Reading the tea leaves from the NY & LA film critics’ votes points to some early frontrunners.
The critics aren’t Oscar’s best bellwethers, but 2019’s LA picture winner, PARASITE, won 4 Oscars, including the picture. NY applauded THE IRISHMAN.
LA’s 2020 best picture: Amazon/BBC’s 5 film series SMALL AXE. Runner-up: Searchlight’s NOMADLAND. Directing: Chloe Zhao (NOMADLAND). Runner-up: Steve McQueen (AXE).
NY: A24’s FIRST COW (picture) & Zhao (directing).
NOMADLAND’s already in the awards conversation. Its NY/LA wins will build momentum.
LA’s best actress: Carey Mulligan (Focus’s PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN). Runner-up: Viola Davis (Netflix’s MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM). Davis is a likely Oscar nom. Mulligan’s LA win puts her in the race. NY: Sidney Flanigan (Focus/BBC’s NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS).
LA’s best actor: Chadwick Boseman (MA) is already an Oscar frontrunner. NY’s Delroy Lindo win (Netflix’s DA 5 BLOODS) makes him a contender.
Supporting actor: NY – Boseman (BLOODS). LA – Glynn Turman (MA). Supporting actress: Maria Bakalova (BORAT 2). LA – Youn Yuh-jung (A24/Plan B’s MINARI). Runner-up: Amanda Seyfried (MANK) could get a boost.