National Board of Review names 'Zero Dark Thirty' Best Movie

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The National Board of Review named the Pakistan-set, terrorism-themed drama "Zero Dark Thirty" the Best Movie of 2012.

The group of film experts also voted "Zero" helmer Kathryn Bigelow Best Director and star Jessica Chastain Best Actress.

The movie follows a CIA agent's dogged hunt for Osama bin Laden, which led to the al-Qaida leader's death during a May 2011 raid by U.S. Navy SEALs.

Bradley Cooper was declared Best Actor for his work in "Silver Linings Playbook," which also took the prize for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Ann Dowd of "Compliance" and Leonardo DiCaprio of "Django Unchained" won for Best Supporting Actress and Actor respectively.

The Best Original Screenplay prize went to "Looper," while "Wreck-It Ralph" was named Best Animated Movie and "Amour" Best Foreign Language Film.

"Searching for Sugar Man" earned the prize for Best Documentary and the stars of "Les Miserables" the accolade for Best Ensemble.

The board's Top 10 films in alphabetical order are "Argo," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Django Unchained," "Les Miserables," "Lincoln," "Looper," "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," "Promised Land" and "Silver Linings Playbook."

The group also recognized 10 exceptional independent films. They are "Arbitrage," "Bernie," "Compliance," "End of Watch," "Hello I Must Be Going," "Little Birds," "Moonrise Kingdom," "On the Road," "Quartet" and "Sleepwalk with Me."