Yesterday, the New York Film Critics Circle named Boyhood as the best film of 2014. Today, the National Board of Review has revealed they decided to go a different way by selecting J.C. Chandor's A Most Violent Year for the year's best film. The NBR must have been enraptured with the tale of a guy trying to get a loan because they also gave the movie Best Actor for Oscar Isaac (who tied in the category with Michael Keaton for Birdman) and Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Chastain.
It's a list filled with choices I don't really agree with (other than The LEGO Movie for Best Original Screenplay even though they gave Best Animated Feature to How to Train Your Dragon 2), but the one that really gets me is giving Best Director to Clint Eastwood for American Sniper. Combine that with Jersey Boys and 2014 showed that Eastwood really needs to stop directing movies because he has no vision whatsoever. Hit the jump for the full list of winners, which also includes the National Board of Review's Top Films of 2014 list.
Via NBR.
A MOST VIOLENT YEAR
NAMED 2014 BEST FILM OF THE YEAR BY
THE NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW
***
2014 Gala to be held on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 hosted by Lara Spencer
New York, NY – (December 2, 2014) – The National Board of Review has named A MOST VIOLENT YEAR the 2014 Best Film of the Year.
Below is a full list of the awards given by the National Board of Review:
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 Eyman
Best 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
"A Most Violent Year is an exhilarating crime drama with a compelling story, outstanding performances, and an elegant cinematic style,” said Annie Schulhof, NBR President. “J.C. Chandor has given us a new and provocative perspective on the American Dream."