The Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA), comprised of 42 critics living in nine states (including North Carolina, with three members here in Charlotte), last week named The Hours as the Best Picture of 2002. This adaptation of Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, featuring a dream cast led by Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman and Ed Harris, is slated to open locally on January 17. Runners-up for the organization’s top prize were Far From Heaven (already playing in Charlotte) and Chicago (opening this Friday).Far From Heaven fared well in the group’s 11th annual balloting, taking the prizes for Best Actress (Julianne Moore) and Best Original Screenplay (Todd Haynes, who also directed). Other multiple winners were Gangs of New York for Best Director (Martin Scorsese) and Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Adaptation for Best Supporting Actor (Chris Cooper), Best Supporting Actress (Meryl Streep) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Charlie Kaufman and his “fictional” brother Donald). In the remaining categories, Mexico’s Y Tu Mama Tambien scored as Best Foreign-Language Film while Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine took the nod for Best Documentary.
As has been the case over the last couple of years, there’s been no clear consensus on what was 2002’s best film. The New York Film Critics picked Far From Heaven, the Los Angeles Film Critics cited About Schmidt, and the National Board of Review elected The Hours. Meanwhile, the Golden Globes tossed most of its nominations in the direction of Chicago. So at this point in the Oscar-guessing game, it’s probably advisable not to bet the house on any one title sweeping the field.
This article appears in Jan 1-7, 2003.
