Oscar-nomics: NYFCC Awards Recipients 2011

Best First Feature: "Margin Call"

Thoughts: Kind of felt “Martha Marcy May Marlene” would be the one to take this in the awards circuit, but oh well my thoughts overall are limited to what I’ve heard and read.

Best Non-Fiction Film: "Cave of Forgotten Dreams"

Thoughts: Any win for the great Werner Herzog is a win in my book, glad to see him win, especially for him being snubbed from the Oscar Documentary shortlist a couple of weeks back.

Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain, "The Help," "Take Shelter" and "The Tree of Life"

Thoughts: She is my pick to win in the long run, glad to see her start off strong. I’m sure hoping she will choose soon which film she will submit for Oscar consideration. I will keep drumming the “Tree of Life” drum as long as I damn well have to, “The Help,” was fine but she doesn’t really stand out in that film as she does in “Tree of Life.” Still, great to see her off to a strong start.

Best Actress: Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

Thoughts: Not a big surprise, considering its Streep we are talking about here. Word on the street is its Streep vs. Davis (rightfully so for the latter lady), but since “Iron Lady” hasn’t opened yet, I will stick with the simple idea that Streep is simply the best.

Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks, "Drive"

Thoughts: This might be my favorite win of the day. Mnay have pegged Plummer as the one to beat, and that is still rather plausible, but I am really glad Brooks get his due for a strong performance. Side note, upon hearing he won, he tweeted "Was just told about N.Y.F.C.C. and Spirit Awards! THANK YOU. I feel like Herman Cain at a Dallas Cheerleader convention." Albert “Hank Scorpio” Brooks for the win!!!

 

Best Actor: Brad Pitt, "Moneyball" and "The Tree of Life"

Thoughts: Glad to see Pitt getting his due for a strong year. Though many, myself included, consider his “Tree of Life” performance as more of a supporting turn, to see Mr. Pitt get some awards attention means Best Actor is going to be a fun competition to watch this year, especially with Clooney not off to as such a strong start that many thought he would when “Descendants” came out a week or so ago.

Best Foreign Language Film: "A Separation"

Thoughts: Heard good things, will check it out when I can, but for now, congratulations on the win.

Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

Thoughts: Not my first choice, what with Malick, Refn and perhaps even Bennett Miller, but I won’t rag on the choice, but I probably still don’t see this as truly being the best with all the choices I have previously mentioned, particularly Malick (I would also like to mention Soderbergh, but I don’t really feel as though Contagion has much of a chance to get nominated, let alone win).

Best Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"

Thoughts: This is a huge win for the film. Sorkin and Zaillian are arguably the best of the best in terms of writers, so seeing them get their due (even though each have received Oscar gold in the past) is always welcome, congrats!!!

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, "The Tree of Life"

Thoughts: I've said it before, and I will say it again, if this man doesn't dominate the awards season, then I'm giving up on movie awards/reviewing all together. Emmanuel Lubezki deserves Oscar gold!!!!

Special Award: Filmmaker Raoul Ruiz (posthumously)

Thoughts: Not terribly familiar with his work, so I'll stick with congrats on this one...

Best Picture: "The Artist"

Thoughts: Again, haven't seen it so my view on this is limited. It looks like the kind of film that has the right fluff to win over audiences and critics, much like how King's Speech did the previous year. However, by only receiving one other win for directing, its not terribly safe to assume that this automatically makes it the frontrunner. Still, congratulations are in order, and I have little to go on to hate the film, so congratulations and best of luck on the circuit.

Overall Thoughts: Surprised "The Descendants" was completely shut out really. Clooney's acting was considered to be the best of the best, though I am not complaining that he was defeated by Pitt. I think that even though "The Artist" won Best Picture, "Moneyball" was the real victor. Few films get released as far back as September and maintain such awards love, so to see it nab both best actor and screenplay is definitely huge. I am rather happy with both supporting picks, particularly Brooks since his hasn't been as touted, but I think we will be seeing him, most certainly Chastain, as well as Pitt and Streep come February.  

Well, thats it for now, Thursday will be the announcement of the National Board of Review awards.These are the tricky ones cause they were 2 for 2 in picking best picture in 07 and 08, but struck out in 09 and 10 (to their credit, they did pick Social Network last year). Will they be able to get back on track? Only time will tell. Check back for more on the awards seasons as well as my commentary and possible predictions, will this award ceremony shape whats to come or are we in store for something completely out of left field (pun not intended.... at first)?

Oscar Season: Jack's Predictions pt. 1

All right people, we have one week before the Oscars are presented, so I decided to countdown with my picks on whose going to win, or who I think will win, or maybe what I want to win (fingers crossed on the latter). Now, you may remember last year I did an all in one write up, man were my hands hurting after that. I decided to cut it down to a daily thing and present two categories that generally have some sort of relation. With that said, lets get the ball rolling with the writing categories

Original Screenplay Nominations:

-Another Year – Mike Leigh

-The Fighter – Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, and Eric Johnson

-Inception – Christopher Nolan

-The Kids Are All Right – Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg

-The King's Speech – David Seidler

Initial Thoughts: Well, no love for Black Swan, little surprised it got left out over the Fighter, which went through so many reworks and what not. As the Academy love Mike Leigh, it was obvious that, win or lose, he would nab a nomination (hence the lack of Black Swan).

Prediction: I would give it to Cholodenko and Blumberg in a heartbeat, their screenplay was magnificent and I really loved their dialogue. Needless to say though, this award is going to King’s Speech, the movie expected to sweep, so this is expected to win. I did love the King’s Speech and it’s totally deserving, but I am still pulling for that upset even if its almost as unlikely as the next category going to anyone other than who I am predicting

Adapted Screenplay Nominations:

-127 Hours – Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy from Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston

-The Social Network – Aaron Sorkin from The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich

-Toy Story 3 – Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, and Lee Unkrich; characters based on Toy Story and Toy Story 2

-True Grit – Ethan Coen and Joel Coen from True Grit by Charles Portis

-Winter's Bone – Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini from Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell

Initial Thoughts: Why is Toy Story 3 considered adapted? Because of the characters? Really? I don’t know, but I guess also that the Academy didn’t really consider The Town a contender, oh well on that one. Glad to see Winter’s Bone getting some love from the Academy, considering its one of the smallest films of the evening (in terms of budget and gross). Side note: 127 Hours was my favorite movie of the year, yes, and I am glad it’s nominated, but I think it is rather obvious why it’s a long shot in the “screenply,” still kudos.

Prediction: Aaron Sorkin won this award months ago when the film was released. Strong competition, especially from the Coens, but its Sorkin’s award to lose.

Check back tomorrow for my choices in the Supporting Actor and Actress categories…