2012 Awards -- New York Film Critics Circle

For several years, the National Board of Review has been the customary "1st Award" of the year. Well this year, that was changed. The New York Critics Circle, one of the "big, important" critics groups, moved their awards up on the calendar to be the first awards of the year.

Two films split the most wins, with 3, and both taking big prizes. Those films come from seperate centuries, but both with the premise of war and turmoil at their heart. Those films are "Lincoln" and "Zero Dark Thirty". A few semi surprises also, particularly Rachel Weisz for the little-seen but very good "The Deep Blue Sea", and Matthew McConaughey taking a major prize, period. Granted, he was very good in last year's "The Lincoln Lawyer", but he's awarded here for not just 1, but 2 different performances. The winners of the New York Film Critics for 2012 are...

Best Film:  ZERO DARK THIRTY
Best Director:  KATHRYN BIGELOW -- "ZERO DARK THIRTY"
Best Actor:  DANIEL DAY-LEWIS -- "LINCOLN"
Best Actress:  RACHEL WEISZ -- "THE DEEP BLUE SEA"
Best Supporting Actor:  MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY -- "BERNIE" & "MAGIC MIKE"
Best Supporting Actress:  SALLY FIELD -- "LINCOLN"
Best Screenplay:  LINCOLN
Best Animated Film:  FRANKENWEENIE
Best Cinematography:  ZERO DARK THIRTY
Best Foreign Language Film:  AMOUR
Best Non-Fiction Film:  THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE
Best First Film:  HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE