MILK does the NY Critics Good!

A day after LA weighs in and a day before the Golden Globes noms are announced, NY announced their years best of the best and here are the winners:

Best Picture: “Milk”

Best Director: Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky”

Best Actor: Sean Penn, “Milk”

Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”

Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, “Milk”

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Best Screenplay: Jenny Lumet, “Rachel Getting Married”

Best Animated Film: “WALL-E”

Best Documentary: “Man on Wire”

Best Foreign Film: “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”

Best First Film: Courtney Hunt, “Frozen River”

Best Cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle, “Slumdog Millionaire”


So what do we take away from the New York Film Critics Circle? I think this puts Sean Penn and Penelope Cruz safely in the front runner positions. On Monday of this week, I would not have put Sally Hawkins in my top five Actress projections. However now, she is the potential front runner for Best Actress. I am so surprised that Josh Brolin took the award from Heath Ledger, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

I did think that Mickey Rourke and Kristin Scott Thomas would pull of a win in either LA or NY. Scott Thomas may be on her way out of the tight Best Actress race, while a precursor less Rourke (who in my opinion delivers the performance of the year) may not ultimately have what it takes to body slam Oscar faves Penn and Eastwood come Oscar night.

It was also particularly interesting to see the notable runner ups. Rachel Getting Married, Slumdog, and Happy Go Lucky as Best Picture. Rourke and Eastwood as Best Actor. Melissa Leo (who is very much still alive in this race), Anne Hathaway, and KATE WINSLET (and the first sign of affection for Revolutionary Road). Downey Jr., Ledger, and Eddie Marsan in Best Supporting Actor. And Viola Davis (who has surprisingly not won a precursor yet), Debra Winger, and Rosemarie DeWitt for Best Supporting Actress.

Things will become a lot clearer tomorrow when the Globe nominations are announced. Nomination predictions are on their way.