The New York Film Critics Circle announced its annual awards on Monday, the year's first critics' prizes and something of a reliable indicator of Oscar odds. Nine of the past 10 Best Film winners went on to earn Best Picture nods, and three also won. Still, the NYFCC isn't married to the unofficial rules that govern which movies are considered Oscar caliber -- last year, "American Hustle" won the top award but left the Oscars empty-handed, while Robert Redford nabbed Best Actor for "All is Lost," but became an unexpected snub when the Academy Award nominations were announced.
This year's awards are a hodgepodge of Oscar hopefuls. "Boyhood" (Best Film), Patricia Arquette (Best Supporting Actress, "Boyhood"), J.K. Simmons (Best Supporting Actor, "Whiplash"), Richard Linklater (Best Director, "Boyhood), Wes Anderson (Best Screenplay, "The Grand Budapest Hotel) and "CITIZENFOUR" (Best Documentary) are all but guaranteed to earn Academy Award nominations. Middle-tier contenders like Timothy Spall ("Mr. Turner") and Marion Cotillard (recognized for both "The Immigrant" and "Two Days, One Night") are likely to be snubbed when the Oscar nods arrive on Jan. 15, but their good fortune with New York critics will buoy their odds nonetheless.
Here are this year's recipients:
Best Film
"Boyhood"
Best Actor
Timothy Spall, "Mr. Turner"
Best Actress
Marion Cotillard, "The Immigrant" & "Two Days, One Night"
Best Director
Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"
Best Supporting Actor
J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"
Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
Best Foreign Language Film
"Ida"
Best Animated Film
"The Lego Movie"
Best Screenplay
Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Special Award
Adrienne Mencia
Best Cinematography
Darius Khondji, "The Immigrant"
Best First Film
Jennifer Kent, "The Babadook"
Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary)
"CITIZENFOUR"
Before You Go
