We are ramping up to the Oscars and the Academy has released some new poster art to celebrate the occasion. Olly Moss, the talented designer, was commissioned to create a poster inspired by past Best Picture winners and came up with the wonderful creation you see on the right. The poster was made in conjunctions with Gallery1988 and will include a final poster once Argo wins again a Best Picture is crowned on February 24. I’ve included some of my favorites after the jump but you can view the whole gallery here.
Noah Baumbach’s newest film, Frances Ha, debuted last year at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is described as a comedy about growing up, and stars Greta Gerwig (who co-wrote the film). Frances Ha has a May 17th release date, but you can read Clayton’s review here in the meantime from the New York Film Festival. After the jump, have a look at the first poster and a brief clip that gives you the mood and tone of the film.
The last musical to win the Best Picture Oscar was 2002′s Chicago. AMPAS has announced today that four members of the cast - Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, and Catherine Zeta-Jones – will be appearing at the 85th Academy Awards. However, they will not be joining acts like Barbra Streisand, Norah Jones, or Adele with a musical number. Instead, the four will simply be joining a growing list of presenters that include Meryl Streep, Jean Dujardin, Octavia Spencer, Christopher Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo. See the official release after the jump.
Luc Besson’s (The Professional) newest gangster drama, Malavita (which we spoke about briefly on this week’s Power Hour), will be produced by someone who knows a little something about mob films – Martin Scorsese. Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Tommy Lee Jones headline the cast. Have a look at the press release after the jump.
The Awards Circuit Power Hour generates some lively discussions this week among the staff. I’m joined by Terence, Joey, and Mark to dive into the Oscar race as well as other various topics:
We talk about the BAFTA Awards that took place on Sunday where Argo reigned supreme. How many awards will Ben Affleck’s film win? Does the surprise win for Emmanuelle Riva mean anything? (time of recording was Sunday as I was at the time unaware that she didn’t attend the ceremony)
We take a question via one of our readers, Michael Napoli, that generates some discussion about Daniel Day-Lewis winning this third Oscar. Katharine Hepburn won four Oscars over fifty years while Day-Lewis seems to be winning three over thirty, having an average of one nomination every five films. Could there be an upset in his future?
I deliver your Academy Idol Results. The Top 4 competed during “Scores Week.” With no Bottom Two named, which of the films, Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Silver Linings Playbook, and Zero Dark Thirty, would surprise you with an elimination? Listen for the Top 3 announcement.
Argo wins the USC Scripter award over heavy hitters Silver Linings Playbook and Lincoln. Is Chris Terrio lined up for an Adapted Screenplay win?
Final Oscar ballots are out! When is the best time to make your final predictions?
In light of Nicole Melkonian’s newest series, Writer’s Block, we discuss some of favorite screenplays of all-time. I also announce that the staff will be writing up their “10 Greatest Screenplays of All-Time” following the Oscars light last year’s popular, “10 Greatest Films of All-Time.”
Adam and Dog (Director Minkyu Lee) Fresh Guacamole (Director Adam Pesapane) Head Over Heels (Director Timothy Reckart) Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare’ (Director David Silverman) Paperman (Director John Kahrs)
While the Animated Feature films each year often get the most attention, some years actually feature the best animation being done in the short film. In my humble opinion, 2012 was just such a year, so it was very pleasing to see the Best Animated Short category as stacked as it is this year. A pair of the five nominated shorts are better than any of the feature animated flicks that got nominated, and honestly better than any that were released last year. The category itself isn’t easy to predict, but I’m going to be taking a crack at it anyway. Lets get started and begin by getting to know the nominated works!
Just when it was looking like Claudio Miranda’s to lose, Roger Deakins has won the ASC awards for his camera work on Sam Mendes’ Skyfall. The group announced the winner last night when Deakins won over competitors Miranda (Life of Pi), Seamus McGarvey (Anna Karenina), Janusz Kaminski (Lincoln), and Danny Cohen (Les Miserables). Deakins won the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 and has won two competitive ASC awards for The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) and The Shawshank Redemption (1994).
In what has turned out to be the most unconventional year for Oscar predicting, Roger Deakins may be able to top Miranda come Oscar night if enough voters know that the veteran craftsman has been nominated nine time prior and has never won. ASC doesn’t always line up with Oscar. Read more on American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Award goes to Roger Deakins…
Lore (***) – Submitted to the Academy Awards this year for “Best Foreign Language Film,” Australia’s Lorerevisits a painful time in history that most would rather sweep under a rug. It’s both a brave and bold task convincing audiences to sympathize with German defenders of the Nazi regime, but writer-director Cate Shortland effortlessly carries out this duty with apt confidence. Following the arrest of her SS military father and mother immediately after World War II is won by the Allies, titular heroine “Lore” is forced to traverse the dense and dangerous German landscape with her younger siblings in tow, hoping to reach the safe haven of their aunt’s country home before anti-Nazi violence draws their innocent blood. Along the way, the tight-knit family forms an unlikely alliance with a young man who could very well be the key to their survival. Lore’s perspective on life, humanity and the strict indoctrinations instilled in her by kin and countrymen begin to first muddle, and then shift toward some greater realization following the time she and her siblings spend with this mysterious companion. Read more on Snippet Reviews: ‘Lore’ and ‘The Gatekeepers’…
In many countries, ‘Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters’ (Par.) has taken to the top of the charts. Europe favors ‘Django Unchained’ (Wein.) and many of the Oscar nominees flash on the charts. This week, on the domestic charts, zombie romance, ‘Warm Bodies’ (Sum.) takes the lead, followed by the witch hunters and ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ (Wein.) Horror film, ‘Mama’ (Uni.) claims #4, Kathryn Bigelow’s ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ (Sony) takes #5, and new Sylvester Stallone, ‘Bullet to the Head’ (WB) places at #6. Down two since the previous week, ‘Parker’ (FD) is #7, followed by ‘Django Unchained’, ‘Lincoln’ (BV), and ‘Les Miserables (2012)’ finishes the top 10 of the week.
We are ramping up to the Oscars and the Academy has released some new poster art to celebrate the occasion. Olly Moss, the talented designer, was commissioned to create a poster inspired by past Best Picture winners and came up with the wonderful creation you see on the right. The poster was made in conjunctions with Gallery1988 and will include a final poster once 
