The race leading to Oscar gold began Wednesday when The Hours, director Stephen Daldry’s poignant drama based on Michael Cunningham’s novel, which was itself based on Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, was named best picture of 2002 by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.The Paramount release, which stars Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore, opens December 27. The first organisation to announce its picks for best of the year, the National Board of Review is made up of educators, writers, film historians and film students. Last year, the group chose Moulin Rouge as best picture, and the musical went on to be nominated for numerous Academy Awards. The board selected dark horse Campbell Scott as best actor for his role as a cynical New York advertising executive who learns about love from his nephew in the independent film Roger Dodger. Scott beat out such favourites as Jack Nicholson for About Schmidt and Michael Caine for The Quiet American. Moore was named best actress for her performance as a ’50s housewife who discovers her husband is gay in Todd Haynes’ lush melodrama Far From Heaven. Chris Cooper was named best supporting actor for his performance as an eccentric orchid thief in the comedy Adaptation, and Kathy Bates won best supporting actress for her colourful free spirit in the comedy-drama About Schmidt.Australian Philip Noyce picked up best director honours for two films currently in release, The Quiet American, based on Graham Greene’s 1955 novel, and Rabbit-Proof Fence, a drama about the Australian government’s forcible removal of mixed-race aboriginal children from their families. Charlie Kaufman was named screenwriter of the year for Adaptation, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Human Nature.Best documentary honours went to Michael Moore’s controversial Bowling for Columbine while Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away from Japan took best animated feature. (LATWP)
