Hollywood’s award season was kicked off with the National Board of review naming Mad Max: Fury Road as the best film of the year, a move that surprised many.
Space drama The Martian won a best actor award for Matt Damon and best director for Ridley Scott and was also named one of the nine top films of the year.
Read our Mad Max: Fury Road review here
But Oscar hopefuls were left empty handed by the Board of Review, which has a history of going against the mainstream. These included Steve Jobs, a film about Apple Inc’s co-founder, Irish immigrant saga Brooklyn and Jennifer Lawrence’s much anticipated Joy.
Read: WGA reveals 101 funniest movie scripts ever, are you amused?
Instead, the 100-year-old organisation, which comprises academics, filmmakers, students and professionals, chose popular fare such as boxing movie Creed, rap music film Straight Outta Compton, Catholic Church sex abuse tale Spotlight and psychological thriller Room among its top films of the year.
Read: The BBC released its top 100 American films list, and it’s a joke
Watch the Mad Max: Fury Road trailer here
{{/usCountry}}Watch the Mad Max: Fury Road trailer here
{{/usCountry}}Sylvester Stallone was named best supporting actor for his role in Creed, a sequel to his hit Rocky movies, while Brie Larson took the best actress award for playing an abducted mother in Room.
Quentin Tarantino’s yet-to-be-released drama The Hateful Eight also fared well. It was included in the best-of-the-year list and won best screenplay as well as supporting actress for Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Read: The Hateful Eight trailer debuts: Quentin Tarantino is back!
The Board of Review is known for its sometimes idiosyncratic picks. Last year it chose the small independent drama A Most Violent Year as its best film of 2014.
This year’s winner Mad Max: Fury Road, directed by Australian George Miller, starred Charlize Theron as a rebel leader in a post-apocalyptic future. The movie won warm reviews and has made some $376 million at the box office worldwide but it has not been seen as a likely contender for major awards such as the Oscars or Golden Globes.
“2015 has been a banner year for popular cinema. We are thrilled to be awarding George Miller and Ridley Scott, two iconic filmmakers at the top of their game, while also celebrating the next generation of talent,” Board of Review President Annie Schulhof said in a statement.
The Board of Review will present its awards at a ceremony in New York on Jan. 5. The Hollywood awards season runs for three months and ends with the Oscar ceremony in Hollywood on Feb. 28.
Here’s the complete list of winners
Best Film: Mad Max: Fury RoadBest Director: Ridley Scott – The MartianBest Actor: Matt Damon – The MartianBest Actress: Brie Larson – RoomBest Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone – CreedBest Supporting Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful EightBest Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful EightBest Adapted Screenplay: Drew Goddard – The MartianBest Animated Feature: Inside OutBreakthrough Performance: Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation & Jacob Tremblay – Room Best Directorial Debut: Jonas Carpignano – MediterraneaBest Foreign Language Film: Son of SaulBest Documentary: AmyWilliam K. Everson Film History Award: Cecilia De Mille PresleyBest Ensemble: The Big ShortSpotlight Award: Sicario for Outstanding Collaborative VisionNBR Freedom of Expression Award: Beasts of No Nation & Mustang
Read our review of The Martian here
Top Films
Bridge of SpiesCreedThe Hateful EightInside OutThe MartianRoomSicarioSpotlightStraight Outta Compton
Read our Sicario review here
Top 5 Foreign Language Films
Goodnight MommyMediterraneaPhoenixThe Second MotherThe Tribe
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Top 5 Documentaries
Best of EnemiesThe Black Panthers: Vanguard of the RevolutionThe DiplomatListen to Me MarlonThe Look of Silence
Top 10 Independent Films
‘7145 YearsCop CarEx MachinaGrandmaIt FollowsJames WhiteMississippi GrindWelcome to MeWhile We’re Young
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