16th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards

The Costume Designers Guild (CDG) announced the winners of their 16th annual ceremony on February 22nd, 2014 with giving away the top prizes to 12 YEARS A SLAVE, THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE and BLUE JASMINE in Period, Fantasy and Contemporary film categories respectively. Now, this makes it interesting at this point because recently, THE GREAT GATSBY won the Costume Design award at the BAFTAs and it's the frontrunner at the moment but things might turn out to be different at the Oscars. Last year, ANNA KARENINA won the Oscar for Best Costume Design and it also won the CDG award. Let's see how things go this time.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Excellence in Period Film: "12 Years a Slave" (Patricia Norris)

Excellence in Fantasy Film: "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (Trish Summerville)

Excellence in Contemporary Film: "Blue Jasmine" (Suzy Benzinger)

Outstanding Contemporary Television Series: "Behind the Candelabra" (Ellen Mirojnick)

Outstanding Period/Fantasy Television Series: "Downton Abbey" (Caroline McCall)

Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries: "House of Cards" (Tom Broecker)

Excellence in Commercial Costume Design: "Call of Duty: Ghosts Masked Warriors" (Nancy Steiner)

Career Achievement Award: April Ferry

Lacoste Spotlight Award: Amy Adams

Distinguished Collaborator: Judd Apatow

5th Annual Dorian Awards

The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (GALECA) announced the 5th Dorian awards on January 21st, 2014 with giving away the Film of the Year award to 12 Years a Slave, directed and co-produced by Steve McQueen. 

Here is the complete list of winners:

FILM

Film of the Year: 12 Years a Slave

Film Performance of the Year - Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Film Performance of the Year - Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

LGBT Film of the Year: Blue Is the Warmest Color

Foreign Language Film of the Year: Blue Is the Warmest Color

Documentary of the Year: Bridegroom

Campy Flick of the Year: I'm So Excited!

Unsung Film of the Year (tie): Short Term 12 and Kill Your Darlings

Visually Striking Film of the Year: Gravity

TELEVISION

TV Drama of the Year (tie): Behind the Candelabra and Orange Is the New Black

TV Comedy of the Year: Girls

TV Performance of the Year - Actor: Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra

TV Performance of the Year - Actress: Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven

TV Musical Performance of the Year: Shirley Bassey, “Goldfinger,” 82nd Academy Awards

LGBT TV Show of the Year: Orange Is the New Black

Campy TV Show of the Year: American Horror Story: Coven

Unsung TV Show of the Year: Getting On

The “We're Wilde About You” Rising Star Award: Laverne Cox

Wilde Wit of the Year: Rachel Maddow

Wilde Artist of the Year: James Franco

Timeless Award (to an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit): Lily Tomlin

20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced the winners of 20th annual Screen Actors Guild awards on January 18th, 2014 with giving away the top prize to AMERICAN HUSTLE co-written and directed by David O. Russell. This is as surprising as one could imagine because with 12 YEARS A SLAVE recently winning the Golden Globe for Best Picture and a shitload of critics awards, everyone was sure that the SAG award would also go to 12 YEARS A SLAVE. But, as AMERICAN HUSTLE also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) and it has such fine performances by great actors, then it's kinda justified but it doesn't increase its chance of winning the Oscar. Not yet. Let's see who wins the Producers Guild Award because it would make things clear.

Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto keep winning the awards wherever they go. They both won Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively. Plus, Leto has been a critic favorite throughout this season and it's so nice to see him winning because he really gave excellent performance in DALLAS BUYERS CLUB.

BREAKING BAD won the top prize for TV category and Bryan Cranston won the Best Actor prize and he said, "what a way to go," while accepting the awards. Really. What a way to go!

Last year, 4 top prize winners won the Oscars, i.e. Outstanding Performance by Cast, Male Actor, Female Actor and Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Let's see if the same happens this year.

Here is the complete list of winners:

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: AMERICAN HUSTLE

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Matthew McConaughey, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Cate Blanchett, BLUE JASMINE

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Jared Leto, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 YEARS A SLAVE

TELEVISION PROGRAMS

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: BREAKING BAD

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: MODERN FAMILY

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Michael Douglas, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Helen Mirren, PHIL SPECTOR

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, BREAKING BAD

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Ty Burrell, MODERN FAMILY

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP

SAG AWARDS® HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture: LONE SURVIVOR

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series: GAME OF THRONES

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild 50th Annual Life Achievement Award: RITA MORENO

8th Annual Excellent Dynamic Activism Awards

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) announced its 8th Excellent Dynamic Activism (EDA) awards with giving away the Best Film award to 12 Years a Slave, directed and co-produced by Steve McQueen who also won the Best Director award.

Last year, only 6 EDA winners won the Oscars, i.e. Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Documentary and Best Cinematography award.

AWFJ EDA ‘BEST OF’ AWARDS

Best Film: 12 Years a Slave

Best Director (Female or Male): Steve McQueen - 12 Years a Slave

Best Screenplay, Original: Her – Spike Jonze

Best Screenplay, Adapted: John Ridley - 12 Years a Slave

Best Documentary: Stories We Tell – Sarah Polley

Best Animated Film: The Wind Rises - Hayao Miyazaki

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Lupita Nyong’o - 12 Years a Slave

Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club

Best Ensemble Cast: American Hustle

Best Editing: Gravity - Alfonso Cuaron and Mark Sanger

Best Cinematography: Gravity - Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Film Music Or Score: Inside Llewyn Davis – T-Bone Burnett

Best Non-English-Language Film: The Hunt – Thomas Vinterberg – Denmark

EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS

Best Woman Director: Nicole Holofcener - Enough Said

Best Woman Screenwriter: Nicole Holofcener - Enough Said

Kick Ass Award For Best Female Action Star: Sandra Bullock – Gravity

Best Animated Female: Anna (Kristen Bell) in Frozen

Best Breakthrough Performance: Lupita Nyong’o - 12 Years A Slave

Actress Defying Age and Ageism: Sandra Bullock – Gravity

AWFJ EDA Female Icon Award (presented to an actress for the portrayal of the most positive female role model, or for a role in which she takes personal and/or career risks to plumb the female psyche and therefore gives us courage to plumb our own, and/or for putting forth the image of a woman who is heroic, accomplished, persistent, demands her rights and/or the rights of others.): Angelina Jolie for continued commitments to humanitarian causes, and for promoting awareness about breast cancer.

This Year’s Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In The Film Industry (presented only when warranted to a female who has had a banner-making, record-breaking, industry-changing achievement during any given year.): Haaifa Al-Mansour for challenging the limitations placed on women within her culture by making the film Wadjda.

EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS

AWFJ Hall Of Shame Award: The Counselor – Ridley Scott

Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent: Cameron Diaz for The Counselor

Movie You Wanted To Love But Just Couldn’t Award: The Counselor

Unforgettable Moment Award: 12 Years A Slave – Solomon Northrup hanging

Best Depiction Of Nudity, Sexuality, or Seduction Award: Her - Scarlett Johansson and Joaquin Phoenix for their digital lovemaking.

Sequel or Remake That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award (Tie): Carrie and Oz, Great and Powerful

Most Egregious Age Difference Between The Leading Man and The Love Interest Award: Last Vegas – Michael Douglas and Bre Blair

18th Annual Florida Film Critics Circle Awards

The Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) announced their awards on December 18th, 2013 with giving away the Best Film award to 12 Years a Slave, directed and co-produced by Steve McQueen who also won the Best Director award.

Last year, only 5 FFCC winners won the Oscar, i.e. Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Visual Effects. Let's see how it goes this year.

Here is the complete list of winners along with runners-up:

Best Picture:

• 12 Years a Slave


• Runner-up: American Hustle

Best Director:

• Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave


• Runner-up: Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity

Best Actor:

• Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave


• Runner-up: Joaquin Phoenix – Her

Best Actress:

• Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine


• Runner-up: Judi Dench – Philomena

Best Supporting Actor:

• Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club


• Runner-up: Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave

Best Supporting Actress:

• Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave


• Runner-up: Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle

Best Adapted Screenplay:

• John Ridley – 12 Years a Slave


• Runner-up: Terence Winter – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Original Screenplay:

• Spike Jonze – Her


• Runner-up: David O. Russell & Eric Singer – American Hustle

Best Cinematography:

• Emmanuel Lubezki – Gravity


• Runner-up: Bruno Delbonnel – Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Visual Effects:

• Gravity


• Runner-up: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Best Art Direction/Production Design:

• The Great Gatsby


• Runner-up: American Hustle

Best Foreign Language Film:

• Blue is the Warmest Color


• Runner-up: The Hunt

Best Animated Film

• Frozen


• Runner-up: The Wind Rises

Best Documentary:

• The Act of Killing


• Runner-up: Blackfish

Pauline Kael Breakout Award:

• Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave


• Runner-up: Michael B. Jordan – Fruitvale Station

17th Annual Toronto Film Critics Association Awards

The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) announced their awards on December 17th, 2013 with giving away the Best Film award to Inside Llewyn Davis, directed and co-produced by Coen Brothers whereas the Best Director award went to Alfonso Cuarón for his wonderful direction in space drama Gravity.

Last year, only one TFCA winner won the Oscar, i.e. Best Foreign Language Film for Amour. Let's see how this goes this year.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Canadian Film: Watermark

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Best Actor: Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis)

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)

Best Screenplay: Spike Jonze (Her)

Best First Feature: Neighboring Sounds

Best Animated Feature: The Wind Rises

Best Foreign Language Film: A Touch of Sin

BMO Allan King Best Documentary: The Act of Killing

10th Annual St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards

The St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association announced their 10th annual awards on December 16th, 2013 with giving away the Best Film award to 12 Years a Slave, directed and co-produced by Steve McQueen who also won the Best Director award. 12 years a Slave was the biggest winner winning 7 awards in total and it's not surprising at all. Other winners are completely reasonable as well and most of them would probably winning the Oscar as well.

Last year, only 5 St. Louis winners won the Oscars, i.e. Best Film for Argo, Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz, Best Documentary for Searching for Sugar Man and Best Visual Effects for Life of Pi. Let's see if the same happens this year or not.

Here is the complete list of winners along with runners-up and nominations.

Best Film:

• Winner: 12 Years a Slave


• Runner-up: American Hustle


• Gravity


• Her


• Nebraska

Best Director:

• Runner-up: Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)


• Spike Jonze (Her)


• Winner: Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)


• Alexander Payne (Nebraska)


• David O. Russell (American Hustle)

Best Actor:

• Christian Bale (American Hustle)


• Bruce Dern (Nebraska)


• Winner: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)


• Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station)


• Runner-up: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress:

• Amy Adams (American Hustle)


• Winner: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)


• Sandra Bullock (Gravity)


• Judi Dench (Philomena)


• Runner-up: Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)


• Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks)

Best Supporting Actor:

• Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)


• Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)


• Harrison Ford (42)


• Runner-up: Will Forte (Nebraska)


• Winner: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Supporting Actress:

• Scarlett Johansson (Her)


• Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)


• Winner: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)


• Lea Seydoux (Blue Is the Warmest Colour)


• Runner-up: June Squibb (Nebraska)

Best Original Screenplay:

• Runner-up: American Hustle


• Enough Said


• Winner: Her


• Nebraska


• Saving Mr. Banks

Best Adapted Screenplay:

• Winner: 12 Years a Slave


• Before Midnight


• Captain Phillips


• Runner-up: Philomena


• Short Term 12


• The Spectacular Now

Best Cinematography:

• Winner (tie): 12 Years a Slave


• The Grandmaster


• The Great Gatsby


• Winner (tie): Gravity


• Inside Llewyn Davis


• Nebraska

Best Visual Special Effects:

• Winner: Gravity


• Runner-up: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug


• Iron Man 3


• Pacific Rim


• Star Trek Into Darkness


• Thor: The Dark World

Best Musical Score:

• 12 Years a Slave


• Runner-up: Gravity


• Winner: Her


• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug


• Runner-up: Nebraska


• Saving Mr. Banks

Best Soundtrack:

• American Hustle


• Despicable Me 2


• Runner-up: Frozen


• The Great Gatsby


• Winner: Inside Llewyn Davis


• Muscle Shoals

Best Art Direction:

• 12 Years A Slave


• The Grandmaster


• Winner: The Great Gatsby


• Runner-up: Her


• Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Documentary:

• 20 Feet from Stardom


• Runner-up: The Act of Killing


• Winner: Blackfish


• Muscle Shoals


• Runner-up: Stories We Tell

Best Non-English Language Film:

• Winner: Blue Is the Warmest Colour


• A Hijacking


• The Hunt


• No


• Runner-up: Wadjda

Best Comedy:

• Winner (tie): Enough Said


• The Heat


• Nebraska


• The Way Way Back


• Winner (tie): The World’s End

Best Animated Feature:

• The Croods


• Despicable Me 2


• Winner: Frozen


• Monsters University


• Runner-up: The Wind Rises

Best Art-House or Festival Film (for artistic excellence in independent, international or smaller-budget films that played at film festivals, film series or had a limited-release run in St. Louis, playing one to three cinemas):

• Ain't Them Bodies Saints


• Before Midnight


• Runner-up: Blue Is the Warmest Colour


• Runner-up: Frances Ha


• In a World…


• Winner: Short Term 12

Best Scene (a favorite movie scene or sequence):

• Winner: 12 Years a Slave – The hanging scene


• Captain Phillips – The scene near the end of the film where Tom Hanks is being checked out by military medical personnel and he breaks down.


• Runner-up: Gravity – he opening tracking shot.


• Her – Off-screen OS sex scene


• The Place Beyond the Pines – The opening scene where Ryan Gosling is walking through the carnival.

26th Annual Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) announced their 26th annual awards at a ceremony held on December 16, 2013 with giving away the Best Film award to 12 Years a Slave, directed and co-produced by Steve McQueen who also won the Best Director award. 12 Years a Slave was the biggest winner of the night winning 5 awards including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay. The rest of the winners were completely reasonable and there are no surprises whatsoever.

Last year, only 2 CFCA winners won the Oscars, i.e. Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis and Best Foreign Language Film for Amour. Let's see what happens this year as they declared 12 Years a Slave their favorite and it's the strongest contender of this season.

Here is the complete list of winners:

BEST PICTURE: 12 Years A Slave

BEST DIRECTOR: Steve McQueen--12 Years A Slave

BEST ACTOR: Chiwetel Ejiofor--12 Years A Slave

BEST ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett--Blue Jasmine

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jared Leto--Dallas Buyers Club

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Lupita Nyong'o--12 Years A Slave

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Spike Jonze--Her

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: John Ridley--12 Years A Slave

BEST DOCUMENTARY: The Act of Killing

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM: The Act of Killing

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: The Wind Rises

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Her--Arcade Fire

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Gravity--Emmanuel Lubezki

BEST EDITING: Gravity--Alfonso Cuaron & Mark Sanger

BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN: Gravity--Mark Scruton/Andy Nicolson

MOST PROMISING PERFORMER: Adele Exarchopoulos--Blue is the Warmest Color

MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER: Destin Cretton--Short Term 12

12th Annual San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards

The San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFC) announced their awards on December 13th, 2013 with giving away the Best Picture award to 12 Years a Slave, directed and co-produced by Steve McQueen whereas Best Director award went to Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity. The most disappointing thing about SFFCS awards this season is James Franco winning the Best Supporting Actor award. I have no idea why is he receiving the award for that joke of a performance. Also, when there's Jared Leto as a nominee.

Last year, only 3 SFFC winners won the Oscars, i.e. Best Foreign Film for Amour, Best Film Editing for William Goldenberg and Best Cinematography for Claudio Miranda. That only means SFFCS are not that reliable when it comes to Oscar wins. Let's see how it goes this time.

Best Picture:

• AMERICAN HUSTLE


• GRAVITY


• NEBRASKA


• WINNER – 12 YEARS A SLAVE


• THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Best Director:

• WINNER – Alfonso Cuaron, GRAVITY


• Spike Jonze, HER


• Steve McQueen, 12 YEARS A SLAVE


• David O. Russell, AMERICAN HUSTLE


• Martin Scorsese, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Best Actor:

• Bruce Dern, NEBRASKA


• Leonardo DiCaprio, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET


• WINNER – Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 YEARS A SLAVE


• Matthew McConaughey, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB


• Robert Redford, ALL IS LOST

Best Actress:

• WINNER – Cate Blanchett, BLUE JASMINE


• Sandra Bullock, GRAVITY


• Judi Dench, PHILOMENA


• Adele Exarchopoulos, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR


• Brie Larson, SHORT TERM 12


• Meryl Streep, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

Best Supporting Actor:

• Barkhad Abdi, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS


• Michael Fassbender, 12 YEARS A SLAVE


• Harrison Ford, 42


• Will Forte, NEBRASKA


• WINNER – James Franco, SPRING BREAKERS


• Jared Leto, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

Best Supporting Actress:

• WINNER – Jennifer Lawrence, AMERICAN HUSTLE


• Lupita Nyong'o, 12 YEARS A SLAVE


• Lea Seydoux, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR


• Octavia Spencer, FRUITVALE STATION


• June Squibb, NEBRASKA

Best Screenplay, Original:

• WINNER – AMERICAN HUSTLE, Eric Singer and David O. Russell


• GRAVITY, Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron


• HER, Spike Jonze


• INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Joel and Ethan Coen


• NEBRASKA, Bob Nelson

Best Screenplay, Adapted:

• BEFORE MIDNIGHT, Richard Linklater; Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke


• PHILOMENA, Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope


• THE SPECTACULAR NOW, Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber


• WINNER – 12 YEARS A SLAVE, John Ridley


• THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, Terence Winter

Best Cinematography:

• WINNER – GRAVITY, Emmanuel Lubezki


• HER, Hoyte Van Hoytema


• INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Bruno Delbonnel


• NEBRASKA, Phedon Papamichael


• 12 YEARS A SLAVE, Sean Bobbitt

Best Production Design:

• AMERICAN HUSTLE, Judy Becker


• WINNER – GRAVITY, Andy Nicholson


• HER, K. K. Barrett


• INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, Jess Gonchor


• 12 YEARS A SLAVE, Adam Stockhausen

Best Editing:

• ALL IS LOST, Pete Beaudreau


• AMERICAN HUSTLE, Alan Baumgarten; Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers


• CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, Christopher Rouse


• WINNER – GRAVITY, Alfonso Cuaron and Mark Sanger


• 12 YEARS A SLAVE, Joe Walker


• THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, Thelma Schoonmaker

Best Animated Feature:

• THE CROODS


• DESPICABLE ME


• WINNER – FROZEN


• MONSTERS UNIVERSITY


• THE WIND RISES

Best Foreign Language Picture:

• WINNER – BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR


• A HIJACKING


• THE HUNT


• THE PAST


• WADJDA

Best Documentary:

• WINNER – THE ACT OF KILLING


• THE ARMSTRONG LIE


• BLACKFISH


• STORIES WE TELL


• TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM

Marlon Riggs Award for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community: Ryan Coogler for putting a human face to murder victim Oscar Grant in FRUITVALE STATION and to former Roxie Theater executive director Christopher Statton for putting the Roxie onto more solid ground by transforming it into a nonprofit enterprise.

Special Citation for under-appreciated independent cinema:
COMPUTER CHESS, Andrew Bujalski's comedy merges documentary techniques and old video technologies to make light of the ’80s race to build a winning computer-chess program.

18th Annual San Diego Film Critics Society Awards

The San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) announced their awards on December 11th, 2013 with giving away the Best Film award to Her, written, directed and co-produced by Spike Jonze, whereas the Best Director award went to Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity. There are 2 most surprising wins, i.e. Oscar Isaac winning the Best Actor award and Drug War winning the Best Foreign Language Film award. I wouldn't call either of them unfair because every actor and filmmaker works hard and also I'd say it's very bold of SDFCS to choose different winners.

Last year, 6 SDFCS winners won the Oscars (you can view the previous year's winners here: 17th Annual San Diego Film Critics Society Awards). Let's see how many win this time!

Here is the complete list of winners along with the nominations:

BEST FILM:

• 12 YEARS A SLAVE


• GRAVITY


• WINNER: HER


• INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS


• SHORT TERM 12

BEST DIRECTOR:

• WINNER: Alfonso Cuarón (GRAVITY)


• Destin Cretton (SHORT TERM 12)


• Joel and Ethan Coen (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS)


• Spike Jonze (HER)


• Steve McQueen (12 YEARS A SLAVE)

BEST ACTRESS:

• Adèle Exarchopoulos (BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR)


• Brie Larson (SHORT TERM 12)


• WINNER: Cate Blanchett (BLUE JASMINE)


• Emma Thompson (SAVING MR. BANKS)


• Sandra Bullock (GRAVITY)

BEST ACTOR:

• Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 YEARS A SLAVE)


• Joaquin Phoenix (HER)


• Matthew McConaughey (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB)


• WINNER: Oscar Isaac (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS)


• Tom Hanks (CAPTAIN PHILLIPS)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

• Elizabeth Banks (THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE)


• Jennifer Lawrence (AMERICAN HUSTLE)


• Lupita Nyong'o (12 YEARS A SLAVE)


• Sally Hawkins (BLUE JASMINE)


• WINNER: Shailene Woodley (THE SPECTACULAR NOW)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

• Daniel Bruhl (RUSH)


• James Gandolfini (ENOUGH SAID)


• WINNER: Jared Leto (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB)


• Michael Fassbender (12 YEARS A SLAVE)


• Sam Rockwell (THE WAY, WAY BACK)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

• Aaron Guzikowski (PRISONERS)


• Joel and Ethan Coen (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS)


• Nicole Holofcener (ENOUGH SAID)


• WINNER: Spike Jonze (HER)


• Woody Allen (BLUE JASMINE)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

• Billy Ray (CAPTAIN PHILLIPS)


• Destin Cretton (SHORT TERM 12)


• John Ridley (12 YEARS A SLAVE)


• WINNER: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke (BEFORE MIDNIGHT)


• Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (THE SPECTACULAR NOW)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:

• BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR


• WINNER: DRUG WAR


• NO


• THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN


• THE HUNT

BEST DOCUMENTARY:

• 20 FEET FROM STARDOM


• BLACKFISH


• LET THE FIRE BURN


• STORIES WE TELL


• WINNER: THE ACT OF KILLING

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

• Bruno Delbonnel (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS)


• Emmanuel Lubezki (GRAVITY)


• WINNER: Emmanuel Lubezki (TO THE WONDER)


• Roger Deakins (PRISONERS)


• Simon Duggan (THE GREAT GATSBY)

BEST ANIMATED FILM:

• DESPICABLE ME 2


• FROZEN


• GET A HORSE


• THE CROODS


• WINNER: THE WIND RISES

BEST EDITING:

• Alan Edward Ball (THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE)


• Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger (GRAVITY)


• WINNER: Christopher Rouse (CAPTAIN PHILLIPS)


• Eric Zumbrunnen, Jeff Buchanan (HER)


• Joe Walker (12 YEARS A SLAVE)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

• Adam Stockhausen (12 YEARS A SLAVE)


• Andy Nicholson (GRAVITY)


• WINNER: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy (THE GREAT GATSBY)


• K.K. Barrett (HER)


• Michael Corenblith (SAVING MR. BANKS)

BEST SCORE:

• WINNER: Arcade Fire, HER


• Bjorn Eriksson (BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN)


• Hans Zimmer (12 YEARS A SLAVE)


• Hans Zimmer (RUSH)


• Steven Price (GRAVITY)

BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE:

• 12 YEARS A SLAVE


• WINNER: AMERICAN HUSTLE


• PRISONERS


• SHORT TERM 12


• THE WAY, WAY BACK

12th Annual Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards

The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) announced their awards on December 9th, 2013 with giving away the Best Film award to Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave. Best Director award went to Alfonso Cuarón for his exceptional work in Gravity. It is now clear that Gravity and 12 Years a Slave have dominated the critics circle and the effect will last longer than anyone could anticipate. It should also be noted that critics are loving Spike Jonze's Her (can't wait to watch the movie) since it's been winning screenplay, direction and film awards at various circles. One thing that surprised me the most is the bold decision of choosing the Broken Circle Breakdown as the Best Foreign Language Film.

Last year only 4 WAFCA winners won the Oscars, i.e. Daniel Day-Lewis for Best Actor, Anne Hathaway for Best Supporting Actress, Amour for Best Foreign Language Film and Claudio Miranda for Best Cinematography. Let's see what happens this year!

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: 12 Years a Slave

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)

Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

Best Acting Ensemble: 12 Years a Slave

Best Youth Performance: Tye Sheridan (Mud)

Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)

Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze (Her)

Best Animated Feature: Frozen

Best Documentary: Blackfish

Best Foreign Language Film: The Broken Circle Breakdown

Best Art Direction: Production Designer: Catherine Martin, Set Decorator: Beverley Dunn (The Great Gatsby)

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, A.M.C. (Gravity)

Best Editing: Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger (Gravity)

Best Original Score: Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)

The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC: Lee Daniels’ The Butler

13th Annual New York Film Critics Online Awards

The New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) announced their awards on December, 8th, 2013 with giving away the Best Picture award to 12 Years a Slave, directed and co-produced by Steve McQueen. I think it’s now safe to say that 12 Years a Slave is this year’s Zero Dark Thirty because it also got almost the same appreciation from critics at the beginning of the awards season last year. But still, it’s impossible to say which film is going to win big at the end of the day. Alfonso Cuarón won the Best Director award for his brilliant piece of filmmaking Gravity. (FINALLY!) Cuarón also won the Best Director award at Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards.

Last year, only 4 NYFCO winners won at the Oscars, i.e. Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway, Best Cinematography for Claudio Miranda and Best Foreign Language Film for Amour. Hoping for the best this year!

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)

Best Debut Director: Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station)

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave)

Best Ensemble: American Hustle

Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave)

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Foreign Language Film: Blue Is the Warmest Color

Best Documentary: The Act of Killing

Best Animated Feature: The Wind Rises

Best Use Of Music: Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Screenplay: Spike Jonze (Her)

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity)

Best Breakthrough Performance: Adele Exarchopoulos (Blue Is the Warmest Color)

79th Annual New York Film Critics Circle Awards

The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) started the critics award season and announced the winners on December 3rd, 2013 with giving away the Best Film award to American Hustle, whereas Best Director went to Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave.

There were TWO big surprises:
1) Best Cinematography went to Bruno Delbonnel for Inside Llewyn Davis. I was 100% sure that Emmanuel Lubezki would win every cinematography award for Gravity. But I was wrong. Anyway, Lubezki might eventually win the Oscar.
2) Stories We Tell won the Best Documentary instead of the Act of Killing. This isn't a surprise because both of them are amazing in their unique way. I'd be happy if either of them wins the ultimate award.

Plus, I'm really happy that critics appreciated Jared Leto's work and awarded him with Best Supporting Actor for his role as transsexual in Dallas Buyers Club.

Last year, only 2 out of 11 NYFCC winners (not counting First Film and Special Award categories) actually won the Oscar. Gravity didn't win anything tonight. Same happened with Argo and Life of Pi in 2012. But they ended up becoming the big winners at the Oscars. Let's see what happens this year.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: American Hustle

Best Director: Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)

Best Actor: Robert Redford (All Is Lost)

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (America Hustle)

Best Screenplay: David O. Russell, Eric Singer (American Hustle)

Best Cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel (Inside Llewyn Davis)

Best Foreign Language Film: Blue Is the Warmest Color (France)

Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary): Stories We Tell

Best Animated Film: The Wind Rises

Best First Film: Fruitvale Station

Special Award: Frederick Wiseman