Salon Why Rooney Mara can't win for Carol. Interesting piece on what really matters in Supporting Actress (Hint: Best Actor)
MCN David Poland looks at the writers branch and how the new Academy rules might affect them
Gurus of Gold interesting to see where the volatility is in the new charts: Best Picture and Best Director contain all the (seeming) drama
Towleroad Jonathan Groff interviewed by Kevin Sessums talks sex scenes in the Looking movie, filming wrapped, and his Sutton Foster obsession
AV Club The Flash will officially crossover with Supergirl despite different networks
Variety on the new warp speed market for television shows
The Film Stage first clips and new images from Jeff Nichols's Midnight Special. I'm not watching them because I want to be surprised
Variety Jessica Chastain still looking for her Oscar movie, in talks for Woman Walks Ahead, about a 19th century woman who advised Sioux chieftain Sitting Bull
The Hairpin a listical "best friends of rom com heroines" from Judy Greer through Joan Cusack and back to Carrie Fisher
Pajiba praises Helen Mirren's beer commercial
Today's Watch
Secret Talents of leading ladies and more links after the jump
Helen Mirren's is kind of impressive but I think Michelle Pfeiffer could take her. More ladies here...
VISUAL EFFECTS SOCIETY
The Visual Effects Society just named all their winners. I've included the list of feature film winners below but the television winners were Game of Thrones for the episodes "Hardhome" and "Dance of Dragons" and "City of Volanis" with The Vikings managing the only non-Thrones win for "To the Gates". Here's the sweeper in the Commercials portion of their prizes, an orangutan for SSE:Pier.
The feature film winners were heavy on The Revenant, The Good Dinosaur and Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Effects in a Photoreal Feature The Force Awakens
Effects in an Animated Feature The Good Dinosaur
Animated Performance Photoreal Feature The Revenant; The Bear
Animated Performance Animated Feature Inside Out; Joy
Effects Simulations Photoreal Feature Mad Max: Fury Road; Toxic Storm
Effects Simulations Animated Feature The Good Dinosaur
Effects in a Student Project Citipati
Effects in a Real-Time Project The Order: 1886
Virtual Cinematography in a Photoreal Project The Force Awakens; Falcon Chase / Graveyard
Effects in a Special Venue Project Fast and Furious: Supercharged
Created Environment Photoreal Feature The Force Awakens; Falcon Chase / Graveyard
Created Environment Animated Feature The Good Dinosaur; The Farm
Models in a Photoreal or Animated Project The Force Awakens; BB-8
Compositing in a Photoreal Feature The Revenant; Bear Attack
Supporting Effects in a Photoreal Feature The Revenant