Sunday, December 09, 2007

Boston Society of Film Critics

They've announced their choices for Best of 2007 ...


Picture: No Country For Old Men
Best Picture is what it's about, mais non?
Director: Julian Schnabel The Diving Bell and Butterfly
See previous Schnabel-centric post here --he could be a director nominee with AMPAS. I could totally see that. He's wayyyy too low on my prediction chart. What was I thinking?
Actor: Frank Langella Starting Out in the Evening
I hear this book is excellent
Actress: Marion Cotillard La Vie En Rose
Still the Oscar frontrunner for best actress on account of the mimicry biopic thing

Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem No Country For Old Men
Unless one of the older nominees marshalls 'honor my whole career' support, the Oscar is his to lose, I think
Supporting Actress:
Amy Ryan Gone Baby Gone
I still don't really get it.
Screenplay: Brad Bird Ratatouille
Very cool Boston
Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski The Diving Bell and Butterfly
Documentary: Crazy Love
Ensemble: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
New Filmmaker:
Ben Affleck for Gone Baby Gone
Boston's hometown boy (duh!)

Here's a look at the past ten years. They rarely separate Picture and Director wins and their choices for "best" seem to be drifting ever closer to "Oscar Predictions" - unfortunately that's happening with many of the film critic societies and organizations.

2006 Pic: The Departed, Dir: Scorsese (The Departed) Actor: Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) Actress: Mirren (The Queen), Supp Actor: Wahlberg (The Departed) Supp Actress: Epps (Half Nelson)
2005 Pic: Brokeback Mountain, Dir: Lee (Brokeback Mountain) Actor: Hoffman (Capote) Actress: Witherspoon (Walk the Line), Supp Actor: Giamatti (Cinderella Man) Supp Actress: Keener (a bunch of movies)
2004 Pic: Sideways, Dir: Yimou (House of Flying Daggers / Hero) Actor: Foxx (Ray) Actress: Swank (Million Dollar Baby), Supp Actor: Church (Sideways) Supp Actress -tie: Dern (We Don't Live Here Anymore) and Warren (Ray)
2003 Pic: Mystic River, Dir: Coppola (Lost in Translation) Actor: Murray (Lost in Translation) Actress: Johansson (Lost in Translation), Supp Actor: Sarsgaard (Shattered Glass) Supp Actress: Clarkson (Pieces of April and The Station Agent)
2002 Pic: The Pianist, Dir: Polanski (The Pianist) Actor: Brody (The Pianist) Actress: Gyllenhaal (Secretary), Supp Actor: Arkin (13 Conversations about One Thing) Supp Actress : Collette (About a Boy)
2001 Pic: Mulholland Dr, Dir: Lynch (Mulholland Dr) Actor -tie: Cox (L.I.E.) and Washington (Training Day) Actress: Swinton (The Deep End), Supp Actor: Kingsley (Sexy Beast) Supp Actress: Diaz (Vanilla Sky)
2000 Pic: Almost Famous, Dir: Crowe (Almost Famous) Actor: Farrell (Tigerland) Actress: Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream), Supp Actor: Willard (Best in Show) Supp Actress: McDormand (Almost Famous and Wonder Boys)
1999 Pic: Three Kings, Dir: O'Russell (Three Kings) Actor: Carrey (Man on the Moon), Actress: Swank (Boys Don't Cry)
1998 Pic: Out of Sight, Dir: Boorman (The General) Actor: Gleeson (The General),Actress: Morton (Under the Skin)
1997 Pic: LA Confidential Dir: Hanson (LA Confidential) Actor: Pacino (Donnie Brasco), Actress: Bonham-Carter (Wings of the Dove)

57 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahh, so many of these choices especially in acting are so lovely!

Anonymous said...

So far the winners are:

Best Cinematography
Janusz Kaminski for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best New Filmmaker
Ben Affleck for Gone Baby Gone

Anonymous said...

Best Screenplay
Brad Bird for Ratatouille

Anonymous said...

Supporting Actress - Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone.

2 for 2 in the critics awards. Do we have a new frontrunner in the race?

Anonymous said...

I think Cate Blanchett better watch out.

Anonymous said...

Javier Bardem won for Supporting Actor.

Anonymous said...

Euuuurgh - Cotillard just took Best Actress.

Anonymous said...

Frank Langella best actor

NATHANIEL R said...

Langella --interesting... the Affleck thing is so obvious as to be painful though.

weren't their other debuts this year or will all such "new" awards go to him because he's famous?

adam k. said...

I love this new "comment of the moment" thing. Can there always be something there from now on? (it is new, right? Or is it just that I only now noticed it?)

Also, I think some of the Gone Baby Gone love shown here is due to the Boston factor. That clearly happened with The Departed last year. And Mystic River before. Etc.

Anonymous said...

Before the Devil Knows wins Ensemble.

This season is interesting,since there is no clear frontrunner in any category.

jeff_v said...

Personally, I'd vote Gone Baby Gone just because it's the best film I've seen this year.

Anonymous said...

Best Picture is up and the winner is...


No Country For Old Men

NATHANIEL R said...

adam --yes the comment of the moment is "new" my way of reminding everyone that conversations continue even if the post is not at the top of the page. Plus that's hilarious!

NO COUNTRY it is.

Anonymous said...

I'm gonna have to admit, I'm a bit "meh" about No Country. Although it's a tentative "meh" as I saw it during the London film festival after a full day of screenings. Must watch it again tout suite once its released here proper in Jan.

But still, it didn't have a "wow" initial impact on me. It seemed to be just a fine film.

Anonymous said...

aww, let the backlash begin.

The English Patient didnt win any critics awards. This race just got interesting.

Will NCFOM go all the way?

Anonymous said...

...also I'm really starting to worry for Atonement, Cate Blanchett and Hal Holbrook.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 3:34pm - there isn't any backlash on my part. Nor is it a case of me tearing down No Country to clear the way for Atonement.

I've felt this way about No Country since I saw it way back in Oct, but been quiet about it because I feel I have to see it again when not tired/with a clear head to truly be able to judge it.

So I'll just shut up for now!

lawyer tony fernando said...

well, no gold for cate? so far, wow, that´s weird, any thoughts on that nathaniel?
Well, I´m also praying for good news to Jodie Foster or Helena Carter, but I don´t see it happening today, perharps the golden globes cheer me up, and yeah I forgot, I want some love to Nicole Kidman and Jennifer, my girlfriend watched and said it´s an ok movie but they are amazing!

Anonymous said...

nat r, you wrote that no country didn't win anything but film; but it won s.actor

Anonymous said...

Winner so far.

2007 LAFCA Awards

Supporting actress: Amy Ryan for "Gone Baby Gone" and "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead"
Supporting actor: Vlad Ivanov, "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days"
Documentary/Non-fiction film: "No End in Sight" directed by Charles Ferguson
Production design:Jack Fisk, "There Will Be Blood"
Music: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, "Once"
Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Douglas Edwards Indie Award: "Colossal Youth" directed by Pedro Costa
Career Achievement: Sidney Lumet

Anonymous said...

Amy Ryan makes a sweep : 3 for 3 !
She's just won LAFCC Awards for Gone, Baby Gone & Before the devil knows you're dead

it looks like it's gonna be
Ryan vs. Blanchett for the golden globe

I'm starting to think that voters everywhere don't want to give a supporting award to Blanchett, because she already got one, i think they consider a lead actress by now so they will give her major awards for a leading performance next time

NATHANIEL R said...

There's another thread for LAFCA if you wanna hop over there.

NATHANIEL R said...

but i wouldn't be thinking that AMY RYAN is a threat for a GLOBE. doesn't feel like a globe performance to me. even if she's a nominee everywhere doesn't feel like a "globe winner" you know? or is that just me.

critics awards are not always indicative of Oscar traction --see also Peter Sarsgaard who won truckloads for SHATTERED GLASS and wasn't nominated, damn them.

Anonymous said...

I did not care that much for No Country... I love that Cotillard won!!! Hope she goes on to Oscar glory. Amy Ryan was excellent and I'm happy for her success with the awards. I have not seen Frank Langella ot The Diving Bell ...

Anonymous said...

Wasn't "Away from Her" Sarah Polley's directorial debut? I thought that film was far superior to "Gone Baby Gone."

But YAY for Frank Langella! One of the most underrated actors - loved, loved, loved his performance in "Starting Out in the Evening."

Also kinda surprised about the lack of "Once" love among the critics. Is it because of the summer release?

Anonymous said...

AMY RYAN! Hot damn, work it girl! Boston Film Critics and LAFCA!

Get that Oscar nomination!

Anonymous said...

Marion Cotillard wins her first award! Love it, keep it going all the way to the Oscars!

Barry said...

Nathaniel, do you not like Amy Ryan's performance? What do you think of it?

NATHANIEL R said...

I didn't dislike Amy Ryan's performance I'm just baffled at the consensus love. I guess I don't see the special

I mean OTOH I totally get the Cotillard thing even if I don't agree.

Anonymous said...

Good comparison Sarsgaard/Ryan, Nathaniel.
And you're right about the Globes : they prefer "names" or more popular actors, or more showy performances. And they did not give the award to Cate Blanchett for The Aviator, so they might want to make up for that and award her this year
my alternate for the win would be Saorse Ronan pulling a Anna Paquin

Anonymous said...

I think it will be a real yawner if that Marion chick wins best actress....the first & last we'll ever hear from her ala Louise Fletcher, et al. So what if she imitated some old French singer that no one's ever heard of. No one even saw the movie. A win for Julie Christie would be great & quite exciting....will have a 42-year spread between BA awards - not to mention she was fan-tabulous.

gabrieloak said...

I finally saw No Country for Old Men which I missed at the Toronto Film Festival. It's a very good film but I don't think it's a great one. It will be a very odd choice if it wins the Oscar for Best Picture.

I still don't think we've heard the end of Blanchett yet. She's bound to get one big prize for her performance in I'm Not There. This Amy Ryan thing is a little weird.

Anonymous said...

Damn right Jimmy. Would be a wonderful way to frame Julie Christie's career - an Oscar at the start and one now (not that she's coming to the end, hopefully not for a while!)

Also, Christie would deserve to rank alongside Luise Rainer, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Vivien Leigh, Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Glenda Jackson, Jane Fonda, Sally Field, Jodie Foster and Hilary Swank with 2 Lead Actress Oscars. Any I forgot?

Anonymous said...

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly became a lock for a Best Picture nomination. Amy Ryan too.

NATHANIEL R said...

jimmy while i agree that a Cotillard win would be a yawner, Edith Piaf is a freaking legend. Let's not pretend she's not.

I love the idea of Christie with bookend Oscars, too.

Anonymous said...

Double for Christie would also be awesome in that it'd break the record for longest time between Oscars - currently Helen Hayes 1932-1970 (38 years).

Anonymous said...

well, to be honest - I have never heard of edith piaf....i'm ducking / squating / cowering. sorry. i remember a few months ago, I had never heard of some guy that was mentioned in your blog in the fashion world - which i was chastized for. Edith Piaf? sorry....can ya hum a few bars of one of her hits?

NATHANIEL R said...

what, they aren't already stuck in your head from that goddamn movie? ;)

Anonymous said...

I think it will be a real yawner if that Marion chick wins best actress....the first & last we'll ever hear from her ala Louise Fletcher, et al. So what if she imitated some old French singer that no one's ever heard of. No one even saw the movie. A win for Julie Christie would be great & quite exciting....will have a 42-year spread between BA awards - not to mention she was fan-tabulous.

Plenty of people saw the movie that counted, and Marion Cotillard has everything that the Academy creams itself over to reward for its lead Oscars, and with good reason. And calling Edith Piaf just some "old French singer that no one's heard of" just shows your vast ignorance. Edith Piaf is one of the most beloved voices of our time, and Marion Cotillard delivered a performance for the ages in capturing Edith's story in all of its glory and tragedies. It's a beautiful, heartbreaking performance that has Oscar written all over it, and I'd rather see that awarded than see a second Oscar go to Julie Christie for that sleepy, meh performance she gave in "Away From Her".

NATHANIEL R said...

anonymous, your passion for Cotillard's performance is all well and good but dissing Christie's exquisite performance doesn't magically make Cotillard's performance better

(god i love awards season)

just as there are many people who loved what Cotillard did with Piaf there are many (like myself) that love what Christie did with Fiona

Anonymous said...

anyhoo....you know who I'm thinking of tonight? David Brudnoy, who was a terrific guy, a great film critic in Boston, a passionate professor at Boston University, a wonderful talkmaster at WBZ radio. I had the pleasure of working with him at Channel 7, WHDH-TV, in Boston, well over 20 years ago. A premiere Boston film critic, who was an active member of the Boston Society of Film Critics. And, listen mister anonymous, don't call me names, ie "vast ignorance"....my old pal David Brudnoy would not have liked that! Trust me....walk out onto any main street USA and ask who Edith Piaf is.....

Anonymous said...

Well, I didn't find Christie's performance to be "exquisite" or anywhere near it. It's no more of a diss than you reducing Cotillard's performance to mimicing tricks and insuting nonsense like she's doing nothing more than performing in a Saturday Night Live sketch. You're no more "right" than I am.

mistyh92104 said...

jimmy, jimmy, jimmy...google edith piaf and educate thyself, dear.

And, Nathaniel, et al, I totally agree with you on the lovely, understated performance that Christie gave. Does every Academy Award winning performance need a "Norma Rae" moment in order to be worthy?

Glenn Dunks said...

But anon, don't you think it's a bigger achievement to form a character merely from words on a page and not from watching old footage and merely copying what she does?

Anonymous said...

No, I don't think that's a "bigger achievement".

lylee said...

YAY for Frank Langella!! If this keeps up, maybe he can get some Oscar momentum rolling...

Ironically, I don't think "Starting Out in the Evening" is even playing in Boston yet...I don't understand why they don't roll it out in more cities - it's an absolute gem of a movie, and not just because of Langella's terrific performance...

For those of you who do have access to see it, for the love of good film, see it!!

Anonymous said...

It's not easy playing a historical figure at all. Copying someone from a tape. WTF? A bigger achievement.lol. No offense, but you guys sound a bit ignorant. Have you guys ever performed? Apparently NOT.

adam k. said...

Well, with both of them likely winning globes, it'll be Christie vs. Cotillard all season long. We probably won't have a good idea until the envelope's opened which way it's gonna go. And what a fight it'll be, if these comments are any indication...

I don't think it'd be a yawner for Cotillard to win, simply because she's acting in french, and it'd be only the second best actress oscar to a foreign film EVER and the first one in french. So that'd be kind of a big deal. But a Christie win would be cool, too.

Personally I think I'd prefer a surprise steal by Linney.

But I love that there won't be a frontrunner. I guess whoever wins the SAG will be looking good (unless it's neither Christie nor Cotillard), but regardless, she'll be far from a sure bet. Not like LAST year... and the year before... and the year before that... and the year before that... you really have to go back to 2001/2002 to find a race with any kind of suspense. So yay!

Anonymous said...

Misty, Christie's "Norma Rae moment" is when she's watching the news report from Iraq - the reaction on her face, what she says, it's heartbreaking.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of Best Director predictions: Why do you think Joe Wright is a "shoo-in" at this point, Nat? I am thinking Atonement is the most likely "Best Picture nominee without Best Director nomination" this year. Methinks Lumet, Anderson, Burton and Schnabel are all much stronger BD contenders than their respective films in BP race, and if one or more of them gets nominated, relatively unknown Wright would likely be the first to be thrown out to make place for them.

Also, will you be moving Kaminski to the top five for Cinematography?

NATHANIEL R said...

Luke --yes, i'll be moving Kaminski up. But all of the predictions you're seeing right now were made before this flurry of critics awards.

and also: this is only the beginning. there are many more precursors to come which could shift things further.

wheeeeee

Anonymous said...

can i assume the "norma rae" moment is the holding-of-the-sign scene...or Cher's snap-out-of-it slap....or MTM's buck-never-would-have-been-in-the-hospital...sissy throws the plate? I love that!

Glenn Dunks said...

Oh well, I guess there's no debating with omgcotillardisedithpiaf!!! supporters. It's genius and that's that. HOW COULD I BE SO WRONG?!?!

Anonymous said...

....and we've got next year to look forward to. meryl streep transforms into Martha Mitchell....annette bening as helen thomas.

Anonymous said...

I am not buying the whole Cotillard versus Christie fight (I liked both performances, btw, but felt both movies were somewhat weak).

In my opinion, if Cotillard just gets a nomination, that is a win for her. The Academy awards performers for whom English is a second language only if they either are in a primarily English language film (e.g., Magnani, Binoche, Signoret, Colbert, Ngor) or have proved themselves otherwise over their career (e.g., Benigni, Loren).

La Vie En Rose? Definitely not in English.

Marion Cotillard? Pretty much an unknown quantity in the US pre-LVER.

It is much more likely that these performers are nominated, but don't win. Just thinking of some performers nominated for performances primarily in a foreign language - Mastroianni, Giannini, Depardieu, Barrault, Adjani, Cortese, Cruz, Stallone (I kid). But the list goes on and on. And I won't even cover the primarily English language performances by ESL performers.

Maybe I am wrong here. But it seems to me that Julie Christie is the clear frontrunner. If Marion just gets nominated, she is a winner.

Anonymous said...

Yeah Jimmy, I'd say Sissy's norma-rae-moment is the plate throwing (although it lost to Halle's norma-rae-moment which was when she was in the hospital and been told her boy had just died/humping Billy Bob on the floor) and Cher's has got to be "snap out of it!". Can't recognise the the other two though...