The Chicago Indie Critics announced their picks for the best of 2020 earlier today.
Yes, Nomadland won. Again. Because the CIC gives out two best picture awards — one for the best low-budget indie and another for the best big-budget studio production — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom won as well. And because there was a tie in the Best Big Budget Studio Production category, Da 5 Bloods won as well.
As far as the acting winners went, it was the usual suspects. Frances McDormand took best actress for Nomadland. Chadwick Boseman took best actor for Ma Rainey. Boseman also won Best Supporting Actor for Da 5 Bloods. And, of course, Maria Bakalova got another award for Best Supporting Actress.
In other words …. kinda boring. Nomadland may be the greatest film ever made but there’s nothing more boring than an awards season where all of the critics groups vote for the same movies and the same people. Then again, I remember that this previously happened with The Social Network. The Social Network won over all the critics but the Academy preferred The King’s Speech. I supposed that could happen this year, though Nomadland seems to have even more momentum than The Social Network did.
At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Boseman nominated for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. Could he possibly win both? I think he could. I do think that, if he only wins for one, it’ll probably be for Da 5 Bloods, just because of the nature of his role in that film. That said, it does seem inevitable that Boseman will follow Peter Finch and Heath Ledger in winning at least one posthumous Oscar.
You can see the CIC nominations here. And the winners are listed below!
Best Independent Film (Budget Under $20,000) — Nomadland
Best Studio Film (Budget over $20,000) — Da 5 Bloods and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Foreign Language Film — His House
Best Documentary — Boys State
Best Animated Film — Soul
Best Director — Spike Lee for Da 5 Bloods
Best Original Screenplay — Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman and Aaron Sorkin for The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Adapted Screenplay — Ruben Santiago-Hudson for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Actor — Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Actress — Frances McDormand in Nomadland
Best Supporting Actor — Chadwick Boseman in Da 5 Bloods
Best Supporting Actress — Maria Bakalova in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Best Ensemble — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Cinematography — Nomadland
Best Production Design — Mank
Best Costume Design — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Makeup — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Editing — The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Musical Score — Soul
Best Original Song — “Speak Now” from One Night In Miami
Best Visual Effects — The Invisible Man
Trailblazer Award — Steve McQueen
Impact Award — Chadwick Boseman
Through the Shattered Lens 