With the Oscars almost three months away, awards season is finally up and running with various contenders looking to take advantage early on.

So far, the unlikely film to benefit from the awards groups so far is George Miller’s post-apocalyptic blockbuster Mad Max: Fury Road which has already won Best Film at the National Board of Review. The action sequel also did well with the Boston Online Film Critics and is being tipped to gain further ground later today by the Los Angeles Film Critics Awards.

Meanwhile the romantic drama Carol has landed the key honours at the New York Film Critic Awards including Best Film and Best Director for Todd Haynes.

The early favourite for Oscar glory is the media-based drama Spotlight which has had a quiet start barring a surprise Best Actor win for Michael Keaton in New York. The sci-fi blockbuster The Martian fared well with the NBR with victories for director Ridley Scott and actor Matt Damon.

Two unlikely success stories are looking possible for Twilight actress Kristen Stewart and veteran actor Sylvester Stallone during the season. The former has already won two Supporting Actress awards in New York and Boston for her performance in the drama Clouds of Sils Maria. The latter is looking to be nodded for his iconic role as Rocky Balboa in Creed, forty years after his previous nomination as the character in the original Rocky.

Between now and the Oscars, I shall be posting updates weekly about the winners from particular critics which will also include the nominations for the SAG, Golden Globes and BAFTAs.

In the meantime, below are the film winners of the three critic groups to contribute to the race so far….

NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW WINNERS

BEST FILM
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

BEST DIRECTOR
Ridley Scott, THE MARTIAN

BEST ACTOR
Matt Damon, THE MARTIAN

BEST ACTRESS
Brie Larson, ROOM

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sylvester Stallone, CREED

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Jason Leigh, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

BEST ENSEMBLE
THE BIG SHORT

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Quentin Tarantino, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Drew Goddard, THE MARTIAN

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
SON OF SAUL

BEST DOCUMENTARY
AMY

BEST ANIMATED FILM
INSIDE OUT

BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Abraham Attah, BEASTS OF NO NATION & Jacob Tremblay, ROOM

BEST DIRECTIONAL DEBUT
Jonas Carpignano, MEDITERRANEA

SPOTLIGHT AWARD
SICARIO

NBR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AWARD
BEASTS OF NO NATION & MUSTANG

TOP FILMS
BRIDGE OF SPIES
CREED
THE HATEFUL EIGHT
INSIDE OUT
THE MARTIAN
ROOM
SICARIO
SPOTLIGHT
STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

TOP 10 INDEPENDENT FILMS
’71
45 YEARS
COP CAR
EX MACHINA
GRANDMA
IT FOLLOWS
JAMES WHITE
MISSISSIPPI GRIND
WELCOME TO ME
WHILE WE’RE YOUNG

TOP 5 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS
GOODNIGHT MOMMY
MEDITERRANEA
PHOENIX
THE SECOND MOTHER
THE TRIBE

TOP 5 DOCUMENTARIES
BEST OF ENEMIES
THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION
THE DIPLOMAT
LISTEN TO ME MARLON
THE LOOK OF SILENCE

NEW YORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE
CAROL

BEST DIRECTOR
Todd Haynes, CAROL

BEST SCREENPLAY
CAROL

BEST ACTOR
Michael Keaton, SPOTLIGHT

BEST ACTRESS
Saoirse Ronan, BROOKLYN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mark Rylance, BRIDGE OF SPIES

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kristen Stewart, CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA

BEST ANIMATED FILM
INSIDE OUT

BEST FOREIGN FILM
TIMBUKTU

BEST NON-FICTION FILM
IN JACKSON HEIGHTS

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER
Ed Lachman, CAROL

BEST FIRST FILM
SON OF SAUL

 

BOSTON ONLINE FILM CRITICS WINNERS

BEST PICTURE
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

BEST ACTOR
Michael B. Jordan, CREED

BEST ACTRESS
Saoirse Ronan, BROOKLYN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sylvester Stallone, CREED

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kristen Stewart, CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA

BEST ENSEMBLE
SPOTLIGHT

BEST SCREENPLAY
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, SPOTLIGHT

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
SON OF SAUL

BEST DOCUMENTARY
AMY

BEST ANIMATED FILM
INSIDE OUT

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
John Seale, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

BEST EDITING
Margaret Sixel, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Junkie XL, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE TEN BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR

1. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
2. CREED
3. BROOKLYN
4. CAROL
5. SPOTLIGHT
6. CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA
7. BRIDGE OF SPIES
8. THE MARTIAN
9. ANOMALISA
10. TANGERINE