Oscar 2014 Precursor: Are '12 Years A Slave' and 'Gravity' Front-Runners for Best Film at National Board of Review and New York Film Critics Awards?

From Dec. 3-4, film critics will reveal their awards for the Best Films of the Year.

The New York Film Critics are slated to vote and reveal their award winner for the Best Film of the year on Dec. 3, marking the first major award of the year. The group, which consists of critics from daily and weekly newspapers, magazines and online publications, is often considered an Oscar precursor. The organization does not always pick the ultimate Best Picture winner but most of the time the winners end up nominated for the Best Picture category. Last year "Zero Dark Thirty" won the top prize as well as Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow. Other NYFCC winners that have gone on to Oscar success include the Best Picture winner "The Artist," "The Social Network" and "The Hurt Locker."

The National Board of Review will choose their winner for the Best Film of the year on Dec. 4. Unlike the NYFCC, the NBR is made up of filmmakers, industry pros, academics, students and film fans. Like the NYFCC, last year the NBR chose "Zero Dark Thirty" as the Best Film of the year with Bigelow also winning the Best Director award. The NBR has also picked "Hugo," "The Social Network," and "Up in the Air." While the films scored Oscar nominations, none went on to win the Best Picture awards. The last time the organization picked the ultimate Best Picture winner was in 2008 with "Slumdog Millionaire" and in 2007 with "No Country for Old Men."

This year, the organizations have one of the most crowded slates of impressive movies in recent years, with a number of films seemingly deserving Best Picture nominations. However, based on reviews and praise, the clear front-runners look to be "12 Years A Slave" and "Gravity."