Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 1st to 8th, 2017 - Update #20

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TELEVISION - From ScreenDaily:  John Ridley gets emotional talking about his series, "Guerilla," for the British broadcaster, Sky."

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  LaVar Ball blames UCLA's NCAA men's basketball tournament loss on 3 slow of foot white guys.  His son, Lonzo, plays on that team.

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MOVIE - From SlashFilm:  The long talked about "The Legend of Conan" is not happening... maybe someone will consider it again in the future.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Adam McKay is developing a Dick Cheney biopic.  Christian Bale, Steve Carell, and Amy Adams are in talks to appear.

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OBIT - From TMZ:  Legendary stand-up comic, Don Rickles, has died at the age of 90, Thursday, April 6, 2017.  Rickles, an "insult comic," was known as the "king of the zing."  Rickles was also an actor with numerous film and TV appearances.  R.I.P. Mr. Rickles, I'll always love your humor.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Jeremy Renner and Hannibal Buress are joining Ed Helms in the comedy, "Tag."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Eric Roth, who wrote the screenplay for "Forrest Gump," will write director Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" reboot.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Demian Bichir will headline "The Nun," a spinoff from "The Conjuring 2."

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CELEBRITY - YahooCelebrity:  Heath Ledger documentary, "I Am Heath Ledger" says that Ledger wanted fame, but didn't want it when he got it.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Colin Farrell is considering joining Viola Davis in Steve McQueen's "Widows."

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DISNEY - From Variety:  There is a live-action remake of Walt Disney's animated classic, "Dumbo," to be directed by Tim Burton.  Michael Keaton, who has starred in three films directed by Burton, is in talks to play the villain.

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STAR TREK - From YahooNews:  Sonequa Martin-Green ("Sasha" from "The Walking Dead") will play a character on CBS's upcoming "Star Trek: Discovery."  The character has finally been revealed as "First Officer Michael Burnham."

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MOVIES - From JoBlo:  Arnold Schwarzenegger says he is not finished with "Terminator" franchise.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Steve Carell's Amazon drama, "Beautiful Boys," casts the youngest son.

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POLITICS - From YahooTV:  George Takei, LGBTQ activist and "Sulu" on the original "Star Trek," is not running for office.  It was a joke.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 3/31 to 4/2/2017 weekend box office is DreamWorks Animation's "The Boss Baby" with an estimated take of $49 million.

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COMICS - From THR:  Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, who had a hit run on the comic book, "Batman," beginning in 2011, are creating a DC Comics event story line for late summer, "Dark Night: Metal."  This will be "bigger than Batman."

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COMICS-FILM - From RollingStone:  Joss Whedon is directing a "Batgirl" movie.

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CULTURE - From Jacobin:  An alternative obituary of plutocrat, David Rockefeller (who recently died at the age of 101) by Erik Wallenberg

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LGBTQ - From Variety:  Best Picture Oscar winner, "Moonlight" wins top film honor at GLAAD Media Awards.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Zac Efron says that Hugh Jackman saved him from a fire on the set of the upcoming "The Greatest Showman," which is about P.T. Barnum.

Oklahoma Film Critics Gives "Spotlight" its Best Picture Award

The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) is the statewide group of professional film critics.  OFCC members are Oklahoma-based movie critics who write for print, broadcast and online outlets that publish or post reviews of current film releases.

The OFCC announced its 10th annual awards winners in early January of 2016.

2015 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award winners:

Best Picture - "Spotlight"

Best Actor – Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"

Best Actress – Brie Larson, "Room"

Best Animated Film - "Inside Out"

Best Body of Work – Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina," "The Danish Girl," "Testament of Youth," "Burnt"

Best Director – George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Best Documentary - "Amy"

Best First Feature – Alex Garland, "Ex Machina"

Best Foreign Language Film - "Son of Saul" (Hungary)

Best Original Screenplay - "Spotlight"

Best Adapted Screenplay – Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, "The Big Short"

Best Supporting Actor (TIE)
Michael Keaton "Spotlight"
Sylvester Stallone "Creed"

Best Supporting Actress – Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina"

Most Disappointing Film – "Tomorrowland"

Top 10 Films
"Spotlight"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Brooklyn"
"Ex-Machina"
"The Big Short"
"Carol"
"The Revenant"
"Inside Out"
"Sicario"
"The Hateful Eight

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New York Film Critics Circle Names "Carol" Best Picture of 2015

This film critics group was founded in 1935.  The New York Film Critics Circle is, according to their website, “an organization of film reviewers from New York-based publications that exists to honor excellence in U.S. and world cinema.”  Members are critics from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, and online general-interest publications (that meet certain qualifications). Every year in December, Circle members meet in New York to vote on awards for the year's films.  The Circle also puts on an awards presentation, which will be held in January 2015 to honor 2014 winners.

The Circle was the first film critics organization that I encountered as a budding, young movie lover.  The Circle's awards have been predictors of the Oscar nominations. However, The Circle sees it awards “as a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring esthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures,” according to their website.

2015 NYFCC Awards:

Best Picture
Carol

Best Director
Todd Haynes - Carol

Best Screenplay
Phyllis Nagy - Carol

Best Actress
Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn

Best Actor
Michael Keaton - Spotlight

Best Supporting Actress
Kristen Stewart - Clouds of Sils Maria

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies

Best Cinematographer
Edward Lachman - Carol

Best Animated Film
Inside Out

Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary)
In Jackson Heights

Best Foreign Language Film
Timbuktu (Mauritania)

Best First Film
László Nemes - Son of Saul

Special Award
William Becker and Janus Films

Special Award
Ennio Morricone

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Gotham Awards Names "Spotlight" as the "Best Feature" of 2015

Honoring independent films, the Gotham Awards are the first major awards of the film awards season.  The Gotham Awards are presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), an organization which helps independent filmmakers by connected artists with resources at all stages of film development and distribution.

This year, the 2015 Gotham Awards kicks off the 2015-16 season.  The Gotham Awards ceremony was held on Monday, November 30, 2015 at Cipriani Wall Street.

The 2015 IFP Gotham Independent Film Award winners:

Best Feature
Spotlight
Tom McCarthy, director; Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Pagan Faust, producers (Open Road Films)

Best Documentary
The Look of Silence
Joshua Oppenheimer, director; Signe Byrge Sørensen, producer (Drafthouse Films)

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Jonas Carpignano for Mediterranea (Sundance Selects)

Best Screenplay
Spotlight, Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer (Open Road Films)

Best Actor*
Paul Dano in Love & Mercy (Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate, and River Road Entertainment)

Best Actress*
Bel Powley in The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Sony Pictures Classics)

Breakthrough Actor
Mya Taylor in Tangerine (Magnolia Pictures)


* The 2015 Best Actor/Best Actress nominating panel also voted to award a special “Gotham Jury Award” jointly to Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, and Brian d’Arcy James for their ensemble work in Spotlight. (Open Road Films).

Spotlight on Women Directors ‘Live the Dream’ Grant
For the sixth consecutive year, IFP is proud present the euphoria Calvin Klein Spotlight on Women Directors ‘Live the Dream’ grant, a $25,000 cash award for an alumna of IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs or IFP’s Screen Forward Lab. In 2015, Screen Forward Lab directors have been included in this opportunity for the first time. This grant aims to further the careers of emerging women directors by supporting the completion, distribution and audience engagement strategies of their first feature film or episodic series. The nominees are:

Chanelle Aponte Pearson, director, 195 Lewis - WINNER


Gotham Independent Film Audience Award
IFP members will determine the 7th Annual Gotham Independent Film Audience Award with nominees comprised of the 14 nominated films in the Best Feature, Best Documentary, and Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award categories. All IFP current, active members at the Individual Level and above will be eligible to vote.  Voting will take place online from November 18th at 12:01 AM EST and conclude on November 25th at 5:00 PM EST. In addition, IFP will be scheduling screenings of the nominated films for IFP members in the theater at the Made in NY Media Center by IFP in Brooklyn. These screenings will take place from November 4-11. The winner of the Audience Award will be announced at the Gotham Awards Ceremony on November 30, 2015.

Tangerine
Sean Baker, director; Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou, Marcus Cox & Karrie Cox, producers (Magnolia Pictures) - WINNER

Gotham Appreciation Award
A Gothams Appreciation Award is given to Ellen Cotter for her contribution to theatrical distribution, including leadership of the Angelika Film Centers.

Breakthrough Series – Longform
:
A continuing or limited series with episodes running 30 minutes or longer.



Mr. Robot, Sam Esmail, creator (USA Network)
 (WINNER)
Breakthrough Series – Shortform:
A continuing or limited-series new digital media programming comprising five or more episodes with the majority under 20 minutes.  



Shugs and Fats, Nadia Manzoor and Radhika Vaz, creators (ShugsandFats.TV) (WINNER)


Gotham Tributes
The Gotham Independent Film Awards, selected by distinguished juries and presented in New York City, the home of independent film, are the first honors of the film awards season. This public showcase honors the filmmaking community, expands the audience for independent films, and supports the work that IFP does behind the scenes throughout the year to bring such films to fruition.

The "Film Tribute Awards" went to Steve Golin; Todd Haynes; Helen Mirren; and Robert Redford

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Review: As a Character Study, "Birdman" Has Wings

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 45 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

[A version of this review originally appeared on Patreon.]

Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Running time:  119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
MPAA – R for language throughout, some sexual content and brief violence
DIRECTOR:  Alejandro G. Iñárritu
WRITERS:  Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Armando Bo
PRODUCERS:  Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, and James W. Skotchdopole
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Emmanuel Lubezki (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione
COMPOSER:  Antonio Sanchez (drum score)
Academy Award winner, including “Best Picture”

DRAMA/COMEDY

Starring: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Zach Galifanakis, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, and Amy Ryan with Lindsay Duncan

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a 2014 drama and black comedy film from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu.  The film focuses on a Hollywood actor, who once starred in a series of popular superhero movies, as he tries to forge a comeback with a Broadway play.  Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), commonly known as Birdman, won four Oscars, including “Best Picture,” at the 87th Academy Awards (February 22, 2015).

Birdman introduces Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton).  He is a washed-up Hollywood actor and former movie star best known for playing the iconic superhero, Birdman, two decades ago in a series of blockbuster films.  Riggan hopes to reinvent his career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.  Riggan's play is a loosely based adaptation of “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,” a short story written by the late Raymond Carver (and first published in the former literary journal, Antaeus, in 1981).

Unfortunately, Riggan's play is beset by complications.  The play is produced by Riggan's best friend and lawyer, Jake (Zach Galifanakis), who is very demanding and high-strung.  The film's two actresses are Riggan's girlfriend, Laura (Andrea Riseborough), who claims to be pregnant, and a first-time Broadway actress, Lesley (Naomi Watts), who has a worried mind.  Riggan's daughter, Samantha (Emma Stone), a recovering addict, serves as her father's assistant.  The other male actor in the play is Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), a brilliant actor who is also volatile, disruptive, and attention-seeking.  The biggest complication, however, is the spirit of Birdman, which haunts Riggan with a mocking, critical voice, and that voice wants another Birdman movie.

Taking what the movie gives us, which is a little over one hour and fifty minutes of film narrative, Birdman is an extraordinary character study about the life of a struggling actor in a particular moment in time.  This moment in time is a two-week period, of which we only observe in select pieces.  People who watch this movie have to take Riggan at face value because the film is vague about whatever happened to Riggan's life prior to the two-week period that it depicts.

This situation helps to make Birdman ambiguous, and I think the director and his co-writers wanted their film to have many ambiguities.  Is this film a true black comedy?  Is it a drama about domestic and professional failures?  Is it real, or surreal, or both (when considering Riggan's powers)?  Is the last act and the ending a resolution via rebirth or by closure?  Birdman is a complex, different and fascinating work of cinema.

Considering its subject matter, that of a failed movie star in the tailspin of a midlife crisis, it is fairly obvious why the film was so attractive to so many Oscar voters.  How many members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which votes on the Oscars, have experienced something similar to Riggan's experiences or how many know they will... eventually.  I think that this is a tremendous movie, and I can see why it won the Oscars that it did.

On the other hand, Edward Norton and Emma Stone are good in Birdman, but there is little in their work here, in terms of substance or character portrayal, that says that either one of them gave a top five performance in the respective categories for which they were nominated for Oscars.  I also find Michael Keaton a little uneven.  He is at his best when he is emoting without dialogue and when he is giving voice to Birdman.  When he tries to give voice to anger and frustration, he is over-the-top, in his now trademark manner, familiar to us who remember him as Batman and as Beetlejuice.

Many people seem to think that Keaton was perfect for the role of Riggan Thomson who played a superhero at the height of his career and fame in Hollywood because Keaton played the title role in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) at the height of his film career.  Keaton's career seemed to diminish after Batman, gradually though, until he had seemingly disappeared from Hollywood films.  The truth is Keaton is a good actor whose full talent has rarely been utilized.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) gives him a chance, and there are moments in which Keaton shines.  This film is unique and has many moments of brilliance, in which Alejandro G. Iñárritu shows us that cinematic magic is indeed real.  Birdman has it, revealing that drama need not be tied to the ground nor to be framed in notions of stiff realism.  Birdman has a sense of wonder and of curiosity, believing that it is as exciting to explore a man's life as it is to explore a faraway magical kingdom or an island full of dinosaurs.

9 of 10
A+

Tuesday, September 15, 2015


NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA:  4 wins: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Lesher, and James W. Skotchdopole), “Best Achievement in Directing” (Alejandro González Iñárritu), “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo), and “Best Achievement in Cinematography” (Emmanuel Lubezki); 5 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Michael Keaton), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Edward Norton), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Emma Stone), “Best Achievement in Sound Mixing” (Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, and Thomas Varga) and “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Aaron Glascock and Martín Hernández)

2015 Golden Globes, USA:  2 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Michael Keaton) and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo); 5 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Alejandro González Iñárritu), “Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical,” “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Emma Stone), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Edward Norton) and “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Antonio Sanchez)

2015 BAFTA Awards:  1 win “Best Cinematography” (Emmanuel Lubezki); 9 nominations: “Best Film” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Lesher, and James W. Skotchdopole), “Best Leading Actor” (Michael Keaton), “Best Supporting Actor” (Edward Norton), “Best Supporting Actress” (Emma Stone), “Best Editing” (Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione), “Best Original Music” (Antonio Sanchez), “Best Sound” (Thomas Varga, Martín Hernández, Aaron Glascock, Jon Taylor, and Frank A. Montaño), “Best Original Screenplay” (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, and Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Alejandro González Iñárritu)


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Eddie Redmayne Wins Lead Actor Oscar for "The Theory of Everything"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:

Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher”

Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper”

Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game”

Michael Keaton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything” WINNER

"Birdman" Wins "Best Feature" at 2015 Independent Spirit Awards - Complete Winners List

Film Independent’s Spirit Awards (formerly known as the Independent Spirit Awards) were founded in 1984 and are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers.  Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and also the Los Angeles Film Festival.

The 2015/30th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards winners were announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 21, 2015.  Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants were highlighted during the awards ceremony and were announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants and Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 10, 2015, at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.

2015 / 30th Film Independent Spirit Award winner:

BEST FEATURE
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole

BEST DIRECTOR
Richard Linklater: Boyhood

BEST SCREENPLAY
Dan Gilroy: Nightcrawler

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Nightcrawler
Director: Dan Gilroy
Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Justin Simien: Dear White People

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.

Land Ho!
Writers/Directors: Aaron Katz & Martha Stephens
Producers: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Julianne Moore: Still Alice

BEST MALE LEAD
Michael Keaton: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Patricia Arquette: Boyhood

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
J.K. Simmons: Whiplash

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Emmanuel Lubezki: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BEST EDITING
Tom Cross: Whiplash

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
CITIZENFOUR
Director/Producer: Laura Poitras
Producers: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
Ida (Poland)
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
Inherent Vice
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Casting Director: Cassandra Kulukundis

Ensemble Cast: Josh Brolin, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio Del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Michael Kenneth Williams, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon

SPECIAL DISTINCTION AWARD
Foxcatcher
Director/Producer: Bennett Miller
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik
Writers: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman
Actors: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum

18th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 18th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.
Chad Burris
Elisabeth Holm
Chris Ohlson

21st ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 21st annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.

H.
Directors: Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia

20th ANNUAL LENSCRAFTERS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 20th annual Truer Than Fiction Award, sponsored by LensCrafters is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by LensCrafters.

The Kill Team
Director: Dan Krauss

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London Film Critics Circle Names "Boyhood" the 2014 "Film of the Year"

The London Film Critics’ Circle is part of a larger organization, The Critics’ Circle, which makes an annual award for Services to the Arts.  This circle is comprised of the five sections:  dance, drama, film, music, and visual arts.

The Critics’ Circle Film Section held its 35th annual awards ceremony on January 19, 2015 at the May Fair Hotel.  The 35th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards featured sponsorship by The May Fair,  Audi, Hardy's, Albion Racing Club, Viru, Voss and Cameo Productions.

2015 / 35th London Critics' Circle Film Award Winners:

FILM OF THE YEAR
Boyhood (Universal)

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Leviathan (Curzon Artificial Eye)

BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR
Under the Skin (StudioCanal)

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Citizenfour (Curzon Artificial Eye)

ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Michael Keaton - Birdman (Fox)

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Julianne Moore - Still Alice (Curzon Artificial Eye)

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
JK Simmons - Whiplash (Sony)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Patricia Arquette - Boyhood (Universal)

BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Timothy Spall - Mr Turner (eOne)

BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl (Fox) & What We Did on Our Holiday (Lionsgate)

YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Alex Lawther - The Imitation Game (StudioCanal)

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Richard Linklater - Boyhood (Universal)

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel  (Fox)

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILMMAKER
Yann Demange - '71 (StudioCanal)

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Under the Skin - Mica Levi, score (StudioCanal)

DILYS POWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM
Miranda Richardson

TOP 10 FILMS of 2014
1. Boyhood

2. Birdman

3. Under the Skin

4. Whiplash

5. Mr Turner

6. Leviathan

7. The Grand Budapest Hotel

8. Ida

9. Nightcrawler

10. The Theory of Everything

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Florida Film Critics Circle Names "Birdman" Best Picture of 2014

The Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) was founded in 1996 is comprised of writers from various state-based publications.

The Florida Film Critics Circle Award winners were announced on December 19, 2014.

2014 Florida Film Critics Circle winners:

Best Picture: Birdman
Runner-up: Boyhood

Best Director: Richard Linklater – Boyhood
Runner-up: Alejandro González Iñárritu – Birdman

Best Actress: Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Runner-up: Julianne Moore – Still Alice

Best Actor: Michael Keaton – Birdman
Runner-up: Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons – Whiplash
Runner-up: Edward Norton – Birdman

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Runner-up: Emma Stone – Birdman

Best Ensemble: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Runner-up: Boyhood

Best Original Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson)
Runner-up: Birdman (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)
Runner-up: Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Best Cinematography: Interstellar (Hoyte Van Hoytema)
Runner-up: The Grand Budapest Hotel (Robert D. Yeoman)

Best Visual Effects: Interstellar
Runner-up: Guardians of the Galaxy

Best Art Direction/Production Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Runner-up: Interstellar

Best Score: Under the Skin (Micah Levi, aka Micachu)
Runner-up: Gone Girl (Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross)

Best Documentary: Life Itself
Runner-up: Citizenfour

Best Foreign-Language Film: The Raid 2
Runner-up: Force Majeure

Best Animated Film: The Lego Movie
Runner-up: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Pauline Kael Breakout Award: Damien Chazelle (writer/director: Whiplash)
Runner-up: Gugu Mbatha-Raw (actress: Belle, Beyond the Lights)

Golden Orange: The Borscht Corp.

The Golden Orange Award, given for outstanding contribution to film in Florida, is awarded to the Borscht Corp. for their tireless championing of independent filmmaking. Fresh and vital, they are a non-profit group that affords filmmakers a place to work outside of the box and produce work that has garnered international attention. As their profile grows so does original, local film production’s profile. Since 2005, Borscht has been about creativity and a devout allegiance to the film scene in South Florida. They have been shining ambassadors for the region and are showing no signs of slowing down.

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Oklahoma Film Critics Name "Boyhood" Best Picture of 2014

The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) is the statewide group of professional film critics.  OFCC members are Oklahoma-based movie critics who write for print, broadcast and online outlets that publish or post reviews of current film releases.

The OFCC announced its 9th annual awards list in early January of 2015.

Oklahoma Film Critics Circle 2014 Winners:

Best Picture: “Boyhood.”

Best Actor: Michael Keaton, “Birdman.”

Best Actress: Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl.”

Best Animated Film: “The LEGO Movie.”

Best Body of Work: Christopher Miller and Phil Lord “The Lego Movie” and “22 Jump Street.”

Best Director: Richard Linklater, “Boyhood.”

Best Documentary: “Life Itself.”

Best First Feature: “Nightcrawler.”

Best Foreign Language Film: “Force Majeure.”

Best Guilty Pleasure: “Edge of Tomorrow.”

Not So Obviously Worst Film: “Monuments Men.”

Obviously Worst Film: “Transformers: Age of Extinction.”

Best Original Screenplay: “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

Best Adapted Screenplay: Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl.”

Best Supporting Actor: Edward Norton, “Birdman.”

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood.”

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"Boyhood" Wins Critics' Choice Award for "Best Picture"

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada.  It represents almost 300 television, radio and online critics. For additional information about the BFCA and their memberships, visit www.criticschoice.com.

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) recently announced the winners for The 20th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. The winners were revealed at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, which was broadcast live on A&E from the Hollywood Palladium on Thursday, January 15th, 2015 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT.

“Boyhood” was named Best Picture and garnered three additional wins including Best Supporting Actress for Patricia Arquette, Best Young Actor/Actress for Ellar Coltrane, and Best Director for Richard Linklater.

“Birdman,” the most nominated film of the evening, won seven awards including Best Actor for Michael Keaton, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Original Screenplay for Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Armando Bo, Best Cinematography for Emmanuel Lubezki, Best Editing for Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione, Best Actor in a Comedy for Michael Keaton, and Best Score for Antonio Sanchez. Michael Keaton is the first person in the 20-year history of the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards to win three awards in a single year (Best Actor, Best Actor in a Comedy, and as part of the “Birdman” Best Ensemble).

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” claimed three awards including Best Comedy, Best Art Direction for Adam Stockhausen (Production Designer) and Anna Pinnock (Set Director), and Best Costume Design for Milena Canonero.

As announced previously, Kevin Costner, Ron Howard and Jessica Chastain each received special honors at the ceremony. Rene Russo presented Kevin Costner with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ celebrating more than three decades of incredible work in film. Chris Hemsworth presented the ‘Critics’ Choice LOUIS XIII Genius Award’, established to honor an icon who has demonstrated unprecedented excellence in the cinematic arts, to multiple award-winning director, producer and actor Ron Howard. Chris Pratt presented the inaugural ‘Critics’ Choice MVP Award,’ to Jessica Chastain, recognizing an extraordinary actress for her work in several standout movies throughout a single year – Interstellar, Miss Julie, A Most Violent Year (which also earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination this year), and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.

The 2015 / 20th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Award winners (for the year in film, 2014):

Best Picture – “Boyhood”

Best Actor – Michael Keaton, “Birdman”

Best Actress – Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”

Best Supporting Actor – J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

Best Supporting Actress – Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”

Best Young Actor/Actress – Ellar Coltrane, “Boyhood”

Best Acting Ensemble – “Birdman”

Best Director – Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Best Original Screenplay – Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., Armando Bo, “Birdman”

Best Adapted Screenplay – Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl”

Best Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki, “Birdman”

Best Art Direction – Adam Stockhausen (Production Designer), Anna Pinnock (Set Decorator), “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Best Editing – Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione, “Birdman”

Best Costume Design – Milena Canonero, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Best Hair & Makeup – “Guardians of the Galaxy”

Best Visual Effects – “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”

Best Animated Feature – “The Lego Movie”

Best Action Movie – “Guardians of the Galaxy”

Best Actor in an Action Movie – Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”

Best Actress in an Action Movie – Emily Blunt, “Edge of Tomorrow”

Best Comedy – “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Best Actor in a Comedy – Michael Keaton, “Birdman”

Best Actress in a Comedy – Jenny Slate, “Obvious Child”

Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie – “Interstellar”

Best Foreign Language Film – “Force Majeure”

Best Documentary Feature – “Life Itself”

Best Song – “Glory”, Common and John Legend, “Selma”

Best Score – Antonio Sanchez, “Birdman”

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Las Vegas Film Critics Name "Birdman" Best Picture of 2014

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) is a non-profit organization that describes itself as “progressive” and “dedicated to the advancement and preservation of film.”  The LVFCS membership is comprised of “select” print, television and internet film critics in the Las Vegas area. The LVFCS presents its "Sierra" awards each year for the best in film, including The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award, which is named for the late Academy Award winning actor.

2014 Sierra Award winners:

Best Picture
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Best Actor
Michael Keaton, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Best Actress
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

Best Supporting Actor
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

Best Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton, “Snowpiercer”

Best Director
Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Best Screenplay
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Best Cinematography
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Best Film Editing
James Herbert and Laura Jennings, “Edge of Tomorrow”

Best Costume Design
Alexandra Byrne, “Guardians of the Galaxy”

Best Art Direction
“The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

Best Visual Effects
“Interstellar”

Best Foreign Film
“Ida” (Poland)

Best Documentary
“Citzenfour”

Best Animated Film
“The Lego Movie”

Best Family Film
“The Lego Movie”

Best Horror/Sci-Fi Film
“Babadook”

Best Comedy Film
“Top 5”

Best Action Film
“Guardians of the Galaxy”

Best Ensemble
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Best Score
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Best Song
“I Love You All,” Stephen Rennicks – “Frank”

Youth in Film
Jaeden Lieberher, “St. Vincent”

Breakout Filmmaker of the Year
Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”

William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award
Bill Murray

Cinema Heritage Award
Prof. Francisco Menendez, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Film Dept. Chair

LVFCS Top 10 Films of 2013:

1. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

2. Boyhood

3. Whiplash

4. Nightcrawler

5. The Grand Budapest Hotel

6. Wild

7. Selma

8. The Imitation Game

9. Snowpiercer

10.  Under the Skin

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Kansas City Film Critics Fly with "Birdman" as Best Picture

Founded in 1967, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) says that it is the "second oldest professional film critics" association in the United States" (behind the New York Film Critics Circle).  The organization is composed of media film critics in the Kansas City metropolitan area.  The KCFCC’s awards are named for the group’s founder, James Loutzenhiser, who died in November 2001.

On Sunday, December 14th, 2014, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle announced the winners of its 48th annual awards.

2014 / 48th KCFCC Annual Awards:

BEST PICTURE: “Birdman”

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING: Richard Linklater – “Boyhood”

BEST ACTOR: Michael Keaton – “Birdman”

BEST ACTRESS: Rosamund Pike – “Gone Girl”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Edward Norton – “Birdman”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Patricia Arquette – “Boyhood”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicholas Glocobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo – “Birdman”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Gillian Robespierre – “Obvious Child”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: “The Lego Movie”

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: “CitizenFour”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: “Ida” (Poland)

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCI-FI, FANTASY or HORROR FILM: “The Babadook”

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"Boyhood," "The Grand Budapest Hotel" Win Best Picture Awards at 2015 Golden Globe Awards - Complete Winners List

The Golden Globe Award is a movie accolade bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).  The award recognizes excellence in both film and television.  The annual awards ceremony is a major part of the film industry’s award season.

The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Award winners were announced on Sunday, January 11, 2015.  The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards was hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.  The ceremony aired on Sunday, January 11, 2015, LIVE coast-to-coast on NBC from 8:00-11:00 p.m. (EST) and 5:00-8:00 p.m. (PST).

George Clooney received the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

2015 / 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards winners:

FILM CATEGORIES:

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Boyhood

Lead Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

Lead Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama
Julianne Moore – Still Alice

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
The Grand Budapest Hotel

Lead Actor in a Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical
Michael Keaton – Birdman

Lead Actress in a Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical
Amy Adams – Big Eyes

Director
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

Supporting Actress  in a Motion Picture
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

Screenplay
Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo – Birdman

Animated Feature
How to Train Your Dragon 2

Foreign Film
Leviathan, Russia

Original Song – Motion Picture
Glory – Selma (John Legend, Common)

Original Score – Motion Picture
Johann Johannsson – The Theory of Everything


TELEVISION AWARDS:

Best TV Drama
The Affair

Lead Actor – TV Drama
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards

Lead Actress – TV Drama
Ruth Wilson – The Affair

TV Miniseries or Movie
Fargo

Actor – TV Miniseries or Movie
Billy Bob Thornton – Fargo

Actress – TV Miniseries or Movie
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Honorable Woman

Best TV Comedy
Transparent

Lead Actor – TV Comedy
Jeffrey Tambor – Transparent

Lead Actress – TV Comedy
Gina Rodriguez – Jane the Virgin

Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or TV movie
Matt Bomer – The Normal Heart

Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or TV movie
Joanne Froggatt – Downton Abbey

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Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Choose "Birdman" as 2014's Best Film

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association is also known as the DFW Film Critics Association.  The group describes itself as a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary organization of print, broadcast and internet film critics based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and greater North Texas who meet its membership criteria.  The DFW Film Critics Association currently consists of 29 broadcast, print, and online journalists from throughout North Texas.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association 2014 / 21st Annual Critics’ Poll:

Best Film: Birdman
Runners-Up, in order: Boyhood, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Whiplash, Gone Girl, Selma, Wild and Nightcrawler

Best Actor: Michael Keaton, Birdman
Runners-Up, in order: Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything, Benedict Cumberbatch for The Imitation Game, Jake Gyllenhaal for Nightcrawler and Timothy Spall for Mr. Turner

Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Runners-Up, in order: Julianne Moore for Still Alice, Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl, Felicity Jones for The Theory of Everything and Marion Cotillard for Two Days, One Night

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Runners-Up, in order: Edward Norton for Birdman, Ethan Hawke for Boyhood, Mark Ruffalo for Foxcatcher and Alfred Molina for Love is Strange

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Runners-Up, in order: Emma Stone for Birdman, Keira Knightley for The Imitation Game, Jessica Chastain for A Most Violent Year and Laura Dern for Wild

Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Runners-Up, in order: Richard Linklater for Boyhood, Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel, David Fincher for Gone Girl and Ava DuVernay for Selma

Best Foreign-Language Film: Force Majeure
Runners-Up, in order: Ida, Winter Sleep, Leviathan and Wild Tales

Best Documentary: Citizenfour
Runners-Up, in order: Life Itself, Jodorowsky’s Dune, The Overnighters and The Great Invisible

Best Animated Film: The Lego Movie
Runner-Up: Big Hero 6

Best Screenplay: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, Birdman
Runner-Up: Richard Linklater for Boyhood

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Runner-Up: Hoyte Van Hoytema for Interstellar

Best Musical Score: Hans Zimmer, Intersellar

Winner of the Russell Smith Award: Boyhood

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San Francisco Film Critics Name "Boyhood" as 2014's Best Picture

The San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCC) was founded in 2002 and is comprised of critics from Bay Area publications.  Its membership includes film journalists from the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune, the Contra Costa Times, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, the East Bay Express, KRON-TV, Variety, and RottenTomatoes.com, among others.

2014 San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards:

Best Picture
    BIRDMAN
    WINNER – BOYHOOD
    THE IMITATION GAME
    UNDER THE SKIN
    WHIPLASH

    Best Director
    Wes Anderson, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
    Jonathan Glazer, UNDER THE SKIN
    Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, BIRDMAN
    Mike Leigh, MR. TURNER
    WINNER – Richard Linklater, BOYHOOD

    Best Actor
    Benedict Cumberbatch, THE IMITATION GAME
    Jake Gyllenhaal, NIGHTCRAWLER
    WINNER – Michael Keaton, BIRDMAN
    Eddie Redmayne, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
    Timothy Spall, MR. TURNER

    Best Actress
    Marion Cotillard, TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
    Essie Davis, THE BABADOOK
    Scarlett Johansson, UNDER THE SKIN
    WINNER – Julianne Moore, STILL ALICE
    Reese Witherspoon, WILD

    Best Supporting Actor
    Ethan Hawke, BOYHOOD
    Gene Jones, THE SACRAMENT
    WINNER – Edward Norton, BIRDMAN
    Mark Ruffalo, FOXCATCHER
    J.K. Simmons, WHIPLASH

    Best Supporting Actress
    WINNER – Patricia Arquette, BOYHOOD
    Jessica Chastain, A MOST VIOLENT YEAR
    Agata Kulesza, IDA
    Emma Stone, BIRDMAN
    Tilda Swinton, SNOWPIERCER

    Best Screenplay, Original
    WINNER – BIRDMAN, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu; Nicolas Giacobone; Alexander Dinelaris; Armanso Bo
    BOYHOOD, Richard Linklater
    THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, Wes Anderson; Hugo Guinness
    MR. TURNER, Mike Leigh
    A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, J.C. Chandor
    WHIPLASH, Damien Chazelle

    Best Screenplay, Adapted
    GONE GIRL, Gillian Flynn
    THE IMITATION GAME, Graham Moore
    WINNER - INHERENT VICE, Paul Thomas Anderson
    SNOWPIERCER, Joon-ho Bong; Kelly Masterson
    WILD, Nick Hornby

    Best Cinematography
    BIRDMAN, Emmanuel Lubezki
    THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, Robert D. Yeoman
    WINNER – IDA, Lukasz Zal; Ryszard Lenczewski
    MR. TURNER, Dick Pope
    UNDER THE SKIN, Daniel Landin

    Best Production Design
    BIRDMAN, Kevin Thompson
    WINNER – THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, Adam Stockhausen
    INHERENT VICE, David Crank
    MR. TURNER, Suzie Davies
    SNOWPIERCER, Ondrej Nekvasil

    Best Editing
    WINNER – BOYHOOD, Sandra Adair
    BIRDMAN, Douglas Crise; Stephen Mirrione
    INHERENT VICE, Leslie Jones
    UNDER THE SKIN, Paul Watts
    WHIPLASH, Tom Cross

    Best Animated Feature
    BIG HERO 6
    THE BOXTROLLS
    HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
    WINNER – THE LEGO MOVIE
    THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA

    Best Foreign Language Picture
    A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT
    FORCE MAJEURE
    WINNER – IDA
    TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
    WILD TALES

    Best Documentary
    WINNER – CITIZENFOUR
    FINDING VIVIAN MAIER
    JODOROWSKY’S DUNE
    LIFE ITSELF
    THE OVERNIGHTERS

Marlon Riggs Award for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community:
Joel Shepard Longtime Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Film & Video curator Joel Shepard’s idiosyncratic and innovative programming has embraced everything from experimental and exploitation showcases to burgeoning national film cultures, such as the annual New Filipino Cinema festival.

Special Citation for under-appreciated independent cinema:
THE ONE I LOVE Charlie McDowell’s relationship opus cracks open the intricacies of a crumbling union in the most effective way imaginable: by turning it into a mind-bending Twilight Zone episode.

Washington D.C. Film Critics Pick "Boyhood" as Best Film of 2014

Founded in 2002, The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) is comprised of professional DC-based film critics with affiliations in television, radio, print and the internet. As of 2013, WAFCA has grown to include 58 dedicated members from the District, Maryland and Virginia.

The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) recently announced the 2014 winners of their annual film awards.

The 2014 WAFCA Awards:

Best Film:
Boyhood

Best Director:
Richard Linklater (Boyhood)

Best Actor:
Michael Keaton (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Actress:
Julianne Moore (Still Alice)

Best Supporting Actor:
J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)

Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)

Best Acting Ensemble:
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Youth Performance:
Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood)

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl)

Best Original Screenplay:
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., Armando Bo (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Animated Feature:
The LEGO Movie

Best Documentary:
Life Itself

Best Foreign Language Film:
Force Majeure

Best Art Direction:
Production Designer: Adam Stockhausen, Set Decorator: Anna Pinnock (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Editing:
Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione, ACE (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance))

Best Original Score:
Mica Levi (Under the Skin)

The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:
Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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Online Film Critics Society Names "The Grand Budapest Hotel" its Best Picture of 2014

Founded in 1997, the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) describes itself as “the largest, most respected organization for critics whose work appears primarily on the Internet.”  The OFCS says that it has been the key force in establishing and raising the standards for Internet-based film journalism.  Its membership consists of film reviewers, journalists and scholars based in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Asia/Pacific Rim region.

The 18th Annual Online Film Critics Society Awards were announced on Monday, December 15, 2014.

2014 OFSC Awards (18th Annual):

Best Picture
The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Animated Feature
The Lego Movie

Best Film Not in the English Language
Two Days, One Night

Best Documentary
Life Itself

Best Director
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Best Actor
Michael Keaton – Birdman

Best Actress
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl

Best Supporting Actor
Edward Norton – Birdman

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

Best Original Screenplay
The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Adapted Screenplay
Gone Girl

Best Editing
Birdman

Best Cinematography
The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Non-U.S. Release (non-competitive category)
’71
10,000 km
Entre Nós
Han Gong-ju
Hard to Be a God
The Look of Silence
The Salt of the Earth
What We Do in the Shadows
Timbuktu
The Tribe

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Detroit Film Critics Name "Boyhood" the Best Film of 2014

The Detroit Film Critics Society was founded in Spring 2007 and currently consists of a group of 20 Michigan film critics (as December 2013) who write or broadcast in the Detroit area as well as other major cities within a 150-mile radius of the city including Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Flint, Michigan.

2014 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards winners:

BEST FILM
    Winner: Boyhood

BEST DIRECTOR
    Winner: Richard Linklater, Boyhood

BEST ACTOR
    Winner: Michael Keaton, Birdman

BEST ACTRESS
    Winner: Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
    Winner: JK Simmons, Whiplash

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
    Winner: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

BEST ENSEMBLE
    Winner: Birdman

BREAKTHROUGH
    Winner: Damien Chazelle, Whiplash (director, screenplay)

BEST SCREENPLAY
    Winner: Richard Linklater, Boyhood

BEST DOCUMENTARY
    Winner: CitizenFour

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Boston Society of Film Critics Choose "Boyhood" as Best Picture of 2014

The Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC) was formed in 1981.  The group claims that its mission is to make “Boston's unique critical perspective heard on a national and international level by awarding commendations to the best of the year's films and filmmakers and local film theaters and film societies that offer outstanding film programming.”  One of the society’s members, Wesley Morris, won 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.

2014 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Winners:

Best Picture  - Boyhood

Best Actor - Michael Keaton for Birdman

Best Actress - Marion Cotillard for The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night

Best Supporting Actor -  J. K. Simmons for Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress -  Emma Stone for Birdman

Best Director - Richard Linklater for Boyhood

Best Screenplay -  (TIE)

• Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo for Birdman
• Richard Linklater for Boyhood

Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki for Birdman

Best Documentary - Citizenfour

Best Foreign-Language Film  (awarded in memory of Jay Carr) -  Two Days, One Night (Belgium)

Best Animated Film - The Tale of The Princess Kaguya

Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) - Sandra Adair for Boyhood

Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) -  Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler

Best Ensemble Cast -  Boyhood

Best Use of Music in a Film - Inherent Vice

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