National Society of Film Critics winners! AMOUR!

BEST ACTOR

*1. Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln – 59 (Dreamworks/Touchstone)
2. Denis Lavant – 49
2. Joaquin Phoenix – 49

BEST ACTRESS
*1. Emmanuelle Riva – Amour – 50 (Sony Classics)
2. Jennifer Lawrence – 42
3. Jessica Chastain– 32

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike (Warner Bros.), Bernie (Millennium Entertainment) – 27
2. Tommy Lee Jones – 22
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman – 19

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Amy Adams – The Master (The Weinstein Co.) – 34
2. Sally Field – 23
3. Anne Hathaway – 13

BEST PICTURE
*1. Amour (Sony Classics) – 28
2. The Master – 25
3. Zero Dark Thirty – 18

BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Michael Haneke (Amour) – 27
2. Kathryn Bigelow – 24
2. Paul Thomas Anderson – 24

Amour (2012)- The most intense movie of the year (Yes Argo, more intense than you). [SPOILERS]

Amour, by Michael Haneke, is a poignant film that mainly takes place in one apartment. Is that a problem? No, since Jean-Louis Tritignant, Emanuelle Riva, and a pigeon make it all work.

Amour wins Best Film, The Master takes 4 prizes, including Best Actor... all at LAFCA!

This is the first critics group that did not give the top prize to Zero Dark Thirty, and I'm extremely happy with The Master winning 4 prizes. Also, Skyfall won an award, and The Dark Knight Rises got a mention. Awesome.

(Oddly, Lincoln and Life of Pi) both got shut out.

Best Picture
"Amour"
(Runner-up: "The Master")

Best Actor
Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"
(Runner-up: Denis Lavant, "Holy Motors")

Best Actress
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook" and Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour" (tie)

Best Supporting Actor
Dwight Henry, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
(Runner-up: Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained")

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, "The Master"
(Runner-up: Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables" and "The Dark Knight Rises")

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson, "The Master"
(Runner-up: Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty")

Best Screenplay
Chris Terrio, "Argo"
(Runner-up: David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook")

Best Cinematography
Roger Deakins, "Skyfall"
(Runner-up: Mihai Malaimare Jr., "The Master")

LAFCA predictions!

Today the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is announcing, and this could be a make or break for many movies. If Zero Dark Thirty wins, it would become the frontrunner. If The Master wins, it would basically be a Best Picture nominee lock. If Lincoln wins, not much would happen. If Amour wins, it would make itself a Best Picture nominee. If Les Mis wins, god save us.

Best Picture:
The Master (alt. Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Director:
P.T. Anderson, The Master (alt. Michael Haneke, Amour)

Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln (alt. Joaquin Phoenix, The Master)

Best Actress:
Emanuelle Riva, Amour (alt. Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Supporting Actor
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master (alt. Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln)

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Master and Trouble with the Curve (alt. Sally Field, Lincoln)

Best Screenplay
Tony Kushner, Lincoln (alt. Michael Haneke, Amour)

Best Foreign Film
Amour (alt. Rust and Bone)

Best Animated Film
Frankenweenie (alt. Wreck-It Ralph)

Best Score
Johnny Greenwood, The Master (alt. Alexandre Desplat, Zero Dark Thirty)

CHECK BACK LATER TODAY FOR COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS!

Best Actress predictions (11/24/12)

I wouldn't be doing these if there wasn't something big, like a change in the race. Yet, there is.

1. Jessica Chastain for 'Zero Dark Thirty'
Oscars have a tough relationship with relevancy. 'The Hurt Locker' was relevant to the time, and it won. 'The Social Network' was REALLY relevant, yet it lost. I think the Academy will side with relevancy this time, and give the prize to Chassy, because it is so challenging. Also, some Oscars voters assumedly watch 'Homeland', with Carrie Mathison having striking parallels to Jessica's character.

2. Jennifer Lawrence for 'Silver Linings Playbook'
As this film's chances are failing, so is the film's heavyweight. Jennifer Lawrence is too young of a best actress contender to win, judging from the fact that the Academy is 70% white old male. Emphasis on the OLD.

3. Quevenzhane Wallis for 'Beasts of the Southern Wild'
A select few love this independent film, and they will easily vote for the 6-year old Wallis. I don't intend to sound like a internet dweeb, but younger hipsters eat this film up, and Wallis with it. Also, Wallis has been doing some nice publicity for the film, but no SAG really hurts.

4. Emanuelle Riva for 'Amour'
Since this foreign film is predicted to win, and even be a Best Picture nominee, Emanuelle Riva is going to ride along with it. Since the Academy is 70% old white males, they will easily vote for Riva's performance that will hit close to home. Also, since there will most likely be room for one french performance, it will be Riva's, not Cotillard's difficult portrayal of an amputee.

5. Naomi Watts for 'The Impossible'
'The Impossible' is a film with growing momentum, with big sponsorship by Angelina Jolie. With this added boost, Watts will probably be nominated, kicking out Cotillard in the nominee spot.

Best Actress predictions

BEST ACTRESS:

1. J. Law for Silver Linings Playbook.
She's young. They're in love. I mean 'They' as in the Academy. She basically was the main reason Winter's Bone got the nomination for Best Picture. Silver Linings is a crowd pleaser, and being the main star of The Hunger Games is only going to help her.

2. Marion Cotillard for Rust and Bone
Since Missy C has been a winner of Best Actress before, for a French film. Isn't Rust and Bone a French film? This year's Best Actress pickings have been reasonable slim, and her nomination is  near lock. Also, being a French goddess and being in The Dark Knight Rises is only going to help her.

3. Quevenzhane Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild
The best thing of Wallis' performance is that she was a natural Southern. She was born for the role. It was so unusual to see something so human in such a fantasy. The only thing limiting her nomination is her SAG ineligibility.

4. Emanuelle Riva for Amour
The old farts in the Academy will vote for her for what she's done (Hiroshima mon amour). The others will vote for her because she has an amazing performance in this foreign film. The main thing limiting her is the fact that the film is foreign. That probably could limit Marion Cotillard.

5. Tie between Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) and Naomi Watts (The Impossible)
JC is one of the stars that's taking Hollywood by storm, who can do art-house and blockbuster with ease. Zero Dark Thirty looks to be both. The film has yet to be seen, but Annapurna Productions and Sony has faith in the film. Naomi Watts has been praised for many performances, but has only nabbed one nomination, all the way back in 2003. So Chassy is only getting more popular, and Watts is losing her footing. However, The Impossible is a disaster true story tale, which will appeal to all members. Zero Dark Thirty is definitely going to get some controversy for its themes. However, it will appeal to those who voted for The Hurt Locker. I am conflicted.

Screenplay nomination predictions due tomorrow.