Award season begins....

...with the useless National Board of Review. Here are their (always spotty) picks of the year. Don't you love how they try to give something to damn near everything? Oy.

TOP TEN FILMS OF 2004
1. Finding Neverland
2. The Aviator
3. Closer
4. Million Dollar Baby
5. Sideways
6. Kinsey
7. Vera Drake
8. Ray
9. Collateral
10. Hotel Rwanda

TOP FIVE FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS
1. The Sea Inside
2. Bad Education
3. Maria Full of Grace
4. Les Choristes
5. The Motorcycle Diaries

TOP FIVE DOCUMENTARIES OF 2004
1. Born into Brothels
2. Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession
3. Paper Clips
4. Supersize Me
5. The Story of the Weeping Camel

Best Film: Finding Neverland

Best Foreign Language Film: The Sea Inside

Best Documentary: Born into Brothels

Best Animated Feature: The Incredibles

Best Actor: Jamie Foxx, Ray

Best Actress: Annette Bening, Being Julia

Best Supporting Actor: Thomas Hayden Chuch, Sideways

Best Supporting Actress: Laura Linney, Kinsey

Best Acting by an Ensemble: Closer

Breakthrough Performance Actor: Topher Grace, In Good Company and P.S.

Breakthrough Performance Actress: Emmy Rossum, The Phantom of the Opera

Best Director: Michael Mann, Collateral

Best Directorial Debut: Zack Braff, Garden State

Best Adapted Screenplay: Sideways, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor

Best Original Screenplay: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Charlie Kaufman

Outstanding Production Design: House of Flying Daggers

Career Achievement: Jeff Bridges

Special Filmmaking Achievement: Clint Eastwood, for producing, directing, acting, and scoring Million Dollar Baby

Special Recognition of Films that Reflect the Freedom of Expression: Fahrenheit 9/11, The Passion of the Christ, Conspiracy of Silence

Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking

The National Board of Review, in keeping with its long tradition of recognizing excellence in filmmaking, is proud to salute the following films, crafted by visionary artists which demonstrate the creativity and determination which have always been vital to the film industry:

(Listed alphabetically)
The Assassination of Richard Nixon
Before Sunset
Door in the Floor
Enduring Love
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Facing Windows
Garden State
A Home at the End of the World
Imaginary Heroes
Since Otar Left
Stage Beauty
Undertow
The Woodsman