National Board of Review Surprises Everyone, Names ‘Mad Max’ Best Film
All hail Imperator Furiosa!
The National Board of Review revealed their winners on Tuesday afternoon, surprising the film world yet again with their picks. Like last year when the group award A Most Violent year with the top prize, a win no one saw coming, the organization made another unsuspecting choice for Best Film - Mad Max: Fury Road.
The group of roughly 120 New York writers also honored The Martian in three categories including Ridley Scott for Best Director, Matt Damon for Best Actor and Drew Goddardd for Best Adapted Screenplay. Other accolades went to Room, Creed and The Hateful Eight. Another big surprise was the lack of awards for Tom McCarthy's Spotlight which left the Gotham Awards on Monday with the most honors.
Since the NBR are the first to announce their awards before SAG, the Golden Globes and the critics' circles leading up to the Oscars, they set a major precedent for what could win in awards season. This could mean that Brie Larson may have a shot at the Best Actress Oscar over Cate Blanchett, or that Sylvester Stallone could get a Supporting nomination, as I've already predicted. But the organization doesn't always foreshadow Oscar winners, as was shown last year when A Most Violent Year was shut out and the first NBR winner in 15 years not to be nominated by the Academy for Best Picture. Will Mad Max follow suit or make it to nominations? Check out the full list of NBR winners below:
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
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Creed
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Spotlight
The Martian
Room
Sicario
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
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’71
45 Years
Cop Car
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Grandma
It Follows
James White
Mississippi Grind
Welcome to Me
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