With George Clooney’s ‘The Ides of March’ on the way, we offer a state of the filmpolitik union. Films on our list include “JFK,” “Election” and “The Manchurian Candidate.”
The Lists: Top 10 films about politics
Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:37 am · October 4th, 2011
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Does Sony have bigger Oscar plans for 'A Separation' and 'In Darkness'?
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:28 pm · October 3rd, 2011
Best Foreign Language Film contenders are frequently content to wait until after the nominations to open in US theaters; however, Sony Pictures Classics has scheduled heavyweight contenders ‘A Separation’ and ‘In Darkness’ for December openings, suggesting they may have other Oscar categories in mind.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Reviewing NYFF across space and time
Posted by Guy Lodge · 10:22 am · October 3rd, 2011
We may not be attending the New York Film Festival, here’s a round-up of the festival titles we’ve already seen and reviewed at In Contention, including such films as “The Artist,” “The Descendants,” “A Separation” and “Carnage.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
George Clooney lists 100 of his favorite films
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:56 pm · September 30th, 2011
George Clooney has shared a list of his 100 favorite films — from the years 1964 to 1976, that is — with Parade magazine. A lot of the selections won’t surprise you, particularly one he singles out for extra praise: “All the President’s Men.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
David Fincher: Lisbeth Salander is 'refuse'
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:27 pm · September 30th, 2011
Those hoping that David Fincher’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” will give us a more well-rounded Lisbeth Salander than we saw in the original Swedish films will be encouraged by his intriguing description of the character to Empire magazine.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Emily Watson returns to the spotlight in 'Oranges and Sunshine'
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:21 am · September 29th, 2011
After something of a career lull in recent years, Emily Watson is enjoying a strong 2011. With an appearance in Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse” on the horizon, a lead role in British heart-tugger “Oranges and Sunshine” could land the actress her third Oscar nod.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Spanish selectors ignore Almodóvar, as Sony picks up Lebanese Oscar hopeful
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:40 pm · September 28th, 2011
We’ll lead this foreign-language Oscar update with a promising bit of news on a previously announced submission. Lebanon’s entry, Nadine Labaki’s feminist comedy “Where Do We Go Now?” has just been picked up for US distribution by Sony Pictures Classics.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
The Long Shot: In praise of the misfits
Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:38 am · September 28th, 2011
How would you fill out your Oscar ballot: honestly or tactically? Are we too narrow-minded and pessimistic in how we see Oscar-friendly movies? These are two of the questions tackled in this week’s column, with updated predictions.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
The Lists: Top 10 sports movies
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:52 am · September 27th, 2011
With “Moneyball” and “Warrior” in theaters, we take the opportunity to survey the (rather broad) genre of the sports movies. Films that made the cut include “The Wrestler,” “Bull Durham” and “Raging Bull.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Franchise talk as 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' rules UK box office
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:18 am · September 27th, 2011
Tomas Alfredson’s ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ has topped the UK box office charts for the second week running, sealing the film’s status as a heavyweight BAFTA (and possible Oscar) contender. Meanwhile, it fuels talk of Gary Oldman reprising his George Smiley character in further John Le Carré adaptations.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'The Artist' takes Audience Award at San Sebastian fest
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:20 pm · September 25th, 2011
“The Artist” takes the audience award at the 2011 San Sebastian Film Festival this year as “A Separation,” “Albert Nobbs,” and “Where Do We Go Now?” is among other prize winners.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
China and South Africa bring a little English to the foreign Oscar conversation
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:00 pm · September 23rd, 2011
We talk about name appeal being a factor in the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar race, but no country this year can boast it to quite the same extent as China: not only is their submission, just announced today, directed by three-time Oscar nominee Zhang Yimou, but it stars reigning Best Supporting Actor champ Christian Bale.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Mexico's terrific 'Miss Bala' leads latest crop of foreign Oscar entries
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:19 am · September 23rd, 2011
Following an acclaimed festival run that began at Cannes, Fox’s razor-sharp drug-trade thriller “Miss Bala” is named Mexico’s Oscar entry. Israel opts for another Cannes title, the award-winning “Footnote,” while “The Forgiveness of Blood,” American director Joshua Marston’s follow-up to “Maria Full of Grace,” competes for Albania.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
More countries enter foreign-language Oscar race as deadline looms
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:08 pm · September 22nd, 2011
With the deadline for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar submissions on October 1, a number of countries have officially entered the fray in the past week. Among them are France, with a terminal-disease drama that could be a sleeper, and Russia, which has caused an outcry with the selection of an expensive Nikita Mikhalkov bomb.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
The Long Shot: Where DO we go now?
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:47 am · September 21st, 2011
You’ve got to feel for Nadine Labaki. For months ahead of the Toronto Film Festival, industry pundits have been eyeing up the fest’s lone mentionable prize—the Audience Award—as some kind of mystical key with the power to unlock the opaque maze of this year’s Best Picture Oscar race; a maze, thus far, with no appreciable entry or exit points.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Interview: 'Drive' director Nicolas Winding Refn
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:00 am · September 20th, 2011
“Drive” director Nicolas Winding Refn discusses the making of his breakout film, which he sees as a superhero origin story and a Los Angeles fairytale.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention · Interviews
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