'Amour' takes top prize from LA film critics

(AP) The French-language drama Amour has been chosen as the year's best film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, whose prizes are among a flurry of year-end honors that help sort out the Academy Awards race.

Among other honors the group announced Sunday, the 1950s cult drama The Master earned three awards: best director for Paul Thomas Anderson, best actor for Joaquin Phoenix and supporting actress for Amy Adams.

The Master also was chosen as best-picture runner-up.

Amour star Emmanuelle Riva, who plays an elderly, ailing woman being cared for by her husband, shared the best-actress honor in a tie with Jennifer Lawrence for the lost-soul romance Silver Linings Playbook.

Newcomer Dwight Henry was chosen as supporting actor for the low-budget critical darling Beasts of the Southern Wild.