Friday Awards Wrap-Up: Critics, Documentaries and Top Ten Fever!

by Cláudio Alves

Lily Gladstone started strong, but Emma Stone takes the lead in Best Actress this week.
Another week, another slew of critics awards and top 10s from some of the world's most prestigious film publications. Though Killers of the Flower Moon continues to lead the Best Picture race, it's not a consensus pick. Indeed, a wide variety of titles have taken top honors, making for an exciting season. Well, at least it's like that in the most important category. Da'Vine Joy Randolph continues to sweep the Supporting Actress prizes, having won every single one in the season so far, while Emma Stone has taken the lead in Best Actress over Lily Gladstone. The men's categories are more chaotic, while Nolan is ahead among directors. All in all, it's been a busy week…

CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Best Picture: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Most Promising Performer: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Original Screenplay: Samy Burch, MAY DECEMBER
Best Adapted Screenplay: Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood, BARBIE
Best Costume Design: Holly Waddington, POOR THINGS
Best Use of Visual Effects: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Best Original Score: Robbie Robertson, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Animated Feature: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Documentary: KOKOMO CITY
Best Foreign Language Film: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Milos Stehlik Award for Breakthrough Filmmaker: Celine Song, PAST LIVES 

One wonders if Oppenheimer's Oscar ineligibility in the Best Visual Effects race has prompted voters to go elsewhere when voting in equivalent categories. Well, that's good news for the likes of Godzilla Minus One, the rare 2023 blockbuster that's as beloved by critics as by audiences.

LAS VEGAS FILM CRITICS SOCIETY

Top 10:

1. OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
2. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
3. MAESTRO, Bradley Cooper
4. THE KILLER, David Fincher
5. BARBIE, Greta Gerwig
6. POOR THINGS, Yorgo Lanthimos
7. PAST LIVES, Celine Song
8. SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, Joaquim dos Santos, Kemp Powers & Justin K. Thompson
9. THE HOLDOVERS, Alexander Payne
10. THE COLOR PURPLE, Blitz Bazawule 

Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, MAESTRO
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Best Ensemble: OPPENHEIMER
Best Original Screenplay: Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer, MAESTRO
Best Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Film Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood, BARBIE
Best Costume Design: Holly Waddington, POOR THINGS
Best Visual Effects: THE CREATOR
Best Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Best Song: "I'm Just Ken," BARBIE
Best Stunts: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE
Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best International Movie: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Best Comedy: BARBIE
Best Action Movie: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Best Horror/Sci-Fi Movie: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Best Family Film: ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Breakout Filmmaker: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Youth in Film (Male): Jude Hill, A HAUNTING IN VENICE
Youth in Film (Female): Abby Ryder Forston, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award: Nicolas Cage 

Las Vegas fell hard for Maestro and Oppenheimer, but Barbie and Poor Things still nabbed themselves a bundle of trophies. The Creator is this group's alternative VFX pick, but Godzilla still gets its flowers. The Sierra Awards are a bit more mainstream than other critics awards and often reward future Oscar darlings. That's good news for their favorites this season.

NEW YORK FILM CRITICS ONLINE

Best Picture: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Actress: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Mark Ruffalo, POOR THINGS
Best Ensemble Cast: OPPENHEIMER
Breakthrough Performer: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Debut Director: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Screenplay: Justine Triet & Arthur Harari, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Use of Music: BARBIE
Best Animated Feature: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary Feature: THE ETERNAL MEMORY
Best Foreign Language Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL 

Formed in 2000, the NYFCO treads the line between rubber-stamping season favorites and highlighting a few of their own passion picks. Or, at least, that's been their modus operandi in years past. Sadly, these recent selections don't strike one as especially bold, even if they're also far from meritless. The Eternal Memory's Best Documentary win is the most exciting winner of the bunch. In other notes, it's strange that their Best Picture winner didn't get enough votes to win any other prize.

PHOENIX CRITICS CIRCLE

Best Picture: PAST LIVES
Best Director: Yorgos Lanthimos, POOR THINGS
Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Best Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best Foreign Language Film: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Best Comedy Film: THE HOLDOVERS
Best Science Fiction Film: THEY CLONED TYRONE
Best Horror Film: TALK TO ME 

Past Lives fans rejoice, for Celine Song's debut has won another Best Picture prize to join its Gotham Award. Still, it's curious how, like with the NYFCO, the Phoenix critics didn't bestow their big winner with any other trophy. Even if it's in genre-specific categories, it's nice to see They Cloned Tyrone and Talk to Me getting some plaudits.

INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION

Best Feature Documentary: BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE'S PRESIDENT
Best Short Documentary: INCIDENT
Best Director: Asmae El Moudir, THE MOTHER OF ALL LIES
Best Writing: Kaouther Ben Hania, FOUR DAUGHTERS
Best Editing: Carolina Siraqyan, THE ETERNAL MEMORY
Best Cinematography: Ants Tammik, SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD
Best Music Score: Leonard Küssner, ANSELM
Best TV Feature Documentary or Mini-Series: MARIUPOL: THE PEOPLE'S STORY
Best Curated Series: POV
Best Episodic Series: OUR PLANET II
Best Multi-Part Documentary: DEAR MAMA
Best Short-Form Series: POV SHORTS
Best Stand-Alone Audio Documentary: THIS COAL LIFE
Best Multi-Part Audio Documentary or Series: YOU DIDN'T SEE NOTHIN'
Best Music Documentary: MAX ROACH: THE DRUM ALSO WALTZES
David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award: LETTER TO ELLIE 

Though they've sometimes honored films that went on to charm AMPAS, the IDA Documentary Awards aren't precursors in the traditional sense. They're their own thing, and all the better for it, shedding light on some of the best non-fiction filmakink worldwide. This year, I'm especially pleased with their Best Short prize for Bill Morrison's Incident, which I loved at the latest IndieLisboa Film Festival.

CAHIERS DU CINÉMA  

1. TRENQUE LAUQUEN, Laura Citarella
2. CLOSE YOUR EYES, Víctor Erice
3. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet
4. THE FABELMANS, Steven Spielberg
5. FALLEN LEAVES, Aki Kaurismäki
6. UNREST, Cyril Schaüblin
7. DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD, Radu Jude
8. THE TEMPLE WOODS GANG, Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche
9. LAST SUMMER, Catherine Breillat
10. UN PRINCE, Pierre Creton & SHOWING UP, Kelly Reichardt (tie)

Prix André Bazin: Pham Thien An, INSIDE THE YELLOW COCOON SHELL

Maybe the most influential film publication in history has announced its top 10, and, as usual, it's an idiosyncratic one. You have an Oscar contender from last season rubbing shoulders with festival triumphs, a taste for the perverse and the twistedly comical. The two-year-old André Bazin prize, to be bestowed upon first feature films, was chosen by a jury formed by Albert Serra, Marion Cotillard, Flora Fishback, Jeanne Lapoirie, Fernando Ganzi, Olivia Cooper-Hadjian, and one of the magazine's faithful readers.

FILM COMMENT

Top 20 Released Films: 

1. MAY DECEMBER, Todd Haynes
2. SHOWING UP, Kelly Reichardt
3. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
4. FALLEN LEAVES, Aki Kaurismäki
5. PACIFICTION, Albert Serra
6. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet
7. AFIRE, Christian Petzold
8. THE ZONE OF INTEREST, Jonathan Glazer
9. UNREST, Cyril Schäublin
10. OUR BODY, Claire Simon
11. DRY GROUND BURNING, Joana Pimenta & Adirley Queirós
12. PASSAGES, Ira Sachs
13. TRENQUE LAUQUEN, Laura Citarella
14. ORLANDO, MY POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY, Paul B. Preciado
15. DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA, Lucien Castaing-Taylor & Verena Paravel
16. MENUS-PLAISIRS – LES TROISGROS, Frederick Wiseman
17. YOUTH (SPRING), Wang Bing
18. ASTEROID CITY, Wes Anderson
19. REWIND & PLAY, Alain Gomis
20. THE BOY AND THE HERON, Hayao Miyazaki

Top 10 Undistributed Films:

1. THE HUMAN SURGE 3, Eduardo Williams
2. EUREKA, Lisandro Alonso
3. CLOSE YOUR EYES, Víctor Erice
4. ALLENSWORTH, James Benning
5. GUSH, Fox Maxy
6. NOWEHERE NEAR, Miko Revereza
7. THE PLOUGH, Philippe Garrel
8. THE PRACTICE, Martín Rejtman
9. ABOUT THIRTY, Martín Shanly
10. SAMSARA, Lois Patiño

This is what this sort of top 10s should aspire to be. Though Film Comment celebrates many big titles, it also commits to elevating smaller films, giving them a bigger profile. Their Undistributed Films list is incredibly vital, and one can only hope that all its titles will find their way to a commercial release as soon as possible. Samsara and The Human Surge 3 count among my favorite films of the past decade in movie-making.

THE FILM STAGE 

1. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
2. OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
3. MAY DECEMBER, Todd Haynes
4. SHOWING UP, Kelly Reichardt
5. PACIFICTION, Albert Serra
6. THE HOLDOVERS, Alexander Payne
7. AFIRE, Christian Petzold
8. ASTEROID CITY, Wes Anderson
9. THE ZONE OF INTEREST, Jonathan Glazer
10. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet

Now, wouldn't this be a lovely Best Picture lineup? It'll never happen, but one can dream. Pacifiction feels like an especially inspired addition, its political satire and formal splendor as sharp as can be, complete with irradiated postcard cinematography and a beguiling star turn by Benoit Magimel.

INDIEWIRE CRITICS POLL

Best Film:

1. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
2. OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
3. POOR THINGS, Yorgos Lanthimos
4. PAST LIVES, Celine Song
5. MAY DECEMBER, Todd Haynes
6. THE ZONE OF INTEREST, Jonathan Glazer
7. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet
8. BARBIE, Greta Gerwig
9. THE HOLDOVERS, Alexander Payne
10. ASTEROID CITY, Wes Anderson

Best Director:

1. Martin Scorsese, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
2. Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
3. Jonathan Glazer, THE ZONE OF INTEREST
4. Yorgos Lanthimos, POOR THINGS
5. Todd Haynes, MAY DECEMBER
6. Greta Gerwig, BARBIE
7. Celine Song, PAST LIVES
8. Wes Anderson, ASTEROID CITY
9. Justine Triet, ANATOMY OF A FALL
10. Albert Serra, PACIFICTION

Best Performance: 

1. Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
2. Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
3. Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL
4. Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
5. Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
6. Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS
7. Ryan Gosling, BARBIE
8. Andrew Scott, ALL OF US STRANGERS
9. Greta Lee, PAST LIVES & Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION (tie)
10. Glenn Howerton, BLACKBERRY; Benoit Magimel, PACIFICTION; Koji Yakusho, PERFECT DAYS; Franz Rogowski, PASSAGES (tie)

Best Screenplay: 

1. MAY DECEMBER
2. PAST LIVES
3. ANATOMY OF A FALL
4. THE HOLDOVERS
5. AMERICAN FICTION
6. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
7. POOR THINGS
8. OPPENHEIMER
9. BARBIE and THE ZONE OF INTEREST (tie)
10. ASTEROID CITY

Best Documentary:

1. KOKOMO CITY
2. MENUS-PLAISIRS: LES TROISGROS
3. 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
4. DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA
5. FOUR DAUGHTERS and THE ETERNAL MEMORY (tie)
6. OUR BODY
7. BEYOND UTOPIA
8. A STILL SMALL VOICE
9. THE MISSION
10. STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE

Best Cinematography:

1. OPPENHEIMER
2. POOR THINGS
3. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
4. THE ZONE OF INTEREST
5. ALL DIRT ROADS TASTE OF SALT
6. BARBIE
7. PACIFICTION
8. EL CONDE
9. GODLAND
10. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4

Best international Film:

1. ANATOMY OF A FALL
2. THE ZONE OF INTEREST
3. THE BOY AND THE HERON
4. PERFECT DAYS
5. FALLEN LEAVES
6. THE TASTE OF THINGS
7. PACIFICTION
8. GODZILLA MINUS ONE
9. AFIRE
10. THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS

Best First Feature:

1. PAST LIVES
2. ALL DIRT ROADS TASTE OF SALT
3. A THOUSAND AND ONE
4. AMERICAN FICTION
5. THE SETTLERS

Best Films Opening in 2024:

1. HIT MAN
2. THE BIKERIDERS
3. THE BEAST
4. EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
5. GREEN BORDER 

Indiewire surveyed 158 film critics for these lists, including The Film Experience's own Nathaniel Rogers. They're a fantastic insight into the relative critical consensus and far more valuable than the punditry-mad Critics Choice Awards.

The week wasn't all about wins and top 10s. There was also an influx of groups announcing their long lists of nominations. I won't bore you with the full details, but you can find them linked below.

So, they were the Black Real Awards, the San Diego Film Critics Society, the Australian Academy of Cinema & Awards, the Florida Film Critics Circle, the Indiana Film Journalists Association, and the North Texas Film Critics Association. The PGA also disclosed their nominations for Documentary Motion Pictures, but let's wait to handle that guild until they announce their complete set for the season. Who knows what wrench they'll throw in the season?

How's the season treating you so far? Even if disappointment is overwhelming, is there anything worth praising about this latest batch of honors?

Comments

[Wae Mest]

Amazing how seduced critics are by the IMAX filming of OPPENHEIMER when that movie is so damn boring to look at! You can use all the fancy cameras you want but if you can't compose an interesting image it's for nought, dearie!

[Tony L]

Florida is my fave - May December love and Andrew Scott, Franz Rogowski and Teyana Taylor

[Martin]

I don't want to be negative - but I personally so far am not overwhelmed by this season - but I have not seen all of the top rated movies. But even Oppenheimer left me quite cold, despite a fantastic Nolan & cast. I don't get the rave for Downey Jr. & Murphy who did a fantastic job serving the story but somehow they did not pull me in. Loved Barbie's success & wit, but not my cup of tea - Gosling stole the movie and is the only performance that stuck with me afterwards.
Past Lives is beautifully told, and got all ingredients & amazing directing of the cast, but it didn't make me want to revisit it again... same goes for The Killer ...
Maybe it's me at the moment ... the only thing that moved me this year so far was the amazing and difficult friendship told between Annette Being & Jody Foster in Nyad.

Waiting for Poor Things & Maestro to sweep me away ;-)

[Owl]

Thanks for assiduously listing all the critics' group which came up with their versions of 'best' for 2023. Interesting list overall.

- I have not seen The Holdovers yet and I'm eager to see what others have seen in Da'Vine Joy Randolph's performance. Sweeping critics' polls must mean it resonated with most people. But critics are not most people some say, so we'll see.

- Indiewire's list of best performance starting #8 to #10 are who I wish makes the final list but who am I kidding?

- Glad to see a smattering of love for Celine Song's Past Lives (my best film of the year but then again I have not seen that much). May Celine Song grab a nomination. Or Greta Lee, or (even better) Teo Yoo.

- Killers of the Flower Moon is epic and I will be okay if it wins. Even better if Lily Gladstone wins (but then again her work in Certain Women is far more superior)

- Always glad to read Cahiers du Cinéma's choices even if I have not seem half of the movies mentioned. But any list that includes Victor Erice's Cerrar los Ojos, Aki Kausmaki's Fallen Leaves (Where have you been all my life, Alma Pöysti?) and Kelly Reichardt's Showing Up is great in my eyes (remember the brief time a few months back when Hong Chau had traction? Whatever happened to that?).

- The Zone of Interest is an unsettling film - probably will be talked about in years to come.

- How come there is no love for Scarlett Johansson in Asteroid City?

- I can't be alone in my love for Eileen especially William Oldroyd's direction.

[thevoid99]

@Owl-The lack of love for Scar-Jo 3:16 is baffling as she is great in that film.

[Michael R]

DJR is very good in The Holdovers; she has one scene at a Christmas party in the film that'll break your heart. But she should not be sweeping the season. The critics awards should be about highlighting an overlooked performance that deserves some love: Foy in AOUS, McAdams in AYTGIMM, ScarJo in AC. etc.

[ScottC]

Chiming in here just to say that I agree with Owl and thevoid99 and Michael R - Scarlett J. gave one of the best and most memorable performances of the year and it's irksome that people seem to have forgotten about it.

[NATHANIEL R]

ScottC -- not I. She will of course be nominated at the Film Bitch Awards. Incredible actress. I swear she can handle any genre or style a director throws at her and transcend it, too.

[Frank Zappa]

Missing in action:
Rosamund Pike
Carey Mulligan
Aunjanue Ellis
Peter Sarsgaard
Jessica Chastain
Gael García Bernal
Colman Domingo

[Robert G]

I appreciate any recognition Godzilla Minus One is getting. It's an amazing watch. The effects are spectacular and the acting is among the best ever in the franchise.

[Wae Mest]

Missing in action from the missing in action list:

PATTI LUPONE, Jesus!

[Travis C]

So many film critics that are shite at mathematics! If you have a tie for 9th position, then you have a Top Ten! No need to add a tenth position (because it would actually be an eleventh position)!