The Los Angeles Film Critics Association made its picks for the best of the best in 2018 yesterday, and they brought a welcome shakeup to the critics group awards. At this time of year, you usually start to see a trend with critics groups where they all start to choose the same winners in certain categories. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that—the best is the best—but when awards season gets packed with anointed winners before Oscar nominations have even been announced, critics groups can sometimes push outside contenders into the forefront with bold picks.
That’s what the LAFCA did yesterday when it handed Best Director toDebra Granikfor her terrific, sorely underseen dramaLeave No Trace. Of courseAlfonso Cuarónwas named the Runner-up in the category forROMA, which he’s been winning left and right, but it’s great to see a film likeLeave No Tracefinally make a mark in a big way.
Other outside-the-box picks includedSteve Yeunscoring Best Supporting Actor forBurning(andHugh Grantbeing named Runner-up for his delightful turn inPaddington 2) andCan You Ever Forgive Me?winning Best Screenplay overThe Favourite.
Check out the full list of Los Angeles Film Critics Association winners below:
PICTURE:Roma
Runner-up:Burning
DIRECTOR: Debra Granik,Leave No Trace
Runner-up: Alfonso Cuarón,Roma
ACTOR: Ethan Hawke,First Reformed
Runner-up: Ben Foster,Leave No Trace
ACTRESS: Olivia Colman,The Favourite
Runner-up: Toni Collette,Hereditary
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Steven Yeun,Burning
Runner-up: Hugh Grant,Paddington 2
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Regina King,If Beale Street Could Talk
Runner-up: Elizabeth Debicki,Widows
SCREENPLAY: Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty,Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Runner-up: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara,The Favourite
ANIMATION:Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Runner-up:Incredibles 2
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:BurningandShoplifters(tie)
DOCUMENTARY / NON-FICTION FILM:Shirkers
Runner-up:Minding the Gap
NEW GENERATION: Chloe Zhao
FILM EDITING: Joshua Altman and Bing Liu,Minding the Gap
Runner-up: Alfonso Cuarón and Adam Gough,Roma
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Alfonso Cuarón,Roma
Runner-up: James Laxton,If Beale Street Could Talk
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Hannah Beachler,Black Panther
Runner-up: Fiona Crombie,The Favourite
MUSIC/SCORE: Nicholas Britell,If Beale Street Could Talk
Runner-up: Justin Hurwitz,First Man
DOUGLAS E. EDWARDS INDEPENDENT/EXPERIMENTAL FILM/VIDEO:The Green Fogfrom directors Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson and Guy Maddin
