Thursday, February 28, 2013

AFT Awards: Best Opening


This is the twenty-third category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Click here to see previous years of this category. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

The winner:
Beasts of the Southern Wild started out with fascinating narration and a picaresque, visually dazzling introduction to its main character and its world.

Other nominees:
Anna Karenina set up its signature framework with a stunning series of set changes colorfully lit by the costumes and faces of its era. Headhunters used its protagonist’s dry sense of humor to establish a completely compelling and extremely layered narrative. Argo dove right into its tempestuous political situation and looked at its events from the fearsome inside. Skyfall didn’t waste any time waiting for the action, instead offering a thrilling foot chase within moments of its start.

AFT Awards: Best Ensemble Cast


This is the twenty-second category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):
About Cherry, The Amazing Spider-Man, Anna Karenina, Arbitrage, The Avengers, Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Black Tulip, The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, Caroline and Jackie , Compliance, Damsels in Distress, Detachment, The Five-Year Engagement, Flight, Footnote, The Giant Mechanical Man, Grassroots, Headhunters, Les Miserables, Lincoln, People Like Us, Prometheus, La Rafle, Return , Safety Not Guaranteed, Silver Linings Playbook, Skyfall, To Rome with Love, We Have a Pope, The Well-Digger’s Daughter

Runners-up:
The Master
Quartet
Ruby Sparks
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Sessions


The winner:
Moonrise Kingdom brought together a wonderful band of experienced adult actors and promising child thespians for a unique and involving cinematic experience.

Other nominees:
Your Sister’s Sister
Zero Dark Thirty
The Dark Knight Rises
Argo

AFT Awards: Best Original Song


This is the twenty-first category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category. I didn’t have nearly as much time to devote to listening to all of the eligible tunes this year, so instead I’ve selected three Golden Globe nominees that grew on me the more I listened to them, two of which are from films I haven’t seen in the aim of recognizing the best original songs written for motion pictures this past year.

The winner:
Skyfall (Skyfall) was a film-defining anthem for James Bond that blended perfectly with the themes and style of the 50th Bond film.

Other nominees:
For You (Act of Valor)
Safe and Sound (The Hunger Games)

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

AFT Awards: Best Original Score


This is the twentieth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):
Brave, Compliance, Footnote, Simon and the Oaks, Zero Dark Thirty

The winner:
Beasts of the Southern Wild (Dan Romer and Behn Zeitlin) created a triumphant anthem for its gloriously unique lead character and her magnificent universe.

Other nominees:
Moonrise Kingdom (Alexandre Desplat)
Anna Karenina (Dario Marianelli)
Ruby Sparks (Nick Urata)
The Master (Jonny Greenwood)

AFT Awards: Best Animated Feature


This is the nineteenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in alphabetical order. Click here to see previous years of this category.

The winner:
Brave was an invigorating and exciting venture into what could be perceived as familiar territory with an indestructible sense of perseverance and determination.

Other nominees:
Frankenweenie
Wreck-It Ralph

AFT Awards: Best Limited Performance


This is the eighteenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category, which in the past has been split into male and female.

The winner:
James Badge Dale (Flight) was haunting in just one short scene as a patient dying of cancer with words of wisdom for Denzel Washington’s Whip and Kelly Reilly’s Nicole.

Other nominees:
Mark Strong (Zero Dark Thirty), a nominee in this category last year, shone as a hotheaded government employee dealing with bureaucracy and the war on terror. Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas (Ruby Sparks) were the perfect complements to the younger generation as the eccentric parental unit of author Calvin. Diane Farr (About Cherry) was formidable as Heather Graham’s better and less forgiving half.

Monday, February 25, 2013

The Morning After: Oscars 2012

I think that this ranks as easily the most enjoyable Oscars ceremony in years. Usually, I enjoy the run-up to the event, predictions and all, much more than the actual handing out of the awards themselves. I didn’t have positive expectations for Seth MacFarlane since I’ve never been a fan of “Family Guy,” but I did think he was quite genuine and funny. Unlike, say, Ricky Gervais, he was even and energetic throughout the night, not simply content to stand around holding a glass of alcohol and insulting people. His humor isn’t all that different, and therefore it’s refreshing to see MacFarlane do so well. I’m not sure why William Shatner’s time-traveling Kirk needed to appear, and I wasn’t in love with the many songs performed, but I do think that there was a spirit of showmanship and spectacle that was very welcome.

I’m happy to have reclaimed my top spot predicting within the pool at my own party this year, scoring 17/24. That’s up from 15 last year, and, before that, 19 in 2010, 17 in 2009, and 16 in 2008. The categories I got wrong were:
Best Director: I knew that it wouldn’t be Spielberg somehow, but I was genuinely not expecting Ang Lee. Objectively, Haneke or especially Zeitlin would have been much cooler, but I suppose Lee does deserve credit for making his film much better than it could or should have been. He wasn’t as humble as usual up on stage, but it’s not a bad win. It’s still jarring to see that end up as the most rewarded film of the year.
Best Actress: I guessed that Emmanuelle Riva would win out because of her age, but, nominations aside, it looks like “Amour” did really just win Best Foreign Film, making it far less successful in broader Oscar terms than “Life is Beautiful” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” both of which were foreign films that managed nominations for Best Picture. Jennifer Lawrence’s win was wholly deserved, though either Wallis or Chastain would have been exciting too.
Best Supporting Actor: This one really was a crapshoot, and Waltz was actually my winner, so I’m happy about his victory. He certainly looked happier than Tommy Lee Jones and Robert De Niro, so I’m glad that he got it over them. The role wasn’t anywhere near as good as “Inglourious Basterds,” and neither was Tarantino’s screenplay, for that matter, but at least it’s recognition that Waltz can still work wonders.
Best Art Direction: I would have thought that “Anna Karenina” and “Les Miserables” were easily more lavish and well-designed than “Lincoln,” but it makes sense that the most-nominated film of the year would get an Oscar to go along with Daniel Day-Lewis’ trophy. A measly two wins isn’t much for a film that earned twelve nominations.
Best Original Score: I probably should have gone with Danna since he won the Golden Globe, but I guess that I was hoping that a different score would win. The music from “Anna Karenina” was even more film-defining than it was in “Life of Pi,” and that doesn’t even acknowledge my two favorites of the year, “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and the admittedly ineligible “Moonrise Kingdom.”
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: I don’t presume to be an expert in this particular race, and I think that “Les Miserables” is an inarguably strong choice. Despite three nominations, “The Hobbit” went home empty-handed, after all three “Lord of the Rings” films went home with at least two Oscars, and, in the case of the third installment, eleven.
Best Animated Feature: It didn’t help me to watch “Wreck-It Ralph” earlier this week. I’m not among the “Brave” naysayers, and I think it was equally deserving of this trophy. “Frankenweenie” and “Ralph” would have been great choices too, and it was interesting to see just how unspectacular this victory was, especially since Mark Andrews ran up there and rambled on in his kilt. Good for Pixar, though, and a refreshing affirmation of the studio’s quality after mediocre reviews for this film.

Some other thoughts about the telecast:
- Ben Affleck certainly was emotional about his film winning Best Picture, and comments were made throughout the night about his snub for Best Director. I do think that it was popular enough that he would have won had he been nominated, but this will forever be remembered as one of the most glaring snubs. It’s a shame, too, since no one seemed to care that Kathryn Bigelow suffered the same fate for a better film.
- A tie in Best Sound Editing was about the most random thing that could have happened. I pointed out during the show when Barbra Streisand came out to sing that she was the beneficiary of the only tie I knew to have occurred – in 1968 for Best Actress, which also went to Katherine Hepburn for the third time. As it turns out, there were a couple more, but it really is such an infrequent and, in truth, unfulfilling occurrence.
- I certainly hope that the song writers of the nominated tunes from “Chasing Ice” and “Life of Pi” were asked to perform and declined. While their songs did work well to the montages from their films, it’s unacceptable to have so many musical performances and showcase only the songs affiliated with the Bond tribute, the nod to musicals, and the one from the host’s film. In a show that runs three and a half hours, there is no excuse for not performing five songs that only run a few minutes each.
- Michelle Obama presenting Best Picture was strange but cool, and it seemed like everyone there was overjoyed. After Bill Clinton showed up at the Golden Globes, awards season is becoming awfully intermingled with the White House these days!
- After screening all of the animated and short films over the weekend, I was excited to have predicted both categories correctly. Last year, I did the same thing without having seen any of them, and this year, I achieved that feat with the Best Documentary Short category, the one race in which I didn’t have a chance to watch any of the nominees.
- I’m not so upset that my screeners of “Kon-Tiki” and “War Witch” went unwatched. I only missed five nominated feature films this year: fellow foreign film “A Royal Affair,” documentary “How to Survive a Plague,” and “Snow White and the Huntsman.” None of them won, but I’d like to watch them at some point just to round out this cinematic Oscar year.
- Overall, I really did enjoy the show. It wasn’t completely terrific, but it was thoroughly engaging and definitely an appropriate, energetic celebration of the best in film in 2012. What were your thoughts?

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Your Guide to the Oscars

Movies with Abe presents your guide to tonight's Oscars. Click on each category heading for detailed analysis of all nominees in every category. Below please find my final predictions for the winners. The big surprise that I’m betting on is Michael Haneke for Best Director, and also Emmanuelle Riva for Best Actress. I’m really hoping that “Beasts of the Southern Wild” doesn’t go home empty-handed since it was so wonderful, and that “Silver Linings Playbook,” which I did enjoy, doesn’t hog too many of the prizes. Post your own predictions in the comments, and enjoy the ceremony! I'm hosting a party so I won't be live-blogging, but good luck on your own pools and enjoy the show.


BEST PICTURE
Argo

BEST DIRECTOR
Michael Haneke (Amour)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Django Unchained

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Argo

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Life of Pi

BEST ART DIRECTION
Anna Karenina

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Anna Karenina

BEST FILM EDITING
Argo

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Lincoln

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Skyfall

BEST SOUND
Les Miserables

BEST SOUND EDITING
Zero Dark Thirty

BEST MAKEUP
The Hobbit

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Life of Pi

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Amour

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Wreck-It Ralph

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Searching for Sugar Man

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Inocente

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Paperman

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
Curfew

Predicted totals:
Amour – 3
Argo – 3
Anna Karenina – 2
Les Miserables – 2
Life of Pi – 2
Lincoln – 2
Django Unchained – 1
The Hobbit – 1
Silver Linings Playbook – 1
Skyfall – 1
Zero Dark Thirty – 1

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Picture


The competition: Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty

Previous winners: The Artist, The King’s Speech, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Departed
My winner: TBA
The facts: The only time in recent Oscar history that a film has won Best Picture without a Best Director nomination was “Driving Miss Daisy” in 1989, and, in that case, director Bruce Beresford wasn’t recognized as a nominee by either the Globes or SAG. “Amour,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Life of Pi,” “Lincoln,” and “Silver Linings Playbook” are nominated for Best Director, while frontrunner “Argo” and the Globe winner for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical, “Les Miserables” are not. “Lincoln” is the nominations leader with 12, and “Life of Pi” follows with 11. “Les Miserables” has 9, “Silver Linings Playbook” has 8, and “Argo” has 7. “Amour,” “Django Unchained,” and “Zero Dark Thirty” all have 5, and “Beasts of the Southern Wild” has 4.
Who should win: “Beasts of the Southern Wild” is my favorite, but I’d be happy with “Argo” or “Zero Dark Thirty” too.
Who will win: History doesn’t mean much once something happens to break a trend, and all signs point to Argo winning if only as a byproduct of its snub for Best Director. “Amour” will get its consolation prize with Best Foreign Film, “Les Miserables” and “Life of Pi” in technical categories, “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Django Unchained” potentially with acting awards, and I expect “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and “Zero Dark Thirty” to go home mostly empty-handed. That leaves “Lincoln” as the sole true competitor for this trophy, but I still think it will come up short here.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Director


The competition: Michael Haneke (Amour), Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Ang Lee (Life of Pi), Steven Spielberg (Lincoln), David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)

Previous winners: Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist), Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech), Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men), Martin Scorsese (The Departed)
My winner: TBA
The facts: Spielberg is a two-time winner, for “Schindler’s List” in 1993 and “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998. His last nomination was in 2005 for “Munich.” Lee won that year for “Brokeback Mountain” and was also nominated previously for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” Russell earned his first nomination in 2010 for “The Fighter.” Haneke, whose film is nominated for both Best Picture and Best Foreign Film, earns his first nomination this year. This is Zeitlin’s first feature film.
Who should win: Of this bunch, Zeitlin, hands-down.
Who will win: With Kathryn Bigelow and especially Ben Affleck left off this list, it’s going to be considerably less predictable. A situation like this hasn’t happened before, where the same person won both the Globe and the DGA and then wasn’t nominated for the Oscar. Whether “Argo” wins Best Picture is irrelevant, since this category will have to have its own separate winner. The safe choice would be Spielberg, and Lee might win again if the film ends up being beloved enough. I’d love for it to be Zeitlin, but I’m going to predict Haneke instead, with Spielberg as my alternate.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Live Action Short


The competition: Asad, Buzkashi Boys, Curfew, Death of a Shadow, Henry

Previous winners: The Shore, God of Love, The New Tenants, Toyland, The Mozart of Pickpockets, West Bank Story, Six Shooter, Wasp
Who should win: I just finished watching these films, only hours before the Oscars are set to air. They all dealt with death, and my favorite was “Asad,” which had an eager hero in a young Somali boy. “Death of a Shadow” was creative in its supernatural concept, and “Curfew” was clever and endearing also. “Buzkashi Boys” didn’t do much for me, and “Henry” doesn’t really compare to a feature-length film about a similar subject this year, “Amour.”
Who will win: My bet is the quirky Curfew, but it could be any of them.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Documentary Short


The competition: Inocente, Kings Point, Mondays at Racine, Open Heart, Redemption

Previous winners: Saving Face, Strangers No More, Music by Prudence, Smile Pinki, Freeheld, The Blood of Yingzhou District, A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin
Who should win: I didn’t have a chance to see any of these this year, unfortunately, so I’m going in blind.
Who will win: Based purely on synopses, I’m betting on Inocente.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Short


The competition: Adam and Dog, Fresh Guacamole, Head Over Heels, The Longest Daycare, Paperman

Previous winners: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, The Lost Thing, Logorama, Le Maison en Petits Cubes, Peter and the Wolf, The Danish Poet
Who should win: I very much enjoyed the extremely brief and creative “Fresh Guacamole” and the sweet “Paperman.” I don’t usually like “The Simpsons,” but “The Longest Daycare” was fun, and, though it was somewhat slow, “Head Over Heels” was cute. I’d prefer that “Adam and Dog” didn’t win since it was rather uninteresting and uninvolving.
Who will win: It could be any of them, but I think that Paperman is the frontrunner.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Foreign Film


The competition: Amour (Austria), Kon-Tiki (Norway), No (Chile), A Royal Affair (Denmark), War Witch (Canada)

Previous winners: A Separation (Iran), In a Better World (Denmark), The Secret in their Eyes (Argentina), Departures (Japan), The Counterfeiters (Austria), The Lives of Others (Germany)
My winner: Fill the Void
The facts: Historically, films nominated for Best Picture win this race – “Z,” “Life is Beautiful,” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” – but sometimes the most-nominated frontrunners, such as “Amelie” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” have lost to other films in this category. Denmark has the best recent track record, with three wins out of eight previous nominations. Canada has won once out of seven previous nominations, and Austria has also won once, out of three previous nominations. This is the fifth nomination for Norway, and the first for Chile.
Who should win: I must admit that my screeners of “Kon-Tiki” and “War Witch” have gone unwatched, and though I hope to see them in the coming week, screening them before the ceremony is unlikely. I also missed “A Royal Affair,” which arrives on DVD on March 26th, while it was in theatres. That leaves “Amour,” a Best Picture nominee that I find to be good but somewhat underrated, and the Sundance entry “No,” which was well-done and more emotional than I had expected by its end. I’d be happy with either one winning.
Who will win: I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t go to Amour.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Documentary Feature


The competition: 5 Broken Cameras, The Gatekeepers, How to Survive a Plague, The Invisible War, Searching for Sugar Man

Previous winners: Undefeated, Inside Job, The Cove, Man on Wire, Taxi to the Dark Side, An Inconvenient Truth
My winner: All In: The Poker Movie
The facts: There isn’t all that much consistency to this category, which usually rewards nonfiction films about highly relevant, hard-hitting topics of the day. This year, we have two movies about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one about AIDS, one about military rape, and one about a mysterious musician.
Who should win: I have my own problems with “5 Broken Cameras” and “The Gatekeepers,” neither of which is a terrific film, and I didn’t have a chance to see “How to Survive a Plague.” While I heartily enjoyed “Searching for Sugar Man,” I think that “The Invisible War” is the most well-rounded, engaging, and informative film.
Who will win: Unless the Middle East triumphs, I think that the positivity factor of “Searching for Sugar Man” will lead it to victory over possible winner “The Invisible War.”

Friday, February 22, 2013

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Feature


The competition: Brave, Frankenweenie, ParaNorman, Pirates: Band of Misfits, Wreck-It Ralph

Previous winners: Rango, Toy Story 3, Up, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Happy Feet, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Spirited Away, Shrek
My winner: TBA
The facts: This category has existed since 2001. Pixar has won every time it was nominated except for when “Monsters Inc” lost to “Shrek” and “Cars” lost to “Happy Feet.” This year, “Brave” took home the Golden Globe, while “Wreck-It Ralph” won the Annie Award and the PGA Award.
Who should win: “Brave,” “Frankenweenie,” and “Wreck-It Ralph” were all great. “ParaNorman” was a pale imitation of “Frankenweenie,” and “Pirates: Band of Misfits” absolutely does not belong here.
Who will win: It’s a toss-up. I think that Wreck-It Ralph has the momentum right now.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Visual Effects


The competition: The Avengers (Janek Sirrs, Dan Sudick, Jeff White, and Guy Williams), The Hobbit (David Clayton, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, and R. Christopher White), Life of Pi (Erik-Jan de Boer, Donald R. Elliott, Guillaume Rocheron, and Bill Westenhofer), Prometheus (Charley Henley, Martin Hill, Richard Stammers, and Trevor Wood), Snow White and the Huntsman (Philip Brennan, Neil Corbould, Michael Dawson, and Cedric Nicolas-Troyan)

Previous winners: Hugo, Inception, Avatar, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Golden Compass, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
My winner: The Avengers
The facts: This award went to all three “Lord of the Rings” films and has gone to science-fiction or fantasy films most years. Several exceptions have occurred, however, such as “Forrest Gump,” “Babe,” and “Titanic,” which suggests that Best Picture nominee “Life of Pi” may in fact be the frontrunner.
Who should win: “The Avengers” or “Prometheus”
Who will win: It could be one of the genre films, but I think that Life of Pi is the probable winner.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Makeup and Hairstyling


The competition: Hitchock (Howard Berger, Peter Montagna, and Martin Samuel), The Hobbit (Rick Findlater, Tami Lane, and Peter Swords King), Les Miserables (Julie Dartnell and Lisa Westcott)

Previous winners: The Iron Lady, The Wolfman, Star Trek, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, La Vie en Rose, Pan’s Labyrinth
My winner: Hitchcock
The facts: Berger and Lane won this award in 2005 for “The Chronicles of Narnia,” and King won for “The Return of the King.” Samuel was previously nominated for two “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. Westcott was nominated for “Shakespeare in Love” and “Mrs. Brown.”
Who should win: This is my list, so any will do!
Who will win: It’s a toss-up, but I think The Hobbit will take it.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Sound Editing


The competition: Argo (Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn), Django Unchained (Wylie Stateman), Life of Pi (Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton), Skyfall (Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers), Zero Dark Thirty (Paul N.J. Ottosson)

Previous winners: Hugo, Inception, The Hurt Locker, The Dark Knight, The Bourne Ultimatum, Letters from Iwo Jima
My winner: The Avengers
The facts: Getty and Stockton won last year for “Hugo,” Ottosson won in 2009 for “The Hurt Locker,” and Hallbeg and Landers won in 2007 for “The Bourne Ultimatum.” Der Ryn won before for “The Two Towers” and “King Kong,” and Stateman has now been nominated five times but never won. Aadahl was nominated for the first time last year for “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.”
Who should win: “Skyfall” or “Zero Dark Thirty”
Who will win: It could be “Skyfall,” but I think this will be the consolation prize for Zero Dark Thirty.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Sound


The competition: Argo (Jose Antonio Garcia, John Reitz, and Greg Rudloff), Les Miserables (Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson, and Mark Paterson), Life of Pi (Ron Bartlett, D.M. Hemphill, and Drew Kunin), Lincoln (Ronald Judkins, Andy Nelson, and Gary Rydstrom), Skyfall (Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell, and Stuart Wilson)

Previous winners: Hugo, Inception, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, The Bourne Ultimatum, Dreamgirls
My winner: The Avengers
The facts: A handful of these nominees are regular repeat offenders in this race. This award has gone to musicals and action films in the past, which bodes well for some of the nominees this year.
Who should win: “Les Miserables”
Who will win: While “Skyfall” could sweep, I think Les Miserables takes this one.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Original Song


The competition: “Before My Time” (Chasing Ice), “Suddenly” (Les Miserables), “Pi’s Lullaby” (Life of Pi), “Skyfall” (Skyfall), “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” (Ted)

Previous winners: Man or Muppet (The Muppets), We Belong Together (Toy Story 3), The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart), Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire), Falling Slowly (Once), I Need To Wake Up (An Inconvenient Truth), It’s Hard Out There For A Pimp (Hustle & Flow)
My winner: TBA
The facts: Everyone in this category is a first-time nominee. Songs from comedies and documentaries have won this award in the past, but a James Bond movie never has.
Who should win: “Skyfall,” by far
Who will win: It could be any of them, but I think that Skyfall has a definite edge.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Original Score


The competition: Anna Karenina (Dario Marianelli), Argo (Alexandre Desplat), Life of Pi (Mychael Danna), Lincoln (John Williams), Skyfall (Thomas Newman)

Previous winners: The Artist, The Social Network, Up, Slumdog Millionaire, Atonement, Babel
My winner: TBA
The facts: Danna, who won the Golden Globe this year, is the only newbie in this race. Williams holds the record for the most nominations, with a staggering 43 as of this year, with five wins, including Steven Spielberg films “Jaws” and “Schindler’s List.” This is the third nomination for Marianelli, who won in 2007 for another Joe Wright film, “Atonement.” Newman has been nominated ten times and never won, and Desplat has been nominated five times.
Who should win: “Anna Karenina”
Who will win: The competition is tough, but I think that Lincoln will ultimately prevail.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Film Editing


The competition: Argo (William Goldenberg), Life of Pi (Tim Squyres), Lincoln (Michael Kahn), Silver Linings Playbook (Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers), Zero Dark Thirty (Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg)

Previous winners: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Departed
My winner: Zero Dark Thirty
The facts: Kahn holds the record for the most nominations in this category, with eight, three of which he has won, all for Steven Spielberg films – “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Schindler’s List,” and “Saving Private Ryan.” With his double nomination this year, Goldenberg is now on his fourth nod. Squyres was previously nominated for another Ang Lee film, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” Cassidy and Tichenor have both been nominated once before. The winner of this category often goes on to win Best Picture, but not always.
Who should win: “Zero Dark Thirty,” though “Argo” is a good choice too
Who will win: While “Zero Dark Thirty” would deserve it, it seems unlikely that anything but Argo would take home the prize at this point.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Costume Design


The competition: Anna Karenina (Jacqueline Durran), Les Miserables (Paco Delgado), Lincoln (Joanna Johnston), Mirror Mirror (Eiko Ishioka), Snow White and the Hunstman (Colleen Atwood)

Previous winners: The Artist, Alice in Wonderland, The Young Victoria, The Duchess, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Marie Antoinette
My winner: Anna Karenina
The facts: Atwood earns her ninth nomination this year and has won three times, most recently for “Alice in Wonderland.” This is Durran’s third nomination and her third mention for a Joe Wright film. This is the first nomination for both Delgado and Johnston. Ishioka, who won this award in 1992 for “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” passed away one year ago.
Who should win: “Anna Karenina,” hands-down
Who will win: Unless Snow White is truly beloved, or voters really love France, it will be Anna Karenina.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Art Direction


The competition: Anna Karenina (Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer), The Hobbit (Simon Bright, Dan Hennah, and Ra Vincent), Les Miserables (Anna Lynch-Robinson and Eve Stewart), Life of Pi (David Gropman and Anna Pinnock), Lincoln (Rick Carter and Jim Erickson)

Previous winners: Hugo, Alice in Wonderland, Avatar, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Sweeney Todd, Pan’s Labyrinth
My winner: Anna Karenina
The facts: Most of the nominees in this category are loyal to their directors, with previous nominations for their collaborations. None of these nominees has ever won before, however.
Who should win: “Anna Karenina”
Who will win: It’s probably a race between “Life of Pi” and “Anna Karenina.” I’d give the edge to the latter.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Cinematography


The competition: Anna Karenina (Seamus McGarvey), Django Unchained (Robert Richardson), Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi), Janusz Kaminski (Lincoln), Roger Deakins (Skyfall)

Previous winners: Hugo, Inception, Avatar, Slumdog Millionaire, There Will Be Blood, Pan’s Labyrinth
My winner: Moonrise Kingdom
The facts: Richardson was last year’s winner, for “Hugo,” he won twice before that – for “JFK” and “The Aviator” – and this is his seventh nomination. This is the sixth nomination for Kaminski, who won previously for two Steven Spielberg collaborations, “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan.” This is the eighth nomination for Deakins, who has never won, and the second for both McGarvey and Miranda.
Who should win: “Anna Karenina,” though “Skyfall” would be cool too
Who will win: This category is rarely secure, but I think that Life of Pi is the frontrunner.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Adapted Screenplay


The competition: Argo (Chris Terrio), Beasts of the Southern Wild (Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin), Life of Pi (David Magee), Lincoln (Tony Kushner), David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)

Previous winners: The Descendants, The Social Network, Precious, Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Departed
My winner: Headhunters
The facts: Tony Kushner and David Magee have both been nominated for a writing Oscar before, in 2005 for “Munich” and in 2004 for “Finding Neverland,” respectively. All the films in this race are nominated for Best Picture.
Who should win: “Beasts of the Southern Wild” or “Argo”
Who will win: There are three possibilities. “Lincoln” or “Silver Linings Playbook” are both strong contenders, but I think Argo will ride the Ben Affleck wave and take home this prize too.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Original Screenplay


The competition: Amour (Michael Haneke), Django Unchained (Quentin Tarantino), Flight (John Gatins), Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola), Zero Dark Thirty (Mark Boal)

Previous winners: Midnight in Paris, The King’s Speech, The Hurt Locker, Milk, Juno, Little Miss Sunshine
My winner: Moonrise Kingdom
The facts: There are a few relevant statistics for this race. The last time Tarantino and Boal were nominated together, Boal won for “The Hurt Locker.” Tarantino did win, in 1994 for “Pulp Fiction.” A foreign film last won in 2002 and hadn’t won before that for almost forty years. “Amour,” “Django Unchained,” and “Zero Dark Thirty” are all nominated for Best Picture. A film nominated in this race has won this award every year since 2005.
Who should win: “Moonrise Kingdom,” but “Zero Dark Thirty” would be a great choice too
Who will win: It’s unlikely that “Zero Dark Thirty” will prove popular with enough voters, which means that Django Unchained may well have the leg up in this race.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Supporting Role


The competition: Amy Adams’ dutiful cult wife (The Master), Sally Field’s Mary Todd Lincoln (Lincoln), Anne Hathaway’s suffering mother (Les Miserables), Helen Hunt’s sex therapist (The Sessions), and Jacki Weaver’s devoted mother (Silver Linings Playbook).

Previous winners: Octavia Spencer, Melissa Leo, Mo’Nique, Penelope Cruz, Tilda Swinton, Jennifer Hudson
My winner: Ann Dowd
The facts: Everyone in this category is a returning nominee. Field has won twice before, in the leading race in 1979 and 1984. Hunt won that award in 1997. Adams is on her fourth nomination, and both Hathaway and Weaver are nominated for the second time.
Who should win: Hunt, but Hathaway was great too
Who will win: It’s not a competition. Hathaway is going to be the winner.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Supporting Role


The competition: Alan Arkin’s fiery producer (Argo), Robert De Niro’s sports-loving father (Silver Linings Playbook), Philip Seymour Hoffman’s cult leader (The Master), Tommy Lee Jones’ idealistic politician (Lincoln), and Christoph Waltz’s bounty hunter (Django Unchained).

Previous winners: Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale, Christoph Waltz, Heath Ledger, Javier Bardem, Alan Arkin
My winner: Christoph Waltz
The facts: All of these men have won an Oscar before. De Niro won twice, in 1974 and in 1980. Jones took home this award in 1993, Arkin in 2006, and Waltz in 2009. Hoffman won the Best Actor prize in 2005.
Who should win: Waltz, but any of the others would be good too
Who will win: Waltz won the Globe and Jones took home the SAG. Either of them could win, but I think that, given the love for the film, De Niro will likely triumph.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Leading Role


The competition: Jessica Chastain’s determined CIA agent (Zero Dark Thirty), Jennifer Lawrence’s eccentric dancer (Silver Linings Playbook), Emmanuelle Riva’s dying wife (Amour), Quvenzhané Wallis’ intrepid adventurer (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Naomi Watts’ traumatized natural disaster survivor (The Impossible)

Previous winners: Meryl Streep, Natalie Portman, Sandra Bullock, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Helen Mirren
My winner: Jennifer Lawrence
The facts: This category welcomes two new players who weren’t nominated for either a Golden Globe or a SAG Award, and they happen to be the oldest and youngest nominees ever in this category, respectively.
Who should win: Lawrence is my winner, but anyone but Watts will do!
Who will win: This is one competitive race. Lawrence seems to have a leg up on Chastain, whose film didn’t receive anywhere near as warm a welcome from Oscar voters at it should have. But then you add Riva, who won the BAFTA, into the mix, and she seems like the frontrunner. Wallis could win, but that would be unlikely, and I can’t imagine that Watts would take home her first Oscar for what’s far from her best performance. It could easily be Lawrence or Chastain, but I’ll go with Riva.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Leading Role


The competition: Bradley Cooper’s temperamental former substitute teacher (Silver Linings Playbook), Daniel Day-Lewis’ Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln), Hugh Jackman’s Jean Valjean (Les Miserables), Joaquin Phoenix’s easily manipulated lost soul (The Master), and Denzel Washington’s alcoholic pilot (Flight)

Previous winners: Jean Dujardin, Colin Firth, Jeff Bridges, Sean Penn, Daniel Day-Lewis, Forest Whitaker
My winner: John Hawkes
The facts: Day-Lewis would make history by being the first person to win this award three times. Washington would also earn his third Oscar if he won this year. Two-time nominee Phoenix has never won before, and both Cooper and Jackman are first-time nominees.
Who should win: I’m sad that my choice, Hawkes, got snubbed, and I’d give it instead to Washington.
Who will win: It would be nice to say that there was hope for some creativity in this race, but there isn’t. Locks are locks, and no is one is taking down Daniel Day-Lewis. Cooper and Jackman will see their films rewarded elsewhere, and though their films have some other nominations, Phoenix and Washington aren’t in the most popular films of the year. Don’t expect a surprise here.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

AFT Awards On Hold

Fear not, readers. The AFT Awards will be back soon. In the process of recognizing the best in film that I saw this past year, I've realized that I'd like to devote more time to choosing the nominees and winners. This week has been and continues to be very busy for me, so I'll return with more categories after the Oscar ceremony. Look out later this week and next week for detailed Oscar predictions in all races, and, as always, thanks for reading!

Monday, February 11, 2013

AFT Awards: Best Breakthrough Performance


This is the seventeenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them.

The winner:
Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) was indisputably this year’s breakout star, completely carrying her film at a young age with boundless energy.

Other nominees:
Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward (Moonrise Kingdom) were wonderfully mature and endearing as two star-crossed young romantics. Samantha Barks (Les Miserables) stole the show from a handful of stars with her passion and spirit. Carrie MacLemore (Damsels in Distress) was a bundle of blissful, naïve cheeriness in an ensemble populated with other charming women.

AFT Awards: Best Foreign Film


This is the sixteenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in alphabetical order. Click here to see previous years of this category. For this category, I consider eligible only films that were released in their native countries within the past year. Therefore, films like “Footnote,” had I seen them earlier, would have been eligible last year.

The winner:
Fill the Void (Israel) was an honest, emotional, moving look at the inside of a tight-knit religious community.

Other nominees:
Amour (Austria)
Lore (Australia)
No (Chile)
Rust and Bone (France)

Sunday, February 10, 2013

AFT Awards: Best Documentary


This is the fifteenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in alphabetical order.

The winner:
All In: The Poker Movie was a fun, involving look at how power developed into what it is today.

Other nominees:
It Is No Dream
The Island President
The Invisible War
This Is Not a Film

AFT Awards: Best Visual Effects


This is the fourteenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):
The Amazing Spider-Man, The Hobbit, The Impossible

The winner:
The Avengers incorporated heroes and villains from many different stories, and their battles were epic thanks to stunning visual effects.

Other nominees:
Prometheus
Life of Pi
The Dark Knight Rises
Skyfall

AFT Awards: Best Makeup


This is the thirteenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

The winner:
Hitchock buried its actors under masterful disguises that helped them to assume altogether different personalities.

Other nominees:
The Hobbit
Les Miserables

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. I'm going to be providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in theatres as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.


Now Playing

Lore (recommended): This past year’s Australian Oscar submission for Best Foreign Film is a Holocaust movie from a different perspective, following the children of an arrested Nazi officer trying to safely pass through post-war Germany. It’s a miserable but generally effective and worthwhile film. Read my review on Shockya.com.

Side Effects (recommended): Steven Soderbergh’s latest film stars Rooney Mara as a depressed wife adversely affected by the medication prescribed to her by Jude Law’s psychiatrist. Through many half-plausible twists and unexpected turns, this film turns into something wholly different than what it is when it begins. Read my review on Shockya.com.


New to DVD

Flight (recommended): Denzel Washington earned his first Oscar nomination in over a decade for his layered performance as an alcoholic flight attendant. Worth it for the extended opening action scene alone, this film boasts a surprisingly enticing story and a terrific supporting performance from Kelly Reilly. Washington is great, but the film is good too.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Movie with Abe: Lore


Australia's submission for the 2012 Best Foreign Film Oscar category was "Lore," the story of children of Nazis seeking refuge after the war. Click here to read my review.

Movie with Abe: Side Effects


I enjoyed Steven Soderbergh's latest film, "Side Effects," starring Rooney Mara, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Channing Tatum, more than I expected. Click here to read my review.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

AFT Awards: Best Sound Editing


This is the twelfth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):
The Amazing Spider-Man, Argo, Headhunters, Les Miserables, Zero Dark Thirty

The winner:
The Avengers traveled between cities and galaxies and sounded superb doing it.

Other nominees:
The Dark Knight Rises
Flight
Skyfall
Prometheus

AFT Awards: Best Sound


This is the eleventh category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):
The Amazing Spider-Man, Argo, Flight, Headhunters, Skyfall

The winner:
The Avengers brought together a handful of superheroes from other competent action films for one blockbuster that sounded great.

Other nominees:
The Dark Knight Rises
Zero Dark Thirty
Prometheus
Les Miserables

AFT Awards: Best Film Editing


This is the tenth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Runners-up:
Amour, Anna Karenina, The Avengers, Arbitrage, Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Black Tulip, The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, Compliance, Detachment, Flight, Footnote, Frankenweenie, The Giant Mechanical Man, Grassroots, The Impossible, The Master, Perfect Sense, Prometheus, Quartet, La Rafle, Return, Ruby Sparks, Safety Not Guaranteed, The Sessions, Silver Linings Playbook, Skyfall , Your Sister's Sister

The winner:
Zero Dark Thirty (Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg) was a tense, well-paced thriller that told a 137-minute comprehensive, extensive story that remained thoroughly gripping throughout its entire run time.

Other nominees:
Argo (William Goldenberg)
Headhunters (Vidar Flataukan)
The Dark Knight Rises (Lee Smith)
Moonrise Kingdom (Andrew Weisblum)

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

AFT Awards: Best Costume Design


This is the ninth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them and drawn from a pool of approximately 95 films. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Runners-up:
The Avengers, Hitchcock, The Hobbit, Hyde Park on Hudson

The winner:
Anna Karenina (Jacqueline Durran) clothed its many men and woman in magnificent period garb and lavish dresses, suits, and coats.

Other nominees:
Les Miserables (Paco Delgado)
Argo (Sharon Seymour)
Lincoln (Joanna Johnston)
Django Unchained (Sharen Davis)

AFT Awards: Best Art Direction


This is the eighth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them and drawn from a pool of approximately 95 films. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Runners-up:
The Avengers, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Black Tulip, Damsels in Distress, The Dark Knight Rises, Django Unchained, Footnote, Hitchcock, The Hobbit, Hyde Park on Hudson, The Impossible , Les Miserables, The Master, La Rafle, Zero Dark Thirty

The winner:
Anna Karenina (Sarah Greenwood) was visually stunning and gorgeous, creatively and artfully weaving its set changes into the execution of its plot.

Other nominees:
Moonrise Kingdom (Adam Stockhausen)
Beasts of the Southern Wild (Dawn Masi)
Life of Pi (David Gropman)
Argo (Sharon Seymour)

AFT Awards: Best Cinematography


This is the seventh category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them and drawn from a pool of approximately 95 films. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Runners-up:
Amour, Argo, The Avengers, The Black Tulip, Compliance, The Dark Knight Rises, Detachment, Flight, Footnote, Headhunters, The Impossible, Life of Pi, Perfect Sense, Prometheus, La Rafle, Rust and Bone, Skyfall, We Have a Pope

The winner:
Moonrise Kingdom (Robert D. Yeoman) filmed its story in a mesmerizing, eye-popping manner that enhanced its story with a wonderful, picaresque setting.

Other nominees:
Beasts of the Southern Wild (Ben Richardson)
The Master (Mihai Malamaire)
Anna Karenina (Seamus McGarvey)
Zero Dark Thirty (Greig Frasier)

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

AFT Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay


This is the sixth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them and drawn from a pool of approximately 95 films. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Grassroots

Runners-up:
Quartet
Silver Linings Playbook
The Dark Knight Rises
Frankenweenie
The Well-Digger's Daughter


The winner:
Headhunters (Lars Gudmestad and Ulf Ryberg) was fully captivating, switching from dark comedy to full-on action film without missing a beat and then back again.

Other nominees:
The Sessions (Ben Lewin)
Beasts of the Southern Wild (Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin)
Argo (Chris Terrio)
Anna Karenina (Tom Stoppard)

AFT Awards: Best Original Screenplay


This is the fifth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them and drawn from a pool of approximately 95 films. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):
All In, Amour, Arbitrage, The Black Tulip, The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, The Giant Mechanical Man, Goodbye First Love, People Like Us, Perfect Sense, Prometheus, Return, Safety Not Guaranteed, We Have a Pope

Runners-up:
The Master
Your Sister's Sister
Detachment
Brave
Flight


The winner:
Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola) wove a wonderful narrative with the most insightfully excellent and charming dialogue I’ve heard in a while.

Other nominees:
Zero Dark Thirty (Mark Boal)
Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan)
Footnote (Joseph Cedar)
Compliance (Craig Zobel)

AFT Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role


This is the fourth category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them and drawn from a pool of approximately 95 films. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions:
Maggie Smith (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Carrie MacLemore (Damsels in Distress), Joanna Kulig (Elles), Samantha Barks (Les Miserables), Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables), Amy Adams (The Master), Frances McDormand (Moonrise Kingdom)

Runners-up:
Kelly Reilly (Flight), Pauline Collins (Quartet), Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises), Heather Graham (About Cherry), Anais Demoustier (Elles)

The winner:
Ann Dowd (Compliance) was magnificently believable as an overly willing fast food restaurant manager who let a call to duty turn into a living nightmare.

Other nominees:
Olivia Colman (Hyde Park on Hudson) immediately enlivened a dull film with her presence as the heavily sarcastic, easily flummoxed Queen Elizabeth. Helen Hunt (The Sessions) gave a mature, refreshing performance as a sex therapist with the utmost respect for her job and its impact. Arielle Kebbel (The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best) was a welcome presence as the reality check for an overeager band who got drawn in by its allure somewhere along the way. Sheridan Smith (Quartet) stood out in the middle of a thoroughly talented cast of established actors as the kindly director of a retirement home for musicians.

Monday, February 4, 2013

AFT Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role


This is the third category of the 6th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order I’ve ranked them and drawn from a pool of approximately 95 films. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions:
Bill Nighy (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Tom Wilkinson (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Joel David Moore (Grassroots), Bill Murray (Moonrise Kingdom), Bruce Willis (Moonrise Kingdom), William H. Macy (The Sessions), Jan Josef Liefers (Simon and the Oaks), Javier Bardem (Skyfall)

Runners-up:
Dwight Henry (Beasts of the Southern Wild)
Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty)
Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises)
Alan Arkin (Argo)
Edward Norton (Moonrise Kingdom)

The winner:
Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) dominated an uneven film with a thunderous, hilarious performance that shows that he can do wonders with any material that he is given.

Other nominees:
Samuel West (Hyde Park on Hudson) managed to create a compelling, endearing King George in the shadow of Colin Firth’s Oscar winning turn and opposite Bill Murray’s FDR. Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained) played against type in a deliciously evil role, thoroughly enjoying every moment of it. Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master) got serious for a disturbing turn as a cult leader caught up in the allure of his vision. Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln) effortlessly delivered a film-stealing performance in a cast crowded with well-known actors as a sarcastic, outspoken abolitionist.