10. Glass
Director: M. Night Shyamalan Starring: Samuel L., James McAvoy, Bruce Willis (kinda), Sarah Paulsen Starting off this list with what’s bound to be an extremely controversial pick (or it would be, if I had any readers) is Midnight Shyamalan’s Glass. It’s the finale to the stealth “Unbreakable Trilogy” that we didn’t know we were getting, and it received very mixed reviews back in January. I went back and forth repeatedly on whether or not Glass deserves a Top 10 spot or merely an Honorable Mention. Sure, the plot falls down like one of those inflatable dudes at a car dealership if you think about it for more than 12 seconds. But at the end of the day, this is a movie that I saw at exactly the right time, a movie that I thought had a lot to say about superhero culture, and a movie that spoke to me in some really unexpected ways. I left Glass feeling like I’d seen something truly profound - I wrote a whole long thing about it - and for that, it deserves an appearance in the Top 10. I’ll just avoid rewatching it so as to not be let down. |
9. Doctor Sleep
Director: Mike Flanagan Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis Was anybody asking for a sequel to The Shining, decades after the original? Probably not, but I’m glad we got one. Doctor Sleep is arguably more of a thriller/adventure than a horror film, but it’s a pretty damn good one. It’s moody and ethereal, with some damn cool cinematography and fine performances from all involved. Rebecca Ferguson as the delightfully diabolical “Rose the Hat” and Kyliegh Curran as a young child with “The Shine” are both standouts. Plus, let’s not take Ewan McGregor for granted. Sure, the third act at The Overlook is a little nostalgia-heavy without a ton of substance, but the joy is in the journey, right? Or something like that. |
8. Toy Story 4
Director: Josh Cooley Starring: Tom Hanks, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Tim Allen Talk about a movie that I had absolutely no expectations for, Toy Story 4 was probably my biggest surprise of the year. What I expected to be nothing more than a shameless studio cash grab proved to be one of the most funny, charming, and poignant films of the year. Even when I’d thought Pixar had gotten all the mileage it could outta Woody and the Gang, Toy Story 4 still finds new things to say about growing up and moving on. And Bo Peep kicks ass in this one! So kudos to you, Toy Story 4, for proving that this jaded film blogger still has some childlike wonder and coming in at the eighth best film of 2019. |
7. Knives Out
Director: Rian Johnson Starring: Ana De Armas, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer I still have very mixed feelings about this movie. If you read my original review (you didn’t), you may recall that I didn’t particularly care for Knives Out after my first viewing. But this film grows in memory by the day, and for that it’s earned its footing in the honorable Top 10. I don’t have an awful lot more to say about this one - again, if you want my opinion, I’ll just redirect you to my original review. But for what it’s worth, it’s been six weeks and I’m still listening to “Sweet Virginia” on repeat. Congrats, Knives Out, for fighting and clawing your way to Number Seven. |
6. Ready or Not
Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett Starring: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Henry Czerny For a whole load of reasons that are too in-depth to get into here, I’m convinced that Knives Out and Ready or Not are essentially the same movie. If that’s the case, Ready or Not is definitively superior. It’s wackier, funnier, and more violent by several orders of magnitude. Once more, full review here, but Ready or Not made me laugh more than most of the films on this list by getting as much as it possibly could have out of a far-fetched premise. |
5. Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood
Director: Tentin Quarantino Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Julia Butters Fun fact: this is the first Tarantino film I’ve seen on the proverbial big screen. While far from his most eventful or most rewatchable flick, “OUATIH” (that’s my acronym, copyright pending) is a great movie to put on and kick back to while you have a couple beers with your bros. And as I’ve repeatedly described it, “The best film I’ve ever seen where pretty much nothing happens” has some excellent production, camerawork, music, and super cool performances from both Leo and Pitt. I still want that Hawaiian shirt. |
4. Ford V Ferrari
Director: James Mangold Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, John Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe I am, as most of you can probably guess, not a car guy. But I am a good movie guy, and Ford V Ferrari is undoubtedly one of those. As most reviewers have agreed, Christian Bale steals the entire show as eccentric driver Ken Miles (even if I can only understand what he’s saying half the time). The racing scenes are truly captivating, but they’re far from the only thing Ford v Ferrari has to offer. Rather, this is a great story about a team of creatives versus “the Man.” I’ve got a couple issues revolving around the runtime and Matt Damon’s character, but James Mangold’s direction more than compensates for them. Also, the son and Ken’s relationship is genuinely touching. |
3. Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Joe & Anthony Russo Starring: RDJ, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, & literally the rest of Hollywood Back in May, I had - and I still have - a lot of thoughts about Endgame. I don’t think it’s a perfect movie. I’m not even entirely convinced it’s a great movie. However, the capstone to the newly-dubbed “Infinity Saga” is undeniably impressive. The Russo brothers have managed to craft a film that’s crowd-pleasing in every sense of the word, while also managing to sneak in a few themes about legacy and moving on that are as broad as they are meta. It’s a fitting send-off to the characters we’ve been following for a decade, and a damn fun ride at that. Maybe one day I’ll finally review it, or maybe I’ll just leave it unexamined in memory. Just remember: it’s about moving on. |
2. Joker
Director: Todd Phillips Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy More than Endgame, more than my soon-to-be-revealed number one pick, Joker was the film that most swept me up and provided my best viewing experience of 2019. Joaquin’s performance has been talked to death, and rightly so - it’s unimpeachable. The cinematography, color palette, and set design perfectly portray Gotham City as this absolute shithole. It’s tense, riveting, and above all, diabolically beautiful. Have I praised it enough yet? The one drawback worth mentioning is my suspicion that, much like Glass, Joker may not fare as well under repeat viewings. Still, it’s a worthy addition to this list and rightfully my second favorite film of 2019. |
1. Jojo Rabbit
DIrector: Taika Waititi Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell I have way more to say about Jojo Rabbit than I could possibly manage to squeeze in here, but I’m gonna do my damnedest to make it happen. Jojo Rabbit, directed by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok and a couple other great movies), was originally released in October and slowly rolled out nationwide. As it happens, I live in the middle of fucking nowhere and so I barely managed to catch it during its two-day tenure at our local theater, smack dab in the center of finals week. Surprise surprise, I was unable to write about it at the time… maybe there’ll be a review in the near future. In case you were unaware, Jojo Rabbit is a coming-of-age "tragicomedy" (I stole that word from Wikipedia) set in a German town during the final days of World War II, and it follows the life of young Nazi boy “Jojo” (Roman Griffin Davis) after he discovers his mother has been hiding a Jewish girl in their home. Also, a buffonish Adolf Hitler is Jojo’s imaginary best friend. I understand the critical hesitance around Waititi’s lighthearted take on the heaviest subject matter around, but I think if you examine the film for more than eight and a half seconds, it’s obvious there’s way more being said here than just “let’s make fun of Nazis.” Seriously, it’s rare that a movie succeeds this well at everything it’s trying to do. Waititi lulls you into a false sense of security through a delightfully comedic first half, then promptly rips your heart out with no hesitation. Never forget, kids: "War is hell." But it all comes full circle in the end, and Jojo Rabbit delivers one of the most bittersweet, wholesome finales I’ve ever seen. In an ideal world, Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin Mackenzie, and Scarlett Johansson would all be given Oscars for their work here. Or Nobel Peace Prizes, at the very least. Far from what you would expect of Nazi Germany, the colors of Jojo’s town are warm, vibrant, and inviting (but only for as long as they have to be). Also - the fucking soundtrack - for as deliberately anachronistic as it is, I’m still listening to it as I write this. Jojo Rabbit is a movie about family, about the heartaches of growing up, about the anxieties of trying to fit in, and about a million other things, but more than anything, it’s a movie about love and human connection. And sure, that’s all corny as hell, but that doesn’t make the film any less meaningful. Anyway, that’s my mini-review of Jojo Rabbit. It’s my favorite film of 2019, and you should all see it. Dann sind wir Helden. |
Honorable Mentions
- Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Lowden, Nick Frost, Dwayne "The Smock" Johnson This is the sole Honorable Mention that I’m legitimately disappointed I wasn’t able to chuck into the Top Ten. It’s equal parts hilarious and heartwarming; perhaps the only reason it didn’t make the cut is that I haven’t seen it since February and there’s not a ton I remember. Still, worth your time. As is my review. #shamelessplug |
- The Irishman
Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci (a.k.a. "Harry" from the Wet Bandits), Al Pacino, Anna Paquin Everybody seems to love this movie and I think it’s just pretty good. It’s the first Martin Scorsese thing I’ve seen and it took me a week to watch. “Marvel movies aren’t real cinema. Only my movies are real cinema. They’re all about the mob, and they’re three and a half hours long.” I kid, I kid! It’s a good movie, and I’m eager to check out more Scorsese stuff. |
- Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard Combining the biopic formula with the sensibilities of a musical was an inspired move, and this Elton John biopic starring Eggsy from Kingsman was a truly refreshing delight. Perhaps the only reason it didn’t crack the Top 10 is that the third act is slightly generic and muddled, but the film is well worth your time. I can’t wait to see what Dexter Fletcher does with the third RDJ Sherlock Holmes. #betterthanbohemianrhapsody |
- The Umbrella Academy
Showrunner: Steve Blackman Starring: Ellen Page, Aiden Gallagher, Tom Hopper, David Castaneda Bet you didn’t expect this, did you! Sure, it’s a TV show and thus ineligible for “Top 10 Best Movies of 2019.” But I adore Umbrella Academy as much (if not more) than most of the films I saw in 2019, and it would be a shame to at least not give it a shout out. Can’t wait for Season 2! |
But what did you think of my list? Let me know in the comments; I hope your decade is off to a stellar start, and I’ll have more lists for you guys very soon!
Image & Info Sources & Stuff
Glass IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt6823368/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Doctor Sleep Poster:
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Doctor Sleep IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt5606664/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Toy Story 4 Poster: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71JCrYJkvvL._AC_SY741_.jpg
Toy Story 4 IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Knives Out Poster:
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tml&psig=AOvVaw21TC4zn7tu3_OE61G1G8aw&ust=1579032685634194
Knives Out IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt8946378/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Ready or Not Poster:
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mpawards.com%2F2019%2Fready_or_not.html&psig=AOvVaw2lrOH4PNGivvB42kgZetXm&ust=1579032893623798
Ready or Not IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt7798634/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
"OUATIH" Poster:
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"OUATIH" IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Ford v Ferrari Poster: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81GpDKdcqwL._AC_SY550_.jpg
Ford v Ferrari IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt1950186/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Avengers: Endgame Poster:
m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTc5MDE2ODcwNV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMzI2NzQ2NzM@._V1_.jpg
Avengers: Endgame IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt4154796/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Joker Poster: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71YrVzXizzL._AC_SL1200_.jpg
Joker IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Jojo Rabbit Poster:
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Jojo Rabbit IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt2584384/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Fighting with My Family Poster: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51lxrRzBDAL.jpg
Fighting with My Family IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt6513120/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
The Irishman Poster: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71Y5pMAw8rL._AC_SY550_.jpg
The Irishman IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Rocketman Poster: i.ebayimg.com/images/g/1xsAAOSwLBlc7sMg/s-l300.jpg
Rocketman IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt2066051/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
The Umbrella Academy Poster: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61Q%2BpzdYMWL._SY741_.jpg
The Umbrella Academy IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt1312171/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
"So Long, and thanks for all the fish!" image: i.pinimg.com/originals/2f/7f/f4/2f7ff438d0f17a2241af8d84e3661f1f.jpg