#OSCARS: NOMINATIONS UNVEILED FOR 2017 ACADEMY AWARDS

As anticipated, LA LA LAND leads the 89th Academy Award nominations which were announced at 8:30 AM EST in Los Angeles.  The Musical, hot off seven Golden Globe wins garnered a whopping 14 nominations including Best Picture, Actress (Emma Stone), Best Actor (Ryan Gosling), Directing (Chazelle), Writing (Chazelle) and more.  It also has two nods for Original Song with Audition and City of Stars. Chazelle in a statement today said, “I am thrilled that the Academy is celebrating the work of Emma and Ryan, who brought these characters to life with such humanity and depth, and also the work of my college roommate Justin who created the beautiful music.”.

Up for Best Picture are:

ARRIVAL

FENCES

HACKSAW RIDGE

HELL OR HIGH WATER

HIDDEN FIGURES

LA LA LAND

LION

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

MOONLIGHT

We had the pleasure of running promotions in 2016 for seven out of nine of these nominations and would like to congratulate our friends at these Canadian companies who distribute these Films: Elevation Pictures (Moonlight, Hacksaw Ridge), 20th Century Fox Canada (Hidden Figures), Paramount Pictures Canada (Arrival, Fences), VVS Films (Hell or High Water), Mongrel Media (Manchester by the Sea) and eOne Films (Lion, La La Land).

MOONLIGHT, seen widely as LA LA LAND‘s biggest threat for Best Picture, garners the second-most nods, tallying-in at a total of eight. The Film directed by up-and-comer and nominee Barry Jenkins has been a major force this Awards Season, a powerful response to an outcry of the prestigious awards lacking diversity.

This year, we see a total six black actors nominated including Viola Davis (Fences), Denzel Washington (Fences), Ruth Negga (Loving), Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Naomie Harris (Moonlight) and Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures). We also see an Actor of English-Indian descent nominated for Supporting Actor, Dev Patel (Lion).  FENCES, starring an all-black cast, gets four nominations, while HIDDEN FIGURES, fronted by three black female principal actors, gets three nominations.

Davis, seen widely as the favourite in the Supporting Actress category stated, “Thank you to the Academy for recognizing this extraordinary, important film and my work in it. Thank you Denzel for being at the helm!”.

Although Canada’s submission for Foreign Language Film IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD missed the final shortlist, Canadians have plenty to be proud of with a total eight nominations, according to a congratulatory Press Release from Telefilm Canada:

Howard Barish, co-producer (13th), Documentary (Feature)
Sylvain Bellemare (Arrival), Sound Editing
Bernard Gariépy Strobl and Claude La Haye (Arrival), Sound Mixing
Ryan Gosling (La La Land), Actor in a Leading Role
Shawn Levy, co-producer (Arrival), Best Picture
Theodore Ushev (Blind Vaysha), Short Film (Animated), National Film Board of Canada
Patrice Vermette (Arrival), Production Design
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival), Directing

Some surprises from today’s announcements include a nod for three-time winner Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins) in the Lead Actress category and Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic) getting his second nomination today for Lead Actor. Many are surprised that despite getting recognized for Best Picture, ARRIVAL star Amy Adams did not garner a nod for Actress in a Leading Role with two strong performances this year – the other being NOCTURNAL ANIMALS – being a major force all Awards Season. Newcomer and a soon to be on Broadway Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea) finds himself among great company for Supporting Actor.

Streep in a humorous visual statement, had this to say about her recognition:

 

Hilarious. Meryl Streep’s visual statement from @eOneFilms for her #FlorenceFosterJenkins nomination. pic.twitter.com/FANFWXG5kw

— MR. WILL WONG (@mrwillw) January 24, 2017

 

The 2017 Academy Awards air on ABC Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 7 PM EST.

(Photo credit: Oscars)

 

 

#BOXOFFICE: “MOANA” ON-TOP A THIRD WEEK

For a third straight week Disney‘s MOANA takes the top of the Box Office, earning $18.8 million this weekend from 3,875 theatres.  In its domestic run thus far, it has grossed $145.3 million.

In second in its debut is Paramount Pictures’ OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY with $16.8 million from 3,210 theatres. The Holiday Comedy with an all-star cast including Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon and T.J. Miller, gets a B CinemaScore from Audiences and a 44% on the Tomatometer from Critics.

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM lands in third this weekend with $10 million for Warner Bros., just shy of the $200 million-mark over four weeks.

ARRIVAL shows amazing momentum now in its fifth week with $5.2 million for Paramount Pictures, earning $82 million across North America in five weeks.

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS expands to 1,262 theatres for Universal Pictures this weekend, making $3.6 million, a total $6.7 million over four weeks and a second Film for Amy Adams in the Top Ten this weekend in addition to ARRIVAL.

Oscar Contender MANCHESTER BY THE SEA expands to 368 theatres, bringing-in $3,1 million for Mongrel Media/Roadside Attractions. In four weeks it has tallied $8.2 million.

HACKSAW RIDGE rounds-out the Top Ten with $2.3 million for Elevation Pictures/Lionsgate Films, a total $60.8 million in six weeks.

Bubbling under is Oscar favourite LA LA LAND which plays in limited engagement in five theatres to earn an excellent $850k for eOne Films/Liosngate Films.

#BOXOFFICE: “BEASTS” FANTASTIC IN OPENING

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is much the best at the Box Office this weekend, debuting with $76 million for Warner Bros. in 4,144 theatres across North America. Penned by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling and directed by Potter director David Yates, this first installment in the Franchise fares well critically with an 76% on the Tomatometer and an A CinemaScore, boding well for some word of mouth. Some are concerned these numbers are not strong enough to propel a Franchise, although we think they are just being diffficult! We mustn’t forget the international appeal of Rowling…

In second is 20th Century Fox‘s TROLLS with $16.9 million in its third week, totalling $115 million in its domestic run.

DOCTOR STRANGE finds itself in third with $16.3 million for Marvel/Disney in its third week, bringing its tally to $180.6 million for the Benedict Cumberbatch-starring superhero flick.

ARRIVAL lands in fourth with $11.2 million for Paramount Pictures, bringing the Oscar contender’s two-week total to $42.8 million.

HACKSAW RIDGE is in sixth with $6.4 million in its third week, a total of $42.5 million grossed for Elevation Pictures/Lionsgate Films.

THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN opens in eighth for STX Entertainment/VVS Films with $4.8 million from 1,945 theatres. The TIFF ’16 selection and coming-of-age Dramedy starring Oscar nominee and Popstar Hailee Steinfeld, gets a whopping 95% on the Tomatometer and an A-CinemaScore.

SHUT IN rounds-out the Top Ten with $1.6 million in its second week out for EuropaCorp and VVS Films.

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN A “HACKSAW RIDGE” PRIZE PACK

Elevation Pictures + Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a HACKSAW RIDGE Prize Pack!  Packs include Run-of-Engagement Passes, a St. John’s Ambulance Kit, an official T-Shirt and Posters! Directed by Mel Gibson, the Film stars Teresa Palmer, Andrew Garfield, Luke Bracey and Vince Vaughn.

Synopsis:

The film depicts the true-life heroic story of American soldier Desmond Doss who saved 75 men serving as a medic in WWII all while refusing to hold a gun because of his personal beliefs as a conscientious objector.

Trailer:

Artwork:

See the swag:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK! Please specify your request size for the T-Shirt! Canadian Readers only, please.

Elevation Pictures release HACKSAW RIDGE on Friday, November 4, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “HACKSAW RIDGE”

Elevation Pictures + Mr. Will want to take Readers to see Venice Film Festival selection HACKSAW RIDGE, directed by Mel Gibson and starring Andrew Garfield.

Screenings take place on in the following cities Thursday, October 27, 2016 in Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Halifax.

Synopsis:

The film depicts the true-life heroic story of American soldier Desmond Doss who saved 75 men serving as a medic in WWII all while refusing to hold a gun because of his personal beliefs as a conscientious objector.

Trailer:

 

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City!

Elevation Pictures release HACKSAW RIDGE on Friday, November 4, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)