Tis the Season: The Satellite Awards

Yes, 'tis the season ... awards season, that is! Sure the holidays are coming fast and sure there isn't enough money to pay the rent, let alone gifts, but Hollywood doesn't care. No matter what crisis the world is facing, Hollywood will always make time to pat itself on the back. Awards season may be entirely trivial to some (or maybe most) but as far as I'm concerned, it's the most wonderful time of the year! For the next month and a half, a multitude of different critics' associations and press and film associations will announce their 2008 favorites. And though they'd all like to think that their nominations are the final word on the subject, they are all just contributing factors to the mother of all awards, the Oscar.

In the meantime, awards season kicks off with this weekend's announcement of the 13th Annual Satellite Awards. Albeit too early to suggest that these nominations will have a direct impact on the Academy nominations but please allow me some early observations. First of all, call me ignorant, but what on earth is FROZEN RIVER? How can a movie I've never heard off find its way into the Best Actress (Drama), Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture (Drama) categories? It will need a lot more support than this to become a serious contender. I'm very happy to see the love being thrown at THE VISITOR, which scored nominations for actor (Richard Jenkins), director and writing (both Thomas McCarthy). Meanwhile, two serious contenders - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and MILK - tied for the most nominations with six a piece, including Best Picture (Drama). That category is rounded out by THE READER, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, and FROST/NIXON. This presents some early concern for a few films that seemed poised for the ultimate greatness. THE DARK KNIGHT earned Christopher Nolan a directing nomination and Heath Ledger a Supporting Actor nomination but failed to capture the big prize. And supposed front runner, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON came up empty in the picture, director and actor category for Brad Pitt. WALL-E's dreams of scoring a picture nomination seem to be fading fast but Pixar can celebrate their nomination in the Animated Feature category, where KUNG FU PANDA was shut out despite scoring 17 nominations at the Annie awards. And lastly but not the least bit surprising, Meryl Streep is a big winner here as she earns not one but two nominations in the Best Actress categories - one for DOUBT (Drama) and one for MAMMA MIA! (Comedy).

The Satellite Awards are hosted by the International Press Academy and the winners will be announced on December 14. A selected list of the film nominations are:

ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA)
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Kristen Scott Thomas, "I've Loved You So Long"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA)
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"
Mark Ruffalo, "What Doesn't Kill You"
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Revolutionary Road"
Sean Penn, "Milk"

ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
Sally Hawkins, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Meryl Streep, "Mamma Mia!"
Lisa Kudrow, "Kabluey"
Kat Dennings, "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist"
Catherine Deneuve, "A Christmas Tale"
Debra Messing, "Nothing Like the Holidays"

ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
Ricky Gervais, "Ghost Town"
Sam Rockwell, "Choke"
Josh Brolin, "W."
Michael Cera, "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist"
Brendan Gleeson, "In Bruges"
Mark Rufallo, "The Brothers Bloom"

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Rosemarie DeWitt, "Rachel Getting Married"
Penelope Cruz, "Elegy"
Anjelica Huston, "Choke"
Sophie Okonedo, "The Secret Life of Bees"
Emma Thompson, "Brideshead Revisited"
Beyonce Knowles, "Cadillac Records"

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Rade Sherbedgia, "Fugitive Pieces"
James Franco, "Milk"
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"

MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA)
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Revolutionary Road
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Frozen River

MOTION PICTURE (COMEDY)
Happy-Go-Lucky
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Tropic Thunder
In Bruges
Choke

ANIMATED MOTION PICTURE
The Tale of Despereaux
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!
WALL-E
Bolt
Waltz with Bashir
The Sky Crawlers

DIRECTOR
Thomas McCarthy, "The Visitor"
Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant, "Milk"
Christopher Nolan, "The Dark Knight"
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ELEGY
THE VISITOR
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
AUSTRALIA
MILK

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
DOUBT
FROST/NIXON
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

For a complete list of nominations, visit the International Press Academy website.