Oscars Capture the Moment in a Fast-Changing World
The biggest surprise of Sunday night's Oscars was how the ceremony transcended the usual self-congratulatory air of Hollywood awards shows. Winners talked about racial inequalities, immigration…
Tim Gray
Four Big Lessons From This Year’s Oscars
The 87th Academy Awards are over, and the campaign season (which was equally brutal, mean and fascinating) provides several lessons. 1. Festivals are a big deal. This year it was unanimous: All eight…
How ‘Sniper,’ ‘Imitation Game’ and ‘Selma’ Made a Difference Beyond Oscar Race
There’s no denying that Hollywood’s awards derby is brutally cutthroat. Every studio, publicist, filmmaker and star that has skin in the game is guilty of shameless campaigning. But on the eve of the…
Some High and Low Moments from a Seemingly Endless Awards Season
Awards season is six months long, and everyone deserves a prize for endurance. Here are some of the season's high- and low-lights. Nov. 7: Both "Interstellar" and "The Theory of Everything" bow. Kip…
WGA Prize Gives 11th-Hour Surge to ‘Imitation Game’ Team in Awards Marathon
It takes talent to earn an award nomination. But it takes a separate talent to survive awards season. Awards campaigning is like running a marathon while blindfolded (and being asked to smile the…
‘Big Hero 6′ Director Talks Sequel, Key to Film’s Success
Oscar nominee "Big Hero 6" is on track this weekend to become the No. 3 all-time domestic earner for Walt Disney Animation Studios, passing the $218.9 million of “Beauty and the Beast” (after “Frozen”…
From Kubrick to Marilyn Monroe, Oscar Has a Stellar List of Shut-Outs
There are 195 individuals nominated for Oscar this year. And when the winners are named Feb. 22, they will become part of film history, joining such greats as Billy Wilder, Ingrid Bergman, Ben Hecht…
Oscar Sunday Will Be Veterans’ Day for Sony Classics Team
Sony Pictures Classics heads into the Feb. 22 Oscars with 18 nominations. Aside from being a company record, those noms represent two words associated with SPC: loyalty and longevity. Toppers Michael…
Why Oscars Are Good for the Ego and Wallet
On Feb. 22, two important showbiz phenomena will climax at the Dolby Theatre. One is the Academy Awards. The other is a multimillion-dollar marketing and promo push. These two things occur…
Mixing Home and War: Anatomy of a Scene From ‘American Sniper’
"American Sniper," written by Jason Hall and directed by Clint Eastwood, had a 44-day shooting schedule on a budget of nearly $60 million. The Warner Bros. film, in association with Village Roadshow…
