The 2025 Houndie Awards

It's that time of year again. You didn't think I'd forget, did you?

2024 was a different year in the world of film. Many big titles that were initially slated to release were punted to 2025 due to the dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, while other movies that were meant for 2023 were released in early 2024.

I've seen some claim that last year was a bad one for movies, to which I disagree. Did it reach the heights of 2023 or 2019? Definitely not. But there was plenty of greatness up on the big screen.

As the Academy Awards inch closer and closer, it's time to look at the only awards show that matters. The Houndies.

Without further ado, here are the awards.

Best Breakthrough Performer

• Monica Barbaro - Joan Baez - A Complete Unknown

• Lily-Rose Depp - Ellen Hutter - Nosferatu

• Nell Tiger Free - Margaret - The First Omen

• Clarence Maclin - Divine Eye - Sing Sing

• Mikey Madison - Anora 'Ani' Mikheeva - Anora

• Katy O’Brian - Jackie Cleaver - Love Lies Bleeding

• Adam Pearson - Oswald - A Different Man

• Aaron Pierre - Terry Richmond - Rebel Ridge

• Maisy Stella - Elliott LaBrant - My Old Ass

• Izaac Wang - Chris Wang- Dìdi (弟弟)

WINNER: Mikey Madison - Anora 'Ani' Mikheeva - Anora

Mikey Madison isn't necessarily a newcomer by any means. After getting her start in 2016 with her supporting role in Better Things, she went on to snag supporting roles in two very high-profile films, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Scream. However, she wasn't the star of either of those movies.

Sean Baker's incredibly entertaining dramedy Anora gave Madison her movie star moment as the titular sex worker whose Cinderella story takes an unexpected turn. Madison gets to show a vast amount of range throughout the movie's 139-minute runtime. She gets to show her impeccable comedic timing with moments of physical comedy as well as nailing the movie's dramatic moments. In her first leading role, Madison has cemented herself as one of the most exciting rising actresses in the business.

Best Directorial Debut

• Blink Twice - Zoë Kravitz

• Dìdi (弟弟) - Sean Wang

• The First Omen - Arkasha Stevenson

• Monkey Man - Dev Patel

• Woman of the Hour - Anna Kendrick

Winner: Monkey Man - Dev Patel

Dev Patel is one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood, with his winning roles in films like Lion and Slumdog Millionaire. However, in his directorial debut Monkey Man, he also proves that he can be one hell of a director as well. We don't get many mainstream action flicks headlined by someone who looks like Patel. So instead of waiting for the call, he ended up making it himself. Combining brutal action with themes of political corruption and identity, Monkey Man was one of the most exciting movies of 2024. Not only was Patel able to be a badass in front of the camera, but he also gave the film an even greater sense of personality from behind the lens.

Best Horror Film

• The First Omen

• Heretic

• Late Night with the Devil

• Nosferatu

• The Substance

Winner: The Substance

In the spirit of David Cronenberg but with a feminist twist, Coralie Fargeat's The Substance is a modern body horror masterpiece. Demi Moore delivers a bold comeback performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, an aging actress who has fallen victim to Hollywood's rampant ageism and sexism. However, when she uses a mysterious street drug known as "the Substance" she becomes born anew. However, the fantasy is short-lived, and Sparkle's dream life becomes a bloody nightmare, literally. With its scathing satire, uses of dark humor, and top-notch practical effects, Fargeat's film breathes new life into the subgenre that is body horror.

Best Voice-Over/Motion-Capture Performance

• Kevin Durand - Proximus Caesar - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

• Maya Hawke - Anxiety - Inside Out 2

• Lupita Nyong’o - Roz - The Wild Robot

• Pedro Pascal - Fink - The Wild Robot

• Robbie Williams & Jonno Davies - Robbie Williams - Better Man

Winner: Lupita Nyong'o - Roz - The Wild Robot

Traditionally, robots in fiction typically don't express much extreme or human emotions. There are obvious exceptions. One wouldn't be out of line to expect the titular robot in DreamWorks' The Wild Robot to be much more monotone. However, Lupita Nyong'o does the exact opposite with the character of Roz, delivering so much humanity to the character. Roz may not look like a human, but Nyong'o's voice sure makes her feel like one.

Best Animated Film

• Inside Out 2

• Memoir of a Snail

• Transformers One

• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

• The Wild Robot

Winner: The Wild Robot

Although I still haven't seen Flow, I still feel like it'd be hard for it to top what director Chris Sanders did with The Wild Robot. You probably already expected this win, thanks to the previous category. With stunning animation and a massive and one-of-a-kind heart, The Wild Robot tugged at my heartstrings that very few movies last year, be it animated or live-action, were able to do.

Best Stunt Ensemble

• Dune: Part Two

• The Fall Guy

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

• Kill

• Monkey Man

Winner: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Every single film competing in this category delivered some top-of-the-line work. There were also quite a few films that I had to reluctantly leave off. However, to me, there's no argument to be made when it comes to the winner. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga delivers some dazzling and electric stuntwork within its marvelous action scenes. The war rig sequence alone makes this a worthy winner.

Best Ensemble

• Anora - Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Aleksei Serebryakov

• Dune: Part Two - Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem

• Los Frikis - Adria Arjona, Héctor Medina, Eros de la Puente, Manuel Alejandro Rodríguez Gomez, Pedro Martínez, Euriamis Losada, Jorge Enrique Caballero

• Sing Sing - Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San José, Paul Raci, David "Dap" Giraudy, Patrick "Preme" Griffin, Jon-Adrian Velazquez, Sean "Dino" Johnson

• Wicked - Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marisa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum

Winner: Sing Sing

It's a damn shame that Sing Sing hasn't garnered the awards love that it has so rightfully deserved. That's part of the reason why I do the Houndies. To celebrate films like this one. Outside of Colman Domingo and Paul Raci, almost the entire cast of Sing Sing aren't trained actors. Based on a real-life prison reform program, where inmates perform theater, much of the cast of the film, including Clarence Maclin, David Giraudy, Patrick "Preme" Griffin, Jon-Adrian Velazquez, and Sean "Dino" Johnson, are formally incarcerated men who went through the program. The always reliable Domingo gives an expectedly fantastic performance, but Maclin gives a true star-making performance that feels entirely from the heart and raw.

Best Original Song

• Forbidden Road - Better Man (Written by Robert Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek)

• Compress/Repress - Challengers (Written by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross & Luca Guadagnino)

• Like a Bird - Sing Sing (Written by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada)

• Kiss the Sky - The Wild Robot (Written by: Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi)

• Harper and Will Go West - Will & Harper (Written by: Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, and Josh Greenbaum)

Winner: Will & Harper - "Harper and Will Go West"

Celebrity-driven documentaries usually feel a bit fake. However, Will & Harper, which chronicles Will Ferrell, who after learning that his long-time close friend Harper Steele, is trans, embarks on a cross-country road trip with her. If that sounds preachy documentary, fear not, this isn't that. The film is vulnerable, full of heart, and yes, there are some good laughs. The film's theme song, "Harper and Will Go West" which is wonderfully sung by Kristen Wiig, perfectly captures the film's genuine nature and naturally, its sense of humor.

This win marks Wiig's second Houndie win in this category, after previously winning in 2022 for "Edgar's Prayer" from Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar.

Best Original Score

• The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg

• Challengers - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

• Dune: Part Two - Hans Zimmer

• Saturday Night - Jon Batiste

• The Wild Robot - Kris Bowers

Winner: Challengers - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score for Challengers feels like a character all in itself with Luca Guadagnino's steamy tennis drama. The synth-infused score pairs perfectly with all the scenes that take place on the tennis court (and yes, in the bedroom). It's wholly unique, and while Reznor and Ross have delivered flawless scores for movies before, Challengers may just be their finest achievement.

This marks Reznor and Ross' second Houndie win in this category, after previously winning in 2021 for their work on the Pixar film Soul.

Best Visual Effects

• Better Man - Luke Millar

• Dune: Part Two - Paul Lambert, Stephen James & Rhys Salcombe

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - Andrew Jackson & Dan Bethell

• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Erik Winquist & Stephen Unterfranz

• Twisters - Florian Witzel, Bill Georgiou & Ben Snow

Winner: Dune: Part Two - Paul Lambert, Stephen James & Rhys Salcombe

This feels like a given. For a movie on the scale of Dune: Part Two to even remotely work, you need the film to visually look as close to perfect as possible. Paul Lambert, Stephen James, and Rhys Salcombe have achieved just that. There is never one noticeable frame of CGI on display in Denis Villeneuve's epic sequel. There's not much more that can be said.

This marks Paul Lambert's second Houndie win in this category, after winning in 2022 for his work on the first Dune.

Best Production Design

• Better Man - Joel Chang

• The Brutalist - Judy Becker

• Dune: Part Two - Zsuzsanna Sipos, Shane Vieau, Patrice Vermette

• Nosferatu - Craig Lathrop

• The Substance - Stanislas Reydellet, Cécilia Blom

Winner: Dune: Part Two - Zsuzsanna Sipos, Shane Vieau & Patrice Vermette

Much like the visual effects themselves, a big part of the immersion of Dune: Part Two is the production design. Arrakis feels like a real place, one not of this Earth. Another major highlight is the black-and-white Harkonnen colosseum sequence, which looks stunning, especially paired with the black-and-white cinematography.

This marks Patrice Vermette's second Houndie win in this category after winning in 2022 for his work on the first Dune film.

Best Editing

• Anora - Sean Baker

• The Brutalist - Dávid Jancsó

• Challengers - Marco Costa

• Dune: Part Two - Joe Walker

• The Substance - Coralie Fargeat, Jérôme Eltabet, Valentin Feron

Winner: The Substance - Coralie Fargeat, Jérôme Eltabet & Valentin Feron

To call The Substance a wild movie would be an understatement. Paired with the up-close cinematography, the editing in The Substance feels intentionally frantic and at times overwhelming. Perfectly complimenting the movie's tone.

Best Cinematography

• The Brutalist - Lol Crawley

• Dune: Part Two - Greig Fraser

• Nickel Boys - Jomo Fray

• Nosferatu - Jarin Blaschke

• The Substance - Benjamin Kracun

Winner: The Brutalist - Lol Crawley

Lol Crawley's cinematography in The Brutalist is sweeping and awe-inspiring. Despite the movie's $10 million budget, Crawley's camerawork makes the film feel vast and one worthy of watching on the biggest screen you can find. The term "they don't make movies like this anymore" is overused, but it applies to The Brutalist, and Crawley's work helps make Brady Corbet's film feel like one from another era.

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Dune: Part Two -Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts (Based on the novel by Frank Herbert)

• Hit Man - Richard Linklater and Glen Powell (Based on the Texas Monthly article by Skip Hollandsworth)

• Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes (Based on the novel by Colson Whitehead)

• Sing Sing - Screenplay by: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar Story by: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield (Based on the Esquire article by John H. Richardson)

• The Wild Robot - Chris Sanders (Based on the book by Peter Brown)

Winner: Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes

Instead of just directly adapting the Colson Whitehead novel, RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes make the story of Nickel Boys feel even more intimate. While this isn't necessarily a dialogue-driven movie, the screenplay never feels over-dramatized nor is it romanticizing the tragic story at the center of the film.

Best Original Screenplay

• Anora - Sean Baker

• The Brutalist - Brady Corbett & Mona Fastvold

• Challengers - Justin Kritzkes

• A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg

• The Substance - Coralie Fargeat

Winner: Sean Baker - Anora

With Anora, Sean Baker takes the tried and true rags-to-riches story and spins it on its head. Like the love-child of Pretty Woman and Uncut Gems, Anora is equal parts hilarious and tense. The titular heroine at the center of the story is one who could have come across as grating, but the screenplay helps put the audience into her shoes.

Best Supporting Actor

• Javier Bardem - Stilgar - Dune: Part Two

• Yura Borisov - Igor - Anora

• Austin Butler - Feyd-Rautha - Dune: Part Two

• Kieran Culkin - Benji Kaplan - A Real Pain

• Chris Hemsworth - Dementus - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

• Clarence Maclin - Divine Eye - Sing Sing

• Edward Norton - Pete Seeger - A Complete Unknown

• Josh O’Connor - Patrick Zweig - Challengers

• Guy Pearce - Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr. - The Brutalist

• Adam Pearson - Oswald - A Different Man

Winner: Kieran Culkin - Benji Kaplan - A Real Pain

Yes, Kieran Culkin has been sweeping the awards season for his work in A Real Pain. But it's hard to argue against his winning performance.

I actually already wrote about my thoughts on his performance in Collider's Best Performances of 2024 list, so I'll just link to that here.

Best Supporting Actress

• Monica Barbaro - Joan Baez - A Complete Unknown

• Joan Chen - Chungsing Wang - Dìdi (弟弟) 

• Danielle Deadwyler - Berniece - The Piano Lesson

• Chloe East - Sister Paxton - Heretic

• Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor - Hattie - Nickel Boys

• Ariana Grande - Galinda Upland - Wicked

• Felicity Jones - Erzsébet Tóth - The Brutalist

• Aubrey Plaza - Older Elliott - My Old Ass

• Margaret Qualley - Sue - The Substance

• Isabella Rossellini - Sister Agnes - Conclave

Winner: Monica Barbaro - Joan Baez- A Complete Unknown

In a film that has Timothée Chalamet giving one of the best performances of his career as Bob Dylan, Monica Barbaro surprised me with how she outshined her co-star in the role of Joan Baez. I was shocked to learn after seeing the movie that Barbaro didn't have much musical experience before taking on this role. Capturing someone with such a distinct voice as Joan Baez is a hugely difficult task, yet Barbaro managed to do it.

Best Director

• Sean Baker - Anora

• Brady Corbet - The Brutalist

• Robert Eggers - Nosferatu

• Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

• Michael Gracey - Better Man

• Luca Gudagnino - Challengers

• Greg Kwedar - Sing Sing

• RaMell Ross - Nickel Boys 

• Chris Sanders - The Wild Robot

• Denis Villeneuve - Dune: Part Two

Winner: Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

Coralie Fargeat's work on The Substance cements her as a filmmaker to watch out for. Fargeat juggles the film's body horror with scathing satire and a B-movie finale, that feels fine-tuned and memorable. It's hard to believe that this is only her second film.

Best Actor

• Adrien Brody - László Tóth - The Brutalist

• Timothée Chalamet - Bob Dylan - A Complete Unknown

• Colman Domingo - Divine G - Sing Sing

• Jesse Eisenberg - David Kaplan - A Real Pain

• Ralph Fiennes - Cardinal Thomas Lawrence - Conclave

• Hugh Grant - Mr. Reed - Heretic

• Nicholas Hoult - Justin Kemp - Juror #2

• Jharrel Jerome - Anthony Robles - Unstoppable

• Glen Powell - Gary Johnson - Hit Man

• Sebastian Stan - Edward - A Different Man

Winner: Colman Domingo - Divine G - Sing Sing

Colman Domingo gives the performance of his career as Divine G in Sing Sing. Despite being one of the only familiar faces that we see on-camera in the film, Domingo completely transforms himself, creating a character that you just can't help but root for.

Best Actress

• Amy Adams - Mother - Nightbitch

• Cynthia Erivo - Elphaba Thropp - Wicked 

• Lily-Rose Depp - Ellen Hutter - Nosferatu

• Nicole Kidman - Romy Mathis - Babygirl

• Mikey Madison - Anora 'Ani' Mikheeva - Anora

• Demi Moore - Elisabeth Sparkle - The Substance 

• Naomi Scott - Skye Riley - Smile 2

• June Squibb - Thelma Post - Thelma

• Maisy Stella - Elliott LaBrant - My Old Ass

• Zendaya - Tashi Duncan - Challengers

Winner: Demi Moore - Elisabeth Sparkle - The Substance

What hasn't already been said about Demi Moore's phenomenal performance in The Substance? Moore's first leading role in decades is courageous, committed, and at times self-deprecating. Elisabeth Sparkle isn't a perfect human being, but we instantly gravitate towards her thanks to Moore's incomparable charisma and commitment to the part.

Best Picture

• Anora

• Better Man

• The Brutalist

• Challengers

• Dune: Part Two

• Nickel Boys

• A Real Pain

• Sing Sing

• The Substance 

• The Wild Robot

Winner: The Brutalist

At the end of 2024, I still wasn't really comfortable deciding what was my favorite movie of the year. When I saw The Brutalist in January, I instantly knew that this was the one. Brady Corbet's sprawling American epic is worthy of every piece of praise that has been thrown its way. You might not think a film about architecture would make for something as engaging as The Brutalist. Yet here we are. From a trio of excellent performances from Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Felicity Jones, to the confident direction of Corbet, The Brutalist is nothing short of a masterpiece.