2007 Wrap-up: THE IN CONTENTION AWARDS
Alright, time to put the year to bed. Another list of awards never hurt anyone, right? So let’s get on with it. Be sure to check out Monday’s top ten list and column, and Wednesday’s personal ballot announcement. Otherwise, have a happy holiday and I’ll definitely see you January 1st with the annual “Most Anticipated Films of the Year” column.
Perhaps I’ll pop up here and there in the interim, though at some point, either in the next two weeks or the first week of the New Year, be on the lookout for a huge cinematographers piece. 2007 has been one of the best lensing years in quite a while, I feel, and I’ve already got Deakins, Ruhe, Kaminski, Papamichael, Lachman, Delbonnel, Reed, Rousselot, Adefarasin, Malaimaire, Fong and Savides on the record. And I’m looking to fill in a few more cracks before hammering out the story, which has been enlightening so far, I must say.
Anyway, like I said, let’s get on with it. The “In Contention Awards” (what a dumb name):
Best Picture
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Best Director
Andrew Dominik, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Best Actor
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead”
Best Actress
Tang Wei, “Lust, Caution”
(more after the jump)
Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Best Supporting Actress
Samantha Morton, “Control”
Best Adapted Screenplay
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Written by Andrew Dominik
Based on the novel by Ron Hansen
Best Original Screenplay
“Juno”
Written by Diablo Cody
Best Art Direction
“Across the Universe”
Mark Friedberg; Ellen Christiansen
Best Cinematography
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Roger Deakins
Best Costume Design
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Patricia Norris
Best Film Editing
“The Bourne Ultimatum”
Christopher Rouse
Best Makeup
“La Vie en Rose”
Didier Lavergne
Best Music – Original Score
“There Will Be Blood”
Jonny Greenwood
Best Music – Original Song
“Society” from “Into the Wild”
Best Sound
“There Will Be Blood”
Best Sound Editing
“The Bourne Ultimatum”
Best Visual Effects
“Transformers”
Best Animated Feature
“Persepolis”
Best Foreign Language Film
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
Best Ensemble Performance
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Most Underrated Film of the Year
“Feast of Love”
Most Overrated Film of the Year
“No Country for Old Men”
Best Directorial Debut
Tony Gilroy, “Michael Clayton”
Breakthrough Performance (Male)
Glen Hansard, “Once”
Breakthrough Performance (Female)
Tang Wei, “Lust, Caution”
Best Cameo Performance (Male)
Sacha Baron Cohen, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Best Cameo Performance (Female)
Vanessa Redgrave, “Atonement”
Best Performance in a Bad Film
Homayon Ershadi, “The Kite Runner”
Worst Performance in a Good Film
Josh Harnett, “Resurrecting the Champ”
Best Poster
“I’m Not There” (this one)
Best Trailer
“Grindhouse” (teaser)
Most Surprising Film of the Year
“Quiet City”
Most Disappointing Film of the Year
“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”/“Spider-Man 3”
5 Worst Films of the Year
“Captivity”
“Ghost Rider”
“Live Free or Die Hard”
“Margot at the Wedding”
“Mr. Brooks”
Best Action Sequence
“The Host”
The creature reveals itself and terrorizes citizens on the river bank. The movie is all downhill from there, but there are some creative and horrific visual ideas going on in this scene.
Best Opening Titles Sequence
“Juno”
Entertainer of the Year
Phillip Seymour Hoffman
I almost went with Kathleen Kennedy, who’s putting out two of the year’s very best and intriguing films in “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and “Persepolis,” but Hoffman gave his three greatest portrayals to date in ONE YEAR, showcasing his potential as a leading man, his talents as a character actor and the sheer depth of his range when he chooses to go there. That’s a hell of an accomplishment and really, the choice was simple in the end.
That does it. Oh, and one final note: yes, there will be a chart update Monday.
Happy Holidays!
Comments
Glad to see the right person win original score! And I can't help but wonder if AMPAS will also give Across the Universe a nod for art direction. No one seems to be predicting it, but I'd say it seems more likely than not to me.
Posted by: Rubyglass![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| December 20, 2007 10:01 PM
It's nice to see Once get a little love, though If You Want Me should be the top song.
It's also nice to see Mr. Hoffman bringing it so hard this year. It's making up for his winning over Terrence Howard a couple years ago.
Posted by: Silencio![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| December 21, 2007 07:43 AM
Disappointing but unsurprising picks for best picture, director, editing and actors. Although I do agree with your picks for most disappointing film of the year. Elizabeth was downright painful and unnecessary.
Posted by: Mario Borroto![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| December 21, 2007 07:18 PM
kristopher, kristopher, kristopher. come on. PSH was lovely in before the devil knows you're dead and all... but i simply don't see how you can deny that daniel day-lewis gave the performance of the year, if not the decade. and it's not just in the deafening moments of the denouement, but the way he fully inhabits plainview... the ferret-like way he moves, the terror that lurks in that placid face (the shot of him bobbing in the ocean still gives me shivers). i truly believe that for their to even be other nominees in this category is both a joke, and insulting to DDL's work.
Posted by: Aguirre![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| December 27, 2007 10:08 AM
for there.* oops.
Posted by: Aguirre![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.incontention.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| December 27, 2007 10:10 AM