My immediate takeaway from Jason Reitman’s “Labor Day,” which kicks off the Telluride Film Festival this afternoon at the annual patrons screening, was that it was an unexpected mature step for the filmmaker who has offered up such self-aware films as “Thank You For Smoking,” “Juno,” “Up in the Air” and “Young Adult.” There isn’t a whiff of that tone here whatsoever. The edge that has defined Reitman’s work has been set aside while a more refined, lived-in aesthetic has taken hold.
Telluride: 'Labor Day' with Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin marks a fresh and mature departure for Jason Reitman
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:30 pm · August 29th, 2013
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Jason Reitman on the tradition of taking his movies to Telluride and Toronto
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:41 am · August 28th, 2013
It’s fair to say filmmaker Jason Reitman has a bit of a history with the Telluride and Toronto film festivals. In 2005 his feature debut, “Thank You for Smoking,” sold at Toronto. Since then, three of his last four films, including this year’s “Labor Day,” have debuted at Telluride (2007’s “Juno” and 2009’s “Up in the Air” in the form of “sneak previews” secret screenings) before heading north to Toronto. It’s become a notable tradition, so we asked Reitman about his thoughts on the two environments and whether he’s superstitious enough to consider them a good luck charm at the start of the fall.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
As the Academy deliberates, BAFTA makes its own voting tweaks
Posted by Guy Lodge · 12:55 pm · June 26th, 2012
Among adjustments made by BAFTA to its voting system, the January longlists will be scrapped, while chapter-specific voting will be reversed.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscar Guide 2011: Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Posted by Guy Lodge · 12:02 pm · February 2nd, 2012
Best Picture nominees “The Artist” and “Midnight in Paris” seem to be vying for the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, but the other other nominees make for a pleasingly diverse and international field. We examine the field, saying who deserves to win, and who probably will.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Round-up: The dogs have their day
Posted by Guy Lodge · 8:00 am · January 20th, 2012
Also: Defending Channing Tatum, and remembering failed Oscar grabs
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George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Michelle Williams and more turn out for Palm Springs awards gala
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 1:05 am · January 8th, 2012
I’ve never attended the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala. It’s a key stop along the Oscar trail his time of year, very competitive with the Santa Barbara Film Festival. The two duke it out for honorees, one reticent to honor talent that the other has chalked up for an award. Which is obviously silly. But it seemed time to give it a go.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Santa Barbara fest taps Bichir, Mara, McCarthy, Oswalt, Serkis and Woodley for Virtuosos Award
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:24 am · January 5th, 2012
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced, along with its film schedule, the recipients of this year’s Virtuosos Award. And they cast the widest net yet, honoring Demián Bichir, Rooney Mara, Melissa McCarthy, Patton Oswalt, Andy Serkis and Shailene Woodley.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
WGA nominees include 'Bridesmaids,' '50/50,' 'Dragon Tattoo' and 'Young Adult'
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:33 am · January 5th, 2012
The WGA has announced screen nominees this year, and given the gutted field (due to ineligibilities), it wasn’t hard to figure out which way they’d go.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Round-up: Looking to break Hollywood's stranglehold
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:00 am · January 3rd, 2012
Also: See the Best Picture ballot, and Mazursky on Streep
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Celebrate 100 years of Paramount on your iPad
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 4:17 pm · January 2nd, 2012
Paramount Pictures has launched a new app for the iPad that celebrates the studio’s landmark 100th anniversary this year. The 100 Years of Movie Magic app “is an exploration of the studio’s incredibly rich and storied history,” the iTunes blurb reads. Every studio should do something like this.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tell us what you thought of 'Young Adult'
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:41 pm · December 16th, 2011
Jason Reitman’s latest goes into wide release today, and while we’re fans, not everyone will agree. If you’ve seen it, share your thoughts with us.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Tree of Life' leads Chicago film critics nods
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:56 am · December 16th, 2011
The Chicago Film Critics Association has announced its list of nominees this year, and it’s full of the usual. But most interesting is that “The Tree of Life” star Hunter McCracken has finally received some attention.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'The Help' leads SAG nominations, Demián Bichir surprises in Best Actor
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:51 am · December 14th, 2011
The SAG Awards tend to hew closely to Oscar prognosticators’ lists, but they handed us a few wild cards this morning — not just in terms of who they nominated, but who they left out.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Young Adult' to receive Vanguard Award at Palm Springs fest
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:59 pm · December 13th, 2011
The Palm Springs festival tends to stick very closely to the presumed template of surefire Oscar contenders when picking their honorees, so they’ve gone slightly out on a limb by handing their Vanguard Award to “Young Adult.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscarweb Round-up: The year's best performances
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:13 am · December 13th, 2011
In today’s round-up, consideration of the year’s best performances, Christopher Nolan opens up a bit on “The Dark Knight Rises” and in honor of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” the top five badass female roles.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Oscarweb Round-up: Looking to 2012
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:03 am · December 12th, 2011
In today’s round-up, we turn a slight eye toward 2012, Trent Reznor and Karen O talk about making Led Zeppelin more aggressive and Variety names the 10 directors to watch.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'The Descendants,' Terrence Malick win with LA film critics
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 1:13 pm · December 11th, 2011
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has tapped Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” for its Best Picture prize, a bit of an anti-climactic conclusion to what had until then been a fresh and exciting vote.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Review: 'Young Adult' is a smart, sour anatomy of a bitch
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:40 pm · December 8th, 2011
If not quite a brilliant film itself, “Young Adult” is shot through with brilliant flashes of testy human insight, powered by Charlize Theron’s sharpest, most fluidly capricious performance since ‘Monster.’
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
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