 It’s time to dive, dive in deep…well, at least as deep as you can in May. As I attempted to unveil the newest set of Oscar Predictions, I realized how many promising films are left to be seen in the remaining seven months. As of now, the only real Best Picture contender that has the legs to make it until the end of the year would be Sarah Polley’s Stories We Tell, and that’s a longshot at best given its genre. You can make arguments for films like The Place Beyond the Pines by Derek Cianfrance and even Mud by Jeff Nichols but those will need a well-placed DVD release with a focused campaign, something I’m not sure the studios are willing to bet on. Cianfrance’s film also has an outside shot for Screenplay and a Supporting Actor mention for Ryan Gosling. If anything, this helps him for Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives, if they’re feeling like recognizing him a second time. It feels like eons ago when Gosling was nominated for Ryan Fleck’s Half Nelson (2006) and then later missed other opportunities for Lars and the Real Girl (2007), Blue Valentine (2010), and Drive (2011). Not sure when it will be before he gets back onto the Oscar radar.
Down below, why don’t we start taking a look at the slate by each studio and assess where their money will and should go throughout the season. Read more on Oscar Circuit – The Studio Assessment Part 1…
Categories: Article, Editor, Oscar Circuit, Oscar Predictions Tags: 2014 Oscar Predictions, Academy Awards, Alfonso Cuarón, American Hustle, August: Osage County, Before Midnight, Ben Stiller, Blue Jasmine, Bruce Dern, Cameron Diaz, Captain Phillips, Dane DeHaan, David O. Russell, Editor, Ethan Hawke, Foxcatcher, George Clooney, Gravity, Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Wells, Julie Delpy, Kill Your Darlings, Kristin Wiig, Leonardo DiCaprio, Man of Steel, Maria Bello, Martin Scorsese, Matthew McConaughey, melissa leo, Michael Fassbender, Mud, Nebraska, Oscar Circuit, Pacific Rim, Paul Greengrass, Penelope Cruz, Peter Jackson, Prisoners, Richard Linklater, Ridley Scott, Ryan Gosling, Sarah Polley, Shirley MacLaine, Sony Pictures Classics, Steve Carell, Steve McQueen, Stories We Tell, The Counselor, The Great Gatsby, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Seventh Son, The Way Way Back, The Wolf of Wall Street, tom hanks, Twelve Years A Slave, Viola Davis, Woody Allen
 Superhero films often get a bad rap among AMPAS members. Not too many of them think any superhero genre film has pushed the boundaries of the cinematic scope to warrant any major citations. We often just accept that despite a movie being just freaking awesome and super entertaining à la Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) last year, there isn’t any feasible chance the Academy will recognize the mass popular film. Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 opened to decent enough reviews, no one necessarily bringing up the “O” word so this doesn’t really apply there per se but what about the other films that are scheduled to open. Better yet, how about the other films that have come before it. Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming Elysium looks like a visual splendor while Star Trek Into Darkness looks to capture the magic of its predecessor one more time. Not superhero films but genre films nonetheless that have an extra hard time being recognized no matter the quality.
When Heath Ledger was awarded Best Supporting Actor for his diabolical performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008), there’s no real way of ever knowing if Ledger hadn’t passed away prior to the film’s release, would he still have had all the momentum and get the AMPAS love he very much deserved. Read more on Superhero Omissions – What Oscar Hasn’t Recognized Over the Years…
Categories: Article, Editor Tags: Alfred Molina, batman, Batman Begins, Billy Crudup, Christopher Nolan, Editor, Heath Ledger, Hugo Weaving, Iron Man 3, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jonathan Nolan, Lee Smith, Natalie Portman, Spider-Man 2, Spiderman, Superhero, Superhero Films, The Dark Knight, the dark knight rises, V for Vendetta, Wally Pfister, Watchmen, Zack Snyder
 Raves continue to pour in for Sarah Polley’s Stories We Tell, the documentary about the family origins of writer/director Polley’s life. Standing sturdy at a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, one has to fathom if the expansion of the Best Picture field can lend itself to a documentary the way it has for animated and science fiction films.
As we get ready to get into the summer months, no film has presented itself as a strong Best Picture contender unless you believe in the odds for Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond the Pines with Ryan Gosling. A long shot at best, all the films listed on the TRACKER, haven’t been released for audiences to gander upon just yet. We know that Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight and Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station will have strong possibilities depending on how the rest of the year shapes up. Read more on 2014 Oscar Predictions – Is ‘Stories We Tell’ Our First Best Picture Contender?…
Categories: Article, Editor, Oscar Circuit Tags: 2014 Oscar Predictions, Academy Award Predictions, Academy Awards, Documentary Feature, Editor, Fruitvale Station, oscar predictions, Ryan Gosling, Stories We Tell, The Place Beyond the Pines
 Sarah Polley continues to become one of the most innovative and inventive directors working today and its proved by what she spills out on the silver screen in her newest endeavor Stories We Tell. A compelling and personal documentary about her own life, Stories We Tell blends and fuses the magic of non-fiction with the imagination of the cinematic mind. Read more on Stories We Tell (***½)…
 A new film for the generation of Mean Girl lovers, Darren Stein’s G.B.F. is a hilarious and down right touching motion picture. Starring Michael J. Willet as Tanner, a high school student who’s recently outed to his school. When the three main clicks in the school try to use Tanner as an accessory as the “Gay Best Friend” to be crowned Prom Queen, things get very interesting. Because of the unique nature of the film, I had to give it a unique review to go with it.
Things I’m Obsessed With:
Xosha Roquemore: the beautiful and memorable actress that was a breath of fresh air during the powerful film Precious by Lee Daniels, is given a role to really stretch her legs. I hope this film mainstreams her into more challenging and accessible roles in the future à la Taraji P. Henson. Read more on 2013 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: G.B.F. (***½)…
 A Case of You (**½)
Where the romantic comedy A Case of You, starring Justin Long and Evan Rachel Wood, succeeds is ultimately where it missteps. Directed Kat Coiro assembles a terrific cast including the underutilized Sam Rockwell and extremely memorable Peter Dinklage, however, the screenplay that is co-written by Long along with brother Christian and Keir O’Donnell doesn’t have a true sense of identity. Tells the story of a young man who thinks he’s met the girl of his dreams and attempts to court her by all interests and statuses from her Facebook page.
Read more on 2013 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: ‘A Case of You’ and ‘The English Teacher’…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: 2013 Film Festival, A Case of You, Editor, Editor Film Review, Evan Rachel Wood, Greg Kinnear, Julianne Moore, Justin Long, Lily Collins, peter dinklage, The English Teacher, Tribeca Film Festival
 Awards Circuit turns 5 years old today. I’ve been on this adventure along with a great team of writers for five years and I can’t be happier with the way things are heading. I’d like to thank all of them for their hard work and of course, I’d like to thank ALL of the readers that have come and gone over the years. You have all been appreciated.
Include your favorite Awards Circuit feature or moment in the comment section. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and LIKE us on Facebook.
Read more on Happy 5 Year Anniversary to the Awards Circuit!…
 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: Laurie Collyer brought the very best out of Maggie Gyllenhaal with her feature film debut of Sherrybaby (2006), a performance that stands as one of the best of that decade. When her follow-up Sunlight Jr, was announced last year, the anticipation naturally grew to its highest peak. Having sensational actors like Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon were promising to say the least. As good as the premise sounds on paper, Collyer loses focus of her characters and delivers an uneven film that doesn’t stand next to her quiet sensation from 2006.
Read more on TRIBECA: Sunlight Jr. (**)…
 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: No film at the Tribeca Film Festival or any film in recent memory has captured the cultural and significant impacts of tragedy in the minds of adolescence than Daniel Patrick Carbone’s Hide Your Smiling Faces. Engagingly suspenseful, this tale about two brothers, after a tragedy occurs in their rural town, must confront their own demons that include relationships, nature, and morality.
Tommy (Ryan Jones) and Eric (Nathan Varnson) are confronted with morally conflicting views of life and as the two try to siphon their own processes surrounding their tragedy, an underlining beauty exists that I’m not sure I fully understand after the film. Hide Your Smiling Faces lays it on and lays it on hard as these two boys encounter several instances of adult situations through the eyes of young children. Writer/director Carbone isn’t troubled to ask the tough questions of youth and as the boys battle through their layers of guilt, innocence, and even sexuality, Carbone explores the soul of youth and comes up with a phenomenal portrait that stands proudly next to classics like Stand by Me (1986). Read more on TRIBECA: Hide Your Smiling Faces (****)…
 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: Since his first entry into the realm of Oscar-lovers and voters, Thomas Haden Church seemed like a one-trick pony. His newest effort in Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais’ film Whitewash has the actor delivering his finest work yet. Telling the story of Bruce, a man heavy on the bottle, who after he hits a man with his bulldozer during a snowstorm, ventures out into the cold Canadian woods to hide for survival.
As the narrative travels in and out of present and past time, writers Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais and Marc Tulin manage to keep the subdued aura of the film while still keeping it interesting and inventive. Many choices in storytelling and shooting will remind many of the underrated film from Joe Carnahan, The Grey (2012), but the characters here felt much more accessible, both in flaws and pros. The dreary and intimate portrait captured by Cinematographer André Turpin is what encourages the film to go to another place cinematically. His choices along with Hoss-Desmarais’ direction keep the story and the audience close and working together to get to our resolution. Read more on TRIBECA: Whitewash (***½)…
 There are always films that seem to define the youth of the decade. In the 1980s, you can make an argument for any of the “rat pack” movies but I remain the closest to John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club (1985). In the 1990s, the hilarious and raunchy American Pie (1999) that bookended a great decade of dramatic and comedic cinema. Scott Coffey’s newest endeavor Adult World starring the talented and adorable Emma Roberts is a touching and uproariously entertaining comedy about a recent college graduate Amy that believes she’s destined to be the next great poet. When things don’t go in her favor, Amy gets a job at an adult book store called “Adult World.”
Written by Andy Cochran, who has written episodes for MTV’s “Teen Wolf” and “Super Sweet 16: The Movie,” the first-time movie screenwriter assembles an assortment of creative and unique characters with genuine deeds that feel credible and realistic. Director Coffey does a commendable job transporting the audience through the story , inserting varieties of colors, beats, and instances of emotional connection. It’s one of the best films seen at the Tribeca Film Festival and could one of the crowd-pleasing films of the year upon release. Read more on TRIBECA: Adult World (***½)…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: Adult World, Andy Cochran, Armando Riesco, Editor, Editor Film Review, Emma Roberts, Evan Peters, John Cusack, Scott Coffey, Tribeca Film Festival
 Phil Morrison blazed onto the scene with Junebug (2005) and managed to introduce the cinematic world to the blissful abilities with Oscar-nominated actress Amy Adams. With a near eight year stretch, he has finally taken his directorial chair yet again to bring the whimsical and fascinating Almost Christmas with Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd.
The film opens up with Dennis (Giamatti), a recently released ex-convict that learns that his now ex-wife has told their daughter that he died in prison. To make matters worse, his partner-in-crime Rene is now dating her with intentions of marriage. With no job, home, or any real place to go, Rene’s guilt partners with Dennis’ opportunities and the two French Canadians embark on a trip to New York City to sell Christmas trees just before the holidays. During the daily antics and struggle to sell, eat, and sleep out of a wooden trailer, a dentist’s wife (Sally Hawkins) presents a possible opportunity for them to learn more than just the meaning of the holidays. Read more on TRIBECA: Almost Christmas (***)…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: Almost Christmas, Editor, Editor Film Review, Melissa James Gibson, Paul Giamatti, paul rudd, Phil Morrison, Sally Hawkins, Tribeca Film Festival
 Debut writer/director Lance Edmands puts an admirable touch on his film Bluebird starring John Slattery and Amy Morton. The story and overall aura of the film feels more in line with films like Winter’s Bone (2010) and The Sweet Hereafter (1997) but lacking the emotional punch needed to grab the audience fully. Ultimately the film explores many of its central characters in an interesting manner but leaves many questions unanswered and not in the indie-flair way that can still feel satisfying. It’s the powerful performance of Amy Morton and the efforts of the rest of the cast that gives the film any lasting impression.
The film takes place in the frozen woods of a small Maine town. After Lesley (Morton) makes a tragic mistake that shatters the balance of the community, not even her husband Richard (Slattery) or her daughter Paula (Emily Meade), can rid her of the overbearing guilt that has taken over. As multiple stories take place including that of Marla (Louisa Krause), Crystal (Margo Martindale), and young Owen (Quinn Bard), all of their lives become connected in a way none of them could have imagined, perhaps forever. Read more on TRIBECA: Bluebird (**½)…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: Adam Driver, Amy Morton, Bluebird, Editor, Editor Film Review, John Slattery, Lance Edmands, Louisa Krause, Margo Martindale
 The upcoming hopeful from Ryan Coogler and The Weinstein Company, which received high praise from the Sundance Film Festival, has officially changed its title. The film, originally called “Fruitvale,” will now be called Fruitvale Station.
The film that tells the story of the true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008. The film stars Michael B. Jordan as Oscar and and also co-stars Academy Award Winner Octavia Spencer.
The film is still set to open on July 26, 2013. Read more on Weinstein Company Changes ‘Fruitvale’ Title…
 The film opens up with a mystery, a subtle yet powerful imagery that focuses on the senses of seeing, hearing, and touching. A lavish score by writer/director/star Shane Carruth lays mindful and precise to capture the enigmatic nature of the film. A hybrid of science fiction that keeps the viewer at a distance but intrigued enough to stay on the ride, Carruth develops and writes a model of storytelling that will be appreciated in years to come. Hypnotic, and often places you into sensory overload, but its imaginative and intoxicating nature are completely unconventional and will inspire a new age of filmmakers to come forward.
Read more on Upstream Color (***)…
 I thought it’d be super fun to talk about some of the great gems of my childhood. Literally, I was sitting home this morning before I had to go to work and started watching some clips of the my favorite movies from my childhood. Most of the staff are twenty-somethings (with the exception of Mark Johnson who we remind constantly) and the 90s were a memorable part of my film shaping life. I remember sitting home, watching most of these movies on VHS, then cutting to MTV, when MTV actually played music videos.
Read more on Childhood Circuit – The 90s Remembered…
 How there any lovers of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln that are still bummed it lost Best Picture at last year’s Oscars? We have a chance to make this time a bit more managable for you. We are giving away a few copies of the film that racked up 47 wins, 108 total nominations, and won two Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Best Production Design this past award season.
There a few clips of the film down below along with bonus clips that you will find on your Blu-Ray + DVD copy if you win. How do you win, you ask? All you have to do is watch the clips and comment down below using your Facebook, Twitter, or Google sign-in and answer the following:
- Tell us what your favorite scene from Lincoln is and why?
- Who gave your favorite performance from the film and why?
- What President do you want to see get the biopic treatment next and who do you want to play him?
We have three copies to give away. One will be chosen at random, one will be chosen by myself, and the last will be chosen by one of my writers. Pretty easy, eh? Only one entry per reader, please.
Read the press release after the jump about the specs of the film that is now available on Digital Download, Blu-Ray, and DVD. Read more on CONTEST: Win a Copy of Steven Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’ on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack!…
 I’ve always been a sucker for comedic actors making a strong and firm transition into serious, more dramatic roles. Though the Academy Awards never recognized it, Jim Carrey made a strong showing in films like The Truman Show (1998) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Other actors that have followed include Jack Black as the flamboyant and eclectic old-lady killer in Bernie (2012) and even Chris Rock as he brilliantly complemented the off-beat love of Julie Delpy in 2 Days in New York (2012).
The newest attempt placed Paul Rudd opposite Emile Hirsch in David Gordon Green’s dramedy Prince Avalanche. Suffering from a mundane, indulgent, and poorly constructed story with unrealistic characters and human behavior, Prince Avalanche falls right on its face from the near get go. Telling the story of Alvin (Rudd) and Lance (Hirsch), two highway road workers who spend the summer of 1988 in isolation as they get into weird instances of self-realization and having quarrels about the women waiting for them when they return. Read more on TRIBECA: Prince Avalanche (**)…
 Writer/Director Rahim Bahrani, responsible for the indie hit, Goodbye Solo (2008) puts some of his best cinematic qualities to use in his newest film At Any Price starring Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron. Bahrani’s take on mid-western culture is at times fascinating though has many instances of feeling like a Lifetime movie of the week. Layered with narrative vices and escalating tension, the true savior of the film is the powerhouse performance by Quaid.
Telling the story of the Whipple’s, a farming family whose agriculture business is threatened by an impending investigation of their fields and the procedures they follow. In the midst of the ordeal, the relationship of a father and his rebellious son (Efron) is tested to their max. Bahrani’s interpretation of modern-day Iowa and the communities that surround is an interesting examination of American values that he respectfully caresses however; he does tend to lean on the clichéd dialogue of family melodrama with short cuts and unrealistic story developments that don’t do him or his characters any favors. Read more on TRIBECA: At Any Price (***)…
 As April has completely come out of nowhere and become fully present, I’ve updated the new Oscar Tracker to keep in mind everything that has already been released this year so far or have screened at major festivals like Sundance, SXSW, and Tribeca.
There’s no super-duper “out there” contender that looks like it can go all the way as of today with the exception of Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight. While the film is an absolute marvel, it won’t be determined until the autumn if it can sustain throughout the summer and become a leading contender like last year with Moonrise Kingdom and Beasts of the Southern Wild. Obviously, the latter was the only film to crack the Best Picture lineup but if we’re in store for a change like AMPAS going back to five Best Picture nominees, as some have speculated, a small indie film like Linklater’s could get lost throughout the summer and fall months. As of now, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy could show up with Linklater in Adapted Screenplay but on their performances alone, they will warrant some consideration. Both are superb in their roles and will have their champions throughout the year. Read more on First Quarter Round-Up – Are There Any Oscar Contenders?…
Categories: Article, Editor, Oscar Circuit, Oscar Predictions Tags: Academy Awards, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, AMPAS, Before Midnight, Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, Chris O'Dowd, Dane DeHaan, Derek Cianfrance, Editor, Ethan Hawke, Fruitvale, Julie Delpy, Kill Your Darlings, Matthew McConaughey, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Shannon, Mud, Octavia Spencer, oscar predictions, Oscar Tracker, Oz the Great and Powerful, Richard Linklater, Rooney Mara, Ryan Gosling, Sarah Polley, Side Effects, Steven Soderbergh, Stories We Tell, The Iceman, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Sapphires
 The Tribeca Film Festival kicked off last Thursday with Pre-Festival screenings giving press and industry personnel the opportunity to see the heavy slate of films the New York festival has to offer. Over the next few weeks, until the official festival kicks off on April 17th, the very best in foreign, documentary, and independent cinema will get some of their first viewings.
Richard Linklater directed and co-wrote the romantic classic Before Sunrise (1995) with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. We have to start by looking at how far this series has come since its inception nearly twenty years ago. At the time, Hawke was fresh off Ben Stiller’s Reality Bites (1994) and was on his way to bigger projects. Starring in the underwhelming yet entertaining White Fang (1991) and having a supporting turn in my favorite film of all-time Dead Poets Society (1989) with Robin Williams; Hawke was on his way from teen sensation to serious character actor. Julie Delpy had a very different journey and was virtually unknown in America. Having roles in the “Three Colors” series as Dominique, her only memorable American roles up to that point were in Roger Avary’s Killing Zoe (1993) as the young Zoe and as Constance in Disney’s adaptation of The Three Musketeers (1993) with Charlie Sheen and Keifer Sutherland. Read more on TRIBECA: Before Midnight (****)…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: 2013 release, Before Midnight, Editor, Editor Film Review, Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Richard Linklater, Sony Pictures Classics, Tribeca Film Festival
 A&E may have just inherited the next great show of cable television. “Bates Motel” gives a modern-day twist on the early years of Norman Bates and his mother Norma as they transition into the iconic motel where Norman will have experiences and an odd take honoring thy mother. Creator Anthony Cipriano has a very distinct vision of this retelling of the characters that were featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant film Psycho (1960). Read more on Bates Motel (****)…
 American Idol LIVE shows officially kick off next Tuesday! The Top 20 have been chosen by the judges, with some head-scratching omissions, but does it look like a girl can finally win American Idol since Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks. Staff Writer Joseph Braverman has done an outstanding job thus far recapping each episode and will continue to do so for the remainder of the season.
While I’ll be bringing the Power Rankings of the contestants each week, I’ll also be kicking off our Past Idol series this Sunday with Season 11 Top 24 contestant Hallie Day who will be making a guest spot on The Awards Circuit Power Hour.
Before the first episode aired, the talk circled around judges Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey and their ongoing feud. While no obvious disagreements have sparked any fights on the panel so far, the LIVE shows could kick things up a notch. Nicki’s critiques have been mostly useful while Mariah seems to be Paula Abdul-ing herself all over the place. A little incoherent at times, their seems to be an obvious click and war between Nicki and Keith Urban and Randy Jackson and Mariah. Grammy-winner Urban has been an absolute delight on the panel this year although a little soft on some contestants, I’m happy with his inclusion thus far. Read more on American Idol Season 12 Power Rankings and Preview…
 A wonderful surprise from a little movie that could, Xiaoshuai Wang’s 11 Flowers is a beautiful look at the gifts Chinese cinema can provide. A classy, poignant tale that resonates loudly and enchants the most tender parts of the human soul.
The film takes place in 1975, the final year of the Cultural Revolution, telling the story of Wang Han, an eleven year old boy who begs his mother for a white shirt. It’s unbelievable a concept or garment seemingly so unimportant especially when revolving an entire plot around it, can be so profound and masterfully created. As his school’s best gymnast, Han leads the daily calisthenics for his entire student body. When his teacher suggests this honor of leading the school deserves a new white shirt as oppose to the school’s regulatory blue one, Wang Han begins an obsession with his new garment. Read more on 11 Flowers (***½)…
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