Chicago Film Critics Go “Wild”
Where the Wild Things Are and Up in the Air lead with six (thanks to Erik and Brian)
BEST PICTURE
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
A Serious Man
Up in the Air
Where the Wild Things Are
BEST DIRECTOR
Kathryn Bigelow (-) The Hurt Locker
Joel & Ethan Coen (-) A Serious Man
Spike Jonze (-) Where the Wild Things Are
Jason Reitman (-) Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino (-) Inglourious Basterds
BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges (-) Crazy Heart
George Clooney (-) Up in the Air
Matt Damon (-) The Informant!
Jeremy Renner (-) The Hurt Locker
Michael Stuhlbarg (-) A Serious Man
BEST ACTRESS
Abbie Cornish (-) Bright Star
Carey Mulligan (-) An Education
Maya Rudolph (-) Away We Go
Gabourey Sidibe (-) Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Meryl Streep (-) Julie & Julia
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Peter Capaldi (-) In the Loop
Woody Harrelson (-) The Messenger
Christian McKay (-) Me and Orson Welles
Stanley Tucci (-) The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz (-) Inglourious Basterds
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Vera Farmiga (-) Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick (-) Up in the Air
Mo’Nique (-) Precious
Julianne Moore (-) A Single Man
Natalie Portman (-) Brothers
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Away We Go (-) Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida
The Hurt Locker (-) Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (-) Quentin Tarantino
A Serious Man (-) Joel & Ethan Coen
Up (-) Bob Peterson
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
An Education (-) Nick Hornby
In the Loop (-) Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche
The Informant! (-) Scott Z. Burns
Up in the Air (-) Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner
Where the Wild Things Are (-) Spike Jonze & Dave Eggers
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Anvil!: The True Story of Anvil
Capitalism: A Love Story
The Cove
Food, Inc.
Tyson
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Broken Embraces
Red Cliff
Sin Nombre
Summer Hours
The White Ribbon
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Ponyo
The Princess and the Frog
Up
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Avatar (-) Mauro Fiore
Bright Star (-) Greig Fraser
The Hurt Locker (-) Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds (-) Robert Richardson
Where the Wild Things Are (-) Lance Acord
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Avatar (-) James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox (-) Alexandre Desplat
The Informant! (-) Marvin Hamlisch
Up (-) Michael Giacchino
Where the Wild Things Are (-) Carter Burwell & Karen Orzolek
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Sharlto Copley (-) District 9
Christian McKay (-) Me and Orson Welles
Carey Mulligan (-) An Education
Max Records (-) Where the Wild Things Are
Gabourey Sidibe (-) Precious
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Neill Blomkamp (-) District 9
Scott Cooper (-) Crazy Heart
Cary Fukunaga (-) Sin Nombre
Duncan Jones (-) Moon
Marc Webb (-) (500) Days of Summer
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54 Comments
One Trackback
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[...] Update: Also recieved another Best Animated Film, this one from the Toronto Film Critics Association, and a nomination in the same category from the Chicago Film Critics. [...]
Pauley says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 7:59am
I’m loving the love for Where the Wild Things Are!
Paddy M says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:00am
The figure of Roger Ebert, as ever, looms large over these choices.
And all the better for it. This is an excellent list. Especially loving the love for A Serious Man, Where the Wild Things Are and Abbie Cornish
Dominik says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:01am
Some inspird choices!
Hope the Academy also will surprise us with some offbeat picks like “Where the Wild Things are”, Abbie Cornish or Michael Stuhlbarg.
Not much love for Invictus – could this be one surprise non-nominee at the Oscars?
Marble_Plum says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:02am
Yay Bright Star! Where The Wild Things Are!
Nick K. says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:03am
This is my favorite list so far. Very nice, Chicago. Anvil, Bright Star, Wild Things, and Stuhlbarg are a good sight indeed.
Also, in case you guys aren’t following, “Nine” has been getting some pretty bad reviews. It has a 28% rating on RT as of now, so it’s definitely not in good shape.
Morgan says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:03am
FINALLY some love for Sharlto Copley! About effing time IMO.
Mark says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:03am
werw the hell is nine!
were the hell is bullock
were the hell is colin firth
were the hell is penelope cruz
were the hell is jeff bidges!
this sucks!
ladylurks says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:05am
The best nominees yet! Finally, some love for my favorites: Where the Wild Things Are and Bright Star. Abbie Cornish, Michael Stuhlbarg, Spike Jonze, Christian McKay, Max Records, Sharlto Copley.
These guys rock!!
alquimista says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:07am
@ Mark
werw the hell is nine!
were the hell is bullock
were the hell is colin firth
were the hell is penelope cruz
were the hell is jeff bidges!
this sucks!
—————————
They all are, where the wild things are
Nick K. says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:08am
Mark, Jeff Bridges is there. Look a little closer. The only complaint of yours I can mirror is Colin Firth being snubbed, and that’s not enough to damper this otherwise excellent list.
Paddy M says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:09am
I don’t know where Jeff Bidges is, Mark, but Jeff Bridges is right up there!
Joschi says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:09am
bridges is nominated, Mark
Gregoire says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:11am
Maya Rudolph!! I was wondering where she went this award season. She was in Chicago!
aspect ratio says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:11am
Yay for WTWTA! It probably won’t win any category but it’s nice to see it show up here anyway.
No Firth has to be the biggest shocker, Moore got in after all. Hard to argue with the five they did pick though, it is a strong year.
Noah R. says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:12am
The love for In the Loop and A Serious Man makes me happy enough. And Where the Wild Things Are was a lovely piece of work; glad to see it getting some recognition. I haven’t seen A Single Man yet but I love Michael Stuhlbarg’s performance to death. Glad he’s in there.
red_wine says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:16am
Even Ebert couldn’t get Precious nominated for any big awards.
Clayton says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:16am
This is an awesome list. The only things that bother me are Natalie Portman (she was wooden in Brothers) and only one nom for (500) Days of Summer.
Paddy M says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:28am
They obviously didn’t really like A Single Man though…no nom for Firth, no nom for the screenplay and not even a nom for Tom Ford as Most Promising Filmmaker…:(
theeurocentric says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:32am
Finally some Natalie!
Not enough “500 Days of Summer” though… Otherwise, not a bad list at all.
daveylow says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:33am
For me, Where the Wild Things Are was a huge disappointment. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. And I’m a Jonze fan.
JJ says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:35am
A Serious Man. Like it.
fromchelseamanhattan says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:35am
Very good list! I only wish Colin Firth was on the list (replacing MAtt DAmon) but still this is a good list. And of course since they nominate based on performance not on box office or likability, there is no Bullock!!!
AdamA says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:45am
I found myself saying “It’s about time” while reading this list more than any other I’ve read thus far. Bravo, Chicago! This is what critics’ awards are about.
(And I second FCM. The Firth absense is my only big-time gripe.)
JJ says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:52am
I dont get why Firth was left off. But he’ll be there for the Oscars.
Diane says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:54am
Finally some love for Bright Star. I don’t know why it’s not getting more recognition for Best Actress and Cinematography. I thought it was a shoo-in in those two categories.
Also, yay for McKay for Orson Welles!!
Amanda says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:14am
Im very happy with the Matt Damon nomination.
The Natural says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:28am
Awwww!!! I knew there was a reason I loved Chicago so much.
My city doing me proud with these lovely noms.
:D:D
alliewayz says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:36am
Go Wild Things!
Pierre de Plume says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:45am
I think Paddy M is right — the Ebert effect may very well be at work here.
Chris138 says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:46am
A Serious Man. Blah.
Glad to see Natalie Portman getting some recognition.
Jason says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:48am
yay natalie portman! yay maya rudolph! i’m glad she’s made it on a few small nomonations lists…that was one of my favourite female performances of the year.
although i love matt damon and michael stuhlbarg, colin firth is too remarkable to be ignored.
Cliff says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:00am
maya rudolph for away we go! who saw that coming? LOL
casy says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:06am
good list,esp for matt damon and michael stuhlbarg.No Viggo Mortensen is a little disappoint
brainypirate says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:08am
It’s very odd that Firth didn’t make the list but Moore did, especially in a year when it seems the Lead Actor category is weak and when Firth is by far the best-reviewed part of that movie–even critics who don’t like the film (and some who don’t like Moore’s performance) are praising Firth.
Odd indeed….
Antoinette says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:14am
Yay, Chicago. Way to do your own thing. And it looks like it might be the right thing too.
However, I did not enjoy WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. Having not read the book, I just saw a terribly brown movie about a little brat. (I’ve always hated brown movies.) The puppet people (or are they suits?) should win awards of special significance from someone.
I have a question though. I feel like people are seeing DISTRICT 9 as a test run or an application for the job of moviemaker. Honestly, I think it’s the best normal movie of the year so maybe that’s my bias. But it’s like they’re not taking it seriously BECAUSE it’s the guys’ first movie. Am I the only one getting that? He keeps winning best first film or best guy to watch or whatever.
jorge says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:19am
where the hell is sabu and firth? come one shitty cornish and caca rudolf(that means shit in spanish lol) instead of sabu and helen mirren or emily blunt? COME ON , LIKE I SAID LAST YEAR ABOUT SHITTY HAWKINS, NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!!so enjoy people this bcs in the oscar wont see her name …
Anuj Shelat says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:39am
Sasha, do you foresee Where the Wild Things as getting a big enough jump from this to make it a contender for the newly dubbed Oscar Top Ten?
-ju
The Natural says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:46am
“Having not read the book, I just saw a terribly brown movie about a little brat. (I’ve always hated brown movies.)”
????????????????????????????????????
AdamA says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 11:13am
@ TheNatural, I think Antoinette meant the overall color palette. While it’s entirely legit to get annoyed with an overbearing color palette, I actually think WTWTA deserves a little praise for keeping the “brownness” from being so overbearing that it felt like a tint had been placed on the camera. (For instance, the gray or sepia or blue tint I sometimes detect in Ridley Scott movies.) It was brown because it was a brown island with mostly bare trees and muddy monsters.
Mark says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 11:21am
Happy about Chicago noticing Ms. Portman in Brothers. To me, this is one of her best performances. Kudos to Jim Sheridan for directing all three leads. The tension you feel in the latter part of the film is so palpable that you honestly feared for Ms. Portman’s life and her children.
Jose says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 11:36am
gotta love the love for Where The Wild Things Are!
Marshall1 says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 11:42am
wow, jorge, if you don’t like a performance (which you have the choice to), it is entirely up to you, but don’t call people shitty and caca, it makes you sound like an infant
it’s weird they left off firth…..
but hawkins is soooo much better than emily blunt (it’s almost like when cate blanchett got nominated in Elizabeth 2…what a disaster)
Kay says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 1:33pm
Great set of nominees.
Sam Potter says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 1:38pm
I’ll have to revisit “Wild Things”. I’m a huge Spike Jonze fan, but the screenplay left me flat. I understand the psychology behind it and all, but it just felt overly depressing and boring. Maybe I missed something.
Nick K. says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 3:07pm
Jorge, you’re an asshole. So shut your pastry-filled crevasse. Why the hell aren’t you banned from this site?
Sam and everyone else who have negative critiques on “Wild Things”, you’re right; it is sad, and it can be a little much at times. But I personally thought it is overall a hopeful movie that actually has a happy ending. I can see why some wouldn’t like it, but I loved it because of the visuals, and because of themes and how they resonated (well, for me at least).
Devlin says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 3:17pm
I find that every year the Chicago Film Critics make some of the best choices of the awards season. This year appears to be no different.
I especially like their Best Actress lineup, including Abbie Cornish & Maya Rudolph over Sandra Bullock. I get the desire by some to have Bullock be an Oscar nominee, but I just don’t think her performance compares to the others in an unusually strong year for lead actresses. Besides the usually-mentioned Streep, Mulligan, Sidibe, there’s Cornish and Rudolph, as well as some I haven’t seen but are said to be great – Mirren, Monaghan, Ronan, Saavedra.
And that’s not even mentioning two of my favourties, Zooey Deschanel & Melanie Laurent. I’m a bit surprised Deschanel is getting NO love whatsoever, not even a Globe nom. Her role wasn’t a showy one, but the way she executed it was perfect. Without her Summer, Tom’s obsession would not have seemed as genuine as it did. At least Laurent won the Austin Film Critics award. It was always going to be an uphill climb for her, due to category confusion and being the least known in a year of newbies.
Anyway, I’m hoping Bullock goes the route of Scarlett Johansson in 2003 – two Globe nods for Actress Drama and Actress Comedy, no Oscar nod
Jerry Grant says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 3:25pm
Yes!! “Wild Things”!!!! and Maya Rudolph!
Ebert is at work, but Ebert wasn’t that crazy about “Wild Things.” Also, neither he nor Oprah could get “Precious” nominated.
Antoinette says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 5:44pm
AdamA is right that’s what I meant. It’s even worse if it’s actually tinted. But in this case it was the palette. The only “brown” movie I’ve ever really been able to watch again and again is MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY. I just can’t look at the same color all the time. And brown/tan/beige is the worst.
Free says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 7:41pm
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Ponyo
The Princess and the Frog
Up
-Boom.
Nick K. (and a talking fox) says:
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:13pm
Thinking about it, I think I finally figured out why I reacted so strongly to “Where the Wild Things Are”. I think it’s the film that closely mirrors what my life has been like this year. I have had a really rough year (won’t go into details) and I’ve felt a lot of loneliness and anger at a lot of people, but also at myself. But what I’ve learned from this year is that life is difficult and it can be painful, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. It is a journey that can be taken with others and love can prove to be the ultimate salvation from your own demons. That’s what “Where the Wild Things Are” is to me, and that’s why I will always look at it as the defining movie of 2009 (for myself, anyways). I completely understand why some people would hate it, but I just wanted to throw in my two cents, and I do think it captures a lot of what it means not only to be a child but to be human in general. The protagonist just happens to be a child.
Academy, if you’re reading this, consider this my official FYC for the film.