Chicago Film Critics Association

PICTURE

The Social Network

DIRECTOR
David Fincher, The Social Network

ACTOR
Colin Firth, The King's Speech

ACTRESS
Natalie Portman, Black Swan

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale, The Fighter

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

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This marks the fifth critics prize, and highest profile win for both Steinfeld and True Grit, which has been oddly separated from the awards race as of late, in spite of it's leading stature.  As discussed, I'm far from a fan, but Steinfeld's steadfast and strong leading performance is one of the strengths.  I'm a case of pure, unadulterated category fraud, she's been saddled in the supporting category.  A number of reasons: supporting actress is far weaker than leading this year (which distributor Paramount appears acutely aware of) and the factor of age.  She's a teenager, and a she's a she.  A strong performance to be sure, but she's stealing away prizes from my favorite, true supporting performers like Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) who unlike Steinfeld doesn't have a lofty, big-scaled Christmas release date.  I expect at this point that the bigger guilds and such would buy into such category frauds, but the critics should be shrewder!

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Inception- Christopher Nolan

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Social Network- Aaron Sorkin

ANIMATED FEATURE

Toy Story 3

DOCUMENTARY

Exit Through the Gift Shop

FOREIGN FILM

A Prophet

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Inception- Wally Pfister

ORIGINAL SCORE

Black Swan- Clint Mansell

MOST PROMISING PERFORMER

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone

MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER

Derek Cainfrance, Blue Valentine