Well, the 2019 Critics Choice Awards have happened and we finally got to see what these high-brow professionals picked as the best of the best of last year. Overall, some of their choices were downright predictable, such as Joaquin Phoenix for "Joker" for the Best Actor award. But there were also some that were pleasant surprises, mainly Greta Gerwig of "Little Women" for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Still, we can't help but feel some of the categories, even the major ones, could have ended with a tie. Some nominees just plainly deserved the awards, and here are some of them worth mentioning.
Best Picture - "The Irishman" (Actual Winner: “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood")
(The Irishman Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase)
When you get Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, and Joe Pesci in a gangster film—led by Martin Scorcese, no less!—of course you're going to deserve the Best Picture award. These industry veterans are some of the best of the best, and to give them anything less than that would have been sacrilege. While Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood" did deserve the award, "The Irishman," on the other hand, did deserve to get recognized too!
Best Actor - Leonard DiCaprio in "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood" (Actual Winner: Joaquin Phoenix for “Joker”)
(Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase)
Sure, Joaquin Phoenix probably has one of the best 'Joker' performances since Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight." But you gotta admit, DiCaprio was also at his element in "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood!" He mixed dramatic and comedic acting so effortlessly in his portrayal of fictional Hollywood has-been, Rick Dalton. And though some might argue that Leo himself is almost at that stage of his career, this performance strongly proves otherwise!
Best Actress - Charlize Theron in “Bombshell” (Actual Winner: Renee Zellweger in “Judy”)
(Bombshell Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase)
Let's face it, Renee Zellweger will likely rake in all of the Best Actress trophies this awards this season. And yes, she deserves them, albeit predictably so. Biographical films are always rife with Best Actress performances left and right. But one that has been shockingly underrated this awards season is Charlize Theron's chilling portrayal of Megyn Kelly in "Bombshell". In just the trailer alone, the South African looked and sounded so much like the former Fox News anchor that the film almost seemed like a documentary!
Best Director: “Little Women” (Actual Winners: Bong Joon Ho for “Parasite” and Sam Mendes for “1917”)
(Little Women Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase)
While Greta Gerwig undeniably deserved her Best Adapted Screenplay award, she could have walked off with the Best Director nod and it would have still been fine. Yes, the competition was tough this year, and the eventual winners, Bong Joon Ho and Sam Mendes were deserving of their tie win. But you can't deny that Gerwig's take on the classic novel (which have been adapted for screens for about a thousand times) was refreshingly unique, excitingly modern, and refreshingly raw.
Best Animated Feature: “Frozen II” (Actual Winner: “Toy Story 4”)
(Frozen II Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase)
Little kids singing "Into The Unknown" since last December would argue that "Frozen II" will deserve all the awards this season. But the Critics chose "Toy Story 4" instead which was just as deserving a film. What makes the former justified for the award, however, are technological and musical advancements seen and heard in the film. The waves of the ocean as Elsa tries to cross it were shockingly realistic. And the amount of vocal power Idina Menzel gave to the role? Breathtaking!
Congratulations to all of the winners at the recently concluded Critics' Choice Awards 2020. But for those who didn't win, particularly the ones mentioned on this list, you've still won the hearts of moviegoers around the world. Some might say that's better than getting recognized by critics, don't you agree?
