Juliet, Naked (2018)

I love Ethan Hawke —I'm pissed at him for what he said about comic book movies though— and because of it, I added Juliet, Naked on my watchlist without even knowing what it was about. And if it wasn't for Big Screen Small Words who picked it for a Thursday Movie Picks a couple of weeks ago, I probably would have never watch it.

Anyways, the film is set in England and follows Annie (Rose Byrne), a going on 40 woman who is stuck in a long-term relationship with Duncan (Chris O'Dowd), a college teacher who is obsessed with American rocker Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). One day, someone mails Duncan an album of acoustic demos of Tucker's hit album, he and Annie listen to it separately, they have an argument over its quality, Annie writes a negative review on Duncan's website and she gets an email reply from Crowe himself. He agrees with her, and they hit off real quick. 

Unlike what you may be thinking from that right now, it is not the typical and predictable boy meets girl story filled with clichés and unrealistic plot points romantic comedies love nowadays. Instead, it is a compelling, sweet and lighthearted story about love, relationships and parenting. It is about feeling and being stuck —a human condition I identify with—, and the attempts to deal with it. It is about second chances. It's about finding your own path in life. It is also about learning that there's a difference between the way a fan sees his/her idol and the harsh reality. Yes, it's a lot for an hour and a half long movie, but believe me when I say that the filmmakers managed to make it all fit in and nicely develop all of them. 

No matter how much I loved the story though, my favourite part of Juliet, Naked was the characters. They do seem a little ridiculous at times and the film pokes fun at them because of that —it works, by the way— but at the same time they are believable and feel like real human beings as they all are flawed individuals. They are interesting and compelling and ultimately we care about them.

Lionsgate & Roadside Attractions, Universal Pictures, Focus Features

Of course, it wouldn't be the same if it wasn't for the talented cast. Rose Byrne is very likeable as Annie, a woman who has spent fifteen years of her life with a man she is unhappy with. She is the kind of woman who's always worried, always afraid to let herself go and therefore always ends up doing the right thing, and Byrne portrays that very well. Ethan Hawke is terrific as Tucker, the faded rock star whose life turned out way different than he, and his fans, thought, and gives yet another of his charming performances as he captures the man's clumsy attempts at righting his wrongs and facing his responsibilities. At last, Chris O'Dowd gives a memorable perfomrnace as Duncan, a man who sees a lot in everyone but those very close to him. His character is kind of the villain of the story and yet he manages to make him sympathetic.

As for the comedy side, Juliet, Naked is not the type of film where you laugh like there's no tomorrow. It's the type of comedy with subtle and clever humour sneaked into the interesting, witty dialogue. As for the drama, it's not the type of drama that makes you cry or bores you, but the type of drama that is relatable. And the filmmakers did a wonderful job at balancing those two aspects.

PODCAST 335: Tarkan Vs the Vikings & The Club

This week the Horror Duo exhume the Thanksgiving turkey carcass for one final foray into Turkish turkeys as Forest reviews Tarkan Vs the Vikings. Cory covers The Club, another recommended film by a now nameless stranger.

CONTINUE READING

2018 National Board of Review Awards Winners

Yesterday afternoon the NBR announced its winners and its choices gives us a sight into the Awards Season that seems this year will be not surprising but a little bit unpredictable with perhaps honors wealth spreading all over the place.  We have to recall the NBR is made up of film enthusiasts, industry professionals, academics and filmmakers which makes the organization a quite interesting blend from all walks of life.

In past awards seasons group have honored films that went to have Oscar nominations and/or wins.  Last year their top winner was The Post but also honored The Florida Project, Lady Bird, Phantom Thread, Call Me By Your Name, and Coco, all of which ended up receiving Oscar nominations.  So, the group heterogeneity gives them good predictable record for nominations.  Still, believe group has a spotty record for predicting winners.

This year's top award went to a film that "surprised" internet film pundits as not many were predicting or expecting Green Book to win.  Can't say I'm surprised with A Star Is Born collecting top honors as found film not really outstanding but a so-so copy of the 1976 (too-many identical scenes, especially the beauty takes of Cooper and Kristofferson eyes) and I'm not saying I found the 1976 version good; anyway, a film like this one is expected to impact in a cinematic world where top grossing films are made based on comics characters, sigh.

NBR president Annie Schulhof said, "We are proud to honor Green Book as our best film — it is a warm and heartfelt look at a remarkable friendship, brought to the screen at a moment where its story of love, compassion and shared humanity deeply resonates. We are also thrilled to award Bradley Cooper as our best director — he is an extraordinary talent behind the camera, bringing a fresh and modern perspective, as well as superb craftsmanship and tremendous heart, to the classic story of A Star Is Born."

The 2018 winners list

Best Film: Green Book, Peter Farrelly
Best Animated Feature:  Incredibles 2, Brad Bird
Best Foreign Language Film: Cold War, Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Documentary: RBG, Julie Cohen and Betsy West

Best Director: Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born
Best Directorial Debut: Bo Burnham for Eighth Grade

Best Actress: Lady Gaga in A Star is Born
Best Supporting Actress:  Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen in Green Book
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Elliott in A Star is Born
Breakthrough Performance: Thomasin McKenzie in Leave No Trace
Best Ensemble: Crazy Rich Asians, Jon M. Chu

Best Original Screenplay: Paul Scharader for First Reformed
Best Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins for If Beale Street Could Talk

William K. Everson Film History Award
The Other Side of the Wind, Orson Welles
They'll Love Me When I'm Dead, Morgan Neville

NBR Freedom of Expression Award
22 July, Paul Greengrass
On Her Shoulders, Alexandria Bombach

Top Films (in alphabetical order)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Black Panther
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Eighth Grade
First Reformed
If Beale Street Could Talk
Mary Poppins Returns
A Quiet Place
Roma
A Star Is Born

Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order)
Burning
Custody
The Guilty
Happy as Lazzaro
Shoplifters

Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order)
Crime + Punishment
Free Solo
Minding the Gap
Three Identical Strangers
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order)
The Death of Stalin
Lean on Pete
Leave No Trace
Mid90s
The Old Man & the Gun
The Rider
Searching
Sorry to Bother You
We the Animals
You Were Never Really Here

This year's honors will be presented during the awards gala at New York's Cipriani 42nd Street hosted again by Willie Geist.  To check winners at official site go here.

DAILY CALL SHEET: NOVEMBER 27, 2018

Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995) Foster-brat plants possessed corn in the big city. Actually not as bad as you're thinking. TIL: Cain's offering wasn't rejected because it was crops, but more likely because he only gave his leftovers. God deserves our best.

Your daily dose of culture courtesy of The Vindicator (1986) - "You probably found 'How to Survive a Robot Uprising' in the humor section. Let's just hope that is where it belongs." - Daniel H. Wilson

Pretty in Pink (1986)

The day after watching a heavy film —yesterday's was Papillon— I always feel like watching something light. This time I went with something cheesy too, John Hudges's Pretty in Pink, a teen movie I've been meaning to see since I saw and loved The Breakfast Club. Yes, I know Hudges did not direct this but he still wrote it. 

Anyways, this film follows Andie (Molly Ringwald), a beautiful and smart high school senior who lives with her unemployed and drinking father (Harry Dean Stanton). She only has two real friends one of whom is a guy called Duckie (Jon Cryer) who has a crush on her since the dawn of times and is completely devoted to her. She falls for a rich kid, Blane (Andrew McCarthy), who has mutual feelings, but both Duckie and Blade's friend, Steff (James Spader), disapprove of their relationship. 

The story is very clichéd as it is the typical story about two people from opposite sides of society —the rich guy and the poor girl, in this case— who fall in love and cause disappointment, bitterness and disapprovement among their friends. It is very predictable throughout, and yet it is engaging and fun to watch. The ending, on the other hand, I felt robbed by it. While it makes sense for the film to end the way it does as it's trying to show that love can overcome differences and everyone's disapproval, it's disappointing nevertheless.  

And the reason for that is the characters, specifically Dickie. He is written and portrayed in a way that he ends up being very likeable and sympathetic, way more than his "rival" Blane, so, by the end, I was really hoping Andie would pick him over Blane. Yes, I actually hoped the film would end in the most predictable way possible. Also, Blane was such a bland character, I'd rather have Andie picking Steff over him. The biggest disappointment though is Andie. The character overall is alright but they really ruined her at the end. I was expecting her to make a big entrance wearing that pink dress, without giving a damn about the others, rising above them all but eventually, she needs Duckie to even set foot in the dance room.

As for the cast, Molly Ringwald gives a fine performance as she is very believable in the lead role of Andie. It's the supporting cast though that shine in here. Harry Dean Stanton is excellent as Andie's loving but lazy father, James Spader is great as the rich jerk, and Annie Potts is amusing as Andie's co-worker Iona, but it's John Cryer who completely steals the show as Duckie.

Paramount Pictures

Another problem I had with Pretty in Pink was the comedy, it just didn't work that well for me. While I did appreciate the lack of silly jokes or slapstick, and Duckie's singing moment was quite funny and memorable, the film didn't make me laugh much. For me, this works better as a drama, and not even one of the good ones. It's pretty engaging throughout though, I'll give it that.

2018 Film Critics Awards Final

Today, Monday, February 4th, 2019 the post has become final with the inclusion of the last group winners. By now we know that film critics/journalists and those who make the movies are really in different mind sets when they evaluate films released in 2018.

From the five categories with summaries here and with the exception of best actress, film critics have clear winners: Roma if best film, Alfonso Cuaron in best director, Ethan Hawke in best actor and, Mr. Rogers doc in best documentary.

From those four categories Industry and film critics only coincide, up-to-today- with Alfonso Cuaron winning directing and Roma still has possibilities as has 11 Oscar nominations and one is for Best Picture.  But when it comes to best actor category they are far away as Ethan Hawke doesn't have an Oscar nomination; same happens with Won't You Be My Neighbor?, so, there are no chances to coincide at all.

This award season has been strange, unusual and highly atypical; not clear for the reason why the distance between Industry and film critics happened.  If I have to take sides then tend to like what film critics like it as do believe Roma is an out-of-the-ordinary film, Cuaron should win, Ethan Hawke gave his best performance to date-better than those with Oscar nomination-, and believe Olivia Colman gave an extraordinary performance in an extraordinary film, a performance slightly better than Glen Close, but if Close wins will be alright as she's great in The Wife, she really saves the so-so movie.  Do not agree in documentary as found Mr. Rogers doc boring to say it kindly and with very low production values, so agree with the Academy for not giving doc an Oscar nomination.

So, this is it for this year.  Hope to see you all next award season.

---///---
Today, November 27 the post becomes alive again for another year and activity will become intense until a week before Christmas when will quiet a bit; then January activity will gain full force to end quietly around the first weeks of February 2019.

By now all the fuzz and buzz about #Oscars2019 foreign-language submissions is over and it's time to start with all the fuzz and buzz from film critics that always gives you a better idea about the films that could win nominations and the one that will collect the award.  Yes, we know that not very often great films win AMPAS accolades, so IF wish to guess right on the Oscars office pool or any of the many online polls -some with good prices- then here will find info for better guessing.  Enjoy!

Post will be a work in progress until the last critics group announces their winner which will happen in early February 2019.

Most critics' groups are American but you will also find groups from Canada, Ireland and UK -if info becomes available online.  This year will include again the FIPRESCI Grand Prix, an award voted by film critics from all over the world.  As in previous years' posts will publish link to read all the winners and will list winners in the following categories:  Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Documentary.  Before the list, and to have ALL critics info in one post, is the summary for major film critics' groups; each major group has a post in blog.

By now most know that announced or estimated date for each critics' group announcement is in blog's 2018/2019 Key Dates Calendar.  Most dates come from group official site while some estimates come from industry sources.

Major Critics' Groups

FIPRESCI
2018 Grand Prix: Phantom Tread by Paul Thomas Anderson

Cahiers du Cinéma (CdC)
Official Site
Best Film: Les garçons sauvages (Wild Boys) by Bertrand Mandico

Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA)
Official Site
Winners:  Official Site MovieOn Post
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Debra Granik for Leave No Trace
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favorite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Shirkers

Critics' Choice Movie Awards (BFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site MovieOn Post
Winners:  Official Site  MovieOn Post
Documentary Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director:  Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Glenn Close in The Wife and Lady Gaga in A Star is Born
Best Actor: Christian Bale in Vice
Best Documentary:  Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Golden Globe Awards (HFPA)
Official Site
Nominations:  Official Site MovieOn Post
Winners: Official Site MovieOn Post
Best Film: Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favorite and Glen Close in The Wife
Best Actor: Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody and Christian Bale in Vice
Best Documentary: N/A

International Press Academy (Satellite Awards) (IPA) 
Official Site
Nominations:  Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favorite and Glenn Close in The Wife
Best Actor: Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody and Willem Dafoe in At Eternity's Gate
Best Documentary: Minding the Gap

National Board of Review (NBR)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site MovieOn Post
Best Film: Green Book
Best Director: Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born
Best Actress: Lady Gaga for A Star is Born
Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen in Green Book
Best Documentary: RBG

New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site MovieOn Post
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Regina Hall in Support the Girls
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Minding the Gap

The List

African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)
Official Site
Winners: article
Best Film: Black Panther
Best Director: Ryan Coogler for Black Panther
Best Actress: Regina Hall in Support the Girls
Best Actor: John David Washington in BlacKkKlansman
Best Documentary: Quincy

Alliance of Women Film Journalists (EDA Awards) (AWFJ)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Coman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Atlanta Film Critics Circle (AFCC)
facebook
Winners: Official facebook
Best Film: The Favourite
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Coman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Newspaper article
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Director Barry Jenkins for If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC)
facebook
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Black Panther
Best Director: Ryan Coogler
Best Actress: Viola Davis in Widows
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born
Best Documentary: Quincy

Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Director: Lynne Ramsay for You Were Never Really Here
Best Actress: Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Actor: John C. Reilly in Stan & Ollie
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: You Were Never Really Here
Best Director: Lynne Ramsay for You Were Never Really Here
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Minding the Gap

Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle (CIFCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film: Black Panther and If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Director: Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman
Best Actress: Elsie Fisher in Eighth Grade
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Minding the Gap

Columbus Film Critics Association (COFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ben Foster in Leave No Trace
Best Documentary: Shirkers

Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official twitter
Best Film: A Star is Born
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Christian Bale in Vice
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS1)
Official Site
Nominations: article
Winners: article
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Detroit Film Critics Society (DFCS2)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Twitter
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film:  Eighth Grade
Best Director: Adam McKay for Vice
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Three Identical Strangers

Dublin Film Critics Circle (DFCC)
Winners: article
Best Film: A Star is Born
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Lady Gaga in A Star is Born
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born
Best Documentary: Three Identical Strangers

Entertainment Weekly (EW)
Home
Best movies of 2018 article
Best Film:  The Favorite

Filmcomment Film Society of Lincoln Center (FFSLC)
Official Site
Best Films of 2018 article
Best Film: Zama

Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: The Favourite
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Melissa McCarthy in Can You Forgive Me?
Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix in You Were Never Really Here
Best Documentary: Shirkers

Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (Dorian Awards) (GALECA)
Official Site
Nominations: article
Winners: article
Best Film: The Favourite
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: A Star is Born
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

The Guardian UK Top 10 films (TGUS and TGUK)
Official Site
UK Countdown
US Countdown
Best Film UK: Roma
Best Film US: Roma

The Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS)
facebook
Nominations:  article
Winners: article
Best Film: The Favourite
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Christian Bale in Vice
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Indiana Film Journalist Association (IFJA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: The Hate U Give
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Amandla Stenberg in The Hate U Give
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Indiewire Annual Critics Survey Voted by over 232 critics from 32 countries (IW)
Official Site
Best of 2018 article
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Minding the Gap

Iowa Film Critics Association (IFCA)
Winners: article
Best Film: The Favourite
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC)
Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film: (tie) Roma and The Favourite
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: (tie) Ethan Hawke in First Reformed and Christian Bale in Vice
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Lady Gaga in A Star is Born
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society (LAOFCS)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: The Hate U Give
Best Director: Lynne Ramsey for You Were Never Really Here and Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

London Film Critics Circle (LFCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Faces Places

National Association of Film Critics (NAFC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: A Star is Born
Best Director: Damien Chazelle for First Man
Best Actress: Viola Davis in Widows and Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen in Green Book
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

National Society of Film Critics (NSFC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: The Rider
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favorite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Minding the Gap

Nevada Film Critics Society (NFCS)
Official Site
Winners:  Official Site
Best Film: Green Book
Best Director: Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman
Best Actress: tie Nicole Kidman in Destroyer and Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Christian Bale in Vice
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

New Mexico Film Critics (NMXFC)
Official Site
Winners: Official twitter
Best Film: The Favourite
Best Director: Yorgos Lanthimos for The Favourite
Best Actress: Glenn Close in The Wife
Best Actor: Victor Polster in Girl
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site Official twitter 
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA)
facebook
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Green Book
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC)
Official Site Facebook
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Yalitza Aparicio in Roma
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Online Association of Female Film Critics (OAFFC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director:  tie - Alfonso Cuarón for Roma and Lynne Ramsay for You Were Never Really Here
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favorite
Best Actor: Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Online Film Critics Society (OFCS)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Barry Jenkins for If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Actress: Viola Davis in Widows
Best Actor: Christan Bale in Vice
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: article
Best Film: The Favourite
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Green Book
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Lady Gaga in A Star is Born
Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen in Green Book
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

RollingStone Magazine (RS)
Home
Peter Travers 20 Best Movies article
Best Film: Roma
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official twitter
Best Film: A Star is Born
Best Director:  Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS)
Official Site
Nominations:  Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Leave No Trace
Best Director: Debra Granik for Leave No Trace
Best Actress: Glen Close in The Wife
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Three Identical Strangers

San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCC)
Official Site
Nominations:  Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman
Best Actress: Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in Best Reformed
Best Documentary:  Won't You Be My Neighbor?

ScreenDaily UK Magazine (SD)
Home

Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Free Solo

Sight&Sound Film Magazine (164 International Critics) (S&S)
Home
The Best Films of 2018 article
Best Film: Roma
Best Documentary: Shirkers

Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA)
Official Site Awards Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official twitter
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Elsie Fisher in Eighth Grade
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Vancouver Film Critics Circle (VFCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Paul Schrader for First Reformed
Best Actress: (tie) Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Olivia Colman in The Favourite and Regina Hall in Support the Girls
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: Minding the Gap

The Washington DC Area Film Critics (WAFCA)
Official Site
Winners: Official Site
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón for Roma
Best Actress: Lady Gaga in A Star is Born
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born
Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC)
Official Site
Nominations: Official Site
Winners: Magazine article Official Site
Best Film: The Favourite
Best Director: n/a
Best Actress: Olivia Colman in The Favourite
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Best Documentary: RGB

Tally

The following is a summary with winners in the five main categories. Tally will be update when each group makes their announcement.

Best Film
26 - Roma (NYFCC, WAFCA, CFCA, PFCC, RS, LAFCA, SFFCC, TFCA, NYFCO, S&S, LVFCS, OAFFC, IW, SEFCA, VFCC, SFCS, KCFCC, TGUS, TGUK, OFCC, OFCS, NCFCA, AWFJ, BFCA, DFCS1, LFCC)
10 - The Favourite (AFCC, EW, NMXFC, PCC, KCFCC, FFCC, WFCC, HFCS, IFCA, GALECA)
5 - Green Book (NBR, NTFCA, NFCS, PFCS, HFPA)
5- A Star is Born (StLFCA, DFWFCA, DFCC, GAFCA, NAFC)
5 - If Beale Street Could talk (BSFC, COFCA, IPA, AFCA, CIFCC)
3 - Black Panther (AAFCA, BFCC, CIFCC)
2 - The Hate U Give (LAOFCS, IFJA)
1 - Eighth Grade (DFCS2)
1 - Leave No Trace (SDFCS)
1 - You Were Never Really There (BOFCA)
1 - Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse (UFCA)
1 - The Rider (NSFC)
1 - Bohemian Rhapsody (HFPA)

Best Director
35 - Alfonso Cuarón (NYFCC, AFCC, WAFCA, CFCA, TFCA, NYFCO, LVFCS, OAFFC, PCC, UFCA, IW, SEFCA, SFCS, DFWFCA, IFJA, KCFCC, NTFCA, DFCC, PFCS, FFCC, OFCC, OFCS, HFCS, IFCA, COFCA, NCFCA, IPA, NSFC, GALECA, HFPA, AWFJ, BFCA, DFCS1, GAFCA, LFCC)
5- Spike Lee (LAOFCS, SFFCC, StLFCA, NFCS, CIFCC)
4- Lynne Ramsey (LAOFCS, BOFCA, OAFFC, BSFC)
2- Debra Granik (LAFCA, SDFCS)
2- Ryan Coogler (AAFCA, BFCC)
2- Barry Jenkins (PFCC, AFCA)
1- Bradley Cooper (NBR)
1- Adam McKay (DFCS2)
1- Yorgos Lanthimos (NMXFC)
1- Paul Schrader (VFCC)
1- Damien Chazelle (NAFC)

Best Actress
21- Olivia Colman (AFCC, LAFCA, TFCA, OAFFC, IW, SEFCA, VFCC, DFWFCA, KCFCC, WFCC, IFCA, COFCA, NCFCA, IPA, NSFC, AFCA, GALECA, HFPA, AWFJ, DFCS1, LFCC)
10- Toni Collette (DFCS2, LAOFCS, CFCA, BOFCA, StLFCA, SFCS, NTFCA, NFCS, OFCS, HFCS, GAFCA)
7- Melissa McCarthy (SFFCC, NYFCO, BSFC, PCC, VFCC, FFCC, NAFC)
6- Lady Gaga (NBR, WAFCA, LVFCS, DFCC, PFCS, BFCA)
5- Glenn Close (NMXFC, SDFCS, IPA, HFPA, BFCA)
3- Regina Hall (NYFCC, AAFCA, VFCC)
3- Viola Davis (PFCC, BFCC, NAFC)
2- Elsie Fisher (UFCA, CIFCC)
1- Amandla Stenberg (IFJA)
1- Nicole Kidman (NFCS)
1- Yalitza Aparicio (OFCC)

Best Actor
32 - Ethan Hawke (NYFCC, DFCS2, AFCC, CFCA, LAFCA, SFFCC, TFCA, NYFCO, SDFCS, LVFCS, BOFCA, StLFCA, PCC, UFCA, IW, SEFCA, VFCC, SFCS, IFJA, KCFCC, OFCC, OFCS, WFCC, NCFCA, NSFC, AFCA, GALECA, AWFJ, DFCS1, GAFCA, LFCC, CIFCC)
7- Christian Bale (PFCC, DFWFCA, KCFCC, NFCS, HFCS, HFPA, BFCA)
6- Rami Malek (LAOFCS, OAFFC, NTFCA, IFCA, IPA, HFPA)
3- Bradley Cooper (WAFCA, DFCC, BFCC)
3- Viggo Mortensen (NBR, PFCS, NAFC)
1- Victor Polster (NMXFC)
1- John David Washington (AAFCA)
1- John C. Reilly (BSFC)
1- Joaquin Phoenix (FFCC)
1- Ben Foster (COFCA)
1- Willem Dafoe (IPA)

Best Documentary
36 - Won't You Be My Neighbor? (AFCC, WAFCA, LAOFCS, PFCC, RS, SFFCC, TFCA, NYFCO, NMXFC, BFCA, LVFCS, BOFCA, OAFFC, BSFC, StLFCA, PCC, UFCA, SEFCA, DFWFCA, IFJA, KCFCC, NTFCA, NFCS, PFCS, OFCC, OFCS, HFCS, IFCA, NCFCA, AFCA, GALECA, AWFJ, BFCA, DFCS1, GAFCA, NAFC)
7- Minding the Gap (NYFCC, CFCA, IW, VFCC, IPA, NSFC, CIFCC)
4- Shirkers (LAFCA, S&S, FFCC, COFCA)
3- Three Identical Strangers (DFCS2, SDFCS, DFCC)
2- Quincy (AAFCA, BFCC)
2- RBG (NBR, WFCC)
1- Free Solo (SFCS)
1- Faces Places (LFCC)

28th Annual IFP Gotham Award Winners

Last night, November 26th, the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) announced the winners of the current edition of the annual Gotham Awards at a ceremony held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

The awards ceremony had a live stream and if you wish to check it today, Tuesday November 27th is still playable at IFP facebook site here.

Most industry and entertainment news dispatches are manifesting their "surprise" with the top winner but then they probably forgot that film was in 2017 Cannes at the Quinzaine where won the International Confederation of Art Cinemas (C.I.C.A.E.) Art Cine Award, an award that undoubtedly assures film is artful and perhaps the CICAE jury decision speaks better about the winning film:

"For the creative combination of documentary and fiction, sensitively involving the viewer into the movie, by building the strong empathy with the characters, also for showing American mythology in an unexpected way."

The Rider by Chloé Zhao won best feature and beat award season favorite contenders like The Favourite, First Reformed, and If Beale Street Could Talk.  In my book defeating Yorgos Lanthimos and Steve McQueen is absolutely outstanding.  Congrats!

Do not believe film honor at an independent awards from the East Coast will assure honors in the West Coast, not at Oscars nor at Spirit Awards where it wasn't nominated because it was nominated last year! Sigh.

Not really surprised with Best Actress winner even do was expecting Glenn Close in The Wife to win but award went to Toni Collette in Hereditary, a performances that has positively captivated many film critics and audiences.  Emma Stone, Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz were not nominated for best actress category as the three won the ensemble performance Special Gotham Jury Award for their outstanding performance in The Favourite.

This year, Rachel Weisz, Willem Dafoe, Paul Greengrass and Jon Kamen all received the Gotham Awards' 2018 Tributes.  Sandra Lee was honored with the Made in NY award.

These are all the award winners.

Best Feature: The Rider, Chloé Zhao
Best Documentary: Hale County This Morning, This Evening, RaMell Ross

Breakthrough Director Award: Bo Burnham for Eighth Grade

Best Actress: Toni Collette in Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in First Reformed
Breakthrough Actor: Elsie Fisher in Eighth Grade
Special Jury Award - Ensemble Performance: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz in The Favourite

Best Screenplay: Paul Scharader for First Reformed 

Audience Award : Won't You Be My Neighbor?, Morgan Neville

TV Categories
Breakthrough Series - Long Form: Killing Eve, Phoebe Waller-Bridge creator
Breakthrough Series - Short Form: 195 Lewis, Rae Leone Allen creator

Here is the moment when Patricia Clarkson announces the Best Feature winner.