National Society of Film Critics goes for AMOUR

The National Society Film Critics announced their winners for the film year of 2012. The group, which was founded in 1966 in New York City, consists of 60 of the nations top critics and writers on film, mainly in newspapers.  Last year they voted Lars Von Trier's Melancholia as best film and usually are not into "Joe Popcorn" saturated films. It is exciting to see them go with the great Austrian-German director Michael Haneke's Amour for best film, as well as much appreciation for Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master. This is the last big critics awards of the season and although it usually does not bare too much on Oscar outcomes, its nice to see solid, usually non-commercial films get there proper attention. I guess its not that much of a surprise when it comes to critics groups. Here is a list of all the winners with the second and third runners-up listed, as well as the number of votes received.

BEST FILM

1. Amour   28
2. The Master   25
3. Zero Dark Thirty   18

BEST DIRECTOR

1. Michael Haneke (Amour)   27
2. Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)   24
3. Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master)   24

BEST ACTOR

1. Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)   59
2. Denis Lavant (Holy Motors)   49
3. Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)   49

BEST ACTRESS

1. Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)   50
2. Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)   42
3. Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)   32

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1. Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike & Bernie)   27
2. Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)   22
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)   19

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1. Amy Adams (The Master)   34
2. Sally Field (Lincoln)   23
3. Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)   13

BEST NONFICTION

1. The Gatekeepers   53
2. This Is Not a Film   45
3. Searching for Sugar Man   23

BEST SCREENPLAY

1. Tony Kushner (Lincoln)   59
2. Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master)   27
3. David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)   19

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. Mihai Malaimare, Jr. (The Master)   60
2. Roger Deakins (Skyfall)   30
3. Greig Fraser (Zero Dark Thirty)   21