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Saturday, January 13, 2007

The Queen dominates Bafta nominations

Helen Mirren has added a royal touch to the nominations for the 2007 Orange British Academy Film Awards.

The QueenShe is in the running for the Best Actress award for her performance in The Queen - while the movie is also up for Best Film.

Babel, The Departed, The Last King of Scotland and Little Miss Sunshine are also shortlisted for Best Film at the Baftas.

In all, The Queen recevied 10 nominations. These also included Best British Film, Best Director for Stephen Frears, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Michael Sheen.

Casino Royale received nine nominations, including for Best British Film and Best Actor for Daniel Craig.

Pan's Labyrinth received eight nominations, Babel had seven and The Departed, United 93 and Little Miss Sunshine six each.

The winners will be announced on February 11.


*Ananaova

Review: Set in the week following the death of Princess Diana, The Queen depicts the backstage parley between PM Blair and HM Elizabeth II. Of course, much of this is speculation (especially the scenes at Balmoral) and director Stephen Frears falls into the trap of gross caricaturing. Only Helen Mirren retains her dignity as the reigning monarch - just as it should be. Otherwise this plays like a bizarre dream that Rory Bremner might have after a late night cheese sandwich.


Bremner certainly has stiff competition from Michael Sheen whose rendering of Blair is unsettling and hilarious - bobbing around like a madly grinning Jack-in-the-Box before ever-present cameras. In suggesting that he saved the monarchy from demise, screenwriter Peter Morgan takes dramatic license too far. No doubt Blair's advice to the Queen led to historic breaks with protocol, but not enough time has elapsed to properly assess the impact of these seven days.

"LIKE REFUGEES FROM A SITCOM"

Morgan's biggest problem is getting inside Her Majesty's head. Cast as a traditionalist adrift in a fast-changing world, her public face remains her private one. That's except for a synthetic moment when the proverbial upper-lip quivers at the sight of a wild stag pegged for slaughter (a crass metaphor for you-know-who). It's left to Mirren to imply a general inner turmoil. Meanwhile the Queen Mother (Sylvia Syms) and Prince Philip (James Cromwell) come across like refugees from a sitcom. They slurp tea on the sofa, watching TV coverage of public mourning while Philip dishes out the insults. The tabloid appeal is obvious, but Morgan's script is tomorrow's chip paper.


*BBC Movies.com

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