Let the Oscar Race Begin

LET OSCAR DERBY BEGIN: The race for the Oscars remains wide-open as the L.A. Film Critics weighed in with its picks, choosing Alexander Payne’s The Descendants as Best Picture, Shame’s Michael Fassbender Best Actor and Poetry’s Yun Jung-Hee Best Actress, with Beginners’ Christopher Plummer and Jessica Chastain (The Help, The Tree of Life, The Debt, Take Shelter) winning for Best Supporting Actor and Actress, respectively. The Tree of Life’s Terrence Malick received a nod as Best Director. The N.Y. Film Critics previously tapped The Artist as Best Picture, Moneyball/Tree of Life’s Brad Pitt and The Iron Lady’s Meryl Streep as Best Actor/Actress, with Drive’s Albert Brooks and Chastain in the Supporting categories. The Artist’s Michael Hazanavicius earned Best Director honors from the N.Y. group. AFI announced its Top 10 movies, which included (in no order): Bridesmaids, The Descendants, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Help, Hugo, J. Edgar, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life and War Horse. (12/12a)