Friday Awards Wrap-Up: Toronto, Dublin, and so much more

by Cláudio Alves

At long last, Danielle Brooks has won something for her performance in THE COLOR PURPLE.As the holiday break looms large on the horizon, a veritable tsunami of critics groups decided to announce their winners. It was a busy week, extending past the US regional prizes, and some consensus is forming. Killers of the Flower Moon has won almost a quarter of Best Picture honors, while Christopher Nolan is favored in Best Director. For the actors, Gladstone, Murphy, Randolph, and Downey Jr. are the critics' preferred quartet. However, one should note that, at long last, the Holdovers' hold on Best Supporting Actress has been broken. Both Danielle Brooks and Rachel McAdams managed some victories. Finally, some variety…

TORONTO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Best Film: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Runners-up: ALL OF US STRANGERS and KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Best Director: Jonathan Glazer, THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Runners-up: Martin Scorsese, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON and Justine Triet, ANATOMY OF A FALL

Best Lead Performance: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL and Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runners-up: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS; Andrew Scott, ALL OF US STRANGERS; Emma Stone, POOR THINGS; and Kôji Yakusho, PERFECT DAYS

Best Supporting Performance: Ryan Gosling, BARBIE and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Runners-up: Robert De Niro, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON; Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER; Glenn Howerton, BLACKBERRY; and Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER

Best Breakthrough Performance: Teyana Taylor, A THOUSAND AND ONE
Runners-up: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER and Dominic Sessa, THE HOLDOVERS 

Best Performance in a Canadian Film: Glenn Howerton, BLACKBERRY
Runners-up: Jay Baruchel, BLACKBERRY and Théodore Pellerin, SOLO 

Best Original Screenplay: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Runners-up: Justine Triet & Arthur Harari, ANATOMY OF A FALL and Celine Song, PAST LIVES 

Best Adapted Screenplay: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runners-up: Andrew Haigh, ALL OF US STRANGERS and Tony McNamara, POOR THINGS 

Best Animated Feature: ROBOT DREAMS
Runners-up: THE BOY AND THE HERON and SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE 

Best Documentary: 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
Runners-up: THE ETERNAL MEMORY, FOUR DAUGHTERS, and SWAN SONG

Best Foreign Language Film: FALLEN LEAVES
Runners-up: ANATOMY OF A FALL and THE ZONE OF INTEREST 

Best First Feature: RYE LANE
Runners-up: AMERICAN FICTION and PAST LIVES 

In some ways, these Toronto honors feel like a vague echo of the LAFCA's choices. Regarding uniqueness, this group deserves praise for going with Robot Dreams in Animation. The NEON title has been going under the radar so far in the season, but some awards here and there are raising its profile. While it's unlikely to crack the Academy's ballot, such honors should make more people curious about the Spanish cartoon.

Truthfully, I'm a tad disappointed with their categories specific to Canadian cinema. Where is Red Rooms, one of the year's most caustic and unforgettable experiences? Lead actress Juliette Gariépy was robbed!

DUBLIN FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

Top 10: 

1. PAST LIVES, Celine Song
2. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet
3. OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
4. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
5. MAY DECEMBER, Todd Haynes
6. TÁR, Todd Field
7. BARBIE, Greta Gerwig
8. CLOSE, Lukas Dhont and EO, Jerzy Skolimowski (tie)
9. THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS, Felix van Groeningen & Charlotte Vandermerrsch and PASSAGES, Ira Sachs (tie)
10. PRISCILLA, Sofia Coppola 

Best Director: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Runner-up: Justine Triet, ANATOMY OF A FALL

Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Carey Mulligan, MAESTRO

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Franz Rogowski, PASSAGES

Best Screenplay: Justine Triet & Arthur Harari, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Runner-up: Isabel Peña & Rodrigo Sorogoyen, THE BEASTS

Best Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER

Best Documentary: THE DEEPEST BREATH
Runner-up: 406 DAYS

Best Irish Film: LAKELANDS
Runner-up: THE DEEPEST BREATH

Irish Breakthrough: Orén Kinlan, FLORA AND SON

International Breakthrough: Raine Allen-Miller, RYE LANE

Interestingly, while Tár competed here as a 2023 film, Blanchett couldn't crack the top two in Best Actress. After her critical domination last year, this miss feels more connected to recency bias than anything. Sadly, the DFCC doesn't have supporting prizes, so there's no way to include them in those categories' development.

My favorite mention is The Beasts in Screenplay. The French-Spanish co-production is an exercise in growing tensions, socioeconomic and cultural schisms making way for Man's essential violence.

BOSTON ONLINE FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Top 10:

1. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
2. OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
3. THE HOLDOVERS, Alexander Payne
4. PAST LIVES, Celine Song
5. MAY DECEMBER, Todd Haynes
6. BARBIE, Greta Gerwig
7. THE ZONE OF INTEREST, Jonathan Glazer
8. AMERICAN FICTION, Cord Jefferson
9. POOR THINGS, Yorgos Lanthimos
10. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet 

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: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Ensemble: OPPENHEIMER
Best Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS and Samy Burch, MAY DECEMBER (tie)
Best Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary: MENUS-PLAISIRS – TROISGROS
Best International Feature: THE ZONE OF INTEREST

I sincerely hope critics keep rewarding Wiseman this season, even if he's out of the Oscar race. Truth be told, despite giving him an Honorary Award, the Academy has never been fond of this documentarian. In that sense, his absence from the shortlists wasn't so much a snub as the continuation of a decades-long history.

PHILADELPHIA FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

Best Film: POOR THINGS
Runner-up: OPPENHEIMER

Best Director: Yorgos Lanthimos, POOR THINGS
Runner-up: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER

 Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Runner-up: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION

Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Julianne Moore, MAY DECEMBER

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER

Best Breakthrough Performance: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Runner-up: Abby Ryder Fortson, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.

Best Ensemble: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: POOR THINGS

Best Screenplay: Tony McNamara, POOR THINGS
Runner-up: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER

Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Robbie Ryan, POOR THINGS

Best Score/Soundtrack: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Jerskin Fendrix, POOR THINGS

Best Animated Film: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Runner-up: ROBOT DREAMS

Best Documentary: 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
Runner-up: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE

Best Foreign Film: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Runner-up: ANATOMY OF A FALL

Best Directorial Debut: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Runner-up: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION

Cheesesteak Award for a blockbuster that's hard to ignore: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE
Runner-up: GODZILLA MINUS ONE

This marks the first surprising triumph for The Boy and the Heron this week, taking the International and Animated prizes from the PFCC. One should also note that, though the organization fell hard for Poor Things, neither of its Supporting Actor contenders made it to their category's top two. Besides Gladstone's runner-up status, this was a surprisingly poor showing for Scorsese's latest grand opus.

ST. LOUIS FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Best Picture: OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: BARBIE

Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig, BARBIE

Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Margot Robbie, BARBIE

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS

Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Rachel McAdams, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.

Best Supporting Actor: Ryan Gosling, BARBIE
Runners-up: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER and Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER

Best Ensemble: THE HOLDOVERS
Runners-up: BARBIE and OPPENHEIMER

Best Original Screenplay: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Runner-up: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS

Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION

Best Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-Up: Kirk Baxter, THE KILLER

Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Runners-up: Robert D. Yeoman, ASTEROID CITY; Rodrigo Prieto, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON; and Matthew Libatique, MAESTRO

Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood, BARBIE
Runner-up: Shona Heath & James Price, POOR THINGS

Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, BARBIE
Runner-up: Holly Waddington, POOR THINGS

Best Visual Effects: THE CREATOR
Runner-up: OPPENHEIMER

Best Music Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Runners-up: Robbie Robertson, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON and Marcelo Zarvos, MAY DECEMBER

Best Music Soundtrack: BARBIE
Runner-up: THE KILLERS

Best Animated Feature: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Runner-up: THE BOY AND THE HERON

Best Documentary: AMERICAN SYMPHONY and STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX STORY (tie)

Best International Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Runner-up: THE ZONE OF INTEREST

Best Comedy: THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: BARBIE

Best Action Movie: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE (tie)

Best Horror: TALK TO ME
Runner-up: SKINAMARINK

Best Stunts: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE
Runner-up: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4

Best Scene: BARBIE, Gloria's monologue on impossible standards for women
Runner-up: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4, Staircase fight

The St. Louis crowd fell for the Barbenheimmer of it all. So much so that The Holdovers' win in Best Comedy feels out of place and a bit contradictory to the remaining awards. Another point of interest is how these critics almost awarded May December for its score, most of which is recycled from 1971's Palme d'Or winner The Go-Between.

NORTH TEXAS FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Best Film: OPPENHEIMER
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
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: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER and Glenn Howerton, BLACKBERRY (tie)
Best Newcomer: Dominic Sessa, THE HOLDOVERS
Gary Murray Award for Best Ensemble: OPPENHEIMER
Best Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best Foreign Language Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL

There's nothing especially remarkable about any of these picks. I guess Howerton tying with Robert Downey Jr. in Supporting Actor deserves a passing mention. One wonders if he could surprise at some of the remaining precursors, landing a key nomination at the right time to catch AMPAS' attention.

DALLAS FORT-WORTH FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Top 10: 

1. THE HOLDOVERS, Alexander Payne
2. OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
3. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
4. POOR THINGS, Yorgos Lanthimos
5. AMERICAN FICTION, Cord Jefferson
6. PAST LIVES, Celine Song
7. MAESTRO, Bradley Cooper
8. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet
9. BARBIE, Greta Gerwig
10. MAY DECEMBER, Todd Haynes

Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: 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: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS

Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Danielle Brooks, THE COLOR PURPLE

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER

Best Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Runner-up: Justine Triet & Arthur Harari, ANATOMY OF A FALL

Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Rodrigo Prieto, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Best Musical Score: Robbie Robertson, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER

Best Animated Film: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Runner-Up: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

Best Documentary: AMERICAN SYMPHONY
Runner-up: 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL

Best Foreign Language Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Runner-up: THE ZONE OF INTEREST

Russell Smith Award for Best Cutting-Edge Independent Film: THE ZONE OF INTEREST

The DFWFCA shared five runners-up for most categories. However, since they were ranked, I included only the actual runner-up that came in second-place. Regarding the results, I'm starting to wonder if Robbie Robertson could pose a threat to Göransson in the Best Original Score race. The late composer was snubbed for decades and will likely get his only nomination posthumously. Moreover, Göransson already has an Academy Award for Black Panther.

PHOENIX FILM CRITICS SOCIETY

Best Picture: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actor: Ryan Gosling, BARBIE
Breakthrough Performance: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Performance by a Youth: Abby Ryder-Forston, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Best Ensemble Acting: OPPENHEIMER
Best Original Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Adapted Screenplay: Martin Scorsese & Eric Roth, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Film Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood, BARBIE
Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, BARBIE
Best Visual Effects: THE CREATOR
Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Best Original Song: "I'm Just Ken," BARBIE
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best Foreign Language Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL
The Overlooked Film of the Year: THE BOYS IN THE BOAT

I had no idea anyone felt a modicum of passion about The Boys in the Boat, but here we are. Also, why is Lily Gladstone winning Breakthrough awards? Surely, these critics watched Certain Women, the actual breakthrough performance that led to her landing her Killers of the Flower Moon role. She even won the LAFCA for it in 2016, among other honors.

SOUTHEASTERN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Top 10 Films of 2023: 

1. OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
2. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, Martin Scorsese
3. THE HOLDOVERS, Alexander Payne
4. PAST LIVES, Celine Song
5. BARBIE, Greta Gerwig
6. POOR THINGS, Yorgos Lanthimos
7. AMERICAN FICTION, Cord Jefferson
8. SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thomas & Joaquim Dos Santos
9. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet
10. THE ZONE OF INTEREST, Jonathan Glazer 

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 Ensemble: OPPENHEIMER
Best Original Screenplay: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Score: Ludwig Göransson, OPPENHEIMER
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best Foreign-Language Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL

While I know his placement in critics groups' top ten lists doesn't mean much, I keep thinking that Across the Spider-Verse could crack the Best Picture lineup. Maybe I'm delusional, but it feels like a potential PGA nominee and, after that, the path to a Best Picture spot becomes much clearer. We'll have to wait and see. There's little to be said about these results since they follow the consensus rather than bringing any personality to the proceedings.

SAN DIEGO FILM CRITICS SOCIETY

Best Picture: ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Runner-up: OPPENHEIMER

Best Director: Martin Scorsese, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig, BARBIE

Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL

Best Actor: Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION
Runner-up: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS

Best Supporting Actress: Rachel McAdams, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Runner-up: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., OPPENHEIMER
Runner-up: Ryan Gosling, BARBIE

Best Comedic Performance: Michael Cera, BARBIE
Runner-up: Mark Ruffalo, POOR THINGS

Best Youth Performance: Abby Ryder Fortson, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Runner-up: Milo Machado-Graner, ANATOMY OF A FALL

Breakthrough Actor: Abby Ryder Fortson, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.

Best Ensemble: THE HOLDOVERS
Runners-up: BARBIE and A HAUNTING IN VENICE

Best Original Screenplay: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Runner-up: David Hemingson, THE HOLDOVERS

Best Adapted Screenplay: Kelly Fremon Craig, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Runner-up: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION

Best Editing: Laurent Sénéchal, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Runner-up: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER

Best Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runner-up: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER

Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood, BARBIE
Runner-up: Ruth De Jong, OPPENHEIMER

Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, BARBIE
Runner-up: Holly Waddington, POOR THINGS

Best Visual Effects: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Runner-up: POOR THINGS

Best Use of Music: BARBIE
Runner-up: AIR

Best Sound Design: THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Runner-up: OPPENHEIMER

Best Stunt Choreography: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Runner-up: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE

Best Animated Film: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Runner-up: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Runners-up: 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL and LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING

Best Foreign Language Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Runners-up: GODZILLA MINUS ONE and THE ZONE OF INTEREST

Best First Feature: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION
Runner-up: Celine Song, PAST LIVES

Special Award for Body of Work: Nicolas Cage, DREAM SCENARIO, THE FLASH, THE OLD WAY, RENFIELD, THE RETIREMENT PLAN and SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL

Well, I was asking for personality, and here it is. These choices by the SDFCS are remarkable, and one should praise them for how they managed to mention four different films across their Picture and Director honors, giving the top prize to a title heretofore ignored beyond the acting prizes. We also get a welcome break from the Da'Vine Joy Randolph sweep and a most puzzling result in Best Comedic Performance. And three cheers for Anatomy of a Fall in Editing, Godzilla Minus One in Visual Effects, The Zone of Interest in Sound!

FLORIDA FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

Best Picture: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Director: Todd Haynes, MAY DECEMBER
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Actor: Franz Rogowski, PASSAGES
Best Supporting Actress: Rachel McAdams, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Ensemble: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Original Screenplay: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Adapted Screenplay: Tony McNamara, POOR THINGS
Best Cinematography: Dan Laustsen, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Best Production Design: Adam Stockhausen, ASTEROID CITY
Best Score: Joe Hisaishi, THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Visual Effects: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Best Animated Feature: THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Documentary: MENUS-PLAISIR – LES TROISGROS
Best Foreign Language Film: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best First Film: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Breakout Award: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Golden Orange Award: D. Smith, KOKOMO CITY

Even more distinctive than the San Diego group, the Florida critics delivered my favorite set of winners in the season. Animation deserves to be considered beyond its specialized category, and The Boy and the Heron represents one of the year's most staggering achievements, an achingly painful work from a master of his craft. Speaking of Miyazaki's work, wouldn't it be wonderful for Joe Hisaishi to finally get the flowers he deserves in the awards circuit? Though I don't dare to predict it, I'm crossing my fingers for his success on Oscar nomination morning.

WOMEN FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

Best Movie About Women: BARBIE
Runners-up: POOR THINGS, A THOUSAND AND ONE, THE COLOR PURPLE, and ORIGIN

Best Movie By a Woman: PAST LIVES, Celine Song
Runners-up: SALTBURN; Emerald Fennell; ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet; and ORIGIN, Ava DuVernay

Best Woman Storyteller (Screenwriting Award): Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Runners-up: Kelly Fremon Craig, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME MARGARET.; Ava DuVernay, ORIGIN; and Emerald Fennell, SALTBURN

Best Actress: Emma Stone, POOR THINGS
Runners-up: Annette Bening, NYAD; Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, ORIGIN; Helen Mirren, GOLDA; and Teyana Taylor, A THOUSAND AND ONE

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, OPPENHEIMER
Rubbers-up: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER; Colman Domingo, RUSTIN; and Gael Garcia Bernal, CASSANDRO

Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Runners-up: Julianne Moore, MAY DECEMBER; Danielle Brooks, THE COLOR PURPLE; and Jodie Foster, NYAD

Best Documentary by or About Women: TO KILL A TIGER
Runners-up: TAKE CARE OF MAYA, BEYOND UTOPIA, and THE DEEPEST BREATH

Best Foreign Film By or About Women: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Runners-up: FOUR DAUGHTERS, OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN, and THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE

Best Animated Female: Gwen Stacy, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Runners-up: Ember, ELEMENTAL and Nimona, NIMONA

Best Screen Couple: Annette Bening & Jodie Foster, NYAD
Runners-Up: Greta Lee & John Magaro, PAST LIVES; David Jonsson & Vivian Oparah, RYE LANE; and Haley Lu Richardson & Ben Hardy, LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Best Equality of the Sexes: BARBIE
Runners-up: GOLDA, NYAD, and RYE LANE

Adrienne Shelly Award for a Film that Opposes Violence Against Women: THE COLOR PURPLE
Runners-Up: THE ROYAL HOTEL, BARBIE, and SHAYDA

Josephine Baker Award for Best Expressing the Woman of Color Experience in America: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runners-Up: THE COLOR PURPLE, A THOUSAND AND ONE, and ORIGIN

Karen Morley Award for Best Exemplifying a Woman's Place in History or Society: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Runners-up: THE COLOR PURPLE, A THOUSAND AND ONE, and BARBIE

Acting and Activism Award: Lee Grant

Lifetime Achievement Award: Dolly Parton

I'm confounded by some of these category's purposes and the choices made across the board. Why have so many prizes and fail to recognize films beyond the main contenders where it counts? I guess Origin's success is to be celebrated, even if I didn't care for DuVernay's work that much. Regardless, it's her most ambitious project yet, and one should strive to reward such risks.

Also, is the Couple category meant to honor only romantic partnerships? The honorable mentions would indicate it is so, but I don't think Bening and Foster's characters ever presented themselves that way, whether in the film or real life. Why is Golda a standard-bearer for on-screen equality of the sexes? So many questions.

ONLINE ASSOCIATION OF FEMALE FILM CRITICS

Best Film: PAST LIVES
Best Director: Greta Gerwig, BARBIE
Best Female Lead: Lily Gladstone, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Best Male Lead: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Female: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Male: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER
Best Acting Ensemble: BARBIE
Best Original Screenplay: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Editing: Jennifer Lame, OPPENHEIMER
Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, OPPENHEIMER
Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, BARBIE
Best Visual Effects: OPPENHEIMER and SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (tie)
Best Stunts: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Best Animated Feature: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary: STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Best International Feature: ANATOMY OF A FALL
Breakthrough Filmmaker: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Breakthrough Performance: Charles Melton, MAY DECEMBER and Dominic Sessa, THE HOLDOVERS (tie)
The Rosie Award for the promotion of women, their voices, and the female experience: BARBIE

It's strange that Melton tied with Sessa in Breakthrough Performance but not in Best Supporting Actor. Then again, this group might consider the Holdovers actor a lead because that's what he is. In other news, it's lovely to see animated cinema rewarded in visual effects, and John Wick: Chapter 4 continues to be an undeniable choice for stunt categories. When will the Academy finally make a category to honor this part of the moviemaking process? All in all, it seems more vital for a specific subset of cinema than original song could ever be, especially when so many of the honorees there consist of end-credit tunes.

BLACK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

Top 10: 

1. AMERICAN FICTION, Cord Jefferson
2. OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan
3. THE COLOR PURPLE, Blitz Bazawule
4. SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thomas & Joaquim Dos Santos
5. ORIGIN, Ava DuVernay
6. PAST LIVES, Celine Song
7. POOR THINGS, Yorgos Lanthimos
8. BARBIE, Greta Gerwig
9. MAESTRO, Bradley Cooper
10. ANATOMY OF A FALL, Justine Triet

Best Director: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Actress: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, ORIGIN
Best Actor: Jeffrey Wright, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Supporting Actress: Danielle Brooks, THE COLOR PURPLE
Best Supporting Actor: Sterling K. Brown, AMERICAN FICTION
Best Ensemble: AMERICAN FICTION
Best Original Screenplay: Celine Song, PAST LIVES
Best Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson, AMERICAN FICTION and Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER (tie)
Best Cinematography: Robbie Ryan, POOR THINGS
Best Animated Film: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Best Documentary Film: AMERICAN SYMPHONY
Pioneer Award: Lisa Cortés
Rising Star/Best Newcomer: A.V. Rockwell, A THOUSAND AND ONE and Tia Nomore, EARTH MAMA (tie)

Ellis-Taylor's victory is wonderful, as is Brooks' long-awaited triumph in Best Supporting Actress. When The Color Purple was first seen, many predicted her for the Oscar, but she's been unable to capitalize on those hopes until now as Da'Vine Joy Randolph steamrolls the category. It's nice to see some variety.

ALASKA FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Best Film: THE HOLDOVERS
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, OPPENHEIMER
Best Actress: Sandra Hüller, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Supporting Actress: Danielle Brooks, THE COLOR PURPLE
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Mescal, ALL OF US STRANGERS
Best Animated Voiceover Performance: Robert Pattinson, THE BOY AND THE HERON
Best Screenplay: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, BARBIE
Best Editing: Laurent Sénéchal, ANATOMY OF A FALL
Best Cinematography: Eigil Bryld, THE HOLDOVERS
Best Production Design: Sarah Greenwood, BARBIE
Best Music: Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, BARBIE
Best Animation: NIMONA
Best First Film: PAST LIVES

The AFCA actually announced their winners two weeks ago. However, since I missed them then, here they are. The main reason why I wanted to include them is that they were the first organization where Da'Vine Joy Randolph lost a Supporting Actress prize. Apologies if it seems like I'm ragging on the Holdovers thespian. Her dominance has been a fascinating phenomenon, and a vexing one too if, like me, you believe critics groups should spread the wealth rather than rubber stamp this kind of sweeps.

As you would expect, the week also included plenty of nominations still waiting for the final voting before winners are crowned. They include the Black Reel Awards, the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the London Film Critics Circle, the Utah Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association. Perhaps most importantly, the IPA announced their nominees for the Satellite Awards. I won't explore them in depth, but some oddities deserve mention. For instance, Penélope Cruz was nominated as a lead actress, while Priscilla got slotted into the Comedy or Musical categories. Saltburn was also recategorized as a comedy, but that one is much more understandable.

What do you make of these recent results? Are you as enamored with the choices from Florida and San Diego as I was?

Comments

[Robert G]

Choices were made by St. Louis in the horror category. I like both Talk to Me and Skinamarink, but Skinamarink is one of the most polarizing horror films to get a wide(r) release in a long time. Like, my discussions with people about Skinamarink have been closer to arguments than civilized debates. That film makes people angry.

Meanwhile, Talk to Me is one of those horror films that feels like it could've crossed over for some bigger awards consideration if there was a campaign around it. Awards season is no stranger to narratives about grief and addiction and Talk to Me finds a cool new angle on it.

[Wae Mest]

I had no idea so many people were fond of OPPENHEIMER's relentlessly pummeling and literally nonstop score? Who are these people? I guess the same people who think that film is anything but a visual bore? Please watch ASTEROID CITY, THE KILLER, or SALTBURN for award-worthy cinematography this year.

[Mr Ripley79]

I saw a few Oscar contenders this past few days,here's just a few thoughts

Oppenheimer I know some love it and think it's a masterpiece but apart from the test scene I found it relentlessly tedious with an over bearing score,choppily edited and way too long for such a dry fairly uncinematic subject,also the ADR was badly matched to the actors mouths,I still find Nolans films cold but visually interesting.

I don't get the Blunt nominations the pivotal interview scene has no weight or history of Oppenheimer and her as a dynamic,the comedy drinking,her behaviour never made any sense,she never seemed a whole person.

Murphy and Downey jr we're great though and although I think Gosling wins supporting Downey Jr is his closest competition,I was glad to see Downey Jr do something different.

Maestro sorry Claudio but I loved it esp the 2 leads,Cooper is my winner at the moment though at times he was a little grandstanding but that's how Bernstein was so it's not a major bother,my only genuine complaint is why do gay or bisexual men always have to be seen through the lens of the straight woman who stood beside them,it would have been interesting to see what any of Bernstein's many lovers felt,the Bomer character could have been given more to do,he was really short changed.

The Holdovers liked it but didn't it find hugely amusing,I can clearly see why Randolph is sweeping,that kitchen party scene without histrionics got everything about her,Sessa was solid too and Giamatti is fine though I found his performance more predicatable..

May December I enjoyed it but was puzzled a lot of the time,Melton quietly dominated,Portman was very good and Moore was Oscar worthy though it is miles from her best work,the score worked for me to.

Are you there God,it's me Margaret I'm not in it's demographic but I found this to be one of the surprises of the year,so warm and period specific it was funny too the girls discussing "Sanitary Napkins"had me laughing out loud,a little broad in some of the performances,McAdams would make a good Oscar nominee certainly better than the last time she was recognised.

Benny Safdie did well this year he's totally different in his roles in Oppenheimer and Are You There God.

[Jason Cooper]

Thank you all for doing your best to compile these results as they unfold. I can’t be the only one irritated beyond words that Metacritic has dispensed with its critics’ top 10s chart and its critics’ awards tally sheet.