Here Are The 9 Finalists For The Best Foreign Language Film Oscar!


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Here’s one final bit of late Oscar news.  83 countries submitted films to be considered for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.  Earlier last week, the Academy announced the 9 semi-finalists!

To the shock of many, Two Days One Night was not a semi-finalist!  That’s surprising, considering that Marion Cotillard’s performance has been receiving a lot of Oscar season attention.  If anything, the snubbing of Two Days One Night would indicate that Jennifer Aniston probably had a better chance of being the fifth Best Actress nominee than Cotillard.

The Canadian film Mommy was also not on the list of semi-finalists, which surprised many.  However, this does mean that Sasha Stone will now have something else to complain about over on Awards Daily.

And finally, the Palme d’Or winner Winter’s Sleep did not make the top 9 either.

What did make the top 9?

Check them out below!

Argentina, “Wild Tales,” Damián Szifrón, director;

Estonia, “Tangerines,” Zaza Urushadze, director;

Georgia, “Corn Island,” George Ovashvili, director;

Mauritania, “Timbuktu,” Abderrahmane Sissako, director;

Netherlands, “Accused,” Paula van der Oest, director;

Poland, “Ida,” Paweł Pawlikowski, director;

Russia, “Leviathan,” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director;

Sweden, “Force Majeure,” Ruben Östlund, director;

Venezuela, “The Liberator,” Alberto Arvelo, director.

 

Here’s What The Southeastern Film Critics Honored!


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The Oscar precursor race — which started out with Boyhood and Birdman basically winning everything — has gotten a little bit more interesting over the past week or so.  Other movies have been picking up awards.  For instance, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel!

On December 22nd, the Southeastern Film Critics named their picks for the best of 2014.  And here are the winners!

Top Ten
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Boyhood
3. Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
4. Whiplash
5. The Imitation Game
6. Gone Girl
7. Snowpiercer
8. Nightcrawler
9. Foxcatcher
10. The Theory of Everything

Best Actor
1. Michael Keaton, Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
2. Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Best Actress
1. Julianne Moore, Still Alice
2. Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Best Supporting Actor
1. J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
2. Edward Norton, Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Supporting Actress
1. Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
2. Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer

Best Ensemble
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Director
1. Richard Linklater, Boyhood
2. Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Original Screenplay
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness
2. Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Gone Girl: Gillian Flynn
2. Wild: Nick Hornby

Best Documentary
1. Life Itself
2. CitizenFour

Best Foreign Language Film
1. Force Majeure
2. Ida

Best Animated Film
1. The Lego Movie
2. Big Hero 6

Best Cinematography
1. Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): Emmanuel Lubezki
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel: Robert Yeoman

The Gene Wyatt Award for the Film that Best Evokes the Spirit of the South
1. Selma

Like A Mythical Beast Rising From The Ashes, Here’s What Won In Phoenix!


Birdman

Here are the winners of The Phoenix Critics Circle awards!  You can see a full list of their nominees here.

Best Picture — Birdman

Best Comedy Film — The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Horror or Sci-Fi Film — Snowpiercer

Best Mystery or Thriller Film: Nightcrawler and Gone Girl

Best Actor — Micheal Keaton in Birdman

Best Actress — Reese Witherspoon in Wild

Best Supporting Actor — J.K. Simmons in Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress — Emma Stone in Birdman

Best Director — Alejandro G. Inarritu for Bidrman

Best Screenplay — Birdman

Best Animated Film — The LEGO Movie

Best International Film — Force Majeure and Ida

Here Are The Florida Film Critics Circle Nominations!


richard-linklaters-boyhood-movie-film-still-ellar-coltrane

And awards season continues!  The Florida Film Critics are somewhat unique in that they apparently only have three nominees per category.  What fun is that?  Add to that, three is an odd number and you know how I feel about odd numbers…

ANYWAY — here are the nominees:

(h/t to Awards Daily)

BEST PICTURE
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST ACTOR
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Jessica Chastain – A Most Violent Year
Emma Stone – Birdman

BEST ENSEMBLE
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu – Birdman
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Gone Girl
Inherent Vice
The Theory of Everything

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Interstellar

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar

BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Interstellar
Into the Woods

BEST SCORE
Gone Girl
Interstellar
Under the Skin

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Citizenfour
Life Itself
Jodorowsky’s Dune

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Ida (Poland)
Force Majeure (Sweden)
The Raid 2 (Indonesia)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Big Hero 6
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie

PAULINE KAEL BREAKOUT AWARD
Jennifer Kent – The Babadook
Damien Chazelle – Whiplash
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle/Beyond the Lights

Here Are The Chicago Film Critics Association Nominations!


Happy Valentine's Day!

Finally, from the former hometown of Al Capone and President Obama, here are the Chicago Film Critic Associations Nominations!

BEST PICTURE
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Under the Skin
Whiplash

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
David Fincher, Gone Girl
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Christopher Nolan, Interstellar

BEST ACTOR
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton, Birdman
David Oyelowo, Selma
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
Scarlett Johannson, Under the Skin
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Inherent Vice
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year
Laura Dern, Wild
Agata Kulesza, Ida
Emma Stone, Birdman

BEST ORIGNAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo
Boyhood, Richard Linklater
Calvary, John Michael McDonagh
The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson
Whiplash, Damien Chazelle

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn
The Imitation Game, Graham Moore
Inherent Vice, Paul Thomas Anderson
Under the Skin, Walter Campbell
Wild, Nick Hornby

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Force Majeure
Ida
Mommy
The Raid 2
Two Days, One Night

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Citizenfour
Jodorowsky’s Dune
Last Days in Vietnam
Life Itself
The Overnighters

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Interstellar
Into The Woods
Only Lovers Left Alive
Snowpiercer

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ida
Inherent Vice
Interstellar

BEST EDITING
Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Whiplash

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Under the Skin

MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Ellar Coltrane, Boyhood
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle/Beyond the Lights
Jack O’Connell, Starred Up/Unbroken
Tony Revolori, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Jenny Slate, Obvious Child
Agata Trzebuchowska, Ida

MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
Jennifer Kent, The Babadook
Jeremy Saulnier, Blue Ruin
Justin Simien, Dear White People

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle Honors Birdman!


Birdman

Did you know that the Kansas City Film Critics Circle is apparently the oldest critics organization in America?  It’s true!

Anyway, here are their picks for the best of 2014!  Let’s just call this: Birdman Soars In Kansas City!

BEST PICTURE
Birdman

BEST DIRECTOR
Richard Linklater, Boyhood

BEST ACTOR
Michael Keaton, Birdman

BEST ACTRESS
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Edward Norton, Birdman

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Obvious Child

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Ida

BEST ANIMATED FILM
The Lego Movie

BEST DOCUMENTARY
CITIZENFOUR

BEST SF/FANTASY/HORROR FILM
The Babadook

 

The Indiana Film Journalists Embrace A Film From Texas!


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The Indiana Film Journalists today announced their picks for the best of 2014!  For best film, they selected an obscure little indie film named Boyhood.

Here’s a complete list of winners!

Best Film

Winner: “Boyhood”

Runner-up: “Whiplash”

Other Finalists (listed alphabetically):

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”

“The Grand Budapest Hotel”

“Guardians of the Galaxy”

“The Imitation Game”

“Life Itself”

“Locke”

“A Most Violent Year”

“St. Vincent”

Best Animated Feature

Winner: “The LEGO Movie”

Runner-Up: “The Boxtrolls ”

Best Foreign Language Film

Winner: “Two Days, One Night”

Runner-Up: “Ida”

Best Documentary

Winner: “Life Itself”

Runner-Up: “An Honest Liar”

Best Original Screenplay

Winner: Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Runner-up: Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Best Adapted Screenplay

Winner: Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”

Runner-up: Graham Moore, “The Imitation Game”

Best Director

Winner: Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Runner-up: Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”

Best Actress

Winner: Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

Runner-up: Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”

Best Supporting Actress

Winner: Jessica Chastain “A Most Violent Year”

Runner-up: Melissa McCarthy, “St. Vincent”

Best Actor

Winner: Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Runner-up: Tom Hardy, “Locke”

Best Supporting Actor

Winner: J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

Runner-up: Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”

Best Musical Score

Winner: Mica Levi, “Under the Skin”

Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Original Vision Award

Winner: “Boyhood”

Runner-up: “Under the Skin”

The Hoosier Award

Winner: Eric Grayson, film historian and preservationist

(As a special award, no runner-up is declared in this category.)

The San Francisco Film Critics and the San Diego Film Critics Have Spoken!


It’s been a busy three days as far as Oscar precursors are concerned so let’s jump straight into things and take a look at the latest victories.  We’ll start with two critics groups from Arleigh’s home state of California!

Yesterday, the San Francisco Film Critics announced their picks for the best of 2014!

Best picture: Boyhood
Best director: Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Best actor: Michael Keaton, Birdman
Best actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Best supporting actor: Edward Norton, Birdman
Best supporting actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Best screenplay, original: Birdman
Best screenplay, adapted: Inherent Vice
Best cinematography: Ida
Best production design: The Best Grand Budapest Hotel
Best editing: Boyhood
Best animated feature: The Lego Movie
Best foreign-language picture: Ida
Best documentary: Citizenfour

Nightcrawler

Meanwhile, the San Diego Film Critics Society announced earlier today that they really, really love one of my favorite films of the year, Nightcrawler!  You can see a full list of the San Diego nominees by clicking here.  And the winners are listed below!

Best Picture
“Nightcrawler”

Best Director
Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler”

Best Actor
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”

Best Actress
Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”

Best Supporting Actress
Rene Russo, “Nightcrawler”

Best Adapted Screenplay
“Gone Girl”

Best Original Screenplay
“Nightcrawler”

Best Cinematography
“Nightcrawler”

Best Editing
“Edge of Tomorrow”

Best Production Design
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Best Score
“Nightcrawler”

Best Animated Film
“The Boxtrolls”

Best Foreign Film
“Force Majeure”

Best Documentary
“CITIZENFOUR”

Best Ensemble
“Birdman”

Body of Work
Willem Dafoe (“John Wick,” “The Fault in Our Stars,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “A Most Wanted Man,” “Nymphomaniac: Part 2”)

What Do They Like in San Diego? Let’s Find Out…


Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler

And finally, here are the San Diego Film Critics Nominations!

(Insert your own clever and snarky analysis here because I’m exhausted.  Maybe point out that they nominated Alejandro Inarritu for best director and Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, and Emma Stone but they didn’t nominate Birdman for best film…)

(h/t to awards circuit)

Best Film

  • “Boyhood”
  • “Gone Girl”
  • “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
  • “Nightcrawler”
  • “Selma”
  • “The Theory of Everything”

Best Director

  • Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Birdman”
  • Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
  • David Fincher, “Gone Girl”
  • Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
  • Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler”

Best Actor

  • Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
  • Brendan Gleeson, “Calvary”
  • Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
  • Tom Hardy, “Locke”
  • Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
  • Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

Best Actress

  • Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”
  • Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
  • Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
  • Hilary Swank, “The Homesman”
  • Mia Wasikowska, “Tracks”

Best Supporting Actor

  • Riz Ahmed, “Nightcrawler”
  • Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
  • Edward Norton, “Birdman”
  • J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
  • Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”

Best Supporting Actress

  • Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
  • Carrie Coon, “Gone Girl”
  • Keira Knightly, “The Imitation Game”
  • Rene Russo, “Nightcrawler”
  • Emma Stone, “Birdman”

Best Original Screenplay

  • “Birdman”
  • “Boyhood”
  • “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
  • “Locke”
  • “Nightcrawler”

Best Adapted Screenplay

  • “The Fault in Our Stars”
  • “Gone Girl”
  • “The Theory of Everything”
  • “Unbroken”
  • “Wild”

Best Foreign Language Film

  • “Force Majeure”
  • “Heli”
  • “Ida”
  • “Two Days, One Night”
  • “Venus in Fur”

Best Documentary

  • “CITIZENFOUR”
  • “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me”
  • “Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me”
  • “Last Days in Vietnam”
  • “Life Itself”

Best Animated Film

  • “Big Hero 6″
  • “The Boxtrolls”
  • “How to Train Your Dragon 2″
  • “The LEGO Movie”
  • “The Nut Job”

Best Cinematography

  • “Force Majeure” (Fredrik Wenzel)
  • “Interstellar” (Hoyte van Hoytema)
  • “Gone Girl” (Jeff Cronenweth)
  • “Nightcrawler” (Robert Elswit)
  • “Unbroken” (Roger Deakins)

Best Editing

  • “Boyhood” (Sandra Adair)
  • “Edge of Tomorrow” (James Herbert, Laura Jennings)
  • “Gone Girl” (Kirk Baxter)
  • “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (Barney Pilling)
  • “Nightcrawler” (John Gilroy)

Best Production Design

  • “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pincock)
  • “Into the Woods” (Dennis Gassner & Anna Pinnock)
  • “The Theory of Everything” (John Paul Kelly)
  • “The Imitation Game” (Maria Djurkovic)
  • “Interstellar” (Nathan Crowley)

Best Score

  • “Birdman” (Antonio Sanchez)
  • “Gone Girl” (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)
  • “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (Alexandre Desplat)
  • “The Imitation Game” (Alexandre Desplat)
  • “Nightcrawler” (James Newton Howard)

Best Ensemble

  • “Birdman”
  • “Boyhood”
  • “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
  • “The Imitation Game”
  • “Selma”

Here Are the St. Louis Film Critics Nominations!


Birdman

The Golden Globes weren’t the only precursors to be announced today!  Here are the St. Louis Film Critics Nominations.  One thing that I like about the St. Louis Film Critics is that they give out an award for “best scene.”  Personally, I would vote for the prison break from Guardians of the Galaxy.

Here are the nominees:

(h/t to awards circuit)

BEST PICTURE 
Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
David Fincher, “Gone Girl”
Alejandro Inarritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”

BEST ACTOR
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
Tom Hardy, “Locke”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”
Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, “Inherent Vice”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Tony Revolori, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”
Carrie Coon, “Gone Girl”
Mackenzie Foy, “Interstellar”
Kiera Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman
Boyhood
Locke
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler
Whiplash

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Gone Girl
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Imitation Game
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Birdman
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Interstellar
Nightcrawler
Unbroken

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS 
Birdman
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
Noah

BEST ART DIRECTION
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Mr. Turner
Nightcrawler
Snowpiercer
Under the Skin

BEST MUSIC SCORE
Birdman
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Interstellar
Under the Skin

BEST MUSIC SOUNDTRACK
Begin Again
Boyhood
Get On Up
Guardians of the Galaxy
Into the Woods
Whiplash

BEST FOREIGN FILM 
Force Majeure
Gloria
Human Capital
Ida
Two Days, One Night

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie
Penguins of Madagascar

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Citizenfour
Finding Vivian Maier
Jodorowsky’s Dune
Life Itself
Red Army
Rich Hill

BEST COMEDY
22 Jump Street
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Obvious Child
St. Vincent

BEST ARTHOUSE
Boyhood
Calvary
Frank
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Locke
Whiplash

BEST SCENE 
22 Jump Street – End Credits
Birdman – Times Square
The Guardians of the Galaxy – Prison Break
Selma – Church Bombing
Whiplash – Finale drum solo
X-Men: Days of Future Past – Quicksilver Pentagon Escape

Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-rocket-with-gun