Post BAFTA reaction
As I am in Rishikesh at the present moment until 7th March, I have been unable to immerse myself in the film award season; missing out on watching the BAFTA's which is always broadcast around my birthday in February, something I am very happy to watch as a birthday present every year.
I have managed to watch the whole show via YouTube (unofficially from the normal format of the BBC iPlayer, because you cannot watch it abroad in India).
My first reaction is atypical, definitely expected results, some surprises but then again BAFTA are always a more sophisticated individual award ceremony. The only one in the season that is from the British Academy, signalling us out as one of a kind.
The soiree weather as I could tell from the initial broadcasts afterwards, featured rain and sleet at the same time, something to greet the Hollywood stars with, only in England.
If I go through the list of winners and my reaction of unexpected and expected winners:
- Outstanding British Film- Skyfall- What a brilliant recipient. It was one of the films of the year for me, and definitely topping the British film of the year list. It took an immense amount at the UK box office, becoming the biggest grossing film in the UK after just 40 days on release. Sam Mendes did a tremendous job, especially after the somewhat downer of a second film with new Bond Daniel Craig, which followed on with the same storyline. This one was fresh and went back to the beginnings of the secret agent 007 died and came back to life, for the 50th anniversary. Lauded as the best Bond film in decades, it's an unexpected nomination, as Bond films don't normally get this kind of recognition or serious consideration. But overall, well deserved. Beating Les Miserables, Anna Karenina, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel & Seven Psycopaths.
Best Original Screenplay- Quentin Tarantino- Quentin was awarded the same accolade at the Golden Globes, which was unexpected. Up against screenplays from Amour, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom, & Zero Dark Thirty, this isn't that much of a surprise. Dialogue is a big thing in Tarantino's films, it's always penned by himself as a writer and director for all of his films. They have a very specific type of language, explicit mainly and quick quipped, full of banter, wit and interwoven stories. The film was praised for its story and overall performances etc. but to win awards is a rare thing for the blood stained director (the use of red in his films, in case you don't follow). This is a thing of beauty for a director who doesn't like award shows and despises most academies for not allowing this hair brained, slightly mad capped director into their posse. I'm very happy for Tarantino and may he win the Oscar as well.
Best Supporting Actor- Christoph Waltz- This just so happens to be his second film with Tarantino and his second set of awards he's won. Hollywood loves this German born actor, he has charisma and an real sense of wisdom and intelligence in his interviews. A brilliant actor, whether playing the hated Colonel Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds, where he won all the awards for his performance, as a dangerous man under the Nazi's with violent tendencies. Yet he seemed to win people's hearts somehow, playing the character with charisma. In Django Unchained he plays someone good, helping freed slave Jamie Foxx find his wife, who is stuck with evil plantation owner Leonardo DiCaprio (in an unconventional and supporting role for his calibre and status, which is very refreshing). It's not a surprise as he's just won the Golden Globe for supporting actor. Whether he'll win the Oscar seems likely, but he is up against Alan Arkin for Argo, Robert DeNiro for Silver Linings Playbook, Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master and Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln; he has won every other award going so he seems the likely bet.
Best Director- Ben Affleck- Now this is no big surprise, but it is a surprise as he was snubbed at the Oscars. He was up against previous winners Kathryn Bigelow, Ang Lee and Quentin Tarantino who is yet to win and new nominee Michael Haneke for Amour. Affleck unquestionably did an amazing job with his second film as a new director to get nominated, after just acting. He has a talent and has made some interesting films, Argo is an unbelievable true story of how a group of hostages in the United States embassy in Iran was attacked in 1980 and how a CIA operative managed to fly them to safety via the use of a fake sci-fi movie being filmed in Iran. The film is intense, edge of your seat stuff sometimes. A well deserved award for Affleck, let's hope he comes out with a brilliant third act soon.
Best Actress- Emmanuelle Riva- I am yet to see the foreign language film Amour, as I am not home yet, plus the cinemas nearest to me are unlikely to play such a film, unless you find an indie cinema like the Picturehouse. Its a quiet film with immense power because of the subject being about love later on in life. The performance has been praised incredibly and it's amazing to see her winning this award at the BAFTA's as well. She is nominated at the Oscars but whether a foreign actress will win the biggest award of the night when she is up against newcomers Quvenzhanes Willis the 9 year old actress for Beasts of the Southern Wild, Jessica Chastain for her role in Zero Dark Thirty, Naomi Watts for The Impossible and Jennifer Lawrence for her role in Silver Linings Playbook. The list this year is strong, great performances all around.
Best Actor- Daniel Day-Lewis- Unsurprising, but he is the actors actor. Method actor, living within his characters. Especially being directed by powerhouse Steven Spielberg and playing the living iconic American president Abraham Lincoln, it was an expected win, but well deserved. You don't see the actor when portraying the man, myth, legend and icon of a president. He embodies it all, and he will win the Oscar, and I don't think anyone can find anything bad to say about the man and the actor.
Best Film- Argo- Not surprising considering the film won four awards, the most out of the whole night. But also being up against other box office powerhouses such as musical Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty. The film isn't the most successful, but is lauded by many as being a class act from actor turned director Affleck.
Overall the BAFTA's this year hasn't been that full of surprises. But the few remain the best kind. Something hopefully the Oscars will take into account come February 24th.
I have managed to watch the whole show via YouTube (unofficially from the normal format of the BBC iPlayer, because you cannot watch it abroad in India).
My first reaction is atypical, definitely expected results, some surprises but then again BAFTA are always a more sophisticated individual award ceremony. The only one in the season that is from the British Academy, signalling us out as one of a kind.
The soiree weather as I could tell from the initial broadcasts afterwards, featured rain and sleet at the same time, something to greet the Hollywood stars with, only in England.
If I go through the list of winners and my reaction of unexpected and expected winners:
- Outstanding British Film- Skyfall- What a brilliant recipient. It was one of the films of the year for me, and definitely topping the British film of the year list. It took an immense amount at the UK box office, becoming the biggest grossing film in the UK after just 40 days on release. Sam Mendes did a tremendous job, especially after the somewhat downer of a second film with new Bond Daniel Craig, which followed on with the same storyline. This one was fresh and went back to the beginnings of the secret agent 007 died and came back to life, for the 50th anniversary. Lauded as the best Bond film in decades, it's an unexpected nomination, as Bond films don't normally get this kind of recognition or serious consideration. But overall, well deserved. Beating Les Miserables, Anna Karenina, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel & Seven Psycopaths.
 |
| Daniel Craig's Bond wins gong |
Best Original Screenplay- Quentin Tarantino- Quentin was awarded the same accolade at the Golden Globes, which was unexpected. Up against screenplays from Amour, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom, & Zero Dark Thirty, this isn't that much of a surprise. Dialogue is a big thing in Tarantino's films, it's always penned by himself as a writer and director for all of his films. They have a very specific type of language, explicit mainly and quick quipped, full of banter, wit and interwoven stories. The film was praised for its story and overall performances etc. but to win awards is a rare thing for the blood stained director (the use of red in his films, in case you don't follow). This is a thing of beauty for a director who doesn't like award shows and despises most academies for not allowing this hair brained, slightly mad capped director into their posse. I'm very happy for Tarantino and may he win the Oscar as well.
 |
| Tarantino's dialogue heavy masterpiece |
Best Supporting Actor- Christoph Waltz- This just so happens to be his second film with Tarantino and his second set of awards he's won. Hollywood loves this German born actor, he has charisma and an real sense of wisdom and intelligence in his interviews. A brilliant actor, whether playing the hated Colonel Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds, where he won all the awards for his performance, as a dangerous man under the Nazi's with violent tendencies. Yet he seemed to win people's hearts somehow, playing the character with charisma. In Django Unchained he plays someone good, helping freed slave Jamie Foxx find his wife, who is stuck with evil plantation owner Leonardo DiCaprio (in an unconventional and supporting role for his calibre and status, which is very refreshing). It's not a surprise as he's just won the Golden Globe for supporting actor. Whether he'll win the Oscar seems likely, but he is up against Alan Arkin for Argo, Robert DeNiro for Silver Linings Playbook, Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master and Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln; he has won every other award going so he seems the likely bet.
Best Director- Ben Affleck- Now this is no big surprise, but it is a surprise as he was snubbed at the Oscars. He was up against previous winners Kathryn Bigelow, Ang Lee and Quentin Tarantino who is yet to win and new nominee Michael Haneke for Amour. Affleck unquestionably did an amazing job with his second film as a new director to get nominated, after just acting. He has a talent and has made some interesting films, Argo is an unbelievable true story of how a group of hostages in the United States embassy in Iran was attacked in 1980 and how a CIA operative managed to fly them to safety via the use of a fake sci-fi movie being filmed in Iran. The film is intense, edge of your seat stuff sometimes. A well deserved award for Affleck, let's hope he comes out with a brilliant third act soon.
 |
| Affleck as director/actor in Argo |
Best Actress- Emmanuelle Riva- I am yet to see the foreign language film Amour, as I am not home yet, plus the cinemas nearest to me are unlikely to play such a film, unless you find an indie cinema like the Picturehouse. Its a quiet film with immense power because of the subject being about love later on in life. The performance has been praised incredibly and it's amazing to see her winning this award at the BAFTA's as well. She is nominated at the Oscars but whether a foreign actress will win the biggest award of the night when she is up against newcomers Quvenzhanes Willis the 9 year old actress for Beasts of the Southern Wild, Jessica Chastain for her role in Zero Dark Thirty, Naomi Watts for The Impossible and Jennifer Lawrence for her role in Silver Linings Playbook. The list this year is strong, great performances all around.
Best Actor- Daniel Day-Lewis- Unsurprising, but he is the actors actor. Method actor, living within his characters. Especially being directed by powerhouse Steven Spielberg and playing the living iconic American president Abraham Lincoln, it was an expected win, but well deserved. You don't see the actor when portraying the man, myth, legend and icon of a president. He embodies it all, and he will win the Oscar, and I don't think anyone can find anything bad to say about the man and the actor.
 |
| Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln. The man, myth, legend, president. |
Best Film- Argo- Not surprising considering the film won four awards, the most out of the whole night. But also being up against other box office powerhouses such as musical Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty. The film isn't the most successful, but is lauded by many as being a class act from actor turned director Affleck.
Overall the BAFTA's this year hasn't been that full of surprises. But the few remain the best kind. Something hopefully the Oscars will take into account come February 24th.
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