“12 Years a Slave” and “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” were the clear favorites as the African American Film Critics’ Association named their winners, while Sandra Bullock and Oprah Winfrey took their first acting wins of the season.
'12 Years a Slave' and 'The Butler' impress African-American Film Critics Association
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:20 pm · December 13th, 2013
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tell us what you thought of 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'
Posted by Guy Lodge · 9:43 am · December 13th, 2013
The second part of Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth hits screens today, and we want your thoughts. Does it match or exceed the bar set by “An Unexpected Journey” last year? Share your views and vote in our poll.
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Calin Peter Netzer on maternal inspiration in foreign Oscar hopeful 'Child's Pose'
Posted by Guy Lodge · 9:00 am · December 13th, 2013
Winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlinale, and Romania’s submission for the foreign-language Oscar, searing family drama “Child’s Pose” is among the year’s finest films in any language. Director Calin Peter Netzer tells us how the film was inspired by his own relationship with his mother.
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Roundup: The building blocs of the Academy
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:25 am · December 13th, 2013
In today’s roundup of notable online news and views, Mark Harris examines what he sees as the seven key voting contingents in the Academy, from Traditionalists to Auteurists. Meanwhile, did yesterday’s Golden Globe nods prove the pointlessness of dividing drama and comedy?
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From 'All is Lost' to 'The Wolverine,' 114 films vying for the Best Original Score Oscar
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:49 pm · December 12th, 2013
The Academy today revealed the 114 films in contention for the Best Original Score Oscar. All the widely predicted contenders are present, but don’t look for “Frozen,” “Nebraska” or “The Lone Ranger.”
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Kristen Stewart's 'Camp X-Ray' among films selected for Sundance USA initiative
Posted by Guy Lodge · 12:59 pm · December 12th, 2013
Nine films from next year’s Sundance fest have been selected for the Sundance Film Festival USA initiative, whereby they’ll be screened to public audiences in nine American cities on January 30. The Kristen Stewart starrer “X-Ray” and Joe Swanberg’s “Happy Christmas” are among the selections.
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Best and Worst of the 2014 Golden Globes nominations
Posted by Guy Lodge · 11:03 am · December 12th, 2013
A rundown of some of the best and worst Golden Globes nominations by the HFPA this year. No. 1? Not the lack of nominations for “Homeland,” “Mad Men” or “August: Osage County” for best picture – comedy or musical. You just can’t snub Oprah.
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Globe snubs and surprises: 'Rush' returns, 'Banks' retreats, Lana del Rey is unloved
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:15 am · December 12th, 2013
We round up the most surprising inclusions and exclusions from this morning’s Golden Globe nominations announcement — including a surprise Best Picture nod for “Rush,” and the underperforming “Saving Mr. Banks.”
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'12 Years a Slave' leads female-voted AWFJ nods, as 'The Counselor' is shamed
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:40 am · December 12th, 2013
The Alliance of Women Film Journalists celebrates a lot of the expected contenders in their list of the year’s best — “12 Years a Slave” leads with 13 nods — but their individuality emerges in their categories that celebrate female filmmaking and denigrate industry sexism.
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Roundup: 'Out of the Furnace' gets a mayoral endorsement
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:27 am · December 12th, 2013
In today’s roundup of notable online news and views, “Out of the Furnace” is the subject of an impassioned plea to audiences and voters from the mayor of the town in which it’s set. Meanwhile, Palestian Oscar submission “Omar” triumphs at the Asia Pacific Awards.
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'China Syndrome' writer Thomas S. Cook posthumously honored by WGA
Posted by Guy Lodge · 10:34 am · December 11th, 2013
The late screenwriter Thomas S. Cook will be awarded the WGA’s Morgan Cox Award for services to the Guild at their awards ceremony in February. He is best-known for co-writing the Oscar-nominated script for “The China Syndrome.”
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SAG snubs and surprises: Redford sinks, 'Dallas Buyers Club' swims
Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:15 am · December 11th, 2013
This morning’s SAG nominations in the film categories delivered good news to most of the usual suspects, but a few key surprises have interesting implications for the race. We review who hit big, and who missed out.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Roundup: The rights and wrongs of campaigning cats
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:37 am · December 11th, 2013
In today’s roundup of notable online news and views, one pundit isn’t amused by others critics’ talk of awards for the cat of “Inside Llewyn Davis.” On a more serious note, an appreciation of the late Eleanor Parker.
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SAG nomination predictions: Who will make the cut?
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:24 pm · December 10th, 2013
Tomorrow’s Screen Actors Guild nominations mark the most significant Oscar bellwether of the season thus far — so which actors should be feeling confident? Greg Ellwood, Guy Lodge and Kristopher Tapley offer their predictions in each category.
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Roundup: Schoonmaker's NSFW moments in editing 'Wolf of Wall Street'
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:51 am · December 10th, 2013
In today’s roundup of online news and views, Thelma Schoonmaker discusses the fun, difficulty and occasional blush-inducing embarrassment of editing “The Wolf of Wall Street,” while a LAFCA critic gives an inside perspective on Sunday’s tie-heavy voting.
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'Ernest & Celestine' and 'A Letter to Momo' lead GKIDS retrospective in New York
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:25 pm · December 9th, 2013
With LAFCA winner “Ernest and Celestine” and “A Letter to Momo” both aiming for Oscar attention, their distributor GKIDS is celebrating its 5-year anniversary with a cinema showcase of their own work. It runs in New York from December 20 to January 2.
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Washington critics spring for '12 Years a Slave,' Cuarón, Blanchett
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:48 am · December 9th, 2013
The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics’ Association didn’t rock the boat too much with their awards, as “12 Years a Slave” took another Best Picture win.
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'Philomena' shut out as UK Oscar entry 'Metro Manila' surprises at BIFA Awards
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:30 am · December 9th, 2013
It was a night of surprises at the British Independent Film Awards, as local hit ‘Philomena’ and critics’ pet ‘The Selfish Giant’ were sidelined, while the UK’s Filipino-language Oscar submission ‘Metro Manila’ took the gold.
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