Tag: oscar

Oscar Predictions 2023

Michelle Yeoh Photo Credit: Courtesy of A24

The 2023 Oscars will be handed out on March 12, 2023, honoring Hollywood’s picks for the best films of the past year with all the glitz and glam we expect. In keeping with another annual tradition, that of trying to predict the Oscar winners, here are our predictions for what/who will win, should win, and for some categories, who/what should have been nominated but was not. Rather than cover all categories, these predictions will focus on just some top ones.

Best Picture – 301 features were eligible for Academy Awards.

The nominees are:

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, Malte Grunert, Producer

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh, Producers

ELVIS, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss, Producers

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, Producers

THE FABELMANS, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, Producers

TÁR, Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert, Producers

TOP GUN: MAVERICK, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison and Jerry Bruckheimer, Producers

TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober, Producers

WOMEN TALKING, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand, Producers

Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC.

Cate:

Will win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, Producers

Should win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, Producers

Michelle:

Will win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK – Hollywood is grateful to Tom Cruise right now – even Steven Spielberg thanked Cruise at The Oscars Nominee Luncheon

Should win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Jim:

Will win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should have been nominated: THE WOMAN KING, SHE SAID and TILL

95th Oscars® nominees Daniel Kwan, Jamie Lee Curtis and Daniel Scheinert arrive at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC.

Best Director

The nominees are:

Martin McDonagh (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN)

Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Steven Spielberg (THE FABELMANS)

Todd Field (TÁR)

Ruben Östlund (TRIANGLE OF SADNESS)

Cate

Will win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Should win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Michelle:

Will win: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Should win: Martin McDonagh

Jim:

Will win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should have been nominated: Gina Prince-Bythewood (THE WOMAN KING) and Chinonye Chukwu (TILL): Joseph Kosinski (TOP GUN: MAVERICK)

AUSTIN BUTLER as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama “ELVIS,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Hugh Stewart. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Best Lead Actor

The nominees are:

Austin Butler (ELVIS)

Colin Farrell (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN)

Brendan Fraser (THE WHALE)

Paul Mescal (AFTERSUN)

Bill Nighy (LIVING)

Cate

Will win: Brendan Fraser (THE WHALE)

Should win: Colin Farrell (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN)

Michelle:

Will win: Brendan Fraser

Should win: Bill Nighy

Jim:

Will win: Brendan Fraser

Should win: Brendan Fraser

Should have been nominated: Eden Dambrine (CLOSE); Tom Cruise (TOP GUN: MAVERICK)

Cate Blanchett stars as Lydia Tár in director Todd Field’s TÁR, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

Best Lead Actress

The nominees are:

Cate Blanchett (TÁR)

Ana de Armas (BLONDE)

Andrea Riseborough (TO LESLIE)

Michelle Williams (THE FABELMANS)

Michelle Yeoh (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Cate:

Will win: Michelle Yeoh (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Should win: Cate Blanchett (TÁR)

Michelle:

Will win: Cate Blanchett

Should win: Michelle Yeoh

Jim:

Will win: Michelle Yeoh

Should win: Michelle Yeoh

Should have been nominated: Danielle Deadwyler, (TILL) and Viola Davis, (THE WOMAN KING)

Ke Huy Quan in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE. Photo Credit: Allyson Riggs. Courtesy A24

Best Supporting Actor

The nominees are:

Brendan Gleeson (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN)

Brian Tyree Henry (CAUSEWAY)

Judd Hirsch (THE FABELMANS)

Barry Keoghan (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN)

Ke Huy Quan (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Cate:

Will win: Ke Huy Quan (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Should win: Brendan Gleeson (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN)

Michelle:

Will win: Barry Keoghan

Should win: Barry Keoghan

Jim:

Will win: Ke Huy Quan

Should win: Ke Huy Quan

Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan in the film THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

Best Supporting Actress

The nominees are:

Angela Bassett (BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER)

Hong Chau (THE WHALE)

Kerry Condon (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN)

Jamie Lee Curtis (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Stephanie Hsu (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Cate:

Will win: Angela Bassett (BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER)

Should win: Jamie Lee Curtis (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Michelle:

Will win: Angela Bassett

Should win: Angela Bassett

Jim:

Will win: Angela Bassett

Should win: Jamie Lee Curtis

Should have been nominated: Lashana Lynch (THE WOMAN KING)

(l-r.) Ben Whishaw stars as August, Rooney Mara as Ona and Claire Foy as Salome in director Sarah Polley’s film WOMEN TALKING An Orion Pictures Release Photo credit: Michael Gibson © 2022 Orion Releasing LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Best Adapted Screenplay

The nominees are:

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, Screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell

GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY, Written by Rian Johnson

LIVING, Written by Kazuo Ishiguro

TOP GUN: MAVERICK, Screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks

WOMEN TALKING, Screenplay by Sarah Polley

Cate:

Will win: WOMEN TALKING, Screenplay by Sarah Polley

Should win: WOMEN TALKING, Screenplay by Sarah Polley

Michelle:

Will win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Should win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Jim:

Will win: WOMEN TALKING

Should win: WOMEN TALKING

Should have been nominated: THE WOMAN KING, Written by Dana Stevens and Maria Bello & SHE SAID

Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy Fabelman, in THE FABELMANS, co-written, produced and directed by Steven Spielberg. Photo credit: Courtesy of Universal

Best Original Screenplay

The nominees are:

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Written by Martin McDonagh

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

THE FABELMANS, Written by Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner

TÁR, Written by Todd Field

TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, Written by Ruben Östlund

Cate:

Will win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

Should win: THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Written by Martin McDonagh

Michelle:

Will win: THE FABELMANS

Should win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Jim:

Will win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should have been nominated: TILL, Written by Chinonye Chukwu, Keith Beautchamp & Michael Reilly

Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022). Daniel GimÈnez Cacho as Silverio. Cr. SeoJu Park/Netflix © 2022

Best Cinematography

The nominees are:

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, James Friend

BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS, Darius Khondji

ELVIS, Mandy Walker

EMPIRE OF LIGHT, Roger Deakins

TÁR, Florian Hoffmeister

Cate:

Will win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, James Friend

Should win: BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS, Darius Khondji

Michelle:

Will win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Jim:

Will win: ELVIS

Should win: ELVIS

Should have been nominated: TILL and THE WOMAN KING; THE BATMAN from cinematographer Greig Fraser and Claudio Miranda, the director of photography of Paramount’s TOP GUN: MAVERICK.

Best Documentary Feature Film

The nominees are:

ALL THAT BREATHES, Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer

ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED, Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov

FIRE OF LOVE, Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman

A HOUSE MADE OF SPLINTERS, Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström

NAVALNY, Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris

Cate:

Will win: ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED, Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov

Should win: NAVALNY, Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris

Michelle:

Will win: NAVALNY

Should win: NAVALNY

Jim:

Will win: ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED

Should win: FIRE OF LOVE

Should have been nominated: GOOD NIGHT OPPY, SIDNEY

Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

Best Film Editing

The nominees are:

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Mikkel E.G. Nielsen

ELVIS, Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Paul Rogers

TÁR, Monika Willi

TOP GUN: MAVERICK, Eddie Hamilton

Cate:

Will win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK, Eddie Hamilton

Should win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Paul Rogers

Michelle:

Will win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Should win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Jim:

Will win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should have been nominated: WOMEN TALKING, Christopher Donaldson & Roslyn Kalloo

Best International Feature Film

The nominees are:

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (Germany)

ARGENTINA, 1985 (Argentina)

CLOSE (Belgium)

EO (Poland)

THE QUIET GIRL (Ireland)

Cate:

Will win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (Germany)

Should win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (Germany)

Michelle:

Will win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should win: THE QUIET GIRL

Jim:

Will win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should have been nominated: RRR

Catherine Clinch as Cait in THE QUIET GIRL. Courtesy of Super

Best Production Design

The nominees are:

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; Set Decoration: Vanessa Cole

BABYLON, Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino

ELVIS, Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn

THE FABELMANS, Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara

Cate:

Will win: ELVIS

Should win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Michelle:

Will win: ELVIS

Should win: ELVIS

Jim:

Will win: ELVIS

Should win: ELVIS

Should have been nominated: THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN & EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) in 20th Century Studios’ AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. ©2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Best Visual Effects

The nominees are:

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank and Kamil Jafar

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

THE BATMAN, Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands and Dominic Tuohy

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White and Dan Sudick

TOP GUN: MAVERICK, Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson and Scott R. Fisher

Cate:

Will win: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

Should win: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

Michelle:

Will win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Should win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Jim:

Will win: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER

Should win: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER

PINOCCHIO (Pictured) GUILLERMO DEL TORO. Cr. mandraketheblack.de/NETFLIX © 2020

Best Animated Feature Film

The nominees are:

GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO, Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON, Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH, Joel Crawford and Mark Swift

THE SEA BEAST, Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger

TURNING RED, Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins

Cate:

Will win: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO, Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley

Should win: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO, Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley

Michelle:

Will win: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO

Should win: PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

Jim:

Will win: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO

Should win: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO

Should have been nominated: APOLLO 10 and 1/2, WENDELL & WILD

The Caracas dress from the Christian Dior show in director Tony Fabian’s MRS.HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Dávid Lukács / © 2021 Ada Films Ltd – Harris Squared Kft

Best Costume Design

The nominees are:

BABYLON, Mary Zophres

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, Ruth Carter

ELVIS, Catherine Martin

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Shirley Kurata

MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, Jenny Beavan

Cate:

Will win: ELVIS, Catherine Martin

Should win: MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, Jenny Beavan

Michelle:

Will win: ELVIS

Should win: ELVIS

Jim:

Will win: ELVIS

Should win: ELVIS

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

The nominees are:

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová

THE BATMAN, Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, Camille Friend and Joel Harlow

ELVIS, Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti

THE WHALE, Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley

Cate:

Will win: ELVIS, Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti

Should win: THE WHALE, Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley

Michelle:

Will win: THE WHALE

Should win: ELVIS

Jim:

Will win: THE WHALE

Should win: THE WHALE

Should have been nominated: TILL and THE WOMAN KING

Best Original Score

The nominees are:

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, Volker Bertelmann

BABYLON, Justin Hurwitz

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Carter Burwell

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, Son Lux

THE FABELMANS, John Williams

Cate:

Will win: BABYLON, Justin Hurwitz

Should win: THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Carter Burwell

Michelle:

Will win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Jim:

Will win: BABYLON

Should win: THE FABELMANS

Jovan Adepo plays Sidney Palmer in Babylon from Paramount Pictures.

RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT – Review

“Hey you guys!!!” And at the risk of either being non-inclusive or sexist, “you gals, too”! There’s a new feature-length documentary arriving in theatres this weekend that certainly breaks the preconceived notions of what many consider “film homework”. Yes, there are a considerable amount of “talking heads”, but the movie is far from “dull and dry”. Now, that’s due in large part to the doc’s subject matter (hence all those “talkers” on camera). This is a prime example of this film genre’s popular “subset”, the “show biz” documentary. Last year saw two great entertainment profiles on the Go-Go’s, the Bee Gees, and Natalie Wood. Now, this look at the life and career of one of the latter’s co-stars will no doubt earn similar accolades this year (along with another out today). Speaking of accolades, this lady’s amassed so many, even joining the elite group known as EGOTs (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners). And after nearly eighty years in the “biz called show,” she’s still wowing audiences. But somehow, she still holds on to a good deal of modesty. That may account for the profile’s full title, RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT. Hang on, because she’s not slowin’ down, you guys!!

In the film’s opening scenes we encounter the magical Ms. Moreno as she prepares for Her own big birthday party, making decorations alongside her only daughter Fernanda (and laughingly saying that a truly big star would have hired someone for these tasks). Cut to the big “old school” “wing-ding” as Ms. M joins the hired entertainment, cutting a rug with the much-younger dancers. After some praise from another media legend, Norman Lear, the filmmakers delve into Moreno’s colorful history, told by the lady herself. Truly a rags-to-riches fable, Rita tells us of her idyllic early years in her birthplace of Humacao, Puerto Rico. At barely five years of age, Rita accompanies her now single seamstress mother Rosa Maria to a new life in the states, taking a crowded boat to NYC (Rita says she never saw her left-behind-with papa younger brother again). Rosa knew her daughter was gifted and “hitched a ride’ on her own rising star. While most youngsters her age were centered on school, she was singing and dancing in swanky supper clubs and night spots. It’s then that the film abruptly returns to the “now” as we follow Rita on a “working day” (still before the cameras when most retired), up at dawn, driving herself to Sony Studios for a long “tape day” on the Lear-produced sitcom revival for Netflix of “One Dat at a Time”. It’s then back to her history, as Rita and her mama somehow score a meeting with MGM head Louis Mayer during his Big Apple visit. He’s impressed (“She’s a Spanish Liz Taylor”), and Rita is under contract (her fifth film is SINGING IN THE RAIN). But after that career high point, she’s regulated to supporting parts, slathered in brown makeup and long jet black hair, as the exotic native girls, brushed aside for the blonde Anglo leading ladies. And outside the sound stages, Rita must deal with lecherous older men (that Harry Cohn) and abusive directors. The next decade in film finally gives her a chance to shine as she is awarded a Supporting Actress Oscar for WEST SIDE STORY. But the good roles didn’t immediately fly her way as she deals with a tempestuous love affair with Marlon Brando that nearly destroys her. But Rita finds a loyal hubby in Dr. Leonard Cohan and begins a family as she conquers TV ( the cult PBS TV fave “The Electric Company” in the early 70s) and Broadway, getting a Tony as the campy Googie Gomez in 1975’s “The Ritz” (a movie version followed in 1976). The Awards keep coming as Rita continues her political work in DC (we see lots of 60s archival footage of her alongside MLK), and she assumes the role of Latin-American icon. What a life this lady has lived!

This cinema love letter is deftly crafted by director Mariem Perz Riera utilizing an incredible amount of movie clips that will delight cinephiles and TV fans (look, Rita’s dancing for Zorro). One unique device used to illustrate the transitions in Rita’s life story is animations of her as a classic toy of yore, the paper doll. The pixelation of paper cut-outs show her at different ages donning all manner of costume and clothing to reflect the eras and her many roles. And then there are those “talking heads”, an amazing gathering of stars from Hollywood’s “Golden Age” like Mitzi Gaynor, who had to go on “studio dates” with other “contract player” (we see many awkwardly staged stills of the couples having a “fun night on the town”). Luckily we also hear from several of her co-stars like her “Bernardo” and Oscar night co-winner George Chakiris and direct from “The Electric Company, “Easy Reader’ himself, Morgan Freeman (the clips from that kids’ classic show Rita’s superb comic talents, with the “glamour gal” transforming into a broad, mugging, but still charming, clown). Plus there are also those inspired by the icon like Lin-Manuel Miranda (who “name-checks” her in the new film of his IN THE HEIGHTS) to Eva Longoria who tells of her own struggles with producers wanting her to “spice up” her roles. Oh, and there’s even another EGOT, as Whoopi Goldberg joins the admirers (was hoping for my favorite EGOT, Mel Brooks, to drop in, alas…). But more entertaining and compelling than all of them is the lady herself. Her reflections to the camera are often a brilliant acting lesson, shifting quickly from one character to another (her grumbling mother becomes a snooty hotel clerk). Her tales are often hilarious (Yul Brynner tells her that her role in THE KING AND I is boring…and Rita agrees) to harrowing (she’s nearly ravaged at a daytime party for a whiskey distiller). Most interesting may be her romantic encounters, like a fling with the King, Elvis Presley. But the most complex is Brando, which consumed her to the point of attempting suicide (after a botched abortion he arranged). She now mocks him in her one-woman show, yet still keeps a photo of her with him (dressed as Napoleon) amongst her family portraits and snapshots. She seems to have a more stable relationship with her husband Gordon, but Rita tells of the stumbles and reveals that his death left her feeling more liberated than devastated. Her passion for current affairs is also shown (she’s watching the Brett Kavanaugh hearings while having breakfast in her TV dressing room). The biggest surprise may be her saying that she’s completely exhausted after the big “tape day” at Sony. It’s a flip on the talk show cliche of actors saying they never wish to retire as she appears to somewhat regret taking on such a big project in this point in her life (or maybe it was an unusually trying day). Oh, but there’s no “throwing in the towel” for the film’s finale since it’s far from her career’s fade-out. She’s got a small role, written in just for her, in Steven Spielberg’s big-screen remake of WEST SIDE STORY, which will be out in December, just in time for her 90th birthday. Now that’s something to celebrate, much like the wonderful RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT. Oh, how lucky are we that she “loves it here in ‘Am-air-i-kaaa!!”.

3.5 Out of 4 Stars

RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT opens in select theatres and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at the Hi-Pointe Theatre and Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas on Friday, June 18, 2021

Oscar-winning animation legend Richard Williams (1933-2019)

Word spread quickly this past Saturday through the world’s animation news outlets, word of the loss of one of the true innovators and greatest masters of the art form. Here’s how Variety reported his passing:


“Renowned animator Richard Williams, best known for his work on “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” died Friday at his home in Bristol, England, Variety has confirmed. He was 86.

Williams was a distinguished animator, director, producer, author and teacher whose work has garnered three Oscars and three BAFTA Awards. In addition to his groundbreaking work as the animation director of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” Williams also animated the title sequences for the “Pink Panther” franchise and received critical acclaim for his first film “The Little Island” in 1958 and his animated adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” in 1971, for which he won his first Oscar.”

While many sources called him the creator of Roger Rabbit, a character actually created by novelist Gary K.Wolfe, it was Williams who brought the bungling bunny along with his pals and the population of “Toon Town’ to vivid life in the 1988 box office smash. Though this may be his most popular work, Williams was a most prolific artist in commercials, television, and feature films, making truly dazzling, whimsical title sequences for several 1960s classics beginning with WHAT’S NEW PUSSYCAT.

His art also extended to more dramatic fare, seen here in the newspaper editorial cartoon-inspired work on the 1968 THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

Three years later Williams received his first Oscar for his animated adaptation (seen on ABC-TV in the US) of A CHRISTMAS CAROL in a style evoking the pen and ink illustrations of the late 1800s (and using feature film Scrooge Alistair Sim).

And during the production of these classics, Williams was toiling away (in his spare time and on his “own dime”) on his epic project, a feature based on an Arabian Nights tale, THE THIEF AND THE COBBLER. But to help finance this, Williams returned to feature titles and created a sensation in the first two films the kicked off the revival of the Blake Edwards/Peter Sellers comedy series in 1975’s THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER (Looney Tunes icon Friz Freeling had animated the Panther in the first 1960’s entry). Here’s some great movie-themed gags in 1976 follow-up…

Then in 1977 Williams would release his first full-length animated feature, not COBBLER, but the more “kid-friendly” RAGGEDY ANN & ANDY: A MUSICAL ADVENTURE.

Nearly ten years would pass until Steven Spielberg tapped Williams and his London-based studio to create (or re-create) the look of classic 1940s Hollywood Studio animation for the comedy/fantasy hit WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT. Mr. Williams even lent his voice to Tex Avery’s MGM superstar Droopy (“Goooing up, sir?”). For his remarkable achievements, he earned another Oscar.

Of course, Williams poured a good chunk of his ROGER earnings into COBBLER, but due to financial conflicts, the not-quite-completed feature would be taken from him, heavily edited, re-dubbed, and combined with, to put it mildly, less polished animation. After a limited release by Miramax pictures as ARABIAN KNIGHT, it would see a home video release in 1993 under its original title. Despite these disappointments, Williams continued to inspire with the acclaimed book “The Animator’s Survival Kit” in 2002, and the shorts CIRCUS DRAWINGS and 2015’s PROLOGUE (which was nominated for an Oscar).

And now Richard Williams joins Walt Disney and his “nine old men”, the Fleischers, and the titans of Looney Tunes’ “Termite Terrace” as one of the medium’s greatest craftsmen and a true animation legend, whose work will be studied and admired forever.

TCM To Premiere OSCAR, New Documentary By Academy Award Winners Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman

80th Academy Awards NYC Meet the Oscars Opening

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is gearing up to celebrate the Academy Awards® in a very special way next year. As part of TCM’s annual 31 Days of Oscar® showcase in February 2014, the network will present the world premiere of OSCAR, a brand-new documentary tracing the history of the Academy Awards. Produced by Telling Pictures, Inc., in association with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (The Academy) and Hollywood Newsreel, this fascinating special will take movie lovers on a journey through Hollywood history as it tells its story of the little statuette that became the industry’s most coveted prize.

OSCAR is set to have its world television premiere on TCM Saturday, Feb. 1, the opening night of the 2014 edition of 31 Days of Oscar. With the new documentary as its centerpiece, 31 Days of Oscar will be themed around the history of the Academy Awards.

Featuring more than 300 Oscar-winning and nominated films, the month-long showcase will take a deep look into the world’s oldest, most important and most prestigious film award. Each night’s lineup will feature a complete set of nominated films that faced each other in a particular category, beginning Feb. 1 with all 10 Best Picture nominees from 1939: Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz,Goodbye Mr. Chips, Of Mice and Men, Ninotchka, Wuthering Heights, Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Dark Victory and Love Affair.

OSCAR is being written, directed and executive-produced by Oscar-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt). Christopher Pavlick and Rick Spalla are also producing. The documentary is one of several major programming events leading up to TCM’s 20th anniversary in April 2014.

To bring its story to life, OSCAR will be packed with great moments from 85 years of Academy Award ceremonies, which were first held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, now home to the TCM Classic Film Festival each spring. The special will also feature extensive clips from Oscar-winning and nominated films, plus exclusive, behind-the-scenes ceremony footage from the archives of Hollywood Newsreel, much of it never shown before.  CNN Films will air the encore presentation of the documentary on CNN, following the film’s first broadcast on TCM.

A growing list of Academy Award-winning and nominated actors and actresses are being interviewed for Oscar, including Annette Bening(American Beauty), Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore), Cher (Moonstruck), George Clooney (Syriana), Benicio Del Toro(Traffic), Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost), Tom Hanks (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump), Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), Sir Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) and Dame Helen Mirren (The Queen).

From behind the camera, OSCAR will feature interviews with such award-winning filmmakers and producers as Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan), Kathleen Kennedy (Schindler’s List), Freida Lee Mock (Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision), Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine), Jason Reitman (Up in the Air) and Phil Alden Robinson (Field of Dreams).

The interview roster also includes Oscar-winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan); Academy Award-winning editor Kirk Baxter (The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo); award-winning production designer Jeannine Claudia Oppewall (L.A. Confidential); award-winning costume designer Jeffrey Kurland (Inception); Academy Award-winning make-up artist Ve Neil (Beetlejuice, Mrs. Doubtfire, Ed Wood); Oscar-winning visual effects designer Craig Barron (Titanic); Academy Award-winning sound designer Ben Burtt (Star Wars, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial);

In addition, OSCAR will feature an interviews with frequent Academy Award ceremony host Billy Crystal (When Harry Met Sally…), ceremony producer Don Mischer and head writer Bruce Vilanch, as well as former Academy executive director Bruce Davis and cinematographer and Board of Governors member John Bailey (As Good as It Gets). The special will also include a chat with TCM host, author and Academy Awards historian Robert Osborne, whose book 85 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards is set to be released Oct. 29 from Abbeville Press.

85th Academy Awards, Set Ups

OSCAR will not only tell the history of the Academy Awards, but also highlight the relationship between the honored movies and major historical events and trends. Woven throughout the narrative will be segments about the major categories, including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture, as well as sidebars about the annual parade of fashions on the red carpet, memorable host monologues and emotion-packed tributes.

“We’re delighted to partner with TCM on this extraordinary 85-year history of the Academy Awards,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “Rob and Jeffrey are in the midst of producing a fantastic showcase of special Oscar moments that will take audiences on a memorable cinematic journey.”

“I can think of no better way to celebrate more than 85 years of Oscar than by telling the story of the Academy Awards,” said Jeff Gregor, general manager of TCM and chief marketing officer for TCM, TNT and TBS. “And there’s no network that can tell that story like TCM. We’re proud to make the February 2014 premiere of OSCAR the centerpiece of TCM’s annual 31 Days of Oscar, where it will be surrounded by a carefully curated lineup of more than 300 Academy Award-winning and nominated films.”

OSCAR is one of several major programming events leading up to TCM’s 20th anniversary in April 2014.

http://www.oscars.org/

31daysofoscar

LEGO Scenes of Best Picture Oscar Nominated Films

With the coming 83rd Annual Academy Awards ceremony, Alex Eylar has used LEGOs to recreate scenes from each of the ten movies nominated for Best Picture. Some of them are easy to guess, others aren’t quite so obvious, but they’re all darn cool! Although, now I kinda wanna see someone follow this up with a Mr. Potato Head version…

I love seeing creative people who use whimsical ways to honor the things they love. While we’re on the subject, I thought I might as well throw out another master of whimsical motion picture homage in The Clay Guy. He creates hand-crafted clay sculptures of all the greatest icons from motion picture history.

Check out all the nifty LEGO recreations at gawker.com

Oscar Ballots Sent Out Today

Award season is in full swing!

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences mails out their ballots for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards today. If you are one of the lucky people that get the privilege to vote, or are just plain curious, the ballots must be returned by January 14th at 5pm (PT). In other words… no slacking!

Nominees will be announced on January 25th. The Awards will be lined up and ready to be handout out live on February 27th. The 83rd Annual Academy Awards will be Hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway.

15 Documentaries Make the Oscar Cut

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I’m sure if you analyze and dissect the rules for eligibility, you’ll find some kind of loophole that kept films like  CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY, ANVIL!: THE STORY OF ANVIL, and CRUDE off this list of finalists for Best Documentary Feature.

Maybe it’s not based on eligibility at all.  Maybe those movies just didn’t make the cut, which, in my opinion, and a lot of other people’s, as well, is a shame.  This isn’t even taking into account some of the festival docs that didn’t make the cut, films like PULLING JOHN, WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, and THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD.    Politics wins out once again (as if there was every going to be a question of it), and here are the list of 15 films that have moved on in the voting process:

  • THE BEACHES OF AGNES directed by Agnès Varda
  • BURMA VJ directed by Anders Østergaard
  • THE COVE directed by Louie Psihoyos
  • EVERY LITTLE STEP directed by James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo
  • FACING ALI directed by Pete McCormack
  • FOOD, INC. directed by Robert Kenner
  • GARBAGE DREAMS directed by Mai Iskander
  • LIVING IN EMERGENCY: STORIES OF DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS directed by Mark N. Hopkins
  • THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS directed by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
  • MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN directed by Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey
  • SERGIO directed by Greg Barker
  • SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman
  • UNDER OUR SKIN directed by Andy Abrahams Wilson
  • VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR directed by Matt Tyrnauer
  • WHICH WAY HOME directed by Rebecca Cammisa

The final five nominations will be announced on February 2nd.

For Your Consideration… ‘Stuck Like Chuck’

I hope you’re all  enjoying Scott’s video blogs from Sundance. If you’re like me, you are probably growing more and more jealous of him with each blog he posts. Instead of attending Sundance, I am stuck in New York, which I hear is currently colder than Park City. At least I have been getting some writing done. I also recently completed a video of my own. This month’s promo video for Stuck Like Chuck went up this past weekend.

The video is our submission to the Academy for nomination in the category for Best Original Screenplay. Regardless of the fact that the film has not yet been released, has no affiliation with the Academy or any other unions, and nominations have already been cast, I still thought I’d give it a shot. For Your Consideration†¦

I hope you enjoyed it. As always, let me know what you think. And if you are wondering, watching the conversation as a third party member, I now agree with Patrick. Next month will be our Valentine’s Day Special.

Jerry Cavallaro -Â  www.AreYouStuckLikeChuck.com

‘The Dark Knight’ begins push for Heath Ledger

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

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

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

‘The Dark Knight’ Score Disqualified from Academy Awards


So, it’s not been a good week to be someone who worked on ‘The Dark Knight’.   First off, your film is getting sued by the mayor of a little town called Batman, Turkey for name infringement (see that article here), and, now, your film is getting one less Oscar nomination than it deserves.

The executive committee of the Academy music branch (all 2 of them?) have decided to disqualify the score for ‘The Dark Knight’ from Academy Award competition.   The reasoning?   Too many chefs in the kitchen.   Apparently, five names were listed as composers on the music cue sheet, the official studio document that specifies every piece of music in the film.

Composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard collaborated on the music, but, evidently, multiple names were listed on the cue sheet as a way to financially reward parts of the music team.   This cue sheet is used by performing-rights societies in order to disperse royalties.   Zimmer; Howard; music editor, Alex Gibson; ambient music designer, Mel Wesson; and composer, Lorne Balfe all signed an affidavit stating that the score was primarily the work of Zimmer and Howard.

That wasn’t enough to dissuade the committee from disqualifying the film’s score.   Documentation was supplied to the committee stating that more than 60%, but less than 70%, of ‘The Dark Knight’s score was credited to Zimmer and Howard.

Just for your information, here are the rules for eligibility for Best Musical Score:

B.   ELIGIBILITY

1.   The work must be specifically created for the eligible feature-length motion picture.

2.   The work must be the result of a creative interaction between the filmmaker(s) and the composer(s) or songwriter(s) who have been engaged to work directly on the film.

3.   The measure of the work’s qualification shall be its effectiveness, craftsmanship, creative substance and relevance to the dramatic whole.

4.   The work must be recorded for use in the film prior to any other usage, including public performance or exploitation through any media whatsoever.

5.   Only the principal composer(s) or songwriter(s) responsible for the conception and execution of the work as a whole shall be eligible for an award.   This expressly excludes from eligibility all of the following:

a)Â   supervisors

b)Â   partial contributors (e.g., any writer not responsible for the overall design of the work)

c)Â   contributors working on speculation

d)Â   scores diluted by the use of tracked themes or other pre-existing music

e)Â   scores diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs

f)Â   scores assembled from the music of more than one composer.

6.   No more than two statuettes will normally be given in the Original Song category.   A third statuette may be awarded when there are three essentially equal contributors to a song.

7. The Executive Committee shall resolve all rules interpretations and all questions of eligibility.

8. It is within the sole and confidential discretion of the Board of Governors to determine what awards, if any, shall be given.

So, what do you think about this ruling?   Let us know below!

Source: Variety