2023 HCA Midseason Awards: ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ wins Best Picture; ‘Barbie’ tops ‘Oppenheimer’ as most anticipated release [FULL WINNERS LIST]

The Hollywood Critics Association has presented its midseason awards for the sixth time since 2018, giving Best Picture and Director to “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” The big winner a year ago was eventual Oscar juggernaut “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Does that make them a new Oscar bellwether? Probably not, considering just how unique a phenomenon that movie proved to be. However, if this boost to “Spider-Verse’s” fledgling campaign results in the critically acclaimed animated film actually contending for the academy’s top award, studios may begin treating the HCA Midyears like a stop along the road to the Oscars and elevate their importance. And if it doesn’t, we may still see more overlap in the future if Oscar showings by spring releases “EEAAO,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Elvis” discourage winter backloading. 

Unsurprisingly, Best Actress went to “Past Lives’” Greta Lee, whom many of us are expecting to see compete throughout the year’s remaining months. Co-star Teo Yoo fared better in Best Actor (where he was named runner-up to Matt Damon in “Air”) than John Magaro, considered one of the film’s surest bets, did in Best Supporting Actor — Jason Momoa pulled off the surprise runner-up citation for his “Fast X” performance. The winner, Glenn Howerton (“BlackBerry”), was included in our picks for the best performances of 2023 so far. 

SEE Top 10 film performances of 2023 (so far) that shouldn’t be overlooked this awards season

Finally, in a preview of the “Barbenheimer” box office battle the internet can’t stop meming about, the HCA picked Greta Gerwig’s film over Christopher Nolan’s as their most anticipated release for the rest of the year. 

In 2022, five acting notices between two films (“Elvis” and “EEAAO”) were reciprocated by the academy. Check out the full list of this year’s nominees and winners below (winners are highlighted in GOLD), and sound off in the comments about which you think have the best shot at a corresponding Oscar bid!

Best Picture 

Air (Amazon Studios)

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)

Asteroid City (Focus Features)

BlackBerry (IFC Films)

Creed III (MGM)

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount Pictures)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Walt Disney Pictures)

John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate)

[Runner-up] Past Lives (A24)

[X] Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures)

 

Best Actor

Joaquin Phoenix – Beau Is Afraid (A24)

[X] Matt Damon – Air (Amazon Studios)

Michael B. Jordan – Creed III (MGM)

Taron Egerton- Tetris (Apple TV+)

[Runner-up] Teo Yoo – Past Lives (A24)

 

Best Actress

[Runner-up] Abby Ryder Fortson – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)

[X] Greta Lee – Past Lives (A24)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus – You Hurt My Feelings (A24)

Mia Goth – Infinity Pool (Neon) 

Teyana Taylor – A Thousand and One (Focus Features)

 

Best Supporting Actor

Ben Affleck – Air (Amazon Studios)

Chris Messina – Air (Amazon Studios)

[X] Glenn Howerton – BlackBerry (IFC Films)

[Runner-up] Jason Momoa – Fast X (Universal Pictures)

John Magaro – Past Lives (A24)

 

Best Supporting Actress

Kathy Bates – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)

Patti LuPone – Beau Is Afraid (A24)

[Runner-up] Rachel McAdams – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)

Scarlett Johansson – Asteroid City (Focus Features)

[X] Viola Davis – Air (Amazon Studios)

 

Best Director

Ben Affleck – Air (Amazon Studios)

[Runner-up] Celine Song – Past Lives (A24)

Chad Stahelski – John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate)

[X] Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson – Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures)

Kelly Fremon Craig – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)

 

Best Stunts

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount Pictures)

Extraction 2 (Netflix)

Fast X (Universal Pictures)

[X] John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate)

[Runner-up] Polite Society (Focus Features)

 

Best Screenplay

[Runner-up] Alex Convery – Air (Amazon Studios)

[X] Celine Song – Past Lives (A24)

Kelly Fremon Craig – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)

Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Dave Callaham – Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures)

Wes Anderson – Asteroid City (Focus Features)

 

Best Horror Film

[Runner-up] Evil Dead Rise (Warner Bros)

Infinity Pool (Neon)

Knock at the Cabin (Universal Pictures)

[X] M3GAN (Universal Pictures)

Scream VI (Paramount Pictures)

 

Best Indie Film

A Thousand and One (Focus Features)

[Runner-up] BlackBerry (IFC Films)

[X] Past Lives (A24)

Rye Lane (Searchlight)

You Hurt My Feelings (A24)

 

Most Anticipated Film For The Second Half of 2023

[X] Barbie (Warner Bros)

Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros)

Killers Of The Flower Moon (Apple TV+)

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Paramount Pictures)

[Runner-up] Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)

PREDICT the 2023 Emmy nominees through July 12

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