Los Angeles Film Critics Association Announces

LAFCA

Best Picture: Sideways
2. Million Dollar Baby

Best Director: Alexander Payne, Sideways
2. Martin Sorsese, The Aviator

Best Actor: Liam Neeson, Kinsey
2. Paul Giamatti, Sideways

Best Actress: Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
2. Julie Delpy, Before Sunset

Best Supporting Actor: Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
2. Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby

Best Supporting Actress: Virginia Madsen, Sideways
2. Cate Blanchett, Coffee & Cigarettes and The Aviator (WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THE LIFE AQUATIC????)

Best Foreign Language Film: House of Flying Daggers
2. Diarios de Motocicleta (The Motorcycle Diaries)

Best Animated Feature: The Incredibles

Best Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Sideways
2. Charlie Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Best Production Design: Dante Ferreti, The Aviator
2. Huo Tingxiao, House of Flying Daggers

Best Score: Michael Giacchino, The Incredibles

Sideways is looking better and better for a Best Picture nomination. I am still unsure of its chances, though. Million Dollar Baby is now definitely a lock. I am a little surprised that Collateral, easily the best film about Los Angeles this ywar did not receive any mention from the LAFCA, although I expected them to embrace Sideways. Shit, the LAFCA fricking LOVED About Schmidt and I still can't see why. Important to note if predicting Sideways for a Best Picture nom. It all looked rosy for About Schmidt too and it ended up not being nominated in that category. Thomas Haden Church again? I want them to shut up about him, but good for Morgan Freeman and good for Liam Neeson here. Imelda Staunton is a lock for a nomination, so this award means nothing for her. Virginia Madsen is helped greatly by this and good for her, I say. The Sideways and Eternal Sunshine scripts are the only scripts anyone is talking about right now. Best Adapted and Best Original? I think they're locks for nominations, certainly. Wins are less certain. Things definitely look good for both Dante Ferreti and Huo Tingxiao. I think both are locks for nominations. I think Cate Blanchett is a real longshot for Supporting. There is buzz every single year for her, but she hasn't been nominated since 1999! She does too good of work too consistently. It's really too bad. Maybe this year...

More news Monday with the GG nominations and the announcement by the NYSFC