New York Film Critics Drink Milk

Sean Penn stands smiling in a doorway in Milk.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

The Los Angeles Film Critics may have beaten their New York counterparts to the punch in announcing their awards for the year, but the East Coasters still managed to carry some surprises up their sleeves. They may have named likely Academy favorite Milk as their best of the year, but they also made unconventional choices like choosing Mike Leigh as Best Director for Happy-Go-Lucky, as well as giving the Best Actress prize to that movie's star, Sally Hawkins.

The short and sweet list of awards is available at the NYFCC's website, and we've reprinted it below as well. The other acting awards shook out more typically, with Penelope Cruz winning another supporting trophy for Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Sean Penn taking it home for Milk. But Josh Brolin once again beat out Heath Ledger in the supporting category, suggesting that the critics may not be in the tank for The Dark Knight as much as the rest of America is.

Adding this up with the slew of the other critical awards (which I'll do more in-depth in my Oscar column later today), it seems that things are looking up for Happy-Go-Lucky and Rachel Getting Married (which won Best Screenplay here), and looking much worse for Revolutionary Road, snubbed again here, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, an expected critic's darling that has yet to take home some serious hardware. But again, we'll do that analysis later. For now check out the list below and see if you find your favorites.

Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Screenplay: Jenny Lumet, Rachel Getting Married

Best Cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire

Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, Milk