New York body picks Mad Max: Fury Road as year's best

Action-adventure flick Mad Max: Fury Road was named the best film of 2015 on Tuesday by the National Board of Review, a surprise choice by the New York-based body whose list traditionally kicks off the annual Hollywood awards season.

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.