On Saturday night at the 16th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival, Academy Award-nominated actor Demian Bichir (A Better Life) and Golden Globe, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actress Mary Louise Parker (RED) were honored with the Spotlight Award. The award recognizes actors for the work they are doing in the entertainment industry today, as apposed to their overall body of work.

Lincoln, now available on Blu-ray and DVD, isn't a chronicle of Abraham Lincoln's life, from his humble beginnings through his surprising ascent to the presidency and his eventual assassination at Ford's Theater.

Tuesday, March 12th, Ang Lee’s visually breathtaking Life of Pi arrives on Blu-ray 3D, Bu-ray, and DVD with a number of special features that explore the making of this astonishing film. Life of Pi focuses of Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma), a young man who survives a tragic disaster at sea and is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While marooned on a lifeboat, he forms an amazing and unexpected connection with the ship’s only other survivor — a fearsome Bengal tiger.

Life of Pi received the most awards for a single film at the Academy Awards this year including best director, cinematography, visual effects, and musical score. I recently had the chance to be amongst the first members of the press to speak with Ang Lee since his film won big at the Oscars. Lee was joined by Life of Pi’s editor, Tim Squyres (Gosford Park, The Ice Storm), and screenwriter, David Magee (Finding Neverland), at the Crosby Hotel in New York City to promote the Blu-ray/DVD release. The filmmakers presented deleted scenes that will be available on the Blu-ray/DVD and discussed the extensive pre-production process of the film.

Currently playing in New York theaters and opening in Los Angeles on March 8th is the Canadian film War Witch from writer/director Kim Nguyen (La Cite). The movie was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards and features first time screen actors Rachel Mwanza, and Serge Kanyinda, as well as Alain Lino Mic Eli Bastien (Gangsterland), and Mizinga Mwinga (Warm Bodies). 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down with writer and director Kim Nguyen to talk about his work on War Witch. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker discussed the film, how he conceived the idea for the screenplay, the challenges of filming in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working with the actors, casting young star Rachel Mwanza, improvising on set, and what he learned in the process about the people of Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Beasts of the Southern Wild may have been shut out at the Academy Awards, but the film's young lead has received a solid consolation prize.

Quvenzhané Wallis is set to star as the title character in Sony Pictures' new take on Annie, the frequently adapted stage musical.

The Oscars are here!

That's right Rogues, Oscar fever just got terminal.  The 85th Annual Academy Awards ceremony was held tonight at the Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles, California, with Seth MacFarlane bringing a self-referential sensibility to the hosting duties.

On a night of televised pomp and circumstance, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – a 5,765 member-strong organization that is 94% white, 77% male, and 54% over 60 years-old – anointed the winners of the 2013 Academy Awards.

The Independent Spirit Awards are basically Oscar's less popular but totally cooler younger – way, way younger – sibling.

Where the Academy Awards take place in the ostentatious Dolby Theatre and shut down traffic for blocks in every direction, the Spirit Awards go down in a giant tent on the Santa Monica Beach, just yards away from the Pacific Ocean its chilly whipping winds.  Where the Academy Awards are characterized by pomp, circumstance, and awed reverence, the Spirit Awards are typified by a seat-of-your pants freewheeling style and a celebration of movies often overlooked during the rest of awards season.

In other words, this year's show, hosted by Andy Samberg in a magnificent green tuxedo is one awards show where Argo not only won't win, but as a full-on studio picture, wasn't even nominated. 

With Oscar ballots due Tuesday, and less than a week to go until the awards are handed out on Sunday, February 24th, let's take a look at how things stand in the race for the gold. This is undoubtedly the most unpredictable Oscar race in years, and there has not been this much uncertainty since Crash faced off against Brokeback Mountain back in 2006.

Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, Rogues of all stripes, the time is finally here. 

The Oscars have arrived.

Actually, not quite.  But the 85th Annual Academy Awards are this Sunday, February 24th.  The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles, California, is hosted this year by Seth MacFarlane, who also scored his first nomination on account of the song "Everybody Needs a Buddy" from Ted.  The stars are set to turn out for the most ostentatious night in Hollywood, from the "Who are you wearing?" hysteria of the red carpet to the ecstatic acceptance speeches to the inevitable after-parties.

Like you, we here at iamROGUE have Oscar fever, and we're hemorrhaging some of the finest awards season coverage anywhere online.

Nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2013 Academy Awards is the critically acclaimed film Beasts of the Southern Wild, which is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD. The movie was co-written by director Benh Zeitlin and playwright Lucy Alibar, who also wrote the stage play that the film is based on, and stars Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry. 

Late last year, IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick had a chance to sit down with playwright-turned-screenwriter Lucy Alibar to talk about her work on Beasts of the Southern Wild. The Oscar-nominee discussed the film, having the idea for the stage play, adapting it into a screenplay, working with director Benh Zeitlin, the movie's magical elements, casting five year-old Quvenzhane Wallis and newcomer Dwight Henry, and the overwhelming success of the project.