Editor

The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures named Good Night, and Good Luck the 2005 Best Film of the Year. Directed by George Clooney and released by Warner Independent Pictures, Good Night, And Good Luck takes place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950's America. The film chronicles the real-life conflict between television newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy.

For Best Actor and Actress of 2005, the NBR honors two performers whose mesmerizing metamorphosis into their characters was truly inspiring. The 2005 Best Actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, was selected for his performance in the title role of Capote. For the 2005 Best Actress honor, the NBR has selected Felicity Huffman for her performance in TransAmerica.

“Every year the NBR screens many wonderful films,” said President Annie Schulhof, “and it is always challenging to decide our top candidates. The 2005 Ten Best Films list reflects stories of human spirit, sacrifice, desire and political awareness, and also singles out the biopics of two extraordinary American artists. We are also proud to honor the special career achievements of Jane Fonda, Howard Shore, Saul Zaentz, David Cronenberg and George Feltenstein. The accounting firm of Konigsberg Wolf & Co., P.C. tabulated the actual ballots.”

The 2005 NBR Awards will be presented at the annual gala on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 at Tavern on the Green in New York City. Actor Paul Reiser will serve as the event’s Master of Ceremonies.

BEST TEN FILMS OF 2005

Best Film: Good Night, And Good Luck
And, in alphabetical order:

Brokeback Mountain

Capote

Crash

History of Violence

Match Point

Memoirs of a Geisha

Munich

Syriana

Walk the Line



BEST FIVE FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILMS OF 2005

Best Foreign-Language Film: Paradise Now

And, in alphabetical order:

2046

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Downfall

Walk on Water







BEST FIVE DOCUMENTARIES OF 2005

Best Documentary: March of the Penguins

And, in alphabetical order:

Ballets Russes

Grizzly Man

Mad Hot Ballroom

Murderball





Best Animated Feature: Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

Best Director: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain

Best Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote

Best Actress: Felicity Huffman, TransAmerica

Best Supporting Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain

Best Supporting Actress: Gong Li, Memoirs of a Geisha

Best Acting By An Ensemble: Mrs. Henderson Presents

Breakthrough Performance Actor: Terrence Howard, Crash, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and

Hustle & Flow

Breakthrough Performance Actress: Q’Orianka Kilcher, The New World

Best Directorial Debut: Julian Fellowes, Separate Lies

Best Adapted Screenplay: Stephen Gaghan, Syriana

Best Original Screenplay: Noah Baumbach, The Squid and the Whale

Best Film or Mini-Series Made for Cable TV: Lackawanna Blues

Career Achievement: Jane Fonda

Career Achievement in Film Music Composition: Howard Shore

Outstanding Achievement in Special Effects: King Kong

Billy Wilder Award for Excellence in Direction: David Cronenberg

William K. Everson Award for Film History: George Feltenstein

Producer of the Year Award: Saul Zaentz

Special Recognition of Films That Reflect Freedom of Expression:

Innocent Voices and The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till



Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking:

The National Board of Review, in keeping with its long tradition of recognizing excellence in filmmaking, is proud to salute the following films crafted by visionary artists, which demonstrate the creativity and determination always vital to the film industry.

(Listed Alphabetically)



Breakfast on Pluto

Cape of Good Hope

The Dying Gaul

Everything Is Illuminated

Hustle & Flow

Junebug

Layer Cake

Lord of War

Nine Lives

The Thing About My Folks

The Upside of Anger









The 2005 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Screening Committee, comprised of 150 members, votes on the following awards: Best Film, Best Foreign-Language Film, Best Documentary, Best Animated Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. Members of the Screening Group also vote on Best Film or Mini-Series Made for Cable TV, and must have seen all qualifying films before voting. The remaining awards are chosen by the Exceptional Photoplay Committee, first created in 1929. This committee, consisting of 12 members, also votes with the Screening Committee.



Formed in 1909, the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is dedicated to film, foreign and domestic, as both art and entertainment. The NBR has supported free expression in motion picture arts for over 96 years when, in an effort to avoid government censorship of films, the National Board became the unofficial clearinghouse for new movies. From 1916 into the 1950's thousands of motion pictures carried the legend "Passed by the National Board of Review" in their main titles. To the public, this was the catchphrase of confidence. The organization screens over 300 films each year and works to foster commentary on all aspects of film production, to endow scholarships for film students and to underwrite educational film programs and seminars; included amongst others are The Producers: Power-brokers, Women Directors: How to Hack It in Hollywood, The Documentary: Here’s Looking at You, and The Art of Screenwriting. For more information about the National Board of Review, log onto www.nbrmp.org.