Per long-running tradition, the 2012 edition of the National Association of Theatre Owners' annual convention came to a star-studded close with the Big Screen Achievement Awards gala, honoring noteworthy film talent in front of and behind the camera. Earning top honors on the acting end were Male Star of the Year Jeremy Renner, fresh off of the success of the Christmas season hit Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol and star of two blockbusters-in-waiting this summer, The Avengers and The Bourne Legacy; and Female Star of the Year Jennifer Garner, soon to be appearing in the family fantasy The Odd Life of Timothy Green and the dark comedy Butter. Anna Faris, co-star of The Dictator, was honored as Comedy Star of the Year; and a behind-the-scenes figure in comedy, Judd Apatow, producer of last summer's comedy sleeper Bridesmaids and writer/director of this December's This Is 40, was awarded the Award in Excellence in Filmmaking. As usual, NATO also saluted emerging talent, with Taylor Kitsch (John Carter, Battleship) being named Male Star of Tomorrow, and Chloë Grace Moretz (Dark Shadows, Hick) earning Female Star of Tomorrow honors; The Hunger Games and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island star Josh Hutcherson was named Breakthrough Performer of the Year, and Rock of Ages newcomer Diego Boneta was declared Rising Star of 2012. Veteran stars were given due for their lasting bodies of work with a trio of awards: Distinguished Decade of Achievement went to Prometheus and Snow White and the Huntsman star Charlize Theron; Dark Shadows and People Like Us co-star Michelle Pfeiffer was named Cinema Icon; and The Expendables 2 writer/star Sylvester Stallone earned the Career Achievement Award. The late summer sleeper and Oscar-winning The Help won Fandango Fan Choice Award For Favorite Movie of 2011.
Due to my lack of a CinemaCon Passport booklet, I was unable to attend and thus cover the actual awards show itself, hosted by Access Hollywood's Billy Bush, as I have in previous NATO convention years.
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