Actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone in "Killers of the Flower Moon." (Courtesy of Apple TV+ Originals)
In what could be a preview of the 2024 Academy Awards, “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Oppenheimer” received top honors from the Chicago Film Critics Association, which announced its annual award winners Tuesday.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” took Best Picture while Christopher Nolan was named Best Director for “Oppenheimer.”
“Killers” director Martin Scorcese didn’t go home empty-handed, picking up Best Adapted Screenplay along with Eric Roth. The film also earned Best Original Score for Robbie Robertson.
Paul Giamatti received Best Actor for “The Holdovers,” a movie that reunited the actor with director Alexander Payne, nearly 20 years after Giamatti’s breakout turn in Payne’s “Sideways.”
Best Actress went to Emma Stone for “Poor Things,” the latest absurdist film from director Yorgos Lanthimos.
In the supporting categories, Da’Vine Joy Randolph won for “The Holdovers” and Charles Melton for “May December,” a star-making role that also earned him the Most Promising Performer award from Chicago’s film critics.
In another award of note, Chicago critics named Celine Song their Breakthrough Filmmaker for “Past Lives,” largely tipped as a dark horse Oscar candidate.
“Barbie,” the year’s billion-dollar blockbuster hit, earned Best Art Direction/Production Design.
With the Academy Awards still months away — the Oscar telecast will air March 10 — plenty of Chicago honorees could gain or lose momentum in their respective categories as campaigning heats up in advance of the Jan. 16 nomination deadline.
In 2022, the Chicago critics’ awards went big for “Banshees of Inisherin,” which was ultimately shut out of any wins at the Oscars. In 2021, “Power of the Dog” dominated Chicago’s awards, with the Oscar’s eventual Best Picture winner “Coda” nowhere to be found among Chicago’s nominees.
This year’s awards season has been even more chaotic than usual, thanks to the SAG-AFTRA strike that kept actors off the promotional trail for months. With the strike now settled, heavy hitters including Bradley Cooper for “Maestro” have amped up their wooing of Oscar voters.
Here’s the complete list of 2023 Chicago Film Critics Award winners:
Best Picture: Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Best Actor Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Best Actress: Emma Stone, Poor Things
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, May December
Best Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Best Original Screenplay: May December by Samy Burch
Best Adapted Screenplay: Killers of the Flower Moon by Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese
Best Animated Feature: The Boy and the Heron
Best Documentary: Kokomo City
Best Foregin Language Film: The Zone of Interest
Best Cinematography: Oppenheimer, Hoyte Van Hoytema
Best Editing: Oppenheimer, Jennifer Lame
Best Art Direction/Production Design: Barbie
Best Costume Design: Poor Things, Holly Waddington
Best Original Score: Killers of the Flower Moon, Robbie Robertson
Best Use of Visual Effects: Godzilla Minus One
Most Promising Performer: Charles Melton, May December
Milos Stehlik Award for Breakthrough Filmmaker: Celine Song, Past Lives
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
