The Gotham Awards juried nominations have recently surplanted the ancient NBR as the first real awards nomination/wins of the film year. That it happens in October is more than a little crazy, but what'cha gonna do? The New York centric film prizes, think of it as the Spirit Awards's East Coast Cousin albeit with far fewer prizes will be held on December 1st. Since they only have six categories and four separate juries (composed of critics and programmers), multiple nods aren't as easy to come by as they are at other shows but a handful of films managed it: Boyhood, Birdman, Dear White People, Nightcrawler, and Under the Skin.
BEST FEATURE
- BIRDMAN
- BOYHOOD
- GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
- LOVE IS STRANGE
- UNDER THE SKIN
Very happy to see the intensely moving Love is Strange, in constant danger of being undervalued, show up. Especially since it didn't show up anywhere else. 199 films were eligible for these honors.
BEST ACTRESS (they don't have lead or supporting designations)
Big year for GUGU with Belle as breakthrough and a nom for Beyond the Lights
- PATRICIA ARQUETTE, Boyhood
- SCARLETT JOHANSSON, Under the Skin
- GUGU MBATHA-RAW, Beyond the Lights
- JULIANNE MOORE, Still Alice
- MIA WASIKOWSKA, Tracks
Given that Still Alice is only getting a qualifying Oscar run and there's no proof that it will even play in NYC by the end of the year (LA is the only required theatrical run) I think it's weird to nominate Julianne Moore at the Gothams, however excellent she is in the picture. I wonder what criteria they use for eligibility?
BEST ACTOR (they don't have lead or supporting designations)
- BILL HADER, The Skeleton Twins
- ETHAN HAWKE, Boyhood
- OSCAR ISAAC, A Most Violent Year
- MICHAEL KEATON, Birdman
- MILES TELLER, Whiplash
Interesting to see Oscar Isaac show up but not Jessica Chastain when the same nominating committee chose for both categories.
BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR OR ACTRESS
- RIZ AHMED, Nightcrawler
- MACON BLAIR, Blue Ruin
- ELLAR COLTRANE, Boyhood
- JOEY KING, Wish I Was Here
- JENNY SLATE, Obvious Child
- TESSA THOMPSON, Dear White People
Slightly odd choices by the breakthrough committee. I love Boyhood and Nightcrawler but it seems weird to single out Coltrane or Ahmed from either, not only because they aren't the MVPs but because their performances just aren't at the same accomplished level as their co-stars.
BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR
- ANA LILY AMIRPOUR, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
- JAMES WARD BYRKIT, Coherence
- DAN GILROY, Nightcrawler
- ELIZA HITTMAN, It Felt Like Love
- JUSTIN SIMIEN, Dear White People
BEST DOCUMENTARY
- ACTRESS
- CITIZENFOUR
- LIFE ITSELF
- MANAKAMANA
- POINT AND SHOOT
I haven't yet seen Life Itself (I know I know) but I increasingly suspect, based on everything I've read about it, that hero worship is really getting in the way. It's not that I don't appreciate Ebert's work or that I don't understand the need to honor him for a special life in this very specialized field. But as with Oscars view of documentary, sometimes subject matter trumps execution in terms of awardage. Critics complain when that happens. Except when it happens to a movie about a film critic ;) I reserve the right to change my mind and consider it very worthy if I see it but I just wanted to point out that this is always a real danger in awardage for all groups, not just Oscar, the effect of subject matter trumping execution.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014 at 10:30AM 
