Tuesday Short Take #2: The Movie Award Season Begins

Speaking of "Midnight in Paris",  I was excited to see Corey Stoll, playing an uber-masculine and sensitive Ernest Hemingway, nominated for an Independent Spirit Supporting Actor award!  He is worth the attention.

The Independent Spirit nominees for 2011 feature many of my favorite films and performances of the year, including "Paris", "Beginners", "Take Shelter", "50/50", "The Descendants",  and "Martha Marcy May Marlene".

Here's a complete list of Independent Spirit Nominees for 2011.

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It's ironic (and fun!), in a year that saw the preponderance of movie technology, special effects, CGI, 3-D, (and my laments about the empty bombast of it all), that the possible major-award-winner in 2011 might just be a black-and-white silent film, made in the same manner as the films of the 1920's!

"The Artist", the French valentine to movies and actors, has captured my imagination like no other film since "Tree of Life".

The New York Film Critics caused an artificial ruckus by being the earliest critic's group to reveal their awards for the year. The ruckus intensified when the group decided to delay the voting one day, to include a screening of "Girl With A Dragon Tattoo" (which, by the way, came away empty-handed), but not delayed enough to screen the not-yet-ready "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close". 

I am so pleased that there are a lot of films this year that are worthy of attention.  Sure, there will be some good films that will be crowded out by those with a higher profile or bigger promotional budget.

 But the New York Film Critics Circle, I think, did themselves proud with this year's announcement of winners;  "The Artist" for film and Director; Brad Pitt awarded for "Moneyball" AND "Tree of Life"; Meryl Streep for "Iron Lady", "Moneyball" for Screenplay, "Tree of Life" for Cinematography; and Jessica Chastain ("The Help", Take Shelter", "Tree of Life") and Albert Brooks ("Drive") in Supporting Acting Categories.  (Click this Link for the full list of winners)

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And in the biggest surprise at all, the relatively new Gotham Independent Film Group last night awarded a tie for Best Picture to: the small, quirky, intimate "Beginners", and the ethereal, timeless, ambitious "Tree of Life". 

(Click Here to read about the winners)

This could be an interesting Awards season!