The Reel Society of Film Critics Awards 2012

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Hello, good evening, good morning or good afternoon to where ever you are (et bon soir for our honory French contingency...), and welcome to The Reel Society of Film Critics Awards 2012. Firstly can I once again thank all the members of the committee who have participated in the nomination process and the submission of featurettes for each best picture nominee, it only ensures we have a lot more fun than me just prattling away....


It's been a year filled some fantastic movies, many of which will be featured here today. From the return of the silent era in The Artist and the nostalgic 80s of Spielberg in Super 8, to the stylishly and brutal Drive cinema has captivated us once again. There has been the rejuvination of franchises in Return Of The Planet Of The Apes, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and X Men: First Class, while we've seen the beauty and imagination of Paris twice in Hugo and Midnight In Paris. We also finally got the return of Terrence Malick with his visually stunning and challenging The Tree Of Life, as well as the final hurrah from Harry Potter and chums in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2. It really has been a good year for movies, one which at first didn't look so appealing, but with a little effort and searching we've found some of the best cinema has to offer.

And so while you take your seats, grab a glass or bottle, here is a little feature courtesy of a member of the Society, The Sleepy Skunk, for you to peruse before we get under way. Let's take a look back at the year that was 2012 at the movies.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY7ls9f__as&noredirect=1[/youtube]


Once again I will be hosting this fabulous ceremony, and though I may have a drink or two to keep me going, I guarantee there will be neither a song and dance number in honour of The Artist, nor will I be partaking in any send ups of a few celebrities in the audience. I'm not Ricky Gervais, I don't have a beard, and I'm certainly not witty enough. So while I shuffle my notes and try and remember if I've had any embarassing moments with anyone in the crowd, here is how the awards will proceed tonight.

Best Breakthrough Performance

The Artist Featurette

Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay

Drive Featurette

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Featurette

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part Two Featurette

Best Animated Picture
Best Documentary Feature

Hugo Featurette

Best Cinematography
Best Visual Effects

Midnight In Paris Featurette

Best Foreign Language Picture
Best Score

The Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Featurette

Best Actress In A Leading Role

Super 8 Featurette

Best Actor In A Leading Role

The Tree Of Life Featurette

Best Director

X-Men: First Class Featurette

Best Picture

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Okay, first award for tonight:

Best Breakthrough Performance

The nominees are:

John Boyega, Attack The Block
Asa Butterfield, Hugo
Jessica Chastain, The Tree Of Life, Take Shelter, The Help, The Debt
Rooney Mara, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

And the winner is....

[Geezer]

Geezer checking in!

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Jessica Chastain, for what has been a remarkable year filled with numerous excellent performances.

[Geezer]

Not sure if its just me, but the picture isn't showing up!

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Now we take a moment to look back at one of the Best Picture nominees for this year. First up is Buscemi's thoughts on the Academy's front runner, The Artist.

Back in the days of silent movies, George Valentin was the biggest star in Hollywood. The looks, the charm, the grace, he had it all. But then, the advent of sound came in and with the past, out went George. Now struggling to get his success back, George looks back at his past with only true friend, a Jack Russell terrier who served as his sidekick. In the process, a new star of sound film discovered by George, Peppy Miller, seeks to pay back George and help him be remembered. Will the helpful Peppy help show the memories of a forgotten hero or will George's arrogant, fallen tendencies win out. And will they end up together by the end of the film?

The Artist is a romantic comedy/drama of a rare breed. A French production filmed on location in Los Angeles (using many locations from the 1920's), director Michael Hazanavicius pays tribute to silent film and the Golden Age of Hollywood by doing the film without any dialogue for the majority of the film and shooting in black and white. Depicting the transition of silent to sound film, George is is a mix of cinematic legends such as Mary Pickford (whose own story bears similarity to George's), Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Buster Keaton and even Fred Astaire. He is played with elegance and versatility by comedic actor Jean Dujardin. Peppy, part of a new class of actors and one who respects George, is charming played by Berneice Bejo (who is married to the director). The supporting cast is well-assembled with a who's who of character actors, from John Goodman as the studio head to James Cromwell as George's butler and even a cameo from Malcolm McDowell as an extra auditioning for one of George's films. The major scene stealer is Uggie the dog playing George's best friend and trusty sidekick. Playing hero like a badge of honor, Uggie not only has the ability to play cute but has more charisma and charm than many top Hollywood actors. Another major star in the film is Ludovic Bource's score. A regular of Hazanavicius, Bource takes the task of writing a score than runs almost the entire length of the film and creates something more original than most Hollywood blockbusters (despite the controversy of the use of Bernard Herrmann cues, this was not the composer's decision but simply something left on the temp track).

Possibly one of the best romantic films in recent memory, The Artist is a great movie about movie making, a beautiful tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood and a movie that appeals to all ages. Even if you don't like silent films or romance or black and white movies, you will find something to enjoy about the film.

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Not sure if its just me, but the picture isn't showing up!

Hmm, working for me.

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A great little movie, although not one of my own personal favourites for the year, there is certainly a lot to love about The Artist.

Moving swiftly on to our next award then

Best Original Screenplay

And the nominees are:

Attack The Block
Midnight In Paris
Source Code
A Separation
50/50

And the winner is...

[Geezer]

Well if anyone is having my same predicament, I added a second

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Midnight In Paris, written by Woody Allen. A lovely little story which really highlights why Paris is seen as one of the most romantic cities in the world.

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Next up, we have the last award's companion,

Best Adapted Screenplay

And the nominees are:

The Descendants
Drive
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Moneyball
X-Men: First Class

And the winner is...

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Drive, written by Hussein Amini, adapted from the book by James Sallis

[Chienfantome]

Woohooooooo !!
Jessica Chastain and Midnight in Paris ? The first two wins are fine for me, even great !!! Aaaaah, Jessica. A goddess of the screen was born this year.

[Chienfantome]

Drive best adapted screenplay ? Well that's kind of a surprise, but given how much I love the film, I can only be happy once again !

[Chienfantome]

(sorry I missed the launch of the ceremony, I just got back from Star Wars 3D at the movies with my girlfriend, who says Hi ! to all of you guys )