Yes, the awards season has begun ... even though most of us haven't had the chance to see the movies yet. Or even hear of them. “The Deep Blue Sea” anyone?

None of that stopped the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) from, today, naming  its best of the best of 2012. The winners:

• Picture: “Zero Dark Thirty”
• Director: Kathryn Bigelow for “Zero Dark Thirty”
• Screenplay: Tony Kushner for “Lincoln”
• Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis for “Lincoln”
• Actress: Rachel Weisz for “The Deep Blue Sea”
• Supporting Actress: Sally Field for “Lincoln”
• Supporting Actor: Matthew McConaughey for “Bernie” and “Magic Mike”
• Cinematographer: Greig Fraser for “Zero Dark Thirty”
• Animated Feature: “Frankenweenie”
• Documentary Feature: “The Central Park Five”
• Foreign Film: “Amour”
• First Film: David France, “How to Survive a Plague”

Immediate reaction. I've seen “Lincoln” and that's it. Which is so typical of early December awards. But thus far I certainly agree with the NYFCC's actor and screenplay choices. Field, too, but less obviously. For some reason, apparently, some critics have disparaged her performance. Don't get that.

I'm glad for “Zero Dark Thirty,” Kathryn Bigelow's film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden. As I said the other day, it looks fantastic. I have high hopes.

“Frankenweenie”? I think Jordy will object. I think he prefered “ParaNorman” and “Wreck-It Ralph.” I think this award was given to the more famous, more prestigious director, not the better animated movie. (Although I didn't think much of “Wreck-It Ralph.”)

“Amour” has been all over the place this year but I'm not much of a fan of Michael Haneke, either.

If you're curious how the NYFCC prefigures the Oscars, it's about a 50-50 proposition when it comes to best picture: 2011 yes, 2010 no (“Social Network” over “The King's Speech”), 2009 yes, 2008 no (“Milk” over “Slumdog Millionaire”), 2007 yes, 2006 no (“United 93” over “The Departed”). We're in an even year so it look like another disagreement with the Academy. When that happens, as with the aforementioned, I tend to agree with the New York Film Critics Circle.

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