Critics Groups Announce En Masse

The Los Angeles Film Critics Society, Boston Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Online, and the American Film Institute all decided to announce their year end awards today. While the AFI, NYFCO and BSFC went mostly according to the script (with a few exceptions), the LAFCA really thought outside the box with many of their choices, and provided the most inspired groups of critics award winners yet, including my personal favorite win of the day - Yun Jung-hee for Best Actress in Lee Chang Dong's Poetry, and Asghar Farhadi for Best Screenplay for A Separation.

Yun Jung-hee in POETRY. 
Courtesy of Kino International.

Here is the complete rundown:

AFI Top Ten
Bridesmaids
The DescendantsThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
J. Edgar
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Brad Pitt in MONEYBALL.

Boston Society of Film Critics

Best Picture  -  The Artist

Best Actor -  Brad Pitt for Moneyball

Best Actress - Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor -  Albert Brooks for Drive

Best Supporting Actress -  Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids

Best Director -  Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Best Screenplay -  Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin for Moneyball

Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of Life

Best Documentary -  Project Nim

Best Foreign-Language Film -  Incendies

Best Animated Film -  Rango

Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) - Christian Marclay for The Clock

Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) -  Sean Durkin for Martha Marcy May Marlene

Best Ensemble Cast -  Carnage

Best Use of Music in a Film  -  Tie: Drive and The Artist
 

Nick Krause, Amara Miller, Shailene Woodley,  and George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS.

Los Angeles Film Critics
Best Picture - The Descendants
Best Director -  Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life. Runner-Up: Martin Scorsese, Hugo.
Best Actor, Winner: Michael Fassbender, A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, Shame, X-Men: First Class. Runner-Up: Michael Shannon, Take Shelter.
Best Actress - Winner: Yun Jung-hee, Poetry. Runner-Up: Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia.
Best Supporting Actress - Winner: Jessica Chastain, Coriolanus, The Debt, The Help, Take Shelter, Texas Killing Fields, The Tree of Life. Runner-Up: Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs.
Best Supporting Actor - Winner: Christopher Plummer, Beginners. Runner-Up: Patton Oswalt, Young Adult.
Best Screenplay - Asghar Farhadi, A Separation.
Best Music/Score:  The Chemical Brothers, Hanna.  Runner-Up: Cliff Martinez, Drive.
Best Production Design: Winner: Dante Ferretti, Hugo.  Runner-Up: Maria Djurkovic, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Best Cinematography - Winner: Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life.
Best Documentary/Nonfiction - Cave of Forgotten DreamsBest Foreign Language Film - City of Life and Death

 

Leila Hatami and Peyman Moaadi in A SEPARATION.

New York Film Critics Online

Film - The Artist  

Actor - Michael Shannon, Take Shelter

Actress - Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Director - Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Supporting Actor - Albert Brooks, Drive

Supporting Actress - Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

Breakthrough Performer - Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life, The Debt, The Help, Take Shelter, Coriolanus, Texas Killing Fields

Debut Director - Joe Cornish,  Attack the Block

Ensemble Cast - Bridesmaids 

Screenplay - Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, The Descendant

Documentary - Cave of Forgotten Dreams 

Foreign Language - A Separation 

Animated - The Adventures of Tintin

Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life

Use of Music -Ludovic Bource, The Artist

Thanks to Sasha Stone at Awards Daily for compiling this list.