Posted by Gregory Ellwood · 10:36 pm · February 21st, 2015
http://players.brightcove.net/4838167533001/BkZprOmV_default/index.html?videoId=4910009030001
SANTA MONICA – There was some faint hope that this year's Spirit Awards would provide us with a number of winners we aren't expecting to see on Oscar Sunday. Unfortunately, outside of a Screenplay win for “Nightcrawler” and some categories that aren't part of the Academy Awards mix (we're looking at you Best First Screenplay), it simply wasn't meant to be. J.K. Simmons, Patricia Arquette, Julianne Moore, “Boyhood” and “Birdman” took all the major awards just as they will at the Academy Awards. Considering it was the 30th installment of the Spirit Awards, an upset or two would have made the afternoon much more memorable. As for the show itself? Well, does “not bad” count as a response?
Here's the good news: the Spirits benefited from two energetic and involved hosts, Kristen Bell and Fred Armisen, and by finally broadcasting live again after a number of years of unfortunate tape delay (not so smart in this era of social media). There were stars, there were funny skits and some classy speeches. Frankly, while the Spirits are nowhere near as produced as the big four (Emmys, Tonys, Grammys and Oscars) or shows that are basically more about the bits than the awards (any MTV endeavor), it actually can be more entertaining than the BAFTAs or Globes (only the non-Tina Fey and Amy Poehler shows, obviously).
Did this show hit the heights of 2013 when Andy Samberg knocked it out of the park? Not exactly, but overall, the past three years have provided a consistent level of quality that may be all we can expect from a production that occurs in a makeshift circus tent on the beach in Santa Monica.
Keeping that in mind, check out the Best and Worst of the 2015 Independent Spirit Awards in the embedded gallery below.
One additional note: This pundit predicted 11 of the 14 winners correctly. Not bad if I do say so myself.
Agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Tags: In Contention, INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS, Spirit Awards 2015 | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Louis Virtel · 6:06 pm · February 21st, 2015
http://players.brightcove.net/4838167533001/BkZprOmV_default/index.html?videoId=4910009030001
The list of winners at the 30th Independent Spirit Awards confirmed that a number of Oscar nominees are shoo-ins for the biggest awards of the evening.
“Birdman” is now the absolute frontrunner for Best Picture thanks to its Best Feature win at the Spirit Awards, and Michael Keaton — who lost the SAG and BAFTA Awards to Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything” — is now neck and neck with Redmayne for Best Actor.
The victorious cast of “Birdman” opened up in the Indie Spirit press room about the sweeping, peculiar film and winner Keaton discussed where he plans on putting his Oscar if he wins one: “Next to my Nobel” of course.
Tags: Alejandro G Irritu, emma stone, In Contention, michael keaton, OSCARS | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Louis Virtel · 5:50 pm · February 21st, 2015
http://players.brightcove.net/4838167533001/BkZprOmV_default/index.html?videoId=4910026066001
At the 30th Independent Spirit Awards, Julianne Moore balked when asked where she planned to put her Oscar if she (expectedly) picks one up on Sunday.
“One day at a time, man,” she laughed.
But she freely discussed the staggering pace at which her producers created the film “Still Alice,” about a middle-aged woman who learns she has Alzheimer's, and where she plans to put her Indie Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.
Tags: In Contention, INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS, JULIANNE MOORE, OSCARS, STILL ALICE | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Louis Virtel · 5:47 pm · February 21st, 2015
http://players.brightcove.net/4838167533001/BkZprOmV_default/index.html?videoId=4910026070001
Patricia Arquette has swept awards season for her supporting performance in “Boyhood,” which famously took 12 years to film, but she used her Independent Spirit Award win to set the record straight about exactly how long Richard Linklater's indie epic took to assemble.
Turns out when you add in every year's casting and location scouting, the process was somehow lengthier than was even reported.
The Oscar frontrunner also opened up about the decision she faced at age 18: whether to keep acting or become a midwife.
Tags: boyhood, ELLAR COLTRANE, Ethan Hawke, In Contention, INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS, PATRICIA ARQUETTE, RICHARD LINKLATER | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:45 pm · February 21st, 2015
The 30th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards were presented Saturday from a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. Check out the full list of winners below.
Best Feature
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” – WINNER
“Boyhood”
“Love is Strange”
“Selma”
“Whiplash”
Best Director
Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”
Ava DuVernay, “Selma”
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood” – WINNER
David Zellner, “Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter”
Best Screenplay
Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, “Big Eyes”
J.C. Chandor, “A Most Violent Year”
Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler” – WINNER
Jim Jarmusch, “Only Lovers Left Alive”
Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias, “Love is Strange”
Best First Feature
Ana Lily Amirpour, “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night”
Justin Simien, “Dear White People”
Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler” – WINNER
Gillian Robespierre, “Obvious Child”
Anja Marquardt, “She's Lost Control”
Best First Screenplay
Desiree Akhavan, “Appropriate Behavior”
Sara Colangelo, “Little Accidents”
Justin Lader, “The One I Love”
Anja Marquardt, “She's Lost Control”
Justin Simien, “Dear White People” – WINNER
John Cassavetes Award
Jeremy Saulnier, “Blue Ruin”
Eliza Hittman, “It Felt Like Love”
Aaron Katz & Martha Stephens, “Land Ho!” – WINNER
Dave Boyle, “Man From Reno”
Chris Mason Johnson, “Test”
Best Female Lead
Marion Cotillard, “The Immigrant”
Rinko Kikuchi, “Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter”
Julianne Moore, “Still Alice” – WINNER
Jenny Slate, “Obvious Child”
Tilda Swinton, “Only Lovers Left Alive”
Best Male Lead
André Benjamin, “Jimi: All Is By My Side”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” – WINNER
John Lithgow, “Love is Strange”
David Oyelowo, “Selma”
Best Supporting Female
Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood” – WINNER
Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”
Carmen Ejogo, “Selma”
Andrea Suarez Paz, “Stand Clear of the Closing Doors”
Emma Stone, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Best Supporting Male
Riz Ahmed, “Nightcrawler”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Alfred Molina, “Love is Strange”
Edward Norton, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash” – WINNER
Best Cinematography
Darius Khondji, “The Immigrant”
Emmanuel Lubezki, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” – WINNER
Sean Porter, “It Felt Like Love”
Lyle Vincent, “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night”
Bradford Young, “Selma”
Best Editing
Sandra Adair, “Boyhood”
Tom Cross, “Whiplash” – WINNER
John Gilroy, “Nightcrawler”
Ron Patane, “A Most Violent Year”
Adam Wingard, “The Guest”
Best Documentary
Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard, “20,000 Days on Earth”
Laura Poitras, “CITIZENFOUR” – WINNER
Debra Granik, “Stray Dog”
Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and Wim Wenders, “The Salt of the Earth”
Orlando von Einsiedel, “Virunga”
Best International Film
Ruben Östlund, “Force Majeure”
Pawel Pawlikowski, “Ida” – WINNER
Andrey Zvyagintsev, “Leviathan”
Xavier Dolan, “Mommy”
Lav Diaz, “Norte, the End of History”
Jonathan Glazer, “Under the Skin”
Piaget Producers Award
Chad Burris
Elisabeth Holm
Chris Ohlson – WINNER
Someone to Watch Award
Ana Lily Amirpour, “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night”
Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia, “H.” – WINNER
Chris Eska, “The Retrieval”
Truer Than Fiction Award
Amanda Rose Wilder, “Approaching the Elephant”
Darius Clark Monroe, “Evolution of a Criminal”
Dan Krauss, The Kill Team” – WINNER
Sara Dosa, “The Last Season”
Robert Altman Award
“Inherent Vice”
Special Distinction Award
“Foxcatcher”
Tags: Film Independent Spirit Awards, In Contention, Spirit Awards 2015 | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Louis Virtel · 4:40 pm · February 20th, 2015
The secret to a great Oscars telecast is not a perfect set of winners or speeches; it's the fabulous Oscar presenters who really carry the whole thing.
Presenting is a thankless task. You're given stale TelePrompter feed to read, and you probably spend more time onstage than most of the sputtering winners. You're doomed to be boring unless you try one of the five methods of Awesome Oscar Presentation we've outlined below. We hope this year's presenters take a hint from these wonderful podium moments.
1. The F. Murray Abraham method: Compliment the hell out of the winner
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKw6su_e6Z0]
Here's F. Murray Abraham dramatically presenting Best Actress at the 1986 ceremony. Watch as he drums up excitement with florid descriptions of each nominee and concludes by giving Geraldine Page an unprecedented compliment: “This is the greatest actor in the English language!”
2. The Sophia Loren method: Utter jubilation
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cTR6fk8frs]
Roberto Benigni's hammy theatrics are a bit polarizing, but no one could deny the charisma of Sophia Loren when she read her fellow countryman's name at the mic. The excitement! The celebration! Lead us always, Sophia Loren.
3. The Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Bette Midler method: Gab with your cool friends through the long list of nominees.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5rPOATuJAc]
Try reading through a list of Best Original Song nominees sometimes. That's a lot of names! Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Bette Midler got bored in the middle of the recitation and just joked around about knowing some of the nominees. Barbra? She's an old pal! These ladies need another movie together, STAT.
4. The Robin Williams method: Turn the whole thing into a snappy comedy bit
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbbpFI8Qge8]
Not everyone can turn a moment at the podium into a successful monologue, but Robin Williams squeezed four or five jokes into his airtime before delivering an Oscar to Dame Judi Dench. That Lainie Kazan joke is just awesome.
5. The Denzel Washington method: Seriousness, sincerity, and slyly prolonging the agony.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9kDwdxVlEw]
I love how Denzel Washington, here presenting Best Supporting Actress to Whoopi Goldberg, starts by saying he doesn't want to prolong the agony. Then after he reads the nominees, he prolongs the agony. He kept his presentation classy but fun with a dash of suspense, and that's really the Oscar puree we want.
Tags: 2015, ACADEMY AWARDS, BETTE MIDLER, DENZEL WASHINGTON, DIANE KEATON, F. MURRAY ABRAHAM, GOLDIE HAWN, In Contention, OSCARS, Robin Williams, SOPHIA LOREN, WHOOPI GOLDBERG | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 2:50 pm · February 20th, 2015
The 40th annual César Awards (i.e., the French Oscar equivalent) were bestowed in Paris Friday, with “Timbuktu” claiming top honors. The film, Oscar-nominated in the foreign category as Mauritania's first-ever submission, won seven awards overall and is seen as a potential spoiler at the Oscars on Sunday.
Also of note, Kristen Stewart, who had already become the first American actress to receive a César nomination in 30 years, went on to win the supporting actress prize for her performance in “Sils Maria.” That makes her the first American actress to ever win a César (and the first American period since Adrien Brody in 2003). Perhaps that will set her up as someone to watch out for at the Oscars next year, but that might be tricky with an April US release.
Check out the full list of winners below, the nominees here and the rest of the season at The Circuit.
Best Film
“Timbuktu”
Best Director
Abderrahmane Sissako, “Timbuktu”
Best Actor
Pierre Niney, “Yves Saint Laurent”
Best Actress
Adèle Haenel, “Les Combattants”
Best Supporting Actor
Reda Kateb, “Hippocrate”
Best Supporting Actress
Kristen Stewart, “Sils Maria”
Best Adapted Screenplay
“Diplomatie”
Best Original Screenplay
“Timbuktu”
Best Cinematography
“Timbuktu”
Best Costumes
“Saint Laurent”
Best Editing
“Timbuktu”
Best Score
Amine Bouhafa, “Timbuktu”
Best Sound
“Timbuktu”
Best Foreign Film
“Mommy”
Best Animated Film
“Minuscule: La Vallée Des Fourmis Perdues”
Best Documentary
“The Salt Of The Earth”
Best Debut Feature
“Les Combattants”
Best Newcomer (Male)
Kevin Azaïs, “Les Combattants”
Best Newcomer (Female)
Louane Emera, “La Famille Bélier”
Best Short Film
“La Femme De Rio”
Best Animated Short
“Les Petits Cailloux”
Honorary César Award
Sean Penn
Tags: Cesar Awards 2015, In Contention | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Louis Virtel · 2:46 pm · February 20th, 2015
Tags: BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, EDDIE REDMAYNE, In Contention, KEIRA KNIGHTLEY, michael keaton, OSCARS, OSCARS 2014, PATRICIA ARQUETTE | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 1:32 pm · February 20th, 2015
“Selma” was the big winner at the Black Reel Awards heading into a kudos weekend that will include the Film Independent Spirit Awards and the Oscars. Ava DuVernay's film won best film, best actor, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best director and best ensemble honors.
Check out the full list of winners below, the nominees here and the rest of the season's offerings at The Circuit.
MOTION PICTURE
Outstanding Motion Picture
“Selma”
Outstanding Actor
David Oyelowo, “Selma”
Outstanding Actress
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, “Belle”
Outstanding Supporting Actor
Wendell Pierce, “Selma”
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Carmen Ejogo, “Selma”
Outstanding Director
Ava DuVernay, “Selma”
Outstanding Screenplay (Original or Adapted)
Chris Rock, “Top Five”
Outstanding Documentary
“Anita: Speaking Truth to the Power”
Outstanding Ensemble (Awarded to Casting Directors)
“Selma”
Outstanding Foreign Film
“Fishing Without Nets” (Kenya)
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male
Tyler James Williams, “Dear White People”
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female
Teyonah Parris, “Dear White People”
Outstanding Voice Performance
Morgan Freeman, “The LEGO Movie”
Outstanding Score
“Selma”
Outstanding Original Song
“Glory” from “Selma”
Outstanding Independent Feature
“The Retrieval”
Outstanding Independent Documentary
“25 to Life”
Outstanding Independent Short
“#AmeriCan”
(Check out TV winners on the next page.)
TELEVISION
Outstanding Television Documentary or Special
“Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown”
Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series
“The Trip to Bountiful”
Outstanding Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series
Larenz Tate, “Gun Hill”
Outstanding Actress, TV Movie or Mini-Series
Cicely Tyson, “The Trip to Bountiful”
Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series
Blair Underwood, “The Trip to Bountiful”
Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Mini-Series
Anika Noni Rose, “A Day Late and a Dollar Short”
Outstanding Director, TV Movie or Mini-Series
Reggie Rock Bythewood, “Gun Hill”
Outstanding Writing, TV Movie or Mini-Series
“Gun Hill”
Tags: Black Reel Awards, Black Reel Awards 2015, In Contention, SELMA | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by chris-eggertsen · 12:49 pm · February 20th, 2015
Remember that silly, super-brief (albeit well-meaning) horror tribute at the Oscars a few years back? You know, the one introduced by the “Twilight” cast? Pretty indicative of how the genre has historically been treated by the Academy.
As our own Kristopher Tapley has previously noted, there are a huge number of horror (or horror-ish) films that have been snubbed by the Academy in the Best Picture category, from Alfred Hitchcock's “Psycho” to Guillermo del Toro's “Pan's Labyrinth.” And that's not the only category they've been shafted in! In a just world, for example, Essie Davis' fierce performance in Jennifer Kent's “The Babadook” would have at least been in the Best Actress conversation this year. Alas, not a single fright flick was recognized in any category in 2015.
It's not as if the Academy has completely ignored the genre, of course. A select few horror movies have even won stuff! Eighteen, to be exact. Below, our full rundown of every horror film to win an Oscar, from “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” to “The Wolfman.”
Tags: ACADEMY AWARDS, Alien, Aliens, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, BLACK SWAN, Bram Stokers Dracula, DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, Horror, horror movies, In Contention, JAWS, MISERY, OSCARS, Phantom of the Opera, rosemary's baby, SLEEPY HOLLOW, SWEENEY TODD, THE EXORCIST, THE FLY, the omen, The Picture of Dorian Gray, the silence of the lambs, The Wolfman | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Gregory Ellwood · 12:20 pm · February 20th, 2015
Are you ready for some Independent Spirit? That's right, the 2015 Independent Spirit Awards are right around the corner and that means most of the contenders vying for Oscars on Sunday have a shot to win on Saturday as well. This year, in fact, the Spirits may reward some of the great performances, filmmakers and movies that were snubbed in some tight races for Oscar.
“Selma” is up for Best Feature, Best Male Lead (David Oyelowo), Best Supporting Female (Carmen Ejogo), Best Cinematography (Bradford Young) and Best Director (Ava DuVernay). Considering the acclaimed drama has earned almost $50 million at the box office, it's very unlikely it will go home empty-handed (we'll explain why in a minute).
“Nightcrawler” is up for Best Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best First Feature (Dan Gilroy), Best Screenplay (Dan Gilroy) and Best Editing. This is another critics' favorite that did very well in theaters.
“A Most Violent Year” won the National Board of Review's top honor, but was snubbed across the board by the Academy. The Spirits were much kinder with nods for Best Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain), Best Screenplay (J.C. Chandor) and Best Editing. It did not fare as well at the box office as many had hoped, but has a chance to head home with a Spirit here.
Of course, when you look over all the nominees you'll notice a lot of “Boyhood,” “Whiplash” and “Birdman” nods. Yep, throw in “American Sniper” and “Grand Budapest Hotel” and you basically would have a dress rehearsal for the Academy Awards. The main difference, however, is anyone can join Film Independent and therefore qualify to vote for the Spirit Awards. That traditionally means movie fans from around the country who haven't always seen all of the nominees get to weigh in. Oh, and there are a lot of them. Thousands. And in case you were unaware, that means the nominees that have the biggest box office usually win. In theory, that means your Best Film winner is “Selma.” If you're making bets, however, “Birdman” or “Boyhood” are the safer picks.
Keeping all that in mind, check out this pundit's predictions for the 2015 Independent Spirit Awards in the embedded gallery below.
Also, look for complete coverage from the Spirit Awards tomorrow on HitFix.
Tags: A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, boyhood, Boyood, IMITATION GAME, In Contention, INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS, Independent Spirit Awards 2014, nightcrawler, SELMA, STILL ALICE, WHIPLASH, wild | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 5:12 pm · February 19th, 2015
This year's Best Picture Oscar race is truly a stunner, and the envelope hasn't even been opened yet. Let's review how we got to this place, shall we? And let's do it in present tense, to really relive the magic.
Sundance supercharges the season in January with bows for two dynamic indie players: Richard Linklater's “Boyhood,” already set up at IFC Films, and Damien Chazelle's “Whiplash,” which is acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. With early festival dabbling and domestic releases still to come, it's assumed they could stick around as passion players throughout the next 12 months. They'll have to grow into that role, however.
Wes Anderson's “The Grand Budapest Hotel” starts off the year for prestige filmmaking in the marketplace, releasing in March after bowing at the Berlinale in February. It's critically acclaimed and a box office success, but it's far too early to resonate nine months later with the major awards season hopefuls coming down the pike. What a blunder by Fox Searchlight! But hooray for a hit.
Cannes adds a few would-be Best Picture players to the overall equation in May, but is mostly a launching pad, as ever, for the foreign language film race. “Whiplash” keeps its mojo going as the esteemed Sundance holdover, however.
As usual, the fall festival corridor really ignites things in Italy, Colorado and Canada. In late August, Alejandro G. Iñárritu's “Birdman” drops in Venice as what would appear to be Fox Searchlight's big ticket player. It goes on to Telluride, where “The Imitation Game” (Weinstein's major hopeful from Norwegian director Morten Tyldum) comes out to play. They're easily the hottest tickets there as the calendar turns to September.
“Birdman” skips out on Toronto but “The Imitation Game” heads north of the border, where James Marsh's “The Theory of Everything,” already positioned by Focus Features, joins the party. The two films are audience favorites but “The Imitation Game” walks away with the People's Choice Award, a sometime Oscar Best Picture harbinger.
The New York Film Festival adds a few more would-be players to the stack as October descends, closing with a big “Birdman” coming-out just ahead of release. “Whiplash” opens and underwhelms at the box office, while still remaining an industry favorite.
November brings one last festival opportunity to make a splash: AFI Fest. And they both come from major studios. Clint Eastwood's “American Sniper” (Warner Bros.) and Ava DuVernay's “Selma” (Paramount) take advantage ahead of late-December release dates.
More would-be players come and go in release, falling to the wayside to allow for these eight to maintain a foothold.
“Boyhood” dominates the early precursor circuit, gobbling up more than 20 Best Picture prizes from the critics in late December, while landing at the top of the lion's share of top 10 lists. It holds onto this status, fascinatingly reminiscent of “The Social Network's” run four years ago as the new year dawns. But also coming on strong in this phase, proving it has kept enough gas in the tank, is “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
In January, the industry (guilds, etc.) starts weighing in, with little in the nominations phase to suggest that “Boyhood” isn't sitting pretty, poised to be the first Best Picture winner ever to begin its journey at Sundance. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” also digs in deeper with near-unanimous industry/guild approval. (Meanwhile, “America Sniper” explodes at the box office, setting its sights on records every step of the way.)
Trouble arises for “Selma” as guild after guild passes on it. There's some discussion by way of explanation regarding screener copies of the film arriving late to guild members, and there's some doubt as to whether it has rallied enough passion within the Academy as Oscar nominees are announced. And, for the first time since expanding the field five years ago, the Academy settles on less than nine Best Picture nominees: “American Sniper,” “Birdman,” “Boyhood,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Imitation Game,” “Selma” (just making it with only one other nomination to show for itself) and “The Theory of Everything” and “Whiplash.” Searchlight celebrates the loudest with “Birdman” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” leading the way in overall nominations.
IFC Films is emboldened as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globe Awards) and Broadcast Film Critics Association (Critics' Choice Movie Awards) anoint “Boyhood” the year's best, drawing the critics' circuit phase to a close. But surprise lurks around the bend.
Doubt still lingers as to which film will be industry's favorite as the Producers Guild – the first of the industry groups – announces its choice. It's a particularly nail-biting evening given last year's tie. Will “Boyhood” transition to this phase with ease, or, like “The Social Network,” will it find Hollywood drawn to something else? The potential for widely palatable offerings like “American Sniper” (continuing to make bank) or “The Imitation Game” to seize the moment is all too real, and then, on a preferential ballot similar to the Academy's Best Picture tabulation system, “Birdman” comes out on top.
But it doesn't end there. On the wings of a meta narrative and a super game Michael Keaton, the film goes on win the Screen Actors Guild's ensemble prize and the Directors Guild award, locking up a trifecta that hasn't been doused since “Apollo 13” lost the Best Picture Oscar to “Braveheart” nearly 20 years ago. The art directors, cinematographers, costume designers, sound editors and sound mixers all add their seal of approval, increasing the film's status as an industry favorite.
“Boyhood” looks doomed, like a horse that didn't have the stamina to finish the race, until a sliver of hope beams down: The British Academy (BAFTA) hands Linklater's 12-year opus Best Picture and Best Director honors. What's more, the group rallies behind films like “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Theory of Everything” and “Whiplash” while awarding “Birdman” just a single trophy (suggesting the film's appeal isn't so wide-reaching). Pundits scratch their heads and call it what it is:
A close race for Best Picture at the 87th annual Academy Awards.
It probably can't be put any more succinctly than that, and you can see, of course, how things can be argued a number of different ways. The gridlock is evidenced by our own predictions here at In Contention, where Greg Ellwood and I see things unfolding in two different ways. It all just boils down to how you choose to contextualize the events as they've played out. We'll all have to wait until that envelope is opened, and then we'll contextualize it all over again.
Biggest campaign moment: It would have to be “Birdman's” Producers Guild victory, catapulting it from a divisive presumed also-ran to a dominant Best Picture hopeful in an instant.
Should have been here: It's lovely that Bennett Miller got something of a surprise nomination for Best Director, but his film, “Foxcatcher,” should have found room in the big category. Equally, it's nice that a couple Academy branches stuck up for Paul Thomas Anderson's “Inherent Vice,” but as further proof that he may be the most exciting filmmaker of his generation, it should have been included, too.
Will win: “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Should win: “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Tags: american sniper, birdman, boyhood, In Contention, Oscars 2015, SELMA, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, the theory of everything, WHIPLASH | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Gregory Ellwood · 5:07 pm · February 19th, 2015
How many greats have found themselves on the short end of Oscar glory after being nominated for Best Director? Frankly, some of the greatest filmmakers of all-time: David Fincher, Gus Van Sant, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Pedro Almodóvar, Ridley Scott, Michael Mann, Terrence Malick, Akira Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman and Mike Leigh, among others. We're personally hoping that eventually “Birdman's” Alejandro G. Iñárritu, “Boyhood's” Richard Linklater and “The Grand Budapest Hotel's” Wes Anderson make it off that list, but only one will join the winner's club Sunday night.
Last year the Academy faced a similar quandary between the incredible work of Alfonso Cuarón (“Gravity”) and Steve McQueen (“12 Years A Slave”). Eventually, Cuarón distanced himself from his contemporary and his win was “expected.” That's truly not the case this season.
Linklater has earned raves for his 12-year journey making “Boyhood” since it debuted at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival over a year ago. He took the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2014 Berlin Film Festival and won directing honors from both the New York and Los Angeles film critics groups. He also took home the Golden Globe and the British Academy prize, but his peers in the Directors Guild? That's another story.
After “Birdman” won awards from the Producers and Screen Actors guilds, the DGA bestowed its highest honor on Alejandro G. Iñárritu. The guild and the Academy do not always line up, though. In fact, this year was yet another example where the Best Director nominees did not match the DGA's, but the winners have generally been the same. Over the guild's 76-year history, there have only been eight times when Oscar produced a different outcome. Three of those were a result of the DGA winner not even being nominated by the Academy's Directors Branch, including Ben Affleck for “Argo” just two years ago. Ang Lee took the Oscar that year for “Life of Pi,” and intriguingly, he is the only contemporary example of a filmmaker winning the DGA prize and then losing the Oscar to a fellow guild nominee (“Traffic's” Steven Soderbergh).
When looking at this category you have to wonder whether it will be part of a split with Best Picture (Linklater/”Birdman” or Iñárritu/”Boyhood”). But maybe history has already told us the winner. We're picking Iñárritu, but it does feel like anything could happen, so make sure you write a speech just in case, Mr. Anderson.
Biggest campaign moment: The night “Selma” and “American Sniper” debuted back to back at AFI Fest 2014, thrusting Ava DuVernay and Clint Eastwood into this race only to have them eventually get snubbed by their peers.
Should have been here: The absence of “Selma's” DuVernay and “Whiplash's” Damien Chazelle are the biggest head-scratchers here. Especially considering how both films earned Best Picture nominations and “Whiplash” earned Adapted Screenplay and Editing nods.
Will win: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, “Birdman”
Should win: Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Last year the Academy faced a similar quandary between the incredible work of Alfonso Cuaron (“Gravity”) and Steve McQueen (“12 Years A Slave”). Eventually, Cuaron distanced himself from his contemporary and his win was “expected.” That's truly not the case this season.
Linklater has earned raves for his 12-year plus journey making “Boyhood” since it debuted at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival over a year ago. He took the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2014 Berlin Film Festival and won both Directing honors from LAFCA and NYFCC. He also took home the Golden Globe and the BAFTA, but his peers in the Directors Guild? That's another story.
After “Birdman” took the Best Ensemble from SAG, the Producers' Award from the PGA, the DGA bestowed its highest honor on Alejandro G. Iñárritu. The DGA and the Academy do not always line up. In fact, this year was yet another example where the nominees did not match, but the winners have “generally been the same. Over the past 24 years, there have only been three times when Oscar produced a different outcome. In 1996 Mel Gibson won for “Braveheart” after DGA winner Ron Howard found himself not nominated for “Apollo 13.” A similar situation occurred two years ago when Ben Affleck won DGA for “Argo,” but wasn't nominated for Oscar. Ang Lee took the Academy Award that year for “Life of Pi.” Intriguingly, Lee is the only contemporary example of a filmmaker who won the DGA (in 2001 for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) and then lost to a fellow DGA nominee (“Traffic's” Steven Soderbergh). But still, 21 other times over the past 24 years the DGA winner predicted the Oscar winner.
When looking at this category you have to wonder whether it will be part of a split with Best Picture (Linklater/”Birdman” or Iñárritu/”Boyhood”) or, maybe, history has already told us the winner. We're picking Iñárritu, but it does feel like anything could happen so make sure you write a speech just in case Mr. Anderson.
Biggest campaign moment: The chilly night in November when “Selma” and “American Sniper” debuted back to back at AFI Fest 2014 seemingly thrusting Ava DuVernay and Clint Eastwood into this race only to have them eventually get snubbed by their peers.
Should have been here: The absence of “Selma's” DuVernay and “Whiplash's” Damien Chazelle are the biggest head scratchers here. Especially considering how both films earned Best Picture nominations and “Whiplash” earned Adapted Screenplay and Editing nods. Does the Directors' Branch need an advisory committee at this point?
Will win: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, “Birdman”
Should win: Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
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Tags: 87TH ACADEMY AWARDS, Alejandro G Irritu, BENNETT MILLER, birdman, boyhood, FOXCATCHER, In Contention, Morten Tyldum, Oscars 2015, Richard Linlater, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, WES ANDERSON | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Louis Virtel · 3:26 pm · February 19th, 2015
The Oscars are less than 96 hours away, so you only have a limited amount of time to brag about your insane knowledge of Academy Awards history. Ready for a brutal 21-question foray into Oscar's grisly past? Let's roll. (We give you the questions on the first page. Jot down your responses, then check the answers, along with the accompanying questions, on the next page. The videos embedded here aren't related to the questions. They're just fun!)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGxL5AFzzMY]
1. What ’90s Best Actor winner gave the shortest onscreen performance ever nominated (and therefore awarded) in that category? This is measured by total minutes and seconds spent onscreen.
2. The first (and so far only) black female nominee in the Best Original Screenplay category was a co-writer of what biopic released in the 1970s?
3. From 1937 to 1945, the Academy guaranteed nominations in one particular category to any studio that submitted a qualifiable entry. What was the category?
4. Glenn Close has been nominated six times for an Academy Award and has never won. Amazingly, in 1994, Close presented an honorary Oscar to another six-time loser. Who was it?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjoNucs20Vw]
5. Two different roles – one male, one female – have earned actors a total of three Oscar nominations apiece, making them the most nominated “characters.” Who are these characters and what do they have in common?
6. Sandy Dennis, who earned an Oscar for “Who”s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, won her first of two Tonys for this 1962 play. Its subsequent film adaptation was nominated for Best Picture and earned one performer a Best Supporting Actor statue. Both the play and the movie starred the same man, who would later win consecutive Best Supporting Actor trophies. In Best Picture winner “Ordinary People,” the character of Karen (Dinah Manoff) tells Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) that she”s in rehearsal for a school production of the play. What”s the title?
7. Which three female singers with four-letter names have been nominated for Oscars?
8. Speaking of letter counts: Name the two five-letter movies that won Best Original Screenplay Oscars in the 1990s, the two four-letter movies that won Best Original Screenplay Oscars in the 2000s, and the one three-letter movie that won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar in the 2010s.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqSEH_bVRz8]
9. Who”s the only performer to receive a Best Actor nomination for a movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock?
10. In 1951, Bette Davis and Anne Baxter squared off in the Best Actress category for their performances in “All About Eve.” Both actresses lost to Judy Holliday in “Born Yesterday,” but they share another connection: Both Davis and Baxter had previously starred in adaptations of one author”s work that garnered both of them acclaim (and one Oscar win). Who is the author?
11. What chanteuse holds the distinction of having sung three different Oscar-winning songs in their original soundtrack versions? In two of these songs, she served as one half of a duet.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2zjm79Esq4]
12. Speaking of Best Original Song, what reclusive children's author scored a nomination for “I'm Checkin' Out,” Meryl Streep's climactic tune in “Postcards from the Edge”?
13. Meryl Streep has twice been Oscar-nominated for playing real-life women with the same given first name. What is it?
14. Back to children's authors: Mary Steenburgen earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1980, but she was snubbed a nomination three years later for playing author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings in “Cross Creek.” What other actress, who now stars on a network television drama, did earn a nomination for “Cross Creek,” becoming only the sixth African-American woman ever nominated for Best Supporting Actress?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73fz_uK-vhs]
15. Which two Best Supporting Actress winners have hosted (or co-hosted) the Oscars more than once?
16. Which of the original “Saturday Night Live” cast members was the first to score an Oscar nomination after leaving the show? Tougher bonus: Which two short-stint cast members earned nominations before “SNL” even premiered?
17. Who's the only female “Saturday Night Live” alum to earn multiple Oscar nominations?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IIl3zSYL8k]
18. Who congratulated screenwriter Diablo Cody, also a fan of horror, on her Oscar win with a note reading, “Maybe someday you”ll have six like me.” (He has since won his seventh.)
19. Who did Sean Penn call “the phoenix” in his Best Actor speech for “Milk”?
20. Name two of the three woman to win Best Actress trophies for characters named (and billed as) “Annie.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Pl-qvA1X8]
21. Finally, fill in the blanks of this infamous Oscar speech.
My dear colleagues, I thank you very, very much for this tribute to my work. I think that ____(1)____ and I have done the best work of our lives and I think this was in part due to our director, Fred Zinnemann. And I also think it's in part because we believed and we believe in what we were expressing. Two, out of millions, who gave their lives and were prepared to sacrifice everything in the fight against fascist and racist Nazi Germany. And I salute you and I pay tribute to you and I think you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you've stood firm and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of ____(2)___ ____(3)____ whose behavior is an insult to the stature of Jews all over the world and to their great and heroic record of struggle against fascism and oppression. And I salute that record, and I salute all of you for having stood firm and dealt a final blow against that period when ____(4)____ and McCarthy launched a worldwide witch hunt against those who tried to express in their lives and their work the truth that they believed in. I salute you, and I thank you, and I pledge to you that I will continue to fight against ____(5)____ and fascism. Thank you.
1. What ’90s Best Actor winner gave the shortest onscreen performance ever nominated (and therefore awarded) in that category? This is measured by total minutes and seconds spent onscreen.
A: Anthony Hopkins in “The Silence of the Lambs” (16 minutes, 10 seconds onscreen)
2. The first (and so far only) black female nominee in the Best Original Screenplay category was a cowriter of what biopic released in the 1970s?
A: “Lady Sings the Blues” (Suzanne de Passe)
3. From 1937 to 1945, the Academy guaranteed nominations in one particular category to any studio that submitted a qualifiable entry. What was the category?
A: Best Original Score
4. Glenn Close has been nominated six times for an Academy Award and has never won. Amazingly, in 1994, Close presented an honorary Oscar to another six-time loser. Who was it?
A: Deborah Kerr
5. Two different roles – one male, one female – have earned actors a total of three Oscar nominations apiece, making them the most nominated “characters.” Who are these characters and what do they have in common?
A: King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. They're father and daughter.
6. Sandy Dennis, who earned an Oscar for “Who”s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, won her first of two Tonys for this 1962 play. Its subsequent film adaptation was nominated for Best Picture and earned one performer a Best Supporting Actor statue. Both the play and the movie starred the same man, who would later win consecutive Best Supporting Actor trophies. In Best Picture winner “Ordinary People,” the character of Karen (Dinah Manoff) tells Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) that she”s in rehearsal for a school production of the play. What”s the title?
A: “A Thousand Clowns.” Martin Balsam won Best Supporting Actor in '65, and Jason Robards starred in the play and film versions.
7. Which three singers with four-letter names have been nominated for Oscars?
A: Cher (for “Silkwood” and “Moonstruck”), Enya (“May It Be” from “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”), and Dido (for the song “If I Rise” from “127 Hours”). Altogether there is one other four-letter nominee, the actor/voice artist Mako for Best Supporting Actor in “The Sand Pebbles.”
8. Speaking of letter counts: Name the two five-letter movies that won Best Original Screenplay Oscars in the 1990s, the two four-letter movies that won Best Original Screenplay Oscars in the 2000s, and the one three-letter movie that won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar in the 2010s.
A: “Ghost” and “Fargo”, “Juno” and “Milk”, and “Her”
9. Who”s the only performer to receive a Best Actor nomination for a movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock?
A: Laurence Olivier for “Rebecca”
10. In 1951, Bette Davis and Anne Baxter squared off in the Best Actress category for their performances in “All About Eve.” Both actresses lost to Judy Holliday in “Born Yesterday,” but they share another connection: Both Davis and Baxter had previously starred in adaptations of one author”s work that garnered both of them acclaim (and one Oscar win). Who is the author?
A: W. Somerset Maugham (Bette earned raves and a pseudo-technical “write-in” nomination for “Of Human Bondage” in '32, and Anne Baxter won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in '46 for “The Razor's Edge”)
11. What chanteuse holds the distinction of having sung three different Oscar-winning songs in their original soundtrack versions? In two of these songs, she served as one half of a duet.
A: Jennifer Warnes (“It Goes Like It Goes” from “Norma Rae,” “Up Where We Belong” from “An Officer and a Gentleman” with Joe Cocker, “(I”ve Had) The Time of My Life” from “Dirty Dancing” with Bill Medley)
12. Speaking of Best Original Song, what reclusive children's author scored a nomination for “I'm Checkin' Out,” Meryl Streep's climactic tune in “Postcards from the Edge”?
A: Shel Silverstein
13. Meryl Streep has twice been Oscar-nominated for playing real-life women with the same given first name. What is it?
A: Karen (Karen Silkwood in “Silkwood” and Karen Blixen in “Out of Africa”)
14. Back to children's authors: Mary Steenburgen earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1980, but she was snubbed a nomination three years later for playing author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings in “Cross Creek.” What other actress, who now stars on a network television drama, did earn a nomination for “Cross Creek,” becoming only the sixth African-American woman ever nominated for Best Supporting Actress?
A: Alfre Woodard
15. Which two Best Supporting Actress winners have hosted (or co-hosted) the Oscars more than once?
A: Whoopi Goldberg and Goldie Hawn
16. Which of the original “Saturday Night Live” cast members was the first to score an Oscar nomination after leaving the show? Tougher bonus: Which two short-stint cast members earned nominations before “SNL” even premiered?
A: Dan Aykroyd for “Driving Miss Daisy.” Bonus: George Coe (Best Short Film – Live Action, “De Düva: The Dove”) and the marvelous Randy Quaid (“The Last Detail”)
17. Who's the only female “Saturday Night Live” alum to earn multiple Oscar nominations?
A: Joan Cusack
18. Who congratulated screenwriter Diablo Cody, also a fan of horror, on her Oscar win with a note reading, “Maybe someday you”ll have six like me.” (He has since won his seventh.)
A: Makeup artist Rick Baker
19. Who did Sean Penn call “the phoenix” in his Best Actor speech for “Milk”?
A: Fellow nominee and comeback king Mickey Rourke
20. Name two of the three woman to win Best Actress trophies for characters named “Annie.”
A: Anne Bancroft (Annie Sullivan in “The Miracle Worker”) Diane Keaton (“Annie Hall”), and Kathy Bates (Annie Wilkes in “Misery”)
21. Finally, fill in the blanks of this infamous Oscar speech.
My dear colleagues, I thank you very, very much for this tribute to my work. I think that ____(1)____ and I have done the best work of our lives and I think this was in part due to our director, Fred Zinnemann. And I also think it's in part because we believed and we believe in what we were expressing. Two, out of millions, who gave their lives and were prepared to sacrifice everything in the fight against fascist and racist Nazi Germany. And I salute you and I pay tribute to you and I think you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you've stood firm and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of ____(2)___ ____(3)____ whose behavior is an insult to the stature of Jews all over the world and to their great and heroic record of struggle against fascism and oppression. And I salute that record, and I salute all of you for having stood firm and dealt a final blow against that period when ____(4)____ and McCarthy launched a worldwide witch hunt against those who tried to express in their lives and their work the truth that they believed in. I salute you, and I thank you, and I pledge to you that I will continue to fight against ____(5)____ and fascism. Thank you.
A: 1) Jane Fonda 2) Zionist 3) Hoodlums 4) Nixon 5) Anti-Semitism (The speech is Vanessa Redgrave's from her '77 “Julia” win)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAcOsK9gRLk]
Tags: 2015, ACADEMY AWARDS, In Contention, OSCARS | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 2:05 pm · February 19th, 2015
The International Film Music Critics Association has named Hans Zimmer's Oscar-nominated “Interstellar” score the year's best film score. However, Alexandre Desplat walked away with multiple honors, for Composer of the Year and Best Original Score for a Comedy (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”).
Check out the full list of winners below, the nominees here and the rest of the madness at The Circuit.
Film Score of the Year
“Interstellar” (Hans Zimmer)
Composer of the Year
Alexandre Desplat
Breakthrough Composer of the Year
Mica Levi
Best Original Score for a Drama
“The Homesman” (Marco Beltrami)
Best Original Score for a Comedy
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” (Alexandre Desplat)
Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film
“The Monkey King [Xi You Ji: Da Nao Tian Gong]” (Christopher Young)
Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film
“Maleficent” (James Newton Howard)
Best Original Score for an Animated Feature
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” (John Powell)
Best Original Score for a Documentary
“The Unknown Known” (Danny Elfman)
Best Original Score for a Television Series
“Isabel” (Federico Jusid)
Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media
“Sid Meier”s Civilization: Beyond Earth” (Geoff Knorr, Griffin Cohen, Michael Curran and Grant Kirkhope)
Best Archival Release of an Existing Score – Re-Release or Re-Recording
“On the Waterfront” – Intrada
Best Archival Release of an Existing Score – Compilation
“The Ava Collection” – Intrada
Film Music Record Label of the Year
La-La Land Records, MV Gerhard and Matt Verboys
Film Music Composition of the Year
“Flying With Mother” from “How to Train Your Dragon 2” (John Powell)
Tags: Alexandre Desplat, HANS ZIMMER, In Contention, International Film Music Critics Association, Interstellar, The Grand Budapest Hotel | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Gregory Ellwood · 11:02 am · February 19th, 2015
Fox Searchlight's amazing run doesn't appear as though it will be ending anytime soon. The mini-major may be on the verge of going back-to-back with Best Picture winners if “Birdman” takes it on Sunday, after already ending 2014 with hits “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (also nine Oscar nominations), “Wild,” “Belle” and “The Drop.” Searchlight also left Sundance in January with two of the most buzzed-about titles, Grand Jury and Audience Award winner “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and potential awards season player “Brooklyn.” Today, the distributor announced they had acquired U.S. rights to Luca Guadagnino's “A Bigger Splash.”
Guadagnino is best known for 2009's critically acclaimed drama “I Am Love,” and “Splash” reunites him with that film's star, Tilda Swinton. “Splash” also features a reunion of “Budapest” co-stars Swinton and Ralph Fiennes. Searchlight may have also jumped on securing only domestic rights for the thriller (not ideal) as the cast is rounded out by none other than “Fifty Shades of Grey” breakout Dakota Johnson. (Oh, and Matthias Schoenaerts, too.)
In a release from the studio, Searchlight Presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley remarked, “The film is a rich and enigmatic thriller and we look forward to bringing Luca”s vision to American audiences later this year. And we have the added joy of working with old friends – Ralph, Tilda, and Matthias.”
You can read into the “later this year” mention that Searchlight clearly thinks “Splash” could be a film that enters the awards conversation. They won't say it publicly, but if you've seen “I Am Love” you are very aware Guadagino is something of a visionary and Searchlight has had a good amount of luck with those types of filmmakers over the years.
Guadagino added, “I am honored that Fox Searchlight has chosen to distribute 'A Bigger Splash' in the states. Tilda, Dakota, Ralph, and Matthias together with the rest of our cast have brought to life what we feel and hope will be an unforgettable movie-going experience based on the brilliant script by Dave Kajganich.”
The film's official synopsis notes that “A Bigger Splash” focuses on “a high profile couple, a famous rock star and a filmmaker (Schoenaerts and Swinton), vacationing and recovering on the idyllic sun-drenched and remote Italian island of Pantelleria” whose lives “are disrupted by the unexpected visit of an old friend and his daughter (Fiennes and Johnson), creating a whirlwind of jealousy, passion and ultimate danger for everyone involved.”
Again, no word on an official release date, but a Venice Film Festival debut seems likely, although a Cannes premiere isn't out of the question either.
If you've never seen “I Am Love” enjoy a few bites of Guadagnino's talents in the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZBrWVvn9xA]
Tags: A Bigger Splash, dakota johnson, FOX SEARCHLIGHT, In Contention, MATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS, OSCARS 2016, RALPH FIENNES, TILDA SWINTON | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:42 am · February 19th, 2015
http://players.brightcove.net/4838167533001/BkZprOmV_default/index.html?videoId=4912272281001
When Mo'Nique accepted the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2010 for her performance in Lee Daniels' “Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire,” she opened with a pointed remark. “I would like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics,” she said. Well, according to Daniels anyway, that might have been giving them too much credit.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress reveals that Daniels told her recently she had been “blackballed” by the industry as a result of not playing the “game.” As in, Mo'Nique refused to be a circus act on the circuit, turning down a number of opportunities to campaign for the performance and for the film, and she ruffled a lot of feathers as a result.
“Mo'Nique is a creative force to be reckoned with,” Daniels said in a statement to the outlet. “Her demands through 'Precious' were not always in line with the campaign. This soured her relationship with the Hollywood community. I consider her a friend. I have and will always think of her for parts that we can collaborate on. However, the consensus among the creative teams and powers thus far were to go another way with these roles.”
The roles he's talking about are the Oprah Winfrey part in the director's 2012 film “The Butler,” a part in the Daniels-produced television series “Empire” and the role of Richard Pryor's grandmother in the director's upcoming biopic, according to Mo'Nique. “Each of those things that he offered me was taken off the table,” she told THR.
So, whether all this is true or not, or whether there's nuance to what seems like a cut and dried situation, who can say? But taken at face value, what a shame. I've had a front row seat to the rigors of Oscar campaigns, and the sometimes lunacy of them, for well over a decade. I recall fully respecting Mo'Nique's decision not to attend dinner after dinner, not to talk to a million people like me – to let the work be the work. If she's being punished for that, and it's not far-fetched to think she would be, then this industry is even further up its own hindquarters than is generally assumed.
Tags: ACADEMY AWARDS, In Contention, LEE DANIELS, MONIQUE, OSCARS, PRECIOUS | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:51 am · February 19th, 2015
This sentiment is written every year around this time, so let's out with it: What else can you really say about this year's Oscar race? In some quarters it's been seen as a weak year. I disagree for a number of reasons, but it's subjective, of course. It's still interesting that so many were underwhelmed, from those in the media to those in the Academy, but all signs seem to be pointing to a Best Picture showdown between two excellent cinematic showcases from auteurs in full gallop. How can you complain?
Well, you can complain if you're at all in the business of predicting how this rodeo will turn out. A number of this year's races feel like they're coming down to the wire. But we've said that before, too, and almost always, when the answer is revealed, it's not shocking in and of itself. It's just a different shade of what was expected. The true surprises, when they happen, are ever appreciated. And we might get some this year. Or we might not.
Either way, it's past time to spit out a few guesses, so let's get on with it. You can find our final Oscar predictions in the story gallery below, nail-biters and sure things navigated and scouted to within an inch of their lives. I can't speak for Greg, but for my part, I pranced out onto a few limbs because it just feels like that kind of year. “Consensus” doesn't really exist in more than a few areas. So you just take your own counsel, cross your fingers and enjoy the ride.
With that preamble out of the way, go ahead and dig into our picks below. If you have any last minute thoughts or predictions of your own, the comments section is your playground. A few more days and it's all over.
(Oh, and by the way, we still have two more categories to break down for you later today: Best Picture and Best Director. So stay tuned for those later on.)
Tags: In Contention, Oscars 2015 | Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
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