Now it's Variety's turn to try and do a roundtable. Here's a different batch of actresses in Brie Larsen, Julie Delpy, Greta Gerwig, Kathryn Hahn and Adele Exarchopoulos.
Variety Roundtable: Actresses
AFI Top 10
The American Film Institute announced their top ten movies of the year. They have an excellent record of matching the Oscar Best Picture lineup, so take note:
AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR
- 12 Years a Slave
- American Hustle
- Captain Phillips
- Fruitvale Station
- Gravity
- Her
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- Nebraska
- Saving Mr. Banks
- The Wolf of Wall Street
Yay for Captain Phillips and Fruitvale Station! Surprised The Butler didn't make it here, but to my shock everyone seems to have remembered and chosen Fruitvale Station for these end of the year lists instead. And I'd bet money this is our Best Picture lineup sans Fruitvale only.
Online Film Critics Society Nominations
Actually not a bad bunch here. They spread the wealth and included many contenders not mentioned elsewhere in the critics groups this season. Lots of love for The Wind Rises and finally some attention for Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi:
Best Picture
- 12 Years a Slave
- American Hustle
- Before Midnight
- Blue is the Warmest Color
- Drug War
- Gravity
- Her
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- Short Term 12
- The Wind Rises
Best Director
- Joel and Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis)
- Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)
- Spike Jonze (Her)
- Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
- Hayao Miyazaki (The Wind Rises)
Best Actor
- Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
- Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips)
- Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis)
- Mads Mikkelson (The Hunt)
- Joaquin Phoenix (Her)
Best Actress
- Amy Adams (American Hustle)
- Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
- Julie Delpy (Before Midnight)
- Adele Exarchoppoulos (Blue is the Warmest Color)
- Brie Larsen (Short Term 12)
Best Supporting Actor
- Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
- Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
- Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
- Matthew McConaughey (Mud)
- Sam Rockwell (The Way, Way Back)
Best Supporting Actress
- Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)
- Scarlett Johansson (Her)
- Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
- Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
- Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color)
Original Screenplay
- American Hustle
- Blue Jasmine
- Her
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- Museum Hours
Adapted Screenplay
- 12 Years a Slave
- Before Midnight
- In the House
- Short Term 12
- The Wind Rises
Best Animated Feature
- Despicable Me 2
- From Up on Poppy Hill
- Frozen
- Monsters University
- The Wind Rises
Best Foreign Language Film
- Blue is the Warmest Color
- Drug War
- Museum Hours
- Wadjda
- The Wind Rises
Best Documentary Film
- 56 Up
- The Act of Killing
- At Berkeley
- Blackfish
- Stories We Tell
Best Editing
- 12 Years a Slave
- Drug War
- Gravity
- Her
- Inside Llewyn Davis
Best Cinematography
- 12 Years a Slave
- The Grandmaster
- Gravity
- The Great Beauty
- Inside Llewyn Davis
British Independent Film Award Winners
Yesterday was like the Super Tuesday of awards shows. Here was another one that happened across the pond:
- Best International Independent Film: Blue is the Warmest Color
- Raindance Award: The Machine
- Best Supporting Actor: Ben Mendelsohn (Starred Up)
- Breakthrough Performance: Chloe Pirrie (Shell)
- Short Film: Z1
- Best Supporting Actress: Imogen Poots (The Look of Love)
- Best Achievement in Production: Metro Manila
- Best Documentary: Pussy Riot- A Punk Prayer
- Best Technical Achievement: Amy Hubbard, Casting (The Selfish Giant)
- Best Actor: James McAvoy (Filth)
- Best Actress: Lindsay Duncan (Le Week-end)
- Best Screenplay: Locke
- Best Debut Director: Paul Wright (For Those in Peril)
- Best Director: Sean Ellis (Metro Manila)
- Best British Independent Film: Metro Manila
I guess the most notable thing about these awards as far as the Oscar race is concerned, is that Philomena was totally snubbed, with not even Judi Dench winning in Lead Actress. Could she be the one who's vulnerable in the Best Actress race?
Washington Film Critics- Another One for "12 Years"
12 Years looks like it could sweep the minor critics groups, as the Washington critics went for it completely. Their winners:
- Cinematography: Gravity
- Documentary: Blackfish
- Original Screenplay: Her
- Score: 12 Years a Slave
- Editing: Gravity
- Foreign Language Film: The Broken Circle Breakdown
- Art Direction: The Great Gatsby
- Animated Feature: Frozen
- Best Portrait of Washington: Lee Daniels' The Butler
- Young Performance: Tye Sheridan, Mud
- Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
- Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
- Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
- Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
- Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave
- Acting Ensemble: 12 Years a Slave
- Director: Alfonso Cuaron
- Picture: 12 Years a Slave
L.A. Film Critics Award "Gravity" and "Her" in a Tie for Best Picture
The second most important critics' group in the country has voted today, and has crowned both Gravity and Her as the Best Pictures of the year. That was one of three ties, as Jared Leto tied with James Franco for Supporting Actor, and Cate Blanchett tied with Adele Exarchopoulos for Best Actress. The L.A. critics are hugely influential as far as nominations for Oscars go, so this is a good sign for Exarchopoulos and for Her's chances in Best Picture, after winning both L.A. and NBR, two of the top four critics groups (only the National Society of Film Critics is left).
- Best Production Design: Her (runner-up: Inside Llewyn Davis)
- Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave; (runner-up: June Squibb, Nebraska)
- Best Editing: Gravity (runner-up: Upstream Color)
- Best Cinematography: Gravity (runner-up: Inside Llewyn Davis)
- Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club; James Franco, Spring Breakers (tie)
- Best Animation: Ernest & Celestine (runner-up: The Wind Rises)
- Best Music: Inside Llewyn Davis (runner-up: Her)
- Best Documentary: Stories We Tell (runner-up: The Act of Killing)
- Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity; (runner-up: Spike Jonze, Her)
- Best Actor: Bruce Dern, Nebraska; (runner-up: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave)
- Best Screenplay: Before Midnight (runner-up: Her)
- Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine; Adele Exarchopoulos, Blue is the Warmest Color (tie)
- Best Picture: Gravity, Her (tie)
- Best Foreign Language Film: Blue is the Warmest Color; (runner-up: The Great Beauty)
Alfonso Cuaron received his first kudos from a major critics group, and there was pretty much no love for either American Hustle or The Wolf of Wall Street from the L.A. voters. Because there's no real consensus among the critics this year, the industry and guild awards are going to tell the real story as to who's ahead, and those get started this week, when the Screen Actor's Guild unveils their nominations on Wednesday. Stay tuned.
BOX OFFICE 12/06: 'Frozen' tops 'Catching Fire,' 'Inside Llewyn Davis' Slays in Limited Release
The family audience powered Frozen to a win over Catching Fire this weekend, as it pulled in $31 million to land in the number one spot. That's a 53% drop from last week, giving it a total of $137 million so far. This solid showing should solidify the Disney hit to at least $250 million or more, depending on how well it fares from here (my guess is pretty well, with no big animated releases for the next month). As for Catching Fire, it had a more severe drop this week (most movies do the week after the Thanksgiving holiday), falling 64% to second place with $27 million. Of course, that puts it at a hefty $330 million total after just 17 days, which is massive. It looks likely to finish with exactly the amount of the first movie, $400 million or so (although worldwide will be much more- it's already at $673 million).
Out of the Furnace bombed in wide release, earning just $5 million for the weekend and a terrible "C+" Cinemascore, so don't look for this one to do much more in the coming weeks. But in limited release, Inside Llewyn Davis scored huge, pulling in $400,000 from just 4 screens, which amounts to a $100,000 per screen average. The movie's already a heavy Oscar favorite and will continue to build its buzz as it starts expanding in two weeks to more theaters.
Top 5
- Frozen- $31.6 million
- Catching Fire- $27 million
- Out of the Furnace- $5.3 million
- Thor: The Dark World- $4.7 million
- Delivery Man- $3.8 million
Also in limited release, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba, fell just 8%, which means it may have increased interest after the death of Nelson Mandela this week. Next up it's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, which I think I can safely predict will make a pretty big splash on the charts next weekend. Until then!
New York Film Critics Online Go For "12 Years"
After the Boston Online critics, the New York ones weigh in, and it's another one for 12 Years, which had a big comeback today after a slow start in the awards race, winning Boston Online and the Boston Society, and now New York Online. We'll see if it can pull off a sweep with the L.A. critics, who are the second most important in the country, after NYCC. At least these guys gave Alfonso Cuaron his first win in Director, for Gravity.
- Best Breakthrough Performance: Adele Exarchopoulos (Blue is the Warmest Color)
- Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
- Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
- Best Screenplay: Her
- Best Cinematography: Gravity
- Best Use of Music: Inside Llewyn Davis
- Best Debut Director: Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station)
- Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)
- Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
- Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
- Best Ensemble Cast: American Hustle
- Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave
- Best Foreign Language Film: Blue is the Warmest Color
- Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
- Best Animated Film: The Wind Rises
Boston Society of Film Critics Honors "12 Years a Slave"
The real Boston critics decided to join their online brothers in honoring 12 Years a Slave with the top honors, and The Wolf of Wall Street coming in second practically everywhere else. Apparently not everyone had seen Wolf yet, so that may have changed the results, but nonetheless, Boston does become the first major critics group to award 12 Years Best Picture.
- Best Music: Inside Llewyn Davis (runner-up: Nebraska)
- Best Editing: Rush (runner-up: The Wolf of Wall Street)
- Best Cinematography: Gravity (runner-up: The Grandmaster)
- Best New Filmmaker: Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station; (runner-up: Josh Oppenheimer, The Act of Killing)
- Best Animated Film: The Wind Rises (runner-up: Frozen)
- Best Documentary: The Act of Killing (runner-up: Blackfish)
- Best Screenplay: Enough Said (runner-up: The Wolf of Wall Street)
- Best Ensemble: Nebraska (runner-up: 12 Years a Slave)
- Best Supporting Actress: June Squibb, Nebraska; (runner-up: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave)
- Best Supporting Actor: James Gandolfini, Enough Said; (runner-up: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips; Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club (tie))
- Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
- Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave; (runner-up: Leonardo Dicaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street)
- Best Director: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave (runner-up: Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street)
- Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave (runner-up: The Wolf of Wall Street)
- Best Foreign Language Film: Wadjda (runner-up: Blue is the Warmest Color)
"12 Years" and "Her" lead the Washington D.C. Film Critics Nominations
The Washington D.C. Film Critics Association released their nominations tonight, and will vote on their winners Monday. 12 Years leads the field with 11 nods, followed by Spike Jonze's Her (which is having a strong critical showing so far) with 9. I'm getting a little worried about the complete lack of attention for Captain Phillips in a lot of these critics groups- is it in danger of being totally overshadowed, or will the industry awards come in and save it next week, when SAG and the Golden Globes announce?
Best Film
- American Hustle
- Her
- Gravity
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- 12 Years a Slave
Best Director
- Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)
- Spike Jonze (Her)
- Baz Luhrmann (The Great Gatsby)
- Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
- Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Best Actor
- Leonardo Dicaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)
- Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
- Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
- Joaquin Phoenix (Her)
- Robert Redford (All is Lost)
Best Actress
- Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
- Sandra Bullock (Gravity)
- Judi Dench (Philomena)
- Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks)
- Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)
Best Supporting Actor
- Daniel Bruhl (Rush)
- Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
- James Franco (Spring Breakers)
- James Gandolfini (Enough Said)
- Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
Best Supporting Actress
- Scarlett Johansson (Her)
- Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
- Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
- Octavia Spencer (Fruitvale Station)
- June Squibb (Nebraska)
Best Acting Ensemble
- American Hustle
- August: Osage County
- Prisoners
- 12 Years a Slave
- The Way, Way Back
Best Youth Performance
- Asa Butterfield (Ender's Game)
- Adele Exarchopoulos (Blue is the Warmest Color)
- Liam James (The Way, Way Back)
- Waad Mohammed (Wadjda)
- Tye Sheridan (Mud)
Best Adapted Screenplay
- Before Midnight
- Captain Phillips
- The Spectacular Now
- 12 Years a Slave
- The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Original Screenplay
- American Hustle
- Blue Jasmine
- Enough Said
- Her
- Inside Llewyn Davis
Best Animated Feature
- The Croods
- Despicable Me 2
- Frozen
- Monsters University
- The Wind Rises
Best Documentary
- The Act of Killing
- Blackfish
- Leviathan
- Stories We Tell
- 20 Feet From Stardom
Best Foreign Language Film
- Blue is the Warmest Color
- The Broken Circle Breakdown
- The Hunt
- The Past
- Wadjda
Best Art Direction
- Gravity
- The Great Gatsby
- Her
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- 12 Years a Slave
Best Cinematography
- Gravity
- The Great Gatsby
- Her
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- 12 Years a Slave
Best Editing
- Gravity
- Her
- Rush
- 12 Years a Slave
- The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Original Score
- Frozen
- Her
- Gravity
- Saving Mr. Banks
- 12 Years a Slave
The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, D.C.
- Lee Daniels' The Butler
- The East
- Olympus Has Fallen
- Philomena
- White House Down
I love that award for best portrayal of Washington D.C., seeing as it was totally demolished in White House Down. Scarlett Johansson's voice performance in supporting is also a cool nomination, but there's no way that happens at any of the big awards. And it's interesting that American Hustle was nominated for Best Film but not Best Director (in favor of Baz Luhrmann!), while the opposite happened for Scorsese and The Wolf of Wall Street. There seems to be the beginning of a rivalry between those two films as they set out to compete against each other in a couple of weeks.
"12 Years a Slave" wins the Boston Online Film Critics
The very minor Boston Online Film Critics Association (they aren't even Boston's main critics, that's the Boston Society of Film Critics, which votes tomorrow), nonetheless has the distinction of being the first group to honor 12 Years a Slave with their big prize:
- Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave
- Best Director: Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
- Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
- Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
- Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
- Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
- Best Screenplay: Before Midnight
- Best Foreign Language Film: Blue is the Warmest Color
- Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
- Best Animated Film: The Wind Rises and Frozen (tie)
- Best Cinematography: Inside Llewyn Davis
- Best Editing: 12 Years a Slave
- Best Original Score: 12 Years a Slave
12 Years didn't just win, it nearly swept, winning every eligible category except Screenplay (even score, which was frankly a pretty lazy effort from Hans Zimmer, who to my ears appears to have ripped off his exact score from Inception). The Boston Online critics also provide a top ten, which gives us a couple of cool, outside-the-box choices in The Spectacular Now, Spring Breakers and The World's End:
- 12 Year a Slave
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- The Wolf of Wall Street
- Gravity
- Before Midnight
- The Spectacular Now
- Blue is the Warmest Color
- Spring Breakers
- The World's End
- Fruitvale Station
Movie of the Day: "Invictus" (2009)
A special Movie of the Day to commemorate the passing of global icon Nelson Mandela yesterday at the age of 95. This film from 2009 stars Morgan Freeman as the South African leader, and he gives a terrific, Oscar-nominated performance in this behind the scenes true story about Mandela's early days in office after he was elected president. In a move to unite the country in the new post-Apartheid era, he worked to help the mostly white South African rugby team win the World Cup, which he was convinced would garner national pride and unity between black and white citizens in South Africa. It's a well acted, very moving story directed by Clint Eastwood in his typical understated manner, and leaves you feeling heartwarmed over the unlikely success. A perfect movie for today.
Trailer:
