New York Film Critics Announce Their Choices!
Well, what do you know? This week, America's long election battle for the White House concluded, and unfortunately, we have another George Bush in the White House. Worse, we have complete Republican control of the executive, the House, and the Senate for the first time since Eisenhower, and it's time for the Democrats to mobilize, as I predict we will balance things in 2002 by taking over Congress, and depending on what happens these next four years, we may very well make Bush a one-term President just like Daddy. But I digress ... at least now it will be easier to concentrate on other things without daily news developments in the election, and it is good to finally have a resolution. America certainly did show how strong we are to survive what at times was an ugly fight, and in the end, Al Gore delivered one of the best political speeches I think we've ever heard. He deserves an Oscar for not only his concession speech, but for his hard fought fight, in which he sought to only make sure that all votes were counted in such a close election, and did what was legally possible to try to make sure the votes were counted. His lifelong dream was to serve as President, and maybe one day, he still may attain that dream.
Anyway, onto to the film news this week, since that's what we're here to do every week, now that our full concentration can be on the precursor awards and the upcoming Oscar season. Well, one of the biggest precursors announced their award choices for 2000 this Wednesday ... the New York Film Critics Circle. Their choices for the best in film for 2000 ...
Picture: Traffic
Actor: Tom Hanks - Cast Away
Actress: Laura Linney - You Can Count on Me
Supp. Actor: Benicio Del Toro - Traffic
Supp. Actress: Marcia Gay Harden - Pollock
Director: Steven Soderbergh - Erin Brockovich, Traffic
Cinematographer: Peter Pau - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Foreign Film: Yi Yi (A One and a Two)
Screenplay: Ken Lonergan - You Can Count on Me
First Film: George Washington
Animated Film: Chicken Run
Non-Fiction Film: The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
Special Award: Jules Dassin, director of Rififi, and to Rialto Pictures for Re-Releasing the Film
Special Award: THE SHOOTING GALLERY, (NY Production Company), For Their Ingenious Distribution Pattern as well as their choice of films.
Looks like I've totally underestimated Steven Soderbergh's chances for an Oscar nod for director. Only two major precursor awards have come out thus far, and Soderbergh is 2 for 2 , winning Best Director honors from both the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics. The NY Critics also picked his film Traffic for best film of the year, but New York often picks more edgier fare than the Academy usually honors, so I still don't know if this is the best bellwether for the Best Picture Academy Award. And Tom Hanks wins his first Best Actor prize in the precursors, and I think this solidifies another Best Actor Oscar nod for Mr. Tom Hanks. His film Castaway, one of this holiday season's most anticipated films, opens wide next weekend. Laura Linney is looking stronger for an Oscar nod with this honor from the NY critics. Surprisingly, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon did not claim NY's foreign film honor, but did win for its astounding cinematography. Some solid choices overall. If the L.A. critics do not pick many different choices this weekend, I think Almost Famous may amazingly be falling off the radar for Oscar consideration, but we'll see.
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