Thompson on Hollywood

Daniel Day-Lewis is the Embodiment of 'Lincoln'; Spielberg Talks Character with EW

News

Who else but Daniel Day-Lewis could embody Abraham Lincoln so well? Day-Lewis is known for his startling characterizations and method process, from "My Left Foot" and "The Last of the Mohicans" to "Gangs of New York" and "There Will Be Blood," and we should expect no less from his portrayal of President Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's biopic. But, the director clarifies, “Daniel never went into a fugue state" for "Lincoln"; he was always aware of his contemporary surroundings, but was referred to as Mr. President on set. With very little to go by, Day-Lewis's track record (four Oscar noms, two wins) makes it safe to assume his performance will be central in the Awards race.

By Sophia Savage
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August 7, 2012 1:30 PM
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Orci & Kurtzman Pact with Universal as DreamWorks Scales Back; Will Snider Go to Disney?

News

Screenwriter-producers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (K/O Paper Products) couldn't be much hotter ("Transformers," "Star Trek," "Spider-Man" sequel, "Ender's Game") and they've just signed a two-year first-look production deal at Universal Pictures to revitalize their horror film library.

By Anne Thompson
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May 2, 2012 7:34 AM
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Rising Star Tom Hiddleston Talks Davies' 'Deep Blue Sea,' Spielberg's 'War Horse,' Marvel's 'Thor' and 'Avengers'

Features

Five years ago rising star Tom Hiddleston could not have imagined that he would have a year like 2011. At the time, as the theater actor was shooting the "Wallender" crime series with Kenneth Branagh in Sweden, he went to see Marvel's "Iron Man" and asked himself if he could ever star in a film like that.

By Anne Thompson
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March 21, 2012 8:10 PM
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Oscar Talk: Critics Choice vs. Oscars, Moore Doc Reform and DGA Updates, Rise of 'Dragon Tattoo,' Fall of 'War Horse'

Awards

On this week's Oscar Talk, Kris Tapley and I revisit Thursday night's Critics Choice Movie Awards, and predict whether the Globes and Oscars will repeat the same winners. We update the latest news on Michael Moore's reform of the Oscar Documentary Rules, Pros and Cons, as well the DGA doc nominations and Cinema Eye Honors.

By Anne Thompson
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January 13, 2012 2:11 PM
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American Society of Cinematographers Shuts Out Spielberg's 'War Horse'

Awards

Hollywood's Guild nominees are more indicative of where the Oscar race is heading then the various critics' groups, which serve to put a spotlight on what Academy voters should see, and help start momentum behind certain contenders. But the Guilds actually overlap with Academy voters. Here are the five nominees:

By Anne Thompson
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January 11, 2012 12:10 PM
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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
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January 9, 2012 1:08 PM
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Immersed in Movies: 'War Horse' Production Designer Rick Carter Talks Spielberg, War, 'Gone with the Wind'

Awards

Long-time Steven Spielberg collaborator, production designer Rick Carter, is obsessed with "the nature of conscience and the Goya-esque disasters of war."

By Bill Desowitz
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December 28, 2011 8:15 AM
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Immersed in Movies: 'Avatar' VFX Wiz Letteri Compares 'Apes' and 'Tintin,' Caesar and Haddock

Features

It's been a great year for Joe Letteri, Weta Digital's senior visual effects supervisor, with "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" as the front runner for the VFX Oscar and "The Adventures of Tintin" opening today and competing in the animation category.

By Bill Desowitz
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December 21, 2011 12:04 PM
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Early Reviews on Late-Breaking War Horse, Extremely Loud, Land of Blood and Honey

Reviews

Early reviews are in on Steven Spielberg's "War Horse," Stephen Daldry's "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," and Anjelina Jolie's "In the Land of Blood and Honey," three of the latest-breaking movies hitting theaters this Christmas. A sampling of reviews of all three movies are below.

By Anne Thompson
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December 19, 2011 7:30 AM
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Immersed in Movies: Spielberg Talks Adventures of Tintin, War Horse

Features

The moment Steven Spielberg stepped onto the motion capture stage in LA and watched James Cameron shooting "Avatar" with the virtual camera, he knew he had found the right medium for "The Adventures of Tintin."