Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) WINNERS: Spotlight Keeps Shining; Fassbender and Shannon Surprise

The Los Angeles Film Critics handed Spotlight its third Best Picture win today (it had won from the Boston Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Online earlier), helping the film secure its Best Picture frontrunner status at the Oscars. It also won screenplay but didn’t manage to make a dent in the acting categories, which were ripe with some surprise wins.

One of those surprises came early, in the form of Michael Shannon winning Best Supporting Actor for 99 Homes. The little seen film boosts Shannon’s visibility in the race and one that has quite a bit of maneuverability right now. NYFCC winner Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) was the runner-up. The bigger shock was Michael Fassbender triumphing in Best Actor for Steve Jobs. The film, which was a box office disaster, had all but been written off and no one predicted Fassbender for a mention here. Ian McKellen (Mr. Holmes), Michael Keaton (Spotlight) and Jacob Tremblay (Room) all seemed like more likely contenders, as well as the man who was runner-up today, Géza Röhrig (Son of Saul).

Charlotte Rampling won her first big critics award today, for 45 Years. It was a much needed boost for her Oscar campaign for Best Actress. Alicia Vikander won Best Supporting Actress and there was much deliberation about the category fraud going on this season. Subsequently, the group opted for her true supporting performance in Ex Machina over her lead one in The Danish Girl.

Mad Max: Fury Road may have been stopped in its tracks for a Best Picture win (it was runner-up) but it still drove off with three awards; Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Production Design.

The FULL list of winners:

Best Picture
Winner: Spotlight
Runner-up: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Director
Winner: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: Todd Haynes, Carol

Best Actor
Winner: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Runner-up: Géza Röhrig, Son of Saul

Best Actress
Winner: Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Runner-up: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Runner-up: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Runner-up: Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria

Best Screenplay
Winner: Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Runner-up: Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa

Best Cinematography
Winner: John Seale, Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: Ed Lachmann, Carol

Best Production Design
Winner: Colin Gibson, Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: Judy Becker, Carol

Best Editing
Winner: Hank Corwin, The Big Short
Runner-up: Margaret Sixel, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Music Score
Winner: Carter Burwell, Anomalisa and Carol
Runner-up: Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight

Best Foreign-Language Film
Winner: Son of Saul
Runner-up: The Tribe

Best Documentary/Non-Fiction Film
Winner: Amy
Runner-up: The Look of Silence

Best Animation
Winner: Anomalisa
Runner-up: Inside Out

New Generation Award
Ryan Coogler, Creed