AND AWARD SEASON CONTINUES. . .

With the 2016 Oscar nominations just twelve days away, the National Society of Film Critics (who are celebrating their fiftieth year) have announced their selections today for the best in cinema of 2015 and "Spotlight" has taken Best Picture. This investigative journalism drama looks to be shaping up to be an Oscar front-runner as it was also selected by the American Film Institute and the Las Vegas Film Critics as one of the best of the year. However, don't count out "Mad Max: Fury Road" yet. It is still has plenty of fans with it also being recognized by AFI and won Best Film recently by the Chicago critics. As far as the rest of the categories, it's still pretty much in the air as no one actor or film is sweeping the award circuit like last year. Here's a run-down of some of the groups and their picks of the year:

Winners of the 2015 National Society of Film Critics Awards:

Best Picture: “Spotlight”
Best Director: Todd Haynes, “Carol”
Best Screenplay: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy, “Spotlight”
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan, “Creed"
Best Actress: Charlotte Rampling, “45 Years”
Best Supporting Actress: Kristen Stewart, “Clouds of Sils Maria”
Best Cinematography: Ed Lachman, “Carol”
Best Foreign-Language Film: “Timbuktu”
Best Non-Fiction Film: “Amy”

AFI 2015 Films of The Year:

"The Big Short"
"Bridge of Spies"
"Carol"
"Inside Out"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"The Martian"
"Room"
"Spotlight"
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
"Straight Outta Compton"

Winners from the 2015 Chicago Film Critics Association Film Awards:

Best Picture: "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Best Director: George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"
Best Actress: Brie Larson, "Room"
Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro, "Sicario"
Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina"
Best Original Screenplay: Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, "Spotlight"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Adam McKay & Charles Randolph, "The Big Short"
Best Cinematography: John Seale, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Best Original Score: Ennio Morricone, "The Hateful Eight"
Best Art Direction/Production Design: "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Best Editing: Jason Ballantine & Margaret Sixel, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Best Foreign-Language Film: "Son of Saul"
Best Documentary: "Amy"
Best Animated Feature: "Inside Out"

Winners from the 2015 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards:

Best Picture: "Spotlight"
Best Director: Tom McCarthy, "Spotlight"
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"
Best Actress: Brie Larson, "Room"
Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone, "Creed"
Best Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Banks, "Love & Mercy"
Best Original Screenplay: Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, "Spotlight"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Drew Goddard, "The Martian"
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, "The Revenant"
Best Film Editing:  Jason Ballantine & Margaret Sixel, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Best Costume Design: Jenny Beavan, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Best Art Direction: Irene O’Brien & Robert Parle, "Brooklyn"
Best Foreign Film: "Good Night Mommy"
Best Documentary: "Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief"
Best Animated Film: "Inside Out"