'Boyhood' Named Film of the Year by London Film Critics Circle

Whether here or abroad, Richard Linklater's Boyhood appears to be building an incredible, possibly unstoppable, amount of momentum heading into the Academy Awards. Coming off Best Picture wins at the Golden Globes and Critics' Choice, Boyhood has now been named Film of the Year by the London Film Critics Circle. That goes along with a Director of the Year win for Linklater, and Best Supporting Actress for Patricia Arquette. In general everything went according to the established playbook. Michael Keaton still took the top acting prize for his Birdman performance, while Julianne Moore won Best Actress for Still Alice. JK Simmons racked up another Best Supporting Actor victory for throwing drumsticks around in Whiplash, and Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel won for its screenplay.

Looking at the British side it was Jonathan Glazer's Under the Skin which won for Best British Film, while Rosamund Pike saw some love for her performance in Gone Girl. Full list of winners is below:

35th LONDON CRITICS' CIRCLE FILM AWARDS WINNERS
FILM OF THE YEAR
Boyhood

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Leviathan

BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR
Under the Skin

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Citizenfour

ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Michael Keaton - Birdman

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Julianne Moore - Still Alice

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
JK Simmons - Whiplash

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Patricia Arquette - Boyhood

BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Timothy Spall - Mr Turner

BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl (Fox) & What We Did on Our Holiday

YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Alex Lawther - The Imitation Game

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Richard Linklater - Boyhood

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILMMAKER
Yann Demange - '71

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Under the Skin - Mica Levi, score

DILYS POWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM
Miranda Richardson

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Oscar Nominations 2015: 'Birdman', 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' with 9; 'Selma', 'The Lego Movie' Snubbed

Here we go. The weeks of  campaigning and schmoozing have all come down to this. This morning the nominations for the 87th Academy Awards were announced and much of what we expected to happen did happen, but there are also some significant shocks that will make the upcoming show very interesting, or less meaningful depending on who you ask.

Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel led the way with nine nominations, tied with Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Birdman. Both films made it into the Best Picture field along with Whiplash, Selma, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, American Sniper, and Richard Linklater's Boyhood which had six nominations total. American Sniper also performed well with six nominations, while The Imitation Game came away with eight.

And there's bound to be some controversy over a couple of decisions made this morning, specifically when it comes to the animation category and when it comes to overall diversity. The Lego Movie was shockingly left out of the Best Animated Feature race as lesser known films Songs of the Sea and The Tale of Princess Kaguya were selected. Also, the Academy could take some heat for the lack of praise for Selma, leaving out director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo from the Martin Luther King Jr. drama. Also, the Roger Ebert documentary Life Itself was snubbed for Best Documentary, which is surprising given the acclaim it has received.

The success of The Grand Budapest Hotel is notable because it puts to bed the notion that early season movies don't get remembered at the end of the year. Clearly, Wes Anderson has crafted a film that has stuck in the minds of both audiences and industry insiders.

The 87th Annual Academy Awards will be announced on February 22nd.

Best Picture
“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
“The Imitation Game”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“American Sniper”
“Whiplash”

Actress in a Leading Role
Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”
Marion Cotillard, “Two Days One Night”

Actor in a Leading Role
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”

Directing
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher”

Actress in a Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”
Laura Dern, “Wild”

Actor in a Supporting Role
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
Robert Duvall, “The Judge”

Foreign Language Film
“Ida”
“Leviathan”
“Tangerines”
“Wild Tales”
“Timbuktu”

Writing – Adapted Screenplay
Graham Moore, “The Imitation Game”
Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”
Anthony McCarten, “The Theory of Everything”
Jason Hall, “American Sniper”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Inherent Vice”

Writing – Original Screenplay
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, “Birdman”
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler”
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, “Foxcatcher”

Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki, “Birdman”
Roger Deakins, “Unbroken”
Robert D. Yeoman, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Dick Pope, “Mr. Turner”
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lynzewski, “Ida”

Music – Original Score
Hans Zimmer, “Interstellar”
Alexandre Desplat, “The Imitation Game”
Johann Johannsson, “The Theory of Everything”
Alexandre Desplat, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Gary Yershon, “Mr Turner”

Makeup and Hairstyling
“Foxcatcher”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Guardians of the Galaxy”

Costume Design
Colleen Atwood, “Into the Woods”
Anna B. Sheppard, “Maleficent”
Milena Canonero, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Jacqueline Durran, “Mr. Turner”
Mark Bridges, “Inherent Vice”

Music – Original Song
“Glory” by Common and John Legend, “Selma”
“Lost Stars” by Gregg Alexander, Danielle Brisebois, Nick Lashley and Nick Southwood, “Begin Again”
“Everything Is Awesome” by Shawn Patterson, “The LEGO Movie”
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” by Glen Campbell, “Glenn Campbell: I’ll Be Me”
“Grateful,” “Beyond the lights”

Visual Effects
“Interstellar”
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
“Captain America: Winter Soldier”
“X-Men: Days of Future Past”

Documentary Short Subject
“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1”
“Joanna”
“Our Curse”
“White Earth”
“The Reaper”

Documentary Feature
“Citizenfour”
“Last Days in Vietnam”
“Virunga”
“The Salt of the Earth”
“Finding Vivian Maier”

Film Editing
Sandra Adair, “Boyhood”
Tom Cross, “Whiplash”
William Goldenberg, “The Imitation Game”
Joel Cox and Gary Roach, “American Sniper”
Barney Pilling, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Sound Editing
“Interstellar”
“Unbroken”
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”
“American Sniper”
“Birdman”

Sound Mixing
Mark Weingarten, “Interstellar”
Thomas Curley, ”Whiplash”
“Unbroken”
“American Sniper”
“Birdman”

Production Design
“Into the Woods”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Interstellar”
“The Imitation Game”
“Mr. Turner”

Short Film – Live Action
“Boogaloo and Graham”
“Aya”
“Butterlamp”
“Parvenah”
“The Phone Call”

Short Film – Animated
“Feast”
“The Bigger Picture”
“A Single Life”
“The Dam Keeper”
“Me and My Moulton”

Animated Feature Film
“Big Hero 6”
“How to Train Your Dragon 2”
“The Boxtrolls”
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”
“Song of the Sea”

Documentary Feature
“Citizenfour”
“Last Days in Vietnam”
“Virunga”
“The Salt of the Earth”
“Finding Vivian Maier”

Documentary Short Subject
“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1”
“Joanna”
“Our Curse”
“White Earth”
“The Reaper”

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'Boyhood' Claims Top Honors at the 2015 Golden Globes

Looks like the twelve years Richard Linklater spent filming Boyhood has been more than worth it. With the acclaimed coming-of-age drama already performing well on in the smaller guild awards, the film took a major leap in Oscar race by cleaning up at tonight's 72nd annual Golden Globes. The film earned Linklater a Best Director victory, along with Best Motion Picture for a Drama, and co-star Patricia Arquette won for Best Supporting Actress.

Elsewhere it was a surprisingly quiet night for Birdman but it did manage to earn Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu a win for Best Screenplay, and star Michael Keaton completed the Keatonaissance with a Best Actor Comedy/Musical win. In a slightly unexpected move it was How to Train Your Dragon 2 defeating The Lego Movie for Best Animated Feature, throwing a monkeywrench in what many had thought was a clear-cut race. Amy Adams won Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical for playing artist Margaret Keane in Tim Burton's Big Eyes, while Eddie Redmayne's performance as Stephen Hawking earned him Best Actor in a Drama for The Theory of Everything. Other than Boyhood the biggest winners of the night were Showtime series The Affair and Amazon's streaming series, Transparent. Overall it was not the best evening for network television as they continue to lose ground to pay services.

So what does this mean for next week's Academy Awards nominations? Obviously, Boyhood has taken another big leap forward and has to be seen as a clear favorite. Probably sinking a little bit is Selma which only managed a win for Best Original Song, while Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel could be a dark horse after winning Best Picture Musical/Comedy. The Globes have a different set of categories such as Comedy or Musical that muddy the waters a little bit, meaning some that had good showings tonight may not even get nominated for Oscars.

The full list of winners is below:

 Best Motion Picture - DramaWINNER: "Boyhood"
"The Imitation Game"
"Selma"
"The Theory Of Everything"
"Foxcatcher"

Best Actor In A Drama
WINNER: Eddie Redmayne - "The Theory Of Everything"
Steve Carell - "Foxcatcher"
Benedict Cumberbatch - "The Imitation Game"
Jake Gyllenhaal - "Nightcrawler"
David Oyelowo - "Selma"

Best Actress In A Drama
WINNER:  Julianne Moore - "Still Alice"
Jennifer Aniston - "Cake"
Felicity Jones - "The Theory Of Everything"
Rosamund Pike - "Gone Girl"
Reese Witherspoon - "Wild"

Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
WINNER: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Birdman"
"Into The Woods"
"St. Vincent"
"Pride"

Best Actor In A Comedy or Musical
WINNER: Michael Keaton - "Birdman"
Ralph Fiennes - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Bill Murray - "St. Vincent"
Christoph Waltz - "Big Eyes"
Joaquin Phoenix - "Inherent Vice"

Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama
WINNER: Ruth Wilson, The Affair
Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Best Director
WINNER: Richard Linklater - "Boyhood"
Ava DuVernay - "Selma"
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - "Birdman"
Wes Anderson - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
David Fincher - "Gone Girl"

Best Supporting Actor
WINNER: J.K Simmons - "Whiplash"
Robert Duvall - "The Judge"
Ethan Hawke - "Boyhood"
Edward Norton - "Birdman"
Mark Ruffalo - "Foxcatcher"

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie
WINNER: Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Allison Janney, Mom
Michelle Monaghan, True Detective

Best TV Movie or Miniseries
WINNER: Fargo
The Missing
The Normal Heart
Olive Kitteridge
True Detective

Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
WINNER: Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo
Martin Freeman, Fargo
Woody Harrelson, True Detective
Matthew McConaughey, True Detective
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart

Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy
WINNER: Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Taylor Schilling, Orange Is the New Black

Best TV Series, Comedy or Musical
WINNER: Transparent
Girls
Jane the Virgin
Orange Is the New Black
Silicon Valley

Best Original Score
WINNER: "The Theory Of Everything"
"Birdman"
"The Imitation Game"
"Interstellar"
"Gone Girl"

Best Original Song
WINNER: "Glory" from "Selma"
"Big Eyes" from "Big Eyes"
"Mercy Is" from "Noah"
"Opportunity" from "Annie"
"Yellow Flicker Beat" from "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 1"

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie
WINNER: Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Colin Hanks, Fargo
Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

Best Actress In A Comedy or Musical
WINNER: Amy Adams - "Big Eyes"
Emily Blunt - "Into The Woods"
Helen Mirren - "The Hundred-Foot Journey"
Julianne Moore - "Maps To The Stars"
Quvenzhané Wallis - "Annie"

Best Animated Feature Film
WINNER: "How To Train Your Dragon 2"
"Big Hero 6"
"The Book Of Life"
"The Boxtrolls"
"The Lego Movie"

Best Supporting ActressWINNER: Patricia Arquette - "Boyhood"
Keira Knightley - "The Imitation Game"
Meryl Streep - "Into The Woods"
Emma Stone - "Birdman"
Jessica Chastain - "A Most Violent Year"

Best Screenplay
WINNER: Alexander Dinerlaris, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Armando Bo - "Birdman"
Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Graham Moore - "The Imitation Game"
Gillian Flynn - "Gone Girl"
Richard Linklater - "Boyhood"

Best Actor, TV Series Comedy
WINNER: Jeffery Tambor, Transparent
Louis C.K., Louie
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Ricky Gervais, Derek
William H. Macy, Shameless

Best Foreign Language Film
WINNER: "Leviathan"
"Force Majeure"
"Ida"
"Tangerines"
"Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem"

Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
WINNER: Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable Woman
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge
Frances O'Connor, The Missing
Allison Tolman, Fargo

Best TV Series
WINNER: The Affair
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
House of Cards

Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
WINNER: Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Clive Owen, The Knick
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
James Spader, The Blacklist
Dominic West, The Affair

Cecile B. DeMille Award
George Clooney

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'The Grand Budapest Hotel' Leads 2014 BAFTA Nominations with 11

While some of the U.S.-based guild awards are becoming less of an indicator in determining the Oscar nominations, the BAFTA Awards have been good at picking out a few dark horses. And if that's the case this year then Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel has suddenly become a real contender. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts have revealed their nominations for the 2014 BAFTA Awards, and The Grand Budapest Hotel leads all with a whopping eleven. Right behind it is Birdman with 10, and unsurprisingly The Theory of Everything also had 10 while The Imitation Game followed with 9.

Much of the other major categories follow the pattern of other awards but there are a couple of key surprises. Damien Chazelle entered the Best Director field for Whiplash, while also earning a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for his screenplay. Also the Outstanding British Film category gave some love to Under the Skin, '71, and surprisingly, Paddington. What you find anywhere is Ava DuVernay's Selma, which was completely shut out just days after the Producer Guild did the same. It's unclear if the film, which opens in the UK in February, didn't click with voters or if there was some other issue. Also left out were Angelina Jolie's Unbroken and Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice.

 Full list of nominees below.

Best Film
"Birdman"
"Boyhood"
"Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Imitation Game"
"Theory Of Everything"

Best Director
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - "Birdman"
Richard Linklater - "Boyhood"
Wes Anderson - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
James Marsh - "The Theory Of Everything"
Damien Chazelle - "Whiplash"

Best Actor In A Leading Role
Benedict Cumberbatch - "The Imitation Game"
Ralph Fiennes - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Jake Gyllenhaal - "Nightcrawler"
Michael Keaton - "Birdman"
Eddie Redmayne - "The Theory Of Everything"

Best Actress In A Leading Role
Amy Adams - "Big Eyes"
Felicity Jones - "The Theory Of Everything"
Julianne Moore - "Still Alice"
Rosamund Pike - "Gone Girl"
Reese Witherspoon - "Wild"

Best Actor In A Supporting Role
Steve Carell - "Foxcatcher"
Ethan Hawke - "Boyhood"
Edward Norton - "Birdman"
Mark Ruffalo - "Foxcatcher"
J.K. Simmons - "Whiplash"

Best Actress In A Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette - "Boyhood"
Keira Knightley - "The Imitation Game"
Rene Russo - "Nightcrawler"
Imelda Staunton - "Pride"
Emma Stone - "Birdman"

Best Original Screenplay
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu & co - "Birdman"
Richard Linklater - "Boyhood"
Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Dan Gilroy - "Nightcrawler"
Damien Chazelle - "Whiplash"

Best Adapted Screenplay
Jason Hall - "American Sniper"
Gillian Flynn - "Gone Girl"
Graham Moore - "The Imitation Game"
Paul King - "Paddington"
Anthony McCarten - "The Theory Of Everything"

Outstanding British Film
"'71"
"The Imitation Game"
"Paddington"
"Pride"
"Theory Of Everything"
"Under The Skin"

Best Documentary
"20 Feet From Stardom"
"20,000 Days On Earth"
"Citizenfour"
"Finding Vivian Maier"
"Virunga"

EE Rising Star Award
Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Jack O'Connell
Margot Robbie
Miles Teller
Shailene Woodley

Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer
Elaine Constantine - "Northern Soul"
Gregory Burke, Yann DeMange - "'71"
Hong Khaou - "Lilting"
Paul Katis, Andrew De Lotbiniere - "Kajaki: The True Story"
Stephen Beresford, David Livingstone - "Pride"

Best Film Not In The English Language
"Ida"
"Leviathan"
"The Lunchbox"
"Trash"
"Two Days, One Night"

Best Animated Film
"Big Hero 6"
"The Boxtrolls"
"The Lego Movie"

Best Original Music
Antonio Sanchez - "Birdman"
Alexandre Desplat - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Hans Zimmer - "Interstellar"
Johann Johannsson - 'The Theory Of Everything"
Mica Levi - "Under The Skin"

Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki - "Birdman"
Robert Yeoman - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Lukasz Zal, Ryzsard Lenczewski - "Ida"
Hoyte van Hoytema - "Interstellar"
Dick Pope - "Mr. Turner"

Best Editing
Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione - "Birdman"
Barney Pilling - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
William Goldenberg - "The Imitation Game"
John Gilroy - "Nightcrawler"
Jinx Godfrey - "The Theory Of Everything"
Tom Cross - "Whiplash"

Best Production Design
Rick Heinrichs, Shane Vieau - "Big Eyes"
Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana McDonald - "The Imitation Game"
Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis - "Interstellar"
Suzie Davies, Charlotte Watts - "Mr. Turner"

Best Costume Design
Milena Canonero - "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Sammy Sheldon Differ - "The Imitation Game"
Colleen Atwood - "Into The Woods"
Jacqueline Durran - "Mr. Turner"
Steven Noble - "The Theory Of Everything"

Best Makeup and Hair
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Guardians Of The Galaxy"
"Into the Woods"
"Mr. Turner"
"The Theory Of Everything"
Best Sound
"American Sniper"
"Birdman"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"The Imitation Game"
"Whiplash"

Best Special Visual Effects
"Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes"
"Guardians Of The Galaxy"
"The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies"
"Interstellar"
"X-Men: Days Of Future Past"

Best Short Film
"Boogaloo And Graham"
"Emotional Fusebox"
"The Karman Line"
"Slap"
"Three Brothers"

Best Short Animation
"The Bigger Picture"
"Monkey Love Experiments"
"My Dad"

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'Birdman' Leads Critics' Choice Nominees with 13; 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' with 11

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (of which I am a voting member) has announced their nominees for the 20th annual Critics' Choice Awards, and they tend to be a pretty good indicator for the Academy Awards. That's despite the BFCA being made up completely of film critics (hence the name, duh) who have nothing to do with the Academy whatsoever. And if this year's nominations are anything to go by it's going to be a huge year for Birdman, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Boyhood.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Birdman led the way with 13 nominations, in all the major categories one would expect. The Grand Budapest Hotel was a close second with 11, while Richard Linklater's Boyhood rounded up an impressive 8.  While some like to consider film critics as separate from general audiences in the way they analyze movies, the Critics' Choice is a counter to that argument. It's one of the largest and most mainstream awards shows around, including categories such as Best Action Movie and Best Sci/Fi Horror Movie. You'll find box office hits like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy in those categories, along with an indie horror like Jennifer Kent's The Babadook.

Full list of nominees below. The Critics' Choice Awards will be held on January 15th.

BEST PICTURE
Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Nightcrawler
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken
Whiplash

BEST ACTOR
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton – Birdman
David Oyelowo – Selma
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin – Inherent Vice
Robert Duvall – The Judge
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Jessica Chastain – A Most Violent Year
Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game
Emma Stone – Birdman
Meryl Streep – Into the Woods
Tilda Swinton – Snowpiercer

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Ellar Coltrane – Boyhood
Ansel Elgort – The Fault in Our Stars
Mackenzie Foy – Interstellar
Jaeden Lieberher – St. Vincent
Tony Revolori – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Quvenzhane Wallis – Annie
Noah Wiseman – The Babadook

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Into the Woods
Selma

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ava DuVernay – Selma
David Fincher – Gone Girl
Alejandro G. Inarritu – Birdman
Angelina Jolie – Unbroken
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman – Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., Armando Bo
Boyhood – Richard Linklater
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness
Nightcrawler – Dan Gilroy
Whiplash – Damien Chazelle

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
The Imitation Game – Graham Moore
Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson
The Theory of Everything – Anthony McCarten
Unbroken – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese, William Nicholson
Wild – Nick Hornby

BEST CINEMATOGRAPY
Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert Yeoman
Interstellar – Hoyte Van Hoytema
Mr. Turner – Dick Pope
Unbroken – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION
Birdman – Kevin Thompson/Production Designer, George DeTitta Jr./Set Decorator
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Adam Stockhausen/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
Inherent Vice – David Crank/Production Designer, Amy Wells/Set Decorator
Interstellar – Nathan Crowley/Production Designer, Gary Fettis/Set Decorator
Into the Woods – Dennis Gassner/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
Snowpiercer – Ondrej Nekvasil/Production Designer, Beatrice Brentnerova/Set Decorator

BEST EDITING
Birdman – Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione
Boyhood – Sandra Adair
Gone Girl – Kirk Baxter
Interstellar – Lee Smith
Whiplash – Tom Cross

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero
Inherent Vice – Mark Bridges
Into the Woods – Colleen Atwood
Maleficent – Anna B. Sheppard
Mr. Turner – Jacqueline Durran

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
Foxcatcher
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Into the Woods
Maleficent

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Edge of Tomorrow
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie

BEST ACTION MOVIE
American Sniper
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Edge of Tomorrow
Fury
Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Bradley Cooper – American Sniper
Tom Cruise – Edge of Tomorrow
Chris Evans – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Brad Pitt – Fury
Chris Pratt – Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow
Scarlett Johansson – Lucy
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
Zoe Saldana – Guardians of the Galaxy
Shailene Woodley – Divergent

BEST COMEDY
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
St. Vincent
Top Five
22 Jump Street

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Jon Favreau – Chef
Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Bill Murray – St. Vincent
Chris Rock – Top Five
Channing Tatum – 22 Jump Street

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Rose Byrne – Neighbors
Rosario Dawson – Top Five
Melissa McCarthy – St. Vincent
Jenny Slate – Obvious Child
Kristen Wiig – The Skeleton Twins

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
The Babadook
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Interstellar
Snowpiercer
Under the Skin

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Force Majeure
Ida
Leviathan
Two Days, One Night
Wild Tales

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Citizenfour
Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
Jodorowsky’s Dune
Last Days in Vietnam
Life Itself
The Overnighters

BEST SONG
Big Eyes – Lana Del Rey – Big Eyes
Everything Is Awesome – Jo Li and the Lonely Island – The Lego Movie
Glory – Common/John Legend – Selma
Lost Stars – Keira Knightley – Begin Again
Yellow Flicker Beat – Lorde – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

BEST SCORE
Alexandre Desplat – The Imitation Game
Johann Johannsson – The Theory of Everything
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Gone Girl
Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
Hans Zimmer – Interstellar

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Box Office: 'Captain America 2' Busts April Records with $96M, Over $300M Worldwide

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier- $96.2M
Marvel's license to print money continues with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which broke all domestic April records with a $96M debut, surpassing Fast Five's $86M. Like all of the studio's films since The Avengers, it was leaps and abounds above its predecessor, scoring 47% more than Captain America: The First Avenger, and securing Marvel's position as Hollywood's top dog for comic book films. Sorry, Warner Bros., but you may want to consider moving that Batman vs. Superman release date in 2016 to avoid the freight train of Captain America 3.
2. Noah- $17M/$72.3M
As Captain America soared, Noah sunk to the bottom of the sea. The Russell Crowe-led Biblical action flick dropped 61% in its second week, but at $178M worldwide it's doing pretty well.
3. Divergent- $13M/$114M
4. God's Not Dead- $7.7M/$32.5M
The incredible run of faith-based drama God's Not Dead continues. The film expanded to 1700 theaters and slipped only 12% in week three.
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel- $6.3M/$33.3M
Entering the top five is Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, which was in more than 1260 theaters and dropped only 26%.
6. Muppets Most Wanted- $6.2M/$42.1M
7. Mr. Peabody & Sherman- $5.3M/$102.2M
Dreamworks' Mr. Peabody & Sherman has surprisingly surpassed the $100M mark domestically, but has double that when the international haul is factored in.
8. Sabotage- $1.9M/$8.7M
9. Need for Speed- $1.83M/$40.8M
10. Non-Stop- $1.82M/$88.1M

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Box Office: 'Noah' Sails Easily to #1; 'Captain America 2' Earns $75M Overseas

1. Noah- $44M
So much for those who thought Darren Aronofsky's big Hollywood production of Noah would flop after all the negative press. The film starring Russell Crowe as the ark-building animal tamer opened to a sizable $44M, plus another $51M internationally. The $95M debut puts a big dent in the $130M+ budget, and should also quiet the religious purists hoping it would fall short of Son of God, which currently stands at $57M after five weeks of release.
2. Divergent- $26.5M/$95.2M
The 51% slide of Divergent in its second week isn't so bad, and is actually pretty good for the sci-fi genre. The point is that Lionsgate should now feel fully confident in moving ahead with the sequel and wrapping up the entire trilogy.
3. Muppets Most Wanted- $11.3M/$33.2M
Slipping only 33% from last week, Muppets Most Wanted has bounced back well from a mediocre opening weekend.  It's still not likely to come close to matching the haul of the first film, though. 
4. Mr. Peabody & Sherman- $9.5M/$94.9M
5. God's Not Dead- $9M/$22M
The people who were openly bashing and rooting for the failure of Noah ended up at God's Not Dead, which has maintained an incredible hold in its second week. The faith-based drama stars Dean Cain and Kevin Sorbo, and could end up as one of the year's great success stories. The timing couldn't have been better considering all of the religious fervor surrounding movies of late, and it'll be interesting to see just how long this lasts.
6. The Grand Budapest Hotel- $8.8M/$24.4M
Adding an additional 673 theaters didn't slow down Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, which jumped 30% and managed an astounding $9K per site average.
7. Sabotage- $5.3M
Is Sabotage the last gasp of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a top name star? The David Ayer-directed action flick, which boasts a pretty solid cast surrounding the Governator, is one of the lowest grossing debuts in Schwarzenegger's career. Somehow it managed to do worse than The Last Stand, which nobody saw and fewer liked. One would think audiences would turn out to see the follow-up film from Ayer, who last directed End of Watch to great critical and box office success. To me, that means people aren't turning out specifically because of Schwarzenegger, which is sad because this is a different sort of movie for him. Unfortunately, it was marketed as a brainless shoot 'em up and only fans of those flicks turned out.
8. Need for Speed- $4.33M/$37.7M
9. 300: Rise of an Empire- $4.3M/$101.1M
10. Non-Stop- $4M/$85.1M

In other news, Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier opened in a few markets internationally, earning a whopping $75M. That bodes well for its domestic release next week, one that Marvel is expecting to far surpass Captain America: The First Avenger's final tally of $370M. If the trend following The Avengers continues upwards, it should squash those numbers easily.

The Raid 2, only the most anticipated sequel ever for a film few actually saw, opened in only seven locations and racked up a solid $177K. The roll out expands next week and goes semi-wide on April 11th.

The Diego Luna-directed, Michael Pena-starring biopic Cesar Chavez hit 664 theaters and earned $3M, a middling number for a film with middling reviews.

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Cinema Royale #54- Veronica Mars; Need for Speed; The Grand Budapest Hotel

Welcome back to Neptune, marshmallows! We'll take a look at the return of Kristen Bell as every fan's favorite feisty detective, Veronica Mars! Is the Kickstarter-funded film everything fans hoped it would be? Then we'll feel the Need for Speed with Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, and Michael Keaton! Then we'll check-in to Wes Anderson's star-studded comedy caper, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

All this, and we'll be joined by "The Cinema Siren" +Leslie Combemale , and we'll have news on Captain America 3, Star Wars: Episode VII, and the Fantastic Four!

Cinema Royale is part of the Hashtag Studios Broadcast Network. You can hear it live or download it every single week on Blogtalkradio, Itunes, Libsyn, and Stitcher. Listen to the latest episode below...

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Box Office: 'Mr. Peabody' Bests 'Need for Speed'; 'Veronica Mars' Opens to $2M

1. Mr. Peabody & Sherman- $21.2M/$63.1M
In a surprising development, Dreamworks' animated Mr. Peabody & Sherman has jumped to the head of the class with $21.2M, only slipping 33% from last week. Part of that has to do with a weak crop of new releases, coinciding with 300: Rise of an Empire taking an epic tumble. Still, it has to make Dreamworks happy that the film has earned more than $130M worldwide in only two weeks.
2. 300: Rise of an Empire- $19.1M/$78.1M
This..is...Sparta....falling off a cliff. The 58% drop by 300: Rise of an Empire is stiffer than Zack Snyder's 300, and the film is unlikely to match its overall total. It continues to perform well, overall, amassing $166M and increasing our chances of seeing one more battle in the Persian War.
3. Need for Speed- $17.8M
Dreamworks occupies two of the top three slots this week, but there's no denying Need for Speed's $17.8M is a disappointment. The live-action racer probably drew in those who eagerly snap up the bestselling video game while everybody else just saw it as Fast & Furious lite. Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul now falls into the same category as Pompeii star Kit Harington as TV actors not quite ready for the Hollywood major leagues. Fortunately, $45M in overseas box office should go a long way in calming the nerves of anxious studio bean counters.
4. Non-Stop- $10.6M/$68.8M
5. Tyler Perry's The Single Moms Club- $8.3M
It's been diminishing returns on Tyler Perry movies, especially non-Madea ones, for awhile now which explains why Lionsgate ended their distribution deal with him. And now to follow that news up with the dreadful $8.3M debut of The Single Moms Club, things just aren't looking very good for Perry. It's the worst of his career and the first time he's had a sub-$10M opening weekend, and a lot of it has to do with a general lack of buzz surrounding the film. It's a knock on both Perry and co-star Nia Long that their names, and apparent on-screen romance, didn't prove much of a draw.
6. The LEGO Movie- $7.7M/$236.9M
7. Son of God- $5.4M/$50.8M
8. The Grand Budapest Hotel- $3.6M/$4.7M
Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel broke per site average records last week, and upon expansion to 66 theaters it continues to scorch. Averaging more than $55K in its second weekend, it expands into wider release soon. With an additional $10M earned internationally, there's a good chance it matches the $68M run of last year's Moonrise Kingdom.
9. Frozen- $2.1M/$396.3M
10. Veronica Mars- $2.02M
And the marshmallows turned out in force to support their girl, Veronica Mars. Seven years after the low-rated but beloved series went off the air, the Kickstarter funded film opened in 291 theaters and On Demand. It's a move that has never been attempted before on this scale, with Warner Bros. going through great pains to get the film in as many theaters as possible. Obviously, it worked out as the $2M makes a major dent in the tiny $6M budget, and that doesn't count what the movie will make through digital downloads and Blu-Ray sales. If show creator Rob Thomas can keep the costs low this could be the model for sequels down the road.

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Review: Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel

The many films of Wes Anderson aren't just an acquired taste, they're often so specific one wonders if they were meant for anybody other than Anderson himself.  That creative independence has led him to amass a huge following, but for me his films have always been too idiosyncratic and emotionally distant. While there's always been a certain love for the antiquated in his films, that admiration for the old ways was best realized when Anderson tapped into a certain childlike sense of wonder, giving us his most creatively successful films: Rushmore and Moonrise Kingdom. And now he's hit on the same beautiful sweet spot again in The Grand Budapest Hotel, a whimsical, confectionery delight filled with Old World charm and a hint of sadness.

Sadness, in that Anderson clearly fancies himself a man "out of time", a description later used to describe his lead character, the refined hotel concierge M. Gustave. Played with suave, slightly sleazy perfection by Ralph Fiennes, Gustave is a snobbish lout of impeccable demeanor and manners. He's a character who would fit perfectly in the cultured comedies of German director Ernst Lubitsch, from whom Anderson draws a clear inspiration. Set mostly in the Lubitsch period of the early 1930s, the film takes place in the fictional European country of Zabrowska, seen in pastoral pinks and delicate storybook affectations that have become an Anderson trademark. Anderson has become increasingly fascinated by the nostalgic look of his films, weaving it more seamlessly into the fabric of his story. Here, in a story set during a time of impending war, it allows for a fantastical twist on history that is a dream to luxuriate in.

While the bulk takes place in the '30s, things actually begin in 1985 with an author (Tom Wilkinson) recounting a story his younger self (Jude Law) was told in the '60s by the hotel owner, Zero Mousafa (F. Murray Abraham). That tale in flashback is where the story rests, when we meet Gustave and are introduced to Zero, who back then was a refugee turned lobby boy and assistant. Gustave is a perfectionist of the highest order, running a tight ship that provides for everything his guests could want and need. But even then his personal code of honor and ethics was something of an antiquated notion, and Gustave the last of a dying breed. He's also a man who enjoys the company of many women, the older and richer the better. When his favorite of these mistresses, Madame D (Tilda Swinton, in some fantastic make-up), suddenly dies under mysterious circumstances, she leaves Gustave a priceless painting, which doesn't exactly make her surviving family very happy.

Anderson's loving detail doesn't just stretch to the design, but in the construction of the many supporting characters. Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Lea Seydoux, Mathieu Amalric, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman play small but vital roles, and it's amazing how they make these characters their own in only a matter of moments. One of the film's joys is seeing how they all fit into the natural order of Gustave's daily regiment, and we're content to bask in that enjoyment right along with Anderson. It's only when the story steers into screwball crime caper territory and ventures outside of the hotel's doors that the pace comes to a crawl, and Anderson seems less enchanted by the material. And as his interest slackens so does ours, and one can't help but yearn for a return to the comforts of the hotel and its odd little assortment of misfit characters and their antiquated notions.  This is one of those films with so many visual layers a repeat viewing is a must in order to catch them all.

The mood eventually shifts, leaving behind the chicanery and taking on a sadder note. As darkness looms, the hotel falls into disrepair and with it the civil nature of men like Gustave. We get it, that Anderson sees his application of and appreciation for classical techniques as out-of-step in a Hollywood that no longer cares for such things. If he lays this message on a little thick, darkening the mood a bit too much, it's at least yet another sign of why Anderson is such an uncommon filmmaker. Exquisitely crafted, rich in detail and meaning with a number of memorable characters, you'll never want to check out of The Grand Budapest Hotel.

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Red Band Trailer for Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

Wes Anderson movies don't aren't what immediately come to mind when one thinks of red band trailers, but here's one for The Grand Budapest Hotel which is now playing in some select cities. There are some brief sexual encounters and glimpses of nudity to be found, and mostly they occur around the same point in the film if memory serves.

Ralph Fiennes leads a cast that includes Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson and Owen Wilson, with the story centering on a legendary concierge at the titular hotel. With his loyal lobby boy they get caught up in the case of some missing Renaissance art, but the film is more than just some mad comedy caper. It's Anderson again showing his love for bygone eras and a more refined way of life. There's a good chance this will be an even bigger hit than last year's Moonrise Kingdom.

The Grand Budapest Hotel opens wide March 14th.

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Bill Murray and Ralph Fiennes focus of a new 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' clip

I suppose there is a certain cadre of people waiting with baited breath for Wes Anderson's upcoming The Grand Budapest Hotel, in which practically everyone the director has worked with - Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman - makes an appearance in his film about the fictional Republic of Zubrowka. Would it be blasphemy to say I'm actually not an Anderson fan? Well, I'm not. So for me, this new clip for The Grand Budapest Hotel does nothing at all.

But maybe it will intrigue you, if you're already into this kind of thing? The plot that allows all these cameos is this: Hotel concierge Gustav (Ralph Fiennes) is left a famous painting by his former lover, and then framed for her murder by her lover's son, Dmitri (Adrien Brody). Forced to go on the run, Gustav is joined by fellow employee Zero (Tony Revolori), and in this clip, they're assisted by M. Ivan (Bill Murray). Anderson's typical humor is here - Gustav and Zero are shocked that they can only get third-class tickets on the train, but they're able to go unnoticed in their dirty and ragged clothes just because they slip on a couple of ties and spray on some cologne.

Oh, how quirky! How subversive! ... I guess? Anyway, check out the clip for yourself below. The Grand Budapest Hotel hits theaters on March 7, 2014, and if I'm seeing this film for anyone, it will be Tilda Swinton, queen of all that is great. Maybe if she appeared in this clip, I'd care more. (Oh, and if you want a look at the first trailer, check out our write-up.)

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New Clip from 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' with Ralph Fiennes and Edward Norton

We've already had a chance to meet the lobby boy Zero in the first clip from Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, and now a new one has been released which mainly centers on his boss, M. Gustave, played by Ralph Fiennes. The 1930s-set comedy centers on a legendary concierge at the titular hotel in Hungary, who becomes the prime suspect in a murder involving stolen pieces of priceless art. In this clip we see that Gustave doesn't perform so well under pressure after he's confronted by the police, led by Edward Norton.

Starring Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Mathieu Amalric, Harvey Keitel, Edward Norton, Lea Seydoux, Tom Wilkinson, F. Murray Abraham, and Bill Murray, The Grand Budapest Hotel opens March 7th.

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First Clip from Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

The first clip for Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel has been released, and while the film is packed with a ton of big name stars, it centers on the one guy nobody really knows. Tony Revolori plays Zero, a young lobby boy working under legendary concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) at the titular hotel in Hungary. This clip chronicles their first meeting, which turned out to be more humorous than it should be, and will ultimately end with both Zero and Gustave in the middle of a mystery involving stolen Renaissance painting. The film has already turned up on a lot of 'Most Anticipated' lists, but certainly not on mine as it looks like a step backwards from last year's Moonrise Kingdom.

Starring Jude Law, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Saoirse Ronan, F. Murray Abraham, Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Edward Norton, Harvey Keitel and Mathieu Amalric, The Grand Budapest Hotel opens March 7th.


The Grand Budapest Hotel - Extrait: The New Lobby Boy by Team Lyricis

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New Trailer and Cast Poster for Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

A new trailer has been released for Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, his follow-up to last year's beautiful Moonrise Kingdom. Set in the 1930s in the titular hotel, the film stars Ralph Fiennes as a legendary concierge who along with his sidekick Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) gets caught up in a murder mystery.

After tapping into something special and natural to him with Moonrise Kingdom, this seems like Anderson taking a step backward, but it's hard to ignore the cast who seem to be having a ball in his odd little world. Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Lea Seydoux, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, F. Murray Abraham, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, and Mathiu Amalric co-star as a wide array of colorful characters, which you can sort out thanks to a new cast poster, as well.

The Grand Budapest Hotel opens its doors on March 7th 2014.

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First Trailer for Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

Coming off his biggest box office and critical success in Moonrise Kingdom, a lot of eyes are on Wes Anderson's follow-up, The Grand Budapest Hotel. But rather than deliver another quirky coming-of-age tale, he's bringing his idiosyncratic style to a murder mystery set in Hungary pre-WWI. Can't get any more different than that.

After the teaser poster hit just a couple of days ago, the first trailer for the film has been released and it's definitely a Wes Anderson movie. Ralph Fiennes is M. Gustave, a legendary (and possibly psychic) concierge at the Grand Budapest Hotel who along with his most trusted lobby boy (Tony Revolori) get mixed up in the theft of a priceless Renaissance painting after the death of a distinguished guest. The ensemble includes Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan,  Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Lea Seydoux, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson, an impressive gathering even by Anderson standards.

The Grand Budapest Hotel isn't likely to convert anyone into an Anderson fan, but those who are already down with him can check out the film on March 7th 2014.

The Grand Budapest Hotel Trailer by Flixgr

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First Poster for Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

There are a few things we've come to expect from any Wes Anderson film at this point. One: that he'll assemble an amazing ensemble of Anderson regulars and new faces looking to try something different. Two: his films will have an intoxicating, storybook quality that promises they'll always be gorgeous to look at. Three: that fairy tale touch will carry over to the marketing campaign, most especially to any released promo art. And that is certainly the case with the first poster for his latest effort, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Resembling The Royal Tenenbaums and last year's terrific Moonrise Kingdom, the image captures the luxurious European hotel in which the story is set. Penning the script solo for the first time in his career, Anderson spins a tale set in early 20th century Hungary and follows a legendary concierge played by Ralph Fiennes, and his trusted protégé played by Saoirse Ronan.

The rest of the cast is superb with Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Tilda Swinton, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, Harvey Keitel, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Mathieu Amalric, F Murray Abraham, Bob Balaban and Lea Seydoux, so the expectations are going to be high that Anderson can surpass Moonrise Kingdom's success. No release date yet, but you can expect to see the first trailer for The Grand Budapest Hotel on Thursday night.

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Wes Anderson sets Saoirse Ronan as the female lead in 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

It's clear to me at this point that Wes Anderson finds his most divine inspiration when making films centered around younger protagonists. Rushmore and Moonrise Kingdom are I think his two most successful films creatively by far, and so the hope was that his next effort, The Grand Budapest Hotel would follow in those same lines. Looks like that's exactly what will happen as Saoirse Ronan(Atonement) has been cast to star in the developing ensemble.

Details are still mostly under wraps, although we know it will be set 85 years in the past and involve a well-mannered concierge played by Ralph Fiennes. Anderson has said he drew inspiration from the films of Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder, which are a pretty good pair to take from. Ronan is a fresh face in a crew of regulars including Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Jason Schwartzman, Ed Norton, and Jeff Goldblum.

Filming begins in Germany early next year, just before Ronan appears in an adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's The Host. [Variety]



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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Jason Schwartzman on board for 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

Wes Anderson has forged a number of lasting relationships during his career that have led to the same actors appearing in many of his films. Bill Murray and Owen Wilson are just two of the most prominent, but perhaps what we think of first and foremost is his association with Jason Schwartzman. The two have been close ever since Rushmore, and have worked together on four projects already. Now you can add one more.

Schwartzman has confirmed that he will indeed be a part of Anderson's next film, The Grand Budapest Hotel. He tells Movies.com...

Schwartman: "I'm going to be in it. Yes, I'm going to be in it. I'm playing Cousin Ben [referring to his 'Moonrise Kingdom' character]. No, I'm just kidding -- wouldn't that be crazy? No, but I'm excited about it. I'm very excited about it. It's a beautiful movie."

No surprise here. Schwartzman joins Murray, Wilson, Jude Law, and Ralph Fiennes in a Euro-set story that involves a psychic concierge in some capacity. Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, and Adrien Brody are expected to join the production when filming begins in Germany. 

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Johnny Depp won't check-in to Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

Oh well, guess it was too good to be true. Back in July it looked like Johnny Depp was set to be a part of Wes Anderson's next film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, but it turns out that won't be the case. Actually, it might not have ever been the case based on what Anderson had to say on the subject....

Anderson: "You know, the Internet has a way of announcing things on its own [laughs]. You will find that even though I'm very aware of the cast that has been announced on its own devices, you'll never find me saying who's in the movie. Or, as far as I know, anybody else."

Ok, so the internet gets ahead of itself sometimes. But what about Depp?

Anderson:  "In fact, Johnny is somebody who I would love to work with at some point, but he's not going to be in this movie. But I actually have not put the cast out -- I have not announced the cast. We have quite a great cast."

That "great cast" so far includes Bill Murray, Angela Lansbury, Jude Law, and likely Owen Wilson. Others rumored to be in the mix are Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, and Jeff Goldblum. With filming set to begin in Germany before long, we'll likely hear more concrete news soon.[HuffPo]

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