LA Film Critics Association Awards

BEST PICTURE, Winner:The Descendants,Runner-Up:The Tree Of Life

BEST DIRECTOR-Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life,.Runner-Up:Martin Scorsesse
-wow.. Congratulations

BEST ACTOR, Winner: Michael Fassbender for A Dangerous Method,Jane Eyre,Shame,X-Men: First Class. Runner-Up: Michael Shannon for Take Shelter.
-Michael won!!His bold performance definitely deserves recognition.

BEST ACTRESS, Winner: Yun Jung-hee for Poetry. Runner-Up: Kirsten Dunst for Melancholia.
-haven't watch The Poetry but Kirsten Dunst  was amazing Melancholia.I just hope she steer away from romantic comedies and move to serious roles.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, Winner: Jessica Chastain for Coriolanus,The Debt,The Help,Take
Shelter,Texas Killing Fields,Tree of Life, Runner-Up: Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs.
-again  well deserving for the breakout star of 2011.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, Winner: Christopher Plummer for Beginners.Runner-Up: Patton Oswalt, Young Adult.
- first award for Young Adult!

BEST SCREENPLAY, Winner: Asghar Farhadi for A Separation.

BEST MUSIC/SCORE:  Winner: The Chemical Brothers for Hanna.Runner-Up: Cliff Martinez for Drive.
-cheers for Hanna,I loved the film!

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Winner: Dante Ferretti for Hugo.  Runner-Up: Maria Djurkovic for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Winner: Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of Life.
- not a surprise...Emmanuel is winning almost all the awards for this category!

BEST DOCUMENTARY/NONFICTION:Winner: Cave of Forgotten Dreams.

New York Critics Awards

BEST PICTURE: THE ARTIST
-The Artist is giving a tough competition for War Horse and Hugo.

BEST DIRECTOR – MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS for The Artist
-well deserving

BEST ACTOR- MICHAEL SHANNON for Take Shelter,(runner-up:Michael Fassbender and Gary Oldman)
-Michael Shannon was superb in Take Shelter and Fassbender to the Oscars!

BEST ACTRESS-MERYL STREEP for The Iron Lady(runner-up:Viola Davis)
-Meryl Streep!!!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – ALBERT BROOKS for Drive
-its gonna be  a tight race between Albert Brooks and Christopher Plummers for the Oscars

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: MELISSA MCCARTHY – Bridesmaids
-I don't see her winning the Oscars but  a Golden Globe,maybe.Anyways congratulations.

BEST ENSEMBLE: BRIDESMAID
-everyone in Bridesmaids were good and funny but I felt The Help or Margin Call should have win.just my opinion

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – EMMANUEL LUBEZKI for The Tree of Life
-Emmanuel ,better get your  Oscar speech ready!

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER: JESSICA CHASTAIN – The Tree of Life, The Help, The Debt, Take Shelter, Texas Killing Fields, Coriolanus
-2011 is Jessica's year packed with strong performances.Congratulations!

BEST SCREENPLAY – ALEXANDER PAYNE, NAT FAXON, JIM RASH for The Descendants. (runner-Up: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, “The Descendants.”)
-not a surprise,Payne had  won before for his screenplay.

BEST USE OF MUSIC – LUDOVIC BOURCE for The Artist
-again well deserving

BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR – JOE CORNISH for Attack the Block

BEST FOREIGN FILM- A SEPARATION

BEST DOCUMENTARY:CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE:THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

Boston Film Critics Association Awards

Best Picture: The Artist,runner-up:Hugo and Margaret
-for bringing alive the silent film era...bravo!

Best Director: Martin Scorcese for Hugo,runner-up:Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
-well deserving.

Best Actor: Brad Pitt for Moneyball,runner-up: Michael Fassbender for Shame and George Clooney for  The Descendants
-congratulations to the winners especially Michael Fassbender.I just hope this time would not be like Sandra Bullock for The Blindside.She was really good but not great.I'm supporting for Fassbender and Dujardin for the Oscars.

Best Actress:Michelle Williams for My Week With Marilyn,runner-up:Meryl Streep for Iron Lady
-could this be the year Michelle winning?She should if you ask me.

Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks for Drive
-well deserving!!

Best Supporting Actress:Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids,runner-up:Jeannie Berlin for Margaret
-an odd choice but Melissa was funny in the bridesmaids and Margaret seems to be a good movie.

Best Screenplay: Moneyball,runner-up:Margaret
-Margaret again!Congratulations to Moneyball

Best Esemble: Carnage,runner-up:Margaret

Best Use of Music: Drive and The Artist(tie),runner-up:The Descendants
-the music score was the major plus of the film Drive to make the actions scene realistic as possible whereas the music is the backbone for the film the artist.

Best Editing: The Clock,runner-up:Hugo

Best Cinematography:The Tree Of Life,runner-up:Hugo
-no surprise,no one can deny  the cinematography of  the four time Oscar nominee Emmanuel Lubenzki  is mind blowing and it is almost official that he is gonna win his first Oscar next year
.
Best New Filmaker: Sean Durkin for Martha Marcy May Marlene,runner-up: J.C. Chandor for Margin Call
-finally someone decides to reward Sean Durkin for his amazing work in his first feature film.

Best Documentary: Project Nim

Best Foreign Film: Incendies,runner-up:A Separation

             

84th Academy Awards-Best Actress(predictions)

1.Meryl Streep(winner)

My predicted winner is Meryl Streep as the first female British prime minister,Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.I haven't see the film yet but based on the trailer,Meryl Streep was superb.I loved her accent and she looked confident portraying the character .Since it's Meryl Streep ,who is the best actress of our time and with the AMPAS loving her,I feel its gonna be her third win.Meryl Streep had been nominated for 16 times and won twice for Kramer vs Kramer and Sophie Choice.

2.Michelle Williams

For capturing the soft,vulnerable and painful side of the sex symbol Marilyn Monroe in the film My Week With Marilyn.Externally Michelle Williams does not resemble Monroe but she manages to bring the icon alive on screen by the way she moves ,winks or smile.Michelle Williams had been nominated for the Oscars(Best Supporting Actress in Brokeback Mountain,Best Actress  for Blue Valentine) and could be winning her first gold statue this year if campaigned well.Besides My Week With Marilyn,Michelle Williams performance in this year Meek's Ccutoff and Take This Waltz also received critical acclaimed.

3.Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton for the portrayal of the mother who cant stand her child and later a struggling mother who is tormented by the nature of her son.She was brilliant playing both stages of mother in the film and which makes you feel both sympathetic and angry with her.Tilda  won her Best Supporting Actress statue for Michael Clayton and I need to mention her Oscar snub performances in Julia,I Am Love and The Deep End.

4.Viola Davis

Viola Davis for the heartwarming portrayal of Abileen,the maid with the big heart in the film The Help.Viola Davis who is well known for her very small role in Doubt for which she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress shows she can carry a film by herself.Her emotional performance of her maid who had just lost her child but still could give love to a child of a family that would never appreciate her  received critical acclaim.Viola Davis has a brighter chance of winning if campaigned as supporting actress.

5.Kirsten Dunst

For brilliantly  portraying a bride who falls  in depression on the first half of the film and a calm recovering women during the stressful apocalypse in the film Melancholia.Her role is almost a non-speaking role as she doesn't talk much at all but she delivers a superb performance in every scene.She's gonna face tough competition from the newbies Elizabeth Olsen,Felicity Jones and Rooney Mara but being a  very well known actress and in her first serious role,I feel Kirsten could beat them.

84th Academy Awards -Best Actor(predictions)

1.Jean Dujardin(predicted winner) 

For bringing alive the character George Valentin,a fading silent film star, a man who is wants love,who has lots of pride in him in the film The Artist.Jean Dujardin manages to showcase in his acting chops in both the sad scenes and the happy scenes with nothing but his facial expression and body language.Many praised Dujardin and said  his acting resembles both Gene Kelly and Charlie Chaplin.His is quite unknown outside France but he could be the next Marion Cotillard!

2.George Clooney

George Clooney for playing a husband who finds out his dying wife had an affair before the accident and a father who tries to reconnect with his daughters who are emotionally distant from  him.George is a favourite of the AMPAS and the critical acclaim he recieved definitely guarantees a nod.George  is a five time nominee(Best Actor for Up In The Air and Michael Clayton,Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Good Night,and Good Luck) and winning for Best Supporting Actor for Syriana in 2005 and could be winning his first Best Actor.

3.Michael Fassbender

For portraying the sex addict Brandon beautifully and conveying the his pain and torment just by  the stares.One of the breakout star of 2011,Michael Fassbender for sure here to stay.If nominated,this would be his first nomination but I can surely guarantee that there will more nominations and winnings in his in the future for the modern Daniel Day Lewis.His other notable films with  super performances were Hunger(another Oscar nod snub),Jane Eyre,Fish Tank and A Dangerous Method.

4.Brad Pitt

For the realistic portayal of Billy Beane the general manager of a baseball team in the film Moneyball.His subtle performance in the film recieved favourable responses and many appreciated the humor in Pitt's performance.The chemistry between Pitt and Jonah Hill was convincing and most of the scenes with his daughter was applauded.Being a well known star,Brad Pitt could easily slid in to the nomination list.Brad Pitt is definitely getting better in the choices of films he makes as he gets older and his preformance too gets better in every film.He was nominated twice for the Oscars(Best Supporting Actor for 12 Monkeys and Best Actor in the Curious Case Of Benjamin Button).

5.Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio for capturing both sides of Hoover brilliantly in the biopic film J.Edgar.his speech and body language conveys confidence and authority when he is at work or in front of his colleagues but very vulnerable,seeking for acceptance to those who are close to him.Leonardo is nothing but amazing in this film.he was nominated for the Oscars for three times (The Aviator,What's Eating Gilbert Grape,Blood Diamond) and of course I need to mention   the  Best Actor snub for The Departed.He was equally good in the big studio films like Inception and Shutter's Island

So what do you think of the list?Who are you rooting for?Leave some feedback on both who you feel deserved to get nominated and those you want to get nominated.

Friday's Best Actor

Michelle Williams

In the  film adaptation of the novel Shutter's Island by Dennis Lehane,the character Dolores Canal played by Michelle Williams appears in a visions , flashback and in a almost ghostly character.Although appearing  for a small time onscreen ,Michelle Williams does manage to leave impact playing the melancholic victim and make us wonder what really happened to her,and the scene where it was revealed that even though she's a victim,she herself  murdered her two child by drowning them was one of the  scene that gives goosebumps  in the movie.I also loved  the scene when Michelle Williams after murdering her children,almost having no regret and kissing her husband(Leonardo DiCaprio)

Pure Talent-Armie Hammer

Armie Hammer

Last week ,after watching J.Edgar ,I have decided to dedicate this post for Armie hammer(26 years old) who is well known for portraying the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network and Clyde Tolson in the Clint Eastwood's J.Edgar.

 After appearing in a series of TV series ,Armie was casted  in his breakout role as the Winkleloss twin in the Oscar nominated film The Social Network.He received rave reviews playing the twins who files  for a lawsuits against Mark Zuckerberg the founder Facebook that he stole their idea of forming the social network.Armie definitely shine playing both the twins  and showed variation playing the twins, the calm twin and the outspoken one(though a body double was used as for the body language ).

Then in  J.Edgar,Armie played Clyde Tolson,Hoover's alleged lover.Armie performance was one of the major plus in the film.His chemistry with Leonardo DiCaprio was so convincing  and he gave his best in every scenes.Almost all my favourite moments in the film involves him,whether him conveying his love to Hoover or him getting jealous when Hoover mentions his lady friends,Armie was nothing but great.Armie definitely deserves an Oscar nod for his work for J.Edgar,and I hope he gets the recognition he deserves.

He is set to appear in the Tarsem Singh Mirror Mirror playing the Prince Albert Alcott ,a different take from the traditional Prince Charming and opposite Johnny Depp in The Lone Ranger remake .
Memonisma would like to wish him good luck on his future projects as well hopefully an Oscar nod for his amazing work in J.Edgar.