LOS ANGELES: Dark comedy “Birdman” and coming-of-age drama “Boyhood” shared top prizes on Thursday at the Critics’ Choice awards, continuing their winning run in Hollywood’s annual awards season.

“Boyhood” took best picture and best director for Richard Linklater among four prizes for the evening, only beaten by “Birdman” which won seven awards including best actor for Michael Keaton.

Best actress went to Julianne Moore as a professor succumbing to early onset Alzheimer’s Disease in “Still Alice”. Stylish crime caper “The Grand Budapest Hotel” won three prizes including best comedy.

J. K. Simmons won best supporting actor for his role as a bullying jazz druming teacher in “Whiplash,” while best supporting actress prize went to Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood”.

The Critics’ Choice awards were handed out only hours after nominations were unveiled for the all-important Oscars, the climax of Tinseltown’s awards season which will be held on February 22.

“Birdman” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” shared top honours there, winning nine nominations each, followed by “The Imitation Game” and “American Sniper “with eight apiece.

“The Lego Movie,” which was left out of the Oscar nominations, own Best Animated Feature at the Critics’ Choice awards, held at the Hollywood Palladium theatre.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2015

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