And we’re off. With today’s announcement from the National Board of Review — that mysterious yet often prescient group that always names its award winners in early December — the Oscar race has now begun. Its recipients include No Country for Old Men (pictured) for best picture, Sweeney Todd‘s Tim Burton for best director, George Clooney (Michael Clayton) and Julie Christie (Away from Her) for the lead acting prizes, and Casey Affleck (Jesse James) and Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) in the supporting races. Also included on the all-important NBR Top 10 Films list are The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Atonement, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bucket List, Into the Wild, Juno, The Kite Runner, Lars and the Real Girl, Michael Clayton, and Sweeney Todd.
What does all this mean to the overal Oscar picture? Last year, four of the five eventual best picture nominees were first part of the NBR Top 10 (only The Queen wasn’t). So while today’s news doesn’t necessarily sound the death knell for any particular film, it’s certainly not good news for American Gangster, Charlie Wilson’s War, or There Will Be Blood. And as always, the NBR list, which last year included head-scratchers like The History Boys, features a few surprise inclusions, like Bourne (yay!) and the upcoming Jack Nicholson dramedy The Bucket List, which seemed to be a Golden Globe contender at best. But at this point, it cemented films like No Country, Atonement, Juno, Kite Runner, Clayton, and Sweeney as movies to watch in the coming months.
So..
no love whatsoever for ‘I’m Not There’…
ok.. fine..
F*#% YOU, NBR!!!
ahem..
Jesse James was one of the worst movies of the year. So lame. Atonement is number one in my book. Beautiful and haunting…
i agree with the “i’m not there” snub, “jesse james” & “michael clayton” were fantastic, but did they not see “before the devil knows you’re dead”?
The win for Casey Affleck is truly fantastic… [i]The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford[/i] is still the best film of the year so far.
Hooray for Tim Burton! My God, the man’s never even been nominated for an Oscar. I predict “Sweeney Todd” to sweep the Awards. And no awards for Aaron Sorkin = good thing. The man is a hack.
I’m glad Atonement and The Kite Runner were acknowledged. I’m disappointed NBR didn’t have enough guts to give the Best Actor award to Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood, and Across the Universe wasn’t acknowledged at least as a Top Ten film of the year.
What, no love for Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen for “Eastern Promises”? What the hell does Viggo have to do to get any reccognition?
Nicole Kidman, Margot at the Wedding
Yay! Juno love!
Tim Burton! Sweeney Todd! It’s time someone recognized the genius!
Add a yay for Bourne from me.
Yeah thank god someone recognized Bourne. I don’t understand why it’s not getting more buzz when it got amazing reviews and made a LOT of money.
Too bad Jennifer Garner didn’t win Supporting Actress.
WHAT ABOUT RESCUE DAWN???????????????????
How is it that George Clooney can make flop after flop and still be named? He can’t act and if he is not in a film with 5 or more GOOD actors his films don’t make money. I wish he would dry up and blow away.
timspradlinmusic.com
ah yes…JULIE CHRISTIE…so good an early movie that opened small was rembered.
Julie was the best in 1965 and that still holds true.