The San Diego Film Critics Society, of which this reporter is a founding member and former president, has selected its favorite films for 2007.
The Best Film selected was “No Country for Old Men,” with Javier Bardem and Tommy Lee Jones. The taught thriller tells the tale of men pursuing stolen drug money in the American West. Joel and Ethan Coen directed. The runner-up was a close second for “There Will Be Blood.”
Best Actress was veteran star Julie Christie (“Dr. Zhivago”) as an early Alzheimer’s patient in Lionsgate’s “Away From Her.” Young Ellen Page was the second favorite for “Juno.” Another favorite was French star Marion Cotillard for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in “La Vie En Rose.”
Daniel Day Lewis copped the Best Actor Award for his stunning portrayal in “There Will Be Blood,” and Paul Thomas Anderson was selected as Best Director for that film. Runner-up was Russell Crowe for “3:10 to Yuma.”
Longtime favorite Tommy Lee Jones was selected as Best Supporting Actor for his outstanding work in “No Country for Old Men.” Tom Wilkinson was runner-up for “Michael Clayton.”
Newcomer Amy Ryan was selected as Best Supporting Actress for her dazzling work as a drug-addicted mother in Ben Affleck’s directing debut, “Gone Baby Gone.” Cate Blanchett came in second for her portrayal of Bob Dylan in “I’m Not Here.”
The adorable “Ratatouille” was selected as Best Animated Film, and Best Foreign Language Film was Julian Schnabel’s “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.”
Best Original Screenplay went to former stripper Diablo Cody for “Juno,” and Best Adapted Screenplay was won by Paul Thomas Anderson for “There Will Be Blood,” a reworking of Upton Sinclair’s novel “Oil!”
Roger Deakins was neck and neck with cinematographer Robert Elswit for “There Will Be Blood,” but he subsequently won for “No Country for Old Men.”
Best Ensemble work went to the cast of “No Country for Old Men,” including Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin.
World film favorite Christian Bale won for his Body of Work for outstanding performances in “3:10 to Yuma,” “Rescue Dawn” and “I’m Not There.”