post-screening Q&A with members of the crew. [The Odds]
Filed in: Daily
‘Margaret’ will see light of day, says Searchlight
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:54 am · July 26th, 2010
Last year, I dedicated a couple of posts to the mysterious case of “Margaret,” Kenneth Lonergan’s seemingly terminally delayed follow-up to his 2000 directorial debut “You Can Count on Me.” The film, a character drama starring Anna Paquin as a traumatised witness to a bus accident, with Mark Ruffalo and Matt Damon in support, was […]
Filed in: Daily
COMIC-CON: Ruffalo and Renner a go for ‘Avengers’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:48 pm · July 24th, 2010
I’ll get to today’s Marvel’s “Avengers” presentation later tonight, but the news worth conveying is that Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner were on hand to be confirmed as Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk and Hawkeye, respectively. The announcement was made by Robert Downey Jr., who was here with Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and director Joss […]
Filed in: Daily
Moore and Ruffalo are all right, too
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:33 am · July 6th, 2010
Even in the most evenly matched and mutually dependent of ensembles, it seems, some will always be deemed more equal than others. So it is with this summer’s great white indie hope, “The Kids Are All Right.” Since the film bowed at Sundance in January, all its players have been warmly received by critics — […]
Filed in: Daily
Ruffalo is back with ‘Kids’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:26 am · June 23rd, 2010
Lisa Cholodenko’s “The Kids Are All Right” opened the Los Angeles Film Festival last Thursday night, right across 11th Street from the Staples Center downtown as the Lakers triumphed in Game 7 of the NBA playoffs. No, they weren’t rioting on Figueroa because the movie’s good, but it IS a solid piece. I spoke briefly […]
Filed in: Daily
REVIEW: “The Kids Are All Right” (***1/2)
Posted by Guy Lodge · 11:04 am · February 17th, 2010
Berlin International Film Festival A spry, sun-bleached and often rather sexy study of what makes a family in modern America, “The Kids Are All Right” breezes by so pleasurably it’s easy to forget what a daring and very necessary film it is. Gift-wrapping its smart sexual politics with kicky dialogue, bright visuals and a pleasingly […]
Filed in: Reviews
‘Winter’s Bone’ takes Sundance gold
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:03 am · January 31st, 2010
Talk about a good day for female filmmakers. Hours before Kathryn Bigelow’s history-making triumph at the DGA Awards, Debra Granik took the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance (in the U.S. Dramatic strand) for her critically lauded sophomore feature “Winter’s Bone.” Granik and co-writer Anne Rosselini also took screenwriting honors for the film. The film is […]
Filed in: Daily
Ones to watch at Sundance 2010… maybe
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:11 pm · December 2nd, 2009
I always get a curious thrill from looking down the list of films selected to compete at the Sundance Film Festival — the 2010 batch of which has just been announced by festival directors John Cooper and Trevor Grath. You know there are at least one or two titles there that we’ll all be talking […]
Filed in: Daily
PAGE TO SCREEN: “Shutter Island” by Dennis Lehane
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:20 pm · July 9th, 2009
Deep into Dennis Lehane’s 2003 novel noir “Shutter Island,” there’s a wonderfully telling exchange between the two central characters. Reflecting on the gothic heights to which their situation has spiralled, one observes, “It’s all a bit Grand Guignol, don’t you think?” His partner’s reply: “I don’t know what the fuck that means.” Ostensibly a nod […]
Filed in: Page to Screen
Gorgeous ‘alternative’ poster for ‘Brothers Bloom’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 10:06 am · April 15th, 2009
I may only be lukewarm on the film itself, but I wholeheartedly adore this poster design for “The Brothers Bloom,” which recalls (to me, at least) a 1970’s Robert Altman effort in its intricate, throwback Americana style. Dreamed up by director Rian Johnson’s cousin Zach, it seems it’s only being used for web purposes, though […]
Filed in: Daily
Sort-of-new ‘Brothers Bloom’ trailer
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:43 am · April 8th, 2009
Not significantly different from the one they put out way back in the mists of 2008, this one comes with not one, but two ringing critical endorsements from AICN. Make of that what you will. From what I remember of my now 6 month-old viewing of the film, it’s a nice enough little trifle, elevated […]
Filed in: Daily
Posters for ‘Nothing But the Truth,’ ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:48 am · December 6th, 2008
Yari Film Group has just released the poster art for its awards season duo, Rod Lurie’s “Nothing But the Truth” and Brian Goodman’s “What Doesn’t Kill You.” Each of these films is struggling under the weight of big-spending studios this season, and it’s a shame. Each contains an exemplary 2008 performance (Kate Beckinsale in “Truth” […]
Filed in: Daily
