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Saturday
03Jan2009

National Society of Film Critics Honor 'Bashir,' 'Happy-Go-Lucky'

DateSaturday, January 3, 2009 at 11:20PM
The last major group of film critics has awarded its 2008 honors, with the National Society of Film Critics going heavily against the grain, picking Waltz with Bashir the year's best picture, and giving the most trophies to Mike Leigh's character comedy, Happy-Go-Lucky.

The Society is comprised of major newspaper critics in Boston, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, as well as critics from Time, Newsweek, and Salon.com. Several key Oscar contenders were shut out completely, with Gran Torino, Benjamin Button, The Wrestler, Doubt, and Frost/Nixon going home emptyhanded.

Does that bode well for Waltz with Bashir or Happy-Go-Lucky? Perhaps, but because with very, very few exceptions, journalists are not members of AMPAS, it's a different group of voters for the Oscars. What these wins can do is focus a little more attention on the triumphant films, which could put them on the radar of Oscar voters. Whether or not they're swayed by the awards given out by any critics' group - or whether the voters will even bother watching them - is the big question mark.

Here are all the winners:

Best Picture:
Waltz with Bashir

Best Director:
Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Actor:
Sean Penn - Milk

Best Actress:
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Supporting Actor:
Eddie Marsan - Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Supporting Actress:
Hanna Schygulla - The Edge of Heaven

Best Screenplay:
Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Cinematogprahy:
Anthony Dod Mantle - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Documentary:
Man On Wire Best Experimental Film:
Razzle Dazzle

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AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | CommentPost a Comment |

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