BFCA Votes
So the BFCA, as expected, spread it out generously.
The big positive surprise is Drive scoring 8 nominations, more than War Horse or The Descendants. These include Ryan Gosling, director Nic Refn, cinematography, score, editing, and “Best Action Movie.” Albert Brooks was expected, though no screenplay and no ensemble as a bit of a surprise, considering the interest shown.
In a classic show of numbers gamesmanship (see: whoring for status), all four of the traditional acting categories have six nominees each, as do Best Director and Best Doc.
Still, in spite of a surprisingly strong showing from Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close with Picture, Director, and Screenplay, no nomination for Max von Sydow, who was expected to be the one Oscar nod lock for the film. Also a bit surprising was the absence of Jonah Hill for Moneyball, which got Picture, Actor, and Screenplay and nothing else. Odd.
The toughest category of this awards season continues to be Best Actress, where even with six slots, BFCA left out Glenn Close, Rooney Mara, and Kirsten Dunst. Melancholia got no nominations, Dragon Tattoo got score and editing nods, and Albert Nobbs got a Make-Up bone.
Shame got two nods… for Fassbender and Mulligan.
BFCA took the opportunity to nominate Andy Serkis for his mo-cap role in Rise of the Planet Of The Apes. But keep in mind that in 2003, BFCA also gave a Best Digital Acting Performance award, which Serkis won for Gollum in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The trend didn’t take. And the likelihood is that Serkis, once again hard at work on a new film, will appear at this year’s show via videotape again.
The thing about BFCA is that they do follow the trends closer than any other group. Primarily made up of junketeers and web-based Oscar geeks, the group does tend to exhibit the middlebrow tastes of the Academy. But there is nothing remotely definitive about these nominations. The whole season has long been here. It’s just a jump to the left… or the right… from here to The Oscars. They could have hit it dead on… or be off by 30% or more. One or two films will tell that tale.
Truly bummed that Kirsten Dunst, Vanessa Redgrave, Viggo Mortensen and Keira Knightley weren’t nominated. (Also kind of shocked Glenn Close and Janet McTeer didn’t make the cut for “Albert Nobbs.”)
Mildly incredulous how “Dragon Tattoo” was (mostly) snubbed. (The lack of screeners probably contributed to its shut-out in the major categories, although that didn’t seem to hurt “Hugo.”)
Pleasantly surprised by the strong showing of “Drive.”
The nomination for “Were Do We Go Now” in the Best Foreign Language Film category was a bit of a shock. (Of course, I didn’t see it in Toronto where it won the Audience Choice award). Maybe Sony Classics will send out screeners now.
“The Artist” is an absolute charmer and so beautifully done. But am I the only one who found the ending a trifle flat? I really thought it needed to close on a more emphatic note.
saying Drive is an action movie is like saying Young Adult is a romantic comedy.
Locke, you hit the nail on the head. Drive was an action movie? Wasnt there a lawsuit out there alleging that it wasnt an action film?
This nomination might be the smoking gun the lawyers for Film District have been waiting for.
I questioned whether “Drive” was too cerebral to be considered a (gasp, mere) action film.
…although I don’t recall anyone describing Walter Hill and Michael Mann’s early films (“The Driver,” “Thief,” etc.) as anything besides “action movies” back in the day. And those movies, like “Drive,” are flat-out cineaste nirvana.
Also asked if “Tintin” (the best jolt of pure “action” all year) was eligible in this category despite being, y’know, animated.
Guess I was the only one who voted for the Spielbrg ‘toon in this category.
It’s just not fair that Kirsten Dunst wasn’t nominated. They clearly went for more conventional choices, all previous nominees except Olsen.
No Gary Oldman, huh? And Ryan Gosling in Drive. Well, we’ll see about THAT.
“EVERYONE !!!”
I’m one of the few people I know who has seen J. Edgar, and I’m not joking folks, it’s DiCaprio’s finest hour. The movie has lots of problems but there are some scenes toward the end that are jaw-droppingly amazing on DiCaprio’s part.
No one has brought up Andy Serkis’ nomination, which if he were to win IS big news.
God there’s so much I want to see in the next few weeks.
Does anyone think that Melancholia was thrown under the awards bus once Von Trier announced to the world that he understood Hitler?
I think he fucked the film out of any serious considerations.
And yet the anti-semetic Drive gets showered with praise.
Drive is anti-semetic? Even with Ron Perlman’s rant in that film? Really?
Its not. That one was over your head.
Oh I am supposed to get your sense of humor? Really?
I’m betting that the BFCA’s lavish showering of nominations on “Drive” (a movie I adore btw) will be replaced by a similarly effusive bouquet of Oscar nods for “Dragon Tattoo.”
“Drive” will probably score a supporting mention for Albert Brooks, and that’s it.
As a BFCA member who didn’t get the chance to see “DT” before voting (there were no screenings near me, and Sony didn’t bother shipping screeners), I think it’s virtual shut-out may have been a response to said lack of screeners.
The really-sort of-terrible “ELAIC” got BFCA picture and director nods thanks largely to WB’s very savvy decision to mail out screeners the day before voting. If Sony had utilized a similar strategy, it might have been a different story for “DT” this morning.
Just saying.
I find it hard to take a group that would nominate HORRIBLE BOSSES for Best Comedy very seriously.
I think the writing is on the wall for DRAGON TATTOO…and that writing ain’t looking too good awards wise.
I didn’t vote for it, but “Bosses” was one of the few comedies of the year that was actually….how do I put this?….funny.
My picks were “Midnight in Paris,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “Young Adult” (a very dark comedy, sure, but still a “comedy” in my book).
The three funniest movies this year (to me, that is) are THE GUARD, BURKE AND HARE and ARTHUR CHRISTMAS–none of which are, strictly speaking, American, and whose combined domestic gross will not hit $50 million. And this is one reason why we’re being punished with THE THREE STOOGES next year.
(FTR, I adore MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, but it’s a smile comedy, not a laugh one.)
Cadavra–I’m with you on The Guard. I didn’t see Burke and Hare playing anywhere in my area. And Arthur Christmas is on my upcoming list.
my three best comedies this year are ‘the trip’, ‘bridesmaids’, ‘spork’, and ‘four lions’. i guess that’s my 4 best comedies
Leah: What’s Spork? If it’s anything like the other 3 you listed, I definitely need to see it.
JS – Anghus is referring to the “Anti-Semetic Lawsuit Guy” who showed up here.
film fanatic: it’s this fucking weird musical comedy i’d never heard of, but i thought it was hilarious at the time (maybe it’s just me). i don’t know if it ever had a proper theatrical release, perhaps it’s available on dvd. not to everyone’s taste to be sure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VZ5TdPg5Xy8
So with the SAG miss is Mara utterly dead for the oscar?
“Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, John, Bambi, the One with the White Tail, and You, and You!”
Foamy, I am supposed to remember that crazy bastard? Really>
Foamy, ill start including MLA footnotes in my posts
Mariamu: BURKE got a very limited theatrical release. I believe it hits DVD next week.
This nomination might be the using tobacco gun the attorneys for Movie Section have been awaiting.