Thompson on Hollywood

BAFTA LA Honors Tarantino, Craig, Parker and Stone

Awards

One vital component of the award season is the British contingent, repped in large part by the BAFTA Awards. And BAFTA LA also mounts an annual award ceremony. This November 7 BAFTA LA returns to the Beverly Hilton to present awards to the current James Bond, Brit Daniel Craig, American auteur Quentin Tarantino, who is finishing up "Django Unchained" for December 25 release, American "South Park" and "Book of Mormon" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone...

By Anne Thompson
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September 19, 2012 12:50 PM
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Oscars Fulfill Electronic Ballot Promise, Lengthen Voting Window

Awards

There are many ways that the Academy is still in the dark ages as far as the reality of modern filmmaking is concerned. Movies have to open in theaters to be eligible for the Oscar, at a time when online viewing is commonplace. Thus, in order to give voting members and audiences more time to see the nominated films, the Academy will announce the 85th Academy Awards nominations on January 10, five days earlier than it had planned, and three days ahead of the Golden Globes.

By Anne Thompson
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September 18, 2012 7:08 PM
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Oscar Watch: Canada Picks 'War Witch' as Foreign Film Entry

Awards

Canada has selected Kim Nguyen's "War Witch" (aka "Rebelle") as its entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. Telefilm Canada chairs the pan-Canadian Oscar selection committee that chose the film.

By Sophia Savage
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September 18, 2012 4:41 PM
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Toronto Wrap: Winners, Oscar Contenders and Also-Rans

Festivals

I started out Toronto 2012 with my first Jason Reitman screenplay read-through--his first in Toronto--Alan Ball's Oscar-winning "American Beauty." I'd missed his series of live reads at LACMA, from "The Breakfast Club" to "The Apartment." In a way "American Beauty" was apt preparation for the festival's crowning glory, David O. Russell's ultimate audience award winner, "Silver Linings Playbook." They are in the same vein--a flinty-edged picture of who we are now, laced with dark comedy and self-recognition, with romance and hope still a possibility. That's why "American Beauty" won best picture.

By Anne Thompson
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September 18, 2012 4:29 PM
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Universal Moving 'Les Miserables' to December 25 Could Have Oscar Impact

News

Universal Pictures would have loved to put "Les Miserables," Tom Hooper's follow-up to the Oscar-winning "The King's Speech," onto the fall festival circuit to build support and buzz. But the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh epic period film adaptation of the global hit musical wasn't anywhere near ready.

By Anne Thompson
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September 18, 2012 1:44 PM
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The French Choose Weinstein's 'The Intouchables' for Foreign Oscar Race

Awards

In a change of direction, a markedly younger seven-member film commission including Cannes director Thierry Fremaux has chosen heart-tugging crowdpleaser "The Intouchables" as their official Oscar submission, their first comedy.

By Anne Thompson and Sophia Savage
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September 18, 2012 1:09 PM
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Jennifer Lawrence Talks 'Silver Linings Playbook,' Russell, 'Hunger Games' and Prepping for that Money Scene (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO)

Awards

As soon as "Silver Linings Playbook" played in Toronto it became the front runner for the Oscar. This is something its Oscar handlers were seeking to avoid, but the film then went on to win the coveted TIFF audience award nabbed by such past crowd-pleasers as Oscar-winner "Slumdog Millionaire." Yes, "Argo" and "Amour" and "The Sessions" and the Weinsteins' other TIFF entries "The Master" and "Quartet" are also in the Oscar hunt. But right now it's "The Silver Linings Playbook"'s to lose.

By Anne Thompson
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September 17, 2012 4:26 PM
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Fest Buyer Sony Pictures Classics Heads to the Middle East (VIDEO)

News

Sony Pictures Classics has always leaned heavily on foreign acquisitions in advance of the awards season. Michael Barker and Tom Bernard are often betting on the likely submissions for the best foreign film entry, and can be counted upon to wind up with more than one in the final five. At the same time they can't handle too many movies at once, so they must pick well.

By Anne Thompson
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September 16, 2012 5:02 PM
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Oscar Talk: Toronto and Telluride Update, from 'The Master' and 'Cloud Atlas' to 'Silver Linings Playbook'

Awards

Kris Tapley and I go over the Oscar race post-Toronto and Telluride, from Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" and Terrence Malick's "To the Wonder" to the fate of "Anna Karenina" and "Cloud Atlas." Neither of us liked "Hyde Park on Hudson" very much.

By Anne Thompson
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September 15, 2012 4:40 PM
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Fox Searchlight Moves Up Oscar Contender 'The Sessions' to October 19

News

Fox Searchlight has moved up the limited release date of Ben Lewin's Sundance hit-turned-Oscar contender "The Sessions" to October 19, a week earlier than originally announced. The film recently screened at TIFF.