The Best of the Philadelphia Film Festival 2014

Now that the 23rd annual Philadelphia Film Festival has come and gone, I've decided to reflect on the 21 new films I watched (I saw Lynn Shelton's Laggies for a second time) and break down the best movies and performances that I experienced. Sadly, this was my first festival that didn't produce an "A" movie. However, that doesn't mean the lineup they assembled was awful because there was really only one "clunker" in all of the 21 new films I witnessed. So here they are, my selections for the Best of the Fest (not including Laggies, which ranks on my Best of Sundance list):

Best Supporting Actress

Honorable Mention: Kristen Stewart (Clouds of Sils Maria) and Naomi Watts (Birdman)

#3. Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)

#2. Laura Dern (Wild)

and the winner is ...

Emma Stone (Birdman)

Best Supporting Actor

Honorable Mention: Yul Vazquez (Glass Chin), Karl T. Wright (Teacher of the Year) and Mark Duplass (Creep)

#3. Hugo Weaving (The Mule)

#2. Benicio Del Toro (Escobar: Paradise Lost)

and the winner is ...

Edward Norton (Birdman)

Best Actress

Honorable Mention: Lily Collins (Love, Rosie) and Anna Kendrick (The Last 5 Years)

#3. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Faults)

#2. Juliette Binoche (Clouds of Sils Maria)

and the winner is ...

Reese Witherspoon (Wild)

Best Actor

Honorable Mention: Rory Culkin (Gabriel), John Boyega (Imperial Dreams) and Angus Sampson (The Mule)

#3. Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)

#2. Bill Murray (St. Vincent)

and the winner is ...

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Best Director

Honorable Mention: Yann Demange ('71), Theodore Melfi (St. Vincent) and Tony Mahony & Angus Sampson (The Mule)

#3. Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)

#2. Jean-Marc Vallee (Wild)

and the winner is ...

Alejandro G. Inarritu (Birdman)

Best Picture

Honorable Mention: Wild, Escobar: Paradise Lost, Clouds of Sils Maria, '71 and Faults

#3. The Mule

#2. The Imitation Game

and the winner is ...

St. Vincent