RCL: London Film Critics Circle
Friday, February 11, 2011 at 12:01PM I know you. I know what you woke up thinking. "Yeah, yeah, The Social Network won another Best Picture prize at the latest awards ceremony but WHAT WAS RUTH SHEEN WEARING?!?" As the resident eccentric (crazy cat lady?) of awards blogs, we shall provide the answer.
We will also talk about the winners, but first the Actresses . (Photos repurposed from Zimbio for our Red Carpet Lineup pleasure.)
Thomas, Williams, Pike, Manville, Sheen
Kristin Scott Thomas wore what looks like leopard print and she does get a little animalistic in her sex scenes (have any of you seen Leaving?). Despite her primal force and sexiness onscreen in her 50s, this dress is a smidge dowdy (looks better with the jacket off). In brighter news, they claim her career tribute acceptance speech was quite amusing.
Olivia Williams and Rosamund Pike wore form fitting black and white respectively. Onscreen Olivia always seems dangerous and Pike like a heavenly angel (Made in Dagenham) even when she's a devilishly decadent (An Education) so it seems right.
Another Year's Lesley Manville and Ruth Sheen also showed in black gowns (I love Sheen's shimmery wrap). I have a bone to pick with Sony Pictures Classics. I don't understand what they did with Another Year at all. It's like they weren't even trying and sometimes they try very hard with worthy adult-friendly movies. But barely releasing it and waiting until everyone was all obsessed with noisy Christmas blockbusters? Bizarre non-strategy if they were hoping to get people interested. Wouldn't September have been a nice spot for a melancholy four seasons Mike Leigh film?
Oh the winners?
Yes yes...
Film The Social Network
British Film The King's Speech
Foreign Film Of Gods and Men
Director David Fincher, The Social Network
British Director Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
Breakthrough British Filmmaker Gareth Edwards, Monsters
Screenplay Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Actress Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
British Actress Lesley Manville, Another Year
Actor Colin Firth, The King's Speech
British Actor Christian Bale, The Fighter (
British Supporting Actor Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
British Supporting Actress Olivia Williams, The Ghost Writer
Young British Performer Conor McCarron, NEDs
Excellence in Film KRISTIN SCOTT-THOMAS
Wouldn't it be HILARIOUS if American film prizes started divvying up their prizes like "Best American Film" and "Best Picture" wouldn't the nominees all be the same since America loves itself so much?
About the winners: The only title/person I'm unfamiliar with is NEDs. Any British readers want to let us know if McCarron was worthy of the honor? Annette Bening wasn't present. Busy season. You can't be everywhere. Aaron Sorkin picked up all four of The Social Network's trophies. Was Andrew Garfield too busy web-swinging or something?
BAFTAs are Sunday. They are broadcast tape-delayed here in America. 8 PM EST on BBC America so by the time they air, we'll already know the winners. But I so prefer to find out while watching! I haven't yet decided how to cover it due to this time lapse. Any suggestions?
Reader Comments (11)
How can Colin Firth win Actor but not win British Actor? That doesn't make sense...
September/October would've been perfect for Another Year.
So Colin Firth wins best actor as a British character in a British film, but Christian Bale wins best British actor for an American character in an American film... I'm dizzy with the nonsensicality.
I haven't seen NEDs yet, but its showing down the street and I really like Peter Mullan, who directed it...
Plus, awards for Williams and Scott-Thomas - helps to alleviate the dependably batshit BAFTAs heading our way.
As a KST fanatic, I definitely saw Leaving. Funny how they give her the Excellence in Film award, while they didn't bother to nominate this performance. KST is simply enchanting with everything she does and shines even when she's not in the greatest films. I have a bone to pick with Leaving and other films like it, but I need to sit on it for a bit.
Nathaniel,
you totally need a Guy Lodge to take over during European rush hours :D
damn, I need to see Another Year!
I thought the BAFTA's were airing on Sunday. Has this changed?
I saw Leaving, and while the script was a bit hard to believe at times, Scott Thomas did great work and elevated the material, its one of the best performances I saw last year
Britain is weird. Why do they focus so much time awarding other countries' work? Best British Actress, really? As far as I remember César Awards only nominate French cinema and the Genies - Canadian cinema. Why do the British feel like they need to include so much of the USA in their categories? In my opinion the BAFTAs should only nominate British work. Am I only one who sees something funky here? Okay, the Oscars do sometimes include the odd foreign nomination, but it's RARE.
WES -- i'm sorry. when i was typing i was thinking it was Saturday today ;)
Just saw "Another Year" and I thought it was absolutely GREAT!
Leslie Manville should be named BEST ACTRESS in any country the film is shown.
That was what acting is all about ... her face throughout made her the character... the words themselves just crossed the t' and dotted the i's.
The Oscar group really failed on this one!!!
Pike is absolutely stunning. Williams and Thomas still looking great as well. As for the awards, eh, I'm over it.