Category: Best Picture

82nd Academy Award Winners

For this WAMG writer, it was a glorious sight to behold as Kathryn Bigelow, at the 82nd Academy Awards, became the first woman in Oscar history to win the award for directing. Bigelow also went on to share the honors with fellow producers Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro as THE HURT LOCKER took home the award for Best Picture. Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock received the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress. On a personal note, I had a wonderful time being a guest of AMPAS at their various symposiums, at the Kodak Theatre, and on the Red Carpet on Oscar Day. For this freshman reporter and lifelong Oscarfan, it was the dream of a lifetime!

Here’s the full list on winners:

Best Picture

  • “The Hurt Locker” – Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, Producers

Directing

  • “The Hurt Locker” – Kathryn Bigelow

Actor in a Leading Role

Actor in a Supporting Role

Actress in a Leading Role

Actress in a Supporting Role

  • Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

  • “Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction

  • “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair

Cinematography

  • “Avatar” Mauro Fiore

Costume Design

  • “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Documentary (Feature)

  • “The Cove” Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens

Documentary (Short Subject)

  • “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett

Film Editing

  • “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis

Foreign Language Film

  • “The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)” Argentina

Makeup

  • “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow

Music (Original Score)

  • “Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

  • “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Short Film (Animated)

  • “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin

Short Film (Live Action)

  • “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing

  • “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson

Sound Mixing

  • “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett

Visual Effects

  • “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

  • “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher

Writing (Original Screenplay)

  • “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boa

Source: The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

Oscar News: 274 Films Eligible for Best Picture, Oscar Night America 2010, Seligman Named Producer

 

For you Oscarphiles out there, here’s the latest from AMPAS. With  Hannukah just ending and Christmas fast approaching, they’ve been a busy group this past week.

274 Films Up For Best Picture:

Beverly Hills, CA – Two hundred seventy-four feature films are eligible for the Academy Award ® for Best Picture of 2009, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today. To be eligible for 82nd Academy Awards ® consideration, feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County by midnight, December 31, and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days.

Under Academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format. Feature films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.

Oscar Night(R) America 2010 to be Celebrated in 50 Cities Nationwide:

Oscar Night America (ONA), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ grassroots program that enables local charities to host glamorous Oscar ® viewing parties and raise money for their organizations, kicks off its 17th year in 2010. On Sunday, March 7, 50 cities will host official Oscar viewing parties during the 82nd Academy Awards ® ceremony. For the first time in 2010, Oscar Night America will be celebrated in New York City, benefitting NYC & Company Foundation. All events will feature the live broadcast of the Awards presentation on the ABC Television Network.

“Especially in these difficult financial times, supporting local charities is essential. We’re very happy that Oscar Night America serves as a successful, and fun, way for people around the country to help make a difference,” said Academy Executive Director Bruce Davis.

The ONA 2010 locations are Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Grand Rapids (MI), Greensboro/Winston-Salem, Greenville, Hartford, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Little Rock, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Orlando, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Springfield (MO), Tampa, Tucson and Washington D.C.

Most parties are black-tie affairs, though some are less formal. Some partygoers dress up as famous couples and some events feature limousine arrivals and red carpets complete with local celebrities, paparazzi and press interviews for arriving guests. To set these parties apart from the thousands of other events taking place on Oscar Night, each ONA party receives from the Academy copies of the official commemorative poster, and the official Oscar show program. Only one charity party in a given media market may participate in ONA. Events are entirely produced by local nonprofit organizations, with the active participation of the local ABC-TV affiliate station. Last year 52 charities hosted viewing parties for the 81st Academy Awards, raising more than $3 million, all of it remaining in local communities.

Michael Seligman Named Supervising Producer:

Michael B. Seligman has been named supervising producer of the 82nd Academy Awards telecast, marking his 33rd year of association with the Oscar ® show, telecast producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic announced on Thursday.

“We are excited and honored to work with one of the legends of the industry,” said Mechanic.

“I look forward to lovingly torturing Michael, as we all move toward putting together one of the most complicated and dynamic television events of the year,” added Shankman.

Seligman has received five Emmy nominations for his work on the Oscar telecasts. His other producing credits include “America’s Millennium,” a three-hour live New Year’s Eve celebration; the NBC special “Funny Women of Television”; and “Return to the Titanic . . .Live!”

The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center ®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network.

Source: Oscars.org

New Voting Rules for Oscar Best Picture

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First it was the shocking news of the Disney buying Marvel for $4 Billion. And now in a press release from AMPAS,  they’ve issued an unbelievable  new set of  Voting Rule changes in the Best Picture Category:

Preferential Voting Extended to Best Picture on Final Ballot for 2009 Oscars ®

Beverly Hills, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed today that it will be using the preferential voting system to determine which of the 10 contenders for its Best Picture award will receive the 2009 Oscar. The system has long been used in the round of voting which determines the nominees in most categories, but it has not been used on the final ballot for Best Picture since 1945.

In June the Academy’s Board of Governors extended the Best Picture category from five to 10 nominees, which necessitated a change to the voting system for the category. With 10 nominees, the preferential system is one that best allows the collective judgment of all voting members to be most accurately represented.

“Instead of just marking an ‘X’ to indicate which one picture they believe to be the best, members will indicate their second, third and further preferences as well,” Academy President Tom Sherak said. “PricewaterhouseCoopers will then be able to establish the Best Picture recipient with the strongest support of a majority of our electorate.”

In 1934 and 1935, there were 12 nominees for Best Picture and the preferential system was used to determine the winners. From 1936 through 1943, there were 10 nominees for Best Picture and the preferential system was used for final balloting. In 1944 and 1945, the preferential system continued to be used, though there were only five nominees in the category.

This totally changes the way Oscar campaigns will be handled now, making the top 5 picks  pivotal. The way Steve Ponds over at “The Odds” explained it, “As a result, a film could be the first choice of the largest number of voters, but find itself nudged out of the top prize by another movie that got fewer number one votes but more twos and threes.” Nothing more than a huge popularity contest. Enough already, AMPAS!

The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center ®, and televised live on ABC.

82nd Oscars – Things Are A-Changin’

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AMPAS is at it again with more new rules and changes.

A  significant change was made in the Music – Original Song category.

The governors approved the Music Branch Executive Committee recommendation that if no song achieves a minimum average score of 8.25 in the nominations voting, there be no original song nominees and thus no Oscar presented for the category. If only one song achieves the required minimum, it and the song with the next highest score will be deemed the nominees. If two or more songs achieve the minimum score, they will be the nominees though no more than five nominees can be selected. Previously, the rules dictated that there be no more than five but no fewer than three nominees in the category.

In addition and as previously announced, the Best Picture category will have ten nominees instead of five.

Other modifications of the rules include normal date changes and minor “housekeeping” changes.

Continue reading 82nd Oscars – Things Are A-Changin’

82nd Academy Awards® to Feature 10 Best Picture Nominees!!

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Wow!! The title says it all, baby…

Beverly Hills, CA (June 24, 2009)  The 82nd Academy Awards, which will be presented on March 7, 2010, will have 10 feature films vying in the Best Picture category, Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis announced today (June 24) at a press conference in Beverly Hills.

“After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year,” said Ganis. “The final outcome, of course, will be the same – one Best Picture winner – but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009.”

For more than a decade during the Academy’s earlier years, the Best Picture category welcomed more than five films; for nine years there were 10 nominees. The 16th Academy Awards (1943) was the last year to include a field of that size; “Casablanca” was named Best Picture. (In 1931/32, there were eight nominees and in 1934 and 1935 there were 12 nominees.)

Currently, the Academy is presenting a bicoastal screening series showcasing the 10 Best Picture nominees of 1939, arguably one of Hollywood’s greatest film years. Best Picture nominees of that year include such diverse classics as “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Stagecoach,” “The Wizard of Oz” and Best Picture winner “Gone with the Wind.”

“Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize,” commented Ganis. “I can’t wait to see what that list of ten looks like when the nominees are announced in February.”

The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2. The Oscar ® ceremony honoring films for 2009 will again take place at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center ® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.

What do you think of the shocking announcement from AMPAS?

Source: Oscars.org

Last chance to attend AMC Best Picture Showcase with Scott

Today is your last chance to come and see all 5 best picture nominated movies with Scott this Saturday, February 21st from 10:30am till 11:45pm at AMC Chesterfield Mall.

Here is the schedule:

If you haven’t already, leave a comment below..do it fast!

‘The Dark Knight’ Gets It’s Re-Release and Oscar Campaign

Warner Bros. has announced that they are officially re-releasing ‘The Dark Knight’ in theaters and IMAX on January 23rd, 2009. Â  We reported a few months back that this was happening, but an official date wasn’t set.

Says Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution: “‘The Dark Knight’ is a crowning achievement in every sense of the word. We wanted to provide one more opportunity for moviegoers to experience it on the big screen as it was meant to be seen.”

The film has already broken so many box office records, and it sits at the #2 spot on the alltime domestic box office chart. Â  It’s still about $70 million behind ‘Titanic’. Â  With this re-release, it could, potentially, break that record, too, and it will undoubtedly top $1 billion worldwide.

Also, over at Dark Campaign, a grassroots effort to get ‘The Dark Knight’ a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. Â  They’ve put together a little video that you can check out here:

What do you think? Â  Does ‘The Dark Knight’ have a shot in hell of toppling ‘Titanic’ or getting a Best Picture nomination? Â  If you had to pick between those two, which would you rather see? Â  Let us know by commenting below!

Sources: Variety, Dark Campaign

‘The Dark Knight’ begins push for Heath Ledger

WB is starting a push for Heath Ledger and ‘The Dark Knight’ for Best Supporting Actor and Best Picture as you can see from the two below posters. Now I can easily see Ledger for Best Supporting Actor, but ‘The Dark Knight’ as best picture is a stretch and maybe even a big one. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved the movie, but it is not Best Picture worthy. I know that I am going to take a lot of flack from the super geek ‘TDK’ fanboys but those fanboys were also calling for these awards a month out of ‘The Dark Knight’ releasing!

The posters are also very different than the posters/promo items they did for the movie release, these posters are actually almost completely opposite of what they were using to push the movie.

I will get behind Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor, but give me a break on the ‘Best Picture’ consideration WB… not going to happen.
THX to Cinematical for the posters.

‘The Dark Knight’ Best Picture Contender

  

After being #1 for four straight weeks at the box office, Oscar aficionado Sasha Stone of “Awards Daily”  has declared that ‘The Dark Knight’ has officially earned its spot in the Best Picture race.

“This week, The Dark Knight has officially become too big to ignore. To not nominate it for Best Picture at this rate would undermine the process of having a Best Picture race in the first place; if you don’t honor a film this big you really do a dishonor to those who drive the entire business: the ticket buyers.”

Read more after the jump…..

This would give AMPAS and ABC the boost it sorely needs after years of falling ratings. God forbid that we ever see the threat of the telecast being on cable-only come to fruition.  While I love the Oscars and host a party every year, something that Ram Man can attest to, I’d love to see something like a nomination for ‘The Dark Knight’ bring back  “the-must-see” viewership that the Academy Awards once held.Â