Thompson on Hollywood

Empire Magazine's Jameson Awards Honor 'Skyfall' as Best Film of 2012, Helen Mirren Makes Plea for More Women in Film

Awards

The Jameson Empire Awards for the best films of 2012 were handed out in London on March 24, with Sam Mendes taking top honors as Best Director, and 23rd Bond installment "Skyfall" receiving Best Picture as well as the Empire Award. Helen Mirren, who was honored with the Empire Legend award, noted that in Mendes' acceptance speech, none of his favorite classic film moments feature a woman behind the camera. Watch below, with a full list of winners included.

By Beth Hanna
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March 25, 2013 11:54 AM
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'Skyfall' Director Mendes Heads Back to the Theatre as He Bids Adieu to Bond (For Now)

News

Sam Mendes' uber-successful Bond movie "Skyfall" will be his first and possibly last affair with the franchise--at least for now.

By Sophia Savage
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March 6, 2013 1:50 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Production Designer Dennis Gassner Talks 'Skyfall'

Features

One of the great pleasures of doing a Bond movie for Dennis Gassner is that he gets to be 007 before Daniel Craig. On "Quantum of Solace," his first, the Oscar-winning production designer ("Bugsy") created a pattern language based on the actor's blue eyes and craggy face. But on "Skyfall," he went further in shaping the world of Bond...

By Bill Desowitz
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December 28, 2012 2:31 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Costume Designer Jany Temime Talks 'Skyfall'

Features

Jany Temime effortlessly transitioned from dressing Harry Potter to James Bond because 007 has always been a part of her life. Temime knew exactly what she was getting into when she got the call from director Sam Mendes: "When you get to do a Bond, you take with you all that makes Bond," she proclaims.

By Bill Desowitz
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December 21, 2012 1:30 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Cinematographer Deakins Talks 'Skyfall'

Awards

With the record-breaking "Skyfall" (perhaps even the first billion dollar Bond) generating lots of Oscar buzz, is there any doubt that acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins will receive his 10th nomination? Not after turning in the most stunning-looking Bond movie in its illustrious 50-year history.

By Bill Desowitz
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November 28, 2012 2:16 PM
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'Skyfall' Opening Credits: How Mendes Got Adele for 'the first good Bond song' and A Look at Past Openers and Songs (VIDEO)

Features

One of the joys of "Skyfall" is its darkly psychedelic opening credit sequence, which combines to great effect Adele's soaring song with the iconic Bond graphics overlaid on Daniel Craig's sinking figure. We're basically watching Bond's fall into death as images pass before his eyes. Sam Mendes' latest installment in the franchise is crammed with purposeful references to 007 films of yore, but perhaps the best is that hit song. Music has long been used to sell movies, but never more than with the Bond franchise.

By Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
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November 19, 2012 2:02 PM
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'Skyfall' Director Mendes and Actresses Marlohe and Harris Talk Updating Bond, from Adele to Bardem

Interviews

Whenever any movie, even yet another James Bond sequel, gets the kind of rave reviews and business earned by "Skyfall," the inevitable awards speculation occurs. Will it get Oscar nominations? After all, right out of the gate Brit theater director Sam Mendes' "American Beauty" swept five Oscars including director and picture.

By Anne Thompson
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November 15, 2012 8:00 AM
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Immersed in Movies: Mendes Talks Bond Resurrection in 'Skyfall'

Features

Why all the swooning over "Skyfall?" Because, oddly enough, after 50 years we've only just begun exploring James Bond's troubled psyche, and because director Sam Mendes has brilliantly made up for lost time by engineering the best possible conceit: an existential crisis for our iconic superspy...

By Bill Desowitz
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November 8, 2012 4:27 PM
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Oscar Talk: from 'Skyfall' to AFI FEST's 'Hitchcock'

Awards

In this week's Oscar Talk, Kris Tapley and I review the new Bond film, "Skyfall," which could yield a few technical nominations, as well as Sacha Gervasi's "Hitchcock," which opened the AFI FEST Thurday night. We preview what's coming up at the fall fest, including the foreign films.

By Anne Thompson
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November 2, 2012 6:16 PM
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Sam Mendes' Return to England with Bond and 'Skyfall' (via The Guardian)

News

Brit theater director Sam Mendes, having directed five incisive films about American culture including Oscar-winner "American Beauty," "Revolutionary Road," and "Jarhead," turned his sights to Britain's iconic James Bond franchise with "Skyfall." The Guardian looks at what Mendes brought to 007, which has been getting raves, with contributions from "Skyfall" stars Daniel Craig and Naomie Harris--and, for good measure, "Road to Perdition" star Jude Law.