Ever since Crash won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2005, extra attention can be placed on the Chicago Film Critics awards. It was the only group that selected the Oscar winner as Best Picture setting it up as a strange bellwether few saw coming. While this year’s choices aren’t likely to carry the same prophetic ability, it’s something to look at. If you’re their Animated Feature or Adapted Screenplay winner, your Oscar prospects look good. And if you just won Actor and Supporting Actor, you also have something to smile about, though less strongly. As for an Oscar nomination? If you’re a winner in all but Original Score and Foreign Film, then your chances are quite exceptional.

In addition to the nominees and/or winners listed below, this year, we’re giving you a quick background on each individual precursor including founding year, first awards year and a glimpse at how many predictions the group has gotten right in the last five years. This data can be found below.

Award Tallies

(4) The Tree of Life
(2) Martha Marcy May Marlene

The Awards

Best Picture

The Tree of Life

Best Animated Feature

Rango

Best Director

Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life

Best Actor

Michael Shannon – Take Shelter

Best Actress

Michelle Williams – My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor

Albert Brooks – Drive

Best Supporting Actress

Jessica Chastain – The Tree of Life

Best Original Screenplay

The Artist

Best Adapted Screenplay

Moneyball

Best Original Score

Drive

Best Cinematography

The Tree of Life

Best Foreign Language Film

A Separation

Best Documentary

The Interrupters

Most Promising Performer

Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene

Most Promising Filmmaker

Sean Durkin – Martha Marcy May Marlene

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Data

Year Founded: 1990
First Awards: 1988 (24)

Precursor Accuracy

KEY:

• Winner won the corresponding Oscar
• Winner was nominated for the corresponding Oscar
• Winner was not nominated for a corresponding Oscar
• Total (2010-2009-2008-2007-2006)

Picture: 2 (0-0-0-1-1) W / 4 (1-1-0-1-1) N / 1 (0-0-1-0-0) I
Animated Feature: 4 (1-1-1-1-X) W / 4 (1-1-1-1-X) N / 0 (0-0-0-0-X) I
Director: 3 (0-0-1-1-1) W / 5 (1-1-1-1-1) N / 0 (0-0-0-0-0) I
Actor: 4 (1-1-0-1-1) W / 5 (1-1-1-1-1) N / 0 (0-0-0-0-0) I
Actress: 3 (1-1-0-0-1) W / 5 (1-1-1-1-1) N / 0 (0-0-0-0-0) I
Supporting Actor: 4 (1-1-1-1-0) W / 5 (1-1-1-1-1) N / 0 (0-0-0-0-0) I
Supporting Actress: 0 (0-0-0-0-0) W / 4 (1-1-0-1-1) N / 1 (0-0-1-0-0) I
Original Screenplay: 1 (0-0-0-1-0) W / 5 (1-1-1-1-1) N / 0 (0-0-0-0-0) I
Adapted Screenplay: 5 (1-1-1-1-1) W / 4 (1-0-1-1-1) N / 1 (0-1-0-0-0) I
Original Score: 0 (0-0-0-0-0) W / 2 (0-1-1-0-0) N / 3 (1-0-0-1-1) I
Cinematography: 2 (1-1-0-0-0) W / 5 (1-1-1-1-1) N / 0 (0-0-0-0-0) I
Foreign Language Film: 0 (0-0-0-0-0) W / 2 (1-1-0-0-0) N / 3 (0-0-1-1-1) I
Documentary: 2 (0-0-1-0-1) W / 4 (1-0-1-1-1) N / 1 (0-1-0-0-0) I