Some key release dates have been swapped around today, including Spike Jonze’s upcoming science fiction/romance film, Her, starring Academy Award nominees Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, and Samantha Morton. Warner Brothers has announced that Her will have a limited release date of November 20. For more on the film, read Joseph’s Awards Profile here.
Read more on New Release Dates for Four Films Including ‘Her,’ Starring Joaquin Phoenix…
Categories: News Tags: Amy Adams, benedict cumberbatch, Bill Condon, Delivery Man, Her movie, Joaquin Phoenix, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Lily Collins, Rooney Mara, Samantha Morton, the fifth estate, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Vince Vaughn
 With Star Trek into Darkness, director J.J. Abrams has not only made one of the most action packed Star Trek films to date, he’s also made the most compelling case yet for him to successfully cross over into the world of Star Wars. This is a space adventure, pure and simple, so Trekkies may take issue with certain things, though regular audiences members are likely in for a rollicking good time at the movies.
Abrams is his normally reliable self here, and if he shows some extra confidence behind the camera after a successful first time out with this franchise, so does the entire returning cast, as well as writers Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Damon Lindelof. Armed with raised stakes and not having to waste time introducing all the characters, the minds behind this flick are able to drop you right into the thick of things and rarely put on the brakes. This is a pretty tense two hours and change, and I’d even make the argument that the film could stand to be a little longer. Though hardly perfect by any stretch, this is one of the most fun things I’ve seen in 2013 so far.
Read more on Star Trek into Darkness (***)…
Categories: Film Reviews Tags: 2013 releases, Alex Kurtzman, Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, benedict cumberbatch, Bruce Greenwood, Chris Pine, Damon Lindelof, franchise, J.J. Abrams, John Cho, Karl Urban, Peter Weller, Roberto Orci, Simon Pegg, Star Trek Into Darkness, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana
 August: Osage County is one of the most anticipated films of the Oscar season given it’s ensemble cast led by Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts and award winning pedigree (it won the Tony and the Pulitzer Prize). Today on GMA, the Weinstein Company debuted the trailer giving everyone the first look at the material since the test screening held in March. The trailer, while establishing all of the main players, is a more subtle affair, choosing to not play up the acidic wit of Lett’s writing or the really big confrontations, although you do get a glimpse of the dinner scene. Check it out after the jump!
Read more on Watch the first trailer for Weinstein Oscar contender ‘August: Osage County’…
Categories: News, Trailer Tags: Abagail Breslin, August: Osage County, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Dermont Mulroney, Ewan McGregor, John Wells, Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Meryl Streep, Misty Upham, news, Oscar hopeful, Sam Shepard, the weinstein company, Tracy Letts, trailer
The first poster has dropped for The Weinstein Company’s latest Oscar hopeful, August: Osage County. The film is directed by John Wells (The Company Men), and boasts an all-star cast that includes Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Abigail Breslin, Juliette Lewis, Dermot Mulroney, Chris Cooper, Sam Shepard, and Margo Martindale (love!). You can read Terence’s Awards Profile for the film here, and have a look at the full poster after the jump. August: Osage County is set for a November 8 release date.
Read more on Misery Loves Family: First ‘August: Osage County’ Poster…
Categories: Poster Tags: Abigail Breslin, August: Osage County, August: Osage County poster, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Dermot Mulroney, Ewan McGregor, John Wells, Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Meryl Streep, Sam Shepard, the weinstein company
 Harvey must have known that we were doing an Awards Profile about his crown jewel August: Osage County yesterday so he went and had a test screening last night! The joys of these here interwebs means that reactions were instantaneous and we’ve rounded up some of the comments. Did the movie excel or fail? Check out the opinions after the jump! Read more on First reactions to ‘August: Osage County’ arrive!…
Categories: Article Tags: Abagail Breslin, August: Osage County, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Dermont Mulroney, Ewan McGregor, John Wells, Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Meryl Streep, Misty Upham, news, Oscar hopeful, Sam Shepard, secret screening, the weinstein company, Tracy Letts
Directed By: John Wells
Written By: Tracy Letts
Cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Margo Martindale, Sam Shepard, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ewan McGregor, Juliette Lewis, Abagail Breslin, Dermont Mulroney, Julianne Nicholson, Misty Upham, Newell Alexander
Synopsis: The Weston family overcomes certain differences when their alcoholic patriarch goes missing. Read more on Awards Profile: August: Osage County…
Categories: Award Profile Tags: Abagail Breslin, August: Osage County, Awards Profile, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Dermont Mulroney, Ewan McGregor, John Wells, Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Meryl Streep, Misty Upham, Sam Shepard, the weinstein company, Tracy Letts
 Directed By: Steve McQueen
Written By: Steve McQueen and John Ridley
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Paul Dano, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Quvenzhané Wallis, Scoot McNairy, Garrett Dillahunt, Sarah Paulson, Michael Kenneth Williams, Taran Killiam, Dwight Henry, Adepero Oduye, Bryan Batt, Alfre Woodard
Synopsis: 12 Years a Slave is based on the 1853 autobiography of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped in Washington D.C in 1841 and sold into slavery. He worked on plantations in the state of Louisiana for 12 years before his release. Read more on Awards Profile: 12 Years A Slave…
Categories: Award Profile, Blog Tags: Adepero Oduye, Alfre Woodard, Awards Profile, benedict cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Bryan Batt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dwight Henry, Garrett Dillahunt, John Ridley, Michael Fassbender, Oscar hopeful, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Quvenzhané Wallis, Sarah Paulson, Scoot McNairy, Steve McQueen, Taran Killiam, Twelve Years A Slave
The film based on the WikiLeaks drama finally got an official title this week. The Fifth Estate stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange and Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds) as his colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg, and will be directed by Bill Condon (Kinsey). Principal photography has begun on the film, which is scheduled for a November 15th, 2013 release date. The Fifth Estate also stars Laura Linney, Anthony Mackie, David Thewlis, and Alicia Vikander (who appeared #3 on my list of breakthrough actors this year). See the official press release after the jump.
Read more on Dreamworks Begins Production on ‘The Fifth Estate’…
 JJ Abrams certainly knows how to deliver a teaser trailer for his films and he’s hit us with a doozy for his new film Star Trek Into Darkness, the sequel to the massively popular 2009 reboot Star Trek. Releasing not one, but two teaser trailers, we can see that the franchise is heading in a darker direction, with Benedict Cumberbatch unleashing all kinds of crazy on his quest for vengeance. Check out the two new trailers after the jump! Read more on ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ with two teaser trailers!…
Categories: Trailer Tags: Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Pine, John Cho, Karl Urban, news, Simon Pegg, Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana
 One of 2009′s pleasant surprises was J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot, a film that succeeded in being both a great crowd-pleaser and critical success. With a trailer for the sequel set to premiere in front of The Hobbit, Paramount has released an official synopsis for Star Trek Into Darkness, available after the jump!
Read more on ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ gets an official synopsis, trailer announcement…
Categories: News Tags: Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Pine, J.J. Abrams, John Cho, Karl Urban, news, Noel Clarke, Peter Weller, plot synopsis, Simon Pegg, Star Trek Into Darkness, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana
 If Juan Antonio Bayona’s The Impossible doesn’t work out for Ewan McGregor, the Weinstein Company announced today that McGregor will be joining Academy Award Winners Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts in the upcoming adaptation of August: Osage County. The film is directed by John Wells and is adapted by Tracy Letts who wrote the play as well.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Dermot Mulroney, Chris Cooper, Sam Shepard, and Margo Martindale are also set to co-star. Read more on Ewan McGregor joins Meryl Streep & Julia Roberts in “August: Osage County”…
Categories: News Tags: August: Osage County, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Culture of New York City, Dermot Mulroney, Entertainment/Culture, Ewan McGregor, John Wells, Juan Antonio Bayona, Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Osage County, Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Sam Shepard, The Weinstein Company Holdings LLC, Tracy Letts, Winners Meryl Streep
 Hello Awards Circuit! The Emmys are right around the corner and we thought it might be fun to break from a traditional article/recap of the nominees and do a chat in live blog form. Each entry will cover a particular section of the nominated field (ie. Drama, Comedy, Reality TV, TV Miniseries or Moive). This weeks chat will focus on the TV Miniseries or Movie category that sees many Hollywood heavyweights battling it out in long form.
OUTSTANDING TV MINISERIES OR MOVIE
American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys
Hemingway and Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia
Terence: I don’t know what your opinion of the nominees is, but this is perhaps the strongest field we’ve had in a while.
Joseph: I concur. I believe any of the nominated series could potentially win, but I pray it’s not the disappointing, thinly-plotted Hemingway & Gelhorn. I’m rooting for Game Change, just because I know American Horror Story will more than likely be nominated next year and the year after and the year after…
Terence: Yeah you’re right about Hemingway & Gelhorn seeming like the weakest in this field. I LOVED American Horror Story this season, although I think it’s committing slight category fraud (no matter what the Emmy Committee says!) But I have a confession to make…
Read more on Emmy Chatter: TV Miniseries or Movie…
Categories: Article, TV/Music Tags: American Horror Story, Ashley Judd, benedict cumberbatch, Bill Paxton, Clive Owen, connie britton, David Strathairn, denis o'hare, ed harris, Emma Thompson, emmy awards, Emmy Chatter, Emmy nominations, Frances Conroy, Game Change, Hatfields & McCoys, Idris Elba, Jessica Lange, Judy Davis, Julianne Moore, Kevin Costner, Luther, Mare Winningham, Martin Freeman, nicole kidman, Sarah Paulson, Tom Berenger, Woody Harrelson
 Steve McQueen is one of the most interesting up and coming directors working today. With ‘Hunger’ and ‘Shame’, he’s made two terrific films (though I like the latter a lot better and actually find the former to be very slightly overrated), and his next project ‘Twelve Years A Slave’ could be his most ambitious one yet. It’s certainly got his highest profile cast to date, with Michael Fassbender again working with McQueen, and the likes of Chiwetel Ejiofor and Brad Pitt. Well, hot on the heels of Paul Dano joining the cast last week, Variety is reporting here that in demand actor Benedict Cumberbatch has signed up as well. After the jump you can see what the film is about, but it’s currently shaping up to be a really interesting one. I know I’ll be seeing it, hopefully next year sometime…
Read more on Benedict Cumberbatch and Paul Dano join the cast of ‘Twelve Years A Slave’!…
 Directed by: Peter Jackson
Written by: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Graham McTavish, Ken Stott, Hugo Weaving, James Nesbitt, Luke Evans
Synopsis (from Warner Bros.): The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum.
Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know. Read more on Awards Profile: The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey…
Spielberg's "War Horse" is an Oscar contender…
Steven Spielberg, probably the most iconic and creative director of our modern time, returns with the long awaited War Horse. The story follows a young man Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and his horse Joey, and their powerful friendship that battles through war, tragedy, and hope. We follow Joey as he’s sold from Albert and becomes a staple in the lives of many throughout the early century.
There’s no denial that there are resplendent aspects to the experience. The beautifully shot picture gives Spielberg a new versatility to explore some of the most tender parts of his cinematic soul. Janusz Kaminski, two-time Oscar winning cinematographer for Schinder’s List and Saving Private Ryan brings some of the most striking images of the year and adds a much needed element of emotion. Along with John Williams’ powerful score which shows relentless execution as he re-imagines some of his other works to allow access for our empathy, these two technical giants are well on Oscar’s radar.
The film’s tranquil nature is surprising as we expect loud, gruesome, and damaging emotional repercussions, instead we are left with a calm, peaceful, and reposing experience. Spielberg hasn’t shown this much restraint before and allows the characters, scenery, and aura to do the narration. Joey’s perspective of war and friendship is a wonderful quality that is worthy of praise. We follow this horse through the deepest trenches of humanity and we still feel like the horse is real, tangible force to be loved and returned. At the core of the film, Joey is the real star. This is Spielberg’s finest venture since A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, a film with weirdly similar common factors. I felt the same type of semblance and emotional connect or lack thereof during the 2001 science fiction film. There’s heart and tenderness right in the meat of the story that attempts to create a form of despondency yet “coming togetherness” in the darkest parts of humanity. It’s not a fluid exposition that feels natural. Often times monotonous and watery, the film never really gets off its feet and slumps its way to the end.
Read more on War Horse (***)…
Categories: Editor, Film Reviews Tags: benedict cumberbatch, Editor, Editor Film Review, emily watson, film reviews, jeremy irvine, Niels Arestrup, peter mullan, Steven Spielberg, war horse
 In a cinematic world where James Bond and Jason Bourne are the current standard bearers for spy movies, something like ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ should have come as a nice breath of fresh air…a low tech and character based look at the type of material that usually involves shootouts and explosions. Alas, something was lost in translation here and the end result is a mixed bag at best. To be fair, there are things to like in ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’, but much of those positives are lost in the shuffle of an overlong and middling spy thriller that gives new meaning to the term “slow burn”. Gary Oldman makes the iconic role of George Smiley his own, but he’s about the only thing in this bleak film that I have no real issue with. I understand that a Cold War set flick should be bleak, but this is a movie without any joy and it affects the audience watching it. What should be a tense search for a mole in MI6 becomes merely a chore to sit through. It’s not necessarily the fault of director Tomas Alfredson or co-writers Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan, but more in the issues in taking John Le Carre’s well known and long spy novel to the big screen. The TV version took 7 hours. This one only takes a little more than 2, but it feels just about 7 hours long in the end…
Read more on Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (**½)…
Categories: Film Reviews Tags: benedict cumberbatch, book adaptation, Christian McKay, Cirian Hinds, Colin Firth, Gary Oldman, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Oscar hopeful, tinker tailor soldier spy, Toby Jones, Tom Hardy
With the recent announcements of Keira Knightley from David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method being campaigned in the Lead Actress category and every actor from Roman Polanski’s Carnage being campaigned in the Supporting categories by Sony Pictures Classics, the Awards Circuit’s Oscar Tracker has been updated.
What do these announcement’s mean awards-wise? Knightley is going to have an uphill climb indeed for her category with seven or eight leading ladies already duking it out. The cast of Carnage might have an easier time especially stars Christoph Waltz and Jodie Foster who have received good early buzz for their performances. If Max Von Sydow is not the performance we think he is for Stephen Daldry’s Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close or if George Clooney’s The Ides of March buzz dies altogether, Waltz may have a very easy get for himself in the Supporting Actor category. John C. Reilly hasn’t been much of an awards talker thus far and I don’t expect anything to change on that regards.
Read more on Massive Oscar Tracker Update!…
Categories: Editor, News Tags: benedict cumberbatch, Carnage, Christoph Waltz, david cronenberg, extremely loud and incredibly close, Jeff Nichols, Jessica Chastain, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley, Lead Actress, Oscar Tracker, Roman Polanski, Supporting Actress, Take Shelter, Tate Taylor, Terrence Malick, The Help, The Ides of March, The Tree of Life, tinker tailor soldier spy
 Oscar season is nearly in full swing. The screeners and invitations have already started. PR companies, studios, and other industry analysts are fighting hard for films and performances that they hope will resonate with critics’ awards and the Academy Awards. When assessing the race in all categories there seems to be an equal amount of newcomers and veterans in various categories, all fighting for a spot in their respective lineups.
In the Directing category we have the usual suspects of respected veteran directors; Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, and David Cronenberg. Most of these men have won Oscars before and looking for reaffirmation that they’ve still got it. You could easily place Terrence Malick in the same lineup for The Tree of Life, however, Malick seems to be on an island all alone at the moment. His film seems to be so uniquely split between people who love it or hate it, it’s going to be interesting if he makes the cut and wins the Oscar.
Read more on Oscar Circuit – Newbies & Oldies: Male Edition…
Categories: Article, Editor, Oscar Circuit Tags: Antonio Banderas, Beginners, benedict cumberbatch, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, david cronenberg, demian bichir, Drive, extremely loud and incredibly close, Gary Oldman, jean dujardin, Jonah Hill, max von sydow, Michael Fassbender, michel hazanvicius, Moneyball, Nicolas Winding Refn, Oscar Circuit, Shame, stephen daldry, the artist, The Skin I Live In, thomas horn, tinker tailor soldier spy, Tom Hardy, tomas alfredson, viggo mortensen, Warrior
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