AWARDS NEWS: Houston, Dallas/Ft Worth split; Toronto goes Indie, Women’s groups name Winners
It's been several days' worth of critics awards, and nominations, and Slumdog Millionaire seems to be leading the pack with WALL-E nipping at it's heels.
Dallas/Fort Worth went for Millionaire, while fellow Texas outlet Houston went for Benjamin Button.
And The Chicago Film Critics, who consider themselves too important to name just a list of winners, listed their NOMINEES for various catagories…no doubt they are waiting to see which studios and stars they can get the most payoffs from before they give out their awards…to the ones willing to pay for them…no doubt just like the politicians in Illinois have been doing… Chicago winners come out in early January.
Toronto bucked the trend, as they do almost every year, naming Wendy And Lucy best picture. I've been dying to see this movie, not so much for the depressing but critically raved about story so much as to see 2007 #1 PNR Rising Star John Robinson, in his biggest role in some time…
Two critics associations made up entirely of women also named their winners last weekend, and unfortunately i'm only now able to get the lists up…they made some of the most interesting choices of the year, IMHO, though NOTHING is likely to beat looney San Francisco's naming of guy Maddin's wonderfully weird My Winnipeg as Best Documentary (Documentary? Monkeys will fly out my…um…rear before that brilliant, messed up movie is EVER a documentary…)
Just a few observations so far…Although most critics' lists have included Gus Van Zant's Milk on their lists, a few critics are also remembering Van Zant's spring movie Paranoid Park as well, a nice thing to see….no one has even begun to consider the score from Speed Racer among their awards, which is a shame; it's absolutely the shiznit…the looming question of the entire season is this: Would Heath Ledger be garnering so many awards this season (90% average so far for Supporting Actor) if he hadn't died tragically almost a year ago, and eight months before the release of The Dark Knight? Sadly, and unfairly, the answer to that question is probably "no"…It's interesting to note that in a year of critically acclaimed animated films, all but two critics groups so far have given the award to WALL-E. The other two? No, not Kung Fu Panda, not Madagascar 2, not Bolt, but the animated documentary Waltz With Bashir, due out December 26…
Don't forget, PNR will name IT'S top ten lists (one for Kim, one for yours truly) on Sunday, December 28th, followed closely by the fourth annual Poppies And Roses awards on a special edition of Subject:CINEMA on New Years' Eve beginning at 6 PM ET.
And now, the full lists of winners from the above…
Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Association
Top Ten Films of 2008
1. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
2. MILK
3. THE DARK KNIGHT
4. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
5. THE WRESTLER
6. THE VISITOR
7. FROST/NIXON
8. DOUBT
9. WALL-E
10. HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Best Film
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Best Director
Danny Boyle, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Best Actor
Sean Penn, MILK
Best Actress
Anne Hathaway, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT
Best Supporting Actress
Viola Davis, DOUBT
Best Foreign Language Film
TELL NO ONE
Best Documentary
MAN ON WIRE
Best Animated Film
WALL-E
Best Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black, MILK
Best Cinematography
Wally Pfister,THE DARK KNIGHT
Russell Smith Award (Best Low Budget or Cutting Edge Indie)
Wendy And Lucy
Houston Film Critics Association
BEST PICTURE
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
BEST DIRECTOR OF A MOTION PICTURE
Danny Boyle, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Sean Penn, MILK
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Anne Hathaway, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Viola Davis, DOUBT
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE CAST
DOUBT
BEST SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
BEST ANIMATED FILM
WALL-E
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Claudio Miranda, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
MAN ON WIRE
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
MONGOL
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Terence Blanchard, MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Peter Gabriel, DOWN TO EARTH , from WALL-E
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMA
ANDREA GROVER AND THE AURORA PICTURE SHOW
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM PROGRAMMING
MARIAN LUNTZ AND THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON'S FILM DEPARTMENT
Chicago Film Critics NOMINATIONS
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL*E
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle–Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher–The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan–The Dark Knight
Andrew Stanton–WALL*E
Gus Van Sant–Milk
BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood–Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins–The Visitor
Frank Langella–Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn–Milk
Mickey Rourke–The Wrestler
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway–Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins–Happy-Go-Lucky
Angelina Jolie–Changeling
Melissa Leo–Frozen River
Meryl Streep–Doubt
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey Jr.–Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman–Doubt
Bill Irwin–Rachel Getting Married
Heath Ledger–The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon–Revolutionary Road
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams–Doubt
Penelope Cruz–Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis–Doubt
Rosemarie Dewitt–Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet–The Reader
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
In Bruges–Martin McDonagh
Milk–Dustin Lance Black
Rachel Getting Married–Jenny Lumet
Synecdoche, N.Y. –Charlie Kaufman
WALL*E–Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button–Eric Roth
The Dark Knight–Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan
Doubt–John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon–Peter Morgan
Slumdog Millionaire–Simon Beaufoy
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The Band’s Visit
Che
A Christmas Tale
I’ve Loved You So Long
Let the Right One In
BEST DOCUMENTARY
American Teen
Dear Zachary
IOUSA
Man On Wire
Standard Operating Procedure
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung-Fu Panda
Tale of Desperaux
WALL*E
Waltz with Bashir
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Australia–Mandy Walker
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button–Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight–Wally Pfister
The Fall–Colin Watkinson
Slumdog Millionaire–Anthony Dod Mantle
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button–Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight–Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
Milk–Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire–A.R. Rahman
WALL*E–Thomas Newman
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Russell Brand–Forgetting Sarah Marshall
David Kross–The Reader
Lina Leandersson–Let the Right One In
Dev Patel–Slumdog Millionaire
Brandon Walters–Australia
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Tomas Alfredson–Let the Right One In
Lance Hammer–Ballast
Courtney Hunt–Frozen River
Martin McDonagh–In Bruges
Steve McQueen–Hunger
Toronto Film Critics
Best Picture
Wendy And Lucy
Best Actress
Michelle Williams, Wendy And Lucy
Best Actor
Mickey Roarke, The Wrestler
Best Supporting Actress
Rosemary DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Best Director
Jonathan Demme, Rachel Getting Married
Best Screenplay
Jenny Lumet, Rachel Getting Married
Best First Feature
Ballast
Best Foreign Film
Let The Right One In
Best Animated Film
WALL-E
Best Documentary
MAN ON WIRE
ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS
Best Film
Slumdog Millionaire
Best Direction
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Best Screenplay Original
Wall-E – Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon
Best Screenplay Adapted
Frost/Nixon – Peter Morgan
Best Documentary (Tie)
Man On Wire – James Marsh
Trouble The Water – Tia Lessen, Carl Deal
Best Actress (Tie)
Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky
Kate Winslet – The Reader and Revolutionary Road
Best Actress In Supporting Role
Viola Davis – Doubt
Best Actor
Sean Penn – Milk
Best Actor in Supporting Role
Heath Ledger – Dark Knight
Best Ensemble Cast
Rachel Getting Married
Best Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall
Best Foreign Film
Tell No One
EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS
Best Woman Director
Courtney Hunt – Frozen River
Best Woman Screenwriter
Jenny Lumet – Rachel Getting Married
Best Breakthrough Performance
Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Newcomer
Misty Upham – Frozen River
Women’s Image Award
Kristin Scott Thomas
Hanging in There Award for Persistence
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Actress Defying Age and Ageism
Catherine Deneuve – A Christmas Tale
2008 Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In The Film Industry
Sheila Nevins, Producing/Programming at HBO
Lifetime Achievement Award
Catherine Deneuve
AWFJ Award For Humanitarian Activism
All of the Women in Pray The Devil Back To Hell
EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS
AWFJ Hall Of Shame Award
27 Dresses
Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent
Kate Hudson
Movie You Wanted To Love But Just Couldn‘t (Tie)
Mamma Mia!
The Women
Best Of The Fests
Hunger
Unforgettable Moment Award (Tie)
Dark Knight: Joker’s first scene
Slumdog Millionaire: Young Jamal jumps into the poop
Best Depiction Of Nudity or Sexuality (Tie)
Elegy
The Reader
Best Seduction
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Sequel That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award (Tie)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Saw V
The Remake That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award:
The Women
Cultural Crossover Award
Slumdog Millionaire
Bravest Performance Award
Mickey Rourke – The Wrester
Best Leap from Actress to Director Award
Helen Hunt – Then She Found Me
Most Egregious Age Difference Between Leading Man and Love Interest
The Wackness – Ben Kingsley and Mary-Kate Olsen
WOMEN FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
BEST MOVIE ABOUT WOMEN
Changeling
BEST MOVIE BY A WOMAN
Frozen River
BEST STORYTELLER [Screenwriting Award]
Jennifer Lumet: Rachel Getting Married
BEST ACTRESS:
Melissa Leo: Frozen River
BEST ACTOR
Mickey Rourke: The Wrestler
BEST YOUNG ACTRESS:
Abigail Breslin: Kit Kittredge and Definitely Maybe
BEST COMEDIC ACTRESS: *TIE*
Sally Hawkins: Happy-Go-Lucky
Meryl Streep: Mamma Mia!
BEST FOREIGN FILM
I've Loved You So Long
BEST FEMALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE:
The Secret Life Of Bees
BEST UNRELEASED MOVIE:
How The Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer
BEST EQUALITY OF THE SEXES:
Nothing But The Truth
BEST MUSIC:
Cadillac Records
BEST ANIMATED FEMALE:
Eve: WALL-E
BEST FAMILY FILM
WALL-E
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
Meryl Streep
ACTING AND ACTIVISM:
Natalie Portman
ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD: For a film that most passionately opposes violence against women:
Changeling
JOSEPHINE BAKER AWARD: For best expressing the woman of color experience in America:
Ballast
KAREN MORLEY AWARD: For best exemplifying a woman’s place in history or society, and a courageous search for identity:
Battle In Seattle
COURAGE IN ACTING:
Deidra Edwards in DisFigured: For redefining conventional standards of female physical beauty and pride on screen, and promoting positive images of big bodied women.
BEST DOCUMENTARIES:
GROUNDBREAKER:
A Walk To Beautiful
ABOVE AND BEYOND:
Wings Of Defeat
COURAGE IN FILMMAKING:
Traces Of The Trade
MOST OFFENSIVE MALE CHARACTERS
Aaron Eckhart: Towelhead
Sam Rockwell: Choke,
Larry Bishop: Hell Ride
Paul Rudd, Sean William Scott: Role Models
Jason Mewes: Zack And Miri Make a Porno
TOP TEN HALL OF SHAME
Roman Polanski: Wanted And Desired
House Of The Sleeping Beauties
The Women
The Life Before Her Eyes
The Hottie and the Nottie
Savage Grace
Made Of Honor
The Family That Preys
Hounddog
Zack And Miri Make A Porno
No doubt there will be more to come…so many groups left to hear from…keep it tuned right here every day for the latest award news and observations…
