The 86th
National Board of Review Awards
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...
, honoring the best in film for
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, were announced on December 2, 2014.
Top 10 Films
Films listed alphabetically except top, which is ranked as Best Film of the Year:
*''
A Most Violent Year''
*''
American Sniper
''American Sniper'' is a 2014 American biographical war drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall. It is loosely based on the memoir '' American Sniper'' (2012) by Chris Kyle, with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice. The film ...
''
*''
Birdman''
*''
Boyhood''
*''
Fury''
*''
Gone Girl''
*''
The Imitation Game
''The Imitation Game'' is a 2014 American historical drama film directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Graham Moore, based on the 1983 biography '' Alan Turing: The Enigma'' by Andrew Hodges. The film's title quotes the name of the game c ...
''
*''
Inherent Vice
''Inherent Vice'' is a novel by American author Thomas Pynchon, originally published in August 2009. A darkly comic detective novel set in 1970s California, the plot follows sleuth Larry "Doc" Sportello whose ex-girlfriend asks him to investiga ...
''
*''
The Lego Movie
''The Lego Movie'' is a 2014 computer-animated adventure comedy film written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from a story by Lord, Miller, and Dan and Kevin Hageman. Based on the Lego line of construction toys, its story focu ...
''
*''
Nightcrawler''
*''
Unbroken''
Top Foreign Films
*''
Force Majeure''
*''
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem''
*''
Leviathan
Leviathan (; he, לִוְיָתָן, ) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Amos, and, according to some ...
''
*''
Two Days, One Night
''Two Days, One Night'' () is a 2014 Belgian-French-Italian drama film written and directed by the Dardenne brothers, starring Marion Cotillard and Fabrizio Rongione. It competed for the Palme d'Or in the main competition section at the 2014 Can ...
''
*''
We Are the Best!''
Top Documentaries
*''
Art and Craft
Mark Augustus Landis (born 1955) is an American painter who lives in Laurel, Mississippi. He is best known for "donating" large numbers of forged paintings and drawings to American art museums.
Life and career
Mark Landis was born in Norfolk, ...
''
*''
Jodorowsky's Dune
''Jodorowsky's Dune'' is a 2013 American-French documentary film directed by Frank Pavich. The film explores cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky's unsuccessful attempt to adapt and film Frank Herbert's 1965 science fiction novel ''Dune'' in ...
''
*''Keep On Keepin' On''
*''
The Kill Team''
*''
Last Days in Vietnam''
Top Independent Films
*''
Blue Ruin
''Blue Ruin'' is a 2013 American thriller film written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier and starring Macon Blair. Saulnier funded production on the film through a successful Kickstarter campaign, which MTV called "the perfect example of what c ...
''
*''
Locke''
*''
A Most Wanted Man''
*''
Mr. Turner
''Mr. Turner'' is a 2014 biographical drama film based on the last 25 years of the life of artist J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851). Written and directed by Mike Leigh, the film stars Timothy Spall in the title role, with Dorothy Atkinson, Paul Je ...
''
*''
Obvious Child
''Obvious Child'' is a 2014 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Gillian Robespierre (in her directorial debut) and stars Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann and David Cross. The story follows Donna, a stand-up comed ...
''
*''
The Skeleton Twins
''The Skeleton Twins'' is a 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Craig Johnson and starring Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. The film premiered in competition at 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2014. It won the Screenwriting Award: ...
''
*''
Snowpiercer
''Snowpiercer'' () is a 2013 post-apocalyptic science fiction action film based on the French climate fiction graphic novel ''Le Transperceneige'' by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette. The film was directed by Bong Joon-ho a ...
''
*''
Stand Clear of the Closing Doors
''Stand Clear of the Closing Doors'' is a 2013 drama film directed by Sam Fleischner. The story is about an autistic child named Ricky who, after a particularly difficult day at school, escapes into the New York City Subway. It was shown in the m ...
''
*''
Starred Up
''Starred Up'' is a 2013 British prison crime drama film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Jonathan Asser. Starring Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn and Rupert Friend, the film is based on Jonathan Asser's experiences working as a volu ...
''
*''
Still Alice''
Winners
Best Film:
*''
A Most Violent Year''
Best Director:
*
Clint Eastwood, ''
American Sniper
''American Sniper'' is a 2014 American biographical war drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall. It is loosely based on the memoir '' American Sniper'' (2012) by Chris Kyle, with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice. The film ...
''
Best Actor (tie):
*
Oscar Isaac
Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada (born March 9, 1979) is a Guatemalan-born American actor. Known for his versatility, he has been credited with breaking stereotypes about Latino characters in Hollywood. He was named the best actor of his gene ...
, ''A Most Violent Year''
*
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles, including Jack Butler in ''Mr. Mom'' (1983), Betelgeuse in '' Beetlejuice'' ...
, ''
Birdman''
Best Actress:
*
Julianne Moore
Julie Anne Smith (born December 3, 1960), known professionally as Julianne Moore, is an American actress. Prolific in film since the early 1990s, she is particularly known for her portrayals of emotionally troubled women in independent films, ...
, ''
Still Alice''
Best Supporting Actor:
*
Edward Norton
Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award and three Academy Award nominations.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised ...
, ''Birdman''
Best Supporting Actress:
*
Jessica Chastain, ''A Most Violent Year''
Best Original Screenplay:
*
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Philip Lord (born 12 July 1975) and Christopher Miller (born 23 September 1975) are an American filmmaking duo. After a meeting at Dartmouth College, they are known for creating the adult animated sitcom ''Clone High'' (2002–2003), directing an ...
, ''
The Lego Movie
''The Lego Movie'' is a 2014 computer-animated adventure comedy film written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from a story by Lord, Miller, and Dan and Kevin Hageman. Based on the Lego line of construction toys, its story focu ...
''
Best Adapted Screenplay:
*
Paul Thomas Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970), also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. He made his feature-film debut with '' Hard Eight'' (1996). He found critical and commercial success with ''Boogie Nights'' (1997) and received ...
, ''
Inherent Vice
''Inherent Vice'' is a novel by American author Thomas Pynchon, originally published in August 2009. A darkly comic detective novel set in 1970s California, the plot follows sleuth Larry "Doc" Sportello whose ex-girlfriend asks him to investiga ...
''
Best Animated Feature:
*''
How to Train Your Dragon 2
''How to Train Your Dragon 2'' is a 2014 American computer-animated action fantasy film loosely based on the book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox, it is the sequ ...
''
Breakthrough Performance:
*
Jack O'Connell Jack O'Connell may refer to:
* Jack O'Connell (actor) (born 1990), English actor
* Jack O'Connell (Australian politician) (1903–1972), member of the Victorian Legislative Council
* Jack O'Connell (diplomat) (1921–2010), American diplomat and C ...
, ''
Starred Up
''Starred Up'' is a 2013 British prison crime drama film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Jonathan Asser. Starring Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn and Rupert Friend, the film is based on Jonathan Asser's experiences working as a volu ...
'' and ''
Unbroken''
Best Directorial Debut:
*Gillian Robespierre, ''
Obvious Child
''Obvious Child'' is a 2014 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Gillian Robespierre (in her directorial debut) and stars Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann and David Cross. The story follows Donna, a stand-up comed ...
''
Best Foreign Language Film:
*''
Wild Tales''
Best Documentary:
*''
Life Itself''
William K. Everson Film History Award:
*
Scott Eyman
Scott Eyman (born March 2, 1951) is an American author, and former book editor and art critic of ''The Palm Beach Post''. He is a frequent book reviewer for ''The Wall Street Journal'' and ''Film Comment,'' and was a contributor for ''The New York ...
Best Ensemble:
*''
Fury''
Spotlight Award:
*
Chris Rock for writing, directing, and starring ''
Top Five
''Top Five'' is a 2014 American comedy film written and directed by Chris Rock. Produced by Scott Rudin and Eli Bush, the film stars Rock, Rosario Dawson, and Gabrielle Union, and follows New York City comedian and film star Andre Allen (Rock), ...
''.
NBR Freedom of Expression:
*''
Rosewater''
*''
Selma
Selma may refer to:
Places
*Selma, Algeria
*Selma, Nova Scotia, Canada
*Selma, Switzerland, village in the Grisons
United States:
*Selma, Alabama, city in Dallas County, best known for the Selma to Montgomery marches
*Selma, Arkansas
*Selma, Cali ...
''
References
{{NBR Awards Chron
National Board of Review Awards
2014 film awards
2014 in American cinema