OH MY GOD!
So, like a lot of people, I was expecting the National Board of Review to name Spotlight as best picture of the year. I haven’t seen Spotlight yet but I have to admit that I’m already kind of bored of hearing about how it’s the Oscar front-runner. I mean, for all I know, Spotlight could be the best film ever made but I like it when my awards season is interesting. It’s boring when one film — like The Social Network a few years ago — keeps winning every single award.
So, with all that in mind, I was really happy to hear that the National Board of Review picked Mad Max: Fury Road for best picture. I was happy because not only is Fury Road a really great movie that deserves the love but also because it was just so unexpected! Way to go, NBR!
(The only thing that would have made things better would have been if the Guitar Guy had won Best Supporting Actor.)
Now, I’d caution anyone about getting too excited. Just because a film wins one of the precursor awards, that does not mean that it’s going to be nominated come Oscar time. Last year, for instance, the NBR picked A Most Violent Year for best picture. However, at the same time, it can be argued that the momentum that led to Her being nominated in 2014 began with its victory at the NBR.
So, who knows?
Anyway, here are the NBR winners!
Best Film: Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Director: Ridley Scott – The Martian
Best Actor: Matt Damon – The Martian
Best Actress: Brie Larson – Room
Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight
Best Adapted Screenplay: Drew Goddard – The Martian
Best Animated Feature: Inside Out
Breakthrough Performance: Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation & Jacob Tremblay – Room
Best Directorial Debut: Jonas Carpignano – Mediterranea
Best Foreign Language Film: Son of Saul
Best Documentary: Amy
William K. Everson Film History Award: Cecilia De Mille Presley
Best Ensemble: The Big Short
Spotlight Award: Sicario for Outstanding Collaborative Vision
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Beasts of No Nation & Mustang
Top Films
- Bridge of Spies
- Creed
- The Hateful Eight
- Inside Out
- The Martian
- Room
- Sicario
- Spotlight
- Straight Outta Compton
Top 5 Foreign Language Films
- Goodnight Mommy
- Mediterranea
- Phoenix
- The Second Mother
- The Tribe
Top 5 Documentaries
- Best of Enemies
- The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
- The Diplomat
- Listen to Me Marlon
- The Look of Silence
Top 10 Independent Films
- ‘71
- 45 Years
- Cop Car
- Ex Machina
- Grandma
- It Follows
- James White
- Mississippi Grind
- Welcome to Me
- While We’re Young