Screenhead

The National Society Of Film Critics, made up of 58 leading US based guys and gals delivered it’s best of 2006 verdict yesterday. The great thing about these awards is that they just vote on it and announce it. No fancy tuxedo dinners or swag bags full of diamonds, just “here’s what we say”.

They named Pan’s Labyrinth the best film of the year. The politically themed fantasy was directed by Guillermo del Toro and is in Spanish. David Bowie can relax though, his is still the best English language Labyrinth.

Paul Greengrass was best director for United 93, which is a good call. He managed to take events from 9/11 and make it tense and emotional, but also subtle and balanced enough to be convincing.

An Inconvenient Truth was voted best Powerpoint presentation non-fiction film of the year. Again, good call. A man with a charisma deficiency showing us bar charts should be snoozeworthy, but it’s edited so well and gets the subject matter across so simply, managing to preach without being preachy.

Forest Whitaker was best actor for his charismatic, terrifying Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. Apparently he used to stay in character between scenes, even struggling to be himself while on the phone to his wife. So well done to Mrs. Whitaker for putting up with that.

Helen Mirren predictably but deservedly took Best Actress for The Queen, something which I would bet my house (if I owned one) on her repeating come Oscar time.

Sharp tongues ruled in the best supporting actor and actress category, with Mark “You must be the other guy” Wahlberg and Meryl “That’s all” Streep winning out.

David Lynch’s Inland Empire was voted best experimental film, which if you see the trailer seems very fitting.

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