'No Country for Old Men' Gets Film Critics Awards

HOLLYWOOD " Joel and Ethan Coen's western noir "No Country for Old Men" was the big winner Monday at the 13th annual Critics' Choice Awards at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

The film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel picked up awards for best film of 2007, best director for the Coen brothers and best supporting actor for Javier Bardem as a well-coiffed assassin.

The 200-plus member Broadcast Film Critics Association, which represents TV, radio and online critics in the United States and Canada, also chose Daniel Day-Lewis as best actor for "There Will Be Blood." Day-Lewis' win comes two days after he was named best actor by the National Society of Film Critics. Jonny Greenwood also won as best composer for "Blood."

Julie Christie was chosen best actress for "Away From Here" and Amy Ryan was named best supporting actress for "Gone Baby Gone." Christie and Ryan have won the lion's share of the critics' awards to date.

"Juno" won best comedy and best writer for Diablo Cody. "Hairspray" also received two awards, for best acting ensemble and best young actress for newcomer Nikki Blonsky.

Best young actor went to Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada for "The Kite Runner." "Enchanted" was named best film family, and "Ratatouille" took best animated feature honors.

Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," although not eligible for an Oscar nomination in the foreign film category, was named best foreign-language film. "Sicko," Michael Moore's examination of the health-care industry, won the critics' choice for best documentary. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova received best song for "Falling Slowly" from "Once."

HBO's historical drama "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" received the best picture made-for-television award.

George Clooney presented the inaugural Joel Siegel Award to Don Cheadle. The award was created to honor people "in the film community whose work both on and off screen inspires and contributes to the good of humanity." The award was named after the BFCA member and longtime "Good Morning America" film critic who died of cancer last year.

D.L. Hughley was host of the event, which was broadcast on cable's VH1. The fate of the award ceremony had been up in the air because of the Writers Guild strike. But Sunday, the Screen Actors Guild gave their members permission to attend and participate in the event.

In other award news, Roger Deakins received two nominations Monday in the feature film category for the 22nd annual American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement Awards. Deakins was nominated for his work on "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and on "No Country for Old Men."

Deakins is the first cinematographer to receive double nominations in this category.

Vying with Deakins for the award are Robert Elswit for "There Will Be Blood," Janusz Kaminski for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and Seamus McGarvey for "Atonement." The winner will be announced Jan. 26.

The Visual Effects Society also announced nominations Monday for its sixth annual awards. "I Am Legend," "Transformers," "The Golden Compass," "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and "Spider-Man 3" are nominated for outstanding visual effects in a visual effects-driven motion picture.

"Ratatouille," "Zodiac," "We Own the Night," "The Kite Runner" and "Blades of Glory" are in contention for outstanding supporting visual effects in a motion picture.

The Visual Effects Society will also present Steven Spielberg with a lifetime achievement award. The winners will be announced Feb. 10.