4th Annual Black Film Critics Circle Awards

The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) announced their awards on December 22nd, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to ZERO DARK THIRTY, directed and co-produced by Kathryn Bigelow who also won the award for Best Director.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture: ZERO DARK THIRTY

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (LINCOLN)

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (LES MISÉRABLES)

Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio (ARGO)

Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda (LIFE OF PI)

Best Foreign Film: THE INTOUCHABLES

Best Documentary: THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE

Best Animated Film: RISE OF THE GAURDIANS

Best Ensemble: LINCOLN

7th Annual Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards

The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) announced their awards on December 23rd, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to ARGO, directed by Ben Affleck who also won the Best Director award. The Not-So-Obviously Worst Movie award went to Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. I don’t know whether they are calling it obviously worst or even worst, they’re wrong. Prometheus was one of the wonderful films of 2012.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Top Ten Films: 

1. Argo


2. Zero Dark Thirty


3. Moonrise Kingdom


4. Django Unchained


5. Silver Linings Playbook


6. Beasts of the Southern Wild


7. The Master


8. Lincoln


9. Looper


10. Les Misérables

Best Director: Ben Affleck (Argo)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Best Original Screenplay: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio (Argo)

Best Animated Film: Wreck-It Ralph

Best Documentary: Searching for Sugar Man

Best Foreign Language Film: Amour

Best First Feature: Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

Best Guilty Pleasure: 21 Jump Street

Best Body of Work: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Dark Knight Rises; Lincoln; Looper)

Obviously Worst Movie: That’s My Boy

Not-So-Obviously Worst Movie: Prometheus

2nd Annual Nevada Film Critics Society Awards

The Nevada Film Critics Society (NFCS) announced their awards on December 23rd, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to ARGO, directed by Ben Affleck, who also won the Best Director award and shared it with ZERO DARK THIRTY’s director and co-producer Kathryn Bigelow.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: Argo

Best Director (TIE): Ben Affleck (Argo); Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Actor: John Hawkes (The Sessions)

Best Actress (TIE): Helen Hunt (The Sessions); Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

Best Supporting Actress: Sally Field (Lincoln)

Best Youth Performance: Tom Holland (The Impossible)

Best Ensemble Cast: Lincoln

Best Animated Movie: Frankenweenie

Best Production Design: Les Misérables

Best Cinematography: Life of Pi

Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi

11th Annual Utah Film Critics Association Awards

The Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) announced their awards on December 20th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to ZERO DARK THIRTY, directed and co-produced by Kathryn Bigelow. Whereas the Best Director award went to Wes Anderson for MOONRISE KINGDOM which is surprising and good! Other important things to notice are the Best Non-English Feature and Best Documentary Feature categories, both of these wins are unexpected.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture:

• Winner: Zero Dark Thirty


• Runner-up: Looper

Best Achievement in Directing:

• Winner: Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom)


• Runner-up: Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Lead Performance by an Actor:

• Winner: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)


• Runner-ups: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln); John Hawkes (The Sessions)

Best Lead Performance by an Actress:

• Winners (TIE): Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook); Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Supporting Performance by an Actor:

• Winner: Dwight Henry (Beasts of the Southern Wild)


• Runner-up: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Best Supporting Performance by an Actress:

• Winner: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)


• Runner-up: Ann Dowd (Compliance)

Best Original Screenplay:

• Winner: Rian Johnson (Looper)


• Runner-up: Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods)

Best Adapted Screenplay:

• Winner: Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)


• Rrunner-up: David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Cinematography:

• Winner: Roger Deakins (Skyfall)


• Runner-up: Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)

Best Documentary Feature:

• Winner: Indie Game: The Movie


• Runner-up: The Invisible War

Best Non-English Language Feature:

• Winner: Headhunters


• Runner-up: Amour

Best Animated Feature:

• Winner: ParaNorman


• Runner-ups: Frankenweenie;  Wreck-It Ralph

9th Annual Women Film Critics Circle Awards

The Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC) announced its awards in December 2012 with giving away the top prize to A ROYAL AFFAIR.

Here is the complete list of winners:

BEST MOVIE ABOUT WOMEN: A Royal Affair

BEST MOVIE BY A WOMAN: Zero Dark Thirty

BEST WOMAN STORYTELLER [Screenwriting Award]: Julie Delpy (Two Days In NY)

BEST ACTRESS: Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)

BEST ACTOR: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

BEST YOUNG ACTRESS: Quvenzhanee Wallis (Beast Of The Southern Wild)

BEST COMEDIC ACTRESS: Maggie Smith (Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)

BEST FOREIGN FILM BY OR ABOUT WOMEN: Where Do We Go Now

BEST FEMALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE: Zero Dark Thirty

WORST FEMALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE (TIE): Killer Joe;  Think Like A Man

BEST MALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE: Lincoln

WORST MALE IMAGES IN A MOVIE: Killer Joe

BEST THEATRICALLY UNRELEASED MOVIE BY OR ABOUT WOMEN: Hemingway And Gellhorn

BEST EQUALITY OF THE SEXES: Zero Dark Thirty

BEST ANIMATED FEMALES: Brave

BEST FAMILY FILM (TIE): Life Of Pi; Rise Of The Guardians

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Barbra Streisand

ACTING AND ACTIVISM.AWARD: Sally Field

ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD - For a film that most passionately opposes violence against women (TIE): Compliance; The Invisible War

JOSEPHINE BAKER AWARD - For best expressing the woman of color experience in America: Middle Of Nowhere

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

COURAGE IN ACTING - Taking on unconventional roles that radically redefine the images of women on-screen: Helen Hunt (The Sessions)

THE INVISIBLE WOMAN AWARD - Performance by a woman whose exceptional impact on the film dramatically, socially or historically, has been ignored: Helen Mirren (Hitchcock)

BEST DOCUMENTARY BY OR ABOUT A WOMAN: Queen Of Versailles

WOMEN’S WORK: BEST ENSEMBLE: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

BEST SCREEN COUPLE: Bill Murray and Frances McDormand (Moonrise Kingdom)

WFCC HALL OF SHAME

Bachelorette with Kirsten Dunst, had all sorts of ditzy former high school classmates getting together for the wedding of a girl they used to make fun of. Just stupid on so many levels: male strippers, drinking, general girly silliness.

Ici-Bas [Down Below]. Rape romance: A raped nun (Celine Sallette) falls in love with her rapist.

Skyfall: 'Bond Girl' is only on screen long enough to sell trailers and products like OPI's 'Skyfall Collection' of nail polishes, and gets bumped off at the end of Act II; M turns into a cowering incompetent and gets bumped off at the end of Act III; and the female sharp-shooter in Act I loses her nerve and leaves 'Field Operations' to become an office assistant in Act III. I loved the Sean Connery/James Bond films as a kid. Women got to be part of the action; the Bond Girl was always there to celebrate success at the end. But as a 50th anniversary tribute to the Bond series made in 2012, Skyfall truly broke my heart!

MOMMIE DEAREST WORST SCREEN MOM OF THE YEAR AWARD: Helena Bonham Carter (Les Miserables)

BEST LINE IN A MOVIE: "...You can't kill the animals in a movie, only the women." — Christopher Walken (Seven Psychopaths)

JUST KIDDING AWARD - Best Male Images In A Movie: Magic Mike

19th Annual Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA) announced their awards on December 18th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to LINCOLN, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg. Whereas the Best Diretor award went to Kathryn Bigelow for ZERO DARK THIRTY.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: Lincoln

Top Ten Films:

1. Lincoln


2. Argo


3. Zero Dark Thirty


4. Life of Pi


5. Les Misérables


6. Moonrise Kingdom


7. Silver Linings Playbook


8. Skyfall


9. The Master


10. Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

Runner-ups:

• Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)


• Ben Affleck (Argo)


• Ang Lee (Life of Pi)


• Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Runner-ups:

• Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)


• John Hawkes (The Sessions)


• Hugh Jackman (Les Misérables)


• Denzel Washington (Flight)

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

Runner-ups:

• Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)


• Helen Mirren (Hitchcock)


• Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)


• Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)


• Naomi Watts (The Impossible)

Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

Runner-ups:

• Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)


• Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)


• Alan Arkin (Argo)


• Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Supporting Actress: Sally Field (Lincoln)

Runner-ups:

• Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)


• Amy Adams (The Master)


• Helen Hunt (The Sessions)


• Ann Dowd (Compliance)

Best Foreign Film: Amour

Runner-ups:

• A Royal Affair


• The Intouchables


• Holy Motors


• The Kid With a Bike

17th Annual Florida Film Critics Circle Awards

The Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) announced their awards on December 18th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to ARGO, directed by Ben Affleck who also won the award for Best Director.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Picture: Argo

Director: Ben Affleck (Argo)

Leading Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Leading Actress: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio (Argo)

Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson (Looper)

Cinematography: Roger Deakins (Skyfall)

Visual Effects: Life of Pi

Art Direction/Production Design: Thomas Brown, et. Al, and Sarah Greenwood (Anna Karenina)

Foreign Language Film: The Intouchables

Animated Film: Frankenweenie

Documentary Film: The Queen Of Versailles

Breakout Performance: Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

13th Annual Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards

The Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) announced their awards on December 18th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to ARGO, directed by Ben Affleck. Whereas the Best Director award went to Kathryn Bigelow for ZERO DARK THIRTY.

Key point: The Avengers is in TOP TEN FILMS!

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture: Argo

Top Ten Films:

• Argo


• The Avengers


• Beasts of the Southern Wild


• Les Misérables


• Life of Pi


• Lincoln


• Moonrise Kingdom


• Silver Linings Playbook


• Skyfall


• Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Best Ensemble Acting: Moonrise Kingdom

Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom)

Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium: Chris Terrio (Argo)

Best Live Action Family Film: Life of Pi

Overlooked Film of the Year: Safety Not Guaranteed

Best Animated Film: Wreck-It Ralph

Best Foreign Language Film: The Intouchables

Best Documentary: Searching for Sugar Man

Best Original Song: Skyfall by Adele (Skyfall)

Best Original Score: Thomas Newman (Skyfall)

Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)

Best Film Editing: William Goldenberg (Argo)

Best Production Design: Moonrise Kingdom

Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina

Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi

Best Stunts: Skyfall

Breakthrough Performance on Camera: Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

Breakthrough Performance Behind the Camera: Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

Best Youth Performance in a Lead or Supporting Role - Male: Tom Holland (The Impossible)

Best Youth Performance in a Lead or Supporting Role - Female: Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

8th Annual Austin Film Critics Association Awards

The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) announced their awards on December 18th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to Kathryn Bigelow’s direction and co-production ZERO DARK THIRTY. Whereas the Best Director award went to Paul Thomas Anderson for THE MASTER.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master)

Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson (Looper)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio (Argo)

Best Cinematography: Mihai Malaimare, Jr. (The Master)

Best Score: Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek, and Tom Tykwer (Cloud Atlas)

Best Foreign Language Film: Holy Motors

Best Documentary: The Imposter

Best Animated Film: Wreck-It Ralph

Best First Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Austin Film: Bernie

Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award: Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

Special Honorary Award: Matthew McConaughey, for his exceptional work in four films this year (Bernie, Killer Joe, Magic Mike, and The Paperboy)

AFCA 2012 Top Ten Films:

1. Zero Dark Thirty


2. Argo


3. Moonrise Kingdom


4. Django Unchained


5. Cloud Atlas


6. Holy Motors


7. Beasts of the Southern Wild


8. The Master


9. Silver Linings Playbook


10. Looper

16th Annual Toronto Film Critics Association Awards

The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) announced their awards on December 18th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to THE MASTER, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson who also won the award for Best Screenplay and Best Director.

Key point: Gina Gershon wins her first critic Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Killer Joe.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: The Master

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master)

Best Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master)

Best Actress: Rachel Weisz (The Deep Blue Sea)

Best Actor: Denis Lavant (Holy Motors)

Best Supporting Actress: Gina Gershon (Killer Joe)

Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Best First Feature (TIE): Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild); Panos Cosmatos (Beyond the Black Rainbow)

Allan King Documentary Award: Stories We Tell

Best Animated Film: ParaNorman

Best Foreign Language Film: Amour

Rogers Best Canadian Film Award Finalists: Bestiaire; Goon; Stories We Tell

21st Annual Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards

The Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) announced their awards on December 17th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to ARGO, directed by Ben Affleck who also won the Best Director award.

Here is the complete list of winners:

TOP TEN FILMS OF 2012:

1. Argo


2. Zero Dark Thirty


3. Lincoln


4. Moonrise Kingdom


5. Silver Linings Playbook


6. Beasts of the Southern Wild


7. The Master


8. Les Misérables


9. Life of Pi


10. The Dark Knight Rises

BEST DIRECTOR:

• Winner: Ben Affleck (Argo)


• Runner-up: Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

BEST ACTOR:

• Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)


• Runner-up: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)

BEST ACTRESS:

• Winner: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)


• Runner-up: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

• Winner: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)


• Runner-up: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

• Winner: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)


• Runner-up: Sally Field (Lincoln)

BEST ENSEMBLE:

• Winner: Lincoln


• Runner-up: Moonrise Kingdom

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

• Winner: Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom)


• Runner-up: Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

• Winner: Chris Terrio (Argo)


• Runner-up: Tony Kushner (Lincoln)

BEST DOCUMENTARY:

• Winner: The Queen of Versailles


• Runner-up: Bully

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM:

• Winner: The Intouchables


• Runner-up: Amour

BEST ANIMATED FILM:

• Winner: ParaNorman


• Runner-up: Frankenweenie

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

• Winner: Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)


• Runner-up: Roger Deakins (Skyfall)

GENE WYATT AWARD for FILM THAT BEST EVOKES THE SPIRIT OF THE SOUTH:

• Winner: Beasts of the Southern Wild


• Runner-up: Bernie

9th Annual St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards

The St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association announced their awards on December 17th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to ARGO, directed by Ben Affleck who also won the award for Best Director.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: ARGO

Best Director: Ben Affleck (ARGO)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (LINCOLN)

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

Best Supporting Actress (TIE): Ann Dowd (COMPLIANCE); Helen Hunt (THE SESSIONS)

Best Original Screenplay: Mark Boal (ZERO DARK THRITY)

Best Adapted Screenplay (TIE): David Magee (LIFE OF PI); David O. Russell (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins (SKYFALL)

Best Visual Effects: Rhythm & Hues Studios (LIFE OF PI)

Best Music Score/Soundtrack (TIE): DJANGO UNCHAINED; MOONRISE KINGDOM

Best Foreign Language Film: THE INTOUCHABLES

Best Documentary: SEARCHING FOR A SUGAR MAN

Best Animated Film: WRECK-IT RALPH

Best Comedy (TIE): MOONRISE KINGDOM; TED

Best Art House/Festival Film (TIE): SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED; COMPLIANCE

Best Scene (TIE BETWEEN 4):

• The “bag head” bag/mask problems scene (DJANGO UNCHAINED)


• Anthony Hopkins in lobby conducting to music/audience’s reaction during “Psycho” screening (HITCHCOCK)


• Opening tsunami scene (THE IMPOSSIBLE)


• The first “processing” questioning scene between Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix (THE MASTER)

4th Annual Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards

The Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) announced their awards on December 17th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED, directed by Colin Trevorrow. This is a surprising news, as it is a first critic win for this film. I WAS NOT EXPECTING IT AT ALL!

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film:

• Winner: SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED


• Runner-up: BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Best Director:

• Winner: Quentin Tarantino (DJANGO UNCHAINED)


• Runner-up: Kathryn Bigelow (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Actor:

• Winner (tie): Bradley Cooper (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK); Daniel Day-Lewis (LINCOLN)

Best Actress:

• Winner: Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY)


• Runner-up: Jennifer Lawrence (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

Best Supporting Actor:

• Winner: Tommy Lee Jones (LINCOLN)


• Runner-up: Christoph Waltz (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

Best Supporting Actress:

• Winner: Anne Hathaway (LES MISÉRABLES)


• Runner-up: Helen Hunt (THE SESSIONS)

Best Adapted Screenplay:

• Winner: Stephen Chbosky (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER)


• Runner-up: David O. Russell (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

Best Original Screenplay:

• Winner: Derek Connolly (SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED)


• Runner-up: Quentin Tarantino (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

Best Musical Score:

• Winner: Thomas Newman (SKYFALL)


• Runner-up: Mychael Danna (LIFE OF PI)

Best Animated Feature:

• Winner: RISE OF THE GUARDIANS


• Runner-up: PARANORMAN

Best Foreign Language Film:

• Winner: THE RAID: REDEMPTION


• Runner-up: AMOUR

Best Documentary:

• Winner: SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN


• Runner-up: ROOM 237

Original Vision Award: 

• Winner: BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD


• Runner-up: DJANGO UNCHAINED

The Hoosier Award: Jon Vickers (FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY CINEMA)

25th Annual Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) announced their awards on December 17th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to ZERO DARK THIRTY, directed and co-produced by Kathryn Bigelow, who also won the Best Director award making her film the bigget winner of the night with FIVE awards including Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: ZERO DARK THIRTY

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (LINCOLN)

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman (THE MASTER)

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (THE MASTER)

Best Foreign Language Film: AMOUR

Best Animated Film: PARANORMAN

Best Documnetary: THE INVISIBLE WAR

Best Adapted Screenplay: Tony Kushner (LINCOLN)

Best Original Screenplay: Mark Boal (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Art Direction: Adam Stockhausen (MOONRISE KINGDOM)

Best Original Score: Jonny Greenwood (THE MASTER)

Best Cinematography: Mihai Malăimare Jr. (THE MASTER)

Best Editing: William Goldenberg & Dylan Tichenor (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Most Promising Filmmaker: Benh Zeitlin (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)

Most Promising Performer: Quvenzhané Wallis (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)

10th Annual African-American Film Critics Association Awards

The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced their awards on December 16th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to ZERO DARK THIRTY, directed and co-produced by Kathryn Bigelow whereas the Best Director award went to Ben Affleck for ARGO.

Key points: Denzel Washington wins his first critic award for his role as William Whitaker in 2012 film Flight; Emayatzy Corinealdi wins her first critic Best Actress award for her role as in Middle of Nowhere; Ava DuVernay wins her first critic Best Screenplay award for Middle of Nowhere.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture: Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director: Ben Affleck (Argo)

Best Actor: Denzel Washington (Flight)

Best Actress: Emayatzy Corinealdi (Middle of Nowhere)

Best Supporting Actress: Sally Field (Lincoln)

Best Supporting Actor: Nate Parker (Arbitrage)

Best Foreign Film: The Intouchables

Breakout Performance: Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

Best Screenplay: Ava DuVernay (Middle of Nowhere)

Best Music: Kathryn Bostic & Morgan Rhodes (Middle of Nowhere)

Best Independent Film: Middle of Nowhere

Best Animation: Rise of the Guardians

Best Documentary (tied): The House I Live In; Versailles ’73

Top Ten Films 0f 2012:

1. Zero Dark Thirty


2. Argo


3. Lincoln


4. Middle of Nowhere


5. Life of Pi


6. Les Misérables


7. Django Unchained


8. Beasts of the Southern Wild


9. Moonrise Kingdom


10. Think Like a Man

46th Annual Kansas City Film Critics Circle Loutzenhiser Awards

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) announced their 46th annual Loutzenhiser awards on December 16th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to Paul Thomas Anderson’s direction THE MASTER. Best Director award went to Ang Lee for LIFE OF PI.

Here is the complete list of the winners:

Best Film: The Master

Robert Altman Award for Best Director: Ang Lee (Life of Pi)

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio (Argo)

Best Original Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master)

Best Foreign Language Film: Amour (Austria/France)

Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror Film: The Cabin in the Woods

Best Animated Film: Frankenweenie

Best Documentary: The Imposter

11th Annual San Francisco Film Critics Cricle Awards

The San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCS) announced their awards on December 16th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture to THE MASTER, written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson whereas the Best Director award went to Kathryn Bigelow for ZERO DARK THIRTY.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture: The Master

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Foreign Film: Amour

Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)

Best Actress: Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)

Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

Best Supporting Actress: Helen Hunt (The Sessions)

Best Original Screenplay: Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Tony Kushner (Lincoln)

Best Film Editing: William Goldenberg (Argo)

Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)

Best Production Design: Adam Stockhausen (Moonrise Kingdom)

Best Animated Feature: ParaNorman

Best Documentary:  The Waiting Room

17th Annual Satellite Awards

The International Press Academy (IPA) announced their 17th annual Satellite Awards on December 16th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to Silver Linings Playbook, written and directed by David O. Russell, who also won the Best Director award which made his film the biggest winner of the night with total 5 wins including Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Film Editing.

This is an extremely shocking news because there are so many stronger contenders than Silver Linings Playbook such as Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, Argo and The Master. Best Actor went to Bradley Cooper instead of Daniel Day-Lewis or Joaquin Phoenix whereas Best Actress went to Jennifer Lawrence instead of Jessica Chastain or Emmanuelle Riva. I’m not saying that Cooper and Lawrence aren’t great actors, they both are awesome, and I love their acting and their personality both. And even if they have won, I’m still quite happy because the Academy is giving away recognition to young actors which is such a great initiative.

Another thing to notice is that Best Foreign Language Film award went to The Intouchables and Pietà (tied) instead of French drama film, Amour.

Key Point: Javier Bardem wins his first Best Supporting award for his role as Raoul Silva in Skyfall.

Television wins are quite great this year and I’m completely satisfied with them as they are exactly as I expected them to be!

Here is the complete list of winners:

MOVIES:

Best Film: SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Best Director: David O. Russell (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

Best Actor: Bradley Cooper (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem (SKYFALL)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (LES MISÉRABLES)

Best Original Screenplay: Mark Boal (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Adapted Screenplay: David Magee (LIFE OF PI)

Best Animated or Mixed Media Film: RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

Best Foreign Language Film: THE INTOUCHABLES (FRANCE); PIETÀ (SOUTH KOREA)

Best Documentary Film: CHASING ICE

Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda (LIFE OF PI)

Best Original Score: Alexandre Desplat (ARGO)

Best Original Song: Suddenly (LES MISÉRABLES)

Best Visual Effects: FLIGHT

Best Art Direction and Production Design: LINCOLN

Best Film Editing: SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Best Sound (Mixing and Editing): LES MISÉRABLES

Best Costume Design: A ROYAL AFFAIR

Best Ensemble (Cast): LES MISÉRABLES

TELEVISION:

Best Miniseries or TV Film: HATFIELDS & MCCOYS

Best Genre Series: THE WALKING DEAD

Best Drama Series: HOMELAND

Best Comedy or Musical Series: THE BIG BANG THEORY

Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film: Benedict Cumberbatch (SHERLOCK)

Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Film: Julianne Moore (GAME CHANGE)

Best Actor in a Drama Series: Damian Lewis (HOMELAND)

Best Actress in a Drama Series: Claire Danes (HOMELAND)

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Series: Johnny Galecki (THE BIG BANG THEORY)

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Series: Kaley Cuoco (THE BIG BANG THEORY)

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or TV Film: Neal McDonough (JUSTIFIED)

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or TV Film: Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)

Film Review: Amour (2012)

My rating: ★★★★★

EXCEPTIONAL.

Everything has to come to an end but what does not end is your inevitable love; this is the lesson that I learned today. Winner of the Golden Palm at 2012 Cannes Film Festival, written and directed by Michael Haneke, Amour is a meticulous, demanding and a delicate psychological drama with a story and narrative beyond your imagination. The beginning is a mere proof that something is going to happen in the end, but how it would, and more importantly, WHY it would, reveals in the film through old memories, poetry and heart-warming conversations. A lot of people may not like this movie and think of it as garbage, which I know would happen but let me put it this way: Not everyone can understand the true meaning of this film. You have to understand what is going on, you have to think of the story from everyone’s perspective which requires your attention, demands your concentration because the real meaning is hidden in those delicate and usual conversations between the old couple, Georges and Anne whom are played by Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva respectively. Emmanuelle Riva’s performance is out of this world, and I’m quite disappointed in myself that I had never heard of her before. The way she has carried out her role throughout the film seems ridiculously natural and it makes you feel so bad to see her like that.

The film’s plot is based on an identical situation that happened in Haneke’s family and I think that fact makes this film so close to him and that’s why he was able to turn it into a wonderful piece of love as the title explains itself. This film has a slow-pace and it keeps going at the same pace until the end and is still able to offer so much which is both magical and thought-provoking. Why is it thought-provoking? Because it made me think that God forbid it happens to me, anyone I know (i.e. my family member or a friend) or even anyone I don’t know at all, it would be so hard for them to go through all of this. I felt terrible for the couple at times, as Eva (the couple’s daughter who is married and is also going through a rough phase so she doesn’t get much time to visit her parents) asks Georges about Anne’s worsening condition to which he replies that, “Things will go on as they have done up until now. They’ll go from bad to worse. Things will go on, and then one day it will all be over.” This line moved me especially what Georges did which requires more than courage to do to someone you love more than your own life. How hard it is to lose someone you have loved your whole life but one day, all of a sudden, it all ends and you have no idea what to do with your life anymore because you’re old, you’re tired of everything and you want nothing but your loved one for the rest of your life and that is the only thing you can’t get. How hard it could be to endure this, which I cannot even think of imagining because it is one of the hardest things to do, to be able learn to live without someone you have loved your entire life because you give up eventually and you are not able find any purpose to live any more.

Michael Haneke has done a wonderful job on this film, it really deserves to be appreciated by every film lover and even if you don’t watch films, you still need to watch this, because it has a strong message for everybody including me: A message of love, affection and commitment, which has been delivered properly. Amour has also taught me to love my parents even more, to be there for them at all times because they are an essential part of our lives, they sacrifice their own happiness for us because they want to see us happy but we don’t give them anything in return when the tables are turned which is dreadful. What could be better than this compliment that after watching this film I went downstairs and hugged my parents and told them how much I love them. I thank Michael Haneke for teaching me the true meaning of love. This is an extremely tough film to watch at some points, and it gave me chills on more than one occasions. Amour is easily one of the best and greatest films of the year 2012.

17th Annual San Diego Film Critics Society Awards

The San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) announced their awards on December 11th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film Award to Argo, directed by Ben Affleck who also won the award for Best Director. This is very great to see Affleck getting appreciation for his work.

Key point: Michelle Williams gets her first critic award for Take This Waltz.

Here is the complete list of winners:

BEST FILM: Argo

BEST DIRECTOR: Ben Affleck (Argo)

BEST ACTOR: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

BEST ACTRESS: Michelle Williams (Take This Waltz)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

BEST ANIMATED FILM: ParaNorman

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: The Kid With a Bike

BEST DOCUMENTARY: The Invisible War

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Chris Terrio (Argo)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Hugh Bateup and Uli Hanisch (Cloud Atlas)

BEST EDITING: William Goldenberg (Argo)

BEST SCORE: Jonny Greenwood (The Master)

6th Annual Detroit Film Critics Society Awards

The Detroit Film Critics Society (DFCS) announced their awards on December 14th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to Silver Linings Playbook, written and directed by David O. Russell, who also won the Best Director award, making his film the biggest winner of the night with total 5 wins including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Screenplay. I must say that I’m quite surprised by the critics’ picks this year, because they didn’t give away any award to Zero Dark Thirty which is one of the strongest contenders this season.

Key points: No Best Director nomination for Steven Spielberg; not a single nomination for Life of Pi.

Here is the complete list of winners:

BEST FILM:

• Winner: Silver Linings Playbook


• Argo


• The Impossible


• Take This Waltz


• Zero Dark Thirty

BEST DIRECTOR:

• Winner: David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)


• Ben Affleck (Argo)


• Juan Antonio Bayona (The Impossible)


• Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)


• Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz)

BEST ACTOR:

• Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)


• Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook)


• John Hawkes (The Sessions)


• Bill Murray (Hyde Park on Hudson)


• Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)

BEST ACTRESS:

• Winner: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)


• Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)


• Greta Gerwig (Damsels in Distress)


• Naomi Watts (The Impossible)


• Michelle Williams (Take This Waltz)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

• Winner: Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook)


• Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)


• Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)


• Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike)


• Ewan McGregor (The Impossible)


• Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

• Winner: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)


• Amy Adams (The Master)


• Ann Dowd (Compliance)


• Sally Field (Lincoln)


• Helen Hunt (The Sessions)

BEST ENSEMBLE:

• Winner: Lincoln


• Argo


• Marvel’s The Avengers


• Moonrise Kingdom


• Silver Linings Playbook

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE:

• Winner: Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks)


• Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)


• Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect)


• Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild)


• Craig Zobel (Compliance)

BEST SCREENPLAY:

• Winner: David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)


• Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)


• Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon (The Cabin in the Woods)


• Tony Kushner (Lincoln)


• Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM:

• Winner: Jiro Dreams of Sushi


• The House I Live In


• The Imposter


• The Queen of Versailles


• Searching for Sugar Man

16th Annual Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Awards

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) announced their 16th Annual Sierra awards on December 12th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to much surprising LIFE OF PI, directed and co-produced by Ang Lee, who also won the Best Director award for such a remarkable direction making his film the biggest winner of the night with 6 awards including Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Youth in Film, and Best Score. …and that is AWESOME!

Another important thing to notice is that Rian Johnson won the award for Best Screenplay for his film Looper. Additionally, Prometheus won its first award for Best Art Direction which is such a good thing considering the fact that the production design of the film was really good.

Here is the complete list of the winners:

Best Picture: Life of Pi

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Best Director: Ang Lee (Life of Pi)

Best Screenplay: Rian Johnson (Looper)

Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)

Best Film Editing: William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran (Anna Karenina)

Best Art Direction: Alex Cameron (Prometheus)

Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi

Best Score: Mychael Danna (Life of Pi)

Best Song: Adele and Paul Epworth (Skyfall)

Best Documentary: Bully

Best Animated Film: ParaNorman

Best Foreign Film: Amour

Youth in Film: Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi)

Breakout Filmmaker of the Year: Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

Best DVD (Packaging, Design and Content): Hitchcock Collection – Masterpiece Collection (Blu-Ray)

William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award: Alan Arkin

Las Vegas Film Critics Society Top 10 Films of 2012:

1. Life of Pi


2. Zero Dark Thirty


3. Argo


4. Silver Linings Playbook


5. Lincoln


6. Moonrise Kingdom


7. The Impossible


8. Les Misérables


9. Beasts of the Southern Wild


10. The Master

15th Annual Moët British Independent Film Awards

The 15th Annual Moët British Independent Film Awards were annonuned on December 9th, 2012 at the star-studded ceremony, held at Old Billingsgate which was hosted by BIFA winning actor James Nesbitt.

Here is the complete list of winners:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM:

• WINNER: Broken


• Berberian Sound Studio


• Sightseers


• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel


• The Imposter

BEST DIRECTOR:

• WINNER: Peter Strickland (Berberian Sound Studio)


• Bart Layton (The Imposter)


• Ben Wheatley (Sightseers)


• John Madden (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)


• Rufus Norris (Broken)

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD (BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR):

• WINNER: Bart Layton (The Imposter)


• Ben Drew (Ill Manors)


• Rowan Athale (Wasteland)


• Rufus Norris (Broken)


• Sally El Hosaini (My Brother the Devil)

BEST SCREENPLAY:

• WINNER: Alice Lowe, Steve Oram, Amy Jump (Sightseers)


• Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady)


• Mark O’Rowe (Broken)


• Paul Andrew Williams (Song for Marion)


• Peter Strickland (Berberian Sound Studio)

BEST ACTRESS:

• WINNER: Andrea Riseborough (Shadow Dancer)


• Alice Lowe (Sightseers)


• Elle Fanning (Ginger & Rosa)


• Judi Dench (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)


• Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)

BEST ACTOR:

• WINNER: Toby Jones (Berberian Sound Studio)


• Riz Ahmed (Ill Manors)


• Steve Oram (Sightseers)


• Terence Stamp (Song for Marion)


• Tim Roth (Broken)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

• WINNER: Olivia Colman (Hyde Park on Hudson)


• Alice Englert (Ginger & Rosa)


• Eileen Davies (Sightseers)


• Maggie Smith (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)


• Vanessa Redgrave (Song for Marion)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

• WINNER: Rory Kinnear (Broken)


• Billy Connolly (Quartet)


• Cillian Murphy (Broken)


• Domhnall Gleeson (Shadow Dancer)


• Tom Wilkinson (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER:

• WINNER: James Floyd (My Brother the Devil)


• Elliott Tittensor (Spike Island)


• Eloise Laurence (Broken)


• Paul Brannigan (The Angels’ Share)


• Zawe Ashton (Dreams of a Life)

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION:

• WINNER: Berberian Sound Studio


• Ill Manors


• Sightseers


• The Imposter


• The Sweeney

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT:

• WINNER: Joakim Sundström, Stevie Haywood AMPS IPS - Sound Design (Berberian Sound Studio)


• Nic Knowland BSC - Cinematography (Berberian Sound Studio)


• Electric Wave Bureau - Music (Broken)


• Robbie Ryan - Cinematography (Ginger & Rosa)


• Andrew Hulme - Editing (The Imposter)

BEST DOCUMENTARY:

• WINNER: The Imposter


• Dreams of a Life


• London: The Modern Babylon


• Marley


• Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir

BEST BRITISH SHORT:

• WINNER: Volume


• Friday


• Junk


• Skyborn


• Swimmer

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM:

• WINNER: The Hunt


• Amour


• Beasts of the Southern Wild


• Rust and Bone


• Searching For Sugar Man

THE RAINDANCE AWARD

• WINNER: Strings


• Frank


• Love Tomorrow


• City Slacker


• Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION BY AN ACTOR TO BRITISH FILM):

• Sir Michael Gambon

THE VARIETY AWARD:

• Jude Law

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE:

• Sandra Hebron

13th Annual American Film Institute Awards

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced their awards on December 10th, 2012 with surprising me with such a prestigious list. I completely agree with AFI’s selection of movie and television programs, although I haven’t watched some of the movies yet but I’m sure they’ll be great.
I actually like the television programs list more because I have been watching these series all year and I kind of feel happy that they got selected especially ALL OF THEM! I love all of the television programs mentioned in the list given below.

Here is the complete list of winners:

MOVIES OF THE YEAR:

• ARGO


• BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD


• THE DARK KNIGHT RISES


• DJANGO UNCHAINED


• LES MISÉRABLES


• LIFE OF PI


• LINCOLN


• MOONRISE KINGDOM


• SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK


• ZERO DARK THIRTY

TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR:

• AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM


• BREAKING BAD


• GAME CHANGE


• GAME OF THRONES


• GIRLS


• HOMELAND


• LOUIE


• MAD MEN


• MODERN FAMILY


• THE WALKING DEAD

11th Annual Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards

The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) announced their awards on December 10th, 2012 with giving away the Best Film award to the strongest contender so far, Kathryn Bigelow’s direction and co-production ZERO DARK THIRTY, which also won her the Best Director award as well as Best Actress for Jessica Chastain.

Best Original Screenplay went to Rian Johnson’s Looper, which also won the same award at 84th National Board of Review Awards. Same is the case with the Best Adapted Screenplay which went to David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook who also won the same award at the 84th National Board of Review Awards.

Best Foreign Language Film went to none other than the French drama film AMOUR, making it one of the strongest contenders or THE strongest contender for Foreign Language Films awards.

Best Cinematography went to Claudio Miranda, making it his second win, the other one being in the 10th New York Film Critics Online Awards.

Best Actor went to rather obvious, Daniel Day-Lewis who have won every single award so far except at 84th National Board of Review Awards where the winner was Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) and 38th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards where the winner was Joaquin Phoenix (The Master).

Here is the complete list of the winners:

Best Film: ZERO DARK THIRTY

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (LINCOLN)

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman (THE MASTER)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (LES MISÉRABLES)

Best Acting Ensemble: LES MISÉRABLES

Best Adapted Screenplay: David O. Russell (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson (LOOPER)

Best Animated Feature: PARANORMAN

Best Documentary: BULLY

Best Foreign Language Film: AMOUR

Best Art Direction: Uli Hanisch, Hugh Bateup - Production Designers; Peter Walpole, Rebecca Alleway - Set Decorators (CLOUD ATLAS)

Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda (LIFE OF PI)

Best Score: Jonny Greenwood (THE MASTER)

The Joe Barber Award for Best Youth Performance: Quvenzhané Wallis (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)

38th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) announced their awards on December, 9th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to French drama film, AMOUR, written and directed by Michael Haneke which really comes as a genuine surprise because everyone was thinking that Kathryn Bigelow’s ZERO DARK THIRTY would win it as well but I was secretly hoping that they’d give us a surprise which they really did by giving the Best Picture award to Amour.

Another unusual and important thing to notice is that the Kathryn Bigelow didn’t win the Best Director award as well, instead it went to Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master making it the biggest winner with four wins i.e. Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Production Design.

This is Emmanuelle Riva’s third win today, the other ones being in 10th New York Film Critics Online Awards and 33rd Boston Society of Film Critics Awards which is equally surprising and awesome and it just makes me want to watch Amour so bad.

BEST PICTURE:

• Winner: AMOUR


• Runner-up: THE MASTER

BEST DIRECTOR:

• Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson (THE MASTER)


• Runner-up: Kathryn Bigelow (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

BEST ACTOR:

• Winner: Joaquin Phoenix (THE MASTER)


• Runner-up: Denis Lavant (HOLY MOTORS)

BEST ACTRESS:

• Winner (tied): Jennifer Lawrence (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK); Emmanuelle Riva (AMOUR)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

• Winner: Dwight Henry (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)


• Runner-up: Christoph Waltz (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

• Winner: Amy Adams (THE MASTER)


• Runner-up: Anne Hathaway (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES; LES MISÉRABLES)

BEST SCREENPLAY:

• Winner: Chris Terrio (ARGO)


• Runner-up: David O. Russell (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

• Winner: Roger Deakins (SKYFALL)


• Runner-up: Mihai Malaimare, Jr. (THE MASTER)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

• Winner: THE MASTER


• Runner-up: MOONRISE KINGDOM

BEST EDITING:

• Winner: Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg (ZERO DARK THIRTY)


• Runner-up: William Goldenberg (ARGO)

BEST MUSIC/SCORE:

• Winner: Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)


• Runner-up: Johnny Greenwood (THE MASTER)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE:

• Winner: FRANKENWEENIE


• Runner-up: IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY

BEST FOREIGN LANGAUGE FILM:

• Winner: HOLY MOTORS


• Runner-up: FOOTNOTE

BEST DOCUMENTARY/NON-FICTION FILM:

• Winner: THE GATEKEEPERS


• Runner-up: SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN

NEW GENERATION AWARD:

• Winner: Benh Zeitlin (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)

DOUGLAS E. EDWARDS INDEPENDENT/EXPERIMENTAL FILM: 

• Winner: LEVIATHAN

12th Annual New York Film Critics Online Awards

The New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) announced their awards on December, 9th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to obviously, ZERO DARK THIRTY, directed and co-produced by Kathryn Bigelow, who has also won the Best Director award.

This is Emmanuelle Riva’s second win today, the other one being in 33rd Boston Society of Film Critics Awards. In addition, this is Daniel Day-Lewis’ second win today as well. Another most important win is the Best Cinematography to Claudio Miranda for his great camera work in Life of Pi.

Best Animated Feature goes to Chico and Rita, instead of ParaNorman or Frankenweenie. Best Ensemble Cast goes to Argo which is quite unexpected with so many great ensembles in town.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture: ZERO DARK THIRTY

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Debut Director: Benh Zeitlin (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)

Best Actress: Emmanuelle Riva (AMOUR)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (LINCOLN)

Best Ensemble Cast: ARGO

Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones (LINCOLN)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (LES MISÉRABLES)

Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda (LIFE OF PI)

Best Screenplay: Mark Boal (ZERO DARK THIRTY)

Best Use of Music: Mary Ramos (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

Breakthrough Performance: Quvenzhane Wallis (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)

Best Animated Feature: CHICO AND RITA

Best Documentary: THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE

Best Foreign Language Film: AMOUR

33rd Annual Boston Society of Film Critics Awards

The Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC) announced their awards on December 9th, 2012 with giving away the Best Picture award to none other than ZERO DARK THIRTY, directed and co-produced by Kathryn Bigelow who has also won the Best Director award.

Best Animated Film goes to Frankenweenie, making it one of the strongest contenders which it deserves because it is an outstanding piece of animation. Best Cinematography goes to Mihai Malaimare, Jr. for The Master who is also a runner-up in 38th Los Angeles Film Critics Awards whereas the winner is Roger Deakins for Skyfall.

The most surprising win is Emmanuelle Riva for Best Actress, this is really great to see some competition building up in this season. Ezra Miller won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role as Patrick in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and quite frankly, this is such a great initiative as well as motivating for younger actors.

Best Ensemble Cast award goes to Seven Psychopaths which is quite shocking because I was thinking that it would go to Les Misérables.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture:

• Winner: ZERO DARK THIRTY


• 2nd place (tied): MOONRISE KINGDOM; AMOUR

Best Director:

• Winner: Kathryn Bigelow (ZERO DARK THIRTY)


• 2nd place: Paul Thomas Anderson (THE MASTER)

Best Actor:

• Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis (LINCOLN)


• 2nd place: Denis Lavant (HOLY MOTORS)

Best Actress:

• Winner: Emmanuelle Riva (AMOUR)


• 2nd place: Deanie Yip (A SIMPLE LIFE)

Best Supporting Actor:

• Winner: Ezra Miller (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER)


• 2nd place: Christoph Waltz (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

Best Supporting Actress:

• Winner: Sally Field (LINCOLN)


• 2nd place: Emma Watson (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER)

Best Screenplay:

• Winner: Tony Kushner (LINCOLN)


• 2nd place: Wes Anderson (MOONRISE KINGDOM)

Best Cinematography:

• Winner: Mihai Malaimare, Jr. (THE MASTER)


• 2nd place (tied): Robert Yeoman (MOONRISE KINGDOM); Claudio Miranda (LIFE OF PI)

Best Documentary:

• Winner: HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE


• 2nd place: QUEEN OF VERSAILLES

Best Foreign-Language Film: 

• Winner: AMOUR


• 2nd place: HOLY MOTORS

Best Animated Film:

• Winner: FRANKENWEENIE


• 2nd place: PARANORMAN

Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer):

• Winner: William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor (ZERO DARK THIRTY)


• 2nd place: William Goldenberg (ARGO)

Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy): 

• Winner: David France (HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE)


• 2nd place: Benh Zeitlin (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)

Best Ensemble Cast:

• Winner: SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS


• 2nd place: MOONRISE KINGDOM

Best Use of Music in a Film:

• Winner: MOONRISE KINGDOM


• 2nd place: DJANGO UNCHAINED

LIFE OF PI still haven’t won anything, I don’t know why are the critics not appreciating this great movie yet. I hope for the best films to get the awards.

Film Review: Life of Pi (2012)

My rating: ★★★★★

ONE OF THE EPIC AND MOST WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES OF 2012.

A spell-binding, mind-blowing and a wonderful experience with the strong and compelling storytelling and slight innovation of 3D technology, based on the novel of the same name written by Yann Martel and directed by Ang Lee (best known for Sense and Sensibility, universally acclaimed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon which won the Best Foreign Language film Oscar, Hulk, and Academy Award nominated Brokeback Mountain for which he won an Academy Award for Best Director), Life of Pi is easily one of the best films of this year. I am quite surprised by the fact that a supposedly “unfilmable” novel turned into an epic film and an astounding experience. Hats off to Ang Lee and his team, first of all. As we all know that this film is about a boy named Pi, who survives a disaster at sea where all of his family members get killed and he gets stuck on a life-boat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker and other animals consisting of a zebra, an orangutan and a hyena, and is set on a unusual adventure and learns so much along the way that his way of thinking changes.

Pi is a very unusual character, who spends all his childhood in finding a right belief and for that, he is introduced to several religions including Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Played by Suraj Sharma (young Pi) and Irrfan Khan (Adult Pi), both of them give strong performances especially Khan, who also narrates throughout the film. His character seems so believable and his younger self is also quite strong. The best things about this film are the direction, incorporation of 3D technology which is way more than brilliant and the way of storytelling. The screenplay is written by David Magee (he previously received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay of Marc Foster’s Finding Neverland). It may have a simple storyline but it is still so strong and thought-provoking and teaches you a lot about finding your true self and believing in yourself. When you finish watching the film, it all depends upon you that what do you really want to believe. What is your opinion about Pi’s story. What were you beliefs before watching the movie and what are your beliefs now. I believe in God with all my heart and soul, and I know what I want to believe and my faith is strong. It may not touch you spiritually but it really makes you want to believe in inspiring film-making and the real power of cinema and storytelling.

Ang Lee’s vision is so powerful, I have no idea why he picked this novel but I am really glad that he did and he made it so beautiful that every frame of the movie seems worth appreciating and with that, Yann Martel’s imagination, which is really strong and quite fascinating how it is penned into the novel. A few of the scenes in the film are shot so beautifully that you want to feel everything that’s happening in the movie, you feel like touching the water, you want to get on that boat with Pi and continue the epic adventure. It all would have not been possible without the brilliant cinematography by Claudio Miranda (known for his work in Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for which he got an Academy Award nomination and Tron: Legacy) and the beautiful visual effects done by Rhythm and Hues Studios (who have previously won 2 Academy Awards and 1 BAFTA award and their most recent work also includes Snow White and the Huntsman, The Hunger Games and Big Miracle).

Honestly, I’m not a fan of 3D technology but I can proudly say that this is the first film that made me actually believe in the entire 3D experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has actually set a bar for upcoming 3D films. Sadly, I wasn’t able to watch James Cameron’s Avatar in 3D and I’m still upset about that but Life of Pi has impressed me enough that I can stop being sad about not watching Avatar in 3D and quite frankly, the whole 3D technology has finally got a new fan.

Clever cinematography, beautiful background score, freaking brilliant visual effects and 3D experience, compelling, inspiring and spiritual storyline and screenplay, great performances, and outstanding direction. These are all the factors that make this film so wonderful that it turns into an epic experience.

I easily tag Life of Pi as one of the epic and most wonderful experiences of 2012.