Thompson on Hollywood

Bradley Cooper Is New Model Smart Star

Interviews

As "Silver Linings Playbook" comes out on DVD, which earned Bradley Cooper his first best actor Oscar nomination, well-reviewed "Place Beyond the Pines" is playing around the country, "The Hangover Part III" hits theaters on May 24, and Steven Spielberg has picked as his next movie "American Sniper," which was developed by Cooper's Warner Bros. production company, about Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, an ace sniper who was tragically killed. This actor is clearly doing something right.

By Anne Thompson
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May 6, 2013 6:17 AM
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Time Announces 100 Most Influential People in the World, Including Jennifer Lawrence, Steven Spielberg and Lena Dunham

News

Today, TIME Magazine announced its 10th annual TIME 100, a list of the 100 most influential people in the world. A number of entertainers made the list including Lena Dunham, Jennifer Lawrence, Daniel Day-Lewis and Steven Spielberg. Below are a few excerpts from the list, penned also by famous actors and writers.

By Ryan Lattanzio
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April 18, 2013 12:45 PM
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WATCH: 'Catching Fire' Teaser Trailer Finds Katniss and Peeta New Victors in the Midst of District Revolution (VIDEO)

Video

The first official teaser trailer for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" debuted last night during the 2013 MTV Movie Awards, and features Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) being presented as the 74th Hunger Games victors, while violence, poverty and oppression still wrack the districts. A particular delight is the introduction of Philip Seymour Hoffman's character, head gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, who schemes malevolently with Donald Sutherland's President Snow to eliminate Katniss.

By Beth Hanna and Ryan Lattanzio
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April 15, 2013 12:36 PM
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Sony Stakes Awards Season on Real Stories, Books David O. Russell's Abscam Movie Starring Cooper and Lawrence for December

News

Next year's Oscar titles are lining up like planes at La Guardia. At Sony alone are a batch of movies inspired by true stories: Paul Greengrass’ Somali pirates adventure "Captain Phillips," starring Tom Hanks (October 11); producer-director-star George Clooney’s fact-based World War II art retrieval thriller "The Monuments Men," starring Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Jean Dujardin (December 18); and Bennett Miller’s still undated John DuPont murder mystery "Foxcatcher," starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, and Sienna Miller. Sure to be in the awards conversation, David O. Russell’s untitled Abscam movie, his follow-up to "Silver Linings Playbook," which reunites his "Silver Linings" stars Bradley Cooper and Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence as well as Christian Bale, who won a supporting actor Oscar for "The Fighter," is set to open limited on awards-friendly December 13 2013 in advance of a wide Christmas Day release.

By Anne Thompson
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March 13, 2013 3:14 PM
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The Industry: Bad Habits of the Entertainment Media

Features

A lot of loss this month. Time Warner is shedding its magazines. Variety is saying goodbye to its daily edition. And Yahoo is finally losing the jerk-off rule that allowed so many people to work from home in the first place. But the more things change, the more they stay the same.

By J.J. Hunsecker
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March 11, 2013 6:09 AM
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'Oz' Brings Riches, from Needed Boffo Box Office to Kunis Viral Breakout to Yet Another Sequel (VIDEO)

Box Office

This weekend marks the watershed moment in 2013 when the box office will finally lift some boats around the nation's multiplexes. That's thanks to Disney's "Oz: the Great and Powerful," which is expected to deliver some $80 million, which means that other struggling movies in theaters such as "Jack the Giant Slayer" might actually reap some side benefits.

By Anne Thompson
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March 8, 2013 1:04 PM
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2013 Oscar Highlights: Dancing and Tripping Stars, Eloquent Acceptance Speeches and More; Show Scores 40.3 Million Viewers UPDATED

Video

The 2013 Oscars held many noteworthy moments, including the race's sixth tie in history, and the six major category wins all going to different films. It also saw plenty of song belting, some charmingly old-school dance numbers and moving speeches from award recipients. Below, video highlights from the night, updated ratings info and more.

By Beth Hanna
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February 25, 2013 12:06 PM
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Jennifer Lawrence and David O. Russell Reteam for Terrio's 'The Ends of the Earth'

News

Oscar worlds collide as Jennifer Lawrence reteams with "Silver Linings Playbook" director David O. Russell for "The Ends of the Earth," a fact-based original penned by Oscar-nominated "Argo" screenwriter Chris Terrio. It's an American epic--with a "Django"-scale TWC budget-- centering on Ernest Marland, an oil tycoon who loses everything when caught in a scandalous affair (like General Petraeus?). The Weinstein Company has finalized worldwide rights to the film.

By Beth Hanna
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February 20, 2013 12:20 PM
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Oscar Talk: Shorts and Documentary, BAFTAs and Scripters, Spielberg vs. Lee, Lawrence vs. Riva and More

Awards

On this week's Oscar Talk Podcast, Kris Tapley and I discuss live-action and documentary shorts as well as the documentary feature race. We look at the influence of last weekend's BAFTAs and USC Scripters Awards, and talk a few too-close-to-call categories: Steven Spielberg or Ang Lee for Best Director? Jennifer Lawrence or Emmanuelle Riva for Best Actress? Supporting actor, cinematography and production design are also in the mix.

By Anne Thompson
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February 15, 2013 12:00 PM
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State of the Oscar Race, Reading the Oscar Nominees Lunch Tea Leaves (VIDEO)

Awards

As of Friday, February 8, Academy members can vote for the Oscars, right up to February 19. Many have already received their paper ballots, and three have anonymously revealed their votes to the LA Times. All they reveal is that this year, more than most, the race is wide open and hard to call. "It's the best collection of movies in 90 years," says Harvey Weinstein...