Author: Clayton Davis March 12, 2012 Jonah Hill, the Academy Award Nominated actor (how cool is that to put together now?) for “Moneyball” hosted “Saturday Night Live” this past weekend and completely laughed up the audience in one of the best hosting efforts this season. In his opening monologue, he pokes fun at himself, the Oscar process, and is joined by veteran actor and Oscar winner Tom Hanks. Check it out for yourself. Comments: 2 Comments |
Author: Joey Magidson February 24, 2012
Demian Bichir for “A Better Life” The strongest of the acting categories this year, Best Actor is one of the few that has multiple possibilities of an outcome, and that’s a tremendous thing to have this late in the game. This year’s slate is made up of one prior Oscar winner, one prior nominee, and 3 newcomers, including one long overdue gentleman. Even though there were lots of snubbed performances in this category in 2011, that speaks more to the quality of the lead acting performances during the season than the actual work of the nominees. These are 5 of the top 20 acting jobs of 2011, and that’s a solid grouping by any regard. To learn about how this race might go down, let’s start by looking at some history for Best Actor, shall we? Read more on Oscar Circuit: Best Actor… Categories: Oscar Circuit
Tags: Best Actor, Brad Pitt, demian bichir, Gary Oldman, George Clooney, jean dujardin, Moneyball, Oscar hopefuls, the artist, The Descendants, tinker tailor soldier spy Comments: 11 Comments |
Author: Joey Magidson February 22, 2012
Read more on Making the final case for each Best Picture nominee…… Categories: Article
Tags: best picture, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, Oscar hopefuls, the artist, The Descendants, The Help, The Tree of Life, war horse Comments: 24 Comments |
Author: Joey Magidson February 18, 2012
Read more on Which Scenes from 2011 will you remember?… Categories: Article
Tags: Another Earth, Bellflower, Best of the year, Bridesmaids, Crazy Stupid Love, Drive, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Hugo, Like Crazy, lists, Margaret, Midnight in Paris, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, Moneyball, random, Red State, Shame, Super 8, the artist, The Beaver, The Descendants, the girl with the dragon tattoo, The Ides of March, The Muppets, The Tree of Life, Warrior, We Bought a Zoo Comments: 64 Comments |
Author: Clayton Davis February 13, 2012
Let’s break down the nominees: Read more on Oscar Circuit: Adapted Screenplay… Categories: Editor, Oscar Circuit
Tags: Alexander Payne, Beau Willimon, Editor, George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Hugo, Jim Rash, John Logan, Moneyball, Nat Faxon, Oscar Circuit, predictions, Stan Chervin, Steven Zaillian, The Descendants, The Ides of March, tinker tailor soldier spy Comments: 7 Comments |
Author: Joey Magidson February 10, 2012
The Artist Tied into the Best Picture race more than any other tech category is Best Film Editing. Scoring a Best Picture win without at least a nomination here, if not a win, is incredibly rare and almost unheard of. Of late, the field has been almost entirely filled with nominees for the top prize, but at times the Academy has seen fit to cite top notch action here as well. This year, 4 of the 5 nominees are also Best Picture contenders, and that makes this part of the race pretty interesting. We have last year’s winners in play again too (that’s the picture right here to the right, in case you were wondering), plus a legend in the industry at what she does. All this makes for a lot to take in and analyze, but I’m going to do my best! What may seem somewhat clear cut is not quite so, which makes this more fun, of course. Anyway, before we get too deep into it, let’s settle down for a bit of history, shall we? Read more on Oscar Circuit: Best Film Editing… Categories: Oscar Circuit
Tags: Best Film Editing, Hugo, Moneyball, Oscar hopefuls, the artist, The Descendants, the girl with the dragon tattoo Comments: 11 Comments |
Author: Robert Hamer February 9, 2012 And the Nominees Are:Kenneth Branagh – My Week with Marilyn
This category has often been dismissed as a way to award “distinguished” (read: old) actors with Oscars to honor their career as opposed to the individual performance in question. While I do have some major gripes with this category, this particular accusation always struck me not only as ageist (what, senior actors can’t legitimately give award-worthy performances?!) but not as backed up by recent history as the reputation would suggest. Christian Bale, Christoph Waltz, Heath Ledger, Javier Bardem, George Clooney and Benicio Del Toro were hardly old vet actors looking for a swan song trophy. In fact, the last elderly “career-honor” winner we had was arguably Alan Arkin is 2006, and even then it was a close call between him and Eddie Murphy. That’s why this year presents an interesting complication to the debate. With the average age clocking in at 62, this year’s Best Supporting Actor slate is the oldest ever, and three of them could legitimately claim this award as a career capper. Read more on Oscar Circuit: Best Supporting Actor… Categories: Oscar Circuit
Tags: Beginners, Best Supporting Actor, Christopher Plummer, extremely loud and incredibly close, Jonah Hill, Kenneth Branagh, max von sydow, Moneyball, My Week With Marilyn, Nick Nolte, Oscar Circuit, Warrior Comments: 8 Comments |
Author: Michael Ward February 2, 2012 
Last year's Oscar winners for Best Sound Mixing for "Inception" (L to R – Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick). Novick is a nominee again this year for "Moneyball". The 2011 Nominees For Best Sound Mixing Are… • THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO At my annual Oscar party, invariably some assemblage of attendees always ask questions such as “What is Cinematography?” “How do they judge Art Direction?” and a rather common one, at least in my circles… “What is the difference between Sound Editing and Sound Mixing? How are we supposed to know the difference?” To the lay movie fan, below-the-line work is often taken for granted and/or rarely, if ever, thought about. If a movie looks great, it looks great, but few people ever remark that the Director of Photography or Cinematographer’s work was fantastic. Sure the movie may look fantastic and the settings quite glorious, but who amongst your friends and loved ones have ever proclaimed that the art direction and set decoration work of [insert name] was exceptional. And make no mistake, all of that is fine in a general sense. At the end of the day, people go to the movies to escape, to live another life or decompress from their daily affairs. People paying to see Transformers: Dark Of The Moon or Jack And Jill, or even a conventional dramatic Oscar contending film will simply not be concerned with how a film was lensed, how the sets were constructed, or possibly even be aware that the pacing and rhythm and sequencing of shots they enjoy are meticulously planned out and performed by an editor. At the end of the day, people just want to be entertained and not analyze every moment of the story they just experienced. Read more on Oscar Circuit: Best Sound Mixing… Categories: Oscar Circuit
Tags: Hugo, Moneyball, Oscar Circuit, the girl with the dragon tattoo, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, war horse Comments: 3 Comments |
Author: Clayton Davis January 20, 2012
Read more on Iowa Film Critics Go for ‘Descendants’… Categories: News, Precursors
Tags: Alexander Payne, Beginners, Brad Pitt, Bridesmaids, Christopher Plummer, Melissa McCarthy, Moneyball, news, Precursors, Project Nim, Rango, The Descendants, The Help, Viola Davis, We Need To Talk About Kevin Comments: 1 Comment |
Author: Clayton Davis January 19, 2012
Read more on Cinema Audio Society Nominees… Categories: News, Precursors
Tags: Cinema Audio Society, Hanna, Hugo, Moneyball, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Super 8 Comments: 2 Comments |
Author: John H. Foote January 13, 2012
Comments: 12 Comments |
Author: Clayton Davis January 13, 2012
LOS ANGELES, CA. – January 12, 2012 – The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) announced the winners of the 17th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards earlier this evening. Hosted by comedians Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel, the star-studded ceremony was held at the Hollywood Palladium and aired live on VH1. “The Artist” was named the year’s Best Picture and Michael Hazanavicius won Best Directorhonors for the film. Read more on “The Artist” Leads at the Critics Choice with Four Awards… Categories: News, Precursors
Tags: Beginners, BFCA, Broadcast Film Critics Association, CCMA, Christopher Plummer, Critics Choice Movie Awards, George Clooney, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, news, Octavia Spencer, Precursors, the artist, The Descendants, The Help, VH1, Viola Davis, Woody Allen Comments: 1 Comment |
Author: Clayton Davis January 5, 2012
As for our own critics here at the Awards Circuit, I am pleased to present the Staff Writers choices for the Top 10 Best Films of 2011. Having a hand in hiring most of these writers that are on board, I am also eager to see the eclectic tastes as we try to form a non-consensus here at the site. We fully embrace how we are all different and look at film in a different way from our next critic or reader. We respect and we view with curiosity. I sincerely hope the readership of the Awards Circuit will share your Top Ten films in the comment section because I’m eager to hear what you guys and gals loved in 2011 as well. Read more on Awards Circuit Staff Top Ten of 2011… Categories: Community, Editor, Staff
Tags: Beginners, Bellflower, Best of the year, Bridesmaids, Certified Copy, Crazy Stupid Love, Drive, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Horrible Bosses, Hugo, Insidious, Melancholia, Midnight in Paris, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, Moneyball, Of Gods And Men, Project Nim, Rango, Red State, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Shame, The Adventures Of Tintin, the artist, The Beaver, The Descendants, The Help, The Ides of March, The Interrupters, The Muppets, The Tree of Life, Top Tens, war horse, Warrior, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Weekend, Win Win, Young Adult Comments: 65 Comments |
Author: Clayton Davis January 5, 2012
Read more on Year-In-Review: 2011 Davis’ Film Awards (Editors’ Choices)… Categories: Community, Editor
Tags: Best of the year, Davis Film Awards, Drive, Editor, Editor's Picks, extremely loud and incredibly close, Moneyball, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Shame, the artist, The Help, The Ides of March Comments: 11 Comments |
Author: Clayton Davis January 3, 2012
The Year-In-Review continues with some non-traditional citations on certain films and performances that did or did not make head way in 2011. What are your choices for “Limited Performance” of the year? or Most Underrated Film? or share what you thought about the Year-in-TV as I dish out my favorites in Television Drama and Comedies. Read more after jump. Read more on Year-In-Review: Editor’s Specialty Awards… Categories: Article, Community, Editor
Tags: Alexander Payne, American Horror Story, american idol, Andy Serkis, arthur christmas, Bennett Miller, Berenice Bejo, Best Animated Feature, Best of the year, bill hader, Boardwalk Empire, Brad Pitt, Bridesmaids, Bryce Dallas Howard, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, Christine Baranski, dancing with the stars, Dexter, Drive, Eric Stonestreet, George Clooney, glee, Harry Escott, Hugo, it;s always sunny in philadelphia, jane lynch, Jason Segel, jean dujardin, Jessica Chastain, Jessica Lange, John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Julie Bowen, Kelly MacDonald, Kristen Wiig, mad men, Martin Scorsese, Max Greenfield, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Fassbender, Michel Hazanavicius, modern family, Moneyball, New Girl, Nicolas Winding Refn, pariah, Paul Feig, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Ryan Gosling, saturday night live, Score, Sean Penn, Shame, sofia vergara, Steve McQueen, Super 8, Survivor, Terrence Malick, the artist, The Descendants, The Help, The Muppets, the office, The Tree of Life, The Walking Dead, the x factor, Tilda Swinton, True Blood, tv, Ty Burrell, Up All Night, We Need To Talk About Kevin Comments: 9 Comments |
Author: Robert Hamer December 26, 2011 
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 12/25)… Categories: Circuit Round-Up
Tags: Circuit Round-Up, David Fincher, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, Red State, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Shame, The Adventures Of Tintin, the artist, The Awards Circuit Staff, the girl with the dragon tattoo, The Help, the playboy club, tinker tailor soldier spy, war horse, Warrior Comments: 1 Comment |
Author: Clayton Davis December 21, 2011
BEST ACTOR Read more on Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards… Categories: Precursors
Tags: Drive, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, Precursors, the artist, The Descendants, The Help, The Tree of Life, war horse, Win Win Comments: 1 Comment |
Author: Clayton Davis December 19, 2011 Author: Clayton Davis December 17, 2011 Author: Clayton Davis December 17, 2011 
Oscar Predictions Updated! Who is the frontrunner now? Oscar Predictions have been updated! I’ve come, I saw, well, I didn’t conquer but I feel comfortable with the picks thus far. I’ve spent hours analyzing and looking at categories while trying to think like an AMPAS voter. The past eight days or so have presented many answers to questions we thought we knew the answer to. When looking at the Critics Choice, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, and the two dozen critics’ awards that have announced their favorites for Year 2011, one thing remains clear. This is one of the most open races we’ve seen in years. I hate using the word “lock” because as history has told us, AMPAS can “unlock” someone just as fast as we put them in. Think Paul Giamatti in “Sideways.” However, I feel comfortable using the word for a few films thus far. Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist” is the clear favorite and the one to beat. It has the Oscar flair that they love and the critics have taken to it in a big way as well. I still feel the same way about it that I did when I first saw it and that means something. “Slumdog Millionaire” which had the same effect on many critics, including myself, aged very poorly and looking back, not necessarily the best film of the year. Not by a long shot. Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” has made a strong showing. George Clooney is working his magic and has encountered many awards along the way. It doesn’t hurt that he also directed and starred in “The Ides of March,” a film not locked by any means despite the Golden Globe nomination. Steven Spielberg’s great epic “War Horse” has everything that Oscar loves. While it doesn’t carry a strong showing on the performance front, the story alone will get voters checking the film off. Read more on Oscar Circuit: “Nice Guys (or Gals) Finish Last”… Categories: Editor, Oscar Circuit, Oscar Predictions
Tags: Beginners, Berenice Bejo, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, best picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer, Drive, George Clooney, Glenn Close, Hugo, jean dujardin, Jessica Chastain, Martin Scorsese, Michel Hazanavicius, Moneyball, Oscar Circuit, oscar predictions, Oscars, the artist, The Descendants, The Help, Viola Davis Comments: 3 Comments |
Author: Robert Hamer December 4, 2011
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 12/04)… Categories: Circuit Round-Up
Tags: another happy day, Brad Pitt, Carnage, Circuit Round-Up, Ellen Barkin, Friends with Benefits, Hugo, J. Edgar, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Moneyball, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics Circle, Shame, The Descendants, The Help, tinker tailor soldier spy, war horse Comments: 1 Comment |
Author: John H. Foote November 30, 2011
Comments: 29 Comments |
Author: Clayton Davis November 29, 2011 
What happened to 'The Descendants?' They bitched, they moaned, and after all this about David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo not being screened in time, the New York Film Critics ignore the film completely. The big win of the day was Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist which landed a Picture and Director win respectively. I felt when I first saw the film that it would be a Sideways-type of affection among critics throughout the season but then Alexander Payne’s The Descendants swooped in and started gaining a lot of momentum. The film, which garnered three four-star reviews from our own writers here at the site, was looking signed, sealed, and delivered for some true awards attention. Clooney even failed to get a mention today and he’s one of the best things to come out of an actor’s performance this year. Read more on Oscar Circuit: What Happened Today?… Categories: Editor, Oscar Circuit
Tags: Brad Pitt, Drive, Jessica Chastain, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Meryl Streep, Moneyball, Oscar Circuit, Take Shelter, the artist, The Help, The Iron Lady, The Tree of Life Comments: 15 Comments |
Snippet Reviews (Multiple Films)Editor briefly recounts "Martha Marcy May Marlene," "Moneyball," and "J. Edgar."Author: Clayton Davis November 27, 2011
Helmed by a powerful lead performance by Elizabeth Olsen, Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene dribbles right on the edge of thriller and suspense without coming off gimmicky. Olsen evokes and drowns herself in her character keeping the questions right on the surface and not losing sight. Though the film’s narrative never fully develops and fails to explore the deepest parts of this cautionary tale, the full commitment from the directing style and its performers transform a seemingly A-typical story to something new and dynamic. Co-star John Hawkes shines once again in a new villainous and demented turn which remains one of the great supporting male works this year. A notation for Hugh Dancy is worth mentioning in a presumably vacant character but effective and taunting performance. Read more on Snippet Reviews (Multiple Films)… Categories: Editor, Film Reviews
Tags: armie hammer, Bennett Miller, Brad Pitt, dustin lance black, Editor, Elizabeth Olsen, film reviews, Hugh Dancy, J. Edgar, John Hawkes, Jonah Hill, judi dench, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Moneyball, naomi watts, Sean Durkin, Snippet Reviews, Stan Chervin, Steven Zaillian Comments: 1 Comment |
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