If you follow film critics on Twitter, you already know that this weekend included one of the more controversial critics awards announcements of the season. The National Society of Film Critics went with Jean-Luc Godard’s Goodbye to Language for Best Picture of 2014, rather than awards favorite Boyhood.
The group, which has a long record of going against the grain, went with the experimental 3D film from the famed French New Wave director. Goodbye to Language beat Richard Linklater’s Boyhood 25-24 in the final round of voting. Alejandro G. Inarritu’s Birdman and Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner came in a distant third, tying with 10 votes each.
Still, Best Director did go to Linklater, who beat Godard 36-17. Leigh came in third with 12 votes.
Laura Poitras’ Citizenfour won Best Non-Fiction film. Best Screenplay went to Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, while Dick Pope won for Best Cinematography for Mr. Turner.
Best Actor went to Mr. Turner star Timothy Spall. Surprisingly, Birdman’s Michael Keaton didn’t even finish in the top 3.
Marion Cotillard won Best Actress for Two Days, One Night and The Immigrant. J.K. Simmons won Best Supporting Actress for Whiplash and Patricia Arquette took Best Supporting Actress for Boyhood.
Film Heritage Awards went to Museum of Modern Art’s Ron Magliozzi and Peter Williamson, in recognition of their discovery of the first film with a black cast, 1913’s Lime Kiln Field Day; and to The Vitaphone Project’s Ron Hutchinson. The meeting was dedicated to the late Jay Carr and Charles Champlin.
The NSFC is a group of 59 members who are eligible to vote. The group does not host an awards ceremony.
The NSFC rarely picks winners that eventually go on to win Oscars. The last time their Best Picture pick matched the Oscar winner was in 2009 for The Hurt Locker.
image of ‘Boyhood’ director Richard Linklater courtesy of INFphoto.com
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