On Monday, the Gotham Awards shocked many by selecting “A Different Man” for its top prize. On Tuesday, the New York Film Critics Circle voted Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” as its Best Film of 2024. Thursday was the National Board of Review’s turn, and the mysterious group of “film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics and students” have championed “Wicked” as Best Film.
READ MORE: Sign Up for Gregory Ellwood’s new twice-a-week newsletter The Breakdown and get Oscar predictions before they post online. Oh, and it’s free. The Universal Pictures blockbuster also saw Jon M. Chu win Best Director and stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande land a special creative collaboration honor.
Nicole Kidman took Best Actress for “Babygirl” while Daniel Craig won Best Actor for “Queer.” Elle Fanning was a surprise Best Supporting Actress winner for “A Complete Unknown” while Kieran Culkin won another Best Supporting Actor honor for “A Real Pain.”
For those playing along at home, it should be noted that the NBR has not selected a film that has gone on to win Best Picture since “Green Book” in 2018. Before then? “Slumdog Millionaire” in 2008. Therefore, it’s not a stretch to suggest their aesthetic choices do not necessarily line up with The Academy, let alone many of Hollywood’s guild organizations.
NBR is legendary for their snubs and this year “Challengers,” “Nickel Boys,” “The Brutalist” “The Substance,” “Emilia Perez,” “Dune, Pt. Il,” and “The Piano Lesson” join some esteemed company.
This year’s complete list of winners are as follows:
Best Film: Wicked
Best Director: Jon M. Chu, Wicked
Best Actor: Daniel Craig, Queer
Best Actress: Nicole Kidman, Babygirl
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Best Supporting Actress: Elle Fanning, A Complete Unknown
Best Ensemble: Conclave
Breakthrough Performance: Mikey Madison, Anora
Best Directorial Debut: India Donaldson, Good One
Best Original Screenplay: Mike Leigh, Hard Truths
Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing
NBR Spotlight Award: Creative Collaboration of Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: No Other Land
Best Animated Feature: Flow
Best International Film: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Best Documentary: Sugarcane
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, Nosferatu
Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Top Films (in alphabetical order):
Anora
Babygirl
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Gladiator II
Juror #2
Queer
A Real Pain
Sing Sing
Top 5 International Films (in alphabetical order):
All We Imagine As Light
The Girl with the Needle
I’m Still Here
Santosh
Universal Language
Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order):
Black Box Diaries
Dahomey
Look Into My Eyes
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Will & Harper
Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order):
Bird
A Different Man
Dìdi
Ghostlight
Good One
Hard Truths
His Three Daughters
Love Lies Bleeding
My Old Ass
Thelma