The Washington Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA)* released its winners this morning, and 12 Years a Slave is the big winner. The film (which I found to be powerful but flawed and is driving people kind of nutty) took home best picture, best actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), best supporting actress (Lupita Nyong'o), best acting ensemble, best adapted screenplay (John Ridley), and best score (Hans Zimmer). Interestingly, Alfonso Cuaron beat out Steve McQueen for best director, a mild surprise given the fact that 12 Years is very much a director's movie, filled with showy touches that either weren't in the screenplay or were muted. (For a full list of winners, scroll to the end of this post or click here.)
This was the first real rout for 12 Years a Slave among critics associations, the putative frontrunner for Oscar gold not too long ago. While it also picked up best film from the Boston Society of Film Critics (along with best actor and best director), the critics seem to be hesitant to give 12 Years the gold. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association awarded their top honor to Her and Gravity. The National Board of Review also picked Her. After several tense rounds of voting, the New York Film Critics Circle picked American Hustle over 12 Years a Slave.
The consensus at this point seems to be that there is no consensus, suggesting things are pretty much wide open at the Oscars. I still think there's a decent chance that after a couple months of brow-beating, Oscar voters will rally around 12 Years a Slave as the "most important," and therefore "most worthy of honoring," film. But we'll see. The Wolf of Wall Street came out too late for many critics to screen ahead of their respective votes; it could wind up getting a late push, especially if it's a big box office hit. Gravity might still be in the running, and the race for best director seems to be between Cuaron and McQueen.
For what it's worth, I'm most disappointed that James Franco has only won one best supporting actor win—and that he split that one win with Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club. Spring Brayk for-ev-ah:
Full list of WAFCA Winners:
Best Film:
12 Years a Slave
Best Director:
Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
Best Actor:
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Best Supporting Actor:
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
Best Supporting Actress:
Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
Best Acting Ensemble:
12 Years a Slave
Best Youth Performance:
Tye Sheridan (Mud)
Best Adapted Screenplay:
John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)
Best Original Screenplay:
Spike Jonze (Her)
Best Animated Feature:
Frozen
Best Documentary:
Blackfish
Best Foreign Language Film:
The Broken Circle Breakdown
Best Art Direction:
Production Designer: Catherine Martin, Set Decorator: Beverley Dunn (The Great Gatsby)
Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, A.M.C. (Gravity)
Best Editing:
Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger (Gravity)
Best Original Score:
Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)
The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:
Lee Daniels' The Butler
*Full disclosure: I am an associate member, meaning that I didn't get to vote this year.