Phoenix Critics Circle members selected their nominations for the best films and performances of 2021. Leading the way is “The Power of the Dog” with eight nominations. Paul Thomas Anderson’s comedy “Licorice Pizza” and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” both received six, while Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” picked up four, including Best Picture. Final voting is underway, and the winners will be announced on Dec. 17, 2021.
Jeff Mitchell from – the Phoenix Film Festival and Art House Film Wire – is a proud Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) member, and for more information on the PCC, please visit the website.
The PCC nominees are…
BEST PICTURE
- Drive My Car
- Licorice Pizza
- The Power of the Dog
- Spencer
- West Side Story
BEST COMEDY FILM
- Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar
- The French Dispatch
- Licorice Pizza
- Red Rocket
- Shiva Baby
BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM
- Dune
- The Mitchells vs the Machines
- A Quiet Place Part II
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- The Suicide Squad
BEST HORROR FILM
- Candyman
- Last Night in Soho
- Malignant
- The Night House
- Titane
BEST ANIMATED FILM
- Encanto
- Luca
- The Mitchells vs the Machines
- Raya and the Last Dragon
- Vivo
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
- Drive My Car
- The Hand of God
- Petite Maman
- Titane
- The Worst Person in the World
BEST DOCUMENTARY
- Flee
- The Sparks Brothers
- Summer of Soul
- Val
- The Velvet Underground
BEST ACTOR
- Nicolas Cage, Pig
- Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
- Andrew Garfield, tick, tick…BOOM!
- Joaquin Phoenix, C’Mon C’mon
- Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth
BEST ACTRESS
- Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
- Lady Gaga, House of Gucci
- Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza
- Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
- Kristen Stewart, Spencer
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Bradley Cooper, Licorice Pizza
- Mike Faist, West Side Story
- Ciarin Hinds, Belfast
- Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog
- Jeffrey Wright, The French Dispatch
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Catriona Balfe, Belfast
- Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
- Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
- Rita Moreno, West Side Story
- Ruth Negga, Passing
BEST DIRECTOR
- Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
- Wes Anderson, The French Dispatch
- Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
- Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car
- Steven Spielberg, West Side Story
BEST SCREENPLAY
- Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
- Jane Campion and Thomas Savage, The Power of the Dog
- Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Haruki Murakami, and Takamasa Oe, Drive My Car
- Mike Mills, C’Mon, C’Mon
- Aaron Sorkin, Being the Ricardos
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
- Bruno Delbonnel, The Tragedy of Macbeth
- Greig Fraser, Dune
- Janusz Kaminski, West Side Story
- Dan Laustsen, Nightmare Alley
- Ari Wegner, The Power of the Dog
BEST SCORE
- Alexandre Desplat, The French Dispatch
- Jonny Greenwood, The Power of the Dog
- Jonny Greenwood, Spencer
- Jeymes Samuel, The Harder They Fall
- Hans Zimmer, Dune
