The two films that appear to be the collective critical favorites this year are Roma and First Reformed, in that order.
Even with the diversity of Best Film choices so far in the early critics groups, the Chicago Film Critics Association joined their New York colleagues in naming Roma the Best Film of 2018; it won 5 awards total. Chicago also mirrored the New Yorkers by naming Roma filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón Best Director and Cinematographer, then added Foreign Film and Editing to Roma‘s haul.
In addition, Chicago agreed with New York that Ethan Hawke was the Best Actor for First Reformed, and that the film’s screenplay by Paul Schrader was the best, too. Expect Roma and First Reformed to be competing in these respective categories on Oscar night, and possibly being front-runners.
Toni Collette finally picked up a win for Best Actress for the art house horror film Hereditary. Her gut-wrenching, exhausting performance has been universally hailed, even by critics who weren’t as big on the film itself. Hereditary director Ari Aster was named Most Promising Filmmaker for his debut film.
Olivia Colman and Richard E. Grant were cited in the supporting categories for, respectively, The Favourite and Can You Ever Forgive Me? Both appear to be locks for the final five Oscar cut in their acting categories, although Colman is being pushed for Lead by Fox Searchlight. The Favourite also won for Best Art Direction.
If Beale Street Could Talk, the new film from Moonlight filmmaker Barry Jenkins, picked up two wins: Best Adapted Screenplay (by Jenkins) and Original Score for composer Nicholas Britell.
Biggest snubs? Has to be A Star Is Born and BlackKklansman, especially the latter.
CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
2018 Awards
Best Film: Roma
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
Best Actress: Toni Collette, Hereditary
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed
Best Supporting Actress: Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Best Supporting Actor: Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Original Screenplay: First Reformed, Paul Schrader
Best Adapted Screenplay: If Beale Street Could Talk, Barry Jenkins
Best Animated Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Best Foreign Film: Roma, Mexico
Best Documentary: Minding the Gap
Best Cinematography: Roma, Alfonso Cuarón
Best Editing: Roma, Alfonso Cuarón & Adam Gough
Best Art Direction/Production Design: The Favourite
Best Original Score: If Beale Street Could Talk, Nicholas Britell
Best Use of Visual Effects: Annihilation
Most Promising Performer: Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade
Most Promising Filmmaker: Ari Aster, Hereditary
Click on links below for other Critics Group Awards and Guild Nominees that have been announced so far for the 2018 / 19 season:
Directors Guild of America Nominees
Writers Guild of America Nominees
Golden Globe Winners
National Society of Film Critics
Producers Guild of America Nominees
Boston Society of Film Critics
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association
Screen Actors Guild Nominees
Critics Choice Awards Nominees
San Francisco Film Critics Circle
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Toronto Film Critics Association
Philadelphia Film Critics Circle
AFI Film Awards
Detroit Film Critics Society
Atlanta Film Critics Circle
New York Film Critics Circle
The National Board of Review