Santa Barbara Film Festival to present Rooney Mara, Shailene Woodley and more with Virtuosos Award

January 5, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards 1 Comment

As awards season rolls on towards Oscar, the Santa Barbara Film Festival jumps into the fray to honor some standout performances of the year. The six recipients have all garnered critical praise and are all deserving of awards attention, but let’s face it, they all seem to be longshots for that elusive Oscar, so it’s nice to see them get rewarded for their brilliant work elsewhere. Via press release: “The actors who were selected to be recognized for their exceptional performances are: Demián Bichir for his earnest portrayal as Carlos, a virtuous father struggling to provide for his son in A Better Life; Rooney Mara for her dark and provocative performance as Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; Melissa McCarthy for her role as the hilariously outspoken Megan in Bridesmaids; Patton Oswalt for masterfully navigating between the realms of comedy and drama as Matt Freehauf in Young Adult; Andy Serkis for stepping into the mind and body of an ape through his master of performance-capture technology in his role as Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes; and Shailene Woodley for bringing an emotional complexity to a character rarely seen at her age as Alexandra in The Descendants.”

Part breakout, part performance, the Virtuoso Award went to Lesley Manville, John Hawkes, Jacki Weaver and Hailee Steinfeld last year, three out of four of whom actually did go on to score Oscar nominations. This year’s recipients will be fetted on Friday, February 3rd. Other stars being honored by the Festival include Viola Davis, who gets the Performer of the Year award while Christopher Plummer will receive the Modern Master award.

London Critics Circle nominate Gosling, Fassbender and add some fresh new names to the awards season

December 20, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Awards Leave a comment

Critic’s Circles and Guilds across America have already begun their awards season but today has brought the first set of critics nominations from across the pond in Britain, courtesy of the London Critics’ Circle, and we’re pleased to see some fresh rising stars joining those we’ve already come to expect.

The Best Actress category brings the two big surprises, with Kirsten Dunst being nominated for her stunning performance in Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” – a role which won her Best Actress at Cannes – and Anna Paquin, in the little-seen but much-hyped “Margaret.”

Similar to the BCFA Critics Choice Awards, the London Critics Circle has a category focusing specifically on young rising British stars. Nominated this year are John Boyega (“Attack the Block”), Jeremy Irvine (“War Horse”), Yasmin Paige (“Submarine”), Craig Roberts (“Submarine”) and Saoirse Ronan (“Hanna”).

One film which has been mostly left out in the cold this awards season is Tomas Alfredson’s brilliant crime thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, which stars some of Britain’s most exciting rising stars. But it leads the pack here with six nominations, including Best Director and Best Actor for Gary Oldman. Also with six nominations is Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive” starring Ryan Gosling. Gosling was nominated in the Best Actor category, and joining him in this category are some more familiar names – Jean Dujardin for “The Artist” and Michael Fassbender, for both “Shame” and “A Dangerous Method. “

The London Critics’ Circle Film Awards will reveal their winners on Thursday, January 19th. The full list of nominations are below.

Golden Globe nominations: “The Artist”, “50/50″, Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara and more

December 15, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards Leave a comment

More twists and turns in this exciting awards season this morning as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced their nominees for the Golden Globe Awards. This season’s frontrunner, “The Artist”, continues to dominate, leading with five nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Jean Dujardin and Best Supporting Actress for Berenice Bejo. Also still full speed ahead is “The Help”, which landed four nominations. The big surprise and a major boost goes to “The Ides of March”, which garnered three nominations, Best Picture and Best Actor for Ryan Gosling (who is also nominated in the Musical or Comedy category for “Crazy Stupid Love”). One of our favorites of the year, “50/50″, also got some play, with surprise nomination for Best Picture, Musical or Comedy and a Best Actor for Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

After being snubbed by the SAG Awards yesterday, Rooney Mara (Best Actress for “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), Michael Fassbender (Best Actor for “Shame”) and Shailene Woodley (Best Supporting Actress for “The Descendants”) all showed up here as well. But of course, to make room for them, others must be “snubbed”, and this time around, Melissa McCarthy was the one left out of the Best Supporting Actress noms, which also included Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer for “The Help.”

Full list of nominations are below.

“The Help” leads SAG Awards nominations; Jonah Hill in, Shailene Woodley out

December 14, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards 3 Comments

The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards have announced the nominees for the 2011 year in film. Summer blockbuster drama “The Help” leads the way with four well deserved nominations, including breakout stars Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer for Best Supporting Actress. “The Artist” also continues to dominate, with Jean Dujardin (Best Actor) and Berenice Bejo (Best Supporting Actress) both landing nods, as well as the entire ensemble. Snubbed in the Supporting Actress category is Shailene Woodley, who gave a brave and powerful performance in Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants.” The film did garner two nominations, and Woodley is still represented in its Best Ensemble nomination.

Looking less and less like a longshot every day and with every new announcement, Melissa McCarthy landed another Best Supporting Actress nod, but the big surprise may be “Bridesmaids” itself, which also landed on Best Ensemble, to the snub of plenty of other, perhaps more serious, Oscar hopefuls. Another surprise but welcome inclusion is Jonah Hill, a formerly broadly comedic actor himself, landing a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his dramatic turn in “Moneyball” opposite Brad Pitt (Best Actor nominee). Also showing up unexpectedly is Armie Hammer for his role in Clint Eastwood’s critically panned “J. Edgar.” It perhaps shows some strong support within the industry for the film, as Leonardo DiCaprio landed a Best Actor nomination as well, to the frustration of Michael Fassbender/”Shame” fans everywhere (including here).

The full list of nominations, including TV categories, are below.

Seth Rogen to host the Film Independent Spirit Awards

December 13, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards 1 Comment

Announced via press release today, “50/50″ star Seth Rogen will provide hosting duties at 2012′s Film Independent Spirit Awards. The film itself is nominated for three awards, Best Feature, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Anjelica Huston.

The 27th annual awards ceremony will be held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica on Saturday, February 25, and the premiere broadcast will air later that evening at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on IFC.

SETH ROGEN TO SERVE AS HOST FOR
2012 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

LOS ANGELES (December 13, 2011) – Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced that Seth Rogen will serve as host for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The 27th annual awards ceremony will be held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica on Saturday, February 25, and the premiere broadcast will air later that evening at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on IFC.

Diana Zahn-Storey, a longtime executive producer of the Film Independent Spirit Awards will be returning this year. After executive producing the show for fifteen years and the Los Angeles Film Festival for eight, Diana left Film Independent in 2009 to co-found Nuts-n-Bolts Productions. Over the past two years, Nuts-n-Bolts has produced several events including the Children Mending Hearts Peace Please Gala, Los Angeles Point Honors Gala and the treats! Magazine Launch party. In past years, Diana has worked on the PacSun Summer Solstice Beach Ballyhoo, the 2010 Glee premiere and the 2010 Entertainment Weekly Emmy Party, in conjunction with Larry Abel Designs. Diana has more than twenty-five years experience in film, television and event production.

Read more

Asa Butterfield, Elle Fanning, Thomas Horn, Ezra Miller and more nominated for Critics Choice Awards

December 13, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Awards 5 Comments

From one Critics Society’s nominations to another, and today the Broadcast Film Critics Association’s Critics Choice Awards. Once again The Artist and Hugo lead the pack with eleven nominations each – and a surprise but hugely welcome nomination for Melissa McCarty in the Best Supporting Actress category for her performance in Bridesmaids.

There has been a slow buzz around McCarthy’s performance and we have previously commented on her Oscar chances. This new nomination follows on from awards from the Boston Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics.

Elizabeth Olsen gains another Best Actress nomination for the outstanding Martha Marcy May Marlene, and TV star Patton Oswalt garners a further nomination for his supporting role alongside Charlize Theron in Young Adult.

Most notably, the Broadcast Film Critics have a category focusing specifically on the best young actor or actress of the year. This year they’ve chosen some of our favorite performances of the year – and a surprise choice of Saoirse Ronan in the little talked about Hanna. Also nominated are Asa Butterfield (Hugo), Elle Fanning (Super 8), Thomas Horn (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close), Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin) and Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)

Click below for the full list of nominees. The awards ceremony will be televised on VH1 on January 12th 2012.

San Diego Film Critics Society nominate Shailene Woodley, Brit Marling and more

December 13, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Awards Leave a comment

Another day and another set of announcements from film critics – this time around, the San Diego Film Critics Society and their nominees for this year’s “excellence in film”.

We have the usual suspects leading the pack with The Artist and Hugo both picking up a slew of nominations – eight for The Artist including Best Film, Director for Michel Hazanavicius and Actor for Jean Dujardin, and seven for Hugo with Best Film, Director for Martin Scorsese and Adapted Screenplay – but also several surprises, including Brit Marling for Best Actress in one of our favorite films of the year, Another Earth.

One look at the Best Actress category shows us that we could be looking at a rising star winner there. Alongside Marling is another Sundance breakout, Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene), as well as Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn) and Viola Davis (The Help).

We’re also pleased to see Shailene Woodley nominated for her supporting role in The Descendants, furthering her Oscar chances after garnering several other nominations from the Gotham Awards and Indie Spirits, a well as a win from NBR.

Jessica Chastain (The Help), Melanie Laurent (Beginners), Carey Mulligan (Shame) and Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) round out the Supporting Actress category, guaranteeing the winner will definitely be a rising star.

Click below for a full list of nominees, and check back tomorrow for a full list of the winners.

“The Help” star Octavia Spencer to receive Breakthrough Performance Award at Palm Springs Film Festival

December 7, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards Leave a comment

In further cementing of Octavia Spencer’s status as an Oscar front-runner for her scene-stealing breakout role in “The Help”, it’s been announced today that the actress will receive the Breakthrough Performance Award a the annual Palm Springs Film Festival in January. The event is an annual pit-stop for hopefuls on the long road to Oscar, and this year Spencer will be amongst fellow gold seekers George Clooney, Glenn Close, Michelle Williams and “The Artist” director Michel Hazanavicius, who are all being honored with various acting and filmmaking accolades.

“Octavia Spencer is a consummate actress who seamlessly blends her dramatic and comedic talents, creating performances of uncommon depth,” film festival board chairman Harold Matzner said via press release. “As the irascible Minny in ‘The Help,’ she captures the essence of a woman who deals with life head on, relishing confrontation and serving as a source of courage and humor for those whom she loves.”

Spencer is in good company amongst past winners including Carey Mulligan, Marion Cotillard, Jennifer Hudson, Felicity Huffman and Freida Pinto, most of whom went on to score Oscar nominations and wins. More relevant news to come from the event include the selection of the Rising Star award, which went to Jennifer Lawrence and Anna Kendrick in the past two years, respectively. Could Spencer’s “Help” co-star Jessica Chastain get her moment with that award?

NBR names “Hugo” Best Film, Rooney Mara and Felicity Jones Breakthrough Performers

December 1, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards 2 Comments

So early into the 2012 Award Season and already so many unexpected twists and turns. The National Board of Review, traditionally the first group to announce their winners but upstaged this year by the New York Film Critics, have released their list of the best movies and filmmakers of the year, and there are, once again, some surprises.

Martin Scorsese’s family-friendly 3D love letter to filmmaking, “Hugo”, takes Best Picture honors, with the director also taking Best Director, putting the film firmly into the hunt for a repeat at the Oscars. David Fincher’s highly anticipated and still barely-seen “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” also makes its first showing, listed in NBR’s Top 10 Films of the Year as well as a Breakthrough Performance award for star Rooney Mara. Mara will share the award with Felicity Jones, who lands another Breakthrough award (and another win over “Martha Marcy May Marlene”‘s Elizabeth Olsen) for “Like Crazy.” Jessica Chastain is left out in the cold this time around after dominating early, NBR instead choosing to give Best Supporting Actress to Shailene Woodley for “The Descendants.” Unable to choose between his four incredible performances this year, Michael Fassbender will get a special Spotlight Award for “Jane Eyre”, “X-Men: First Class”, “Shame” and “A Dangerous Method.”

Full list of winners and lists via press release below, thanks to Awards Daily.

“The Artist” wins big with New York Film Critics; Jessica Chastain takes Best Supporting Actress

November 29, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards 1 Comment

“The Artist” is definitely the first big winner of Awards Season 2011. Following on the footsteps of leading the nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards, the New York Film Critics have just announced they have chosen the silent French film their Best Picture of the year, also naming Michel Hazanavicius Best Director. Indie flick “Margin Call”, which has seen a groundswell of support from bloggers who have seen it, also got a big surge by winning Best First Feature.

Meanwhile, one of our favorites, Jessica Chastain, has cemented her status as a major player by winning Best Supporting Actress for three of her performances this year: “The Tree of Life”, “Take Shelter” and “The Help.” The question now becomes which equally deserving performance other organizations who only allow one film per performer per category will choose to honor – and hope there is no vote-splitting.

Overall, it really was the year of the Pitt with “The Tree of Life” and “Moneyball” each taking major categories, and Brad Pitt himself winning Best Actor for both. Meryl Streep edged out the young upstarts by taking Best Actress for “The Iron Lady” while Albert Brooks was a surprise win for Best Supporting Actor for Nicolas Winding Refn’s ultra-violent actioner “Drive.”

Full list of winners below.

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