All in all, 2020 has been a very unusual year for movies. The pandemic has forced many highly anticipated films to postpone their release dates or release them on a streaming service (or, in the case of Christopher Nolan Principlehit theaters anyway and die an embarrassing death at the box office).
Nonetheless, many smaller independent films have found their way onto streaming platforms and on-demand services, and these films will be celebrated at this year’s 14th annual. Houston Film Critics Awardnominated and voted by the Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS).
At the top of the list is minari, director Lee Isaac Chung’s study of a Korean family starting a farm in Arkansas. The film is nominated for seven accolades, including Best Picture of 2020.
In addition to the best picture, minari is nominated for Best Director, Best Actor (Steve Yeun), Best Supporting Actress (Youn Yuh-jung), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and a Film Achievement honor for seven-year-old actor Alan S.Kim.
Following the film in the overall nominations is The sound of metal with six nods, including Best Picture, while three films — nomadland, One night in Miami and The Chicago 7 Trial — received five nominations each, including Best Picture. The other contenders for this supreme prize are Da 5 Bloods, the Dad, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, promising young woman, and Soulwhich is also nominated for Best Animated Feature.
“From a year that most of us would like to forget, comes an impressive collection of films that we will always remember,” HFCS President Doug Harris said in a statement. “For the film industry, 2020 will be remembered just as much by works that have nourished our souls as by how world events have changed filmmaking habits. The impact of artistic expression from this year’s nominees reminds us that the size of a screen, or where we see it, matters less than the quality of what we see.
The late Chadwick Boseman is a double nominee for lead actor for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Best Supporting Actor for Da 5 Bloods. His performance in the header category joins Yeun, Riz Ahmed (The sound of metal), Anthony Hopkins (The father) and Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods). Sacha Baron Cohen (The Chicago 7 Trial), Bill Murray (On the rocks), Leslie Odom, Jr (One night in Miami) and Paul Raci (The sound of metal) are also nominated for supporting honors.
Competing for the 2020 Leading Actress Award are Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Sidney Flanigan, Never Rarely Sometimes Always; Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of woman; Frances McDormand, nomadland; and Carey Mulligan, Promising young woman. Along with Yuh-jung, the nominees for Supporting Actress honor are Maria Bakalova, Borat Next Movie; Ellen Burstyn, Pieces of woman; Olivia Colman, The father; and Amanda Seyfried, male.
Three directors — Chloé Zhao (nomadland), Regina King (One night in Miami) and Emerald Fennell (Promising young woman) – are also nominated for Best Director.
Some 18 categories of cinematic excellence will be recognized by the prestigious body of film journalists and announced on January 18. The winning films, as well as the nominees and winners of the Society’s Texas Independent Film Awards, will be highlighted during the Society’s awards premiere television programming on Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. on Houston’s KUBE-TV.
Houston Film Critics Society Nominations
(Winners of Outstanding Cinematic Achievement, Best Movie Poster and Society Achievement Award will be announced at a later date)
Best Picture
Da 5 Bloods
The father
minari
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
nomadland
One night in Miami
Promising young woman
Soul
The sound of metal
The Chicago 7 Trial
Best Director
Lee Isaac Chung, minari
Chloe Zhao, nomadland
Regina King, One night in Miami
Emerald Fennel, Promising young woman
Darius Marder, The sound of metal
Aaron Sorkin, The Chicago 7 Trial
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Rice Ahmed, The sound of metal
Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins, The father
Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods
Steven Yeun, minari
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Sidney Flanigan, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of woman
Frances McDormand, nomadland
Carey Mulligan, Promising young woman
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods
Sasha Baron Cohen, The Chicago 7 Trial
Bill Murray, On the rocks
Leslie Odom Jr. One night in Miami
Paul Raci, The sound of metal
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova, Borat Next Movie
Ellen Burstyn, Pieces of woman
Olivia Colman, The father
Amanda Seyfried, male
Youn Yuhjung, minari
Best Screenplay
minari
nomadland
One night in Miami
Promising young woman
The sound of metal
The Chicago 7 Trial
Best Animated Film
The Croods: A New Era
Ahead
above the moon
Soul
wolf walkers
Best Cinematography
male
minari
world news
nomadland
Principle
Best Documentary Feature
state of the boys
Collective
dick johnson is dead
My octopus teacher
Weather
Better foreign language functionality
another round (Denmark)
Bacura (Brazil/France)
Bean (Russia)
La Llorona (Guatemala)
A sun (Taiwan)
Best Original Score
male
The midnight sky
world news
Soul
Principle
Best Original Song
“Turntables” of All In: The Fight for Democracy
“Lo Si” from The life to come
“Talk now” about One night in Miami
“Rocket to the Moon” by above the moon
“Wear Your Crown” from Prom
Best Visual Effects
Principle
The invisible Man
The midnight sky
Best Stunt Coordination Team
Birds of prey
Mulane
The old guard
Principle
Wonder Woman 1984
Texas Independent Film Awards
state of the boys
Miss Juneteenth
Ready or Not
The immensity of the night
A yellow rose
