It’s my favorite time of the year: awards season. With the Golden Globes and Emmys in the recent past, and the Oscars coming up, there is one that is often forgotten- the Critics Choice Awards. 

The Critics Choice Awards took place on Jan. 15, recognizing the finest in cinematic achievement. Looking at the full list of this year’s winners there were plenty of deserving, and undeserving, wins. And I know it’s called the Critics Choice Awards, but in some circumstances my opinion is better than the critics.

Dominating in several categories was A24’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” winning best original screenplay, best supporting actor, best director, best editing and best picture. 

Best picture, which is the final award of the night and widely considered to be the most prestigious honor of the ceremony, is determined by the overall quality of the film. 

And if best picture is determined by its overall quality, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” deserved the win. Brilliant acting, poignant soundtrack, and beautiful cinematography, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was a movie that completely absorbed the viewer in every aspect. 

Where cinematography was one of my favorite things about “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” it was my least favorite thing about “Top Gun: Maverick,” winning in the cinematography category. 

I don’t deny that “Top Gun: Maverick” was a decent movie, but the cinematography almost seems bland in comparison to the other movies in its category, and past year’s winners like “La La Land,” “Inception” or “1917.” 

Another movie with an undeserving win was “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery ” winning best comedy ensemble and best comedy film. If there was a genre for “quirky and cringe mystery movie” then “Glass Onion” would be worthy of the win. But in the case of best comedy, the critic’s choice was the wrong one. 

The acting in the movie was subpar at best, and almost every other film in the comedy category should’ve taken the win over “Glass Onion.” Ruben Östlund’s “Triangle of Sadness” being one of them.

“Better Call Saul” rightfully won best drama series, with Bob Odenkirk winning best actor in a drama series and Giancarlo Esposito winning best supporting actor. 

Where normally spin off shows are just an unwanted knockoff of its more popular parent show, “Better Call Saul” creates its own universe, its own plot and its own characters, that are completely separate from “Breaking Bad”- and arguably even better.

One of the most anticipated and final awards of the night was best actor. Painting the flawed portrait of an obese man trying to reconnect with his daughter before death, Brendan Fraser won best actor for his lead role in the movie “The Whale.” Though the movie was controversial in some respects, Brendan Fraser’s acting was astounding and proved to be a successful return to the acting world. 

The Critics Choice Awards are one of the most accurate predictors of the Academy Award nominations. With the final list of nominees released on Jan. 24, anticipation is high in predicting this year’s nominees and winners, and seeing if the critics predictions were actually right. Awards season is just getting started.