2011: The Cinescape ... edited by Matt Shapiro

Once again, Matt Shapiro has completely blown me away with his year-end film montage. I seriously wait for these to come out every single year. WELL DONE MATT!

Review - Young Adult (2011)

My quick thoughts on YOUNG ADULT... Definitely not a "feel-good" movie by any means. Very mature filmmaking from one of our most talented young American directors. A strong performance by Charlize Theron, and wonderful supporting work from Patton Oswalt in what could have been a cliche character part very easily. He is the story's conscience and somewhat catalyst at the same time. A film worth checking out, but certainly not Reitman's best. Last time he and Diablo Cody teamed up, we got "Juno", where everyone is always looking on the bright side. Here, pretty much the total opposite. Theron's character is depressed, a constant drinker, and has receded into her longing for youth so badly that her job is to perpetually write a now-failing series of young adult novels, and she travels back to her home town to try to steal her high school sweetheart away from his wife and newborn baby. "Young Adult" in this case could almost literally be translated as "Prolonged Adolescence", cause that's exactly what Theron's character is stuck in. No need to rush out to the theaters, especially with everything else playing this holiday season. Did I enjoy it, yes. It it worth the ticket price? It's a toss-up. To me, a rental would be just fine.     

Rating = B

Possible Nominations
Best Actress (Charlize Theron)
Best Supporting Actor (Patton Oswalt)
Best Original Screenplay

Awards - Golden Globes (HFPA)

The Golden Globes, the annual awards of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have announced their nominees. Always one of the biggest parties in Hollywood, and this year Ricky Gervais will be hosting again. Should be entertaining as hell! Leading the way is the darling of the year to date, The Artist, landing 6 nominations. The Descendents close behind with 5, while The Help, Moneyball, The Ides of March, and Moneyball all received 4. On a more personal note, I think the Globes have actually lost a lot of their luster and "importance" as of late, and they seem to be going the way of more of a 2nd-rate show. Maybe just me. If you need proof, watch the opening speech from Gervais last year. "The Tourist? Really?" Although I must also say that I do think this year's nominees are much more a solid and deserving group.

BEST PICTURE (DRAMA)

The Descendants

The Help

Hugo

The Ides of March

Moneyball

War Horse

BEST PICTURE (COMEDY/MUSICAL)

50/50

The Artist

Bridesmaids

Midnight in Paris

My Week with Marilyn

BEST DIRECTOR

Woody Allen - "Midnight in Paris"

George Clooney - "The Ides of March"

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Alexander Payne - "The Descendants"

Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"

BEST ACTOR (DRAMA)

George Clooney - "The Descendants"

Leonardo DiCaprio - "J. Edgar"

Michael Fassbender - "Shame"

Ryan Gosling - "The Ides of March"

Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"

BEST ACTOR (COMEDY/MUSICAL)

Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"

Brendan Gleeson - "The Guard"

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - "50/50"

Ryan Gosling - "Crazy Stupid Love"

Owen Wilson - "Midnight in Paris"

BEST ACTRESS (DRAMA)

Glenn Close - "Albert Nobbs"

Viola Davis - "The Help"

Rooney Mara - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"

Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

BEST ACTRESS (COMEDY/MUSICAL)

Jodie Foster - "Carnage"

Charlize Theron - "Young Adult"

Kristen Wiig - "Bridesmaids"

Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

Kate Winslet - "Carnage"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"

Albert Brooks - "Drive"

Jonah Hill - "Moneyball"

Viggo Mortensen - "A Dangerous Method"

Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"

Jessica Chastain - "The Help"

Janet McTeer - "Albert Nobbs"

Octavia Spencer - "The Help"

Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

BEST SCREENPLAY

The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius

The Descendants - Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

The Ides of March - George Clooney, Grant Heslov & Beau Willimon

Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen

Moneyball - Steven Zaillian & Aaron Sorkin

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

The Adventures of Tintin

Arthur Christmas

Cars 2

Puss in Boots

Rango

BEST SCORE

The Artist - Ludovic Bource

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Hugo - Howard Shore

W.E. - Abel Korzeniowski

War Horse - John Williams

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Hello Hello" - Gnomeo & Juliet

"The Keeper" - Machine Gun Preacher

"Lay Your Head Down" - Albert Nobbs

"The Living Proof" - The Help

"Masterpiece" - W.E.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

The Flowers of War (China)

In the Land of Blood and Honey (USA)

The Kid with the Bike (Belgium)

A Separation (Iran)

The Skin I Live In (Spain)

News - Great Gatsby first look

The first pictures from the set of Baz Luhrmann's next film, a remake of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic, The Great Gatsby, have been found. Releasing next year, it will be his first movie since 2008's "Australia", and only his second film since his epic musical "Moulin Rouge", way back in 2001. Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan are set as Jay & Daisy, respectively. Also appearing in the film will be Joel Edgerton as Tom, Isla Fisher as Myrtle, and Tobey Maguire as Nick. Put this one on your must-see list now!

San Diego Film Critics Winners

Here is the list of winners from the 2011 San Diego Film Critics. Like I mentioned before, this particular group likes to make a lot of off-the-beaten-path choices, and that stayed true this year. They announced their nominees a few days. See the previous San Diego post for full nominees, but the winners are...

BEST FILM:  The Artist
BEST DIRECTOR:  Nicolas Winding Refn - "Drive"
BEST ACTOR:  Michael Shannon - "Take Shelter"
BEST ACTRESS:  Brit Marling - "Another Earth"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  Nick Nolte - "Warrior"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST:  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:  Midnight in Paris
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:  Moneyball
BEST ANIMATED FILM:  Arthur Christmas
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:  The Tree of Life
BEST FILM EDITING:  Beginners
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:  Hugo
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:  Le Quattro Volte
BEST DOCUMENTARY:  Project Nim
BEST BODY OF WORK FOR 2011:  Jessica Chastain
KYLE COUNTS AWARD:  Lee Ann Kim, San Diego Asian Film Foundation

Oscars - 10 Finalists for Live-Action Short Film

The Academy has announced the list of the finalists for the Live-Action Short Film nomination race. Good luck to all the finalists! They are...

• “Je Pourrais Être Votre Grand-Mère (I Could Be Your Grandmother),” Bernard Tanguy, director-producer (Rézina Productions)

• “Love at First Sight,” Michael Davies, director and Sandra Gorel, producer (Spellbound Films)

• “Pentecost,” Peter McDonald, director (EMU Productions)

• “Raju,” Max Zähle, director and Stefan Gieren, producer (Hamburg Media School/Filmwerkstatt)

• “The Road Home,” Rahul Gandotra, director-producer and Ameenah Ayub, producer (London Film School)

• “The Roar of the Sea,” Ana Rocha Fernandes and Torsten Truscheit, directors (Niama Filmproduktion GmbH)

• “Sailcloth,” Elfar Adalsteins, director-producer (Berserk Films)

• “The Shore,” Terry George, director-producer (All Ashore Productions Limited)

• “Time Freak,” Andrew Bowler, director and Gigi Causey, producer (Team Toad)

• “Tuba Atlantic,” Hallvar Witzø, director (The Norwegian Film School/Den Norske Filmskolen 

Awards - Screen Actors Guild (SAG)

The largest branch of the Academy is made up of the actors, which is why the SAG awards are always such a big part of the prediction race. Last year, The King's Speech cemented it's place as the front-runner at the SAGs, taking the ensemble award as well as Actor for Colin Firth. This year, The Help leads all films with 4 nods, but we have a few surprises as well. Bichir &  DiCaprio are both well-deserved nods, but had been mostly absent from the awards race so far. It seems the SAG liked "J. Edgar" much more than the critics did, also giving a nod to Armie Hammer. Also a surprising, but very deserved, nod for Nick Nolte from the woefully overlooked "Warrior." Even though she's been strangely absent from the precursors to date, Glenn Close got into the Actress race here.

BEST ACTOR

• Demian Bichir - "A Better Life"
• George Clooney - "The Descendants"
• Leonardo DiCaprio - "J. Edgar"
• Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"
• Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"

BEST ACTRESS

• Glenn Close - "Albert Nobbs"
• Viola Davis - "The Help"
• Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"
• Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
• Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Kenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"
• Armie Hammer - "J. Edgar"
• Jonah Hill - "Moneyball"
• Nick Nolte - "Warrior"
• Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"
• Jessica Chastain - "The Help"
• Melissa McCarthy - "Bridesmaids"
• Janet McTeer - "Albert Nobbs"
• Octavia Spencer - "The Help"

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

• The Artist
• Bridesmaids
• The Descendants
• The Help
• Midnight in Paris

BEST STUNT ENSEMBLE

• The Adjustment Bureau
• Cowboys & Aliens
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon
• X-Men: First Class

Awards - Phoenix Film Critics

And now we have the nominees from the Phoenix critics as well. Very similar to the general consensus that we've been seeing, with a few other choices thrown in, as well as several new categories. I'm loving the love for Super 8, and the lineup for Animated Film is one of my favorites.

BEST PICTURE

The Artist

The Descendants

Drive

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

My Week with Marilyn

Super 8

The Tree of Life

BEST DIRECTOR

Woody Allen - "Midnight in Paris"

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Alexander Payne - "The Descendants"

Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"

Tate Taylor - "The Help"

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney - "The Descendants"

Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"

Michael Fassbender - "Shame"

Gary Oldman - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"

BEST ACTRESS

Glenn Close - "Albert Nobbs"

Viola Davis - "The Help"

Elizabeth Olsen - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"

Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"

Albert Brooks - "Drive"

John Hawkes - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Jonah Hill - "Moneyball"

Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"

Bryce Dallas Howard - "The Help"

Jessica Chastain - "The Help"

Octavia Spencer - "The Help"

Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

Bridesmaids

Contagion

Margin Call

Midnight in Paris

Super 8

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Artist

Beginners

Midnight in Paris

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants

The Help

Hugo

BEST ANIMATED FILM

The Adventures of Tintin

Rango

Winnie the Pooh

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Artist

Hugo

The Tree of Life

BEST FILM EDITING

The Artist

Super 8

The Tree of Life

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

The Artist

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Hugo

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Artist

Hugo

Jane Eyre

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Hugo

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Artist

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Moneyball

Super 8

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"I Believe in You" - Johnny English Reborn

"Life's a Happy Song" - The Muppets

"The Living Proof" - The Help

"Star Spangled Man" - Captain America: The First Avenger

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Incendies

Point Blank

The Skin I Live In

BEST DOCUMENTARY

African Cats

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Page One: Inside the New York Times

Project Nim

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE ON CAMERA

Elle Fanning - "Super 8"

Thomas Horn - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Elizabeth Olsen - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE BEHIND THE CAMERA

Sean Durkin - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Michael Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Tate Taylor - "The Help"

BEST MALE YOUTH PERFORMANCE

Asa Butterfield - "Hugo"

Joel Courtney - "Super 8"

Thomas Horn - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

BEST FEMALE YOUTH PERFORMANCE

Elle Fanning - "Super 8"

Amara Miller - "The Descendants"

Chloe Grace Moretz - "Hugo"

Saoirse Ronan - "Hanna"

BEST LIVE-ACTION FAMILY FILM

Dolphin Tale

Hugo

The Muppets

We Bought a Zoo

BEST OVERLOOKED FILM OF THE YEAR

A Better Life

The Conspirator

Texas Killing Fields

BEST STUNTS

Drive

Fast Five

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Awards - Toronto Film Critics

And now we have the Toronto critics announcing. The biggest critic group in Canada, and they went big for The Tree of Life. Here are their winners and runner-ups...

BEST PICTURE:  The Tree of Life

Runner-ups:  The Artist & The Descendants

BEST DIRECTOR:  Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Life"

Runner-ups:  Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist" & Nicolas Winding Refn - "Drive"

BEST ACTOR:  Michael Shannon - "Take Shelter"

Runner-ups:  George Clooney - "The Descendants" & Michael Fassbender - "Shame"

BEST ACTRESS:  Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

Runner-ups:  Elizabeth Olsen - "Martha Marcy May Marlene" & Meryl Streep "The Iron Lady"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"

Runner-ups:  Albert Brooks - "Drive" & Patton Oswalt - "Young Adult"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  Jessica Chastain - "Take Shelter"

Runner-ups:  Jessica Chastain - "The Tree of Life" & Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

BEST SCREENPLAY:  Moneyball

Runner-ups:  The Descendants & The Tree of Life

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE:  The Adventures of Tintin

Runner-ups:  Puss in Boots & Rango

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:  Mysteries of Lisbon

Runner-ups:  Attenberg & Le Havre & A Separation

BEST DOCUMENTARY:  Nostalgia for the Light

Runner-ups:  Into the Abyss & Project Nim

BEST FIRST FEATURE:  Joe Cornish - "Attack the Block"

Runner-ups:  J.C. Chandor - "Margin Call" & Sean Durkin - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

BEST CANADIAN FILM FINALISTS

Cafe de Flore

A Dangerous Method

Monsieur Lazhar

Houston Film Critics Winners

Last Saturday, the Houston Film Critics announced their nominees. And now, we have their winners. Check the previous Houston post for full nominee list.

Best Picture:  The Descendants
Best Director:  Nicholas Winding Refn - "Drive"
Best Actor:  Michael Fassbender - "Shame"
Best Actress:  Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
Best Supporting Actor:  Albert Brooks - "Drive"
Best Supporting Actress:  Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"
Best Screenplay:  The Descendants - Alexander Payne, Nat Foxon & Jim Rash
Best Animated Film:  Rango
Best Cinematography:  The Tree of Life - Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Score:  The Artist - Ludovic Bource
Best Song:  "Life's a Happy Song" - The Muppets
Best Foreign Film:  I Saw the Devil
Best Documentary:  Project Nim
Worst Film of the Year:  Your Highness

Awards - Las Vegas Film Critics

The Las Vegas Critics are one of the few groups that actually has a name for their annual awards...The Sierra Awards. Kinda cool. I met several of the critics in this group when I used to live in Vegas myself, and therefore, this is always one of the groups I pay just a little more attention to myself. Here are their winners, topping off with another win for The Artist!

 TOP TEN FILMS
1. The Artist  (BEST FILM OF THE YEAR)

2. Hugo

3. Moneyball

4. The Descendants

5. Drive

6. The Help

7. 50/50

8. Midnight in Paris

9. Shame

10. Warrior

BEST DIRECTOR:  Nicholas Winding Refn - "Drive"
BEST ACTOR:  Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"
BEST ACTRESS:  Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  Albert Brooks - "Drive"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  Melissa McCarthy - "Bridesmaids"
BEST SCREENPLAY:  Moneyball
BEST ANIMATED FILM:  Rango
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:  The Tree of Life
BEST FILM EDITING:  Hugo
BEST ART DIRECTION:  The Artist
BEST COSTUME DESIGN:  The Artist
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:  Rise of the Planet of the Apes
BEST SCORE:  The Artist
BEST SONG:  "Man or Muppet" - The Muppets
BEST FOREIGN FILM:  13 Assassins
BEST DOCUMENTARY:  Project Nim
BEST FAMILY FILM:  Hugo
BEST YOUTH IN FILM:  Asa Butterfield - "Hugo"
BEST DVD:  Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy [Blu-Ray]
WILLIAM HOLDEN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:  Albert Brooks

Awards - Broadcast Film Critics (Critics Choice)

And now we have one of the biggest awards of the year, and traditionally, one of the best precursors for the Oscar race. One of my personal favorites awards of the year. Usually bestowed on very deserving films. It also looks like they may have expanding their categories, bringing in almost all of the technical races. Hugo and The Artist continue their steamroll through the awards season, both receiving 11 nominations. Drive and The Help pulled in 8, while The Descendents and War Horse followed up with 7. Full nominees below...

BEST PICTURE

The Artist

The Descendants

Drive

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

The Tree of Life

War Horse

BEST DIRECTOR

Stephen Daldry - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Alexander Payne - "The Descendants"

Nicolas Winding Refn - "Drive"

Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"

Steven Spielberg - "War Horse"

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney - "The Descendants"

Leonardo DiCaprio - "J. Edgar"

Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"

Michael Fassbender - "Shame"

Ryan Gosling - "Drive"

Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"

BEST ACTRESS

Viola Davis - "The Help"

Elizabeth Olsen - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"

Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

Charlize Theron - "Young Adult"

Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"

Albert Brooks - "Drive"

Nick Nolte - "Warrior"

Patton Oswalt - "Young Adult"

Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"

Andrew Serkis - "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"

Jessica Chastain - "The Help"

Melissa McCarthy - "Bridesmaids"

Carey Mulligan - "Shame"

Octavia Spencer - "The Help"

Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

The Artist

Bridesmaids

The Descendants

The Help

The Ides of March

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

50/50

The Artist

Midnight in Paris

Win Win

Young Adult

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

The Help

Hugo

Moneyball

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

The Adventures of Tintin

Arthur Christmas

Kung Fu Panda 2

Puss in Boots

Rango

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Artist

Drive

Hugo

The Tree of Life (tie)

War Horse (tie)

BEST FILM EDITING

The Artist

Drive

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hugo

War Horse

BEST ART DIRECTION

The Artist

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Hugo

The Tree of Life

War Horse

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Artist

The Help

Hugo

Jane Eyre

My Week with Marilyn

BEST SOUND

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Hugo

Super 8

The Tree of Life

War Horse

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Hugo

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Super 8

The Tree of Life

BEST MAKEUP

Albert Nobbs

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The Iron Lady

J. Edgar

My Week with Marilyn

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Artist

Drive

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hugo

War Horse

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Hello Hello" - Gnomeo & Juliet

"Life's a Happy Song" - The Muppets

"The Living Proof" - The Help

"Man or Muppet" - The Muppets

"Pictures in My Head" - The Muppets

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

In Darkness

Le Havre

A Separation

The Skin I Live In

Where Do We Go Now

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Buck

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

George Harrison: Living in the Material World

Page One: Inside the New York Times

Project Nim

Undefeated

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Asa Butterfield - "Hugo"

Elle Fanning - "Super 8"

Thomas Horn - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Ezra Miller - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

Saoirse Ronan - "Hanna"

Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

BEST ACTION MOVIE

Drive

Fast Five

Hanna

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Super 8

BEST COMEDY MOVIE

Bridesmaids

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Horrible Bosses

Midnight in Paris

The Muppets

Awards - San Diego Film Critics

San Diego has strayed from the main consensus on many an occasion. They like to give their awards to films off the beaten path. I'm not sure when they started doing nominees, cause I always just remember them announcing their winners. But regardless, here are the nominees, and now the announced winners!

BEST FILM

The Artist

Drive

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

The Tree of Life

BEST DIRECTOR

Woody Allen - "Midnight in Paris"

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Life"

Nicolas Winding Refn - "Drive"

Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney - "The Descendants"

Jean Dejardin - "The Artist"

Brendan Gleeson - "The Guard"

Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"

Michael Shannon - "Take Shelter"

BEST ACTRESS

Viola Davis - "The Help"

Brit Marling - "Another Earth"

Elizabeth Olsen - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Albert Brooks - "Drive"

Nick Nolte - "Warrior"

Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"

Andy Serkis - "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

Max Von Sydow - "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"

Jessica Chastain - "The Help"

Melanie Laurent - "Beginners"

Carey Mulligan - "Shame"

Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

Carnage

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The Help

Margin Call

Midnight in Paris

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

50/50

The Artist

Beginners

Midnight in Paris

Win Win

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants

Drive

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Hugo

Moneyball

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Arthur Christmas

Happy Feet Two

Kung Fu Panda 2

Rango

Winnie the Pooh

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Artist

Drive

Hugo

Take Shelter

The Tree of Life

BEST FILM EDITING

The Artist

Beginners

Drive

Hugo

The Tree of Life

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

The Artist

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

The Tree of Life

BEST SCORE

The Artist

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Hugo

The Tree of Life

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

The Double Hour

Happy Happy

Le Quattro Volte

Of Gods and Men

A Somewhat Gentle Man

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Buck

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Into the Abyss

Page One: Inside the New York Times

Project Nim

Awards - St. Louis Film Critics

Continuing with the central America swing, the St. Louis critics have announced their nominees. A few new categories here, almost in a way similar to what I do with my yearly awards. Strong showings from a lot of the usual suspects here, but finally we see some love for a few forgotten films. Hanna pops up in a number of categories, as do The Muppets, Drive & The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Full nominees below...

BEST PICTURE

The Artist

The Descendants
Drive
My Week with Marilyn
The Tree of Life

BEST DIRECTOR

David Fincher - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Life"
Alexander Payne - "The Descendants"
Nicolas Winding Refn - "Drive"

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney - "The Descendants"

Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"
Michael Fassbender - "Shame"
Ryan Gosling - "Drive"
Gary Oldman - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"

BEST ACTRESS

Viola Davis - "The Help"

Rooney Mara - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Elizabeth Olsen - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Saoirse Ronan - "Hanna"
Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Albert Brooks - "Drive"

John Goodman - "The Artist"
John Hawkes - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Jonah Hill - "Moneyball"
Alan Rickman - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"

Cate Blanchett - "Hanna"
Jessica Chastain - "The Tree of Life"
Octavia Spencer - "The Help"
Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

50/50

The Artist

Hanna
Midnight in Paris
The Tree of Life
Win Win

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants

Drive
The Help
Moneyball
The Muppets

BEST ANIMATED FILM

The Adventures of Tintin

Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Rio

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Artist
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Tree of Life

War Horse

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Captain America: The First Avenger

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8
The Tree of Life

BEST MUSIC

The Artist

Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Muppets
The Tree of Life

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

13 Assassins

I Saw the Devil
Point Blank
Trollhunter
Winter in Wartime

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Being Elmo

Buck
Conan O'Brien Can't Stop
The Interrupters
Tabloid

BEST COMEDY FILM

Bridesmaids

Crazy, Stupid, Love
Midnight in Paris
The Muppets
Paul
Rango

BEST ART-HOUSE OR FESTIVAL FILM

Beginners
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Win Win

BEST SCENE

The Artist -- Dance scene finale
Drive -- The elevator beating scene
Drive -- Opening get-away scene

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- Opening credits

Hanna -- Hanna's escape from captivity sequence
Melancholia -- The final scene

Awards - Indiana Film Critics

This was news to me, but apparently Indiana has their own group as well, the Indiana Film Journalists Association. The announced their winners and runner-ups, and taking the top prize is the critic darling of the year to date, The Artist. A few new winners, particularly a good amount of love for Win Win, which I very much enjoyed. Nice to see a runner-up for Winnie the Pooh in animated too. Full winners below...

Best Film

WINNER:  THE ARTIST

Runner-up:  The Descendants

Other Finalists:  Coriolanus, Drive, Hugo, Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Muppets, The Skin I Live In, Super 8, The Tree of Life

Best Director

WINNER:  MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS - "THE ARTIST"

Runner-up:  Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Life"

Best Actor

WINNER:  PAUL GIAMATTI - "WIN WIN"

Runner-up:  Ralph Fiennes - "Coriolanus"

Best Actress

WINNER:  ELIZABETH OLSEN - "MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE"

Runner-up:  Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

Best Supporting Actor

WINNER:  CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER - "BEGINNERS"

Runner-up:  Albert Brooks - "Drive"

Best Supporting Actress

WINNER:  VIOLA DAVIS - "THE HELP"

Runner-up:  Amy Ryan - "Win Win"

Best Original Screenplay

WINNER:  WIN WIN

Runner-up:  Margin Call

Best Adapted Screenplay

WINNER:  THE DESCENDANTS

Runner-up:  Moneyball

Best Animated Film

WINNER:  RANGO

Runner-up:  Winnie the Pooh

Best Musical Score

WINNER:  THE ARTIST

Runner-up:  Hugo

Best Foreign Language Film

WINNER:  THE SKIN I LIVE IN

Runner-up:  13 Assassins

Best Documentary

WINNER:  PROJECT NIM

Runner-up:  Into the Abyss

Original Vision Award

WINNER:  THE TREE OF LIFE

Runner-up:  The Artist

The Hoosier Award
WINNER:  LINDSAY GOFFMAN, producer of DUMBSTRUCK

Awards - San Francisco Film Critics

And now we have the critics from San Francisco chiming in with their winners. A few new winners this go around, which always makes it a little more exciting. The top prizes of the year go to The Tree of Life. Here are the full winners.

BEST PICTURE:  The Tree of Life
BEST DIRECTOR:  Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Life"
BEST ACTOR:  Gary Oldman - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
BEST ACTRESS:  Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  Albert Brooks - "Drive"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  Vanessa Redgrave - "Coriolanus"
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:  Margin Call
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:  Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE:  Rango
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:  The Tree of Life
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:  Certified Copy
BEST DOCUMENTARY:  Tabloid
SPECIAL CITATION FOR INDEPENDENT FILM:  The Mill and The Cross

Awards - Detroit Film Critics

And now we have the critics from Detroit throwing in their two cents. Nice to see a few new names popping up, and few new films mentioned, such as the "Shame" nods. Also a lot of love for Take Shelter, which I still need to see. And their nominees and winners are...


BEST PICTURE

The Artist

The Descendants
Hugo
Take Shelter
The Tree of Life

BEST DIRECTOR

Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"

Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Life"
Jeff Nichols - "Take Shelter"
Nicholas Winding Refn - "Drive"
Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"

BEST ACTOR
George Clooney - "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"

Michael Fassbender - "Shame"

Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"
Michael Shannon - "Take Shelter"

BEST ACTRESS
Viola Davis - "The Help"
Felicity Jones - "Like Crazy"
Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"
Charlize Theron - "Young Adult"

Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"
Albert Brooks - "Drive"
Ryan Gosling - "Crazy Stupid Love"
Patton Oswalt - "Young Adult"

Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain - "Take Shelter"

Carey Mulligan - "Shame"

Vanessa Redgrave - "Coriolanus"
Octavia Spencer - "The Help"

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

Carnage

Cedar Rapids
Crazy Stupid Love
The Help
Margin Call
Win Win

BEST SCREENPLAY
50/50 - Will Reiser
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
Beginners - Mike Mills

Moneyball - Aaron Sorkin & Steven Zaillian

Take Shelter - Jeff Nichols

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Into Eternity
Into the Abyss
Marwencol

Tabloid

We Were Here

BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

Jessica Chastain - "The Help" / "Take Shelter" / "The Tree of Life"

Felicity Jones - "Like Crazy"
Melissa McCarthy - "Bridesmaids"
Elizabeth Olsen - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"

Awards - Los Angeles Film Critics

One of the most sought-after and important critics groups has announced...the Los Angeles Film Critics. Top prize this year? THE DESCENDANTS, with The Tree of Life making a strong showing as well.


Best Picture
WINNER: The Descendants
Runner-Up: The Tree of Life

Best Director
WINNER: Terrence Malick - "The Tree of Life"
Runner-Up: Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"

Best Actor
WINNER: Michael Fassbender - "A Dangerous Method", "Jane Eyre", "Shame", X-Men: First Class"
Runner-Up: Michael Shannon - "Take Shelter"

Best Actress
WINNER: Yun Jung-hee - "Poetry"
Runner-Up: Kirsten Dunst - "Melancholia"

Best Supporting Actor
WINNER: Christopher Plummer - "Beginners"
Runner-Up: Patton Oswalt - "Young Adult"

Best Supporting Actress
WINNER: Jessica Chastain - "Coriolanus", "The Debt", "The Help", "Take Shelter", "Texas Killing Fields" & "The Tree of Life"
Runner-Up: Janet McTreer - "Albert Nobbs"

Best Screenplay
WINNER: A Separation

Best Animation
WINNER: Rango

Best Cinematography
WINNER: The Tree of Life

Best Production Design
WINNER: Hugo
Runner-Up: Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy

Best Music/Score
WINNER: Hanna
Runner-Up: Drive

Best Documentary/Non-Fiction
WINNER: Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Awards - American Film Institute (AFI)

The AFI has announced their top tens for both film and television. Back at the beginning of the 2000s, they used to do an awards also, but since has returned back to their top ten ways. Here are their winners this year...

TOP TEN FILMS

• Bridesmaids
• Bridesmaids marches down the aisle of American comedy with a vow to make you laugh long and loud. Kristen Wiig's comic star shines bright as her and Annie Mumolo's ingenious script upends the wedding dream myth by capturing the horror of being named Maid of Honor. raunchy and uproarious, the fiercely funny ensemble is guided with a sure hand by director Paul Feig, and Melissa McCarthy's explosive turn marks her arrival as a true original.
• The Descendants
• The Descendants paints a richly convincing family portrait at once painfully funny and profoundly poignant. Alexander Payne's strikingly original film balances the intimacy of family tragedy with the expansive politics of dynastic inheritance in the year's most human comedy. With the weight of paradise on his shoulders, George Clooney delivers an eccentrically elegant turn as the reluctant patriarch who must come to terms with how to let go and when to hold on.
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo invites audiences into a cold, forbidding world of family secrets and implores them to help solve the mystery. Director David Fincher brings Steig Larsson's novel to dazzling, dark and disturbing life that pulses with cinematic pleasure. From the astounding opening credits until the harrowing journey ends, Fincher leads a stellar cast including Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer and Rooney Mara, who carves the name "Lisbeth Salander" atop the list of 2011's most transcendent performances.
• The Help
• The Help is an intimate epic that measures the cultural divide in the American south at a critical moment in the nation's march toward racial harmony. Tate Taylor's film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's bestseller soars above and beyond stereotypes to illustrate how tolerance is taught, not inherited. Measured and moving performances by Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain help make The Help remind us that movies can be smart, movies can be kind and movies can be important.
• Hugo
• Hugo unlocks the hearts of all who love the movies with a key forged by grand illusionist Martin Scorsese,. The film beckons audiences into a world of wonder through the eyes of a young hero, a world alive in new ways through Robert Richardson's resplendent use of 3D. This dazzling adventure is also a meditation on life and  loss, deeply rooted in the powerful role movies play in our reality. With a proper tip of the beret to early pioneers Harold Lloyd and George Melies, we are reminded that each film is a gift, and that when the masters intone, "Come dream with me," through the magic of the movies, we do.
• J. Edgar
• J. Edgar illuminates the dark corners of America's past with an ambition only attainable by an American master like Clint Eastwood. Armed with an impassioned script by Dustin Lance Black, Eastwood presents an intimate portrait of FBI Chief Hoover while moving effortlessly back and forth through time and in and out of shadows. Leonardo DiCaprio gives meaning to a monster in a towering performance that digs beneath Hoover's G-man public image to the private man who kept a nation's secrets while zealously guarding his own.
• Midnight in Paris
• Midnight in Paris offers a champagne toast to those who live in the present, but dream of an ideal past. Owen Wilson charms in this enchanting, post-dated postcard from the City of Lights, a stroke-of-midnight fantasy that brings to life Fitzgerald, Picasso, Hemingway and Belle Epoch figures like Degas and Lautrec. Sparkling and literate, this Francophile fantasia reminds us how lucky we are to be living in the Golden Age of Woody Allen.
• Moneyball
• Moneyball scores with a winning combination of sports and smarts. There's nothing by-the-numbers in this ultimate inside-baseball movie, a story driven home by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin's classic underdog script with a a fresh, statistical twist. MVP performances by Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill and controlled direction by Bennett Miller celebrate the spirit of a maverick manager who believes that how we play the game of our lives is as important as winning.
• The Tree of Life
• The Tree of Life is an awe-inspiring, cinematic miracle. Terrence Malick's meditation on mortality is testament to the motion picture's deep roots in poetry -- that images and words together can embody life. Emmanuel Lubezki's stunning visuals and compelling performances by Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain and young Hunter McCracken embrace humanity in this tale of the cosmic and the microscopic. Ultimately, Malick forges a path between nature and grace, and generations will be held spellbound under the watch of his creation.
• War Horse
• War Horse advances Steven Spielberg's gallant charge into the history of American film. A masterpiece from foal to finish, the film is an epic odyssey of friendship against all odds. Marked by a driving intensity in each scene -- from the plowing of a field to the battlefields of World War I -- this is grand scale filmmaking in the tradition of John Ford and David Lean, but presented with a brave and bold emotion only imaginable from Spielberg and his talented team. War Horse is proof that miracles can happen.

Special Awards are also being given to The Artist and the entire Harry Potter series.

TOP TEN TV SERIES

• Breaking Bad
• Boardwalk Empire
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Game of Thrones
• The Good Wife
• Homeland
• Justified
• Louie, C.K.
• Modern Family
• Parks and Recreation

Awards - New York Film Critics Online

Another group announces...and another win for The Artist. Starting to get a bit of a steamroll going. Here are the full winners for the New York Film Critics Online for 2011.


BEST PICTURE: The Artist
BEST DIRECTOR: Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist"
BEST ACTOR: Michael Shannon - "Take Shelter"
BEST ACTRESS: Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Albert Brooks - "Drive"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Melissa McCarthy - "Bridesmaids"
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST: Bridesmaids
BEST SCREENPLAY: The Descendants
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: The Adventures of Tintin
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Tree of Life
BEST USE OF MUSIC: The Artist
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: A Separation
BEST DOCUMENTARY: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER: Jessica Chastain - "The Tree of Life", "The Help", "The Debt", "Take Shelter", "Texas Killing Fields" & "Coriolanus"
BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR: Joe Cornish - "Attack the Block"