The Critics Choice Awards

Posted on January 8, 2008 at 9:45 pm

IMG_1097-1.JPG Last night, my husband and I attended our first-ever red carpet event, the Critics Choice Awards, which were broadcast on VH1. It was a lot of fun, especially the end, when all of the critics went up on stage to present the best picture award (to “No Country for Old Men”), so I could look down from the stage and see everyone from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to Dixie Carter (who complimented my dress) and Hall Holbook, to Nikki Blonsky (best young actress), Queen Latifah, and Elijah Kelly from “Hairspray” to Don Cheadle (who graciously accepted the first-ever Joel Siegal award for achievement in both film and humanitarian efforts, presented to him by George Clooney). The talk of the evening was the cancellation of rival awards show the Golden Globes, due to the writers’ strike. The best line of the evening was when presenter Steve Zahn said he wished the writers would come back to work and the critics would go on strike. The funniest acceptance speech was from Casey Affleck, who wasn’t even accepting his own award, but one for his co-star, Amy Ryan. He pretended he was editing out her jokes about him as he read the speech he prepared.

Here I am at the after-party with Cuba Gooding, Jr.

And here is Beth Grant, who played up-tight characters in “Donnie Darko” and “Little Miss Sunshine,” dancing up a storm.

And the winners are…

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Media Appearances

Reminding Oscar voters of great performances of 2007

Posted on January 4, 2008 at 7:12 am

Scott Bowles in USA Today quoted me in his story about performances that should not be overlooked by Oscar voters. I’d add Joseph Gordon-Levitt (and the rest of the cast, who were all brilliant) in The Lookout and Irfan Kahn and Tabu of The Namesake, Paul Schneider for Lars and the Real Girl (and he was just as good in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”), and Michelle Pfeiffer in Stardust. Namesake%2C%2BTabu%2Band%2BIrfan1%5B1%5D.jpg

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Media Appearances

Washington Area Film Critics pick Coen Brothers movie

Posted on December 9, 2007 at 9:02 pm

The Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) today announced its selection of the gritty thriller No Country for Old Men as Best Film of 2007. In total, the Miramax/Paramount Vantage film won four awards including Best Director for Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Best Acting Ensemble and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem.
Earning his first accolade from WAFCA, George Clooney was named Best Actor for his intense portrayal of an ethically challenged lawyer in Warner Brothers’ Michael Clayton, while Julie Christie was awarded Best Actress for her heartbreaking turn as an Alzheimer’s patient in Lionsgate’s Away From Her.
“In the year of the big-budget sequel, The Coen Brothers, Clooney and Christie proved a well-written, expertly directed and amazingly acted movie is just as important to filmgoers as special effects and loud explosions,” said Tim Gordon, president of WAFCA.
In other categories, Disney/Pixar’s uproarious and inspiring Ratatouille was named Best Animated Feature, and Paramount’s macabre tale of vengeance, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, was honored for Best Art Direction.
Amy Ryan walked away with Best Supporting Actress kudos for her show-stopping performance in Gone Baby Gone. Meanwhile, Juno’s Ellen Page was awarded Best Breakthrough Performance for her acerbic portrayal of a pregnant teen in Juno.
The Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association is comprised of thirty-nine DC-based film critics from television, radio, print and the internet. Voting was conducted from December 8 – 9, 2007.
Best Film: No Country for Old Men/Miramax & Paramount Vantage
Best Director: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men)
Best Actor: George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
Best Actress: Julie Christie (Away From Her)
Best Ensemble: No Country for Old Men/Miramax & Paramount Vantage
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)
Best Breakthrough Performance: Ellen Page (Juno)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin (Charlie Wilson’s War)
Best Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody (Juno)
Best Animated Feature: Ratatouille/Disney & Pixar
Best Foreign Language Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly/Miramax
Best Documentary: SiCKO/The Weinstein Company
Best Art Direction: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street/Paramount

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Commentary

For Your Consideration

Posted on November 4, 2006 at 2:07 am

B
Lowest Recommended Age: Middle School
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sexual references and brief language.
Profanity: Some crude language
Alcohol/ Drugs: Characters drink
Violence/ Scariness: Comic peril
Diversity Issues: A theme of the movie
Date Released to Theaters: 2006
Date Released to DVD: 2007
Amazon.com ASIN: B000M341Q4

This is the time of year when ads, CDs, and DVDs marked “for your consideration” are sent out to members of the movie industry and to critics, in the hopes that those behind and in front of the camera will be considered favorably for some of the dozens of awards that are issued each year.

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