Features
One of the best parts of Oscar season is NPR’s rundown of the Best Original Score nominees by music critic Andy Trudeau. The copy is live now, but the audio won’t be up until noon (EST) tomorrow. He says there’s not a real standout this year, and goes with Hans Zimmer and “Sherlock Holmes” for […]
Andy Trudeau handicaps the original score contenders
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:42 pm · March 6th, 2010
Filed in: Daily
OSCAR GUIDE: Best Music (Original Score)
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:26 am · February 26th, 2010
For years the composers of the music branch tended to be a bit insular. Impressive newcomer talent was often ignored while the usual suspects showed up year after year. Not long ago, there seemed to be a shift, yielding slates much like the one we have for 2009. There is one first-timer, but other nominees […]
Filed in: Daily
Hans Zimmer’s ‘Discombobulate’ music video
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 4:19 pm · February 25th, 2010
Earlier today we featured an interview with “Sherlock Holmes” composer Hans Zimmer, the first of a two-part piece on the nominated composers of 2009. This music video just crossed my bow, I found it novel enough — thought I’d share:
Filed in: Daily
TECH SUPPORT INTERVIEW: Composer symposium, part one
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 2:30 pm · February 25th, 2010
When you’re a film music composer as prolific as Hans Zimmer, unique soundtrack flavors can be a bit elusive. But with Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes,” Zimmer found them, pushing the boundaries of what’s acceptable with action film scores in the process. But the work isn’t without its inspirations. There seem to be bits of Danny […]
Filed in: Interviews · Tech Support
SUNDAY CENTS: Dear James, Suck it! Signed, ‘Dear John’
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 10:43 am · February 7th, 2010
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. After spending only seven weeks at the top of the box office, “Avatar” was humiliatingly defeated by “Dear John” and doomed to obscurity forever by dropping to second place. The new weekend victor earned a phenomenal $32.4 million to end James Cameron’s epic reign and finally […]
Filed in: Box Office · Sunday Cents
‘Avatar’ leads VES nominations
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 5:49 pm · January 18th, 2010
No surprises there. James Cameron’s film landed 11 separate mentions from the Visual Effects Society (some more specifically indicated than others). “2012” and “District 9” each landed three nominations, while “Sherlock Holmes” and “Star Trek” each landed two. The nominees in the main field, “visual effects in a visual effects driven feature motion picture,” are: […]
Filed in: Daily
Things I learned from the Globes
Posted by Guy Lodge · 10:22 am · January 18th, 2010
Last January, I wrote an especially effusive review of the previous night’s Golden Globe awards, commending the usually much-derided HFPA for looking beyond star power and box-office grosses. Instead, they assembled an international and rather indie-minded winners slate that included such titles as “Happy-Go-Lucky,” “The Wrestler,” “In Bruges,” “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and eventual Oscar-sweeper “Slumdog […]
Filed in: Daily
SUNDAY CENTS: That ‘Avatar’ thing is doing well, eh?
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 12:01 pm · January 10th, 2010
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. Have you guys heard of this movie “Avatar?” Apparently, seeing as it’s the number one movie for the fourth week in a row and dropped a ridiculous 29% to $48.5 million. First off, it’s the biggest fourth weekend for a film ever, narrowly eclipsing the $45 […]
Filed in: Box Office · Sunday Cents
FRIDAY FORECAST: January blues
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 5:20 pm · January 8th, 2010
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. Barring a catastrophe, “Avatar” should spend a comfortable fourth weekend at the top and cross $400 million in the process. That would make 2009 the first year since 2004 to have two films cross that milestone. It would also make “Avatar” the second-fastest film to hit […]
Filed in: Daily
1/8 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:47 am · January 8th, 2010
• Faith-based marketing and “The Blind Side.” [Cinematical] • Why “The Princess and the Frog” is making history while looking to the past. [The Times] • Academy names Sci-Tech honors. [Variety]
Filed in: Daily
SUNDAY CENTS: Happy Blue Year
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 10:49 am · January 3rd, 2010
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. Okay. What kind of fairy dust is James Cameron sprinkling in his films? Subliminal messages perhaps? There’s no other explanation. “Avatar” is the number one movie again this weekend, raking in $68.3 million, off 10% from last week. It becomes the first film to spend three […]
Filed in: Box Office · Sunday Cents
12/30 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:40 am · December 30th, 2009
• Weinstein scales back the “Nine” expansion in the wake of low box office, bad reviews. [Reuters] • “Avatar” effects guru Joe Letteri sure is making the rounds. Next stop: Steve Pond. [The Odds] • On Oscar’s consistent rule changes. [Variety]
Filed in: Daily
SUNDAY CENTS: Box office is a Festivus miracle!
Posted by Chad Hartigan · 2:18 pm · December 27th, 2009
*All historical figures cited are adjusted to today’s dollars. Holy shit. There’s no other way to describe the box office this weekend, which may well go down as the most attended three days on record. Nearly 35 million tickets were sold and three films grossed more than $50 million each. The number one movie for […]
Filed in: Box Office · Sunday Cents
Holiday film thoughts
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:25 pm · December 26th, 2009
It struck me that I should probably offer up some space for you all to discuss the latest releases since it’s obviously been a slow-moving week, so if you want to speak up on “It’s Complicated,” “Sherlock Holmes,” “Up in the Air,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Nine” or, God bless you, “The Squeakquel,” have […]
Filed in: Daily
Best in show: the year in superlatives
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 4:29 pm · December 18th, 2009
Wrapping up my perspective on the year today, a personal list of superlatives, Oscar categories and other silly nonsense. Swing back around on Monday for the ultimate wrap-up, my list of the best films of the decade. Best Picture “A Serious Man” (Focus Features) Best Director Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, “A Serious Man” Best Actor […]
Filed in: Daily
If I had a ballot
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:04 pm · December 16th, 2009
Every year I like to keep track of personal favorites throughout the Academy’s designated categories (plus one of my own addition, Best Ensemble). At the end of the year, my “if I had a ballot” post is the result. Of course, for the most part, I follow Academy designations here. If something is ruled ineligible, […]
Filed in: Daily
Going out with a bang: the best films of 2009
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:35 pm · December 14th, 2009
I’ve often been asked throughout the latter part of 2009 why I should have the gall to consider it the best year of film product in a decade. It’s such a subjective circumstance that, of course, the only answer is, “I liked a lot of movies.” That’s not enough for most. Hard and fast evidence […]
Filed in: Daily
WEEKLY WRAP: ‘Avatar’ awe, ‘Bones’ defense, original songs
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:36 pm · December 11th, 2009
• A little movie called “Avatar” premiered. This week’s Oscar Talk tucked into the film. • As “The Lovely Bones” faces a frosty critical welcome, this week’s Off the Carpet column went to bat for the film. • We interviewed a quartet of young actors making strides this year: Abbie Cornish, Saoirse Ronan, Ben Foster […]
Filed in: Daily
Archives
