Argo

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the highly anticipated dramedy “Our Brand is Crisis” starring Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton!

What to Watch prides itself on often offering a wide variety of material from TV seasons to On Demand exclusives to remasters of classic flicks. Not this week. All six of the New Releases that you may be drawn to in your favorite store or on your favorite service are movies, and all released in the last 18 months. But the variety within those movies is remarkable. A Best Picture winner, action flicks, a superhero, and two indie drams that waste talented casts. Pick your favorites. Here’s how we would rank ‘em.

CHICAGO – Ben Affleck’s stellar “Argo” won three Oscars last night, including Best Picture of 2012, and Warner Bros. very purposefully timed the Blu-ray and DVD release to capitalize on the film’s wave of success. But they didn’t cut corners to do so. This is one of the best Blu-ray releases in some time, with a stellar collection of special features that don’t just enlighten viewers on the art of filmmaking but offer detailed histories of the true story that just won the Best Picture Academy Award.

CHICAGO – With Seth McFarlane as host, the 86th Academy Awards had more fun, and culminated with “Argo” winning Best Picture. Other major awards went to Daniel Day-Lewis (Best Actor, “Lincoln”), Jennifer Lawrence (Best Actress, “Silver Linings Playbook”) and Ang Lee (Best Director, “Life of Pi”).

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?

CHICAGO – The 70th Annual Golden Globes, hosted by Tina Fey & Amy Poehler, were given away on Sunday, January 13, 2013 and we have our continuously updated list of winners for your persual below. Keep refreshing for the latest winners and enjoy!

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 – Paul Thomas Anderson’s divisive “The Master” led the 2012 Chicago Film Critics Association nominees on Friday morning with a stunning ten.

CHICAGO – Ben Affleck has reached the apex of his already impressive directorial career with the stunning “Argo,” a tight, tense machine of a film, a masterwork that delivers as comedy, action, drama, and more. Critics see movies all the time that we understand may produce a divided response. We get that many acclaimed films won’t make a dent with the populous.