The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) has announced the nominees for the 14th annual Critics’ Choice Awards. The winners will be announced at the Critics’ Choice Awards gala on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. VH1 will again broadcast this year’s ceremony Live at 9:00 PM (ET/PT).
Milk and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button lead the pack with eight nominations for the 14th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards. Milk received nominations for Best Picture, a Best Actor nod for Sean Penn, two Best Supporting Actor nominations for James Franco and Josh Brolin, Best Director for Gus Van Sant, Best Writer for Dustin Lance Black, and Best Composer for Danny Elfman.
The eight nominations for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are for Best Picture, a Best Actor nomination for Brad Pitt, Best Actress for Cate Blanchett, Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Director for David Fincher, Best Writer for Eric Roth, and Best Composer for Alexandre Desplat.
The Dark Knight, Doubt and Slumdog Millionaire all tied with six nominations, each including a Best Picture nod. (Listed below)
Clint Eastwood received a Best Actor nomination for Gran Torino and a Best Composer nomination for Changeling, which added two nominations for Best Picture and Best Actress (Angelina Jolie).
The BFCA, the largest film critics’ organization with more than 200 members in the United States and Canada, representing television, radio and online critics, selected nominees in each of the 17 categories.
The Critics’ Choice Awards were created by the BFCA to recognize excellence in cinematic achievement. Eligible films were released in 2008. The accounting firm of Gregory A. Mogab tallied the written ballots. Historically, the Critics’ Choice Awards are the most accurate predictor of the Academy Award nominations.
The nominees were announced this morning by Academy Award(R) nominated actress Rosie Perez, “At the Movies” hosts Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz and VH1 President Tom Calderone in a press conference at the MTV Network studios in Times Square that aired live on VH1. To view or download broadcast quality file formats of today’s nomination press conference please visit www.epk.tv.
A complete list of nominees is available at http://criticschoice.vh1.com. VH1’s “Critics’ Choice Awards” site, which launches today, will be home to detailed information about the awards and will provide a forum for both the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) critics and users to comment on this year’s nominees. VH1 will expand elements of the show online at VH1.com. Exclusive video footage from the event will include celebrity interviews, red carpet footage and more. Additional multiplatform plans will be announced in the coming weeks.
Counting down to the LIVE premiere of the Critics’ Choice Awards, VH1 will air the “14th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards Red Carpet Premiere Featuring Maria Menounos” pre-show LIVE on Thursday, January 8 at 8pm (ET/PT) and will also stream it LIVE on VH1.com. Covering the excitement of the celebrity arrivals on the red carpet will be “KTLA Morning News” entertainment reporter Sam Rubin and No Good TV’s Carrie Keagan. Interspersed throughout the red carpet arrivals will be pre-taped interviews with NBC and Access Hollywood’s Maria Menounos as she sits down and speaks with some of today’s hottest stars.
The 14th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards are sponsored by Walmart, AT&T and Crest Whitening Expressions.
The 14th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards is executive produced by Bob Bain for Bob Bain Productions, Joey Berlin for Berlin Entertainment and Lee Rolontz for VH1.