On this day: Jacob Tremblay, Pitch Perfect, and The Ten Commandments

On this day in showbiz history...

Still undersung: the great Glynis Johns in "The Ref"

1902 Ray A Kroc, who popularized the McDonald's empire is born. The Founder which is about his business shenanigans/success opens this December (it was already supposed to have opened but we can't have movies for adults in the summer for some reason).
1908 Joshua Logan is born. He later makes famous movies like Bus Stop, Picnic, Camelot and South Pacific.
1923 Happy 93rd birthday to Glynis Johns, one of the greats! Her classics include: Mary Poppins, While You Were Sleeping, The Court Jester, The Ref, and Miranda. Why she doesn't have an Honorary Oscar is simply beyond our understanding. She was nominated only once for fine supporting work in The Sundowners
1945 A strike by set decorators turns into a riot "Blood Friday" at Warner Brothers studios. Are you still enjoying our series "The Furniture" on the work of production designers and set decorators? If so please comment and let Daniel know.
1946 The very first Cannes film festival wraps up...

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Thoughts I Had... First Look at "The Book of Henry"

Chris here with a first official image. Let's try not to hold Jurassic World's flatness against director Colin Trevorrow. While he may be the current whipping boy for the internet's derision at indie directors making the abrupt transition into franchise entertainments, his debut Safety Not Guaranteed had the charms and spunk to hint at a career making heartwarming fare. And wouldn't you know, that's exactly what he's got planned for this fall's The Book of Henry.

The family drama opens this September curiously right after the Toronto Film Festival wraps up. Here's the first image from the film, featuring child stars Jaeden Leiberher (St Vincent) and Jacob Tremblay (Room):

Some thoughts:

• Jaeden Leiberher is still holding on to those Midnight Special goggles?
• Colin Trevorrow is slated to direct Star Wars: Episode IX, which makes notorious uberfan Tremblay just one degree removed from the franchise. It's been said ad nauseum, but I must restate: the world is a cruel place indeed if he can't be in Star Wars. Come on, Trevorrow, be a pal!
• Naomi Watts plays both boys' mother. Her recent track record of screen mothers has ranged from Oscar nominated (The Impossible) to shaky (Demolition) to ghastly (the Divergent series). Where will this one land?
• The plot promises "a boy genius". Which of these two is the brainy one?
• For all of Jurassic World's faults, it's strongest asset was the brother relationship at its heart. Trevorrow's got two natural talents here, so maybe there could be great chemistry.

Consider me excited to give Trevorrow another shot with something on a smaller scale. What do you think of the first look at The Book of Henry?

Oscar Luncheon

Yesterday the Academy held their annual Oscar luncheon for the nominees from 2015 cinema. Maybe we're all eager to move on to 2016 but all in good time. There's still 21 days of the 2015 film year given that it doesn't wrap up until the credits roll on Oscar night.

The luncheon is the event with the cheesy "class photo". So let's look at that and talk noteworthy moments and how we're all feeling at this point after the jump.

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Q&A Pt 2: Comic Winners? Revisiting Characters? Oscar Darlings of 2026?

Yesterday we got all the Leonardo DiCaprio questions out of the way so now on to other Reader Questions. Let's jump right in. Here's eleven questions from readers. You asked. I'm answering.

EUROCHEESE: What's your favorite comedy to win Best Picture?

NATHANIEL: Toss up between It Happened One Night (1934) and Tootsie (198---Damnit. Tootsie is >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Gandhi)

CHRIS JAMES: Sylvester Stallone now holds the record for the longest time between Oscar nominations for the same character (39 years between 1976 nomination and 2015 nomination). Which nominated roles would you love to see a sequel of 39 years after their original film with the same actor reprising the role? Is there some from the past year or are there any characters this year you would love to check in with 39 years down the road?

NATHANIEL: What a cool question! Unfortunately a lot of these characters might not be alive in 40 years... so we'll have to stick with (mostly) the younger players and wonder who still has story left in them? Brooklyn ends so winningly in the golden sunshine, so let's leave Eilis there. I'd say Ma & Jack from Room but I don't wish them anything but completely normal non-eventful lives after Room. 

Some of the "true life" characters died or died much sooner than 39 years after the events of the film.Which leaves us with Therese Belivet from Carol which is the correct answer. Rooney Mara will be 69 years old in 39 years so that puts her at the same age as Charlotte Rampling now...

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CCMA Live Blog

08:00 I was going to boycott the show this year because of The Shark Jump Awakens but I'm an addict. Awards shows. Red Carpets... excuse me Blue carpets. So I watch. TJ Miller begins the show with an okay monologue without many jokes. The recurring joke is the physical gag of his "four dancing critics." In comedy theory this is one fo those jokes that gets funnier and funnier as it goes from the sheer commitment and silliness but it's probably too early in the evening (read: everyone is too sober) to pull this off just yet.

Suddenly picturing a team of 4 puppets typing with me. Enjoying the fantasy.

08:03 There are approximately 1000 reaction shots of Matt Damon already. Which is weird since there are so many celebrities to choose from in the house. 

Netflix and Chill. I'd rather HBO Go Down on Someone."

08:05 That's a joke I laughed at. I am only human.

08:07 At some point critics are called "professional sifters"? Which hmmm. Semantic comedy? There's also an aside about Oscar Isaac that I didn't get. Miller also congratulates everyone in the room

All of you are in here. You're in the room. You already did it. you won.

I lost, I guess. I'm not in the room this year. But Kirsten Dunst and Rachel McAdams are. [More after the jump]

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