Wednesday, January 09, 2008

OFCS Winners !

A little birdy told me... that these are the winners of the ONLINE FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION. They officially announce sometime today January 9th. But I am still awake when "today" is just beginning, so before I sleep...

give me all your awards ... friendo

Picture: No Country For Old Men
Director: Joel & Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Actor: Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Actress: Julie Christie - Away From Her (just barely over Ellen Page -Juno)
Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Original Screenplay: Juno
Adapted Screenplay: No Country For Old Men
Cinematography: No Country for Old Men
Editing: No Country For Old Men
Original Score: There Will Be Blood
Documentary: The King of Kong
Foreign Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Animated Film: Ratatouile
Breakthrough Filmmaker: Sarah Polley - Away From Her (in a squeaker over Ben Affleck -Gone Baby Gone)
Breakthrough Performer: Nikki Blonsky -Hairspray

I know what you're thinking. How Very Original! Sticking their virtual necks out there for performances and films that have gone home empty-handed so far this year. In all seriousness, though, despite a fun and fairly open race for nominations in various categories with different awards bodies all season long, the actual winners circle has been a copy and paste snoozefest. My own top ten list has a lot of consensus choices in it I'm the first to admit (that kind of year I guess) but if the last couple of days (BFCA & OFCS win) following the rather uniform critics organizations are any indication, we'll hear the same winners all the way through the Globes and on to Oscar night.

12 comments:

Michael B. said...

If this happens on Oscar night, the Coens will walk away with 4 Oscars each. WOW.

Anonymous said...

well maybe they just like these films. I dont hink you have to be original just be original...

NATHANIEL R said...

oh absolutely.

it's just that it's identical (not virtually but actually identical ;)

my point has always been: maybe we just have too many awards bodies since they all feel basically the same.

anybody?

Anonymous said...

I think that especially this year they have such a wide range to choose from and they still pick the same stuff over and over again.

Honestly, just think of the year "M$B" won the Oscar. They didn't have that much quality stuff to choose from, but still managed to spread the love. This year it's either the Coens or PTA who get the awards. Although I really like "No Country" (haven't seen TWBB yet), why is there absolutely no group of people who think that "Atonement", "Zodiac", "The Bourne Ultimatum", "Control" or any other film should take the win for "Best Picture"?

If everybody agrees that "No Country" is the year's best, then do we really need 13527.29 different awards bodies?

Catherine said...

Good for Jonny Greenwood, though. I'm crossing my fingers for that Oscar nod. The score to TWBB is fantastic... I'll bet THAT'S why Radiohead's latest is so lacklustre.

Anonymous said...

"If everybody agrees that "No Country" is the year's best, then do we really need 13527.29 different awards bodies?"

My thoughts exactly, pianocktail. I though part of the idea of these other critical and awards bodies was to spread the wealth and remind people that there were a lot of interesting films during a given year, not just one or two; and that great performances can emerge from the midst of even a so-so film. (Remember how boring last year was, with everybody awarding Helen Mirren and Forrest Whitaker? By the time the Oscars came, I really could have cared less that they were each getting yet another brass paperweight.) If this year has truly had so many rich, divergent and interesing films, then why not recognize and reward that? With all these other awards the Oscars are getting redundant - although at this point the only thing about the Oscars that really interests me anymore is seeing who wore what on the red carpet.

Of course, I'm more interested in the FBC's than the Oscars anyway. The only thing the FBC's lack is Nicole, et al in a smashing dress.

RedSatinDoll

LVJeff said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LVJeff said...

Hey, I voted on these awards, and I even I find the results snooze-worthy. I'm kind of disappointed, really, that OFCS followed the party lines despite interesting nominations. It's more fun when there are a few head-turning surprises, but this time, despite the most interesting race in years... nope, nothing interesting. Alas.

Hope you've been doing well, Nathaniel!

Anonymous said...

Maybe we just have too many awards bodies

Exactly, Nathaniel. It's nice for the people involved in making films to be awarded. But at this point it seems to me to just be a case of everybody needing to be heard and feel important.

Just my cynical take on things.

Anonymous said...

Well, that consensus kinda blows for me, since I wouldn't even nominate "No Country for Old Men" into best picture.

And would the Coens really receive 4 Oscars a piece if they sweep picture, director, adapted screenplay, and editing? They do that silly "Roderick Jaynes" thing for editing, and the Oscars bought into that for "Fargo", so they might just get one Oscar there if they win. Weird thing.

Anonymous said...

If TWWB becomes the standard too-radical-for-the-Academy art-film at this year's Oscars, don't be surprised if it nabs the customary Best Screenplay awards as a token gesture of admiration. I'm also thinking it will be PTA's consolation prize for giving NCFOM near everything else -- I sincerely doubt the Academy is that anxious to give the Coens THAT many awards, though, as they have, in recent history, enjoyed sharing the wealth quite a bit.

Glenn Dunks said...

I'm actually thinking Into the Wild could very easily snap up the SAG ensemble prize and then leave everyone dazed and confused ala 2005.