July 1, 2006–The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences has issued significant changes in the nomination procedure for the foreign-language film: A movie no longer has to be in an official language of the submitting country to qualify for a foreign-language film nomination under the newly approved rules for the 79th Oscar season.
Oscar 2006: Meryl Streep (Devil Wears Prada) Kicks Off Acting Race
June 25, 2006 by
As of July, I have seen only two great performances that might be considered “Oscar-caliber,” and both are given by, Surprise, the incomparable Meryl Streep, who stands a chance to score two nominations: lead for the comedy “The Devil Wears Prada” and supporting for Altman's ensemble piece, “A Prairie Home Companion,” in which she acts and sings splendidly.
Oscar Impact: Harold Russell
May 31, 2006 by
Harold Russell, who won two Oscars, for playing the handless vet, has been touring amputee wards in army and veteran hospitals throughout the country. He is the author of an inspiring autobiography, “Victory in My Hands,” which became a bestseller in 1949.
Oscar Artists: Bumstead, Henry–Top Designer (The Sting) Dies at 91
May 28, 2006 by
May 27–Henry Bumstead, the vet Hollywood production designer who won Oscars for “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Sting” and whose longtime association with Clint Eastwood kept him on the job, died, at 91.
Oscar 2006: Innaritu's Towering Babel–First Oscar Contender out of Cannes
May 28, 2006 by
Cannes Film Fest, May 26, 2006–The Oscar race has begun in Cannes with the premiere of “Babel,” Innaritu's multi-layered epic that links personal identities and global politics in a thematically intriguing and emotionally compelling way. Grounded in the immediacy of the post 9/11 era, “Babel” deals with physical borders, linguistic barriers, and the inability to communicate. While as ambitious and globe-trotting as “Syriana,” it's more gripping and effective film.
