NBR loves "Killers of the Flower Moon", "The Holdovers", and "Poor Things"

by Nathaniel R

The National Board of Review, now in their 94th year (!), have released their annual winners list. They've generally been very beholden to perceived Oscar contenders. Habitually they're obsessed with already canonized American directors and this year is no exception with Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon taking their top prize. They also found room for multiple citations for Alexander Payne's dramedy The Holdovers. and Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things. Other films only scored one prize. Curiously Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron was in their top ten list but it did not win Best Animated Feature. The latter prize went to Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse (which was not in the top ten films). Such are the mysteries of awards season... and the need to fill lots of banquet tables at events with something for every distributor!

I kid, I kid. But the winners and a few more notes are after the jump... 

BEST FILM Killers of the Flower Moon
TOP FILMS (alphabetical)

• Barbie
• The Boy and the Heron
• Ferrari
• The Holdovers
• The Iron Claw
• Maestro
• Oppenheimer
• Past Lives
• Poor Things

Typically the Best Film winner is nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars though every once in awhile the crossover doesn't happen (most recently with Da 5 Bloods, 2020)

BEST DIRECTOR Martin Scorsese - Killers of the Flower Moon

As Variety points out the NBR director prize rarely precedes an Oscar win though the last time it happened was with... you guessed it, Martin Scorsese. Scorsese has now tied David Lean for the most director prizes at the NBRs with four wins. Scorsese previously won for The Age of Innocence (1993), The Departed (2006), and Hugo (2011).

BEST ACTRESS Lily Gladstone - Killers of the Flower Moon

The winner here usually repeats as a nominee at the Oscars though sometimes they miss (Rachel Zegler in West Side Story and Amy Adams in Arrival being recent examples). It's very early in precursor season but Gladstone already has multiple wins as the victimized Osage wife.

BEST ACTOR Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers

...Same deal here with converting the prize to an Oscar nod. (Recent misses include Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems and Tom Hanks in The Post)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Mark Ruffalo - Poor Things

The supporting prizes are where the NBR tends to stray more from the perceived Oscar expectations than in the lead categories but this year they're right in line with where traction appears to be happening. 

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE - Teyana Taylor - A Thousand And One

BEST ENSEMBLE - The Iron Claw

This is a major get for The Iron Claw since it hasn't been generating much discussion yet. And it is a good choice for this sort of prize since the collective is the real draw as opposed to any one actor who is supported well by the others. 

NBR "ICON" AWARD - Bradley Cooper

They want him in the room!

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY - The Holdovers by David Hemingson

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY - Poor Things by Tony McNamara

BEST DIRECTORIAL DEBUT - Celine Song, Past Lives

Yay!

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

BEST DOCUMENTARY - Still: A Michael J Fox Movie 
TOP FIVE DOCUMENTARY (alpha order):

• 20 Days in Mariupol
• 32 Sounds
• The Eternal Memory
• The Pigeon Tunnel
• A Still Small Voice

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM: Anatomy of a Fall
TOP FIVE INTERNATIONAL (alpha order):

• La Chimera
• Fallen Leaves
• The Teacher's Lounge
• Tótem
• The Zone of Interest

La Chimera and Anatomy of a Fall are not eligible at the Oscars for Best International Feature but they're eligible in other categories. 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN STUNT ARTISTY: John Wick Chapter 4

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY: Rodrigo Prieto for Barbie AND Killers of the Flower Moon

TOP 10 INDEPENDENT FILMS (alpha order)

• All Dirt Roads taste Like Salt
• All of Us Strangers
• Blackberry
• Earth Mama
• Flora and Son
• The Persian Version
• Scrapper
• Showing Up
• Theater Camp
• A Thousand and One

A truly eclectic list this time. 

What do you make of their choices this year?

Comments

[charlea]

I just watched A Thousand and One last night and I can confirm that Teyana Taylor richly deserves that breakthrough award. She was tremendous in that film which was solid throughout. I’d be happy to see her in the Oscar lineup.

You guys, this Da’Vine Joy Randolph thing is flying WAY over my head. I’m continuing to be baffled at how someone would watch that performance and say “this was the best acting I saw from a supporting actress for the entire year”. She was ok. I’m just…so confused.

Meanwhile I’m thrilled about Giamatti. I personally don’t think he’s been better. Really hoping he makes the Oscar lineup.

Best Ensemble going to The Iron Claw is interesting. I haven’t seen that film yet but it does seem at least more ensembly than Showing Up which snagged the Altman Ensemble award at the Spirits. That was kind of a head scratcher to me. Is this just a weak year for ensemble films?

[Wae Mest]

Lily Gladstone is very talented (should have earned a nomination for CERTAIN WOMEN), but her role here is sadly underwritten and I really don't think gives her enough to work with. And in such a stacked year - Sandra Hüller, Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, Greta Lee, Teyana Taylor, Emma Stone, Margot Robbie, Carey Mulligan, (possibly) Fantasia, and on - I can't justify even nominating her.

[charlea]

@Wae Mest: I mostly agree with everything you wrote, except I *probably* would find a way to squeeze her into my personal lineup. But I don’t think, based on the performance, that she should be higher than 5th place. It’s a good performance but the script does let her down. It’s still early in the season but if this does turn into a “sweeper” winning everything, it’s going to age poorly very fast because the role itself doesn’t have enough. Voters should ask themselves, “Was the performance the BEST acting I saw all year long from a leading actress?”. I really don’t see how they could say yes.

[Cláudio Alves]

charlea -- Well, she's on my ballot, but not at fifth. And I do ask myself, "Was the performance the BEST acting I saw all year long from a leading actress?" I just happen to have a different answer than you guys.

[thevoid99]

I'm just happy that Showing Up got a mention though I feel like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse should be getting more love.