Awards
Page Index
* OSCAR coverage here
'08 FiLM BiTCH
Awards
by Nathaniel
R
Traditional
Oscar categories: Majors
/
Acting /
Technicals /
Technicals 2 (Tally of Noms)
Special
Categories: Extras
/ Extras 2 / Scenes
1 / Scenes 2
(Tally of Noms) / Polls (Reader choice)
Please note: I follow similar rules to Oscar in terms of double nominations. Like Oscar I don't allow them in the individual acting races but I also don't allow them in the behind camera categories either so, for example, a costume designer can't be nominated for two different movies in the costume design category.
Best
Actress in a Leading Role
the
goddesses
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Anne
Hathaway "Kym" Rachel Getting Married |
Sally
Hawkins "Poppy" Happy-Go-Lucky |
Melissa
Leo "Ray Eddy" Frozen River |
Michelle
Williams "Wendy" Wendy & Lucy |
Kate
Winslet "Hanna Schmitz" The Reader |
A
dynamic blend of character detail, star charisma and comedic timing
bonus points That agonizing toast. It's a vivisection and Hathaway performs it with surgical precision and theatrical wit |
Finds
a full complex human being in a thesis. Gorgeously shaded Bonus Points: The internal warfare playing on her face with Scott. Here's one dark soul she can't brighten (my interview) |
Attacks
her first lead role with gritty aplomb. A hardworking performance that
reads completely natural. More lead roles now bonus points Knows just when to spike a scene with unexpected humor |
Humming fills the soundtrack and its a perfect match for her vanity-free but quietly expressive work. Wendy's pared down life may have no room for actressy arias but this lived-in performance sure sings |
A
true stretch for an actress fond of the free spirits. The peeks at humanity
in this empty shell are moving bonus points Also fine in Revolutionary Road, even if she's covered the ground memorably before |
 Finalists:
Juliette Binoche The Flight of the Red Balloon
offers up a perfect example of why there is no excuse for actors not to
feel specific and full in any role. There's not much of a story or dialogue
but her energy and choices are so detailed that the character is 100%
carved out * Julianne Moore gets her groove back in
Savage Grace (and Blindness) * Semi-Finalists: Famke Jannsen Turn the River (my interview)* Kristin Scott Thomas I've Loved You So Long * Penélope Cruz Elegy * Emily Mortimer Transsiberian * And that's my top twelve since I doubled up on Moore & Winslet. |
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Best
Actor in a Leading Role
the
idols
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| Colin
Farrell "Ray" In Bruges |
Ben
Kingsley "David Kepesh" Elegy |
Heath
Ledger "The Joker" The Dark Knight |
Sean
Penn "Harvey Milk" Milk |
Mickey
Rourke "Randy the Ram" The Wrestler |
The
best performance he's given since his attention grabbing debut in Tigerland
years ago: funny, annoying, poignant and sensitive Bonus Points: That heart wrenching monologue. Gah |
Digs
deep for this complex portrait of an intellectual hedonist with intimacy
issues. It's on par with his very best work Bonus Points: Unexpectedly, he radiates carnality. That's crucial to the film's success |
A
star turn that gleefully dances at the abyss. Inspired work Bonus Points: That sick cackle that sputters out arrhythmically as if the Joker himself couldn't decide how far to take his own performance |
Sober
narration, merry flirtations, heroic idealism slightly shaded
with power tripping -- every decision feels just right Bonus Points: Subway pickup. Such a charming birthday boy (and so unlike Penn!) |
A+
fusion of actor and role, which is not to downplay the power of his
self pitying, meaty and honest portrait painted with exhaust fumes Bonus Points: The deli counter "What you havin', spring chicken?" |
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| Oscar's
Race for Best Actor
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Finalists:
Richard
Jenkins gets his first chance at a lead role and works a
subtle slow character arc throughout The Visitor
* Josh Brolin does fine mimicry
but he imbues W. with unexpected soul too, maybe more than
W. himself has displayed but absolutely the right choice for the movie*
Best
Actor in a Supporting Role
lynchpin
players
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Josh
Brolin "Dan White" Milk |
Robert
Downey Jr "Kirk Lazarus" Tropic Thunder |
Bill
Irwin "Paul" Rachel Getting Married |
Benoît
Magimel "Paul Gaudens" A Girl Cut in Two |
Brad
Pitt "Chad Feldheimer" Burn After Reading |
Continues
to show impressive range. Marvel at the way Dan seems so uneasy in his
own skin. Its nothing like Brolin's recent work Bonus Points: That drunk confrontation with Harvey at the party |
Wrings
every laugh possible from the tasteless specific joke of this "dude
playin' the dude, disguised as another dude" and also nails the
larger skewering of method actors. Inspired work as per usual with RDJ |
Richly
moving as the continually mediating big hearted papa. Bonus Points: Do a little sidestep. Watch him avoid confrontation even when there's no other place for conversations to go (my interview) |
Flamboyantly
smug. Magimel risks a nearly parodic turAn as a gazillionaire who can't
imagine not having his way, seriously enlivening this vivid but occasionally
draggy thriller |
Chad
is in over his (empty) head, Pitt gleefully shows him trying to catch
up Bonus Points: That little boy physicality: oral fixation, animated limbs and un-restrained enthusiasms |
 Finalists:
John Malkovich's amusing short fuse and self regard
in Burn After Reading * James
Franco all easy sweetness and concern in Milk * Eddie
Marsan's counterpoint top-blowing
in Happy-Go-Lucky * Semi-Finalists: Emile Hirsch in Milk * Ralph Fiennes in The Duchess (and In Bruges) * Stephen Dillane in Savage Grace * and that's the top 12 since I doubled up on Fiennes |
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| Oscar's
Race for Supporting Actor
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Best
Actress in a Supporting Role
huge
assets
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Penélope
Cruz "Maria Elena" Vicky Cristina Barcelona |
Viola
Davis "Mrs. Miller" Doubt |
Rosemarie
DeWitt "Rachel" Rachel Getting Married |
Samantha
Morton "Hazel" Synecdoche New York |
Marisa
Tomei "Cassidy / Pam" The Wrestler |
Sidesteps
any reductive traps of the 'fiery exotic' role with cleverness and
modulation. Sexy and charming but always worrisome |
I
wish Streep had given her more of a fight for her big film changing
scene ... but she still would've emerged the champ with this heart-wrenching
portrayal of maternal love, denial and moral compromise |
A
multifaceted portrait of a sister, friend, fiancée and daughter
-- each love or blood bond is clearly drawn Bonus Points: Never downplays Rachel's own flaws, making the drama much juicier (my interview) |
Film
saving. She's your sole window outside of Caden/ Kauffman's head and
the actress lets a gentle breeze in Bonus Points: Flirtatious. Nails the unexpected sex appeal in this doormat woman |
Plays
the war between stripper and woman, showing how The Ram is wedged between
them Bonus Points: That raw voice and those natural line readings... "You should call her" |
 Finalists:
Patricia Clarkson, Our Best Supporting Actress in Perpetuity,
is typically insightful and potent as an aging careerwoman
in Elegy * Audrey Dana owned her act in Roman
de Gare -- an exciting new screen presence * Catherine Deneuve
anchors and embodies A Christmas Tale, playing down her degenerative
cancer (obviously not an American actress or film -;), playing up sideways
drama and unsentimental comedy * Semi-Finalists: Debra Winger Rachel Getting Married * Emmanuelle Devos A Christmas Tale * Dianne Wiest Synecdoche New York * Shirley Henderson Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day * |
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Oscar's
Race for Supporting
Actress |
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