Thompson on Hollywood

Art Directors Go with Avatar, Hurt Locker, Sherlock Holmes, Beatty

One thing I love about this year's Oscar race is the way lower-budget movies like The Hurt Locker hold their own against the big-budget behemoths. At the crystal-themed Art Director's Guild awards on Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton, The Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow, taller than ever in high high heels, presented the period film award to Sherlock Holmes, which beat out best-picture Oscar nominee Inglourious Basterds.

By Anne Thompson
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February 14, 2010 10:19 AM
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Screenwriters Talk Up, The Hurt Locker, Precious, Up in the Air, Star Trek

Every writer on this year's annual Santa Barbara Film Festival "It Starts with a Script" panel wrote a screenplay that was personal, on some level--even Up writer-director Pete Docter and Star Trek's Alex Kurtzman. And they all mixed up their genres, too.

By Anne Thompson
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February 14, 2010 6:42 AM
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Oscar Talk Episode 21: On the Campaign Trail

This week Kris Tapley and I cover Oscar activity at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and in town, and keep debating the best actress, actor, picture and director race. Does Up in the Air or Inglourious Basterds have a fighting chance?

By Anne Thompson
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February 12, 2010 10:29 AM
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Oscar Phase Two: Bullock vs. Streep, Renner vs. Bridges, Cameron vs. Bigelow

Nothing is certain until it's over. And that's especially true for the Oscar race.

By Anne Thompson
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February 9, 2010 11:16 AM
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Santa Barbara Film Fest Panels, Up in the Air Wins Scripter Award

Sometimes I find myself covering so many things that I don't write about them right away. A case in point: my weekend trip to Santa Barbara. I'm still writing up the Sandra Bullock tribute and haven't transcribed my writers panel, which went well even without Quentin Tarantino, who did turn up the following day for Peter Bart's director's panel (clips below).

By Anne Thompson
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February 9, 2010 2:14 AM
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Oscar Duel: Has Quentin Tarantino Produced a Legacy of Greatness?

During a public appearance in London last month, Quentin Tarantino told the audience that with Inglourious Basterds, he is now an auteur; he has established a body of work that can be analyzed as a whole and as a product of his unique vision. Recalling his experiences watching the films of Howard Hawks, he said: "My aim is that some kid in 50 years time has the same experience with me and my films." In this dueling blog, Moviefone's Jack Mathews and I debate whether QT's films actually form a body of work or remain a work in progress.   

By Anne Thompson
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February 8, 2010 7:20 AM
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Oscar Watch: Tomm Moore Talks The Secret of Kells

It was a ten-year journey for animator Tomm Moore, who was as shocked as anyone when, after submitting his first feature The Secret of Kells at the last possible minute, the 95% hand-drawn film earned an Annie nomination (the only indie film to do so) followed by an Oscar nomination for best animated feature (beating out movies from Disney, Fox, Sony and DreamWorks).

By Anne Thompson
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February 8, 2010 4:28 AM
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Saturday Night Live Does Oscar Nominations

[Hat Tip: @AwardsDaily]

By Anne Thompson
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February 7, 2010 7:46 AM
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Oscar Watch: Academy Rules on Best Picture Producers

The Academy has ruled on the remaining two best picture nominees' producer credits. They like to limit them to three (hence the Crash imbroglio that eliminated angry financeer Bob Yari). But in this case, The Blind Side has three, The Hurt Locker, four.

By Anne Thompson
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February 5, 2010 3:33 AM
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Santa Barbara Film Fest: Opener, Bullock, Cameron, Panels

I'm in Santa Barbara for its 25th film fest: 196 films, 18 world premieres, 28 U.S. premieres and a program from 45 countries. The festival runs through Sunday, Feb. 14. Per usual, I'm ensconced in a twee bungalow at the Simpson House--sweet muffins on arrival, Laura Ashley decor, fringed pillows and lamp shades, white venetian blinds, stone fireplace, hot tub, soft bed, classical music.