The Florida Film Critics Circle Names Portrait Of A Lady On Fire The Best of 2019!


On Monday, the Florida Film Critics Circle announced their picks for the best of 2019!  For best picture, they selected the French-language film, Portrait of a Lady on Fire!  Portrait of a Lady on Fire has, as of late, emerged as a bit of an Oscar dark horse.  While it would be surprising (and history making) to see two international films nominated for best picture in the same year, strangers things have happened.  After all, just three years ago, I was proudly declaring that there was no way that Academy would ever nominate a Netflix film for any of the big prizes.

Here are the winners and nominees from Florida:

BEST PICTURE
1917 – Runner-up
Ad Astra
Marriage Story
Portrait of a Lady on Fire – WINNER
The Irishman

BEST ACTOR
Adam Driver, Marriage Story – WINNER
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory – Runner-up
Franz Rogowski, Transit
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Taron Egerton, Rocketman

BEST ACTRESS
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Elisabeth Moss, Her Smell
Florence Pugh, Midsommar – Runner-up
Renée Zellweger, Judy
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story – WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Joe Pesci, The Irishman – WINNER
John Lithgow, Bombshell – Runner-up
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Annette Bening, The Report
Isla Fisher, The Beach Bum – Runner-up (tie)
Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Laura Dern, Marriage Story – WINNER
Margot Robbie, Bombshell – Runner-up (tie)
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell

BEST ENSEMBLE
Little Women – WINNER
Marriage Story
Parasite
The Farewell – Runner-up
The Irishman

BEST DIRECTOR
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire – WINNER
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Sam Mendes, 1917 – Runner-up

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Bong Joon-Ho and Han Jin-Won, Parasite
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Lulu Wang, The Farewell – Runner-up
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie, Uncut Gems – WINNER

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Anthony McCarten, The Two Popes
Greta Gerwig, Little Women – WINNER
Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Steven Zaillian, The Irishman – Runner-up
Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit
Terrence Malick, A Hidden Life

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Claire Mathon, Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Runner-up
Hoyte Van Hoytema, Ad Astra
Jorg Widmer, A Hidden Life
Roger Deakins, 1917 – WINNER

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ad Astra – Runner-up (tie)
Avengers: Endgame – Runner-up (tie)
Alita: Battle Angel – WINNER

BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION
Barbara Ling, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – WINNER
Kevin Constant, Christa Munro, Alison Sadler, David Scott and Gary Warsaw, Ad Astra – Runner-up
Simon Elsley, Elaine Kusmishko, Rod McLean, Niall Moroney, Stephen Swain and Robert Voyset, 1917

BEST SCORE
Daniel Lopatin, Uncut Gems – WINNER
Hildur Guðnadóttir, Joker
Max Richter, Ad Astra
Randy Newman, Marriage Story
Thomas Newman, 1917

BEST DOCUMENTARY
American Factory
Apollo 11 – WINNER
Honeyland – Runner-up
The Biggest Little Farm

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Pain and Glory
Parasite – Runner-up
Portrait of a Lady on Fire – WINNER
The Farewell

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Frozen 2
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body – WINNER
Toy Story 4 – Runner-up
Weathering With You

BEST FIRST FILM
Booksmart
Honeyland – Runner-up
Queen & Slim – WINNER
The Last Black Man in San Francisco

PAULINE KAEL BREAKOUT AWARD
Florence Pugh, Midsommar, Fighting With My Family and Little Women – WINNER
Honor Swinton Byrne, The Souvenir
Lulu Wang, The Farewell – Runner-up
Roman Griffin Davis, Jojo Rabbit

Here Are The 2019 Nominations of the Online Film Critics Society!


On Monday, the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) announced their nominations for the best of 2019 and here they are!  The Irishman has the most nomination, with 8.  Meanwhile, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood received seven while Parasite and Marriage Story received six each.

The winners will be announced on January 6th!

Best Picture

The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Knives Out
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Uncut Gems
Us

Best Animated Feature

Frozen II
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Missing Link
Toy Story 4

Best Director

Bong Joon-ho – Parasite
Sam Mendes – 1917
Celine Sciamma – Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Martin Scorsese – The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Best Actor

Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory
Robert De Niro – The Irishman
Adam Driver – Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix – Joker
Adam Sandler – Uncut Gems

Best Actress

Awkwafina – The Farewell
Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story
Lupita Nyong’o – Us
Florence Pugh – Midsommar
Renée Zellweger – Judy

Best Supporting Actor

Willem Dafoe – The Lighthouse
Al Pacino – The Irishman
Joe Pesci – The Irishman
Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Song Kang-ho – Parasite

Best Supporting Actress

Laura Dern – Marriage Story
Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
Florence Pugh – Little Women
Margot Robbie – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Shuzhen Zhao – The Farewell

Best Original Screenplay

Knives Out – Rian Johnson
Marriage Story – Noah Baumbach
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood – Quentin Tarantino
Parasite – Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won
Us – Jordan Peele

Best Adapted Screenplay

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster
Hustlers – Lorene Scafaria
The Irishman – Steven Zaillian
Jojo Rabbit – Taika Waititi
Little Women – Greta Gerwig

Best Editing

Ford v Ferrari – Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker
The Irishman – Thelma Schoonmaker
1917 – Lee Smith
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood – Fred Raskin
Parasite – Jinmo Yang

Best Cinematography

The Irishman – Rodrigo Prieto
The Lighthouse – Jarin Blaschke
1917 – Roger Deakins
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood – Robert Richardson
Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Claire Mathon

Best Original Score

Joker – Hildur Guðnadóttir
Little Women – Alexandre Desplat
Marriage Story – Randy Newman
1917 – Thomas Newman
Us – Michael Abels

Best Debut Feature

Mati Diop – Atlantics
Melina Matsoukas – Queen & Slim
Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz – The Peanut Butter Falcon
Joe Talbot – The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Olivia Wilde – Booksmart

Best Film Not in the English Language

Atlantics
Monos
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Best Documentary

American Factory
Apollo 11
For Sama
Honeyland
One Child Nation

The Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association Names 1917 As The Best of 2019!


Reunion Tower (picture by Erin Nicole)

Here are the winners in Dallas!

BEST PICTURE

Winner: 1917

Runners-up: MARRIAGE STORY (2); PARASITE (3); THE IRISHMAN (4); ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (5); JOJO RABBIT (6); LITTLE WOMEN (7); THE FAREWELL (8); THE TWO POPES (9); KNIVES OUT (10)

BEST ACTOR

Winner: Adam Driver, MARRIAGE STORY

Runners-up: Joaquin Phoenix, JOKER (2); Antonio Banderas, PAIN AND GLORY (3); Leonardo DiCaprio, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (4); Robert De Niro, THE IRISHMAN (5)

BEST ACTRESS

Winner: Scarlett Johansson, MARRIAGE STORY

Runners-up: Renée Zellweger, JUDY (2); Charlize Theron, BOMBSHELL (3); Saoirse Ronan, LITTLE WOMEN (4); Awkwafina, THE FAREWELL (5, tie); Lupita Nyong’o, US (5, tie)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Winner: Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

Runners-up: Willem Dafoe, THE LIGHTHOUSE (2); Joe Pesci, THE IRISHMAN (3); Al Pacino, THE IRISHMAN (4); Shia LaBeouf, HONEY BOY (5)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Winner: Laura Dern, MARRIAGE STORY

Runners-up: Margot Robbie, BOMBSHELL (2); Florence Pugh, LITTLE WOMEN (3); Jennifer Lopez, HUSTLERS (4); Annette Bening, THE REPORT (5)

BEST DIRECTOR

Winner: Sam Mendes, 1917

Runners-up: Bong Joon-ho, PARASITE (2); Martin Scorsese, THE IRISHMAN (3); Quentin Tarantino, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (4); Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY (5)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Winner: PARASITE

Runners-up: PAIN AND GLORY (2); THE FAREWELL (3); LES MISÉRABLES (4); PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (5)

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Winner: APOLLO 11

Runners-up: ONE CHILD NATION (2); AMERICAN FACTORY (3); HONEYLAND (4); FOR SAMA (5)

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Winner: TOY STORY 4

Runner-up: I LOST MY BODY

BEST SCREENPLAY

Winner: Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY

Runner-up: Steven Zaillian, THE IRISHMAN

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Winner: Roger Deakins, 1917

Runner-up: Hong Kyung-pyo, PARASITE

BEST MUSICAL SCORE

Winner: Thomas Newman, 1917

Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, LITTLE WOMEN

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

Winner: THE LIGHTHOUSE

The Boston Society of Film Critics Names Little Women As The Best of 2019!


The Boston Society of Film Critics today named their picks for the best of 2019 and they did not pick Parasite or The Irishman for best picture.  Nor did the pick Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, 1917, or Knives Out.  Instead, the BSFC picked Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, which has — so far — been flying a bit under the awards season radar.

Will this provide a boost to Little Women’s chances or will this be an outlier?  We’ll find out soon enough!  For now, here are the winners:

Best Picture: LITTLE WOMEN
Runner-up: PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

Best Director: Bong Joon Ho, PARASITE
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig, LITTLE WOMEN

Best Actor: Adam Sandler, UNCUT GEMS
Runner-up: Joaquin Phoenix, JOKER

Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan (LITTLE WOMEN)
Runners up: TIE – Elisabeth Moss (HER SMELL) and Mary Kay Place (DIANE)

Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt (ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD)
Runner up: Joe Pesci (THE IRISHMAN)

Best Supporting Actress LAURA DERN (MARRIAGE STORY)
Runner up: Florence Pugh for (LITTLE WOMEN)

Best Ensemble Cast: LITTLE WOMEN
Runners-up: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD and PARASITE

Best Screenplay: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
Runners-up: MARRIAGE STORY and LITTLE WOMEN

Best Cinematography: PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
Runner up: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

Best Editing: THE IRISHMAN
Runner-up: UNCUT GEMS

Best Original Score: LITTLE WOMEN
Runner-up: THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO

Best Foreign Language Film: PARASITE
Runner-up: PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

Best Animated Film: I LOST MY BODY
Runner up: TOY STORY 4

Best Documentary: HONEYLAND
Runners-up: APOLLO 11 and HAIL, SATAN?

Best New Filmmaker: Joe Talbot for THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO
Runner up: Mati Diop for ATLANTICS

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle Honors 1917 and Da’Vine Joy Randolph!


The Kansas City Film Critics Circle went their own way earlier today and selected 1917 as the best film of the year!  I haven’t seen 1917 yet so I’ll withhold on saying whether it deserved the award more than Irishman or Parasite.  However, I have seen Dolemite Is My Name and I am absolutely thrilled that the KCFCC selected the excellent Da’Vine Joy Randolph as best supporting actress!

Here are the winners:

BEST FILM: 1917

BEST DIRECTOR – Sam Mendes, 1917

BEST ACTOR – Adam Driver, Marriage Story

BEST ACTRESS – Lupita Nyong’o, Us

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Joe Pesci, The Irishman

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dolemite Is My Name

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – Little Women

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – Knives Out

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – 1917

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE – Toy Story 4

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM – Parasite

BEST DOCUMENTARY (tie) – Amazing Grace & Apollo 11

THE TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBT FILM – Portrait of a Lady on Fire

THE VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM – Us

The Women Film Critics Circle Honors Portrait of a Lady on Fire!


The Hollywood Foreign Press Association weren’t the only ones making an announcement today!  The Women Film Critics Circle also announced their picks for the best of 2019!

And here they are:

BEST MOVIE ABOUT WOMEN

  • Portrait of a Lady on Fire (dir. Céline Sciamma)
    Runner-up: Little Women (dir. Greta Gerwig)

BEST MOVIE BY A WOMAN

  • Harriet (dir. Kasi Lemmons)
    Runner-up: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (dir. Céline Sciamma)

BEST WOMAN STORYTELLER (Screenwriting Award)

  • Greta Gerwig (Little Women)
    Runner-up: Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)

BEST ACTRESS

  • Tie: Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) and Lupita Nyong’o (US)
    Runner-up: Renée Zellweger (Judy)

BEST ACTOR

  • Adam Driver (Marriage Story)
    Runner-up: Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)

BEST FOREIGN FILM BY OR ABOUT WOMEN

  • Portrait of a Lady on Fire (dir. Céline Sciamma)
    Runner-up: Atlantics (dir. Mati Diop)

BEST DOCUMENTARY BY OR ABOUT WOMEN

  • Varda by Agnès (dir. Agnès Varda)
    Runner-ups: Maiden (dir. Alex Holmes) and Honeyland (dir. Tamara Kotevska, Ljubo Stefanov)

BEST EQUALITY OF THE SEXES

  • Marriage Story
    Runner-up: The Aeronauts

BEST ANIMATED FEMALE

  • Anna (Frozen 2)
    Runner-up: Bo Peep (Toy Story 4)

BEST SCREEN COUPLE

  • (TIE) Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Noémie Merlant/Adèle Haenel) and Marriage Story (Scarlett Johansson/Adam Driver)
    Runner-up: Hustlers (Jennifer Lopez/Constance Wu)

ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD – For a film that most passionately opposes violence against women

  • (TIE) Bombshell (dir. Jay Roach) and The Nightingale (dir. Jennifer Kent)
    Runner-up: Hustlers (dir. Lorene Scafaria)

JOSEPHINE BAKER AWARD – For best expressing the woman of color experience in America

  • Harriet (dir. Kasi Lemmons)
    Runner-up: Queen & Slim (dir. Melina Matsoukas)

KAREN MORLEY AWARD – For best exemplifying a woman’s place in history or society, and a courageous search for identity

  • Harriet (dir. Kasi Lemmons)
    Runner-up: Little Women (dir. Greta Gerwig)

ACTING AND ACTIVISM AWARD
Jane Fonda

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Alfre Woodard

Here Are The Golden Globe Nominations!


Here are the Golden Globe Nominees!  Oddly, no one seems to have much respect for the people who give out the Golden Globes and the show itself is always kind of a drag but, for whatever reason, the Globes have become perhaps the biggest of the non-guild precursors.  Getting a Golden Globe nomination will definitely help those who are trying to get the Academy’s attention right now.

My main thought on the nominees: Joker did really well.  Uncut Gems went unmentioned, which will probably be the end of Adam Sandler’s Oscar campaign, unless he manages to snag a SAG nomination.  It’s nice to see Dolemite Is My Name getting some attention.  That’s a film that gets better the more that I think about it.

I don’t know — there’s not any terrible nominations or anything like that.  I’m sorry that a few films and people were overlooked but it’s been a strong year for film and there’s a lot of legitimate contenders so there’s just not going to be room for everyone.  It happens.  There’s no outrageously terrible nominations, like when The Tourist was nominated several years ago.  At the same time, the Golden Globes always leave me with feelings of malaise and ennui.  I guess it’s because we are now leaving the “what if” phase of awards season and starting to get to the, “So, these are going to be our nominees” phase.

Here are the Golden Globe film nominations.  If you want to see the TV nominees, do a freaking Google search …. or just click on this link to a full list of nominees!

Best Motion Picture – Drama
The Irishman
Joker
The Two Popes
Marriage Story
1917

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Knives Out
Dolemite Is My Name
Jojo Rabbit
Rocketman

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language
The Farewell
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Les Misérables

Best Director – Motion Picture
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Todd Phillips, Joker

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Anthony McCarten, The Two Popes
Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won, Parasite
Steven Zaillian, The Irishman

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Renée Zellweger, Judy
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Awkwafina, The Farewell
Beanie Feldstein, Booksmart
Ana de Armas, Knives Out
Emma Thompson, Late Night
Cate Blanchett, Where’d You Go, Bernadette?

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name
Daniel Craig, Knives Out
Taron Egerton, Rocketman
Roman Griffin Davis, Jojo Rabbit

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Annette Bening, The Report

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

Best Motion Picture – Animated
Frozen 2
Toy Story 4

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Missing Link
The Lion King

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Thomas Newman, 1917
Hildur Guonadottir, Joker
Randy Newman, Marriage Story
Alexandre Desplat, Little Women
Daniel Pemberton, Motherless Brooklyn

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman
“Spirit,” The Lion King
“Into the Unknown,” Frozen 2
“Stand Up,” Harriet
“Beautiful Ghosts,” Cats

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association Honors Parasite and Jennifer Lopez


On Sunday, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association announced their picks for the best of 2019!  Parasite was named Best Picture while Jennifer Lopez finally picked up an award for her acclaimed performance in Hustlers.

Here’s a full list of the winners:

Best Picture

  • “PARASITE”

Runner-up: “THE IRISHMAN”

Best Foreign-Language Film

  • “PAIN AND GLORY”

Runner-up: “PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE”

Best Director

  • Bong Joon Ho, “PARASITE”

Runner-up: Martin Scorsese, “THE IRISHMAN”

Best Actor

  • Antonio Banderas – “PAIN AND GLORY”

Runner-Up: Adam Driver – “MARRIAGE STORY”

Best Actress

  • Mary Kay Place, “DIANE”

Runner-up: Lupita Nyong’o, “US”

Best Supporting Actress

  • Jennifer Lopez, “HUSTLERS”

Runner-up: Zhao Shuzhen, “THE FAREWELL”

Best Supporting Actor

  • Song Kang Ho, “PARASITE”

Runner-Up: Joe Pesci, “THE IRISHMAN”

Best Cinematography

  • Claire Mathon, “PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE” & “ATLANTICS”

Runner-Up: Roger Deakins, “1917”

Best Screenplay

  • Noah Baumbach, “MARRIAGE STORY”

Runner-Up: Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won, “PARASITE”

Best Music/Score

  • Dan Levy, “I LOST MY BODY”

Runner-Up: Thomas Newman, “1917”

Best Documentary/Nonfiction Film

  • “AMERICAN FACTORY”

Runner-up: “APOLLO 11”

Best Animation

  • “I LOST MY BODY”

Runner-Up: “TOY STORY 4”

Best Production Design

  • Barbara Ling, “ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD”

Runner-up: Ha Jun Lee, “PARASITE”

Best Editing

  • Todd Douglas Miller, “APOLLO 11”

Runner-up: Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie,” UNCUT GEMS”

Douglas Edwards Experimental Film

  • THE GIVERNY DOCUMENT, Ja’Tovia Gary

The New York Film Critics Online Named Parasite The Best of 2019


Yesterday, the New York Film Critics Online voted on and announced their picks for the best of 2019!

And here they are:

  • Picture: “Parasite” (NEON)
  • Director: Bong Joon-ho, “Parasite” (NEON)
  • Actor: Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker” (Warner Bros.)
  • Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, “Us” (Universal Pictures)
  • Supporting Actor: Joe Pesci, “The Irishman” (Netflix)
  • Supporting Actress: Laura Dern, “Marriage Story” (Netflix)
  • Screenplay: Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-Won, “Parasite” (NEON)
  • Breakthrough Performer: Kelvin Harrison Jr., “Luce” (A24) and “Waves” (A24)
  • Debut Director: Lila Avilés, “The Chambermaid” (Kino Lorber)
  • Ensemble Cast: Mary Vernieu, “Knives Out” (Lionsgate)
  • Documentary: Todd Douglas Miller, “Apollo 11” (NEON)
  • Foreign Language: Céline Sciamma, “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” (NEON)
  • Animated Feature: Jérémy Clapin, “I Lost My Body” (Netflix)
  • Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “1917” (Universal Pictures)
  • Use of Music: Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Giles Martin, Matthew Margeson, “Rocketman” (Paramount Pictures)

Top 10 Films

  • 1917” (Universal Pictures)
  • The Farewell” (A24)
  • Hustlers” (STX Films)
  • The Irishman” (Netflix)
  • Jojo Rabbit” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
  • Joker” (Warner Bros.)
  • Marriage Story” (Netflix)
  • Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood” (Sony Pictures)
  • Parasite” (NEON)
  • The Two Popes” (Netflix)

New York Film Critics Circle Honor The Irishman, Banderas, and Nyong’o!


The New York Film Critics Circle just voted on and announced their picks for the best of 2019!  (It took about four and a half hours, which is quick by NYFCC standards.)  The Irishman winning Best Picture isn’t a shock but just check out some of the other winners!  The Safdie Brothers for best director!  Lupita Nyong’o and Antonio Banderas for best lead performances!  Check out all the love given to international films!

Now, just because a critics group embraces a film or performance, that doesn’t mean the Oscars will do the same.  (Last year, for instance, Regina Hall was deservedly named best actress but was snubbed by the Academy.)  Still, these awards will keep these names in the conversation and both Banderas and Nyong’o — who, despite their acclaimed performances, have been overshadowed by Adams Driver and Sandler and Renee Zellweger — will probably see at least a little renewed interest as a result of these wins.

Here are the NYFCC winners!

  • Best Picture: The Irishman
  • Best Director: The Safdie Brothers for Uncut Gems
  • Best Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
  • Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o in Us
  • Best Actor: Antonio Banderas in Pain & Glory
  • Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern in Marriage Story and Little Women
  • Best Supporting Actor: Joe Pesci in The Irishman
  • Best Cinematography: Claire Mathon, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
  • Best Non-fiction Film: Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir Stefanov, “Honeyland” (NEON)
  • Best Foreign Language Film: “Parasite” (South Korea)
  • Best Animated Feature: Jérémy Clapin, “I Lost My Body” (Netflix)
  • Best First Film: Mati Diop, “Atlantics”
  • Special Award For Career Achievement: Randy Newman
  • Special Award: Indie Collect