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The 7th Annual Edgy Award Nominations
Alas, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Time to take stock of what’s been seen and shower you all with my opinions. On schedule for once.
To remind everyone, while there may only be 6 previous editions of the Edgies available online, the awards are cataloged by yours truly going all the way back to 1940. The recipients’ nomination and win counts are grouped according to each category, with the exception of the two music categories and the four acting categories being linked. So while Martin Scorsese may be getting only his 3rd nomination for producing, that certainly does not include the wealth of nominations he’s accumulated for directing.
Without further ado, here are my nominations for the best craftsmanship and talent on display in 2016:
__________
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Audition“
featured in “La La Land”
Music by Justin Hurwitz (2nd nom), Lyrics by Benj Pasik (2nd nom) and Justin Paul (2nd nom)
“City of Stars“
featured in “La La Land”
Music by Justin Hurwitz (2nd nom), Lyrics by Benj Pasik (2nd nom) and Justin Paul (2nd nom)
“Drive It Like You Stole It”
featured in “Sing Street”
Music and Lyrics by Gary Clark (1st nom)
“Heathens“
featured in “Suicide Squad”
Music and Lyrics by Tyler Joseph (1st nom)
“Letter to the Free“
featured in “13th”
Music and Lyrics by Common (2nd nom)
__________
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
“Arrival“
Johann Johannsson (2nd nom, 1 win – “Sicaro”)
“Jackie“
Mica Levi (2nd nom)
“Midnight Special“
David Wingo (1st nom)
“Moonlight“
Nicholas Britell (1st nom)
“The Witch“
Mark Korven (1st nom)
__________
BEST MAKEUP and HAIRSTYLING
“Green Room“
Nancy J. Hvasta Leonardi (1st nom) and Stephen Prouty (1st nom)
“Hacksaw Ridge“
Shane Thomas (1st nom)
“The Light Between Oceans“
Michael Marino (4th nom)
“Suicide Squad“
Alessandro Bertolazzi (1st nom) and Christopher Allen Nelson (1st nom)
“The Witch“
Francois Deganais (1st nom) and Michael J. Walsh (1st nom)
__________
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
“Arrival“
Alexander Lafortune (1st nom) and Louis Morin (1st nom)
“The BFG“
Mark Gee (1st nom), Joe Letteri (9th nom, 5 wins – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Avatar,” “LOTR: The Return of the King,” and “LOTR: The Two Towers”), Kevin McGaugh (1st nom) and Kevin Andrew Smith (1st nom)
“The Jungle Book“
Andrew R. Jones (3rd nom, 1 win – “Avatar”), Robert Legato (5th nom), Dan Lemmon (3rd nom, 1 win – “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”) and Adam Valdez (1st nom)
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story“
Neil Corbould (4th nom, 2 wins – “Gravity” and “Gladiator”), John Knoll (6th nom, 1 win – “POTC: Dead Man’s Chest”), Hal T. Hickel (4th nom, 1 win – “POTC: Dead Man’s Chest”) and Mohen Leo (1st nom)
“The Shallows“
Scott E Anderson (4th nom, 2 wins – “Starship Troopers” and “Babe”), Nathan McGuinness (2nd nom) and David Nelson (1st nom)
__________
BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING
“Arrival“
Sylvain Bellemare (1st nom)
“Hacksaw Ridge“
Robert MacKenzie (1st nom) and Andy Wright (1st nom)
“Midnight Special“
Jeremy Bowker (1st nom) and Will Files (2nd nom)
“A Monster Calls“
Oriol Tarrago (1st nom)
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story“
David Acord (2nd nom, 1 win – “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) and Matthew Wood (8th nom, 1 win – “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”)
__________
BEST SOUND EFFECTS MIXING
“Arrival“
Bernard Gariepy Strobl (1st nom) and Claude La Haye (1st nom)
“Blair Witch“
Andy Hay (1st nom) and Greg Townsend (1st nom)
“Green Room“
Bob Chefalas (2nd nom, 1 win – “Apollo 13”) and Roland Vajs (1st nom)
“Midnight Special“
Will Files (2nd nom) and Brandon Proctor (1st nom)
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story“
David Parker (7th nom, 1 win – “The Social Network”), Christopher Scarabosio (4th nom) and Stuart Wilson (3rd nom)
__________
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
“Allied“
Joanna Johnston (3rd nom)
“Florence Foster Jenkins“
Consolata Boyle (1st nom)
“Jackie“
Madeline Fontaine (1st nom)
“Silence“
Dante Ferretti (1st nom)
“The Witch“
Linda Muir (1st nom)
__________
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
“Arrival“
Paul Hotte (1st nom) and Patrice Vermette (1st nom)
“Hail, Caesar!“
Jess Gonchor (1st nom) and Nancy Haigh (8th nom)
“Jackie“
Veronique Melery (3rd nom, 1 win – “A Very Long Engagement”) and Jean Rabasse (1st nom)
“La La Land“
Sandy Reynolds-Wasco (2nd nom) and David Wasco (2nd nom)
“The Witch“
Mark Kirkland (1st nom) and Craig Lathrop (1st nom)
__________
BEST EDITING
“American Honey“
Joe Bini (1st nom)
“Arrival“
Joe Walker (4th nom)
“Hell or High Water“
Jake Roberts (1st nom)
“Midnight Special“
Julie Monroe (1st nom)
“Moonlight“
Joi McMillon (1st nom) and Nat Sanders (1st nom)
__________
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Arrival“
Bradford Young (2nd nom)
“Jackie“
Stephane Fontaine (1st nom)
“La La Land“
Linus Sandgren (1st nom)
“Moonlight“
James Laxton (1st nom)
“The Witch“
Jarin Blaschke (1st nom)
__________
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“13th“
Spencer Averick (1st nom), Howard Barish (1st nom) and Ava DuVernay (1st nom)
“Cameraperson“
Kirsten Johnson (1st nom) and Marilyn Ness (1st nom)
“Gleason“
Seth Gordon (2nd nom, 1 win – “King of Kong: A Fistful of Dollars”), Mary Rohlich (1st nom) and Clay Tweel (1st nom)
“Newtown“
Maria Cuomo Cole (1st nom) and Kim A. Snyder (1st nom)
“Tower“
Megan Gilbride (1st nom), Keith Maitland (1st nom) and Susan P. Thomson (1st nom)
__________
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“Arrival“
Eric Heisserer (1st nom)
“Loving“
Jeff Nichols (2nd nom)
“Moonlight“
Barry Jenkins (1st nom) and Tarell Alvin McCraney (1st nom)
“Nocturnal Animals“
Tom Ford (1st nom)
“Silence“
Jay Cocks (2nd nom) and Martin Scorsese (3rd nom, 1 win – “Goodfellas”)
__________
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Everybody Wants Some“
Richard Linklater (6th nom, 1 win – “Boyhood”)
“Hell or High Water“
Taylor Sheridan (2nd nom)
“Jackie“
Noah Oppenheim (1st nom)
“Manchester by the Sea“
Kenneth Lonergan (2nd nom)
“Paterson“
Jim Jarmusch (1st nom)
__________
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
“American Honey“
Chad Cox, Raymond Coalson, Veronica Ezell, Arielle Holmes, Gary Howell, Crystal Ice, Sasha Lane, Shia LaBoeuf, McCaul Lombardi, Shawna Ray Moseley, Will Patton, Johnny Pierce II, Isaiah Stone, Kenneth Kory Tucker, Christopher David Wright
“Everybody Wants Some“
Temple Baker, Will Brittain, Zoey Deutsch, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, J. Quinton Johnson, Glen Powell, Wyatt Russell, Juston Street
“Manchester by the Sea“
Casey Affleck, Anna Baryshnikov, Matthew Broderick, Kyle Chandler, Tate Donovan, Kara Hayward, Stephen Henderson, Gretchen Mol, Ben O’Brien, Michelle Williams, C.J. Wilson
“Moonlight“
Mahershala Ali, Patrick Decile, Naomie Harris, Alex R. Hibbert, Andre Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monae, Jaden Piner, Trevonte Rhodes, Ashton Sanders
“The Witch“
Kate Dickie, Lucas Dawson, Bathsheba Garnett, Ellie Grainger, Ralph Ineson, Harvey Scrimshaw, Anya Taylor-Joy
__________
BEST ACTRESS in a SUPPORTING ROLE
Viola Davis – “Fences”
3rd nom
Greta Gerwig – “20th Century Women”
1st nom
Naomie Harris – “Moonlight”
1st nom
Riley Keough – “American Honey”
1st nom
Michelle Williams – “Manchester by the Sea”
3rd nom, 1 win – “Brokeback Mountain”
__________
BEST ACTOR in a SUPPORTING ROLE
Mahershala Ali – “Moonlight”
1st nom
Tadanobu Asano – “Silence”
1st nom
Ralph Fiennes – “A Bigger Splash”
3rd nom, 1 win – “Schindler’s List”
Shia LaBeouf – “American Honey”
1st nom
Michael Shannon – “Nocturnal Animals”
4th nom
__________
BEST ACTRESS in a LEADING ROLE
Amy Adams – “Arrival”
6th nom
Annette Bening – “20th Century Women”
4th nom, 1 win – “American Beauty”
Rebecca Hall – “Christine”
1st nom
Ruth Negga – “Loving”
1st nom
Natalie Portman – “Jackie”
(4th nom, 2 wins – “Black Swan” and “Closer”)
__________
BEST ACTOR in a LEADING ROLE
Casey Affleck – “Manchester by the Sea”
2nd nom
Joel Edgerton – “Loving”
1st nom
Andrew Garfield – “Silence”
2nd nom
Jake Gyllenhaal – “Nocturnal Animals”
4th nom, 1 win – “Brokeback Mountain”
Viggo Mortensen – “Captain Fantastic”
1st nom
__________
BEST DIRECTOR
Andrea Arnold – “American Honey”
1st nom
Robert Eggers – “The Witch”
1st nom
Barry Jenkins – “Moonlight”
1st nom
Pablo Larrain – “Jackie”
1st nom
Denis Villeneuve – “Arrival”
3rd nom
__________
BEST MOTION PICTURE of the YEAR
“13th“
Spencer Averick (1st nom), Howard Barish (1st nom) and Ava DuVernay (1st nom)
“American Honey“
Lars Knudsen (2nd nom), Pouya Shahbazian (1st nom) and Jay Van Hoy (2nd nom)
“Arrival“
Shawn Levy (1st nom), Dan Levine (1st nom), David Linde (1st nom) and Aaron Ryder (1st nom)
“Jackie“
Darren Aronofsky (2nd nom), Paul Franklin (2nd nom), Ari Handel (1st nom) and Mickey Liddell (1st nom)
“Manchester by the Sea“
Matt Damon (1st nom), Chris Moore (1st nom) and Kevin J. Walsh (1st nom)
“Moonlight“
Dede Gardner (2nd nom, 1 win – “12 Years a Slave”), Jeremy Kleiner (2nd nom, 1 win – “12 Years a Slave”) and Adele Romanski (1st nom)
“Paterson“
Joshua Astrachan (2nd nom) and Carter Logan (1st nom)
“Silence“
Barbara De Fina (2nd nom), Randall Emmett (1st nom), Martin Scorsese (3rd nom) and Irwin Winkler (6th nom, 2 wins – “Goodfellas” and “Raging Bull”)
“Tower“
Megan Gilbride (1st nom), Keith Maitland (1st nom) and Susan P. Thomson (1st nom)
“The Witch“
Daniel Bekerman (1st nom), Lars Knudsen (2nd nom), Rodrigo Teixeira (1st nom) and Jan Van Hoy (2nd nom)
__________
NOMINATION TALLY
Films with more than 2 nominations a piece:
Arrival – 11
Moonlight – 9
Jackie – 8
The Witch – 8
American Honey – 6
Manchester by the Sea – 5
Silence – 5
La La Land – 4
Midnight Special – 4
13th – 3
Loving – 3
Nocturnal Animals – 3
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – 3
20th Century Women – 2
Everybody Wants Some! – 2
Green Room – 2
Hell or High Water – 2
Paterson – 2
Suicide Squad – 2
Tower – 2
“The Amazing Spider-Man” Trailer
Well, I’ve switched from one focusing on one comic book movie to another. As some of you know, this trailer was leaked a few days ago, before being taken down more swiftly than Warner Bros. treated the “The Dark Knight Rises” bootleg. However, Columbia chose to not let it’s fans wait long for the real thing. Here is the first “Spider-Man” trailer, in all of it’s glory.
Everything looks great, withholding the ridiculously jarring and fake-looking first person action shot. I think that Andrew Garfield will do a great job as Peter Parker and the look of the film is fantastic, credit to director Marc Webb. Yet, watching this, I find myself asking, more than ever before, exactly what was the point in rebooting this, other than adding another billion dollars to the bank account. Stylistically and thematically, the film might be a little different and perhaps even a little better. Yet, neither of those two categories have changed enough to make this reinvention valid.
I suppose this debate will continue once we see a little more footage. Check out the trailer, for yourselves, below.
The Nominations – My Thoughts and Reactions
The nail-biting is over, at least for a few weeks. The Oscar nominations are here, and I believe that for the first time in years, my joy outweighs my sorrow. I suppose its appropriate to get into the bad news, first.
One thing’s official. As much as the Academy seems to have the most outrageous hard-on for Stephen Daldry (3 films made, 3 Best Director nods), they seem to have an everlasting grudge against Christopher Nolan as a director (3 DGA noms, no Oscar nods for Director). I just don’t understand what the man has to do to get their recognition. You can’t feel completely bad for him, pulling down two nominations for producer and writer, but are those the types of roles that any great director wants to be remembered for? I’m sure it wasn’t good enough for Stanley Kubrick. Honestly, Christopher Nolan is one of the most talented directors in Hollywood. Who else can take a film with such originality, intelligence, grandeur and finesse and bring in 300 million dollars with it or more. And on top of that, do it twice in three years. Nobody since Steven Spielberg, I’ll tell you that much.
The second-most disturbing snub has got be the exclusion of Andrew Garfield in the Supporting Actor category. Ridiculous. Definitely one of the best performances of the year, Garfield’s portrayal of innocence-lost is the soul of “The Social Network.” Though, while I bemoan the lack of Eduardo Savrin, I simply could not be more thrilled about the inclusion of John Hawkes for his turn in “Winter’s Bone.” People who’ve visited this site often must be aware of my penchant for this particular acting job, and this morning’s news of his inclusion is the crowning jewel of almost a year’s worth of supporting him on my part.
Since I’m ever so thrilled about Hawkes, I can’t blame him for the Garfield snub. Therefore, I’m gonna have to just go ahead and blame Jeremy Renner. I never thought that in one year, I could turn so much on this performer. In “The Hurt Locker” he was phenomenal, truly deserving of a lead actor nomination. Here, he is an average performance in an average film. I don’t think I ever considered him a candidate for my supporting actor picks, not even back in October. I was genuinely shocked and confused when accolades and Oscar talk began surfacing a few months ago. It baffled me then and it truly baffles me now.
At least its consolation that Renner was “The Town”‘s only nomination, missing out on that Best Picture nod that everyone was predicting….well almost everyone ;). The fact that “Winter’s Bone” took its place could not be more gratifying, as well. What a glorious film that more than deserves all of its bestowed nominations.
Let’s look at how some films made out on the whole. “127 Hours” defied pundits with a huge 6 nomination comeback, including yet another double category nomination for A.R. Rahman (Best Original Song, Best Original Score). Meanwhile, maybe the biggest shocker of the day, was “Black Swan” achieving only 5 nominations. For a while now, many people have been projecting Aronofsky’s film to be the potential nomination frontrunner, amassing perhaps ten or twelve. Instead, the film missed out on Supporting Actress (for both of its contenders), Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Costume Design and both Sound categories. I didn’t have it predicted in all of those, but it certainly had potential. Perhaps the biggest crime here is its Sound Effects exclusion. The work done on the sound of pattering feet and flapping feathers was phenomenal.
The worst overall snub of a film had to be Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island.” Not an amazing film, by any standards, but certainly one in which at least its technical achievements deserved some recognition. It should have easily made the grade for both Cinematography and Art Direction. Some of the best work of the year. I’m also depressed that Ryan Gosling missed out on a more than deserving nomination for Best Actor in “Blue Valentine.” It’s very nice to see Michelle Williams nominated, but not enough of a consolation. I’m sure that when I see “Biutiful” this weekend, however, Javier Bardem will wow the living shit out of me and I will be able to praise his surprise inclusion.
Let’s move on to some of the brighter aspects of day. The big story in the news is “The King’s Speech” being the nomination leader, but “The Social Network” really did have a pretty damned good day. 8 nominations, tied for the third highest, including four technical nominations, not an easy feat for a contemporary comedy/drama. It’s true that we definitely have ourselves a race now. Yet in terms of the race, “The King’s Speech” may have gained ground, but “The Social Network” hasn’t lost any of its.
One thing that’s really got me happy is the semi-snub of “Alice in Wonderland.” True, it did receive three nominations, yet I call it a snub for the one award it had almost always been not only a lock, but a frontrunner: Best Makeup. It appears that this branch of the Academy really does know the difference between makeup and CGI. Some very interesting choices replaced it, including “Barney’s Version” and “The Way Back.”
Without a doubt, the biggest joy for me, this morning, was seeing the results that the Doc branch rolled out. This has been one of the best years I’ve ever seen for documentary films. Lately, it’s seemed as though the lackluster “Waiting for Superman” was lined up to sweep the Oscar after wins at the BFCA and PGA. However, that belief was certainly swayed when the movie did not even show up among the nominees. The Academy also chose to avoid “The Tillman Story,” a pretentious and jumbled look at the soldier’s tragic story. Instead, among the nominations, are my three favorite documentaries of the year: “Restrepo,” “Inside Job” and the glorious “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” Well done, guys.
My predictions were some of the best of my time doing this gig. out of 109 nominations, I correctly predicted 82. Not bad at all. If you were to ask my girlfriend, I was inches away from predicting Bardem at about 2 o’clock this morning. Oh well. Got to stick to your guns.
This race has gone from being a one trick pony to a cutthroat race to the finish. It is going to be “The Social Network” vs. “The King’s Speech” right to the last note. While, for sure, I have a favorite, it’s refreshing to have a very close race. While last year was a nice David and Goliath battle, looking back, it was always “The Hurt Locker”‘s for the taking. And before that, it was two years of no competition. Now we have a race the likes of “The Departed” vs. “Little Miss Sunshine” or “Million Dollar Baby” vs. “The Aviator.” However, in reality, I don’t think we’ve ever had a race quite like this one before. Should be a good time. Stay tuned.
My FINAL Oscar Predictions – 1/22
This is it. Last call before closing. Nominations for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards will be announced this Tuesday, January 25th, at 7:30am CST (and you can bet I’ll be up hours before then, pumping myself up). For sure, there is a science behind the whole prediction game. A combination of elements, including what’s been happening with the critics groups awards, the different guild nominations and, in some cases, the film’s box office success. Along with that, there’s likability in each contender, how many times they’ve previously been nominated and won, a pseudo-mathematic question of their overall “due” status. Dozens of factors take shape in hugely methodic process, and this is all before anyone even takes into effect how good each contender is. Crazy, huh?
Well, a year-long process has now come to a close, and it’s time for me to nut up and offer my final predictions. The Best Picture line-up is basically down to 11 contenders, with two films vying for the final slot. It’s possible that either “Shutter Island” or “The Ghost Writer” could stage a massive coup and fight their way in their, but I doubt it. Some predictions that I’m sticking my neck out on? I’m still holding on to my convictions (and hopes) that the incredible John Hawkes can beat out Jeremy Renner in the Best Supporting Actor category. I’m also holding out hope that both of “Blue Valentine”‘s stars will outdo their older competition for leading notices. I’m also really hoping that “Exit Through the Gift Shop” can actually tickle the documentary branch’s funny bone (a feat not easily accomplished). Finally, here’s to “Winter’s Bone” edging out “The Town” for Best Picture. In fact, I’m predicting an across-the-board snub of the film. It’s only a slightly above action feature that has no business in the top ten. I have a strong feeling, though, that it will be this year’s “Blind Side.”
Without further adieu, here are the nominees (and once again, these are ranked in order of their chance of getting nominated, not winning):
BEST PICTURE
1. “The Social Network”
2. “The King’s Speech”
3. “The Fighter”
4. “Black Swan”
5. “Inception”
6. “Toy Story 3”
7. “True Grit”
8. “The Kids Are All Right”
9. “127 Hours”
10. “Winter’s Bone”
Alt 1: “The Town”
Alt 2: “Shutter Island”
Click READ MORE to see the rest.
NEW Spider-Man Photo
There’s been a release of the first photo from Marc Webb’s “Spider-Man” reboot starring Andrew Garfield. Hate to say it, but despite it’s fantastic director (who recently garnered acclaim for “500 Days of Summer”) and wonderful lead actor (who will soon be getting an Oscar nomination for “The Social Network”), I have never been excited about this film in the least.
Gotta tell you what. This picture looks dope. From the looks of it, this film might be getting a type of “Dark Knight” type of makeover, and I’m always all for that. If something can be made darker, that’s automatically another way of making it better in my book. Bring it on.
Here’s the photo:
Updated Oscar Predictions
What with everything that has happened in the last month in regards to the critics, the Globes and the SAGs, I figure that it’s time to do a full update on my Oscar predictions. Not a lot has shifted in the technical cateogories, except that “The Social Network” is looking more and more like a sure thing for a Best Original Score nomination. I’ve also taken “The King’s Speech” out of Best Editing. If it does miss that nomination, and somehow goes on to win Best Picture, it will be the first film in 30 years to win the big one without the support of the editors. Those two awards somehow go hand in hand.
As far as the acting categories go, Best Actor seems pretty much locked. Jesse Eisenberg has carved his name in stone and is just as solid as the top two contenders. There’s an outside chance that Ryan Gosling might break in and knock out one of the two veterans, but becoming less and less likely. A big question for Best Actress is who will take the place of Hilary Swank, after the odd as hell SAG nomination. I’m still betting on Lesley Manville, and not just because of the NBR stat, but because it’s a truly endearing character. However, much like Gosling, Williams is looming, and I can definitely see her getting a nomination, much like Laura Linney did for “The Savages” in 2007, and she didn’t even have the Golden Globe nod.
I think its safe to say that Justin Timberlake has fallen out of the running, especially since Andrew Garfield is no longer a lock. I refuse to predict Jeremy Renner until there’s no hope left. Never thought I’d find myself rooting against one of my favorite performers. My how the tables turn. I am however, hoping that the Academy will remain as bold as the SAG and nominate John Hawkes, but its a crap shoot. In Best Supporting Actress, it’s pretty solid that both of “The Fighter”‘s ladies will be making it in, though Leo definitely has the edge. Mila Kunis and Jacki Weaver will fight it out for the last slot.
One thing that I think is safe to say is that “The Fighter” is now as solid a contender as it has ever been. We shall see how it fares with the rest of the guilds, but from the SAGs and Globes, alone, it has gained even more ground than “Black Swan.”
Read all of my predictions after the jump:
BEST PICTURE
1. The Social Network
2. The King’s Speech
3. Toy Story 3
4. Inception
5. Black Swan
6. The Fighter
7. The Kids Are All Right
8. 127 Hours
9. True Grit
10. Winter’s Bone
Alt 1: The Town
Alt 2: Another Year
Screen Actors Guild Nominations: My Thoughts
While trying not to put the cart before the horse, it is important to realize that the SAG is the real deal. What we have here is the most accurate precursor in regards to matching up to what the Oscar nominations will look like.
First of all, the actors make up, 3 times over, the largest contingent of the Academy, with producers and executives in 2nd, sound personnel in 3rd and writers in 4th. And while Best Ensemble does not always line up with Best Picture, the singular achievement nominations have lined up with Oscars, per say, about 80 to 90 percent of the time. Last year, was perhaps the most similar, with only 1 nominee in Best Supporting Actress not making it to Oscar (Diane Kruger). Best Actor, Actress and Supporting Actress lined up perfectly.
That being said, I’m mostly happy with these nominations, despite a few hiccups. Without a doubt, the most shocking and disturbing omission is Andrew Garfield in “The Social Network.” I thought that, if anything, he would be locked and Jesse Eisenberg would still have an uphill battle, despite all of the critical love. However, Garfield was the heart and soul of the film and anyone who can blaze through Sorkin dialogue, while still maintaining that level of emotion and integrity, deserves recognition.
The trouble is, who is to blame for this slight. If it is John Hawkes, then I cannot mourn for too long, because he is the one man that I want to appear in the eventual Oscar lineup ahead of Garfield. John Hawkes gives, quite simply, one of the best performances of the year and a true underdog story to boot. However, if it is Jeremy Renner who passed Andrew Garfield by, then I am appalled. Renner was absolutely stellar in “The Hurt Locker,” realistic, unique and all heart. In “The Town,” he is good, maybe the best performance in the film, but really nothing special at all. I still cannot believe the amount of buzz he’s receiving.
Another weird turn this morning was Hilary Swank getting in for her only slightly above average performance in “Conviction,” knocking out critical favorites Lesley Manville in “Another Year” and Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine.” What’s really weird about this is her inclusion, but not Sam Rockwell or Juliette Lewis, the individuals in the film that people have actually been talking about. A true out-of-the-blue nomination, and really kind of a hilarious one seeing that she is once again up against Annette Bening, who lost the Best Actress race to Swank twice in the last 11 years.
A little known fact, if Lesley Manville is not nominated for an Oscar, she will be the first woman to win the National Board of Review award for Best Actress and not go on to an Oscar nod since the year 1990 when Mia Farrow failed to secure a nomination for Woody Allen’s “Alice.” In superstitious terms, that’s a long streak to be broken.
Mila Kunis made a surprise appearance here. Kind of boggled by that, because as funny and peppy as she is, it’s really not that solid of a performance. Barbara Hershey was a standout, if ever anyone could stand out around Natalie Portman’s brilliance.
Now, the good things. I’ve already addressed my absolute elation for John Hawkes come-from-behind nomination, even if he has a long shot, even if hell does freeze over, of actually winning. I must also congratulate Jesse Eisenberg, who has now all but engraved his nomination in cement. Truly brilliant work. and while I haven’t seen “True Grit,” it’s nice to see Jeff Bridges show up here, especially after his snub at the Golden Globes.
While I wasn’t really expecting any kind of showing for it, it’s kind of sad to see yet another Christopher Nolan film snubbed from the Ensemble Cast category, let alone any other category in the case of “Inception.” True, the first thing the mind goes to when it comes to this film is the visuals, the story and the direction. Yet, it is an ensemble piece, through and through, with so many actors (Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joesph Gordon Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard, and, of course, Tom Hardy) all pulling their weight more than needed. And while “Black Swan” does have decent performances all around, it’s really Natalie Portman’s show. One deserved this nomination more than the other, and it’s going home empty-handed.
My longshot predictions for the win would probably go like this:
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
“The King’s Speech”
alt: “The Fighter”
BEST ACTOR
Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
alt: James Franco – “127 Hours”
BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening “The Kids Are All Right”
alt: Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
alt: Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”
alt: Helena Bonham Carter – “The King’s Speech
We shall see.
17th Screen Actors Guild Nominations
All I will post my full reactions in the next few hours. In the meantime I leave you with one thought: John Hawkes, John Hawkes, JOHN GODDAMN HAWKES!!!!!!! Thank you very much.
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network”
BEST ACTOR in a LEADING ROLE
Jeff Bridges – “True Grit”
Robert Duvall – “Get Low”
Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network”
Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
James Franco – “127 Hours”
BEST ACTRESS in a LEADING ROLE
Annette Bening – “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman – “The Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”
Hilary Swank – “Conviction”
BEST ACTOR in a SUPPORTING ROLE
Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
John Hawkes – “Winter’s Bone”
Jeremy Renner – “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo – “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech”
BEST ACTRESS in a SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams – “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham-Carter – “The King’s Speech”
Mila Kunis – “Black Swan”
Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”
68th Annual Golden Globe Nominations
Well, here they are. Some good things and bad things. It appears that “The King’s Speech” leads with 7, while “The Social Network” and “The Fighter” in a close second with 6.
More later, but I leave you with this. Leave it to the HFPA to nominate one of the worst-reviewed and worst received films of the year for 3 awards including Best Picture for the sole reason that it has Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in it. I don’t know if it’s better to use that excuse, or to just say they have bad taste. Starfuckers, we salute you.
Best Picture, Drama
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
Best Picture, Comedy/Musical
Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are All Right
Red
The Tourist
Best Director
David Fincher, The Social Network
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter
Best Actor, Drama
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter
Best Actress, Drama
Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Actor, Musical/Comedy
Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack
Jake Gyllenhaal, Love and Other Drugs
Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp, The Tourist
Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version
Best Actress, Musical/Comedy
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Emma Stone, Easy A
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Best Screenplay
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Christopher Nolan, Inception
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
David Seidler, The King’s Speech
Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Best Original Score
Alexander Desplot – The King’s Speech
Danny Elfman – Alice in Wonderalnd
A.R. Robin – 127 Hours
Trent Reznor – The Social Network
Hans Zimmer – Inception
Best Original Song
“You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me,” Burlesque
“Bound to you,” Burlesque
“Coming Home,” Country Strong
“I See The Light,” Tangled
“There’s a Place For Us,” Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Best Animated Film
Tangled
Toy Story 3
How To Train Your Dragon
Despicable Me
The Illusionist
Best Foreign-Language Film
I Am Love
Biutiful
The Concert
The Edge
In a Better World
“The Social Network” Awards Tally
All right, I have a feeling that some people are sick of not only my love for “The Social Network,” but also my endless praise for the amount of wins that it’s getting. But this really is a sight to behold. This is an event of epic proportions. Not even such immense critical darlings such as “Sideways,” “Brokeback Mountain,” or “Slumdog Millionaire,” had anywhere near the amount of unanimous support for a single film. This is probably one of the biggest coronations of a work of cinema since “Schindler’s List,” if not more so.
And you know what? It deserves it.
Here is the full tally of critics awards that it has won, thus far, for I think we’ve nearly reached the halfway point:
BEST PICTURE
WINS
Boston Society of Film Critics
Chicago Film Critics Association
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association
Detroit Film Critics Society
Florida Film Critics Circle
Houston Film Critics Society
Indiana Film Journalists Association
International Press Academy
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
National Board of Review
New York Film Critics Circle
New York Film Critics Online
San Francisco Film Critics Circle
Southeastern Film Critics Association
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Toronto Film Critics Association
Washington D.C. Film Critics Association
NOMINATIONS
Broadcast Film Critics Association (not yet awarded)
Golden Globe (not yet awarded)
San Diego Film Critics
BEST DIRECTOR
WINS
Boston Society of Film Critics
Chicago Film Critics Association
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association
Florida Film Critics Circle
Houston Film Critics Society
Indiana Film Journalists Association
International Press Academy
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Los Angeles Film Critics Association (TIE with Carlos Assayas)
National Board of Review
New York Film Critics Circle
New York Film Critics Online
San Francisco Film Critics Circle (TIE with Darren Aronofsky)
Southeastern Film Critics Association
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Toronto Film Critics Association
Washington D.C. Film Critics Association
NOMINATIONS
Broadcast Film Critics Association (not yet awarded)
Detroit Film Critics Society
Golden Globe (not yet awarded)
San Diego Film Critics
BEST ACTOR
WINS
Boston Society of Film Critics
Houston Film Critics Society
Indiana Film Journalists Association (runner-up)
National Board of Review
Toronto Film Critics Association
NOMINATIONS
Broadcast Film Critics Association (not yet awarded)
Detroit Film Critics Society
Golden Globe (not yet awarded)
International Press Academy
San Diego Film Critics
Screen Actors Guild Award (not yet awarded)
St. Louis Film Critics Association
BEST SCREENPLAY
WINS
Boston Society of Film Critics
Chicago Film Critics Association
Dallas-Forth Worth Film Critics Association
Florida Film Critics Circle (adapted)
Houston Film Critics Society
Indiana Film Journalists Association
International Press Academy
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
National Board of Review
New York Film Critics Online
San Diego Film Critics Society (adapted)
San Francisco Film Critics Circle
Southeastern Film Critics Association (adapted)
St. Louis Film Critics Association (adapted)
Toronto Film Critics Association (adapted)
Washington D.C. Film Critics Association (adapted)
NOMINATIONS
Broadcast Film Critics Association (not yet awarded)
Golden Globe (not yet nominated)
This list is not even counting the countless nominations for Andrew Garfield in Best Supporting Actor and several more wins for Trent Reznor and Atticus Finch for Best Original Score. My guess is that the film will take home at least half, if not all of the Picture, Director and Screenplay awards that have yet to be awarded, and maybe even a few more Best Actor awards to boot.
And there’s much more to come. Read about it, here.
The Edge of the Frame 