2012 Red Carpet Awards Season blasts off with Nostalgia

The 17th Critics Choice Awards (Jan. 12)  launched the 2012 Music & Film Awards Season. It is a joyful and moving event to see someone who has had such an influence on all our lives receive the recognition and tribute they have earned. The Critics Choice Awards paid homage to director Martin Scorsese for his remarkable contributions to film, showing segments from Taxi Driver, The Aviator, Raging Bull, No Direction Home, Last Waltz, George Harrison: Living in The Material World and many other of his films and docs. He was honoured on stage at the Hollywood Palladium in LA, by people he has come to know intimately through his work; George Harrison’s widow Olivia, Bob Dylan and Leonardo DiCaprio. The award for Music and Film meant a lot to Scorsese who was humbled by the honour. Actor/activist Sean Penn was also honoured for his humanitarian work in Haiti.


Another veteran actor/director/producer we all know and love, George Clooney took the trophy for Best Actor in The Descendants but everyone else on the top of the roster was a surprise. ‘The Help’, a story rejected by 60 publishers before a taker came along leapt to the forefront with a Best Actress win for Viola Davis, and Best Supporting Actress, Octavia Spencer as well as Best Ensemble. Davis plays her character,  Aibileen with power and heart. “I wanted to be somebody. I wanted to dream big and make a mark somehow”said Davis. She wanted to “pay homage to these women…who were not allowed to dream.”

Best Comedy went to a silly but highly entertaining film Bridesmaids, which was a winner because of the excellent ensemble of actors. Bridesmaids is a ‘bit of a female version of The Hangover’ - a welcome switch in perspective. The big winner of the evening “Best Picture” went to a black and white, silent or almost silent, film except for a few stray words and a lovely soundtrack “The Artist”. “The Artist’ is a French film by Michel Hazanavicius who has almost single handedly resurrected the silent film. “The Artist” started to gain serious attention at TIFF. “The familiar story is reminiscent of classics like Sunset Boulevard and A Star is Born”, said Michele Maheux (TIFF).  The Artist inspires “ a newfound appreciation for silent cinema, melodrama and the intense emotional effects this type of genre can deliver.”  It is certainly doing just that.

Considering the remarkable lineup of movies in contention this year more surprises are yet to come. Some of my favourites are Moneyball, Shame, Hugo, Albert Nobbs, J. Edgar, MI4, War Horse, Sherlock Holmes and TinTin. Check out the reviews and interviews with the stars on myETVmedia. Select your own and enjoy a great year in film! The bar has been raised.

http://myetvmedia.com/film-review/the-help-trailer/

http://myetvmedia.com/film-review/bridesmaids/

http://myetvmedia.com/film-review/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world/