Jessica Chastain can't wipe the grin off her face as her latest film Zero Dark Thirty gets more Oscar buzz

Jessica Chastain's latest film Zero Dark Thirty is going from strength to strength.
The Kathryn Bigelow movie, which stars Jessica Chastain, is continuing to gather awards momentum as the National Board of Review have named the Osama bin Laden hunt docudrama the best film of the year.
The board is the second notable group to name Zero Dark Thirty best film, following the New York Film Critics Circle.

Firm favourite: The National Board of Review have named Jessica Chastain's upcoming movie Zero Dark Thirty as the best film of the year

The two early awards suggest the film may be the Academy Awards frontrunner, four years after Bigelow's The Hurt Locker triumphed at the Oscars.
The film took three awards on Wednesday from the National Board of Review, which also named Bigelow best director and Chastain, who stars as a CIA agent, best actress.
So it's hardly a surprise that Chastain looked in such great spirits when the star was spotted smiling during a New York outing on Wednesday.
The group also gave a boost to the Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell's comedic drama about a mentally unstable former teacher (Bradley Cooper) attempting to reorder his life.

Time to celebrate: It's no surprise Jessica couldn't stop smiling during a New York outing on Wednesday

Cooper was named best actor and Russell was given best adapted screenplay for the film, in which Jennifer Lawrence also stars.
Meanwhile Best original screenplay went to Rian Johnson for his script to the thriller Looper.
Leonardo DiCaprio won best supporting actor for his performance as a wealthy slave owner in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, while best supporting actress went to Ann Dowd for her performance as a fast-food manager terrorized by a prank caller in Compliance.
The board also cited Ben Affleck, director and star of the Iran hostage crisis drama Argo, for special achievement in filmmaking, and best ensemble went to the cast of Tom Hooper's musical adaptation of Les Miserables, which includes Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried and Hugh Jackman.

Looking good: Jessica was also named best actress by the board for her role in the movie as a CIA agent

The group is also highlighting John Goodman with its spotlight award, noting the actor's work this year in Argo, Flight, Paranorman and Trouble With the Curve.
The National Board of Review, a group of film academics, students and professionals founded in 1909, is one of the first groups to announce its picks for the year's best movies.
The Los Angeles Film Critics will announce their choices on Sunday, and the Golden Globe nominations are due to come on December 13.
The National Board of Review has some pedigree in picking films that have gone on to win best picture at the Oscars, although not in recent years.

Her biggest role yet: The news will only fuel the Oscar buzz surrounding the film

Last year, it selected Hugo, while the academy chose The Artist. In 2010, it selected The Social Network while the academy chose The King's Speech.
In addition to individual awards, the board also lists its top 10 films, in no particular order, which are: Zero Dark Thirty, Argo, Lincoln, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Looper, Les Miserables, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Silver Linings Playbook and Promised Land.
The awards will be handed out at a gala which will take place on January 8 in New York at Cipriani's, to be hosted by Meredith Vieira.

Her biggest role yet: The news will only fuel the Oscar buzz surrounding the film

Highly praised: Meanwhile Bradley Cooper, seen with co-star Jennifer Lawrence, was named best actor for the Silver Linings Playbook