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.
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.
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.
