Get the full dirt all about black here – “Black Swan” in Spotlight as Oscar Season Heats Up

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Broad sellouts in limited release and early awards-season acclaim suddenly have lifted “Black Swan” into an Oscar best picture contender, just as the Natalie Portman vehicle prepares to spread its theatrical wings wide next weekend. Academy Award nominations won’t be announced until January 25, so the most immediate drama for the ballet-themed suspense thriller begins Friday, when Fox Searchlight adds more than 900 playdates for more than 1,000 total engagements. With Golden Globe nominations on the way Tuesday, the 2010 awards season has officially kicked into high gear.

Natalie Portman is making headlines for her new film, Black Swan. At the very least, Natalie Portman should receive her second Oscar nomination for her portrayal of tormented ballerina Nina Sayers in ‘Black Swan’ but it’s not just her stellar performance that have caused people to take notice of the film. “Swan” last weekend collected $3.3 million from just 90 domestic locations, good enough for No. 6 on the chart. But the Globe nods aren’t the first; the American Film Institute and a handful of critics groups have already released their faves. But fans are more interested in the lesbian love scene than the actual film. Bottom line: Creepy, freaky fun. Sales to date stand at $5.6 million. “But because it’s me, people are shocked. “We knew it was challenging subject matter, but we made a bet on Darren Aronofsky and Natalie Portman,” Searchlight co-president Steve Gilula said Monday. “What’s been a very pleasant surprise is that is seems to be resonating with a broader audience so early.” “Swan” has been playing to audiences skewing about 55% female. “We keep hearing anecdotally about women who have seen it two or three times already,” Gilula said.

I’d never get to the point where I would starve or injure myself like Nina does. Speaking of the directing category and the aforementioned critics groups, Fincher will likely compete with four of the following Best Director nominees from the BFCA: Darren Aronofsky, “Black Swan”; Christopher Nolan, “Inception”; Tom Hooper, “The King’s Speech”; Danny Boyle, “127 Hours”; and Ethan and Joel Coen, “True Grit.” With regard to acting nods, the field has not been whittled down quite as specifically as the film and director categories. I see the value of a good girl persona-it’s so easy to subvert it!” Read more at Amy Grindhouse . Key things to look for: MORE: What’s won (and lost) so far 1. Here are some more of my favorite links, so please check them out! It’s thoroughly bizarre, pitched at high C and, as you might expect from a movie about a crazy person in a tutu, frequently hilarious. Being your fullest self is a lot of work.” Get More Quotes and Photos Inside >>> She did ballet until she was 13, but needed intense training for ‘Black Swan’: “Two hours a day after school, five hours on Saturdays. What do you think of this season’s awards darlings so far? But, where Oscar Best Picture’s race is concerned, it hasn’t been considered an equal of “The King’s Speech” and “The Social Network.” Story: ‘Black Swan’ earns 12 Critics’ Choice nominations Best movie moments of 2010 Don’t look for these films at Oscar time, but for one reason or another, they stand out in our cinematic memories. When I started acting, I knew I’d have to downgrade to twice a week and would no longer be in the best class, so I stopped. Johnny Deep rips photographer a new one after he shoves a little girl out of the way for a picture!

The discipline was good for the part-it hurt a lot; your body is in constant pain.” Her diet: “I swear, I eat. Gradually, Nina’s unstable world comes apart. OMFG What the heck happened to Gwyneth Paltrow’s face!? That should bolter its Oscar credentials ahead of the Academy’s 10 best picture nominations, though AFI considers only American productions and thus relegated much-praised British drama “The King’s Speech” to a special award. Also during the weekend, members of the Broadcast Film Critics Assn. swooned for “Swan” with a record 12 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nominations in categories including best picture.