Thompson on Hollywood

Final Oscar Picks: The Hurt Locker vs. Avatar

Here are my final picks for this year's Oscars.

By Anne Thompson
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March 6, 2010 1:38 AM
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Oscar Talk Episode 24: Final Oscar Picks

Kris Tapley and I agree on many things, but as we make our final Oscar picks, we debate the last contentious categories: original screenplay, cinematography, art direction, editing and yes, best picture. We will analyze the winners on Monday.

By Anne Thompson
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March 6, 2010 1:09 AM
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Oscar Coverage Round-Up

IndieWIRE's Sophia Savage culls the best of the Award coverage leading up to the Big Show Sunday night:

By Sophia Savage
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March 5, 2010 8:39 AM
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Oscar Scandal: Career Boost for Hurt Locker's Chartier?

The Hurt Locker producer Nicolas Chartier insists that he is enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. Late Wednesday night, drink in hand, pool side at Andaz above Sunset at a pre-Oscar party for The Cove, Chartier wasn't acting like a Hollywood pariah.

By Anne Thompson
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March 4, 2010 6:23 AM
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Oscar Week: Parties, Panels, Indie Spirits, Best Oscar Stories, Hurt Locker Lawsuit, Cohen

I'm plotting my Oscar-week course of action. I must decide which parties and panels and events to cover, and which stories to write when and how. Last year at the Oscar red carpet bleachers I live-blogged in evening garb from my place on a bench with the likes of A.P., Reuters, LAT, and the London Daily Mail, several rows back from the front, took red carpet photos with my Nikon, scrambled down in high heels to the hedge to shoot flip cam interviews, and managed to get out with all my gear except my little black notebook, which was never found.

By Anne Thompson
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March 3, 2010 6:41 AM
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Academy Penalizes Hurt Locker Producer Chartier

As I predicted, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is penalizing The Hurt Locker producer Nicolas Chartier for violating Academy campaign standards by sending an email to his friends that promoted The Hurt Locker and dissed Avatar. Later at the Academy's behest Chartier sent an apologetic letter. Should the movie win best picture, states AMPAS, Chartier will not be one of the producers ascending the platform to accept his award, because he will not be admitted to the Oscar ceremony. His ticket has been revoked. Three producers, Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal and Gregory Shapiro, would accept their gold statues. Chartier would still be able to pick up his award at a later date.

By Anne Thompson
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March 2, 2010 11:34 AM
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Oscar Watch: Costumes, Cinematographers, Sound and Visual Effects Awards

After a final week of prize-giving, the season's pre-Oscar awards rituals came to a close Sunday night. There's nothing left but the big show itself March 7. Oscar ballots are due on March 2. Voters who did not mail them in Saturday can deliver them via overnight mail or directly to Price Waterhouse.

By Anne Thompson
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March 1, 2010 6:45 AM
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Oscar Talk Episode 23: Last Phase Tricky Campaign and Voting Issues

On Oscar Talk 23, Kris Tapley and I chew over the last phase of this year's Oscar campaigns and issues surrounding the email misstep by rookie The Hurt Locker producer Nicholas Chartier and any impact it could have on the race. We both have problems with the preferential ballot process, as Academy members try to figure it out.

By Anne Thompson
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February 26, 2010 9:22 AM
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Oscar Talk 22: Dueling Oscar Producers, Weinstein's Inglourious Basterds Push, Bullock Talks

Kris Tapley and I dig into the meat of the matter this week as the Oscar season goes into overdrive. Are voters trying to rig the top ten? What has a better shot of winning, The Hurt Locker, Avatar or Inglourious Basterds, which Harvey Weinstein has been relentlessly flogging? Are Oscar producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic (who aren't getting along) going to be able to put together a strong show with ten best picture nominees and no Oscar-nominated songs?

By Anne Thompson
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February 19, 2010 10:04 AM
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Things I Learned at the Oscar Nominee Mixer

I pulled into the Beverly Hilton for the annual Academy Nominees lunch alongside Quentin Tarantino (pictured with Academy president Tom Sherak). At the press table, an Academy staffer asked me turn the handle to spit out a ball telling me where I'd be sitting.