raven56706

Courtesy of CNN.com

Online critics dial up 'King'

LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is a royal favorite of the Online Film Critics Society, which gave the final installment of Peter Jackson's epic trilogy a leading 10 nominations for its annual awards.

New Line's "King" picked up nods for best picture, director, supporting actor for Sean Astin, adapted screenplay for Jackson, Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh, and cinematography for Andrew Lesnie. Its other mentions came for original score for Howard Shore, visual effects, art direction, costume design and sound.

In the best picture category, "King" will compete against "City of God," "Kill Bill-Vol. 1," "Lost in Translation" and "Mystic River." Jackson will battle it out in the director category with Sofia Coppola for "Lost in Translation," Clint Eastwood for "Mystic River," Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for "21 Grams" and Quentin Tarantino for "Kill Bill."

Johnny Depp's crowd-pleasing turn as a rogue pirate in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" landed him a best actor nomination alongside "American Splendor's" Paul Giamatti, "House of Sand and Fog's" Ben Kingsley, "Lost in Translation's" Bill Murray and "Mystic River" star Sean Penn.

In the lead actress category, Scarlett Johannson of "Lost in Translation" is up against Charlize Theron for "Monster," Uma Thurman for "Kill Bill," Naomi Watts for "21 Grams" and Angela Bettis for "May."

The Online Film Critics Society, founded in 1997, is a professional association for film journalists, scholars and historians whose work appears online. It will announce its award winners Monday.


Nice to see great buzz for Lord of the Rings.

DVD Polizei

Wooo-whooo.

When I look at these other movies, I have to just laugh. Many of them are your typical "cutting edge" dramas, "real-life" dramas, etc. Boring. Been there. Been there like the 1980's.

Groucho

I don't think you could be any more wrong about City of God, Kill Bill-Vol. 1, Lost in Translation or Mystic River. Have you even seen trailers for these films?

Josh H

While I loved Mystic River, and though Kill Bill was OK, I don't think either were all that original. So I can't disagree with the other posters comments on them. Mystic River was great, but really a pretty standard crime drama, just with superb acting. Kill Bill was just an amalgamation of hong kong gore fest movies IMO.

I haven't seen the other two to comment.

DVD Polizei

Groucho,

For the record. No.

I just think Clint has done way too many crime thrillers which take a predictive twist (you should count how many he has been in and has directed).

Quentin makes a typical "Tarantino" movie. Quick-witted, snappy remarks, etc. Pulp Fiction was great. It should die peacefully.

And then we have Ben who has been a more "hip-ish" actor since his "bad" role in Death And The Maiden. Another film with dark impossible realities.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'll be buying these movies later next year when they are cheap to add to my DVD collection. However, if I am hard-pressed to comment, I think nominations need to be for new films that present a new angle or dimension on movie-making and give new insight. I think even Independent films are becoming not-so-independent these days, and shoot for the hard and raw stimulation they think the audience wants.

PJ has made mistakes as well, in his LOTR trilogy. But overall, he is a welcomed director, and the actors he chose, have some real talent (except for Liv--sorry, I just can't see her as an actor--maybe it was Armegeddon and movies thereafter that made me frown).

Josh H

I have to disagree with that. Kill Bill is nothing like his other movies and doesn't have the great dialogue of Pulp Fiction.

I agree it's not original, but it's not original because it's an intentional homage to hong kong martial arts movies that QT loves, not becauses it's too similar to his other movies.

neiname

Neither can I, that is why she is referred to as an actress

DVD Polizei

Well, looking at her all I see is Steve Tyler, so yes, she is still an actor in part.

If it wasn't for Steve, she wouldn't have even had a chance at acting. It's nice when your daddy has a lot of money. Look at Spelling's daughter, although I have to say I would pick Liv if I had to choose between them.

Rivero

City of God??

Are we talking the kid-who-becomes-a-photographer-in-Rio de Janeiro-in-the-1960's City of God?? WTF, I SAW THIS MOVIE IN A SMALL THEATRE IN JULY 2002. 2002!! Not only that but I a friend of mine has owned the DVD for well over a year. Powerful movie, don't get me wrong, but that **** ain't right!