New Poster for Robert Zemeckis' "Allied"

First Image from Robert Zemeckis' "Allied" with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard is Released

ALLIED - See the first image from Robert Zemeckis' ALLIED starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard

ALLIED is in theaters November 23, 2016

Directed: By: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Lizzy Caplan, Matthew Goode

“ALLIED” is the story of intelligence officer Max Vatan (Pitt), who in 1942 North Africa encounters French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard) on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Reunited in London, their relationship is threatened by the extreme pressures of the war.

#Allied

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Julianne Moore Wins Lead Actress Oscar for "Still Alice"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:

Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night”
Felicity Jones in “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore in “Still Alice” WINNER
Rosamund Pike in “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon in “Wild”

2015 Cesar Award Nominations - Complete List

First given out in 1975, the César Award is the national film award of France.  Some even think of the César Award as the French equivalent of the American Academy Awards (Oscars). The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, and the award ceremony is held in Paris each February.  The name of the award comes from the late sculptor César Baldaccini, and the trophies are actual sculptures of the artist.

The nominations for the 40th Cesar Awards were announced Friday, January 28, 2015.  The 40th Cesar Awards will be presented on Friday, February 20, 2015 in Paris.

The 2015 / 40th Cesar Award nominees (for the year in 2014) – complete list:

Best Film
Les Combattants, dir: Thomas Cailley
Eastern Boys, dir: Robin Campillo
La Famille Bélier, dir: Eric Lartigau
Saint Laurent, dir: Bertrand Bonello
Hippocrate, dir: Thomas Lilti
Sils Maria, dir: Olivier Assayas
Timbuktu, dir: Abderrahmane Sissako

Best Director
Céline Sciamma, Bande De Filles
Thomas Cailley, Les Combattants
Robin Campillo, Eastern Boys
Thomas Lilti, Hippocrate
Bertrand Bonello, Saint Laurent
Olivier Assayas, Sils Maria
Abderrahmane Sissako, Timbuktu

Best Actress
Juliette Binoche, Sils Maria
Catherine Deneuve, Dans La Cour
Marion Cotillard, Deux Jours, Une Nuit
Emilie Dequenne, Pas Son Genre
Adèle Haenel, Les Combattants
Sandrine Kiberlain, Elle L’Adore
Karin Viard, La Famille Bélier

Best Actor
Pierre Niney, Yves Saint Laurent
Romain Duris, Une Nouvelle Amie
Gaspard Ulliel, Saint Laurent
Guillaume Canet, La Prochaine Fois Je Viserai Le Coeur
Niels Arestrup, Diplomatie
François Damiens, La Famille Bélier
Vincent Lacoste, Hippocrate

Best Supporting Actress
Marianne Denicourt, Hippocrate
Claude Gensac, Lulu Femme Nue
Izïa Higelin, Samba
Charlotte Le Bon, Yves Saint Laurent
Kristen Stewart, Sils Maria

Best Supporting Actor
Eric Elmosnino, La Famille Bélier
Jérémie Renier, Saint Laurent
Guillaume Gallienne, Yves Saint LAurent
Louis Garrel, Saint Laurent
Reda Kateb, Hippocrate

Best Newcomer (Female)
Lou de Laâge, Respire
Joséphine Japy, Respire
Louane Emera, La Famille Bélier
Ariane Labed, Fidelio, L’Odyssée D’Alice
Karidja Touré, Bande De Filles

Best Newcomer (Male)
Kevin Azaïs, Les Combattants
Ahmed Dramé, Les Héritiers
Kirill Emelyanov, Eastern Boys
Pierre Rochefort, Un Beau Dimanche
Marc Zinga, Qu’Allah Bénisse La France

Best Original Screenplay
Les Combattants
La Famille Bélier
Hippocrate
Sils Maria
Timbuktu

Best Adapted Screenplay
La Chambre Bleue
Diplomatie
Pas Son Genre
Lulu Femme Nue
La Prochaine Fois Je Viserai Le Coeur

Best Foreign Film
Winter Sleep, dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Boyhood, dir: Richard Linklater
12 Years A Slave, dir: Steve McQueen
Deux Jours, Une Nuit, dirs: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Mommy, dir Xavier Dolan
Ida, dir: Pawel Pawlikowski
The Grand Budapest Hotel, dir: Wes Anderson

Best Debut Feature
Les Combattants
Elle L’Adore
Fidelio, L’Odyssée D’Alice
Party Girl
Qu’Allah Bénisse La France

Best Score
Bande De Filles
Bird People
Les Combattants
Timbuktu
Yves Saint-Laurent

Best Editing
Les Combattants
Hippocrate
Party Girl
Saint-Laurent
Timbuktu

Best Cinematography
La Belle Et La Bête
Saint-Laurent
Sils Maria
Timbuktu
Yves Saint Laurent

Best Set Design
La Belle Et La Bête
La French
Saint-Laurent
Timbuktu
Yves Saint Laurent

Best Costumes
La Belle Et La Bête
La French
Saint-Laurent
Une Nouvelle Amie
Yves Saint Laurent

Best Documentary
Caricaturistes – Fantassins De La Démocratie
Les Chèvres De Ma Mère
La Cour De Babel
National Gallery
Salt Of The Earth

Best Sound
Bande De Filles
Bird People
Les Combattants
Saint Laurent
Timbuktu

Best Animated Film
Minuscule – La Vallée Des Fourmis Perdues, dirs: Thomas Szabo and Hélène Giraud
Jack Et La Mécanique Du Coeur, dir: Stéphane Berla
Le Chant De La Mer, dir: Tomm Moore

Best Short Film
Aïssa
La Femme De Rio
Inupiluk
Les Jours D’Avant
Où Je Mets Ma Pudeur
La Virée A Paname

Best Animated Short
Bang Bang!
La Bûche De Noël
La Petite Casserole D’Anatole
Les Petits Cailloux

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Oprah Winfey, Benedict Cumberbatch Among Oscar Nominee Presenters at 87th Oscars

Oscar® Nominees Cotillard, Cumberbatch, Streep, Winfrey And Witherspoon To Present At 87th Oscars®

Oscar® nominees Marion Cotillard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon will be presenters at this year’s Oscars®, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. The Oscars, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, will air on Sunday, February 22, 2015 live on ABC.

Cotillard is nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for “Two Days, One Night.” She previously won an Oscar in this category for the 2007 film “La Vie en Rose.”

Cumberbatch is nominated for Actor in a Leading Role for “The Imitation Game.”

Streep earned a record 19th acting nomination this year for her supporting role in “Into the Woods.” She previously took home Oscars for her lead performances in “Sophie’s Choice” (1982) and “The Iron Lady” (2011), and her supporting performance in “Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979). Streep’s previous Best Actress nominations were for “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” (1981), “Silkwood” (1983), “Out of Africa” (1985), “Ironweed” (1987), “A Cry in the Dark” (1988), “Postcards from the Edge” (1990), “The Bridges of Madison County” (1995), “One True Thing” (1998), “Music of the Heart” (1999), “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006), “Doubt” (2008), “Julie & Julia” (2009) and “August: Osage County” (2013). She also received Best Supporting Actress nominations for “The Deer Hunter” (1978) and “Adaptation” (2002).

Winfrey is nominated for Best Picture as one of the producers of “Selma.” She was previously nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role for “The Color Purple” (1985). She received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2011.

Witherspoon is nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for “Wild.” She previously won an Oscar in this category for the 2005 movie “Walk the Line.”

The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

National Society of Film Critics Names Godard's "Goodbye to Language" as Best Picture of 2014

The National Society of Film Critics was founded in New York City in 1966 and its membership is currently comprise of 56 of the country’s most prominent movie critics.  Known for their highbrow tastes, these critics form one of the most prestigious film groups on the United States.  Current members include some of my favorite film critics, like David Edelstein and J. Hoberman, among others.  The late Roger Ebert, my favorite critic, was also a member.  The society has produced several anthologies about movies, including the must-have for film fans, Produced and Abandoned: The Best Films You’ve Never Seen (1990).

The National Society of Film Critics on Saturday, January 3, 2015, chose Jean-Luc Godard’s 3-D film, Goodbye to Language, as Best Picture of the Year 2014.

Here is a list of the National Society of Film Critics 2014 winners and runners-up, with vote counts from the final round.

BEST PICTURE
*1. Goodbye to Language 25 (Jean-Luc Godard)
2. Boyhood 24 (Richard Linklater)
3. Birdman 10 (Alejandro G. Iñárritu)
3. Mr. Turner 10 (Mike Leigh)

BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Richard Linklater 36 (Boyhood)
2. Jean-Luc Godard 17 (Goodbye to Language)
3. Mike Leigh 12 (Mr. Turner)

BEST NON-FICTION FILM
*1. Citizenfour 56 (Laura Poitras)
2. National Gallery 19 (Frederick Wiseman)
3. The Overnighters 17 (Jesse Moss)

BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. The Grand Budapest Hotel 24 (Wes Anderson)
2. Inherent Vice 15 (Paul Thomas Anderson)
2. Birdman 15 (four co-writers)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. Mr. Turner 33 (Dick Pope)
2. The Immigrant 27 (Darius Khondji)
3. Goodbye to Language 9 (Fabrice Aragno)

BEST ACTOR
*1.Timothy Spall 31 (Mr. Turner)
2. Tom Hardy 10 (Locke)
3. Joaquin Phoenix 9 (Inherent Vice)
3. Ralph Fiennes 9 (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

BEST ACTRESS
*1. Marion Cotillard 80 (The Immigrant; Two Days, One Night)
2. Julianne Moore 35 (Still Alice)
3. Scarlett Johansson 21 (Lucy; Under the Skin)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. J.K. Simmons 24 (Whiplash)
2. Mark Ruffalo 21 (Foxcatcher)
3. Edward Norton 16 (Birdman)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Patricia Arquette 26 (Boyhood)
2. Agata Kulesza 18 (Ida)
3. Rene Russo 9 (Nightcrawler)

FILM HERITAGE AWARD
1. To Ron Magliozzi, associate curator, and Peter Williamson, film conservation manager, of the Museum of Modern Art, for identifying and assembling the earliest surviving footage of what would have been the first feature film to star a black cast, the 1913 “Lime Kiln Field Day” starring Bert Williams.

2. To Ron Hutchinson, co-founder and director of The Vitaphone Project, which since 1991 has collected and restored countless original soundtrack discs for early sound short films and features, including the recent Warner Bros. restoration of William A. Seiter’s 1929 “Why Be Good?”

DEDICATION: The meeting was dedicated to the memory of two distinguished members of the Society who died in 2014: Jay Carr and Charles Champlin.

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Boston Society of Film Critics Choose "Boyhood" as Best Picture of 2014

The Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC) was formed in 1981.  The group claims that its mission is to make “Boston's unique critical perspective heard on a national and international level by awarding commendations to the best of the year's films and filmmakers and local film theaters and film societies that offer outstanding film programming.”  One of the society’s members, Wesley Morris, won 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.

2014 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Winners:

Best Picture  - Boyhood

Best Actor - Michael Keaton for Birdman

Best Actress - Marion Cotillard for The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night

Best Supporting Actor -  J. K. Simmons for Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress -  Emma Stone for Birdman

Best Director - Richard Linklater for Boyhood

Best Screenplay -  (TIE)

• Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo for Birdman
• Richard Linklater for Boyhood

Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki for Birdman

Best Documentary - Citizenfour

Best Foreign-Language Film  (awarded in memory of Jay Carr) -  Two Days, One Night (Belgium)

Best Animated Film - The Tale of The Princess Kaguya

Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) - Sandra Adair for Boyhood

Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) -  Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler

Best Ensemble Cast -  Boyhood

Best Use of Music in a Film - Inherent Vice

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Boston Online Film Critics Name "Snowpiercer" as Best Picture of 2014

The Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) was founded in May 2012.  According to the group, BOFCA fosters a community of web-based film critics and provides them with a supportive group of colleagues and a professional platform for their voices to be heard. They collect and link to their reviews every week at a website that also features original content by members, including filmmaker interviews and spotlights on Boston’s vital repertory film scene.

By widening professional membership to writers working in new media, BOFCA aims to encourage more diverse opinions in the field. The Boston Online Film Critics Association has gathered together critics writing for publications that collectively receive over 15 million impressions/page views per month. BOFCA is present on social media year-round with members’ film articles and essays.

The 2014 Boston Online Film Critics Association Awards:

BEST PICTURE: SNOWPIERCER

BEST DIRECTOR: Alejandro González Iñárritu, BIRDMAN

BEST ACTOR: Brendan Gleeson, CALVARY

BEST ACTRESS: Marion Cotillard, TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Edward Norton, BIRDMAN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Tilda Swinton, SNOWPIERCER

BEST SCREENPLAY: John Michael McDonagh, CALVARY

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT (Belgium)

BEST DOCUMENTARY: LIFE ITSELF

BEST ANIMATED FILM: THE LEGO MOVIE

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: BIRDMAN

BEST EDITING: James Herbert & Laura Jennings, EDGE OF TOMORROW

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Mica Levi, UNDER THE SKIN

BEST ENSEMBLE: BIRDMAN


THE TEN BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR:

1. SNOWPIERCER

2. UNDER THE SKIN

3. BOYHOOD

4. ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE

5. THE BABADOOK

6. TWO DAYS ONE NIGHT

7. BIRDMAN

8. CALVARY

9. INHERENT VICE

10. SELMA

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San Diego Film Critics Pick "Nightcrawler" as Best Film of 2014

The members of the San Diego Film Critics Society write and/or broadcast for a San Diego County based outlet.  The society’s mission statement is “to provide diverse critical opinion about movies, advance film education and awareness, and recognize excellence in cinema.”

2014 San Diego Film Critics Award winners were announced Monday, December 15, 2014.

San Diego Film Critics Society Top Films of 2014:

BEST FILM
NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST DIRECTOR
Dan Gilroy, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ACTOR
Jake Gyllenhaal, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard, TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mark Ruffalo, FOXCATCHER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rene Russo, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Dan Gilroy, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ADAPATED SCREENPLAY
Gillian Flynn, GONE GIRL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
FORCE MAJEURE

DOCUMENTARY
CITIZENFOUR

ANIMATED
THE BOXTROLLS

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Robert Elswit, NIGHTCRAWLER

EDITING
James Herbert, Laura Jennings, EDGE OF TOMORROW

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pincock, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

BEST SCORE
James Newton Howard, NIGHTCRAWLER

BEST ENSEMBLE
BIRDMAN

BODY OF WORK
Willem Dafoe – JOHN WICK, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, A MOST WANTED MAN & NYMPHOMANIAC 2

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New York Film Critics Cricle Chooses "Boyhood" as Best Picture of 2014

Founded in 1935, the New York Film Critics Circle is, according to their website, “an organization of film reviewers from New York-based publications that exists to honor excellence in U.S. and world cinema.”  Members are critics from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, and online general-interest publications (that meet certain qualifications). Every year in December, Circle members meet in New York to vote on awards for the year's films.  The Circle also puts on an awards presentation, which will be held in January 2015 to honor 2014 winners.

The Circle was the first film critics organization that I encountered as a budding, young movie lover.  The Circle's awards have been predictors of the Oscar nominations. However, The Circle sees it awards “as a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring esthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures,” according to their website.

2014 NYFCC Awards:

Best Picture: Boyhood

Best Director: Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Best Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Actress: Marion Cotillard - “The Immigrant,” and also “Two Days, One Night”

Best Actor: Timothy Spall - Mr. Turner

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

Best Cinematographer: Darius Khondji - The Immigrant

Best Animated Film: The LEGO Movie

Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary): Citizenfour

Best Foreign Film: Ida (Poland)

Best First Film: Jennifer Kent - The Babadook

Special Award: Adrienne Mancia

2014 European Film Award Nominations Announced - Complete List

by Leroy Douresseaux

The European Film Awards recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements.  The awards are are presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy (EFA) and are given in over ten categories, of which the most important is “European Film,” the best film of the year award.  The European Film Awards are restricted to European cinema and European producers, directors, and actors.

The European Film Academy and EFA Productions announced the nominations for the 27th European Film Awards at the Seville European Film Festival.  The more than 3,000 EFA members will vote for the winners.  The awards ceremony will be held on December 13, 2014 in Riga, European Capital of Culture 2014.  The 27th European Film Awards will be streamed live on europeanfilmawards.eu.

Leading the nominations is Ida, director Pawel Pawlikowski’s Polish postwar drama, with five nominations.  Director Andrey Zvyagintsev's Russian satire, Leviathan (Leviafan), has four nominations.  The winners in six categories were revealed with the announcement of the nominations.

The 2014/27th European Film Awards nominations:

EUROPEAN FILM
“Force Majeure”
“Ida”
“Leviathan”
“Nymphomaniac Director's Cut – Volume I & II”
“Winter Sleep”

EUROPEAN COMEDY
“Carmina & Amen”
“Le Week-End”
“The Mafia Only Kills in the Summer”

EUROPEAN DIRECTOR
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, “Winter Sleep”
Steven Knight, “Locke”
Ruben Ostlund, “Force Majeure”
Paweł Pawlikowski, “Ida”
Paolo Virzì, “Human Capital”
Andrey Zvyagintsev, “Leviathan”

EUROPEAN ACTRESS
Marian Alvarez, “Wounded”
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, “Human Capital”
Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”
Charlotte Gainsbourg, “Nymphomaniac Director's Cut – Volumes I & II”
Agata Kulesza, “Ida”
Agata Trzebuchowska, “Ida”

EUROPEAN ACTOR
Brendan Gleeson, “Calvary”
Tom Hardy, “Locke”
Alexey Serebryakov, “Leviathan”
Stellan Skarsgard, “Nymphomaniac Director's Cut – Volume I & II”
Timothy Spall, “Mr. Turner”

EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER
Ebru Ceylan & Nuri Bilge Ceylan, “Winter Sleep”
Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, “Two Days, One Night”
Steven Knight, “Locke”
Oleg Negin & Andrey Zvyagintsev, “Leviathan”
Paweł Pawlikowski & Rebecca Lenkiewicz, “Ida”

NOTE:  The 2014 winners in the following categories were announced the same day the 2014 nominations were announced:

EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER
Łukasz Żal & Ryszard Lenczewski, “Ida”

EUROPEAN EDITOR
Justine Wright, “Locke”

EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Claus-Rudolf Amler, “The Dark Valley”

EUROPEAN COSTUME DESIGNER
Natascha Curtius-Noss, “The Dark Valley”

EUROPEAN COMPOSER
Mica Levi, “Under the Skin”

EUROPEAN SOUND DESIGNER
Joakim Sundström, “Starred Up”

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2012 Gotham Awards Nominations Announced

The Gotham Awards is an annual film awards ceremony that honors independent films. The Gotham Awards are part of The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers. The Gotham Awards also signal the kick-off to the film awards season.

Nominees are selected by groups of distinguished film critics, journalists, festival programmers, and film curators. Separate juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors and others directly involved in making films determine the final Gotham Award recipients.

Today, (Thursday, October 18, 2012), the IFP announced the nominees for the 22nd Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards. The Gotham Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, November 26, 2012 at Cipriani Wall Street. Actors Marion Cotillard and Matt Damon, director David O. Russell, and Participant Media founder Jeff Skoll will each be presented with a career tribute. Twenty-one writers and programmers participated in the 2012 nomination process, considering 211 eligible submissions for six competitive categories.

22nd Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards:

Best Feature

Bernie
Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Ginger Sledge, Celine Rattray, Martin Shafer, Liz Glotzer, Matt Williams, David McFadzean, Judd Payne, Dete Meserve, producers (Millennium Entertainment)

The Loneliest Planet
Julia Loktev, director; Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Helge Albers, Marie Therese Guirgis, producers (Sundance Selects)

The Master
Paul Thomas Anderson, director; Joanne Sellar, Daniel Lupi, Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison, producers (The Weinstein Company)

Middle of Nowhere
Ava DuVernay, director; Howard Barish, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, producers (AFFRM and Participant Media)

Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson, director; Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson, producers (Focus Features)

Best Documentary

Detropia
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, directors; Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, Craig Atkinson, producers (Loki Films)

How to Survive a Plague
David France, director; Howard Gertler, David France, producers (Sundance Selects)

Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present
Matthew Akers, director; Jeff Dupre, Maro Chermayeff, producers (HBO Documentary Films and Music Box Films)

Room 237
Rodney Ascher, director; Tim Kirk, producer (IFC Midnight)

The Waiting Room
Peter Nicks, director; Peter Nicks, Linda Davis, William B. Hirsch, producers (International Film Circuit)

Best Ensemble Performance

Bernie
Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey (Millennium Entertainment)

Moonrise Kingdom
Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban (Focus Features)

Safety Not Guaranteed
Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni, Jenica Bergere, Kristen Bell, Jeff Garlin, Mary Lynn Rajskub (Film District)

Silver Linings Playbook
Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher (The Weinstein Company)

Your Sister’s Sister
Emily Blunt, Rosemarie Dewitt, Mark Duplass (IFC Films)

Breakthrough DirectorZal Batmanglij for Sound of My Voice (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky for Francine (Factory 25 and The Film Sales Company)

Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin for Now, Forager (Argot Pictures)

Antonio Méndez Esparza for Aquí y Allá (Here and There) (Torch Films)

Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Breakthrough Actor
Mike Birbiglia in Sleepwalk with Me (IFC Films)

Emayatzy Corinealdi in Middle of Nowhere (AFFRM and Participant Media)

Thure Lindhardt in Keep the Lights On (Music Box Films)

Melanie Lynskey in Hello, I Must Be Going (Oscilloscope Laboratories)

Quvenzhané Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You

Kid-Thing
David Zellner, director; Nathan Zellner, Producer

An Oversimplification of Her Beauty
Terence Nance, director; Terence Nance, Andrew Corkin, James Bartlett, producers

Red Flag
Alex Karpovsky, director; Alex Karpovsky, Michael Bowes, producers

Sun Don’t Shine
Amy Seimetz, director; Kim Sherman, Amy Seimetz, producers

Tiger Tail in Blue
Frank V. Ross, director; Adam Donaghey, Drew Durepos, producers


The Calvin Klein Spotlight on Women Filmmakers "Live the Dream" grant is a $25,000 cash award for an alumna of IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs. This grant aims to further the careers of emerging women directors by supporting the completion, distribution and audience engagement strategies of their first feature film.

The nominees are:
Leah Meyerhoff, director, I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS

Stacie Passon, director, CONCUSSION

Visra Vichit Vadakan, KARAOKE GIRL

The 3rd Annual Gotham Independent Film Audience Award will be voted on by an independent film community of 230,000 film fans worldwide. To be eligible, a U.S. film must have won an audience award at one of the top 50 U.S. or Canadian film festivals from November 2011 through October 2012. Voting begins today at http://gotham.ifp.org/audience_award for the 31 films on the eligibility list. The nominees will be announced November 5th, and the winner will be revealed at the Gotham Awards ceremony.

The recipient of the “Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You” award is determined by the editorial staff of Filmmaker Magazine, a publication of IFP, and a curator from The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). All of these nominees will also be screened for the public at MoMA from November 16-19, 2012.

For more information: www.ifp.org

About "The Dark Knight Rises" - The Cast

About the Cast if The Dark Knight Rises

CHRISTIAN BALE (Bruce Wayne/Batman) was born in Wales and grew up in England and the USA. He made his film debut in Steven Spielberg's World War II epic "Empire of the Sun."

His film work to date also includes "Henry V," "The Portrait of a Lady," "The Secret Agent," "Metroland," "Velvet Goldmine," "All the Little Animals," "American Psycho," "Laurel Canyon," "The Machinist," "Batman Begins," "The New World," "The Prestige," "Harsh Times," "Rescue Dawn," "3:10 to Yuma," "I'm Not There," "The Dark Knight," "Public Enemies," "The Fighter," and "The Flowers of War."

Audiences will next see him in Terrence Malick's "Knight of Cups," and he recently completed filming "Out of the Furnace."

MICHAEL CAINE (Alfred), a two-time Academy Award® winner, has appeared in more than 100 films in a career spanning over half a century. He first played the role of Bruce Wayne's loyal butler, Alfred, in the 2005 hit, "Batman Begins," which also marked his first collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. He returned to the part in the 2008 blockbuster "The Dark Knight." "The Dark Knight Rises" marks Caine's fifth collaboration with Nolan. He has also acted under Nolan's direction in "The Prestige," for which he won a London Film Critics' Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor, and 2010's most talked-about film, "Inception."

Caine's upcoming films include Louis Leterrier's thriller "Now You See Me," with Morgan Freeman, and "Mr. Morgan's Last Love," based on the novel La Douceur Assassine by Françoise Dorner, in which he plays the title role under the direction of Sandra Nettelbeck.

Caine won his first Oscar®, for Best Supporting Actor, for his work in Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters," for which he also received Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations. He took home his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar® for his role in Lasse Hallström's "The Cider House Rules," also winning a Screen Actors Guild Award® and earning Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations.

He has garnered four more Oscar® nominations for Best Actor, the first coming in 1966 for the title role in "Alfie," for which he also received a Golden Globe nomination and a New York Film Critics Award. He earned his second Oscar® nod, in addition to a Golden Globe nomination and an Evening Standard Award, for the part of Milo Tindle in 1972's "Sleuth," opposite Laurence Olivier. His role in "Educating Rita" brought him his third Oscar® nomination, as well as Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards. He gained his latest Oscar®, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for his work in 2002's "The Quiet American," for which he also won a London Film Critics' Circle Award. In addition, Caine won Golden Globe and London Film Critics' Circle Awards and received a BAFTA Award nomination, all for Best Supporting Actor, for "Little Voice."

Caine was born Maurice Micklewhite in South London in 1933 and developed an interest in acting at an early age. Upon his discharge from the Queen's Royal Regiment and Royal Fusiliers in 1953, he began pursuing his career. Taking his stage name from the title "The Caine Mutiny," he toured Britain in a variety of plays and began appearing in British films and television shows.

In 1964, Caine landed his first major film role as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead in "Zulu." The following year, he starred in the hit thriller "The Ipcress File," earning his first of 37 BAFTA Award nominations for his portrayal of secret agent Harry Palmer. However, it was his Oscar®-nominated performance in the seminal '60s film "Alfie" that catapulted Caine to international stardom. He went on to star in eleven more films during the late '60s, including "The Ipcress File" sequels, "Funeral in Berlin" and "Billion Dollar Brain"; "Gambit," earning a Golden Globe nomination; "Hurry Sundown"; "Woman Times Seven"; "Deadfall"; "The Magus"; "The Italian Job"; and "Battle of Britain."

Over the next two decades, Caine had diverse roles in more than 40 films, including Robert Aldrich's "Too Late the Hero"; "X, Y and Zee," opposite Elizabeth Taylor; John Huston's "The Man Who Would Be King"; "Harry and Walter Go to New York"; Richard Attenborough's "A Bridge Too Far"; the Neil Simon comedy "California Suite"; Brian De Palma's "Dressed to Kill"; John Huston's "Victory"; Sidney Lumet's "Deathtrap"; Stanley Donen's "Blame It on Rio"; John Frankenheimer's "The Holcroft Covenant"; Neil Jordan's "Mona Lisa"; and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," for which he received a Golden Globe nomination.

Continuing to work almost non-stop, Caine has since starred in such films as "Blood and Wine," "Quills," "Miss Congeniality," "Austin Powers in Goldmember," "The Weather Man," "Children of Men," and "Harry Brown," in the title role. His most recent films include "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," and he also lent his voice to the animated features "Cars 2" and "Gnomeo & Juliet."

Apart from his work onscreen, Caine wrote an autobiography entitled What's It All About?, as well as Acting on Film, a book based on a series of lectures he gave on BBC Television. His latest memoir, The Elephant to Hollywood, was published in 2010 by Henry Holt and Co. in the United States.

In the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours, Caine was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.). Eight years later, he received his knighthood.

GARY OLDMAN (Commissioner Gordon) has been a legendary presence on the screen for more than 25 years and is known to millions worldwide for his embodiment of some of cinema's most iconic characters. In addition to Commissioner Jim Gordon, he has portrayed such wide-ranging and unforgettable roles as Harry Potter's beloved godfather, Sirius Black; Dracula; Beethoven; Lee Harvey Oswald; Sid Vicious; and John le Carré's ultimate spy, George Smiley, in an Oscar®-nominated performance.

Oldman is one of the highest-grossing actors at the global box office, having appeared in a number of the most successful films of all time, including the top-grossing Harry Potter franchise. He originated the part of Sirius Black in 2004's "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and reprised his role in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," and the record breaking finale, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2."

He first played Jim Gordon in Christopher Nolan's 2005 hit "Batman Begins." Oldman returned to the role of Batman's crime-fighting ally in 2008's billion dollar blockbuster "The Dark Knight."

In 2011, Oldman portrayed master spy George Smiley in the film version of John le Carré's "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy." In addition to an Oscar® nomination, Oldman's performance was recognized with a BAFTA Award nomination, a British Independent Film Award nomination, and an Empire Award, all for Best Actor.

He has repeatedly been honored for his work on the screen, including the 2011 Empire Icon Award, bestowed for a lifetime of outstanding achievements; the Gotham Awards' Career Tribute Award; and the International Star of the Year Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival.

Oldman began his acting career on the stage in 1979, and for the next few years he worked exclusively in the theatre. From 1985 through 1989, he performed at London's Royal Court. His earliest onscreen work includes the BBC films "Meantime," for director Mike Leigh, and "The Firm," directed by the late Alan Clarke.

He followed with such features as "Sid & Nancy"; "Prick Up Your Ears," directed by Stephen Frears; Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead"; "State of Grace"; "JFK," for director Oliver Stone; and the title role in "Bram Stoker's Dracula," directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Among Oldman's many other credits are "True Romance," directed by Tony Scott; "Romeo is Bleeding"; the Luc Besson-directed films "The Professional" and "The Fifth Element"; "Immortal Beloved"; "Murder in the First"; "The Scarlett Letter," directed by Roland Joffé; "Lost in Space"; Wolfgang Petersen's "Air Force One," as the terrorist who hijacked the plane of the President, played by Harrison Ford; and "The Book of Eli."

In 1995, with manager/producing partner Douglas Urbanski, he formed a production company, which subsequently produced the highly acclaimed "Nil by Mouth," marking Oldman's directing and writing debut. The film was selected to open the main competition for the 1997 50th Anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, where Kathy Burke won Best Actress and Oldman was nominated for a Palme d'Or. Among the film's other honors, Oldman won the prestigious Channel 4 Director's Prize at the Edinburgh Film Festival; an Empire Award; a BAFTA Award, shared with Urbanski, for Best Film; and a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay.

In 2000, Oldman starred in the political drama "The Contender," which he and Urbanski also produced. The film, which also starred Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges, Christian Slater and Sam Elliott, received a number of award recognitions, including two Oscar® nominations.

ANNE HATHAWAY (Selina Kyle) was honored with an Academy Award® nomination for Best Actress for her performance in Jonathan Demme's critically acclaimed drama "Rachel Getting Married." For her work in the film, Hathaway also earned Golden Globe, Independent Spirit Award and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® nominations, and also won the National Board of Review, Chicago Film Critics Association, and Critics' Choice Awards for Best Actress. She more recently received another Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, for her role in Edward Zwick's "Love and Other Drugs," opposite Jake Gyllenhaal.

Later this year, Hathaway stars as Fantine in Tom Hooper's much-anticipated feature film adaptation of the beloved musical "Les Misérables," opening in December.

Hathaway made an auspicious feature film debut with a starring role in Garry Marshall's 2001 hit comedy "The Princess Diaries," and reprised her role in "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement." Her early film credits also include Douglas McGrath's screen rendition of Charles Dickens' "Nicholas Nickleby" and the title role in "Ella Enchanted."

In 2005, Hathaway co-starred with Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in Ang Lee's groundbreaking drama "Brokeback Mountain," and was nominated with her castmates for a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast. The following year, she received widespread acclaim for her performance in the smash hit "The Devil Wears Prada," opposite Meryl Streep.

Hathaway has also starred in such diverse films as Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland"; "Valentine's Day," which reunited her with Garry Marshall; Gary Winick's "Bride Wars"; Rodrigo Garcia's "Passengers"; Peter Segal's "Get Smart"; the Jane Austen biopic "Becoming Jane"; "Havoc"; and "The Other Side of Heaven." In addition, she lent her voice to the animated hit features "Rio" and "Hoodwinked!," and, in 2010, won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for the role of Princess Penelope on an episode of "The Simpsons."

Hathaway's theatre credits include Shakespeare in the Park's 2009 production of "Twelfth Night"; Lincoln Center's Encores! presentation of "Carnival," for which she won a 2002 Clarence Derwent Award; Andrew Lloyd Webber's workshop of "Woman in White"; and "Forever Your Child." She also participated in the 2005 celebration gala for Stephen Sondheim's 75th birthday.

In January 2005, Hathaway traveled to Cambodia on behalf of the documentary "A Moment in the World," organized by Angelina Jolie. The project placed approximately 25 participants in various locations on a specific day, each instructed to videotape their surroundings at the same specific moment in time.

Born in New York, Hathaway studied acting at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and at the award-winning Barrow Group in New York City, where she was the first and only teen ever admitted to their intensive acting program. In 2005, she was honored for her achievements by the Barrow Group. She also studied in the musical theatre program with the Collaborative Arts Project, CAP 21, affiliated with NYU. An accomplished dancer, she studied at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Additionally, she performed in two concerts at Carnegie Hall as a member of the All-Eastern US High School Honors Chorus. She began her professional career on television on the series "Get Real."

TOM HARDY (Bane) is currently in production on George Miller's new post-apocalyptic actioner, in which he takes on the role of Mad Max, opposite Charlize Theron. He will next be seen in the crime drama "Lawless," which premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.

Hardy previously collaborated with director Christopher Nolan in the thought-provoking 2010 thriller "Inception," alongside an international cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio. He recently also starred in the boxing drama "Warrior," with Nick Nolte and Joel Edgerton, and the thriller "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," with Gary Oldman.

Hailing from Great Britain, Hardy began his screen career when he was plucked straight from London's Drama Centre for a role in HBO's award-winning World War II miniseries "Band of Brothers," executive produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. He made his feature film debut in Ridley Scott's war drama "Black Hawk Down," followed by the sci-fi adventure "Star Trek: Nemesis."

In 2008, Hardy delivered a powerhouse performance in the title role of the drama "Bronson," for which he won a British Independent Film Award, and earned nominations for a London Film Critics' Circle Award and an Evening Standard Film Award, all in the category of Best Actor.

On television, Hardy received a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in the HBO movie "Stuart: A Life Backwards." He also portrayed Heathcliff in the 2009 ITV production of "Wuthering Heights." His work on the small screen also includes the telefilms "Oliver Twist," "A for Andromeda," "Sweeney Todd," "Gideon's Daughter," and "Colditz," as well as the BBC miniseries "The Virgin Queen."

Hardy has also starred in numerous plays in London's West End, including "Blood" and "In Arabia We'd All Be Kings," winning the Outstanding Newcomer Award at the 2003 Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his work in both productions. For the latter play, he was also nominated for a 2004 Olivier Award. In 2005, Hardy starred in the London premiere of Brett C. Leonard's "Roger and Vanessa." His later stage work includes Rufus Norris' adaptation of "Festen," at the Almeida; "The Modernists," at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre; "The Man of Mode," for the National Theatre; and the 2010 world premiere of Leonard's "The Long Red Road," directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman at Chicago's Goodman Theatre.

MARION COTILLARD (Miranda Tate) won a Best Actress Academy Award® for her performance in "La Vie en Rose," making her the first actress to earn an Oscar® for a performance in the French language. For her captivating portrayal of legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf in that film, Cotillard also won a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe and a César Award, and received Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® and Critics' Choice Award nominations.

"The Dark Knight Rises" marks the second collaboration for Cotillard and Christopher Nolan. She previously worked under Nolan's direction in the 2010 hit thriller "Inception," opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.

This fall, Cotillard will be seen in Guillaume Canet's comedy/drama "Little White Lies;" and the drama "Rust & Bone," which screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Recently, Cotillard completed production on the as-yet-untitled drama, directed by James Gray and also starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner; as well as the crime drama "Blood Ties," which reunited her with director Guillaume Canet.

Cotillard first gained attention for her work in the successful French "Taxi" film series, written by Luc Besson, for which she received a César Award nomination. She was introduced to American moviegoers with her role in Tim Burton's 2003 fantasy drama "Big Fish," and also starred that year in Yann Samuell's "Love Me If You Dare." Cotillard won her first César Award, for Best Supporting Actress, for her performance in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "A Very Long Engagement." She went on to star in a number of French films, as well as Ridley Scott's "A Good Year."

In 2009, Cotillard starred in Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" and Rob Marshall's screen adaptation of the hit musical "Nine." For her role in the latter, she received Golden Globe and Critics' Choice Award nominations, in addition to sharing in a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast. Her additional film credits include Steven Soderbergh's thriller "Contagion," as well as Woody Allen's acclaimed romantic comedy "Midnight in Paris," for which she shared in a SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast with Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates, and Rachel McAdams.

In 2010, Cotillard was named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, for her contribution to the enrichment of French culture. Born in Paris, she studied drama at Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique in Orléans.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT (John Blake) is one of today's busiest actors and has also been showcasing his talents behind the camera. Following "The Dark Knight Rises," he stars in three more films due out this year: the thriller "Premium Rush," for writer/director David Koepp; Rian Johnson's sci-fi thriller "Looper," which he stars in with Emily Blunt and Bruce Willis and also executive produced; and the Steven Spielberg-directed biopic "Lincoln," playing Robert Todd Lincoln. In addition, Gordon-Levitt is currently making his feature film directorial debut on the comedy "Don Jon's Addiction," which he also wrote and stars in with Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore.

Gordon-Levitt recently earned his second Golden Globe nomination in the category of Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for his performance in the comedy/drama "50/50," in which he starred with Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick and Bryce Dallas Howard. He previously garnered Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award nominations for his work in the award-winning sleeper hit "(500) Days of Summer," opposite Zooey Deschanel.

In 2010, Gordon-Levitt starred in Christopher Nolan's hit thriller "Inception," joining an international all-star cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page and Tom Hardy. He also played the title role in the independent drama "Hesher," which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

His broad range of film credits also include the global action hit "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," for director Stephen Sommers; Spike Lee's World War II drama "Miracle at St. Anna"; Kimberly Peirce's controversial drama "Stop-Loss"; and the crime drama "The Lookout," which marked Scott Frank's directorial debut. In addition, Gordon-Levitt has received widespread praise for his performances in such independent features as John Madden's "Killshot"; Lee Daniels' "Shadowboxer"; Rian Johnson's award-winning debut film, "Brick"; "Mysterious Skin," for writer/director Gregg Araki; and "Manic," with Don Cheadle.

Early in his career, Gordon-Levitt won a Young Artist Award for his first major role, in Robert Redford's drama "A River Runs Through It." He went on to co-star in "Angels in the Outfield," "The Juror," "Halloween H20" and "10 Things I Hate About You."

Gordon-Levitt is also well known to television audiences for his starring role on NBC's award-winning comedy series "3rd Rock from the Sun." During his six seasons on the show, he won two YoungStar Awards and also shared in three Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series Cast. Following the series, Gordon-Levitt took a short break from acting to attend Columbia University.

Gordon-Levitt founded and directs an open collaborative production company called hitRECord.org comprised of an online community of thousands of artists from all over the world. Through the site, more than 40,000 participants have had the opportunity to team together to create short films, music, art or stories. The company has presented evenings of short film and live entertainment at the Sundance and South by Southwest Film Festivals; toured some of the country's top colleges; published Tiny Book of Tiny Stories (released by Harper Collins in December 2011); and last fall released a DVD/book/CD called RECollection Volume 1.

A budding writer/director in the more traditional sense, as well, Gordon-Levitt adapted the Elmore Leonard story "Sparks" into a 24-minute short film. Marking his directorial debut, the short screened at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

MORGAN FREEMAN (Lucius Fox) won an Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby," for which he also won a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® and received a Golden Globe nomination. In 2009, he reunited with Eastwood to star in the director's true-life drama "Invictus," on which Freeman also served as an executive producer under his Revelations Entertainment banner. For his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the film, Freeman garnered Oscar®, Golden Globe and Critics' Choice Award nominations, and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor.

Freeman has been honored with three additional Oscar® nominations, the first for his chilling performance in the 1987 drama "Street Smart," which also brought him Los Angeles Film Critics, New York Film Critics, and National Society of Film Critics Awards, and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor, as well as his first Golden Globe Award nomination. He earned his second Oscar® nomination and won Golden Globe and National Board of Review Awards for Best Actor for the 1989 film "Driving Miss Daisy," in which he recreated his award-winning off-Broadway role. He gained his third Oscar® nod, as well as Golden Globe and SAG Award® nominations, for his performance in Frank Darabont's 1994 drama "The Shawshank Redemption." Among his many other accolades, Freeman was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2008, and, in 2011, was honored with the 39th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards.

In "The Dark Knight Rises," Freeman reprises the role he played in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." Freeman has several films upcoming, including the thriller "Now You See Me," under the direction of Louis Leterrier, and the science fiction actioner "Oblivion," in which he stars with Tom Cruise.

Freeman's long list of film credits also includes "Dolphin Tale"; "RED"; Rob Reiner's "The Bucket List," opposite Jack Nicholson; Robert Benton's "Feast of Love"; Ben Affleck's "Gone Baby Gone"; Lasse Hallström's "An Unfinished Life"; the Jet Li actioner "Unleashed"; the comedy "Bruce Almighty" and its sequel, "Evan Almighty"; "The Sum of All Fears"; "Along Came a Spider"; "Nurse Betty"; "Deep Impact"; Steven Spielberg's "Amistad"; "Kiss the Girls"; David Fincher's "Se7en"; "Glory"; "Lean on Me"; "Harry & Son," directed by and starring Paul Newman; and "Brubaker." He also lent his distinctive voice to such projects as Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" and the Oscar®-winning documentary "March of the Penguins."

In 1993, Freeman made his directorial debut on "Bopha!" and soon after formed Revelations Entertainment. Other Revelations productions include "Levity," "Under Suspicion," "Mutiny," "Along Came a Spider," "Feast of Love," "10 Items or Less" and "Maiden Heist."

The Memphis-born actor began his career on the stages of New York in the early 1960s, following a stint as a mechanic in the Air Force. A decade later, he became a nationally known television personality when he created the popular character Easy Reader on the acclaimed children's show "The Electric Company."

Throughout the 1970s, he continued his work on stage, winning Drama Desk and Clarence Derwent Awards and receiving a Tony Award nomination for his performance in "The Mighty Gents" in 1978. In 1980, he won two Obie Awards, for his portrayal of Shakespearean anti-hero Coriolanus at the New York Shakespeare Festival and for his work in "Mother Courage and Her Children." Freeman won another Obie in 1984 for his performance as The Messenger in the acclaimed Brooklyn Academy of Music production of Lee Breuer's "The Gospel at Colonus" and, in 1985, won the Drama-Logue Award for the same role. In 1987, Freeman created the role of Hoke Coleburn in Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Driving Miss Daisy," which brought him his fourth Obie Award. In 1990, Freeman starred as Petruchio in the New York Shakespeare Festival's "The Taming of the Shrew," opposite Tracey Ullman. Returning to the Broadway stage in 2008, Freeman starred with Frances McDormand and Peter Gallagher in Clifford Odett's drama "The Country Girl," directed by Mike Nichols.

Review: "Contagion" is Uncomfortably Real

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

Contagion (2011)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for disturbing content and some language
CINEMATOGRAPHER/DIRECTOR: Steven Soderbergh
WRITER: Scott Z. Burns
PRODUCERS: Gregory Jacobs, Michael Shamberg, and Stacey Sher
EDITOR: Stephen Mirrione
COMPOSER: Cliff Martinez

DRAMA/THRILLER

Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Ehle, Sanaa Lathan, Elliot Gould, Chin Han, John Hawkes, Anna Jacoby-Heron, and Enrico Colantoni

Contagion is a 2011 film from director Steven Soderbergh. Essentially an ensemble drama and thriller, Contagion documents the spread of a virus that turns into a global pandemic, causing worldwide social chaos. Meanwhile, government officials try to contain it and medical officials try to identify the virus in order to create a vaccine for it. Contagion is a smart, scary disaster movie that will simultaneously give you the creeps while making you wonder if you are prepared for a pandemic.

The film begins by focusing on Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow), a businesswoman in Hong Kong. Unbeknownst to her, Beth returns to the United States bringing with her a pestilence that will leave half her immediate family dead. From there, the story focuses on countless players dealing with the aftermath of the virus that is eventually named, MEV-1. Beth’s husband, Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon), balances his need to protect his daughter, Jory (Anna Jacoby-Heron), who is frustrated with the quarantine, with her need to be a teenager. Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law), an Internet blogger who is obsessed with conspiracy theories, schemes to make money off the chaos created by the spread of the virus.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) leads a team trying to identify the virus, contain it, and create a vaccine for it. A World Health Organization (WHO) epidemiologist, Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard), travels to Hong Kong to trace the origin of the virus. CDC scientist, Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle), feels the pressure to find a cure, so she makes a decision that is either selfish or selfless. Meanwhile, fear and mass hysteria spread faster than the contagion.

Contagion has no single protagonist and no outright human antagonist. However, because it is an ensemble drama, Contagion can explore multiple themes, such as mass panic, loss of social order, the limitations of government during a disaster, cronyism, and greed, etc., from the view point of multiple characters.

Director Steven Soderbergh has this film jumping from one character and plot to the next. Because the characters are so well-defined and the plots so riveting, he always leaves the viewer wanting more, which can directly engage the viewer with the story, almost as if it were a real event. Contagion’s ultra-realism makes the movie feel more human and less post-human like so many modern, computer effects enhanced film thrillers. Of course, Soderbergh has an excellent multi-layered script by Scott Z. Burns from which to work. This reach and scope of this screenplay practically demands that Burns or someone else turn it into a novel.

Contagion is by no means perfect. It burns so hot, which is why it is so intense as a thriller, but Soderbergh needed to dial that back a few notches in certain parts of the story. Sometimes, the film is too aloof when it needs to stop and focus longer on certain characters in certain scenes.

7 of 10
A-

NOTES:
2012 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Outstanding Supporting Actor” (Laurence Fishburne)

2012 Image Awards: 1 nomination: “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Laurence Fishburne)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

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Review: Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" is Magical and One of the Year's Best Films

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 106 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Midnight in Paris (2011)
Running time: 94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA – R for some sexual references and smoking
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Woody Allen
PRODUCERS: Letty Aronson, Jaume Roures, and Stephen Tenenbaum
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Darius Khondji with Johanne Debas
EDITOR: Alisa Lepselter

ROMANCE/COMEDY/DRAMA/FANTASY

Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Michael Sheen, Nina Arianda, Carla Bruni, Corey Stoll, Alison Pill, Tom Hiddleston, Yves Heck, Kathy Bates, Marcial Di Fonzo Bo, Adrien Brody, Sonia Rolland, Adrien de Van, and Léa Seydoux

Midnight in Paris is a 2011 romantic comedy/drama and fantasy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The film focuses on a struggling novelist who has magical experiences in Paris which begin each night at midnight. Midnight in Paris is the first high-quality Woody Allen film since Match Point (2005), and it is his best film since the early to mid 1990s, certainly the best since Bullets Over Broadway (2004).

Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a successful Hollywood screenwriter, but he hates the kind of movies with which he is usually involved. He travels to Paris with his fiancée, Inez (Rachel McAdams), and her wealthy, conservative parents, John (Kurt Fuller) and Helen (Mimi Kennedy), for a vacation. Gil is struggling to finish his first novel, and he believes a permanent move to Paris would be a good thing. Inez, who wants to live in Malibu, sees this desire as a foolish romantic notion, and this disagreement is but one of many of the couple’s divergent goals.

One night, a drunken Gil wanders the streets of Paris. At the stroke of midnight, an antique car pulls up and the passengers, who are dressed in 1920s clothing, beckon Gil to join them. Gil soon finds himself in a bar enjoying a performance by Josephine Baker (Sonia Rolland), watching Cole Porter (Yves Heck) sing and play the piano, having a meeting of the minds with Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll), and chatting up Zelda (Allison Pill) and F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston). Gil realizes that he has been transported back to Paris of the 1920s, an era he idolizes. He visits the home of Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), where he meets Pablo Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo) and Picasso’s mistress, a young woman named Adriana (Marion Cotillard). Gil and Adriana are quickly attracted to each other, but their strange romance also reveals their unhappiness with their current personal situations.

In a broad sense, Midnight in Paris specifically deals with nostalgia as a theme, especially people’s nostalgia for a time that existed before they were born – a golden age. For instance, Gil yearns for the 1920s, which occurred decades before he was born. Allen’s script allows Gil to revel in his ability to go back into the past, which is perhaps the only way for Gil to come to grips both with reality and with his idealization of a time in which he didn’t live. Allen resolves this in a way both sensible and satisfying.

On a personal and character drama level, Midnight in Paris plays with themes of denial and cognitive dissonance. The characters have desires and find ways to sabotage or sully their desires when they find them difficult to obtain or perhaps too costly. Both in his script writing and directing, Allen subtly tells us that only those who are honest with themselves about what they want can be happy.

Beyond that, I have to say that Midnight in Paris is just an utterly magical film. There are fantasy films that only feel like Hollywood action movie product and lack a sense of enchantment. Then, there are others that, when you watch them, you can feel the magic emanating and oozing from the screen. That’s how Midnight in Paris is, and Darius Khondji’s shimmering, golden-hued, ember-infused cinematography is a big reason why Midnight in Paris looks like one big enchanted holiday. This movie moves, sounds, looks, and feels like a romantic film.

I am a big fan of Woody Allen and have been for nearly 30 years. I love his films that take place in the past, like Radio Days (1987), which is set in a period when my parents would have been small children or toddlers. I also like his films that are infused with magic, like Alice (1990). For me, Midnight in Paris is the best of both those worlds. A lot of people may dismiss Allen, but they would have to be honest after seeing this film. Few feel-good movies feel better than Midnight in Paris.

9 of 10
A+

Sunday, December 25, 2011

"The Dark Knight Rises" Begins

PRODUCTION BEGINS ON "THE DARK KNIGHT RISES"

Filming will take place on three continents, with an all-star cast working under the direction of Christopher Nolan.

BURBANK, CA, May 19, 2011 - Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "The Dark Knight Rises," the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy.

Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter") again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.

The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose"), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.

Returning to the main cast, Oscar® winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

In helming "The Dark Knight Rises," Christopher Nolan is utilizing IMAX® cameras even more extensively than he did on "The Dark Knight," which had marked the first time ever that a major feature film was partially shot with IMAX® cameras. The results were so spectacular that the director wanted to expand the use of the large-format cameras for this film.

The screenplay for "The Dark Knight Rises" is written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is being produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on "Batman Begins" and the record-breaking blockbuster "The Dark Knight." The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. "The Dark Knight" is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane.

Behind the scenes, "The Dark Knight Rises" reunites the director with several of his longtime collaborators, all of whom worked together on the "The Dark Knight." The creative team includes director of photography Wally Pfister, who recently won an Oscar® for his work on Nolan's "Inception"; production designer Nathan Crowley; editor Lee Smith; and Oscar®-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming ("Topsy-Turvy"). In addition, Paul Franklin and Chris Corbould, who both won Oscars® for the effects in "Inception," will supervise the visual and special effects, respectively. The music will be composed by Oscar® winner Hans Zimmer ("The Lion King").

The locations for "The Dark Knight Rises" span three continents and include the American cities of Pittsburgh, New York and Los Angeles, as well as sites in India, England and Scotland.

"The Dark Knight Rises" is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures. Slated for release on July 20, 2012, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Cotillard and Gordon-Levitt Officially in "The Dark Knight Rises"

Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt Cast in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises”

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have joined the cast of “The Dark Knight Rises,” the epic conclusion to the Dark Knight legend.

Cotillard will appear as Miranda Tate, a Wayne Enterprises board member eager to help a still-grieving Bruce Wayne resume his father’s philanthropic endeavors for Gotham.

Gordon-Levitt will play John Blake, a Gotham City beat cop assigned to special duty under the command of Commissioner Gordon.

The film reunites the actors with Christopher Nolan, who recently directed them in the award-winning blockbuster “Inception.”

The director stated, “When you collaborate with people as talented as Marion and Joe, it comes as no surprise that you would want to repeat the experience. I immediately thought of them for the roles of Miranda and Blake, and I am looking forward to working with both of them again.”

Heading the cast of “The Dark Knight Rises,” Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne/Batman. The main cast also includes Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle and Tom Hardy as Bane.

Nolan will direct the film from a screenplay he wrote with Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Christopher Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner, Emma Thomas, and Charles Roven.

“The Dark Knight Rises” is slated for release on July 20, 2012. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

All-Stars Join Steven Soderbergh for "Contagion"

Press release:
An All-Star Ensemble Cast Begins Filming on Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Contagion” under the Direction of Steven Soderbergh

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography is underway on Warner Bros. Pictures’ global thriller “Contagion,” being directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Soderbergh (“Traffic”).

The film brings together a stellar international ensemble cast, including Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose,” “Inception”); Academy Award® winner Matt Damon (“Good Will Hunting,” the “Bourne” films); Oscar® nominee Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “The Matrix”); Oscar® nominee Jude Law (“Cold Mountain,” “Sherlock Holmes”); Academy Award® winner Gwyneth Paltrow (“Shakespeare in Love,” “Iron Man”); and Academy Award® winner Kate Winslet (“The Reader,” “Titanic”).

“Contagion” follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days. As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.

The original screenplay is written by Scott Z. Burns (“The Bourne Ultimatum,” “The Informant!”). “Contagion” is being produced by Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher (“World Trade Center”), and Gregory Jacobs (“The Informant!”).

Collaborating with Soderbergh behind the scenes are production designer Howard Cummings (“Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”), Oscar®-winning editor Stephen Mirrione (“Traffic”), and costume designer Louise Frogley (“Quantum of Solace,” “Ocean’s Thirteen”).

Filming will take place on location around the world, including sites in Hong Kong, Macao, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, London and Geneva.

“Contagion” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film is slated for release in October 2011.

Review: "Inception" is Fantastic but Hollow

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 53 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Inception (2010)
Running time: 148 minutes (2 hours, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan
PRODUCERS: Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Wally Pfister
EDITOR: Lee Smith
COMPOSER: Hans Zimmer

SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Marion Cotillard, Pete Postlethwaite, and Michael Caine

Christopher Nolan, the director of The Dark Knight, has unleashed a stunning new film – a visionary spectacle of spectacular visuals called Inception. Filled with mind-blowing visual effects, Inception is a mind-bending journey through the dreams and the subconscious. It will take your breath away; even dazzle you as long as you don’t pay attention to the shallow, clumsily built framework of a story.

Inception follows a thief named Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) who has mastered a rather unusual craft called “extraction.” As an “extractor”, Cobb has the power the enter people’s dreams by thrusting himself into their subconscious, which gives him access to ideas and information that would be impossible to get otherwise. Cobb’s rare talent, ability, and technological know-how have made him a coveted player in this new frontier of corporate espionage, but this is a treacherous field that has also made him an international fugitive and keeps him from his family.

Now, Saito (Ken Watanabe), a Japanese businessman has offered Cobb a chance to clear his name. Saito wants Cobb to pull off the difficult (and thought to be impossible) job of inception – using a dream to plant an idea within a person’s mind. Their target is Robert Fischer, Jr. (Cillian Murphy), the heir to mega-corporation. Cobb and his team, including his point man, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the newest member, college graduate student Ariadne (Ellen Page), think they’re about to pull off the perfect heist, until a dangerous enemy begins to track their every move. And this enemy is someone Cobb should have seen coming.

Far all its razzle dazzle, Inception is a heist movie. It’s like blending The Matrix with Ocean’s Eleven. Imagine Neo and his friends going into the Matrix not to fight the machine, but to steal people’s stuff. Inception may be a trippy trip like The Matrix, but as a heist movie, Cobb and company aren’t as cool as Danny Ocean’s crew.

But it is difficult to feel for the characters when nothing in this movie feels real, and other than the impressive imagery and effects, nothing else is powerful in this story. The characters are shallow, although they all have potential, and the female characters, Marion Cotillard’s Mallorie and (the ridiculously skinny) Ellen Page’s Ariadne, are especially wasted on the flimsy character drama. In fact, it is only Leonardo DiCaprio’s usually intense performance that makes the Dom Cobb character interesting, even at times alluring. The movie is so visually overwhelming, yet the story is about nothing. As a movie, Inception is merely an ingenious game.

Perhaps, Christopher Nolan has stolen into our dreams and implanted the idea that this is a great movie, and it is indeed an exceptional movie. Thanks to composer Hans Zimmer’s pounding score, Inception is even invigorating. However, this is a riff on The Matrix, and while its ending may leave a smile on your face (as it did to me), the lack of story makes Inception more a great experience than a great movie or story.

7 of 10
A-

Sunday, July 18, 2010

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Review: Tim Burton's "Big Fish" Out of Water

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 3 (2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Big Fish (2003)
Running time: 125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for a fight scene, some images of nudity and a suggestive reference
DIRECTOR: Tim Burton
WRITER: John August (from a novel by Daniel Wallace, Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions)
PRODUCERS: Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks, and Richard D. Zanuck
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Philippe Rousselot
EDITOR: Chris Lebenzon
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA with elements of comedy and fantasy

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman, Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Guillaume, Marion Cotillard, Matthew McGroroy, David Denman, Steve Buscemi, Danny DeVito, Ada Tai, Arlene Tai, Deep Roy, and Hailey Ann Nelson

Tim Burton is an imaginative, creative, and innovative filmmaker, but his eccentric vision is traditionally wasted on studio fare. He’s sometimes managed to make average to very good movies out of junk, as in Planet of the Apes. He’s made visually appealing films that sadly misfire, Mars Attacks. He’s made fairy tales and fables into visually appealing films like Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow. He occasionally makes a films that live up to people’s expectations of him as a great filmmaker, as in Beetlejuice and Ed Wood. His new film Big Fish belongs in the category with Planet of the Apes.

Will Bloom (Billy Crudup) has a father Ed Bloom (Albert Finney) who likes to spin tall yarns. It’s how Ed tells the story of his life, mixing tall tales (or big fish stories) with what actually happened; that must mean his stories have a life lesson somewhere inside. As the Young Ed (Ewan McGregor), he claims to have had many adventures: as a star athlete, as a circus worker, and as a soldier. Will grows to hate those stories and what he sees as his father’s dishonesty. He goes away, until his mother Sandra (Jessica Lange) calls Will and his wife Josephine (Marion Cotillard) home because Ed is dying. Ed wants to make peace with his father, so he tries again to figure out fact from fiction, but maybe he’s missing the point.

For all his visual aplomb and quirkiness, Tim Burton made a pleasant, but ultimately safe father-son movie with a few oddball characters thrown into the mix. And when it’s all said and done, there’s nothing really odd about them other than they might not look or act like the average folks. On the surface, they may appear strange, but underneath, they’re just your typical country witticism-spewing role players. There’s potential in each one, but Burton wastes it by making them less dangerous. Fairy tales and oddities are dangerous because they challenge our preconceived notions of what is and what is not. To make them little more than weird looking is to take away what makes them truly different and all you have left is fluff.

It’s not entirely Burton’s fault; he’s admitted before that he wouldn’t know a good screenplay if he saw one, and weak screenplays are often the biggest flaw of his films. He focuses on making his movies look unusual, but the story ultimately fails to live up to his visual promise.

The acting in Big Fish is pretty good, but it’s wasted. How can you have a major talent like Jessica Lange and regulate her to making sad faces with sad smiles. Don’t get me started on Robert Guillaume playing the patient and wise Negro who just so happens to say those typically wise-Negro words that finally make Will “get it” about his father.

Big Fish isn’t bad; it’s just pleasant. It’s not a bad time at the movies. There are some laughs and some clever moments. There’s a bit of magic in the air, but be careful you don’t choke on maudlin and sentiment.

5 of 10
C+

NOTES:
2004 Academy Awards: 1 nomination for “Best Music, Original Score” (Danny Elfman)


2004 BAFTA Awards: 7 nominations: “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Kevin Scott Mack, Seth Maury, Lindsay MacGowan, and Paddy Eason), “Best Film” (Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks, and Richard D. Zanuck), “Best Make Up/Hair” (Jean Ann Black and Paul LeBlanc), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Albert Finney), “Best Production Design” (Dennis Gassner), “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (John August), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Tim Burton)


2004 Golden Globes: 4 nominations: “Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy,” “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Danny Elfman), “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Eddie Vedder for the song "Man of the Hour"), and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Albert Finney)

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