The Film Experience

Chris here, with some goodness from more regional critics' groups. It's always fascinating to see what pockets of passion occur throughout the countries various critics' groups, even in a year such as this that appears to be largely dominated by a handful of films. This year's key films in that regard have been Roma and The Favourite, both recognized by two more groups in this roundup...

But first is a group that departed that Best Picture consensus, and wouldn't you know that yours truly also belongs to this group. I'm one of the 25ish members of the Columbus Film Critics Association (formerly titled Central Ohio... under the same acronym) and we've just announced If Beale Street Could Talk as 2018's best! Humblebrag: my personal best film of the year has won both years of my voting.

Here are the COFCA winners in addition to wins from critics in Houston and North Carolina...

Columbus Film Critics Association:

Best Film:

If Beale Street Could Talk
BlacKkKlansman
The Favourite
Eighth Grade
Roma
Black Panther
Widows
A Quiet Place
First Man
Hereditary

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón - Roma
Runner-up: Spike Lee - BlacKkKlansman

Best Actor: Ben Foster - Leave No Trace
Runner-up: Ethan Hawke - First Reformed

Best Actress: Olivia Colman - The Favourite
Runner-up: TIE Elsie Fisher - Eighth Grade and Melissa McCarthy - Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best Supporting Actor: Richard E. Grant - Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Runner-up: Michael B. Jordan - Black Panther

Best Supporting Actress: Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk

Runner-up: Emma Stone - The Favourite

Best Ensemble: The Favourite
Runner-up: Widows

Actor of the Year (body of work): Brian Tyree Henry for Hotel Artemis, If Beale Street Could Talk, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, White Boy Rick, and Widows
Runner-up: Emily Blunt for Mary Poppins Returns, A Quiet Place, and Sherlock Gnomes

Breakthrough Film Artist: Bo Burnham - Eighth Grade
Runner-up: Boots Riley - Sorry to Bother You

Best Cinematography: Roma

Runner-up: First Man

Best Editing: Widows

Runner-up: TIE Roma and The Favourite

Best Adapted Screenplay: BlacKkKlansman

Runner-up: TIE Burning AND Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Original Screenplay: Eighth Grade

Runner-up: The Favourite

Best Score: If Beale Street Could Talk

Runner-up: Eighth Grade

Best Documentary: Shirkers

Runner-up: Free Solo

Best Foreign Language Film: Shoplifters
Runner-up: Burning

Best Animated Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Runner-up: Incredibles 2

Best Overlooked Film: Private Life
Runner-up: Leave No Trace

Houston Film Critics Society

Best Picture: The Favourite

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón - Roma

Best Actor: Christian Bale - Vice

Best Actress: Toni Collette - Hereditary

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali - Green Book

Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz - The Favourite

Best Cinematography: Roma

Best Animated Film: Isle of Dogs

Best Original Score: If Beale Street Could Talk

Best Original Song: "Shallow" A Star is Born

Best Foreign Language Film: Roma

Best Documentary Feature: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Texas Independent Film Award: The Standoff at Sparrow Creek

Best Visual Effects: First Man

Worst Film of the Year: The Happytime Murders

North Carolina Film Critics Association

Best Narrative Film: Roma

Best Documentary Film: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Best Animated Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Foreign Language Film: Roma

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón - Roma

Best Cinematography: Roma

Best Actor: Ethan Hawke - First Reformed

Best Actress: Olivia Colman - The Favourite

Best Supporting Actor: Michael B. Jordan - Black Panther

Best Supporting Actress: Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk

Best Original Screenplay: The Favourite

Best Adapted Screenplay: If Beale Street Could Talk

Best Special Effects: Black Panther

Best Music: A Star is Born

Ken Hanke Memorial Tar Heel Award (for an artist with a special connection to North Carolina): Lucas Hedges