National Board of Review Predictions

All these awards keep sneaking up on me! If not for AwardsDaily, I might have completely forgotten the unveiling of the National Board of Review's top ten films of the year, as well as a smattering of other commendations. This is the real beginning of the awards season, since obviously no one looks at the Satellite Award nominations too closely. This is where a film can get a jump-start, but an omission does not necessarily mean a film will not do well with ensuing awards. The reserve may also be true: "The History Boys" and "The Painted Veil" went nowhere after this and "Notes on a Scandal" continually missed out on the top prize at different awards groups.

Last year's top ten:
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
BABEL
BLOOD DIAMOND
THE DEPARTED
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
THE HISTORY BOYS
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
THE PAINTED VEIL

Predictions for this year:
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (#1)
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES
ATONEMENT
IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH
INTO THE WILD
MICHAEL CLAYTON
JUNO
ONCE
THE SAVAGES
THERE WILL BE BLOOD

Spoilers may be "3:10 to Yuma" (ick) or "Sweeney Todd".

More predictions:
Best Actor: JAMES MCAVOY, ATONEMENT
Best Actress: MARION COTILLARD, LA VIE EN ROSE
Best Supporting Actor: JAVIER BARDEM, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Best Supporting Actress: CATE BLANCHETT, I'M NOT THERE
Best Director: THE COEN BROTHERS, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Best Directorial Debut: BEN AFFLECK, GONE BABY GONE
Best Screenplay, Original: JUNO
Best Screenplay, Adapted: ATONEMENT
Best Documentary: SICKO
Best Foreign Language Film: PERSEPOLIS
Best Breakthrough Performance - Male: CASEY AFFLECK, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES
Best Breakthrough Performance - Female: ELLEN PAGE, JUNO
Best Animated Feature: RATATOUILLE
Best Ensemble: JUNO

Let's hope for some good surprises. Reactions tomorrow.