Big night at the New York Film Critics dinner, where “One Battle After Another” won Best Picture, Jafar Panahi got a standing ovation for Best Director, of “It Was Just An Accident,” and actors Wagner Moura, Rose Byrne, Amy Madigan, and Benicio del Toro won prizes.
Great guests and presenters turned up including Byrne’s husband, Bobby Cannavale, plus Ethan Hawke, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o (who loved “The Secret Agent” so much she came to present Best Actor to Wagner Moura — they’d never met), Gaby Hoffman, director James Gray, playwright Tracy Letts (his new play, “Bug,” opens Thursday on Broadway), and Ben Stiller.
Strangest guest in the room actor Ken Jeong, a voice in the best animated feature, “KPop Demon Hunters.
Funniest speech goes to Ethan Hawke, presenting to Rose Byrne, star of “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You.” The star of “Blue Moon” revealed that he’d found a review of his first novel, The Hottest State,” published 30 years ago by none other than …Rose Byrne!
Hawke was howling as he recalled finding the review on the GoodReads website! Byrne then growing up in Australia, was 16. She wrote: “It reads like a poor man’s attempt at a Ryan Adams song.”
Her review? “She didn’t like it!”
Byrne, who is too beautiful with a very pink complexion, turned bright red as she picked her award.
“At she read it! Hawke laughed. (Most people liked the book, by the way.)
The major takeaway of the night. I asked director Paul Thomas Anderson if famously reclusive author Thomas Pynchon had seen PTA’s best picture, “One Battle After Another.”
“One Battle” is based on or shaped by Pynchon’s “Vineland.”
Anderson confirmed that even though he hadn’t seen Pynchon — one of the great literary legends — in a long time, he’d seen the movie and approved of it.
But how could he not like it? “One Battle” is on the way to winning the Oscar for Best Picture, with stops to come at other awards shows. It won the Critics Choice Award on Sunday night.
The critics dinner isn’t televised, but thrown at Tao Downtown. This year’s show cracked the three hour, thirty minute mark (not including an for cocktails and the red carpet). PTA joked when he accepted the final award, “Don’t ever say my movies are too long!”
I had a nice talk with Amy Madigan, whose supporting actress award was for “Weapons.” Forty years after an Oscar nomination for “Twice in a Lifetime,” Madigan has been the surprise of the season playing crazy Aunt Gladys in a horror movie of all things, called “Weapons.”
Madigan is a seasoned actress who should have been recognized a long time ago. When I told her she deserved tonight’s honor, she agreed wholeheartedly. “For doing the work,” she said. She’s an actor’s actor.
But don’t ask Madigan any personal questions. She’s been married to Ed Harris for over 40 years (they have a daughter), but hasn’t thanked in him her two consecutive acceptance speeches this week. She just talks about the work, playing it close to the vest.
There were some odd moments at the critics dinner. Clothing designer Isaac Mizrahi talked too much introducing “Marty Supreme” director Josh Safdie for Best Screenplay with Ron Brownstein. Mizrahi, who’s in the movie, got so caught up in his own mishegos that he blurted out something very inappropriate. The sophisticated audience just bleeped right past it.
For “One Battle,” 25 year old actress Chase Infiniti — getting noms for lead actress in her first film — introduced PTA. She wore a very elegant and conservative Carolina Herrera dress, and conducted herself like a veteran of the circuit. Later, we discussed our mutual love of Denee Benton as Peggy in “The Gilded Age.” This girl is a keeper.
I also got to meet Autumn Durald Arkapaw, cinematographer for “Sinners.” She won last night. There are few female cinematographers. (Ask award winning Ellen Kuras, the pro, who was her buddy for the night.) Akapaw has already killed it on a bunch of movies including Ryan Coogler’s “Wakanda Forever.” Up next is Coogler’s “X Files” series. She also shot that terrific Pamela Anderson film, “The Last Showgirl.”
Some of the night dragged, but mostly it was a pleasure to hear movie artisans tell stories about how movies are made — and how they feel about critics. For Panahi, the first Iranian to win tonight’s award, it’s a sweet victory lap before he returns to his country and a possible year in jail for criticizing his government.
“Please don’t go back,” many implored him.
“Oh, he’s going,” said his interpreter. “It’s home.”
2025 Winners
Best Film:
One Battle After Another
Best Director:
Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident
Best Actor:
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
Best Actress:
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Best Supporting Actor:
Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Madigan, Weapons
Best Screenplay:
Marty Supreme
Best International Film:
The Secret Agent
Best Animated Film:
KPop Demon Hunters
Best Cinematography:
Sinners
Best Non-Fiction Film:
My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow
Best First Film:
Eephus
Special Award:
Museum of the Moving Image
Special Award:
Screen Slate
