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Good Is Not the Enemy of Perfect: In Defense of Dreamworks Animation

Scott Mendelson — 2012-06-20T11:51:00+00:00

As the initial reviews for Pixar's Brave roll in (again, I'm waiting till opening day to take the kid), it's clear that the film is both pretty solid and somewhat disappointing considering the uber-high standards that Pixar has set for itself. I personally think it's almost dangerous to go into a Pixar film expecting each one to be as good as Up, but I digress. One of the running themes of said reviews is that the film is merely 'Dreamworks good'. If you think that's supposed to be an insult, it is. The meme for the last decade or so is that Dreamworks is not just inferior to Pixar (probably true overall), but a genuinely mediocre producer of mass-market animated films that constantly engages in some of the worst practices of mainstream animation. But as we examine the last fourteen years of Dreamworks Animation, it becomes clear that their reputation is somewhat unfair, akin to judging Pixar based on Cars. Dreamworks Animation may not have the sheer number of masterpieces as Pixar, but their 24 animated features (double Pixar's output) show a remarkable range of both quality and variety. They truly are more than just the worst parts of Shrek the Third and the best parts of How to Train Your Dragon.

Dreamworks Animation burst onto the scene in the final months of 1998, with two dramatically different animated films, Antz (one of my oldest existing reviews) and The Prince of Egypt. As the first of two bug adventures, Antz was an announcement that Dreamworks was going to be a little more adult and a little darker than the traditional Disney animated film. With a well-earned PG rating, violent action sequences that belonged in Starship Troppers, and the tone and sensibility of a stereotypical Woody Allen film (it actually starred Allen), it was a marked contrast to both the stereotypical Disney film and specifically A Bug's Life, a good but relatively generic animated adventure that debuted a month later (Pixar's second film is notable only for Kevin Spacey's chilling antagonist and a terrific rain-soaked action finale). The Prince of Egypt was a hand-drawn drama retelling the story of Moses, a college try at crafting an animated epic on the scale of The Lion King. The film falters due to needless comic relief and some useless musical numbers, but the first and third acts are quite strong while the film unflinchingly presents the inherent tragedy of its blood-soaked tale. Ironically considering its reputation today, Dreamworks began as a somewhat more adult alternative to the Mouse House, however fair/unfair Disney's reputation as a kids' cartoon studio might have been at the time (I actually prefer the post Katzenberg Disney toons of the 1995-2004 era to the Waking Sleeping Beauty years, but that's for another day). Both films recieved good-to-great reviews and were relative box office hits (Prince of Egypt crossed $100 million but was quite expensive).

The next two films on the road to Shrek both dropped in 2000. The Road to El Dorado is a completely minor entry and is notable only for being among the last hand-drawn features in the Dreamworks library and for basically being utterly forgotten twelve years later (I remember the Elton John theme song, but little else). It's a one-off, an off-season toon along the lines of Disney's Home On the Range or The Wild. Along with Wild Wild West, it stands as evidence that perhaps Kevin Kline and Kenneth Branagh shouldn't work together. During the summer of 2000, Dreamworks dropped what still stands as among its better films, the Aardman Studios claymation adventure Chicken Run. Other that star Mel Gibson, this one had few celebrity voices and Dreamworks deserves major kudos for letting the creators of Wallace and Gromit play around in the big-budget studio sandbox. It's a great film that justly crossed $100 million at the box office in America. It would be the first of three Dreamworks partnerships with Aardman Studios, which would produce the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in October 2005 and the over-budgeted but somewhat underrated Flushed Away in November 2006, which was enough of a financial disappointment to sever their relationship and send Aardman scurrying to Sony just last year. While Dreamworks Animation financing and releasing Aardman Studios films isn't quite on par with Disney's efforts to bring Miyazaki films to America, it is still a noteworthy effort and credit is due.

So we've now discussed six of Dreamworks' 24 features without a single 'stereotypical' Dreamworks cartoon in the bunch. Of course, the next Dreamworks cartoon after Chicken Run would both turn the company into a genuine Disney rival and define the studio in a perhaps unfair fashion. Released in May 2001, Shrek was of course a mega blockbuster ($262 million in domestic grosses alone) and went on to win the first Best Animated Feature Oscar at the 2001 Academy Awards. Alas, the entire Shrek franchise is remembered for its least worthwhile features (pop-culture references, satirical Disney jokes, pop songs on the soundtrack, celebrity voice casting) as opposed to why all four films (to varying degrees) hold up. Point being, the Shrek films are among the most realistic and honest mainstream films about adult romantic relationships ever made. They examine a single adult relationship (Shrek and Fiona) through the initial romance, the honeymoon phase, the difficult adjustment to actually being a functional couple, the fears of going from a couple to a family, and the initial trauma of parenthood and how it forces us to readjust our life expectations. The first two Shrek films are still pretty great comedies and the third and fourth entries deserve credit for their ideas if not their execution. Alas, the massive success of the Shrek franchise was a double-edged sword, as its negative traits came to define not just the Shrek films but Dreamworks Animation as a whole, even when their output had little relation to Shrek the Third. But the four Shrek films are more than their pop-culture references and lived up to their premise to examine the standard 'fairy tale romance' in a more relevant and plausible fashion.

The two Dreamworks films between Shrek and Shrek 2 were the studio's last two hand-drawn features. Spirit: Legend of the Cimarron, released over Memorial Day weekend in 2002, is unlike any mainstream animated film released in modern times. Its tale of horses existing in 19th century America is a straight western, presented with no comedic side-kicks or modern references. It is a straight drama where the animals don't talk, and viewed today it almost comes off as precursor to War Horse. It's not a masterpiece, but it is the kind of creative risk taking usually associated with Pixar. Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is still Dreamworks' biggest financial disaster and seeing it for the first time just last year, it's easy to see why. It's not a bad film so much as a very slight and insignificant one. Needlessly cast with celebrity voices (Brad Pitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Catherine Zeta Jones, etc.), the film is notable for being Dreamworks' last hand-drawn film and for a few terrific second-act action sequences. Following the astonishing success of Shrek 2 ($441 million in the US, the third-biggest grosser of all-time at that time), Dreamworks entered into what can perhaps be called the era of the zany talking animal. This period, which saw rival studios trying their hand at the wise-cracking anthropomorphic animals as well, saw Dreamworks' worst film, one of it's best films, and the start of one of its most vibrant franchises.

While A Shark Tale remains one of Dreamworks' bigger non-Shrek hits domestically, it is still not only their worst film but a template for everything that currently can pollute mainstream animation. It is filled with celebrity voices (Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Renee Zellwigger, etc.) that bring nothing to the table, it is filled with pop-culture references and pop music and, like Cars, exists in an alternate world where fish have humanoid societies and much of the humor comes from fish engaging in human behavior (it wasn't funny in Howard the Duck). It's dreadfully dull 'don't try to rise above your economic/social class/stay with your own kind' narrative is just one of the reasons it remains, along with Disney's Chicken Little and Lionsgate's Happily N'Ever After, one of the worst mainstream animated films of the 2000s. If you want to see why some critics still instinctively hate Dreamworks, rent A Shark Tale. Fortunately it was mostly uphill from there. Aside from the aforementioned Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005, Memorial Day weekend saw the release of Madagascar. I'm actually not a huge fan of the first Madagascar and its non-stop zaniness can get a little wearying.

But the film, and its superior sequels in 2008 and 2012, tell a refreshingly different animated fable, one without explicit villains where the biggest challenge is conquering your own neurosis (it's both very Jewish and a prototypical western). The first film's major conflict involves a lion realizing that he now wants to eat his best friend, a zebra. That's certainly a bit different from an "I've gotta win that race/save the world/stop the bad guy/find love" narratives found in most animated films. And Madagascar contains the funniest line of 2005, a Thomas Wolfe joke that I firmly believe was inspired by the retched reviews for I Am Charlotte Simmons. Madagascar became the highest grossing non-Shrek Dreamworks animated film yet ($197 million domestic, $532 million worldwide), although the company's stock took a serious hit from brain-dead business pundits who inexplicably expected it to perform like Shrek 3. Their major summer 2006 entry, Over the Hedge, made my ten-best of 2006 list. Despite having a celebrity cast and the now-standard zany animal cast, the well-acted picture told its character-driven tale with maturity and occasional subtly (the film is nearly silent when it needs to be), plus a brutally satirical take-down of consumerism with next-to-no pop-culture references. Over the Hedge marked an upswing in quality that, with a few bumps here and there, is still in place. 2007 was not a good year for Dreamworks, even as if was a superb year for Disney/Pixar (my two favorite films of that year are Meet the Robinsons and Ratatouille). I'll count A Bee Story as an accident, a product of the allure of working with Jerry Seinfeld, and Shrek the Third remains the least of the Shrek films. But 2008 was the pay-off promised by the surprising potency of Over the Hedge. June 2008 saw the release of Kung Fu Panda, which was easily among the best Dreamworks cartoons to date. While it had helpings of Jack Black slapstick, it was at-heart an emotionally-driven kung-fu drama that took its story and its action quite seriously. The film is a visual marvel and it, alongside Wag the Dog and Moonlight Mile, contains one of Dustin Hoffman's best performances from the last fifteen years. 2008 was capped off with Madagascar 2, a minor effort that nonetheless was a superior film to the 2005 original, telling an engaging family drama amid the zany comedy (bonus points for not overusing the penguins). 2009 saw only Monsters Vs. Aliens, a truly lesser effort that saw the studio falling back into some bad habits (needless celebrity casting, pop-culture references, a refusal to play its story straight, etc). But with all the hoopla surrounding Brave and its female lead, Dreamworks was ahead of the curve on that one, telling an explicitly feminist story where the heroine rejected her would-be prince charming because he wanted her to conform to gender stereotypes. It also was Dreamworks first experiment with 3D animation, and it was proved that Dreamworks was second-to-none when it came to high-quality 3D presentations for animated features. I wish it were a slightly more serious film, but the scale is impressive and it's a visual delight.

2010 saw three animated features, including a high-water mark, a flawed but interesting sequel, and a shockingly thoughtful comedy. The first 2010 entry is one of Dreamworks' best films, and arguably the go-to film for those wanting to give Dreamworks Animation a 'back-handed compliment' by naming a good one. How To Train Your Dragon is a soaring, moving, exciting, funny, and politically relevant fable that does almost everything right. The film looks dazzling and still contains some of the best 3D yet released and it takes its story absolutely seriously without a pop-culture reference in sight. It's not only among Dreamworks' best films, it will likely end up among the best animated films released this decade. Shrek: Forever After is better than the third film, although I take issue with an entire feature film spent in an alternate timeline (an episodic television show can do that since there are 13-24 episodes a year). Still, the film earns major kudos by fearlessly acknowledging the less pleasant side of parenting and how it changes you as a person for better or worse (Shrek the Third is retroactively improved because everything that Shrek feared has come true). The last 2010 entry is Megamind, and its relative quality is a testiment to Dreamworks' unwillingness to do anything half-assed. It could have been a cheap, snarky, and pop-culture-reference-filled superhero comedy that relied entirely on the comedic talents of Will Ferrell. Instead it's a thoughtful mediation on the nature of heroism and whether or not evil is required in the presence of heroism. It features the kind of big-scale superhero action largely absent from live-action comic book films (even Pixar's superb The Incredibles was mostly superhero vs. humans) and contains compelling performances from Ferrell, Tina Fey, Brad Pitt, and Jonah Hill. It's not a great film, but it's an awfully good one that didn't have to be.

2011 saw another terrific year, with the release of its best film yet and the release of a stunningly successful franchise spin-off. If you've read me for any amount of time, you know how much I adore Kung Fu Panda 2. It's the best Dreamworks film yet, the best 'set up a universe' sequel since X2: X-Men United, and my favorite film of 2011. It's action-packed, moving as hell, visually gorgeous, and incredibly smart about its characters and its somber story. Like Megamind, Puss In Boots was a film that didn't have to be any good. It seemed on paper and in marketing like a cash-in quickie based on a supporting character from the Shrek franchise. But Dreamworks took the Zorro-as-cat character and crafted a lovingly detailed fantasy/western-hybrid that took itself and its world absolutely seriously. Filled with cat-centric humor, intense action, and some glorious visuals, Puss In Boots is a wonderfully entertaining adventure film. Kung Fu Panda 2 and Puss In Boots combined are a testament to Dreamworks' commitment to technical craft and an increasing commitment to story and character that defines the best Pixar films. Madagascar 3 succeeds as a visual marvel and a light comedic treat (with a terrific chase scene in the first act), but its a worthy continuation of an amusing franchise. And, minor spoilers, despite being a third entry in a sure-to-be-continued franchise, it contains more closure than a number of would-be franchise-starters of late (cough-Prometheus-cough).

I'm not saying that Dreamworks is on the same quality plane as Pixar. They aren't, at least not yet. But their 24 animated features offer a surprisingly amount of variety in terms of stories being told and how those stories get told. Of the 24 films, just over a third of them of them (Chicken Run, Shrek, Shrek 2, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Over the Hedge, Kung Fu Panda, How To Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Puss In Boots) are great or near-great. A third of them (The Road to El Dorado, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, A Shark Tale, Shrek the Third, Madagascar, A Bee Movie, Shrek Forever After, and Monsters Vs. Aliens) qualify as mediocre-to-bad. That leaves the middle seven (Antz, Prince of Egypt, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Flushed Away, Madagascar 2, Megamind, Madagascar 3), as 'okay-to-very good'. More importantly the stereotypical meme regarding Dreamworks films leaves out somewhat daring experiments like Spirit, misses the romantic comedy heart of the Shrek films, and ignores the arch-typical western themes in the Madagascar series. More importantly, it dismisses outright masterpieces like Kung Fu Panda 2 and How to Train Your Dragon while writing off the potent myth-making found in Megamind and Puss In Boots. Dreamworks may not be Pixar, but they are ahead of Disney at this point in time and miles ahead of any other theoretical animation studio. The word on the street is that Pixar's Brave is 'Dreamworks-good'. I can only hope so.

'Toy Story' Was Almost Called ... 'Bring Me the Arm of Buzz Lightyear'

Moviefone Staff — 2011-08-25T11:30:00+00:00

Movies usually have working titles. Most of the time, they are pretty generic -- except for the ones for 'Toy Story,' that is. 'Toy Story 3' director Lee Unkrich (he worked on the first two films as editor and co-director, respectively) recently took to Twitter to reveal some of the titles Pixar was thinking of naming its flagship feature.

Apparently, there were over 200 potential titles for the film. Below, you can read a few of the best (and worst) ones. Our favorite, by the way, is 'Toyz in the Hood.'

'The New Toy'
'Made in Taiwan'
'Moving Buddies'
'To Infinity and Beyond'
'Wind-Up Heroes'
'The Cowboy and the Spaceman'
'Spurs and Rockets'
'Bring Me the Arm of Buzz Lightyear'
'Wind the Frog'
'Rex's First Movie'
'For the Love of Peep'
'Toyz in the Hood'
'Each Sold Separately'

[via /Film]

The 7 Best Viral Marketing Campaigns in Movie History

Ryan McKee — 2011-06-07T11:15:00+00:00

'Super 8' hits theaters June 10, and the viral marketing campaigns for it have been spinning like mad. Director J.J. Abrams loves a good viral campaign and is probably one of the few directors who actually thinks about it as he's constructing the initial movie. The success of 'Super 8''s marketing remains to be seen, but there are plenty of online hints and movie references that nerds (ourselves included) will be digging through for months.

'Super 8' already has intrigue and mystery down, which you'll see are two big factors in a successful online promotion. Below, we take a look at the seven best viral marketing campaigns in movie history.

7. 'Snakes on a Plane' (2006)

Some consider 'Snakes on a Plane' a disappointment at the box office. However, the movie grossed over $62m. That is staggering considering almost every person who paid to see it, did so "ironically." The movie became a hit simply because of its name making the rounds online. New Line already had a Internet phenomenon before they even started marketing it, proving names do matter.

6. 'Inception' (2010)

After Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight' enjoyed overwhelming success -- due in some part to its viral campaign -- it stood to reason the progressive director would want the same for 'Inception.' Keeping most of the film under wraps, the stealth marketing team put together the 'Mind Crime' virtual game online and produced a series of "real" interviews with scientists who specialize in dreams. Fans were already interested, but these efforts pushed their intrigue past the tipping point.

5. 'Paranormal Activity' (2009)

Made for a mere $15,000, 'Paranormal Activity' grossed over $193 million. The filmmakers owe a lot of their success to hitting the social networks hard, especially Twitter. After the film's limited release, they encouraged viewers to "Tweet Their Screams" and write 140-character-long reviews. After Paramount saw the online interest, the studio announced they'd launch it nationally if the movie received one million "demands" on Eventful. They made people work for it and, therefore, gave them a vested interest before even seeing it.

4. 'Cloverfield' (2008)

Director J.J. Abrams already had experience with viral marketing from his TV show 'Lost,' which had 'The Lost Experience' online. The studio used similar online tie-ins for 'Cloverfield.' However, wanting to keep the film as much of a secret from scoopers as possible, they misdirected information online, calling the movie 'Slusho' and 'Colossus,' despite already knowing the title. Fans started looking for hints everywhere before 'Cloverfield' was even close to theaters.

3. 'The Dark Knight' (2008)

Like 'Cloverfield,' 'The Dark Knight' used misdirection. One of the first marketing stunts was a fake website for Harvey Dent's campaign for district attorney, complete with shareable "I Believe in Harvey Dent" political posters. The posters slowly changed to an image of the Joker with the text, "see you in December." The final push launched WhySoSerious.com, which revealed more images of the Joker as well as the first teaser trailer, helping the film gross more than $1 billion.

2. 'Toy Story 3' (2010)

Instead of using misdirection to provoke interest, 'Toy Story 3' launched a unique viral video campaign with fake, vintage '80s commercials for the toy Lots o' Huggin Bear; Internet-only videos like one with Woody and Buzz on an IM chat; and hilarious '70s-themed interviews with the Ken doll called 'Groovin' With Ken'; as well as his advice series 'Ken's Dating Tips.' All of this excess creative content, as well as a Facebook application that allowed fans to purchase advance tickets through the site and update their friends when doing so, pushed the Pixar flick past $1 billion in sales.

1. 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999)

Before YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and even Friendster, 'The Blair Witch Project' set the standard for guerilla marketing done virally. Shot on a shoestring budget at a time when fake documentaries weren't commonplace, the film gave the impression this was real, actual "found footage." The filmmakers and Artisan Entertainment supported that by building a website that backed this claim; they also circulated the rumors via online message boards. The film terrified audiences all the more when, in the back of their heads, they thought it might just be real.

What Do You Think is the Most Memorable Viral Campaign of All Time?
The Blair Witch Project	1518 (63.0%)
Cloverfield	167 (6.9%)
The Dark Knight	289 (12.0%)
Inception	80 (3.3%)
Paranormal Activity	211 (8.8%)
Snakes on a Plane	80 (3.3%)
Toy Story 3	63 (2.6%)

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New 'Toy Story' Short: First Clip and More Shorts Confirmed

Andrew Scott — 2011-03-01T11:30:00+00:00

The toys are back in town!

EW.com has just posted an exclusive video preview of the brand-new 'Toy Story' animated short 'Hawaiian Vacation,' set to premiere before 'Cars 2' on Jun. 24.

In it, Ken (Michael Keaton) and Barbie (Jodi Benson) try to sneak away to Hawaii with their new owner, Bonnie, only to discover that they never actually left her bedroom. From then on, it's up to Woody, Buzz and the rest of the toys to turn Bonnie's room into the ultimate Hawaiian getaway.

EW.com interviewed the short's director, Gary Rydstrom, about the short, in which he also teased the short that will be shown before this November's 'Muppets' movie and discussed the possibility of a 'Toy Story 4.'

"They haven't announced what that one's about, but the idea is to try making more," he said of the 'Muppets' short. "There are several stories being worked on, different shorts in the pipeline. We discovered with these characters that it's not necessarily easy to come up with stories for 'Toy Story' shorts, but it certainly is fun and there's a rich vein of material."

Watch the 'Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation' preview here.

Oscar Rankings: The Pool-Busting Final Ranking of 2010

Erik Childress — 2011-02-24T20:00:00+00:00

We have arrived at the final days before the 83rd Academy Awards. In the four weeks since the nominations, all the Oscar bloggers and experts have tried to analyze and pick apart what every award victory and loss means. There is the usual drama over what is accurate in the biopics, actual drama in front-runners taking out their own "for your consideration" ads and invented drama over who may be the new race leaders, usually planted by journalists with close ties to studios or in desperate need of a story to draw attention to themselves. You will get none of that here. Nothing but pure guesstimates and hunches from the heart as it is time to offer a few last minute stats and analyses on who may have a new eight-pound golden friend to make room for.

To help string you along, we'll mix things up just like the Oscarcast is bound to do. And we'll take a cue for the order with last year's ceremony.

Best Supporting Actor
BAFTA giving the sweep to the three stars of 'The King's Speech' has created some pause in Oscarwatchers out there who all believed Christian Bale to be one of the biggest locks of the night. Don't sweat it too much. Everyone is already in agreement that the evening's one true bet-the-house pick is on Colin Firth. Assuming that holds true, it may surprise you to know that since the existence of the Supporting Actor category, only four times has the winner been from the same film as Best Actor. Bing Crosby & Barry Fitzgerald (1944 - Going My Way), Fredric March & Harold Russell (1946 - The Best Years of Our Lives), Charlton Heston & Hugh Griffith (1959 - Ben-Hur), and Sean Penn & Tim Robbins (2003 - Mystic River). That is four times out of 105 films that received nominations for its male actors in both categories. Does that dampen Geoffrey Rush's chances? Meanwhile, as reported before, the Screen Actors Guild, Chicago Film Critics Association, Golden Globes and Broadcast Film Critics Association all agreed on Christian Bale, just as they did on Christoph Waltz ('Inglourious Basterds'), Heath Ledger ('The Dark Knight), Javier Bardem ('No Country For Old Men') and Tim Robbins ('Mystic River').

WINNER: Christian Bale, 'The Fighter'

Best Animated Feature
It has been said before (by yours truly) and I'll say it again. If you nominate a single animated film for Best Picture and then do not award that film the Best Animated Feature prize, it is absolutely stupid. To tip the scale even further, the category did not exist when the first two Toy Story films were released. It is time.
WINNER: 'Toy Story 3'

Best Original Song
This may be one of the biggest toss-ups of the night. If the 'Country Strong' song wins, just flick off your television. A.R. Rahman just won two years ago for his last Danny Boyle anthem. 2001 was the last time that both Randy Newman and/or a Disney film won this category after its near domination of the '90s. Does 'Tangled' have a shot or is Newman due again with his 12th nomination here, especially after his first two 'Toy Story' songs lost out to either Disney films?
WINNER: We Belong Together 'Toy Story 3'

Best Original Screenplay
Christopher Nolan won ten awards over the season compared to David Seidler's four. 'The King's Speech' grabbed prizes from BAFTA and the BFCA while 'Inception' grabbed Chicago and the Writer's Guild. In 26 years, the WGA prize has only lost the Oscar nine times. The wrinkle here is that Seidler's script did not qualify and therefore did not compete directly with Nolan's brilliantly original mindbender. There is certainly a recent history of writer/directors being tapped with the former part of their film's credit - Sofia Coppola, Pedro Almodovar. Cameron Crowe, Quentin Tarantino, and even the Coens were awarded here before being deemed worthy for the helmer crown. 'The King's Speech' folks though love telling the tale of Seidler's own struggles with stuttering and how long it took him to get the screenplay made. This is one of those head trumping the heart decisions though. If 'Speech' wasn't the late favorite to take it all, this would probably be Nolan's in a walk. Here is one prediction I will not mind getting wrong.
WINNER: David Seidler 'The King's Speech'

Best Makeup
Fantasy vs. Old Age. Pretty much what it always comes down to here and, unless it is up against itself and old age sneaks in, fantasy usually wins. This year it's one fantasy (The Wolfman) vs. two old age/hardship flicks (Barney's Version, The Way Back). Rick Baker has 11 nominations and won six, but not since 2000's How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Can you think of a more perfect tribute than giving him the Oscar on the 30th anniversary of the category's inaugural win for 'An American Werewolf In London'? I can't.
WINNERS: Rick Baker and Dave Elsey 'The Wolfman'

Best Adapted Screenplay
There has been no other adaptation throughout this award season that was chosen in place of the one credited with Ben Mezrich's 'The Accidental Billionaires.' Not a single one.
WINNER: Aaron Sorkin 'The Social Network'

Best Supporting Actress
While she had the aura of a runaway frontrunner, Melissa Leo only won three more awards than 'True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld. This is the category that tends to spring an upset now and again (i.e. Marcia Gay Harden, Juliette Binoche, Tilda Swinton) so just by definition no perceived lock is stable. Since we did it for Supporting Actor, it is only fair we do it here too. Only seven times in Oscar history has the winner of both supporting categories been from the same film. The last time was Michael Caine & Dianne Wiest for 'Hannah & Her Sisters' back in 1986. On the other hand, Leo won New York at the beginning of the season and more recently SAG, the Globes and the BFCA. Chicago passed her over for Steinfeld. But the Windy City, as previously reported, disagreed with those latter three just as they did with Angelina Jolie ('Girl, Interrupted'), Renee Zellweger ('Cold Mountain'), and Jennifer Hudson ('Dreamgirls'). That trend is likely to continue.
WINNER: Melissa Leo 'The Fighter'

Best Art Direction
'Black Swan' (Contemporary), 'Inception' (Fantasy), and 'The King's Speech' (Period) won the Art Directors' Guild Awards for their respective categories. In 14 years of ADG prizes, only four times was the Oscar winner NOT preceded by the Guild's honor. That puts 'Alice In Wonderland', 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I', and 'True Grit' a bit behind. Though each has a better shot than 'Black Swan,' which was not even nominated. Fantasy and Period films tend to dominate here anyway and since the ADG split each off into their own award, the Oscar has split the results. Two going to Fantasy ('Pan's Labyrinth' & 'Avatar') and two to Period ('Sweeney Todd' & 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.') 'Sweeney' lost ADG's Period award to 'There Will Be Blood' but still won the Oscar. The Academy certainly does love royalty sets, but between the Asian architecture, the paradox staircases, elevator shafts and basically an entire film built on building things, it would be a shame to see true creation lose out.
WINNERS: Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias, and Doug Mowat 'Inception'

Best Sound Mixing & Best Sound Editing
There have been 67 films in Oscar history that have been nominated for both of these categories. 12 times that film has won both awards. 15 times it has won just the Sound Editing trophy. 38 times it has won neither. We have two films this year nominated for each - 'Inception' and 'True Grit.'. The latter won the Cinema Audio Society Award for Mixing, but only twice have films nominated in both categories went on to evenly split the awards between them - (1967) 'In the Heat of the Night' & 'The Dirty Dozen" and (2008) 'Slumdog Millionaire' & 'The Dark Knight.' The CAS is batting just over .500 at 9-8 in their precursor though (3 of their last 4 won the Oscar, but also 3 of their last 9.) Only one film seems to fit in with the technical achievements of 'Grand Prix', 'E.T.', 'The Right Stuff', 'Terminator 2', 'Jurassic Park', 'Speed', 'Titanic', 'Saving Private Ryan', 'The Matrix', 'King Kong' (2005), 'The Bourne Ultimatum', and 'The Hurt Locker'.
WINNER (both categories): 'Inception'

Best Cinematography
In 24 years of choices by the American Society of Cinematographers, only nine times have they matched up with Oscar. Nine times. This year's recipient was Chicago's Wally Pfister for 'Inception.' It was his third nomination from the ASC and his Oscar nod is his fourth straight for working with Christopher Nolan dating back to 'Batman Begins.' You could say he is due, especially for his outstanding work on Nolan's latest. But not as due as Mr. Roger Deakins. 'True Grit' marked his 10th collaboration with the Coen Bros. of which he received his fifth Oscar nomination for. Deakins has nine overall from 1995-to-present. He has never won. Until now.
WINNER: Roger Deakins 'True Grit'

Best Costume Design
The Costume Designers' Guild liked 'Alice In Wonderland' (Fantasy) and 'The King's Speech' (Period). Their "Contemporary" choice of 'Black Swan' was not even nominated. In its place, Oscar went with first-time nominee Antonella Cannarozzi for 'I Am Love.' The last time Oscar awarded a non-CDG nominee was in 2001. Though Oscar has only awarded a CDG winner 5 out of 12 years. They are on a two-year win streak, however. Even a bigger streak is Oscar's seeming obsession with awarding period films over fantasy. The last five years the Oscar winners were either a CDG victor or nominee from their Period category. In fact you can go back even further to 1999 when Period was mixed with Fantasy and the only one of the latter to come out ahead was 'The Return of the King.' Colleen 'Alice' Atwood, Jenny 'Speech' Beavan and Sandy 'The Tempest' Powell all received their ninth Oscar nomination this year. Powell won just last year. Atwood won in 2002 & 2005. Beavan has not won since 1986. 'Memoirs of a Geisha', 'Marie Antoinette', 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age', 'The Duchess', and 'The Young Victoria' are your last five Oscar winners. What does that tell you?
WINNER: Jenny Beavan 'The King's Speech'

Best Original Score
There is no hard and fast rule to picking this winner. Only ten times since 1975 has the year's Best Picture won this prize. With his masterful score for 'Inception', this is Hans Zimmer's eighth nomination. He has not won since 1994's The Lion King. John Powell received his first nomination this year for 'How To Train Your Dragon.' Alexandre Desplat has been nominated four of the last five years and has not won. A.R. Rahman won the prize in 2008 for 'Slumdog Millionaire.' Consensus amongst the precursors was that Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross' score for 'The Social Network' was the best. (6 trophies to 'Inception's 4.) The Golden Globes are 50/50 here since 1990, but have correctly foreshadowed the victor three years running. When they agreed with the BFCA in 2003, 2008 & 2009, their winner also won the Oscar. Nothing would get my juices flowing than seeing Zimmer win this and watch out for Desplat to steal this with a more low-key (and very forgettable) classical score. When in doubt, play the numbers. When still in doubt, play the hunch.
WINNER: Alexandre Desplat 'The King's Speech'

Best Visual Effects
You are hereby dared to mark 'Alice in Wonderland', 'Harry Potter', 'Hereafter', or 'Iron Man 2' on your Oscar ballot.
WINNERS: Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley, and Peter Bebb 'Inception'

Best Documentary Feature
We seem to be on Banksy overload here. Is he coming to the Oscars? Is he allowed? Will he send up a Native-American to collect his award or will he streak across the stage? None of those questions matter if voters decide to go with the most socially-conscious topic of the lot and probably the best of any to fully explain our most recent economic crisis.
WINNER: 'Inside Job'

Best Editing
Films that win the American Cinema Editors EDDIE Award do not "usually" go on to win Best Picture. Not unless "usually" means less than 50% of the time since 1961. 24-of-49 films that won the ACE prize won the Best Picture Oscar. But 34-of-50 films that won DID go on to win the Oscar for editing. (These figures includes ties in 1988 & 2006 and factor in the recent "dramatic" category as the alpha male. Chicago won "comedy" and won the Oscar in 2002.) The Eddie/Oscar has then matched up 18 of the last 20 years, including the last nine.
WINNER: Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter 'The Social Network'

Best Foreign Language Film
You think it's going to be 'Amelie', but then it's 'No Man's Land'. You bet on 'Pan's Labyrinth' and you get The Lives of Others. You can't decide between 'A Prophet' and 'The White Ribbon' and you're wrong twice as The Secrets In Their Eyes comes through. Hence the nature of the category sometimes. So while Biutiful may be the most well-known and 'In A Better World' won the Golden Globe, I'll stick with the film that has been garnering praise from festival-to-festival.
WINNER: 'Incendies'

Best Actor
Throughout the season, both Jesse Eisenberg and James Franco won six awards apiece. Not too bad considering Colin Firth pretty much dominated with 21 trophies including L.A., N.Y., Chicago, SAG, BAFTA, BFCA and the Globes. Do we really need to examine the stats with that support?
WINNER: Colin Firth 'The King's Speech'

Best Actress
Natalie Portman did not get the support from the coasts, but she did snag those other groups. And even two trophies short, she still came up a bigger winner than Firth this season with 24 awards. So why is he considered a bigger lock? Because some folks want to create some phony drama that Annette Bening still has a chance. Look, it's really nice to think that the great Miss Bening is due, but let's be realistic here. She is 20 awards behind Portman in the precursors, which ties her with Jennifer Lawrence for acclaim, despite trailing even her for pure nominations. Besides, don't we want to see one more match-up between Bening and Hilary Swank again? Portman has the same acclaim going into the evening that Charlize Theron ('Monster') and Helen Mirren ('The Queen') had before winning their Oscars.
WINNER: Natalie Portman 'Black Swan'

Best Director
As previously reported, the last three times that N.Y. & L.A. agreed on the best director of the year, as they have with David Fincher for 2010, that person won the Oscar. Only six times since 1951 has the winner of the Director's Guild Award (which Tom Hooper got) has their choice not won the Oscar. Two of those years (1995 & 2002) the DGA stood alone, as they have with Hooper this year, and the Academy did not concur. Of course, two of those six years, the DGA choice wasn't even nominated for an Oscar. So their track record looks even stronger. The closest link we can draw to calling a winner here is that between Fincher and Hooper, only one of them managed to win the coastal awards plus Chicago, the BFCA and the National Board of Review. Just like Steven Soderbergh did in 2000 when he lost the DGA prize to Ang Lee and then went on to win the Oscar. And he didn't even have the support of BAFTA and the Globes which one of these directors does.
WINNER: David Fincher 'The Social Network'

Best Picture
The case for 'The Social Network' is as follows: 30 of the last 36 Oscars for Best Director also went on to win Best Picture. Six of the last eight years, a victory for Best Editing has meant a Best Picture win. (One of those two years the Editing victor was not nominated for Best Picture.) 'A Place In The Sun' and 'Traffic' (which the aforementioned Soderbergh won his DGA-defying Oscar for) are the only two films to win Director, Screenplay and Editing and not win Best Picture. Only 4 of the 11 times that N.Y. & L.A. agreed here did Oscar also agree. (One of those times was last year's 'The Hurt Locker'.) Only 10 times since 1975 has the NBR called the Oscar-winner.

The Case for 'The King's Speech' is as follows: When PGA & DGA match, they are 13-for-16 with the Academy. The PGA alone is 13-for-20 in predicting Oscar. Since 1975, BAFTA is only 13-for-36 in matching their Best Picture up with Oscar. Is there any significance to the number 13 here? Even if 'Social' is ahead in trophies going up to the final award of the night it is, by far, not a lock in this close of a race. 'A Beautiful Mind', 'Crash' and 'Million Dollar Baby' were all trailing in the overall tally when their names were called for Best Picture. As were such underdog stories as 'Chariots of Fire' and 'Rocky." Does that sound like Zuckerberg or the guy with the stammer?

'Speech' still has legit chances to grab at least more of the tech awards so that last fact may be a moot point. They could be your pool busters along with the short films - which I'm not going to give you. Call it the tiebreaker so your party can still be fun. The prizes may already be spoken for before the final award is announced - since it is likely to be what we have all figured for weeks. Some of us even longer.
WINNER: 'The King's Speech'

EXCLUSIVE: 'Honey Badger' Host Randall Don't Care ... About the Oscars (Video)

Alison Nastasi — 2011-02-22T14:30:00+00:00

If you haven't seen 'The Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger' video yet, then you are seriously missing out, stupid. At least that's what Randall would tell you. He's the part-bitchy, part-disgusted and all-fabulous host of a series of narrated wildlife videos, a total YouTube extravaganza that will leave you quoting lines for days.

As amusing as it is to listen to things like "Honey badger don't care!" while watching the animal tear a snake to shreds, the videos actually teach you something, too. They're a lot more entertaining than your school's field trips to the zoo when the creepy animal handler would make you pet things you didn't want to, and the whole place smelled like skunk.

Since Randall has captured our hearts -- and Hollywood is a lot like the animal kingdom -- we couldn't help but wonder if he had the same kind of affinity for movies. We reached out to him to find out his impressions on this year's Best Picture nominees for the Oscars. If you want to know what Randall thinks about all 10 of these "daffy, little stories," then check out our exclusive, Oscar-tasty clip after the jump.

Honey badger don't care, but we do -- so follow the hilarious host on Twitter and say hi to us too while you're there. Stay tuned for Oscar coverage all week long!

Exclusive: Randall Weighs in on Oscar Nominees

And in case you've been asleep and missed the badass honey badger video:

Awards Bites: 'Inception,' 'The Social Network' and 'True Grit' All Win Big

Mike Bracken — 2011-02-21T15:00:00+00:00

We're less than a week away from the 83^rd annual Academy Awards broadcast, so lots of film organizations spent this past weekend doling out their prizes before the official end of awards season next Sunday. Here's a roundup of what you missed.

The Motion Picture Sound Editors doled out their Golden Reel Awards at the Westin Bonaventure in LA yesterday. Christopher Nolan's 'Inception' was the event's big winner, taking home two trophies in the Best Sound Effects & Foley and Best Music in a Feature Film. Meanwhile, 'The Social Network' took home the prize for Best Sound Editing for Dialogue and ADR in a Feature Film.

Gamblers looking to bet on the Oscars will want to note that 'Inception' was the only sound editing Oscar nominee to win a Golden Reel. Could it be a sign? Please wager responsibly. THR has the full list of winners.

Jump past the break for more prizes!

Keeping with the audio theme, Deadline reports that the Cinema Audio Society handed out the annual CAS awards for the 47^th time on Saturday night. Made up of sound mixers from the film and television industry, the CAS was "founded to create a proper channel of communication between the related sound crafts and between those instrumental to the production and distribution of film and television soundtracks."

This year's big prize, the Outstanding Achievement for Sound Mixing for Motion Pictures award, went to the Coen Bros. remake of 'True Grit.' Congrats to Production Mixer Peter F. Kurland and his re-recording mixers on their well-deserved win.

It wasn't all about sound this weekend, though. On Saturday, the American Cinema Editors handed out this year's Eddies and The Envelope was on hand to record the winners.. 'The Social Network,' 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Toy Story 3' took home the top honors - with Fincher's film winning the Best Edited Feature Film Drama (Angus Wall, A.C.E. and Kirk Baxter) while 'Alice in Wonderland' (Chris Lebenzon, A.C.E.) nabbed the best comedy or musical prize and 'Toy Story 3' (Ken Schretzmann and Lee Unkrich) walked off with the trophy for the animated feature category. Documentary 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' was also recognized at the event.

And since it wouldn't be an awards show without Christopher Nolan winning something, the ACE bestowed their ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year award on the 'Inception' director. Presumably, this kept Nolan fanboys from rioting over a perceived snub.

And there you have it, this weekend's big winners. Technical awards might not be as sexy as the big guns like Best Picture or Director, but filmmaking is a team effort - and it's always nice to see the less glamorous positions in the industry get their moment to shine. Now bring on the Oscars!

Poll Results: Who Will Win at the 2011 Academy Awards?

Alicia Roda — 2011-02-18T12:00:00+00:00

The 2011 Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 27 at 8PM EST on ABC. It's anyone's guess who will walk away with a trophy and who won't, but movie fans can always make their own predictions. That's why we asked you, our readers and fellow moviegoers, which stars and movies you think should be the big winners this year.

The results are in! We've tallied up the votes and it looks like 'The King's Speech' is a resounding favorite, even taking the most coveted prize: Best Picture. Sorry, 'Social Network' fans!

Check out the rest of the winners to see if your personal picks won in their categories.

What movie should win Best Picture?

'The King's Speech' 36%
'The Social Network' 19%
'Inception' 13%
Black Swan' 11%
'Toy Story 3' 6%
'The Fighter' 5%
'True Grit' 4%
'127 Hours' 3%
'Winter's Bone' 2%
'The Kids Are All Right' 1%

Who should win Best Director?

David Fincher, 'The Social Network' 32%
Tom Hooper, 'The King's Speech' 28%
Darren Aronofsky, 'Black Swan' 23%
Joel and Ethan Coen, 'True Grit' 10%
David O. Russell, 'The Fighter' 7%

Who should win Best Actor?

Colin Firth, 'The King's Speech' 62%
James Franco, '127 Hours' 14%
Jesse Eisenberg, 'The Social Network' 13%
Jeff Bridges, 'True Grit' 8%
Javier Bardem, 'Biutiful' 3%

Who should win Best Actress?

Natalie Portman, 'Black Swan' 77%
Annette Bening, 'The Kids Are All Right' 9%
Jennifer Lawrence, 'Winter's Bone' 6%
Nicole Kidman, 'Rabbit Hole' 5%
Michelle Williams, 'Blue Valentine' 3%

Who should win Best Supporting Actor?

Christian Bale, 'The Fighter' 54%
Geoffrey Rush, 'The King's Speech' 32%
Jeremy Renner, 'The Town' 7%
Mark Ruffalo, 'The Kids Are All Right' 4%
John Hawkes, 'Winter's Bone' 3%

Who should win Best Supporting Actress?

Helena Bonham Carter, 'The King's Speech' 31%
Hailee Steinfeld, 'True Grit' 28%
Melissa Leo, 'The Fighter' 24%
Amy Adams, 'The Fighter' 17%
Jacki Weaver, 'Animal Kingdom' 2%

What movie should win Best Animated Feature?

'Toy Story 3' 82%
'How to Train Your Dragon' 13%
'Illusionist' 5%

What movie should win Best Documentary Feature?

'Exit Through the Gift Shop' 38%
'Waste Land' 20%
'Inside Job' 19%
'Restrepo' 16%
'Gasland' 8%

If You Liked 'Toy Story 3,' You Might Like ... 'The Brave Little Toaster'

Gabrielle Dunn — 2011-02-14T17:30:00+00:00

This past summer's biggest tearjerker and best overall movie of 2010 was the third installment of Pixar's beloved toys-come-to-life series, 'Toy Story 3.'

Eleven years later, Andy is now a teenager, and is, by societal norms, too old to play with his toys. Once Woody, Buzz and the gang realize thy're about to be put out to pasture, they scramble to find their way back home. It's a heartwarming tale about growing up and the inanimate objects that win your heart along the way.

Which is why we think that if you enjoyed 'Toy Story 3,' then you'll probably like -- or already love -- a little 1987 film called 'The Brave Little Toaster.'

'The Brave Little Toaster' Trailer

'The Brave Little Toaster' is an animated movie set in a universe where household appliances have the ability to move and speak, but pretend to be lifeless when humans are around, just like the toys in 'Toy Story.'

The film focuses on five appliances -- a plucky toaster, a silly desk lamp, an cute electric blanket, a funny tube radio and a grumpy vacuum cleaner -- who go on a quest for their original owner, a young "master" named Rob.

On their journey, the group, led by the titular toaster, faces harrowing adventures almost too scary for children, including nearly drowning in quicksand, getting lost in a dark forest and a tense moment where it seems like they're all going to fall off a cliff.

The Scary A/C Scene from 'Brave Little Toaster

There's even a scene that is not unlike the trash-dump fire-pit scene in 'Toy Story 3' that some parents felt was too intense and scary for young eyes. (And older ones too -- I was definitely scared!)

'The Brave Little Toaster' has a trash compactor scene in which it seems like the appliances are going to be crushed into cubes of garbage.

But 'The Brave Little Toaster,' like 'Toy Story 3,' is also heartwarming. Both Andy from 'Toy Story 3' and Rob from 'The Brave Little Toaster' are young boys who've grown into college-aged teens. They are both viewed as "responsible" for their inanimate objects that love them.

'Toy Story 3' Trailer

In 'Toy Story 3,' the toys, led by a cowboy named Woody (Tom Hanks), realize they have to let Andy grow up and go to college on his own. They are, in the end, [SPOILER ALERT] handed down to another loving youngster. In 'The Brave Little Toaster,' all the appliances are brought back into Rob's loving home, repaired and taken with him to college.

Aside from their similar plots, the two films also share giving their characters distinct celebrity voices -- Jon Lovitz and Phil Hartman in 'The Brave Little Toaster,' and the aforementioned Hanks and Tim Allen in 'Toy Story 3.'

'The Brave Little Toaster' became a cult classic for those who grew up with it. Even if its characters aren't quite as indelible as 'Toy Story''s Woody and Buzz Lightyear, it certainly has memorable scenes, like the blanket getting stuck in a tree, a group of frogs' tongues sticking to the toaster's shiny surface and the clean-up sing-along to Little Richard's 'Tooty Fruity.'

'Brave Little Toaster' Tooty Fruity

If you're looking for a children's movie that was 'Toy Story' before Pixar even dreamed of toys coming to life, then definitely check out 'Brave Little Toaster.'

Gold Derby on the Oscars: Advice for Three Oscar Contenders

Gold Derby Staff — 2011-02-07T15:00:00+00:00

By Matt Noble
Gold Derby Senior Editor

So, 'The King's Speech' looks like it has the Oscar in the bag. The Best Picture award is in danger of becoming "the one that got away" for 'The Social Network' -- and the eight other films in the race. So where to go from here? With only a couple of weeks until ballots are in, how do the big players control the narrative heading into the final stretch?

'The King's Speech':
This film's campaign is currently controlling the narrative, and will continue to do so, by reminding people of the film's heart. 'The King's Speech' makes you feel better about the world. It's optimistic, it's triumphant, and it's about the power of friendship. Heart is probably the best weapon you can have in your Oscar-bait arsenal, because it's a message worth selling. As long as they keep the conversation about this, refrain from entitlement and keep Harvey Weinstein (who is a polarizing figure in the industry) in the background, it's theirs to lose.

'The Social Network':
This was a film that started its campaign by relying on critical acclaim, a strategy that worked well in the past for producer Scott Rudin with 'No Country for Old Men' and one that seemed to be working wonders once again. 'The Social Network' swept the critics' awards, and looked like the consensus choice of the year. Then the guilds went the way of the 'King.' If it's critics vs. heart we know where the Academy tends to go: with their hearts.

'The Social Network' needs to change its strategy. When speaking to Gold Derby's Chris Beachum, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin described the film as "a timeless story about friendship and loyalty and power, betrayal, class and jealousy." That's what needs to be placed front and center. This is not just a film that defines the moment, as critics have raved, but rather, a story with lasting, universal themes.

Is what they love about 'The King's Speech' fleeting and irrational, whereas what 'The Social Network' presents has more depth and substance, plus the ability to stand the test of time? Will snubbing 'The Social Network' be regretted? To get the Academy to ask themselves these questions -- without a campaign that explicitly tells them to -- the push behind the film needs to focus on the timeless elements of the script and direction.

'Toy Story 3':
Under the preferential voting system, 'Toy Story 3' may be the only other film with a slither of a shot. The animated film can compete in the same arenas as 'The King's Speech' and 'The Social Network' with its sympathy factor and critical success, respectively. Furthermore, its box office performance ($415 million domestic) leaves both front-runners in the dust.

'Toy Story 3' needs to sell itself on being the film with the heart and the critics -- the best of both worlds. It also needs to win those second- and third-ranked ballots so that if the race is closer than expected, Woody and Buzz can overtake the two lead ponies.

More From Gold Derby:
5 Upsets That Could Happen at the Oscars

Oscar Rankings: The Final Rankings (Before The Nominations)

Erik Childress — 2011-01-20T14:00:00+00:00

And it has come down to this. The final week before the Oscar nominations. The major guilds have weighed in. The two most corrupt precursors have handed out their awards in hopes that Oscar will match and therefore increase their relevancy. Those of us at Sundance who care enough will be setting their alarm clocks for 5:30 in the AM to watch the nomination announcement live on Tuesday, Jan. 25. And wouldn't you know it, but the dang Brits have thrown a wrinkle into our final guesstimations.

True it only affects a couple of categories, but who knows what devious devices exist within the heart of a voter looking to defy studio campaigning. And who knows what the final nominations will look like. Perhaps yours truly.

Thanks to BAFTA, the British Film Academy, we must tread carefully around the two actress categories now. For the second time in three years, critic groups have more or less fell in line when the studios have specifically campaigned an actor or actress in a particular category. Despite better judgment over the years, many of them listed Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider), Scarlett Johansson (Lost In Translation) and Kate Winslet (The Reader) as supporting players even though their characters had as much, if not more, screen time than their male counterparts. And Keisha was most certainly the lead character. Just as Mattie Ross is in the Coens' True Grit.

Except once again, Hailee Steinfeld has been getting lauded in the supporting category by over 15 groups, including the Screen Actors Guild. They also nominated Winslet as a supporting actress for The Reader, an award which she won from the guild. But then came BAFTA and she won for the same role in the Lead category, where they have just nominated Steinfeld. (And Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener in 2005 and Jennifer Connelly in 2001 for A Beautiful Mind, when everyone including the Oscars had them in Supporting.) The overseas Academy also ignored the listing of Lesley Manville as a Lead Actress on their screener case for Another Year and nominated her amongst the Supporting players. It can be hard to predict a list of five when it is unclear where a performance is going to end up. Oscar ballots were already due before the Globes, the BFCA or BAFTA announced their winners and nominees, so it's a little late for voters to rethink their choices.

But not for us playing the Oscar game. Despite whatever confident egos we might possess, somewhere inside we are always second-guessing our choices. How did we not see it? Why was I so adamant in sticking with that film. Here are things to pay attention to while the "ooohs" and "aaahs" are coming out of the press rows during the announcement:

- It will begin with one of the first categories. Someone is going to be getting snubbed out of Supporting Actor. Only Bale & Rush are safe at the moment. The numbers suggest that Jeremy Renner & Andrew Garfield should be in. But either of them could be left off to make room for Mark Ruffalo and John Hawkes. As good a time to play a hunch as any.

- Watch the early nominations for 'The Town' and 'Winter's Bone'. Both could have an acting nomination, but pay attention to Adapted Screenplay. Probably only room for one. But is it the token way to honor Affleck and the ladies or the paved path to a Best Picture nomination. Again, probably only room for one.

- '127 Hours' is everyone's favorite gut play for a snub in the weeks leading up to the nominees. Franco's nod is a lock. Danny Boyle is still likely on the outside looking in for Director, but might be closer than some believe. Watch out for that Adapted Screenplay category though. The numbers are very much in its favor. But if it is dropped there, it might make room for both 'The Town' and 'Winter's Bone' there...and Best Picture.

- Watch out for the 'Toy Story 3' snubbing. With competition stiff in both Picture and Adapted Screenplay, do not be too surprised if the Academy decides that 'Up' was enough to satisfy the 'WALL-E' snubbing and that they do not feel the need to give another Animated Feature top billing when they have their own ghettoized category, one which did not exist when the first two films were released. Two films that helped change the quality of animated films as we know it today. If any film is worthy of at least a token nomination for Best Picture it is this one. But I will stop panicking once it is one of the last nominees announced.

- Do not panic if 'The Social Network' does not lead in the nominations. It is up against films that will be tech-heavy. As many as five ('127 Hours', 'Black Swan', 'Inception', 'The King's Speech' & 'True Grit') could tie or out-nominate the Fincher film. Remember, do not panic. It is still the frontrunner. Until Oscar journalists try to drum up fake drama and the backlash campaign begins. And even then, it is still the frontrunner.

After that, what more is there to say. Well, plenty. But let us get to the final predictions.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
If Hailee Steinfeld is nominated for Lead Actress instead, I'm going to go with the longshot and say Lesley Manville finds her way into this category as she did with BAFTA.

1. Melissa Leo ('The Fighter') - Won BFCA & Globes like Bale. Yet snubbed completely by BAFTA. Still the frontrunner, Brits.

2. Amy Adams ('The Fighter') - BAFTA did not snub her. Neither did BFCA, the Globes, Chicago or SAG.
3. Helena Bonham Carter ('The King's Speech') - And like Supporting Actor, BFCA/Globes/Chicago/SAG/BAFTA nominees are 10-0 for an Oscar nomination since 2001. BFCA/Globe/Chicago/SAG nominees 18-0 here since 2002. Your top three here share those latter accolades.
4. Hailee Steinfeld ('True Grit') - Until BFCA & Globes, she actually had more victories than Leo. She will be nominated, whether its Supporting or Lead.

5. Jacki Weaver ('Animal Kingdom') - L.A. & NBR have agreed 8 times since 1982. Five won the Oscar. All were nominated. Marisa Tomei also got snub by Chicago & BAFTA and was nominated for 'In The Bedroom'. Last year, Julianne Moore was not for 'A Single Man'.

ALTERNATE: Mila Kunis ('Black Swan') - BFCA/Globe/SAG nominees to be snubbed by Chicago are 3-0. Two of them were also snubbed by BAFTA.

LONGSHOT: Lesley Manville ('Another Year') - Sony Classics pushing her for Lead. BAFTA has her in supporting.
WISHFUL THINKING: Chloe Moretz 'Kick-Ass'

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
1. Christian Bale ('The Fighter') - Won BFCA & Globes with great speeches. The Oscar is his to lose.

2. Geoffrey Rush ('The King's Speech') - BFCA/Globes/Chicago/SAG/BAFTA nominees are 10-0 for an Oscar nomination since 2001.
3. Jeremy Renner ('The Town') - BFCA, Globes & SAG nominees here are a perfect 23-0 since 2001. Morgan Freeman (2004) & Matt Damon (2009) nominated without Chicago or BAFTA nods. Of course, 'The Town' isn't an Eastwood flick.

4. Andrew Garfield ('The Social Network') - Of the five groups, only snubbed by SAG. As were nominees Paul Newman (2002) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (2007). Jack Nicholson missed Oscar nod in 2006. BFCA/Globes nominees here 23-for-25 since 2001. The two who missed were also snubbed by SAG. Even with Chicago nom, last SAG snub with other three nominations - Paul Newman in 2002.

5. John Hawkes ('Winter's Bone') - Snubbed by BFCA, Globes & BAFTA. So were Djimon Hounsou (2002), William Hurt (2005), Jackie Earle Haley (2006), and Michael Shannon (2008)

ALTERNATE: Mark Ruffalo ('The Kids Are All Right') - Last six choices from New York were nominated. Globe snub puts him in same boat as Jake Gyllenhaal (2005) and Alfred Molina (2002). One nominated. One not. BFCA/Chicago/SAG nominees with Globe snub are 3-0 since 2003.

LONGSHOT: Michael Douglas ('Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps') - Globe nominee and potential Bale upset on Jan. 16.

BEST ACTRESS
(NOTE: If Hailee Steinfeld is nominated for Lead, then she will likely replace Michelle Williams in the Top 5.)

1. Natalie Portman ('Black Swan') - First the BFCA. Then the Globes. Next SAG. Then the Oscar.

2. Annette Bening ('The Kids Are All Right') - Only other actress to get all five nods from BFCA, Globes, Chicago, SAG and BAFTA. That's a 17-0 stat right there.

3. Jennifer Lawrence ('Winter's Bone') - Got 4 of the 5 above. Only a BAFTA snub. That was OK for five actresses since 2001. Only bad news for Angelina Jolie in 2007 for 'A Mighty Heart', another woman on a search for a dead man. But ignore BAFTA and just get nods from BFCA, Globes, SAG and Chicago, you have a 22-in-23 chance in being nominated.
4. Nicole Kidman ('Rabbit Hole') - BFCA/Globe/SAG nominees are 32-1 overall. 10-0 without mention from Chicago.
5. Michelle Williams ('Blue Valentine') - SAG also snubbed Keira Knightley for 'Pride & Prejudice' in 2005 and she was nominated by Chicago, Globes an the BFCA. Oh, and Oscar.

ALTERNATE: Lesley Manville ('Another Year') - Chicago was first mention since National Board of Review. History gives her a 1-in-6 chance. Lead, supporting or nowhere is anyone's guess now.

ALTERNATE #2: Noomi Rapace ('The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo') - A BFCA & BAFTA bump did not help Saoirse Ronan last year.

UNDERDOG: Julianne Moore ('The Kids Are All Right') - Nods from just Globes and BAFTA were not good news for Meryl Streep (2002), Uma Thurman (2003), Scarlett Johansson (2003 - Girl with a Pearl Earring), Keira Knightley (2007) or Kristin Scott-Thomas (2008)

WISHFUL THINKING: Carey Mulligan ('Never Let Me Go')

BEST ACTOR
1. Colin Firth ('The King's Speech') - Has won 17 awards including New York, Chicago, BFCA and the Golden Globe. Don't bet against him.

2. Jesse Eisenberg ('The Social Network') - Nominated by BFCA, Globes, Chicago, SAG and BAFTA.

3. James Franco ('127 Hours') - And with those five, actors are a perfect 20-0 in getting a nomination since 2000. So congrats to Firth, Eisenberg & Franco

4. Jeff Bridges ('True Grit') - Ryan Gosling (2006) & Richard Jenkins (2008) were snubbed by the Globes when BFCA, SAG, and Chicago nominated them. Jeremy Renner (2009), like Bridges also got BAFTA nod. All were Oscar-nominated.

5. Robert Duvall ('Get Low') - If Oscars were in August, he might have won. BFCA/SAG got Sean Penn nominated in 2001. But not 2007's Emile Hirsch (in Penn's 'Into the Wild.')

ALTERNATE: Ryan Gosling ('Blue Valentine') - He has to knockout Duvall to get in. SAG snub gives him 50/50 shot at Oscar. Terrence Howard in '05 - Yes. DiCaprio for 'The Departed' in '06 - No. Will they nominate one without the other?

LONGSHOT: Mark Wahlberg ('The Fighter') - Jude Law & Michael Caine translated a single Globe nod to Oscar since 2001. Six others did not.

WISHFUL THINKING: Leonardo DiCaprio ('Shutter Island')

BEST DIRECTOR
1. David Fincher ('The Social Network') - Won New York, Los Angeles & Chicago. Also BFCA, Globes and National Board of Review. Oscar coming soon.

2. Christopher Nolan ('Inception') - 3 DGA nominations from last six films. That is early Spielberg territory.
3. Darren Aronofsky ('Black Swan') - Has won half as many awards as Nolan this season.

4. Tom Hooper ('The King's Speech') - BFCA/Globes/Chicago/DGA/BAFTA nominees are 14-1 for Oscar nod. Last shut out in 2001. Top four qualify.

5. David O. Russell ('The Fighter') - Nods from DGA & Globes may just be enough to make DGA 5-for-5 for a second year in a row.

ALTERNATE: Danny Boyle ('127 Hours') - BFCA/BAFTA Nominee Paul Haggis got in for 'Crash' in 2005.

UNDERDOGS: Joel & Ethan Coen ('True Grit') - Only nominated by the BFCA. Just like Steven Spielberg (2002), Jim Sheridan (2003), Ron Howard (2005) and Sidney Lumet (2007) who were not nominated for Oscars.
WISHFUL THINKING: Martin Scorsese ('Shutter Island')

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
1. 'Inception' - Second most honored script after 'The Social Network'.

2. 'The King's Speech' - Won BFCA's Original Award. They were wrong in both categories in 2009, but nomination a lock.
3. 'The Kids Are All Right' - BFCA/Globe/Chicago nominees 8-0 since 2001.
4. 'Black Swan' - BFCA/Chicago/WGA nominees (Globe or No Globe) are 11-0 since 2001.

5. 'The Fighter' - BFCA/WGA/BAFTA nominee. All other contenders only have one mention apiece with aforementioned groups and guilds.

ALTERNATE: 'Another Year' - Mike Leigh's last three Oscar nods here were not precluded by a WGA nod. Watch out, Micky Ward.

LONGSHOT: 'Blue Valentine' - 'The Messenger''s script got nominated with zero support from any of the groups or guilds.

WISHFUL THINKING: 'Four Lions'

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
1. 'The Social Network' - Not even Mark Zuckerberg can steal Aaron Sorkin's Oscar at this point.
2. '127 Hours' - BFCA/Globes/WGA/BAFTA nominees are 11-0 since 2001.

3. 'True Grit' - WGA nominees hitting 70% here since 2000. BFCA/Chicago/WGA/BAFTA nominee just like 2005's 'Capote'. Only snubbed by Globes too. Probably gave them no shwag.

4. 'Toy Story 3' - Five of the last six Pixar scripts received a nomination. BFCA/Chicago/BAFTA nominee just like 'An Education'.

5. 'The Town' - Adaptations getting a PGA accompaniment to their WGA nod are 20-for-25 since 2000. Seabiscuit only had BFCA/WGA support and got nominated.

ALTERNATE: 'Winter's Bone' - Either this or 'The Town' gets the 'Philip Morris' WGA spot. Feels right they want to honor Affleck somewhere doesn't it?

LONGSHOT: 'Rabbit Hole' - Chicago was the only group to acknowledge this potential sleeper nominee. 8-of-14 when standing alone.

WISHFUL THINKING: 'Shutter Island' - San Diego nominated it, but no match for The Social Network.

BEST FOREIGN FILM

(NOTE: No rankings here. Just pure guesswork.)

'Biutiful' (Mexico)
'Confessions' (Japan)
'Dogtooth' (Greece)
'In a Better World' (Denmark)

'Incendies' (Canada)

ALTERNATES: 'Even The Rain' (Spain) , 'Life, above All' (South Africa), 'Outside the Law' (Algeria), 'Simple Simon' (Sweden)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
1. 'Toy Story 3'
2. 'How to Train Your Dragon'
3. 'The Illusionist'

ALTERNATE: 'Tangled'

UNDERDOG: 'Despicable Me'

BEST PICTURE
1. 'The Social Network' - 90 awards total to this point. Previous award leaders were 'The Hurt Locker', 'Slumdog Millionaire', 'No Country For Old Men' (w/98) and 'The Departed'

2. 'Black Swan' - Only film other than #1 to be nominated by BFCA/Globes/Chicago/BAFTA as well as PGA/DGA/WGA & SAG Ensemble. Only 11 films since 2001 can claim that. All nominated including 6 of the 9 Best Picture winners.

3. 'Inception' - Second most awards of the season with 48. Only missed SAG ensemble nomination from above.

4. 'The King's Speech' - 25 awards and 90 nominations. Many still pending. Only missed WGA nod from above and that is because it was disqualified from contention.

5. 'The Fighter' - Got nominated by six of the eight groups and guilds. Including PGA/DGA/WGA/SAG which is 23-0 since 2001. 'Almost Famous' last film to get snubbed with that combo.

6. 'True Grit' - A film has not won Best Picture without a DGA nomination since 'Driving Miss Daisy'. But the nomination should be a no-brainer.

7. 'The Kids Are All Right' - Winner of Globes Best Comedy has not been nominated since 'Sideways' in 2004. Last three though only got a single nomination from above. 'Kids' got four.

8. 'Toy Story 3' - If 'Up' got nominated, this has to as well. Right?

9. '127 Hours' - 8 BAFTA nominations including Best Director. BFCA, PGA & WGA nominee. 7th in overall awards for the season. Yet so many think its going to miss because of squeamishness and poor box office.

10. 'Winter's Bone' - Last five years a film has been nominated without a PGA & WGA nod. Last four without PGA, WGA OR DGA.

ALTERNATE: 'The Town' - PGA has never matched 100% with Oscar. Last year they were 8-for-10. Nine might be best to hope for in 2010.

UNDERDOG: 'Another Year' - Lesley Manville and Screenplay chances need to increase for this to move up.
WISHFUL THINKING: 'Shutter Island' - Should have been a contender in 2009. Falls behind 'True Grit' & 'The Fighter' on Paramount's 2010 campaign.

And the rest of the feature film categories you will have to go online to find after the live announcement.

BEST DOCUMENTARY

1. 'Waiting for "Superman"'
2. 'The Tillman Story'
3. 'Inside Job'
4. 'Exit through the Gift Shop'
5. 'Waste Land'

ALTERNATE: 'Enemies of the People'

UNDERDOG: 'Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould'

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. 'True Grit'

2. 'Black Swan'

3. 'Inception'

4. 'The King's Speech'

5. 'The Social Network'

ALTERNATE: '127 Hours'

UNDERDOG: 'Shutter Island'

BEST EDITING

1. 'Inception'

2. 'Black Swan'

3. 'The Social Network'

4. 'The King's Speech'

5. '127 Hours'

ALTERNATE: 'True Grit'

UNDERDOG: 'Shutter Island'

BEST ART DIRECTION

1. 'Inception'

2. 'The King's Speech'

3. 'True Grit'

4. 'Alice In Wonderland'

5. 'Shutter Island'

ALTERNATE: 'Black Swan'

UNDERDOG: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I'

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

1. 'The King's Speech'

2. 'Alice In Wonderland'

3. 'True Grit'

4. 'Black Swan'

5. 'Kick-Ass'

ALTERNATE: 'Shutter Island'
LONGSHOT: 'Robin Hood'

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

(NOTE: 'Black Swan', 'The Fighter', 'The Kids Are All Right', and 'True Grit' have all been disqualified.)

1. 'The Social Network'

2. 'Inception'

3. '127 Hours'

4. 'How To Train Your Dragon'

5. 'The King's Speech'

ALTERNATE: 'Alice In Wonderland'

LONGSHOT: 'Tron: Legacy'

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

1. "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" ('Burlesque')

2. "I See The Light" ('Tangled')

3. "If I Rise" ('127 Hours')

4. "We Belong Together" ('Toy Story 3')

5. "Shine" ('Waiting for "Superman"')

ALTERNATE: "There's a Place For Us" ('The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader')

LONGSHOT: "Coming Home" ('Country Strong')

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

1. 'Inception'
2. 'Alice in Wonderland'
3. 'Tron: Legacy'

ALTERNATE: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1'

LONGSHOTS: 'Iron Man 2', 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' and 'Hereafter'

BEST MAKEUP

1. 'Alice in Wonderland'
2. 'True Grit'
3. 'The Wolfman'

ALTERNATE: 'The Way Back'

LONGSHOTS: 'Jonah Hex', 'Barney's Version' and 'The Fighter'

BEST SOUND

1. 'Inception'
2. 'Black Swan'
3. 'True Grit'
4. '127 Hours'

5. 'Shutter Island'

ALTERNATE: 'The Town'

LONGSHOT: 'The Fighter'

BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING

1. 'Inception'
2. 'True Grit'
3. '127 Hours'

4. 'Black Swan'
5. 'How To Train Your Dragon'

ALTERNATE: 'Toy Story 3'

LONGSHOT: 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'

NOMINATION LEADERS (if the above holds true)

11 - The King's Speech

10 - Inception, True Grit

9 - Black Swan

8 - 127 Hours, The Social Network

6 - The Fighter

4 - Alice In Wonderland, Toy Story 3

3 - How To Train Your Dragon, The Kids Are All Right, Winter's Bone

Oscar Rankings: Directors Name Five, Leave Five Up For Grabs

Erik Childress — 2011-01-12T21:00:00+00:00

The Directors Guild of America completed the big trilogy of Guild nominations this week in an attempt to give us a better idea of what and whom may be in line for a shot at Oscar. Unfortunately with the expansion to ten Best Pictures last year, the DGA now basically confirms five of the six or seven films we already figured to be locks. So congrats again to 'The Social Network', 'Inception', 'Black Swan', 'The King's Speech' and 'The Fighter' on their Best Picture nods.

It seems that the fun in Oscar prognostication now is not guessing what will be the five films up for the top prize, but what the other five films will be. Oh, how we love a challenge. Thankfully we still have the old five-nominee categories to kick around a bit. And that includes the challenge of figuring out which of the DGA's choices will still be competing come January 25th. So with Oscar ballots due on the 12th, let's break down how we arrived at this week's rankings...

Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher, Tom Hooper and Christopher Nolan are all DGA nominees. They were also nominated by the BFCA, Golden Globes and the Chicago Film Critics Association. Since 2001, directors who get those four nods are 17-1 in getting an Oscar nomination. The only guy to get snubbed was Baz Luhrmann for 'Moulin Rouge.' Back in 2001. These four should be locks.

That gives us four other directors in the running to consider as nominated by these at least one of these four groups. Chicago's fifth choice was Debra Granik ('Winter's Bone'). In the same time period when going solo, they are 0-for-7 in seeing that choice get an Oscar nomination. Their choices included: Paul Thomas Anderson (2002), Todd Haynes (2002), David Cronenberg (2005), David Fincher (2007), Andrew Stanton (2008), Joel & Ethan Coen (2009), and Spike Jonze (2009).

Danny Boyle ('127 Hours') and the Coens ('True Grit') only got nominations from the BFCA. When they make their Oscar predictions and choose somebody that none of their counterparts eventually do, they go 0-for-4 having chosen Steven Spielberg (2002), Jim Sheridan (2003), Ron Howard (2005), and Sidney Lumet (2007)

That brings us to the fifth DGA nominee, David O. Russell. His name has been mostly absent from consideration, having only been tapped by the Golden Globes and most recently as a runner-up by critics from North Texas. This is a good news/bad news situation for him though. Since 1982, only three times has the DGA matched up 5-for-5 with Oscar (1998, 2005, 2009). But there is also the rarity of the Globes and DGA matching up without BFCA or Chicago agreeing with them. The last time that combo happened was in 2002. It happened to Rob Marshall ('Chicago') and Stephen Daldry ('The Hours.') Oh yeah, and both were nominated for Oscars. If the trend continues this will be the second year in a row where DGA and Oscar matches and the third time in six years.

So where does Best Picture stand?

There are four films that got the PGA/WGA/DGA trifecta: 'The Social Network', 'Black Swan', 'Inception' and 'The Fighter'. 'The King's Speech' probably would have been the 5th had it not been DQ'd by WGA. That gives us our first five. And we may only have six other films in serious contention.

Since 2006, the Academy has voted in at least one film for Best Picture that failed to get a single nomination from the Big Three Guilds: 'Letters from Iwo Jima' (2006), 'Atonement' (2007), 'The Reader' (2008), and 'The Blind Side' (2009). This year the tag falls to 'Winter's Bone', helped by WGA's disqualification. Had it been nominated for its screenplay, that would have put it in 'A Serious Man' territory from last year, which was the first film to earn just a WGA nod and be nominated for Best Picture since 'Gosford Park' (2001) and 'Chocolat' (2000).

Only two films since 2000 have received just a PGA nomination and have still been nominated. Both were last year ('District 9' & 'Up'). The others were 'Invictus' (2009), 'Walk the Line' (2005), 'The Incredibles' (2004), 'The Last Samurai' (2003), 'Road to Perdition' (2002), 'Shrek' (2001), 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' (2001). This year it's 'Toy Story 3' which is neither here nor there since, like 'Up' and 'The Incredibles' was DQ'd in WGA & DGA.

Then we have the other four: 'True Grit', '127 Hours', 'The Kids Are All Right' and 'The Town'. Each got PGA & WGA noms. Six other films since 2000 have got those two without the DGA support. Only one ('Juno') got a Best Picture nod. Last year's 'Star Trek' did not. The other four were 'Billy Elliot' (2000), 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' (2002), 'Adaptation' (2002) and 'Cold Mountain' (2003). Those hoping the American Cinema Editors will shed some light on the race need not hold their breath. All six of those previous films got ACE nominations.

The streak suggests 'Winter's Bone' would be in. History obviously does not. We are so predisposed to assuming the guilds won't match exactly. But there is still a very real possibility that both DGA & PGA do this year. Let's rank 'em.

BEST DIRECTOR

1. David Fincher ('The Social Network') - 20 victories at this point. More than triple his closest competitor.
2. Christopher Nolan ('Inception') - Has actually won three of the last five critics' awards. Six altogether.
3. Darren Aronofsky ('Black Swan') - And he has won half as many as Nolan.

4. Tom Hooper ('The King's Speech') - BFCA/Globes/Chicago/DGA nominees are 17-1 for Oscar nod. Last shut out in 2001. Top four qualify.

5. David O. Russell ('The Fighter') - Numbers with DGA nominees suggest he has the edge.

6. Joel & Ethan Coen ('True Grit') - 2007 winners could be the ones to sneak in. Or could just be honored in Adapted Screenplay.

7. Danny Boyle ('127 Hours') - 2008 winner could also be making way for 4 first-time nominees.

8. Debra Granik ('Winter's Bone') - Loan Chicago nods are 0-for-7 since 2001.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The American Society of Cinematographers have only matched 5-for-5 with Oscar once (2007) in their 24-year history. They are 37-for-50 this century and 20-for-25 the last five years.

1. 'True Grit' (ASC nominee) - 7 wins, 7 nominations

2. 'Black Swan' (ASC nominee) - 5 wins, 9 nominations

3. 'Inception' (ASC nominee) - 7 wins, 6 nominations

4. 'The King's Speech' (ASC nominee) - 1 win, 2 nominations

5. '127 Hours' - 2 wins, 7 nominations

6. 'The Social Network' (ASC nominee) - 0 wins, 5 nominations

7. 'Shutter Island' - 0 wins, 4 nominations

8. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I' - 0 wins, 3 nominations

BEST MAKEUP

The following are your seven finalists in this category.

1. 'Alice in Wonderland'
2. 'True Grit'
3. 'The Wolfman'
4. 'The Way Back'
5. 'Jonah Hex'
6. 'Barney's Version'
7. 'The Fighter'

BEST PICTURE
1. 'The Social Network' - 80 awards total to this point. Previous award leaders were 'The Hurt Locker', 'Slumdog Millionaire' (with 84), 'No Country For Old Men' (w/98) and 'The Departed'

2. 'Inception' - Second most awards with 42. How come this is not being discussed as 'Social's chief nemesis?

3. 'Black Swan' - BFCA/Globes/Chicago/PGA nominees are 16-0 since 2003.

4. 'The King's Speech' - OK, so they are 19-2 since 2000, but who's counting? That equals your top four.

5. 'The Fighter' - DGA nominees will get the Best Picture nod as well.
6. 'True Grit' - A film has not won Best Picture without a DGA nomination since 'Driving Miss Daisy'. But the nomination should be a no-brainer.

7. 'Toy Story 3' - Could this be the PGA nominee that gets screwed?
8. '127 Hours' - Or will it be this? Lot of speculation it will despite it being in the top five of awards/nominations this season for Picture, Director, Actor & Screenplay.

9. 'The Kids Are All Right' - Only four award victories all season. Three of them from New York.

10. 'Winter's Bone' - Last five years a film has been nominated without a PGA & WGA nod. Last four without PGA, WGA OR DGA.

11. 'The Town' - PGA has never matched 100% with Oscar. Last year they were 8-for-10. Nine might be best to hope for in 2010.

12. 'Another Year' - Lesley Manville and Screenplay chances need to increase for this to move up.
13. 'How To Train Your Dragon' - A strong push by Dreamworks would certainly make the Animated Feature race more interesting wouldn't it?
14. 'Rabbit Hole' - Just because Pete Hammond thinks Nicole Kidman is the favorite for Best Actress does not make this a contender.
15. 'Shutter Island' - Should have been a contender in 2009. Falls behind 'True Grit' & 'The Fighter' on Paramount's 2010 campaign.

Artist Sam Smith Reimagines Posters for Best Movies of 2010

Erik Davis — 2011-01-10T12:45:00+00:00

Last week we premiered the poster for a funky little Korean film called 'The Housemaid,' courtesy of IFC Films. What we didn't know at the time was that the poster was designed by Sam Smith, a graphic designer who also plays drums for Ben Folds, The Comfies and My So-Called Band. Smith has designed a number of posters for clients like IFC Films, Janis Films and The Belcourt Theatre, but he also designs his own posters for fun.

For example, over on his site Smith has posted reimagined movie posters for his favorite films of 2010. There's 10 in total (with an honorary 11th spot reserved for the Cannes winner 'Uncle Boonmee'), including very cool posters for films like 'The Social Network,' 'Toy Story 3,' 'Never Let Me Go,' 'The Illusionist,' 'Dogtooth,' 'Bluebeard,' 'True Grit,' 'Winter's Bone,' 'The American,' and our personal favorite, 'Black Swan.'

Check out our five favorite posters, as well as some words from Smith, after the jump.

From Smith's site (where you can view all of the posters):

"Below I'm posting all ten (eleven counting the honorary UNCLE BOONMEE) posters I made for this project. If you've been following along, I hope you've been forgiving with the varying degrees of quality and effort that went into this. Originally I wanted to design ten posters for my ten favorite movies of the year as an exercise in liberation; I could try new unorthodox ideas, work on my hand-drawing and lettering, things I've neglected and needed an excuse to work on. Life got hectic the last month or two of 2010 though, and I thought I'd have to bail on the idea. At the last minute I decided that it would be better to at least give it a try, even if the results were half-assed, and to just embrace the process. Get some ideas down, see which ones stick, see which ones have potential, and then move onto the next one, which was very hard to do with some of these that I felt could be much better, used more work. I came out with a couple of things I'm really proud of, a few I'm not so proud of, but all in all it was a fun creative project that paid tribute to the films that affected me the most this year. And it's something that I don't think anyone has really done before, perhaps understandably. Listmaking is inherently irrational, nonsensical, personal and messy, kind of like the creative process. So here you have it-- my Top 10 of 2010 Poster Project."

2010 Box Office Wrap: Hollywood Has Second-Best Year Ever

Harley W. Lond — 2011-01-07T22:15:00+00:00

This is the time of year when motion picture industry pundits weigh in on two important issues: The best films (and actors and directors and etc.) of the year and the year-end box office results. The former is a gauge of popularity and art; the later a gauge of popularity and business.

Anne Thompson, of Moviefone sister site indieWIRE, has just posted her take on the 2010 box office, and she paints a mixed picture for Hollywood. According to Thompson, while there was a whole flotilla of sinking "uber-flops ... thanks to holdover 'Avatar' and premium 3-D ticket prices, (the studios) enjoyed their second-best year at the domestic box office with $10.46 billion, off less than 2 percent from 2009's all-time haul of $10.6 billion." Much of that take was due to higher ticker prices: the average price went from $7.46 in 2009 to $7.85 in the third quarter, thanks mostly to premium 3-D pricing. On the other hand, admissions fell 6 percent from 1.42 billion in 2009 to 1.33 billion in 2010. That's a lot fewer butts in seats, Thompson notes.

Despite the yin/yang box office totals (more money/fewer seats sold), Thompson happily reports that "theatrical, which had lost ground to DVDs, the internet and TiVo during the early part of the century, is again the leading film revenue stream against declining DVD sales and fledgling VOD ancillaries."

According to Thompson, consumers are spending less on building DVD libraries and more on movies-as-destinations and "unforgettable visual trips": Giant screen IMAX saw its global box office double to a new record of $546 million over 2009's $270 million, mostly due to Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland' 'TRON: Legacy.'

And audiences flocked to 3-D, of course, paying premium prices for the privilege of wearing nerdy 3-D glasses. Although audiences of 3-D screenings of 'Toy Story 3' and 'Despicable Me' were half that of 2-D viewings, older crowds took to 'Avatar' and 'Alice in Wonderland' in 3-D by a large margin over flat screenings.

According to Thompson, "it remains to be seen how the 3-D story will play out in 2011, which promises 30 3-D titles. Are film fans dying to see 'Smurfs 3-D' and 'Final Destination 5'?"

The Top 10 films of 2010 by box office:
1. Toy Story 3: $415,0 mil
2. Alice in Wonderland $334.2 mil
3. Iron Man 2 $312.1 mil
4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse $300.5 mil
5. Inception $292.6 mil
6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 $285.3 mil
7. Despicable Me $251.2 mil
8. Shrek Forever After $238.4 mil
9. How to Train Your Dragon $217.6 mil
10. The Karate Kid $176.6 mil

Thompson's post goes on to analyze box office performance by studio (Warner Bros. is No. 1, followed by Paramount, Disney, Fox, Sony and Universal) and looks at how the industry successfully -- or unsuccessfully -- marketed their films (ill-fated marriages between stars and concepts, banking on fanboys, poor holiday scheduling, adult dramas, etc.) and much more. It's a must read for anyone who wants to take -- and understand -- the pulse of the industry.

Oscar Rankings: Producers & Writers Shake Things Up ... A Little

Erik Childress — 2011-01-06T18:30:00+00:00

Two of the top three guilds to keep an eye on announced their nominees this week. Producers and Writers alike listed their favorites of 2010 - or, at least, the ones that were not disqualified from contention. Not a whole lot of surprises from the Producers' side of things. With 'Winter's Bone' being left off their list of ten, the chances for a Best Picture nomination increased for many of the usual suspects including '127 Hours,' 'Black Swan,' 'The Fighter,' 'Inception,' 'The Kids Are All Right,' 'The King's Speech,' 'The Social Network,' 'Toy Story 3' and 'True Grit' and boosting the chances for Ben Affleck's 'The Town.'

Last year in their first opportunity to outdo the Broadcast Film Critics Association's yearly prediction-laden selection of ten nominees, the PGA came up in a draw revealing eight of the eventual ten Best Picture nominees. Their 'District 9' & 'Star Trek' replaced the BFCA's early-bird pick of 'Nine' when people were still speculating it as a contender. (Both missed with Clint Eastwood's 'Invictus'.) This year, the quick look at the PGA selections suggest they may do themselves one better. General consensus says that they probably have at least nine of the ten in the bag. Whether it will be '127 Hours', 'The Kids Are All Right' or 'The Town' to fall off in favor of 'Winter's Bone' or something else (if at all) is anyone's guess. Which brings us to the WGA.

Where 'Winter's Bone' can cling to some hope is that in the past five years at least one film has been nominated for Best Picture without a PGA or WGA nomination: 'Munich,' 'Letters From Iwo Jima,' 'Atonement,' 'The Reader,' and 'The Blind Side.' It is hard to gauge some real numbers from the Writer's Guild considering how many screenplays they disqualified again this year. 'Another Year,' 'Blue Valentine,' 'Four Lions' and 'The King's Speech' were all dropped from the Original category while 'The Ghost Writer,' 'Toy Story 3,' 'The Way Back' and 'Winter's Bone' were left off the Adapted side. We must await the nominations from the Director's Guild on Jan. 10 to gain some further perspective, but in the meantime we can look at how these two guilds have fared over the last decade.

Since 2000, films to receive both a PGA & WGA nomination (with or without a DGA nod) have an 80% chance of grabbing a Best Picture nomination. 32-8 in that time and an even better 22-3 since 2004. 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,' 'The Dark Knight' and 'Star Trek' were amongst the snubbed in the last three years. The latter was certainly the benefit of some WGA disqualifications in 2009 (as 'Please Give' and 'I Love You, Philip Morris' were this time), but one year later we have a total of eight films heralded by both the PGA & WGA:

'127 Hours,' 'Black Swan,' 'Inception,' 'The Fighter,' 'The Kids Are All Right,' 'The Social Network,' 'The Town' 'True Grit'

That is up from just five last year. The last time more than one film was snubbed with this pair of nominations was 2002 when 'Adaptation' and 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' were left off the list just two years after 'Almost Famous' and 'Billy Elliot' were. The DGA are going to annoint at least four of these films, with Tom Hooper for 'The King's Speech' in good position for the fifth. Those rankings will shift next week. But let us see where the current updates affect Best Picture, Screenplays and a tech category that has just been trimmed.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
1. 'Inception' - Winner of seven critic's awards. Should be Nolan's prize to lose.
2. 'The Kids Are All Right' - BFCA/Globe/Chicago nominees 8-0 since 2001.
3. 'The King's Speech' - Second most critic awards for Original script with three. Disqualified by WGA, but is still a very likely nominee.
4. 'Black Swan' - A BFCA/Chicago nominee is 5-0 since '01. WGA nod should seal it.
5. 'The Fighter' - Scripts with only BFCA support are only a 50/50 proposition. WGA nominees fare a bit better at 58%
6. 'Another Year' - Mike Leigh's last three Oscar nods here were not precluded by a WGA nod. Watch out, Micky Ward.
7. 'Four Lions' - Chicago supports it with nomination. 6-for-13 when going rogue from BFCA and the Globes. WGA DQ'ed it.
8. 'Buried' - National Board of Review's choice for Best Original has been nominated 5-of-7 times.
9. 'Please Give' - WGA nod likely benefit from multiple disqualifications.
10. 'Blue Valentine' - Derek Cianfrance just named Most Promising Filmmaker from Chicago. WGA DQ'ed it as well.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
1. 'The Social Network' - Not even Mark Zuckerberg can steal Aaron Sorkin's Oscar at this point.
2. '127 Hours' - 14-of-15 BFCA/Globes/WGA contenders nominated since 2001. Only 'About Schmidt' snubbed.
3. 'Toy Story 3' - Five of the last six Pixar scripts received a nomination.
4. 'True Grit' - WGA nominees hitting 70% here since 2000.
5. 'The Town' - And adaptations getting a PGA accompaniment to their WGA nod are 20-for-25 since 2000.
6. 'Winter's Bone' - Either this or 'Toy Story 3' gets the 'Philip Morris' spot. Odds are with Pixar.
7. 'I Love You, Philip Morris' - Got the fifth WGA nod, but two of the top six were DQ'ed.
8. 'Rabbit Hole' - Chicago is the first to acknowledge this potential sleeper nominee. 8-of-14 when standing alone.
9. 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' - Has its fans in St. Louis and San Diego.
10. 'Shutter Island' - San Diego nominated it, but no match for The Social Network.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Contenders have been trimmed from 15 down to 7. We had these seven in the Top 9 in the Dec. 29 rankings including the Top 3 - as we watch Clash of the Titans and Narnia fall off the list for good.

1. 'Inception'
2. 'Alice in Wonderland'
3. 'Tron: Legacy'
4. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1'
5. 'Iron Man 2'
6. 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'
7. 'Hereafter'

(Other contenders were: 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,' 'Clash of the Titans,' 'The Last Airbender,' 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,' 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,' 'Shutter Island,' and 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice')

BEST PICTURE
1. 'The Social Network' - It's the frontrunner. Deal with it.
2. 'Black Swan' - Could actually secure the most nominations on Jan. 25
3. 'Inception' - BFCA/Globes/Chicago minus SAG Ensemble nod is 14-0 since 2005.
4. 'The King's Speech' - BFCA/Globes/Chicago/PGA nominees are 19-2 since 2000. That equals your top four.
5. 'True Grit' - Suggestions that it's a frontrunner are ludicrous, but it's box office is higher than three of the top four.
6. 'The Fighter' - Despite no Chicago nod, films that get the other three are 11-2 since 2001.
7. 'Toy Story 3' - Could this be the PGA nominee that gets screwed?
8. '127 Hours' - Shocking loss of faith in its chances. Would a Boyle DGA nod restore it?
9. 'The Kids Are All Right' - It's the wrong female-helmed Sundance feature to be considered, but it has more chances for nods than Granik's superior work.
10. 'The Town' - It's far from a lock, but it should be feeling good right now.
11. 'Winter's Bone' - Last five years a film has been nominated without a PGA & WGA nod.
12. 'Another Year' - Lesley Manville and Screenplay chances need to increase for this to move up.
13. 'How To Train Your Dragon' - A strong push by Dreamworks would certainly make the Animated Feature race more interesting wouldn't it?
14. 'Rabbit Hole' - Just because Pete Hammond thinks Nicole Kidman is the favorite for Best Actress does not make this a contender.
15. 'Shutter Island' - May have been nominated in 2009 with original release date. Not looking good for 2010.

Quentin Tarantino's Top Film of 2010 is 'Toy Story 3' - Is It Time for QT Family Fare?

Monika Bartyzel — 2011-01-03T12:30:00+00:00

The screen is black as some super-catchy music from the '60s or '70s begins to play. A conversation is underway. As the screen begins to brighten and a table appears, something seems different. It's not a group discussing the merits of Madonna, or classically sweet rides, nor a night of drinks that leads to a Nazi or vampire massacre. In fact, these aren't really human people at all. They're animated folks talking about something family-friendly, free of f-bombs and easily quotable menace.

Could it work?

When you have visions of 'Reservoir Dogs,' 'Death Proof,' 'Inglourious Basterds' and 'From Dusk Till Dawn,' it might sound crazy, but is it time for Quentin Tarantino to dig into familial fare? Fresh into 2011, QT has offered up his Best-Of picks, and 'Toy Story 3' came out on top, with 'Tangled' ranking number five and 'How to Train Your Dragon' at number 17.

As a director who is the sum of his cinematic experiences, and now a director who has three animated features on his best list for last year, it looks like a genre change could be looming.

Think about it -- Tarantino's entire career trajectory is born from his passion for other films. They not only inspire him to make movies, but also to offer up recreations and homages. Every one of his features is overflowing with movie references. His fanaticism is the backbone that holds together diverse, cinematic strands as seen through his highly violent, foot fetishist point of view. It, therefore, stands to reason that a family-friendly film is a possibility. He loved three of them so much this year that they even beat 'Somewhere,' which courted him a little controversy at Venice. (Though to be fair, the Sofia Coppola-free list below also features 'Jackass 3-D.')

Yes, Quentin is the guy who said: "Sure, 'Kill Bill' is a violent movie. But it's a Tarantino movie. You don't go to see Metallica and ask the f**kers to turn the music down," and it would be silly to request it of him. But his appreciation of 'Toy Story,' 'Tangled' and 'Dragon' certainly opens up the possibility -- especially when 'Up' didn't make his Top 8 of 2009.

If he could find a way to filter his point of view through some child-like whimsy, an animated feature would certainly have a chance, though it might mean hordes of miniature, G-rated QTettes running around.

Is it time for Quentin Tarantino to get into animated family fare?

Without further ado:

Quentin Tarantino's Top 20 of 2010

1. Toy Story 3
2. The Social Network
3. Animal Kingdom
4. I Am Love
5. Tangled
6. True Grit
7. The Town
8. Greenberg
9. Cyrus
10. Enter the Void
11. Kick-Ass
12. Knight and Day
13. Get Him to the Greek
14. The Fighter
15. The King's Speech
16. The Kids Are All Right
17. How to Train Your Dragon
18. Robin Hood
19. Amer
20. Jackass 3-D

[via The Playlist]

Presenting Cinematical's Favorite Films of 2010!

Peter Hall — 2010-12-30T18:00:00+00:00

If you love to make movie lists yourself, then there's no better time than the end of the year. If you hate ranking movies, however, it can be a painful time of year. Unless you've found certain critics with whom your tastes tend to align, it can be tough to find a Top 10 list that you're going to agree with. So, instead of doing a rigid Cinematical's Top 10 of 2010, we decided to do things a little differently.

We asked our staff - which, at over 20 strong, collectively represents members from various film critics' organizations around the country - to give us their picks for the three best films of the year and then made a compilation of the results. This way clear favorites would emerge, but we'd also be able to spotlight individual favorites outside of the realm of the same familiar gang of films campaigning for ballot space this awards season.

11. 'Never Let Me Go' - 2 Appearances

From David Ehrlich's review: A delicate film to discuss but a difficult one to spoil, 'Never Let Me Go' tells a concise and slippery story of resignation that attempts to bridge the gap between what we know of the human experience and the turbulence of actually enduring it.

10. 'Four Lions' - 2 Appearances

From Scott Weinberg's review: "Best of all, this is some grade-A high quality DARK comedy of the "take no prisoners" variety, and I say that's always cause for some celebration. Certainly not for all tastes, but an absolutely unique treat for those who like a little danger in their comedy, 'Four Lions' is further proof that the Brits nail "topical" comedy earlier and better than anyone. Oh, and the entire ensemble is simply hilarious. Even if you find the subject matter too distasteful to poke fun at, there's little denying the quick wit and chemistry of the five leads."

9. 'Enter the Void' - 2 Appearances

From Eric Snider's review: "As usual for Noé, parts of 'Enter the Void' are hard to watch -- only it's not because they're graphic or violent but because they consist of nothing more than ethereal sound effects and trippy light displays. It's how Noé conveys Oscar's wandering mind, whether the wandering is caused by drugs or death. This sort of thing, logical though it may be in context, can be exasperating, and the film is unquestionably too long anyway. But it's a powerfully bizarre movie, a psychedelic trip that must be experienced -- not just seen and heard but experienced -- to be believed."

8. 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' - 2 Appearances

From Kevin Kelly's review: "What is art? This is not a question the film 'Exit Through The Gift Shop,' which is "directed" by famous street artist Banksy, attempts to answer. However, it is a question that you'll be asking yourself after watching this documentary. I say "directed" because this is a film that stumbled towards completion, and no one set out to make it. Confused yet? Good. Banksy probably wants you exactly that way."

7. 'True Grit' - 2 Appearances

From Erik Davis' review: "Let's get this out of the way right now: Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld own this film, every inch of it. The entire cast is fantastic, with special kudos to Josh Brolin and an unrecognizable Barry Pepper (see if you can spot him), but there's not a moment that goes by in the film when you're not itching to see Bridges' Marshal Reuben J. Cogburn and Steinfeld's Mattie Ross share the screen. The two make up the most memorable on-screen duo we've seen all year -- a beaten-up, smelly, drunken U.S. Marshal and a whip-smart 14-year-old negotiator -- and every scene they share is one you're going to want to watch again."

6. 'Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World' - 3 Appearances

From Scott Weinberg's review: "Mr. Wright's odd little adaptation manages to be sweet, smart, slick and silly all at the same time, and speaking as only one old man: I think this flick is a welcome breath of fresh air in a sub-genre (the, ugh, romantic comedy) that could use a hundred similar breaths of fresh air."

5. 'Toy Story 3' - 3 Appearances

From Joe Utichi's review: "Toy Story 3 firmly closes the chapter on this first era of Pixar's existence, but it does so in such a way that we can almost rest assured the next will be no less engaging. If in singing the film's praises one can do no more than follow a familiar hymn sheet, so be it. Like their plastic space ranger, Pixar is a company prepared to reach infinity and beyond, and there's little sense arguing with such lofty ambition."

4. 'Rabbit Hole' - 4 Appearances

From Scott Weinberg's review: "As poignant as a bittersweet love letter and as personal as a film can possibly be, 'Rabbit Hole' represents career highs for practically everyone involved. I can't remember the last time a "little drama movie" left me overflowing with this sort of affection, but 'Rabbit Hole' is a very unique and special film. In a word ... flawless."

3. 'The Social Network' - 4 Appearances

From Erik Davis' review: "As with Facebook itself, you'll have fun observing 'The Social Network' and all its moving parts, but it's very difficult to truly connect with -- or care much about -- its characters. Like that distant cousin three states over, or your old high school friends, you're interested in how their lives are playing out, but you follow them on Facebook so that you never actually have to interact with them ... outside of Facebook. 'The Social Network' will define a generation for a generation that couldn't care less about its generation, but it's as entertaining as anything you'll watch all year."

2. 'Inception' - 6 Appearances

From Todd Gilchrist's review: "But it's also the kind of movie that transcends any easy comparisons, and resists previous standards of achievement, innovation, or impact, which is why it's difficult to pinpoint the last time I felt quite so passionately about every single part of a cinematic experience. And that may ultimately be the film's greatest achievement: to consume and possess its audience with that passion, whether you're as inspired and excited as I am, or disappointed, confused or frustrated as many will no doubt also be."

1. 'Black Swan' - 11 Appearances

From Eric Snider's review: "At the center of this psychological nightmare is Natalie Portman, giving the best performance of her career. (Yes, better than the Star Wars movies.) She's in nearly every frame of the movie, often dancing, often in close-up, conveying a huge range of intense and complicated emotions. No matter how suspenseful, strange, or astonishing things get, we're right there with her, feeling every bit of Nina's fear, confusion, excitement, and eventual liberation."

The following were all considered Top 3 material by various writers on the staff, with each appearing once across everyone's lists:

'Restrepo'
'Blue Valentine'
'The Fighter'
'Dogtooth'
'Fish Tank'
'127 Hours'
'Myth of the American Sleepover'
'Hereafter'
'Somewhere'
'Ghost Writer'
'Trigger'
'Agora'
'Last Train Home'
'Winter's Bone'
'The Kids Are All Right'
'Certified Copy'
'Secret Sunshine'
'I Am Love'
'Farewell'
'A Serbian Film'
'Rare Exports'
'The Good, the Bad, the Weird'
'Micmacs'
'Marwencol'

For more, check out Moviefone's 50 Best Movies of 2010

'Toy Story 3': Should The Year's Best Reviewed Film Win Best Picture?

Peter Martin — 2010-12-30T14:30:00+00:00

We've heard in recent years that that the unwashed masses were tuning out on the Academy Awards because popular favorites (i.e. wide-appeal blockbusters) were being ignored in favor of critical darlings that few people had seen. To broaden the race and stir up excitement, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences once again expanded the Best Picture category to 10 nominees last year -- and promptly rewarded little-seen critical fave 'The Hurt Locker' with the Oscar.

Should this year's critical favorite also receive the Oscar? 'Toy Story 3' is the best-reviewed film of the year, according to Rotten Tomatoes (per Reuters), followed closely by 'The Social Network.' The latter film is the one that's been most often cited by critics' groups and appears to be in a dead-heat with 'Black Swan' for Best Picture honors. Following in the footsteps of last year's 'Up,' 'Toy Story 3' is likely to be nominated both for Best Picture and Best Animated Feature Film, but probably won't be considered a serious contender for Best Picture. Is that fair?

Disney/Pixar is working hard to counter the perception that animated films should be content with nominations in their own, specially-created category. As our own Monika Bartyzel reported, their recent ad campaign emphasizes the adult themes of the picture, tying it to other Oscar winners for Best Picture, such as 'On the Waterfront,' 'The Sound of Music' and 'The Silence of the Lambs.'

Winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film would definitely be an honor for 'Toy Story 3,' which isn't necessarily a set-in-stone lock. (Since the category was created in time for the 2001 awards, Pixar has won five times and lost twice. This year, 'How to Train Your Dragon' is also a critical favorite and box office success story, and could surprise people by winning the award.) Only three animated films will be nominated this year, so who knows what'll happen?

The Academy Awards are intended to honor "outstanding achievements in theatrically released feature-length motion pictures," in line with the Academy's rules. The Best Picture award should go to the "best motion picture of the year." Nearly 300 films are eligible for awards this year, a long list that includes documentaries and animated pictures along with live-action productions. There's no reason, according to the Academy, that a documentary or animated feature couldn't win for Best Picture.

Moviefone editors declared 'Toy Story 3' the best movie of 2010 and we think it should win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

What do you think?

10 Best Family Movies of 2010 (And 6 Worst)

The Moviefone Mama — 2010-12-30T09:00:00+00:00

Although 2010 won't go down as one of the best years in recent film history, it did produce several memorable family films, which is a genre all too often muddled with mediocre (or flat-out awful) comedies featuring talking animals and tired sight gags we've seen over and over again. Here are our 10 favorite family movies that parents, kids and even childless moviegoers, could love.

10. 'Shrek Forever After': It wasn't the best of the 'Shrek' films (or it would've scored much higher on the list), but the beloved ogre couple of Shrek and Fiona can still make us laugh, and amuse us with their fairy-tale story lines and friends (especially Eddie Murphy's Donkey and Antonio Banderas' Puss). If he never makes another comedy, Mike Myers will forever after be Shrek.

9. 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid': Sixth grade boys are silly -- and a bit gross -- but this adaptation of Jeff Kinney's publishing phenomenon shows just how difficult -- and hilarious -- it is to navigate middle school when you're scrawny and unpopular. If you can handle the scatological humor and cheesy (or "Cheese Touch") jokes, this is one of the year's funniest kid flicks.

8. 'Megamind': Since villains are often the most fascinating characters in a movie, it was a welcome surprise to see two villain-focused animated movies this year. Despite getting edged out by more memorable competition, 'Megamind,' starring comedy chums Will Ferrell and Tina Fey, is still a fun-to-watch story with a killer voice cast.

7. 'The Karate Kid': Fears of a childhood favorite getting ruined in a remake were allayed when it was clear that this 'Karate Kid,' with its much younger star, focuses on the ridiculous (and unsurprising, given his parentage) charm of Jaden Smith. Jackie Chan, who for once doesn't play a stereotype, did his most nuanced work ever and introduced a new generation of kids to the ultimate underdog story.

6. 'Secretariat': This biopic of horse racing's most famous Triple Crown winner and Penny Chenery, the dedicated woman who owned him, is touching and expertly acted by Diane Lane, who carries the Disney drama with a dignified grace. Yes, it's a bit treacly (it is Disney), but if you don't mind sentimentality, it's a sweet (and educational!) live-action film for the entire family.

5. 'Despicable Me': The other supervillain flick on our list also explores what motivates an evil genius, but the difference is that Steve Carell's Gru doesn't have a traditional (and predictable) superhero-nemesis or love-interest story line; he's got three adorable orphans to raise. Original, funny (those minions are irresistible) and featuring a hip Pharrell Williams soundtrack, this is a winner.

4. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1': The Trio of Potter stars are all grown up in this darkest and most faithful adaptation in the magical franchise -- so far. Director David Yates coaxed series-best performances from Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and, particularly, Rupert Grint, who flexed their acting muscles navigating heavy doses of physical danger and teenage angst.

2. (TIE) 'How To Train Your Dragon': Most 3D movies aren't worth the cost of theater bonus fees, but this fantasy adaptation is a rare exception. It's one of those kids' movies that has it all: a likable, slightly nerdy protagonist (voiced by Jay Baruchel), genuinely funny dialogue, a fierce warrior-girl love interest, and breathtaking animated cinematography that makes you feel like you're flying through the air with Toothless the dragon.

'Tangled': Disney managed to capture the spirit of their old-school princess movies, but transformed Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) into a guileless, courageous heroine who saves the roguish hero more often than he saves her. Mix in showstopping musical numbers, a deliciously evil villain, and a swoon-worthy romance, and you have one golden fairy tale.

1. 'Toy Story 3': Was there ever any doubt? Pixar's third entry in its flagship franchise exceeded even considerably high expectations (considering the studio has a perfect batting average with critics and moviegoers), reducing the steeliest of adult audiences into a jumble of tears. Watching Woody, Buzz and the gang face their most difficult adventure yet -- Andy's transition to adulthood -- was unforgettably bittersweet.

Honorable mentions to two adaptations: Tim Burton's dazzlingly loopy 'Alice in Wonderland,' Zack Snyder's dark fantasy thriller 'Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole.' And for those wondering why Sylvain Chomet's magical animated drama 'The Illusionist' didn't rank -- we think it's amazing, but it's mature themes made it a grown-up movie.

As for the worst family films of the year, they're not deserving of more than a sentence each.

'Alpha and Omega': With horrible animation akin to a '90s computer game and weird sexual innuendo inappropriate for a kid's movie, 'Alpha and Omega' was the anti-'Shrek' in all the worst ways.

'Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore': Bette Midler should return to the big screen as something other than a hairless megamaniacal cat.

'Furry Vengeance': An "eco-friendly" message and a cameo from Ken Jeong can't save this unfunny movie with its tired animal stunts and even more tired Brendan Fraser.

'The Last Airbender': Any 'Avatar' fan (think kids' TV series not James Cameron's blue aliens) will be horrified; no, wait, everyone will.

'Marmaduke': It's not impossible for a live-action talking-animal movie to be good, but this forgettable flop isn't one of them.

'Yogi Bear': Everyone who didn't directly receive a paycheck for making this movie would agree that it murders the memory of a cartoon favorite.

Oscar Rankings: Let's Get Technical

Erik Childress — 2010-12-29T18:30:00+00:00

As 2010 comes to a close, we are also past the first phase of awards season. The critics' groups have (mostly) finalized their choices and we are now heading into "guild territory." Victors from the Golden Globes and Broadcast Film Critics Association are not going to tell us anything we don't already know about who might earn an Oscar nomination -- unless, of course, they award one of the underdogs like Michael Douglas or the couple from 'Blue Valentine.' Nope, it's the guilds that will begin thinning the herd next week, producers first. 8 of their 10 nominees last year were up for Oscar, minus 'Invictus' and 'Star Trek' (replaced by 'A Serious Man' and 'The Blind Side'). The consensus on the eight this year appear to be 'Black Swan,' 'The Fighter,' 'Inception,' 'The King's Speech,' 'The Social Network,' 'Toy Story 3,' 'True Grit,' and 'Winter's Bone.' The following five will likely battle it out for the final two slots: '127 Hours,' 'Blue Valentine,' 'How To Train Your Dragon,' 'The Kids Are All Right,' 'Rabbit Hole,' and 'The Town'.

You can find those rankings and the rest of Big Eight categories here, but what about the pesky technical categories and all the rest? Critics groups vary when including them in their annual awards. So before we get into the real nitty-gritty of the guild numbers, let us see where these categories rank and which are likely to bump up the nomination totals we see splashed across newspapers and commercials.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
1. 'Toy Story 3'
2. 'How to Train Your Dragon'
3. 'The Illusionist'
4. 'Tangled'
5. 'Despicable Me'
6. 'My Dog Tulip'
7. 'Megamind'
8. 'Idiots and Angels'
9. 'Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole'
10. 'Summer Wars'

(Other contenders include: 'Alpha and Omega', 'Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore', 'The Dreams of Jinsha', 'Shrek Forever After' and 'Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue')

BEST DOCUMENTARY
1. 'Waiting for Superman'
2. 'The Tillman Story'
3. 'Inside Job'
4. 'Exit through the Gift Shop'
5. 'Waste Land'
6. 'Gasland'
7. 'Enemies of the People'
8. 'Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould'
9. 'Quest for Honor'
10. 'Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer'

(Other contenders include: 'The Lottery', 'Precious Life', ' Restrepo', 'This Way of Life', 'William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe')

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
1. 'Black Swan'
2. 'Inception'
3. 'True Grit'
4. '127 Hours'
5. 'Shutter Island'
6. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I'
7. 'The Social Network'
8. 'The King's Speech'
9. 'Winter's Bone'
10. 'Never Let Me Go'

BEST EDITING
1. 'Inception'
2. 'Black Swan'
3. 'The Social Network'
4. 'True Grit'
5. 'The Town'
6. '127 Hours'
7. 'Shutter Island'
8. 'The King's Speech'
9. 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'
10. 'The Fighter'

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
1. 'Inception'
2. 'The Social Network'
3. '127 Hours'
4. 'Alice In Wonderland'
5. 'The King's Speech'
6. 'The Ghost Writer'
7. 'Never Let Me Go'
8. 'Tron: Legacy'
9. 'How To Train Your Dragon'
10. 'Tangled'

('Black Swan', 'The Fighter', 'The Kids Are All Right', and 'True Grit' have all been disqualified.)

BEST ART DIRECTION
1. 'Inception'
2. 'Black Swan'
3. 'Shutter Island'
4. 'The King's Speech'
5. 'Alice In Wonderland'
6. 'True Grit'
7. 'Robin Hood'
8. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I'
9. 'Tron: Legacy'
10. 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
1. 'The King's Speech'
2. 'Black Swan'
3. 'Alice In Wonderland'
4. 'True Grit'
5. 'Shutter Island'
6. 'Robin Hood'
7. 'Get Low'
8. 'Kick-Ass'
9. 'Burlesque'
10. 'Tron: Legacy'

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
1. 'Inception'
2. 'Alice in Wonderland'
3. 'Tron: Legacy'
4. 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'
5. 'Clash of the Titans'
6. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1'
7. 'Iron Man 2'
8. 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'
9. 'Hereafter'
10. 'Unstoppable'

(Other contenders include: 'The Last Airbender', 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief', 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time', 'Shutter Island', and 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice')

BEST MAKEUP
1. 'Alice in Wonderland'
2. 'Black Swan'
3. 'True Grit'
4. 'Inception'
5. 'Shutter Island'
6. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1'
7. 'Let Me In'
8. 'Get Low'
9. 'Robin Hood'
10. 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief'

BEST SOUND
1. 'Inception'
2. 'Black Swan'
3. 'True Grit'
4. '127 Hours'
5. 'The Fighter'
6. 'The Town'
7. 'Shutter Island'
8. 'Unstoppable'
9. 'Salt'
10. 'How To Train Your Dragon'

BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING
1. 'Inception'
2. 'True Grit'
3. '127 Hours'
4. 'Toy Story 3'
5. 'Black Swan'
6. 'How To Train Your Dragon'
7. 'The Town'
8. 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'
9. 'Tron: Legacy'
10. 'Unstoppable'

These rankings will no doubt take some hits over the next four weeks leading up to Oscar. It's unlikely that three films are going to rake in double-digit nominations, although between 'Black Swan,' 'Inception,' and 'True Grit,' you have to think that at least one of them has a shot. 'The King's Speech' with 9 nods sounds just about right. Can 'The Social Network' pull in more than 7 or 8 nods en route to being the frontrunner? Is '127 Hours' really a bubble player for Best Picture if it is in the running for as many as six nominations away from the Big Eight? Stay tuned; we could be in for an interesting final month.

'Toy Story 3' For Your Consideration Posters: Brilliant Marketing Move or Missing the Point?

Monika Bartyzel — 2010-12-28T16:45:00+00:00

Oh, that sneaky Pixar. First, they make the masses -- men and women, boys and girls -- sob with their heart-tugging look at what happens to our toys when we grow old and jaded and move onto other things. Now they're infusing that cleverness into their Oscar campaign.

As you might already know, Woody and Buzz earned the top-grossing spot this year, while also gaining the respect of almost every film critic out there (only 3 rotten scores out of 247). With a feat like that, a film would surely be considered for an Oscar, if not earn the win. But not so fast -- 'Toy Story 3' is an animated film. Animation has never won the top prize, though flicks like 'Up' and 'Beauty and the Beast' at least got the chance to compete with the big boys.

Instead of pushing the family angle of the film, and the way it made most moviegoers fall in love with it, Pixar and Disney have opted for a little image play by invoking past winners from 'The Sound of Music' to 'Silence of the Lambs.'

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Your heart might need to visit Whoville and listen to the little buggers sing if the above collection of posters doesn't make you laugh at the cleverness of merging all of the film's wildly diverging on-screen moments with past Oscar-winners. Let us stop, for a moment, and appreciate Ken invoking the 'Music,' Potato Head carnage a la 'Silence of the Lambs' and Woody teetering precariously 'On the Waterfront.' ('Lambs,' however, is making the rounds without being on the consideration website.)

Obviously, they're being visually punny to get their point across -- that 'Toy Story 3' should be considered as a Best Picture contender even if it is an animated film. However, there's also a nice bit of commentary flowing through their choice of films. It's surely not coincidence that they chose features that traverse not only years and themes, but also genres. In a race that can laude 'Music' and 'Platoon,' there's got to be room for toys that go on a grand adventure.

At the same time, is it right for Pixar to slightly downplay the all-ages aspects and refrain from pushing the film as what it is -- a really well-received family film? Should they, instead, push it to win on its own distinct merits, and not for the posters' clever play on adult themes? Maybe yes, maybe no, but really: Isn't this precise link between youth and maturity what fuels successful family fare? The best animated and family features thrive because they can offer entertainment to all sectors of the audience, mixing the goofy fun children devour with the inside jokes for the parents and adults watching as well.

Disney chair Rich Ross says: "We wanted our campaign, therefore, to honor this very special film's inventiveness, and its uniqueness with like-minded, self-effacing good humor, and to the point, with something original of our own." Calling out these fun-loving comparisons to Best Picture winners from Oscar's past matched with specific images from the film, we feel, reminds us of the many unforgettable moments from 'Toy Story 3,' and what we love about it in the first place.

Might these posters help 'Toy Story 3' break the animated barrier and reign supreme this year?

The 10 Funniest Movie Quotes of 2010

Brian Childs — 2010-12-28T13:00:00+00:00

The not-so-gentle art of scene stealing is a complex affair, depending on the right actor, the right scene and the right dialogue. And you don't have to be the lead to steal a scene. In fact, a lot of scenes are stolen with pithy quotes by supporting stars or new faces.

That's the main theme to be found in Moviefone's roundup of the funniest movie quotes of 2010. Our list includes a slew of scene stealers like Tom Hardy in 'Inception' and Stu "Large" Riley in 'Kick-Ass,' both actors who took lines that could have been throwaways and turned them into some of the most memorable movie moments of the year.

Heck, two of the actors who delivered the quotes on our list, Johnny Simmons and Armie Hammer, are so fresh-faced we haven't even had a chance to build pages for them on Moviefone.

After you're done checking our list, let us know in the comments if there are any movie quotes you loved this year that we didn't catch.

10. "And this ... well, this is where I live. It's got a disco, it's got a dune buggy, and a whole room just for trying on clothes."
Ken (Michael Keaton), 'Toy Story 3'

9. "It must be some kind of hot tub time machine ..."
Nick (Craig Robinson), 'Hot Tub Time Machine'

8. "You're really ruining my Zen thing."
Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), 'TRON: Legacy'

7. "He punched the highlights out of her hair!"
Young Neil (Johnny Simmons), 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'

6. "But here's the thing: Do you know what it feels like to be knocked unconscious?"
John (John C. Reilly), 'Cyrus'

5. F-ck this sh-t, I'm getting the bazooka!
Huge Goon (Stu "Large" Riley), 'Kick-Ass'

4. "I'm 6'5", 220 pounds and there are two of me."
Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer), 'The Social Network'

3. "You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling." [Pulls out a grenade launcher]
Eames (Tom Hardy), 'Inception'

2. "Machete don't text."
Machete (Danny Trejo), 'Machete'

1. Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg): No, I don't like you. I think you're a fake cop. If you were in the wild, I would attack you. If I were a lion and you were a tuna, I would swim out in the middle of the ocean and eat you.

Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell): OK, first off: a lion, swimming in the ocean. Lions don't like water. If you placed it near a river or some sort of fresh water source, that makes sense. But you find yourself in the ocean, 20 foot wave, I'm assuming off the coast of South Africa, coming up against a full grown 800-pound tuna with his 20 or 30 friends, you lose that battle, you lose that battle nine times out of 10.
'The Other Guys'

10 Biggest Movie News Stories of 2010

Bryan Enk — 2010-12-28T10:00:00+00:00

While it didn't quite end up being The Year We Make Contact, 2010 was certainly a distinguished year for movie news -- box office records were broken, franchises were rebooted, awards were won and celebrities misbehaved. Here are the biggest movie stories of 2010, featuring the likes of talking toys, Mel Gibson, Kathryn Bigelow, Superman, Spider-Man, Stephen King, James Cameron and, of course, hobbits.

10. 'Toy Story 3' Becomes The Highest-Grossing Animated Movie Ever
Eleven years had passed between the pretty amazing 'Toy Story 2' and the even more astonishing 'Toy Story 3,' but such a considerable gap didn't diminish the power the playthings had over audiences. We'd see a 'Toy Story' movie even if it took a hundred years for another installment. Everyone loves the 'Toy Story' movies, and with good reason -- they bring to life the things we always imagined had lives of their own and put them on life journeys eerily similar to ours. 'Toy Story 3,' in particular, is basically one big existential crisis as young Andy has reached an age where he should "put away childish things" -- and it hits home for both those of us who have been there and those of us who can't imagine ever getting that "old." It's no wonder '3' became the highest-grossing animated movie ever ($415 million) -- it's not so much a 'Toy' story as it is our own.

9. Mel Gibson Unleashed!
Beware the rage of Mel Gibson! Mighty Mel, eater of worlds, burner of bridges! Tremble as he stomps and seethes about, embracing his meta-fate: Mad Max is gone, and in his place stands Mad Mel. No one is safe from his hunger for chaos and ill will; certainly not the mother of his child, who was subjected to a number of leaked phone calls, in which Gibson said some, uh, questionable things to her. He has rejected the world, and it has rejected him -- and so has even the Land of Make-Believe, as his antics have led the cast members of 'The Hangover 2' to drive him out, banishing him from their bit of cinematic bacchanal. (He's since been replaced by Liam Neeson.) Let not Mad Mel make a cameo here. Let him only play with 'The Beaver'!

8. Ron Howard Adapting Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower'
We figured there would eventually be a mini-series based on 'The Dark Tower,' so the fact that there's finally going to be one comes as no surprise. What was most definitely unexpected, however, was that a class act like Ron Howard would be behind it and not the usual hacks (or "low men") who turn Stephen King works into near-unwatchable cheapo dreck. Let's face it: the epic, ambitious and completely wonderful 'Dark Tower' books are probably unfilmable. That's just the way it is. But now there's at least a chance that their long-awaited mini-series treatment won't make you want to claw out your eyeballs.

7. Zack Snyder, Man of Steel
Warner Bros. finally rescued their Batman franchise when they brought Christopher Nolan on board. The next step was to figure out what to do with their other potential comic book gold mine, Superman. So what did they do? The smart thing: they brought Christopher Nolan on board for that one, too. Nolan is overseeing the 'Superman' reboot, and with his involvement came speculation as to what A-list director would be assigned the daunting task of returning the Man of Steel to his former glory. After a couple of weeks of mulling over a very short list, Zack Snyder was chosen. We're certainly curious as to what the director of 'Watchmen' and '300' brings to the story of Krypton's first son; it might be just the project -- under Nolan's watchful eye -- in which Snyder will evolve from talented yet hyperactive visual artist to full-fledged myth-maker.

6. Kathryn Bigelow: First Female to Win Best Director Oscar
Was the Academy showing favor toward the classy, efficient, edgy-but-not-too-edgy, topical-but-not-too-topical package that was 'The Hurt Locker' over the big money-making (and certainly ego-driven) spectacle of 'Avatar' a revelation of its old-fashioned and perhaps hopefully behind-the-times view on what true "filmmaking" is -- and, indeed, what the Oscars should be rewarding? If, indeed, the Oscars are there to acknowledge truly groundbreaking advances and/or new and creative approaches to the craft, then, yes, 'Avatar' should've won a lot more Oscars than it did. But it didn't, which made way for the filmmaker who brought us 'Point Break' to be the first woman to ever win an Oscar for Best Director. And you know what? Ultimately, she deserved it -- and, with her winning, the Academy got a chance to show that they could "advance," too.

5. 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' Is Rooney Mara
An American remake of Stieg Larsson's twisty-turny Swedish crime tale, 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,' was inevitable, though it became essential when 'The Social Network' director David Fincher was brought on board to direct. News of Daniel Craig being cast in the role of investigative reporter Mikael Blomkvist came quickly, though the real excitement came from wondering who would play the Girl herself, Lisbeth Salander. It seemed like every twentysomething actress in Hollywood was up for the role (and they probably were); it's even rumored that Emma Watson cut her hair short in hopes that she would be considered for the part. Ultimately, it was Fincher's 'Social Network' alum, Rooney Mara, who was chosen to be the American version of the computer hacker and chronic hellraiser. An unexpected but very wise choice -- you can see from both her few scenes in 'The Social Network' and her impressive turn as the new Nancy in the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' reboot that she's got the chops.

4. Your Friendly Neighborhood Andrew Garfield
Rooney Mara wasn't the only 'Social Network' alum to snag a great part in a great franchise this year, as Andrew Garfield was cast as Peter Parker in the still-untitled 'Spider-Man' reboot. It pretty much came as a relief to everyone (and probably especially Sam Raimi himself) when Sony decided not to go forward with 'Spider-Man 4' -- '3' was pretty much, well, a disaster, and the fourth installment was shaping up to be yet another round of Raimi vs. the studio in deciding who the villain(s) should be. But Sony's certainly not going to just give up on its billion-dollar franchise. The answer? Just start over! Sure, why not? '(500) Days of Summer' director Marc Webb will be calling the shots (awesome), and Andrew Garfield, who did exasperated like nobody's business as the eternally put-upon Eduardo Saverin in 'The Social Network,' will soon be crawling walls, fighting crime, cracking jokes and smooching Emma Stone (who will be playing one of the hottest blondes in the Marvel universe, Gwen Stacy).

3. 'Avatar' Becomes the Highest-Grossing Movie of All Time in All the Universe and Beyond
Who needs an Oscar when you can rule the universe? There were a ton of new 'Avatar'-related stories every week for several weeks after it was released, most of them announcing that the 3-D sci-fi sensation just broke some other box office record. Love it, hate it, or choose not to care either way, 'Avatar' made a ton of cash (over $749 million, domestically), fast, all over the world (and probably in outer space as well) -- we wonder if James Cameron leaves messages for his Oscar-winning ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow, reminding her of that, just to keep things lively. Cameron will need to open a few more bank accounts pretty soon as he prepares for both 'Avatar 2' and '3.'

2. 'The Avengers' Cast Invades San Diego
Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson. Oh, and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner. All on stage together at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con. It's a wonder the city didn't explode that day from the sheet might of fanboy squealing. May 4, 2012, can't get here fast enough!

1. The Long, Slow, Treacherous Journey of 'The Hobbit'
It's happening. Despite various studio financial woes, legal issues and all the other kinds of stuff that make you wonder how any movie ever gets made at all, 'The Hobbit' is actually happening. Director Guillermo del Toro jumped ship when all the nonsense started to reach asinine levels (and we can't say that we blame him), but that made way for what probably should've been the case from the start: Peter Jackson is directing. We're glad he finally came to his senses (del Toro would've done a fine job, but this is Jackson's ship). Everything seems to be in order now, with filming to begin in early 2011 -- we doubt they'll make the proposed December 2012 release date, but so what? We'll wait. We've certainly waited this long.

Top Ten Comedies of 2010

John Gholson — 2010-12-27T22:00:00+00:00

Sure, comedy is subjective, but there were so many diverse comedies in 2010, I can practically guarantee that more than a few of the movies on this list made you laugh out loud. There was a little something for everybody this year, and you can check out ten of our favorites below.

10. 'Hot Tub Time Machine' -- There's got to be a place on this list for something truly stupid, and this movie, in which John Cusack travels back in time to the 1980s with the help of an enchanted hot tub, fits the bill. Yes, it's ridiculous, but for someone who grew up on the films of Savage Steve Holland ('Better Off Dead,' 'One Crazy Summer') it feels like an R-rated return to that wacky world.

9. 'Cyrus' -- Surprisingly gentle and low-key considering its two stars (John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill) usually play broad. While it's not exactly a laugh riot, it has a sweet, honest emotional core that elevates it above the standard rom-com.

8. 'Get Him to the Greek' -- The big difference between Aldous Snow in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' and this spin-off is that Russell Brand inhabits the role with genuine sadness this time. The film could have been a simple cartoonish follow-up, but director Nicholas Stoller doesn't take the easy route, injecting real tears-of-a-clown pathos into his rowdy comedy.

7. 'Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World' -- At this point, I don't think Edgar Wright could release a comedy and not have it show up on a year-end "Best of" list. This comic book adaptation carries over creator Bryan Lee O'Mallley's memorable characters and loopy asides with a visual flair barely hinted at in Wright's earlier work.

6. 'I Love You, Phillip Morris' -- It's been a long while since Jim Carrey has found a role that clicks, satisfying his need to be taken seriously as an actor, while cashing in on his cartoony tendencies. 'I Love You, Phillip Morris' hits that sweet spot.

5. 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' -- Banksy may dubiously insist that his documentary is 100% real, but that hardly matters. 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' is a hilarious and vital skewering of the art world, regardless. It's easily this year's funniest doc.

4. 'Tiny Furniture' -- People who criticize Lena Dunham's film for being yet another whiny movie about privileged rich folks miss the entire point of 'Tiny Furniture.' The comedy comes from Lena's character's sense of entitlement and laziness amidst people far more ambitious and tenacious than her. Dunham is a sparkling new voice as a comedy writer, and I look forward to her next project -- a television series for HBO.

3. 'Easy A' -- In a perfect world, 'Easy A' would have grossed over $100 million dollars and we'd be talking about Emma Stone as The Next Big Thing. Stone gives an honest-to-goodness star-making performance here, proving herself to be a formidable and unique new comic talent. (Also, I wish someone would make an entire film about Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson's characters.)

2. 'Toy Story 3' -- Easily the most crowd-pleasing comedy on this list, 'Toy Story 3's' delightful riff on prison movie cliches provided last Summer's biggest belly laughs. In fact, there may not be a single sequence in a movie from 2010 that caused as much audience laughter as the "Mr. Tortilla Head" escape.

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com
1. 'Four Lions' -- Somewhere between the willfully ignorant idiocy of a character like Ali G and the knife-sharp social satire of 'Dr. Strangelove' lies 'Four Lions.' This is the year's most quotable film ("If was a mosque, which I'm NOT..."), and while its subject matter (terrorism) may cause some to balk, it's practically guaranteed to become a cult hit over time.

Missing this list by a hair are two different odes to stupidity -- 'MacGruber' and 'Jackass 3-D.' 'MacGruber' turned out to be the best SNL adaptation in ages, while 'Jackass 3-D' provided exactly the kind of ball-crushing action you've come to expect from the gang.

Some of the best comedies are still making the festival rounds, but if you get the chance, make sure to see 'Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil' and 'A Somewhat Gentle Man.' 'Tucker and Dale' is a satisfying horror-comedy that turns the conventions of the killer hillbilly subgenre on its head. 'A Somewhat Gentle Man' is a bittersweet character study, starring Stellan Skarsgard as an ex-con trying to make good.

As for 2010's biggest stinkers? Avoid 'Cop Out,' 'The Spy Next Door,' and 'The Back-Up Plan.' You'll save yourself 270 minutes worth of pain and suffering.

Chicago & Ten Other Critics Groups Shed Light on Oscar Rankings

Erik Childress — 2010-12-26T15:00:00+00:00

Since last week's first Oscar rankings on Cinematical, another eleven critics' groups have announced their annual winners. Austin, Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Houston, Las Vegas, London, Oklahoma, St. Louis, and Utah have all come through with their final choices. As did the Chicago Film Critics Association (of which I am a member), whose 22nd Annual Awards came through on Monday. Alone, their victors and nominees post pretty decent numbers in matching up the final nominees. But combined with the nominees from the Screen Actors Guild and the easily influenced (yet somehow still influential) Golden Globes and Broadcast Film Critics Association, it usually begins to help locking in the inevitable and positioning the fringe players. Will it do so this year?

These rankings and commentary reflect the films and performers' chances at a nomination. Not of their chances to win it all. Though all the #1's are the likely frontrunners right now.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
1. Christian Bale ('The Fighter') - Way ahead with 14 victories.
2. Geoffrey Rush ('The King's Speech') - BFCA/Globes/Chicago/SAG nominees are 16-0 for an Oscar nomination.
3. Jeremy Renner ('The Town') - BFCA, Globes & SAG nominees here are a perfect 23-0 since 2001. A perfect 5-0 without a nod from Chicago.
4. Mark Ruffalo ('The Kids Are All Right') - Last six choices from New York were nominated. BFCA/Chicago/SAG nominees with Globe snub are 3-0 since 2003.
5. Andrew Garfield ('The Social Network') - BFCA/Globes nominees here 23-for-25 since 2001. The two who missed were also snubbed by SAG. Even with Chicago nom, last SAG snub with other three nominations - Paul Newman in 2002.
6. John Hawkes ('Winter's Bone') - BFCA & Globes snub supplemented by SAG and Chicago love translated to nom for Jackie Earle Haley in 2006.
7. Sam Rockwell ('Conviction') - Detroit & St. Louis precursor his BFCA nomination.
8. Michael Douglas ('Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps') - Globe nominee and potential Bale upset on Jan. 16.
9. Matt Damon ('True Grit') - Only love from Phoenix thus far.
10. Bill Murray ('Get Low') - That the Globes completely shut this film out of comedy categories is unforgivable.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
1. Melissa Leo ('The Fighter') - Getting position as the frontrunner.
2. Amy Adams ('The Fighter') - Deserves to be the frontrunner. But only two wins to Leo's six.
3. Helena Bonham Carter ('The King's Speech') - BFCA/Globe/Chicago/SAG nominees 18-0 here since 2002. Your top three here share those accolades.
4. Hailee Steinfeld ('True Grit') - Has as many victories as Leo right now. But is she really a lead rather than supporting performance? Whale Rider, anyone?
5. Mila Kunis ('Black Swan') - BFCA/Globe/SAG nominees to be snubbed by Chicago are 3-0.
6. Jacki Weaver ('Animal Kingdom') - L.A. & NBR have agreed 8 times since 1982. Five won the Oscar. All were nominated. But SAG snub looms large.
7. Lesley Manville ('Another Year') - Sony Classics pushing her for Lead, yet some groups thinking she is Supporting.
8. Julianne Moore ('The Kids Are All Right') - I argued Bening for Supporting. Houston went the other way.
9. Juliette Lewis ('Conviction') - Boston named her the best for her 1.5 scenes in the film.
10. Barbara Hershey ('Black Swan') - BFCA & HFPA obviously prefer oral-giving understudies to stage moms.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
1. 'Inception' - Chicago, Florida, Oklahoma and D.C. said it was the year's best.
2. 'The King's Speech' - San Francisco, St. Louis and critics in the Southeast disagreed.
3. 'The Kids Are All Right' - BFCA/Globe/Chicago nominees 8-0 since 2001.
4. 'Black Swan' - Even with Globe snub, a BFCA/Chicago nominee is 5-0 in that period.
5. 'The Fighter' - Scripts with only BFCA support are a 50/50 proposition. ((BEST PICTURE NOMINEES???))
6. 'Another Year' - Same boat as The Fighter where no Globes or Chicago support is 3-for-6. Mike Leigh an Oscar nominee 4 times for writing.
7. 'Four Lions' - Chicago supports it with nomination. 6-for-13 when going rogue from BFCA and the Globes.
8. 'Buried' - National Board of Review's choice for Best Original has been nominated 5-of-7 times.
9. 'Blue Valentine' - Derek Cianfrance just named Most Promising Filmmaker from Chicago.
10. 'Biutiful' - Will need more than just a nod from St. Louis.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
1. 'The Social Network' - No other adaptation has won a prize yet.
2. 'Toy Story 3' - Five of the last six Pixar scripts received a nomination.
3. '127 Hours' - 24-of-25 BFCA/Globes nominees got Oscar nod since 2002. Without Chicago support, 3-out-of-4 have been nominated.
4. 'Winter's Bone' - 79% of BFCA Screenplay nominees get an Oscar nod.
5. 'True Grit' - But only 63% do it without a corresponding Globe nomination. 66% with Chicago nod which 'Bone' and 'Grit' got.
6. 'The Town' - Scripts only nominated by BFCA are 1-for-4. In 2009, 1-for-3 alone.
7. 'Rabbit Hole' - Chicago is the first to acknowledge this potential sleeper nominee. 8-of-14 when standing alone.
8. 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' - Has its fans in St. Louis and San Diego.
9. 'Shutter Island' - San Diego nominated it, but no match for The Social Network.
10. 'Never Let Me Go' - On Phoenix's Best Six list.

BEST ACTOR
1. Colin Firth ('The King's Speech') - 26 of the last 30 New York Critics' winners were nominated. Including last five.
2. Jesse Eisenberg ('The Social Network') - Has five trophies up against Firth's nine.
3. James Franco ('127 Hours') - Actors with SAG, Chicago, the Globes and the BFCA in their corner are 22-for-23 since 2001. Your top three qualify.
4. Jeff Bridges ('True Grit') - Ryan Gosling (2006) & Richard Jenkins (2008) got nominated with Globe snub when BFCA, SAG, and Chicago nominated them. No snubs with that combo.
5. Robert Duvall ('Get Low') - BFCA/SAG got Sean Penn the actor nominated in 2001. But not Penn the director. Emile Hirsch left off Oscar list in 2007.
6. Ryan Gosling ('Blue Valentine') - SAG snub gives him 50/50 shot at Oscar. Terrence Howard in '05 - Yes. DiCaprio for The Departed in '06 - No.
7. Mark Wahlberg ('The Fighter') - Jude Law & Michael Caine translated a single Globe nod to Oscar since 2001. Six others did not.
8. Javier Bardem ('Biutiful') - Early festival favorite only lauded by St. Louis to date.
9. Paul Giamatti ('Barney's Version') - If he couldn't get nominated for 'Sideways', this is unlikely.
10. Kevin Spacey ('Casino Jack') - Globes nominate performance of a lobbyist. How appropriate.

BEST ACTRESS
1. Natalie Portman ('Black Swan') - A dozen awards for starters.
2. Annette Bening ('The Kids Are All Right') - 8 of the last 10 New York Critics' choices have been nominated.
3. Jennifer Lawrence ('Winter's Bone') - Get nods from BFCA, Globes, SAG and Chicago like the top 3, you have a 22-in-23 chance in being nominated.
4. Nicole Kidman ('Rabbit Hole') - BFCA/Globe/SAG nominees are 32-1 overall. 10-0 without mention from Chicago.
5. Michelle Williams ('Blue Valentine') - SAG also snubbed Keira Knightley for Pride & Prejudice in 2005 and she was nominated by Chicago, Globes, BFCA, and Oscar.
6. Lesley Manville ('Another Year') - Chicago first mention since National Board of Review. History gives her a 1-in-6 chance.
7. Hilary Swank ('Conviction') - SAG is 0-for-2 when it goes its own way from the pack.
8. Noomi Rapace ('The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo') - London and Vegas trying to keep the BFCA heat alive.
9. Julianne Moore ('The Kids Are All Right') - Surprising non-showing after early assumptions that film's primary threesome would all be lauded.
10. Halle Berry ('Frankie and Alice') - Guess Globe voters got their screeners! What else did they get for this nomination?

BEST DIRECTOR
1. David Fincher ('The Social Network') - Is anyone seriously betting against Fincher at this point?
2. Darren Aronofsky ('Black Swan') - 14 awards behind Fincher. But 3 is good enough for second.
3. Christopher Nolan ('Inception') - Actually ahead of Aronofsky in pure award mentions. 12 wins/nominees to his 10.
4. Tom Hooper ('The King's Speech') - BFCA/Globes/Chicago nominees are 19-2 for Oscar nod. Only Baz Luhrmann (2001) and Peter Jackson (2005) shut out. Top 4 look solid.
5. Danny Boyle ('127 Hours') - Eight wins/nominations to #6's five. That's one ahead of Hooper too.
6. Joel & Ethan Coen ('True Grit') - Like Boyle, only nominated by BFCA. Stat is 3-for-8 since '01.
7. David O. Russell ('The Fighter') - Globes nod without BFCA & Chicago gives him a 30% chance.
8. Debra Granik ('Winter's Bone') - Chicago nod without BFCA & Globes gives her also a 30% chance.
9. Olivier Assayas ('Carlos') - L.A. Critics just had to tie him with David Fincher.
10. Edgar Wright ('Scott Pilgrim vs. the World') - Detroit critics preferred this over work by Aronofsky and the Coens.

BEST PICTURE
1. 'The Social Network' - 65 awards compared to Black Swan's 28 right now.
2. 'Black Swan' - Only two films to beat 'Social' so far. Austin chose this.
3. 'The King's Speech' - BFCA/Globes/Chicago + SAG Ensemble nominees are 18-3 since 1999. That equals your top three.
4. 'Inception' - BFCA/Globes/Chicago minus SAG Ensemble nod is 14-0 since 2005.
5. 'The Fighter' - Despite no Chicago nod, films that get the other three are 11-2 since 2001.
6. 'Winter's Bone' - The other film to beat 'Social'. BFCA/Chicago nominees only 2-for-7. But those two were Milk (2008) and A Serious Man (2009).
7. 'Toy Story 3' - Four Best Pic nods plus a nom from BFCA who also nominated Up last year when Chicago and the Globes did not.
8. '127 Hours' - It tied 'Social' for Best Picture in Utah. That's something, right?
9. 'True Grit' - Last films to be completely shut out by Globes and get nominated - 'The Thin Red Line' and 'Life Is Beautiful'. Both in 1998.
10. 'The Kids Are All Right' - Last film to be picked up by Globes and SAG after BFCA (& Chicago) snub to get Best Pic nod - 'Gosford Park' in 2001. Other three are: 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,' 'Hairspray' and 'Bobby.'
11. 'The Town' - With potential Renner and script nods, it's the film they could find room for.
12. 'How To Train Your Dragon' - A strong push by Dreamworks would certainly make the Animated Feature race more interesting wouldn't it?
13. 'Rabbit Hole' - Speculation that it could be this year's spoiler.
14. 'Shutter Island' - May have been nominated in 2009 with original release date. Not looking good for 2010.
15. 'Blue Valentine' - A longshot if Gosling and Williams are snubbed, but a very deserving film.

Was 2010 the Worst Year for Movies Ever?

Gary Susman — 2010-12-23T14:00:00+00:00

Throughout the year, it seemed, moviegoers were offered little besides mediocre sequels and reboots, uninspired star vehicles, romance-free romantic comedies and jetsam from the 1980s pop culture landfill resurrected like brain-eating zombies. Ah, but we got to see so much of it in 3-D, and we only had to pay another 3 bucks or so for the privilege.

Hollywood studios, terrified of risk, stuck largely to formula this year, hoping the new wrinkle of rental spex would be enough to rescue the movie industry from unprofitability/irrelevance/Facebook/vague-threat-of-your-choice. But something weird happened on the way to the box office: the formulas failed to work. People stayed away from many of the movies that were supposed to be surefire hits and made hits out of movies that didn't fit the usual mold.

As going out to the movie theater became an increasingly costly and irksome experience, audiences demanded value. That may have frightened some in the executive suites, but if there's anything good that came out of this year's movie chaos, it may be the realization that the old ways of doing business will have to change, and that such change, if handled right, could prove an opportunity instead of a disaster.

It's not as if Hollywood didn't make money this year. It did -- more than $10 billion from domestic ticket sales. 2010 was the first year that boasted two billion-dollar movies (in worldwide sales), 'Toy Story 3' and 'Alice in Wonderland.' (And you could also count December 2009's 'Avatar,' which made much of its planet-wide haul in 2010.) As of Dec. 19, the domestic box office was 1.6 percent ahead of where it was at the same date last year.

But there were some grim signs amid the grosses. Average ticket prices went up to $7.95 from $7.50 a year ago. So when the year ends next week, it's likely that fewer tickets will be sold in 2010 than in 2009. In North America, moviegoers would have to buy about 67 million more tickets by the end of the year to tie 2009's gross of $10.6 billion, and even then, the number of tickets sold would be about 80 million shy of the 1.4 billion tickets sold last year.

Despite a strong start this year (largely attributable to 'Avatar' and 'Alice'), it was apparent by early summer that audiences were voting no with their feet. For the rest of the year, it was unclear whether any film (even 'Toy Story 3,' which sold $415 million worth of tickets at home and currently ranks No. 9 on the all-time box office list) would bring moviegoers back into the theaters in numbers like last year's.

What kept them away? Maybe it was trends like these:

o.Retreads. Or "reboots," as the studios and the entertainment press like to call them, as if there was something original and fresh about remaking 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' with a new actor as Freddy and pretending that all the previous 'Nightmare's' never happened. Sometimes, the strategy worked ('The Karate Kid,' 'TRON: Legacy'), but most of this year's reboots, remakes and sequels seemed uninspired and stale. 'Shrek Forever After,' 'Saw 3-D,' and 'Nightmare' were among the movies that proved you can go back to the well only so many times. And just because a title was familiar didn't mean a sequel was merited. Was anyone actually clamoring for another helping of 'Cats & Dogs,' or a return 23 years later to 'Wall Street'? Did anyone really want a big-screen version of 'MacGyver' or 'Marmaduke' or 'Yogi Bear'? Or yet another gloss on 'The Wolfman' or 'Robin Hood'? Apparently not.

o.Warmed-over '80s nostalgia. Either the people making movies (or greenlighting them) nowadays are children of the John Hughes era who have grown up and assumed positions of power, or else studios are so desperate for familiar titles that they'll remake anything that people remember from 30 years ago. 'Nightmare,' 'Karate Kid' and 'Predator' might have been obvious candidates for updates; less so 'Clash of the Titans,' 'The A-Team,' 'TRON' and 'Wall Street.' (And don't forget the inherent '80s nostalgia, however tongue in cheek, underlying such 2010 movies as 'The Expendables,' 'Hot Tub Time Machine,' 'MacGruber,' 'Cop Out,' and even retro Cold War thriller 'Salt.') Some of these movies worked, some didn't, and some (notably, 'Karate Kid') seemed to alienate fans of the original while pleasing a new generation with no memory of or emotional investment in the earlier version. In any case, the trend is only going to continue in 2011 and 2012, with new renditions of 'Arthur,' 'Conan,' 'Firestarter,' 'Red Dawn,' 'Footloose,' '21 Jump Street' and 'The Thing' (a remake of a 30-year-old movie that was itself a remake of a 30-year-old movie). Watch your back, Ferris, they're probably coming for you next.

o.Stalled star vehicles. It used to be a truism (at least among those who signed A-listers' $20 million paychecks) that it was big names that drew ticketbuyers on opening weekend. Yet several once-bankable names saw their movies fizzle this year. Russell Crowe failed to entice viewers to see 'Robin Hood' or 'The Next Three Days.' Jennifer Aniston failed to draw crowds to 'The Bounty Hunter' or 'The Switch.' Cher tried a comeback with 'Burlesque,' Jennifer Lopez tried one with 'The Back-Up Plan' and Mel Gibson tried one with 'Edge of Darkness,' but audiences were less than enthusiastic. Robert Pattinson's 'Remember Me' and Kristen Stewart's 'The Runaways' cast doubt on their ability to sell tickets to movies that don't have the word 'Twilight' in the title. Even combined star power -- Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in 'Knight and Day,' Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher in 'Killers,' Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in 'The Tourist' and the ensemble of Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson in 'How Do You Know' -- wasn't a big enough sell. Of course, the other things all these movies had in common were weak scripts and poor execution. Depp may have been golden in 'Alice' and Jolie in 'Salt,' but not even their combined prettiness could lure viewers to a vehicle as empty as 'The Tourist.'

o.Failed new franchises. One thing that was actually supposed to make stars obsolete was franchise movies, films dependent on familiarity with the premise and characters, rather than on who happened to be playing them. (It's why Marvel feels it can reboot 'Spider-Man' even though the Tobey Maguire movies are still fresh in everyone's memory.) But again, audiences refused to take the bait for such would-be franchise launchers as 'The Last Airbender,' 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,' 'The A-Team,' 'Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole,' 'Jonah Hex,' 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time' and 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice.' That these last two were expensive duds from the production house of Jerry Bruckheimer, the franchise-creating expert who had turned a theme park ride in to Disney's huge 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films, suggested that the old franchise formulas have run their course.

o.3-D. In the wake of 'Avatar,' 2010 saw about 24 new 3-D movies, more than ever before. About a third of them were shot in 2-D but hastily and shoddily retrofitted into 3-D. Almost every animated feature that came out this year was in 3-D. Those films that already boasted carefully crafted storytelling and visuals ('Toy Story 3,' 'How to Train Your Dragon,' 'Despicable Me,' 'Megamind,' 'Tangled') thrived. Others at least made original, unique use of the new palette ('Step Up 3-D,' 'Jackass 3-D'). In others, the cynicism and crassness behind the gimmickry was apparent ('Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore,' 'Piranha 3-D.') In any case, with an average of two 3-D movies opening each month, most of them family-oriented, the market was quickly oversaturated. Add to that the fact that there still aren't that many 3-D screens, and they're expensive for theater owners to convert, and you began to see a bitter competition for scarce real estate. Still, Hollywood was convinced that the $3 glasses-rental surcharge was going to save the business; moviegoers were less convinced that they were always getting extra spectacle that merited paying for the extra spectacles. So far, however, the novelty hasn't worn off, so in 2011, we'll see at least 32 3-D movies.

So what did audiences like in 2010? Well they did like the formula movies -- the star vehicles, the summer action blockbusters, the 3-D toons, the sequels and retreads -- if they were done well. They liked the formula movies if they were done in ways that broke the formula conventions. (Exhibit A: 'Inception.')

The bottom has largely fallen out of the independent and foreign-language film markets in recent years, yet there were signs of life there, too, with the modest successes of such indies (or quasi-indies) as 'The Kids Are All Right,' Tyler Perry's 'Why Did I Get Married Too?' 'Black Swan,' 'The Fighter,' 'The King's Speech,' 'Cyrus' and 'City Island.' Foreign films that made a splash included 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' and its two sequels, 'The Secret in Their Eyes,' 'I Am Love' and 'A Prophet.' It was a good year for documentaries, including 'Oceans,' 'Babies,' 'Waiting for Superman,' 'Exit Through the Gift Shop,' 'Inside Job,' 'Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,' 'Restrepo' and 'The Tillman Story.'

'Black Swan' Exclusive Clip

The kind of mid-budget dramatic and comedic fare that the studios had long since abandoned to the indies (so that they could focus either on expensive blockbusters that they had developed smooth-running machinery to market or cheap horror films that marketed themselves) began to make a comeback at the studios. Somewhere in the middle, at budgets of around $40 million, movies like 'The Social Network' and 'The Town' were attracting audiences, critical acclaim and awards buzz. Other medium-budgeted studio movies that did well: 'Dear John' (budget: $25 million), 'Easy A' ($8 million), 'Secretariat' ($35 million), 'Takers' ($32 million), 'She's Out of My League' ($20 million), 'Love and Other Drugs' ($30 million), 'Nanny McPhee Returns' ($35 million), 'Kick-Ass' ($30 million), 'Predators' ($40 million), 'Ramona and Beezus' ($15 million) and most incredibly, alien-invasion thriller 'Skyline,' made for just $10 million but looking like 10 times as much.

It's possible that new technology will do for Hollywood what reliance on familiar stars and familiar plots and titles can't. Digital advances will make effects filmmaking on the cheap a la 'Skyline' more common, while the 'Jackass' boys, of all people, have proved that 3-D can be put affordably in the hands of any filmmaker and can be used in innovative ways without having to invent an expensive planet of blue aliens. And screenwriters like 'Inception's' Christopher Nolan and 'Social Network's' Aaron Sorkin have proved that mass audiences are smart enough to follow complicated, time-jumping narratives that are told from multiple perspectives and that don't rely on familiar characters. In short, it is possible for Hollywood to make a profit without spending a fortune on spectacle or stars or relying on the tired formulas that audiences snubbed in 2010. But it will take courage on the part of the studios to break free of old, no longer effective ways of making movies. It will also take courage on the part of moviegoers to seek out offbeat filmmakers and rule-breaking movies instead of staying home or rewarding business as usual.

*Follow Gary Susman on Twitter @garysusman.

The 10 Most Overrated Movies of 2010

David Ehrlich — 2010-12-23T12:02:00+00:00

2010 wasn't just a great year for good movies, it was also a great year for bad movies that a lot of you mistakenly confused for good movies. No need to apologize, these things happen -- Sometimes in life people love things just a little bit more than they should (I mean, we live in a world where there's a "Tron Guy"). In fact, being wrong can be a beautiful thing, especially for whomever has the pleasure of detailing just how woefully wrong you are.

So behold our confrontational, condescending, and fiercely opinionated list of the year's most overrated movies! Most of these ten films are beloved by a significant portion of the nation's most respected moviegoers, and the rest of them are 'Morning Glory.' The films are ranked by how undeservedly over-praised they were, with the #1 spot occupied by the movie which enjoyed the greatest disparity between its perceived quality and its actual merits.

Enjoy, and feel free to voice your displeasure in the comments.

10. 'Toy Story 3'

Why You Liked It: A vibrant and wistful computer-generated wonder, Toy Story 3' -- Moviefone's #1 film of the year and the highest-grossing film of all time -- not only bests its predecessors in every which way, it also solidifies Totoro's position as the cinema's most hardcore silent badass since Jean-Louis Trintignant.

Why It's on the List: Because it made you cry like you were watching 'Shoah' projected onto a double rainbow. 'Toy Story 3' is a beautiful piece of work that demands to be cherished, but its frank final moments were maudlin and mishandled. The time that Woody and the gang spend at Sunnyside so compellingly dominates the film that Andy is transmuted into equal parts allegory and afterthought. In a $200 million effort to retroactively convince every last person of this film's true value, Pixar will release 'Cars 2' on July 22, 2011.

9. 'Monsters'

Why You Liked It: Because like 'Breathless,' 'Jurassic Park,' and 'White Girls' before it, 'Monsters' is made all the more compelling because of its staggeringly creative production. 'The African Queen' meets 'Cloverfield' meets an acting class at the Learning Annex, Gareth Edwards' debut feature is the sly tale of a couple making their way towards America's southern border through a Mexico infested with Cthulu-esque aliens. The film's elusive and unconventional approach garnered it some festival accolades, but the hype machine was really fueled by buzz that Edwards had made the film for about $12 and a gift certificate to Applebee's (which SAG now recognizes as legal tender).

Why It's on the List: Ironically, it's the impressively economical special effects that emerge as the film's most believable element, as the characters that drive 'Monsters' along have all the zest and verisimilitude of a couple from 'Emmanuelle in Space' (you know you get the reference). Ultimately, you can't help but admire Edwards' craft and gumption, and 'Monsters' is perhaps the only film on this list that's less fun to disparage than it is to watch.

8. 'Shutter Island'

Why You Liked It: Because it's a thickly atmospheric Martin Scorsese movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and this time around the hero expresses his potential insanity in ways other than collecting his own urine or falling in love with Cameron Diaz.

Why It's on the List: Because it's a flimsy genre exercise in which supremely masterful direction is hobbled by a noble failure of a script (there are 'Family Circus' cartoons with more satisfying plot twists). Screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis fails to solve the turgid Dennis Lehane novel from which the film is adapted, and neither Scorsese nor his impeccable cast can save this story from meandering off into dull and increasingly silly directions.

7. 'Morning Glory'

Why You Liked It: You probably didn't, unless you enjoyed 'The Devil Wears Prada' but lamented the fact that its climax didn't revolve around slo-mo pigeons and a mysterious frittata. And yet 54% of critics gave it a pass. Honestly, it's like giving the Hindenburg points for being warm onboard (too soon?)

Why It's on the List: Because this joyless bit of anti-intellectual drivel is emblematic of pretty much everything that's wrong with the world. It flaunts logic at every juncture, and actively celebrates the triumph of palatability over substance. 'Morning Glory' isn't only why "they" hate us, it's also why we hate us.

6. 'Splice'

Why You Liked It: Because bold and fearless horror filmmaking is enough for you to excuse a film that consistently undermines its own potential. Vincenzo Natali's film is a rather daring glimpse at the thorny gray areas engendered by genetic mutation, and it's often giddily discomforting to watch Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody parent / dance / bone the mighty morphing creature they've created (that's Delphine Chaneac as Dren).

Why It's on the List: So here's a movie about two hipster scientists who created an ever-evolving genetic experiment that started off as a one-legged albino rabbit, transformed into a pubescent humanoid teenager, grew wings, murdered a kitten, and had sex with just about everything. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that of those three characters it's the genetic experiment that's going to prove the most interesting (and indeed Dren is quite the time bomb), but the story suffers when the people around her are drawn this thin (difficult to avoid when one of those people is Adrien Brody). Natali's scientists are never more than vessels for their philosophical hangups, and as a result the final scene doesn't raise unanswerable questions so much as it recalls the last moments of 'Alien vs. Predator: Requiem.'

5. 'How to Train Your Dragon'

Why You Liked It: Cuteness! Dazzling 3D! The warm bosom of a narrative that doesn't make a single surprising decision! Dreamworks' toon was a surprise hit with both audiences and critics alike, and might just have been the best Jay Baruchel film to premiere last March. Also, Craig Ferguson makes everything better.

Why It's on the List: Because everyone is likable and no one is interesting, and a needlessly bloated second act makes this feel like the longest movie about dragons since 'The Neverending Story.' Also, as much as we should champion truth in advertising, the first half of 'How to Train Your Dragon' was almost an instructional video about subjugating a fictional species. Oh, and when I pay $20 to see a movie about dragons, one / all of them damn well better be voiced by Sean Connery.

4. 'Catfish'

Why You Liked It: You have a thing for guys with tramp stamps. Either that or you blindly slurp down all the hype that dribbles out of Sundance, and consider 'Catfish' to be the best film since 'Happy, Texas.'

Why It's on the List: Because 'Catfish' is really just a sub-par episode of MTV's 'True Life.' Wasting the frontiers of new media which kindly offer the film's story its canvas, this much-ballyhooed bore spends much of its time teasing the tired and hyper-obvious mystery at its core. A documentary for people who don't understand documentaries, 'Catfish' lazily recycles truth-obsessed predecessors like 'Close-up' and 'F For Fake' in its misguided quest to redefine identity for modern times. You know when you pretend to throw something for a dog to fetch, and the dog goes nuts every time until it slowly realizes that you're not throwing anything? That's 'Catfish' (and if you do that naked it's 'The Aristocrats').

3. 'The Kids Are All Right'

Why You Liked It: Because Lisa Cholodenko's breakthrough film is warm and well-worn, and because you were understandably starved for an intelligent, progressive and accessible domestic drama in which there are no caricatures (beside Clay, the young serial killer in training).

Why It's on the List: Because Lisa Cholodenko's breakthrough film is completely unexceptional sitcom stuff in every way beyond its sexual politics, which in 2010 shouldn't be exceptional to begin with. Also, if someone could tell Mark Ruffalo that there's a difference between acting aloof and acting lobotomized, that would be great (I'm no doctor, but I think The Hulk might have a hard time getting angry without a working prefrontal cortex).

2. 'Kick-ass'

Why You Liked It: Because it was April, and anticipation for 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World' had driven you mad.

Why It's on the List: 'Kick-ass' is such a colossal failure not because it can't even preach its own bone-headed satire to the geek choir, but because it can't even fetishize its fixations properly. Hit-Girl and Big Daddy are too safe and self-insistent, playing less like fantasies for adolescents than they do fantasies by adolescents. The fight scenes are lifeless and ineptly stitched together, the villains aren't archetypical so much as they're lazy, and the whole thing just kind of lies there like an arrogant wet sandwich.

1. '127 Hours'

Why You Liked It: Because Aron Ralston's ordeal was undeniably harrowing stuff, and Danny Boyle captures the spirited hiker's survival story with his unique brand of pizzazz. James Franco has to carry the entire movie with one arm stuck under a giant rock, and he does so magnificently.

Why It's on the List: A pairing of director and material that's as grievously mismatched as a Uwe Boll remake of 'To Kill A Mockingbird,' '127 Hours' finds the hyper-kinetic Boyle trying just about every cinematic trick he knows in an attempt to keep this stationary story moving. The result is a flashy, impersonal, and emotionally disconnected mess that never fully trusts the power of its premise or the strength of its central performance. We're taken deeper into Ralston's camera than we are into his head. It's hard to feel much of anything by the time the film tamely recreates the notorious amputation, especially considering that Boyle has spent the previous 90 minutes stabbing you with the epidurals of his montage.

First 'Toy Story' Short to Feature Ken and Barbie on Vacation

Jacob Hall — 2010-12-20T10:00:00+00:00

While the 'Toy Story' film series has seemingly come to an official end, Pixar isn't done with Woody, Buzz and the gang announced last month that they were planning a series of short films that would continue the characters' adventures in the world beyond Andy. Now, thanks to Bleeding Cool and a tweet from Disney artist Floyd Norman, we may have an idea of what to expect from the first 'Toy Story' short:

"Saw the Pixar "Hawaii" short. Cute. Ken and Barbie want to go to Hawaii. I don't know what it's gonna be attached to. Fun stuff, however."

It's already been confirmed that the first 'Toy Story' short will be in front of next summer's 'Cars 2,' so in case you want to see it again, Floyd, you know where to look!

It's surprising that the first post-trilogy 'Toy Story' outing won't center around the more iconic main group of toys, but who in their right mind would willingly turn down more of Michael Keaton's Ken and Jodi Benson's Barbie, the two of whom all but stole the last film right from under the "stars"? If Pixar is going to return to this universe for future endeavors, at least it looks like they're willing to play with the various supporting characters (pun fully intended).

Although basic math quantifies "More 'Toy Story'" as equaling "Hooray!", hopefully Pixar will continue to produce original animated shorts in addition to further exploring established properties. Pixar shorts like 'Day and Night' and 'Presto' are better than most full length animated features and it would be a shame to lose original ideas to characters who have already been given a proper farewell.

Golden Globes 2011 Snubs and Surprises: 'True Grit' Gets Shut Out; 'The Tourist' Flies High

Moviefone Staff — 2010-12-14T11:45:00+00:00

As with every year, today's Golden Globe nominations were filled with a handful of snubs and surprises -- results that made us scratch our head and say, "Wait a second ... What?"

(CHECK OUT TV SQUAD'S LIST OF GOLDEN GLOBES SNUBS AND SURPRISES FOR TELEVISION.)

Though this year's batch of nominees felt especially surprising, what with three nominations for 'The Tourist' and absolutely zero nods for the Coen brothers' critically acclaimed 'True Grit.'

Were you surprised by today's nominations, too? Read through our list of the biggest snubs and surprsies, then post your own in the comments.

SURPRISE: Michael Douglas for 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps'
Though he's had a long and successful run at the Golden Globes, including a win in 1987 ('Wall Street') and a Cecil B. DeMille award, we'll admit that we were a little surprised when we heard Douglas' name read this morning, given the mostly tepid reviews for his movie, 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.' But after the rough personal year he's had, we'll be cheering him on at the ceremony in January.

SNUB: 'True Grit'
The Coen brothers have been picking up awards left and right in the last couple of years, thanks to the success of movies like 'No Country for Old Men' and 'A Serious Man.' And with an all-star cast, we thought for sure that their latest movie, 'True Grit,' would pick up at least one nomination this morning. That even star Jeff Bridges couldn't get nominated in Best Actor (Drama) -- the same category he won in last year, for 'Crazy Heart' -- spells trouble for 'True Grit's' Oscar chances.

SURPRISE: Angelina Jolie for 'The Tourist'
Angelina Jolie can be a good actress (hey, she's won three Golden Globes), but that she was nominated for her performance in the poorly reviewed 'Tourist' is surpising, to say the least. (Our own reviewer said that Jolie and co-star Johnny Depp didn't travel well together.) On the bright side: At least we'll get to see a little extra eye candy on the red carpet.

SNUB: 'Toy Story 3' for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)
Come on, we all know it's the best picture of the year. Audiences will look at the final installment in the beloved Pixar trilogy as not just one of the few bright spots in a dismal year of movies, but also as a wonderful coda to a modern fairy tale. Name another film this year with richer storytelling, more dazzling direction or a more powerful emotional connection. It's one lone nomination for Best Animated Feature feels like a token recognition by a community that still can't grasp the idea that animation isn't just something to keep the diaper crowd distracted for 90 minutes.

SURPRISE: Johnny Depp for 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'The Tourist'
Okay, what the what? Sure, the three-time Oscar nominee has given some pretty iconic performances in his career, and 'Alice in Wonderland' was second-biggest movie of 2010. But was it really necessary to nominate him twice, when reviews for his performance in 'The Tourist' weren't that great? Surely voters could have spread the wealth a bit. (See below.)

SNUB: Justin Timberlake for 'The Social Network'
We're happy the HPFA nominated Andrew Garfield in Best Supporting Actor, but we thought they might be wooed by the star power of his 'Social Network' co-star, Justin Timberlake, instead. Considering his acting background, casting Timberlake in a David Fincher/Aaron Sorkin movie seemed like blasphemy when it was first announced, but the 29-year-old really surprised us with his take on Napster CEO Sean Parker. We definitely don't "like" this snub.

SURPRISE: 'The Tourist' for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)
The movie underperformed at the box office, didn't get great reviews and word of mouth is that audiences saw no chemistry between stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. And yet the international romantic-thriller is being considered here as one of the strongest comedic films of the year. Perhaps Depp's charismatic aura is so powerful that voters didn't even realize they were nominating two films he headlined.

SNUB: Will Ferrell for 'The Other Guys'
In a year of underwhelming comedies, 'The Other Guys' stood out for actually being funny -- like, really, truly funny. Better yet, it featured a return-to-form performance by Ferrell, which reminded us of why we fell in love with him in the first place. To quote TLC, Ferrell's snub is definitely "unpretty."

SURPRISE: 'Burlesque'
The Hollywood Foreign Press has a penchant for nominating musicals (remember when 'Evita' won in 1997?) but we'll admit we thought the idea of 'Burlesque' getting three nominations was a stretch greater than star Christina Aguilera's splits. But with a fun cast and that epic (and Golden Globe-nominated) number from Cher, we can't really say we blame 'em.

SNUB: Robert Duvall for 'Get Low'
Though he never stood a chance at beating Colin Firth, Robert Duvall, a four-time Golden Globe winner, was thought to be a shoo-in for a Best Actor (Drama) nomination after receiving high praise for his turn as a lonely old man who plans his own funeral in 'Get Low.' Talk about a 'Low' blow.

SURPRISE: Halle Berry for 'Frankie & Alice'
Sure, she's won both a Golden Globe and an Oscar, but these days, with a stalling career, Halle Berry hasn't been much of a presence on the awards scene. Her comeback is a welcome -- but mostly surprising -- one, especially since her performance in the little-seen 'Frankie & Alice' hasn't generated much buzz at all. Perhaps the days of 'Catwoman' and 'Gothika' are finally over?

SNUB: '127 Hours'
Although star and nominee James Franco has been getting most of the buzz for '127 Hours,' we were expecting a few additional nominations in the Best Picture (Drama) and Best Director categories, given the movie's strong reviews and awards-friendly director, Danny Boyle. Maybe voters had a tough time sitting through that arm-cutting scene, too.

SURPRISE: Mila Kunis for 'Black Swan'
We loved Kunis' deliciously evil performance in 'Black Swan,' but up until now, the buzz has mostly been for her co-star, Natalie Portman. Between this and her Critics' Choice nomination, Kunis -- a former TV actress -- is quickly on her way to becoming a major movie star.

SURPRISE: Jeremy Renner for 'The Town'
Renner's nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category gives new meaning to the old saying "better late than never." (The actor was snubbed last year for his Oscar-nominated turn in 'The Hurt Locker.') In 'The Town,' Renner gave a gritty, raw and understated performance, one that easily could have been overlooked. That he actually made it in solidifies his status as an up-and-coming A-lister.

SNUB: Mark Ruffalo for 'The Kids Are All Right'
Mark Ruffalo is such a subtle actor that sometimes we take his skills for granted, as if he's simply playing himself in his movies. Perhaps that was the reason his terrific performance in 'The Kids Are All Right' was overlooked by the HFPA. Granted, he does play another version of his on-screen persona -- this time, as a sperm donor who meets his kids for the first time. But in his performance, he showed the proper confusion, wayward irresponsibility and earnestness that made the movie all the more more emotional and touching. His exclusion is a snub, plain and simple.

SURPRISE: Emma Stone for 'Easy A'
2010 will be looked at as a weak year for movies, especially in regards to memorable comedies. So it was great to see one of the few genuinely funny performances honored -- not to mention a performance from a young, relatively-unknown woman. Emma Stone has already gotten positive reviews in her still-burgeoning career, but this nomination shows that critics are excited for the work she'll continue to produce.

SNUB: Jim Carrey for 'I Love You Phillip Morris'
Sure, he's won the Globe twice before -- for 'Truman Show' and 'Man on the Moon' -- but when given the opportunity, Carrey can surprise audiences with a level of depth and range they're not used to. His latest venture, as a gay con man who constantly tries to break out of prison, was again a welcome departure and a genuinely captivating performance. 'I Love You Phillip Morris' spent years on the shelf because of its controversial gay storyline; perhaps the HFPA didn't think audiences could handle the film getting any more recognition.

SURPRISE: 'Red' for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)
Grizzled veterans were the action stars of the year, and this over-the-top black comedy, based on a cult graphic novel, had a lot of staying power at the box office. Audiences loved watching blockbuster legend Bruce Willis and respected non-action stars like Helen Mirren, John Malkovitch and Morgan Freeman punch, shoot and explode their way to revenge. Even more remarkably, 'Red' makes history as the first comic-book movie to get a Best Picture nomination.

SNUB: Lesley Manville for 'Another Year'
Manville has been at the forefront of the Best Actress race since 'Another Year' debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May. And with a Best Actress win earlier this month from the National Board of Review, she seemed like a lock for an Oscar nomination. But after today's snub -- not to mention a snub from the Critics' Choice this week -- 2010 may not be Manville's year after all.

SURPRISE: 'The Social Network' (for Best Score)
It's always refreshing to see recognition for new voices in a classic field, especially for a talent as deserving as Trent Reznor and his frequent producer Atticus Ross. Millions of fans have supported Reznor for over a decade as the leader of Nine Inch Nails, but crossing into film composition was heralded as a new evolution in the career of an industrial-music pioneer. 'The Social Network' will continue to be looked at as a generation-defining film; it's apropos that its energetic, non-traditional score -- filled with pulsating bass and electronic waves -- is also recognized as the sound of a new generation.

SNUB: Noomi Rapace for 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'
The 'Millennium Trilogy' of Swedish crime thrillers became unexpected best-sellers throughout the world. And the film adaptations were heavily-hyped projects that actually lived up to readers' expectations. At the center of the phenomenon was Noomi Rapace, who played the titular character, an anti-social computer hacker trying to gain justice after a lifetime of trauma. The Swedish-born actress has gained an abundance of glowing reviews for her layered performance, and as her international star continues to rise, this omission is glaring.

The Alternative Awards: Considering the Screenplays

Erik Childress — 2010-12-07T19:22:00+00:00

The Alternative Awards is a weekly column that highlights actors, actresses and films that are flying way under the awards radar, but still deserve a second glance. It will run on Tuesdays throughout awards season.

The Screenplay categories are among the most fun to watch for a variety of reasons. It is the one category where one of our personal favorites have the strength of getting in on the pure merit of its writing, with no interference of the chances of its other contributors. On the flip side it is one to keep an eye on as far as Best Picture is concerned. Only twice since 1965 ('The Sound of Music' & 'Titanic') has the big winner not been nominated for its writing. And in those 45 years, the Best Film's script also won an Oscar 33 times (10 Originals, 23 Adaptations).

Start in my favorite Oscar category, Best Original Screenplay, the favorites for a nomination are also likely Best Picture nominees - 'Inception' (by Christopher Nolan), 'The Kids Are All Right' (by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg) and 'The King's Speech' (by David Seidler). The five likely in the best position to snag one of the two remaining slots are: 'Another Year' (by Mike Leigh), 'Black Swan' (by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz & John McLaughlin - three people to write that, really?), 'Blue Valentine' (by Derek Cianfrance, Joey Curtis & Cami Delavigne), 'The Fighter' (by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson) and 'Get Low' (by Chris Provenzano & C. Gaby Mitchell).

The film that was originally going to make this article's list of alternatives, Chris Sparling's 'Buried', actually got a boost from the National Board of Review last week. In a welcome head-scratcher of a victory, the group actually recognized this clever script as the year's best. And since introducing this category into their ranks, five of their seven choices have received a nomination. Not terrible odds for a film that Lions Gate seems to have forgotten about after its first week of platform.

I would like to also include James L. Brooks' 'How Do You Know' as a potential competitor here. Three of the man's five directorial efforts have also been nominated for screenplay. But seeing as how Sony is dragging its heels on showing it to people and response from the junket crowd over the weekend has been less than enthusiastic, it is hard to take seriously at this point. Even if it has potential to be the best romantic comedy of 2010. What a sad year.

And that's only half of the potential nominees. The beautiful thing about the Oscars that so many critic groups have yet to adopt is that there is a difference between an original piece of work and something cherry-picked and expanded upon from another medium. This year's adapted frontrunners include 'The Social Network' (by Aaron Sorkin), 'Toy Story 3' (by Michael Arndt) and 'True Grit' (by Joel & Ethan Coen). And if we had to look at seven more to round out a list of five, we would have to go with '127 Hours' (by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy), 'How to Train Your Dragon' (by Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders), 'Rabbit Hole' (by David Lindsay-Abaire), 'Shutter Island' (by Laeta Kalogridis), 'The Town' (by Ben Affleck, Peter Craig & Aaron Stockard), 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps' (by Allan Loeb & Stephen Schiff) and 'Winter's Bone' (by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini).

Since many of the precursors still only have room for one Screenplay category, we will still only choose five great scripts likely to be overlooked by all of them. And as much as I admire some of the year's adaptations (including 'The American' and 'Never Let Me Go'), the list is still full of original works. Imagine that, in a rather lackluster year for originality and good films in general there are still more writers in the discussion for starting from scratch and worthy of being in that discussion for award consideration.

'Fish Tank' (by Andrea Arnold) - A film that got a lot of festival play in 2009 seems to be the film everyone has forgotten about in 2010. Probably because it opened in early January and isn't going to make its DVD debut in the states until February 2011. Perhaps Criterion knew they had something special and wanted to take their time. Hell, it took them 24 years to do 'Broadcast News'. Fish Tank is special though, a coming-of-age story in the sticks of the UK about breaking free and cautionary sexuality.

Sure, you're thinking, name me a coming-of-age film that isn't. There's a wonderful fluidity to Arnold's tale though, peppered by one of the year's very best performances by newcomer Katie Jarvis and an increased reminder that we need to see Michael Fassbender in more roles like this and 'Inglourious Basterds' and less in ones like 'Jonah Hex' and 'Centurion'. Andrea Arnold never oversells her metaphors (like 'Black Swan') and never rushes any of the key relationships into false moments just to move the plot along. It is a shame IFC did not include this amongst their award screeners to critic groups and a huge shame on the voters of the Independent Spirit Awards for failing to give this film a single nomination in either 2009 or 2010. Huge shame.

'Four Lions' (by Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain & Chris Morris) - Suicide bombers are idiots. Do you disagree or are you afraid by admitting as much you might be next? Hopefully the ones with a target on your back are as incompetent as the ones in this brilliantly funny film, another example of wicked satire from one of the co-writers of last year's Oscar-nominated, 'In The Loop'.

More than just a one-joke movie as our anti-hero foursome head down a path into becoming the dogs from 'A Fish Called Wanda', Four Lions takes pointed jabs at the imbecility of racism and religious indignation. But it also finds room for the incompetence of our security agencies and enough time to make these characters human enough to make their unshaped fanaticism all the more frightening. They cannot even muster a respectable argument as to why they're doing it and the discussions had to justify their behavior is about as perfect as comic writing got all year.

'Lovely, Still' (by Nicholas Fackler) - Toronto fest in 2008. Chicago fest in 2009. Finally, a very small release this September just before hitting DVD in November. Nicholas Fackler's writing/directing debut seemed like just a simple late-bloomer romance between lonely Martin Landau and new neighbor/widower, Ellen Burstyn. And it's a beautiful one at that which only gains poignancy for telling a story we normally associate with young outsiders unable to find the girl of their dream.

But there is so much more to this story, handled delicately and respectfully by Fackler to greater effect as to what can be seen in this year's Toronto fest Oscar bait pickup, Barney's Version. You will likely not see the title mentioned during awards season other than here, but do yourself a solid and pick this one up to watch with your significant other, or even better, your parents. For all the jokes we make about Oscar voters forgetting nine months of movies, being completely out of touch or in retirement homes, here is a film you figure might be right up their alley.

'Monsters' (by Gareth Edwards) - Described as "Mumblefield" (a cross between 'Cloverfield' and Mumblecore) by our own Scott Weinberg at this year's SXSW Film Festival, I thought I knew what I was in for with Gareth Edwards' micro-budget debut. Audiences might think it's just another 'District 9' by the look of the trailer. And we were all wrong. Edwards' film certainly has elements of both those descriptions. What you might not be thinking walking in is how successful the film will be as a love story and as a social statement about our response to terrorism and xenophobia.

Sure you get a couple of big monsters and suspense sequences, but also well-written moments between the lead characters, a freelance photographer trying to make his buck on the alien outbreak and the rich, engaged girl he must escort to safer plains. This is the archetype of 'It Happened One Night' if Gable and Colbert had to dodge giant squids along the way. And it works because Edwards treats these two as humans with motivations we understand rather than those very archetypes. Coupled with a nifty ending that will have you wanting to start the film all over again, Monsters was one of the great surprises of the year and before there's a budget, there's a script.

'The Square' (by Joel Edgerton & Matthew Dabner) - This Australian export does not deserve comparison to films like 'Blood Simple' and 'Bound' because it follows the spirit of its adulterous schemers looking to make a quick buck. It is because the Brothers Edgerton (director Nash & co-writer Joel) deserve to join the ranks of sibling filmmakers making a smashing debut using the oldest breakthrough genre in the business. Full of dark violence and even darker humor, this was an old school pleasure through and through that nevertheless felt brand new.

Like 'Monsters', the archetypes are in place but the Edgertons and co-writer Matthew Dabner keep pulling audibles with characters involved in theft, arson, blackmail and murder. Unlike so many attempts at twisty crime thrillers, The Square cleverly avoids becoming TV's 'Community''s take on double-crossing conspiracies ("You're not conspiring anymore. You're just doing a bunch of random crap.") Nothing about The Square's script is random. It is a carefully thought out piece of film noir that cinephiles love sinking their teeth into. Let's hope voters can get a second helping themselves.

'Alice in Wonderland' Leads AOL's Top 10 Movie Searches of 2010

Perri Nemiroff — 2010-12-06T13:49:00+00:00

Not to rush the last few weeks of the year away, but how about a 2010 top ten list for you? AOL recently released its "2010 Year End Hot Searches" lists, most of which are packed with what you'd expect. The top search in the health category is actually something that's plagued the movie industry quite a bit this year: bedbugs. Tiger Woods took the #1 spot in the celebrity category while the BP Oil Spill did so in the top news section. Top trend gold went to Betty White while the Apple iPad trumped the competition in the shopping category.

That's all quite interesting, but now for the really good stuff -- movies. It's no surprise that the top seeded film on this list is one of the biggest earners of the year, 'Alice in Wonderland.' Close behind in the #2 spot is the actual top earner of the year, 'Toy Story 3,' followed by 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,' 'Shutter Island' and 'Iron Man 2.' Rounding out the top ten is 'Inception' at #6, 'How to Train Your Dragon' in seventh, 'Clash of Titans' in eighth, 'The Last Airbender' in ninth and, lastly, 'Sex and the City 2.'

Is this what you'd expect?

It generally should be. A large portion of this list correlates with the year's top earners. So far, 'Toy Story 3' leads with $415 million domestically while 'Alice in Wonderland' is right behind with $334.2 million. 'Iron Man 2' is the third highest earner with $312.1 million while 'Eclipse' is in the fourth position with $300.5 million followed by 'Inception' with $292.3 million. In fact, the only film on Aol's list that isn't one of the 20 highest earners this year is 'Sex and the City 2.'

Now, this makes sense. Clearly the movies that are being seen by the most people will be the ones being tracked down on the Internet more often. The trouble comes when you consider quality. It's quite frustrating that 'Alice in Wonderland' has been given so much attention. The film isn't terrible, but it certainly doesn't deserve the same haul as a film like 'Toy Story 3.' Now that's a movie that's really worthy of a place on this list, on box office lists and ultimately on award lists.

While 'Eclipse' and 'Iron Man 2' are far from the top films of the year, we can let those two slide. First off, 'Eclipse' was a major step up for the 'Twilight' series and 'Iron Man 2' was really quite impressive except for the fact that it wasn't as good as its predecessor, which set the bar insurmountably high to begin with. It's quite odd that 'Inception' only managed to secure the sixth position. Not only did it perform well in theaters, but you'd think after seeing a movie that leaves so many questions unanswered, moviegoers would be scrambling to find new information. Regardless, Leonard DiCaprio's double appearance on this list is entirely justifiable; it's just interesting that 'Shutter Island' was the higher ranking of the two.

It's nice to see a sweet and well made film like 'How to Train Your Dragon' on this list, but the same cannot be said for 'Clash of Titans,' 'The Last Airbender' or 'Sex and the City 2.' It's these films that really bring up a major concern within the industry; apparently the general public likes crap. Actually, 'Clash of the Titans' isn't exactly crap, just low grade entertainment, but 'The Last Airbender' and 'Sex and the City 2' shouldn't have made nearly as much money as they did, nor should people be spending so much time researching them on Aol. Okay, maybe there was so much hype around 'Sex and the City 2' that most of these searches occurred before the film actually hit theaters, but 'The Last Airbender?' Yes it has a pretty devoted fan base, but it's unlikely that it's wide enough to earn these kinds of numbers.

A few films that surprisingly didn't make the list are the ones that made it into the top ten for their domestic box office hauls, but didn't manage to do so here - 'Despicable Me,' 'Shrek Forever After' and 'The Karate Kid.' 'The Karate Kid' is perhaps the one you'd least expect to be searched unless we're talking about little girls in love with Jayden Smith, but 'Despicable Me' and 'Shrek Forever After' are slightly different, 'Shrek' being part of a wildly popular franchise and 'Despicable Me' just being such a surprise hit. Plus, we're not going to lie; we did search for a few clips of those Minions after seeing the film.

No, this list isn't exactly the most profound data, but it does further solidify the fact that most folks are generally interested in the more commercial films regardless of quality. It's just the nature of the beast and there's really nothing that we can do about it. Then again, there's no harm in dreaming of the day when a more important film like 'Waiting for Superman' makes a list like this.

What 2010 film do you wish the public showed the most interest in?

Only Two Animated Films Will Lose to 'Toy Story 3,' Not Four

Eric D. Snider — 2010-11-15T22:00:00+00:00

It's official: When 'Toy Story 3' wins the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, there will only be two losers in the category rather than four.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rules state that if there are between eight and 15 eligible toons, the category has three nominees; if there are 16 or more, five are nominated. (If there are fewer than eight eligible animated features, the category is canceled.) The tallies are in, and 2010 has 15 contenders. So close!

This is the 10th year the category has existed, and three nominees is the norm -- it's only had five nominees twice (last year and 2002). The question is, which two movies will join 'Toy Story 3' in competition for the coveted Let's Avoid Having to Take Cartoons Seriously By Giving Them Their Own "Special" Category award? According to the Academy, these are the 15 movies in the running:

'Alpha and Omega,' 'Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore,' 'Despicable Me,' 'The Dreams of Jinsha,' 'How to Train Your Dragon,' 'Idiots and Angels,' 'The Illusionist,' 'Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole,' 'Megamind,' 'My Dog Tulip,' 'Shrek Forever After,' 'Summer Wars,' 'Tangled,' 'Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue' and 'Toy Story 3.'

Note that 'The Illusionist,' 'Summer Wars,' 'Tangled' and 'The Dreams of Jinsha' haven't actually opened yet; the Academy is assuming they will do so before Dec. 31 as planned. Note also that 'Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore' is live-action but has enough animated elements to qualify. Note also that the Tinker Bell thing was basically a direct-to-DVD project that Disney put in theaters for a week just so it could qualify for this category. Note also that 'Alpha and Omega' is on the list, even though literally not one person ever saw that movie.

As previously implied, 'Toy Story 3' is a sure bet for one of the three nominations. (And yes, a movie nominated in this category can also be nominated for Best Picture, like 'Up' was last year.) 'How to Train Your Dragon' was hugely successful with critics and audiences and seems a likely candidate for one of the other two spots. And the third? 'The Illusionist' is by Sylvain Chomet, the director of 'Triplets of Belleville' AND is based on the work of beloved French whimsy-maker Jacques Tati. If that isn't Oscar street cred, I don't know what is.

Then again, we mustn't rule out the lesser-known but respectable entries. 'Persepolis' and 'The Secret of Kells' came out of nowhere to get nominations in recent years; could the indie drama 'My Dog Tulip' or Bill Plympton's 'Idiots and Angels' surprise everyone this year?

Eh, it doesn't matter. 'Toy Story 3' is going to win. The major philosophical question is this: Does the Best Animated Feature category ensure that no cartoon will ever win Best Picture, since voters aren't likely to reward the same film twice? Or does the category draw attention to movies that would otherwise be ignored? Also, if 'Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore' is an "animated" film, why wasn't 'Avatar'?

Nominate Your Favorite Animated Film
Alpha and Omega	6 (0.9%)
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore	4 (0.6%)
Despicable Me	18 (2.7%)
The Dreams of Jinsha	1 (0.2%)
How to Train Your Dragon	158 (24.0%)
Idiots and Angels	4 (0.6%)
The Illusionist	9 (1.4%)
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole	15 (2.3%)
Megamind	14 (2.1%)
My Dog Tulip	4 (0.6%)
Shrek Forever After	3 (0.5%)
Summer Wars	29 (4.4%)
Tangled	21 (3.2%)
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue	2 (0.3%)
Toy Story 3	371 (56.3%)

Awards Season: Your Move, Critics

Erik Childress — 2010-11-15T17:28:00+00:00

There is a chicken/egg factor when we look upon the awards that preface each year's Oscar nominations. A month's worth of critic organizations and specialty guilds will have announced their nominations and/or winners while the lot of us speculate what is foreshadowing and what is merely prediction. On Thursday, Dec. 2 the National Board of Review will officially kick off awards season with their top ten and winner's list that has no time to wait for some of the year's late unscreened releases.

From there we will await word from the big cities -- L.A., N.Y. and Chicago -- with legitimate opinions. And then more party throwers from the Golden Globes to the Broadcast Film Critics Association; the latter always hoping to up their guesstimate percentages on the Oscar game. Each group eventually folds into part of a greater collective, though, and no matter if their choices match up to Academy voter tastes or are just playing a game to boost their rep, somebody might just be listening. And it could be the difference between a nomination and a snub.

You can look back over several years to find the same sort of patterns in the voting numbers, but 2009 helps frame the narrative. In the top six award categories (Picture, Director and the four acting slots), the top three to get the most mentions (either by winning or getting nominated in some degree) ended up with an Oscar nomination. Best Director and Actress it was the top four. For Best Actor, the top five were George Clooney, Colin Firth, Jeremy Renner, Jeff Bridges and Morgan Freeman. Does that list look familiar? There were 19 films that got singled out for Best Picture amongst all the groups and guilds. Those getting four nominations/wins or more were all in the running for the Oscar. In other words, the top eight. Only 'District 9' and 'The Blind Side' were able to make the final cut and the latter did not even get a single nod for any of the big prizes.

So it remains to be seen which films and performances are going to be the standouts amongst this year's awards. 'Hereafter' is destined to show up on the National Board of Review's list since they love having Mr. Eastwood as their guest. (Both 'Changeling' and 'Gran Torino' made their top ten list in '08.) But it probably won't even make the Top 19 of the precursor season. (Unless they 'Iwo Jima' it by awarding it Best Picture, which is entirely possible.) 'The King's Speech' and 'The Social Network' may be your leaders with 'Inception', 'Toy Story 3' and 'True Grit' filling in your list of five. From there it could be any combination of '127 Hours', 'Another Year', 'Black Swan', 'The Kids Are All Right' and 'Winter's Bone'. And don't forget those 19 films from '09 included films of a comedic variety that factored into their own special categories. Which means you could also see 'Despicable Me', 'Get Low', and 'How To Train Your Dragon' amongst the possibilities.

Of your lead actors and actresses, we will likely see a lot of Colin Firth ('The King's Speech'), James Franco ('127 Hours'), Annette Bening ('The Kids Are All Right') and Lesley Manville ('Another Year'). On the male side there should be a sprinkling for Robert Duvall ('Get Low') and Jeff Bridges ('True Grit'), but the fate for the final slot could come down to how well that Jesse Eisenberg ('The Social Network'), Ryan Gosling ('Blue Valentine') and Javier Bardem ('Biutiful') are represented. Hopefully the critics will remember that Leonardo DiCaprio had two great performances in 2010 and will reward him with some mentions for 'Shutter Island' and/or 'Inception'. Though don't you hate when a group can't make up their mind and just lists every film they were in? Just pick one already. (COUGH: 'Shutter Island')

The ladies' side is going to be more bunched up then usual. Last year it was Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep getting 17 mentions, Gabourey Sidibe getting 11 and then Sandra Bullock and Saoirse Ronan tying with 4. (Helen Mirren eventually got Ronan's nod after only two nominations from SAG and the Globes.) There will probably be no running away with wins or nominations this time around. Will Julianne Moore be competing with Bening for lead or will one of them eventually go supporting (a la Jake Gyllenhaal for 'Brokeback Mountain')?

Natalie Portman will be rewarded for doing her best to anchor 'Black Swan's goofiness. Another 'Shutter Island' rep in Michelle Williams has the benefit of duality with her strong work in 'Blue Valentine'. Nicole Kidman ('Rabbit Hole') and Halle Berry ('Frankie & Alice') promise to have stretch runs with late entries into the race. And do not count out Jennifer Lawrence ('Winter's Bone') who, aside from any indie nominations, is likely to be supported by critics like me who may have been in her camp as far back as the film's Sundance premiere. Anne Hathaway ('Love & Other Drugs') is a toss-up at this point. What may seem like a slam-dunk kind of role - that she is really quite good in - she may end up being supported more by the Golden Globes in the Comedy department (along with Reese Witherspoon 'How Do You Know' and Gwyneth Paltrow "Country Strong') than by critics and their overall response to the film.

Last year only 3 out of 40 nominations of the Top Eight categories were received without benefit of a single mention (either victor or nominee) from any of the critic groups or guilds: Maggie Gyllenhaal (Supporting Actress), 'The Messenger' (Original Screenplay) and 'The Blind Side' (Best Picture). This is the first leg of awards season and the tone will be set with a number of the locks we expect going in. But with momentum sometimes being the difference between a nod and a snub, hopefully the studios have got their screeners in the mail and are courting the critics as we speak. Send 30 Rock's Tracy Jordan to the National Board of Review, Hollywood Foreign Press and Broadcast Film Critics Association. That's all they need to send you an invite to their party.

12 Dark Moments in Family Films

Brian Salisbury — 2010-11-10T13:30:00+00:00

Any parent has experienced this scenario a hundred times: It's Friday night and time to hit the video store to select a movie to watch at home with your rambunctious litter. Naturally, as you're looking for a film the entire family can consume, you make a beeline for the section labeled "Family." After all, anything you'd rent from this genre should be guaranteed to deliver a fun, responsible night of movie-watching, right?

Unfortunately, this isn't necessarily the case. Some family films -- even ones that are rated 'G' -- venture into dark territory that may disturb impressionable young viewers. To assist you the next time you're shopping for films to watch with your little ones, Moviefone has come up with a list of 12 scenes from excellent family-friendly motion pictures that just so happen to be bleak, startling, or downright terrifying.

If you have any suggestions for other family films with challenging scenes that parents might want to know about, by all means let us know about them in the comments section.

1. WILLY WONKA'S BOAT RIDE
'Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'
Ah, the happy story of an urchin who, by way of a magic ticket, is granted the opportunity of a lifetime -- sounds like a great movie night with the kids, right? It all goes smoothly at first, but then the film takes a sharp left turn right about the time the visitors enter Wonka's boat. The trippy tunnel scene features images of chickens being decapitated, dead bodies and giant lizards, all while Wonka is ranting and raving like a madman. If there is one thing all kids love, it's sudden descents into insanity.

2. THE FINAL "SHOT"
'Old Yeller'
Is this a warm country tale about a family with a new pet -- or is it a terrifying anti-dog exploitation film? As it was with 'Bambi,' this one introduces the concept to children that animals do, in fact, get shot on occasion. But what makes 'Old Yeller' even more hard for kids to stomach is that it's the young boy, not a grown-up, who must fire a bullet into his beloved, rabies-infected pooch.

3. VOLDEMORT'S RETURN
'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'
While the 'Harry Potter' books provide adequate warning of what you will likely see on screen, parents might not realize that both the novels and the films get progressively darker as they move forward. So, someone familiar only with the very first 'Harry Potter' installment might not expect a moment so laden with evil and despair as the one that depicts Voldemort returning to life. Creepy enough is the evil one's frail, pale, alien-looking form. But a child also being murdered in the scene is evidence enough that the series has suddenly moved to a whole new level of darkness.

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com

4. E.T.'S TERMINAL ILLNESS
'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial'
'E.T.' is a true classic and it added yet another epic success to Steven Spielberg's catalog. But toward the end of the film, the cute alien contracts a strange sickness that threatens his life and turns him stark white. His eerie moaning and disturbing appearance are all but guaranteed to bum your kids out.

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com

5. THE FLYING MONKEYS
'The Wizard of Oz'
The Wicked Witch of the West sure does a masterful job of employing henchmen. The long-lasting potency of these fiends has everything to do with their creepy appearance, menacing theme song and the fact that they literally tear the Scarecrow to pieces. The freakiest thing about the winged mutants, though, is that their very existence suggests that bizarre, gene-splicing experiments must have been taking place somewhere in Oz. [Click on the image below to watch the clip.]

6. ARTAX'S DEMISE
'The NeverEnding Story'
Despite its flashy, fantastical veneer, 'The NeverEnding Story' is fraught with nihilistic moments. Among the darkest has to be when our hero watches helplessly as his horse sinks into the swamp of sadness. Atreyu's screams and pleas are heart-breaking as his horse does nothing to prevent its own death. The scene ends with a painful silence -- allowing you to listen to the sobs of your own children.

7. ARRIVAL OF THE DEMENTORS
'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'
The dementors are easily the scariest characters of the Harry Potter series. They exist to drain all the happiness from you and reduce you to a whimpering, weak pile of gloom. They resemble black-clad ghosts and will likely induce nightmares in younger viewers. When they first arrive on the train in 'Prisoner of Azkaban,' it becomes clear that the third film marks the turning point away from the cheery, lighthearted family fare about a boy wizard and sets in motion the dark chain of events that eventually leads to the near destruction of everything Harry knows.

8. THE BIG FACE-OFF
'The Witches'
If there's one family film whose designation as such baffles the mind, it's 'The Witches.' The whole production is dark and menacing, and offers only brief reprieves from the tidal wave of unsettling moments. The most frightening of these bits has to be when the witches peel off their human skin to reveal their hideous true forms beneath. Just try to wean the kids off the nightlight after they see that.

9. LARGE MARGE
'Pee-wee's Big Adventure'
Although Pee-wee was a beloved children's television character, his first cinematic adventure offered far more entertainment for the big kids in the audience than the little ones. Most of the humor was so far above the heads of children that it would be years before they would be able to chuckle at the jokes. Still, it's worth taking in -- just be prepared for your toddlers' rapid departures from the room during the Large Marge scene. The claymation shot of her gruesome face will leave a mark in their consciousness that years of therapy will strive to undo. [Click on the image below to watch the clip.]

10. THE INCINERATOR SCENE
'Toy Story 3'
Woody and the gang slowly move toward the fiery furnace in the dramatic climax of 'Toy Story 3.' This is not only the bleakest moment of the 'Toy Story' series, but of any Pixar film to date. The toys all lock hands and make a silent pact to accept their grisly fate. Although they do escape at the last minute, the scene is difficult for even adults to watch.

11. JUDGE DOOM'S TRANSFORMATION
'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?'
Christopher Lloyd doesn't get many opportunities to frighten little kids to their cores, so thank goodness for 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' and his sadistic Judge Doom character. Just after he gets flattened by a steamroller, which is horrific enough for a child to watch, he is revealed to be a toon. As the spindly, animated version of Lloyd creeps across the screen, every kid in the room should be disturbed accordingly. Sure, it's debatable whether the filmmakers intended 'Rabbit' to be family friendly, but it would be an easy mistake for any parent to make given have the cast is full of cartoon characters.

12. DOGGY HELL
'All Dogs Go to Heaven'
Don Bluth has quite a few animated family films to his credit, but almost all of them have at least one moment that is just plain grim. This particular scene involves the protagonist pup dreaming of his own damnation in doggy hell. There are lakes of fire, ravaging demons and a doggy devil all working in conjunction to elicit squeals from your petrified children. I guess all dogs don't, in fact, go to heaven.

'Toy Story 4' Not Happening, But 'Toy Story' Shorts Arriving Next Year

David Ehrlich — 2010-11-03T14:16:00+00:00

Remember that time you saw 'Toy Story 3' and began weeping uncontrollably in front of all your friends / that girl you like during that notorious tear-jerker of an ending? Good news, you'll (probably) never have to go through that, again! The folks over at Movieweb recently caught up with Darla K. Anderson -- one of the film's producers -- and asked her about the future of the world's most popular animated franchise. Her immediate response when posed with the question of a potential 'Toy Story 4' was to say that, "[Pixar] has no plans for it at this point."

It's an answer as curt as it is predictable, because obviously if Pixar were secretly toying (ack) with the idea of a fourth installment, they'd guard that news rather fiercely until they were ready to formally share it with the world at large. We'd be wise to remember that in these dark and confusing times -- when Pixar is devoting their considerable talents to a sequel of the thoroughly mediocre 'Cars' and Brad Bird is off somewhere making a live-action film -- anything is possible, and that rumors of 'Toy Story's' death have been greatly exaggerated, before.

But fear not! Even if Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang won't be returning to their feature-length glory any time soon, you'll still have a chance to see them on the big screen a lot sooner than you might think. In the same interview, Anderson also revealed that Pixar is readying a series of 'Toy Story' short films, one of which will be appearing before screenings of 'Cars 2' next summer. Anderson elaborated that, "We have the short films that we are working on because we love the ['Toy Story'] characters so much and want to keep them alive." As far as the particular short premiering before 'Cars 2' is concerned, Anderson didn't offer very much, saying that "It's a short film with the Toy Story characters and you'll see a lot of the old favorites and stuff." As long as by "And Stuff" she means "Lots of Totoro," then that sounds pretty good.

As far as when in the 'Toy Story' chronology the shorts might take place, Anderson was similarly tight-lipped, sharing only that, "It involves all the new Toy Story 3 character and the classic characters too." So even those of you who aren't especially excited about the prospect of 'Cars 2' will have something to look forward to as we approach the film's May 24, 2011 release.

'Toy Story 3' hit DVD and Blu-ray yesterday after enjoying the highest-grossing theatrical run of any animated film in box office history.

Family Film Guide: 'Toy Story 3' DVD

The Moviefone Mama — 2010-11-02T15:45:00+00:00

'Toy Story 3'
Directors: Lee Unkrich
Rated: G
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris
Buy the DVD

Moviefone Mama Says: This has been a surprisingly good year for family films, but if you only have time to see one of the many entertaining animated movies from 2010, so far you'd have to choose 'Toy Story 3.' Not only is it the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, it's one of the year's best films, period. With 'TS3,' Pixar has created the kind of movie which may cause grown men to cry (even those without children of their own). It's not a tear-jerker trying to manipulate you into bawling; it's just that good. Mothers should just keep an entire box of tissues at the ready for their DVD viewing, because everyone will be weeping one way or the other by the time the credits roll.

Before you see Woody, Buzz and the gang at home with your family, here is a necessary note for parents who may not be ready for their little ones to take the DVD plunge yet.

Parent Concerns: Although Pixar's third installment in the 'Toy Story' franchise is rated G, there is one climactic sequence of our favorite toys in peril that may temporarily scare preschoolers. Even I tensed up, and I knew everything would end well (needless to say, they're rescued from danger). My daughter, who's five-and-a-half, however, gripped my arm, began to whimper, and ended up sitting on my lap. For a few seconds, she really thought Woody, Buzz and the gang were doomed. The scene is made more harrowing by the movie being shown in 3-D. But other than that scene, there's nothing to worry about in the "threequel," and it's a safe pick for all ages.

DVD Extras: Pixar films are always good value when it comes to bonus features, and 'Toy Story 3' does not disappoint. My favorites are the six-minute introductory animated short 'Night and Day,' which preceded the movie in theaters; a four-minute featurette of Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs, shot aboard the Space Station with NASA's assistance; and of course the making-of, behind-the-scenes commentary, which includes a snippet of how 'Dancing with the Stars' pros Cheryl Burke and Tony Dovolani choreographed the wonderful paso doble that "Spanish" Buzz and Jessie do at the end of the film to the Gypsy Kings' flamenco-inspired version of 'You've Got a Friend in Me.' What's great about the extras is that they're sorted by category appeal, like "Family Plan," so you know which ones will most interesting to the kiddos.

More 2010 Family Titles on DVD:

'How to Train a Dragon': With built-in appeal for kids who've read the popular book series, this original story about a viking and his pet dragon, Toothless, features dazzling special effects, a sweet story and an encouraging message for kids who don't think they're all that.

'Diary of a Wimpy Kid': Sure, there's potty humor, but elementary-aged kids adore this book franchise about a middle-schooler trying to be "cool," and the film version is just as funny. As a bonus to those raising reluctant readers, this is a great adaptation to watch as way of getting them into the books.

'Alice in Wonderland': Tim Burton's take on Lewis Carroll's classic tale is lush and loopy, and stars the irresistible Mia Wasikowska, whose Alice eventually realizes she's not just an idle visitor to Wonderland but a crusader with the ability to free the land from tyranny.

New on DVD & Blu-ray, Week of November 2: 'Toy Story 3,' 'The Goonies'

Harley W. Lond — 2010-11-01T15:30:00+00:00

It's a rare week when only one major theatrical release comes home to DVD -- and this is one of those weeks. The reason: Disney is releasing Pixar's 'Toy Story 3' -- in a variety of configurations, including a single-disc DVD, a two-disc Blu-ray set, and a four-disc Blu-ray Disc/DVD Combo Pack (with the standard DVD, two Blu-ray discs, and a digital copy). And since 'Toy Story 3' is the No.1 animated film in box office history -- $413 million -- and Disney's second biggest film of all-time, it's no wonder that the other studios have shied away from releasing any other theatricals this week . The market is going to be dominated by 'Toy Story 3.' That, however, hasn't deterred Warner Home Video from releasing a new edition of the cult adventure-comedy 'The Goonies' in an elaborate 25th anniversary package. That's good enough for us.

'Toy Story 3'
What It's About: Woody, Buzz and all the other CGI animated toys from the two previous Pixar outings return for one more exciting adventure. Andy has grown up and is preparing to leave for college, and he decides to store his friends in the attic. Unfortunately, they're mistakenly sent off to a day care center, where untamed tots with sticky little fingers don't play very nice. When Woody, Buzz and the gang want to get a chance to be played with by the older kids, they bump up against the Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear, who rules the day care toys with an iron fist. There's only one thing for the gang to do: They plan a great escape.

It's Kinda Like: 'Toy Story' meets 'The Rugrats'

What We Say: We were skeptical when we first learned about the second sequel; after all, as much as we liked 'Toy Story 2,' it didn't hold a candle to the original. So we were pleasantly surprised when 'Toy Story 3' unspooled and we were treated to a whole new toy box experience; who would have thought we would see a coming-of-age story for animated toys? One with more heart and soul than the original, a better chase than the second outing, and an ending that made us reach for the Kleenex. It's touching, insightful, scary, hilarious, sentimental -- all the components of a great film. If this movie doesn't reach into you and grab your heart -- you must be made of plastic.

o. Extras: The DVD includes the 'Day and Night' short that ran before the feature in movie theaters; "The Gang's All Here" look at the returning voice talent; "Toys!" featuring a closer look at all the toys -- old and new; "Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science of Adventure," in which Buzz travels to the International Space Station; and more. The Blu-ray adds commentary by director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla Anderson; several behind-the-scenes featurettes; "Toy Story Trivia Dash" game; more. (Disney).

Rotten Tomatoes Reviews | Buy DVD | Save DVD to your Netflix queue
'Toy Story 3' Concept Images and Art (Exclusive)

'The Goonies 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition'
What's the deal: The title says it all: this is a 25th anniversary edition of the popular kids film about a group of youngsters from the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, who go on a wild adventure to find the buried treasure of One-Eyed Willie, a legendary 17th-century pirate, in an effort to save their homes from demolition. Along the way, they have to stay one-step ahead of a bumbling family of bad guys. The film was directed by Richard Donner ('Lethal Weapon') from a screenplay by Chris Columbus based on a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. The cast included Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy-Quan, Joe Pantoliano, Lupe Ontiveros and Robert Davi.

Special Features: The on-disc bonus features repeat those from earlier DVD editions: commentary, "The Making of The Goonies" documentary, Cyndi Lauper music video "The Goonies 'R Good Enough," deleted scenes. But it's the packaging that counts here: a gorgeous slip box with a board game, collectible storyboard prints, a 1985 souvenir magazine with behind-the-scenes stories about the filming in Astoria, Oregon (including the production design that transformed Astoria into the "Goon Docks"), and a reprint of a 2009 Empire Magazine article with updates on the cast and crew.

Is It Collection Worthy? Since its release in 1985 -- to very respectable box office and reviews -- the film has developed a gigantic cult following, with a number of fan festivals held in Astoria. But unless you're a die-hard Goonies fan, this is not must-own material. If you are a fan, this is the version to get -- especially if you have a Blu-ray player, in which case the high-def edition sparkles with improved image and superior sound.
Buy DVD

'Goonies' Broadway Musical Picking Up Steam

Best in Blu-ray: 'Highlander,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,' 'The Wiz'

Other New November 2 DVD Releases:
'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'
'Centurion'
'Detroit Metal City'
'Frank Sinatra: Concert Collection'
'The Hungry Ghosts'
'In Therapy'
'The Larry Sanders Show: The Complete Series'
'Not of This Earth' Special Edition
'The Sound of Music' 45th Anniversary Edition- watch an exclusive clip for a chance to win a discount on the box set!
'The Terror Within'/'Dead Space' Double Bill

New on Blu-ray November 2:
'The Bridge on the River Kwai' Blu-ray Collector's Edition
'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'
'The Sound of Music' 45th Anniversary Edition

Check out other new November 2 DVD releases at OnVideo.

More about movies on Blu-ray DVD

'Toy Story 3' Concept Images and Art (Exclusive)

Erik Davis — 2010-10-22T14:02:00+00:00

In advance of the upcoming 'Toy Story 3' DVD/Blu-ray release, Disney/Pixar have provided Cinematical with a whole bunch of exclusive concept images/artwork from the film's pre-production stages, giving us a small peek inside the world of 'Toy Story' long before it takes the shape of what you eventually see on the big screen.

The images, all of which you can view by clicking on the gallery below, range from rough sketches (see the above image featuring an early look at Andy's age progression over the years) to preliminary artwork and character drawings (the latter of which are fun to look at because they also contain a bunch of notes on character traits, etc...).

It's a film that many say has a good chance at becoming the first animated movie to ever win best picture, and so, naturally, one of the best films of the year will be arriving in stores with a bunch of different options for the consumer. Not only will you be able to buy the regular DVD or Blu-ray, but there's also a Blu-ray combo pack featuring the Blu-ray, DVD and digital download, as well as a special Ultimate Toy Box 3-Movie Collection featuring all three 'Toy Story' movies on Blu-ray, DVD and as digital copies. The various different 'Toy Story 3' DVD/Blu-rays will hit shelves on November 2nd. Check out our exclusive images below, as well as all of the special features you'll find on the DVD/Blu-ray after the jump.

%Gallery-105793%

TOY STORY 3 - Bonus Features:

DVD :
o. Day & Night - The innovative and entertaining short from the imagination of Pixar
artist and Director Teddy Newton.

o. Toys! - A closer look at all of Toy Story 3's beloved toys from updating the classic
characters to the creation of the Sunnyside Daycare and Bonnie's Room toys.

o. Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science of Adventure - Produced in
conjunction with NASA, this hybrid animation documentary of Buzz's visit to the
International Space Station focuses on research in zero gravity and Buzz's
triumphant return to Earth.

o. Paths to Pixar: Editorial - Pixar editors, past and future share anecdotes about
their careers.

o. The Gang's All Here - A touching look at the returning voice talent for Toy Story 3
and an introduction to the voices of the new characters.

o. A Toy's Eye View: Creating A Whole New Land - A sneak peek at the new Toy
Story-themed playland at Hong Kong Disneyland.

o. Studio Stories - A series of amusing animated anecdotes about life at Pixar.
 "Where's Gordon?" - An animator finds a hidden room at Pixar.
 "Cereal Bar" - The majestic and expansive Pixar cereal bar is explored.
 "Clean Start" - The Toy Story 3 animators shave their heads to mark
the start of the film.

BLU-RAY COMBO PACK: Everything on the DVD plus...

o. Toy Story Trivia Dash - This cool game challenges you to sprint to the finish with
Woody, Buzz, Jessie and Rex as you quickly answer questions about all three Toy
Story movies.

o. Cine-Explore - Commentary by Director Lee Unkrich and Producer Darla K.
Anderson.

o. Beyond the Toybox: An Alternative Commentary Track Featuring Leads from
Story, Tech, Art and Animation - Commentary by Story Supervisor Jason Katz,
Supervising Technical Director Guido Quaroni, Production Designer Bob Pauley and
Supervising Animators Bobby Podesta and Michael Venturini.

o. Beginnings: Setting A Story In Motion - Screenwriter Michael Arndt analyzes
successful opening scenes from Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.

o. Bonnie's Playtime: A Story Roundtable - A roundtable discussion with Director
Lee Unkrich and the story artists who brought the "Bonnie's Playtime" scene to life.

o. Roundin' Up A Western Opening - The development of the movie's exciting
opening scene.

o. Life Of A Shot - Toy Story 3 artists and technicians describe their contributions to a
few of the shots in the film's "Western Opening."

o. Goodbye Andy - An exploration of character design, acting and animation in the
scene "Andy's Goodbye."

o. Accidental Toymakers - By creating the Toy Story characters, the Pixar filmmakers
found themselves in the unlikely role of toy designers. Meet the toy company that
took a chance on manufacturing the now iconic toys and learn of their incredible
success that began with a modest number of Woody and Buzz Lightyear toys 15
years ago.

o. Making of Day & Night - The story behind the unique 2D/3D blended short.

Oscar Predictions 2011: We Place Our Early Bets in All Major Categories

Moviefone Staff — 2010-10-14T18:00:00+00:00

Sure, the Oscar nominations aren't until January. But with awards buzz emanating from the festival circuit, and with the recent release of David Fincher's critically acclaimed movie 'The Social Network,' we decided to get a early start on the game.

Is 'The Social Network' really the film to beat? Will Colin Firth become the Helen Mirren of 2010? Will Natalie Portman dance away with the Best Actress Oscar? And will the Academy actually nominate singer-turned-actor Justin Timberlake?

Find out answers to these and more of your burning awards questions with our fearless Oscar predictions.

BEST PICTURE

We Predict:
'Black Swan'
'The Fighter'
'Inception'
'The Kids Are All Right'
'The King's Speech'
'127 Hours'
'The Social Network'
'Toy Story 3'
'True Grit'
'Winter's Bone'

Commentary: If the race unfolds anything like last year's, which expanded the nominees from five to 10 for the first time in decades, we'll probably see a mix of box office hits like 'Inception' and 'Toy Story 3' and critically acclaimed indies like 'The Kids Are All Right' and (we hope) 'Winter's Bone' make the cut. As for what might win, right now it's shaping up to be a race between 'The Social Network,' which won raves from critics and steady money at the box office, and 'The King's Speech,' which was a huge hit on the festival circuit.

Of course, it's only October, and with the Oscars still four months away, anything can happen. Among the movies that could shake things up: 'Another Year,' from Academy favorite Mike Leigh ('Vera Drake,' 'Secrets and Lies'), 'The Way Back,' from another Academy favorite, Peter Weir, and 'The Town,' from comeback kid Ben Affleck. Heck, even Tyler Perry's 'For Colored Girls' could cause a stir, assuming it's any good.

BEST DIRECTOR

We Predict:
Darren Aronofsky, 'Black Swan'
Danny Boyle, '127 Hours'
David Fincher, 'The Social Network'
Tom Hooper, 'The King's Speech'
Christopher Nolan, 'Inception'

Commentary: After last year's unusually diverse group of nominees, look for this year's directing nominees to be a return to the boys' club. Past nominees Danny Boyle ('Slumdog Millionaire') and David Fincher ('The Curious Case of Benjamin Button') shouldn't have a problem earning their second nominations, given the hype surrounding their movies. Tom Hooper should have an easy time making the cut, as well, especially after 'The King's Speech' took home the Audience Award at this year's Toronto Film Festival.

The final two spots could go to directors who have arguably been snubbed in the past -- the most obvious being Christopher Nolan, many of whom felt he was unfairly overlooked for 'The Dark Knight' in 2008. Darren Aronofsky is a much riskier choice, since 'Black Swan' appears to be polarizing critics and festival audiences. But as everyone clamors for first-place votes, a passionate fan base can sometimes work to a competitor's best advantage. (See: David Lynch.)

BEST ACTOR

We Predict:
Javier Bardem, 'Biutiful'
Robert Duvall, 'Get Low'
Ryan Gosling, 'Blue Valentine'
Colin Firth, 'The King's Speech'
James Franco, '127 Hours'

Commentary: Much like Helen Mirren swept the 2006 season for her performance in 'The Queen,' past nominee Colin Firth ('A Single Man') will have absolutely no trouble taking home the Best Actor Oscar in February. (Don't believe us? Check out his reviews.)

But predicting who will fill out the remaining four spots is a bit trickier. In a category that typically skews older, many of this year's competitors are of the younger crowd. The most likely to be nominated from that set is James Franco, who, for all of his eccentricities, appears to be winning over critics and audience for his performance as mountain climber Aron Ralston in '127 Hours.' Past nominee Ryan Gosling could make the cut, as well, though 'Blue Valentine's' NC-17 rating may turn more voters off than on. In fact, his spot could be challenged by up-and-comer Jesse Eisenberg, though that may depend on how much the Academy actually likes 'The Social Network.'

If voters are looking to nominate a few familiar faces, we could see nominations for Javier Bardem, who won Best Actor at this year's Cannes Film Festival for his well-received turn in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 'Biutiful,' or Robert Duvall, who also garnered strong reviews for 'Get Low.'

BEST ACTRESS

We Predict:
Annette Bening, 'The Kids Are All Right'
Sally Hawkins, 'Made in Dagenham'
Jennifer Lawrence, 'Winter's Bone'
Lesley Manville, 'Another Year'
Natalie Portman, 'Black Swan'

Commentary: With rave reviews in her corner, three-time nominee Annette Bening is arguably the safest bet in this category. But Bening fans hoping to see her finally take home an Oscar may want to keep an eye out for Natalie Portman, who is also winning raves for her performance as good-ballerina-gone-bad Nina in Aronofsky's 'Black Swan.' Also working in Portman's favor is the fact that voters love to award young, up-and-coming starlets in this category. (See also: Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard). For better or worse, actresses over 40 rarely win Best Actress. (Bening is 52.)

As for the remaining nominees, two may come from across the pond: Sally Hawkins, for her turn in the 'Norma Rae'-esque 'Made in Dagenham,' and Lesley Manville, who could follow in the footsteps of Brenda Blethyn ('Secrets and Lies') and Imelda Staunton ('Vera Drake') with a nomination for Leigh's 'Another Year.'

Rounding out the category could be 20-year-old Jennifer Lawrence. She won a slew of raves when 'Winter's Bone' hit theaters in June, and critics may rally behind her when the precursor season rolls around, much like they did in 2008 for 'Frozen River's' Melissa Leo. One thing that may stand in Lawrence's way: performances from actresses with bigger names, like past nominees Nicole Kidman ('Rabbit Hole'), Michelle Williams ('Blue Valentine') and Anne Hathaway ('Love and Other Drugs').

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

We Predict:
Christian Bale, 'The Fighter'
Matt Damon, 'True Grit'
Andrew Garfield, 'The Social Network'
Bill Murray, 'Get Low'
Geoffrey Rush, 'The King's Speech'

Commentary: Geoffrey Rush ('Shine') is already gunning for Oscar number two, thanks to the overwhelming praise for his work in 'The King's Speech.' Right now his most likely challenger is Christian Bale, whose penchant for transforming his body for roles (he slimmed down considerably for 'The Fighter') appears to have finally paid off.

Beyond that, the race is pretty wide open. Which could mean good news for Matt Damon and Bill Murray, if voters are looking for a laugh, or Sam Rockwell ('Conviction') and Mark Ruffalo ('The Kids Are All Right'), if they're looking to nominate two well-overdue actors.

As for 'The Social Network,' many seem to believe that it will be Justin Timberlake who will carry the flag for the movie. But we think the nomination will actually go to his co-star, Andrew Garfield. He already has the 'Spider-man' buzz working in his favor, plus the advantage of playing arguably the only sympathetic male character in the movie.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

We Predict:
Helena Bonham Carter, 'The King's Speech'
Barbara Hershey, 'Black Swan'
Melissa Leo, 'The Fighter'
Miranda Richardson, 'Made in Dagenham'
Hailee Steinfeld, 'True Grit'

Commentary: With the exception of Helena Bonham Carter -- and assuming that Lesley Manville goes lead, instead of supporting -- this race is wide open, so, really, our guess is as good as yours.

But, since we have to guess, we think we may see a mix of familiar and fresh faces in the remaining four slots. Among the familiar: past nominees Barbara Hershey, Melissa Leo, Miranda Richardson and two-time winner Dianne Wiest, the latter of whom has a baity role as Nicole Kidman's mother in 'Rabbit Hole.'

A potential challenger could be youngster Hailee Steinfeld, who is making her film debut in the Coen brothers' 'True Grit.' The Coens' movies are hugely popular in the Academy, and voters are notorious for nominating young actors in this caregory -- most recently with Saoirse Ronan ('Atonement') and Abigail Breslin ('Little Miss Sunshine'). Also on the radar are Jacki Weaver, who was a scene-stealer in 'Animal Kingdom,' and Kristin Scott Thomas, for 'Nowhere Boy.'

BEST DOCUMENTARY

We Predict:
'Casino Jack'
'Exit Through the Gift Shop'
'A Film Unfinished'
'Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work'
'Waiting for 'Superman''

Commentary: It's been a big year for documentaries already, making this typically difficult to predict category that much harder to sort through. (Lest we forget other docs like 'Catfish' and 'The Tillman Story.')

On the bright side, we're already looking at two safe bets: 'Waiting for Superman,' which has everyone talking (and apparently crying), and the Holocaust doc 'A Film Unfinished.' And if 'Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work' somehow manages to sneak in, well, that will be icing on the cake.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

We Predict:
'Despicable Me'
'How to Train Your Dragon'
'Toy Story 3'

Commentary: Assuming there will only be three nominees, instead of five, this should be an easy victory for 'Despicable Me,' 'How to Train Your Dragon' and the category's inevitable winner, 'Toy Story 3,' though watch out for 'The Illusionist' and 'Shrek Forever After.'

Armond White Is Right (Sometimes): 5 Reviews We Agree With

Dan Seitz — 2010-09-10T11:00:00+00:00

Armond White has long been famous among film fans for his ... unique reviews.

The film critic, who writes for the alternative weekly the New York Press and whose reviews have appeared in Film Comment and the defunct The City Sun, takes no prisoners: His idiosyncratic reviews have often been labeled contrarian, fearless and provocative; he's also been accused of misanthropic mudslinging. Most of his reviews stand in opposition to the consensus. And he hates blog film critics.

If he were a movie, he'd have pull quotes like this:

"Like 'The 700 Club' and Glenn Beck, White's work is reliably, pleasurably insane on a week-to-week basis; the volume of the outcry it provokes depends on who's paying attention." -- IFC

"Is Armond White a principled critic or an opportunistic crackpot -- or something in between?" -- Slant

Much of the controversy surrounding White's reviews was limited largely to the film criticism community until he reviewed "Toy Story 3" and gave it one of three bad reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Then all hell broke loose. It's one thing to pick fights with film nerds over art films; it's quite another to dismiss Woody, Buzz and the gang as, according to White, sell-outs in a heartless corporate movie. Armond White has long been famous among film fans for his ... unique reviews.

The film critic, who writes for the alternative weekly the New York Press and whose reviews have appeared in Film Comment and the defunct The City Sun, takes no prisoners: His idiosyncratic reviews have often been labeled contrarian, fearless and provocative; he's also been accused of misanthropic mudslinging. Most of his reviews stand in opposition to the consensus. And he hates blog film critics.

If he were a movie, he'd have pull quotes like this:

"Like 'The 700 Club' and Glenn Beck, White's work is reliably, pleasurably insane on a week-to-week basis; the volume of the outcry it provokes depends on who's paying attention." -- IFC

"Is Armond White a principled critic or an opportunistic crackpot -- or something in between?" -- Slant

Much of the controversy surrounding White's reviews was limited largely to the film criticism community until he reviewed "Toy Story 3" and gave it one of three bad reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Then all hell broke loose. It's one thing to pick fights with film nerds over art films; it's quite another to dismiss Woody, Buzz and the gang as, according to White, sell-outs in a heartless corporate movie.

So what makes Armond tick? Why does he pick fights like this? Here are five reviews we dug up that prove that, while we may not entirely agree with his assessments, he makes a few good points amid the hyperbole.

'Transporter 3'

What the Critics Said:
"Incoherent and inconsistent, this is a step back for [Jason] Statham in his quest to become more than a cult figure." -- Chris Hewitt, Empire

"With insulting action sequences and a tacked-on love scene, the movie quickly veers into a downward spiral." -- Andrew McGlinn, FilmInk

White's Contrary Review:
"These intricately edited movie jousts aren't about speed but narrative, capturing instantaneous action, rescuing a moment and imprinting it. Movement is given comic-book efficacy and cubist energy. It's true visual wit. These are not stunts; they're objects d'art."

Why White Is Right:
Calling a 'Transporter' movie a work of art is probably a little over-the-top, but to be fair, critics sometimes have a hard time appreciating fun, mindless entertainment. Which is not something you can say about White. Once you filter out the hyperbole in his review (he actually uses the word "Godardian"), what you come up with is that this is actually a fun movie. White does have a fairly good point in that it feels more natural and less strained than a lot of indie movies: It knows exactly what it is, namely a movie where Jason Statham uses some poor mook's head to play a piano, and glories in it.

'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'

What the Critics Said:
"[Director Michael] Bay seems to think that just showing us a bunch of brightly clashing metallic limbs (accompanied by lots of noise) is enough to make us faint in our seats with excitement." - Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

"'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' is a bewildering, noisy, sloppy, cynical piece of work, a movie that sneers at the audience for 147 minutes and expects us to lap it up as entertainment -- and be grateful." - Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice

White's Contrary Review:
"Why waste spleen on Michael Bay? He's a real visionary -- perhaps mindless in some ways (he's never bothered filming a good script), but 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' is more proof he has a great eye for scale and a gift for visceral amazement."

Why White Is Right:
Well, first off, he's not entirely in disagreement with the majority of the critics; after all, he does say right up front that 'Transformers 2' has a terrible script. On the other hand, he also says that it doesn't really matter because the scale is huge and the effects are impressive ...and he's got a point.

Stop and think about this for a minute; making us believe in those gigantic robots was a pretty tough job, but it worked thanks to the convincing special effects. You may hate Michael Bay's style, with its shaky-cam and lens flares, but there's no denying that the director puts his own stamp on a film.

Whether that qualifies as visionary is subjective, but if we're just going by the auteur theory, it actually makes sense (you don't have to be good to be an auteur, after all). And finally, do we really show up to a movie that proudly announces that it's based on a toy line expecting to find Shakespeare? So White is saying, we don't watch a movie like this for subtle storytelling, we show up expecting to be blown away by the effects. So we've got to give it to White, he's absolutely right.

'Fanboys'

What the Critics Said:
"Turns out there is something more annoying than an infatuated bunch of 'Star Wars' nerds. Turns out a movie about an infatuated bunch of 'Star Wars' nerds can really set your teeth on edge." - Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

"The plot device of young men who refuse to mature has never felt more exhausted, maybe because these actors or ones who look like them have already done this shtick in other movies" - Neil Genzlinger, New York Times

White's Contrary Review:
"... 'Fanboys' commemorates how crazily fans anticipated the opening of "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menacee.' Impatience about George Lucas' continuation of the series reveals the camaraderie within their pop infatuation. ... 'Fanboys' is actually about the sweetness of innocuous/inane adolescent passion. Director Kyle Newman satirizes geek erudition as a common cultural trait."

Why White Is Right:
First, let's just get this out of the way: The 'Star Wars' prequels were terrible. But up until 1999, 'Star Wars' was one of those cultural touchstones that everybody knew about, from the nerd putting 'Star Wars' models together to that nerd's parents, who probably conceived him after a screening of 'A New Hope' in 1977. So beating on a movie for focusing on people who obsess on a common trope is, in fact, a little unfair.

And the movie does capture what it's like to be a fan. It's just that if you've ever spent 10 minutes among a group of fans discussing something you don't care about, you get bored. Fast. And that's probably what happened in the theater as critics realized this really was going to be 90 minutes of 'Star Wars' jokes interspersed with a soppy story about cancer.

'Across the Universe'
What the Critics Said:
"Even those resistant to or unmoved by the story can appreciate [Julie] Taymor's settings of the songs, and the arrangements by T-Bone Burnett and other studio masters." - Richard Corliss, Time Magazine

"An often-dazzling rock opera set to the accompaniment of 33 Beatles songs." - Claudia Puig, USA Today.

White's Contrary Review:
"Neil Jordan, Ken Russell and Wes Anderson made movies that expressed how pop inspired them, but Taymor has expended her considerable talent on a dull artifact. 'Across the Universe' feels like something entombed on Broadway, made to instruct bored tourists while grasping after Importance. It's an anomalous musical epic: a Pop movie without the excitement of pop."

Why He Was Right:
White points out that this movie takes place outside of any detectable sane reality, which makes the film's social unrest plot kind of stupid, as there's nothing driving it except the fact that "it's the sixties, man." Then he points out that this movie actually has characters named Jude, JoJo, Lucy, etc., all brick-to-the-face obvious Beatles references that nobody in the movie notices because the Beatles don't exist in this movie. You know, the one taking place in the decade that they defined and drove, culturally. Basically, White's point was that the entire conceit of the movie was stupid and ill thought out. And quite frankly, considering how hard we smacked our foreheads when somebody actually said "Hey, Jude!" in the movie, it's hard to argue otherwise.

'Eastern Promises'

What the Critics Said:
"[Viggo] Mortensen lends a moral complexity to 'Eastern Promises' that makes it much more than just a very accomplished action thriller." - Lou Lumenick, New York Post

"[David] Cronenberg has become such an assured director that it's a pleasure to sit back and hand yourself over to his sick and singular vision." - Dana Stevens, Slate

White's Contrary Review:
"This means 'Eastern Promises' is a pretty hollow viewing experience. It deals with the ugly life choices facing Eastern immigrants in the West (London) but seems more contrived than truthful. The script was written by Steve Knight, who had already exploited this subject in 'Dirty Pretty Things' and then risen above it in 'Amazing Grace.' But Cronenberg takes Knight's sociological fascination and twists it into exploitation movie huggermugger. Trouble is, he's done this kind of lurid exaggeration for so long that his grindhouse tricks have no kick. Instead, they have dread-filled 'significance.'"

Why White Is Right:
'Eastern Promises' is, it must be said, a pretty good movie. White's got a history of dismissing David Cronenberg, but he's right in two pretty important respects here. One, people were far too focused on the naked fight scene involving Mortensen, and two ... it IS contrived. Basically, it's a movie about a nurse of Russian descent who stumbles across a journal written by a Russian girl, then gives the book to her Russian family so it can be translated. When she discovers the diary's unsavory contents (child prostitution), she somehow finds the right Russian -- a gangster who happens to be an undercover cop -- to give it to. True, a lot of movies ask us to swallow situations a lot more contrived than this, but it's easy to see how this plot line would put audiences off a wee bit. Although most of them were probably distracted by a naked Mortensen anyway, so we should take that into consideration.

Postscript: So Why Does Everybody Hate Him?
As we've seen, White isn't as big a loon as everybody really seems to think, just rather contrary. So why the hatred? It's because he inevitably uses the movies he does like as a club on the movies he doesn't, and being a contrarian, the movies he doesn't like are inevitably the ones people enjoy. And he's not a fan of the subtle gesture, either. In his 'Fanboys' review, he whales on 'Superbad,' in his 'Eastern Promises' review, he dismisses the entire body of work of a director in one fell swoop. Every film is either a true classic or a miserable attempt to grub your money, no shades of gray, nothing interesting if unsuccessful: it's all crap or it's all brilliant. It doesn't help that he applies the same criteria to his fellow film critics.

White went up against the film blog Spout with a diatribe that dismissed not just Spout, or former Spout critic Karina Longworth, but the entire Internet and everything on it regarding film criticism. Yes, White dismissed the entire Internet. Really, when you boil it down, Armond White is an over-educated version of that guy who shows up on message boards and has two modes: This thing is the best thing ever, or it sucks so hard that it spontaneously creates black holes. It's not a scale with him; it's an on-off switch. No wonder he loved 'Fanboys': they're his people.