"ZERO DARK THIRTY" WINS BIG

'Tis the season of award giving with two film groups agreeing on the same film as the best of this year. "Zero Dark Thirty" was named along with it's director, Kathyrn Bigelow by the New York Film Critics Circle on Monday and the National Board of Review today. This will certainly create some buzz for this film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden which is due in U.S. theaters on December 19th.

There were a few notable surprises such as Rachel Weisz being recognized for her great performance in a mediocre film, "The Deep Blue Sea" and Best Supporting Actress winner, Ann Dowd for the little-seen indie film, "Compliance" which should bring much-needed attention to both these films as well as Bradley Cooper's unexpected win by the NBR for "Silver Linings Playbook". Although Mr. Cooper was certainly good and he should be a contender, I don't know if it was exactly the best male acting performance of the year.




Here is a list of the 2012 winners from the New York Film Critics Circle:

Best Picture: "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Screenplay: Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"

Best Actress: Rachel Weisz, "The Deep Blue Sea"

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"

Best Supporting Actress: Sally Field, "Lincoln"

Best Supporting Actor: Matthew McConaughey, "Bernie", "Magic Mike"

Best Cinematographer: Greig Fraser, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Animated Film: "Frankenweenie"

Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary) "The Central Park Five"

Best Foreign Film: "Amour"

Best First Film: David France, "How to Survive a Plague"


This is a partial listing of the selections from the National Board of Review:

Best Film:  "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, "Django Unchained"

Best Supporting Actress: Ann Dowd, "Compliance"

Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson, "Looper"

Best Adapted Screenplay: David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Animated Feature: "Wreck-It Ralph"

Special Achievement in Filmmaking: Ben Affleck, "Argo"

Breakthrough Actor: Tom Holland, "The Impossible"

Breakthrough Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis,  "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Best Directorial Debut: Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Best Foreign Language Film:  "Amour"

Best Documentary: William K. Everson  "Searching for Sugarman"