鈥淭he United States vs. Billie Holiday,鈥� 鈥淢inari,鈥� 鈥淒a 5 Bloods鈥� and 鈥淥ne Night in Miami鈥� are among the films AARP is honouring at its annual Movies for Grownups Awards, the non-profit organization said Thursday.
Director Lee Daniels' 鈥淭he United States vs. Billie Holiday,鈥� starring Andra Day as the jazz singer, was named best picture, while the Korean American family drama 鈥淢inari鈥� got best intergenerational film. Spike Lee's Vietnam-themed 鈥淒a 5 Bloods鈥� picked up best buddy picture and Regina King's 鈥淥ne Night in Miami...,鈥� about the fictional meeting of Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Cassius Clay and Jim Brown, got best ensemble.
鈥淲e focus on films made by and for grownups,鈥� said Tim Appelo, the film and television critic for AARP. 鈥淲hen we started this a couple of decades ago, it was hard to find first movies about people of our age. I'm very pleased to see that we've got a bumper crop of movies and performances to choose from this year.鈥�
George Clooney is being honoured this year with the career achievement award. The 59-year-old both directed and acted in his most recent film, 鈥淭he Midnight Sky.鈥�
鈥淗e's the Cary Grant of our day, but he's also a fast-rising director,鈥� Appelo said. 鈥淗e's perfect because he's just a slam dunk argument against ageism.鈥�
Jodie Foster too is singled out for her supporting performance in 鈥淭he Mauritanian,鈥� for which she also won the Golden Globe this week. Appelo said that the 58-year-old has said that she's glad to be her age and is looking forward to playing characters in their 60s and beyond.
鈥淭hat's a big theme of ours, that life opens up after you turn 50,鈥� Appelo said.
Aaron Sorkin is a double honoree for writing and directing 鈥淭he Trial of the Chicago 7.鈥� The top acting awards went to Sophia Loren, for 鈥淭he Life Ahead,鈥� and Anthony Hopkins, for 鈥淭he Father.鈥�
鈥淭he Trial of the Chicago 7鈥� and 鈥淭he United States vs. Billie Holiday鈥� are two films Appelo said are particularly significant because of their historical value to a 50-plus audience. He also noted that this year included several important and nuanced depictions of Alzheimer's, including in 鈥淭he Father鈥� and in 鈥淪upernova,鈥� with Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci, which was named best grownup love story.
For the first time the organization is also recognizing television shows and performances. Catherine O'Hara took best actress for 鈥淪chitt's Creek,鈥� Mark Ruffalo got best actor for 鈥淚 Know This Much is True鈥� and 鈥淭his Is Us鈥� was named best series. Netflix's 鈥淭he Queen's Gambit鈥� got best limited series.
The virtual awards show will be broadcast by Great Performances on PBS on March 28 at 8 p.m. ET.
