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

TV's 'Power Rangers' morphing into film

LOS ANGELES -- More than 20 years after taking children's television by storm, the "Power Rangers" are morphing into the movies.

In a statement, production house Lionsgate said Wednesday it is partnering with Saban Brands, which owns the rights to Power Rangers, to develop "an original live-action feature film based on the iconic Power Rangers property."

No release date was given, but Lionsgate -- whose youth-oriented blockbusters include "The Hunger Games" and the "Twilight" franchise -- said the film version would "re-envision" the Power Rangers saga.

Adapted from Japan's long-running "Super Sentai" television series, the "Power Rangers" are a group of teenagers who "morph" into superheros in bright spandex suits and helmets, ready to combat evil.

The show premiered in the United States in 1993 as the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" and promptly became a global pop culture hit, supported by a vast range of Power Rangers toys, costumes, video games and comic books.

Still in production under the title "Power Rangers: Super Megaforce," the program is seen in more than 150 markets around the world and translated into several languages.

Haim Saban, the Israeli-American media entrepreneur who created the series, said the tie-up with Lionsgate should result in "a unique and memorable motion picture phenomenon with a legacy all its own." -- Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

‘Gravity,’ ‘12 Years a Slave’ battle for Baftas

LONDON - "Gravity" leads the nominations for the Baftas on Sunday, but the harrowing "12 Years a Slave" is tipped to win the top honours at the last major awards ceremony before the Oscars.

Hollywood stars are due to pack out the Royal Opera House in London for the glitzy red carpet event, attended by Prince William and hosted for a ninth time by actor Stephen Fry.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards are a useful guide to which way the Academy Awards might go on March 2.

Last year "Argo" won for best film, Daniel Day-Lewis for best actor, and Christoph Waltz and Anne Hathaway in the best supporting categories—awards replicated at the Oscars.

With British-made films such as space drama "Gravity" proving box office hits, and UK actors earning critical acclaim, the Baftas seem likely to reward home-grown talent.

"Gravity" has 11 nominations; Golden Globe winners "12 Years a Slave" and "American Hustle" were each nominated in 10 categories, while "Captain Phillips" was nominated nine times.

"Behind the Candelabra" and "Saving Mr. Banks" have five nominations each.

"12 Years a Slave", starring British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor as a free black man who is kidnapped and enslaved in the United States, is nominated in five of the big six categories.

Bookmakers have "12 Years a Slave" as the 1/8 runaway favourite for best film, with Ejiofor even more heavily odds-on for best actor at 1/10.

Cate Blanchett is also 1/10 for best actress for her title role portrayal in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine."

"Gravity" director Alfonso Cuaron is a 1/2 favourite in his category.

"These really are the precursor to the Oscars," said Joe Crilly, spokesman for betting chain William Hill.

"Usually you have a little battle on your hands—at least for best film—where normally two are relatively close, but this year it's strange that there are so many odds-on favorites," he told AFP.

"There's also the British bias that you generally tend to see at the Baftas.

"If you've got an incredible performance by a non-British actor you will always see them do quite well. But Ejiofor puts in a very good performance and being British we think he shades it over Leonardo DiCaprio."

The Best Film Award is being disputed between "12 Years a Slave", "American Hustle", "Captain Phillips", "Gravity" and "Philomena."

Special award for Mirren

Judi Dench is nominated for drama "Philomena" in the best actress category—a record 15th Bafta acting nomination taking her one clear of Meryl Streep.

Workers at the Royal Opera House have already been working out the seating plan for the likes of DiCaprio, Blanchett, Dench and Sandra Bullock.

Fellow nominees Matt Damon, Michael Fassbender, Bradley Cooper, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks and Martin Scorsese will also be treading the red carpet.

However, they might be squelching down it under umbrellas if the storms that have been lashing Britain since New Year continue.

Helping to present the awards will be the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeremy Irons, Kiefer Sutherland, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stanley Tucci and Uma Thurman.

Bafta's highest accolade, the Academy Fellowship, is being given this year to Helen Mirren, "in recognition of her exceptional contribution to film."

Prince William, second in line to the throne and the academy's president, will present her with the award.

Previous recipients include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Christopher Lee, Anthony Hopkins and Scorsese.

Mirren, a four-time Bafta winner, is "one of the most outstanding actresses of her generation," said the academy's chairman John Willis.

"Helen's incredibly successful career is testament to the determination, dedication and skill she brings to each of her roles."

Besides the regular categories, Bafta also has an Outstanding British Film award.

"Gravity", "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom", "Philomena", "Rush", "Saving Mr. Banks" and "The Selfish Giant" are in the running this year. —Agence France-Presse

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

'2 Guns' shoots past 'Smurfs', 'Wolverine' to claim box office

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK - "2 Guns," starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg as rival federal agents, shot through its weekend competition at movie theaters, collecting $27.4 million to lead the North American box office, according to studio estimates.

"The Wolverine," last weekend's box office leader, finished second with $21.7 million in ticket sales, and has totaled $95 million during its two weeks in theaters.

"Smurfs 2," the newly-released sequel to Sony's 2011 movie "The Smurfs" starring Neil Patrick Harris and a band of small blue elf-like creatures, was third with $18.2 million in ticket sales. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

'Fast & Furious' rolls over Will Smith's 'After Earth'

Car chase sequel "Fast & Furious 6" kept racing at U.S. and Canadian box offices, leading all movies for a second straight weekend and finishing far in front of Will Smith and son's new sci-fi film "After Earth."

"Fast & Furious" racked up $34.5 million from Friday through Sunday, according to studio estimates. The sixth installment in the billion-dollar franchise takes the action to London, where stars Vin Diesel and Dwyane Johnson lead their crew on a mission to take down an international ring of mercenary drivers.

In the No. 2 slot was comedy heist caper "Now You See Me" pulled in $28.1 million. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg in the story of street magicians who stage large-scale magic shows during which they rob banks and distribute money to the audience.

"After Earth," starring Smith and his son Jaden Smith, earned $27 million to finish in third place. The film takes place 1,000 years after an apocalypse forced humans to escape from Earth, where a boy and his father are stranded after a crash landing and looking for help.


Universal Pictures, a unit of Comcast Corp, released "Fast & Furious 6." "Now You See Me" was distributed Summit Entertainment, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment . "After Earth" was released by Sony Corp's movie studio. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

'Iron Man 3' kicks off US, Canada run with $15.6M ticket sales

International hit "Iron Man 3" flew into U.S. and Canadian theaters, kicking off Hollywood's summer blockbuster season with $15.6 million in ticket sales late Thursday and early Friday.

The superhero sequel from Walt Disney Co's Marvel studio is expected to finish the weekend with one of the biggest debuts in film history. Box office analysts predict the movie will bring in $150 million or more from Friday through Sunday, likely ranking in the top five all-time openings.

The opening night sales fell short of the $18.7 million earned a year ago by Disney's "The Avengers," which brought together Iron Man, The Hulk and other Marvel superheroes. "Avengers" went on to earn $207 million in its first three days, a record for the North American (U.S. and Canadian) market.

"Iron Man 3," starring Robert Downey Jr. as billionaire businessman Tony Stark, has pulled in $345.4 million in overseas markets since it debuted April 24, Disney said on Friday. The film set opening day records in several countries including China and Russia.

In "Iron Man 3," Stark fights to save the world from an extremist known as The Mandarin, played by Ben Kingsley. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Cannes film festival abuzz as dark tales shine

CANNES, France - The Cannes film festival is buzzing this year with a string of hit movies in the official lineup, a procession of stars on the red carpet and plenty of eagerly awaited titles still to come.

The unseasonably cold, wet weather has done little to dampen spirits among the famously picky critics and journalists on the French Riviera to interview, photograph and film everyone from A-list celebrities to obscure auteur directors.

While the distractions for the 4,000-strong media presence seem endless amid stunts, parties and big movie deals, the backbone of the festival remains the main competition, this year comprising 22 movies with a strong U.S. presence.

But it is two European film makers, both previous winners of the coveted Palme d'Or for best picture, who have set the pace as Cannes hit its halfway point on Monday.

Austrian Michael Haneke, who won in 2009 with "The White Ribbon" and wowed audiences four years earlier with "Hidden", has done it again this year with "Love" ("Amour"), a sombre, French-language drama about an elderly couple facing death.

While Cannes thrives on Hollywood hype and celebrity, it also has a reputation for showcasing serious, hard-hitting dramas made by respected directors for little money.

Once they wiped away the tears, critics gave Love a five-star reception for its unflinching portrayal of a woman's illness and death, and how she and her devoted husband cope with the final weeks.

"Masterpiece"

Jonathan Romney of Screen International called it a "masterpiece" and many Cannes veterans have made it the movie to beat at this year's festival.

"Amour is surely now early favourite for the Palme d'Or," wrote Donald Clarke of the Irish Times. "If we were previously in any doubt, Haneke is confirmed as the premiere European director of his generation."

Its two stars, both in their 80s, have also basked in glory for moving portrayals of old age, the ravages of illness and facing one's mortality.

Romanian director Cristian Mungiu's "Beyond the Hills", another popular entry this year, is a disturbing tale based on a true story of a young woman staying at a remote monastery whose violent fits are interpreted as signs of the devil.

An exorcism is performed, but the well-meaning priest is in danger of doing more harm than good in Mungiu's examination of the clash between the religious and secular and between earthly and spiritual love.

His "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" scooped the Palme d'Or in 2007, and an informal poll of critics published at the festival puts him neck-and-neck with Haneke at the head of the field.

French director Jacques Audiard's "Rust and Bone", starring Marion Cotillard as a Marineland worker who loses her legs in an accident, packed an emotional punch that resonated with many, though not all, viewers.

Danish child abuse drama "The Hunt", from Thomas Vinterberg and starring the impressive Mads Mikkelsen as a man wrongly accused and ostracized, is also seen as a contender.

Wes Anderson's opening comedy "Moonrise Kingdom" starring Bruce Willis, Bill Murray and two young stars, was an upbeat start to this year's festival, although it may be too light-hearted to win over the Cannes jury.

The violent prohibition-era movie "Lawless", featuring Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy and Jessica Chastain, fell slightly flat in the eyes of many critics.

Willis, Murray, Hardy, Chastain and Sean Penn have all walked the red carpet so far, and still expected in Cannes are Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Kanye West. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com