Here's something you might be interested in.
This year's "think lists" -- each member of the San Diego Film Critics Society submits a slate of suggested nominees in all the major categories -- were cause for alarm. Was I going to have to spell out for the group why Amy Adams' performance in The Muppet Movie was not award-worthy, or how Bridesmaids doesn't qualify as original let alone a Best Original Screenplay?
Thankfully, most of the objectionable choices didn't make the cut, and while the thought of judging art by committee is hateful, the group managed to whittle away several extremely dull and incredibly offensive titles.
My choices are in bold. The winners will be posted this Wednesday afternoon after the ballots have been counted.
BEST FILM
DRIVE, HUGO, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, THE ARTIST, and THE TREE OF LIFE.
BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese (HUGO), Michel Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST), Nicolas Winding Refn (DRIVE), Terrence Malick (THE TREE OF LIFE), and Woody Allen (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS).
BEST ACTRESS
Brit Marling (ANOTHER EARTH), Elizabeth Olsen (MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE), Michelle Williams (MY WEEK WITH MARILYN), Tilda Swinton (WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN), and Viola Davis (THE HELP).
BEST ACTOR
Brad Pitt (MONEYBALL), Brendan Gleeson (THE GUARD), George Clooney, (THE DESCENDANTS), Jean Dejardin (THE ARTIST), and Michael Shannon (TAKE SHELTER).
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo (THE ARTIST), Carey Mulligan (SHAME), Jessica Chastain (THE HELP), Mélanie Laurent (BEGINNERS), and Shailene Woodley (THE DESCENDANTS).
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Albert Brooks (DRIVE), Andy Serkis (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES), Christopher Plummer (BEGINNERS), Max von Sydow (EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE), and Nick Nolte (WARRIOR).
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Michel Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST), Mike Mills (BEGINNERS), Thomas McCarthy (WIN WIN), Will Reiser (50/50), and Woody Allen (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS).
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, (THE DESCENDANTS), Hossein Amini (DRIVE), John Logan (HUGO), Steve Kloves (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2), and Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin (MONEYBALL).
Le Quattro Volte.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN, HAPPY HAPPY, LE QUATTRO VOLTE, OF GODS AND MEN, and THE DOUBLE HOUR.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
BUCK, CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, INTO THE ABYSS, PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, and PROJECT NIM.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Adam Stone (TAKE SHELTER), Emmanuel Lubezki (THE TREE OF LIFE), Guillaume Schiffman (THE ARTIST), Newton Thomas Sigel (DRIVE) and Robert Richardson HUGO.
BEST ANIMATED FILM
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, HAPPY FEET TWO, KUNG FU PANDA 2, RANGO, and WINNIE THE POOH.
BEST EDITING
Anne-Sophie Bion & Michel Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST), Hank Corwin, Jay Rabinowitz, Daniel Rezende, Billy Weber, & Mark Yoshikawa (THE TREE OF LIFE), Mat Newman (DRIVE), Oliver Bugge Coutté (BEGINNERS), Thelma Schoonmaker (HUGO).
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Anne Seibel (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS), Dante Ferretti (HUGO), Jack Fisk (THE TREE OF LIFE), Laurence Bennett (THE ARTIST), and Stuart Craig (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2)
BEST SCORE
Alexandre Desplat (EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE), Alexandre Desplat (HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2), Alexandre Desplat (THE TREE OF LIFE), Howard Shore (HUGO), and Ludovic Bource (raping the bones of Bernard Herrmann in THE ARTIST).
BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
CARNAGE, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2, MARGIN CALL, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, and THE HELP.
BODY OF WORK FOR 2011
TBD during the final vote
KYLE COUNTS AWARD
TBD during the final vote
The San Diego Film Critics Society are Danny Baldwin (BucketReviews.com), Dan Bennett (North County Times), Josh Board (KOGO, Fox 5 San Diego), Kevin Finnerty (KOGO, ShowbizJunkies.com), Ian Forbes (SoberingConclusion.com, ShowbizJunkies.com), Alison Gang (Union Tribune), Jim Colt Harrison (San Diego City News, LGBT Weekly, Classic Movie Guide, BlogTalkRadio, ReviewExpress.com), Glenn Heath Jr. (Slant Magazine, The House Next Door, SanDiego.com, NOT Coming to a Theater Near You), Jeri Jacquin (East County California, Imperial Beach Sun, Fleet Reserve Press, Military Press, Chula Vista Star News, Chulavista.com, MovieMaven, The Star News.com, Upcoming-Movies.com), Jean Lowerison (Saenger Syndicate, San Diego Gay & Lesbian News), Lois Alter Mark (Nick Jr.com, StyleSubstanceSoul.com, HuffingtonPost.com, ThirdAge.com), Rebecca Murray (About.com, ShowbizJunkies.com), Robert Patrick (CinemaSpartan.com), Diana Saenger (East County Gazette, San Diego Suburban Newspapers, Saenger Syndicate and ReviewExpress.com, ReelTalkReviews.com, and ClassicMovieGuide.com), Betty Jo Tucker (ReelTalkreviews.com, Senior Beacon, Blog Talk Radio), Anders Wright (San Diego CityBeat, Go2.com, Upcoming-Movies.com), and yours truly.
This year's "think lists" -- each member of the San Diego Film Critics Society submits a slate of suggested nominees in all the major categories -- were cause for alarm. Was I going to have to spell out for the group why Amy Adams' performance in The Muppet Movie was not award-worthy, or how Bridesmaids doesn't qualify as original let alone a Best Original Screenplay?
Thankfully, most of the objectionable choices didn't make the cut, and while the thought of judging art by committee is hateful, the group managed to whittle away several extremely dull and incredibly offensive titles.
My choices are in bold. The winners will be posted this Wednesday afternoon after the ballots have been counted.
BEST FILM
DRIVE, HUGO, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, THE ARTIST, and THE TREE OF LIFE.
BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese (HUGO), Michel Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST), Nicolas Winding Refn (DRIVE), Terrence Malick (THE TREE OF LIFE), and Woody Allen (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS).
BEST ACTRESS
Brit Marling (ANOTHER EARTH), Elizabeth Olsen (MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE), Michelle Williams (MY WEEK WITH MARILYN), Tilda Swinton (WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN), and Viola Davis (THE HELP).
BEST ACTOR
Brad Pitt (MONEYBALL), Brendan Gleeson (THE GUARD), George Clooney, (THE DESCENDANTS), Jean Dejardin (THE ARTIST), and Michael Shannon (TAKE SHELTER).
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo (THE ARTIST), Carey Mulligan (SHAME), Jessica Chastain (THE HELP), Mélanie Laurent (BEGINNERS), and Shailene Woodley (THE DESCENDANTS).
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Albert Brooks (DRIVE), Andy Serkis (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES), Christopher Plummer (BEGINNERS), Max von Sydow (EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE), and Nick Nolte (WARRIOR).
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Michel Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST), Mike Mills (BEGINNERS), Thomas McCarthy (WIN WIN), Will Reiser (50/50), and Woody Allen (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS).
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, (THE DESCENDANTS), Hossein Amini (DRIVE), John Logan (HUGO), Steve Kloves (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2), and Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin (MONEYBALL).
Le Quattro Volte.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN, HAPPY HAPPY, LE QUATTRO VOLTE, OF GODS AND MEN, and THE DOUBLE HOUR.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
BUCK, CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, INTO THE ABYSS, PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, and PROJECT NIM.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Adam Stone (TAKE SHELTER), Emmanuel Lubezki (THE TREE OF LIFE), Guillaume Schiffman (THE ARTIST), Newton Thomas Sigel (DRIVE) and Robert Richardson HUGO.
BEST ANIMATED FILM
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, HAPPY FEET TWO, KUNG FU PANDA 2, RANGO, and WINNIE THE POOH.
BEST EDITING
Anne-Sophie Bion & Michel Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST), Hank Corwin, Jay Rabinowitz, Daniel Rezende, Billy Weber, & Mark Yoshikawa (THE TREE OF LIFE), Mat Newman (DRIVE), Oliver Bugge Coutté (BEGINNERS), Thelma Schoonmaker (HUGO).
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Anne Seibel (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS), Dante Ferretti (HUGO), Jack Fisk (THE TREE OF LIFE), Laurence Bennett (THE ARTIST), and Stuart Craig (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2)
BEST SCORE
Alexandre Desplat (EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE), Alexandre Desplat (HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2), Alexandre Desplat (THE TREE OF LIFE), Howard Shore (HUGO), and Ludovic Bource (raping the bones of Bernard Herrmann in THE ARTIST).
BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
CARNAGE, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2, MARGIN CALL, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, and THE HELP.
BODY OF WORK FOR 2011
TBD during the final vote
KYLE COUNTS AWARD
TBD during the final vote
The San Diego Film Critics Society are Danny Baldwin (BucketReviews.com), Dan Bennett (North County Times), Josh Board (KOGO, Fox 5 San Diego), Kevin Finnerty (KOGO, ShowbizJunkies.com), Ian Forbes (SoberingConclusion.com, ShowbizJunkies.com), Alison Gang (Union Tribune), Jim Colt Harrison (San Diego City News, LGBT Weekly, Classic Movie Guide, BlogTalkRadio, ReviewExpress.com), Glenn Heath Jr. (Slant Magazine, The House Next Door, SanDiego.com, NOT Coming to a Theater Near You), Jeri Jacquin (East County California, Imperial Beach Sun, Fleet Reserve Press, Military Press, Chula Vista Star News, Chulavista.com, MovieMaven, The Star News.com, Upcoming-Movies.com), Jean Lowerison (Saenger Syndicate, San Diego Gay & Lesbian News), Lois Alter Mark (Nick Jr.com, StyleSubstanceSoul.com, HuffingtonPost.com, ThirdAge.com), Rebecca Murray (About.com, ShowbizJunkies.com), Robert Patrick (CinemaSpartan.com), Diana Saenger (East County Gazette, San Diego Suburban Newspapers, Saenger Syndicate and ReviewExpress.com, ReelTalkReviews.com, and ClassicMovieGuide.com), Betty Jo Tucker (ReelTalkreviews.com, Senior Beacon, Blog Talk Radio), Anders Wright (San Diego CityBeat, Go2.com, Upcoming-Movies.com), and yours truly.