Film critics groups around the country have spoken out about the best movies of 2017, and the verdict is that they can’t really agree.
A full 11 different films have been named the year’s best by the more than two dozen national and regional critics groups that have announced their awards by late December, with five of them being awarded by multiple groups.
Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” led the field, being named year’s best film by seven different critics’ groups, from the African American Film Critics Association to groups in Boston, Kansas City, San Diego, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and the southeastern U.S.
“Lady Bird” was tops with four groups, followed by “The Florida Project” and “The Shape of Water” (three wins and one tie each) and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (two wins and a tie).
Also landing on top in different polls: “Mudbound,” “Call Me by Your Name,” “Dunkirk,” “A Ghost Story,” “Phantom Thread” and “The Post.”
As Oscar voters prepare to cast ballots early in the new year, the critics’ groups are completely failing to present the kind of unified front they did in past years when films like “The Hurt Locker,” “The Social Network” and “Boyhood” picked up one critics’ award after another. Instead, they have presented the most wide-open field in years.
Outside the best-picture race, you can find some categories that are slightly more focused – but in most cases, only slightly.
“The Shape of Water” director Guillermo del Toro is the clear leader in critics’ best-director awards, winning nine and sharing a 10th from the first 27 regional critics groups to announce. Christopher Nolan (“Dunkirk”) is second with six awards, followed by Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”) and Paul Thomas Anderson (“Phantom Thread”) with three each.
Gary Oldman and Timothee Chalamet, who star in “Darkest Hour” and “Call Me by Your Name,” respectively, are in a tight battle for best-actor awards, with Oldman winning eight (plus one tie) and Chalamet taking seven. Daniel Day-Lewis has won three for “Phantom Thread,” the same number that Daniel Kaluuya has won for “Get Out.”
In the best-actress category, Frances McDormand leads for her performance in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” winning 10 awards to seven for Sally Hawkins in “The Shape of Water.” (The Phoenix Critics Circle had the two actresses tied.) Saoirse Ronan (“Lady Bird”) and Margot Robbie (“I, Tonya”) followed with five and three wins, respectively.
In the supporting categories, Willem Dafoe and Laurie Metcalf are the clear leaders, with Dafoe winning 15 awards for “The Florida Project” over Sam Rockwell’s 10 for “Three Billboards,” and Metcalf taking 15 for “Lady Bird” over Allison Janney’s seven for “I, Tonya” (plus one tie between them).
Jordan Peele’s screenplay for “Get Out” has been by far the most awarded script by critics, picking up 15 awards to five for James Ivory’s screenplay for “Call Me by Your Name” and four for Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird,” Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards” and Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber’s “The Disaster Artist.”
And the legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, who has never won an Oscar, has picked up 13 critics awards for his work on “Blade Runner 2049,” 10 more than runners-up Hoyte Van Hoytema (“Dunkirk”) and Dan Lausten (“The Shape of Water”).
In other categories, Pixar’s “Coco” is the closest thing to a runaway winner you’ll find on the critics-award landscape, taking 22 animated-feature awards to two for “The Breadwinner.”
“BMP (Beats Per Minute),” the French film that failed to make the Oscar foreign-language shortlist, is the favorite foreign film among critics, winning five awards plus a tie to four for the Palme d’Or winner “The Square” and three for Angelina Jolie’s “First They Killed My Father.”
And in the documentary category, Brett Morgen’s Jane Goodall doc has won 10 awards, three more than Agnes Varda and JR’s travelogue “Faces Places.” The Syrian-set “City of Ghosts” has won three.
Critics groups will continue to name their favorites into 2018. The breakdown so far:
African American Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “Get Out”
Best Director: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Laurence Fishburne, “Last Flag Flying”
Best Supporting Actress: Tiffany Haddish, “Girls Trip”
Best Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Foreign Language Film: “The Wound”
Best Documentary: “Step”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Black Film Critics Circle
Best Picture:”Mudbound”
Best Director: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”
Best Ensemble: “Mudbound”
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Dee Rees and Virgil Williams, “Mudbound”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Foreign Language Film: “A Fantastic Woman”
Best Documentary: “Strong Island”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Boston Online Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “Get Out”
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “Phantom Thread”
Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble: “Get Out”
Best Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Film Editing: Lee Smith, “Dunkirk”
Best Foreign Language Film: “First They Killed My Father”
Best Documentary: “Faces Places”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Boston Society of Film Critics
Best Picture: “Phantom Thread”
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “Phantom Thread”
Best Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble: “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)”
Best Screenplay: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Best Cinematography: Hoyte Van Hoytema, “Dunkirk”
Best Film Editing: David Lowery, “A Ghost Story”
Best Foreign Language Film: “The Square”
Best Documentary: “Dawson City: Frozen Time”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Best New Filmmaker: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Chicago Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “Lady Bird”
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”
Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Actress: Saiorse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble:
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: James Ivory, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Film Editing: Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos, “Baby Driver”
Best Foreign Language Film: “The Square”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “The Shape of Water”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Best Screenplay: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Best Cinematography: Dan Lausten, “The Shape of Water”
Best Foreign Language Film: “The Square”
Best Documentary: “City of Ghosts”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Detroit Film Critics Society
Best Picture: “The Florida Project”
Best Director: Sean Baker, “The Florida Project”
Best Actor: James Franco, “The Disaster Artist”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Best Ensemble: “The Post”
Best Screenplay: Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Documentary: “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond”
Best Animated Feature: “The LEGO Batman Movie”
Florida Film Critics Circle
Best Picture: “Dunkirk”
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”
Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Actress: Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Best Ensemble: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: James Ivory, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Foreign Language Film: “BPM (Beats Per Minute)”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Indiana Film Journalists Association
Best Picture: “Lady Bird”
Best Director: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Best Actor: Harry Dean Stanton, “Lucky”
Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble: “The Florida Project”
Best Original Screenplay: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Scott Frank, James Mangold & Michael Green, “Logan”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Faces Places”
Best Documentary: “Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Best Picture: “Get Out”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: (tie) James Ivory, “Call Me by Your Name” and Scott Frank, James Mangold & Michael Green, “Logan”
Best Foreign Language Film: “In the Fade”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Best Picture: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble:
Best Original Screenplay: Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Adapted Screenplay: James Ivory, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Foreign Language Film: “First They Killed My Father”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Director: (tie) Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water” and Luca Guadagnino, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Cinematography: Dan Lausten, “The Shape of Water”
Best Film Editing: Lee Smith, “Dunkirk”
Best Foreign Language Film: (tie) “BPM (Beats Per Minute)” and “Loveless”
Best Documentary: “Faces Places”
Best Animated Feature: “The Breadwinner”
Nevada Film Critics Society
Best Picture: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: (tie) Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour” and James Franco, “The Disaster Artist”
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Best Original Screenplay: Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, “The Disaster Artist”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
New York Film Critics Circle
Best Picture: “Lady Bird”
Best Director: Sean Baker, “The Florida Project”
Best First Film: “Get Out”
Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Tiffany Haddish, “Girls Trip”
Best Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson, “Phantom Thread”
Best Cinematography: Rachel Morrison, “Mudbound”
Best Foreign Language Film: “BPM (Beats Per Minute)”
Best Documentary: “Faces Places”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
New York Film Critics Online
Best Picture: (tie) “The Florida Project” and “Mudbound”
Best Director: Dee Rees, “Mudbound”
Best Debut: “Get Out”
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Best Actress: Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Breakthrough Performance: Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Ensemble: “Mudbound”
Best Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Cinematography: Dan Lausten, “The Shape of Water”
Best Foreign Language Film: “In the Fade”
Best Documentary: “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
North Texas Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “The Post”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: San Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Raw”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Phoenix Critics Circle
Best Picture: (tie) “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”
Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Actress: (tie) Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water” and Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Screenplay: (tie) Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird,” Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Raw”
Best Documentary: “City of Ghosts”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Phoenix Film Critics Society
Best Picture: “The Shape of Water”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Best Ensemble: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Original Screenplay: Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, “The Disaster Artist”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Film Editing: Lee Smith, “Dunkirk”
Best Foreign Language Film: “First They Killed My Father”
Best Documentary: “City of Ghosts”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
San Diego Film Critics Society
Best Picture: “Get Out”
Best Director: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Best Actor: James McAvoy, “Split”
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “Maudie”
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: (tie) Allison Janney, “I, Tonya” and Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, “The Disaster Artist”
Best Cinematography: Hoyte Van Hoytema, “Dunkirk”
Best Film Editing: Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos, “Baby Driver”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Thelma”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “My Life as a Zucchini”
San Francisco Film Critics Circle
Best Picture: “The Florida Project”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: Andy Serkis, “War for the Planet of the Apes”
Best Actress: Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: James Ivory, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Film Editing: Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos, “Baby Driver”
Best Foreign Language Film: “BPM (Beats Per Minute)”
Best Documentary: “Faces Places”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Seattle Film Critics Society
Best Picture: “Get Out”
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, “Get Out”
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread”
Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble: “Get Out”
Best Screenplay: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Film Editing: Lee Smith, “Dunkirk”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Raw”
Best Documentary: “Faces Places”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Southeastern Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “Get Out”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: James Ivory, “Call Me by Your Name”
Best Cinematography: Hoyte Van Hoytema, “Dunkirk”
Best Foreign Language Film: “First They Killed My Father”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “The Shape of Water”
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Original Screenplay: Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, “The Shape of Water”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, “The Disaster Artist”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Film Editing: Paul Machliss, Jonathan Amos, “Baby Driver”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Land of Mine”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Toronto Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “The Florida Project”
Best Director: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Best First Feature: “Get Out”
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Foreign Language Film: “The Square”
Best Documentary: “Faces Places”
Best Animated Feature: “The Breadwinner”
Utah Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “A Ghost Story”
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”
Best Actor: Andy Serkis, “War for the Planet of the Apes”
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Tatiana Maslany, “Stronger”
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Thelma”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Vancouver Film Critics Circle
Best Picture: “Lady Bird”
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “Phantom Thread”
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread”
Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Foreign Language Film: “BPM (Beats Per Minute)”
Best Documentary: “Ex Libris: The New York Public Library”
Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association
Best Picture: “Get Out”
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actor: San Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Virgil Williams and Dee Rees, “Mudbound”
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Best Film Editing: Paul Machliss, Jonathan Amos, “Baby Driver”
Best Foreign Language Film: “BPM (Beats Per Minute)”
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”