The North Carolina Film Critics Association Have Announced Their Nominees For The Best of 2015

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here are the nominees from the North Carolina Film Critics Association!

BEST NARRATIVE FILM
Carol
Inside Out
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Spotlight

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
Amy
Finders Keepers
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck
Listen to Me Marlon
The Look of Silence

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Assassin
Mustang
Phoenix
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
Son of Saul

BEST DIRECTOR
Lenny Abrahamson (Room)
Todd Haynes (Carol)
Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)
George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Ridley Scott (The Martian)

BEST ACTOR
Bryan Cranston (Trumbo)
Matt Damon (The Martian)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
Ian McKellen (Mr. Holmes)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Paul Dano (Love & Mercy)
Benicio del Toro (Sicario)
Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight)
Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
Sylvester Stallone (Creed)

BEST ACTRESS
Elizabeth Banks (Love & Mercy)
Cate Blanchett (Carol)
Brie Larson (Room)
Charlotte Rampling (45 Years)
Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)
Rooney Mara (Carol)
Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)
Helen Mirren (Trumbo)
Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, and Joel Coen (Bridge of Spies)
Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley (Inside Out)
Alex Garland (Ex Machina)
Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)
Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Emma Donoghue (Room)
Drew Goddard (The Martian)
Phyllis Nagy (Carol)
Nick Hornby (Brooklyn)
Charles Randolph and Adam McKay (The Big Short)
Aaron Sorkin (Steve Jobs)

TAR HEEL AWARD
(To an artist or film with a special connection to North Carolina.)
Ramin Bahrani (99 Homes)
Finders Keepers
Peyton Reed (Ant-Man)

Awards Season Update: The Black Film Critics Circle Name Creed The Best of 2015!

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Hi! First off, I must apologize for the Black Film Critics Circle. They announced their picks for the best way back on the 22nd of December but, with the business of the holidays and all, I’ve only now had the opportunity to post them.

Here’s what the BFCC picked for the best of 2015!

BEST PICTURE Creed
BEST DIRECTING – George Miller, Mad Max Fury Road
BEST ACTOR – Michael B. Jordan, Creed
BEST ACTRESS – Brie Larson, Room
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Sylvester Stallone, Creed
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Tessa Thompson, Creed
BEST SCREENWRITING (Original Screenplay) – Straight Outta Compton
BEST SCREENWRITING (Adapted Screenplay) – The Martian
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – Mad Max Fury Road
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM – Son of Saul
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE – What Happened, Miss Simone?
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE – Inside Out
BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE – Straight Outta Compton

Special Awards were given to Ice Cube, Abraham Attah, and Beasts of No Nation.

BLACK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE TOP TEN FILMS OF 2015
1.Creed
2.Mad Max Fury Road
3.Straight Outta Compton
4.Spotlight
5.The Martian
6.Room
7.Beasts of No Nation
8.The Hateful Eight
9.The Big Short
10.Ex Machina

h/t to Awards Circuit

The Florida Film Critics Are Mad For Max!

Posted on December 26, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

On Christmas Eve, the Florida Film Critics announced their picks for the best of 2015 and they were mad for Max! Good for them! You can check out their nominations by clicking here and you can see the winners below!

Best Picture
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Spotlight

Best Director
1. George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
2. Todd Haynes (Carol)

Best Actor
1. Paul Dano (Love & Mercy)
2. Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)

Best Actress
1. Brie Larson (Room)
2. Charlotte Rampling (45 Years)

Best Supporting Actor
1. Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina)
2. Michael Shannon (99 Homes)

Best Supporting Actress
1. Kristen Stewart (Clouds of Sils Maria)
2. Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)

Best Original Screenplay
1. Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer (Spotlight)
2. Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig (Mistress America)

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Adam McKay and Charles Randolph (The Big Short)
2. Phyllis Nagy (Carol)

Best Cinematography
1. John Seale (Mad Max: Fury Road)
2. Edward Lachman (Carol)

Best Art Direction / Production Design
1. Carol
2. Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Visual Effects
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Score
1. Love & Mercy
2. Carol

Best Ensemble
1. Spotlight
2. Tangerine

Best Animated Film
1. Inside Out
2. Anomalisa

Best Documentary
1. Amy
2. Heart of a Dog

Best Foreign Language Film
1. The Assassin
2. Mommy

Pauline Kael Breakout Award
1. Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
2. Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl / Ex Machina)

Lisa’s Oscar Predictions For December!

Posted on December 25, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

For the final time this year, here are my monthly Oscar predictions. Usually, the critic groups and the guilds help to make it a bit more clear what is going to be nominated. That’s not so much the case this year. It’s been a very good year for film and let’s hope the actual Oscar nominations reflect that.

You can also check out my predictions for January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and November.

Best Picture

Beasts of No Nation

The Big Short

Carol

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Trumbo

Best Director

Tom McCarthy for Spotlight

Adam McKay for The Big Short

George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road

Jay Roach for Trumbo

Ridley Scott for The Martian

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston in Trumbo

Johnny Depp in Black Mass

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant

Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett in Carol

Brie Larson in Room

Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years

Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn

Sarah Silverman in I Smile Back

Best Supporting Actor

Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation

Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies

Michael Shannon in 99 Homes

Sylvester Stallone in Creed

Jacob Tremblay in Room

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara in Carol

Helen Mirren in Trumbo

Kristen Stewart in Clouds of Sils Maria

Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina

Here Are The Just-Announced Florida Film Critics Circle Nominations!

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

BEST PICTURE
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
Spotlight
The Big Short
The Martian

BEST ACTOR
Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
Paul Dano – Love and Mercy
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Brie Larson – Room
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Oscar Isaac – Ex Machina
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone – Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Elizabeth Banks – Love and Mercy
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara – Carol
Kristen Stewart – Clouds of Sils Maria
Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
BEST DIRECTOR

Todd Haynes – Carol
Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Ridley Scott – The Martian

BEST ENSEMBLE
The Big Short
Mistress America
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
Tangerine

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Ex Machina
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Mistress America
Spotlight

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short
Brooklyn
Carol
Room
Steve Jobs

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
Youth

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The Walk

BEST ART DIRECTION/ PRODUCTION DESIGN
Brooklyn
Carol
Crimson Peak
Love & Mercy
Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST SCORE
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Love & Mercy
Mad Max: Fury Road
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amy
Best of Enemies
Cartel Land
Heart of a Dog
The Look of Silence

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Assassin
Mommy
Mustang
Phoenix
Son of Saul
BEST ANIMATED FILM

Anomalisa
Inside Out
The Good Dinosaur
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

FFCC BREAKOUT AWARD
Bel Powley – Diary of a Teenage Girl
Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez – Tangerine
Jacob Tremblay – Room
Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina and The Danish Girl

The Kansas City Film Critics Are Mad For Max!

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Kansas City Film Critics announced their picks for the best of 2015 yesterday and they love Mad Max! You can check out a full list of their nominees here! Check out the winners below!

Best Picture: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Director: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Best Actress: Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Supporting Actor: Michael Shannon, 99 Homes

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Best Original Screenplay: Spotlight

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Big Short

Best Foreign Language Film: Phoenix

Best Animated Feature: Inside Out

Best Documentary: Amy

Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror Film: Ex Machina

Spotlight wins in Las Vegas!

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

You can check out all of the Las Vegas Film Critics nominations by clicking here. The actual winners are listed below:

Top Ten List
1 SPOTLIGHT
2 CREED
3 EX MACHINA
4 STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
5 BEASTS OF NO NATION
6 THE MARTIAN
7 MAD MAX FURY ROAD
8 SICARIO
9 LEGEND
10 ROOM

Best Picture:
SPOTLIGHT
Runner up: CREED

BEST DIRECTOR:
Tom McCarthy, SPOTLIGHT

Best Ensemble:
SPOTLIGHT

Best Actor:
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant

Best Actress:
Brie Larson, ROOM

Best Original Screenplay:
Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, SPOTLIGHT

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Drew Goddard, THE MARTIAN

Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki, THE REVENANT

Best Film Editing:
Margaret Sixel, MAD MAX – FURY ROAD

Best Costume Design:
Jenny Beavan, MAD MAX – FURY ROAD

Best Foreign Film:
GOODNIGHT MOMMY

Best Art Direction:
Irene O’Brien and Robert Parle, BROOKLYN

Best Supporting Actress:
Elizabeth Banks, LOVE AND MERCY

Best Visual Effects:
MAD MAX – FURY ROAD
Best Horror/Sci-fi Film:
EX MACHINA

Best Animated Film:
INSIDE OUT

Best Family Film:
CINDERELLA

Best Documentary:
GOING CLEAR – SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF

Best Comedy:
TRAINWRECK

Best Action Film:
MAD MAX – FURY ROAD

Youth in Film:
Jacob Tremblay, ROOM

Breakout Filmmaker:
Alex Garland, EX MACHINA

Best Score:
Ennio Morricone, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Best Song:
“See You Again” from FURIOUS 7

Best Supporting Actor:

Sylvester Stallone, CREED

The Utah Film Critics Are Mad About Max!!

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Utah Film Critics announced their picks for the best of 2015 and they’re mad about Max!

BEST PICTURE
Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
(runner-up: The Martian)

BEST DIRECTING
Winner: George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
(runner-up: Ridley Scott – The Martian)

BEST ACTOR
Winner: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
(runner-up: Matt Damon – The Martian)

BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Brie Larson – Room
(runner-up: Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Sylvester Stallone – Creed
(runner-up: Oscar Isaac – Ex Machina)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Rose Byrne – Spy
(runner-up: Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Inside Out
(runner-up: Spotlight)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: The Martian
(runner-up: Brooklyn)

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
(runner-up: The Revenant)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Winner: The Hunting Ground
(runner-up: Amy)

NON-ENGLISH FEATURE
Winner: Timbuktu
(runner-up: Son of Saul)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Winner: Inside Out
(runner-up: Shaun the Sheep)

Remember Suffragette? The Women’s Film Critics Circle Certainly Does!

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Women’s Film Critics Circle have announced their picks for the best of 2015. After starting out as one of those films that everyone expected to be a major contender, Suffragette has faded somewhat as an awards contender. However, regardless of what the Academy may or may not do, Suffragette has been embraced by the Women’s Film Critics Circle.

Check out the winners below. Also, check out all the categories! Why can’t the Oscars be this much fun?

Best Actor
Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl)

Best Actress
Carey Mulligan (Suffragette)

Best Movie about Women
Suffragette

Best Movie by a Woman
Suffragette

Best Young Actress
Brie Larson (Room)

Best Comedic Actress
Amy Schumer (Trainwreck)

Best Woman Storyteller (Screenwriting Award)
Phyllis Nagy (Carol)

Women’s Work / Best Ensemble
Suffragette

Best Foreign Film by or about Women
The Second Mother

Best Theatrically Unreleased Movie by or about Women
Bessie

Best Female Images in a Movie
Suffragette

Best Male Images in a Movie
Bridge of Spies

Worst Female Images in a Movie
Jurassic World

Worst Male Images in a Movie
Steve Jobs

Best Family Film
Inside Out

Best Documentary by or about Women
Amy

Best Female Action Hero
Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Best Animated Female
Amy Poehler (Inside Out)

Best Screen Couple
Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling (45 Years)
Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay (Room)

Best Equality of the Sexes
Mad Max: Fury Road

Courage in Filmmaking
Sarah Gavron (Suffragette)

Courage in Acting (taking on unconventional roles that radically redefine the images of women on screen)
Brie Larson (Room)

Acting and Activism Award
Olivia Wilde

The Invisible Woman Award (performance by a woman whose exceptional impact on the film dramatically, socially or historically, has been ignored)
Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)

Adrienne Shelly Award (for a film that most passionately opposes violence against women)
He Named Me Malala

Josephine Baker Award (for best expressing the woman of colour experience in America)
What Happened, Miss Simone?

Karen Morley Award (for best exemplifying a woman’s place in history or society, and a courageous search for identity)
Suffragette

Lifetime Achievement Award
Lily Tomlin

Mommie Dearest Worst Screen Mom of the Year Award
Cate Blanchett (Cinderella)