Tag Archives: Michael Fassbender

HollywoodNews.com: Oscar Predicitons, how I love thee yet how I hate thee. As I revealed the newest set of predictions this time around and took a look at the next five months, I haven’t dived into serious awards analysis in a while. A lot of the reason was I felt it was too early and we didn’t know enough. I had an epiphany recently however; we never know what the Oscars are thinking. Even after critics? awards drop, Golden Globes, SAG, Critics Choice Awards are televised; all mean nothing at the end of the day. Oscar will always do what she wants to do, even when everyone is telling her the obvious choices.
Granted, I am one of the few that thinks they can actually pick some great choices among their winners. I was and still am in the camp that Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist was the best film of last year. I couldn’t have chosen a better film. Does that mean everything that accompanied The Artist was the best? Absolutely not. What Oscar often lacks are edgy, loud, or mainstream choices. Could they have found room for Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive or for its leading man Ryan Gosling? How about Steve McQueen’s Shame with the best leading male performance of the year, Michael Fassbender? Like I said, they’re not perfect. And here’s a look into the future…they never will be.
I am a firm believer that in ten, fifteen years time, we may have an Academy that embraces films like The Dark Knight or performances like Tang Wei in Lust, Caution. It’s not THAT time yet.
Read more of this post www.awardscircuit.com
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

HollywoodNews.com: Ridley Scott, director of “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” returns to the genre he helped define.
With PROMETHEUS, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe.
There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

More about Prometheus:
Prometheus is an upcoming science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green and Charlize Theron. The film was originally intended as a direct prequel to the 1979 science fiction horror film Alien; however, the events of the film will not precede any of the previously established characters or story lines from the Alien franchise. Filming began in March 2011, and Prometheus is scheduled for release in the USA on June 8, 2012 through 20th Century Fox.

The film will focus on a mythology within the Alien universe. Set in the late-21st century, Prometheus will explore the advanced civilization of an extraterrestrial race responsible for the origins of modern humans on Earth, as well as the background of the Alien creature which made its first appearance in the 1979 film.
The title of the upcoming film, now in post-production, is an allusion to the Titan god, Prometheus, of Greek mythology, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to humankind – an act which brought eternal punishment upon the god. While actually being the name of the humans’ spaceship in the story, the name “Prometheus” is used in a greater metaphorical sense.
Photos by 20th Century Fox
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: Tuesday of Oscar week, and it feels like we’re treading water until the main event. This is the part, right before the party, where you’ve done what you can to set everything up, and now you’re killing time as you wait for the guests to arrive.
But there are still a few news items and discussion points to tick over as we wait for Sunday, when the Academy hands out its collective prizes for Best Picture and beyond. Will there be surprises? Can anything shift drastically between now and then? Let’s see what’s happening in Oscar land today:
- This morning, I was a guest on NPR’s “Charlotte Talks,” an hour-long discussion of the Oscars. We talked about the nine Best Picture nominees, likely winners, and a few snubs. Find a link to listen to the telecast here.
- Speaking of snubs, “Shame” director Steve McQueen claims that his movie’s lead, Michael Fassbender, was left out of the Best Actor race because sex terrifies Americans. “In America they’re too scared of sex, that’s why he wasn’t nominated,” McQueen said in an interview. “If you look at the best actor list you’re saying, ‘Michael Fassbender is not on that list?’ It’s kind of crazy. But that’s how it is, it’s an American award, let them have it.” Do you agree?
- On a similar note, EW researches if nudity guarantees a win in the Best Actress category at the Oscars.
- Billy Crystal is this year’s host, of course, and that makes one Oscar blogger very happy.
- And finally, upsets are possible at this year’s Oscars, but unlikely. If they happen, here’s where we might see them.
Awards Alley brings you the best Oscar coverage. Click below to read our exclusive interviews with:
- Harvey Weinstein
- The cast of “The Artist.”
- Kenneth Branagh for “My Week With Marilyn.”
- Bennett Miller talks “Moneyball.”
- Producer Jim Burke for “The Descendants.”
- Sir Ben Kingsley and Chloe Grace Moretz for “Hugo.”
- Tilda Swinton for “We Need to Talk About Kevin.”
- David Fincher, Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara on “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”
- Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer for “The Help.”
- Tate Taylor for “The Help.”
- Woody Harrelson for “Rampart.”
- Gavin O’Connor for “Warrior.”
- Gary Oldman and Colin Firth for “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.”
- Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody for “Young Adult.”
- Steve McQueen for “Shame.”
- Glenn Close for “Albert Nobbs.”
- [...]

HollywoodNews.com: From visionary director Steve McQueen, one of the most talked about films of 2011 comes home to stunning Blu-ray from Fox Searchlight and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
A film festival powerhouse, SHAME has captivated viewers through its haunting depiction of the life of a sex addict and his emotionally troubled sister. Evocative performances from Golden Globe® nominee Michael Fassbender and Academy Award® nominee Carrie Mulligan make SHAME the must-have release of the year. Get your hands on SHAME on Blu-ray Combo Pack April 17 and see the movie everyone is talking about in the privacy of your own home. Available for pre-order now on Amazon.
Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a New Yorker who shuns intimacy with women but feeds his desires with a compulsive addiction to sex. When his wayward younger sister (Carey Mulligan) moves into his apartment and stirs up memories of their shared painful past, Brandon’s insular life spirals out of control.
The SHAME Blu-ray Combo Pack presentation features a premium high definition Blu-ray loaded with special features, a DVD version of the film and Digital Copy. Get a behind-the-scenes look at McQueen’s groundbreaking vision with exclusive extras and featurettes. Pre-book date is March 21.
SHAME Blu-ray Combo Pack Features:
Focus on Michael Fassbender
Director Steve McQueen
The Story of Shame
A Shared Vision
Fox Movie Channel Presents: In Character With Michael Fassbender
Theatrical Trailer
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: Steven Soderbergh’s “Haywire” ensemble is a veritable who’s who of Oscar winners, Hollywood icons, red-hot contemporary stars of the silver screen and … Gina Carano?
OK, so you might not be familiar with Carano just yet. But once you realize that she stomps into “Haywire” and absolutely steals it away from the likes of Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender and Channing Tatum, you’re going to sit forward and start to pay attention. Ms. Carano commands that level of respect and, in time, we believe she’ll earn what’s coming to her. Even if she has to physically take down every single person in Hollywood. One. Man. At. A. Time.
Carano couldn’t have been nicer during a recent conversation, though, about unique “Haywire” training, the fighting styles of her male co-stars, and her desire to be the next James Bond. Here’s Gina Carano:
HollywoodNews.com: I just saw the film this morning.
Gina Carano: Oh, just this morning?
HollywoodNews.com: I did.
It’s so funny, because they keep screening it for different people at different times, no one’s going to be left to go buy a ticket. [Laughs]
HollywoodNews.com: Believe me, I’m going to tell a lot of people to go buy a ticket. The thing that struck me about “Haywire” is just how possible, how grounded, and how realistic all of the action is. I call it the anti-“Salt.” How much did you discuss with your director not going too far and keeping people rooted in reality?
Well, that is all Steven Soderbergh’s plan. He is authentic and real. He told me that he wanted this story to come across as something that could happen, and that people could believe in. It’s really nice to have a man with a great vision. And there really has been a great response from people who say they find it very realistic.
HollywoodNews.com: I think it was during the rooftop chase in Dublin, which does take a long time, that I finally stopped and thought, “Well, yeah, it would actually take this person this long to get away from that many people.”
And do you know what’s so funny is that he actually cut that scene down a lot. He just enjoyed watching me run, I guess. [Laughs] But the studio told him, “It’s a little long.” So that was actually cut back tremendously.
HollywoodNews.com: On the DVD, I want to see the entire sequence.
We’re actually going to [...]

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association today announced their top choices for the best in film and television of 2011.
The group’s Dorian Award winners this time include two big victories for the bold gay romance “Weekend” (for Film of the Year as well as LGBT Film of the Year).
Meryl Streep earned Film Performance of the Year for her uncanny turn as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the biopic “The Iron Lady,” while Michael Fassbender nabbed the We’re Wilde About You Rising Star of the Year honor for his daring performance as a sex addict in “Shame.”
In the more unusual film categories, the comic drama “50/50,” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a young man diagnosed with cancer, was named Unsung Film of the Year, and “The Muppets” took Campy (Intentional or Not) Film of the Year.
On the TV side, the FX network’s wild ghosts tale “American Horror Story” was deemed TV Drama of the Year. The chiller’s star, Jessica Lange, won TV Performance of the Year for her portrayal as a faded actress with a link to the Other Side.
The ABC sitcom “Modern Family” won for both TV Comedy of the Year and LGBT-themed TV Show of the Year, while Fox’s still-popular “Glee” and the HBO concert special “Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour” tied for TV Musical Program of the Year. Campy TV Show of the Year honors went to ABC’s buzz-blessed primetime soap “Revenge,” and the Unsung TV Show title was given to the network’s scrappy family comedy “Suburgatory.”
The complete list of Dorian Award winners is below. A celebratory toast will be held Sunday, Feb. 19 in Los Angeles.
2012 DORIAN AWARD WINNERS (IN BOLD)
FILM OF THE YEAR
Midnight in Paris / Sony Pictures Classics
The Artist / The Weinstein Company
The Descendants / Fox Searchlight
The Skin I Live In / Sony Pictures Classics
The Tree of Life / Fox Searchlight
Weekend / IFC Films
FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Christopher Plummer / Beginners (Focus Features)
Leonardo DiCaprio / J Edgar (Warner Bros.)
Janet McTeer / Albert Nobbs (Liddell Entertainment)
Meryl Streep / The Iron Lady (The Weinstein Company)
Michael Fassbender / Shame (Fox Searchlight)
Rooney Mara / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony/Columbia)
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR (Film, DVD or TV)
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life / Entertainment One
Cave of Forgotten Dreams / Sundance
Page One: Inside the New York Times / Magnolia Pictures
Pina / IFC [...]

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: Busy week on the books here at Awards Alley, with several guilds expected to single out their choices for “Best of 2011” as we inch closer to the Oscar nominations on Jan. 24. The Producers Guild will be up first, and we’ll cover those 10 selections once they are revealed.
In the meantime, we have noticeable wins from the Capri, Hollywood – the International Film Festival in Rome for contenders who hope to hear their names called on Oscar morning. And as we have been saying, every little bit of recognition leading up to Oscar nominations matters.
Best Actor at the fest went to Michael Fassbender, who delivered an amazing performance in Steve McQueen’s “Shame” but still needs to overcome the film’s controversially frank approach to hardcore sex.
Best Actress winner Berenice Bejo, meanwhile, continues to ride a wave of goodwill for her involvement in her husband’s winning picture, “The Artist” (which also claimed the Best Picture prize at the fest).
Elsewhere, “Hugo” star Ben Kingsley was given the festival’s Legends career honor, and Emanuele Crialese earned the Capri Peace prize for his work as the director of “Terrafirma,” Italy’s candidate for the foreign language Oscar this year.
Awards Alley brings you the best Oscar coverage. Click below to read our exclusive interviews with:
- Harvey Weinstein
- The cast of “The Artist.”
- Kenneth Branagh for “My Week With Marilyn.”
- Bennett Miller talks “Moneyball.”
- Sir Ben Kingsley and Chloe Grace Moretz for “Hugo.”
- Tilda Swinton for “We Need to Talk About Kevin.”
- David Fincher, Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara on “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”
- Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer for “The Help.”
- Tate Taylor for “The Help.”
- Gavin O’Connor for “Warrior.”
- Gary Oldman and Colin Firth for “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.”
- Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody for “Young Adult.”
- Steve McQueen for “Shame.”
- Glenn Close for “Albert Nobbs.”
- Seth Rogen and Will Reiser for “50/50.”
For complete Oscar and Film Festival coverage, visit our Awards Alley for the latest news items, reviews and interviews all season long.
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: The London Critics’ Circle split their attentions between two films when announcing their year-end honors: one very British in “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy;” and another that’s positively American in “Drive.”
The two films each scored six nominations, including Best Picture, where they’ll compete against Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life,” Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist” and “A Separation,” the gripping Iranian drama by Asghar Farhadi.
“Tinker” director Tomas Alfredsson did not make the cut for Best Director, however. “Drive” helmer Refn instead will go against Lynne Ramsay (“We Need To Talk About Kevin”), Farhadi, Hazanavicius and Malick.
More than 120 British film critics vote in the year-end festivities. The awards will be handed out during a ceremony held on Jan. 19 at BFI Southbank.
A full list of London Critics’ Circle Film Awards can be found below:
FILM OF THE YEAR
The Artist
Drive
A Separation
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Tree of Life
BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR
The Guard
Kill List
Shame
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
We Need to Talk About Kevin
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Mysteries of Lisbon
Poetry
Le Quattro Volte
A Separation
The Skin I Live In
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Dreams of a Life
Pina
Project Nim
Senna
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Asghar Farhadi- A Separation
Michel Hazanavicius- The Artist
Terrence Malick- The Tree of Life
Lynne Ramsay- We Need to Talk About Kevin
Nicolas Winding Refn- Drive
SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Asghar Farhadi- A Separation
Michel Hazanavicius- The Artist
Kenneth Lonergan- Margaret
Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash- The Descendants
BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILMMAKER
Richard Ayoade- Submarine
Paddy Considine – Tyrannosaur
Joe Cornish – Attack the Block
Andrew Haigh – Weekend
John Michael McDonagh – The Guard
ACTOR OF THE YEAR
George Clooney- The Descendants
Jean Dujardin – The Artist
Michael Fassbender – Shame
Ryan Gosling – Drive
Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Dunst – Melancholia
Anna Paquin- Margaret
Meryl Streep- The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton- We Need to Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams- My Week With Marilyn
SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Simon Russell Beale- The Deep Blue Sea
Kenneth Branagh – My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks- Drive
Christopher Plummer– Beginners
Michael Smiley- Kill List
SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Sareh Bayat- A Separation
Jessica Chastain- The Help
Vanessa Redgrave- Coriolanus
Octavia Spencer- The Help
Jacki Weaver- Animal Kingdom
BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Tom Cullen- Weekend
Michael Fassbender – A Dangerous Method, Shame
Brendan Gleeson – The Guard
Peter Mullan – Tyrannosaur, War Horse
Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Olivia Colman – The Iron Lady, Tyrannosaur
Carey Mulligan- Drive, Shame
Vanessa Redgrave- Anonymous, Coriolanus
Tilda Swinton- We Need to Talk About Kevin
Rachel Weisz- The Deep Blue Sea
YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER [...]

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: As if there wasn’t enough going on Sunday afternoon, with the L.A. and New York Film Critics Online handing out their annual awards, the Boston Film Critics Association gathered to nominate their Best of 2011, settling on Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist.”
The Boston critics named Martin Scorsese as the year’s best director for “Hugo.” Top acting awards went to Brad Pitt (for “Moneyball”) and Michelle Williams (for “My Week with Marilyn”).
A full list of awards is listed below:
Best Picture: THE ARTIST. Runner-Up: HUGO and MARGARET
Bets Documentary: PROJECT NIM
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for HUGO. Close runner-up: THE ARTIST.
Best Actor: Brad Pitt for MONEYBALL Runners up: George Clooney for THE DESCENDANTS, Michael Fassbender for SHAME
Best Actress (another competitive one!): Michelle Williams for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN.
Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks for DRIVE.
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa McCarthy for BRIDESMAIDS. Jeannie Berlin: close second for MARGARET.
Best Ensemble: CARNAGE.
Best Foreign Film: INCENDIES. (Runners up: A SEPARATION and POETRY)
Best Screenplay: MONEYBALL!
Best Use of Music: Cliff Martinez, DRIVE and Ludovic Bource, THE ARTIST (tie) Runner up: THE DESCENDANTS
Best Editing: Christian Marclay for THE CLOCK Runner-up: HUGO.
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, THE TREE OF LIFE. Runner-up: HUGO.
Best New Filmmaker (David Brudnoy Award): Sean Durkin for MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE. Runner-up: J. C. Chandor for MARIN CALL.
For complete Oscar and film festival coverage, visit our awards alley for the latest news items, reviews and interviews all season long.
“The Artist” receives director’s kudos at Hollywood Film Awards Gala
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: Between the National Board of Review, the Film Independent Spirit Awards and the New York Film Critics’ Circle, this has been the busiest week of the still hectic Oscar season. As we raced to cover all of the nominations (and give attention to each deserving film), a few news items slipped through the cracks. Let’s catch up on interesting bits you might have missed:
- Steve McQueen’s devastating “Shame” opens in theaters today. The unflinching portrait of a sex addict earns its NC-17 rating, which could hurt its chances in the Oscar race. That would be unfortunate, as the film is searing in its honesty, with tremendous performances by Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. Here’s my review, and an interview I did with McQueen. If “Shame” is playing near you, see it. It’s one of the year’s best.
- The Golden Satellite nominations have been revealed. Motion Picture contenders are “Moneyball,” “The Descendants,” “Drive,” “The Artist,” “Shame,” “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,” “Hugo” and “War Horse.” For a complete list of nominations, click here.
- “Margin Call” director J.C. Chandor will appear at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center on Saturday, Dec. 3 to participate in a special Q-and-A with FSLC’s Eugene Hernandez following the 5:40 p.m. screening of the film. Chandor’s appearance follows the news that the New York Film Critics Circle named “Margin Call” as its choice for 2011’s Best First Feature. The 2011 Spirit Awards also chose “Margin Call” as one of its nominees for Best First Feature, as well as handing a nomination to writer/director Chandor for Best Screenplay.
- One Oscar blogger makes a strong case for Tom McCarthy’s “Win Win” (which I can get behind).
- And finally, “War Horse” co-star Emily Watson was honored in London last night at the 21sts Annual Women In Film and Television Awards ceremony.
Here we have “Shame” co-star Carey Mulligan accepting her trophy at October’s Hollywood Film Awards gala:

For complete Oscar and film festival coverage, visit our awards alley for the latest news items, reviews and interviews all season long.
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News