"They're always giving out awards"

It's December. Film critics are giving out awards.

The latest come from the LA Film Critics, and they did a pretty good job. Best picture is Sideways. (I met the cast a few days ago at a special screening, but I'd already seen and loved it.) It also won for director, screenplay, supporting actor and supporting actress. This may be too much, but I'd rather have them lavish their awards on a good film than some pseudo-classy literary adaptation. Sideways may not be amazing (as recent small American films such as Ghost World and American Splendor were), but it's a well-written movie about interesting, realistic characters, which is getting to be a rarity. It's also a bit of a comeback for Payne, whose About Schmidt I found slow. I hope the Oscars take the hint.

Imelda Staunton won best actress for Vera Drake. Like most people, I haven't seen it. Liam Neeson is a curious winner for Kinsey. He seemed to me a bit lackluster, and occasionally had trouble with the accent. (At least Laura Linney, who's done much better work elsewhere, didn't get a supporting actress nod as his wife.)

They also gave Jerry Lewis a lifetime achievement award. I wish the Academy would try the same thing just to see what he'd do.