More End of the Year Critics' Lists

Saturday

20Dec2008

Saturday, December 20, 2008 at 6:28AM

We presented our own Top Ten of 2008 yesterday, and it's a mammoth read, if you're interested. But as we have for the past couple of weeks, we will continue to share with you some interesting and noteworthy critics lists and group voting from across the country as we lead up to the Oscars.

Awards Daily has filed the lists from several well-known critics, and because there is some separation here from the groupthink, I thought they'd be valuable to the ongoing discussion:

Kenneth Turan, The Los Angeles Times:

Best Picture:
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor:
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon

Best Actress:
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actor:
Ralph Fiennes - The Duchess

Best Supporting Actress:
Viola Davis - Doubt

Best Director:
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire

David Ansen, Newsweek:

Best Picture:
Encounters at the End of the World

Best Actor:
Sean Penn - Milk

Best Actress:
Melissa Leo - Frozen River

Best Supporting Actor:
Ralph Fiennes - The Duchess

Best Supporting Actress:
Hannah Schygulla - The Edge of Heaven

Best Director:
Tomas Alfredson - Let the Right One In

Leonard Maltin:

Best Picture:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actor:
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon

Best Actress:
Melissa Leo - Frozen River

Best Supporting Actor:
Haaz Sleiman - The Visitor

Best Supporting Actress:
Viola Davis - Doubt

Best Director:
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire

I'm happy Ralph Fiennes is getting acknowledgment. We weigh leading roles so much, that we often forget about the guys who can go in, do a few scenes, and be absolutely electric. Fiennes had arguably the best overall year on screen, and he could've been nominated for any of three performances, The Duchess, in Bruges, and The Reader. If those films had a larger cumulative audience, I'm sure appreciation for his work would skyrocket.

And while I'm on the subject, how about the ease with which he can go from leading man to villain? He's Voldemort. He's Amon Geothe. And then watch him in Quiz Show and The Constant Gardener. For a guy who consistently delivers the goods, it's a shame we don't hear him mentioned in some of the bigger discussions. Would he be a great Batman villain or Shakespearean tragic hero? Oh, I think so.

Colin Boyd |

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Reader Comments (1)

So stoked about Slumdog Millionaire and Danny Boyle receiving numerous awards.
He didn't believe me when I told him that his fab film would receive tons of awards : ) I believe he didn't wanna jinx it.

Saturday, December 20, 2008 |

lara Petersen

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