'American Hustle,' Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett Win New York Film Critics Circle Awards

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The New York Film Critics Circle announced the winners of their 79th annual kudos today -- Tuesday (Dec. 3). These Gotham-based reviewers are once again the first critics group to weigh in with their picks for the top pic with the National Board of Review announcing on Wednesday (Dec. 4) and the LA critics chiming in on Sunday (Dec. 8).

"American Hustle" won awards for Best Picture, Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence) and Screenplay from the New York Film Critics' Circle, thus boosting its odds to snag top Oscars next.

Historically, the circle has a 40% rate of correctly predicting Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Over the past 10 years, for example, the two kudos agreed four times: "The Artist" (2011), "The Hurt Locker" (2009), "No Country for Old Men" (2007) and "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" (2003). It may be argued that the circle helped to propel a few of those champs to Oscar glory by casting early attention on important indies.

Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave") won Best Director. Robert Redford ("All is Lost") and Cate Blanchett ("Blue Jasmine") won Best Actor and Actress. Laurels for Best Supporting Actor went to Jared Leto ("Dallas Buyers Club").

The overlap rate between these critics' awards and the Oscars is less impressive in the acting races. Last year they only agreed upon Daniel Day-Lewis ("Lincoln") for Best Actor and, in 2011, they only concurred on Best Actress – Meryl Streep ("The Iron Lady"). The circle's influence is most keenly felt when it puts longshot contenders on the derby track – like Marcia Gay Harden ("Pollock"), who went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress of 2000.

BEST PICTURE
"American Hustle"

BEST DIRECTOR
Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"

BEST ACTOR
Robert Redford, "All Is Lost"

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers' Club"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"

BEST SCREENPLAY
"American Hustle"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Bruno Delbonnel, "Inside Llewyn Davis"

BEST ANIMATED FILM
"The Wind Rises"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Blue is the Warmest Color"

BEST NON-FICTION FEATURE
"Stories We Tell"

BEST FIRST FEATURE
"Fruitvale Station"

SPECIAL AWARD
Frederick Wiseman

Last year, the NYFCC went with "Zero Dark Thirty" for Best Picture and Director (Kathryn Bigelow). While the film went on to lose the the top Oscar race to "Argo," Bigelow was snubbed by the directors branch of the academy (the Oscar went to "Life of PI" helmer Ang Lee.) Daniel Day-Lewis ("Lincoln") began his march to a third Oscar with a win from the NYFCC. However, two of the other NYFCC acting champs didn't even reap Oscar bids -- Best Actress Rachel Weisz ("The Deep Blue Sea") and Best Supporting Actor Matthew McConaughey ("Bernie" & "Magic Mike") -- while Best Supporting Actress winner Sally Field ("Lincoln") lost her quest for a third Oscar to Anne Hathaway ("Les Miserables").

Two years ago, the NYFCC named "The Artist" both Best Picture and Best Director (Michel Hazanavicius) and the academy did likewise. Meryl Streep won her fourth Best Actress prize from the Gotham critics for her portayal of British PM Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady" before claiming her third Oscar for the role. Brad Pitt was cited as Best Actor by the NYFCC for his work in both "Moneyball" and "The Tree of Life" and Jessica Chastain was named Best Supporting Actress for three films: "The Help," "Take Shelter" and "The Tree of Life." Pitt reaped an Oscar bid for "Moneyball" while Chastain was recognized for "The Help." Albert Brooks won over the NYFCC with his featured role in "Drive" but was snubbed by Oscar voters.

it is always interesting to see how much each award show differs/agrees.

» New York Film Critics Circle Announces Winners
» 'The Artist' Top 2012 London Film Critics' Circle Awards
» 'Tree of Life' Tops SF Film Critics Circle Awards
» 32nd London Critics' Circle Film Awards Nominations Announced
» London Critics' Circle Film Awards: '12 Years A Slave' Leads With 9 Noms