NBR Winners (2014 films)

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 Viviane 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

Fun Shoots

"Killers Kill, Dead Men Die": PART 2

Kirsten Dunst (as the Heiress), Bruce Willis (as the Gumshoe),

James McAvoy (as the Shutterbug)

Rinko Kikuchi (as the Queenpin), Abigail Breslin (as the Orphan),

Bill Nighy (as the Preacher), Penelope Cruz (as the Songbird),

Ben Affleck (as the Shamus)

Edward Norton (as the Undercover Cop), Kate Winslet

(as the Undercover Lady Cop), Robert De Niro (as the Rocketeer),

Jennifer Connelly (as the Informant), Helen Mirren (as the Aristocrat),

Julianne Moore (as the Mystery Woman)

Ginger of the Week

Tilda Swinton is one of those rare, off-beat actors, who manages to amaze audiences with every unique, powerhouse performance. Her Oscar winning role in 2006's "Michael Clayton" was mesmerizing and her new turn in 2011's "We Need to Talk About Kevin" (for which she just won the NBR Best Actress Award) is on track to score her another Academy accolade. Born in London, she attended Cambridge University and then set out to try her hand at theater. It was her supporting role in 2000's "The Beach" that put her on the Hollywood map. Since then she has had roles in "Vanilla Sky", "The Deep End", "Adaptation", and "The Chronicles of Narnia". Up next: "Moonrise Kingdom" (with Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, and Edward Norton).

Skip It

Film: DEATH TO SMOOCHY

Director: Danny DeVito

Actors: Edward Norton, Robin Williams, Catherine Keener, Danny DeVito, Jon Stewart, Michael Rispoli

Year: 2002

You would think that the film, with a cast that includes the likes of Catherine Keener, Edward Norton, and Robin Williams... AND a director that gave us "War of the Roses", "Hoffa", and "Throw Momma From the Train", would bare some resemblance to a decent flick. Not At All!!! "Death to Smoochy" is poorly written and Williams and Norton give over-the-top performances. Skip this turkey!

Performance of the Day

Actor: MOS DEF

Film: "The Italian Job"

Character: Left Ear

Year: 2003

A lot of musicians try to make the leap to acting and most of the time it DOESN'T work, but in the case of Mos Def... he's got the talent. He holds his own amongst a great cast (Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Ed Norton, and Donald Sutherland to name a few) and stands out as a funny guy. This is a great performance and an exciting film... so check it out.

Performance of the Day

Actor: EDWARD NORTON

Character: Gerald

Film: "Stone"

Year: 2010

Edward Norton has long been one of my favorite actors. He has shown his versatility with a wide range of characters over the last fifteen years. His most recent venture into cinema world was the little-known drama/thriller "Stone". Costarring Robert De Niro, Milla Jovovich, and (a tremendous) Frances Conroy, Norton takes over the screen with his portrayal of a manipulative convict.

Flick of the Day

Film: FIGHT CLUB

Director: David Finch

Actors: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Meatloaf, Jared Leto, Zach Grenier, Richmond Arquette

Year: 1999

Synopsis: A man with a hum-drum life meets an exciting rebel and everything changes.

Edward Norton (who is basically always good) stars as a bored insomniac. His life changes drastically when he meets soap salesman, Tyler Durgen, and chaos ensues. Brad Pitt is great, but Helena Bonham Carter is fantastic as a chain-smoking, nut-job.

Did You Know...

... Drew Barrymore and Edward Norton were roommates after they both starred in Woody Allen's "Everyone Says I Love You". Check out an amazing interview with Barrymore from Harper's Bazaar circa 1996. There's some good stuff in it (like Drew was originally attached to the Brandon Teena story, i.e. "Boys Don't Cry" which won Hilary Swank an Oscar in 2000. Imagine that!). Click on the link below to read the entire interview.

http://www.ivu.org/hkvegan/links/drew.html

PS: that 'secret' boyfriend Drew is referring to was... Luke Wilson.