Film Review -- Django Unchained

In Quentin Tarantino's highly-anticipated, highly-explosive new film, Christoph Waltz plays Dr. King Schultz, a former German dentist in the Antebellum South now working as a bounty hunter. He frees slave Django (Jamie Foxx) in order to enlist his help in tracking down Django's notorious former owners. In exchange, Dr. Schultz agrees to help Django track down his wife. The search leads them to Mississippi -- specifically, to Candyland, owned by infamous plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Posing as businessmen looking to purchase one of Candie's Mandingo fighters (participants in a cruel, fight-to-the-death slave battle), they work their way into the plantation, where they identify Django's wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) and muster up a plan to free her. However, Candie's master house slave and confidante, Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) figures out the men's scheme, and alerts Candie -- and that's when all hell breaks loose. The film is quite violent (although nothing is explicit; no brains, guts, etc. and the blood is obviously fake), but there are some genuinely funny scenes -- the KKK "bag or no bag" sequence is particularly hilarious. The film is also chock-full of excellent performances all around. Waltz is fabulous, and is the frontrunner to take home his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar (in another Tarantino film), but he is really the main character, and being placed in the Supporting category almost seems like a cop-out (the Best Actor race, after all, is a lock). DiCaprio and Jackson give truly outstanding supporting performances that should definitely have been nominated. The film falls short of being an "A" film because of its absurd running time -- almost three hours when it could very well be at least an hour shorter. The long and dragged-out landscape, character close-up, and slow-motion shots played with music could definitely have been omitted, or at least cut. In any case, Django is fun, witty, and very well-acted and directed.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B+

2013 SAG Awards Predictions (and Winners!)

Here are my predictions for the 19th SAG Awards, airing TONIGHT. Honoring the work of actors, and voted on by actors, they are usually good indicators of Oscar frontrunners.

My predictions are bolded.

-- Here is the updated list, with the winners underlined! -- 

** I don't know why some names came out red, but for those I both underlined and italicized the winner.

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Leading Role

• Bradley Cooper / Pat - "Silver Linings Playbook" (The Weinstein Company)
• Daniel Day-Lewis / Abraham Lincoln - "Lincoln" (Touchstone Pictures)
• John Hawkes / Mark - "The Sessions" (FOX Searchlight)
• Hugh Jackman / Jean Valjean - "Les Misérables" (Universal Pictures)
• Denzel Washington / Whip Whitaker - "Flight" (Paramount Pictures)tures)

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role

• Jessica Chastain / Maya - "Zero Dark Thirty" (Columbia Pictures)
• Marion Cotillard / Stephanie - "Rust And Bone" (sony Pictures Classics)
• Jennifer Lawrence / Tiffany - "Silver Linings Playbook" (The Weinstein Company)
• Helen Mirren / Alma Reville - "Hitchcock" (FOX Searchlight)
• Naomi Watts / Maria - "The Impossible" (Summit Entertainment)

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role

• Alan Arkin / Lester Siegel - "Argo" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Javier Bardem / Silva - "Skyfall" (Columbia Pictures)
• Robert De Niro / Pat, Sr. - "Silver Linings Playbook" (The Weinstein Company)
• Philip Seymour Hoffman / Lancaster Dodd - "The Master" (The Weinstein Company)
• Tommy Lee Jones / Thaddeus Stevens - "Lincoln" (Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role

• Sally Field / Mary Todd Lincoln - "Lincoln" (Touchstone Pictures)
• Anne Hathaway / Fantine - "Les Misérables" (Universal Pictures)
• Helen Hunt / Cheryl - "The Sessions" (FOX Searchlight)
• Nicole Kidman / Charlotte Bless - "The Paperboy" (Millennium Entertainment)
• Maggie Smith / Muriel Donnelly - "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (FOX Searchlight)

Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture

Argo

• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• Les Misérables 
• Lincoln

Silver Linings Playbook

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Television Movie Or Miniseries

• Kevin Costner / "Devil Anse" Hatfield - "Hatfields & Mccoys" (History)
• Woody Harrelson / Steve Schmidt - "Game Change" (HBO)
• Ed Harris / John Mccain - "Game Change" (HBO)
• Clive Owen / Ernest Hemingway & "Hemingway & Gellhorn" (HBO)
• Bill Paxton / Randall Mccoy - "Hatfields & Mccoys" (History)

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Television Movie Or Miniseries

• Nicole Kidman / Martha Gellhorn - "Hemingway & Gellhorn" (HBO)
• Julianne Moore / Sarah Palin - "Game Change" (HBO)
• Charlotte Rampling / Eva Delectorskaya - "Restless" (Sundance Channel)
• Sigourney Weaver / Elaine Barrish Hammond - "Political Animals" (USA)
• Alfre Woodard / Ouiser - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Drama Series

• Steve Buscemi / Enoch "Nucky" Thompson - "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
• Bryan Cranston / Walter White - "Breaking Bad" (AMC)
• Jeff Daniels / Will Mcavoy - "The Newsroom" (HBO)
• Jon Hamm / Don Draper - "mad Men" (AMC)
• Damian Lewis / Nicholas Brody - "Homeland" (Showtime)

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Drama Series

• Claire Danes / Carrie Mathison - "Homeland" (Showtime)
• Michelle Dockery / Lady Mary Crawley - "Downton Abbey" (PBS)
• Jessica Lange / Sister Jude - "American Horror Story: Asylum" (FX)
• Julianna Margulies / Alicia Florrick - "The Good Wife" (CBS)
• Maggie Smith / Violet, Dowager Countess Of Grantham - "Downton Abbey" (PBS)

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Comedy Series

• Alec Baldwin / Jack Donaghy - "30 Rock" (NBC)
• Ty Burrell / Phil Dunphy - "Modern Family" (ABC)
• Louis C.K. / Louie - "Louie" (FX)
• Jim Parsons / Sheldon Cooper - "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)
• Eric Stonestreet / Cameron Tucker - "Modern Family" (ABC)

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Comedy Series

• Edie Falco / Jackie Peyton - "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
• Tina Fey / Liz Lemon - "30 Rock" (NBC)
• Amy Poehler / Leslie Knope - "parks And Recreation" (NBC)
• Sofia Vergara / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett - "Modern Family" (ABC)
• Betty White / Elka Ostrovsky - "Hot In Cleveland" (TV Land)

Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire (HBO)

Breaking Bad (AMC)

Downton Abbey (PBS)

Homeland (Showtime)

Mad Men (AMC)

Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Comedy Series

30 Rock (NBC)

The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Glee (FOX)

Modern Family (ABC)

Nurse Jackie (Showtime)

The Office (NBC)

Film Review -- Lincoln

Seven Spielberg's highly anticipated new picture stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, and Sally Field. The United States is in the middle of one of its greatest, most devastating wars, and President Abraham Lincoln (Day-Lewis) is tasked with the monumental task of preserving the Union and freeing its slaves. Two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, he is battling with his cabinet and with Congress to pass the historical 13th Amendment, the ultimate abolition declaration. Among the amendment's fierce supporters are the Radical Republican Senator, Thaddeus Stevens (Jones) and Secretary of State William Seward (David Strathairn). Meanwhile, he deals with the effects of such a intense and fateful battle at home, with his fragile wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, and resentful son, Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Day Lewis's performance as Lincoln is nothing short of spectacular; his cabinet speech is enough to award him an Oscar. He brings such a human element to a man history has hailed as a legend. I found the choice to have Lincoln speak in a higher tone was a brave but great one, as it is in line with hisorical accounts of his voice and it just seems to "fit" him. Sally Field gives an impressive performance as well, but it won't be enough to beat Anne Hathaway (and it shouldn't anyway). Tommy Lee Jones gives a performance that is both subtle and thundering, definitely award-worthy as well (let's see if he wins the Supporting Actor Oscar).  Finally, Tony Kushner's script and Spielberg's directly are wonderful. The script is intelligent, fluid, and captivating. The directing is just perfect -- the film is a beautiful ode to the accomplishments of such an important President, and it is so masterful and lyrical that all of the elements of the film work together in such perfect harmony, at all times. With Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow out of the Best Director Oscar race, I sincerely hope that Spielberg takes home the trophy. Although I also loved Argo, Lincoln is also a film very deserving of the Best Picture Oscar.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A-

Film Review -- Zero Dark Thirty

Kathryn Bigelow's new film stars Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, and Jennifer Ehle. CIA agents Maya (Chastain) and Dan (Clarke) are members of the unit assigned with finding and killing notorious terrorist and Al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden. The film centers on Maya, chronicling her almost decade-long hunt to locate him, and the challenges that she faces along the way. Even though the recent event is still pretty fresh in our heads, the film succeeds brilliantly in being a thriller. The viewer is completely engrossed in the story throughout the entire film, and the actual killing sequence is just thrilling (and absolutely brilliantly directed). The film is facing a lot of controversy because of its torture scenes, which the American government alleges are inaccurate, bit I found them to have been filmed in good taste. Chastain delivers an award-worthy performance, perfectly capturing the anguish and affliction that her character's inspiration must have felt when on this almost-impossible manhunt. Kathryn Bigelow's Best Director snub by the Oscars is one of the absolute biggest ones of the season -- she did an incredible job handling such intense material, and its even more commendable that a woman can make this type of film as incredibly -- or maybe even better! -- than a man. ZDT is definitely one of my favorite films of the year.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A-

Film Review -- The Master

Paul Thomas Anderson's new film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is a WWII veteran suffering from alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder. After working several odd jobs, such as department store photographer and cabbage farmer, he shows up drunk on the boat of Lancaster Dodd (Seymour Hoffman), the leader of the Scientology-esque cult called the Cause. Dodd takes a particular interest in Freddie, and in the hopes of "curing" him, invites him to work on the boat. Freddie becomes an active member and advocate of the Cause, but he also begins to question the motives and methods of Dodd and his cold, calculating wife, Peggy (Adams). The film stirred plenty of controversy because of the Cause's obvious similarity to Scientology and Dodd to L. Ron Hubbard. Therefore, I was very interested in this fim and anxious to see it. It was definitely NOT worth the wait. The subject matter is fascinating, and had the potential to be a fabulous film, but Anderson's dull script and equally dull directing make its two-hour, twenty minute running time feel more like two days. There was no fluidity to the script or the editing -- some scenes had nothing to do with the central plot, and left me wondering why they were included at all. Others were overly long and dragged out, and almost put me to sleep. The only positives of this film were the impressive performances by Hoffman and Phoenix. Other than that, there is no reason to see it. I thought that it would be difficult for a 2012 film to be worse than Flight or Moonrise Kingdom, but The Master takes the cake.

Should you see it: No
Grade: D+

Film Review -- Silver Linings Playbook

This dramedy is directed by David O. Russell and stars Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Jacki Weaver. Pat Solitano (Cooper) is a bipolar former teacher who, after spending ten months in a mental institution, moves back in with his parents (De Niro and Weaver) in Philadelphia and hopes to reconcile with his estranged wife, whose infidelity sparked his admission into treatment. While at dinner with some friends, he meets Tiffany (Lawrence), a young, sex-addicted widow who may be even crazier than he is, and who seems to be the only person who understands what Pat is going through. When Pat promises to be her partner in a dance competition in exchange for her facilitating communication with his wife, Tiffany begins to develop feelings for him, surely promising to complicate their already delicate situations even more. This film has been generating an incredible amount of buzz, proved by the slew of nominations it was awarded by the Academy, so I was very curious to see it. On most levels, it very much succeeds. At times it is sad, and at times it is hilarious; Cooper gives an unexpectedly strong performance, as does Lawrence, and the supporting actors are great; there is so much going on in the film, and yet the screenplay effectively covers it all in two hours. Obviously, the film isn't perfect, and the aforementioned screenplay does leave out some key questions (why does Pat want so desperately to reconcile with an unfaithful wife?), but overall, I thought that it worked really well. However, although a fine film, it is not even in my top three best films of the year -- behind Argo, Lincoln, and Zero Dark Thirty -- two of which directors (Ben Affleck for Argo and Kathryn Bigelow for ZDT) were not nominated for Best Director Oscars, while Russell was. There truly is nothing spectacular about the direction of Silver Linings Playbook, so I continue to find Russell's nomination as opposed to either Affleck or Bigelow to be the biggest Awards Season snub. Every other nomination, however (for all four actors, Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, etc.) is well-deserved, and Cooper out-shined even the talented Lawrence; too bad the film came out the same year that Daniel Day-Lewis played Lincoln.

Should You See It: Yes
Grade: B+

Film Review -- Les Miserables

This grand adaptation of the hugely popular musical is directed by Tom Hooper and stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter. Set in the backdrop of the French Revolution, the film stars Jean Valjean (Jackman), who served nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving sister and her child, and when he is finally released, sets out to start a fresh new life. In order to evade his parole, he takes on several personas and disguises, including the mayor of a town. However, he is mercilessly hunted by policeman Javert (Crowe), who makes it his life goal to capture Valjean. While mayor, he befriends factory worker Fantine (Hathaway), who is fired after being accused of prostitution in order to support her child, Cosette, who lives with the evil Thenardiers (Baron Cohen and Bonham Carter). When Fantine dies of illness, Valjean promises to look after Cosette, whom he raises as his own, and she grows up to be a beautiful young woman sheltered from her father's past. She falls in love with young revolutionary Marius (Redmayne), and coupled with Javert's sudden reappearance, the discreet life Valjean spent so long to create becomes jeopardized. The film is live and through-sung, which means that not only is the film practically all song and no dialogue, but that the actors sang all of their numbers live, as opposed to lip-synching to a pre-recorded track. These two factors make this film completely unique and different from any other 2012 offering. Much is impressive in the film, such as the set design, art direction, costumes, makeup, and, of course, the acting. Anne Hathaway's part is brief but very moving and powerful, highlighted by her emotional performance of I Dreamed a Dream, and the Supporting Actress Oscar is practically hers. Jackman also gives a lovely performance, but in terms of singing ability, the other actors fall short. The film will not appeal to everybody, and the two-and-a-half hour running time doesn't help. Overall, I enjoyed the film very much, but I think that the daring concept, though it works for a stage musical, didn't translate as well for a film. 

Should You See It: Yes
Grade: B

Film Review -- Amour

This German-Austrian film (but French-spoken) film is directed by Michael Haneke and stars Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva. Georges and Anne (Trintignant and Riva) are retired, Parisian music teachers who live a quiet but comfortable life. One day, during an ordinary breakfast, Anne suffers a stroke. Paralyzed on one side, life suddenly becomes a struggle for both of them; Anne, for losing much of her freedom, and Georges, for now having to be Anne's around-the-clock caretaker. As Anne's condition worsens, their lives become an increasing struggle, and not even the help of their daughter, Eva (Isabelle Huppert), neighbors, or various nurses can lessen the strain that is placed on the couple's bond of love. The film, ultimately, is a very sincere and unapologetic look at growing old and letting go. The entire film takes place in the couple's modest apartment (handled brilliantly by Haneke, which was no doubt a factor in his Oscar nomination). Although there isn't an excess of dialogue and very little "action," the film still manages to be engrossing and devastating. Some might find the overall pace to be a little slow, but I thought that it was a reflection of the theme, and worked well. Riva is definitely deserving of her Oscar nomination, and I cede that Haneke is worthy as well, for both director and screenplay. It's also a lock for Best Foreign Language Film. 

Should You See It: Yes
Grade: B+

2013 Golden Globes Predictions (and later, Winners!)

The Golden Globes air tonight (my birthday)! I know I'll have fun watching the red carpet and the show, so here are my predicted winners, underlined. After the victors are announced, I will include them here, and find out how many I got right!

UPDATE: The actual winners are in bold.

MOVIES

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty

BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook

BEST DIRECTOR
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Richard Gere, Arbitrage
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust & Bone
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Rachel Weisz, Deep Blue Sea

BEST ACTOR, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Jack Black, Bernie
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Bill Murray, Hyde Park on Hudson

BEST ACTRESS, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Emily Blunt, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Judi Dench, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith, Quartet
Meryl Streep, Hope Springs

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, The Master 
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy

BEST SCREENPLAY
Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty
Tony Kushner, Lincoln
David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Chris Terrio, Argo

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Brave
Frankenweenie
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE PICTURE
Amour
A Royal Affair
The Untouchables
Con Tiki
Rust and Bone

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Mychael Danna, Life of Pi
Alexandre Desplat, Argo
Dario Marianelli, Anna Karenina
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, Reinhold Heil, Cloud Atlas
John Williams, Lincoln

ORIGINAL SONG
For You, Act of Valor
Not Running Anymore
Safe and Sound, The Hunger Games
Skyfall, Skyfall
Suddenly, Les Miserables

TV

BEST TV SERIES, DRAMA
Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire
Downton Abbey
Homeland
The Newsroom

BEST TV SERIES, COMEDY
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash

BEST ACTOR, TV DRAMA
Steve Buschemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland

BEST ACTRESS, TV DRAMA
Connie Britton, Nashville
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Marguiles, The Good Wife

BEST ACTOR, TV COMEDY
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Louis CK, Louis
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

BEST ACTRESS, TV COMEDY
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

BEST MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Game Change
The Girl
Hatfields & McCoys
The Hour
Political Animals

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Toby Jones, The Girl
Clive Owen, Hemingway and Gellhorn

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway and Gellhorn
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Sienna Miller, The Girl
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES, OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed Harris, Game Change
Danny Houston, Magic City
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES, OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Hayden Panetierre, Nashville
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Maggie Smith, Downton AbbeySofia Vergara, Modern Family

2013 Academy Awards Nominations

The day is finally here! Nominees for the 85th Annual Academy Awards were announced today, and here is a full list! Winners will be announced on Feb. 24, 2013.

Best Picture

"Argo"
"Django Unchained"
"Les Miserables"
"Life of Pi"
"Amour"
"Lincoln"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Zero Dark Thirty"
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Actor in a Leading Role

Bradley Cooper - "Silver Linings Playbook"
Daniel Day-Lewis - "Lincoln"
Hugh Jackman - "Les Miserables"
Joaquin Phoenix - "The Master"
Denzel Washington - "Flight"

Actress in a Leading Role

Jessica Chastain - "Zero Dark Thirty"
Jennifer Lawrence - "Silver Linings Playbook"
Emmanuelle Riva - "Amour"
Quvenzhané Wallis - "Beasts of Southern Wild"
Naomi Watts - "The Impossible"

Actor in a Supporting Role

Alan Arkin - "Argo"
Robert De Niro - "Silver Linings Playbook"
Philip Seymour Hoffman - "The Master"
Tommy Lee Jones - "Lincoln"
Christoph Waltz - "Django Unchained"

Actress in a Supporting Role

Amy Adams - "The Master"
Sally Field - "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway - "Les Miserables"
Helen Hunt - "The Sessions"
Jackie Weaver - "Silver Linings Playbook"

Animated Feature Film

"Brave"
"Frankenweenie"
"ParaNorman"
"The Pirates! Band of Misfits"
"Wreck-It Ralph"

Directing

"Amour" - Michael Haneke
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" - Benh Zeitlin
"Life of Pi" - Ang Lee
"Lincoln" - Steven Spielberg
"Silver Linings Playbook" - David O. Russell

Writing - Original Screenplay

"Amour" - Michael Haneke
"Django Unchained" - Quentin Tarantino
"Flight" - John Gatins
"Moonrise Kingdom" - Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
"Zero Dark Thirty" - Mark Boal

And The Oscars 2013 Nominations Are...

Writing - Adapted Screenplay

"Argo" - Chris Terrio
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" - Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin
"Life of Pi" - David Magee
"Lincoln" - Tony Kushner
"Silver Linings Playbook" - David O. Russell

Music - Original Song

"Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," music and lyrics by J. Ralph
"Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted," music by Walter Murphy, lyrics by Seth MacFarlane
"Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," music by Mychael Danna, lyrics by Bombay Jayashri
"Skyfall" from "Skyfall," music and lyrics by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
"Suddenly" from "Les Miserables," music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil

Foreign Language Film

"Amour" (Austria)
"Kon-Tiki" (Norway)
"No" (Chile)
"A Royal Affair" (Denmark)
"War Witch" (Canada)

Cinematography

"Anna Karenina"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Skyfall"

Costume Design

"Anna Karenina"
"Les Miserables"
"Lincoln"
"Mirror Mirror"
"Snow White and the Huntsman"

Documentary - Feature

"5 Broken Cameras"
"The Gatekeepers"
"How to Survive a Plague"
"The Invisible War"
"Searching for Sugar Man"

Documentary - Short

"Inocente"
"Kings Point"
"Mondays at Racine"
"Open Heart"
"Redemption"

Film Editing

"Argo"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Zero Dark Thirty"

Makeup And Hairstyling

"Hitchcock"
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"Les Miserables"

Music - Original Score

"Anna Karenina"
"Argo"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Skyfall"

Production Design

"Anna Karenina"
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"Les Miserables"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"

Short Film - Animated

"Adam and Dog"
"Fresh Guacamole"
"Head over Heels"
"Maggie Simpson in 'The Longest Daycare'"
"Paperman"

Short Film - Live Action

"Asad"
"Buzkashi Boys"
"Curfew"
"Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)"
"Henry"

Sound Editing

"Argo"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Skyfall"
"Zero Dark Thirty"

Sound Mixing

"Argo"
"Les Miserables"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Skyfall"

Visual Effects

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
"Life of Pi"
"Marvel's The Avengers"
"Prometheus"
"Snow White and the Huntsman"

2013 BAFTA Nominations

The BAFTAs, presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, announced its nominations today. A good indicator of what's to come for the Oscars (nominations are announced tomorrow!), the winners will be revealed on Sunday, Feb. 10.

A complete list of the nominees:

BEST FILM
Argo
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Anna Karenina
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Misérables
Seven Psychopaths
Skyfall

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Bart Layton (Director), Dimitri Doganis (Producer) The Imposter
David Morris (Director), Jacqui Morris (Director/Producer) McCullin
Dexter Fletcher (Director/Writer), Danny King (Writer) Wild Bill
James Bobin (Director) The Muppets
Tina Gharavi (Director/Writer) I Am Nasrine

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Amour
Headhunters
The Hunt
Rust And Bone
Untouchable

DOCUMENTARY
The Imposter
Marley
McCullin
Searching For Sugar Man
West Of Memphis

ANIMATED FILM
Brave
Frankenweenie
Paranorman

DIRECTOR
Michael Haneke – Amour
Ben Affleck – Argo
Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained
Ang Lee – Life Of Pi
Kathryn Bigelow – Zero Dark Thirty

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Michael Haneke – Amour
Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained
Paul Thomas Anderson – The Master
Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola – Moonrise Kingdom
Mark Boal – Zero Dark Thirty

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Chris Terrio – Argo
Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin – Beasts Of The Southern Wild
David Magee – Life Of Pi
Tony Kushner – Lincoln
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook

LEADING ACTOR
Ben Affleck – Argo
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln
Hugh Jackman – Les Misérables
Joaquin Phoenix – The Master

LEADING ACTRESS
Emmanuelle Riva – Amour
Helen Mirren – Hitchcock
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard – Rust and Bone

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Arkin – Argo
Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained
Javier Bardem – Skyfall
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master
Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams – The Master
Anne Hathaway – Les Misérables
Helen Hunt – The Sessions
Judi Dench – Skyfall
Sally Field – Lincoln

ORIGINAL MUSIC
Anna Karenina – Dario Marianelli
Argo – Alexandre Desplat
Life Of Pi – Mychael Danna
Lincoln – John Williams
Skyfall – Thomas Newman

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Anna Karenina – Seamus McGarvey
Les Misérables – Danny Cohen
Life Of Pi – Claudio Miranda
Lincoln – Janusz Kaminski
Skyfall – Roger Deakins

EDITING
Argo – William Goldenberg
Django Unchained – Fred Raskin
Life Of Pi – Tim Squyres
Skyfall – Stuart Baird
Zero Dark Thirty – Dylan Tichenor, William Goldenberg

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Anna Karenina – Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
Les Misérables – Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson
Life Of Pi – David Gropman, Anna Pinnock
Lincoln – Rick Carter, Jim Erickson
Skyfall – Dennis Gassner, Anna Pinnock

COSTUME DESIGN
Anna Karenina – Jacqueline Durran
Great Expectations – Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
Les Misérables – Paco Delgado
LIincoln – Joanna Johnston
Snow White And The Huntsman – Colleen Atwood

MAKE UP & HAIR
Anna Karenina – Ivana Primorac
Hitchcock – Julie Hewett, Martin Samuel, Howard Berger
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Peter Swords King, Richard Taylor, Rick Findlater
Les Misérables – Lisa Westcott
Lincoln – Lois Burwell, Kay Georgiou

SOUND
Django Unchained – Mark Ulano, Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti, Wylie Stateman
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Tony Johnson, Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick, Brent Burge, Chris Ward
Les Misérables – Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Jonathan Allen, Lee Walpole, John Warhurst
Life Of Pi – Drew Kunin, Eugene Gearty, Philip Stockton, Ron Bartlett, D. M. Hemphill
Skyfall – Stuart Wilson, Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell, Per Hallberg, Karen Baker Landers

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
The Dark Knight Rises – Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Peter Bebb, Andrew Lockley
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White
Life Of Pi – Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer
Marvel Avengers Assemble – Nominees TBC
Prometheus – Richard Stammers, Charley Henley, Trevor Wood, Paul Butterworth

SHORT ANIMATION
Here To Fall
I’m Fine Thanks
The Making Of Longbird

SHORT FILM
The Curse
Good Night
Swimmer
Tumult
The Voorman Problem

THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
Elizabeth Olsen
Andrea Riseborough
Suraj Sharma
Juno Temple
Alicia Vikander