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National Society of Film Critics Goes with “Social Network”
As Darth Vader once famously said, “The circle is now complete.” Well, that saying now rings true for David Fincher’s “The Social Network,” at least as far as the critics go.
At long last, the National Society of Film Critics, one of the oldest and perhaps most prestigious (as well as my favorite) film journalism organizations, convened today to vote on cinema’s best of 2010. To my joy and elation, they have gone with “The Social Network,” not just with a win, but a sweep.
What a fitting end to “The Social Network”‘s history-making run. It began with a sweep of the National Board of Review, and ends the same way. What a magnificent year for a magnificent film. Regardless of what happens from here on out, whether “The Social Network” gets killed by politics or voter age. At least at this point, it is on top of the world.
Here is the full list of winners, which will eventually be updated with runners-up and hopefully voting tallies:
BEST PICTURE
***”The Social Network” – 61 votes***
“Carlos” – 28 Votes
“Winter’s Bone” – 18 Votes
BEST DIRECTOR
***David Fincher – “The Social Network” – 66 votes***
Oliver Assayas – “Carlos” – 36 votes
Roman Polanski – “The Ghost Writer” – 29 votes
BEST ACTOR
***Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network” – 30 votes***
Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech” – 29 votes
Edgar Martinez – “Carlos” – 29 votes
BEST ACTRESS
***Giovanna Mezzogiorno – “Vincere” – 33 votes***
Annette Bening – “The Kids Are All Right” – 28 votes
Lesley Manville – “Another Year” – 27 votes
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
***Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech” – 33 votes***
Christian Bale – “The Fighter” – 32 votes
Jeremy Renner – “The Town” – 30 votes
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
***Olivia Williams – “The Ghost Writer” – 37 votes***
Amy Adams – “The Fighter” – 28 votes
Melissa Leo – “The Fighter” – 23 votes
Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom” – 23 votes
BEST SCREENPLAY
***”The Social Network” – 73 votes***
“The King’s Speech” – 25 votes
“The Ghost Writer” – 19 votes
BEST DOCUMENTARY
***”Inside Job” – 25 votes***
“Exit Through the Gift Shop” – 21 votes
“Last Train Home” – 15 votes
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
***”Carlos” – 31 votes***
“A Prophet” – 22 votes
“White Material” – 16 votes
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
***”True Grit” – 31 votes***
“Black Swan” – 27 votes
“Somewhere” – 18 votes
Okay, so this year, my favorite critics group almost entirely lives up to that distinction. Why are they my favorite you might ask? Because in the last six years, their choice for Best Picture has at least been included in my Top five films of the year; three of those times, my favorite has matched theirs.
Aside from “The Social Network,” which deserved every award that it got, I am most pleased with their choice of Giovanna Mezzogiorno for Best Actress in “Vincere.” An absolutely stunning performance with such a high caliber of emotion, I was stunned when I watched it. The film, as a whole, is a standout. Yet her performance stands above it all and has not gotten any awards recognition thus far.
I can take or leave the Supporting Awards. Rush and Williams were both good, but neither deserving of serious awards recognition in my mind. Especially not Williams. I thought she was one of the more forgettable aspects of “The Ghost Writer.” Geoffrey Rush is one of my favorite actors, but I have to say that this is not one of his most exciting performances.
“Inside Job” got a big win, here. Hopefully, it can push through to February. I also really need to check out “Carlos” as soon as possible. It’s obviously a pretty phenomenal experience. I’m sure when the voting tallies come out, it will be the runner-up to “The Social Network.”
Cheers to “The Social Network.” It has been a phenomenal run with the critics. If hoping counts for anything it will continue that streak with the guilds and different broadcasted awards. I will soon re-post my article featuring a tally of all the accolades that the film has incurred. It’s kind of nice to see them listed out on the screen. I wonder what it must be like for Scott Rudin with them all out on his coffee table.
Roger Ebert’s Top Ten List
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times, arguably the most famous movie critic in history, has released his Top Ten of the year. While it’s not that close to my own choices, it’s far more interesting then Peter Travers, which was released a bit earlier this month. The lists do, however, share the same choice as Best Film of the Year.
Not hard to guess what it is.
1. The Social Network
2. The King’s Speech
3. Black Swan
4. I Am Love
5. Winter’s Bone
6. Inception
7. The Secret in Their Eyes
8. The American
9. The Kids Are All Right
10. The Ghost Writer
Here is what he had to say about his number 1 choice:
1. “The Social Network” Here is a film about how people relate to their corporate roles and demographic groups rather than to each other as human beings. That’s the fascination for me; not the rise of social networks but the lives of those who are socially networked. Mark Zuckerberg, who made billions from Facebook and plans to give most of it away, isn’t driven by greed or the lust for power. He’s driven by obsession with an abstract system. He could as well be a chessmaster like Bobby Fischer. He finds satisfaction in manipulating systems.
The tension in the film is between Zuckerberg and the Winklevoss twins, who may well have invented Facebook for all I know, but are traditional analog humans motivated by pride and possessiveness. If Zuckerberg took their idea and ran with it, it was because he saw it as a logical insight rather than intellectual property. Some films observe fundamental shifts in human nature, and this is one of them.
David Fincher’s direction, Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay and the acting by Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake and the others all harmoniously create not only a story but a world view, showing how Zuckerberg is hopeless at personal relationships but instinctively projects himself into a virtual world and brings 500 million others behind him. “The Social Network” clarifies a process that some believe (and others fear) is creating a new mind-set.
Read more about Ebert’s other choices for best films of the year over at his blog, Roger Ebert’s Journal.
Golden Globe Predictions 2010
So, as many of you know, I hate the Golden Globes. They’re a joke. The HFPA is a group of about 90 foreign film journalists who reside in Hollywood, almost none of them have anyone ever heard of. They make some of the most pedestrian choices that can be made for awards presentation. Once in a while, they have a good idea, but for the most part, they either go with the grain or go the blandest route. More than anything else, however, they are STARFUCKERS, excuse my language. But it’s true. These awards are meant to cater to movie stars and their own popularity with said persons. They’re a joke.
That being said, they are still one of the most influential and popular awards shows of the year, and therefore I will pay them credence.
Here are my predictions for the 68th Golden Globe Nominations, announced tomorrow morning. The full list after the jump.
BEST PICTURE, DRAMA
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network”
“The Fighter”
“Black Swan”
“The Ghost Writer”
“Inception”
Alt: “Another Year”
BEST PICTURE, MUSICAL or COMEDY
“The Kids Are All Right”
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Made in Dagenham”
“Burlesque”
“Love and Other Drugs”
Alt: “Nowhere Boy”
Los Angeles Film Critics Winners
Continuing one of the biggest weeks in the entire awards season, the LAFCA has finished its awards announcement. Los Angeles has a tendency to sometimes go against the grain in random places, while sometimes picking rather Hollywoodesque choices in other areas. This year, Best Picture was not quite against the grain, but yet another big win for “The Social Network,” perhaps their biggest win, yet. The film also took down the Best Screenplay award, edging out “The King’s Speech.”
The rest of the wins are a bit scattered and patternless. Colin Firth takes his first major award for Best Actor, perhaps keeping him in the lead for the big win. Jacki Weaver picks up another win for “Animal Kingdom,” making her once considered extremely dark horse nomination more of a reality. Fincher ended up in a tie with “Carlos” director Oliver Assayas. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, composers of “The Social Network” score, also tied with the great Alexander Desplat for “The Ghost Writer.”
Oh, and once again, “A Prophet” was released last year. I’m sick of there not being a proper distinction on this matter.
Full list of winners:
BEST PICTURE
“The Social Network”
Runner-up: “Carlos”
BEST DIRECTOR
Olivier Assayas – “Carlos” AND David Fincher – “The Social Network”
BEST ACTOR
Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
Runner-up: Edgar Ramirez – “Carlos”
BEST ACTRESS
Kim Hye-ja – “Mother”
Runner-up: Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Niels Arestrup – “A Prophet”
Runner-up: Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom”
Runner-up: Olivia Williams – “The Ghost Writer”
BEST SCREENPLAY
“The Social Network”
Runner-up: “The King’s Speech”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Black Swan”
Runner-up: “True Grit”
BEST ANIMATED FILM
“Toy Story 3″
runner-up: “The Illusionist”
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
“Carlos”
Runner-up: “Mother”
BEST DOCUMENTARY
“Last Train Home”
Runner-up: “Exit Through the Gift Shop”
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
“The Ghost Writer” AND “The Social Network”
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
“Inception”
Runner-up: “The King’s Speech”
NEW GENERATION AWARD
Lena Dunham, “Tiny Furniture”
DOUGLAS E. EDWARDS AWARD
“Film Socialisme”
Golden Satellite Nominations
This year’s Golden Satellite nominees have just been announced, and really…who could care less?
For those who don’t know what the Sats are, they are an award system given by the International Press Academy, a group of journalists from around the world who, sorry, really don’t know what they’re talking about. Wow, sounds kind of like the Golden Globes. Their awards are usually the most vague, broad nominations that can possibly be imagined, and this year is no different. I guess they do give an idea about what the awards season is going to be like, but really just reinforce what we already knew. They also jump the gun, before seeing everything. For Instance, you won’t see “True Grit” on here at all.
Anyway here goes. One thing’s for sure, “Inception” certainly isn’t going away any time soon. See the full list of nominations after the jump.
The Edge of the Frame 