Saturday, December 16, 2006

Under Your Tree

The Film Experience's exhaustive (for you and for me, people) "Year in Review" begins on December 22nd, the first official day o' winter. The coal: the Worst of the Year feature. The stocking: crammed full of sweet juicy lists. The big prezzie under the tree: The 7th Annual Film Bitch Awards. And just when you think it's time to wrap up 2006, The Oscars will keep it going a wee bit longer. Screw December 31st! New (Film) Year's Eve doesn't arrive until February 25th, 2007 when those naked golden boys with swords hit the Kodak theater.


In the comments
Please FYC for people you'd like to see join me for the 2nd annual Oscar Symposium (last year's group here), movies you're rooting for in various FB categories (there are so many), and other year end holiday hopes. What do you want under your tree?

If you want to review how we do, investigate the awards index

37 comments:

DL said...

FYC: Brick, especially for Best Original Screenplay.

Emma said...

It's all about Pan's Labyrinth for me. And Emily Blunt. And Leo. :D

Yaseen Ali said...

FYC:

Sofia Coppola for Marie Antoinette
Lola Dueñas for Volver
Gretchen Mol for The Notorious Bettie Page
Anthony Mackie for Half-Nelson
Emmanuel Lubezki for Children of Men
Alberto Iglesias for Volver

NicksFlickPicks said...

That graphic. Is awesome.

Jason Adams said...

FYC-

Ivana Baquero for Pan's Labyrinth
Maribel Verdú for Pan's Labyrinth
Sergi López for Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro for... you get the idea...

Hugh Jackman for The Fountain

IMAGINE A COW HERE for Laura Dern in Inland Empire

NicksFlickPicks said...

Really, Ivana Baquero? One of my problems with Pan's Labyrinth was that she didn't provide me with any way into her character, or any sympathetic attachments whatsoever. Comparisons to Ana Torrent in Spirit of the Beehive are bound to be unfair, but even by the standards of normal child actors, I found Baquero to be an irritatingly flat mannequin (which didn't help when Ofelia makes her most bizarre choices, like eating those grapes and flipping off those fairies that have been her most trusted companions up until that point).

Anonymous said...

FYC Best Actor
Patrick Wilson (Little Children)

FYC Best Actress
Helen Mirren (The Queen), because I think you'll miss her; look again.

FYC Best Supporting Actor
Ben Sliney (United 93) - be brave.

FYC Best Supporting Actress
Carmen Maura (Volver). You know you want to anyway.

Rob

Arun said...

FYC

Best Picture
Half Nelson-give it another try. I too felt iffy after my first viewing, but after a second one, on dvd, it has risen to the top of my list.

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed
Robert Downey, Jr., A Scanner Darkly

Best Supporting Actress
Frances McDormand, Friends with Money
Shareeka Epps, Half Nelson
Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada (but she doesn't really need this for the FB's, does she? a lock if there ever was)
Lola Dueñas, Volver - Maura's great but she steals the show

Best Cinematography
The Proposition

Best Original Song
'In the End' from Shortbus

Anonymous said...

FYC: Hugh Jackman in The Fountain.

adam k. said...

FYC: James McAvoy, The Last King of Scotland (LEAD)

and of course, Hugh Jackman, The Fountain

also, Rachel Weisz, The Fountain (she is campaigning for best supporting actress, as if it mattered for the oscars... I'm not sure I entirely agree with that placement, but it's defensible... very much on the line in the same way her Constant Gardener role was).

NicksFlickPicks said...

I agree with Adam that McAvoy is a lead. And a very good one, at that.

NicksFlickPicks said...

I agree with Adam that McAvoy is a lead. And a very good one, at that.

NicksFlickPicks said...

I agree with Adam that McAvoy is a lead. And a very good one, at that.

NicksFlickPicks said...

I agree with Adam that McAvoy is a lead. And a very good one, at that.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget Christian Bale in The Prestige. Clearly the coolest performance of the year.

Craig Hickman said...

Do you give a Worst Performance award? If so, Jennifer Connelly is a lock for her relentlessly unbelievalbe turn in Blood Diamond.

Craig Hickman said...

(And by unbelievable I mean I never believed it for a moment.)

Anonymous said...

Apparently Nick REALLY agrees :D

It'll be interesting to see which film in my top ten gets raked across the Nathaniel coals this year (last year it was The Dying Gaul). I'm guessing (from the looks of it) likely V for Vendetta.

Of course, I'm dreading the film from my hated list that makes it strongly throughout his (at this point, likely Marie-Antoinette).

Hey, if I always agreed with Nathaniel, it would be boring, right?

NicksFlickPicks said...

Jesus: Blogger told me there were errors, but I had no idea that I was cloning my response. Sorry for all of that!

By the way, I think McAvoy is definitely a lead, and a very good one at that. :)

Poli said...

Well, I've seen all of 4 movies this year (Casino Royale, An American Haunting, The Departed, and The Grudge 2), so I doubt I'll be able to give any useful FYCs, but I do think ModFab should be invited to the symposium.

Uhh.....

FYC:
Daniel Craig as Sexpot of the Year
Mark Walhberg for Cameo Male

and just for fun

Sarah Michelle Gellar for Cameo Female for The Grudge 2

qta said...

FYC

I would like to see ModFab, Nick, and JA in the symposium.

Anonymous said...

I'm going to big-up Arun and say Robert Downey, Jr. for ASD as well. I don't think anyone saw it, but it was one of the funniest performances I've seen this year.

adam k. said...

ooh, Kate Winslet and/or Patrick Wilson as sexpots of the year (even though I haven't seen their film).

Daniel Craig for sexpot

oh, and for that matter, James McAvoy for sexpot (was I the only one wagging my tongue during that scene?)

Hugh Jackman for sexpot in all his films

and lastly, the cast of Shortbus for sexpot.

Anonymous said...

I've seen less than 10 movies this year, so I don't really have much to campaign for here.

FYC: Jack Sparrow in PotC2 for Best Character Intro. I know you hate the film, and it may not be up to pay with the sinking boat scene from the first - but darn if this scene wasn't worth the build-up!

Glenn Dunks said...

Oh man, if I had access to my word doco file with all my own awards business in it I'd be here allday (my comp is broken atm).

Nevertheless:

The Devil Wears Prada, Actress, Supp Actress, Costume Design, Art Direction (not just contemporary)

Volver, Actress, Supp Actress, score, screenplay, Musical Moment from a non-musical film

Umm...that's all I can think of right now cause as I said, I don't have my list on me and I can't remember what I had down. ugh. So annoying

Anonymous said...

I'd love to see Emma, Glen and DL in the symposium.

Javier Aldabalde said...

FYC

Phyllis Sommerville - Little Children
José Luis Alcaine - Volver
Maribel Verdú - Pan's Labyrinth
Eugenio Caballero - Pan's Labyrinth

PENELOPE CRUZ for Actress, Sexpot, you name it.

Carmen Maura for best delivery of the year (pick ANY line).

The opening scene of VOLVER for BEST SCENE.

Um, yeah.

Also, big fan of "Pan's Labyrinth" and am amazed by all its achievements, but Baquero and the whole characterization if we go there are NOT among its strong points. Also, most organic use of violence in ages (>>>>>>The Departed).

Anonymous said...

FYC Gretchen Mol in Bettie Page
FYC Steve Carell in Little Miss Sunshine

Also

How about ModFab, Nick and Glen in the symposium???

Javier Aldabalde said...

I second Glenn for the symposium!

Yaseen Ali said...

I third (fourth?) Glenn.

Yaseen Ali said...

I third (fourth?) Glenn.

Anonymous said...

Let's see...

Laura Dern in Inland Empire

Kirsten Dunst in Marie Antoinette

Meryl Streep in A Prairie Home Companion

Mark Wahlberg in The Departed

Anonymous said...

FYC:
Best performance by an inanimate object:
The Mailbox in "The Lake House"

FYC:
Best Guilty Pleasure:
Snakes On a Plane

FYC:
Best Animated Film
Happy Feet.

Andy Scott said...

Matt Damon - Best Actor/under my tree

Jennifer Hudson, Emily Blunt - Best Supporting Actress

Eddie Murphy, Stanley Tucci - Best Supporting Actor

Anonymous said...

Nathaniel, FYC, a few names that deserve to be up there with the obvious ones, but which have somehow eluded most critics groups/awards bodies:

Best Picture

Little Children

Marie Antoinette


Best Actor

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Departed - don't be put off by awards fatigue. He deserves it all

Richard Griffiths, The History Boys - take a look at this film again. It's surprising, especially this performance and the screenplay

Jude Law, Breaking and Entering - thought I'd throw him in anyway because of quality, despite his ineligibility in the FB Awards


Best Actress

Isabelle Huppert, Gabrielle - perhaps her best work in what has been a startling career of bests

Julie Walters - Driving Lessons - tragicomic genius


Best Supporting Actor

Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children - it's because of him that the film's ending doesn't fall flat on its face


Best Supporting Actress

Diane Lane, Hollywoodland - why oh why are people ignoring this magnificent turn?


Best Original Screenplay

Le Temps qui reste (Time to Leave) - François Ozon has written one of his most affecting, heartbreaking tragedies to date


Best Adapted Screenplay

The History Boys - Alan Bennett's play is so so rich in both literal meaning and symbolism


Best Original Score

Little Children - Thomas Newman provides a strong undercurrent to the film

Shortbus - Yo La Tengo work their indie magic


Best Original Song

'Keep Holding On', Eragon - Avril Lavigne grows up

'Listen', Dreamgirls - Beyoncé and co provide that rare thing: a soulful, appropriate, un-schmaltzy original ballad for a well-worn musical

'PJ & Rooster', Idlewild - A standout track from one of Outkast's most underrated albums

'Upside Down', Curious George - one of Jack Johnson's most gloriously optimistic melodies


Best Actress in a Limited or Cameo Role

Gwyneth Paltrow, Infamous - almost review singled out this turn as "stunning." She prefaces the film's entire preoccupations with her 3-minute performance

Carlos Reyes said...

please Nat consider everything

PAN'S LABYRINTH!!! I'm so glad you got fans here!... also Children of MEN in all categories.... don't forget about Adriana Barraza.... Volver's Score... matt damon in the departed...

now, if there is a film that deserves to be in your list is Pan's labyrinth...is not my favorite film of the year, but it keeps growing on me!!! don't forget about Gael Garcia for The Science of sleep!

for cameo role
clifton collins jr for babel
show some love for the 3 mexican cinematographers Rodrigo Prieto, Emanuel Lubezki & Guillermo Navarro!

Anonymous said...

Abigail Breslin. She's fantastic in LMS.