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Tag: Oscarweb

  • 12/26 Oscarweb Round-up

    (from left) Jamie Bell and Daniel Craig in Defiance• Bob Tourtellotte spends a minute with Sam Mendes. [Reuters]

    • David Poland responds to the week’s “Watchmen” wowser. [The Hot Blog]

    • Jeffrey Wells re-runs his thoughts on “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Joel Stein wants it understood that Jews still run Hollywood, m’kay? [Los Angeles Times]

    • Lisa Marks responds. [The Guardian]

    • Kim Voynar considers the adapting of a dramatic work from an inherently undramatic source with Edward Zwick’s “Defiance” in mind. [Movie City News]

    • David Carr gives you a chance to cast your vote. [The Carpetbagger]

  • 12/23 Oscarweb Round-up

    Jim Carrey• Julian Sancton samples and gives some commentary on his top 11 film scores of the year. [Vanity Fair]

    • David Poland spends 30 minutes with “Nerakhoon” director Ellen Kuras. [The Hot Blog]

    • Tom O’Neil and Dave Karger fight over the Best Actress frontrunners. [Gold Derby]

    • Karger, meanwhile, spends some more time with the cast of “Doubt.” [Entertainment Weekly]

    • David Carr’s “Marley and Me” mea culpa. [The Carpetbagger]

    • Kim Voynar goes deep this holiday season with a look at sex with teenagers on the big screen, and she has a hell of a point. [Movie City News]

    • Patrick Goldstein spotlight’s the year’s worst. [The Big Picture]

    • A trio of films go into production depicting the epic Battle of Hastings. [Daily Telegraph]

    • Paralleling the careers of big screen heartthrobs Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio. [MSNBC]

    • Michael Cieply digs into the clash of movie moneymakers Jom Carrey and Will Smith this weekend. [New York Times]

    • Brad Brevet lists the top 10 assassination movies with an inspired #1 and a #6 that has no business on any top 10 list. [Rope of Silicon]

    • Speaking of lists, how about the top 10 balliest singing performances? [Premiere]

    • Andrew O’Hehir on how indie film thrived in 2008. [Beyond the Multiplex]

  • 12/21 Oscarweb Round-up

    Kåre Hedebrant in Let the Right One In• Jeff Wells is still peeved at the critical snubs of “Revolutionary Road,” aside from a few exceptions. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Tom O’Neil and Michael Musto debate the likely Best Picture victor. [Gold Derby]

    • Another un-bylined Calendar piece.  What gives?  Anyway, David Fincher is talking to somebody about “The Curious case of Benjamin Button.” [Los Angeles Times]

    • Alonso Duralde spotlights the year’s best, sans Oscar bait. [MSNBC]

    • John Hiscock chats with “Rachel Getting Married” star Debra Winger.  Anyone wondering, half-way through the season, why anyone was crazy enough to think she had an Oscar play? [Daily Telegraph]

    • Jenni Miller digs into the role of a stripper with critical kudos champ Marisa Tomei. [Premiere]

    • Bryan Appleyard talks “The Reader” with director Stephen Daldry. [The Times]

    • “Let the Right One In” tops David Ansen’s list of the year’s best.  Nice.  Beware a cop-out tie at #10, though. [Newsweek]

  • 12/20 Oscarweb Round-up

    Amy Adams• Darren Aronofsky interviews Danny Boyle about the technical aspects of “Slumdog Millioniare.” [/Film]

    • Erik Childress catches up with the season mid-way through the first phase. [eFilmCritic]

    • David Carr takes note of the big Universal trade spend.  Hey, if you’re going to decide against advertising with the lowly online types, you might as well make it count in traditional media. [The Carpetbagger]

    • Tom O’Neil gets together a bunch of us Oscar bozos to talk the Best Picture chances of “WALL-E.” [Gold Derby]

    • The film, meanwhile, tops Anne Thompson’s diverse list of the year’s best.  Oy. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Patrick Goldstein gives a few column inches to an under-the-radar documentary short, Leslie Iwerks’s “Downstream.” [The Big Picture]

    • The hull is breached!!  By the way, that’s Barry Dale JOHNSON.  Fact checker needed on aisle three. [Washington Post]

    • Noah Forrest podcasts it up with “Gomorrah” helmer Matteo Garrone. [Movie City News]

    • Donna Freydkin catches up with increasingly Oscar-likely Amy Adams. [USA Today]

    • Somehow this escaped me all week, but rest in peace Sam Bottoms. [Los Angeles Times]

    • Brent Simon spends a little quality time with “Nothing But the Truth” star Kate Beckinsale. [Vulture]

  • 12/16 Oscarweb Round-up

    Jeff Goldblum• Jeff Wells shows his annual true colors, wants to know who should be taken down a peg of the agreed-upon Oscar contenders. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Tom O’Neil reports on a leaked Academy screener. [Gold Derby]

    • David Carr boils the season down to a couple of “mortal locks.” [The Carpetbagger]

    • Todd Longwell profiles NBR award-winning “Gran Torino” scribe Nick Schenk. [Hollywood Reporter]

    • Xan Brooks says his heart goes out to newly chosen Oscar host Hugh Jackman, whose hands are certainly full. [The Guardian]

    • Susan Wloszczyna catches up with “The Wrestler” star Mickey Rourke on the set of “13.” [USA Today]

    • Chris Sullivan profiles “Che” star Benicio Del Toro. [The Independent]

    • One reason might be because you’re an editor-in-chief and would be moving into the territory of your publication’s critics, but what do I know? [Peter Bart]

    • Christopher Campbell calls for some notice for “Milk” supporting actor Diego Luna. [Spout Blog]

    • Bilge Ebiri talks to Jeff Goldblum about his role in “Adam Resurrected,” among other things. [Vulture]

    • Dave Karger could chat all day with “Last Chance Harvey” star Dustin Hoffman. [Entertainment Weekly]

  • 12/15 Oscarweb Round-up

    Will Smith• Nathaniel Rogers goes back to the well with some updated Oscar predictions. [The Film Experience]

    • Charles McGrath writes up the upcoming “Revolutionary Road” release. [New York Times]

    • Philip French remembers a bleak year in cinema. [The Guardian]

    • Similarly, John Horn notes the box office success of some challenging films this holiday season. [Los Angeles Times]

    • Speaking of challenging films, Andrew O’Hehir talks to Steven Soderbergh about “Che.” [Beyond the Multiplex]

    • Susan King, meanwhile, talks to Brian Goodman about his life-turned-movie in “What Doesn’t Kill You.” [Los Angeles Times]

    • Andy Serkis comes out from behind the CGI masks of his most famous performances into acceptance as a fine actor. [The Times]

    • Donna Freydkin chats it up with “Seven Pounds” star Will Smith. [USA Today]

    • Glenn Kenny on Hollywood finally turning classics into digital masterpieces. [Popular Mechanics]

  • 12/13 Oscarweb Round-up

    Taraji P. Henson• How many Oscar Best Picture winners can you name in five minutes? [Jet Punk]

    • David Poland responds to “Gran Torino” raves with another slap in the face for Clint Eastwood and his film. [The Hot Blog]

    • Jeff Wells is a fan of “Good,” lost in the Oscar shuffle this year. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Yours truly talks Globe nods and more with John Campea, podcast style. [The Movie Blog]

    • “The Dark Knight” tops Steven King’s list of the year’s best. [Entertainment Weekly]

    • Tom Cruise might be reprising his Golden Globe-nominated turn as Les Grossman. [E! Online]

    • Patrick Goldstein talks to Oscar telecast producer Larry Mark about the Jackman emcee pick. [The Big Picture]

    • A brief back-and-forth with “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” star Taraji P. Henson. [Vulture]

    • Yours truly profiles the actress. [Variety]

    • David Carr makes some humorous observations about a few of the season’s movie posters. [The Carpetbagger]

  • 12/10 Oscarweb Round-up

    Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona• The Gurus settle on a predicted five that seems to be becoming “the knowledge.” [Movie City News]

    • David Poland, meanwhile, takes the opportunity to spotlight 10 under-the-radar contenders. [Movie City News]

    • Always eager for a “look, we said something about it first” story, Steve Weintraub calls an exclusive (seriously, we need to define this term already) on a story Eric Roth has been talking about here and there for a while now…his desire to pen a space film, among other scripts the writer is working on, all reported elsewhere long ago.  Can’t wait to read about the bitching once Variety breaks the ACTUAL story when (and if) it comes to pass.  (Sorry, got carried away there.) [Collider]

    • Getting back on track, Tom O’Neill chats it up with Penelope Cruz. [Gold Derby]

    • Erica Abeel sits down with “Reader” director Stephen Daldry. [indieWIRE]

    • Having already released, “Australia” still isn’t finished?  Wait…what? [The Independent]

    • Do the European Film Awards matter? [The Guardian]

    • Anita Chabria catches up with the female cinematographers story. [The Envelope]

    • Patrick Goldstein reports on the inner strife of yesterday’s LAFCA vote.  Apparently “Slumdog Millionaire” was “a close third in the best picture race.” [The Big Picture]

    • The most vanilla Oscar preview yet. [Associated Press]

    • 12 rules of Christmas movies. [New York Daily News]

    • Anthony Breznican profiles Ron Howard’s career behind the camera. [USA Today]

    • Anne Thompson reports from the Monday night premiere of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” with some video to boot. [Thompson on Hollywood]

  • 12/8 Oscarweb Round-up

    Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump• Lou Lumenick runs down his 10-best list… [Lumenick on Film]

    • …and calls “Mamma Mia!” the guilty pleasure of the year. [Lumenick on Film]

    • Peter Sciretta gets a juicy tid-bit on the “Forrest Gump” sequel “Gump & Co.” from screenwriter Eric Roth: 9/11 killed the idea and all the principles decided it wasn’t relevant anymore.  Interesting. [/Film]

    • Christopher Nolan elaborates on his four favorite scenes from “The Dark Knight.” [USA Today]

    • Anne Thompson goes deep on why “Australia” misses the mark. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Mick Brown sits down with “Doubt” star Meryl Streep. [Daily Telegraph]

    • As the ship sinks around him, Gregg Kilday reports on the box office muscle of this weekend’s Oscar contenders. [Hollywood Reporter]

    • Ariel Kaminer tracks the road to the big screen for Bernhard Schlink’s “The Reader.” [New York Times]

    • Eleanor Clift talks the parallels of “Frost/Nixon” to the current administration, parallels writer Peter Morgan certainly didn’t have in mind. [Newsweek]

    • A refreshing list of the year’s superlatives. [New York Magazine]

  • 12/7 Oscarweb Round-up

    A.R. Rahman• Pete Hammond reports on the week that was, including a lively “Seven Pounds” Q&A session. [Notes on a Season]

    • Jeff Wells responds with a second-hand swipe at the film. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • And Steven Zeitchik breaks embargo, writes up a positive assessment. [Risky Biz Blog]

    • Tom O’Neil points out how Oscar success for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” could finally be F. Scott Fitzgerald’s warm Hollywood welcome. [Gold Derby]

    • Hat-tipping A.R. Rahman’s collaboration with M.I.A. on the “Slumdog Millionaire” soundtrack. [Vulture]

    • David Carr talks to “Doubt” scribe and helmer John Patrick Shanley. [New York Times]

    • Heath Ledger wins his first award of the season. [New York Daily News]

    • Roger Ebert offers up the 25 best films of the year. [Chicago Sun-Times]

    • The Times goes longer. [The Times]

  • 12/3 Oscarweb Round-up

    Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in Revolutionary Road• Jeff Wells senses the “push back” against certain contenders, steps up to bat for “Revolutionary Road.” [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Yours truly chats it up podcast style with John Campea to dish on how early favorites are shaping up. [The Movie Blog]

    • David Poland reports on the BFCA’s newest category: Best Action Film. [The Movie Blog]

    • T.L. Stanley talks “Elegy” with Sir Ben Kingsley. [Gold Rush]

    • David Carr reports from the sadly left-out-in-the-cold Fox Searchlight table at the Gotham Awards. [The Carpetbagger]

    • Geoffrey Macnab talks to Danny Boyle about Oscar heavy “Slumdog Millionaire.” [The Independent]

    • John Horn corners “Doubt” helmer and scribe John Patrick Shanley in the Big Apple. [Los Angeles Times]

    • Patrick Goldstein responds to some (some would say) odd Golden Globe classifications. [The Big Picture]

    • As “Milk” strives to make a difference, five films that actually did as much. [Spout Blog]

  • 12/2 Oscarweb Round-up

    Baz Luhrmann• Kim Voynar wants to know where the love is for foreign contender “Tony Manero.” [Film Essent]

    • Peter Knegt and Eugene Hernandez go back and forth on the upcoming Gotham awards, among other things. [indieWIRE]

    • Jeff Wells keeps banging the drum for Richard Jenkins in a cone of silence. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Oh yeah…the Indy Spirit nods are in.  Zzzzz… [indieWIRE]

    • David Poland responds to the list. [The Hot Blog]

    • And sings his disapproval of “Gran Torino.” [The Hot Blog]

    • Tom O’Neil talks to Baz Luhrmann in the Big Apple. [Gold Derby]

    • Anne Thompson rounds up the late arrivals to the Oscar party. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Peter Bart finds “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” both riveting and off-putting, wonders if “Slumdog Millionaire” lucked into the poll position with the Mumbai tragedy.  Basically, he’s catching up with the rest of us. [Peter Bart]

    • David Poland runs down the fate of the frontrunner, a traditional Oscar season fall from grace. [Movie City News]

  • 12/1 Oscarweb Round-up

    Christian Bale in Public Enemies(Back from vacation and ready to roll.  Thanks to Guy for keeping the ship sailing during the holiday.)

    • A first peak at what will likely be one of next year’s serious contenders: Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies.” [Empire]

    • TV spotting “Gran Torino” with a little outside-the-beat commentary. [/Film]

    • Carl DiOrio reports on the surprisingly successful box office numbers of “Milk.” [The Hollywood Reporter]

    • Peter Knegt, meanwhile, talks with “The Times of Harvey Milk” helmer Rob Epstein about his 24-year-old documentary and Gus Van Sant’s take on the politician this year. [indieWIRE]

    • And Cristy Lytal catches up with the real-life Cleve Jones (played by Emile Hirsch in Van Sant’s film). [Los Angeles Times]

    • I almost feel this isn’t worth linking, but there isn’t a lot to choose from this morning: Marc Lee rounds up a couple of Oscar blog quotes to assess Kate Winslet’s Oscar hopes.  Are they paying him for this? [Daily Telegraph]

    • Scott Bowles tracks down Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise at the Burbank airport to discuss the risky business of “Valkyrie.” [USA Today]

  • 11/26 Oscarweb Round-up

    WALL-E• Jeff Wells is beside himself because Oscar prognosticators understand “Che” has a snowball’s chance in hell at a best Picture nomination. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Noah Forrest podcasts “Changeling” screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski. [Movie City News]

    • Anne Thompson gets the “Australia” goods from Hugh Jackman. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Tom O’Neil, meanwhile, wonders if pundits are underestimating the film…nah. [Gold Derby]

    • The economy takes a bite out of one of the season’s biggest Oscar bashes. [Vanity Fair]

    • Pete Hammond is a party pooper, makes sure we all understand a SAG strike could put a damper on the season. [Notes on a Season]

    • Nathaniel Rogers talks to “Rachel Getting Married” gals Rosemarie DeWitt and Jenny Lumet. [The Film Experience]

    • Peter Bart joins my Brandon Walters bandwagon, says director Baz Luhrmann has created a star. [Peter Bart]

    • Kevin Kelly talks to “WALL-E” and “Star Wars” sound whiz Ben Burtt. [Spout Blog]

    • Patrick Goldstein digs into the emotional chill factor of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” [The Big Picture]

    • A Harvey Milk Cliff’s Notes for your “Milk” screening preparations. [USA Today]

  • 11/25 Oscarweb Round-up

    David Fincher• Jeff Wells is a fan of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” but he’s not sure it’s a Best Picture slam dunk for this reason or that.  I’d be inclined to agree with him if that guild screening on Saturday hadn’t gone over so well. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Meanwhile, Tom O’Neil takes a (probably unfair) swipe at David Fincher’s Q&A etiquette.  It’s true, he’s not the sort to get all cerebral for you like a pet monkey, and it’s true, that chilliness might affect him and the film, but don’t all the greats share these traits? [Gold Derby]

    • An ambitious list: the top 100 movies based on books. [The Movie Blog]

    • Wow, a feature on the return of an Oscar blogger.  But I guess the Bagger is that special breed that deserves the copy.  Call it blogger envy. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Having actually seen the film now, Dave Karger jumps on the gravy train for Clint Eastwood’s performance as a Best Actor contender.  Mostly he’s reporting everything we told you in our script review a few months back, though.  Gruff character but with a great arc that’ll leave them crying, etc., etc. [Entertainment Weekly]

    • T.L. Stanley joins the tiny chorus of “Australia” cheerleaders.  Maybe it’s not that tiny, but I haven’t heard from them much this week. [Gold Rush]

    • John Horn, meanwhile, features director Baz Luhrmann. [Los Angeles Times]

    • Patrick Goldstein dissects “Frost/Nixon” scribe Peter Morgan. [The Big Picture]

  • 11/23 Oscarweb Round-up

    WALL-E• Variety moves deeper into the awards season features world with a Golden Globes preview. [Variety]

    • Within said preview, yours truly spotlights actors and actresses straddling the line between comedy and drama this season. [Variety]

    • Patrick Goldstein says make the Oscar nod announcement a prime time event like the Grammys. [The Big Picture]

    • The 20 greatest movie car chases.  “The Dark Knight” should be higher, but it’s hard to argue with #1. [The Times]

    • Andrew O’Hehir wonders what’s behind the cult of “WALL-E.”  Me too, frankly. [Beyond the Multiplex]

    • Peter Bart dishes on the kudos season of chaos, but if he’s finally getting to Thursday’s botched “Button” screening, surely it’s time to put that story to bed, right? [Peter Bart]

    • Speaking of “Button,” Karina Longworth is down on the film. [Spout Blog]

  • 11/22 Oscarweb Round-up

    Tilda Swinton• Jeffrey Wells hangs with the “Revolutionary Road” crew in the Big Apple. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Ditto Glenn Kenny, who moderated the post-screening Q&A. [Some Came Running]

    • David Poland waxes on about how much he thinks “Revolutionary Road” fails, and judging by his charts, clearly hasn’t seen “Australia” yet. [Movie City News]

    • Steve Gaydos reports on a Rod Lurie event at UCLA for “Nothing But the Truth.” [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • Peter Sciretta talks to Pixar honcho John Lasseter. [/Film]

    • Pete Hammond thinks there’s a hex on Paramount screenings because of a couple of snafus of late, reports from a “Doubt” reception. [Notes on a Season]

    • Which songs will get the ole’ Oscar shove for “High School Musical 3?” [Gold Derby]

    • Simon Hattenstone meets with the “contradictory” Tilda Swinton. [The Guardian]

    • Eugene Hernandez and Peter Knegt debate the documentary shortlist. [indieWIRE]

  • 11/21 Oscarweb Round-up

    Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky• Lisa Rosen talks to Sally Hawkins about “Happy-Go-Lucky.” [The Envelope]

    • Tom O’Neil wonders whether Hugh Jackman’s title as “sexiest man alive” in People mag will be costly.  I think the film did him in before the honor, but that’s me. [Gold Derby]

    • Jeffrey Wells is on board for “Revolutionary Road.” [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Anne Thompson comments on the woes of digitally projected films this season.  The lesson?  Just get a print ready and to hell with those of us in the press that might seem impatient. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • New York Mag keeps us up to date on the “ups” and “downs,” wonders if Kate Winslet is moving in on Meryl Streep.  She is. [Vulture]

    • Carrie Bell reports from a star-studded screening of “Doubt,” gets reactions to the film’s Oscar buzz. [Entertainment Weekly]