The annual announcement of the new members invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — the latest batch of industry pros we get to blame for next year’s Oscar results — is a moment that always prompts as much satisfied head-nodding as bewildered head-scratching. The latter action isn’t always in response […]
New AMPAS invitees include Sorkin, Hooper… and Beyoncé
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:17 pm · June 17th, 2011
Filed in: Daily
POLL: Who gets the fifth supporting actress slot?
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:22 am · January 18th, 2011
One of the interesting things about this morning’s BAFTA announcement is that it scattered the already fluid Best Supporting Actress category to the winds. Nominations for Barbara Hershey, Miranda Richardson and Lesley Manville put them in the hunt with contenders like Mila Kunis and Jacki Weaver for what appears to be an up-for-grabs fifth slot. […]
Filed in: Daily
‘King’s Speech’ leads Globe nods, ‘True Grit’ shut out
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:53 am · December 14th, 2010
True to form, the Golden Globe nominations are a buffet of the good, the bad and the unconscionably hideous — with perhaps a touch more emphasis than usual on the third of those this year. I refer, of course, to those largely mortifying Comedy/Musical races, where HFPA voters solved the lack of obvious contenders this […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Black Swan’ leads BFCA field with a record 12 nominations
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 2:56 am · December 13th, 2010
The most striking thing about this year’s slate of BFCA nominations is that, to go by the films listed in the various categories, apparently there were only 30 or so movies released this year. And most categories were dominated by the same five films, which is disappointing, if a bit predictable. When the organization added […]
Filed in: Daily
11/29 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Animated short qualifiers, chatting up Sakamoto, forecasting good things for ‘Lincoln’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:14 am · November 29th, 2010
• Todd Gilchrist talks to the Oscar-winning composer of “The Last Emperor,” Ryûichi Sakamoto. [Cinematical] • John Lopez, like everyone else, I imagine, is already forecasting a major Oscar presence for Steve Spielberg’s Abraham Lincoln film. [Little Gold Men] • Exclusively revealing the 33 animated shorts qualifying for this year’s Oscar race. [Cartoon Brew]
Filed in: Daily
11/24 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Kunis on her ‘Machinist’ impression, Hammer talks twinning, bad boy celebrity
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:00 am · November 24th, 2010
(Ended up unexpectedly taking the day off yesterday. Not that I’m complaining.) • Anne Thompson talks to “Secretariat” star Diane Lane. [Thompson on Hollywood] • Mila Kunis on dropping to a bony 95 pounds for “Black Swan.” [E! Online] • Dave Karger, meanwhile, wonders if the actress can score an Oscar nod alongside co-star Natalie […]
Filed in: Daily
OFF THE CARPET: Can the ladies get some support?
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:05 am · October 11th, 2010
A number of people wanted Anne and I to discuss the seemingly thin Best Supporting Actress category on the podcast Friday, but we didn’t get to it. So it seemed an opportune time to dedicate this space to the discussion. One should keep in mind that the race is still in its early days. This […]
Filed in: Off the Carpet
THE LONG SHOT: When you wish upon a star
Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:10 pm · October 6th, 2010
“Mila Kunis is so winning Best Supporting Actress this year,” remarked an independent filmmaker to me over drinks today, referring, of course, to the 27 year-old’s sly breakout turn in Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan.” This was no idle fan statement. The man knew his Oscar onions – his theory was built upon established Academy affection […]
Filed in: The Long Shot
VENICE: Arrivederci, and notes on the winners
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:16 am · September 12th, 2010
(Updated list of Venice award winners here.) If you were on the Lido to the bitter end of the festival — and closing with “The Tempest” made it a very bitter end indeed — last night’s Golden Lion win for Sofia Coppola’s “Somewhere” didn’t come as the shock it did to everyone else. In the […]
Filed in: Daily
REVIEW: “Black Swan” (****)
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:18 am · September 1st, 2010
Venice Film Festival It’s the juvenilization of the term “fairy tale” that has led many people to associate them inextricably with happy endings. At their most literary, fairy tales can be moral and often very unhappy narratives of yearning, obsession and eventual redemption, even if it comes with rather a large sacrifice attached; Hans Christian […]
Filed in: Reviews