"The Favourite" Leads the Critics Choice Nominations

by Nathaniel R

me giving my fellow BFCA members the side-eye for some of their choices

Yorgos Lanthimos' pitch black comedy The Favourite led the Critic's Choice Nominations with a staggering 14 nods. Black Panther wasn't far behind with 12. The morning's biggest (and best) surprise is surely the resurgence of First Man, which had been struggling with precursors but has a very healthy 10 nominations with the BFCA. One wonders if it can rocket to a Best Picture nomination despite its box office troubles? In other very good news Toni Collette is nominated (though we aren't surprised in this case) and the foreign film list is aces. Well done.

Not that it's all good news but we're starting with the positives.

In the television categories (which are worth a read because they're quite different than the Globe nominations) Escape at Dannemora, The Americans, and The Assassination of Gianna Versace led all shows with 5 nominations a piece.  The complete list of nominees is after the jump along with a few comments...

THE FILM NOMINEES

BEST PICTURE

 

• Black Panther
• BlacKkKlansman
• The Favourite
• First Man
• Green Book
• If Beale Street Could Talk
• Mary Poppins Returns
• Roma 
• A Star Is Born
• Vice

The currently expected Oscar lineup plus First Man. It's a tough break for critical darlings like First Reformed and Eighth Grade but the BFCA gonna BFCA and they often ignore critical darlings in the top category despite being called "Critics Choice" 

BEST ACTOR

• Christian Bale – Vice
• Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born
• Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate
• Ryan Gosling – First Man
• Ethan Hawke – First Reformed
• Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody
• Viggo Mortensen – Green Book

Some combo of five of these men will be Oscar's five. Nice to see Gosling here though. 

BEST ACTRESS

• Yalitza Aparicio – Roma  
• Emily Blunt – Mary Poppins Returns
• Glenn Close – The Wife
• Toni Collette – Hereditary
• Olivia Colman – The Favourite
• Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born
• Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

I wasn't aware that we were expanding the category to 7 nominees. But even with 7 there was no room for Elsie Fisher OR Carey Mulligan OR Nicole Kidman? Ouch. YAY FOR TONI COLLETTE AND GLENN CLOSE. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

 

• Mahershala Ali – Green Book
• Timothée Chalamet – Beautiful Boy
• Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman
• Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born
• Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
• Michael B. Jordan – Black Panther

 With two leads in the category there was no room for fine character actos like Alessandro Nivola in Disobedience or Russell Hornsby in The Hate U Give or Steven Yeun in Burning. (sigh). It is interesting, though, that the BFCA voters really loved Vice (9 nominations) but didn't feel it necessary to include Sam Rockwell or Steve Carell from that film.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 

• Amy Adams – Vice
• Claire Foy – First Man
• Nicole Kidman – Boy Erased
• Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk
• Emma Stone – The Favourite
• Rachel Weisz – The Favourite

 The expected future Oscar nominees plus Nicole Kidman. I'm horrified that Elizabeth Debicki isn't nominated. I fought the good fight for her but whenever you include leads in your supporting categories, by necessity you negate the chances of hard-working non-headliners to be recognized for their own brilliance. 

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

• Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade
• Thomasin McKenzie – Leave No Trace
• Ed Oxenbould – Wildlife
• Millicent Simmonds – A Quiet Place
• Amandla Stenberg – The Hate U Give
• Sunny Suljic – Mid90s 

All English-language performances (sigh). I tried to help my fellow voters with that handy eligibility list. I'm sorry but Zain Al Rafee from Capernaum and Evan Rosado from We the Animals runs circles around many of  these performances. Not that these aren't talented young actors. It's a good set.

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

• Black Panther
• Crazy Rich Asians
• The Favourite
• Vice
• Widows

A solid list. We don't expect SAG to match it on Wednesday though. 

BEST DIRECTOR 

• Damien Chazelle – First Man
• Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born
• Alfonso Cuarón – Roma
• Peter Farrelly – Green Book
• Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite
• Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman
• Adam McKay – Vice

 Another 7 nominee category that mirrors the Globe nominations plus Damien Chazelle (First Man) and Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite). I hate 7 wide categories. It's only interesting by comparison from group to group if there is consistency. I wish we knew who the top 5 really were. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Bo Burnham – Eighth Grade
• Alfonso Cuarón – Roma
• Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara – The Favourite
• Adam McKay – Vice 
• Paul Schrader – First Reformed
• Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly – Green Book
• Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, John Krasinski – A Quiet Place

The surprise here is A Quiet Place but it's a real pity there's no room for Tully despite seven nominations.  (Yes, I voted for Tully)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole – Black Panther
• Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
• Barry Jenkins – If Beale Street Could Talk
• Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters – A Star Is Born
• Josh Singer – First Man
• Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman

Only six nominations for this one -- try consistency BFCA. Consistency helps people to take you seriously! Look it up.  Pity that Wildlife isn't included. 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Alfonso Cuarón – Roma
• James Laxton – If Beale Street Could Talk
• Matthew Libatique – A Star Is Born
• Rachel Morrison – Black Panther
• Robbie Ryan – The Favourite
• Linus Sandgren – First Man 

No Cold War means I can't take this category seriously, sorry "critics". Also I like Black Panther and I love Rachel Morrison who deserved her Oscar nom for Mudbound but her work on Black Panther is not one of the five best DP jobs of the year. Sorry about it. If you wanted a female DP in there, why not Charlotte Bruus Christensen for A Quiet Place?   

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Hannah Beachler, Jay Hart – Black Panther
• Eugenio Caballero, Barbara Enriquez – Roma
• Nelson Coates, Andrew Baseman – Crazy Rich Asians
• Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton – The Favourite
• Nathan Crowley, Kathy Lucas – First Man
• John Myhre, Gordon Sim – Mary Poppins Returns 

I am really starting to wonder what kind of movie production designer Mark Friedberg would have to make to get arrested for prizes. He's so talented and he's just always shut out, even when he designs movies with Best Picture heat. This year he designed If Beale Street Could Talk  which is super gorgeous throughout.   

BEST EDITING 

• Jay Cassidy – A Star Is Born
• Hank Corwin – Vice
• Tom Cross – First Man
• Alfonso Cuarón, Adam Gough – Roma
• Yorgos Mavropsaridis – The Favourite
• Joe Walker – Widows 

Hmmm. Where is BlacKkKlansman? Editing is quite obviously one of its most provocative and strongest elements.  

BEST COSTUME DESIGN 

• Alexandra Byrne – Mary Queen of Scots
• Ruth Carter – Black Panther
• Julian Day – Bohemian Rhapsody
• Sandy Powell – The Favourite
• Sandy Powell – Mary Poppins Returns

 Sigh. Just go ahead and ignore contemporary designs again, fellow critics. A Simple Favor was right there being instantly future culture classic iconic. 

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

• Black Panther
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• The Favourite
• Mary Queen of Scots
• Suspiria
• Vice

I can dig some of these but Border shoulda been here.  

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

 

• Avengers: Infinity War
• Black Panther
• First Man
• Mary Poppins Returns
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout
• Ready Player One

 No Annihilation? BOO. Also Ant-Man and the Wasp has better effects than Black Panther. It's not as good of a movie, no, but you really should concentrate on the category at hand when you vote. We know that's a lot to ask of voters from any organization (sigh)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

• The Grinch
• Incredibles 2
• Isle of Dogs
• Mirai
• Ralph Breaks the Internet
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 

The Grinch huh? Way to mainstream it! But nice to see Mirai pop up. I voted for Isle of Dogs (because I love it) and Ruben Brandt Collector (because I knew the latter needed my help, and it's totally worth seeing)  

BEST ACTION MOVIE

 

• Avengers: Infinity War
• Black Panther
• Deadpool 2
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout
• Ready Player One
• Widows

 A conundrum. I am secretly a fan of the action movie genre but I hate two of these movies and am indifferent to a third so only half of this category works for me. 

BEST COMEDY 

• Crazy Rich Asians
• Deadpool 2
• The Death of Stalin
• The Favourite
• Game Night
• Sorry to Bother You

No A Simple Favor? BOOOOO 

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

• Christian Bale – Vice
• Jason Bateman – Game Night
• Viggo Mortensen – Green Book
• John C. Reilly – Stan & Ollie
• Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool 2
• Lakeith Stanfield – Sorry to Bother You

Okay. 

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

• Emily Blunt – Mary Poppins Returns
• Olivia Colman – The Favourite
• Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade
• Rachel McAdams – Game Night
• Charlize Theron – Tully
• Constance Wu – Crazy Rich Asians

Unexpected that this is an exact match for Globes (plus McAdams since Critics Choice can't help themselves with tons of nominees per category)

BEST SCI-FI OR HORROR MOVIE

• Annihilation
• Halloween
• Hereditary
• A Quiet Place
• Suspiria

So Annihilation gets its due here but can't get into "visual effects"? Whatever! 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM 

• Burning (South Korea)
• Capernaum (Lebanon)
• Cold War (Poland)
• Roma (Mexico)
• Shoplifters (Japan) 

I mean... this is a beautiful beautiful list (and better than the Globe list which it matches 3/5... but we'll take Cold War and Burning -- both snubbed at the Globes -- over most movies any day of the week so cheers to the BFCA for this list) 

BEST SONG

• All the Stars – Black Panther
• Girl in the Movies – Dumplin’
• I’ll Fight – RBG
• The Place Where Lost Things Go – Mary Poppins Returns
• Shallow – A Star Is Born
• Trip a Little Light Fantastic – Mary Poppins Returns

The Globes list with a Mary Poppins double replacing Troye Sivan and Annie Lennox. And since BFCA has larger nomination shortlists (to make Oscar predictions easier) a little Diane Warren thrown in because ya gotta love Diane Warren. I don't remember what I voted for beyond "Shallow"

BEST SCORE

 

• Kris Bowers – Green Book
• Nicholas Britell – If Beale Street Could Talk
• Alexandre Desplat – Isle of Dogs
• Ludwig Göransson – Black Panther
• Justin Hurwitz – First Man
• Marc Shaiman – Mary Poppins Returns

I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see Green Book pop up here but in truth I don't remember that score (AT ALL). For what it's worth they have been pushing the score hard. Bowers was honored at Middleburg and the movie has a robust awards campaign. This is very similar to the Globes list but Oscar and the Globes rarely see eye to eye on Best Original Score so we have to wonder what surprises lie in store on Oscar nomination morning for this category. Maybe Incredibles 2, Welcome to Marwen, BlacKkKlansman, or Mary Queen of Scots?

THE TELEVISION NOMINEES

BEST DRAMA SERIES

• The Americans (FX)
• Better Call Saul (AMC)
• The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
• Homecoming (Amazon)
• Killing Eve (BBC America)
• My Brilliant Friend (HBO)
• Pose (FX)
• Succession (HBO)  

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

• Freddie Highmore – The Good Doctor (ABC)
• Diego Luna – Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)
• Richard Madden – Bodyguard (Netflix)
• Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Billy Porter – Pose (FX)
• Matthew Rhys – The Americans (FX)
• Milo Ventimiglia – This Is Us (NBC)

 BILLY!

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES 

• Jodie Comer – Killing Eve (BBC America)
• Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Deuce (HBO)
• Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
• Sandra Oh – Killing Eve (BBC America)
• Elizabeth Olsen – Sorry For Your Loss (Facebook Watch)
• Julia Roberts – Homecoming (Amazon)
• Keri Russell – The Americans (FX)

MAGGIE! 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES 

• Richard Cabral – Mayans M.C. (FX)
• Asia Kate Dillon – Billions (Showtime)
• Noah Emmerich – The Americans (FX)
• Justin Hartley – This Is Us (NBC)
• Matthew Macfadyen – Succession (HBO)
• Richard Schiff – The Good Doctor (ABC)
• Shea Whigham – Homecoming (Amazon) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

• Dina Shihabi – Jack Ryan (Amazon) 
• Julia Garner – Ozark (Netflix)
• Thandie Newton – Westworld (HBO)
• Rhea Seehorn – Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Yvonne Strahovski – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
• Holly Taylor – The Americans (FX)

THANDIE! 

BEST COMEDY SERIES

 

• Atlanta (FX)
• Barry (HBO)
• The Good Place (NBC)
• The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
• The Middle (ABC)
• One Day at a Time (Netflix)
• Schitt’s Creek (Pop) 

THE GOOD PLACE! 

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

• Hank Azaria – Brockmire (IFC)
• Ted Danson – The Good Place (NBC)
• Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
• Donald Glover – Atlanta (FX)
• Bill Hader – Barry (HBO)
• Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
• Andy Samberg – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

• Rachel Bloom – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)
• Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
• Allison Janney – Mom (CBS)
• Justina Machado – One Day at a Time (Netflix)
• Debra Messing – Will & Grace (NBC)
• Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO) 

RACHEL & JUSTINA!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

• William Jackson Harper – The Good Place (NBC)
• Sean Hayes – Will & Grace (NBC)
• Brian Tyree Henry – Atlanta (FX)
• Nico Santos – Superstore (NBC)
• Tony Shalhoub – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
• Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

• Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
• Betty Gilpin – GLOW (Netflix)
• Laurie Metcalf – The Conners (ABC)
• Rita Moreno – One Day at a Time (Netflix)
• Zoe Perry – Young Sheldon (CBS)
• Annie Potts – Young Sheldon (CBS)
• Miriam Shor – Younger (TV Land)

 RITA MORENO AND MIRIAM SHOR. *BLOWS INFINITE KISSES*

BEST LIMITED SERIES

• A Very English Scandal (Amazon)
• American Vandal (Netflix)
• The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
• Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
• Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
• Sharp Objects (HBO)

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Icebox (HBO)
• Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)
• King Lear (Amazon)
• My Dinner with Hervé (HBO)
• Notes from the Field (HBO)
• The Tale (HBO) 

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Antonio Banderas – Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
• Darren Criss – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
• Paul Dano – Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
• Benicio Del Toro – Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
• Hugh Grant – A Very English Scandal (Amazon)
• John Legend – Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Amy Adams – Sharp Objects (HBO)
• Patricia Arquette – Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
• Connie Britton – Dirty John (Bravo)
• Carrie Coon – The Sinner (USA Network)
• Laura Dern – The Tale (HBO)
• Anna Deavere Smith – Notes From the Field (HBO) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION 

• Brandon Victor Dixon – Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)
• Eric Lange – Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
• Alex Rich – Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
• Peter Sarsgaard – The Looming Tower (Hulu)
• Finn Wittrock – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
• Ben Whishaw – A Very English Scandal (Amazon) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Ellen Burstyn – The Tale (HBO)
• Patricia Clarkson – Sharp Objects (HBO)
• Penelope Cruz – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
• Julia Garner – Dirty John (Bravo)
• Judith Light – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
• Elizabeth Perkins – Sharp Objects (HBO)

Hmmm. how you throw Sharp Objects TWO supporting nominations and don't include Eliza Scanlen? That's as perverse as poisoning your own daughter! 

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

 

• Adventure Time (Cartoon Network)
• Archer (FXX)
• Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
• BoJack Horseman (Netflix)
• The Simpsons (Fox)
• South Park (Comedy Central)

Comments

[Horatio]

Yawn. predicting everything means you predict nothing.

[Brad]

Ryan T. - Nicholas Hoult isn't widely predicted so he didn't make the cut.

[Renalda]

We are "losing it" over the nominations because Nathaniel chooses to be a member of a group that in action, as proven year in year out, completely goes against his beliefs and ethos of award giving. To be the level of critical he is about these awards, he can longer support them with membership without 'looking like' (although in action actually proving himself to be) a Hippocratic. Sad to say because I love this site.

[anonny]

Renalda, stop being so full of judgment. who cares? Like having members with good taste leav will actually improve anything, please.

[Robert G]

Thank you for voting for Tully. I know there are fans out there somewhere.

[Philip H.]

Critics really let Alex Wolff in Hereditary down.

[NATHANIEL R]

Claran -- the tragedy is that we can only vote for 3 things (5 for Best Picture) and boy is it hard to narrow down. So I usually vote for 3 things in each category that I feel really need my help since I generally have 6 or 7 things I personally love in any given category.

I'm not sure how the votes are tallied but there are obviously problems with the system given 4-8 nominations and no apparent rhyme or reason as to when categories are large or small. There definitely needs to be more transparency. I actually love that about the Oscars that the rules are so publicly available and they clearly have a extremely rigid mathematical system for tallying the votes which prevents inconsistencies and shenanigans.

Renalda -- ALL awards bodies go against my beliefs in some way. Even the more prestigious critics groups indulge in category fraud whenever they feel like it. I think it's disgusting and shows a true lack of respect for working actors. I am regularly appalled but life is imperfect.

Should I belong to nothing and not be able to do my job well and provide what we provide here at The Film Experience for "purity's" sake (Membership in critics organizations is important to what we do: it helps with access to actors, directors, screeners, studios, etcetera)

A truth: You can only be responsible for yourself in this world and stay true to your beliefs within what you can control (which i do). If you're lucky you can influence other people for the better.

Purity politics is a fool's game. If you cant belong to something because it's imperfect or, as we've seen in the political arena, vote for someone because they are not "pure" enough or are compromised in some way, etcetera, you will belong to nothing, be unlikely to accomplish anything, and do no good in the world.

Philip -- they sure did.

Kirby -- lol. brain fart. HEREDITARY has been on my mind so much lately.

Morgan & Troy -- what is The Haunting of Hill House? was that supposed to be a big deal on the television side or something?

[Parjanya]

If Alicia Vikander can win an Oscar in Supporting for what is basically a co-Lead performance I don’t see any reason for both Weisz and Stone NOT to be nominated... Colman and Weisz will both most certainly win the BAFTA (in Lead and Supporting) in what are two of this year’s most complex and nuanced performances!

[Claran]

Only 3 choices per category except Best Pic!!?? Y so stingy w the ballot n yet so generous w the nominations?? It made no sense 😂

They shld streamlined their process n b transparent on how they arrived at 7 nominees...

[kin]

Having everyone's top 7 nominated is extremely boring, I agreed.

But I love that production design nomination for Crazy Rich Asians. Much deserved and give me hope that it might survive to the Oscars, even though it's not on Nat's list at the moment.

Also regarding Crazy Rich Asians, sad that it isn't up for Adapted Screenplay. At the very least, it is better than Black Panther's. That category is really empty beyond the top 3, so I think the film also has a shot there.

[Dan H]

Renalda reminds me of the kind of person who won't vote in an election, because all of the top candidates are corrupt, but then complains when, say, the Republicans do horrible things that the Democrats would never do. As Nathanial suggests, purity politics is a fool's game, not to say annoying to the rest of us who are trying to make a difference, however modest.

[Edward L.]

Nathaniel: Well said re: purity.

Parjanya: Two (or in this case, three) wrongs don't make a right!

[Ulrich]

Nice to see FIRST MAN
get recognition for its brilliant images, brilliant editing, brilliant score, brilliant direction and Claire Foy's brilliant performance!

The rejection of Widows is absolutely warrented!

[Ulrich]

^whoops - warrAnted!!

[DJDeeJay]

So happy for Shea Whigham - he's really great in Homecoming with a character that a lesser character would've turned into a goofball.

Yay for One Day at a Time!

And wow for Anna Deaveare Smith - that is NOT the kind of performance that usually gets any attention. Well done.

[Troy H.]

NATHANIEL R, it's a Netflix original series loosely based on the novel of the same name that got everybody in my Facebook sphere talking. It's a family dysfunction drama covered in a veneer of horror about people who wouldn't be so traumatized had they loved and trusted each other enough to be open and honest about the supernatural experiences they all had in a haunted house 25 years prior.

[Me]

@chofer;

Kinda unfortunate you decide to throw Green Book in the trash to voice your disdain for this body.

If you think this movie has racial politics setting us back 50 years? Maybe you're confusing the movie for what you think the movie is supposed to say. To watch that movie and get that from it means you don't get it. And it's not that hard.

This group, with each passing year, looks for what's palatable. They cater.