National Board of Review has named Netflix driver film ‘The Irishman’ as the best film of 2019.
The film, which is still in the space of good reviews also won best adapted screenplay, for writer Steven Zaillian and an icon award for director Martin Scorsese together with the lead cast Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.
“We are thrilled to award ‘The Irishman’ as our best film. Martin Scorsese’s masterful mob epic is a rich, moving, beautifully textured movie that represents the best in what cinema can be. We are also excited to be presenting Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino with our inaugural Icon Award-they are the true definition of cinematic icons, each with their own exceptional body of work and in top form in ‘The Irishman’,” said NBR president Annie Schulhof in a statement.
The 2019 NBC honorees also include Quentin Tarantino, named as best director for his flagship film ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, which in turn has scored Brad Pitt with a best supporting actor honor. ‘Uncut Gems’ writers Benny and Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein won best original screenplay, whil Kathy Bates and Paul Walter Hauser, both won best supporting actress and breakthrough performance respectively for the film ‘Richard Jewell’.
Throughout the time period of NBR existence, the organization has had mixed chances of predicting a lucky winner for the Academy Awards best picture prize. Last year, NBC picked ‘Green Book’ as its best film, and was later awarded with the Oscar’s best picture recognition. In 2018, it picked ‘The Post’ as best film, but the Meryl Streep starred in pic only went far with a best picture nomination at the Oscars.
Winners of the 2019 NBC honors will be recognized with selected plaques come January 8, 2020 in a hosted gala at New York’s Cipriani 42nd Street.
Check below for the full 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
Just Mercy
Top Films (in alphabetical order)
1917
Dolemite Is My Name
Ford v Ferrari
Jojo Rabbit
Knives Out
Marriage Story
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Richard Jewell
Uncut Gems
Waves
Top Five Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order)
Atlantics
Invisible Life
Pain and Glory
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Transit
Top Five Documentaries (in alphabetical order)
American Factory
Apollo 11
The Black Godfather
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
Wrestle
Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order)
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
