The Artist, Downton Abbey, Mildred Pierce top Golden Globe noms

Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, stars of "The Artist," have struck gold in black and white.

Todd Haynes's HBO miniseries remake of the 1945 film starring Bette Davis holds 4 nominations, including 1 for its star Kate Winslet.

The “indie” film critics and awards organizations apparently love to love, The Artist, leads all works nominated with 6 of the big ones. The Descendants and The Help follow closely with 5. Of the TV nominees, Todd Haynes’s Kate Winslet-starring period-piece remake Mildred Pierce and PBS’s Downton Abbey lead with 4 nominations.

Film

Best Motion Picture – Drama

• The Descendants
• The Help
• Hugo
• The Ides of March
• Moneyball
• War Horse

Best Motion Picture – Comedy

• 50/50
• The Artist
• Bridesmaids
• Midnight in Paris
• My Week with Marilyn

SAG Awards give most nominations to The Help, Modern Family

One of TV's all-time "funny women," Mary Tyler Moore has a statue of her as the iconic Mary Richards in Minneapolis. She'll get a much smaller but equally important one come January 29th.

The SAG Awards, the awards show without a “Best Picture” and “Best Director,” nominated The Help (film) 4 times over and Modern Family (TV) 5 times for its 18th annual outing (airing January 29th, 2012). Mary Tyler Moore, bajillion-time (really 6) Emmy Award winner and one-time Oscar nominee, will receive the Life Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild. Because it’s a more popular, bigger-name awards show, the SAG Awards usually skew toward the expected and often famous actors, films, TV shows. However, there are a few surprises of note.

Demián Bichir, who plays a father in East L.A. struggling with gangs, immigration, and providing for his son in the scantly seen A Better Life, knocked off more expected nominees like Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, and Gary Oldman for a spot on the 5-actor list. Armie Hammer and Jonah Hill,

The cast of "The Help" (pictured) leads all films with 4 nominations, but 2 in the same category (Female Actor in a Supporting Role).

supporting actors from more widely seen and well-known films like J. Edgar and Moneyball, made the list. Popcorn action flicks like Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Cowboys and Aliens assuredly made the “Stunt Ensemble” set, which also sports Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 2 and X-Men: First Class. Kathy Bates does double duty for her work in Woody Allen’s film Midnight in Paris and David E. Kelly’s TV series Harry’s Law.

Twice a "Comedy Series" Emmy champion, "Modern Family" hopes to repeat at the SAG Awards as well.

As for the TV nominees, Patrick J. Adams (Suits) and Jessica Lange (American Horror Story) snuck into the “Drama Actor” spots. Betty White is nominated twice, once for Hot in Cleveland (assumed) and once for Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine (really?). But she’s having a renaissance and who am I to stand in her way? As expected, Modern Family dominated both “Actor in a Comedy Series”  lists. Maybe just maybe, though, the SAG Awards can make up for the Emmys’ glaring choice to shut Steve Carell out from an Emmy after creating one of the most memorable comedic characters of all time. It’s really only a hope though. Seeing two-time defending champ for “Lead Actor – Comedy Series,” Jim Parsons, omitted from the list could be just what Carell needs.

The Help wins 2 awards at 2011 African-American Film Critics’ Awards

Best Picture:

• 1. Tree of Life (Winner)
• 2. Drive
• 3. Pariah
• 4. Rampart
• 5. Shame
• 6. Moneyball
• 7. The Descendants
• 8. A Better Life
• 9. My Week with Marilyn
• 10. The Help

Best Director: Steve McQueen (Shame)

American Film Institute names top 10 in film and TV for 2011

Movies

• Bridesmaids
• The Descendants
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• The Help
• Hugo

Martin Scorsese’s Hugo tops 83rd NBR Awards

Asa Butterfield (left) plays the titular character and Chloë Grace Moretz (right) plays his friend Isabelle in Martin Scorsese's fantasy film.

Hugo, adapted from Brian Selznick’s historical-fiction novel The Invention of Hugo Cabaret, received universal acclaim and most recently won the hearts of National Board of Review members. The Martin Scorsese-directed film, about an orphaned boy from the 1930s who lives in a train station fixing one special clock he believes contains a message from his father, also snagged Martin Scorsese the “Best Director” award. It won the top spot out of the NBR’s unique “Top 10 films of…” annual list. George Clooney won “Best Actor” for his lead performance in The Descendants, Tilda Swinton prevented Meryl Streep from gaining yet more momentum with her “Best Actress” win for her work in We Need to Talk about Kevin; and the NBR continued its love affair with Clint Eastwood, honoring his decently reviewed biopic J. Edgar as one of the top 10 films of the year. Rango received the “Best Animated Feature” award and the entire Harry Potter franchise was award a “Special Achievement Award.” The rest of the winners and “top” films after the break.

Double-/triple-duty actors honored at NYFCC Awards

Is Brad Pitt "Money" in the bank this time around? He seems pretty sure about his chances.

Brad Pitt is enjoying a renaissance of sorts with his current slate of released films. Appearing in both Bennett Miller’s (Capote) Moneyball, based on Michael Lewis’s book of the same name, and Terrence Malick’s experimental epic The Tree of Life, the acclaimed veteran star won the New York Film Critics’ Circle Award for “Best Actor” due to his work in both films. Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian, with their sharp screenplay, were the other Moneyball winners. Michel Hazanavicius and his film The Artist were awarded “Best Director” and “Best Film,” respectively.

Rising star Jessica Chastain needed no "Help" in garnering her first award -- surely one of many to come.

Pitt’s The Tree of Life co-star Jessica Chastain is quickly rising not only to her peer’s “star” status, but also to the acclaimed one. She won the “Supporting Actress” award for her role in Malick’s indie, but also for her roles as a naive, enthusiastic Marilyn Monroe-esque Southerner in The Help and for her stint as wife to a tortured man in Take Shelter. With an astounding 9 films prepped for release, Chastain’s storming the film industry with her prowess and talent. Speaking of talent, we also got our first look at what is sure to be Meryl Streep’s dominant awards campaign all the way to Oscar glory. The 77th edition of this small but very prestigious set of awards saw her walk away with the “Best Actress” trophy. Her role as former British PM Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady makes her the clear frontrunner right now. Just beware, there could easily be a Sandra Bullock waiting in the wings to make the glory all her own. I’m looking at you, Viola Davis and Kirsten Dunst.