Zero Dark Thirty

CHICAGO – It has become clear to anyone who is making an observation about authority and “order” in America, that for certain people it comes with a severe price. “Detroit” explores an incident within the 1967 riots there, when white police officers raided a hotel and perpetuated crimes of their own.

CHICAGO – At one point in awards season, right after it won five Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, including Best Picture, Actress, Screenplay, and Director, it really looked like Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” was going to be the most award-winning film of 2012. When all was said and done, it only won a single Oscar for Sound Editing and Bigelow wasn’t even nominated.

CHICAGO – Hollywood’s favorite night of self-congratulations commences this Sunday, finally putting an end to the awards season and allowing us to get on with the new year in film. One last look back at 2012. Will it be “Argo” or “Lincoln”? Spielberg or the field? What the heck wins Best Original Screenplay?

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CHICAGO – It was a night to celebrate film, filmmakers, movie stars and the Chicago “school” of film criticism. The annual Chicago Film Critics Awards took place on February 9th in front of a packed house at the Muvico Theater in Rosemont, Ill. Mark DeCarlo of “Windy City Live” was the host, and celebrity appearances included Jane Lynch, Paul Sorvino, Joe Piscopo, Nadine Velaquez and Regina Taylor.

CHICAGO – I expected to write this feature from a relatively satisfied place. After all, it was such a good year for film and it seemed likely that the Academy were going to make some smart, forward-thinking decisions this morning. And then they took several steps back. Taking safe routes when more interesting ones were available.

CHICAGO – The 2013 Oscar nominations were announced on Thursday morning and “Lincoln” led the way as the most-nominated film of the year with 12 nominations. Come back later today for a list of this year’s biggest snubs and stick with HollywoodChicago.com for all of your Oscar features and news leading up to the big day on Feb. 24, 2013!

CHICAGO – If everything goes as expected, fans of “Lincoln,” “Les Misérables,” and “Zero Dark Thirty” will be very happy on Thursday morning, as those three films will certainly be among the most nominated for this year’s Academy Awards. After that, the certainty ends.

CHICAGO – Despite an obsession for killing a single man to represent a foggy revenge, “Zero Dark Thirty” is an effective thriller in the actual re-creation of that Navy Seal operation. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”), the all-star cast is led by a miscast Jessica Chastain.

CHICAGO – It’s that weird time of year where movie fans around the world try to capture different projects from different parts of the world with entirely different motives and compare them as if they were the same. What does a sci-fi instant classic like “Looper” have in common with a personal piece like “Beasts of the Southern Wild”?

CHICAGO – Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty,” opening locally on January 4th but screened early for critics, was the big winner for the Chicago Film Critics Association in 2012, winning Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing.