Video Verdict: ‘Captain Phillips,’ ‘Blue Jasmine,’ ‘Machete Kills,’ ‘In a World…’

Tom Hanks stars in the Academy Award-nominated drama “Captain Phillips.”

Tom Hanks stars in the Academy Award-nominated drama “Captain Phillips.”

Two movies that earned multiple Academy Award nominations lead this week’s crop of new videos.

Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under Video Verdict

Critics’ Choice Movie Award Winners

The 19th Critics’ Choice Movie Awards were doled out Thursday, Jan. 16, in Santa Monica. Here is a complete list of winners.

Best Picture – “12 Years a Slave”
Best Actor – Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best Actress – Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Best Supporting Actor – Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best Supporting Actress – Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Best Young Actor/Actress – Adele Exarchopoulos, “Blue Is The Warmest Color”
Best Acting Ensemble – “American Hustle”
Best Director – Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity”
Best Original Screenplay – Spike Jonze, “Her”
Best Adapted Screenplay – John Ridley, “12 Years a Slave”
Best Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki, “Gravity”
Best Art Direction – Catherine Martin (Production Designer), Beverley Dunn (Set Decorator), “The Great Gatsby”
Best Editing – Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger, “Gravity”
Best Costume Design – Catherine Martin, “The Great Gatsby”
Best Hair & Makeup – “American Hustle”
Best Visual Effects – “Gravity”
Best Animated Feature – “Frozen”
Best Action Movie – “Lone Survivor”
Best Actor in an Action Movie – Mark Wahlberg, “Lone Survivor”
Best Actress in an Action Movie – Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Best Comedy – “American Hustle”
Best Actor in a Comedy – Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Best Actress in a Comedy – Amy Adams, “American Hustle”
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie – “Gravity”
Best Foreign Language Film – “Blue Is the Warmest Color”
Best Documentary Feature – “20 Feet From Stardom”
Best Song – “Let It Go” Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, “Frozen”
Best Score – Steven Price, “Gravity”

3 Comments

Filed under Quick Hits

Critics’ Choice Movie Awards air Jan. 16 on The CW

The Critics’ Choice Movie Awards have a remarkable track record for predicting future Oscar winners, and they air live tonight (Jan. 16) on The CW. Tune in at 8 p.m. PT/ET.

Leave a comment

Filed under Movie News, Uncategorized

Video Verdict: ‘The Butler,’ ‘Fruitvale Station,’ ‘Enough Said,’ ‘The Spectacular Now,’ ‘Riddick,’ ‘Carrie,’ ‘You’re Next’

Robin Williams, left, plays President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Forest Whitaker plays Cecil Gaines in “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.”

Robin Williams, left, plays President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Forest Whitaker plays Cecil Gaines in “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.”

This week, movie studios opened the home video floodgates, rolling out more than a half dozen noteworthy titles, including several films that are likely to land Academy Award nominations.

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Video Verdict

Video Verdict: ‘Runner Runner,’ ‘The Act of Killing,’ ‘The Following: Season 1’

Justin Timberlake, right, and Ben Affleck star in the thriller “Runner Runner.”

Justin Timberlake, right, and Ben Affleck star in the thriller “Runner Runner.”

This week’s home video releases include an award-winning documentary, the first season of a fantastic TV series, and a crime thriller featuring Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Verdict

Video Verdict: ‘Don Jon’

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, left, and Scarlett Johansson in a scene from “Don Jon.” Gordon-Levitt was the primary creative force, writing, directing and starring in the film.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, left, and Scarlett Johansson in a scene from “Don Jon.” Gordon-Levitt was the primary creative force, writing, directing and starring in the film.

It’s another slow week for home video, as only one major theatrical release is moving to the small screen.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Verdict

Video Verdict: ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’

Danielle Bisutti gets creepy in the horror movie “Insidious: Chapter 2.”

Danielle Bisutti gets creepy in the horror movie “Insidious: Chapter 2.”

Many movie studios decided to take a break for Christmas week, as only one major theatrical release is making it’s way to home video.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Verdict

’12 Years a Slave’ tops Las Vegas Film Critics Society’s 2013 awards field

From left, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o and Chiwetel Ejiofor star in "12 Years a Slave." The movie received five awards, including Best Picture, from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society.

From left, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong’o and Chiwetel Ejiofor star in “12 Years a Slave.” The movie received five awards, including Best Picture, from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society.

Because I have reviewed film in Nevada for a long time, I am a member of the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, an organization that doles out awards every December. It’s great to be part of this organization because membership is relatively small, meaning everyone’s vote is important. Also, my fellow members are terrific. This week, we announced our award winners for 2013. Here’s a full list…

Las Vegas Film Critics Society 2013 Sierra Awards

Best Picture
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Actor
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Actress
Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”

Best Supporting Actor
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Supporting Actress
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”

Best Director
Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Movie News, Uncategorized

Video Verdict: ‘Prisoners,’ ‘Elysium,’ ‘Kick-Ass 2,’ ‘The Lone Ranger,’ ‘One Direction: This Is Us’

Jake Gyllenhaal, left, and Hugh Jackman star in the thriller “Prisoners.”

Jake Gyllenhaal, left, and Hugh Jackman star in the thriller “Prisoners.”

Home video releases typically slow during Christmas and New Year’s week, but the days leading up to the holidays are jam-packed. That means we have a host of newcomers this week, and they range from a new take on the Lone Ranger to a dark drama centered on child abduction.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Verdict

Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nominees announced

Sandra Bullock earned a best actress nomination for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards thanks to her work in "Gravity." The movie also received nine additional nominations, including nods for Best Picture and Best Director (Alfonso Cuaron).

Sandra Bullock earned a Best Actress nomination for the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards thanks to her work in “Gravity.” The movie also received nine additional nominations, including nods for Best Picture and Best Director (Alfonso Cuaron).

Longtime readers know that I am a voting member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), which hosts the nationally televised Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. Each year, the BFCA (consisting of more than 280 television, radio and online critics) honors the best in film. Our nomination ballots were cast Friday and tallied over the weekend. That means the nominees represent a critical consensus from the group.

Next, BFCA members will vote for our favorites among these nominees. Winners will be crowned live Jan. 16 at our awards show in Santa Monica, Calif. The show will be broadcast on The CW Network at 8 p.m. PT/ET.

Following is a complete list of nominees:

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Movie News, Uncategorized