Round-up: 'Introducing' VF's Class of 2012
Also: A detractor defends 'The Artist,' and Bond is unshaven, not stirred
Rooney Mara, Mia Wasikowska, Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain on the cover of Vanity Fair's 2012 Hollywood issue.
Are you a fan of In Contention?
Sign up to get the latest updates instantly.
I always look forward to Vanity Fair's annual Hollywood Issue, an unofficial but essential ritual of the Oscar season -- mostly because I'm a sucker for pretty pictures of movie stars, but partly because they're an interesting, not wholly reliable, time capsule of where the magazine editors think the industry is at, and where it's going. This year's newly unveiled cover is adorned by four of the brightest young actresses of the moment -- three of them already Oscar-nominated, while the fourth surely will be soon -- and it's a typically beautiful effort, but my eyebrows rose slightly at the headline: "Introducing the fresh young stars of 2012." Is Vanity Fair really introducing us to 2010 Best Actress nominee Jennifer Lawrence? Or Mia Wasikowska, whom I believe was featured on the Hollywood cover two years ago? Give us some credit, VF. [Vanity Fair]
In one of the most sensible pieces anyone has yet written this Oscar season, Scott Tobias regrets how awards hype has turned mere agnostics on "The Artist" to full-blown detractors. [The AV Club]
One of those detractors, Mark Harris, makes a case for three films to beat "The Artist," but concludes with near-certainty that none of them will. [Grantland]
Still with "The Artist," it may be the supposed foreign invader, but Richard Verrier points out that it's the only Best Picture nominee filmed entirely in Los Angeles. [LA Times]
The first official still from the latest James Bond flick "Skyfall" has been unveiled and ZOMG HE HAS A BIT OF STUBBLE. Calm yourselves. [The Telegraph]
You'll never believe this, but Tom Hanks is presenting at the Oscars. What next? Billy Crystal hosting? [The Odds]
With Christopher Plummer's Oscar all but engraved already, Tom O'Neil rehashes that old theory about playing a gay man who dies being an easy route to an Oscar. Tell that to Jake Gyllenhaal. [Gold Derby]
Matt Zoller Seitz and other contributors discuss their favorites among this year's Oscar nominees. [Press Play]
Mark London Williams talks to Matthew Butler, a first-time Visual Effects nominee for "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." [Below the Line]
About This Blog
Spearheaded by editor Kristopher Tapley, In Contention represents a collective of awards obsessives who comment and reflect upon, muse about and attempt to decipher the Oscar season on a daily basis throughout the year, and especially during the Oscar crunch of the fall. Regular contributors include Guy Lodge, Roth Cornet and Gerard Kennedy.
Get Instant Alerts on In Contention
2011-2012 OSCAR NOMINATIONS
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
Latest Posts
-
Faithful but flummoxing adaptation of Don DeLillo's novel hits CannesFriday, May 25, 2012
-
Lee Daniels's bonkers follow-up to 'Precious' aims for camp-classic statusThursday, May 24, 2012
-
Long-delayed Jack Kerouac adaptation isn't quite worth the waitWednesday, May 23, 2012
-
Yep, that's a Baz Luhrmann movieTuesday, May 22, 2012
























Comments
Option 1
Comment instantly as a guest GuestOption 2
Option 3
Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupred_wine
February 1, 2012 at 1:59PM EST Reply to CommentCraig looks BADASS. It'd be cool if he goes through the entire movie this way but the ladies would mind.
And that shot was lit by the great Roger Deakins lest we forget.
Lukas
February 1, 2012 at 3:29PM EST Reply to Comment"But sorry, Crash. I still hate you." :-) That is so true, so true!
gregel
February 1, 2012 at 3:29PM EST Reply to CommentWhere is Octavia Spencer or Melissa McCarthy on the Vanity Fair cover? ;)
msd
February 1, 2012 at 10:26PM EST Reply to CommentAh yes, a bunch of skinny white girls again. Not that it's Vanity Fair's fault, the cover is a reflection of the industry's prejudices, but still ...
Liz
February 1, 2012 at 11:42PM EST Reply to CommentToo...much...pastel...satin...
Seriously, that Vanity Fair cover is hideous. Half of them look like they're wearing ugly, dated nightgowns.