Critics Choice Awards: "Barbie" Scores the Most Nominations EVER!

by Cláudio Alves

The Critics Choice Association, formerly the Broadcast Film Critics Association, has announced its nominees for 2023. As always, rather than reflecting the critical consensus, they're little more than an attempt at predicting the Oscars. One wonders how an organization like this can feel so divorced from what critics are actually celebrating. In any case, it's time to analyze their choices as precursors in the race for gold and point to whatever idiosyncrasy can be found amid the boredom. Barbie is the big champion here, having scored 18 nominations, the most of any film in the organization's history...

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"Barbie" leads the Golden Globe Nominations

by Nathaniel R

After a tumultuous few years for the Golden Globes, will we back on track this year? Or, rather, what kind of track will it be? The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is no more, really, at least not in the previous sense. The organization has been restructured and bought up by Penske Media (which also owns the big trade journals like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter) and the voter pool significantly expanded. But the big question is will it matter for viewers and celebrities after the past few years – the Globes were once a habitual must-attend/must-watch tradition but once you stop a tradition cold turkey can it return? 

The nominations (the Barbenheimer phenomenon leads in the movie categories with 9 and 8 nods respectively) and more commentary are after the jump…

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Boston loves "The Holdovers" but "American Fiction" takes Washington DC

by Cláudio Alves

Are we underestimating Dominic Sessa in Best Supporting Actor?

With some big wins right off the gate, Killers of the Flower Moon seemed to emerge as the consensus pick for Best Picture among critics. As much as I love Scorsese's latest, watching it sweep would have been boring beyond belief and a discredit to the tremendous cinematic year. Thankfully, an onslaught of awards this weekend changed the tide. No single title is rising above the rest as an absolute favorite, with multiple pictures nabbing top honors. Indeed, while the LAFCA voted for The Zone of Interest, other organizations announced their winners. The BSFC fell head over heels for The Holdovers, while WAFCA went for American Fiction. Apart from some categories, it seems "spreading the wealth" is the season's unofficial motto…

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Oscar Volley: Costume Design Needs More Modernity

Team Experience is discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here's Elisa and Cláudio to talk Costume Design...

Will MAESTRO bring Mark Bridges back into the Oscar fold?
CLÁUDIO: To borrow an idea from Nathaniel, let me introduce the conversation with an imaginary outfit. Please think of me in a Priscilla powder blue suit tailored to Ferrari Italian perfection. There's a Wonka scarf in there, too, and Tomas' bearish coat from Passages on top. On my wrist, Felicia's pearls from Maestro, on my feet pink rollerblades from Barbie. For other accessories, I shall pick a revolutionary rosette from Napoleon to pin to my lapel and a pair of Victorian sunglasses from Poor Things. To complete the ensemble, Oppenheimer's hat with a Killers of the Flower Moon beaded band, everything topped by some showgirl-ready plumes straight out of Shug Avery's wardrobe. Do I look even more clownish than Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry at the 91st Academy Awards? But I also look fabulous...maybe…

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Friday Awards Wrap-Up: BIFA, AFI, and more!

by Cláudio Alves

With the awards race heating up, there's much to discuss. Maybe too much. Da'Vine Joy Randolph is proving a sweeper in Best Supporting Actress, taking every single one of those awards so far. Her The Holdovers costar, Paul Giamatti, is also doing well for himself, somehow scoring better results than some of the supposed Oscar frontrunners. Then there's Lily Gladstone taking the lead in Best Actress, while Killers of the Flower Moon adds some more victories to go alongside its NYFCC wins. The Color Purple has struggled to make an impression, but that might be due to late screenings, while Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is making a good case for itself as a Best Picture contender. 

In any case, here's a small compendium of prizes and top ten announcements from this week, plus some additional commentary…

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