National Board of Review crowns Spielberg’s The Post as best film of 2017

Early reactions to Steven Spielberg's THE POST, which chronicles the story of the journalists who published the leaked documents of the Pentagon Papers regarding the involvement of the United States government during the Vietnam War, have been quite positive, with many saying that the film will likely be a major Oscar contender, but the upcoming film has already snagged its first award as the National Board of Review have crowned THE POST as the Best Film of 2017.

The 108-year-old organization, which is comprised of "film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals and academics," also gave THE POST Best Actor and Best Actress awards for the lead performances by Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. In a statement, NBR president Annie Schulhof said: "The Post is a beautifully crafted film that deeply resonates at this moment in time. We are so thrilled to award it our best film as well as to honor the wonderfully talented Greta Gerwig as our best director." Here's the list of the 2017 National Board Review winners, as well as their picks for the top films of the year, which include LOGAN, GET OUT, and THE DISASTER ARTIST.

Best Film: THE POST

Best Director: Greta Gerwig (LADY BIRD)

Best Actor: Tom Hanks (THE POST)

Best Actress: Meryl Streep (THE POST)

Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe (THE FLORIDA PROJECT)

Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf (LADY BIRD)

Best Original Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson (PHANTOM THREAD)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber (THE DISASTER ARTIST)

Best Animated Feature: COCO

Breakthrough Performance: Timothée Chalamet (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)

Best Directorial Debut: Jordan Peele (GET OUT)

Best Foreign Language Film: FOXTROT

Best Documentary: JANE

Best Ensemble: GET OUT

Spotlight Award: WONDER WOMAN, Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot

NBR Freedom of Expression Award:  FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER

NBR Freedom of Expression Award:  LET IT FALL: LOS ANGELES 1982-1992

Top Films:

BABY DRIVER
CALL MY BY YOUR NAME
THE DISASTER ARTIST
DOWNSIZING
DUNKIRK
THE FLORIDA PROJECT
GET OUT
LADY BIRD
LOGAN
PHANTOM THREAD

Top 10 Independent Films:

BEATRIZ AT DINNER
BRIGSBY BEAR
A GHOST STORY
LLADY MACBETH
LOGAN LUCKY
LOVING VINCENT
MENASHE
NORMAN: THE MODERATE RISE AND TRAGIC FALL OF A NEW YORK FIXER
PATTI CAKE$
WIND RIVER

The winners will be recognized at a gala on January 9, 2018 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. Are there any notable snubs in NBR's list?

The official synopsis for THE POST:

Katharine Graham is the first female publisher of a major American newspaper — The Washington Post. With help from editor Ben Bradlee, Graham races to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spans three decades and four U.S. presidents. Together, they must overcome their differences as they risk their careers — and very freedom — to help bring long-buried truths to light.

THE POST hits theaters on December 22, 2017 in limited release, before expanding wide on January 12, 2018.