San Diego critics love 'Letter'

Acting winners not the usual suspects

By STUART LEVINE

"Letters From Iwo Jima" captured best picture honors from the San Diego Film Critics Society while its helmer, Clint Eastwood, was named top director.

Besides Helen Mirren winning for "The Queen," the acting honors were much different than several previously announced awards from critics groups.

Ken Takakura won best actor for the Asian film "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" while the best supporting actor and actress titles went to Ray Winstone ("The Proposition") and Lili Taylor ("Factotum"), respectively.