Film News: Terrence Malick’s ‘The Tree of Life’ Leads 2011 Chicago Film Critics Association Nominees

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CHICAGO – It may have had a controversial journey to the big screen, but the Chicago Film Critics Association thought that Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” was worth the wait, nominating it today for a leading seven awards, including Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain), Director, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, and Promising Performer (Hunter McCracken). Joining “The Tree of Life” in the race for Best Picture is “The Descendants” and “Drive,” each with six nominations total, and “The Artist” and “Hugo.” each with five.

Overall, a remarkable 43 films were chosen as some of the best of 2011, with other multiple nominees including “Martha Marcy May Marlene” with four nods, and six diverse films granted a pair of nominations — “A Separation,” “Melancholia,” “My Week With Marilyn,” “Shame,” “The Help,” and “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.”

As they often do, the CFCA made some inspired choices, including several unexpected picks. Brad Pitt missed out on a lead nomination for “Moneyball,” but popped up in Best Supporting Actor for “The Tree of Life.” After a remarkable critical campaign that allowed the film another appraisal, Anna Paquin was chosen as a finalist for her work in “Margaret.” And while some have selected the notable supporting performances by Jessica Chastain in “Take Shelter” and “The Help,” the CFCA selected “The Tree of Life” as her best. Finally, the great Werner Herzog will compete with himself with two entries for Best Documentary, but face a challenge from the Chicago-based “The Interrupters.”

The winners of the 2011 Chicago Film Critics Awards will be announced on Monday, December 19th, 2011. Come back for all the news and stay tuned for more details about the first awards ceremony to be held by the group since 2001, including appearances by Shirley MacLaine, James Earl Jones, Jason Segel, and more.

The Tree of Life Photo credit: Fox Searchlight

BEST PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
Hugo
The Tree of Life

BEST ACTOR
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Gary Oldman, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter

BEST ACTRESS
Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Anna Paquin, Margaret
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Albert Brooks, Drive
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Patton Oswalt, Young Adult
Brad Pitt, The Tree of Life
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Carey Mulligan, Shame
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Drive Photo credit: Film District

BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, & Jim Rash
Drive by Hossein Amini
Hugo by John Logan
Moneyball by Steven Zaillian & Aaron Sorkin
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist by Michel Hazanavicius
Martha Marcy May Marlene by Sean Durkin
Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen
A Separation by Asghar Farhadi
The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick

BEST ANIMATED FILM
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Puss in Boots
Rango
Winnie the Pooh

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
The Interrupters
Into the Abyss
Pina
Project Nim
Tabloid

A Separation Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Incendies
In a Better World
A Separation
The Skin I Live In
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Newton Thomas Sigel, Drive
Robert Richardson, Hugo
Manuel Alberto Claro, Melancholia
Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life
Janusz Kaminski, War Horse

BEST SCORE
Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Cliff Martinez, Drive
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Chemical Brothers, Hanna
Howard Shore, Hugo

MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Liana Liberato, Trust
Brit Marling, Another Earth
Hunter McCracken, The Tree of Life
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Shailene Woodley, Descendants, The

MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
Simon Curtis, My Week With Marilyn
Drake Doremus, Like Crazy
Sean Durkin, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Tate Taylor, The Help

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com