by Leroy Douresseaux
The evening of Thursday, February 13, 2014 in the Nation’s Capital (Washington D.C., for some of you), the 14th Annual Black Reel Awards ceremony took place. The Black Reel Awards handed out their prizes for the finest accomplishments and achievements of African-Americans and people of the African Diaspora in feature and independent films and television in 2013.
The runaway winner of the night was 12 Years a Slave. Directed by Steve McQueen, the film is a harrowing story of a free black man who is kidnapped from his Northern home and family and forced into more than a decade of slavery. The film won 8 awards, besting previous record-holder, Precious, which won 7 Black Reel Awards out of 10 nominations at the 2010 awards.
12 Years a Slave’s wins included “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Actor” for Chiwetel Ejiofor (who also won “Outstanding TV Movie Actor” for Dancing on the Edge), “Outstanding Supporting Actress” for newcomer Lupita Nyong’o (who also won “Outstanding Female Breakthrough Performance”), “Outstanding Director” for Steve McQueen, “Outstanding Screenplay” for John Ridley, “Outstanding Ensemble,” and “Outstanding Score,” an apparently unexpected win for maestro Hans Zimmer.
Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series was awarded to Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, which also an earned an “Outstanding Director, TV Movie” award for Spike Lee.
2014 / 14th BLACK REEL AWARDS WINNERS (for the year in film and television 2013):
Outstanding Motion Picture
12 Years a Slave
Outstanding Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor | 12 Years a Slave
Outstanding Actress
Danai Gurira | Mother of George
Outstanding Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi | Captain Phillips
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Lupita Nyong’o | 12 Years a Slave
Outstanding Director
Steve McQueen | 12 Years a Slave
Outstanding Screenplay
John Ridley | 12 Years a Slave
Outstanding Documentary
20 Feet From Stardom | Morgan Neville
Outstanding Ensemble
12 Years a Slave | Francine Maiser
Outstanding Foreign Film
War Witch | Canada
Outstanding Score
Hans Zimmer | 12 Years a Slave
Outstanding Original Song
“Desperation” by Judith Hill | 20 Feet From Stardom
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male
Barkhad Abdi | Captain Phillips
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female
Lupita Nyong’o | 12 Years a Slave
Outstanding Voice Performance
Samuel L. Jackson | Turbo
Outstanding Independent Feature
Blue Caprice | Alexandre Moors
Outstanding Independent Documentary
The New Black | Yoruba Richen
Outstanding Independent Short
Black Girl in Paris | Kiandra Parks
Outstanding Television Documentary
Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley | Whoopi Goldberg
Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series
Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth
Outstanding TV Movie Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor | Dancing on Edge
Outstanding TV Movie Actress
Anika Noni Rose | The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie
Omari Hardwick | Being Mary Jane
Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie
Octavia Spencer | Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
Outstanding Director, TV Movie
Spike Lee | Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth
Outstanding Screenplay, TV Movie
Mara Brock Akil | Being Mary Jane
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Showing posts with label John Ridley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Ridley. Show all posts
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
John Ridley Wins USC Libraries Scripter Award for "12 Years a Slave"
[USC Libraries 2014 Scripter Award winner John Ridley with Dean of the USC Libraries Catherine Quinlan and Scripter Literary Achievement Award winner Robert Towne. (Photo Credit: Ron Murray) and courtesy of Busineswire.]
"12 Years a Slave" Wins USC Libraries Scripter Award
John Ridley and Solomon Northup take the 26th-anniversary honor
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Screenwriter John Ridley joined family members of nineteenth-century author Solomon Northup to receive the 26th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award for “12 Years a Slave.” Selection committee co-chair Howard Rodman announced the winners at the black-tie event on Saturday, Feb. 8, at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library.
“Until I read Solomon’s memoir, I didn’t know what being a writer was all about,” Ridley said in his acceptance speech. “The way that Solomon wrote, the clarity with which he wrote, and more importantly, the strength of his character, what he went through without bitterness, without hate—that really taught me something.”
“12 Years a Slave’s” Scripter win adds to the growing number of awards for the Fox Searchlight film, including best motion picture in the drama category at last month’s Golden Globes. The film is nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Scripter, established by the Friends of the USC Libraries in 1988, honors the screenwriter of the year’s most accomplished cinematic adaptation as well as the author of the written work upon which the screenplay is based. Scripter is the only award of its kind that recognizes authors of the original work alongside the adapting screenwriters.
Ridley based his adaptation on Northup’s memoir, a bestseller when published in 1853 by Derby & Miller. In the 20th century, the work lapsed into obscurity until Louisiana State University Press issued an annotated version in 1968, following work by two Louisiana researchers to verify the story’s details.
USC Libraries Dean Catherine Quinlan welcomed the attendees gathered in the Los Angeles Times Reference Room of USC’s historic Edward L. Doheny Memorial Library.
“A library does more than collect ambitious life stories, more than make certain the great literary, philosophical, and scientific thinkers live on to inspire endless generations of discoverers,” Quinlan said. “An excellent library also creates experiences for students that inspire them to seek meaning in their studies, their careers, and their lives.”
Co-chaired by Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Naomi Foner and USC screenwriting professor and vice president of the Writers Guild of America, West, Howard Rodman, the Scripter selection committee chose “12 Years A Slave” from a field of 86 eligible films.
The USC Libraries also honored Robert Towne with the Literary Achievement Award for his contributions to the art of adaptation throughout his career. His daughter, Chiara Towne, presented the honor.
“The truth is, there are no shortcuts to great screenplays about the past,” she said. “But growing up, the thing I noticed that set my father’s writing apart was the extraordinary, unending amount of research that goes into his films.”
Towne, a native of Southern California, has set much of his work there, including his scripts for Ask the Dust, which Towne adapted from the 1939 novel by John Fante, and the Depression-era Chinatown, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1975. He is currently working as a writer on the final season of AMC’s television series “Mad Men.”
In receiving the award, Towne credited the guidance and inspiration he has received from writers and other artists throughout his career, “They have given me the advantage of their perspective and given it to me truthfully. What I am standing on is their advice and help.”
Ridley and Rodman in their remarks acknowledged Towne’s work as inspiration to them and the community of screenwriters. “I’m not sure this room has been filled with more wisdom than when Robert Towne stood here alone,” Rodman said.
This year’s event featured a silent auction, the proceeds of which support the renovation of USC’s Leavey Library. Donors to the auction included AOC, Arthur Murray Santa Monica, At Your Side Private Exercise, Bennett Farms, Bouchon Beverly Hills, Coravin Wine Access System, The Chopra Center For Well Being, Dancing with the Stars, The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Jay and Kristine Eagan, Fess Parker Inn, Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, Fred Segal Salon, The French Reflection, Rachel Galey Make-up, The Geffen Playhouse, The Grammy Museum, Grand Pacific Palisades Resort, Kinara Spa, The Kitchen For Exploring Foods, Knock Knock, LA Saddlery, The Los Angeles Clippers, The Los Angeles Lakers, The Los Angeles Opera, Lafond Winery, Lux Dog Daycare, Metropolitan Fine Arts, The Montage Beverly Hills, Neiman Marcus, The NFL, Christine Ofiesh, OPI, OSEA Malibu, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Picca Restaurant, Bob and Betty Plumleigh, Poseidon Stand Up Paddleboards, Victor Raphael / Clayton Spada, Rivera Restaurant, The San Diego Chargers, SBE Restaurant Group, Stephen’s Hay & Grain, Terranea Resort, Total Wine and More, The Voice, WEN by Chaz Dean, and Wilshire Dental Center Group & Dr. Brent Kaplan DDS.
In-kind sponsors this year included John and Dana Agamalian and Blue Ice Vodka; Esquire Bar & Lounge of Pasadena, Calif.; Penguin Group; and the Wine of the Month Club.
scripter.usc.edu
Saturday, January 18, 2014
2014 USC Scripter Award Nominees Revealed
USC Libraries Name Finalists for 26th-Annual Scripter Award
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The USC Libraries have named the authors and screenwriters of Captain Phillips, Philomena, The Spectacular Now, 12 Years a Slave, and What Maisie Knew as finalists for the 26th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award. Scripter honors the screenwriter or screenwriters of the year’s most accomplished cinematic adaptation as well as the author or authors of the written work upon which the screenplay is based.
The finalists are, in alphabetical order by film title:
•Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty, authors of A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, and screenwriter Billy Ray, for Captain Phillips
•For Philomena, author Martin Sixsmith, who wrote the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, and screenwriters Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
•Novelist Tim Tharp and screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber for The Spectacular Now
•Solomon Northup, author of Twelve Years a Slave, and screenwriter John Ridley for 12 Years a Slave
•Screenwriters Carroll Cartwright and Nancy Doyne for What Maisie Knew, adapted from the novel by Henry James
The Friends of the USC Libraries established Scripter in 1988. Previous Scripter winners include the screenwriters and authors of Argo, The Descendants, No Country for Old Men, and The English Patient.
Co-chaired by Golden Globe-winning screenwriter Naomi Foner and USC professor and vice president of the Writers Guild of America, West, Howard Rodman, the 2014 Scripter selection committee selected the five finalists from a field of 86 eligible adaptations.
Serving on the selection committee, among many others, are film critics Leonard Maltin and Kenneth Turan; authors Michael Chabon, Michael Ondaatje and Mona Simpson; screenwriters Geoffrey Fletcher, Callie Khouri and Steve Zaillian; and USC deans Elizabeth Daley of the School of Cinematic Arts, Madeline Puzo of the School of Dramatic Arts and Catherine Quinlan of the USC Libraries.
The studios distributing the finalist films and the publishers of the original stories are:
•Captain Phillips—Columbia Pictures and Hyperion Books
•Philomena—Weinstein Company and Macmillan
•The Spectacular Now—A24 and Alfred A. Knopf
•12 Years a Slave—Fox Searchlight and Derby & Miller
•What Maisie Knew—Millennium Entertainment and Herbert S. Stone
The USC Libraries will announce the winning authors and screenwriters at a black-tie ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014 in the historic Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library on the University Park campus of the University of Southern California. Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford will serve as honorary dinner chairs.
Current silent auction donors and other event sponsors include AOC, Arthur Murray Santa Monica, At Your Side Private Exercise, Bouchon Beverly Hills, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Corvain Wine Access System, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Fess Parker Inn, Flight Deck, Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, French Reflections, The Geffen Playhouse, Daryle Ann and Mark Giardino, The Grammy Museum, The Grill, The Kitchen For Exploring Foods, Knock, Knock, Montage Beverly Hills, The LA Opera, The Los Angeles Clippers, Lee Olvera, OPI, Pebble Beach Concors d' Elegance, Pica Peru, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Plumleigh, Porto Via Beverly Hills, Poseidon Stand Up Paddleboards, Rivera, SBE Restaurant Group, Total Wine and More, USC Athletics, and WEN Chaz Dean.
For more information about Scripter—including ticket availability, additional sponsorship opportunities, and an up-to-date list of sponsors—please email scripter@usc.edu or visit scripter.usc.edu.
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The USC Libraries have named the authors and screenwriters of Captain Phillips, Philomena, The Spectacular Now, 12 Years a Slave, and What Maisie Knew as finalists for the 26th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award. Scripter honors the screenwriter or screenwriters of the year’s most accomplished cinematic adaptation as well as the author or authors of the written work upon which the screenplay is based.
The finalists are, in alphabetical order by film title:
•Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty, authors of A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, and screenwriter Billy Ray, for Captain Phillips
•For Philomena, author Martin Sixsmith, who wrote the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, and screenwriters Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
•Novelist Tim Tharp and screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber for The Spectacular Now
•Solomon Northup, author of Twelve Years a Slave, and screenwriter John Ridley for 12 Years a Slave
•Screenwriters Carroll Cartwright and Nancy Doyne for What Maisie Knew, adapted from the novel by Henry James
The Friends of the USC Libraries established Scripter in 1988. Previous Scripter winners include the screenwriters and authors of Argo, The Descendants, No Country for Old Men, and The English Patient.
Co-chaired by Golden Globe-winning screenwriter Naomi Foner and USC professor and vice president of the Writers Guild of America, West, Howard Rodman, the 2014 Scripter selection committee selected the five finalists from a field of 86 eligible adaptations.
Serving on the selection committee, among many others, are film critics Leonard Maltin and Kenneth Turan; authors Michael Chabon, Michael Ondaatje and Mona Simpson; screenwriters Geoffrey Fletcher, Callie Khouri and Steve Zaillian; and USC deans Elizabeth Daley of the School of Cinematic Arts, Madeline Puzo of the School of Dramatic Arts and Catherine Quinlan of the USC Libraries.
The studios distributing the finalist films and the publishers of the original stories are:
•Captain Phillips—Columbia Pictures and Hyperion Books
•Philomena—Weinstein Company and Macmillan
•The Spectacular Now—A24 and Alfred A. Knopf
•12 Years a Slave—Fox Searchlight and Derby & Miller
•What Maisie Knew—Millennium Entertainment and Herbert S. Stone
The USC Libraries will announce the winning authors and screenwriters at a black-tie ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014 in the historic Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library on the University Park campus of the University of Southern California. Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford will serve as honorary dinner chairs.
Current silent auction donors and other event sponsors include AOC, Arthur Murray Santa Monica, At Your Side Private Exercise, Bouchon Beverly Hills, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Corvain Wine Access System, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Fess Parker Inn, Flight Deck, Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, French Reflections, The Geffen Playhouse, Daryle Ann and Mark Giardino, The Grammy Museum, The Grill, The Kitchen For Exploring Foods, Knock, Knock, Montage Beverly Hills, The LA Opera, The Los Angeles Clippers, Lee Olvera, OPI, Pebble Beach Concors d' Elegance, Pica Peru, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Plumleigh, Porto Via Beverly Hills, Poseidon Stand Up Paddleboards, Rivera, SBE Restaurant Group, Total Wine and More, USC Athletics, and WEN Chaz Dean.
For more information about Scripter—including ticket availability, additional sponsorship opportunities, and an up-to-date list of sponsors—please email scripter@usc.edu or visit scripter.usc.edu.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Broadcast Film Critics Name "12 Years a Slave" Best Picture of 2013
by Amos Semien
The Broadcast Film Critics Association named 12 Years a Slave the “Best Picture” of 2013 at the 19th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, which the BFCA presents. Director Steve McQueen’s film also claimed “Best Supporting Actress” for Lupita Nyong’o and “Best Adapted Screenplay” for John Ridley.
Gravity led the 19th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards with seven wins, including “Best Director” for Alfonso Cuarón and “Best Actress in An Action Movie” for Sandra Bullock. This is a record for the most Critics’ Choice Movie Award wins ever, previously held by Inception (2010) and Avatar (2009), which both had six wins.
American Hustle won four awards, including “Best Acting Ensemble” and “Best Actress in a Comedy” for Amy Adams. Dallas Buyers Club received two major acting awards, “Best Actor” to Matthew McConaughey and “Best Supporting Actor” to Jared Leto.
The winners of the 19th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards were announced at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards ceremony on Thursday, January 16, 2014 from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The show was broadcast live on The CW Network. Aisha Tyler hosted the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards ceremony. Tyler currently serves as the new host of the critically acclaimed improv show, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” on The CW Network and is also currently a co-host of Emmy-nominated show “The Talk.”
WINNERS OF THE 2014 / 19th ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS (for the year in film 2013):
Best Picture – “12 Years a Slave”
Best Actor – Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best Actress – Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Best Supporting Actor – Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best Supporting Actress – Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Best Young Actor/Actress – Adele Exarchopoulos, “Blue Is The Warmest Color”
Best Acting Ensemble – “American Hustle”
Best Director – Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity”
Best Original Screenplay – Spike Jonze, “Her”
Best Adapted Screenplay – John Ridley, “12 Years a Slave”
Best Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki, “Gravity”
Best Art Direction – Catherine Martin (Production Designer), Beverley Dunn (Set Decorator), “The Great Gatsby”
Best Editing – Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger, “Gravity”
Best Costume Design – Catherine Martin, “The Great Gatsby”
Best Hair & Makeup – “American Hustle”
Best Visual Effects – “Gravity”
Best Animated Feature – “Frozen”
Best Action Movie – “Lone Survivor”
Best Actor in an Action Movie – Mark Wahlberg, “Lone Survivor”
Best Actress in an Action Movie – Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Best Comedy – “American Hustle”
Best Actor in a Comedy – Leonardo DiCaprio, “Wolf of Wall Street”
Best Actress in a Comedy – Amy Adams, “American Hustle”
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie – “Gravity”
Best Foreign Language Film – “Blue Is the Warmest Color”
Best Documentary Feature – “20 Feet From Stardom”
Best Song – “Let It Go” Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, “Frozen”
Best Score – Steven Price, “Gravity”
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The Broadcast Film Critics Association named 12 Years a Slave the “Best Picture” of 2013 at the 19th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, which the BFCA presents. Director Steve McQueen’s film also claimed “Best Supporting Actress” for Lupita Nyong’o and “Best Adapted Screenplay” for John Ridley.
Gravity led the 19th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards with seven wins, including “Best Director” for Alfonso Cuarón and “Best Actress in An Action Movie” for Sandra Bullock. This is a record for the most Critics’ Choice Movie Award wins ever, previously held by Inception (2010) and Avatar (2009), which both had six wins.
American Hustle won four awards, including “Best Acting Ensemble” and “Best Actress in a Comedy” for Amy Adams. Dallas Buyers Club received two major acting awards, “Best Actor” to Matthew McConaughey and “Best Supporting Actor” to Jared Leto.
The winners of the 19th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards were announced at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards ceremony on Thursday, January 16, 2014 from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The show was broadcast live on The CW Network. Aisha Tyler hosted the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards ceremony. Tyler currently serves as the new host of the critically acclaimed improv show, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” on The CW Network and is also currently a co-host of Emmy-nominated show “The Talk.”
WINNERS OF THE 2014 / 19th ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS (for the year in film 2013):
Best Picture – “12 Years a Slave”
Best Actor – Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best Actress – Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Best Supporting Actor – Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best Supporting Actress – Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Best Young Actor/Actress – Adele Exarchopoulos, “Blue Is The Warmest Color”
Best Acting Ensemble – “American Hustle”
Best Director – Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity”
Best Original Screenplay – Spike Jonze, “Her”
Best Adapted Screenplay – John Ridley, “12 Years a Slave”
Best Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki, “Gravity”
Best Art Direction – Catherine Martin (Production Designer), Beverley Dunn (Set Decorator), “The Great Gatsby”
Best Editing – Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger, “Gravity”
Best Costume Design – Catherine Martin, “The Great Gatsby”
Best Hair & Makeup – “American Hustle”
Best Visual Effects – “Gravity”
Best Animated Feature – “Frozen”
Best Action Movie – “Lone Survivor”
Best Actor in an Action Movie – Mark Wahlberg, “Lone Survivor”
Best Actress in an Action Movie – Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Best Comedy – “American Hustle”
Best Actor in a Comedy – Leonardo DiCaprio, “Wolf of Wall Street”
Best Actress in a Comedy – Amy Adams, “American Hustle”
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie – “Gravity”
Best Foreign Language Film – “Blue Is the Warmest Color”
Best Documentary Feature – “20 Feet From Stardom”
Best Song – “Let It Go” Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, “Frozen”
Best Score – Steven Price, “Gravity”
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Friday, January 10, 2014
Black Film Critics Name "12 Years a Slave" Best Picture of 2013
by Amos Semien
The Black Film Critics Circle named 12 Years a Slave the "Best Picture" of 2013. The film claimed six BRCC awards, including "Best Director" (Steve McQueen) and "Best Actor" (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Going against the 2013 awards pack, the BFCC named Brie Larson as "Best Actress" for Short Term 12.
The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) was founded in 2010 and is a membership organization comprised of film critics of color from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, radio, television and qualifying on-line publications.
2013 Black Film Critics Circle Awards:
Best Picture: "12 Years a Slave"
Best Director: Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"
Best Actress: Brie Larson, "Short Term 12"
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, "12 Years a Slave"
Best Adapted Screenplay: "12 Years a Slave"
Best Original Screenplay: "American Hustle"
Best Cinematography: "Gravity"
Best Animated Film: "Frozen"
Best Documentary: "20 Feet from Stardom"
Best Foreign Film: "Blue is the Warmest Color"
Best Ensemble: "12 Years a Slave"
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The Black Film Critics Circle named 12 Years a Slave the "Best Picture" of 2013. The film claimed six BRCC awards, including "Best Director" (Steve McQueen) and "Best Actor" (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Going against the 2013 awards pack, the BFCC named Brie Larson as "Best Actress" for Short Term 12.
The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) was founded in 2010 and is a membership organization comprised of film critics of color from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, radio, television and qualifying on-line publications.
2013 Black Film Critics Circle Awards:
Best Picture: "12 Years a Slave"
Best Director: Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"
Best Actress: Brie Larson, "Short Term 12"
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, "12 Years a Slave"
Best Adapted Screenplay: "12 Years a Slave"
Best Original Screenplay: "American Hustle"
Best Cinematography: "Gravity"
Best Animated Film: "Frozen"
Best Documentary: "20 Feet from Stardom"
Best Foreign Film: "Blue is the Warmest Color"
Best Ensemble: "12 Years a Slave"
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African-American Film Critics Crown "12 Years a Slave" Best of 2013
by Amos Semien
The African-American Film Critics Association named director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave the "Best Film" of 2013, with McQueen also receiving the "Best Director" prize. Many other critics organizations have named Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong'o of 12 Years a Slave best actor and best supporting actress, respectively. However, the AAFCA went with two of the cast members of Lee Daniels: The Butler as "Best Actor" (Forest Whitaker) and "Best Supporting Actor" (Oprah Winfrey). I've included the text of the press release with which the AAFCA announced its 2013 film awards at the bottom of this post.
The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is a group of African-American film critics that give various awards for excellence in film at the end of each year. The association was founded in 2003 by Gil L. Robertson IV and Shawn Edwards.
2013 African-American Film Critics Association Awards winners:
Best Actor Forest Whitaker, Lee Daniels: The Butler (TWC)
Best Actress Sandra Bullock, Gravity (Warner Bros.)
Best Supporting Actress Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels: The Butler (TWC)
Best Supporting Actor Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club (Focus Features)
Best World Cinema Mother of George (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Breakout Performance Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)
Best Director Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)
Best Screenplay John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)
Best Music Raphael Sadiq, Black Nativity (RCA Inspirational)
Best Independent Film Fruitvale Station (TWC)
Best Animation Frozen (Walt Disney Pictures)
Best Documentary American Promise (Rada Film Group)
The African-American Film Critics Association’s Top Ten Films of 2013 are as follows in order of distinction:
1. 12 Years a Slave
2. Lee Daniels: The Butler
3. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
4. American Hustle
5. Gravity
6. Fruitvale Station
7. Dallas Buyers Club
8. Saving Mr. Banks
9. Out of the Furnace
10. 42
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Press Release:
AFRICAN-AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION NAMES 12 YEARS A SLAVE AS TOP FILM OF 2013
Forest Whitaker, Sandra Bullock, Oprah Winfrey and Jared Leto Also Receive Wins from the Nation’s Premiere African American Critics Group
Los Angeles, CA (December 13, 2013) – The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has named 12 Years a Slave as the Best Picture of 2013. The Fox Searchlight film’s also earned Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Newcomer honors for Steve McQueen, John Ridley and Lupita Nyong’o. The organization, which represents the leading African-American film critics nationwide, will formally present its awards during a private ceremony on Friday, January 31, 2014 hosted by Orlando Jones at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, CA.
In the acting categories, Forest Whitaker won Best Actor for his performance in Lee Daniels: The Butler and Sandra Bullock was named Best Actress for Gravity. Oprah Winfrey received Best Supporting Actress 2013 for her role in The Butler and Jared Leto earned Best Supporting Actor 2013 for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club.
Rounding out the 2013 AAFCA Award winners are Fruitvale Station, for Best Independent Film, Frozen Best Animated Feature; Mother of George, for Best World Cinema and American Promise, from Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson. Producer Raphael Saadiq won in the Best Music category for Black Nativity.
As previously announced, AAFCA’s Special Achievement honors will be awarded to AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, TWC’s Bob and Harvey Weinstein, FOX SEARCHLIGHT’s Zola Mashariki and DGA’s President Paris Barclay. AAFCA’s Inaugural Roger Ebert Award will be given to Justin Chang of Variety. “The film industry reached an incredibly high benchmark in 2013 in terms of the level of performance and diversity on screen,” says AAFCA President and Founder, Gil Robertson. “From the dramatic and heartwarming performances given by Whitaker and Winfrey, to Jared Leto’s incredible transformation as a transgender, the performances this year represented some of the finest examples of the acting craft.”
The organization’s Top Ten list of films includes 12 Years a Slave, Lee Daniels: The Butler, Gravity, American Hustle and Mandela. “Hollywood did an excellent job in providing filmgoers with excellent examples of cinema that examine the core of the humanity. We hope this trend continues,” says AAFCA’s East Coast V.P. Daryle Lockhart, owner of Black Box Office.com.
About AAFCA
The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is the premiere organization of African-American film media professionals. Founded in 2003, AAFCA’s members represent a geographically diverse cross-section of media covering the cinematic arts. The organization honors excellence in cinema by creating awareness for films with universal appeal to black communities, while emphasizing film about the black experience and those produced written, directed and starring performers of African descent. The association actively reviews the quality and standard of black talent, content and media coverage. AAFCA also supports the development of future black film critics and filmmakers. AAFCA is based in Los Angeles.
END of release
The African-American Film Critics Association named director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave the "Best Film" of 2013, with McQueen also receiving the "Best Director" prize. Many other critics organizations have named Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong'o of 12 Years a Slave best actor and best supporting actress, respectively. However, the AAFCA went with two of the cast members of Lee Daniels: The Butler as "Best Actor" (Forest Whitaker) and "Best Supporting Actor" (Oprah Winfrey). I've included the text of the press release with which the AAFCA announced its 2013 film awards at the bottom of this post.
The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is a group of African-American film critics that give various awards for excellence in film at the end of each year. The association was founded in 2003 by Gil L. Robertson IV and Shawn Edwards.
2013 African-American Film Critics Association Awards winners:
Best Actor Forest Whitaker, Lee Daniels: The Butler (TWC)
Best Actress Sandra Bullock, Gravity (Warner Bros.)
Best Supporting Actress Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels: The Butler (TWC)
Best Supporting Actor Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club (Focus Features)
Best World Cinema Mother of George (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Breakout Performance Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)
Best Director Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)
Best Screenplay John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)
Best Music Raphael Sadiq, Black Nativity (RCA Inspirational)
Best Independent Film Fruitvale Station (TWC)
Best Animation Frozen (Walt Disney Pictures)
Best Documentary American Promise (Rada Film Group)
The African-American Film Critics Association’s Top Ten Films of 2013 are as follows in order of distinction:
1. 12 Years a Slave
2. Lee Daniels: The Butler
3. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
4. American Hustle
5. Gravity
6. Fruitvale Station
7. Dallas Buyers Club
8. Saving Mr. Banks
9. Out of the Furnace
10. 42
---------------------------------------------------
Press Release:
AFRICAN-AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION NAMES 12 YEARS A SLAVE AS TOP FILM OF 2013
Forest Whitaker, Sandra Bullock, Oprah Winfrey and Jared Leto Also Receive Wins from the Nation’s Premiere African American Critics Group
Los Angeles, CA (December 13, 2013) – The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has named 12 Years a Slave as the Best Picture of 2013. The Fox Searchlight film’s also earned Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Newcomer honors for Steve McQueen, John Ridley and Lupita Nyong’o. The organization, which represents the leading African-American film critics nationwide, will formally present its awards during a private ceremony on Friday, January 31, 2014 hosted by Orlando Jones at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, CA.
In the acting categories, Forest Whitaker won Best Actor for his performance in Lee Daniels: The Butler and Sandra Bullock was named Best Actress for Gravity. Oprah Winfrey received Best Supporting Actress 2013 for her role in The Butler and Jared Leto earned Best Supporting Actor 2013 for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club.
Rounding out the 2013 AAFCA Award winners are Fruitvale Station, for Best Independent Film, Frozen Best Animated Feature; Mother of George, for Best World Cinema and American Promise, from Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson. Producer Raphael Saadiq won in the Best Music category for Black Nativity.
As previously announced, AAFCA’s Special Achievement honors will be awarded to AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, TWC’s Bob and Harvey Weinstein, FOX SEARCHLIGHT’s Zola Mashariki and DGA’s President Paris Barclay. AAFCA’s Inaugural Roger Ebert Award will be given to Justin Chang of Variety. “The film industry reached an incredibly high benchmark in 2013 in terms of the level of performance and diversity on screen,” says AAFCA President and Founder, Gil Robertson. “From the dramatic and heartwarming performances given by Whitaker and Winfrey, to Jared Leto’s incredible transformation as a transgender, the performances this year represented some of the finest examples of the acting craft.”
The organization’s Top Ten list of films includes 12 Years a Slave, Lee Daniels: The Butler, Gravity, American Hustle and Mandela. “Hollywood did an excellent job in providing filmgoers with excellent examples of cinema that examine the core of the humanity. We hope this trend continues,” says AAFCA’s East Coast V.P. Daryle Lockhart, owner of Black Box Office.com.
About AAFCA
The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is the premiere organization of African-American film media professionals. Founded in 2003, AAFCA’s members represent a geographically diverse cross-section of media covering the cinematic arts. The organization honors excellence in cinema by creating awareness for films with universal appeal to black communities, while emphasizing film about the black experience and those produced written, directed and starring performers of African descent. The association actively reviews the quality and standard of black talent, content and media coverage. AAFCA also supports the development of future black film critics and filmmakers. AAFCA is based in Los Angeles.
END of release
Monday, December 30, 2013
Florida Film Critics Choose "12 Years a Slave"
by Amos Semien
12 Years a Slave is the Florida Film Critics Circle "Best Picture" of 2013. That honor is one of six won by the film including two notices for Lupita Nyong'o.
The Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) was founded in 1996 is comprised of writers from various state-based publications.
Complete list of 2013 FFCC Award winners:
Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: American Hustle
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Joaquin Phoenix – Her
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Runner-up: Judi Dench – Philomena
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club
Runner-up: Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle
Best Director: Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity
Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Terence Winter – The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze – Her
Runner-up: David O. Russell & Eric Singer – American Hustle
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki – Gravity
Runner-up: Bruno Delbonnel – Inside Llewyn Davis
Best Visual Effects: Gravity
Runner-up: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Best Art Direction/Production Design: The Great Gatsby
Runner-up: American Hustle
Best Foreign Language: Blue is the Warmest Color
Runner-up: The Hunt
Best Animated Film: Frozen
Runner-up: The Wind Rises
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Runner-up: Blackfish
Pauline Kael Breakout Award: Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Michael B. Jordan – Fruitvale Station
Golden Orange:
Dana Keith of the Miami Beach Cinematheque for his tireless championing of foreign, independent and alternative film in South Florida for more than 20 years.
END
12 Years a Slave is the Florida Film Critics Circle "Best Picture" of 2013. That honor is one of six won by the film including two notices for Lupita Nyong'o.
The Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) was founded in 1996 is comprised of writers from various state-based publications.
Complete list of 2013 FFCC Award winners:
Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: American Hustle
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Joaquin Phoenix – Her
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Runner-up: Judi Dench – Philomena
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club
Runner-up: Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle
Best Director: Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity
Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Terence Winter – The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze – Her
Runner-up: David O. Russell & Eric Singer – American Hustle
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki – Gravity
Runner-up: Bruno Delbonnel – Inside Llewyn Davis
Best Visual Effects: Gravity
Runner-up: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Best Art Direction/Production Design: The Great Gatsby
Runner-up: American Hustle
Best Foreign Language: Blue is the Warmest Color
Runner-up: The Hunt
Best Animated Film: Frozen
Runner-up: The Wind Rises
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Runner-up: Blackfish
Pauline Kael Breakout Award: Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Runner-up: Michael B. Jordan – Fruitvale Station
Golden Orange:
Dana Keith of the Miami Beach Cinematheque for his tireless championing of foreign, independent and alternative film in South Florida for more than 20 years.
END
Monday, December 23, 2013
Kansas City Film Critics Choose "12 Years a Slave" 2013's Best Film
by Amos Semien
The Kansas City Film Critics Circle named director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave the "Best Film" of 2013. McQueen shared the "Robert Altman Award for Best Director" with Alfonso Cuaron (for the film Gravity). Cuaron has been a favorite of many critics groups this year.
Founded in 1967, The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) says that it is the "second oldest professional film critics" association in the United States" (behind the New York Film Critics Circle). The organization is composed of media film critics in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The KCFCC’s awards are named for the group’s founder, James Loutzenhiser, who died in November 2001.
On Sunday, December 15th, 2013, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle announced the winners of its 47th annual awards.
2013 Loutzenhiser Awards:
Best Film: 12 Years a Slave
Robert Altman Award for Best Director – Tie: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity & Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her
Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Best Animated Film – Tie: Despicable Me 2 & Frozen
Best Foreign Film: Blue Is the Warmest Color (France)
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror Film: Her
http://www.kcfcc.org/
END
The Kansas City Film Critics Circle named director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave the "Best Film" of 2013. McQueen shared the "Robert Altman Award for Best Director" with Alfonso Cuaron (for the film Gravity). Cuaron has been a favorite of many critics groups this year.
Founded in 1967, The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) says that it is the "second oldest professional film critics" association in the United States" (behind the New York Film Critics Circle). The organization is composed of media film critics in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The KCFCC’s awards are named for the group’s founder, James Loutzenhiser, who died in November 2001.
On Sunday, December 15th, 2013, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle announced the winners of its 47th annual awards.
2013 Loutzenhiser Awards:
Best Film: 12 Years a Slave
Robert Altman Award for Best Director – Tie: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity & Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her
Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Best Animated Film – Tie: Despicable Me 2 & Frozen
Best Foreign Film: Blue Is the Warmest Color (France)
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror Film: Her
http://www.kcfcc.org/
END
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Austin Film Critics Dance with "Her" as 2013's Best Film
by Amos Semien
The Austin Film Critics Association named Spike Jonze's Her as the "Best Film" of 2013, one of three wins for the film. 12 Years a Slave also received three honors from the group and finished second on the group's top ten films of 2013 list.
The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) describes itself as “a group dedicated to supporting the best in film, whether at the international, national, or local level.” The group includes Austin-based members who write for such publications, television media, and websites as Ain't It Cool News, the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, CNN, Fandango, Film.com, Film School Rejects, Fox News, MSN Movies, Movies.com, among others.
2012 AFCA Awards:
Best Film: Her (Spike Jonze)
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress: Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her
Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity
Best Score: Arcade Fire, Her
Best Foreign Language Film: Blue is the Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche)
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer)
Best Animated Film: Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee)
Best First Film: Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler)
Breakthrough Artist: Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Best Austin Film: Before Midnight (Richard Linklater)
Special Honorary Award: Scarlett Johansson, for her outstanding voice performance in Her
AFCA 2013 Top Ten Films:
1. Her
2. 12 Years a Slave
3. Gravity
4. The Wolf of Wall Street
5. Inside Llewyn Davis
6. Short Term 12
7. Mud
8. Before Midnight
9. Dallas Buyers Club
10. Captain Phillips
END
The Austin Film Critics Association named Spike Jonze's Her as the "Best Film" of 2013, one of three wins for the film. 12 Years a Slave also received three honors from the group and finished second on the group's top ten films of 2013 list.
The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) describes itself as “a group dedicated to supporting the best in film, whether at the international, national, or local level.” The group includes Austin-based members who write for such publications, television media, and websites as Ain't It Cool News, the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, CNN, Fandango, Film.com, Film School Rejects, Fox News, MSN Movies, Movies.com, among others.
2012 AFCA Awards:
Best Film: Her (Spike Jonze)
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress: Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her
Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity
Best Score: Arcade Fire, Her
Best Foreign Language Film: Blue is the Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche)
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer)
Best Animated Film: Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee)
Best First Film: Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler)
Breakthrough Artist: Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Best Austin Film: Before Midnight (Richard Linklater)
Special Honorary Award: Scarlett Johansson, for her outstanding voice performance in Her
AFCA 2013 Top Ten Films:
1. Her
2. 12 Years a Slave
3. Gravity
4. The Wolf of Wall Street
5. Inside Llewyn Davis
6. Short Term 12
7. Mud
8. Before Midnight
9. Dallas Buyers Club
10. Captain Phillips
END
Friday, December 20, 2013
Dallas-Fort Worth Critics Name "12 Years a Slave" Best Film of 2013
by Amos Semien
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association named 12 Years a Slave the "Best Film" of 2013, one of three honors the film earned. The critics group spread out the prizes with Gravity winning three honors and Dallas Buyers Club winning two for acting: Matthew McConaughey (Best Actor) and Jared Leto (Best Supporting Actor).
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association is also known as the DFW Film Critics Association. The group describes itself as a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary organization of print, broadcast and internet film critics based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and greater North Texas who meet its membership criteria. The DFW Film Critics Association currently consists of 29 broadcast, print, and online journalists from throughout North Texas.
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association 20th Annual Critics’ Poll:
Top 10 Films of 2013:
1. 12 Years a Slave
2. Gravity
3. Nebraska
4. American Hustle
5. Dallas Buyers Club
6. Her
7. The Wolf of Wall Street
8. Inside Llewyn Davis
9. Captain Phillips
10. Mud
Best Actor 2013:
1. Matthew McConaughey for DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
2. Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
3. Bruce Dern for NEBRASKA
4. Tom Hanks for CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
5. Leonardo DiCaprio for THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Actress 2013:
1. Cate Blanchett for BLUE JASMINE
2. Sandra Bullock for GRAVITY
3. Judi Dench for PHILOMENA
4. Meryl Streep for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
5. Emma Thompson for SAVING MR. BANKS
Best Supporting Actor 2013:
1. Jared Leto for DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
2. Michael Fassbender for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
3. Barkhad Abdi for CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
4. Daniel Bruhl for RUSH
5. Jonah Hill for THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Supporting Actress 2013:
1. Lupita Nyong’o for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
2. June Squibb for NEBRASKA
3. Jennifer Lawrence for AMERICAN HUSTLE
4. Julia Roberts for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
5. Sally Hawkins for BLUE JASMINE
Best Director 2013:
1. Alfonso Cuaron for GRAVITY
2. Steve McQueen for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
3. Alexander Payne for NEBRASKA
4. David O. Russell for AMERICAN HUSTLE
5. Martin Scorsese for THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Foreign-Language Film 2013:
1. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
2. THE HUNT
3. THE GREAT BEAUTY
4. THE WIND RISES
5. THE GRANDMASTER
Best Documentary Film 2013:
1. TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM
2. THE ACT OF KILLING
3. STORIES WE TELL
4. BLACKFISH
5. THE GATEKEEPERS
Best Animated Film 2013:
1. FROZEN
2. DESPICABLE ME 2
Best Screenplay 2013:
1. John Ridley for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
2. TIE: Bob Nelson for NEBRASKA and Spike Jonze for HER
Best Cinematography 2013:
1. Emmanuel Lubezki for GRAVITY
2. Sean Bobbitt for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Best Musical Score 2013:
Steven Price for GRAVITY
Russell Smith Award: FRUITVALE STATION
(The award is named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film.)
END
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association named 12 Years a Slave the "Best Film" of 2013, one of three honors the film earned. The critics group spread out the prizes with Gravity winning three honors and Dallas Buyers Club winning two for acting: Matthew McConaughey (Best Actor) and Jared Leto (Best Supporting Actor).
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association is also known as the DFW Film Critics Association. The group describes itself as a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary organization of print, broadcast and internet film critics based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and greater North Texas who meet its membership criteria. The DFW Film Critics Association currently consists of 29 broadcast, print, and online journalists from throughout North Texas.
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association 20th Annual Critics’ Poll:
Top 10 Films of 2013:
1. 12 Years a Slave
2. Gravity
3. Nebraska
4. American Hustle
5. Dallas Buyers Club
6. Her
7. The Wolf of Wall Street
8. Inside Llewyn Davis
9. Captain Phillips
10. Mud
Best Actor 2013:
1. Matthew McConaughey for DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
2. Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
3. Bruce Dern for NEBRASKA
4. Tom Hanks for CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
5. Leonardo DiCaprio for THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Actress 2013:
1. Cate Blanchett for BLUE JASMINE
2. Sandra Bullock for GRAVITY
3. Judi Dench for PHILOMENA
4. Meryl Streep for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
5. Emma Thompson for SAVING MR. BANKS
Best Supporting Actor 2013:
1. Jared Leto for DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
2. Michael Fassbender for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
3. Barkhad Abdi for CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
4. Daniel Bruhl for RUSH
5. Jonah Hill for THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Supporting Actress 2013:
1. Lupita Nyong’o for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
2. June Squibb for NEBRASKA
3. Jennifer Lawrence for AMERICAN HUSTLE
4. Julia Roberts for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
5. Sally Hawkins for BLUE JASMINE
Best Director 2013:
1. Alfonso Cuaron for GRAVITY
2. Steve McQueen for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
3. Alexander Payne for NEBRASKA
4. David O. Russell for AMERICAN HUSTLE
5. Martin Scorsese for THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Foreign-Language Film 2013:
1. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
2. THE HUNT
3. THE GREAT BEAUTY
4. THE WIND RISES
5. THE GRANDMASTER
Best Documentary Film 2013:
1. TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM
2. THE ACT OF KILLING
3. STORIES WE TELL
4. BLACKFISH
5. THE GATEKEEPERS
Best Animated Film 2013:
1. FROZEN
2. DESPICABLE ME 2
Best Screenplay 2013:
1. John Ridley for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
2. TIE: Bob Nelson for NEBRASKA and Spike Jonze for HER
Best Cinematography 2013:
1. Emmanuel Lubezki for GRAVITY
2. Sean Bobbitt for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Best Musical Score 2013:
Steven Price for GRAVITY
Russell Smith Award: FRUITVALE STATION
(The award is named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film.)
END
Thursday, December 19, 2013
San Francisco Film Critics Choose "12 Years a Slave"
by Amos Semien
The San Francisco Film Critics Circle chose 12 Years a Slave as the "Best Picture" of 2013, one of three awards the group gave to the film. American Hustle and Gravity were also big winners.
The San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCC) was founded in 2002 and is comprised of critics from Bay Area publications. Its membership includes film journalists from the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune, the Contra Costa Times, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, the East Bay Express, KRON-TV, Variety, and RottenTomatoes.com, among others.
2013 SAN FRANCISCO FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS:
Best Picture
AMERICAN HUSTLE
GRAVITY
NEBRASKA
WINNER – 12 YEARS A SLAVE
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Director
WINNER – Alfonso Cuaron, GRAVITY
Spike Jonze, HER
Steve McQueen, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
David O. Russell, AMERICAN HUSTLE
Martin Scorsese, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Actor
Bruce Dern, NEBRASKA
Leonardo DiCaprio, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
WINNER – Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Matthew McConaughey, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Robert Redford, ALL IS LOST
Best Actress
WINNER – Cate Blanchett, BLUE JASMINE
Sandra Bullock, GRAVITY
Judi Dench, PHILOMENA
Adele Exarchopolous, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
Brie Larson, SHORT TERM 12
Meryl Streep, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
Michael Fassbender, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Harrison Ford, 42
Will Forte, NEBRASKA
WINNER – James Franco, SPRING BREAKERS
Jared Leto, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Best Supporting Actress
WINNER – Jennifer Lawrence, AMERICAN HUSTLE
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Lea Seydoux, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
Octavia Spencer, FRUITVALE STATION
June Squibb, NEBRASKA
Best Screenplay, Original
WINNER – AMERICAN HUSTLE, Eric Singer and David O. Russell
GRAVITY, Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron
HER, Spike Jonze
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Joel and Ethan Coen
NEBRASKA, Bob Nelson
Best Screenplay, Adapted
BEFORE MIDNIGHT, Richard Linklater; Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke
PHILOMENA, Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
THE SPECTACULAR NOW, Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber
WINNER – 12 YEARS A SLAVE, John Ridley
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, Terence Winter
Best Cinematography
WINNER – GRAVITY, Emmanuel Lubezki
HER, Hoyte Van Hoytema
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Bruno Delbonnel
NEBRASKA, Phedon Papamichael
12 YEARS A SLAVE, Sean Bobbitt
Best Production Design
AMERICAN HUSTLE, Judy Becker
WINNER – GRAVITY, Andy Nicholson
HER, K. K. Barrett
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Jess Gonchor
12 YEARS A SLAVE, Adam Stockhausen
Best Editing
ALL IS LOST, Pete Beaudreau
AMERICAN HUSTLE, Alan Baumgarten; Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, Christopher Rouse
WINNER – GRAVITY, Alfonso Cuaron and Mark Sanger
12 YEARS A SLAVE, Joe Walker
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, Thelma Schoonmaker
Best Animated Feature
THE CROODS
DESPICABLE ME
WINNER – FROZEN
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY
THE WIND RISES
Best Foreign Language Picture
WINNER – BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
A HIJACKING
THE HUNT
THE PAST
WADJDA
Best Documentary
WINNER – THE ACT OF KILLING
THE ARMSTRONG LIE
BLACKFISH
STORIES WE TELL
TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM
(6 nominations in a category indicates a tie)
Marlon Riggs Award for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community:
Ryan Coogler for putting a human face to murder victim Oscar Grant in FRUITVALE STATION and to former Roxie Theater executive director Christopher Statton for putting the Roxie onto more solid ground by transforming it into a nonprofit enterprise.
Special Citation for under-appreciated independent cinema:
COMPUTER CHESS, Andrew Bujalski’s comedy merges documentary techniques and old video technologies to make light of the ’80s race to build a winning computer-chess program.
END
The San Francisco Film Critics Circle chose 12 Years a Slave as the "Best Picture" of 2013, one of three awards the group gave to the film. American Hustle and Gravity were also big winners.
The San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCC) was founded in 2002 and is comprised of critics from Bay Area publications. Its membership includes film journalists from the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune, the Contra Costa Times, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, the East Bay Express, KRON-TV, Variety, and RottenTomatoes.com, among others.
2013 SAN FRANCISCO FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS:
Best Picture
AMERICAN HUSTLE
GRAVITY
NEBRASKA
WINNER – 12 YEARS A SLAVE
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Director
WINNER – Alfonso Cuaron, GRAVITY
Spike Jonze, HER
Steve McQueen, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
David O. Russell, AMERICAN HUSTLE
Martin Scorsese, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Best Actor
Bruce Dern, NEBRASKA
Leonardo DiCaprio, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
WINNER – Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Matthew McConaughey, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Robert Redford, ALL IS LOST
Best Actress
WINNER – Cate Blanchett, BLUE JASMINE
Sandra Bullock, GRAVITY
Judi Dench, PHILOMENA
Adele Exarchopolous, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
Brie Larson, SHORT TERM 12
Meryl Streep, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
Michael Fassbender, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Harrison Ford, 42
Will Forte, NEBRASKA
WINNER – James Franco, SPRING BREAKERS
Jared Leto, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Best Supporting Actress
WINNER – Jennifer Lawrence, AMERICAN HUSTLE
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Lea Seydoux, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
Octavia Spencer, FRUITVALE STATION
June Squibb, NEBRASKA
Best Screenplay, Original
WINNER – AMERICAN HUSTLE, Eric Singer and David O. Russell
GRAVITY, Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron
HER, Spike Jonze
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Joel and Ethan Coen
NEBRASKA, Bob Nelson
Best Screenplay, Adapted
BEFORE MIDNIGHT, Richard Linklater; Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke
PHILOMENA, Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
THE SPECTACULAR NOW, Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber
WINNER – 12 YEARS A SLAVE, John Ridley
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, Terence Winter
Best Cinematography
WINNER – GRAVITY, Emmanuel Lubezki
HER, Hoyte Van Hoytema
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Bruno Delbonnel
NEBRASKA, Phedon Papamichael
12 YEARS A SLAVE, Sean Bobbitt
Best Production Design
AMERICAN HUSTLE, Judy Becker
WINNER – GRAVITY, Andy Nicholson
HER, K. K. Barrett
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Jess Gonchor
12 YEARS A SLAVE, Adam Stockhausen
Best Editing
ALL IS LOST, Pete Beaudreau
AMERICAN HUSTLE, Alan Baumgarten; Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, Christopher Rouse
WINNER – GRAVITY, Alfonso Cuaron and Mark Sanger
12 YEARS A SLAVE, Joe Walker
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, Thelma Schoonmaker
Best Animated Feature
THE CROODS
DESPICABLE ME
WINNER – FROZEN
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY
THE WIND RISES
Best Foreign Language Picture
WINNER – BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
A HIJACKING
THE HUNT
THE PAST
WADJDA
Best Documentary
WINNER – THE ACT OF KILLING
THE ARMSTRONG LIE
BLACKFISH
STORIES WE TELL
TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM
(6 nominations in a category indicates a tie)
Marlon Riggs Award for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community:
Ryan Coogler for putting a human face to murder victim Oscar Grant in FRUITVALE STATION and to former Roxie Theater executive director Christopher Statton for putting the Roxie onto more solid ground by transforming it into a nonprofit enterprise.
Special Citation for under-appreciated independent cinema:
COMPUTER CHESS, Andrew Bujalski’s comedy merges documentary techniques and old video technologies to make light of the ’80s race to build a winning computer-chess program.
END
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
"12 Years a Slave" Best Film of 2013 Sez Chicago Film Critics
by Amos Semien
The film, 12 Years a Slave, owned the 2013 Chicago Film Critics Awards, winning the “Best Picture” award. This film is based on a true story: Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir of being a once-free black man from the North, kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South in the years leading up to Civil War.
The Chicago Film Critics Association gave the film five awards: Best Director to Steve McQueen, Best Actor to Chiwetel Ejiofor, Best Supporting Actress to newcomer Luptia Nyong'o, Adapted Screenplay to John Ridley, as well as Best Picture.
Director Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity was the runner-up with three awards: Best Cinematography to Emmanuel Lubezki, Best Art Direction/Production Design to Mark Scruton and Andy Nicholson and Best Editing to Cuaron and Mark Sanger.
The CFCA awards were announced at a ceremony held on Monday, December 16, 2013.
2013 Chicago Film Critics Awards winners:
BEST PICTURE
12 Years A Slave
BEST DIRECTOR
Steve McQueen--12 Years A Slave
BEST ACTOR
Chiwetel Ejiofor--12 Years A Slave
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett--Blue Jasmine
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jared Leto--Dallas Buyers Club
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lupita Nyong'o--12 Years A Slave
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Spike Jonze--Her
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
John Ridley--12 Years A Slave
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Act of Killing
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The Act of Killing
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Wind Rises
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Her--Arcade Fire
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Gravity--Emmanuel Lubezki
BEST EDITING
Gravity--Alfonso Cuaron & Mark Sanger
BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
Gravity--Mark Scruton/Andy Nicolson
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Adele Exarchopoulos--Blue is the Warmest Color
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Destin Cretton--Short Term 12
http://www.chicagofilmcritics.org/
END
The film, 12 Years a Slave, owned the 2013 Chicago Film Critics Awards, winning the “Best Picture” award. This film is based on a true story: Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir of being a once-free black man from the North, kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South in the years leading up to Civil War.
The Chicago Film Critics Association gave the film five awards: Best Director to Steve McQueen, Best Actor to Chiwetel Ejiofor, Best Supporting Actress to newcomer Luptia Nyong'o, Adapted Screenplay to John Ridley, as well as Best Picture.
Director Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity was the runner-up with three awards: Best Cinematography to Emmanuel Lubezki, Best Art Direction/Production Design to Mark Scruton and Andy Nicholson and Best Editing to Cuaron and Mark Sanger.
The CFCA awards were announced at a ceremony held on Monday, December 16, 2013.
2013 Chicago Film Critics Awards winners:
BEST PICTURE
12 Years A Slave
BEST DIRECTOR
Steve McQueen--12 Years A Slave
BEST ACTOR
Chiwetel Ejiofor--12 Years A Slave
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett--Blue Jasmine
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jared Leto--Dallas Buyers Club
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lupita Nyong'o--12 Years A Slave
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Spike Jonze--Her
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
John Ridley--12 Years A Slave
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Act of Killing
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The Act of Killing
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Wind Rises
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Her--Arcade Fire
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Gravity--Emmanuel Lubezki
BEST EDITING
Gravity--Alfonso Cuaron & Mark Sanger
BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
Gravity--Mark Scruton/Andy Nicolson
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Adele Exarchopoulos--Blue is the Warmest Color
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Destin Cretton--Short Term 12
http://www.chicagofilmcritics.org/
END
"12 Years a Slave" 2013's Best Picture Sez Online Film Critics Society
by Amos Semien
The Online Film Critics Society announced the recipients of the 17th annual OFCS awards for excellence in film. Over 250 members voted in this year’s awards.
Director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave was the standout with five wins. The film is based on Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir about his life after being kidnapped into slavery. It earned recognitions for “Best Picture,” “Best Actor” (Chiwetel Ejiofor), “Best Supporting Actor” (Michael Fassbender), “Best Supporting Actress” (Lupita Nyong’o), and “Best Adapted Screenplay” (John Ridley). McQueen lost “Best Director” to Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity.
The Online Film Critics Society 2013 Film Awards Winners:
Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Best Animated Feature: The Wind Rises
Best Film Not in the English Language: Blue Is the Warmest Color
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Screenplay: Her
Best Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave
Best Editing: Gravity
Best Cinematography: Gravity
Special Awards:
Best Sound Design and Best Visual Effects to Gravity
To Roger Ebert, for inspiring so many of our members
Top Ten films Without a U.S. Release:
Closed Curtain
Gloria
Like Father, Like Son
Our Sunhi
R100
The Rocket
Stranger By the Lake
We Are the Best!
Le Weekend
Why Don’t You Play in Hell?
http://www.ofcs.org/
END
The Online Film Critics Society announced the recipients of the 17th annual OFCS awards for excellence in film. Over 250 members voted in this year’s awards.
Director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave was the standout with five wins. The film is based on Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir about his life after being kidnapped into slavery. It earned recognitions for “Best Picture,” “Best Actor” (Chiwetel Ejiofor), “Best Supporting Actor” (Michael Fassbender), “Best Supporting Actress” (Lupita Nyong’o), and “Best Adapted Screenplay” (John Ridley). McQueen lost “Best Director” to Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity.
The Online Film Critics Society 2013 Film Awards Winners:
Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Best Animated Feature: The Wind Rises
Best Film Not in the English Language: Blue Is the Warmest Color
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Screenplay: Her
Best Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave
Best Editing: Gravity
Best Cinematography: Gravity
Special Awards:
Best Sound Design and Best Visual Effects to Gravity
To Roger Ebert, for inspiring so many of our members
Top Ten films Without a U.S. Release:
Closed Curtain
Gloria
Like Father, Like Son
Our Sunhi
R100
The Rocket
Stranger By the Lake
We Are the Best!
Le Weekend
Why Don’t You Play in Hell?
http://www.ofcs.org/
END
Sunday, December 15, 2013
"12 Years a Slave" Leads Chicago Film Critics Awards Nominations
by Amos Semien
The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization that hands out the Chicago Film Critics Awards, hold critics roundtables, and takes on industry and artists’ rights issues. The parent association was founded in 1990 by film critic Sue Kiner after the successful launch of the Chicago Film Critics Awards in 1989.
The nominations for the 2013 Chicago Film Critics Awards were recently announced. Director Steven McQueen's 12 Years a Slave led all contenders for the group’s annual awards with a stunning 11 nominations. The highly acclaimed drama is a harrowing adaptation of the memoir of a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War era Deep South. Tying for second place with seven nominations each are the films, Gravity and Her.
The Chicago Film Critics Association will announce its winners in a ceremony to be held on the evening of Monday, December 16, 2013.
2013 Chicago Film Critics Awards nominees:
BEST PICTURE
12 Years A Slave
American Hustle
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
BEST DIRECTOR
Joel & Ethan Coen--Inside Llewyn Davis
Alfonso Cuaron--Gravity
Spike Jonze--Her
Steve McQueen--12 Years A Slave
David O. Russell--American Hustle
BEST ACTOR
Bruce Dern--Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor--12 Years A Slave
Oscar Isaac--Inside Llewyn Davis
Matthew McConaughey--Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford--All Is Lost
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett--Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock--Gravity
Adele Exarchopoulos--Blue is the Warmest Color
Brie Larson--Short Term 12
Meryl Streep--August: Osage County
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi--Captain Phillips
Michael Fassbender--12 Years A Slave
James Franco--Spring Breakers
James Gandolfini--Enough Said
Jared Leto--Dallas Buyers Club
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Scarlett Johansson--Her
Jennifer Lawrence--American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o--12 Years A Slave
Lea Seydoux--Blue is the Warmest Color
June Squibb--Nebraska
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
American Hustle--Eric SInger & David O. Russell
Blue Jasmine--Woody Allen
Her--Spike Jonze
Inside Llewyn Davis--Joel & Ethan Coen
Nebraska--Bob Nelson
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
12 Years A Slave--John Ridley
August: Osage County--Tracey Letts
Before Midnight--Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke
Philomena--Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope
The Wolf of Wall Street--Terrence Winter
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The Act of Killing
Blue is the Warmest Color
The Hunt
Wadjda
The Wind Rises
BEST DOCUMENTARY
20 Feet from Stardom
The Act of Killing
The Armstrong Lie
Blackfish
Stories We Tell
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Croods
From Up on Poppy Hill
Frozen
Monsters University
The Wind Rises
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
12 Years A Slave--Sean Bobbitt
Gravity--Emmanuel Lubezki
Her--Hoyte Van Hoytema
Inside Llewyn Davis--Bruno Delbonnel
Prisoners--Roger Deakins
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
12 Years A Slave--Hans Zimmer
Blancanieves--Alfonso de Vilallongo
Gravity--Steven Price
Her--Arcade Fire
Spring Breakers--Cliff Martinez and Skrillex
BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
12 Years A Slave
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
BEST EDITING
12 Years A Slave--Joe Walker
American Hustle--Alan Baumgarten, Jay Cassidy & Crispin Struthers
Gravity--Alfonso Cuaron & Mark Sanger
Upstream Color--Shane Carruth & David Lowery
The Wolf of Wall Street--Thelma Schoonmaker
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Lake Bell--In A World
Ryan Coogler--Fruitvale Station
Destin Cretton--Short Term 12
Joseph Gordon-Levitt--Don Jon
Joshua Oppenheimer--The Act of Killing
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Barkhad Abdi--Captain Phillips
Chadwick Boseman--42
Adele Exarchopoulos--Blue is the Warmest Color
Lupita Nyong'o--12 Years A Slave
Tye Sheridan--Mud
http://www.chicagofilmcritics.org/
END
The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization that hands out the Chicago Film Critics Awards, hold critics roundtables, and takes on industry and artists’ rights issues. The parent association was founded in 1990 by film critic Sue Kiner after the successful launch of the Chicago Film Critics Awards in 1989.
The nominations for the 2013 Chicago Film Critics Awards were recently announced. Director Steven McQueen's 12 Years a Slave led all contenders for the group’s annual awards with a stunning 11 nominations. The highly acclaimed drama is a harrowing adaptation of the memoir of a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War era Deep South. Tying for second place with seven nominations each are the films, Gravity and Her.
The Chicago Film Critics Association will announce its winners in a ceremony to be held on the evening of Monday, December 16, 2013.
2013 Chicago Film Critics Awards nominees:
BEST PICTURE
12 Years A Slave
American Hustle
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
BEST DIRECTOR
Joel & Ethan Coen--Inside Llewyn Davis
Alfonso Cuaron--Gravity
Spike Jonze--Her
Steve McQueen--12 Years A Slave
David O. Russell--American Hustle
BEST ACTOR
Bruce Dern--Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor--12 Years A Slave
Oscar Isaac--Inside Llewyn Davis
Matthew McConaughey--Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford--All Is Lost
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett--Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock--Gravity
Adele Exarchopoulos--Blue is the Warmest Color
Brie Larson--Short Term 12
Meryl Streep--August: Osage County
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi--Captain Phillips
Michael Fassbender--12 Years A Slave
James Franco--Spring Breakers
James Gandolfini--Enough Said
Jared Leto--Dallas Buyers Club
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Scarlett Johansson--Her
Jennifer Lawrence--American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o--12 Years A Slave
Lea Seydoux--Blue is the Warmest Color
June Squibb--Nebraska
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
American Hustle--Eric SInger & David O. Russell
Blue Jasmine--Woody Allen
Her--Spike Jonze
Inside Llewyn Davis--Joel & Ethan Coen
Nebraska--Bob Nelson
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
12 Years A Slave--John Ridley
August: Osage County--Tracey Letts
Before Midnight--Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke
Philomena--Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope
The Wolf of Wall Street--Terrence Winter
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The Act of Killing
Blue is the Warmest Color
The Hunt
Wadjda
The Wind Rises
BEST DOCUMENTARY
20 Feet from Stardom
The Act of Killing
The Armstrong Lie
Blackfish
Stories We Tell
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Croods
From Up on Poppy Hill
Frozen
Monsters University
The Wind Rises
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
12 Years A Slave--Sean Bobbitt
Gravity--Emmanuel Lubezki
Her--Hoyte Van Hoytema
Inside Llewyn Davis--Bruno Delbonnel
Prisoners--Roger Deakins
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
12 Years A Slave--Hans Zimmer
Blancanieves--Alfonso de Vilallongo
Gravity--Steven Price
Her--Arcade Fire
Spring Breakers--Cliff Martinez and Skrillex
BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
12 Years A Slave
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
BEST EDITING
12 Years A Slave--Joe Walker
American Hustle--Alan Baumgarten, Jay Cassidy & Crispin Struthers
Gravity--Alfonso Cuaron & Mark Sanger
Upstream Color--Shane Carruth & David Lowery
The Wolf of Wall Street--Thelma Schoonmaker
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Lake Bell--In A World
Ryan Coogler--Fruitvale Station
Destin Cretton--Short Term 12
Joseph Gordon-Levitt--Don Jon
Joshua Oppenheimer--The Act of Killing
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Barkhad Abdi--Captain Phillips
Chadwick Boseman--42
Adele Exarchopoulos--Blue is the Warmest Color
Lupita Nyong'o--12 Years A Slave
Tye Sheridan--Mud
http://www.chicagofilmcritics.org/
END
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Washington DC Film Critics Choose "12 Years a Slave"
by Amos Semien
The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association named director 12 Years a Slave the "Best Film" of 2013. Steve McQueen's acclaimed film led all films with 11 nominations and ultimately won six, including "Best Actor" for Chiwetel Ejiofor and "Best Supporting Actress" for Lupita Nyong'o.
Founded in 2002, The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) is comprised of professional DC-based film critics with affiliations in television, radio, print and the internet. As of 2013, WAFCA has grown to include 58 dedicated members from the District, Maryland and Virginia.
THE 2013 WAFCA AWARD WINNERS:
Best Film:
12 Years a Slave
Best Director:
Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
Best Actor:
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Best Supporting Actor:
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
Best Supporting Actress:
Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
Best Acting Ensemble:
12 Years a Slave
Best Youth Performance:
Tye Sheridan (Mud)
Best Adapted Screenplay:
John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)
Best Original Screenplay:
Spike Jonze (Her)
Best Animated Feature:
Frozen
Best Documentary:
Blackfish
Best Foreign Language Film:
The Broken Circle Breakdown
Best Art Direction:
Production Designer: Catherine Martin, Set Decorator: Beverley Dunn (The Great Gatsby)
Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, A.M.C. (Gravity)
Best Editing:
Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger (Gravity)
Best Original Score:
Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)
The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:
Lee Daniels' The Butler
http://www.wafca.com/index.htm
END
The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association named director 12 Years a Slave the "Best Film" of 2013. Steve McQueen's acclaimed film led all films with 11 nominations and ultimately won six, including "Best Actor" for Chiwetel Ejiofor and "Best Supporting Actress" for Lupita Nyong'o.
Founded in 2002, The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) is comprised of professional DC-based film critics with affiliations in television, radio, print and the internet. As of 2013, WAFCA has grown to include 58 dedicated members from the District, Maryland and Virginia.
THE 2013 WAFCA AWARD WINNERS:
Best Film:
12 Years a Slave
Best Director:
Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
Best Actor:
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Best Supporting Actor:
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
Best Supporting Actress:
Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
Best Acting Ensemble:
12 Years a Slave
Best Youth Performance:
Tye Sheridan (Mud)
Best Adapted Screenplay:
John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)
Best Original Screenplay:
Spike Jonze (Her)
Best Animated Feature:
Frozen
Best Documentary:
Blackfish
Best Foreign Language Film:
The Broken Circle Breakdown
Best Art Direction:
Production Designer: Catherine Martin, Set Decorator: Beverley Dunn (The Great Gatsby)
Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, A.M.C. (Gravity)
Best Editing:
Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger (Gravity)
Best Original Score:
Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)
The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:
Lee Daniels' The Butler
http://www.wafca.com/index.htm
END
Monday, November 18, 2013
Review: "Undercover Brother" Timeless and Funny
Undercover Brother (2002)
Running time: 86 minutes (1 hour, 26 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for language, sexual humor, drug content and campy violence
DIRECTOR: Malcolm D. Lee
WRITERS: John Ridley and Malcolm McCullers, from a story by John Ridley (based upon the Internet series by John Ridley)
PRODUCERS: Brian Grazer, Michael Jenkinson, and Damon Lee
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tom Priestley Jr.
EDITOR: William Kerr
COMPOSER: Stanley Clarke
COMEDY/ACTION
Starring: Eddie Griffin, Chris Kattan, Denise Richards, Aunjanue Ellis, Dave Chappelle, Chi McBride, Gary Anthony Williams, Neil Patrick Harris, Billy Dee Williams, Robert Trumbull, J.D. Hall (voice), William Taylor
The subject of this movie review is Undercover Brother, a 2002 comedy and action film from director Malcolm D. Lee. The movie is based on an original Internet animated series created by screenwriter John Ridley. The movie spoofs 1970s blaxploitation films and also James Bond movies via the character “Undercover Brother.” Undercover Brother the movie focuses on a group of secret agents trying to stop “The Man” from derailing an African-American candidate’s presidential campaign.
As a comedy, Undercover Brother, a broad parody of black exploitation films and 70’s Afro-American pop culture, focuses on its characters rather than its simple storyline and straightforward, but thin plot. A light plot is a treacherous path for a film; especially in light of how uneven previous blaxtiploitation parodies were, focusing almost entirely on skewering preconceptions rather than telling a story.
This includes Hollywood Shuffle and I’m Gonna Git you Sucka. Both films rapidly ran out of steam, and Shuffle, which also skewered stereotypes of black people in mainstream Hollywood films, struggled with being both a comedy and social satire. Sucka tried to be both a parody and a conventional action movie (or it certainly seemed that way) and often failed on both counts.
Undercover Brother doesn’t have any of those problems because it’s a straight yuck fest. Any social commentary on the relationships between the skin colors is either simply coincidental or so slyly and quickly interjected that the audience will either miss it or ignore it. Director Malcolm D. Lee (Spike Lee’s cousin and the director of The Best Man) carefully navigates the dangerous straits that are parodies. He keeps things moving, and with a script that makes almost every word an integral part of a joke, he doesn’t have to deal with nuisances like character development. I do have to give the film credit because the jokes are little sharper than they appear. It’s like the mainstream gets to join the mostly black cast for the laughs, but it’s as if the creators aren’t letting them in on the entire joke because “they” might be the punch line.
In the plot, a lone black agent, Undercover Brother (Eddie Griffin), joins B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., an organization engaged in a secret war against The Man (voice of J.D. Hall), an evil figure who wants to reverse the influence of African-Americans on white American culture. The Man also wants to derail the candidacy of a promising black presidential hopeful (Billy Dee Williams) by controlling his mind. Undercover Brother must also face off against The Man’s main henchman, Mr. Feather (Chris Kattan). Crazed and struggling with own attraction to hip-hop culture, Mr. Feather unleashes the one weapon sure to bring a brother down, an attractive white woman in the form of White She Devil (Denise Richards).
Well, I laughed a lot, and I think that anyone who likes black exploitation films, 70’s black cinema, and movies that poke fun at such will like Brother. The acting is good enough, although Chris Kattan and Dave Chappelle struggle with over the top characters whose routines are too long and often wear out their welcome. Denise Richards, an underrated actress because people focus on her stunningly good looks and super fine body, is underutilized in the film. White She Devil’s successful quest to conquer Brother is funny, the best parody and only true satire in the film, but once her part is over, she is reduced to window dressing. It’s a shame because the dynamic between Brother, White She Devil and the savvy Sistah Girl (Aunjanue Ellis), who is not big on the idea of a black man sleeping with a white woman, is the film’s best subplot.
My reservations aside, I want to see this movie again because what it does well it does oh-so-damn well. The filmmakers are incredibly inspired and when they’re on in this film, I laughed as hard as I’ve ever done watching any movie. Comedy is tricky, so I can only give kudos to this solid effort. And, hey, I have to give props for the film’s large cast of African-Americans.
7 of 10
B+
NOTES:
2003 Black Reel Awards: 6 nominations: “Theatrical - Best Actress” (Aunjanue Ellis), “Theatrical - Best Director” (Malcolm D. Lee), “Theatrical - Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted)” (John Ridley), “Best Film Soundtrack,” “Best Film Poster,” and “Best Song” (Snoop Dogg-performer, Bootsy Collins-performer and song writer, George S. Clinton-song writer, Jerome Brailey-song writer, and Fred Wesley-performer for the song “Undercova Brother (We Got the Funk”)
Updated: Monday, November 18, 2013
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Review: "Red Tails" Has Wings
Red Tails (2012)
Running time: 125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some sequences of war violence
DIRECTOR: Anthony Hemingway
WRITERS: John Ridley and Aaron McGruder; from a story by John Ridley
PRODUCERS: Rick McCallum and Charles F. Johnson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John B. Aronson
EDITORS: Ben Burtt and Michael O'Halloran
COMPOSER: Terence Blanchard
WAR/DRAMA/HISTORICAL
Starring: Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Tristan Wilds, Elijah Kelley, Ne-Yo, Kevin Phillips, Bryan Cranston, Lee Tergensen, Gerald McRaney, Daniela Ruah, Marcus T. Paulk, Leslie Odom, Jr., Michael B. Jordan, Andre Royo, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, and Lars van Riesen
The subject of this movie review is Red Tails, a 2012 war film and historical drama produced by Lucasfilm and released by 20th Century Fox. Starring Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr., Red Tails is a fictionalized portrayal of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American servicemen who served in the United States Air Force (USAAF) during World War II. George Lucas financed Red Tails (both production and distributions costs) and also directed re-shoots for the film.
Red Tails is set in Italy, 1944. The 332d Fighter Group of young African-American (called “Negroes”) USAAF pilots have already made it through recruitment and training in the Tuskegee training program. They have endured racism, and, now that they are in Europe, are still facing segregation from their white counterparts. In fact, they have not flown a single combat mission, but instead conduct strafing runs against German targets and also fly coastal patrols. Even their planes are secondhand, worn out Curtiss P-40 Warhawk aircraft.
Back in Washington, Colonel A.J. Bullard (Terrence Howard) is fighting the white bureaucracy to get his black flyers treated as equals. Meanwhile, in Italy, Major Emanuel Stance (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is keeping his bored men in fighting shape. Opportunity comes when Bullard is asked to have his fighter pilots act as bomber escorts for the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. There is an unacceptably high casualty rate among bomber crews mainly because of the actions of their current escorts. Bullard accepts and also manages to get new planes, North American P-51 Mustangs, for the 332d. With the tails of their aircraft painted bright red, these African-American flyers become known as the “Red Tails.” Now, can they prove themselves to the doubters?
Apparently, the critical consensus on Red Tails is that the film has “one-dimensional characters, corny dialogue, and heaps of clichés.” With the exception of Platoon and a few others, war movies are inherently clichéd. As for the corny dialogue, which is another staple of war films (old and new), that is true, but it is so infrequent that it stands out when someone does utter something trite or contrived.
As for the characters, they are anything but one-dimensional. They are fairly complicated, especially in terms of their motivations, external and internal conflicts, hopes, dreams, and fears. The screenplay is a bit light on the characters’ past, but the most important thing that the audience needs to know about the characters’ past is known. What is that? Well, that is the fact that they are black and that bigots and racists have been trying to hold them back and hurt them all their lives. “Nuff said.
Red Tails isn’t as heavy and dramatic as a war movie like Saving Private Ryan; in fact, sometimes, Red Tails’ drama is a little soft, like a sentimental television movie. Red Tails’ most potent drama comes from the aviation sequences, especially the aerial battles. When the Tuskegee airmen are in the air, the film soars. The scenes of aerial combat are exciting and skillfully executed, but what else would we expect from Lucasfilm, the people who gave us the soaring spacecraft in the Star Wars films.
Some viewers may be put off that Red Tails is a dramatic retelling of a real group of men and their exploits during World War II. Red Tails is more historical fiction than history, but it is still a truly exceptional film. I am just happy that someone made a film to acknowledge the contribution black servicemen made during World War II, because African-American are generally absent when Hollywood visits World War II. I bet many of those same people complaining about Red Tails’ historical inaccuracies never previously gave a thought to the absence of Black men in WWII films.
George Lucas’ 93 million dollar investment in this project is not at all wasted. It is a lovely gift to African-American history and film, and it is a damn good film, also. By the time Red Tails’ end credits faded away, I still could have watched another two hours just like it.
8 of 10
A
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
George Lucas' "Red Tails" Now on Blu-ray and DVD
FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER GEORGE LUCAS COMES THE INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF THE MEN WHOSE BRAVERY MADE THEM HEROES AND WHOSE ACTIONS MADE HISTORY
RED TAILS
Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. Lead an All-Star Cast In The High-Octane Action-Adventure Coming to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download Just in Time for Memorial Day on May 22
Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment present the remarkable story of an inspirational group of men whose legendary bravery was cemented in the sky in RED TAILS, soaring onto Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Download May 22. Set for release just prior to Memorial Day, RED TAILS stars Academy Award® Winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire) and Academy Award Nominee Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow) leading a powerful ensemble cast in this high-flying epic inspired by the real-life adventures of the first African-American combat unit to serve in World War II.
Italy, 1944. As the war takes its toll on Allied forces in Europe, a squadron of black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the sky... even as they battle discrimination on the ground. Featuring jaw-dropping aerial action and thrilling special effects, RED TAILS is a breathtaking tribute to the unsung heroes who rose above extraordinary challenges and ultimately soared into history.
Directed by Anthony Hemingway, RED TAILS features an extraordinary cast which includes David Oyelowo (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Nate Parker (The Secret Life of Bees), Elijah Kelly (Hairspray), Tristan Wilds (“90210”), Method Man (“The Wire”), Ne-Yo (Stomp The Yard), Michael B. Jordon (Chronicle), Leslie Odom, Jr. (“Smash”), Marcus T. Paulk (Take the Lead), Kevin Philips (Pride), Andre Royo (“The Wire”), Daniela Ruah (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Gerald McRaney (“Major Dad”), Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”). The film was produced by Rick McCallum and Charles Floyd Johnson and written by John Ridley and Aaron McGruder.
The RED TAILS Blu-ray™ is loaded with special features including the documentary Double Victory along with profiles of the filmmakers and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The Blu-ray™ and DVD will be available for an average retail price of $25.00 and $20.00 respectively. Prebook is April 25.
RED TAILS Blu-ray Combo Pack Special Features
Double Victory: The Tuskegee Airmen at War
George Lucas: Executive Producer
Anthony Hemingway: Director
Terence Blanchard: Composer
The Cast of Red Tails
Movie Magic
THX Media Director
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.
http://www.redtails2012.com/
Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt
RED TAILS Blu-ray
Street Date: May 22, 2012
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Total Run Time: 3 hours, 52 minutes (including bonus material)
Closed Captioned: Yes
RED TAILS DVD
Street Date: May 22, 2012
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Total Run Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes (including bonus material)
Closed Captioned: Yes
RED TAILS
Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. Lead an All-Star Cast In The High-Octane Action-Adventure Coming to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download Just in Time for Memorial Day on May 22
Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment present the remarkable story of an inspirational group of men whose legendary bravery was cemented in the sky in RED TAILS, soaring onto Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Download May 22. Set for release just prior to Memorial Day, RED TAILS stars Academy Award® Winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire) and Academy Award Nominee Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow) leading a powerful ensemble cast in this high-flying epic inspired by the real-life adventures of the first African-American combat unit to serve in World War II.
Italy, 1944. As the war takes its toll on Allied forces in Europe, a squadron of black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the sky... even as they battle discrimination on the ground. Featuring jaw-dropping aerial action and thrilling special effects, RED TAILS is a breathtaking tribute to the unsung heroes who rose above extraordinary challenges and ultimately soared into history.
Directed by Anthony Hemingway, RED TAILS features an extraordinary cast which includes David Oyelowo (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Nate Parker (The Secret Life of Bees), Elijah Kelly (Hairspray), Tristan Wilds (“90210”), Method Man (“The Wire”), Ne-Yo (Stomp The Yard), Michael B. Jordon (Chronicle), Leslie Odom, Jr. (“Smash”), Marcus T. Paulk (Take the Lead), Kevin Philips (Pride), Andre Royo (“The Wire”), Daniela Ruah (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Gerald McRaney (“Major Dad”), Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”). The film was produced by Rick McCallum and Charles Floyd Johnson and written by John Ridley and Aaron McGruder.
The RED TAILS Blu-ray™ is loaded with special features including the documentary Double Victory along with profiles of the filmmakers and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The Blu-ray™ and DVD will be available for an average retail price of $25.00 and $20.00 respectively. Prebook is April 25.
RED TAILS Blu-ray Combo Pack Special Features
Double Victory: The Tuskegee Airmen at War
George Lucas: Executive Producer
Anthony Hemingway: Director
Terence Blanchard: Composer
The Cast of Red Tails
Movie Magic
THX Media Director
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.
http://www.redtails2012.com/
Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt
RED TAILS Blu-ray
Street Date: May 22, 2012
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Total Run Time: 3 hours, 52 minutes (including bonus material)
Closed Captioned: Yes
RED TAILS DVD
Street Date: May 22, 2012
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.40:1)
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English / French / Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG-13
Total Run Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes (including bonus material)
Closed Captioned: Yes
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Review: "Three Kings" Prophetic, Timeless, and Timely
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 102 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux
Three Kings (1999)
Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – R for graphic war violence, language and some sexuality
DIRECTOR: David O. Russell
WRITERS: David O. Russell, story by John Ridley
PRODUCERS: Paul Junger Witt, Edward L. McDonnell, and Charles Roven
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Newton Thomas Sigel
EDITOR: Robert K. Lambert
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell
ACTION/COMEDY/DRAMA/WAR
Starring: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Cliff Curtis, Nora Dunn, Jamie Kennedy, Mykelti Washington, Judy Greer, and Liz Stauber
David O. Russell’s (Flirting with Disaster) film Three Kings is set in the aftermath of the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm). Four soldiers set out to recover Iraqi gold that Saddam Hussein stole from Kuwait. Somewhere along the way, they discover that the people, the ordinary citizens caught between the United Nations (i.e. American) juggernaut and Saddam’s brutality, need the soldiers more than the soldiers need the gold.
This is obviously an anti-war picture, but that term is rather broad, as it is for many films that are war movies or take a hard look at war and strife. Shot in a palette of shifting and unusual colors, the film is as surrealistic as the experience of sudden and massive violence can be. In the end, it’s “anti-war” in the sense that it shows how the individual must confront his part in large scale violence, in which he exists as a servant and when the warlords are faceless bureaucrats and manic officers far away from the ground level violence. It’s also about how the little people, the one’s who have no say in how things are run, take the sucker punches. If this movie does one thing well, it is how it portrays the plight of the powerless.
The elements of the film: setting, story, and characters have a hard, visceral feel. The brutal edge bites deep into the soul and makes the viewer feel for the players. On the other hand, the film feels out of control and overly earnest, as if it’s screaming its message at you. That’s not off-putting, but the film often feels hollow because the chain of events are so predictable. From the first time the soldiers (ably played by George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze) encounter some Iraqi civilians getting beat up and shot, you know what’s coming. Clooney’s Maj. Archie Gates can’t leave them behind, and while Wahlberg’s Sfc. Troy Barlow first resists getting involved, he predictably relents. From that point, the Three Kings (Ice Cube’s SSgt. Chief Elgin is the third) are on an earnest holy mission; even Cube’s Elgin is made to play a pious man calling on a high authority to guide them.
Though it is well meaning and flashy, I do give Russell and story writer John Ridley credit for bluntly confronting the hypocrisy of the U.N.’s (once again, U.S.’s) public stance on why they were in Iraq the first time. Three Kings says a lot of things that needed to be said back then and are as relevant today as they were then. It’s a gut check to for a lethargic audience fat on the film treats that will inevitably lead them to tire of SFX tricks. To hear not one, but several characters, both military and civilian, in a film, confront war with such sarcasm, disdain, and sorrow is refreshing.
7 of 10
B+
NOTES:
2000 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actor” (Ice Cube)
Three Kings (1999)
Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – R for graphic war violence, language and some sexuality
DIRECTOR: David O. Russell
WRITERS: David O. Russell, story by John Ridley
PRODUCERS: Paul Junger Witt, Edward L. McDonnell, and Charles Roven
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Newton Thomas Sigel
EDITOR: Robert K. Lambert
COMPOSER: Carter Burwell
ACTION/COMEDY/DRAMA/WAR
Starring: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Cliff Curtis, Nora Dunn, Jamie Kennedy, Mykelti Washington, Judy Greer, and Liz Stauber
David O. Russell’s (Flirting with Disaster) film Three Kings is set in the aftermath of the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm). Four soldiers set out to recover Iraqi gold that Saddam Hussein stole from Kuwait. Somewhere along the way, they discover that the people, the ordinary citizens caught between the United Nations (i.e. American) juggernaut and Saddam’s brutality, need the soldiers more than the soldiers need the gold.
This is obviously an anti-war picture, but that term is rather broad, as it is for many films that are war movies or take a hard look at war and strife. Shot in a palette of shifting and unusual colors, the film is as surrealistic as the experience of sudden and massive violence can be. In the end, it’s “anti-war” in the sense that it shows how the individual must confront his part in large scale violence, in which he exists as a servant and when the warlords are faceless bureaucrats and manic officers far away from the ground level violence. It’s also about how the little people, the one’s who have no say in how things are run, take the sucker punches. If this movie does one thing well, it is how it portrays the plight of the powerless.
The elements of the film: setting, story, and characters have a hard, visceral feel. The brutal edge bites deep into the soul and makes the viewer feel for the players. On the other hand, the film feels out of control and overly earnest, as if it’s screaming its message at you. That’s not off-putting, but the film often feels hollow because the chain of events are so predictable. From the first time the soldiers (ably played by George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze) encounter some Iraqi civilians getting beat up and shot, you know what’s coming. Clooney’s Maj. Archie Gates can’t leave them behind, and while Wahlberg’s Sfc. Troy Barlow first resists getting involved, he predictably relents. From that point, the Three Kings (Ice Cube’s SSgt. Chief Elgin is the third) are on an earnest holy mission; even Cube’s Elgin is made to play a pious man calling on a high authority to guide them.
Though it is well meaning and flashy, I do give Russell and story writer John Ridley credit for bluntly confronting the hypocrisy of the U.N.’s (once again, U.S.’s) public stance on why they were in Iraq the first time. Three Kings says a lot of things that needed to be said back then and are as relevant today as they were then. It’s a gut check to for a lethargic audience fat on the film treats that will inevitably lead them to tire of SFX tricks. To hear not one, but several characters, both military and civilian, in a film, confront war with such sarcasm, disdain, and sorrow is refreshing.
7 of 10
B+
NOTES:
2000 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actor” (Ice Cube)
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