2019 National Board of Review Awards

Yesterday the NBR announced its winners and their choices gives us a brief sight into what current awards season could look like as we have to recall that the NBR is made up of film enthusiasts, industry professionals, academics and filmmakers which undoubtedly makes organization a quite interesting blend from all walks of life.

The 2019 awards continue the NBR's tradition of recognizing excellence in filmmaking, going back 110 years.  This year 285 films were viewed by a select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students, many of which were followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers and screenwriters.

Current edition top award went to what many pundits are calling the top movie of the year, which obviously does not reflect may opinion as The Irishman won Best Film.  NBR President Annie Schulhof said, "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 DeNiro 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 all in top form in The Irishman." Honored film only positive outcome for me is that is another great win for Netflix.

NBR has a mixed track record in terms of predicting Oscars contenders but last year was one of the very few critics' groups that awarded top award to Green Book and film went to win top Oscar.  I suppose The Irishman has all the ingredients to win top Oscar but deep inside hope AMPAS could finally surprise us when honoring a film that undoubtedly deserves it as a complete cinematic experience.

2019 Winners List

Best Film: The Irishman
Best Animated Feature: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Best Foreign Language Film: Parasite
Best Documentary: Maiden

Best Director: Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood
Best Directorial Debut: Melina Matsoukas for Quentin & Slim

Best Actress: Renée Zellweger in Judy
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates in Richard Jewell
Best Actor: Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt in Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood
Breakthrough Performance: Paul Walter Hauser in Richard Jewell
Cast Ensemble: Knives Out

Best Original Screenplay: Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, and Ronald Bronstein for Uncut Gems
Best Adapted Screenplay: Steven Zaillian for The Irishman

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Roger Deakins for 1917

NBR Icon Award: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino

NBR Freedom of Expression Award
For Sama, Edward Watts, UK
Just Mercy, Destin Daniel Cretton, USA

Top Films (in alphabetical order)
1917
Dolemite is My Name
Ford v Ferrari
Jojo Rabbit
Knives Out
Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood
Richard Jewell
Uncut Gems
Waves

Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order)
Atlantics
Invisible Life
Pain and Glory
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Transit

Top 5 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

NBR honorees will be feted at the Awards Gala hosted by Willie Geist on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at Cipriani 42nd Street.  To check winners at official site go here.