Sony Classics, one of the few "indie" distribution labels left standing, did well at last night's 18th Annual Gotham Independant Film Awards, held, appropriately, in New York City. The Hollywood Reporter has details, but here are the basics:
Best feature" "Frozen River"
Best documentary: "Trouble the Water"
Breakthrough actor: Melissa Leo in "Frozen River"
Breakthrough director: Lance Hammer, "Ballast"
Best ensemble performance: TIE between "Synecdoche, New York" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Best unreleased film: "Sita Sings the Blues"
The Gothams are the first in the annual onslaught of awards, and obviously they favor the little guys, all the more important in this year of downsizing and merging. The Golden Globe nominations get announced next week, but the interesting thing is that there are few, if any, obvious frontrunners for best picture. David Carr in the Times recently opined that the top dogs include "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Slumdog Millionaire," "Revolutionary Road," "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "Doubt," "The Reader," and possibly Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino." The Awards Daily site throws in "The Wrestler," "Changeling," "The Dark Knight," and "Rachel Getting Married" into that mix.
Problem is, those of us who've already seen the movies on Carr's list are finding it hard to get enthusiastic about anything besides "Slumdog" and "Milk". (From the Awards Daily list, I'll include "The Wrestler.") Without getting into too much detail, many of the others are exactly the kind of Tasteful, Important Dramas that win Oscars without being all that good. And then there are a few -- *cough* "Gran Torino" *cough* -- that are just plain bad.
The acting categories are looking juicy, at least: Viola Davis in "Doubt" could get the honorary Beatrice Straight award for pocketing a movie in just one scene, and no one's going to deny nominations for Sean Penn in "Milk," Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler," Penelope Cruz in "Vicky," or Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight." But if any of the white elephants that Carr cites get a best directing statue, then Oscar 2008 will be a mere formality. Except for "Slumdog Millionaire" -- that thing, at least, was directed. But then Danny Boyle will have to split the statue with co-director Loveleen Tandan.
And, um, how come no one's talking about "WALL-E"? A brilliant cartoon is still brilliant.
