The National Society Of Film Critics Honors TAR!

Posted on January 7, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here are the winners from one of my favorite groups of critic, the National Society of Film Critics!

Best Picture
Winner: TÁR (61 points)
Runners-up: AFTERSUN (49 points) & NO BEARS (32 points)

Best Director
Winner: Charlotte Wells, AFTERSUN (60 points)
Runners-up: Park Chan-wook, DECISION TO LEAVE (47 points) & Jafar Panahi, NO BEARS (36 points)

Best Actress
Winner: Cate Blanchett, TÁR (59 points)
Runners-up: Michelle Yeoh, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (38 points) Tilda Swinton, THE ETERNAL DAUGHTER, and Michelle Williams, THE FABELMANS (27 points)

Best Actor
Winner: Colin Farrell, AFTER YANG and THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (71 points)
Runners-up: Paul Mescal, AFTERSUN (55 points) & Bill Nighy, LIVING (33 points)

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Kerry Condon, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (57 points)
Runners-up: Nina Hoss, TÁR (43 points) & Dolly de Leon, TRIANGLE OF SADNESS (35 points)

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Ke Huy Quan, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (45 points)
Runners-up: Brian Tyree Henry, CAUSEWAY (35 points) & Barry Keoghan, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (27 points)

Best Screenplay
Winner: Todd Field, TÁR (61 points)
Runners-up: Martin McDonagh, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (42 points) & James Gray, ARMAGEDDON TIME (18 points)

Best Cinematography
Winner: Michał Dymek, EO (62 points)
Runners-up: Hoyte van Hoytema, NOPE (37 points) & Kim Ji-yong, DECISION TO LEAVE (34 points)

Best Nonfiction Film
Winner: ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED (46 points)
Runners-up: DESCENDANT (40 points) & ALL THAT BREATHES (27 points)

Best Film Not In The English Language
Winner: EO (43 points)
Runners-up: NO BEARS (37 points) & DECISION TO LEAVE (34 points)

The National Society of Film Critics Honors Drive My Car!

Posted on January 8, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Every time I start to dismiss the idea of Drive My Car as a possible best picture nominee, it picks up another award for another critics group. Today, it was named best picture of 2021 by the National Society of Film Critics. At this point, I have to say that it’s definitely possible — perhaps even probable — that Drive My Car will be nominated for both Best Picture and Best International FIlm.

Here are the winners and the runner-ups!

Best Picture
Winner: DRIVE MY CAR (48 points)
Runners-up: PETITE MAMAN (25 points) & THE POWER OF THE DOG (23 points)

Best Director
Winner: Ryusuke Hamaguchi, DRIVE MY CAR and WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY (46 points)
Runners-up: Jane Campion, THE POWER OF THE DOG (36 points) & Céline Sciamma, PETITE MAMAN (28 points)

Best Actress
Winner: Penélope Cruz, PARALLEL MOTHERS (55 points)
Runners-up: Renate Reinsve, THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (42 points) & Alana Haim, LICORICE PIZZA (32 points)

Best Actor
Winner: Hidetoshi Nishijima, DRIVE MY CAR (63 points)
Runners-up: Benedict Cumberbatch, THE POWER OF THE DOG (44 points) & Simon Rex, RED ROCKET (30 points)

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Ruth Negga, PASSING (46 points)
Runners-up: Ariana DeBose, WEST SIDE STORY (22 points) & Jessie Buckley, THE LOST DAUGHTER (21 points)

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Anders Danielsen Lie, THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (54 points)
Runners-up: Vincent Lindon, TITANE (33 points), Mike Faist, WEST SIDE STORY & Kodi Smit-McPhee, THE POWER OF THE DOG (26 points)

Best Screenplay
Winner: Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, DRIVE MY CAR (46 points)
Runners-up: Pedro Almodóvar, PARALLEL MOTHERS (22 points) & Paul Thomas Anderson, LICORICE PIZZA (20 points)

Best Cinematography
Winner: Andrew Droz Palermo, THE GREEN KNIGHT (52 points)
Runners-up: Ari Wegner, THE POWER OF THE DOG (40 points) & Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, MEMORIA (35 points)

The National Society of Film Critics Honors Nomadland

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I was kind of hoping that, when they met and voted earlier today, the National Society Of Film Critics would add some new films and performances to the Oscar discussion but instead, they went for the usual suspects. Nomadland took Best Picture, though First Cow was a close runner-up. Chloe Zhao, Frances McDormand, and Maria Bakalova won again. I mean, if we’re going to be honest …. it was all pretty predicable. Remember how, in past years, it sometimes took nearly an entire day for the NSFC to announce all their winners because the voting was so close? That didn’t happen this year. It was all pretty much cut-and-dried. I followed along on twitter because I’m addicted to this stuff but as soon as they announced Frances McDormand was their pick for Best Actress, I knew how the day was going to go.

(And don’t get me wrong! Frances McDormand is great! I haven’t seen Nomadland yet but I greatly admired The Rider, Chloe Zhao’s previous film. Please do not think that I’m saying that any of these awards are undeserved because I most certainly am not. Instead, I’m just saying that — from the perspective of a lifelong Oscar watcher — it’s more fun when things aren’t predictable.)

Oh well, it happens. Sometimes, you have an Oscar race where every precursor is unpredictable and it seem like anyone could win. And then we have years like this one, where the same film keeps winning over and over again. Some people would say that we should probably just be happy that people can all agree on something for once. Hopefully, they won’t say that to me, though. If we’re all going to agree on something, let’s agree to treat one another with respect and not always jump to the worst conclusion about the other side. Agreeing on films, though, is nothing to celebrates. Films are meant to be argued about.

Anyway, here are the winners from the National Society Of Film Critics!

Best Picture
Winner: NOMADLAND (52 points)
Runners-up: FIRST COW (50 points) & NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS (41 points)

Best Director
Winner: Chloé Zhao, NOMADLAND (58 points)
Runners-up: Steve McQueen, SMALL AXE (41 points) & Kelly Reichardt, FIRST COW (30 points)

Best Foreign-Language Film
Winner: COLLECTIVE (38 points)
Runners-up: BACURAU and BEANPOLE (36 points) & VITALINA VARELA (32 points)

Best Actress
Winner: Frances McDormand, NOMADLAND (46 points)
Runners-up: Viola Davis, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (33 points) & Sidney Flanigan, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS (29 points)

Best Actor
Winner: Delroy Lindo, DA 5 BLOODS (52 points)
Runners-up: Chadwick Boseman, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (47 points) & Riz Ahmed, SOUND OF METAL (32 points)

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Maria Bakalova, BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM (47 points)
Runners-up: Amanda Seyfried, MANK (40 points) & Youn Yuh-jung, MINARI (33 points)

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Paul Raci, SOUND OF METAL (53 points)
Runners-up: Glynn Turman, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (36 points) & Chadwick Boseman, DA 5 BLOODS (35 points)

Best Screenplay
Winner: Eliza Hittman, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS (38 points)
Runners-up: Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt, FIRST COW (35 points) Charlie Kaufman, I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS (29 points)

Best Cinematography
Winner: Joshua James Richards, NOMADLAND (47 points)
Runners-up: Shabier Kirchner, LOVERS ROCK (41 points) & Leonardo Simões, VITALINA VARELA (34 points)

The National Society of Film Critics Honors Parasite and Little Women!

Posted on January 5, 2020 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yesterday, the National Society of Film Critics announced their picks for the best of 2019!

Now, it’s not really a surprise that Parasite won best picture because Parasite has been popular with the critic groups this season. For me, what’s more significant is just how well Little Women did, coming in second for Best Picture and winning Best Director for Greta Gerwig. Could this be evidence of a late surge in momentum for Little Women? Or is it just of one those quirks of the awards season? There’s always a tendency to read too much into the results of these contests, especially when the guilds are usually the best precursor to go with.

Anyway, here are the NSFC winners!

2019 NSFC Winners:

Best Picture: PARASITE (44 points)
Runners-up: LITTLE WOMEN (27 points); ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD (22 points)

Best Actor: Antonio Banderas, PAIN AND GLORY (69 points)
Runners-up: Adam Driver, MARRIAGE STORY (43 points); Adam Sandler, UNCUT GEMS (41 points)

Best Actress: Mary Kay Place, DIANE (40 points)
Runners-up: Zhao Tao, ASH IS PUREST WHITE (28 points) Florence Pugh, MIDSOMMAR (25 points)

Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD (64 points)
Runners-up: Joe Pesci, THE IRISHMAN (30 points) Wesley Snipes, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME and Song Kang Ho, PARASITE (18 points each)

Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern, MARRIAGE STORY and LITTLE WOMEN (57 points)
Runners-up: Florence Pugh, LITTLE WOMEN (44 points) Jennifer Lopez, HUSTLERS (26 points)

Best Director: Greta Gerwig, LITTLE WOMEN (39 points)
Runners-up: Bong Joon Ho, PARASITE (36 points); Martin Scorsese, THE IRISHMAN (31 points)

Best Screenplay: Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won, PARASITE (37 points)
Runners-up: Quentin Tarantino, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD (34 points); Greta Gerwig, LITTLE WOMEN (33 points)

Best Cinematography: Claire Mathon, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE and ATLANTICS (41 points)
Runners-up: Robert Richardson, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD (29 points); Yorick Le Saux, LITTLE WOMEN (22 points)

The National Society Of Film Critics Honors Spotlight!

Posted on January 3, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Last year, the National Society of Film Critics kept things interesting by naming Goodbye To Language as best picture. This year, they went with Spotlight, just like everyone else. However, Michael B. Jordan did win best actor for Creed so there was at least that.

BEST ACTOR
1. Michael B. Jordan (Creed) 29 points
2. Geza Rohrig (Son of Saul) 18
3. Tom Courtenay (45 Years) 15

BEST ACTRESS
1. Charlotte Rampling (45 Years) 57
2. Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) 30
3. Nina Hoss (Phoenix) 22

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
1. Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) 56
2. Michael Shannon (99 Homes) 16
3. Sylvester Stallone (Creed) 14

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
1. Kristen Stewart (Clouds of Sils Maria) 53
2. Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) 23
3. Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs) 17
3. Elizabeth Banks (Love & Mercy) 17

BEST SCREENPLAY
1. Spotlight (Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy) 21
2. Anomalisa (Charlie Kaufman) 15
2. The Big Short (Charles Randolph and Adam McKay) 15

CINEMATOGRAPHY
1. Carol (Ed Lachman) 25
2. The Assassin (Mark Lee Ping-bin) 22
3. Mad Max: Fury Road (John Seale) 12

PICTURE
1. Spotlight (Tom McCarthy) 23
2. Carol (Todd Haynes) 17
3. Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller) 13

DIRECTOR
1.Todd Haynes (Carol) 21
2. Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) 21 (because he was on fewer ballots)
3. George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road) 20

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
1. Timbuktu (Abderrahmane Sissako) 22
2. Phoenix (Christian Petzold) 20
3. The Assassin (Hou Hsiao-hsien) 16

BEST NON-FICTION FILM
1. Amy (Asif Kapadia) 23
2. In Jackson Heights (Frederick Wiseman) 18
3. Seymour: An Introduction (Ethan Hawke) 15

The National Society Of Film Critics Honors Goodbye to Language!

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Earlier today, the National Society of Film Critics announced their picks for the best films of 2014! By one vote, they named Jean-Luc Godard’s Goodbye To Language as best picture of the year.

Thank you, National Society of Film Critics, for reminding us that, occasionally, unexpected things do happen!

Check out the winners and the runner-ups below!

BEST PICTURE

*1. Goodbye to Language 25 (Jean-Luc Godard)

2. Boyhood 24 (Richard Linklater)

3. Birdman 10 (Alejandro G. Iñárritu)

3. Mr. Turner 10 (Mike Leigh)

BEST DIRECTOR

*1. Richard Linklater 36 (Boyhood)

2. Jean-Luc Godard 17 (Goodbye to Language)

3. Mike Leigh 12 (Mr. Turner)

BEST NON-FICTION FILM

*1. Citizenfour 56 (Laura Poitras)

2. National Gallery 19 (Frederick Wiseman)

3. The Overnighters 17 (Jesse Moss)

BEST SCREENPLAY

*1. The Grand Budapest Hotel 24 (Wes Anderson)

2. Inherent Vice 15 (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. Birdman 15 (four co-writers)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

*1. Mr. Turner 33 (Dick Pope)

2. The Immigrant 27 (Darius Khondji)

3. Goodbye to Language 9 (Fabrice Aragno)

BEST ACTOR

*1.Timothy Spall 31 (Mr. Turner)

2. Tom Hardy 10 (Locke)

3. Joaquin Phoenix 9 (Inherent Vice)

3. Ralph Fiennes 9 (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

BEST ACTRESS

*1. Marion Cotillard 80 (Two Days, One Night)

2. Julianne Moore 35 (Still Alice)

3. Scarlett Johansson 21 (Lucy; Under the Skin)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

*1. J.K. Simmons 24 (Whiplash)

2. Mark Ruffalo 21 (Foxcatcher)

3. Edward Norton 16 (Birdman)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

*1. Patricia Arquette 26 (Boyhood)

2. Agata Kulesza 18 (Ida)

3. Rene Russo 9 (Nightcrawler)

The National Society of Film Critics Honors Inside Llewyn Davis

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The National Society of Film Critics announced their picks for the best films and performances of 2013 earlier today and the awards were dominated by Inside Llewyn Davis. Also of note: James Franco won best supporting actor for his brilliant and underrated turn in Spring Breakers.

Here’s a complete list of the winners and runners-up:

Picture: “Inside Llewyn Davis” (23 votes)
Runners-up: “American Hustle” (17); “12 Years a Slave” (16); “Her” (16)

Director: Joel and Ethan Coen, “Inside Llewyn Davis” (25)
Runners-up: Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity” (18); Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave” (15)

Actor: Oscar Isaac, “Inside Llewyn Davis” (28)
Runners-up: Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave” (19); Robert Redford, “All Is Lost” (12)

Actress: Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine” (57)
Runners-up: Adele Exarchopoulos, “Blue Is the Warmest Color” (36); Julie Delpy, “Before Midnight” (26)

Supporting actor: James Franco, “Spring Breakers” (24)
Runners-up: Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club” (20); Barkhad Abdi, “Captain Phillips” (14)

Supporting actress: Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle” (54)
Runners-up: Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave” (38); Sally Hawkins, “Blue Jasmine” (18); Lea Seydoux, “Blue Is the Warmest Color” (18)

Screenplay: Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, “Before Midnight” (29)
Runners-up: Joel and Ethan Coen, “Inside Llewyn Davis” (26); Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell, “American Hustle” (18)

Foreign-language film: “Blue Is the Warmest Color” (27)
Runners-up: “A Touch of Sin” (21); “The Great Beauty” (15)

Nonfiction: “The Act of Killing” and “At Berkeley” (tie, 20)
Runner-up: “Leviathan” (18)

Cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel, “Inside Llewyn Davis” (28)
Runners-up: Emmanuel Lubezki, “Gravity” (26); Phedon Papamichael, “Nebraska” (17)

Film Still Awaiting U.S. Distribution: “Stray Dogs” and “Hide Your Smiling Faces”

Film Heritage:
“Too Much Johnson”
“American Treasures From the New Zealand Film Archive”
“Allan Dwan and the Rise and Decline of the Hollywood Studios”
“The Hitchcock 9″