The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 15 scores that will advance in consideration for the 2020 Best Original Score Oscar. It was no surprise to see Randy Newman’s work on “Marriage Story,” Thomas Newman’s compositions for “1917″ or Marco Beltrami’s score for “Ford v. Ferrari” among the films nominated.  What was surprising was the omission of Randy Newman for “Toy Story 4,” Dan Levy for “I Lost My Body” and, considering it earned a Best Original song nod, Jung Jaeil for “Parasite.” Robbie Robertson’s score for “The Irishman” wasn’t not eligible.

Continue reading ‘Marriage Story,’ ‘1917’ & ‘Joker’ Make Oscar’s Original Score Shortlist at The Playlist.

Along with eight other categories, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the shortlist for the Hairstyling and Makeup Oscar this afternoon.  As expected nominees included films such as “Bombshell,” “Joker,” “Judy” and “Rocketman.” For the first time ever, there will be five nomineees in this category when the Oscar nominations are announced next month.

Snubbed films included “Jojo Rabbit,” “Harriet,” “Us,” “Marriage Story” and “The Irishman.”

READ MORE: Renee Zellwegger captures the final days of Judy Garland in “Judy” [Review]

This year’s potential nominees are as follows:

“Bombshell”
“Dolemite Is My Name”
“Downton Abbey”
“Joker”
“Judy”
“Little Women”
“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
“1917”
“Once upon a Time…in Hollywood”
“Rocketman”

All members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films on Jan.

Continue reading ‘Bombshell,’ ‘Joker’ & ‘Judy’ Make 2020 Hairstyling & Makeup Oscar Shortlist at The Playlist.

If you’re a studio not named Disney hoping to sneak in a film in wide release before “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” debuts on Friday, then this weekend was your last shot. And with that in mind, we saw studios debut a new action-comedy starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan with “Jumanji: The Next Level,” another studio hope to sneak in a quick prestige drama from Clint Eastwood with “Richard Jewell,” and yet another studio try to attract those teens with a holiday-themed slasher flick with “Black Christmas.”

And honestly, the only one to survive a very busy week at the box office is the obvious pick — “Jumanji: The Next Level.” No matter what, there’s no denying the charisma of Dwayne Johnson and the chemistry that cast has created.

Continue reading ‘Jumanji 2’ Scores Huge Opening Weekend As ‘Uncut Gems’ Breaks A Record For A24 [Box Office] at The Playlist.

It should go without saying that performances, films and episodic programs the Screen Actors Guild annoints as SAG Awards nominees are not always reflective of the Motion Picture Academy or the Television Academy, for that matter.  But, if you are in the acting branch of either you are 99% likely a member of, arguably, the most powerful union in Hollywood.  And, in the case of the Oscar race, their picks often suggest a direction of consensus opinion for the industry.  

Continue reading SAG Awards Snubs & Surprises: ‘Little Women,’ ‘Parasite,’ ‘Succession,’ ‘Schitt’s Creek’ at The Playlist.

The Screen Actors Guild announced the nominess for the 26th SAG Awards and the big winners across both film and television were “The Irishman,” “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, “Jojo Rabbit,” “The Morning Show, “Bombshell” and, “Jojo Rabbit.”  Oh, and “Parasite” which became just the second film not completely in the English language to earn a SAG Ensemble nomination.  It was quite a morning.

READ MORE: “Marriage Story” and “The Crown” lead all 2020 Golden Globe Awards nominations

This year’s Motion Picture Ensemble honor was one of the most competitive in years.  

Continue reading ‘The Irishman,’ ‘Fleabag’ &, Yes, ‘Parasite’ Top 2020 SAG Awards Nominees at The Playlist.

“Sushi is not a liberal food.”

“Ask yourself what would scare your grandmother and piss off your grandfather. That’s a Fox story.”

“I’m not a feminist, I’m a lawyer.”

These are just a few of the comically trigger-inducing character lines you will hear in “Bombshell,” Jay Roach’s fast-paced probe into the bowels of Fox News and the sexual harassment scandal that ousted Roger Ailes, the media behemoth’s Chairman and CEO, in July 2016.

Continue reading ‘Bombshell’: A Strong Cast (And Quality Prosthetics) Only Scratches The Surface Of This Sexual Harassment Scandal [Review] at The Playlist.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association continues to fascinate, perplex, and frustrate the industry at large.  Despite its impressive philanthropic achievements (that broadcast rights money has to go somewhere), the HFPA appears to have gotten too smart for its own good.  At least that’s the case when it comes to studios and networks figuring out if their films, programs, and stars are going to get coveted Golden Globes nominations every year.

READ MORE: “Uncut Gems” and “The Lighthouse” lead 2020 Spirit Awards nominations 

It used to be that most members of the HFPA were an open book.  

Continue reading 2020 Golden Globe Award Nominations Predictions: ‘Knives Out,’ ‘Succession’ & Jennifer Lopez at The Playlist.

And just like that, December is upon us, and we’re scrambling to catch up on all the films we’ve had saved on our “to watch” lists, as well as the ones we’ve never heard about that others are celebrating as the year ends. Lists upon lists are about to drown us all, especially with the end of the decade tributes making their debuts.

READ MORE: The 100 Best Films Of The Decade [2010s]

Through it all, there’s still plenty to see ahead of us in theaters.

Continue reading 12 December Movies To Watch: ‘In Fabric,’ ‘Uncut Gems,’ Something Called ‘Star Wars’ & More at The Playlist.

While the buzz surrounding “Bombshell” has been growing more and more as we approach the release date, it’s interesting to look back and realize that there was a point in time, not that long ago, that the film about Roger Ailes and his sexual misconduct was almost completely killed. And according to star Charlize Theron, the fact that Annapurna dropped out of the production weeks before it was to begin filming was shocking and disappointing.

Continue reading Charlize Theron Defends ‘Bombshell’ Being Directed By A Man: “We Shouldn’t Compartmentalize These Stories To One Sex” at The Playlist.

After hitting it big thanks to the “Austin Powers” franchise, filmmaker Jay Roach has decided to go in a very different direction with his more recent projects. And that can best be seen by the fact that he’s fully shed his slapstick comedy past to embrace a much more serious, true story in “Bombshell.”

READ MORE: Charlize Theron Admits That Playing Megyn Kelly In ‘Bombshell’ Was “Harder” Than Portraying A Real-Life Serial Killer

As seen in the new trailer for “Bombshell,” the film follows the highly-publicized true story of Roger Ailes and his alleged misconduct while being the head of Fox News.

Continue reading ‘Bombshell’ Trailer: Charlize Theron & Margot Robbie Star In Roger Ailes/Fox News Drama at The Playlist.

Let’s see, so if someone told you about a year ago that Oscar-winner Sam Mendes was directing a WWI period drama consisting of mostly one-take shots from famed cinematographer Roger Deakins and it would feature a supporting cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong and Colin Firth, you’d probably think that film has all the ingredients to be a Best Picture contender.  And that’s taking into consideration that, at the time, no one was aware Andrew Scott was going to be a “thing” after his role as the hot priest on “Fleabag” or that Richard Madden would be a rising star thanks to “Bodyguard,” “Rocketman” and his, um, ex-“roommate.”  Technically, that constitutes what is known as Oscar bait, but considering how personal “1917” is to Mendes, that’s simply a favorable coincidence.

Continue reading Sam Mendes’ ‘1917’ Is The Best Picture Player We Knew It Was [Contender Countdown] at The Playlist.

BEVERLY HILLS – On Friday night a number of former and current colleagues of Charlize Theron were invited to salute her as she received the 33rd American Cinemateque Award. The honor has been bestowed on such notable names as Steven Spielberg, Bette Midler, Martin Scorsese, Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Samuel L. Jackson, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others. While the event absolutely celebrated Theron’s already storied career, it also turned into something of a quite brutal and hilarious roast.

Continue reading Watch: Charlize Theron Is Roasted & Honored At 2019 American Cinemateque Awards at The Playlist.

Charlize Theron is no stranger to playing high-profile, incredibly nuanced and difficult roles in her career. Obviously, we’re talking about her award-winning role as Cipher in the amazing “The Fate of the Furious.” All kidding aside, the actress has gained weight, worn prosthetics, and done just about everything imaginable over the course of her career to fully embody the character she was attempting to portray. And that is seen clearly in the first trailer for the upcoming “Bombshell,” which has Theron nearly unrecognizable as former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly in the story about the fall of Roger Ailes.

Continue reading Charlize Theron Admits That Playing Megyn Kelly In ‘Bombshell’ Was “Harder” Than Portraying A Real-Life Serial Killer at The Playlist.

Hollywood sure does love a good scandal. Well, not the people involved in the scandal. Those folks normally end up with no job, public shame, and well, a cushy house hidden in the Hollywood hills. But for the rest of the industry, scandals are great! Why? Well, when there’s a really juicy one, you get to make a film such as “Bombshell.”

READ MORE: ‘Bombshell’ First Reactions Praise Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie & The Rest Of The Star-Studded Cast

As seen in the new trailer for “Bombshell,” the latest film from director Jay Roach tackles the scandal surrounding now-deceased, former Fox News boss Roger Ailes.

Continue reading ‘Bombshell’ Trailer: Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie, Nicole Kidman & More Go For Oscars In The Roger Ailes Drama at The Playlist.

Every year, like clockwork, there’s a film that has a ton of hype that doesn’t screen at any of the fall film festivals but shows up at the last minute and drops a bomb on the entire Oscars race. Last year, we saw “Vice” do just that, as the Adam McKay film came in at Christmas and cemented itself as a major awards contender. This year, that film seems to be “Bombshell,” with early reactions pointing to one of the best films of the year, featuring some Oscar-worthy performances.

Continue reading ‘Bombshell’ First Reactions Praise Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie & The Rest Of The Star-Studded Cast at The Playlist.

Why were Diane Lane, Andie MacDowell, Cara Delevingne and Gloria Allred at the Pacific Design Center theater in West Hollywood on Sunday evening? Those AMPAS and SAG members were on hand along with numerous industry dignataries and members of the media for the first “public” screening of Jay Roach’s “Bombshell.” And, yes, the movie’s title is more than appropriate not only for the subject matter but a trio of performances that more than live up to the hype.

Continue reading ‘Bombshell’: Charlize Theron & Margot Robbie Are An Oscar Revelation at The Playlist.

It’s only October 10th and if you’re anyone at Warner Bros. associated with the awards season campaign for “Joker” you probably are ready for a vacation.  The journey of Todd Phillips‘ vision for the longtime DC comics character has already had some massive highs and some head-scratching lows.  Will the hot button takes on the film itself finally settle now that it’s in theatres? For some more context, let’s review the past eight weeks (yes, just eight weeks), shall we?

Continue reading So Let’s Really Talk About ‘Joker’ In The Best Picture Race [Contender Countdown] at The Playlist.

With films such as “1917” and “Bombshell” still to be screened, there are only two likely locks for Original Screenplay nominations this year: Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.” The remaining three slots will be fought over in a competitive campaign for the aforementioned unseen films as well as Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin-won’s “Parasite,” Pedro Almodovar’s “Pain and Glory,” the trio behind “Ford v.

Continue reading 2020 Original Screenplay Oscars Contenders & Predictions at The Playlist.

Welcome back to Oscar land, everyone. Hope you enjoyed the offseason. This year we’ve got a big surprise for you! The first three festivals – Venice, Toronto and TIFF – are finally over and we barely have a frontrunner. That’s right, it’s the third week of September and we can only crown Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” as a pseudo-frontrunner. If you’re a fan, don’t take that the wrong way. The Netflix film is phenomenal, but it’s simply not a slam dunk when it comes to taking the Best Picture Academy Award.

Continue reading Who Wants A Best Picture Nomination In This Economy? [Contender Countdown] at The Playlist.

Time is short for anyone vying for Oscars this season  In fact, it’s very, very short.  There are just six days of first round nomination voting.  And final voting begins just 16 days after the nominees are announced.  It brings a whole new meaning to “you win in phase one,” doesn’t it?

When the 92nd Academy Awards are telecast on Feb. 9 America will be in the middle of a competitive presidential primary process (hint, don’t expect anyone to care about screenings for 2021 films till after Nov.

Continue reading Oscars In August: Tarantino, ‘Parasite,’ ‘Ford v Ferrari,’ ‘Bombshell’ & More at The Playlist.

Given how Fox News dominates the airwaves as the mouthpiece for the right and President Trump, it’s not surprising how Fox and its propaganda fascinates us all. But “Bombshell,” a new movie by Jay Roach from Lionsgate,is more interested in the legacy of Roger Ailes, the man who launched Fox News off the ground and made it become what it is today.

Continue reading ‘Bombshell’ Trailer: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman & Margot Robbie Are The Women In The Roger Ailes/Fox News Harassment Scandal at The Playlist.