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Washington D.C. Film Critics Announce Nominees
I had a feeling that these guys were going to stick their heads up this week. They have a tendency of announcing early and without warning. While the results of their voting is apparently still being tallied and the winners will be announced on Monday, we can take a look at the nominees right now.
Well, there’s not much question as far as what film will likely go all the way here, and that is the emerging critical darling “The Artist.” The film received eight nominations, practically in every category that it was eligible. “Hugo” comes in second with six nominations, continuing to baffle me. I’m sure that I’m going to be saying that a lot this awards season.
The overrated, but still exceptionally cool, “Drive” picked up four nominations, including one for it’s phenomenal director Nicholas Wending Refn. “The Descendants” also continued its string of love with five nominations. Octavia Spencer receives her first of what I’m sure will be a long string of nominations for her work in “The Help,” likewise for Viola Davis. I personally wouldn’t mind seeing both of those ladies with gold in their hands come Oscar night.
A surprisingly absent film from these nods is a little title about a war and a horse. Not sure if you’ve heard of it. For a critics group that largely trends towards the Oscars, it’s highly unusual to find Mr. Spielberg’s latest largely vacant from these nominations. True it picked up a few tech nods, yet this film is believed by many to potentially be the nomination leader next month. One can’t say that the group has a beef with the director, either, for they were the first and one of the only to award “Munich” Best Picture back in 2005.
The big story here is Tom McCarthy’s “Win Win” picking up a nomination for Best Picture, beating out the above mentioned “War Horse” and a number of others. Quite a coup for this little delight of a film. Yet, as intriguing as this nomination is, I doubt it will pan out much for the rest of the year, at least in terms of Best Picture. However, a screenplay nomination for McCarthy is becoming more and more likely.
Some underdog victories abound here that are worth mentioning. Michael Shannon asserts himself as a certifiable contender, getting a nod for his fantastic work in “Take Shelter.” It’s also very refreshing to see Andy Serkis get his first and hopefully not last nomination as a motion captured ape in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” His is certainly the most interesting campaign of the season, and if it succeeds, it will make Oscar history. While I despise the precedent that it will set, I admit that I can’t help feeling proud of Andy Serkis. If it’s going to happen, it should happen to him. From Gollum, to Kong, and now Ceasar, the man has truly put his heart and soul into his work and has ultimately changed the face of cinema in a lot of ways.
Hands down, my favorite pick of the evening has got to be Melissa McCarthy for “Bridesmaids.” A good movie that this lady really took to another level with her incredible comedic skills. Her performance, if it continues down this track, could end up being one of the funnest nominations since Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder.” Kudos to the WAFCA for getting the ball rolling, there.
Check out the full list of nominations after the cut:
Best Film
“The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“Drive”
“Hugo”
“Win Win”
“Win Win” Review at The DePaulia
As some of you know, I recently started writing for The DePaulia, DePaul University’s official newspaper. It’s not the Chicago Tribune, but it is a highly respected student publication and is a big step for me in building my reputation in the Chicago area. I recently published my first review for them and it is available online. Here’s a quick excerpt:
“Over the last decade, writer/director/actor Tom McCarthy has championed himself as a voice for the underappreciated. His pair of independent features (“The Station Agent” and “The Visitor”) stands as an ode to those ordinary people we see on the street and don’t give a second thought to, despite them having interesting stories to tell. With “Win Win,” the director crafts a true modern parable of contemporary middle class life and it’s a treat to behold.”
I was very pleased with the film, as well as my own review. I’m still not sure about the ethics or permissions of posting the actual reviews on my blog once they’ve been published in the paper. Meanwhile, below is a link to the full review at The DePaulia Online. Hope everyone enjoys it and wishes me luck on this new venture.
NEW “Trust” Trailer
Little do people know that David Schwimmer, best known for his role as Ross on TV’s “Friends, is more than just a geeky/charming actor in sitcoms. He spends a lot of time acting and directing for the Chicago theater district, and most recently, adding his creative touch behind the camera as well. His new film, “Trust,” has been working the festival circuit for months now and is getting ready for its release to the general public. This is following yet another ratings battle with the MPAA. Schwimmer fought as hard as he could for a PG-13 rating, but could not get anything below an R. Considering the film’s subject matter, it’s hard to imagine anything less.
The plot revolves around a teenage girl who is tricked via the internet and then seduced, photographed and raped by a middle-aged man. Sounds very PG-13esque, no? The parents of the girl then must face the consequences and aftermath and try to pick up the pieces of their shattered family. The film does not look like one for the faint of heart, seeing that Schwimmer does not seem to sugarcoat the realities of the film. However, I’m more than a little intrigued to see how this movie plays out/ Having Clive Owen and Catherine Keener in the lead, with supporting performances by Viola Davis, Noah Emmerich and Tom McCarthy, doesn’t hurt. I believe that Clive Owen is one of the most exciting actors working in cinema today. When he picks up the right role, he can be absolutely brilliant and electrifying to watch. And after seeing this, I believe that this might be his meatiest role since “Children of Men.” Can’t wait to find out.
Check out the new trailer, below:
The Edge of the Frame 