As we ramp up to the summer movie season, the newswire this week was dominated by upcoming Star Wars and superhero films. First, last weekend’s Star Wars Celebration brought us a new trailer for The Force Awakens and the next cutest robot ever. Later in the week, we heard that Nightcrawler‘s Riz Ahmed was in talks to play a leading role in the first Star Wars anthology film Rogue One. For the other big Disney property coming out this year, apparently some German theaters are boycotting The Avengers: Age of Ultron due to the studio’s asking for too much money per ticket sale. But that might not be as bad as the predicament Warner Bros. founds itself in when its trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice leaked just days prior to a scheduled IMAX trailer release event, forcing the studio to officially release the trailer sooner than they planned. Oh, and then there’s the mostly negative response that trailer received online. We also got that Jared Leto Joker image shocking into our brains, never to be forgotten. With all this circling, how you honestly keep up with anything else? Check out other news you may have missed last week below!

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Set to Make a Spider-Man Animated Movie

OK, so we’re not completely done with superhero film news, but this bit is a little more enticing. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have made a fine career out of adapting uninspired properties into intelligent and fun films – maybe they are the perfect filmmakers to get Sony out of their Spider-Man rut. Announced at Sony’s presentation at CinemaCon, the duo are set to direct an animated version of everyone’s favorite web-slinger to be released in 2018. This, of course, isn’t the first time Spider-Man has been animated, with multiple popular television series. If Sony has to release a film of their own while also handing off the character on loan to Marvel Studios, an animated film is probably the only way to differentiate it. And hiring Lord & Miller attached to write and direct the film is probably the only way to make it not feel like a total cash grab.

Ang Lee’s Next Film to be Shot at 120 Frames Per Second

Also announced at Sony’s CinemaCon presentation, Ang Lee is currently working with Sony to shoot his next film with a revolutionary new camera that can capture 120 images per second. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk will also be shot in the suddenly blasé 3D with 4k projection. A few years back, Peter Jackson’s first film in The Hobbit series was projected at 48 fps, paving the way for the next trend to keep us going to the movies, but this is a bold step up from that. Many of the technical details are still unclear, but it will definitely be interesting to learn more and see the results.

Virgin Mountain and Bridgend Biggest Winners at Tribeca

The 2015 Tribeca Film Festival is in the books, with Dagur Kári’s Virgin Mountain and Jeppe Rønde’s Bridgend sweeping the World Narrative Competition awards. Virgin Mountain took home Best Narrative Feature, Best Actor and Best Screenplay, graciously leaving Best Actress, Cinematography and Editing for Bridgend. Camilla Nielsson’s look at the the adoption of a new constitution in Zimbabwe, Democrats, won Best Documentary Feature. We saw Bridgend, but were pretty mixed on the film. You can find the complete list of competition award winners at Indiewire. While you’re at it, check out all of our Tribeca 2015 coverage here!

Gaspar Noé upcoming NSFW film Love

A few days after the competition and Directors’ Fortnight schedules for the 2015 Cannes Film Festival were released, a stimulating addition has been made. According to the Dissolve, film provocateur Gaspar Noé will be showing off his newest film, Love, at the festival. Though we know Love is a three-hour 3D porno, it is supposedly more joyous and lighthearted than Noé’s previous films Irreversible and Enter the Void. With Lars von Trier still banned from Cannes, his spot for controversy has been up-for-grabs, so perhaps it will be filled by the Argentinian auteur.

Trailer of the Week: Nightingale

After David Oyelowo’s disappointing snub at this year’s Oscars, I was very interested in seeing where his career would go. Oyelowo has long been putting in great performances in small roles in films like The Paperboy and A Most Violent Year, but could he sustain being a leading man? Well, by the looks of Nightingale, where he seems to be the only on-screen character, he’s doubling down. The film debuted at the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival, but will now get a broad release thanks to HBO Films, when it will show on the cable channel on Friday, May 29. Check out a tease of Oyelowo’s powerful solo performance in the trailer below!

This Sunday night everyone will know who the real 2015 Oscar winners are and that person who hasn’t watched a single nominated film this year will probably win your office pool. In our recent Oscar Winners Revisited columns, we’ve gone back to discuss who should have won back in 2011, and 2012. Now we revisit the 2013 Oscars and discuss why we think Best Picture should have gone to Silver Linings Playbook and not to Argo, as well as our picks in the other 5 major categories that year.

Best Supporting Actress

Who Won – Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Who Should’ve Won – Amy Adams, The Master

Amy Adams’ understated performance as the reserved but grounded wife in The Master seemed to have been overshadowed by the thunderous performances from leads Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix. But she had an essential role in shaping The Master into the brilliant and well-acted film that it became. After Adams walked away empty-handed three previous times at the Oscars (nominated for Junebug, Doubt, and The Fighter), I thought she’d finally receive the shiny gold trophy she deserves. Yet somehow Anne Hathaway received more votes from the Academy with her imperfect singing in the classic musical remake of Les Miserables. One day you will win Ms. Adams, one day. [Dustin]

Best Supporting Actor

Who Won – Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Who Should’ve Won – Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

2013 felt like a real “anything goes” year for the Best Supporting Actor category. On one side, there was the trio of living legends Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro and Tommy Lee Jones all playing pivotal roles in films that won elsewhere in major categories. On the other were two men better known as character actors: Christoph Waltz and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Waltz picked up his second win in two nominations (both for Tarantino movies) despite some critics noting Leonardo DiCaprio’s superior performance in Django Unchained. All in all, the overlooked nominee in the bunch was Hoffman. Though we didn’t know it then, The Master would be Hoffman’s final Oscar nomination, his strongest collaboration with his friend, filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. Playing Lancaster Dodd, the cultish leader of The Cause, Hoffman illustrates the charisma necessary to recruit a legion of followers while also depicting Dodd as a man, “a hopelessly inquisitive man.” It’s a staggeringly complex character made knowable through an honest, vulnerable performance. Lancaster Dodd exhibited Hoffman at his best: charming, empathetic, and exceedingly truthful. He deserved a win. [Zach]

Best Actress

Who Won – Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Who Should’ve Won – Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Nobody was surprised to hear Jennifer Lawrence’s name called for Best Actress in 2013. She was terrific in Silver Linings Playbook, a film that had Oscar wins written all over it, which made this victory feel like an easy lay-up despite the talented group of nominees that year. Emmanuelle Riva nearly broke us down to tears with Amour, Quvenzhané Wallis won our hearts in Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Naomi Watts left us emotionally stirred in The Impossible. But it was Jessica Chastain who shocked us with her bravery in an unapologetic portrayal of CIA agent in charge of tracking Osama bin Laden in Zero Dark Thirty. Unlike other Hollywood roles for women, Chastain got the chance to play an intelligent, uncompromising heroine, and she did it extremely well. This might have been one of the better years for lead actresses in recent memory, but Chastain’s electrifying performance stood above the rest—perhaps just a touch above Wallis and Lawrence. [Dustin]

Best Actor

Who Won – Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Who Should’ve Won – Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

With all due respect to the World’s Greatest Actor Daniel Day-Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Freddie Quell creates a character far beyond imitation. The enigmatic Quell is noticeably disturbed, speaking out of the side of his mouth and prone to sudden, violent outbursts. Phoenix is said to have used a rubber band to tie his teeth together on a side of his mouth to contribute to Quell’s odd speech pattern. But beyond his vocal choices, Quell is likely Phoenix’s most physical performance. The actor contorts himself, throwing his body into walls and at others with an animalistic quality. This type of performance could feel over-the-top in a lesser production but guided by Paul Thomas Anderson, Freddie Quell is both frightening and sympathetic. More than that, he’s simply unforgettable. [Zach]

Best Director

Who Won – Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Who Should’ve Won – Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Obviously nobody at the time knew that Ben Affleck‘s Argo would go on to win Best Picture, a strange thing since he wasn’t even nominated in this Best Director category. While people were scratching their heads trying to figure out why he and Kathryn Bigelow were snubbed, some were pleasantly surprised (myself included) to see Michael Haneke on the list for Amour (foreign films don’t often get recognized in this category), as well as first-time filmmaker Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild. Though the race seemed to be between David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) and Steven Spielberg (Lincoln), Ang Lee walked away with his second Best Director award. Remarkably, it was the new kid on the block, Zeitlin, who impressed me the most. He shot Beasts of the Southern Wild on location using mostly local actors, and created a poetic fairy tale most seasoned directors couldn’t produce. Even though he didn’t win, Zeitlin should have felt honored to be in such great company. [Dustin]

Best Picture

Who Won – Argo
Who Should’ve Won – Silver Linings Playbook

This is probably one of my least favorite years for Best Picture, a lot of brilliant films didn’t make the cut while a couple mediocre ones did (cough Les Miserables cough). But I’ll take Silver Linings Playbook over the wondrous Life of Pi, the heartbreaking Amour, and the endlessly moving Beasts of the Southern Wild. Silver Linings is one of the most charming movies of the decade and a delightful throwback to the zany screwball romantic comedies of the ‘30s and ‘40s, a better tribute than the previous years Best Picture winner The Artist. David O. Russell’s chaotic and jumpy style perfectly suits this story of a man suffering from bipolar disorder trying to correct his life amidst an unusual romance, a temperamental football-obsessed father, and any other type of everyday drama that can stand in the way of a positive and happy life. There’s a lightning-in-a-bottle feeling of success to Silver Linings Playbook which the uninspired mess of American Hustle only makes me appreciate more. [Ryan]

Life of Pi is truly a film that you must see on the highest resolution possible in order to immerse yourself in the glorious picture director Ang Lee and cinematographer Claudio Miranda create. Which is why Way Too Indie is happy to giveaway a Blu-ray of Life of Pi to one of our readers.

How do you enter the giveaway?

Simply email me (dustin AT waytooindie.com) your favorite 3D movie you’ve seen.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest on indie films.

About Life of Pi:

A “magnificent and moving” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) motion picture event that has been hailed as “a masterpiece” (Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times), taking in over $500 million in worldwide box office. LIFE OF PI follows Pi Patel, a young man on a fateful voyage who, after a spectacular disaster, is marooned on a lifeboat with the only other survivor, a fearsome 450 lb Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker.

LIFE OF PI 3-Disc BD3D/BD/Ultraviolet/DVD & DC

• Disc 1:  Blu-ray
  • Film
  • Documentary:  A Remarkable Vision (19:35 min)
  • Documentary:  A Filmmaker’s Epic Journey (63:29 min)
  • Documentary:  Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright ( 8:35min)
  • Stills:  Gallery
    • Art by Joanna  Bush
    • Art by Haan Lee
    • Art by Dawn Masi
    • Art by Alexis Rockman
  • Stills:  Storyboards
• Disc 2:  DVD & Digital Copy (Film only)
• Disc 3:  Blu-ray 3D
  • 3D Film
  • 3D/2D Deleted Scenes:
    • Anandi’s Second Dance
    • Time to Grow Up
    • Happy Birthday
    • Did I Say Something Wrong?
    • Darkness
  • 3D/2D VFX Progressions:
    • Tsimstum Sinking
    • The Wave Tank
  • 3D/2D Theatrical Trailer

LIFE OF PI 2-Disc BD/Ultraviolet/DVD & DC Combo

• Disc 1:  Blu-ray
  • Film
  • Documentary:  Remarkable Vision (20 min)
  • Documentary:  Epic Journey (60 min)
  • Documentary:  Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright (5 min)
  • Stills:  Gallery
    • Art by Joanna Bush
    • Art by Haan Lee
    • Art by Dawn Masi
    • Art by Alexis Rockman
  • Stills:  Storyboards
• Disc 2:  DVD & Digital Copy (Film only)

Available on Blu-ray and DVD March 12th

GUIDE TO 3D BLU-RAY

One of the latest developments in the world of home entertainment is the introduction of 3D Blu-ray. Ang Lee made the most of 3D technology in the making of Life of Pi, which is being released on 3D Blu-ray March 12. The 3D Blu-ray will allow select bonus features to be seen in 3D, which is a first for the market. In this feature, we’ll take a closer look into at-home 3D technology and how it is evolving.

When 3D HDTVs were first sold in 2010 many believed that TV technology had reached its peak. However, TV giants such as Samsung, LG and Panasonic and Sony were already looking ahead. They immediately began work on passive 3D glasses, similar to what audiences use in the cinema, which were more comfortable than the chunky active-3D glasses, which consumers had to sync with their TV in order to use.

In 2012 we witnessed the first glasses-free 3D HDTV. This marked a huge breakthrough for at-home 3D but there were still problems. For example, each person watching had to sync their position with the TV to ensure clear viewing, which proved tiresome in big groups. But the price remains the biggest barrier to consumer conversion to glasses-free 3D TV.  These products are, on average, $10,000 more expensive than your run-of-the-mill passive or active 3D HDTVs, which means you are unlikely to see them in your friends’ living room anytime soon.

So what should we look out for in 2013? 4K technology has been on our cinema screens since 2007 but will be entering the home in 2013. 4KTVs will have a mind-blowing 8 million individual pixels and some brands will even allow users to play 2-player games with no split-screen. The $24,999 price-tag means you won’t be seeing many 4KTVs around but with at-home 3D technology evolving at such a pace, it won’t be long before you can watch your Life of Pi 3D Blu-ray in 4K at home.

Just as many expected, Argo took home the top award of Best Picture at the 85th Academy Awards, despite Ben Affleck not receiving a Best Director nomination, something that has only happened four times in 85 years. It was a year for records as Daniel Day-Lewis winning Best Actor for his role in Lincoln means that he is now the only person to have won three Best Actor awards in Oscar history. Also, the first time since 1969 there was a tie for a category (both Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty won for Best Sound Editing).

Even though Argo walked away with the top honors and two other awards (Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing), Life of Pi was the film that took home the most awards this year with four wins (Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Visual Effects). And while Lincoln had 12 nominations, the film only ended up winning two awards (Best Actor and Best Production Design).

List of 2013 Oscar Winners:

(The winners are highlighted in bold red font)

Amour
Argo
Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Michael Haneke – Amour
Benh Zeitlin – Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Ang Lee – Life Of Pi
Steven Spielberg – Lincoln
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook

Denzel Washington – Flight
Hugh Jackman – Les Miserables
Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln
Joaquin Phoenix – The Master
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook

Emmanuelle Riva – Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Naomi Watts – The Impossible
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings PLaybook
Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty

Alan Arkin – Argo
Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained
Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master
Robert De Niro – Silver Linings Playbook

Anne Hathaway – Les Misérables
Sally Field – Lincoln
Amy Adams – The Master
Helen Hunt – The Sessions
Jacki Weaver – Silver Linings Playbook

Michael Haneke – Amour
Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained
John Gatins – Flight
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola – Moonrise Kingdom
Mark Boal – Zero Dark Thirty

Chris Terrio – Argo
Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild
David Magee – Life Of Pi
Tony Kushner – Lincoln
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook

Amour
Kon-Tiki
No
A Royal Affair
War Witch

Seamus McGarvey – Anna Karenina
Robert Richardson – Django Unchained
Claudio Miranda – Life Of Pi
Janusz Kaminski – Lincoln
Roger Deakins – Skyfall

Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band Of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph

5 Broken Cameras
The Gatekeepers
How To Survive A Plague
The Invisible War
Searching For Sugar Man

William Goldenberg – Argo
Tim Squyres – Life Of Pi
Michael Kahn – Lincoln
Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers – Silver Linings Playbook
William Goldenberg, Dylan Tichenor – Zero Dark Thirty

Dario Marianelli – Anna Karenina
Alexandre Desplat – Argo
Mychael Danna – Life Of Pi
John Williams – Lincoln
Thomas Newman – Skyfall

“Before My Time” – Chasing Ice
“Pi’s Lullaby” – Life Of Pi
“Suddenly” – Les Miserables
“Skyfall” – Skyfall
“Everybody Needs A Best Friend” – Ted

Anna Karenina
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln

Anna Karenina
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Mirror Mirror
Snow White and the Huntsman

Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables

Argo
Django Unchained
Life Of Pi
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty

Argo
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life Of Pi
Marvel’s The Avengers
Prometheus
Snow White And The Huntsman

Inocente
Kings Point
Mondays At Racine
Open Heart
Redemption

Adam And Dog
Fresh Guacamole
Head Over Heels
Maggie Simpson In The Longest Daycare
Paperman

Asad
Buzkashi Boys
Curfew
Death Of A Shadow
Henry