I can't help but look back at 2008 with some disappointment and negativity. It was not an easy year but that isn't why we're here today. We are here today to celebrate and to honour. Many a beautiful film came from the year that just closed and what better way to recognize and show my appreciation than with a nomination for a Mouton d'Or award. I had a particularly difficult time narrowing down the contenders to bring you this year's Mouton d'Or nominations. Still, here they are and to look at them shows me that the films I liked, I loved. Leading the pack with 10 nominations each are RACHEL GETTING MARRIED and MILK. Each film is nomiated for Best Picture and is joined in that category by the three other lead contenders - THE DARK KNIGHT (8 nods), WALL•E (7 nods) and THE WRESTLER (6 nods). Other multiple nominees, each with three nods a piece, include FROST/NIXON, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, THE VISITOR, THE DUCHESS and DOUBT.
One might expect THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON to have scored a number of other nominations given the kudos it has received nearly across the board this awards season. Ultimately though, I found the film to be technically perfect but lacking in sentiment. Hence David Fincher's nomination for direction and no nomination in the Best Picture category. The most notable absence would be Danny Boyle's SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. While this film is certainly a lock for the Best Picture Oscar nomination, I was not roped in by all the pretty colours and gimmicky game show familiarity. I loved the love story but not the film. Still, the film does earn Mouton d'Or nods for editing and cinematography.
There were films I enjoyed that just did not make the cut and so I am sorry KUNG FU PANDA, Leonardo DiCarpio in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, Keira Knightly in THE DUCHESS and Andrew Stanton, director of WALL•E; this is not your year. That said, Stanton does earn a writing nod for WALL•E, which he shares with Jim Reardon and DiCaprio's co-star in a REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, Kate Winslet, gets the nod for her role in that film. Winslet will also have the chance to repeat her Golden Globe wins with a nod here in the Supporting Actress category for THE READER. Other films I wish could have seen more love this year include VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA, ENTRE LES MURS (THE CLASS) and the little seen CHE.
Gus Van Sant should be happy to see MILK pulling in 10 Mouton d'Or nominations, including nods for three of the cast, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and James Franco, who was also excellent in PINEAPPLE EXPRESS. The director earned a nomination for himself in the direction category but there is a stain on this impressive showing (including nods for writing, editing, cinematography and music). Van Sant's "love it or leave it" feature from the beginning of the year, PARANOID PARK, finds itself up for The Worst Movie I saw All Year. That category, to reiterate as I do each year, is based on what I've seen. There are probably far worse films than the five listed below that I was fortunate enough to avoid.
It gives me great pleasure to recognize Jonathan Demme's masterpiece, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, with 10 nominations. It saddens me greatly that this film has received little recognition for anything other than Anne Hathaway's performance. The cast is altogether excellent, as is the direction, writing, editing, music and cinematography - all of which have been recognized here. As for THE WRESTLER, it has been faring much better during awards season. It doesn't stand much chance of a Best Picture Oscar nomination but Aronofsky's subtle and starkly real work is certainly worthy and I am happy to highlight the beautiful performances of both Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei. Both films find themselves in the Best Little Film category. Films nominated in this category are considered independently financed and are therefore eligible to qualify in this category.
Hollywood did good this year. The nominees for Best Big Movie (formerly known as Best Popcorn Flick), include two films that are also competing for Best Picture (WALL•E and THE DARK KNIGHT). The films listed in this category are all there because I had an awesome time sitting in the theatre watching them. Special effects driven films don't have to be bad!
The only new category this year is the Black Sheep Reader's Choice Award. The six films nominated in this category are there because you told me you loved them in the recently closed Best of 2008 contest. The most mentioned films earned nominations and it is now your job to vote for the best of those six by participating in the poll near the top of the sidebar. Vote as many times as you like but be sure to vote!
Now, without any further delay caused by my constant need to ramble - shoot, I'm still doing it - here are the 2009 Mouton d'Or nominees ...
BEST BIG MOVIE
BURN AFTER READING
THE DARK KNIGHT
IRON MAN
WALL•E
WANTED
BEST LITTLE MOVIE
THE DUCHESS
MAN ON WIRE
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
THE VISITOR
THE WRESTLER
THE WORST MOVIE I SAW ALL YEAR
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL
FILTH AND WISDOM
FUNNY GAMES
HAROLD & KUMAR EXCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY
PARANOID PARK
BLACK SHEEP READER'S CHOICE
(Vote in the poll near the top of the side menu)
THE DARK KNIGHT
IRON MAN
MILK
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
WALL•E
THE TREVOR ADAMS ANIMATED FEATURE AWARD
BOLT
DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO!
WALL•E
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Claudio Miranda, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Wally Pfister, THE DARK KNIGHT
Harris Savides, MILK
Anthony Dod Mantle, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Declan Quinn, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
BEST EDITING
Lee Smith, THE DARK KNIGHT
Dan Hanely & Mike Hill, FROST/NIXON
Elliot Graham, MILK
Tim Squyers, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Chris Dickens, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Stephen Schaffer, WALL•E
BEST MUSIC
James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer, THE DARK KNIGHT
Danny Elfman, MILK
Donald Harrison Jr. & Zafer Tawil, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Thomas Newman, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
Thomas Newman, WALL•E
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, MILK
Ralph Fiennes, THE DUCHESS
James Franco, MILK
Philip Seymour Hoffman, DOUBT
Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Rosemarie DeWitt, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Taraji P. Henson, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Marisa Tomei, THE WRESTLER
Kate Winslet, THE READER
BEST ACTOR
Benicio del Toro, CHE
Richard Jenkins, THE VISITOR
Frank Langella, FROST/NIXON
Sean Penn, MILK
Mickey Rourke, THE WRESTLER
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Angelina Jolie, CHANGELING
Meryl Streep, DOUBT
Michelle Williams, WENDY AND LUCY
Kate Winslet, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black, MILK
Jenny Lumet, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Thomas McCarthy, THE VISITOR
Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, WALL•E
Robert D. Siegel, THE WRESTLER
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
John Patrick Shanley, DOUBT
Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen and Saul Dibb, THE DUCHESS
Francois Begaudeau, ENTRE LES MURS (THE CLASS)
Peter Morgan, FROST/NIXON
David Hare, THE READER
BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky, THE WRESTLER
Jonathan Demme, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
David Fincher, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Christopher Nolan, THE DARK KNIGHT
Gus Van Sant, MILK
BEST PICTURE
THE DARK KNIGHT
MILK
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
WALL•E
THE WRESTLER
The 2009 Mouton d'Or Award winners will be announced the weekend of February 21.