And the New York Film Critics Circle Winners are ...

Every winter, the studios roll out their award contenders and movie fans struggle to keep up with all the new releases while juggling jobs, family and the rigors of serious holiday shopping. It's a jungle out there boys and girls!  It's also the time when the critics associations start weighing in with their list of winners. The New York Film Critics Circle are always the first, they announced their winners today after a five hour long meeting.  The L.A. guys vote on Friday. Being first means being early so presumably Les Miserables was too late to be considered, otherwise I find the absence of awards from the NYFCC inexplicable!

There was some good news for another adaptation though, the amazing LINCOLN did well, perhaps not as well as fans would have thought. Tony Kushner won for Best Screenplay, Daniel Day-Lewis for Best Actress, Sally Field for Best Supporting Actress.  In a bizarre move the critics ignored Tommy Lee Jone's incredible portrayal of Thaddeus Stevens and voted to award Matthew McConaughy Best Supporting Actor for his turns in Bernie, and Magic Mike. Two films admittedly I haven't seen. Ditto for Rachel Weisz in The Deep Blue Sea. Has anyone seen it?

The other top awards - Best Picture, Best Director went to Zero Dark Thirty with the film's director, Kathryn Bigelow garnering the top prize. Zero Dark Thirty's cinematographer, Greig Fraser won as well. According to the association's site:

"The Circle’s awards are often viewed as harbingers of the Oscar nominations, which are announced each February. The Circle’s awards are also viewed — perhaps more accurately — as a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring esthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures. "

You can read more about their process and see their complete list of winners here .

The whole thing makes me very nervous; I am really hoping for a Les Miz sweep unless Life of Pi or The Silver Linings Playbook change my mind.