L.A. critics name “Brokeback Mountain” best movie

By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – “Brokeback Mountain,” the film
about a gay love affair that transforms the lives of two
cowboys, was named 2005′s best film by a major critics group on
Saturday in the first of several awards lists expected to
narrow the field of Oscar contenders.

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association gave its best
director award to Ang Lee for his work on “Brokeback Mountain”
and put one of the film’s stars, Heath Ledger, in the runner-up
position for best actor.

The critics group named Philip Seymour Hoffman as 2005′s
best actor for his role as author Truman Capote in “Capote,”
and in a surprise, Vera Farmiga was named best actress for
playing a drug-addicted woman in the low-budget drama “Down to
the Bone.”

Director David Cronenberg’s dramatic thriller, “A History
of Violence,” about a man pursued by mobsters who believe he
belongs to their gang, was runner-up for best film and
Cronenberg was runner-up for top director.

Judi Dench landed the best actress runner-up award for her
part in “Mrs. Henderson Presents,” about an upper-class British
woman who buys a London theater and fills it with nude
actresses to entertain troops during World War Two.

The Los Angeles critics list is the first major group of
award winners this Oscar season, and will be followed next week
by New York Film Critics Circle honors and nominees for Critics
Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

Early critical honors and nominations give Hollywood award
watchers a more defined list of films to consider among the
year’s best. The Oscars, given out on March 5 by the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are the U.S. film industry’s
top honors.

In other awards, “Capote,” written by Dan Futterman, and
“The Squid and the Whale,” tied for favorite screenplay.

Catherine Keener was named best supporting actress for her
work in four films: “Capote,” “The Ballad of Jack and Rose,”
“The 40 Year Old Virgin” and “The Interpreter.” Amy Adams was
the runner-up for her work in the low-budget comedy “Junebug.”

William Hurt was given the award for best supporting actor
for playing a mobster in “A History of Violence,” and Frank
Langella was runner-up for “Good Night, and Good Luck.”

The foreign-language film award went to “Cache” by director
Michael Haneke and the runner-up was “2046″ from director Wong
Kar Wai.

Terrence Howard, who starred in “Hustle & Flow,” was
honored with the new generation award, and Richard Widmark will
receive an award for career achievement.

The Los Angeles Film Critics awards will be given to
winners at a ceremony in Los Angeles on January 17.