"The King's Speech" reigns; "Marwencol" rules

Published Jan 31 2011, 11:35 AM by Peter Keough

The surprise Director's Guild Award for Tom Hooper and the awards from the Screen Actors Guild -- Best Actor for Colin Firth and Best Ensemble Cast -- pretty much guarantee an Oscar sweep for "The King's Speech," the lush period biopic about King George VI, who, with the help of a non-elitist therapist managed to shake off a debilitating stutter, a toffee-nosed dissolute, Nazi-leaning elder brother, and a paralyzing father complex, and, apparently, go on to win World War II singlehandedly. In short, a textbook case of an Oscar shoo-in that will be studied by aspirants to the prize as a model to follow for years to come.

On the other hand, if you'd like to see a genuinely moving and inspiring film about another, humbler figure who transforms a disability into a redeeming asset, check out "Marwencol" at the Brattle heater Tonight. This film won't win any Oscars - the filmmakers couldn't raise the $25,000 or so necessary to fulfill the Academy's requirements to get a nomination. But director Jeff Malmberg did accept the Boston Society of Film Critics award for Best Documentary and the David Brudnoy Award for Best New Filmmaker at the group's award ceremony last night, which hopefully is some consolation.

Filed Under: Boston Society of Film Critics, King George VI, The King's Speech, Tom Hooper, Screen Actors Guild

| More

See this film: Vertigo at the MFA

Boston Society of Film Critics Awards tonight

Name (required)

Your URL (optional)

Comments (required)

Remember Me?

Friends' Activity

Popular

Most Viewed

All Blogs

Phlog (1,931)
On The Download (3,010)
Outside The Frame (508)
Talking Politics (1,904)
Laser Orgy (265)
PageViews (336)
Dont Quote Me (583)

See more deals

Filed Under: Boston Society of Film Critics, King George VI, The King's Speech, Tom Hooper, Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild of America, Colin Firth, Jeff Malmberg, Marwencol, oscars11

Boston Phoenix
Panahi update
Published 2/7/2011 by Peter Keough
The turmoil in Egypt dominates the news from the Middle East, overshadowing the recent oppressive measures imposed by the Iranian despots. Apparently in an attempt...

Boston Phoenix
"The King's Speech" reigns; "Marwencol" rules
Published 1/31/2011 by Peter Keough
The surprise Director's Guild Award for Tom Hooper and the awards from the Screen Actors Guild -- Best Actor for Colin Firth and Best Ensemble...

more by Peter Keough

See these films: "Yilmaz Güney: From 'Ugly King' to Poet of Despair" series at the HFA | February 25, 2011

See this film: The Kids Are All Right at the Brattle | February 25, 2011

Speech impediments? | February 25, 2011

Review: Hall Pass | February 25, 2011

Review: Unknown | February 25, 2011

See all articles by: Peter Keough

Follow the Phoenix

Latest Comments

Charlestown Pharma-Bandit Flick "Oxy Morons" Back For Another Theater Run - Kristina this scram was in the movie and is hating like this??? WOW

By SJB243 on 02-26-2011 in Phlog

Charlestown Pharma-Bandit Flick "Oxy Morons" Back For Another Theater Run - WOW ur jelous huh? And y is he a scumbag? For his past? Well he sure as hell is making up for it and...

By SJB243 on 02-26-2011 in Phlog

Charlestown Pharma-Bandit Flick "Oxy Morons" Back For Another Theater Run - Its really sad that you have no life and the only thing you have better to do is write horrible comments...

By kristina123 on 02-25-2011 in Phlog

Charlestown Pharma-Bandit Flick "Oxy Morons" Back For Another Theater Run - what a F'n bitch.john hickey.keep promoting a low-life gone lower!!! hahahahahahahahha

By 038 boys on 02-25-2011 in Phlog

Charlestown Pharma-Bandit Flick "Oxy Morons" Back For Another Theater Run - lets see if you cant make john hickey the rat scumbag a couple thousand bucks!! what a joke..

By 038 boys on 02-25-2011 in Phlog

Latest Comments from Outside The Frame

"The King's Speech" reigns; "Marwencol" rules

Leave a Comment