The 2005 Awards Season Has Started!

Started by MacGuffin, December 01, 2004, 01:42:12 PM

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MacGuffin

'Finding Neverland' Wins First Award of the Season

"Finding Neverland," a fictionalized account of the creation of children's classic "Peter Pan," was named best film of 2004 by The National Board of Review on Wednesday in the first major award of the season.

Oscar hopeful Jamie Foxx was named best actor for "Ray," about legendary singer Ray Charles, while Annette Bening won the best actress award for her role as a 1930s stage diva in "Being Julia."

The awards, voted on by about 150 members of a screening committee along with a 12-member awards panel, are sometimes an early indicator of what to expect in the race of the Academy Awards in February, though frequently its choices are more esoteric than the Oscars .

Michael Mann was named best director for his thriller "Collateral," starring Tom Cruise, while "The Sea Inside" ("Mar adentro") won best foreign language film.

The board's list of top 10 films of the year had in second place "The Aviator" starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a young Howard Hughes, followed by Mike Nichols' "Closer," Clint Eastwood 's "Million Dollar Baby" and "Sideways."
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

Weak2ndAct

Here's the full list:

TOP TEN FILMS OF 2004
1. Finding Neverland
2. The Aviator
3. Closer
4. Million Dollar Baby
5. Sideways
6. Kinsey
7. Vera Drake
8. Ray
9. Collateral
10. Hotel Rwanda

TOP FIVE FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS
1. The Sea Inside
2. Bad Education
3. Maria Full of Grace
4. Les Choristes
5. The Motorcycle Diaries

TOP FIVE DOCUMENTARIES OF 2004
1. Born into Brothels
2. Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession
3. Paper Clips
4. Supersize Me
5. The Story of the Weeping Camel


Best Film: Finding Neverland

Best Foreign Language Film: The Sea Inside

Best Documentary: Born into Brothels

Best Animated Feature: The Incredibles

Best Actor: Jamie Foxx, Ray

Best Actress: Annette Bening, Being Julia

Best Supporting Actor: Thomas Hayden Chuch, Sideways

Best Supporting Actress: Laura Linney, Kinsey

Best Acting by an Ensemble: Closer

Breakthrough Performance Actor: Topher Grace, In Good Company and P.S.

Breakthrough Performance Actress: Emmy Rossum, The Phantom of the Opera




Best Director: Michael Mann, Collateral

Best Directorial Debut: Zack Braff, Garden State

Best Adapted Screenplay: Sideways, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor

Best Original Screenplay: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Charlie Kaufman

Outstanding Production Design: House of Flying Daggers

Career Achievement: Jeff Bridges

Special Filmmaking Achievement: Clint Eastwood, for producing, directing, acting, and scoring Million Dollar Baby

William K. Everson Award for Film History: Richard Schickel

Producers Award: Jerry Bruckheimer

Special Recognition of Films that Reflect the Freedom of Expression: Fahrenheit 9/11, The Passion of the Christ, Conspiracy of Silence


Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking

The National Board of Review, in keeping with its long tradition of recognizing excellence in filmmaking, is proud to salute the following films, crafted by visionary artists which demonstrate the creativity and determination which have always been vital to the film industry:

(Listed alphabetically)
The Assassination of Richard Nixon
Before Sunset
Door in the Floor
Enduring Love
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Facing Windows
Garden State
A Home at the End of the World
Imaginary Heroes
Since Otar Left
Stage Beauty
Undertow
The Woodsman

Alexandro

I haven't seen much of those movies but I'm happy with Mann winning for Collateral...everything great about that movie has to do directly with his attention to detail and commitment to his vision.

It seems that Million Dollar Baby and The Aviator are actually as great as I've been reading since a couple of weeks.

Maybe with this win Mann will get a push for the academy awards...although I would like Marty to win if aviator is as entertaining as I'm hearing...

And cool for Eternal sunshine, right??? time for charlie to win an oscar...

©brad

hell yeah on the following:
aviator ranked #2 (marty back with his A-game. i'm excited)
charlie kaufman (duh)
michael mann


:shock: on the following:
no fahrenheit for best doc
bruckheimer for producer award

overall, i give these awards a big WOW.

cine

Quote from: ©brad:shock: on the following:
no fahrenheit for best doc
Not sure about his eligibility though.. or was that just the Oscars?

MacGuffin

Quote from: cinephiléNot sure about his eligibility though.. or was that just the Oscars?

That's just Oscars. These are similar to critics picks.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

cine


Chest Rockwell

Has nobody noticed Incredibles got Best Animated. That is in my opinion the best pick there. I'm hoping Incredibles beats Shrek at the Oscars.

I'm quite satisfied with everything else, and it makes me excited for Finding Neverland and Aviator. What I'm more amazed with is that I've seen pretty much all the movies, not counting the ones that haven't come out.

El Duderino

Quote from: Chest RockwellI'm hoping Incredibles beats Shrek at the Oscars.

it will. there's no doubt in my mind.
Did I just get cock-blocked by Bob Saget?

Gamblour.

The Incredibles will own, my roommate predicts a Best Feature nom at the oscars. I hope to god Farhenheit goes no further the Palme d'Or it won....guys, it is such a bad movie compared to the other docs that came out, Hijacking Catastrophe is brilliant.
WWPTAD?

MacGuffin

Gothams Find 'Sideways' Ripe for Nod

Director Alexander Payne's acclaimed comedy "Sideways" continued its winning ways at the IFP/New York's 14th annual Gotham Awards Wednesday.

The Fox Searchlight release, set in California's wine country, was hailed as best feature of the year at the Gothams, which were held at Pier Sixty at the Chelsea Pier. A day earlier, the picture received a leading six nominations for the IFP's Independent Spirit Awards, the arthouse world's equivalent of the Oscars .

The Gothams also hailed Jonathan Demme's "The Agronomist," about Haitian human rights activist Jean Dominique, as best documentary. The film has been distributed by ThinkFilm in association with HBO cinema Documentary Films.

The Breakthrough Actor award went to Catalina Sandino Moreno, the star of HBO Films/Fine Line Features' "Maria Full of Grace," while that film's director, Joshua Marston, also took home the breakthrough director honors.

The feature and documentary awards are new categories at the Gothams, which aired live for the first time on IFC.

The evening also included tributes to Mike Leigh (Filmmaker Award for Lifetime Achievement), Michael Moore (Filmmaker Award), Don Cheadle (Gotham Actor Award) and Dan Talbot (Industry Lifetime Achievement Award).

In addition, a Celebrate New York salute was given to Focus Features' "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."
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Abortion Film Sweeps British Film Awards

Mike Leigh's moving portrayal of a back-street abortionist in 1950s London swept the British Independent Film Awards late Tuesday, taking six awards, including Best Film and Best Director.

"Vera Drake" also snared the Best Actress award for Imelda Staunton and Best Actor for Phil Davis.

The film, which deals with a working class abortionist whose views are at odds with the society around her, found similar success at the Venice Film Festival, where it took the Golden Lion for Best Film and Best Actress for Staunton.

The Best Documentary award went to "Touching the Void," a gripping true story about climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates who reached the peak of the Siula Grande in Peru, only to face death on the way down.

"Oldboy," a violent Korean film about a man locked up in a hotel room for 15 years who seeks revenge, took the prize for Best Foreign Film.

The London ceremony was attended by a raft of stars, including Christian Slater, Kelly Brook, Billy Zane and Gillian Anderson.

The British Independent Film Awards were established in 1998.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

©brad

Quote from: MacGuffinThe London ceremony was attended by a raft of stars, including Christian Slater, Kelly Brook, Billy Zane and Gillian Anderson.

pfft, talk about B-list.

Weak2ndAct

The blurb about the Brit Indies omits the fact that Pegg and Wright won best screenplay for 'Shaun of the Dead.'  Glad to see those boys get some props.

MacGuffin

HK Movies to Take Center Stage at Chinese Oscars

Hong Kong movies are likely to take center stage at the Chinese-language version of the Oscars in Taiwan on Saturday, with Wong Kar-wai's latest art house movie "2046" topping the list of nominations.

The film by the internationally acclaimed Hong Kong director about the love life of an erotic novelist received eight Golden Horse nominations, including best feature film, actor and actress.

Finished just in time to debut in the Cannes film festival last May, "2046" is another example of an Asian movie that has transcended language and cultural barriers to hit international screens.

The film looked to be the strongest contender, said film critic Li Ya-mei.

"It's not just Chinese movies. Korean movies especially are also gaining interest in Hollywood. The rise of Asian movies shows audiences are tired of a lack of creation by Hollywood and are trying to find good movies elsewhere," Li said.

But Taiwan director Alex Yang, whose "Taipei 21" won the top prize for best film at this year's Asia Pacific Film Festival, was less certain about the prospects for Asian films, which face much tighter budget constraints than Hollywood rivals.

The director said Asian movies that have enjoyed huge following around the world, such as Ang Lee's martial arts epic, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and Zhang Yimou's "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers," are rare exceptions.

It is still difficult for independent Asian filmmakers to compete in Hollywood, he said.

"Movies that are popular in the West have similar characteristics. They have the backing of well-funded international movie companies and the stories fulfil the fantasy of Western audiences about the East," Yang said.

"You need the necessary ingredients to be recognized internationally and be commercially successful," he said.

DARK HORSE

Taiwan has played host to the Golden Horse awards, which showcases films from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, for 41 years. This year they will be held in the central city of Taichung.

But contestants from Hong Kong and China have stolen the spotlight in recent years with Taiwan's once-thriving movie industry in decline.

Critics say Taiwan's slow-moving art films have lost support at home as viewers find them dull and difficult to understand and opt instead for more nail-biting U.S. blockbusters.

Apart from "2046," which stars a bevy of top Asian actors including best actor nominee Tony Leung and best actress nominee Zhang Ziyi, Chinese director Lu Chuan's "Kekexili" is seen as a dark horse candidate for best film.

"Kekexili," a bleak portrayal of life on the Tibetan plateau, was nominated in four categories, including best director and best actor.

Other contestants for best film are "Breaking News," which combines Hong Kong's favorite cop drama genre with its paparazzi-style journalism, and "One Nite in Mongkok," which is about gang fighting -- another popular tale.

Taiwan's "The Moon Also Rises," directed by Lin Cheng-sheng, is also vying for best film and tells the story of a divorced single mother and her adolescent daughter in their sunny but isolated seashore hometown.

The melancholy drama competes in five other categories, including best actress and best screenplay adaptation.

To revive the past glory of Taiwan cinema, once the darling of international film festivals, the government is offering tax breaks and state subsidies to the industry.

"Korean movies were no better than ours in the past. If they can do it, so can we," said Liu Ching-hsiung, a cabinet adviser with the job of drafting plans to reinvigorate Taiwan movies.

For a full list of nominations, go to www.goldenhorse.org.tw
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

pete

I think Taiwan and Iran make most numbers of painfully slow arthouse films each year, way more than the other countries.  A lot of it is just necessity though.  If you can't afford cranes and steadicams, then you can either go hand-held gritty like Wong KarWai's films, or you can do it Ozu-style like the Taiwanese films.
"Tragedy is a close-up; comedy, a long shot."
- Buster Keaton