AWARDS 2011: Indie Spirit Winners

Well no, I can't say that really worked out to well for my predictions. With hopes for "Drive", "Take Shelter", and "Shame" to pick up some well deserved accolades this afternoon, none of that happened. The result was a decidedly indifferent afternoon of doling out awards to "The Artist", "The Descendants", "Beginners", "My Week with Marilyn", and... well, whatever. Point is, this simply did not do, and that's all I have to say about that.

Best Feature: "The Artist"

Best Actor: Jean Dujardin ("The Artist")

Best Actress: Michele Williams ("My Week with Marilyn")

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer ("Beginners")

Best Supporting Actress: Shailene Woodley ("The Descendants")

Indie Spirit Awards Predictions

Let me emphasize that the Indie Spirit Awards are usually the fun about Oscar weekend. We could get to the tailend of this weekend and have that not be true. This could be a relatively boring rehash of "The Artist"s usual success, and that's fine, but we have the Oscars for that. Which is why I am far and away going for "Drive", "Martha Marcy May Marlene", "Take Shelter", and "Shame" to clean up this evening. Will it happen? probably not. It's a bit of a strain to think that "The Artist" would only take home one award. But let's dare to be adventurous this weekend, shall we? Isn't that so much more fun?

Now there are obviously places where I know that what I want to win isn't going to win. "50/50" has a certain chance in the screenplay category, as does "Beginners". J.C. Chandor's "Margin Call" could snap up the debut director/writer credits, which would be a massive shame. Michelle Williams could snatch up actress, and Jean Dujardin is more than likely for Actor. But I'm game with thinking that this could be so delightfully up in the air this particular year. Or maybe not, but "Black Swan" and "Winter's Bone" both took home some deserving wins last year. I'm hoping for the rush of the new to beat out the nostalgia of the old.

AWARDS 2011: "Drive" & "Beginners" Dominate Indie Spirit Nods

Let me quickly clarify that this was hell to speed write out all the nominations as they were announced via twitter. Give a guy a chance to breathe! All the same, it was really quite fantastic to finally be in the rush of awards season, especially when we're starting in such great fashion. The Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations are really the best way to kick off the season which ends in the bitter disappointment of the Oscars. Of course there are quite a few films that I still don't care for, primarily "The Descendants", and as time ticks by "The Artist". I am not spent on "Beginners" yet, as the film was really quite charming, and its resurgence here gives me enough pause to see it again and reevaluate it.

Still haven't seen "50/50", which doesn't seem as spectacular as it once did, and I expect to get branded by everyone I love for not falling for it. I never got the chance to see it, sadly enough. Fortunately, "Take Shelter" is coming around the bend for me to get in just under the wire for this year. And I've even more ecstatic about "Drive" making such a strong surge for the Indie Spirits. With each passing second it seems all the more like the "Black Swan" of this year. It was nice to see "Martha Marcy May Marlene" to get some love under the main line. What wasn't nice was the almost complete alienation of "Shame", which left Fassbender and Mulligan out of the races, much to my disdain. I'll survive. This is still a nice batch.

BEST PICTURE

-"50/50"

-"Beginners"

-"Drive"

-"Take Shelter"

-"The Artist"

-"The Descendants"

BEST DIRECTOR

-Mike Mills ("Beginners")

-Nicolas Winding Refn ("Drive")

-Jeff Nichols ("Take Shelter")

-Michel Hazanavicius ("The Artist")

-Alexandre Payne ("The Descendants")