The National Board of Review Names The Irishman Best Film of 2019

The critics awards have officially kicked off with The National Board of Review naming Martin Scorsese's gangster epic, "The Irishman," the best film of 2019. The film also received Best Adapted Screenplay for Steven Zaillian.

It's a rather odd pick for Best Picture given how it's mostly a standard gangster flick, and an even stranger pick for Adapted Screenplay given how the screenplay was its biggest issue, but many people have enjoyed the film anyway, so it's not that big of a surprise to see it pick up a win here.

Other curious choices included seeing "Uncut Gems" receive Best Actor for Adam Sandler and Best Original Screenplay, despite this being another film where the screenplay held it back.

On the plus side, Renee Zellweger took Best Actress (hopefully the first of many) for her brilliant turn as Judy Garland in "Judy," while Kathy Bates won Best Supporting Actress and "Knives Out" Best Ensemble.

Overall, there were a lot of strange picks here, but that's hardly surprising for the NBR, a group that tends to be on the outskirts with their choices. Tomorrow sees the New York Film Critics Circle making their selections, so be sure to check back to see who wins.

In the meantime, please see below for a complete list of the NBR's 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 NBR Freedom of Expression Award: 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 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

Follow me on Twitter @BeckFilmCritic.