It’s been thirty years, but Meryl Streep may have to make room for that elusive third Oscar. With Tuesday’s announcement of the Academy Award nominations, the heralded actress’ brilliant portrayal of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady” (already a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice winner) is the front runner for the [...]
Sunday’s Golden Globe hat trick should send more folks to see “The Artist.” It’s not just the accolades–for Best Picture, Actor and score– but the exuberance the winners exuded. That very quality is at the heart of this unlikely commercial success. Okay, it is mostly silent, in black and white and foreign, But Michel Hazanavicius’ “The [...]
You can’t run away from your problems. But in Alexander Payne’s world you can take them on a road trip. Actually, it’s sort of a requirement. The director’s signature cinematic contrivance, a hallmark in “About Schmidt” and “Sideways” (which garnered him a Best Original Screenplay Oscar) is at play again in his latest, “The Descendants.” [...]
I know I risk having gingerbread, or worse, vats of eggnog, hurled at me. But I have a love-hate thing going with It’s a Wonderful Life. The thing is: back in the days before cable offered hundreds of stations with nothing on, every channel seemed to run the Frank Capra classic on an endless loop. [...]
During the Holiday Season Hollywood fetes movie fans with a cornucopia of its best films. And before the Oscar dust settles expect Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar” to receive its share of accolades. Leonardo DiCaprio will, no doubt, top many award nomination lists for his formidable and surprisingly moving portrayal of the oft-reviled and enigmatic legendary [...]
