Roundup: Jason Statham calls for stunt Oscars

Hardly a week goes by in the awards season without someone or other lobbying for a new Oscar category. But while the likes of Woody Allen are calling for casting Oscars, Jason Statham is joining the chorus for to see stunt work recognized by the Academy: Jason Statham calls for an Oscar category for stunt artists. The British action man rants: “I think it is an overlooked category … Nobody is giving them any credibility. They”re risking their necks. And then you”ve got poncy actors pretending like they”re doing [the stunts] … It”s like a farce.” Of course, SAG has a stunt award, but I’m not convinced many Academy voters would know how to judge the category. [Vanity Fair

The Cannes Film Festival would be happy to have former persona non grata Lars von Trier back at some point. As if we were ever in doubt about that. [Variety]

Michael Phillips admires Bruce Dern’s work in “Nebraska,” but wonders how things would have turned out with Gene Hackman in his place. [Chicago Tribune]

Alyssa Rosenberg is surprised that white audiences turned out for “12 Years a Slave” and “Fruitvale Station.” [ThinkProgress

Scott Feinberg picks the 15 documentaries he thinks are likeliest to make the Academy’s shortlist. (“Seduced and Abandoned?” Seriously?) [Hollywood Reporter]

Anonymous insider @MysteryExec calls for more risk and original thinking in the industry. [Tribeca Film]

Indiewire critics list 30 films they hope to see at the Sundance Film Festival in January. [Indiewire]

A profile of the Coens’ regular production designer Jess Gonchor, who’s on top form in “Inside Llewyn Davis.” [Below the Line]

Clever stuff, this: on the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination, Joe Reid creates a movie and TV timeline of the event, from “Mad Men” to “The Butler.” [The Wire]

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