BFCA Awards

email this story
read comments (16)
post a comment

Last night the BFCA's VH1/Critics Choice Awards saluted No Country for Old Men as Best Picture, that film's Joel and Ethan Coen as Best Director, There Will Be Blood's Daniel Day-Lewis as Best Actor, and Away From Her's Julie Christie as Best Actress.

Other awards: Best Supporting Actor -- Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men. Best Supporting actress -- Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone. (The return of the 33 and 1/3 vinyl record that skips says "Amy Ryan, Amy Ryan, Amy Ryan"....a game of follow-the-pack, pure and simple.) Best Ensemble Award: Hairspray. (Really? Given all the great ensmeble casts we saw this year, including the Superbad guys?) Best Writer: Diablo Cody, Juno. Best Animated Feature: Ratatouille.

Best Young Actor: Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada, The Kite Runner. (A political attaboy and a we're-with-you! award because Mahmoodzada and his family were forced to move from Afghanistan due to fears that The Kite Runner might bring reprisals upon them from Taliban sympathizers.) Best Young Actress: Nikki Blonsky, Hairspray. (I saw the moment when the Botero-like Blonsky won -- her "oh my god!" screaming was bridge-and-tunnel gauche, and if she doesn't Jenny Craig herself down to a more reasonable proportion she'll be shortening her lifespan. She's a medicine ball. If Mike Huckabee can do it, so can she.)

Best Comedy Movie: Juno. (It may be the best dramedy, but the best flat-out comedy of the year was Superbad. The BFCA voters just want to attach themselves to the Juno train because it's "well-loved" and, as of last week, starting to make a whole lot of money.) Best Family Film (live action): Enchanted. Best Made-for-TV Movie: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Best Foreign Language Feature: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. (A good film, but 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days is a masterpiece.)

Best Song: "Falling Slowly", Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, from Once. Best Composer: Jonny Greenwood, There Will Be Blood. Best Documentary: Sicko. Joel Siegel Award: Don Cheadle.

Oh, and way to go to the BFCA webmaster who hasn't updated the site with last night's winners and hasn't even added photos. Get around to it eventually. Have lunch first. Don't sweat it.

The GG parties are kaput<< previous | next >>Democrats' Demosthenes

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 8, 2008 at 7:45 AM

comment #1

Arran says ...

At this stage I hope Amy Ryan wins the Oscar just because it would piss Jeff off so much.

I asked this question a while ago and didn't get an answer: is Falling Slowly even eligible for Oscar? It appeared on a 2006 album by Hansard and Irglova - does this not disqualify it?

Posted by Arran at January 8, 2008 8:45 AM

comment #2

Rubyglass says ...

The most pleasant surprise was Greenwood's win for best score. I hope to see a repeat of that at the Oscars. Supposed frontrunner Atonement's score was nice, but not at all groundbreaking or as brilliantly beautiful and subversive.

Posted by Rubyglass at January 8, 2008 9:02 AM

comment #3

Aguirre says ...

in response to what RUBYGLASS said... i'm getting a wee bit sick of greenwood's work not being talked up more - it was brilliant absolutely integral to the massive, year-topping artistic success of PTA's film. if jeff was half as hip as he wishes he were he would be angrily posting about greenwood's golden globes snub rather than amy ryan's runaway train.

Posted by Aguirre at January 8, 2008 9:09 AM

comment #4

EDouglas says ...

Arran, yes "Falling Slowly" is eligible because it was written specifically for the movie, performed in the scene and then Hansard decided to use the song on both his album with Irglova and on the Frames new record before the movie was edited and debuted at Sundance.

Posted by EDouglas at January 8, 2008 9:16 AM

comment #5

JD says ...

I thought Amy Ryan's performance was one of the few false notes in an otherwise stellar film, but clearly other people disagree. I don't think it's a case of conformity, Jeff, I think it's a case of agreement. We just happen to be in the minority on this one.

And Johnny Greenwood's score is the obvious (and only) choice for best score, as it's the most original and most praised score of the year. If the Oscar in this category came down to pull quotes and nothing else, he'd already have the award on his mantelpiece.

Posted by JD at January 8, 2008 9:20 AM

comment #6

Arran says ...

Thanks for clearing that up, EDouglas. Man, a win for that track would be sweet. At least a nomination so they can play it at the ceremony, please...

Posted by Arran at January 8, 2008 9:34 AM

comment #7

actionman says ...

"Best Young Actress: Nikki Blonsky, Hairspray. (I saw the moment when the Botero-like Blonsky won -- her "oh my god!" screaming was bridge-and-tunnel gauche, and if she doesn't Jenny Craig herself down to a more reasonable proportion she'll be shortening her lifespan. She's a medicine ball. If Mike Huckabee can do it, so can she."

This is the funniest thing Wells has written in a long time.

"Best Comedy Movie: Juno. (It may be the best dramedy, but the best flat-out comedy of the year was Superbad."

No way is Superbad a funnier film than Knocked Up. Not even close.

"Best Foreign Language Feature: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. (A good film, but 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days is a masterpiece.)"

Haven't seen 4 Months yet (really want too) but The Diving Bell IS a masterpiece and your recluctance to recognize this fact is disturbing.

Posted by actionman at January 8, 2008 9:55 AM

comment #8

hanimal says ...

DGA NOMINEES:

p.t. anderson for there will be blood
coen brothers for no country for old men
tony gilroy for michael clayton
sean penn for into the wild
julian schnabel for the diving bell

!!!!!

Posted by hanimal at January 8, 2008 10:13 AM

comment #9

Chicago48 says ...

Will somebody PLEASE START A CAMPAIGN FOR RUBY DEE, BEST SUPPORTING!
Anyway, who cares about these awards but a handful niche group of critics and movie makers. The general public is taking a big pass - big yawn over the whole events.

Posted by Chicago48 at January 8, 2008 10:28 AM

comment #10

Craig Kennedy says ...

Come on Chicago48, didn't you sleep better at night knowing what Michael Medved and Bill Harris and Jeffrey Lyons think about movies?

Posted by Craig Kennedy at January 8, 2008 11:17 AM

comment #11

JD says ...

I've seen 4 Months... and Diving Bell and I preferred Diving Bell. It's more artful and way more original, but both are very strong films. I also think the Mexican candidate for the Oscar, Silent Light, is far better than either of them. Interestingly, all 3 won major awards at Cannes last year.

Posted by JD at January 8, 2008 11:43 AM

comment #12

Craig Kennedy says ...

But JD...the Milky-White-Light...think of the children!

Posted by Craig Kennedy at January 8, 2008 11:44 AM

comment #13

rr3333 says ...

There goes Wells again with actors and their weights.

If Blonsky slims down like Ricki Lake, she'll either have a lame talk show or no career at all ...

Thrilled that 'Falling Slowly' won for best song. Song is perfect ... especially in how it was used in the film. Go rent it.

Posted by rr3333 at January 8, 2008 11:50 AM

comment #14

BurmaShave says ...

"I saw the moment when the Botero-like Blonsky won -- her "oh my god!" screaming was bridge-and-tunnel gauche, and if she doesn't Jenny Craig herself down to a more reasonable proportion she'll be shortening her lifespan. She's a medicine ball. If Mike Huckabee can do it, so can she."

There's so much contempt in that sentence it's beautiful. God bless you Wells.

Posted by BurmaShave at January 8, 2008 12:25 PM

comment #15

ROTC says ...

Chicago48, Ruby Dee may wind up with a "lifetime achievement"-type supporting nomination, but get real - there was absolutely nothing original or compelling about her character or her performance in the competent-but-underwhelming American Gangster. Hers may be the second most overpraised performance of the year, just a notch above Keira Knightley's endless scowling in Atonement.

Posted by ROTC at January 8, 2008 4:10 PM

comment #16