Just as awards season began focusing in on "Boyhood" and "Birdman," the National Board of Review tossed a monkey wrench into the mix: "A Most Violent Year." J.C. Chandor's forthcoming drama won Best Film from the NBR on Tuesday, while co-stars Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain also took home acting awards: Isaac tied with "Birdman" star Michael Keaton for Best Actor, Chastain won Best Supporting Actress. Other winners included Clint Eastwood (Best Director for "American Sniper"), Julianne Moore (Best Actress for "Still Alice") and Edward Norton (Best Supporting Actor for "Birdman"). Movies on the NBR list of top films (not including "A Most Violent Year") are: "American Sniper," "Birdman," "Boyhood," "Fury," "Gone Girl," "The Imitation Game," "Inherent Vice," "The LEGO Movie," "Nightcrawler" and "Unbroken." Popular Best Picture contender "Selma" was not chosen for major honors, but did receive the NBR Freedom of Expression Award along with Jon Stewart's "Rosewater."
Last year, The National Board of Review made waves when it chose "Her" as Best Film. It would go on to score a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards, but few other NBR winners were afforded a similar fate: Emma Thompson (who won Best Actress), Will Forte (who won Best Supporting Actor) and Octavia Spencer (who won Best Supporting Actress) all fell short of nominations at the Oscars.
The full list of NBR winners is below.
Best Film: "A Most Violent Year"Best Director: Clint Eastwood, "American Sniper"Best Actor (TIE): Oscar Isaac, "A Most Violent Year"; Michael Keaton, "Birdman"Best Actress: Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"Best Supporting Actor: Edward Norton, "Birdman"Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain, "A Most Violent Year"Best Original Screenplay: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, "The LEGO Movie"Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson, "Inherent Vice"Best Animated Feature: "How to Train Your Dragon 2"Breakthrough Performance: "Jack O’Connell, "Starred Up" & "Unbroken"Best Directorial Debut: "Gillian Robespierre, "Obvious Child"Best Foreign Language Film: "Wild Tales"Best Documentary: "Life Itself"William K. Everson Film History Award: Scott EymanBest Ensemble: "Fury"Spotlight Award: Chris Rock for writing, directing, and starring in "Top Five"NBR Freedom of Expression Award: "Rosewater"NBR Freedom of Expression Award: "Selma"
Top Films
"American Sniper""Birdman""Boyhood""Fury""Gone Girl""The Imitation Game""Inherent Vice""The LEGO Movie""Nightcrawler""Unbroken"
Top 5 Foreign Language Films
"Force Majeure""Gett: The Trial of Vivian Amsalem""Leviathan""Two Days, One Night""We Are the Best!"
Top 5 Documentaries
"Art and Craft""Jodorowsky’s Dune""Keep On Keepin’ On""The Kill Team""Last Days in Vietnam"
Top 10 Independent Films
"Blue Ruin""Locke""A Most Wanted Man""Mr. Turner""Obvious Child""The Skeleton Twins""Snowpiercer""Stand Clear of the Closing Doors""Starred Up""Still Alice"