Acclaimed 1950s drama Far From Heaven has been voted the best film of 2002 by a panel of Seattle movie critics.

The movie - which is among the Oscar favourites for 2003 - was also honoured in five other categories, including best director and best actress.

Todd Haynes won best director for the homage to post-war melodramas, and also won best original screenplay.

Catherine Zeta Jones in Chicago, a major awards contender

In the film, Julianne Moore, who also won the best actress award, stars as a Connecticut housewife struggling with racial and sexual tensions of the time.

The film also took prizes for music and cinematography.

Daniel Day-Lewis was given the best actor accolade for his comeback performance in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York, in what were the inaugural awards from the Seattle critics.

Far From Heaven also figured heavily in the New York Film Critics Circle Awards last week.

The Lord Of The Rings is also a top contender for awards

The movie won best supporting actor (Dennis Quaid) and best supporting actress (Patricia Clarkson).

But it has tough competition at the major awards, with the musical Chicago emerging as a major contender for Golden Globe and Oscar prizes.

The movie got four nominations when the Globe shortlists were announced last week.

Stephen Daldry's The Hours, The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers and Spike Jonze's Adaptation are also expected to do well at award ceremonies in the next few months.