Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis, the stars of this Broadway adaptation for Netflix, received career tributes at the Jan. 11 Gotham Awards. Director George C. Wolfe hailed Davis’ “purity of heart and passion and fire and rage.” Boseman’s widow, Simone Ledward Boseman, and 42 co-star André Holland accepted his honor.
Malcolm & Marie
This category is officially titled “outstanding performance by a cast,” leading to the question of whether this marvelously acted two-hander starring John David Washington and Zendaya can get in. The smallest nominated casts have been for Million Dollar Baby and Beasts of No Nation, with three actors each.
First Cow
Apart from being named the New York Film Critics Circle’s pick for best film, this latest work from Kelly Reichardt, who is an acquired taste, has racked up a lot of runner-up finishes but few wins. At the Gotham Awards on Jan. 11, it went 0-for-4, coming up short for best feature, screenplay, actor and breakthrough actor.
Nomadland
The momentum is holding for this drama about people living out of their vehicles in present-day America. It won best picture, director, actress (Frances McDormand) and cinematography at the National Society of Film Critics Awards on Jan. 9, and then won best ensemble and the audience award at the Gotham Awards.
