The 2024 Oscars etched several milestones, and one in particular happened with great frequency: A lot of the night’s winners were first-timers.
Above and below the line talent on “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Godzilla Minus One” and more earned their first Oscars ever, including Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Nolan. Three countries — Japan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom also knocked out some first-time milestones.
Here’s a rundown of those earned their first Oscar at the ceremony.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”), Best Supporting Actress-
Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s first Oscar kicked off the night.
Cord Jefferson accepts the Best Adapted Screenplay award for “American Fiction” at the 96th Annual Academy Awards (Credit Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”), Best Adapted Screenplay
Best known for his TV writing, Jefferson accepted his first Oscar with a stirring speech calling on Hollywood...
Above and below the line talent on “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Godzilla Minus One” and more earned their first Oscars ever, including Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Nolan. Three countries — Japan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom also knocked out some first-time milestones.
Here’s a rundown of those earned their first Oscar at the ceremony.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”), Best Supporting Actress-
Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s first Oscar kicked off the night.
Cord Jefferson accepts the Best Adapted Screenplay award for “American Fiction” at the 96th Annual Academy Awards (Credit Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”), Best Adapted Screenplay
Best known for his TV writing, Jefferson accepted his first Oscar with a stirring speech calling on Hollywood...
- 3/12/2024
- by Andi Ortiz, Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Chicago – In a breezy and memorable 96th Oscars … which took place on March 10th, 2024 … the Best Picture was “Oppenheimer,” with Cillian Murphy taking Best Actor and Robert Downey, Jr. for Best Supporting Actor from the same film. Emma Stone was the surprising Best Actress for “Poor Things” and Da’Vine Joy Randolph was Best Supporting Actress for “The Holdovers.”
The introduction of the major acting awards from former winners to the current nominees was an emotional addition to the ceremony, and should be included as tradition every year. The comedy bits worked (thanks Guillermo) and Jimmy Kimmel handled the hosting duties with panache and a serious burn on a former one term president. Add Ryan Gosling’s spectacular “I’m Just Ken” live performance, and the the Best Oscar ceremony in years was the result.
Best Director Christopher Nolan of ‘Oppenheimer’ Accepts His Honor
Photo credit: Screenshot, ABC-tv
Oppenheimer took seven Oscars on 13 nominations.
The introduction of the major acting awards from former winners to the current nominees was an emotional addition to the ceremony, and should be included as tradition every year. The comedy bits worked (thanks Guillermo) and Jimmy Kimmel handled the hosting duties with panache and a serious burn on a former one term president. Add Ryan Gosling’s spectacular “I’m Just Ken” live performance, and the the Best Oscar ceremony in years was the result.
Best Director Christopher Nolan of ‘Oppenheimer’ Accepts His Honor
Photo credit: Screenshot, ABC-tv
Oppenheimer took seven Oscars on 13 nominations.
- 3/11/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The 2024 Oscars proved that no awards ceremony is predictable, with many surprises in store. However, it was not much of a shock that Christopher Nolan’s J. Robert Oppenheimer biopic was the top winner of the night, taking home seven Oscars — including best picture.
Poor Things wasn’t far behind Oppenheimer throughout the night, winning four Academy Awards, including Emma Stone securing her second win for best actress.
Here’s the breakdown of Oscar wins by film.
Oppenheimer — seven wins
Christopher Nolan’s film was the biggest winner of the night, receiving awards for best picture, best directing, best actor (Cillian Murphy), best supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.), best cinematography (Hoyte van Hoytema) and best original score (Ludwig Göransson).
Poor Things — four wins
Poor Things received the second most wins of the night. Stone won her second Oscar for best actress, while the film also achieved craft awards for best costume design,...
Poor Things wasn’t far behind Oppenheimer throughout the night, winning four Academy Awards, including Emma Stone securing her second win for best actress.
Here’s the breakdown of Oscar wins by film.
Oppenheimer — seven wins
Christopher Nolan’s film was the biggest winner of the night, receiving awards for best picture, best directing, best actor (Cillian Murphy), best supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.), best cinematography (Hoyte van Hoytema) and best original score (Ludwig Göransson).
Poor Things — four wins
Poor Things received the second most wins of the night. Stone won her second Oscar for best actress, while the film also achieved craft awards for best costume design,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Tatiana Tenreyro
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Best Picture winner “Oppenheimer” and “Poor Things” were the big Oscar craft winners March 10, each winning three awards. Christopher Nolan’s historical thriller about the atomic bomb grabbed cinematography, editing, and original score, while Yargos Lanthimos’ surreal “Frankenstein” gender-bender snagged costume design, production design, and makeup and hairstyling.
The rest went to “Godzilla Minus One” (visual effects), “The Zone of Interest” (sound), and “Barbie”. The lone “Barbie” win was a major disappointment for Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar blockbuster, which was expected to also take costume design and/or production design for the inventive Mattel-inspired fashion and world-building.
The wins for “Godzilla Minus One” and “The Zone of Interest” were both upsets: Takashi Yamazaki’s Kaiju actioner bested Gareth Edwards’ AI-themed “The Creator,” which won the Ves prize, and Jonathan Glazer’s Holocaust drama about the banality of evil (the international feature film Oscar winner) overtook “Oppenheimer,” which won the...
The rest went to “Godzilla Minus One” (visual effects), “The Zone of Interest” (sound), and “Barbie”. The lone “Barbie” win was a major disappointment for Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar blockbuster, which was expected to also take costume design and/or production design for the inventive Mattel-inspired fashion and world-building.
The wins for “Godzilla Minus One” and “The Zone of Interest” were both upsets: Takashi Yamazaki’s Kaiju actioner bested Gareth Edwards’ AI-themed “The Creator,” which won the Ves prize, and Jonathan Glazer’s Holocaust drama about the banality of evil (the international feature film Oscar winner) overtook “Oppenheimer,” which won the...
- 3/11/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Sean Lennon is showing love to his mom Yoko Ono from the stage at the 2024 Academy Awards.
The son of Yoko and the late John Lennon hopped onstage at the Dolby Theatre with War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko filmmakers Dave Mullins and Brad Booker to accept the Oscar for Best Animated Short on Sunday night (March 10).
While delivering a brief acceptance speech, Sean, who executive produced the project, showed love to his mom on what is Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom.
Keep reading to find out more…
Sean only had a brief moment, but he celebrated his mom’s recent 91st birthday before asking the crowd to joining him in wishing her a happy day.
Congratulations to the team on their big win!
Keep an eye peeled for all of our Oscars coverage! You can also find out the highest rated Best Picture...
The son of Yoko and the late John Lennon hopped onstage at the Dolby Theatre with War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko filmmakers Dave Mullins and Brad Booker to accept the Oscar for Best Animated Short on Sunday night (March 10).
While delivering a brief acceptance speech, Sean, who executive produced the project, showed love to his mom on what is Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom.
Keep reading to find out more…
Sean only had a brief moment, but he celebrated his mom’s recent 91st birthday before asking the crowd to joining him in wishing her a happy day.
Congratulations to the team on their big win!
Keep an eye peeled for all of our Oscars coverage! You can also find out the highest rated Best Picture...
- 3/11/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film tonight, marking the first Oscar win for filmmakers Dave Mullins and Brad Booker.
Set to the anti-war Christmas classic song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”, the animated short follows two soldiers at the frontline of World War I as they play a chess game through carrier pigeon, unaware they are on opposing sides of the battle.
Related: ‘American Fiction’: Cord Jefferson Pleas With Hollywood To Give New Creatives A Shot While Accepting Award At 2024 Oscars
The filmmaking pair was joined on stage by executive producer Sean Ono Lennon, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who led the crowd in wishing his absent mom a happy (UK) Mother’s Day.
Related: Deadline’s Reviews Of All The Oscar Best Picture Nominees
“John Lennon and Yoko...
Set to the anti-war Christmas classic song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”, the animated short follows two soldiers at the frontline of World War I as they play a chess game through carrier pigeon, unaware they are on opposing sides of the battle.
Related: ‘American Fiction’: Cord Jefferson Pleas With Hollywood To Give New Creatives A Shot While Accepting Award At 2024 Oscars
The filmmaking pair was joined on stage by executive producer Sean Ono Lennon, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who led the crowd in wishing his absent mom a happy (UK) Mother’s Day.
Related: Deadline’s Reviews Of All The Oscar Best Picture Nominees
“John Lennon and Yoko...
- 3/11/2024
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko won the Oscar for Best Animated Short and Sean Lennon took the opportunity to celebrate his mom, Yoko Ono. Filmmakers Dave Mullins and Brad Booker took the stage alongside Lennon, who capped off the acceptance speeches by calling out, “Happy Mother’s Day, Yoko!”
(For those confused by the shout out, today marks Mother’s Day in the U.K. while the U.S. traditionally celebrates in May).
“John Lennon and Yoko Ono wrote a song, anti-war message we tried to honor with this film,...
(For those confused by the shout out, today marks Mother’s Day in the U.K. while the U.S. traditionally celebrates in May).
“John Lennon and Yoko Ono wrote a song, anti-war message we tried to honor with this film,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Emily Zemler and Nancy Dillon
- Rollingstone.com
The Oscars have arrived! The 96th Academy Awards honoring the best film achievements of 2023 were the culmination of an eventful year that brought a wide range of cinematic experiences, from the blockbuster “Barbenheimer” phenomenon to the chilling art house drama “The Zone of Interest.” So what did it all mean when the envelopes opened and the trophies were handed out on March 10? Scroll down for our live blog where I break down who won, who lost, who upset, and how it all fit into the story of this awards season.
Indeed, “Barbenheimer” defined the awards season just as much as it dominated the box office, accounting for a combined 21 Oscar nominations this year including Best Picture bids for both. But if “Barbie” won the box office battle between the two juggernauts with its almost $1.5 billion in global ticket sales, “Oppenheimer” has been the awards champion, sweeping best film honors from the Golden Globes,...
Indeed, “Barbenheimer” defined the awards season just as much as it dominated the box office, accounting for a combined 21 Oscar nominations this year including Best Picture bids for both. But if “Barbie” won the box office battle between the two juggernauts with its almost $1.5 billion in global ticket sales, “Oppenheimer” has been the awards champion, sweeping best film honors from the Golden Globes,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Oscars Predictions:
Best Animated Short
Weekly Commentary: In the realm of animated shorts, the title can be as captivating as the storyline itself.
This year, Dave Mullins’ “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko,” which is co-writes with Sean Lennon, the son of Beatles band member John Lennon,...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Oscars Predictions:
Best Animated Short
Weekly Commentary: In the realm of animated shorts, the title can be as captivating as the storyline itself.
This year, Dave Mullins’ “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko,” which is co-writes with Sean Lennon, the son of Beatles band member John Lennon,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The new Academy realignment that splits the Short Films and Feature Animation branch into separate Animation and Short Films branches has been met primarily with enthusiasm. According to animation and live-action short Academy members and other industry insiders, this change was long overdue. Both animation and live-action shorts deserve their own dedicated branches after experiencing tremendous growth, box office success, and prestige in recent years.
Last year, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” were number two and three at the domestic box office, and the 2024 Oscar Shorts releases have already broken $2 million globally since the ShortsTV presentation February 16.
“As both the Academy’s shorts and animation communities have grown, and to ensure they continue to thrive, the need for two individual branches became increasingly apparent,” Academy Short Films and Feature Animation branch governors Bonnie Arnold, Jinko Gotoh, and Marlon West said in a joint statement on...
Last year, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” were number two and three at the domestic box office, and the 2024 Oscar Shorts releases have already broken $2 million globally since the ShortsTV presentation February 16.
“As both the Academy’s shorts and animation communities have grown, and to ensure they continue to thrive, the need for two individual branches became increasingly apparent,” Academy Short Films and Feature Animation branch governors Bonnie Arnold, Jinko Gotoh, and Marlon West said in a joint statement on...
- 2/27/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The Oscar-frontrunning Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” was the big winner at Asifa-Hollywood’s 51st Annie Awards (held February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall), grabbing seven awards, topped by best animated feature. As a 66 percent Oscar predictor, the Annie win bodes well for Sony and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
The other “Spider-Verse” awards were for FX, character design, direction, music, production design, and editorial.
The Oscar-nominated dark horse, “Robot Dreams” (Neon), from Pablo Berger, won best independent feature, and “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” (ElectroLeague) took best short. The prestige short got a boost in its race for the Oscar. It’s directed by Pixar alum Dave Mullins and executive produced by Sean Ono Lennon, in partnership with Peter Jackson and his Wētā FX Limited animation team.
Hayao Miyazaki’s summary film, “The Boy and the Heron“ (Studio Ghibli-GKids), won two Annies for Takeshi Honda...
The other “Spider-Verse” awards were for FX, character design, direction, music, production design, and editorial.
The Oscar-nominated dark horse, “Robot Dreams” (Neon), from Pablo Berger, won best independent feature, and “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” (ElectroLeague) took best short. The prestige short got a boost in its race for the Oscar. It’s directed by Pixar alum Dave Mullins and executive produced by Sean Ono Lennon, in partnership with Peter Jackson and his Wētā FX Limited animation team.
Hayao Miyazaki’s summary film, “The Boy and the Heron“ (Studio Ghibli-GKids), won two Annies for Takeshi Honda...
- 2/18/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Sony Pictures Animation’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” swung its way to victory at the 51st Annie Awards, snatching up seven prizes, including best feature. It was also a good night for Netflix, whose projects earned a total of nine awards, with period revenge series “Blue Eye Samurai” snagging six of those, including best TV/Media – Mature.
In addition to best feature, the “Spider-Verse” sequel’s Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson were honored for their direction while Daniel Pemberton and Metro Boomin won for music. The film also picked up awards for FX, character design, production design and editorial.
Arcadia Motion Pictures’ bittersweet Spanish-French film “Robot Dreams,” about a lonely dog who builds a robot companion, won for best feature – independent.
Netflix’s feature “Nimona,” which had the most nominations with nine, picked up two Annies, one for Chloe Grace Moretz’s voice work as the...
In addition to best feature, the “Spider-Verse” sequel’s Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson were honored for their direction while Daniel Pemberton and Metro Boomin won for music. The film also picked up awards for FX, character design, production design and editorial.
Arcadia Motion Pictures’ bittersweet Spanish-French film “Robot Dreams,” about a lonely dog who builds a robot companion, won for best feature – independent.
Netflix’s feature “Nimona,” which had the most nominations with nine, picked up two Annies, one for Chloe Grace Moretz’s voice work as the...
- 2/18/2024
- by Terry Flores
- Variety Film + TV
There exist three Oscar categories where it’s possible to watch all nominated films in one shot – that’s shorts, Animated, Live Action and Documentary. Packaged into three feature length films presented by ShortsTV, the Oscar Nominated Short Films open in theaters today for a four-week run on about 650 screens in the U.S. and Canada.
It’s 19-year tradition popular with audiences and theaters. Each film is also “an event. Then you can go argue about who you think should win,” says ShortsTV founder and CEO Carter Pilcher.
Theater owners can screen any or all of the three compilations however and whenever they want from a traditional run to a one-week marathon before the Academy Awards on March 10.
Pilcher says the animated bundle tends to do the best historically, although the 2023 short called My Year Of Dicks nudged out some of the family audiences that love animation, giving Live Action the win.
It’s 19-year tradition popular with audiences and theaters. Each film is also “an event. Then you can go argue about who you think should win,” says ShortsTV founder and CEO Carter Pilcher.
Theater owners can screen any or all of the three compilations however and whenever they want from a traditional run to a one-week marathon before the Academy Awards on March 10.
Pilcher says the animated bundle tends to do the best historically, although the 2023 short called My Year Of Dicks nudged out some of the family audiences that love animation, giving Live Action the win.
- 2/16/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Nominations voting is from January 11–16, 2024, with official Oscar nominations announced on January 23, 2024. Final voting is February 22–27, 2024. And finally, the 96th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 10, and air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Et/ 5 p.m. Pt. We update predictions throughout awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2024 Oscar picks.
The State of the Race
The animated short Oscar nominees are all acclaimed indies that explore such heady themes as the Holocaust, war, gender restrictions, incest, and mortality. They hail from the U.S., France, Israel, and Iran and embrace CG, 2D, stop-motion, and mixed media.
The field is led by the timely “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko”, about a chess game played across enemy lines of an alternative World War I, with the help of a heroic carrier pigeon. It was specifically inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s popular protest song,...
The State of the Race
The animated short Oscar nominees are all acclaimed indies that explore such heady themes as the Holocaust, war, gender restrictions, incest, and mortality. They hail from the U.S., France, Israel, and Iran and embrace CG, 2D, stop-motion, and mixed media.
The field is led by the timely “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko”, about a chess game played across enemy lines of an alternative World War I, with the help of a heroic carrier pigeon. It was specifically inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s popular protest song,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
A curious choice for this year’s Best Animated Short Oscar shortlist, this quaint little story co-written by director Dave Mullins and Sean Lennon – John and Yoko’s son – uses modern animation techniques to tell a rather old fashioned story. One can see why it might have an emotive appeal, especially at the present time, but it feels rather underdeveloped compared to most of its competitors, more like an extended music video than a fully developed film in its right.
That’s not to say that it tracks along a single song. 11 minutes in length, it draws on fragments of several. Yoko Ono is an executive producer but her artistic influence is felt in this layered, concatenated approach, which adds a little depth to what is otherwise a simple narrative. In an imaginary, never-ending version of World War One, soldiers huddled in trenches use a pigeon to send chess moves across.
That’s not to say that it tracks along a single song. 11 minutes in length, it draws on fragments of several. Yoko Ono is an executive producer but her artistic influence is felt in this layered, concatenated approach, which adds a little depth to what is otherwise a simple narrative. In an imaginary, never-ending version of World War One, soldiers huddled in trenches use a pigeon to send chess moves across.
- 1/20/2024
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The Oscar-shortlisted and Annie-nominated animated short “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” couldn’t be (sadly) timelier with the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The 11-minute indie takes place in an alternate World War I, where a secret chess match is played across enemy lines with the assistance of a heroic carrier pigeon that delivers the chess moves over the battlefield. Pixar alum Dave Mullins wrote and directed the short, animated by Wētā FX Limited and executive produced by Sean Ono Lennon.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine coincided with Lennon wanting to make an animated project around his parents’ popular protest song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” So he approached a friend at Pixar, who recommended Mullins (“Lou”), who left Pixar on his 20th anniversary in 2021 and started ElectroLeague, a real-time animation company with co-founder Brad Booker (producer of “War Is Over”).
“And so we met,...
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine coincided with Lennon wanting to make an animated project around his parents’ popular protest song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” So he approached a friend at Pixar, who recommended Mullins (“Lou”), who left Pixar on his 20th anniversary in 2021 and started ElectroLeague, a real-time animation company with co-founder Brad Booker (producer of “War Is Over”).
“And so we met,...
- 1/13/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The three short film categories can be such a pain to try to predict the nominees for. Don’t worry Derbyites, we are here to help you all. With the shortlist for the 96th Oscars having been released, below we have listed all 15 shortlisted films in the Best Animated Short category along with descriptions of each one. We also have information and links listed for where you can currently watch these finalists.
Among the subjects that are covered in this year’s crop are birds protecting eggs during a volcanic eruption, an overly confident singing cat, a woman attending her husband’s funeral, and an old man appreciating all of the body’s senses.
See Dozens of video interviews with 2024 awards contenders
“Boom” – Two birds that aren’t very bright try to protect their eggs in the midst of a volcano’s eruption. This won the Gold Medal for Animation...
Among the subjects that are covered in this year’s crop are birds protecting eggs during a volcanic eruption, an overly confident singing cat, a woman attending her husband’s funeral, and an old man appreciating all of the body’s senses.
See Dozens of video interviews with 2024 awards contenders
“Boom” – Two birds that aren’t very bright try to protect their eggs in the midst of a volcano’s eruption. This won the Gold Medal for Animation...
- 12/25/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
So, this is Christmas, and Peter Jackson recently helmed the music video for the new Beatles song Now and Then, which controversially used AI to finish John Lennon’s vocals on the previously unfinished song. Jackson would also previously release the mini-series documentary on The Beatles titled Get Back for Disney+. Now the Lord of the Rings director is collaborating with John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s son, Sean for a new animated short that is inspired by the beloved Christmas tune by Lennon, Happy Xmas (War is Over).
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Sean Ono Lennon was looking for a way to make a music video for one of his parents’ songs. Ono Lennon met with Pixar animator Dave Mullins, and the two sparked the idea for an animated short about “a chess game played across enemy lines with the help of a heroic carrier pigeon.” Mullins wrote and...
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Sean Ono Lennon was looking for a way to make a music video for one of his parents’ songs. Ono Lennon met with Pixar animator Dave Mullins, and the two sparked the idea for an animated short about “a chess game played across enemy lines with the help of a heroic carrier pigeon.” Mullins wrote and...
- 12/5/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
In 2021, Sean Ono Lennon was looking for a way to make a music video for one of his parents’ signature songs and feeling creatively stuck—until he had a meeting with former Pixar animator Dave Mullins. The song, 1971’s Happy Xmas (War Is Over), is probably the most popular piece of music John Lennon and Yoko Ono wrote as a couple. But beyond appearing reliably on playlists around the world every Christmas, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is also a peace anthem, and Sean wanted to reintroduce the song’s message. The song “just felt like it deserved some kind of piece to help get it out there for another generation,” Lennon says. The only problem was that every music video idea seemed to trivialize it. “It almost felt goofy,” Lennon says. “Like a Hallmark kind of thing. What are we going to show, a family sitting around a fire?...
- 12/5/2023
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ralph Steadman, the former Rolling Stone illustrator best known for his work with Hunter S. Thompson, is selling a collection of animated and still pieces as non-fungible tokens on the digital asset marketplace Niftygateway. The sale — fittingly dubbed Fear and Loathing at Niftygateway — will launch next Wednesday, April 28th.
The Gonzo Art of Ralph Steadman
The collection features illustrations that celebrate pivotal moments in Steadman’s career, including two pieces tied to his work with Thompson. There’s an animated illustration of “Dr. Gonzo,” a character from Fear and Loathing and Las Vegas,...
The Gonzo Art of Ralph Steadman
The collection features illustrations that celebrate pivotal moments in Steadman’s career, including two pieces tied to his work with Thompson. There’s an animated illustration of “Dr. Gonzo,” a character from Fear and Loathing and Las Vegas,...
- 4/21/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Pete Docter, director and co-writer of Pixar’s “Soul,” appraised his co-workers by saying, “This team is crazy good.”
The film entailed four years of production and hundreds of workers. “I think most of the team were excited to stretch outside the box of what people might expect from an animated movie. Subjects like why are we alive? What are we doing with our time on Earth?” Docter says. He notes that the film, a hot contender during the long Oscar season, owes a lot to “individual contributors and these great leaders who help shape and direct the work.”
Ren Klyce, supervising sound editor
“We knew sound would be crucial. Ren created sounds and we auditioned them; the sound started to influence the way we visualized it. We hadn’t started building the Great Before and asked Ren, ‘What’s the ambience of the place?’ He brought in elements of nature sounds,...
The film entailed four years of production and hundreds of workers. “I think most of the team were excited to stretch outside the box of what people might expect from an animated movie. Subjects like why are we alive? What are we doing with our time on Earth?” Docter says. He notes that the film, a hot contender during the long Oscar season, owes a lot to “individual contributors and these great leaders who help shape and direct the work.”
Ren Klyce, supervising sound editor
“We knew sound would be crucial. Ren created sounds and we auditioned them; the sound started to influence the way we visualized it. We hadn’t started building the Great Before and asked Ren, ‘What’s the ambience of the place?’ He brought in elements of nature sounds,...
- 3/4/2021
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Northern California-based indie toon houses Baobab Studios, Kuku Studios and Tonko House have joined forces to form the Bay Area Animation Alliance to build a community of industry professionals in the area and foster creativity.
One of the group’s first events was to hold an auction of original work by artists from each of the studios to benefit the Equal Justice Initiative — founded by lawyer and activist Bryan Stevenson — whose goal it is to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S.
The first Art Auction for Racial Justice raised nearly $13,000 and drew the attention other Bay Area-based artists who asked if they could participate. A second auction is taking place this weekend, June 19-22 at baanimationalliance.org/events.
“We’ve been so inspired by the Bay Area animation community’s reaction to our first Baaa art auction,” says Baobab Studios’ Eric Darnell, who directed all of...
One of the group’s first events was to hold an auction of original work by artists from each of the studios to benefit the Equal Justice Initiative — founded by lawyer and activist Bryan Stevenson — whose goal it is to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S.
The first Art Auction for Racial Justice raised nearly $13,000 and drew the attention other Bay Area-based artists who asked if they could participate. A second auction is taking place this weekend, June 19-22 at baanimationalliance.org/events.
“We’ve been so inspired by the Bay Area animation community’s reaction to our first Baaa art auction,” says Baobab Studios’ Eric Darnell, who directed all of...
- 6/19/2020
- by Terry Flores
- Variety Film + TV
Pixar's sueprheroic sequel, Incredibles 2, is heading home in the next couple months and coming loaded with a bunch of special features to enjoy. Come inside to check out the full announcement to see what's coming!
If you've been eager to bring the Parr's latest adventure home with you, you'll get the chance pretty soon. Disney/Pixar have announced the details of the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-Ray release of Incredibles 2. The discs will launch on November 6, 2018, but if you can't wait that long, you can get the digital version on October 23rd.
Even better, it's coming loaded with a ridiculous amount of special features, including an all new short film featuring Edna and Jack-Jack:
Family members of all ages will be hypnotized by hours of delightful entertainment, with never-before-seen “Incredibles 2” bonus material highlighting the beloved characters in the film and the filmmakers who bring them to life.
If you've been eager to bring the Parr's latest adventure home with you, you'll get the chance pretty soon. Disney/Pixar have announced the details of the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-Ray release of Incredibles 2. The discs will launch on November 6, 2018, but if you can't wait that long, you can get the digital version on October 23rd.
Even better, it's coming loaded with a ridiculous amount of special features, including an all new short film featuring Edna and Jack-Jack:
Family members of all ages will be hypnotized by hours of delightful entertainment, with never-before-seen “Incredibles 2” bonus material highlighting the beloved characters in the film and the filmmakers who bring them to life.
- 9/7/2018
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Jordan Maison)
- Cinelinx
In a 7-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex couple for religious reasons.
According to USA Today, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the court’s 7-2 decision, which seemed to go against his history of opinions favoring gay rights.
The verdict criticized the state’s treatment of Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jake Phillips’ religious views, and held that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission was hostile toward the baker’s beliefs, according to CNN, specifically when the commission suggested his claims of religious freedom were made to justify his discrimination against the same-sex couple.
In doing so, reported CNBC, the commission violated Phillips’ religious rights under the First Amendment.
Also Read: Candace Cameron Bure Defends Bakery That Refused to Make Cake For Lesbian Couple (Video)
The decision was narrowly focused on the commission’s treatment...
According to USA Today, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the court’s 7-2 decision, which seemed to go against his history of opinions favoring gay rights.
The verdict criticized the state’s treatment of Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jake Phillips’ religious views, and held that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission was hostile toward the baker’s beliefs, according to CNN, specifically when the commission suggested his claims of religious freedom were made to justify his discrimination against the same-sex couple.
In doing so, reported CNBC, the commission violated Phillips’ religious rights under the First Amendment.
Also Read: Candace Cameron Bure Defends Bakery That Refused to Make Cake For Lesbian Couple (Video)
The decision was narrowly focused on the commission’s treatment...
- 6/4/2018
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Update: Winners are now indicated. I correctly guessed 15 out of the 24 categories, which is one of my better showings ever, I think.
Earlier:
Just under the wire!
I’ve now seen as many of the nominated films as I will be able to before tonight’s ceremony, and here finally are my educated guesses about who will take home each award — projected winners are Xed at the lefthand side. Keep in mind: those Xes don’t represent whom I think should win Oscars but whom I think will win, based on what little I can grasp about how the Academy thinks. I’ve also noted which nominees I think should win. Kindly note that this is not necessarily my take on who did the best performance/writing/FX/whatever of the year, but whom I think is best among the nominees.
The only films I have not yet seen are:...
Earlier:
Just under the wire!
I’ve now seen as many of the nominated films as I will be able to before tonight’s ceremony, and here finally are my educated guesses about who will take home each award — projected winners are Xed at the lefthand side. Keep in mind: those Xes don’t represent whom I think should win Oscars but whom I think will win, based on what little I can grasp about how the Academy thinks. I’ve also noted which nominees I think should win. Kindly note that this is not necessarily my take on who did the best performance/writing/FX/whatever of the year, but whom I think is best among the nominees.
The only films I have not yet seen are:...
- 3/5/2018
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
The 2018 Academy Awards took place on March 4 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The 90th annual ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. The full list of winners is below.
Supporting Actor:
Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World”
Makeup and Hair:
“Darkest Hour,” Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick
“Victoria and Abdul,” Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard
“Wonder,” Arjen Tuiten
Costume Design:
“Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges
“Beauty and the Beast,” Jacqueline Durran
“Darkest Hour,” Jacqueline Durran
“The Shape of Water,” Luis Sequeira
“Victoria and Abdul,” Consolata Boyle
Best Documentary Feature:
“Icarus,” Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan
“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” Steve James, Mark Mitten, Julie Goldman
“Faces Places,” Jr, Agnès Varda, Rosalie Varda
“Last Men in Aleppo,” Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed, Soren Steen Jepersen
“Strong Island,...
Supporting Actor:
Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World”
Makeup and Hair:
“Darkest Hour,” Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick
“Victoria and Abdul,” Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard
“Wonder,” Arjen Tuiten
Costume Design:
“Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges
“Beauty and the Beast,” Jacqueline Durran
“Darkest Hour,” Jacqueline Durran
“The Shape of Water,” Luis Sequeira
“Victoria and Abdul,” Consolata Boyle
Best Documentary Feature:
“Icarus,” Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan
“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” Steve James, Mark Mitten, Julie Goldman
“Faces Places,” Jr, Agnès Varda, Rosalie Varda
“Last Men in Aleppo,” Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed, Soren Steen Jepersen
“Strong Island,...
- 3/5/2018
- by William Earl
- Indiewire
Best Picture
The Shape of Water
Call Me By Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
Phantom Thread
The Post
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Actor
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Best Actress
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post
Best Supporting Actor
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,...
The Shape of Water
Call Me By Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
Phantom Thread
The Post
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Actor
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Best Actress
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post
Best Supporting Actor
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,...
- 3/5/2018
- Rollingstone.com
MaryAnn’s quick take… My pick: I suspect that this year’s winner will be “Garden Party” [pictured], a spectacular debut from new French animation studio Illogic that I am sure we will be seeing a lot more stunning work from. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Death, despair, and decay. Some very black humor. These motifs run through most of this year’s Oscar-nominated animated short films. Oh, and childhood. In one case, the despair of childhood. Fun times.
I suspect that this year’s winner will be “Garden Party” [IMDb|official site], from a new French animation studio called Illogic — consisting of filmmakers Florian Babikian, Vincent Bayoux, Victor Caire, Théophile Dufresne, Gabriel Grapperon, and Lucas Navarro — that I am sure we will be seeing a lot more stunning work from. The adventures of frogs and toads and...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Death, despair, and decay. Some very black humor. These motifs run through most of this year’s Oscar-nominated animated short films. Oh, and childhood. In one case, the despair of childhood. Fun times.
I suspect that this year’s winner will be “Garden Party” [IMDb|official site], from a new French animation studio called Illogic — consisting of filmmakers Florian Babikian, Vincent Bayoux, Victor Caire, Théophile Dufresne, Gabriel Grapperon, and Lucas Navarro — that I am sure we will be seeing a lot more stunning work from. The adventures of frogs and toads and...
- 3/4/2018
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
It wouldn’t really be an animation category at the Oscars if there wasn’t something from Pixar to choose from. Well, the animation titan is back in competition at this year’s Oscars for Best Animated Short Film with “Lou.” It marks the first nomination for both Dave Mullins and Dana Murray.
The film is set on a school playground. When all the kids rush to head back into class, several of them leave their items behind including a football, a lunch box and a handheld video game. With the playground empty, the lost and found box starts rattling and the items in it come together to form a being, Lou, that goes and collects the things that have been left behind. When the kids come back out for recess, several kids come to the box to retrieve their belongings. As recess continues, Lou observes a bully picking on...
The film is set on a school playground. When all the kids rush to head back into class, several of them leave their items behind including a football, a lunch box and a handheld video game. With the playground empty, the lost and found box starts rattling and the items in it come together to form a being, Lou, that goes and collects the things that have been left behind. When the kids come back out for recess, several kids come to the box to retrieve their belongings. As recess continues, Lou observes a bully picking on...
- 3/2/2018
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
The animated shorts race is defined by memorable characters: A dance between young and adult Kobe Bryant in “Dear Basketball,” a father and son bonding over ritual packing in “Negative Space,” a collection of lost and found schoolyard objects thwarting a bully in Pixar’s “Lou,” a mysterious wolf recounting the unusual bonding between Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White in “Revolting Rhymes,” and a wacky amphibian takeover of a mansion in “Garden Party.”
Despite the backlash against Bryant for his sexual assault charge back in 2003 and the limited scope of his short, “Dear Basketball” remains the favorite to win the Oscar. That’s due to the irresistible pairing of the former Lakers legend with former Disney legend Glen Keane, who directed the short. However, “Negative Space” could pull an upset for its inventive animation and resonating theme.
Read more about these nominees, ranked in order of their likelihood...
Despite the backlash against Bryant for his sexual assault charge back in 2003 and the limited scope of his short, “Dear Basketball” remains the favorite to win the Oscar. That’s due to the irresistible pairing of the former Lakers legend with former Disney legend Glen Keane, who directed the short. However, “Negative Space” could pull an upset for its inventive animation and resonating theme.
Read more about these nominees, ranked in order of their likelihood...
- 2/20/2018
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Three of the most difficult categories to call every year at the Oscars are those of the short films. They lack precursor prizes and, in many cases, visibility. If you are not able to see these films before the Academy Awards on March 4, don’t worry: we’ve got you covered. Below is our take on the five nominees for Best Animated Short.
A screening committee drawn from the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members winnowed a field of 63 entries for Best Animated Short down to 10 semi-finalists using an averaged scoring system.. All members of the branch could cast preferential ballots for the five nominees and the entire academy can vote on the winner.
See 2018 Oscars: Best Live Action Short Film nominees by rising stars of world cinema
“Dear Basketball” (USA)
Director: Glen Keane; Writer: Kobe Bryant
Running Time: 6 minutes
In this heartfelt ode to basketball, Bryant narrates his...
A screening committee drawn from the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members winnowed a field of 63 entries for Best Animated Short down to 10 semi-finalists using an averaged scoring system.. All members of the branch could cast preferential ballots for the five nominees and the entire academy can vote on the winner.
See 2018 Oscars: Best Live Action Short Film nominees by rising stars of world cinema
“Dear Basketball” (USA)
Director: Glen Keane; Writer: Kobe Bryant
Running Time: 6 minutes
In this heartfelt ode to basketball, Bryant narrates his...
- 2/19/2018
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Ahead of the Academy Awards, we’re reviewing each short category. See the Animation section below and the other shorts sections here.
Dear Basketball – USA – 5 minutes
“Money” is a word used to describe Kobe Bryant the athlete because he was the guy you gave the ball to with no time on the clock. Everyone could rely on him whether coach, teammate, or fan because we knew the chances were that a good look at the hoop would result in a basket. He was “money.” As a result of the career that proved this point, Kobe accrued a lot of money in the literal sense of the word too. And with that money he discovered he could create a production studio (Kobe Studios), hire director/animator Glen Keane and composer John Williams, and bring to life a poem he wrote to announce his retirement. He made something heartfelt for the fans into something all about himself.
Dear Basketball – USA – 5 minutes
“Money” is a word used to describe Kobe Bryant the athlete because he was the guy you gave the ball to with no time on the clock. Everyone could rely on him whether coach, teammate, or fan because we knew the chances were that a good look at the hoop would result in a basket. He was “money.” As a result of the career that proved this point, Kobe accrued a lot of money in the literal sense of the word too. And with that money he discovered he could create a production studio (Kobe Studios), hire director/animator Glen Keane and composer John Williams, and bring to life a poem he wrote to announce his retirement. He made something heartfelt for the fans into something all about himself.
- 2/7/2018
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
The Live Action and Animated 2018 Oscar Nominated Shorts Open at Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater (6350 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, Mo 63130) in St. Louis February 9th.
For the 13th consecutive year, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated Short Films, opening on Feb. 9th. With two categories offered – Animated and Live Action– this is your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool)! A perennial hit with audiences around the country and the world, don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts. The Academy Awards take place Sunday, March 4th.
Here’s the line-up:
Nimated Shorts (Estimated Running Time: 83 minutes)
Dear Basketball – Glen Keane and Kobe Bryant, USA, 5 minutes
Negative Space – Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata, France, 5 minutes
Lou – Dave Mullins and Dana Murray, USA, 7 minutes
Revolting Rhymes – Jakob Schuh and Jan Lachauer, UK, 29 minutes
Garden Party – Victor Caire and Gabriel Grapperon, France...
For the 13th consecutive year, Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures present the Oscar-Nominated Short Films, opening on Feb. 9th. With two categories offered – Animated and Live Action– this is your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool)! A perennial hit with audiences around the country and the world, don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts. The Academy Awards take place Sunday, March 4th.
Here’s the line-up:
Nimated Shorts (Estimated Running Time: 83 minutes)
Dear Basketball – Glen Keane and Kobe Bryant, USA, 5 minutes
Negative Space – Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata, France, 5 minutes
Lou – Dave Mullins and Dana Murray, USA, 7 minutes
Revolting Rhymes – Jakob Schuh and Jan Lachauer, UK, 29 minutes
Garden Party – Victor Caire and Gabriel Grapperon, France...
- 1/29/2018
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Whether it’s Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, or Inside Out, Dave Mullins is no stranger to the world of animation. Pursing his desire to create an animated short,...
- 1/25/2018
- by Jazz Tangcay
- AwardsDaily.com
Best Picture favorite “The Shape of Water” dominated the Oscar craft categories with seven nominations — Cinematography, Production and Costume Design, Editing, Original Score, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing. Guillermo del Toro’s period-fantasy romance only failed to snag a Visual Effects nomination.
“Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan’s experimental Best Picture nominee, captured six craft noms (Cinematography, Production Design, Editing, Score, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing); Denis Villeneuve’s brutalistic “Blade Runner 20149” scored five (Cinematography, Production Design, Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing); and Joe Wright’s surprise Best Picture nominee, “Darkest Hour,” grabbed four (Cinematography, Production and Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling).
Making History
But the biggest crafts story was Rachel Morrison making Oscar history as the first female cinematographer to secure a nomination for her poetic work on “Mudbound.” She was joined by frontrunner Roger Deakins, who grabbed his 14th nomination for “Blade Runner 2049″ in search of his elusive win; Bruno Delbonnel,...
“Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan’s experimental Best Picture nominee, captured six craft noms (Cinematography, Production Design, Editing, Score, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing); Denis Villeneuve’s brutalistic “Blade Runner 20149” scored five (Cinematography, Production Design, Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing); and Joe Wright’s surprise Best Picture nominee, “Darkest Hour,” grabbed four (Cinematography, Production and Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling).
Making History
But the biggest crafts story was Rachel Morrison making Oscar history as the first female cinematographer to secure a nomination for her poetic work on “Mudbound.” She was joined by frontrunner Roger Deakins, who grabbed his 14th nomination for “Blade Runner 2049″ in search of his elusive win; Bruno Delbonnel,...
- 1/23/2018
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The Shape of Water, Get Out, Lady Bird, Dunkirk and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri led the 2018 Oscar nominations, with Guillermo Del Toro's horror/romance The Shape of Water scoring an impressive 13 nods.
All five of the aforementioned films were nominated for Best Picture, a list that also included Phantom Thread, The Post, Call Me By Your Name and Darkest Hour.
Del Toro was also nominated for Best Director, along with first timers Get Out's Jordan Peele and Lady Bird's Greta Gerwig. Christopher Nolan also received a nod for Dunkirk,...
All five of the aforementioned films were nominated for Best Picture, a list that also included Phantom Thread, The Post, Call Me By Your Name and Darkest Hour.
Del Toro was also nominated for Best Director, along with first timers Get Out's Jordan Peele and Lady Bird's Greta Gerwig. Christopher Nolan also received a nod for Dunkirk,...
- 1/23/2018
- Rollingstone.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are set to reveal the nominations for the 90th Academy Awards in all 24 categories this morning. Films such as “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” are expected to earn multiple nominations this year following big wins at the Golden Globes and Critic Choice Awards.
Click here to watch the nominations announcement live. Nominations will be updated live below as they are announced.
Best Picture
“Call Me by Your Name”
“Darkest Hour”
“Dunkirk”
“Get Out”
“Lady Bird”
“Phantom Thread”
“The Post”
“The Shape of Water”
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Director
Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water
Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Phantom Thread”
Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet “Call Me by Your Name”
Daniel Day-Lewis “Phantom Thread”
Daniel Kaluuya “Get Out”
Gary Oldman “Darkest Hour”
Denzel Washington “Roman J.
Click here to watch the nominations announcement live. Nominations will be updated live below as they are announced.
Best Picture
“Call Me by Your Name”
“Darkest Hour”
“Dunkirk”
“Get Out”
“Lady Bird”
“Phantom Thread”
“The Post”
“The Shape of Water”
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Director
Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water
Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Phantom Thread”
Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet “Call Me by Your Name”
Daniel Day-Lewis “Phantom Thread”
Daniel Kaluuya “Get Out”
Gary Oldman “Darkest Hour”
Denzel Washington “Roman J.
- 1/23/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Ten short films are shortlisted by the Academy’s Animations and Shorts branch to vie for the final five nominations for Best Animated Short Film. The shortlist includes Pixar’s “Lou,” written and directed by Dave Mullins. The short premiered at SXSW earlier this year and was shown in theaters ahead of “Cars 3.”
Read More: 2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature
Here are the shortlisted animated shorts; no one will be deemed a frontrunner until I have seen it.
Frontrunner:
“Lou”
Director: Dave Mullins (Pixar Animation Studios)
Contenders:
“Cradle”
Director: Devon Manney(University of Southern California)
“Dear Basketball”
Director: Glen Keane (Glen Keane Productions)
“Fox and the Whale”
Director: Robin Joseph (Robin Joseph)
“Garden Party”
Director: Victor Caire and Gabriel Grapperon (Mopa)
“In a Heartbeat”
Director: Esteban Bravo and Beth David (Ringling College of Art and Design)
“Life Smartphone”
Director: Chenglin Xie (China Central Academy of Fine Arts)
“Lost Property Office...
Read More: 2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature
Here are the shortlisted animated shorts; no one will be deemed a frontrunner until I have seen it.
Frontrunner:
“Lou”
Director: Dave Mullins (Pixar Animation Studios)
Contenders:
“Cradle”
Director: Devon Manney(University of Southern California)
“Dear Basketball”
Director: Glen Keane (Glen Keane Productions)
“Fox and the Whale”
Director: Robin Joseph (Robin Joseph)
“Garden Party”
Director: Victor Caire and Gabriel Grapperon (Mopa)
“In a Heartbeat”
Director: Esteban Bravo and Beth David (Ringling College of Art and Design)
“Life Smartphone”
Director: Chenglin Xie (China Central Academy of Fine Arts)
“Lost Property Office...
- 12/4/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the 10 short films that have been selected to advance in the voting process for the 90th Academy Awards. The 10 short films are vying for a nomination for Best Short Film. The shortlist includes the Pixar film “Lou,” written and directed by Dave Mullins. The short premiered at SXSW earlier this year and was shown in theaters ahead of “Cars 3.”
Read More:2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature
One of the year’s highest profile short films is Don Hertzfeldt’s “World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People’s Thoughts,” but it was left off the shortlist. IndieWire gave Hertzfeldt’s sequel an A+ review and the film already had a theatrical qualifying run. Hertzfeldt has been nominated for the Best Short Film Oscar twice: “Rejected” in 2000 and “World of Tomorrow” in 2016.
The 10 qualifying short films are listed...
Read More:2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature
One of the year’s highest profile short films is Don Hertzfeldt’s “World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People’s Thoughts,” but it was left off the shortlist. IndieWire gave Hertzfeldt’s sequel an A+ review and the film already had a theatrical qualifying run. Hertzfeldt has been nominated for the Best Short Film Oscar twice: “Rejected” in 2000 and “World of Tomorrow” in 2016.
The 10 qualifying short films are listed...
- 12/4/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
A supervising and directing animator who has been with Pixar from Monsters, Inc. through the upcoming Incredibles 2, Dave Mullins has always nursed the dream of directing a film of his own, pitching shorts to Pixar since 2005, and spending his nights and weekends in pursuit of his goal. Finally, in 2012, Mullins sold Pixar Cco John Lasseter and Oscar winner Pete Docter on Lou, a charming short with a unique central character and an anti-bullying message of which all…...
- 12/1/2017
- Deadline
Pixar often begins its features films with fun little animated shorts. Before audiences see Cars 3, they will be treated to a six-minute short titled Lou. This short clip gives us a hint at who Lou is, besides a character made completely of items in an elementary school's Lost and Found box.
When a toy stealing bully ruins recess for a playground full of kids, only one thing stands in his way: the “Lost and Found” box.
Lou was directed by Dave Mullins. It's not clear what kind of creature Lou is and what his role will be at the school. But is certain that this short film will make us all smile. What do you guys think?...
When a toy stealing bully ruins recess for a playground full of kids, only one thing stands in his way: the “Lost and Found” box.
Lou was directed by Dave Mullins. It's not clear what kind of creature Lou is and what his role will be at the school. But is certain that this short film will make us all smile. What do you guys think?...
- 6/17/2017
- by Kristian Odland
- GeekTyrant
After the photo-real wonders of its Oscar-winning “Piper,” Pixar tackled a more abstract animation challenge in its latest short about schoolyard bullying. In “Lou,” which plays in front of “Cars 3,” a pile of lost and found items in a box coalesce into an anthropomorphic character who harasses a bully when he steals from other kids.
Baseballs become Lou’s eyes, a book becomes his mouth, a baseball mitt and slinky become his hand and arm, and a hoodie becomes his body. However, Lou manages to hold together since the objects constantly shift around. The result is a wacky chase around the schoolyard and a surprisingly emotional comeuppance.
“We’re cramming so much stuff into the film that people don’t get a break until [a revelation]
toward the end,” said director Dave Mullins, an animator at Pixar since “Monsters, Inc.” in 2001. He has since worked his way to supervising animator after contributing to “Finding Nemo,...
Baseballs become Lou’s eyes, a book becomes his mouth, a baseball mitt and slinky become his hand and arm, and a hoodie becomes his body. However, Lou manages to hold together since the objects constantly shift around. The result is a wacky chase around the schoolyard and a surprisingly emotional comeuppance.
“We’re cramming so much stuff into the film that people don’t get a break until [a revelation]
toward the end,” said director Dave Mullins, an animator at Pixar since “Monsters, Inc.” in 2001. He has since worked his way to supervising animator after contributing to “Finding Nemo,...
- 6/16/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“Cars 3” never quite lives up to what comes before it. I don’t mean the first two movies, which continue to be some of the blandest output from Pixar; I’m referring to “Lou,” the lovely short film that plays immediately before this sequel. A sweetly poignant tale of a sentient lost-and-found box that teaches a subtle lesson about schoolyard bullying. “Lou” (written and directed by Dave Mullins) shows once again that the short subject is alive and well in the halls of this animated studio. But then “Lou” ends, and we’re left with “Cars 3,” which is,...
- 6/12/2017
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Lightning strikes (again) and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) returns in the blistering first TV spot for Cars 3, Brian Fee’s upcoming animated threequel penciled in for release on June 16th.
Coming to us via this weekend’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards, which also brought forth a new and indeed extended peek at Michael Bay’s Transformers: The Last Knight, the brief promo above casts light on, well, the more light-hearted side of Fee’s rip-roaring sequel. The return of Mater will no doubt please long-time fans of the Cars series, who can be seen dolling out some questionable advice to Owen Wilson’s bruised red stock car.
Stuck in a rut following a devastating crash, Lightning McQueen finds himself unknowingly pushed to the sidelines as a new generation of ice-cool racers takes control of the circuit. Wanting nothing more than to challenge for the Piston Cup once more, Wilson...
Coming to us via this weekend’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards, which also brought forth a new and indeed extended peek at Michael Bay’s Transformers: The Last Knight, the brief promo above casts light on, well, the more light-hearted side of Fee’s rip-roaring sequel. The return of Mater will no doubt please long-time fans of the Cars series, who can be seen dolling out some questionable advice to Owen Wilson’s bruised red stock car.
Stuck in a rut following a devastating crash, Lightning McQueen finds himself unknowingly pushed to the sidelines as a new generation of ice-cool racers takes control of the circuit. Wanting nothing more than to challenge for the Piston Cup once more, Wilson...
- 3/13/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Trust Pixar to identify an inanimate, largely unremarkable object and transform it into a figure bursting with heart and character. It’s a tradition that can be traced all the way back to Toy Story in ’96, and one that the Pixar brain trust will uphold with Lou, an animated short film set to screen in front of Cars 3 in a few months’ time.
Directed by Dave Mullins, Lou is a six-minute short that centers on a lost-and-found box and the unseen monster within. Buried in a treasure chest overflowing with forgotten toys and various goodies, Mullins’ elusive creation is one that stems from his own childhood experience, after the filmmaker revealed to USA Today that he dreamed up the idea for Lou “from feeling out of place during his childhood because he moved around a lot.”
Taking this often crippling feeling of loneliness and flipping it on its head,...
Directed by Dave Mullins, Lou is a six-minute short that centers on a lost-and-found box and the unseen monster within. Buried in a treasure chest overflowing with forgotten toys and various goodies, Mullins’ elusive creation is one that stems from his own childhood experience, after the filmmaker revealed to USA Today that he dreamed up the idea for Lou “from feeling out of place during his childhood because he moved around a lot.”
Taking this often crippling feeling of loneliness and flipping it on its head,...
- 2/2/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
It’s not like Pixar needs to try that hard to convince people to go and see their features, but it’s always nice when they sweeten the deal with an accompanying short film. A few months ago we got our first little peek at Lou, the new six-minute short directed by Dave Mullins and Dana Murray. Today we’re getting […]
The post First Look: Pixar Short ‘Lou’ to Play In Front of ‘Cars 3’ appeared first on /Film.
The post First Look: Pixar Short ‘Lou’ to Play In Front of ‘Cars 3’ appeared first on /Film.
- 2/2/2017
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
Not many studios could get mainstream audiences excited about a new short film, but Pixar isn’t most studios. The company has just released a cute little teaser announcing their next new short: Lou, directed by longtime Pixar animator Dave Mullins. Check it out below. Mullins shared the teaser for his new Pixar short Lou on Instagram. I’m […]
The post Disney Reveals New Pixar Short: ‘Lou’ Directed by Dave Mullins appeared first on /Film.
The post Disney Reveals New Pixar Short: ‘Lou’ Directed by Dave Mullins appeared first on /Film.
- 9/29/2016
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
AnimationFix: Your regular round-up of the latest animation news, from HitFix reporter Emily Rome Pixar has announced their next short film. Called Lou, it’s directed by longtime Pixar artist Dave Mullins. That’s all the details the animation studio has released at this point, along with a little teaser sketch by Mullins on Instagram that reveals the short’s title (and title character?) has something to do with a lost and found bin: I'm so excited to announce that I'm directing Pixar's next short film "Lou"! #insidepixar #himom A video posted by Dave Mullins (@dave.mullins) on Sep 28, 2016 at 1:43pm Pdt The studio’s tweet about Lou came right after (probably coincidentally but perhaps fittingly) tweeting out a quotation of Ratatouille’s food critic character, Anton Ego: “The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends.” Mullins is certainly not a totally new...
- 9/29/2016
- by Emily Rome
- Hitfix
It's always nice to spend a weekend with old friends. It's even better when those friends are Dick Tracy, Captain Kirk, Clark Kent, Mr. Incredible and Tony Stark. The Los Angeles Times hosted their second annual Hero Complex Film Festival in Hollywood this weekend, screening classic superhero and genre films with their filmmakers in attendance. Beginning on Thursday with Dick Tracy and Warren Beatty and ending Sunday with Iron Man and Iron Man 2 with Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr., it was a whirlwind four days of great movies, interviews and surprises. We've already pulled out two of the biggest bits of news (Dick Tracy 2 [1], Iron Man 3 [2]) but, after the jump, you can read a rundown of the festival as a whole include tidbits on Star Trek 2, Cars 2 and more. As I said, the weekend started with Warren Beatty's 1990 hit film Dick Tracy, a movie...
- 6/14/2011
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
The second annual Hero Complex Film Festival will run from June 9-12 at the Cinese 6 theater in Hollywood CA, and It's got a great line-up of films to watch. If you live or are going to be in L.A. you definitely want to try and catch some of these films. I hope to hit up as many as I possibly can.
To buy tickets to the show Click Here.
Here’s the full schedule with guests:
Hero Complex Film Festival
Official Event Schedule
Thursday, June 9
Dick Tracy (1990)
Runtime: 101 min
Stars: Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Madonna, Glenne Headly
Special Guest: Warren Beatty (producer, director and star)
***
Friday, June 10
Double Feature
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Runtime: 113 min
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban
Special Guest: Nicholas Meyer (writer/director)
Star Trek (2009)
Runtime: 127 min
Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana
Special Guests: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (writers), Damon Lindelof (producer)
***
Saturday,...
To buy tickets to the show Click Here.
Here’s the full schedule with guests:
Hero Complex Film Festival
Official Event Schedule
Thursday, June 9
Dick Tracy (1990)
Runtime: 101 min
Stars: Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Madonna, Glenne Headly
Special Guest: Warren Beatty (producer, director and star)
***
Friday, June 10
Double Feature
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Runtime: 113 min
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban
Special Guest: Nicholas Meyer (writer/director)
Star Trek (2009)
Runtime: 127 min
Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana
Special Guests: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (writers), Damon Lindelof (producer)
***
Saturday,...
- 5/4/2011
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
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