Detroit Film Critics Society Awards 2009

The Detroit Film Critics Society announced its 2009 awards earlier today, and the big winner this year is Pete Docter's animated Pixar adventure "Up." Docter was also named the year's best director.

Colin Firth was named best actor for his performance in "A Single Man," while Gabourey Sidibe was voted best actress for her role in Lee Daniels' drama "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire."

In the supporting actor category, Christoph Waltz won for Inglourious Basterds," while Mo'Nique won best supporting actress for her powerful performance in "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire."

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Austin Film Critics Association loves 'Hurt Locker'

Members of the Austin Film Critics Association showed their love for Kathryn Bigelow's war drama "The Hurt Locker" this week as they named it the best film of 2009. Bigelow was also named best director.

Colin Firth took home the award for best actor for "A Single Man," while Mélanie Laurent won best actress for "Inglourious Basterds." Christoph Waltz was voted best supporting actor for "Basterds" as well.

Meanwhile, Austin's film critics picked Anna Kendrick as best supporting actress for her stunning role in "Up in the Air." The film also won best adapted screenplay for Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner.

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San Diego Film Critics Society 2009 Awards

Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" emerged as the big winner when the San Diego Film Critics Society picked the best films of 2009. "Basterds" started off by taking home the award for best film.

Tarantino was also voted best director, Christoph Waltz was named best supporting actor, and Tarantino also took home the award for best original screenplay. The film also won best production design.

But wait! That's not it. "Basterds" also won the award for best ensemble cast! Now that's what I call winning big time, and to be honest, Tarantino deserves it. "Basterds" is not my No. 1 flick of '09, but I sure loved it.

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San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards 2009

The city by the bay has voted: the San Francisco Film Critics Circle picked Kathryn Bigelow's acclaimed war drama "The Hurt Locker" as the best film of 2009. Bigelow was also named best director.

Quentin Tarantino took home the award for best original screenplay for "Inglourious Basterds," while Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach picked up the best adapted screenplay for "Fantastic Mr. Fox."

Colin Firth won the award for best actor in "A Single Man," while Meryl Streep picked up the award for best actress for "Julie & Julia." Christian McKay was named best supporting actor for “Me and Orson Welles.”

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'A Single Man' gets intriguing new poster

While we're at it, here is a new poster for Tom Ford's directorial debut "A Single Man," a drama that will open in limited release Dec. 11, 2009. The film stars Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Ginnifer Goodwin.

Based on Christopher Isherwood's book, the film follows George Falconer (Firth), a British college professor who is struggling to find meaning in his life after the death of his long-time partner, Jim.

The one-sheet you see below is in fact quite simple, but I find it rather intriguing as well. Also, Firth won the best actor award for his role at the Venice Film Festival, and that really means something.

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Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce join 'Speech'

Tom Hooper's next film "The King's Speech" features quite an impressive cast, as Helena Bonham Carter, Jennifer Ehle, Guy Pearce, Derek Jacobi, Timothy Spall and Michael Gambon boarded the project.

Also starring in the period drama are Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Hopper is directing a script by David Seidler, and filming has already kicked off in England.

What is "The King's Speech" about? Essentially, the story focuses on the relationship between King George VI and his speech therapist Lionel Logue, who supported the king in many ways.

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Movie Review: "A Christmas Carol"

Seen on: November 2, 2009

The players: Director: Robert Zemeckis, Writer: Robert Zemeckis, Cast: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins, Colin Firth, Robin Wright Penn

Facts of interest: Based on the story by Charles Dickens, obviously.

The plot: The classic tale is back on the big screen, and Scrooge is still hating Christmas, until three spirits pay him an important visit...

Our thoughts: Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday story “A Christmas Carol” gets the 3D treatment, and the result is a visually stunning big-screen experience I’m sure many cinemagoers out there will enjoy to the fullest extent. As far as I’m concerned, my feelings about this one are mixed.

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New 'A Christmas Carol' trailer is here

It's been a while since we last got to see a new trailer for Robert Zemeckis' upcoming 3D motion-capture adventure "A Christmas Carol," but a new preview has landed online, and you can see it after the jump.

In the new version of the classic tale, Ebenezer Scrooge begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, until the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey.

Jim Carrey is the real star of the film, stepping into the roles of Scrooge and the three ghosts. This new trailer contains new action-packed footage we haven't previously seen, and it promises quite a fun ride in 3D.

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'Lebanon' takes Golden Lion at Venice Festival

Samuel Maoz's war drama "Lebanon" took the top prize at the 66th Venice Film Festival Saturday as the film received the prestigious Golden Lion. The film is set during the 1982 Lebanon war and focuses on crew members out on a mission in a tank.

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Casting bites: Colin Firth, Kevin Spacey

Here's your dose of casting updates for May 20, 2009:

• Colin Firth and Kevin Spacey are in talks to star in Hugh Hudson's big-screen adaptation of "Catalonia" by George Orwell. The story follows Orwell's journey to Barcelona, where he joined the Anarchist brigade to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Bob Ellis wrote the script. (Variety)

• Camilla Belle ("Push") and Tom Wilkinson have joined the English remake of Susanne Bier's "Efter brylluppet" (After the Wedding). Michael Caton-Jones ("Shooting Dogs") will direct the flick, which centers on a social worker who works in a Mumbai orphanage and receives a mysterious but huge donation from a businessman. (Variety)

• Chris Pontius, whose credits include "Wildboyz" and "Jackass," is set to star in Sofia Coppola's upcoming "Somewhere," about an actor who lives an extravagant lifestyle at the Chateau Marmont until he gets an unexpected visit from his 11-year-old daughter. Stephen Dorff and Elle Fanning co-star. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Vincent D'Onofrio, Vinnie Jones, Paul Sorvino, Fionnula Flanagan, Laura Ramsey, Steve Schirripa, Linda Cardellini and Bob Guntonhave boarded Jonathan Hensleigh's "The Irishman," a crime drama about Danny Greene, a notorious mobster. Ray Stevenson, Christopher Walken and Val Kilmer co-star. (The Hollywood Reporter)