This year, “The Irishman” grabbed the Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay awards, as well as Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Al Pacino being awarded the NBR’s Icon Award. Right there with it was “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” which grabbed Best Director for Quentin Tarantino, something that could easily happen at the Oscars this year and Brad Pitt grabbing Best Supporting Actor. Many speculated this awards season that Renée Zellweger and her role in “Judy” was going to get noticed and now here we are, as it gets noticed. And Adam Sandler pushes forward with his Oscar nomination hopes with his role in “Uncut Gems” which also got a win for Best Original Screenplay.
What might come as a surprise is the push that Clint Eastwood’s “Richard Jewell” got with both Kathy Bates and Paul Walter Hauser both getting wins for their performance, grabbing the Best Supporting Actress Award and Best Breakthrough Performance Awards. That could give it the push it needs to get noticed more by the Oscar voters.
In the outer awards, “How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” got its first Best Animated Feature Award, “Parasite” got its first Best Foreign Language Film Award, and “Maiden” got its first Best Documentary Award. Also, note that Roger Deakins took the Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Award for his work in “1917” which I hope propels him to another Oscar win. “Knives Out” winning the Best Ensemble Award could be a glimpse into the future for that film’s success this Oscar season as well.
BEST PICTURE
“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
“Uncut Gems”
Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, & Ronald Bronstein
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“The Irishman”
Steven Zaillian
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
“How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Paul Walter Hauser — “Richard Jewell”
BEST DIRECTORIAL DEBUT
Melina Matsoukas — “Queen & Slim”
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 FIVE
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS
- “Atlantics”
- “Invisible Life”
- “Pain and Glory”
- “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
- “Transit”
TOP FIVE
DOCUMENTARIES
- “American Factory”
- “Apollo 11”
- “The Black Godfather”
- “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese”
- “Wrestle”
TOP TEN
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”
QUICK LIST
Best Picture: “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: “Uncut Gems” — Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, & Ronald Bronstein
Best Adapted Screenplay: “The Irishman” — Steven Zaillian
Best Animated Feature: “How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Breakthrough Performance: Paul Walter Hauser — “Richard Jewell”
Best Directorial Debut: Melina Matsoukas — “Queen & Slim”
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”
NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW
Founded in 1909 in New York City, the National Board of Review is one of the oldest organizations in the country “dedicated to discussing and selecting what its members regard as the best film works of each year.” This is the NBR’s 91st year of giving out awards. Pundits mark these awards as the official kick off to the Oscars season, with numerous critics groups following suit with their awards throughout the rest of the year. There are over 100 members of the NBR, including directors, academics, and film enthusiasts, who submit ballots which are then tabulated, with the winners announced online.
