The National Board of Review is described as “a non-profit organization of New York City film enthusiasts,” but it’s treated as a serious barometer of the Oscar climate — nomination-wise, anyway. Per Variety:
Over the last 40 years, most of the winners of NBR’s best film has gone on to receive an Oscar nomination for best picture […] So far this decade, Spike Lee’s war drama “Da 5 Bloods” (2020) is the only film to fail to achieve Oscar recognition. Notably, since the Academy expanded the best picture lineup from five to 10 in 2009, NBR and the Oscars have only matched [winners] once with “Green Book” (2018).
Psst, Green Book didn’t deserve it and neither does Wicked, I SAID WHAT I SAID, but the point stands that this niche organization can still maybe be informative. Best Actor went to Daniel Craig — in the last decade, all but three have gotten Oscar noms — and Best Actress went to Nicole Kidman, which has a similar success rate. And the Spotlight Award went to “the creative collaboration of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.” Guys, they didn’t WRITE THE MOVIE together. They didn’t make up the songs. They performed together because that’s what their parts dictated, but like… you’re just making shit up now to get them to your party; stop it.
