DC Flies Clooney Skies

Last year the DC Film Critics Association gave Slumdog millions (of prizes). This year they express their desire to fly George Clooney's friendly skies. I'm not here to judge (well not in this particular sentence) as I'm totally in love with Up in the Air, too. But then I just saw it and am still fanning myself from the heat coming off of Clooney & Farmiga. I need a little distance and a cold shower before I commit to any "best!" notions. Thankfully I allow myself that. Most organizations do not. Hence the hasty decision making.

I didn't share their nominees with you yesterday because I found them vaguely embarrassing, like the assembled journos all just came in late and frazzled having left their notes on the Metrorail. Instead of thinking it through they scribbled the names of Oscar buzz du jour types and called it a day. My point is this: I am scared of these people that think The Blind Side is better written than [insert name of a dozen films of high and low profiles here]. The only thing that's making that movie glow is Sandra Bullock's charisma, which even when surprisingly and purposefully buttoned down, is pretty damn shiny. The writers didn't write that. Bullock brings that with her when she reports to work.

Film Up in the Air
Director Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Actress Carey Mulligan, An Education
Actor George Clooney, Up in the Air
Supporting Actress Mo'Nique, Precious
Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Adapted Screenplay Up in the Air
Original Screenplay Inglourious Basterds
Breakthrough Performance Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Animated Film Up
Foreign Film Sin Nombre
Documentary Food, Inc
Art Direction Nine

These awards mostly seem like Oscar winner predictions and as such they're pretty very good... I could see all of that happening or nearly. But you know my feeling about using your awards to predict: Two different things! Two different things that should never be mixed!

Why is this beautiful: set, lighting, or Day-Lewis silhouette? You decide.

And on that note I have to both give and takeaway: I think John Myhre's work on Nine is gorgeous BUT (there's always a but with me. I'm so difficult!) one does have to wonder how many Oscars and other prizes John Myhre can collect simply dressing up theatrical stages (Dreamgirls, Chicago, Nine). I do think his work on Nine trumps his other features including the ones that don't take place on a stage (Elizabeth, Memoirs of a Geisha) [tangent] or aren't supposed to. I definitely think Geisha looks like it takes place on a stage and it shouldn't... I thought it was the least deserving of the nominees that year so of course it won. Here's who shoulda been nominated in 2005 [/tangent] ...but this many prizes for dressing up stages? It seems to me like the cinematographer is the one doing the work when the movie takes place on stage. Am I right or am I missing something? Either is possible.
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