Quentin Jerome Tarantino was born on March 27, 1963 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tarantino is known best for his non-linear story-lines and excessive on-screen violence. His first completed feature film, Reservoir Dogs (1992), screened at the Sundance Film Festival and received immediate praise. The critics followed suit in their admiration of the film and its director. Tarantino’s success continued with two successful screenplays: True Romance (1993) – directed by Tony Scott – and Natural Born Killers (1994) – directed by Oliver Stone. The latter was revised heavily by Stone and his writers, but Tarantino was still given story credit.
Alabama Worley’s thoughts while watching Clarence negotiate himself out of a chaotic and botched drug deal pretty much sum up the general consensus on the films of Quentin Tarantino. Although True Romance (1993) was optioned off and eventually directed by Tony Scott, in one of the late director’s best and most underrated pictures, it’s still indicative of Tarantino’s origins as an iconic contemporary screenwriter. With a relatively modest, though distinct body of works, no one has changed the landscape of pop culture and modern cinema quite like Tarantino over the course of his career spanning just over two decades. The self-taught student of film who’s famously been quoted as saying, “When people ask me if I went to film school I tell them, ‘no, I went to films,’” looks to emulate greats like Sergio Leone, Howard Hawks, Brian De Palma, and Martin Scorsese in his own works.
(The annual “Will Win/Should Win” of the Awards Circuit has been our most popular yet most challenging series where each writer let’s their final thoughts be known on the Oscar categories. Each writer will reveal their choices everyday leading up to the Oscar ceremony. Think you can do better? Let your final thoughts be known in the comment section or by joining our Oscar Pool. -CD)
It’s here, the Big One. The Oscars are finally upon us, generating a frenzy of excitement and a torrent of ever-changing predictions in its path to the big stage on Sunday. This is the highly anticipated annual organized free-for-all when ideals shatter, frustrations bubble over, and sometimes (though not often) pleasant surprises challenge the odds. The final results could go any which way, and especially in such a quality-loaded year, it’s been a dizzying process trying to peg the sway of Academy Voters. Finally dashing aside unrealistically hopeful designs of one candidate over another, I’ve joined my Awards Circuit colleagues in settling on the probable winners, though not without putting up a fight for my preferred winners. In the spirit of the games, here are my “Win Will/Should Win” Oscar Selections: Read more on Oscar 2013 Will Win/Should Win Selections (Melkonian)…
(The annual “Will Win/Should Win” of the Awards Circuit has been our most popular yet most challenging series where each writer let’s their final thoughts be known on the Oscar categories. Each writer will reveal their choices everyday leading up to the Oscar ceremony. Think you can do better? Let your final thoughts be known in the comment section or by joining our Oscar Pool. -CD)
We’re just one week away from the 85th Annual Academy Awards, and the love for Argo continues to pile up even in these last few crucial days. In the latest Power Hour, The Awards Circuit staff discussed how the USC Scripter Awards and BAFTAs — both, of course, went for Ben Affleck’s awards sweeper — affects the Oscar® race. It’s a no-brainer where Argo’s headed, but is Emmanuelle Riva’ssurprise victory over Jennifer Lawrence at the BAFTAs a sign that her birthday will be extra special come Oscar night? We shall soon find out. Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 2/17)…
With all the craziness of awards season, I hadn’t fully noticed the big story circulating among the writers branch that the two great screenwriters Mark Boal and Quentin Tarantino were squaring off in the Original Screenplay category once again. The last time the two dueled was in 2009 when Boal’s The Hurt Locker triumphed over Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.
In the 2009 season, many had assumed it was a no-brainer that Boal would emerge the victor after winning the Writers Guild of America Award and after the impressive showing the film had with the major guilds. Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, though an audience favorite, had to settle with Christoph Waltz being the sole representation for the film in Oscar’s Supporting Actor category. Coincidentally, Waltz is nominated again this year for his performance in Django Unchained. Read more on The Tarantino Effect – When Will Oscar See Him as a Director, Not a Writer…
The Writers Guild of America will be announcing their winners tomorrow, Sunday, February 17. All season long there have been many instances, which I’m just as guilty of, where we doubt Argo’s chances in an awards show. The BFCA and Golden Globes seemed expected. The Producers Guild of America was cool. The SAG Ensemble win was jaw-dropping. The Directors Guild of America was a fine achievement and something that should have happened anyway. For me, the BAFTA win was very telling since Argo never seemed like it would appeal to an overseas group like BAFTA when films like LesMiserables and Life of Pi were nominated alongside it.
ChrisTerrio’s script is beloved among critics and audiences however, of all the seven nominations that Argo has received with the Academy Awards, the Adapted Screenplay category is clearly a three-horse race with Tony Kushner (Lincoln) and David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook). Please note the WGA is not an indicator of Best Picture like PGA, DGA, and SAG. This is citing the screenplay and the screenplay alone. If that was the case, masterpieces like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) would have had more a shot for a Motion Picture mention. Read more on 2013 Writers Guild of America Preview…
The Weinstein Company is pretty proud of Quentin Tarantino’s latest effort, Django Unchained. Aside from the two Golden Globe wins for Best Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz) and Best Screenplay (Quentin Tarantino), and along with the five Oscar nominations the film received (including Best Picture), Django Unchained has officially become Tarantino’s highest grossing film to date (domestically). Have a look at The Weinstein Company’s official release after the jump.
Quentin Tarantino’s career-long itch to put his stamp on the beloved Spaghetti Western finally takes form with the release of Django Unchained to begin the Christmas weekend. It’s going head-to-head with Tom Hooper’s adaptation of the epic musical drama, Les Miserables. Rounding out the long weekend is Gus Van Sant’s latest, Promised Land.
Django Unchained
Language: English
Rating: R
Genre: Action/Drama/Western
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Jamie Foxx
Django, a bounty hunter and former slave, sets out with the help of his mentor to free his wife from a brutal plantation owner. See what Clayton had to say about Tarantino’s latest. Read more on Weekend Openings: 12/25-12/28…
Via Kris Tapley over at HitFix/In Contention, he took a look at the ballot for the Writers Guild of America upcoming awards and took note of several omissions that include Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables, Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Michael Haneke’s Amour. He counted fifteen in total.
Tarantino has never been a member of the WGA but has found success with his other films Inglourious Basterds (2009) and Pulp Fiction (1994). Tapley has explanations for many of the contenders that won’t be getting a boost from the WGA. I encourage you to take a look. The nominations for the Writers Guild Awards will be announced on January 3, the day Oscar ballots are due. The list of films DISQUALIFIED are listed below and after the jump. Read more on Writers Guild of America Disqualifies Several Films for their Awards!…
There’s been no film more divisive or more igniting in terms of strong Oscar speculation then Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. After months of shooting, word of a last minute edit (some believe editing is still going on currently), the film has finally hit cinematic eyes and the “final” product is both bold and misguided. Django Unchained is big and full of Tarantino life and color that we’ve come to love about him. On sheer production value, it’s his finest film endeavor to date. Set designs are simply gorgeous, Robert Richardson captures some beautiful shots, and Sharen Davis proves once again, she’s one of the most awe-inspiring designers working today. Tarantino does go a bit “out there” in his choices of dialogue along with the developing and rising structure of the story. Where Tarantino succeeds is in digging some terrific performances out of his principal cast, even if his film is at times lunky, problematic, and a bit messy. Read more on Django Unchained (***)…
Winners to be announced live on the CW Television Network from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on January 10, 2013.
BEST PICTURE Argo Beasts of the Southern Wild Django Unchained Les Miserables Life of Pi Lincoln The Master Moonrise Kingdom Silver Linings Playbook Zero Dark Thirty
With two (really one) contender left to be unveiled, this is the most exciting awards race I’ve covered in all my years of Oscar prognosticating. Every category is competitive and with races like this, anything can happen. Along with updating the official Oscar Predictions, I’ve updated the major precursors such as the Golden Globe Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
As New York gets ready to lift on Monday, which I’ve attempted to take a stab at, the National Board of Review and Los Angeles Film Critics will start the chain reaction of the awards season. Before anyone knows the winners, I’m seeing this as a three-horse race between Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, and Ben Affleck’s Argo, more particularly the first two films. Currently I’m foreseeing Hooper’s film to lead the way on Oscar nomination morning with 13 nominations, assuming lead Hugh Jackman and standout Eddie Redmayne can plow through some of the veterans in their categories. Read more on Oscar Circuit – Music vs. History…
They seem to all cite Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson. No sign of Leo. Even praise for Don Johnson. Many saying it’s fantastic. My interest has just shot up through the roof. I’ll find out Wednesday. Read some down below:
Something that many never thought would ever happen is going on in Hollywood right now. Yes, ‘Star Wars Episode VII’ is in pre-production, and it’s not even being fully brought to us by George Lucas. We’re all aware by now that Oscar winner Michael Arndt has been hired to pen the script, and filmmakers like Colin Trevorrow and Matthew Vaughn have been rumored to be taking the directing job. Of course, A-listers like J.J. Abrams, Zach Snyder, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarantino have already pretty much said no, while people like David Fincher and Christopher Nolan aren’t really even worth seriously discussing. That got me thinking though…who else would get people excited? I know Brad Bird is a popular name, but I wanted to get the input of the community here at The Awards Circuit. I’ll be sharing seven names that I’d be interested in seeing get the gig (not including Matt Reeves, who I always put in pieces like this and decided to take a short break from), but I’m just as interested in getting your names as I am in sharing mine. We’re likely not too far out from finding out who the directing choice of Disney is, so before long we’ll know the director of a new Star Wars movie! Until then, here are my picks for filmmakers who could do a good job with the new trilogy…
Usually I’ve focus on more “talky” types of screenplays, from ‘Charlie Wilson’s War’ and ‘Margot at the Wedding’ years back, to ‘Funny People’, ‘The Social Network’, and ‘The Beaver’ more recently, not to mention of course last week’s piece on ‘This is 40′. Well, this time around I’m tackling a horse of a different color in Quentin Tarantino’s hybrid action film ‘Django Unchained‘. His script is very cinematic, down to him actually writing how he wants the scenes to play out, including the references you’re supposed to get, including one he expects you only to get on a second viewing. I think it’s actually better than what people were expecting, though certain aspects of it (hint, Leonardo DiCaprio, hint) aren’t quite what they may seem. This is pretty vintage Tarantino, if potentially a little more old-fashioned than usual for him. Certain similarities to ‘Inglourious Basterds’ will be noticed, but overall QT is doing less revisionist history and more just a bloody good revenge thriller set in the American South during the time of slavery.
We spoke about this possibility on a podcast a few weeks back but it seems that a source as confirmed to Tom O’Neil of Gold Derby that Academy Award Winner Christoph Waltz will be campaigned as a lead actor in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Django Unchained. Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx, who plays a slave-turned-bounty hunter that is searching for his wife will compete against Waltz along with the entire roster of the Weinstein Company. Read more on Gold Derby Confirms Christoph Waltz being campaigned as Lead Actor…
Bond Week continues here at The Awards Circuit! As you all know, we’re going to be bringing you a whole host of James Bond related pieces between now and the release of ‘Skyfall’ this Friday. Historically, the gig of directing has taken a slightly lower profile. Directors such as Lewis Gilbert, John Glen, Guy Hamilton, Peter Hunt, Roger Spottiswoode, Lee Tamahori, and Terence Young are some prime examples. Of course, there have been slightly more well-known filmmakers like Michael Apted, Martin Campbell, and Marc Forster, plus the upcoming film which was made by Oscar winner Sam Mendes. This suggests a move away from caretaker directors and towards auteurs who might be able to add something to the franchise, so that’s where I’m picking up. I’ve got a list of filmmakers who I think would be fitting for upcoming Bond movies. Some have actually been talked about previously, though someone like Steven Spielberg, who once yearned for the job, is now wishful thinking, and likewise for Quentin Tarantino. I won’t be focusing much on people previously offered the job, such as Paul Haggis and Roger Michell, but I’ve got a dozen original names to throw out at you.
Writing this LIVE in the middle of Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast, what’s a better time to talk about Oscar Predictions than now. As we enter the leg of the season this November, some categories start to look more clear and less of a mystery. Some films also emerge as the ones to beat.
This past weekend Ben Affleck’s Argotook the #1 spot at the Box Office with the word-of-mouth spreading, the film, at this point, looks like the one to beat in Best Picture and Best Director. In response to the acting possibilities, some think that Affleck could show up like Clint Eastwood did in the year of Million Dollar Baby (2004) in Best Actor. It’s hard to imagine Daniel Day-Lewis, John Hawkes, and Joaquin Phoenix missing out on nominations with Denzel Washington in a comfortable fourth spot. Affleck and about fifteen other leading hopefuls are fighting for the fifth spot. Richard Gere’s goodwill charm and the lack of Oscar nominations to his credit may catapult him forward to his first mention in his forty-year career in Nicholas Jarecki’s Arbitrage. The film itself could follow the way of last year’s Margin Call, which surprised with an Original Screenplay mention on Oscar nomination morning.
Once upon a time at The Awards Circuit (and even before then when we were still called The Oscar Igloo) we put out Script Reviews on a decently consistent basis. Things have slowed down a lot in that regard over the last year or two, but I’m back again this season with a few planned, including Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’ and this one here for Judd Apatow’s sort-of sequel ‘This is 40′. A spinoff of sorts from ‘Knocked Up’, this could be one of the only comedies with a shot at awards consideration this year. Does it actually have a chance? Having read the script, I’d say yes, mainly in terms of the screenplay itself, which is very strong and moves the filmmaker into some new and fertile ground. Granted, I was wrong about ‘Funny People’ a few years ago, but this should have a much more solid appeal to audiences and voters alike, which bodes well for the flick. Apatow has found a happy medium between the broader comedy of his first two directorial outings and mostly drama with awkward comedy that so many people took issue with the last time around. I haven’t disliked a film of his yet, and judging by this script, he’s going to be 4 for 4 in my book this December.
Twenty years ago today, Quentin Tarantino’s independent directorial debut turned cult-classic, Reservoir Dogs, launched his filmmaking career. Two years later, with Pulp Fiction, he was lauded as a true innovator and redefiner of cinema.
I still have no idea what to make of ‘Django Unchained’ in terms of its awards potential, but one things for sure…every look I get of Quentin Tarantino’s new film makes me like it more and more. This latest Trailer features more of the cast, gives everyone more moments to shine, and suggests that this could wind up being one of the most purely enjoyable movies of 2012. Whether it can be an Oscar player remains to be seen, but this is looking like a real Christmas/Hanukkah gift to film fans. You can see the Trailer after the jump, but this flick has got me sold. Behold it below…
This year’s race for the Academy Award for Best Actor will have no shortage of worthy nominees; in fact I daresay they could nominate five worthy actors right now. However there are still many more performances to be unveiled, work that will end up in the category, work that will not, disappointing audiences, the Academy and critics. Already I think we have seen a preview of that, though Clay might disagree in Bill Murray’s highly touted work in Hyde Park on Hudson, which after seeing at TIFF I felt would slowly drop out of sight and out of contention. The film’s reception at Telluride was weak, and in Toronto the same thing happened, with a rather shocked audience filing out mumbling about the disappointment they were feeling. I have stated already, Murray is never bad, weak or anything remotely negative, just not strong enough to be an Academy Award nominee. It is merely a good performance and lined up alongside the ones I think have a chance so far, it looks oddly out of place, which of course means nothing. Read more on Lead Actor Overstuffed…
Via Kris Tapley over at 
