64th Annual ACE Eddie Awards

The American Cinema Editors (ACE) announced their 64th Eddie Awards on February 7th, 2013 with giving away the top prize to Christopher Rouse for CAPTAIN PHILLIPS in Dramatic category and Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers & Alan Baumgarten for AMERICAN HUSTLE in Comedy or Musical category. This has changed the Oscar race situation a little because everyone was expecting GRAVITY to win the Dramatic category award and subsequently win the Oscar as well.

Last year, William Goldenberg won the top prize and he also ended up winning the Oscar for Best Film Editing. Let's see what happens this time.

Here is the complete list of winners:

BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (DRAMATIC): Captain Phillips, Christopher Rouse, A.C.E.

BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (COMEDY OR MUSICAL): American Hustle, Jay Cassidy, A.C.E., Crispin Struthers & Alan Baumgarten, A.C.E.

BEST EDITED ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: Frozen, 
Jeff Draheim

BEST EDITED DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE):
 20 Feet from Stardom, Douglas Blush, Kevin Klauber & Jason Zeldes

BEST EDITED DOCUMENTARY (TELEVISION):
 The Assassination of President Kennedy, Chris A. Peterson

BEST EDITED HALF-HOUR SERIES FOR TELEVISION: The Office: “Finale”, David Rogers & Claire Scanlon

BEST EDITED ONE-HOUR SERIES FOR COMMERCIAL TELEVISION: Breaking Bad: “Felina”, Skip MacDonald A.C.E.

BEST EDITED ONE-HOUR SERIES FOR NON-COMMERCIAL TELEVISION: Homeland: “Big Man in Tehran”, Terry Kelley, A.C.E.

BEST EDITED MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE FOR TELEVISION: Behind the Candelabra, 
Mary Ann Bernard

BEST EDITED NON-SCRIPTED SERIES: Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown: Tokyo, Nick Brigden

BEST STUDENT EDITING: Ambar Salinas, Video Symphony

Top 10 Films of 2013

GAME OVER. Here is my list of top 10 films of 2013 along with 20 honorable mentions just like the previous year. I watched a loooot of films in 2013 and making a list like this proved to be a hectic yet entertaining task. Not really a task because I love the cinema. Anyway, below are my top 10 films with a little description and their respective IMDb links in the titles followed by the honorable mentions.

1. Her

2. Gravity

3. The Act of Killing

4. 12 Years a Slave

5. The Wolf of Wall Street

6. Before Midnight

7. Inside Llewyn Davis

8. Blue Is the Warmest Color

9. Short Term 12

10. Rush

Honorable Mentions [in no particular order]:

• The Wind Rises


• The Great Beauty


• The Spectacular Now


• Nebraska


• Wadjda


• The Hunt


• Prisoners


• Captain Phillips


• Stories We Tell


• Pacific Rim


• Fruitvale Station


• Frances Ha


• Frozen


• Man of Steel


• A Band Called Death


• The Conjuring


• Mud


• Much Ado About Nothing


• Dallas Buyers Club


• The World's End

66th Annual Directors Guild Awards

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) announced their 66th annual Guild Awards winners on January 25th, 2014 with giving away the top prize to Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity. This was predictable like anything as Cuaron has been most of the awards for his exceptional direction in Gravity and it is highly likely that he'll win the Oscar as well. The documentary category is messed up as compared to last year when Searching for Sugar Man won everything including the Oscar. This year, no one knows who'd be taking the Oscar home by I'd still bet on the Act of Killing. It deserves to win. Moreover, it deserves to be watched by the whole world. It's a haunting piece of work, one of the most terrifying documentaries I've ever seen.

Here is the complete list of wins:

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film:

ALFONSO CUARÓN
Gravity
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Cuarón’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: David Siegel (Arizona Unit)
First Assistant Directors: Josh Robertson, Stephen Hagen (Arizona Unit)
Second Assistant Director: Ben Howard
This is Cuarón’s first DGA Award.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary:

JEHANE NOUJAIM
The Square
Netflix, Participant Media, Noujaim Films, Maktube Productions, Worldview Entertainment, Roast Beef Productions
This is Noujaim’s second DGA Award and third nomination. She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for Startup.com in 2001 (together with Chris Hegedus) and was also nominated in this category in 2004 for Control Room.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series:

STEVEN SODERBERGH
Behind the Candelabra
(HBO)

Soderbergh’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Michael Polaire
First Assistant Director: Gregory Jacobs
Second Assistant Director: Jody Spilkoman
Second Second Assistant Director: Lynn Struiksma
This is Soderbergh’s first DGA Award and third nomination. He was previously nominated in 2000 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for both Erin Brockovich and Traffic. He is also the recipient of this year’s Robert B. Aldrich Service Award for extraordinary service to the DGA and its membership.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series:

VINCE GILLIGAN
Breaking Bad, “Felina”
(AMC)

Gilligan’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Stewart A. Lyons
Assistant Unit Production Manager: James Paul Hapsas
First Assistant Director: Nina Jack
Second Assistant Directors: Anna Ramey, Louis Lanni
Second Second Assistant Director: Joann Connolly
Additional Second Assistant Director: Marcia Woske
This is Gilligan’s first DGA Award and second nomination. He was previously nominated in the Dramatic Series category for the “Face Off” episode of Breaking Bad in 2011.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series:

BETH McCARTHY-MILLER
30 Rock, “Hogcock!/Last Lunch”
(NBC)

McCarthy-Miller’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Diana Schmidt
First Assistant Director: Stephen Lee Davis
Second Assistant Director: Vanessa Hoffman
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Bill Sell
Location Manager: Suk Yi Mar
This is McCarthy-Miller’s third DGA Award and tenth nomination. She was also nominated this year, together with Rob Ashford, in the Movies for Television and Mini-Series category for The Sound of Music Live! She was previously nominated in the Comedy Series category for 30 Rock episodes “Live from Studio 6H” in 2012, “Live Show” in 2010, “The Reunion Episode #304” in 2008 and “Somebody to Love” in 2007. She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety twice, in 2001 for America: A Tribute to Heroes (co-directed with Joel Gallen) and in 2000 for the “Val Kilmer/U2” episode of Saturday Night Live. She was also twice nominated in that category for Saturday Night Live episodes “Christopher Walken & The Foo Fighters” in 2003 and the 25th Anniversary episode in 1999.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Series:

DON ROY KING
Saturday Night Live, “Saturday Night Live with Host Justin Timberlake”
(NBC)

King’s Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Matt Yonks, Bob Caminiti
Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly
This is King’s first DGA Award and seventh nomination. He was previously nominated for Saturday Night Live episodes in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials:

GLENN WEISS
The 67th Annual Tony Awards
(CBS)

Weiss’s Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Robin Abrams, Stefani Cohen, Ricky Kirshner
Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Phyllis Digilio-Kent, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Lynn Finkel, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Arthur Lewis, Jeffrey M. Markowitz, Joey Meade, Seth Mellman, Tony Mirante, Cyndi Owgang, Jeff Pearl, Elise Reaves, Lauren Class Schneider
This is Weiss’s fifth DGA Award and tenth nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012 for the 61st, 64th, 65th and 66th Annual Tony Awards. He was previously nominated in the same category in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008 for the 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th, and 62nd Annual Tony Awards.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs: 

NEIL P. DeGROOT
72 Hours, “The Lost Coast”
(TNT)

This is Mr. DeGroot’s second DGA Award. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs in 2011 for “Episode 1115” of The Biggest Loser.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs:

AMY SCHATZ
An Apology to Elephants
(HBO)

This is Schatz’s fifth DGA Award and eighth nomination. She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs four times for A Child’s Garden of Poetry in 2011, Classical Baby (I'm Grown Up Now) “The Poetry Show” in 2008, 'Twas the Night in 2001 and Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepy Time Tales in 1999. She was also nominated an additional three times in this category for Don’t Divorce Me! Kids’ Rules for Parents on Divorce in 2012, Hard Times for an American Girl: The Great Depression in 2009 and Through a Child's Eyes: September 11, 2001 in 2002.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials:

MARTIN de THURAH
Epoch Films

The Man Who Couldn't Slow Down, Hennessy VS – Droga5
First Assistant Director: Shawn Thomas

Human Race, Acura MDX 2014 – Mullen
First Assistant Director: Jey Wada
Second Assistant Director: Dillon Neaman
Second Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern
This is de Thurah’s first DGA Award.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Special Awards:

In a surprise announcement, DGA President Paris Barclay called former National Vice President Steven Soderbergh to the stage to accept the Robert B. Aldrich Award in honor of Soderbergh’s extraordinary service to the DGA and its membership. Joined by former DGA President/current Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted and former DGA President Taylor Hackford, Barclay thanked Soderbergh for his devotion to the Guild, especially his work to protect and extend the creative rights of directors. Soderbergh, who was first elected to the National Board in 2001, served for nine years as National Vice President before stepping down last June. Soderbergh was also a founding member of the Guild’s Independent Directors Committee, a chair of the Eastern Directors Council, a member of the Western Directors Council, and he chaired DGA Honors three times. Soderbergh currently serves on the PAC Leadership Council and the DGA Foundation, and he is co-chair of the Guild’s Theatrical Creative Rights Committee, a position he has held since 2002.

The recipients of the Directors Guild of America Service and Achievement Awards for 2014 are:

• STEVEN SODERBERGH - Robert B. Aldrich Service Award (given in in recognition of extraordinary service to the Directors Guild of America and to its membership)


• SHONDA RHIMES & BETSY BEERS - DGA Diversity Award (given in recognition of commitment to diversity hiring and providing jobs and opportunities to women and minorities in DGA-covered categories)


• LEE BLAINE - Frank Capra Achievement Award (given to an Assistant Director or Unit Production Manager in recognition of their career and service to the industry and the DGA)


• VINCENT DeDARIO - Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award (given to an Associate Director or Stage Manager in recognition of their service to the industry and DGA)

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

11th Annual African-American Film Critics Association Awards

The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced the winners of their 11th annual 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. I have never been a fan of AAFCA and not including the Wolf of Wall Street in the list of top films has made me dislike them even more.

Last year, none of the AAFCA winners won the Oscar, so that makes them ridiculously irrelevant. Let's see if the same happens this year or not. Because this year, everyone's favorite '12 Years a Slave' is AAFCA's top film.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Top Films of 2013

1. 12 Years a Slave


2. Lee Daniels: The Butler


3. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom


4. American Hustle


5. Gravity


6. Fruitvale Station


7. Dallas Buyers Club


8. Saving Mr. Banks


9. Out of the Furnace


10.  42

Best Director: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)

Best Actor: Forest Whitaker, Lee Daniels: The Butler (TWC)

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, Gravity (Warner Bros.)

Best Supporting Actress: Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniels: The Butler (TWC)

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club (Focus Features)

Best World Cinema: Mother of George (Oscilloscope Laboratories)

Breakout Performance: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)

Best Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight)

Best Music: Raphael Sadiq, Black Nativity (RCA Inspirational)

Best Independent Film: Fruitvale Station (TWC)

Best Animation: Frozen (Walt Disney Pictures)

Best Documentary: American Promise (Rada Film Group)

17th Annual Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Awards

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) announced their 17th Annual Sierra awards on December 18th, 2013 with giving away the Best Picture award to 12 Years a Slave, directed and co-produced by Steve McQueen who also won the Best Director award. This is getting easier now. 12 Years a Slave is the strongest contender this season and it's highly likely that it will win the Oscars. None of the wins are surprising or shocking as all of the winners are deserving with the exception of This Is the End, which won the Best Comedy Film award. I strongly believe that Edgar Wright's the World's End should have won it.

Last year, 10 LVFCS winners won the Oscars (you can view the previous year's winners here: 16th Annual Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Awards) which is serious and important as some of the LVFCS winners might win the Oscars this year as well.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave

Best Director: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave

Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Actress: Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Best Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity

Best Film Editing: Alfonso Cuaron & Mark Sanger, Gravity

Best Costume Design: Patricia Norris, 12 Years a Slave

Best Art Direction: Andy Nicholson, Gravity

Best Visual Effects: Gravity

Best Foreign Film: Blue is the Warmest Color

Best Documentary: Blackfish

Best Animated Film: Frozen

Best Family Film: Saving Mr. Banks

Best Horror/Sci-Fi Film: Pacific Rim

Best Comedy Film: This is the End

Best Action Film: Lone Survivor

Best Score: Hans Zimmer, 12 Years a Slave

Best Song: Please Mr. Kennedy, Inside Llewyn Davis

Youth in Film: Tye Sheridan, Mud

Best DVD (Packaging, Design and Content): Breaking Bad – The Complete Series (Blu-Ray)

The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award: John Goodman

LVFCS Top 10 Films of 2013

1. 12 Years a Slave


2. Dallas Buyers Club


3. Gravity


4. The Wolf of Wall Street


5. American Hustle


6. Inside Llewyn Davis


7. Saving Mr. Banks


8. Nebraska


9. Her


10. Lone Survivor

9th Annual Austin Film Critics Association Awards

The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) announced their awards on December 17h, 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 his wonderful direction in space drama Gravity.

Last year, 4 AFCA winners won the Oscars, i.e. Best Actress for Jennifer Lawrence, Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz, Best Suppporting Actress for Anne Hathaway and Best Adapted Screenplay for Chris Terrio. Let's see how it goes this year.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: Her (Spike Jonze)

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave

Best Actress: Brie Larson, Short Term 12

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 Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity

Best Score: Arcade Fire, Her

Best Foreign Language Film: Blue is the Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche)

Best Documentary: The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer)

Best Animated Film: Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee)

Best First Film: Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler)

Breakthrough Artist: Brie Larson, Short Term 12

Best Austin Film: Before Midnight (Richard Linklater)

Special Honorary Award: Scarlett Johansson, for her outstanding voice performance in Her

AFCA 2013 Top Ten Films:

1. Her


2. 12 Years a Slave


3. Gravity


4. The Wolf of Wall Street


5. Inside Llewyn Davis


6. Short Term 12


7. Mud


8. Before Midnight


9. Dallas Buyers Club


10. Captain Phillips

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

47th Annual Kansas City Film Critics Circle Loutzenhiser Awards

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) announced the winners of 47th annual Loutzenhiser Awards on December 15th, 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 and shared it with Alfonso Cuarón who won the Best Director award for Gravity. Both of them are deserving winners and I couldn't be more happy with this choice by Kansas Circle. Additionally, 12 Years a Slave was their favorite as it was the biggest winner taking home all the acting awards except Best Actress and also winning the screenplay award for John Ridley.

Last year, 6 KCFCC winners won the Oscars and most of them were acting wins (you can view the previous year's winners here: 46th Annual Kansas City Film Critics Circle Loutzenhiser Awards). Let's see what will happen this year!

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film: 12 Years a Slave

Robert Altman Award for Best Director – Tie: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity & Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave

Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Best Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave

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 Animated Film – Tie: Despicable Me 2 & Frozen

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

Best Documentary: The Act of Killing

Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror Film: Her

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

2nd Annual Boston Online Film Critics Association Awards

The Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) announced their awards today, on December 7th, 2013, with giving away the Best Picture award to Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave which was the biggest winner of the night, also winning Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing and Best Original Score awards. This is such a remarkable achievement for 12 Years a Slave because it's finally starting to get some critics love which will probably continue until the Oscars.

Other great winner includes Jared Leto for Best Supporting Actress for his role in Dallas Buyers Club. Leto is my most favorite Oscar front-runner at the moment, because whatever he does, he does with extreme passion.

One thing that I completely disliked about the BOFCA awards this year is that instead of Spike Jonze's Her, the stupid Spring Breakers is in the list of top 10 films. Utterly ridiculous!

Last year, only 2 BOFCA winners eventually won the Oscar, i.e. Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis and Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway. Let's see what happens this time.

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 SCREENPLAY: Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, and Richard Linklater (BEFORE MIDNIGHT)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR

BEST DOCUMENTARY: THE ACT OF KILLING

BEST ANIMATED FILM (tie): THE WIND RISES and FROZEN

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Bruno Delbonnel (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS)

BEST EDITING: Joe Walker (12 YEARS A SLAVE)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Hans Zimmer (12 YEARS A SLAVE)

TOP 10 FILMS OF THE YEAR:

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE


2. INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS


3. THE WOLF OF WALL STREET


4. GRAVITY


5. BEFORE MIDNIGHT


6. THE SPECTACULAR NOW


7. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR


8. SPRING BREAKERS


9. THE WORLD’S END


10. FRUITVALE STATION