Hey cinemaphiles! Here are the results of the big meeting of the grand poobahs of Boston Film Criticism! 18 of us voted in a little room at the Boston Phoenix over coffee, donuts, and pizza…

But first–A NEWS FLASH–the stars are out tonight!!! A BIG METEOR SHOWER called the “Geminid” meteor shower (because they emerge from the sky near the constellation of Gemini) is visible from 9PM till dawn, but best around midnight EST!!!

Now here’s the latest on our earthbound stars. The big winner to emerge today in Boston is the
gripping war drama about an American military bomb-disposal squad in Iraq,
THE HURT LOCKER (it got my vote)and picked up a total of FIVE awards:
BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTOR–Kathryn Bigelow
BEST ACTOR–Jeremy Renner
BEST EDITING–Chris Innis and Bob Murawski
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY– Barry Ackroyd
(THE HURT LOCKER was also named best picture by the L.A. Film Critics and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, as well as winning the 2008 Venice Film Festival’s Grand Prize.)

BEST ACTRESS: Meryl Streep for her hilarious turn as the belovedly dotty French Chef Julia
Child in JULIE & JULIA.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: comedian Mo’Nique as the abusive mother of an obese teenage daughter and incest victim in PRECIOUS. PRECIOUS, in an odd turn of events, also tied for BEST ENSEMBLE CAST with a film a universe away in theme, style, and setting–STAR TREK!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christoph Waltz as the meanest Nazi on the planet in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

BEST SCREENPLAY: Joel and Ethan Coen’s A SERIOUS MAN

BEST DOCUMENTARY: THE COVE a heartbreaking dirty secret about the routine slaughter of dolphins

BEST ANIMATED FILM :The sappy “UP” (did not get my vote)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: “SUMMER HOURS” (I fell asleeep)

BEST NEW FILMMAKER: Neill Blomkamp for DISTRICT 9 (this is worth a look)

That’s it for tonight–Happy Hanukkah! I’m going out to look at the stars!

Goodnight–
and stay tuned!