The Online Film Critics Society awards for 2022 are in the books. As expected, Daniels‘ Everything Everywhere all at Once fared well—in fact, better than expected (and maybe better than even I thought it deserved). No other films of weird bent received much notice at all. Still, overall I think we got it right this year: two films (Everything Everywhere and Banshees of Inisherin) stand far above all the others, and deservedly dominate the awards.
As always, despite the occasional levity in my tone, I take my voting responsibility seriously. I do not put forward weird films at the expense of worthier mainstream candidates just because it’s “my thing.” Here is the list of this year’s winners, along with my choices and a touch of personal commentary for the major categories.
This post was written before the 2022 Academy Awards nominations were announced, but the slates turned out to be similar enough that this can also serve as an Oscar preview.
BEST PICTURE
Winner: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Also nominated (listed ranked in order of votes): The Banshees of Inisherin, Tár, The Fabelmans, Nope, RRR, Top Gun: Maverick, Aftersun, Women Talking, EO
My vote: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Comments: An easy choice here. What surprises is that mainstream audiences and critics like Everything every bit as much as those who crave strange fare. We might worry about the cosmic implications of the collision of the weird cineverse and the mainstream cineverse: will they annihilate each other? Is it a sign of the End Times? Coincidentally, the movies finished in the voting in almost exactly the same order I would have ranked them.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Winner: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Also nominated: Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Turning Red
My vote: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Comments: I have no issue with Guillermo del Toro‘s antifa take on Pinocchio winning this award. I, however, found Marcel an unexpected, charming surprise. The fact that Phil Tippett‘s life’s work, Mad God, did not get any love was a huge disappointment. I also thought Inu-Oh had a legitimate shot at a nomination.
BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Also nominated: Todd Field – Tár, Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin, Steven Spielberg – The Fabelmans, Charlotte Wells – Aftersun
My vote: Martin McDonagh
Comments: Fair enough. I thought I’d try the old trick of splitting Continue reading ONLINE FILM CRITICS SOCIETY 26TH ANNUAL AWARDS (WITH OUR VOTES) →
