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James Berardinelli Interviewed at Cosmoetica

Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby

Dan Schneider, whose latest conribution to the Alternative Film Guide was a — sure to be controversial — review of Casablanca, interviewed ReelViews critic James Berardinelli a few weeks ago.
Below are a couple of brief snippets, mostly focusing on Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby and Mystic River, taken from Schneider’s extensive chat with Berardinelli, which can be found at Cosmoetica:
DS: And what of actors as directors? [Clint] Eastwood’s efforts have risen to mediocrity, at best; and things like Million Dollar Baby are embarrassingly bad – from the trite screenplay to the anomic direction to the bad acting. Again, more PC and unrealistic premises, and can Morgan Freeman [...]

César 2006 Winners

Romain Duris, Linh Dan Pham in The Beat That My Heart Skipped

Jacques Audiard’s curious but uninvolving psychological drama De battre, mon coeur s’est arrêté / The Beat That My Heart Skipped — a remake of James Toback’s Fingers (1978) — won eight César awards, including best film, best director, best adapted screenplay (Audiard with Tonino Benacquista), and best supporting actor (Niels Arestrup) at the 2006 César Awards ceremony.

Michel Bouquet, Jalil Lespert in Le Promeneur du champ de Mars (top); Nathalie Baye in Le Petit Lieutenant (bottom)

Two veterans took home the top acting prizes: Eighty-year-old Michel Bouquet – whose career spans more than fifty years — was chosen best actor for his star turn as former French president [...]

César 2006

2006 César Awards
2006 César du Cinéma winners: Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on February 25, 2006
2006 César Nominations
("*" denotes the winner in each category)
 

Romain Duris in The Beat That My Heart Skipped
 

Meilleur film français / Best French Film
* De battre, mon coeur s’est arrêté / The Beat That My Heart Skipped (Jacques Audiard)
Joyeux Noël / Merry Christmas (Christian Carion)
Le Petit lieutenant (Xavier Beauvois)
L’Enfant / The Child (Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne)
Va, vis et deviens / Go, See and Become (Radu Mihaileanu)
Meilleur film étranger / Best Foreign Film
A History of Violence (David Cronenberg)
Mar adentro / The Sea Inside (Alejandro Amenabar)
Match Point (Woody Allen)
* Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood)
Walk on Water (Eytan Fox)
Meilleur [...]

Italian Film Critics Awards 2006

2006 Nastri d’Argento
2006 Nastri d’Argento winners: Auditorium di Via della Conciliazione in Rome on February 7, 2006
("*" denotes the winner in each category)
 

Set mostly in the 1970s, Michele Placido’s Crime Novel follows three juvenile delinquents whose goal is to reach the top of Italy’s underworld. Things get complicated when an investigator obsessed with bringing them to justice falls in love with the girlfriend of one of the criminals. In the cast: Kim Rossi Stuart (photo, left), Pierfrancesco Favino, Stefano Accorsi, Riccardo Scamarcio, Claudio Santamaria, Anna Mouglalis, and Elio Germano. Crime Novel is the second consecutive Nastri d’Argento winner starring Kim Rossi Stuart, following last year’s The Keys to the House.
 

REGISTA DEL MIGLIOR FILM ITALIANO / BEST ITALIAN DIRECTOR
Pupi Avati La [...]

Spanish Film Writers Awards 2006

2006 Spanish Film Writers Circle Awards
2006 Spanish Film Writers Circle Awards: January 23, 2006
("*" denotes the winner in each category)
 

Sarah Polley, Tim Robbins in The Secret Life of Words
 

Best Film
El Cielo gira
Habana Blues
Princesas
*La Vida secreta de las palabras / The Secret Life of Words
Best Foreign Film
Broken Flowers, USA/France
Match Point, UK
* Million Dollar Baby, USA
The Twilight Samurai, Japan
Best Director
Mercedes Álvarez, El Cielo gira
* Isabel Coixet, The Secret Life of Words
Fernando León de Aranoa, Princesas
Benito Zambrano, Habana Blues
Best Actor
Manuel Alexandre, Elsa y Fred
Eduard Fernández, El Método
* Óscar Jaenada, Camarón
Tim Robbins, The Secret Life of Words
Best Actress (tie)
Adriana Ozores, Heroína
* Candela Peña, Princesas
* Sarah Polley, The [...]

Oscar 2005

2005 Academy Awards
2005 Academy Award winners: Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles on February 27, 2005
("*" denotes the winner in each category)
Photos: © HO/AMPAS
 

Best Film
The Aviator – Michael Mann, Graham King†
Finding Neverland – Richard N. Gladstein, Nellie Bellflower
* Million Dollar Baby – Clint Eastwood, Albert S. Ruddy, Tom Rosenberg†
Ray – Taylor Hackford, Stuart Benjamin, Howard Baldwin†
Sideways – Michael London

Best Foreign-Language Film
Les Choristes / The Chorus – Christophe Barratier (France)
Der Untergang / Downfall – Oliver Hirschbiegel (Germany)
* Mar adentro / The Sea Inside – Alejandro Amenábar (Spain)
Så som i himmelen / As in Heaven – Kay Pollak (Sweden)
Yesterday – Darrell Roodt (South Africa)

Best Documentary, Features
* Born Into [...]

Central Ohio Film Critics Awards 2005

2005 Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards
2005 Central Ohio Film Critics Association award winners: January 25, 2005
 

Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby
 

Best Film: Million Dollar Baby
Runners-up (tie): Sideways and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Others in the top ten: The Incredibles, The Aviator, Before Sunset, Closer, Dogville, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, Maria Full of Grace
Best Direction: Alexander Payne, Sideways
Runner up: Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
Best Lead Performance: Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby
Runner up: Jamie Foxx, Ray
Best Supporting Performance: Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Runner up: Clive Owen, Closer
Best Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Runner up: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Sideways
Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work): Cate Blanchett, Coffee [...]

Producers Guild Awards 2005

2005 Producers Guild Awards
2005 Producers Guild of America’s Golden Laurel winners: January 22, 2005
("*" denotes the winner in each category)
 

 

Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year
* The Aviator
Finding Neverland
The Incredibles
Million Dollar Baby
Sideways
David L. Wolper Producer of the Year – Longform Television
* Angels in America
Horatio Hornblower
Ike: Countdown to D-Day
The Lion in Winter
Something the Lord Made
Norman Felton Producer of the Year – Episodic Drama Television
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Nip/Tuck
Six Feet Under
* The Sopranos
The West Wing
Danny Thomas Producer of the Year – Episodic Comedy Television
Arrested Development
* Curb Your Enthusiasm
Scrubs
Sex and the City
Will & Grace
Producer of the Year Award – Non-Fiction Television
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Inside the Actors Studio
* The Amazing Race 5
The Apprentice
Queer [...]

Vancouver Film Critics Awards 2005

2005 Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards
2005 Vancouver Film Critics Circle award winners: January 20, 2005
 

Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen in Sideways
 

Best Film: Sideways directed by Alexander Payne
Runners-up: (tie) Million Dollar Baby directed by Clint Eastwood, and The Aviator directed by Martin Scorsese, Before Sunset
Best Canadian Film: Childstar directed by Don McKellar
Runners-up: ScaredSacred directed by Velcrow Ripper; (tie) Festival Express directed by Bob Smeaton and A Silent Love directed by Federico Hidalgo
Best Foreign-Language Film: A Very Long Engagement (France) directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Runners-up: The Motorcycle Diaries (Germany / UK / Argentina / Peru / France / U.S.) directed by Walter Salles, Maria Full of Grace (Colombia / U.S.) directed by Joshua Marston
Best Documentary: Fahrenheit 9/11 directed by [...]

BAFTA 2005: Nomination Issues

Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby (above, with Eastwood and Hilary Swank), Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Un long dimanche de fiançailles / A Very Long Engagement, Bill Condon’s Kinsey, and Alexander Payne’s Sideways have been shortchanged by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts‘
new rules.
The aforementioned films were officially eligible for the 2004 BAFTA awards, but Sideways only managed to get one nomination for its screenplay, Un long dimanche de fiançailles received one nod in the best foreign-language film category, while Million Dollar Baby and Kinsey were completely ignored.
The problem is that several potential contenders for the BAFTA Awards have been just released in the United Kingdom, or they are yet to be released in that country.
Since the BAFTAs are [...]

Critics’ Choice Awards 2005

2005 Broadcast Film Critics Association’s Critics’ Choice Awards
2005 Broadcast Film Critics Association’s Critics’ Choice Awards winners: January 10, 2005
("*" denotes the winner in each category)
 

Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen in Sideways
 

Best Film
The Aviator
Collateral
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Finding Neverland
Hotel Rwanda
Kinsey
Million Dollar Baby
The Phantom of the Opera
Ray
* Sideways
Best Foreign-Language Film
The Motorcycle Diaries
A Very Long Engagement
* Mar adentro / The Sea Inside
Maria Full of Grace
House of Flying Daggers
Best Documentary Feature
Control Room
* Fahrenheit 9/11
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
Super Size Me
Best Animated Feature
* The Incredibles
The Polar Express
Shrek 2
Best Director
Clint Eastwood – Million Dollar Baby
Marc Forster – Finding Neverland
Taylor Hackford – Ray
Alexander Payne – Sideways
* Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
Best Actor
Javier Bardem – The Sea Inside
Don Cheadle – Hotel [...]

National Society of Film Critics Awards 2005

2005 National Society of Film Critics Awards
2005 National Society of Film Critics award winners: Sardi’s in New York City on January 9, 2005
 

Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby
 

Best Film: Million Dollar Baby
Runners-Up: Sideways, Before Sunset
Best Foreign-Language Film: Moolaade directed by Ousmane Sambene
Runners-Up: House of Flying Daggers directed by Zhang Yimou, Notre musique directed by Jean-Luc Godard
Best Director: Zhang Yimou House of Flying Daggers and Hero
Runners-Up: Alexander Payne Sideways, Clint Eastwood Million Dollar Baby
Best Actor: Jamie Foxx Ray
Runners-Up: Paul Giamatti Sideways, Clint Eastwood Million Dollar Baby
Best Actress (tie): Imelda Staunton Vera Drake and Hilary Swank Million Dollar Baby
Runner-Up: Julie Delpy Before Sunset
Best Supporting Actor: Thomas Haden Church Sideways
Runners-Up: Morgan Freeman Million Dollar Baby, Peter Sarsgaard Kinsey
Best Supporting Actress: [...]

Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Awards 2004

2005 Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association Awards
2005 Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association Award winners: January 4, 2005
 

Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby
 

Best Film: Million Dollar Baby
Runners-up: Sideways, Finding Neverland, The Aviator, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Ray, Kinsey, The Incredibles, A Very Long Engagement, Hotel Rwanda
Best Foreign-Language Film: A Very Long Engagement
Runners-up: The Motorcycle Diaries, House of Flying Daggers, Bad Education, Maria Full of Grace
Best Director: Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
Runners-up: Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby; Alexander Payne, Sideways; Marc Forster, Finding Neverland; Pedro Almodóvar, Bad Education
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti, Sideways
Runners-up: Jamie Foxx, Ray; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator; Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland; Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda
Best Actress: Hilary Swank, Million [...]

Kansas City Film Critics Awards 2005

2005 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
2005 Kansas City Film Critics Circle award winners: January 2, 2005
 

Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby
 

Best Film: Million Dollar Baby
Runner-up: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Best Foreign Language Film: A Very Long Engagement
Runner-up: The Passion of the Christ
Best Director: Martin Scorsese The Aviator
Runner-up: Clint Eastwood Million Dollar Baby
Best Actor: Jamie Foxx Ray
Runner-up: Paul Giamatti Sideways
Best Actress: Hilary Swank Million Dollar Baby
Runner-up: Imelda Staunton Vera Drake
Best Supporting Actor: Thomas Haden Church Sideways
Runner-up: Morgan Freeman Million Dollar Baby
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett The Aviator
Runner-up: Virginia Madsen Sideways
Best Original Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Runner-up: Bill Condon Kinsey
Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor Sideways
Runner-up: Paul [...]

Seattle Film Critics Awards 2004

2004 Seattle Film Critics Awards
2004 Seattle Film Critics Award winners: December 30, 2004
 

Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby
 

Best Film: Million Dollar Baby
Best Foreign-Language Film: Maria Full of Grace
Best Documentary (tie): Control Room and Touching the Void
Best Animated Film: The Incredibles
Best Director: Clint Eastwood – Million Dollar Baby
Best Actor: Jamie Foxx – Ray
Best Actress: Imelda Staunton – Vera Drake
Best Supporting Actor: Thomas Haden Church – Sideways
Best Supporting Actress: Virginia Madsen – Sideways
Best Original Screenplay: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Charlie Kaufman
Best Adapted Screenplay: Sideways, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor
Living Treasure Award: Henry Bumstead
Special Citation: Brian Jamieson and Richard Schickel for the reconstruction of Samuel Fuller’s 1980 The [...]

Florida Film Critics Awards 2004

2004 Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
2004 Florida Film Critics Circle Award winners: December 21, 2004
 

Paul Giamatti in Sideways
 

Best Film Sideways
Best Foreign-Language Film A Very Long Engagement
Best Documentary Fahrenheit 9/11
Best Animated Film The Incredibles
Best Director Alexander Payne Sideways
Best Actor Jamie Foxx Ray
Best Actress Hilary Swank Million Dollar Baby
Best Supporting Actor Thomas Haden Church Sideways
Best Supporting Actress Laura Linney Kinsey
Best Screenplay Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor Sideways
Pauline Kael Breakout Award: Zach Braff for Garden State
 
Florida Film Critics Circle Site
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards: 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Film Awards: 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
 

Phoenix Film Critics Awards 2004

2004 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
2004 Phoenix Film Critics Society award winners: December 21, 2004
 

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator
 

Best Film: The Aviator by Martin Scorsese
Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Finding Neverland
Hero
Hotel Rwanda
The Incredibles
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways
Spanglish
Best Foreign- Language Film: Hero directed by Zhang Yimou
Best Director: Martin Scorsese The Aviator
Best Actor: Jamie Foxx Ray
Best Actress: Hilary Swank Million Dollar Baby
Best Supporting Actor: Thomas Haden Church Sideways
Best Supporting Actress: Laura Linney Kinsey
Best Ensemble Acting: Sideways
Best Original Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor Sideways
Overlooked Film of the Year: Stage Beauty
Best Live Action Family Film: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Best Animated Film: The [...]

Chicago Film Critics Awards 2004

2004 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
2004 Chicago Film Critics Association Award winners: December 20, 2004
 

Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church in Sideways
 

Best Film Sideways
Best Foreign-Language Film A Very Long Engagement
Best Director Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
Best Actor Paul Giamatti, Sideways
Best Actress Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
Best Supporting Actor Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Best Supporting Actress Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Best Screenplay Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Sideways
Best Cinematography (tie) Christopher Doyle, Hero, and Robert Richardson, The Aviator
Best Score Howard Shore, The Aviator
Best Documentary Fahrenheit 9/11
Best New Director Zach Braff, Garden State
Most Promising Performer Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace
 
Chicago Film Critics Association Site
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards: 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Film Awards: 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 [...]

MILLION DOLLAR BABY – Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank

Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Director: Clint Eastwood
Screenplay: Paul Haggis, mostly from "Million $$$ Baby," one of the six short stories found in F. X. Toole’s (aka Jerry Boyd) Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel, Mike Colter, Lucia Rijker
 

 

Fresh off the multiple Academy Award nominee Mystic River, Clint Eastwood has gone on to tackle the ups and downs of the boxing world in Million Dollar Baby. Despite the cheery title, this is not the usual Rocky-esque rags-to-riches story of the determined underdog who inevitably becomes a super-topdog once she (in this case it’s a “she”) puts on her gloves, jumps into the boxing ring, and starts using other women as punching bags. About two-thirds [...]

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