Da'Vine Joy Randolph won the Big Four critics awards. Nothing can stop her now!
Hours away from the Golden Globes, it's time to consider the past two weeks of winners, runners-up, and the whole shebang. The new year started with a golden tsunami, as Randolph consolidated her favorite status even more than before, and Past Lives staked its claim as one of the season's major contenders. The NSFC was more conventional than expected, while the Astras were their usual self, regional critics groups did their thing, and the Alliance of Women Journalists continued to prove its un-seriousness. Also, a potentially fake critics group is making some noise.
Though the Oscar nominations are just a few weeks away, the season is far from over. If anything, the race is just now heating up…
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF FILM CRITICS
Best Picture: PAST LIVES (51 points)
Runners-up: THE ZONE OF INTEREST (49 points) and OPPENHEIMER (44 points)
Best Director: Jonathan Glazer, THE ZONE OF INTEREST (65 points)
Runners-up: Todd Haynes, MAY DECEMBER (42 points) and Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER (41 points)
Best Actress: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL and THE ZONE OF INTEREST (65 points)
Runners-up: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS (56 points) and Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (44 points)
Best Actor: Andrew Scott, ALL OF US STRANGERS (52 points)
Runners-up: Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION (39 points) and Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER (29 points)
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS (58 points)
Runners-up: Penélope Cruz, FERRARI (32 points) and Rachel McAdams, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. (23 points)
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER (51 points)
Runners-up: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER and Ryan Gosling, BARBIE (31 points)
Best Screenplay: Samy Burch, MAY DECEMBER (53 points)
Runners-up: Celine Song, PAST LIVES (50 points) and David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS (36 points)
Best Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (55 points)
Runners-up: Lukasz Zal, THE ZONE OF INTEREST (45 points) and Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER (44 points)
Best Non-Fiction Film: MENUS-PLAISIRS – LES TROISGROS (64 points)
Runners-up: 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL (25 points) and KOKOMO CITY (19 points)
Best Film Not in the English Language: FALLEN LEAVES (65 points)
Runners-up: THE ZONE OF INTEREST (51 points) and ANATOMY OF A FALL (44 points)
Best Experimental Film: Jean-Luc Godard, TRAILER OF A FILM THAT WILL NEVER EXIST: PHONY WARS
Film Heritage Award: Criterion Channel, Facets, Kim's Video, Scarecrow Video, and Vidiots
Special Citation for a Film Awaiting US Distribution: Víctor Erice, CLOSE YOUR EYES
Since they changed some voting systems and processes, the NSFC has departed from their heretofore outré taste. Are the days of Goodbye to Language and Timothy Spall over? Or have we been looking at the organization with rose-colored glasses, presuming their bouts of originality were the norm instead of showy exceptions? Much to ponder. Still, there are peaks of uniqueness here and there, like how close Todd Haynes came to a Directing win or Cruz as the Supporting Actress runner-up.
At the very least, Past Lives fans can rejoice that it won one of the Big Four critics honors (NBR, NSFC, NYFCC, and LAFCA). Speaking of that plaudit quartet, Da'Vine Joy Randolph is only the fourth Supporting Actress to get them all. The previous women to get it were Meryl Streep for Kramer vs Kramer, Anjelica Huston for Prizzi's Honor, and Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk. In other words, if The Holdovers star loses the Oscar, it'll be a shock with no precedent. Make of that what you will.
HOLLYWOOD CREATIVE ALLIANCE
Best Picture: BARBIE
Best International Feature: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best International Filmmaker: Hayao Miyazaki, THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON and Margot Robbie, BARBIE (tie)
Best International Actress: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS
Best International Actor: Gael García Bernal, CASSANDRO
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Ryan Gosling, BARBIE
Best Voice-Over Performance: Hailee Steinfeld, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Cast Ensemble: THE COLOR PURPLE
Best Casting: Allison Jones & Lucy Bevan, BARBIE
Best Original Screenplay: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Best Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Editing: Nathan Orloff, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer, BARBIE
Best Costume Design: Holly Waddington, POOR THINGS
Best Hair and Makeup: MAESTRO
Best Visual Effects: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Stunts: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Best Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Best Original Song: "I'm Just Ken," BARBIE
Best Sound: OPPENHEIMER
Best Animated Feature: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary Feature: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best First Feature: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Action Feature: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Best Comedy Feature: ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Best Horror Feature: M3GAN
Best Short Film: THE AFTER
Best Publicity Campaign: BARBIE
The Astras aren't especially prestigious, even if stars and publicists try to make them happen every year. On their seventh edition, the thirst for being considered major precursors is palpable, even as some choices suggest a few stabs at idiosyncrasy. In other words, among all the Oscar favorites, it's fun to see Nathan Orloff get a prize. Though none of its individual performances won, the Ensemble Astra is also a boon for The Color Purple, whose Oscar fate is one of the season's biggest mysteries.
On the one hand, awards voters seem unmoved by it, including BAFTA and the usually musical-mad Golden Globes. Barrino is still a contender, but her campaign's faltering, and while Brooks still seems safe, Henson is dominating the picture's press cycle. On the other hand, that same press buzz, coupled with box-office success, could help the film make an impact. As it stands, it's plausible to predict that The Color Purple will get zero or half a dozen nominations come Oscar morning. Time will tell.
NEVADA FILM CRITICS SOCIETY
Best Film: OPPENHEIMER
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, MAESTRO
Best Supporting Actress: Julianne Moore, MAY DECEMBER
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Best Original Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, Kai Bird & Martin Sherwin, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood, BARBIE
Best Visual Effects: THE CREATOR
Best Animated Movie: ROBOT DREAMS
Best Documentary: 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
After Las Vegas loved Cooper's Maestro, it's logical that the NFCS would follow suit—still, lots of love for Oppenheimer, and the rare non-Randolph Best Supporting Actress winner. Julianne Moore would be an inspired Oscar pick, but her race is so fluid one can imagine her missing the nomination altogether. However, The biggest surprise is Robot Dreams taking Best Animated Movie when Spider-Man and Ghibli dominate the category elsewhere. It's a pity that NEON's attention is focused almost exclusively on Anatomy of a Fall, for titles like this Spanish cartoon deserve an awards push, too.
OKLAHOMA FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
Top Ten:
- KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
- THE HOLDOVERS, Alexander Payne
- OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
- BARBIE, Greta Gerwig
- PAST LIVES, Celine Song
- THE ZONE OF INTEREST, Jonathan Glazer
- POOR THINGS, Yorgos Lanthimos
- MAY DECEMBER, Todd Haynes
- THE BOY AND THE HERON, Hayao Miyazaki
- AMERICAN FICTION, Cord Jefferson
Best Director: Martin Scorsese, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Ryan Gosling, BARBIE
Best Ensemble: BARBIE
Best Original Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Adapted Screenplay: Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Score: Robbie Robertson, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Animated Feature: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary: AMERICAN SYMPHONY
Best Foreign Language Film: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Best First Feature: PAST LIVES, Celine Song
Best Body of Work: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL and THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Most Disappointing Film: MAESTRO
Special Citation for Achievement in Oklahoma Independent Filmmaking: FANCY DANCE, Erica Tremblay
Oklahoma really loved Killers of the Flower Moon (as they should) and even showed Gladstone some more indirect love by spotlighting Fancy Dance. When will that film get proper distribution? Regarding other matters, though I'd probably consider voting Maestro for a prize called "Most Disappointing Film," I also tend to be against these negative awards as a concept. Even when they lambast pictures I dislike, it feels cruel and unwarranted.
CRITICS ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
Best Picture: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: BARBIE
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig, BARBIE
Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Runner-up: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Bradley Cooper, MAESTRO
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Emily Blunt, OPPENHEIMER
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Ryan Gosling, BARBIE
Best Cast: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: BARBIE
Best Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Best Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Yorgos Mavropsaridis, POOR THINGS
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Robbie Ryan, POOR THINGS
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer, BARBIE
Runner-up: James Price, Shona Heath & Szusza Mihalek, POOR THINGS
Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, BARBIE
Runner-up: Holly Waddington, POOR THINGS
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: POOR THINGS
Runner-up: BARBIE
Best Visual Effects: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3
Runner-up: OPPENHEIMER
Best Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Daniel Pemberton, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Original Song: "I'm Just Ken," BARBIE
Runner-up: "What Was I Made For," BARBIE
Best Sound Design: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: MAESTRO
Best Stunt Coordination: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE
Runner-up: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Runner-up: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM
Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Runner-up: BEYOND UTOPIA
Best International Film: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Runner-up: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Unlike Las Vegas and Nevada, Central Florida and Florida have little in common as far as critics' awards are concerned. While the Florida Film Critics Circle gave us some of the most original winners of the season, these other Floridians mostly rubber-stamped the consensus picks. Sadly, that means there's not much to say. The runner-up status of the new TMNT movie is the most notable decision.
NORTH CAROLINA FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Narrative Film: OPPENHEIMER
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Best Vocal Performance in Animation or Mixed Media: Daniel Kaluuya, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Breakthrough Performance: Dominic Sessa, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Acting Ensemble: OPPENHEIMER
Best Original Screenplay: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer, BARBIE
Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, BARBIE
Best Hair & Makeup: BARBIE
Best Special Effects: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Best Stunt Coordination: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Best Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Best Original Song: "I'm Just Ken," BARBIE
Best Sound Design: OPPENHEIMER
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary Film: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best Foreign Language Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Directorial Debut: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Lifetime Achievement Award: Rick Baker
Ken Hanke Memorial Tar Heel Award: Fantasia Barrino, THE COLOR PURPLE
If there's just one slot reserved for a young-ish breakthrough in Best Supporting Actor, will Sessa or Melton take it? My gut feeling says Sessa, but that might be my pessimism showing since I think Melton delivered one of the year's best performances. That they're both leads masquerading as supporting actors will likely be a boon to their campaigns.
COLUMBUS FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Film: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Director: Martin Scorsese, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Lead Performance: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Best Supporting Performance: Jodie Foster, NYAD
Best Ensemble: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Actor of the Year: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL and THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Breakthrough Film Artist: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Original Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Adapted Screenplay: Kelly Fremon Craig, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Best Film Editing: Thelma Schoonmaker, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Cinematography: Robbie Ryan, POOR THINGS
Best Score: Robbie Robertson, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Animated Film: NIMONA
Best Documentary: ANSELM and KOKOMO CITY (tie)
Best Foreign Language Film: AFIRE
Frank Gabrenya Award for Best Comedy: THE HOLDOVERS
Best Overlooked Film: ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Like LAFCA, the Columbus critics opted for genderless categories this year. Then again, with its five acting categories, the organization skirts past notions that it's rewarding fewer artists with this move. On to the actual winners, while Stone's victory isn't that shocking, Foster's certainly is. Folks may be underestimating just how beloved the two-time Oscar winner is within critical circles and the industry. In other matters, my eye still twitches whenever I see Gladstone winning breakthrough awards. Did no one watch Certain Women in 2016?
GEORGIA FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Film: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: PAST LIVES
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runners-up: Greta Gerwig, BARBIE and Martin Scorsese, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Emily Blunt, OPPENHEIMER
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Ensemble: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: THE HOLDOVERS
Best Original Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Rodrigo Prieto, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer, BARBIE
Runner-up: James Price, Shona Heath & Szusza Mihalek, POOR THINGS
Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Daniel Pemberton, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Original Song: "What Was I Made For?," BARBIE
Runner-up: "I'm Just Ken," BARBIE
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Runner-up: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Documentary Film: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Runner-up: BEYOND UTOPIA
Best International Film: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Runner-up: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Breakthrough Award: Dominic Sessa
Runners-up: Ayo Edebiri & Charles Melton
Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema: MAY DECEMBER, Todd Haynes & Samy Burch
Runner-up: ORIGIN, Ava DuVernay
Can you imagine if the Academy's Cinematography branch comes up with another ballot like last year's? Top Gun: Maverick swept the critics groups but came up short with AMPAS, throwing the race into disarray. While it's hard to imagine them snubbing von Hoytema or Prieto, stranger things have happened. It's hard to imagine who'd become the frontrunner in that event.
GREATER WESTERN NEW YORK FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Picture: PAST LIVES
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Breakthrough Director: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Breakthrough Performance: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Original Screenplay: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Score: Robbie Robertson, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Animated Film: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best Film in a Foreign Language: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
These past few weeks have been encouraging for Past Lives, with more and more groups backing the Celine Song debut. Those who love the film seem passionate, making one wonder if it's better positioned in the Best Picture race than the pundits say. Perhaps it's even ahead of such contenders as Maestro and Poor Things, no matter how poised those are for a number of "below-the-line" honors in ways Song's film isn't.
UTAH FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Picture: PAST LIVES
Runner-up: POOR THINGS
Best Director: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Runner-up: Yorgos Lanthimos, POOR THINGS
Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Runners-up: Greta Lee, PAST LIVES and Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actor: Andrew Scott, ALL OF US STRANGERS
Runner-up: Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Sandra Hüller, THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Best Supporting Actor: Dominic Sessa, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Performance in a Science-Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror: Iman Vellani, THE MARVELS
Runner-up: Nicolas Cage, RENFIELD
Best Ensemble Cast: THE IRON CLAW
Runner-up: THE HOLDOVERS
Best Original Screenplay: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Best Adapted Screenplay: Kelly Fremon Craig, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Runners-up: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER and Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Film Editing: Mike Andrews, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Runners-up: Kevin Tent, THE HOLDOVERS and Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Robbie Ryan, POOR THINGS
Runner-up: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Visual Effects: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Runners-up: THE CREATOR and POOR THINGS
Best Original Score: Robbie Robertson, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Jerskin Fendrix, POOR THINGS
Best Animated Feature: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Runner-up: ROBOT DREAMS
Best Documentary Feature: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Runner-up: THE MISSION
Best Non-English Feature: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Runner-up: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Sandra Hüller is NOT supporting in The Zone of Interest! Also, Kelly Fremon Craig should be a shoo-in for the Best Adapted Screenplay ballot, so seeing her get a few honors this season tastes like justice.
;)
ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS
Best Film: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Best Director: Greta Gerwig, BARBIE
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actor: Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Ryan Golsing, BARBIE
Best Ensemble Cast and Casting Director: Lucy Brava & Allison Jones, BARBIE and Jennifer Euston, AMERICAN FICTION (tie)
Best Original Screenplay: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Best Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Editing: Thelma Schoonmaker, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Animated Film: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Documentary: AMERICAN SYMPHONY and SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD (tie)
Best International Film: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Best Woman Director: Justine Triet, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Female Screenwriter: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Animated Female: Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Women's Breakthrough Performance: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Film Industry: Fran Drescher
Grand Dame for Defying Ageism: Annette Bening, NYAD
Most Egregious Lovers' Age Difference: Cillian Murphy & Florence Pugh, OPPENHEIMER
She Deserves a New Agent: Toni Collette, MAFIA MAMMA and Candice Bergen, Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton & Mary Steenburgen, BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER
Most Daring Performance: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Time Waster Remake or Sequel: THE EXORCIST BELIEVER
Hall of Shame Award: The AMPTP and studio heads
Remember what I said about disliking negative awards? Well, that's even truer when the organizations had a level of morality in the proceedings. Morality that's often undercut by the flippant, superficial nature of awards. Bening is honored for playing a real-life character her age, while Murphy and Pugh get called out for reproducing another real-life dynamic from the history books. Neither Collette nor the Book Club quartet deserve this shade, and it's weird to see the AMTPT top the Hall of Shame when convicted rapists and abusers were among their competition.
One should also note that they originally nominated Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Harrison Ford in their Age Gap category. Someone who watched the movie must have told them they're playing goddaughter and godfather rather than a romantic couple. These aren't serious people.
DISCUSSINGFILM CRITIC AWARDS
Best Picture: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: PAST LIVES
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Jonathan Glazer, THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Andrew Scot, ALL OF US STRANGERS
Best Supporting Actress: Rachel McAdams, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Runner-up: Danielle Brooks, THE COLOR PURPLE
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Runner-up: Ryan Gosling, BARBIE
Best Breakthrough Performance: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Runner-up: Dominic Sessa, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Ensemble: THE COLOR PURPLE
Runner-up: OPPENHEIMER
Best Stunt Ensemble: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Runner-up: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE
Best Original Screenplay: Samy Burch, MAY DECEMBER
Runner-up: Justine Triet & Arthur Harari, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Andrew Haigh, ALL OF US STRANGERS
Best Film Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Thelma Schoonmaker, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Robbie Ryan, POOR THINGS
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer, BARBIE
Runner-up: James Price, Shona Heath & Szusza Mihalek, POOR THINGS
Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, BARBIE
Runner-up: Holly Waddington, POOR THINGS
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: POOR THINGS
Runner-up: BARBIE
Best Visual Effects: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Runner-up: THE CREATOR
Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Daniel Pemberton, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Original Song: "I'm Just Ken," BARBIE
Runner-up: "What Was I Made For?," BARBIE
Best Sound: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Runner-up: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Documentary Feature: BEYOND UTOPIA
Runner-up: 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
Best International Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Runner-up: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Best Debut Feature: PAST LIVES
Runner-up: AMERICAN FICTION
Best Independent Film: PAST LIVES
Runner-up: A THOUSAND AND ONE
Best Comedy: BARBIE
Runner-up: POOR THINGS
Best Horror Film: TALK TO ME
Runner-up: EVIL DEAD RISE
According to their website, "the DFCA voting body consists of a diverse range of established film critics, awards pundits, and influential voices from around the globe." That's why I decided to include them, despite how new they are to the circuit.
In contrast, I won't recognize the New Mexico Critics winners until I see a list of their members or a less scam-looking website. I even recruited the help of TFE colleague Juan Carlos Ojano to try to find any information that corroborated the group's legitimacy, but nothing showed up. Everything looks very fishy to me.
The past two weeks were rather busy for nomination lists. Guilds-wise, beyond the organizations that got individual articles, there was also the Set Decorators Society of America. They showered love on the usual suspects, and The Color Purple was snubbed again, even though they have a separate category just for comedy/musicals. As for regional critics groups, the following released their nominations: Austin Film Critics Association, Denver Film Critics Society, Hawaii Film Critics Society, Portland Critics Association, San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle, and the Seattle Film Critics Society.
What do you think of these latest awards? Also, just for fun, what are your last-minute Golden Globe predictions?