Awards: 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards Winners!

Top honors went to Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Boyhood, Whiplash and Nightcrawler

Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, Los Angeles Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA, handed out top honors to Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Boyhood, Whiplash and Nightcrawler at yesterday afternoon’s 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Still Alice, Dear White People, Ida, Land Ho! and CITIZENFOUR also received awards at the ceremony, which was held in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. Inherent Vice received the Robert Altman Award and Foxcatcher received a Special Distinction Award. In addition to being the celebration that honors artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody independence and originality, the Spirit Awards is the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs.

Over the past 30 years, the Film Independent Spirit Awards has made a name for itself as the premiere awards show for the independent film community. Artists who have received industry recognition first at the Spirit Awards include Joel and Ethan Coen, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, Ashley Judd, Robert Rodriguez, David O. Russell, Edward Burns, Aaron Eckhart, Neil LaBute, Darren Aronofsky, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, Hilary Swank, Marc Forster, Todd Field, Christopher Nolan, Zach Braff, Amy Adams, Lena Dunham and many more.

This year’s major category winners were Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); which won Best Feature, Best Male Lead and Best Cinematography, Boyhood; which won Best Director and Best Supporting Female, Nightcrawler; which won Best First Feature and Best Screenplay and Whiplash; which won Best Supporting Male and Best Editing; Still Alice, which won Best Female Lead;Dear White People, which won Best First Screenplay; Land Ho!, which won the John Cassavetes Award; Ida, which won Best International Film and CITIZENFOUR, which won Best Documentary.

The 8th annual Robert Altman Award was given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice received this award, along with casting director Cassandra Kulukundis and ensemble cast members Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Sasha Pieterse, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon and Michael Kenneth Williams.

The Special Distinction Award, given to a film for its uniqueness of vision, honesty of direction and screenwriting, superb acting and overall filmmaking achievement, was given to Foxcatcher. The award was given to director/producer Bennett Miller, producers Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik, writers E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman, actors Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum.

The 2015 Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation Fellowship which includes a cash grant of $10,000 was awarded to Christina Choe. This annual award is given to a filmmaker currently participating in a Film Independent Artist Development program with the mission of diversity in mind. Choe, a participant in the 2015 Directing Lab, is currently in active pre-production on her first narrative feature film, Nancy.

The Film Independent Spirit Awards are sponsored by Premier Sponsors Piaget, The Lincoln Motor Company, Bank of America, Heineken, American Airlines and IFC. T-Mobile® is the Official Arrivals Show Sponsor, Sauza 901 Tequila is the Official Spirit and FIJI Water is the Official Water of the 2015 Spirit Awards. WireImage is the Official Photographer of Film Independent.

The production team for this year’s Spirit Awards includes executive producer and director Joel Gallen, producers Shawn Davis and Rick Austin.

The following is a complete list of the winners:

Best Feature: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole

Best Director: Richard Linklater (IFC Films)

Best Screenplay: Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)

Best First Feature: Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)
Director: Dan Gilroy, Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak

Best First Screenplay: Justin Simien, Dear White People (Roadside Attractions/ Lionsgate)

John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000): Land Ho! (Sony Pictures Classics)
Writers/Directors: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens, Producers: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy

Best Supporting Female: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood (IFC Films)

Best Supporting Male: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Female Lead: Julianne Moore, Still Alice (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Male Lead: Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Robert Altman Award: Inherent Vice (Warner Bros.)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, Casting Director: Cassandra Kulukundis, Ensemble Cast: Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Sasha Pieterse, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Kenneth Williams.

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Best Editing: Tom Cross, Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best International Film: Ida (Poland – Music Box Films)
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski

Best Documentary: CITIZENFOUR (RADiUS-TWC / HBO Documentary Films / Participant Media)
Director: Laura Poitras; Producers: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky

Special Distinction Award: Foxcatcher (Sony Pictures Classics)
Director/Producer: Bennett Miller, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik, Writers: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman, Actors: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum

For more information or to become a member, visit filmindependent.org.

Oscars 2015: My Prediction!

The OSCARS in 3 Days!

Yesterday, i posted in my Twitter and Instagram accounts my predictions in the 8 major categories. In that, I had "Birdman" winning Best Picture and "Boyhood" director Richard Linklater for Best Director. Today, I am reversing that and calling the race again for "Boyhood" to take Best Picture and "Birdman's" Alejandro Innaritu for Best Director.

Now, if the opposite happens or if "Boyhood" takes both, i will be most happy. But if "Birdman" wins both and Michael Keaton upsets Eddie Redmayne, i will probably be bitching about the results all day Monday. LOL!

My predictions below! Clear your Sunday sked. Watch the Oscars!!

Below article originally appeared on print via The Philippine Star and online at http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2015/02/20/1425576/guide-87th-oscars

Guide to the 87th Oscars
By Raymond Lo, L.A. Correspondent (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 20, 2015 - 12:00am


MANILA, Philippines - It’s that time of year again! On Sunday, Feb. 22 (Monday, Feb. 23, Manila time), the Oscars will once again bring movie lovers together for three hours of sheer movie fun. The 87th Oscars will be telecast live to over 100 countries and is expected to attract over a billion viewers!

And those billion viewers are probably still as perplexed as this writer is right now on which one movie will be rewarded by the Academy this year. 2014 was not a particularly strong year for Hollywood movies. Only a handful made an impression and that has been reflected by the wildly diverse selections of several Oscar precursors. Traditionally, about this time, we should have had a clear frontrunner leading to the show already but not this year. The Screen Actors Guild, the Directors Guild and the Producers Guild all picked Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) as the year’s Best Film. However, the BAFTAS, the very influential British bloc of the Academy, selected Boyhood as their Best Film. The critics were not of much help either. The BFCA, which for years has been considered as the most accurate predictor of the Oscars, selected Boyhood as their Best Film. The New York and Los Angeles Film Critics also named Boyhood as the year’s best.

So with no clear frontrunner for the all-important Best Picture prize, this writer will pick what he believes is the better movie between the two. Expect Boyhood to win the top Oscar but the Best Director trophy could go to Birdman director Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu. The picture/director awards will be split between the two films again similar to last year. It would be interesting to see two Mexican filmmakers win Hollywood’s top directing prizes two years in a row. Alfonso Cuaron won last year for Gravity.

On a personal note, this writer would love to see Boyhood’s Richard Linklater rewarded with a win for his 12-year labor of love. I hope the Academy shares my sentiments.

The nominees for Best Picture are: American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything and Whiplash.

The nominated directors are: Innaritu for Birdman, Linklater for Boyhood, Bennet Miller for Foxcatcher, Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel and Morten Tyldum for The Imitation Game.

While the Top 2 categories are pretty difficult to call, the acting categories will likely just end up as a coronation night for the four actors who have virtually swept all the awards haul this Oscar season.

Acclaimed actress Julianne Moore will win Best Actress for Still Alice. The beautiful star has been overdue for an Oscar and this year is going to be hers. Her performance as a mother and wife trying to cope with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease has been widely acclaimed since its debut in September. Her main competition in the category are previous Oscar-winners Reese Witherspoon for the very moving film Wild and French superstar Marion Cotillard for the brilliant film Two Days, One Night. Two Brits complete the nominees: Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl and Felicity Jones for The Theory of Everything.

In the Best Actor category, Felicity’s co-star and fellow Brit Eddie Redmayne is tipped to win the category for his excellent portrayal of wheelchair-bound astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. His performance has drawn comparison to Daniel Day-Lewis’ Oscar-winning turn in My Left Foot. Veteran Hollywood player Michael Keaton is the dark horse in this category. The former Batman star whose performance as an over-the-hill actor trying to stage a comeback in Birdman has resonated with Hollywood insiders and he could just earn the trophy and stage his own career comeback. The three other nominated actors are Steve Carell for Foxcatcher, Bradley Cooper in American Sniper and Benedict Cumberbatch in the heartbreaking film The Imitation Game.

In the supporting categories, two veteran actors, who rightfully deserve all the honors and accolades for their compelling performances and for their impressive body of work as well, have staked their respective claims in their categories very early on in the race.

Patricia Arquette, who aged 12 years on screen for her role in Boyhood, has racked up virtually every trophy available this season. Her performance has inspired so many that perhaps the other actresses nominated alongside her end up voting for her, too! The other actresses nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category include Laura Dern for Wild, Keira Knightley for The Imitation Game, Emma Stone for Birdman and the acting goddess Meryl Streep, who is nominated for an unbelievable 19th time this year for her performance as a wicked witch in Disney’s Into the Woods.

For Best Supporting Actor, J.K. Simmons is expected to receive his Oscar on his first nomination as a stern teacher who expects nothing but greatness from his students in Whiplash. Other actors nominated in the category include Robert Duvall for The Judge, Ethan Hawke for Boyhood, Mark Ruffalo for Foxcatcher and Edward Norton whose performance in Birdman poses the biggest competition to Simmons.

This year, the one category that this writer is most excited about is the Best Foreign Language Film category. All the five nominated films are excellent works and each one deserves to win. But my heart was captured by the Argentine film Wild Tales when I saw it last December. It’s one of those rare films that combine all the elements of a commercial film and the quality of an art film. Its biggest competitions are the films from Russia, Leviathan, a tale of Russian corruption based on the parable of Job and the Polish entry Ida, the story of novitiate nun who discovers that she was Jewish on the eve of her dedication. Ida has been the frontrunner since day one and is likely to win. The other nominated films are the harrowing Timbuktu from Mauritania and the powerful anti-war film Tangerines from Estonia.

But Wild Tales will win. Fingers crossed.

With no particular film leading the Oscar race this year, the trophies will most likely be spread among five movies. The Grand Budapest Hotel, which is nominated for nine Oscars will likely end up with the most trophy with four. Birdman and The Theory of Everything will likely net three trophies each. Interstellar, the disappointing sci-fi from Christopher Nolan, will sweep the technical categories and will likely win three Oscars. Boyhood will likely end up with just two Oscars.

Among the announced performers this year are pop superstars Lady Gaga and John Legend. Neil Patrick Harris, known to many Filipinos as the Doogie Howser M.D., will be hosting the Oscars for the first time this year.

See you at the Oscars!

My Favorite Films of 2014

(Note: This story was first published in The Philippine Star on January 11, 2015. Online link is here: http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2015/01/11/1411569/my-favorite-films-2014)

MANILA, Philippines - It’s 2015! Did you make good with your 2014 resolutions? This writer did not do so well and is recycling a lot of them but there’s one resolution that I diligently followed through and I believe I did very well.

Last year, about this time, I pledged to watch as many movies as I possibly can and I think I did it! I saw over 200 titles from all over the world and it made my year incredibly exciting and fulfilling.

I started the year at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in early January where I saw the highly-regarded debut films of Hannah Espia (Transit, Philippines) and Anthony Chen (Ilo Ilo, Singapore). Two weeks later, I attended the Scandinavian Film Festival where I discovered one of my favorite films of the year from Swedish filmmaker Lukas Moodysson, the exuberant We Are the Best! I also loved the tender film Mother, I Love You from Latvia by director Janis Nords.

In early February, I went to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and discovered a couple of outstanding films from two emerging Eastern European directors: Victor Taus (Clownwise, Czech Republic) and Ignas Jonynas (The Gambler, Lithuania).

In June, the Los Angeles Film Festival offered a great selection of films and I discovered a great documentary about a movie buff making his own D-I-Y films in his own backyard called Giuseppe Makes a Movie by Adam Rifkin. In July, I enjoyed Cupcakes, a delightful comedy about an unlikely group of friends competing for Europe’s top singing prize from acclaimed Israeli filmmaker Eyton Fox at the annual LGBT-themed OutFest.

In September, the University of Southern California organized EUphoria, a three-day film festival featuring the best new films coming out of the European Union. My favorite movies were the quirky comedy from Germany called The Strange Little Cat and the politically charged espionage thriller The Color of the Chameleon from Bulgaria.

In November, the annual AFIFest organized by the American Film Institute offered an outstanding selection of movies from all over the world including the excellent Argentine film Wild Tales from filmmaker Damian Szifron and Two Days, One Night from Belgian greats Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. Acclaimed Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz’s Locarno-winning film From What is Before also screened but to mixed reviews.

During the same month, the European Film Promotion (EFP) organized a series of screenings of Foreign Language Oscar submissions from 23 countries. I went to a few screenings and discovered the delightful film Cowboys from Croatia, 1001 Grams from Norway, The Japanese Dog from Romania, Force Majeure from Sweden and the haunting and powerful new film from acclaimed Finnish filmmaker Pirjo Honkasalo Concrete Night (Betoniyo).

In between all these film festivals and screenings, this writer also enjoyed the variety of movies that Hollywood offered this year. It wasn’t a particularly strong year for Hollywood movies with only a handful that can be considered as truly masterful and memorable although there’s one that really stood out over the others, Richard Linklater’s Boyhood.

Boyhood is a delicate and brilliant ode to childhood. Filmed over 12 years, the movie tracks the years in the life of a young boy named Mason from the time he was seven until he went to college. The part of the young boy was played with surprising tenderness by newcomer Ellar Coltrane who literally grows up before our very eyes! In a year filled with movies populated by state-of-the-art computer-generated special effects, Coltrane’s transition from a young child to young adult on screen stands out as the best special effect there was all year!

The movie debuted to wide acclaim at Sundance in January last year. I saw it in July and it was an experience like no other. If cinema was invented to create magic and trickery on film, Linklater’s masterpiece will be remembered years from now as perhaps an important milestone in the evolution of cinema as a medium to capture life on screen and it is for this reason alone that I pick Boyhood as my top film of the year!

My second favorite film of the year is Wild Tales. I waited half a year for this movie to reach the US after its spectacular debut at Cannes last year. Many critics have been raving madly about the Argentine film all year. Many of them were one in saying that it was perhaps the best film this year and after watching it I can definitely say that all the buzz were warranted, all the great reviews were earned, all the superlatives heaped on the film were absolutely well deserved!

The movie is an anthology of six short stories that share a common theme: Violence and vengeance. If you are in the mood for some wicked time at the movies, this movie is perfect. But even if you want to just have a good fun at the movies, to be entertained without being dumbed down by poor writing, this is the perfect movie for you. It’s the kind of film that successfully mixes high art with commercial filmmaking! I have an exclusive interview with Damián Szifrón, the writer and director of the movie. Watch for it.

My third favorite film of the year is the hypnotic Concrete Night from the great Finnish filmmaker Pirjo Honkasalo. Shot in gorgeous black-and-white, the movie begins with a dream that morphs into a nightmare for young Simo, the central character in this relentlessly depressing film about a boy’s final hours. The story tracks 24 hours in the life of brothers Illka and Simo. Illka, the older brother is to start serving his prison sentence while his younger brother Simo is forced by their mother to spend the day with Illka. I wish the Finland consulate in Manila would bring this masterpiece to the Philippines so that many ardent movie buffs could watch it.

So, to recap, my Top 3 favorite films of the year are: Boyhood, Wild Tales and Concrete Night.

My fourth to 10th picks are:

4.) We Are the Best! (Director: Lukas Moodysson, Denmark) — This film tells about three adolescent girls who share a common love for punk music and decides to form a punk band. It is a lovely film that pulsates with life and youthful exuberance.

5.) The Imitation Game (Director: Morten Tyldum, UK) — This is based on the life of Alan Turing, the man credited for cracking the German communication system Enigma during World War II. It is an imposing document of one man’s undeclared greatness and enormous sacrifice to save millions of lives in exchange of his own. What a triumphant and heartbreaking performance by Benedict Cumberbatch!

6.) A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Director: Ana Lily Amirpour, USA) — I waited 11 months for this movie and when I finally saw it, I was just blown away by it! I love it! I adore it! And I think it’s a masterpiece! Every frame, every minute of the movie satisfies in all levels. There’s comedy, drama, theater, thriller, horror, romance — even the music, oh, how I love the score! The film is a mash-up of several genres that only someone who lives and breathes movies could have ever done. Have I told you that it’s a vampire flick set in Tehran but filmed in the western genre?

7.) Wild (Director: Jean Marc-Vallee, USA) — This is based on the incredible journals of Cheryl Strayed when she spent over three months hiking over deserts, mountains and forests in searing heat and snow in search of her proverbial self and her worth as a person — and in atonement for the many transgressions she has committed against herself and the people who loved and cared for her. This movie features a commanding performance from Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon.

8.) Two Days, One Night (Directors: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Belgium) — This movie features a tour-de-force performance by French superstar Marion Cotillard in the role of a laid-off woman who was given only one weekend to plead with her co-workers to return their bonuses in exchange for the job that she lost. The film is a powerful commentary on the state of minimum wage earners in modern Europe that is slowly seeing the growing divide between the rich and the poor.

9.) Transit (Director: Hannah Espia, Philippines) — One of the best Filipino films I’ve seen in many years! Espia’s well-observed camera work and meticulous storytelling style showed in this masterful examination of the effects of Israel’s discriminatory law that called for the deportation of children born to non-Israeli parents to a group of Filipino migrant workers.

10.) The Fault in Our Stars (Director: Josh Boone, USA) — This is a love story between Gus and Hazel. Enough said. But, really, no recent movie in this genre has moved me so much and made me cry hard as much as this movie did. I know it’s my favorite because I saw it in theaters five times.

I also tremendously enjoyed Locke, which features a singular performance by Tom Hardy in a movie set in its entirety in a moving car. If I had an extended list, I would have included Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Whiplash, The Theory of Everything, Nightcrawler, Enemy, X-Men: DOFP and Big Hero 6.

In 2014, I also saw Lav Diaz’s Norte, the End of History and found it to be one of his better films but it definitely could use extensive editing. The Star Cinema movie Starting Over Again offered an interesting twist to the ex-girlfriend angle in the Filipino rom-com genre but was ultimately hampered by a shamelessly audience-bait epilogue.

(To see the full list of the 200 films I saw, please visit my blog: http://raymonddeasislo.blogspot.com/p/2014-movies.html.)

Awards: 2014 Broadcast Film Critics Awards Nominations

“Birdman”, "The Grand Budapest Hotel", "Boyhood", "Interstellar", "Gone Girl" lead list of contenders! 

"Wild Tales", "Two Days, One Night", "Ida", "Leviathan", "Force Majeure" make list of impressive Foreign Language nominees!

Kevin Costner, Ron Howard, Jessica Chastain to receive special awards!

NOMINATIONS FOR THE 20th ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE
Birdman
Boyhood - Predicted Winner
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Nightcrawler
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken
Whiplash

BEST ACTOR
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton – Birdman
David Oyelowo – Selma
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything - Predicted Winner

BEST ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still Alice - Predicted Winner
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin – Inherent Vice
Robert Duvall – The Judge
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash - Predicted Winner

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Jessica Chastain – A Most Violent Year - Predicted Winner
Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game
Emma Stone – Birdman
Meryl Streep – Into the Woods
Tilda Swinton – Snowpiercer

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Ellar Coltrane – Boyhood - Predicted Winner
Ansel Elgort – The Fault in Our Stars
Mackenzie Foy – Interstellar
Jaeden Lieberher – St. Vincent
Tony Revolori – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Quvenzhane Wallis – Annie
Noah Wiseman – The Babadook

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Birdman - Predicted Winner
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Into the Woods
Selma

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ava DuVernay – Selma
David Fincher – Gone Girl
Alejandro G. Inarritu – Birdman
Angelina Jolie – Unbroken
Richard Linklater – Boyhood - Predicted Winner

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman – Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., Armando Bo
Boyhood – Richard Linklater
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness - Predicted Winner
Nightcrawler – Dan Gilroy
Whiplash – Damien Chazelle

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
The Imitation Game – Graham Moore
Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson
The Theory of Everything – Anthony McCarten
Unbroken – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese, William Nicholson
Wild – Nick Hornby - Predicted Winner

BEST CINEMATOGRAPY
Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki - Predicted Winner
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert Yeoman
Interstellar – Hoyte Van Hoytema
Mr. Turner – Dick Pope
Unbroken – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION
Birdman – Kevin Thompson/Production Designer, George DeTitta Jr./Set Decorator
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Adam Stockhausen/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator - Predicted Winner
Inherent Vice – David Crank/Production Designer, Amy Wells/Set Decorator
Interstellar – Nathan Crowley/Production Designer, Gary Fettis/Set Decorator
Into the Woods – Dennis Gassner/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
Snowpiercer – Ondrej Nekvasil/Production Designer, Beatrice Brentnerova/Set Decorator

BEST EDITING
Birdman – Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione - Predicted Winner
Boyhood – Sandra Adair
Gone Girl – Kirk Baxter
Interstellar – Lee Smith
Whiplash – Tom Cross

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero - Predicted Winner
Inherent Vice – Mark Bridges
Into the Woods – Colleen Atwood
Maleficent – Anna B. Sheppard
Mr. Turner – Jacqueline Durran

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
Foxcatcher - Predicted Winner
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Into the Woods
Maleficent

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Edge of Tomorrow - Predicted Winner
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie - Predicted Winner

BEST ACTION MOVIE
American Sniper
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Edge of Tomorrow - Predicted Winner
Fury
Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Bradley Cooper – American Sniper - Predicted Winner
Tom Cruise – Edge of Tomorrow
Chris Evans – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Brad Pitt – Fury
Chris Pratt – Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow
Scarlett Johansson – Lucy - Predicted Winner
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
Zoe Saldana – Guardians of the Galaxy
Shailene Woodley – Divergent

BEST COMEDY
Birdman - Predicted Winner
The Grand Budapest Hotel
St. Vincent
Top Five
22 Jump Street

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Jon Favreau – Chef
Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Michael Keaton – Birdman - Predicted Winner
Bill Murray – St. Vincent
Chris Rock – Top Five
Channing Tatum – 22 Jump Street

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Rose Byrne – Neighbors
Rosario Dawson – Top Five
Melissa McCarthy – St. Vincent
Jenny Slate – Obvious Child - Predicted Winner
Kristen Wiig – The Skeleton Twins

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
The Babadook - Predicted Winner
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Interstellar
Snowpiercer
Under the Skin

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Force Majeure
Ida
Leviathan
Two Days, One Night
Wild Tales - Predicted Winner

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Citizenfour - Predicted Winner
Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
Jodorowsky’s Dune
Last Days in Vietnam
Life Itself
The Overnighters

BEST SONG
Big Eyes – Lana Del Rey – Big Eyes
Everything Is Awesome – Jo Li and the Lonely Island – The Lego Movie
Glory – Common/John Legend – Selma - Predicted Winner
Lost Stars – Keira Knightley – Begin Again
Yellow Flicker Beat – Lorde – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

BEST SCORE
Alexandre Desplat – The Imitation Game - Predicted Winner
Johann Johannsson – The Theory of Everything
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Gone Girl
Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
Hans Zimmer – Interstellar

The show will be broadcast live on A&E network from the iconic Hollywood Palladium on January 15th at 9PM ET/6PM PT.

XXX
Raymond Lo

Awards: 2014 Golden Globes Nominations!

GETT: The Trial of Viviane Ansalem

Movies from Israel, Poland, Russia, Estonia and Sweden make the Best Foreign Language Film list !

"Birdman" leads noms with 7 nods. "Boyhood", "Foxcatcher", "The Imitation Game", "The Theory of Everything" are solid Oscar contenders now!

"Selma" is back with multiple noms!

"Unbroken", "American Sniper", "Mr. Turner", "Wild Tales", "Mommy" snubbed!

2014 NOMINATIONS

Motion Pictures

Best Drama
"Boyhood" - Predicted Winner
"Foxcatcher"
"The Imitation Game"
"Selma"
"The Theory of Everything"

Best Comedy
"Birdman" - Predicted Winner
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Into the Woods"
"Pride"
"St. Vincent"

Best Director
Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Ava Duvernay, "Selma"
David Fincher, "Gone Girl"
Alejandro González Iñárritu, "Birdman"
Richard Linklater, "Boyhood" - Predicted Winner

Best Actress in a Drama
Jennifer Aniston, "Cake"
Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"
Julianne Moore, "Still Alice" - Predicted Winner
Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"
Reese Witherspoon, "Wild"

Best Actor in a Drama
Steve Carell, "Foxcatcher"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"
Jake Gyllenhaal, "Nightcrawler"
David Oyelowo, "Selma"
Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything" - Predicted Winner

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy
Ralph Fiennes, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Michael Keaton, "Birdman" - Predicted Winner
Bill Murray, "St. Vincent"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Inherent Vice"
Christoph Waltz, "Big Eyes"

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams, "Big Eyes" - Predicted Winner
Emily Blunt, "Into the Woods"
Helen Mirren, "The Hundred-Foot Journey"
Julianne Moore, "Map to the Stars"
Quvenzhané Wallis, "Annie"

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
Jessica Chastain, "A Most Violent Year" - Predicted Winner
Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game"
Emma Stone, "Birdman"
Meryl Streep, "Into the Woods"

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, "The Judge"
Ethan Hawke, "Boyhood"
Edward Norton, "Birdman"
Mark Ruffalo, "Foxcatcher"
J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash" - Predicted Winner

Best Screenplay
Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Predicted Winner
Gillian Flynn, "Gone Girl"
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo, "Birdman"
Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"
Graham Moore, "The Imitation Game"

Best Foreign Language Film
"Force Majeure Turist," Sweden
"Gett: The Trial of Viviane Ansalem Gett," Israel
"Ida," Poland/Denmark - Predicted Winner
"Leviathan," Russia
"Tangerines Mandariinid," Estonia

Best Animated Feature
"Big Hero 6"
"The Book of Life"
"The Boxtrolls"
"How to Train Your Dragon 2"
"The Lego Movie" - Predicted Winner

Best Original Song
"Big Eyes" from "Big Eyes" music and lyrics by Lana Del Rey
"Glory" from "Selma," Music and lyrics by John legend and Common - Predicted Winner
"Mercy Is" from "Noah," Music and lyrics by Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye
"Opportunity" from "Annie," Music and lyrics by Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck
"Yellow Flicker Beat" from "The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1," Music and lyrics by Lorde

Best Score
"The Imitation Game" - Predicted Winner
"The Theory of Everything"
"Gone Girl"
"Birdman"
"Interstellar"

Television

Best TV Comedy or Musical
"Girls"
"Jane the Virgin" - Predicted Winner
"Orange Is the New Black"
"Silicon Valley"
"Transparent"

Best TV Drama
"The Affair"
"Downton Abbey"
"Game of Thrones"
"The Good Wife"
"House of Cards" - Predicted Winner

Best Actress in a TV Drama
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Viola Davis, "How to Get Away with Murder" - Predicted Winner
Julianna Margulies, "The Good WIfe"
Ruth Wilson, "The Affair"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

Best Actor in a TV Drama
Clive Owen, "The Knick"
Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards" - Predicted Winner
James Spader, "The Blacklist"
Dominic West, "The Affair"

Best Actress in a TV Comedy
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Gena Rodriguez, "Jane the Virgin" - Predicted Winner
Taylor Schilling, "Orange Is the New Black"

Best Actor in a TV Comedy
Louis CK, "Louie"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Ricky Gervais, "Derek"
William H. Macy, "Shameless" - Predicted Winner
Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"

Best Miniseries or TV Movie
"Fargo"
"The Missing"
"The Normal Heart"
"Olive Kitteridge"
"True Detective" - Predicted Winner

Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "The Honorable Woman"
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show" - Predicted Winner
Frances McDormand, "Olive Kitteridge"
Frances O'Connor, "The Missing"
Allison Tolman, "Fargo"

Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Martin Freeman, "Fargo"
Woody Harrelson, "True Detective"
Matthew McConaughey, "True Detective" - Predicted Winner
Mark Ruffalo, "The Normal Heart"
Billy Bob Thornton, "Fargo"

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV Movie
Uzo Aduba, "Orange Is the New Black"
Kathy Bates, "American Horror Story: Freak Show" - Predicted Winner
Joanne Froggatt, "Downton Abbey"
Allison Janney, "Mom"
Michelle Monaghan, "True Detective"

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV Movie
Matt Bomer, "The Normal Heart" - Predicted Winner
Alan Cumming, "The Good Wife"
Colin Hanks, "Fargo"
Bill Murray, "Olive Kitteridge"
Jon Voight, "Ray Donovan"

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Raymond Lo

Awards: SAG Awards Nominations Predictions

Ansel Elgort and Eva Longoria to Announce the 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Nominations

Tomorrow, the Screen Actors Guild will announce their nominations for the Annual SAG Awards. Below are my predictions:

Best Cast 
"Birdman", "Boyhood", "The Grand Budapest Hotel", "Foxcatcher", "The Imitation Game”

Best Actress 
Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night), Reese Witherspoon (Wild), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Best Actor
Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Steve Carrell (Foxcatcher), Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner)

Best Supporting Actress
Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year), Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game), Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Laura Dern (Wild), Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer, The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Best Supporting Actor 
Edward Norton (Birdman), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), J.K Simmons (Whiplash), Channing Tatum (Foxcatcher)

About the SAG Awards
Lauded by critics for its style, simplicity and genuine warmth, the Screen Actors Guild Awards® presented by SAG-AFTRA, which made its debut in 1995, has become one of the industry’s most prized honors. The only televised awards shows to exclusively honor performers, it presents thirteen awards for acting in film and television in a fast moving two hour show which airs live on TNT and TBS. The awards focus on both individual performances as well as on the work of the entire ensemble of a drama series and comedy series, and the cast of a motion picture. These honors are fundamental to the spirit of the Screen Actors Guild Awards because they recognize what all actors know – that acting is a collaborative art.

In that same spirit, the SAG Awards® also commends the outstanding performances by film and television stunt ensembles. These accolades are announced from the SAG Awards red carpet during TNT and TBS’ pre-show webcasts.

Other highlights of the Screen Actors Guild Awards include the SAG Life Achievement Award, presented to an established performer for fostering the highest ideals of the acting profession and tributes to the varied talents within SAG-AFTRA's membership. The 50th Life Achievement Award was presented to Rita Moreno at the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards are also unique in the size of its voting body. Two randomly selected panels of 2,200 members each from across the country choose the nominees for television and motion pictures.  All active members of SAG-AFTRA in the United States  -- more than 100,000 members -- receive voting information to select the outstanding performances of the year.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards is the only national network television show to acknowledge the work of union members. SAG-AFTRA is affiliated with the AFL-CIO through the Associated Actors and Artistes of America (the Four A's).

The Screen Actors Guild Awards also benefits the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, which provides opportunities for union members to contribute to the literacy of children through BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools), and its online component Storyline Online. SAG Foundation programs provide emergency relief to union members in economic distress, emergency funds for members with catastrophic illnesses, video and audio preservation of the creative legacy of members, scholarships for performers and their children, valuable casting seminars and related professional workshops. The Foundation also operates The Actor’s Center and Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab. Details are available at www.sagfoundation.org, www.bookpals.net and www.storylineonline.net.

PEOPLE magazine and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) will host the Screen Actors Guild Post-Awards Gala for the 19th consecutive year. This exclusive event honors the philanthropic causes and good works of the members of SAG-AFTRA. The gala, benefiting the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, will immediately follow the SAG Awards.

The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA with Screen Actors Guild Awards®, LLC will be produced by Avalon Harbor Entertainment. Inc. and  will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015 at 8 p.m. (ET) / 5 p.m. (PT).  Nominations will be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014 at  9 a.m. (ET) / 6 a.m. (PT), carried live on TNT and TBS, sagawards.tntdrama.com and tbs.com.

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Raymond Lo

News: "Boyhood" Featurette on Hulu

IFC Films debuted today a "Boyhood" featurette on Hulu.

"The Making of Boyhood - 12 Years on Film" is a 10-minute featurette, spanning 12 years, and gives an extensive look at the process of creating what The New York Times calls "one of the most extraordinary movies of the 21st century." Go behind-the-scenes with Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater as they delve into how they created this groundbreaking epic.

"Boyhood" was filmed over 12 years with the same cast and is a feature-length film about growing up as seen through the eyes of a boy named Mason (played by Ellar Coltrane), who literally grows up on screen before our eyes. The film charts the rocky terrain of childhood, parenting and growing up. Snapshots of adolescence from road trips and family dinners to birthdays and graduations - and all the moments in between - are set to a soundtrack spanning the years with music from Coldplay, Paul McCartney and Arcade Fire.

Watch the featurette below:


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Raymond Lo

Awards: 2014 American Film Institute Best List

"American Sniper"

The American Film Institute (AFI) revealed their highly anticipated yearender list featuring the best films and television shows of the year. The list usually have ten film and ten TV shows but this year, AFI decided to come up with 11 films - which, in my opinion, represents the general lack of truly outstanding and excellent films this year thus the inability to exclude a title over another. But that's just me.

The list is non-competitive and acknowledges the collaborative nature of film and TV production, bringing the community’s creative teams together in a unique celebration of their work.

Movies of the Year
AMERICAN SNIPER
BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)
BOYHOOD
FOXCATCHER
THE IMITATION GAME
INTERSTELLAR
INTO THE WOODS
NIGHTCRAWLER
SELMA
UNBROKEN
WHIPLASH

TV Programs of the Year
THE AMERICANS
FARGO
GAME OF THRONES
HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
JANE THE VIRGIN
THE KNICK
MAD MEN
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
SILICON VALLEY
TRANSPARENT

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Raymond Lo

Awards: 2014 New York Online Film Critics Winners

"Boyhood" wins Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress of the year!

"Birdman", "Two Days, One Night" are multiple winners!

2014 Winners!

FILM: Boyhood 
DIRECTOR: Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
ACTOR: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
ACTRESS: Marion Cotillard, (Two Days, One Night)
SCREENPLAY: Birdman (Amando Bo, Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolas Giacobone, Alejandro G. Inarritu)
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Birdman (Emmanuel Lubezki)
SUPPORTING ACTOR: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
ENSEMBLE CAST: Birdman
FOREIGN LANGUAGE: Two Days, One Night 
DOCUMENTARY: Life Itself
ANIMATED FEATURE: The Lego Movie
DEBUT AS DIRECTOR: Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler)

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Raymond Lo

Awards: 2014 Los Angeles Film Critics Winners!

"Boyhood" takes four prizes!

Tom Hardy wins Best Actor for "Locke"

2014 Winners

BEST PICTURE: "BOYHOOD"
RUNNER-UP: "THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL"

BEST DIRECTOR: RICHARD LINKLATER ("BOYHOOD")
RUNNER-UP: WES ANDERSON ("THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL")

BEST ACTOR: TOM HARDY ("LOCKE")
RUNNER-UP: MICHAEL KEATON ("BIRDMAN")

BEST ACTRESS: PATRICIA ARQUETTE ("BOYHOOD")
RUNNER-UP: JULIANNE MOORE ("STILL ALICE")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: J.K. SIMMONS ("WHIPLASH"
RUNNER UP: EDWARD NORTON ("BIRDMAN")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: AGATA KULESZA ("IDA")
RUNNER-UP: RENE RUSSO ("NIGHTCRAWLER")

BEST SCREENPLAY: WES ANDERSON (“THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL")
RUNNER-UP: ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ IÑÁRRITU, NICOLÁS GIACOBONE, ALEXANDER DINELARIS, JR. AND ARMANDO BO ("BIRDMAN")

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: EMMANUEL LUBEZKI ("BIRDMAN")
RUNNER-UP: DICK POPE ("MR TURNER")

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: ADAM STOCKHAUSEN ("THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL")
RUNNER-UP: ONDREJ NEKVASIL ("SNOWPIERCER")

BEST EDITING: SANDRA ADAIR ("BOYHOOD")
RUNNER-UP: BARNEY PILLING ("THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL")

BEST MUSIC SCORE: (TIE) JONNY GREENWOOD ("INHERENT VICE") AND MICA LEVI ("UNDER THE SKIN")

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM: "IDA", DIRECTED BY PAWEL PAWLIKOWSKI
RUNNER-UP: "WINTER SLEEP", DIRECTED BY NURI BILGE CEYLAN

BEST DOCUMENTARY/NON-FICTION FILM: "CITIZENFOUR", Directed by LAURA POITRAS
RUNNER-UP: "LIFE ITSELF", Directed by STEVE JAMES

BEST ANIMATION: "THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA", Directed by ISAO TAKAHATA
RUNNER-UP: "THE LEGO MOVIE", Directed by PHIL LORD, CHRISTOPHER MILLER

NEW GENERATION: AVA DUVERNAY ("SELMA")

THE DOUGLAS EDWARDS EXPERIMENTAL/INDEPENDENT FILM/VIDEO AWARD: WALTER REUBEN, "THE DAVID WHITING STORY "

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: GENA ROWLANDS

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Raymond Lo

Awards: 2014 Boston Society of Film Critics Winners!

"Boyhood", "Birdman", "Two Days, One Night" are multiple winners!

2014 Winners

Best Picture  - Boyhood
Best Actor - Michael Keaton for Birdman
Best Actress - Marion Cotillard for The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night
Best Supporting Actor -  J. K. Simmons for Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress -  Emma Stone for Birdman
Best Director - Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Screenplay -  (tie) Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo for Birdman & Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki for Birdman
Best Documentary - Citizenfour
Best Foreign-Language Film  (awarded in memory of Jay Carr) -  Two Days, One Night
Best Animated Film - The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) - Sandra Adair for Boyhood
Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) -  Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler
Best Ensemble Cast -  Boyhood
Best Use of Music in a Film - Inherent Vice

Read my full review of Boyhood here.

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Raymond Lo

Awards: 2014 National Board of Review Winners!

"A MOST VIOLENT YEAR" crowned Best Film, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress by the National Board of Review!

My favorite foreign films "We Are the Best", "Two Days, One Night" and "Force Majeure" are in the Top 5 Foreign Language Films!

Winners list
Best Film:  A Most Violent Year
Best Director:  Clint Eastwood – American Sniper
Best Actor (TIE):  Oscar Isaac – A Most Violent Year; Michael Keaton – Birdman
Best Actress: Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Best Supporting Actor:  Edward Norton – Birdman
Best Supporting Actress:  Jessica Chastain – A Most Violent Year
Best Original Screenplay:  Phil Lord & Christopher Miller – The Lego Movie
Best Adapted Screenplay:  Paul Thomas Anderson – Inherent Vice
Best Animated Feature:  How to Train Your Dragon 2
Breakthrough Performance:  Jack O’Connell – Starred Up & Unbroken
Best Directorial Debut:  Gillian Robespierre – Obvious Child
Best Foreign Language Film:  Wild Tales
Best Documentary:  Life Itself
William K. Everson Film History Award:  Scott Eyman
Best Ensemble:  Fury
Spotlight Award:  Chris Rock for writing, directing, and starring in – Top Five
NBR Freedom of Expression Award (Two Winners):  Rosewater, Selma

Top Films
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
Fury
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Lego Movie
Nightcrawler
Unbroken

Top 5 Foreign Films
Force Majeure
Gett: The Trial of Vivian Amsalem
Leviathan
Two Days, One Night
We Are the Best!

Top 5 Documentaries
Art and Craft
Jodorowsky’
Last Days in Vietnam
The Kill Team
Last Days in Vietnam





Top 10 Independent Films
Blue Ruin
Locke
A Most Wanted Man
Mr. Turner
Obvious Child
The Skeleton Twins
Snowpiercer
Stand Clear of the Closing Doors
Starred Up
Still Alice

“A Most Violent Year is an exhilarating crime drama with a compelling story, outstanding performances, and an elegant cinematic style,” said Annie Schulhof, NBR President. “J.C. Chandor has given us a new and provocative perspective on the American Dream.”

A select group of knowledgeable film enthusiasts and professionals, academics, young filmmakers and students, the National Board of Review viewed over 272 films this year including studio, independent, foreign-language, animated and documentary selections.  These screenings were frequently followed by in-depth discussions with filmmakers, directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. Voting ballots were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz & Carr, LLP.

The National Board of Review honors diverse members of the film community at their annual Awards Gala, which also acts as a fundraiser for student grant philanthropy.  Hosted by Lara Spencer, this year’s gala will take place on January 6, 2015 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.

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Raymond Lo

Awards: New York Film Critics 2014 Winners

NYFCC honors movie magic of Linklater's grand American masterpiece "Boyhood"!

Marion Cotillard scores well-deserved nods for two films. Brit Timothy Spall wins best actor!

2014 Awards

Best Picture: BOYHOOD
Best Director: Richard Linklater, BOYHOOD
Best Screenplay: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard, THE IMMIGRANT and TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
Best Actor: Timothy Spall, MR. TURNER
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, BOYHOOD
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, WHIPLASH
Best Cinematographer: Darius Khondji, THE IMMIGRANT
Best Animated Film: THE LEGO MOVIE
Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary): CITIZENFOUR
Best Foreign Film: IDA (Poland)
Best First Film: Jennifer Kent, THE BABADOOK

The group gave a special career award to Adrienne Mancia, film curator for such institutions as the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Academy of Music to: Adrienne Mancia

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Raymond Lo

Oscars 2015: My very early prediction

Jack O'Connell (UNBROKEN)

Buzz from the industry screening of Angelina Jolie's UNBROKEN has been less enthusiastic than everyone predicted and some even lukewarm -- that counts it out as a leading Oscar contender. Civil Rights drama SELMA has also received mixed reviews. INTO THE WOODS has also received mostly negative reviews (with someone calling it the worst film of the year, is that right Georges Aintablian? wink!)... Eastwood's AMERICAN SNIPER received tepid reception at its AFIFest premiere. American movies have mostly disappointed this year. Films from other countries are some of the best this year with Finland's CONCRETE NIGHT my runaway favorite!

In the next couple of days, the NY and LA Film Critics will announce their year-end selections. The National Board of Review will release their top ten films and the Golden Globes will announce their nominations in a few days. All will try to second-guess the eventual Academy nominations...

I have not seen most of the Oscar contenders yet so I offer this prediction based on buzz, insider comments and just my wild December 1 thoughts on the Oscar season... Caveat: This list will definitely change come January.

"Boyhood"

Best Picture: BOYHOOD
Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne, THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Best Actress: Julianne Moore, STILL ALICE
Best Director: Richard Linklater, BOYHOOD
Best Supporting Actor: Edward Norton, BIRDMAN
Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain, A MOST VIOLENT YEAR





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Raymond Lo

Awards: 2015 Independent Spirit Award Nominees!

Lav Diaz' "Norte, The End of History" lands a Spirit nomination!!! 

"A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night", "Birdman", "Boyhood", "Whiplash" all nominated!

NOMINEES

BEST FEATURE
(Award given to the producer, Executive Producers are not awarded.)

BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)
PRODUCERS: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole

BOYHOOD - Predicted Winner
PRODUCERS: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland

LOVE IS STRANGE
PRODUCERS: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy

SELMA
PRODUCERS: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey

WHIPLASH
PRODUCERS: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michael Litvak

BEST FIRST FEATURE
(Award given to the director and producer)

A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT - Predicted Winner
DIRECTOR: Ana Lily Amirpour
PRODUCERS: Justin Begnaud, Sina Sayyah

DEAR WHITE PEOPLE
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Justin Simien
PRODUCERS: Effie T. Brown, Ann Le, Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez, Lena Waithe

NIGHTCRAWLER
DIRECTOR: Dan Gilroy
PRODUCERS: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak

OBVIOUS CHILD
DIRECTOR: Gillian Robespierre
PRODUCER: Elisabeth Holm

SHE’S LOST CONTROL
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Anja Marquardt
PRODUCERS: Mollye Asher, Kiara C. Jones

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
(Award given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)

BLUE RUIN
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Jeremy Saulnier
PRODUCERS: Richard Peete, Vincent Savino, Anish Savjani

IT FELT LIKE LOVE
WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Eliza Hittman
PRODUCERS: Shrihari Sathe, Laura Wagner

LAND HO!
WRITERS/DIRECTORS: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens
PRODUCERS: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy

MAN FROM RENO - Predicted Winner
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Dave Boyle
WRITERS: Joel Clark, Michael Lerman
PRODUCER: Ko Mori

TEST
WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Chris Mason Johnson
PRODUCER: Chris Martin

BEST DIRECTOR
DAMIEN CHAZELLE – Whiplash
AVA DUVERNAY – Selma
ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
RICHARD LINKLATER – Boyhood - Predicted Winner
DAVID ZELLNER – Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter

BEST SCREENPLAY
SCOTT ALEXANDER, LARRY KARASZEWSKI – Big Eyes
J.C. CHANDOR – A Most Violent Year
DAN GILROY – Nightcrawler - Predicted Winner
JIM JARMUSCH – Only Lovers Left Alive
IRA SACHS, MAURICIO ZACHARIAS – Love is Strange

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
DESIREE AKHAVAN – Appropriate Behavior
SARA COLANGELO – Little Accidents
JUSTIN LADER – The One I Love
ANJA MARQUARDT – She’s Lost Control
JUSTIN SIMIEN – Dear White People - Predicted Winner

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
DARIUS KHONDJI – The Immigrant
EMMANUEL LUBEZKI – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
SEAN PORTER – It Felt Like Love
LYLE VINCENT – A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night - Predicted Winner
BRADFORD YOUNG – Selma

BEST EDITING
SANDRA ADAIR – Boyhood - Predicted Winner
TOM CROSS – Whiplash
JOHN GILROY – Nightcrawler
RON PATANE – A Most Violent Year
ADAM WINGARD – The Guest

BEST MALE LEAD
ANDRÉ BENJAMIN – Jimi: All Is By My Side
JAKE GYLLENHAAL – Nightcrawler
MICHAEL KEATON - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) - Predicted Winner
JOHN LITHGOW – Love is Strange
DAVID OYELOWO – Selma

BEST FEMALE LEAD
MARION COTILLARD – The Immigrant
RINKO KIKUCHI – Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
JULIANNE MOORE – Still Alice - Predicted Winner
JENNY SLATE – Obvious Child
TILDA SWINTON – Only Lovers Left Alive

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
RIZ AHMED – Nightcrawler
ETHAN HAWKE – Boyhood
ALFRED MOLINA – Love is Strange
EDWARD NORTON – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) - Predicted Winner
J.K. SIMMONS – Whiplash

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
PATRICIA ARQUETTE – Boyhood
JESSICA CHASTAIN – A Most Violent Year - Predicted Winner
CARMEN EJOGO – Selma
ANDREA SUAREZ PAZ - Stand Clear of the Closing Doors
EMMA STONE – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
FORCE MAJEURE (Sweden) - DIRECTOR: Ruben Östlund
IDA (Poland) - DIRECTOR: Pawel Pawlikowski
LEVIATHAN (Russia) - DIRECTOR: Andrey Zvyagintsev
MOMMY (Canada) - DIRECTOR: Xavier Dolan - Predicted Winner
NORTE, THE END OF HISTORY (Philippines) - DIRECTOR: Lav Diaz
UNDER THE SKIN (United Kingdom) - DIRECTOR: Jonathan Glazer

BEST DOCUMENTARY
(Award given to the director and producer)

20,000 DAYS ON EARTH
DIRECTORS: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard
PRODUCERS: Dan Bowen, James Wilson

CITIZENFOUR
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Laura Poitras
PRODUCERS: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky

STRAY DOG
DIRECTOR: Debra Granik
PRODUCER: Anne Rosellini

THE SALT OF THE EARTH - Predicted Winner
DIRECTORS: Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders
PRODUCER: David Rosier

VIRUNGA
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Orlando von Einsiedel
PRODUCER: Joanna Natasegara

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Award given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)

INHERENT VICE
DIRECTOR: Paul Thomas Anderson
CASTING DIRECTOR: Cassandra Kulukundis
ENSEMBLE CAST: Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Kenneth Williams

SPECIAL DISTINCTION AWARD

FOXCATCHER
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Bennett Miller
WRITERS: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman
PRODUCER: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik
CAST: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum

Winners will be announced February 21, 2015, one day before the Oscars!

XXX
Raymond Lo

Awards: Gotham IFP Nominees

"A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night", "Boyhood", "Still Alice", "Birdman" lead Gotham IFP nominees! 

Voting for the 24th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards by IFP, the first major awards ceremony of the winter awards season, began last week. Voters have until Wednesday, November 26th, to cast their ballots.

There are 24 independent films that received nominations this year in seven competitive categories including Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best Actor, Best Actress , Breakthrough Actor, the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director award and the Gotham Audience Award.

In addition to the competitive awards, Gotham Award Tributes will be given to actor Tilda Swinton, director Bennett Miller and Industry Tribute recipient Netflix’s Ted Sarandos. The nominating committee for the Best Actor category also decided to award a collective Special Jury Award to the three leading stars of "Foxcatcher" – Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum – for their fine ensemble work.

As the first major awards ceremony of the film season, the Gotham Independent Film Awards by IFP provide critical early recognition and media attention to worthy independent films. The awards are also unique for their ability to assist in catapulting award recipients prominently into national awards season attention, including recent winners and ultimate Oscar® contenders.

Nominees were selected by committees of film critics, journalists, festival programmers, and film curators. Separate juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors and others directly involved in making films will determine the final Gotham Award recipients. Twenty writers, critics and programmers participated in the nomination process, considering 199 eligible submissions.

“Each year the Gotham Awards honor the best work from our independent storytellers and help new audiences discover their work. We congratulate this year’s nominees, from the master film artists to the talented newcomers, a true representation of the rich and diverse range of today’s independent filmmaking,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of IFP and the Made in NY Media Center. “We are grateful to our nominating committees of film critics, journalists, programmers and film curators for their dedication to selecting the nominees from so many worthy submissions.”

The Gotham Awards ceremony will be held two weeks from now on Monday, December 1st at Cipriani Wall Street. Good luck to all.

The NY and LA film critics will soon announce their nominations. The National Board of Review will follow along with the HFPA Golden Globes. Oscar nominations will not be known until January 2015.

The 2014 Gotham Independent Film Award nominations are:

Best Feature

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, director; Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Boyhood - WINNER (My Prediction)
Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, producers (IFC Films)

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson, director; Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Love Is Strange
Ira Sachs, director; Lucas Joaquin, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)

Under the Skin
Jonathan Glazer, director; Nick Wechsler, James Wilson, producers (A24)


Best Documentary

Actress
Robert Greene, director; Douglas Tirola, Susan Bedusa, Robert Greene, producers (The Cinema Guild)

CITIZENFOUR
Laura Poitras, director; Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky, producers (RADiUS, Participant Media, and HBO Documentary Films)

Life Itself - WINNER (My Prediction)
Steve James, director; Zak Piper, Steve James, Garrett Basch, producers (Magnolia Pictures and CNN Films)

Manakamana
Stephanie Spray & Pacho Velez, directors; Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Véréna Paravel, producers (The Cinema Guild)

Point and Shoot
Marshall Curry, director; Marshall Curry, Elizabeth Martin, Matthew Van Dyke, producers (The Orchard and American Documentary / POV)


Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Ana Lily Amirpour for A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Kino Lorber) - WINNER (My Prediction)
James Ward Byrkit for Coherence (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)
Eliza Hittman for It Felt Like Love (Variance Films)
Justin Simien for Dear White People (Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate)

Best Actor
Bill Hader in The Skeleton Twins (Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate)
Ethan Hawke in Boyhood (IFC Films)
Oscar Isaac in A Most Violent Year (A24)
Michael Keaton in Birdman (Fox Searchlight Pictures) - WINNER (My Prediction)
Miles Teller in Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Actress
Patricia Arquette in Boyhood (IFC Films)
Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Beyond the Lights (Relativity Media)
Julianne Moore in Still Alice (Sony Pictures Classics)- WINNER (My Prediction)
Scarlett Johansson in Under the Skin (A24)
Mia Wasikowska in Tracks (The Weinstein Company)

Breakthrough Actor
Riz Ahmed in Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)
Macon Blair in Blue Ruin (RADiUS)
Ellar Coltrane in Boyhood (IFC Films)- WINNER (My Prediction)
Joey King in Wish I Was Here (Focus Features)
Jenny Slate in Obvious Child (A24)
Tessa Thompson in Dear White People (Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate)

Gotham Independent Film Audience Award
Actress
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood- WINNER (My Prediction)
CITIZENFOUR
Coherence
Dear White People
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
The Grand Budapest Hotel
It Felt Like Love
Life Itself
Love Is Strange
Manakamana
Nightcrawler
Point and Shoot
Under the Skin

Spotlight on Women Filmmakers ‘Live the Dream’ Grant
For the fourth consecutive year, IFP is proud present the euphoria Calvin Klein Spotlight on Women Filmmakers ‘Live the Dream’ grant, a $25,000 cash award for an alumna of IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs. This grant aims to further the careers of emerging women directors by supporting the completion, distribution and audience engagement strategies of their first feature film.

The nominees are:
Garrett Bradley, director, Below Dreams
Claire Carré, director, Embers
Chloé Zhao, director, Songs My Brothers Taught Me

XXX
Raymond Lo

Movies: July 2014 List

It's August! We are now past the halfway mark of the year and, in just two months, our world will be buzzing again with movies after movies vying for that coveted Oscar ride through February next year. I have released my top 10 films of the year through the first six months of 2014 last month. That list is now completely dated. Why, you ask. It's because I saw in July what I think is the best movie of the year - and, perhaps, one of the most important films in the history of American cinema. I am referring, of course, to Richard Linklater's epic masterpiece, "Boyhood." I wrote a full review of that film and the link can be found here: http://raymonddeasislo.blogspot.com/2014/07/film-review-boyhood.html

July was not a good month for me in terms of the number of movies I saw. I only saw 11 films throughout the month - thanks to never-ending deadlines at my day job - but it was still a great month in terms of quality. I saw six brilliant, interesting films at this year's Outfest including the late Robin Williams' haunting turn as a repressed sixty-something man grappling with his homosexuality and his devotion to his wife (played superbly by Kathy Baker!) in Dito Montiel's "Boulevard". When I watched the movie, I had no idea that it was one of the final four movies that Mr. Williams would leave his devastated fans with. His performance, though impressive, is not likely going to net him an Oscar nomination but it was a showcase and a testament to his unparalleled talent as an actor who can weave through comedy and drama so effortlessly.

At Outfest, I also got to see Eytan Fox's latest film, the hilarious "Cupcakes", which I truly enjoyed. It's a crowd-pleasing and entertaining comedy about 6 friends who represented Israel at a global singing competition similar to Eurovision. The movie is a departure from Fox's more topical and serious films but it's a winning film nonetheless that invites loving comparison to some of Pedro Almodovar's fabulous and colorful comedies.

Another American film I saw was "Last Weekend" (dirs. Tom Dolby, Tom Williams), which featured Patricia Clarkson's masterful turn as a society matriarch on the verge of something - or everything. She may just have been menopausal or whatever but her performance lifts the movie even if you have lingering doubts about the motivations behind the character.

Other films I saw at Outfest include the excellent Russian film "Winter Journey" (dirs. Lubov Lvova, Sergey Taramaev), the flawed but engaging French film "Salvation Army" (dir. Abdellah Taïa) - quick, can you guess why is the title such?? - and the Canadian film "Sarah Prefers to Run" (dir. Chloe Robichaud) which premiered at Cannes in 2013.

Outside of the festival, I finally got to see Bong Joon-Ho's much-heralded "Snowpiercer" which I didn't find quite satisfying. It was suspenseful and stylish, yes, but its allegorical symbolism, though radical, is just too obvious that it rendered the supposedly explosive climax almost inconsequential. I was rooting for the train to actually derail just to have an ending to the film. Which it did!










I also saw Michel Gondry's latest, the lovely "Mood Indigo." My review is here: http://raymonddeasislo.blogspot.com/2014/07/review-mood-indigo.html

Here are some pics (collaged) of Patricia Clarkson from the Outfest and my selfie with the Oscar-nominated actress.

And, lest I forget, the list of the movies I saw in July.

Mulan (China) DVD  4 Stars
Mood Indigo (France) 4 ½ Stars
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (US) 5 Stars
Snowpiercer (Korea/US) 4 ½ Stars
Salvation Army (Morrocco) 3 Stars
Cupcakes (Israel) 5 Stars
Boulevard (US) 4 Stars
Winter Journey (Russia) 4 ½ Stars
Last Weekend (US) 3 Stars
Sarah Prefers to Run (Canada) 3 ½ Stars
Boyhood (US) 5 Stars

See you at the movies!

xx
Raymond Lo