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Convicted Producer Drabinsky Plans a Comeback for 2010-2011 with Finian's, Plummer, Spider Woman

4 December 2009 4:02 PM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

A report out in the Toronto Star today suggests that Garth Drabinsky, convicted and sentenced to 7 years in prison for fraud, is back in action...at least for now. According to the report, Drabinsky has three new large-scale productions in the works for the 2010-2011 season: Christopher Plummer in Barrymore; Colm Wilkinson in Finian's Rainbow; and an all-black revival of Kiss of a Spider Woman. »

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Monthly Movie Preview – December 2009

3 December 2009 1:53 PM, PST | The Scorecard Review | See recent Scorecard Review news »

This is going to be a great month. No matter whether these big and small movies fall flat on their faces or not there’s going to be plenty to choose from – especially for those who want to keep up with important films.

First up is Avatar, one of the biggest gambles of this decade. Will the same kind of crowd that saw The Dark Knight or Transformers multiple times venture to movie theatres to see a 150-minute-long 3-D film that features tall blue creatures? It’s up in the air.

Which reminds me of a few more titles that should be worth checking out, one of them being Jason Reitman’s new film with George Clooney. The drama-comedy about a man who fires people for a living has been getting great buzz from its successful festival runs, with Oscar talk flying around as smoothly as paper airplanes.

But, Up In the Air »

- Nick Allen

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cinemadaily | “The Last Station” Stops Off in Us

3 December 2009 9:02 AM, PST | IndieWIRE | See recent indieWIRE news »

Telluride and Toronto standout and Indie Spirit nomination leader “The Last Station” is coming to the Us this weekend in limited release.  Critics are torn over Michael Hoffman’s film, a look at the last days of Leo Tolstoy,  which stars Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren as Mr. and Mrs. Tolstoy.  Time Out New York‘s Nick Schager says in his less-than-enthusiastic review, “Prone to slipping into corny comedy and, worse, confusion over … »

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A Very Early Look at Gothic Thriller Priest

2 December 2009 9:56 PM, PST | 28 Days Later Analysis | See recent 28 Days Later Analysis news »

A very far look into the distance and Priest can be seen smoldering on the horizon. A film from Sony Pictures to be released in October, 2010, Priest will star Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Christopher Plummer, and Brad Dourif. Being described as "a Vampire western" horror icon Sam Raimi will produce this gothic looking film. A theatrical release date is a long way off, but a full cast line-up and short synopsis can be seen here. Make a note of the official website as well.

An early synopsis for the Priest here:

"The story follows a warrior priest who disobeys church law by teaming with a young sheriff and a priestess to track down a band of renegade Vampires who have kidnapped his niece (Uhm)."

Release Date: October 1, 2010/

Director: Scott Charles Stewart.

Writer: Cory Goodman.

Cast: Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Karl Urban, Stephen Moyer, Lily Collins, Madchen Amick, Christopher Plummer, »

- Michael Ross Allen

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“Precious” Tops Spirit Nominations

2 December 2009 6:19 PM, PST | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

This year's winners of the annual Spirit Awards for independent films on March 5 might well be rehearsing their acceptance speeches for the Oscars two days. The acclaimed drama Precious, already a critical and box-office hit, received five nominations Tuesday -- for best film, best actress (Gabourey Sidibe), best supporting actress (Mo'Nique), best director (Lee Daniels), and best screenplay (Geoffrey Fletcher). Also receiving five nominations was the period drama The Last Station -- for best film, best actress (Helen Mirren), supporting actor (Christopher Plummer), director (Michael Hoffman) and screenplay (Hoffman). The betting odds in both the Spirit and Oscar voting heavily favor Precious. Oscar nominations are due to be announced on February 2. »

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Oscar MythBusting: One Day They'll Be Nominated!

2 December 2009 9:00 AM, PST | FilmExperience | See recent FilmExperience news »

Most fans of established actors believe that one day their favorite will be nominated for an Oscar. In 2009 campaigns hopes are particularly high for Sandra Bullock, Alfred Molina, Colin Firth and Christopher Plummer. Fans of James McAvoy and Sam Rockwell still hold out longshot hope. But guess what? The odds are, generally speaking, against them on February 2nd (two months hence!) when the lucky 20 are called.

Most actors aren't ever nominated for the big prize. People seemed surprise to read in an old Oscar Mythbusting column I wrote years ago that the majority of nominated actors (approximately 67%) never receive a second nomination. But I did the research and it's true. Even less likely than a second nomination: a first one. Consider this...

The following (living) legends have still never been nominated despite rich bodies of work and several classic films or exuberantly praised performances: Mia Farrow, Isabelle Huppert, Christopher Plummer and Donald Sutherland. »

- NATHANIEL R

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'Precious' Nabs Five Independent Spirit Nominations

2 December 2009 3:01 AM, PST | GetTheBigPicture.net | See recent Get The Big Picture news »

You might think The Hurt Locker got overlooked by the fine folks at the Independent Spirit Awards, and you're right. But it actually got overlooked last year, when only Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie were nominated for the film. But it wasn't eligible this year, so there's that. Instead, the front-runner is probably Precious, although a sentimental case could easily be made for (500) Days of Summer, another of the year's five nominees for Best Feature.

Precious received five nominations, in the categories you'd most likely expect (Feature, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress, and First Screenplay). I'm not entirely certain which awards it will win, but Mo'Nique seems like a stone cold lock in the Supporting category. In fact, in a wide open year, she's probably the best bet for any major award.

The Last Station, powered by Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer, also picked up five nominations, while A Single Man landed four. »

- Colin Boyd

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Mariah Carey's 'Precious' Leads 2010 Spirit Awards Nominations

1 December 2009 8:36 PM, PST | Celebrity Mania | See recent Celebrity Mania news »

"Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire" has come out as one of the nominations leaders at 2010 Independent Spirit Awards. The drama film, which sees Mariah Carey as a social worker, was on Tuesday, December 1 announced to be collecting five nods from the awards honoring independent filmmakers, and thus shared similar number with another drama "The Last Station".

The movie about an abused teen mother nabbed nominations for Best Feature, Best Director, Best Female Lead, Best First Screenplay and Best Supporting Female. It will battle against "Last Station" in the first three categories. For the Best Feature title, it is also up against "500 Days of Summer" "Amreeka" and "Sin Nombre".

"Precious" fails to bring recognition to Carey, but it does land two of its other major cast Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique. Sidibe is listed against Maria Bello, Nisreen Faour, Gwyneth Paltrow and Helen Mirren for Best Female Lead, while »

- celebrity-mania.com

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The Independent Spirit Awards

1 December 2009 7:19 PM, PST | Makingof.com | See recent Makingof.com news »

The Independent Spirit Awards announced their nominees earlier today. Listed below is the complete list of this year's nominated films, cast and crew members. MakingOf would like to congratulate the nominees and applaud the diverse roster of talented filmmakers. Please scroll down for links to exclusive interviews we've conducted with some of the nominated directors and writers.

The Independent Spirit Awards eligibility requirements for consideration are that the feature film must be 70 minutes in length and the total cost must be below $20 million. A film also must have screened at a major film festival or had a one-week engagement at a commercial theater.

The awards' ceremony has taken place the past 24 years the Saturday afternoon before the Academy Awards in Santa Monica. The ceremony is moving this year to downtown L.A. and will be held in the evening on Friday, March 5th.

This year's Independent Spirit Awards Nominees:

Best »

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(95) Days of Spirit

1 December 2009 4:10 PM, PST | FilmExperience | See recent FilmExperience news »

The Spirit Awards are coming! In 95 days. The nominees have a long time to decide which pair of jeans or casual designer wear would best suit the event. Though the Spirits have traditionally passed out their ever-so-slightly off mainstream prizes the day before the Oscars this year they’re moving to a Friday night situation on March 5th. All the better for partying? Still time to use those hangover cures before the Oscars on Sunday.

Sin Nombre, a 3 time nomineeHere are the nominees

Best Feature(500) Days Of Summer | Amreeka |Precious | Sin Nombre | The Last StationI warned y'all that The Last Station would have more awards strength than many pundits are indicating. I must get around to Sin Nombre before the end of this year. I suspect Precious is your winner since the Spirits generally award the actual Oscar hopefuls.

Best Director

The Coen Bros A Serious Man | Lee Daniels Precious »

- NATHANIEL R

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2010 Independent Spirit Award Nominees Announced

1 December 2009 3:00 PM, PST | FilmJunk | See recent FilmJunk news »

Although the nominees for the Academy Awards won't be announced until sometime next year, a few of the other award ceremonies are already in full swing including the Independent Spirit Awards, which recognize the best films shot for $20 million or less. This year's Spirit Award nominees were announced earlier today, and I think there are definitely some interesting choices. First off, the big one that everyone is picking up on is the fact that Paranormal Activity was nominated for Best First Feature. And why shouldn't it be? The Blair Witch Project won the exact same award back in 2000. Anvil! The Story of Anvil has been redeemed somewhat for the Oscar snub by getting a nod here for Best Documentary, and surprisingly, Jemaine Clement picked up a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Gentlemen Broncos. Other than that, some of the movies that scored multiple nominations include Precious, (500) Days of Summer, »

- Sean

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Spirit Awards 2010: Nominations

1 December 2009 2:50 PM, PST | Alternative Film Guide | See recent Alternative Film Guide news »

Michael Stuhlbarg in A Serious Man (top); James McAvoy, Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren in The Last Station (middle); Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel in (500) Days of Summer (bottom) The nominees for the 25th annual Spirit Awards have been announced. Two of the best picture nominees also happen to be this year’s most nominated films: Lee Daniels‘ Precious and Michael Hoffman’s The Last Station, with five nods each. There were quite a few surprises this year — mostly those who were left out. First of all, where’s The Hurt Locker, winner of two Gotham Awards — best picture and best ensemble — and a likely Oscar contender? Well, don’t panic. The Hurt Locker was nominated last year in (a mere) two categories, best [...] »

- Anna Robinson

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'The Last Station,' 'Precious' Lead Spirit Award Noms

1 December 2009 1:32 PM, PST | Extra | See recent Extra news »

Actors Taraji P. Henson and Matt Dillon announced the nominees for the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards on Tuesday morning. Dramatic films "The Last Station" and "Precious" lead the pack with five nods each.

The winners will be announced on Friday, March 5, 2010 in L.A.

2010 Spirit Award Nominations

Best Feature (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)

(500) Days of Summer - Producers: Mason Novick, Jessica Tuchinsky, Mark Waters, Steven J. Wolfe

Amreeka - Producers: Paul Barkin, »

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2010 Independent Spirit Award Nominees

1 December 2009 1:23 PM, PST | newsinfilm.com | See recent newsinfilm news »

Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire and The Last Station led the nominations for the 2010 Independent Spirit Awards with five each.

Both were nominated for best feature along with (500) Days of Summer, Amreeka, and Sin Nombre.

If you’re wondering where indie favorite and Oscar hopeful The Hurt Locker is, the movie was submitted for consideration last year and was no eligible for this year’s list.  Though Kathryn Bigelow picked up “Best Feature” for the film at the Gotham Independent Film Awards last night.

As far as I know, Duncan Jones’ Moon is considered a British film and was correctly included in the British Indie Film nominees with several other solid picks (though I didn’t care for Fish Tank).

I was glad to see Anvil! included in the documentaries after it was left off the Oscar short list — though where’s The Cove? — plus love for 500 Days and Adventureland, »

- Jeff Leins

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Helen Mirren to be honored with Career Achievment Award at Psiff

1 December 2009 1:22 PM, PST | Pretty/Scary | See recent pretty-scary news »

The 21st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will present Helen Mirren with the Career Achievement Award! The Festival runs January 5-18, 2010.

Helen Mirren starred as Morgana le Fay in the dark fantay film Excalibur, appeared in an episode of the 1970's TV series Thriller and the 1980's Twilight Zone, as Caesonia in the cult film Caligula, as Tanya Kirbuk in the sci-fi sequel 2010, and as the star of the Prime Suspect thriller/crime film and its 6 sequels...

She directed a short segment in the comedy/sci-fi anthology On The Edge called "Happy Birthday" in 2001.

She will appear in the 2010 Shakespearean adaptation of The Tempest as Prospera. The film is directed by Julie Taymor (also director of the futuristic 1999 film Titus.) In Taymor's version, the gender of Prospero has been switched to the female Prospera. You'll also see her in the upcoming thriller Brighton Rock.

Festival chairman Harold Matzner commented, »

- Superheidi

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Spirit Awards Nominations Announced! "Precious," "The Last Station" Score!

1 December 2009 12:31 PM, PST | Manny the Movie Guy | See recent Manny the Movie Guy news »

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization behind the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations this morning for the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Nominees for Best Feature include "(500) Days Of Summer," "Amreeka," "Precious," "Sin Nombre," and "The Last Station."

Taraji P. Henson and Matt Dillon also announced finalists for the Acura Someone to Watch Award, the Truer Than Fiction Award, and the Piaget Producers Award.

A Serious Man was selected for the Robert Altman Award, which is given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast.

The awards show will be held March 5, two days before the Oscars. The event will be held at the La Live campus downtown.

Visit the Spirit Awards official site right here.

And now, the nominees of the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards:

Best Feature

"(500) Days Of Summer" - Producers: Mason Novick, Jessica Tuchinsky, Mark Waters, Steven J. Wolfe

"Amreeka" - Producers: Paul Barkin, »

- Manny

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2009 Spirit Award Nominees

1 December 2009 10:47 AM, PST | Collider.com | See recent Collider.com news »

Film Independent’s Spirit Awards are meant to honor “indie” films, i.e. no blockbuster movies allowed but if you played at some festivals and didn’t cost a lot of money, you’re in consideration.  The Spirit Awards are a good indicator of what smaller films could be getting a shot at Oscar nominations in various categories.  Usually, their nominees are pretty solid and play like a nice alternative universe where the Oscars went to more deserving nominees (last year The Wrestler won Best Film and Best Actor).

But this year’s choices are obvious mixed with disappointingly bizarre.  In a year where some strong, hard-sell films came out of Sundance with strong buzz, the Spirit Awards have instead shown love to movies like Two Lovers, Cold Souls, and (500) Days of Summer.  It’s not that any of these films are resoundingly bad, but when placed alongside obvious contenders »

- Matt Goldberg

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'Last Station' and 'Precious' Lead the 2010 Independent Spirit Award Nominees

1 December 2009 10:41 AM, PST | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news »

This morning, Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced the nominees for the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards. The leading nomination getters where Sony Pictures Classics' The Last Station and Lionsgate's Precious, both of which earned five nominations including Best Feature along with Amreeka, 500 Days of Summer and Sin Nombre. Precious also enjoyed nominations in Best Director (Lee Daniels), Best Actress (Gabourey Sidibe), Best Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique) and Best First Screenplay.

The leading studios where Fox Searchlight and Sony Classics, each of which took home 7 nominations, Searchlight even earning one for the critically loathed Gentlemen Broncos with Jemaine Clement earning a Best Supporting Male nod.

I'm very happy to see Christian McKay for Me and Orson Welles enjoying some love and hope it can translate to an Oscar nomination and I wonder if Samantha Morton's nomination for »

- Brad Brevet

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Up Review (Long Overdue)

1 December 2009 4:56 AM, PST | t5m.com | See recent t5m.com news »

After several weeks I was finally given the opportunity to watch Pixar’s ‘Up’ over the weekend. This film has received positive feedback from critics and audiences alike. Did it live up to the hype? You are about to find out. Arguably Pixar’s best film since Finding Nemo, ‘Up’ is a perfect example of how cinema should be done. The seamless blending of flawless animation and powerful themes of mortality will prove a treat for adults just as much as children. Earlier this year Clint Eastwood appeared as the grumpy old man with a heart in ‘Gran Torino’. Essentially Carl Fredricksen, the old man in Up (voiced by Ed Asner), is not far removed from Clint’s Walt Kowalski. He is isolated, unsatisfied, a recent widower and bitter about the ongoing changes occurring around him, yet we sympathise with him instantly. The excellent opening ten minutes takes us through »

- t5m

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So Alec Baldwin Might Win an Oscar for Exposing Himself On Screen?

30 November 2009 10:14 PM, PST | FilmSchoolRejects.com | See recent FilmSchoolRejects news »

I love The Hollywood Reporter. Beyond measure. Especially on days like this when it's a little chilly outside, the future seems bleak and unrelenting, and the lack of discussion regarding penises on screen garnering awards praise is downright staggering. Over at the respectable rag, Gregg Kilday has written a piece about how Alec Baldwin, a man who is co-hosting the Academy Awards this year, may actually be in the running for an award himself. Conflict! Intrigue! But why is the thespian in the hunt for gold? The writer is claiming that Baldwin's role in the upcoming It's Complicated might earn him an Oscar. To be fair, I haven't seen the film or the performance, but it's a bold claim nonetheless, and it's even bolder because Kilday seems to hint that part of the reason is because of little Alec. Thanks to his performance in Nancy Meyers' marital comedy "It's Complicated," Baldwin »

- Dr. Cole Abaius

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