Bennett Miller’s adaptation of Michael Lewis’ non-fiction best seller Moneyball stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, a one-time phenom who flamed out in the big leagues and now works as the GM for the Oakland Athletics, a franchise that’s about to lose their three best players to free agency. Because the team isn’t in a financial position to spend as much as perennial favorites like the Yankees and the Red Sox, Beane realizes he needs to radically change how he evaluates what players can bring to the squad. After he meets Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), an Ivy League economics major working as an executive assistant for scouting on another team, Beane realizes he’s found the man who understands how to subvert the system of assessing players that’s been in place for nearly a century.

A Conversation with Academy Award Nominees Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill and Billy Beane Followed by a screening of Moneyball. February 06, 2012
2011/color/133 min. | Scr: Steven Zaillian , Aaron Sorkin /dir: Bennett Miller; w/ Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright.

Tickets are free and open only to Film Independent, LACMA Film Club and New York Times Film Club members.

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Saying he was “dizzy with joy … and caffeine,” Brad Pitt had plenty to celebrate early Tuesday morning after the Oscar nominations were announced in Beverly Hills.

Not only did he receive a nod for Best Actor in Moneyball, but that film, along with his movie Tree of Life, were both nominated for Best Picture.

But the star, 48, isn’t solely about celebrating himself.

“I am especially over the moon for Jonah [Hill] (and the other Moneyballers acknowledged today),” Pitt said in a statement. “Considering both films … nearly didn’t make it to the screen, this is especially sweet.”

Pitt’s plan to honor his fellow nominees this very special morning? “Pancakes for everyone.”

Read more. Thanks Danielle.

It’s been a good day for Brad Pitt. Not only is he Brad Pitt, but he also scored a Best Actor nomination for his work in Moneyball and watched both Moneyball and The Tree of Life nab nominations for Best Picture. So it’s no surprise that the actor is “over the moon” about the 2012 Oscars lineup. � Pitt tells EW. “So this is it, a great honor for everyone involved.” And Moneyball costar Jonah Hill’s nomination for Best Supporting Actor? “That’s just icing on the cake,” he says.

This year’s nomination is an especially meaningful one for Pitt. The actor, who has been nominated twice before for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and Twelve Monkeys (1995), served as producer on both Moneyball and The Tree of Life. “I was working on both films from their inception,” he says. “And just what it took to get to the screen — all the artists and all the craftsmen, all the great talented people. And I’m just so happy that Tree of Life wasn’t forgotten.”

Of course, it has some stiff competition, especially from front-runners The Artist and The Descendants. But, for now, Pitt’s not focusing on Oscar’s Feb. 26 outcome. “At this point it almost becomes apples and oranges,” he says. “It’s a great, great group of films and I’m just so happy that our two films are recognized this way, because as I said, Moneyball was just dead in the water two years ago and The Tree of Life had its own difficulties.”

Speaking of The Descendants, how does Pitt feel about going up against good cane-stealing friend George Clooney in the Best Actor category? “It’s great fun having a friend in there and if it’s not me, then it might as well be him,” he says. I couldn’t be more happy.”

Read more. Thanks Danielle.

First of all, Brad has been nominated as Best Actor for Moneyball.

Other nominations for Moneyball are Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Tree of Life has been nominated for Best Picture, and Best Director. Read more. Thanks Gabriella & Natlc.

Brad won the Best Actor award for Moneyball! And Best Supporting Actor for Tree of Life.

Tree of Life also won Best Director, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, and Best Art Direction. Moneyball also won Best Adapted Screenplay. Read more. Thanks Mickey.

Brad won the Best Actor award for Moneyball! Read more. Thanks Danielle.

LEADING ACTOR
BRAD PITT Moneyball
GARY OLDMAN Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
GEORGE CLOONEY The Descendants
JEAN DUJARDIN The Artist
MICHAEL FASSBENDER Shame

SUPPORTING ACTOR
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER Beginners
JIM BROADBENT The Iron Lady
JONAH HILL Moneyball
KENNETH BRANAGH My Week with Marilyn
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN The Ides of March

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE DESCENDANTS Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
THE HELP Tate Taylor
THE IDES OF MARCH George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon
MONEYBALL Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Bridget O’Connor, Peter Straughan

Read more. Thanks Danielle.

In a race that was considered to be a battle of the A-listers, George Clooney took home the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for “The Descendants.”

After an evening of joking about his celebrity best bud, George Clooney opened his acceptance speech by letting Brad Pitt know exactly what he thought of him.

“I wanted to say it’s nice to see Brad, and it’s nice to be able to tell him not just what wonderful work he’s doing in two films this year,” Clooney said. “But what wonderful work he does in the rest of the world to the rest of the people.”

Pitt, who was nominated for “Moneyball,” and Clooney emerged as the front-runners in the category soon after the nominees were announced last month, and their well-documented friendship came to dominate the conversation around the race.

Earlier in the evening, Clooney borrowed the cane Pitt used throughout the evening, seemingly to poke fun at his friend.

http://simplybradforum.com/index.php/topic,2455.msg46879.html#new

Screening followed by a Q&A with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill
Date: Monday, January 16, 2012
Time: 11am
Location:

SAG Foundation Actors Center
5757 Wilshire Blvd, Mezzanine
Los Angeles
(free validated parking)

Event moderated by Jenelle Riley, Back StageQ&A will be streamed live from Los Angeles on our website following a screening of the film. Note: only the Q&A will be live streamed and will begin at approximately 1:15pm (Pacific).

To watch the Q&A you DO NOT have to log into our website. Just go to http://www.sagfoundation.org/videogallery/livestream .

Email questions to LiveStream@sagfoundation.org or tweet to #SAGF.

Read more. Thanks Gabriella.

Brad won the Best Actor award for Moneyball! Also, Tree of Life won for Best Director and Best Picture! Read more. Thanks Danielle & Gabriella.

With awards season about to kick off in earnest, Hollywood royalty Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie set flashbulbs alight on the red carpet once again last night, at the prestigious Critics Circle Awards in New York.

Fresh from a dazzling appearance at the Palm Springs Film Festival – where Brad was awarded the Desert Palm Achievement Award – the pair struck a smouldering pose outside the event.

And while Brad looked undeniably dapper in a sleek charcoal Versace suit – accessorised with a cooky cane, after he tore a ligament during a ski trip – it was Angelina who set tongues wagging.

Scoring yet another style hit to add to her collection, Ms Jolie was the epitome of chic as she sashayed down the red carpet, choosing a sizzling Ferragamo leather skirt, simple silk blouse and jaw-dropping jade jewels for the occasion.

Despite winning hands down in the fashion stakes, it was Brad who took home an award during the evening, garnering the prestigious Best Actor prize for his roles in Moneyball and The Tree of Life.

“I’m so glad,” Brad Pitt muttered, stepping away from the mike, “this isn’t televised.”

Well, he may be glad – or otherwise there’d be endless YouTube clips of him talking about once getting cruised on Christopher Street (or busybodies wondering why he forgot to thank Angelina Jolie in his best-actor acceptance speech).

But there are plenty of movie fans who are probably sad today that Monday night’s New York Film Critics Circle awards were presented without any network cameras around.

Pitt – who was also honored for “Moneyball” — remembered his first trip to New York too, back in 1989 to audition for a soap opera. He didn’t get the part, but he did stay with a friend down in the Village, and he thought the city was very special.

“My God, there’s a lot of guys in New York,” he remembered thinking, walking down Christopher Street. “But they’re so nice!”

Read more.

KESQ Live Stream Video Feed
Watch live video from KESQ News Channel 3, The Desert’s News Leader.

Pitt will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Actor Award for his lead role in Moneyball and his supporting role in The Tree of Life.

Click here Thanks Gabriella.

George on possibly being nominated alongside Brad Pitt: “Brad is my pal, and we’re a long way from that discussion anyway. But I’d like living in a world where Brad Pitt has an Academy Award. I watched Moneyball and I couldn’t do what Brad does.”

Read more. Thanks Danielle.

The National Society of Film Critics on Saturday, January 7th, 2012, chose “Melancholia”
as Best Picture of the Year 2011. Kristin Dunst was named best actress for her performance in Lars von Trier’s film, and Brad Pitt was named best actor for his work in “Moneyball” and “The Tree of Life.” Albert Brooks (or his evil twin) won best supporting actor for his appearance in “Drive,” and Jessica Chastain was named best supporting actress for her work in three films: “The Tree of Life,” “Take Shelter” and “The Help.”

Read more. Thanks Anu.