The Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) is excited to announce its 10th annual Best Picture goes to Martin McDonagh’s film The Banshees of Inisherin! The comedic drama deeply resonated with BOFCA members, receiving three other awards, including Best Actor for Colin Farrell, Best Supporting Actress for Kerry Condon, and Best Screenplay for McDonagh.
Full List of BOFCA’s 2022 Award Winners:
Best Picture
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Best Director
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Best Actor
Colin Farrell, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, TÁR
Best Supporting Actor
Ke Huy Quan, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Best Supporting Actress
Kerry Condon, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Best Screenplay
Martin McDonagh, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Best Ensemble
GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
Best Score
Justin Hurwitz, BABYLON
Best Cinematography
Claudio Miranda, TOP GUN: MAVERICK
Best Editing
Paul Rogers, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Best Documentary
ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED
Best International Film
DECISION TO LEAVE
Best Animated Film
GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO
Top 10 Films of 2022
1. THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
2. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
3. THE FABELMANS
4. AFTERSUN
5. TÁR
6. TOP GUN: MAVERICK
7. DECISION TO LEAVE
8. NOPE
9. CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
10. GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
Press Release:
BOFCA’s critics were also moved by The Daniels’ intergenerational action comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once, which they celebrated with Best Director for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan, and Best Editing for Paul Rogers. Additionally, it was the group’s #2 film of the year.
Members overwhelmingly chose Cate Blanchett as their Best Actress for Todd Field’s Tár and Laura Poitras’s All the Beauty and Bloodshed as their Best Documentary. They also honored Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery with Best Ensemble and Claudio Miranda with Best Cinematography for Top Gun: Maverick.
The full roster of winners, along with a list of the organization’s Top Ten Films of 2022, are listed below and have been posted to the BOFCA website.
About The Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA)
Founded in 2012, the Boston Online Film Critics Association aims to provide professional support, networking opportunities, and greater visibility for Boston-area film critics representing digitally-based, non-traditional outlets and platforms. Because of its unique perspective, the Boston Online Film Critics Association has become well-known for its often unexpected, “outside the box” picks. The group’s previous Best Picture winners have included Nomadland, Parasite, Mad Max: Fury Road, You Were Never Really Here, Get Out, and Snowpiercer.
BOFCA maintains an updated website for promoting the work of its members, and sharing news, updates, and its yearly awards at www.bofca.com. Its leadership can be reached for questions, comments, and other information via email at bostononlinefilmcritics@gmail.
WHY?? What is it about this movie? Can someone explain? It made zero sense to me.
At least The Yakuza made sense !
??
I don’t know how to respond to this without formulating something that will sound like an insult. I want to say things like “Do you not possess humanity?” or “Is your English bad?” but I won’t. I will just assume that you are eight years old.
Or maybe you were drunk.
Or something.
Maybe you should see it again.
I’d say DM me (but you can’t), and anyway I can do without the insults.
#uncalledfor
I don’t really consider them insults, I consider them a search for truth. You say the movie makes no sense (or some other offhand dismissal) which necessarily insults those of us who enjoyed it immensely.
Now I doubt you are 8 or were drunk. But since you can’t formulate why the film didn’t work for you all we are left with is the inability to engage. And then I ask myself why you even bothered to type anything at all. And then I realize you are part of the twitter crowd, you desire to be seen, to be noticed and as is typical you offer us nothing in return. And then your feelings are hurt. Oh. Sorry.
No, you’re reading way too far into what I wrote on here. Simply, as I stated: I didn’t understand the movie. I’m dying for someone to explain it to me, but you know spoilers.
how in the world could you not understand it? Maybe if you were specific. Otherwise I can only conclude you were drunk. It’s a pretty straightforward movie.
1) Friends are no longer friends
2) Things escalate
3) Closing credits.
Again, I can’t get into specifics here because of spoilers, but its clear that I am not alone. Also, there are better ways of responding here than making accusations that have no basis in reality.
Contemplating blocking you as a result.
you can label spoilers, as you can even use a thingamagee tag (see bottom of the reply square) so people can’t see spoilers.
You’d be a fool to block me. I am spectacular.
Well, you call people on the internet drunk without even knowing their history/relationship with alcohol, because (I guess?) they don’t understand a film you like, so I’d say you’re pretty crappy from that alone.
My favorite drink!
1 shot Jack Daniels
1/2 shot Triple Sec
4 Oz. Fresh Lemonade.
You should try it.
I am going to have to agree with Rus. How is it not completely clear what is happening in the film. It is in no way abstract or metaphorical. The only thing I can imagine that would be confusing is some ‘finger’ action. (lol not really a spoiler). I think MM is pushing the reality boundary to go into more fable like territory there. There is also some connection (allegory?) to Ireland/war that I am not knowledgable enough to grasp but I do not think your comprehension of the film relies on that, it would only strengthen the overall experience.
I didn’t much understand it either… 🙂
I just came from the Banshees and I laughed, cried and thought a lot about it. Because I’m going through the same thing…..”I don’t like you anymore.” And have decided to go it alone.
So I emphasized with Brendan Gleeson. He’s facing the end of his life and he wants to accomplish something on that remote smallish island. So he has to separate himself from his friend, who’s clingy and around him all the time.
I get it. At points it was sooooo sad, I started to cry because Colin Farrell embodied a lonely man who’s living on an isolate island. Where everybody gets in your business and everybody knows everybody and what they’re doing.
It’s a very sad movie in a lot of ways.
I haven’t seen it, but if it is not uplifting, or does not have an uplifting ending, probably won’t win Best Picture.
It’s kind of a must, to win, to end the film with some kind of positivity or hope. Even Birdman, Moonlight and Parasite, ended in a hopeful note.
Sad, upsetting things happen near the end but the actual final moments have hope. Maybe?
It’s far from uplifting. The ending simply underlines the big themes that was going in the background. And how it’s bigger than them.
Agree, but for the record I absolutely never used the word “uplifting”.
Yes, you’re right. I just meant that it was downbeat ending. At first it looks like there might be a reconciliation or at keast a ceasefire of the hostilities, but Padraigh is having none of it and is determined to avenge his Donkey’s murder when rejects Colm’s apology. Colm thanks him for looking after his dog for him and Padraigh says any time. It seems to me that McDonagh is pointing out how people value their pets and animals over people, even their best mates. You’re not sure if that little connection over the dog means their relationship will be better or not, but Farrell’s face implies it’s not good. And then we get that final shot which makes it clear what it means. We see Death, which was already roaming the place when we saw him near the dead body of Dominic (Keoghan), sitting up a hill between Colm and Padraigh as they drift further apart. That one shot tells the whole story. It’s brilliant.
That should be big plus for the film. Below the laughter and ludicrous narrative, there is great tragedy. It’s wonderfully underlined by thst final shot. McDonagh tends to nail the ending of his films.
It will not win Best Picture because you cannot stick anyone in front of it and they will generally understand it and like it.
It will not win Best Picture because you cannot stick anyone in front of it and they will generally understand it and like it.
You’re right. I was happy at the end of No Country after Anton Chigurh got away.
Coens were overdue, this was kind of a Silence of the Lambs kind of victory… with a magnetic villain. Also, what was the competition for the win?
There Will Be Blood’s ending was a pure letdown and cringe and even more depressing
Atonement kind of same
Juno and Michael Clayton were just happy to be there
IF Hairspray (or Across the Universe) would have been multinominated and scored a Best Picture nom, they would have been the winners by default… for whatever reason, Oscar passed on them (aside a tech nom for AtU)
They were passed on because they were bad…like real bad.
Across the Universe was visually inventive (some worked, but there were also cringey moments)
Hairspray is close to perfection… it’s poignant and at the same time magnificently entertaining… everything in it is camp enough to homage John Waters’ original but also designed not to push away too much mainstream audiences from actually receiving the overall message of integration, progress and general enjoyment of life beyond any prejudices… the pure definition of that now it’s called a woke film? It had the reviews, the audience feedback and the box office, even some precursors… it earned ZERO nominations, which is kind of shocking.
It’s a wonderful movie. Funny, moving, sad, shocking, unusual. He’s not getting the attention that Farrell and Gleeson are, but I think Barry Keoghan is also wonderful. So is Condon.
just worth noting… Boston went ga-ga for an Irish film. *shock*
Anyone tracking all of the critics awards that have come out so far? Can’t keep up with everything…
I love this win. I finished watching Banshees last night and just loved it. So unique with a blend of emotions.
Is it just me or do the smaller critics’ awards this year have even fewer outliers than usual? It feels like pretty much every nomination is either coming from the pool of Oscar contenders or is an imitation of for example NYFCC choices. That of course applies every year but I feel like usually we get at least some fun nominations at individual places but I don’t necessarily think I’ve seen as many usual yet
Larry Sanders: “That’s just what America needs, another fking awards show”
Artie: “Political bullsht, kiss someone’s ass and they send your name to the engravers”
Are some of these groups getting bigger than they once were? Because that is usually what forces a group to be more conforming. The conforming films are chosen by big groups because while individuals have their own favourites the more original favourites aren’t agreed upon so you go down ballot until you find a consensus film that more people agree on. When you have a smaller group a film only needs 2 or 3 people to agree on it so they can make more unique and interesting choices
But also, I do kinda disagree that they should be actively trying to award something that others have not. The point of an award is not to show how unique and original you are it is to give an award to the film that you think is most deserving. Sometimes your favourite film is other peoples’ favourite film too and if that is the case I would strongly disagree with choosing something else just to seem more original.
As long as you are not picking a film just because others have I think the best way to vote in any award should be to just pick your favourite or the one you think is most deserving.
Of course they shouldn’t pick things just because they want to be different. But then again, if you have a large group of possible nominees and winners (which you have every year) and most groups only pick from said group about 7-8 different contenders for their top 5, the probability of that happening by accident should be rather small. Thus, either there’s probably a herd mentality guiding these choices to some degree or these 7-8 contenders are simply considered to be so notable (at least by the consensus) that they carry a much larger weight in terms of the probability. If it’s the first one, they’re being lazy. And if it’s the second one, I at least personally would question whether these consensus choices really are so perfect that you can’t go outside them.
And I’m not asking for every group to do something different. I just would like every now and then a group to make me think, or surprise me, or delight me in some way.
Yeah that is fair and I do understand the desire to see more out of the box ideas. I think the herd mentality thing definitely plays a part, though I think size of the group plays a really big part too.
If you take 100 film critics and ask them their favorite films of the year you’d get 100 very different lists but if you get 5 sets of 100 film critics to combine their favorite films of the year you will likely get 5 very similar lists. It is just the nature of such thing that the more of anything you put together the closet the average will be to the average of the whole population. That is why I wonder whether part of the reason this is happening more than it used to is simply that the smaller critics groups are bigger than they used to be.
I agree. Naturally, a critics’ group should pick what really reflects their choices, but it appears too many of them are trying to second-guess the Oscar winners and/or looking over their shoulders at other critics’ groups for the ”safe” picks.
A few hundred movies debut each year. What are the odds that practically all the critics groups just focus on the same half-dozen or so movies to award? It’s a herd mentality.
This would never happen, but if all the critics’ groups had to announce their winners on the same day (so they couldn’t see what their colleagues picked), I bet you’d have a little more variety and diversity among the winners.
I’m under the same impression. Awards-giving feels inordinately herdlike to me this year. Not a single gutsy, bold exception comes quickly to mind, to my mind anyway.
The only even somewhat interesting one I’ve seen so far is a few groups nominating Rylance for Bones & All, Phoenix nominating Driver for White Noise and Chicago awarding Return to Seoul for best picture but considering we’re talking about at least over a dozen groups at this point, that’s very unimpressive
I haven’t seen any of those movies so maybe I shouldn’t even be talking!
For me the most surprising omission is Felix Kammerer for Best Actor in “All Quiet on the Western Front”. Austin Butler got much more attention for “Elvis”, and it’s all richly deserved in my opinion. Paul Mescal has gotten some notice for “Aftersun”, also totally deserved. So, for me it’s a tie between those three actors for best male lead performance of the year.
I haven’t seen White Noise or Return to Seoul either yet (the Rylance nominations I really like because I’d absolutely nominate him), I moreso want these awards to either surprise me with some interesting nomination for a movie I have or haven’t seen or make me think about something I have seen in a different way. And I think the failure is at that baseline level of whether any choices are interesting, not even that the outliers they would be choosing being in my opinion incorrect ones.
Most of the critics’ awards are boring. It’s a giant echo chamber of copycats, with little imagination or originality in their choices.
Will the Academy care? Last year’s critics’ darling, ”The Power of the Dog,” swept their prizes. But even though it got 12 Oscar nominations, except for Best Director, it got skunked, and AMPAS picked ”CODA.” Could ”Banshees” or ”EEAAO” be this year’s ”The Power of the Dog”?
that might be the Fabelmans with the lone Director win
That’s not going to happen two years in a row. It’s almost never happened even one year in a row, historically. Last year was a massive exception. I think there are maybe 1 or 2 other times it’s happened, at most. Either John Williams wins too (and/or The Fabelmans wins in other categories) or, if it can’t get a second win, it also loses director. Easier to snub Spielberg for that win, from the position of big favorite, than a woman (who many saw as very overdue), in 2022-2023.
It’s a trend that’s been happening for a while. More and more of these groups award the same things because they want to be “relevant” to the Oscar race.
You’d think they’d find a win for NOPE or AFTERSUN. They are both top 5 in the combined count on criticstopten.com
It’s like they have their personal favorites, but when it comes to making a group decision they succumb to peer pressure and vote for the same movies these pundits keep pushing.
I was looking at the pundits picks over at Gold Derby today and while they disagree with number 1, it was still the same old same old down the list. Nary an Aftersun or Nope on the lists.
This whole thing is an echo chamber and it sucks.
(And why I keep pushing movies that are not even remotely in the mix)
I remember getting tired in that never-ending season of 2020-2021.
This one is even more boring and getting longer for me. And we’re just in December.
There is a certain airlessness to this season in general which I think is making everything feel exhausting. No matter whether the movies are good (I actually really like most of the films I’ve seen so far that seem to be rather confident best picture nominees), the tone of the conversation feels mostly without imagination, without joy, kind of just guiding people away from movies rather than guiding them towards them
Nice to see Banshee’s Ms Condon.
They really struggled between Banshees & EEAO (Two uniquely quirky yet incredibly entertaining gems so, lets hope they both keep up till Oscars. Saying the word “till”, how can Top Gun get into their top 10 but not Till is beyond me).
I absolutely loved Till, it’s my provisional #1 of 2022…
Same here.
This director’s previous film was also criminally underrated (Clemency) but at least it got some BAFTA nods.
I should probably watch that now, given how much I loved this one. 🙂
I’d highly recommend it.
Ms Woodard is excellent and was rightfully nominated at BAFTA.