“Oppenheimer” continued its explosive awards campaign at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night, earning eight top trophies including best picture, best director for Christopher Nolan and best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr.That caps a hot week for the period drama, which also dominated last Sunday’s Golden Globes and has since picked up key nominations from the actors, producers and directors guilds. If it wasn’t already clear, we’ve got a formidable Oscar front-runner on our hands. An appreciative Nolan used his speech to thank “all the critics who helped with convincing mainstream audiences that a film about quantum physics and apocalypse could be worth their time.”Though “Oppenheimer” won in the biggest categories at the Critics Choice Awards, it was the film’s box office frenemy, “Barbie,” that entered the night as the most nominated movie, with a record-breaking 18 citations. Greta Gerwig’s hit comedy managed six wins, including trophies for its costumes, production design and song (“I’m Just Ken”), but since most of those awards were announced in the margins before a commercial break, host Chelsea Handler “went rogue” near the end of the show and brought up Gerwig and star Margot Robbie to make a speech anyway.

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Persons: “ Oppenheimer ”, Christopher Nolan, Robert Downey Jr, we’ve, Nolan, “, “ Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s, Ken ”, Chelsea Handler “, Margot Robbie