Wednesday, March 03, 2010

FiLM BiTCH AWARDS Medals Ceremony

This site's 10th annual honors have been announced. Cue the title themes to Bright Star and The Hurt Locker. Hunger doesn't really have a score so just cue a tinny radio transmission of Margaret Thatcher's voice. I dunno, get creative. Director Steve McQueen certainly did.

The Na'Vi honor the ceremonial wins of their destroyers.
Avatar
wins 3 gold and 2 silver in technical categories.

The gold, silver and bronze medals are now announced for all of the "traditional" categories. I'm still working on the extra fun pages. Many of these medals were tough calls, so don't get too flummoxed if your favorites were bronze instead of silver or some such. Next month I might wish I'd switched a few up. After all, so much of "favorites" is mood-driven and susceptible to rescreenings. Although, don't get me wrong, there are incontestable gold medals, too. Tilda Swinton's win for Julia and Mo'Nique's for Precious were easy calls. They're the two best performances of 2009 (with Christoph Waltz a semi-distant third though he too is quite marvelous) and they'd be high up on a "decade" list, too.

The Hurt Locker reigns with the highest medal count (4 gold among them). What can I say, it was a rare "consensus" year for me. It was also a good year for toons. Between them, Coraline, UP and Fantastic Mr. Fox took 7 medals.

P.S. Before anyone freaks out about "The Dude" losing gold, remember that I owe him nothing. I didn't keep him waiting nearly as long as Oscar voters did. He won the top prize here just five years back for The Door in the Floor... a performance I still prefer to that Crazy Heart.

P.P.S. More awardage and final Oscar Predictions coming tomorrow.

25 comments:

cal roth said...

Carey Mulligan is not a medallist? Boo!

Rob said...

I noticed you're still looking for finalists for Trailer of the Year? I suggest you check out the international trailer for Bright Star (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIZJhSpeLmo). It is breathtaking, to say the least.

NoNo said...

I'm surprised Bright Star wasn't your gold medal. I thought it was your Rachel Getting Married this year. But it got a few golds in the tech categories.

James T said...

Some fun notices.

The only American who got an acting medal is black. Obama influenced everything :p

The best actress line-up doesn't have two actresses of the same nationality. I don't count Tilda and Carey as "simply British".

I know we are technically done with reviewing the last decade but do you know your number ones in the four acting categories? Did Moore beat all her competition? I know you loved that performance and it would be funny since she is your supporting champion in the 90's.

James T said...

"The only American who got an acting medal is black. Obama influenced everything :p"

I meant a golden medal.

Michael said...

The one I'm most surprised about is Fantastic Mr. Fox coming in third in the Animation category! Surprise!

Dean said...

Interesting that your second favorite film wasn't even a semifinalist for screenplay.

MRRIPLEY said...

I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND NAT YOUR LOVE FOR BRIGHT STAR AND CORNISH IN IT!!!

Corey said...

I have to agree with you Mr. Ripley

Robert Hamer said...

Hurt Locker takes the gold! WHO-HO!!! YEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHH BABY! Is it weird that I take the FiLM BiTCH Awards almost as seriously as I do the Oscars?

Most interesting surprise: Bright Star for cinematography. I thought Antichrist would take it for sure, though Fraser's work was marvelous.

Most disappointing gold: Avatar for art direction. While the film's technical accomplishments cannot be denied, I maintain that Cameron displayed a stunning lack of imagination in the visual realization of Pandora. Your bronze and silver medalists are leagues ahead of it in production design.

J.D. said...

FIRTH!!!!!!!!!

adam k. said...

OMG Nat I forgot about that international trailer for Bright Star! Even better than the Single Man trailer. Utterly gorgeous and breathtaking. It deserves a shout out.

But props to the Single Man trailer for actually using original music. That does increase my love for it a bit.

Unknown said...

I'm with Michael. I can't believe how un-Fantastic your animated choice is.truthfully i havent got around to seeing Coraline yet but UP was so unspectacular next to Mr Fox. I've been saying for months that if Wall*E had gotten nominated for Picture last year then UP would be replaced by Mr Fox this year

Randy said...

Firth and Coraline...I'm quite content.

The extra awards all still playing for the All Blacks though. :( When, oh, when?

NATHANIEL R said...

randy -- i'm working on them all the time. IT TAKES FOREVER. why do i do this to myself ;)

Howler said...

I agree that "UP" is nowhere near fantastic, but "Coraline" is definitely more fantastic than "Fantastic Mr Fox" and my personal best picture winner, so it's probably my favourite gold medal. Runner-up for a favourite is best adapted screenplay for "In the Loop".
What I don't really get is that there are so many consensus choices, especially Farmiga's silver (she's usually terrific and yet it's her first nomination for a performance that's totally unremarkable comparing to her best work), best actor medalists and best score for "UP".

jbaker475 said...

Gold medal wins for The Hurt Locker, Bigelow, Swinton, Firth, and In the Loop's screenplay? Now these are what I call great, worthy winners!

Burning Reels said...

I perfectly understand your love for Bright Star Nathaniel!...it's currently my number two/three film of 2009 - still undecided and catching up on one or two other titles

Interesting that both The Hurt Locker and Hunger you originally graded A-/B+...obviously both linger in the mind for some time after...

Hurt Locker won't make my top ten, although it isn't too far off, whilst Hunger is my comfortable number one for 2008.

Great awards as always - interesting and personal choices and a pretty layout to stare at. Plus we still have some of my favorite extra categories left - the credits/scenes

Unknown said...

OMG, Nat when are you going to have an awards show to announce the FiLMBiTCH awards? Get all of us to watch it and then sell it to VH1! Have site favourites like Tilda, Julianne, and Marsha Mason announce all the winners!

Randy said...

Nathaniel, I didn't realise it's all you. I shall be patient. :)

...and I forgot being delighted for Tilda who just received a Dublin Film Critics award for I Am Love...which I saw and, of course, loved...and the goddess stood and spoke softly in front of me...well, some dozen feet in front of me. But still. I melted into a distant Italian sun.

NATHANIEL R said...

marsha... an awards show of my own would be like heaven for me... but would have ratings that... well, let's not talk about that. ha ha.

i'd be cancelled during the broadcast!

but in my dream awards shows only actresses are allowed to present... and they also have to accept all the awards on behalf of everyone else. it's basically like an exclusive peak into my imaginary harem. that's the way i see it!


Howler -- i occassionally do have consensus years, yes. but don't you think the lead oscar candidates (with the exception of best actress) are higher in quality this year than in most years? I know i do.

OtherRobert said...

You gave Coraline the gold? Over Up? From your blog to the Academy's ballots, please.

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

Your winner for Best Original Song has to be my favorite surprise. :)

eduardo said...

i love the Bright Star love, too bad Cornish is not your winner =(, but the costumes and cinematography wins are so inspired.

and yay for having 2 women in your director lineup and both got medails *claps*

Evan said...

Bright Star is to the Film Bitch awards what the US was to the Winter Olympics. A big medal haul, but mostly bronzes.

I'd love an upset in the Best Animated Film category this Sunday, a la the Kung Fu Panda win at last year's Annies.