Eastwood’s ‘Iwo Jima’ Takes Board of Review Top Honors

The National Board of Review has published its kudos for 2006 and at the top of the list is the soon to be released Clint Eastwood follow-up to the dreadful Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, which hits theaters on December 20.

Granted, this throws a wild wrench into the Oscar framework as this film was just recently moved into the December release calendar, obviously because Warner Bros. saw award potential and that has now proven to be a good move. This also means Clint Eastwood is now nipping at Martin Scorsese’s heels for Best Director, an award I believe he stole for Marty in 2005, but who am I to say such things? Oh, that’s right, Brad Brevet… Deal!

Sneaking a quick peak at the rest of the just announced goodness I see Marty managed his director spot with the NBR, Helen Mirren scored actress position (not a shocker), Djimon Hounsou got a much deserved spot in the supporting actor category for Blood Diamond (loved it!), ensemble cast goes to The Departed and unfortunately I have not seen The Last King of Scotland so I don’t know if Forest Whitaker deserved the actor nod or not, but I have heard it is good.

As for the rest of the list and the other contenders for the top prize, check ’em out below…

Best Film: LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
Best Director: MARTIN SCORSESE, The Departed
Best Actor: FOREST WHITAKER, The Last King of Scotland
Best Actress: HELEN MIRREN, The Queen
Best Supporting Actor: DJIMON HOUNSOU, Blood Diamond
Best Supporting Actress: CATHERINE O’HARA, For Your Consideration
Best Foreign Film: VOLVER
Best Documentary: AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Best Animated Feature: CARS
Best Ensemble Cast: THE DEPARTED
Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: RYAN GOSLING, Half Nelson
Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: (2) JENNIFER HUDSON, Dreamgirls and RINKO KIKUCHI, Babel

Best Directorial Debut: JASON REITMAN, Thank You for Smoking
Best Original Screenplay: ZACH HELM, Stranger Than Fiction
Best Adapted Screenplay: RON NYSWANER, The Painted Veil