And we’re off. With today’s announcement from the National Board of Review — that mysterious yet often prescient group that always names its award winners in early December — the Oscar race has now begun. Its recipients include No Country for Old Men (pictured) for best picture, Sweeney Todd’s Tim Burton for best director, George Clooney (Michael Clayton) and Julie Christie (Away from Her) for the lead acting prizes, and Casey Affleck (Jesse James) and Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) in the supporting races. Also included on the all-important NBR Top 10 Films list are The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Atonement, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bucket List, Into the Wild, Juno, The Kite Runner, Lars and the Real Girl, Michael Clayton, and Sweeney Todd.
What does all this mean to the overal Oscar picture? Last year, four of the five eventual best picture nominees were first part of the NBR Top 10 (only The Queen wasn’t). So while today’s news doesn’t necessarily sound the death knell for any particular film, it’s certainly not good news for American Gangster, Charlie Wilson’s War, or There Will Be Blood. And as always, the NBR list, which last year included head-scratchers like The History Boys, features a few surprise inclusions, like Bourne (yay!) and the upcoming Jack Nicholson dramedy The Bucket List, which seemed to be a Golden Globe contender at best. But at this point, it cemented films like No Country, Atonement, Juno, Kite Runner, Clayton, and Sweeney as movies to watch in the coming months.
Comments (1-30) of 611 Add your comment
So..
no love whatsoever for ‘I’m Not There’…
ok.. fine..
F*#% YOU, NBR!!!
ahem..
Jesse James was one of the worst movies of the year. So lame. Atonement is number one in my book. Beautiful and haunting…
i agree with the “i’m not there” snub, “jesse james” & “michael clayton” were fantastic, but did they not see “before the devil knows you’re dead”?
The win for Casey Affleck is truly fantastic… [i]The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford[/i] is still the best film of the year so far.
Hooray for Tim Burton! My God, the man’s never even been nominated for an Oscar. I predict “Sweeney Todd” to sweep the Awards. And no awards for Aaron Sorkin = good thing. The man is a hack.
I’m glad Atonement and The Kite Runner were acknowledged. I’m disappointed NBR didn’t have enough guts to give the Best Actor award to Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood, and Across the Universe wasn’t acknowledged at least as a Top Ten film of the year.
What, no love for Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen for “Eastern Promises”? What the hell does Viggo have to do to get any reccognition?
Nicole Kidman, Margot at the Wedding
Yay! Juno love!
Tim Burton! Sweeney Todd! It’s time someone recognized the genius!
Add a yay for Bourne from me.
Yeah thank god someone recognized Bourne. I don’t understand why it’s not getting more buzz when it got amazing reviews and made a LOT of money.
Too bad Jennifer Garner didn’t win Supporting Actress.
WHAT ABOUT RESCUE DAWN???????????????????
How is it that George Clooney can make flop after flop and still be named? He can’t act and if he is not in a film with 5 or more GOOD actors his films don’t make money. I wish he would dry up and blow away.
timspradlinmusic.com
ah yes…JULIE CHRISTIE…so good an early movie that opened small was rembered.
Julie was the best in 1965 and that still holds true.
ah yes…JULIE CHRISTIE…so good an early movie that opened small was remembered.
Julie was the best in 1965 and that still holds true.
I can’t believe anyone actually expected NBR to acknowledge something as complex as “I’m Not There.” I mean, they included “The Bucket List” for crying out loud! I’m glad “Jesse James” is getting some recognition.
Glad to see Bourne on the list, along with a couple of other nice surprises…but disappointed that Gone Baby Gone didn’t make the cut.
Jesse James was AMAZING…it deserves all awards it may get,. No Country was so overrated, great cinematography and some great acting but by no means as wonderful as all the credit it is being given.
If you haven’t seen “No Country” then get out to a theater, and see it! You will know why this movie should win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It also is great to see Tim Burton acknowledged.I look forward to his latest Johhny Depp collaboration. I also am anxiously awaiting the chance to see Juno. It also deserves the attention it is garnering. 07′ turned out to be a pretty good year for cinema. Pickles, and Peaches for all!
Has anyone on the NBR actually seen “There Will Be Blood?” It might be shaping up to be the “Children of Men” of this year.
Michael Clayton was little more than an inferior John Grisham clone. Zodiac completely blew it away. so did Gone, Baby, Gone.
Where’s Chris Cooper for “Breach?” Clooney was fine, but Cooper — Dang!
I don’t know why everyone is so excited about this year’s crop of movies. Even the good ones are only good, not great. Many of them are just plain BORING. Somewhere along the lines filmmakers forgot to entertain. That’s why it’s so nice to see “Bourne” on the list.
God I HATED Michael Clayton and thought George Clooney slept walked through the role(as he does with every role). Otherwise, I think their picks are right on. Especially Casey Affleck and Amy Ryan.
Oh, no! I was hoping that 3 small movies from early during the year, PARIS JE T’AIME, THE NAMESAKE, and ONCE, would somehow be recognized by the NBR, who usually support the underdogs. With the exception of Julie Christie and Amy Ryan, these are very mainstream choices.
Into the Wild is the best film of the year, nothing else has compared so far.
Hey, History Boys was NOT a head-scratcher… Though the play was infinitely better, the movie was great too. Don’t hate on my boys.
George Clooney again? This guy just plays the same guy over and over again..Johnny Depp is never the same “he” is an actor not himself, when will he be be reconized?
I agree with almost everything everyone’s said so far. I’ve seen almost all the movies here mentioned (including Sweeney Todd last night) and I love the nods to Gone Baby Gone and the Ass. of Jesse James.
Michael Clayton is a bore and No Country is phenomenal.
Bourne Ultimatum was a complex and gripping actioner- the best of the summer.
Loved Lars and the Real Girl, and I think Charlie Wilson’s War won’t be that good. My only surprise was no recognition for Talk to Me, staring Don Cheadle. I also would have liked some love thrown to 3:10 to Yuma