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OFF THE CARPET: Taking the temperature
Now that we’re on the other side of Cannes, I felt it was a good time to put a finger to the wind, stare into the tea leaves, shake the magic 8-ball and basically just take stock of where we’re at...
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CANNES: Starfish and coffee
“Hey, that’s no way to say goodbye,” you might have thought (or even sang, in gravelly Leonard Cohen tones) after my rushed response to yesterday’s Cannes winners. But having recharged overnight with a...
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Telegraph predicts “global hit” for ‘Dagenham’
Two weeks ago, when I made my first Oscar predictions of the 2010 season, I went out on a bit of a limb for “Made in Dagenham,” the upcoming true-life Britcom that will have its world premiere at...
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‘Another Year’ UK trailer
At Cannes, I was with the critical majority in admiring Mike Leigh’s latest, and the valentines will surely continue to roll in when the film plays Toronto next month ahead of an awards-season run. The...
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TELLURIDE: ‘The Illusionist,’‘Another Year’
The final trio of films I caught at this year’s Telluride fest, which is slowly winding down this holiday, were a bit of Cannes catch-up. The first, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Biutiful,” I...
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‘Another Year’ UK poster
Honestly, I’m not crazy about the execution in this case, but I’m always pleased to see poster designers trying illustrative concepts ahead of lazy photographic floating-head templates. I imagine Sony...
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Leigh and Manville on their 30-year collaboration
As you probably know, I’m rooting hard for seasoned character actress Lesley Manville to get her first Oscar nod this year for Mike Leigh’s “Another Year” — and the quality of her piercing tragicomic...
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Mike Leigh celebrates “hidden city” of London
My attention was drawn to this article last week, but since the London Film Festival kicks off this week (and Mike Leigh’s “Another Year” will be competing for top honors there), now seems an...
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10/18 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Buzz for Rudd, Ebert chats up ‘Secretariat’ author,...
• Jeffrey Wells posts a reader review of James L. Brooks’s “How Do You Know” that claims Paul Rudd is a sure-fire Best Supporting Actor nominee, but I’d expect a lead campaign for him and buzz for Jack...
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10/20 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: ‘Complete Metropolis’ coming to TCM, buzz for Leo,...
• Jeffrey Wells reminds of the forthcoming TCM airing of the restored “Metropolis” and one hour documentary “Metropolis Refound.” I’ll…be…there. [Hollywood Elsewhere] • Steve Pond conveys positive...
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THE LONG SHOT: British reserve
“The British are coming!” crowed screenwriter Colin Welland from the Oscar stage in 1982, hoisting aloft his just-awarded awarded statuette for “Chariots of Fire” – and anticipating one of the bigger...
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‘King’s Speech’ leads BIFA nods, ‘Another Year’ snubbed
Mike Leigh has long bemoaned the fact that he gets more respect from American awards bodies than those in his homeland. He received further proof of that this morning, as his broadly acclaimed new...
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Dr. Leigh and the women
I often hear Mike Leigh described as a great “women’s director,” though that’s really only half the truth. Vivid, probing male characters abound in Leigh films, often as vital counterpoints to female...
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11/5 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Boyle on ‘127 Hours’ faintings, best in animated...
• Steve Pond gets Danny Boyle’s thoughts on this rash of faintings at screenings of “127 Hours.” [The Odds] • Sasha Stone calls 2010 (so far) one of the best years for film in recent history. [Awards...
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OFF THE CARPET: Giving thanks
As we move into turkey (or tofurkey, if that happens to be your speed) week 2010, it seems proper, if a tad bit obvious, to take a moment and give thanks. So in lieu of a proper analysis of the...
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LIFE WITHOUT OSCAR: 1993 and 1994
Catch up with the idea behind this series here. 1993 was the year I first became interested in making movies and tracking box office. There are two words responsible for both and they rhyme with...
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THE LONG SHOT: When you’re strange
(Updated predictions available here.) I shan’t often find room for Gaspar Noé’s name in a space ostensibly dedicated to the Oscar race, so bear with me if this seems an unlikely opening gambit, but...
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Best in show 2010: the year in superlatives
The week, and with it, the bulk of my 2010 coverage, draws to a close today with a look at the best of the best. I’m offering up a personal list of superlatives, including most Oscar categories and...
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12/22 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: The reclusive Charles Portis, ‘Avatar’ most-pirated,...
• On the language, cult following and press-shyness of reclusive “True Grit” author Charles Portis. [Speakeasy] • Mike Leigh discusses “Another Year” and why he’ll never make a superhero movie....
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Another word on ‘Another Year’
I’m linking to this Top 20 Films of 2010 list on In Review Online for several reasons. Because I really like the site. Because I really like the list. Because I’m one of the writers they polled to...
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1/3 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Fincher courts select press, Tarantino’s top 10, a...
• Steve Weintraub sits down with David Fincher (who got really choosy about who he’d talk to last week — again) to discuss “The Social Network” DVD release and other projects. [Collider] • Glenn Whipp...
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INTERVIEW: ‘Another Year’ actress Lesley Manville
Failing to turn on your voice recorder is any journalist’s fear when conducting a great interview. So after spending close to a half-hour with “Another Year” star Lesley Manville some weeks back, and...
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Wish list 2010
Tomorrow’s the big day. And there are always surprises. But rather than offer a space for predicting shockers, I thought I’d ask for your wish list picks. Name three nominations (in the major...
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OSCAR GUIDE: Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
The race for Best Original Screenplay is full of worthy competitors this year. Four Best Picture nominees and the year’s best screenplay period make up the field, and even if there are a few that...
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Time Out names the 100 best British films
Earlier today, I praised the Evening Standard Awards for drawing people’s attention to forms and flavors of contemporary British film beyond the dressy heritage cinema that so many associate with the...
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