B2019 has come and gone and what a fantastic year it’s been for movies. From the ground-breaking success of an R-rated super villain film grossing over a billion dollars on a $62.5 million dollar budget in Joker, to the final emotional conclusions of Avengers: End Game and Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, to the surprise success of original films like Knives Out, Hustlers, and Good Boys, 2019 proved to be one of the best years in film history in my humble opinion. There’s going to be a lot of films that aren’t going to make my list that I absolutely loved (some of which are listed above), but just because they aren’t on my list doesn’t mean I don’t still admire those films. Heck, over the years this list will probably change. There is no such thing as a definitive Top 10 list in my opinion. These list are really just a time capsule for what spoke to you at that time and are interesting to look at down the road after years have gone by.
Simply put: 1917 is absolutely breathtaking and is a staggering achievement in film. From the opening shot of the film to the closing moments my jaw was on the floor and my nerves were shot. What Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins are able to do here is flat out terrific. 1917 is one continuous shot of what it must’ve been like to fight in the trenches during World War I and it leaves you feeling shaken, rattled, and like your heart is bounding out of your chest. The best parts for me, though, are the quieter moments in the film. Not much is said within those moments, but it’s within those moments that you find the true humanity and character of the heroes we’re following on this journey. 1917 is about the courage of the human spirit in the face of certain death and I was moved to tears.
I’ve been screaming it for years, Adam Sandler is a woefully underrated dramatic actor and one day he will shut everyone up who thinks he just does fart joke comedies. Thank you Safdie borthers for allowing the Sandman to shine in this unrelenting pressure cooker of a film known as Uncut Gems. From moment one Uncut Gems sucks you in; from its immersive score, to its unique camera work, Uncut Gems is truly one of a kind. Between this and 2017’s Good Time, The Safdie Brothers are proving themselves to be one of a kind filmmakers and I can’t wait to see what they do next. Again though, my biggest take away from Uncut Gems is the incredible performance from Adam Sandler. As Howard Ratner, Adam Sandler goes completely against type by being a total dirt bag of a human being, yet, because Sandler is so likable you can’t help but root for the guy to do the right thing. Uncut Gems is a fantastic film that proves that Adam Sandler is an underrated dramatic actor who should be taken seriously.
Excellent script, incredible acting, and a beautifully tragic story, Marriage Story is probably the most well rounded film I’ve seen all year. Noah Baumbach delivers his magnum opus with Marriage Story capturing the horror that is divorce and what that can turn people into and how if affects all parties involved. I said this in my initial review for Marriage Story (and also above), but the writing in Marriage Story is absolutely flawless and crafts a story full of nuanced characters that you connect to no matter the screen time. What ultimately carry’s Marriage Story, though, is the performances at hand. In particular Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson give very raw and emotional performances that break your heart. Marriage Story is a real threat to win Best Picture at The Oscars.
This one may have fallen down on my list a bit, but no film left me feeling happier than Peanut Butter Falcon. A movie about found family, friendship, and brotherhood that’ll sweep you up in its southern charm and not let go. Shia LaBeouf and Zack Gottsagen anchor this heartwarming feature with tremendous performances and excellent screen chemistry that’ll melt your heart. If you’re feeling down, this is the movie to put on.
Avengers: End Game is to comic book movies what Lord of The Rings was to fantasy epics. Not in terms of the quality, but in terms of how satisfying the conclusion was and how epic the sheer scale of it was. I love the MCU, but I’m often critical of the emotional stakes I often feel in the movies. Immediately after something emotional happens, a quippy joke follows which makes that emotional moment feel mute. With Avengers: End Game, that couldn’t be further from the truth. From its emotional goodbye to three of our favorite heroes (sort of), to its very layered portrayal of Thor, End Game is the marvel film I’ve been waiting for. This film was the culmination of everything the past films had promised, and rightfully broke all the box office records this year finally topping Avatar in the worldwide box office.
If you were to tell me a movie that’s a sequel to one of the most classic horror films ever made would be on my top 10 list—let alone live up to the original in every way—I would have called you crazy. I would have been dead wrong too, because Doctor Sleep is a powerful film about facing your fears, confronting your past, moving on from past trauma, and facing your mortality. What makes this film so impressive is that it’s able to tell that kind of story while also being able to scare the crap out of you. Most films with the kind of legacy that The Shinning has makes it very difficult to follow up, but Doctor Sleep does an incredible job of paying respects while also standing on its own. Doctor Sleep has really snuck up on my list the more I’ve thought about it and discussed it with friends and I’m so, so pleasantly surprised.
A movie that I had virtually no interest in seeing (outside of the cast) because I had already seen it once before—I walked into the theater expecting a decent flick just based off the cast alone. Boy, did I learn to not underestimate Greta Gerwig. I should have known this going in because, much like Lady Bird, she’s able to take a story we’re all to familiar with and make it fresh and unique while also being overwhelmingly charming, sweet, and oddly cozy. Little Women excels in every way possible and I can’t wait to buy this on physical media and watch it constantly. Greta Gerwig’s next project could be a movie about Mr.T describing paint drying and I’d still be first in line.
Look, I get it, a Star Wars fan boy has Star Wars high on his end of year list; but this couldn’t be a more genuine thought. I absolutely adore The Rise of Skywalker. This isn’t a perfect film, but the more I watch it those minor issues get severely out-weighed by the sheer enjoyment and overwhelming amount of emotion I feel with each and every viewing of this film. To me, this movie not only wraps up its trilogy perfectly, but also perfectly puts a bow on the entire Skywalker Saga by making it all about the Skywalkers and the Palpatines. Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver have never been better in their respective roles of Rey and Kylo Ren/Ben Solo. Their dynamic is the heart of this trilogy and pays of in a beautiful conclusion. The trio of Rey, Finn, and Poe is also so much fun and I’m hoping down the road we see more of that. Really though, I just want to say thank you to JJ Abrams and Chris Terrio for delivering an emotional and overwhelmingly satisfying ending to the saga I’ve been in love with since I was 2 years old. “May the force be with you, always.”
Joker is simply a masterpiece of the comic book genre that has something to say. It’s the story of what happens when you put an unstable person in an environment without love and without empathy and seeing them take a very dark and sinister path that’s both shocking and unnerving to watch. It’s a wake up call on how we treat people with mental illness and how often they’re overlooked and mistreated. This movie shook me up in ways I haven’t felt since the first time I watched Fight Club. Joker will go down as one of the most important films of the past decade and a lot of the credit goes to Joaquin Phoenix’s jaw-dropping performance that will most likely give him his first Oscar win. I can’t recommend this film for everyone, but I will say I love this movie and will watch it more and more as the years go on.
A satire movie about a young boy in Hitler youth who idealizes Hitler as his imaginary friend is a difficult movie to pull off, but Taika Waititi does so effortlessly seamlessly weaving between heartwarming, tender, hilarious, emotional, and scary moments that take Jojo Rabbit to the tippy top of my 2019 list. Jojo Rabbit is intensely moving, sweet, and incredibly hopeful despite having some of the heavier subject matter of the year. The big standout for me about Jojo Rabbit isn’t the handling of the tone, but rather the way the relationship is handled between Jojo Betzler and his mother Rosie Betzler. It’s not often that Hollywood get the mother/son relationship down, but this movie captures the heart of what a mother/son relationship should be and I was absolutely moved by the performances from Roman Griffin Davis and Scarlett Johansson. Jojo Rabbit is without a doubt my favorite film of 2019.
Honorable Mentions
HM: Spider-Man: Far From Home
It’s hard to believe that a movie that genuinely moved me didn’t make it to my top 10. Spider-Man: Far From Home surpasses its original in almost everyway. It’s funnier, sweeter, more heartfelt, more adventurous, and lives up to the promise of what a Sony/Marvel collaboration should be. Spider-Man: Far From Home is a movie about accepting responsibility and becoming your own person and living up to those expectations you have for yourself. That’s why this movie makes my honorable mentions, and is also in my opinion the best Spider-Man movie to date.
HM: Brittany Runs a Marathon
Why aren’t people talking about this movie? Holy crap, I did not expect Jillian Bell from Workaholics to turn in one of the best performances and films I saw last year. I’m not a woman nor do I suffer from any body image issues, but this film was able to make me see and feel what it might be like to be a woman who’s suffering not only from body image issues but also depression. Brittany Runs a Marathon is an empowering, insightful, and brutally honest film that made me cry, feel, and fist pump the air with joy at the end. Please, do yourself a favor and watch this movie that’s not getting anywhere near the attention it deserves.
HM: Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Look, I’m as gutted as you are that this didn’t make my top 10. It absolutely should be in there, but this year was stacked so this gem of a film sits in my honorable mentions. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s love letter to old Hollywood and that era of filmmaking. It’s also a love letter to that era of movie star. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt perfectly personify this with terrific performances portraying these multi-layered characters that you could watch riff off each other for hours. Its been said before I’m sure, but this is the perfect hang out movie that at its heart is a tale of friendship.