Weekend Awards Wrap-Up: New Year, New Winners
Sunday, January 5, 2025 at 5:30PM 
Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin are keeping HARD TRUTHS in the awards conversation.
It's been a while since our last Weekend Awards Wrap-Up. So long that the year changed, as we all bid adieu to 2024 and welcome 2025 with open arms. Mayhap inspired by a sense of annual renewal, critics groups varied up their game a tad. Colman Domingo is now leading in the number of wins, trumping Adrien Brody in Best Actor, while Margaret Qualley is pulling ahead of her other co-leads masquerading as supporting actresses. Yet, the week's biggest story is Marianne Jean-Baptiste securing the critical trifecta of the NYFCC, LAFCA, and NSFC. This feat has never before been achieved by a woman of color and has only once been given to an actress who AMPAS didn't then herald with an Oscar nomination of their own…
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF FILM CRITICS
Best Picture: NICKEL BOYS (47 points)
Runners-Up: ANORA and ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT (34 points)
Best Director: Payal Kapadia, ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT (49 points)
Runners-Up: RaMell Ross, NICKEL BOYS (42 points) and Sean Baker, ANORA (33 points)
Best Actress: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, HARD TRUTHS (79 points)
Runners-Up: Mikey Madison, ANORA (36 points) and Ilinca Manolache, DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD (32 points)
Best Actor: Colman Domingo, SING SING (60 points)
Runners-Up: Adrien Brody, THE BRUTALIST (51 points) and Ralph Fiennes, CONCLAVE (45 points)
Best Supporting Actress: Michele Austin, HARD TRUTHS (55 points)
Runners-Up: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, NICKEL BOYS and Natasha Lyonne, HIS THREE DAUGHTERS (39 points)
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN (52 points)
Runners-Up: Guy Pearce, THE BRUTALIST (50 points); Edward Norton, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN and Adam Pearson, A DIFFERENT MAN (41 points)
Best Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg, A REAL PAIN (47 points)
Runners-Up: Radu Jude, DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD (46 points) and Sean Baker, ANORA (45 points)
Best Cinematography: Jomo Fray, NICKEL BOYS (80 points)
Runners-Up: Lol Crawley, THE BRUTALIST (38 points) and Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU (21 points)
Best Non-Fiction Film: NO OTHER LAND (70 points)
Runners-Up: DAHOMEY (50 points) and SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D'ÉTAT (24 points)
Best Film Not in the English Language: ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT (44 points)
Runners-Up: DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD (41 points) and THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (28 points)
Best Experimental Film: THE BALLAD OF SUZANNE CÉSAIRE
Special Citation for a Film Awaiting US Distribution: NO OTHER LAND
This is a major get for Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and even if she doesn't get an Oscar nomination, the critics trifecta is amazing by itself as she's only the tenth actress in history to get it. So, rejoice if you loved her work in Hard Truths. Also, look at that point advantage, showing how she was ahead of her runner-up by a huge margin. Applause for a thespian like none other, willing to risk caricature and then shrink into herself, delivering both the funniest and most caustic despondent work of the cinematic year. Notably, the only actress to win the three major critics groups without AMPAS following suit with a nod was Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky, another Mike Leigh leading lady. Fingers crossed that history doesn't repeat itself.
The National Society of Film Critics' point system and complete transparency make for a fascinating case study. Best Supporting Actor was on the verge of honoring a supporting actor rather than a co-lead, and Supporting Actress actually did it with another Hard Truths victory. Best Screenplay was a fight to the death, and we almost had the best result of the season with a Radu Jude win. All We Imagine as Light came close to a few major gets, securing Best Director and Non-English Language Film despite strong competition. Love the way the Society went to bat for No Other Land, including a Special Citation to complement its Non-Fiction Film prize. Shame on those cowardly distributors!
COLUMBUS FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Film: THE SUBSTANCE
Best Director: Brady Corbet, THE BRUTALIST
Best Lead Performance: Demi Moore, THE SUBSTANCE
Best Supporting Performance: Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN
Best Ensemble: CONCLAVE
Best Original Screenplay: Coralie Fargeat, THE SUBSTANCE
Best Adapted Screenplay: Chris Sanders, THE WILD ROBOT
Best Editing: Marco Costa, CHALLENGERS
Best Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU
Best Score: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, CHALLENGERS
Best Animated Film: THE WILD ROBOT
Best Documentary: NO OTHER LAND
Best Foreign Language Film: EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
Frank Gabrenya Award for Best Comedy: HIT MAN
Best Overlooked Film: SNACK SHACK
Actor of the Year: Sebastian Stan, A DIFFERENT MAN and THE APPRENTICE
Breakthrough Film Artist: Mikey Madison, ANORA
In an unexpected turn of events, The Substance has become the most popular alternative to Anora in Best Picture as far as critics groups are concerned. The Columbus crew made other interesting choices, like giving Best Adapted Screenplay to The Wild Robot and crowning Evil Does Not Exist as their pick for Best Foreign Language Film. It's nice to see more folks appreciate Hamaguchi's environmentalist parable, a feat of slippery storytelling that closes with one of the year's most memorable movie endings.
CRITICS ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
Best Picture: ANORA
Runner-Up: WICKED
Best Director: Denis Villeneuve, DUNE: PART TWO
Runner-Up: Jon M. Chu, WICKED
Best Actress: Mikey Madison, ANORA
Runner-Up: Cynthia Erivo, WICKED
Best Actor: Colman Domingo, SING SING
Runner-Up: Timothée Chalamet, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Best Supporting Actress: Zoë Saldaña, EMILIA PÉREZ
Runner-Up: Ariana Grande, WICKED
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN
Runner-Up: Clarence Maclin, SING SING
Best Hybrid Performance: Lupita Nyong'o, THE WILD ROBOT
Runners-Up: Jonno Davies & Robbie Williams, BETTER MAN
Best Cast: WICKED
Runner-Up: SING SING
Best Screenplay: Sean Baker, ANORA
Runner-Up: Jesse Eisenberg, A REAL PAIN
Best Editing: Marco Costa, CHALLENGERS
Runner-Up: Joe Walker, DUNE: PART TWO
Best Cinematography: Greig Fraser, DUNE: PART TWO
Runner-Up: Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU
Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley, WICKED
Runner-Up: Patrice Vermette, DUNE: PART TWO
Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, WICKED
Runner-Up: Jacqueline West, DUNE: PART TWO
Best Make-Up and Hairstyling: THE SUBSTANCE
Runner-Up: WICKED
Best Visual Effects: DUNE: PART TWO
Runner-Up: KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Best Score: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, CHALLENGERS
Runner-Up: Hans Zimmer, DUNE: PART TWO
Best Original Song: "Kiss the Sky" from THE WILD ROBOT
Runner-Up: "Compress/Repress" from CHALLENGERS
Best Sound Design: DUNE: PART TWO
Runner-Up: WICKED
Best Stunt Coordination: THE FALL GUY
Runner-Up: FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
Best Animated Film: THE WILD ROBOT
Runner-Up: FLOW
Best Documentary: THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN
Runner-Up: WILL & HARPER
Best International Film: FLOW
Runners-Up: KNEECAP and EMILIA PÉREZ
Best First Feature: Dev Patel, MONKEY MAN
Runner-Up: Julio Torres, PROBLEMISTA
The Central Florida Critics show an interesting push and pull between more popular cinema and prestige offerings with auteur pedigree. Considering all the love they showed Dune: Part Two, it's notable how it wasn't even the Best Picture runner-up, perchance a preview of what will happen to it on Oscar nomination morning. Notice another handful of wins for The Wild Robot, which takes Best Original Song from the current frontrunners – Challengers and Emilia Pérez.
GREATER WESTERN NEW YORK FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Picture: CHALLENGERS
Best Director: Luca Guadagnino, CHALLENGERS
Best Actress: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, HARD TRUTHS
Best Actor: Colman Domingo, SING SING
Best Supporting Actress: Natasha Lyonne, HIS THREE DAUGHTERS
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN
Best Original Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg, A REAL PAIN
Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, SING SING
Best Editing: Marco Costa, CHALLENGERS
Best Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU
Best Original Score: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, CHALLENGERS
Best Documentary: NO OTHER LAND
Best Animated Film: THE WILD ROBOT
Best Foreign Film: NO OTHER LAND
Breakthrough Performance: Clarence Maclin, SING SING
Breakthrough Director: RaMell Ross, NICKEL BOYS
Challengers fever hit Greater Western New York like nobody's business. It's so intense that I'm surprised one of its leading men didn't take the Best "Supporting" Actor trophy away from Kieran Culkin. In the other acting races, Lyonne pulls off an unexpected victory, while Colman Domingo and Marianne Jean-Baptiste consolidate their bid for gold. No matter what happens later this season, these critics honors have gotten more eyes on Sing Sing and Hard Truths, and you got to be thankful for that.
KANSAS CITY FILM CRITICS COUNCIL
Best Film: THE SUBSTANCE
Runner-Up: DUNE: PART TWO
Best Director: Coralie Fargeat, THE SUBSTANCE
Runner-Up: Sean Baker, ANORA
Best Actress: Mikey Madison, ANORA and Demi Moore, THE SUBSTANCE (tie)
Best Actor: David Dastmalchian, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL
Runner-Up: Ralph Fiennes, CONCLAVE
Best Supporting Actress: Margaret Qualley, THE SUBSTANCE
Runner-Up: Danielle Deadwyler, THE PIANO LESSON
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN
Runner-Up: Yura Borisov, ANORA
Best Original Screenplay: Coralie Fargeat, THE SUBSTANCE
Runner-Up: Sean Baker, ANORA
Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Straughan, CONCLAVE
Runner-Up: Joslyn Barnes & RaMell Ross, NICKEL BOYS
Best Cinematography: Lol Crawley, THE BRUTALIST
Runner-Up: Rob Hardy, CIVIL WAR
Best Original Score: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, CHALLENGERS
Runner-Up: Volker Bertelmann, CONCLAVE
Best Stunt Ensemble: THE FALL GUY
Runner-Up: FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
Best Animated Feature: THE WILD ROBOT
Runner-Up: FLOW
Best Documentary: WILL & HARPER
Runner-Up: SEEKING MAVIS BEACON
Best Foreign Language Film: FLOW
Runner-Up: EMILIA PÉREZ
Best Science-Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Film: THE SUBSTANCE
Runner-Up: DUNE: PART TWO
Best LGBTQ Film: I SAW THE TV GLOW
Runner-Up: EMILIA PÉREZ
Even if she gets the Oscar nomination, Marianne Jean-Baptiste's genius tour de force doesn't seem like a threat for the win. Demi Moore, on the other hand, is ascending as the frontrunner beside Mikey Madison. Here, they even tied. Not that the Kansas film journalists were too interested in their role as precursors. Good for them, embracing their individuality with such unique choices as their Best Actor pick. I might not have liked Late Night with the Devil, but Dastmalchian is phenomenal—three cheers for horror cinema getting the recognition it deserves.
NORTH CAROLINA FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Narrative Film: CONCLAVE
Best Director: Denis Villeneuve, DUNE: PART TWO
Best Actress: Mikey Madison, ANORA
Best Actor: Colman Domingo, SING SING
Best Supporting Actress: Margaret Qualley, THE SUBSTANCE
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN
Best Vocal Performance: Lupita Nyong'o, THE WILD ROBOT
Best Acting Ensemble: CONCLAVE
Best Original Screenplay: Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold, THE BRUTALIST
Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Straughan, CONCLAVE
Best Editing: Marco Costa, CHALLENGERS
Best Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU
Best Production Design: Craig Lathrop, NOSFERATU
Best Costume Design: Linda Muir, NOSFERATU
Best Hair and Makeup: THE SUBSTANCE
Best Special Effects: FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
Best Score: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, CHALLENGERS
Best Original Song: "Compress/Repress" from CHALLENGERS
Best Sound Design: DUNE: PART TWO
Best Stunt Coordination: FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
Best Animated Film: THE WILD ROBOT
Best Documentary Film: SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY
Best Foreign Language Film: ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT
Best Directorial Debut: Josh Margolin, THELMA
Breakthrough Performance: Mikey Madison, ANORA
Lifetime Achievement Award: Roger Deakins
Ken Hanke Memorial Tar Heel Award: Margaret Qualley, THE SUBSTANCE
That last one is for a film person with a North Carolina connection, by the way. Personally, I love these regional prizes even if they might seem silly to others.
But moving on from Qualley's Tar Heel, it's becoming increasingly obvious that Lupita Nyong'o would be nabbing a second Oscar nomination if only AMPAS had a category for voice-only performances. Her work in The Wild Robot is exceptional and part of the reason why Chris Sanders' latest opus is the all-around triumph it is. In other news, Conclave continues to struggle with getting individual acting prizes when critics can just recognize the whole cast in their ensemble categories.
NORTH TEXAS FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Picture: ANORA
Best Director: Denis Villeneuve, DUNE: PART TWO
Best Actress: Mikey Madison, ANORA
Best Actor: Timothée Chalamet, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Best Supporting Actress: Zoë Saldaña, EMILIA PÉREZ
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN
Gary Murray Award for Best Ensemble: SATURDAY NIGHT
Best Screenplay: Sean Baker, ANORA
Best Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU
Best Animated Film: THE WILD ROBOT
Best Documentary: SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY
Best Foreign Language Film: FLOW and THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (tie)
Best Newcomer: Clarence Maclin, SING SING
For someone who's thought to be the Oscar frontrunner, Timothée Chalamet has had a rough time with critics. The regional groups might nominate him, but few have handed him the Best Actor win. North Texas gifts him a nice feather for the thespian's awards season cap. He's dependent on a good showing once the televised and industry awards start. If he can't manage that, it seems Adrien Brody will remain the youngest Best Actor Oscar winner ever.
OKLAHOMA FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
Top Ten Films:
- CONCLAVE, Edward Berger
- ANORA, Sean Baker
- THE BRUTALIST, Brady Corbet
- CHALLENGERS, Luca Guadagnino
- WICKED, Jon M. Chu
- SING SING, Greg Kwendar
- DUNE: PART TWO, Denis Villeneuve
- THE SUBSTANCE, Coralie Fargeat
- I SAW THE TV GLOW, Jane Schoernbrun
- MEMOIR OF A SNAIL, Adam Elliot
Best Director: Edward Berger, CONCLAVE
Runner-Up: Brady Corbet, THE BRUTALIST
Best Actress: Mikey Madison, ANORA
Runner-Up: Demi Moore, THE SUBSTANCE
Best Actor: Ralph Fiennes, CONCLAVE
Runner-Up: Adrien Brody, THE BRUTALIST
Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande, WICKED
Runner-Up: Isabella Rossellini, CONCLAVE
Best Supporting Actor: Clarence Maclin, SING SING
Runner-Up: Edward Norton, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Best Ensemble: CONCLAVE
Runner-Up: SING SING
Best Original Screenplay: Brady Corbet & Moira Fastvold, THE BRUTALIST
Runner-Up: Sean Baker, ANORA
Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Straughan, CONCLAVE
Runner-Up: Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, SING SING
Best Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU
Runner-Up: Lol Crawley, THE BRUTALIST
Best Score: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, CHALLENGERS
Runner-Up: Daniel Blumberg, THE BRUTALIST
Best Stunt Coordination: THE FALL GUY
Runner-Up: FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
Best Animated Feature: THE WILD ROBOT
Runner-Up: FLOW
Best Documentary: SUGARCANE
Runner-Up: WILL & HARPER
Best Foreign Language Film: EMILIA PÉREZ
Runner-Up: THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
Best Indigenous Film: SUGARCANE
Runner-Up: FANCY DANCE
Best First Feature: Erica Tremblay, FANCY DANCE
Runner-Up: Arkasha Stevenson, THE FIRST OMEN
Best Body of Work: Nicholas Hoult, NOSFERATU, THE ORDER, JUROR #2 and GARFIELD
Runner-Up: Luca Guadagnino, CHALLENGERS and QUEER
Best Performance by an Animal Actor: Peggy, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Runner-Up: Jean Claude, THE FALL GUY
Congratulations to Ralph Fiennes, who gets the rare individual honor for Conclave. Then again, it would have been weird for such a pro-Conclave group to snub its leading man, a critical element in the picture's success. Also, going back to what I mentioned about Nyong'o. The Fall Guy and Furiosa would be shoo-in nominees if the Oscars had a Stunts category. At the very least, nearly every critics group seems to agree they're the top achievements in that area for the cinematic year of 2024.
ONLINE ASSOCIATION OF FEMALE FILM CRITICS
Best Film: ANORA and THE SUBSTANCE (tie)
Best Director: Coralie Fargeat, THE SUBSTANCE
Best Female Lead: Demi Moore, THE SUBSTANCE
Best Male Lead: Colman Domingo, SING SING
Best Supporting Female: Margaret Qualley, THE SUBSTANCE
Best Supporting Male: Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN
Best Acting Ensemble: CONCLAVE
Best Original Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg, A REAL PAIN
Best Adapted Screenplay: Joslyn Barnes & RaMell Ross, NICKEL BOYS and Peter Straughan, CONCLAVE (tie)
Best Editing: Marco Costa, CHALLENGERS
Best Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU
Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, WICKED
Best Visual Effects: DUNE: PART TWO
Best Stunts: FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
Best Animated Feature: FLOW
Best Documentary: NO OTHER LAND
Best International Feature: ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT
Breakthrough Filmmaker: Coralie Fargeat, THE SUBSTANCE
Breakthrough Performance: Mikey Madison, ANORA
The Rosie: THE SUBSTANCE
The Rosie is meant to honor those films that "best promote women, their voices, and the female experience through cinema" and I think The Substance won it the minute that pre-date prep scene hit the screen. Speaking of Fargeat's movie, it's the big winner here despite tying for Best Picture with Anora who was otherwise ignored except for Mikey Madison's Breakthrough Performance prize.
UK FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
Best Film: DUNE: PART TWO
Best Director: Denis Villeneuve, DUNE: PART TWO
Best Actress: Demi Moore, THE SUBSTANCE
Best Actor: Colman Domingo, SING SING
Best Supporting Actress: Isabella Rossellini, CONCLAVE
Best Supporting Actor: Denzel Washington, GLADIATOR II
The UK critics don't do many categories, but they still managed to double-dip with Denis Villeneuve's second Dune movie. It's also notable how Moore and Domingo won against other UK-born contenders who might have used the profile boost. Then again, unlike the BAFTAs, these journalists don't seem especially interested in favoring local talent. None of their winners comes from home, all Americans, Canadians and the Italian diva that is Isabella Rossellini. Damn, I just noticed we actually got supporting actors in the two supporting categories. Miracles do happen!
Can Marianne Jean-Baptiste make it into the Oscar five? And is Colman Domingo more of a threat to win than we presumed?
Reader Comments (4)
Whoa!
I love how Oklahoma put the animated Memoir of a Snail in their top 10, then gave the Best Animated Feature title and runner-up to The Wild Robot and Flow.
I am amazed this season how well Demi is doing in a non traditional role and how poorly Jolie is despite a role that's usual catnip for voters.
I had my doubts but I think Moore is coming for the Oscar now big time esp with the Globe win against that competition.
MJB is looking likelier now those Drama ladies lost to Torres.
I am slightly feeling this Top 5 Moore,Baptiste,Madisonn,Gascon,Torres or Jolie.
@Mr Ripley79: I agree Moore is the frontrunner at this point (albeit a vulnerable one), and I’d even go so far as to say Madison is the only other lock in the category. After failing to make the BAFTA longlist and now losing the Globe, there’s a real chance Jolie doesn’t get in. If she doesn’t make the SAG list on Wednesday, she’s done.