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Best of BAFTA
For your amusement, I present my reactions to the BAFTA Awards 2013. The show itself was very well done – Stephen Fry is an engaging and very amusing host, and many of the presenters were great. But what about the awards?
Best Film
WINNER
Other Nominees:
There are reasons for Argo standing above the other nominees. I have seen all but one of these, and the one I am yet to see, Lincoln, has been described by some as dull. While it is clearly about a weighty subject, making it an “important” film and therefore worthy of attention, perhaps the BAFTA members felt it was insufficiently dynamic or cinematic. Or maybe they thought Spielberg has done it all, and this is nothing new. Les Misérables has problems with pacing and direction – Tom Hooper has rightly been left out of many directorial awards because the film is not that well directed. Multiple narrative and thematic strands in a story like Les Misérables need to be tied together and, when they were, it was through the music rather than cinematic style. Great musical, not great cinema. Zero Dark Thirty has likely been hurt by the controversy, and while this has not harmed its box office, it seems awards are not forthcoming for the film by “torture’s handmaiden”. Life of Pi is visually stunning and an intriguing investigation into storytelling, but perhaps like previous 3D extravaganzas Avatar and Hugo, it is deemed not sufficiently serious. But Argo is an intensely cinematic thriller, a true story (always worth honouring) about triumph and the US actually doing something good internationally, and strikes a remarkable balance between drama and comedy. While there may be problems with Argo (I don’t personally know of any), none are as significant as those of the other films. This makes the film’s continued success understandable, and there is little reason not to expect this success to continue.
Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the Year
WINNER
Other Nominees:
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
This award pleased me immensely, as I fully expected the adaptation of the classic musical of the classic novel to be honoured almost by rote, but instead my top film of 2012 gets the recognition it has otherwise been denied. Bravo to all involved!
Best Actor
WINNER
Other Nominees:
Ben Affleck for Argo
Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman for Les Misérables
Joaquin Phoenix for The Master
I assume the other nominees just turned up for the show (and they were all there), because no one has a chance this year against Daniel Day-Lewis. If Lincoln were made in another year, then I would have predicted Hugh Jackman to pick up the award. But nothing stops the Lincoln express.
Best Actress
WINNER
Emmanuelle Riva for Amour
Other Nominees:
Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard for Rust and Bone
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
This was a tough one to predict, as both Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence had picked up Golden Globes, Marion Cotillard as well as Emmanuelle Riva wowed the art house crowd, and Helen Mirren is a national treasure. I predicted Chastain but have no problem with Riva – having not seen Amour I’ll trust the assessments of those more informed than me.
Best Supporting Actor
WINNER
Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained
Other Nominees:
Alan Arkin for Argo
Javier Bardem for Skyfall
Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master
This one has been a two-horse race, what with Christoph Waltz winning the Golden Globe but Tommy Lee Jones getting the SAG award. With the BAFTA to his credit, Waltz is clearly the Supporting Actor of the moment, thanks to Quentin Tarantino. Funny, we were here three years ago as well. Django Unchained has its problems, but Waltz is not among them.
Best Supporting Actress
WINNER
Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables
Other Nominees:
Amy Adams for The Master
Judi Dench for Skyfall
Sally Field for Lincoln
Anne Hathaway needs a bigger mantelpiece, with all these awards. It is nice to see Sally Field back in the limelight, not least because it gave Stephen Fry a chance for some extra fawning. Poor Amy Adams though – she’s always nominated in this category against really strong competition. Hang in there, Ames.
David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction
WINNER
Ben Affleck for Argo
Other Nominees:
Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty
Michael Haneke for Amour
Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained
In his acceptance speech, Ben Affleck described his current position as the second act. I’m not certain where the divisions are, but perhaps the first act ended with the nadir of his career that was Gigli and the implosion of “Bennifer”. Since then, Affleck re-invented himself with his turn in Hollywoodland and, more importantly, as a director. Gone Baby Gone was great, The Town was better, and with Argo he has earned a Golden Globe, a DGA award and now a BAFTA. There may not be an Oscar this year, but keep at it, Ben, and the third act may be even better.
Best Screenplay (Original)
WINNER
Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino
Other Nominees:
The Master: Paul Thomas Anderson
Moonrise Kingdom: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
It seems that, along with Best Supporting Actor, Tarantino films can’t stop receiving Screenplay awards. While Django Unchained has its problems, they are more down to QT the director rather than QT the writer. His scripts are ornate, elaborate, and eloquent, so it is small wonder that actors love working with him and often turn in career best performances.
Best Screenplay (Adapted)
WINNER
Silver Linings Playbook: David O. Russell
Other Nominees:
Beasts of the Southern Wild: Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin
I thought Argo would pick this up, but it seems that out of the multitude of awards Silver Linings Playbook is up for, this is the one it can actually get. David O’Russell is a bit of an awards darling, and this might be the start of more accolades for him. And the script for Silver Linings Playbook is warm and witty without shying away from the suffering of its characters.
Best Cinematography
WINNER
Other Nominees:
Anna Karenina: Seamus McGarvey
Roger Deakins deserves an award big time, but never picks one up. Clearly the way to do so is to work on a 3D film. Like Avatar and Hugo before it, Life of Pi’s 3D cinematography is clearly worthy of adulation. Even though I saw it in 2D, I could still appreciate the different planes of action and the extra depth that 3D would have applied. Skyfall was still more beautiful though.
Best Editing
WINNER
Other Nominees:
Zero Dark Thirty: Dylan Tichenor, Billy Goldenberg
Much of Argo’s tension and humour comes from its editing, cutting between different locations at an ever-increasing rate. While it misses out on writing and acting awards, editing is carrying this beauty to greater glory.
Best Production Design
WINNER
Les Misérables: Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson
Other Nominees:
Anna Karenina: Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
Life of Pi: David Gropman, Anna Pinnock
Lincoln: Rick Carter, Jim Erickson
Skyfall: Dennis Gassner, Anna Pinnock
The set design for Les Misérables combined the theatrical and the cinematic, working both aesthetically and narratively. Well deserved, I think.
Best Costume Design
WINNER
Anna Karenina: Jacqueline Durran
Other Nominees:
Great Expectations: Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
Snow White and the Huntsman: Colleen Atwood
What a shocker, all these nominees had period settings! I’m calling the swords and sorcery setting of Snow White and the Huntsman period, just accept it. No surprise that Anna Karenina picked that up.
Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
WINNER
Other Nominees:
Anna Karenina: Dario Marianelli
Skyfall is a film that warrants major attention, but aside from special awards, music seems to be its outstanding feature. I have no problem with it receiving this honour. Pity Adele didn’t sing though.
Best Make Up/Hair
WINNER
Other Nominees:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables pulled off the remarkable feat of making the impossibly gorgeous Anne Hathaway look ugly, so bravo. Nice that the ears, feet, beards etc of all those weird-looking people got some notification, as well as the efforts displayed in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Best Sound
WINNER
Other Nominees:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
I saw all of these, but must confess I did not really notice the sound that much. However, to capture and then combine the multitude of singing voices, captured live during filming of Les Misérables, is a remarkable technical achievement, so it is an honour richly deserved. Now if only something had been done with Russell Crowe’s singing…
Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects
WINNER
Other Nominees:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
All of these I have seen, and indeed all were in my top twelve of 2012, which perhaps says something about my kind of films, except that these are a varied bunch. The four that did not win are blockbusters, with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey coming from good pedigree when it comes to winning awards. But Life of Pi is a special effects extravaganza that has also attracted “major” as well as “technical” nominations, so like The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, as well as Avatar, visual effects is another bone thrown its way.
Best Film not in the English Language
WINNER
Other Nominees:
Not seen any of these, but after all the attention lavished on Amour, this win was hardly surprising.
Best Animated Feature Film
WINNER
Other Nominees:
Brave is the only one I have seen of these three, and while it is less outstanding than other Pixar efforts such as Wall-E, Up and all three Toy Story films, it is a fine adventure and great fun.
Best Documentary
WINNER
Other Nominees:
Documentaries often highlight individuals or events that are otherwise overlooked. Searching for Sugar Man clearly did this, and while I have not seen any of these, I applaud all of them for their efforts and accomplishments.
EE Rising Star Award
WINNER
Other Nominees:
I predicted Suraj Sharma, on the basis of him having made an extraordinary debut in Life of Pi. However, everyone else has a more established body of work, and Juno Temple made quite an impression in Killer Joe as well as cropping up in The Dark Knight Rises. I look forward to great things from all of these performers.
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
WINNER
The Imposter: Bart Layton, Dimitri Doganis
Other Nominees:
McCullin: David Manos Morris, Jacqui Morris
Wild Bill: Dexter Fletcher, Danny King
Although I have only seen The Muppets out of this group, I would have been surprised at James Bobin picking up the award as there were a lot of other talents that made The Muppets work. Everything about The Imposter sounds remarkable, so hats off to Layton and Doganis.
Best Short Animation
WINNER
The Making of Longbird: Will Anderson, Ainslie Henderson
Other Nominees:
Here to Fall: Kris Kelly, Evelyn McGrath
I’m Fine Thanks: Eamonn O’Neill
Best Short Film
WINNER
Swimmer: Lynne Ramsay, Peter Carlton, Diarmid Scrimshaw
Other Nominees:
The Curse: Fyzal Boulifa, Gavin Humphries
Good Night: Muriel d’Ansembourg, Eva Sigurdardottir
Tumult: Johnny Barrington, Rhianna Andrews
The Voorman Problem: Mark Gill, Baldwin LI
I confess I have seen none of these so have no opinion.
Golden Globe Winners
It is said that in Hollywood, no one knows anything. As I am not in Hollywood, how much do I know, especially about what will win at the Golden Globes?
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
I said: Zero Dark Thirty. The Globes said: Argo. I have no problem with this as I loved Argo, and am yet to see Zero Dark Thirty. I also said that if Zero Dark Thirty did not win, the field would go wide open. It’s open.
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Misérables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook
My hunch was Les Misérables, and I was right! This barnstorming musical was the big winner at the Globes, and perhaps it will continue in this vein.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
Richard Gere for Arbitrage
John Hawkes for The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix for The Master
Denzel Washington for Flight
No surprise that Daniel Day-Lewis picked up this gong, but what is surprising is that no other awards came the way of Lincoln. Expect Mr Day-Lewis to continue his winning ways.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard for Rust and Bone
Helen Mirren for Hitchcock
Naomi Watts for The Impossible
Rachel Weisz for The Deep Blue Sea
I bet on Marion Cotillard, and lost (fortunately I did not bet money). Zero Dark Thirty may not be the film to beat, but Jessica Chastain could be the woman to watch, and I have no problem with that.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Jack Black for Bernie
Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman for Les Misérables
Ewan McGregor for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Bill Murray for Hyde Park on Hudson
My leanings were toward Hugh Jackman, and whose wouldn’t be? No surprise as he picked up this award. Enjoy it Hugh, you are unlikely to get another.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Emily Blunt for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Judi Dench for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith for Quartet
Meryl Streep for Hope Springs
I rated Jennifer Lawrence a strong contender and she walked away with globular gold. This makes her a prime contender for further awards, so keep your eye on this one (I also have no problem with this).
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Alan Arkin for Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio for Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master
Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln
Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained
I thought Philip Seymour Hoffman had a good chance here, but instead Christoph Waltz adds another award to his cabinet. Perhaps his fortune will continue.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams for The Master
Sally Field for Lincoln
Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables
Helen Hunt for The Sessions
Nicole Kidman for The Paperboy
I said overall awards for Les Miserables would be scant, but it was actually the biggest winner at the Globes, Supporting Actress bringing its tally to three. This spread of awards may be seen again at future ceremonies, with no one film sweeping the board.
Best Director – Motion Picture
Ben Affleck for Argo
Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained
I thought this would be either Lee VS Bigelow, but instead it went to Affleck. Interesting that the HFPA rewarded (probably) the most political film of the bunch here, but from a technical, directorial standard, Argo is masterful. It is interesting that Affleck has a few awards now, collecting both this and the Critics Choice Award. He could well get the DGA and the BAFTA as well, but is not up for the Oscar. Again, the field is pretty open.
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Argo: Chris Terrio
Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino
Lincoln: Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook: David O. Russell
Zero Dark Thirty: Mark Boal
I anticipated a sweep for Zero Dark Thirty and was so wrong, not expecting much for Django Unchained. But Tarantino pulls it off, and perhaps he will continue to do so.
Best Animated Film
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph
Having won this, Brave demonstrates the continued dominance of Pixar. I thought Frankenweenie had a shot, but this is less likely now.
Best Foreign Language Film
Amour
Untouchable
Kon-Tiki
A Royal Affair
Rust and Bone
Tentatively, I went with Love, and won with Amour. Considering the multiple awards Michael Haneke’s film is up for, this was not a surprise.
Overall, I got 6 correct predictions out of 12, which isn’t that good. The Golden Globes tend to be a good indicator for future awards, but when the nominations vary, as they certainly have in the Directing category, predictions become harder. But then, that makes things more interesting.
Awards Predictions Part Two: Oscar Predictions
Historically, the Golden Globes serve as a prediction for the Oscars. Based upon the Golden Globe nominations, I have particular predictions for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science’s nominees, especially in the category of Achievement in Directing. I predict that the AMPAS will nominate five out of the following for this particular honour.
Ben Affleck for Argo
Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty
Tom Hooper for Les Misérables
Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained
Tarantino and Hooper are the maybes, the remaining four I think are solid bets; I doubt anyone else will appear (except possibly Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master). I also anticipate that Daniel Day-Lewis and Hugh Jackman will be up for Best Actor, for Lincoln and Les Misérables respectively, and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix in The Master will juggle Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor between them at the BAFTAs and Oscars. The latter category will probably also feature Alan Arkin for Argo, Leonardo DiCaprio for Django Unchained and Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln. I expect Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone) will remain prominent among Best Actress nominees, as well as Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) and Naomi Watts (The Impossible), and is any Best Actress contenders list complete without Meryl Streep (Hope Springs)? Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables), Amy Adams (The Master) and Sally Field (Lincoln) will most likely be up for Best Supporting Actress.
I expect Brave and Frankenweenie to be up for Animated Feature, and perhaps the other three Golden Globe nominees (Hotel Transylvania, Rise of the Guardians, Wreck-It Ralph) but perhaps not, as Paranorman stands a chance as well. Amour and A Royal Affair, as well as Rust and Bone, are likely to be nominated for Foreign Language Film.
My personal favourite of 2012, Skyfall, is not likely to get much awards attention, but I can see Roger Deakins being nominated for Cinematography. Deakins did tremendous work with the digital photography of Skyfall, and I would very much like to see him nominated (for the 10th time). Similarly, I can also imagine Wally Pfister, who won Best Cinematography for Inception in 2010, being nominated for The Dark Knight Rises. As Pfister is now directing a film in his own right, Transcendence, this could be his last nomination in this category, and I can see it happening.
The Best Picture category is the most open of all, as the number of nominees can be anything between five and ten. I think it unlikely that the ten films nominated at the Golden Globes will be up for Best Picture at the Oscars, because the AMPAS does not have the separate categories and is notoriously sniffy about comedies. Moonrise Kingdom and Silver Linings Playbook have a chance of being nominated, as do The Master and Beasts of the Southern Wild, but the very strong contenders are Argo, Django Unchained, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty and Les Misérables. I anticipate these will all be up for Best Picture. Amour could well be in there as well, although I think an animated film among the Best Picture nominees is unlikely. As a (very) wildcard, the AFI did name The Dark Knight Rises as one of its films of the year…
Please check back once the Oscar nominees are announced on 10th January for consideration of likely winners!
Awards Predictions Part One
Awards season is upon us, and speculation is already running wild about what will pick up nods, nominations and naysaying. I believe there is little to be gained in stating what should win and how awful it is that X was nominated and Y was not – far more interesting is predicting what will be nominated, what will win and, crucially, why. Out of the plethora of films released in any year, some stand out and some are forgotten. While there are certain genres, subjects and people who seem to attract attention, films that feature these elements can easily be overlooked. It is useful, therefore, that critical organisations help us out in this respect.
The American Film Institute, the National Board of Review, the New York Film Critics Circle, the National Society of Film Critics, the Critics Choice Awards, and the Film Critics Associations and Societies of various cities, create a nice unofficial short list with the films that they honour. Already Zero Dark Thirty has received Best Film from the AFI, the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review, the New York Film Critics Circle and the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association. This is notable as Zero Dark Thirty is Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal’s first film since their award magnet The Hurt Locker in 2009, and the plaudits heaped upon their film about the decade-long hunt for Osama Bin Laden shows no sign of letting up.
Among these plaudits are the Golden Globes, as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has capitalised on the critics’ choices with their 2013 nominations. Already the following are up for awards and some likely winners are clear among them.
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
There is little reason at this stage to suspect that Zero Dark Thirty will not continue its winning ways. If it does not, the field for future winners goes wide open.
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Misérables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook
This comes down to between a musical and a comedy, as Silver Linings Playbook has been garnering a lot of love. But Les Misérables is the kind of earnest, heart-on-sleeve melodrama that award-givers lap up. Of the others, only Moonrise Kingdom looks to be a strong contender, and if the HFPA feel like honouring Wes Anderson for an impressive career (thus far), the film might pip the others to the post. On a hunch, I would pick Les Misérables.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
Richard Gere for Arbitrage
John Hawkes for The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix for The Master
Denzel Washington for Flight
All the buzz is about Day-Lewis and he fits the bill to win, playing a famous and much-respected historical figure who balances personal and social demands. It is interesting that Joaquin Phoenix, rather than Philip Seymour Hoffman, is up for Best Actor, but he is unlikely to pose a serious challenge to Day-Lewis, although I think Hoffman could have.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard for Rust and Bone
Helen Mirren for Hitchcock
Naomi Watts for The Impossible
Rachel Weisz for The Deep Blue Sea
Marion Cottillard has attracted a great deal of admiration for Rust and Bone, as has Naomi Watts for The Impossible. That said, slightly more obscure films often win in the Best Actress category, so Rachel Weisz is in with a chance. Helen Mirren is the oldest of the nominees and older performers often do well, but there seems to have been little attention paid to her, while Chastain seems a little young. At this stage, I would bet on Cotillard.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Jack Black for Bernie
Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman for Les Misérables
Ewan McGregor for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Bill Murray for Hyde Park on Hudson
This could be Hugh Jackman’s year. He has been a dependable, likeable leading man for over a decade, but this is his first film to have garnered awards attention. The same could be said of Ewan McGregor, but the film he is nominated for seems too lightweight to receive serious consideration (and is itself a surprising nomination when he also stars in The Impossible). Bill Murray may be due some attention for long service, but the nomination may serve as sufficient recognition. I lean towards Jackman.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Emily Blunt for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Judi Dench for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith for Quartet
Meryl Streep for Hope Springs
Normally I would expect the older nominee, but the rise of Jennifer Lawrence’s career is such that I think she could eclipse Dench, Smith and Streep. Furthermore, Silver Linings Playbook is the most awards friendly film of this bunch, as the others are all rather light. I know this is the category of Musical or Comedy, but Silver Linings Playbook is a comedic film with a serious subject, so I think Lawrence is a strong contender.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Alan Arkin for Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio for Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master
Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln
Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained
Fairly open. DiCaprio and Waltz may cancel each other out, being in the same film, and Jones and Arkin could be dark horses. I lean slightly towards Hoffman as reviews indicate that he and Joaquin Phoenix are equal stars in The Master, and as Joaquin Phoenix is unlikely to beat Day-Lewis in the Best Actor category, perhaps Philip Seymour Hoffman has a better chance here. I also wonder if the BAFTAs and the Oscars will nominate them the same way – a few years ago Kate Winslet won two Golden Globes: Best Actress in a Leading Role for Revolutionary Road and Best Supporting Actress for The Reader; then was nominated for the Best Actress BAFTA in a Leading Role for both Revolutionary Road and The Reader (she won for The Reader), and then won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for The Reader while Revolutionary Road was largely overlooked at the Oscars. The Master may follow a similar pattern, especially if Hoffman wins this award.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams for The Master
Sally Field for Lincoln
Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables
Helen Hunt for The Sessions
Nicole Kidman for The Paperboy
Anne Hathaway has an even better chance than Hugh Jackman of picking up an acting award for Les Misérables. I think actual awards for this film will be scant, but Hathaway is likely to walk away with a Golden Globe and possibly more.
Best Director – Motion Picture
Ben Affleck for Argo
Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained
I expect this to come down to Lee VS Bigelow. Thus far Zero Dark Thirty has done very well indeed, but if anything can unseat it I would anticipate Life of Pi. At this stage though, I expect Bigelow, and perhaps her success will continue.
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Argo: Chris Terrio
Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino
Lincoln: Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook: David O. Russell
Zero Dark Thirty: Mark Boal
Mark Boal is probably likely to continue the winning ways of Zero Dark Thirty, especially as it is a “true” story that tends to impress award-givers. Lincoln and Argo are also “true” stories, and the wit of Argo might serve it well, especially among journalists who write about Hollywood. Although Argo plenty of attention, I think it is unlikely to actually win. Screenplay might just be the category where it pulls an upset, but Zero Dark Thirty is a safer bet.
Best Animated Film
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph
If Brave wins, at this and subsequent events, it will demonstrate the continued dominance of Pixar. But Frankenweenie might be in with a shot as something of a lifetime achievement award for Tim Burton. Burton is unlikely to ever be nominated for a live action film (his best chance was Big Fish), and reviews have described Frankenweenie has been that it is his best film in years. It will be between Pixar and Burton in this category, and I might lean towards Frankenweenie.
Best Foreign Language Film
Love
Untouchable
Kon-Tiki
A Royal Affair
Rust and Bone
Tough call. Love (or Amour) was voted Best Film by the National Society of Film Critics, so it might well scoop up a further award here. A Royal Affair and Rust and Bone have also attracted a lot of attention, although the latter’s best chance for glory is Best Actress. Tentatively, I’ll go with Love.
The Golden Globes are announced on 13th January 2013, at which point we shall see how right I was (or wasn’t).
Vincent's Views 