'Up in the Air' gets two thumbs up from southeast film critics
The Southeastern Film Critics Association — an organization whose members represent electronic and print media outlets (including The Commercial Appeal) in nine states — today named “Up in the Air” the best movie of 2009.
The film, a comic drama that stars George Clooney as a man who is hired by companies to fly around the country and fire their employees, is set to open in Memphis on Christmas Day.
George Clooney in "Up in the Air."
STORY TOOLS
More Beifuss on Movies
- Movie Review: 'The Ghost Writer' an old-style intelligent thriller
- Film Review: 'Out of My League' is way out in terms of good romantic comedy
- Movie Review: Pleasant 'Wedding' coasts along on likable characters
Share and Enjoy [?]
“Up in the Air” also earned a Best Actor award for Clooney and a Best Adapted Screenplay award for Justin Reitman and Sheldon Turner (working from Walter Kirn’s novel). But the Southern critics otherwise spread the wealth: No other movie earned more than one award.
The association’s special award, the Wyatt Award (named for Nashville Tennessean film critic Gene Wyatt, who died in 2004), went to “That Evening Sun,” which screened Oct. 8 at the Indie Memphis Film Festival. Directed by Scott Teems, “That Evening Sun” stars Hal Holbrook as a stubborn octogenarian who leaves a retirement facility to move back to his rural Tennessee home even after it has been occupied by a new family.
The Wyatt runner-up was “Goodbye Solo,” which stars former longtime Memphian and Elvis associate Red West as a North Carolina man planning his suicide. In its fifth year, the Wyatt honors the film that “best embodies the essence of the South.” Past Wyatt winners include “Junebug”; “Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing”; “Waitress”; and “Shotgun Stories.”
This was the first year that the Southeastern Film Critics Association had voted early enough to release its list of winners the same day as the New York and Los Angeles movie critics. Both New York and L.A. critics’ groups picked “The Hurt Locker” for best picture and best director (Kathryn Bigelow).
This year, 44 members voted in the Southeastern Film Critics Association poll. Here’s the complete list of SEFCA winners. For past winners, visit sefca.org.
Best Picture, and nine runners-up:
1. “Up in the Air”
2. “The Hurt Locker”
3. “Up”
4. “Inglourious Basterds”
5. “A Serious Man”
6. “(500) Days of Summer”
7. “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
8. “The Messenger” (scheduled to open in Memphis in early 2010)
9. “Fantastic Mr. Fox”
10. “District 9”
Best Actor: George Clooney, “Up in the Air.” Runner-up: Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker.”
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, “Julie and Julia.” Runner-up: Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.”
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds.” Runner-up: Woody Harrelson, “The Messenger.”
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.” Runner-up: Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air.”
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker.” Runner-up: Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air.”
Best Original Screenplay: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, “(500) Days of Summer.” Runner-up: Mark Boal, “The Hurt Locker.”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, “Up in the Air.” Runner-up: Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, “Fantastic Mr. Fox.”
Best Foreign-Language Film: “Summer Hours” (France; has not played in Memphis). Runner-up: “The White Ribbon” (Germany; has not played in Memphis).
Best Documentary: “Food, Inc.” Runner-up: “The Cove” (has not played in Memphis).
Best Animated Feature: “Up.” Runner-up: “Fantastic Mr. Fox.”
Wyatt Award: “That Evening Sun.” Runner-up: “Goodbye Solo.”
Comments » 0
Be the first to post a comment!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.