The recently announced 2011 BAFTA Awards nominations confirm that this is an incredibly strong year with a number of films that could easily sweep the board in any other, less fiercely competitive, year.
The major oddites that leap out are Blue Valentine being completely ignored, The Illusionist failing to gain a nomination for Animated Film, even though there are only three nominations in that category and Melissa Leo, winner of the supporting actress Golden Globe for The Fighter, favourite for the same at the Oscars, and all-round fantastic actress, doesn’t even get a mention. Oh, and the superb British film Neds should definitely be in there somewhere.
Here’s who, from the list, I think should win and who I think will win the major awards:
- Best Film: Black Swan should, The King’s Speech will
- Outstanding British Film: 127 Hours should, Made in Dagenham or Another Year will (It’s probably worth noting a peculiarity that arose in 2009 that I expect will be repeated; although a British film won Best Film, it failed to win Outstanding British Film)
- Outstanding Debut: Monsters should, The Arbor will
- Director: Black Swan should, The King’s Speech or The Social Network will
- Original Screenplay: Black Swan should, The King’s Speech will
- Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network should and will
- Film Not In The English Language: The Secret in their Eyes should, Of Gods and Men will
- Animated Film: Toy Story 3 should and will (although The Illusionist, not nominated, should, actually)
- Leading Actor: Colin Firth should and will (although Ryan Gosling should, really)
- Leading Actress: Natalie Portman should and will
- Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush should and will
- Supporting Actress: Lesley Manville should and will
- Rising Star (aka Voted For By The Public Popularity Contest): Tom Hardy should, only Gemma Arterton or Andrew Garfield CAN
Some of these are a really tough call, though.
The Oscars are the biggest but The BAFTAs are probably the best, representing the slightly different sensibilities on this side of the pond. It’s a great spread but it’s ever so slightly unavoidable that The King’s Speech will do most of the board sweeping.
18th Jan 2011
