Here are the movies that have been honored by the LA Film Critics Association and NY Film Critics Online and possible Golden Globe contenders.
Eastwood’s ‘Letters’ Named Top Movie by L.A. Critics
By WENN Monday, December 11, 2006 [SOURCE]
HOLLYWOOD – Clint Eastwood’s World War II drama Letters from Iwo Jima has been named the top movie of 2006 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Eastwood’s movie, which will be released Dec. 20, is the second war film from the actor/director this year, following Flags of Our Fathers.
The Queen was named runner-up in the Best Picture category, but critics named Helen Mirren Best Actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II and costar Michael Sheen as Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The winners will be presented with their awards at a ceremony next month.
The full list of winners is:
Best Picture: Letters from Iwo Jima
Best Actress: Helen Mirren–The Queen
Best Actor (2): Sacha Baron Cohen–Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan and Forest Whitaker—The Last King of Scotland
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Sheen–The Queen
Best Supporting Actress: Luminita Gheorghiu–The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
Best Screenplay: Peter Morgan–The Queen
Best Director: Paul Greengrass–United 93
Best Animated Film: Happy Feet
Best Documentary: An Inconvenient Truth
Best Foreign-Language Film: The Lives of Others
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The Queen Tops New York Critics Awards
By WENN Monday, December 11, 2006 [SOURCE]
HOLLYWOOD – The Queen is the big winner at this year’s New York Film Critics Online Awards, taking home five honors for the Helen Mirren-starring drama.
Mirren plays British monarch Queen Elizabeth II during the aftermath of the 1997 death of Diana, Princess of Wales in the movie, directed by Stephen Frears.
The film has been awarded Best Picture, Best Actress for Mirren, Best Supporting Actor for Michael Sheen, Best Director for Frears and Best Screenplay for Peter Morgan.
Meanwhile, former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson tied with Catherine O’Hara for the Best Supporting Actress accolade with their performances in Dreamgirls and For Your Consideration, respectively.
Forest Whitaker has been named Best Actor for playing Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland, while the cast of Little Miss Sunshine picked up Best Ensemble Cast. Other winners included Little Miss Sunshine directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris for Best Directing Debut, Happy Feet for Best Animated Feature, An Inconvenient Truth for Best Documentary and Pan’s Labyrinth for Best Foreign Language Picture.
@Cinefille 
Hola Cinefille … Since I have yet to see Letters from Iwo Jima, I can’t dispute their findings, but for me, the best two movies I’ve seen this year have been Babel and The Departed
I agree. “Babel” and “The Departed” are the best movies I’ve seen this year. I would also throw “Little Miss Sunshine” into that group. I’m sort of obsessed with that movie as of this moment.
I’m also more intrigued by “Letters from Iwo Jima” than I ever was interested in “Flags of Our Father”. I think it’ll be interesting to see which Clint Eastwood movie get a Golden Globe nod on Thursday.