The center of the Oscar season universe this week is freezing Gotham, where many contenders traveled in advance of Monday night’s New York Film Critics Circle Awards ceremony and Tuesday night’s National Board of Review Awards, as well as a host of events set up around them in the hopes of currying favor with Academy members. The 81st NYFCC ceremony, which took place at the Tao Downtown restaurant and was emceed by the group’s president Marshall Fine, attracted the attendance of most of its honorees — including best director winner Todd Haynes (Carol), best actor winner Michael Keaton (Spotlight), best actress winner and my tablemate Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) and best supporting actress winner Kristen Stewart (Clouds of Sils Maria) — as well as a coterie of notable presenters.

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