Lincoln Leads the Broadcast Film Critics Awards (BFCA) with 13, Les Miserables is Close Behind with 11 nominations

Today one of the most reliable pre-cursor awards announced their nominees, and Lincoln and Les 

Miserables lead the pack.  The Broadcast Film Critics Awards (BFCA) or Critics Choice Awards use an at home ballot to determine the winners.  This group is usually the most reliable with Best Picture nominees, in fact they were the only group (prior to Oscar), which had Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in the mix, just last year.  

The group seemed to love Lincoln and Les Miserables (nominations wise), but this does not always mean a lot of wins, the same thing happened to Sean Penn's Into the Wild a few years back.  Wild received 7 nominations in 2008 (one of the highest nominated films that year) with a Best Picture nomination and won 0 BFCA awards.  The film was also only nominated for two Oscars.  This award usually matches up 9 for 10 (good odds) so do not get set on this list.  They also nominate 6 acting nominees as opposed to five, so one of the six in these categories is not going to make the final cut.

Here is the full nomination list, with tallies by picture:

BEST PICTURE

Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Master
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

BEST ACTOR
Bradley Cooper – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Daniel Day-Lewis – “Lincoln”
John Hawkes – “The Sessions”
Hugh Jackman – “Les Misérables”
Joaquin Phoenix – “The Master”
Denzel Washington – “Flight”

BEST ACTRESS
Jessica Chastain – “Zero Dark Thirty”
Marion Cotillard – “Rust and Bone”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Emmanuelle Riva – “Amour”
Quvenzhané Wallis – “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Naomi Watts – “The Impossible”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Arkin – “Argo”
Javier Bardem – “Skyfall”
Robert De Niro – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Philip Seymour Hoffman – “The Master”
Tommy Lee Jones – “Lincoln”
Matthew McConaughey – “Magic Mike”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams – “The Master”
Judi Dench – “Skyfall”
Ann Dowd – “Compliance”
Sally Field – “Lincoln”
Anne Hathaway – “Les Misérables”
Helen Hunt – “The Sessions”

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Elle Fanning – “Ginger & Rosa”
Kara Hayward – “Moonrise Kingdom”
Tom Holland – “The Impossible”
Logan Lerman – “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
Suraj Sharma – “Life of Pi”
Quvenzhané Wallis – “Beasts of the Southern Wild”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Argo
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook

BEST DIRECTOR
Ben Affleck – “Argo”
Kathryn Bigelow – “Zero Dark Thirty”
Tom Hooper – “Les Misérables”
Ang Lee – “Life of Pi”
David O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Steven Spielberg – “Lincoln”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Quentin Tarantino – “Django Unchained”
John Gatins – “Flight”
Rian Johnson – “Looper”
Paul Thomas Anderson – “The Master”
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola – “Moonrise Kingdom”
Mark Boal – “Zero Dark Thirty”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Chris Terrio – “Argo”
David Magee – “Life of Pi”
Tony Kushner – “Lincoln”
Stephen Chbosky – “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
David O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Les Misérables” – Danny Cohen
“Life of Pi” – Claudio Miranda
“Lincoln” – Janusz Kaminski
“The Master” – Mihai Malaimare Jr.
“Skyfall” – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION
“Anna Karenina” – Sarah Greenwood/Production Designer; Katie Spencer/Set Decorator
“The Hobbit” – Dan Hennah/Production Designer; Ra Vincent & Simon Bright/Set Decorators
“Les Misérables” – Eve Stewart/Production Designer; Anna Lynch-Robinson/Set Decorator
“Life of Pi” – David Gropman/Production Designer; Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
“Lincoln” – Rick Carter/Production Designer; Jim Erickson/Set Decorator

BEST EDITING
“Argo” – William Goldenberg
“Les Misérables” – Melanie Ann Oliver and Chris Dickens
“Life of Pi” – Tim Squyres
“Lincoln” – Michael Kahn
“Zero Dark Thirty” – William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
“Anna Karenina” – Jacqueline Durran
“Cloud Atlas” – Kym Barrett and Pierre-Yves Gayraud
“The Hobbit” – Bob Buck, Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor
“Les Misérables” – Paco Delgado
“Lincoln” – Joanna Johnston

BEST MAKEUP
Cloud Atlas
The Hobbit
Les Misérables
Lincoln

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Avengers
Cloud Atlas
The Dark Knight Rises
The Hobbit
Life of Pi

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Brave
Frankenweenie
Madagascar 3
ParaNorman
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph

BEST ACTION MOVIE
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
Looper
Skyfall

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Christian Bale – “The Dark Knight Rises”
Daniel Craig – “Skyfall”
Robert Downey Jr. – “The Avengers”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – “Looper”
Jake Gyllenhaal – “End of Watch”

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Emily Blunt – “Looper”
Gina Carano – “Haywire”
Judi Dench – “Skyfall”
Anne Hathaway – “The Dark Knight Rises”
Jennifer Lawrence – “The Hunger Games”

BEST COMEDY
Bernie
Silver Linings Playbook
Ted
This Is 40
21 Jump Street

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Jack Black – “Bernie”
Bradley Cooper – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Paul Rudd – “This Is 40”
Channing Tatum – “21 Jump Street”
Mark Wahlberg – “Ted”

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Mila Kunis – “Ted”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Shirley MacLaine – “Bernie”
Leslie Mann – “This Is 40”
Rebel Wilson – “Pitch Perfect”

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
The Cabin in the Woods
Looper
Prometheus

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Amour
The Intouchables
A Royal Affair
Rust and Bone

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Bully
The Central Park Five
The Imposter
The Queen of Versailles
Searching for Sugar Man
West of Memphis

BEST SONG
“For You” – performed by Keith Urban/written by Monty Powell & Keith Urban – Act of Valor
“Learn Me Right” – performed by Birdy with Mumford & Sons/written by Mumford & Sons – Brave
“Skyfall” – performed by Adele/written by Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth – Skyfall
“Still Alive” – performed by Paul Williams/written by Paul Williams – Paul Williams Still Alive
“Suddenly” – performed by Hugh Jackman/written by Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil & Herbert Kretzmer – Les Misérables

BEST SCORE
“Argo” – Alexandre Desplat
“Life of Pi” – Mychael Danna
“Lincoln” – John Williams
“The Master” – Jonny Greenwood
“Moonrise Kingdom” – Alexandre Desplat

NOMINEES BY PICTURE FOR
THE 18th ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS

21 JUMP STREET – 2 Nominations
Best Comedy
Best Actor in a Comedy/Channing Tatum

A ROYAL AFFAIR – 1 Nomination
Best Foreign Language Film

ACT OF VALOR – 1 Nomination
Best Song/“For You”

AMOUR – 2 Nominations
Best Actress/Emmanuelle Riva
Best Foreign Language Film

ANNA KARENINA – 2 Nominations
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design

ARGO – 7 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor/Alan Arkin
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Director/Ben Affleck
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Editing
Best Score

THE AVENGERS – 3 Nominations
Best Visual Effects
Best Action Movie
Best Actor in an Action Movie/Robert Downey Jr.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD – 3 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Actress/Quvenzhane Wallis
Best Young Actress/Quvenzhane Wallis

BERNIE – 3 Nominations
Best Comedy
Best Actor in a Comedy/Jack Black
Best Actress in a Comedy/Shirley MacLaine

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL – 1 Nomination
Best Acting Ensemble

BRAVE – 2 Nominations
Best Animated Feature
Best Song/ “Learn Me Right”

BULLY – 1 Nomination
Best Documentary Feature

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS – 1 Nomination
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie

THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE – 1 Nomination
Best Documentary Feature

CLOUD ATLAS – 3 Nominations
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup
Best Visual Effects

COMPLIANCE – 1 Nomination
Best Supporting Actress/Ann Dowd

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES – 4 Nominations
Best Visual Effects
Best Action Movie
Best Actor in an Action Movie/Christian Bale
Best Actress in an Action Movie/Anne Hathaway

DJANGO UNCHAINED – 2 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Original Screenplay

END OF WATCH – 1 Nomination
Best Actor in an Action Movie/Jake Gyllenhaal

FLIGHT – 2 Nominations
Best Actor/Denzel Washington
Best Original Screenplay

FRANKENWEENIE – 1 Nomination
Best Animated Feature

GINGER & ROSA – 1 Nomination
Best Young Actress/Elle Fanning

HAYWIRE – 1 Nomination
Best Actress in an Action Movie/Gina Carano

THE HOBBIT – 4 Nominations
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup
Best Visual Effects

THE HUNGER GAMES – 1 Nomination
Best Actress in an Action Movie/Jennifer Lawrence

THE IMPOSSIBLE – 2 Nominations
Best Actress/Naomi Watts
Best Young Actor/Tom Holland

THE IMPOSTER – 1 Nomination
Best Documentary Feature

THE INTOUCHABLES – 1 Nomination
Best Foreign Language Film

LES MISÉRABLES – 11 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Actor/Hugh Jackman
Best Supporting Actress/Anne Hathaway
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Director/Tom Hooper
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Editing
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup
Best Song/ “Suddenly”

LIFE OF PI – 9 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Young Actor/Suraj Sharma
Best Director/Ang Lee
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Editing
Best Visual Effects
Best Score

LINCOLN – 13 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Actor/Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Supporting Actor/Tommy Lee Jones
Best Supporting Actress/Sally Field
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Director/Steven Spielberg
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Editing
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup
Best Score

LOOPER – 5 Nominations
Best Original Screenplay
Best Action Movie
Best Actor in an Action Movie/Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Best Actress in an Action Movie/Emily Blunt
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie

MADAGASCAR 3 – 1 Nomination
Best Animated Feature

MAGIC MIKE – 1 Nomination
Best Supporting Actor/Matthew McConaughey

THE MASTER – 7 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Actor/Joaquin Phoenix
Best Supporting Actor/Philip Seymour Hoffman
Best Supporting Actress/Amy Adams
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Score

MOONRISE KINGDOM – 5 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Young Actress/Kara Hayward
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Original Screenplay
Best Score

PARANORMAN – 1 Nomination
Best Animated Feature

PAUL WILLIAMS STILL ALIVE – 1 Nomination
Best Song/“Still Alive”

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER – 2 Nominations
Best Young Actor/Logan Lerman
Best Adapted Screenplay

PITCH PERFECT – 1 Nomination
Best Actress in a Comedy/Rebel Wilson

PROMETHEUS – 1 Nomination
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie

THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES – 1 Nomination
Best Documentary Feature

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS – 1 Nomination
Best Animated Feature

RUST AND BONE- 2 Nominations
Best Actress/Marion Cotillard
Best Foreign Language Film

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN – 1 Nomination
Best Documentary Feature

THE SESSIONS – 2 Nominations
Best Actor/John Hawkes
Best Supporting Actress/Helen Hunt

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – 10 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Actor/Bradley Cooper
Best Actress/Jennifer Lawrence
Best Supporting Actor/Robert De Niro
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Director/David O. Russell
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Comedy
Best Actor in a Comedy/Bradley Cooper
Best Actress in a Comedy/Jennifer Lawrence

SKYFALL – 7 Nominations
Best Supporting Actor/Javier Bardem
Best Supporting Actress/Judi Dench
Best Cinematography
Best Action Movie
Best Actor in an Action Movie/Daniel Craig
Best Actress in an Action Movie/Judi Dench
Best Song/“Skyfall”

TED – 3 Nominations
Best Comedy
Best Actor in a Comedy/Mark Wahlberg
Best Actress in a Comedy/Mila Kunis

THIS IS 40 – 3 Nominations
Best Comedy
Best Actor in a Comedy/Paul Rudd
Best Actress in a Comedy/Leslie Mann

WEST OF MEMPHIS – 1 Nomination
Best Documentary Feature

WRECK IT RALPH – 1 Nomination
Best Animated Feature

ZERO DARK THIRTY – 5 Nominations
Best Picture
Best Actress/Jessica Chastain
Best Director/Kathryn Bigelow
Best Original Screenplay
Best Editing

Let the Oscar Bait Season Begin with the Life of Pi

Today Ang Lee's released his first critically acclaimed film in seven years, Life of Pi.  Lee has had a wide variety of films in his repertoire, from Sense and Sensibility, to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and his best film Brokeback Mountain.  While Mountain and Sense and Sensibility were dependent on acting and the screenplay Hidden Dragon was more of a director's feat, and technical masterpiece.  Life of Pi looks to be in the same vein as Hidden Dragon, adding the 3D element.

While Lee is an incredible director, Life of Pi fits into a recent trend for me, as a film lover, films critics and Oscar voters may rubber stamp, but I have no desire to see.  From the first time I saw the preview for Life of Pi, I was a bit underwhelmed, and there was no drive for me to want to see the film.  While I am not providing a convincing argument against wanting to see the film, no am I trying to convince others not to see this film, I feel as though this may be one of those "Oscar pictures" I miss in the theatres because it just does not look to have appealing story.  Life of Pi looks like one of those films that will be visually stunning, but just lacks the depth I need from a screenplay.  While Ang Lee rarely works on films like this, the involvement on James Cameron is not shocking, as his films tend to have some pretty atrocious scripts (Avatar).

My point, is that it's time to whittle down the true achievements in film making vs. the Oscar bait, and while there could be many arguments made for a lot of the films this year, Life of Pi feels the most like "Oscar bait."  Some could argue this about Lincoln, Argo (although less so), and Silver Linings Playbook, but my pick for this year would be Life of Pi, namely because it gives me that feeling when I see the preview.

Last year's big "Oscar bait" films were War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  I did not see either film in the theatres.  I rented War Horse on red box, and waited Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close to make it to HBO.  While these films are not awful (although Extreme Loud is close) there is something disingenuous about their spirit.

When I sat down to watch War Horse in my apartment, from start to finish the plot felt contrived and forced on the screen.  I saw the play, and fell in love with genuine emotional context of how this horse connected the different people, the story was great and well done in play format.  While Steven Spielberg has made some great films in the 2000s like Munich, Minority Report, and Catch me if you, and this year's Lincoln, this felt like he was film made me feel like they people behind it were just jonesing to get Oscar nominations, and make more money for the play.  I wanted better, but the film did not live up to the play, but still found its way to the best Picture race, because of the fact that the film felt important.

Some of the same things could be said for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  Throughout the past Oscar voters have become obsessed with nominating films centered around the Holocaust.  The Reader, a subpar film, and another example of "Oscar bait" bumped off The Dark Knight from a nomination, because of the subject matter.  The Holocaust represents this dark/interesting moment in history that pulls people in, and helps voters connect.  The event is important, and often times is used to help win Oscars.  When Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes for the first time he joked with Kate Winslet stating I told you if you did a Holocaust film you would win/get nominated (I am paraphrasing).  The sad part is he was correct.

As we get further ahead in time look for films centered around 9/11 to have the same impact on Oscar voters.  9/11 was an important moment in American history, changing the landscape of the United States and the way we view safety.  Extremely Loud and incredibly Close fits within this model, and while the film has some beautiful moments, and is one of the saddest films, there is no cohesion to make this enough of a solid film.  This film bumped out quality films like Drive, and Take Shelter, because the subject matter seemed important, and the bait was cast.

As I posted this a friend had reminded me of The English Patient, back in 1996, which had been released from Miramax, which was owned at that time by the Weinstein Brothers.  The English Patient was meant to feel important, much like The Reader.  Seinfeld, made fun of Patient, with Elaine struggling to sit through the film, while people around went on an on about how great the film was, and namely because people were told it felt important.

The other interesting part about both of these films was the people behind their rise to success were the Weinstein's.  These two men (Harvey and Bob) have behind numerous wins, and nominations that may not have happened with other film companies.  These two men work their magic, and get things to happen, quality be damned!  They are not the only men with power, but they seem to do Oscar campaigning the best, look at Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan, or Meryl Streep beating Viola Davis last year.  I admire, and fear the power of these two brothers.  With power comes great responsibility toward the future of film.

Oscar bait can defined in so many different terms, and while this is only one snap shot, there is cause to think about what are the best films, and why are they the best.  How do you define the best?  Am I just being picky?  The answers to both these questions could be, ambiguous.  I want to see Hollywood evolve and not play it safe, to take the risk, and challenge people to see the better films.  The bottom line is that things go back to money, and in the end the best films often do not got seen by the masses.  Here's to hoping that the best films win out this year, and that Oscar bait is kept to a minimum.

Extremely Predictable and Incredibly Pandering, tries to Capture an Emotional Sanctuary for 9/11 but Fails

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (1 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars)

Directed by Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Hours, The Reader)

Written by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Munich, Ali)

Starring: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, and Max Von Sydow

After months and months of debate of whether I would force myself to sit down and watch this film.  At the end there were lots of tears because the protagonists journey is sad, and you know that ahead of time because the film centers on a terrible tragedy September 11, 2001.  After I wiped away the tears I realized it was time my inner critic to step in to help curb my emotional reaction.

The film does not center on 9/11 but rather uses the event as the backdrop to tragedy in one families life.  Oskar (Thomas Horn) is a ten year old boy who solves puzzles with his father Thomas (Tom Hanks).  Thomas uses these puzzles in order to help his son who may or may not have Aspergers, which prevents his son from being able to cope with things the way other young boys do.  On September 11, Thomas happened to have a meeting in the World Trade Center, and unfortunately he does not make it out of the building.  After this happens Oskar finds a key in his father's closet that sends him on this journey to solve one of the many riddle and puzzles he thinks his father left him.

While reading some other critics reviews I was struck by a statement from Roger Ebert, and I would like to quote him as to not do his words injustice; he stated "No movie has ever been able to provide a catharsis for the Holocaust, and I suspect none will ever be able to provide one for 9/11. Such subjects overwhelm art. The artist's usual tactic is to center on individuals whose lives are a rebuke to the tragedy. They sidestep the actual event and focus on a parallel event that ends happily, giving us a sentimental reason to find consolation. That is small comfort to the dead" (Ebert, 2011). I honestly could not have said this better.

While I have not read the book the films direction/screenplay try to soothe audiences into feeling that this one young boys journey to find solace can help provide comfort for countless people who have felt loss throughout their lives.  Horn's Oskar represents an off the beat hero whose journey is plagued with pain and suffering only to come out on the end with support from his mother Linda (Sandra Bullock).  

Daldry has a knack for taking material like this and elevating it to be better than it should be, but his direction seems to abuse the point of the journey rather than letting unfold in a more simple less complex way.  Daldry's tale of the Holocaust almost removed the emotional heft of the story, while this film panders to audiences to make his point.  

Roth's screenplay is also one of the main culprits in making this film emotionally predictable  Roth beats the emotional journey over the head time and time again.  The audience never gets the opportunity to heal the gaping wound he opens time and time again.  The story never seems plausible and you lose the sense of reality as this young boy goes across the Burroughs of New York City to find different people with the name Black (the name on the envelope with the key in it).  From a tambourine that helps him cope to a man who does not speak (Von Sydow), like with past screenplays Roth does not tone down the implausible journey he maximizes it, and takes out the human elements of the story.  

While the story and the direction lead viewers down the rabbit hole, the actors attempt to bring some realism to this story.  Hanks and Bullock are supporting players, to fresh on the scene Thomas Horn.  This was Horn's first acting gig ever, and while he is often obnoxious; he does a solid enough job in his first role as an actor.  I found the role a bit grating, but I blame that more on the fact that screenwriter, and director used the characters Asperger's Disease as a crutch rather than letting the character evolve and develop.  Bullock shines in her last scene, but is not often on screen, her last moments talking about Thomas are simply heart wrenching and some of rare genuine moments within the film.  Von Sydow who was Oscar nominated for this film does the most solid acting in this film, but he does not even speak; he conveys all of his emotions through his face and action proving that the dialogue within this film was that bad.

The problems with this film is that it feels contrived and implausible.  Watching a young boy cope with his father's death using this tragedy as a backdrop, feels wrong, and like the film attempts to put a band aid over bullet hole.  The auteurs want audiences to be able to feel solace, but all this film provides is a more manufactured product, when the product should not have been made at all.