The Critics Weigh In

Some of the major critics groups from across the nation have announced their pics for the best in film in 2007. Big shout-out to Nathaniel from thefilmexperience.net for being the one source for all things LIST. Another big shout-out to virtually every association for heeding my advice in the stylish support of Ms. Amy Ryan (but, seriously, are they all crazy?!? I mean, Ryan was pretty good, but did they even see Cate in I'm Not There?!?). I'm not understanding, but here are some of the most noteworthy results, which collectively can be big Oscar indicators:

The National Board of Review:
Best Picture: No Country For Old Men
The rest of their top ten: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Atonement, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bucket List, Into the Wild, Juno, The Kite Runner, Lars and the Real Girl, Michael Clayton and Sweeney Todd.

Boston Society of Film Critics:
Picture: No Country For Old Men
Director: Julian Schnabel The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Actor: Frank Langella, Starting Out in the Evening
Actress: Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose
Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men
Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Screenplay: Brad Bird, Ratatouille
Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski, The Diving Bell and Butterfly
Documentary: Crazy Love
Ensemble: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
New Filmmaker: Ben Affleck, Gone Baby Gone

Los Angeles Film Critics Association:
Picture: There Will Be Blood
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)

Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)

Actress: Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose)
Supporting Actor: Vlad Ivanov (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days)
Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone and Before The Devil Knows You're Dead)
Animated (tie): Ratatouille and Persepolis
Screenplay: Tamara Jenkins (The Savages)
Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski (The Diving Bell and Butterfly)
Production Design: Jack Fisk (There Will Be Blood)
Documentary: No End in Sight
New Generation: Sarah Polley (Away From Her)
Legacy Award: Milestone Film & Video and Outfest Legacy Project
Douglas Edward Indie Award: Pedro Costa (Collossal Youth)
Music: Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (Once)
Career: Sidney Lumet

New York Film Critics Circle
Picture: No Country For Old Men
Director: The Coen Bros, No Country For Old Men
Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Actress: Julie Christie, Away From Her
Supp Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men
Supp Actress: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Screenplay: The Coen Bros, No Country For Old Men
Cinematography: Robert Elswit, There Will be Blood
Foreign Film: The Lives of Others
Animated Feature: Persepolis
First Film: Sarah Polley, Away From Her
Documentary: No End in Sight

San Francisco Film Critics Circle:

Picture: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Director: The Coen Bros, No Country For Old Men

Actor: George Clooney, Michael Clayton

Actress: Julie Christie Away From Her

Foreign Language: The Diving Bell and Butterfly

Documentary: No End in Sight

Screenplay: Tamara Jenkins, The Savages

Adapted Screenplay: Sarah Polley, Away From Her

Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone

Supporting Actor: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Broadcast Film Critics Association:

PICTURE: (10 Nominees) American Gangster, Atonement, The Diving Bell and Butterfly, Into the Wild, Juno, The Kite Runner, Michael Clayton, No Country For Old Men, Sweeney Todd, There Will Be Blood

DIRECTOR: Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd), The Coen Bros (No Country For Old Men), Sidney Lumet (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), Sean Penn (Into the Wild), Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and Butterfly), Joe Wright (Atonement)

ACTOR: George Clooney (Michael Clayton), Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood), Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd), Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl), Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Viggo Mortenson (Eastern Promises)

ACTRESS: Amy Adams (Enchanted), Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth the Golden Age), Julie Christie (Away From Her), Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose), Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart), Ellen Page (Juno)

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men), Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilsons War), Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild), Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There), Catherine Keener (Into the Wild), Vanessa Redgrave (Atonement), Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone), Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)

The Big Winners (so far):
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NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN:

THERE WILL BE BLOOD:

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD:

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY:

And, of course:

*Catch my original Oscar Nomination Predictions here:
Kurtis - Oscar '07