 Suffering under the weight of the previous Lord of the Rings films, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey tries really hard to be its own entity while still tying into the previous franchise. Unfortunately, this film is nothing more than an adequate filmmaking exercise that strikes most of the same beats as Lord of the Rings without any of the importance, epic scope or je ne sais quoi is that a movie has to have in order to be really successful. That’s not to say this is a bad film, just one that wants you to believe that it’s great based on sheer will, 48 fps, a long running time, and closeups of the cast.
Read more on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (**)…
 Final SAG Predictions have been updated. Go to the page under the menu bar, OTHER AWARD SHOWS.
Here are general thoughts before you go and check them out.
- As tomorrow brings a lot of clarity, it can also shake things up considerably. I am PRAYING for a tie in Best Actor so the top six contenders can all have their moments. I suspect Hugh Jackman might miss in favor of NBR winner Bradley Cooper. I feel John Hawkes can also be in serious danger of missing but I remember SAG coming to his rescue for Winter’s Bone and he wasn’t even a “name” yet.
Read more on Screen Actors Guild Award Predictions and Preview…
 Best Picture
“Argo”
“Django Unchained”
“Life of Pi”
“Lincoln”
“Moonrise Kingdom”
“Zero Dark Thirty”
Best Director
Ben Affleck, “Argo”
Benh Zeitlin, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”
Wes Anderson, “Moonrise Kingdom”
Kathryn Bigelow, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Read more on St. Louis Film Critics Nominations…
 The first time I became aware of Kathryn Bigelow was in 1987 when I went to see a new vampire film entitled Near Dark (1987). There was little else out that interested me at the time, and Sherri and I always liked a good horror film, so despite the fact we knew only one member of the cast, we took a chance. Needless to say we were rocked in our seats by the brash and incredibly confident style of director Kathryn Bigelow. This was a vampire different from the others, tough and sinewy, with acts of terrible violence and roughly portrayed characters, all with a lived in feeling that worked for the film. To this day it remains the best vampire film I have ever seen, though I confess to being biased. Written by Bigelow and Eric Red, it was her first feature film, and displayed a staggering confidence with the characters, narrative and images that would become her trademark. It is a horror film merged with a western, sometimes called “that hillbilly vampire film” which would not necessarily be out of line. Read more on Historical Circuit: Near Dark (****)…
Read more on Historical Circuit: Near Dark (****)…
 Though already scheduled, the people behind ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ had amazing timing in assembling a group of industry insiders and Oscar pundits to break bread last Thursday only days after the film had picked up the first two precursor awards of the season. Essentially a luncheon to celebrate the film and main players Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Jessica Chastain, and Jason Clarke, this was a mellow little event that served as a reminder that this flick is going for it all in 2012. Earlier in the movie had its press junket (which also featured supporting player Kyle Chandler, who wasn’t at this more intimate event), so we’re all going to be very familiar with those ladies and gentlemen before all is said and done.
Read more on Luncheon with Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Jessica Chastain, and Jason Clarke!…
 I can only imagine being an Israeli citizen watching the documentary ‘The Gatekeepers’. The closest thing for an American like me would be the experience of ‘The Fog of War’, but there’s really no current comparison. This film about the history of the anti terrorism unit Shin Bet, as told in interviews with 6 former heads of the department, is incredibly fascinating and made me long for a similar type of movie concerning the war on terror for the United States and the decision makers behind that. Documentarian Dror Moreh keeps things pretty simple here, mostly just using talking head interviews with each retired Shin Bet leader to move the story along. At times things threaten to get a bit boring, but by and large this incredibly interesting stuff. The documentary isn’t coming out in theaters until February of next year (minus a qualifying run this month in New York), but it’s an official 2012 release in play for a Best Documentary Feature nomination at the Oscars. I don’t know that it can actually win the Oscar, but it’s probably one of the more likely nominees. I can definitely see the Academy going for this flick. I didn’t find it perfect, and probably like it a bit less than most, but I still can easily recommend it, especially to foreign policy/Middle Eastern political enthusiasts.
Read more on The Gatekeepers (***)…
 Best Picture
· Argo
· The Avengers
· Beasts of the Southern Wild
· Life of Pi
· Lincoln
· Les Misérables
· Moonrise Kingdom
· Silver Linings Playbook
· Skyfall
· Zero Dark Thirty
Best Director
· Ben Affleck (Argo)
· Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)
· Tom Hooper (Les Misérables)
· Ang Lee (Life of Pi)
· Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)
Read more on Phoenix Film Critics Nominations!…
It is eligible folks!!! After much speculation from the staff and I, Adele’s hit-song “Skyfall” from Sam Mendes’ Skyfall is submitted and eligible for Oscar’s Best Original Song category. The full list is listed below in the official Academy Press Release. Which five do you see nominated?
Read more on 75 Songs Submitted for Original Song Oscar including Adele’s ‘Skyfall’…
 The Official Press Release is down below. Awards Circuit will be one of the voting places to vote for “Favorite Film Franchise.” Check out the details below: (Los Angeles, CA – December 11, 2012) – The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) has announced the nominees for the 18th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. The winners will be announced live at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards ceremony on Thursday, January 11, 2013 from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The show will broadcast live on The CW Network at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
Read more on Official Press Release for the Critics Choice Movie Award Nominations!…
 18th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards
Winners to be announced live on the CW Television Network from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on January 10, 2013.
BEST PICTURE
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Master
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Read more on Critics Choice Nominations Announced!…
Categories: Article, Editor, News, Precursors Tags: alexandre desplat, Amy Adams, ang lee, Ann Dowd, Ann Maskrey, Anna Lynch-Robinson, Anna Pinnock, Anne Hathaway, Barker Hangar, Ben Affleck, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Bob Buck, Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, Chris Dickens, Chris Terrio, Christian Bale, Cinema of the United States, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Claudio Miranda, Dan Hennah, Dan Hennah/Production, Daniel Craig, Daniel Day-Lewis, Danny Cohen, David Gropman, David Gropman/Production, david magee, David O. Russell, Denzel Washington, Designer, Director, Dylan Tichenor, elle fanning, Emily Blunt, Emmanuelle Riva, Entertainment, Entertainment/Culture, Eve Stewart, Eve Stewart/Production, Gina Carano, Helen Hunt, Herbert Kretzmer, Hugh Jackman, Jack Black, Jacqueline Durran, Jake Gyllenhaal, Javier Bardem, Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, Jim Erickson, Joanna Johnston, Joaquin Phoenix, John Gatins, John Hawkes, John Williams, Jonny Greenwood, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, judi dench, kara hayward, kathryn bigelow, Katie Spencer, Keith Urban, Kym Barrett, Leslie Mann, Lincoln, Logan Lerman, Madagascar, Marion Cotillard, Mark Boal, mark wahlberg, Matthew McConaughey, Melanie Ann Oliver, Memphis, Michael Kahn, Mihai Malaimare Jr., Mila Kunis, Monty Powell, Mumford & Sons, naomi watts, Nationality, Paul Epworth, paul rudd, Paul Thomas Anderson, Paul Williams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pierre-Yves Gayraud, Queen, Quentin Tarantino, Ra Vincent, Rebel Wilson, Richard Taylor, Rick Carter, Rick Carter/Production, Robert De Niro, robert downey jr, Roger Deakins, Roman Coppola, Sally Field, Sarah Greenwood, Sarah Greenwood/Production, Set Decorator, Shirley MacLaine, Simon Bright, Stephen Chbosky, Steven Spielberg, Tim Squyres, TOM HOLLAND, Tom Hooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Tony Kushner, Valor Denmark A/S, William Goldenberg, Young Actor/Actress
 Best Picture
“Argo”
“The Impossible”
“Silver Linings Playbook”
“Take This Waltz”
“Zero Dark Thirty”
Best Director
Ben Affleck, “Argo”
J.A. Bayona, “The Impossible”
David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Sarah Polley, “Take This Waltz”
Kathryn Bigelow, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Read more on Detroit Film Critics Nominations…
AMPAS has narrowed the Original Score contenders down to a rather enormous field of 104, but at least it lets us in on what is eligible and what is not. One of the big question marks in this cateory has been whether or not Jonny Greenwood’s work for The Master would make the list (remember when his 2007 composition for There Will Be Blood was deemed ineligible?), and thankfully it is still in the race. So are my two favorite scores of the year, Cloud Atlas (Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek) and Beasts of the Southern Wild (Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin). See what else is still in the hunt after the jump…
Read more on 104 Original Scores Compete for Oscar Nominations…
 Tomorrow morning, the Critics Choice Awards will bestow their nominees for the world to see. While it might sound biased, I very much respect the organization’s choices more times than not. While their known for predicting the outcome of the Academy Awards, they do reward powerful and eclectic cinema when everyone else seems to be ignoring.
Last year the ten Best Picture nominees were:
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse
As we all know, there were nine Best Picture nominees chosen by the Academy last year and ALL nine are represented. The group may be more telling then meets the eye, at least in Best Picture. The acting awards usually have their fair share of Academy picks but as you we see with nominations for Carey Mulligan for Shame, Ryan Gosling for Drive, Michael Fassbender for Shame, and Patton Oswalt for Young Adult, the group often chooses the “more” deserving and not the one’s with the “buzz.”
Below, find my predictions for the organization. The Critics Choice Movie Awards airs LIVE on January 10, 2013. Better yet, the BFCA is introducing several new categories including “Favorite Fan Franchise,” where The Awards Circuit will be one of the voting beacons for all fans to vote. Get ready!
Read more on Critics’ Choice Movie Awards Preview…
Categories: Article, Editor Tags: Artist, Best Acting Ensemble, BFCA, Carey Mulligan, Cinema of the United States, Director, Editor, emma stone, Entertainment/Culture, Films, Human Interest, Jesse Forever, John Hawkes, Kelly Reilly, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Freeman, Michael Fassbender, naomi watts, Paris, Patton Oswalt, Paul Thomas Anderson, Pierce Gagnon, PT Huntsman Indonesia, Rashida Jones, Ryan Gosling, Shame, The Academy Awards, The Amazing Spider-Man, the critics choice awards, the Critics Choice Movie Awards, Tree of Life, Wuthering Heights, Young Actor/Actress, Young Adult
 Short Oscar Circuit this week folks!
As LAFCA, NYFCO, and BSFC all proved yesterday, you can’t keep a good ol’ film when its down. The Master resurrected after being nearly shut out thus far and won Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress with the prestigious Los Angeles Film Critics.
Normally, and I mean in any other year, I wouldn’t put so much stock into these awards but with SAG ballots due today, Critics Choice Nominations being announced tomorrow, followed by Golden Globes and SAG, Oscar will be looking for some validation of their choices. AMPAS ballots are due January 10 and they’ll be looking for some guidance in places where they can. DGA won’t announce until after the Oscar nominations.
I’ve made some updates to the Oscar Predictions and most notable is the change in Supporting Actor. Robert DeNiro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Tommy Lee Jones all still seem good for nods. The big win for Dwight Henry yesterday from LAFCA and the many runner-up mentions for Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained have started a buzz that only seems deserving. The latter performance I’m not allowed to comment on until Wednesday but I’ll say it’s something that many can get behind and in THE RIGHT category. Ann Dowd makes her appearance in the top five for Compliance and if you heard our Awards Circuit Power Hour yesterday, she’s very likable and will play the awards circuit very well.
Read more on Oscar Predictions include more ‘Beasts,’ ‘Master,’ and Dowd!…
Categories: Article, Editor Tags: ang lee, Ann Dowd, Boston, Bradley Cooper, Christoph Waltz, Cinema of the United States, Daniel Day-Lewis, David O. Russell, Denzel Washington, Dwight Henry, Editor, Entertainment/Culture, golden globes, Hugh Jackman, Jessica Chastain, Joaquin Phoenix, John Hawkes, kathryn bigelow, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Michael Haneke, Oscar, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robert DeNiro, Supporting Actor, Tommy Lee Jones, Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom
Nicholas David finally proves his worth.
Hello again, fans of The Voice! As you can imagine, I was very much upset by last week’s elimination of Amanda Brown, but even I have to admit that last night’s Semifinals was mostly impressive, especially from one dude that I’ve been picking on for most of the season. The final four battled it out — two from Team Cee Lo; two from Team Blake — to garner the necessary votes and iTunes sales that will propel them into next week’s finale. Based solely on their performances from yesterday’s show, here is how I stack up each of the Final Four:
Read more on ‘The Voice’ Recap: The Semifinals…
Read more on ‘The Voice’ Recap: The Semifinals…
Categories: Article Tags: blake shelton, Cassadee Pope, cee lo green, christina aguilera, nbc, Nicholas David, Terry McDermott, The Voice, the voice recap, the voice semifinals, the voice semifinals recap, The Voice Top 4, The Voice Top 4 recap, Trevin Hunte
 This week, some of the bigger summer releases of the year are hitting Blu-Ray/DVD, and each is a unique representative of the 2012 summer slate. One is that rare bit of original material, one is a franchise reboot/sequel/spinoff, and another is a straight up sequel. There’s certainly other films on shelves today, but those are the biggest ones. My top pick this week wasn’t a hard choice, but it’s hardly a bad group of movies overall. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I opted to cite what might be my favorite comfy of the year. There weren’t too many strong comedies this year to choose from (most top tier ones are more dramedies than anything else), but I’m very fond of this flick. Which one is it? Well, it’s:
Ted
Seth MacFarlane’s first big screen endeavor was a suitably raunchy comedy that also managed to be surprisingly sweet as well at its core. Voicing the talking teddy bear that gives the film its title, he teams with Marky Wahlberg and Mila Kunis to form a comedy team I’d love to see continue to make me laugh in sequels. MacFarlane managed to make one of the best bromance/buddy movies of the year, in my humble opinion (as I first talked about in my review here). It’s hardly high entertainment, but it’s downright hilarious and well worth picking up. On a pure entertainment level, it’s a real winner!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (12/11/2012)…
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