Austin Film Critics Love Mad Max, Room and Ex Machina

I’m a very proud member of the Austin Film Critics Association. We’re a lively and diverse group of critics who write about pop culture in one of the most unique and interesting cities in America. This is a fact that is reaffirmed almost yearly, whenever we hand out our annual awards.

This year, the group chose to honor Mad Max: Fury Road as Best Film, with its director George Miller taking home Best Director honors. We also chose to honor films such as the fantastic emotional whirlwind Room and the bold sci-fi vision of Ex Machina.

Needless to say, I’m most proud that the choices listed in the awards below very accurately reflect my own votes. I loved Morricone’s score for The Hateful Eight, Alicia Vikander was phenomenal (and currently underrated) in Ex Machina and it’s about time Brie Larson be thrust to the top of the Best Actress conversation for her performance in Room. Also, it appears that we here at Film School Rejects weren’t the only ones who were completely in love with World of Tomorrow.

For a look at the full list of awards handed out by AFCA this morning, check out the official press release below.

‘MAD MAX: FURY ROAD’ NAMED THE AUSTIN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION’S FAVORITE FILM OF 2015; ‘ROOM’ LEADS AWARD WINNERS

(Austin, TX) The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) announced its 2015 awards today, with George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” winning Best Film and Best Director and leading the group’s Top Ten list. “Room” received three awards, the most for a single film. “Ex Machina” and “Inside Out” also won multiple awards this year.

“Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter,” directed by David Zellner, received the Austin Film Award. This award is given to a film made by a director whose primary residence was Austin during the time of filming.

Michael Fassbender was named Best Actor for “Steve Jobs.”

Brie Larson received Best Actress for “Room.” Her costar, Jacob Tremblay, was named the Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist of 2015. Emma Donoghue, adapting her 2010 novel, won Best Adapted Screenplay. “Room” also was #5 on the AFCA Top Ten list.

Sylvester Stallone won Best Supporting Actor for “Creed,” which was #8 on the AFCA Top Ten list.

Alicia Vikander received Best Supporting Actress for “Ex Machina,” which was tied for #6 on the AFCA Top Ten list. Directed by Alex Garland, “Ex Machina” also was named Best First Film.

Directed by Pete Docter, “Inside Out” received Best Animated Film in addition to Best Original Screenplay for Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley. “Inside Out” also tied for #6 on the AFCA Top Ten list.

Director László Nemes’ “Son of Saul” won Best Foreign-Language Film and director Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Look of Silence” won Best Documentary.

Edward Lachman won Best Cinematography for “Carol.”

Legendary composer Ennio Morricone won Best Score for “The Hateful Eight.”

Austin-based writer/animator Don Hertzfeldt was recognized with a special award in celebration of a career of remarkable short filmmaking and contributions to animation spanning two decades, with 2015’s award-winning “World of Tomorrow” being recognized as his best work to date.

The full list of winners, plus the AFCA Top Ten Films of 2015 list, is included below. You can also find details at the AFCA website, http://ift.tt/1Apw2WT.

Founded in 2005 by Cole Dabney and Bobby McCurdy, the Austin Film Critics Association is a group dedicated to supporting the best in film, whether at the international, national, or local level. The AFCA has seen its numbers grow to more than 30 members with a diverse roster of professional film critics who regularly review movies for national television stations, daily newspapers, weekly alternatives, local radio, monthly magazines, and websites with international prominence. Each December, AFCA members vote on the year’s best in film, celebrating excellence on both sides of the camera.  The outlets AFCA members represent include Ain’t It Cool News, the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, Birth.Movies.Death., Cinapse, DVDActive, Fandango, Film School Rejects, FirstShowing.net, GotchaMovies.com, Hill Country News, Horror’s Not Dead, KOOP 91.7 FM Radio, Movies.com, One Of Us, ScreenCrush, Slackerwood, Smells Like Screen Spirit, Twitch, We Live Film and YNN Austin.

Best Film: Mad Max: Fury Road (dir: George Miller)

Best Director: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Best Actress: Brie Larson, Room

Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Best Original Screenplay: Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, Inside Out

Best Adapted Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, Room

Best Cinematography: Edward Lachman, Carol

Best Score: Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight

Best Foreign-Language Film: Son of Saul (dir: László Nemes)

Best Documentary: The Look of Silence (dir: Joshua Oppenheimer)

Best Animated Film: Inside Out (dir: Pete Docter)

Best First Film: Ex Machina (dir: Alex Garland)

The Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award: Jacob Tremblay, Room

Austin Film Award: Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (dir: David Zellner)

Special Honorary Award: Austin-based writer/animator Don Hertzfeldt in celebration of a career of remarkable short filmmaking and contributions to animation spanning two decades, with 2015’s award-winning “World of Tomorrow” being recognized as his best work to date

AFCA 2015 Top Ten Films:

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Spotlight
3. Carol
4. Anomalisa
5. Room
6. TIE: Ex Machina and Inside Out
7. Creed
8. The Big Short
9. Sicario