Rami Malek wins best actor Oscar for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

LOS ANGELES — Rami Malek had difficult moments making “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but he has an Oscar to show for it.

Malek, receiving the best actor trophy Sunday for his portrayal of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, called it a “monumental moment.” He thanked members of the band in attendance.


“I may not have been the obvious choice, but I guess it worked out,” Malek said. “Thank you, Queen, thank you, guys, for allowing me to be the tiniest part of your phenomenal, extraordinary legacy. I am forever in your debt.

Malek speculated about what he would have made of the honor as a child.

“I think his curly haired mind would have been blown,” he said. “That kid was struggling with his identity, trying to figure himself out.”

He lauded “Bohemian Rhapsody” for telling the story of a gay man and an immigrant who lived his life as “unapologetically himself.” Mercury, who was born in Zanzibar to parents from India, moved to England with his family as a teenager.

Malek noted that he himself is the son of immigrants, from Egypt, and a first-generation American. He gave a shout-out to his mother — “I love you, lady” — and regretted that his father was not alive.

“My dad didn’t get to see me do any of this, but I think he’s looking down on me right now,” he said.

Malek, who was best known for his award-winning role as a disturbed hacker in TV’s “Mr. Robot,” was the front-runner coming into the Oscars, having collected an armful of awards including Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild trophies.

He has spoken, briefly but publicly, about the difficulty of working with director Bryan Singer before Singer was fired from “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It was “not pleasant, not pleasant at all,” he said earlier this month at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Singer’s firing came amidst sexual abuse allegations against the director, which he has categorically denied and weren’t cited as the reason for his being dropped from the film.


The other nominees in the category were Christian Bale for “Vice”; Bradley Cooper in “A Star Is Born”; Willem Dafoe with “At Eternity’s Gate” and Viggo Mortensen in “Green Book.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

With Kevin Hart’s downfall, hosting the Oscars got harder

LOS ANGELES  — The “most thankless job in town” just got even more difficult.

The Oscars have a longstanding host problem, but Kevin Hart’s swift downfall over old anti-gay tweets has led to bigger questions about the gig and the liability of social media histories.


It’s just the latest controversy for the organization that puts on the Academy Awards, which is trying to combat declining ratings for its marquee event while weathering the pressure of being a focal point for the shortcomings of the entertainment industry as a whole.

“I think it’s embarrassing,” Matthew Belloni, the editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter, said about the academy’s decision to pick Hart. “It shows that they either didn’t vet this host properly, or they did vet him and didn’t think this would be an issue. And both are a little troubling.”

Hart seemed to fit the bill for what the academy was looking for.

“He checks all the boxes for a show like the Oscars,” Belloni said. “He’s a legitimate movie star. He’s a funny guy and can handle the stand-up element of the show. And he has a gigantic social following. And to the academy, that’s important. They want someone who can bring a new audience to the show.”

But Oscars hosts have always been subjected to a lot of scrutiny.

Poor or even mediocre performances can haunt people for years (Anne Hathaway and James Franco). Off-color jokes have a way of festering in the cultural consciousness (think of Seth MacFarlane’s “we saw your boobs” song, or Chris Rock’s Asian jokes). And even when things go decently enough, everyone is handed the right envelope and nobody walks away offended, the hosts can still be blamed for poor ratings.

“Oscars host has become a not very desirable job in Hollywood. Very few people see an upside,” Belloni said. “You put a huge target on your back.”

People have stepped down from being the public face of the event amid controversy, as producer Brett Ratner did in 2011 for anti-gay slurs. But Hart’s case is a little different. Ratner’s offensive remarks came after he had secured the gig. Hart’s tweets were from almost a decade ago and were well known.

But in 2018, an unsavory social media past can cost someone their job. Just this past summer, the Walt Disney Co. fired director James Gunn from the third “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie for old tweets in which he joked about subjects including rape and pedophilia. As with Hart, the problematic tweets were amplified by social media outrage.

Immediately after Hart was confirmed as host on Tuesday night, some journalists began tweeting reminders of Hart’s past comments. By Thursday morning, a few publications had written articles about them. The outrage escalated, Hart commented but did not apologize, stoking even more outrage, which culminated with Hart’s announcement on Thursday night that he was stepping down as host of the 91st Academy Awards.

As the dust settles, the situation has proved vexing for some in the entertainment business. Actor D.L. Hughley commended Hart for his decision.

“A Comedian says something that offends people and refuses to apologize?” Hughley tweeted. “(Expletive) ’em if they can’t take a joke! Well done #KevinHart.” Snoop Dogg posted an even more colorful Instagram video in support of Hart.

The advocacy organization GLAAD wishes Hart hadn’t stepped down, however.

“Hart’s apology to LGBTQ people is an important step forward, but he missed a real opportunity to use his platform and the Oscars stage to build unity and awareness,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.

The film academy has yet to address Hart’s departure. Hart said the film academy told him he had to apologize or he’d lose the gig. He bowed out on his own, and with an apology.

Now everyone has an opinion about who should be named host. A woman? A comedian? Not a comedian? Someone in the LGBTQ community? All of the above?

Many keep coming back to Whoopi Goldberg, who has hosted the awards four times. Some have said Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted one of the Oscars’ highest-rated shows, or Tom Hanks, who has a longstanding academy relationship.

Others have said Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele, Will Smith or Lin-Manuel Miranda. Busy Phillips threw her own name out there (“I AM AVAILABLE,” she tweeted). Philips also proposed Issa Rae, Sarah Silverman, Ali Wong, Samantha Bee, Robin Thede and Aisha Tyler, or “any other woman working in Hollywood right now who wants to.”

Stephen King suggested Patton Oswalt (He’s “funny, sharp-tongued, and he knows film,” King tweeted.) Some have even proposed Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty. Or no host at all, which has been done several times before, and as recently as 1989.

But the film academy will need to move quickly. The 91st Oscars are less than three months out. MKH

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Busy times ahead for Oscar-nominated Timothée Chalamet

This year, the young Franco-American actor has more projects to add to his already impressive CV, including “Beautiful Boy” with Steve Carell, which is now slated for a United States release on Oct. 12. In the meantime, the upcoming star’s breakout performance in “Call Me by Your Name” sees him bag his first Oscar nomination at just 22 years old.

Hollywood’s next big thing, Timothée Chalamet, is being tipped as one of the most promising actors of his generation, thanks to his performance in Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me By Your Name”. With this one movie, the breakout star has already won over Hollywood with his youthful energy, his spontaneity and his fresh appeal.

In “Call Me By Your Name”, out from Nov. 24 in the U.S., the actor stole the show from his more experienced co-star Armie Hammer (“The Social Network”), with his portrayal of an adolescent who falls for an older boy. Indeed, his performance earned him a nomination for the “Best Actor” Oscar, where the newcomer and outsider faces household names like Gary Oldman, Daniel Day-Lewis and Denzel Washington.

Hot property 

The actor stars in another of this year’s Oscar contenders, with a role in Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird”, released in November, and also stars in “Hostiles”, a western with Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike. Timothée Chalamet is set to join Steve Carell in “Beautiful Boy”, the story of a father’s struggle with his son’s meth addiction. This poignant role could see the actor return to the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre next year. His other projects for 2018 include a role in the upcoming Woody Allen movie, “A Rainy Day in New York” starring Jude Law, Selena Gomez, Rebecca Hall and Diego Luna.

As Hollywood’s latest hot property, Timothée Chalamet’s schedule for 2019 is already starting to fill up. In June, he starts filming “The King”, a historical movie heading to Netflix next year. Chalamet will play King Henry V of England, a historical figure known for his military successes against the French in the Hundred Years’ War. David Michôd (“War Machine”) will direct and some rumors link Robert Pattinson to the project. JB

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

FULL LIST: Oscars 2017 winners

List of winners for the 89th annual Academy Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Best Picture: “Moonlight.”

Actor: Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea.”

Actress: Emma Stone, “La La Land.”

Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight.”

Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, “Fences.”

Directing: Damien Chazelle, “La La Land.”

Foreign Language Film: “The Salesman,” Iran.

Adapted Screenplay: “Moonlight,” screenplay by Barry Jenkins, story by Tarell Alvin McCraney.

Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester by the Sea.”

Production Design: “La La Land,” Production Design: David Wasco; Set Decoration: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco.

Cinematography: Linus Sandgren, “La La Land.”

Sound Mixing: “Hacksaw Ridge,” Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace.

Sound Editing: “Arrival,” Sylvain Bellemare.

Original Score: “La La Land,” Justin Hurwitz.

Original Song: “City of Stars” from “La La Land,” music by Justin Hurwitz, lyric by Ben Pasek and Justin Paul.

Costume Design: Colleen Atwood, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

Documentary (short subject): “The White Helmets,” Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara.

Documentary Feature: “O.J.: Made in America,” Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow.

Film Editing: “Hacksaw Ridge,” John Gilbert.

Makeup and Hairstyling: “Suicide Squad,” Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson.

Animated Feature Film: “Zootopia,” Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Clark Spencer.

Animated Short Film: “Piper,” Alan Barillaro and Marc Sondheimer.

Live Action Short Film: “Sing,” Kristof Deak and Anna Udvardy.

Visual Effects: “The Jungle Book,” Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon. JE

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Meryl Streep breaks own record with 20th Oscar nomination

LOS ANGELES, United States — US actress Meryl Streep on Tuesday was nominated for her 20th Academy Award, making her the most nominated performer in Oscars history and maintaining her reign as the queen of Hollywood.

The 67-year-old actress was nominated for best actress for her role in comedy biopic “Florence Foster Jenkins,” which tells the story of a singing socialite in New York.

Streep broke her own record with Tuesday’s nomination — 16 for best actress and four for best supporting actress. Actors Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson tie for second with 12 nominations each.

Her nomination delighted social media users, who called it a fitting rebuke to President Donald Trump.

Trump described Streep as “overrated” after she denounced him at the Golden Globes ceremony earlier this month, before he took office.

The actress, who has also been nominated a record 30 times for the Golden Globes, reacted with a GIF on Tuesday featuring her dancing for joy in footage from a past film.

Fans, meanwhile, took to social media to congratulate Streep.

“This actress is so overrated that she broke her own record with a 20th #Oscar nom. Sad! #MerylStreep,” said Annie Clark on Twitter.

Stella Rouse quipped in another Twitter message that Tuesday’s nomination was “yet further proof of #alternativefacts that she is overrated.”

Streep got her first nomination for an Oscar in 1979 for her performance in the Vietnam war drama “The Deer Hunter.”

She extended her lead as the most nominated actor ever with her 19th nod in 2015 for “Into the Woods.”

She has won the coveted golden statue three times, most recently in 2012 as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady.” Before that she won in 1980 for “Kramer v. Kramer” and 1983 for “Sophie’s Choice.” CBB

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Oscar winners party it up at Vanity Fair, Governors Ball

LOS ANGELES — There’s no such thing as being all dressed up with nowhere to go on Oscar night.

The Hollywood elite have various glamorous parties to choose from, whether they attended the Academy Awards or not.

Here’s a roundup of the post-Oscars party action:

Governors ball
After hours on the red carpet and a three-and-a-half hour telecast, Academy Awards guests are ready for some food when the show ends. That’s why the first stop for many is the Governors Ball, the Oscars’ official after-party, held just upstairs from where the show takes place.

Benicio del Toro snacked on pizza as he snaked through the party. “The Revenant” cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, enjoyed some strawberries, his new Oscar by his side. Steven Spielberg opted for liquid refreshment (a Heineken), which he sipped on while speaking with supporting actor winner Mark Rylance, who gleefully posed with his trophy.

Meanwhile, Tobey Maguire chatted with Bryan Cranston, and Common smiled for a photo with fans.

Wolfgang Puck catered the party, serving mini-burgers, smoked-salmon Oscars, caviar-topped baked potatoes and chicken pot-pies. There was also a sushi spread, a table filled with crab legs and lobster claws, and a vast array of desserts.

The Governors Ball is also where the night’s winners can have their new Oscars engraved with their names. Leonardo DiCaprio commanded a huge audience when he arrived to have his statuette personalized, all trying to capture a cell-phone photo of the best actor winner. No sooner had he left than best actress Brie Larson arrived, her new Oscar and longtime boyfriend Alex Greenwald in tow. He snapped pictures of her as her statuette was engraved, and the two toasted with Champagne and a kiss when it was finished.

In fact, every guest at the ball took home an Oscar: tiny chocolate Oscars were given as party favors.

Elton John AIDS Foundation

Charlie Sheen made a grand entrance to the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars viewing party Sunday.

The actor, who revealed his HIV-positive status last year, took photos with fans at the event, which organizers say raised $6.2 million to help fund AIDS research.

More than 1,000 guests attended the lavish annual gala, where colorful gowns and sharp suits ruled.

Caitlyn Jenner, who wore a fitted red Zac Posen frock, was seen hugging and whispering with supermodel Heidi Klum, who wore an elegant off-the-shoulder lilac dress. The two snapped photos and laughed while admiring each other’s outfits arm-in-arm at Jenner’s table.

Additional celebrity attendees included Mariah Carey, Jeffrey Tambor, Russell Simmons, Gene Simmons, and Steven Tyler, who donated five days at his Mau home to the foundation’s silent auction.

Notable Oscar viewing moments included Sam Smith’s acceptance speech for his original song win for “Writings on the Wall.” Guests gave the openly gay singer a standing ovation in response to his support of the LGBT community.

They also jumped out of their seats to cheer on Leonardo DiCaprio as he accepted his first Academy Award.

After the show, Elton John, in a deep blue suit, congratulated the Oscar winners, thanked his guests and offered his thoughts on the show.

“Well, that was an interesting Oscars for a change,” he said, before closing the party with a performance. John crooned his hits, including “Benny and the Jets” and “Rocket Man,” and sang some tracks from his latest album, “A Wonderful Crazy Night.” Guests went home with a signed copy.

At the “Vanity Fair” party

Elton John and Lady Gaga chatting side-by-side on a sofa made for a hot photo op at the magazine’s annual Oscar party, this year held in Beverly Hills.

Other guests caused a logjam as they stopped to take photos of Gaga, who had performed at the Oscars, and John, who had hosted his own party earlier in the evening. A few feet away, and unnoticed for the moment, was Alejandro G. Inarritu, who had just won the best director award for “The Revenant.”

Leonardo DiCaprio, best actor winner for the film, dropped by with his trophy. The eclectic crowd also included Jon Hamm, Serena Williams, Jennifer Garner, Keegan-Michael Key and Don Rickles.

“Out of my way,” Rickles barked as he was pushed through the crowded room in a wheelchair, pretending to wield the cane in his lap as a weapon. But he was smiling, and so were those getting a taste of the 89-year-old’s trademark insult comedy.

Nominee Charlotte Rampling stood briefly alone before she was swarmed by admirers.

Guests dined on chef Thomas Keller’s black truffle lasagna and salmon at the evening hosted by the magazine’s editor, Graydon Carter. There were souvenirs to be had, with people lining up to get their photos taken for mock Vanity Fair covers.

Even stars have to wait for cars when it’s time to go home. Caitlyn Jenner, who earlier in the evening had been deep in conversation with Lady Gaga, cooled her high heels at the limo line until her transportation arrived. Meanwhile, Patricia Arquette got comfortable sitting inside a tent that was part of an elaborate hub to usher partygoers into and out of the event. TVJ

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

OSCARS: Complete list of 88th annual Academy Award winners

HOLLYWOOD, United States — Following is the list of winners at Sunday’s 88th annual Academy Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Best Picture: “Spotlight.”

Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Revenant.”

Actress: Brie Larson, “Room.”

Supporting Actor: Mark Rylance, “Bridge of Spies.”

Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, “The Danish Girl.”

Directing: Alejandro G. Inarritu, “The Revenant.”

Foreign Language Film: “Son of Saul.”

Adapted Screenplay: “The Big Short.”

Original Screenplay: “Spotlight.”

Animated Feature Film: “Inside Out.”

Production Design: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Cinematography: “The Revenant.”

Sound Mixing: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Sound Editing: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Original Score: “The Hateful Eight.”

Original Song: “Writing’s on the Wall” from “Spectre.”

Costume Design: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Documentary Feature: “Amy.”

Documentary (short subject): “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness.”

Film Editing: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Makeup and Hairstyling: “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Animated Short Film: “Bear Story.”

Live Action Short Film: “Stutterer.”

Visual Effects: “Ex Machina.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Julianne Moore takes best actress Oscar for ‘Still Alice’

LOS ANGELES - Julianne Moore won the best actress Oscar on Sunday for her role as a university professor with Alzheimer's disease in "Still Alice."

The win marked Moore's first Academy Award after being nominated four times previously. The 54-year-old actress was favored to win this year's prize after picking up Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA awards earlier this year.

"I read an article that said that winning an Oscar could lead to living five years longer," Moore said while accepting her award. "If that's true I'd really like to thank the Academy because my husband is younger than me."

In "Still Alice," the veteran actress plays a brilliant lecturer and beautiful redhead who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at 50. The small budget film was picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures only in September, thanks to Moore's award-winning potential.

Last year, she said she was attracted to the role because she had never seen Alzheimer's portrayed from the point of view of the patient.

The film was adapted from the novel "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova and was directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland.

Moore has been among Hollywood's most celebrated actresses for the last 20 years, earning Oscar nominations for previous roles in "Boogie Nights," "The End of the Affair," "The Hours" and "Far from Heaven."

She also won an Emmy in 2012 for her acclaimed turn as politician Sarah Palin in the television movie "Game Change." —Nichola Groom/Reuters

Liam Neeson thriller 'Non-Stop' lifts off to lead box office

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK - "Non-Stop", a thriller starring Liam Neeson as a U.S. air marshal trying to stop a string of murders on an international flight, collected $30 million in ticket sales to soar into the lead at the domestic box office.

It swept the week's other new film, "Son of God", into second place with $26.5 million in sales during a strong box office weekend which coincided with Sunday's bestowing of its annual Oscars, Hollywood's biggest night.

"Son of God" is based on "The Bible" television mini-series produced by "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey.

"The Lego Movie", which led the box office for three consecutive weeks, was third in ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters with $21 million, according to studio estimates compiled by tracking firm Rentrak.

"Non-Stop" is the latest film to feature Neeson in an action role, following his hit thriller "Taken 2" in 2012.

The voice of the 61-year-old Irish former amateur boxing champion is also featured in the animated "Lego Movie," which "stars" characters based on the colorful plastic toy blocks.

That has racked up nearly $210 million at the box office since its Feb. 7 release.

Universal released "Non-Stop" during the same part of the year as Neeson's 2009 hit "Taken", which opened in late January, and the move paid off handsomely as the film far surpassed studio projections for a total of about $19-21 million.

"This was a great result for the weekend," said Nikki Rocco, president for domestic distribution at Universal Pictures, which released "Non-Stop".

"Liam has become a bonafide star, but we saw a little more diffuse audience than we've seen for his previous films."

Beating forecasts

She said more than one-third of ticket buyers were under 25, and prospects for the film looked strong in coming weeks as his films tended to have box office "longevity".

"Son of God", which stars Portuguese actor and former model Diogo Morgado as Jesus Christ, features scenes not used in the History Channel mini-series that was nominated for three Emmy nominations.

The movie received generally poor reviews, getting "rotten" reviews from 37 of 50 critics tallied on the site Rotten Tomatoes, although 82 percent of audience members liked it.

"It's a phenomenal opening," said Chris Aronson, president of domestic distribution for Fox, which distributed the movie.

He said forecasting the fortunes for the religious-themed movie "defied all conventional wisdom".

"I thought if we were in the $12 million to $15 million range we'd be in great shape," he said.

"But I'm not at all surprised it did more than that."

"The Lego Movie", which also features the voices of Will Ferrell, Will Arnett and Morgan Freeman, was the fourth film since October to lead the box office over three straight weekends.

It followed on the heels of "Gravity" in October and "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" in December, according to Box Office Mojo. "Ride Along" also led the box office for three consecutive weekends in January.

Rounding out the top five, the George Clooney World War Two-era film "The Monuments Men" took in $5 million, while "3 Days to Kill", starring Kevin Costner as an over-the-hill international spy, was fifth with $4.9 million in ticket sales.

Warner Brothers, a unit of Time Warner, released the film "The Lego Movie". Universal Pictures, a unit of Comcast's NBC Universal division, distributed "Non-Stop".

"Son of God" was released by Fox, a unit of Twenty-First Century Fox.

Relativity distributed "3 Days to Kill". "The Monuments Men" was released by Sony's Columbia Pictures. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Oscars pit gravitas of 'Slave' against pull of 'Gravity'

LOS ANGELES - To historian Brenda Stevenson, a scholar on American slavery, "12 Years a Slave" is a masterful cinematic work that achieves more than any other film on slavery, so worthy that she plans to screen it in classes at her university, UCLA.

It's the kind of validation "12 Years a Slave" has been earning from experts, critics, audiences and the film industry for six months now. Even so, the acclaimed drama may falter in the final test, losing out on the most coveted of movie prizes, the Academy Award for best picture.

The film from British director Steve McQueen appears to be the frontrunner for film's highest honor at Sunday's ceremony but has at least three factors conspiring against it: another high-quality, groundbreaking movie called "Gravity," the tricky math of Oscar voting and the film's own brutal depiction of American slavery.

"I think it is a hard film to watch," said Stevenson. "One of the things I think Steve McQueen does extremely well is capture the violence of the institution."

That unflinching portrayal of a real American story, that of the free black man Solomon Northup who is tricked and sold into slavery, may win on the gravitas scale. But sometimes the 6,000-plus voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just want to reward enjoyable entertainment and "Gravity" gives that in spades.

If this year's nine best picture nominees add up to the strongest year for film in recent memory, they also have injected a good dose of uncertainty into Hollywood's biggest night. Voters had a good and varied lot from which to choose, with big successes such as "American Hustle" and "The Wolf of Wall Street," and smaller films "Nebraska" and "Philomena."

"In the 12-13 years that I have been doing this stuff seriously, I can't remember a best picture race in which there was less certainty than there is this year," said Scott Feinberg, awards analyst at The Hollywood Reporter.

Over at the other trade publication, Variety, awards editor Tim Gray said that "more than ever, I'm totally flummoxed."

"I think best picture is between '12 Years a Slave' and 'Gravity' but I wouldn't bet money on that," Gray said.

In a telling sign of the tight battle, the two films had an exact tie in one of the most reliable predictors of the Oscar best picture, the Producers Guild Award.

The heightened drama around the big prize could give viewers an extra reason to tune in to the live ABC telecast of the glamorous event, hosted this year by comedian Ellen DeGeneres.

The cliffhanger category also stands in contrast to more predictable outcomes in the top acting races. Cate Blanchett should win best actress for "Blue Jasmine," while Matthew McConaughey is favored for best actor for "Dallas Buyers Club" and co-star Jared Leto has a lock on best supporting actor.

The best supporting actress category could see favorite Lupita Nyong'o, the slave Patsey in "12 Years a Slave," upset by Jennifer Lawrence's loopy wife in 1970s caper "American Hustle."

For best animated film, the tale of Nordic princesses "Frozen" is expected to give the Disney Animation Studios its first Oscar in that category since it was added in 2002.

IT'S TIME?

"American Hustle" and "Gravity" lead nominations with 10 nods a piece, followed by "12 Years a Slave" with nine. But if the best picture award were decided at the box office, "Gravity" from Warner Bros. and Mexican director Alfonso Guaron would be the winner.

The outer-space thriller starring Sandra Bullock, for which Cuaron pushed the technical and visual effects boundaries, has brought in $270 million in North America and $703 million worldwide. That's nearly as much as the $780 million earned collectively by the nine best picture nominees in the U.S. and Canada. For his feats, Cuaron is favored to win best director.

"12 Years a Slave," in comparison, has pulled in $49 million at the domestic box office, a respectable figure for a hard-to-watch picture that features bloody whippings, lynchings and evil slave masters.

Even the studio feared members of the Academy might skip it, compelling Fox Searchlight Pictures to goad them into seeing the film with ads during the Feb 12-25 voting period showing slaves embraced with the tagline "It's time." Some Oscar watchers said the ambiguous phrase could also be seen as shaming voters.

The voting system for best picture also complicates the fortunes of the slave drama. It is a so-called preferential ballot in which members rank their top films rather than vote for just one and the consensus can emerge from films that are many people's second or third choices.

But if history is a lesson, the Academy voters should go for the more serious subject matter.

"They generally are not looking to just reward the most fun movie, they are looking to reward the movie that has something meaningful to say," said Feinberg.

"And if that is the case this year, the winner would clearly be '12 Years a Slave.'"

The Academy would also make its own history with that choice: "12 Years a Slave" would be the first best picture from a black director in 86 years of awards.  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Oscar nominees hobnob three weeks ahead of Hollywood’s big night

BEVERLY HILLS, California - This year's Oscar nominees gathered for the ultimate Hollywood power lunch on Monday in a celebration of the old adage "it's an honor just to be nominated" three weeks before the film industry's biggest night.

The annual Oscars nominees luncheon convened more than 200 contenders pursuing an Academy Award on March 2—from 18-time nominee Meryl Streep for best actress in "August: Osage County" to Lupita Nyong'o, who won a best supporting actress nod for her first film role ever in "12 Years a Slave."

The eclectic group of movie stars, directors and technical wizards even boasted U2 frontman Bono, who lined up for the "class picture" thanks to his best song nomination for "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom."'

While no one is foolish enough to look confident of a win before Academy members begin voting on Friday, Monday's luncheon was a chance to turn on the charm by praising the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the magic of Hollywood filmmaking.

"I'm going to celebrate no matter what," said Matthew McConaughey, the presumed frontrunner for best actor for his role as an unlikely AIDS activist in the low-budget "Dallas Buyers Club," for which he won the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.

"This is my first time nominated and if I ever get nominated again, who knows," he added. "But there will never be another first time, so I'm going to enjoy this."

Cate Blanchett, the favorite to win best actress for her role as a disgraced socialite in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine," said this nomination "certainly took me by surprise."

"You're part unconscious when you're working deeply, but it's always a thrill, particularly because I've been away from the film industry for so long," Blanchett said.

‘Interested in challenging films’

This year's Oscars nominations reflect a field crowded with high-quality films and a large number of strong performances that resulted in notable exclusions. At the luncheon, many attendees lamented that Tom Hanks was not there for his acclaimed role in the Somali piracy thriller "Captain Phillips."

For the nine films nominated in the best picture category, odds appear to be strongest for the brutal slavery drama "12 Years a Slave," space thriller "Gravity" and 1970s corruption caper "American Hustle," which have all won top prizes in the awards season and lead the Oscar nominations.

One challenge facing "12 Years a Slave," is the reputation it has earned as a film that is hard to watch. But British director Steve McQueen said he believed he was winning the battle against that notion.

"It just shows you that audiences are interested in challenging films. Audiences are interested in films that give them a perspective of their history," said McQueen.

Actor nominees made a point of praising their directors for their good fortune, like best actor nominee Leonardo DiCaprio and best supporting actor nominee Jonah Hill, co-stars in Martin Scorsese's tale of financial greed "The Wolf of Wall Street."

"Money is never a concern to work with people like Martin Scorsese," said Hill, who took a pay cut and worked for union scale wages for his role as a drug-addled swindling side-kick. "I would do whatever...I would paint his house if he asked me to."

Producers for the 86th Academy Awards gave advice on acceptance speeches at the show, hosted this year by comedian Ellen DeGeneres: deliver something heartfelt and meaningful rather than a list of people to thank and make it quick.

At the lunch, though, nominees played it cool about their chances and what a win would mean for their careers.

"Everybody regards the Oscars as the ultimate stamp of approval," said Nyong'o, the Kenyan actress nominated for her role as the hardworking slave Patsey. "I don't know. I guess, we'll see." —Reuters

Rookie Oscar host Seth MacFarlane lives up to provocative image

LOS ANGELES - Rookie Oscar host Seth MacFarlane casually slung a string of zingers at some of Hollywood's biggest names, including a musical tribute to female frontal nudity in the movies, as he launched the Academy Awards show Sunday on a decisively edgy note.

First-time Oscar producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan recruited MacFarlane in a bid to inject a greater sense of the unexpected, and hopefully bigger television ratings, a year after veteran host Billy Crystal performed his ninth stint at the helm of the live broadcast.

And MacFarlane fully embraced his role as provocateur-in-chief.

In an opening monologue and package of song-and-dance numbers obviously calculated to live up to, and even lampoon, his own reputation for pushing the boundaries of taste, MacFarlane put his biting, sardonic brand of humor front and center.

He started off joking that Best Picture front-runner and eventual winner, "Argo," about a real-life clandestine CIA operation to rescue American hostages from Iran, was "so top secret that the film's director is unknown to the Academy."

The barb was a not-so-subtle jab at members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for failing to nominate Ben Affleck as best director for the critically acclaimed film.

"They know they screwed up," MacFarlane added, as the camera panned to a shot of Affleck, looking somewhat uncomfortable in his seat. "Ben, it's not your fault."

The edgy quotient quickly escalated as MacFarlane described another best-film candidate, "Django Unchained," as the slavery-era "story of a man fighting to get back his woman who has been subjected to unthinkable violence - or as Chris Brown and Rihanna call it, a date movie."

The punch line reference to the physical abuse involved in the relationship between the two R&B singers - Brown pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna in 2009 - drew an audible groan from the star-studded Dolby Theater audience.

"Oh, no, that's what we were afraid he would do," MacFarlane dead-panned.

Lustier groans came later in the evening when MacFarlane, talking about the portrait of the 16th president of the United States in the Oscar-nominated film "Lincoln," quipped that "the actor who really got into Lincoln's head was John Wilkes Booth."

"One-hundred and fifty years (since Lincoln's assassination) and it's still too soon, huh?", MacFarlane laughed, seemingly taken aback at the response.

Self-lampooning

MacFarlane's performance should not have come as too big a surprise. The comedian, actor and singer made his mark as creator of the animated TV series, "Family Guy," a show known for its ribald satire, much of it aimed at Hollywood conventions.

And MacFarlane, 39, wasted no time in sending up his own risqué persona, in a comedy bit with actor William Shatner, who joined the host on stage via a video screen in the character of Captain Kirk from the sci-fi TV and film series "Star Trek."

In his fictional drop-in visit from the future, Shatner warns MacFarlane he is "destroying the Academy Awards" with jokes that are "tasteless and inappropriate."

But the interlude segued into a song-and-dance number by MacFarlane showcasing his vocal chops to a tune called "We Saw Your Boobs," in which he rhapsodically ticked off the names of various A-list Hollywood actresses who have bared their breasts in films over the years.

Admonished by Shatner to sing songs that celebrate the movies rather than mock them, MacFarlane proceeded to deliver a more respectful rendering of the showbiz standard, "The Way You Look Tonight," joined on stage in elegant dance by actress Charlize Theron ("Snow White and the Huntsman") and actor Channing Tatum ("Magic Mike").

In the way that many cartoons, including MacFarlane's own "Family Guy" series, operate on different levels for kids and their parents, this year's Oscar telecast seemed especially designed to play to more than one TV audience.

Early reviews of MacFarlane's maiden performance were mixed. The Washington Post called it "a fairly middle-of-the-road job as host," while USA Today said it appeared to be an "audition for his own variety show."

The Los Angeles Times was more upbeat, saying he "alternated between making hamburgers out of Hollywood's sacred cows and showing fealty to good old-fashioned showbiz spectacle."

MacFarlane's more provocative turns were offset by some of the more traditional pomp typical of Hollywood's biggest night, including a 50th-anniversary montage salute to James Bond films, capped by veteran singer Shirley Bassey, now 76, reprising her title song from the 1964 film "Goldfinger."

In another highlight of the evening, songstress, actress and director Barbara Streisand, 70, took the stage to perform her signature hit "The Way We Were," from her 1973 film of the same name, in a tribute to the song's Oscar-winning composer, Marvin Hamlisch, who died last year.

In addition to hosting, MacFarlane was a best-song nominee himself this year for writing the lyrics to the song "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from his R-rated comedy hit film "Ted," about a pot-smoking, foul-mouthed teddy bear.

The award went to "Skyfall," the title song from the latest Bond film, performed at the Oscars by British vocalist Adele.  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Oscars to feature special James Bond tribute

LOS ANGELES - The Oscars are jumping on the James Bond anniversary bandwagon, featuring a special salute to the 50-year-old franchise at the annual awards ceremony in February, producers said on Friday.

"We are very happy to include a special sequence on our show saluting the Bond films on their 50th birthday," Oscar show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron said in a statement.

While no details of the segment were revealed, the producers added that "starting with 'Dr. No' back in 1962, the 007 movies have become the longest-running motion picture franchise in history and a beloved global phenomenon."

Friday's announcement was likely to fuel hopes for a best picture Oscar nomination next week for the current Bond film, "Skyfall," which has broken the $1 billion mark at the box office and become the biggest hit in the series' 23-film franchise. It was released by Sony Corp's movie studio.

The critically-acclaimed blockbuster got a big boost earlier this week when producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson were among nominees for the Producers Guild Award, alongside producers for such prestige films as "Lincoln" and "Zero Dark Thirty."

Bond films have historically received only a handful of Oscar nominations, most for technical categories or music, and the Producers Guild nod marked the first ever nomination from the influential Hollywood guild for a Bond film.

Nominations for the Oscars will be announced on Jan. 10 in Los Angeles.

The Oscars, the most coveted awards in the movie industry, will be handed out in a ceremony hosted by "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane and broadcast around the world from Hollywood on Feb. 24.  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Eddie Murphy to host the 84th Academy Awards

Eddie Murphy has officially accepted to host the 84th Academy Awards and according to reports and it will be Eddie Murphy’s first time to host the Oscars.

Producers Brett Ratner and Don Mischer made the official announcement on Tuesday September 6. The announcement shows Oscar organizers goal is laughter in 2012, after the presentation this year by co-hosts, dramatic actors Anne Hathaway and James Franco, fell flat with critics and many viewers.





Producer Brett Ratner said that "Eddie is a comedic genius, one of the greatest and most influential live performers ever". "With his love of movies, history of crafting unforgettable characters and his iconic performances  especially on stage – I know he will bring excitement, spontaneity and tremendous heart to the show Don and I want to produce in February."

Mischer added, "Eddie is a truly ground-breaking performer, whose amazingly diverse array of roles has won him a devoted audience of all ages. His quick wit and charisma will serve him very well as Oscar host."

Eddie Murphy said, "I am enormously honored to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts from Hope and Carson to Crystal, Martin and Goldberg, among others". "I’m looking forward to working with Brett and Don on creating a show that is enjoyable for both the fans at home and for the audience at the Kodak Theatre as we all come together to celebrate and recognize the great film contributions and collaborations from the past year."