The Descendants, Moneyball Among Los Angeles and Boston Film Critics Winners

The Descendants and The Artist were among the big winners from a group of film critics circles, which announced their selections Sunday.

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association named The Descendants the Best Picture of the Year and awarded The Tree of Life's Terrence Malick the Best Director. The film's star Brad Pitt was recognized as Best Actor by the Boston Society of Film Critics, but for his performance in Moneyball. That group also selected The Artist as Best Picture, and Martin Scorsese Best Director for Hugo.

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The Descendants, The Tree of Life, Moneyball and Hugo were also all among the American Film Institute's movies of the year. (The group doesn't rank them.) The Artist was given a special award, as was the Harry Potter series, which wrapped earlier this year.

See a partial list of the winners below. Click here, here  and here for the full lists.

Los Angeles Film Critics:
Best picture — The Descendants
Best director — Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Best actor — Michael Fassbender, A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, Shame and X-Men: First Class 
 Best actress — Yun Jung-hee, Poetry 
 Best supporting actor — Christopher Plummer, Beginners 
 Best supporting actress — Jessica Chastain, Coriolanus, The Debt, The Help, Take Shelter, Texas Killing Fields and The Tree of Life

Boston Film Critics:
Best picture — The Artist
Best director — Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Best actor — Brad Pitt, Moneyball 
 Best actress — Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn 
 Best supporting actor— Albert Brooks, Drive 
 Best supporting actress — Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

AFI
Bridesmaids
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
J. Edgar
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse