(Ridiculous) NY Critics Voting Date

[Damien]

But of course, just putting it that way shows what a shallow exercise this has become. The NY Critics -- a group that in this very press release pompously touts itself as the distinguished alterantive to the Oscars -- have, with this move, declared themselves just another cog in the All Oscars All the Time machine. I think there will be some ugly situations, with films not quite ready for screening by mid-November being omitted from consideration.

The tail is just wagging the dog 100% of the time at this point.

Amen to that, Brother. Oh for the days when the critics' awards were held at the end of December or early January so that after all the Christmas presents had been opened so there was something else to look forward to.

I keep a running list of every movie that opens in New York during the yer (something I started doing in 1973). So far this year -- with 2 1/2 months to go, there have already been nearly 600 releases. You would think that of these people wanted to be more than Double A minor league players in the Oscar contest and for their awards to mean something, they might want some extra time to catch on films they inevitably missed.

For the record, my gang votes on our IRA awards in late March so theta everyone can see as many eligible films as possible.

[OscarGuy]

I don't see this as changing much of anything. It's only about a week or two ahead of its normal schedule. The only films it hurts, as Tee mentions, are the films that are still in the editing room by that point. Oscar's front-runners were mostly in release by that time and certainly all the screeners were out by then.

[Mister Tee]

I'm hoping this somehow results in a lack of conformity. I don't know how. It certainly helps that there is no front-runner this year.

It does indeed seem like a year without the sort of front-runners we've seen in the recent past, but 1) I can't see any way this move affects that and 2) if the Broadcasters/Globes/SAG line up behind single candidates, the way they increasingly have for the past five years, the suspense can be leeched out of even the tightest race. (How on earth did Melissa le become as much a sure thing last year as Mo'Nique had been the year before? Check those three prizes)

Jeff Wells is trumpeting this as NYFCC "sticking it to" NBR. But my guess is their real targets are the Broadcasters and SAG, who have more and more been setting the acting slates in recent years. Recently, these two sets of nominations have been released prior to or at roughly the same time as NY voted, meaning there was no way NY's choices -- winners or runners-up -- could have any influence, the way they often had in the past.

But of course, just putting it that way shows what a shallow exercise this has become. The NY Critics -- a group that in this very press release pompously touts itself as the distinguished alterantive to the Oscars -- have, with this move, declared themselves just another cog in the All Oscars All the Time machine. I think there will be some ugly situations, with films not quite ready for screening by mid-November being omitted from consideration.

The tail is just wagging the dog 100% of the time at this point.

[Big Magilla]

I wonder what the exhibitors think of this. High profile family films and proven franchises don't need year-end awards to drive the Holiday box-office, but smaller films do. Whatever smaller films win awards prior to their openeing are bound to do business at least initially. Those without recognition may be deemed losers from the get-go and drive away potential customers before they even open.

Ah, for the old days before press screenings when critics attend to see a film on opening day in order to review it.

[Sabin]

I'm hoping this somehow results in a lack of conformity. I don't know how. It certainly helps that there is no front-runner this year.

[Mister Tee]

And the system gets more and more out of control. NBR will no doubt move up to the day before Thanksgiving.


New York, NY – October 19, 2011 — The New York Film Critics Circle announced today they will hold their annual vote for the 2011 Film Critics Circle Awards on Monday, November 28, at The Walter Reade Theatre at Lincoln Center. The awards will be handed out at a ceremony to be held on Monday, January 9, 2012.

Says this year’s Chairman John Anderson, “As the nation’s preeminent critics’ group, we are excited about kicking off the annual end-of-year discussion with our new early voting date. On the basis of the films we have seen thus far, we are looking forward to another passionate debate amongst our members.”

Founded in 1935, the New York Film Critics Circle is the oldest and most prestigious in the country. The circle’s membership includes critics from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines and the Web’s most respected online publications. Every year the organization meets in New York to vote on awards for the calendar year’s films. The Circle’s awards are often viewed as harbingers of the Oscar nominations. The Circle’s awards are also viewed—perhaps more accurately—as a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring aesthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures.

Joining Chairman John Anderson in leading the group is this year’s Vice-Chairman, Time Out New York Senior Film Writer Joshua Rothkopf, who will assume the duties of Chairman for 2012. Additions to the group are returning voting member Amy Taubin of Film Comment and a new member, Salon film critic Andrew O’ Hehir.