My Ten Favorite Movies Of 2019
Because creating a numbered list is the only accepted way of discussing good movies.
2019 was an amazing year for movies. We had some universally loved films like Parasite and Marriage Story as well as plenty of innovative indie features that pushed their way into the public view like Uncut Gems. Unfortunately, unlike 2019, 2020 has been pretty awful for movies so far. Before we all got pushed inside we got 1917 but now, for the foreseeable future, our theaters are devoid of movies entirely.
Last year I saw most films that remotely interested me or that I considered to look well made. I didn’t seek out to many I wasn’t interested in, but for the brief stint I had AMC A-List I saw pretty much everything in theaters. The only notable exception to that rule is Monos a foreign film which didn’t come to theaters near me and that I have been trying to make time to watch for months now. Still, I didn’t want to delay writing this so here we are. If Monos was a personal favorite of yours that is why it isn’t here.
This list is so late because many indie films from 2019 festivals didn’t come to theaters — or digital near me until this year. Portrait of a Lady on Fire, among my most anticipated movies of last year didn’t come near me till Valentine’s Day. Finally, I’ve seen most every film I could possibly place on this list, and I have given them all time to grow on me. So, without further ado, here is my list:
10. I actually feel bad that Waves isn’t higher on my list. I saw it back in December and, though I thought it was incredibly well made with great performances from the entire cast it just didn’t connect with me had I felt more attached it would undoubtedly move farther up the list. It could be that, being white myself, I just didn’t connect to some of the culture present in the film but, given that the Director is white I don’t see that being particularly likely. Despite it not being higher on my list I highly recommend you watch it, it features a great soundtrack and gorgeous cinematography that rivals the best of the year.
9. I wrote an article the other day on why you should check out Uncut Gems. The film delivers a high stakes joy ride through a few days in the life of Howard Ratner, played by Adam Sandler, as he tries to keep from losing everything. Howard dreams of winning money and power and will gamble anything and everything to have a chance at his vision. It is a stressful, and at times, funny movie. It’s hard to describe as ‘fun’ but I would recommend it nonetheless.
8. A Hidden Life is boring. That may not be the greatest way to convince someone to watch a movie, but it’s true and I don’t want you to spend 3 hours bored out of your mind. It is a slow film and takes its time to get where it wants to go but it is also incredibly rewarding. It is hard for me to think of Terrence Malick’s movies as movies, I see them as more of a meditation. I realize this sounds incredibly pretentious, but if you have seen a Malick film you know what I mean. He puts the themes and ideas at a higher priority than the characters and story — those are merely vehicles he uses to show you what he wants you to see. If this sounds uninteresting I doubt you will enjoy this film, and that’s okay, but if it piques your interest, be sure to check it out.
7. Little Women transforms its source material from a century old story that everyone knows. It splits itself into two timelines, something that at first may sound like a gimmick, but quickly reveals itself to be to the stories benefit. The timelines allow you to see two versions of each character at a time, giving you a deeper sense of who they are. It is blended with the story immaculately and, had you not read the book before, you would have no idea it is an addition. Outside of the structure of the story, although it is widely known I must state that the acting is phenomenal. Each leading and supporting actress, and Timothée Chalamet bring so much to the table. Each gives a deep and meaningful performance that brings the characters to life. Little Women was among my favorites of the year and you should absolutely watch it.
6. You should not watch Climax. Probably. Climax is disgusting at times, stomach-able at others. The basic premise is that a group of dancers have a party where someone spikes the punch with LSD. The movie begins with a roughly 30 minute long choreographed sequence filled with dance, then, for the rest of the movie, shifts to being fully improvised. Google claims the runtime is about an hour and a half which I find hard to believe, it felt like it went on forever for me. I have never felt so uncomfortable or so violated in a movie. To give reasons why would be to spoil the movie, so I won’t. All I will say is it was expertly acted and features the small miracle of non-actors preforming incredible improv. I still haven’t fully recovered from seeing it over a year ago. Watch it if you want, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
5. The Last Black Man In San Francisco is beautiful, I may even go as far as to say it was the most beautiful movie I saw last year, rivaled only by Portrait of a Lady on Fire. The cinematography is almost unmatched among other 2019 films. It took me quite a while to fully appreciate this film. Like A Hidden Life, The Last Black Man In San Francisco puts feelings and themes before story, though here it is done in a much more approachable way with characters still feeling lifelike and relatable. Well known San Francisco residents and figures appear in the film. From the famous candy lady portrayed by Dakecia Chappell who once upon a time sold candy out of her house, to San Francisco native rapper San Quinn. The result is a slew of cameos that adds to the authenticity and ambiance of the film. All of these parts converge to tell a story of immense importance: the gentrification of the bay area. This is absolutely a much watch film.
4. Marriage Story is heart wrenching. Undoubtedly the main allure of the film are the Oscar worthy performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. From the opening scene the couple are separating. We don’t see any build up leading to their leaving each-other. We only see two people, who clearly still care about one another, who cannot be together any longer. There are scenes that are harder to watch than many other films that came out the same year, while still keeping the characters relatable and lovable. It is a hard watch, but one that is so incredibly satisfying.
3. Parasite surprised everyone when it made history when it one Best Picture last year along with 3 other Oscars. Although it is not my favorite movie of last year I absolutely understand why it won and whole heatedly applaud it. It is hard to say much without giving away what makes it so special and unique so instead I will focus on the non story aspects. The cinematography is incredible and really dictates the pace of the film it is so versatile and a joy to watch. The acting is also all incredible. If you don’t watch Korean cinema you won’t recognize anyone but the vast majority of the stars are big names and many have worked with director Bong Joon Ho before. This is one of the few films on this list I believe everyone can and will enjoy and I recommend it to everyone.
2. My runner up pick for movie of the year is Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Although it debuted in 2019 it didn’t come to theaters near me till 2020. In fact, it was the last film I saw before the shelter in place. And, I must say, it was the perfect send off o theaters for the time being. Not since call me by your name have I felt so much from a romance film, which I am perfectly willing to attribute to me being queer. Still, even if you don’t find the romance as ravishing as I did, you can enjoy the idyllic beauty this film has to offer.
Earlier in this list I noted that The Last Black Man in San Francisco was only competing with this film for beauty, and I meant it. Portrait features gorgeous shots of the ocean, tender portrayals of intimacy and the stark beauty of the nature surrounding the main house in which the story takes place. The film skips over the, at times, tiring cliche of getting over the religious induced moral issues of a queer romance which makes this film feel timeless. Although it takes place in the 1700’s, the story feels as fresh as ever. The film is beautiful, powerful, and deeply romantic, if you haven’t seen it yet, go watch it now.
1.It is a bit cliche to pick The Lighthouse as your favorite movie of the year, yet I felt I had to. It had a lot of buzz when it premiered with legions of moviegoers excited to see Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson confined together in a near quarantine (talk about relevant.) The Lighthouse is weird. And funny, and creepy, and hard to explain. It dives deep into mythology and, though director Robert Eggers has given us his interpretation of the film, there are so many others that you can pull from the ending and surrounding story.
The Lighthouse feels like the type of movie that would be made by a pretentious director, yet it doesn’t shy away from dumb humor, even employing fart jokes. I have seen it 3 times in theaters and twice at home yet each time I find something new. It may not be as accessible as Parasite but I would argue that if it were, it would lose its charm. The box-y aspect ratio and black and white presentation add to the feeling that your watching some long lost film, not something that came out last year. It is that feeling which makes it feel not only special, but incredibly unique as well. I wholeheartedly recommend The Lighthouse to any who are remotely interested. It may not be your favorite film of the year, but I promise you will get something out of it.
So that’s my list. How many of yours made it onto mine? I hope you found something you hadn’t had a chance to watch yet and I especially hope you enjoy anything off this list you choose to watch (except Climax which I promise you won’t.) If you want to see more of my thoughts on movies check out my Letterboxd account, I tend to keep it (fairly) up to date.