The first film awards show of the season, the Critics Choice Awards, honored Ang Lee and his film Brokeback Mountain with the two biggest awards of the night-- Best Director and Best Picture, beating out an impressive list of nominees including George Clooney, Stephen Spielberg, Ron Howard, and Paul Haggis.
Lee’s film, Brokeback Mountain is a story about two sheep-herders, played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal, who fall in love while herding sheep one winter in the back country of Montana.
At the beginning of the show, it seemed like Crash was going to take home everything, as it won the Best Ensemble Cast and Best Writer (Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco) awards in the first hour of the show. But it lost its momentum during the acting awards.
Not surprising was the win in the Best Family Film category– Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. The producer of the film, however, mentioned that he was surprised that they were categorized as a family film. He figured they had made a movie for all sorts of people who love the books.
Highlights of the evening were Dakota Fannings award for Best Young Actress, for her excellent performance in War of the Worlds; Julia Robert’s speech to award the Freedom Award to George Clooney; and George Clooney’s acceptance speech. All of these speeches were thoughtful; articulate; poignant; and showed very gracious winners. Finally, Paul Giamatti’s win for Best Supporting Actor (Cinderella Man) was likewise a treat.
(I highlight Dakota Fanning because she seemed to receive some of the loudest cheers up to this point in the show, most likely because she’s worked with everyone in the room. She’s one of our most busy actors in show business, and I must admit, very believable in most everything she is in.)
Best Documentary was awarded to the fabulous French film March of the Penguins. In an acceptance speech, the representative for the film makers said "This award proves that France and America can get along." He also thanked Morgan Freeman and his voice, stating that it helps your film when you "[have] the voice of God."
Freddie Highmore of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory won Best Young Actor.
Best Supporting Actress was a tie, going to Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain) and Amy Adams (Junebug).
Best Actor was awarded to Phillip Seymour Hoffman, for his role as the effeminate journalist Truman Capote in Capote. And Best Actress was given to Reese Witherspoon, for Walk the Line.
In other awards, Kung Fu Hustle (China) won Best Foreign Language Film; Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the WereRabbit won for Best Animated Feature; and The 40-Year-Old Virgin won for Best Comedy, the first time the critics choice awards honored this genre.
Freedom Award was awarded to George Clooney. Speech delivered by Julia Roberts. Clooney’s speech was exceptional. He spoke of his dad. He was a newsman. Said that his job was to tell the truth.
The Critics Choice Awards also featured highlights of the films they nominated as their top ten movies of last year. It was from this list that they voted an overall Best Picture:
Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Cinderella Man
The Constant Gardener
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck
King Kong
Memoirs of a Geisha
Munich
Walk the Line
The Golden Globe Awards are this coming Monday evening. I said that this year seemed to be George Clooney's year. But right now, luck is riding with Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain and Crash.
11:14:15 PM  | |
|
