Sanchez Wins Critics’ Choice Movie Award for “Birdman”

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Antonio Sanchez is a critics’ choice…

The 43-year-old Mexican jazz drummer has won his first-ever Critics‘ Choice Movie Award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

Sanchez collected the trophy for Best Score during the 20th annual awards show, which was held at the Hollywood Palladium, for his acclaimed work on Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s Birdman.

González Iñárritu, meantime, took home the prize for Best Original Screenplay for co-penning his dark comedy with Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo.

Emmanuel Lubezki picked up his second consecutive Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Cinematography. The Mexican cinematographer, who won the award last year for his work on Gravity, picked up the award this time around for his acclaimed work on Birdman.

In all, González Iñárritu’s Birdman won seven awards.

The Broadcast Film Critics Association honored cinematic achievement in 28 categories.

Here’s the complete list of winners of the 20th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards:

BEST PICTURE: Boyhood
BEST ACTOR: Michael Keaton, Birdman
BEST ACTRESS: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
BEST DIRECTOR: Richard Linklater, Boyhood
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE : Birdman
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Gone Girl
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Birdman
BEST COMEDY: The Grand Budapest Hotel
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY: Jenny Slate, Obvious Child
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY: Michael Keaton, Birdman
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS : Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
BEST SONG: “Glory,” Common/John Legend, Selma
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: The Lego Movie
BEST ACTION MOVIE: Guardians of the Galaxy
BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Emily Blunt, Edge of Tomorrow
BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS: Ellar Coltrane, Boyhood
BEST SCI FI/HORROR MOVIE : Interstellar
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Life Itself
BEST CINEMATOGRAPY: Birdman, Emmanuel Lubezki
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
BEST EDITING: Birdman, Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione
BEST ART DIRECTION: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Adam Stockhausen/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
BEST COSTUME DESIGN : The Grand Budapest Hotel, Milena Canonero
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP: Guardians of the Galaxy
BEST SCORE: Antonio Sanchez, Birdman
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Force Majeure (Sweden)

Cuaron to Help Announce This Year’s Oscar Nominations Live

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alfonso Cuarón has a date with Oscar…

The 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker, who picked up two Oscars for his acclaimed film Gravity last year, will preside over the live announcement of this week’s 87th Academy Award nominations on the morning of Thursday, January 15.

Cuarón will be joined by JJ Abrams, Chris Pine and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Cheryl Boone Isaacs for the announcement.

For the first time nomimations in all 24 categories will be unveiled live as part of a format revamp: a two-part live news conference at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

At 5:30 AM PT, Cuarón and Abrams will announce the nominees in the following categories: Animated Feature Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Film Editing, Original Song, Production Design, Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Visual Effects.

At 5:38 AM PT, Pine and Boone Isaacs will take the stage to unveil the nominations for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Foreign Language Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Adapted Screenplay, Original Screenplay and Best Picture.

“Each of the three years we’ve produced the show, we have attempted to refresh elements of the process and the telecast,” said Zadan and Meron in a release today. “This year, we’re honored to start a new tradition that celebrates the contributions of all the nominees by announcing all 24 categories. We’re thrilled that a distinguished actor and two world-class film directors are part of the initial launch.”

Lubezki Claims Best Cinematographer Award from New York Film Critics Online

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It could turn out to be another memorable awards season for Emmanuel Lubezki…

The Mexican cinematographer—who picked up several awards, including his first-ever Oscar, last awards season for his work on Gravity—has claimed the Best Cinematographer prize from the New York Film Critics Online.

Lubezki won the award for his impressive work on Alejandro González Iñárritu’s critically acclaimed dark comedy Birdman.

It’s the third award Lubezki has picked up in nearly as many days…

Earlier, he claimed the same prize from the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Los Angeles Critics Association.

With all the hardware he’s starting to collect, it appears Lubezki is a shoo-in for a 2015 Academy Award nomination.

Meanwhile, González Iñárritu picked up another Best Screenplay award for co-penning Birdman with with Nicolás Giacobone,Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo. Earlier in the weekend, he picked up the same award from the Boston Society of Film Critics.

Lubezki Wins Best Cinematography Award from the L.A. Critics Association

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Emmanuel Lubezki is back to his winning ways…

The Mexican cinematographer, who won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography this year for his work on Gravity, has won the Best Cinematography award from the Los Angeles Critics Association.

Lubezki earned the award for his critically acclaimed work on Alejandro González Iñárritu’s black comedy Birdman, starring Michael Keaton as a washed-up Hollywood actor who once played the superhero Birdman in three blockbuster movies, before leaving the multi-billion-dollar franchise. More than 20 years after Birdman, Riggan wants to reinvent his career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway play.

Lubezki has said the camerawork and editing of Birdman were manipulated to give the appearance that most of the film was shot in one continuous long take. The screenwriters have said that the long take approach was part of Iñárritu’s initial idea behind the film although “huge” and “important” people warned them not to write it and shoot it that way.

Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Birdman” to Close the New York Film Festival

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro González Iñárritu is bringing his bird to the Big Apple…

Birdman, a dramedy co-written and directed by the 50-year-old Mexican filmmaker, has been selected as the closing night film at this year’s New York Film Festival on October 12, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film, which is being distributed by Fox Searchlight and will be released in theaters on October 17, will have its world premiere on the opening night of the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 27.

Birdman stars Michael Keaton as a washed-up movie star trying to revive his career on Broadway. The cast also includes Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Zach Galifianakis, Merritt Wever, Edward Norton, Amy Ryan and Naomi Watts.

The film was lensed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity), reportedly in a way that gives the appearance that the entire film is one continuous shot.

A González Iñárritu film closed the NYFF once before: 21 Grams screened in that slot in 2003. (The director’s first trip to the fest, though, was in 2000, with Amores Perros.)

González Iñárritu Has Cast Tom Hardy Opposite Leo DiCaprio in “The Revenant”

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro González Iñárritu has found a co-star for Leonardo DiCaprio in his upcoming film The Revenant.

The 50-year-old Mexican filmmaker has cast English actor Tom Hardy to star opposite the Titanic star in the gritty thriller, which González Iñárritu adapted from Michael Punke’s novel The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge.

The González Iñárritu-directed film, centers on a 19th century fur trapper who gets mauled by a grizzly bear, and then is left for dead by cohorts who rob him. When he survives, he is not a happy camper and sets out on a treacherous journey to exact revenge on those who betrayed him.

Oscar-winning Gravity cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki is also onboard for the New Regency production.

Filming is set to begin on September 22, with a Fall 2015 release scheduled.

Cuarón Named Best Director at This Year’s Saturn Awards

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

The accolades keep on coming for Alfonso Cuarón …

The 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker took home the Best Director award at this year’s 40th annual Saturn Awards, which were held at Castaway Starlight Ballroom in Burbank, California.

Cuarón received the award for his Oscar-winning film Gravity, which picked up five prizes during the ceremony.

In addition to Best Director, the film took home Best Sci-Fi Film, Best Actress for Sandra Bullock, Best Editing and Best Special/Visual Effects.

Sponsored by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, the awards honor the best television and movie works in the genres at the 40th annual Saturn Awards on Thursday, June 26.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Best Comic-to-Film Motion Picture: “Iron Man 3”
Best Science Fiction Film: “Gravity”
Best Fantasy Film: “Her”
Best Horror Film: “The Conjuring”
Best Action/Adventure Film: “Fast and Furious 6”
Best Thriller Film: “World War Z”
Best Actor: Robert Downey Jr. – “Iron Man 3”
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock – “Gravity”
Best Supporting Actor: Ben Kingsley – “Iron Man 3”
Best Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson – “Her”
Best Performance by a Younger Actor: Chloe Moretz – “Carrie”
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron – “Gravity”
Best Writing: Spike Jonze – “Her”
Best Editing: “Gravity”
Best Production Design: “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”
Best Music: “Big Bad Wolves”
Best Costumes: “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
Best Makeup: “Prisoners”
Best Special/Visual Effects: “Gravity”
Best Independent Film: “12 Years a Slave”
Best International Film: “Big Bad Wolves”
Best Animated Film: “Frozen (2013)”
Best Network Television Series Release: “Hannibal” and “Revolution” (tie)
Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series: “The Walking Dead”
Best Television Presentation of a Limited Run Series: “Breaking Bad”
Best Youth-Oriented Television Series: “Teen Wolf”
Best Actor in a Television Series: Mads Mikkelsen – “Hannibal”
Best Actress in a Television Series: Vera Farmiga – “Bates Motel”
Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series: Aaron Paul – “Breaking Bad”
Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series: Melissa McBride – “The Walking Dead”
Best Guest Star in a Television Series: Robert Forster – “Breaking Bad”
Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series: Chandler Riggs – “The Walking Dead”

Miguel Provides New Track for “BET Presents Music Matters Vol. 1” Compilation

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

There’s no denying that music matters to Miguel… And, nowhe’s proving it.

BET Networks and its new artist program Music Matters has partnered with Louder Than Life/Red Associated Labels to launch a compilation album series: BET Presents Music Matters Vol. 1, which features new music from the 28-year-old half-Mexican American singer-songwriter.

The compilation, also featuring new music from Big Sean, Mack Wilds, Melanie Fiona and The Internet, will be released June 23 in support of the second annual BET Experience (June 27-29). The three-day music and lifestyle festival culminates with the BET Awards on June 29, hosted by Chris Rock.

Miguel’s track for the 15-track compilation is called “Gravity.”

Now available for preorder at Amazon, the album sports a mix of established acts and rising stars. Music Matters is a multiplatform initiative that provides exposure for groundbreaking talent across BET and Centric, in addition to national tours and monthly showcases.

Miguel, Kendrick Lamar, Elle Varner, J. Cole and Marsha Ambrosius are among the artists who have been spotlighted by Music Matters.

Salaam Remi, who founded Louder Than Life and doubles as executive vice president A&R and production at Sony Music Entertainment, is the executive producer of the BET Presents Music Matters compilation album series. Collaborating with Remi is Kelly G, senior director of music programming for BET Networks.

Here’s the Complete Track List:

1. “Music Matters Theme” — Marsha Ambrosius
2. “Gravity” — Miguel
3. “Prove” — Gabi Wilson
4. “My Crib” (Remix) — Mack Wilds featuring Pusha T
5. “It’s a Man’s World” — Adrian Marcel
6. “Lit” — Bas featuring J. Cole and KQuick
7. “Memories” — Big Sean
8. “Dontcha” — The Internet
9. “Walking Shoes” — Mali Music
10. “Liquid Love” — Chris Turner
11. “Under the Covers” — Curtis Fields
12. “Touch” — Ashley Kimbrae
13. “Cold Case” — Elle Varner
14. “Where It Counts” — Melanie Fiona
15. “Friends and Lovers” — Marsha Ambrosius

Cuarón Receives Digital Visionary Award from the Producers Guild of America

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s yet another award for Alfonso Cuarón and his gravity-defying project…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker and his visual-effects company Framestore were feted at the Producers Guild of America’s Digital Visionaries awards, which recognize notable organizations and the people behind them for using technology to advance the ways stories are told.

Cuarón and Framestone were honoring “for pushing visual effects to new levels” with their Oscar-winning work on the feature film Gravity.

“These are the top Hollywood people who are ultra-forward thinking in their vision of telling stories,” said Marc Scarpa, co-chair with Shawn Gold of the committee selecting the nine award winners. “We’re about pushing the medium forward.”

Cuaron Named Best Director at the Britain’s Empire Awards

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

There seems to be no stopping Alfonso Cuaron when it comes to picking up prizes…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker, who took home two Academy Awards earlier this month, was named Best Director at the Jameson Empire Awards for helming the Sandra Bullock-starrer Gravity.

The mastermind behind the 3D sci-fi film beat out The World’s End’s Edgar Wright, Captain Phillips’ Paul Greengrass, The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug’s Peter Jackson and 12 Years A Slave’s Steve McQueen for the honor.

In addition, Cuaron’s Gravity was named Best Film. It beat out 12 Years a Slave, Captain Phillips, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire to win the coveted award.

The 2014 Jameson Empire Awards were held Sunday, March 30 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

The Empire Awards are an accolade bestowed by Empire, Britain’s biggest selling film magazine, to recognize excellence of professionals in the local and global film industry. The awards are voted for by readers of the magazine and in an annual ceremony

Here’s a look at the complete list of Empire Award winner:

The Legend of Our Lifetime: Tom Cruise
The Action Hero of Our Lifetime: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Empire Icon: Hugh Jackman
Empire Hero: Simon Pegg
Empire Inspiration: Paul Greengrass
Best Male Newcomer: Aidan Turner (“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”)
Best Female Newcomer: Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”)
Best Horror: “The Conjuring”
Best Comedy: “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa”
Best Thriller: “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy: “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender (“12 Years a Slave”)
Best Supporting Actress: Sally Hawkins (“Blue Jasmine”)
Best British Film: “The World’s End”
Best Actress: Emma Thompson (“Saving Mr. Banks”)
Jameson Best Actor: James McAvoy (“Filth”)
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron (“Gravity”)
Best Film: “Gravity”

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