On Thursday, January 12, 2012, VH1 aired the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) 17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards, which presented trophies to the best of the big screen of the past year. In the words of Sally Field when she won her second Academy Award, this award lets actors and actresses know that critics "really like them." Founded in 1995, the BFCA not only honors the movies; it also donates proceeds from the event to the Starlight Children's Fund. The winners included understated, unique performances.
Hosted by comedians Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer, the 2012 Critics' Choice Movie Awards opened with a montage of the two men demonstrating the use of computers and technology in films. The two men pretended to be stand-ins for inanimate objects in movies. The VH1 You Oughta Know artists Fitz and The Tantrums entertained the audience.
By the end of the night, "The Artist" proved that a movie with no dialogue could win in the age of special effects and overproduction. It topped the night with four trophies, Best Director, Best Costume Design, Best Score and Best Picture. Director Michel Hazanavicius was surprised that he won against veterans like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese.
On the heels of "The Artist," "The Help" won three Critics' Choice for its actors. Though more well-known than the stars of "The Artist," many cast members of "The Help" spent years in supporting roles. Supporting Actress winner Octavia Spencer, the breakout star of the movie, played in very small roles on television and film for more than 20 years. Best Actress winner Viola Davis' star rose steadily over the past decade, even playing in a film with fellow nominee Meryl Streep. "The Help" also received a trophy for Best Ensemble.
Leonardo DiCaprio introduced the Music + Film Award, presented to Martin Scorsese for the musicality that accompanies his great movie works. The Critics' Choice played a selection of his films, spanning more than 30 years. The widow of George Harrison introduced Bob Dillon, who sang a song in tribute to Scorsese. He spoke of how music affected him growing up in a world prior to television. Scorcese's film documentary, "George Harrison: Living in the Material World," also won that night.
George Clooney introduced the Joel Siegel Humanitarian Award to Sean Penn, an award that honors artists who work in humanitarian efforts. He received the award for his efforts in Haiti, as well as his overall charity works. Sean Penn gave a live speech via satellite from Haiti.
The 2012 Critics' Choice Awards showed that unconventional movies can be made without major movie stars or lots of technological amenities. "The Artist" and "The Help" proved to be the Cinderella stories of the night. We will see if these wins translate to Oscar gold at the Academy Awards.
Complete list of nominees and winners:
Best Supporting Actress
Jessica Chastain - "The Help"
Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"
Carey Mulligan - "Shame"
Berenice Bejo - "The Artist"
Octavia Spencer - "The Help" (winner)
Melissa McCarthy - "Bridesmaids"
Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks - "Drive"
Kenneth Branagh - "My Week with Marilyn"
Christopher Plummer - "Beginners" (winner)
Nick Nolte - "Warrior"
Patton Oswalt - "Young Adults"
Andy Serkis - "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
Best Acting Ensemble
"Bridesmaids"
"The Help" (winner)
"The Ides of March"
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
Best Animation Feature
"The Adventures of Tintin"
"Arthur Christmas"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango" - (winner)
Best Comedy
"Crazy Stupid Love"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Muppets"
"Bridesmaids" (winner)
"Horrible Bosses"
Best Foreign Film
"Le Havre"
"In Darkness"
"Where Do We Go Now?"
"The Skin I Live In"
"A Separation" (winner)
Best Young Actor/Actress
Saoirse Ronan - "Hanna"
Asa Butterfield - "Hugo"
Elle Fanning - "Super 8"
Ezra Miller - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
Thomas Horn - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" (winner)
Shailene Woodley - "The Descendants"
Best Documentary Feature
"Buck"
"Cave of Forgotten Dreams"
"George Harrison: Living in the Material World" (winner)
"Page One: Inside the New York Times"
"Project Nim"
"Undefeated"
Best Adapted Screenplay
"The Descendants" - Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" -Eric Roth
"The Help" - Tate Taylor
"Hugo" - John Logan
"Moneyball" - Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Story by Stan Chervin (winner)
Best Original Screenplay
"The Artist" - Michel Hazanavicius
"50/50" - Will Reiser
"Midnight in Paris" - Woody Allen (winner)
"Win Win" - Screenplay by Tom McCarthy, Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni
"Young Adult"-Diablo Cody
Best Director
Stephen Daldry - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
Michel Hazanavicius - "The Artist" (winner)
Alexander Payne - "The Descendants"
Nicolas Winding Refn - "Drive"
Martin Scorsese - "Hugo"
Steven Spielberg - "War Horse"
Best Actress
Viola Davis - "The Help" (winner)
Elizabeth Olsen - "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Meryl Streep - "The Iron Lady"
Tilda Swinton - "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
Charlize Theron - "Young Adults"
Michelle Williams - "My Week with Marilyn"
Best Actor
George Clooney - "The Descendants" (winner)
Leonardo DiCaprio - "J. Edgar"
Jean Dujardin - "The Artist"
Michael Fassbender - "Shame"
Ryan Gosling - "Drive"
Brad Pitt - "Moneyball"
Best Picture
"The Artist" (winner)
"The Descendants"
"Drive"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Moneyball"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"
Best Action Movie
"Drive" (winner)
"Fast Five"
"Hanna"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Super 8"
Best Art Direction
"The Artist" - Production Designer: Laurence Bennett, Set Decorator: Robert Gould
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" - Production Designer: Stuart Craig, Set Decorator: Stephenie McMillan
"Hugo" - Production Designer: Dante Ferretti, Set Decorator: Francesca Lo Schiavo (winner)
"The Tree of Life" - Production Designer: Jack Fisk, Set Decorator: Jeanette Scott
"War Horse" - Production Designer: Rick Carter, Set Decorator: Lee Sandales
Best Costume Design
"The Artist" - Mark Bridges (winner)
"The Help" - Sharen Davis
"Hugo" - Sandy Powell
"Jane Eyre" - Michael O'Connor
"My Week With Marilyn" - Jill Taylor
Best Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" (winner)
"The Iron Lady"
" J. Edgar"
" My Week With Marilyn"
Best Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (winner)
"Super 8"
"The Tree of Life"
Best Editing
"The Artist" - Michel Hazanavicius and Anne-Sophie Bion
"Drive" - Matthew Newman
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" - Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall (winner)
"Hugo" - Thelma Schoonmaker
"War Horse" - Michael Kahn
Best Sound
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" (winner)
"Hugo"
"Super 8"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"
Best Score
"The Artist" - Ludovic Bource (winner)
"Drive" - Cliff Martinez
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
"Hugo" - Howard Shore
"War Horse" - John Williams
Best Cinematography
"The Artist" - Guillaime Schiffman
"Drive" - Newton Thomas Sigel
"Hugo" - Robert Richardson
"The Tree of Life" - Emmanuel Lubezki (winner)
"War Horse" - Janusz Kaminski (winner)
Best Song
"Hello Hello" - performed by Elton John and Lady Gaga/written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin - "Gnomeo & Juliet"
"Life's a Happy Song" - performed by Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie - "The Muppets" (winner)
"The Living Proof" - performed by Mary J. Blige/written by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman and Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas - "The Help"
"Man or Muppet" - performed by Jason Segel and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie - "The Muppets"
"Pictures in My Head" - performed by Kermit and the Muppets/written by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman - " The Muppets"
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