The Red Carpet at the Dolby Theatre was a flurry of activity as preparations for the 86th Oscar ceremony were in high gear that also include a plan B in case of heavy rain that could threaten on Oscar Sunday. Looks like Paramount’s NOAH will get here just in the nick of time on its March release date.
Decorating the red carpet are scenes from past Academy Award winners and nominees. The 10 statues lining the walkway leading up to the theater were positioned and the new electronic grid featuring this year’s nominees was hung high above the carpet.
Entertainment Reporter Ben Lyons, Fashion Retail Correspondent Hitha Prabhakar, Entertainment and Sports Reporter Chris Connelly and PEOPLE’s Managing Editor Peter Castro to Host This Year’s Award-Winning Multi-Camera “The Oscars Backstage” Experience That Is Also In The WATCH ABC App for the First Time.
For the first time ever, The Oscars preshow and full awards telecast will stream live for verified WATCH ABC viewers online and on mobile devices. The WATCH ABC app allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as next day on demand access to most series, making it possible for fans to watch the entire The Oscars experience – including “Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars” – in more places and at more times than ever before.
Live streaming is currently available through Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, Midcontinent Communications, Verizon FiOS, Google Fiber and AT&T U-verse in ABC’s eight Owned Station markets – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno. Once aired, the full Oscars telecast and pre-show will be available on demand via WATCH ABC for verified viewers for three days, through Wednesday, March 5. WATCH ABC can be accessed from Oscar.com, ABC.com, WATCHABC.com or via the WATCH ABC app, which is free on select Android devices and iOS and can be downloaded at Google Play, the Amazon Appstore, and the App Store. Verified viewers then log in using their cable or satellite subscription username and password.
The Academy and Disney/ABC Television Group’s Digital Media team are also unveiling the talent line up for their Emmy® Award-winning Oscar second screen experience, The Oscars Backstage, which will also be streamed this year to all viewers – regardless of whether they are verified – via WATCH ABC. Hosts and correspondents include:
Entertainment Reporter and Film Critic Ben Lyons (Yahoo, “Extra!,” ESPN Radio, “E! News,” among others) and fashion retail correspondent and author Hitha Prabhakar (who has contributed to ABC World News, “Good Morning America,” Nightline, Bravo, CNN, E! Entertainment television, among others) will co-host from the red carpet and backstage.
PEOPLE’s Managing Editor Peter Castro will once again report from the fan bleachers on the red carpet. The bleachers are sponsored by Time Inc.’s PEOPLE, which invites 700 fans and PEOPLE VIP subscribers to watch and cheer nominees, presenters and film’s biggest stars as part of the PEOPLE Oscar Fan Experience.
“Good Morning America” and ESPN contributing editor Chris Connelly is returning as the official greeter of the Oscars Red Carpet, which includes welcoming nominees, presenters and performers to the show.
Presented again this year by Samsung Galaxy®, The Oscars Backstage is designed to be the ultimate complement to the live telecast. All Oscar viewers who visit WATCH ABC will be able to select from three channels that will pull from more than 15 live cameras strategically placed on the Red Carpet and throughout the backstage areas of the Dolby Theatre, providing fans with insider views into the most memorable moments of the night. Popular cameras positions include the Thank You cam, Winners Walk, Audience and Press Room. Fans will also be able to access the official Oscar Buzz social feed and popular photo galleries from within the app. The Oscars Backstage experience launched in 2011 to much acclaim and has been recognized with an Emmy® for Creative Achievement in Interactive Arts and an Industry Star Mobile Excellence Award. It remains unprecedented in terms of live event second screen access.
“We’re extremely proud of how much the Oscar Digital Experience has evolved,” said Albert Cheng, EVP and Chief Product Officer, Digital Media, Disney/ABC Television Group. “This year more people than ever before will have access to the backstage streams and verified WATCH ABC viewers will be able to participate in the most interactive Oscars to date, seamlessly navigating between the pre-show, telecast and The Oscars Backstage experience on their mobile devices.”
“We’re excited to once again bring viewers backstage and allow them to experience all of the action on Oscar Sunday – not just what happens on stage, but the stories that play out behind-the-scenes as well, said Josh Spector, Managing Director of Digital Media and Marketing at Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Additionally, video highlights from the telecast and The Oscars Backstage will be available as embeddable clips on Oscar.com almost immediately after they air at Oscar.com/blogs. Full performances of the shows musical performances, including Pharrell (“Happy”), Idina Menzel, (“Let It Go”), Karin O (“The Moon Song) and U2 (“Ordinary Love”) will be featured in a dedicated “Musical Moments” section sponsored by Pepsi that includes in-depth video and photo coverage of past music winners.
The site is also showcasing nominees “in their own words,” a collection of official nominee questionnaires,including Bradley Cooper, Bruce Dern, Michael Fassbender, June Squibb, Sally Hawkins, among others. To add to the fun, insanely addicting quizzes from past year’s awards shows are featured, including: , “Guess Who Won Best Actress”, “Guess the Dress”, “Who Starred In?”, and “Script to Screen”. The hugely popular “My Picks” interactive ballot is also live. Friends can view and share the ballot on Facebook, which will update in real time on Oscar Night®, ensuring that the most competitive Oscar handicappers are instantly aware of their ranking among friends.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The presentation, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 9th annual “Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars” airs Sunday, March 2 after the late local news ET/CT and at 10:00 p.m. PT on ABC. It will also be available live and on demand via the WATCH ABC app.
Marc Friedland, the creator of “the first ever custom designed envelope and Oscar winner announcement cards for the Academy Awards” opened his studio for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the glamorous star that will make 24 appearances on the Dolby Theater stage this Sunday. Everyone had a chance to have their picture taken holding the world’s most famous envelope.
When you see it up-close, you understand why Tom Hanks in 2012, the first presenter to hold the new, hand-crafted design, called it a “work of art.” It features a perfect combination of iridescent gold metallic and red lacquered stock with Hollywood art deco accents and font. The lining with its golden statuettes on a vivid red background is striking.
Here are some interesting facts provided by Marc Friedland Couture Communications about the Oscar envelope and winner’s cards:
Before Marc’s design was introduced, the Academy used a simple, lined envelope and a plain white winner’s card.
One of the papers used to create the envelope is hand made in Germany at a mill that’s been making paper since the 1800’s.
To ensure authenticity, a faint Oscar statuette watermark pattern gives the envelope exterior a distinctive finish.
Ten different old-world printing and bookbinding processes are used in the production.
72 envelopes will be delivered: 3 for each category and
363 winner’s announcement cards: 3 for each nomination.
About four days before the Oscars, everything is delivered to PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The cards for the non-winners are shredded so they don’t appear on eBay or Craigslist.
The envelope is owned by fewer than 100 people, all of them Oscar winners!
The Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, will air on Sunday, March 2, live on ABC.
On Wednesday evening of Oscar Week, the Academy introduced the five films nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Documentary Short Subject at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
Host Rob Epstein introduced the event by welcoming the packed house to the “Temple of Films.” Represented by the nominees in both categories, the program included clips from all of the films nominated and panel discussions with filmmakers from each group.
First up were the Documentary Short Subject films.
On hand were nominees Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed, directors of the “The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life,” the story of 109 year old, Alice Herz Sommer, the world’s oldest pianist and Holocaust survivor who shares her story on how to achieve a long and happy life through music, laughter and optimism. It was apparent that both were still deeply affected by this woman who passed away on Sunday.
Edgar Barens, director of “Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall” enthusiastically talked about his film – a terminally ill prisoner and the hospice volunteers, they themselves prisoners, who care for him. The film draws from footage shot over a six-month period behind the walls of the Iowa State Penitentiary.
Jeffrey Karoff, director of “CaveDigger” explained how the subject of his short film, one New Mexico environmental sculptor, Ra Paulette, carved elaborately designed and painstakingly executed sandstone caves. The filmmaker’s story of obsession is driven by an artistic vision that often brings him into conflict with his patrons.
Jason Cohen, director of “Facing Fear” wanted people to be inspired by the subjects of his film. In one senseless moment of hate, there’s a lifetime of forgiveness. The worlds of a former neo-Nazi and the gay victim of his senseless hate crime attack collide by chance 25 years after the incident that dramatically shaped both of their lives. They proceed to embark on a journey of forgiveness that challenges both to grapple with their beliefs and fears, eventually leading to an improbable collaboration…and friendship. I hope people find this important film.
Following the Shorts was the Q&A with the nominees from the Documentary Features.
The panel included:
Directors Morgan Neville and Caitrin Rogers, feature, “20 Feet from Stardom,” is the feel good movie of the lot. Background singers heard on many of the 20th century’s greatest songs have made a crucial contribution to the world of pop music while remaining unknown to listeners. The singers take center stage for an in-depth look at their role as supporting figures in the complex process involved in creating the finished recordings.
Zachary Heinzerling’s and Lydia Dean Pilcher’s, “Cutie and the Boxer,” is the story of the 40-year marriage of painter Ushio Shinohara, known for his boxing paintings, and his wife, Noriko, who gave up her own career as an artist to focus on her husband. Meanwhile he has become the subject of a series of comic strips drawn by Noriko. Both directors strongly felt the need to bring this love story to the screen. As the 80-year-old Ushio finds his own artistic reputation fading, Noriko’s fame continues to grow.
With almost no interest to their own personal safety while making this film, Richard Rowley and Jeremy Scahill, directors of “Dirty Wars,” hold strong to their convictions in their documentary feature. One of the least-known components in the war on terror, the Joint Special Operations Command conducts its work in secret and seemingly without limitations. With no existing record of their actions or personnel, the JSOC carries out strikes against those deemed a threat to U.S. security while remaining entirely outside the scope of public knowledge.
Still a difficult watch, directors Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen, “The Act of Killing,” was one of the most engrossing films of 2013. In the wake of the deaths of nearly a million opponents of Indonesia’s political regime, the heads of the country’s death squads are celebrated as heroes. Challenged to examine their actions by creating films about the killings, the men produce elaborately staged movies that reenact the mass slayings. Shooting enough footage for two films, their next movie will be from the viewpoint of the victims.
Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, directors of the “The Square,” were also there for the panel discussion.This category is dominated by the strong women filmmakers and I was especially struck by the passionate Yemeni director, Jehane Noujaim. She felt this calling, down to her very soul, that she must track down brave cameramen to cover the protests and capture it on film.
Here’s what qualifies these films for nominations.
Under Rule 11 of the category, “A Documentary Feature is a film with a running time of more than 40 minutes and is defined as a theatrically released nonfiction motion picture dealing creatively with cultural, artistic, historical, social, scientific, economic or other subjects. It may be photographed in actual occurrence, or may employ partial reenactment, stock footage, stills, animation, stop-motion or other techniques, as long as the emphasis is on fact and not on fiction.” The Documentary Shorts are only allowed a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits.
A documentary feature must complete both a seven-day commercial run in a theater in Los Angeles County and a seven-day commercial run in a theater in the Borough of Manhattan during the eligibility period beginning on January 1, 2013 and ending on December 31, 2013. A documentary short subject must complete a seven-day commercial run in a theater in either city.
Five documentary feature nominees are chosen from a shortlist of 15 films by members of the Documentary Branch. The Shorts are also viewed by the same members, who use an averaged score system to produce an eight-picture shortlist. Three to five nominees are then be chosen by a second round of balloting, using the averaged score system.
From Tuesday through Saturday, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences invites movie geeks each night to get an up close look at the various categories and nominees.
Kicking off the week was the “Oscar Celebrates: Shorts” event on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
Actor Kevin Pollack hosted the evening with screenings of all the 2013 Oscar-nominated films in the Animated and Live Action Short Film categories, plus onstage discussions with the filmmakers.
So what exactly qualifies a film into these categories? According to AMPAS rule 19, “a short film is defined as an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits.” It goes on to say, “An animated film is created by using a frame-by-frame technique, and usually falls into one of the two general fields of animation: character or abstract. Some of the techniques of animating films include cel animation, computer animation, stop-motion, clay animation, pixilation, cutouts, pins, camera multiple pass imagery, kaleidoscopic effects, and drawing on the film frame itself.” A live action film “uses live action techniques as the basic medium of entertainment.”
Kim Magnusson, co-director of the Oscar® nominated live action short film “Helium”, Baldwin Li, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated live action short film “The Voorman Problem”, Anders Walter, co-director of the Oscar® nominated live action short film “Helium”, Kirsikka Saari, co-director of the Oscar® nominated live action short film “Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)”, Mark Gill, co-director of the Oscar® nominated live action short film “The Voorman Problem”, Esteban Crespo, director of the Oscar® nominated live action short film “Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me)”, and Selma Vilhunen, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated live action short film “Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?).”
The nominees for Best Animated Short Film are:
The nominees for Best Live Action Short Film:
The Shorts program was a fun start and Kevin Pollak was a very funny host. He starred in the nominated short, OUR TIME IS UP, 10 years ago. The nominees talked about how GET A HORSE! has incredible 3D that voters will miss if they watch a DVD screener. Maybe a lot of voters will have seen it before FROZEN?
This is the first time the category is open to all voters since everyone got screeners. The theatrical/VOD/iTunes release continues to grow strongly each year. The animated shorts have very strong nominees this year and our favorite was ROOM ON THE BROOM.
Host Kevin Pollack, Lauren MacMullen and Dorothy McKim, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Get a Horse!”, Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Mr. Hublot”, Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Feral”, Shuhei Morita, director of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Possessions”, and Jan Lachauer and Max Lang, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Room on the Broom” during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Oscar Celebrates: Shorts” event on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
From left: Dan Golden, co-director of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Feral”, Jan Lachauer, co-director of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Room on the Broom”, Dorothy McKim, co-director of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Get a Horse!”, Max Lang, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Room on the Broom”, Alexandre Espigares, co-director of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Mr. Hublot”, Shuhei Morita, director of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Possessions”, Laurent Witz, co-director of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Mr. Hublot”, Lauren MacMullen, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Get a Horse!” and Daniel Sousa, co-directors of the Oscar® nominated animated short film “Feral” prior to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Oscar Celebrates: Shorts” event on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
No matter what the Los Angeles weather guys are predicting, no one is gonna rain on my Oscar Parade!!
Located in the heart of Hollywood, crews are hard at work at Hollywood & Highland as preparations for the 86th Academy Awards continue. The beginning of the transformation of the Dolby Theater, home of the Oscars, includes towering statuettes, the red carpet and the large drape set in place to greet a worldwide audience this Sunday.
Buck up little carpet scrap, you’ll make it to the big show next year!
In interesting Oscar news, The Hollywood Reporter’s Chief Oscar pundit, Scott Feinberg, reports, “Judy Garland’s three children — Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft and Joey Luft — will reunite at the 86th Academy Awards on Sunday night to help commemorate the 75th anniversary of their late mother’s most iconic film, THE WIZARD OF OZ.” Show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced in January that the Oscars will be honoring the movie, a best picture nominee in 1939. THE WIZARD OF OZ received six Oscar nominations, winning two for Original Score and Song.
From The Yellow Brick Road to The Red Carpet, in an Oscar first, fans watching the “Oscars Red Carpet Live” show on March 2 on ABC will have the opportunity to see themselves next to the stars on the red carpet through Twitter.
Fans who follow @TheAcademy and tweet a red carpet-ready photo of themselves using hashtag #MyOscarPhoto will be eligible to have their photo featured on the red carpet.
On Oscar Sunday, arriving nominees, presenters and performers will pose in front of a video wall showcasing fan-submitted photos and generating unique images that will be tweeted back to the original submitter through the @MyOscarPhoto Twitter account.
Additionally, some of the submitted photos will appear on the “Oscars Red Carpet Live” telecast beginning at 4 p.m. PT.
“This is a way to create an once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans and give them the opportunity to literally be a part of the red carpet excitement,” said Josh Spector, the Academy’s managing director of digital media and marketing. “We think it will be a lot of fun – not only getting to see a photo of themselves on the red carpet, but also getting to see who poses in the photo with them.”
“The Academy has long been one of the most innovative partners when it comes to creating a truly social Oscars,” said Andrew Adashek, television partnership manager at Twitter. “We’re excited to see them strengthen their connection to the Twitter audience by letting our users get closer to the red carpet experience than ever before.”
During the broadcast, hosts will describe to viewers at home how they can use Twitter to participate in #MyOscarPhoto and provide updates on the experience throughout the show.
In addition to the #MyOscarPhoto red carpet experience, the Twitter Mirror in a frame designed by Architectural Digest will be placed in the Oscars greenroom to give fans at home more behind-the-scenes access to the show. The stars of the show will stop by the Mirror to take candid photos of themselves, which will be tweeted throughout the night from @TheAcademy.
The Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, will air on Sunday, March 2, live on ABC.
We’re getting closer to Hollywood’s night to shine – the Oscars. This year’s nominations are a bevy of brilliant films, performances and crafts, the motion picture industry at its best.
The Academy Awards is the gold standard by which every other awards show is measured, because when it comes to the biggest night in film, nobody does it better than Oscar!
In anticipation of the star-studded night at the Dolby Theatre, the gang at WAMG has chosen their favorite nominees – from the Best Picture and Best Acting categories to the technical categories, here’s a close-up look at our Top 10 Favorite nominees.
BEST Picture – AMERICAN HUSTLE
By Jim Batts
The Best Picture Oscar usually goes to the film that shines a light on a social injustice, a historical event, or individuals battling injury or disease. The most wildly entertaining (sorry Marty and Leo, but three hours of arrogant drug abusers wears very thin) of the nine nominees has, at least, one of those areas covered. As it states right before the action begins, “some of this really happened”. AMERICAN HUSTLE looks into the “Abscam” scandal of the late 1970’s, but it’s so much more. It’s about people trying to survive, discovering true love, and being given second chances.
Perhaps even more than of the characters, the biggest second chance story may be the director and co-screenwriter David O Russell. Bouncing back from some box office duds and some humiliating on set secret videos, Russell has delivered the best of his recent comeback trilogy that began with THE FIGHTER and continued with last year’s (last year?!) SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. HUSTLE owes much of its inspiration to Scorsese (particularly GOODFELLAS) as the camera careens through the hotel rooms and restaurants while a superb pop music soundtrack conveys every mood and atmosphere. But Russell’s not just aping a film-making master. The film explodes with energy and humor as it celebrates these cops and con men (and women).
As with PLAYBOOK, Russell has placed an actor in each of the Oscar categories this year. Many have worked with him before and now join forces in a very impressive repertory company. Christian Bale proves to be a new cinematic chameleon as he transforms into the schlubby (maybe the screen’s greatest comb-over!) Irving (this guy was Batman?). Amy Adams stuns as the slinky, sexy Sydney (and the “hoighty-toighty” Lady Edith), full of street smarts as she uses her wardrobe (those blouses opened doooown to there!) to distract. Particularly distracted (and smitten) is Bradley Cooper, freed from the paycheck drudgery of THE HANGOVER III, as the ambitious FBI man, Richie. The film’s biggest revelation may be Jennifer Lawrence as the manipulative Rosalyn who’s pathetic, seductive, and repellant, often at the same time. Also terrific is Jeremy Renner as the back-slapping politco who may just be the film’s center of morality along with comic Louis CK as Richie’s put-upon, frustrated superior. Oh, and there’s a fantastic cameo by an iconic actor in a highlight I won’t spoil. This is an unmatched movie dream team.
This year’s Oscars will more likely be a repeat of the 1990 awards when the more high-minded DANCES WITH WOLVES won out over GOODFELLAS. But as the years have gone by, which has been more celebrated, referenced, and studied? Sure, it’s nice that the Academy likes to send a nice moral message with the big prize, but I’m still hoping that Russell and his merry band of tricksters can pull off a truly big “golden” sting.
Best Documentary Feature – THE ACT OF KILLING
By Travis Keune
Rarely does a documentary film present itself with such an original approach as THE ACT OF KILLING. Director Joshua Oppenheimer takes an absolutely terrible part of Indonesian history and devises a method to explore the dark subject matter of the film with the actual people responsible for the atrocities that exposes the truth with full transparency, but with a touch of surreality.
Oppenheimer asked the individuals responsible for the executions of alleged communists in Indonesia to reenact what occurred on film in whatever way they felt most comfortable.The result of which is honest, but oddly just as entertaining as it is heartbreaking, especially as the emotional toll begins to build and erupt and the killers humanity shows through and the regret and guilt emerges. As an audience, we bare witness to this experiment in psychology unfolding in a way never before seen on film.
The film is sometimes awkward, or even difficult to watch, but the end result is a masterpiece in documentary filmmaking that won the support of Werner Herzog and will leave a lasting impression.
Best Cinematography – Roger Deakins PRISONERS
By Michelle McCue
The terrifying events that unfold in PRISONERS cause each character to react in a manner he or she likely never would have thought possible.
Screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski’s story and Director Denis Villeneuve’s film, along with a top-flight roster of actors, including Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo and Paul Dano, are captured by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins.
Deakins utilized color, along with light and shadow, to amplify the atmosphere around the story while most of the time, giving this heavy drama a monochromatic feel. Creating a claustrophobic, dark element, the cinematographer shot the film digitally. The days in PRISONERS are gloomy and overcast, and the nights, largely because of Deakins’ work, are very poetic.
Roger Deakins is a ten-time Academy Award nominee for Best Cinematography, for his work on Joel and Ethan Coen’s FARGO, THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE, O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and TRUE GRIT; Frank Darabont’s THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION; Martin Scorsese’s KUNDUN; Andrew Dominik’s THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD; Stephen Daldry’s THE READER, which he shared with Chris Menges; and, most recently, Sam Mendes’ SKYFALL.
Yet, the Oscar has always eluded him.
However, nominated seven times for the BAFTA Award, Deakins has won three for THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and TRUE GRIT.
His work has also garnered him eight nominations for the British Society of Cinematographers (BSC) Best Cinematography Award, with five wins, and two Independent Spirit Awards, with an additional nomination. In 2008, he received the National Board of Review’s Career Achievement Award, and in 2013, Deakins was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the UK, the only cinematographer to have been given this high honor.
Deakins has been nominated eleven times for the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Award and won three, for SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE and SKYFALL. Cited was his work on the ten features listed above, as well as on Sam Mendes’ REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. He received the ASC’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2011.
He has also served as visual consultant for several animated features, including WALL•E, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, RANGO, RISE OF THE GUARDIANS and THE CROODS. He is currently consulting on HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 and the cinematographer on Angelina Jolie’s UNBROKEN.
Academy Voters! Don’t you think now would be a good time to finally acknowledge Deakins with an Oscar?
BEST Actress – Cate Blanchett as Jasmine, BLUE JASMINE
By Tom Stockman
Were it a weaker year for the Best Actress category, Judi Dench would be a shoo-on for her swan song PHILOMENA or Sandra Bullock might take home the big prize for her desperate and resourceful turn in GRAVITY. But it’s not a weak year. It’s an extraordinarily strong one, but neither of these gals (nor Ms Streep or Ms Adams) stands a chance against Cate Blanchett and her ferocious performance in BLUE JASMINE.
The range of emotions Woody Allen’s script demanded of Blanchett was immense and she responded with a performance people will be talking about for a long time. Blanchett was a riveting image in BLUE JASMINE, not just for the things Jasmine said but for the ravaged beauty and sadness she allowed the camera to find in her face and clothes-horse figure. Blanchett fully embodied the agony of Jasmine as the character went from vodka-soaked delusional to haughty dismissal of those she considered inferior and from gloomy introspection to babbling madness.
Constantly throwing back Xanax and martinis to cope, Blanchett performed emotional highs and lows, often within the same scene and her performance was really something to see. The Oscar will join the many other awards she’s deservedly received for this role.
Best Picture – CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
By Melissa Thompson
Going in to see CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, I was pretty much prepared to see another “docudrama” that was going to depict a real-life event. I didn’t know too much about the story of Captain Richard Phillips and the Maersk Alabama, other than the nightly blurbs we would see on the news during the time the events occurred. Somali Pirates, merchant marines, hostages, Navy Seals – all the buzz words were there, so like many others I was enticed into seeing the movie. Turns out it was a REALLY good movie. It had everything. Good guys, bad guys, a hero, numerous gunfights, a ton of suspense, and best of all, a happy ending of sorts. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but couldn’t help but think it was almost “too good”.
So many “true stories” these days take so much dramatic license, you don’t really know how much is true and how much is embellished just to create a more powerful narrative. But I wasn’t 100% convinced. So I did some research, and what I found was pretty amazing. Turns out, the way the events are portrayed in the film is EXACTLY how it happened. Details and timelines are precise, as well as much of the dialogue that took place between the crew, the pirates, and Phillips himself. I was most fascinated by this clip – CNN news footage that could be easily confused with the movie if you didn’t know what you were watching:
With so many films these days relying on CGI and special effects, it was refreshing to see a true story be, well, true! There was no cliffhanger, or plot twists, or ridiculous global destruction. Just the harrowing sequence of events told from the perspective of those who were actually there. If that is not a Best Picture nominee, I don’t know what is.
BEST Original Screenplay – HER
By Gary Salem
The original screenplay nomination for HER is my favorite because Spike Jonze had so many ideas that work together on different levels. He created a compelling sci-fi romance in a world that looks strange and familiar at the same time.
The operating system gets inside Theodore’s head both literally and figuratively. Her gets inside the viewer’s head and stays there to give them something to think about, like being in love…with technology.
Best Animated Short Film – GET A HORSE!
By Melissa Howland
Directed by Lauren MacMullan and produced by Dorothy McKim, GET A HORSE! is the perfect blend of black and white hand drawn animation and 3D computer imaging.
The short is a contemporary homage to the first animated shorts featuring Mickey Mouse, with all-new, black-and-white, hand-drawn animation that’s paired with full-color, 3D, CG filmmaking—in the same frame. Mickey (voice of Walt Disney), his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow delight in a musical haywagon ride—until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road. This groundbreaking short takes a sharp turn when Mickey finds himself separated from Minnie and must use every trick up his sleeve to find his way back to her.
GET A HORSE! is packed with laughs, and features archived recordings of Walt Disney for the voice of Mickey Mouse. As a short, it stands apart from anything we’ve seen in animation, and is sure to put a smile on your face!
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Jonah Hill as Donnie Azoff, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
By Tom Stockman
I wasn’t sure of Jonah Hill’s performance as Jordan Belcourt’s bucktoothed loose-cannon first lieutenant Donnie Azoff in WOLF OF WALL STREET would be received as brilliantly comic or an undisciplined train wreck.
It was a strange role, one that straddled drama and dark comedy but it was perfect for the actor. Whether masturbating in public or swallowing goldfish, Hill was so much fun to watch in WOLF OF WALL STREET and clearly made an impression on the Academy.
He won’t win, in part because of the political incorrectness of the character, and because it’s a strong field, but he deserved the nom and I’m glad he got it.
Best Actress – Sandra Bullock as Dr. Ryan Stone, GRAVITY
By Sam Moffitt
I have not seen very many of the movies up for awards this year. But I cannot imagine that any actor or actress could possibly do better work than Sandra Bullock does in GRAVITY.
Set in outer space this remarkable film is really about inner space. Stranded through a series of calamities in Earth orbit Sandra Bullock’s character Ryan Stone goes through serious changes trying to get back to solid ground. I’m not sure if everything she does is possible with the current technology of space travel but the tension and suspense are unbearable.
GRAVITY is an epic look at the human will to survive, that incredible drive that can bring people through to safety in the most grueling of ordeals. Gravity is a love song to every person who ever struggled to overcome cancer, who was ever ship wrecked, buried under rubble, lost in the desert, wounded in a war, maimed in an accident and struggled against over whelming odds to not only survive but to prevail and get on with their lives.
Think of all the people in just the last ten years affected by hurricanes, civil wars, drought, famine, volcanoes, tornados, tsunamis and their struggles to survive.
The sorrows of the whole human race are laid on Sandra Bullock’s frail shoulders and she comes through, my Lord how she comes through!
How heartbreaking to see tears in zero gravity, and in 3-D! How awesome to see the performance of a lifetime that relies so much on body language, facial expressions and gestures. And her performance is almost entirely alone. The only recent film comparable would have to be 127 Hours and James Franco’s brilliant performance in another story of survival against all the odds.
The sight of Ms Bullock curled in a fetal position and turning slowly, slowly in zero gravity is awesome, heartbreaking, primal, (on a gut level) and so poetic and beautiful, all at once. This is genius film making by Alfonso Cuaron and Sandra Bullock is the only passenger on a roller coaster ride back to the pull of Earth’s Gravity.
Sandra Bullock has already won an Oscar, for The Blind Side, but if ever an actor deserves another win it is her incredible work in GRAVITY. She is one of the best actors of her generation; GRAVITY is one for the ages.
BEST ACTOR – Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
By Michael Haffner
I hope Mr. DiCaprio doesn’t take offense when I say that I truly believe he was born to play Jordan Belfort. Or is Jordan Belfort now really only a “person” thanks to DiCaprio? Either way, the character that emerges on the screen is Scorsese’s dizzying, frantic, and hilarious THE WOLF OF WALL STREET is equal parts unbelievable and frighteningly real thanks in no small part due to Leonardo Dicaprio’s fearless performance. In their fifth on-screen collaboration, Scorsese seems to unleash the shackles on his cinematic muse. Drugs are consumed in excess. Sex is as regular as brushing your teeth multiple-times-a-day.
Most importantly, money can buy you happiness. Well. . . at least a form of happiness. And just as the high from drugs begins to fade away, and the sex eventually reaches its climax, and the money eventually runs out, so too does one’s happiness if you invest your entire life in material belongings. This is all the more ironic considering the film is centered around a power driven financial investor whose job requires him to invest other’s money. The idea of a film chronicling the lavish lifestyle of greedy corporate investors is far from original. However, in the hands of veteran director Scorsese, the escapades conducted by this wild WOLF is consistently entertaining and leaves the audience hungry for more – which says a lot considering the film is almost 3 hours long. Some audience members might not be able to look past the hedonistic activities portrayed on screen by Leonardo DiCaprio.
I know for a fact there have been several screenings where moviegoers walked out of the film. I’m not here to convince those people that I’m right and they’re wrong for walking out, but I will say that they’re choosing to ignore the best performance to date from Mr. DiCaprio. Several times throughout the film we see him take the stage and deliver rousing speeches to his merry band of heathens. He takes to the mic like a Southern Baptist preacher, delivering rags to riches stories and exciting his “congregation” into a fury of shouting, reveling, and fanatical responses that wouldn’t seem out of place among some places of worship. It is in moments like these where I also found myself converted.
I truly adore THE WOLF OF WALL STREET and I know that my love for Scorsese’s film wouldn’t be the same if it not for DiCaprio’s portrayal of Jordan Belfort. You hear stories of DiCaprio jet-setting across Europe with a harem of Victoria Secrets’ models and you can’t help but compare his real life a bit to the film’s main character – which was inspired by real events. Although I know I should separate an actor’s personal life from his career, I can’t help but feel that in this case of “life imitating art” or “art imitating life,” that the result is worthy of Oscar gold.
So that’s our favorites. Let us know yours in our comments section below.
Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron today announced the complete slate of stars who will present Oscars at the ceremony.
The presenters, including several past Oscar winners and nominees, will be:
Amy Adams
Kristen Bell
Jessica Biel
Jim Carrey
Glenn Close
Bradley Cooper
Penélope Cruz
Benedict Cumberbatch
Viola Davis
Daniel Day-Lewis
Robert De Niro
Zac Efron
Sally Field
Harrison Ford
Jamie Foxx
Andrew Garfield
Jennifer Garner
Whoopi Goldberg
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Anne Hathaway
Goldie Hawn
Chris Hemsworth
Kate Hudson
Samuel L. Jackson
Angelina Jolie
Michael B. Jordan
Anna Kendrick
Jennifer Lawrence
Matthew McConaughey
Ewan McGregor
Bill Murray
Kim Novak
Tyler Perry
Brad Pitt
Sidney Poitier
Gabourey Sidibe
Will Smith
Kevin Spacey
Jason Sudeikis
Channing Tatum
Charlize Theron
John Travolta
Christoph Waltz
Kerry Washington
Emma Watson
Naomi Watts
“We are very excited that the Hollywood community will be turning out in force for Sunday’s Oscar ceremony,” said Zadan and Meron. “We sought to include a tremendous diversity of stars to represent not only this year’s nominees, but the legacy of the motion picture business as well.”
For a full gallery of Oscar presenters, visitwww.oscar.com.
The Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, will air on Oscar Sunday, March 2, live on ABC.
Seven days from today, every Oscar nominee from A-list stars to the best filmmakers in the business will walk the Red Carpet on their way to the 86th Academy Awards presentation at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center.
Achievements in up to 24 regular categories will be honored on March 2, 2014.
The fan bleachers are going up and the red carpet pre-show stages are being set for Oscar Sunday, so if you’re catching all the sights in Tinseltown, here’s a list of street closures you may want to be aware of.
Between Sunday, February 23, and Oscar Sunday, March 2, additional streets and sidewalks will be closed for varying periods.
Close south sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard from Orange Drive to Highland Avenue from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM Tuesday, March 4, 2014, except 8-foot pedestrian access.
Close all lanes of Hollywood Boulevard from the southeast corner of Orange Drive to Highland Avenue from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM Tuesday, March 4, 2014.
Close north sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Dolby Theatre portal from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM Tuesday, March 4, 2014. This is a complete sidewalk closure in front of the entrance to Awards Walk. Pedestrian traffic re-routed and emergency access available.
Close balance of north sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard from Highland Avenue to Orange Drive allowing 8-foot pedestrian access from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM Tuesday, March 4, 2014.
Close the pedestrian crosswalk, mid-block on Hollywood Boulevard between Orange Drive and Highland Avenue, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM on Tuesday, March 4, 2014.
Close south curb lane of Hawthorn Avenue from Highland Avenue to Orange Drive from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM Tuesday, March 4, 2014.
Close Hawthorn Alley behind El Capitan Theatre from 300 feet east of Orange Drive east to the “T” alley from 10:00 PM. to 6:00 AM on Tuesday, March 4, 2014. The remainder of Hawthorn Alley to remain open from the “T” east to Highland Avenue.
6 Days Prior to Show (SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2014):
Close Hawthorn Alley on the east side of the El Capitan Theatre from Hollywood Boulevard south 210 feet to “T” of east/west alley from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM Tuesday, March 4, 2014.
Since the initial awards banquet on May 16, 1929, in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s Blossom Room, 2,900 statuettes have been presented.
It stands today, as it has since 1929, without peer, on the mantels of the greatest filmmakers in history.
Each January, additional new golden statuettes are cast, molded, polished and buffed by R.S. Owens & Company, the Chicago-based awards specialty company retained by the Academy since 1982. The Oscar statuette is the most recognized award in the world. Its success as a symbol of achievement in filmmaking would doubtless amaze those who attended that dinner more than 80 years ago, as well as its designer, Cedric Gibbons.
Watch and listen as movie professionals, actors and officials from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences talk about what makes the Academy Awards so special and the Grandfather of all award shows.
When the first Academy Awards were handed out in 1929, movies were beginning the transition from silent pictures to talkies. The attendance was 270 and guest tickets cost $5. Since the earliest years, interest in the Academy Awards has always run high and continues to be the next day’s water cooler talk.
40 years ago, host Jack Lemmon opened the 36th Academy Awards and viewers were greeted by movie star Rock Hudson. The ceremony was held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Monday, April 13, 1964. The Oscar for Best Picture went to TOM JONES with Sidney Poitier becoming the first African American to win Best Actor for LILIES OF THE FIELD.
As you make preparations for the year’s big event, here are a few tips to make your Oscar Party extra special.
Hand out this printable ballot for your guests and then head over to the official Oscar website for a list of the Governors Ball scrumptious recipes to serve at your Academy Awards soiree. http://oscar.go.com/blogs/party/
The Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, will air on Sunday, March 2, live on ABC.
“We are very excited to welcome Pink to the Oscar stage for the very first time,” said Zadan and Meron. “She is regarded as one of the greatest voices in pop music and one of the best performers of her generation, and we are thrilled to have her join us for a highly anticipated moment on the broadcast.”
Pink has won three Grammy Awards and six MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Collaboration for the single “Just Give Me A Reason” from her 2012 album “The Truth About Love.” The song was her eighth to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 chart, setting an industry record.
Named Billboard Woman of the Year in 2013, Pink has sold over 40 million albums and 65 million singles.
Acting under her given name, Alecia Moore, she received critical acclaim for her role in the 2013 ensemble drama THANKS FOR SHARING, which starred Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Josh Gad and Alecia Moore in THANKS FOR SHARING. Photo credit: Anne Joyce/Roadside Attractions.
The Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, will air on Sunday, March 2, live on ABC.
Members of the press were given a yummy first-hand look at the food and décor of this year’s Governors Ball, which will immediately follow the 86th Oscars ceremony on Sunday, March 2, in the Ray Dolby Ballroom on the top level of the Hollywood Highland Center.
Thursday morning’s preview was a deluge of all the senses and proved why the Governors Ball is Hollywood’s most glamorous post-Oscar party in town.
Nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, John Legend, will perform for the Ball’s 1,500 invited guests of Oscar winners and nominees, show presenters and other telecast participants.
Everyone will feast on signature favorites such as smoked salmon Oscars, chicken pot pie with shaved black truffles, and mini American Wagyu burgers with aged Cheddar and remoulade, incorporating local produce and sustainable seafood.
Now that’s a party!
Modern presentations such as crispy lobster shrimp dumplings with five spice and bites of fried chicken with white grits will add excitement, while an expanded selection of vegan dishes, including shots of carrot orange gazpacho, taro root tacos with avocado, and butternut squash with farro and wild rice will have a more prominent focus.
Academy governor Jeffrey Kurland, event producer Cheryl Cecchetto and master chef Wolfgang Puck are returning to create this year’s Governors Ball.
As the chair of the Governors Ball, Kurland will oversee the décor, menu and entertainment planning, as well as design the attire to be worn by the evening’s staff.
Fun Ballroom and Food Facts
1500 guests
950 staff
350 culinary staff
13,000 glasses for beverages
4,000 small plates
4,500 ramekins and verrines
6,000 cocktail forks
800 push pops
4,500 bamboo skewers
1,000 filled mini Oscars
2,000 chocolate truffles
1,200 cupcakes
1,000 pounds of Cacao Barry bittersweet chocolate
10 pounds edible gold dust
5,000 mini chocolate Oscars
More than 80 local farmers for fruits and vegetables
1,350 bottles of Thiénot Champagne
2,400 bottles of Sterling Vineyards Wine
6,500 wood-fired Oscar-shaped flat bread
3,500 miso cones
250 pounds troll-caught Atlantic Bigeye
17 whole US wild-caught yellowtail
1,300 farmed oysters
5 kilos of American farm-raised caviar
600 Maine lobster
7,500 individual US shrimp
250 pounds sticky rice
30 gallons cocktail sauce
50 whole yellowtail snapper
25 gallons spicy mustard
1,250 stone crab claws
1,500 Yukon gold potatoes
10 pounds winter black truffles from Burgundy, France
20,000 pieces of California-grown micro greens
6,000 pieces mini brioche buns
5,000 cage-free eggs
300 quarts heavy cream
Kurland is an acclaimed costume designer whose feature credits include “Hannah and Her Sisters,” “Radio Days,” “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” “Erin Brockovich,” “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Collateral,” “Inception,” “The Dictator,” “Beautiful Creatures” and the upcoming film “Tomorrowland,” starring George Clooney. He received an Oscar nomination for Costume Design for “Bullets over Broadway.” This will be Kurland’s fifth year serving as the chair of the Governors Ball.
The design is a garden setting of “Stars Under the Stars” and the LED lights in the ceiling looked great. The plants on the walls make up the vertical gardens that include very tall floral arrangements and trees. The old fashioned street lights are a nice touch.
The food was delicious especially the wild salmon with ginger and almonds and the short rib goulash.
Puck, along with chef Matt Bencivenga, will create the menu featuring more than 50 imaginative dishes, from one-bite hors d’oeuvres to small-plate entrees that will be passed throughout the evening.
This year’s dynamic pastry team includes Della Gossett, Spago’s executive pastry chef; Kamel Guechida, corporate director of pastry for the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group; Romain Lenoir, executive pastry chef of Wolfgang Puck Catering; and Jason Lemonnier, pastry chef for Hollywood & Highland.
Together these chefs will create elegant seasonal desserts, such as chocolate-dipped strawberry cheesecake pops, citrus panna cotta with funky chunky chocolate popcorn, and a celebratory cake to honor Puck’s 20th consecutive year creating the menu for the Governors Ball.
The ballots were also unveiled.
Marc Friedland, creative director of Marc Friedland Couture Communications will once again design the envelopes and announcement awards bearing the names of Oscar winners for the 86th Academy Awards. He began creating the first-ever specially designed envelope and winners cards for the Oscars in 2011.
Friedland’s custom-designed envelope is handcrafted from a high gloss, iridescent metallic paper, treated in an “Oscar” gold, complemented by a red-lacquered lining featuring the Oscar statuette hand-stamped in satin gold leaf. A faint statuette watermarked pattern gives the exterior envelope its distinctive finish and provides for added security against duplication.
The exterior of the envelope and its flap features an Art Deco-inspired satin gold foil-treated frame with an ecru inset panel bearing the name of the award category—each in a richly appointed charcoal ink. The envelope will contain a heavyweight ecru card with iridescent gold accents and gold leaf-embossed Oscar statuette, along with the phrase, “And the Oscar goes to…” For a cohesive and elegant look, the names of the winners will be printed in the same charcoal ink and mounted onto a matching, red-lacquered hand-wrapped frame, while the back of the card will be printed with the award category.
Fun fact: the Academy is sent four sets of cards for the envelopes with every nominee printed on them. Price Waterhouse then puts the cards with the winners in the envelopes, seals them and shreds the rest. They also receive 4 sets of envelopes for each category for safety.
The Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, will air on Sunday, March 2, live on ABC.
