Anne Hathaway in "The Devil Wears Prada."

Credit: 20th Century Fox

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The Costume Designers' Guild, which will hold its 2012 award ceremony on February 19, has announced a list of honorary award winners that includes costume designers Judianna Makovsky (a three-time Oscar nominee previously rewarded by the Guild for "Pleasantville" and the first "Harry Potter" film) and Eduardo Castro, as well as TV producer Lorne Michaels. The biggest name being honored, however, is Anne Hathaway, who's likely to be well-practiced in accepting trophies by mid-February. She'll be receiving the Spotlight Award, and while I'm not sure what the criteria are, Hathaway makes sense as a thespian ambassador for the art of costume design, given how many of her roles, from "The Devil Wears Prada" to "Les Mis," have played with image and costume. Or perhaps the Guild simply wants a piece of the season's likely golden girl. [CDG]

With the Academy set to announce the Best Foreign Language Film shortlist later today, Steve Pond considers the possibilities, and concludes that while "The Intouchables" and "Amour" are in, "A Royal Affair" isn't as safe as you might think. [The Wrap]

"Still Alive," the Best Original Song Oscar hopeful from "Paul Williams Still Alive," gets a music video. [Motion Captured] 

Gregg Kilday considers the films in this year's Oscar race that are vulnerable to whisper campaigns against them, including such Best Picture frontrunners as "Lincoln," "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Argo." [THR]

Christmas comes early for Nathaniel Rogers as he gets to interview Nicole Kidman, the season's unlikeliest SAG and Globe nominee, about "The Paperboy," "Birth" and working with Chan-wook Park. [The Film Experience]

David Poland gives Samuel L. Jackson the DP/30 treatment, and at the same time makes an FYC plea for his work in "Django Unchained" -- "the home run performance in the film." [Hot Blog] 

Adam Tschorn rounds up the supposed costume design highlights from 2012, but why are they all period films? [LA Times] 

Four key production designers from different eras of the James Bond franchise -- Ken Adams, Peter Lamont, Allan Cameron and Dennis Gassner -- will be honored with the Cinematic Imagery Award by the Art Directors' Guild. [The Vote] 

Sticking with the design theme, Mark London Williams talks to art director David Klassen about his collaboration with the late Michael J. Riva on "Django Unchained." [Below the Line]

Zach Laws talks to makeup and hair artists Howard Berger and Martin Samuels, who recently cracked the Oscar shortlist, about their work on "Hitchcock." [Gold Derby]

Emma Thompson, whom you may remember is an Oscar-winning screenwriter, has been cleared of plagiarism charges over her script for forthcoming period drama "Effie." [The Guardian]

Guy Lodge
Critic

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Guy Lodge is a South African-born critic and sometime screenwriter. In addition to his work at In Contention, he is a freelance contributor to Variety, Time Out, Empire and The Guardian. He lives well beyond his means in London.