Way out West

No, no, NO. Wrong gun-slinging, double-crossing Western!

As the critical gangbang continues (or we could call it a circle jerk, but not both, because that would be mixing our sexual abuse metaphors and that's just icky and wrong), the proper-sounding San Francisco Film Critics Circle has done what no other group has had the guts to do so far -- it's gone in a completely different direction for best picture.

Only problem is, they didn't pick "3:10 to Yuma."

The group stands alone in honoring "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," (yeah, whatever) but went with some familiar faces in the form of George Clooney, Amy Ryan, Julie Christie and the Coen brothers. Emerging Oscar frontrunners, all.

The critics also rewarded Tamara Jenkins -- to be referred to herein as "the screenwriter who's not a stripper" -- for her original screenplay for "The Savages," passing over Entertainment Weekly Smart Chick and Former Pole Dancer Diablo Cody. Huzzah!

See their full list here, and mull this over -- Ben Foster's psycho-rock-star-outlaw Charlie Prince vs. Casey Affleck's conflicted-navel-gazing Ford. Cowpoke, please.