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      Beyoncé Gets Her First Oscar Nomination for 'King Richard'

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      Look out, Lin-Manuel Miranda — Beyoncé has entered the chat.The 40-year-old singer, already the female artist with the most Grammy wins, picked up her first Oscar nomination on Tuesday for best original song for “Be Alive,” a pulsing power ballad that she wrote with the songwriter Dixson for “King Richard,” a biopic about the father of Venus and Serena Williams.The song, which plays during the film’s end credits and is accompanied by archival footage of the real Williams family, features inspirational lyrics that recount the journey the Williams sisters have taken to the top of the tennis world.Backed by a drum-heavy beat and layered vocal harmonies, Beyoncé, in soaring voice, intones:Look how we’ve been fighting to stay aliveSo when we win we will have prideDo you know how much we have cried?How hard we had to fight?Other lyrics speak to the importance of Black pride, family and sisterhood, with a chorus that underscores the importance of having the singer’s “family,” “sisters” and “tribe” by her side.The song, with its blunt, steady beat and vocal pyrotechnics, “insists on the community effort behind the triumph,” The New York Times’s chief pop music critic Jon Pareles wrote. Clayton Davis of Variety compared “Be Alive” to the Common and John Legend song “Glory,” which concluded Ava DuVernay’s 2014 historical drama “Selma.” That song took the Oscar.Though this is Beyoncé’s first Oscar nomination, it’s hardly the 28-time Grammy winner’s first film crossover. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Deena Jones in the 2006 film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Dreamgirls”; starred as the R&B singer Etta James in the 2008 biopic “Cadillac Records,” about the pioneering Chicago blues label; and voiced Nala in the 2019 live-action remake of “The Lion King,” in addition to recording music for that film’s soundtrack.But to take home her first statuette, she’ll have to overcome some stiff competition. Miranda, the “Hamilton” creator who needs only an Oscar to attain EGOT status, was nominated for “Dos Oruguitas,” a Spanish love song about two caterpillars that he wrote for Disney’s animated musical “Encanto.” The other nominees in the category are Billie Eilish and Finneas, for the James Bond song “No Time to Die,” which won the Golden Globe; Van Morrison, for “Down to Joy” from “Belfast”; and “Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days.” More

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      The nominees for best actress.

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      Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”Penélope Cruz, “Parallel Mothers” More

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      The nominees for best director.

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      Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”Ryusuke Hamaguchi, “Drive My Car”Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast” More

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      The nominees for best actor.

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      Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick … Boom!”Will Smith, “King Richard”Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos” More

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      ‘Fight Club’ Ending Is Restored in China After Censorship Outcry

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      Last month, viewers noticed that the ending of the 1999 film had been replaced with a pro-government message. Now the ending is back, and the message is gone.Some viewers who watched “Fight Club” on a popular Chinese streaming platform last month noticed that its violent, dystopian ending had been cut, and replaced with a message promoting law and order.Now the original ending is back on the platform — and the pro-government message is gone. The only parts still missing from the Chinese version of the 1999 cult classic appear to be nude sex scenes.The changes, which drew international attention, were spotted in recent weeks by people watching the film on a streaming platform owned by Tencent, a giant Chinese entertainment company.Tencent has now restored 11 of the 12 minutes that were previously cut, The Hollywood Reporter said in an article this week. The New York Times confirmed that about one minute remains missing, mostly consisting of sex scenes involving the characters played by Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. “Fight Club” is not the first foreign movie in which the version made for the Chinese mainland audience differs from the original. The Chinese version of the 2018 Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” for example, cut references to the singer Freddie Mercury’s sexuality.Still, it’s unusual for foreign movies in China to include the pro-government written codas; those are typically reserved for Chinese-language films. It is also rare for people who censor movies for the Chinese market to undo their own handiwork.It was not immediately clear on Tuesday why, or precisely when, the original ending of “Fight Club” was restored on Tencent — nor why the ending had been altered in the first place.Kenny Ng, a film professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, said in an interview that he believed the changes to the ending last month were a result of self-censorship by Tencent. But he said it was also possible that the film’s Chinese distributor made the changes.Tencent declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the film’s Chinese distributor, Pacific Audio and Video, said that the company was not involved in editing the Tencent version of the film and had merely applied for clearance to have it released in China.New Regency, the Los Angeles-based company that produced “Fight Club,” did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The rules governing what movies released in mainland China may or may not include have grown more stringent over the last few years.In the past, the rules were set by a division of China’s State Council, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. But since 2017, censorship has been governed by a comparatively stricter rule, the Film Industry Promotion Law, which gives the authorities more latitude to define perceived offenses.The law says that films shown in China may not include anything that jeopardizes the country’s unity, sovereignty, public order or “social ethics.” Also banned is anything that disrupts social stability, propagates superstition or defames cultural traditions.Five Movies to Watch This WinterCard 1 of 51. “The Power of the Dog”: More

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      Oscar Nominations 2022: Date, Time and Streaming the Announcement

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      A guide to everything you need to know about the nominations for the 94th annual Academy Awards on Tuesday morning.Predicting this year’s Oscar nominations feels a bit like groping your way through a cave in the dark, as opposed to the usual brightly illuminated path lined with winners of precursor awards.In a typical year, films and actors would have risen to the top of the field by now. But with the Golden Globes canceled-but-not-canceled and the Critics Choice Awards pushed back to March from January because of the Omicron variant, who knows what’s going on inside the heads of Oscar voters?Between Jan. 27 and Feb. 1, 9,847 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences could cast their votes on the 276 films eligible for the 94th annual Academy Awards. They tend to favor biopics, serious dramas and historical epics. But that doesn’t mean a blockbuster like “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which almost single-handedly resuscitated sagging box-office sales at the end of last year, or the James Bond film “No Time to Die” couldn’t sneak in.So fire up your pancake griddle, put the coffee on and settle in for some drama. Unlike the ceremony in Hollywood in March, which has been known to exceed four hours, there’s little dawdling between the reading of the 120 entries in 23 categories — and no musical performances. The whole thing probably won’t last more than half an hour.Here’s what you can expect on Tuesday.What time should I set my alarm for?First, make sure you have the right day: The nomination announcement on Tuesday is set for 8:18 a.m. Eastern, 5:18 a.m. Pacific. Sharp.Where can I watch the announcement?You can watch the livestream at Oscar.com, Oscars.org, the academy’s social media platforms (Twitter, YouTube, Facebook), or on national broadcast and streaming news programs like ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “ABC News Live.”Why aren’t nominations announced at night, like the Oscars?You would think, with so many nominees on the West Coast, that the academy would maybe not do this at dawn, when many members might still be asleep. But the early morning reveal allows everyone involved to capitalize on the deadlines of the daily news cycle. Also, it’s tradition. Just go with it.I haven’t woken up that early since high school. Can I stream it on YouTube later?Well, yes, technically, but good luck avoiding spoilers. It’s much more fun to catch it live.Who will be presenting?Leslie Jordan, the sitcom actor known for his roles on “Will & Grace” and “Murphy Brown,” and the “black-ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross will host Tuesday’s announcement.What should I watch for?After their Directors Guild nominations, “Belfast,” “Dune,” “Licorice Pizza,” “The Power of the Dog” and “West Side Story” are safe bets in the best picture category. But now that the academy has determined that there will be 10 nominations, no matter what (in past years it was up to 10), we could be in for some surprises.In the best director category, if Jane Campion scores a nod for her Netflix western, “The Power of the Dog,” she would become the only female director ever nominated more than once. And, if Spielberg gets in for “West Side Story,” we could be in for a rematch of their 1994 duel, when Spielberg’s Holocaust drama, “Schindler’s List,” won out over Campion’s period classic, “The Piano.”Also in play: If 90-year-old Rita Moreno is nominated for best supporting actress — far from a sure thing given the crowded category this year — she could become the oldest performer ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. Beyoncé could also earn her first Oscar nomination, in the best original song category, for “Being Alive,” which she wrote with Dixson for “King Richard.”Who do we think will make the cut?Kyle Buchanan, our Projectionist columnist, is predicting a best actor nomination for Benedict Cumberbatch’s standout performance and a supporting actor nod for the breakout star Kodi Smit-McPhee, both in “The Power of the Dog.” He also thinks Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”), Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”) and Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”) will probably square off for best actress, while Ariana DeBose is the favorite in the supporting actress category for “West Side Story.”But he’s also forecasting some stunners: A Spielberg best director snub for “West Side Story,” which underperformed at the box office, and a supporting actress nomination for Judi Dench in “Belfast.”Can we talk about Bruno?No, no, no. Studios had to submit their choices before the TikTok darling became a surprise chart topper, and Disney chose another song written by Lin-Manuel Miranda from “Encanto,” “Dos Oruguitas,” instead. But, if it’s any consolation, you could spend a delightful three-and-a-half minutes listening to this Miranda impressionist recreate what the demo track where Miranda sang all 10 parts must’ve sounded like. More

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      Martine Colette, Who Rescued Exotic Animals, Is Dead at 79

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      Her wildlife sanctuary just outside Los Angeles was among the first of its kind and was supported by Hollywood luminaries.Martine Colette, the founder of Wildlife Waystation, a sanctuary for exotic animals that ran for 43 years just outside the Los Angeles city limits, died on Jan. 23 at a hospital at Lake Havasu, Ariz. She was 79. The cause was lung cancer, said Jerry Brown, her publicist and friend.Waystation, which Ms. Colette created in 1976 in the Angeles National Forest, was among the first sanctuaries of its kind for exotic animals that had been abused, abandoned, orphaned or injured. It would rehabilitate them and, if possible, return them to the wild.After financial difficulties and staff turmoil in recent years, Ms. Colette retired in 2019, and Waystation was closed. During the sanctuary’s existence, its website said, it rescued more than 77,000 creatures, including Siberian and Bengal tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars and camels, as well as native wildlife, including foxes and various reptiles and birds.Many of the animals were castoffs from the pet trade, traveling roadside attractions or research labs; others had been brought in from the wild. Some came from nearby Hollywood, where they had been used on the sets of movies and television shows and taken home as pets, only to become a nuisance or a danger to the homeowner.Ms. Colette helped California develop many of its rules and regulations involving exotic animals, including restrictions on bringing them in from the wild and keeping them in homes. She was designated an animal expert for the city of Los Angeles, and Waystation became a model for similar refuges throughout the world.Ms. Colette had moved to Hollywood with her husband, the first of three; all the marriages ended in divorce. (Information on survivors was not immediately available.) She built up a costume-design business there and even had bit parts in a couple of movies and in an episode of the television series “Garrison’s Gorillas.” In 1965, she rescued her first animal, a mountain lion she had seen in a five-by-five-foot cage at an animal show.Within a decade, The Los Angeles Times reported, she had accumulated a house full of beasts and a yard full of wildcats. At that point, she sold her costume-design business, moved to Little Tujunga Canyon and opened Wildlife Waystation, which, at 160 acres, was larger than most municipal zoos.The sanctuary earned an international reputation, and needy animals were sent there from around the world. Ms. Colette brought schoolchildren to Waystation and conducted outreach programs. In one of her more storied adventures, she organized and led a caravan in 1995 to help rescue 27 big cats from a ramshackle game farm in Idaho.Many luminaries in the entertainment industry were said to have supported the sanctuary, including Bruce Willis, Will Smith, Drew Barrymore, Alex Trebek, Leonard Nimoy and Betty White. On occasion, Hugh Hefner, a major backer, gave over the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles for Waystation’s annual fund-raising “safari brunch.”Ms. Colette with Hugh Hefner at a Playboy Mansion fund-raiser for the Wildlife Waystation in 2005. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images But the sanctuary had longstanding problems, including overcrowding and unsanitary and unsafe conditions. Authorities barred it from taking in any more animals in 2000 and closed it to the public; it reopened nine months later, after it had made $2 million in upgrades and reduced the animal population.Despite support from Hollywood, Waystation, which had an annual budget approaching $3 million, struggled financially, and management of the facility became increasingly difficult. Numerous staff members resigned or were fired in later years, and the sanctuary faced the constant threat of natural disasters; a major fire wreaked havoc in 2017, followed two years later by massive flooding.Ms. Colette resigned as president and chief operating officer in May 2019 and moved to Arizona few months later, the board of directors voted to close the facility for good.The California Department of Fish and Wildlife stepped in to oversee the care and relocation of more than 470 animals, including lions, tigers, wolves, owls, alligators and chimpanzees.Eighteen chimps and two hybrid wolf-dogs are awaiting placement, a spokesman for the department said by email on Wednesday. Eleven of those chimps are likely to be sent to new homes later this year, he said, while money is being raised to find homes for the remaining seven.Martine Diane Colette was born on April 30, 1942, in Shanghai. Waystation’s website said that her father was a Belgian diplomat and that she was raised in Nairobi, Kenya, where she attended boarding school. She spent much of her childhood traveling with her father throughout Africa.“It was during these formative years of witnessing the horrors of trapping camps, hunting and exploitation of animals that she recognized her life’s true calling,” the website said.Ms. Colette had a special affection for chimpanzees, having rescued many of them from research labs, and she formed close bonds with them; the Waystation website said she called them her “hairy children.”Among her last words, the website said, were these: “Soon I’ll be walking with tigers.” More

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      From Chad, a Filmmaker and a Star Committed to Telling Stories of Home

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      In “Lingui, the Sacred Bonds,” the director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun works again with Achouackh Abakar Souleymane, this time on a wrenching drama about abortion.As Chad’s most lauded auteur, the director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun remains committed to portraying his sub-Saharan African homeland onscreen. Early in his career he focused on the fallout from the nation’s multiple civil wars, which forced him to migrate to France in the 1980s. But in the aftermath of the conflict that concluded in 2010, he has shifted his attention to other social ills.With his newest drama, “Lingui, the Sacred Bonds,” which debuted at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and reached American theaters on Friday, he takes on the topic of abortion through the plight of a Muslim woman, Amina (Achouackh Abakar Souleymane), who is helping her teenage daughter, Maria (Rihane Khalil Alio), terminate her pregnancy after a sexual assault. The film has received rave reviews, with The Times’s Manohla Dargis making it a Critic’s Pick.While abortion is in theory legal in Chad under strict circumstances, the stigma (often associated with religious beliefs) and restrictions around it push some to resort to clandestine clinics or, worse, to carry to term and then kill the newborn.In a joint interview, Haroun, speaking from Paris, and Abakar Souleymane, in N’Djamena, Chad, shared more on the relevance of their second film collaboration. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation.Why did you decide to make this film at this moment in Chad?MAHAMAT-SALEH HAROUN I read an article about a newborn child discovered in the garbage, and all these situations of unwanted pregnancies. But I was first really traumatized by the same subject when I was a child. I was 7 or 8, and we found a baby in the garbage. Several decades later when I read this article, I said, “That’s not normal. I have to do something.” I started investigating, asking nurses, and I discovered that it was a huge problem women are facing every day, because the fact is that in Chad, in our local languages, the word “rape” doesn’t exist. We know that rape exists, a lot of women are victims of it, but there is no word to express it. It’s always as if it’s the women’s fault, like they are guilty because they are pregnant. Sometimes they deny the pregnancy or sometimes, when they discover it’s too late to even think of an abortion, they keep it secret until they have the kid and then they kill it because they don’t have any solutions. I had to tell that story from a Chadian point of view in a human way that resonates with the same problems in the United States, in Argentina, in El Salvador, and in other countries in Africa.ACHOUACKH ABAKAR SOULEYMANE It’s horrible because if you’re not married and you are pregnant, you cannot talk about it. Sometimes these young women are just on their own. If you’re raped, you don’t talk about it, you just deal with it. As a woman, as a single mom, I was happy to be that person that can show it to the whole country and tell women that if this happened in your life, it’s happening to a lot of other women, and you can do something about it.Achouackh Abakar Souleymane in a scene from the film.MUBIDid you or the film face any pushback from government officials or religious groups?HAROUN When we were in Cannes, people said a lot of things against the film on social media, but they hadn’t seen it. But then when we showed the film in Chad, no one said anything because it’s just the reality. We even have some support from the government. I remember the Ministry of Culture was very happy and we had also a state minister at the screening. He called my assistant the day after and said he wanted to organize his own screening for the whole government because he thought that the film should be shown to all those people who don’t know a lot about this subject. I refused because you never know with politics; sometimes you are manipulated. But it was really well received and even for Achouackh, who being in Chad you might think she could be a victim of hate, she has only received congratulations.ABAKAR SOULEYMANE People would come up to me and say, “You are so brave for being able to do that.” That was shocking.Five Movies to Watch This WinterCard 1 of 51. “The Power of the Dog”: More