The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced the nominees for the 2011 BAFTA Orange Film Awards today and “The King’s Speech” led the way with 14 nominations including best picture. “Black Swan” found 12, “Inception” nine, “True Grit” eight and “127 Hours” seven while “The Social Network” wasn’t s liked as much as its award season competitors and landed just six (ouch).
Besides the support for the usual awards players, BAFTA voters snubbed “The Fighter” star Melissa Leo, gave key nominations to “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” and its star Noomi Rapace, completely ignored Mark Romanek’s U.K.-set “Never Let Me Go,” told both Annette Bening and Julianne Moore that “The Kids Are All Right” and honored fallen countrymen and “The Town” star Pete Postlethwaite.
All the nominees are as follows along with this writer’s commentary on each award.
BEST FILM
BLACK SWAN – Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin
INCEPTION – Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan
THE KING”S SPEECH – Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
THE SOCIAL NETWORK – Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, Céan Chaffin
TRUE GRIT – Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Lowdown: “True Grit” knocks out “The Fighter” in the top category showing the Brits were more in love with the Coens Western than David O. Russell’s real-life drama. The rest? Pretty much expected although you could have made a case for “127 Hours” here, but Danny Boyle’s masterpiece was recognized instead for…
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
127 HOURS – Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy, Christian Colson, John Smithson
ANOTHER YEAR – Mike Leigh, Georgina Lowe
FOUR LIONS – Chris Morris, Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Mark Herbert, Derrin Schlesinger
THE KING”S SPEECH – Tom Hooper, David Seidler, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
MADE IN DAGENHAM – Nigel Cole, William Ivory, Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley
Lowdown: Got to be a weak year when “Made in Dagenham” makes it over “Tamara Drewe.” Nice to see some love for “Four Lions” and it’s a bit of a “whew” that “Another Year” made the cut.
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
THE ARBOR – Director, Producer – Clio Barnard, Tracy O”Riordan
EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP – Director, Producer – Banksy, Jaimie D”Cruz
FOUR LIONS – Director/Writer – Chris Morris
MONSTERS – Director/Writer – Gareth Edwards
SKELETONS – Director/Writer – Nick Whitfield
Lowdown: Will Banksy show up to the big show? Not likely. Still, three excellent contenders here in “Monsters,” “”Exit” and “Four Lions.”
DIRECTOR
127 HOURS – Danny Boyle
BLACK SWAN – Darren Aronofsky
INCEPTION – Christopher Nolan
THE KING”S SPEECH – Tom Hooper
THE SOCIAL NETWORK – David Fincher
Lowdown: So, the Coens don’t merit a nomination here, but Boyle makes the cut instead. Nice recognition for the former BAFTA winner and Brit.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BLACK SWAN – Mark Heyman, Andrés Heinz, John McLaughlin
THE FIGHTER – Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson
INCEPTION – Christopher Nolan
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT – Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg
THE KING”S SPEECH – David Seidler
Lowdown: Great that “Kids” made it here, but “King’s” will win this hands down.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
127 HOURS – Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – Rasmus Heisterberg, Nikolaj Arcel
THE SOCIAL NETWORK – Aaron Sorkin
TOY STORY 3 – Michael Arndt
TRUE GRIT – Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Lowdown: “Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” is something of a surprise. The bigger shock could be seeing Boyle and Beaufoy win for “127 Hours” instead of Oscar favorite “The Social Network.” Don’t be surprised.
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
BIUTIFUL – Alejandro González Iñárritu, Jon Kilik, Fernando Bovaira
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – Søren Stærmose, Niels Arden Oplev
I AM LOVE – Luca Guadagnino, Francesco Melzi D”Eril, Marco Morabito, Massimiliano Violante
OF GODS AND MEN – Xavier Beauvois
THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES – Mariela Besuievsky, Juan José Campanella
Lowdown: Glad this pundit’s favorite “I Am Love” made it, but it looks like it will come down to “Dragon Tattoo” or last year’s Oscar foreign film winner “The Secret in their Eyes.”
ANIMATED FILM
DESPICABLE ME – Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON – Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois
TOY STORY 3 – Lee Unkrich
Lowdown: Even at BAFTA you can mark this one down for “Toy Story 3.”
LEADING ACTOR
JAVIER BARDEM – Biutiful
JEFF BRIDGES – True Grit
JESSE EISENBERG – The Social Network
COLIN FIRTH – The King”s Speech
JAMES FRANCO – 127 Hours
Lowdown: Surprise! Javier Bardem knocks out SAG nominee Robert Duvall and Golden Globe nominee Ryan Gosling to make the field. Did the Brits listen to Julia Roberts plea or do they just like the movie more than those of us on this side of the pond? In either case, nice coup for the “Biutiful” crew.
LEADING ACTRESS
ANNETTE BENING – The Kids Are All Right
JULIANNE MOORE – The Kids Are All Right
NATALIE PORTMAN – Black Swan
NOOMI RAPACE – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
HAILEE STEINFELD – True Grit
Lowdown: Well, this is clearly not what Paramount wants. They are hoping voters place “Grit’s” Hailee Steinfeld in the supporting category as SAG voters did, but BAFTA said “Nope, she’s clearly lead” (O.K. they didn’t say that literally, but you get my point). More intriguing, Noomi Rapace pushes past “Blue Valentine’s” Michelle Williams, “Winter’s Bone’s” Jennifer Lawrence and “Never Let Me Go’s” Carey Mulligan for an Acting nod. There is no way she’ll duplicate that feat when Oscar nods are announced next Tuesday. A bigger shocker? “Rabbit Hole’s” Nicole Kidman bypassed for Julianne Moore for “The Kids Are All Right.” Clearly BAFTA voters really took to “Kids,” but not enough to land it a best picture nomination.
SUPPORTING ACTOR
CHRISTIAN BALE – The Fighter
ANDREW GARFIELD – The Social Network
PETE POSTLETHWAITE – The Town
MARK RUFFALO – The Kids Are All Right
GEOFFREY RUSH – The King”s Speech
Lowdown: Brit Garfield is battling “Winter’s Bone’s” John Hawkes for an Oscar nomination, but gets the hometown love here. On the other hand, the Pete Postlethwaite nomination is clearly of sentimental value after the legendary actor’s recent passing. Jeremy Renner will easily fill that slot when the Academy announces its nominations.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
AMY ADAMS – The Fighter
HELENA BONHAM CARTER – The King”s Speech
BARBARA HERSHEY – Black Swan
LESLEY MANVILLE – Another Year
MIRANDA RICHARDSON – Made in Dagenham
Lowdown: Intriguingly, the Brits did not take to Melissa Leo’s campy, but Golden Globe-winning turn in “The Fighter.” Instead, they recognized Adams who might actually win this category. Richardson and Manville are awards season contenders who sort of fell to the wayside back in the states. Hershey gets the BAFTA love here over co-star Mila Kunis who landed Globe and SAG nominations. We’re still betting Oscar goes for Kunis.
ORIGINAL MUSIC
127 HOURS – AR Rahman
ALICE IN WONDERLAND – Danny Elfman
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON – John Powell
INCEPTION – Hans Zimmer
THE KING”S SPEECH – Alexandre Desplat
Lowdown: Sure, “Social Network” and “Tron Legacy’s” more contemporary scores are ignored here, but we’re personally thrilled John Powell’s beautiful work in “Dragon” is getting its due.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
127 HOURS – Anthony Dod Mantle, Enrique Chediak
BLACK SWAN – Matthew Libatique
INCEPTION – Wally Pfister
THE KING”S SPEECH – Danny Cohen
TRUE GRIT – Roger Deakins
Lowdown: Again, “Social Network” is snubbed. Somewhat of a surprise, but the work in these five nominees is actually stronger. Really.
EDITING
127 HOURS – Jon Harris
BLACK SWAN – Andrew Weisblum
INCEPTION – Lee Smith
THE KING”S SPEECH – Tariq Anwar
THE SOCIAL NETWORK – Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter
Lowdown: “The Fighter” or “True Grit” could replace “127 Hours” here on Oscar nomination Tuesday, but the former is actually technically more deserving.
PRODUCTION DESIGN
ALICE IN WONDERLAND – Robert Stromberg, Karen O”Hara
BLACK SWAN – Thérèse DePrez, Tora Peterson
INCEPTION – Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias, Doug Mowat
THE KING”S SPEECH – Eve Stewart, Judy Farr
TRUE GRIT – Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh
Lowdown: Pay close attention, this could be your Academy Awards field.
COSTUME DESIGN
ALICE IN WONDERLAND – Colleen Atwood
BLACK SWAN – Amy Westcott
THE KING”S SPEECH – Jenny Beavan
MADE IN DAGENHAM – Louise Stjernsward
TRUE GRIT – Mary Zophres
Lowdown: Also, another snapshot of what could be your possible Academy Awards field.
SOUND
127 HOURS – Glenn Freemantle, Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Steven C Laneri, Douglas Cameron
BLACK SWAN – Ken Ishii, Craig Henighan, Dominick Tavella
INCEPTION – Richard King, Lora Hirschberg, Gary A Rizzo, Ed Novick
THE KING”S SPEECH – John Midgley, Lee Walpole, Paul Hamblin
TRUE GRIT – Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff, Peter F Kurland, Douglas Axtell
Lowdown: These nods are starting to look very Oscar-y, except for the fact the Academy has two sound categories which always makes things a tad confusing. Needless to say, these are the players in both.
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
ALICE IN WONDERLAND – Nominees TBC
BLACK SWAN – Dan Schrecker
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 – Tim Burke, John Richardson, Nicolas Ait’Hadi, Christian Manz
INCEPTION – Chris Corbould, Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Peter Bebb
TOY STORY 3 – Nominees TBC
Lowdown: Really not sure why “Tron Legacy” or “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” were snubbed here. Moreover, special effects nomination for “Toy Story 3”? Even Disney and Pixar must be scratching their heads on that one.
MAKE UP & HAIR
ALICE IN WONDERLAND – Nominees TBC
BLACK SWAN – Judy Chin, Geordie Sheffer
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 – Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin
THE KING”S SPEECH – Frances Hannon
MADE IN DAGENHAM – Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
Lowdown: Look for “Alice in Wonderland” or “Harry Potter” to win this one.
SHORT ANIMATION
THE EAGLEMAN STAG – Michael Please
MATTER FISHER – David Prosser
THURSDAY – Matthias Hoegg
Lowdown: No idea, but I’m sure they are fine films.
SHORT FILM
CONNECT – Samuel Abrahams, Beau Gordon
LIN – Piers Thompson, Simon Hessel
RITE – Michael Pearce, Ross McKenzie
TURNING – Karni Arieli, Saul Freed, Alison Sterling, Kat Armour-Brown
UNTIL THE RIVER RUNS RED – Paul Wright, Poss Kondeatis
Lowdown: Again, no idea, but I’m sure they are fine films.
ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING AWARD
GEMMA ARTERTON
ANDREW GARFIELD
TOM HARDY
AARON JOHNSON
EMMA STONE
Lowdown: The public gets to vote for this one. A tough call, but we think Garfield or Stone will take it.
The 2011 Orange BAFTA Awards will be held on Sunday, Feb. 13 in London.