Houston Film Critics Declare "The Descendants" the Best

The Houston Film Critics Society was founded in 2007. It is a not-for-profit organization of 26 print, broadcast and Internet film critics based in the Greater Metropolitan Houston area.

The HFCS awards gala will be January 7, 2012 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's Brown Auditorium.

Houston Film Critics Society 2011 nominees and winners (in bold):

Best Picture
"The Artist"
"The Descendants" WINNER
"Drive"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"The Help"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"
"Win Win"

Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Nicolas Winding Refn, "Drive" WINNER
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"

Best Actor
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Michael Fassbender, "Shame" WINNER
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"
Michael Shannon, "Take Shelter"

Best Actress
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Elizabeth Olsen, "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin" WINNER
Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"

Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks, "Drive" WINNER
Armie Hammer, "J. Edgar"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Andy Serkis, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
Alex Shaffer, "Win Win"

Best Supporting Actress
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants" WINNER

Best Screenplay
"The Artist"
"The Descendants" WINNER
"50/50"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Win Win"

Best Cinematography
"The Artist"
"Drive"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life" WINNER
"War Horse"

Best Score
"The Adventures of Tintin"
"The Artist" WINNER
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
"Shame"
"War Horse"

Best Song
"Lay Your Head Down" from "Albert Nobbs"
"Star Spangled Man" from "Captain America: The First Avenger"
"The Living Proof" from "The Help"
"Life's a Happy Song" from "The Muppets" WINNER
"Think You can Wait" from "Win Win"

Best Animated Film
"The Adventures of Tintin"
"Happy Feet Two"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango" WINNER
"Winnie the Pooh"

Best Foreign Film
"The Artist"
"Elite Squad: The Enemy Within"
"I Saw the Devil" WINNER
"The Skin I Live In"
"13 Assassins"

Best Documentary
"Buck"
"Cave of Forgotten Dreams"
"The Elephant in the Room"
"Project Nim" WINNER
"Undefeated"

Worst Film of the Year
"Jack and Jill"
"Red Riding Hood"
"The Sitter"
"The Smurfs"
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1"
"Your Highness" WINNER/LOSER

Technical Achievement: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Humanitarian Honor: Joanne Herring

Lifetime Achievement: Jeff Bridges