The National Society of Film Critics are mostly ‘Happy’

 

The National Society of Film Critics Awards were announced earlier today.  Here are the winners:

Best Picture – Waltz with Bashir

Best Director – Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky)

Best Actor – Sean Penn (Milk)

Best Actress – Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky)

Best Supporting Actor – Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky)

Best Supporting Actress – Hanna Schygulla (The Edge of Heaven)

Best Screenplay – Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky)

Best Cinematography – Slumdog Millionaire

Best Non-Fiction Film – Man on Wire

Best Experimental Film – Razzle Dazzle

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So what does this mean?  The NSFC doesn’t have a very good track record of agreeing with the Academy’s awards.  Since 2000 they’ve only selected the same Best Picture winner once (2004’s Million Dollar Baby).  It’s safe to say that trend will continue through this year because I’m sure Waltz with Bashir won’t win Best Picture at the Oscars.  What this does is just give WALL-E some competition for the Animated Feature category… which will play out like last year with Persepolis snagging some votes away from Ratatouille.  But come awards night, Pixar will be at the podium, accepting yet another Best Animated Feature award.

As for Happy-Go-Lucky, this gives the small Mike Leigh film a little more buzz with the Oscar ballots already out.  Can Sally Hawkins really compete against Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in a drama-heavy Best Actress category?  A lot of people believe so.  I’m beginning to believe in it, too.