The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Honors Moonlight!

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Dallas-Forth Worth Film Critics Association met today and the critics from my hometown named Moonlight the best film of 2016!

Hey, DFWFCA — why haven’t I been invited to join yet!?

Anyway, here are the winners in Dallas:

BEST PICTURE

Winner: MOONLIGHT
Runners-up: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; LA LA LAND; HELL OR HIGH WATER; ARRIVAL; JACKIE; LOVING; 20TH CENTURY WOMEN; HACKSAW RIDGE; SILENCE

BEST ACTOR

Winner: Casey Affleck, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Runners-up: Denzel Washington, FENCES; Joel Edgerton, LOVING; Ryan Gosling, LA LA LAND; Tom Hanks, SULLY

BEST ACTRESS

Winner: Natalie Portman, JACKIE
Runners-up: Emma Stone, LA LA LAND; Ruth Negga, LOVING; Amy Adams, ARRIVAL; Annette Bening, 20TH CENTURY WOMEN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Winner: Mahershala Ali, MOONLIGHT
Runners-up: Jeff Bridges, HELL OR HIGH WATER; Michael Shannon, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS; Lucas Hedges, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; Ben Foster, HELL OR HIGH WATER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Winner: Viola Davis, FENCES
Runners-up: Naomie Harris, MOONLIGHT; Michelle Williams, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; Greta Gerwig, 20TH CENTURY WOMEN; Judy Davis, THE DRESSMAKER

BEST DIRECTOR

Winner: Barry Jenkins, MOONLIGHT
Runners-up: Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND; Kenneth Lonergan, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; David Mackenzie, HELL OR HIGH WATER; Denis Villeneuve, ARRIVAL

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Winner: THE HANDMAIDEN
Runners-up: TONI ERDMANN; ELLE; NERUDA; THE SALESMAN

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Winner: TOWER
Runners-up: 13TH; GLEASON; I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO; WEINER

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Winner: ZOOTOPIA
Runners-up: KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS; MOANA

BEST SCREENPLAY

Winner: Kenneth Lonergan, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Runner-up: Barry Jenkins, MOONLIGHT

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Winner: Linus Sandgren, LA LA LAND
Runner-up: Rodrigo Prieto, SILENCE

BEST MUSICAL SCORE

Winner: Justin Hurwitz, LA LA LAND
Runner-up: Mica Levi, JACKIE

RUSSELL SMITH AWARD (best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film)

Winner: MOONLIGHT

The African-American Film Critics Association Honors Moonlight

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Moonlight picked up yet another precursor victory today when the African-American Film Critics Association named it the best film of 2016!

Check out all of the AAFCA awards below:

BEST PICTURE – MOONLIGHT – (A24)

BEST DIRECTOR – BARRY JENKINS, MOONLIGHT – (A24)

BEST ACTOR – DENZEL WASHINGTON, FENCES– (Paramount)

BEST ACTRESS – RUTH NEGGA, LOVING – (Focus Features)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – MAHERSHALA ALI, MOONLIGHT – (A24)

BEST ENSEMBLE – THE CAST OF HIDDEN FIGURES (20TH Century Fox)

BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE 2017 – JANELLE MONAE, MOONLIGHT AND HIDDEN FIGURES

BEST INDEPENDENT FILM – MOONLIGHT (A24)

BEST ANIMATION FILM – ZOOTOPIA (Disney)

BEST SONG – “VICTORY” from HIDDEN FIGURES (20th Century Fox)

BEST DOCUMENTARY – 13TH (Netflix)

BEST FOREIGN FILM – TANNA (Lightyear Entertainment)

BEST SCREENPLAY – AUGUST WILSON, FENCES – (Paramount)

AAFCA Top 10 Films of 2016 in Order of Distinction

1. “Moonlight”
2. “Fences”
3. “Hidden Figures”
4. “Lion”
5. “La La Land”
6. “Birth of a Nation”
7. “Loving”
8. “Manchester by the Sea”
9. “Hell or High Water”
10. “Queen of Katwe”

The San Diego Film Critics Society Pick The Best of 2016 Come Hell or High Water!

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The San Diego Film Critics Society announced their picks for the best of 2016 earlier today and guess what? They did not give best picture to Moonlight. They did not give best picture to La La Land (though it did come in second in the voting). They didn’t even give best picture to Manchester By The Sea.

No — San Deigo gave best picture to Hell or High Water!

Here’s the rest of the winners from San Diego:

Best Picture: HELL OR HIGH WATER
Runner Up: LA LA LAND

Best Director: David Mackenzie, HELL OR HIGH WATER
Runner Up: Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND

Best Actor, Male: Casey Affleck, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Runner Up: Viggo Mortensen, CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

Best Actor, Female: Sonia Braga, AQUARIUS
Runner Up: Emma Stone, LA LA LAND

Best Supporting Actor, Male – Tied: Ben Foster, HELL OR HIGH WATER & Mahershala Ali, MOONLIGHT

Best Supporting Actor, Female: Michelle Williams, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Runner Up: Judy Davis, THE DRESSMAKER

Best Comedic Performance: Ryan Gosling, THE NICE GUYS
Runner Up: Alden Ehrenreich, HAIL, CAESAR!

Best Ensemble: HELL OR HIGH WATER
Runner Up: HIDDEN FIGURES

Breakthrough Artist: Lily Gladstone, CERTAIN WOMEN
Runner Up: Lucas Hedges, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

Best Original Screenplay: Taylor Sheridan, HELL OR HIGH WATER
Runner Up: Efthimis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos, THE LOBSTER

Best Adapted Screenplay: Whit Stillman, LOVE & FRIENDSHIP
Runner Up: Taika Waititi, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE

Best Documentary: WEINER
Runner Up: GLEASON

Best Animated Film: KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS
Runner Up: APRIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD

Best Foreign Language Film: MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART
Runners Up – Tied: MOTHER (EMA), NERUDA

Best Editing: Blu Murray, SULLY
Runner Up: Joan Sobel, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

Best Cinematography: Giles Nuttgens, HELL OR HIGH WATER
Runners Up – Tied: James Laxton, MOONLIGHT, Linus Sandgren, LA LA LAND

Best Production Design: HAIL, CAESER!
Runner Up: LA LA LAND

Best Visual Effects: THE JUNGLE BOOK
Runner Up: ARRIVAL

Best Costume Design: Mary Zophres, LA LA LAND
Runner Up: Madeline Fontaine, JACKIE

Best Use of Music in a Film: SING STREET
Runners Up – Tied: JACKIE, LA LA LAND

Body of Work: Michael Shannon – NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, LOVING, ELVIS & NIXON

Here Are The 74th Annual Golden Globe Nominations!

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Oscar season continued today with even more precursors announcing their picks for the best of 2016! Perhaps most importantly, the 74th Annual Golden Globe nominations were announced today! Even though they rarely match up 100%, the Golden Globe nominations are considered to be one of the best precursors for what will be nominated for an Oscar in January.

So, should Silence be worried? Martin Scorsese’s latest acclaimed film was totally snubbed by the Golden Globes. That could be an ominous sign for a film that everyone seems to respect but which is still going to be a far harder sell at the box office than either The Wolf of Wall Street or Hugo.

But again, it’s never an exact match between the Globes and the Oscars and the Academy can nominate up to ten films for best picture. Though it would certainly be interesting (and kinda neat) if it happened, I somehow doubt that the Academy is going nominate Deadpool over Silence.

(For that matter, I doubt Simon Helberg is going to pick up an Oscar nomination for Florence Foster Jenkins. Just a feeling…)

Below are the Golden Globe film nominations!

(For the TV nominations, why not check out the list over at Awards Watch?)

MOTION PICTURES

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
20th Century Women
Deadpool
Florence Foster Jenkins
La La Land
Sing Street

Best Motion Picture – Animated
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
Sing
Zootopia

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language
Divines (France)
Elle (France)
Neruda (Chile)
The Salesman (Iran)
Toni Erdmann (Germany)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Amy Adams, Arrival
Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Joel Edgerton, Loving
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Lily Collins, Rules Don’t Apply
Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen
Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Colin Farrell, The Lobster
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Jonah Hill, War Dogs
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins
Dev Patel, Lion
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals

Best Director – Motion Picture
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Nocturnal Animals

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Arrival
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Gold,” Gold
“City of Stars,” La La Land
“How Far I’ll Go,” Moana
“Faith,” Sing
“Can’t Stop the Feeling,” Trolls

Here’s What Won At The 22nd Annual Critics Choice Awards!

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Sadly, I missed the Critics Choice Awards tonight, so I won’t be able to write up a review of the show. However, I can still let you know what won!

You can see a list of the film nominees here!

And here’s the film winners!

Best Film — La La Land

Best Actor — Casey Affleck, Manchester By The Sea

Best Actress — Natalie Portman, Jackie

Best Supporting Actor — Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Best Supporting Actress — Viola Davis, Fences

Best Young Actor/Actress — Lucas Hedges, Manchester By The Sea

Best Acting Ensemble — Moonlight

Best Director — Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Best Original Screenplay (Tie) — Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By The Sea and Damien Chazalle, La La Land

Best Adapted Screenplay — Eric Heisserer, Arrival

Best Cinematography — Linus Sandgren, La La Land

Best Production Design — David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds-Wasco, La La Land

Best Editing — Tom Cross, La La Land

Best Costume Design — Madeline Fontaine, Jackie

Best Hair & Makeup — Jackie

Best Visual Effects — The Jungle Book

Best Animated Feature — Zootopia

Best Action Film — Hacksaw Ridge

Best Actor in an Action Film — Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge

Best Actress in an Action Film — Margot Robbie, Suicide Squad

Best Comedy Film — Deadpool

Best Actor in a Comedy — Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool

Best Actress in a Comedy — Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie — Arrival

Best Foreign Language Film — Elle

Best Original Song — “City of Stars”, La La Land

Best Original Score — Justin Hurwitz, La La Land

Here’s The Best Documentary Feature Shortlist!

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I’m really late with this news but better late than never!

Last week, the Academy’s Documentary Branch announced the 15 semi-finalists for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar! Five of the films below will be nominated. This has been a brilliant year for documentaries, as you can tell from looking at the titles below!

I’m especially happy to see that The Witness — which can currently be seen on Netflix — made the shortlist.

Not making the list? Leonardo DiCaprio’s Before The Flood. If nothing else, this means that we no longer have to worry about sitting through another rambling, if well-intentioned, Leo lecture.

(Or maybe not. Leo is also involved with The Ivory Game, which is on the shortlist.)

Anyway, here are the 15 semi-finalists!

“Cameraperson,” Big Mouth Productions
“Command and Control,” American Experience Films/PBS
“The Eagle Huntress,” Stacey Reiss Productions, Kissiki Films and 19340 Productions
“Fire at Sea,” Stemal Entertainment
“Gleason,” Dear Rivers Productions, Exhibit A and IMG Films
“Hooligan Sparrow,” Little Horse Crossing the River
“I Am Not Your Negro,” Velvet Film
“The Ivory Game,” Terra Mater Film Studios and Vulcan Productions
“Life, Animated,” Motto Pictures and A&E IndieFilms
“O.J.: Made in America,” Laylow Films and ESPN Films
“13th,” Forward Movement
“Tower,” Go-Valley
“Weiner,” Edgeline Films
“The Witness,” The Witnesses Film
“Zero Days,” Jigsaw Productions

Here are the American Film Institute’s Picks For Top 10 Films of 2016!

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Last Friday, the American Film Institute announced their picks for the 10 best films of 2016! The AFI is considered to be one of the more reliable of the Oscar precursors so we’ll have to wait and see what this list means for potential dark horse nominees like Hacksaw Ridge and Zootopia.

Here’s the list!

(Important to note: The AFI list is in alphabetical order.)

ARRIVAL
FENCES
HACKSAW RIDGE
HELL OR HIGH WATER
LA LA LAND
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
MOONLIGHT
SILENCE
SULLY
ZOOTOPIA

The Boston Online Film Critics Honor Moonlight!

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Boston Society of Film Critics may have honored La La Land. However, the Boston Online Film Critics honored Moonlight!

Here’s what the Boston Online Film Critics honored this year:

Best Picture — Moonlight

Best Director — Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Best Actor — Casey Affleck, Manchester By The Sea

Best Actress — Isabelle Huppert, Elle

Best Supporting Actor — Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Best Supporting Actress — Michelle Williams. Manchester By The Sea

Best Ensemble — Moonlight

Best Screenplay — Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By The Sea

Best Foreign Language Film — The Handmaiden

Best Documentary — Cameraperson

Best Animated Film — Kubo and the Two Strings

Best Cinematography — Natasha Braier. The Neon Demon

Best Editing — Nels Bangerter, Cameraperson

Best Original Score — Mica Levi, Jackie

TEN BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR
MOONLIGHT
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
LA LA LAND
PATERSON
HELL OR HIGH WATER
GREEN ROOM
SILENCE
CERTAIN WOMEN
THE HANDMAIDEN
ELLE

The International Documentary Association Honors O.J.: Made in America!

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here’s what won at the International Documentary Association Awards! This has been a really good year for documentaries, as is evident from the list below!

Best Feature Award
“O.J.: Made in America”
Director: Ezra Edelman
Producers: Deirdre Fenton, Libby Geist, Nina Krstic, Erin Leyden, Tamara Rosenberg, Connor Schell and Caroline Waterlow

Best Short Award
“The White Helmets”
Director: Orlando von Einsiedel
Producer: Joanna Natasegara

Best Curated Series Award
“DR2 Dokumania”
Executive Producer: Mette Hoffmann Meyer

Best Limited Series Award
“Making a Murderer”
Executive Producers: Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi

Best Episodic Series Award
“Last Chance U”
Executive Producers: Joe LaBracio, Dawn Ostroff, Lucas Smith, James Stern and Greg Whiteley

Best Short Form Series Award
“Field of Vision”
Executive Producers: Charlotte Cook, Laura Poitras and AJ Schnack

David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award
“4.1 Miles”
Director: Daphne Matziaraki (UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism)

ABC News VideoSource Award
“13TH”
Director: Ava DuVernay

Pare Lorentz Award
“Starless Dreams”
Director: Mehrdad Oskouei

Best Cinematography
“Fire at Sea”
Cinematography by: Gianfranco Rosi

Best Editing
“Cameraperson”
Edited by: Nels Bangerter

Best Writing
“I Am Not Your Negro”
James Baldwin material compiled and edited by Raoul Peck

Best Music
“The Bad Kids”
Original Score by: Jacaszek