8 articles from 2007
3 August 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news
British director Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Supremacy) continues to impress critics, this time with The Bourne Ultimatum, starring Matt Damon. "Greengrass brings a degree of honesty to a completely implausible fantasy that's remarkable," writes Carina Chocano in the Los Angeles Times. "Mr. Greengrass shatters movie space like glass," says Manohla Dargis in the New York Times, adding, "Mr. Greengrass knows how to do his job, and there's no one in Hollywood right now who does action better." Comments Claudia Puig in USA Today: "Let's just say it now: Paul Greengrass should direct every action thriller. The world of movies would be better for it." And Lou Lumenick in the New York Post, while calling the film, "far and away this summer's best three-peat," remarks that Greengrass "knows how to stage and edit bravura action sequences, generating almost unbearable suspense while deploying a superb cast." But Stephen Hunter in the Washington Post comments that the film makes no sense, is "frenetic to the point of crazy while achieving a mark that barely exceeds the mediocre," and that Greenglass's style is "sorely overused nere, never settling down to give us poor protoplasm sacks a chance to rest." And Jan Stuart in Newsday, while writing a mostly favorable review, concludes, "I'm definitely swearing off bologna before the next Paul Greengrass movie."
15 June 2007 | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news
The man dubbed Broadway's "sexiest man" is heading to Xanadu - to replace injured James Carpinello in the stage musical. Carpinello badly injured his foot during rehearsals earlier this week and has been forced to leave the show - to make way for United 93 star Cheyenne Jackson. Jackson insists he'll only star in the show until Carpinello recovers, stating, "My heart goes out to him, as he spent months working on this project, only to be injured so close to opening night. I am honored to borrow his skates." The show's official opening night was postponed earlier this week when the full extent of Carpinello's injury was realized. A new opening night date will be announced shortly.
12 February 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news
In the latest awards ceremonies prior to the Oscars, the Orange British Academy Film Awards (the BAFTAs) crowned The Queen best film of the year and its star, Helen Mirren, best actress. Forest Whitaker won the best actor trophy for his portrayal of Uganda's Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. British director Paul Greengrass took the director prize for United 93. Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America agreed with most critics groups as it presented its top screenplay honors Sunday to Michael Arndt for Little Miss Sunshine in the original category and to William Monahan for The Departed in the adapted category. The decision lifts each film into frontrunner position for this year's Oscars competition. Finally, Pixar's Cars sped away with the top prize Sunday at the annual Annies animation awards.
5 February 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news
U.K. film critics selected British director Paul Greengrass's United 93 as the best film of 2006 at Sunday's 34th annual Evening Standard British Film Awards. Daniel Craig received the best actor prize for his role as the new James Bond in Casino Royale, while Dame Judi Dench won the best actress award for her performance in Notes on a Scandal (beating out Oscar favorite Helen Mirren, who was up for The Queen). Sacha Baron Cohen won the Peter Sellers Award for comedy for Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Peter Morgan picked up the Best Screenplay award for two films, The Queen and The Last King of Scotland.
5 February 2007 | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news
James Bond star Daniel Craig picked up best actor for Casino Royale at last night's 34th annual Evening Standard British Film Awards - but Dame Helen Mirren lost out on the best actress award. Mirren, who is an overwhelming favorite to pick up the Best Actress Oscar for The Queen at this month's US ceremony, lost out to Dame Judi Dench for her performance as a manipulative schoolteacher in Notes On A Scandal. The best actor prize for Craig is his first award honoring his portrayal of the British superspy, which was both a critical and box office favorite. Paul Greengrass' harrowing 9/11 drama United 93 picked up the best film prize, while Peter Morgan won the best screenplay award for his two scripts - The Queen and The Last King Of Scotland. The Queen and My Beautiful Laundrette director Stephen Frears received a special award "for making British film reverberate around the world." The Evening Standard awards are sponsored by London's afternoon newspaper and selected by a jury of film critics.
23 January 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news
Leaving many Oscar handicappers scratching their heads, Dreamgirls failed to win a nomination for best picture of the year despite garnering more nominations -- eight -- than any other film. Several film critics had suggested that the movie would be the frontrunner for this year's top Oscar. (The movie had won the Golden Globe award as best picture in the musical/comedy category last week.) Those that did win nods for the top film included Babel (which won the Golden Globe for best dramatic picture), The Departed, Letters From Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine, and The Queen. Babel received six additional nominations, including one for best director for Alejandro González Iñárritu, who will compete against Martin Scorsese (The Departed), Clint Eastwood (Letters From Iwo Jima), Stephen Frears (The Queen), and Paul Greengrass (United 93). Best actor nominations went to Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond), Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson), Peter O'Toole (Venus), Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness), and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland). Actress nominees are: Penélope Cruz (Volver), Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal), Helen Mirren (The Queen), Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada), and Kate Winslet (Little Children).
15 January 2007 | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news
British funnyman Sacha Baron Cohen has garnered a surprise nomination from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) for his spoof documentary, Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan. Despite losing out at with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on Friday, the controversial comedy has earned the show's star and co-creator recognition in the category of Adapted Screenplay, where it will compete against The Devil Wears Prada, Little Children, Thank You For Not Smoking and The Departed. The award for Original Screenplay sees nominations for Little Miss Sunshine, Stranger Than Fiction, United 93, and Brad Pitt's new movie Babel, as well as The Queen starring Dame Helen Mirren. The winners will be announced at awards ceremony on February 11 in New York and Los Angeles.
8 January 2007 | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news
Dame Helen Mirren has been named Best Actress by America's National Society of Film Critics for her role in The Queen, with Forest Whitaker taking the Best Actor prize for his turn in The Last King Of Scotland. Mark Wahlberg won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in crime drama The Departed, with Meryl Streep as Best Supporting Actress prize for two roles, as a formidable fashion editor in The Devil Wears Prada and as a singer in A Prairie Home Companion. Spanish-language film Pan's Labyrinth, telling the story of a mother and daughter who come to live in an enchanted forest at the end of Spanish fascism, won the Best Picture prize at the 41st annual awards. Paul Greengrass took home the Best Director award for helming United 93, a film about passengers who rebelled against hijackers on the jet that crashed in rural Pennsylvania during the September 11 terrorist attacks.
8 articles from 2007