LAFCA Winners (and other critics organizations)

The Los Angeles Film Critics Organization is presumably the most crucial in terms of Academy Awards influence since they're the hometown critics of Hollywood and the industry actually hears what they think on a regular basis. This year, like virtually every organization, they threw their weight behind Alfonso Cuarón's Mexican memoir drama Roma. They got idiosyncratic (but smart) in only one category this year, Supporting actor, where they honored Steven Yeun who is remarkable in Burning. Otherwise they underlined actors who are already in the thick of the Oscar discussion. Sadly, two women who really needed their endorsement (Toni Collette and Elizabeth Debicki) were left in "runner up" position, a nice nod in their direction, but not helpful to their causes. 

The full list of winners and lists from LAFCA and three other critics orgs who voted today are after the jump. It was a very good day for Olivia Colman, Steven Yeun and Burning, and Roma...

Click to read more ...

SAG Predictions. Let's Have 'em.

by Nathaniel R

Will Mary Poppins Returns receive both Actress and Cast nominations?

The Screen Actors Guild Award nominations will be announced on Wednesday the 12th and voting wraps up tomorrow on Monday the 10th. So it's time to do predictions as well as possible darkhorse surprise attack theorizing. Let's begin...

Click to read more ...

Netflix December: Mowgli, Dumplin', and The Lobster

A belated Streaming Roulette. We forgot to share Netflix's new offerings so here we are a week late, surveying new titles by freeze framing films at random places with the scroll bar and whatever comes up first, that's what we share. No cheating.  Whats new on Netflix? Let's see...

I killed your brother.

The Lobster (2015/2016)
"Heartless Woman" absolutely upset me in this movie... but I love the rest of the movie (including that nobody has a name except the main character) which made my top ten list in its year. The Favourite is my new favorite Yorgos Lanthimos now, though. Which is your favorite of his merciless and haunting but sometimes indelibly funny movies: Dogtooth, Alps, The Lobster, Killing of a Sacred Deer, or The Favourite?

Related: Remember that great piece Daniel Walber wrote about The Lobster's phony flowers and production design.

[whispering in foreign languages]

Click to read more ...

Tweetweek: Endgame

RELATABLE CONTENT! 

this is the moment in the ten-best-list-making process when elation about the number of excellent movies released this year turns into despair about the number of excellent movies released this year.

— 32 across (@aoscott) November 29, 2018

if glenn close and amy adams both win oscars this year the only thing i'll be able to talk about in therapy will be my fear of intimacy!! ugh

— Ben, doing festive for EYES WIDE SHUT season (@RealToddHaynes) November 26, 2018

LOL. 

After the jump more curated short-attention-span amusements for you weekly skimming pleasure. Social media is fun if you take it in small doses (and not too seriously). Tweets follow featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rock Hudson,  Roma jokes, suggestions to replace Kevin Hart at the Oscars, and selected reactions to the Avengers: Infinity War teaser and the Globe nominations...

Click to read more ...

Toni Collette, Ethan Hawke, and "Roma" Conquer Chicago

The Chicago Film Critics Association held their annual dinner Saturday evening and named Roma Best Film of the year and handed it four other prizes to underline the point.  The Favourite, First Reformed, and If Beale Street Could Talk each picked up two prizes. The complete list of winners is after the jump...

Click to read more ...