Lionsgate has picked up Toronto Film Festival hit Rabbit Hole. Based on the Pulitzer-prize winning play, and with great roles for Oscar winners Nicole Kidman and Dianne Weist (plus Aaron Eckhart), this gives Lionsgate a contender this season. For a look at why it could play a major role, look here.
The Venice Film Festival gave out awards last weekend, and the Golden Lion winner was Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere. The win took many observers by surprise, with some people claiming the award was given by favoritism. Coppola already has one Oscar, and the Hollywood-themed drama is sure to attract a lot of attention.
The Toronto Film Festival wrapped up this week, giving a preview of many films sure to contend this winter. Among the winners in the buzz circuit were Black Swan, 127 Hours and Rabbit Hole. One of the most hotly anticipated films of the Toronto Film Festival, Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter, is getting very mixed buzz, from raves to pans.
Robert Redford’s Lincoln Assassination film The Conspirator was picked up, amidst a lot of fantastic reviews, by Lionsgate films also, but won’t be released until 2011.
Review Round-Up
Ben Affleck’s The Town ratched up a whopping 92% at Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 76 at Metacritic. Although A.O. Scott of the New York Times called it “a solid, minor entry,” many other critics are using words like rich, deep and excellent to describe the contender.
Never Let Me Go got great buzz last week at Telluride, but the critics don’t seem to be falling head over heals, with a 64% at Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 68.
Oscar Box Office
The American took at 57% drop at the box office last weekend, which does not signal a good long-term haul or good word of mouth. It’s contention seems to be slipping daily.
New Trailers
Casino Jack: Another Kevin Spacey “Oscar contender” that looks like it will go nowhere.
The Fighter: Although I think the movie looks paint-by-numbers and dull, the Academy eats up heartwarming boxer films, and this should be considered a major contender at this point.
For Colored Girls: Tyler Perry has never entered the contest before, but you can’t discount an adaptation of a classic play with this powerhouse of a cast. The trailer certainly looks intriguing.
Hereafter: The trailer certainly makes the film look intriguing, as does the talent in-front and behind the camera, even if the buzz isn’t that great.
The Tourist: This has gotten pushed up to December for consideration, and with the Oscar-winning talent behind it, you can’t discard it.
Oscar Farewell
Oscar nominated actor Kevin McCarthy passed away at the age of 96. Best known for his performance in 1956’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, McCarthy was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 1951 for Death of a Salesman.
Actor Harold Gould passed away at the age of 86. Although mostly known for his television appearances (for which he was nominated for five Emmy Awards), Gould also appeared as Kid Twist in Best Picture winner The Sting.
French filmmaker Claude Chabrol passed away at the age of 80. Although his films were never nominated for any Academy Awards, he was a giant of the French New Wave movement and a major international filmmaker.
Italian actress Caterina Boratto passed away at the age of 95. Boratto worked internationally for filmmakers such as Federico Fellini and Pier Paulo Passolini and appeared in the Oscar-winning 8 1/2 as the Mysterious Lady.
Lionsgate has picked up Toronto Film Festival hit Rabbit Hole. Based on the Pulitzer-prize winning play, and with great roles for Oscar winners Nicole Kidman and Dianne Weist (plus Aaron Eckhart), this gives Lionsgate a contender this season. For a look at why it could play a major role, look here.
Casino Jack: Another Kevin Spacey “Oscar contender” that looks like it will go nowhere.
Oscar nominated actor Kevin McCarthy passed away at the age of 96. Best known for his performance in 1956’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, McCarthy was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 1951 for Death of a Salesman.
Leave a Reply