The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association voted the true-life drama UNITED 93 as the best film of 2006, according to the results of its 13th annual critics’ poll released today.

Rounding out the composite list of the top 10 films of the year were THE DEPARTED (2), LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (3), THE QUEEN (4), BABEL (5), LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (6), DREAMGIRLS (7), BLOOD DIAMOND (8), LITTLE CHILDREN (9) and FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (10).

For Best Actor, the association named Forest Whitaker for THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND. Runners-up included Leonardo DiCaprio for THE DEPARTED (2), Ryan Gosling for HALF NELSON (3), Peter O’Toole for VENUS (4) and Leonardo DiCaprio for BLOOD DIAMOND (5).

Helen Mirren was voted Best Actress for THE QUEEN. Next in the voting were Judi Dench for NOTES ON A SCANDAL (2), Meryl Streep for THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (3), Kate Winslet for LITTLE CHILDREN (4) and Penelope Cruz for VOLVER (5).

In the Best Supporting Actor category, the winner was Jackie Earle Haley for LITTLE CHILDREN. He was followed by Jack Nicholson for THE DEPARTED (2), Eddie Murphy for DREAMGIRLS (3), Djimon Hounsou for BLOOD DIAMOND (4) and Michael Sheen for THE QUEEN (5).

For Best Supporting Actress, the association named Cate Blanchett for NOTES ON A SCANDAL. Runners-up included Jennifer Hudson for DREAMGIRLS (2), Adriana Barraza for BABEL (3), Rinko Kikuchi for BABEL (4) and Emily Blunt for THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (5).

Martin Scorsese was voted Best Director for THE DEPARTED. Next in the voting were Paul Greengrass for UNITED 93 (2), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for BABEL (3), Clint Eastwood for LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (4) and Stephen Frears for THE QUEEN (5).

The association voted LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA as the best foreign-language film of the year. Runners-up were PAN’S LABYRINTH (2), WATER (3), VOLVER (4) and APOCALYPTO (5).

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH won for Best Documentary over DELIVER US FROM EVIL (2), SHUT UP AND SING (3), NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD (4) and THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED (5).

HAPPY FEET was named the best animated film of 2006, with MONSTER HOUSE as runner-up. Michael Arndt won the Best Screenplay award for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE over Guillermo Arriaga for BABEL.

The award for Best Cinematography went to Dean Semler for APOCALYPTO, followed by a tie between Rodrigo Prieto for BABEL and Emmanuel Lubezki for CHILDREN OF MEN.

The association voted HALF NELSON as the winner of the Russell Smith Award, named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association consists of 35 broadcast, print and online journalists from throughout North Texas.

Those shortlists look like Oscar ballots.

Emily Blunt once again in a top 5! And the Babel girls. And Jackie Earle Haley winning another supporting actor award. I can see alot of these matching the Academy's choices...

By 3 minutes.

But as I said in the other thread, these look like Oscar ballots. The Top 7 here is the Top 7 in the Oscar race. The Actress runner-ups are the same 5 looking to be nommed at the Oscars.

And do these people realize they're digging Leo's Oscar grave by awarding him twice?

Emily Blunt getting some more ink!

Cate Blanchett seems to be lining herself up as the solid #2 contender behind Hudson. Not that I think it'll matter, honestly.

The association voted LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA as the best foreign-language film of the year. Runners-up were PAN’S LABYRINTH (2), WATER (3), VOLVER (4) and APOCALYPTO (5).



The award for Best Cinematography went to Dean Semler for APOCALYPTO, followed by a tie between Rodrigo Prieto for BABEL and Emmanuel Lubezki for CHILDREN OF MEN.

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Excellent for apocalypto, i wonder if it has a shot at becoming the first digital film to win a cinematagraphy oscar.

At least the critics haven't forgotten U93

Go United.

I'm wondering if Jackie Earle Haley has a shot at the top 5 now.

I'd say this is one of the very best lists to come out so far. I'd change a few things out (U93 belongs in the top ten, but not on top and there is too much Clint), but all the "greats" got recognized for the most part. Lubezki, Blunt, Streep, Cruz, Winslet, DiCaprio all showed up.

Go U93. And all the other movies I'm rooting for.

I'm glad to see Jackie Earle Haley is finally starting to get recognized steadily, it will be an injustice if he's not nominated.

Another mention for Emily Blunt, yay!