The Force even holds its sway over awards voters.
After demolishing box office records its first weekend in theaters, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is showing its prowess in awards season. The 2016 Critics” Choice Award nominations were announced over a week ago, on December 14, but “Force Awakens” got a last-minute nomination today. The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) today announced that “Force Awakens” has earned a Critics” Choice Award nomination for Best Picture.
The film was not screened for BFCA voters in time for nominations balloting, but after seeing the new tale of a galaxy far, far away, the the board of directors held a special vote to make “Force Awakens” the 11th Best Picture nominee. All other categories remain as previously announced.
This is a rare though not totally unprecedented move by the BFCA. In 2000, “Cast Away” was also screened too late for normal consideration and the BFCA included it among 11 best picture nominees.
This 11th-hour addition gives science fiction a strong presence in the Critics” Choice Awards” Best Picture category this year (as long as you consider post-apocalyptic speculative fiction and believable but futuristic space adventure to be sci-fi): “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Martian” were also nominated in the top category. Though not given a Best Pic nom, “Ex Machina” earned a Best Original Screenplay nomination.
The 2016 Critics” Choice Awards will be telecast on Sunday, January 17 on A&E, Lifetime and LMN.
As for whether “Star Wars” can make its way into the Academy Awards” big categories, we”ll have to wait to find out on January 14 when Oscar nominations are announced.