How many female directors are going to be nominated?

by Juan Carlos Ojano

In hindsight, concerns that "there are no movies" or cries to "cancel the Oscars" during the pandemic were premature and also insulting. We could lament all the films postponed or we could embrace the extraordinary films we got. 2020 was a rich year of diverse voices behind the movies. That happily translated to the awards conversation: BIPOC and female filmmakers have had an unprecedented presence in the run up to the Oscar nominations.

Looking back at Oscar history, only five women have been nominated for Best Director...

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Would you rather?

We haven't looked at Instagram in ages so let's share some fun celebrity photos with our fantasy game. Would you rather...

• try on hats with Kaitlyn Dever?
• kiss alpacas with Nicole Kidman?
• burn palo santo with Madonna?
• workout at home with Cheyenne Jackson?
• visit Sydney Opera House with Rossy de Palma?
• hit the recording studio with Rosamund Pike?
• wash a car with comic JT Firstman?
• get drunk (for charity) with Annaleigh Ashford?
• visit the Redwoods with Laura Dern?
• dance with Taron Egerton?
• have a beer with Cary Elwes?
• mudbath it with Hailee Steinfeld?
• sing to goats with Kevin Bacon?

Pictures are after the jump to help you decide... 

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Showbiz History: Annie Get Your Gun and What We Do in the Shadows

6 random things that happened on this day, February 12th, in showbiz history...

1949 Annie Gets Your Gun starring Ethel Merman closes on Broadway after a nearly three year run. The troubled film adaptation directed by George Sidney (a replacement for Busby Berkeley who was fired) and starring Betty Hutton (a replacement for Judy Garland who was fired) arrives the following year. 

1959 The Black Orchid starring Sophia Loren and Anthony Quinn opens in theaters. Sophia Loren had won the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival the previous summer...

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"European Shooting Stars 2021" Announced

by Nathaniel R

Each year European Film Promotion highlights ten up and coming stars of European film and television. Variety co-hosts their annual event which runs from February 23rd-25th (mostly virtual this year of course). Here are the  recipients this year, a couple of which we were already familiar with though the others are new to us. We'll always take an opportunity to get to know new actors.

If you are an international reader and are familiar with these talents, tell us your impressions of these rising actors in the comments...

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Almost There: Christopher Plummer in "The Insider"

by Cláudio Alves

Despite starring in two Best Picture winners and many other movies blessed by plentiful love from AMPAS, Christopher Plummer always struggled to be recognized by the Academy. While the actor earned a lot of golden accolades and nominations for his TV work, including two Emmys, his cinematic efforts rarely caught the attention of awards-giving bodies. It was only in the twilight of his career that such fate changed but that doesn't mean he wasn't deserving before. For example, in 1965, the year of The Sound of Music, I'd have happily nominated him both for his stern star turn as Captain von Trapp and for the malicious sensuality he brings to Inside Daisy Clover.

Still, the closest he ever came to an Oscar nomination pre-2009 was for Michael Mann's The Insider...

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