Thompson on Hollywood

Box Office Report: Awards Performance Update

Box Office

As distributors continue the tradition of playing off the Golden Globes to publicize a range of films, the specialized and awards business still shows the positive trends that were seen during the holidays. A couple of significant expansions (“Pina” and “The Iron Lady”) lead the mostly positive news. Opening:

By Tom Brueggemann
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January 15, 2012 4:22 PM
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Golden Globes Weekend Party Circuit: AFI Lunch, Paramount, LA Film Critics, Film Independent, BAFTA

Awards

The Golden Globes weekend is well under way. I love roaming a crowded party packed with Hollywood powerbrokers and talent to watch how they interact with one another. I am the ultimate voyeur. Of course I do talk to some of them occasionally.

By Anne Thompson
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January 15, 2012 2:40 AM
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Golden Globe Foreign Language Nominees Panel: Jolie, Almodovar, Farhadi & Dardennes Talk Style, Content

Awards

Yet again, there's much to learn from the Golden Globe nominees for Best Foreign Language Film. Screen International's Mike Goodridge moderated the Cinematheque panel: Angelina Jolie ("In The Land of Blood and Honey," USA), Pedro Almodovar ("The Skin I Live In," Spain), Asghar Farhadi ("A Separation," Iran) and Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne ("The Kid With a Bike," France/Belgium). Not present was China's nominee Zhang Yimou ("The Flowers of War").

By Sophia Savage
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January 14, 2012 10:44 PM
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Oscar Talk: Critics Choice vs. Oscars, Moore Doc Reform and DGA Updates, Rise of 'Dragon Tattoo,' Fall of 'War Horse'

Awards

On this week's Oscar Talk, Kris Tapley and I revisit Thursday night's Critics Choice Movie Awards, and predict whether the Globes and Oscars will repeat the same winners. We update the latest news on Michael Moore's reform of the Oscar Documentary Rules, Pros and Cons, as well the DGA doc nominations and Cinema Eye Honors.

By Anne Thompson
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January 13, 2012 2:11 PM
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'Hugo' Must Be Seen in Its Intended Form: 3-D

Awards

How good is "Hugo"? More importantly, how shall we ever know? The problem is that Martin Scorsese uses 3-D not as an enhancement but as an integral part of the film’s aesthetic.

By Terry Curtis Fox
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January 13, 2012 1:41 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Andy Serkis Talks ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes,' ‘The Hobbit’--and Sequels

Awards

With Oscar-nomination ballots due Friday, there's a lot more riding on "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" than the tech awards for VFX and sound editing/mixing. There's also the matter of securing Andy Serkis a Best Supporting Actor nod for his extraordinary digital performance as Caesar. Whatever the outcome, there's still a lot of educating that needs to be done to sway the skeptical actors branch, which sometimes appears intimidated by computer technology. That's why Serkis was in town this week and also the reason that co-star James Franco wrote such a passionate plea on his colleague's behalf:

By Bill Desowitz
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January 13, 2012 12:33 PM
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Inside the Critics Choice Movie Awards: Winners Are 'The Artist,' Clooney and Davis

Awards

The Critics Choice Movie Awards is a low-key, fun, fast-moving live TV show packed with movie folks eager to win. In other words, at the "Moneyball," "The Help," "War Horse" "The Descendants," "Hugo," "Bridesmaids," and "The Artist" tables, all those folks--from Sony's Amy Pascal to Fox Searchlight's Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula to Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese and Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio--wanted to win.

By Anne Thompson
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January 13, 2012 1:38 AM
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Ten Young Actors Named Europe's Shooting Stars of 2012

Awards

Here are the ten Shooting Stars of 2012 -- "Young, talented, European" -- who the European Film Promotion will showcase at the Berlin International Film Festival (February 9-19). (They were culled from 23 nominees.) The EFP has been choosing and showcasing young actors for fifteen years, helping them transition to the next level of their careers. Past Shooting Stars include Carey Mulligan ("Shame," "An Education"), Elena Anaya ("The Skin I Live in") and Mélanie Laurent ("Beginners," "Inglourious Basterds"). Shooting Stars 2012:

By Sophia Savage
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January 12, 2012 5:17 PM
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Inside the Cinema Eye Awards: Winners Hetherington, 'Beginners,' 'Interrupters'; James Says Documentary is 'Not a Genre'

Awards

On Wednesday night the Cinema Eye honors were presented, recognizing many documentery and independent films - from Steve James' "The Interrupters" (Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Filmmaking and Direction) and the late Tim Heatherington's short "Diary"...

By Charles Lyons and Sophia Savage
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January 12, 2012 2:15 PM
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DGA Announces Outstanding Documentary Director Nominees

Awards

The Directors Guild announces nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary. DGA President Taylor Hackford says this year's doc nominees "take audiences on a journey..."