Thompson on Hollywood

Oscar Talk: Spielberg's War Horse, My Week with Marilyn's Michelle Williams, Scorsese's Hugo

In this week's Oscar Talk Kris Tapley and I debate Simon Curtis's My Week with Marilyn, which I saw at the New York Film Festival and the Weinsteins have moved to Thanksgiving. "You see a lot working behind those eyes," says Tapley. We agree Williams will make the top five for best actress.

By Anne Thompson
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October 14, 2011 4:12 AM
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Academy Shortlists Eight Doc Shorts

The Academy documentary branch has selected eight documentary shorts from 35 eligible entries, of which three to five will earn Oscar nominations on January 24. At this year's Ashland Film Festival, the best of ten doc shorts went to The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement, whose co-director Gail Dolgin died last October after a decade-long bout with cancer. In Tahrir Square: 18 Days of Egypt's Unfinished Revolution, a timely doc about the Arab Spring, was screened at the NYFF (pictured, here's indieWIRE review).

By Anne Thompson
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October 13, 2011 10:40 AM
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NYFF Early Reviews for 3-D Hugo: Cinephiles Are Delighted by Scorsese's Love Letter to Film

The reason that Paramount screened Martin Scorsese’s work-in-progress 3-D Hugo as the New York Film Festival's Monday night’s mystery screening, without completed effects or a final score (by Howard Shore) is that it’s a cinephile’s dream. The NYFF audience couldn’t have been a more receptive crowd.

By Anne Thompson
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October 11, 2011 4:36 AM
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My Week in New York: Hugo, War Horse, Turin Horse, Parties, Marilyn, Book of Mormon

Monday night's mystery screening of Martin Scorsese's work-in-progress 3-D Hugo (featurette below) marks my last screening at this year's New York Film Festival. The reason that the movie was shown without completed effects or a final score (by Howard Shore) is that it's a cinephile's dream, and the NYFF audience couldn't have been a more receptive crowd. While the movie should work with families over the Thanksgiving holiday, and producer Graham King (nervously pacing in the rear of the theater as ushers passed out 3-D glasses) assured me that they wouldn't have shown the film if the movie wasn't going to finish on time, Paramount wanted to build buzz for the film via the festival and this was the only way to do it.

By Anne Thompson
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October 11, 2011 4:22 AM
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My Week with Marilyn Reviews: Well-Mounted Period Fantasy Earning Mostly Raves for Michelle Williams

The New York Film Festival is in full swing, reaching its midpoint Sunday with the centerpiece gala, Simon Curtis's My Week with Marilyn. Telluride eagerly wanted to book the film, but Curtis was working with distributor Harvey Weinstein on adding material and the film wasn't finished in time; in fact the filmmaker was fiddling until the last possible minute.

By Anne Thompson
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October 10, 2011 4:34 AM
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New Stills from My Week With Marilyn: Seduction of the Media Begins with Gorgeous Michelle Williams

We just got a peek at the trailer, and now Moviefone has a few new stills from My Week with Marilyn. Star Michelle Williams may not be a dead ringer for Marilyn Monroe, but she's channeling something that rings true. The synopsis and more photos of Williams' co-stars Eddie Redmayne and Kenneth Branagh are below. The film premieres October 9.

By Sophia Savage
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October 7, 2011 4:22 AM
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West Memphis Three Will Attend NYFF Premiere of Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

The West Memphis Three (Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley Jr. - just released from death row) will make their first public appearance at the New York Film Festival's premiere of Joe Berlinger’s and Bruce Sinofsky’s updated Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory.

By Sophia Savage
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October 6, 2011 7:53 AM
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Trailer Watch: Michelle Williams Wows in My Week with Marilyn Trailer

If anybody could do it, it's Michelle Williams. Check out the first trailer for My Week with Marilyn, featuring what looks to be a knockout performance by Williams as icon Marilyn Monroe. I'll seeing the film at its gala premiere at the New York Film Festival on Sunday, October 9. Williams is an Oscar perennial, so she should never be counted out of the Best Actress Oscar race.

By Anne Thompson
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October 6, 2011 5:25 AM
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Michelle Williams Lands Best Actress Honor at Sham Hollywood Film Awards

Remember, The Hollywood Film Festival is not a respectable fall fest. It's a well-timed award season facade which honors stars, filmmakers and craftspeople and lines the pockets of founder and internet magnate Carlos de Abreu. (Read all about it here.) But Hollywood players participate because the fest supports the award cause and provides vying Oscar contenders with yet another attention-grabbing red carpet showcase.

By Anne Thompson
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September 28, 2011 4:54 AM
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Hello, Gorgeous: Michelle Williams & Eddie Redmayne Grace My Week with Marilyn Poster

Simon Curtis' My Week with Marilyn will have a limited release through the Weinsteins November 4 after its premiere at the New York Film Festival October 9. The film stars a delicious cast including Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Julia Ormond, Dougray Scott, Emma Watson, Toby Jones and Dominic Cooper. Here are more details. Full poster after the jump: