2011 Oscars Red Carpet: Our Best Dressed Top Ten

Overall, I was very pleased with the 2011 Oscars Red Carpet looks.

I was hoping to see of some the more daring Spring 2011 Haute Couture, but the only one who truly satisfied my high-fashion appetite was Cate Blanchett who carried that Givenchy Haute Couture gown with great poise and elegance. Most other looks were quite safe and uneventful to such an extent that two of our Best Dressed ladies are actually "wives of" - McConaughey's Camila Alves and Wahlberg's Rhea Durham. Is making a fashion statement out of fashion?

So check out our 2011 Oscars Best Dressed list below and stay tuned for our 2011 Oscars Worst Dressed.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar 2011 Best Director

Tom Hooper, The King's Speech

Plagued since childhood by a paralyzing stammer, the future King George VI of England has given up hope of finding a cure for his impediment. His concerned wife urges him to seek the help of an iconoclastic Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue, who insists on a level of familiarity with his new patient that the royal prince is loath to permit.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar 2011 Best Actor, Colin Firth

Colin Firth

Colin Firth plays King George VI, the British monarch who seeks help from a speech therapist for his severe stammer.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar 2011 Best Supporting Actress, MELISSA LEO

The Fighter

As Alice Ward, Melissa Leo plays a selfish and controlling woman who is harming her son's chance to become a successful fighter.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar 2011 Best Actress, Natalie Portman

Black Swan

As Nina Sayers, Natalie Portman plays a young ballerina whose precarious mental state begins to disintegrate when she is cast in the role of the Swan Queen.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar 2011 Best Supporting Actor, Christian Bale

The Fighter

Christian Bale plays Dicky Eklund, a former fighter now managing the career of his younger brother, Micky.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar 2011 Best Actor, Colin Firth

The King's Speech

Colin Firth plays King George VI, the British monarch who seeks help from a speech therapist for his severe stammer.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar 2011 Best Picture

THE KING'S SPEECH

Plagued since childhood by a paralyzing stammer, the future King George VI of England has given up hope of finding a cure for his impediment. His concerned wife urges him to seek the help of an iconoclastic Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue, who insists on a level of familiarity with his new patient that the royal prince is loath to permit.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

That's a wrap: Oscar voting is officially over

Aren't you glad that's over? At 5 PM PT today, polls finally closed for the 83rd Academy Awards. No more ads. No more Q&A's. No more last minute calls to scrounge up votes. The membership has cast their ballots with all to be revealed this Sunday night at the Kodak Theater. Now, publicists, nominees and the media can take a nice breather (well, not really) until the big show.

Perhaps it's just my perspective, but it feels like the drumbeat was growing louder than ever to move the whole process back a few weeks. The Academy considered this over the past year but tabled it, partially waiting to see what happens with the NFL's hope of expanding their season by two games which might put the Super Bowl and Oscar on the same weekend. Meanwhile, the process has just become too long for the aforementioned contenders, publicists and jouros who cover it on a daily basis. The problem is, you can easily argue the two month January and February season is a boost at the box office (and arguably DVD and Blu-ray sales or earlier releases).

As of Monday, "The King's Speech" has grossed $104 million domestically and $235 million worldwide. "Black Swan" has just hit $101 million and $199 million worldwide. "The Fighter" is at $88 million and $105 million worldwide. Even "Blue Valentine," in a story which is barely being reported, has hit $8.9 million in the U.S. (if you had predicted "Valentine" would gross $10 million after its Sundance premiere in 2010 people would have rolled their eyes at you). No one would argue that these titles haven't benefited from being in the awards season game and their subsequent nominations. As a quick example, on the day of the Oscar nominations, Jan. 25, "The King's Speech" had made just $59 million and had technically gone nationwide in over 1,500 theaters. 12 nominations later and it will have found another $50 million by Oscar Sunday. And this isn't just the results this year. Ever season finds at least three to five titles who benefit from playing the Oscar game. So, if the NFL does move the Super Bowl close to Oscar's date and the Academy doesn't blink, remember, it's all about the Benjamins.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

OSCAR BEST SUPPORTING ACTORESS 2011 NOMINATIONS

Melissa Leo 'cause she's fierce in The Fighter, and 'cause she's got a great backstory (a working actor hits the big time!)

Helena Bonham Carter 'cause she can speak volumes without saying anything in The King's Speech, and 'cause, yeah, she's in The King's Speech.

Hailee Steinfeld 'cause she's steely in True Grit, and 'cause she's got a great backstory (a 14-year-old girl hits the big time—and without the help of a Disney Channel series!) Plus, don't tell anybody, but Steinfeld is actually, kinda, sorta her movie's lead actress, something which is always an advantage in the supporting categories.

Adams 'cause she's so not an Enchanted princess or a Julie & Julia foodie in The Fighter.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar Best Actor 2011 Nominations

Jim Carrey – In 2011, Jim Carrey will be starring in Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. Ever since he became a star with films like Dumb and Dumber, Carrey has been trying to stretch his acting abilities and gain respect as more than just a comedian. This may be the role which finally allows him to do so.

Leonardo DiCaprio – The star of Titanic has done an admirable job of shedding his teen idol image and becoming a respected actor (especially through his work with Martin Scorsese). He’s been nominated multiple times for an Oscar, but his upcoming role in The Chancellor Manuscript could do the trick. Based on a 1977 novel, it tells the story of secret files of J. Edgar Hoover which are used to blackmail high-ranking individuals.

Daniel Day-Lewis – After taking several years off from acting, Day-Lewis returned with a vengeance in Gangs of New York. Since 1997, he’s only done four films, but There Will Be Blood earned him an Oscar win for Best Actor. He previously earned a Best Actor award for portraying Christy Brown in My Left Foot in 1989. Assuming he does a movie in the next few years, Day-Lewis is certain to get an Oscar nomination.

Philip Seymour Hoffman – Although he’s already won a Best Actor award for Capote, Hoffman just keeps cranking out the critically-acclaimed films. He’s also enjoyed success in the theatre, twice being nominated for a Tony award. He’s an actor who stays very busy, so there’s no doubt he’ll star in multiple films in 2011–at least one of which will earn him a nomination.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011

Oscar Best Actress 2011 Nominations

Meryl Streep – With 15 Academy Award nominations and 23 Golden Globe nominations, Meryl Streep is undoubtedly the finest actress of this or any generation. She is also one of the few people to have won all four major acting awards (BAFTA, SAG, Golden Globes and an Oscar). It’s a no-brainer to assume that she’ll be up for another award in 2011.

Anne Hathaway – Since making a name for herself in Disney’s The Princess Diaries, Hathaway has established herself as a talented actress with a bright future. After starring in a number of family films, she graduated to more mature roles in Brokeback Mountain and Havoc. In the film The Devil Wears Prada, she had a chance to act opposite her screen idol, Meryl Streep. Hathaway was nominated for an Oscar in 2009, and I’m betting that it’s only the first of many.

Kate Winslet – Many critics regard Winslet as the best young actress currently working. She has gained critical praise for a number of films: Sense and Sensibility, Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children, Revolutionary Road, and The Reader. At the age of 33, she became the youngest actor or actress to ever receive six Oscar nominations. In 2009, she finally captured the Best Actress award for her role in The Reader.

Cate Blanchett – The Australian actress known for her ability with accents has won an Academy Award, two BAFTAs, two Golden Globes, and two SAGs. She has acted in a diverse collection of films including The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Elizabeth, and The Aviator. Blanchett is highly respected in the acting community, and any role she takes on has some level of Oscar potential. If you’re making your own 2011 Oscar predictions, you could do far worse than this Aussie.

Read more »

Posted in: Oscars 2011