Awards: 2014 National Board of Review Winners!

"A MOST VIOLENT YEAR" crowned Best Film, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress by the National Board of Review!

My favorite foreign films "We Are the Best", "Two Days, One Night" and "Force Majeure" are in the Top 5 Foreign Language Films!

Winners list
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 (Two Winners):  Rosewater, Selma

Top Films
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
Fury
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Lego Movie
Nightcrawler
Unbroken

Top 5 Foreign 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’
Last Days in Vietnam
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.”

A select group of knowledgeable film enthusiasts and professionals, academics, young filmmakers and students, the National Board of Review viewed over 272 films this year including studio, independent, foreign-language, animated and documentary selections.  These screenings were frequently followed by in-depth discussions with filmmakers, directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. Voting ballots were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz & Carr, LLP.

The National Board of Review honors diverse members of the film community at their annual Awards Gala, which also acts as a fundraiser for student grant philanthropy.  Hosted by Lara Spencer, this year’s gala will take place on January 6, 2015 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.

XXX
Raymond Lo

AFIFest2014: "Inherent Vice" added to line-up!

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today that Warner Bros. Pictures’ INHERENT VICE will play on Saturday, November 8 at AFI FEST presented by Audi.  The film is written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Paul Thomas Anderson, based on the novel by Thomas Pynchon, and stars Academy Award® nominees Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin and Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, Academy Award® winners Reese Witherspoon and Benicio Del Toro, Martin Short, Jena Malone and Joanna Newsom. The festival will also feature a conversation with Paul Thomas Anderson.

INHERENT VICE is the seventh feature from Academy Award® nominee Paul Thomas Anderson and the first ever film adaptation of a Thomas Pynchon novel.

When private eye Doc Sportello’s ex-old lady suddenly out of nowhere shows up with a story about her current billionaire land developer boyfriend whom she just happens to be in love with, and a plot by his wife and her boyfriend to kidnap that billionaire and throw him a loony bin…well, easy for her to say.

It’s the tail end of the psychedelic ‘60s and paranoia is running the day and Doc knows that “love” is another of those going around at the moment, like “trip” or “groovy,” that’s being way too overused—except that this one usually leads to trouble.

With a cast of characters that includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, LAPD Detectives, a tenor sax player working undercover, and a mysterious entity knows as the Golden Fang, which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentist…Part surf noir, part psychedelic romp – all Thomas Pynchon.

The film is produced by Anderson, together with Academy Award® nominees JoAnne Sellar and Daniel Lupi.

To reserve a seat at the Centerpiece Gala of INHERENT VICE, guests must purchase a festival package at the Star Patron or Marquee Patron levels.  AFI FEST Patron Packages and Passes include access to sold-out Galas and other high-demand films and events.  Passes are on sale now at AFI.com/AFIFEST, and AFI Members receive special discounts.  The American Film Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and cultural organization, and Patron Packages are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

Free individual tickets to AFI FEST screenings and Galas are available to the general public online at AFI.com beginning Friday, October 24.

AFI FEST will take place November 6 through 13, 2014 in Hollywood, CA, at the Dolby Theatre®, the TCL Chinese Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.  As previously announced, the Opening Night Gala will be the World Premiere of A MOST VIOLENT YEAR (DIR J.C. Chandor) on Thursday, November 6; the World Premiere of THE GAMBLER (DIR Rupert Wyatt) will be the Centerpiece Gala on Monday, November 10; Sophia Loren will be honored with a special Tribute on Wednesday, November 12; and FOXCATCHER (DIR Bennett Miller) will close the festival on Thursday, November 13.  The full festival lineup will be unveiled later this month.

For the 11th year, Audi is the festival’s presenting sponsor.  Additional top sponsors include AT&T, Coca-Cola, VIZIO, American Airlines (the official airline of AFI), Dunkin’ Donuts, Netflix and Stella Artois.  The festival’s venue sponsors include the Dolby Theatre, TCL Chinese Theatres, the Hollywood & Highland Center, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and the Egyptian Theatre.

See you at the festival!

XXX
Raymond Lo