'The Power of the Dog' is named Best Picture and wins Best Director for Jane Champion, while Kenneth Branagh's coming-of-age drama and Denis Villeneuve's epic sci-fi pic grab three prizes each.
- Mar 14, 2022
AceShowbiz - The critics have spoken up. On Sunday, March 13, the 27th Critics' Choice Awards were presented to the finest achievements of filmmaking and television programming in 2021, with "The Power of the Dog" coming out as the biggest winner in the movie field.
Coming into the event with 10 nominations, the Western psychological drama took home a total of four awards, including the coveted prizes of Best Picture and Best Director for Jane Champion. Champion additionally bagged an award for Best Adapted Screenplay, while the movie had its fourth win through Best Cinematography category, thanks to Ari Wegner's work.
Trailing behind "The Power of the Dog" were "Belfast" and "Dune" with three each. Kenneth Branagh, who directed the coming-of-age drama, won a prize for Best Original Screenplay, while is star Jude Hill was picked as Best Young Actor/Actress.
Hill received his second honor along with the cast of the movie for Best Ensemble. He accepted the award with his onscreen father Jamie Dornan, who said onstage, "Critics are not usually very nice to me. So this is a change." He then quipped, "It doesn't actually say 'Belfast' on this, can I just make this clear, so this might not be right."
"Dune" earned its three awards in Best Costume Design (Jenny Beavan), Best Production Design (Zsuzsanna Sipos and Patrice Vermette) and Best Visual Effects categories. Other multiple winners were "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" and "West Side Story" with two each, including Best Supporting Actress prize for the latter's star Ariana DeBose.
Meanwhile, Will Smith seemed to be unchallenged in the Best Actor category, having won multiple awards, including a Critics' Choice Award, for his portrayal of Serena Williams and Venus Williams' father in "King Richard".
When ascending the stage to accept the award, Smith pointed out the tennis players and their sister Isha Price, who were sitting at the film's table in the ballroom. "Thank you for entrusting me with your story," he told them. "What your family was able to do inspired everyone in this room, everyone in this country and everyone around the world. You all define the American dream."
He also dedicated the award to their mother Oracene Price, who held a very "quiet role" in their family's story for years. He further credited her, "Your father didn't do it alone; it would be disingenuous for me to accept this award without acknowledging Aunjanue Ellis."
Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel was on hand to honor comedian and actor Billy Crystal with the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Issa Rae took the stage to honor actor Halle Berry with the SeeHer Award. The event also handed out prizes in TV categories.
The ceremony unfolded with celebrations held both at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California and the Savoy Hotel in London, to accommodate nominees who also attended the BAFTA Awards in the U.K. Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer served as the hosts.
Full Movie Winner List of 2022 Critics' Choice Awards
- Best Picture: "The Power of the Dog"
- Best Actor: Will Smith, "King Richard"
- Best Actress: Jessica Chastain - "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"
- Best Supporting Actor:Troy Kotsur, "CODA"
- Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"
- Best Young Actor/Actress: Jude Hill, "Belfast"
- Best Acting Ensemble: "Belfast"
- Director: Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"
- Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Branagh, "Belfast"
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"
- Best Cinematography: Ari Wegner, "The Power of the Dog"
- Best Editing: Sarah Broshar and Michael Kahn, "West Side Story"
- Best Costume Design: Jenny Beavan, "Cruella"
- Best Production Design: Zsuzsanna Sipos and Patrice Vermette, "Dune"
- Best Hair and Makeup: "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"
- Best Visual Effects: "Dune"
- Best Comedy: "Licorice Pizza"
- Best Foreign Language Film: "Drive My Car"
- Best Song: No Time to Die, "No Time to Die"
- Best Score: Hans Zimmer, "Dune"
