New York Film Critics Circle Names 'American Hustle' Best Picture of 2013, Honors Jennifer Lawrence, Jared Leto

Oh man, I'm so nerd-excited right now. Following the Gotham Awards on Monday night, the New York Film Critics Circle Awards were announced on Tuesday, setting Oscar season into motion. While the Circle Awards didn't make any dominant statement, they did solidify a couple storylines that have been growing over the past few weeks.

Like with the Gotham Awards, 12 Years a Slave didn't win Best Picture. I have a feeling that Steve McQueen's film peaked too early. That said, McQueen did take home the award for Best Director.

In that acting categories, the Circle Awards continued the narrative that All Is Lost's Robert Redford and Blue Jasmine's Cate Blanchett would be taking home a bunch of awards this winter, while also elevating Dallas Buyers Club's Jared Leto to possibly the favorite for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars. Leto will actually be in Europe touring Thirty Seconds to Mars, his band, when the Academy Awards are held — he'll swing by Los Angeles for the night, right? American Hustle scored two wins, taking home Best Picture and sending Jennifer Lawrence to another busy awards season.

BEST PICTURE: American Hustle
BEST DIRECTOR: Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
BEST SCREENPLAY: Eric Singer and David O. Russell (American Hustle)
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 CINEMATOGRAPHER: Brune Delbonne (Inside Llewyn Davis)
BEST ANIMATED FILM: The Wind Rises
BEST NON-FICTION FILM (DOCUMENTARY): Stories We Tell
BEST FOREIGN FILM: Blue Is the Warmest Color
BEST FIRST FILM: Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station)