Oscar 2012 Predictions: Why 'Zero Dark Thirty' is Best Picture Frontrunner After National Board of Review Selects it as Best Film (Full Awards List)

By David Salazar (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Dec 05, 2012 10:22 PM EST

Tags oscars, oscars 2013, movies, zero dark thirty

The National Board of Review has selected as their best picture of the year. The film won its second best picture award in a row after being selected by the New York Film Critics yesterday. The victory essentially puts it at the forefront of the mounting Oscar race.

Kathryn Bigelow went home with the best director award while Jessica Chastain took home the best actress award for her role in the film. Silver Linings Playbook, which was billed as the early favorite for Best Picture, settled for two awards: Best Actor Bradley Cooper and Best Adpated Screenplay.

The surprises were Leonardo Dicaprio who won the supporting actor category for his role in Django Unchained and Ann Dowd who won the supporting Actress category for her role in Compliance. Looper also surprised when it won the best original screenplay award.

The National Board of Review has been known for never agreeing with the Oscars as only 11 of their 30 best films have went on to win the Best Picture Oscar. Their most recent winners include Hugo, The Social Network Up in the Air, and Slumdog Millionaire. Of those four, only Slumdog won the Best Picture Oscar.

In recent times their choices in the acting categories have also failed to garner nominations. Last year both Tilda Swinton and Shailene Woodley won acting awards but failed to garner Oscar nominations. In 2010 Lesly Manville won the best actress award for Another Year but failed to capture an nomination and in 2008 Clint Eastwood had the same fate winning at the National Board for his role in Gran Torino but obtained no Oscar nomination.

Still the win for Zero Dark Thirty can easily put the film in good conditions after winning the top honor from two major organizations. Come Sunday, the film could build an even more comfortable lead when the Boston and Los Angeles Film Critics unveil their best films of the year.

Full List of winners

Best Film: ZERO DARK THIRTY

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, ZERO DARK THIRTY

Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, ZERO DARK THIRTY

Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, DJANGO UNCHAINED

Best Supporting Actress: Ann Dowd, COMPLIANCE

Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson, LOOPER

Best Adapted Screenplay: David O. Russell, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

Best Animated Feature: WRECK-IT RALPH

Special Achievement in Filmmaking: Ben Affleck, ARGO

Breakthrough Actor: Tom Holland, THE IMPOSSIBLE
Breakthrough Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD