N.Y. & L.A. Film Critics Awards Give Happy-Go-Lucky a Big Boost

Posted by Michael Dance

The New York and Los Angeles Film Critics Circles are, obviously, the two most important regional critics' groups, and they both came out with their lists this week. A rundown of the major categories:

NEW YORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

BEST PICTURE
Milk

DIRECTOR
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky

ACTOR
Sean Penn, Milk

ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

SCREENPLAY
Jenny Lumet, Rachel Getting Married

FOREIGN FILM
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

ANIMATED FILM
Wall-E

FIRST FILM
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River

DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire

LOS ANGELES FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

BEST PICTURE
Wall-E
Runner-Up: The Dark Knight

DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Runner-Up: Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight

ACTOR
Sean Penn, Milk
Runner-Up: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Runner-Up: Melissa Leo, Frozen River

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Runner-Up: Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona/Elegy
Runner-Up: Viola Davis, Doubt

SCREENPLAY
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Runner-Up: Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York

FOREIGN FILM
Still Life
Runner-Up: The Class

DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire
Runner-Up: Waltz with Bashir

ANIMATED FILM
Waltz with Bashir

Obviously this helps out Mike Leigh's small movie Happy-Go-Lucky, which had a major chance anyway: his 2004 flick Vera Drake scored him an unexpected Oscar nomination for Best Director, so we know the Academy likes him.

Otherwise, some trends are beginning to emerge. The Best Actor race will likely come down to a rivalry between Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke. Penelope Cruz is firming up a spot in the Best Supporting Actress category (although I don't know why -- she's good, but there wasn't much to the role). And The Dark Knight is still very much in the running for Best Picture; it's surprising that a critics group would go so all-out for a popcorn movie.

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