Well, the major awards show may continue to largely snub comic book and action movies, but the Critics Choice Awards have devised an honor just for genre films, the Critics Choice Super Awards. This was the second year that these prizes were handed out.
Just as the major awards don’t usually honor genre works, they also don’t usually factor in financial success. For example, this year’s Academy Awards/Oscars nominations for Best Picture were: Belfast, CODA, Don’t Look Up, Drive My Car, Dune, King Richard, Licorice Pizza, Nightmare Alley, The Power of the Dog, and West Side Story. Among these, many were low-budget indies or movies that were created for streaming. West Side Story was expected to be a huge box office hit, but despite critical acclaim and a cushy Christmastime opening, it, for reasons unknown, was an expensive disaster. So that means that Dune was the only big-budget film that made any significant amount of money at the box office, north of $400 million domestically.
Last year’s highest-grossing movie was without a doubt Spider-Man: No Way Home. It is nominated for exactly ONE Academy Award for Visual Effects.
It fared a lot better at the Critics Choice Super Awards, earning three trophies, the most of any project in the film categories. It took Best Superhero Movie, knocking out Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Black Widow, Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and The Suicide Squad. Andrew Garfield (top) took Best Actor in a Superhero Movie, climbing past his co-star Tom Holland. Sadly, Tobey Maguire was not nominated. But let’s face it, No Way Home was really Andrew’s redemption anyway. In addition to the two Peters, the nominees in this category were The Suicide Squad‘s John Cena and Idris Elba, and Shang-Chi‘s Tony Leung and Simu Liu.
Willem Dafoe stole Best Villain in a Movie. (This category wasn’t specific to comic book entries.) Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock will always be one of my favorite comic book movie villains, but I suppose you could argue that he wasn’t actually a villain in No Way Home, so I’ll excuse that. Dafoe defeated Leung, Ben Affleck for The Last Duel, Idris Elba for The Harder They Fall, Marina Mazepa (performer) & Ray Chase (voice) for Malignant, and Tony Todd for Candyman.
Similarly to Garfield winning over No Way Home‘s main star, Holland, there was a similar upset as Florence Pugh won Best Actress in a Superhero Movie, Black Widow, over Scarlett Johnasson, as well as Gal Gadot for Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Margot Robbie for The Suicide Squad, Michelle Yeoh for Shang-Chi, and Zendaya for No Way Home.
In the film categories, the other winners were: Best Action Movie – No Time To Die, Best Actor in an Action Movie – Daniel Craig/No Time To Die, Best Actress in an Action Movie – Jodie Comer/The Last Duel, Best Horror Movie – A Quiet Place Part II, Best Actor in a Horror Movie – Yahya Abdul-Mateen II/Candyman, Best Actress in a Horror Movie – Agathe Rouselle/Titane, Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie – Dune, Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie – Dev Patel/The Green Knight, and Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie – Rebecca Ferguson/Dune.
Netflix’s Squid Game continues to prove that it’s a true phenomenon as it landed three awards in the TV categories for Best Action Series, Best Actor in an Action Series for Lee Jung-jae. Best Actress in an Action Series went to Jung Ho-yeon. (The two performers are on a winning streak, having recently taken home the SAG Awards in their respective categories.)
Also taking home three awards was WandaVision. That Disney+ series scored Best Superhero Series, Best Actress in a Superhero Series for Elizabeth Olsen, and Best Villain in a Series for Kathryn Hahn. Interestingly, Hahn was also nominated for Best Actress. Another Marvel winner was Tom Hiddleston who earned Best Actor in a Superhero Series for Loki.
Yellowjackets won Best Horror Series, with its star, Melanie Lynskey winning Best Actress in a Horror Series. Hamish Linklater took Best Actor in a Horror Series for Midnight Mass.
Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Series went to Station Eleven, and like Yellowjackets, its star, Mackenzie Davis won Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series. Snowpiercer‘s Daveed Diggs landed Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series.
What were your favorites of 2021?
Below, you can find all of the nominees and winners:
FILM
BEST ACTION MOVIE
*WINNER* No Time to Die
Gunpowder Milkshake
The Harder They Fall
The Last Duel
Nobody
Wrath of Man
BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
*WINNER* Daniel Craig – No Time to Die
Dwayne Johnson – Jungle Cruise
Jonathan Majors – The Harder They Fall
Mads Mikkelsen – Riders of Justice
Liam Neeson – The Ice Road
Bob Odenkirk – Nobody
BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
*WINNER* Jodie Comer – The Last Duel
Ana de Armas – No Time to Die
Karen Gillan – Gunpowder Milkshake
Regina King – The Harder They Fall
Lashana Lynch – No Time to Die
Maggie Q – The Protégé
BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE*
*WINNER* Spider-Man: No Way Home
Black Widow
Eternals
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Suicide Squad
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPERHERO MOVIE*
*Winner* Andrew Garfield – Spider-Man: No Way Home
John Cena – The Suicide Squad
Idris Elba – The Suicide Squad
Tom Holland – Spider-Man: No Way Home
Tony Leung – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Simu Liu – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPERHERO MOVIE*
*WINNER* Florence Pugh – Black Widow
Gal Gadot – Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Scarlett Johansson – Black Widow
Margot Robbie – The Suicide Squad
Michelle Yeoh – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Zendaya – Spider-Man: No Way Home
BEST HORROR MOVIE
*WINNER* A Quiet Place Part II
Candyman
Last Night in Soho
Malignant
The Night House
Titane
BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR MOVIE
*WINNER* Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – Candyman
Nicolas Cage – Willy’s Wonderland
Dave Davis – The Vigil
Vincent Lindon – Titane
Cillian Murphy – A Quiet Place Part II
Sam Richardson – Werewolves Within
BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR MOVIE
*WINNER* Agathe Rousselle – Titane
Barbara Crampton – Jakob’s Wife
Rebecca Hall – The Night House
Anya-Taylor Joy – Last Night in Soho
Thomasin McKenzie – Last Night in Soho
Millicent Simmonds – A Quiet Place Part II
BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE
*WINNER* Dune
Don’t Look Up
Free Guy
The Green Knight
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Swan Song
BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE
*WINNER* Dev Patel – The Green Knight
Mahershala Ali – Swan Song
Timothée Chalamet – Dune
Leonardo DiCaprio – Don’t Look Up
Tom Hanks – Finch
Ryan Reynolds – Free Guy
BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE
*WINNER* Rebecca Ferguson – Dune
Cate Blanchett – Don’t Look Up
Jodie Comer – Free Guy
Mckenna Grace – Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Jennifer Lawrence – Don’t Look Up
Alicia Vikander – The Green Knight
BEST VILLAIN IN A MOVIE
*WINNER* Willem Dafoe – Spider-Man: No Way Home
Ben Affleck – The Last Duel
Idris Elba – The Harder They Fall
Tony Leung – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Marina Mazepa (performer) & Ray Chase (voice) – Malignant
Tony Todd – Candyman
TELEVISION
BEST ACTION SERIES
*WINNER* Squid Game
9-1-1
Cobra Kai
Heels
Kung Fu
Lupin
BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION SERIES
*WINNER* Lee Jung-jae – Squid Game
Mike Faist – Panic
Alexander Ludwig – Heels
Ralph Macchio – Cobra Kai
Omar Sy – Lupin
William Zabka – Cobra Kai
BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION SERIES
*WINNER* Jung Ho-yeon – Squid Game
Angela Bassett – 9-1-1
Kim Joo-ryoung – Squid Game
Queen Latifah – The Equalizer
Olivia Liang – Kung Fu
Mary McCormack – Heels
BEST SUPERHERO SERIES*
*WINNER* WandaVision
Doom Patrol
Hawkeye
Loki
Lucifer
Superman & Lois
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPERHERO SERIES*
*WINNER* Tom Hiddleston – Loki
Paul Bettany – WandaVision
Tom Ellis – Lucifer
Brendan Fraser – Doom Patrol
Tyler Hoechlin – Superman & Lois
Anthony Mackie – The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPERHERO SERIES*
*WINNER* Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision
Sophia Di Martino – Loki
Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision
Javicia Leslie – Batwoman
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Loki
Hailee Steinfeld – Hawkeye
BEST HORROR SERIES
*WINNER* Yellowjackets
Chucky
Dr. Death
Evil
Midnight Mass
Servant
BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR SERIES
*WINNER* Hamish Linklater – Midnight Mass
Adrien Brody – Chapelwaite
Mike Colter – Evil
Zach Gilford – Midnight Mass
Rupert Grint – Servant
Aasif Mandvi – Evil
BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR SERIES
*WINNER* Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets
Lauren Ambrose – Servant
Katja Herbers – Evil
Christine Lahti – Evil
Kate Siegel – Midnight Mass
Samantha Sloyan – Midnight Mass
BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES
*WINNER* Station Eleven
Foundation
Resident Alien
Snowpiercer
Star Trek: Discovery
The Witcher
BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES
*WINNER* Daveed Diggs – Snowpiercer
Henry Cavill – The Witcher
Matthew Goode – A Discovery of Witches
Jared Harris – Foundation
Lee Pace – Foundation
Alan Tudyk – Resident Alien
BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES
*WINNER* Mackenzie Davis – Station Eleven
Laura Donnelly – The Nevers
Sonequa Martin-Green – Star Trek: Discovery
Teresa Palmer – A Discovery of Witches
Jodie Whittaker – Doctor Who
Alison Wright – Snowpiercer
BEST VILLAIN IN A SERIES
*WINNER* Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision
Vincent D’Onofrio – Hawkeye
Michael Emerson – Evil
Joshua Jackson – Dr. Death
Jonathan Majors – Loki
Samantha Sloyan – Midnight Mass
* Superhero categories also include movies and TV shows inspired by comic books and video games
