and why has your inner dreamgirl already prejudged that one? cuz it figures to be a Bill Condon vision, ie harmless mediocrity?
They misspelled Jackie Earle Haley’s name.
wow, his last film credit before this year was Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence.
I’m thinking this’ll be another dullish Departed crowning, unless Volver upsets
Are you kidding? I’m no Bill Condon fan. I’m not even a musical fan. I am a fan of black women, so there’s that.
The only reason I’m prejudiced against Haley winning is because it’s a mediocre performance in a baity role in a worthless movie.
United 93 for the win.
Best Actor: Whitaker againnnnnnzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
How sad that Gosling and Cohen split the runner up. The bluehair demographic is insurmountable this year what with the NYT critics (and, it looks, Nathan Lee) out of the picture.
Rex Reed’s hair is periwinkle, I’ll have you know.
Condon > Haggis (yeah, I meant you wdn’t be expecting much from him)
btw here is the shortlist of 15 Oscar Documentary Features:
“Blindsight”
“Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?”
“Deliver Us from Evil”
“The Ground Truth”
“An Inconvenient Truth”
“Iraq in Fragments”
“Jesus Camp”
“Jonestown: The Life and Death of People’s Temple”
“My Country, My Country”
“Shut Up & Sing”
“Sisters in Law”
“Storm of Emotions”
“The Trials of Darryl Hunt”
“An Unreasonable Man”
“The War Tapes”
and the 56 for Best Song (I guess Keillor’s “Bad Jokes” is not original to the movie, and this will be Borat’s sole nom, maybe):
“Believe It” from “The Heart of the Game”
“The Best” from “Everyone’s Hero”
“The Book I Write” from “Stranger than Fiction”
“Broken Bridges” from “Broken Bridges”
“Chan Chan” from “Water”
“Circle in the Sand” from “Friends with Money”
“Coming Back to You” from “Deja Vu”
“Definition of Love” from “Akeelah and the Bee”
“Dreamz with a Z” from “American Dreamz”
“Encarnacion” from “Nacho Libre”
“Every Word” from “Wordplay”
“Family of Me” from “Over the Hedge”
“A Father’s Way” from “The Pursuit of Happyness”
“The Girl in Byakkoya—White Tiger Field” from “Paprika”
“Heist” from “Over the Hedge”
“Hillbilly Holla” from “Barnyard”
“Hollywood Familia” from “Hollywood Familia”
“I Belong” from “Open Season”
“I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth”
“In Rosa Vernat Lilium” from “The Nativity Story”
“It’s a Fight” from “Rocky Balboa”
“Ju Hua Tai” from “Curse of the Golden Flower”
“Keep Holding On” from “Eragon”
“Khalbali” from “Rang de Basanti”
“Kingdom of Love” from “One Night with the King”
“Listen” from “Dreamgirls”
“A Lonely Man” from “Don’t Come Knocking”
“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”
“Luka Chuppi” from “Rang de Basanti”
“The Motion” from “3 Needles”
“My Little Girl” from “Flicka”
“Never Gonna Break My Faith” from “Bobby”
“Never Let Go” from “The Guardian”
“O Kazakhstan” from “Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”
“Open Your Heart” from “Saving Shiloh”
“Ordinary Miracle” from “Charlotte’s Web”
“Our Town” from “Cars”
“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”
“Philosophy” from “Step Up”
“PJ & Rooster” from “Idlewild”
“Quest for Love” from “Arthur and the Invisibles”
“Real Gone” from “Cars”
“Really Nice Day” from “The Wild”
“Shine on ‘Em” from “Blood Diamond”
“The Song of the Heart” from “Happy Feet”
“Star Mile” from “The Last Kiss”
“Still” from “Over the Hedge”
“Suenos” from “Hollywood Familia”
“Sweet Music” from “Glory Road”
“Til the End of Time” from “Little Miss Sunshine”
“Tonight” from “Night at the Museum”
“Try Not to Remember” from “Home of the Brave”
“Upside Down” from “Curious George”
“When You Taught Me How to Dance” from “Miss Potter”
“Won’t Let You Fall” from “Poseidon”
“You Know My Name” from “Casino Royale”
Why are the NYT critics out of the picture?
Why is “PJ & Rooster” the only potential nominee from Idlewild?
Oh, yeah. I don’t think Condon is ruinous, but I don’t think he’s really capable of anything other than middlebrow white elephants (I feel bad for saying so, for the record).
(x-post) I can never figure that out. There are some weird bylaws (from the NYT, not the NYFCC) that prevent them from participating, but some years they do anyway.
Speaking of periwinkle...
Best Actress: Helen Mirren, THE QUEEN
Runners-up:
Judi Dench, NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Meryl Streep, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Is NYFCC the first Army of Shadows win for foreign film?
jaymc, that is an Academy-winnowed song list, not one of all eligibles.
NYT writers don’t vote for sports awards, either.
xpost
haha, I was just gonna say Reed & Edelstein must be having a Mirren-Dench hairpull to settle that one.
2006 was a great year for shitty movies.
I assume, Oscarwise, United 93 is considered, ummm, “too New York.”
DO NOT GET DRAGGED TO SEE ‘THE HOLIDAY’ UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. I WANTED TO POKE MY EYES OUT WITH A JU JU BEE. CAN JACK BLACK MAKE ONE MOVIE WHERE HE DOESN’T SING A STUPID SONG.
Eric, where are you getting Actor and Actress and runner-ups from? I’m refreshing the NYFCC site, and it’s still stuck on Picture.
Best Actor: Whitaker againnnnnnzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
So did anyone hear actually see Amin!?
I’m eagerly anticipating this one, about Pinochet’s rise to power:
The Coup
Directed by: Costas-Gavras
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Benicio del Toro
Eric is actually one of the critics; he’s smuggling out the results via laptop and smoke signals.
Amin! the musical?
Oscar’s all about the royal skirt and scary black mass murderer this year.
Films about Amin need more panache than you’re gonna get by casting the director of Waiting to Exhale and Mr. Tumnus the Faun.
One of the critics (I won’t say who) leaked the winners and runners-up to the Nerve blog Screengrab.
NYT writers don’t vote for sports awards, either.
According to someone else:
“The NYT critics were forced to resign in 2002 (I think) because of a
new company policy banning Times staff from voting on awards that
could produce financial benefits for people whom they cover in the
paper. This was primarily aimed at the sports department (since
honors like the Heisman Trophy or a spot in the MLB Hall of Fame,
both voted on by sportswriters, are worth millions in potential
income to their recipients) and business reporters, but it applied to
the NYFCC insofar as a win there could increase somebody’s chance of
an Oscar nomination, which in turn could be used by the winner’s
agent as a reason for their client to get paid more in the future.”
It’s out:
2006 Awards
Best Picture
United 93
Best Actor
Forest Whitaker
The Last King of Scotland
Best Actress
Helen Mirren
The Queen
Best Director
Martin Scorsese
The Departed
Best Foreign Film
Army of Shadows
Best Screenplay
Peter Morgan
The Queen
Best Supporting Actor
Jackie Earle Haley
Little Children
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Hudson
Dreamgirls
Best Cinematographer
Guillermo Navarro
Pan’s Labyrinth
Best Non-Fiction Film
Deliver Us From Evil
Best First Film
Ryan Fleck
Half Nelson
Best Animated Film
Happy Feet
1:00pm EST: Voting is finished.
Best First Film: Ryan Fleck, Half Nelson
Classic example of a make-up award. “Gosling and Epps wuz robbed, let’s sneak the film in here.”
So Gosling got the raves for a role Forest Whitaker himself would have played in 1989 (oops, sorry, it was Morgan Freeman)?
Forest Whitaker would’ve played a white schoolteacher?
no, in ’89 it would’ve been Kevin Bacon, if indie-grainy had hit by then.
I have a pinch of guilt in avoiding Last King of Scotland, as I’d go only cuz I find James McAvoy totally fucking hot.
ACADEMY AWARDZ TIME
Morbs liked McAvoy’s hoofs in Narnia.
What it is with gays and goat legs?
No, a hot guy is not enough to make me watch that kinda nerd shit. McAvoy is tasty in that Brit series Shameless.
We think they make you a better dancer.
What it is with gays and goat legs?
I thought Chris Kattan wasn’t actually gay.
Jake Gyllenhaal has hairy legs. Does that make him a goat?
i hope departed wins best pic or at least best director in the oscar race (i foresee some musical winning best pic and director going to MS) because i’d hate to see the dude go out like altman with some late-in-the-game honorary award.
(x-post) Helen Mirren has hairy legs. Does that make her hot to gays?
i’d hate to see the dude go out like altman with some late-in-the-game honorary award.
Unlike Altman, I think Scorsese actually cares about the Oscars. A vestigial thing from his youth.
A vestigial thing from his everyone’s youth.
Fixed.
I think you’re projecting!
Didn’t Crash fix your obsession?
Don’t pretend that you, like every film buff, didn’t at least give the Oscars some minor credence in your formative years. Not to the extent that you thought they ever made the right choice, maybe, but that they at least might have nominated “the right film” occasionally (e.g. me in 1994 when they nominated Pulp Fiction).
Not to the extent that you thought they ever made the right choice
I’m not pretending at all — they gave Annie Hall Best Pic in my formative years (but since Woody didn’t show, I already knew they were for suckers). But it’s been all downhill since the early ’90s, worse than I could’ve imagined. I really plan to skip it this year barring some miraculous Laura Dern nomination.
I skipped it the year Lord of the Rings was set to win everything in sight.
that was great because everyone in the audience was so annoyed : D
xpost
which definitively showed that it’s more about Ka-Ching than it used to be. (lib self-congrats only in a year w/out an awardable big grosser)
annoyed? weren’t they the ones who voted for it?
there was a definite sense of ‘wtf’ in the place
it wasn’t even the best one of the trilogy.
(I haven’t watched the Oscars in years, altho I did tune in for Michael Moore’s acceptance speech, which was awesome)
Of the 22 critics who were physically present (proxy votes having dropped out after ballot #2), 12 went for United 93, giving it the squeakiest victory since Daniel Day-Lewis beat out Jack Nicholson in ’02. Lisa Schwarzbaum suggested that since even this 12–10 vote was a virtual tie, we really ought to award Best Picture to both films. Nobody really agreed (but no vote was taken).
A brief silence. Then, the voice of Rex Reed.
“So that’s it.”
Pause.
“The best film of 2006.”
Pause.
“According to the New York Film Critics Circle.”
Pause.
“Is United 93.”
Long, uncomfortable pause, plus some tittering.
“A film that no one in America wanted to see.”
At which point People critic Leah Rozen said, “And how did you vote, Rex?”
http://www.nerve.com/nerveblog/screengrabblog.aspx?id=107e7985#7985
That Sarris on the toilet story is great. I wonder why they didn’t ask him if he only had to tinkle or if he also pinched a loaf.
Leah Rozen is a New York Film Critic?
cuz People is based in NY?
xpost
I bet Linklater would’ve paid for the laxative.
Rex Reed and Thelma Adams are also NYFCC members? Doesn’t that rock your world?
Is John Simon still a member?
No, he got kicked out for excessive bathroom breaks.
Steven Spielberg is developing two new scripts for the Fox network. First is a drama “set in the world of high fashion and follow[ing] five twentysomething friends who work behind the scenes of the industry,” to be written by Edward Burns and his wife Christy Turlington.
She’s a published author, dude—don’t front.
http://www.nyfcc.com/members.php
hey, Klawans is working on a Preston Sturges project.
That isn’t detrius, DS9.
i’m just super excited about it, is all
I’m just posting this here because it’s not really appropriate anywhere else, but Happy Feet was actually a really excellent movie.
The next big adult animated film is a documentary on the Chicago 7 trial (Sundance).
No, he got kicked out for excessive bathroom breaks.
The shit was coming out of his mouth, it seems.
Not that John Simon wasn’t frequently infuriating and dense in his dotage, but a friend of mine says his ’70s writing was among the first he was ever interested in. He’s represented in that US film critics anthology.
A new collection of his 1981–2001 criticism was published a few months ago; his hilarious eviscerations of actress’ physical flaws wax and wane over the years.
San Francisco critics (Eric, avert yr eyes):
Best Picture – Little Children
Best Director – Paul Greengrass, United 93
Best Actor – Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat
Best Actress – Helen Mirren, The Queen
Best Supporting Actor – Jackie Earle Haley, Little Childen
Best Supporting Actress – Adriana Barraza, Babel
Best Screenplay – Little Children
Best Foreign Film – Pan’s Labyrinth
Jackie Earle Haley suddenly emerging as this year’s Shoreh Agdashloo (i.e. rarely singled out in reviews when sexier and classier leads were the focus).
YEAH KELLY LEAK
wouldn’t this year’s Shoreh Agdashloo(s) be the maid and deaf teenager from Babel? Haley is more like, I dunno, Dean Stockwell.
we really need more artfilm content on this thread instead of all the middlebrow horseshit, but I guess that’ll be when the post-Voice polls come out.
No one in Sand and Fog was sexier than Shoreh.
Meh. I’ve had a crush on Ron Eldard since True Love.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION
2007 Golden Globe Awards
For the year ended December 31, 2006
Nominations Press Release
BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
BABEL
Anonymous Content Production/Una Producción De Zeta Film/Central Film Production; Paramount Pictures/Paramount Vantage
BOBBY
Bold Films; The Weinstein Company
THE DEPARTED
Warner Bros. Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures
LITTLE CHILDREN
New Line Cinema; New Line Cinema
THE QUEEN
A Granada Production; Miramax Films
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
PENÉLOPE CRUZ VOLVER
JUDI DENCH NOTES ON A SCANDAL
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL SHERRYBABY
HELEN MIRREN THE QUEEN
KATE WINSLET LITTLE CHILDREN
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
LEONARDO DICAPRIO BLOOD DIAMOND
LEONARDO DICAPRIO THE DEPARTED
PETER O’TOOLE VENUS
WILL SMITH THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
FOREST WHITAKER THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
One America; Twentieth Century Fox
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Twentieth Century Fox; Twentieth Century Fox
DREAMGIRLS
DreamWorks Pictures/Paramount Pictures; DreamWorks Pictures/Paramount Pictures
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Big Beach/Bonafide Productions; Fox Searchlight Pictures
THANK YOU FOR SMOKING
Room 9 Entertainment/David O. Sacks Production/Content Film; Fox Searchlight Pictures
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
ANNETTE BENING RUNNING WITH SCISSORS
TONI COLLETTE LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
BEYONCÉ KNOWLES DREAMGIRLS
MERYL STREEP THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
RENEE ZELLWEGER MISS POTTER
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
SACHA BARON COHEN BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
JOHNNY DEPP PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST
AARON ECKHART THANK YOU FOR SMOKING
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR KINKY BOOTS
WILL FERRELL STRANGER THAN FICTION
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
CARS
Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation Studio; Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
HAPPY FEET
Kingdom Pictures, LLC; Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures
MONSTER HOUSE
Columbia Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
APOCALYPTO (USA)
Touchstone Pictures/Icon Productions; Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (USA/JAPAN)
Warner Bros. Pictures/DreamWorks Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures
THE LIVES OF OTHERS (GERMANY)
Wiedemann & Berg Filmproduktion; Sony Pictures Classics
PAN’S LABYRINTH (MEXICO)
Estudios Picasso/Tequila Gang/Esperanto; Picturehouse
http://www.hfpa.org/news/id/42
VOLVER (SPAIN)
El Deseo; Sony Pictures Classics
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
ADRIANA BARRAZA BABEL
CATE BLANCHETT NOTES ON A SCANDAL
EMILY BLUNT THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
JENNIFER HUDSON DREAMGIRLS
RINKO KIKUCHI BABEL
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
BEN AFFLECK HOLLYWOODLAND
EDDIE MURPHY DREAMGIRLS
JACK NICHOLSON THE DEPARTED
BRAD PITT BABEL
MARK WAHLBERG THE DEPARTED
BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
CLINT EASTWOOD FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
CLINT EASTWOOD LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
STEPHEN FREARS THE QUEEN
ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ
IÑÁRRITU BABEL
MARTIN SCORSESE THE DEPARTED
BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
GUILLERMO ARRIAGA BABEL
TODD FIELD &
TOM PERROTTA LITTLE CHILDREN
PATRICK MARBER NOTES ON A SCANDAL
WILLIAM MONAHAN THE DEPARTED
PETER MORGAN THE QUEEN
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT THE PAINTED VEIL
CLINT MANSELL THE FOUNTAIN
GUSTAVO SANTAOLALLA BABEL
CARLO SILIOTTO NOMAD
HANS ZIMMER THE DA VINCI CODE
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“A FATHER’S WAY” — THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Music by: Seal and Christopher Bruce
Lyrics by: Seal
“LISTEN” — DREAMGIRLS
Music & Lyrics by: Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, Scott Cutler and Beyoncé Knowles
“NEVER GONNA BREAK MY FAITH” — BOBBY
Music & Lyrics by: Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy and Andrea Remanda
“THE SONG OF THE HEART” — HAPPY FEET
Music & Lyrics by: Prince Rogers Nelson
“TRY NOT TO REMEMBER” — HOME OF THE BRAVE
Music & Lyrics by: Sheryl Crow
Well, I’m glad Emily Blunt and Wahlberg were noticed. I guess DiCaprio is the new Barry Fitzgerald.
Have any of you guys seen Venus yet? The trailer looks awful.
Helen Mirren has three-count’em-three nominations.
Prince wrote a song for Happy Feet?
Wow, that song nomination was enough to push Bobby past either Eastwood film or United 93 for a BP nod.
In the “He’s still alive?” category:
PETER O’TOOLE VENUS
Not only alive, but only Forest Whitaker stands btwn him and a win, maybe.
Leo wd have to be nom’d in 2 different categories for the SAME perf to be Barry Fitzgerald.
So does Borat Cohen get the 5th Best Actor nomination at the Oscars? Who does?
DiCaprio
O’Toole
Big Willie Style
Whitaker
I guess I should finally see Babel, huh?
oh for God’s sakes, why? “populism”?
I usually take multiple GG/Oscar noms for something that looks awful as a reason to vow I’ll never see it. (hence I will die ignorant of Forrest Gump, Braveheart etc)
I have no interest in Braveheart because I don’t like historical epics or war movies. But I liked Amores Perros and, to a lesser extent, 21 Grams, and my dad liked Babel, and I trust him enough to go by his recommendations most of the time, and the fact that a consensus is developing around it means that it might actually be good, especially since I also liked The Queen and The Departed and Little Children, because (newsflash) I’m more into “middlebrow” “Oscar bait” than you are, but also, to be honest, “populism” isn’t totally far off, because one of the main functions of art for me is as a springboard for conversation, and if lots of people I know are watching a movie and developing opinions about it, then that makes me much more likely to see it, just so I can join in (unless it’s something that looks to put me to sleep within 15 minutes, like Lord of the Rings).
I’m still saying Gosling has a much better shot than Borat, though Watanabe may have a better shot than both.
ah yeah. Gosling may still be too “criticky.”
Honorary Oscar — Ennio Morricone (cringe at headline):
Whatever happened to all the buzz around The Good German and The Good Shepherd? I thought these were both poised to be major Oscar/Globe contenders.
Reception for both has been middling to bad, across the board. TGS has Matt Damon in one Skull & Bones mud wrestling scene, I can wit for DVD for that.
TGS has Matt Damon in one Skull & Bones mud wrestling scene, I can wit for DVD for that.
Well, I can’t.
21 Grams was such a terribly executed film of a terrible idea to begin with that I doubt Brad Pitt’s 256th shot of proving he’s got “real” acting chops is enough to entice me.
dude, you can’t use freezeframe at the multiplex.
I didn’t mind 21 Grams all that much, but I’ve had quite enough of Innaritu’s template.
I love how Peter O’Toole didn’t get jack for mentions until now, but somehow the GG have validated him to the point that he’s considered a viable frontrunner to Whitaker, simply by virtue of he is one of the only actors unfashionable enough to actually admit to wanting an Oscar.
Losing seven nominations and being his generation’s (purportedly) het version of Ian McKellen doesn’t hurt either.
If Oscar-nominated, I have a feeling the category will go down Bacall-Binoche-’96-style.
ie, Pretty Leo will win?
O’Toole is 74 I think, so it depends how many interviews and lunches he feels like doing in LA.
(oh pls don’t compare that one-note ham McKellen to PO’T)
If Oscar-nominated, I have a feeling the category will go down Bacall-Binoche-’96-style
I thought about that too. Expect O’Toole to fake graciousness a lot better than Betty Bacall (and he’ll probably drink Leo or Forest under the table in the post-ceremony gropefest).
Gah, my last post makes it sound like *I* expect to be nominated.
ie, Pretty Leo will win?
No, Penelope Cruz will. :-)
Well, you are a queen, jaymc ;)
the category will go down Bacall-Binoche-’96-style.
Actually that works much better for Cruz-Mirren (ever since Binoche, the Oscar geezers have been voting frequently for babes).
I’ve read some good stories involving “Bacall” and “go down.”
Results 1—1 of about 2 for “Lauren Bacall blew”
awesome, mark wahlberg : D
he was hoovered by Bacall?
she was the fluffer on boogie nights. joke’s on her, it was a prosthetic cock.
The Departed is Travers’ #1 film. Dreamgirls is number two.
Stephen King’s ten:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1569937_1472578_0_,00.html
Oscar shortlist, visual effects (3 nominees):
“Casino Royale,” “Eragon,” “Night at the Museum,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” “Poseidon,” “Superman Returns” and “X-Men: The Last Stand.”
Thomson sez Eastwood’s two films are his best ever:
http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1972299,00.html
And here he is making two films at a time, filled with a profound uncertainty over the nature of war such as might have astonished the Man With No Name, that instant icon he fashioned for Sergio Leone.
‘i’ve never seen so many men wasted so badly.’
Is that from GoodBadUgly?
yes indeed
jaymc, is your film critic friend a member of the Chicago Critics group?
The apex and embodiment of this thread:
Rex Reed’s best and worst:
The 10 Best Films of 2006
1. Babel
2. Notes on a Scandal
3. The History Boys
4. The Painted Veil
5. The Queen
6. Flags of Our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima
7. The Illusionist
8. Infamous
9. Dreamgirls
10. Volver
Honorable Mentions: Water, Scoop, Find Me Guilty, Deliver Us from Evil, The Last King of Scotland, Kinky Boots, Our Daily Bread
THE 10 WORST FILMS OF 2006
1. Borat
2. The Fountain
3. Apocalypto
4. Lucky Number Slevin
5. The Black Dahlia
6 All the King’s Men
7. Lady in the Water
8. Brick
9. Inland Empire
10. Fur
Extra hisses and boos to: The Da Vinci Code, A Prairie Home Companion, Déjà Vu, The Prestige, Rumor Has It, Freedomland, For Your Consideration, Perfume
jaymc, is your film critic friend a member of the Chicago Critics group?
Yup. He sez:
I am SO happy with these nominees. I don’t agree with all of them, I can’t imagine anybody does, that’s the nature of democracy, but I think we made some great choices, ignoring several recent disturbing trends like Dreamgirls for pic and Blood Diamond for anything. Babel had a much stronger showing than I thought it would and that makes me happy too. Seeing Brick, Children of Men, and The Fountain score their nominations is great too—they’ve been underepresented in critics awards so far. They deserve each and every one of them. I love the tech nods for The Fountain. A few categories, including our great choices for breakthrough performer, score, and cinematography include five of my ten (in the first round we voted ten in each category). That’s cool.
And here are the Chicago Film Critics nominees (winners to be announced on Dec. 28):
BEST PICTURE
Babel
The Departed
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen
United 93
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Apocalypto
Letters From Iwo Jima
Pan’s Labyrinth
Tsotsi
Volver
BEST DIRECTOR
Clint Eastwood: Letters From Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears: The Queen
Paul Greengrass: United 93
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu: Babel
Martin Scorsese: The Departed
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Babel: Guillermo Arriaga
Letters From Iwo Jima: Iris Yamashita
Little Miss Sunshine: Michael Arndt
The Queen: Peter Morgan
United 93: Paul Greengrass
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Departed: William Monahan
Little Children: Todd Field & Tom Perrotta
Notes On A Scandal: Patrick Marber
A Prairie Home Companion: Garrison Keillor
Thank You For Smoking: Jason Reitman
BEST ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio-The Departed
Ryan Gosling-Half-Nelson
Peter O’Toole-Venus
Will Smith-The Pursuit of Happyness
Forest Whitaker-The Last King of Scotland
BEST ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz-Volver
Judi Dench-Notes on a Scandal
Maggie Gyllenhaal-Sherrybaby
Helen Mirren-The Queen
Meryl Streep-The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet-Little Children
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ben Affleck-Hollywoodland
Jackie Earle Haley-Little Children
Eddie Murphy-Dreamgirls
Jack Nicholson-The Departed
Brad Pitt-Babel
Michael Sheen-The Queen
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Adriana Barraza-Babel
Cate Blanchett-Notes On A Scandal
Abigail Breslin-Little Miss Sunshine
Toni Collette-Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson-Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi-Babel
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Babel: Gustavo Santaolalla
The Fountain: Clint Mansell
Letters From Iwo Jima: Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens
Notes On A Scandal: Philip Glass
The Queen: Alexandre Desplat
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Babel: Rodrigo Prieto
Children of Men: Emmanuel Lubezki
The Departed: Michael Ballhaus
The Fountain: Matthew Libatique
Letters From Iwo Jima: Tom Stern
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Deliver Us From Evil
An Inconvenient Truth
Jesus Camp
Shut Up and Sing
Wordplay
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Ivana Baquero-Pan’s Labyrinth
Sacha Baron Cohen-Borat & Talladega Nights
Shareeka Epps-Half-Nelson
Rinko Kikuchi-Babel
Keke Palmer-Akeelah and the Bee
MOST PROMISING DIRECTOR
Rian Johnson-Brick
Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris-Little Miss Sunshine
Gil Kenan-Monster House
Jason Reitman-Thank You For Smoking
James McTeigue-V For Vendetta
xpost re Rexy
Gee, maybe All the King’s Men is worth a look after all.
The Painted Veil and Children of Men are getting more praise than I would’ve expected, but given Curran and Lubezki (resp) I guess I’m seeing both.
Children of Men edged into the Film Comment critics’ poll’s Top 20, just sneaking past Casino Royale (?!)
well, I guess you’re right about Scorsese vs Lynch in polls to come.
That top 10 isn’t THAT much more middbrow than Rex Reed’s! Half Nelsom, The Queen andeven Borat — this is the magazine in which Schrader’s canon was too safe for the room?
I’m hoping that with Regular Lovers, Children of Men, Painted Veil, Letters from Iwo Jima, Pan’s Labyrinth all opening in NYC in the next 2 weeks, it just might be a Happy Old Year after all.