The oddball romances "Moonrise Kingdom" and "Silver Linings Playbook" picked up five nominations each Tuesday to lead the Spirit Awards honoring independent film.
The Hollywood Reporter's list of its 10 best stories of the week:
Soaked in sweat and reeking of cigarettes, Southern-fried and smothered in cheese, "The Paperboy" is, quite literally, a hot mess.
"Frankenweenie" _ Tim Burton reminds us of why we love Tim Burton with this feature-length version of the 1984 short that revealed early glimmers of the veteran director's darkly humorous style. Beautifully detailed and painstakingly rendered in 3-D, black-and-white, stop-motion animation, "Frankenweenie" is a visual and thematic return to the best Burton has offered in his earliest films, such as "Edward Scissorhands" and "Beetlejuice." And it is a welcome return, given the reheated, unfocused nature of some of his more recent films like "Dark Shadows." Burton has said he'd always intended for "Frankenweenie" to be a full-length, stop-motion-animation feature, but he didn't have the means; instead, he made a 30-minute, live-action short. Both films are about the powerful bond between a boy and his dog, one that goes on even after death _ a heartrending subject, to be sure, but one that Burton infuses with his trademark mix of lively energy and macabre laughs. Even then, you could see Burton's sympathetic, protective portrayal of an outsider, an affectionate skewering of the sanctity of suburbia and a deep love of monster movies. Charlie Tahan provides the voice of Victor, a 10-year-old loner who's understandably devastated when his only friend _ his bull terrier, Sparky _ gets hit by a car. But a lesson from his science teacher (a wonderfully melodramatic Martin Landau) inspires Victor (whose last name happens to be Frankenstein) to try and bring Sparky back to life. Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short and Winona Ryder are among the Burton veterans in the strong voice cast. PG for thematic elements, scary images and action. 88 minutes. Three stars out of four.
If it seems like Channing Tatum is everywhere, it's probably because he is. He's appeared in five films this year alone, with the latest being this weekend's ensemble comedy-drama "10 Years." The roles have come in every imaginable genre, each strikingly different from the last.
Nicole Kidman is being honored by the New York Film Festival in a gala tribute.
Friends and admirers of Marvin Hamlisch, including Bill Clinton and Ann-Margret, gathered Tuesday in New York City to bid farewell to the celebrated songwriter hailed as "the people's composer."
Larry King has returned as a talk show host this week, at his new home on the Internet.
Larry King is returning as a talk show host this week, with his new home the Internet.
