The Oscar Week: Who was the MVP of Phase 1?

In this weekly feature from Murtada we follow Oscar contender appearances and interviews. With Oscar balloting closing today, who did we enjoy on the campaign trail.

This was the last week of campaigning and contenders did not disappoint. Some got a boost from the Golden Globes, while everybody continued to cram in appearances. Amy Adams got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Natalie Portman made headlines about gender wage disparity, for No Strings Attached of all her films. Many sang “I Will Survive”.

Today ends what is termed as Phase 1 in Oscar campaigning, the nomination portion. This phase started on Labor Day Weekend as films were unspooled at the Venice and Telluride festivals. So who made it through almost 5 months of interviews, appearances and came out on the other side surprising, charming and endearing to those of us who follow these things closely? Here are our favorites...

Click to read more ...

"Having your heart broken is a tremendous way to learn about the world."

This is the mantra I will hold close if Bening misses the Best Actress list and Mike Mills misses the Original Screenplay list for the grand wise funny altogether fantastic 20th Century Women. Consider that the final FYC as Oscar ballots close. 

(Also it's how I'm going to survive 2017; I'm going to know so much about the world soon!)

Lunchtime Poll: Viola & Meryl BFFs

Let's make the lunchtime poll a regular tradition! I'll ask you and sometimes Team Experience, too, a question that's currently hogging too much of my brain. You answer and we'll all feel less utterly alone in this vast cruel universe. Ready?

Today two questions about La Streep, just because. Here we go...

Click to read more ...

Octavia Spencer is a Class Act

Octavia in Hidden Figures painting by Stella Blu

Octavia Spencer posted this painting above with the following message for screenings TONIGHT at the Rave in Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles

I've bought the 8 PM showing of Hidden Figures... if you know a family in need that would like to see our movie but can't afford it have them come. It's first come first served. My mom would not have been able to afford to take me and my siblings. So, I'm honoring her and all single parents this MLK weekend. Pass the word.

Very cool gesture from a very cool actress.

Interview: Denis Villeneuve on "Arrival" and his Future with Sci-Fi

by Nathaniel R

Though awards season is a roller coaster of emotion each year, one of its purely happiest annual trends is the sudden recognition of talent that have been doing consistently fine work all along. This year's "it's about time!" contender is surely 49 year old French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve. A famous director at home with six wins at Canada's own Oscars, "the Genies," people are still learning his name in Hollywood and beyond. His international breakthrough was Incendies (2010) about twin siblings journeying to the war torn Middle East. It was nominated for the BAFTA and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film. Since that breakthrough his profile in Hollywood has steadily risen and he's shown a gift for directing movie stars, versatility with genre, and a particularly refined skill at building and maintaining tension at feature length which has provided thrilling moments in all of his recent films from Prisoners (2013), Enemy (2013), Sicario (2015), and on to his current biggest hit yet  Arrival (2016).

Today he received a DGA nomination for Best Director, the surest awards season sign that a movie will be a Best Picture contender at the Oscars. Our conversation follows...

Click to read more ...