Thompson on Hollywood

Trailer Watch: Second War Horse Trailer is More Oscar Bait, "Be Brave, Be Brave, Be Brave"

Of the first trailer, we said that Steven Spielberg's PG-13 film version of the heart-tugging Word War I drama War Horse "looks like an Academy-friendly no-brainer." We called it a "four-hankie."

By Sophia Savage
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October 4, 2011 5:33 AM
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Oscar Talk: Ides of March's Clooney vs. Gosling vs. Hoffman, Supporting Categories

Now that we've both seen George Clooney's political thriller The Ides of March, Kris Tapley and I dig into not only Oscar prospects for that film, but the list of supporting players in contention for this year. We also debate the respective box office fates of Drive and Warrior as well as how success in theaters impacts a film's awards chances. (CORRECTION: Yes, Clooney won best supporting actor for Syriana and not Good Night, and Good Luck.)

By Anne Thompson
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September 30, 2011 4:15 AM
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Fincher Talks Dragon Tattoo With Empire: Lisbeth Salander is Not A Superhero

Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig cover Empire magazine. In this photo, Mara takes a subservient position to Craig (again), as opposed to the Swedish poster. Consider the power dynamics: squatting vs. being on one's knees and standing vs. sitting.

By Anne Thompson
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September 29, 2011 7:10 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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Poster Watch: Spielberg's War Horse is Everything You'd Expect

Sight unseen, Steven Spielberg's War Horse, based only on the trailer, is clearly Oscar bait. The new poster (below) offers exactly what you'd expect for the PG-13 film based on Michael Morpurgo's novel about a boy, his horse and WWI. It has Spielberg and Christmastime-heart-tugging written all over it. "Separated by War. Tested by Battle. Bound by Friendship." Awww. And what a lovely sunset, too.

By Sophia Savage
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September 27, 2011 9:07 AM
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Weekly Wrap: Oscar Talk, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Moneyball, Gordon-Levitt Interviewed on 50/50

WEEKEND PREVIEW:

By Maggie Lange
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September 23, 2011 10:29 AM
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China Selects Zhang Yimou's Flowers of War, Starring Christian Bale, as Oscar Entry

The backers of Zhang Yimou's The Flowers of War, a tough period drama set during the horrific 1937 Nanking Massacre, are heaving sighs of relief. China has chosen the film as its official Oscar entry. It is due for December 16 release in Asia and was for sale at the recent Toronto Film Festival, where I saw a stunning 20 minutes of footage. This means that a buyer is now more likely to step up to qualify the film at year's end for a Christian Bale Oscar campaign, knowing that The Flowers of War may wind up a foreign Oscar nominee. (There's just enough Chinese in the English/Mandarin dialogue to qualify.)

By Anne Thompson
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September 23, 2011 8:34 AM
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Denzel for Secret in Their Eyes Remake, Kevin Costner Out of Upcoming Tarantino, Source Code to TV

Kevin Costner was forced to back out of Quentin Taratino's Django Unchained due to scheduling conflicts and will no longer play Ace Woody, a "sadistic asshole who trains slaves to fight" in Tarantino's coming film. Meanwhile, as expected, Samuel L. Jackson has been confirmed to join the cast as a head house slave. The movie will star Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave who escapes from his vicious owner, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and joins forces with a German bounty hunter, played by Christoph Waltz. The film will begin production this November and has a planned release date of December 25, 2012.

By Maggie Lange
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September 16, 2011 4:05 AM
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Puppet Watch: The Girl with the Muppet Tattoo; Kanye West, Kim Kardashian and Jim Henson

The Muppets, an upcoming revamp of the puppet ensemble starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Neil Patrick Harris, Rashida Jones, and Mila Kunis, has re-spliced their trailer into a parody of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trailer. Some may find it aggressively adorable, if not a little misguided. Both trailers posted below--see if you can spot the differences!

By Maggie Lange
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September 16, 2011 3:55 AM
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Fall/Holiday Preview: Five Glorious VFX Films to Watch, None Set in Present

Bill Desowitz lists five VFX films to watch this fall and winter season, and the reasons why:With all due respect to the highly-anticipated The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-- Part 1 and Mission: Impossible-- Ghost Protocol, in which Edward and Bella and Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt spiritually go to hell and back, the real VFXy films to look out for this fall/holiday season are Hugo, Real Steel, Immortals, Anonymous, and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. They possess the necessary CG eye candy and potential Oscar prestige, plus there's not a contemporary story among them.