"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.  

"THE ARTIST" SWEEPS CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS

Jean Dujardin, Star of The Artist

The Critics have spoken, indeed! The Broadcast Film Critics Association held their 17th annual Critics' Choice Awards earlier this evening and if you weren't convinced of The Artist's Oscar chances, you'd better think again. The Film by Michel Hazanavicius was awarded Best Director, Best Costume Design, Best Score and also Best Picture.

The Ladies of The Help also were well-represented, winning Best Actress with Viola Davis, Best Supporting Actress with Octavia Spencer and also, the Award for Best Ensemble Cast.

George Clooney walk award with Best Actor for The Descendants, while Acting Legend Christopher Plummer won for his work as Best Supporting Actor in The Beginners.  Note the irony in namesake: The Beginners... The Descendants... get it?

Although not yet updated, Photos and Winners will be posted on the Critics' Choice Awards Website.

See Photos from the Red Carpet over at Zimbio.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

"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)

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:

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.