Amy Nicholson's / Top 10 of 2012 / Written In Haiku

2012 was a ho-hum year for "serious" cinema. As proof, the Oscar race has narrowed to films like the chipper Argo and dreary Zero Dark Thirty — a chase so routine that the alternative is a Steven Spielberg period piece as wholesome and agreeable as enriched bread. But it was also a banner year for the films that we'll still want to watch in 2022: Ambitious over-reachers (Cloud Atlas, The Master, Les Miserables), loony passion projects (Killer Joe, Magic Mike, The Paperboy), and perfect popcorn flicks (Step Up 4, The Expendables 2, Premium Rush).

That last category is frequently left off top ten lists, but it deserves our applause. When studios get tired of risking $250 million on a single blockbuster (and audiences get tired of paying $14 just to keep up with water cooler conversation), mid-priced modest hits like Looper will be our collective salvation — and help build the next generation of filmmakers and stars. The films that made my Top Ten did so because they were bold, memorable and flawless (or at least two of the three). But of course, if critics can judge art, we should take our own creative risks. And so I've written my remarks in haiku.
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Listen To Anne Hathaway Sing 'I Dreamed A Dream,' Pinpoint Exactly When She Earns That 'Les Mis' Oscar

We can all agree that Anne Hathaway's brief but gloriously tragic turn in Tom Hooper's Les Miserables earned her the enviable position as Best Supporting Actress front runner. Now you can listen to her movie-topping number "I Dreamed A Dream" online and pinpoint the exact moment when that Oscar statuette officially writes "Anne Hathaway's syphilitic whore" on its nameplate, because all you other Supporting Actress hopefuls can just give up and go home already*.
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TALKBACK: Who Gave The Best (And Worst) Performances Of 'Les Miserables?'

If you and the fam headed to the multiplex to watch one of the season's big new releases this week, chances are you caught Tom Hooper's epic weepie Les Miserables or Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. (Or maybe the in-laws dragged you to Parental Guidance, in which case, my condolences.) We'll get spoilery all over Django later, but for now let's get to hashing out the answer to the question that's been on every showtune-lover's mind for months: Which Les Miz cast member totally nailed the live-sung suffering for the big screen (and whose warblings made us les miserables)? more »

They Turn Us On, Dammit! Movieline Critic Alison Willmore's Top 10 Overlooked Gems of 2012

This December is heavy with major movies — Zero Dark Thirty, This is 40, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Django Unchained and Les Misérables — that are literally (use the bathroom first) and metaphorically big. As they dominate the year-end conversation, it seems like a good moment to to call out some films that may not earn many mentions at award shows and top ten lists, but nevertheless charmed, entertained or impressed me throughout the year. more »

9 Make Oscars' Best Foreign Language Shortlist

Nine films have advanced to the final round of pre-nominations in the Academy's Best Foreign Language category. Previously 71 films had qualified for consideration. This weekend's Sony Classics release, Amour, which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival is among the films making the shortlist as well as Canada's War Witch, the Gael Garcia Bernal starter No (Chile), France's huge global box office hit A Royal Affair, Iceland's Baltasar Kormákur's The Deep and lauded Romanian director Cristian Mungiu's Beyond the Hills.

Five nominees will emerge from this list via Academy members who will view the shortlist after the new year and then casting their ballots. The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT, and the Oscar ceremony will take place February 24th.

The Best Foreign-Language Oscar Shortlist for the 85th Academy Awards:
Austria, "Amour," Michael Haneke, director 
    
Canada, "War Witch," Kim Nguyen, director   
Chile, "No," Pablo Larraín, director
    
Denmark, "A Royal Affair," Nikolaj Arcel, director
    
France, "The Intouchables," Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, directors
    
Iceland, "The Deep," Baltasar Kormákur, director
    
Norway, "Kon-Tiki," Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, directors
    
Romania, "Beyond the Hills," Cristian Mungiu, director
    
Switzerland, "Sister," Ursula Meier, director

The Masters: Movieline Critic Alison Willmore's Top 10 Films of 2012

This was a terrific year for movies. I don't know that I have more to say about it as a whole than that, because 2012 was such a varied year in cinema, too. We saw procedurals, Zero Dark Thirty  and Lincoln, that dug into the immense work behind known moments in history; movies about the movies, like Holy Motors and The Cabin in the Woods, and sensory creations like Beasts of the Southern Wild and The Master, with their very different protagonists who each seem, at times, tuned into a clearer sense of the universe. more »

AARP Gives Its Top 10 'Movies For Grownups'

Popular culture may suffer from youth obsession and the movies may be front and central in perpetuating it all, but older folks have made strides this year in capturing the box office dollar with titles like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Hope Springs. So, why not have the nation's most prominent organization for people hitting their Golden Years weigh in on the year's best movies?

AARP — less popularly known as the American Association of Retired Persons — gave its Top Ten films of the year, joining a chorus of other groups this time of the year giving their lists. The interest group noted that 2012 was "hot for both older movie-goers and movie-makers," citing Golden Globe nominations for Helen Mirren, Richard Gere, Denzel Washington, Bill Murray and Judi Dench.

AARP's picks include titles by directors such as Ben Affleck, David O. Russell and Kathryn Bigelow which feature stars that aren't exactly on the cusp of receiving Social Security benefits, but their picks seem to indicate themes of maturity over age.

AARP dubbed their 2012 best films list as a "Year-end Top Ten Movies for Grownups." Their picks follow:

        
Argo
        Amour
       Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
        Hitchcock
       Les Miserables
        Lincoln
        Quartet
        The Sessions
        Silver Linings Playbook
        Zero Dark Thirty

Movies made for older audiences became an issue earlier this year after comments by an actress perfectly comfortable embracing senior citizenry in roles such as the Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey and as Muriel Donnelly in box office hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Maggie Smith made waves criticizing Hollywood's youth obsession, pointing out that films that portray older people have historically performed well.

"It seems to me there is a change in what audiences want to see," she said. "I can only hope that's correct, because there's an awful lot of people of my age around now and we outnumber the others. I don't think films about elderly people have been made very much. But I think of [films like] Cocoon and Driving Miss Daisy and they always seem to be fairly successful, so it's a bit baffling as to why everybody has to be treated as if they were five years old."

Chicago Film Critics Name 'Zero Dark Thirty' Best Picture

The group gave Zero Dark Thirty its top Best Picture and Best Director prizes in addition to Best Actress for Jessica Chastain, while Lincoln's Daniel Day-Lewis took Best Actor with the Chicago Film Critics Association Monday.

[Related: Golden Globes Unveil 70th Edition Nominees And 'Zero Dark Thirty' Takes Top National Board Of Review Honors]

[Related: LA Film Critics Name 'Amour' Best Picture, Boost 'The Master,' Jazz Up Oscar Race]

The wins follow:

Best Picture: Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Best Supporting Actor: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, The Master

Best Original Screenplay: Zero Dark Thirty by Mark Boal

Best Adapted Screenplay: Lincoln by Tony Kushner

Best Foreign Language Film: Amour

Best Documentary: The Invisible War

Best Animated Feature: ParaNorman

Best Cinematography: Mihai Milaimare Jr., The Master

Best Original Score: Jonny Greenwood, The Master

Best Art Direction: Moonrise Kingdom

Best Editing: William Goldenberg & Dylan Tichenor, Zero Dark Thirty

Most Promising Performer: Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Most Promising Filmmaker: Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

[Related: NY Film Critics Circle Spices Up Oscar Race With 'Zero Dark Thirty' Best Picture Pick]

From 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer' To 'Lincoln,' 282 Features Eligible For Best Picture Oscar

Prognosticators have maybe five (or even as few as two) possible Oscar winners, and most lists of ten (or so) have many of the same titles though perhaps in various orders. But folks, the nominations have yet to come in and the Academy made that clear today with its list of 282 feature films for 2012 that are eligible for Best Picture.

[Related: Oscar Index: 'Zero Dark Thirty' Caught In The Cross-Hairs]

Rules are rules and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially considers a feature film that played in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County by midnight, December 31 and begin a minimum seven consecutive day run.

[Related: Golden Globes Unveil 70th Edition Nominees]

Under Academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format. Feature films that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days to Django Unchained; The First Time to Flight; Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted to Magic Mike; 17 Girls to The Sessions… They're all on the official list, so don't count out the non-elite not making Awards headlines.

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013

Golden Globes Nominees React! Bigelow, Affleck, Hathaway & More Respond To Nominations

Happy Golden Globes Nomination Day everyone! While you mull over this year's crop of obvious picks ("Argo f*** yourself," Academy) and not so obvious surprises (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Hope Springs, Taylor Swift and Jon Bon Jovi? Are we really doing this, HFPA?) let's delight in the reactions of the chosen few who'll vie for Golden Globes glory on Sunday, January 13. (Updated as nominee reactions roll in...)
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Golden Globes Unveil 70th Edition Nominees

Lincoln lead the 70th Golden Globe nominations in the Motion Picture category Thursday morning, taking seven categories, including Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Director for Steven Spielberg and Best Actor, Drama for Daniel Day-Lewis. Argo and Django Unchained both scored five noms, also placing in the Best Motion Picture Drama category and Best Director for Ben Affleck and Quentin Tarantino respectively.
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Screen Actors Guild Unveils 19th Annual Award Nominees

The Screen Actors Guild unveiled its nominees for outstanding performances in 2012 in film and television Wednesday morning. Nominees were named in five film and eight primetime television categories in Los Angeles. Les Misérables, Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook lead the theatrical motion picture nominations with four each, while Argo, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Sessions and Skyfall followed with two each.

[Related: 'Lincoln' And 'Les Misérables' Lead Critics Choice Award Nominees]

The Screen Actors Guild Awards styles themselves as the only ones "selected solely by actor' peers in SAG-AFTRA." Two nominating panels — one for television and one for film — each composed of 2,100 randomly selected union members from across the United States chose this year’s actor and stunt ensemble honors nominees.

Final voting information will be mailed via postcard on Friday, Dec. 31, 2012. The eligible SAG-AFTRA membership across the country, numbering approximately 100,000 actors, may vote on all categories.

[Related: Oscar Index: 'Zero Dark' Domination & McConaughey's 'Magic' Moves]

The following nominations include information provided by SAG-AFTRA.

19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Theatrical Motion Pictures Nominations:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

BRADLEY COOPER / Pat - “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company)
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Abraham Lincoln - "LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)
JOHN HAWKES / Mark - "THE SESSIONS" (Fox Searchlight)
HUGH JACKMAN / Jean Valjean - "LES MISÉRABLES" (Universal Pictures)
DENZEL WASHINGTON / Whip Whitaker - "FLIGHT" (Paramount Pictures)



Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

JESSICA CHASTAIN / Maya - "ZERO DARK THIRTY” (Columbia Pictures)
MARION COTILLARD / Stephanie - “RUST AND BONE” (Sony Pictures Classics)
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Tiffany - “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company)
HELEN MIRREN / Alma Reville - “HITCHCOCK” (Fox Searchlight)
NAOMI WATTS / Maria - “THE IMPOSSIBLE” (Summit Entertainment)

[Related: 'Zero Dark Thirty' Takes Top National Board Of Review Honors]



Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel - “ARGO” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JAVIER BARDEM / Silva - "SKYFALL" (Columbia Pictures)
ROBERT DE NIRO / Pat, Sr. - "SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK" (The Weinstein Company)
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN / Lancaster Dodd - “THE MASTER” (The Weinstein Company)
TOMMY LEE JONES / Thaddeus Stevens - “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

SALLY FIELD / Mary Todd Lincoln - "LINCOLN" (Touchstone Pictures)
ANNE HATHAWAY / Fantine - “LES MISÉRABLES” (Universal Pictures)
HELEN HUNT / Cheryl - “THE SESSIONS” (Fox Searchlight)
NICOLE KIDMAN / Charlotte Bless - "THE PAPERBOY” (Millennium Entertainment)
MAGGIE SMITH / Muriel Donnelly - “THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL” (Fox Searchlight)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture


ARGO (Warner Bros. Pictures)
BEN AFFLECK / Tony Mendez
ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel
KERRY BISHÉ / Kathy Stafford
KYLE CHANDLER / Hamilton Jordan
RORY COCHRANE / Lee Schatz
BRYAN CRANSTON / Jack O’Donnell
CHRISTOPHER DENHAM / Mark Lijek
TATE DONOVAN / Bob Anders
CLEA DUVALL / Cora Lijek
VICTOR GARBER / Ken Taylor
JOHN GOODMAN / John Chambers
SCOOT McNAIRY / Joe Stafford
CHRIS MESSINA / Malinov

[Related: LA Film Critics Name 'Amour' Best Picture, Boost 'The Master,' Jazz Up Oscar Race]

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (Fox Searchlight)
JUDI DENCH / Evelyn Greenslade
CELIA IMRIE / Madge Hardcastle
BILL NIGHY / Douglas Ainslie
DEV PATEL / Sonny Kapoor
RONALD PICKUP / Norman Cousins
MAGGIE SMITH / Muriel Donnelly
TOM WILKINSON / Graham Dashwood
PENELOPE WILTON / Jean Ainslie



LES MISÉRABLES (Universal Pictures)
ISABELLE ALLEN / Young Cosette
SAMANTHA BARKS / Eponine
SACHA BARON COHEN / Thénardier
HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Madame Thénardier
RUSSELL CROWE / Javert
ANNE HATHAWAY / Fantine
DANIEL HUTTLESTONE / Gavroche
HUGH JACKMAN / Jean Valjean
EDDIE REDMAYNE / Marius
AMANDA SEYFRIED / Cosette
AARON TVEIT / Enjolras
COLM WILKINSON / Bishop



LINCOLN (Touchstone Pictures)
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Abraham Lincoln
SALLY FIELD / Mary Todd Lincoln
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT / Robert Todd Lincoln
HAL HOLBROOK / Preston Blair
TOMMY LEE JONES / Thaddeus Stevens
JAMES SPADER / W.N. Bilbo
DAVID STRATHAIRN / William Seward



SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (The Weinstein Company)

BRADLEY COOPER / Pat
ROBERT DE NIRO / Pat, Sr.
ANUPAM KHER / Dr. Cliff Patel
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Tiffany
CHRIS TUCKER / Danny
JACKI WEAVER / Dolores

[Related: NY Film Critics Circle Spices Up Oscar Race With 'Zero Dark Thirty' Best Picture Pick]

SAG AWARDS HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture


THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (Columbia Pictures)
THE BOURNE LEGACY (Universal Pictures)
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (Warner Bros. Pictures)
LES MISÉRABLES (Universal Pictures)
SKYFALL (Columbia Pictures)

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
  (Screen Actors Guild 49th Annual Life Achievement Award)
DICK VAN DYKE

(Television nominees follow on the next page)

From '100 Black Coffins' To 'Casa De Mi Padre,' 5 Oscar Best Song Dark Horses We're Rooting For

By now you know that the list of songs eligible to be nominated for Best Original Song at the 85th Academy Awards is kind of mind-blowing. Not so mind-blowing is the generally risk-averse bent of the average Academy voter, which is why we should probably just send congratulations now to Brave, Les Miserables, and Adele, resting easy one of them will actually be the right recipient.
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Oscars Name Rick Ross, Katy Perry & 'Ladies Of Tampa' Tracks Eligible For Best Song

This just in from the Academy: This year's Oscars could see the best Best Song race in history. See which original songs are in contention, including unconventional tracks from Django Unchained, Magic Mike, The Man With The Iron Fists, and Casa de mi Padre.

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'Lincoln' And 'Les Misérables' Lead Critics Choice Award Nominees

In the latest round of Awards, the Broadcast Film Critics Association gave their nominations for the 18th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards, with Steven Spielberg's Lincoln leading the pack with 13 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis as well as Best Supporting Actor for Tommy Lee Jones and Best Supporting Actress for Sally Field. Les Misérables followed with 11 nominations from the organization, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Hugh Jackman and Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway.
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