Oscar Contenders and other Such Award Nonsense!

Oscar Futures: Up in the Air Touches Down

UP: Up in the Air. The season's 500-pound gorilla finally arrives with solid reviews and the top prize from the National Board of Review.

DOWN: The Lovely Bones. We'd love to be proven wrong here, but all indications are that Peter Jackson made us a stinker.

Read more: Oscar Futures: Up in the Air Touches Down -- Vulture http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/12/oscar_futures_up_in_the_air_to.html?mid=agenda--20091204#comment_list_bottom#ixzz0YmQRngMr

Pixar's Pete Docter Plays 'Not My Job'

Pete Docter, a director, writer and animator for Pixar, plays a game called: "Yes, we're building the world's tallest building on sand ... What could possibly go wrong?" Three questions about Dubai.

The Boston Society of Film Critics announced a pretty commanding sweep for The Hurt Locker in their annual awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing).

Read more: Inside the Boston Society of Film Critics' Hurt Locker Lovefest -- Vulture http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/12/inside_the_boston_society_of_f.html?mid=agenda--20091214#ixzz0Zj5OoURH

The Hurt Locker Continues Its Dominance With the New York Film Critics Circle
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: Katheryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Best Screenplay: In The Loop
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Best Actor: George Clooney, Up In The Air / Fantastic Mr. Fox
Best Animated Film: Fantastic Mr. Fox


Read more: The Hurt Locker Continues Its Dominance With the New York Film Critics Circle -- Vulture http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/12/the_hurt_locker_continues_its.html?mid=agenda--20091214#ixzz0Zj6gaLK4

The Directors Guild of America just announced the nominations. And they are:
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up In The Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds


Read more: Tarantino, Bigelow, HMFIC Nominated for Directors Guild Awards -- Vulture http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/01/tarantino_bigelow_hmfic_nomina.html?mid=agenda--20100107#ixzz0c2aZpjNV
by Lane Brown

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
(500) Days of Summer, Written by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber; Fox Searchlight
Avatar, Written by James Cameron; 20th Century Fox
The Hangover, Written by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore; Warner Bros.
The Hurt Locker, Written by Mark Boal; Summit Entertainment
A Serious Man, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen; Focus Features
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Crazy Heart, Screenplay by Scott Cooper; Based on the novel by Thomas Cobb; Fox Searchlight
Julie & Julia, Screenplay by Nora Ephron; Based on the books Julie & Julia by Julie Powell and My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme; Sony Pictures
Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher; Based on the novel Push by Sapphire; Lionsgate
Star Trek, Written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman; Based upon Star Trek, Created by Gene Roddenberry; Paramount Pictures
Up in the Air, Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner; Based upon the novel by Walter Kirn; Paramount Pictures
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Against the Tide, Screenplay by Richard Trank; Moriah Films
Capitalism: A Love Story, Written by Michael Moore; Overture Films
The Cove, Written by Mark Monroe; Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions
Earth Days, Written by Robert Stone; Zeitgeist Films
Good Hair, Written by Chris Rock & Jeff Stilson and Lance Crouther and Chuck Sklar; Roadside Attractions
Soundtrack for a Revolution, Written by Bill Guttentag & Dan Sturman; Freedom Song Productions and Louverture Films
WGA Announces 2009 Award Nominees [IndieWire]


Read more: Avatar, The Hangover Among the Hilarious Nominees for Writers Guild Awards -- Vulture http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/01/avatar_the_hangover_among_the.html?mid=agenda--20100111#ixzz0cXPVk1zg

Best Actor
While Jeff Bridges has been steadily building momentum and pulling away from the pack, don't discount the tremendous level of support that George Clooney has from his peers (especially in the wake of the work he's done for the Haiti telethon). But considering that Bridges is entering the later stages of his career and has yet to be honored with an award, he's definitely got the edge.

Read more: What to Watch for at This Weekend’s SAG Awards -- Vulture
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/01/sag_awards_preview.html?mid=agenda--20100122#ixzz0dPBPh8a6

Best Film: The Hurt Locker
Best TV comedy series: 30 Rock
Best TV drama series: Mad Men
Best Live-entertainment/competition TV: The Colbert Report
Best Animated feature: Up
Best Documentary feature: The Cove
David O. Selznick Award: John Lasseter


Read more: The Hurt Locker Takes Home Top PGA Award -- Vulture http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/01/the_hurt_locker_takes_home_top.html?mid=agenda--20100125#ixzz0dfLS9ehI

Not the Academy's expansion of its top category to ten slots, nor its hiring of two hosts, is paying off where it counts: James Cameron's Avatar " the biggest movie EVER! " is scheduled to win Best Picture over nine other films on March 7, but ABC has only been able to sell 30-second ads on the Oscars for between $1.3 million and $1.5 million, which is on par with the measly $1.4 million they sold them for last year when the comparatively low-grossing Slumdog Millionaire took top honors in a field of the usual five. Also, it's less than the $1.82 million commercials went for in 2008 when the Academy saluted No Country for Old Men, which was the year the telecast got its lowest-ever ratings. If, as expected, next year's ceremony is presided over by four hosts and twenty films compete for the top award, you'll be able to buy ads.

Read more: Oscar’s Ten Best Picture Nominations Not Paying Off in Advertising -- Vulture http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/01/oscars_ten_best_picture_nominees_not_paying_off.html?mid=agenda--20100128#comment_list_bottom#ixzz0e0VDsRpu

No director of an animated film has ever been nominated for Best Director. Why do you think that is?
I know that there is a certain amount of confusion or lack of knowledge about the way we work. I think a lot of folks tend to think of computers as having ... You know, you just type in some numbers. They don’t really understand that the whole process is actually very similar. The approach to the cinematography, we use the same language, two shots and overs, master lighting, and all kinds of things that are very, very similar. But I don't know if people are aware of that.

February 18, 2010
Adam Shankman hates long introductions. The producer of this year's Academy Awards says long introductions are his least favorite things about the Oscars.

His favorite Oscar moments?

"I love the transference and magic of movies," Shankman tells Terry Gross. "And I love upsets."

Shankman " who danced at the Oscars 20 years ago " has spent the past several months picking out the hosts (Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin), choosing the musical numbers and making sure all the logistics fall into place by March 7.

This year, he says, the ceremony will feature co-hosts.

"Everyone loved the way Neil Patrick Harris did the Emmys," says Shankman. "But the great thing is this: Steve Martin anchors [the Oscars] in tradition. Alec makes a great comic wild card. The chemistry is magic between them " like Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin."

Shankman reveals details about the master seating plan, and the time winners get at the podium before they get the hook. But he won't say whether Baldwin and Martin plan a song and dance number to open the show, or how presenters will be introduced.

Shankman is an accomplished director (Hairspray, A Walk to Remember), dancer, actor and choreographer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). He has also been a choreographer and judge on So You Think You Can Dance since that show's third season.

Best Feature: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Best Director: Lee Daniels, Precious
Best Male Lead: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Best Female Lead: Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Best Supporting Male: Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Best Supporting Female: Mo’Nique, Precious
Best First Feature: Crazy Heart
Best Screenplay: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer
Best First Screenplay: Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
Best Cinematography: A Serious Man
Robert Altman Award: A Serious Man
Best Documentary: Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Best Foreign Film: An Education