HURT LOCKER named Best Picture, Director & Actor of '09 by the National Society of Film Critics

The Hurt Locker has pulled off a hat trick within the US film critic circle, having earned Best Picture nods from the NYFCC, LAFCA and after voting this weekend, sealed the deal with a win from the National Society of Film Critics, earning awards in several other major categories as well. Including; Kathryn Bigelow as Best Director nod, and Jeremy Renner earning a win for Best Actor.

Other well deserved wins went to Christoph Waltz for supporting actor in Inglourious Basterds; Joel and Ethan Coen for Best Screenplay for A Serious Man and Fantastic Mr. Fox for Production Design.

Here’s the full list of NSFC winners:

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Best Actor: Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Best Actress: Yolande Moreau, Seraphine

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds, and Paul Schneider, Bright Star

Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Screenplay: Joel & Ethan Coen, A Serious Man

Foreign-Language Film: Summer Hours

Non-fiction Film: The Beaches of Agnes

Cinematography: Christian Berger, The White Ribbon

Production Design: Nelson Lowry, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Though The Hurt Locker becomes the first film to win Best Picture from the three major us critic circles since 1997’s LA Confidential, the sweep doesn't make it a shoe in for the Academy Awards. Titanic would take home the Oscar gold that year, with other critically acclaimed films like Brokeback Mountain and Sideways, losing out to Crash and Million Dollar Baby, respectively.

The fumbled releases or lack of sending out screeners of John Hillcoat's The Road and Duncan Jones' Moon must somewhat account for their absence on most Best of Lists and Award winners. But Hurt Locker is getting the love and that's something to be happy about.