Phoenix Film Critic’s Society didn’t quite give everything everywhere to the sci-fi epic “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but the film did capture seven of the Society’s 2022 awards, including Best Picture. It also garnered awards for Michelle Yeoh for Best Actress, Ke Huy Quan for Best Supporting Actor, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for Best Director, as well wins for Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Ensemble Acting.
“That many wins shows that our critics recognized the special magic of that film,” says PFCS President Gayle Bass, adding “Michelle Yeoh’s performance shows she can indeed do drama, action and comedy—everything all once.”
Brendan Fraser took Best Actor for his performance in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale.”
Says Bass, “Brendan Fraser imbued his character with humanity beyond the ordinary.”
Kerry Conlon won for Best Supporting Actress for “The Banshees of Inisherin.” Breakthrough Performance went to Austin Butler for the title role in “Elvis”; Frankie Corio took the award for Best Performance by a Youth for “Aftersun.” “The Whale” also won for Best Adapted Screenplay.
“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” took two awards: for Best Animated Film and Overlooked Film of the Year.
“Personally, not as President,” says Bass, “I hope that [this win] leads to adults watching [“Marcel”] with their parents and older relatives this holiday season, because of all those messages of elder care and distance and life change that this film addresses so winningly.”
“All Quiet on the Western Front” won for Best Foreign Language Film, and “Good Night Oppy,” about NASA’s Mars rovers, received the honor for Best Documentary. “Babylon” took two awards, for Best Musical Score and Best Production Design, and “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” won Best Original Song. Best Cinematography went to “Top Gun: Maverick”; Best Costume Design went to “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and Best Visual Effects went to “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
A complete list of winners is provided below.
The Phoenix Film Critics Society presents an entire slate of awards each year. Only critic members of the Society may vote. To qualify for the 2022 awards, films had to be screened for members by Friday, December 16, 2022. The films must open prior to the end of the year to be eligible for awards consideration.
The Phoenix Film Critics Society is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, self-funded, independent organization consisting of professional film critics and film journalists in Arizona.
Follow the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards on Facebook @Phoenix Film Critics Society and Twitter @PhxFilmCritics
PFCS 2022 TOP TEN (in alphabetical order)
Avatar: The Way of Water
Babylon
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Tár
The Banshees of Inisherin
The Fabelmans
The Whale
Top Gun: Maverick
Women Talking
BEST PICTURE
Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST DIRECTOR
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Brendan Fraser – The Whale
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Kerry Condon – The Banshees of Inisherin
BEST ENSEMBLE ACTING
Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST SCREENPLAY ADAPTED FROM OTHER MATERIAL
The Whale
THE OVERLOOKED FILM OF THE YEAR
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
All Quiet on the Western Front
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Good Night Oppy
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Lift Me Up – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Babylon
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Top Gun: Maverick
BEST FILM EDITING
Everything Everywhere All At Once
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Babylon
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: The Way of Water
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Austin Butler – Elvis
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUTH
Frankie Corio – Aftersun