The Phoenix Critics Circle proudly announces nominees for its annual awards.

Members have narrowed the films from 2021 to the top nominees in each category. Voting is underway for the winners and they will be announced at 10PM on Friday, December 17th, 2021.

The 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

The Phoenix Critics Circle is established as an association for professional film critique and analysis. Administered by the non-profit Phoenix Film Foundation, the Phoenix Critics Circle is committed to the progression and preservation of film and is composed of print, television, radio and internet film critics from Arizona.


For questions, contact Phoenix Film Foundation Executive Director, Jason Carney at Jason@phxfilm.com or 480-513-3195.