Hey folks, Harry here with the NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW results for their end of the year tally. Now the most interesting thing here for me (currently in Tolkien-mania) is that while FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING didn't get listed in the top 10 films according to this group, they did award the film a SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING award... whatever the hell that means. Meanwhile they gave MOULIN ROUGE the BEST FILM Award, which I have to admit being delighted upon many levels with. Very odd list. Many in there that I disagree with, but... heck... that's the nature of lists....

The Gala is on Monday January, 7, 2002: at Tavern on the Green. The Master of Ceremonies - Peter Riegert

BEST FILM: "Moulin Rouge"

TOP TEN:

1. "Moulin Rouge"

2. "In The Bedroom"

3. "Ocean's 11"

4. "Memento"

5. "Monster's Ball"

6. "Black Hawk Down"

7. "The Man Who Wasn't There"

8. "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"

9. "The Pledge"

10. "Mulholland Drive"

BEST FOREIGN FILM: "Amores Perros"

Runners-up: "Behind the Sun"
"Dark Blue World"
"No Man's Land"
"Amelie"

BEST ACTOR: Billy Bob Thornton, "Monster's Ball" and "The Man Who Wasn't There"

BEST ACTRESS: Halle Berry, "Monster's Ball"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jim Broadbent, "Iris" and "Moulin Rouge"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett, "The Man Who Cried," "The Shipping News," and "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"

BEST DIRECTOR: Todd Field, "In The Bedroom"

BEST DOCUMENTARY: "The Endurance"

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER: Naomi Watts, "Mulholland Drive"

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER: Hayden Christensen, "Life as a House"

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Jon Voight

BILLY WILDER AWARD, EXCELLENCE IN DIRECTION: Steven Spielberg

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: Peter Jackson, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"

DIRECTORIAL DEBUT: John Cameron Mitchell, "Hedwig & The Angry Inch"

ACTING ENSEMBLE AWARD: "Last Orders"

WILLIAM K. EVERSON AWARD FOR FILM HISTORY: Martin Scorsese, "Il Mio Viaggo in Italia"

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: "Shrek"

BEST FILM MADE FOR CABLE TV: "Wit"

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"

These excellent motion pictures explicitly addressed freedom of expression. Given its history of defending freedom of expression, the National Board of Review is proud to recognize these films in this context. They reflect and provoke concern for those who still live in worlds where prejudices and intolerance still exist.

"Baran"

"Jung (War) in the Land of the Muhjaheddin"

"Kandahar"

SPECIAL MENTION FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILMMAKING These motion pictures, crafted by visionary artists, demonstrate the creativity and determination that have always been vital to the film industry.

IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

"The Anniversary Party"

"The Deep End"

"Diamond Men"

"Ghost World"

"Happy Accidents"

"Iris"

"Lantana"

"L.I.E."

"Pinero"

"Sexy Beast" BEST SCREENPLAY: "In The Bedroom" by Rob Festinger & Todd Field