 |
| AFI Favorites with multiple nominations |
Its main competition for the coveted prizes, if you go by nomination counts, is Bright Star (different eligibility calendar over there in Australia). I haven't really covered the Australian Awards before -- we lean on Glenn for that -- but since i've seen three of their Best Picture nominees this time around (the two leaders plus the aborigine musical Bran Nue Dae), why not?
Complete nomination list -- with more Oscar adjacent & actor related comments -- after the jump.
AFI Members’ Choice Award
- Animal Kingdom. Liz Watts.
- Beneath Hill 60. Bill Leimbach.
- Bran Nue Dae. Robyn Kershaw, Graeme Isaac.
- Bright Star. Jan Chapman, Caroline Hewitt.
- The Boys Are Back. Greg Brenman, Tim White.
- Tomorrow When The War Began. Andrew Mason, Michael Boughen.
- Animal Kingdom. Liz Watts.
- Beneath Hill 60. Bill Leimbach.
- Bran Nue Dae. Robyn Kershaw, Graeme Isaac.
- Bright Star. Jan Chapman, Caroline Hewitt.
- The Tree. Sue Taylor. Yaël Fogiel.
- Tomorrow When The War Began. Andrew Mason, Michael Boughen.
- Animal Kingdom. David Michôd.
- Beneath Hill 60. Jeremy Hartley Sims.
- Bright Star. Jane Campion.
- The Tree. Julie Bertuccelli.
- Animal Kingdom. David Michôd.
- Beneath Hill 60. David Roach.
- Bright Star. Jane Campion.
- Daybreakers. Peter Spierig, Michael Spierig.
It'd be nice to see Michôd fighting for a spot with Oscar in the Original Screenplay category, but even with screeners going out so early, that could be a tough sell. But still, his is an unusually taut and smart script.
- Bran Nue Dae. Reg Cribb, Rachel Perkins, Jimmy Chi.
- The Boys Are Back. Allan Cubitt.
- The Tree. Julie Bertuccelli.
- Tomorrow When The War Began. Stuart Beattie.
- Animal Kingdom. Adam Arkapaw.
- Beneath Hill 60. Toby Oliver ACS.
- Bright Star. Greig Fraser.
- The Waiting City. Denson Baker ACS
With apologizes to the two films here I haven't seen I'll be disappointed if Greig Fraser loses this. I'm still mortified that he collected so few nominations and wins here in America. Bright Star is jaw-droppingly beautiful. It's a shame the way it was treated in last year's Oscar race.
- Animal Kingdom. Luke Doolan.
- Beneath Hill 60. Dany Cooper ASE.
- Bright Star. Alexandre de Franceschi ASE.
- Tomorrow When The War Began. Marcus D’Arcy.
- Animal Kingdom. Sam Petty, Rob Mackenzie, Philippe Decrausaz.
- Beneath Hill 60. Liam Egan, Alicia Slusarski, Mark Cornish, Tony Murtagh.
- Bran Nue Dae. Andrew Neil, Steve Burgess, Peter Mills, Mario Vaccaro, Blaire Slater, David Bridie, Scott Montgomery.
- Tomorrow When The War Began. Andrew Plain, David Lee, Gethin Creagh, Robert Sullivan.
- Animal Kingdom. Antony Partos, Sam Petty.
- Beneath Hill 60. Cezary Skubiszewski.
- Bran Nue Dae. Cezary Skubiszewski, Jimmy Chi, Patrick Duttoo Bin Amat, Garry Gower, Michael Manolis Mavromatis, Stephen Pigram.
- Bright Star. Mark Bradshaw.
Bran Nue Dae does have fun musical numbers though typically the trailer doesn't really play that up.
AFI Award for Best Production Design
- Animal Kingdom. Jo Ford.
- Beneath Hill 60. Clayton Jauncey.
- Bright Star. Janet Patterson.
- Tomorrow When The War Began. Robert Webb, Michelle McGahey, Damien Drew, Bev Dunn.
- Animal Kingdom. Cappi Ireland.
- Beneath Hill 60. Ian Sparke, Wendy Cork.
- Bran Nue Dae. Margot Wilson.
- Bright Star. Janet Patterson
- Brendan Cowell. Beneath Hill 60.
- James Frecheville. Animal Kingdom.
- Ben Mendelsohn. Animal Kingdom.
- Clive Owen. The Boys Are Back.
- Abbie Cornish. Bright Star.
- Morgana Davies. The Tree.
- Charlotte Gainsbourg. The Tree.
- Jacki Weaver. Animal Kingdom.
I had assumed that Abbie Cornish could finally collect a trophy for Bright Star until I realized that Jacki Weaver was sharing this category. Though she is absolutely the centrifugal force in Animal Kingdom, she's not really the lead (that'd be Frecheville... and arguably Mendelsohn) and she's offscreen quite a lot and sometimes backgrounded within the scenes she is in.
- Joel Edgerton. Animal Kingdom.
- Guy Pearce. Animal Kingdom.
- Kodi Smit-McPhee. Matching Jack.
- Sullivan Stapleton. Animal Kingdom.
 |
| Tattoed and Tormented: Sullivan Stapleton in Animal Kingdom |
- Julia Blake. The Boys Are Back.
- Kerry Fox. Bright Star.
- Deborah Mailman. Bran Nue Dae.
- Laura Wheelwright. Animal Kingdom.
In case you're wondering, Wheelwright plays the teen girlfriend of Animal Kingdom's lead character. I'm pleased to see Fox given props for her subtle but very well modulated reactive mother role in Jane Campion's romantic biopic.
- Simon Baker. The Mentalist, Season 2. Nine Network
- Ryan Kwanten. True Blood, Season 3. Showcase
- Kodi Smit-McPhee. The Road
- Sam Worthington. Avatar
I haven't yet seen Season 3 but it's nice to see acclaim for Ryan Kwanten who is True Blood's secret weapon, if you ask me. He's just so funny. He offers up a very smart take on a very dim character. As for Kodi, I wrote extensively about The Road here.
- Toni Collette. United States of Tara, Season 2. ABC1
- Bojana Novakovic. Edge of Darkness
- Mia Wasikowska. Alice in Wonderland
- Naomi Watts. Mother and Child
Um. Ewwww. on the Wasikowska nomination. I think she's quite a good actress but I think she's quite ungood in that movie. Meanwhile: Go TONI!!!
- Ashleigh Cummings. Tomorrow When The War Began
- Morgana Davies. The Tree
- James Frecheville. Animal Kingdom
- Harrison Gilbertson. Beneath Hill 60
- Daybreakers. Peter Spierig, Michael Spierig, Rangi Sutton, James Rogers, Randy Vellacott
- The Tree. Dave Morley, Felix Crawshaw, Claudia Lecaros, Tim Walker
- Tinglewood. Wil Manning
- Tomorrow When The War Began. Chris Godfrey, Sigi Eimutis, Dave Morley, Tony Cole
- Dance Academy. Joanna Werner ABC
- Dead Gorgeous. Ewan Burnett, Margot McDonald. ABC
- Lockie Leonard. Kylie Du Fresne. Nine Network
- My Place. Penny Chapman. ABC
- dirtgirlworld. Cate McQuillen. ABC
- Erky Perky. Kristine Klohk, Barbara Stephen, Tracy Lenon. Seven Network
- The Legend Of Enyo. Avrill Stark, Michael Christensen. Seven Network
- Lowdown. Nicole Minchin, Amanda Brotchie, Adam Zwar. ABC
- Review With Myles Barlow, Season 2. Dean Bates. ABC
- Wilfred II. Jenny Livingston, Tony Rogers, Adam Zwar, Jason Gann. SBS
- The Gruen Transfer, Series 3. Andrew Denton, Anita Jacoby, Jon Casimir, Debbie Cuell. ABC1
- Hungry Beast, Series Two. Andrew Denton, Andy Nehl. ABC1
- MasterChef Australia. Margaret Bashfield, Judy Smart, Caroline Spencer. Network Ten
- Talkin’ ’bout Your Generation. Peter Beck. Network Ten
- The Circuit, Series 2. Ross Hutchens, Colin South. SBS
- Rush, Season 3. John Edwards, Mimi Butler. Network Ten
- Spirited. Claudia Karvan, Jacquelin Perske, John Edwards. W
- Tangle, Season 2. John Edwards, Imogen Banks. Showcase
- A Model Daughter: The Killing Of Caroline Byrne. Karl Zwicky. Network Ten
- Hawke. Richard Keddie. Network Ten
- Dance Academy – Episode 2, ‘Week Zero’. Jeffrey Walker. ABC
- Hawke. Emma Freeman. Network Ten
- Rush, Season 3 – Episode 308, ‘Train’. Grant Brown. Network Ten
- Tangle, Season 2 – Episode 16, ‘Lost and Found’. Emma Freeman. Showcase
- Hawke. Glen Dolman. Network Ten
- Review With Myles Barlow, Season 2 – Episode 6, ‘Happiness, Escapism, Acceptance’. Trent O’Donnell, Phil Lloyd. ABC
- Tangle, Season 2 – Episode 15, ‘Sleepwalking’. Fiona Seres. Showcase
- Wilfred II – Episode 7, ‘Dog Star’. Jason Gann, Adam Zwar. SBS
- Garry McDonald. A Model Daughter: The Killing Of Caroline Byrne. Network Ten
- Corey McKernan. Lockie Leonard. Nine Network
- Aaron Pedersen. The Circuit, Series 2. SBS
- Richard Roxburgh. Hawke. Network Ten
- Cheree Cassidy. Underbelly: The Golden Mile – Episode 7, ‘Full Force Gale’. Nine Network
- Justine Clarke. Tangle, Season 2. Showcase
- Poppy Lee Friar. Dead Gorgeous. ABC
- Catherine McClements. Tangle, Season 2. Showcase
- Damien Garvey. Underbelly: The Golden Mile – Episode 10, ‘Hurt on Duty’. Nine Network
- Rhys Muldoon. Lockie Leonard – Episode 11, ‘Snake Hide Oil. Nine Network
- John Waters. Offspring. Network Ten
- Ben Winspear. My Place – Episode 5, ‘1968 Sofia’. ABC
- Linda Cropper. Satisfaction, Season 3 – Episode 8, ‘Not Vanilla’. Showcase
- Sacha Horler. Hawke. Network Ten
- Asher Keddie. Hawke. Network Ten
- Deborah Mailman. Offspring. Network Ten
- Paul Denny. Lowdown. ABC
- Jason Gann. Wilfred II. SBS
- Phil Lloyd. Review With Myles Barlow, Season 2. ABC
AFI Award for Best Feature Length Documentary
- Contact. Martin Butler, Bentley Dean. ABC1
- Inside The Firestorm. Lucy Maclaren, Alex West. ABC
- The Snowman. Rachel Landers, Dylan Blowen.
- Strange Birds In Paradise – A West Papuan Story. Jamie Nicolai, John Cherry.
- A Thousand Encores: The Ballets Russes In Australia. Sharyn Prentice, Marianne Latham, Lavinia Riachi. ABC
- Rudely Interrupted. Susie Jones, Benjamin Jones. ABC1
- Surviving Mumbai. Andrew Ogilvie, Andrea Quesnelle. ABC
- You Only Live Twice – The Incredibly True Story Of The Hughes Family. Ruth Cullen. ABC1
- Addicted To Money. Andrew Ogilvie, Andrea Quesnelle. ABC
- Disable Bodied Sailors. Karina Holden, Nick Robinson. SBS
- Kokoda. Andrew Wiseman. ABC1
- Liberal Rule- The Politics That Changed Australia. Nick Torrens, Frank Haines. SBS
- A Thousand Encores: The Ballets Russes In Australia. Amanda Chang. ABC
- Contact. Martin Butler, Bentley Dean. ABC1
- Inside The Firestorm. Jacob Hickey. ABC
- Strange Birds In Paradise – A West Papuan Story. Charlie Hill-Smith.
- Disable Bodied Sailors – Episode 3. Nick Robinson. SBS
- Miracles - Episode 1, ‘Miracle in the Storm’. Tony Oliver ACS. ABC1
- Strange Birds In Paradise – A West Papuan Story. Angus Kemp.
- Surviving Mumbai. Jim Frater. ABC
- A Thousand Encores: The Ballets Russes In Australia. Karin Steininger. ABC
- Contact. Tania Nehme. ABC1
- Inside The Firestorm. Steven Robinson. ABC
- Surviving Mumbai. David Fosdick. ABC
- A Thousand Encores: The Ballets Russes In Australia. Brett Aplin, Andrew McGrath, Erin McKimm. ABC
- Inside The Firestorm. Jock Healy, Tristan Meredith. ABC
- Kokoda – Episode 1, ‘The Invasion’. David Bridie, Chris Goodes, Ian Grant, Patrick Slater. ABC1
- Strange Birds In Paradise – A West Papuan Story. Mik la Vage, Doron Kipen, David Bridie.
- The Lost Thing. Sophie Byrne, Andrew Ruhemann, Shaun Tan.
- Zero. Christopher Kezelos, Christine Kezelos.
- Deeper Than Yesterday. Ariel Kleiman, Benjamin Gilovitz, Sarah Cyngler, Anna Kojevnikov.
- The Kiss. Sonya Humphrey, Ashlee Page.
- The Love Song Of Iskra Prufrock. Lucy Gaffy, Lyn Norfor.
- Suburbia. Antonio Oreña-Barlin, Richard Halsted.
- A Parachute Falling In Siberia. Sarah Shaw, Ian Meadows.
- Deeper Than Yesterday. Ariel Kleiman.
- Glenn Owen Dodds. Trent Dalton.
- The Kiss. Ashlee Page
I know the Film Experience has plentiful Australian readers -- i can see the stats, don't hide! -- so let us know: How did the AFI do this year? As for the rest of you, do you think Jacki Weaver is going to pull off that Supporting Actress Slot with the American Academy? And do you share the love of Kwanten on True Blood and Collette as Tara?
Posts
18 comments:
Is Sullivan Stapleton his real name? It's fantastic. Seriously, say it out loud. It's so musical!
I agree that he was my favorite out of the three "Animal Kingdom" supporting men, but I loved Edgerton too. He did more with his small amount of screen time than Pearce did with his, although Pearce's character was arguably a little underwritten.
Liz -- that is his real name. Or at least his real stage name :)
Agreed that Edgerton was quite good, too. His final scene in the movie was so shocking but we shan't discuss due to spoilers!
and Sam Worthington got a nod for Avatar... ew
and i'm so glad to see love for Bright Star ♥
Would love to see Cornish nab Best Actress, she was tremendous in Bright Star even though the movie was a bit tedious. Owen was good in The Boys Are Back, glad to see he's got a nod. I've got to see Animal Kingdom, the trailer was intense!
Australia loves you Nathaniel!
Morgana Davies is only about 10 and from everything i've heard she would have won best actress had Jacki Weaver been in supporting. The worst nomination has to be the TWTWB screenplay nod. It's a great movie but the screenplay wasnt the best.
Not sure about the nomination for "Beneath Hill 60" in best picture. It's well made, but it's not a particularly amazing film other than the lead performance and the technical aspects.
I was really hoping Geena Davis could at least score some attention here for "Accidents Happen." She hilarious, cruel, and entertaining in her film. Oh well.
Tim -- and i love Australia. I'm so sad I've never been but alas... i need a sugar daddy for world travelling.
eduardo - yeah, the worthington nomination seems a bit... unecessary. but then Wasikowska is even worse. she's just so blank in that movie. at least blank action face isn't as distracting in something like Avatar as it is in something trippy like Alice...
Joe -- this is the first i'm haering of Beneath Hill 60 though the others at least had some international conversation around them. or maybe i just missed the conversation on that one.
Nathaniel, You know I appreciate anyone from outside these fair shores talking about Aussie film! :)
To answer a couple of your queries:
The "member's choice" category is a category nominated by general AFI members (as in just ordinary cinephiles who joined the AFI to support the Aussie film industry) whereas the "Best Film" category is the one voted for my professional AFI members. They are the "Academy" types, those who work within the industry. The actors, the directors, the writers. Even me, because I'm write about films (hey, we're a small country, we need as many people to vote as we can get for it to mean anything!)
The Tree is a tiny arthouse film whereas The Boys are Back is a more mainstream title, hence it got in. Happened last year, too, when Blessed wasn't nominated for the "Member's Choice" and was replaced by Australia, which wasn't nominated for Best Film (ahem).
Yes, Guy Pearce probably will win Supporting Actor. They tend to go for the most famous, internationally recognised. That way the actor can feel validated for humbling the Aus film industry with his or her return when they could obviously be making far more money overseas. Also agreed re Sullivan Stapleton. You should see him when he's all scrubbed up. Delicious.
As for Jacki Weaver. The AFI generally just boosts up the most prominent member of either gender to the lead category. I mean, there's only 16 films eligible (there were more Aussie films released this year, but they either weren't submitted by the producers - such as South Solitary or Wog Boy 2 - or they didn't meet eligibility criteria for release or weren't "australian enough", like Triangle) so they need people to fill each category out, sometimes.
They didn't have any trouble this year what with that glorious double Best Actress nod for The Tree, my favourite Aussie film of the year is that one. Gainsbourg is obviously great, but Morgana Davies was 8 when the movie was filmed and she's stunning. One of the best child performances I've ever seen. As Anonymous said, she would've won (yeah, even over Cornish) if it weren't for Weaver.
Don't count on Grieg Fraser winning Cinematography. Animal Kingdom will surely take that one out. Undeservedly, but it probably will. That movie is the 300lbs gorilla.
I kinda really dislike Beneath Hill 60, but it's a WW1 movie so it had to be nominated. Very sad that The Waiting City (Joel Edgerton/Radha Mitchell adoption drama) was all but snubbed apart from (it's beautiful) cinematography.
My favourite nomination of the day was the Spierig brothers for Best Original Screenplay. Never thought I'd see Daybreakers in there, but they deserved it.
Also: "Aborigine" :)
I'm so happy that "Bright Star" and "The Boys Are Back" received some nominations. Especially the latter, which I really quite liked but went unnoticed in the US last year.
I'm rooting for Clive!
Every year the AFI's seem to have the one film that dominates that the media gets behind. Last year it was Samson and Delilah. Sometimes the Australian film industry is something really to be proud of, but often there is the one film that dominates because there seems to be the token "great Australian film" every year. Last year we were lucky enough to be drowning in fantastic films like Balibo, Beautiful Kate, Blessed, Van Diemens Land, Mary and Max, My Year Without Sex, Cedar Boys, Last Ride (GOSH what a year), but this year Animal Kingdom has so many nominations because there is such a lack of competitors. Bright Star is great, and the only film that touches it. The fact that Beneath Hell 60 is supposed to be on of the best films of the year is a little disheartening.
As for Animal Kingdom's Oscar chances and very hopeful. It would be such a huge boost for the industry, especially to have an Aussie Actress like Weaver be nominated and to bring over Aussie films.
JoFo, 2010 has given us The Tree, Animal Kingdom, The Horseman, The Loved Ones, The Waiting City, Bran Nue Dae, Tomorrow When the War Began, Triangle, Red Hill, Daybreakers...
all of which are movies that I'd recommend to people (Australian or otherwise). I think it's pretty well even with 2009 which had Three Blind Mice, Bright Star, Samson and Delilah, Mary & Max, Cedar Boys, Balibo, Lake Mungo and Lucky Country.
I'm happy to see such love for Bright Star and Jane Campion. I'd like watching Cornish get Best Actress trophy but I'm afraid they will go with Oscar Buzzed Weaver (even if her placement in the leading category is not so correct)
"Go TONI"? because there is a name there that irks you who you know whom is definitely going to win...huh?
anon -- actually no. I just genuinely love what Toni Collette is doing on United States of Tara. and, well, yes, I think she's a better actress than Watts in general as well. I have to call it like i see it.
Just saw Animal Kingdom a few days ago. Very sticky film. Especially the last half hour. Weaver was great but I was impressed by the four actors who played the brothers just as much. Awesome ending.
I hope it sticks around, especially the screenplay.
I'm sorry Glenn but I have to pull you up on this:
"Yes, Guy Pearce probably will win Supporting Actor. They tend to go for the most famous, internationally recognised."
Really? The most recent winners of this award were Oscar Isaac, Luke Ford, Martin Csokas, Anthony Hayes (twice), Erik Thomson, David Ngoombajurra, Nathaniel Dean, Vince Colosimo and Simon Lyndon. I don't think any of them are "famous, internationally recognised". You have to go as far back as 1999 (Bryan Brown) to get someone who qualifies.
I personally think it's going to be Joel Edgerton's award this year, mainly because he's yet to win an AFI Film Award (although he should have won a couple of years ago, for THE SQUARE). My other picks for the main awards are Mendelsohn, Weaver (obviously) and Blake for acting, and a Picture/Director split with them giving Picture to the obvious AK, but handing Director to Campion.
The "Member's Award" is actually something created to try and placate the non-professional members when they lost the right to vote for the main award. (Of which I have mixed feelings about. It's sad that the AFI, as small an organisation as they are, don't want to let all their members vote. But the middle-class, middle-aged non-professional voters were the reason that OYSTER FARMER (with only one other nomination, for cinematography) got a Best Film nomination over WOLF CREEK a few years back.)
My biggest disappointment (although not unexpected) was that the other great Australian film of the year, MOTHER FISH, was too small/little-seen to get any recognition.
Nathaniel, my opinion is contrary to the others - BH60 is worth a look. It got many good reviews when it came out, and it was no surprise to see it among the Best Film nominees. There aren't really any big names in it, and it's not as awesome as ANIMAL KINGDOM, so it may never get released internationally.
And the International Acting awards are pretty much a joke over here amongst the members. They were only introduced to get television ratings.
It's a shame the AFI thinks that just because a film deserves to be nominated for A LOT OF things, it scores a nomination for EVERYTHING, especially when it's at the exclusion of more deserving contenders.
Animal Kingdom is a case in point. I loved the film, I really did but does it really deserve best Production Design or Sound Design over the completely imagined world of, say "Daybreakers"?
Or does it really deserve best Cinematography over "Tomorrow: When The War Began"?
And was "Bran Nu Dae" REALLY a better film than "Waiting City"?
Post a Comment