SAFE HAVEN, the newest film based on the best selling novel by Nicholas Sparks, just hit theaters… and to celebrate WAMG is giving away a SAFE HAVEN prize pack. HOORAY!
One lucky reader will win:
Nicholas Sparks Film Collection (4 film favorites)
Copy of the official soundtrack
Copy of the book SAFE HAVEN by Nicholas Sparks
Safe Haven branded pajamas
Safe Haven custom Kleenex boxes
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES.
2. SEND YOUR FULL NAME and ANSWER TO: melissa@wearemoviegeeks.com.
3. What is your favorite Nicholas Sparks book, and why?
WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PRIZES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED.
An affirming and suspenseful story about a young woman’s struggle to love again, Safe Haven is based on the novel from Nicholas Sparks, the best-selling author behind the hit films The Notebook and Dear John. When a mysterious young woman arrives in a small North Carolina town, her reluctance to join the tight knit community raises questions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots, and gains the courage to start a relationship with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life with such terror that she is forced to rediscover the meaning of sacrifice and rely on the power of love in this deeply moving romantic thriller.
On Tuesday, The Academy hosted a reception featuring the 10 Oscar-nominated films in the Animated and Live-Action Short Film categories. The program showed all the nominated films in these categories.
Hosted by actor Jason Schwartzman, the evening featured the nominated filmmakers of the Animated Short and Live-Action Short categories. For the first time ever this year, all 6,000 voting members of the Academy were sent a DVD of the shorts on which to vote on. One hundred twenty-five pictures had originally qualified in the category.
The nominees for Animated Short Film are:
ADAM AND DOG
Minkyu Lee
FRESH GUACAMOLE
PES
HEAD OVER HEELS
Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly
MAGGIE SIMPSON IN “THE LONGEST DAYCARE”
David Silverman
PAPERMAN
John Kahrs
The nominees for Live Action Short Film are:
ASAD
Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura
BUZKASHI BOYS
Sam French and Ariel Nasr
CURFEW
Shawn Christensen
DEATH OF A SHADOW (DOOD VAN EEN SCHADUW)
Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele
HENRY
Yan England
An enthusiastic crowd listened in as Academy Governor Jon Bloom introduced the screening of this year’s Oscar nominated gems adding that “Shorts are in the midst of a genuine renaissance.” He turned the mic over to the evening’s special host Jason Schwartzman who delighted the audience with his love for all things short – “short stories, short songs, and short phone calls.”
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24 at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide. For more information go to Oscar.com or download the official Oscars app.
Years ago back when good men and women everywhere rode on horseback…or at the very least, horse and buggy (and eschewed those newfangled horseless carriages), I went to see a reissue of the classic film, ‘Jaws’. I had already seen it back when it was first released, back when it was vital for a cool kid to see the movie that everyone was talking about. On that occasion, I recall that after the movie was over, I felt like my eyes had been permanently glued-open, or at the very least, my eyelids had been sliced off. Hey, that reminds me of the film I’m supposed to be reviewing here, but please bare with me for a moment, okay?
So, a few years after first seeing the film, and having read the seminal work, ‘The Jaws Log’, one of my formative reading experiences, I went and saw a reissue of the classic suspense-horror-adventure. Now, I love Jaws. For a genre that often is much maligned, Jaws is brilliant and one of Steven Spielberg’s best films.
On this occasion, due to the fact that my father hadn’t seen it and we also needed a ride there and back again, my pop went with us! During the film, he jumped in surprise at all the shocking moments and seemed to like the film, but near the climax, while Quint in being consumed and eaten by the Great White Shark, there is a moment of silence as Quint is dragged under the water, a modern Ahab.
The entire audience was stunned, silent. My father took this opportunity to say, “Why do people want to see things like that?”
Well, WOULD YOU RATHER is definitely not on the same caliber as Jaws, but it does have some great moments. I didn’t dislike it, but then I probably won’t be watching it over and over; once is enough.
This film reminded me of a 21st Century ‘The Most Dangerous Game’ that had convincingly fused with a version of the novel/film, ‘The Ten Little Indians.’ Although the movie isn’t supernatural, I imagine that most Horror Film Devotees will love the film.
A woman is desperately concerned about her brother’s sickness and how to get him a vital, essential bone marrow transplant with little money. She asks a doctor. He has an unorthodox idea. In his office, the young woman, played convincingly by… is introduced to a wealthy philanthropist played by the wonderful Jeffrey Combs, famous for his quality work in the horror film, ReAnimator.
Without knowing the full extent of the deal she has made, thee young woman agrees to compete in a strange and seriously demented game. Whoever wins the game, will get all the important medical help for her brother. As the group of people arrives at the millionaire’s estate, it doesn’t take long for them to realize that the man who presides over the game is a sadist.
Ordinarily, I’m not a major fan of the thriller/horror hybrid known by some as ‘Torture Porn.’ Frankly, I’d rather watch real porn. It’s a bit happier, more upbeat, so to speak. However, I still found myself riveted to my seat, unable to look away from the desperate people seeking help and forced to play a psychopathic version of the popular game, ‘Would You Rather.’
The acting is first-rate, especially by Mr. Combs as the demented and wealthy host of the game. Never over the top, the actor gives the character a subtle believability and charm. He’s often amusing and…he’s a sick human being. As the main Game Player, Iris is willing to do almost anything to get help for her brother—Brittany Snow plays her skillfully. Porn Actress Sasha Gray is also convincing in the role of a young Goth girl who doesn’t let ethics or morality get in her way when it comes to the serious, life and death issue of survival, of winning the game!
Directed with style and precision by David Guy Levy, this is a movie that never explodes into silly blood and guts insanity, but through excellent cinematography, nicely written dialogue and actors that can make horrible situations. It’s a suspenseful film, that deals with ugly situations, events and people in a quality way. It’s as much of an Independent film Drama as the obligatory horror movie. As creepy and unsettling as this film is (I imagine that it’s often similar to watching a Snuff Film!), I was impressed with its relentless power. Although it takes place almost completely in a single room, it’s still quite cinematic. The director handles the grim events with subtle style. Frankly, I couldn’t help but enjoy the movie, even if it was akin to a primitive form of tooth extraction. Sometimes a movie is effective –and successful—in making the audience uncomfortable and that’s a great thing.
Paramount Pictures and WWE today announced a promotional partnership to support Paramount’s upcoming feature film releases, G.I. JOE: RETALIATION and PAIN & GAIN. The cross-platform partnership includes integration opportunities on WWE programming as well as appearances by film star and WWE Champion Dwayne “The Rock®” Johnson on Monday Night Raw® and WrestleMania® 29. In addition to storyline integration on its TV broadcasts, WWE will utilize all of its assets, including live events, digital and social media to promote the films and engage millions of fans each week.
G.I. JOE: RETALIATION was a co-presenting partner of Sunday’s Elimination Chamber with integration during the pay-per-view as well as storyline integration with stars D.J. Cotrona and Adrianne Palicki on Monday Night Raw on USA Network, leading up to the film’s release on March 29.
In the sequel to the 2009 release of G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA, which grossed more than $300 million worldwide, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra, they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) and Skydance Productions present in association with Hasbro. G.I. JOE: RETALIATION stars D.J. Cotrona, Byung-hun Lee, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Ray Stevenson, Elodie Yung, Channing Tatum with Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson. Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner. Based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe® characters. Written by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and directed by Jon M. Chu. G.I. JOE: RETALIATION is in theaters everywhere March 29.
PAIN & GAIN will have a major presence at WrestleMania 29 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, April 7, and at WrestleMania Axxess, a four-day interactive WWE fan experience at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J., from Thursday, April 4 to Sunday, April 7.
From acclaimed director Michael Bay comes PAIN & GAIN, a new action comedy starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie, based on the unbelievable true story of three personal trainers in 1990s Miami, who, in pursuit of the American Dream, get caught up in a criminal enterprise that goes horribly wrong. Ed Harris, Tony Shalhoub, Rob Corddry, Rebel Wilson and Bar Paly also star. Produced by Donald De Line, Michael Bay and Ian Bryce. Based on the Magazine Articles by Pete Collins. Screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. Directed by Michael Bay. PAIN & GAIN opens in theaters everywhere April 26.
Time to break in your Red Carpet shoes Mr. Oscar. Preparations continued on Tuesday as the golden statues were being readied for their closeups at the 85th Academy Awards.
It was all glam and glitz as scenic artist Virginia Belloni gave the statutes a final once over before the Art Department crew moved them to Hollywood and Hughland – I mean Highland. Although if Jackman wins on Oscar Sunday, it will be!
At the Dolby Theater, the statues will line the length of the red carpet which is approximately 500 feet. A little bit of Oscar trivia – the size of most common set-dressing Oscar is 34 in. diameter (base), 7½ feet tall and 65 pounds.
While the statues were being dolled up, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced that Oscar-winning actors Michael Douglas and Jamie Foxx will join Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd as presenters on the Oscar telecast.
Aniston’s credits include “The Switch,” “Marley and Me,” “The Break-Up,” “Along Came Polly,” “Bruce Almighty,” “The Good Girl” and “Office Space.” She most recently co-starred with Rudd in “Wanderlust.”
Douglas has won Oscars® for his performance as Gordon Gekko in “Wall Street” and as producer of the 1975 Best Picture winner “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”
Foxx, who garnered a Supporting Actor nomination for “Collateral,” took home an Oscar for his title role in “Ray.”
Rudd’s credits include “This Is 40,” “I Love You, Man,” “Role Models,” “Knocked Up” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” In March, he will be seen in “Admission.”
Aniston, Douglas, Foxx and Rudd join a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters including Salma Hayek Pinault, Melissa McCarthy, Liam Neeson, John Travolta, Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Wahlberg, Ted and “Marvel’s The Avengers” cast members Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo; returning 2011 Oscar winners Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep; “Chicago” cast members Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones; special guests Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron; and performers Adele, Dame Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand.
Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24 at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide. For more information go to Oscar.com or download the official Oscars app.
J.J. Abrams and Alex Kurtzman on the set of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
In case you missed it, here’s another look at the behind-the-scenes featurette.
In the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization, the crew of The Enterprise is called back home to Earth. In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice.
As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.
Benedict Cumberbatch (center) is John Harrison in STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
Zoe Saldana is Uhura in STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
Chris Pine is Kirk in STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
Star Trek fans across North America will be able to experience the upcoming motion picture event exclusively in IMAX® 3D beginning at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15th – two days in advance of the wide release on May 17. Tickets for the first shows can now be accessed exclusively via the new STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS app from the App store –iPhone & Android. The IMAX release of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS will feature approximately 30 minutes of footage filmed with the extremely high-resolution IMAX® cameras.
App users will continuously receive exciting STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS movie news, as well as exclusive content and offers, throughout the movie’s theatrical and home entertainment releases atiPhone & Android.
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS is written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof and directed by J.J. Abrams. Abrams is producing with Bryan Burk through Bad Robot Productions, along with Lindelof, Kurtzman and Orci. Jeffrey Chernov and Skydance Productions’ David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake are the executive producers.
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS opens in theaters everywhere May 17, 2013.
Every year, there’s one movie that becomes what I like to call the “It” faux-indie. Faux-indies are the movies that try to approximate the sensibilities of low-budget films, often with directors and writers known for independent work, but feature decidedly mainstream, well-known actors. The overall effect is very odd, as the audience is being asked to see movie stars as normal human beings. Sometimes it works. More often, it doesn’t. In many ways, Sundance has become the poster child for premiering these kinds of films.
And a new trend has emerged in recent years. It seems that there’s always one particular faux-indie that garners lots of awards show attention, usually sweeping up a few Oscars. You know them: Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, The Kids Are All Right,The Descendants. Last year it was Silver Linings Playbook (although it’s a borderline case, as David O. Russell may officially be approaching mainstream director status). And I believe that The Way, Way Back has the strongest potential to be this year’s faux-indie champion – at least, of anything to come out of Sundance.
The film was written and directed by Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, who won Oscars for writing The Descendants. The only newcomer in the cast is Liam James as main character Duncan, a shy kid who’s at a loss for things to do while on summer vacation at the beach. He’s stuck with his mom, Pam (Toni Collette) and her boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell), and not even the allure of cute neighbor girl Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) can shake him out of his funk. He finds a groove, though, when he starts working at a local water park, under dry-witted slacker Owen (Sam Rockwell). Over the course of the summer, Duncan slowly comes out of his shell at the park, even as he remains resolutely insular around his family.
The cast is solid, and the biggest strength in the movie’s arsenal. Carell is far and away the standout. While he’s tried to work against the Michael Scott image in his other film work, he’s done so by either playing up his goofballery or his sad-sackiness. But here, he instead escalates his inner jerk, and creates a truly loathsome character in Trent, who seems like an accumulation of every terrible step dad quality one can think of. He’s not a monster, though, just a really convincing asshole, able to work over others through vile passive-aggression. He feels eerily plausible as a result.
But no one is bad here. Collette does a great job of making sense of the fact that Pam is with Trent, and portrays a sympathetic, quiet desperation to just have a good time. Rockwell is very funny, even if he’s basically the archetypical indie trickster. Allison Janney is a lot of fun too, even though she’s going way, way, WAY broad and over-the-top as the family’s booze-loving neighbor. Actors like Maya Rudolph, Amanda Peet, Rob Corddry also turn in minor but nice supporting turns.
It’s a pity that everyone is trapped in such a rigidly standard faux-indie story mold. These kinds of movies are always stuck in a weird place, somewhere between trying to portray life honestly (the indie ideal) and trying to sell an easy happy ending (the Hollywood ideal). The Way, Way Back is no different. There’s more than a few things that ring true about what it’s like to be an introverted teen in an extroverted environment. James sells it well, even if he feels interchangeable with any other skinny young awkward white guy protagonist. But every beat that you’d expect comes pretty much exactly when you’d predict it. And the overall impression feels false.
The Way, Way Back is solid. It’s nice. It is far from a great film, but farther from a bad one. There’s some good performances to savor, and sturdy writing to appreciate. It’s just such so thoroughly faux-indie. Also, I don’t really know what the title means. No one, at any point, talks about traveling back to anywhere, whether literally or metaphorically. *shrug*
From the producer of Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and Sinister comes DARK SKIES: a supernatural thriller that follows a young family living in the suburbs. As husband and wife Daniel and Lacey Barret witness an escalating series of disturbing events involving their family, their safe and peaceful home quickly unravels. When it becomes clear that the Barret family is being targeted by an unimaginably terrifying and deadly force, Daniel and Lacey take matters in their own hands to solve the mystery of what is after their family.
Before DARK SKIES is released in theaters everywhere February 22nd, fans can see DARK SKIES at a free special screening TOMORROW– Wednesday, February 20th at the ArcLight Dome in LA. It will include special appearances by director Scott Stewart and producer Jason Blum, as well as giveaways, food, a DJ and more!
CHICKEN WITH PLUMS, the latest film from Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, the Academy Award®-nominated filmmakers of Persepolis (2008, Best Animated Feature Film), will be released on DVD by Sony Pictures Classics and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on February 26th. Written and directed by Satrapi and Paronnaud, the film features a prestigious multicultural cast including Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Chiara Mastroianni (Persepolis), Isabella Rossellini (Blue Velvet), and Jamel Debbouze (Amelie).
Satrapi and Paronnaud received international acclaim for their innovative collaboration on the animated Persepolis. In addition to the Oscar® nomination, Persepolis was nominated for Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards, and it won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, along with two César Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best First Film. CHICKEN WITH PLUMS, like Persepolis, is an adaptation of a graphic novel by Satrapi that pushes the boundaries of filmmaking by combining live-action sequences reflecting a mixture of genres (expressionism, fantasy, melodrama) with a clever animated sequence of the classic tale “Appointment in Samarra.”
CHICKEN WITH PLUMS was an official selection of the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival,
Venice International Film Festival, and the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Special features on the DVD include Commentary with Directors Satrapi & Paronnaud, as well as the Tribeca Q&A.
WAMG and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment invite you to enter to win CHICKEN WITH PLUMSon DVD.
Send your full name to michelle@wearemoviegeeks.com along with the answer to the following question:
Isabella Rossellini is the daughter of two Hollywood legends. Name her famous mother and father.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES.
2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PRIZES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED.
Tehran, 1958. Since his beloved violin was broken, Nasser Ali Khan, one of the most renowned musicians of his day, has lost all taste for life. Finding no instrument worthy of replacing it, he decides to confine himself to bed to await death. As he hopes for its arrival, he plunges into deep reveries, with dreams as melancholic as they are joyous, taking him back to his youth and even to a conversation with Azrael, the Angel of Death, who reveals the future of his children. As pieces of the puzzle gradually fit together, the poignant secret of his life comes to light: a wonderful story of love, which inspired his genius and his music.
Special Features Include:
Commentary with Directors Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud
Tribeca Q&A with Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi
CHICKEN WITH PLUMSwas written and directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud; based on the graphic novel by Satrapi. The film was produced by Hengameh Panahi and François-Xavier Decraene and stars Mathieu Amalric, Edouard Baer, Maria de Medeiros, Chiara Mastroianni, Jamel Debbouze and Isabella Rossellini.
CHICKEN WITH PLUMS has a running time of 91 minutes and is rated PG-13 for some drug content, violent images, sensuality and smoking. The film is in French with English subtitles.
Contributed by Michelle McCue, Melissa Thompson and Ken Parker.
The Clock is Ticking…tick tock, tick tock Oscar voters. The ballots are due today at 5 p.m. PT so not much can happen now. It’s all up in the air, but we’re definitely rooting for the dark horses. As we begin what’s annually known as Oscar Week, we’ve compiled a list of Oscar hopefuls. Some of our choices are undoubtedly the frontrunners, while others we wanted you to have a second look at.
We kick off the list with Best Song from this year’s Oscar Host and Nominee, Seth MacFarlane. Here’s “Everybody Needs A Best Friend” from TED.
PARANORMAN – Animated Feature Film Nominee
This is the first nomination for both Sam Fell and Chris Butler. Like Burton and the geniuses at Aardman Animations, this latest production from the studio behind the wonderful CORALINE employs stop-motion animation to provide hand-crafted appeal to the clever and surprisingly scary story of a Massachusetts town whose witch-hunting past catches up with it on its 300th anniversary. PARANORMAN is probably the year’s most visually dazzling movie and the stunning climax centering on an 11-year-old witch is too good to spoil.
LINCOLN – Best Actor Nominee Daniel Day Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis is extraordinary as the president, capturing his wit and generosity but also the iron will that made him the country’s greatest hero. Day-Lewis’ voice is thin and reedy, which jibes with historical accounts but subverts our expectations. His attitude makes listeners lean in, and so do we, magnetized by his kindly reserve. LINCOLN provides Daniel Day-Lewis with an opportunity for his latest extraordinary performance, one filled with kindness and strength in equal measure.
This is his fifth nomination in this category. He won Oscars for his performances in My Left Foot (1989) and There Will Be Blood (2007). He was also nominated for his leading roles in In the Name of the Father (1993) and Gangs of New York (2002).
LIFE OF PI – Director Nominee Ang Lee
No one ever thought author Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI could successfully be translated to the big screen… until the Oscar-winning filmmaker masterfully took charge of the material. With Lee’s visionary use of 3D, we are there with Pi and Richard Parker, experiencing these extraordinary and visually stunning moments, immersed like never before in an epic movie adventure interwoven with an emotional and spiritual journey. The film is a triumph.
This is the third nomination in this category for Ang Lee, who won the award for Brokeback Mountain (2005). He received Directing and Best Picture nominations for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and is also nominated for Best Picture this year.
LES MISERABLES – Hair and Makeup Nominees Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell
Jackman embraced the physical challenges and the changes required of the character as he goes from convict to outcast to mayor over several years. It was decided to shoot the scenes of the convict Valjean at the start of principal photography to allow Jackman to not only lose weight, but also to grow his own beard. “It was important to tell the story that he had been in prison for 19 years,” notes Jackman. “I was surviving on very limited food, but Valjean was also known for his strength, so I was spending three hours in the gym. It was a tough beginning.” So committed was Jackman to the part, for 36 hours before he shot the opening sequences of the film, the performer also decided to go without water. This gave him the hollowness and gauntness befitting a convict of the era.
Hathaway’s dedication to the role was by all accounts extraordinary, and her physical journey, as well as the emotional one, was just as intense as Jackman’s. Not only did she choose to have her own hair cut in the scene where Fantine sells her tresses, the already slim actress lost a great deal of weight to make completely believable Fantine’s physical decline from, and ultimately her death because of, consumption.
“Over the course of five weeks, I lost 25 pounds,” relays Hathaway. “It was very intense and very extreme and to be honest, if I had stopped and really thought about what I was doing, it probably would have felt too hard. I knew that I had an end moment, and all I needed to do was keep my spirits up and keep my focus on that point.
Listen in as nominees Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell describe the process of taking these beautiful actors and turning them into “bloody messes.”
SKYFALL – Cinematography Nominee Roger Deakins
Nominated nine times and winner of the 2013 American Society of Cinematographers award, SKYFALL was Deakins third collaboration with Sam Mendes having worked on Jarhead and Revolutionary Road. To accommodate Deakins’ brilliant lighting there was a lot of thought that went into the juxtaposition between a location environment, such as the Old Vic Tunnels, and sets built on sound stages, including the underground MI6 bunker.
This clip includes Adele’s Oscar nominated song “Skyfall.”
ZERO DARK THIRTY – Editing Nominees Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg
After photography completed on ZERO DARK THIRTY, Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow headed for the editing room. There she worked with Oscar-nominated editors Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg, poring through the footage to construct the final story – she had shot nearly two million feet of digital footage. “It was a mountain of material,” Bigelow notes, “We could have had a cut more than three hours long. But Billy and Dylan were great at helping me cut it down to size.”
DJANGO UNCHAINED – Supporting Actor Nominee Christoph Waltz
Golden Globe & BAFTA winner, Waltz plays Dr. King Schultz. Shortly following the release of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Tarantino worked feverishly on the screenplay for DJANGO UNCHAINED. Christoph Waltz, an Academy Award-winner for BASTERDS, was present for much of the creative process. “I read the script as it was in the making,” Waltz remembers.
“It unfolded in front of me, more or less. I went up to Quentin’s house and he sat me at his table and put the pages in front of me and then watched me read it. It was a wonderful ritual. I was very touched that he would actually let me participate not in the genesis of the script, but in his train of thought.”
ARGO – Best Picture Nominee
“It’s thrilling and suspenseful and scary, but it’s also funny and, I hope, entertaining. On a deeper level, it’s about the power of storytelling because for so long this story could not be told. But this is a moment when we can all be proud of what these people did.” – Ben Affleck.
Directors Guild winner, Producers Guild winner, BAFTA winner, Screen Actors Guild winner, ARGO is produced by Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and George Clooney.
This is the second nomination for Grant Heslov in this category. He received Best Picture and Original Screenplay nominations for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) and an Adapted Screenplay nomination for The Ides of March (2011).
This is the first nomination for Ben Affleck in this category. He won an Oscar for the original screenplay for Good Will Hunting (1997).
This is the first nomination for George Clooney in this category. He won an Oscar for his supporting role in Syriana (2005) and was also nominated for his leading roles in Michael Clayton (2007), Up in the Air (2009) and The Descendants (2011). He also received Directing and Original Screenplay nominations for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) and an Adapted Screenplay nomination for The Ides of March (2011). With his Best Picture nomination for Argo, George Clooney joins Warren Beatty as the only individuals to have competitive nominations for Best Picture, directing, writing and acting.
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – Adapted Screenplay Nominee David O. Russell
I was shown the book by Sidney Pollack who had acquired it with Harvey Weinstein. This was before THE FIGHTER. Although SILVER LININGS was fiction, it was likewise filled with very intense authentic people in a very specific local world the author knew well: emotional homes, people under great pressure, surprising drama, and unintended comedy. I am very drawn to these worlds, I find them fascinating. A certain place, a certain time, certain foods, certain rituals, unlike anything else, yet all the emotions and yearnings for love and respect and livelihood are deeply universal. I found that Bradley Cooper had, as we spoke, so much of the perceptive directness, fierceness, and vulnerability the Pat Solatano character has; and he was very hungry to play an intense unexpected character for him, which is the best timing for a director. Jennifer Lawrence and I had not met, but she knocked me out on her Skyped audition, and Harvey’s “Oh my God” upon viewing expressed his complete agreement. I love romance as much as I love authentic neighborhood worlds; the chemistry of Bradley and Jennifer was palpably combustible as the two very particular people, a gift. In another gift, I was fortunate to find Mr. De Niro with his own strong desire to be authentic in an emotional role of the kind we had discussed over the years that had personal ties for both of us as fathers. The rest of the neighborhood family constellated around the remarkable Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher, John Ortiz, Julia Stiles, Shea Whigham, Paulie Herman, and Dash Mihok. At the end of the day I love to peer into the lives of these people trying to overcome what they face, often themselves, in their own particular house on their own particular block, in ways that are heartbreaking and unbearable before somehow they pull through. For now.
-David O. Russell
MOONRISE KINGDOM – Original Screenplay Nominee Wes Anderson
“What’s universal and relatable about Moonrise Kingdom is that this is a story about first love and a magical summer,” comments producer Jeremy Dawson. “It’s about a young boy and girl (Youngsters Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) who run away to be together. There is a sweetness and charm to this movie, and it’s also funny.
“The title references the cove that the two kids run away to. It has the technical name of Mile 3.25 Tidal Inlet on the map – but for them it’s a secret, magical place, so they re-name it: Moonrise Kingdom.”
Both the technical name and the more meaningful one represent the creative attention to detail that moviegoers have come to expect from a Wes Anderson picture. Anderson collaborated with his fellow filmmaker Roman Coppola in writing the script for Moonrise Kingdom, marking the second time that the two have scripted Anderson’s ideas into the road map of a movie, following The Darjeeling Limited (2007).
Actor Bob Balaban notes that he was struck by how “Wes makes movies according to his own particular sensibilities. His is not just a talented mind; it is an organized and kind one. He makes movies like nobody else, and he’s not trying to do it to be different; he’s doing it because that’s who he is.”
Gilman enthuses, “It’s got action. It’s got comedy. It’s got drama. It’s got romance. It really packs a punch!”
ANNA KARENINA – Costume Design Nominee Jacqueline Durran
In her third nomination, as well as collaboration with director Joe Wright and actress Keira Knightley, Oscar nominee Jacqueline Durran rose to the challenge in creating the massive amount of costumes needed for the film. As she did with her work on previous films ATONEMENT and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, the British costume designer breathed richness and elegance into Tolstoy’s tale of tragedy, passion and love.
THE SESSIONS – Supporting Actress Nominee Helen Hunt
This is Hunt’s second nomination and the first in this category. She won an Oscar for her leading role in As Good as It Gets (1997).
Of his rapport with his co-star, actor John Hawkes remarked, “She was very daring to accept the role in the first place and then she just stepped up and embodied it, physically and emotionally.”
THE GATEKEEPERS – Documentary Nominee
For the first time ever, six former heads of Israel’s domestic secret service agency, the Shin Bet, share their insights and reflect publicly on their actions and decisions. Since the Six Day War in 1967, Israel has failed to transform its crushing military victory into a lasting peace. Throughout that entire period, these heads of the Shin Bet stood at the center of Israel’s decision-making process in all matters pertaining to security. They worked closely with every Israeli prime minister, and their assessments and insights had—and continue to have—a profound impact on Israeli policy.
THE GATEKEEPERS offers an exclusive account of the sum of their successes and failures. In the process it sheds light on the controversy surrounding the Occupation in the aftermath of the Six Day War.
Director Dror Moreh adds, “I was startled but thrilled when six former heads of the Shin Bet (“The Gatekeepers”) agreed to discuss their careers openly on camera for the very first time. This gave me a unique and intimate opportunity to enter the inner sanctum of Israel’s security decisionmakers for almost half a century. Numerous times during the making of this film, I found myself overwhelmed by their stories and testimonies. I kept asking myself how far I would have gone when confronting the same life or death dilemmas. I still do.”
AMOUR – Foreign Language Nominee
In his review of director Michael Haneke’s film, Jim Batts wrote, “AMOUR is a truthful examination of the part of love that’s not the subject of countless ballads and pop tunes. It’s emotionally brutal and unforgettable. Tough to watch, but it’s a subject which will touch every viewer.”
From Austria, AMOUR is the fifth film to be nominated for both Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film. The others were Z, which won the Foreign Language Film award in 1969; The Emigrants, a Foreign Language Film nominee in 1971 and a Best Picture nominee in 1972; Life Is Beautiful, which won the Foreign Language Film award in 1998; and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Foreign Language Film winner in 2000.
In addition, the film’s co-star, Emmanuelle Riva, becomes the oldest Best Actress nominee at 85 years old.
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD – Best Actress Nominee Quvenzhané Wallis
With her first nomination, Nine-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis becomes the youngest Best Actress nominee. The youngest acting nominee overall is Justin Henry, who was eight years old when he received a Supporting Actor nomination for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). No one will ever forget this fearless little five-year-old saying,”Once there was a Hush puppy and she lived with her Daddy in the Bathtub.”
Honorable Mention – MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS – Visual Effects Nominees Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Dan Sudick
For the visual effects nominess to pull off the destruction of a New York City street, special effects supervisor Dan Sudick involved precision pyrotechnics and well-timed car gags so that the production’s stunt people could safely maneuver through the explosions and flipping cars. To pull off the large pyrotechnic event, Sudick and his team rigged 28 explosions, which went off in a wave fashion down the street to simulate an air attack. The sequence also included setting up 14 cars down the middle of the street, which included ‘cannon cars,’ ‘flipper cars,’ ‘pyro’ cars as well as a big semi truck that exploded. Sudick and his team pulled off the impressive sequence without a hitch and even though it was shot on East 9th Street in downtown Cleveland, it still made the cover of the New York Post with the headline: “Save us, Thor!”
So now that you’ve seen our list, here’s how things stand from our point of view.
For Best Actor, the sure bet is Daniel Day-Lewis, but Hugh Jackman has been everywhere. BAFTAs were Sunday, February 10th and Hugh was all over the red carpet. He was on The Tonight Show right after the Oscar Nominees Luncheon trying to promote Movie 43, but all Jackman and Leno could talk about was LES MISERABLES. Jackman could definitely finish with the statuette in hand and here’s why. Hollywood loves him and voters would relish in being a part of awarding him his first Oscar. Day-Lewis has 2 already. Even with his Screen Actor Guild and BAFTA wins, are Academy voters ready to put him in the small group (4) that has won 3 acting Oscars? (Katherine Hepburn has won 4).
In the Best Picture race, ARGO has the momentum…and the pity votes for Affleck. Winning best picture would more than make up for the snub in Best Director category. We like Affleck and his films, but it just feels like there’s an underlying agenda…oh let’s make a movie about Hollywood inside stuff so we’ll win awards. They can deny it all they want, but they’re betting on the industry’s ego. Hollywood loves to pat itself on the back.
But don’t count out Les Miz just yet. The screen adaptation of the record-breaking musical plays mostly to the older Academy voting crowd who go to the theater and love Les Miz. Having already been shut out of the other big awards this season, Les Miz is truly a long-shot. But so was Braveheart. It also had no momentum and was released in May – nowhere near awards season. Whichever film wins, the votes for it won’t be by much as this year will be nail-biter down to the very end.
Best Director will be Steven Spielberg. With Affleck not in play, they’ve clearly stacked the deck in his favor for the win. And if Jackman and Les Miz edge out Day-Lewis and Lincoln, at least Lincoln won’t go home empty handed.
And while we’re wishing for things, how about one more.
With the James Bond salute and the possibility of all the actors who’ve embodied the role of 007 coming on the stage, we’ve wondered why Shirley Bassey was given the single honor of performing alone at the ceremony. Why not have all the performing artists in a medley of the songs, Bassey included… with her handing over the Bond baton to Adele as she goes into her previously announced performance of her Oscar nominated SKYFALL. Goldfinger is iconic Bond to be sure, but having Duran Duran, Sheena Easton and Paul McCartney walk on stage – in a Big Hollywood surprise – would’ve been water cooler talk for weeks.
Just the thought of Bassey passing the mic to Adele would’ve reduced us to sobbing.
“We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Dame Shirley Bassey to our Oscar show,” said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “Her association with film music is world renowned and we are proud that she will be making her first Oscar appearance on our telecast.”
If Bassey’s solo performance is ultimately the plan for the telecast, we’re hoping show director Don Mischer doesn’t plan for too many shots of the audience – they’ll look like they’ve just had a shot of novocaine. You’ll already have the seniors wondering who Seth MacFarlane is and the below 30 crowd won’t know Shirley Bassey.
But seeing as the Geeks are big Oscar fans, the Academy has invited us into the pressroom on Sunday where we’ll bring you all the results and reactions firsthand.
Watch the 85th Academy Awards on Oscar Sunday, February 24th on ABC. Download the new app at oscar.com.
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