The 2009 Hollmann Award in 2010!!!

I'm afraid I've been having a number of technical difficulties with the Hollmann Awards this year. I usually have them out before the Oscars, but between Internet problems, saving issues, and a Microsoft Word plagued by an odd virus, I'm going to have to do this a la 2007 Golden Globes - that is, just a list of nominees and winners. We'll let Judi and Maggie host next year, and hopefully I can get more of a jump on things then. My apologies to everyone.

BEST ENSEMBLE, awarded to the casting director(s)
5. Ellen Chenoweth and Rachel Tenner, A Serious Man
4. Celestia Fox, Easy Virtue
3. Justine Baddeley and Kim Davis, Whip It!
2. Sarah Crowe and Meredith Tucker, In the Loop

1. Simone Bar, Olivier Carbone, Jenny Jue and Johanna Ray, Inglourious Basterds
Bar is a German casting director whose other credits include The Reader and The White Ribbon. Olivier Carbone is a French casting director who also worked on La Vie en Rose.
Jenny Jue and Johanna Ray have worked together on the Funny Games remake, Repo! The Genetic Opera and Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia.

BEST SOUND, awarded to whatever senior sound mixers and editors I managed to find
5. Craig Berkey, Johnna Chism and Greg Orloff, A Serious Man
4. Joseph Geisinger, Marti D. Humphrey, Chris M. Jacobson, Ryan Juggler, Paul N.J. Ottosson, Carin Rogers and Jussi Tegelman, Drag Me to Hell
3. Anna Behlmer, Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Alan Rankin and Mark Stoeckinger, Star Trek
2. Tony Lamberti, Michael Minkler, Mark Ulano and Wylie Stateman, Inglourious Basterds
1. Kristian Eidnes Andersen, Antichrist
I think the sound work in the film is incredible, and though more mixing was involved than editing, the overall effect is the same. Less really is more.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
5. John DJ DesJardin, Jessica Norman, Peter G. Travers and Joel Whist, Watchmen
4. Matt Aitken, Robert Habros, Dan Kaufman and Peter Muyzers, District 9
3. Peter Brooke, Michael Eames, Sonny Gerasinowicz, Daniel Jeannette and Peter Stubbs, Where the Wild Things Are
2. Volker Engel, Mike Vezina and Marc Weigert, 2012

Richard Baneham, Joe Letteri, Andrew R. Jones and Stephen Rosenbaum, Avatar
But really, who else?

BEST...I DON'T KNOW, PRACTICAL VISUALS? This is awarded to the production designer, art director and, where credited, set decorator.
5. Dan Bishop (PD), Ian Phillips (AD) and Amy Wells (SD), A Single Man
4. Tony Noble (PD) and Hideki Arichi (AD), Moon
3. Nelson Lowry (PD) and Francesca Maxwell (AD), Fantastic Mr. Fox
2. Henry Selick (PD), Phil Brotherton (AD), Bo Henry (AD) and Tom Proost (AD), Coraline

1. Nathan Crowley (PD), Patrick Lumb (AD), William Ladd Skinner (AD) and Rosemary Brandenburg (SD), Public Enemies
Echoing the art deco style of the period, Crowley and crew got every detail, down to the little price tags on the shops. When they needed to trade in shine for dust, it was perfect.

BEST MAKEUP
5. Thomas Foldberg and Morten Jacobsen, Antichrist
4. Sarah Monzani, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
3. Nick Dudman and Amanda Knight, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2. Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow, Star Trek

1. Joe Dunckley, David Meng, Frances Richardson, Sarah Rubano, Richard Taylor and Leon Von Solms, District 9
Taking body horror to a new level, we got to see Weekus transform in the most grotesquely realistic manner. From nails falling out to a prawn claw replacing his hand, the effect was astounding.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
5. Charlotte Walter, Easy Virtue
4. Hope Hanafin, (500) Days of Summer
3. Anna B. Sheppard, Inglourious Basterds
2. Janet Patterson, Bright Star

1. Colleen Atwood, Public Enemies
What a gorgeous fucking film. This is really the only movie where you actually notice the duds on the men...ok, the first for me, anyway. I would seriously wear anything there. And the women? Gorgeous. Don't you love the ropey look of Marion's poor red dress, compared to the fur finery of when she's dating Dillinger? Such exquisite detail.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
5. Back to Tennessee, Hannah Montana: The Movie
4. Dig a Little Deeper, The Princess and the Frog
3. Never Knew I Needed, The Princess and the Frog
2. Possibility, The Twilight Saga: New Moon

1. Through the Trees, Jennifer's Body
Works as both a genuinely great "boo-hoo" song, and as a satire on such music. How does it do it?

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
5. Alexandre Desplat, Fantastic Mr. Fox
4. Elliot Goldenthal, Public Enemies
3. Alexandre Desplat, The Twilight Saga: New Moon
2. Alexandre Desplat, Julie & Julia
1. Abel Korzeniowski, A Single Man
I admit, I like my music big. Abel, I hope you don't mind if I say the music here reminded me of Philip Glass's work in The Hours, which I find to be the greatest score ever. The beauty of it is just so...unbelievable. Korzeniowski effortlessly evokes the 1960s. Highlights include "Swimming", "Snow" and "Drowning".

BEST EDITING
5. Roderick Jaynes, A Serious Man
4. Sally Menke, Inglourious Basterds
3. Alan Edward Bell, (500) Days of Summer
2. James Cameron, John Refoua and Stephen Rifkin, Avatar
1. Alexander Hall, The Messenger
You know, too few of these awards are given to editors of films that rely on long takes. But really, the editor cuts for dramatic emphasis, unless he needs to cut around the bullshit. So, why cut all around the place if all you need to make your point is a single long take? That's what makes sense for this movie.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
5. Robert Richardson, Inglourious Basterds
4. Greig Fraser, Bright Star
3. Eduard Grau, A Single Man
2. Anthony Dod Mantle, Antichrist
1. Dion Beebe, Nine
The only truly cinematic aspect of the film. The use of the projector in "I Can't Make This Movie", the spotlights in "My Husband Makes Movies", the dreamy effect of "Guarda la Luna", the black-and-white "Take It All". All brilliant.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
5. Nora Ephron, Julie & Julia
4. Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
3. Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
2. Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze, Where the Wild Things Are
1. Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, Fantastic Mr. Fox
It's clever and it's funny. Little nuances, like Mrs. Fox's "tarty" background, truly develop the characters, instead of merely serving as a throwaway joke.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
5. Jane Campion, Bright Star
4. Scott Neustatder and Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer
3. Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
2. James Cameron, Avatar
1. Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, A Serious Man
Probably my favorite Coen Brothers movie.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
5. Stanley Tucci, Julie & Julia
4. Fred Melamed, A Serious Man
3. Colin Firth, Easy Virtue
2. Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

1. Peter Capaldi, In the Loop
I mean, this scene alone. That snap as he says, "Now fuck off." Has swearing ever seemed this natural?

BEST ACTOR
5. Ben Foster, The Messenger
4. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, (500) Days of Summer
3. Colin Firth, A Single Man
2. Johnny Depp, Public Enemies
SPOILER ALERT

1. Sam Rockwell, Moon
A one-man show that it is impressive in it understatedness.

BEST ACTRESS
5. Zoe Saldana, Avatar
4. Carey Mulligan, An Education
3. Abbie Cornish, Bright Star
2. Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

1. Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
Such a raw performance. That a first-timer can give this kind of performance is staggering.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
5. Marion Cotillard, Public Enemies
4. Julianne Moore, A Single Man
3. Kristin Scott Thomas, Easy Virtue
2. Samantha Morton, The Messenger

1. Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
An unbelievable performance from the great comedienne. Just try to wrap your head around this.

BEST DIRECTOR
5. Jane Campion, Bright Star
4. Marc Webb, (500) Days of Summer
3. Michael Mann, Public Enemies
2. James Cameron, Avatar
1. Oren Moverman, The Messenger

BEST PICTURE
5. (500) Days of Summer - Mason Novick/Jessica Tuchinsky/Mark Waters/Steven J. Wolfe
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox - Allison Abbate/Wes Anderson/Jeremy Dawson/Scott Rudin
3. Public Enemies - Michael Mann/Kevin Misher
2. Avatar - James Cameron/Jon Landau
1. The Messenger - Mark Gordon/Lawrence Inglee/Zach Miller
A strong debut from a first-timer.

[UPDATED: Producers nominated for Best Picture, as of 1/13/2017]

The Messenger Delivers the Goods

When we speak of the indie film dealing with war without really taking sides, we're generally talking about The Hurt Locker. Entering the conversation on the side, however, is the exquisitely-made The Messenger, the directorial debut of screenwriter Oren Moverman (I'm Not There, Married Life). Known primarily for being the movie Woody Harrelson keeps getting nominations for, The Messenger is an intimate, emotional work about the war at home.

Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) is discharged from the hospital, a war hero, the details of which will not be revealed until the end (naturally). With three months left, he is assigned to go to the homes of men killed in action and break the news to their families. His superior is Lt. Stone, played by Woody Harrelson. a lonely man who tries to get close to Will while also keeping his emotions in check. Samantha Morton is the widow whose reaction to the news of her husband's death affects Will deeply, and the two form a bond.

That's the plot. And the Morton thing is really a subplot, although the impact it has on Foster's character is significant. Really, it's a character study, as well as a meditation on the effects on war on soldiers and their families. It doesn't really take sides: it may be anti-war, but more in the general sense than Iraq specifically. War may be hell, but some people need the army. Morton has a beautiful moment in the mall where she confronts two recruiting officers after buying clothes for her husband's funeral. It's the only out-of-control moment we see from her, and it is startling -- but not melodramatic. All of the performances here are very real.

That goes, too, for the grieving families. I think we see five families besides Olivia's, and their scenes are wonderfully done. Moverman does not exploit the grieving scenes, does not give character actors their "Big Scene". In fact, we do not even see the reactions of the first family Will and Stone visit, we just hear their reactions. Actually, Moverman often keeps the focus on Ben Foster, rarely cutting away to other people or objects, even if they are referenced directly. This brilliant choice keeps us with his character, and we actually see the journey. 

It's as refreshing as the long takes, wherein Moverman opts not for close-ups and inter-cutting between lines of dialogue, but medium shots with subtle movements. Moverman actually seems to be interested in watching his actors, and requires no editorial flourishes here and there to cover his tracks. There are no cuts in the crucial Kitchen Scene between Morton and Foster, allowing us to actually see both actors at the top of their game, unhindered by new set-ups or separate takes. Foster's monologue about his "hero" status has but one cut, and it is effectively done.

Harrelson should be receiving an Oscar nod Tuesday for his performance. It's not just the precursors building buzz; he's got it. Lt. Stone is a complicated, sad, surprisingly funny creation. He can turn on a dime from friend to soldier, but his eyes keep the two connected. This is a man full of regrets trying to connect while maintaining a distance.

Foster delivers his best performance to date. Will Montgomery is haunted by things he has seen. He wants to connect with the families, and it's more than just simple humanity. He tries to keep a distance, at first, from Stone, pulling away from the army even as he serves it. Foster always has crazy eyes, honestly, but he puts them to good use here. I never thought of him as a subtle actor, per se, but I may have to reevaluate that.

This is, hopefully, not the last we shall see of Oren Moverman. The Messenger is a pleasant surprise, a quiet masterpiece, a jewel in the crown of 2009 Cinema. I fyou are able to see it, I highly recommend you do so. It's a honest-to-God FILM.