The Phoenix critics have only last year begun to issue nominations in multiple categories beyond their Top 10 lists. Their heaps of praise on more audience-friendly fare cannot go unnoticed in the comparison to the more eclectic choices in other critics groups around the country. In the years of five nominees, this group always picked at least the five nominees. Since the Academy shifted to ten, their accuracy has suffered a little, but not enough to suggest that at least 5 of those on their top ten list (or Best Picture nominee list as listed below) should make it through to the Academy’s final list.

In addition to the nominees and/or winners listed below, this year, we’re giving you a quick background on each individual precursor including founding year, first awards year and a glimpse at how many predictions the group has gotten right in the last five years. This data can be found below.

Nominations Tallies

(11) The Artist
(10) The Help
(9) Hugo
(7) The Descendants / Super 8
(4) Martha Marcy May Marlene / Midnight in Paris / Moneyball
(3) Drive / Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close / Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 / My Week with Marilyn / The Tree of Life

The Nominations

Best Picture

The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
My Week with Marilyn
Super 8
The Tree of Life

Best Animated Film

The Adventures of Tintin
Rango
Winnie the Pooh

Best Director

Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Alexander Payne – The Descendants
Martin Scorsese – The Help
Tate Taylor – The Help

Best Actor

George Clooney – The Descendants
Jean Dujardin – The Artist
Michael Fassbender – Shame
Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt – Moneyball

Best Actress

Glenn Close – Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis – The Help
Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams – My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh – My Week with Marilyn
Albert Brooks – Drive
John Hawkes – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Jonah Hill – Moneyball
Christopher Plummer – Beginners

Best Supporting Actress

Bérénice Bejo – The Artist
Bryce Dallas Howard – The Help
Jessica Chastain – The Help
Octavia Spencer – The Help
Shailene Woodley – The Descendants

Best Original Screenplay

The Artist
Beginners
Midnight in Paris

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants
The Help
Hugo

Best Original Score

The Artist
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Moneyball
Super 8

Best Song

“I Believe in You” – Johnny English Reborn
“Life’s a Happy Song” – The Muppets
“The Living Proof” – The Help
“Star Spangled Man” – Captain America: The First Avenger

Best Editing

The Artist
Super 8
The Tree of Life

Best Cinematography

The Artist
Hugo
The Tree of Life

Best Production Design

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo

Best Costume Design

The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre

Best Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Foreign Language Film

Incendies
Point Blank
The Skin I Live In

Best Documentary

African Cats
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
Page One: Inside the New York Times
Project Nim

Best Ensemble

Bridesmaids
Contagion
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
Super 8

Best Live Action Family Film

Dolphin Tale
Hugo
The Muppets
We Bought a Zoo

Overlooked Film of the Year

A Better Life
The Conspirator
Texas Killing Fields

Best Stunts

Drive
Fast Five
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Breakthrough Performance on Camera

Elle Fanning – Super 8
Thomas Horn – Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Shailene Woodley – The Descendants

Breakthrough Performance Behind the Camera

Sean Durkin – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Tate Taylor – The Help

Best Male Youth Performance

Asa Butterfield – Hugo
Joel Courtney – Super 8
Thomas Horn – Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best Female Youth Performance

Elle Fanning – Super 8
Amara Miller – The Descendants
Chloe Grace Moretz – Hugo
Saoirse Ronan – Hanna

Phoenix Film Critics Society Data

Year Founded: October 2000
First Awards: 2001 (11)

Precursor Accuracy

KEY:

• Nominee was nominated for the corresponding Oscar
• Nominee was not nominated for a corresponding Oscar
• Total (2010-2009-2008-2007-2006)

Picture: 30 (8-7-5-5-5) N / 10 (2-3-5-5-5) I
Animated Feature: 2 (2) N / 1 (1) I
Director: 3 (3) N / 2 (2) I
Actor: 4 (4) N / 1 (1) I
Actress: 4 (4) N / 1 (1) I
Supporting Actor: 3 (3) N / 2 (2) I
Supporting Actress: 3 (3) N / 2 (2) I
Original Screenplay: 2 (2) N / 1 (1) I
Adapted Screenplay: 2 (2) N / 1 (1) I
Original Score: 1 (1) N / 2 (2) I
Original Song: 1 (1) N / 4 (4) I
Editing: 3 (3) N / 1 (1) I
Cinematography: 3 (3) N / 1 (1) I
Art Direction: 3 (3) N / 1 (1) I
Costume Design: 3 (3) N / 0 (0) I
Visual Effects: 3 (3) N / 0 (0) I
Foreign Language Film: 1 (1) N / 2 (2) I
Documentary: 2 (2) N / 1 (1) I