The National Board of Review is one of the oldest awards bodies and today they unveiled their nominees for 2013 film awards. Her, the newest Spike Jonze film about a man who falls in love with an operating system, was named the best film of the year, along with picking up Best Director. The nominees were really interesting so let’s dig in!

The Good
Her being named Best Picture. I really dug this movie at AFI Fest and though I don’t think it’s THE best film of the year it certainly deserves some recognition.
-Michael B. Jordan and Adele Exarchopoulos winning breakthrough awards is so great.
-Hooray for Emma Thompson picking up a Best Actress prize! She’s so good in Saving Mr. Banks.
-That Independent top 10 is an incredibly eclectic mix of films and really wonderful to see Much Ado About Nothing and The Spectacular Now place there.

The Bad
-What do you all see in that performance Octavia Spencer gave in Fruitvale Station to think she’s the Best Supporting Actress of the year?
-Now NBR is well known for giving you one strange choice a year and that is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty this year.

The Ugly
-WHERE OH WHERE IS CAPTAIN PHILLIPS NBR? WHY WON’T YOU LET MY FANTASY TEAM BE GREAT?????
-Prisoners winning Best Ensemble is such a strange choice in a year with films like 12 Years a Slave, Saving Mr. Banks, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, etc. out there.