I'll make this short and
sweet and not beat around the bush too much. I saw a decent number of movies
this year and this list will as accurately as possible rank them in relative
order of greatness. There's still a few I haven't gotten to but hopefully when
it gets to the Oscar time of year in 2020 I can isit a few of the missed ones
and make up the difference.
As always these are my
personal picks, I am by no means trying to dictate my opinions onto others
because that's silly and art is predominantly subjective as is so there's no
use in me trying.
So, on with the list...
15. Brittany Runs a
Marathon
This is by no means a
perfect film, but the things it gets right on a personal level in terms of
character, specifically regarding its wonderfully flawed protagonist are
incredibly well done. There's some odd tonal shifts that don't always work and
structural issues with its third act, but the hard hitting scenes where
characters go in on each other feel so pulled from real life it kind of hurts.
The romantic comedy aspects often feel a little contrived in terms of their
placement in the overall flow of the movie. But in the end, when it comes to
having a cathartic release at the movies and feeling good about oneself without
it being overly sappy, you can't go wrong with this one.
14. It: Chapter Two
I love the ridiculous go
for broke mentality of this movie. It scales its horror and action and
intensity on such an absurd level you can't help but enjoy it. It's not
necessarily actually good, but in terms of an insane epic bit of movie going
entertainment, you gotta give it to this one for being as willing as it is to
go as far as it does.
13. Us
I love Peele for really
bringing us back to some original horror movie storytelling. Going into a dark
theater and witnessing something truly terrifying because you don't know at all
where it's going or where it's coming from is a wondrous experience. And Us has
that originality and audacity in spades.
12. Doctor Sleep
What an unexpectedly
good sequel to a movie that never seemed to need one. It very much stands on
its own in terms of style and execution and I’m glad I saw it in IMAX where you
get a true sense of scope as done by a continuously amazing director in Mike
Flanagan. There’s an insane scene that borders on dreamlike and nightmare-ish
and surreal and experimental where one of the main characters confronts the
antagonist in her mind and the way in which the dream-esque components are
conveyed visually are beautiful and unique in a manner that strikes me as truly
original. That’s how the majority of the movie feels, very much its own thing
and very much well earned its original details.
11. The Lighthouse
I never wanna see this
movie again. It’s beautiful and terrifying and a true assault on the senses in
regards to its visual aesthetics and sound design. You never truly know what is
going on in a fascinating way that compels you to decipher every little aspect
of the movie. It’s like a traditional Lynch film where you can’t help but wanna
know more about what’s truly going on in a movie that on the surface is
baffling but when thought about and dissected has some wonderfully complex
ideas and character work going on. It’s all very bluntly metaphorical but in a
way that’s endearing and never not intriguing. The last shot alone is one of
those truly fascinating images that tells you so much about what you’ve
witnessed while still raising a number of further questions that beg further
discussion.
10. Ad Astra
An insanely well
grounded sense of realistic science fiction that mostly just retells Apocalypse
Now in an avant garde, artsy kind of way. But it still works. Pitt is
compelling as hell, and the visuals are a true sight to behold. The action
scene on the moon alone is worth the price of admission for its legitimately
thrilling execution.
9. Marriage Story
A bit over-written and
methodical in some areas where I think it might have benefitted from a bit more
room to breathe without the overt dialogue, the overall movie is astounding in
its sense of grounded reality. The argument scene between the two leads alone
will go down as a true classic in terms of its writing and acting. The
performances in this movie are flawless and so lived in and so…true to life it
almost took my breath away, especially with an incredibly moving ending
sequence.
8. The Irishman
It’s always lovely to
see Scorsese go back to basics and do what he does best. And bringing back a
cast of this caliber makes it so much more endearing and enticing. There’s a
scene between de Niro and Pesci that’s just pure Scorsese. An almost wordless
few moments where they exchange a look that tells us we know that another
character is on the chopping block for making a very not well taken gesture
toward Pesci. I also enjoyed the extreme length of the movie, it gives you room
to breathe with the characters and especially as it winds down in a very
unexpected direction during its last act you’re forced to reevaluate your
perspective on the actions of the protagonist throughout the movie and what
kind of impact those decisions have left on him as a person.
7. Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood
Over indulgent to an
insanely endearing fault, this is Tarantino doing his thing as well as he does
and then some. I could listen to Brad and Leo just talk about their wacky TV
lives all day because they’re so interesting and endearing in their unique
perspectives on Hollywood in a very specific era. This is very much a chill,
low key Tarantino movie where not a lot seems to happen but what does is
actually hugely important and impactful on the overall story.
6. Midsommar
What a mad, mad film.
Truly. The audacity. The originality. It’s incredible and tells you that truly
Ari Aster is the real deal. I can’t think of another movie quite like this one
in existence. It’s like a legitimate fever dream in an astounding way.
5. Joker
Deeply disturbing and
insanely well acted by Phoenix, this is one of those movies that will go down
as truly iconic for its era and telling of a great deal of social and political
issues in a not so subtly conveyed manner but a manner nonetheless that endears
said issues to the viewer in a way that is effectively inescapable. You can’t
deny what this movie is and what it wants to achieve. It’s a force of nature,
just like Arthur’s mad dance after his first murder.
4. Little Women
I don’t know much about
the source material aside from a passing familiarity, but I know it well enough
to recognize an insanely good and insanely original adaptation of that work.
This movie proves that Gerwig is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to
writer-director double threats these days. The level of insanely playful and
topical and endearing dialogue going on between all of the main characters
gives you all the insight you need to understand their plights as strong
independent women in an era where such a thing was a very foreign and unwelcome
concept (and yet them being able to make it work as well as they do with very
little male support speaks volumes about their intended message as ladies of
such renown. It’s entertaining and heart-warming and enticing in its
intelligence all at once.
3. Knives Out
You won’t find a more
crowd pleasing, funny, entertaining, endearing, and socially/politically minded
movie this year. What a joy of a conundrum with characters you don’t know quite
what to make of and a story that confounds in all the most effective of
manners. And when the answers and clues and piecing together of the crime in
question takes place in the movie you can’t help but smile at the sheer fun of
it all.
2. Parasite
There’s a mad scene
where the characters descend into the basement of the primary setting-house of
the movie and you feel your heart in your chest wondering just what in the hell
is happening in this film where no strict right or wrong answers or solutions
are ever given. It’s a truly original movie that is simultaneously very funny
and moving and baffling (for its mysterious moments) all at once and hits that
tightrope of emotion with aplomb. The visual metaphors at play in this movie
are wondrous and thought provoking.
1. The Farewell
This
is my kind of movie through and through. A simple family drama well done in all
aspects from writing to acting to music to cinematography, this movie rattled
me to the core and I won’t ever forget it.
