Spotlight scores with critics circles in Boston and Los Angeles

Spotlight (2015)

by James White |
Published on

The different awards bodies in the US are busy making their choices, and while they’re not traditionally much of an indicator when it comes to big prizes like the Oscars, it’s interesting to see what critics are considering the best films. It was the turn of the Boston and Los Angeles critics circles in the States this weekend, and Spotlight was among the big winners at both ceremonies.

Tom McCarthy’s drama, which charts the real-life investigation by a team from the Boston Globe into the cover up of pedophile priests in the Catholic Church, was perhaps not a surprising Best Film winner in Boston, but more of a shock in L.A., where the tide had seemingly been turning towards George Miller (who won Best Director there) and Mad Mad: Fury Road – though the post-apocalyptic action stunner did make runner-up.

Elsewhere on the Boston list, Spotlight also took Best Screenplay for McCarthy and Josh Singer, while Carol’s Todd Haynes won Best Director. The acting prizes went to Love & Mercy’s Paul Dano and T_he Revenant_’s Leonardo DiCaprio in a tie, while Best Actress was 45 Years’ Charlotte Rampling. In the supporting categories, Clouds Of Sils Maria’s Kristen Stewart picked up another trophy along with Bridge Of Spies’ Mark Rylance. The full list is below.

In Los Angeles, Michael Fassbender won Best Actor for Steve Jobs, while Rampling was again best actress and 99 Homes’ Michael Shannon and Ex Machina’s Alicia Vikander were the supporting winners. Amy scored Best Documentary and Anomalisa was Best Animated Film. Find the complete list at the bottom of the page.

Boston Society Of Film Critics Winners

Best Picture Spotlight

Best Actor (tie) Paul Dano for Love & Mercy and Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant

Best Actress Charlotte Rampling for 45 Years

Best Supporting Actor Mark Rylance for Bridge Of Spies

Best Supporting Actress Kristen Stewart for Clouds Of Sils Maria

Best Director Todd Haynes for Carol

Best Screenplay Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight

Best Cinematography Edward Lachman for Carol

Best Documentary Amy

Best Foreign-Language Film The Look Of Silence

Best Animated Film (tie) Anomalisa and Inside Out

Best Film Editing Margaret Sixel for Mad Max: Fury Road

Best New Filmmaker Marielle Heller for The Diary Of A Teenage Girl

Best Ensemble Cast Spotlight

Best Use of Music in a Film Love & Mercy

Los Angeles Film Critics Association winners

Best Film: Spotlight

Runner-up: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Director: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Runner-up: Todd Haynes, Carol

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Runner-up: Geza Rohrig, Son Of Saul

Best Actress: Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

Runner-up: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor: Michael Shannon, 99 Homes

Runner-up: Mark Rylance, Bridge Of Spies

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

**Runner-up: **Kristen Stewart, Clouds Of Sils Maria

Best Documentary: Amy

Runner-up: The Look Of Silence

Best Animated Film: Anomalisa

Runner-up: Inside Out

Best Foreign Language Film: Son Of Saul

Runner-up: The Tribe

Best Screenplay: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Runner-up: Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa

Best Cinematography: John Seale, Mad Max: Fury Road

Runner-up: Edward Lachman, Carol

Best Editing: Hank Corwin, The Big Short

Runner-up: Margaret Sixel, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Musical Score: Carter Burwell, Anomalisa and Carol

Runner-up: Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight

Best Production Design: Colin Gibson, Mad Max: Fury Road

Runner-up: Judy Becker, Carol

New Generation Award: Ryan Coogler, Creed

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