I’m interested to see how it shakes out, awards-wise, for ensemble of “American Hustle,” one of the most integrated and evenly weighted in any of this year’s heavyweight contenders. Jennifer Lawrence appears to have nailed down a Supporting Actress spot for her sensational turn, but I’d like to see Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper start picking up equivalent momentum, while Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner and even Robert De Niro all contribute to the electricity. At any rate, it’s one case where ensemble honors seem justified and not merely a veiled award for the film as a whole. So it is that “Hustle” will receive the Ensemble Performance Award at the Palm Springs fest, which has already announced acting honors for Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey, Bruce Dern and Julia Roberts. [PSIFF]
Eileen Jones on “Inside Llewyn Davis” and the Coen Brothers’ ongoing preoccupation with failure. [Salon]
Two Oscar winners — Shirley MacLaine and Herbie Hancock — were among those feted at last night’s Kennedy Center Honors. [Washington Post]
“American Hustle” costume designer Michael Wilkinson talks about how he brought the grubby glamor of the 1970s to the screen. [Women’s Wear Daily]
Warner Bros. is releasing the 48fps version of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” in nearly twice as many cinemas as its predecessor — so why is nobody talking about the technology this time round? [The Wrap]
Christian Bale talks about his love-hate relationship with acting, instilled in him as a child. [The Guardian]
Speaking of Bale, he inspired this list of actors who work least in their native accents: in only three of his last 20 films has he played a Brit. (And not even a Welshman, at that.) [The Wire]
Another entry in Nathaniel Rogers and company’s ongoing For Your Consideration series I can fully get behind: “The Conjuring” for Best Sound Editing. [Film Experience]
Tim Gray on three low-key directors he believes are receiving too little credit this season: John Wells, John Lee Hancock and Richard Linklater. I’d say one of those things is not like the others. [Variety]