Sunday, February 10, 2013

BAFTA Picks

I love the BAFTA awards.  As someone who is primarily of English and Irish ancestry, I do my best to put aside the imperialist history for a moment and recognize the pomp, dry wit and refined taste that is in my English genetics.  I think about my short time staying in the East End, Dancing in the West End and consuming scotch in every crowded pub along the way.

So as the curtain opens at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, I will be just as riveted as the British and European film lovers.  However, this is the one awards show where I will claim no special knowledge of the will of BAFTA voters apart from this... they recently have tended to predict the Oscars in major film categories.  The awards show will appear on BBC America several hours after the awards finish in England so if you love the spontaneous "winners" go media free until you tune in.

That being said, there was some controversy with regard to the film "Argo" this year.  Some felt it implied in a very short part of the film that the British were unsympathetic to the plight of the escaped American Embassy employees who escaped and were seeking safety inside an embassy.  Based on the quote it seemed that only the Canadians were willing to take them .  It was later shown that this was not historically accurate.  However, the film did not go into detail but mainly stated where the Americans had been before the Canadian Embassy.  However, it remains to be seen whether the "slight" will make a difference to BAFTA voters or not.  At least it adds a bit of intrigue!

Here are my picks (not predictions but my favorites (or favourites as the case may be;)


Best film


"Les Misérables" - Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh

"Life of Pi" - Gil Netter, Ang Lee, David Womark

"Lincoln" - Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy
"Zero Dark Thirty" - Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, Megan Ellison



My Pick: Argo

British film
"Anna Karenina" - Joe Wright, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster, Tom Stoppard

"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" - John Madden, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Ol Parker

"Les Misérables" - Tom Hooper, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh, William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer

"Seven Psychopaths" - Martin Mcdonagh, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin

"Skyfall" - Sam Mendes, Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan



This category is a tough one.  I adored 3 (Anna Karenina, Les Miserables and Seven Psychopaths) and liked the other two... but each for completely different reasons.  I am going with the most mesmerizing art direction I have seen all year.

My pick: Anna Karenina

Film Not In The English Language 


"Amour" - Michael Haneke, Margaret Ménégoz
"Headhunters" - Morten Tyldum, Marianne Gray, Asle Vatn

"The Hunt" - Thomas Vinterberg, Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Morten Kaufmann

"Rust and Bone" - Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux

'Untouchable" - Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache, Nicolas Duval Adassovsky, Yann Zenou, Laurent Zeitoun



Amour is likely to get the nod here, but I preferred "Rust and Bone" and "Untouchable".  
My Pick:  "Rust and Bone" 

Documentary


"The Imposter" - Bart Layton, Dimitri Doganis
"Marley" - Kevin Macdonald, Steve Bing, Charles Steel

"McCullin" - David Morris, Jacqui Morris

"Searching For Sugar Man" - Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn
"West of Memphis" - Amy Berg



I loved "Searching for Sugarman" although "West of Memphis" is a weightier subject.
My Pick: Searching for Sugarman

Animated film


"Brave" - Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

"Paranorman" - Sam Fell, Chris Butler



My favorite will be 3rd in this race behind "Brave" and "Frankenweenie".

My Pick:  Paranorman

Director


"Amour" - Michael Haneke

"Argo" - Ben Affleck

"Life of Pi" - Ang Lee

"Zero Dark Thirty" - Kathryn Bigelow

I am going to predict BAFTA may shake this category up a bit from the previous awards shows and take Ang Lee or Hanaeke.  My pick remains the same however.
My Pick:  Argo - Ben Affleck

Original screenplay


"Amour" - Michael Haneke

"Django Unchained" - Quentin Tarantino

"Moonrise Kingdom" - Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola

"Zero Dark Thirty" -` Mark Boal



No clue where the Brits will go with this one.
My Pick: Django Unchained

Adapted screenplay


"Argo" - Chris Terrio 

"Beasts of the Southern Wild" - Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin

"Life of Pi" - David Magee

"Lincoln" - Tony Kushner

My Pick: Lincoln - Tony Kushner

Leading Actor


Ben Affleck - "Argo"

Bradley Cooper - "Silver Linings Playbook"

Daniel Day-Lewis - "Lincoln"

Hugh Jackman - "Les Misérables"

Joaquin Phoenix - "The Master"



He has a head of steam and no one can stop him now.
My Pick:  Daniel Day-lewis

Leading Actress


Emmanuelle Riva - "Amour"

Jennifer Lawrence - "Silver Linings Playbook"

Jessica Chastain - "Zero Dark Thirty"

Marion Cotillard - "Rust and Bone"



There may be some excitement as Marion Cotillard is adored, Emmanuelle Riva will get more serious consideration in Europe and then the favorites Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain are still there.
My Pick: Jennifer Lawrence

Supporting Actor


Alan Arkin - "Argo"

Christoph Waltz - "Django Unchained"

Javier Bardem - "Skyfall"

Philip Seymour Hoffman - "The Master"

Tommy Lee Jones - "Lincoln"



Tommy Lee Jones or Alan Arkin may be the favorites here, but I preferred The bearded dentist turned bounty hunter.
My Pick: Cristoph Waltz for Django Unchained.

Supporting Actress


Amy Adams - "The Master"

Anne Hathaway - "Les Misérables"

Judi Dench - "Skyfall"

Sally Field - "Lincoln"
 


My Pick: (Everyone's Pick) Anne Hathaway

Original Music


"Anna Karenina" - Dario Marianelli

"Argo" - Alexandre Desplat

"Life of Pi" - Mychael Danna

"Lincoln" - John Williams

"Skyfall" - Thomas Newman



Again no clue so I am going with my favorite.
My Pick: Anna Karenina

Cinematography


"Anna Karenina" - Seamus Mcgarvey

"Les Misérables" - Danny Cohen

"Life of Pi" - Claudio Miranda

"Lincoln" - Janusz Kaminski
"Skyfall" - Roger Deakins



This should be a no brainer.
My Pick - "Life of Pi"

Editing 


"Argo" - William Goldenberg

"Django Unchained" - Fred Raskin

"Life of Pi" - Tim Squyres
"Skyfall" - Stuart Baird
"Zero Dark Thirty" - Dylan Tichenor, William Goldenberg



Zero Dark Thirty may win a consolation prize here but it was an hour and a half too long. 
My Pick:  Argo

Production Design


"Anna Karenina" - Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer

"Les Misérables" - Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson
"Life of Pi" - David Gropman, Anna Pinnock

"Lincoln" - Rick Carter, Jim Erickson

"Skyfall" - Dennis Gassner, Anna Pinnock

All of these were brilliant in the production design area.  Probably a "Les Mis" category for the BAFTAs.
My Pick - "Anna Karenina"

Costume Design


"Anna Karenina" - Jacqueline Durran

"Great Expectations" - Beatrix Aruna Pasztor

"Les Misérables" - Paco Delgado

"Lincoln" - Joanna Johnston

"Snow White and the Huntsman" - Colleen Atwood



Again, should be a no brainer.
My Pick:  Anna Karenina

Make Up & Hair


"Anna Karenina" - Ivana Primorac

"Hitchcock" - Julie Hewett, Martin Samuel, Howard Berger

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" - Peter Swords King, Richard Taylor, Rick Findlater

"Les Misérables" - Lisa Westcott

"Lincoln" - Lois Burwell, Kay Georgiou



My pick is based on the abundance of prosthetics, yet Hitchcock could pull an Iron Lady here.
My Pick:  The Hobbit

Sound


"Django Unchained" - Mark Ulano, Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti, Wylie Stateman

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" - Tony Johnson, Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick, Brent Burge, Chris Ward

"Les Misérables" - Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Jonathan Allen, Lee Walpole, John Warhurst

"Life of Pi" - Drew Kunin, Eugene Gearty, Philip Stockton, Ron Bartlett, D. M. Hemphill

"Skyfall" - Stuart Wilson, Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell, Per Hallberg, Karen Baker Landers



Crapshoot
My Pick:  Skyfall

Special Visual Effects


"The Dark Knight Rises" - Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Peter Bebb, Andrew Lockley

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" - Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White

"Life of Pi" - Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer

"Marvel Avengers Assemble" - Nominees TBC

"Prometheus" - Richard Stammers, Charley Henley, Trevor Wood, Paul Butterworth



I think this one comes down to the comic books.
My Pick:  The Dark Knight Rises

The Ee Rising Star Award (Voted For By The Public) 


Elizabeth Olsen

Suraj Sharma

Alicia Vikander

They are brilliant, but only one is so exquisite I can not wait to see her do a modern film.
My Pick:  Alicia Vikander

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