National Board of Review Winners

The National Board Review, one of the first major precursors to Oscars, has released the films, actors, and other filmmakers they loved during the past year. Note that last year, all of the acting winners were nominated, but ultimately didn't win the big prize at the Academy Awards. Furthermore, 8 of the last 10 Best Film winners have gone on to lose at the Oscars (Slumdog Millionaire and No Country For Old Men were the exceptions).

And the winners are...

Best Film
The Social Network

Top Ten Films
Another Year
The Fighter
Hereafter
Inception
The King’s Speech
Shutter Island
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

Out of the top 11 films listed, I've only seen 6 of them. Still not sure what that win for The Social Network means. Is it another No Country for Old Men or will be be another Up in the Air? At the very least, its Oscar nomination is pretty much locked already. The list itself isn't as shocking as year's past. They still love them some Clint Eastwood. Notable snubs include Blue Valentine, Black Swan, 127 Hours, and The Kids Are All Right.

Best Actor
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Best Actress
Lesley Manville, Another Year

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter

Best Supporting Actress
Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Breakthrough Performance
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone

Best Ensemble Cast
The Town

Again, an acting win here doesn't necessarily mean they're all now the front-runners in their respective categories, but it definitely helps get their names out there especially in a year where it seems like every category will be a fight to the death. At least that's what I'm hoping for. But man look at Jennifer Lawrence go. Also, great support for The Town.

Best Director
David Fincher, The Social Network

Spotlight Award for Best Directorial Debut
Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington, Restrepo

Best Original Screenplay
Chris Sparling, Buried

Best Adapted Screenplay
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

Special Filmmaking Achievement Award
Sofia Coppola, Somewhere

Best Animated Feature
Toy Story 3

The Social Network really won big with the NBR. Along with Best Film and an acting coup for Eisenberg, the two "stars" of the film aka director Fincher and writer Sorkin were also honored by the group. No comment on the other awards except to ask where did Chris Sparling come from?

Top Ten Independent Films
Animal Kingdom
Buried
Fish Tank
The Ghost Writer
Greenberg
Let Me In
Monsters
Please Give
Somewhere
Youth in Revolt

Last year, District 9 made this list on its way to an Academy Award Best Picture nomination. Anything here looking to be that film? Again, I'm shocked not to see Blue Valentine or 127 Hours here. I mean, Youth in Revolt? I've only seen 4 of the 10 films listed--Youth in Revolt, Greenberg, Ghost Writer, & Please Give.

Best Foreign Film
Of Gods and Men

Top Five Foreign Films
I Am Love
Incendies
Life, Above All
Soul Kitchen
White Material

Best Documentary
Waiting For “Superman”

Top Five Documentary Films
A Film Unfinished
Inside Job
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Restrepo
The Tillman Story

Out of the 12 films in Documentary and Foreign Film, I've seen a total of 1 film and that is the Tilda Swinton star-vehicle Italian film I Am Love, which I very much enjoyed.

William K. Everson Film History Award
Leonard Maltin

NBR Freedom of Expression
Fair Game
Conviction
Howl

So in summary, NBR really loved The Social Network. The actors who won today should be happy though not TOO HAPPY if their end goal is to win an Oscar. It can still very much happen for any of them, but this awards season is a long one and anything goes. I mean did you know last year Sandra Bullock actually won an Oscar... for acting? I KNOW RIGHT?!

Anyways, don't forget to check out my thoughts from earlier this week on the Independent Spirit Award nominations. And for any other posts concerning the awards season, hit up the Awards Season tag in the coming weeks/months!