Get ready to be blown away by the National Board of Review's 2025 winners, because this year's lineup is a game-changer. Paul Thomas Anderson's epic masterpiece, One Battle After Another, has stormed the awards scene, claiming the top honors for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Best Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro), and Breakthrough Performance (Chase Infiniti). But here's where it gets controversial: Can this action-packed film truly dominate the Oscars like the NBR predicts? After all, history has shown that the NBR's crystal ball isn't always spot-on.
This marks Anderson's fourth NBR win and his second for directing, adding to his impressive resume that includes Adapted Screenplay for Inherent Vice (2014), Original Screenplay for Phantom Thread (2017), and Directing for Licorice Pizza (2021). DiCaprio, meanwhile, secures his third NBR acting prize, joining his previous wins for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) and Django Unchained (2012). And this is the part most people miss: While Warner Bros. dominates with five trophies for *One Battle After Another, Ryan Coogler's Sinners also shines with Original Screenplay and Cinematography wins, proving that this studio is a force to be reckoned with.*
But let's not forget the other standout performances. Rose Byrne takes Best Actress for A24's If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, fresh off her New York Film Critics Circle win. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas claims Best Supporting Actress for Neon's Sentimental Value, marking her first major awards recognition. Netflix also makes a strong showing with Train Dreams winning Adapted Screenplay and joining the top 10 films alongside Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein.
However, not everyone made the cut. Notable omissions include Chloe Zhao's Hamnet, Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice, Richard Linklater's Blue Moon, and Bradley Cooper's Is This Thing On?—all left out of the top 10. This raises the question: Are the NBR's choices truly reflective of the year's best cinema, or are they missing the mark on some critically acclaimed films?
Historically, the NBR's Best Film winners have often gone on to earn Oscar nominations, but there have been exceptions like Gods and Monsters (1998) and A Most Violent Year (2014). Since the Academy expanded the Best Picture lineup in 2009, the NBR and Oscars have only aligned once, with Green Book (2018). So, will One Battle After Another break the trend? Only time will tell.
The National Board of Review's awards gala is set for January 13 in New York City, where the full list of winners will be celebrated. Here’s the complete rundown:
Best Film: One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
Best Actress: Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (A24)
Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
Best Supporting Actress: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value (Neon)
Best Directorial Debut: Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby (A24)
Breakthrough Performance: Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler, Sinners (Warner Bros.)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, Train Dreams (Netflix)
Best Animated Feature: Arco (Neon)
Best International Film: It Was Just an Accident (Neon)
Best Documentary: Cover-Up (Netflix)
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners (Warner Bros.)
Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Paramount Pictures)
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk (Kino Lorber)
Top 10 Films:
1. Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century Studios)
2. F1 (Apple Original Films/Warner Bros.)
3. Frankenstein (Netflix)
4. Jay Kelly (Netflix)
5. Marty Supreme (A24)
6. Rental Family (Searchlight Pictures)
7. Sinners (Warner Bros.)
8. Train Dreams (Netflix)
9. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)
10. Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
Top 5 International Films:
1. Left-Handed Girl (Netflix)
2. The Love That Remains (Janus Films)
3. The Secret Agent (Neon)
4. Sentimental Value (Neon)
5. Sirāt (Neon)
Top 5 Documentaries:
1. 2000 Meters to Andriivka (PBS)
2. Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple Original Films)
3. My Mom Jayne (HBO Documentary Films)
4. Natchez (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
5. Orwell: 2+2=5 (Neon)
Top 10 Independent Films:
1. The Baltimorons (IFC)
2. Bring Her Back (A24)
3. Father Mother Sister Brother (Mubi)
4. Friendship (A24)
5. Good Boy (IFC)
6. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (A24)
7. The Mastermind (Mubi)
8. Rebuilding (Bleecker Street)
9. Sorry, Baby (A24)
10. Urchin (1-2 Special)
So, what do you think? Is One Battle After Another destined for Oscar glory, or will it be another NBR prediction that falls short? Let us know in the comments—we’re eager to hear your take!
