criterionforum.org

The Dark Knight isn't a social problem picture. The Academy has no problem nom'ing blockbusters for Best Pic (See the Fugitive, Raiders of the Lost Ark, &c), but the Dark Knight doesn't let the Academy feel better about furthering a cause-- which is why Milk getting the Best Pic nod is right parallel for Crash using your evidence, not the Dark Knight.

The battle begins over who is going to accept the statue if/when Heath Ledger wins.

Does Ledger's family really think the Oscars are gonna let anyone but the "widow" accept the award? They want that emotion and spectacle and they'll get it from another actor, not family members

I'm with this:

But a friend of the family tells us, "Why would Michelle be involved? She had nothing to do with the movie. They weren't even together when he passed away. Would you have your ex-wife accept your award? And they weren't even married. [Director] Chris Nolan or [star] Christian Bale would make more sense. Michelle makes no sense. It's like those rumors that she would go to the premiere of 'Dark Knight.' That was never in the realm of possibility."

It should be Nolan. Period. He's very thoughtful and articulate, and directed him to that performance for God's sake. And it's better if the family feels that way, too.

Boston Film Critics

Best Picture
Tie: Slumdog Millionaire and WALL-E

Best Actor
Tie: Sean Penn for Milk and Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler

Best Actress
Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Director
Gus Van Sant for Milk and Paranoid Park

Best Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black for Milk

Best Cinematography
Christopher Doyle and Rain Kathy Li for Paranoid Park

Best Documentary
Man on Wire

Best Foreign-Language Film
Let the Right One In

Best Animated Film
WALL·E

Best Film Editing
Chris Dickens for Slumdog Millionaire

Best New Filmmaker
Martin McDonagh for In Bruges

Best Ensemble Cast
Tropic Thunder

The more I see what films are winning awards, the more it's becoming obvious that this was a dreadful year for movies.

Its obvious to me that the entire cast of "Dawson's Creek" should reunite to collect Heath's statue.

When telefilms like Milk and kiddie pix like Wally are getting tons o' noms, it's time to throw all of 2008 into history's dustbin.

The American Film Institute's Ten Films of the Year

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Frozen River”
“Gran Torino”
“Iron Man”
“Milk”
“WALL-E”
“Wendy and Lucy”
“The Wrestler”

Jeff wrote:The American Film Institute's Ten Films of the Year
“Wendy and Lucy”

Now that's how you try to cop cred =D>

Ten what Films?

One of my friends was checking out US Weekly in the store today and showed me their top ten list-
1. Milk
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. Tropic Thunder
4. Happy-Go-Lucky
5. Frozen River
6. Rachel Getting Married
7. Burn After Reading
8. A Christmas Tale
9. The Duchess
10. Revolutionary Road
Special Mentions: Role Models, W, I've Loved You so Long, Religulous, Nothing but the Truth, Gran Torino, Frost/Nixon

"one of your friends", huh?

Satellite Awards

Best Motion Picture (Drama): Slumdog Millionaire
Best Motion Picture (Comedy): Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Actor: Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actress: Rosemarie Dewitt, Rachel Getting Married
Best Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Score: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Foreign-Language Film: Gomorra
Animated or Mixed-Media Film: WALL•E
Documentary: Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer and Man on Wire
Original Screenplay: Thomas McCarthy, The Visitor
Adapted Screenplay: Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Original Song: "Another Way to Die" from Quantum of Solace
Cinematography: Mandy Walker, Australia
Visual Effects: Chris Godfrey, James E. Price and Diana Giorgiutti, Australia
Editing: Dan Lebental, Iron Man
Sound (Editing and Mixing): Richard King, The Dark Knight
Art Direction and Production Design: Catherine Martin, Ian Gracie, Karen Murphy and Beverly Dunn, Australia
Costume Design: Michael O'Connor, The Duchess

Iron Man for editing? Did they just pick a film out of a hat for that one?

New York Film Critics Online

BEST PICTURE
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle w/ Loveleen Tandan - Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR
Sean Penn - Milk

BEST ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz - Vicki Cristina Barcelona

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Slumdog Millionaire - Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST SCREENPLAY
Slumdog Millionaire - Simon Beaufoy

BEST FOREIGN PICTURE
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Wall-E

BEST SCORE
Slumdog Millionaire - A.R. Rahman

BEST BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST DEBUT AS DIRECTOR
Martin McDonagh - In Bruges

BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Milk

BEST PICTURES (alphabetical)
Che
A Christmas Tale
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Happy-Go-Lucky
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
The Wrestler

Women Film Critics Circle

BEST MOVIE ABOUT WOMEN
Changeling

BEST MOVIE BY A WOMAN
Frozen River

BEST STORYTELLER [Screenwriting Award]
Jennifer Lumet: Rachel Getting Married

BEST ACTRESS:
Melissa Leo: Frozen River

BEST ACTOR
Mickey Rourke: The Wrestler

BEST YOUNG ACTRESS:
Abigail Breslin: Kit Kittredge and Definitely Maybe

BEST COMEDIC ACTRESS: *TIE*
Sally Hawkins: Happy-Go-Lucky
Meryl Streep: Mamma Mia!

BEST FOREIGN FILM
I've Loved You So Long

BEST FEMALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE:
The Secret Life Of Bees

BEST UNRELEASED MOVIE:
How The Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer

BEST EQUALITY OF THE SEXES:
Nothing But The Truth

BEST MUSIC:
Cadillac Records

BEST ANIMATED FEMALE:
Eve: WALL-E

BEST FAMILY FILM
WALL-E

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
Meryl Streep

ACTING AND ACTIVISM:
Natalie Portman

ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD: For a film that most passionately opposes violence against women:
Changeling

JOSEPHINE BAKER AWARD: For best expressing the woman of color experience in America:
Ballast

KAREN MORLEY AWARD: For best exemplifying a woman’s place in history or society, and a courageous search for identity:
Battle In Seattle

COURAGE IN ACTING:
Deidra Edwards in DisFigured: For redefining conventional standards of female physical beauty and pride on screen, and promoting positive images of big bodied women.

BEST DOCUMENTARIES:

GROUNDBREAKER:
A Walk To Beautiful

ABOVE AND BEYOND:
Wings Of Defeat

COURAGE IN FILMMAKING:
Traces Of The Trade

MOST OFFENSIVE MALE CHARACTERS
Aaron Eckhart: Towelhead
Sam Rockwell: Choke,
Larry Bishop: Hell Ride
Paul Rudd, Sean William Scott: Role Models
Jason Mewes: Zack And Miri Make a Porno

TOP TEN HALL OF SHAME
Roman Polanski: Wanted And Desired
House Of The Sleeping Beauties
The Women
The Life Before Her Eyes
The Hottie and the Nottie
Savage Grace
Made Of Honor
The Family That Preys
Hounddog
Zack And Miri Make A Porno

The "Most Offensive Male Character" award makes me lose any respect I might have otherwise had for the Women Film Critics Circle.

[b]Women Film Critics Circle[/b] wrote: TOP TEN HALL OF SHAME
Roman Polanski: Wanted And Desired

Does this mean that Marina Zenovich loses her woman card for dare making a film that sympathizes with the plight of a defendant who, for whatever his moral failings, and in spite of his influence and wealth, was badly mistreated by the criminal justice system?

BEST ANIMATED FEMALE:
Eve: WALL-E

Were there any runner-ups in this category?

BTW, do you have to have seen Mamma Mia! in order to talk shit about it? Normally I would never do so, but this one just seems exceptionally ridicule-worthy. When my wife informed me "Don't worry; I have no desire to see this" during a preview I fell in love with her all over again.

I can't believe the Bitches Film Circle dissed on Made of Honor. And how lame to be Zack haters. Did they go expecting a Nora Ephron touchy feely chickflick?

The problem is that in a year when Sex And The City: The Movie was released, Mamma Mia! looks much less toxic than it normally would! (It definitely doesn't seem aimed at my demographic, and I say this as someone who has the complete works of ABBA on CD and vinyl and loves Muriel's Wedding!)

Boston Film Critics

Best Picture
Wall-E and Slumdog Millionaire (tie)

Best Actor
Sean Penn for Milk and Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler (tie)

Best Actress
Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Director
Gus Van Sant for Milk and Paranoid Park

Best Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black for Milk

Best Cinematography
Christopher Doyle and Rain Kathy Li for Paranoid Park

Best Documentary
Man on Wire

Best Foreign-Language Film
Let the Right One In

Best Animated Film
Wall-E

Best Film Editing
Chris Dickens for Slumdog Millionaire

Best New Filmmaker
Martin McDonagh for In Bruges

Best Ensemble Cast
Tropic Thunder

So Van Sant wins for directing two movies? Also I think TT should get the editing awards just for the pain in the ass that must have been. Finding continuity in all the improve mumbo gubo must have taken a large effort.

Chicago Film Critics Noms (Winners announced Thursday)

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL*E

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle–Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher–The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan–The Dark Knight
Andrew Stanton–WALL*E
Gus Van Sant–Milk

BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood–Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins–The Visitor
Frank Langella–Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn–Milk
Mickey Rourke–The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway–Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins–Happy-Go-Lucky
Angelina Jolie–Changeling
Melissa Leo–Frozen River
Meryl Streep–Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey Jr.–Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman–Doubt
Bill Irwin–Rachel Getting Married
Heath Ledger–The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon–Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams–Doubt
Penelope Cruz–Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis–Doubt
Rosemarie Dewitt–Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet–The Reader

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
In Bruges–Martin McDonagh
Milk–Dustin Lance Black
Rachel Getting Married–Jenny Lumet
Synecdoche, N.Y. –Charlie Kaufman
WALL*E–Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button–Eric Roth
The Dark Knight–Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan
Doubt–John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon–Peter Morgan
Slumdog Millionaire–Simon Beaufoy

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The Band’s Visit
Che
A Christmas Tale
I’ve Loved You For So Long
Let the Right One In

BEST DOCUMENTARY
American Teen
Dear Zachary
IOUSA
Man On Wire
Standard Operating Procedure

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung-Fu Panda
Tale of Desperaux
WALL*E
Waltz with Bashir

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Australia–Mandy Walker
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button–Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight–Wally Pfister
The Fall–Colin Watkinson
Slumdog Millionaire–Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button–Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight–Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
Milk–Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire–A.R. Rahman
WALL*E–Thomas Newman

MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Russell Brand–Forgetting Sarah Marshall
David Kross–The Reader
Lina Leandersson–Let the Right One In
Dev Patel–Slumdog Millionaire
Brandon Walters–Australia

MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Tomas Alfredson–Let the Right One In
Lance Hammer–Ballast
Courtney Hunt–Frozen River
Martin McDonagh–In Bruges
Steve McQueen–Hunger

St. Louis Film Critics

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

BEST ACTOR
Sean Penn (Milk)

BEST ACTRESS
Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Viola Davis (Doubt)

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Slumdog Millionaire - U.K./U.S.A/India

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man On Wire

BEST COMEDY
Burn After Reading

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Wall-E

MOST ORIGINAL, INNOVATIVE OR CREATIVE FILM
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mandy Walker (Australia)

BEST SCREENPLAY (ORIGINAL OR ADAPTED)
Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon)

BEST MUSIC (SOUNDTRACK OR SCORE, ORIGINAL OR ADAPTED)
The Visitor

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
The Dark Knight

Southeastern Film Critics

BEST PICTURE
1. Milk
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. WALL-E
4. The Dark Knight
5. The Wrestler
6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7. The Reader
8. The Visitor
9. Frost/Nixon
10. Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTOR
Sean Penn - Milk
* Runner-up: Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
* Runner-up: Kate Winslet, The Reader

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
* Runner-up: Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
* Runner-up: Viola Davis - Doubt

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
* Runner-up: Gus Van Sant - Milk

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
* Runner-up: Robert D. Siegel - The Wrestler

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
* Runner-up: Eric Roth and Robin Swicord - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Let the Right One In (Sweden)
* Runner-up: I've Loved You So Long (France)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire
* Runner-up: Young@Heart

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
WALL-E
* Runner-up: Kung Fu Panda

WYATT AWARD
Shotgun Stories
* Runner-up: The Order of Myths

San Francisco Critics

Best Picture: Milk
Best Foreign Language Film: Let the Right One In
Best Documentary: My Winnipeg
Best Director: Gus Van Sant, Milk
Best Actor (tie): Sean Penn, Milk, and Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Best Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Best Cinematography: Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight
Marlon Riggs Award "for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community": Rob Nilsson, filmmaker, in recognition of his 9@NIGHT series of films

The Tracey Fragments should be taking any and all editing awards hands down.

So pretty much Heath is the front runner far and away this year...