Frontrunners for Oscar noms are emerging, driven now by their National Board of Review wins.
NBR’s Best Picture & Director double win for Spike Lee’s DA 5 BLOODS (Netflix) puts it on track for more. It sends Lee back into the awards arena where in 2019 he had Oscar, Golden Globes, BAFTA & DGA noms for directing BLACKKKLANSMAN and won the adapted screenplay Oscar & BAFTA.
NBR’s lead acting winners are both likely Oscar noms: Carey Mulligan for PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (Focus) & Riz Ahmed for SOUND OF METAL (Amazon). Both will get media attention as Palm Springs Film Festival honorees and both will likely make upcoming awards lists like Golden Globes & SAG.
NBR has a mixed record at matching up with Oscar for Best Picture & Director. Its top film for 2019 was THE IRISHMAN and Quentin Tarantino won Director for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD. But the Oscars went to PARASITE & director Bong Joon Ho.
NBR’s 2018 Best Picture, GREEN BOOK, also won the Oscar. But Best Director Bradley Cooper for A STAR IS BORN wasn’t Oscar nominated. Lee (pictured) got a BLACKKKLANSMAN nom, but lost to Alfonso Curaron (ROMA). Now Lee’s back with BLOODS to draw votes.