The Denver Film Critics Society has given director Terrence Malick’s impressionistic portrait of a ’50s-era family and the origins of life the group’s highest honor.

“The Tree of Life,” starring Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain and Sean Penn, was chosen by DFCS as the Best Picture of 2011 this week, while “The Descendants” won three awards, including Best Screenplay. DFCS’s annual awards celebrate the finest achievement in film as chosen by a diverse group of Colo.-based film journalists.

Acting nods went to Pitt for his complicated turn as a baseball executive reinventing the rules of his game in “Moneyball,” and Meryl Streep for her latest astonishing performance as Great Britain’s groundbreaking “Iron Lady.”

Chastain’s busy 2011, including sterling appearances in “Take Shelter,” “The Tree of Life,” “The Help” and “The Debt,” made her the runaway choice for the year’s Breakout Star, while director Gore Verbinski’s neo-western “Rango” moseyed off with the Best Animated Film award.

“The 2011 film lineup may have lacked that awards-sweeping entry, but the breadth of films spoke to the vision of the modern filmmaker,” said DFCS co-director Christian Toto. “Many of the categories were won by a single vote.”

“The Artist,” the magnificent ode to the silent film era, earned a Best Director tie for Michel Hazanavicius as well as Best Score.

The Denver Film Critics Society is comprised of print journalists, bloggers, TV personalities and film scholars across the Front Range. Voting was conducted from Jan. 1-4, 2012.

THE 2011 DFCS AWARD WINNERS:

Best Picture:

“The Tree of Life”

Best Actor:

Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”

Best Actress:

Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”

Best Supporting Actor:

Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”

Best Supporting Actress:

Shailene Woodley, “The Descendants”

Best Director (tie):

Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”

Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”

Best Screenplay Original/Adapted (both in a single category):

“The Descendants” – Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash

Best Animated Film:

“Rango”

Best Ensemble:

“The Descendants”

Best Original Score:

“The Artist” – Ludovic Bource

Best Breakout Star:

Jessica Chastain

Best Documentary:

“Page One: Inside the New York Times”

Best Foreign Language Film:

“A Separation”

The Denver Film Critics Society is proud to announce our winners for the 2011 DFCS Awards.

Best Film:

• The Social Network, directed by David Fincher

Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky
Blue Valentine, directed by Derek Cianfrance
The King’s Speech, directed by Tom Hooper

Best Director:

• David Fincher, The Social Network

Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Joel & Ethan Coen, True Grit
Christopher Nolan, Inception

Best Actor:

• Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
James Franco, 127 Hours

Best Actress:

• Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Lesley Manville, Another Year
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Best Supporting Actress:

• Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Supporting Actor:

• Christian Bale, The Fighter

Matt Damon, True Grit
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Best Animated Film:

• Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unkrich

How to Train Your Dragon, directed by Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders
The Illusionist, directed by Sylvain Chomet
Tangled, directed by Nathan Greno & Byron Howard

Best Screenplay (Original):

• Christopher Nolan, Inception

Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Holofcener, Please Give
David Seidler, The King’s Speech

Best Screenplay (Adapted):

• Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

Ben Affleck, Peter Craig & Aaron Stockard, The Town
Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Joel & Ethan Coen, True Grit

Best Documentary:

• Exit Through the Gift Shop, directed by Banksy

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, directed by Ricki Stern & Annie Sundberg
Restrepo, directed by Tim Hetherington & Sebastian Junger
Waiting for Superman, directed by Davis Guggenheim

Best Foreign Language Film:

• Mother, directed by Joon-ho Bong

Biutiful, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
I Am Love, directed by Luca Guadagnino
White Material, directed by Claire Denis

Best Original Song:

• A.R. Rahman & Dido, If I Rise, 127 Hours

John Legend, Shine, Waiting For Superman
Chris Martin, Me and Tennessee, Country Strong
Randy Newman, We Belong Together, Toy Story 3

Best Original Score:

• Daft Punk, Tron: Legacy

Carter Burwell, True Grit
Clint Mansell, Black Swan
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, The Social Network

The Denver Film Critics Society is proud to announce our nominees for the 2011 DFCS Awards. Winners will be announced on January 28, 2011.

Best Film:

Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky
Blue Valentine, directed by Derek Cianfrance
The King’s Speech, directed by Tom Hooper
The Social Network, directed by David Fincher

Best Director:

Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Joel & Ethan Coen, True Grit
David Fincher, The Social Network
Christopher Nolan, Inception

Best Actor:

Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours

Best Actress:

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Lesley Manville, Another Year
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Best Supporting Actress:

Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Supporting Actor:

Christian Bale, The Fighter
Matt Damon, True Grit
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Best Animated Film:

How to Train Your Dragon, directed by Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders
The Illusionist, directed by Sylvain Chomet
Tangled, directed by Nathan Greno & Byron Howard
Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unkrich

Best Screenplay (Original):

Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Holofcener, Please Give
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David Seidler, The King’s Speech

Best Screenplay (Adapted):

Ben Affleck, Peter Craig & Aaron Stockard, The Town
Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Joel & Ethan Coen, True Grit
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

Best Documentary:

Exit Through the Gift Shop, directed by Banksy
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, directed by Ricki Stern & Annie Sundberg
Restrepo, directed by Tim Hetherington & Sebastian Junger
Waiting for Superman, directed by Davis Guggenheim

Best Foreign Language Film:

Biutiful, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
I Am Love, directed by Luca Guadagnino
Mother, directed by Joon-ho Bong
White Material, directed by Claire Denis

Best Original Song:

John Legend, Shine, Waiting For Superman
Chris Martin, Me and Tennessee, Country Strong
Randy Newman, We Belong Together, Toy Story 3
A.R. Rahman & Dido, If I Rise, 127 Hours

Best Original Score:

Carter Burwell, True Grit
Daft Punk, Tron: Legacy
Clint Mansell, Black Swan
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, The Social Network

The Denver Film Critics Society is proud to announce the winners of the DFCS Awards for the 2009-2010 season.

Best Film:

• The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow

A Serious Man, directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up in the Air, directed by Jason Reitman
Star Trek, directed by J.J. Abrams

Best Actor:

• Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

George Clooney, Up in the Air
Viggo Mortensen, The Road
Morgan Freeman, Invictus

Best Actress:

• Carey Mulligan, An Education

Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Abbie Cornish, Bright Star

Best Director:

• Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Duncan Jones, Moon
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air

Best Supporting Actor:

• Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles

Best Supporting Actress:

• Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Julianne Moore, A Single Man

Best Acting Ensemble:

• Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Star Trek

George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman, Danny R. McBride, Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey, Up in the Air
Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Christian Camargo, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly, The Hurt Locker
Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, J. K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau, Jaime Pressly, I Love You, Man

Best Original Screenplay:

• Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

Michael H. Weber, Scott Neudstadter, (500) Days of Summer
Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, A Serious Man

Best Adapted Screenplay:

• Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, based on the novel by Walter Kirn, Up in the Air

Geoffrey Fletcher, based on the novel by Sapphire, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Scott Cooper, based on the novel by Thomas Cobb, Crazy Heart
Scott Z. Burns, based on the novel by Kurt Eichenwald, The Informant

Best Colorado Film:

• Ink, directed by Jamin Winans

The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardener, directed by Daniel Junge

Best Documentary:

• The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos

Anvil! The Story of Anvil, directed by Sacha Gervasi
Best Worst Movie, directed by Michael Stephenson
Good Hair, directed by Jeff Stilson

Best Foreign Language Film:

• Thirst, directed by Chan-wook Park

Sin Nombre, directed by Cary Jôji Fukunaga
Summer Hours, directed by Olivier Assayas
Revanche, directed by Götz Spielmann

Best Original Song:

• The Weary Kind, Crazy Heart: Performed by Ryan Bingham (Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett)

Winter, Brothers: Performed by U2 (Bono and The Edge)
(I Want You to) Come Home, Everybody’s Fine : Performed by Paul McCartney (Paul McCartney)
Other Father Song, Coraline: Performed by They Might Be Giants (John Flansburgh and John Linnell)

Best Original Score:

• Michael Giacchino, Star Trek

Brian Eno, The Lovely Bones
Elliot Goldenthal, Public Enemies
Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant

The Denver Film Critics Society is proud to announce our nominees for the 2009-2010 DFCS Awards. Winners will be announced on January 27, 2010.

Best Film:

A Serious Man, directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up in the Air, directed by Jason Reitman
Star Trek, directed by J.J. Abrams
The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow

Best Actor:

George Clooney, Up in the Air
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Viggo Mortensen, The Road
Morgan Freeman, Invictus

Best Actress:

Carey Mulligan, An Education
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Abbie Cornish, Bright Star

Best Director:

Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Duncan Jones, Moon
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air

Best Supporting Actor:

Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles

Best Supporting Actress:

Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Julianne Moore, A Single Man

Best Acting Ensemble:

George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman, Danny R. McBride, Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey, Up in the Air
Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Christian Camargo, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly, The Hurt Locker
Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, J. K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau, Jaime Pressly, I Love You, Man
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Star Trek

Best Original Screenplay:

Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Michael H. Weber, Scott Neudstadter, (500) Days of Summer
Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, A Serious Man

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, based on the novel by Walter Kirn, Up in the Air
Geoffrey Fletcher, based on the novel by Sapphire, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Scott Cooper, based on the novel by Thomas Cobb, Crazy Heart
Scott Z. Burns, based on the novel by Kurt Eichenwald, The Informant

Best Colorado Film:

Ink, directed by Jamin Winans
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardener, directed by Daniel Junge

Best Documentary:

The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos
Anvil! The Story of Anvil, directed by Sacha Gervasi
Best Worst Movie, directed by Michael Stephenson
Good Hair, directed by Jeff Stilson

Best Foreign Language Film:

Thirst, directed by Chan-wook Park
Sin Nombre, directed by Cary Jôji Fukunaga
Summer Hours, directed by Olivier Assayas
Revanche, directed by Götz Spielmann

Best Original Song:

The Weary Kind, Crazy Heart: Performed by Ryan Bingham (Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett)
Winter, Brothers: Performed by U2 (Bono and The Edge)
(I Want You to) Come Home, Everybody’s Fine : Performed by Paul McCartney (Paul McCartney)
Other Father Song, Coraline: Performed by They Might Be Giants (John Flansburgh and John Linnell)

Best Original Score:

Brian Eno, The Lovely Bones
Michael Giacchino, Star Trek
Elliot Goldenthal, Public Enemies
Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant

From member Christian Toto:

Film critics are an endangered species.

Newspapers and magazines are shedding their regular critics at an alarming rate, and more people are picking film tips up from their friends via Facebook and Twitter.

But a recent survey regarding “Avatar” by Fandango.com gave this critic a glimmer of hope.

The study found that 72 percent of respondents indicated the film’s positive reviews have increased their interest in seeing the movie.

To paraphrase Sally Field, “you like us … you really like us.”

Read More

From member Christian Toto:

Vampires, at least ones with pale skin and sky-high ‘dos, currently rule the cineplex.

Come February, “The Wolfman” reboot hopes to join the monster mayhem.

But have you ever wondered where some famous movie monsters got their start?

The bulk of the classic movie monsters – think Frankenstein, the Wolfman and Dracula – hail from Universal Studios. And now Universal has a new web site where horror fans can revisit the past of their favorite creatures.

Read More

From member Elisabeth Rappe:

You would have to be living under a rock in the deepest regions of the jungle, or the frostiest regions of the Arctic to avoid knowing that Summit has made some major money out of a bunch of broody vampires. So, while they’re developing comic books and Houdini franchises, they’re also making sure they have another immortal in their stable. The immortal of all immortals: Dracula. But it isn’t the bloodsucking Dracula, but rather the one of historic legend known as Vlad Tepes.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Summit has optioned a script by actor-turned-writer Charlie Hunnam that tells the story of the young Vlad Tepes. Brad Pitt’s Plan B is producing, and they’re in negotiations with Anthony Mandler to direct.

Read More

From the Denver Film Society:

Ellie Caulkins Opera House
14th & Curtis Street
Denver, CO 80202

6 PM, VIP Dinner
8 PM, Screening
10 PM, Dessert & Cocktail After Party

“NINE” is a vibrant and provocative musical that follows the life of world famous film director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he reaches a creative and personal crisis of epic proportion, while balancing the numerous women in his life including his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz), his film star muse (Nicole Kidman), his confidant and costume designer (Judi Dench), a young American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), the whore from his youth (Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson) and his mother (Sophia Loren). The original 1982 Broadway production of “NINE,” nominated for twelve Tony Awards and winning five, including Best Musical, was directed by Tommy Tune, choreographed by Thommie Walsh, starred Raúl Juliá with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and book by Arthur Kopit. The 2003 Broadway revival of “NINE” received eight Tony Award nominations and won two, including Best Revival of a Musical. Rated PG-13.

Film Only

Tickets – $40

Film Packages

Film + After Party – $100

VIP Dinner + Film + After Party – $250

To purchase Film Packages or for additional information, please contact Ellen Robinson at 303-698-1151 or EllenERH@gmail.com. For more information about the Global Down Syndrome Foundation please visit www.ColoradoJetSet.com or call Diana Moore at 303-468-6663.

DIRECTOR: Rob Marshall
Producer: Harvey Weinstein, Marc Platt, Rob Marshall, John De Luca
Principal Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren

Source

From member Christian Toto:

George Clooney’s ascent from “Facts of Life” irregular to movie stardom shows no sign of abating.

The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association named Clooney Best Actor for his performance in the new Jason Reitman drama “Up in the Air,” one of three awards the film received from the critics group.

WWTW is a voting member of WAFCA.

“Air” also took home Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The films “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push” by Sapphire” and “The Hurt Locker” earned two awards each.

Read More