“One Battle After Another” has been named Best Picture at the 51st Los Angeles Film Critics Association. This is yet another prize for the film after having won, in the last five days, the top prize at The Gothams, New York Film Critics Circle, and National Board of Review. This film is unstoppable.
This is the first time a film has won NYFCC, NBR, and LAFCA since 2010’s “The Social Network.” In fact, in the last 45 years, only three other films have managed to accomplish this trifecta: “Terms of Endearment” (1983), “Schindler’s List” (1993), and “L.A. Confidential” (1997).
Paul Thomas Anderson (”One Battle After Another”) won Best Director, with Ryan Coogler (”Sinners”) coming in a close second. As if it weren’t any obvious before he won, this is PTA’s Oscar to lose. He also won Totonto film critics’ directing prize earlier in the afternoon.
Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”) has now won LAFCA, NYFCC, and NBR. What more proof does the Academy need? She not only deserves an Oscar nomination — she deserves to win.
Byrne shared Best Lead Performance honors with another great performance: Ethan Hawke’s turn as Lorenz Hart in “Blue Moon,” which also might not receive an Oscar nomination—though I hope that won’t be the case. He deserves all the accolades for what might just be the performance of his career.
Just a few hours prior, Byrne and Hawke had also won the Toronto Film Critics Association’s acting prizes. Some much needed awards momentum for both.
I should note that we haven’t seen Jennifer Lawrence mentioned in any of the year-end critics’ awards. It’s absolutely insane that MUBI paid $24M to acquire “Die, My Love,” and with practically no return — the film bombed at the box-office.
Meanwhile, Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”) and Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value”) won Best Supporting Performance. Taylor is in her film for only 25 minutes, but she certainly leaves her mark. I would have preferred Amy Madigan (“Weapons”), who won with the NYFCC but failed to even receive a runner-up mention here.
The Cinematography award went to Adolpho Veloso’s work in “Train Dreams” — has there been a more gorgeous film this year? I don’t think so. Meanwhile, NYFCC winner Autumn Durald (”Sinners”) was the runner-up
After winning NYFCC, Julia Loktev’s 5-hour-24-minute “My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow” was named Best Documentary by LAFCA — besting “The Perfect Neighbor.” I’ve been trying to find a way to watch Loktev’s film for months now, but to no avail, having only heard great things about its tackling of modern-day Russia.
Best Picture: ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Runner-up: THE SECRET AGENTBest Foreign Film: THE SECRET AGENT
Runner-up: IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENTBest Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER)
Runner-up: Ryan Coogler (SINNERS)Best Lead Performance: Ethan Hawke (BLUE MOON) and Rose Byrne (IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU)
Runners-up: Timothée Chalamet (MARTY SUPREME) and Wagner Moura (THE SECRET AGENT)Best Supporting Performance: Stellan Skarsgård (SENTIMENTAL VALUE) and Teyana Taylor (ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER)
Runners-up: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (SENTIMENTAL VALUE) and Andrew Scott, (BLUE MOON)Best Screenplay: IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
Runner-up: SORRY BABYBest Documentary/Nonfiction: MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I — LAST AIR IN MOSCOW
Runner-up: THE PERFECT NEIGHBORBest Animation: LITTLE AMELIE
Runner-up: KPOP DEMON HUNTERSBest Editing: MARTY SUPREME
Runner-up: ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHERBest Production Design: SINNERS
Runner-up: FRANKENSTEINBest Cinematography: TRAIN DREAMS
Runner-up: SINNERSBest Music/Score: SIRAT
Runner-up: SINNERS
It’s now been 13 years since "The Grandmaster,” and it doesn’t sound like Wong Kar-wai will be making another film in the near future. His future seems to be on the small screen.