Awards Season 2011-2012

I know a lot of people don’t care but some do, and others like to keep up just so they can do well in their office Oscar pool. Please take your disdain to the Pit if people talking about this stuff really irks you. There really are lots of other things to occupy your time.

Awards season started a couple of weeks ago with the Gothams, the Golden Satellites, the National Board of Review and others. I’ll catch up with those and try to stay somewhat current.

None of the early awards influence final Oscar winners (wait for the Guild Awards for that), but they matter because they can influence Academy members’ nominations by throwing out titles that they should seek out and** watch, and maybe nominate themselves when the time comes. It’s titles like Winter’s Bone** and The Hurt Locker and Slumdog Millionaire that really benefit from these early season awards. I think it’s an exciting year, lots of great films and no one film dominating though The Artist soon will. It’s right up the Academy’s alley.

While movies I love most rarely get or even get nominated for top prizes it’s great to see them mentioned when it happens. Last year it was Winter’s Bone, this year it’s Beginners. Even Attack The Block got an award today, which surprised the hell out of me. These “lesser” awards can often have some wacky and wonderful titles in the mix which is why they’re fun to me.
To avoid big long lists I’m putting these in spoiler tags.

The 2011 Gotham Independent Film Awards Nominees/Winners (given by IFP=Independent Filmmaker Project)

[spoiler]

BEST FEATURE

“Beginners” – WINNER – TIE
Mike Mills, director; Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Miranda de Pencier, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, producers (Focus Features)

“The Tree of Life” – WINNER – TIE
Terrence Malick, director; Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Grant Hill, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

“The Descendants”
Alexander Payne, director; Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

“Meek’s Cutoff”
Kelly Reichardt, director; Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani, Elizabeth Cuthrell, David Urrutia, producers (Oscilloscope Laboratories)

“Take Shelter”
Jeff Nichols, director; Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)

BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

“Beginners” – WINNER
Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Kai Lennox, Mary Page Keller, Keegan Boos (Focus Features)

“The Descendants”
George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Robert Forster, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Nick Krause, Amara Miller, Mary Birdsong, Rob Huebel (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

“Margin Call”
Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Aasif Mandvi (Roadside Attractions)

“Martha Marcy May Marlene”
Elizabeth Olsen, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, Hugh Dancy, Maria Dizzia, Julia Garner, John Hawkes, Louisa Krause, Sarah Paulson (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

“Take Shelter”
Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Tova Stewart, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon, Kathy Baker, Ray McKinnon, Lisagay Hamilton, Robert Longstreet (Sony Pictures Classics)

BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR

Dee Rees, “Pariah” (Focus Features) – WINNER

Mike Cahill, “Another Earth” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Sean Durkin, “Martha Marcy May Marlene” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Vera Farmiga, “Higher Ground” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Evan Glodell, “Bellflower” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR

***Felicity Jones, “Like Crazy” (Paramount Vantage) ***– WINNER

Elizabeth Olsen, “Martha Marcy May Marlene” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Harmony Santana, “Gun Hill Road” (Motion Film Group)
Shailene Woodley, “The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Jacob Wysocki, “Terri” (ATO Pictures)[/spoiler]

16th Annual Golden Satellite Awards nominees (given by International Press Academy)

Motion Picture

The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Shame
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
War Horse

Director

Tomas Alfredson, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
John Michael McDonagh, The Guard
Steve McQueen, Shame
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Steven Spielberg, War Horse
Tate Taylor, The Help

Best Actress in a Motion Picture

Olivia Colman, Tyrannosaur
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Vera Farmiga, Higher Ground
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Emily Watson, Oranges and Sunshine
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Best Actor in a Motion Picture

George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Brendan Gleeson, The Guard
Tom Hardy, Warrior
Woody Harrelson, Rampart
Gary Oldman, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter

Actress in a Supporting Role

Jessica Chastain, Tree of Life
Elle Fanning, Super 8
Lisa Feret, Mozart’s Sister
Judy Greer, The Descendants
Rachel McAdams, Midnight in Paris
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Carey Mulligan, Shame
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus
Kate Winslet, Carnage

Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Colin Farrell, Horrible Bosses
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Christoph Waltz, Carnage
Hugo Weaving, Oranges and Sunshine

Motion Picture, Foreign Film

Faust
Kid with a Bike
Las Acacias
Le Havre
Miss Bala
Mozart’s Sister
Mysteries of Lisbon
A Separation
13 Assassins
The Turin Horse

Motion Picture, Animated or Mixed Media

The Adventures of TinTin
Kung Fu Panda 2
The Muppets
Puss in Boots
Rango
Rio

Motion Picture, Documentary

American: The Bill Hicks Story
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
The Interrupters
My Perestroika
One Lucky Elephant
Pina
Project Nim
Tabloid
Senna
Under Fire: Journalists in Combat

Screenplay, Original

Tyrannosaur, Paddy Considine
Mozart’s Sister, Rene Feret
The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius
The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
The Guard, John Michael McDonagh
Shame, Steve McQueen, Abi Morgan

Screenplay, Adapted

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Lost Unicorn, Steven Moffat, Joe Cornish & Edgar Wright
Albert Nobbs, Glenn Close, John Banville
The Descendants, Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
The Help, Tate Taylor
Moneyball, Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin story by Stan Chervin
War Horse, Lee Hall and Richard Curtis

Original Score

Marco Beltrami, Soul Surfer
Alexandre Desplat, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Michael Giacchino, Super 8
Cliff Martinez, Drive
James Newton Howard, Water for Elephants
John Williams, War Horse

Original Song

Bridge of Light, Pink, Alecia Moore & Billy Mann, Happy Feet 2
Gathering Stories, Jonsi, Jonsi & Cameron Crowe, We Bought a Zoo
Hello Hello, Elton John, Elton John & Bernie Taupin, Gnomeo & Juliet
Lay Your Head Down, Sinead O’Connor, Brian Byrne & Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Life is a Happy Song, Jason Segel & Amy Adams & Muppets, Bret McKenzie, The Muppets
Man or Muppet, Jason Segel & Walter, Bret McKenzie, The Muppets

Cinematography

Bruno Delbonnel, Faust
Janusz KaminskI, War Horse
Emmanuel Lubezki, Tree of Life
Robert Richardson, Hugo
Guillaume Schiffman, The Artist
Newton Thomas Sigel, Drive

Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – Tim burke, John Richardson, Greg Butler, David Vickery
Hugo – Robert Legato
Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Joe Letteri, Jeff Capogreco, R. Christopher White
Super 8 – Dennis Muren, Kim Libreri, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh
Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon – Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler, John Frazier
War Horse – Ben Morris

Film Editing

Chris Gill, The Guard
Mat Newman, Drive
Kevin Tent, The Descendants
Joe Walker, Shame
John Gilroy, Sean Albertson, Matt Chesse, Aaron Marshall, Warrior

Sound (Editing and Mixing)

Drive – Lon Bender, Victor Ray Ennis, Robert Fernandez, Dave Patterson
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – Stuart Wilson, Stuart Hilliker, Mike Dowson, Adam Scrivener, James Mather
Super 8 – Mark Ulano, Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson,Tom Johnson, Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
The Tree of Life – Craig Berkey, Christopher Scarabosio, Jeremy Peirson, Erik Aadahl, John Pritchett, Kirk Francis
Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon – Peter J. Devlin, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush, Ethan Van Der Ryn, Erik Aadahl
War Horse – Stuart Wilson, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom johnson, Richard Hymns

Art Direction & Production Design

Anonymous, Stephan O. Gessler, Sebastian T. Krawinkel
The Artist, Gregory S. Hooper, Laurence Bennett
Faust, Yelena Zhukova, Jiri Trier
Hugo, Dante Ferretti, Francesca lo Schiavo
Mysteries of Lisbon, Isabel Branco
Water for Elephants, Jack Fisk

Costume Design

Isabel Branco, Mysteries of Lisbon
Mark Bridges, The Artist
Lisy Christl, Anonymous
Lidiya Kryukova, Faust
Michael O’Connor, Jane Eyre
Jacqueline West, Water for Elephants

Best Ensemble, Motion Picture

The Help

Best First Feature

Tyrannosaur, Paddy Considine

NBR (National Board of Review) winners

Best Film
Hugo

Top Films
(in alphabetical order)
The Artist,
The Descendants,
Drive,
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,
The Ides of March,
J. Edgar,
The Tree of Life,
War Horse

Best Actor
George Clooney, The Descendants

Best Actress
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

Best Animated Feature
Rango

Best Director
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Documentary
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Best Ensemble
The Help

Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation

Best Original Screenplay
Will Reiser, 50/50

Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Supporting Actress
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Breakthrough Performance
Felicity Jones, Like Crazy

Breakthrough Performance
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Debut Director
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call

NBR Freedom of Expression
Crime After Crime

NBR Freedom of Expression
Pariah

Special Achievement in Filmmaking
The Harry Potter Franchise - A Distinguished Translation from Book to Film

Spotlight Award
Michael Fassbender (A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, Shame, X-Men: First Class)

Top 10 Independent Films
(in alphabetical order)

50/50,
Another Earth,
Beginners,
A Better Life,
Cedar Rapids,
Margin Call,
Shame,
Take Shelter,
We Need To Talk About Kevin,
Win Win

Top 5 Documentaries
(in alphabetical order)

Born to be Wild,
Buck,
George Harrison: Living in the Material World,
Project Nim,
Senna

Top 5 Foreign Language Films
(in alphabetical order)

13 Assassins,
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within,
Footnote,
Le Havre,
Point Blank

Independent Spirit Awards nominees

[spoiler]
Winners will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 25, 2012

BEST FEATURE
50/50
Beginners
Drive
Take Shelter
The Artist
The Descendants

BEST DIRECTOR
Mike Mills, Beginners
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Another Earth
In the Family
Margin Call
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Natural Selection

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
Bellflower
Circumstance
Hello Lonesome
Pariah
The Dynamiter

BEST SCREENPLAY
Joseph Cedar, Footnote
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Tom McCarthy, Win Win
Mike Mills, Beginners
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash, The Descendants

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Mike Cahill and Brit Marling, Another Earth
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
Patrick DeWitt, Terri
Phil Johnston, Cedar Rapids
Will Reiser, 50/50

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Lauren Ambrose, Think of Me
Rachel Harris, Natural Selection
Adepero Oduye, Pariah
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

BEST MALE LEAD
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Ryan Gosling, Drive
Woody Harrelson, Rampart
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter
Anjelica Huston, 50/50
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Harmony Santana, Gun Hill Road
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Albert Brooks, Drive
John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
John C. Reilly, Cedar Rapids
Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Joel Hodge, Bellflower
Benjamin Kuh-Sulk, The Off Hours
Darius Kond-Jee, Midnight in Paris
Gui-omme Shiffman, The Artist
Jeffrey Waldron, The Dynamiter

BEST DOCUMENTARY
An African Election
Bill Cunningham New York
The Interrupters
The Redemption of General Butt Naked
We Were Here

BEST FOREIGN FILM
A Separation
Melancholia
Shame
The Kid With a Bike
Tyrannosaur

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film’s director, casting director and its ensemble cast)
Margin Call

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD
Chad Burris, Mosquita y Mari
Sophia Lin, Take Shelter
Josh Mond, Martha Marcy May Marlene

ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Simon Arthur, Silver Tongues
Mark Jackson, Without
Nicholas Ozek, Mamitas

AVEENO TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
Heather Courtney, Where Soldiers Came From
Danfung Dennis, Hell and Back Again
Alma Har’El, Bombay Beach[/spoiler]
AFI (American Film Institute) Top Ten

The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
J. Edgar
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse
Bridesmaids

The Boston Society of Film Critics winners

[spoiler]
Best Picture - The Artist

Best Actor - Brad Pitt for Moneyball

Best Actress - Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor - Albert Brooks for Drive

Best Supporting Actress - Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids

Best Director - Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Best Screenplay - Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin for Moneyball

Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of Life

Best Documentary - Project Nim

Best Foreign-Language Film - Incendies

Best Animated Film - Rango

Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) - Christian Marclay for The Clock

Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) - Sean Durkin for Martha Marcy May Marlene

Best Ensemble Cast - Carnage

Best Use of Music in a Film - Tie: Drive and The Artist[/spoiler]

The Los Angeles Film Critics winners

[spoiler]
BEST PICTURE - The Descendants

BEST DIRECTOR, Winner: Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life.” Runner-Up: Martin Scorsese, “Hugo.”

BEST ACTOR, Winner: Michael Fassbender, “A Dangerous Method,” “Jane Eyre,” “Shame,” “X-Men: First Class.” Runner-Up: Michael Shannon, “Take Shelter.”

BEST ACTRESS, Winner: Yun Jung-hee, “Poetry.” Runner-Up: Kirsten Dunst, “Melancholia.”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, Winner: Jessica Chastain, “Coriolanus,” “The Debt,” “The Help,” “Take Shelter,” “Texas Killing Fields,” “Tree of Life” Runner-Up: Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs.”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, Winner: Christopher Plummer, "Beginners."Runner-Up: Patton Oswalt, “Young Adult.”

BEST SCREENPLAY, Winner: Asghar Farhadi, “A Separation.”

BEST MUSIC/SCORE: Winner: The Chemical Brothers, “Hanna.” Runner-Up: Cliff Martinez, “Drive.”

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Winner: Dante Ferretti, “Hugo.” Runner-Up: Maria Djurkovic, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, Winner: Emmanuel Lubezki, “The Tree of Life.”

BEST DOCUMENTARY/NONFICTION, Winner: “Cave of Forgotten Dreams.”[/spoiler]

New York Film Critics Online winners

Film - The Artist

Actor - Michael Shannon (Take Shelter)

Actress - Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)

Director - Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)

Supporting Actor - Albert Brooks (Drive)

Supporting Actress - Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)

Breakthrough Performer - Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life, The Debt, The Help, Take Shelter, Coriolanus, Texas Killing Fields)

Debut Director - Joe Cornish (Attack the Block)

Ensemble Cast - Bridesmaids

Screenplay - The Descendants (Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash)

Documentary - Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Foreign Language - A Separation

Animated - The Adventures of Tintin

Cinematography - The Tree of Life (Emmanuel Lubezki)

Use of Music - The Artist (Ludovic Bource)[/spoiler]

San Francisco Film Critics winners

[spoiler]Best Picture
“The Tree of Life”

Best Director
Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”

Best Original Screenplay
J.C. Chandor, “Margin Call”

Best Adapted Screenplay
Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”

Best Actor
Gary Oldman, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”

Best Actress
Tilda Swinton, “We Need to Talk About Kevin”

Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks, “Drive”

Best Supporting Actress
Vanessa Redgrave, “Coriolanus”[/spoiler]

Detroit Film Society nominees

[spoiler]1. BEST PICTURE

THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
HUGO
TAKE SHELTER
THE TREE OF LIFE
  1. BEST DIRECTOR

    MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS – THE ARTIST
    TERRENCE MALICK – THE TREE OF LIFE
    JEFF NICHOLS – TAKE SHELTER
    MARTIN SCORSESE– HUGO
    NICHOLAS WINDING REFN – DRIVE

  2. BEST ACTOR

    GEORGE CLOONEY– THE DESCENDANTS
    JEAN DUJARDIN – THE ARTIST
    MICHAEL FASSBENDER – SHAME
    BRAD PITT – MONEYBALL
    MICHAEL SHANNON – TAKE SHELTER

  3. BEST ACTRESS

    VIOLA DAVIS – THE HELP
    FELICITY JONES – LIKE CRAZY
    MERYL STREEP – THE IRON LADY
    CHARLIZE THERON – YOUNG ADULT
    MICHELLE WILLIAMS – MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

  4. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

    KENNETH BRANAGH – MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
    ALBERT BROOKS – DRIVE
    RYAN GOSLING – CRAZY STUPID LOVE
    PATTON OSWALT – YOUNG ADULT
    CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER – BEGINNERS

  5. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

    BERENICE BEJO – THE ARTIST
    JESSICA CHASTAIN – TAKE SHELTER
    CAREY MULLIGAN – SHAME
    VANESSA REDGRAVE – CORIOLANUS
    OCTAVIA SPENCER – THE HELP

  6. BEST ENSEMBLE

    CARNAGE
    CEDAR RAPIDS
    CRAZY STUPID LOVE
    THE HELP
    MARGIN CALL
    WIN WIN

  7. BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

    JESSICA CHASTAIN – THE HELP/TAKE SHELTER/THE TREE OF LIFE
    FELICITY JONES – LIKE CRAZY
    MELISSA MCCARTHY – BRIDESMAIDS
    ELIZABETH OLSEN –MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
    SHAILENE WOODLEY– THE DESCENDANTS

  8. BEST SCREENPLAY

    50/50 – WILL REISER
    THE ARTIST – MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS
    BEGINNERS – MIKE MILLS
    MONEYBALL – AARON SORKIN & STEVEN ZAILLIAN
    TAKE SHELTER– JEFF NICHOLS

  9. BEST DOCUMENTARY

INTO ETERNITY
INTO THE ABYSS
MARWENCOL
TABLOID
WE WERE HERE

Houston Film Critics Society nominees

[spoiler]Best Picture

Drive, Film District
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Warner Bros.
Midnight in Paris, Sony Pictures Classics
Take Shelter, Sony Pictures Classics
The Artist, The Weinstein Company
The Descendants, Fox Searchlight
The Help, Dreamworks & Touchstone
The Tree of Life, Fox Searchlight
War Horse, Dreamworks & Disney
Win Win, Fox Searchlight

Best Director

Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Nicholas Winding Refn, Drive
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Best Actor

Brad Pitt, Moneyball
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter

Best Actress

Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Viola Davis, The Help

Supporting Actor

Albert Brooks, Drive
Alex Shaffer, Win Win
Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Supporting Actress

Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Best Screenplay

Alexander Payne, Nat Foxon & Jim Rash, The Descendants
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Tom McCarthy, Win Win
Will Reiser, 50/50
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Best Cinematography

Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life
Guillaume Schiffman, The Artist
Janusz Kaminski, War Horse
Robert Richardson, Hugo
Thomas Newton Segel, Drive

Best Song

“Lay Your Head Down,” from Albert Nobbs, music & lyrics by B. Bryne & G. Close
“Life’s a Happy Song,” from The Muppets, music & lyrics by Bret McKenzie
“Star-Spangled Man,” from Captain America, music & lyrics by Alan Menken
“The Living Proof,” from The Help, music & lyrics by Mary J. Blige
“Think You Can Wait,” from Win Win, music & lyrics by The National

Best Score

Alexandre Desplat, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Harry Escott, Shame
John Williams, The Adventures of Tin-Tin
John Williams, War Horse
Ludovic Bource, The Artist

Best Foreign Film

13 Assassins, Magnet Releasing
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, New Video
I Saw the Devil, Magnet Releasing
The Artist, The Weinstein Company
The Skin I Live In, Sony Pictures Classics

Best Documentary

Buck, Sundance Selects
Cave of Forgotten Dreams, IFC Films
Project Nim, Lionsgate
The Elephant in the Living Room, NightFly Entertainment
Undefeated, The Weinstein Company

Best Animated

Adventures of Tin-Tin, Dreamworks
Happy Feet Two, Warner Bros.
Kung Fu Panda 2, Dreamworks
Puss in Boots, Dreamworks
Rango, Paramount
Winnie the Pooh, Disney

Worst Film of the Year

Jack and Jill, Columbia
Red Riding Hood, Warner Bros.
The Sitter, 20th Century Fox
The Smurfs, Columbia
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1, Summit Entertainment
Your Highness, Universal

2011 Humanitarian Honor – Joanne Herring

2011 – Lifetime Achievement – Jeff Bridges[/spoiler]

Wow, usually by now my SO and I have seen most of the nominees - we go see a film about once a week.
This year we have seen hardly any of the nominees!

Tree Of Life? I heard mostly horrible things - too long, too boring, confusing…plus a lot of people not only didn’t like it, they hated it.
The Descendants? Was thinking of seeing this soon, but again - mixed reviews from friends who only say parts were OK, but didn’t love it.
The Artist? Hasn’t even started showing here yet, and not sure I am all that thrilled about a French silent film.

This might be one of those rare years that I won’t see all the films nominated as somehow I don’t have the enthusiasm to see many of those films nominated so far.

Looks like Harrison Ford won’t be getting a nomination for Cowboys and Aliens. Too bad, I thought it was a pretty good performance.

I just saw The Descendants. I enjoyed the movie. The acting was very good. It’s not a happy movie, though it does have a few chuckles throughout. I’m glad I saw it.

I’ve seen the majority of films nominated and will be seeing most of the rest soon. It’s a very strong year for movies even if a lot of people haven’t seen the movies (or have non-art house taste, since Tree of Life is brilliant and The Descendents is well among the year’s best).

I haven’t seen The Artist yet and I’m dying to see it. Same with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I’m missed Margin Call and hope someone brings it back. I’m seeing a sneak preview of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo tonight, I saw Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close the other day and War Horse last week. If The Iron Lady gets awards traction I suppose I’ll have to see it though I can’t think of too many movie-related things more excrutiating-sounding than spending time with Margaret Thatcher. I haven’t seen many of the documentaries or foreign-language films yet. Still, of all I’ve seen, it’s a terrific year. It always is though.

I’m a bit irritated that the studios are keeping the best movies close to the vest so far- I hear great things about The Artist, Young Adult, We Need to Talk About Kevin, A Separation, Tintin, Shame…but all of them are still not released or released in so few theatres that they’re really hard to get to…

I’m not buying any talk of Streep winning, as usual- looks like Viola Davis or maybe Michelle Williams has that statue. Brad Pitt seems to be pulling ahead in Best Actor, but Clooney’s always a threat and Jean Dujardin (The Artist) has an outside shot too. Supporting actor looks like Christopher Plummer vs. Albert Brooks. And supporting actress is a total crapshoot: Octavia Spencer? Vanessa Redgrave? Jessica Chastain?

As far as Best Picture, The Descendants feels like it’s going to fall away eventually (or maybe it’s just wishful thinking, I haven’t actively hated a movie so much in a long time…). The Artist is up there, maybe Hugo too.

As far as what I’ve loved this year: I really wish Rise of the Planet of the Apes were getting more attention. Hopefully it’ll get some tech nods, but it really deserves a Best Picture nomination. I’m also definitely rooting for Jessica Chastain for The Help- an amazing performance. Also, I know everyone loves Plummer, but can Ewan McGregor ever catch a break? He was fantastic in Ghost Writer last year and is similarly amazing (and totally natural) in Beginners this year. Can’t believe the man still doesn’t have an Oscar nomination, but I understand why- his work is too subtle, too invisible for the Academy to notice. It’s a shame.

This is just a bizarre way to start a thread like this. I know you’re not exactly subtle in your “I watch a lot of movies!” posts, but why would anyone jump into a thread devoted to Hollywood’s awards season and give you shit for it?

I saw Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy a couple of weeks ago, and it deserves any award they can throw at it. Gary Oldman in particular should win the Oscar in a walk. Incredible movie.

Because people like you like to do things like that.

People like me? Excuse me? I was being civil and asking a legit question. Wag your finger at someone else.

Last weekend, it opened “on limited release” in the USA. I can understand the late start–the Academy Awards people might forget any movie opening earlier in the year.

But why is the 4th largest city in the country not part of that “limited release”? And why aren’t we allowed to know when it will open here?

Don’t feel bad - here in Las Vegas, we seem to be #486 on the list of screening new releases. I am hoping to see even half of the films before nominations are announced for Oscars. They really do seem to be waiting until the last minute this year. I see Iron Lady is to be released January 30th. Geez, why rush things - they could screen it January 31st…then it might get to Vegas by Easter.

Because it was only on 4 screens and two were in Los Angeles and two were in New York City? With a two city release #4 is probably not going to make the cut.

But you’ll almost certainly have it this weekend.

I found schedule for upcoming release of TTSS in the USA; on 12/23/11, it opens in Dallas & Austin.

No date for Houston yet…

Apologies. I thought it was opening wide this week, guess I misheard/misunderstood.

BFCA (aka Broadcast Film Critics Association, aka Critics Choice Awards) nominees

[spoiler]Hugo and The Artist lead the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards with 11 nominations each.

BEST PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

BEST ACTOR
George Clooney – “The Descendants”
Leonardo DiCaprio – “J. Edgar”
Jean Dujardin – “The Artist”
Michael Fassbender – “Shame”
Ryan Gosling – “Drive”
Brad Pitt – “Moneyball”

BEST ACTRESS
Viola Davis – “The Help”
Elizabeth Olsen – “Martha Marcy May Marlene”
Meryl Streep – “The Iron Lady”
Tilda Swinton – “We Need to Talk About Kevin”
Charlize Theron – “Young Adult”
Michelle Williams – “My Week With Marilyn”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh – “My Week With Marilyn”
Albert Brooks – “Drive”
Nick Nolte – “Warrior”
Patton Oswalt – “Young Adult”
Christopher Plummer – “Beginners”
Andrew Serkis – “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo – “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain – “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy – “Bridesmaids”
Carey Mulligan – “Shame”
Octavia Spencer – “The Help”
Shailene Woodley – “The Descendants”

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Asa Butterfield – “Hugo”
Elle Fanning – “Super 8”
Thomas Horn – “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Ezra Miller – “We Need to Talk About Kevin”
Saoirse Ronan – “Hanna”
Shailene Woodley – “The Descendants”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Descendants
The Help
The Ides of March

BEST DIRECTOR
Stephen Daldry – “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Michel Hazanavicius – “The Artist”
Alexander Payne – “The Descendants”
Nicolas Winding Refn – “Drive”
Martin Scorsese – “Hugo”
Steven Spielberg – “War Horse”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“The Artist” – Michel Hazanavicius
“50/50” – Will Reiser
“Midnight in Paris” – Woody Allen
“Win Win” – Screenplay by Tom McCarthy, Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni
“Young Adult” – Diablo Cody

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“The Descendants” – Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” – Eric Roth
“The Help” – Tate Taylor
“Hugo” – John Logan
“Moneyball” – Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Story by Stan Chervin

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“The Artist” – Guillaume Schiffman
“Drive” – Newton Thomas Sigel
“Hugo” – Robert Richardson
“The Tree of Life” – Emmanuel Lubezki
“War Horse” – Janusz Kaminski

BEST ART DIRECTION
“The Artist” – Production Designer: Laurence Bennett, Art Director: Gregory S. Hooper
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” – Production Designer: Stuart Craig, Set Decorator: Stephenie McMillan
“Hugo” – Production Designer: Dante Ferretti, Set Decorator: Francesca Lo Schiavo
“The Tree of Life” – Production Designer: Jack Fisk, Art Director: David Crank
“War Horse” – Production Designer: Rick Carter, Set Decorator: Lee Sandales

BEST EDITING
“The Artist” – Michel Hazanavicius and Anne-Sophie Bion
“Drive” – Matthew Newman
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” – Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
“Hugo” – Thelma Schoonmaker
“War Horse” – Michael Kahn

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
“The Artist” – Mark Bridges
“The Help” – Sharen Davis
“Hugo” – Sandy Powell
“Jane Eyre” – Michael O’Connor
“My Week With Marilyn” – Jill Taylor

BEST MAKEUP
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Iron Lady
J. Edgar
My Week With Marilyn

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8
The Tree of Life

BEST SOUND
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Super 8
The Tree of Life
War Horse

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

BEST ACTION MOVIE
Drive
Fast Five
Hanna
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8

BEST COMEDY
Bridesmaids
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Horrible Bosses
Midnight in Paris
The Muppets

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
In Darkness
Le Havre
A Separation
The Skin I Live In
Where Do We Go Now

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Buck
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Page One: Inside the New York Times
Project Nim
Undefeated

BEST SONG
“Hello Hello” – performed by Elton John and Lady Gaga/written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin – Gnomeo & Juliet
“Life’s a Happy Song” – performed by Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie – The Muppets
“The Living Proof” – performed by Mary J. Blige/written by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman and Harvey Mason, Jr. – The Help
“Man or Muppet” – performed by Jason Segel and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie – The Muppets
“Pictures in My Head” – performed by Kermit and the Muppets/written by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman – The Muppets

BEST SCORE
“The Artist” – Ludovic Bource
“Drive” – Cliff Martinez
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
“Hugo” – Howard Shore
“War Horse” – John Williams[/spoiler]

Glad to see Take Shelter getting some attention. What a…disquieting film.

I agree, Take Shelter was intense.

Here are the Screen Actors Guild nominees from this morning. Sorry about the caps, I’m just doing a copy and paste.

[spoiler]THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

DEMIÁN BICHIR / Carlos Galindo - “A BETTER LIFE” (Summit Entertainment)
GEORGE CLOONEY / Matt King - "THE DESCENDANTS” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / J. Edgar Hoover - “J. EDGAR” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JEAN DUJARDIN / George - “THE ARTIST” (The Weinstein Company)
BRAD PITT / Billy Beane - “MONEYBALL” (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

GLENN CLOSE / Albert Nobbs - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)
VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MERYL STREEP / Margaret Thatcher - “THE IRON LADY” (The Weinstein Company)
TILDA SWINTON / Eva - “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS / Marilyn Monroe - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

KENNETH BRANAGH / Sir Laurence Olivier - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)
ARMIE HAMMER / Clyde Tolson - “J. EDGAR” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JONAH HILL / Peter Brand - “MONEYBALL” (Columbia Pictures)
NICK NOLTE / Paddy Conlon - “WARRIOR” (Lionsgate)
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Hal - “BEGINNERS” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

BÉRÉNICE BEJO / Peppy - “THE ARTIST” (The Weinstein Company)
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Celia Foote - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MELISSA McCARTHY / Megan - “BRIDESMAIDS” (Universal Pictures)
JANET McTEER / Hubert Page - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)
OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company)
BÉRÉNICE BEJO / Peppy
JAMES CROMWELL / Clifton
JEAN DUJARDIN / George
JOHN GOODMAN / Al Zimmer
PENELOPE ANN MILLER / Doris

BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)
ROSE BYRNE / Helen
JILL CLAYBURGH / Annie’s Mom
ELLIE KEMPER / Becca
MATT LUCAS / Gil
MELISSA McCARTHY / Megan
WENDI McLENDON-COVEY / Rita
CHRIS O’DOWD / Rhodes
MAYA RUDOLPH / Lillian
KRISTEN WIIG / Annie

THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
BEAU BRIDGES / Cousin Hugh
GEORGE CLOONEY / Matt King
ROBERT FORSTER / Scott Thorson
JUDY GREER / Julie Speer
MATTHEW LILLARD / Brian Speer
SHAILENE WOODLEY / Alexandra King
THE HELP (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Celia Foote
VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark
BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD / Hilly Holbrook
ALLISON JANNEY / Charlotte Phelan
CHRIS LOWELL / Stuart Whitworth
AHNA O’REILLY / Elizabeth Leefolt
SISSY SPACEK / Missus Walters
OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson
MARY STEENBURGEN / Elaine Stein
EMMA STONE / Skeeter Phelan
CICELY TYSON / Constantine Jefferson
MIKE VOGEL / Johnny Foote

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Sony Pictures Classics)
KATHY BATES / Gertrude Stein
ADRIEN BRODY / Salvador Dali
CARLA BRUNI / Museum Guide
MARION COTILLARD / Adriana
RACHEL McADAMS / Inez
MICHAEL SHEEN / Paul
OWEN WILSON / Gil[/spoiler]

As someone who has started his own share of Awards threads in the past, there is a long tradition of people wandering in and taking a royal dump just for the sake of it. “The Oscars are stupid”, “Who gives a shit?”, Blah blah etc.

I’m not suggesting that you were doing that (or going to), but I can understand the OP’s request, because it happens all the time.

Oh, hi! I wondered where you were.