 In case you’re living under some sort of large rock, we here in the United States are having a big election rather shortly. Yes, as we do every 4 years, we’re voting for President and choosing to either re-elect the current President Barack Obama or replace him with Mitt Romney. I’m going to stay away from politics here, but I do want to use the impending election as well as the so-called “timely” DVD release this week of the “documentary” ’2016: Obama’s America’. Anyone who read my review of that…thing (found here) knows my thoughts on it, and I’ll get back into it in my DVD Column, but here I want to focus on positivity and talk about my favorite Presidential films. I’m keeping a somewhat loose set of rules for this list and not solely focusing on movies about the President of the United States, though there will be a few of those for sure. I’m also holding off on including ‘Lincoln’, even though it’s one of the best in my eyes, so consider that an honorable mention. Also staying off the list is George Clooney’s recent political film ‘The Ides of March’, since we never find out if Governor Mike Morris ultimately gets elected or not. The goal here is to talk about my favorite flicks that have the POTUS as a predominant character in them in some way. Obviously I’ll want your lists too, but for now, let’s get into mine, and keep in mind…this is a personal list of favorites.
Read more on Top 10 Presidential Films…
Categories: Article Tags: Cinema of the United States, Deep Impact, Deterrence, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Entertainment/Culture, Fail-Safe, Frost/Nixon, George Clooney, joey's articles, Lincoln, lists, politics, Primary Colors, The American President, The Contender, The Ides of March, Thirteen Days, Top Ten lists
 Much like Kris Tapley over at In Contention does his list of the 10 best shots of each year, I like to do something similar as well here at The Awards Circuit. The wrinkle for me is that I go with the best/most memorable scenes of the year. It’s also kind of a tie in/companion piece with my article on what films from 2011 will stand the test of time. I couldn’t limit it to just 10, so I included 5 of the 15 runners-up and came up with 15 different scenes that were my personal favorites. 8 of my 10 favorite films of 2011 are on the final cut of the list (all wound up in the piece though when you factor in the honorable mentions), but overall I think these are going to be widely considered some of the best scenes of the year. Of course, I’m eager to read what you all have to say/view as the best of the year as well, so we’ll get to that at the end. For now, let’s get on with it and talk about the best scenes from 2011!
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
 The screenplay categories have a strong correlation with past Best Picture winners. In the past few years, “Slumdog Millionaire,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “The Departed” have all won the Adapted Screenplay race that translated to a Best Picture statue. Other winners such as “The Social Network,” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” and “Brokeback Mountain” have lost Best Picture to an Original work. 2004 was the only year that a triumph occurred here that didn’t align with Oscar. Funny enough it was Alexander Payne’s “Sideways” which triumphed over Clint Eastwood’s winner “Million Dollar Baby.” With this year’s Best Picture race likely going to Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist” whoever wins in this category will likely be considered a “consolation” prize. Three out of the five films (The Descendants, Hugo, Moneyball), are nominated for Best Picture. ”Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” had a strong showing on nomination morning when many considered the film dead in the water. Lastly, “The Ides of March” pulled in a last minute mention, likely riding the coattails of George Clooney acting work in “The Descendants,” and made a well-deserved showing.
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
 Often called “the invisible art” of the movies, editing is a crucial and frequently undervalued (and misunderstood) element of filmmaking. Even more debatable is how to judge what “best” editing entails. Is it more commendable when an editor cuts a mediocre film out of pure garbage, or if they simply make impeccable footage flow well for the finished product? Is a film full of quick cuts more award-worthy than one comprised of long takes? Can we even compare the editing of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol to the editing of The Tree of Life? These are questions that even die-hard cinephiles have a hard time addressing, and Academy members – at least based on their voting habits – don’t really bother with. The rule of “Most” applies here as always; thrillers with tons of cuts and ensemble films split across multiple plot strands have a historical advantage here. More importantly, however, is just how crucial this category is to the Best Picture race. Simply put, it is very rare for a film to win the top prize without a Best Editing nod. The last one to do so was Ordinary People…31 years ago. So with that, let’s see what we’ve got…
Read more on Sizing Up the Best Film Editing Field…
 As the year stands behind us and we gear up for the upcoming award shows including the Critics Choice Awards which will be broadcast on VH1, Thursday, January 12th @ 8pm ET. Make sure you tune in.
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
 Putting together a best of the year list can be a daunting task, especially when you have so many films and performances you feel passionate about. There are obvious performances and films I thought I felt one way about, that either grew on me or was forgotten altogether by year’s end. You’ll never find a consensus on these types of citations but you go with your gut and see what you see. Without further ado, here are my choices for the Best in Film for 2011. Read more on Year-In-Review: 2011 Davis’ Film Awards (Editors’ Choices)…
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
Frances O'Connor in Steven Spielberg's "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence"
The American Film Institute will be unveiling their top ten films of 2011 tomorrow and I couldn’t be more excited. This particular group doesn’t have a huge impact on the race like it should but they do often present some eclectic choices. Last year they named every Best Picture nominee except for Oscar Best Picture Winner “The King’s Speech.” Go figure.
In 2002, the group started citing the best performances of the year along with their top ten lists which was very enjoyable but the group has not done since. 2002, one hell of a year for acting in general had the likes of Russell Crowe, Halle Berry, and Denzel Washington, all of which were nominated by the AFI. Also cited was the incredible works by Billy Bob Thornton in The Coen Brothers classic, “The Man Who Wasn’t There,” Brian Cox in the controversial “L.I.E.,” and Frances O’Connor who was the heart and soul of Steven Spielberg’s “A.I.: Artificial Intelligence.” The group has shied away from that type of awards recognition and is simply sticking with the normal set of ten. This year we should have a different range of films from the group.
Read more on American Film Institute (AFI) Preview & Predictions…
Categories: Article, Editor Tags: American Film Institute, arthur christmas, Article, Drive, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Midnight in Paris, Precursors, predictions, Rango, Shame, Take Shelter, The Adventures Of Tintin, the artist, The Descendants, The Help, The Ides of March, The Tree of Life, tinker tailor soldier spy, war horse
There is no resisting…
In box office prognostication, sometimes the only thing ever for sure…is that nothing is ever for sure. No one anticipated that DreamWorks’ “Puss In Boots” would not only win the weekend over the much hyped action comedy “Tower Heist”, but would also set a record for the smallest drop ever for a fall movie release (non-holiday). The precocious little swashbuckling cat banked another $33.1 million, raising its 10-day totals to $75.5 million domestic/$114.5 million worldwide and finishing a substantial distance in front of the #2 movie of the weekend. Well on its way to making back its $130 million budget, “Puss In Boots” looks to rule the family movie roost for one more weekend until a suffocating avalanche of family films arrive with “Happy Feet Two” releasing on November 18 and “Arthur Christmas”, “Hugo”, and “The Muppets” all opening on November 23 in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday. For those bemoaning a lack of family friendly titles at the box office, your cup is about to runneth over for certain.
So what led to the disappointing start for “Tower Heist” and did audiences warmly receive a third “Harold and Kumar” film? Did any Oscar hopefuls and independent titles make any news? Details and more after the cut!
Read more on Box Office Final: “Puss In Boots” Fights Off The Competition……
Categories: News Tags: analysis, anonymous, box office report, Courageous, Footloose, In Time, Like Crazy, Margin Call, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Moneyball, Paranormal Activity 3, puss in boots, The Ides of March, The Son of No One, Tower Heist
 “I think, I hope, my work has gotten better through the years”, smiled George Clooney at TIFF this year, “some of my early performances were, well, terrible.”
Not anymore.
In fact Clooney has come almost full circle to being one of the most respected actors in the business, an artist able to dig in and give a complex and deep performance, but also a movie star with box office clout, admired by his fans, by men and women and alike, and respected by his peers for his honesty and work. He is what I like to call a “no bullshit” sort of guy, one who speaks his mind, does not take himself all that seriously, and uses his power within the industry to make important films that challenge him and hopefully, his audiences. The awards have come, and while he appreciates them, they do not govern what he does, or how he chooses his films.
Read more on CLOONEY — FULL TIME ARTIST…
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
 We are at the point in the season which Sasha Stone cleverly calls, the calm before the storm. Films are opening in theaters, critics are getting to see what’s in serious contention, and voting groups are getting their screeners by the dozens soon enough.
As I updated the Oscar Predictions this time around, I found myself rattling my head fiercely looking for some clarity on certain categories. As Michael Ward pointed out to me, is it really possible that terrific actors like Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, and Jessica Chastain can deliver their finest portrayals and not be recognized for it? Damn right it’s possible and it’s a real shame, no pun intended.
Read more on Oscar Circuit: “There’s always room for more”…
Categories: Editor, Oscar Circuit Tags: Drive, Editor, Hugo, Jessica Chastain, Oscar Circuit, oscar predictions, Ryan Gosling, Shame, Take Shelter, The Help, The Ides of March, The Tree of Life
 Some studios have made their 2011 Awards or For Your Consideration sites LIVE. They’re up and running and it’s so fun to look at them when considering what films will or will not be on Oscar’s radar. Not everyone is up yet and some aren’t listing categories but it’s good to see the roster that some of these studios have on their hands. Weinstein has a squad this season. Another Weinstein Oscar ceremony? We’ll see. Check em’ out below.
The Weinstein Company:
-The Artist
-Coriolanus
-The Iron Lady
-My Week with Marilyn
-Undefeated
-W.E.
-No categories listed.
20th Century Fox:
-Rio
-Rise of the Planet of the Apes
-No categories listed.
Sony Pictures Classic:
-The Skin I Live In – No categories listed.
Read more on Studio FYC Sites are LIVE…
Categories: Editor, News Tags: anonymous, arthur christmas, Beginners, Cars 2, disney pictures, Editor, focus features, For Your Consideration, Hanna, Hugo, Jane Eyre, Kung Fu Panda 2, Like Crazy, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Moneyball, My Week With Marilyn, news, pariah, pirates of the caribbean, puss in boots, Rango, rio, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Shame, sony pictures, Super 8, The Adventures Of Tintin, the artist, The Debt, The Descendants, the girl with the dragon tattoo, The Help, The Ides of March, The Iron Lady, The Tree of Life, the weinstein company, tinker tailor soldier spy, transformers, undefeated, war horse, Warrior, Win Win, Winnie the Pooh, Young Adult
Hugh Jackman stars in "Real Steel" (Buena Vista)
As anticipated, the long-awaited science-fiction/action/family/drama “Real Steel” took the championship in the weekend box office tournament, easily outpacing the star-studded “The Ides Of March” in claiming the top spot. A slew of other smaller releases flooded the arthouses and a couple of high profile independent films, a milestone 100th movie for Jackie Chan and the car crash of a horror film, “The Human Centipede II: Full Sequence”, were met with tepid to mediocre attendance.
Budgeted for $110 million (though many feel that number is vastly underreported), “Real Steel” shocked no one by running away with the domestic crown, with $27.3 million banked for its opening weekend. Starring Hugh Jackman, in a film executive produced by Steven Spielberg amongst others, “Real Steel” was mocked as the Rock’Em Sock’Em Robots Movie, a fair depiction for a film set in a world in the not-to-distant future where boxing, MMA, and professional wrestling has given way to remote-controlled robots waging battle in the esteemed WRB – The World Boxing League. Critics were muted and middle-of-the-road on the film, some championed the family dynamic of a father/son story which lies at the heart of the film. Others made comparable comparisons to “Real Steel” as a “Science-Fiction Rocky”, citing its underdog trying to overcome the odds fighting story. Others, including yours truly, found it incomprehensible and an outright mess. Either way, tracking indicated that opening night audiences were on board, CinemaScore reported an “A” grade, and word-of-mouth was strong leading into Saturday.
Read more on Box Office Final: “Steel” Wins The Tournament…
 Inspired by George Clooney as Presidential candidate Mike Morris in his just released political thriller ‘The Ides of March’, I decided to write up a little tribute piece to the best fictional Commanders in Chief that we’ve had on the big screen. Without spoiling the movie, Morris is seemingly the perfect candidate for the office…until one of his staffers (Ryan Gosling) discovers a secret that makes him rethink his idealism. For this article, I wanted to be strict with my criteria for inclusion on the list, so I excluded a personal favorite of mine, President Josiah Bartlett (Marin Sheen) from TV’s ‘The West Wing’, as well as fictitious Presidential Candidates like Jack Stanton (John Travolta) from ‘Primary Colors’, not to mention actual Presidents who have appeared in movies. Not including Sheen’s riveting Presidential portrait was rough, but I didn’t want to make these choices any harder than they already were going to be. I also obviously excluded terrible cinematic Presidents, so movies like ‘Dr. Strangelove’ and ‘Mars Attacks’ are out of the running, despite the former being one of the best political satires of all time. The following is obviously not meant to be an all inclusive list, so I’ll be keen to know who you all liked the most/least. In a world where we often get imperfect leaders, these men were mostly written to represent the best that the office of the President can inspire, not the worst. Whether they appealed to you or not is going to be up for discussion, but here’s a list of some of my favorites…
Read more on Best Movie Presidents of All Time……
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 10/09)…
Categories: Weekend Openings Tags: Best Actress, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, dancing with the stars, Dolphin Tale, Dream House, Francis Ford Coppola, Hugh Jackman, Margaret, Martin Scorsese, oscar predictions, pet peeves, Real Steel, Scre4m, Steve Jobs, Steven Spielberg, Take Shelter, The Ides of March, The Way, What’s Your Number?
We only got two wide releases this weekend, folks. One might be a bigtime Oscar player, though its chances dropped post-Toronto. The other, well…take a look:
The possible Academy darling, of course, is the political drama The Ides of March, starring Ryan Gosling as a presidential candidate’s hotshot staffer whose ideals are tested during a heavily-contested primary. Our own John and Anna both seemed to agree that the film is well-acted across the board, but differed somewhat on its overall execution. It’s tough to get a solid read on the film’s Oscar hopes at this point. Certainly its critical reaction is far more muted than the average Best Picture contender can claim, but nominations for Philip Seymour Hoffman and Evan Rachel Wood are still in the cards, as well as possible citations for its screenplay and editing. Another uncertain prospect for the film right now is how it’ll do financially. All the protests and indignation in this country about the very political corruption that Clooney’s film is focusing on might give it a boost…then again, that might be the last thing paying audiences looking to “escape” will want to see right now. Adult-minded films have been doing fairly well this year, so I think Ides should rack up a perfectly fine $11-16 million for its opening haul. Read more on Weekend Openings (October 7-9)…
By John H. Foote & Anna Belickis
Foote (***)
George Clooney more than proved himself as a major directing talent with his sublime study of fifties television in Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) which earned the likable actor Academy Award nominations for Best Director, Producer and Co-Writer along with a nomination from the Directors Guild of America. The actor has always been so much more than just a movie star, making it clear he wants to do important work, the sort of work he grew up on in the seventies. Citing Alan J. Pakula and Sidney Lumet as strong influences on his career, you can feel the ghosts of the seventies in his best work, either as actor or director. His brilliant work in Michael Clayton (2007) recalled the finest sort of performance in a Lumet film, while his light touch in Up on the Air (2009) until it crashes down on him, was equally reminiscent of Paul Newman’s best work through the decade, or even Jack Nicholson. Clooney has the goods to be a major actor, major director and movie star, and people genuinely like the man. Hell I like him and I have only ever interviewed him! He smiles often, jokes incessantly, and does not take himself all that seriously until he gets serious about his work. Then the man is serious. Read more on The Ides of March (Multiple Reviews)…
Closing the book on the sights, sounds, films and memories from TIFF 2011…
As it seems to do every year, TIFF ended with a whimper and not a bang. The first week is teeming with activity, be it the top screenings, interviews, events, and then by the following Thursday, just one week in, it all starts to fade fast. I spent some time watching the short films on the last couple of days because there was precious little else to see that interested me. Yes I finally saw A Dangerous Method and liked it…did not love it, but will write more about it when it is released.
Read more on John’s TIFF Diary: Final Entry…
John H. Foote reports from Toronto!
TIFF is always a joy to attend, as the world of cinema is on display with the very best directors on the globe displaying their new films in hopes of starting that all-important Oscar buzz. Suffice to say that many films arrived here with buzz already attached, and I greatly anticipated this year’s festival.
The Opening Night Gala has been historically reserved for a Canadian film but this year the programmers decided to continue the marriage of film with rock-and-roll with the new U2 documentary From the Sky Down (**) directed by David Guggenheim. Though they might be one of the great rock bands in history, U2 has never fared well on film, and though we get great insight into their dynamic as a band, the film tends to portray them as your typical rockers. Read more on John’s TIFF Diary: Day One…
|
