2009 BAFTA Winners

This past Sunday the BAFTA Awards were handed out, with The Hurt Locker winning Best Film and Best Director awards (Kathryn Bigelow), plus Original Screenplay (Mark Boal), Cinematography (Barry Ackroyd), Editing (Bob Murawski, Chris Innis), and Sound (Ray Beckett, Paul N.J. Ottosson), whereas the monster hit Avatar grabbed awards for Production Design (Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair) and Special Visual Effects (Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R. Jones).

Of the British productions, Fish Tank won the Outstanding British Film Award, and Duncan Jones won the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for Moon.

The French film A Prophet won in the oddly titled Film Not in the English Language category, and Pixar’s Up (perhaps unsurprisingly) won the Animated Film and Music (Michael Giacchino) awards.

For the complete list of nominees and winners, as well as clips of the winners’ glee, click on the official BAFTA link.

The Hurt Locker’s wins may convince fence-sitters to check out the film on DVD, whereas those wanting Avatar I at home will have to wait until it debuts “flat” in non-3D DVD/BR versions April 22.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal last week, James Cameron alluded to a 3D home video release in November of 2010, but that may be wishful thinking for the time being, since Avatar may well go through the Multiple Version Syndrome, starting with a bare bones release, then a 3D version, then in a Super Happy Magic Deluxe Edition, and then maybe something else in 2011, requiring a new 3D TV, custom chair for long-term 3D exposure, non-dimensional paint for optimum DVD/BR display in a home environment, a special 3800 Volt converter for the new gear that should protect against non-failure of your street’s electrical needs, protective laminate for nearby aquariums to inhibit Spasmodic Fish Syndrome, monophonic ear plugs for cats and dogs sensitive to 48.5 channel Surround Sound reproduction (plugs for budgies are still in the works), and the new Eye-No-Pe Beer made from genetically enhanced hops which delay the need to micturate for 2.5 hours.

Next week may be the last chance for Torontonians to catch Avatar in IMAX 3D, so I have to set aside 2.5 hours of my life to catch the blue people re-enacting Cameron’s version of Dances with Wolves. Tied to that will be some film reviews of primordial 3D movies, including Bwana Devil, Hollywood’s first commercial 3D feature film, a sort-of technical ‘Avatar’ from 1952.

I specify ‘Hollywood,’ though, because in 1946 Aleksandr Andriyevsky directed Robinzon Kruzo, a Soviet production of Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe that was shot in colour and 3D. Instead of a flat screen with anaglyph spectacles, the film was reportedly projected onto a louvered screen called Stereokino.

I first read of the film in an ancient edition of the Penguin Film Guide, and the movie is available as a non-3D, Russian DVD, although the disc has no alternate audio tracks, nor subtitles. (It apparently has no distribution in English language markets, but some private venders on Amazon.com list them for sale).

- MRH

2009 BAFTA Award Nominations

Yes, I’m late on this tally, but it’s been a busy week. On January 21st, nominees for Britain’s equivalent of the Oscar Awards – the BAFTAs – were announced, and as per the custom, I’ve hyperlinked titles I’ve reviewed, as well as those available on DVD or soon to be available on DVD, including those in Region 2 land, where noted.

Soundtracks have also been linked to that invaluable resource for fans and the curious, Soundtrackcollector.com, as well as Amazon.com when necessary.

Among the nominated composers is Chaz Jankel, who had a seemingly fleeting career with film with Making Mr. Right, D.O.A. (with its exquisite death lament), and the North American release of K2 in 1991. (Hans Zimmer’s original score was retained for the European edit.) K2 was Jankel’s last credit, making Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll his first film score in 18 years. Welcome back!

The full list of nominees is also available at the BAFTA’s website, along with other multimedia materials. The awards ceremony at The Royal Opera House will be broadcast by the BBC on Sunday February 21st, 2010.

In case James Cameron wins an award and starts to blather in Avatarese, may I suggest the use of ripe tomatoes. I understand the pinched form of the Costoluto Genovese variety ensures both accuracy and a spectacular bounce when the curved edge bumps into a big egotistical head.

- MRH

2009 BAFTA AWARD NOMINATIONS

BEST FILM

AVATAR James Cameron, Jon Landau

AN EDUCATION Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

THE HURT LOCKER Nominees TBC

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness --- to be released on DVD March 9, 2010

UP IN THE AIR Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

AN EDUCATION Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Lone Scherfig, Nick Hornby --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

FISH TANK Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Andrea Arnold --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD January 25, 2010

IN THE LOOP Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy, Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche

MOON Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler, Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker

NOWHERE BOY Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Kevin Loader, Sam Taylor-Wood, Matt Greenhalgh

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

LUCY BAILEY, ANDREW THOMPSON, ELIZABETH MORGAN HEMLOCK, DAVID PEARSON Directors, Producers –

Mugabe and the White African

ERAN CREEVY Writer/Director – Shifty --- Region 2 release only

STUART HAZELDINE Writer/Director – Exam

DUNCAN JONES Director – Moon

SAM TAYLOR-WOOD Director – Nowhere Boy

DIRECTOR

AVATAR James Cameron

DISTRICT 9 Neill Blomkamp

AN EDUCATION Lone Scherfig --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

THE HURT LOCKER Kathryn Bigelow

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS Quentin Tarantino

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE HANGOVER Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

THE HURT LOCKER Mark Boal

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS Quentin Tarantino

A SERIOUS MAN Joel Coen, Ethan Coen --- to be released February 9, 2010

UP Bob Peterson, Pete Docter

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

DISTRICT 9 Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell

AN EDUCATION Nick Hornby --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

IN THE LOOP Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE Geoffrey Fletcher --- to be released on DVD March 9, 2010

UP IN THE AIR Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

BROKEN EMBRACES Agustín Almodóvar, Pedro Almodóvar --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD February 1, 2010

COCO BEFORE CHANEL Carole Scotta, Caroline Benjo, Philippe Carcassonne, Anne Fontaine --- to be released February 16, 2010

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN Carl Molinder, John Nordling, Tomas Alfredson

A PROPHET Pascal Caucheteux, Marco Cherqui, Alix Raynaud, Jacques Audiard

THE WHITE RIBBON Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka, Margaret Menegoz, Michael Haneke --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

ANIMATED FILM

CORALINE Henry Selick

FANTASTIC MR FOX Wes Anderson --- to be released March 23, 2010

UP Pete Docter

LEADING ACTOR

JEFF BRIDGES Crazy Heart

GEORGE CLOONEY Up in the Air

COLIN FIRTH A Single Man

JEREMY RENNER The Hurt Locker

ANDY SERKIS Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

LEADING ACTRESS

CAREY MULLIGAN An Education --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

SAOIRSE RONAN The Lovely Bones

GABOUREY SIDIBE Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire --- to be released on DVD March 9, 2010

MERYL STREEP Julie & Julia

AUDREY TAUTOU Coco Before Chanel --- to be released February 16, 2010

SUPPORTING ACTOR

ALEC BALDWIN It’s Complicated

CHRISTIAN McKAY Me and Orson Welles

ALFRED MOLINA An Education --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

STANLEY TUCCI The Lovely Bones

CHRISTOPH WALTZ Inglourious Basterds

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

ANNE-MARIE DUFF Nowhere Boy

VERA FARMIGA Up in the Air

ANNA KENDRICK Up in the Air

MO’NIQUE Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire --- to be released on DVD March 9, 2010

KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS Nowhere Boy

MUSIC

AVATAR James Horner

CRAZY HEART T-Bone Burnett, Stephen Bruton

FANTASTIC MR FOX Alexandre Desplat

SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL Chaz Jankel

UP Michael Giacchino

CINEMATOGRAPHY

AVATAR Mauro Fiore

DISTRICT 9 Trent Opaloch

THE HURT LOCKER Barry Ackroyd

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS Robert Richardson

THE ROAD Javier Aguirresarobe

EDITING

AVATAR Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron

DISTRICT 9 Julian Clarke

THE HURT LOCKER Bob Murawski, Chris Innis

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS Sally Menke

UP IN THE AIR Dana E. Glauberman

PRODUCTION DESIGN

AVATAR Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair

DISTRICT 9 Philip Ivey, Guy Potgieter

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS Nominees TBC

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds Wasco

COSTUME DESIGN

BRIGHT STAR Janet Patterson

COCO BEFORE CHANEL Catherine Leterrier --- to be released February 16, 2010

AN EDUCATION Odile Dicks-Mireaux --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

A SINGLE MAN Arianne Phillips

THE YOUNG VICTORIA Sandy Powell

SOUND

AVATAR Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Tony Johnson, Addison Teague

DISTRICT 9 Brent Burge, Chris Ward, Dave Whitehead, Michael Hedges, Ken Saville

THE HURT LOCKER Ray Beckett, Paul N. J. Ottosson

STAR TREK Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Mark Stoeckinger, Ben Burtt

UP Tom Myers, Michael Silvers, Michael Semanick

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

AVATAR Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R. Jones

DISTRICT 9 Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, Matt Aitken

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE John Richardson, Tim Burke, Tim Alexander, Nicolas Aithadi

THE HURT LOCKER Richard Stutsman

STAR TREK Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, Burt Dalton

MAKE UP & HAIR

COCO BEFORE CHANEL Thi Thanh Tu Nguyen, Jane Milon --- to be released February 16, 2010

AN EDUCATION Lizzie Yianni Georgiou --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 8, 2010

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS Sarah Monzani --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 29, 2010

NINE Peter ‘Swords’ King

THE YOUNG VICTORIA Jenny Shircore --- available as a Region 2 DVD only

SHORT ANIMATION

THE GRUFFALO Michael Rose, Martin Pope, Jakob Schuh, Max Lang --- to be released as a Region 2 DVD March 22, 2010

THE HAPPY DUCKLING Gili Dolev

MOTHER OF MANY Sally Arthur, Emma Lazenby

SHORT FILM

14 Asitha Ameresekere

I DO AIR James Bolton, Martina Amati

JADE Samm Haillay, Daniel Elliott

MIXTAPE Luti Fagbenle, Luke Snellin

OFF SEASON Jacob Jaffke, Jonathan van Tulleken

THE ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)

JESSE EISENBERG

NICHOLAS HOULT

CAREY MULLIGAN

TAHAR RAHIM

KRISTEN STEWART

--30--

Soundtrack Reviews + 2009 BAFTA Winners !

Just uploaded is a pair of soundtrack reviews:

- Winifred Phillips’ lush and bubbly score for the Nintendo interactive game Sim Animals (2008)

- Jessica de Rooij’s kinetic chase score for Far Cry (2008)

And just in: the 2009 BAFTA winners - aka Briatin's Oscars - were just announced. Titles in bold are the winners, and titles hyperlinked are slated for, or are currently available on DVD/CD (and will take you to further info or a review at KQEK.com):


BEST FILM

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Christian Colson
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Ceán Chaffin
FROST/NIXON – Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard
MILK – Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen --- DVD to be released March 10th
THE READER – Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Donna Gigliotti, Redmond Morris


OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

MAN ON WIRE – Simon Chinn, James Marsh
HUNGER – Laura Hastings-Smith, Robin Gutch, Steve McQueen, Enda Walsh
IN BRUGES – Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Martin McDonagh
MAMMA MIA! – Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman, Phyllida Lloyd, Catherine Johnson
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Christian Colson, Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy


THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer for their First Feature Film

STEVE McQUEEN (Director/Writer) – Hunger
SIMON CHINN (Producer) – Man On Wire
JUDY CRAYMER (Producer) – Mamma Mia!
GARTH JENNINGS (Writer) – Son of Rambow
SOLON PAPADOPOULOS, ROY BOULTER (Producers) – Of Time And The City --- DVD to be released March 30th (Region 2)


DIRECTOR

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Danny Boyle
CHANGELING – Clint Eastwood --- DVD to be released February 17th
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – David Fincher
FROST/NIXON – Ron Howard
THE READER – Stephen Daldry


ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

IN BRUGES – Martin McDonagh
BURN AFTER READING – Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
CHANGELING – Joe Michael Straczynski --- DVD to be released February 17th
I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG – Philippe Claudel --- DVD to be released March 3rd
MILK – Dustin Lance Black --- DVD to be released March 10th


ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Simon Beaufoy
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Eric Roth
FROST/NIXON – Peter Morgan
THE READER – David Hare
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – Justin Haythe


FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG – Yves Marmion, Philippe Claudel --- DVD to be released March 3rd
THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX – Bernd Eichinger, Uli Edel --- DVD to be released March 12 (Region 2)
GOMORRAH – Domenico Procacci, Matteo Garrone --- DVD to be released February 9 (Region 2)
PERSEPOLIS – Marc-Antoine Robert, Xavier Rigault, Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
WALTZ WITH BASHIR – Serge Lalou, Gerhard Meixner, Yael Nahlieli, Ari Folman


ANIMATED FILM

WALL•E – Andrew Stanton
PERSEPOLIS – Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
WALTZ WITH BASHIR – Ari Folman


LEADING ACTOR

MICKEY ROURKE – The Wrestler
FRANK LANGELLA – Frost/Nixon
DEV PATEL – Slumdog Millionaire
SEAN PENN – Milk --- DVD to be released March 10th
BRAD PITT – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button


LEADING ACTRESS

KATE WINSLET – The Reader
ANGELINA JOLIE – Changeling --- DVD to be released February 17th
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS – I’ve Loved You So Long --- DVD to be released March 3rd
MERYL STREEP – Doubt
KATE WINSLET – Revolutionary Road


SUPPORTING ACTOR

HEATH LEDGER – The Dark Knight
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. – Tropic Thunder
BRENDAN GLEESON – In Bruges
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – Doubt
BRAD PITT – Burn After Reading


SUPPORTING ACTRESS

PENÉLOPE CRUZ – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
AMY ADAMS – Doubt
FREIDA PINTO – Slumdog Millionaire
TILDA SWINTON – Burn After Reading
MARISA TOMEI – The Wrestler


MUSIC

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – A. R. Rahman
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Alexandre Desplat
THE DARK KNIGHT – Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard
MAMMA MIA! – Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
WALL•E – Thomas Newman


CINEMATOGRAPHY

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Anthony Dod Mantle
CHANGELING – Tom Stern --- DVD to be released February 17th
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Claudio Miranda
THE DARK KNIGHT – Wally Pfister
THE READER – Chris Menges, Roger Deakins


EDITING

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Chris Dickens
CHANGELING – Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach --- DVD to be released February 17th
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall
THE DARK KNIGHT – Lee Smith
FROST/NIXON – Mike Hill, Dan Hanley
IN BRUGES – Jon Gregory


PRODUCTION DESIGN

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo
CHANGELING – James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis --- DVD to be released February 17th
THE DARK KNIGHT – Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Mark Digby, Michelle Day


COSTUME DESIGN

THE DUCHESS – Michael O'Connor
CHANGELING – Deborah Hopper --- DVD to be released February 17th
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Jacqueline West
THE DARK KNIGHT – Lindy Hemming
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – Albert Wolsky


SOUND

SLUMDOG MILLIONARE – Glenn Freemantle, Resul Pookutty, Richard Pryke, Tom Sayers, Ian Tapp
CHANGELING – Walt Martin, Alan Robert Murray, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff --- DVD to be released February 17th
THE DARK KNIGHT – Lora Hirschberg, Richard King, Ed Novick, Gary Rizzo
QUANTUM OF SOLACE – Jimmy Boyle, Eddy Joseph, Chris Munro, Mike Prestwood Smith, Mark Taylor
WALL•E – Ben Burtt, Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Matthew Wood


SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Eric Barba, Craig Barron, – Nathan McGuinness, Edson Williams
THE DARK KNIGHT – Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul Franklin, Tim Webber
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL – Pablo Helman, Marshall Krasser, Steve Rawlins
IRON MAN – Hal Hickel, Shane Patrick Mahan, John Nelson, Ben Snow
QUANTUM OF SOLACE – Chris Corbould, Kevin Tod Haug


MAKE UP & HAIR

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Jean Black, Colleen Callaghan
THE DARK KNIGHT – Peter Robb-King
THE DUCHESS – Daniel Phillips, Jan Archibald
FROST/NIXON – Edouard Henriques, Kim Santantonio
MILK – Steven E. Anderson, Michael White --- DVD to be released March 10th


SHORT ANIMATION

WALLACE AND GROMIT: A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH – Steve Pegram, Nick Park, Bob Baker --- DVD to be released March 23 (Region 2)
CODSWALLOP – Greg McLeod, Myles McLeod
VARMINTS – Sue Goffe, Marc Craste


SHORT FILM

SEPTEMBER – Stewart le Maréchal, Esther May Campbell
KINGSLAND #1 THE DREAMER – Kate Ogborn, Tony Grisoni
LOVE YOU MORE – Caroline Harvey, Anthony Minghella, Sam Taylor-Wood, Patrick Marber
RALPH – Olivier Kaempfer, Alex Winckler
VOYAGE D’AFFAIRES (THE BUSINESS TRIP) – Celine Quideau, Sean Ellis


ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD

NOEL CLARKE
MICHAEL CERA
MICHAEL FASSBENDER
REBECCA HALL
TOBY KEBBELL


OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA

PINEWOOD STUDIOS AND SHEPPERTON STUDIOS


ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP

TERRY GILLIAM


For more information and video highlights, check out the official BAFTA site HERE.



- MRH