Nyfcc 2012

[cinemabon]

Best Picture: "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"

Best Actress: Rachel Weisz, "The Deep Blue Sea"

Best Supporting Actor: Matthew McConaughey, "Bernie," "Magic Mike"

Best Supporting Actress: Sally Field, "Lincoln"

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Cinematographer: Greig Fraser, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Foreign Film: "Amour," directed by Michael Haneke

Best Animated Film: "Frankenweenie," directed by Tim Burton

Best Documentary: "The Central Park Five," directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon

Best First Film: "How to survive the plague" David France

[cinemabon]

Unfortunately, our program took the cap letters and converted them to small letters for the title. My bad - cinemabon

[Chris Knipp]

NYFCC Awards
cinemabon, if you include in a thread title a word with caps and lower case along with the all caps item, as above, the acronym doesn't get knocked down to lower case. I learned this by trial and error.

The NYFCC choices (as far as we can tell so far) are impeccable -- only they chose for their most important two awards a movie we'll most of us have to wait till the Dec. 19 limited release at best or for when ZERO DARK THIRTY goes wide in January 2013 to actually see.

The NYFCC also picked Tony Kushner's LINCOLN text as Best Screenplay; I would not agree with that even if you argued with me for four hours. They picked it because it's "writer-y" the way a lot of over-acclaimed performances are "actory-y." Day-Lewis' Lincoln one is admirably NOT overly "actory-y"; relatively low-key, which is particularly praiseworthy in embodying such a famous figure.

I think Matthew McConaughey's dumping of mediocre rom-coms in favor of edgier roles is commendable, though they are somewhat all of a piece except for MAGIC MIKE, and they don't mention some less critically acceptable (even loathed) titles he's also been in this year, namely KILLER JOE and THE PAPERBOY, in both of which Zac Efron tags along. I have more time for them than most people; in fact I find them more fun than either MAGIC MIKE or BERNIE.

I was moved and impressed by Sally Field in LINCOLN.

Do you think maybe it might have increased the NYFCC credibility if they had included in their main awards one title that came out more than a month or so ago? Are they all old people, who can't remember further back than that? Sometimes films released early in the year are worthy of recognition, particularly because they aren't released as Oscar bait like LINCOLN, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, LIFE OF PI, FLIGHT, etc. Some hold in very high regard, for instance, Paul Weitz's BEING FLYNN, with DeNiro and Paul Dano, released at the beginning of March.

I also haven't seen THE CENTAL PARK FIVE; because I'm not in NYC now, and it opened Friday a week ago there, but again, only in a few locations. The subject of the wrongly incarcerated and very belatedly exonerated is an important topic in this country (Jean Valjean lives on, and not just in the upcoming LES MIZ), this is a high-profile example, I've seen and heard interviews with the filmmakers and some of the Five. With Ken Burns and his daughter involved in it, it's likely to be beautifully crafted and receive the critical imprimatur. HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE I also chose for my Best Documentary for the CriticWire poll due to its thorough research and the great importance of the topic of the ACT-UP campaign for AIDS medical research in the Nineties, which was crucial.

P.s. THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE is coming to Berkeley's Landmark Shattuck Cinemas in two weeks, but only for a week.

[cinemabon]

When it comes to retrospection, I thought all critics were short-sighted! (dig)

All kidding aside, I agree with you, Chris on how or why certain films were passed over, especially "Life of Pi" (see my comments). I haven't seen "Silver Linings Playbook" but it is on my short list.

I saw the news story with Ken Burns explaining how his daughter brought this project to him and wanted to make this film. And I can see how its importance is keenly felt in NYC.

As to the "Lincoln" screenplay, you and I discussed this earlier and I also found it failing on several accounts. Which writing would you have prefered gained the nod?

Will "The Hobbit" have as much impact on the awards as Jackson's first foire into Tolkien's world? The quality level will be there, as he is a master craftsman. I'm just not certain how much the Academy or other critics will take it "seriously" this time (as the WOW factor has diminished).

I've heard Brad Pitt's movie is a bomb. I'm also wondering about Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" will play with critics.

[Chris Knipp]

I don't think HOBBIT is going to be important for awards as far as I know. For Best Screenplay see my responses to the CriticWire Year's-End Critic's Poll (on my Best Movies of 2012 So Far thread) here (http://www.filmleaf.net/showthread.php?3304-Best-movies-of-2012-so-far&p=28896#post28896)-- it was not a choice written in stone but I wanted to choose something much more original and cinematic and so chose LOOPER. I agree LIFE OF PI is aces for the visuals and of course CGI as well as the two boys playing the young Pi; not as crazy about the older later Pi actor. I hear that Tarantino's DJANGO UNCHAINED has been getting raves at critics' previews (http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/dec/03/quentin-tarantino-django-unchained-twitter) and is a likely awards candidate. I'm going to see it day after tomorrow (Thurs., Dec. 6) so will let you know what I think. I still love SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, even if some (such as Mike D'Angelo, (http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/nov/21/film-review-silver-linings-playbook/) whose views I listen to,) think its picture of mental illness is cornily feel-good and false. If by Brad Pitt's movie you mean KILLING THEM SOFTLY you can read my review of that in these pages (http://www.filmleaf.net/showthread.php?3392-KILLING-THEM-SOFTLY-%28Andrew-Dominik-2012%29) from last week -- it's not a bomb at all -- Metacritic score 64 -- but while it has tasty performances especially by Pitt, it's not the sort of thing to appeal to conservative juries and not awards material, I guess, though I woudln't think aging Academy voters would like wading through ZERO DARK THIRTY either, though it will appeal to those who think it's patriotic to follow the hunt for Bin Laden.

It seems that some now are falling in love with Jason Tippet and Elizabeth Mims' limited release doc ONLY THE YOUNG, about a few high school seniors in a small LA County California town.

[cinemabon]

The skateboarding duo, with their ever changing colorful hair, make for an interesting if not eclectic couple, drawn together by mutual friendship that never quite equates to physical love.

[Chris Knipp]

Meaning you've seen ONLY THE YOUNG then? How? It only opens in NYC Friday and was in a few festivals.

[Chris Knipp]

The National Board of Review awards are out. They named LOOPER's Best Original Screenplay (as I did). ZERO DARK THIRTY won big again. DiCaprio got Best Supporting Actor for DJANGO UNCHAINED.

http://www.nbrmp.org/


New York, NY – (December 5, 2012) – The National Board of Review has named ZERO DARK THIRTY the 2012 Best Film of the Year.

Below is a full list of the awards given by the National Board of Review:

Best Film: ZERO DARK THIRTY
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, ZERO DARK THIRTY
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, ZERO DARK THIRTY
Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, DJANGO UNCHAINED
Best Supporting Actress: Ann Dowd, COMPLIANCE
Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson, LOOPER
Best Adapted Screenplay: David O. Russell, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Best Animated Feature: WRECK-IT RALPH
Special Achievement in Filmmaking: Ben Affleck, ARGO
Breakthrough Actor: Tom Holland, THE IMPOSSIBLE
Breakthrough Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Best Directorial Debut: Benh Zeitlin, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Best Foreign Language Film: AMOUR
Best Documentary: SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN
William K. Everson Film History Award: 50 YEARS OF BOND FILMS
Best Ensemble: LES MISÉRABLES
Spotlight Award: John Goodman (ARGO, FLIGHT, PARANORMAN, TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE)
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: CENTRAL PARK FIVE
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: PROMISED LAND

[cinemabon]

They have a three minute preview on You Tube for "Only the Young" that almost shows the entire film start to finish in summary (I've always disliked trailers that become the highlight reel).

Interesting choices for Brad Cooper (I missed my chance to see "Silver Linings Playbook" today. Perhaps over the weekend) and screenplay.

What is a Special Achievement in Film? I see Ben Affleck won for "Argo" Was that because he directed and starred? (not an easy thing to do when considering retakes - Allen did his entire career. Did he ever win a Special Achievement Award. If not, then perhaps a historical award, like 50 Years of Woody Allen)

[Chris Knipp]

What special achievement? That's a good question. In my view ARGO has serious flaws (mainly in its screenplay), despite its mainstream entertainment value. I can't see listing it in my 2012 best lists. Naivete and jingoism re: Middle East topics are big minuses for me, due to my background in Middle East studies and my concerns about US foreign policy. I prefer Affleck's earlier directorial work. However ARGO is obviously a step up in expense and complexity of production for him, not to mention his starring in it (though I thought his performance too bland).

We don't like those lengthy "highlight reel" trailers, so why do we watch them? It's hard to resist, I guess. I know some critics avoid them, and those who can see everything they review in press screenings are able to avoid them. I don't have that advantage. I sometimes wind up seeing some trailers six or eight times.

I would advise seeing SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. However Bradley Cooper is a dubious choice for a Best Actor award. Whether he is a real actor needs further demonstration first.

The National Board of Review choices are less convincing than the NYFCC ones -- the latter is a smarter group, I think. I wouldn't give any award to COMPLIANCE. Some choices are heralds of things to come, though, for instance LES MIZ Best Ensemble, which may be a good choice. I had a hard time thinking up any "best ensemble" from my favorite films of the year, because they really aren't ensemble films. Maybe THE PAPERBOY? LES MIZ, being a musical, definitely is ensemble work.

[cinemabon]

This was the trailer. It just seemed like six minutes, so I amended my post. My bad...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0QwJgSKvnk