Theater News

Burton, Coen, Christie, Ryan, et al. Win National Board of Review Awards

The National Board of Review has announced its 2007 Awards for the year’s best films and performances.

Best Film, Adapted Screenplay, and Ensemble Cast went to No Country for Old Men, written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Ethan Coen’s first group of short plays, Almost an Evening, will debut next month at the Atlantic Theater Stage 2.

Tim Burton was named Best Director for his film version of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s musical Sweeney Todd, which was also named one of the group’s top 10 films.

Stage veteran and Oscar winner Julie Christie was named Best Actress for Away From Her, while Oscar winner George Clooney was named Best Actor for Michael Clayton, another of the group’s top-10 films.

Two-time Tony Award nominee Amy Ryan was named Best Supporting Actress for Gone Baby Gone, which also earned a Best Directorial Debut award for Ben Affleck. His younger brother, Casey Affleck, was named Best Supporting Actor for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, which also made the group’s top-10 list. Other acting winners included actors Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild) and Ellen Page (Juno).

Additional films recognized by the group include The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Body of War, Ratatouille, Lars and the Reel Girl, Atonement, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bucket List, and The Kite Runner.