Daniel Day Lewis Page 5

Daniel Day-Lewis is joining the presenters’ lineup at the coming Oscars. The 56-year-old actor has been announced to present an award, among other Hollywood big-timers like Jennifer Lawrence, who have already had a few moments of Oscar glory. While it hasn’t been announced officially, the overall hunch online is that DDL will present the Best Actor award this year, having won it himself three times in the past – for My Left Foot in 1990, There Will Be Blood in 2008 and again last year for his performance in Lincoln.

DDL and the Oscars go way back.

This year, the nominees’ list is packed with talent and with each nominee having won a couple of Best Actor awards at various shows, the competition is unpredictable. Most recently, Chiwetel Ejiofor, who is nominated for his role as Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave, won the BAFTA for Best Actor, placing him as the frontrunner for the Oscar this year. On the other hand, the Golden Globe, which is typically considered a solid indication of the Academy’s leanings, went to Matthew McConaughey for his role in Dallas Buyers Club.

Continue reading: Daniel Day-Lewis To Present An Oscar, But Who Is Most Likely To Win It?

British novelist William Boyd launched the latest James Bond novel at London's Dorchester Hotel on Wednesday (September 25, 2013). The book, called Solo, sees a 45-year-old Bond travel to worn-torn Africa in the late 1960s.

William Boyd Arriving At The Dorchester Hotel For The 'Solo' Press Conference

Boyd is the latest novelist to write a new Bond book since the death of its creator Ian Fleming in 1964 and follows the likes of Kingsley Amis and Sebastian Faulks.

Continue reading: 'Solo' Author William Boyd Touts Daniel Day-Lewis For James Bond

It used to be that British actors were traditionally cast by Hollywood filmmakers as villains; in endless kids' Disney flicks we'd hear exaggeratedly posh English voices coming out of the most evil of witches ('Snow White'), scary giant octopuses ('The Little Mermaid') and murderous lions ('The Lion King'), and even the creators of some of the biggest blockbusters such as 'Die Hard' and 'The Silence Of The Lambs' scoured the UK for the perfect sinister accent.

However, now the Brits are playing the good guys with a surge of overseas talent showcasing their well-practised foreign accents over the past few years - even one of the most American flicks of 2012, Steven Spielberg's 'Lincoln' cast London born Daniel Day-Lewis as the iconic US President. Here are our four biggest British stars that have been making their mark in Hollywood with seminal roles over the past and coming months.

Continue reading: Brits Take The Lead! 2013 Sees America Ship In Overseas Talent

TV Geeks everywhere will have something to look forward to, as Martin Scorsese is teaming up with Miramax to bring Gangs of New York to the small screen.

The series will be based on the eponymous 2002 big screen drama, which was directed by Scorsese and starred Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo Dicaprio, and Cameron Diaz. From the initial report, there’s a lot to get excited about. Set in the late 1800s, the TV show will explore the period far beyond the scope of the original film. It will focus not only of gangs in New York, but also Chicago, New Orleans and other cities around the US.

"This time and era of America's history and heritage is rich with characters and stories that we could not fully explore in a two-hour film," Scorsese explains his decision, quoted by Entertainment Weekly. “A television series allows us the time and creative freedom to bring this colorful world, and all the implications it had and still does on our society, to life.”

Continue reading: Martin Scorsese To Create A New Show, Based On His Own 'Gangs Of New York'

A Family Guy: Forget Ricky Gervais - who managed to insult MOST people during his stint as Golden Globes host - because Seth Macfarlane just about offended everyone at the Oscars on Sunday. Women, Jews, Mel Gibson, George Clooney and Prometheus were among those feeling the full force of the comedian's quips. He says he'll never host again.

A Silver Lining: It sort of seemed as though the world was against Jennifer Lawrence winning Best Actress at the Oscars. Many plumped for the underdog Emmauelle Riva, while others favoured Jessica Chastain - nevertheless, the Silver Linings Playbook was head over heels with her win - literally.

Continue reading: A Week In News: Seth Divides Oscars Viewers, Jennifer Lawrence Wins Big And It's Goodbye To Affleck's Beard

After Daniel Day-Lewis picked up his third Oscar for Best Actor on Sunday (February 24, 2013) hundreds of articles on the 'Lincoln' star dubbed him the world's greatest actor. The 55-year-old is clearly amongst the most gifted performers on the planet, though Day-Lewis himself batted away such suggestions at the Vanity Fair party following the Academy Awards.

"It's daft isn't it?" the actor told The Daily Telegraph, "Sean (Penn) had to go through all this a few years ago. It changes all the time." Most critics cite either Day-Lewis or Penn as the world's greatest living actor, though such opinions appear to lie firmly with Oscar nominations and wins. So rare are the British star's movie appearances that it seems folly to suggest nobody on the planet is doing better work. Asked where the future will take him, the actor admitted he has "no plans" to make another movie at the moment. "I can't think of anyone [characters] right now because I need to lie down for a couple of years. It's really hard to imagine doing anything after this." The difficulty in reaching him suggests it may remain that way for some time. "The thing is I forgot my phone tonight, and I'm sure my mates in the UK will have been phoning," he added. 

Day-Lewis' previously won Best Actor for My Left Foot in 1990 and There Will Be Blood in 2008. His win for Steven Spielberg's Lincoln sees him supersede Marlon Brando, Gary Cooper, Spencer Tracy, Frederic March, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Hanks and Sean Penn. The latter two actors are likely to feature at Oscars ceremonies in the future, while Nicholson and Hoffman are by no means beyond winning again.

Continue reading: "Don't Be Daft," Daniel Day-Lewis Laughs Off 'World's Greatest Actor' Tag

If there’s anything worse that winning just one Oscar after your film was nominated for five, it's winning Best Sound Editing, and if there’s anything more embarrassing that that, it’s winning Best Sound Editing in a rare tied award with Skyfall.

Zero Dark Thirty’s failure at the 85th Academy Awards can be attributed, at least in part, to a trio of US senators, who, on December 19 last year, complained that the film was “grossly inaccurate” for implying torture played a part in tracking down the al-Qa’ida leader. The controversy surrounding the political implications of her film, led director Kathryn Bigelow to write a piece in the Los Angeles Times. “Those of us who work in the arts know that depiction is not endorsement. If it was, no artist would be able to paint inhumane practices, no author could write about them, and no filmmaker could delve into the thorny subjects of our time.”

Continue reading: Zero Dark Thirty Wins Only One Oscar Through Rare Tied Award

Daniel Day-Lewis could now consider himself to be the greatest actor in the modern era as he became the first person to win three Best Actor Oscars for his role as President Abraham Lincoln in the film Lincoln.

The Brit thespian managed to continue his run of success over awards season, with the Oscar win his 18th award for his portrayal as the 16th US president; a run of success that has included wins at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards too. 

The win places Day-Lewis above Marlon Brando, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Hanks and Jack Nicholson - who presented the award for Best Film (won by Argo) alongside First Lady Michelle Obama - as the most successful male in Oscars history. The renowned method actor previously won the award for his roles in My Left Foot in 1990 and for There Will Be Blood in 2008, having being nominated for the award five times in total.

Continue reading: Daniel Day-Lewis Etches Himself Into Oscar Folklore With Historic Third Best Actor Win

There were few curve balls thrown at last night's Academy Awards ceremony, with the early favourites for the top prizes walking away from the show clutching a gold statuette.

Jennifer Lawrence and Christoph Waltz celebrating their Oscars wins

Continue reading: Oscar Winners 2013: Few Surprises As The Favourites Argo, Daniel Day-Lewis And Jennifer Lawrence Take Away Glory

Very few things in life go off without a hitch, and while last night's Oscar was an utter triumph there were a few blunder and trips (literally) along the way. Meryl Streep surprised everyone when it appeared she didn't even need to open the envelope of Best Actor to know Daniel Day-Lewis had won, and Jennifer Lawrence (perhaps amid the shock of her Oscar Win for Best Actress) tripped up the stairs on the way to collect her award. 

Speaking about Streep's blunder, Oscar Director Don Mischer told EW about his surprise as well. "[S]he threw me for a loop!" he exclaimed. "I want to see the envelope opening up as I'm coming out of the film clip. She must have opened it up during the film clip. That kind of threw me. There was a technical hitch right there. I like to cut to these boxes where you see everybody and the winner pops up full. She said the winner before we could ever blow up the box with the winner!" 

Jennifer Lawrence is endearingly earnest in interviews and when it comes to awards shows she can't leave without having done something to talk about. At the Globes this year she said "I beat Meryl!" which everyone misunderstood, and at the SAG awards there was another misunderstanding when it appeared her dress had ripped, where it was in fact part of the design. Tripping up the stairs though, that's something that can't be mistaken. Of that, Mischer said: "I was really happy when we realized she was not hurt and could survive the whole thing, get up there and react. It was quick and painless. Those are the things that happen with live television!"  

Continue reading: The Inevitable Oscar Blunders: Meryl Streep And Jennifer Lawrence Awards Night Mistakes

Anyone who bet against Daniel Day Lewis – you are a bad, bad person. Either that or the guy who hired to fix it didn’t do his job. Anyway, it’s DDL’s night for his turn as Abraham Lincoln. This makes Lewis the first man to win three awards in the Best Actor category.

Collecting the award, Lewis said, “I really don’t know how any of this happened. I do know that I perceived so much more than my fair share of good fortune in my life. And I’m so grateful to the academy for this honor. It’s a strange thing because three years ago, before we decided to do a straight swap, I had actually been committed to play Margaret Thatcher. And Meryl was Steven’s first choice for Lincoln, and I’d like to see that version. Steven didn’t have to persuade me play Lincoln, but had to persuade him that perhaps if I was going to do it, that Lincoln shouldn’t be a musical.” Lincoln is also the favorite to win Best Picture, which will be announced shortly, but that one isn’t as clear-cut as Best Actor. Argo mounted a late surge for the gong, and should it win, no one will begrudge the film’s deserved success.

Continue reading: Oscars 2013: No Surprises As Daniel Day Lewis Takes Best Actor For Lincoln

Yesterday evening (Feb 19) the voting for the 85th Annual Academy Awards came to a close, with over 5,800 movie insiders and members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences casting their vote on the 24 Oscar categories since February 8 until 5 pm PST last night.

This year marked the first time in the 85-year history of the Oscars that Academy members have been able to go online to cast their vote, with the votes heading over to private accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, who tally up the votes and deliver the golden envelopes on February 24. This year also saw another first, in that the two main contenders for Best Picture, Lincoln and Argo, have had up to $10 million spent on them in the past weeks in a bid to push for their place of the top prize.

The Los Angeles Times estimated that Warner Bros., the studio behind Argo, and Walt Disney Co, which is distributing Lincoln, have gone well into eight-figures over the past few weeks as they seek out Oscar glory. Having won the top prize at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, Ben Affleck's Iranian hostage drama is looking like the top contender for the night's big prize, but the film is by no means out of the woods just yet as Lincoln is proving to be a tightly matched contender for the top prize.  And with 12 nominations in total, it's also the film with the most nods from the Academy.

Continue reading: Argo Or Lincoln? Oscar Voting Closes Amidst Multi-Million Spending Campaigns

Academy Award invites who don't end up taking an Oscar home on Sunday evening (February 24, 2013) shouldn't despair, for nobody will be going home empty handed! Los Angeles-based marketing firm Distinctive Assets will once again be handing out its annual $45,000 'Everyone Wins At The Oscars Nominee Gift Bag' to all the 'losers,' according to Reuters.

Among the items in the lavish gift bags are HOLIDAYS TO AUSTRALIA, HAWAII and MEXICO, personal training sessions, condoms, a bottle of tequila, exclusive tennis shoes, appointments for injectable fillers, portion controlled dinnerware, an under-the-counter water filtration system, acupuncture and aromatherapy sessions, a one week stay at a fitness and weight loss retreat and a one-year membership to London Heathrow Airport's private VIP service. The company is not endorsed by the Academy though has been creating consolation goodie bags for 11 years, delivered directly to the losing nominees through agents and publicists. The alternate gift bags have gained enhanced publicity in recent years, after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stopped its practice of giving luxury baskets to presenters and performers in 2007 after it came under close scrutiny from U.S. tax authorities. Celebrities who receive gifts and free tips at awards shows are expected to declare them to the Inland Revenue Service as income. 

The Academy Awards will be handed out at a ceremony in Hollywood on Sunday. Daniel Day-Lewis, Jennifer Lawrence and Ben Affleck's Argo are expected to win the major prizes - though the losers probably won't feel too bad, either.

As has been speculated time and time again over the past month, the one sure bet at the Oscars on Sunday (February 24, 2014) is that Daniel Day-Lewis will take home the award for Best Actor for his career best performance as U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed biopic. The legendary British actor is yet to be beaten at any of the major Hollywood awards ceremonies and his success will continue at the Nokia Theatre this weekend.

Daniel Day-Lewis Will Be Celebrating Come The Oscars On Sunday

Continue reading: Accurate Or Not, 'Lincoln' Will Win At Least One Oscar On Sunday

It was all looking so promising for Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. According to the bookmakers, everything was in the historical epic's favor to pick up the 'big four' on Oscar night. Spielberg would win Best Director, Daniel Day-Lewis will land Best Actor, Sally Field might even win Best Actress, and the movie will almost certainly win Best Picture. The big-budget movie scored strong reviews from critics, though somehow, Ben Affleck's Argo team have snatched the major awards away from its grasp.

Today would have been Abraham Lincoln's 204th birthday - a milestone that Warner Brothers probably assumed would be celebrated with Spielberg and co white-washing the Oscars. Not so. Instead, the Associated Press honored it by noting how "nap-worthy," the late President's recent biopic is.  

"Yes, I fell asleep," confessed the 54-year-old marketing executive in Long Beach, Calif. "I only have two clear memories of the movie: a bunch of old white guys sitting around talking and Sally Field in a perpetual state of angst," goes one of the passages in the piece, before the writer adds, "The soliloquies started. That was something I didn't know about Lincoln, his tendency to give long-winded speeches at inappropriate times. The elderly lady next to me fell asleep and started snoring softly and before I knew it, I was nodding off, too."

Continue reading: Lincoln's Oscar Chances All But Disappear After 'Nap Worthy' Article

Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln may have headed into the Baftas as a forerunner, with ten nominations last night but it didn’t exactly sweep the board, when it came to the actual dishing out of awards. In fact, if it wasn’t for Daniel Day Lewis winning Best Actor, Lincoln would have walked away empty-handed. Daniel Day Lewis has won the same Bafta award twice previously; in 2003 for his role in Gangs of New York and again in 2008 for There Will Be Blood. It seems the five year cycle is working out just perfectly for Day Lewis, who once again walked away with the gong last night for his portrayal of the US president Abraham Lincoln.

In reference to his method acting approach to the roles he takes on, Daniel Day Lewis joked, in his speech, that he had prepared for winning the award last night by staying in character “as myself for the past 55 years.” He continued, “Every time I rise from a chair it spontaneously unleashes a soundtrack of thunderous applause, with a few boos and some drunken hecklers.” The 55 year-old actor went on to express his gratitude to BAFTA for recognizing the work that had gone into Lincoln.

It was Ben Affleck’s movie Argo that ended up with an armful of awards last night (four, to be precise). George Clooney, who produced the movie, was full of praise for Affleck (who was controversially snubbed in the Oscars’ Best Director category), saying “You are remarkable at what you do. You're smart and you know what you want, but more importantly you love what you're doing.”  

Continue reading: After Five Years, Daniel Day-Lewis Lands Another BAFTA

With Dame Shirley Bassey confirmed to perform at The 2013 Oscars, alongside fellow songstresses Adele and Barra Streisand, it looks as though we can expect some powerful performances at the Academy Awards come February 24th. 

Having conducted for the 79th and 83rd Oscars, this will be the first time Bassey has performed at the Oscars, and it's been a long time coming. The well-respected composer and arranger has worked for clients like fellow performer Streisand as well as Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Mariah Carey and the late Whitney Houston. Craig Zadan - who is producing the ceremony alongside Neil Meron - says, "We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Dame Shirley Bassey to our Oscar show. Her association with film music is world renowned and we are proud that she will be making her first Oscar appearance on our telecast." The pair refused to divulge any information about her performance, but considering the Academy is set to honour James Bond's 50th anniversary, we can't see anything but her Bond themes to Goldfinger and Moonraker being performed.

Of course, the real attention will be for the on-screen talent set to be recognised for their feats in 2012. Ben Affleck's excellent Argo - which he starred in as well as directing - has recently overtaken Lincoln as favourite for best picture, while Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis remain favourites to pick up the Best Director and Best Actor in a Lead Role nods respectively.

Continue reading: Dame Shirley Bassey At The Oscars Alongside Adele And Barbra Streisand

Most of the British talent on show at the BAFTAs on Sunday will have to sit firmly in their seats and watch one American in particular pick up a slew of awards in London. Daniel Day-Lewis will take the award for Best Actor for his sterling performance in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, though Ben Affleck will be the name on everyone's lips following the ceremony at the Royal Opera House, Convent Garden.

Argo - a drama directed by and starring Affleck - is likely to take Best Picture at the British ceremony, with the 40-year-old the big favourite to win for his directorial work too. The movie, about the rescue of American hostages from Iran in 1979, has beaten Lincoln to just about every award in America, establishing itself as the massive favourite to win Best Picture at the Oscars on February 24, 2013. Argo has seven BAFTA nominations in total and although Lincoln, Les Miserables, Life of Pi and Zero Dark Thirty also contest the major prizes, it's likely to be Affleck's tense drama that comes up trumps. 

British star Daniel Day-Lewis was hailed as "the world's greatest actor," by Time magazine last year and is the safe bet to add to his trophy cabinet on Sunday. Should he scoop the same prize at the Academy Awards, it would be his third Oscar for Best Actor, an unprecedented feat in the world of Hollywood. There could be wins for the Oscar-snubbed James Bond movie Skyfall, nominated in eight categories including Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), and Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem), though the bookmakers predict the film will miss out on the Outstanding British Film prize to Les Miserables, starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. 

Continue reading: Daniel Day-Lewis Is British BAFTAs Hope, But It's Ben Affleck's Year

Lincoln is looking like the hotest cinema ticket in town in the run up to the Oscars, but one eagle eyed congressman has pointed out a few glaring errors that to him makes the Civil War epic far from a forgone award-winning conclusion.

According to a Yahoo News report, Connecticut's Democratic congressman Joe Courtney went to see Steven Spielberg's hugely acclaimed presidential biopic when he noticed something that few else have spotted. In a scene where two Congressmen from his state voted against the 13th Amendment, Courtney says that as far as he knows this is a moment in history that had never happened, because Connecticut was a firm believer in Lincoln and his politics.

With the nagging feeling in his head that said he was right, Courtney researched the scene when he got home and all but confirmed what he believed to be true. So dissatisfied with Spielberg's error, the congressman then sent a letter to the director outlining his disbelief towards the mistake. The letter reads: "How could congressmen from Connecticut — a state that supported President Lincoln and lost thousands of her sons fighting against slavery on the Union side of the Civil War — have been on the wrong side of history?"

Continue reading: Connecticut Congressman Bemoans Lincoln's 'Factual Flaws'

Should the bookmakers shut down the market for Best Picture at the Oscars? At the turn of the year, Steven Spielberg's historical-epic Lincoln was the odds-on favorite to win the prestigious prize - its lead star Daniel Day-Lewis has always been the frontrunner to win Best Actor. Those odds strengthened when Ben Affleck was snubbed entirely by the Academy for the award of Best Director.

Then a strange thing started happening. Ben Affleck began winning every directorial award. Argo began winning every Best Picture award. Golden Globes and SAG's began to pile up and Affleck won the top film honour for the Director's Guild of America on Saturday (February 2, 2013).  Pretty much every DGA recipient has gone on to claim the major prize at Hollywood's biggest night. 

Still think Lincoln is going to win Best Picture? Then please, go ahead and help yourself to generous odds of 5/1 with the bookmakers, who are offering pathetically short prices on Ben Affleck getting up on-stage on February 24, 2013. It seems Affleck's Oscar snub has not hurt his Iranian-hostage movie and may have won it several votes as the plucky underdog. "I don't think that this makes me a real director, but I think it means I'm on my way," said Affleck following his win at the weekend. 

Continue reading: Has Ben Affleck's 'Argo' Already Won The Oscar For Best Picture?

Argo - the true story of the rescue of US diplomats stranded in Tehran after the 1979 Islamic revolution - has edged out Lincoln to become the odds on favourite for the highly coveted Best Picture award at The Oscars. And this is despite Ben Affleck missing out on a Best Director nomination.  

Argo picked up a couple of big Globes - Best Director and Best Motion Picture - and then followed that up by winning big at the SAG awards, picking up best cast ensemble. On Saturday, Argo won the Producers Guild award, beating Lincoln, Les Miserables and Silver Linings Playbook to the gong, setting the scene for a previously unexpected win at the Oscars. 

"There was absolutely no way I thought we would win this award," the film's director and star, Ben Affleck, told reporters backstage after the SAG win.  Asked about his movie's Oscar chances, Affleck said he was not in the business of "handicapping or trying to divine what's going to happen down the road".

Continue reading: Argo Overtakes Lincoln As The Oscar Favorite For Best Picture

Jennifer Lawrence with her trophy for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor

Whilst Jennifer Lawrence was grinning ear to ear, having taken the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, the Oscars continued to look daft as Ben Affleck's Argo romped off with yet another award, in the industry's continuing apparent two-fingered salute to the Academy.  

Continue reading: SAG Award Film Winners Assemble! Big Victories For Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lawrence And Anne Hathaway (Pictures)

A Proud Ben Affleck At The SAG Awards

The Iranian hostage drama Argo won the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards on Saturday evening (January 27, 2013), with Ben Affleck telling the audience, “There was absolutely no way I thought we would win this award.” The critically acclaimed movie – starring Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman and others – has picked up a slew of prizes during awards’ season, making Ben Affleck’s omission from the Best Director category at the Oscars all the more confusing.

The complete list of winners at the SAG’s made for familiar reading, with Argo winning the top prize and Daniel Day-Lewis and Jennifer Lawrence picking up lead acting honors for Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook respectively. Despite Argo’s success, the bookmakers remain convinced that it will be Steven Spielberg’s historical epic that will pick up the Best Picture at the Oscars, with the director almost certain to pick up Best Director in the absence of Affleck. “I don't know what's going to happen, nothing may happen, but it's a wonderful opportunity to be on the ride,” said the Argo filmmaker when quizzed on his movie’s Oscar chances.

Continue reading: SAG Awards: Argo’s Success Continues To Make Academy Look Red Faced

We won't know who'll walk away with the top prizes on offer at this year's Screen Actors Guild until Sunday (Jan 27), but there are a few people who might know already as the deadline for the final ballots for this years awards ceremony is today.

At noon (PT) the members of SAG will have their final say in who wins what at the 19th annual awards show at the weekend and it really is anyone's race to take home the top prizes (except for Best Actor, because Daniel Day-Lewis does not lose these awards).

Feel-good Brit-hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the surprise entrant to the Best Picture Category, facing stiff competition from Lincoln, Argo, Les Miserables and Silver Linings Playbook. Meanwhile, Day-Lewis is against Denzel Washington (Flight), Hugh Jackman (Les Mis), Bradley Cooper (SLP) and Oscar-snub John Hawkes (The Sessions), whilst the Actress section looks a little more familiar, with Jessica Chastin (Zero Dark Thirty), Helen Mirren (Hitchcock), Jennifer Lawrence (SLP), Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone) and Naomi Watts (The Impossible) are battling it out for the top acting prize.

Continue reading: Final Ballots For Screen Actors Guild Awards In Today

Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence battle over Best Actress, Denzel Washington and Daniel Day-Lewis meet over Best Actor And Anne Hathaway favorite for Best Supporting Actress. While Iceman (James Franco, Winona Ryder) and Mud (Matthew McConnaughey and Reese Witherspoon) Trailers Hit The Web.

It's awards season for the film industry, so it's no coincidence that most stories this week centre on actors and filmmakers who are up for a variety of statuettes. Last Sunday's Golden Globes are increasingly seen as a little more than a promotional opportunity for hopeful Oscar nominees, and since they have winners in both drama and musical/comedy categories, they can spread the love around more than other groups. Unlike most years, there is no movie poised to sweep the Oscars this year.

Although Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty is gaining on her, Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook is the front-runner for Best Actress. Facing a huge crowd of fans, she stopped to sign autographs and pose for photos on her way to David Letterman's show this week.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Oscar Predictions For Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Denzel Washington, Daniel Day-Lewis And Anne Hathaway While Iceman And Mud Trailers Hit The Web

With the nominations for 2013's Academy Awards being revealed today, all the fields are open in the four major categories as there seems to be no real, clear cut contenders for the top prizes.

Lincoln has taken the brunt of the nominations, with twelve nominations in total, so it looks as though Steven Spielberg's historical epic might be favourite for some of the top awards too- Daniel Day-Lewis, Steven Spielberg and the film itself looking odds on favourite with Oddschecker.com. But still, are things really as clear cut as they seem? Maybe not, with the odds aside, the close(ish) ones at that, nothing really seems that clear really.

Avatar was the odds on winner back in 2010, but it was the former Mrs James Cameron, Katherine Bigelow, to see her film sweep the awards. Day-Lewis in particular has some competition in his field, with Cannes winner Joaquin Phoenix and first time nominees Bradley Cooper and Hugh Jackman biting at his heels. Both Argo and Zero Dark Thirty look as though they could take the top award of the night from under the president's nose, but with no Ben Affleck, it does look as though Ang Lee may be Spielberg's only competition to top director gong.

Continue reading: Odds Are On For No One As Oscars Look To Be Close

The Oscars 2013 nominations are in! As expected, Daniel Day Lewis is named amongst the list for Best Lead Actor, but surprise nominations for Bradley Cooper and Joaquin Phoenix shuffle the deck nicely. 

It all happened so fast: months of speculation, buzz-talk and predictions for 10 minutes of average jokes from Seth McFarlane and Emma Stone. But here they are, the Oscar 2013 nominations are in, so now at least the predictions will be slightly more accurate.

Before we go on, here are the Best Lead Actor nominees in full.

Continue reading: Oscars 2013 Nominations: Best Lead Actor Category Sees Daniel Day-Lewis, Denzel Washington, Hugh Jackman, Bradley Cooper & Joaquin Phoenix In Contention

With Christopher Nolan categorically insisting that he won't helm another entry into the already finished Batman trilogy, minds are wondering as to what his next project will be.

According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, his next venture could be a leap into time travel with Interstellar. Like Looper and Inception before it, the plot is thought to be an incredibly complex one, as is based on scientific theories developed by Kip Thorne, a theoretical physicist, gravitational physicist and astrophysicist at Caltech. The deal has been allegedly negotiated for months now, and like the plot, is also very complex. Back in November (2012), Nolan insisted that he has no intention of making another Batman movie. He said at the time (via NME): "For me, The Dark Knight Rises is specifically and definitely the end of the Batman story as I wanted to tell it, and the open-ended nature of the film is simply a very important thematic idea that we wanted to get into the movie, which is that Batman is a symbol."

Spielberg was mooted to be involved in the project, but this latest revelation questions his involvement in the film. He'll be turning his head towards the Oscar Nominations announcement, which, barring a huge surprise, will see Lincoln nominated for best picture, himself up for best director, and his lead, Daniel Day Lewis in the running for best male lead. 

Continue reading: Christoper Nolan's New Movie, Interstellar?

Daniel Day Lewis going to have to get a bigger trophy cabinet once the 2013 movie awards season is out of the way but he very nearly ruined his own chances of gaining all of the plaudits that he’s landed for his role in Lincoln, when he wrote Steven Spielberg a letter turning down the role. Spielberg read the letter out to those in attendance at the New York Film Critics Circle awards on Monday.

The note reads almost like a Dear John letter, with Lewis explaining to Spielberg that whilst he couldn’t quite put his finger on why he wouldn’t take the role on at that time, it simply didn’t feel right for him. “I can’t account for how at any given moment I feel the need to explore life as opposed to another,” he told the director “but I do know that I can only do this work if I feel almost as if there is no choice; that a subject coincides inexplicably with a very personal need and a very specific moment in time.” The end of the note was particularly moving, as he says to Spielberg “I do hope this makes sense Steven, I’m glad you’re making the film, I wish you the strength for it, and I send both my very best wishes and my sincere gratitude to you for having considered me.”

Such was Spielberg’s determination to get Daniel Day Lewis in the lead role of Abraham Lincoln, that he tried another two re-writes of the script, before calling on Tony Kushner (Angels in America) to do the same. Finally, Daniel Day Lewis was won over. 

Continue reading: Lincoln? Thanks But No Thanks - Daniel Day Lewis Originally Rejected Steven Spielberg By Letter

Daniel Day-Lewis Is The Huge Favourite To Win The BAFTA For Best Actor

Steven Spielberg's civil war drama Lincoln leads this year's BAFTA nominations with 10 nods, including best film and best actor, for its lead star Daniel Day-Lewis. Surprisingly, director Steven Spielberg missed out on a nomination for his work behind the camera, though Sally Field scored a nomination for Best Actress. Speaking to the BBC's Lizo Mzimba at the announcement, film critic Mark Kermode said: "As far as Lincoln was concerned, all the attention was on Daniel Day-Lewis.Whatever anybody thinks about the film - and the critics have been somewhat divided, everybody thought his performance was captivating and completely believable."

Continue reading: Bookmakers Predict Bountiful BAFTAS For Lincoln And Daniel Day-Lewis

Judi Dench has finally found BAFTA recognition for her role as M in the James Bond movies. This year, the latest Bond movie, directed by British director Sam Mendes has received no fewer than eight nominations, in a year when at last, the 50 year old Bond franchise looks as though it could be in the running for an Oscar.

Dench’s appearance in Skyfall marked the last time that the veteran actress would play the role of M in the James Bond movies and finally, she has been recognised by the BAFTAs for her contribution to the world famous franchise, with a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Skyfall has also received nods for Outstanding British Film, Cinematography, Best Supporting Actor (for Javier Bardem), Editing Original Music, Production Design and Sound. No nod for Daniel Craig, though, the star of the movie.

Amanda Berry, chief executive of BAFTA, said “The public have really taken the film to their hearts, they went to see it in their droves internationally," the Telegraph reports. “Javier Bardem was the most amazing baddie so it's great to see him nominated too… Judi Dench was first nominated in 1966 as outstanding newcomer. She's never been nominated as M before, and it felt like her role was bigger this time. It was also her last performance. I just think it was a terrific film, really well made, with an outstanding cast.” Skyfall was just pipped to the post in terms of the number of nominations it received, by the movie Lincoln, starring Daniel Day Lewis.

Paving the way for a Foreign Language Film nod at The Oscars, Amour dominated the National Society of Film Critics awards, grabbing Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress for 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva.

Amour is a 2012 French-language drama film written and directed by Haneke, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva and Isabelle Huppert. An honest,  unflinching look at the power and endurance of love, Amour is a sad, mournful film; beautifully shot and tenderly acted. Fully deserving of the accolades gleaned so far.

Here are the other winners, and runners up (or losers, if you want to be churlish)

Continue reading: National Society Of Film Critics Enamoured With Amour, Daniel Day Lewis Takes Best Actor For Lincoln

The Golden Globes are one of the biggest film and television awards in the world. Winning an award from them will almost always top the C.V.s of anyone involved in film. 2012 has been one of the best years in film for a long time, with many films being deemed 'instant classics'. Although, of course, that's said every year, with just a quick glance at the calibre of performances, narrative and cinematography this year it's easy to see why it's being said.

2012's nominations were revealed today with few surprises. The favourites during speculation included Argo, Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty and The Master, and they haven't failed to impress in the Globes' nominations. Lincoln's set to be a big winner with seven nominations, while Argo has 5 nominations, Zero Dark Thirty has 4 and The Master has 3. All four, except The Master, are also in the running for Best Motion Picture, competing alongside Ang Lee's Life of Pi and Quentin Tarantino's re-envisioning of a slave narrative, Django Unchained. 

Tarantino's film received 5 nominations, which included two in the category for Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, for Christoph Waltz and Leonardo Dicaprio, which proves to us that it's more than worth the watch. Best Director nominations mirrors the Best Motion Picture, and include Ben Affleck (Argo), Stephen Spielberg (Lincoln), Ang Lee (Life of Pi), Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) and Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained), which is no surprise really. 

Continue reading: The Golden Globes Nominations, No Surprises For A Great Year Of Film

You know that film awards season’s getting going when the Critics Choice Awards announce their nominees, and this year they’ve made history by nominating Steven Spielberg’s biopic Lincoln for 13 awards – the most ever received by a film from the Critics Choice panel.

The next few days are where things get really interesting for any potential Oscar nominees, with the Critics Choice, The Golden Globes and the Screen Actors’ Guild all announcing the candidates for their own awards in quick succession. Traditionally, these three showcases have been good indicators as to whose going to feature at the prestigious Academy event – which means good news for Lincoln. Previously, Black Swan had taken the most nominations at the Critics Choice, with 12 back in 2011. The Critics Choice Movie Awards are decided on by the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) with some 270 radio and online critics getting in on the voting. The winners of the categories will be announced on January 10, 2013 in Santa Monica, California.

Though Lincoln came out top of the nominee pile, there were others scooping up some acclaim too; Les Miserables – which had its premiere New York premiere earlier in the week – took a mighty 11 nods whilst Silver Linings Playbook wasn’t far behind on 10. Of the actors, it was Silver Linings’ Jennifer Lawrence who led the way with four nominations having appeared in that and The Hunger Games earlier in the year. Her Silver Linings Playbook co-star Bradley Cooper led the male nominees with three.

Mooted by many to be an Oscar favourite, Steven Spielberg's political biopic, Lincoln, has broken records by being nominated for 13 Broadcast Film Critics Assn.'s Critics' Choice Movie Award nominations, The L.A Times reports.

Among the 13 nominations were best film, best director for Steven Spielberg, best actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, best supporting actress for Sally Field, best supporting actor for Tommy Lee Jones and best acting ensemble. The 18th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards will be handed out Jan. 10 - the same day that the Academy Award nominations are announced - and so represents one of the most exciting days of the year for film lovers. Fellow nominees in the most fiercly contested category - that of best film - are, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom, Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty. 

Competing with Spielberg for best director are Ben Affleck for Argo, Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty, Tom Hooper for Les Miserables, Ang Lee for Life of Pi and David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook. The cinematic reimagining of the musical, Les Miserables is the second most recognised entry with 11 nominations, while the quirky romantic comedy Silver Linings Playbook scored 10, despite a mixed critical response.

Continue reading: Lincoln Makes Strong Oscar Statement With Unprecedented 13 Broadcast Film Critic's Choice Movie Award Nominations

Kathryn Bigelow's drama Zero Dark Thirty about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden was always going to be a big success critically. Her film The Hurt Locker in 2008 proved her film making skill, and that she was able to treat the delicate situation between American and the Middle East with tact. With this new American military story and it's political inclinations it's no surprise really that it has won the Film of the Year 2012 by the National Board of Review in the USA, reports Yahoo.

Not only did the film pick up the best film award, but Kathryn Bigelow was awarded Best Director, while Best Actress went to Zero Dark Thirty's Jessica Chastain. The award for Best Actor went to Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook. Snapping up three of the most coveted prizes in the awards is no mean feat, and is a distinct nod towards what to expect from future nominations, but not necessarily about future wins. It's rare for all three awards to give the same awards to one film. Not since the 2008/9 awards has one movie won Best Film across the board, and that was Slumdog Millionaire.

One film that was surprisingly not a big winner with the NBR was this year's Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln, starring Daniel Day Lewis, although it did appear in the list of their ten top films, which also included: Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Looper, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Promised Land and Silver Linings Playbook. 

Awards season got into full swing in New York last night (December 3, 2012), with the NY Film Critics Circle ceremony rewarding the best movies and performances of the year. Though the Golden Globes is considered a key barometer for the Oscars, it's been the New York awards' show that has correctly predicted the Academy Awards winners in recent years. For example, it named The Artist as Best Picture before it had stepped up its Oscars campaign in 2011, it rewarded Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady and crowned The Hurt Locker before it beat Avatar to the biggest prize of them all.

So what do Monday's results tell us about the Oscars race? Well, firstly, that Les Miserables might be in trouble after not picking up a single award. Musical movies have never found much success at the critics' awards, though Anne Hathaway was tipped to win Best Supporting Actress - it went to Lincoln's Sally Field instead. Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor, as he's expected to do at the Oscars, while Matthew Mcconaughey usurped the Best Supporting Actor award from The Master's Philip Seymour Hoffman. Another shock was Rachel Weisz's win in the Best Actress category, despite pretty much everyone in the industry predicting that Jennifer Lawrence will win the Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook. The biggest surprise of the evening was reserved for the top award - Best Picture - which went to Zero Dark Thirty. Forget Argo and Lincoln, because it was Kathryn Bigelow's drama about the hunt for Osama bin Laden that took the prize. The film currently holds a perfect score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with Screen Crush writing, "This look at world's biggest manhunt may be the best manhunt movie ever made."

The result has affected the bookmakers' interpretation on the race for the Best Picture Oscar, slashing Zero Dark Thirty's odds to 14/1. Ben Affleck's Argo remains the favorite at 2/1. 

Continue reading: The New York Critics Predict The Oscars? Then Kathryn Bigelow Can Start Celebrating

A big weekend for the U.S Box Office saw the much anticipated premiere of Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 - the final instalment of the franchise - win the weekend at a canter.

Coming at over three times its nearest rival, Skyfall, which managed $41,500,000 in its second week, Twilight amassed a staggering $141,300,000 on its opening weekend. Having already enjoyed a limited release previously, Steven Spielberg's political epic Lincoln managed $21,000,000 in first full weekend, while Disney's Wreck it Ralph claimed the #4 spot with $18,312,000 - an impressive feat for its third week. Flight, starring Denzel Washington as a pilot with alcohol problems and also in its third week rounds off the top 5 $8,615,000. Fighting for Oscars honours with both Lincoln and possibly Flight will be Ben Affleck's Argo, which can't muster the same kind of commercial clout as it's biggest rivals. In on its 6th week, Argo holds 6th place. Astonishingly maintaining a presence in the top 10 is Taken 2. The Liam Neeson thriller, despite being critically panned has been a fair success, with $2,100,000 this weekend, and a cumulative net of  $134.6M.

The rest of the top 10 looks like this: Pitch Perfect takes 8th in its 8th week, the disappointing Here Comes The Boom takes 9th spot with $1,200,000, and finally, Cloud Atlas clings on at #10 with a puny $900,000 in its 4th week. 

The limited release seemed to go down a storm with fans, and with the full release of Lincoln in the US this week, it’s time for a recap of the final reviews that have come in for what looks like is going to be a huge contender for many of the Oscars on offer next Spring.

You’ll be well aware that Lincoln focuses on the 16^th American President Abraham Lincoln during the period when he abolished slavery. Daniel Day-Lewis is the man playing the bearded leader, Sally Field is wife Mary Todd. The pairing has been a smash success in the eyes of the critics – as has just about everything else about the film.

"Lincoln is the work of a different director, one truly fascinated by why his subjects do what they do, one who invests each moment with the artistry he has often reserved for setpieces” chirruped The Village Voice earlier this week. “Daniel Day-Lewis plays Lincoln as a true mid-westerner, a wry, twinkle-eyed statesman that understood how conviction and likeability could affect the hearts of men. This man has no equal as an actor” said MovieWeb, whilst Orlando Weekly commented “[A] handsome and discriminating historical drama.”

Continue reading: Final Reviews In: Lincoln Set To Be A Smash Success

There was always going to be some sect of America that would shriek with horror when the news that Steven Spielberg had chosen British actor Daniel Day-Lewis to play beloved US President Abraham Lincoln, and with the new film about the final days of the former President's life about to hit US cinemas those cries have been reignited once more.

Never mind the fact that one of Hollywood's most competent directors was working with one of the most celebrated and successful actors of all time, that still hasn't silenced opposition towards the two time Oscar winner and his depiction of Honest Abe. However, since the film was given it's first screenings, the one thing that US audiences have found to complain about more than Day-Lewis' nationality is his voice - with both audiences and critics commenting that the tone adopted by the actor comes nothing close to what they had in mind for one of their country's most revered orators.

A review in Time magazine, which overall gave a glowing reception to the film and Day-Lewis' performance, commented that his voice in the film is “thin" and "reedy," while one report from CBS News said his tone was “scratchy and not what audiences had come to expect."

Continue reading: Daniel Day-Lewis And Steven Spielberg Come Under-fire For Abraham Lincoln Portrayal

Daniel Craig and wife Rachel Weisz shared a rare moment of public intimacy at the 2012 Britannia Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Wednesday evening (November 8, 2012). The British couple were attending the BBC America sponsored event, at which Craig picked up the award for British Artist of the Year.

After being announced the winner, Craig leaned in and kissed his wife before making his way onto the stage as she applauded. The Skyfall actor mimicked his 007 persona by opting for a simple black tuxedo, while Weisz opted for a black ensemble. After picking up his gong, Craig was congratulated by director Stephen Spielberg and Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis, who also took home an award for his turn in Lincoln. The evening turned out to be a very Bond affair, with actresses Berenice Marlohe and Naomie Harris both in attendance, as well as director Sam Mendes. Goldeneye actor Alan Cumming hosted the event in a striking looking red suit.

Though amongst the world's most famous movie stars, Craig and Weisz have managed to keep their relationship largely private. She broke off her engagement to director Darren Aronofsky in 2010 before marrying Craig in June 2011. 

Continue reading: Spy Who Loved Me: Daniel Craig Kisses Rachel Weisz At BAFTA Britannia Awards

A busy month for movies has seen some big hitters, but perhaps none as big as Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, which tells the tale of America’s 16^th president’s struggle to push through the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, permanently abolishing slavery. We’ve taken a look at some Lincoln reviews for you.

Early indications, as not all the top reviews are in, suggest that Daniel Day Lewis’ turn as Abraham Lincoln might bag him an Oscar come 2013. “Lincoln looks amazing, sounds amazing, and has enough talent to make it an exhilarating learning experience,” say Hollywood.com. And another Hollywood, this time the Reporter, tend to agree: “An absorbing, densely packed, sometimes funny telling of the 16th president's masterful effort in manipulating the passage of the 13th amendment,” they write. Variety also loved the film, but acknowledged that their might be the odd historical inaccuracy. “Though historians will surely find room to quibble,” they wrote, “every choice Day-Lewis makes lends dignity and gravitas to America's most revered figure”. The Guardian took the opportunity to make a small dig at contemporary politicians, in light of the impending American election, quipping, “If only modern American politics were remotely as entertaining.” Finally Boxoffice.com, said Lincoln was “A fascinating, savvy look at the inner-workings of the political process and how things in the White House get - or don't get – done.”

Continue reading: At The Movies: Lincoln Review Roundup

Denzel Washington’s latest film, Flight, has garnered much praise already – and for all the right reasons too – with Washington already tipped for Oscar glory for his staring role.

The film itself, directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by John Gatins, tells the story of an airline pilot who saves a flight from crashing, however the post-flight investigation into the plane’s malfunctions reveals some worrying revelations. Washington stars as said pilot, Whip Whitaker, who on top of being a veteran of his trade is also a serious alcoholic. The film also stars Bruce Greenwood as the character Charlie Anderson.

Whilst still a newcomer to the box office, critics look as though they can’t get enough of Washington and his performance, and betting sites have already placed the double-Oscar winner among the top contenders to achieve Oscar glory at next years ceremony. 

Continue reading: Denzel Washington Set For Oscar Success With ‘Flight’?

There is a relation between George Clooney and Abraham Lincoln; according to Ancestry.com, Clooney is the half-first cousin five times removed from Lincoln, the 16th president, Reuters reports.

When they say "half", then mean that two of their ancestors were half-siblings - Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks was the half-sister of Clooney's 4th great-grandmother Mary Ann Sparrow. As historical figures go, Clooney has got to be pretty happy with the news. Considered to be one of the most important men in the history of America, and certainly remembered as its finest president, Abraham Lincoln led the country through the Civil War and is credited with the abolition of slavery, which officially became law in 1865 after his assassination. Clooney, whilst predominantly known for his fine acting talents, has also trodden down the political path once or twice, but not with quite the same authority and consequence. A major Hollywood backer of President Barack Obama - he hosted a Democratic Party fundraiser at his Los Angeles home in March that raised $15 million for the party.

One can't help the feeling that Ancestry.com knew about this link for a little while, but waited for the week in which Lincon - the upcoming Steven Spielberg film, which stars Daniel Day Lewis as the title role - is released. You can catch Lincoln on limited release on November, 9, with the general release happening on the 16th.

Continue reading: Is George Clooney Related To Abraham Lincoln?

So that's where his political integrity comes from! George Clooney, the Oscar winning actor and noted Democrat, is a distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln, considered the greatest president in the history of the United States. According to Ancestry.com, The Descendants star is the half-cousin five times removed from Lincoln.

The genealogy website explains the connection in detail, noting that "half" means two of their ancestors were half siblings. Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks was the half-sister of Clooney's 4th great-grandmother Mary Ann Sparrow. Hanks and Sparrow shared the same mother, Lucy, who was Lincoln's maternal grandmother. Clooney has long been associated with political activism and recently hosted a Democratic Party fundraiser at his Los Angeles home, raising $15 million for President Barack Obama's re-election campaign. He was arrested in Washington this year during a protest at the Sudanese Embassy.

Lincoln, a Republican, led his country through the Civil War and is credited with abolishing slavery, which became law following his death in 1865. He is the subject of Steven Spielberg's new biopic, which is likely to win Daniel Day Lewis yet another Oscar. Ahead of the movie's release, ancestry.com is offering free access to more than 20,000 documents showcasing Lincoln's life. 

Continue reading: George Clooney Confirmed As Distant Cousin Of Abraham Lincoln

Daniel Day Lewis has donated papers from the archive of his poet father Cecil to Oxford University's Bodleian Libraries. The never seen before papers includes a letter from WH Auden, criticising one of Cecil's poems, and the final stanza of 'The Newborn' written to mark the birth of Oscar winner Daniel.

According to BBC News, the collection will be celebrated with a day of special events on 30 October, 2012. Daniel and sister Tamasin said they were "thrilled" with the archive's new home, "If the manuscripts had ended up outside the country it would have saddened us all as a family as the poets who became papa's lifelong friends and peers all met up at Oxford as undergraduates," they said in a joint statement. Cecil Day-Lewis is one of the most notable Anglo-Irish poets of recent times. He studied classics at Oxford before being elected professor of poetry at the university in 1951 and Poet Laureate in 1968. The archive also contains correspondence with Sir Kingsley Amis, Sir John Betjeman and Sir Stephen Spender.

Daniel Day Lewis, who has made only six films since 1997, is the bookmakers' favourite to win Best Actor at the Oscars for his turn in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln biopic. He has won the award on two separate occasions, for My Left Foot and There Will Be Blood. 

Continue reading: Daniel Day Lewis Donates Poet Father's Papers To Oxford University

Steven Spielberg has finally arrived at the awards season party with 'Lincoln', a movie about the 16th President of the United States of America, touted as his best film in years. Though 2011's 'War Horse' was set up to be land the director an Oscar's gold-rush, it disappointed critics and in the end seemed a million miles away from the rich offerings of Alexander Payne's The Descendants and, of course, Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist.

Now, the 65-year-old appears to have assembled a talented cast to compliment Tony Kushner's useful script. Last year, fans of Daniel Day Lewis were left stunned as photographs of the actor displaying an incredible likeness for the great politician emerged online. It appears that his portrayal of Lincoln goes far beyond aesthetics though, and critics were lining up to praise the actor following the movie's premiere at the New York Film Festival this week. Reactions began hitting the web shortly after the movie had screened, with Clayton Davis of Awards Circuit gushing, "Daniel Day-Lewis effortlessly envelopes Abraham Lincoln with charm and resolve. It's a magnetic turn that not only inspires the human spirit but provides an immense amount of laughter." ComingSoon's Edward Douglas talked up Lincoln's Oscars chances, calling it "Spielberg's best movie in years," before adding, "Lincoln should be good for 12 Oscar nominations and 4 easy wins."

Lincoln has firmly established itself as a frontrunner for the Best Picture prize at next year's Academy Awards, though it's closely rival - Ben Affleck's Argo - has also received positive reviews in New York this week. However, if Daniel Day Lewis doesn't win Best Actor then we'll eat our top hat.