With Oscar nominations just 17 days away, it's all over but the stragglers, the ceremonies (BFCA and Globes in a week's time. Whooo) and one biggie precursor the Director's Guild of America, which will announce on Monday. Awards season always starts feeling about deja vu at this point. But we're about to wake up to the NOW. Just 17 days...
But here's three more awards crumbs until we get there: The ever-looney BAFTA long lists (not their nominees. that happens later), Ohio Critics and the Cinema Audio Society. It's a lot to cover so it's all after the jump.
OHIO
COFCA, that's the Central Ohio Film Critics Association to you, has named their best of the year. Wanna read about it?
♪ ♫ WHYOHWHYOHWHYOH... WHY DID I EVER LEAVE OHIO ♪ ♫
Picture - Inception
Director - Chris Nolan for Inception
Actor - James Franco for 127 Hours
Actress - Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Supporting Actress - Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit
Supporting Actor - Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech
Breakthrough - Chloe Moretz for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Kick-Ass and Let Me In
(This might be an example of a time when you don't want to include all of someone's performances. Who talks about her work in Wimpy Kid. And since they list it alphabetically, it looks quite odd.)
Ensemble - The Fighter
Animated Film - Toy Story 3
Foreign Film - Mother
Documentary - Exit Through the Gift Shop
Overlooked Film - Nicole Holofcener's Please Give
Original Screenplay -Chris Nolan, Inception
Adapted Screenplay -Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Could Shutter Island surprise in Best Picture?SOUND
The Cinema Audio Society also chose their nominees which might be an Oscar clue given that they are voted on by sound professionals. We get four Best Picture hopefuls... and Shutter Island, which I suppose could be a shock spoiler for Best Picture, being both a hit and a technically appealing movie, but I'm personally not banking on it.
CAS Nominees
Black Swan
Inception
Shutter Island
The Social Network
True Grit
Will we see those same five among Oscar's two sound categories? Or will Oscar's sound branch twist slightly away to include another action film or a cartoon as they are sometimes prone to do? Though sound mixing and sound editing are different disciplines -- and some people get angry at the suggestion that Oscar should only have one sound category for that very reason -- I find it interesting that a professional society like CAS makes no such distinction. Meanwhile Oscar's audio branch also usually fails to notice the difference in the disciplines, nominating (mostly) the same films in both categories, thereby arguably defeating their own claim to two categories. I am not advocating for a fusion of the categories but it does make you wonder: Should we have two Art Direction categories with Oscar, one for the production designers and one for the set decorators? Or would they, like the sound designers, simply nominate the same 4 to 5 films in both categories?
Strangely, CAS's television awards offer up 10 nominees instead of 5 for film (Episodes of The Pacific hog 40% of the list. Other nominees include: Temple Grandin, 24, Boardwalk Empire's 12th episode, Dexter's "Take It", Glee's "Power of Madonna" and Modern Family's "Chirp" -Jesus, that was a funny episode. Remember that one?
BAFTA
They'll announce their real nominees on January 18th but for now we have what's known as the longlist. The King's Speech and Black Swan lead with 15 mentions. This is essentially like the bake-off we see for Oscar's technical branches. We're SO glad Oscar doesn't do this because it would be just so illusion-breaking. The way it works now you can simply pretend that you're favorite obscure film or performance was just short of being a surprise miracle nominee but if Oscar used a longlist you'd soon discover that your awesome favorite couldn't even enter a field of 15 behind undoubtedly dubious work that won more eyeballs. There wouldn't be enough Prozac in all the world.
someone finally stands up for MADE IN DAGENHA
Notably absent: We're going to assume that Animal Kingdom wasn't eligible for anything lest we feel the need to ATTACK. The Way Back and Conviction show up precisely nowhere as well.
Best Film
127 Hours
Another Year
Black Swan
The Fighter
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Shutter Island
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone
This list contains the 11 films that everyone assumes are fighting for the 10 Oscar spots, plus some British acting-heaven (Another Year, Made in Dagenham) and that tattooed girl who wouldn't leave the world alone last year. Oh and Shutter Island, too for good measure. Noticeably absent: Never Let Me Go and The Ghost Writer which show up a few times in other categories.
Director
Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Tim Burton, Alice In Wonderland
Mike Leigh, Another Year
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David O. Russell, The Fighter
Niels Arden Oplev, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Chris Nolan, Inception
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Nigel Cole, Made In Dagenham
Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island
David Fincher, The Social Network
Ben Affleck, The Town
Lee Unkrich, Toy Story 3
The Coen Bros, True Grit
The first thing I notice about this list is that it's exactly the same as Best Film but for dropping Debra Granik's quality work on Winter's Bone in favor of... wait for it... uh... Tim Burton for his absolute worst movie ever. Congratulations BAFTA loons, you've outdone yourself!
Adapted Screenplay
127 Hours
Alice In Wonderland
Barney’s Version
Brighton Rock
Despicable Me
The Ghost Writer
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Never Let Me Go
Rabbit Hole
Shutter Island
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone
Original Screenplay
Another Year
Biutiful
Black Swan
Blue Valentine
The Disappearance Of Alice Creed
The Fighter
Four Lions
Get Low
Hereafter
I Am Love
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Of Gods and Men
Don't be sad Javi. You made the long list!
Leading Actor
Aaron Eckhart (Howie) – Rabbit Hole
Ben Affleck (Doug MacRay) – The Town
Colin Firth (King George VI) – The King’s Speech
James Franco (Aron Ralston) – 127 Hours
Javier Bardem (Uxbal) – Biutiful
Jeff Bridges (Marshal Reuben J Cogburn) – True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg) – The Social Network
Jim Broadbent (Tom) – Another Year
Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter) – Alice In Wonderland
Leonardo DiCaprio (Cobb) – Inception
Leonardo DiCaprio (Teddy Daniels) – Shutter Island
Mark Wahlberg (Micky Ward) – The Fighter
Paul Giamatti (Barney Panofsky) – Barney’s Version
Robert Duvall (Felix Bush) – Get Low
Ryan Gosling (Dean) – Blue Valentine
Surprise! It isn't just the Globes who loved Depp's Mad Hatter. Noticeably absent (given the wide wide field): Stephen Dorff in Somewhere and Ewan McGregor in The Ghost Writer.
Leading Actress
Andrea Riseborough (Rose) – Brighton Rock
Annette Bening (Nic) – The Kids Are All Right
Carey Mulligan (Kathy) – Never Let Me Go
Gemma Arterton (Alice) – The Disappearance Of Alice Creed
Gemma Arterton (Tamara Drewe) – Tamara Drewe
Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross) – True Grit
Jennifer Lawrence (Ree) – Winter’s Bone
Julianne Moore (Jules) – The Kids Are All Right
Michelle Williams (Cindy) – Blue Valentine
Natalie Portman (Nina Sayers / The Swan Queen) – Black Swan
Nicole Kidman (Becca) – Rabbit Hole
Noomi Rapace (Lisbeth Salander) – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Rosamund Pike (Miriam Grant-Panofsky) – Barney’s Version
Sally Hawkins (Rita O’Grady) – Made In Dagenham
Tilda Swinton (Emma Recchi) – I Am Love
Surprise! Hailee finally gets placed in the correct category and most of the longshot Oscar bases are covered. They've also added a few Brits who've struggled to gain any traction whatsoever. Plus two potential nods for Gemma Arterton.
Supporting Actor
Andrew Garfield (Eduardo Saverin) – The Social Network
Andrew Garfield (Tommy) – Never Let Me Go
Ben Kingsley (Dr Cawley) – Shutter Island
Bill Murray (Frank Quinn) – Get Low
Bob Hoskins (Albert) – Made In Dagenham
Christian Bale (Dicky Eklund) – The Fighter
Dustin Hoffman (Izzy Panofsky) – Barney’s Version
Geoffrey Rush (Lionel Logue) – The King’s Speech
Guy Pearce (King Edward VIII) – The King’s Speech
Jeremy Renner (James Coughlin) – The Town
Justin Timberlake (Sean Parker) – The Social Network
Mark Ruffalo (Paul) – The Kids Are All Right
Matt Damon (La Boeuf) – True Grit
Pete Postlethwaite (Fergus ‘Fergie’ Colm) – The Town
Vincent Cassel (Thomas Leroy / The Gentleman) – Black Swan
Surprise! Pete Postlethwaite (RIP) and Ben Kingsley? Wasn't expecting either, were you? Reminder Andrew Garfield had quite a year, didn't he? But I think this Oscar race is the most predictable right now in terms of who will be nominated and win, don't you? Unforgiveable Snub: 15 spots and you still don't have room for SAG nominee John Hawke's "Tear Drop" in Winter's Bone? For shame.
Supporting Actress
Amy Adams (Charlene Fleming) – The Fighter
Barbara Hershey (Erica Sayers / The Queen) – Black Swan
Ellen Page (Ariadne) – Inception
Geraldine James (Connie) – Made In Dagenham
Helena Bonham Carter (Queen Elizabeth) – The King’s Speech
Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen) – Alice In Wonderland
Lesley Manville (Mary) – Another Year
Marion Cotillard (Mal) – Inception
Melissa Leo (Alice Ward) – The Fighter
Mila Kunis (Lily / The Black Swan) – Black Swan
Miranda Richardson (Barbara Castle) – Made In Dagenham
Olivia Williams (Ruth Lang) – The Ghost Writer
Rebecca Hall (Claire Keesey) – The Town
Rosamund Pike (Lisa Hopkins) – Made In Dagenham
Winona Ryder (Beth Macintyre / The Dying Swan) – Black Swan
Surprise: Noni Ryder gets some attention for her cameo in Black Swan. Lesley Manville (Another Year) is placed in supporting instead of lead. Weirdest Entry: Ellen Page in Inception? I'm a Page fan actually but that is ridonculous. And at the expense of Snubbed: Dianne Wiest in Rabbit Hole and Dale Dickey in Winter's Bone?!? You're silly BAFTA voters. Silly silly silly.
"WAKE ME UP WAKE ME UPPPPPPPP"
Make Up & Hair
127 Hours
Alice In Wonderland
Black Swan
Brighton Rock
The Fighter
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
I Am Love
Inception
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Never Let Me Go
Shutter Island
The Social Network
True Grit
Special Visual Effects
127 Hours
Alice In Wonderland
Black Swan
Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
Hereafter
How To Train Your Dragon
Inception
Iron Man 2
Kick-Ass
The King’s Speech
Monsters
Shutter Island
Toy Story 3
Tron Legacy
It's so weird to me that Black Swan and the animated features didn't even make Oscar's semi-finals in visual fx despite all those films that did that everyone thought looked like crap. Strange.
Sound
127 Hours
Alice In Wonderland
Black Swan
Brighton Rock
The Fighter
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
Inception
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Shutter Island
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Editing
127 Hours
Alice In Wonderland
Black Swan
The Fighter
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Shutter Island
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Costume Design
Alice In Wonderland
Black Swan
Brighton Rock
Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
I Am Love
Inception
Kick-Ass
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Never Let Me Go
Shutter Island
The Social Network
True Grit
Surprise! Lot of contemporary-ish films on the list. This is the most interesting longlist since we usually never get a hint of the wide range of opinions in this category. Biggest surprise has to be The Social Network's frat boy wear. Noticeably absent showy work: Get Low, Robin Hood, The Tempest, Secretariat, Tron Legacy, Prince of Persia and Burlesque.
Production Design
127 Hours
Alice In Wonderland
Black Swan
Brighton Rock
The Fighter
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
I Am Love
Inception
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Never Let Me Go
Shutter Island
The Social Network
True Grit
No Ghost Writer even here with 15 spots? Shame. You know how I feel about the production design on that one. Gotta make room for Hermione's empty tent!
Cinematography
127 Hours
Alice In Wonderland
Black Swan
The Fighter
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
I Am Love
Inception
The King’s Speech
Never Let Me Go
Shutter Island
The Social Network
The Town
True Grit
Winter’s Bone
Animated Film
Chico & Rita
Despicable Me
How To Train Your Dragon
Illusionist, The
Toy Story 3
Original Music
127 Hours
Alice In Wonderland
Biutiful
Brighton Rock
Despicable Me
The Ghost Writer
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
How To Train Your Dragon
Inception
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Never Let Me Go
The Social Network
The Town
It feels like voters only saw 17 films last year, right?