Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards ‘The Substance’

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

Kansas City Film Critics Circle awards ‘Oppenheimer’

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, nominated in seven categories, received six awards at the 58th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards voted on by the 26 members of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC). These included Best Film, the Robert Altman Award for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey, Jr. While Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon was runner-up in multiple categories, it’s lone win was for Best Actress in recognition of Lily Gladstone’s breakout performance.

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 Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers) & Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) for Best Actor. Marvel was recognized again this year with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse winning for Best Animated Feature.
 
Below is a complete list of the winners and runners-up from the 58th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards:
 
BEST FILM: Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Killers of the Flower Moon
 
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig, Barbie
 
BEST ACTOR: Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers and Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer (Tie)
 
BEST ACTRESS: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Runner-up: Sandra Huller, Anatomy of a Fall
 
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Robert Downey, Jr., Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Ryan Gosling, Barbie
 
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Runner-up: Rachel McAdams, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
 
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Anatomy of a Fall and Past Lives (Tie)
 
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
Runner-up: Killers of the Flower Moon
 
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Killers of the Flower Moon
 
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Killers of the Flower Moon
 
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Runner-up: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
 
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Anatomy of a Fall (France)
Runner-ups: The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom)
 
BEST DOCUMENTARY: 20 Days in Mariupol and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Tie)
 
VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/HORROR FILM: Godzilla Minus One
Runner-up: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
 
TOM POE AWARD FOR THE BEST LGBTQ FILM: All of Us Strangers
Runner-up: Maestro