Gordon Willis, Ron Howard, Dana Delany: Governors Awards 2009

Honorary Award recipient Gordon Willis, the cinematographer of classics such as Klute, The Godfather films, Serpico, All the President’s Men, Annie Hall, Comes a Horseman, Manhattan, Broadway Danny Rose, and The Purple Rose of Cairo, arrives at the 2009 Governors Awards ceremony held at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland on Saturday, November 14. Despite his impressive list of credits, Willis has been nominated for only two Academy Awards: Zelig (1982) and The Godfather Part III (1990)

Ron Howard, who won a best director Academy Award for A Beautiful Mind in 2002

Actress Dana Delany of the television series Desperate Housewives
Photos: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S.
Click on the photos to enlarge them.

UP and THE HANGOVER Top Box Office

Pixar’s Up topped the North American box office for the second consecutive weekend with $44.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Playing at 3,818 locations, the Pete Docter-directed animated adventure brought its domestic gross to $137.3 million after a strong two-week run. The plot follows a 78-year-old widower who takes his entire house on a trip to South America.

Debuting in second place with $43.2 million from 3,521 locations was Todd Phillips’ latest comedy, The Hangover. The R-rated film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helm and Zach Galifianakis as three guys who lose their best friend on a night out in Vegas.

Following at a distant No. 3 was Brad Silberling’s [...]

UP Tops Box Office

Pixar’s Up safely landed at the No. 1 spot at the North American box office this weekend with $68.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Directed by Peter Docter, the animated adventure tale opened at 3,766 locations, scoring an average of $18,109 per theater. The story follows a 78-year-old widower who, wishing to fulfill his dream, takes his entire house on a trip to South America.

Last week’s champion, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, dropped to second place. The Ben Stiller vehicle earned another $25.5 million for a domestic total of $105.2 after a strong two-week run.

Debuting at No. 3 with $16.6 [...]

ANGELS & DEMONS #1, STAR TREK #2 at the Box Office

Ron Howard’s Angels & Demons topped the North American box office with $48 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The latest big-screen adaptation of one of Dan Brown’s popular novels struggled to beat J. J. Abrams’ Star Trek (above, top photo), which came in a close second with another $43 million this weekend. The sci-fi reboot’s domestic total currently stands at $147.6 million.
In Angels & Demons, Tom Hanks (above, lower photo, with Ayelet Zurer) reprises his role as professor Robert Langdon, who heads to the Vatican to solve a murder and help prevent a ruthless terrorist attack. The film scored $29 million less on opening weekend than its predecessor, [...]

Oscar 2009 Predictions: Best Director, Screenplay

Danny Boyle

BEST DIRECTION
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)
Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight)
Gus Van Sant (Milk)
All the nominees match the films found in the best picture list — something that is less common than one might think. Fincher has been getting plenty of recognition from critics’ and other groups, which makes me believe that, despite some unenthusiastic reviews for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, he’ll land a best director nomination come next January.
Doubt director John Patrick Shanley will have to be content with a screenwriting nod.
Runners-up: Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky), who may pull off another Vera Drake upset and take Ron Howard’s place; Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road); the idolized Clint Eastwood (Gran [...]

Las Vegas Film Critics Awards 2008

2008 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
2008 Las Vegas Film Critics winners: December 18, 2008
 

Michael Sheen, Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon

 
Best Picture: Frost/Nixon
Best Foreign Film: Mongol
Best Documentary: Man on Wire
Best Animated Film: WALL-E
Best Director: Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Best Actor: Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Best Actress: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road and The Reader
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Best Screenplay: Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Film Editing: Daniel P. Hanley and Mike Hill, Frost/Nixon
Best Score: James Newton Howard, Defiance
Best Song: "Another Way to Die," Quantum of Solace
Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Costume Design: The Curious Case [...]