Alfonso Cuaron Page 2

12 Years a Slave enjoyed another fruitful evening at an awards show last night when it picked up three gongs – including that of Best Film - at the British Critics’ Circle Awards.

12 Years a Slave is winning big as we approach Oscars night

Steve McQueen will have been disappointed not to be recognised as Best Director, though; the award heading the way of Alfonso Cuaron for his work on Gravity – a film that will be vying for similar honours on March 2 when The Academy close awards season for another year.

Continue reading: '12 Years A Slave' Dominates British Critics Awards, Lupita Nyong'o In Line For A Famous Mentor?

Alfonso Cuaron with his shiny and impressive award

Alfonso Cuaron looks like a firm favourite to take home the Academy Award for Best Director when the Oscars roll around this March. The Gravity director was given the top gong at last night's (25 Jan.) Directors Guild Of America Awards, an honour than can only heighten his chances of taking home Hollywood's top prize in a few weeks.

In only seven instances in the DGA Awards' 66 year history has the Best Director Oscar gone to someone who has not won the top honour for directors, with the last instance of this happening coming last year when Ben Affleck won the award, but was not even nominated for the Best Director category at the Oscars for his work on Argo. According to Oddschecker.com, Cuaron is the odds on favourite to take home the Best Director gong in March's ceremony, with 12 Years A Slave director Steve McQueen his nearest competitor.

Continue reading: Alfonso Cuaron Improves His Oscar Chances Even Further With DGA Award Win

The Oscars nominations 2014 list comprises a ridiculously strong set of films, actors and directors. It’s been a great year, with 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club and Gravity dominating Academy voters’ minds, and all have enjoyed fruitful returns from the box office.

Sandra can't believe what she's reading about her film

It’s not all perfect though; many of the films nominated for Best Picture feature are riddled with continuity errors and historical inaccuracies, not to mention some scientific miscalculations.

Continue reading: Oscars 2014: Which Film Holds The Award For Most Mistakes?

The PGA Awards 2014 welcomed an array of producers and actors to the red-carpet last night (19th January 2014). According to BBC News, the guild saw a first in both 12 Years A Slave and Gravity being awarded the Daryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures, forcing a never before seen tie at the awards ceremony.

George Clooney in Alfonso Cuaron's 'Gravity'

The 6,000 member guild attended the 25th Annual ceremony aware that there was razor-thin competition for some truly exceptional films of 2013/2014. Steve McQueen and Brad Pitt's 12 Years A Slave as well as David Heyman and Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity were acclaimed in a field of highly recognised motion pictures such as David O. Russell's American Hustle, Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine and Martin Scorsese's The Wolf Of Wall Street. 

Continue reading: A Tie? '12 Years A Slave' And 'Gravity' Share Prize At PGA Awards 2014

Golden Globes Glory: Last weekend's Golden Globe awards set hearts racing ahead of March's Oscars with plenty of deserving winners next to a few jaw-dropping snubs. 12 Years A Slave predictably came out on top with the big gong but a few unpredictabilities set award odds and Oscars speculation askew. Newbie comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine saw off rivals to claim two awards whilst Blue Jasmine's Cate Blanchett took the leading lady award alongside Dallas Buyers Club's  for the men.

Gravity's Alfonso Cuarón stole Best Director from Steve McQueen whilst Breaking Bad and Behind The Candelabra snatched the big TV awards. The surprise wins also made for some truly memorable speeches too, with Elisabeth Moss exclamation of "Oh s**t!" and Jacqueline Bisset's sweary ramble marking two particular highlights. Read about all the winners here.

Continue reading: A Week In News: Globes And Oscars Mania, Prince Finds His Funny Bone, Lena Dunham Gets A Vogue Make-Over

We normally look at the precursory awards in the lead up to the Oscars as a bellwether for Academy predictions, but this year’s gongs have gone to a varied set of recipients, giving us no indication as to which direction the golden statuettes will be heading come March 2014.

Joaquin Phoenix in Her

And it appears as though The Los Angeles Film Critics Association are just as muddled with their hypothesis - they couldn’t split the difference between Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity and Spike Jonez’s latest effort, Her. The first is an epic journey through space with incredible visuals, while the second is a futuristic love story starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, but they both received the top prize from the LAFCA last night (Sunday 9, December).

Continue reading: The L.A. Film Critics Association Shed No Light On Oscars Race With Her/Gravity Tie

Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity is already an established hit in the US, but tonight sees the film’s premiere in the UK. Expectations are high. Cuaron’s deep space thrill ride has gotten mixed reviews in terms of story and acting – while Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are both talented performers, carrying out a movie with just two characters is a difficult feat. But it is in the end the film’s visual landscape and special effects that have attracted the attention of both critics and fans across the land (the land in this case being the US.)

Opinions on Clooney's performance are contorversial.

Still, there is something to be said about the plot, which sees Bullock as a medical engineer and Clooney as an astronaut on his final mission, team up to face a crisis, which threatens to leave them adrift in space. Several critics have praised the film’s frantic story, which, coupled with the dizzying visuals is enough to leave a lasting impression on even the toughest of viewers. The Independent’s Geoffrey Macnab refers to the plot as “pared down and primal,” which sounds like a particularly apt description.

Continue reading: Today's The Day - UK Audiences Finally Get To Enjoy Alfonso Cuaron's Head-Spinning 'Gravity'

For all the hyperbole, Gravity certainly has a lot to live up to. And the first thing to say is that, visually, the film is as stunning as people are saying. But it’s not the perfect movie the critics have built it up to be. Not by a long shot. Second thing to say is that this article is full of spoilers.

Gravity looks beautiful, but the style outweighs the substance

So you’ve got Sandra Bullock’s Dr. Ryan Stone. She’s got a boy’s name – it’s mentioned in the film, but this is the kind of vapid characterization applied to Cuaron’s space thriller in general. Clooney’s Matt is supposed to be charming – his in-joke with Houston, that he tells a lot of stories, brought about a few chuckles – but he’s ultimately no one to really care about. His death – we told you there would be spoilers – felt about as real as his return. And thank god his return wasn’t real.

Continue reading: Is 'Gravity' Even That Good? Why You Might Not Leave The Cinema Happy

As if emphatic reviews weren't enough to propel Alfonso Cuarón's heart-racing 3D space thriller, Gravity, to the top of the box office charts, now celebrities are doing their bit to provide the movie with some publicity by telling all their followers how out-of-this-world is really is.

'Gravity' Has Garnered Rave Reviews Internationally.

Gravity has been released in the UK today much later than its US release which means our American friends have been driving us crazy telling us how stupendously awesome the movie is whilst we crossed off the days on our calendar until we could find out for ourselves.

Continue reading: The Stars Shine For 'Gravity': Celebs Tweet Their Excitement For Alfonso Cuaron's Space Thriller

Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity has been one of the year’s most successful films, both fiscally and critically. Since debuting at the Venice Film Festival, the movie has accrued a 97% rating on RottenTomatoes.com, and grabbed $91m at box offices worldwide.

Set Adrift in 'Gravity'

Apart from China.

Continue reading: China: "Alright, NASA, You Can Have Your Moment With 'Gravity'"

Space thriller Gravity has dominated the American box office rankings for the second consecutive weekend. The last weekend (from 11th Oct.) saw the Alfonso Cuarón-directed film rake in an estimated $44.3m (£27.7m), according to BBC News, bringing the movie's total takings to $123.4m (£77.2m) ahead of its November opening in the UK.

Gravity Dominates The US Box Office For A Second Weekend.

The movie stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock as two astronauts carrying out routine maintenance on a space shuttle before they are hit by high-speed debris. After being sent careering into space, the pair have no other option but to begin a satellite-hopping mission to look for escape pods whilst fighting against depleting oxygen reserves and the prospect of the devastating debris coming back round.

Continue reading: 'Gravity' Maintains Box Office Stronghold As 'Captain Phillips' Sails Into Second

Ben Stiller's remake of the 1947 classic premiered at the New York Film Festival this week, with Stiller and costars Kristin Wiig and Adam Scott in attendance. The film, about a mild-mannered office worker with a vivid daydreaming life, won the festival's Fellowship Award. It opens in December. You can watch Ben Stillier in action as Walter Mitty in the trailer here. We also have video from this week's premiere at the New York Film Festival, you can see Ben Stiller And Kristen Wiig arriving here or watch a video of 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' cast posing together at New York Film Festival as they are joineed by Stiller's wife Christine Taylor and his co-star Adam Scott. 

Also on the red carpet in New York were Sandra Bullock, George Clooney and Alfonso Cuaron, presenting the US premiere of their space-orbit thriller Gravity, which went on to set US box office records over the weekend. Afterwards, Bullock and Cuaron jetted across the Atlantic for the film's UK premiere at the London Film Festival this week. We have video footage taken at the 'Gravity' NY Premiere featuring stars George Clooney And Sandra Bullock and another video featuring director Alfonso Cuaron arriving at the 'Gravity' NYFF premiere. We also urge you read our report on how studio pressure almost ruined the movie and how Alfonso Cuaron had to fight for the version we are seeing and enjoying today. 

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Mitty Premieres In New York, Gravity Lands In London, Radcliffe Talks Ginsberg, Frankenstein Teases

Since Gravity’s debut at the Venice Film festival, the critics have been raving. The film’s plot – its substance – combined with the sheer delights that come with its cinematography and special effects have lead it to critical acclaim, and, more importantly for the studio, it’s been a box office triumph.

George Clooney in Gravity

It could have been so different if the pressure exerted on director Alfonso Cuaron had told. He revealed that the studio wanted him to cut back to mission control, known as Houston, as in, ‘we have a problem’. But that was a problem for the Mexican auteur, as was a love story between Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and someone back at ‘Houston’.

Continue reading: Curaon's 'Gravity' Confidence Vindicated By $100 Box Office, Finally A Sci-Fi Oscar?

Movie buffs have begun to anticipate Quentin Tarantino's Top 10 movies lists in recent years. The legendary director's run-down of his favorite movies of the year has made for interesting reading in recent years and is often regarded as the antithesis of the Academy's choices of the year's best.

Juno Temple [L] and Kathryn Hahn [R] In 'Afternoon Delight'

He passed on devising a list last year, owing to Django Unchained, though in 2011 Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris - a wonderful movie that actually went onto win Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars - topped Quentin's list, edging out Rise of the Planet of the Apes and the excellent Moneyball, with Brad Pitt. Tarantino threw in a couple of curveballs with X-Men: First Class, The Skin I Live In, Attack The Block and Warrior.

Continue reading: Quentin Tarantino's Top 10 Movies Of 2013 (So Far)

As we foresaw – alongside a number of commentators – in our box office preview last Friday, Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity topped the box office on the second October weekend, posting record figures along the way. We’ll come clean; the record-breaking part wasn’t under the spell of our clairvoyance.

The special effects in Gravity have been lauded

So Gravity managed $55.6m on its opening weekend, putting it on track to surpass its $100m production budget, and more than likely blow the marketing budget out of the water, too. A budget, which, when you consider how much we’ve seen of the film – not much – won’t have been astronomically high anyway.

Continue reading: 'Gravity's' Pull Is Irresistible As Cuaron's 3D Space Thriller Sets Box Office Record

Three films go head to head this weekend, all with reasonable claim to the top spot. But will the audiences go for a historical to learn about the demise of JFK; head for the stars with Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck or be sucked in by Gravity’s delightful pull.

Colin Hanks and Zac Efron in Parkland

Despite some mediocre reviews, Parkland strings together some attractive qualities: a bona fide history lesson, a great cast and, of course, Zac Efron’s face, which has proven to be a marketable asset up until now, so why would that change now? There are two things that mean Parkland won’t be top of the box office come Monday.

Continue reading: Box Office Preview: Can 'Parkland' Take On Gravity's Pull, Runner Runner's Star Quality?

What is it about Alfonso Cuaron's new movie Gravity that excites you most? Is it the intrigue of its mini cast of two huge actors? Is it the scores of emphatic reviews that tell you that this is a space movie like no other? Or perhaps you've already had your breath taken away by the numerous promo shots showing vulnerable, airy puffs of astronaut suspended in oxygen dependence against the punctuated canvas of astral bodies in deep space.

The Movie Employs Breath-Takingly Beautiful Scenes With A Gripping Drama.

As we in the United Kingdom wait with baited breath to catch our first glimpse of Gravity and let Cuarón blast us off into the wild blue yonder, those cheeky Americans have already had their first sip of the indigo-hued, George Clooney and Sandra Bullock-tinged space nectar we desire.

Continue reading: 'Gravity' Premieres In New York: Brace Yourself To Be Awestruck [Trailer + Pictures]

Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity is being talked about in every Oscars conversation going. It’s been praised for having the best space photography seen in cinema, and, judging by the trailer and early reviews, the hype has been justified. But it didn’t happen without a touch of hard work.

Could Sandra Bullock Win A Second Oscar For 'Gravity'?

To portray the character of Dr Ryan Stone, a medical engineer undertaking her very first mission in out space, Sandra Bullock put in hours upon hours of training. “I pushed my body to the extreme,” she explained. “Strength-wise, I had to know I could do anything Alfonso asked of me at any given point, so not a day went by that we didn’t train.”

Continue reading: Training For Gravity - Sandra Bullock On Preparing For Cuaron's Space Epic

The Gravity promotional bus rolled into the Toronto International Film Festival this week on the back of sensational reviews at Telluride and Venice including a suggestion from Oscar winning director James Cameron that it is "the best space film ever done."

George Clooney in Gravity

The movie, by Children of Men's Alfonso Cuaron, screened at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, where the likes of Guillermo del Toro, Jason Bateman and astronaut legend Chris Hadfield were spotted adjusting their 3-D glasses.

Continue reading: Is Sandra Bullock's 'Gravity' Really The Best Space Movie Ever?