Image Credit: Everett CollectionPrecious was far and away the big winner at the Spirit Awards tonight in Los Angeles, winning all five categories in which it was nominated: Best Feature, Best Director (Lee Daniels), Best Female Lead (Gabourey Sidibe), Best Supporting Female (Mo’Nique), and Best First Screenplay (Geoffrey Fletcher). Crazy Heart, meanwhile, picked up two big prizes: Best First Feature and Best Male Lead for Jeff Bridges. The Supporting Male prize went to The Messenger‘s Woody Harrelson, while Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber took home the Best Screenplay award for (500) Days of Summer. (Great job, guys!) Absent from tonight’s proceedings? The Hurt Locker, which was eligible last year, having played at several 2008 film festivals (it actually failed to earn a Best Feature nod). As Daniels put it during his Best Director acceptance speech: “Kathryn Bigelow’s not here tonight. I am.” Other winners included A Serious Man‘s Roger Deakins for Best Cinematography, Anvil! The Story of Anvil! for Best Documentary, and An Education for Best Foreign Film. (Yes, at the Spirit Awards, a UK/France coproduction, even though it’s entirely in English, is considered foreign.)
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These awards are so political. It’s not about the film; it’s about momentum. Every movie has its turn. Hurt Locker just had great timing. If the Oscars were three months ago, Up in the Air probably would take Best Picture.
Emma – what exactly were you reading? The Hurt Locker didn’t win anything at these awards because it was not eligible. If anything, the Spirit Awards are the ones that are NOT political.
Emma, what are you smoking? Just how did The Hurt Locker have great timing with the Spirit Awards since it didn’t win anything? And I doubt Up in the Air would’ve won for Best Picture three months ago because regardless when it was released–people would’ve seen how lackluster it actually was.
While Emma is right to a degree (momentum is VERY important if you want to win at the Oscars), I fail to see what The Hurt Locker, or the Oscars for that matter, have to do with the topic at hand.
I think what Emma meant was that it’s weird how “The Hurt Locker” WAS eligible last near and failed to receive nominations last year. If it was such a great film and a shoe in for best picture this year, it would have been nominated last year.
Emma is completely right. I definitely think that Up In The Air would have won three months ago, and even that it is The Hurt Locker’s other big competition now. Too bad The Hurt Locker wasn’t eligable for the Spirit Awards this year!
So happy for the cast of Precious. Gabby and Monique really deserve those Spirit Awards. I have high hopes for them at the Oscars.
Up in the Air wasn’t good, and it wasn’t serious or funny.
As for Clooney’s acting, been there, done that a million times before in the past.
Totally agree with you, Jason. Up in the Air is the most overrated movie of the season. I’m glad people finally opened their eyes and saw it for what it actually is.
I’m with you. I was underwhelmed with both Clooney and the film in general. I’m glad the buzz for that one faded away.
Also agree. Reitmann’s overrated as actual people have been arguing for months. But the Hollywood press loves him, so there you go.
I happened to love Up in the Air.
Ditto.
Of all of the early contenders, this one crashed and burned at the wrong time. It was treated as a done deal for best picture and Clooney for best actor back in the summer during the festivals. Then awards season came and it just went flat. No wins in the major award shows at all–everything from Basterds (SAG and cast in Critics, Waltz), Avatar–Globes, Hurt Locker (most everything else) and now Precious (Monique like Waltz is a done deal) have won something major, but not this one. Maybe writing will be where it gets something.
Publicists got the buzz going. But once audiences and critics saw it, that buzz went away. Films that are obviously better passed it by.
So glad to see (500) Days of Summer finally win something, Jason you are an idiot.
I really didn’t like 500 Days of Summer. Neither did my husband. And at least one friend. I accept that we are the only three people in the world who didn’t. But, I am happy it wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.
Laughing out loud at Jason’s comment. It wasn’t serious OR funny? Huh? Totally agree with Jose, nice to see some 500 Days lovin’ after the egregious Oscar snub. Also nice to see the charming and gracious Gabourey Sidibe win; I wish it didn’t seem a forgone conclusion that Sandra is (unjustly) winning the Best Actress statue. I also find it interesting that the Hurt Locker didn’t even have a Best Picture nom at the Spirit Awards last year; just goes to once again show how political the entire damn awards season really is.
The fact that Hurt Locker wasn’t nominated shows the important of buzz in the oscar race. Renner and Mackie did get acting nominations at last year’s spirit awards but if it was eligible for this year, the precious sweep would not have happened. It is never just about the perfomances. People are sometimes confused about what to vote for because there are so many options and buzz gives them direction. They wouldn’t want to embarrass themselves in the community by leaving off the perceived front runner.
Precious has been so under the radar for the past few months that I didn’t think it was going to win any major awards other than the NAACP Image Awards. To see this amazing film sweep the Spirit Awards is both a shock to the system and a very nice surprise! Winning Oscars however will be far more taxing. This is the first year I’ve seen all the nominated films and each is deserving of some sort of Oscar recognition. ………….And let’s ignore the Tard so named Jason. Can’t act, sing, dance or anything. But Jason can wear makeup, lipstick, a silly rubber red nose, and is great at flopping his chicken around, silly a$$ clown! Like Rebecca and Sara, the other website TARDS, having no life equals putting down real actors, and studios that are actually out and acheiving something relevant during the day. Guaranteed, TARDS will be up and down this website spewing their ignorance all day long. In 5, 4, 3, 2, ……
Lighten up, Matt.
seriously. It was just an opinion that differed from yours. That’s allowed
Bull. Precious was a great movie, but to win over films like A Single Man and Sin Nombre is ridiculous.
How was A Single Man not nominated for Best Cinemtography?! And Tom Ford definitely should have won for Best First Feature and Screenplay.
And Sin Nombre was the most affecting drama last year.
I thought the Spirit Awards were less political than the Oscars, but I guess not. Not if Precious can beat all these other far more deserving films,
At least 500 Days of Summer won.
Well, I don’t think Precious and A Single Man were in the same category. Crazy Heart won over A Single Man in the First Feature category. But, I agree with you on A Single Man (haven’t seen Sin Nombre). I thought it was by far the best movie I saw in 2009 (well, I actually saw it in 2010, but you know what I mean). I have read the book and I thought the way Tom Ford interpreted it was amazing and beautiful. Colin Firth was at the top of his game and far out-shinned all other male performances for the year. I was surprised it didn’t get more love from the Oscars. Ford is actually the only director I would vote for over Bigelow. Oh, well. I really loved Precious too and I’m glad it got it’s chance to shine.
Precious has been under the radar? That’s a joke, right?
He means that although Precious has gotten ALOT of nominations, the only awards they’ve actually won have been for Best Supporting Actress. He’s saying its nice Precious is winning awards other than Best Supporting Actress. I guess I wouldn’t use the term “under the radar”.
Yay! Go Precious! So happy for them. They may not do well at the Oscars, but at least they won something other than the NAACP Image Awards.
Political? What does that even mean? I really think it’s pathetic whenever Precious wins anything, people say it’s because of politics? Precious has nothing to do with politics! You dont have to like every movie that wins awards, and when they do, you don’t have try to find “the reason”. They won because the voting committee liked the film more. End of story.
Done with that rant. Go Precious! Wooh!
The Independent Spirit Awards are a joke. Every year it’s the same thing. Oscar nominees with a couple of real “indies” thrown in for credibility. Spirit Award nominations should come after the Oscar nominations and anyone nominated for an Oscar should be ineligible. For the record, I have never been nominated for a Spirit Award. I refuse to pay $250 (or is it more now?) to be eligible for rejection.
People have to pay money to be considered for a Spirit Award??!!
If true, what kind of “spirit” is that???
So great to see 500 Days of Summer actually win something. The movie should have won a Globe! Well, congrats writers for your awesome screenplay!
I’m so sick of hearing about the Hurt Locker, I’d love to see Precious, Basterds, Avatar, Up in the Air or even A Serious Man sneak in an take Best Picture Sunday night.
Personally I liked all of the above movies better than THL (except Avatar, still liked it though).
you’re sick of the hurt locker but want to see avatar “sneak” in? oh that makes perfect sense…
I heard they’re going to tear Mo’Nique down and put up an office building.
Precious has been under the radar in major awards like in the critics realm like best picture, and dga, awards…..and I feel even though it was a great film it will belly up for Oscar other than best supporting actress…Gabby deserves the oscar for best actress …but politically speaking america’s so called sweetheart Sandy Bullock in a very mediocre acting turn very recognizable fake Texas accent will win for a pretty lackluster and been there done that film…. anyway I digress