OSCAR FAVORITE THE ARTIST TRIUMPHS AT CESAR AWARDS

If ever there was a a foregone conclusion it was that Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist would triumph at this year’s César awards, France’s equivalent of the Oscars. And it did, winning awards from the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma for best film, director, actress (Berenice Bejo), production design (Laurence Bennett), cinematography (Guillaume Schiffman), […]

THE ARTIST A BIG WINNER AT BRITAIN’S BAFTAS

In what is widely expected to be a preview of the Oscars, The Artist claimed seven awards at Britain’s BAFTA awards Sunday, including best film, best director and original screenplay (Michel Hazanavicius), and best actor (Jean Dujardin). Meryl Streep won the best actress award for her performance as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The […]

THE HELP NABS THREE TROPHIES AT SAG AWARDS

Cast members of The Help helped themselves to three top SAG Awards on Sunday, including best cast, the equivalent to best film in other awards competitions. Viola Davis won the best actress award, while Octavia Spencer was named best supporting actress. The two have been nominated for Oscars in the same categories. The best actor […]

AND THE NOMINEES ARE …

Several critics described Martin Scorsese’s Hugo as his valentine to the movie business. This morning the movie business sent Scorsese one in return in the form of 11 Oscar nominations, the most for any film of the past year, including best picture and best director. Hugo edged out the apparent favorite, The Artist, which had […]

HFPA DISPENSES GLOBES ALL AROUND

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association spread their kudos around to a variety of movies and television shows Sunday night. The Descendants and The Artist each received two Golden Globe awards, best drama and best actor (George Clooney) for The Descendants and best comedy and best actor (Jean Dujardin) for The Artist. Solo awards went to […]

MOVIE REVIEWS: THE ARTIST

The Artist is arguably the most enthusiastically reviewed movie of the year. Other movies may have received a similar amount of praise but not the kind of cheers that this black-and-white, mostly silent movie has garnered. Back in May, when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Peter Bradshaw of Britain’s Guardian newspaper, wrote: “The […]

THE TREE OF LIFE IS A GOLDEN PALM

Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, starring Brad Pitt, was the controversial winner of the 64th Cannes Film Festival’ top prize, the Palme d’Or, on Sunday. Major critics attending the festival either hailed it or scorned it; few gave it merely so-so reviews. Malick, who shuns the spotlight himself and declined to participate in a […]