Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” has a perfect score of 100 this morning on rottentomatoes.com. All 29 reviews posted so far are positive. That will change, of course. But it’s a pretty good start. At a press conference yesterday, the entire cast showed up, even Jonah Hill who worked two days and is on screen for about 1 minute. Multiple Oscar nominee Leonard DiCaprio came, and spoke at length to the crowd. Usually I don’t re-print public offerings like this, but it was pretty interesting per our PAULA SCHWARTZ. She noted that DiCaprio told the crowd: “…there was absolutely nothing about this man that I could identify with. I hated him and it was one of the most narcissistic, self-indulgent racist horrible characters I’ve ever read in my entire life, and I had to do it. It was too good not to do.”

Here’s her report, in note form:

The moderator told Leonardo DiCaprio, this is the first film you’ve been in in quite a long time where you’re not the only name above the title and where…

Leonardo: “and it sucks…it’s very uncomfortable,” DiCaprio quipped (Everyone laughed)

Moderator: And where you are one, if perhaps not the biggest villain of the piece as Sam (Jackson) was just saying. What made you want to take on this role?

Leo: Well, I mean, obviously Mr. Tarantino here is a major factor but, you know, we all read this script. There was a sort of buzz about this script which was around for a while and people were talking about the next Tarantino movie that was about to come out and the fact that he tackled this subject like he did, sort of Inglorious Basterds, and recreated his own history and tackled something as hardcore as slavery and combined it with the genre of having it be this crazy spaghetti western feel to it with this lead character that sort of obliterates the cankerous rotting South was completely exciting.

And he wrote this incredible character, and as soon as I read it I was incredibly excited. I mean this man was, as Quentin put, he was a character that represented everything that was wrong with the South at the time. He was like the young Louis XIV, the young sort of prince that wanted to hold on to his position of privilege at all costs…Even though he was integrated his whole life with black people, brought up by a black man, lived with him his entire life, he had to find a moral justification to treat people this way and continue his business. He had a plantation to run, so he became this …the fact that he’s a Francophile but he doesn’t speak French…he’s a walking contradiction…he’s brought up with black people yet he as to regard them as not human…

…there was this incredibly interesting horrifically I mean, there was absolutely nothing about this man that I could identify with. I hated him and it was one of the most narcissistic, self-indulgent racist horrible characters I’ve ever read in my entire life, and I had to do it. It was too good not to do. It was too good of a character in that sense,” he said. “I don’t know. This man just writes incredibly characters and it was also an opportunity to work with all these great people too.”

Question from the audience: What did you learn about playing Calvin Candie? And being an actor become all you wanted it all you want to be?

Leo: Forgive me I’m incredibly tired right now…I love acting. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do my entire life, and I hope to continue doing this for a long time to come. It’s the greatest job in the world. It truly is. We’re all lucky bastards up here. The fact that we get to do what we love for a living every single day…what was great about doing this role honestly was the sense of community and support mechanism that I had every single day….this was really my first attempt in playing a character that I had this much disdain and this much hatred for and it was an incredibly uncomfortable environment to walk into.

I dealt with and have seen racism in my surroundings and my life growing up but not to the degree that I had to treat other people in this film was incredibly disturbing…it wa disturbing of actors on both sides of the spectrum. It was a very uncomfortable situation…one of the pivotal moments for me in this character as far as the treatment of other people…sam and Jamie told me..do I need to go this far…does it need to be this violent. (I would ask), Do I need to be this atrocious to other people? (they said yes that) if you sugarcoast this peole are going to resent the hell out of you…this is not only historically accurate but it went even farther than that…the worst atrocities…

…by holding the character back you’re going to do an injustice to the film and people are going to feel like you’re not telling the truth and honestly that’s what ignited me into going the way I do with the character and once I did even more research into the character and once I started to watch the documentaries, read about the sugar plantations.(I saw) we’re just scratching the surface of what happened in our country…

…and it’s a sore subject matter that should be looked at more often and not shied about from and I commend Quentin for making a film that combines so many different genres and as daring as it is, to actually make the subject matter entertaining for an audience. It’s a daring concept…I’ll stop rambling…what was great at the core of it was to have a group of actors that were all mutually there for one another…a subject matter that was difficult for all of us…”

Believe it or not, it’s been two decades since Robert DeNiro was last nominated for an Academy Award. It was 1992, and the movie was “Cape Fear.” It was second nomination in a row– in 1991, it had also been Best Actor, for “Awakenings.” He lost both times. Prior to that, DeNiro had won in 1981 for “Raging Bull.” His other win was in 1975 for “The Godfather Part 2” as Best Supporting Actor.

DeNiro was also nominated for work in “The Deer Hunter” and “Taxi Driver,” his most imitated role. He lost both of those times.

Now after all this time, DeNiro could be up for a Best Supporting statue from “Silver Linings Playbook.” His role as Pat Senior, the understanding yet slightly eccentric father of Bradley Cooper, is a killer– without bullets. After a generation of doing comedies like “Meet the Parents” and “Analyze This,” DeNiro combines his best dramatic and comedic skills to pull off the role.

His scene with Jennifer Lawrence, a cinch for Best Actress, in the “Silver Linings” kitchen, is a total Oscar scene stealer. Lawrence, as Tiffany, roars in and confronts Pat Senior about where she was each time the Philadelphia Eagles have recently played.

Later, DeNiro delivers the movie’s most memorable line to Cooper: When life reaches out with a moment like this it’s a sin if you don’t reach back.” It’s a show stopper.

In Toronto, when DeNiro attended the premiere screening, he emerged with tears in his eyes. As Pat Senior, he holds this lovable yet dysfunctional family together. DeNiro not only supports Cooper and Lawrence, but plays brilliantly with co-stars Jacki Weaver and his real life pal, Paulie Herman.

DeNiro will heavy competition from other players in this category including Philip Seymour Hoffman from “The Master,” Tommy Lee Jones from “Lincoln,” Eddie Redmayne from “Les Miserables,” Alan Arkin in “Argo” and both Leonardo DiCaprio and Christoph Waltz (who’s really a lead) in “Django Unchained,” as well as dark horse Javier Bardem in “Skyfall.”

Voting for the Academy Awards online opens today for members.

Despite all the famous James Bond theme songs, none has ever won an Oscar for Best Song. The last to be nominated was “For Your Eyes Only,” in 1982, sung by Sheena Easton. Prior to that, only Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does it Better,” written by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager, and “Live and Let Die,” by Paul McCartney, got to the nomination stage.

As Oscar voting online begins today, it’s of note that Adele’s theme song for “Skyfall,” written by her and Paul Epworth, could be the first ever James Bond theme to win an Oscar. In our poll that’s been twice with different choices, “Skyfall” has handily won each time out.

Of course, an Adele performance on the Oscars would be ratings gold since no one’s seen anything of the shy singer since before she gave birth to her baby. And her last real TV performance was on the Grammys in February 2012.

When “Skyfall” was released this past fall it went to number in a matter of minutes on iTunes. This column broke the news of its existence, and its lyrics, before anyone.

Other songs in the Oscar mix this year include Jon Bon Jovi’s “Not Running Anymore” from “Stand Up Guys” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0NO89Z3YSQ; Keith Urban’s “For You” from “Act of Valor” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWK1sG3spiE; Jessie J’s “Crazy Bout You” from “Silver Linings Playbook,” written by Diane Warren, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSLOR2cRouU; “Suddenly” from “Les Miserables’; and “Love Always Comes as a Surprise” from “Madagascar 3,” written by Peter Asher, of Peter and Gordon fame.

“The Hobbit” broke records everywhere, and has $223 million in the bank worldwide after three days. Let’s go back to how all this started. The Weinsteins wanted to make “Lord of the Rings” at Miramax, they had the rights, but Michael Eisner–then head of Disney–wouldn’t allow it. So Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne made the movies at New Line for Warner Bros. with Mark Ordesky supervising.

I can still remember Mark actually doing a one man show for us circa 2002 in the bar at the Regency Hotel, performing all three chapters of “Lord of the Rings.” It was hilarious, but having spent months of his life in New Zealand with Peter Jackson, Ordesky was passionate.

Fast forward to Guillermo del Toro supposed to make “The Hobbit” but ultimately Jackson deciding he might as well turn this into his “Star Wars.”  The 3D and 48 whatever per second are unnecessary. All people really wanted to see was their group of friends back on screen. And in the end, that’s why “The Hobbit,” a slight book. is now a three part extravaganza that has eaten the box office alive.

I only wish Shaye, Lynne, and Ordesky had been at the premiere. Ironically, Alan Horn, then at Warner Bros. is now at Disney. He ‘got’ the whole thing. At the New York premiere, Horn and his successor, Jeff Robinov, were hugging and mugging and toasting each other as well they should.

As for the Weinsteins: “Silver Linings Playbook,” a movie loved by anyone who sees it, is still in 371 theaters. And it remains steady week to week, building word of mouth. And I am told that “The Master” may return to theaters for an Oscar run given its number of awards nomination and critics groups wins. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Joaquin Phoenix are all headed to the Oscars, and the film could well be a Best Picture nominee.

Meantime, Shaye and Lynne are readying the August 23, 2013 release of “The Mortal Instruments, Part 1” from their Unique Pictures. I’m told this will be the new franchise to set box office records. Unique also has an original Paul McCartney-scored animation feature maybe for 2014. Keep an eye on Shaye and Lynne–those boys may really know what they’re doing!

You have to give credit to Paul McCartney. He’s 70.5 years old, and he just keeps rocking. Even though he started the year crooning “Kisses on the Bottom,” he’s ending it rocking with the former members of Nirvana. Today the studio version of “Cut Me Some Slack” debuts at http://www.cutmesomeslack.net/. It turns out that McCartney and Dave Grohl used the 12-12-12 concert to debut the song, playing it with Dave Grohl et al on the show.

It’s from Grohl’s upcoming documentary “Sound City” about the grungy recording studio where albums as diverse as Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” and Nirvana’s “Nevermind” were recorded.

The doc premieres at Sundance. McCartney-Nirvana debuted the song last night on “Saturday Night Live”–so that was the purpose of McCartney’s appearance, I guess. Good for him. I do wish that instead of “My Valentine” he played the other original song from “Kisses” called “Only Our Hearts.” Anyway, it does seem like McCartney will be very involved with the promotion of “Sounds City,” maybe going to Sundance and doing some more live performances with the guys.

“Sound City” has other eclectic guests, including Stevie Nicks and Rick Springfield. Can’t wait to see it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TR3vtXP_WM&feature=player_embedded#!

The cast of Tom Hooper’s “Les Miserables” doesn’t need much encouragement to sing for their supper. In New York this week they did it at lunch; the video is in our player at the bottom of the home page. But last night (Friday) they declined to do so at a Spago dinner celebrating the film after a screening. Our LEAH SYDNEY (who reviews the film below) reports that Hugh Jackman said he was “brokenhearted” about the terrible tragedy in Connecticut and that Anne Hathaway felt the same way.

Leah reports: “There was a definite pall over the night.  Everyone was somber.  They were going to sing, but didn’t out of respect. They were all gracious, and accepting kudos from many members of the Broadcast Film Critics Group, plus Mary Kay Place, Lainie Kazan, and many industry insiders.”

The mega talented Eddie Redmayne, who plays Marius, said that the “Les Miserables” producers had just gifted him a piano, which he is proficient at, and that he just bought a new flat in London.  Eddie said, “It takes up most of the space.”

Leah: “Since you won the Tony for “Red”  and you’re amazing singer and  piano player, is there anything you can’t do?”
Eddie: ” I can’t dance.  Honestly, I just had to twirl Amanda around and around. The choreographer gave up on me.  I can’t put two steps together.”

Sweetest moment: when he met Richard Sherman, of the famed Sherman Brothers, who wrote so many of the songs for the classic Disney Films like “Mary Poppins.”  Eddie was thrilled and bowed to him, and then started singing one of Sherman’s classics, “Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang,” with some guests.  Richard beamed and joined in.

Hathaway was thrilled to see her good pal and our favorite actor, ‘Covert Affairs’ and Broadway stalwart Peter Gallagher.  Peter told us that he hopes to come back to Broadway in the fall with something new, but he was tight lipped about it and didn’t want to jinx it.

Leah Sydney’s Review of “Les Misérables”:

Full disclosure, as a devoted fan of the musical “Les Misérables,” I’ve seen the show numerous times in New York, London and LA.  I was thrilled with  Oscar winner Tom Hooper’s superb adaptation of the long-running stage musical, which is based on Victor Hugo’s epic, biblical tale of revolution and romance in 19th Century France.  Gleefully, enormously and unabashedly over the top in every way, “Les Miz,” will knock you over from the beginning and throughout the over two and half hour running time.

Epic in size and intimate in feel, Hooper expertly captures the drama of the misfortune and calamity of that tumultuous time. With most of the dialogue being sung, not spoken, you quickly realize that “Les Miz” is a unique experience, a happening really, of film, theater and art.  Hugh Jackman, with his Broadway pitch perfect voice, plays the reformed thief Jean Valjean. Jackman leads a truly gifted cast, standouts being Anne Hathaway’s break your heart piece de resistance Fantine, Eddie Redmayne and Amanda Seyfried as the sincere star crossed lovers Marius and Cosette, and Samantha Barks. When I saw her play Eponine in the Los Angeles Production, Barks garnered a rare standing ovation midway into the show. Samantha, once again, has earned kudos with her raw, gut-wrenching performance of a young woman in unrequited love.

Sasha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter provide welcome comic relief as Eponine’s parents, the nefarious con artist innkeepers.  Russell Crowe acts the part of Javert admirably as he pursues Valjean throughout the years, but his voice left me a bit wanting for a true Broadway belter. Still though, only minor quibbles in a film has so many lovely, powerful moments. Special notice also to Colm Wilkinson, the original Valjean, who beautifully plays the Bishop, and the impish Daniel Huttlestone as the child hero Gavroche.  Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer’s score is simply timeless.  Even the most jaded moviegoers will find themselves humming the songs way after the movie ends.  Tom Hooper bravely faced a stupendous undertaking and he most definitely wins.  Hooper has created a new crowd-pleasing classic for the ages.”

You hear people talk about branding, but jeez Louise here’s a terrific example. Peter Jackson’s two and a half hour film of “The Hobbit”–essentially part 4 of his billion dollar “Lord of the Rings” trilogy– took in $37.5 million on Friday in the U.S. Altogether with its worldwide sales, “The Hobbit” now has $69 million in the bank. And that’s one day. By Sunday night, yikes.

Using many cast members from “Lord of the Rings,” Jackson has embellished the earlier, shorter, lighter J.R.R. Tolkien book and inflated the whole thing into a new trilogy. Ticket prices are higher because it’s a kind of nauseating 3D that looks like video from 20 years ago but makes the viewer feel as if you’re in the middle of Middle Earth. At this rate, Jackson will be looking to expand Tolkien’s Haikus into mini series. If you film it, they will come!

In other news, three Oscar buzzed movies have crossed the $100 million line– “Argo,” “Lincoln,” and “Flight– which is good news for the Academy Awards. A fourth, “Silver Linings Playbook,” remains in limited release but doing very well. Another, “Life of Pi,” is building slowly toward $100 million. Not doing so well: Brad Pitt in “Killing Them Softly,” which has somehow misfired badly. I really liked it in Cannes, so did many others. But for a Brad Pitt movie, it’s a mess– just $14 million so far.

Coming shortly: Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty and Les Miserables. The big guns, as they say.

Tonight Paul McCartney, representing the Beatles, tries to checkmate the Rolling Stones in a very clever chess move in a debate that has lasted 50 years. While the Stones appear in their final show of their “50 and Counting” four episode tour with a massive Pay Per View guest-star laden concert, McCartney is the musical act on “Saturday Night Live.” The PPV costs $39.99.

I announced this Stones show back on October 5th, and it was officially confirmed on October 15th. http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/10/05/exclusive-rolling-stones-will-play-prudential-center-in-newark The Stones are getting $25 million for the four shows–two in London, one in Brooklyn and this one. Tonight Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band, Lady Gaga, the Black Keys and long time Stones guitarist (not bassist) Mick Taylor will join the band on stage. The show kicks off at 9pm Eastern, and should be ending as it overlaps with “SNL.”

McCartney was announced just on November 27th.  He has nothing to promote and no particular reason to appear on “SNL” right now–except to try and draw fans away from the Stones show. His last album, “Kisses on the Bottom,” came out last winter. And his own mini-tour through Canada is over. It’s not like he’s doing it because he happens to be in New York. He lives here and is in New York regularly.

But old feuds die hard, even when you were told they never existed. In interviews after their heyday ended, both McCartney and Jagger said they timed their record releases so they never came out at the same time. But the Beatles vs. Stones debates are like the Yankees vs. the Red Sox, or Taylor Swift vs. Justin Bieber. It’s a timeless debate. And McCartney is extremely shrewd. He does very little by accident or coincidence. What would be extra hilarious: if he performed “I Wanna Be Your Man.” which he wrote with John Lennon and the Stones covered it in 1964 when they were starting out. The Stones have performed the song in the last three shows.

So who will you watch? McCartney/Beatles or the Stones? And think of the late night after parties–McCartney with the “SNL” cast, and the Stones and their celebrity guests. Apocalypse now.