The Gold Rush

As Oscars loom, studios ask: O, critic, where art thou?

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:57:50 -0600

Another Oscar season dawns, and the land has fewer movie critics than it did last year. Again. As the media industry shrinks, and as layoffs abound, newspapers and other outlets have been letting wires and other broad sources fill in their film criticism offerings. (The Sun-Times' Roger Ebert, however, continues to triumph.) For years, Hollywood has sat idly by, marginalizing the impact of such losses. However, in this intriguing post at EW, based on a recent story in Advertising Age, Gary Susman reports that "the studios are starting to see a correlation between the disappearance of movie critics from newspapers and the slumping ticket sales for the kind of movies that depend on critics to publicize and champion them -- not just art-house movies from independent and foreign-language filmmakers, but also expensive, year-end Oscar hopefuls from the major studios."

Oscar's documentary rules become hot topic

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:06:08 -0600

By STEVEN ZEITCHIK

A controversy is brewing over a change to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' feature documentary rules that has distributors and film festivals crying foul.

Because of the change -- which required a one-week qualifying run in New York by Aug. 31 -- one of the year's most buzzed-about docs, the Israeli animated film ''Waltz With Bashir,'' won't be eligible for the documentary Oscar. A host of executives and festival veterans are calling on the Academy to revise the rule.

Jimmy Kimmel set to host AMAs again

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:12:06 -0600

Jimmy Kimmel is coming back to provide more laughs for the American Music Awards.

The comedian and talk show host is slated to host the annual event on Nov. 23 live from Los Angeles on ABC. Pink and the Jonas Brothers are among those scheduled to perform.
Kimmel has hosted the American Music Awards four previous times.

Your complete '08-'09 awards-season calendar

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 -0600

Here they are, all the announcement and awards-show dates that make up the awards season we call The Gold Rush ...

Is Ricky Gervais going to host the Oscars?!

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:41:19 -0600

Ricky Gervais playfully berates Steve Carell at last week's Emmys. (AP file)

Although the gamut of suggestions from various entertainment bloggers run wide -- from a return by Steve Martin to two suggestions of Will Smith -- the question of who will host the upcoming Oscars is beginning to boil down to one name: Ricky Gervais.

There was at least one good thing about that Emmys telecast ...

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:37:22 -0600

Its unusually smart choices this year provided great pointers to some TV worth watching. As you wait for season premieres, here's a run-down of some of those shows, from "Breaking Bad" to Glenn Close's "Damages."

Sept. 30 and already a round of Oscar predictions?

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:51:09 -0600

Yegods -- Mickey Rourke is back, pictured at the recent Toronto Film Festival. (AP)

The trailers at the movieplex this weekend were one long menu for the upcoming smorgasbord of Oscar bait. And even though many of these films haven't opened yet -- and it's barely October -- we already have our first round of Oscar predictions!

Oscars tap Mark, Condon to oversee telecast

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:30:01 -0600

Two Hollywood veterans, Laurence Mark and Bill Condon, will oversee the next Academy Awards telecast.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said today that producer Mark will produce the Feb. 22 show, while writer-director Condon will be executive producer. It will be the first time either has worked on the Oscars.

Just who are some of these Rock Hall nominees?

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:20:19 -0600

A refresher on the slate of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ...

New slate of Rock Hall nominees on the bill

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:52:13 -0600

Run-D.M.C. could ''Walk This Way'' into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The 1980s rap act, along with Metallica and the Stooges, are among the nine nominees for next year's hall of fame class, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced today.

The other nominees are guitarist Jeff Beck, singer Wanda Jackson, Little Anthony and the Imperials, War, Bobby Womack, and disco and R&B group Chic.

Backstage and beyond at the Emmys

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:19:54 -0600

Glenn Close holds the Emmy for outstanding actress in a drama series for her role in "Damages," backstage at the 60th annual Emmy Awards.

By CHRISTY LEMIRE

Television, movies, stage. They're all the same to Glenn Close, as long as the work is worthwhile.

''I kind of don't differentiate,'' Close said backstage Sunday night after winning the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for ''Damages.''

''For me, it's where the material is and it always has been, and I am so energized and challenged and thrilled by the work that we all do together at 'Damages.' It really is the ride of my career to have this magnificent part, which is as good as any part you'd find in a feature film. ... I can't wait to see where our writers take us this year.''

As she spoke backstage with reporters, Close also expanded on the comments she made during her acceptance speech about ''the sisterhood of the TV drama divas,'' actresses like Helen Mirren and Judi Dench who've inspired her by flourishing in television as well as in films and theater.

''The most important thing is going where there's great material,'' she said, ''because that's how you grow as an artist and how you're challenged.''

Glad you're reading about the Emmys here, since no one was watching ...

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:05:52 -0600

The five reality hosts and all the king's men, couldn't get several million people to watch the Emmys again. Last night's ceremony on ABC was the lowest-rated Emmys ever.

Dying is easy, comedy is hard

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:01:50 -0600

Remember the bit during last night's Emmys when co-host Tom Bergeron educated us on the difference between comedy and drama? "This is drama," he said, as co-host Heidi Klum swooned into his arms. "This is comedy," he said, dropping her.

Pratfalls are funny, but they hurt. Klum finished her lines, then she said, "Ow!" as the show went on. And TMZ shows why -- with a photo of this massive bruise on her hip!

What Emmys records actually broke

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:26:08 -0600

We expected some records at the Emmys on Sunday night. ''John Adams'' (23 noms), NBC's ''30 Rock'' (17) and AMC's ''Mad Men'' (16) dominated many categories. Here's what broke:

The Emmys after-party report

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:50:20 -0600

By SOLVEJ SCHOU

Accepting hugs left and right and clutching his best miniseries trophy for HBO's "John Adams," Tom Hanks made one thing clear at the premium cable network's packed Emmy afterparty: He's not a partier.

"It's a school night. This is all a bit of a chore, honestly," Hanks said late Sunday night, grinning and waving his arms while music pumped loudly overhead.

"I'm shouting at everyone I meet, I'm taking pictures with everyone who wants to. ... We're really glad the series won. Great cast, killer crew. ... But I gotta be at work at 6 a.m. tomorrow," he said. "I've got about 15 minutes left in me."