2014 NYFCC Awards Winners

Hello, Bloggers, they just announced the winners for the New York Film Critics Circle Awards and those are usually good indicators as to who will be a strong contender or a dark horse in the Oscar race. Let's take a look at my thoughts:

Best Picture:
Boyhood

To me, this was a semi-surprise. I had quite a feeling that Birdman was going to take it because that film is very New York. But, because Boyhood won, I fortunately have no problem being wrong. I thought Boyhood was a flawless masterpiece.

Best Director:
Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Now, this one didn't surprise me. Just like his film, Linklater winning this solidifies the fact that he is a frontrunner for Best Director. I figured that if Birdman won Best Picture, Linklater would at least win BD, but it turns out he could have his cake and eat it too.

Best Actor:
Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner

Since Mr. Turner is a Mike Leigh film and it is usually his girls that garner critical acclaim (Sally Hawkins, Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton, etc.) it is nice that one of his actors is getting a fair share of praise. Plus, Spall is one of those steadily working character actors that never really got the recognition he deserved up until now.

Best Actress:
Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant & Two Days, One Night

Interestingly, I haven't seen those two films yet, but this win thrills me. I am a fan of Cotillard's work and the fuel that those two performances have could give her an edge in the Best Actress category. That I would love to see happen after she came so close to a second nomination after her win for La Vie En Rose.

Best Screenplay:
The Grand Budapest Hotel

This is another win I am content with. It isn't just because the film is great, but it came out back in March, so it is nice to know it is not forgotten.

Best Cinematography:
The Immigrant

Guess I really have to see The Immigrant.

Best First Feature:
The Babadook

This one, I really want to see.

Best Foreign Language Film:
Ida

Best Animated Feature:
The Lego Movie

Best Documentary:
Citizenfour


So, those were my quick thoughts on the winners of the NYFCC Awards this year. The Gotham Awards are taking place tonight and potentially, I'll post my reactions to those tomorrow. If not, I'll continue my Oscar coverage when the LAFCA Awards are announced along with the Golden Globe nominees. Thanks for reading!