Oscar chances for 'Mad Max: Fury Road,' the year's craziest blockbuster, just got a lot better

The National Board of Review has released its annual film honors, and in a very surprising choice, "Mad Max: Fury Road" has been named the best film of the year.

One of the biggest hits of 2015 critically (97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and at the box office (over $375 million worldwide), the Tom Hardy-starring reboot of the classic franchise (which originally launched Mel Gibson into superstardom) still has an uphill climb to Oscar night, but this win will certainly perk the ears of Academy voters.

Historically, the NBR best movie - voted on by a select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students - has been an indicator of what will be nominated in the Best Picture category for the Academy Awards. And as this year has no particular frontrunners, it's possible "Fury Road" could make the cut.

Other winners selected by NBR include:

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 Animated Feature: "Inside Out"

See the complete list of winners.

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