"THE ARTIST" SWEEPS THE 84TH ACADEMY AWARDS

Meryl Streep at the 84th Academy Awards

Winning the coveted Best Picture at the 84th Academy Awards as predicted, was Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist, which after sweeping many major precursor ceremonies leading up to the Oscars, was the favourite to win tonight. To date, the Film has grossed $76 million worldwide since its November 25, 2011 release and it will be interesting to see if it experiences a post-Oscar boost in coming weeks.  It also was victorious for Directing, Costume Design and Score.

Above this, the much-watched Actor in a Leading Role category went to a deserving Jean Dujardin for his unforgettable portrayal of Silent Film Actor, George Valentin in The Artist.  "Woh! I love your Country!", proclaimed the French Actor.

Winning Actress in a Leading Role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, was the legendary Meryl Streep in her third Oscar win ever. Although many believed that Viola Davis would win the Award following her Golden Globe victory for The Help, alas Streep's superb performance would prevail in the category. This Actor/Actress sweep for The Weinstein Co., also is a big score for Canadian Distributor Alliance Films which handled both The Iron Lady and The Artist in these parts.

At 82 years of age, Toronto-born Christopher Plummer would win his first ever Oscar for Actor in a Supporting Role as a terminally-ill Gay Man in Beginners. Octavia Spencer like Plummer, repeated her feat of a Golden Globe/Oscar-double for her performance in The Help, winning Actress in a Supporting Role.

Hugo might not have been a massive Box Office success, nor did it win Best Picture, but the gorgeous Martin Scorcese Film but it sure gave The Artist a run for its glory tonight, winning five awards including: Cinematography, Visual Effects, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Art Direction.

For a complete list of Winners, click here.

To see some of the gorgeous Red Carpet Victresses tonight like Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Michelle Williams, Angelina Jolie and Milla Jovovich, visit Zimbio here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

18TH ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS RECAP

Viola Davis - 18th Annual SAG Awards

The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were held at The Shrine in Los Angeles earlier this evening, with Winners being determined by 2,100 Actors voting to honour their Peers for their brilliant work.  Viola Davis was Queen of the Red Carpet in a gorgeous white Marchesa dress, while her The Help Co-star Emma Stone looked stunning also in a black Alexander McQueen number.  Although the Ladies of Bridesmaids won over the audience re-enacting a drinking game on-stage around the word "Scorese", it was the Cast of The Help which was awarded Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Viola Davis was a bit of a surprise winning Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in The Help (defeating Meryl Streep) and Jean Dujardin for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in The Artist. Both wins for further solidify that they too just  might win Best Actress and Actor at next month's Academy Awards.

A recurring theme among tonight's SAG Award Winners was that it's never too late to be recognized.  For one, 82-year-old Christopher Plummer earned his first SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Beginners.  Some also might have been surprised that 90-year-old veteran Actress Betty White won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for Hot in Cleveland, beating-out Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara, Tina Fey and Edie Falco. Another late to gain recognition is 62-year-old Jessica Lange, honoured for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series with American Horror Story.  

"TREE OF LIFE" NAMED "BEST PICTURE" BY TORONTO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Stills from Tree of Life

Winners of the 2011 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards were announced last night and there were a couple surprises.  Terrence Malick's polarizing Tree of Life, may have baffled some Moviegoers - earlier this year Cineplex had issued a "no refunds" Template Letter to customers who complained about it - but the Critics loved it and awarded it Best Picture.

In the Acting Categories, Michael Shannon took home top honours for Best Actor with Take Shelter, while his Co-star Jessica Chastain was awarded Best Supporting Actress.  Chastain beat herself out for her performance in Tree of Life also in that same category in winning First Runner-up.

Michelle Williams, who was absolutely stunning in Alliance Films' My Week with Marilyn, won Best Actress deservedly, edging out Newcomer Elizabeth Olsen for Martha Marcy May Marlene and Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady.

Our v. own Christopher Plummer was awarded Best Supporting Actor for Beginners, also from Alliance Films and likely will be a force at the Oscars for his portrayal as an ailing Gay Man.

Read the full list of Winners here.

(Photo credit: eOne Films)

NEW CHARACTER PHOTOS FROM "THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO"

  The Principal Cast of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

These striking new Character Photos have been released for Sony Pictures’ The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, due December 21, 2011. Complete with Bios for each Character, the Movie’s Official Website has been given a fresh new Makeover.  Seen above (Top to Bottom/Left to Right) are: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer and Robin Wright. 

Check out all the Photos here.  

This is going to make Rooney Mara a huge star.  Brace yourselves.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures)

ENTER TO WIN A PASS FOR 2 TO AN ADVANCE SCREENING OF "BEGINNERS" IN TORONTO

Alliance Films & Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven want to send some lucky Readers to an Advance Screening in Toronto of Mike Mills' Beginners!  After making a splash at TIFF last September, the heart-warming Film starring Ewan McGregor, Mélanie Laurent and Christopher Plummer finally is getting a release on Friday, June 17, 2011.

The Screening takes place on Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 7:00 PM.  To qualify for the win, leave a comment below with the name of the Dog who stars in Beginners by June 11, 2011.  Good luck, Mavenati!

Watch the Trailer in full below:

"THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO" TRAILER LEAKED

Rooney Mara

Although I honestly didn't think much of the original Film Adaptation of the late Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, this U.S. Adaptation from Director David Fincher looks astounding!  Edgy, vicious, scary and dangerous, this is going to make Rooney Mara a Mega-Star - the next Natalie Portman. It is being marketed as "The Feel-Bad Movie of the Year".

See this leaked Trailer for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, out this Christmas from Sony Pictures:

BEGINNERS - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from The Beginners

Having received a fair bit of positive buzz at TIFF 2010, Beginners finally nears a domestic release. The Film centers around Oliver (Ewan McGregor) whose elderly Father Hal (Christopher Plummer) decides to "out" himself as a Gay Man at 75 years of age. We then learn also that Hal has a younger Lover named Andy (Goran Visnjic), but unfortunately he also is diagnosed with a terminal Cancer. We see Oliver’s struggle top cope with his Father’s mortality as this sadness trickles into many areas of his life including love and work.

In his 40s, Oliver is a lonely Artist who finds himself reflecting upon his Childhood and his relationship with his Mother Georgia (Mary Page Keller).  In present day, he meets a French Actress named Anna (Mélanie Laurent) and before he realizes it, Oliver falls passionately in love with her, breath life into each other's drained souls. The impermanence of her stay and the many complexities of timing in their lives however, are inescapable, ever-present like a dark cloud.  We wonder whether or not they really are meant for one another or if they will become victims of circumstance. 

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER IN TORONTO FOR "BARRYMORE"

Christopher Plummer & Mr. Will-W.

He may be 81 years-old, but legendary Actor Christopher Plummer is showing no signs of slowing down. Known most recently for his Oscar-nominated performance (his first ever) in The Last Station in 2009 and his voice work in the Oscar-nominated Disney Feature Up, Plummer may just now be delivering his best work yet. Residing now in Connecticut, the Toronto-born Actor is back in his hometown, promoting TD Bank's upcoming limited engagement of the Play, Barrymore which runs at the Elgin Theatre from February 27 to March 9, 2011.

The Play is about celebrated Shakespearean Actor John Barrymore, set in the final year of his life, as he struggles to get back into the role of Richard III. Plummer is reprising the same role which won him a Tony Award for Best Lead Actor in a Play in 1997, in a story which might actually draw many parallels to his own life.

REVIEW: THE LAST STATION

Director/screenwriter Michael Hoffman has achieved his greatest accomplishment yet with historical drama The Last Station.  The film is about Russian author Leo Tolstoy in his final days and it documents his very public struggle to remain true to the values he preaches to live a life of peace, non-resistance and being abstaining from luxury.  He is torn between loyalties to his greatest champion, Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti) and wife Sofya (Helen Mirren), as they dispute his final will and who shall own copyright of his literary catalogue.  Chertkov believes the public should own copyright to it as this is what Tolstoy's work would suggest, while Sofya feels his family and she, the wife and mother of their 13 children, should have this right.

Simultaneously, we are introduced to Valentin Bulgakov (James McAvoy) who is hired aboard as Tolstoy's secretary.  He is a great admirer of Tolstoy's work and tries to live his life according to the values he promotes, including the virtues of celibacy.  Bulgakov soon learns that the world is not perfect and that love can change everything, after falling madly in love with free-spirited Masha (Kerry Condon).  While working under Tolstoy, Bulgakov witnesses the heated drama first-hand and he is torn between his loyalties to Chertkov who landed him his prestigious job and also, Sofya.  Meanwhile, she is growing increasingly suspicious of Chertkov's influence on her husband and her insecurities get the best of her as her husband begins to pull away, longing to live his final days in peace.

The Last Station is a beautifully acted film.  Mirren shows dynamic range from playful seductress to an outright fiery bitch when it comes to her own financial security.   Yes again, she proves that she is Oscar worthy as the true star of the show.  Maybe perhaps enough to give early favourite Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side) a surprise upset?  And despite her irrational outbursts, we cannot help but feel that she is justified in her actions as in the real world, love and financial entitlement are things a wife should be entitled to.  But this is Tolstoy's world, where even we get a sense that his ideologies sound great on paper but just might not hold up to the test of reality.   

Surprisingly, Canada's Plummer after a very lofty list of cinematic accomplishments including The Sound of Music and Jesus of Nazareth, finally at 80 years old is getting his first Oscar nomination here for Best Supporting Actor, fully embodying Leo Tolstoy's weathered fragility.  Giamatti is also outstanding, giving the story that bit of push and pull to help us see why it is that Tolstoy had an obligation to the world, maybe more than to his family.  Handsome McAvoy's boyish purity gives us an outsider's glimpse of the curious world within the walls of the Tolstoy residence.