For the first time in a very long while, individual critics groups are starting to show a bit of inventiveness in their selections. Perhaps inventiveness isn’t the right word as most of what’s here has been mentioned elsewhere, but certain films seem to be doing better with some groups more than others. For instance, Sound of Metal and The Trial of the Chicago 7 have their best showing so far with the San Diego critics.

Nominations Tallies

(8) Sound of Metal
(7) The Trial of the Chicago 7
(5) First Cow, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Nomadland
(4) Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Mank, Tenet
(3) Black Bear, Minari, On the Rocks, Palm Springs, Pieces of a Woman, Promising Young Woman, The Father

The Nominations

Best Picture

Black Bear
First Cow
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal

Best Animated Film

Onward
Over the Moon
Soul
Trolls: World Tour
Wolfwalkers

Best Director

Darius Marder – Sound of Metal
Kelly Reichardt – First Cow
Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Florian Zeller – The Father
Chloe Zhao – Nomadland

Best Actor

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Brian Dennehy – Driveways
Anthony Hopkins – The Father
Steven Yeun – Minari

Best Actress

Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand – Nomadland
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman
Aubrey Plaza – Black Bear

Best Supporting Actor

Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Frank Langella – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Peter Macdissi – Uncle Frank
Bill Murray – On the Rocks
Paul Raci – Sound of Metal

Best Supporting Actress

Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Ellen Burstyn – Pieces of a Woman
Olivia Cooke – Sound of Metal
Amanda Seyfried – Mank
Yuh-jung Youn – Minari

Best Original Screenplay

Minari
On the Rocks
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Father
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
First Cow
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Nomadland

Best Use of Music in a Film

Da 5 Bloods
David Byrne’s American Utopia
Hamilton
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Sound of Metal

Best Editing

Black Bear
The Invisible Man
Palm Springs
Tenet
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Cinematography

First Cow
Mank
News of the World
Nomadland
Tenet

Best Production Design

Emma.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Mank
Tenet
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Costume Design

Birds of Prey
Emma.
First Cow
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank

Best Visual Effects

Birds of Prey
Greyhound
The Invisible Man
The Midnight Sky
Sputnik
Tenet

Best International Film

Another Round
The Life Ahead
Martin Eden
The Platform
Sputnik

Best Documentary

Athlete A
My Octopus Teacher
Rewind
The Social Dilemma
Time

Best Ensemble

Da 5 Bloods
One Night in Miami
Palm Springs
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Uncle Frank

Best Comedic Performance

Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Sacha Baron Cohen – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version
Bill Murray – On the Rocks
Andy Samberg – Palm Springs

Breakthrough Artist

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version
Sidney Flanigan – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman

San Diego Film Critics Society Data

First Awards: 1996 (25)