Thursday, March 28, 2024

Kooky “Melancholia” Gets Nod from National Film Critics

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This has NOTHING to do with the Oscars or reality, but the National Society of Film Critics picked their winners for 2011 today. The two films they liked best were the weirdest and most frustrating of the year– Lars von Trier‘s “Melancholia” and Terrence Malick‘s “The Tree of Life.” It’s a kooky list that includes the hilarious not always remembered Jeannie Berlin, actress daughter of Elaine May and one time star of my favorite films, “The Heartbreak Kid” (1972), a runner up as Best Supporting Actress in Ken Lonergan’s unwieldy, five years-on-the-shelf “Margaret.” http://www.imdb.com/video/demo_reel/vi50699801/

Was the punch spiked, were the brownies remixed, or just the air very thin? Who knows? But everyone gets something this year. It’s all good! And unlike with “Melancholia,” it’s not the end of the world. Think of this as the anti-National Board of Review.

BEST PICTURE

*1. Melancholia  – 29 (Lars von Trier)

2. The Tree of Life – 28 (Terrence Malick)

3.  A Separation  – 20 (Asghar Farhadi)

BEST ACTOR

*1. Brad Pitt – 35  (Moneyball, The Tree of Life)

2. Gary Oldman – 22 (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)

3. Jean Dujardin – 19 (The Artist)

BEST ACTRESS

*1. Kirsten Dunst – 39 (Melancholia)

2. Yun Jung-hee – 25 (Poetry)

3. Meryl Streep – 20 (The Iron Lady)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

*1.  Albert Brooks – 38 (Drive)

2. Christopher Plummer – 24 (Beginners)

3. Patton Oswalt – 19 (Young Adult)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

*1. Jessica Chastain – 30 (The Tree of Life, Take Shelter, The Help)

2. Jeannie Berlin – 19 (Margaret)

3. Shailene Woodley – 17 (The Descendants)

BEST DIRECTOR

*1. Terrence Malick – 31 (The Tree of Life)

2. Martin Scorsese – 29 (Hugo)

3. Lars von Trier – 23 (Melancholia)

BEST NONFICTION

*1. Cave of Forgotten Dreams – 35 (Werner Herzog)

2. The Interrupters – 26 (Steve James)

3. Into the Abyss – 18 (Werner Herzog)

BEST SCREENPLAY

*1. A Separation – 39  (Asghar Farhadi)

2. Moneyball – 22 (Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin)

3. Midnight in Paris – 16 (Woody Allen)

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM

*1. A Separation – 67 (Asghar Farhadi)

2. Mysteries of Lisbon – 28 (Raoul Ruiz)

3. Le Havre – 22 (Aki Kaurismäki)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

*1. The Tree of Life – 76 (Emmanuel Lubezki)

2. Melancholia – 41 (Manuel Alberto Claro)

3.  Hugo – 33 (Robert Richardson)

EXPERIMENTAL
Ken Jacobs, for “Seeking the Monkey King.”

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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