An unfortunate snafu at last night’s visual effects bake-off — a lengthy branch-specific event that features reel screenings of effects work on the seven visual effects finalists and presentations from the supervisors involved — could keep the wizard and his denouement out of the Oscar equation.
Could a bake-off snafu keep 'Harry Potter' from a visual effects nomination?
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:53 am · January 20th, 2012
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Wrapping up guesses throughout the Academy's craft categories
Posted by gerardkennedy · 1:31 pm · January 19th, 2012
Rounding out my picks in the Academy’s crafts branches, from Best Music to Best Visual Effects.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Guessing the nominees throughout the Academy's craft categories
Posted by gerardkennedy · 7:49 am · January 19th, 2012
In five days, the nominations for the 84th annual Academy Awards will be announced. It seems extraordinary that another season has nearly passed. And with a silent film and a somewhat fantastical (not-so-) children’s film poised to dominate the major categories, one realizes how quickly trends can change in Hollywood. But now it’s time to make our final picks across the crafts categories.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'The Artist,' 'Thor,' 'Bridesmaids' among Costume Designers Guild nominees
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:53 am · January 19th, 2012
Following on the heels of the Cinema Audio Society today is the Costume Designers Guild, which has selected nominees in its three patented categories.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Round-up: The missing makeup nominee from 'The Iron Lady'
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:47 am · January 19th, 2012
Also: Designing ‘Potter’ and exhausting Uggie
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Hanna,' 'Pirates' among Cinema Audio Society surprises, 'Transformers' snubbed
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 4:30 am · January 19th, 2012
And now, as they say, for something completely different. The guild nominations these last few weeks have been rank and file, the usual mish-mash of the same titles reflecting a bit of group think and perfunctory nominations. That ends today, though, as the Cinema Audio Society’s crop of nominees included some eyebrow-raising titles.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Round-up: Revisiting Oscar's worst decisions
Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:00 am · January 13th, 2012
Also: ‘Harry Potter’ for Best Picture, and a Globes seating shortage
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Artist,' 'Harry Potter' and 'Hugo' among Academy's makeup finalists
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:13 pm · January 9th, 2012
The Academy has announced seven advancing finalists in the race for Best Makeup, and among the chosen are the Meryl Streep-starrer “The Iron Lady,” which transformed the beloved actress into former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Tintin,' 'Harry Potter' and 'Transformers' out front with Visual Effects Society nominations
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:37 am · January 9th, 2012
The Visual Effects Society has announced its list of nominees for the organization’s 10th annual ceremony, and leading the way wasn’t one of the live action blockbusters on the whittled-down slate of 10 advancing Oscar contenders. It was Steven Spielberg’s animated offering “The Adventures of Tintin,” which landed six nominations across the feature film categories.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
10 films shortlisted for visual effects Oscar
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:10 pm · January 4th, 2012
After 15 titles were longlisted for the Best Visual Effects Oscar last month, that number was cut to 10 today: ‘The Tree of Life,’ ‘Hugo’ and ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ are still in the running for a nomination.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Art Directors Guild nominees include 'Anonymous,' 'Captain America' and 'Drive'
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:12 pm · January 3rd, 2012
The Art Directors Guild and the Costume Designers Guild announced its slate of nominees this evening, and the surprises were few and far between. One of them, though, was the exclusion of “War Horse” in the period category.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
‘Harry Potter’ and the hunt for the golden statue
Posted by Roth Cornet · 6:51 pm · January 2nd, 2012
As the precursor season comes to a close Warner Bros. pins its hopes on Alan Rickman for a Best Supporting Actor nod.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Predicting the 2011 PGA nominees
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:57 am · January 2nd, 2012
This year’s PGA nominees will do little to clear up the Best Picture scenario at the Oscars. Why? Because the guild will be chalking up a full slate of 10 nominees once again, despite the fact that the Academy’s final line-up could be anywhere from five to 10. So what will the PGA spring for?
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support Interview: The ubiquitous Alexandre Desplat on living his dream
Posted by gerardkennedy · 9:52 am · December 29th, 2011
When Tech Support first launched at In Contention five years ago, Alexandre Desplat had proven his talents with top-notch scores for “The Girl With a Pearl Earring,” “Birth” and “Syriana.” Today we chat with him about a ubiquitous year doing what he loves to do.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention · Interviews
'The Artist' wins five from St. Louis critics
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:04 am · December 19th, 2011
After submitting nominees last week, the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association has picked “The Artist” as this year’s Best Picture winner. Michel Hazanavicius won Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for the film, while Rooney Mara was singled out for her performance in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
San Diego critics pick 'Artist,' Refn
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 5:04 pm · December 14th, 2011
The San Diego Film Critics Society has chosen “The Artist” as Best Picture for 2011 and Nicolas Winding Refn as Best Director for “Drive,” among other honors.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Academy narrows visual effects race to 15 films
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:17 pm · December 9th, 2011
The Academy has announced a shortlist of 15 contenders for the Best Visual Effects Oscar, and all the usual suspects, from “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” to “The Tree of Life,” are present. Still, it’s bad news for “Anonymous” and “Immortals.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscarweb Round-up: 35 years of Eastwood at Warner Bros.
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:03 am · December 8th, 2011
In today’s round-up, Warner Bros. releases a massive box set of Clint Eastwood’s work with the studio, the “Moneyball” trio sits down with Charlie rose and San Francisco’s Castro Theatre will no longer run movies.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention