This year, 95 critics from across the country voted for their favorite films, performances, and filmmakers in 12 categories. (cont’d after the cut)
Best Film
The Tree of Life
A Separation
Melancholia
Certified Copy
Mysteries of Lisbon
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Margaret
Meek’s Cutoff
Drive
Take Shelter
Hugo
A Dangerous Method
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Descendants
Weekend
The Artist
Poetry
Shame
For six categories (Best Film of the Year, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Undistributed Film), critics had the option to either “rank” or “unrank” their votes. For example, in the Best Film category, where ten votes are possible, a ranked ballot’s #1 choice was awarded 10 points, the #2 choice nine points, etc. If a voter only listed eight films, the #1 film was awarded eight points, the #2 film seven points, etc. On ballots designated as “unranked,” films were awarded five points each, and performances two points. Ties of any kind were not allowed.
Best Director
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Lars von Trier, Melancholia
Raul Ruiz, Mysteries of Lisbon
David Cronenberg, A Dangerous Method
Abbas Kiarostami, Certified Copy
Jean-Luc Godard, Film Socialisme
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Tomas Alfredson, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
Edward Yang, A Brighter Summer Day
Monte Hellman, Road to Nowhere
Steve McQueen, Shame
Lu Chuan, City of Life and Death
Best Actor
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Peyman Moaadi, A Separation
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
George Clooney, The Descendants
Brad Pitt, The Tree of Life
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Ryan Gosling, Drive
Michael Fassbender, A Dangerous Method
Woody Harrelson, Rampart
Ralph Fiennes, Coriolanus
Peter Mullan, Tyrannosaur
Tom Cullen, Weekend
Best Actress
Anna Paquin, Margaret
Juliette Binoche, Certified Copy
Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia
Yun Jung-hee, Poetry
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Keira Knightley, A Dangerous Method
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Viola Davis, The Help
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Vera Farmiga, Higher Ground
Mirela Oprisor, Tuesday, After Christmas
Olivia Colman, Tyrannosaur
Mia Wasikowska, Jane Eyre
Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks, Drive
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method
Brad Pitt, The Tree of Life
John C. Reilly, Terri
Bruce Greenwood, Meek’s Cutoff
John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Patton Oswalt, Young Adult
Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Kiefer Sutherland, Melancholia
Kevin Spacey, Margin Call
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Hunter McCracken, The Tree of Life
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
Jeremy Irons, Margin Call
Best Supporting Actress
Jeannie Berlin, Margaret
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter
Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus
Carey Mulligan, Shame
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
J. Smith-Cameron, Margaret
Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Melancholia
Jennifer Ehle, Contagion
Sareh Bayat, A Separation
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Keira Knightley, A Dangerous Method
Sarah Paulson, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Allison Janney, Margaret
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Elle Fanning, Super 8
Note of explanation before we look at the “Worst Film” list. LA Weekly asked 95 critics from across the country to participate in the poll. Not very many of of them wanted to sink so low to vote for Worst Film. In fact, to be voted Worst Film required only 5 snarky critics wielding whatever ax they had to grind. (All these numbers are available at glance from the pages of LA Weekly Poll.)
If you take a look at the Worst Film numbers, you’ll see there are only 3 Stupid Critics who thought The Artist was worst film. There are only 2 Stupid Critics who thought Shame was the worst film.
Meanwhile, Shame got 83 votes for Best Film. The Artist got 85 votes for Best Film. So please bear that in mind. Hope this helps explain how movies like Shame and The Artist can appear on both the Best and Worst lists.
When I post poll results and critics Top 10 lists, I don’t grab the whole article. We don’t import another site’s work in its entirety. I just port over the highlights and bare lists. Then we always link to the original source so that readers can click to find more details. All these numbers are easy to see on the pages of LA Weekly.
Worst Film
I Melt With You
Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Artist
The Adventures of Tintin
30 Minutes or Less
Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part
Jack and Jill
Another Earth
Bellflower
Green Lantern
One Day
Shame
Sucker Punch
The Change-Up
The Help
Best Screenplay
Margaret
A Separation
Midnight in Paris
Certified Copy
Weekend
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
A Dangerous Method
A Brighter Summer Day
Mysteries of Lisbon
Take Shelter
The Descendants
Margin Call
Cold Fish
Contagion
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within