Weekend Newsreel: December 16, 2005

Compiled by the FilmBuffOnLine Staff

 

More Oscar Contenders Announced: This week the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the eligible contenders for the Best Song and Achievement in Visual Effects Academy Awards. You can view the list of eligible entrants for Best Song here and the eligible entrants for Achievement in Visual Effects here. The final Academy Award nominations will be announced on January 31, 2006.

 

 

James Dean Museum To Close Doors: The Indiana museum dedicated to the short life of Hollywood legend James Dean will be closing its doors at the end of the year. Located just outside of Dean’s hometown of Fairmont, the Museum exhibits a dozen pieces of wardrobe from his three major films, school papers, original paintings by Dean and rare original movie posters. The entire collection is the property of Museum owner David Loehr, who plans to continue operating a James Dean-themed gift shop in Fairmont.

 

 

PIXAR At MOMA: A display of over 500 pieces of production art generated over the 20-year history of PIXAR Studios opened this week at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Covering the history of the studio, the exhibit draws attention to the human craftsmanship behind the studios’ computer-animated films. Entitled simply, “PIXAR: 20 Years of Animation”, the exhibit runs through February 6, 2006.

 

 

Dutch Oscar Contender Rejected: Bluebird, the Netherlands’ entrant for the Academy Award’s Best Foreign Language Film has been disqualified by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as it has previously aired on Dutch television. Although the film had been re-edited from its original television format, the Academy judged that it was not significantly altered to qualify for Oscar nomination consideration. Bluebird is not the first Netherlands’ film to be disqualified- 1988’s The Vanishing was rejected due to the fact that the film, set primarily in France, did not contain enough Dutch dialogue.

 

 

In Remembrance-

 

Richard Pryor- The groundbreaking comic who became a major comedy film star has passed away at age 65.

Harold J. Stone- The square-jawed character actor has passed away at age 92.

 

 

Opening This Week-

 

December 16

  • Brokeback Mountain (wider)

  • Electric Shadows (NY)

  • The Family Stone

  • The Producers (limited)

  • Master Of The Crimson Armor (LA- one week Academy Award qualifying run)

 

December 21

  • Cheaper By The Dozen 2

  • Fun With Dick And Jane

  • The White Countess (NY, LA)