Posts Tagged ‘Up in the Air’

Golden Globes Awards

Friday, January 1st, 2010






MOTION PICTURES

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
AVATAR
Lightstorm Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox

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BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
THE HANGOVER
Warner Bros. Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. – SHERLOCK HOLMES

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
MERYL STREEP – JULIE & JULIA
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BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
JAMES CAMERON AVATAR

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
SANDRA BULLOCK – THE BLIND SIDE

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
JEFF BRIDGES – CRAZY HEART

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
MO’NIQUE – PRECIOUS

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BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
UP –
Walt Disney Pictures/PIXAR Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
CRAZYHEART
Music & Lyrics by: Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett

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BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
MICHAEL GIACCHINO – UP

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BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
JASON REITMAN, SHELDON TURNER – UP IN THE AIR

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BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE WHITE RIBBON (GERMANY)

(DAS WEISSE BAND – EINE DEUTSCHE KINDERGESCHICHTE)
Wega Films; Sony Pictures Classics

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
CHRISTOPH WALTZ – INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

TELEVISION

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

GLEE (FOX)
Twentieth Century Fox Television

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BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
MAD MEN (AMC)
AMC

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES -COMEDY OR MUSICAL
TONI COLLETTE – UNITED STATES OF TARA

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES,
MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
JOHN LITHGOW – DEXTER

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
MICHAEL HALL – DEXTER

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
JULIANNA MARGULIES – THE GOOD WIFE

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BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
GREY GARDENS
(HBO)
Specialty Films and Locomotive in association with HBO Films

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION
PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
KEVIN BACON – TAKING CHANCE

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION
PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
DREW BARRYMORE – GREY GARDENS

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES -COMEDY OR MUSICAL
ALEC BALDWIN 30 ROCK

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

CHLOË SEVIGNY – BIG LOVE

Florida Film Critics

Friday, January 1st, 2010






Picture
Up In The Air

Actor
George Clooney, Up In The Air

Actress
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Supporting Actress
MoNique, Precious

Director
Jason Reitman, Up In The Air

Screenplay
Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, (500) Days of Summer

Cinematography
Mauro Fiore, Avatar

Foreign Language
Sin Nombre

Animated Feature
Up

Documentary
The Cove

Breakout
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Golden Orange
No Award

Detroit Film Critics’ Association

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Best Film
Up

Best Director
Pete Docter, Up

Best Actor
Colin Firth, A Single Man

Best Actress
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress
Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Ensemble
The Hangover

Best Breakthrough Performance
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

The Detroit Film Critics Society comprises 20 critics from print and broadcast working within a 150-mile radius of Detroit. News film critics Tom Long and Adam Graham are both members.

Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics

Friday, January 1st, 2010




Top Ten Films of 2009
1. Up in the Air
2. The Hurt Locker
3. Precious
4. Up
5. An Education
6. A Serious Man
7. Inglourious Basterds
8. District 9
9. Avatar
10. Fantastic Mr. Fox

Best Film
Up in the Air

Best Director
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air

Best Actor
George Clooney, Up in the Air

Best Actress
Carey Mulligan, An Education

Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress
Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Foreign Language Film
Sin Nombre

Best Documentary
The Cove

Best Animated Film
Up

Best Screenplay
Up in the Air

Best Cinematography
The Lovely Bones

PRECIOUS won the Russell Smith Award, named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film.

Chicago Film Critics

Friday, January 1st, 2010




BEST PICTURE
The Hurt Locker

BEST DIRECTOR
Kathryn Bigelow–The Hurt Locker

BEST ACTOR
Jeremy Renner–The Hurt Locker

BEST ACTRESS
Carey Mulligan–An Education

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christoph Waltz–Inglourious Basterds

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Mo’nique–Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Mark Boal–The Hurt Locker

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner–Up in the Air

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The White Ribbon

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Up

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Anvil: The Story of Anvil

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Barry Ackroyd–The Hurt Locker

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Up–Michael Giacchino

MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Carey Mulligan–An Education

MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Neill Blomkamp–District 9

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Best Picture
The Hurt Locker

Best Animated Movie
Up

Best Comedy Movie
The Hangover

Best Action Movie
Avatar

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow

Best Original Screenplay
Inglourious Basterds

Best Adapted Screenplay
Up in the Air

Best Acting Ensemble
Inglourious Basterds

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges

Best Actress (tie)
Meryl Streep & Sandra Bullock

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress
Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Young Actress
Saoirse Ronan

Best Documentary
The Cove

Best Foreign Language Film
Broken Embraces

Best Score
Up

Best Song
The Weary Kind

Best Costume Design
The Young Victoria

Best Make-Up
District 9

Best Cinematography
Avatar

Best Visual Effects
Avatar

Best Art Direction
Avatar

Best Editing
Avatar

Best Sound
Avatar

2009 Nominations
The Press Release is here.


BEST PICTURE

Avatar
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
Nine
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up In The Air

BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges – “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney – “Up In The Air”
Colin Firth – “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman – “Invictus”
Viggo Mortensen – “The Road”
Jeremy Renner – “The Hurt Locker”

BEST ACTRESS
Emily Blunt – “The Young Victoria”
Sandra Bullock – “The Blind Side”
Carey Mulligan – “An Education”
Saoirse Ronan – “The Lovely Bones”
Gabourey Sidibe – “Precious”
Meryl Streep – “Julie & Julia”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon – “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson – “The Messenger”
Christian McKay – “Me And Orson Welles”
Alfred Molina – “An Education”
Stanley Tucci – “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard – “Nine”
Vera Farmiga – “Up In The Air”
Anna Kendrick – “Up In The Air”
Mo’Nique – “Precious”
Julianne Moore – “A Single Man”
Samantha Morton – “The Messenger”

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Jae Head – “The Blind Side”
Bailee Madison – “Brothers”
Max Records – “Where The Wild Things Are”
Saoirse Ronan – “The Lovely Bones”
Kodi Smit-McPhee – “The Road”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
Precious
Star Trek
Up In The Air

BEST DIRECTING
Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker”
James Cameron – “Avatar”
Lee Daniels – “Precious”
Clint Eastwood – “Invictus”
Jason Reitman – “Up In The Air”
Quentin Tarantino – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Mark Boal – “The Hurt Locker”
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – “A Serious Man”
Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber – “(500) Days Of Summer”
Bob Peterson, Peter Docter – “Up”
Quentin Tarantino – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach – “Fantastic Mr. Fox”
Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell – “District 9”
Geoffrey Fletcher – “Precious”
Tom Ford, David Scearce – “A Single Man”
Nick Hornby – “An Education”
Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner – “Up In The Air”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Barry Ackroyd – “The Hurt Locker”
Dion Beebe – “Nine”
Mauro Fiore – “Avatar”
Andrew Lesnie – “The Lovely Bones”
Robert Richardson – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST ART DIRECTION

Dan Bishop – “A Single Man”
Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg – “Avatar”
John Myhre, Gordon Sim – “Nine”
Naomi Shohan, George De Titta, Jr. – “The Lovely Bones”
David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds Wasco – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST EDITING
Dana E. Glauberman – “Up In The Air”
Sally Menke – “Inglourious Basterds”
Bob Murawski, Chris Innis – “The Hurt Locker”
Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron – “Avatar”
Claire Simpson, Wyatt Smith – “Nine”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Colleen Atwood – “Nine”
Janet Patterson – “Bright Star”
Sandy Powell – “The Young Victoria”
Anna Sheppard – “Inglourious Basterds”
Casey Storm – “Where The Wild Things Are”

BEST MAKEUP
Avatar
District 9
Nine
The Road
Star Trek

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar
District 9
The Lovely Bones
Star Trek
2012

BEST SOUND
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Nine
Star Trek

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Princess And The Frog
Up

BEST ACTION MOVIE
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek

BEST COMEDY
(500) Days Of Summer
The Hangover
It’s Complicated
The Proposal
Zombieland

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Gifted Hands
Grey Gardens
Into The Storm
Taking Chance

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Broken Embraces
Coco Before Chanel
Red Cliff
Sin Nombre
The White Ribbon

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Anvil
Capitalism: A Love Story
The Cove
Food, Inc.
Michael Jackson’s This Is It

BEST SONG

“All Is Love” – Karen O, Nick Zinner – “Where The Wild Things Are”
“Almost There” – Randy Newman – “The Princess And The Frog”
“Cinema Italiano” – Maury Yeston – “Nine”
“(I Want To) Come Home” – Paul McCartney – “Everybody’s Fine”
“The Weary Kind” – T Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham – “Crazy Heart”

BEST SCORE
Michael Giacchino – “Up”
Marvin Hamlisch – “The Informant!”
Randy Newman – “The Princess and the Frog”
Karen O, Carter Burwell – “Where The Wild Things Are”
Hans Zimmer – “Sherlock Holmes”

Boston Film Critics

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Best Picture
Hurt Locker

Best Actor
Jeremy Renner for Hurt Locker

Best Actress
Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress
Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow for Hurt Locker

Best Screenplay
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for A Serious Man

Best Cinematography
Barry Ackroyd for Hurt Locker

Best Documentary
The Cove

Best Foreign-Language Film
Summer Hours

Best Animated Film
Up

Best Film Editing
Bob Murawski and Chris Innis for Hurt Locker

Best New Filmmaker
Neill Blomkamp for District 9

Best Ensemble Cast (tie)
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Star Trek

Best Use of Music in a Film
Crazy Heart

Austin Film Critics

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Top 10 Films
1. The Hurt Locker
2. Star Trek
3. Up
4. A Serious Man
5. Up in the Air
6. Avatar
7. Inglourious Basterds
8. District 9
9. Where the Wild Things Are
10. (tie) Moon, The Messenger

Best Picture
The Hurt Locker

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Best Actor
Colin Firth, A Single Man

Best Actress
Melanie Laurent, Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air

Best Original Screenplay
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino

Best Adapted Screenplay
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Best Cinematography
The Hurt Locker, Barry Ackroyd

Best Original Score
Up, Michael Glacchino

Best Foreign Language Film
Sin Nombre, Cary Fukunaga

Best Documentary Film
Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Best Animated Feature
Up

Breakthrough Artist Award
Christian McKay, Me & Orson Welles

Best First Film
District 9, Neill Blomkamp

Best Austin Film
Me & Orson Welles

Top 10 Films of the Decade
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
2. There Will Be Blood (2007)
3. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
4. The Dark Knight (2008)
5. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
6. Kill Bill (2003/4)
7. No Country for Old Men (2007)
8. The Incredibles (2004)
9. Children of Men (2006)
10. (tie) Memento (2000), The Departed (2006)

Alliance of Women Film Journalists

Friday, January 1st, 2010

EDA ANNUAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Best Film:
The Hurt Locker

Best Animated Film:
Up

Best Director:
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker

Best Screenplay, Original:
(500) Days of Summer – Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber

Best Screenplay, Adapted:
Up In The Air – Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Best Documentary:
The Cove

Best Actress:
Carey Mulligan – An Education

Best Actress In Supporting Role:
Mo’Nique – Precious

Best Actor:
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Christoph Waltz – Inglorious Basterds

Best Ensemble Cast:
The Hurt Locker

Best Editing:
Sally Menke – Inglorious Basterds

Most Beautiful Film:
Bright Star

Best Non-English-Language Film:
Summer Hours

EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS

Best Woman Director:
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker

Best Woman Screenwriter:
Jane Campion – Bright Star

Best Animated Female:
Coraline in Coraline

Best Breakthrough Performance:
Carey Mulligan – An Education

Women’s Image Award:
Kathryn Bigelow

Perseverance Award:
Agnes Varda

Actress Defying Age and Ageism:
Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia and It’s Complicated

Sexist Pig Award:
Robert Luketic for The Ugly Truth

This Year’s Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In The Film Industry:
Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker

Lifetime Achievement Award:
Agnes Varda

AWFJ Award For Humanitarian Activism:
Rebecca Cammisa for Which Way Home

EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS

AWFJ Hall Of Shame Award:
Robert Luketic – The Ugly Truth

Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent:
Hilary Swank

Movie You Wanted To Love But Just Couldn‘t:
Amelia

Unforgettable Moment Award: (Tie)
Inglorious Basterds – Shoshanna (Melanie Laurent) burns down the theater
Precious – Mary (Mo’Nique) admits the abuse

Best Depiction Of Nudity, Sexuality, or Seduction: (Tie)
An Education – Carey Mulligan and Peter Saarsgard
It’s Complicated – Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin

Sequel That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award:
Transformers Revenge of the Fallen

The Remake That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award:
Land of the Lost

Cultural Crossover Award:
District 9

Bravest Performance Award:
Mo’Nique in Precious

Most Egregious Age Difference Between The Leading Man
and The Love Interest Award:

Whatever Works – Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood (40 years difference)

Up In The Air

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Anyone who thinks Jason Reitman might have played fast and loose with the character Ryan Bingham — the dispassionate “termination facilitator” portrayed by George Clooney in Up in the Air — hasn’t been paying attention to the New York gossip rags. Six weeks after the film debuted at Telluride, Gawker and Page 6 reported that the esteemed editor of Vanity Fair, Graydon Carter, pulled a disappearing act similar to the one employed by the cowardly bosses in Reitman’s movie.

In October, after being ordered to issue pink slips to 20 of his minions, Carter found a convenient way to avoid getting his hands dirty. He paid a visit to his trendy Midtown restaurant, the Monkey Bar, and then hopped a private jet heading to balmy Bermuda. No pain, no strain.

If Carter, a notorious celebrity hound, had seen Up in the Air, he might have called up Jason Bateman, at Career Transition Counseling, and asked for Clooney to head to New York on the first American Airlines jet leaving Omaha. As it was, the pompous twit merely provided fodder for two days’ worth of smarmy items in the gossip columns. Any repugnance over his behavior likely will have dissipated by the time the magazine’s annual Oscar party rolls around and his former employees lose their medical benefits.

Up in the Air is that rare Hollywood movie that can be savored equally as a topical drama, black comedy, offbeat romance and character study. As a former employee of the Chicago Tribune and other endangered publications, it reminded me of the many people I know who have been laid-off, bought-out and outright fired from jobs they loved. Only a few have found gainful employment in what is being generously characterized as a buyer’s market for writers and editors. If any compassion had been shown to them by a Clooney surrogate, it wasn’t noted in our e-mail correspondence.

Neither did I recognize any of my former comrades in the parade of employees who would be fired by Bingham and his feisty apprentice, Natalie Keener, although their opinions would have been interesting to hear. If those faces were familiar, it’s because they actually did belong to non-actors, most of whom had recently lost jobs in St. Louis and Detroit. They had responded to ads seeking input for a documentary on the effects of the recession, and, once there, were encouraged to treat the camera as if it were the person who fired them.

The conceit added a level of verisimilitude that would have been difficult to achieve, if the venting had been scripted. The anguish and anger, which could be read in both the expressions and mannerisms of the “characters,” looked real because these were people who actually had been marginalized and made redundant. And, anyone in the audience who didn’t think the same thing could happen to them was fooling him- or herself.

In his first feature, 2005’s Thank You for Smoking, Reitman targeted the ties that have historically bound corruptible politicians to lobbyists with wallets full of money contributed by special-interest groups. Much of the film’s strength came from came from commercials and ads promoting one lethal poison or another. Hence, even at their most satirical, the characters and events fictionalized in Thank You for Smoking seemed no more unlikely than what’s revealed daily in the few newspapers left to report on such atrocities. (Forty-three years after its release, Paddy Chayefsky’s caustic send-up of television news, Network, seems more a blueprint than parody.)

One way to lend a patina of truth to a theatrical film is to add brands, logos and products that are familiar to audiences and carry some psychic weight. The authorized placement of products is a practice almost everyone in the cinematic food chain, by now, takes for granted. Everything from beer to breath mints is pimped, er, pitched to studios as a means to save money or lend an air of legitimacy to a project.

For all of its good points, though, the preponderance of plugs for American Airlines, Hilton Hotels and Travelpro luggage throughout the 109-minute course of Up in the Air has an effect that inevitably evolves from merely jarring to unnerving and numbing. In fact, an atypically large amount of brand-consideration was necessary to remind viewers of Bingham’s ultimate goal of attaining 10 million of American’s frequent-flyer miles. His “loyalty” to Hilton was adequately explained, as well.

Still, even the least-seasoned tourist wouldn’t be convinced by Bingham’s narrative that American Airlines is the only worthwhile carrier navigating the skies above the U.S. That’s because we’ve heard all of Jay, Dave and Conan’s jokes about airplane food and cramped seating, and listened to the horror stories told by friends and relatives. Hilton Hotels may be one of this country’s most trusted brands, but there’s a huge difference in price and amenities between such flagship properties as the Hilton Chicago and Waldorf Astoria and your average airport crash pad.

How oppressive was the logoization? If Up in the Air ever attains cult status, a very good drinking game could be built around the number of times an American Airlines or Hilton Hotel logo flashed on the screen. Participants, however, likely would be pie-eyed after the first half-hour.

Plugging airlines on film and TV is nothing new, of course. It would be the rare baby boomer who didn’t learn what it took to become a TWA pilot or flight attendant while watching aMickey Mouse Club serial, and that it was Pan Am’s Orion III Space Clipper that shuttled passengers from the Earth to the moon, in 2001: A Space Odyssey. We get it. Product-placement is a win-win for everyone, except maybe a few oversensitive pundits.

With a multi-state production itinerary and an estimated budget of $30 million, Up in the Airneeded some help from its friends in the way of free lodging and locations. This it got, in spades.

Presumably, the producers also were assured Bingham wouldn’t have to suffer the indignity of having to sit on a runway for three hours, while the terrorist in the middle seat was trying to ignite his underwear. Or, the computer ate his hotel reservation.

In exchange, Hilton and American Airlines were accorded the status of “integrated-marketing partner,” and all the attendant cross-promotional rights that come with that distinction. Along with “official luggage partner,” Travelpro, they’re running separate sweepstakes on their websites and on Paramount’s interactive sites. By comparison, the plugs for Caesars Palace, in The Hangover, were subtle.

In November, the airline also provided a 767 jet for a cross-country press junket, with about 50 writers on board. During the six-hour flight from New York to Los Angeles, the reporters were able to watch the movie and interview co-star Anna Kendrick. (The boondoggle may represent the last time the R-rated version of Up in the Air would be seen on any airplane with its salty language, buttocks, side-boobs and airline logos intact.)

None of this would be worth mentioning if Up in the Air weren’t such a significant player in this year’s awards campaigns. Apart from being an excellent entertainment, it may be the only studio-nurtured contender with a visible conscience. For all of Clooney’s animal magnetism, and Ryan Bingham’s understated compassion, however, it would be impossible for some of us to ignore on whose broken dreams those 10 million frequent-flyer miles were earned.

A budget of $30 million is barely a drop in the bucket compared with what was spent on Avatar and the summer blockbusters. Indeed, it’s entirely possible that twice or three times that amount will have been invested in marketing when Up in the Air enters general release and the tab for those “consideration” ads is tallied.

A couple of questions need to be asked in advance, however.

First, if Up in the Air does win Best Picture, and score significant acting awards, could Hollywood resist the temptation to lard its serious mid-budget titles with product plugs and cross-promotions? And, second, if it loses to Avatar or The Hurt Locker, will studios even bother trying to trump the indies at their own game next year?

– Gary Dretzka
December 31, 2009

11 Weeks To Go Chances To Make History

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

It has been a long, odd Oscar race already this year. The first major change was the new 10 Nominees rule, the first time since 65 years ago that we will have so many nominees for Best Picture.
(Charts are from December 17, 2009) (more…)

The Top Ten Chart for December 29, 2009

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

74 Critics . 125 Films. 20 New to the List.

December 23

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
.……………………………………
x
1
1
Up in the Air
2
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
3
1
1
3
2
3
1
13
120
2
3
Avatar
5
2
1
1
3
4
3
2
1
3
2
1
1
1
3
13
117
3
2
The Hurt Locker
3
3
3
3
1
2
2
3
2
2
3
2
3
2
2
13
113
4
4
Precious
1
4
5
6
4
9
4
4
5
4
5
4
4
6
4
13
80
5
5
Inglourious Basterds
9
8
4
4
8
5
5
5
4
5
7
5
7
4
5
13
75
6
7
Up
4
5
6
7
6
6
7
6
6
7
6
9
6
7
6
13
59
7
6
Invictus
7
6
7
5
3
7
6
7
8
9
4
6
5
5
7
12
54
8
9
An Education
8
7
8
9
10
8
8
8
7
6
8
8
8
8
9
13
41
9
8
Nine
6
9
8
5
3
9
9
10
12
7
9
10
9
29
10
10
A Serious Man
10
10
7
10
10
12
8
10
8
6
14
The Last Station
6
12
9
11
13
9
2
4
The Messenger
9
10
12
2
3
A Single Man
9
10
2
3
District 9
10
10
2
2
One Vote Wonders
Crazy Heart
9
1
2
This is It
10
1
1
12
12
The Blind Side
9
10
10
9
9
13
11
1
1
Falling Off The Chart
11
11
The Lovely Bones
10
10
9
9
12
12
10
13
13
0
It’s Complicated
11
10
0


Is Up In The Air better than 50% to win Best Picture at this time?
N
N
N
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Is The Hurt Locker better than 50% to win Best Picture at this time?
N
N
N
Y
N
N
N
N
Y
N
N
N
Is Avatar better than 50% to win Best Picture at this time?
N
Y
Y
N
N
N
N
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
Is Nine still a legit possibility to win Best Picture?
N
N
N
N
Y
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Is Inglourious Basterds the hard-driving dark horse for BP at this time?
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
Can you imagine a film aside from the five in Questions 1-5 winning BP as of this time?
Y
N
N
Y
N
N
Y
N
Y
N
N
N
N
Are Mo’Nique‘s chances to win being hurt in a real way by bad media buzz at this time?
Y
N
N
N
Y
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Can an actor doing a motion capture performance, like Zoe Saldana in Avatar, get a shot for an acting nomination at this time?
N
N
N
Y
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Do the “precursors” mean more with 10 BP slots?
N
N
N
Y
Y
Y
N
N
N
N
N
Y
N
Do the “precursors” mean less with 10 BP slots?
N
Y
Y
N
N
N
N
Y
Y
Y
N
N
N
Has having 10 BP nominees made the season more exciting so far?
Y
Y
N
Y
N
N
Y
Y
N
Y
N
N
N

Scott Bowles
…… USA Today
Anthony Breznican
…… USA Today
Greg Ellwood
——–HitFix
Pete Hammond
…… LAT Envelope
Eugene Hernandez
…… indieWIRE
Peter Howell
…… The Toronto Star
Dave Karger
…… Entertainment Weekly
Mark Olsen
…….LA Times


David Poland
…… MCN
Steve Pond
…… The Wrap
Sasha Stone
…… AwardsDaily.com
Sean Smith
…… Entertainment Weekly
Kris Tapley
…… In Contention
Anne Thompson
…… Thompson On Hollywood
Susan Wloszczyna
…… USA Today

The Top Ten Chart for December 23, 2009

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

54 Critics. 104 Films.

The Top Ten Chart for December 20, 2009

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

December 18

Friday, December 18th, 2009
.……………………………………
x
1
1
Up in the Air
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
3
1
15
143
2
3
The Hurt Locker
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
1
2
15
131
3
9
Avatar
5
2
2
1
5
5
6
4
1
3
3
1
3
2
4
15
118
4
2
Precious
1
5
5
5
3
6
3
3
6
4
5
4
4
5
3
15
103
5
8
Inglourious Basterds
9
7
4
4
10
4
4
8
7
9
4
5
8
6
5
15
71
6
4
Invictus
7
4
7
6
3
9
5
6
8
7
8
6
5
4
6
14
67
7
5
Up
4
6
6
7
7
7
9
5
5
6
7
9
7
8
7
15
67
8
7
Nine
6
8
8
4
3
7
7
9
10
6
7
6
8
13
54
9
6
An Education
8
8
9
9
9
8
8
10
4
5
9
8
9
7
9
15
44
10
10
A Serious Man
10
6
10
10
11
12
8
10
10
9
12
8
15
11
10
The Lovely Bones
10
10
10
9
9
12
8
12
10
13
13
2
3
12
The Blind Side
9
10
10
9
9
13
11
2
3
One Vote Wonders
Crazy Heart
8
13
1
3
It’s Complicated
11
10
10
1
1
The Last Station
6
12
10
11
13
11
1
1
District 9
10
1
1
The Messenger
10
12
1
1
This is It
10
1
1


1
1
Kathryn Bigelow
The Hurt Locker
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
15
70
2
2
Jason Reitman
Up in the Air
2
1
3
3
1
2
2
3
3
2
4
2
3
3
2
15
62
3
4
James Cameron
Avatar
5
2
2
2
4
4
3
2
1
3
2
3
2
2
3
15
50
4
Quentin Tarantino
Inglourious Basterds
4
4
5
3
4
4
v
3
4
4
5
10
20
5
3
Lee Daniels
Precious
3
5
5
2
1
2
5
4
5
4
4
4
9
17
6
Clint Eastwood
Invictus
4
v
5
5
5
4
5
4
5
5
4
8
10
Lone Scherfig
An Education
v
5
5
5
4
v
5
2
2
5
Rob Marshall
Nine
4
v
v
4
3
v
3
1
2

…..
1
2
Meryl Streep
Julie and Julia
4
5
1
1
2
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
15
56
2
1
Carey Mulligan
An Education
2
2
5
3
3
1
2
3
2
1
3
2
2
2
2
15
55
3
3
Gabourey Sidibe
Precious
1
1
4
4
1
3
3
1
3
2
4
3
4
3
14
47
4
7
Sandra Bullock
The Blind Side
4
2
2
4
4
5
4
5
5
3
5
5
4
13
26
5
4
Helen Mirren
The Last Station
3
3
5
4
4
4
3
4
4
4
3
5
11
24
5
Saoirse Ronan
The Lovely Bones
3
5
4
5
2
4
6
Abbie Cornish
Bright Star
5
5-
5
5
5
5
2
2
8
Marion Cotillard
Nine
5
5
5
2
2
Emily Blunt
The Young Victoria
5
1
1

……………………………….
1
1
Jeff Bridges
Crazy Heart
4
1
1
1
1
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
15
66
2
1
George Clooney
Up in the Air
1
2
2
2
3
1
1
3
3
2
2
3
1
3
1
15
60
3
3
Colin Firth
A Single Man
5
3
4
3
2
4
2
2
4
3
5
4
4
2
3
15
40
4
4
Morgan Freeman
Invictus
5
3
4
3
2
4
4
*
4
3
2
3
4
5
12
29
5
5
Jeremy Renner
The Hurt Locker
2
4
5
5
4
5
5
5
2
5
4
5
5
5
4
15
25
6
Viggo Mortensen
The Road
3
5
3
5
5
2
6
Michael Stuhlbarg
A Serious Man
5
1
1

……………………………….
1
1
Christoph Waltz
Inglourious Basterds
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
15
50
2
2
Stanley Tucci
The Lovely Bones
3
2
2
3
4
4
4
2
2
2
2
3
3
2
2
15
50
3
Woody Harrelson
The Messenger
5
3
4
4
3
5
2
5
4
2
4
4
12
27
4
4
Christopher Plummer
The Last Station
4
3
2
5
5
4
3
4
5
2
3
5
10
25
5
5
Matt Damon
Invictus
4
5
5
3
3
3
3
4
3
8
18
3
Alfred Molina
An Education
2
4
2
3
5
4
4
3
3
5
4
2
6
16
Alec Baldwin
It’s Complicated
5
2
4
5
5
5
4
5
6
Christian McKay
Me and Orson Welles
5
2
5
5
1
2
5
Peter Sarsgaard
An Education
2
4
3
3
9
Peter Capaldi
In The Loop
5
1
1

…..
1
1
Mo’Nique
Precious
1
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
15
72
2
2
Anna Kendrick
Up in the Air
3
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
5
2
2
2
2
2
2
15
57
3
3
Julianne Moore
A Single Man
4
5
3
5
3
4
3
5
2
3
4
3
4
3
3
15
36
4
5
Vera Farmiga
Up in the Air

2
2
5
3
4
5
4
3
3
4
5
3
5
5
14
31
5
4
Penelope Cruz
Nine
3
4
4
5
3
5
4
4
4
3
4
4
4
4
13
25
Marion Cotillard
Nine
5
5
2
5
3
3
Samantha Morton
The Messenger
3
5
1
1
Sandra Bullock
The Blind Side
5
1
1

……………………………….
1
1
Mark Boal
The Hurt Locker
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
15
73
2
4
Quentin Tarantino
Inglourious Basterds
3
2
1
3
2
4
3
2
4
4
2
5
3
4
14
42
3
3
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
A Serious Man
5
4
4
5
3
3
5
3
2
2
4
3
2
3
14
36
4
2
Pete Docter and Bob Peterson
Up
4
5
2
3
4
5
2
2
5
3
3
2
2
5
2
14
29
5
5
Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber
500 Days of Summer
2
3
3
5
1
4
5
4
4
5
5
4
5
12
27
Nancy Meyers
It’s Complicated
5
4
2
3
Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman
The Messenger
3
1
3
Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
District 9
5
1
1
James Cameron
Avatar
5
1
1
Armando Iannucci & Armstrong, Blackwell, Roche, Martin
In The Loop
5
1
1

……………………………….
1
1
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Up in the Air
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
15
72
2
2
Geoffrey Fletcher
Precious
1
5
2
2
2
3
2
2
3
3
3
2
4
4
2
14
50
3
3
Nick Hornby
An Education
4
2
3
4
4
5
3
3
1
1
2
3
2
3
3
13
47
5
Tom Ford
A Single Man
4
3
4
4
5
4
3
7
16
4
Nora Ephron
Julie and Julia
3
4
5
4
5
5
4
6
10
Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
District 9
3
5
2
5
5
5
10
Anthony Peckham
Invictus
3
4
2
5
4
10
Armando Iannucci & Armstrong, Blackwell, Roche, Martin
In The Loop
5
4
5
5
4
5
Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach
Fantastic Mr. Fox
4
1
2
Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers
Where the Wild Things Are
5
4
4
2
3
Michael Hoffman
The Last Station
5
1
2

Scott Bowles
…… USA Today
Anthony Breznican
…… USA Today
Greg Ellwood
——–HitFix
Pete Hammond
…… LAT Envelope
Eugene Hernandez
…… indieWIRE
Peter Howell
…… The Toronto Star
Dave Karger
…… Entertainment Weekly
Mark Olsen
…….LA Times


David Poland
…… MCN
Steve Pond
…… The Wrap
Sasha Stone
…… AwardsDaily.com
Sean Smith
…… Entertainment Weekly
Kris Tapley
…… In Contention
Anne Thompson
…… Thompson On Hollywood
Susan Wloszczyna
…… USA Today

Best Actress Chart

Thursday, December 17th, 2009
BEST ACTRESS
Actress – Film
Comment
Meryl Streep – Julie and Julia
Carey Mulligan – An Education
Helen Mirren – The Last Station
Gabourey Sidibe – Precious
Marion Cotillard – Nine
Emily Blunt – The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
Shohreh Agdashloo – The Stoning of Soraya M
Abbie Cornish – Bright Star



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Actress – Film
Comment
Mo’Nique – Precious
Penelope Cruz – Nine
Julianne Moore – A Single Man
Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga – Up in the Air
Sigourney Weaver – Avatar
Susan Sarandon – The Lovely Bones
Amy Adams – Julie & Julia
Patricia Clarkson – Whatever Works
Kate Hudson – Nine

Best Actor Chart

Thursday, December 17th, 2009
BEST ACTOR
Actor – Film
Comment
George Clooney – Up in the Air
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
Peter Sarsgaard – An Education
Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker
Tobey Maguire – Brothers
Viggo Mortensen – The Road
Morgan Freeman – Invictus
Colin Firth – A Single Man
Daniel Day-Lewis – Nine
Michael Stuhlbarg – A Serious Man
Christopher Plummer – The Last Station His proper category… could change



BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Actor – Film
Comment
Christopher Walz – Inglourious Basterds
Christopher Plummer – The Last Station
Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones
Alfred Molina – An Education
Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
Alec Baldwin – It’s Complicated
Peter Capaldi – In The Loop
Quinton Aaron – The Blind Side
Peter Sarsgaard – An Education His proper category… could change

Best Director Chart

Thursday, December 17th, 2009
BEST DIRECTOR
Director
Picture
Comment
The Frontrunners For Nomination
1
James Cameron
Avatar
2
Kathryn Bigelow
The Hurt Locker
3
Jason Reitman
Up In The Air
4
Quentin Tarantino
Inglourious Basterds
5
Lone Scherfig
An Education
Clint Eastwood
Invictus
Lee Daniels
Precious
Rob Marshall
Nine
Pete Docter
Bob Petersen
Up
Michael Hoffman
The Last Station
The Coen Bros.
A Serious Man

Best Picture Chart

Thursday, December 17th, 2009
BEST PICTURE
Picture
Studio
Director
Stars
Comment
The Frontrunners For Nomination
1
7
Dec 18
Avatar
Fox
Cameron
Saldana
Weaver
2
6
open
The Hurt Locker
Sum
Bigelow
Renner
Mackie
3
2
open
Up In The Air
Par
Reitman
Clooney
4
3
open
An Education
SPC
Scherfig
Mulligan
Sarsgaard
5
4
open
Precious
LG
Daniels
Sidibe
Mo’Nique
6
1
open
Up
Disney
Docter
Petersen
7
5
Dec 25
Nine
TWC
Marshall
Day-Lewis
Cotillard
Cruz
8
10
open
Inglourious Basterds
TWC
Tarantino
Waltz
9
9
open
Invictus
WB
Eastwood
Freeman
Damon
10
8
?
The Last Station
Hoffman
Plummer
Mirren
open
The Blind Side
WB
Hancock
Bullock
open
A Serious Man
Focus
Coens
Stuhlbarg
Kind
Dec 25
The Lovely Bones
Par/DW
Jackson
Ronan
Tucci
Sarandon
open
Julie & Julia
Sony
Ephron
Streep
Adams
open
A Single Man
TWC
Ford
Firth
open
The Road
TWC
Hillcoat
Theron
Mortensen