‘MYSTIC River,” Clint Eastwood’s drama about three friends bound together by a tragic childhood event, won best picture honors yesterday from the National Board of Review.
The awards given by the board, a society of film buffs, are not generally a good predictor of the Oscars, but they command Hollywood’s attention as the season’s first and oldest competitive movie awards.
The board cited Sean Penn as best actor for his performances in “Mystic River” and the drama “21 Grams,” while best actress honors went to Diane Keaton for the comedy “Something’s Gotta Give,” in which she portrays a divorcee who falls in love with her daughter’s boyfriend.
Alec Baldwin was named best supporting actor for the romantic drama “The Cooler,” and Patricia Clarkson copped supporting actress honors for the family comedy-dramas “American Splendor” and for “Pieces of April.”
Awards for breakthrough performances went to Paul Giamatti, for “American Splendor” and Charlize Theron as a serial murderer in “Monster,” while “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” was cited for best ensemble performance.
Edward Zwick was named best director for “The Last Samurai.” “Finding Nemo” was chosen best animated picture and the French-Canadian “The Barbarian Invasions” was anointed best foreign picture.
Meanwhile, “In America” and “American Splendor” led the nominations announced for the Independent Spirit Awards yesterday, with five nods apiece.
Besides best picture, the immigrant drama “In America” drew nods for director Jim Sheridan, and lead actress Samantha Morton, as well as supporting actress Sarah Bolger and supporting actor Djimon Honsou.
“American Splendor” was nominated as best picture, with the team of Shari Springer and Robert Pulcini copping nods for best director and best screenplay. Paul Giamatti was nominated as best actor and Judah Friedlander for best supporting actor.
“Lost in Translation” was nominated as best picture and garnered double best director and best screenplay nods for Sofia Coppola and a best actor nomination for Bill Murray. Surprisingly, co-star Scarlett Johannson was not nominated.
The other best picture nominees are “Raising Victor Vargas” and “Shattered Glass.”
Besides Murray and Giamatti, best actor nominations went to Peter Dinklage (“The Station Agent”), Ben Kingsley (“House of Sand and Fog”) and Lee Pace (“Soldier’s Girl”).
Along with Morton, the other best actress nominees are Charlize Theron (“Monster”), Agnes Bruckner (“Blue Car”), Zooey Deschanel (“All the Real Girls”) and Elizabeth Moss (“Virgin”)
The awards, given by the Independent Feature Project, will be handed out on Feb. 28, the day before the Oscars.
