Thompson on Hollywood

Oscar Powers Netflix's Top Ten Most-Rented List

Netflix's ten most-rented list of all time (list below) reminds us of the long-tail Power of Oscar. And it should remind Netflix, as it splits its DVD and streaming business and alienates many of its customers who are used to relying on its deep long-tail arcania, that their solid customer base is smart adults, not the great unwashed, something they seem to be in danger of forgetting as they focus on TV and mainstream acquisitions and let smaller movies go.

By Anne Thompson
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October 3, 2011 11:09 AM
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Jeremy Renner Talks "The Town," "Mission Impossible," "The Avengers"

The Hurt Locker not only gave Jeremy Renner the role of his career--which earned him an Oscar nomination--but it opened up a raft of career possibilities. Renner is young, gifted and masculine: he can play a charismatic hero or a dangerous villain, a leading man or a character role. He's versatile. This is what casting directors want. There aren't enough guys like him.

By Anne Thompson
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December 6, 2010 6:26 AM
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Bigelow, Moore Join Academy Board of Governors

Let's face it. Most of the Hollywood veterans who serve on the Motion Picture Academy board of governors, while august and admirable, are older males. While documentarian/provocateur Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine) is no spring chicken, in the world of the Academy, being in your 50s counts as young. And fellow Oscar-winners Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) and editor Anne Coates (Lawrence of Arabia) are women to boot. The Academy recently elected the three first-time Academy governors, along with nine incumbents and three filmmakers returning after a hiatus.

By Anne Thompson
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July 7, 2010 5:40 AM
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Oscar Winner Bigelow in L.A. Superior Court

The week after winning two Oscars for directing and producing The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow was standing in line at L.A.'s Superior Court. Fulfilling her duty as a citizen, she turned up for jury duty and was placed in the jury pool for a drunk driving case.

By Anne Thompson
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March 16, 2010 4:32 AM
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Oscar Video Round-Up: Opener, Chartier, Hurt Locker Victory Laps, Parties, Fashion

There's some juicy Oscar material out there about the most-watched show in five years. At the Governor's Ball, Sandra Bullock was among the nominees getting her Oscar engraved (everyone got their own statues engraved except Jeff Bridges; notable no-shows were Tivi Magnusson, producer of short The New Tenants, and Sandy Powell, costume designer of Young Victoria). Exhausted producer Bill Mechanic said that he and Adam Shankman had aimed for a more populist show (his red carpet interview is below).

By Anne Thompson
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March 9, 2010 1:19 AM
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Oscar Backstage: Bigelow, Boal Talk The Hurt Locker's Six Wins

The Hurt Locker finally ended the long, difficult Oscar campaign trail winning six awards, while Avatar won only three technical categories, for visual effects, art direction and cinematography. "I hope I'm the first of many," Kathryn Bigelow said backstage, of being the first woman to win the best director Oscar for The Hurt Locker, which is also the first best picture winner to be directed by a woman. "I long for day when that modifier is a moot point. I am grateful if I can inspire some young intrepid tenacious male or female filmmaker, make them feel the impossible is possible."

By Anne Thompson
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March 8, 2010 5:31 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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Oscar Watch: Bigelow First Woman to Win DGA Award

It means less for Avatar to have won best drama and director at the Golden Globes than to have lost best film at the Producers Guild and best director at the Directors Guild, both times to The Hurt Locker. And it means less for Inglourious Basterds to have won best ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild than to have lost at the PGA and DGA. See where I am going? Kathryn Bigelow's DGA win Saturday night (the first to a woman in 61 years) is a sign of continued strength for that film, which could well repeat at the Oscars. (BTW, Bigelow, 58, does not look older than her ex-husband, Cameron, 55).

By Anne Thompson
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January 31, 2010 4:07 AM
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Oscar Watch: Tarantino vs. Cameron vs. Bigelow vs. Reitman vs. Daniels

On the plane to Salt Lake City, I was listed A 01 on Southwest for the first time, like first class, and got out before they shut down some southern California flights due to high winds.

By Anne Thompson
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January 21, 2010 11:55 AM
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Upsets At the Globes: Reitman, Cameron Beat Tarantino, Bigelow

There were some close races at the Golden Globes, including best screenplay and best director. When Jason Reitman accepted the screenplay prize for Up in the Air, (shared with Sheldon Turner) he said that he thought Quentin Tarantino would be accepting, not him. And when James Cameron accepted the best director award for Avatar, he said, "I thought Kathryn was going to get this, and she richly deserves this. I am very grateful." He went on to thank his stars in Na'vi, and thanked wife Suzy Amis in English: "Baby, you make my dreams possible." That's a far cry from his old Oscar chortle, "I'm King of the World!"