Alan Rickman 1947-2016

Some really sad news today, as the great British actor Alan Rickman passed away at 69, after a battle with cancer. Rickman was a longtime stage actor who made his first screen appearance in 1988's Die Hard, as the terrorist Hans Gruber, one of the most memorable action movie villains in history. After that he became known for roles in all kinds of movies that everyone remembers, from Truly, Madly, Deeply to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Sense and Sensibility, Dogma, Galaxy Quest, Love Actually, Sweeney Todd, and known to a generation of children in every Harry Potter film as Severus Snape. He could move back and forth between comedy and drama with ease, and was known for his deep, drawling, iconic voice. Incredibly, he was never even nominated for an Oscar, having been up for 4 BAFTA awards and won for Robin Hood in 1992.

Trailer for Truly, Madly, Deeply:

Trailer for Die Hard:

New Trailer for 'Hail Caesar' Shows Off Coen Brothers Humor

A recent trend seems to be to show off whole scenes as trailers, like this new one with Ralph Fiennes doing his best with the Coen's unique dialogue. I'm excited for this one, but I do wonder why it's being released so early. Movies that come out in February rarely stick around 'til the end of the year, but I guess Coen Brothers comedies don't qualify as Oscar material to the studios.

Seattle Film Awards Honor 'Mad Max,' 'Phoenix'

Oops, forgot about the film critics in my own state. Sigh. Well, at least they went for some non-conformist choices, like Nina Hoss, Mya Taylor and Ex Machina. And now, we're really done with the critics awards. I think.

SEATTLE FILM AWARDS

BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST DIRECTOR: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ACTOR: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

BEST ACTRESS: Nina Hoss, Phoenix

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Benicio del Toro, Sicario

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Mya Taylor, Tangerine

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST: Spotlight

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Ex Machina – Alex Garland

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Carol – Phyllis Nagy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Inside Out – Pete Docter, director

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Son of Saul – László Nemes, director

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: The Look Of Silence – Joshua Oppenheimer, director

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST FILM EDITING: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ORIGINAL SONG: “Grip” – Creed, Ludwig Göransson, Sam Dew, Tessa Thompson, composers

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST SOUND DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Mad Max: Fury Road

Iowa and Denver Critics Choose 'Spotlight'

I was wrong- THESE are the last critics groups to weigh in now.

IOWA CRITICS

Okay, so one day after the Golden Globes give an award to Kate Winslet, she now wins a critics award for Best Supporting Actress? She hasn't won all season, but critics are such a sheep, aren't they? I'm glad these are the last.

  • Best Film: Spotlight
  • Best Director: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
  • Best Actor: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
  • Best Actress: Brie Larson, Room
  • Best Supporting Actor: Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
  • Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
  • Best Score: The Hateful Eight
  • Best Song: Furious 7
  • Best Animated Film: Inside Out
  • Best Documentary: Amy

DENVER CRITICS

There was zero interesting choices from this final group here. And with that, the critics are over and out.

Best Picture: “Spotlight”

Best Director: George Miller, “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Revenant”

Best Actress: Brie Larson, “Room”

Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone, “Creed”

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, “Ex Machina”

Best Animated Film: “Inside Out”

Best Science Fiction/Horror Film: “The Martian”

Best Comedy: “What We Do in the Shadows”

Best Original Screenplay: Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, “Spotlight”

Best Adapted Screenplay: Adam McKay, Charles Randolph, “The Big Short”

Best Documentary: “The Look of Silence”

Best Visual Effects: “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Best Original Song: “See You Again” (Wiz Khalifa, DJ Frank E, Andrew Cedar and Charlie Puth), “Furious 7”

Best Score: Ennio Morricone, “The Hateful Eight”

Best Foreign Language Film: “Son of Saul”