Alright Hunger Games, let’s see what you’ve got! In the event you haven’t paid your Cable bill these past couple months, you  otherwise are well aware probably that Jennifer Lawrence is hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend. The stunning Golden Globe Award Winner brings out the laughs here along with Funnyman Jason Sudeikis, in this just-release Promo for the eagerly-awaited Episode. Watch her pull a Katniss on poor Bobby Moynihan.

In addition to her Awards Blitz which includes an appearance at next month’s Oscars, for which she’s nominated with Silver Linings Playbook, Lawrence also covers the February 2013 Issue of Vanity Fair.  Read the fascinating Piece here by as she chats with Jim Windolf about her rise to success over Beer and a Beef Burrito.

One interesting quote from Lawrence about her modest Start: “I was 14. And my brothers were star athletes. And one of them was a straight-A student. I always felt like I sucked at everything, that I could never find the thing that I liked. I auditioned and I probably sucked, but I had decided 100 percent that this is what I wanted to do. And, fortunately, my mother and I had fallen in love with New York, so the idea of living there for the summer wasn’t as scary.”.

Watch Lawrence‘s SNL Promo below:

Giving just a taste of what’s to come at the Oscars next month, the 70th annual Golden Globe Awards took place tonight at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.  As originally thought, the Race to next month’s Oscars is just as wide-open as ever based on tonight’s results. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association awarded top Honours to Argo for Motion Picture – Drama, when many thought Zero Dark Thirty or Lincoln would be victorious. To further illustrate the drastic differences between the HFPA‘s tastes and that of the Academy, Ben Affleck shocked many in failing to garner a mention for Best Director when Oscar Nominees were unveiled this past Thursday. To put this into context, Affleck‘s win tonight for Motion Picture – Director had him defeating previous Oscar Winners Kathryn Bigelow and even past Cecil B. DeMille Award Winner, Steven Spielberg. Nonetheless, with Argo nabbing two key Awards, in addition to Django Unchained winning Original Screenplay and Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Christoph Waltz) and Les Misérables also winning an impressive three Awards: Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Actor in a Musical or Comedy (Hugh Jackman) and Supporting Actress in a Musical or Comedy (Anne Hathaway), these three Best Picture Nominees definitely cannot be ruled-out.

Jodie Foster, a six-time Golden Globe Nominee herself, was honoured with the Cecil B. DeMille Award this year, raising quite a few eyebrows with her v. candid Speech which for the first time publicly had her addressing her Sexuality. “I’m just gonna put it out there loud and proud, so I’m gonna need your support on this. I am single. Yes I am”, she said with a bit of nervousness. “I already did my coming-out a thousand years ago in the Stone Age in those very quaint days when a fragile young Girl would open-up to Family and Friends”.  On her longevity as an Actress Foster says, “There are a few secrets to keeping your Psyche intact over such a long career – love people and stay beside them.”.

As predicted, Jessica Chastain and Daniel Day-Lewis won respectively for Best Actress and Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. This is the second time Chastain has been nominated, her first Nomination coming with 2011’s The Help.  Also this is the sixth time the reclusive Day-Lewis has been nominated and his second time winning the prestigious Award.  He won in  2008 for There Will Be Blood.

Meanwhile, Hugh Jackman earned his first-ever Golden Globe  for Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, with  Les Misérables; he received  his first nomination back in 2002 for Kate & Leopold.  Jackman edged-out Bradley Cooper, a first-time Nominee for his work on Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Winner Silver Linings Playbook.  Both Actors will vie with Day-Lewis at next month’s Oscars for the  coveted Best Actor Award.

The Hunger Games Star Jennifer Lawrence, won her first Golden Globe for Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her work in Silver Linings Playbook.  “What can I say? I beat Meryl!”, she joked upon accepting her Award from hilarious Anchorman 2 Duo, Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell.  “JLaw” as she likes to be called, received her first Golden Globe in 2010 for Breakthrough Role in Winter’s Bone.

Three-time Golden Globe Nominee Anne Hathaway was seen widely as a heavy Favourite to win for Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture and did not disappoint for her work in Les Misérables.  Defeating an exceptionally-talented Group including Helen Hunt, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams and Sally Field, Hathaway likely will take home Best Supporting Actress next month also.  The New York Native’s Acceptance Speech was full of compliments, giving nods to Co-Host Tina Fey, using a word she made famous, “Blarg!” and also praising Field for her Oscar-winning work in Norma Rae.

Despite some heavy competition, two-time Golden Globe Nominee and now two-time Winner Waltz rose above all to win Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his spirited turn in Django Unchained. With the exception of Co-Star Leonardo DiCaprio, he will be up against Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tommy Lee Jones and Alan Arkin again next month at the Oscars in the same Category.

In the Television categories, HBO‘s Sarah Palin-inspired Game Change and  Showtime Drama Series Homeland walked away the big Winners. The former won for Mini-Series or Motion Picture for Television, in addition to Stars Julianne Moore and Ed Harris each winning Actress and Supporting Actor respectively. The latter garnered four nominations this year, including Television Series – Drama.  New Mom  Claire Danes, who won last year for Actress in a Television Series – Drama repeated the feat again this year, while Co-Star Damian Lewis won the Award for Actor.  HBO‘s Breakout Hit Girls despite falling short at the Primetime Emmy Awards late last year, would not be refused tonight winning Television Series – Comedy and also its Writer and Star Lena Dunham winning Actress in a Television Series – Comedy.  Coincidentally or not, Season Two of the Series premiered tonight.

As always, Fashion is a huge part of the Festivities and especially stunning on the Red Carpet tonight were Hathaway donning an elegant white Chanel Dress.  Chastain rarely disappoints and tonight she chose Calvin Klein as her Clothier of choice, looking Classic Hollywood and Katharine Hepburn-esque.  Lawrence also drew a lot of attention for her red Dior Couture Dress cinched with a thematically-appropriate gold belt, as did Foster in a navy Armani Number.    Lucy Liu who currently stars in TV Series Elementary, may have drawn some mixed responses for her floral Carolina Herrera Dress, but she gets big points here for the inspired Look. Also, hilariously snappy Co-Hosts  Tina Fey and Amy Poehler graced the Carpet in Wife and Husband Outfits, Fey looking particularly amazing in L’wren Scott. Of the Gentleman, no one can deny that Leonardo DiCaprio was King of the Ball in Tom Ford!

For a complete list of Winners, click here.

(Photo credit: @GoldenGlobes)

With the voting deadline having passed for Academy Members, Deadline is reporting much controversy over the transition of the voting process from over-the-mail to online.  Apparently, some Movers & Shakers and even Oscar-winning Actors themselves were having technical issues accessing their accounts as they scrambled to make this week’s deadline. Click here to read more about that.

Non-theatrical Drama aside, I am beyond-excited for this Thursday morning’s Oscar Nominee Announcements.  Expect Jessica Chastain to be the definitive Favourite to win Best Actress for Zero Dark Thirty, as is the case with Anne Hathaway in the Category of Best Supporting Actress based on her bone-chilling Les Misérables Performance.  In a tight match, Hugh Jackman and two-time Winner Daniel Day-Lewis foreseeably will be neck-in-neck for Best Actor, while Django Unchained Co-Stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Christoph Waltz likely will vie for Best Supporting Actor along with Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln, and Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master.  In a year with several standouts, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, Django Unchained, Argo and Lincoln all to be in close contention, while divisive Dark Horse The Master, could surprise.

Seth MacFarlane hosts the 85th annual Academy Awards on February 24, 2013. ABC airs at 7:00 PM EST. 

As a reminder, the Golden Globe Awards follow only a few days after the Oscar Nominations are unveiled, taking place on Sunday, January 13, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST, to air on NBC; Tina Fey & Amy Poehler host. 

I live for this!

(Photo credit: Oscars.com)

The Toronto International Film Festival traditionally is a good indicator of the Films we can expect to be in-contention come Awards Season, which concludes with the Oscars. In fact, six out of seven recent Best Picture Winners saw their debuts at TIFF including: Crash, The King’s Speech, Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Hurt Locker and The Artist. This raises the question – will the next Best Picture Winner also be premiering at TIFF 2012? Bet on it. Here are a few early Contenders premiering at TIFF 2012 nabbing serious buzz coming into the Festival and some of these just may even have a real fighting chance Sunday, February 24, 2013 at the Oscars.

ARGO – A CIA Specialist helps six Americans who have found shelter at the home of Canadian Ambassador during the Iranian Revolution. Stars Ben Affleck, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Victor Garber, Clea Duvall and Taylor Schilling. Affleck also directs. Warner Bros. releases October 12, 2012. Screens at TIFF: Friday, September 7, 2012 at Roy Thomson Hall – 6:30 PM, Saturday, September 8, 2012 at VISA Screening Room – 11:00 AM and Saturday, September 15, 2012 at VISA Screening Room – 3:00 PM.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – A former Teacher who was institutionalized, returns home to reconcile matters with his Ex-Girlfriend. He meets a mysterious Woman with her own set of problems. Stars Bradley Cooper, Julia Stiles and Jennifer Lawrence. David O. Russell (The Fighter) directs. Already hearing Oscar buzz from Insiders about Lawrence here. Alliance Films releases November 21, 2012. Screens at TIFF: Saturday, September 8, 2012 at Roy Thomsom Hall at 6:30 PM and Sunday, September 9, 2012 at VISA Screening Room at 11:00 AM.

THE MASTER – A Drama set in the ’50s about a Man whose Faith-based Organizations begin to catch-on with the help of his Right-hand Man. Stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Joaquin Phoenix. Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood) directs. Alliance Films releases on October 12, 2012. Screens at TIFF: Friday, September 7, 2012 at Princess of Wales Theatre – 9:00 PM, Saturday, September 8, 2012 at TIFF Bell Lightbox – 3:15 PM and Sunday, September 16, 2012 at TIFF Bell Lightbox – 6:00 PM.

THE SESSIONS – A Man with an iron Lung enlists the help of a Sex Therapist and Priest to help him lose his Virginity. Stars Helen Hunt, William H. Macy and John Hawkes; Ben Lewin directs. Fox Searchlight releases October 26, 2012. Screens at TIFF: Sunday, September 8, 2012 at VISA Screening Rom at 2:30 PM, Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at VISA Screening Room at 2:30 PM and Saturday, September 15, 2012 at Ryerson Theatre.

THE PAPERBOY – A Reporter returns to his Hometown in Florida to investigate the case of a Man on Death Row. Stars John Cusack, Matthew McConnaughey, Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron; Lee Daniels (Precious) directs. D Films releases on October 19, 2012. Screens at TIFF: Friday, September 14, 2012 at VISA Screening Room – 6:00 PM and Saturday, September 15, 2012 at Ryerson Theatre – 6:00 PM.

THE HUNT – A Danish Film about a Kindergarten Teacher is falsely accused of Child Abuse. Stars Mads Mikkelsen (who won Best Actor at Cannes in May for this) and Thomas Bo Larsen; Thomas Vinterberg directs. Screens at TIFF: Monday, September 10, 2012 at TIFF Bell Lightbox – 9:15 PM and Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at TIFF Bell Lightbox – 3:00 PM. Opens in theatres October 25, 2012 via Mongrel Media.

FRANCES HA – A young Dance Teacher lives her life with unaccountable joy and lightness, but aims to be so much more than what she is. Stars Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver and Mickey Sumner; Noah Baumbach directs this Film which recently won the hearts of Critics at the Venice Film Festival. Screens at TIFF: Friday, September 7, 2012 at Ryerson Theatre – 9:30PM, Saturday, September 8, 2012 at Winter Garden Theatre – 12:00 PM and Saturday, September 15, 2012 at Bloor HotDocs Cinema – 6:15 PM.

DREDD 3D – Set in a futuristic World where Violence is fought with Violence, a Trainee aspires to become a Judge – who act also as Jury and Executioners. Stars Olivia Thirlby, Karl Urban and Lena Headey; Pete Travis directs. Screens at TIFF: Thursday, September 6, 2012 at Ryerson Theatre – 11:59 PM and Saturday, September 8, 2012 at Cineplex Yonge & Dundas – 12:30 PM. Opens in theatres via Alliance Films on Friday, September 21, 2012.

Of course, as is the case with previous TIFFs, there always is a Dark Horse or two to emerge out of the clouds. Surely we’ll also be hearing about The Reluctant Fundamentalist, A Song for Marion and Hyde on Hudson Park? We soon shall see…

(Photo credit: Alliance Films)