Thompson on Hollywood

Jennifer Lawrence Joining Academy President Tom Sherak to Announce Oscar Nominees on January 24

Awards

Bright and early on January 24, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences president Tom Sherak will announce the Oscar nominees with Jennifer Lawrence (nominated last year for Best Actress for "Winter's Bone"). The duo will reveal contenders in ten of twenty-four categories from the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

By Sophia Savage
|
January 9, 2012 2:47 PM
|
1 Comment

More:

DGA Nominees Include Surprise Fincher Nomination

Awards

The Directors Guild has announced the nominees for its 64th Annual DGA Awards, to be held on January 28. The DGA is a much larger and more populist voting group --14,000 strong--than the elite Oscar directors branch, which numbers around 400.

By Anne Thompson
|
January 9, 2012 1:08 PM
|
11 Comments

More:

Kim Novak Protests Use of 'Vertigo' Score in 'The Artist'--Hazanavicius Explains Why He Used Herrmann Score

Awards

I have spoken to a number of people who are not thrilled with the way that Michel Hazanavicius and composer Ludovic Bource used Bernard Herrmann's signature "Vertigo" score at the climax of "The Artist." I had wondered if this reaction could lead to Bource not landing an Oscar nomination from the Academy music branch.

By Anne Thompson
|
January 9, 2012 12:49 PM
|
24 Comments

More:

George Clooney to Present Sean Penn with Critics' Choice Joel Siegel Humanitarian Award

Awards

The 17th annual Critics Choice Movie Awards on January 12 will honor Sean Penn with their Joel Siegel Award, to recognize his humanitarian efforts. Penn founded the J/P Haitian Relief Organization following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti exactly two years ago. George Clooney will present the award.

By Sophia Savage
|
January 9, 2012 11:39 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

'The Adventures of Tintin' Dominates Visual Effects Society Nominations

Awards

Yet again this weekend I had a conversation with an animator who adores Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin," but doesn't consider the film to be animation, but performance capture, which is a visual effect. Thus the film from Peter Jackson's Weta Digital did dominate the Visual Effects Society (VES) film categories with six nominations.

By Anne Thompson
|
January 9, 2012 10:39 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

Palm Springs Festival Offers Pre-Globes and Oscar Glitz

Festivals

The Academy Awards ballots are due a week from now, but campaigning went into high gear on Saturday night at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer, Gary Oldman and Glenn Close all came calling to accept awards in a genial and celebratory setting.

By Cari Beauchamp
|
January 8, 2012 11:24 PM
|
3 Comments

More:

National Society of Film Critics Picks 'Melancholia,' Dunst; 'Tree of Life,' 'A Separation' Win Multiple Awards

Awards

One of my ongoing fantasies has the new preferential Oscar ballot leading to a huge surprise: Lars von Trier's "Melancholia" makes it onto the best picture list, and Cannes-winner Kirsten Dunst knocks out one of the best actress contenders.

By Anne Thompson
|
January 7, 2012 4:51 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

Oscar Trailer "Off the Grid" Is Better than Poster: Williams, Fox, Duhamel Track The Host

Video

Thankfully, the Academy Awards trailer is much better than the poster. Robin Williams, Josh Duhamel, Megan Fox and William Fitchner seek elusive quarry known as The Host. "He's off the grid."

By Anne Thompson
|
January 6, 2012 4:04 PM
|
1 Comment

More:

Immersed in Movies: Editor Christopher Tellefsen Pitches Moneyball

Awards

Editing is all about internal rhythms for Christopher Tellefsen, and "Moneyball" fit like a glove. On the surface, it's a David & Goliath sports movie. But it's really about the struggle against conventional wisdom for the fast talking and even quicker thinking Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane.

By Bill Desowitz
|
January 6, 2012 1:44 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

Oscar Talk: What Do Recent Guild Nominees Tell Us About Oscar Race?

Awards

In this week's Oscar Talk, Kris Tapley and I pore over the latest Guild nominations from the producers, writers and art directors. What do we decide? Maybe Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" is weaker than we once thought, and David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is stronger.