Gravity, and Her Top the L.A. Film Critics Association Awards (Among Many Ties)

Today with Boston Society of Film Critics, the New York Online Film Critics Association, and L.A. Film Critics Association (LAFCA) announcing their winners, there is an aura of split decisions.  Today Boston and New York picked 12 Years a Slave, but L.A. deemed Best Picture a tie between Gravity and Her.  Beyond the New York (non-online critics) who picked American Hustle these films have been dominating forces with numerous wins for Nebraska, and Inside Llewyn Davis in acting and technical categories.  The lack of consensus proves this year has a lot of quality films, and this could be one of the most interesting award seasons to date.

As stated above the LAFCA deemed Best Picture a tie between Gravity and Her.  Gravity took home four prizes including Best Picture, Best Director for Alfonso Cuaron, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography.  Her won two prizes, Best Picture, and Best Production Design, the film was a runner up in three other categories.

"It's a tie" seemed to be a repetitive pattern throughout the live tweeting of these winners.  There was a tie in the Best Actress category between Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine, and Adèle Exarchopoulos, Blue Is the Warmest Color.  There was also a tie in the Best Supporting Actor category between James Franco, Spring Breakers, and Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club.  Once again Blanchett and Leto stick out as the front runners of the award season in the acting categories.

Based on the voting for Best Actor I think its safe to say there are four locks McConaughey, Redford, Dern, and Ejiofor.  I think Tom Hanks is vulnerable for Captain Phillips, and there are many actors who could swoop in to take his spot.  Yet do these awards matter?  The films that were most helped by these critics awards were American Hustle (although forgotten by the rest) and Her, these awards get their names out their and cement motion for them to potentially make waves with the Academy.  

On another note props to the great Megan Ellison for winning the New Generation prize; she deserves it!

• Best Picture: Gravity and Her (tie)
• Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity; runner-up: Spike Jonze, Her
• Best Actor: Bruce Dern, Nebraska; runner-up: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
• Best Actress:  Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine, and Adèle Exarchopoulos, Blue Is the Warmest Color (tie)
• Best Supporting Actor:  James Franco, Spring Breakers, and Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club (tie)
• Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave; runner-up: June Squibb, Nebraska
• Best Screenplay: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke,Before Midnight; runner-up: Spike Jonze, Her
• Best Foreign-Language Film: Blue Is the Warmest Color; runner-up: The Great Beauty
• Best Feature Animation: Ernest & Celestine; runner-up: The Wind Rises
• Best Documentary: Stories We Tell; runner-up: The Act of Killing
• Best Music Score: T Bone Burnett, Inside Llewyn Davis; runner-up: Arcade Fire and Owen Pallett, Her
• Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity; Runner-up, Bruno Delbonnel, Inside Llewyn Davis
• Best Editing: Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger, Gravity; Shane Carruth and David Lowery, Upstream Color
• Best Production Design: K.K. Barrett, Her; Runner-up: Jess Gonchor, Inside Llewyn Davis
• Douglas Edwards Independent/Experimental Film/Video Award:
• Cabinets Of Wonder: Films and a Performance by Charlotte Pryce
• The NEW GENERATION prize: Megan Ellison.

12 Years a Slave, and Nebraska lead the Independent Spirit Award Nominations

Previously on the Independent Spirit Awards...last year 2 of the 5 nominees were Best Feature Film winners, they were Silver Linings Playbook, and Beasts of the Southern Wild.  Playbook ended up winning this award along with Best Director, Female Lead, and Screenplay.  Beasts only won Cinematography.  Meanwhile Playbook and Moonrise Kingdom lead the nominations. Kingdom did not win a single award.  Playbook cost 21 million, Kingdom cost 16 million, and Beasts cost 1.8 million.  The question I asked after the winners/nominees were announced is how do you define independent?  Film Independent has set a capt at 21 million dollars, but I would argue this takes away the "spirit" of true independent film making.

Last year of the 9 categories which exist at both the Oscars and Spirit Awards only 14 nominees matched, out of 50.  That is just slightly under 30, or 28 percent to be precise.  One of the great things about these awards is that they do not match and their nominees stray from the films recognized from the Academy.  The winners of their awards tend to be folks who are nominated for Oscar, like Jennifer Lawrence and the Silver Linings train last year.  Film Independent broke this pattern as well last year. Last year they awarded John Hawkes Best Male Lead for The Sessions and and Matthew McConaughey for Best Male Supporting.

This year 12 Years a Slave leads the pack with 7 nominations, and Nebraska is not far behind with 6 nominations.  Rounding out the Best Feature Film nominees All is Lost has 4 nominations,but the real head scratchers are with the final two nominees Inside Llewyn Davis has 3 nominations, but no screenplay or directing nomination for Coens.  Frances Ha has only 2 nominations, but no nomination for screenplay, or the star Greta Gerwig.

One snub that stuck out like a sore thumb to me was no Before Midnight in Best Feature, it was one of the best films of the year.  The other interesting fact is that the Spirit Awards have 6 nominees in the Best Male Lead category, Oscar should follow suit with 6 at least.  Excited for The Spectacular Now, the film was great, and glad to see they spread the wealth for films like Enough Said, and Mud.

Overall a solid group of nominees, the biggest benefactor here is Nebraska, this will bring a lot of awards attention, and hopefully launch it to more nominations at the Oscars.

How do the nominees look this year?  Here is the full list

Best Feature Film 
12 Years a Slave
All is Lost
Frances Ha
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska

Best First Feature 
Blue Caprice
Concussion
Fruitvale Station
Una Noche
Wadjda 

Best Director 
Shane Carruth-Upstream Color
JC Chandor-All is Lost
Steve McQueen-12 Years a Slave
Jeff Nichols-Mud
Alexander Payne-Nebraska 

Best Screenplay
12 Years a Slave-John Ridley 
Before Midnight-Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, and Richard Linklater
Blue Jasmine-Woody Allen
Enough Said-Nicole Holofcnener and Scott Neustadter
The Spectacular Now-Michael H. Weber

Best First Screenplay
Afternoon Delight
Don Jon
In a World
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete
Nebraska

Best Female Lead
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
Julie Delpy, "Before Midnight"
Gaby Hoffman, "Crystal Fairy"
Brie Larson, "Short Term 12"
Shailene Woodley, "The Spectacular Now"

Best Male Lead
Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
Oscar Isaac, "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Michael B. Jordan, "Fruitvale Station"
Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Robert Redford, "All is Lost"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"

Best Supporting Female
Melonie Diaz, "Fruitvale Station"
Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"
Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"
Yolonda Ross, "Go For Sisters"
June Squibb, "Nebraska"

Best Supporting Male
Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"
Will Forte, "Nebraska"
James Gandolfini, "Enough Said"
Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Keith Stanfield, "Short Term 12"

Best Cinematography
"All is Lost"
"Computer Chess"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Spring Breakers"
"12 Years a Slave"

Best Editing
"Frances Ha"
"Museum Hours"
"Short Term 12"
"Una Noche"
"Upstream Color"

Best Documentary
"The Act of Killing"
"After Tiller"
"Gideon's Army"
"The Square"
"20 Feet from Stardom"

Best International Film
"Blue is the Warmest Color"
"Gloria"
"The Great Beauty"
"The Hunt"
"A Touch of Sin"

Robert Altman Award
"Mud"

John Cassavetes Award
"Computer Chess"
"Crystal Fairy"
"Museum Hours"
"Pit Stop"
"This is Martin Bonner"

Piaget Producers Award
Toby Halbrooks & James M. Johnston
Jacob Jaffke
Andrea Roa
Frederick Thornton

Someone to Watch Award
Aaron Douglas Johnston, "My Sisters Quinceañera"
Shaka King, "Newlyweeds"
Madeline Olnek, "The Foxy Merkins"

Truer Than Fiction Award
Kalyanee Mam, "A River Changes Course"
Jason Osder, "Let the Fire Burn"
Stephanie Spray & Pacho Valez, "Manakamana"

12 Years a Slave Leads the Gotham Award Nominations, that Helps at Oscar but is Not a Slam Dunk

Last year's big winner at the Gotham Awards for Best Feature, was Moonrise Kingdom, the year before that was a tie between Beginners, and Tree of Life.  In looking at the past winners/nominees in the last five years the only film to win at Gotham and the the Oscars was The Hurt Locker (2009).    Many of the feature film winners have gone on to score nominations, Moonrise Kingdom received one for Best Original Screenplay. Beginners received a Supporting Actor nomination, and win for Christopher Plummer.  The Tree of Life scored 3 nominations including Picture, Director, and Cinematography.  Gotham was also one of the first launching points for nominations for Winter's Bone (4 nominations), and Frozen River (1 nomination). 

This year 12 Years a Slave has 3 nominations, more than any film.  The problem/interesting fact about these awards is that the actual categories have changed over the years, and sometimes they pull out a surprise winner.  I could see any of these five films winning this award.  Before Midnight has a strong chance to upset.

With all that on the table the Gotham Awards are one of the first awards of the season, but they rarely impact anything.  My hope is that they avoid being a rubber stamper for Oscar winners, especially in the new Best Actor, and Best Actress  category.  The "cool" thing to me about these awards is that the remind of the way the Independent Spirit Awards used to look, let's just hope they do not follow Alice down the rabbit hole, and try to become a rubber stamp for Oscar.

Best Feature

12 Years a Slave

Steve McQueen, director; Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Bill Pohlad, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan, Anthony Katagas, producers. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints

David Lowery, director; Tony Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Amy Kaufman, Cassian Elwes, producers (IFC Films)

Before Midnight

Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos, Sara Woodhatch, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)

Inside Llewyn Davis

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, directors; Scott Rudin, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, producers (CBS Films)

Upstream Color

Shane Carruth, director; Shane Carruth, Casey Gooden, Ben LeClair, producers. (erbp)

Best Documentary

The Act of Killing

Joshua Oppenheimer, director; Signe Byrge, Joshua Oppenheimer, producers (Drafthouse Films)

The Crash Reel

Lucy Walker, director; Julian Cautherly, Lucy Walker, producers (HBO Documentary Films)

First Cousin Once Removed

Alan Berliner, director and producer (HBO Documentary Films)

Let the Fire Burn

Jason Osder, director and producer (Zeitgeist Films)

Our Nixon

Penny Lane, director; Brian L. Frye, Penny Lane, producers (Cinedigm and CNN Films)

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award

Ryan Coogler for Fruitvale Station (The Weinstein Company)

Adam Leon for Gimme the Loot (Sundance Selects)

Alexandre Moors for Blue Caprice (Sundance Selects)

Stacie Passon for Concussion (RADiUS-TWC)

Amy Seimetz for Sun Don’t Shine (Factory 25)

Best Actor

Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis (CBS Films)

Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club (Focus Features)

Robert Redford in All Is Lost (Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions)

Isaiah Washington in Blue Caprice (Sundance Selects)

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine (Sony Pictures Classics)

Scarlett Johansson in Don Jon (Relativity Media)

Brie Larson in Short Term 12 (Cinedigm)

Amy Seimetz in Upstream Color (erbp)

Shailene Woodley in The Spectacular Now (A24)

Breakthrough Actor

Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings (Sony Pictures Classics)

Kathryn Hahn in Afternoon Delight (The Film Arcade and Cinedigm)

Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station (The Weinstein Company)

Lupita Nyong’o in 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Robin Weigert in Concussion (RADiUS-TWC)

The nominating committees consisted of:

Nominating Committee for Best Feature and Breakthrough Director:

Scott Foundas, Lead Film Critic, Variety

Eric Kohn, Lead Film Critic, Indiewire

Christy Lemire, Film Critic, ChristyLemire.com and co-host, What the Flick?!

Andrew O’Hehir, Film Critic, Salon.com

Dana Stevens, Movie Critic, Slate

Nominating Committee for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Breakthrough Actor:

Justin Chang, Senior Film Critic, Variety

Noah Cowan, Artistic Director, TIFF Bell Lightbox

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post Film and Theater Film Critic

David Rooney, Film & Theater Critic, The Hollywood Reporter

Leah Rozen, freelance entertainment writer

Nominating Committee for Best Documentary:

Charlotte Cook, Director of Programming, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festiva

lBen Fowlie, Founder & Executive Director, Camden International Film Festival 

Cynthia Fuchs, Film-TV Editor, PopMatters

Mike Maggiore, Programmer and Publicist, Film Forum

Sky Sitney, Festival Director, AFI Docs

Before Midnight is one of the Honest Films about the Evolution of Love

Before Midnight (5 out of 5 Stars)

Directed by Richard Linklater (School of Rock, Before Sunset, Before Sunrise)

Written by Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy (Before Sunset)

Starring: Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy

In 1995 Jesse (Hawke) and Celine (Delpy) meet on a train while traveling in Europe.  The two of them end up spending a romantic night in Vienna. As the night comes to an end the two make a plan to meet up some time later, but there is an obvious feeling that the two will never see one another again.  After nine years has passed (2004) Jesse has written a book about his experience with Celine.  While in Paris at a book signing Celine seeks out Jesse, the two walk around the city, and talk about what might have been.  At the end of the film Celine seductively teases Jesse "you are going to miss your flight."

Eight years later (2013) Jesse and Celine are together (not married), they live in Paris together and have two daughters.  At the beginning of the film Jesse is saying goodbye to his son Hank, whom he had with his first wife.  Jesse and Celine were spending 6 weeks with their family in Greece as he stayed at an older author's home. 

These three films take these two on a journey through their two decade long relationship from young lovers to a basically married couple with young children in their early forties.  Within this film there is a set up unlike the other films in which Celine and Jesse have interactions with more people like their children, and other couples who are at different points in their relationships.  While at the home of the author Jesse and Celine get to see love lost, with the two older people who have lost their spouses, a couple at the same point in their relationship with children, and a young couple born out of the digital age.  Each of these films in this series is a marvel, and that is namely because of their scripts.

In past films Jesse and Celine are the sole focus of the films, and the world you watch, while in this film you get to see different relationships, and the way they view Jesse and Celine, and how Jesse and Celine view them.  One of the most fascinating aspects is the younger couple who are probably the same age as Jesse and Celine when they met in 95.    The two young lovers met in England, but did not live near one another, if this were 95 they may have ended up like Jesse and Celine on a different journey, but thanks to the magic of Skype they talk about how they would sleep next to their computer screens as though they were sleeping with one another and fall asleep.  They are also part of a different generation in which love is seen as practical, and even they view there relationship as having an end.

The other interesting story comes from an older woman at the table who is friend of Jesse and Celine's host.  The woman tells one of the most heartbreaking stories about how even though she knew love never to be perfect she misses the heft of her husbands arm around her in bed; she then goes on to talk about how as she has continued to age after his passing she has to try harder to remember him and she almost feels as though she is losing him all over again.  I am actually starting to tear up as I write my recollection of this story, because it was beyond beautiful.

The couple who is the same age, and has children just like Jesse and Celine arranges a getaway on their last night in a hotel so they can have time to themselves to spark some romance.  The fact that this couple set this up, and paid for this hotel shows the parallel of a similar feeling that Jesse and Celine are no longer the young bucks, nor are they old and nostalgic, they have to work hard to keep things fresh and passionate.  As Jesse and Celine begin the walk to their hotel, one of their classic back and forth conversations begins, but their age shows the romance is gone, and the tone of this discussion is much less about romance, or what if, and more about do we still fit together.  Jesse is debating a move to Chicago, Celine is feeling imposed upon and wants to follow her dreams, and also questions her abilities as a mother.  The script creates a raw, intense, and sometimes funny look into this different point in Jesse and Celine's life.

While the script is impeccable, Linklater's direction is proof that he is one of the most underrated American directors.  Linklater creates the most intimate scenes, pushing you into this couples world so well; he knows how to create the moments blending humor and darkness.  Linklater envelopes the emotion and plants you firm into the world of these two, and while it should feel obtrusive you get sucked into their lives, namely because you feel like you know these people from the prior films, and maybe even in real life.

Many people know the slacker Jesse, that typical American adult who no matter what acts like a teenage boy, but yet has this romantic at the core.  Hawke is fantastic in this film; he has grown into Jesse well.   What I like about Hawke's portrayal of Jesse is that he never changes, because as jesse he knows he has to cling to what he knows in order to remain comfortable.  Hawke knows this and tackles his wit and romantic with such ease. Delpy knocks it out of the park, but in a different way.  Celine is no longer the cool French girl, but now the insecure mother who feels as though she is losing her ideals she once had.  Delpy is fantastic and incredibly vulnerable, and gives birth to the evolution of Celine.  Hawke along with Delpy have co-written this films once again, proving they know these characters maybe even better than they know themselves, and you feel as though these characters are ingrained within their being, they are both that good.

Before Midnight is a revelation, where young sweethearts turn into George and Martha.  Jesse and Celine are potentially at a better place than that couple, but the film leaves you feeling the heft of the emotional struggle couples face as their relationship ages and they are at the middle.  How do you cope with children sex, romance, passion, self preservation idealism?  Jesse and Celine battle all of this in Midnight.  This is one of the most honest films, and should be praised for turning the evolution of romance into a trilogy, this is one trilogy I can honestly get behind.

May Movies to See and Skip

April got better!  I saw two brand new April releases, well on release and one re-release, Oblivion and Jurassic Park 3-D (both worth it).  Place Beyond the Pines, and 42 are on my list to see as well.  Overall April showed a turnaround within the quality of film.  Now onto the the explosions and beautiful films which get tucked into the summer months to save audiences from the loud noises.  The cool thing about this month is that none of the films look simply unwatchable (except maybe one).

May 3rd

Iron Man 3

May the "Summer" movie season starts out with a bang.  Iron Man 3 is the perfect movie to start off this season.   At the moment reviews are favorable, and the film looks to be better than the sequel (thank God).

May 10th

The Great Gatsby

Peeples

I think Gatsby is going to be a flop, based on Lurhman's hit or miss track record, this just looks so messy, and all over the place.  This is just a judgement from the trailer.  I think it looks cool and DiCaprio is a great choice, but I am concerned about it being all style and no substance.  Remember Australia?

Peeples looks harmless, I am excited to see Craig Robinson getting more work he is a very funny guy, but I will not be seeing this.

May 17th

Star Trek: Into Dark Darkness 

Frances Ha

What a weekend!  Stark Trek looks incredibly awesome, and action packed.  Early reviews are not as glowing as the first, but that film is great and funny.

Frances Ha combines the incredibly talented Gretta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach.  Baumbach wrote the film with Gerwig, and just based on the trailer I am there!

(Frances Ha Trailer)

May 24th

Fast & Furious 6 

Epic

The Hangover Part III

Before Midnight

This is the most crowded weekend in May, with most of the other weekends having only one major film, this one has three.  The interesting question is which film ends up on top of the box office, my money is on Furious.

Furious 5 was supposed to be pretty good (I only saw the first).  This franchise is like a mini series on the big screen, bringing characters back to tell a continuing story, which is rarely done, and kind of fun.  No interest here.

Epic will please the families, but this looks just bad.  This movie has been made before it was called Ferngully.

The Hangover II was one of the worst films I have seen (EVER).  This film is changing the formula, but looks just as terrible as the second.  I did not pay for the second and I will not pay for this.

The film I am most excited about is the third in a series, Before Midnight.  This film started with Sunrise, then Sunset, now Midnight.  Sounds stupid, but these are the best films about a couples relationship, and their development.  So well written (see the trailer below).

May 31st

After Earth

Now You See Me

Kings of Summer 

With so many movies out towards the end of May, I have an odd feeling that this weeks movies will suffer a lot, and get lost in the shuffle.

Except for After Earth, Will Smith has sort of magnetism with the box office, although MIB III did not do that great.  Now You See Me, could be interesting with the cast, but I think I will disapear in the magicians wardrobe.

Kings of Summer is the film I want to see most, this looks like one of those great find yourself or "coming of age film" that is always needed for Summer.

See: Iron Man 3, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Frances Ha, Before Midnight

Skip: The Hangover III, Now You See Me