Oscars

Oscars: Can Anything Beat Ben Affleck's 'Argo' To Best Picture?

After one of the most unprecditable Oscar seasons in memory, we're less than two weeks out, and things are finally starting to look more like an anointment than a contest; Ben Affleck's "Argo," counted out by many after the director missed out on an Oscar nomination, has won the top prizes from the ...

Santa Barbara Fest Lauds 'Supernova' Jennifer Lawrence, Outstanding Performer of the Year

On Saturday night, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival presented Jennifer Lawrence, 22, with the fest’s Outstanding Performer of the Year award. But first she had to submit to a grilling by SBIFF executive director Roger Durling, who described Lawrence’s performances, from Lori Petty’s “Th...

A Brief and Glitzy History of the Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Directors Guild Continues the Awards Surge for Ben Affleck's 'Argo'

Ben Affleck bookended the night at the Directors Guild of America Awards. Half-hour TV show winner Lena Dunham ("Girls") accepted her award by saying, "Steven Spielberg, I'm coming for you. Ben Affleck, I already came for you." She forecast the heat that attended Affleck'...

'Lincoln' Oscar Frontrunner Daniel Day-Lewis Opens Up in Santa Barbara

Daniel Day-Lewis may not appear to be a marquee movie star. But audiences are starting to get the idea that when he does a movie--and he picks them carefully, willing to wait years between roles--they should check it out. At a time when many actors risk overexposure, grabbing all the roles they can ...

Oscar Watch: Nominees Lunch Abandons Seating Plan

It was too good to last. As the Academy continues on the path of making changes, it has abandoned one of its best practices. At Monday's annual Nominees Luncheon, instead of having all the Oscar nominees sit with a smattering of Academy governors, execs and press randomly assigned on the day by lott...

Immersed in Movies: Assessing the Animated Shorts Oscar Race (TRAILERS)

Animated shorts have never been bigger. Starting today, ShortsHD and Magnolia Pictures are screening the five nominees theatrically in North America and Europe for the eighth consecutive year along with the live-action and doc short nominees; they continue to sell briskly on iTunes; and, for the fir...

Oscar Talk: 'Argo' vs. 'Lincoln,' PGA, SAG, and DGA; Affleck and Day-Lewis Hit Santa Barbara

On this week's Oscar Talk podcast, Kris Tapley and I discuss the recent PGA and SAG wins for Ben Affleck's "Argo," which is now mounting a formidable challenge to Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln." And we cover last weekend's Affleck and Daniel Day-Lewis tributes in Santa Barbara.

Oscar Watch: West Bank Man with '5 Broken Cameras' UPDATED

"I film to heal," says Emad Burnat, a Palestinian filmmaker and activist living in the West Bank, towards the end of "5 Broken Cameras," the disturbing and intricately layered documentary composed predominantly of Burnat's footage, which he crafted into a film along with Israeli director Guy Davidi....