One Win After Another For ‘One Battle’

Four-time host of the just-concluded 31st annual event. Critics' Choice AwardsChelsea Handler may have thought her opening monologue was a joke, but there's definitely some truth to it. “This is the first awards ceremony of the season, so we're going to start it off with the right vibe,” Handler said Sunday night to a star-studded, packed Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport. “You guys will spend the next three months together, so whoever wins tonight gets used see them win and whoever it is doesn't win, Quentin Tarantino will come here and tell you what you did wrong.”

The part about “get” used “seeing them win” rings true based on my experience spanning numerous awards seasons over the decades. Those who keep losing out to the same people over and over may have a clinging hope for a change in fortunes as the season progresses, but for some future Oscar winners, the paint may be thrown straight from the first many these ceremonies, since other voting groups, including major industry awards, sometimes follow immediately in unison. Everyone loves the smell of a winner, and getting on stage and making inspiring confessions can really build momentum.

We're starting to present real television awards.provision part of a looooong season that won't end until March 15th at the Dolby Theater, this is the first time in my memory that the Critics' Choice Awards, voted for by over 500 critics and film and television writers/reporters (FULL DISCLOSURE: I am the president of the CCA's film division and vote for both film and television), have actually been the leading horse, but this organization has traditionally been a reliable leader in crowning possible winners Oscar, no matter where it is on the calendar. Last year, it won the Best Film nomination. Anora The fire-delayed CCA ceremony, followed by key PGA and DGA wins the following evening, sealed the deal for the film just as final Oscar voting was about to begin. CCA also correctly predicted three of the four current Oscar winners. Past years have a stable track record.

If tradition holds, we may be able to look back and say that it was not just a good night, but a very prophetic night for Timorthy Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)Amy Madigan (b.Weapon) And Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein). This quartet managed to achieve key acting triumphs in four different films, none of which won Best Picture. That honor goes to Paul Thomas Anderson's juggernaut, One battle after another which has an impeccable reputation among critics this year, always finishing in the bottom for Best Picture. Every time. It's already happened in Gothams, Los Angeles, New York, London, Chicago, Toronto, the San Francisco Film Critics, countless other regional panels, the National Board of Review, and now this weekend at the National Society of Film Critics and Critics Choice Awards.

This kind of race is quite rare these days and could have a major impact on Oscar voters, there's no doubt about it. It's not that the industry needs to be convinced of Anderson's film. It has been enthusiastically received wherever it has been shown around the city, starting with its official screening at the Academy in September. Anderson is also considered too late, having already been nominated for an Oscar 11 times, including three for Best Picture. We had to wait until the end of the three-hour CCA show to get three wins, including adapted screenplay and directing, but it's now clear that OBAA is the one to win, which puts it in a good position as all the guild nominations start to unwind, including SAG on Wednesday, and then DGA, PGA, WGA, BAFTA, Oscar, etc. in the next three weeks.

What was refreshing about the CCA show was how it spread the love. OBAA had 14 nominations, but only three (albeit key) wins. Sinners had 17 nominations and was in the lead with 11 nominations Frankenstein four in each. The wins for Chalamet and Buckley (whose acclaim was particularly good and makes me look forward to the next twelve times she gives it) weren't surprising, and veteran Madigan's popular supporting actress win was something you felt might happen. She was a charmer. Many may have been surprised by the triumph of supporting actor Elordi as the Thing in Frankenstein but voters clearly understood the degree of difficulty, and it greatly improves his chances of an Oscar nomination eight days before voting begins in the ultra-competitive supporting actor category. I was sitting in front Netflix table with Frankenstein band and Elordi, who stood enthusiastically (at 6'6″ you can't help but notice in the room) and encouraged everyone, including his boyfriend Wuthering Heights co-star Owen Cooper, who followed up his Emmy win with another one here for Adolescence. When the artists behind hair and makeup and production design Frankenstein everyone was also declared winners, they walked out from table 58 and the group hug was palpable. I also noticed that during commercial breaks, the inevitable seat occupants would come and sit in the empty chairs at the table, and Elordi would chat affably with them all. Nice guy.

With sound and editing it wins F1that the Apple Original Films production appears to be following the Oscar-winning trajectory of one of its inspirations, 1966. Grand Prix, another racing classic that won three Oscars for sound and editing. And with a song and an animated film for KPOP: Demon Huntersplus cinematography for magnificent Dream Train you could easily see these two Netflix films doing the same thing at the Oscars. They were just named the leader in these categories by the CCA on a night that was huge for the streamer with four wins Frankenstein, as well as a drawing in the categories of limited series television series for Adolescence. And hey, throw in big Warner Bros wins for OBAA and Sinners and well… Okay, maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves, I think.

And speaking of Adolescence Critics Choice Awards like the Globes and SAG also mix film and television. This year it became clear that this Emmy this had a great impact on CCA voters not only Adolescence having won four victories, but also Apple Studio with three and HBO Max Pitt also with three. Although NDE nominated many fresh shows such as Alien: Earth, Chief, Death by Lightning, Ground Man, Killer Robot, Challenge, The Beast in Me, Girlfriend, and other established newcomers, for the most part he stuck to the Emmys' tried and true (including Jean Smart again for Khaki).

For the limited series Peacock, only lead actress Sarah Snook won. All her fault and a well-deserved victory for Rhea Seehorn in the nomination for the leading female role in the series about Apple freshmen, For many waved the flag for new entries, although it was nice to see perennial nominee Janelle James finally take the prize in her fourth round Abbott Elementary School. I also loved Jimmy Kimmel's talk show win (and voted for it) and his gratitude to Donald Trump for making it possible.

But as Handler said, it's just first big show of the season, and there's a lot more to come, including next weekend's Golden Globes (as well as SAG and DGA nominations, plus the AFI Awards Lunch and Movies For Grownups Awards shows before we get to even What). Momentum is everything, so let's see where we are in a week.