'The Irishman' Named Best Film Of 2019 By National Board Of Review

Martin Scorsese’s latest film “The Irishman” has been named the best movie of the year by the National Board of Review for representing the “best” in what cinema can be.

In a press release obtained by Variety, the crime epic also won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay, with director Scorsese and actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro set to receive the Icon Award, which has been introduced by the organization this year.

Annie Schulhof, president of the NBR, noted that their organization was thrilled to announce “The Irishman” as this year’s best film. She further added that Scorsese’s mob epic is a “rich, moving, beautifully textured” film that represents the “best” in what cinema can be.

Schulhof also stated that Scorsese, De Niro and Pacino will be the recipients of their first-ever Icon Award since they all are the “true definition” of cinematic icons.

According to NBR, the Icon Award will honor “cinematic artists who have contributed meaningfully to the history, culture, and excellence of motion pictures.”

The movie created a lot of buzz since its release. It received stellar reviews and currently has a score of 96 percent on review site Rotten Tomatoes. Pacino has already received the Hollywood Supporting Actor Award for his performance as Jimmy Hoffa . Meanwhile, the “Raging Bull” star is expected to earn his 8th Best Actor nod for his portrayal of gangster Frank Sheeran at the 92nd Academy Awards.

On the other hand, Adam Sandler was named Best Actor for his work in “Uncut Gems,” and Renee Zellweger was given the award of Best Actress for “Judy.”

Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” also received a couple of awards. Tarantino was named Best Director, with Brad Pitt winning the Best Supporting Actor award. Meanwhile, Kathy Bates was announced as the Best Supporting Actress for her stellar work in Clint Eastwood’s “Richard Jewell.”

Other major winners include “Parasite” (Best Foreign Language Film), “How To Train Yout Dragon” (Best Animated Feature) and “Knives Out” (Best Ensemble).

Here’s the list of this year’s winners:

Best Film – “The Irishman”

Best Director – “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”

Best Actor – Adam Sandler (“Uncut Gems”)

Best Actress – Renee Zellweger (“Judy”)

Best Animated Feature – “How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”

Best Ensemble – “Knives Out”

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

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”