You can listen to the Oscar watchers and the bloggers and the critics, but the most accurate way of predicting who and what will win a little gold statue is to leave it up to something rational: the market.
Enter the Hollywood Stock Exchange, an online stock market simulation that lets users "trade" on stars and movies. HSX traders predicted Oscar nominations with an 89 percent accuracy rate, going 10 for 10 with the Best Picture category, five for five for Best Actress and four for five in most other categories.
Now HSX is letting traders buy and sell the Oscar nominees. AwardOptions will halt trading at 1PM on Sunday, Feb. 27, before the big show.
So who does the market favor?
'The King's Speech' is the current front-runner for the Best Picture Oscar, trading at H$9.58, with the next highest picture, 'The Social Network,' trading at H$6.42. None of the other eight contenders come close, and after last night's SAG awards, their values continue to fall. The virtual value of 'King's Speech' dovetails with its value in the actual marketplace where consumers buy and sell movie tickets. Since its nomination, Fandango reports that 'King's Speech' has increased in popularity 76 percent among its users.
The best director race is also between 'Social Network' and 'King's Speech,' with the Brits again beating Silicon Valley by about 40 percent.
Natalie Portman is the clear front-runner for Best Actress with a price of H$15.10 and with Annette Bening trailing for 'The Kids Are All Right' with a price of H$8.93.
No actor comes anywhere near Colin Firth's H$13.88 price, making him the clear favorite in the category. Also following the SAG Awards, prices fell off for all best supporting actor noms except for Christian Bale, who the market predicts will take home the statue at the end of next month. And the same for Melissa Leo, who played Bale's mom in 'The Fighter.' Leo has absolutely no competition in the category, which includes Amy Adams, Hailee Steinfeld, Helena Bonham Carter and Jacki Weaver, according to the marketplace.
There is still nearly a month to go until the awards, but the margins for potential winners are already so high we shouldn't expect any major surprises on Oscar night.
Showing posts with label Oscar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oscar. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Crazy Wins: Oscar Loves an Insane Character
Why does it take a nervous breakdown to get a girl noticed in Hollywood?
If you want to know why Natalie Portman is a shoo-in for the Oscar, here's one answer. It's not just that she lost 20 pounds for the role, spent nearly a year practicing ballet, and delivered a performance that made us forget she was once the annoying Queen Amidala.
It's because she played a crazy chick. Nina, Portman's overachieving ballerina, reads like a chapter from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
There's the obsessive-compulsive. There's the paranoid. There's the borderline personality and schizophrenia, says Mark Heyman, one of the film's writers. Heyman didn't consult a doctor for any help with the character. He asked his mother. She's a therapist.
"Mad Men" might rule TV, but crazy chicks have conquered the big screen. Not only do actresses win Academy Awards by playing insane -- just ask Kathy Bates ("Misery"), Nicole Kidman ("The Hours"), Angelina Jolie ("Girl, Interrupted"), or Jessica Lange ("Blue Sky") -- but movies featuring women beyond the verge play equally well with female and male audiences.
Women, we're told, like crazy-chick flicks because "they can console themselves, thinking, 'That woman is really attractive, but she's crazy, so I'm better than she is,'" explains Sharon Packer, a New York psychiatrist who is writing about "Black Swan" for a medical journal.
More: 'Like Crazy' takes Sundance grand jury prize
As for male audiences, Packer says, "I think it has to do with the Sir Lancelot feeling. Men might be more attracted to someone who has a degree of helplessness: Being crazy is being helpless."
Or maybe it's just that, as "Black Swan" fan Sean Kearney told us, "I can't think of a crazy girl who isn't hot." Kearney, 26, a videogame designer from Los Angeles, plans to be first in line when "The Roommate" opens Feb. 4. That film features "Gossip Girl" Leighton Meester playing an undergrad who is so delusional, she dyes her hair the same color as her roommate, Sara (Minka Kelly), slips into bed with Sara's boyfriend, and then chases everyone around with a gun.
Actresses say they enjoy playing characters who've gone around the bend because it allows them a chance to stretch.
"It's a lot of fun to act, I've got to say," says Barbara Hershey, who as the "Black Swan" matriarch plays "a mentally ill person taking care of a mentally ill person. It's a family of crazies!"
Erika Christensen, who portrayed a crazy chick in 2002's "Swimfan," says, "What appealed to me about the role was the fact that she was so different from me. She wasn't just someone where I could be playing myself."
For "The Roommate," Meester met with doctors who treated delusion. "It was really challenging," she says. "I tried to remain in the mood as much as possible."
Halle Berry, who has been missing from the screen for a while, recently received a Golden Globe nomination for her stripper with multiple personalities in "Frankie and Alice."
It goes without saying that, in real life, mental illness is a significant medical problem. Almost one in five Americans suffered some form of it in 2009, according to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and 11 million had a serious mental illness.
Nonetheless, very few people seem to get offended when Hollywood uses mental illness as a plot point.
While other Oscar contenders like "The Social Network" and "The King's Speech" have come under fire for questions about historical accuracy, the mental-health community hasn't voiced any qualms about "Black Swan" yet.
"Does it do damage?" asks Packer, the New York psychiatrist. "I think it brings attention to how prevalent eating disorders are or how perfection can drive someone to the brink. The psychiatric disorders do the damage."
The crazy chick has been a theatrical staple since the days of classic Greek drama, when vengeful women like Medea tromped around the stage, murdering their children.
Shakespeare's Ophelia went mad after her boyfriend killed her dad, and then handed out flowers like some proto-hippie before committing suicide. (Kate Winslet reprised the role in Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet," and Kidman pays homage in "The Hours" when her Virginia Woolf drowns, Ophelia-like.)
The 1940s and '50s gave us the femmes fatales of film noir, with murderous women like Barbara Stanwyck in "Double Indemnity. "
And who could ever forget Faye Dunaway in "Mommie Dearest," her face smothered with cold cream, beating her daughter with a wire hanger?
But the actress who created the modern-day template is Glenn Close. "I'm not going to be ignored, Dan," Close warned Michael Douglas in "Fatal Attraction," before cooking him dinner (rabbit, anyone?). Ever since then, actresses have been going nuts to play women who are off their rocker.
For many actresses, playing crazy is good way to get noticed.
Audiences didn't know who Sissy Spacek was until she was crowned at the prom with pig's blood in "Carrie." Would Sharon Stone be a star if she hadn't wielded an ice pick and forgotten to wear her underwear in "Basic Instinct"? And before playing Winona Ryder's partner in crime in the loony bin in "Girl, Interrupted," Jolie was just Jon Voight's daughter.
Not only do crazy chicks light up the silver screen, they invade our homes. (And, really, how can you describe Snooki without using the words "crazy chick"?)
When Donald Trump invited Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth as a contestant on "The Apprentice" in 2004, she didn't just scheme, she came across as completely bonkers. The performance made her an overnight celebrity: Talk-show appearances and other TV gigs followed.
So did the imitators. There was Heidi Montag from "The Hills," who is so out there, she reconstructed most of her face; Paula Abdul, who slurred her way through eight seasons of "American Idol," and most of the cast of "The Bachelor" and "The Real Housewives" (we're talking about you, Danielle, from New Jersey). For these women, "crazy" is a backhanded compliment, a path on the road to fame.
Two of the most famous examples, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, wear the label "crazy chick" like a badge of honor, with the paparazzi trailing behind them to chronicle their every meltdown.
But for men, crazy doesn't carry the same cachet. We think of real-life terrors like Jared Lee Loughner or Jeffrey Dahmer.
"Men go crazy all the time in the real world," says Heyman, the "Black Swan" screenwriter.
The majority of insane male characters onscreen are violent sociopaths, explains Dr. Frederick Miller, founder of the Academy for Film and Psychiatry in Chicago, an organization of psychiatrists with an interest in film.
"The most classic character is probably the Joker," he says.
By contrast, mentally ill female characters tend to suffer from other personality disorders, he says, and are "women who desperately need the affection of a mate" (that is, until they stab their mate with a butcher knife).
These females aren't only more sympathetic than their male counterparts; they're a lot steamier. "The aggressive sexuality is part of the draw," says Erika Christensen. In most crazy-chick flicks, the female protagonist doesn't just lose her mind; she loses her clothes.
And sometimes she loses her sexual orientation as well. In "Chloe," Amanda Seyfried stalks Julianne Moore and winds up in her bed. And most of the Internet buzz around "Black Swan" centers on the fantasy scene where Nina and her frenemy, Lily, stage a bedroom ballet.
That's a major reason why 45 percent of "Black Swan"'s audience is male, a fact that surprised even Nancy Utley, president of Fox Searchlight, which released the Darren Aronofsky film.
When asked why men are so attracted to crazy chicks, Mila Kunis, who plays Lily, lets out a laugh.
"I can give you a [B.S.] answer," she says during the phone call. "I actually don't know. I think girls want stability and understanding, but I think..."
She's interrupted by a noise in the background.
"My father is changing a lightbulb. All my lights in my house went off at the same time. Dad, why are men attracted to crazy women?"
She pauses.
"He's thinking." She pauses again. "He won't say it. He censors himself around me. Dad, is it dirty?!"
If you want to know why Natalie Portman is a shoo-in for the Oscar, here's one answer. It's not just that she lost 20 pounds for the role, spent nearly a year practicing ballet, and delivered a performance that made us forget she was once the annoying Queen Amidala.
It's because she played a crazy chick. Nina, Portman's overachieving ballerina, reads like a chapter from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
There's the obsessive-compulsive. There's the paranoid. There's the borderline personality and schizophrenia, says Mark Heyman, one of the film's writers. Heyman didn't consult a doctor for any help with the character. He asked his mother. She's a therapist.
"Mad Men" might rule TV, but crazy chicks have conquered the big screen. Not only do actresses win Academy Awards by playing insane -- just ask Kathy Bates ("Misery"), Nicole Kidman ("The Hours"), Angelina Jolie ("Girl, Interrupted"), or Jessica Lange ("Blue Sky") -- but movies featuring women beyond the verge play equally well with female and male audiences.
Women, we're told, like crazy-chick flicks because "they can console themselves, thinking, 'That woman is really attractive, but she's crazy, so I'm better than she is,'" explains Sharon Packer, a New York psychiatrist who is writing about "Black Swan" for a medical journal.
More: 'Like Crazy' takes Sundance grand jury prize
As for male audiences, Packer says, "I think it has to do with the Sir Lancelot feeling. Men might be more attracted to someone who has a degree of helplessness: Being crazy is being helpless."
Or maybe it's just that, as "Black Swan" fan Sean Kearney told us, "I can't think of a crazy girl who isn't hot." Kearney, 26, a videogame designer from Los Angeles, plans to be first in line when "The Roommate" opens Feb. 4. That film features "Gossip Girl" Leighton Meester playing an undergrad who is so delusional, she dyes her hair the same color as her roommate, Sara (Minka Kelly), slips into bed with Sara's boyfriend, and then chases everyone around with a gun.
Actresses say they enjoy playing characters who've gone around the bend because it allows them a chance to stretch.
"It's a lot of fun to act, I've got to say," says Barbara Hershey, who as the "Black Swan" matriarch plays "a mentally ill person taking care of a mentally ill person. It's a family of crazies!"
Erika Christensen, who portrayed a crazy chick in 2002's "Swimfan," says, "What appealed to me about the role was the fact that she was so different from me. She wasn't just someone where I could be playing myself."
For "The Roommate," Meester met with doctors who treated delusion. "It was really challenging," she says. "I tried to remain in the mood as much as possible."
Halle Berry, who has been missing from the screen for a while, recently received a Golden Globe nomination for her stripper with multiple personalities in "Frankie and Alice."
It goes without saying that, in real life, mental illness is a significant medical problem. Almost one in five Americans suffered some form of it in 2009, according to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and 11 million had a serious mental illness.
Nonetheless, very few people seem to get offended when Hollywood uses mental illness as a plot point.
While other Oscar contenders like "The Social Network" and "The King's Speech" have come under fire for questions about historical accuracy, the mental-health community hasn't voiced any qualms about "Black Swan" yet.
"Does it do damage?" asks Packer, the New York psychiatrist. "I think it brings attention to how prevalent eating disorders are or how perfection can drive someone to the brink. The psychiatric disorders do the damage."
The crazy chick has been a theatrical staple since the days of classic Greek drama, when vengeful women like Medea tromped around the stage, murdering their children.
Shakespeare's Ophelia went mad after her boyfriend killed her dad, and then handed out flowers like some proto-hippie before committing suicide. (Kate Winslet reprised the role in Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet," and Kidman pays homage in "The Hours" when her Virginia Woolf drowns, Ophelia-like.)
The 1940s and '50s gave us the femmes fatales of film noir, with murderous women like Barbara Stanwyck in "Double Indemnity. "
And who could ever forget Faye Dunaway in "Mommie Dearest," her face smothered with cold cream, beating her daughter with a wire hanger?
But the actress who created the modern-day template is Glenn Close. "I'm not going to be ignored, Dan," Close warned Michael Douglas in "Fatal Attraction," before cooking him dinner (rabbit, anyone?). Ever since then, actresses have been going nuts to play women who are off their rocker.
For many actresses, playing crazy is good way to get noticed.
Audiences didn't know who Sissy Spacek was until she was crowned at the prom with pig's blood in "Carrie." Would Sharon Stone be a star if she hadn't wielded an ice pick and forgotten to wear her underwear in "Basic Instinct"? And before playing Winona Ryder's partner in crime in the loony bin in "Girl, Interrupted," Jolie was just Jon Voight's daughter.
Not only do crazy chicks light up the silver screen, they invade our homes. (And, really, how can you describe Snooki without using the words "crazy chick"?)
When Donald Trump invited Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth as a contestant on "The Apprentice" in 2004, she didn't just scheme, she came across as completely bonkers. The performance made her an overnight celebrity: Talk-show appearances and other TV gigs followed.
So did the imitators. There was Heidi Montag from "The Hills," who is so out there, she reconstructed most of her face; Paula Abdul, who slurred her way through eight seasons of "American Idol," and most of the cast of "The Bachelor" and "The Real Housewives" (we're talking about you, Danielle, from New Jersey). For these women, "crazy" is a backhanded compliment, a path on the road to fame.
Two of the most famous examples, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, wear the label "crazy chick" like a badge of honor, with the paparazzi trailing behind them to chronicle their every meltdown.
But for men, crazy doesn't carry the same cachet. We think of real-life terrors like Jared Lee Loughner or Jeffrey Dahmer.
"Men go crazy all the time in the real world," says Heyman, the "Black Swan" screenwriter.
The majority of insane male characters onscreen are violent sociopaths, explains Dr. Frederick Miller, founder of the Academy for Film and Psychiatry in Chicago, an organization of psychiatrists with an interest in film.
"The most classic character is probably the Joker," he says.
By contrast, mentally ill female characters tend to suffer from other personality disorders, he says, and are "women who desperately need the affection of a mate" (that is, until they stab their mate with a butcher knife).
These females aren't only more sympathetic than their male counterparts; they're a lot steamier. "The aggressive sexuality is part of the draw," says Erika Christensen. In most crazy-chick flicks, the female protagonist doesn't just lose her mind; she loses her clothes.
And sometimes she loses her sexual orientation as well. In "Chloe," Amanda Seyfried stalks Julianne Moore and winds up in her bed. And most of the Internet buzz around "Black Swan" centers on the fantasy scene where Nina and her frenemy, Lily, stage a bedroom ballet.
That's a major reason why 45 percent of "Black Swan"'s audience is male, a fact that surprised even Nancy Utley, president of Fox Searchlight, which released the Darren Aronofsky film.
When asked why men are so attracted to crazy chicks, Mila Kunis, who plays Lily, lets out a laugh.
"I can give you a [B.S.] answer," she says during the phone call. "I actually don't know. I think girls want stability and understanding, but I think..."
She's interrupted by a noise in the background.
"My father is changing a lightbulb. All my lights in my house went off at the same time. Dad, why are men attracted to crazy women?"
She pauses.
"He's thinking." She pauses again. "He won't say it. He censors himself around me. Dad, is it dirty?!"
Saturday, January 29, 2011
An Oscar Win for Natalie Portman Could Make Her One of the Highest Paid Actresses in Hollywood
Oscar watchers are all but guaranteeing that Natalie Portman will take home a little gold man for her work in 'Black Swan.' That $400 statuette may be the ultimate vanity prize in Hollywood, but it also carries some substantial clout in generating future value for an actor or an actress.
See, a little gold man tomorrow is actually worth more than a little gold man today.
Hollywood agents and managers estimate their clients get a 20 percent bump in their asking price for the next film they negotiate immediately following an Academy Award win for best actor or best actress.
An Oscar raises a performer's monetary quote, but also makes a difference in the types of material they are considered for. Directors and producers start to look at newer-to-the-scene actors, like last year's nominee Jeremy Renner, in a new light. It solidifies their brand as the gold standard of acting and, ideally, box office returns.
The Hollywood Reporter's Stephen Galloway predicts that a win for Portman will put her in the same circle as Reese Witherspoon and allow her to command one of the top salaries in Hollywood.
"For Portman, a best actress victory could propel her into the Reese Witherspoon stratosphere of $10 million-plus a picture, a lot more than the high-six figures she made on the $13 million 'Swan' -- just as Halle Berry's asking price shot up to more than $10 million after her win for 'Monster's Ball,'" Galloway writes in this week's issue of THR. Granted, Portman typically commands a salary in the millions and took a pay cut for 'Black Swan' because it was a passion project.
Her increased price tag will be worth it for whatever project opts to pay it. The Academy Award provides an external validation in the consumer's mind, akin to an FDA stamp of approval. The voters, who are aspirational to start with, offer a similar screening function of sorting through the year's winners and losers albeit without the drastic downside -- if someone sees a crappy movie they won't die.
If Portman wins, from here on out, "Academy Award Winner" will be attached to her name and every project she is associated with, and the entertainment consumer will feel validated buying Portman products.
This nomination alone, and the fact that she has been anointed the chosen front-runner, will no doubt boost Portman's asking price. The issue is how long she plans to take off following the birth of her first child this summer. Her window of opportunity is wide, but it doesn't stay open forever, and the longer she waits after this possible win could diminish her value in the marketplace.
See, a little gold man tomorrow is actually worth more than a little gold man today.
Hollywood agents and managers estimate their clients get a 20 percent bump in their asking price for the next film they negotiate immediately following an Academy Award win for best actor or best actress.
An Oscar raises a performer's monetary quote, but also makes a difference in the types of material they are considered for. Directors and producers start to look at newer-to-the-scene actors, like last year's nominee Jeremy Renner, in a new light. It solidifies their brand as the gold standard of acting and, ideally, box office returns.
The Hollywood Reporter's Stephen Galloway predicts that a win for Portman will put her in the same circle as Reese Witherspoon and allow her to command one of the top salaries in Hollywood.
"For Portman, a best actress victory could propel her into the Reese Witherspoon stratosphere of $10 million-plus a picture, a lot more than the high-six figures she made on the $13 million 'Swan' -- just as Halle Berry's asking price shot up to more than $10 million after her win for 'Monster's Ball,'" Galloway writes in this week's issue of THR. Granted, Portman typically commands a salary in the millions and took a pay cut for 'Black Swan' because it was a passion project.
Her increased price tag will be worth it for whatever project opts to pay it. The Academy Award provides an external validation in the consumer's mind, akin to an FDA stamp of approval. The voters, who are aspirational to start with, offer a similar screening function of sorting through the year's winners and losers albeit without the drastic downside -- if someone sees a crappy movie they won't die.
If Portman wins, from here on out, "Academy Award Winner" will be attached to her name and every project she is associated with, and the entertainment consumer will feel validated buying Portman products.
This nomination alone, and the fact that she has been anointed the chosen front-runner, will no doubt boost Portman's asking price. The issue is how long she plans to take off following the birth of her first child this summer. Her window of opportunity is wide, but it doesn't stay open forever, and the longer she waits after this possible win could diminish her value in the marketplace.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Anne Hathaway, James Franco Bring the Funny in Oscar Promo
As the Academy Awards inch closer, a new promo for the big night shows co-hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco prepping for the ultimate hosting gig -- complete with dance lessons and wardrobe-malfunction preparedness.
In the new clip, Franco and Hathaway can be seen working on their fitness -- using Oscar statues as weights -- and brushing up on their seemingly rough dancing skills.
And, in an effort to prevent any wardrobe issues, Franco jokingly practices throwing a blanket over Hathaway as a strap on her dress breaks while on stage. See the video after the jump!
Franco recently opened up to PEOPLE about his hosting gig, promising some singing and dancing on Hollywood's biggest night.
"I'm just kind of going with the flow," he said, getting some helpful hints from a past host. "Billy Crystal said to wear tennis shoes, or something, but I don't think I'm going to follow that advice."
The 83rd Academy Awards air Feb. 27 at 8PM EST on ABC.
In the new clip, Franco and Hathaway can be seen working on their fitness -- using Oscar statues as weights -- and brushing up on their seemingly rough dancing skills.
And, in an effort to prevent any wardrobe issues, Franco jokingly practices throwing a blanket over Hathaway as a strap on her dress breaks while on stage. See the video after the jump!
Franco recently opened up to PEOPLE about his hosting gig, promising some singing and dancing on Hollywood's biggest night.
"I'm just kind of going with the flow," he said, getting some helpful hints from a past host. "Billy Crystal said to wear tennis shoes, or something, but I don't think I'm going to follow that advice."
The 83rd Academy Awards air Feb. 27 at 8PM EST on ABC.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Oscar Nominations: Who Got Dissed and Who Got Some Surprise Love
The Academy Award nominations were released this morning and were full of snubs and surprises. The biggest diss was an obvious one: 'Inception' director Christopher Nolan, whose film received eight nominations including best picture, failed to score a best director nomination. Mila Kunis, Ryan Gosling and Michael Douglas, all of whom were shortlisted by critics groups and the Golden Globes in the lead-up to the noms and were expected to be on the ballot, also all failed to land nominations.
With 12 nods, 'The King's Speech' leads all nominees with the Coen brothers' box office smash 'True Grit' hot on its tail with a surprise 10 nominations, and while the 'Social Network' scored an impressive eight nods (tied with 'Inception' for third best), supporting players Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake didn't feel any Oscar love. Nor did Ben Affleck's acclaimed hit 'The Town' -- its only nomination came for Jeremy Renner in the best supporting actor category.
So who came out of nowhere to take their place? After the jump, we break down who got left in the cold and who got invited to the big show instead.
►Best Actor: Javier Bardem ('Biutiful') in, Ryan Gosling ('Blue Valentine') out
While Gosling has been touch-and-go throughout awards season, having received a best actor nomination for 'Blue Valentine' at the Golden Globes but failing to receive any love from the Screen Actors Guild, he seemed to be gaining steam heading into the Oscar noms. His low-budget film is a small-scale hit, and critics love his performance as a young husband trying to resuscitate his failing marriage. Even in the moments before the best actor announcement, things were looking good for the handsome actor as his on-screen other half, Michelle Williams, landed on the best actress list. But it wasn't meant to be (at least this year) for Gosling, with Bardem (an Oscar winner for 'No Country for Old Men') sweeping in with his Spanish-language film to score a surprise best actor nod. Bardem's nom comes entirely out of left field -- while he's certainly received raves for his performance in 'Biutiful,' this is the first major American award nomination for his performance. He also edged out 'Get Low' legend Robert Duvall, whose SAG nod seemed to make him Gosling's truest competition for a best actor nomination.
►Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld ('True Grit') in, Mila Kunis ('Black Swan') out
That Steinfeld received a nomination isn't really a surprise, but that she received it as best supporting actress might be. Her inclusion here instead of in the lead actress category almost certainly pushed Kunis, who up to this point had been nominated for every major award, out. 'True Grit's' studio, Paramount, campaigned hard for Steinfeld to be nominated for best supporting actress, though many -- including the British Academy, who nominated her 'Grit' turn for best actress -- believe (rightly) that she is the film's female lead. Conventional wisdom was that Steinfeld's performance straddled the line between supporting and lead and she stood a better shot at a nomination in the supporting category. (Conventional wisdom here appears to have been correct.) A reverse of this same situation occurred in 2009, when Miramax tried to push Kate Winslet's role in 'The Reader' as a supporting one, but the Academy wasn't having it and nominated her for lead actress (which she went on to win) instead. Either way, Kunis will have to content herself with 'Swan's' five other nominations, including best picture and best director (Darren Aronofsky).
►Best Supporting Actor: John Hawkes ('Winter's Bone') and Mark Ruffalo ('The Kids Are All Right') in, Michael Douglas ('Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps') and Andrew Garfield ('The Social Network') out
Hawkes' nomination might be the biggest surprise among the acting nominees, but you won't hear us complaining. ('Winter's Bone' deserves every bit of Oscar love it received.) Not hearing Mo'Nique call Andrew Garfield's name, however, was perhaps even more jarring, as he seemed as assured an acting nom for 'The Social Network' as co-star Jesse Eisenberg, who did earn a nod for his lead performance. And while Douglas always seemed like a bit of a long shot for 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,' his Golden Globe nod and the general goodwill he's experiencing after recently announcing that his cancer is in complete remission made him a contender -- especially since many consider 'The Kids Are All Right' to be more of a showcase for Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, which has made Ruffalo a take-him-or-leave-him inclusion throughout awards season.
►Best Director: Joel and Ethan Coen ('True Grit') in, Christopher Nolan ('Inception') out
Frankly, we could have subbed just about any of the very talented directors who made it into this category over Nolan in place of the Coen brothers. Simply put, the deft and assured hand Nolan brought to the challenging 'Inception' deserved a nomination, and all major pundits expected he would be included. How can a film be recognized for its music, screenplay (which Nolan wrote), sound, visual effects, cinematography, art direction and overall quality (best picture) but not earn a nod for the man who controlled all of those things? Its screenplay and best picture nods indicate Academy members viewed 'Inception' as more than a technical achievement, so leaving out the man who not only conceived the film as a writer but executed it (with apparent technical precision) as a director is a crime against cinema.
►Best Picture: '127 Hours' in, 'The Town' out
Since its early fall release, Ben Affleck's second film as a director, 'The Town,' seemed a likely Oscar nominee. The best picture field was opened to 10 films last year in an effort to include more highbrow studio fare (i.e. films that middle America actually saw), and 'The Town' is a perfect fit: a star-studded, critically acclaimed box office hit (it grossed $92 million in the U.S.) from a director well liked by the Hollywood establishment. Of all the disses this year, the chilly reception for 'The Town' (it received only one nomination) is high on the list, and it's even more surprising that it was brought down by Danny Boyle's '127 Hours,' a buzzed-about indie that got left in the dust, making just $11 million while other specialty releases -- like 'Black Swan' ($83 million), 'The King's Speech' ($57 million) and 'The Fighter' ($72 million) -- went on to find mainstream audiences (something their many Oscar nominations should continue to help them with) and box office glory.
With 12 nods, 'The King's Speech' leads all nominees with the Coen brothers' box office smash 'True Grit' hot on its tail with a surprise 10 nominations, and while the 'Social Network' scored an impressive eight nods (tied with 'Inception' for third best), supporting players Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake didn't feel any Oscar love. Nor did Ben Affleck's acclaimed hit 'The Town' -- its only nomination came for Jeremy Renner in the best supporting actor category.
So who came out of nowhere to take their place? After the jump, we break down who got left in the cold and who got invited to the big show instead.
►Best Actor: Javier Bardem ('Biutiful') in, Ryan Gosling ('Blue Valentine') out
While Gosling has been touch-and-go throughout awards season, having received a best actor nomination for 'Blue Valentine' at the Golden Globes but failing to receive any love from the Screen Actors Guild, he seemed to be gaining steam heading into the Oscar noms. His low-budget film is a small-scale hit, and critics love his performance as a young husband trying to resuscitate his failing marriage. Even in the moments before the best actor announcement, things were looking good for the handsome actor as his on-screen other half, Michelle Williams, landed on the best actress list. But it wasn't meant to be (at least this year) for Gosling, with Bardem (an Oscar winner for 'No Country for Old Men') sweeping in with his Spanish-language film to score a surprise best actor nod. Bardem's nom comes entirely out of left field -- while he's certainly received raves for his performance in 'Biutiful,' this is the first major American award nomination for his performance. He also edged out 'Get Low' legend Robert Duvall, whose SAG nod seemed to make him Gosling's truest competition for a best actor nomination.
►Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld ('True Grit') in, Mila Kunis ('Black Swan') out
That Steinfeld received a nomination isn't really a surprise, but that she received it as best supporting actress might be. Her inclusion here instead of in the lead actress category almost certainly pushed Kunis, who up to this point had been nominated for every major award, out. 'True Grit's' studio, Paramount, campaigned hard for Steinfeld to be nominated for best supporting actress, though many -- including the British Academy, who nominated her 'Grit' turn for best actress -- believe (rightly) that she is the film's female lead. Conventional wisdom was that Steinfeld's performance straddled the line between supporting and lead and she stood a better shot at a nomination in the supporting category. (Conventional wisdom here appears to have been correct.) A reverse of this same situation occurred in 2009, when Miramax tried to push Kate Winslet's role in 'The Reader' as a supporting one, but the Academy wasn't having it and nominated her for lead actress (which she went on to win) instead. Either way, Kunis will have to content herself with 'Swan's' five other nominations, including best picture and best director (Darren Aronofsky).
►Best Supporting Actor: John Hawkes ('Winter's Bone') and Mark Ruffalo ('The Kids Are All Right') in, Michael Douglas ('Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps') and Andrew Garfield ('The Social Network') out
Hawkes' nomination might be the biggest surprise among the acting nominees, but you won't hear us complaining. ('Winter's Bone' deserves every bit of Oscar love it received.) Not hearing Mo'Nique call Andrew Garfield's name, however, was perhaps even more jarring, as he seemed as assured an acting nom for 'The Social Network' as co-star Jesse Eisenberg, who did earn a nod for his lead performance. And while Douglas always seemed like a bit of a long shot for 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,' his Golden Globe nod and the general goodwill he's experiencing after recently announcing that his cancer is in complete remission made him a contender -- especially since many consider 'The Kids Are All Right' to be more of a showcase for Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, which has made Ruffalo a take-him-or-leave-him inclusion throughout awards season.
►Best Director: Joel and Ethan Coen ('True Grit') in, Christopher Nolan ('Inception') out
Frankly, we could have subbed just about any of the very talented directors who made it into this category over Nolan in place of the Coen brothers. Simply put, the deft and assured hand Nolan brought to the challenging 'Inception' deserved a nomination, and all major pundits expected he would be included. How can a film be recognized for its music, screenplay (which Nolan wrote), sound, visual effects, cinematography, art direction and overall quality (best picture) but not earn a nod for the man who controlled all of those things? Its screenplay and best picture nods indicate Academy members viewed 'Inception' as more than a technical achievement, so leaving out the man who not only conceived the film as a writer but executed it (with apparent technical precision) as a director is a crime against cinema.
►Best Picture: '127 Hours' in, 'The Town' out
Since its early fall release, Ben Affleck's second film as a director, 'The Town,' seemed a likely Oscar nominee. The best picture field was opened to 10 films last year in an effort to include more highbrow studio fare (i.e. films that middle America actually saw), and 'The Town' is a perfect fit: a star-studded, critically acclaimed box office hit (it grossed $92 million in the U.S.) from a director well liked by the Hollywood establishment. Of all the disses this year, the chilly reception for 'The Town' (it received only one nomination) is high on the list, and it's even more surprising that it was brought down by Danny Boyle's '127 Hours,' a buzzed-about indie that got left in the dust, making just $11 million while other specialty releases -- like 'Black Swan' ($83 million), 'The King's Speech' ($57 million) and 'The Fighter' ($72 million) -- went on to find mainstream audiences (something their many Oscar nominations should continue to help them with) and box office glory.
Dido, Trent Reznor Receive Oscar Music Nods While ‘Burlesque’ Is Snubbed
UK singer Dido and her brother Rollo Armstrong were probably the most “pop” names to get a Best Original Song Oscar nomination this morning—for penning 127 Hours tune “If I Rise” along with the film’s composer A.R. Rahman, already an Academy Award winner for Slumdog Millionaire. One film that was curiously absent among the music nominees: Burlesque, which received a Golden Globe award last week for Diane Warren’s ballad “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me”.
The big leader with this year’s Oscar nominations wound up being British period drama The King’s Speech, which earned 12 nods (including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director). The Coen Brothers’ western remake True Grit followed with 10 nominations (including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director), while The Social Network and Inception each scored eight.
Burlesque had been nominated for three Golden Globes, for Best Original Song (”Bound To You” and “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me”) and Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical. Guess Christina Aguilera will just have to settle with getting to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl this year.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross nabbed Best Original Score Globes for The Social Network, which they’ve been recognized for again with an Oscar nod.
Below are the nominations in the music categories for the 83rd annual Academy Awards, which will be televised on Sunday, February 27:
BEST SCORE
127 Hours, A.R. Rahman
How to Train Your Dragon, John Powell
Inception, Hans Zimmer
The King’s Speech, Alexandre Desplat
The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
BEST SONG
“Coming Home” from Country Strong — Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
“I See the Light” from Tangled — Alan Menken, Glenn Slater
“If I Rise” from 127 Hours — A.R. Rahman, Dido, Rollo Armstrong
“We Belong Together” from Toy Story 3 — Randy Newman
The big leader with this year’s Oscar nominations wound up being British period drama The King’s Speech, which earned 12 nods (including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director). The Coen Brothers’ western remake True Grit followed with 10 nominations (including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director), while The Social Network and Inception each scored eight.
Burlesque had been nominated for three Golden Globes, for Best Original Song (”Bound To You” and “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me”) and Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical. Guess Christina Aguilera will just have to settle with getting to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl this year.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross nabbed Best Original Score Globes for The Social Network, which they’ve been recognized for again with an Oscar nod.
Below are the nominations in the music categories for the 83rd annual Academy Awards, which will be televised on Sunday, February 27:
BEST SCORE
127 Hours, A.R. Rahman
How to Train Your Dragon, John Powell
Inception, Hans Zimmer
The King’s Speech, Alexandre Desplat
The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
BEST SONG
“Coming Home” from Country Strong — Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
“I See the Light” from Tangled — Alan Menken, Glenn Slater
“If I Rise” from 127 Hours — A.R. Rahman, Dido, Rollo Armstrong
“We Belong Together” from Toy Story 3 — Randy Newman
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Look Closer: There Are Some Oscar Surprises
Is the biggest surprise of the Oscar nominations the fact that there weren’t any surprises?
Even before the Granddaddy of All Hollywood Trophies announced its list, we’d already had most of the biggest names trotted before us at various other fawn-fest announcements.
But giving things a closer look, the academy did toss a few unexpected selections in the mix and reveal some notable snubs:
“The King’s Speech”: The film and its principals have had clear voices in the awards din since day one, but after gathering 12 nominations from Oscar (and its Golden Globe victory) it’s clearly been crowned as the frontrunner come February 27. A pretty regal accomplishment, given that three months ago everyone was already handing the golden guy to “The Social Network.”
“True Grit”: Just like Marshal Rooster Cogburn, the Coen brothers’ seemingly shopworn effort may have some unexpected glory ahead on the trail. Critics lavished the love on the film, but it was largely ignored by some of the major brand-name awards. It’s got one eye on some ten Oscars now, and let’s not forget, little sister: the Academy adores both underdogs and its own legacy (John Wayne took a Best Actor trophy for the 1969 version).
Mark Ruffalo: Annette Bening and Julianne Moore have shared most of the awards attention for “The Kids Are All Right,” but Ruffalo, an actor Hollywood and the public seem to regard with both great affection and great admiration, finally scores his first-ever Oscar nom – both overdue and, for this film, richly deserved.
Mark Wahlberg: Even mostly unheralded (but perennial Oscar darling) Amy Adams managed to grab a nom out of the frenzy over the seven-times-nominated “The Fighter,” but the leading man who tirelessly kept himself in fighting shape in the long slugfest to get the film made is overlooked. Wahlberg does have a nomination as a producer of the film, however, in his corner.
Christopher Nolan: No nomination for directing Best Pic contender “Inception?” We must be dreaming.
Mila Kunis: Was a supporting actress nomination for “Black Swan” expected? Sorta. Would it have been deserved? Umm…We’ll finally get around to seeing Jacki Weaver’s turn in “Animal Kingdom” and let you know.
Ryan Gosling: The Academy turned its collective back on his performance as sharply as he was rejected in “Blue Valentine.” With a nearly symbiotic performance alongside Michelle Williams, only honoring hers seems like nominating one half of a broken heart.
Javier Bardem: He’s coming to awards attention late in the game, but again, the Academy loves them a legacy nominee – and he has a better haircut in “Biutiful."
Movies that should seemingly have no business being mentioned in the same breath as Oscar: That twangy disaster “Country Strong” (Best Song nominee) and “Hereafter” aka “Clint Eastwood’s Worst Film Ever” (Best Visual Effects nominee) can now use the phrase “Academy Awards nominee” in their home video marketing. But, mercifully, “Burlesque” can’t. So there’s at least some justice among Academy voters.
Even before the Granddaddy of All Hollywood Trophies announced its list, we’d already had most of the biggest names trotted before us at various other fawn-fest announcements.
But giving things a closer look, the academy did toss a few unexpected selections in the mix and reveal some notable snubs:
“The King’s Speech”: The film and its principals have had clear voices in the awards din since day one, but after gathering 12 nominations from Oscar (and its Golden Globe victory) it’s clearly been crowned as the frontrunner come February 27. A pretty regal accomplishment, given that three months ago everyone was already handing the golden guy to “The Social Network.”
“True Grit”: Just like Marshal Rooster Cogburn, the Coen brothers’ seemingly shopworn effort may have some unexpected glory ahead on the trail. Critics lavished the love on the film, but it was largely ignored by some of the major brand-name awards. It’s got one eye on some ten Oscars now, and let’s not forget, little sister: the Academy adores both underdogs and its own legacy (John Wayne took a Best Actor trophy for the 1969 version).
Mark Ruffalo: Annette Bening and Julianne Moore have shared most of the awards attention for “The Kids Are All Right,” but Ruffalo, an actor Hollywood and the public seem to regard with both great affection and great admiration, finally scores his first-ever Oscar nom – both overdue and, for this film, richly deserved.
Mark Wahlberg: Even mostly unheralded (but perennial Oscar darling) Amy Adams managed to grab a nom out of the frenzy over the seven-times-nominated “The Fighter,” but the leading man who tirelessly kept himself in fighting shape in the long slugfest to get the film made is overlooked. Wahlberg does have a nomination as a producer of the film, however, in his corner.
Christopher Nolan: No nomination for directing Best Pic contender “Inception?” We must be dreaming.
Mila Kunis: Was a supporting actress nomination for “Black Swan” expected? Sorta. Would it have been deserved? Umm…We’ll finally get around to seeing Jacki Weaver’s turn in “Animal Kingdom” and let you know.
Ryan Gosling: The Academy turned its collective back on his performance as sharply as he was rejected in “Blue Valentine.” With a nearly symbiotic performance alongside Michelle Williams, only honoring hers seems like nominating one half of a broken heart.
Javier Bardem: He’s coming to awards attention late in the game, but again, the Academy loves them a legacy nominee – and he has a better haircut in “Biutiful."
Movies that should seemingly have no business being mentioned in the same breath as Oscar: That twangy disaster “Country Strong” (Best Song nominee) and “Hereafter” aka “Clint Eastwood’s Worst Film Ever” (Best Visual Effects nominee) can now use the phrase “Academy Awards nominee” in their home video marketing. But, mercifully, “Burlesque” can’t. So there’s at least some justice among Academy voters.
'The Kids Are All Right" Screenwriter's Uncoolnees Rewarded With Oscar Nomination
So if you’re “The Kids Are All Right” co-screenwriter Stuart Blumberg, do you play it chill on the morning of Academy Awards nominations and wait for the phone to ring with some welcome news?
“My morning was that I tried to sleep through it to act cool and could not,” Blumberg told PopcornBiz just two hours after being nominated in the Original Screenplay category with co-writer and director Lisa Cholodenko. “I kept waking up, so I finally admitted that I cared. I got up and I watched it live on IMDB.”
“It really was surreal,” Blumberg admitted of hearing the film’s four Oscar noms announced (Best Picture, Annette Bening for Best Actress, Mark Ruffalo for Best Supporting Actor and his shared writing nod). “Thank God we didn’t think about a day like this, because we just spent so many days, so many months in front of that computer screen just trying to make this the best possible script, and then spent years trying to make it the best possible movie. It’s crazy that that actually paid off, and I guess that it did.”
The screenwriter said that the film’s nominations “mean that people in our profession, our chosen line of work, have watched this movie and have seen something that they believe to be of substance and of merit and of lasting value, and that’s an incredibly rewarding thing – to be honored by your peers who know how hard it is to get a movie made, let alone a movie that has something to say.”
Blumberg and Cholodenko toiled for years on the project, and he said that once filmed, one scene in particular blew away their expectations beyond what they’d put on the page: “The dinner scene with Annette Bening singing the Joni Mitchell song. We had an amazing time writing that scene, laughing and crying while writing it. And then when we saw it actually realized it was better than we ever hoped it could be. It was truly a fulfilling artistic experience.”
And of course, he’s already made a momentous decision about Oscar night: to rent or to purchase formal wear. “I splurged and I bought a tux,” he admitted.
“My morning was that I tried to sleep through it to act cool and could not,” Blumberg told PopcornBiz just two hours after being nominated in the Original Screenplay category with co-writer and director Lisa Cholodenko. “I kept waking up, so I finally admitted that I cared. I got up and I watched it live on IMDB.”
“It really was surreal,” Blumberg admitted of hearing the film’s four Oscar noms announced (Best Picture, Annette Bening for Best Actress, Mark Ruffalo for Best Supporting Actor and his shared writing nod). “Thank God we didn’t think about a day like this, because we just spent so many days, so many months in front of that computer screen just trying to make this the best possible script, and then spent years trying to make it the best possible movie. It’s crazy that that actually paid off, and I guess that it did.”
The screenwriter said that the film’s nominations “mean that people in our profession, our chosen line of work, have watched this movie and have seen something that they believe to be of substance and of merit and of lasting value, and that’s an incredibly rewarding thing – to be honored by your peers who know how hard it is to get a movie made, let alone a movie that has something to say.”
Blumberg and Cholodenko toiled for years on the project, and he said that once filmed, one scene in particular blew away their expectations beyond what they’d put on the page: “The dinner scene with Annette Bening singing the Joni Mitchell song. We had an amazing time writing that scene, laughing and crying while writing it. And then when we saw it actually realized it was better than we ever hoped it could be. It was truly a fulfilling artistic experience.”
And of course, he’s already made a momentous decision about Oscar night: to rent or to purchase formal wear. “I splurged and I bought a tux,” he admitted.
'The King's Speech' Gets 12 Oscar Nominations
The British monarchy saga "The King's Speech" leads the Academy Awards with 12 nominations, including best picture and acting honors for Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush.
Also nominated for best picture Tuesday were the psychosexual thriller "Black Swan"; the boxing drama "The Fighter"; the sci-fi blockbuster "Inception"; the lesbian-family tale "The Kids Are All Right"; the survival story "127 Hours"; the Facebook chronicle "The Social Network"; the animated smash "Toy Story 3"; the Western "True Grit"; and the Ozarks crime thriller "Winter's Bone."
"True Grit" ran second with 10 nominations, including acting honors for Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld.
The Feb. 27 Oscars set up a best-picture showdown between two favorites, "The King's Speech" and "The Social Network." "The Social Network" won best drama at the Golden Globes and was picked as the year's best by key critics groups, while "The King's Speech" pulled an upset last weekend by winning the Producers Guild of America Awards top prize, whose recipient often goes to claim best picture at the Oscars.
"This story has struck such a rich resonant chord with audiences of all ages, which is very exciting — to have your work honored by your industry peers is even better," Rush said in a statement.
The favorites in the male-acting categories both were nominated, Globe winners Firth as best actor for "The King's Speech" and Christian Bale as supporting actor for "The Fighter."
The best-actress field shapes up as a two-woman race between Annette Bening for "The Kids Are All Right," who won the Globe for actress in a musical or comedy, and Natalie Portman for "Black Swan," who received the Globe for dramatic actress.
The supporting-actress Oscar could prove the most competitive among acting prizes. Melissa Leo won the Globe for "The Fighter," but she faces strong challenges from that film's co-star Amy Adams and 14-year-old newcomer Steinfeld, who missed out on a Globe nomination for "True Grit" but made the cut for supporting actress at the Oscars.
"The Social Network" casts Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who's depicted as an interpersonal lout in one-on-one relations but a genius for the masses, creating an online hangout where half a billion people now keep connected with friends.
"The King's Speech" stars Firth as Queen Elizabeth II's father, the stammering George VI, who reluctantly came to the throne after his brother abdicated in 1936, a terrible time for a stuttering monarch as British subjects looked to their ruler for inspiration via radio as World War II approached.
The two films represent a showdown between classy, traditional Oscar bait and edgy, youthful, up-to-the-minute drama.
With its aristocrats, statesmen and perilous times, "The King's Speech" is a throwback to the majestic, eye-filling costume pageants that dominated film awards in Hollywood's earlier decades. Its nominations also include best director for Tom Hooper and supporting-acting slots for Bonham Carter as the king's devoted wife and Rush as his wily speech therapist.
"The Social Network" is an immediate story, set not in palaces but college dorm rooms, cluttered start-up space and anonymous legal offices where Zuckerberg battles former associates over the proceeds of his invention.
David Fincher is the best-directing favorite for "The Social Network" after winning that prize at the Globes.
"My recommendation to anybody who wants to get an Oscar nomination is, work with David Fincher. It was just a triumph of teamwork," Aaron Sorkin, nominated for best adapted screenplay for "The Social Network," said on ABC's "Good Morning America."
Along with Firth and Eisenberg, best-actor contenders are Javier Bardem as a dying father in the Spanish-language drama "Biutiful," which also is up for best foreign-language film; Bridges as boozy lawman Rooster Cogburn in "True Grit," a role that earned John Wayne an Oscar for the 1969 adaptation of the Western novel; and James Franco in the real-life tale of a climber trapped in a crevasse after a boulder crushes his arm in "127 Hours."
Bening was nominated for best actress as a lesbian mom whose family is thrown into turmoil after her teenage children seek out their sperm-donor father in "The Kids Are All Right." Portman was nominated as a ballerina losing her grip on reality in "Black Swan."
Other best-actress nominees are Nicole Kidman as a grieving mother in "Rabbit Hole"; Jennifer Lawrence as a teen trying to find her missing father amid the Ozark Mountains' criminal underbelly in "Winter's Bone"; and Michelle Williams as a wife in a failing marriage in "Blue Valentine."
Joining Fincher among best-director picks are Darren Aronofsky for "Black Swan"; Joel and Ethan Coen for "True Grit"; Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech"; and David O. Russell for "The Fighter."
One notable snub was the omission of director Christopher Nolan for "Inception," though he got a nod for original screenplay. Nolan also missed out on a directing Oscar nomination for "The Dark Knight," which was famously not nominated for best picture.
The directing category is back to an all-male lineup after Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win that prize last year for "The Hurt Locker," which also claimed best picture.
Bale, the star of Nolan's "Batman" franchise, is a strong favorite to win supporting actor as former boxer Dicky Eklund, who helps his half-brother to a title shot after his own career unraveled amid drugs and crime in "The Fighter." The film's star, Mark Wahlberg, missed out on a nomination as Eklund's half-brother, boxer Micky Ward.
Two years ago, Bale's "Batman" co-star, the late Heath Ledger, was on the same awards track as he won a posthumous Oscar for supporting actor for "The Dark Knight."
"The Fighter" offers two sterling supporting-actress performances from Leo as Ward and Eklund's doting but domineering mother and Adams as Ward's tough, defiant girlfriend. Steinfeld, who was just 13 when she shot her debut performance in "True Grit," also is a strong contender as a girl who hires lawman Cogburn to track down her father's killer.
"Toy Story 3," the top-grossing film released in 2010, also is nominated for animated feature and is expected to become the fourth-straight winner in that category from Disney's Pixar Animation, following "Up," "WALL-E" and "Ratatouille." Pixar has won five of the nine animation Oscars since the category was added.
The other animation nominees are "How to Train Your Dragon" and "The Illusionist."
While two of the three animated categories are huge commercial successes, the best-picture race is a mix of big commercial hits and smaller critical darlings, which is what academy organizers wanted when they expanded the competition to 10 films.
Like "Toy Story 3," "Inception" is a blockbuster, coming from director Nolan, whose "The Dark Knight" missed out on a best-picture nomination two years ago, contributing to the decision to double the number of contenders so that acclaimed popular movies would have a better chance.
"True Grit" is the first $100 million Western hit since the 1990s, "The Social Network" climbed to about $95 million in revenue, and "Black Swan" is closing on $100 million. At the other end are "Winter's Bone" with $6.3 million and "127 Hours" with $11 million, respectable returns for lower-budgeted independent films but small change next to big studio productions.
Besides Leo, Adams, Bonham Carter and Steinfeld, Jacki Weaver earned a supporting-actress nomination as a crime family matriarch in the Australian thriller "Animal Kingdom."
Rounding out the supporting-actor field with Bale and Rush are John Hawkes as a backwoods tough guy in "Winter's Bone"; Jeremy Renner as a holdup man in the bank-heist thriller "The Town"; Mark Ruffalo as a sperm-donor dad in "The Kids Are All Right."
The Oscar ceremony will be televised live on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.
Also nominated for best picture Tuesday were the psychosexual thriller "Black Swan"; the boxing drama "The Fighter"; the sci-fi blockbuster "Inception"; the lesbian-family tale "The Kids Are All Right"; the survival story "127 Hours"; the Facebook chronicle "The Social Network"; the animated smash "Toy Story 3"; the Western "True Grit"; and the Ozarks crime thriller "Winter's Bone."
"True Grit" ran second with 10 nominations, including acting honors for Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld.
The Feb. 27 Oscars set up a best-picture showdown between two favorites, "The King's Speech" and "The Social Network." "The Social Network" won best drama at the Golden Globes and was picked as the year's best by key critics groups, while "The King's Speech" pulled an upset last weekend by winning the Producers Guild of America Awards top prize, whose recipient often goes to claim best picture at the Oscars.
"This story has struck such a rich resonant chord with audiences of all ages, which is very exciting — to have your work honored by your industry peers is even better," Rush said in a statement.
The favorites in the male-acting categories both were nominated, Globe winners Firth as best actor for "The King's Speech" and Christian Bale as supporting actor for "The Fighter."
The best-actress field shapes up as a two-woman race between Annette Bening for "The Kids Are All Right," who won the Globe for actress in a musical or comedy, and Natalie Portman for "Black Swan," who received the Globe for dramatic actress.
The supporting-actress Oscar could prove the most competitive among acting prizes. Melissa Leo won the Globe for "The Fighter," but she faces strong challenges from that film's co-star Amy Adams and 14-year-old newcomer Steinfeld, who missed out on a Globe nomination for "True Grit" but made the cut for supporting actress at the Oscars.
"The Social Network" casts Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who's depicted as an interpersonal lout in one-on-one relations but a genius for the masses, creating an online hangout where half a billion people now keep connected with friends.
"The King's Speech" stars Firth as Queen Elizabeth II's father, the stammering George VI, who reluctantly came to the throne after his brother abdicated in 1936, a terrible time for a stuttering monarch as British subjects looked to their ruler for inspiration via radio as World War II approached.
The two films represent a showdown between classy, traditional Oscar bait and edgy, youthful, up-to-the-minute drama.
With its aristocrats, statesmen and perilous times, "The King's Speech" is a throwback to the majestic, eye-filling costume pageants that dominated film awards in Hollywood's earlier decades. Its nominations also include best director for Tom Hooper and supporting-acting slots for Bonham Carter as the king's devoted wife and Rush as his wily speech therapist.
"The Social Network" is an immediate story, set not in palaces but college dorm rooms, cluttered start-up space and anonymous legal offices where Zuckerberg battles former associates over the proceeds of his invention.
David Fincher is the best-directing favorite for "The Social Network" after winning that prize at the Globes.
"My recommendation to anybody who wants to get an Oscar nomination is, work with David Fincher. It was just a triumph of teamwork," Aaron Sorkin, nominated for best adapted screenplay for "The Social Network," said on ABC's "Good Morning America."
Along with Firth and Eisenberg, best-actor contenders are Javier Bardem as a dying father in the Spanish-language drama "Biutiful," which also is up for best foreign-language film; Bridges as boozy lawman Rooster Cogburn in "True Grit," a role that earned John Wayne an Oscar for the 1969 adaptation of the Western novel; and James Franco in the real-life tale of a climber trapped in a crevasse after a boulder crushes his arm in "127 Hours."
Bening was nominated for best actress as a lesbian mom whose family is thrown into turmoil after her teenage children seek out their sperm-donor father in "The Kids Are All Right." Portman was nominated as a ballerina losing her grip on reality in "Black Swan."
Other best-actress nominees are Nicole Kidman as a grieving mother in "Rabbit Hole"; Jennifer Lawrence as a teen trying to find her missing father amid the Ozark Mountains' criminal underbelly in "Winter's Bone"; and Michelle Williams as a wife in a failing marriage in "Blue Valentine."
Joining Fincher among best-director picks are Darren Aronofsky for "Black Swan"; Joel and Ethan Coen for "True Grit"; Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech"; and David O. Russell for "The Fighter."
One notable snub was the omission of director Christopher Nolan for "Inception," though he got a nod for original screenplay. Nolan also missed out on a directing Oscar nomination for "The Dark Knight," which was famously not nominated for best picture.
The directing category is back to an all-male lineup after Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win that prize last year for "The Hurt Locker," which also claimed best picture.
Bale, the star of Nolan's "Batman" franchise, is a strong favorite to win supporting actor as former boxer Dicky Eklund, who helps his half-brother to a title shot after his own career unraveled amid drugs and crime in "The Fighter." The film's star, Mark Wahlberg, missed out on a nomination as Eklund's half-brother, boxer Micky Ward.
Two years ago, Bale's "Batman" co-star, the late Heath Ledger, was on the same awards track as he won a posthumous Oscar for supporting actor for "The Dark Knight."
"The Fighter" offers two sterling supporting-actress performances from Leo as Ward and Eklund's doting but domineering mother and Adams as Ward's tough, defiant girlfriend. Steinfeld, who was just 13 when she shot her debut performance in "True Grit," also is a strong contender as a girl who hires lawman Cogburn to track down her father's killer.
"Toy Story 3," the top-grossing film released in 2010, also is nominated for animated feature and is expected to become the fourth-straight winner in that category from Disney's Pixar Animation, following "Up," "WALL-E" and "Ratatouille." Pixar has won five of the nine animation Oscars since the category was added.
The other animation nominees are "How to Train Your Dragon" and "The Illusionist."
While two of the three animated categories are huge commercial successes, the best-picture race is a mix of big commercial hits and smaller critical darlings, which is what academy organizers wanted when they expanded the competition to 10 films.
Like "Toy Story 3," "Inception" is a blockbuster, coming from director Nolan, whose "The Dark Knight" missed out on a best-picture nomination two years ago, contributing to the decision to double the number of contenders so that acclaimed popular movies would have a better chance.
"True Grit" is the first $100 million Western hit since the 1990s, "The Social Network" climbed to about $95 million in revenue, and "Black Swan" is closing on $100 million. At the other end are "Winter's Bone" with $6.3 million and "127 Hours" with $11 million, respectable returns for lower-budgeted independent films but small change next to big studio productions.
Besides Leo, Adams, Bonham Carter and Steinfeld, Jacki Weaver earned a supporting-actress nomination as a crime family matriarch in the Australian thriller "Animal Kingdom."
Rounding out the supporting-actor field with Bale and Rush are John Hawkes as a backwoods tough guy in "Winter's Bone"; Jeremy Renner as a holdup man in the bank-heist thriller "The Town"; Mark Ruffalo as a sperm-donor dad in "The Kids Are All Right."
The Oscar ceremony will be televised live on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Michelle Obama’s Wardrobe Choice Questioned by Oscar de la Renta
Naturally, there are a lot of politics in—well, politics, and apparently, a lot of politics in fashion, too.
First Lady Michelle Obama is usually lauded for her style. She wore a gorgeous red and black dress by Alexander McQueen (designed by new head Sarah Burton) to the recent State Dinner with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
There is one apparent—and very outspoken—critic to Michelle’s wardrobe choice: legendary designer Oscar de la Renta. The designer questioned her for wearing Alexander McQueen, a British design label, to the State Dinner, reports WWD.
“My understanding is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade,” de la Renta told WWD. “American products in China and Chinese products in America. Why do you wear European clothes?”
This isn’t the first time de la Renta made comments about Michelle’s attire. “You don’t go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater,” he said in April of 2009.
First Lady Michelle Obama is usually lauded for her style. She wore a gorgeous red and black dress by Alexander McQueen (designed by new head Sarah Burton) to the recent State Dinner with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
There is one apparent—and very outspoken—critic to Michelle’s wardrobe choice: legendary designer Oscar de la Renta. The designer questioned her for wearing Alexander McQueen, a British design label, to the State Dinner, reports WWD.
“My understanding is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade,” de la Renta told WWD. “American products in China and Chinese products in America. Why do you wear European clothes?”
This isn’t the first time de la Renta made comments about Michelle’s attire. “You don’t go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater,” he said in April of 2009.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Golden Globes Cement Best Actress Oscar Race as a Natalie Portman-Annette Bening Showdown
In the lead-up to the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes are usually a pretty good indicator of who is on the road to Oscar glory. While the prizes are handed out by two entirely different voting bodies -- the Globes come from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a collection of foreign journalists who cover the American movie industry, and the Oscars are awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a collective of over 6,000 film professionals (actors, directors, writers, etc.) -- more often than not, if an actor or actress wins the Globes' lead dramatic acting prize, they go on to score the Oscar.
This year, however, both of the leading contenders for the Best Actress Academy Award -- Annette Bening and Natalie Portman -- took home Globes. In stark contrast to years past, a comedic performance is in very real contention for Academy's top acting prize, and since the Globes separate drama and comedy in the lead acting categories, all the Globes did was confirm something we already knew -- that this year's Best Actress race is pretty much a showdown between Bening (for 'The Kids Are All Right') and Portman (for 'Black Swan').
It's never a sure thing, of course, but the Globes do have a pretty good batting average when it comes to accurately predicting who will take home an Oscar. Only once in the last 10 years has the eventual Best Actress Oscar winner not also won a Globe. (The exception came in 2002, when Sissy Spacek took the drama prize for 'In the Bedroom' and Nicole Kidman won the musical/comedy award for 'Moulin Rouge,' while Halle Berry went on to win the Oscar for 'Monster's Ball.')
Most often, the Globes' Best Actress (Drama) winner is the one who takes home the big prize. Seven of the nine Globe winners who went on to win the Oscar won in the drama category, while the two musical/comedy winners -- Reese Witherspoon ('Walk the Line') and Marion Cotillard ('La Vie en Rose') -- won for dramatic performances in what the HFPA determined were musicals.
So while the Oscars do tend to favor drama, that Bening's performance is being treated as a comedic one certainly doesn't rule her out of the Oscar race. 'The Kids Are All Right' is probably better described as a dramedy than a full-on comedy, and her role as the lesbian mother of two children who seek out their sperm donor father is a heavy one.
There's also a sentiment in Hollywood that Bening is long overdue for an Oscar win and that her strong performance in 'Kids' is worthy-enough of recognition. The Academy has a long history of handing out what some call "career Oscars." Just last year, after four nominations and no wins, Jeff Bridges took home the Best Actor prize for 'Crazy Heart' despite being up against an arguably better performance by Colin Firth, who himself is the frontrunner for this year's win, in 'A Single Man.' There's no argument that Bridges gave a fantastic performance in 'Heart,' but was he really better than Firth, or was it just time for the acting legend to finally take home Hollywood's biggest prize?
Hollywood's inclination to award veteran performers who have racked up multiple nominations is well-known. In 2009, Kate Winslet, whose nomination for 'The Reader' was her sixth, took home the Best Actress trophy for a lukewarm-reviewed film while first-time nominee Anne Hathaway ('Rachel Getting Married'), who won raves as well as prizes from the National Board of Review, Broadcast Film Critics Association and multiple critics groups, looked on. In 1995, a famously competitive year, Susan Sarandon, who was 0-for-5 at the time, triumphed for her quiet turn in 'Dead Man Walking' over performances that have gone on to gain further esteem, most notably Sharon Stone's intense turn in Martin Scorsese's 'Casino.'
So while Portman's win in the drama category seems to better position her for a victory at the Oscars, the notion that it's Bening's turn to take the podium should not be discounted. The Oscars can be a notoriously political affair -- hence all the campaigning that goes on, when the award is meant to represent the best in film (not the most well-funded marketing machine). With both actresses enjoying Globe glory, Hollywood's second biggest honor has only further entrenched Portman and Bening in a celluloid war with the other -- for everyone else, well, it really is an honor just to be nominated.
Watch PopEater's own Denise Warner, John Mitchell and Jett Wells join Moviefone's Andy Scott to talk about Natalie Portman and Annette Bening's Oscar chances for Moviefone's Movie Club:
This year, however, both of the leading contenders for the Best Actress Academy Award -- Annette Bening and Natalie Portman -- took home Globes. In stark contrast to years past, a comedic performance is in very real contention for Academy's top acting prize, and since the Globes separate drama and comedy in the lead acting categories, all the Globes did was confirm something we already knew -- that this year's Best Actress race is pretty much a showdown between Bening (for 'The Kids Are All Right') and Portman (for 'Black Swan').
It's never a sure thing, of course, but the Globes do have a pretty good batting average when it comes to accurately predicting who will take home an Oscar. Only once in the last 10 years has the eventual Best Actress Oscar winner not also won a Globe. (The exception came in 2002, when Sissy Spacek took the drama prize for 'In the Bedroom' and Nicole Kidman won the musical/comedy award for 'Moulin Rouge,' while Halle Berry went on to win the Oscar for 'Monster's Ball.')
Most often, the Globes' Best Actress (Drama) winner is the one who takes home the big prize. Seven of the nine Globe winners who went on to win the Oscar won in the drama category, while the two musical/comedy winners -- Reese Witherspoon ('Walk the Line') and Marion Cotillard ('La Vie en Rose') -- won for dramatic performances in what the HFPA determined were musicals.
So while the Oscars do tend to favor drama, that Bening's performance is being treated as a comedic one certainly doesn't rule her out of the Oscar race. 'The Kids Are All Right' is probably better described as a dramedy than a full-on comedy, and her role as the lesbian mother of two children who seek out their sperm donor father is a heavy one.
There's also a sentiment in Hollywood that Bening is long overdue for an Oscar win and that her strong performance in 'Kids' is worthy-enough of recognition. The Academy has a long history of handing out what some call "career Oscars." Just last year, after four nominations and no wins, Jeff Bridges took home the Best Actor prize for 'Crazy Heart' despite being up against an arguably better performance by Colin Firth, who himself is the frontrunner for this year's win, in 'A Single Man.' There's no argument that Bridges gave a fantastic performance in 'Heart,' but was he really better than Firth, or was it just time for the acting legend to finally take home Hollywood's biggest prize?
Hollywood's inclination to award veteran performers who have racked up multiple nominations is well-known. In 2009, Kate Winslet, whose nomination for 'The Reader' was her sixth, took home the Best Actress trophy for a lukewarm-reviewed film while first-time nominee Anne Hathaway ('Rachel Getting Married'), who won raves as well as prizes from the National Board of Review, Broadcast Film Critics Association and multiple critics groups, looked on. In 1995, a famously competitive year, Susan Sarandon, who was 0-for-5 at the time, triumphed for her quiet turn in 'Dead Man Walking' over performances that have gone on to gain further esteem, most notably Sharon Stone's intense turn in Martin Scorsese's 'Casino.'
So while Portman's win in the drama category seems to better position her for a victory at the Oscars, the notion that it's Bening's turn to take the podium should not be discounted. The Oscars can be a notoriously political affair -- hence all the campaigning that goes on, when the award is meant to represent the best in film (not the most well-funded marketing machine). With both actresses enjoying Globe glory, Hollywood's second biggest honor has only further entrenched Portman and Bening in a celluloid war with the other -- for everyone else, well, it really is an honor just to be nominated.
Watch PopEater's own Denise Warner, John Mitchell and Jett Wells join Moviefone's Andy Scott to talk about Natalie Portman and Annette Bening's Oscar chances for Moviefone's Movie Club:
Oscar-Nominated Actress Susannah York Dies
British actress Susannah York, one of the leading stars of British and Hollywood films in the late 1960s and early 1970s, has died in London. She was 72.
York received an Oscar nomination in 1970 for her role in "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" and also appeared in the classic "A Man For All Seasons" before going on to play Christopher Reeve's biological mother in the "Superman"
She died of cancer Saturday at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. Her son, the actor Orlando Wells, said York was an incredibly brave woman who did not complain about her illness and a "truly wonderful mother." He said she went into the hospital on Jan. 6 after experiencing shoulder pain.
York had a long, distinguished career on film, television and on stage, but she is best remembered for her early roles, when she had an immediate impact that started with her 1963 role as Albert Finney's love interest in the memorable period piece romp "Tom Jones."
With its tongue-in-cheek sensuality and gentle send-up of the British aristocracy, the film is remembered as an early landmark in 1960s cinema, and York's unmistakable presence added to its appeal. Her long blond hair, stunning blue eyes and quick-witted repartee brought her a string of excellent roles.
York acted with major stars like Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, George C. Scott and many others, stirring some controversy with her daring portrayal of a lesbian in the 1968 drama "The Killing of Sister George."
In 1972, York won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. Her film work tailed off as London's "Swinging Sixties" era faded into cultural history, but she returned to play Superman's mother.
Actress and politician Glenda Jackson, who starred with York in the 1975 film version of "The Maids," said York's death "came as a shock."
Jackson said York had been a pleasure to work with and was "too young to go."
York branched out into television and stage work, earning a number of accolades and awards throughout her long career. She made appearances in several successful TV shows including "The Love Boat" in the U.S. and "Holby City" in Britain.
Her stage work continued for much of her career and included several one-woman shows.
British director Richard Bracewell, who worked with York later in her career, described her as "electrifying" once the cameras started to roll.
Wells said his mother was incredibly versatile throughout her working life.
"There was the glamorous Hollywood aspect — she has worked with everyone from John Huston to Sydney Pollack — as well as the big commercial films like Superman," he said.
Wells, an accomplished television actor, said his mother also had a passion for writing.
"She wrote two children's books, which is great for her grandchildren and something we will pass on to them," said Wells.
York was born in London and studied at the storied Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, which has tutored many of Britain's top actors throughout the years.
York had two children — son Orlando and daughter Sasha — with her husband, Michael Wells, before they divorced. She is survived by her children and several grandchildren.
York received an Oscar nomination in 1970 for her role in "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" and also appeared in the classic "A Man For All Seasons" before going on to play Christopher Reeve's biological mother in the "Superman"
She died of cancer Saturday at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. Her son, the actor Orlando Wells, said York was an incredibly brave woman who did not complain about her illness and a "truly wonderful mother." He said she went into the hospital on Jan. 6 after experiencing shoulder pain.
York had a long, distinguished career on film, television and on stage, but she is best remembered for her early roles, when she had an immediate impact that started with her 1963 role as Albert Finney's love interest in the memorable period piece romp "Tom Jones."
With its tongue-in-cheek sensuality and gentle send-up of the British aristocracy, the film is remembered as an early landmark in 1960s cinema, and York's unmistakable presence added to its appeal. Her long blond hair, stunning blue eyes and quick-witted repartee brought her a string of excellent roles.
York acted with major stars like Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, George C. Scott and many others, stirring some controversy with her daring portrayal of a lesbian in the 1968 drama "The Killing of Sister George."
In 1972, York won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. Her film work tailed off as London's "Swinging Sixties" era faded into cultural history, but she returned to play Superman's mother.
Actress and politician Glenda Jackson, who starred with York in the 1975 film version of "The Maids," said York's death "came as a shock."
Jackson said York had been a pleasure to work with and was "too young to go."
York branched out into television and stage work, earning a number of accolades and awards throughout her long career. She made appearances in several successful TV shows including "The Love Boat" in the U.S. and "Holby City" in Britain.
Her stage work continued for much of her career and included several one-woman shows.
British director Richard Bracewell, who worked with York later in her career, described her as "electrifying" once the cameras started to roll.
Wells said his mother was incredibly versatile throughout her working life.
"There was the glamorous Hollywood aspect — she has worked with everyone from John Huston to Sydney Pollack — as well as the big commercial films like Superman," he said.
Wells, an accomplished television actor, said his mother also had a passion for writing.
"She wrote two children's books, which is great for her grandchildren and something we will pass on to them," said Wells.
York was born in London and studied at the storied Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, which has tutored many of Britain's top actors throughout the years.
York had two children — son Orlando and daughter Sasha — with her husband, Michael Wells, before they divorced. She is survived by her children and several grandchildren.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Oscar-Nominated Director Peter Yates Dies at 81
Peter Yates, the four-time Oscar-nominated British director of 'Bullitt' and 'Breaking Away,' has died at the age of 81. A statement from Yates' agent, Judy Daish, said he died Sunday in London after an illness.
Yates was nominated for four Oscars, two as director and two as producer, for 'Breaking Away' and 'The Dresser.'
He was also responsible for one of the most famous sequences in cinema: actor Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang car chase through the hilly streets of San Francisco in the 1968 police thriller 'Bullitt.'
Most recently, Yates returned to directing for television, creating adaptations of John Knowles' 'A Separate Piece' and Cervantes' 'Don Quixote.' His last feature film was 'Curtain Call' in 1999.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia Pope, a son and a daughter. Monday's statement said a private family funeral would be held.
Yates was nominated for four Oscars, two as director and two as producer, for 'Breaking Away' and 'The Dresser.'
He was also responsible for one of the most famous sequences in cinema: actor Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang car chase through the hilly streets of San Francisco in the 1968 police thriller 'Bullitt.'
Most recently, Yates returned to directing for television, creating adaptations of John Knowles' 'A Separate Piece' and Cervantes' 'Don Quixote.' His last feature film was 'Curtain Call' in 1999.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia Pope, a son and a daughter. Monday's statement said a private family funeral would be held.
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