The first major awards ceremony of the season, the National Board of Review, announced winners last night, releasing a mad Twitter/Facebook/blog avalanche of excitement here at Madman HQ…
One of the big excitements of the NBR ceremony was the announcement of Jacki Weaver’s award for Best Supporting Actress. The veteran Aussie actress (who laughs when US publications refer to her as a ‘newcomer’) is all set for an Oscar nomination thanks to her NBR Award, which is often seen as an early indicator of the Academy Awards nominations. Weaver’s Janine “Smurf” Cody is a chilling, snake-eyed matriarch: at once sugar and poison with a fiercely primal protectiveness of her sons – it’s enough to give you goosebumps.
The list of top foreign films were also a pleasing mix of titles, with a few gastronomy-laced films making our tummies growl with hungry longing. Fatih Akin’s gastronomic feast for the eyes and the funny bone, SOUL KITCHEN, was part of the top 5, its booty-shakin’ recipe of cool tunes, hot stars and belly-laughs satiating the appetites of the NBR’s judges. It seems the NBR was made up primarily of foodies this year: another one of the other top foreign films was I AM LOVE. This fabulously luxuriant delight stars Tilda Swinton, who also produced the flick, and co-stars a host of delicious dishes and the beautiful Italian countryside. Yum!
Of the top independent films of the year, David Michôd’s ANIMAL KINGDOM was in the list, as was Gareth Edwards’ road movie-come-sci fi MONSTERS. Top documentaries included JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK and the shockingly bitter reality of war, RESTREPO, for which directors Sebastian Junger and Tim Hethrington also picked up the gong for best debut directors.
Madman
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