Oscar voters hoping to take cues from the various critics' awards must be getting awfully confused this week. Todd Haynes' domestic drama, ''Far From Heaven,'' topped the New York Film Critics Circle Awards on Monday, snagging best film and best director. But no fewer than three other films -- ''The Pianist,'' ''The Hours,'' and ''About Schmidt'' -- won the other recently announced critics' awards, leaving the best picture race without a clear frontrunner.
''Far From Heaven'' also snapped up awards for best supporting actor (Dennis Quaid) and best supporting actress (Patricia Clarkson). There was slightly more consensus in the best actor category: ''Gangs of New York'' star Daniel Day-Lewis won in New York, matching other critics' picks. Underdog Diane Lane of ''Unfaithful'' won best actress, while ''Adaptation'' won best screenplay. ''Standing in the Shadows of Motown'' took best documentary, and ''Y Tu Mamá También'' won best foreign film.
The American Film Institute also issued its picks for the top 10 films of 2002 on Monday -- which didn't include ''Far From Heaven.'' Their choices, in alphabetical order, were: ''Adaptation,'' ''About a Boy,'' ''About Schmidt,'' ''Antwone Fisher,'' ''Chicago,'' ''Frida,'' ''Gangs of New York,'' ''The Hours,'' ''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,'' and ''The Quiet American.'' The institute opted for a top-10 list instead of a full awards show after last year's low-rated, ill-attended ceremony, in which ''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings'' was the big winner.
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