The Online Film Critics Society is the latest group to chime in with their nominations for the best of 2011. They'll announce the winners on January 2nd but because they're a big group we deigned to feature their nominees this year. As in most years there are a couple of eyebrow raising choices (I really can't handle Editing and Screenplay nominations for We Need To Talk About Kevin! Shoot me now... with bow and arrow if you must.) but their Best Cinematography list is just... well, we should only pray we get an Oscar field that beautiful, that acclaimed, that challenging, that perfect, that War Horse evading.
The Tree of Life led their field of contenders with seven nominations including two for acting (Brad Pitt was honored there, not for Moneyball) with Drive in hot pursuit with six. And for what seems like the first time in ages, Martha Marcy May Marlene was not left out in the cold, picking up three nominations including Original Screenplay for Sean Durkin (recently interviewed).
Full list of nominations with a few thoughts after the jump.
BEST PICTURE
- The Artist
- The Descendants
- Drive
- Hugo
- The Tree of Life
The three Oscar leaders and two hipper critical darlings (Drive & ToL)... which sounds about right for how the OFCS usually plays it.
BEST DIRECTOR
- Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
- Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
- Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
- Martin Scorsese, Hugo
- Lars von Trier, Melancholia
Von Trier is no longer "persona non grata" now that the Cannes hubbub has faded and the only thing left is that rather jaw dropping doomsday film.
BEST ACTRESS
- Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia
- Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
- Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
- Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
- Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
The OFCS generally skews a bit younger / hipper than Oscar but that's good news for Kirsten Dunst who finally picks up a non European based honor.
BEST ACTOR
- George Clooney, The Descendants
- Jean Dujardin, The Artist
- Michael Fassbender, Shame
- Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
- Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
The Oldman mention doesn't surprise me at all given the critical hoopla... though the critical hoopla itself does surprise since Oldman has practically the least screen time of any male lead this year. But it's sad that it comes at the expense of Brad Pitt in Moneyball (one assumes) who does so much to elevate his movie.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life
- Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
- Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
- Carey Mulligan, Shame
- Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
I wonder when the McTeer doubters will come around? I still think she's getting the Oscar nomination in a very very tight year for this category.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Albert Brooks, Drive
- John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene
- Nick Nolte, Warrior
- Brad Pitt, The Tree of Life
- Christopher Plummer, Beginners
It's nice to see Brad Pitt honored for his other great performance this year. Though obviously Brooks will be winning this particular contest given the makeup of the voting body and their general Drive enthusiasm.
ANIMATED FILM
- The Adventures of Tintin
- Arthur Christmas
- Kung Fu Panda 2
- Rango
- Winnie the Pooh
I tried to watch Winnie the Pooh the other day. I'm a Pooh fan but I just couldn't get into it. Why were people so enamored?
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
- Martha Marcy May Marlene
- Midnight in Paris
- A Separation
- The Tree of Life
- Win Win
It's crazy to me that A Separation won enough votes to be included in this category but couldn't break into Best Picture where it belongs. It's interesting how well Win Win has been doing with precursors... at least in terms of nominations, yes?
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
- The Descendants
- Drive
- Moneyball
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
- We Need To Talk About Kevin
EDITING
- Drive
- Martha Marcy May Marlene
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
- The Tree of Life
- We Need To Talk About Kevin
They did not let the Best Picture field control this field. Yay. Often the OFCS is as guilty as Oscar of just voting for the same movies for every category.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
- The Artist
- Drive
- Hugo
- Melancholia
- The Tree of Life
If the Oscar list is this good for Cinematography, I'm going to cry tears of joy. But it won't be.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
- 13 Assassins
- Certified Copy
- A Separation
- The Skin I Live In
- Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
DOCUMENTARY
- Cave of Forgotten Dreams
- The Interrupters
- Into the Abyss
- Project Nim
- Tabloid
SPECIAL AWARDS
- They're also honoring Jessica Chastain as "breakout performer of the year" and Martin Scorsese for "his work and dedication to the pursuit of film preservation" which we wholeheartedly concur is admirable... though isn't that why people are already honoring him for Hugo?