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‘Shutter Island’ to premiere at Berlin fest
Doesn’t it feel like an eternity ago that we were talking about the possibilities for “Shutter Island” in this year’s Oscar race? I’m still sulking, frankly. Still, compensation for the delay arrives...
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If I had a ballot
Every year I like to keep track of personal favorites throughout the Academy’s designated categories (plus one of my own addition, Best Ensemble). At the end of the year, my “if I had a ballot” post is...
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THE LONG SHOT: The next best thing
As the season hits its stride, and precursors turn murky perceptions of pack leaders and stragglers into harder realities, I find myself wondering how I would fill out my ballot if I were an Academy...
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SAG predictions, redux
Kris is too smart to go there but, undeterred by my less-than-stellar Globes showing, I will. Principally, I admit, because I feel like going on record with my odd conviction that “The Messenger” will...
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12/17 Oscarweb Round-up
• Anthony Breznican writes up the year in varied animated features. [USA Today] • David Thomson on the death of method acting. [Wall Street Journal] • Tom O’Neil chats up “The Messenger” star Ben...
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‘Air,’‘Basterds,’‘Precious’ lead the way with SAG
There wasn’t much in the way of a surprise with this year’s Screen Actors Guild announcement. The nods that are least likely to translate to Oscar, if I were a betting man, are Diane Kruger’s...
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12/18 Oscarweb Round-up
• Anne Thompson reports that there is no “official” costume designer on “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” so anyone holding out longshot hope for its Oscar chances in that field can go ahead and focus elsewhere....
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Best in show: the year in superlatives
Wrapping up my perspective on the year today, a personal list of superlatives, Oscar categories and other silly nonsense. Swing back around on Monday for the ultimate wrap-up, my list of the best films...
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OFF THE CARPET: A spade is a spade
Oscar ballots are being mailed to AMPAS members today. So now is the time to pay attention to the buzz, as most ballots are returned within the first couple of weeks (which says everything you need to...
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Karger goes out on a limb for ‘The Messenger’
In the last week or two, the buzz for Rob Marshall’s “Nine” has, undeniably, plummeted. It took a while for it to get to that point. The first screening was held nearly a month and a half ago in New...
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WEEKLY WRAP: ‘Avatar’ leads, ‘Nine’ falls, more lists
There was no wrap last Friday, what with Christmas capping a dead calm news week. So here are the highlights of the last fortnight: • Off the Carpet returned from its Christmas vacation to survey the...
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OFF THE CARPET: Why it should be ‘The Messenger’
The writing is on the wall. “Nine” is on the precipice, teetering, on the brink of falling from the Best Picture ranks, 10 nominees or not. Speculation flies as to which film will be the beneficiary...
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WGA on the way
With the DGA, SAG and PGA out of the way, it’s on to the fourth and final of the major guild announcements: the Writers Guild of America, which announces Monday. The WGA has seemingly instituted a...
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WEEKLY WRAP: Guilds, lists and disqualifications
• In a big week for precursor announcements, the DGA nominations were the biggest — and least surprising. • The PGA, meanwhile, found room for all three of the year’s hot sci-fi titles in its nominee...
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Woody Harrelson gets some quality ink
Of course I’ve been singing Woody Harrelson’s praises in “The Messenger” since day one, and thankfully, after a shove into the race with National Board of Review recognition, he’s been on a relatively...
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Oscars in The Times
Fresh on the heels of a page one Mo’Nique story, The New York Times has unleashed its annual Oscar package, great stuff as always. Manohla Dargis leads the girl-power charge with an appreciation of...
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1/14 Oscarweb Round-up
• Buzz Aldrin, Willie Nelson and more comment on the accuracy of a number of the season’s contenders. [Variety] • Peter Jackson and Stanley Tucci talk “The Lovely Bones.” [FearNet] • Brooks Barnes...
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THE LONG SHOT: The pre-nomination shuffle
This, ladies and gentlemen, will be the last Long Shot column I write before the 2009 Academy Award nominations are announced, and it’s not just because it’s the column’s 17th week that the well of...
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The bright side
Well, I’ll start the good news selfishly, by noting that I didn’t entirely embarrass myself with my predictions: not counting the short categories (which I was too cowardly and uninformed to predict) I...
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10 snubs that sting
I’ve already highlighted my favorite aspects of this morning’s Oscar nominations. Still, before we move into Phase Two, I’d like to give one final respectful nod to the could-have-beens — the names...
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