'Casino Royale' & 'The Queen' pick up top Golden Tomato Awards

By M&C Movie News Jan 11, 2007, 7:41 GMT

LOS ANGELES, Ca. (M&C) - Rotten Tomatoes, Fox Interactive Media’s premier destination for both casual movie-goers and film buffs, announced Jan. 10 the recipients of the 8th Annual Golden Tomato Awards, which pay tribute to the best-reviewed films of 2006 in 14 categories.

Sony Picture Entertainment’s 'Casino Royale'  and Miramax’s 'The Queen' took top honors for Wide Release Film of the year and Limited Release Film of the year respectively. This year’s Moldy Tomato Award, for the worst-reviewed movie of the year, went to 'Basic Instinct 2.'

“The Golden Tomatoes hold moviemakers to the high standards of movie critics from coast to coast. Despite the broad array of plots, characters and genres, each of the films honored has achieved a mark of excellence that isn’t easily won,” said Senh Duong, founder of RottenTomatoes.com.

2006 Golden Tomato Award Winners

Wide Release / Action/Adventure: 'Casino Royale'

Limited Release / Drama: 'The Queen'

Animation: 'Cars'

Comedy: 'Borat'

Documentary: 'Wordplay'

Foreign: 'Pan's Labyrinth'

Horror: 'The Descent'

Family: 'Lassie'

Romance: 'The Science of Sleep'

Sci-Fi: 'Children of Men'

Thriller: 'The Departed'

Moldy Tomato (Worst Reviewed Movie of the Year): 'Basic Instinct 2'

Unlike other "Best Of" lists and awards, the Golden Tomato Awards aggregates the reviews of movie critics across the U.S. to honor the films with the most universal appeal. Only reviews from select critics count towards the Tomatometer, and each movie must have 50 or more rated reviews to be considered.

Family-friendly films have dominated the Best Wide Release Film honors in recent years, including 'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' in 2005 and 'The Incredibles' in 2004. This year, 'Casino Royale,' the latest in the 007 series, broke precedent to win the Best Wide Release Film award.

The action-packed 'Casino Royale,' starring new-comer Daniel Craig and directed by Martin Campbell, achieved an impressive 95% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, a tool that measures the percentage of favorable print, broadcast, radio and online reviews from accredited film critics across the nation to rank movies as “Fresh” (60% or above) or “Rotten” (below 60%).

Limited Release Film award-winner 'The Queen,' starring U.K. actress extraordinaire Helen Mirren and directed by Stephen Frears, garnered an impressive 98% Tomatometer approval rating.

In order for a critic’s reviews to be included in the ranking process, a number of factors are considered, including active membership in a film critic’s society and/or association as well as current employment at a recognized media outlet. In addition, the length and breadth of a critic’s body of work, the availability of reviews online or submission of reviews via Rotten Tomatoes’ Article Submission Tool weigh into the determination.

Using the Article Submission Tool, critics can add, rate and select review quotes for any of the over 150,000 movies available on the site.

Monsters and Critics is proud that our film critic Ron Wilkinson is a member of the Rotten Tomato elite group of film critics.

Award Recipients Respond

“Critical acclaim is the lifeblood of a quality independent film like ‘The Queen’ and it is a dream come true to be recognized as the best reviewed film in limited release by Rotten Tomatoes (British pronunciation, please). The award will take pride of place in the Miramax trophy cabinet and will hopefully be joined by many more in the future. Long live ‘The Queen!’ May she be forever fresh,” said Daniel Battsek, president of Miramax Films. Miramax's “The Queen” was the winner of the Golden Tomato for Limited Release/Drama.

“Good reviews are one of the only ways small films can compete with studio releases and their big advertising dollars. Rotten Tomatoes brings these reviews to the public and shines a bright light on quality filmmaking. It's the first place we go when we're looking for ‘what's good’ these days at the theatres. For the movie business, it's democracy at its finest,” said Patrick Creadon, director, and Christine O'Malley, producer, of Documentary winner 'Wordplay.'

Guillermo del Toro, writer and director of Foreign Film winner 'Pan’s Labyrinth,' said: “The positive response to 'Pan's Labyrinth' has been overwhelming. I can't tell you how many times I have clicked onto Rotten Tomatoes and been bowled over by our positive rating. Rotten Tomatoes provides a much needed, though nerve-wracking service, to all filmmakers. I am proud and honored to accept this award on behalf of ‘Pan's Labyrinth.’”

“This is by far the coolest award I've been lucky enough to receive! Long live Rotten Tomatoes!!,” said Neil Marshall, writer and director of 'The Descent,' winner of the Golden Tomato for Horror.

“We are thrilled to hear that this film, which took the high road in re-telling a beautiful, classic family story, has been recognized by the critical establishment for its intelligence and grace,” said Howard Cohen, co-president Roadside Attractions, for the studio’s 'Lassie,' which took the prize in the Family category.

“I am thrilled by this Rotten recognition of the critics. Although, one of them said I should not be allowed to hold a pen, so I wanted to know if I could be offered a Rotten Tomato pen as a trophy that I would gladly present to this critic to place in a not so romantic location,” said Michel Gondry, writer and director of Romance winner 'The Science of Sleep.'