Ben Affleck’s Argo beat out some incredible competition to win the University of Southern California Scripter Award last night. The film which has picked up a considerable amount of momentum since Oscar nominations were announced January 10, topped the category over presumed frontrunner Tony Kushner for penning Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln.
Oscar ballots were just sent out the past week and one has to wonder if Chris Terrio can manage an upset over Kushner and even David O. Russell in Adapted Screenplay on Oscar night? The USC Scripter Award has predicted the winner of Adapted Screenplay since 2007, with all its winner going on to win Oscar.
It looks like it’s really happening. Ben Affleck took home the Directors Guild of America last night for his work on Argo. With Argo taking the DGA, PGA, SAG, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice, it’s the most rewarded film of the year.
Some other cool, and probably overlooked winners. Lena Dunham won her first DGA for directing the “Pilot” for HBO’s hit-show “Girls.” Her and that show is a non-stopping machine at this point and could upset and break the streak of “Modern Family” at next year’s Emmy Awards.
Rian Johnson, writer of Looper (2012) won his first DGA for directing an episode of “Breaking Bad” along with Oscar-nominated director Alejandro Gonzalez Inaritu for directing two hit commercials.
The Directors Guild of America will be announcing their winners later today. The big question is Ben Affleck and Argo making the uphill climb to win Best Picture on Oscar night. While, I’m not totally convinced yet, I do believe it is very much in the running with Lincoln.
A lot of money has been put behind Lincoln’s campaign and it is the type of film that usually gains voters attention à la The King’s Speech and Shakespeare in Love. The period piece with an outstanding performance by one of the greatest living actors is sure to pull some votes. If Argo is winning Best Picture though, who is winning Best Director?
Speculation exists that Spielberg could be winning in a walk but I think if Spielberg is winning Director, Picture should come without question. If Lincoln is in fact, losing Best Picture, I’d expect someone like Ang Lee or even more surprising, Michael Haneke or David O. Russell to pull it off.
The DGA will prove Argo’s power. We’ll be talking in-depth analysis on Sunday’s Power Hour, so make sure you stand by for that.
The Oscar nominees are represented by the University of Southern California Scripter Award nominees plus one.
“Argo” Joshua Bearman, author of “The Great Escape” (article) Antonio J. Mendez, author of “The Master of Disguise” (book) and Chris Terrio, screenwriter
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” Lucy Alibar, writer of “Juicy and Delicious” (play) and screenwriter, and Benh Zeitlin, screenwriter
“Life of Pi” Yann Martel, author of “Life of Pi” (novel) and David Magee, screenwriter
“Lincoln” Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” (book) and Tony Kushner, screenwriter
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” Stephen Chbosky, author of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (novel) and screenwriter
“Silver Linings Playbook” Matthew Quick, author of “The Silver Linings Playbook” (novel) and David O. Russell, screenwriter
Exactly two hours before I began writing up this article, the Producers Guild of America had just announced its complete list of nominees. In the “Theatrical Motion Picture” category, one film appeared that virtually no pundit had thought to anticipate: Sam Mendes’ British-produced Skyfall. But after recently crossing the $1 billion mark worldwide, not to mention its widespread critical acclaim and seven BFCA nominations, does this really comes as that much of a surprise? Oh yes, I forgot…Skyfall is a “genre” film, which means its “Best Picture” chances would usually be at the bottom of the barrel when stacked against baitier competitors that seem destined for Oscar® upon announcement. However, it has two things going for it that critically-beloved moneymakers like The Avengers and The Dark KnightRises do not: a late release closer to the pivotal Oscar® date and, most importantly, a huge chunk of support behind it in the form of the Academy’s hefty British voting bloc, who are no doubt beyond astounded by its record-breaking success, and not just for the James Bond franchise either.
Skyfall is currently the 14th highest grossing movie of all-time and the United Kingdom’s top movie earner in history, barely surpassing James Cameron’s Avatar. Not including the Harry Potter movie franchise, Skyfall is also the most successful British film (Eon Productions) ever released. With these figures and the aforementioned accolades and overall success, it may be time to not just realistically consider Skyfall for “Best Picture,” but also come to the realization that we’ve been underestimating the influential power of the Academy’s British voting bloc throughout this entire race. In addition to Skyfall, I’ll now turn your attention towards award hopefuls who have been under-the-radar all season long like Judi Dench as “M” in Skyfall, Maggie Smith in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and even John Madden’s British ensemble dramedy itself. I strongly believe these four British category contenders will receive their major boost from the crucial British voting bloc in the form of Academy Award™ nominations come the morning of January 10th. After the jump, you will see the ‘Skyfall’ category contenders in this first of a two-part article series… Read more on Are We Underestimating the British Voting Bloc? (‘Skyfall’ Edition)…
The PGA has been announced. Notable omissions include Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master. Big boosts for Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom and Sam Mendes’ Skyfall. Also, ParaNorman gets a boost under Animated Feature. Check out the full list and part of the press release below:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
“Argo” (Warner Bros.) Producers: Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Grant Heslov “Beasts of the Southern Wild” (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Producers: Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Josh Penn “Django Unchained” (The Weinstein Company) Producers: Reginald Hudlin, Pilar Savone, Stacey Sher “Les Misérables” (Universal Pictures) Producers: Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh Life of Pi” (Fox 2000 Pictures) Producers: Ang Lee, Gil Netter, David Womark “Lincoln” (Touchstone Pictures) Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg “Moonrise Kingdom” (Focus Features) Producers: Wes Anderson & Scott Rudin, Jeremy Dawson, Steven Rales “Silver Linings Playbook” (The Weinstein Company) Producers: Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon “Skyfall” (Columbia Pictures) Producers: Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson “Zero Dark Thirty” (Columbia Pictures)
Producers: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Megan Ellison
If you haven’t had an opportunity or unaware that it exists, our 2012 Precursors Page is up and running, keeping a tally of all the awards being given out throughout the season.
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association voted the historical epic LINCOLN as the best film of 2012, according to the results of its 19th annual critics’ poll released today.
Rounding out the composite list of the top 10 films of the year were ARGO (2), ZERO DARK THIRTY (3), LIFE OF PI (4), LES MISERABLES (5), MOONRISE KINGDOM (6), SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (7), SKYFALL (8), THE MASTER (9) and BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (10).
For Best Actor, the association named Daniel Day-Lewis for LINCOLN. Runners-up included Joaquin Phoenix for THE MASTER (2), John Hawkes for THE SESSIONS (3), Hugh Jackman for LES MISERABLES (4) and Denzel Washington for FLIGHT (5).
Jessica Chastain was voted Best Actress for ZERO DARK THIRTY. Next in the voting were Jennifer Lawrence for SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2), Helen Mirren for HITCHCOCK (3), Emmanuelle Riva for AMOUR (4) and a tie between Quvenzhane Wallis for BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD and Naomi Watts for THE IMPOSSIBLE (5). Read more on Dallas Fort-Worth Critics Names ‘Lincoln’ as Best Picture!…
David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook won and won big with the Golden Satellite Awards. SLP won five awards, including the big four: Picture, Director (Russell), Actor (Bradley Cooper), and Actress (Jennifer Lawrence). On the TV side of business, Homeland took the top prizes – speaking of which, did you see that nail-biting finale Sunday night? It’s the best show on TV now, and if you aren’t watching, you should probably start. See the full list of winners after the jump.
BEST PICTURE
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Lincoln
The Master
Zero Dark Thirty
BEST DIRECTOR
Ben Affleck, Argo
Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
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”
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)
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”
Washington Film Critics have announced their winners after just announcing their nominees a day ago. Zero Dark Thirty emerged victorious along with director Kathryn Bigelow.
Read the Press Release and check out the full list of winners down below:
BEST FILM
ARGO
DJANGO UNCHAINED
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
THE MASTER
ZERO DARK THIRTY
BEST DIRECTOR
Ang Lee, LIFE OF PI
Ben Affleck, ARGO
David O. Russell, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Kathryn Bigelow, ZERO DARK THIRTY
Paul Thomas Anderson, THE MASTER
The winners will appear in this space as they are announced. Make sure to include your predictions in the comment section. My predictions can be found here.
Might as well also use this space to give a friendly reminder that Ann Dowd will be joining The Awards Circuit Power Hour this week and we’ll be broadcasting LIVE. There’s a call in number where you can listen to the show and have an opportunity to talk with us and Ann. We’re also using this as our “FYC Telethon” where you call in and give me your recommendation for my BFCA ballot.
All the festivities begin at 6:00pm Eastern time TODAY! Call: (347) 237-5231
WINNERS FROM BOSTON (being updated):
Best Foreign Language Film – Amour (Runner Up Holy Motors)
Best Picture – Zero Dark Thirty (Runners Up Moonrise Kingdom and Amour)
Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty (Runner Up Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master)
Best Screenplay – Tony Kushner for Lincoln (Runner Up Moonrise Kingdom)
Best Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln (Runner Up Denis Levant for Holy Motors)
Best Actress – Emmanuelle Riva for Amour (Runner Up Deanie Yip for A Simple Life)
Best Supporting Actor – Ezra Miller for The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Runner Up Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained)
Best Supporting Actress – Sally Field for Lincoln (Runner Up Emma Watson for The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
Best Ensemble – Seven Psychopaths (Runner Up Moonrise Kingdom)
Best Animated Film – Frankenweenie (ParaNorman runner Up)
Best Documentary – How to Survive a Plague (Queen of Versailles runner up)
Best New Filmmaker – David France for How to Survive a Plague (Benh Zeitlin Runner Up)
Best Editing – Zero Dark Thirty (Argo, distant second place)
Best Cinematography – The Master (Moonrise Kingdom & Life of Pi tie for Runner Up)
Best Use of Music – Moonrise Kingdom (Django Unchained Runner Up)
WINNERS FROM LOS ANGELES (being updated)
Best Picture – Amour (Runner Up The Master)
Best Director – Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master (Runner Up Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty)
Best Actress – *TIE* Emmauelle Riva for Amour and Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
Best Actor – Joaquin Phoenix for The Master!!!! (Runner Up Denis Lavant for Holy Motors)
Best Screenplay – Argo (Runner Up Silver Linings Playbook)
Best Editing – Zero Dark Thirty (Runner Up Argo)
Douglas Edwards Experimental/Independent Film/Video Award: “Leviathan.” Cinema Guild will distribute
Best Cinematography – Roger Deakins for Skyfall (Runner Up Mihai Malaimaire, Jr. for The Master)
Best Supporting Actress – Amy Adams for The Master (Runner Up Anne Hathaway for The Dark Knight Rises/Les Miserables)
Best Documentary – The Gatekeepers (Runner Up Searching for Sugar Man)
Best Animation – Frankenweenie (Runner Up It’s Such a Beautiful Day)
Best Music/Score – Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild (Runner Up Jonny Greenwood for the Master)
Best Production Design – The Master (Runner Up Moonrise Kingdom)
Best Supporting Actor – Dwight Henry for Beasts of the Southern Wild (Runner Up Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained, by 1 vote)
WINNERS FROM NEW YORK FILM CRITICS ONLINE (being updated)
Best Animated Film – Chico & Rita
Best Foreign Language Film – Amour
Best Picture – Zero Dark Thirty
Best Ensemble – Argo
Best Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
Best Actress – Emmanuella Riva for Amour
Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty
Best Debut Director – Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild
Best Use of Music – Django Unchained!!!
Best Cinematography – Claudio Miranda for Life of Pi
Best Screenplay – Zero Dark Thirty
Supporting Actor – Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln
Supporting Actress – Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables
Breakthrough Performer – Quvenzhane Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild
Spielberg’s Lincoln and Hooper’s Les Miserables make an impressive showing with the relatively young organization. Javier Bardem from Skyfall and Samantha Barks from Les Miserables make their first showings of the season with nominations. Is there momentum to build for either of the them?
Winners will be announced somewhere between 12:00pm and 2:00pm Eastern time. We’ll be bringing you the winners here. Make sure to include your own predictions of who’s going to get an Oscar boost today and read my predictions to the awards here.
WINNERS
Best Film: ZERO DARK THIRTY
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, ZERO DARK THIRTY
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, ZERO DARK THIRTY
Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, DJANGO UNCHAINED
Best Supporting Actress: Ann Dowd, COMPLIANCE
Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson, LOOPER
Best Adapted Screenplay: David O. Russell, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Best Animated Feature:WRECK-IT RALPH
Special Achievement in Filmmaking: Ben Affleck, ARGO
Breakthrough Actor: Tom Holland, THE IMPOSSIBLE Breakthrough Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Best Directorial Debut: Benh Zeitlin, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Best Foreign Language Film:AMOUR
Best Documentary:SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN
William K.Everson Film History Award: 50 YEARS OF BOND FILMS
Best Ensemble:LES MISÉRABLES
Spotlight Award: John Goodman (ARGO, FLIGHT, PARANORMAN, TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE)
NBR Freedom of Expression Award:CENTRAL PARK FIVE
NBR Freedom of Expression Award:PROMISED LAND
Top Films
“Argo”
“Beasts of the Southern Wild”
“Django Unchained”
“Les Miserables
“Lincoln”
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
“Promised Land”
“Silver Linings Playbook”
Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order)
The Awards Circuit Power Hour returns twelve hours earlier before Hurricane Sandy plows through the East Coast. Just in case my internet and electricity go out, you’ll have our episode down in the books. The staff and I discuss the following things on this week’s episode.
The reception to Cloud Atlas. Is it an Oscar contender? What are some of the feelings swirling around the web about this ambitious feature? Is there room in the race for newcomers Doona Bae and Ben Whishaw?
Ballots for the International Press Academy’s Satellite Awards went out this past week. Without seeing the big, end of the year favorites, is the award show telling of anything at all?
With such poor discipline as critics, we discuss the Documentary Feature race and which films could emerge on top. Could an early year favorite and high-profile film like Bully make the final cut with the Weinsteins backing?
We attempt to break down nearly every category.
Of course, we take a bunch of YOUR questions as well.
We already know that Amy Adams is going to be feted with the Hollywood Supporting Actress Award at the 16th Hollywood Film Awards for her work in ‘The Master’, but word has steadily been leaking out about who else the first real precursor of the season is going to be honoring. The latest name to be uncovered is Quentin Tarantino, who’s being given the Hollywood Screenwriting Award for his ‘Django Unchained’ script. It’s no secret that Adams is looking good for a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Oscars, but could this citation help Tarantino score a Best Original Screenplay nod? Time will tell, but after the jump I’ll let you know who else has already been tipped for awards love at the precursor. You can find those names below…
They are announcing. See who’s winning!
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association voted the historical epic LINCOLN as the best film of 2012, according to the results of its 19th annual critics’ poll released today.
2012 CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION NOMINEES
Best Picture
Best Picture
