Year in Review: The 2005 Marigold Petal Awards

Imagine Judi Dench's Barb in Notes on a Scandal: "The first day of a new year; and they flock to him..."

Look, don't even start with me, okay? I realize these awards are a gazillion months overdue (and furthermore the irony of posting this on January 1st.) I also intuit that many of you have made peace with all that was film in 2005 (except, you know, the holdovers that are appearing right now.) And I furthermore acknowledge that there has been way too much award discussion on this blog lately in lieu of actual film criticism. But I want to do some spring cleaning with the blog, so finishing this and the Male Performances in Review are major priorities for me. You can't imagine how many posts are "save[d] as drafts" presently. I know we have recently been overloaded with information on awards and "best of" lists as 'tis the season, so this might come as unwanted reading material (because I think myself such a popular blogger ;)... But this list is much more personal, and I feel like this might undo my writing block of late. I want to do a lot of writing in the coming days and weeks, so let's get started by handing in these late assignments!

* I was going to do this all the way and post all my nominees, but for the sake of saving space and (your) time, I'm just posting winners and runner-ups like the critics' groups do. Let me know if you want the entire list (it's simply a matter of copying and pasting.)

My top ten list by Canadian/Toronto release dates (as I felt it to be around April 2006; it has changed since):
1. A History of Violence [David Cronenberg]
2. The Best of Youth [Marco Tullio Giordana]
3. 3-Iron [Kim Ki-duk]
4. Grizzly Man [Werner Herzog]
5. The New World [Terrence Malick]
6. Me and You and Everyone We Know [Miranda July]
7. Capote [Bennett Miller]
8. Caché [Michael Haneke]
9. The Squid and the Whale [Noah Baumbach]
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit [Nick Park, Steve Box]
10. Yes [Sally Potter]
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11. Pride and Prejudice [Joe Wright]
12. Clean [Olivier Assayas]
13. Last Days [Gus Van Sant]
14. Murderball [Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro]
15. Brokeback Mountain [Ang Lee]
Brothers [Susanne Bier]

Honourable Mentions: Junebug, Mysterious Skin, Munich

Best Picture: A History of Violence (New Line) [Runner-up: The Best of Youth (BiBiFilm, Rai Cinemafiction)]

Best Director: Kim Ki-duk, 3-Iron [Runner-up: Michael Haneke, Caché]

Best Female Actor in a Leading Role: Maggie Cheung, Clean [Runner-up: Jennifer Connelly, Dark Water]

Best Male Actor in a Leading Role: Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain [Runner-up: Jeff Daniels, The Squid and the Whale]

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Maria Bello, A History of Violence [Runner-up: Amy Adams, Junebug]

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Owen Kline, The Squid and the Whale [Runner-up: Mathieu Amalric, Kings and Queen]

Best Ensemble Cast: The Best of Youth [Runner-up: Brothers]

Best Original Screenplay: Miranda July, Me and You and Everyone We Know [Runner-up: Sally Potter, Yes]

Best Adapted Screenplay: Dan Futterman, Capote [Runner-up: Deborah Moggach and Emma Thompson, Pride and Prejudice]

Best Animated Film: Steve Box and Nick Park, Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit [Runner-up: -]

Best Documentary Feature: Werner Herzog, Grizzly Man [Runner-up: Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shaprio, Murderball]

Best Original Score: Dario Marianelli, Pride and Prejudice [Runner-up: Gustavo Santaolalla, Brokeback Mountain]

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, The New World [Runner-up: Christopher Doyle, et al., 2046]

Best Make-up: Patrick Baxter, et al., A History of Violence [Runner-up: David Watherton, et al., The New World]

Best Art Direction/Design: Sarah Greenwood, Pride and Prejudice [Runner-up: Alex McDowell, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride]

Best Costume Design: Jacqueline West, The New World [Runner-up: Sabyasachi Mukherji, Black]

Best Editing: Michael Hudecek, Nadine Muse, Caché [Runner-up: Ronald Sanders, A History of Violence]

Best Sound Mixing: Christopher Boyes, et al., King Kong [Anna Behlemer, et al., War of the Worlds]

Best Sound Effects Editing: Richard King, War of the Worlds [Runner-up: Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn, King Kong]

Best Visual Effects: Brad Alexander, et al., Revenge of the Sith [Runner-up: Joe Letteri, et al., King Kong]

OVERALL:
A History of Violence - 3
The New World - 2
Pride and Prejudice - 2
3-Iron - 1
The Best of Youth - 1
Brokeback Mountain - 1
Caché - 1
Capote - 1
Clean - 1
Grizzly Man - 1
King Kong - 1
Me and You and Everyone We Know - 1
Revenge of the Sith - 1
The Squid and the Whale - 1
Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit - 1
War of the Worlds - 1

Comment, discuss, challenge, ignore.