Chicago critics pick 'Boyhood' as best 2014 film
The Chicago Film Critics Association Monday named Richard Linklater's "Boyhood," a project that took 12 years to shoot, as the best movie of 2014.
"Boyhood" also took honors for Linklater as director and Patricia Arquette as supporting actress.
Alejandro González Iñárritu's comic, dramatic fantasy "Birdman" clinched the best actor award for Michael Keaton as a washed-up superhero movie star struggling to launch a Broadway play.
Julianne Moore won best actress for her performance as a professor struggling with the onset of Alzheimer's disease in "Still Alice."
Chicago critics gave character actor J.K. Simmons best supporting actor honors for his role as a control-freak jazz band conductor in "Whiplash." The movie also won best editing and the most promising filmmaker award for Damien Chazelle.
Steve James' "Life Itself," a chronicle of the life and career of Chicago film critic Roger Ebert, won best documentary.
Chicago critics also split the cinematography award between Emmanuel Lubezki for "Birdman" and Robert Yeoman for "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
The winners were announced by CFCA members at the organization's annual awards banquet at Zia's in Chicago.
The complete list of the 2014 Chicago Film Critics Awards
Picture: "Boyhood"
Director: Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"
Actor: Michael Keaton, "Birdman"
Actress: Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"
Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"
Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
Original Screenplay: Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Adapted Screenplay: Gillian Flynn, "Gone Girl"
Animated Feature: "The Lego Movie"
Documentary: "Life Itself"
Foreign: "Force Majeure"
Editing: Tom Cross, "Whiplash"
Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, "Birdman," and Robert D. Yeoman, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Original Score: Mica Levi, "Under the Skin"
Art Direction: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Promising Filmmaker: Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash"
Promising Performer: Jack O'Connell, "Starred Up," "Unbroken"