The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has handed out its annual honors, and the group's top prizes went to both expected recipients ("Spotlight") and wild card flicks ("Mad Max: Fury Road")."Spotlight" nabbed the top prize, taking home Best Film, in addition to Best Screenplay. But "Max" is proving it's a force to be reckoned with, earning runner-up to Best Film, as well as trophies for Best Director (George Miller), Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design.
Though critically beloved and commercially successful, the high-octane "Max" hadn't been considered a serious awards season contender. But its recent announcement as Best Film of 2015 by the National Board of Review and strong showing with the L.A. critics could indicate a push toward Academy Award nominations come January.
The full list of winners (and runners up) is below.
BEST PICTURE
Spotlight
(Runner-up: Mad Max: Fury Road)
BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
(Runner-up: Todd Haynes, Carol)
BEST ACTOR
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
(Runner-up: Géza Röhrig, Son of Saul)
BEST ACTRESS
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
(Runner-up: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
(Runner-up: Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
(Runner-up: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies)
BEST SCREENPLAY
Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
(Runner-up: Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa)
BEST DOCUMENTARY/NONFICTION FILM
Amy
(Runner-up: The Look of Silence)
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Son of Saul
(Runner-up: The Tribe)
BEST ANIMATION
Anomalisa
(Runner-up: Inside Out)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
John Seale, Mad Max: Fury Road
(Runner-up: Edward Lachman, Carol)
BEST MUSIC SCORE
Carter Burwell, Anomalisa and Carol
(Runner-up: Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Colin Gibson, Mad Max: Fury Road
(Runner-up: Judy Becker, Carol)
BEST EDITING
Hank Corwin, The Big Short
(Runner-up: Margaret Sixel, Mad Max: Fury Road)
SPECIAL CITATION
Film preservationist David Shepherd
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Anne V. Coates
[via: Los Angeles Film Critics Association]
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