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Alright, now that the booze and the hangover have worn off, let’s talk last night’s Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.
It was a decently produced evening, the venue having shifted from the Santa Monica Civic Center to the Hollywood Palladium, right in the middle of Tinseltown. The scheme of having 10 tables rounding the stage representing the 10 films nominated for Best Picture was a nice touch. I was fortunate enough to be at the “Up in the Air” table with Jason Reitman, Vera Farmiga (who I was meeting for the first time) and Anna Kendrick.
George Clooney was a no-show (working on his upcoming Haiti telethon), though at least that didn’t make for an awkward moment later when Jeff Bridges won the lead actor prize, the first on his way to an eventual Oscar win.
Anyway, a few notes (since Guy has already given you a thorough rundown of last night’s implications)…
Some might not have responded to Mo’Nique’s speech the way I did, but I thought it was exactly what it needed to be. She did the work, she “left it on the floor,” and the finished product speaks (and keeps speaking) for itself.
I ran into Kathryn Bigelow out in the lobby during a commercial break, the first time we’ve spoken all year. Her speech accepting for Best Director is a nice window into who this lady is, an incredibly humble, friendly woman. She deserves every ounce of the love she’s getting, and not just for her handling of “The Hurt Locker,” but for still standing tall as an independent female filmmaker who has taken plenty of hits along the way.
And I can’t believe she’ll be 60 soon. Can anyone?
I had lunch with “The Cove” director Louie Psihoyos earlier in the day and told him flat out he was going to win this award. He, of course, had no idea there were so many film awards during the circuit and asked for advice on what to say if he happened to win. The only thing I could say is to be honest but concise, and I think he nailed that. Getting people to see this film, to not be afraid of it, it’s important, and I think he took a step toward that with his comments.
The “Inglourious Basterds” table was behind us, so all night I wanted to reach over and extend my congratulations to Christoph Waltz for what I hope is the beginning of a bright new stage of his career. Some may be bored with his and Mo’Nique’s domination of the circuit, but the fact remains, these are two of the most striking performances of this or any year. “You’ve probably been congratulated a million times now,” I told him. “Well, not yet by you,” he said. He clearly seems to be enjoying his moment. And his speech was so touching in its humble awe.
Speaking of that table, Diane Kruger came over at one point to congratulate Anna Kendrick on her success this year. The two had just seen each other’s films recently. Kendrick said she can handle everything about “Inglourious Basterds,” the scalping, the violence, etc. But the one moment that makes her reel is when Brad Pitt sticks his finger in Kruger’s bullet wound. No, not earth-shattering reportage here, but I thought it was funny.
I was also pleased to see Saoirse Ronan take the Best Young Actor or Actress prize despite the face-plant “The Lovely Bones” has done with critics. I asked her if she was nervous, accepting an award on such a public stage. Not at all. Though she said her voice tends to have a quiver to it that always makes her sound nervous. I was just happy my fellow BFCA members didn’t choose to turn their back on the film in that hour.
The unexpected John Hughes tribute was, I have to say, quite moving. I was singing along with Death Cab For Cutie with the rest of the crowd and reliving the memories. It was a nice touch for Jason Reitman to bring it up upon accepting his award for Best Adapted Screenplay. There was also a nice moment during the commercial break when Reitman got on stage without a mic to scream out a big thank you to his wife, who he neglected to mention during his speech.
The after-party was attended by Ken Jeong, the Anvil guys, Louie Psihoyos, Adam Lambert (commanding the biggest crowd despite having nothing to do with the evening’s proceedings) and a few others, though don’t force me to recollect. By then the Dewers had fused itself with my blood.
Henry Selick was there, actually, having an absolute blast. I sat down with Selick some weeks back and haven’t gotten around to writing up the interview yet, but he’s loving life on the awards circuit, win, lose or draw.
Anyway, on to the implications. I agree with Guy. The race has transitioned into “Avatar” vs. “The Hurt Locker” now more than ever. “Up in the Air” really needed this, and all indications from the inside is that “Avatar” will be taking the Golden Globe in a cakewalk Sunday night.
Speaking of two-horse races, the lead actress category didn’t do much to clear matters last night. Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep tied for the award. I was in the lobby for the, uh, moment, which I did eventually catch on DVR. Sunday, they’re both going to win yet again, albeit in different categories. So it’ll be a footrace to the finish line.
Circling back around to Bridges, this first rash of televised awards shows gives you a chance to practice and even put your best foot forward for Oscar voters, and despite the Chris Cooper/Scott Cooper gaffe, I think Bridges and all his humility nailed it. There were two standing ovations all night, by the way. One was for Joel Siegel Award winner Kevin Bacon. The other was for Bridges.
All in all, a grand evening, as always. Kristin Chenoweth navigated an awkward script well enough, but she’s born for this kind of thing. And, of course, it would have been nice for “A Serious Man” to win SOMETHING, but oh well. On to the next show.
54 responses so far
1 1-16-2010 at 10:51 am
Loyal said...
Great write up!
Thankfully The Lovely Bones didn’t do a complete face plant this weekend at the box office, so the appeals to young girls seem to have paid off at least in the short term.
Agree with the THL vs Avatar, David Vs Goliath . Up in the Air needed this weekend badly.
2 1-16-2010 at 10:52 am
Loyal said...
Oh and what’s the deal with these “ties’?”
3 1-16-2010 at 10:57 am
Guy Lodge said...
Two people received the same number of votes … I think that’s pretty much “the deal” with ties.
4 1-16-2010 at 11:03 am
Loyal said...
Two consecutive Best Actress races are tied, LOL.
Okay Guy Lodge.
5 1-16-2010 at 11:04 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
What Guy said.
6 1-16-2010 at 11:10 am
James D. said...
The Hurt Locker isn’t my favorite of the frontrunners (Inglourious Basterds is my favorite film of the year), but I was very happy to see a tiny indie on stage instead of the $300 million dollar toy commercial. I hope this continues.
7 1-16-2010 at 11:17 am
ninja said...
I don`t know why people expected Bones to go face plant at the boxoffice. Built-in fandom properties are critics-proof. The book was huge so no amount of critical trashing would stop fans from seeing it opening weekend. This is like Twilight in reverse since Twilight had bigger opening than its budget while Bones has,well, I don`t know how good $5.7 or $6.2 Friday (depending on the source) is for a movie that costed $100 mio to produce. It opened in less theaters than BoE yet BoE has bigger PTA ($9643) than Bones ($6243). I`m not a boxoffice expert but isn`t PTA supposed to get higher with the lower theater count?
Color me surprised that they are trying to spin TLB boxoffice as if it`s a sleeper hit coming out of nowhere. Big bestseller, big names, big budget. Sleeper my ass.
8 1-16-2010 at 11:18 am
ninja said...
Meant $5.7 or $6.2 million Friday.
9 1-16-2010 at 11:23 am
Dylan said...
I’m sorry, Kris. But I just don’t see it as a two horse race. Inglourious’ wins for best ensemble and screemplay have to count for SOMETHING, right? Avatar only won technical awards (aside from best Action movie, but that category is pretty pointless) yet it’s still the frontrunner for best pic?
10 1-16-2010 at 11:23 am
Adam Smith said...
I’ve gotta agree with Ms. Kendrick–the finger in the bullet wound is the most squirm-inducing thing in Basterds (well, that and carving the swastika into Landa’s forehead).
For a hot second, I really thought Picture was going to be between Avatar and Basterds last night. I’m glad Avatar didn’t win, but I would have been happier with a Basterds win. But big ups to Kathryn Bigelow nonetheless.
11 1-16-2010 at 11:27 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
Dylan: Yes.
12 1-16-2010 at 11:28 am
med said...
Mulligan still may top Bullock at the globes. Let’s hope…
13 1-16-2010 at 11:32 am
Damian said...
I envy you so much. It’s my dream to see Meryl.
14 1-16-2010 at 11:35 am
Ryan said...
med, that would just be absolutely brilliant. I hope it happens.
15 1-16-2010 at 11:40 am
med said...
Pundits continue to see Bullock as a possible winner but I see AMPAS going with Streep by huge numbers. A Bullock win over Streep would be one of the greatest upsets in Academy history and I just don’t buy it…
16 1-16-2010 at 11:43 am
jackflash said...
Pundits continue to see Bullock as a possible winner but I see AMPAS going with Streep by huge numbers. A Bullock win over Streep would be one of the greatest upsets in Academy history and I just don’t buy it…
17 1-16-2010 at 11:57 am
junko said...
so med and jackflash are the same person?
nothing else to do in life?
18 1-16-2010 at 11:58 am
theoriginal.andrew said...
Nice show indeed, don’t get all the hate though. Let’s see who wins the drama globe tomorrow. I think Bullock will, judging by the amount of love she got with them and her two noms. Mulligan’s chances tomorrow are slim IMO. An Education was totally snubbed in other major categories and that says a lot. Sibide, don’t think so. Who’s the other one?
19 1-16-2010 at 11:59 am
theoriginal.andrew said...
BTW, Bigelow is stunning.
20 1-16-2010 at 12:09 pm
med said...
Sorry for the duplicate post – I was having trouble getting the post accepted so tried a different name. Nothing devious here. Just sorry for the confusion…
21 1-16-2010 at 12:18 pm
Hans said...
I am a little confused. Everywhere I’m reading that these awards shouldn’t be considered true “critics” awards. I know Kris is a member, and he certainly critiques films, so what exactly is a “Broadcast Film Critic”?
Also, Kris or Guy, any thoughts on what I thought were Tom O’Neill’s slightly tactlessly blunt questions in the press conference room (Mo’nique’s avoidance of the circuit, Meryl not winning an Oscar in 30 years, KBigs beating out her hubby)?
22 1-16-2010 at 12:20 pm
Silencio said...
How was Tarantino’s speech?
23 1-16-2010 at 12:31 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Hans: “Broadcast” includes television, radio and Internet (exclusively) film critics.
No comment on the rest.
24 1-16-2010 at 12:39 pm
Me. said...
WTF? Kathryn Bigelow is turning 60?!! Is this for real!!!?!?!?!?!
I would’ve bet she was 40.
So Avatar is taking the Globe? I’m still predicting the Basterds even though Avatar was my original pick.
25 1-16-2010 at 12:40 pm
Leone said...
Not a big deal that AVATAR or UP IN THE AIR didn’t win at the Critics Choice. Just look at their own ratings page – HURT LOCKER had the highest ratings. It won their top award. Doesn’t hurt AVATAR or UP IN THE AIR at all. Or INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS for that matter. These are critics – not guilds – not Academy voters.
26 1-16-2010 at 1:11 pm
Yogsam said...
I saw 3 websites this morning were the frontpage had a huge AVATAR picture, and the headline was “HURT LOCKER wins the Critic’s Choice Awards”
and i thought”that’s weird”
I saw other websites saying “Avatar still IS the frontrunner for BP at the oscars” i read it EVERYWHERE!!
Shocking, isn’t it?
27 1-16-2010 at 1:21 pm
JJ said...
After last night, which I also thoroughly enjoyed in spite of all the bad buzz about it (love award shows, thought Chenoweth was fine, etc.) … this is what I got:
For now, I think BP is btwn. AVATAR and THE HURT LOCKER with INGLOURIOUS 3rd (lots of tech support, even sans ACE nom, lots of actor’s support, writing support, etc.). For now, I only see UP IN THE AIR with Rietman’s screenplay.
I still think Meryl will win the Oscar. And given that it’s HPFA, won’t Mulligan have a higher chance of nabbing Drama tomorrow over Sandra?
I “would” say that split-voting herself (Proposal, Blind Side) would go against her, but that certainly wasn’t the cast last year for Kate Winslet.
28 1-16-2010 at 1:21 pm
JJ said...
And I, too, am sorry to see A SERIOUS MAN get nothing.
29 1-16-2010 at 1:25 pm
Craig said...
Can someone explain to me how and when Avatar became the frontrunner? I’ll believe it has a chance at the oscars if it wins the globe, but until then, I’ll keep believing it’s staying in the techs, where it belongs.
30 1-16-2010 at 1:25 pm
Megan said...
I really enjoyed the show and thought it was a great night, and everything turned out like it should’ve.
It’s a beautiful thing to see Bigelow rising to the top in what is in essence a type of phallocracy if you get what I mean….we need more women film-makers, period.
And it seems like every time Waltz wins something, he gets incrementally closer to crying. It looks like the whole thing has filled him with childlike wonder, and I’m so happy for the man.
And Bridges. My darling Bridges. I love his sincerety and everyman-ness. I think the Oscar is his, personally.
This got me all keyed up for the Globes. Woot.
31 1-16-2010 at 1:29 pm
cccc said...
I’ve always had a crush on Bigelow. Even more so now. freaking sexy!
32 1-16-2010 at 1:41 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Craig: When we talked to Academy members.
33 1-16-2010 at 2:29 pm
Andrew2 said...
I’m sorry to see BRIGHT STAR get nothing
34 1-16-2010 at 2:54 pm
Michael W. said...
I’m really looking forward to see the Golden Globe Awards tomorrow. I still can’t buy this Avatar frontrunner stuff, and now Kris says that Avatar will be taking the Golden Globe in a cakewalk on Sunday! Well, I have to see that before I believe it ;-)
I fully expect it to win the Producers Guild, but I just can’t see how the same people who voted Babel and Atonement best picture of the year can give that award to Avatar. It makes absolutely no sense. Unless they award its achievement at the box office…
But we’ll have to wait and see.
35 1-16-2010 at 3:16 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
News flash: They like the movie.
36 1-16-2010 at 3:28 pm
Michael W. said...
Sure. I like it too. But BEST picture of the year. Really?
37 1-16-2010 at 3:32 pm
Michael W. said...
I still don’t get it if it wins the big ones like GG and Oscar. It’s would be a first that a film without ANYTHING at all (unless we’re counting the NY Online critics…) could win these big awards. Even Crash had a SAG ensemble win and a win from the Chicago Film Critics. And Titanic had several critics awards for both picture and director.
But I guess I’m just annoyed that it could steal the thunder of two waaaaay superior films in Up in the Air and The Hurt Locker :-D
38 1-16-2010 at 3:41 pm
Loyal said...
Jim Cameron’s interview in EW is a fun read.
Obviously people do love Avatar (raises hand) , but how many people? About $1,435,049,673 worth so far (inflated for IMAX/3D of course).
39 1-16-2010 at 4:25 pm
Megan said...
Yeah, Loyal, but is that a definitive gauge for how good a movie is?
40 1-16-2010 at 4:49 pm
Julian Stark said...
Sad that you didn’t catch the Bullock/Streep moment. I was gonna ask what your reaction was being in that crowd…
Still, sounds like it was a cool night for you
And I can’t believe Kathryn Bigelow is almost 60 either. I would have probably guessed 35 at the oldest!
41 1-16-2010 at 5:09 pm
murdock said...
Chenoweth was unbearable. I didn’t laugh once in any of her appearances. In fact, whenever they showed the crowd, they weren’t even smiling.
Also a thumbs down to Heather Graham and Vera Farmiga for their awful attempts at humor.
42 1-16-2010 at 5:14 pm
Big Braveheart said...
Tom Hardy for best actor versus Jeff Bridges
would be a great reflection of real acting quality!
Clooney doing Cary Grant? Morgan attempting
Mandela? Big drip Firth with horn-rim glasses?
Since when were these considered Oscar quality?
Look for real performances!
43 1-16-2010 at 5:25 pm
Adam M. said...
Biggest realization of the night:
Kathryn Bigelow is SMOKIN HOT. And almost 60??! SAY WHAT NOW?!!
44 1-16-2010 at 9:04 pm
Justin said...
What are your guys thoughts on Hurt Locker winning Best Picture Drama at the GG tomorrow night? Does it have a pretty good chance you think?
45 1-16-2010 at 9:45 pm
Craig said...
Yeah they like the film Kris, but do they not like all the other films?
46 1-17-2010 at 2:16 am
Jane said...
Why are people acting like Avatar will take the GG in a cakewalk? It seems like a very tight race for Best Drama that could go any of four ways, none of which would be surprising. HFPA might have liked Avatar, but there’s also talk that they loved Inglourious Basterds. And they also love big stars, so why not Up in the Air? Based on last year, they just followed all the critics awards with Slumdog Millionaire, so why not The Hurt Locker?
Basically, no one knows anything about the Best Picture race this year.
47 1-17-2010 at 3:08 am
Robin said...
I continue to laugh at this notion that Avatar is the frontrunner for BP as week by week goes by and still the only thing that it has in its corner is money (seems people have learnt nothing from TDK).
48 1-17-2010 at 4:01 am
Jane said...
Money is one factor, but it certainly shouldn’t be the be-all-end-all. Yes, Titanic had money on its side but it also had 2 acting nominations and at least got a SAG Best Ensemble nod. Even TDK with a lot of money and a guaranteed acting winner couldn’t assure it a stop in Best Picture.
Likewise, THL’s low box office will not stop Academy members from voting for it if they loved it. Does Sean Penn really care if the movie only made $12 million? Hell no. He loves it and he’s voting for it.
49 1-17-2010 at 7:03 am
Joaquin said...
I agree with Anna Kendrick on that scene in Inglourious Basterds. I’m quite squeamish myself, but above the scalping (though the last one that happened was the hardest to sit through for me) and gunfights, it was the Kruger-Pitt bullet wound scene that still got me the hardest. I had to squirm in my seat.
I still have a notion that Up in the Air will win Best Picture at the Golden Globes. An Avatar win for me would be a little surprising. A The Hurt Locker win would seal the deal, really. Unless the Academy goes Crash on us.
50 1-17-2010 at 7:17 am
Me. said...
I think it will go like this:
Golden Globe (Drama) – Inglourious Basterds
DGA – The Hurt Locker
PGA – Avatar
SAG (Ensemble) – Inglourious Basterds
51 1-17-2010 at 7:19 am
JJ said...
We all know a bit about the Oscar race by this point (and me far less than most of you people here). But I jut feel (at this juncture):
AVATAR – I really, really liked this fmovie as blockbuster entertainment. It has all the $$$$, has the technical wizardry, but it’s not an overwhelmingly smart film that AMPAS would go for as a WIN, and probably no acting nods. As mentioned, TITANIC had 2 of those; and a love story that permeates to this day.
THE HURT LOCKER – HAS made VERY little $$ (a problem), and has no big stars in it. But it has all the critical support in the world, plus Bigelow Director buzz.
UP IN THE AIR – Some people call it great, most call it good, and some don’t like it. It missed the SAG ensemble. It only got screenplay at BFCA. And it doesn’t have the wealth of technical support that an AVATAR or even an INGLOURIOUS would have.
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS – Editing is the issue; along with polarizing feelings towards the movie, on the whole. But those who love it, LOVE it. It’s got Tarantino in a sort of ‘comeback’ mode, it’s got the screenplay buzz, it has technical buzz from top to bottom (sans editing, a biggee). And most of all, it should get the most help from the largest branch, the actors.
I just still see INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS as a major, major threat/spoiler to much contemplated AVATAR or THE HURT LOCKER win.
52 1-17-2010 at 9:12 am
Derek said...
Uh, Sandra got a standing ovation, too.
53 1-17-2010 at 9:33 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
You’re right. And Bigelow too, I think. Spaced it.
54 1-17-2010 at 9:51 am
David said...
Um Kristen Chenoweth navigating this thing well? I thought it was a disaster, especially the audition pieces. That and Jonas Bro as the house band really increased the yuk factor.