The OC Looks at the NBR

Lesley Manville wins NBR Best Actress for Mike Leigh's "Another Year." Does it boost her Oscar chances???

Here is the press release from the National Board of Review's announcement today TFGF#37 films are Big and Bold):

New York, NY – December 2, 2010 – The National Board of Review named The Social Network the 2010 Best Film of the Year. Directed by David Fincher, this timeless drama explores the moment at which Facebook, the most revolutionary social phenomenon of the new century, was invented and the resulting lawsuits. The film was released on October 1st by Columbia Pictures.
Below is a full list of the awards given by the National Board of Review:

Best Film: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network
Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Best Actress: Lesley Manville, Another Year
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress: Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Best Foreign Language Film: Of Gods and Men
Best Documentary: Waiting for "Superman"
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Ensemble Cast: The Town
Breakthrough Performance: Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Best Directorial Debut: Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington, Restrepo
Spotlight Award: Sylvain Chomet and Jacques Tati, The Illusionist
Best Original Screenplay: Chris Sparling, Buried
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Special Filmmaking Achievement Award: Sofia Coppola for writing, directing, and producing Somewhere
William K. Everson Film History Award: Leonard Maltin (not a film, but a Telluride fixture)
NBR Freedom of Expression: Fair Game, Conviction, Howl
Production Design Award: Dante Ferretti, Shutter Island

Ten Best Films
(in alphabetical order)
Another Year

The Fighter

Hereafter

Inception

The King’s Speech

Shutter Island

The Town

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter’s Bone

Five Best Foreign-Language Films
(in alphabetical order)

I Am Love

Incendies

Life, Above All

Soul Kitchen

White Material

Five Best Documentaries
(in alphabetical order)
A Film Unfinished

Inside Job

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

Restrepo

The Tillman Story

Top Ten Independent Films
(in alphabetical order)
Animal Kingdom

Buried

Fish Tank (TFF #36)

The Ghost Writer

Greenberg

Let Me In

Monsters

Please Give

Somewhere

Youth in Revolt

Boy, the NBR has swallowed "The Social Network" Kool-Aid.

Glad to see the accolades for "The King's Speech" and very glad for "Another Year" on the list of 10 and very pleased there is some recognition for "The Illusionist." I'm also happy for Mr. Leonard Maltin with whom I had a great conversation about 3D in film while in Telluride. Congratulations Mr. M!

...but no mention of "Black Swan," "The Way Back," or "127 Hours" seems criminal. Personally, I think that "TS3", and "Social Network" are pretty over-rated anyway (as is the NBR snubbed "Kids Are All Right").

Most Oscarologists don't think the NBR really is much of a harbinger or has much effect...I can only hope that's true.