Yes, you read that correctly. The smash hit, by director George Miller, has just nabbed the coveted best picture from The National Board of Review.ย Mad Max: Fury Roadย now joins the ranks of legendary films such asย Citizen Kane, Schindler’s Listย andย Pulp Fiction, who are all best picture winners.
While Mad Max was one of the most positively received films of 2015, this may come as a bit of a shock to most. High octane action films likeย Mad Max: Fury Roadย do not normally win these kind of awards, regardless of their quality. Looking back at previous Best Picture winners from The National Board of Review, we can seeย a very slim number of films that could be categorized within the action film genre. Letters to Iwo Jimaย andย Zero Dark Thirtyย standout in this film genre, butย Mad Max: Fury Roadย is certainly a movie that takes it to another level entirely. With aย Best Picture award under its’ belt, one can only wonder how it will fare during Oscar season, especially since it joined the race not too long ago.
For those who may not know, The National Board of Review has been around for 106 years and describes itself as a group who have “…dedicated its efforts to the support of film, domestic or foreign, as both art and entertainment.” Mad Max: Fury Roadย did not win any other categories, this is a massive leap forward for both the genre and director George Miller. Notable absences include The Revenant, andย Star Wars: The Force Awakens, while Ridley Scott’sย The Martian,ย and the yet to be releasedย The Hateful Eight won a fair amount of the other awards.
Other categories and winners are as followed:
Best Film: โMad Max: Fury Roadโ
Best Director: Ridley Scott, โThe Martianโ
Best Actor: Matt Damon, โThe Martianโ
Best Actress: Brie Larson, โRoomโ
Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone, โCreedโ
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh, โThe Hateful Eightโ
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, โThe Hateful Eightโ
Best Adapted Screenplay: Drew Goddard, โThe Martianโ
Best Animated Feature: โInside Outโ
Breakthrough Performance: Abraham Attah, โBeasts of No Nationโ and Jacob Tremblay, โRoomโ
Best Directorial Debut: Jonas Carpignano, โMediterraneaโ
Best Foreign Language Film: โSon of Saulโ
Best Documentary: โAmyโ
William K. Everson Film History Award: Cecilia De Mille Presley
Best Ensemble: โThe Big Shortโ
Spotlight Award: โSicarioโ for outstanding collaborative vision
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: โBeasts of No Nationโ and โMustangโ
What do you think ofย Mad Max: Fury Road winning Best Picture? Did it deserve it or not? Will it get an Oscar nod? Sound off below!
