Each year the Houston Film Critics Society, like the New York Film Critics Circle or the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, honors the best in cinema. But since Texas likes to do things bigger, the HFCS actually awards trophies to the winners rather than offer acknowledgements of appreciation. For the sixth annual awards program, the organization recognized the humanitarian efforts by Adam Yauch, of Beastie Boys fame, who passed away in 2012. The Houston Film Critics also bestowed a lifetime achievement award to the great actor Robert Duvall. Longtime film critic of the Houston Chronicle, Jeff Millar, one of the first writers to recognize the impact of Fight Club (but was confused by The Matrix), received a posthumous honor by the organization – “Outstanding Contribution to Cinema.”
Argo took the biggest prize with Best Picture of the Year honors and the film’s director, Ben Affleck, was named Best Director by the society. Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln was also favored in several categories. While it neither won picture nor director, it did take honors in the lead actor, supporting actor and screenplay categories. In terms of regional filmmaking, the second annual Texas Independent Film Award went to Richard Linklater’s Bernie, starring Jack Black, Shirley MacClaine and Matthew McConaughey.
Read below for the complete list of winners.
Best Picture
Argo
Best Director
Ben Affleck (Argo)
Best Screenplay
Tony Kushner (Lincoln)
Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)
Best Actress
Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Best Supporting Actor
Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)
Best Supporting Actress
Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)
Best Cinematography
Roger Deakins (Skyfall)
Best Original Score
Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer (Cloud Atlas)
Best Original Song
‘Skyfall’ (Skyfall)
Best Animated Film
Wreck-It Ralph
Best Documentary
The Imposter
Best Foreign Language Film
Holy Motors
Texas Independent Film Award
Bernie
Technical Achievement
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Worst Film
That’s My Boy
Humanitarian Award
Adam Yauch
Outstanding Contribution to Cinema
Jeff Millar
Lifetime Achievement Award
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall Lifetime Achievement Award from Travis Leamons on Vimeo.
Travis Leamons has been a member of the Houston Film Critics Society since 2009.
