Word: precious
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...comes to becoming the talk of the Academy. Voters love hearing about the actress who saved a doomed production (Kate Winslet in The Reader) or a left-for-dead drama that went on to become the darling of critics and audiences (Slumdog Millionaire). Thus far, the narrative surrounding Precious is one of audiences and critics being moved to tears, caught off guard by its stark portrayal of poverty and wrapped up in its uncompromised performances from newcomer Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), the comedian Mo'Nique (her mother) and Mariah Carey, in a surprisingly glamourless role...
...recent years, Toronto has emerged as the launchpad of choice for producers with an eye on Oscar gold - There Will Be Blood and Juno in 2007, Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler in 2008 - and Precious now has the buzz of a sure-fire Oscar nominee, particularly given the Academy's decision this year to expand the Best Picture slate to 10 titles. The rollout of Precious seems to be following the familiar playbook: gaining momentum at three key festivals (Sundance, Cannes and Toronto) and looking to convert critical support into public intrigue and attendance when the movie hits theaters...
...What's different about the Precious campaign is the O factor. At the same press conference where she toyed with the notion of undertaking a film club, Winfrey announced her intention to lead a promotional blitz on behalf of Precious across her various platforms, hoping to "bring in different audiences" by promoting the film on her show, in her magazine and on her satellite-radio channel...
...Precious marks the first film to be affiliated with Perry's 34th Street Films, and in the case of Oprah it marks her biggest move yet to use her media empire in service of a film that doesn't feature her in the cast. Two years ago she stood behind The Great Debaters - a film that went on to gross only $30 million. She produced and co-starred in 1998's Beloved, 12 years after she was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in The Color Purple. If Precious were to be crowned Best Picture next February, Winfrey could...
...Winfrey is keeping the focus on the story that first inspired her to sign on to the project. "None of us who sees the movie can now walk through the world and allow the Preciouses of the world to be invisible," Winfrey told reporters in Toronto. But few things on earth are as precious as an Oprah Winfrey endorsement, and that's the X factor that is bound to have Hollywood insiders talking throughout the winter, wondering just how far this one woman can take an independent film - and how they can convince her to do the same for them...