Is the Oscar derby already over?

At this point, it sure looks like we have solid Oscar front-runners for best picture ("The Social Network"), best actor (Colin Firth, "The King's Speech") and best actress (Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"). It's very possible that all three could trot across the derby finish line without tripping en route. However, we must remember how these top races appeared at this point last year. We knew that "The Hurt Locker" might be nominated for best picture, but that wasn't a certainty, and the front-runners were presumed to be "Up in the Air," "Invictus" and "Avatar." There were still high hopes for "Nine" and "The Lovely Bones," even "Brothers." Looking forward on this year's derby track, what...

127 Hours Academy Awards Black Swan Colin Firth George Clooney Jeff Bridges Natalie Portman Nicole Kidman Oscars Sandra Bullock Social Network The King's Speech The Social Network
09/23/2010 06:08
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Natalie Portman is the official Oscar front-runner

"That's it! The best actress race is already over!" gasped a notable Oscar-tracking journo after witnessing Natalie Portman's dazzling diva turn in Darren Aronofsky's ballet thriller, "Black Swan," at the Toronto International Film Festival. I was equally wowed and tempted to agree with that Oscar assessment except for one cautious reminder. At this point on last year's calendar we didn't know that the eventual winners of the last Academy Awards for best actress and actor -- Sandra Bullock ("The Blind Side") and Jeff Bridges ("Crazy Heart") -- were even in the running. That said, it's still fun to make fierce pronouncements, so let's leap as boldly as Portman does on screen while she performs "Swan...

Academy Awards Black Swan Darren Aronofsky Julia Roberts Natalie Portman Nicole Kidman Oscars Sandra Bullock Toronto Film Festival Toronto International Film Festival
09/10/2010 14:21
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Poll: Was Sandra Bullock awesome or awful at MTV Movie Awards?

It's easy to be critical of Sandra Bullock's appearance at the MTV Movie Awards. As she accepted the Generation Award, she defined the prize as something given to old people being pushed aside for young, emerging superstars. Then Sandra Bullock added, "I'm staying. Because no matter what you might have seen or heard or read lately, I love what I do. And I'm not going anywhere." Really? Who said that Bullock doesn't love acting? Who said she's going away? Nobody with a brain has proposed either idea. Nonetheless Bullock was amusing, especially when she added her reasons for not vanishing: "One, I'm not dead. Two, everyone has cellulite, not just me. Paparazzi need more flattering...

MTV Movie Awards Sandra Bullock
06/06/2010 20:39
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Poll: Is Sandra Bullock crazy to show up at MTV Movie Awards?

Do you think it's gracious or crazy of Sandra Bullock to attend the MTV Movie Awards? Our forum posters are having a smackdown over their opinions. "Why would Sandra waste her time by making this farce of an awards show her first public event appearance since her personal saga?" asks GoBlue! "You'd think it would be at a more reputable event." Rockstitution replies: "Well, they are presenting her with an award especially dedicated to her. It'd be kinda rude not to attend. Plus, she's riding the wave of being hip at the moment, so why not attend?" Babypook adds: "I agree. They love her. Why not be gracious and attend? Besides, Sandra showed up for...

MTV Movie Awards Sandra Bullock
06/06/2010 15:12
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Gold Derby nuggets: Sandra Bullock returning to red carpet? | Can Cannes boost Oscar hopes? | Tonycast details

• Sandra Bullock may actually be on hand to collect a golden popcorn bucket or two at the MTV Movie Awards on June 6. Ted Casablanca and John Boone deliver the scoop: "While nothing is confirmed, a fashionable source spills that Sandra's stylist has been pulling together outfits from top-notch labels for 'The Blind Side' babe to check out should she decide to strut her stuff for the photogs." Bullock is in the running for three awards -- best kiss (with her co-star from "The Proposal" Ryan Reynolds), best female performance ("The Blind Side") and best comedic performance ("The Proposal"). Bullock won three MTV kudos back in 1995 for her breakout hit "Speed" and contended...

BAFTAS Cannes Film Festival Emmy Awards Emmy nominations Emmy nominees Emmys Glee Lost Modern Family Sandra Bullock Sean Hayes Tony Awards Tonys
05/25/2010 13:58
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Gold Derby nuggets: Bigelow more influential than Cameron | 'Chicago' creators allege accounting razzle dazzle | 'The Hobbit' arrives in 2012

• Kathryn Bigelow has bested her ex James Cameron once again. The Oscar-winning director of "The Hurt Locker" secured the third spot on Time's top 25 most influential artists of the year -- only Lady Gaga and Conan O'Brien ranked higher -- while the onetime "king of the world" had to settle for the last slot despite creating the biggest moneymaker in movie history with "Avatar." Also earning places of distinction were director Neill Blokamp -- who contended at this year's Oscars for his script for best picture nominee "District 9" -- at No. 16 and best actress champ Sandra Bullock ("The Blind Side") at No. 22. Neil Patrick Harris -- who hosted both the...

Academy Awards Avatar Barbra Streisand Betty White CMT Awards Glee James Cameron Oscars Peter Jackson Sandra Bullock The Blind Side The Hobbit The Hurt Locker The Lord of the Rings
04/29/2010 14:01
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Oops! Sandra Bullock, please return your Razzie (you can keep the Oscar)

When Sandra Bullock accepted the Razzie as worst actress of the year for "All About Steve," she left the ceremony with the wrong award. Instead of a regular statuette, she took the original — the trophy upon which all other Razzies have been designed for 30 years. "It was my fault,"admits Razzie chief John Wilson. "I handed her the wrong one by mistake." Wilson would like the original back, but he hoped to accomplish the switch quietly, without a fuss. Normally, at most award shows, winners return the generic statuettes they accept at the podium so they can receive a real one, engraved with their name, later. The Monday after Bullock won the Razzie, Wilson...

Oscars Razzie Awards Razzies Sandra Bullock
04/20/2010 10:09
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Gold Derby nuggets: 'Come Fly Away' to Broadway | 3-D or not 3-D | Katherine Heigl on Emmy uproar

• Twyla Tharp -- who picked up a Tony in 2003 for choreographing "Movin' Out," set to the songs of Billy Joel -- is back with another dancefest. "Come Fly Away" tells the story of four couples to the tunes of Frank Sinatra. The musical opened Thursday to mixed reviews from the Gotham critics. "Movin' Out" landed 10 Tony nominations, including best musical, but took home just two awards (orchestrations was the other). Among the five acting bids were a lead one for John Selya and a featured one for Ashley Tuttle, both of whom appear in "Come Fly Away." • No surprise that the BAFTAs will be held on Sunday, Feb. 13. As with...

Academy Awards Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences BAFTA BAFTAS Katherine Heigl Kids Choice Awards Megan Fox Miley Cyrus Mo'Nique Oscar nominations Oscars Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire Sandra Bullock ShiaLabeouf Tony Awards Tonys
03/26/2010 16:09
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Sandra Bullock and Kate Winslet: Victims of Oscar curse?

Just days after last year's Oscar winner Kate Winslet announced her split with hubby Sam Mendes comes news that the marriage of the newest champ, Sandra Bullock, may be on the rocks. In Touch Weekly reports that Bullock's hubby, Jesse James, had an affair on the sly while Bullock was filming "The Blind Side." Now Oscarologists wonder: Is there really a kiss of death curse associated with winning best actress? Over the past 12 years, eight of the best-actress champs busted up with their lovers after winning: Kate Winslet (won for 2008), Reese Witherspoon (2005), Hilary Swank (1999, 2005), Charlize Theron (2003), Halle Berry (2001), Julia Roberts (2000), Gwyneth Paltrow (1998), Helen Hunt (1997). Five...

Academy Awards Halle Berry Hilary Swank Oscars Reese Witherspoon Sandra Bullock
03/17/2010 15:32
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Gold Derby nuggets: Banned 'Hurt Locker' producer's Oscars speech | Stone & Hammond on 'Avatar' loss | Alec Baldwin on Oscars gig

• Eugene Hernandez does a crackerjack job reporting on how banned "Hurt Locker" producer Nicolas Chartier spent Oscar Sunday. He was feted by 300 people gathered at the Malibu home of reality TV/film producer Mike Fleiss, who co-hosted with WME Global chief Graham Taylor and his producer wife Lynnette Howell ("Half Nelson"). As Eugene writes, "The crowd was clearly biased in favor of 'The Hurt Locker' and when the movie won the final award of the night, an uproar was unleashed. Chartier silenced the crowd to listen to the televised speeches and then stepped onto a footstool for his own acceptance. Someone handed him a small plastic statue that looked a bit like an Oscar."...

Academy Awards Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Avatar Crazy Heart Inglourious Basterds James Cameron Kathryn Bigelow Mo'Nique Oscar nominations Oscars Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire Sandra Bullock The Blind Side The Hurt Locker Up in the Air
03/09/2010 14:29
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Oscar winners were predicted by guild awards

"The Hurt Locker" won a leading six Oscars, including best picture and best director for Kathryn Bigelow. The Iraq war drama also picked up prizes for original screenplay, editing, sound mixing and sound editing. As is often the case at the Oscars, many of these wins followed up on equivalent kudos from the respective guilds, largely because the two sets of awards share many of the same voters. But the scale is hugely different. There are, for example, 1,240 members of the academy's acting branch but more than 100,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild. The academy includes 374 directors while the vast majority of the 13,000 helmers who belong to the DGA create TV...

Academy Awards Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Avatar Crazy Heart Inglourious Basterds Jeff Bridges Kathryn Bigelow Mo'Nique Oscar nominations Oscars Sandra Bullock The Blind Side The Hurt Locker
03/08/2010 11:57
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'The Hurt Locker' wins six Oscars, including history maker for director Kathryn Bigelow

The 82nd Academy Awards followed the script set down by pundits, as the front-runners for all of the major Oscars won Sunday night. "The Hurt Locker" led with six Oscars, including best picture and best director for Kathryn Bigelow, who became the first woman to win this award. The Iraq war drama also picked up prizes for original screenplay (Mark Boal), editing, sound mixing and sound editing. "Avatar" went into the night tied with "The Hurt Locker" with a leading nine nominations but had to settle for three Oscars for art direction, cinematography and visual effects (and a $2.4-billion and counting box-office take). See a complete list of all Oscar winners here. Lead actor went...

Academy Awards Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Avatar best actor best actress best director best picture best score best screenplay Carey Mulligan Crazy Heart Directors Guild of America entertainment news Helen Mirren Inglourious Basterds James Cameron Jeff Bridges Kathryn Bigelow Meryl Streep movie news Oscar nominations Oscars Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire Producers Guild of America Sandra Bullock The Blind Side The Hurt Locker Up Up in the Air
03/07/2010 21:38
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