Austin I wasn't going to do the smaller cities this year (I don't understand why there is more than one critics association in Texas?) but Austin deserves notice because they were the only group that dared to think outside of the box last year, denying Helen Mirren (The Queen) a clean sweep of all 2,171 Best Actress prizes on the planet. Instead they gave their award to Ellen Page in Hard Candy. Guess what? They'll have seconds. Page it is... again. Are they wooing the starlet to relocate to sunny Texas?Picture There Will Be Blood
Director P.T. Anderson There Will Be Blood
Actress Ellen Page Juno her second consecutive win with Austin. What's she making next year?
Actor Daniel Day-Lewis There Will Be Blood
Supporting Actress Allison Janney, Juno
Joe and I were discussing her last night. Joe described her as "suspended in a vat of awesome" heh. I didn't quite catch Juno fever myself but I loved Janney in it. I've started using her hilarious phrases at home -- "East Jesus Nowhere" being my current favorite.
Supporting Actor Javier Bardem No Country For Old Men
Foreign Language Film Black Book
Animated Feature Ratatouille
Canadian Film Away From Her
Documentary No End in Sight What no Sicko which gave Canada props for its humane health care program?
Best First Feature Ben Affleck for Gone Baby Gone
"Fact" that most of us did not know until the critics organizations taught us: Ben Affleck and Sarah Polley were the only first time filmmakers allowed behind cameras this year. That they both just happen to be famous actors is entirely coincidental!!!
Breakthrough Michael Cera Superbad and Juno
Screenplay, Adapted The Coen Bros No Country For Old Men
Screenplay, Original Diablo Cody Juno
The only two screenplays written this year. All other films were improvised. Hadn't you heard?
Cinematography and Score There Will Be Blood
Austin Film Award Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez Grindhouse
Toronto. I've only been there twice but I love the city and the people were so friendly and the film festival is so good. Oh, Toronto... I've missed you these past few years. Their "best" this year?Picture No Country For Old Men
Director The Coen Bros No Country For Old Men
Actress (tie) Julie Christie Away From Her and Ellen Page Juno
Toronto's film critics, torn between hometown pride for Away From Her and love for Canadian sprite Ellen Page, threw up their hands and went with both. Oh Canada, you sentimental thing!
Actor Viggo Mortensen Eastern Promises
Another Canadian advantage... he stars in a David Cronenberg film. Not that he isn't deserving. If Austin gets Ellen Page can I have Viggo Mortensen?
Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Supporting Actor Javier Bardem No Country For Old Men
Foreign Language Film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Animated Feature Ratatouille
Screenplay The Coen Bros No Country For Old Men
Documentary No End in Sight
What no Sicko which gave Canada props?
Best First Feature Sarah Polley for Away From HerCanadian Film Away From Her
I'm so proud of her. It's like I'm Canada
I basically don't have to even type these posts up anymore. Copy and paste. "Groupthink does have its advantages," he says with a sigh. The gross thing that I didn't mention? Somehow Phillip Seymour Hoffman was in the running for supporting (a runner up) for Charlie Wilson's War. While it's true that I am not a fan I'm not blind when he does deserve accolades. He was great in Magnolia and Capote both. I can see why people like the work in Before the Devil... and The Savages but Charlie Wilson's War? Beyond the look-at-me screaming and cracking of jokes, what is going on in that performance? I wouldn't care, supporting actor being traditionally the least interesting Oscar acting race, but for the great people who'll be snubbed to give him a spot this year for totally serviceable but unremarkable work.
There's also the London Film Critics Association Nominations to peruse if you're so inclined --they're the first to give Zodiac or Laura Linney in the The Savages any love. Good on them. The Phoenix Film Critics also spoke but it's a virtual repeat of almost every other group so only click over if you're absolutely desperate to see what's hot in the (602).
