The Empire Awards 2014 – 12 Years! Hobbit! Gravity! Alan Partridge! World’s End! Filth! Hunger Games and more!

The fantastic Empire unload their biggest awards yet with their 25th anniversary special. They, like us, let the worthy blockbusters to go head to head with the awards bait. It’s not as prestigious as the Oscars but does show us for of the fans’ view. So in that respect, this really is quite major.

Best Male Newcomer:

Aidan Turner – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips

George MacKay – Sunshine on Leith

Oscar Isaac – Inside Llewyn Davis

Tye Sheridan – Mud

Will Poulter – We’re the Millers

Best Female Newcomer:

Margot Robbie – The Wolf of Wall Street

Adele Exarchopoulos – Blue is the Warmest Colour

Antonia Thomas – Sunshine On Leith

Elizabeth Debecki – The Great Gatsby

Freya Mavor – Sunshine on Leith

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave

Best Horror:

The Conjuring

A Field in England

Evil Dead

World War Z

You’re Next

Best Comedy:

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

This is 40

This is the End

The World’s End

Best Thriller:

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Captain Phillips

Now You See Me

Prisoners

Trance

Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Gravity

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Pacific Rim

Star Trek Into Darkness

Best Supporting Actor:

Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave

Daniel Bruhl – Rush

Sam Clafin – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Richard Armitage – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Tom Hiddleston – Thor: The Dark World

Best Supporting Actress:

Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine

Evangeline Lilly – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave

Mia Wasikowska – Stoker

Jameson Best Leading Actor:

James McAvoy – Filth

Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave

Leonardo Di Caprio – The Wolf of Wall Street

Martin Freeman – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips

Best Leading Actress:

Emma Thompson – Saving Mr Banks

Amy Adams – American Hustle

Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Sandra Bullock – Gravity

Best Director:

Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity

Edgar Wright – The World’s End

Paul Greengrass – Captain Phillips

Peter Jackson – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave

Empire Icon:

Hugh Jackman

Empire Hero:

Simon Pegg

Empire Inspiration:

Paul Greengrass

25 Years Award – The Action Hero of Our Lifetime:

Arnold Schwarzenegger

25 Years Award – The Legend of Our Lifetime:

Tom Cruise

Best British Film:

The World’s End

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

Filth

Rush

Sunshine on Leith

Best Film:

Gravity

12 Years a Slave

Captain Phillips

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Seth Rogen enrols for Console Wars, Marvel unveils Doctor Strange directing shortlist and find the Empire Award nominees

The award ceremony season is in full swing with last week’s BAFTAs, this weekend’s Oscars and last night’s homegrown Tuorhoth Awards. Another alternate look on the last year’s films can be found with the Empire Awards for which the nominations have just been announced. The winners will be announced on March 30th but you can vote for your favourites here.

Best Film:

12 Years a Slave

Captain Phillips

Gravity

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Best Director:

Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity

Edgar Wright – The World’s End

Paul Greengrass – Captain Phillips

Peter Jackson – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave

Best Leading Actor:

Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave

James McAvoy – Filth

Leonardo Di Caprio – The Wolf of Wall Street

Martin Freeman – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips

Best Leading Actress:

Amy Adams – American Hustle

Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine

Emma Thompson – Saving Mr Banks

Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Sandra Bullock – Gravity

Best British Film:

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

Filth

Rush

Sunshine on Leith

The World’s End

Best Supporting Actress:

Evangeline Lilly – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave

Mia Wasikowska – Stoker

Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine

Best Supporting Actor:

Daniel Bruhl – Rush

Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave

Sam Clafin – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Richard Armitage – The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug

Tom Hiddleston – Thor: The Dark World

Best Sci-fi/Fantasy:

Gravity

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Pacific Rim

Star Trek Into Darkness

Best Thriller:

Captain Phillips

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Now You See Me

Prisoners

Trance

Best Comedy:

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

This is 40

This is the End

The World’s End

Best Horror:

A Field in England

The Conjuring

Evil Dead

World War Z

You’re Next

Best Female Newcomer:

Adele Exarchopoulous – Blue is the Warmest Colour

Antonia Thomas – Sunshine on Leith

Elizabeth Debecki – The Great Gatsby

Freya Mavor – Sunshine on Leith

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave

Margot Robbie – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Male Newcomer:

Aidan Turner – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips

George McKay – Sunshine on Leith

Oscar Isaac – Inside Llewyn Davis

Tye Sheridan – Mud

Will Poulter – We’re the Millers

Picking up a Best Comedy nomination at the Empires was This is the End and the writing/directing duo behind it are lining up a new project. Evan Goldberg (writer of Goon, Pineapple Express and Superbad) and Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, 50/50, Paul) have been hired by Sony for Console Wars. This is a comedy detailing the vicious rivalry between Sega and Nintendo in the ’90s which lead to the multi-billion industry we know today. The pair will write and direct, as they did in This is the End, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Rogen went on to star in the film yet nothing’s been confirmed about that just yet.

Finally, we can announce the directing shortlist for Marvel’s upcoming fantasy project Doctor Stranger. The film was greenlighted by producer Kevin Feige in October and since there’s been huge speculation as to both who would call the shots on the superhero adventure as well as who would portray the titular hero. The potential directors are Mark Andrews, Nicolaj Arcel, Dean Israelite and Jonathan Levine. We’ll give you a quick brief for these four candidates.

Oscar winning director Mark Andrews directed Pixar’s feature length Brave and short animation One Man Band as well as writing Pixar’s short Jack-Jack Attack and John Carter. Israelite, cousin of Jonathan Liebesman is the director of successful short films The Department of Nothing and Magician. The most famous of the quartet is probably Jonathan Levine (50/50, Warm Bodies, The Wackness) but the most promising is Danish born Nikolaj Arcel, director of King’s Game and the brilliant period drama A Royal Affair.

The film will likely be the second in Marvel’s third phase but, if you can’t wait till 2016, there’s plenty of superhero action to keep you company. Captain America: The Winter Soldier comes this March, Guardians of the Galaxy launches in August, The Avengers: Age of Ultron battles in May 2015 followed by Ant-Man in July of that year. After that, there could be Captain America 3, Thor 3, Guardians 2 or Black Panther before Avengers 3.

Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo and the Battle that Defined a Generation – 2016

Doctor Strange – 2016

2014 Empire Awards – March 30th

BIFA 2013 wins and new Sherlock series 3 trailer

We reported for you about a month ago the 2013 nominations for the British Independent Film Awards, or BIFA. Now the winners have come in and Metro Manila is the victorious film in this celebration of this country’s indie cinema. The 16th BIFAs were sponsored by Moet and, just in case you think this is a minor ceremony, remember that proud supporters of the group include Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton, Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen and David Thewlis.

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM

Sponsored by Moët & Chandon 

Metro Manila

BEST DIRECTOR

Sponsored by AllCity & Intermission

Sean Ellis – Metro Manila

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR] 

Sponsored by 3 Mills Studios

Paul Wright – For Those in Peril

BEST SCREENPLAY

Steven Knight – Locke

BEST ACTRESS  

Sponsored by M.A.C Cosmetics

Lindsay Duncan – Le Week-end

BEST ACTOR 

Sponsored by BBC Films  

James McAvoy – Filth

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 

Imogen Poots – The Look Of Love

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 

Sponsored by Sanderson & St Martins Lane 

Ben Mendelsohn – Starred Up

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER

Sponsored by Studiocanal

Chloe Pirrie – Shell

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION 

Sponsored by Company3

Metro Manila

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT 

Sponsored by LightBrigade Media

Amy Hubbard – Casting – The Selfish Giant

BEST DOCUMENTARY

A Punk Prayer

BEST BRITISH SHORT 

Supported by BFI NET.WORK

Z1

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM 

Blue is the Warmest Colour

THE RAINDANCE AWARD 

Sponsored by Wentworth Media and Arts 

The Machine

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for outstanding contribution by an actor to British Film)

Julie Walters

THE VARIETY AWARD 

Paul Greengrass

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE 

Sixteen Films & Friends (AKA Team Loach)

It’s great to see Paul Greengrass being honoured as one of the most forward British directors of our age, alongside Christopher Nolan, Danny Boyle, Sam Mendes, Joe Wright, Guy Ritchie, Lynne Ramsay, Kenneth Branagh, and Rupert Wyatt, but we move swiftly on to the new trailer for the third season Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ Sherlock. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are the key stars of the acclaimed detective thriller which’ll will hopefully tie up the loose ends of 2012’s season finale. Here at Tourhoth Movies, we can’t wait.

Sherlock series 3 – January 1st 2014 on BBC One

BIFA nominations unveiled and Alan Taylor’s Terminator auditioners announced

Brie Larson is the 24 year old 21 Jump Street and Scott Pilgrim star who’s recently stunned the critics in new drama Short Term 12. Margot Robbie started her career with TV roles on Pan Am and Neighbours but is going big after a role in About Time and soon stars with Leonardo Di Caprio and Matthew McConaughey in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street and is in IMDB’s Top 100 on the Starmeter (ranked 51st currently). Emilia Clarke, Daenerys Targaryen on HBO’s legendary Game of Thrones, is ranked at 44th on that same meter and recently starred with Jude Law in the comedy Dom Hemmingway. It’s announced that they’ll be going head to head for a very important role.

Sarah Connor, the focus of the first two Terminator films, is that role but what we said about going head to head isn’t quite true. The Hollywood Reporter, well, reported that the three stars were under consideration by director Alan Taylor. He’s just released his Marvel epic Thor: The Dark World and is also known for Palookaville. At first glance, Clarke looks like a real contender as she and Taylor will know eachother through their work on Game of Thrones.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is rumoured to be starring in the new reboot of the James Cameron classic but not much more is known. We could guess of a switch of time zone from the most recent instalment, Salvation, seeing as they’ll be casting a young Sarah Connor.

Finally, we’ve find out the nominations for the BIFA, or British Independent Film Awards. They were unveiled via Scot star Ewan MacGregor reading them out. This year, there’s particular focus on Filth, Philomena and Le Week-End. There also appears to be an effort to bring in youth with Scarlett Johansson, Felicity Jones and Saorise Ronan given nods. You can find out who wins on the event itself, December 8th.

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
Metro Manila
Philomena
The Selfish Giant
Starred Up
Le Week-end

BEST DIRECTOR
Jon S Baird, Filth
Clio Barnard, The Selfish Giant
Sean Ellis, Metro Manila
Jonathan Glazer, Under The Skin
David Mackenzie, Starred Up

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]
Charlie Cattrall, Titus
Tina Gharavi, I Am Nasrine
Jeremy Lovering, In Fear
Omid Nooshin, Last Passenger
Paul Wright, For Those In Peril

BEST SCREENPLAY
Jonathan Asser, Starred Up
Clio Barnard, The Selfish Giant
Steven Knight, Locke
Hanif Kureishi, Le Week-end
Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan, Philomena

BEST ACTRESS
Judi Dench, Philomena
Lindsay Duncan, Le Week-end
Scarlett Johansson, Under The Skin
Felicity Jones, The Invisible Woman
Saoirse Ronan, How I Live Now

BEST ACTOR
Jim Broadbent, Le Week-end
Steve Coogan, Philomena
Tom Hardy, Locke
Jack O’Connell, Starred Up
James McAvoy, Filth

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Siobhan Finneran, The Selfish Giant
Shirley Henderson, Filth
Imogen Poots, The Look Of Love
Kristin Scott Thomas, The Invisible Woman
Mia Wasikowska, The Double

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
John Arcilla, Metro Manila
Rupert Friend, Starred Up
Jeff Goldblum, Le Week-end
Eddie Marsan, Filth
Ben Mendelsohn, Starred Up

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
Harley Bird, How I Live Now
Conner Chapman / Shaun Thomas, The Selfish Giant
Caity Lotz, The Machine
Jake Macapagal, Metro Manila
Chloe Pirrie, Shell

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
A Field in England
Filth
Metro Manila
The Selfish Giant
Starred Up

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Shaheen Baig – Casting, Starred Up
Johnnie Burn – Sound Design, Under The Skin
Amy Hubbard – Casting, The Selfish Giant
Mica Levi – Music, Under The Skin
Justine Wright – Editing,  Locke

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer
The Great Hip Hop Hoax
The Moo Man
The Spirit Of ’45
The Stone Roses: Made Of Stone

BEST BRITISH SHORT
L’Assenza
Dr Easy
Dylan’s Room
Jonah
Z1

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM
Blue Is The Warmest Colour
Blue Jasmine
Frances Ha
The Great Beauty
Wadjda

THE RAINDANCE AWARD
Everyone’s Going To Die
The Machine
The Patrol
Sleeping Dogs
Titus

Terminator – July 1st 2015

British Independent Film Awards – December 8th