First Listen~ Mariah Carey “Almost Home”

Fresh from her new gig as an American Idol judge, Grammy winner Mariah Carey doesn’t want fans to forget her primary job~ that of an iconic pop star. To wit, this week she release a brand new single, “Almost Home”, that also serves as the anthem to the big new Disney adventure Oz the Great and Powerful. The single is hopeful and contemporary and showcases more of her lovely middle register without all of her crazy high octaves. Don’t worry, you won’t miss them as this is arguably her best song in several years. “Home” is available now at digital outlets now while Oz the Great and Powerful starring Oscar nominees James Franco and Michelle Williams, Golden Globe nominee Mila Kunis and Oscar winner Rachel Weisz hits theaters on March 8…. Check out Mariah’s latest below and let me know if you love it and how you think she’s doing on Idol. (By the by, I’m enjoying her quite a bit in her full divalicious mode.)

Mariah Carey “Almost Home”

Get Ready to Return to “Oz”

As you all know, The Wizard of Oz is an iconic and incredibly beloved film. It’s been a touchstone in filmmaking for the ages and has inspired tons of books, works of art and a Tony Award winning musical, Wicked…. Now, Hollywood is ready to take us back to Oz with a new spin on the classic tale. This one is called Oz: The Great and Powerful and stars Oscar nominee James Franco, Oscar winner Rachel Weisz, three time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams and Golden Globe nominee Mila Kunis. Spider-man director Sam Raimi directs this adventure which could be considered a prequel to the original film as it follows a magician (Franco) who is flown away to the fantastical world of Oz during a tornado, and there he meets the three witches played by Weisz, Williams and Kunis. The first trailer for Oz just hit the web and it looks pretty fantastic. Check it out below and watch for the film to hit theaters next March.

Oz: The Great and Powerful

Say No to Hate with Adele and “Brokeback Mountain”

Check out this incredible new video clip by Gomnitus that mashes up Grammy winning superstar Adele and the wonderful and powerful film Brokeback Mountain. The clip was made to promote the “Say No to Hate” campaign which fights bullying and promotes equality. It’s a beautiful marriage of a transcendent song and film. I still can’t believe Brokeback didn’t win Best Picture losing to the far inferior Crash. (For that matter, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams should’ve won that year too. At least it nabbed Director for Ang Lee, Screenplay and Score). On the other hand, this film has become a classic and an enduring love story for all time. Just try not to shed a tear when you watch. And continue to fight for equality by heading to sites like It Gets Better and GLAAD.

“Someone Like You/Brokeback Mountain“

The Artist and Michelle Williams have the Independent Spirit

Oscar front-runner The Artist continued to dominate this awards season as it picked up four awards at today’s Independent Spirit Awards honoring the best in independent cinema. The films all had to be made and financed in the U.S. with a budget under $20 million to be eligible (hence, Hugo, War Horse and The Help, etc were not in contention… nor was British funded The Iron Lady). Along with Best Feature, The Artist took home Best Director, Cinematography and Best Actor for Jean Dujardin (who I think will nab tomorrow’s Oscar). In the other acting fields, Michelle Williams followed up her Golden Globe win for My Week with Marilyn in the Lead Actress category while Christopher Plummer won Supporting Actor for Beginners as he has done pretty much everywhere this season. Oscar snubbed Shailene Woodley won Supporting Actress for The Descendants which also took home the screenplay prize. For more on all the winners, head to the Indie Spirit site here and check out all the winners below.

2012 Independent Spirit Award Winners:

Best Feature Film: The Artist
Best Director: Michael Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Best Actress: Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Best Supporting Actress: Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)
Best Screenplay: The Descendants
Best Cinematography: The Artist
Best International Film: A Separation
Best Documentary: The Interrupters
Best First Feature: Margin Call
Best First Screenplay: 50/50
John Cassavetes Award for Best Feature (under $500,000 budget): Pariah
Robert Altman Award (given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast): Margin Call

The Artist, Tinker Tailor, Hugo and Marilyn lead the BAFTA Nominations

To no one’s surprise, the little silent French movie that could, The Artist, led this morning’s BAFTA nominations (i.e.: the British Oscars) nabbing 12 bids. However, it’s a little bit of a surprise that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was right behind with 11 noms. That film certainly benefits from being a British production and is the only movie contending for Best Picture and Best British Picture. My Week with Marilyn is up for the latter and grabbed 6 nods including acting bids for Michelle WIlliams, Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. The other big contender was Hugo with 9 nominations., but it missed Best Picture… Other snubs this morning included Leonardo DiCaprio, Shailene Woodley, Albert Brooks, Rooney Mara, Charlize Theron, Ryan Gosling, Elizabeth Olsen and the ladies of Albert Nobbs (However, Glenn Close and Janet McTeer and the Nobbs film were ineligible because the film has yet to open in Britain)…. One other interesting note has The Artist’s Berenice Bejo competing in the Lead Actress race instead of Supporting. Could this be a harbinger of things to come at the Oscars? We will see, but for now take a look at all the nominees below.

2012 BAFTA Nominations:
Best Film
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Help
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Film Not in the English Language
Incendies
Pina
Potiche
A Separation
The Skin I Live In

Outstanding British Film
My Week with Marilyn
Senna
Shame
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Director
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Tomas Alfredson, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Lynne Ramsay, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Leading Actor
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame

Leading Actress
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Viola Davis, The Help

Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Jim Broadbent, The Iron Lady
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Ides of March

Supporting Actress
Carey Mulligan, Drive
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Judi Dench, My Week with Marilyn
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Original Screenplay
The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Guard
The Iron Lady
Midnight in Paris
Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants
The Help
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Cinematography
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Editing
The Artist
Drive
Hugo
Senna
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy

Production Design
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Make Up & Hair
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
The Iron Lady
My Week with Marilyn

Costume Design
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Special Visual Effects
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
War Horse

Documentary
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Project Nim
Senna

Sound
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Original Music
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Animated Film
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Arthur Christmas
Rango
Outstanding British Debut by a Director or Producer
Joe Cornish, Attack the Block
Will Sharpe, Tom Kingsley, Sarah Brocklehurst, Black Pond
Ralph Fiennes, Coriolanus
Richard Ayouade, Submarine
Paddy Considine & Diarmid Scrimshaw, Tyrannosaur

The Artist, The Descendants, Meryl and Madonna win Big at the Golden Globes

Well, Madonna sure did piss off Elton John at tonight’s Golden Globe Awards… No, not because of anything she said, but because she won the award for Best Original song for her gorgeous track from W.E.,”Masterpiece”. It beat Elton’s track from Gnomeo and Juliet and boy, did he have a disgruntled face if I’ve ever seen one. That was just one fun highlight from a night that saw few surprises, but was rather entertaining as a whole. Ricky Gervais returned as host and was quite funny but not as controversial as last year and was only bleeped once I think. Heck, Meryl Streep was bleeped too! Speaking of Streep, she won her 8th Globe for Lead Actress in a Drama for The Iron Lady while Michelle Williams won for Lead Actress in a Musical or Comedy. These wins, along with Viola Davis’s win at the Critics Choice Awards on Thursday, are making it a real horse race for the Best Actress race… Best Actor could be tight between tonight’s two winners as well, George Clooney for Drama and Jean Dujardin for Musical or Comedy. Both of their films won as well with The Descendants taking Drama and The Artist nabbing the trophy for Musical or Comedy. The latter film won the most awards with a third for Best Score…. Christopher Plummer and Octavia Spencer continued their winning runs in the supporting category while Martin Scorsese pulled out a surprise win for Director for Hugo.

On the TV front, Modern Family and Homeland won the series awards while Downton Abbey won TV Movie/Miniseries. There were several acting surprises though, both good (Matt LeBlanc) and bad (Kelsey Grammar~ no offense to his work, but how on Earth did he beat Bryan Cranston and Damian Lewis, argh!!!) Also, Laura Dern pulled out a little bit of a shocker for Lead actress in a Comedy over front runners Zooey Deschanel, Amy Poehler and last year’s winner Laura Linney. For more on the show, head to the Globes site here and take a look at all the winners below.

 

2012 Golden Globe Winners:
Best Picture (Drama): The Descendants
Best Actor in a Movie (Drama): George Clooney, The Descendants
Best Picture (Comedy or Musical): The Artist
Best Actress in a Movie (Drama): Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best Actor in a Movie (Comedy or Musical): Jean Dujardin, The Artist
 Best TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Modern Family
Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Best Supporting Actress in a Movie: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Actor in a TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Best Actress in a TV Series (Drama): Claire Danes, Homeland
Best Foreign Language Movie: A Separation (Iran)
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie: Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Best Screenplay: Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
Best Animated Movie: The Adventures of Tintin
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Best Actress in a Movie (Comedy or Musical): Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Idris Elba, Luther
Best Original Song: “Masterpiece,” W.E.
Best Original Score: Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Best TV Series (Drama): Homeland
Best Actor in a TV Series (Drama): Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
Best Miniseries or TV Movie: Downton Abbey
Best Actress in a TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Laura Dern, Enlightened
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie: Christopher Plummer, Beginners

And here’s the song that made Elton so mad. (Mary J. Blige didn’t look too happy either when she lost the category as well by the way)… Madonna’s “Masterpiece” from W.E.

The Artist and The Help win big at the Critics Choice Awards

The Artist and The Help just picked up some serious ammunition as they continue their Oscar march with both films winning big at tonight’s Critics Choice Awards. The Artist won four awards including Best Picture and Director (Michael Hazanavicus) while The Help took home three: Best Acting Ensemble, Best Actress (Viola Davis) and Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer). I have to say Davis easily had the best speech of the night and now has to be seen as the biggest threat to take the Academy Award from Meryl Streep. Both ladies will be competing at Sunday’s Golden Globes too where I think Streep may prevail. (And to make things interesting Michelle Williams who lost here tonight should win at the Globes since she’s in the Musical/Comedy category not Drama like her peers. This is a serious race!)… The other big honors went to George Clooney for Best Actor and Christopher Plummer for Best Supporting Actor. Take a look at all the winners including Bridesmaids for Best Comedy and Thomas Horn (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close) for best Younger Actor/Actress below and head to the BFCA website for more info here.

2012 Critics Choice Award Winners:

Best Picture The Artist
Best Director Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Best Actor George Clooney, The Descendants
Best Actress Viola Davis, The Help
Best Supporting Actor Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Original Screenplay Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Best Adapted Screenplay Aaron Sorkin & Steven Zaillain, Moneyball
Best Acting Ensemble The Help
Best Animated Film Rango
Best Foreign Language Film A Separation
Best Documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Best Comedy Bridesmaids
Best Action Movie Drive
Best Young Actor/Actress Thomas Horn, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Best Makeup Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part 2
Best Song “Life’s A Happy Song,” The Muppets
Best Costume Design The Artist
Best Score The Artist
Best Editing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Best Sound Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Best Visual Effects Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Best Art Direction Hugo
Best Cinematography (tie) War Horse and The Tree of Life

Brad, Michelle and The Artist wow the Boston Critics

We really have a big Oscar race on our hands. With each critics group announcements, we are getting a big variety of winners making for one heck of an awards derby. Yesterday the Boston Society of Film Critics heralded their choices which included The Artist, Brad Pitt, Michelle Williams, Albert Brooks and Melissa McCarthy (yay, that’s two wins for the Bridesmaids star!). Check out all the winners below including the cast of Carnage who won their first big kudo for Best Ensemble.

Boston Society of Film Critics Award Winners:

Best Picture
The Artist

Best Actor
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Actress
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks, Drive

Best Supporting Actress
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

Best Director
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Screenplay
Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin, Moneyball

Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life

Best Documentary
Project Nim

Best Foreign-Language Film
Incendies

Best Animated Film
Rango

Best Film Editing
Christian Marclay, The Clock
(awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer)

Best New Filmmaker
Sean Durkin, Martha Marcy May Marlene
(awarded in memory of David Brudnoy)

Best Ensemble Cast
Carnage   (John C. Riley, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, Kate Winslet)

Best Use of Music in a Film
Tie: Drive and The Artist

Vampires, Penguins and Muppets Oh My~ it’s the Thanksgiving Box Office

Hello readers. I hope you had a great holiday weekend and stuffed your face repeatedly like I did. Perhaps ya’ll caught a movie or two. If you did, you likely saw one of two movies as the vampires and werewolves of Twilight and The Muppets dominated the box office. Despite another downturn weekend at the turnstiles, both films did quite well with Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 taking in $62 million over five days for a big total of $221 million to date. Disney’s reboot of The Muppets (which is awesome and hilarious by the way, Grade: A) opened to a strong $42 million far out-distancing the other newcomers. Grabbing middling grosses were two new family films with Arthur Christmas landing $17 million and the visually astounding Hugo taking in just $15 million. Both were beat by the second weekend of the disappointing Happy Feet Two which nabbed $18 million for a total of $ $43 million (that film will not come close to its predecessors total and will struggle to reach the century mark). The good news for all three of those films, and The Muppets, is that the holiday season sees strong legs for these family titles. So they should hold up well in the long run… Opening well in limited release was the charming My Week With Marilyn, featuring an Oscar worthy turn by Michelle Williams, which took in $2 million on just 244 screens. Also doing very well in limited release were The Descendants, The Artist and A Dangerous Method. For more on all these numbers, head to Box Office Mojo here and check out the new top ten below.

TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week #
1 1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 Sum. $62,321,838 -54.9% 4,066 +5 $15,328 $221,300,000 $110 2
2 – The Muppets BV $42,000,000 – 3,440 – $12,209 $42,000,000 $45 1
3 2 Happy Feet Two WB $18,369,613 -13.5% 3,606 – $5,094 $43,773,000 – 2
4 – Arthur Christmas Sony $17,000,000 – 3,376 – $5,036 $17,000,000 – 1
5 – Hugo Par. $15,380,000 – 1,277 – $12,044 $15,380,000 – 1
6 4 Jack and Jill Sony $14,109,832 +20.2% 3,029 -409 $4,658 $57,417,000 $79 3
7 3 Immortals Rela. $12,529,900 +1.4% 2,677 -443 $4,681 $68,632,000 $75 3
8 5 Puss in Boots P/DW $10,377,647 -3.9% 3,005 -410 $3,453 $135,361,000 $130 5
9 6 Tower Heist Uni. $10,193,295 +43.5% 2,474 -468 $4,120 $65,380,000 $75 4
10 10 The Descendants FoxS $9,235,106 +676.0% 433 +404 $21,328 $10,741,000 – 2

My Ridiculously Early October Oscar Predictions

Every year the Oscar race really revs up with the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals in late August/early September and then the forecasting begins in earnest. So, as we’re already into the middle of October, I feel like it’s time to weigh in. Sure, it seems ridiculously early to predict who’s gonna get nominated, but there are a few obvious front-runners for nods from films that have already hit theatres including The Help, Brad Pitt and Moneyball and Christopher Plummer in Beginners. So who else might be joining them? Take a look below and give me your thoughts. Then watch for my updated predictions in the weeks ahead.

My Ridiculously Early October Oscar Predictions~

Best Picture:
The Artist
The Descendents
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
J. Edgar
Moneyball
War Horse
~spoilers: The Adventures of Tin Tin, The Ides of March, Midnight in Paris, The Iron Lady, My Week with Marilyn

*Note : this year the rules have changed again and the Best Picture nominees will vary from 5-10 films depending on the amount of support they get. (There’s a whole lot of weird math mumbojumbo involved). I feel like it will end up with 7 or 8.

Best Actor:
George Clooney (The Descendants)
Leonardo DiCaprio ( J. Edgar)
Woody Harrelson (Rampart)
Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
~spoilers: Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March), Michael Shannon (Take Shelter), Michael Fassbender (Shame), Joseph Gordon Levitt (50/50), Matt Damon (We Bought A Zoo)

Best Actress:
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
Viola Davis (The Help)
Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)
~spoilers: Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Charlize Theron (Young Adult), Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin), Felicity Jones (Like Crazy)

Best Supporting Actor:
Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn)
Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady)
Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Max Von Sydow (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)
~spoilers: Christoph Waltz (Carnage), Nick Nolte (Warrior), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), David Thewliss (War Horse), Albert Brooks (Drive), Armie Hammer (J. Edgar)

Best Supporting Actress:
Sandra Bullock (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Judi Dench (J. Edgar)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Robin Wright (Rampart)
~spoilers: Evan Rachel Wood (The Ides of March), Kate Winslet (Carnage), Vanessa Redgrave (Coriolanus), Emily Watson (War Horse), Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs), Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life), Sissy Spacek (The Help), Robin Wright (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)

Best Director:
Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)
Clint Eastwood (J. Edgar)
David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Alexander Payne (The Descendants)
Steven Speilberg (War Horse)
~spoilers: Bennett Miller (Moneyball), George Clooney (The Ides of March), Michel Hazanvicius (The Artist), Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)

Adapted Screenplay:
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Moneyball
War Horse
~spoilers: The Ides of March, Coriolanus, My Week with Marilyn, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Original Screenplay:
The Artist
Beginners
The Descendants
J. Edgar
Midnight in Paris
~spoilers: Young Adult, The Iron Lady, Rampart, Martha Marcy May Marlene, We Bought a Zoo