how i voted ... in the cca poll
begin 2k4dec17 @ 10:45 am
ok, the college critics association had a little vote on various film categories, the results will be out soon. since my readership is tiny, there should be no problem posting the options and my choices. don't recall reading any disclaimer regarding that anyway.
how i voted on 2k4dec16 @ 12:34-43 am:
College Critics' Picks 2004
Categories 1-6 of 17
1. Best leading male performance
Jamie Foxx, Ray
* Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
Paul Giamatti, Sideways
Tobey Maguire, Spider-Man 2
Not a clue why they split the ballot up into three parts, but they did. First one was kind of hard, kind of a no-brainer. Foxx was amazing. Maguire was adequate/shrill/great. Haven't seen their movies, but I'm sure Giamatti and DiCraprio do varying degrees of wonderful in each. My sentimental favorite was Depp, who hit all the right notes in a sufficiently fictionalized story about a fictionalized story's creation.
2. Best leading female performance
Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
Julia Roberts, Closer
* Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Meryl Streep, The Manchurian Candidate
Uma Therman, Kill Bill, Volume 2
I went with the weird one here. I liked Winslet in "Finding Neverland," so half-pretending that was the movie listed for her helped. I hated Uma Thurman's character in KB, so that blinded me about the performance. Didn't see the rest, including ESotSM, which I suspect I'll hate (its screenwriter has been a good indicator in the past). At this point, I realized I was using capitalization normally in this post and decide to stick with it. Yikes.
3. Best newcomer/most promising young actor
* Bryce Dallas Howard, The Village
Gael García Bernal, Bad Education
Jon Heder, Napoleon Dynamite
Morgan Spurlock, Super Size Me
Zach Braff, Garden State
I love Braff and "Garden State" looks very much like the films I've made, if I were a filmmaker. But he seems nothing more than a one-note guy, also like me. He plays the same role in "Scrubs." Sounds less like theatrics and more like acting natural. Spurlock as an actor in a film that purports to be a documentary. Interesting nominee. I guess that means CCA thinks a win here would indicate college kids didn't bite off more than they could chew with this "propaganda." Why not include Michael Moore here then? Too polarizing? Mmm. "Napoleon Dynamite" was overrated. Cute, but please. Didn't see "Bad Education," but I think Bernal is a pretty boy. No thanks, for now. That leaves the lone woman, who has been in relatively few works before. And she did an awesome job.
4. Best costume
Brad Pitt, Troy
Halle Berry, Catwoman
Reese Witherspoon, Vanity Fair
* Ron Perlman, Hellboy
Marlon and Shawn Wayans, White Chicks
Torn between Witherspoon and Perlman, I went with the incredibly well-realized physical representation of an over-stylized two-dimensional superhero. I have a feeling "Fair" was only nominated for dance number scene costume. Nuh-uh. In retrospect, I should've gone with it, since "Hellboy" got nominated in other categories.
5. Best foreign film
House of Flying Daggers
* A Very Long Engagement
Hero
The Motorcycle Diaries
Shaun of the Dead
Not having seen any of these, I figured the one made by the team behind "Amélie" was the safest bet. I enjoyed what I saw in that bit of documentary/puff/fluff I saw on PBS a few weeks back (Thanksgiving?).
6. Best hero
Jason Bourne, The Bourne Supremacy
Hellboy, Hellboy
* Mr. Incredible, The Incredibles
Shrek, Shrek 2
Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2
More difficulties arose here. Whom do I love more? I hedged my bets and chose the best-flawed but oh-so likable animated guy, the one I could relate to the least but aspire to be the most like. Does that make sense? Haven't seen either Bourne film yet.
College Critics' Picks 2004
Categories 7-12 of 17
7. Best horror movie
Dawn of the Dead
The Grudge
Saw
Van Helsing
* The Village
Horror's not a big deal for me, and I have a hard time putting "Van Helsing" in that genre, but OK. I probably would've picked "Saw," just based on the trailer, but I heard it actually sucked a bunch. So it was down to VH and TV. Gee, should I pick the film I didn't like?
8. Best movie nobody saw
Coffee and Cigarettes
Donnie Darko (director's cut)
* Sideways
Super Size Me
Vera Drake
I've heard very good things about "Donnie Darko," but I have ill will toward Jake Gyllenhal (his surname's pronunciation is counterintuitive, for one thing, he almost screwed up the non-chemistry in the "Spider-Man" franchise, and "Moonlight Mile" blew). Didn't see the others. When in doubt, go with the Giamatti flick. I like that I had to chose a film I didn't see out of a group of films I didn't see for a category about films nobody saw. I almost saw "Super Size Me," when they shipped it to the screening location instead of "Stateside." Should've asked them screen it for me anyway.
9. Best sequel
The Bourne Supremacy
Kill Bill, Volume 2
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Shrek 2
* Spider-Man 2
This one was easy. If I was an action junkie, I would've hated KBV2 after the first one. Hated both. Didn't see Bourne's outings. "Shrek 2" was not a good follow-up. The change of directors gave the "Potter" series a nice visual shake-up, although the story's tone actually remained largely the same, the critics are insane when they say it's darker. Self-delusion is a fun game. That leaves the only film that remained consistent internally as well as with its predecessor. Go Sam Raimi!
10. Best book adaptation
Friday Night Lights
Hellboy
The Polar Express
* Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Secret Window
The category should've been called "Best adaptation," as "Hellboy" was based on a comic book series, sort of. Mostly a new story incorporating elements from some pre-existing plot points. But I've never read 'em, so I couldn't in good conscience vote for it. (Strange that my conscience selectively influences me on some of these and not others.) I thought Cuarón distilled "Azkaban" with great skill and finesse. Hooray for foreign guy!
11. Favorite movie from summer vacation
Fahrenheit 9/11
Anchorman" The Legend of Ron Burgundy
* Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
The Village
Spider-Man 2
The only one of these that did not get another nomination and I actually liked was HaKGtWC. I thought it was the best comedy of the year at the time. I can't figure out if I still think that. "Bowling for Columbine" stood on far firmer ground than F9/11 and even that was logically flawed. SP2 and TV were great but not favorites. "Anchorman" was better than "Napoleon" (mostly saw them the same day, back-to-back), but not too hot at all. "White Castle" made me laugh like few movies have during my time at the Sundial. Thanks, guys.
12. Best date movie
50 First Dates
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
* Garden State
Napoleon Dynamite
Shaun of the Dead
I can't believe I did a clothespin vote. None of these were super-good for a date, though I guess it depends on what kind of significant other you have. I guess I was still stuck in my previous relationship for this choice. I'm sure the ex loved this film if she saw it. Portman's character was too much like her in some respects. Three cheers for mental illness and uppers!
College Critics' Picks 2004
Categories 13-17 of 17
13. Best comedy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
* Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
I Heart Huckabees
Mean Girls
Napoleon Dynamite
Thanks to great friends Andrew and Tamie, I had an option I could stick by for this category. Didn't really like "Anchorman," heard lovely things about "I Heart Huckabees" (and probably will enjoy the hell out of it when I eventually see it), detested "Mean Girls" and was eh toward "Napoleon." I laughed through much of "Dodgeball," imperfect as it was. Stiller was at his best since "The Cable Guy," where he was mostly behind the camera.
14. Movie most likely to end up in a college curriculum
* Farenheit 9/11
Donnie Darko (director's cut)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Passion of the Christ
Super Size Me
So many college professors are whiny these days, they're silly enough to make Moore's failed agitprop piece part of a bunch of classes on each coast and a few heartland bastions of sanity. I think each film qualifies, depending on the class. Relgious studies classes can dissect Gibson's wackiness while marketing peeps tear Spurlock a new one. Philosophy majors and physicists will have a ball watching DD and ESotSM.
15. Best animated movie
* The Incredibles
The Polar Express
Shark Tale
Shrek 2
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
PLEASE. Didn't see "Shark Tale" or "Spongebob," but come on. Brad Bird and Pixar killed everyone this year. Not that competition was anywhere near stiff. No, it was pretty limp, sir.
16. Best on-screen chemistry
Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate, Anchorman, The Legend of Ron Burgundy
* Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, Collateral
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
John Cho and Kal Penn, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, Spider-Man 2
Cruise and Foxx worked extremely well this year. Hope Foxx has a killer year in 2005, then give him the Oscar in 2006. It's Depp's time at the next Oscars, dammit. Tradition!
17. Most disappointing film
Alexander
Alien vs. Predator
Catwoman
* Van Helsing
The Village
When I got passes to a secret film from Universal, I knew it was "Van Helsing." I was bouncing around, yelling "Van Helsing! Van Helsing!" like I did when the "Dinosaur" screening at Disney Studios approached so many years ago (3? I feel oooooold). And then it turns out to be utter crap. Yeah, it's like that.
end 11:38 am (yippee!)
ok, the college critics association had a little vote on various film categories, the results will be out soon. since my readership is tiny, there should be no problem posting the options and my choices. don't recall reading any disclaimer regarding that anyway.
how i voted on 2k4dec16 @ 12:34-43 am:
College Critics' Picks 2004
Categories 1-6 of 17
1. Best leading male performance
Jamie Foxx, Ray
* Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
Paul Giamatti, Sideways
Tobey Maguire, Spider-Man 2
Not a clue why they split the ballot up into three parts, but they did. First one was kind of hard, kind of a no-brainer. Foxx was amazing. Maguire was adequate/shrill/great. Haven't seen their movies, but I'm sure Giamatti and DiCraprio do varying degrees of wonderful in each. My sentimental favorite was Depp, who hit all the right notes in a sufficiently fictionalized story about a fictionalized story's creation.
2. Best leading female performance
Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
Julia Roberts, Closer
* Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Meryl Streep, The Manchurian Candidate
Uma Therman, Kill Bill, Volume 2
I went with the weird one here. I liked Winslet in "Finding Neverland," so half-pretending that was the movie listed for her helped. I hated Uma Thurman's character in KB, so that blinded me about the performance. Didn't see the rest, including ESotSM, which I suspect I'll hate (its screenwriter has been a good indicator in the past). At this point, I realized I was using capitalization normally in this post and decide to stick with it. Yikes.
3. Best newcomer/most promising young actor
* Bryce Dallas Howard, The Village
Gael García Bernal, Bad Education
Jon Heder, Napoleon Dynamite
Morgan Spurlock, Super Size Me
Zach Braff, Garden State
I love Braff and "Garden State" looks very much like the films I've made, if I were a filmmaker. But he seems nothing more than a one-note guy, also like me. He plays the same role in "Scrubs." Sounds less like theatrics and more like acting natural. Spurlock as an actor in a film that purports to be a documentary. Interesting nominee. I guess that means CCA thinks a win here would indicate college kids didn't bite off more than they could chew with this "propaganda." Why not include Michael Moore here then? Too polarizing? Mmm. "Napoleon Dynamite" was overrated. Cute, but please. Didn't see "Bad Education," but I think Bernal is a pretty boy. No thanks, for now. That leaves the lone woman, who has been in relatively few works before. And she did an awesome job.
4. Best costume
Brad Pitt, Troy
Halle Berry, Catwoman
Reese Witherspoon, Vanity Fair
* Ron Perlman, Hellboy
Marlon and Shawn Wayans, White Chicks
Torn between Witherspoon and Perlman, I went with the incredibly well-realized physical representation of an over-stylized two-dimensional superhero. I have a feeling "Fair" was only nominated for dance number scene costume. Nuh-uh. In retrospect, I should've gone with it, since "Hellboy" got nominated in other categories.
5. Best foreign film
House of Flying Daggers
* A Very Long Engagement
Hero
The Motorcycle Diaries
Shaun of the Dead
Not having seen any of these, I figured the one made by the team behind "Amélie" was the safest bet. I enjoyed what I saw in that bit of documentary/puff/fluff I saw on PBS a few weeks back (Thanksgiving?).
6. Best hero
Jason Bourne, The Bourne Supremacy
Hellboy, Hellboy
* Mr. Incredible, The Incredibles
Shrek, Shrek 2
Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2
More difficulties arose here. Whom do I love more? I hedged my bets and chose the best-flawed but oh-so likable animated guy, the one I could relate to the least but aspire to be the most like. Does that make sense? Haven't seen either Bourne film yet.
College Critics' Picks 2004
Categories 7-12 of 17
7. Best horror movie
Dawn of the Dead
The Grudge
Saw
Van Helsing
* The Village
Horror's not a big deal for me, and I have a hard time putting "Van Helsing" in that genre, but OK. I probably would've picked "Saw," just based on the trailer, but I heard it actually sucked a bunch. So it was down to VH and TV. Gee, should I pick the film I didn't like?
8. Best movie nobody saw
Coffee and Cigarettes
Donnie Darko (director's cut)
* Sideways
Super Size Me
Vera Drake
I've heard very good things about "Donnie Darko," but I have ill will toward Jake Gyllenhal (his surname's pronunciation is counterintuitive, for one thing, he almost screwed up the non-chemistry in the "Spider-Man" franchise, and "Moonlight Mile" blew). Didn't see the others. When in doubt, go with the Giamatti flick. I like that I had to chose a film I didn't see out of a group of films I didn't see for a category about films nobody saw. I almost saw "Super Size Me," when they shipped it to the screening location instead of "Stateside." Should've asked them screen it for me anyway.
9. Best sequel
The Bourne Supremacy
Kill Bill, Volume 2
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Shrek 2
* Spider-Man 2
This one was easy. If I was an action junkie, I would've hated KBV2 after the first one. Hated both. Didn't see Bourne's outings. "Shrek 2" was not a good follow-up. The change of directors gave the "Potter" series a nice visual shake-up, although the story's tone actually remained largely the same, the critics are insane when they say it's darker. Self-delusion is a fun game. That leaves the only film that remained consistent internally as well as with its predecessor. Go Sam Raimi!
10. Best book adaptation
Friday Night Lights
Hellboy
The Polar Express
* Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Secret Window
The category should've been called "Best adaptation," as "Hellboy" was based on a comic book series, sort of. Mostly a new story incorporating elements from some pre-existing plot points. But I've never read 'em, so I couldn't in good conscience vote for it. (Strange that my conscience selectively influences me on some of these and not others.) I thought Cuarón distilled "Azkaban" with great skill and finesse. Hooray for foreign guy!
11. Favorite movie from summer vacation
Fahrenheit 9/11
Anchorman" The Legend of Ron Burgundy
* Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
The Village
Spider-Man 2
The only one of these that did not get another nomination and I actually liked was HaKGtWC. I thought it was the best comedy of the year at the time. I can't figure out if I still think that. "Bowling for Columbine" stood on far firmer ground than F9/11 and even that was logically flawed. SP2 and TV were great but not favorites. "Anchorman" was better than "Napoleon" (mostly saw them the same day, back-to-back), but not too hot at all. "White Castle" made me laugh like few movies have during my time at the Sundial. Thanks, guys.
12. Best date movie
50 First Dates
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
* Garden State
Napoleon Dynamite
Shaun of the Dead
I can't believe I did a clothespin vote. None of these were super-good for a date, though I guess it depends on what kind of significant other you have. I guess I was still stuck in my previous relationship for this choice. I'm sure the ex loved this film if she saw it. Portman's character was too much like her in some respects. Three cheers for mental illness and uppers!
College Critics' Picks 2004
Categories 13-17 of 17
13. Best comedy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
* Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
I Heart Huckabees
Mean Girls
Napoleon Dynamite
Thanks to great friends Andrew and Tamie, I had an option I could stick by for this category. Didn't really like "Anchorman," heard lovely things about "I Heart Huckabees" (and probably will enjoy the hell out of it when I eventually see it), detested "Mean Girls" and was eh toward "Napoleon." I laughed through much of "Dodgeball," imperfect as it was. Stiller was at his best since "The Cable Guy," where he was mostly behind the camera.
14. Movie most likely to end up in a college curriculum
* Farenheit 9/11
Donnie Darko (director's cut)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Passion of the Christ
Super Size Me
So many college professors are whiny these days, they're silly enough to make Moore's failed agitprop piece part of a bunch of classes on each coast and a few heartland bastions of sanity. I think each film qualifies, depending on the class. Relgious studies classes can dissect Gibson's wackiness while marketing peeps tear Spurlock a new one. Philosophy majors and physicists will have a ball watching DD and ESotSM.
15. Best animated movie
* The Incredibles
The Polar Express
Shark Tale
Shrek 2
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
PLEASE. Didn't see "Shark Tale" or "Spongebob," but come on. Brad Bird and Pixar killed everyone this year. Not that competition was anywhere near stiff. No, it was pretty limp, sir.
16. Best on-screen chemistry
Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate, Anchorman, The Legend of Ron Burgundy
* Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, Collateral
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
John Cho and Kal Penn, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, Spider-Man 2
Cruise and Foxx worked extremely well this year. Hope Foxx has a killer year in 2005, then give him the Oscar in 2006. It's Depp's time at the next Oscars, dammit. Tradition!
17. Most disappointing film
Alexander
Alien vs. Predator
Catwoman
* Van Helsing
The Village
When I got passes to a secret film from Universal, I knew it was "Van Helsing." I was bouncing around, yelling "Van Helsing! Van Helsing!" like I did when the "Dinosaur" screening at Disney Studios approached so many years ago (3? I feel oooooold). And then it turns out to be utter crap. Yeah, it's like that.
end 11:38 am (yippee!)