Defying all expectations, the Vancouver Critics Circle decided that Sideways was the best film of 2004, with Million Dollar Baby, The Aviator, and Before Sunset not far behind. With near-unanimity, as well as some audible groaning, more than a dozen of our town's crankiest voices gave out awards for the previous year's top movies.

The fifth annual dinner, held on Monday (January 17), was notable for its sense of déjí  viewing, as critics from print and electronic media failed to come up with obscurities guaranteed to make our sophisticated audience cry out: "Hey, I never even hearda that movie." You don't know how sorry we are.

Sideways, the wine-soaked indie flick about middle-aged jitters and motorcycle helmets, was the inescapable favourite, although--perhaps because no one drank anything but beer and water--several of the other top awards leaned in Baby's direction. The boxing film's main man, Clint Eastwood, was named best director, with fly boy Martin Scorsese and head vintner Alexander Payne runners-up. Million-dollar supporting actor Morgan Freeman was tops in his category, followed by Closer's Clive Owen and Side-man Thomas Haden Church. Baby star Hilary Swank was barely beaten by Vera Drake herself, Imelda Staunton, for best actress, with Mrs. Kinsey, Laura Linney, in the third spot.

Kinsey's Liam Neeson and Sideways star Paul Giamatti were nudged out by Ray's piano-playing Jamie Foxx for best actor. Giamatti-kissing Virginia Madsen was best supporting actress, followed by Cate Blanchett for her turns in The Aviator and Coffee and Cigarettes, and Natalie Portman for roles in both Closer and Garden State.

Canadian films placed well in the general documentary slot, with Velcrow Ripper's ScaredSacred coming in a close second to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. And in the Canadian categories, Ripper's flick was just behind Don McKellar's just-released (but still eligible under the circle's rules because of 2004 film-fest screenings) Childstar as best Canuck effort overall. Childstar also grabbed awards for star and director McKellar (followed by Ripper and Shake Hands With the Devil's Peter Raymont) and supporting actor Dave Foley, followed by the same film's Mark Rendall and Being Julia's Bruce Greenwood. After McKellar for best actor came Noel Burton, for the superb Mexican-Canadian coproduction A Silent Love, which also garnered votes for Susana Salazar for best supporting actress, although she was beaten by Rebecca Jenkins in the ensemble effort Wilby Wonderful.

Best actress was Joely Collins for her bravura performance in Bruce McDonald's still-unreleased (and eligible í  la Childstar) The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess, followed by Childstar's Jennifer Jason Leigh and Liane Balaban, so sassy in the caperish Seven Times Lucky.

More unanimity was found in giving the best foreign-language film prize to A Very Long Engagement--a term that described the evening, as well--with many votes also going to The Motorcycle Diaries and Maria Full of Grace, which was an American film shot almost entirely in Spanish.