'Joker' Named Best Picture, Joaquin Phoenix Best Actor By Phoenix Film Critics Society

The much-hyped new Joaquin Phoenix film "Joker," billed as a "character study" of Batman's nemesis, has been hailed as an Oscar contender but has raised concerns AFP / Geoff Robins

KEY POINTS

"Joker" named Best Picture by Phoenix Film Critics Society
Joaquin Phoenix is Best Actor while Renee Zellweger is Best Actress
Sam Mendes' "1917" took home five trophies

Todd Phillips’s blockbuster hit “Joker” is making all the right noises before the nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards are announced. The movie has just been named Best Picture by the Phoenix Film Critics Society.

According to the organization, “Joker” competed against nine other films for the top prize. The other films that were in the running for the award were “1917,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Parasite,” “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” “The Irishman” and “The Two Popes.”

The movie has already been recognized as one of the top 10 movies of 2019 by the American Film Institute and New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO). It has received 7 nominations at the 2020 Critics’ Choice Awards and four noms at the Golden Globes, including Best Picture, in both award shows.

Meanwhile, Joaquin Phoenix was awarded the Best Actor trophy by the society for his extraordinary work in the movie “Joker.” His portrayal of Arthur Fleck in the movie has already been nominated in almost every major award show, including Critics’ Choice and the Globes.

The esteemed actor has already won two trophies in the same category this year.

On the other hand, Sam Mendes’ war epic “1917” turned out to be the biggest winner of the night since it went home with five awards, including Best Director for Mendes. The movie also won Best Original Score, Cinematography, Film Editing and Production Design awards.

Renee Zellweger was adjudged Best Actress for her stellar work in “Judy.” Zellweger is considered to be one of the top contenders to be nominated in the Lead Actress category at the upcoming Academy Awards. The National Board of Review named the “Bridget Jones Diary” star Best Actress earlier this year.

Brad Pitt (“Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”) and Laura Dern (“Marriage Story”) were awarded the Best Supporting Actors accolade.

Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” was given the prize of Best Foreign-Language Film while Disney’s “Toy Story 4” was adjudged Best Animated Feature.

The full list of winners is as follows:

PFCS TOP TEN (in alphabetical order)
“1917”
“Avengers: Endgame”
“Jojo Rabbit”
“Joker”
“Knives Out”
“Marriage Story”
“Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”
“Parasite”
“The Irishman”
“The Two Popes”

BEST PICTURE
“Joker”

BEST DIRECTOR
Sam Mendes – “1917”

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Joaquin Phoenix – “Joker”

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Renee Zellweger – “Judy”

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Brad Pitt – “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood”

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Laura Dern – “Marriage Story”

BEST ENSEMBLE ACTING
“Knives Out”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Knives Out”

BEST SCREENPLAY ADAPTED FROM OTHER MATERIAL
“Jojo Rabbit”

THE OVERLOOKED FILM OF THE YEAR
“Hotel Mumbai”

BEST ANIMATED FILM
“Toy Story 4”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
“Parasite”

BEST DOCUMENTARY
“One Child Nation”