The National Society of Film Critics have spoken. The last important critics prizes of each season is sometimes idiocyncratic but not this year. They've gone with the the leaders in every single category (in terms of past critics prizes from all over the nation) except Best Cinematography. That award has varied from groups to groups and here it goes to Moonlight.
Most importantly they've given Isabelle Huppert the rare triple crown of film critic prizes. She'd previously won both New York Film Critics Circle and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. To show you how infrequently that happens a list of the previous winners of all three after the jump...
The only previous women to the win the Holy Trinity of US Critics "Best Actress" Prizes
* not nominated for the Oscar | performance in blue won the Oscar as well
Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine (2013)
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)*
Helen Mirren - The Queen (2006)
Imelda Staunton - Vera Drake (2004)
Michelle Pfeiffer - The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
Holly Hunter - The Piano (1993)
Emma Thompson - Howards End (1992)
Meryl Streep - Sophie's Choice (1982)
Sissy Spacek - Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
Sally Field - Norma Rae (1979)
THE NSFC WINNERS FOR 2016
Best Picture: Moonlight
Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert, Elle and Things to Come
Best Supporting Actress: Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Best Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Best Cinematography: James Laxton, Moonlight
Best Foreign Language Film: Toni Erdmann
Best Nonfiction Film: O.J.: Made in America
Film Heritage Award: Kino Lorber's Pioneers of African-American Cinema