The Los Angeles Film Critics Association picks for 2014.

A noted Los Angeles film critic allowed his colleague from his own publication of record to review Boyhood, in essence because he didn’t want to rain on the parade. Given the rave reviews (100% on Rotten Tomatoes for a long time, now at 99%) it is not surprising that the LAFCA’s highest honor went to that film.

Fresh off its win on the same day as Best Foreign Independent Film in the British Independent Film Awards, Boyhood, thus continues step by little step towards the ultimate recognition in film achievement, the Academy Awards.

The odd peculiarity by LAFCA of announcing runners up does not bode well for Birdman’s momentum. Out of sixteen announced honors, Birdman got one very well deserved win and three runner ups, while Boyhood got four clear wins.

The List of Winners (and some Runner Ups)

Best Picture: Boyhood (Runner up: The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Best Director: Richard Linklater, for Boyhood – it was a feat of direction.
Best Screenplay: Wes Anderson, for Grand Budapest Hotel (Runners up: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo for Birdman)
Best Actor: Tom Hardy, for Locke (Runner up: Michael Keaton, for Birdman) – a surprising but well deserved recognition.
Best Actress: Patricia Arquette for Boyhood (Runner up: Julianne Moore for Still Alice)
Best Foreign Language Film: Ida – Poland (Runner up: Winter Sleep – Turkey, clocking in at 3hrs and 15 minutes) – Ida becomes a strong contender in this category.
Best Documentary: CitizenFour (Runner up: Life Itself) – These are the two contenders, no doubt.
Best Animated Film: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (Runner Up: The Lego Movie) – Piece by piece the Lego Movie is getting stronger in its category, but Kaguya does have 100% Rotten Tomatoes on 55 reviews
Douglas Edwards Experimental/Independent Film/Video Award: Walter Reuben, The David Whiting Story
Best Editing: Sandra Adair for Boyhood (Runner up: Barney Pilling for The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for Birdman (Runner up: Dick Pope for Mr. Turner)
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons for Whiplash (Runner up: Ed Norton for Birdman)
Best Supporting Actress: Agata Kulesza for Ida (Runner up: Renee Russo for Nightcrawler) – both are master classes for this category
New Generation: Ava DuVernay, for Selma
Best Production Design: Adam Stockhausen for Grand Budapest Hotel (Runner Up: Ondrej Nekvasil, Snowpiercer)
Best Music Score: TIE – Jonny Greenwood for Inherent Vice and Mica Levi for Under the Skin

And now for AFI’s Best Ten Films of the Year.

Click on these links to see all FOR YOUR CONSIDERATIONS and INDEPENDENTS in contention. The full AWARDS CALENDAR.