Local film critics find 'American Splendor' splendid

"American Splendor," the story of morose underground comic legend Harvey Pekar and his autobiographical comic book series, won the best picture award in the second annual Seattle Film Critics Awards.

Hope Davis, who played Pekar's engagingly gloomy wife, and the film's adapted screenplay were also honored by the 14 Puget Sound area print critics who voted on the awards.

Bill Murray was named best actor and Sofia Coppola won for both best director and best original screenplay awards for "Lost in Translation."

Sean Astin in "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" was best supporting actor and Marcia Gay Harden in "Mystic River" best supporting actress.

The annual "Living Treasure" career achievement award went to actor Christopher Lee and a special citation was given to Rialto Pictures for its restorations and re-releases of classic French films in the past year.

The awards are based on a poll conducted by Parallax View: A Film Society of movie critics writing for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The Seattle Times, The (Tacoma) News Tribune, The (Everett) Herald, Seattle Weekly, The Stranger, Queen Anne News and Seattle Gay News.

SEATTLE FILM CRITICS AWARDS

Best picture: "American Splendor." Runners-up: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," "Lost in Translation"

Best director: Sofia Coppola, "Lost in Translation." Runner-up: Peter Jackson, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

Best actor: Bill Murray, "Lost in Translation." Runner-up: Paul Giamatti, "American Splendor"

Best actress: Hope Davis, "American Splendor." Runners-up: Charlotte Rampling, "Swimming Pool," Charlize Theron, "Monster"

Best supporting actor: Sean Astin, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." Runner-up: Peter Sarsgaard, "Shattered Glass"

Best supporting actress: Marcia Gay Harden, "Mystic River." Runner-up: Patricia Clarkson, "Pieces of April"

Best original screenplay: "Lost in Translation" (Sofia Coppola). Runners-up: "Finding Nemo" (Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds), "A Mighty Wind" (Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy)

Best adapted screenplay: "American Splendor" (Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini). Runner-up: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson)

Documentary: "Capturing the Friedmans." Runner-up: "Spellbound"

Animated feature: "The Triplets of Belleville." Runner-up: "Finding Nemo"

Foreign language film: "The Man on the Train" (France). Runner-up: "The Man Without a Past" (Finland)

Cinematography: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (Andrew Lesnie). Runner-up: "Girl With a Pearl Earring" (Eduardo Serra)

Music: "A Mighty Wind"(songs by Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Catherine O'Hara, Annette O'Toole, Harry Shearer, Jeffrey C.J. Vanston). Runner-up: "Lost in Translation" (Brian Reitzell, Kevin Shields, William Storkson)

Living treasure: Christopher Lee

Special citation for film restoration: Rialto Pictures

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