New York Film Critics Circle Winners

[FilmFan720]

Um...she is a lead, GODDAMMIT!

LMAO!!!

Speaking of which, can I just, one last time (well, maybe not last) vent my frustration over the placement of Casey Affleck--I mean, I know the studios were angling to put him in Supporting, but I honestly didn't expect the critics to buy such crap...but they did...I guess, therefore, reinforcing how many dolts there are in that profession.

From the time the film opened, people were touting Affleck as a Supporting Actor possibility. It wasn't just the marketing people. The nature of the role, despite his placement in the title and his screen time, makes him fit the category in many minds. I don't have a problem with it in this case.

Everything is wrong with it. He is in every way the heart and soul of the film, as well as the emotional center of the film. We are on FORD'S journey, not Jesse's journey.

[The Original BJ]

The nature of the role, despite his placement in the title and his screen time, makes him fit the category in many minds. I don't have a problem with it in this case.

No, he is the lead. As for the "nature" of the role, he's the protagonist. Protagonist = lead. Anyone who thinks otherwise is imagining things.

Just because everyone else is also wrong, doesn't make his placement right. I can't believe that "many minds" think he is supporting because anyone who actually uses thought would find this supporting nonsense beyond laughable. This isn't even a gray area -- it's as clear as the blackest black and whitest white.

[Penelope]

Um...she is a lead, GODDAMMIT!

LMAO!!!

Speaking of which, can I just, one last time (well, maybe not last) vent my frustration over the placement of Casey Affleck--I mean, I know the studios were angling to put him in Supporting, but I honestly didn't expect the critics to buy such crap...but they did...I guess, therefore, reinforcing how many dolts there are in that profession.

From the time the film opened, people were touting Affleck as a Supporting Actor possibility. It wasn't just the marketing people. The nature of the role, despite his placement in the title and his screen time, makes him fit the category in many minds. I don't have a problem with it in this case.

Wrong!!!!

[criddic3]

Today it was a vote for the blow-up sex doll Bianca as best supporting actress in "Lars and the Real Girl."

Um...she is a lead, GODDAMMIT!

LMAO!!!

Speaking of which, can I just, one last time (well, maybe not last) vent my frustration over the placement of Casey Affleck--I mean, I know the studios were angling to put him in Supporting, but I honestly didn't expect the critics to buy such crap...but they did...I guess, therefore, reinforcing how many dolts there are in that profession.

From the time the film opened, people were touting Affleck as a Supporting Actor possibility. It wasn't just the marketing people. The nature of the role, despite his placement in the title and his screen time, makes him fit the category in many minds. I don't have a problem with it in this case.

[Penelope]

Today it was a vote for the blow-up sex doll Bianca as best supporting actress in "Lars and the Real Girl."

Um...she is a lead, GODDAMMIT!

LMAO!!!

Speaking of which, can I just, one last time (well, maybe not last) vent my frustration over the placement of Casey Affleck--I mean, I know the studios were angling to put him in Supporting, but I honestly didn't expect the critics to buy such crap...but they did...I guess, therefore, reinforcing how many dolts there are in that profession.

[flipp525]

A few years ago there was that notorious vote for Tom Cruise as best actress in "Vanilla Sky."

HAHAHAHA!! That's hilarious!

[The Original BJ]

Today it was a vote for the blow-up sex doll Bianca as best supporting actress in "Lars and the Real Girl."

Um...she is a lead, GODDAMMIT!

[Big Magilla]

From The Envelope (by way of NY News critic Jack Matthews):

Always count on members of the New York Film Critics Circle for howlers when they cast ballots for awards. A few years ago there was that notorious vote for Tom Cruise as best actress in "Vanilla Sky." Today it was a vote for the blow-up sex doll Bianca as best supporting actress in "Lars and the Real Girl." Sadly, poor Bianca had the wind taken out of her chances by winner Amy Ryan ("Gone Baby Gone") Other gag votes: "Walk Hard" for best picture and its supporting star Paul Rudd, who was also cited for his role in "Knocked Up." Perhaps Rudd wouldn't think that's so funny since he's occasionally mentioned as a looooongshot at the Golden Globes.

"I'm Not There" did surprisingly well in many top races today. It didn't win any awards, but it came in third place for best picture after champ "No Country for Old Men" and runner-up "There Will Be Blood." Ditto for its helmer Todd Haynes, who placed third in the directors' lineup behind the winning Coen brothers and second-placed Paul Thomas Anderson.

"Blood's" big victory was in the best-actor slot for Daniel Day-Lewis. In second place was Viggo Mortensen ("Eastern Promises").

Ellen Page ("Juno") gave Julie Christie ("Away from Her") a run for the lead-actress laurels, but Christie ended up winning handily. In the supporting-actress race, Cate Blanchett ("I'm Not There") came in second place; all three "Atonement" co-stars made strong showings, too. Javier Bardem ("No Country for Old Men") romped in the supporting-actor category. "No Country" won the screenplay prize over "Juno," "The Savages" and "Zodiac."

Last year's voting session was marred by a hissy fit from New York Observer critic Rex Reed over "United 93" winning best pic, but "Rex was fairly pleased with the results today," one member reports. "Rex got pissy about a few little things, but nothing major."

There was one major outburst during the meeting: a loud protest from one member (Armond White) over the suggestion to give Sidney Lumet an honorary prize. The member made it clear that he didn't feel that Lumet's film, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," was worthy. However, circle members overwhelming overruled him and voted to give fellow New Yorker Lumet a Lifetime Achievement Award anyway.

[criddic3]

What about Hal Holbrook?

I think Hal Holbrook will win. Bardem and Affleck will split the younger vote and none of the potential older nominees, von Sydow, Bosco, Wilkinson, et. al. have as much of a showcase as Holbrook.

David Poland's site has a video interview of Holbrook that is just amazing. The guy is a national treasure. He's been doing Mark Twain Tonight for 53 years - he started when he was 29 - and he's still researching the character, looking for fresh Twain quotes to go along with the day's news to keep it ever fresh. He does the research all by himself, with no assistance from anyone and then goes out and performs it in places most of us have never even heard of.

The most fascinating thing about the guy, though, is that when he was still finding himself, he went off on a Chris McCandless trek himself, climbing 4,000 feet up Mt. Shasta by himself.

He certainly deserves a nomination, at least.

[Big Magilla]

What about Hal Holbrook?

I think Hal Holbrook will win. Bardem and Affleck will split the younger vote and none of the potential older nominees, von Sydow, Bosco, Wilkinson, et. al. have as much of a showcase as Holbrook.

David Poland's site has a video interview of Holbrook that is just amazing. The guy is a national treasure. He's been doing Mark Twain Tonight for 53 years - he started when he was 29 - and he's still researching the character, looking for fresh Twain quotes to go along with the day's news to keep it ever fresh. He does the research all by himself, with no assistance from anyone and then goes out and performs it in places most of us have never even heard of.

The most fascinating thing about the guy, though, is that when he was still finding himself, he went off on a Chris McCandless trek himself, climbing 4,000 feet up Mt. Shasta by himself.

[The Original BJ]

I tend to agree with Tee (and flipp, and others) who think Amy Ryan is a major favorite at this point. As Tee said, it's not JUST that Ryan is sweeping the critics prizes -- that didn't help the performers you listed, Bill Murray, Imelda Staunton, a whole slew of others. But I think, critics awards aside, there isn't really another viable win contender at this point EXCEPT Amy Ryan. Those critics prizes only solidify her lead in this category.

Who else is going to win? Certainly not one of the three Brionys -- I'd say their collective performance (and the through-line from actress to actress) is what's most impressive about Ronan, Garai, and Redgrave. Neither stands out enough on their own to trump the competition, both external and internal. (And Redgrave's performance has that pipsqueak length hurdle to overcome.)

Catherine Keener, Kelly MacDonald, and Tilda Swinton have all been talked about for nominations, and are all solid enough in well-liked films...but none are enough of a standout to really contend for a win.

Then there's Blanchett, the year's other great supporting actress performance. She's wildly entertaining and technically proficient, but, as others have pointed out many times, she has the dual hurdles of having won very recently AND appearing in artier film many will find inaccessible. Taken together, those hurdles seem near-impossible to overcome.

And so we're left with Ryan, who gives a standout, very baity performance in a quality film. I think she's got more than a bit of the Marcia Gay Harden factor helping her out: she's a workaholic character actress who finally got the role that allows her to shine. Is she anything like a lock? Of course not. But show me a contender who could conceivably upset her at this point and I'll change my tune.



Edited By The Original BJ on 1197322137

[criddic3]

We don't have a sentimental favorite? If Vanessa Redgrave gets nominated, she could be that sentimental favorite. (and yes, I realize Lauren Bacall was also a sentimental favorite, but I'm just putting that out there).

In Supporting Actor, there could be some love for M. Emmet Walsh, but his chances all hinge on GG recognition. Without it, I'm afraid he'll never make it to the gala.

And Amy Adams had quite a bit of critical concensus around her. She nabbed a number of prizes, but her film was small and not a terribly big box office draw. Gone Baby Gone has already left the cineplex and may require some voters to catch a screening or a screener. Adams may not be the BEST correlation, but I'm thinking it's a good one at this point.

What about Hal Holbrook?

[Damien]

I wonder why the New Yorkers merely slapped a special citation on the quite extraordinary Killer of Sheep, when last year they allowed an even older movie receiving its first New York release (Army of Shadows) to compete.

[Penelope]

Gone Baby Gone is playing at several multiplexes in the D.C. area, as well.

And, I would imagine, give all these critics awards, and a likely showing at the Golden Globes, it will continue to play through the season.

[flipp525]

Adams may not be the BEST correlation, but I'm thinking it's a good one at this point.

It's really not, though. Adams was practically the only reason to see Junebug, a movie much smaller than Gone Baby Gone. Her performance was the centerpiece of the film and, unlike Amy Ryan, she was playing a very likable, naïve character. And, if I recall correctly, she had one critics' award going into the race (the BFCA which she shared with Michelle Williams) next to the several that Ryan has already racked up.

I think what Tee is saying is that the inaccessibility of Cate Blanchett's film (and it can be quite off-putting at moments) will give her performance less of a chance of achieving this supposed frontrunner status that all the pre-buzz had bestowed upon her. Her recent win also makes it unnecessary for her to be honored again so soon (someone over on the imdb boards actually stated that she'd win for I'm Not There in order to make up for not winning for Elizabeth in '98 and last year for Notes -- what kind of logic is that?!). As several of us said immediately upon viewing Gone Baby Gone, Ryan's performance is a true stand-out and worthy of all the awards attention its getting. The fact that she's a relatively unknown actor who's clearly paid her dues (and is still living in her one bedroom apartment in New York worried about how she'll pay the next bills) makes her quick rise from obscurity all the more rootable. It would be refreshing to see this category actually honor a true supporting player rather than some star diva slumming it in support.

Sentimental favorites are typically un-Oscared and past due for recognition. Vanessa Redgrave already famously won an Oscar for Julia and has been nominated several times in the past. A nomination for her would be a nice welcome back nod as well as a way of honoring all three actresses who portrayed her character in Atonement, since her performance had as much to do with Saorise and Romola as it did with hers' on its own.

Gone Baby Gone is playing at several multiplexes in the D.C. area, as well.



Edited By flipp525 on 1197319029