Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” was the big winner at the 2020 National Board of Review (NBR) awards taking home the best picture and directing trophies.  Best original screenplay was given to “Minari” while “News of the World” won the adapted screenplay award.  In the acting categories, Riz Ahmed won Best Actor for “Sound of Metal” while Carrey Mulligan was named Best Actress.  Paul Raci, also from “Sound of Metal” won Best Supporting Actor while the fantastic Youn Yuh-jung for “Minari” claimed the Best Supporting Actress award.

While I agree with most of their choices, why is there no love for Brazil’s “Bacurau?”  Also, I still believe that “Wolfwalkers” is infinitely better than “Soul” and I love both movies!

Here are the winners of the 2020 National Board of Review Awards:

Best Film: DA 5 BLOODS

Best Director: Spike Lee, DA 5 BLOODS

Best Actor: Riz Ahmed, SOUND OF METAL

Best Actress: Carey Mulligan, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

Best Supporting Actor: Paul Raci, SOUND OF METAL

Best Supporting Actress: Youn Yuh-jung, MINARI

Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Greengrass & Luke Davies, NEWS OF THE WORLD

Best Original Screenplay: Lee Isaac Chung, MINARI

Breakthrough Performance: Sidney Flanigan, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS

Best Directorial Debut: Channing Godfrey Peoples, MISS JUNETEENTH

Best Animated Feature: SOUL

Best Foreign Language Film: LA LLORONA

Best Documentary: TIME

NBR Icon Award: Chadwick Boseman

NBR Freedom of Expression Award: ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI

NBR Spotlight Award: Radha Blank for writing, directing, producing and starring in THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION

Best Ensemble: DA 5 BLOODS

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Joshua James Richards, NOMADLAND

Top Films (in alphabetical order):

First Cow
The Forty-Year-Old Version
Judas and the Black Messiah
The Midnight Sky
Minari
News of the World
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Soul
Sound of Metal

Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order):

Apples
Collective
Dear Comrades
The Mole Agent
Night of the Kings

Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order):

All In: The Fight for Democracy
Boys State
Dick Johnson is Dead
Miss Americana
The Truffle Hunters

Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order):

The Climb
Driveways
Farewell Amor
Miss Juneteenth
The Nest
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
The Outpost
Relic
Saint Frances
Wolfwalkers