The National Board of Review has spoken! The organization named Martin Scorsese’s critically-acclaimed gangster drama, The Irishman, the best film of the year. The win is the first major accolade of the awards season for the film outside of Scorsese’s upcoming honors at the Palm Springs and Santa Barbara Film Festival.
The organization didn’t name Scorsese as Best Director, however. That honor went to Quentin Tarantino for his love letter to the film industry, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. This is also the first major win for the film this awards season. Other winners include Adam Sandler for A24’s crime thriller Uncut Gems & Renee Zellweger for her turn as Judy Garland in Judy.
Also stepping into the race is Richard Jewell with a Best Supporting Actress win for Kathy Bates and Breakthrough Performance for Paul Walter Hauser, who plays the title character. Brad Pitt won Best Supporting Actor for his role in Once Upon a Time In Hollywood.
So how accurate is the National Board of Review when it comes to syncing up Oscar winners? Last year they matched the Oscars when they chose Green Book as Best Picture but that was the first time since Slumdog Millionaire in 2008.
The National Board of Review consists of a select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students. A total of 285 films were viewed by the organization this year. Their other top films included 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.
Check out the full list of winners below:
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 Films
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 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
