Thompson on Hollywood

Weekend Box Office: Oscar Contenders Update

Box Office

The weekend after the nominations resulted in the leading contenders grossing around $30 million total, on par with recent years despite there not being one single film that boosted the total. Rather, the wealth, in varying degrees, was spread around a number of films, with “The Descendants” gaining the most.

By Tom Brueggemann
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January 29, 2012 5:22 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Editing 'The Descendants,' from Clooney to Ozu

Awards

If "The Descendants" has a wild card in beating "The Artist," the front runner, for best picture, it's the George Clooney factor. He elevates the dramedy written and directed by Alexander Payne to cathartic heights.

By Bill Desowitz
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January 29, 2012 4:24 PM
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Santa Barbara Performer of the Year and Oscar Front-Runner Viola Davis Seeks Roles "You Can Sink Your Teeth Into"

Awards

At the height of awards season, at the 27th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers, presented actress Viola Davis with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award Friday,

By Anne Thompson
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January 29, 2012 3:08 PM
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DGA Award Winner 'The Artist' Continues its Winning Roll

Awards

Michel Hazanavicius took home the DGA Feature Film Award for "The Artist" Saturday night. The DGA also awarded winners in nine other categories during the 64th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles. Historically the DGA winner not only goes on to win best director but best picture at the Oscars.

By Anne Thompson
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January 29, 2012 3:30 AM
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Oscar Watch: The Academy Expands Producer Credits for Best Picture Nominee 'Tree of Life'

Awards

The Academy expanded the producer credits from the usual three to four for "The Tree of Life." The official nominees for the film are Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner and Grant Hill. They did not, however, include the film's star, Brad Pitt.

By Anne Thompson and Maggie Lange
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January 28, 2012 11:53 AM
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Does Oscar Really Follow the Critics? Tell-All Charts

Awards

Every year, the lead-up to the Oscars is rife with horse race terminology: there are front-runners, films that lag behind and, of course, last minute surges. As Hollywood bounces from award ceremony to award ceremony, from SAG to the Golden Globes to the Guild awards, the Oscar-predicting crowd gazes into its collective crystal ball and makes its pronouncements. Taking the cue from one of this year's Oscar contenders (that'd be "Moneyball"), we here at TOH decided to take a closer look at the data to see just how Oscar actually takes his cue from the other awards shows and, most importantly, the critics.

By Jacob Combs and Anne Thompson
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January 27, 2012 6:46 PM
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Oscar Watch: Foreign Language Nominee 'Bullhead' Opens February 17

Awards

Drafthouse Films has scheduled a limited release of "Bullhead," nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. The underdog foreign language pick will open in Los Angeles, New York, and Austin on February 17.

By Maggie Lange
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January 27, 2012 6:26 PM
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Oscar Watch: Entertainment Weekly's Annual Oscar Issue - Snubs, Shocks, Surprises

Awards

Entertainment Weekly's Annual Oscar Issue breaks down the nominees, throws down some surprising predictions, gives tribute to the shocking snubs, and adds insights on what you might have missed. (Another amusing way to catch up: LA Times' The Envelope's interactive cheat sheet.)

By Anne Thompson and Maggie Lange
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January 26, 2012 10:31 PM
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Oscar Stats: Keeping Score

Awards

Here's a breakdown of this year's Oscar nominations by film, ranging from most to least.

By Anne Thompson
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January 25, 2012 12:55 PM
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Watch: A Clip from the Oscar-Nominated Football Doc 'Undefeated'

Video

Harvey Weinstein was a happy man Tuesday, earning 10 nominations for Oscar front runner "The Artist," Meryl Streep and makeup for "The Iron Lady," costumes for Madonna's "W.E." and even a nomination for the football doc "Undefeated."