Mad Max: Fury Road has been beloved by critics since it hit theaters May, but anyone hoping that it doesn’t lose steam during the awards season got a ray of hope. The film was named the Best Film of 2015 by the National Board of Review.
The group, which was founded in 1909, is not made up critics, but a group of “film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics and students.”
They have been pretty good at picking eventual Best Picture Oscar nominees, although last year was an anomaly when A Most Violent Year was named Best Film but it wasn’t nominated for any Oscars. The last time a Best Picture winner won the NBR top prize was 2008 when Slumdog Millionaire won both prizes. So, this does bode well for Mad Max’s Oscar chances.
Despite the top honor, Mad Max earned no other prizes. Ridley Scott’s The Martian won both Best Director, Best Actor (Matt Damon) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Drew Goddard). Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, which has only been seen by members of the industry and critics so far, won Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Jason Leigh).
Also, in the wake of Creed’s sterling reviews, Sylvester Stallone won Best Supporting Actor for playing an elder Rocky Balboa. There’s been some Oscar buzz surrounding his performance, especially after the film’s strong box office opening.
Cecilia DeMille Presley, the granddaughter of Cecil B. DeMille and vice chair of the National Film Preservation Foundation, won the 2015 William K. Everson Film History Award. Beats of No Nation and Mustang won the NBR Freedom of Expression Award.
Here’s all the awards:
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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