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’sStories 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’sOnly 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.
Very few people seem to be as bullish on the Oscar chances of Captain Phillips like I am, but I’ve been pretty consistent in thinking that Paul Greengrass and Tom Hanks could potentially knock this one out of the park. Well, a Trailer has just dropped and it looks like they’ve done just that. Could this turn out to be 2013′s version of Zero Dark Thirty? It’s certainly possible, though we’ll need more than just a two minute look, of course (and there’s no Catherine Keener on hand to judge). So far, I think this looks pretty riveting and I’m digging it. After the jump you can take a gander for yourself. Should others be making room for this flick in their Best Picture predictions? Decide below.
This morning the American Theater Wing announced their nominees for the 2013 Tony Awards and per usual the musicals lead the way with the nomination tally. Kinky Boots, the adaptation of the 2005 film with its all star team (Jerry Mitchell, Harvey Feirstein and Cyndi Lauper), sashayed its way to 13 nominations including two Lead Actor noms for Stark Sands and Billy Porter and Best Musical. Matilda the musical followed close behind with 12 and the smash hit revival of Pippin managed 10. On the play side, the revival of boxing drama Golden Boy won 8 nominations and Tom Hanks found himself with a Tony nom for Lead Actor in a Play as Lucky Guy gatherd 6 nominations including Best Play. Check out the rest after the jump! Read more on 2013 Tony Nominations announced, ‘Kinky Boots’ leads the pack with 13…
Awards Circuit Power Hour is back this week with a great in-depth talk about some of the highlights of the past week.
We kick off the podcast talking about the new trailer for Romeo and Juliet. Is it a story that needs to be told…again? Also, Academy Award nominee Hailee Steinfield has a terrific year ahead of her including a role in Tommy Lee Jones’ next directorial effort. Is there wiggle room for her to make a second showing with Oscar so soon?
Directed by: Paul Greengrass Written by: Billy Ray
Cast: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, John Magaro, Christopher Stadulis, Max Martini, Michael Chernus, Corey Johnson, Chris Mulkey, Angus MacInnes, David Warshofsky, and Yul Vazquez
Synopsis (courtesy of Coming Soon): Columbia Pictures’ action-thriller “Captain Phillips” stars two-time Oscar® winner Tom Hanks in the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. The film is directed by Oscar® nominee Paul Greengrass, from a screenplay by Billy Ray and based upon the book, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea,” by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty. The film is produced by Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, and Michael De Luca.
Cast: Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Emma Thompson, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novak, Bradley Whitford, Kathy Baker, Ruth Wilson, Victoria Summer
It’s March! We get started right away and over the past few weeks after the Oscar ceremony, I took some brief stabs at some categories. Those have been tinkered with and will be reflected on the actual Oscar Prediction pages in the next couple of days. The full listing of predicted nominees is on the sidebar with the list of contenders on the Oscar Prediction pages for Picture, Director, Lead Actor, Lead Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay, and Animated Feature.
Obviously categories like Original Song are merely speculation because we don’t know what film will have an eligible song attached. Disney and Pixar films are good for a song or two so that’s always a good place to start. Read more on Oscar Circuit – 2014 Films and Minority Contenders…
Simply put, Andy and Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer’s Cloud Atlas is an allegory about love, freedom, and the connectivity of the human spirit throughout all of time, space, and everything in between. But there is nothing simple about this film – this challengingly ambitious and wildly intrepid film – that weaves six unique stories through different periods in time (between 1849 and approximately 2346), all following the same actors redefined in each tale by different ethnicities, genders, and ages, in what is almost certainly a nod to reincarnation. If you try to connect the dots between each story being told, you might miss the larger point of the narrative, as Cloud Atlas is most profoundly felt in the sum of all its exuberant parts. And while I was intrigued with each separate story being told, I was surprised by the wave of emotion that hit me as the film pulled itself together marvelously in the end. Cloud Atlas is already an esoteric and devisive film amongst critics and audiences alike, but count this writer as one on the side of this being one of the best films of the year.
Cloud Atlas, easily being the heavy-hitter this week, will probably handily oust its currently seated and incoming rivals out of the park. Another video game adaptation offers a serving of seasonal spooks, but will it make the cut onto the list of best video game movies? You decide…
Watching movies can provide you a range of experiences. There are films that make you question them, films that are just for enjoyment and films that make you feel. While a certain studio has coined the latter for most of its Oscar fare, those films barely scratch the surface of the power that film has. Cloud Atlas, the mesmerizing film from the Wachowski siblings and Tom Tykwer, is a cinematic force of nature that jolts you out of your reverie and gives you reaffirmation of what it means to live. Tracking six storylines that span from the 1850s to sometime around 2250, this film effortlessly blends the separate, yet interconnected parts, into an incredible whole.
With the upcoming DVD/Blu-ray release of Sarah Polley’s second directorial feature, Take This Waltz, the Canadian-born writer/director builds upon the promising foundation of her filmmaking career.
Polley follows up her acclaimed and Oscar-nominated debut, Away from Her (2006), with a simply honest portrayal of a woman’s struggle to fill the gaps in her seemingly happy marriage. Boasting crisp cinematography, good writing, and believable character depictions, the effort mostly succeeds in coming across as composed and genuine. While Michelle Williams predictably delivers a solid performance, it’s difficult at times to understand or empathize with her predicament and decisions, due to their impulsive and somewhat erratic nature. Seth Rogen as the naively loving, slightly disconnected husband and Sarah Silverman as the strangely wise alcoholic sister-in-law both fill their supporting roles effectively. It’s worth a look if you’re curious.
The studios have started activating their “FYC (For Your Consideration)” websites and listing their contenders for each film for the 2013 Academy Awards. Some interesting things already happening is Anne Hathaway’s turn in The Dark Knight Rises will be campaigned as a Lead performance by Warner Brothers. The same company will also push Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in Lead categories in Cloud Atlas. As everyone knows, the Weinsteins are the first official company to get out screeners. Many said Richard Linklater’s Bernie was the first but was deemed ineligible as a campaign. The Weinsteins sent out screeners for The Intouchables earlier this week to all Academy members.
Katherine Hepburn has the distinct honor of being awarded four Oscars in her lifetime, all for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Hepburn won for Morning Glory (1933), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? (1967), The Lion in the Winter (1968), and On Golden Pond (1982).
In my estimation, the two greatest films ever to be made concerning the “deep blue sea” come from Disney: 1989′s The Little Mermaid and 2003′s Finding Nemo. Sorry Spielberg, but when it comes to the visual splendor and untold adventures one can obtain from the giant, often uncharted world we call “the ocean,” nobody does it quite like Disney. So when I heard there was to be a re-release of Finding Nemo in 3-D, I immediately perked up at the idea. Not only is Finding Nemo one of Pixar’s best efforts to date, but I hadn’t seen the movie in nearly ten years, perhaps since its initial release. I was worried that my opinion of the movie was going to change, and also wondered whether the 3-D would distract my emotional attachment with Marlon and his journey to find and rescue his physically limited son, Nemo. Ten years later and wiser — 23 years old versus 14 at the time of Finding Nemo’s original release — I am proud to report that the 3-D is infused seamlessly into the classic animated feature. There is never an issue with jagged lines or the other nuisances that often appear when watching a film that’s released in 3-D. In fact, I daresay Finding Nemo’s extra use of dimension makes for an even bigger, more involved, deeper felt movie-going experience the second time around. You cannot help but embrace Dory’s mantra when watching: “just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” Read more on Finding Nemo 3-D (Duo-Review)…
Sunday is always a very bust at TIFF largely because the studios are here with junkets and getting around is a tad more difficult than other days. Cabs are scare, the Bell Lightbox buzzes with people and the theaters are jammed. Case in point the first screening this morning was packed to capacity, good news for The Weinstein Company as the company enjoys what could be their most impressive year yet.
The breakthrough performance of the festival could be Michael Shannon in The Iceman, a film which came in with very little buzz but will leave with Shannon a potential Oscar nominee for Best Actor. I know the next time I change my picks he will leap onto the prediction page for me as a nominee. Anyone who has seen the film is talking about Shannon, and only Shannon, good news the difficult little film about a real life hit man for the mob who was also a serial killer. Read more on TIFF: Lawrence owns “Playbook,” Visuals Stun “Atlas,” and Over-Saturation Hurts “Watch”…
A new and shorter trailer has premiered for the upcoming Cloud Atlas with Tom Hanks and Halle Berry. The film is directed by The Wachowski Siblings (The Matrix, 1999) and Tom Tykwer (Perfume: The Story of a Murder, 2006).
The new trailer showcases a possible strong turn from Oscar winner Berry, who’s hasn’t turned in too many “worthy” performances since Monster’s Ball (2001). The question lingering is will the entire cast be pushed on a Supporting campaign or will they try to capitalize on a weak Best Actress field?
The film will be shown at the Toronto Film Festival as well as the New York Film Festival this month. The film opens October 26, 2012.
Naomi Watts stars in “The Impossible” premiering at TIFF….
Having gone through the announced films with a fine tooth comb I have come up with a list of twenty must sees, the films that will have absolute priority over everything else for at TIFF. That is not to say I will not venture into other movies, I most certainly will, but for now, the twenty discussed within are the films I am making it my mission in life to see first. Understand that the schedules have not yet been made available to the press so there will undoubtedly be overlaps in the screenings, meaning getting a ticket from the TIFF folks or speaking with the film’s publicist to land a seat. They are always helpful to me, always have been, so no problems are foreseen. And of course there are the festivals pre-screenings, which are held ten days before the start of the festival allowing press to see films that are going to be an issue because of their schedule, or in the case of the TV critics, because they will be interviewing. I so do not miss those days, being on television, listening to the producers go to war for interviews, scrambling at the last minute because they have given to us, just a nightmare. There was a time when seeing forty to forty five films was not out of the question, but by the end of the festival my brain was mush and the stories began to run together. I learned to pace myself. Of course my accident in 2001 cut down on the number of films I can see from a sheer physical stand point. Thirty to thirty five is the goal, though twenty eight is where I usually end up. Consider as well, if I am interviewing I need to give up a film here and there, and I hate that. For me TIFF is all about the films…period. That said, if the chance arises to interview some of the major players, I will be there, as always. I have to admit I am getting excited about TIFF. As the days slip past and it comes time for my girls to go back to school, I realize the festival is upon me. Different this year, very different, is Sherri is not here to share it with me. She would bring the girls into the city for the weekend, and though we did not see much of one another, we made it a point to have dinner and coffee together, and I always woke her when I got in. I will miss that. Ariana will be with me that first weekend, swimming and hanging out at the pool, and that will be cool for her, as she loves hotel life. She has never been to a GALA so I will take her to see The Silver Lining Playbook this year, as she adores Jennifer Lawrence.
The second half of the year is upon us. The race is about to heat up with big Oscar hopefuls coming down the pike. Our John Foote will be in attendance at the Toronto International Film Festival and many films will be unveiling themselves to critics alike. There is a very unclear yet still feasible shape to the race looking from ten thousand feet.
There are internet jitters building for Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master starring Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman. With the trailers released and now the film being pushed up to September, it looks as though we may be in store for a master class in filmmaking. Phoenix also looks to be a lead contender for his first Oscar after delivering in his previous nominated works, Gladiator (2000) and Walk the Line (2005). Phoenix does have tough competition ahead of him including what looks to be a critical darling-type performance coming from John Hawkes in Ben Lewin’s The Sessions. Early word is very positive for the film and the turns by Hawkes along with co-stars Helen Hunt and William H. Macy. Since Hawkes’ initial nomination two years ago for Winter’s Bone, he hasn’t shown any signs of letting up. He was arguably left off last year in Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene and will be seen later this year in Julia Dyer’s The Playroom and Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. There seems to be a tremendous following and support for him in his current state. Speaking of Spielberg, we’re still awaiting some type of marketing material for his upcoming Lincoln biopic. No poster or trailer has been released with very few stills leaked online. One starts to think if it will even be ready in time.
With the 5-minute trailer premiering this past week, this simple poster has hit. Do we have an Oscar contender on our hands? We shall see. Comment and see the full poster after the jump. Read more on Poster for “Cloud Atlas”…
Up until now, we haven’t really seen too much from the upcoming adaptation of ‘Cloud Atlas’ that the Wachowskis and Tom Twyker have made. We’ve gotten hints and tidbits about how out there and ambitious it is, but nothing to really hang your hat on. That changed today however, as there’s a 5 minute International Trailer for share with you all. It’s certainly much longer than a normal Domestic Trailer and serves a different purpose, but it does work as a great preview for the flick. You can see it after the jump, but do keep in mind that it might actually show you a bit more than you’d prefer to see. If that doesn’t bother you, the Trailer is right here for you below…
Taking a break from all this Bat-talk. Trekking through the year 2000 was a daunting task. There were many films I hadn’t seen in years, while others I’ve never feasted my eyes on before. Naturally this brings on a dilemma. A 15-year-old Clayton watching movies is very different from a now, 28-year-old Clayton. I like to think there is a maturity there that lacked before. I realized that after re-watching Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In 2000, I found the film immensely overrated and couldn’t understand what people were so mesmerized by. Naturally, I’ve never officially appreciated it or thought it to be among Ang Lee’s best. Enter last weekend. Talk about being fantastic a second-time around, the film was nearly hypnotic in its style and approach. Do I consider it the best of the year? Not really. One of the best? Definitely so.
With our ACCA 2000 closing up on Friday, and winners being announced on Sunday’s podcast, I have to let you in on my favorites of the new millennium. Please include yours in the comment section and let’s see what commonalities or differences we have. Bold denotes winner. Enjoy after the jump: Read more on Davis Awards 2000 Announced!…
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks turns a young 56 this week. The two-time Academy Award winner was born on July 9th, 1956 in Concord, California. He studied theatre at Chabot College before transferring over to California State University. After moving to New York City, Hanks made his film debut in a low-budget horror film titled He Knows You’re Alone (1980). The following year he earned a lead role on the ABC television pilot of Bosom Buddies, where he played an advertising man who (along with Peter Scolari) dressed as a woman in order to stay in an affordable all-female hotel. The show only ran for two seasons, but gave Hanks enough attention to move on into larger roles in movies.
Happy 4th of July to all our fellow Americans here on the Awards Circuit. As our readership is full of international men and women from all around the world, we salute any of your independence days if you celebrate it. This is also a special shout out to all our service men and women who continue to protect so I can have the ability to type this very sentence.
There are many films that have come out over the years that celebrate America in all her glory and where she’s come from. Listed below are my ten favorite films (in no particular order) that celebrate independence and America. Feel free to share your own take on the subject either for here or your own country. Read more on Ten Favorite Films About Independence…
When I get asked about potential 2013 Oscar players (yes, people are already curious), a few films come to mind. Most are ones people expect to hear, but I also mention ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ as well. This story of Walt Disney and the making of ‘Mary Poppins’ has all the makings of being a real player. It’s set to star Tom Hanks as Disney and Emma Thompson as the author of Poppins, and now The Hollywood Reporter is saying here that Colin Farrell has joined the cast as well. After the jump you can get some more details, but I really like how this one is shaping up. Mark my words, it could be an awards player…
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.
This morning the American Theater Wing announced their nominees for the 2013 Tony Awards and per usual the musicals lead the way with the nomination tally. Kinky Boots, the adaptation of the 2005 film with its all star team (Jerry Mitchell, Harvey Feirstein and Cyndi Lauper), sashayed its way to 13 nominations including two Lead Actor noms for Stark Sands and Billy Porter and Best Musical. Matilda the musical followed close behind with 12 and the smash hit revival of Pippin managed 10. On the play side, the revival of boxing drama Golden Boy won 8 nominations and Tom Hanks found himself with a Tony nom for Lead Actor in a Play as Lucky Guy gatherd 6 nominations including Best Play. Check out the rest after the jump! 
