Here Are Indiewire’s Top 10 Articles of the Week: ‘American Hustle’ Soars into the Oscar Race, John Waters’ Top 10 List and More
As we make our way into December, the cinematic landscape heats up. With the reviews for “American Hustle” just pouring in on the verge of its release next week, the David O. Russell crime caper seems poised to disrupt the Oscar race that was seemingly set in stone with frontrunners “12 Years A Slave” and “Gravity” premiering back in September, effectively giving the awards predictors a refreshing shake-up. With the year coming to an end, the top 10 lists are also making their way online, and cult auteur John Waters has revealed his unusual cinematic picks for 2013. The list wouldn’t be complete without “Nymphomaniac,” as Lars Von Trier’s perpetually attention-grabbing sex epic has just secured a stateside release date and released another, predictably NSFW clip.
Take a look at all of these stories and more below as we take a look at the ten most viewed news, interviews, and features from this week at Indiewire:
1. 2014 Oscar Predictions
Awards season (which is less a season than the half of the year between September and March) is upon us, and Indiewire is offering up our annual charts of predictions for the grand daddy of awards: The Oscars.
2. Gender Inequality in Film: In Infographic Form
Following the record-breaking opening of the female-led (although not female-directed) “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” last weekend, the New York Film Academy decided to take a closer look at women in film and what, if any advancements women are making in film both onscreen and behind-the-scenes– and create an infographic based on their findings.
“Spring Breakers” may not have much of a shot at an Academy Award (despite A24’s campaign for James Franco), but the divisive Harmony Korine film has already made at least two Top Ten lists for best films of 2013: last week, the prestigious Cahiers du Cinema ranked “Spring Breakers’ #2 on its list and now filmmaker John Waters, a contributor to Artforum, named the indie hit his #1 film of 2013.
4. Oscars Narrow Documentary Feature Race To 15 Films
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the 15 films left in the race for the Documentary Feature Oscar. A record 147 films had originally qualified in the category.
5. Watch: Charlotte Gainsbourg Goes Full Frontal in NSFW Clip From Lars von Trier’s ‘Nymphomaniac’
The marketing team behind Lars von Trier’s “Nymphomaniac” might have premiered the full trailer for the anticipated release a week back, but that hasn’t stopped them from teasing it via tantalizing clips culled from each chapter of the film. The latest features Charlotte Gainsbourg and Jamie Bell in a scene that’s best not viewed at work.
6. It’s Here! Watch the First Full Trailer for Lars von Trier’s Hotly Anticipated ‘Nymphomaniac’
After months of teasing us via a slew of posters, stills and enticing clips, the marketing team behind Lars von Trier’s hotly anticipated sexual epic “Nymphomaniac” have released the full trailer for the opus. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Stacy Martin, Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman, Willem Dafoe and more star.
7. American Hustle’ Unexpectedly Leads New York Film Critics Circle Awards
The New York Film Critics Circle have announced the winners of their 2013 awards, with David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” the big winner, taking prizes for best film, best screenplay and best supporting actress (Jennifer Lawrence). Many favored “12 Years a Slave,” “Gravity” or “Inside Llewyn Davis” for the Circle’s big prize.
8. Stream Them Now: 4 Oscar Contenders for 2014 Already Available to Watch Online
Though the the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hasn’t released its nominations yet (the Academy has released a short list of documentaries here), some of the top film contenders are already available for streaming. If you haven’t seen them yet, take a look at some of the films we believe are best bets in their categories that you can watch online now at various services around the web.
9. Variety Picks 10 Directors to Watch for 2013: Amazingly, Nearly Half are Women
Variety has chosen its 10 Directors to Watch for 2013 and believe it or not, five of the 11 directors on the list (one entry consists of a pair) are women. Could it be an encouraging sign that gender inequality in film may be on the decline?
10. Review: David O. Russell’s ‘American Hustle’ Is Snazzy And Fun — With a Purpose
“Some of this actually happened,” reads the opening credit of David O. Russell’s “American Hustle,” although it could equally apply to any of the filmmaker’s previous works. Russell’s freewheeling approach to portraying downtrodden Americans fighting to achieve small personal victories pervades his movies so comprehensively that they may as well exist in his own invented universe. Yet they also maintain a heightened realism through Russell’s caustic, loose screenplays, which rely on high energy performances that allows the humanity of his characters to hover over the material and transcend its fixed ingredients. They aren’t just the stars of the show — they steal it, which makes this tale of con artists in the late seventies into ideal turf for Russell to run wild.
