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'Top Gun' named best film by National Board of Review

Posted December 19, 2022 5:00 am

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer

Tom Cruise returns as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in "Top Gun: Maverick," a long-awaited sequel to the 1986 "Top Gun." Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

NEW YORK - "Top Gun: Maverick," 2022's biggest box-office hit, has been named the best film of the year by the National Board of Review.

Though the National Board of Review, a long-running organization comprised of film enthusiasts and academics, has no overlap or correlation to other awards bodies, the win adds to the awards-season tailwinds for "Top Gun: Maverick" as not just a $1.5 billion worldwide smash but a legitimate Academy Awards contender. On Thursday, the Producers Guild Awards also announced that "Top Gun" star Tom Cruise will receive its David O. Selznick Achievement Award.

Tom Cruise returns as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in "Top Gun: Maverick," a long-awaited sequel to the 1986 "Top Gun." Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

The National Board of Review, which announced its picks Thursday, additionally awarded best cinematography to Claudio Miranda for the "Top Gun" sequel.

Jessica Henwick, from left, Kate Hudson and Janelle Monáe in a scene from "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery." Courtesy of Netflix

Steven Spielberg was awarded best director for his autobiographical family portrait, "The Fabelmans." Gabriel LaBelle, who plays a fictionalized stand-in for young Spielberg, also won for breakthrough performance.

Colin Farrell stars in "The Banshees of Inisherin." Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

"The Banshees of Inisherin" came away with the most wins from the board. Both of its stars, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, took acting honors for their performances as Irish friends who have an abrupt falling out. Writer-director Martin McDonagh won best original screenplay.

Stephanie Hsu, left, Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan in a scene from, "Everything Everywhere All At Once." Yeoh won best actress from the National Board of Review. Courtesy of A24 Films

Michelle Yeoh took best actress for her lauded performance in Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert's "Everything Everywhere All at Once." Best supporting actress went to Janelle Monáe for Rian Johnson's "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery."

Danielle Deadwyler, who plays Mamie Till-Mobley in Chinonye Chukwu's historical drama "Till," also won for breakthrough performance. The Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells, whose first feature "Aftersun" has been one of the year's most critically acclaimed films, won best directorial debut.

Steven Spielberg deftly directed "The Fabelmans," his autobiographical movie chronicling his passion for filmmaking. Courtesy of Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment

Sarah Polley's "Women Talking" took the best ensemble award. The cast of the film, about a dialogue between a group of Mennonite women who have been sexually assaulted by the men of their village, includes Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey and Ben Whishaw.

Other awards included "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On" for best animated feature; Lukas Dhont's tender coming-of-age tale "Close" for best international feature; and "Sr.," Robert Downey Jr.'s tribute to his filmmaking father, for best documentary.

The NBR Awards will be handed out in an untelevised gala on Jan. 8. Last year, the group awarded Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" best film.

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