The front-runner for Oscar success since it opened in the US in mid-September, American Beauty continues to lead the field with the announcement of the Golden Globe nominations and the key end-of-year awards from the US critics. The dark, subversive picture of American suburban life, which received six Globe nominations, is the first film from the acclaimed English theatre director, Sam Mendes, and it opens in Ireland on February 4th.
It was followed with five nominations each by the Patricia Highsmith adaptation, The Talented Mr Ripley, Anthony Minghella's first film since his Oscar-winning The English Patient, and Michael Mann's The Insider, the factually based story of Jeffrey Wigand, a tobacco-industry whistle-blower.
Neil Jordan's new film, his adaptation of Graham Greene's The End of the Affair, is well positioned for Oscar consideration with its four Golden Globe nominations - best picture, director, actress (Julianne Moore) and score (Michael Nyman). It opens here on February 11th.
The Golden Globes, voted annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and the end-of-year awards by film critics' groups, have become increasingly influential in the run-up to the Oscar nominations which follow in February. The Los Angeles Film Critics' Circle gave four awards to Michael Mann's The Insider - best film of the year, best actor (Russell Crowe), supporting actor (Christopher Plummer) and Dante Spinotti (cinematography). Sam Mendes was named best director for American Beauty.
The award for best actress went to Hilary Swank for her remarkable performance as a young woman who lives as a man in Boys Don't Cry, and Chloe Sevigny was named best supporting actress for the same film. Best foreign-language film went to Pedro Almodovar's All About My Mother.
The LA critics awarded Charlie Kaufman best screenplay for the innovative comedy Being John Malkovich, Wim Wenders and Ry Cooder best documentary for The Buena Vista Social Club, Brad Bird best animation for The Iron Giant, and Rich Heinrichs best production design for Sleepy Hollow. The surprise choice for best music was Trey Parker and Marc Shaiman's score for South Park - Bigger, Longer and Uncut. The even more surprising choice for best film by the New York Film Critics' Circle was Topsy-Turvy, Mike Leigh's film dealing with the composers Gilbert and Sullivan, which received decidedly mixed reviews on its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September. Leigh was also named best director for the film.
Repeating her LA success, Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry) was named best actress by the New York group, which chose Richard Farnsworth as best actor for The Straight Story. John Malkovich was named best supporting actor for playing himself in Being John Malkovich, which also received awards for best supporting actress (Catherine Keener) and best first film (director Spike Jonze).
As in LA, All About My Mother and The Buena Vista Social Club were named best foreign film and documentary, respectively. The cinematography award went to Freddie Francis for The Straight Story. Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor received best screenplay award for Election. The award for best animation went to the South Park movie.
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, a 90-year-old group that includes film teachers, film students and critics, named American Beauty best picture.
Best Director award went to Anthony Minghella for The Talented Mr Ripley, which the board's electorate viewed on an unfinished work print. The Australian actor Russell Crowe again was voted best actor for The Insider, and British actress Janet McTeer was named best actress for the indie production, Tumbleweeds.
Philip Seymour Hoffman was named best supporting actor for his performances in Magnolia and The Talented Mr Ripley. The ubiquitous Julianne Moore was named best supporting actress for her roles in three films - A Map of The World, Cookie's Fortune and Magnolia. John Irving was awarded best screenplay for his adaptation of his own novel, The Cider House Rules.
The Buena Vista Social Club was voted best documentary. And the board named the five best foreign films of 1999 as All About My Mother, Run Lola Run, East-West, Cabaret Balkan and The Emperor and the Assassin.
Meanwhile, 47 countries - a record number - have submitted national entries for the Oscar category of best foreign-language film, from which five will be shortlisted as nominees. Among the prime contenders are All About My Mother (Spain), Rosetta (Belgium), East-West (France), Mifune (Denmark), and Three Seasons (Vietnam). ee & Jaguar (Germany), Solomon and Gaenor (Wales), Earth (India), Moloch (Russia) and The Cup (Bhutan).
And the good news from the Academy is that the exuberant Billy Crystal will be back as compere for the 72nd Academy Awards, to be presented at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 26th. The Oscar nominations will be announced on February 15th.
