LOS ANGELES, Jan 11 (AFP) - The bittersweet road movie "Sideways" was the toast of the annual Critics' Choice Awards on Monday night, picking up five awards, including best picture.
The awards, handed out by the Broadcast Film Critics' Association, are considered one of the most accurate barometers of eventual Oscar success, having predicted the best picture winner for the past five years.
"Sideways" has already been named best picture by both the Los Angeles and New York film critics.
The film also garnered best supporting actor and actress awards for Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen, best acting ensemble and best writer for director Alexander Payne.
Payne, however, lost out on the best director award, which went to Martin Scorsese for the Howard Hughes biopic "The Aviator."
Jamie Foxx did his Oscar chances no harm by taking home the best actor award for his acclaimed portrayal of blues legend Ray Charles in "Ray," while Hilary Swank was named best actress for playing a championship hopeful in Clint Eastwood's boxing movie "Million Dollar Baby."
Another film with Oscar hopes, "Finding Neverland," the story of Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie, took two awards for best family film and best young actor for Freddie Highmore.
Following its success at the People's Choice Awards at the weekend, Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" -- a critical look at President George W. Bush's handling of the September 11, 2001 attacks -- won the best documentary feature award.
Best foreign film was given to "The Sea Inside," a Spanish-language film about Ramon Sampedro, who fought a 30-year campaign to win the right to end his life.
The next major event in the awards season is the Golden Globes on January 16, for which "Sideways" is the leading nominee, with seven nods.
The Oscars will be handed out in Hollywood on February 27.
01/11/2005 15:26 GMT - AFP