First up, the two major coastal critics organizations, the Los Angeles and New York Film Critics. The Los Angeles Film Critics jumped out before New York this year, and announced their winners on Saturday. The L.A. Critics selected the Jack Nicholson drama/comedy, About Schmidt as the year's best film, and gave Jack Nicholson a Best Actor award, as he ties with Daniel Day-Lewis for his comeback performance in Gangs of New York.
The L.A. film critics also list runners-up, and Far From Heaven was the runner-up in the Best Picture race. Best Director went to Pedro Almodovar for Talk To Her, his first directorial honor for that widely praised film. Julianne Moore continues as the surest thing we have for a frontrunner as she won additional Best Actress honors from the L.A. critics with a nod for both The Hours and Far From Heaven. Chris Cooper won Best Supporting Actor for Adaptation, and Edie Falco won Supporting Actress for the little-seen Sunshine State. Christopher Walken (Catch Me If You Can) and Kathy Bates (About Schmidt) were runners-up in those categories.
Best Screenplay went to About Schmidt, Best Cinematography went to Far From Heaven, and Best Production Design went to Gangs of New York.
Some other choices by the Los Angeles critics ... BEST FOREIGN FILM, Y Tu Mama Tambien; BEST ANIMATED FILM, Spirited Away; BEST MUSICAL SCORE, Elmer Bernstein for Far From Heaven; and BEST DOCUMENTARY, The Cockettes. Arthur Penn was awarded a Career Achievement Award and Lynne Ramsay was voted the New Generation Award.
So this clearly helps elevate About Schmidt, and continues a run for Far From Heaven. I think it's safe to bet the house that Nicholson is on track to tie Katharine Hepburn and Meryl Streep for acting nominations by getting his 12th Oscar nod this year, and that Julianne Moore will be the frontrunner for Best Actress. Daniel Day-Lewis is also doing well, and I think his return to acting after many years away could bring him another nomination. Still no Director prizes for Martin Scorsese, although the film is getting noticed.
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