New York Critics Vote 'Far from Heaven' Best Film

Reuters via NYTimes.com ^ | 12/16/2002

[GeneD]

Filed at 3:00 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Critically acclaimed drama ``Far From Heaven'' swept the 68th annual New York Film Critics Circle awards on Monday, taking five prizes, including best film and best director, and setting the stage for one of the most confused Oscar battles in years.

The 34-member New York group's naming of ``Far From Heaven'' as best picture came after film critic groups in Los Angeles and Boston chose different pictures this weekend.

Los Angeles critics picked Alexander Payne's ``About Schmidt'' on Saturday as the year's best picture while Boston critics selected Roman Polanski's Holocaust film ``The Pianist'' as its surprise winner. To top it off, the National Board of Review, a veteran film appreciation society, chose yet another film as its best of the year: ``The Hours,'' a film based on the life and work of novelist Virginia Woolf.

Critics awards often serve as precursors to the Oscars, which are chosen in March. All that is clear at the moment is that it is a strong field with no obvious front-runner.

The New York critics named ``Far From Heaven's'' Todd Haynes as best director and the film's Dennis Quaid and Patricia Clarkson as best supporting actor and supporting actress.

In addition, Edward Lachman was named best cinematographer for his work on the 1950s drama of a marriage rocked by the husband's affair with another man.

Daniel Day-Lewis was named best actor by the New York critics for his work on ``Gangs of New York,'' beating out Jack Nicholson, the star of ``About Schmidt,'' in what a spokesman for the group said was a closely fought battle.

But in an unexpected upset, Diane Lane was named best actress for her role as the roaming wife in ``Unfaithful,'' beating Julianne Moore who was up for her work as the wife in ``Far From Heaven.''

Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron's ``Y tu mama tamien'' was named best foreign film and Japan's Hayao Miyazaki's ``Spirited Away'' was named the year's best animated film.

``Standing In The Shadows Of Motown,'' directed by Paul Justman, was chosen as the year's best non-fiction film while the award for best first film was given to ``Roger Dodger.''

The New York critics award for best screenplay went to ``Adaptation'' written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman.

[GeneD]

I'm posting this not because most of you care who wins these awards -- I don't -- but to make a statement. Here's an ad-blurb-copywriters' award, won by an arthouse movie. The LA ad-blurb copywriters just gave a plaque to something called About Schmidt, a "dark" comedy. (News hacks love the word "dark.") The Boston ad-blurb copywriters chose an arthouse movie. Coming up are two surefire "critical" faves: Chicago, an arthouse musical from the people who wrote the overrated Cabaret; and Gangs of New York, which will earn superheated raves because a) it's ultraviolent and b) it's a Martin Scorsese, a man whose name that will live forever in holy honor among news hacks for having inspired John Hinckley. Reuters euphemizes that this is a "confused" field. What they mean is these movies generally stink and only effete snobs will enjoy them.

Now (starting from the bottom) here are the best-picture nominations from 1939:

Rules of the Game
Love Affair
Dark Victory
Wuthering Heights
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Ninotchka
Stagecoach
Of Mice and Men
The Wizard of Oz
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
and the winner, Gone with the Wind.

NUF SAID.

[Egregious Philbin]

That's not quite fair, GeneD - 1939 being one of the best years for movies ever. I'd pick "The Wizard of Oz" over "Gone With the Wind" myself.

[Egregious Philbin]

That's not quite fair, GeneD - 1939 being one of the best years for movies ever. I'd pick "The Wizard of Oz" over "Gone With the Wind" myself.

[pabianice]

Far from Heaven is reportedly the perfect Boston Liberal, goo-goo sensibility, gut-punch-the-Republicans movie. It's about a white (Republican) family in the 1950s where (1) dad is really a closet gay, having 'found his true sexuality' in the arms of another man (how topical -- swoon!); (2) mom is having an affair with a black gardener (how Liberal -- swoon!); and (3) the kids are never considered ('cause 'finding yourself' is more important than your children -- swoon, swoon!). An obvious "award winner."

4 gags out of 5

[MadIvan]

Of course the Left now wants to discredit what in many ways was a clean, beautiful world in the 1950's. It's the only way they can justify the sordid 60's.

Regards, Ivan

[GeneD]

Well, maybe I DID tilt the board somewhat (sorry) -- but compare that list to any from the last twenty years. Even the ad-blurb copywriters, whose most prominent work appears above the title of many movie ads, would concede that maybe movies haven't been THAT great lately. Also, note that there were TEN nominees that year -- all glorious classics. Given the current glut of movie masterworks if the AMPAS knew what it were doing it would nominate TWO.

[Reagan Man]

Hollywood doesn't produce movies, movie stars or directors like they use too. Movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood through the 1950`s, always left something for the imagination and the final product always had a surrealistic quality to it. There's little originality in the vast majority of todays "films". Most are pure trash.

Having said that, Martin Scorsese is a great director.

[SoDak]

Much of the same sort of pablum I got out of American Beauty, which I despised.

[KC_Conspirator]

You sure that its not the description for About Schmidt, which I heard was an anti-middle America movei much like American Beauty. Its childish drivel in mu opinion.

[SoDak]

I watched the "Best Picture" of 1992 last night on a newly purchased DVD. It's one of the last really good BP winners.

[GeneD]

By the way, I'm not only one who's done this. William Goldman, the veteran scenarist, has written columns for New York and Variety saying the same thing. Last year he called the first LOTR installment (I'm paraphrasing) "the best special-effects movie I've ever seen" -- damning with faint praise.

[lugsoul]

Obviously, you haven't seen it. But that doesn't usually deter anyone around here from lending their commentary.

Yes, dad is gay. Mom is attracted to the gardener, but they don't have an affair. Concern for the kids is all over the film, except by dad.

This is an homage to the 1950s films of Douglas Sirk. The production quality is amazing. The acting is first rate. Fortunately, I am capable of judging films on quality and not solely whether they further or oppose my own political agenda.

It is nothing short of amazing how some who constantly rail against "the media" will express vehement opinions based solely upon what they have heard in "the media."

[dead]

Martin Scorsese, a man whose name that will live forever in holy honor among news hacks for having inspired John Hinckley.

Well, that and the fact that he’s spent the last thirty years making some of the greatest films ever.

[SoDak]

There is merit to what you say, however I cannot seperate the two when the author makes it too obvious. When I watched American Beauty, I couldn't get the author's views or agenda out of my face. It was so stereotypical it was almost comical. That being said, there have been movies slanted to a liberal viewpoint that I still enjoyed.

[GeneD]

If I recall correctly, just after Junior's attempt, Mr. Scorsese, with a lot of throat clearing, asked that mention of his masterpiece Taxi Driver be stricken from an ad he did for (I believe) Mitsubishi TVs. Sorry, he does have something to answer for.

Also, it was a great favorite of the late Pauline Kael, she who notoriously opined that she knew no one who voted for Nixon. Just call me suspicious.

[Egregious Philbin]

"American Beauty" was an insipid movie - badly written, glossy yet empty, an unfunny satire, an unconvincing drama. I could go on. I like "Unforgiven," but not nearly as much as other Clint Westerns, directed by him or someone else, including "High Plains Drifter."

[Old Professer]

If there is anything more trite, pretentious and boring than a movie review, it is a review of a movie review.

[mountaineer]

I didn't see the movie, but some acquaintances did, and they said it was the most godawful waste of money they'd ever endured. The theater, they said, had only about eight other people in it, including two gay couples. Apparently, the intelligentsia loved it; the common folk did not.

[dfwgator]

Watch out for "The Pianist." If the movie is anywhere like the book, it will win the Oscar (even though Polanski is a pervert).

[dead]

If I recall correctly, just after Junior's attempt, Mr. Scorsese, with a lot of throat clearing, asked that mention of his masterpiece Taxi Driver be stricken from an ad he did for (I believe) Mitsubishi TVs.

I have no idea what that indicates, but maybe he thought it was inappropriate that it be mentioned in an ad after some nut used it as an excuse to shoot people.

He will be remembered as a great director. Hundreds of millions of people have seen his movies. The actions of one of those people does not reflect in any way on Scorsese.

To opine otherwise is idiotic.