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Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards ‘The Substance’

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On January 4th, the members of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) voted on 16 categories to decide the winners of the 59th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards. The categories included the Robert Altman Award for Best Director, the Vince Koehler Award For Best Sci-Fi/ Fantasy/ Horror Film, and the Tom Poe Award For Best LGBTQ Film. While Dune: Part II received the most nominations, it found itself runner-up in multiple categories, though it didn’t win any awards. This year also saw the introduction of the Buster Keaton Award for Best Stunt Ensemble Film, with the honors fittingly going to The Fall Guy. The biggest winner of the day was The Substance, managing to secure victory in 6 out of the 7 categories in which it was nominated, the lone defeat coming in Best Original Score.

The KCFCC, the second oldest professional film critic organization in the United States, was founded in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser (1931-2001) who served as the group’s president for over 30 years. Other winners of note included a tie between Demi Moore (The Substance) & Mikey Madison (Anora) for Best Actress. Animated feature Flow won Best Foreign Language Film. Meanwhile David Dastmalchian, who grew up in the Kansas City metropolitan area, picked up the award for Best Actor, for his portrayal in LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL. Below is a complete list of the winners and runners-up from the 59th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards:

BEST FILM

Winner: THE SUBSTANCE

Runner-Up: DUNE: PART II

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR

Winner: Coralie Fargeat – THE SUBSTANCE

Runner-Up: Sean Baker – ANORA

BEST ACTOR

Winner: David Dastmalchian – LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL

Runner-Up: Ralph Fiennes – CONCLAVE

BEST ACTRESS

Winner (TIE): Mikey Madison – ANORA

Winner (TIE): Demi Moore – THE SUBSTANCE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Winner: Kieran Culkin – A REAL PAIN

Runner Up: Yura Borisov – ANORA

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Winner: Margaret Qualley – THE SUBSTANCE

Runner-Up: Danielle Deadwyler – THE PIANO LESSON

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Winner: THE SUBSTANCE

Runner-Up: ANORA

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Winner: CONCLAVE

Runner-Up: NICKEL BOYS

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Winner: THE BRUTALIST

Runner-Up: CIVIL WAR

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Winner: CHALLENGERS

Runner-Up: CONCLAVE

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Winner: THE WILD ROBOT

Runner-Up: FLOW

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Winner: FLOW

Runner-Up: EMILIA PÉREZ

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Winner: WILL & HARPER

Runner-Up: SEEKING MAVIS BEACON         

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/HORROR

Winner: THE SUBSTANCE

Runner-Up: DUNE: PART TWO

TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBTQ FILM

Winner: I SAW THE TV GLOW

Runner-Up: EMILIA PÉREZ

BUSTER KEATON AWARD FOR THE BEST STUNT ENSEMBLE FILM

Winner: THE FALL GUY

Runner-Up (TIE): FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA/ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

‘Everything, Everywhere All at Once’ wins big with Kansas City Film Critics Circle

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On Sunday, January 22nd, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle held their 57th annual James Loutzenhiser Awards and this year’s sci-fi mind bender, Everything Everywhere All at Once was the big winner of the day winning an incredible six awards from the KCFCC: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, the Tom Poe Award for Best LGBTQ Film, and the Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Film.

Here’s a look at all the winners:

Best Film
Everything Everywhere All at Once

Robert Altman Award for Best Director
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Actor
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin

Best Actress
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actor
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actress
Janelle Monáe, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Best Original Screenplay
Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Adapted Screenplay
Sarah Polley, Women Talking

Best Cinematography
NOPE

Best Original Score (TIE)
RRR
NOPE

Best Animated Feature
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Best Foreign Language Film
RRR

Best Documentary
Jackass Forever

Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Film
Everything Everywhere All at Once

Tom Poe Award for Best LGBTQ Film
Everything Everywhere All at Once

‘The Power of the Dog’ leads the winners from the KCFCC

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Members of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle met virtually to vote on Sunday January 16th for the 56th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards and “The Power of the Dog” led by Benedict Cumberbatch and director Jane Campion led the pack of winners.

Adapted to screen from the novel by Thomas Savage, “The Power of the Dog” took home three of the top awards from the KCFCC, including Best Film, the Robert Altman Award for Best Director (Jane Campion), and Best Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch).

“The Power of the Dog” was the only film to win multiple awards from the Kansas City Film Critics.

Below is a complete list of the winners of the 56th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards: 

BEST FILM: “The Power of the Dog”(Runner-up: “West Side Story”) 

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR: Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”(Runner-up: Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”) 

BEST ACTOR: Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”(Runner-up: Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick…BOOM!”) 

BEST ACTRESS: Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”(Runner-up: Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Ciaran Hinds, “Belfast”(Runner-up: Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Ann Dowd, “Mass”(Runner-up: Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”) 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: “Licorice Pizza”(Runner-up: “The French Dispatch”) 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: “West Side Story”(Runner-up: “Drive My Car”) 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: “The Tragedy of MacBeth”(Runner-up: “Dune”) 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: “The Mitchells vs the Machines”(Runner-up: “Flee”) 

BEST FOREIGN FILM: “Drive My Car” – Japan(Runner-ups: “The Worst Person in the World” – Norway) 

BEST DOCUMENTARY: “Summer of Soul”(Runner-up: “Procession”) 

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/HORROR FILM: “The Green Knight”(Runner-up: “Dune”) 

TOM POE AWARD FOR THE BEST LGBT FILM: “Flee”(Runner-up: “The Power of the Dog”)

KCFCC elects new President

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Congratulations, albeit a bit delayed, are in order for Abby Olcese was elected as the new President of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle during our annual elections over the summer. In addition, Adrian Torres was elected VP, Michael D. Smith (Secretary) and Lonita Cook (Governing Board).

You can view the full Kansas City Film Critics Circle roster, including links to our reviews.

“1917” NAMED BEST FILM OF 2019 BY KANSAS CITY FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

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KANSAS CITY, MO, 15 DECEMBER 2019

1917, Sam Mendes’ single-shot sprint through the trenches of World War I, was named the Best Film of 2019 by the Kansas City Film Critics Circle. Mendes won the Robert Altman Award for Best Director. Roger Deankin’s cinematography earned 1917 another win. 1917 and Us were the only films to receive multiple awards. The latter received the Vince Koehler Award for the Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror Film. Us star Lupita Nyong’o was named Best Actress.

Each year, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, the second oldest film critics organization in the United States, votes on its members’ selections for the James Loutzenhiser Awards. 2019 marks the 54th time the group has handed out honors. Parasite was named the year’s Best Foreign Film, and the Tom Poe Award for Best LGBT Film went to Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Toy Story 4 continued the franchise’s winning streak, winning Best Animated Feature. Previous installments topped the category in 1995, 1999, and 2010.

Below is a complete list of the winners of the 54th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards.

 

BEST FILM: 1917

Runner up: Parasite

 

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD

FOR BEST DIRECTOR Sam Mendes, 1917

Runner up: Bong Joon-ho, Parasite

 

BEST ACTOR Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Runner up: Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name

 

BEST ACTRESS Lupita Nyong’o, Us

Runner up: Rene Zellweger, Judy

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Joe Pesci, The Irishman

Runner up: Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dolemite Is My Name

Runners up (tie): Laura Dern, Marriage Story; Zhao Shuzen, The Farewell

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Rian Johnson, Knives Out

Runner up: Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won, Parasite

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Greta Gerwig, Little Women

Runner up: Steven Zaillian, The Irishman

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Roger Deakins, 1917

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Toy Story 4

Runner up: I Lost My Body

 

BEST FOREIGN FILM Parasite

Runner up: Portrait of a Lady on Fire

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY (tie) Amazing Grace; Apollo 11

 

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR THE BEST SCIENCE  FICTION/FANTASY/HORROR FILM Us

Runner up: Midsommar

 

TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBT FILM Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Runner up: Booksmart

‘ROMA’ AND ‘THE FAVOURITE’ TIE FOR KANSAS CITY FILM CRITICS’ BEST FILM

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Kansas City, MO – For the first time since 1992 and the fourth time in the 53-year history of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle’s James Loutzenhiser Awards, there was a tie for Best Film. Roma and The Favourite took home three awards each, including the top prize. Roma also won Best Foreign Film and helmer Alfonso Cuarón collected the Robert Altman Award for Best Director. The Favourite‘s Olivia Colman won Best Actress and the script from Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara won Best Original Screenplay as well.

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle is the second oldest professional film critics organization in the United States. Since the first vote in 1966, this is only the fourth tie in the top category. Previous ties were 1992 (The Player, Unforgiven), 1986 (The Mission, Salvador) and 1970 (Patton, Five Easy Pieces).

The full list of winners for the 53rd James Loutzenhiser Awards are below:

BEST FILM (tie): Roma and The Favourite

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
Runner Up: Paul Schrader, First Reformed

BEST ACTOR: (tie) Christian Bale, Vice and Ethan Hawke, First Reformed

BEST ACTRESS: Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Runner Up: Yalitza Aparicio, Roma

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Runner Up: Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Adams, Vice
Runner Up: Thomasin McKenzie, Leave No Trace

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Favourite
Runner Up: Eighth Grade

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: BlacKkKlansman
Runner Up: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Runners Up (tie): Isle of Dogs, Incredibles 2

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Roma
Runner Up: Cold War

BEST DOCUMENTARY: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Runner up: Free Solo

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM: A Quiet Place
Runner up: Sorry to Bother You

TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBT FILM: Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Runner up: Love, Simon

‘GET OUT’ WINS THREE AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE, FROM KANSAS CITY FILM CRITICS

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Kansas City, MO – Writer-director Jordan Peele and his horror/social satire “Get Out” won three awards, including Best Picture, in the Kansas City Film Critics Circle’s 52nd annual James Loutzenhiser Awards. Founded in 1966, the KCFCC is the second oldest critics group in the country. In addition to Best Picture, “Get Out” won the Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Award, and Peele won for Best Original Screenplay.

“Call Me By Your Name” also received three awards, including Best LGBT Film, a category created last year in honor of late KCFCC member and activist Tom Poe. Timothée Chalamet’s performance in “Call Me By Your Name” won Best Actor, while James Ivory’s screenplay won the adapted category,

“The Shape of Water” received two awards, with Guillermo del Toro winning Best Director and Sally Hawkins winning Best Actress for “The Shape of Water.”

The full list of winners for the 52nd James Loutzenhiser Awards are below:

BEST PICTURE: Get Out

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR: Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water

BEST ACTOR: Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name

BEST ACTRESS: Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Jordan Peele, Get Out

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: (tie) James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name and Scott Frank, James Mangold, and Michael Green, Logan

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Coco

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: In The Fade

BEST DOCUMENTARY: Jane

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM: Get Out

TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBT FILM: Call Me By Your Name

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA WINS 3 KANSAS CITY FILM CRITICS AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE

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Manchester by the Sea was chosen as the Best Film of 2016 by the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, the second oldest critics group in the country. The winners were announced today during a ceremony for the 51st Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards at the Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet Theatre in Kansas City.

In addition to winning Best Picture, Manchester by the Sea’s Casey Affleck won Best Actor, and Kenneth Lonergan won the Robert Altman Award for Best Director. Hell or High Water received two wins, for Jeff Bridges in Supporting Actor and Taylor Sheridan’s original screenplay. Arrival won the adapted screenplay award, as well as the Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror Film.

It is with great affection that the KCFCC announce the inaugural Tom Poe Award for Best LGBT Film, which was awarded to Moonlight. A beloved associate professor of film and media arts in the Department of Communications Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Tom further shared his enthusiasm for film through film reviews in the Kansas City New Times and as one of the movie critics on the Walt Bodine Show and Central Standard on KCUR. His reviews were inevitably astute and well-informed yet just as naturally considered and kind, in keeping with his sympathies for both filmmaker and audience. It was Tom’s belief that “great film reviews give rise to thinking about films.” As such, he supported many members of KCFCC through encouragement and dialogue. Tom was our colleague and friend, and it is our intention that this annual award honor his legacy as an advocate for LGBT rights and promote his desire for justice by way of accurate and beneficial representation.

The full list of winners at the 51st Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards is below:

BEST PICTURE: Manchester by the Sea

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea

BEST ACTOR: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

BEST ACTRESS: Natalie Portman, Jackie

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: (tie) Naomie Harris, Moonlight and Viola Davis, Fences

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Eric Heisserer, Arrival

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Zootopia

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: The Handmaiden (South Korea)

BEST DOCUMENTARY: OJ: Made in America

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM: Arrival

TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBT FILM: Moonlight
The Kansas City Film Critics Circle was founded by Dr. James Loutzenhiser in 1966 as the Kansas City Film Circle Awards, and is the second oldest professional film critics’ association in the United States, after the New York Film Critics Circle.

KANSAS CITY FILM CRITICS CIRCLE NOMINATE (10) FILMS AS THE BEST OF 2016

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Kansas City, MO – The Kansas City Film Critics Circle, the second oldest film critic organization in the United States, released its list of nominees for the Best Film of 2016.  They are:

 
ARRIVAL
HACKSAW RIDGE
HELL OR HIGH WATER
JACKIE
LA LA LAND
THE LOBSTER
LOVING
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
MOONLIGHT
SWISS ARMY MAN
 
The winner, as well as the winners in eleven other categories, will be announced during the groups 51st Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards Ceremony on Sunday, December 18. Follow the voting live on Twitter @KCFCC and with hashtag #KCFCC.