Gotham City Awards – Not Totally Unpredictable. And The Babadook Knocks.

Birdman Starts to Fly while a Boy Watches, Wrestling its way to the Winner’s Circle. The New York Film Critics also put in their Two Cents.

The Independent Film Project’s Gotham City Awards launched award season naming BIRDMAN winner for Best Feature. Their choice last year, Inside Llewyn Davis did not exactly become a common household movie (but is a good one – do watch it). This year’s winner kicks off well but with the Audience Award Winner, Boyhood, closing in fast on its tail (see below). Foxcatcher’s Ensemble Award also bodes well for this movie. Good Indie momentum is attained by Julianne Moore as Best Actress for Still Alice and Ana Lily Amirpour, with the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award for A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.

The New York Film Critics Circle, not to be left behind, announced also its Award recipients for 2014, giving a big push to BOYHOOD with three awards. Love it that The Babadook, a truly inspirational and innovative scary movie, is included as Best First Film in this group’s awards.

FULL LIST OF GOTHAM INDEPENDENT FILM PROJECT NOMINEES AND WINNERS

New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards for 2014:

Best Picture Boyhood
Best Director Richard Linklater (for Boyhood)
Best ScreenplayThe Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Actress Marion Cotillard  (for The Immigrant; Two Days, One Night) Two movies! Ups her chances. She was very good in The Immigrant.
Best Actor Timothy Spall (for Mr. Turner)
Best Supporting Actress Patricia Arquette (for Boyhood) – Interestingly Arquette competed as Lead Actress in the Gotham Independent Film Awards and now switched to Supporting.
Best Supporting Actor J.K. Simmons (for Whiplash) – This should propel his beat forward.
Best Cinematographer Darius Khondji (for The Immigrant) – Good choice indeed.
Best Animated Film The LEGO Movie – I guess referentials can be smarty ones.
Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary) Citizenfour Life Itself has a hard road ahead with this one.
Best Foreign Film Ida
Best First Film Jennifer Kent (for The Babadook) – Scary bumps in the night taken to their max.
Special Award Adrienne Mancia

This is a busy week in Award Season. Keep posted, subscribe to our website.

CJ Rangel – December 3, 2014

Whaaaat?