Critics Choice Award Nominations: "The Irishman and Little Women ... in Hollywood"

by Nathaniel R

The Critics Choice Association (previously known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association) has about 420 members. It's the largest critics organization in the US of which your host here is but 1 voice so dont blame him when the votes go all wrong and veer closer to Oscar prognostication than a reflection of the critical hive mind over the course of 2019. As with the industry voters who vote on Oscars, SAG, and Guild prizes, film critics tend to forget what they loved the first 9 months of the year and focus primarily on releases from October, November, and December. 

This year The Irishman leads the nominations with 14. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is close behind with 12 nods. Little Women takes position number three with 9 nominations. Herewith the nominees for 2019 in both film and television...

FILM AWARDS

BEST PICTURE 

• 1917
• Ford v Ferrari
• The Irishman
• Jojo Rabbit
• Joker
• Little Women
• Marriage Story
• Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Parasite
• Uncut Gems

The one surprise here is surely Uncut Gems since it doesn't feel like an Oscar prediction.  It's a tough break for The Two Popes though which we were sure would show. 

BEST ACTOR

• Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory
• Robert De Niro – The Irishman
• Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Adam Driver – Marriage Story
• Eddie Murphy – Dolemite Is My Name
• Joaquin Phoenix – Joker
• Adam Sandler – Uncut Gems

 Basically they nominated most of the people with a hope of landing an Oscar nomination, EXCEPT Taron Egerton (Rocketman) and Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes) so that's a tough break for both of them. Even with seven nominations they didn't make it.  

BEST ACTRESS

• Awkwafina – The Farewell
• Cynthia Erivo – Harriet
• Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story
• Lupita Nyong’o – Us
• Saoirse Ronan – Little Women
• Charlize Theron – Bombshell
• Renée Zellweger – Judy

Same thing in Best Actress though that's really a harsh blow to Elisabeth Moss (Her Smell) and Alfre Woodard (Clemency) who have both won regular raves for their work... but sometimes reviews aren't enough.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Willem Dafoe – The Lighthouse
• Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes
• Al Pacino – The Irishman
• Joe Pesci – The Irishman
• Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Hopkins but no Pryce in lead which is a bit of a surprise! We'd argue that two of the six are unarguable leads (Dafoe, Pitt) given that they're starring in duet films and maybe four (depending on how you feel about Hopkins and Hanks, though we're lead for the former and supporting for the latter but it's a close call either way). So outside of The Irishman there's not much room for supporting actors. Grrr.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Laura Dern – Marriage Story
• Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit
• Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
• Florence Pugh – Little Women
• Margot Robbie – Bombshell
• Zhao Shuzhen  – The Farewell

Not the least bit surprising that this is the traditional predictions for supporting actress plus one for good measure but who gets left out on Oscar nom morning? Oh but wait. They left out Kathy Bates for Richard Jewell. We think that's a good call, merit wise (the film doesn't give Bates much to do beyond worry and cry) but it's still surprising from a group that loves to prognosticate. 

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS 

• Julia Butters – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Roman Griffin Davis – Jojo Rabbit
• Noah Jupe – Honey Boy
• Thomasin McKenzie – Jojo Rabbit
• Shahadi Wright Joseph – Us
• Archie Yates – Jojo Rabbit

You know what? This wouldn't be my six choices exactly but it's SO much better than the CCA usually does in this category so we have to say a resounding "WELL DONE!" 

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

• Bombshell
• The Irishman
• Knives Out
• Little Women
• Marriage Story
• Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Parasite

Seven nominees for Ensemble, too? Remember when the CCMAs use to always have six nominees and we thought it was too much. Who knew that that would soon be the good old times.  Bombshell is a bit of a surprise in this mix. 

BEST DIRECTOR

• Noah Baumbach – Marriage Story
• Greta Gerwig – Little Women
• Bong Joon Ho – Parasite
• Sam Mendes – 1917
• Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie – Uncut Gems
• Martin Scorsese – The Irishman
• Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Another category with seven nominees. The Safdies are the surprise.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Noah Baumbach – Marriage Story
• Rian Johnson – Knives Out
• Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won – Parasite
• Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Lulu Wang – The Farewell

All of these films have a good shot at an Oscar nomination in this category but it's a tough category and we think the writing branch might also like Pain & Glory and The Two Popes (campaigning original) so they have a shot at spoiling that quintet's party.  

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Greta Gerwig – Little Women
• Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• Anthony McCarten – The Two Popes
• Todd Phillips & Scott Silver – Joker
• Taika Waititi – Jojo Rabbit
• Steven Zaillian  – The Irishman

 Oh look they put Two Popes in Adapted (which it supposedly is) even though it's campaigning original. Confusing. What will Oscar do? Tough break for Hustlers that even with six nominations it couldn't factor in.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Jarin Blaschke – The Lighthouse
• Roger Deakins – 1917
• Phedon Papamichael   – Ford v Ferrari
• Rodrigo Prieto – The Irishman
• Robert Richardson – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Lawrence Sher – Joker

Strong category.  

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Mark Friedberg, Kris Moran – Joker
• Dennis Gassner, Lee Sandales  – 1917
• Jess Gonchor, Claire Kaufman – Little Women
• Lee Ha Jun – Parasite
• Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Bob Shaw, Regina Graves – The Irishman
• Donal Woods, Gina Cromwell – Downton Abbey

Another SEVEN wide field. Aren't there rules to keep the categories a certain size? Love to see Parasite here.

BEST EDITING

• Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie – Uncut Gems
• Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker – Ford v Ferrari
• Yang Jinmo  – Parasite
• Fred Raskin – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Thelma Schoonmaker – The Irishman
• Lee Smith – 1917

Bit of a surprise to see 1917 here since the whole point of its editing is too look entirely non-existent.  

BEST COSTUME DESIGN 

• Ruth E. Carter – Dolemite Is My Name
• Julian Day – Rocketman
• Jacqueline Durran – Little Women
• Arianne Phillips – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Sandy Powell, Christopher Peterson – The Irishman
• Anna Robbins – Downton Abbey

No Hustlers? BOO.

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

• Bombshell
• Dolemite Is My Name
• The Irishman
• Joker
• Judy
• Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Rocketman 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• 1917
• Ad Astra
• The Aeronauts
• Avengers: Endgame
• Ford v Ferrari
• The Irishman
• The Lion King 

But.... the de-aging effects of The Irishman are bad.  And what is The Aeronauts doing here? 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

• Abominable
• Frozen II
• How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
• I Lost My Body
• Missing Link
• Toy Story 4 

BEST ACTION MOVIE

• 1917
• Avengers: Endgame
• Ford v Ferrari
• John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
• Spider-Man: Far From Home

BEST COMEDY

• Booksmart
• Dolemite Is My Name
• The Farewell
• Jojo Rabbit
• Knives Out 

Yes, we did receive a note that The Farewell was considered "comedy" 

BEST SCI-FI OR HORROR MOVIE 

• Ad Astra
• Avengers: Endgame
• Midsommar
• Us

Only four?

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

• Atlantics
• Les Misérables 
• Pain and Glory
• Parasite
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire

 Another reminder that France probably could have had two nominees at the Oscars this year if the rules were different on submissions. 

BEST SONG

• Glasgow (No Place Like Home) – Wild Rose
• (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again – Rocketman
• I’m Standing With You – Breakthrough
• Into the Unknown – Frozen II
• Speechless – Aladdin
• Spirit – The Lion King 
• Stand Up – Harriet

 Seven nominees in such a weak year for Best Song. Unnecessary! But thrilled to see "Glasgow" there where it belongs..

BEST SCORE

• Michael Abels – Us 
• Alexandre Desplat   – Little Women
• Hildur Guðnadóttir – Joker
• Randy Newman – Marriage Story
• Thomas Newman  – 1917
• Robbie Robertson – The Irishman

I do not remember the music in Marriage Story but plan to see it again so will listen in. 

TELEVISION AWARDS

Television mainstay and big hit "This is Us" and the Netflix miniseries "When They See Us" led the television portion of the awards in terms of nomination tallies. 

BEST DRAMA SERIES

• The Crown (Netflix)
• David Makes Man (OWN)
• Game of Thrones (HBO)
• The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
• Pose (FX)
• Succession (HBO)
• This Is Us (NBC)
• Watchmen (HBO)

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

• Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)
• Mike Colter – Evil (CBS)
• Paul Giamatti – Billions (Showtime)
• Kit Harington – Game of Thrones (HBO)
• Freddie Highmore – The Good Doctor (ABC)
• Tobias Menzies – The Crown (Netflix)
• Billy Porter – Pose (FX)
• Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO)

8 nominees is excessive. 

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

• Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
• Olivia Colman – The Crown (Netflix)
• Jodie Comer – Killing Eve (BBC America)
• Nicole Kidman – Big Little Lies (HBO)
• Regina King – Watchmen (HBO)
• Mj Rodriguez – Pose (FX)
• Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO)
• Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO)

Look at all these incredibly talented women.  Is Snook really a lead in Succession though?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

• Asante Blackk – This Is Us (NBC)
• Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple)
• Asia Kate Dillon – Billions (Showtime)
• Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones (HBO)
• Justin Hartley – This Is Us (NBC)
• Delroy Lindo – The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
• Tim Blake Nelson – Watchmen (HBO) 

No Succession men?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

• Helena Bonham Carter – The Crown (Netflix)
• Gwendoline Christie – Game of Thrones (HBO)
• Laura Dern – Big Little Lies (HBO)
• Audra McDonald – The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
• Jean Smart – Watchmen (HBO)
• Meryl Streep – Big Little Lies (HBO)
• Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)

BEST COMEDY SERIES

• Barry (HBO)
• Fleabag (Amazon)
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
• Mom (CBS)
• One Day at a Time (Netflix)
• PEN15 (Hulu)
• Schitt’s Creek (Pop)

Yes, One Day at a Time! 

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES 

• Ted Danson – The Good Place (NBC)
• Walton Goggins – The Unicorn (CBS)
• Bill Hader – Barry (HBO)
• Eugene Levy – Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
• Paul Rudd – Living with Yourself (Netflix)
• Bashir Salahuddin – Sherman's Showcase (IFC)
• Ramy Youssef – Ramy (Hulu) 

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES 

• Christina Applegate – Dead to Me (Netflix)
• Alison Brie – GLOW (Netflix)
• Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
• Kirsten Dunst – On Becoming a God in Central Florida (Showtime)
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep (HBO)
• Catherine O'Hara – Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag (Amazon) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

• Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
• Anthony Carrigan – Barry (HBO)
• William Jackson Harper – The Good Place (NBC)
• Daniel Levy – Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
• Nico Santos – Superstore (NBC)
• Andrew Scott – Fleabag (Amazon)
• Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

• Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
• D'Arcy Carden – The Good Place (NBC)
• Sian Clifford – Fleabag (Amazon)
• Betty Gilpin – GLOW (Netflix)
• Rita Moreno – One Day at a Time (Netflix)
• Annie Murphy – Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
• Molly Shannon – The Other Two (Comedy Central)

The only thing important here is that D'ARCY CARDEN and RITA MORENO are nominated for things that Emmy has unforgivably ignored.   

BEST LIMITED SERIES

• Catch-22 (Hulu)
• Chernobyl (HBO)
• Fosse/Verdon (FX)
• The Loudest Voice (Showtime)
• Unbelievable (Netflix)
• When They See Us (Netflix)
• Years and Years (HBO)

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Brexit (HBO)
• Deadwood: The Movie (HBO)
• El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (Netflix)
• Guava Island (Amazon)
• Native Son (HBO)
• Patsy & Loretta (Lifetime)

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Christopher Abbott – Catch-22 (Hulu)
• Mahershala Ali – True Detective (HBO)
• Russell Crowe – The Loudest Voice (Showtime)
• Jared Harris – Chernobyl (HBO)
• Jharrel Jerome – When They See Us (Netflix)
• Sam Rockwell – Fosse/Verdon (FX)
• Noah Wyle – The Red Line (CBS) 

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

• Kaitlyn Dever – Unbelievable (Netflix)
• Anne Hathaway – Modern Love (Amazon)
• Megan Hilty – Patsy & Loretta (Lifetime)
• Joey King – The Act (Hulu)
• Jessie Mueller – Patsy & Loretta (Lifetime)
• Merritt Wever – Unbelievable (Netflix)
• Michelle Williams – Fosse/Verdon (FX)

Anne Hathaway was super in her episode of Modern Love but that's a hard thing to hold up against women who had hours and hours to flesh out their characterizations.  

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

• Asante Blackk – When They See Us (Netflix)
• George Clooney – Catch-22 (Hulu)
• John Leguizamo – When They See Us (Netflix)
• Dev Patel – Modern Love (Amazon)
• Jesse Plemons – El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (Netflix)
• Stellan Skarsgård – Chernobyl (HBO)
• Russell Tovey – Years and Years (HBO) 

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

• Patricia Arquette – The Act (Hulu)
• Marsha Stephanie Blake – When They See Us (Netflix)
• Toni Collette – Unbelievable (Netflix)
• Niecy Nash – When They See Us (Netflix)
• Margaret Qualley – Fosse/Verdon (FX)
• Emma Thompson – Years and Years (HBO)
• Emily Watson – Chernobyl (HBO) 

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

• Big Mouth (Netflix)
• BoJack Horseman (Netflix)
• The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix)
• She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix)
• The Simpsons (Fox)
• Undone (Amazon)

BEST TALK SHOW

• Desus & Mero (Showtime)
• Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
• The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
• The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS)
• Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) 

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL 

• Amy Schumer: Growing (Netflix)
• Jenny Slate: Stage Fright (Netflix)
• Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons (ABC)
• Ramy Youssef: Feelings (HBO)
• Seth Meyers: Lobby Baby (Netflix)
• Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia (Netflix)
• Wanda Sykes: Not Normal (Netflix)

The 25th annual Critics Choice Movie Awards will be broadcast live on the CW on January 12th, 2020, which is the night before Oscar nominations are announcd. 

Comments

[Peggy Sue]

Love love love the Best Song AND Best Actress nom for Harriet!

[Rdf]

Pretty inclusive lists

[MJ]

I’m always so overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of categories and nominees. Disappointed to see Clemency shut out, but that’s more NEON’s fault than anything. I haven’t seen Ford v. Ferrari, but that getting into Best Cinematography over Parasite is... a choice.

[Glenn Dunks]

This group is awful and should be ashamed (sorry, Nat).

[CjD]

It's also important for some of us that Sian Clifford is nominated!

[Arlo]

With the wealth of great TV, 8 nominees doesn’t sound excessive to me

[Roger]

I have a hard time believing they actually count your votes! It seems like they just copy and paste from Gold Derby.

Honestly surprised by their restraint not to nominate 8 actors/actresses in lead.

[MJS]

I don't get why The Farewell is being campaigned as a comedy, there are some moments of levity to be sure, but isn't any more of a comedy than Marriage Story.

[Jesus Alonso]

Banderas just became the frontrunner for the Oscar win. Cannes + HFA + EFA + TIME performance of the year + NYFCC + LAFCA + Satellite nom + Critics choice nom.

He can still be even snubbed, but... seriously, he would need to miss Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA nominations to lost his locked for the nom status that he just acquired.

[eurocheese]

The Aeronauts hosted tech screenings where they served lamb shanks and ornate desserts after. They want those tech nods. (And honestly, I didn't love the movie but I'm down for Visual Effects and Sound nods.)

[jules]

These nominations are always useful because they reflect prognosticators' consensus.

Interesting that Waititi is not nominated for Best Director in this field of seven. I have suspected he does not have the critical acclaim. I think that if the Directors' branch deviates from this list, they will go Haneke/Pawlikowski and nominate someone like Almodóvar.

[forever1267]

For there being so much of television, 8 or more is fine. I don't recognize half of these.

Bravo to Asante Blackk for his 2 nominations. Future Big Star!

[ken s.]

For fuck sake, 6-7 nominees per category and not one single surprise or choice out of left field. Not one.

[Joe]

Good for Zhao Shuzhen! However, it seems odd that the Farewell is missing from the picture race.

[Joe]

This year critics spread good word of mouth from the whole year except Jan and February. It’s been one of the best years in television and film

[NATHANIEL R]

Glenn -- you don't have to apologize. I dont take it personally because I often criticize them myself :)

[Peggy Sue]

I haven't seen Harriet.

[Jaragon]

These guys sound like the Golden Globes they want to please everybody

[Michael Troutman]

Uncut gems is performing much better than expected in precursors, could it possibly sneak into best picture field? Most have suspected Sandler is a possible nominee but that is it for uncut gems, it’s starting to look much stronger than that.

[Me]

Why isn't Hanks a lead in his film?

[Jonathan]

The complete shut-out of WAVES so far this season continues to be inexplicable and maddening. Where is Taylor Russell for Best Young Actor? Where is Sterling K. Brown?

Also, I'm surprised critics wouldn't stump for Mica Levi and her fantastic score for MONOS.

On a final note: AD ASTRA is the Brad Pitt performance of the year, you fools.

[brandz]

Too many nominees per category. They should hold it to 5 nominations per category.

[/3rtful]

Nothing for Kathy Bates? I am sorry I am so frequently wrong. I'll never post again.

[Stjeans]

No Mary Kay Place? Booo!...

[/3rtful]

Yawn. I know it’s an obligation that you post these but if we’re honest with your beliefs on critics groups the BFCA/Critics whatever should really be posted when winners are announced only.

[Bea F. C. Neigh]

Honest question Nathaniel. This groups is pretty much the anti-Nathaniel of critics groups so why are you a member. Is it the only critics organisation you qualify for? Is there a huge amount of swag bags and screeners/screening invites? If so that’s great, but you do lean in hard on other critics groups trying to have an individual voice and point of view, many of who are probably at a place in their careers you were many years ago. It seems like a very American dog eat dog thing and if you participate in small ways like this, well from an outsider one can extrapolate how in a more extreme way Trump is possible.

[Ryan T.]

God, those TV Comedy Series acting nominations are perfection especially the supporting categories. The Emmys could never.

[ioulia]

A sorry bunch of losers all of them. I think I've finally had enough with all those critics awards bodies (ALL of them) whose only job is apparently to predict the oscars, No originality in their choices, no surprises just plain boring "oscar buzz" marketing. At least some years before they seemed like they were trying to make an effort, once in a while, to highlight stuff under the radar., like LAFCA awarding best film to American Splendor or BSFCA giving it to Three Kings. But even these days are now long gone. Do they just read goldderby and vote nowadays? The only group that somewhat still matters in my opinion, trying to break this booooring mold, is the NSFCA, going for bolder choices like The Rider, Goodbye to Language or Melancholia, once in a blue moon, at least..

[Jakey]

I do love these TV nominations. I see your Sian Clifford and raise you Annie Murphy, who has got so little attention. Ew, David!