Sunday, February 11, 2007

Queen of the BAFTAs

This just in: Taylor Hackford approved by zoning board for extension of current home. Busy purchasing building materials. What, you think all of Helen Mirren's trophies for The Queen will fit in their current home? You'd think wrong. They've gotta be building another wing just for that HRH style loot.

So Post-BAFTA Helen has only the Oscar left to pick up, bringing her total to... I've lost count. 27? 28? I don't know.

In other BAFTA News, The Queen wins best film, too. The other most nominated film Casino Royale (snubbed by Oscar entirely --they no like Bond) also won just two prizes in a night of 'spread the wealth'. It's winning categories: Sound and "Rising Star" for Eva Green.

You can see the complete list of winners here. It's the usual awards season winners minus director Martin Scorsese (Paul Greengrass took the directing award for United 93) and Eddie Murphy (Alan Arkin's foul mouthed grandpa from Little Miss Sunshine triumphed). How close do you think their decisions will be to Oscar's? And has their ever been a lock as locked as Helen Mirren? She's like the Titanic of the Best Actress category.

See also: My Oscar Pages

tags: BAFTA, Helen Mirren, Eva Green, movies, Academy Awards, Casino Royale, oscars

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, of course Helen Mirren was going to win the BAFTA. She probably would have won it even if she'd won nothing else this season. It's the BAFTA.

Anonymous said...

TRIVIA:

Meryl Streep won every award (god she was amazing) except the BAFTA for “Sophie's Choice”- this was probably because she won the previous year for “French Lieutenant’s Woman”. Anyhow, is Helen the first actress to literally sweep ALL the awards?

Now, the ISA / BIFA don’t count because their limited to only independent film and the Austin Film Critics don’t count because a) they were just started b) they gave “Crash” Best Picture / Director AFTER the Oscar ceremony, and c) they gave their Best Actress award to the crazy chick in “Hard Candy.” Come to think of it are they even a legitimate critic’s organization? Hmm.

The Chemistry Guru said...

It's the BAFTA

Haha, so true. She is as british as the come. And it sure looks like the Oscar has her name on it

adam k. said...

The BAFTAs shouldn't really be counted as a loss for Meryl since they happened after the oscars in those days, and thus often deliberately chose something different, as the season was really already over... and there were totally different eligibility periods. Plus, yes, she had just won the previous year.

And the ISA can't be counted against Mirren since she wasn't eligible. But the was eligible for the BIFA and was nominated, but still lost (The Queen won best screenplay there). So that should indeed count as a loss. And the Austin critics count, too. Sure they were just started, but they can't "not count" cause they gave Crash best picture. That way, the academy wouldn't count either ; )

Neel Mehta said...

And has their ever been a lock as locked as Helen Mirren? She's like the Titanic of the Best Actress category.

Bad comparison. If you recall, L.A. Confidential was the near-unanimous critics' choice.

Helen Mirren is a bigger lock than Titanic.

Anonymous said...

Agreement with Neel, Mirren is quite possibly the biggest lock there has been in decades.

My main gripe (out of many) with BAFTA:
How come The Queen can beat Last King of Scotland to Best Film, but Last King of Scotland can beat The Queen to best British film?

They've done this before with illogical reversals; in 1992 The Crying Game was better than Howard's End in a British context, but in an international context not so much. And in 1997 there was similar confusion when The Full Monty took Best Film, but got beaten in the race for Best British Film by Nil By Mouth. Then a couple of years back, My Summer of Love beats Vera Drake to Best British Film, but is unnominated against the latter in Best Film.

Is it me?

Rob

Anonymous said...

BAFTA voters seem to be using the best british film category to award less commercial projects or more 'worthy' projects. And then vote for the more mainstream movie in the best film category.

Haven't seen the Queen, the idea of entering a cinema to watch a movie about HM put me right off.

Anonymous said...

How about Brad Pitt in Babel,, are you counting him??? I love that movie, they should pick the best winner.

But also for the IMDB news, Babel was one of them.

Glenn Dunks said...

The thing that Rob mentioned has always made me scratch my head.

Remember when the BAFTAs gave the Best Supporting Actor prize to Maggie Smith for Tea with Mussellini. That was an odd one.

NATHANIEL R said...

but Neel, critics don't vote on Oscars. There was no way that Titanic was ever going to lose to LA Confidential no matter what race people tried to imagine.

but agreed anyway, Mirren is a bigger lock.

Anonymous said...

Kamikaze -- I don't get that. Odd because Maggie Smith isn't really a man? Or because the performance was dodgy?!...

Glenn Dunks said...

Having just seen The Last King of Scotland.. I'm glad it only got a Best Actor nomination.

I think I hated that movie. A lot. Which makes me sad. I don't like hating movies that everyone else seems to like, but jesus. I got out of that cinema so fast once those credits started to roll it wasn't even remotely funny.

Glenn Dunks said...

Oh, and Amir, obviously I meant Actress.

Although, if it was Helen Mirren I'm sure she could win any category. Best Cinematography? Why not. Best Sound Effects Editing? Definitely.

NATHANIEL R said...

I know. just the sound of her sighing or turning the pages in a newspaper. Helen definitely does the best sound mixing I've ever seen!

Anonymous said...

Best British Film and Best Film are voted for by different juries I believe. Allows them to spread the wealth I guess. Hence the oddity of Last King being a better British film than the Queen, but not the best film.

Anonymous said...

Now, now. Reese lost a few awards to Felicity and Philip lost a few (including the definitive critics's prize; the NYFCC Award) to Heath.

Mirren on the other hand, has won EVERYTHING!

Glenn Dunks said...

Yeah. It's sort of crazy.

I like to imagine what it would be like if she weren't in the race. Would it be a battle between the other silver foxes (Dench and Streep)? or would Kate Winslet be able to rise from the shadows?

adam k. said...

It would be insane without Mirren all locked up.

My guess is a battle royale between Streep and Dench (both doing their best work in many years) and Winslet (so overdue it hurts to nominate her again every time knowing she's going to lose). Really tough call as to who would win it. My guess would be Streep, though.

Craig Hickman said...

Those who leaves comments here tend to be lukewarm, if that, toward Jennifer Hudson, but even I,who believes she deserves every prize she receives, was very surprised that she won the BAFTA over the others nominated.

Craig Hickman said...

Having trouble typing correct tenses today.

NATHANIEL R said...

craig the important thing to remember about the general tone taken on Jennifer Hudson this season here at the Film Experience is that I'm still a huge fan. The only contestant I've from AI I've ever wanted in my life as an entertainer from then on.

I just don't think it's great "acting". But I still love Jennifer Hudson. Did from the audition round on AI. Still do. I'll be happy for her when she wins.