NBR KICK-STARTS 2016-17 AWARDS SEASON PROPER: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA WINS

I hope you're ready I don't give a shit, I just hope I'm ready for awards season! Sure, it's sort of already begun, but with the announcement of the National Board of Reviews' faves in film for 2016, we can now confirm that it's under way. Critics groups will come chiming in thick and fast for the next three weeks or so, before the Christmas break will precede the glut of the industry nominations and awards over January and February. Keep checking SOS for all the updates, including the upcoming official SOS Critics' Tally on the left sidebar. For now, it's Manchester by the Sea in the lead, as it wins NBR's top award. Check out all their picks below:

Best Film

Manchester by the Sea

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

Hail, Caesar!

Hell or High Water

Hidden Figures

La La Land

Moonlight

Patriot's Day

Silence

Sully

Best Director

Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)

Best Actress

Amy Adams (Arrival)

Best Actor

Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)

Best Supporting Actress

Naomie Harris (Moonlight)

Best Supporting Actor

Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)

Best Original Screenplay

Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese (Silence)

Best Ensemble

Hidden Figures

Best Animated Feature

Kubo and the Two Strings

Best Documentary

O.J.: Made in America

de Palma

The Eagle Huntress

Gleason

Life, Animated

Miss Sharon Jones!

Best Foreign Language Film

The Salesman

Elle

The Handmaiden

Julieta

Land of Mine

Neruda

Best Independent Film

20th Century Women

Captain Fantastic

Creative Control

Eye in the Sky

The Fits

Green Room

Hello, My Name Is Doris

Krisha

Morris from America

Sing Street

Best Directorial Debut

Trey Edward Shults (Krisha)

Best Breakthrough Performance (Female)

Royalty Hightower (The Fits)

Best Breakthrough Performance (Male)

Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea)

NBR Freedom of Expression Award

Cameraperson

Spotlight Award

Peter Berg / Mark Wahlberg

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD WINS FIRST AWARD OF SEASON - NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW

The National Board of Review often bestows its top award of the year on a film based on a literary source; this year, they chose a film based on a legacy of action films and a genius filmmaker's imagination. Mad Max: Fury Road is the (slight) surprise winner of the NBR's Best Film award, joining other less-than-expected choices on their list such as Sicario and Straight Outta Compton on their Top 10 list, major showings for late-breakers Creed and The Hateful Eight, but not for Joy nor The Revenant, and no love for critics fave Carol. Last year, this group chose A Most Violent Year as their Best Film pick - a film that went on to secure zero Oscar nominations total. Check out their full list of winners and other citations below:

Best Film

Mad Max: Fury Road

Bridge of Spies

Creed

The Hateful Eight

Inside Out

The Martian

Room

Sicario

Spotlight

Straight Outta Compton

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 Original Screenplay

Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Drew Goddard (The Martian)

Best Ensemble

The Big Short

Best Animated Feature

Inside Out

Best Documentary

Amy

Best of Enemies

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

The Diplomat

Listen to Me Marlon

The Look of Silence

Best Foreign Language Film

Son of Saul

Goodnight Mommy

Mediterranea

Phoenix

The Second Mother

The Tribe

Best Independent Film

'71

45 Years

Cop Car

Ex Machina

Grandma

It Follows

James White

Mississippi Grind

Welcome to Me

While We're Young

Best Directorial Debut

Jonas Carpignano (Mediterranea)

Best Breakthrough Actor

Abraham Attah (Beasts of No Nation)

Jacob Tremblay (Room)

NBR Freedom of Expression Award

Beasts of No Nation

Mustang

Spotlight Award for Outstanding Collaborative Vision

Sicario

William K. Everson Film History Award

Cecilia de Mille Presley