Stroger Makes Hollywood Play
Put Down Your Nanowrimo And Leave The House
Sox Shuffle Continues
Jay-Z Announces 2010 Tour Dates. Chicago Not On List.
The Chicago Film Critics Association announced its awards for best films and performances of the year with The Departed picking up three awards for best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay. You can view the full slate of winners here.
While we enjoyed The Departed, it felt too much like a mix tape of Scorcsese’s previous films with the themes of corruption and redemption set against urban grit with yet another use of “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones. While one could also quibble with the best foreign language film (Letters from Iwo Jima) coming from an American director, we see it as an encouraging sign of the expansion of the American film palette. Plus, the CFCA gave a nod in the cinematography category to the underrated Children of Men and recognized the brilliance of Rian Johnson’s Brick.
So far, The Departed and United 93 are leading critics’ best-of lists, with Scorcese hailed by many as best director. The Tribune’s Mark Caro points out that Whittaker and Mirren are already the lead dogs in the Best Actor and Actress categories while the jury’s still out on supporting categories. Last week, Chicagoist posted its thoughts on the best films we did and did not see this year.
A commenter on Caro’s awards wrap-up post notes that although 60+ critics make up the CFCA, neither the Tribune’s Michael Phillips, the Reader’s Jonathan Rosenbaum or Ray Pride, editor of Movie City Indie are in the group. We can only speculate as to why, but Caro himself notes he quit the group when he was a movie reviewer over a conflict with the group’s mission. So it may be a reflection of that old Groucho Marx quote, or a desire to remain a true outsider and limit the many subjective forces already at work in the world of art criticism.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
They are going to end up given Martin the Oscar and an "I'm Sorry" for 30 years of no recognition. Denzel in Training Day anyone?
He should have gotten it for Raging Bull. Too little...
Mark my words: As long as Clint Eastwood keeps making better films than Scorcsese, Scorcsese will remain without an Oscar.
Might also help if I spelled Scorsese's name correctly, huh?
You probably will never hear of Arunas Matelis or his film, Before Flying Back to Earth, but they are in the Oscar race for Best Foreign Film of the year! Unfortunately, the chances are slim that it will win, or even get one of the final nominations, for this film has no resources to promote it. I am writing you personally to urge you to give it any support that you can for it is a worthy film deserving of your attention.
Before Flying Back to Earth chronicles the hopes and resilience of children with leukemia in Lithuania. It is based on the observations of its Director, Arunas Matelis’ five year-old daughter who has leukemia. Her struggles with leukemia, which is a cancer of the blood, and afflicts thousands of children per year, in fact, parallels his to gain recognition for this film, and win an Oscar against undeniably improbable odds!
I provide charity services in the same children’s hospital in Lithuania where it was filmed. This film’s nomination would do much to spotlight cancer, which is the 2nd most common cause of death in young children.
Arunas Matelis, the director, is just happy that his film is even being considered for such an honor as an Academy Award. To win a nomination for for him would be a miracle, but for Arunas much less important than having his young actors recover from their illnesses!
I thank you for your consideration for this film! Dr. Ed Domanskis
Arunas Matelis is a Lithuanian Director who has won numerous awards for his Film, Before Flying Back to Earth, and can be contacted through the film’s website, BeforeFlyingBacktoEarth.com or directly at forest@nominum.lt. He is available for interviews and will be presenting his film at the upcoming Palm Springs Film Festival January 6th and 8th and in Los Angeles January 14. He will be at the Marquis Suites from January 4 until the 9th.
Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
1441 Avocado Avenue, Suite 307
Newport Beach, California 92660
949.640-6324/1.888.234-5080
FAX- 949.640-7347
Website: http://www.surgery-plastic.com
Assistant Clinical Professor of SurgeryWOS-Plastic,University of California(Irvine)
Orange County’s Physician of Excellence/America’s Top Physicians/Top Doctors
Plastic Surgery- 2005/2006/2007