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10 Great Female Character Actors Who Elevate Performance Art: In the endless sea of performance art, there are those who craft their characterisations with zeal, expressionistic accuracy inculcating the most intimate and often grandest gestures in vital arcs while also plumbing the sheer, unadorned interiority of the emotional journey that defines lives. The stakes are high when they work in a predominantly male-oriented culture that revolves around machismo and gendered expectations. But these female actors are secure in the vitality of their craft and come with individual self-definition to boot, with their characters.

Character actors elevate work to an art form. They hardly court the same media mileage as veritable superstars yet construct the bulwark of any screenplay, earning every bit of respect and credibility by becoming vessels of the human experience. The female representation here is proof. In this painstaking process, they discard superficial markers of the industry and hence...

Oscar nominated movies go through meticulous discussions and careful considerations before becoming a candidate to win the actual award. But sometimes public opinion does not necessarily align with the experts. The audience does not shy away from expressing their opinions—especially when they do not like a movie.

But that doesn’t mean these films aren’t worth watching, they’re entertaining. However, if we start handing out nominations to every entertaining movie, the Academy Awards would lose their value, wouldn’t they? In some cases, these films even overshadowed more deserving contenders, fueling criticism about the very selection process of movie nomination.

In this list, we will look at some of the most controversial and surprising movies nominated for an Academy Award. Without further ado, let’s find out if the movies selected were justified or not.

Selena Gomez in Emilia Pérez, Ben Afflect and Josh Harnett | Credit: Why Not Productions,...

If you want to get a feel for what cinema was like in a given year, looking at that year's best picture nominees would seem to be a good place to start. After all, only between five and 10 movies have received such a distinction annually, and since people voting work in the entertainment industry themselves, it's understandable they'd choose the cream of the crop, right?

Wrong!

It shouldn't be hard to find at least five amazing films each year, yet every so often, the Academy honors something that wasn't a hit with critics or audiences. People are quick to point out the worst Oscar best picture winners ever, like "Crash" and "Green Book," but when you expand that to nominees, you really wind up with some dreck (with a couple even taking home the big prize). For this list, we took the worst 10 films ever nominated based on their critics' Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Quick LinksHow Does the 'Emilia Pérez' Controversy Compare to Past Contenders?Does 'Emilia Pérez' Still Have a Shot at Oscar Glory?

Depending on who you ask, the controversy surrounding Emilia Pérezis either the worst-timed bad luck imaginable or a welcome dose of karma. The last week has clearly been a nightmare for the film’s cast and crew, and especially for the Netflix campaign team, who’ve been aggressively pushing for the company’s first Best Picture win. What should’ve been a cause for celebration, as Karla Sofía Gascón became the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for an Oscar, has tragically been overshadowed by her problematic past.

On the other hand, it’s been clear since at least the Golden Globes that outside of the industry, few people seem to actually like Emilia Pérez. Even putting aside Gascón, the movie has been criticized by Mexican...

The whiplash of the Oscar nominations rippled across Hollywood professionals, awards pundits, and elated enthusiasts of 2024’s best films and performances.

The most jaw-dropping — and welcomed — moment of nomination morning came from Walter Salles’ Brazilian drama, “I’m Still Here,” which landed three major nominations: international feature, best actress for Fernanda Torres, and best picture. This marks the second consecutive year in which more than one non-English language movie received a best picture nomination, following 2023’s “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Zone of Interest” (although it’s the first time two international feature nominees have been recognized). It shows that the Golden Globes (at least their winners) still matter.

After Torres won the Globe for best actress, triumphing over A-listers Angelina Jolie (“Maria”) and Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”), many Academy voters told Variety they were seeking out the film, with feedback being overwhelmingly positive. Torres’ steady appearances on late-night talk shows and her vocal,...

It has been nearly a decade since Minions came out, quite literally blessing the eyes of fans of the Despicable Me franchise. Even though the film received critically mixed reviews, it is still commendable for the outstanding voice acting A-listers did for it. This voice-acting cast notably included Sandra Bullock as well, who perfectly voiced the villainous Scarlet Overkill to life.

Minions. (2015) | Credits: Universal Pictures.

Of course, if this respective film is put in front of her other projects, it would serve as one of her most underrated pieces, especially considering how epically she performed despite the role being a contrast to her usual roles. But the real reason why Bullock deserves to be applauded is why she decided to voice Overkill in the first place, for it was all done for the sake of her son.

Sandra Bullock Voiced Scarlet Overkill for Her Son

Though there are multiple projects...

Actress and producer Viola Davis is set to receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2025 Golden Globes. This film life achievement award is yet another honor for the Egot champion. Davis won an Oscar and Globe for “Fences” (2016), an Emmy for “How to Get Away with Murder” (2015), Tonys for “King Hedley II (2001) and “Fences” (2010), and a Grammy for “Finding Me” (2023).

She will accept the award on Sunday, Jan. 5, on the live CBS ceremony which will also stream on Paramount+. The event will be hosted by Nikki Glaser. Nominations for movie and television categories will be announced on Dec. 9. The Golden Globes will likely reveal the recipient of the Carol Burnett Award for TV life achievement soon.

Viola Davis movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best

Helen Hoehne, President of the Golden Globes, said, “Viola Davis is a luminary whose profound talent has continuously shifted the lens through which we see and understand film.

Sandra Bullock is one of the most prolific actresses in Hollywood. The Speed star gained notoriety for her charming off-screen persona as well as her penchant for romantic comedies such as Miss Congeniality, The Proposal, and more. She also went to the dramatic category with films like Gravity and The Blind Side, the latter of which won her an Oscar.

After winning her Oscar, Bullock underwent a dreadful divorce from her then-husband Jesse James. The highly publicized separation reportedly took such a toll on the actress that she was considering quitting acting. However, she was convinced by the Tom Hanks-starrer Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

Sandra Bullock Almost Quit Acting After Her Divorce Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side | Credits: Warner Bros.

Sandra Bullock is best known for her work in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Bullock established herself as one of the highest-paid actresses in the world...

Sandra Bullock, a beloved Hollywood icon, has graced the screens for decades with her charm, talent, and versatility. Whether she’s making us laugh in comedies or leaving us breathless in thrillers, her presence in the industry is undeniable.

Sandra Bullock as FBI Special Agent Gracie Hart in Miss Congeniality | Warner Bros

However, her personal life, especially her ill-fated marriage to Jesse James, has been as turbulent as it has been public. Now, years after their highly publicized split, her ex-husband is once again embroiled in legal drama, which makes one question if marrying James was Bullock’s biggest mistake.

Another Courtroom Drama for Jesse James Jesse James | Graham Bensinger | YouTube

Jesse James is back in the headlines, but this time, it’s not due to his reality TV stunts or motorcycle builds, it’s for yet another courtroom battle. The latest lawsuit involves one of James’ former employees, Karen Sanchez-Roberts,...

Catherine Curtin, best known for her work as correctional officer Wanda Bell in “Orange Is the New Black,” has signed with Fusion Entertainment.

Curtin recently completed production on Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night,” portraying Joan Carbunkle, an NBC censor who squares off against the show’s producer Lorne Michaels and the rest of the “Saturday Night Live” creative team during the program’s first season.

A veteran of 150 films and TV shows, Curtin has appeared in “Partner Track,” “Homeland” and “Insecure.” Her credits also include roles in “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,” “Tommy,” “The Loudest Voice,” “The Blacklist,” “Mindhunter,” “Blue Bloods,” “Bull,” “Law & Order,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “The Naked Brothers Band” and “Surveillance.” In addition, she had a recurring role on Netflix’s smash hit “Stranger Things,” appearing in 11 episodes.

Her upcoming productions include “Bad Shabbos,” which showed at Tribeca,” and “If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing,” which screened at the Bentonville Film Festival.

Tom Hanks’ versatile talent has seen him play many diverse and challenging characters across many decades. Through these varied roles, the Oscar winner has portrayed protagonists who have mostly been some of the most upstanding and inspiring people with towering virtues and qualities.

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump (image credit: Paramount Pictures)

2002’s Road to Perdition was a shift from this image for Hanks. The film based on Max Allan Collins‘ graphic novel of the same name, saw the celebrity channel negative shades as a mob enforcer and a father who shares a complex relationship with his son. The Forrest Gump star was well aware though, that it wasn’t all that easy for fans to forget his quintessential ‘nice guy’ image.

Playing An Anti-Hero Still Made Fans See Tom Hanks In a Positive Light

In the 2002 film Road To Perdition directed by Sam Mendes, Tom Hanks plays a killer who along with his son,...

Over the last few years, there have been some major shifts in the way those on the autism spectrum are understood. Conditions like autism have been reframed as an asset rather than a disability, due largely to conversations happening in spaces like TikTok. There has even been a vernacular reconfiguration, with the terms neurotypical and neurodivergent coming into wider acceptance as the more inclusive and less historically loaded categorizations.

As with basically all discourse, these positive developments have occasionally fueled actions with bad intent—like neurotypical people self-diagnosing as neurodivergent, essentially for purposes of clout. Enter Tony Goldwyn’s Ezra, which sees itself as a kind of rebuke to films like Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close for at least nominally wrestling with the notion of whether we should raise children to be as normative as possible or fully embrace their divergences.

The film’s plot concerns a New York comedian,...

Exclusive: After eight and a half years as SVP Drama Series at HBO, Nora Skinner is gong to Netflix where she will be VP in the streamer’s drama series team. Based at Netflix’s Los Angeles headquarters, Skinner, a former film producer and executive, will start at the end of May, reporting to Jinny Howe, Netflix’s VP of Drama Series.

Skinner’s appointment follows Howe’s promotion in January to oversee all of Netflix’s drama areas. Skinner is not backfilling Howe’s previous role. Instead, she will lead development of elevated and prestige dramas, tapping into her experience working on such award-winning HBO series as Succession, The White Lotus, Mare Of Easttown and Watchmen.

“Nora’s stellar reputation and track record speak for themselves,” Howe said. “She has impeccable taste and her ability to partner with artists to deliver exquisite prestige dramas is bar none. We’re...

The confusion over the woman who plays the older woman in the 2023 film Barbie has been cleared up – it is not Barbara Handler, the original inspiration for the Barbie doll. Instead, Ann Roth, an Oscar-winning costume designer, plays the older woman on the bench in the movie Barbie. She was chosen because she is a friend of director Greta Gerwig and fit the role well. Unfortunately, Barbara Handler does not make a cameo appearance in the Barbie movie, despite being the namesake for the iconic toy.

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Barbie. The scene in Barbie featuring an older woman on the bench has led some viewers to assume it's a cameo from Barbara Handler. While Handler may not be a recognizable name to everyone, she is an important figure in the legacy of Barbie as she was the real-life person the doll was named after. However, the...

As Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”), Penélope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers”), and Lakeith Stanfield (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) have proven in recent years, there is ample precedent for performers to earn Oscar nominations despite snubs at the BAFTA, Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG Awards. Indeed, 18 such instances have occurred since 2002, the first year that all four precursor prizes were preceded by official nominations.

Over the last 22 years, each of the four acting Oscar categories has produced at least three out-of-the-blue bids. However, none of the performers who overcame their four earlier snubs managed to clinch the gold and instead had to settle for being Oscar finalists.

It’s worth noting that Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids, albeit in 2001 when there were no Critics Choice nominations. The four precursor trophies were evenly distributed among her Oscar competitors: Judi Dench, Kate Hudson,...

There is plenty of precedent for performers to still earn Oscar nominations after snubs by the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Last year, Andrea Riseborough became the latest Oscar contender to come out of nowhere when she reaped a Best Actress bid for “To Leslie.”

She joined a roster of 23 other performers who heard their names on Oscar nominations morning despite being repeatedly overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar.

(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids. However, that was in 2001, the year before the Critics Choice introduced nominations. Frances McDormand won with that group for both “Almost Famous” and “Wonder Boys,” Kate Hudson took home the Globe for “Almost Famous” and Judi Dench prevailed at SAG for “Chocolat.

Ever since “The Holdovers” premiered at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival, 21-year-old Dominic Sessa has steadily attracted heaps of praise for his debut performance as one of its central characters. Despite earning recognition from some critics groups, he now unfortunately sits as a BAFTA longlist contender with no other key industry precursor bids. However, there is plenty of precedent for performers to still earn Oscar nominations after snubs by the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and SAG Awards.

Below, we list the 24 performers who pulled off Oscar nominations surprises after being overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar. Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”) is the latest addition to this list for her Best Actress bid last year.

(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids.

Despite his massive success, Tom Hanks has also had his fair share of box office disappointments and flops throughout his career. Movies like Cloud Atlas, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and Joe Versus the Volcano were major disappointments in terms of box office performance. Even acclaimed director Brian de Palma's film The Bonfire of the Vanities, starring Hanks, was a massive box office bomb and received negative reviews.

Acclaimed actor Tom Hanks is one of the most successful movie stars of all time, but that is not to say he hasn’t had his fair share of box office bombs. Hanks is known for his Academy Award-winning performances in Philadelphia and Forest Gump. Hanks unique voice is recognizable to kids all over the world for his portrayal of Woody in the Toy Story series. Often referred to as “America’s Dad”, Hanks has expertly portrayed everyman figures, and many...

Burbank, Calif. – As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio, the iconic supernatural film The Exorcist from Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin (The French Connection) will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital for the first time this September.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of its 1973 release, on September 19, The Exorcist will be available to purchase on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc from online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu, and more.

The Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs include both the 1973 theatrical version of the film and the 2000 Extended Director’s Cut of the film, which features eleven additional minutes of footage not seen in theaters.

Directed by Friedkin, who died today at age 89, from a screenplay by Academy Award winner William Peter Blatty, the film is based on Blatty...

As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio, the iconic supernatural film The Exorcist from Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin (The French Connection) will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital for the first time this September, Bloody Disgusting has learned today.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of its 1973 release, on September 19 The Exorcist will be available to purchase on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc from online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more.

The Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs include both the 1973 theatrical version of the film and the 2000 Extended Director’s Cut of the film which features eleven additional minutes of footage not seen in theaters.

Directed by Friedkin from a screenplay by Academy Award winner William Peter Blatty, the film is based on Blatty’s 1971 novel of the same name.

Having already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in “Elvis,” Austin Butler is on a solid path to triumphing on his first Oscar nomination. His film, which covers the entirety of the titular rock star’s two-decade career, boasts a talented cast that includes past Oscar winner Tom Hanks, who collected back-to-back Best Actor trophies for “Philadelphia” (1994) and “Forrest Gump” (1995). He missed out on a supporting bid for “Elvis,” but if Butler clinches the lead award, Hanks will become the 15th man to have acted in a film that won the same Oscar he previously received.

Hanks has a total of five Best Actor nominations to his name, with the three unsuccessful ones having come for his work in “Big” (1989), “Saving Private Ryan” (1999), and “Cast Away” (2001). Until Butler was recognized for “Elvis,” Hanks had never appeared in a film for which someone...

Viola Davis is set to receive the 48th Chaplin Award as she is feted by Film at Lincoln Center.

After securing Egot status at the 2023 Grammys after she won the best audiobook, narration and storytelling recording award for her memoir, Finding Me, Davis will be honored at a gala evening on April 24 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City.

“Viola Davis brings her tremendous skill and fierce emotional intelligence to everything she does. The range of her accomplishments is remarkable — as an actor in film, television, and theater; as a producer opening doors for new voices; and as an inspirational memoirist. She is truly a force. We are honored to dedicate an evening to celebrating her achievements and talents at the 48th Chaplin Award gala,” Lesli Klainberg, president of Film at Lincoln Center, said in a statement on Thursday.

The Help actress has netted four Academy Award nominations,...

In honor of Tom Hanks’ latest movie role in “A Man Called Otto” — released wide theatrically Jan. 13 — TheWrap has rounded up 13 more iconic appearances that the movie star has nailed in his career. We’ve included some of the best quotes from his famous films.

Starting off with classic rom-coms from Nora Ephron like “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail” to family favorites from Penny Marshall like “Big” and “A League of Their Own,” Hanks made his way into dramatic roles like “Philadelphia,” for which he won an Oscar and later movies like “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” and “The Post.”

Here are 13 of Tom Hanks’ greatest roles:...

With Tom Hanks’ recent film A Man Called Otto continuing to pull in solid numbers at the box office, we wanted to know what your favorite film by the legendary actor is. We have compiled a pretty comprehensive list, but if by chance you don’t see your favorite listed, please let us know in the comments.

Favorite Tom Hanks MovieA Man Called Otto (2022)Pinocchio (2022)Elvis (2022)Finch (2021)News of the World (2020)Greyhound (2020)A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)Toy Story 4 (2019)The Post (2017)The Circle (2017)Inferno (2016)Sully (2016)A Hologram for the King (2016)Bridge of Spies (2015)Saving Mr. Banks (2013)Captain Phillips (2013)Cloud Atlas (2012)Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)Larry Crowne (2011)Toy Story 3 (2010)Angels & Demons (2009)The Great Buck Howard (2009)The Simpsons Movie (2007)Charlie Wilson's War (2007)The Da Vinci Code (2006)The Polar Express (2004)The Terminal (2004)The Ladykillers (2004)Catch Me if You Can (2002)Road to Perdition (2002)Cast Away (2000)The Green Mile (1999)Toy Story 2...

“The Swimmers” is inspired by the true story of teenage Olympic athlete and Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini who, in 2015, along with her sister Sara and two others, dragged a boat full of fellow refugees across the Aegean sea. After the girls made it to Germany, Yusra was selected along with ten others to compete with the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Her story is undeniably heroic, which makes the mediocrity of the Netflix film of her life story all the more disappointing.

Director Sally El Hosaini (“My Brother The Devil”) took over the reins from Stephan Daldry, whose 9/11 drama “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is perhaps an all-time low in well-meaning but ultimately hollow Best Picture nominees.

Continue reading ‘The Swimmers’ Review: Syrian Refugee Drama Is An Overly Orchestrated Crowd-Pleaser [TIFF] at The Playlist.

If you’re trying to figure out what to watch on HBO Max, you may want to prioritize a number of films that are due to leave the streaming service in April.

Set to depart HBO Max at the end of this month are such noteworthy films as the Oscar-winning “Promising Young Woman,” the Tom Hanks Western “News of the World,” the Kurt Russell 1996 thriller “Executive Decision,” and the extended version of Bruce Willis’ final “Die Hard” film “A Good Day to Die Hard.”

Also leaving HBO Max this month is “The Fast and the Furious” and the franchise’s first sequel “2 Fast 2 Furious.”

Check out the full list of what’s leaving HBO Max in April below.

April 3:

Life’s Too Short, 2012 (HBO)

April 30:

2 Fast 2 Furious, 2003 (HBO)

A Good Day to Die Hard, 2013 (HBO) (Extended Version)

Aftermath, 2017 (HBO)

Anna to the Infinite Power, 1982 (HBO)

Bloodsport,...

The 2022 Oscar nominees for Best Supporting Actor are Ciarán Hinds (“Belfast”), Troy Kotsur (“Coda”), Jesse Plemons (“The Power of the Dog”), J. K. Simmons (“Being the Ricardos”), and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”). Our odds currently show Kotsur (16/5) triumphing, followed in order of likelihood by Smit-McPhee (37/10), Hinds (9/2), Plemons (9/2), and Simmons (9/2).

Simmons, who won this award in 2015 for “Whiplash,” is the only previous nominee in the group. He is the 73rd man to be recognized for at least two featured performances and the sixth to be added to that list in the last five years after Woody Harrelson, Mahershala Ali, Sam Rockwell, Anthony Hopkins, and Brad Pitt. A second victory would make him the ninth dual champ in this category’s history after Walter Brennan, Anthony Quinn, Peter Ustinov, Jason Robards, Melvyn Douglas, Michael Caine, Christoph Waltz, and Ali.

“The Power of the Dog” is the 21st film to...

Nearly 30 years since their Oscar-winning collaboration on “Forrest Gump,” Tom Hanks, Robert Zemeckis and Eric Roth will reunite for a new movie.

The trio are set to adapt the innovative graphic novel, “Here,” with Hanks attached to star, Zemeckis to direct and Roth to pen the script. Published in 2014 by illustrator and comics innovator Richard McGuire, “Here” is centered in one room and chronicles the events that have occurred in that space over the course of hundreds of thousands of years.

This new project marks the first time all three will reunite since their talents magically coalesced in the 1994 classic “Forrest Gump.” The drama earned six Oscars, with Hanks (best actor), Zemeckis (best director) and Roth (best adapted screenplay) each taking home a statuette, in addition to the film’s best picture win.

In the intervening years, Hanks has worked with both Zemeckis and Roth separately. Hanks and Zemeckis teamed for 2000’s “Cast Away,...

Ten years ago, two films that paid tribute to classic cinema vied for top honors at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony, racing neck and neck with the most nominations of the evening. In the acting categories, there was a first, a third and a record. A popular host returned after an eight-year absence, and a leg became the most talked about event of the night. Let’s flashback to the Oscars ceremony of 2012.

Billy Crystal, who had last presided over the ceremony in 2004, returned for his ninth time hosting, and for the first time since the Best Picture category had expanded to greater than five nominees. Famous for paying homage to each Best Picture nominee in his opening, he proudly managed to include all nine of those films in his opening song routine – which may not have been all that difficult, since some of Hollywood’s biggest names were up for awards.

Ever since “The Life of Emile Zola” became the first film to win Oscars for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (Joseph Schildkraut) in 1938, occurrences of films receiving nominations in both categories have been rather common. Of the 511 features that have contended for the top honor since the supporting awards were first bestowed 86 years ago, 194 (38%) have had at least one performance by a featured male cast member recognized as well. In that time, the double victory initiated by “The Life of Emile Zola” has been replicated by 16 more films, from “How Green Was My Valley” to “Green Book”.

A fair amount of these nearly 200 performances were considered surprise nominees. Some actors, such as Max von Sydow and Jonah Hill were previously thought of as longshots after missing major precursors, while others, like Lakeith Stanfield, truly came from out of the blue. Since all three of these men appeared in Best Picture contenders,...

Eleven months in to 2021, and Warner Bros. movie streaming strategy on HBO Max is still going strong. Now the list of new releases for November 2021 on HBO Max is highlighted by yet another big ticket film.

King Richard, starring Will Smith, is set to arrive on HBO Max and in theaters on Nov. 19. The movie will tell the story of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams. Smith is already getting some early awards buzz for the role so Oscar-heads may want to check this one out.

Read more TV Peacemaker: All the DC Heroes and Villains in that HBO Max Trailer By Jim Dandeneau TV House of the Dragon: Game of Thrones Prequel Trailer Breakdown By Alec Bojalad

Aside from that, it’s a relatively light month for originals on HBO Max. The streamer is clearly attempting to step up its non-English...

November is a good month for saying goodbye on HBO Max. The streaming platform will host the final 2021 episodes of HBO late-night staples “Real Time with Bill Maher” and the Emmy Award-winning “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the season finales of Max originals “Love Life” and “Doom Patrol,” and also provide home viewers their last opportunity to watch “Dune” on HBO Max until sometime in 2022 (“Dune” leaves HBO Max on November 21).

But beyond those conclusions, there are some huge premieres as well: Oscar contender “King Richard” arrives on November 19 with Will Smith in the lead role, the back-half of “Gossip Girl” Season 1 will make its debut at some point, and the HBO Music Box series continues with the Alanis Morrisette documentary “Jagged” (which the singer roundly criticized) and a new feature on Dmx. All of that content, plus a number of library classics, including but not limited to “Moonstruck,...

Every Wes Anderson film is filled with musical delights, from offbeat songs to unexpected score cues, and “The French Dispatch” is no exception.

Composer Alexandre Desplat and music supervisor Randall Poster are among the first to read any new Anderson script. “He and I have been corresponding with music since the day we met,” says Poster, “and over the course of 25 years there’s a lot of musical history that we draw upon for different projects.”

“The French Dispatch,” an homage to the New Yorker magazine’s traditions and writers, was special for the Paris-based Desplat because the film is based in “a fantasized France,” as he puts it, a not-quite-real France as seen through Anderson’s unique prism.

Desplat scored the opening sequence (with Bill Murray as the editor) and two of the three episodes in the film, about an imprisoned artist (Benicio del Toro) and a police commissioner...

One of the more fully formed portraits of life during lockdown, Stephen Daldry and Dennis Kelly’s rapid-fire, fourth-wall-breaking, two-hander “Together” trades the overt sentimentalism of Daldry’s previous film work—“The Reader,” “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” etc.—for a darkly comedic study in the ups and downs of a single couple as they contend with the fracturing of their relationship amidst the pandemic.

Continue reading ‘Together’: Stephen Daldry’s Lockdown Relationship Drama Is Darkly Comedic & Riveting [Review] at The Playlist.

“The Woman in the Window” is many things. But this star-studded, twisty Hitchcockian thriller was never intended to debut on May 14 on Netflix with a 40 Metascore. That was hardly the original plan for this handsome, well-appointed New York whodunit, cast with Oscar perennials like Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, and Julianne Moore, which was targeted for primetime October 4, 2019 release.

In many ways, “The Woman in the Window” is a revealing glimpse of studio filmmaking for smart adults that is vanishing into the rearview. Here’s what we know about what was then — and what is now.

Then: Fox 2000 picked up book rights.

Elizabeth Gabler, who ran the prestige label Fox 2000 from 2000-2019, is known for chasing top commercial literary properties such as Oscar-winning global hits “The Devil Wears Prada” ($326 million) and “The Life of Pi” ($609 million). She closed a deal with publisher William Morrow in September 2016 for screen rights to “The Woman in the Window,...

“The Woman in the Window” is many things. But this star-studded, twisty Hitchcockian thriller was never intended to debut on May 14 on Netflix with a 40 Metascore. That was hardly the original plan for this handsome, well-appointed New York whodunit, cast with Oscar perennials like Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, and Julianne Moore, which was targeted for primetime October 4, 2019 release.

In many ways, “The Woman in the Window” is a revealing glimpse of studio filmmaking for smart adults that is vanishing into the rearview. Here’s what we know about what was then — and what is now.

Then: Fox 2000 picked up book rights.

Elizabeth Gabler, who ran the prestige label Fox 2000 from 2000-2019, is known for chasing top commercial literary properties such as Oscar-winning global hits “The Devil Wears Prada” ($326 million) and “The Life of Pi” ($609 million). She closed a deal with publisher William Morrow in September 2016 for screen rights to “The Woman in the Window,...

In preparation for the next Smackdown Team Experience is traveling back to 2000.

by Cláudio Alves

The ingrained sexism within Hollywood, in general, and AMPAS, in particular, has many consequences. One of them is the disparity of ages when men and women are recognized for their talents. Male actors tend to be rewarded later in life, while the industry often ignores women after they hit a certain age. You can even see this dynamic at play with underage actors. Only six male children have been nominated in Oscar history in comparison with over a dozen actresses.

Over the past two decades, several boy wonders have been ignored by the Academy, despite buzz in their years. There's Alan S. Kim (Minari), Jacob Tremblay (Room), Tom Holland (The Impossible), Thomas Horn (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland), and, of course, Jamie Bell. In 2000, the latter was definitely in the Best...

Oscar watchers are sure to tune in to the Producers Guild of America Awards on March 24. The guild and the academy have agreed on 21 of the most recent 31 Best Picture champs. That success rate stems from the fact that the PGA uses the same system as the Academy Awards — the preferential ballot — for the final vote.

When the Oscars expanded to 10 nominees in 2010, the PGA Awards followed suit. But while the academy shifted to a sliding scale in 2012, the guild stuck with 10 contenders. That leeway has helped it maintain a staggering success rate at previewing the eventual Oscars roster. Indeed, the Producers Guild of America Awards has predicted 94 of the 106 of the Best Picture nominees over the past 11 years.

Seven of this year’s 10 contenders for Best Picture at the PGA Awards — “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Mank,” “Minari,” “Nomadland,” “Promising Young Woman,” “Sound of Metal” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7...

With Oscar voting officially underway, members of the Academy are hunkering down and catching up on all the films from this year of extended eligibility. Inarguably the hardest awards season to read in modern history, there are dozens of interpretations of how the season will shake out and where AMPAS voters’ minds are within the race.

I believe there’s an “X” factor to this awards season that could potentially affect what pundits perceive the nominations could look like. In addition, there’s also a disagreement on what this “X” factor could be. Some argue: just look at the guilds, that’s the only Oscar voter overlap. Others say Academy voters are disconnected from the season, and anything is possible. The truth is, it’s somewhere in the middle — but my theory is that international voters can be the tilt for various films and performances.

There are no parties, screening...

What can we expect when the Producers Guild of America announces its 10 nominees for Best Picture on Monday March 8? How closely will the 2021 Producers Guild of America Awards nominations preview the Oscars line-up that will be revealed one week later?

When the Oscars expanded to 10 nominees in 2010, the PGA Awards followed suit. But while the academy shifted to a sliding scale in 2012, the guild has stuck with 10 contenders. That leeway has helped it maintain a staggering success rate at previewing the eventual Oscars roster. Indeed, the PGA Awards has predicted 87 of the 98 of the Best Picture nominees over the past 11 years.

Last year, the guild nominated “Ford v Ferrari,” “The Irishman,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Joker,” “Knives Out,” “Little Women,” “Marriage Story,” “1917,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “Parasite.” While “1917” won over the PGA, it was “Parasite” that prevailed at the Academy Awards.

In 2019, the PGA recognized all eight...

Sophia Loren caps off a career that has spanned eight decades with a heartbreaking performance in the Netflix film “A Life Ahead.” She numbers among the 15 contenders on the BAFTAs longlist for Best Actress but did not reap bids from other key precursor prizes. However there is plenty of precedent for performers to still earn Oscar nominations after snubs by the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and SAG Awards.

Below, we list the 18 performers who pulled off Oscar nominations surprises after being overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar. Marina de Tavira was the most recent addition to this roster with her 2019 Best Supporting Actress nomination for “Roma.”

(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids. However, that was in 2001, the...

In his Best Supporting Actor Oscar speech for “Bridge of Spies” (2015), Mark Rylance quoted his signature line in the film to give a shout-out to Tom Hanks. “I think if you ever wondered about acting with Tom Hanks, ‘Would it help?’, the answer’s clearly yes,” Rylance quipped, holding up his new statuette to the camera.

Rylance is not the only person Hanks, America’s Dad, has helped get some Oscar love. While Hanks had a 19-year nomination drought with the academy, broken last year with his supporting actor bid for “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” many of his supporting co-stars over the past three decades have gotten the patented Tom Hanks Bump, scoring Oscar nominations without him shortlisted in Best Actor. And now his “News of the World” co-star Helena Zengel looks on course to do the same.

They’re not exactly coattail nominations (go to Daniel Day-Lewis...

Always expect the unexpected, especially in this unpredictable awards season.

I’ve been wondering if we might see the “Wtf nomination” on Oscar-noms morning. I’m talking about an actor who is catapulted into the race without any previous mentions from the most crucial televised awards shows — BAFTA, Critics Choice, the Golden Globes and SAG. Not many can achieve it, but it’s usually telling of a film’s support within the Academy when that occurs. Some “WTFs” in the past decade have been Javier Bardem (“Biutiful”), Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper”), Laura Dern (“Wild”), Marina de Tavira (“Roma”), Jonah Hill (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Max von Sydow (“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”) and Jacki Weaver (“Silver Linings Playbook”).

With Critics Choice, the Globes and SAG already announced, and the long list of BAFTA showing the shortlist of acting contenders, can this extraordinary year produce one or even two Oscar-morning surprises?...

In 2019 “Roma” leading lady Marina de Tavira became the 18th performer to reap an Oscar bid with first contending at the Golden Globe Or the SAG Or the Critics Choice Awards. Italian screen legend Sophia Loren (“The Life Ahead”) is hoping that the actors branch of the academy remembers her likewise when Oscar nominations voting kicks off on March 5.

Below, we enumerate the lucky few who have come out of left field to make history at the Oscars by being nominated without first having been in the running with at least one of these precursors. However, for all of these who overcame those snubs the Oscar nomination had to be reward enough as none won.

Be sure to compare this roster of those who defied the odds and reaped surprise Oscar bids without contending at any of these awards with those 24 performers who were snubbed by the academy despite nominations at the Critics Choice,...

As the film awards season continues to take shape in this unconventional year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s 72nd annual Golden Globes will be one of the first big needle movers for contenders. For films, the voting body has an opportunity to recognize a larger group of films and performances with its comedy and drama splits among the categories.

This year, films like “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Mank,” both from Netflix, could lead the tally, currently predicted for five nominations, which would mirror the same nomination tally as last year’s “The Irishman” from Martin Scorsese.

There doesn’t seem to be one film that could dominate with a wide-open year that could dominate, as seen in previous years, or long-standing records being broken. Currently, Robert Altman’s “Nashville” has the most nominations ever received with 11. Unless you’re predicting five men from Sorkin’s “Trial...

On June 12 the motion picture academy announced changes to the Oscars, including a return to a guaranteed 10 nominees for Best Picture. In recent years the academy has had a sliding scale between 5 and 10 nominees depending on how the voting shook out. In each of those years there were either eight or nine contenders, which means that one or two more films would’ve been included if there had been a full 10 slots. Which films do you think would have benefited from more room in the top category?

For decades the academy only nominated five films for Best Picture, but outcry over the snubs of the 2008 films “The Dark Knight” and “Wall-e” prompted the academy to expand to 10. But that was only in effect for the eligibility years 2009 and 2010, after which the academy implemented the sliding scale, which has been in place for the last nine years. So who came closest in those contests?...

Throughout 2020, Gold Derby continues to update our photo gallery above with major celebrity deaths from film, television, theater and music. Tour through our pictures so far with the following 11 people currently featured:

Max von Sydow died on March 8 at age 90. The Swedish actor often worked with Ingmar Bergman, including in “The Seventh Seal,” “The Passion of Anna” and “Shame.” He received Oscar nominations for “Pelle the Conqueror” and “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” plus Emmy bids for “Red King, White Knight” and “Game of Thrones.”

SEEIngmar Bergman movies: 25 greatest films ranked worst to best

James Lipton, longtime host of “Inside the Actors Studio,” is dead at the age of 93 on March 2. He received 20 Emmy nominations for that Bravo program and won the award in 2013. He was also nominated in 1988 for an original song on a Bob Hope comedy special.

Actor Robert Conrad died on February 8 at age 84. He was the...

With more than 160 acting credits to his name (according to IMDb), including one of the most iconic horror movie characters of all time, Max von Sydow was one of the most prolific actors of his or any other generation, and we're deeply sad to report that the great actor has passed away at the age of 90.

According to multiple reports, including The Hollywood Reporter, Sydow passed away in his Provence, France home on Sunday, March 8th. His wife, Catherine von Sydow, confirmed his passing, saying (via THR), "It's with a broken heart and with infinite sadness that we have the extreme pain of announcing the departure of Max Von Sydow on March 8, 2020."

A dynamic performer, Sydow brought roomfuls of characters to life over an acting career that included eight decades, with his first acting credit being 1949's Only a Mother.

Sydow made an indelible mark on cinema with his performance...

Hollywood stars and public figures took to social media on Monday to pay tribute to Max von Sydow. The acclaimed Swedish actor died on Sunday. He was 90.

The actor starred in 11 Ingmar Bergman films, including The Seventh Seal. Known for typically playing a tormented protagonist, von Sydow also appeared in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), The Exorcist (1973), Three Days of the Condor (1975), Never Say Never Again (1983), Minority Report (2002) and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011).

He received a best actor Oscar nomination for playing a Swedish father who emigrates to Denmark to build a better ...

Hollywood stars and public figures took to social media on Monday to pay tribute to Max von Sydow. The acclaimed Swedish actor died on Sunday. He was 90.

The actor starred in 11 Ingmar Bergman films, including The Seventh Seal. Known for typically playing a tormented protagonist, von Sydow also appeared in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), The Exorcist (1973), Three Days of the Condor (1975), Never Say Never Again (1983), Minority Report (2002) and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011).

He received a best actor Oscar nomination for playing a Swedish father who emigrates to Denmark to build a better ...