Two entertainment notes to start your day, including news of a new CW TV show set in Dallas. Don't know the name yet, or even it will be filmed here (calls are in to Dallas Film Commission director Janis Burklund), but its roots are reputable enough: Endemol USA, the production company heretofore known as the makers of, among other things, Deal or No Deal and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The production house has announced its entry into scripted shows, including comedies for HBO and Comedy Central, but about the locally related project Variety has this to say:
The CW's nanny project, from scribes Veronica Becker and Sarah Kucserka (Ugly Betty), centers on four nannies and the families they work for in Dallas. Warner Bros. TV is producing.And, in movie news, the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association this morning released its year-end best-of list, and it named Slumdog Millionaire as the best picture of '08 -- and, sure, why not. The rest of the awards list follows after the jump. Maybe some year I'll remember to turn in my ballot. But I doubt it would have made a difference: Synecdoche, New York didn't even crack the DFWCA's Top 10. --Robert Wilonsky
DALLAS-FORT WORTH FILM CRITICS NAME "SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE" BEST PICTURE OF 2008
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association voted the kaleidoscopic fairy tale SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE as the best film of 2008, according to the results of its 15th annual critics' poll released today. Rounding out the composite list of the top 10 films of the year were MILK (2), THE DARK KNIGHT (3), THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (4), THE WRESTLER (5), THE VISITOR (6), FROST/NIXON (7), DOUBT (8), WALL-E (9) and HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (10).
For Best Actor, the association named Sean Penn for MILK. Runners-up included Mickey Rourke for THE WRESTLER (2), Frank Langella for FROST/NIXON (3), Brad Pitt for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (4) and Richard Jenkins for THE VISITOR (5).
Anne Hathaway was voted Best Actress for RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Next in the voting were Meryl Streep for DOUBT (2), Sally Hawkins for HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (3), Kristin Scott Thomas for I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (4) and Kate Winslet for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (5).
In the Best Supporting Actor category, the winner was Heath Ledger for THE DARK KNIGHT. He was followed by Josh Brolin for MILK (2), Eddie Marsan for HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (3), Philip Seymour Hoffman for DOUBT (4) and Robert Downey Jr. for TROPIC THUNDER (5).
For Best Supporting Actress, the association named Viola Davis for DOUBT. Runners-up included Penelope Cruz for VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (2), Marisa Tomei for THE WRESTLER (3), Taraji P. Henson for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (4) and Rosemarie Dewitt for RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (5).
Danny Boyle was voted Best Director for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. Next in the voting were David Fincher for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (2), Christopher Nolan for THE DARK KNIGHT (3), Gus Van Sant for MILK (4) and Ron Howard for FROST/NIXON (5).
The association voted TELL NO ONE as the best foreign-language film of the year. Runners-up were WALTZ WITH BASHIR (2), LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (3), I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (4) and GOMORRAH (5).
MAN ON WIRE won for Best Documentary over WALTZ WITH BASHIR (2), YOUNG AT HEART (3), STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (4) and DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER (5).
WALL-E was named the best animated film of 2008, with KUNG FU PANDA as runner-up. Dustin Lance Black won the Best Screenplay award for MILK over Simon Beaufoy for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.
The award for Best Cinematography went to Wally Pfister for THE DARK KNIGHT, followed by Claudio Miranda for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON.
The association voted WENDY AND LUCY as the winner of the Russell Smith Award, named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film. The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association consists of 32 broadcast, print and online journalists from throughout North Texas. For more information, visit www.dfwfilmcritics.com.
