Toronto Critics

[Akash]

Sheesh, I was kidding. Reeeelax.

Butt Nugget.



Edited By Akash on 1198131268

[Eric]

Yes, I think the bigger problem is the directors' branch's historical resistance toward nominating women.



Edited By Eric on 1198105103

[OscarGuy]

You have to admit, though, that for the attention-getting whores of the Globes, they didn't nominated it even for screenplay. The Globes aren't the epitome of taste, but it's clear that critics and orgs aren't giving the film much attention in their year-end awards. They avoid giving it mentions outside of Christie in big categories with only a scant few mentions in minor categories that few pay much attention to (Jason Reitman got several good notices for Thank You for Smoking, but couldn't even get a Writers nomination).

And I'm not saying this as a person who dislikes the film. On the contrary, I liked the film as one of the year's more even pics. I'm just not seeing it with the legs of a film like Lost in Translation or The Piano, which both managed good runs in the critics and orgs to land their female directors in the nominations circle. It's being largely overlooked. When I first made my prediction for Away from Her and Sarah Polley as surprise nominees, no one seemed to pay attention. I did that largely based on the need for a big surprise in the big category as well as the general positive notices the film received from critics. However, as critics group after critisc group ignored the film even as a runner-up, I began to seriously doubt the film's chances. Then, it flopped at the Globe nods...

At this point, it will have to get major attention from SAG (Ensemble) and DGA for it really to be considered an odd-man-out directors choice (since odd-men-out tend to be long-standing directors who've never been majorly recognized and serve and under-representative niche in the Academy...hence the nominations of Almodovar, Kieslowski, etc...Schnabel's much more likely to fill that slot than Polley).

[Eric]

All lists I'm positive Academy members double check before filling out their ballots.

[OscarGuy]

Bite me, Akash. It was I meant, not what I said, but it was what I meant. Don't criticize me for clarifying my statement.

And as a further clarification, here are the various critics groups Top 10s.

dallas-fort worth

1. No Country for Old Men
2. Juno
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Atonement
5. Michael Clayton
6. Into the Wild
7. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
8. The Kite Runner
9. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
10. Charlie Wilson's War

southeastern

1. No Country for Old Men
2. There Will Be Blood
3. Atonement
4. Juno
5. Michael Clayton
6. Zodiac
7. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
8. Gone Baby Gone
9. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
10. Into the Wild

Broadcast Critics

American Gangster
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
Juno
The Kite Runner
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood

new york online critics

Atonement
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
The Darjeeling Limited
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
I'm Not There
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
Persepolis
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood

National Board of Review

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bucket List
Into the Wild
Juno
The Kite Runner
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
Sweeney Todd

I've only seen the film mentioned on 2 best of lists for critics/orgs

Satellite Award nomination for Best Drama Picture
National Board of Review list of best independents

It does not give the film the attention it needs, IMO.



Edited By OscarGuy on 1198100224

[Akash]

Keep moving that goal post Oscar Guy.

[OscarGuy]

Sorry, I really was meaning the ones associated with the critics groups, not individual top 10s.

[Big Magilla]

Yes, it's the fifth most named film on year-end ten best lists, but even it wasn't, Julie Christie's certain best actress nomination and Polley's almost certain screenplay nod would be enough to keep her in high profile with the directors' branch. They do love actors turned directors. I'm not saying she's a certainty by any means, but I wouldn't at all be surprised to see her among the nominees.

[Eric]

I had her predicted for Best Director but since the film hasn't appeared on many Top 10 lists ...

http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2008/top_ten/00index.html

[OscarGuy]

I think Adapted Screenplay's almost assured, flipp. I had her predicted for Best Director but since the film hasn't appeared on many Top 10 lists, I don't know that it's going to be as well remembered. It's possible another woman will get the nomination, but the slate of potential nominees is stiff and I think they'll be happy to allow the Writers branch to nominate Polley for Adapted Screenplay.

Though, here's the question: If Writers have to picket the Oscars, why would they be allowed to vote or be nominated? What's going to happen when they do the writing awards? Is Gil Cates going to be a cheeky bastard and present the award to the writers who are IN the picket lines? That would be amusing...

[flipp525]

I'm starting to think that Sarah Polley will be the one who gets the "odd-man-out", lone director spot this year. She's been consistently cited this season. She also has a fairly good shot at a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

[OscarGuy]

Picture: No Country for Old Men
Animated: Ratatouille
Driector: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen - No Country for Old Men
Actor: Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises
Actress: TIE: Julie Christie - Away from Her, Ellen Page - Juno
Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
Screenplay: No Country for Old Men
Foreign Film: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Documentary: No End in Sight
First Film: Away from Her
Canadian Film: Away from Her