Los Angeles Film Critics Association Winners

[Big Magilla]

The gender-neutral thing does dominate the lead performance selections when you take into account the runners-up. Female leads Blanchett, Yeoh, and Deadwyler outpaced male frontrunners Farrell, Fraser, and Butler, none of whom made the cut.

It might be interesting to go back and take a poll of which two nominated performances we think would have won if the Oscars had been gender-neutral all along.

It's funny that the narrative this year has been that Fraser would be an odds-on favorite to win an Oscar because of his unexpected comeback, but it's Quan who has taken over that narrative.

[Mister Tee]

So, to say something about these choices:

The group chose from, basically, the same small pool NY did -- TAR, Banshees, Everything Everywhere, with a touch of RRR for spice. TAR ended up nabbing the most visible slots -- lead actress, director, screenplay, half of best film -- so had the best day overall, but the consistency of the playing field is what stands out.

For all the hoo-ha over going gender neutral, the group ended up essentially picking a standard actor-actress-supporting actor-supporting actress slate. Blanchett continues in her quest to sweep the historic three critics' groups. Bill Nighy -- along with Mescal fighting for those slots beyond Farrell/Fraser/Butler -- gets a much-needed day of attention (and breaks Farrell's streak of dominance). Huan continues to be the choice of, apparently, everyone but me. And Dolly DeLeon tosses her name into the increasingly fascinating/wonderfully random supporting actress lottery. So far, it's been a new name at every voting group -- Condon and Chau also made their first appearances today, and some candidates (Buckley/Foy, Hsu/Curtis) have yet to show up. I'm hugely interested in the Globe nominations for this category tomorrow.

Del Toro has done well with this group in the past, so it's not totally surprising he gets his first critics' citation here. I'd have thought critical reverence for Au Hasard Balthazar would have cut into support for EO, but evidently not. (Also surprised Decision to Leave hasn't made more impact.)

[Sabin]

Best Film: (tie) Everything Everywhere All At Once & TÁR

[Mister Tee]

These people take forever! Well, I'm back...

Best Non-Fiction Film: All the Beauty and The Bloodshed (r.u. Fire of Love)
Best Lead Performer: Cate Blanchett, TÁR and Bill Nighy, Living
(r.u. Danielle Deadwyler, Till and Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Thrilled you're back. I've been juggling these, Boston, and phone calls with my parents and brother. I gratefully yield.

[Sabin]

These people take forever! Well, I'm back...

Best Foreign-Language Film: EO (r.u. Saint Omer)
Best Non-Fiction Film: All the Beauty and The Bloodshed (r.u. Fire of Love)
Best Lead Performer: Cate Blanchett, TÁR and Bill Nighy, Living
(r.u. Danielle Deadwyler, Till and Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once)
Best Director: Tod Field, TÁR (r.u. S.S. Rajamoulin, RRR)

[Mister Tee]

Lead performance: Cate Blanchett (TAR) & Bill Nighy (Living)
(runners-up: Danielle Deadwyler (Till) & Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Screenplay: TAR
(runner-up: The Banshees of Inisherin)
Production Design: Avatar: the Way of Water
(runner-up: Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Editing: Aftersun
(runner-up: TAR)
Animated Feature: Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio
(runner-up: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On)

[Sabin]

NOTE: somebody else is going to have to take over at 12:00PT. I'll have to run off for a bit.

Best Supporting Performer: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Supporting Performer: Dolly De Leon, Triangle of Sadness
(r.u. Jessie Buckley, Women Talking & Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway)

Best Cinematography: Michael Dymek, EO
(r.u.: Hoyte van Hoytema, Nope)

Best Music Score: RRR
(r.u. EO)