National Board of Review names ‘The Irishman’ best film of 2019
“The Irishman” was named the best film of 2019 by The National Board of Review.
Martin Scorsese and the film’s stars, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, will also receive the organization’s inaugural Icon Award.
For best director, Quentin Tarantino took home the honor for “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.” Melina Matsoukas won the best directorial debut award for “Queen & Slim.”
Adam Sandler took home an acting award for his work in “Uncut Gems,” Renee Zellweger for “Judy,” Brad Pitt for “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and Kathy Bates for “Richard Jewell.”
“Parasite” was named the year’s best foreign-language film. “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” won Best Animated Feature. “Maiden” won Best Documentary.
A Top 10 in movies was also named: “1917,” “Dolemite Is My Name,” “Ford v Ferrari,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story,” “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” “Richard Jewell,” “Uncut Gems” and “Waves.”
Notable films left out included “The Two Popes,” “Little Women,” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Joker” and “The Farewell.”
If the awards are any indicator of potential Oscar nods, last year, the NBR had only four of the eight Oscar best picture nominees on its Top 10 list.
But it did match the Academy on “Black Panther,” “Roma” and “A Star Is Born” — and its choice for the year’s best film, “Green Book,” went on to win the Oscar for best picture. It was the first time in a decade, since “Slumdog Millionaire” in 2008, that the NBR had chosen the eventual winner of the Academy’s top prize.
The NBR describes itself as a group of “knowledgeable film enthusiasts and professionals, academics, young filmmakers and students” in the New York area.
Here is the complete list of winners:
Best Film: “The Irishman”
Best Director: Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood”
Best Actor: Adam Sandler, “Uncut Gems”
Best Actress: Renée Zellweger, “Judy”
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood”
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell”
Best Original Screenplay: Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, “Uncut Gems”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Steven Zaillian, “The Irishman”
Breakthrough Performance: Paul Walter Hauser, “Richard Jewell”
Best Directorial Debut: Melina Matsoukas, “Queen & Slim”
Best Animated Feature: “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Best Foreign Language Film: “Parasite”
Best Documentary: “Maiden”
Best Ensemble: “Knives Out”
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “1917”
NBR Icon Award: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: “For Sama”
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: “Just Mercy”
Top 10 Films
“Dolemite is My Name”
“Ford v Ferrari”
“Jojo Rabbit”
“Knives Out”
“Marriage Story”
“1917”
“Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood”
“Richard Jewell”
“Uncut Gems”
“Waves”
Top 5 Foreign Language Films
“Atlantics”
“Invisible Life”
“Pain and Glory”
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
“Transit”
Top 5 Documentaries
“American Factory”
“Apollo 11”
“The Black Godfather”
“Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese”
“Wrestle”
Top 10 Independent Films
“The Farewell”
“Give Me Liberty”
“A Hidden Life”
“Judy”
“The Last Black Man in San Francisco”
“Midsommar”
“The Nightingale”
“The Peanut Butter Falcon”
“The Souvenir”
“Wild Rose”
