Mike's Musings: The Top 10 Movies of 2019
There were a lot of great movies this year. I didn't have to change any ratings to get ten qualifiers (3.5 or 4) like I have in the past. Probably because I was scrambling this past month to see every contender I could, although there were a few that I missed, like "The Farewell" (I own it, but I haven't seen it yet). Still, there were some great movies that spanned a wide variety of genres. It gives me hope that there are people who don't go for the easy buck and just make yet another copy of an MCU movie or slap an old name on a generic script for a few extra bucks. There are lots of talented individuals who are making rich and involving cinema. Movies that remind me why I fell in love with the movies in the first place.
Some of these movies I was expecting would turn up on this list. Others surprised me at how much I enjoyed them. It just goes to show that you never know what to expect as a film critic.
10. Dark Waters. This is not a perfect movie. It is "flawed." The screenplay needed another run through to make it really shine. And Anne Hathaway is underused. Yet that is not what I took away from this movie. This movie truly, deeply unsettled me. I mean that as a compliment. This is a movie that is designed to shock and upset. It makes us want accountability from those in power. I left this movie afraid to drink water. "Dark Waters" isn't on this list because of how flawless it is. It's on here because of how deeply it made me feel.
9. Black & Blue. Again, this movie is "flawed." The script is a little on the thin side and Common's performance doesn't really "work." But did I care? Not really. I distinctly remember being on the edge of my seat in a constant state of apprehension and excitement. This is a true adrenaline cocktail that has it where it counts. And it has Naomie Harris, who proves once again just how good of an actress she is. This is the woman who played: a schoolteacher ("The First Grader"), a monster (the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise) and is the new Moneypenny. Add this to her resume of stunning performances.
8. The Wife. This is a holdover from last year. I didn't see it until January so it qualifies. And good thing too, since it deserves all the help it can get. It's one of those little movies that depends solely on the acting. Specifically, Glenn Close. As a woman whose relationship with her husband is both loving and complicated, she carries the film. Jonathan Pryce generously cedes the spotlight to her and allows the legendary actress all the room to create a character whose secrets we are guessing until the end credits roll.
7. Brittany Runs a Marathon. I've been doing this film critic thing for close to a decade now, and even now I can still be surprised. Based on her past efforts, I found Jillian Bell extremely irritating. She's not good at improvisation and tends to drag out "awkward" moments until long after they are funny. But with a real script and a real character to play, Bell is able to create a character worth caring about and rooting for. The comedy is appropriately understated, but this isn't a raunch fest. It's a coming of age story (of sorts), and it show patience and emotional honesty.
6. Ad Astra. This is "true" science fiction. Emphasis on the science. There are no space blasters, aliens, or faster-than-light travel. This a movie that takes place in the near, plausible future and uses the possibilities of the future to ask the existential questions that humans have been pondering since the dawn of time. Key to the film is Brad Pitt, who has had an amazing year on the big screen. His performance is tightly controlled under a stoic veneer, but it's one of his best performances.
5. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood. For film fans, the release date of a new Quentin Tarantino movie is a date to be circled on the calendar. Like Christopher Nolan or Steven Spielberg, he's a director whose next work is always highly anticipated. Easily one of the most inventive, daring and brilliant filmmakers who ever went behind a camera, QT created an entire genre. He has always dealt with criminals and lowlifes and mixed graphic violence with offbeat comedy, but this is his lightest and funniest film. This film never takes itself too seriously and contains some uproarious sequences. Marvelously quirky and inventive, this movie was a blast from start to finish.
4. Marriage Story. Like "The Wife," this movie is all about the acting. It demands the full talents of Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, neither of whom have ever been better. The film's subject matter, which is a no-frills look at divorce, will turn off a lot of people. It's not an easy subject to confront and for many people it will be too painful. And in many instances "Marriage Story" is not comfortable to watch. But the film is so absorbing and made in such a way that it allows us to deal with this subject from a place of safety. If nothing else, the fact that this film takes no sides allows us to understand how hard separation is. Even when there is no shortage of love.
3. A Silent Voice. I'm going to state this right here and now: this movie can be excruciating to watch. This film's portrayal of bullying and the scars it leaves is without compromise. The words, gestures and situations are so on target that the effect becomes visceral. Director Naoko Yamada shows no fear and spares the audience nothing, for to do so would cheapen the film. Yet that pain is precisely why the film works so well. Venturing into such dark territory makes Shoya's path to redemption that much more meaningful. Ultimately this is a story of healing, and the emotions it generates are earned with honesty. It's been almost six months since I've seen this movie, and I haven't forgotten it. It lingers.
2. Waves. Like other movies on this list, "Waves" is challenging cinema. It asks questions about the nature of guilt, family and personal responsibility. At what point does personal responsibility collide with protecting someone else? How do the sins of one person affect another? This is a rich, visually dazzling family drama that illustrates how quickly life can change even when you have all the odds stacked in your favor. This not an easy film to watch and not predictable. But it affected me deeply and I was glad I saw it with a friend so I could talk about it afterwards.
1. Parasite. It was an easy pick for the top prize. "Parasite" is a film that is constantly taking chances, daring the audience to follow its crazy twists and turns. Yet the film never cheats. Everything in this movie feels like a logical extension of what came before. Or at least it did at the time, which is the same thing. It's some kind of miracle, actually. How can a movie be this funny, this violent, this twisted and this tragic? As if it weren't enough, it has strong character development and acting, and is at times blisteringly satirical. It's one hell of a ride, and is easily the best film of 2019.
Some of these movies I was expecting would turn up on this list. Others surprised me at how much I enjoyed them. It just goes to show that you never know what to expect as a film critic.
10. Dark Waters. This is not a perfect movie. It is "flawed." The screenplay needed another run through to make it really shine. And Anne Hathaway is underused. Yet that is not what I took away from this movie. This movie truly, deeply unsettled me. I mean that as a compliment. This is a movie that is designed to shock and upset. It makes us want accountability from those in power. I left this movie afraid to drink water. "Dark Waters" isn't on this list because of how flawless it is. It's on here because of how deeply it made me feel.
9. Black & Blue. Again, this movie is "flawed." The script is a little on the thin side and Common's performance doesn't really "work." But did I care? Not really. I distinctly remember being on the edge of my seat in a constant state of apprehension and excitement. This is a true adrenaline cocktail that has it where it counts. And it has Naomie Harris, who proves once again just how good of an actress she is. This is the woman who played: a schoolteacher ("The First Grader"), a monster (the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise) and is the new Moneypenny. Add this to her resume of stunning performances.
8. The Wife. This is a holdover from last year. I didn't see it until January so it qualifies. And good thing too, since it deserves all the help it can get. It's one of those little movies that depends solely on the acting. Specifically, Glenn Close. As a woman whose relationship with her husband is both loving and complicated, she carries the film. Jonathan Pryce generously cedes the spotlight to her and allows the legendary actress all the room to create a character whose secrets we are guessing until the end credits roll.
7. Brittany Runs a Marathon. I've been doing this film critic thing for close to a decade now, and even now I can still be surprised. Based on her past efforts, I found Jillian Bell extremely irritating. She's not good at improvisation and tends to drag out "awkward" moments until long after they are funny. But with a real script and a real character to play, Bell is able to create a character worth caring about and rooting for. The comedy is appropriately understated, but this isn't a raunch fest. It's a coming of age story (of sorts), and it show patience and emotional honesty.
6. Ad Astra. This is "true" science fiction. Emphasis on the science. There are no space blasters, aliens, or faster-than-light travel. This a movie that takes place in the near, plausible future and uses the possibilities of the future to ask the existential questions that humans have been pondering since the dawn of time. Key to the film is Brad Pitt, who has had an amazing year on the big screen. His performance is tightly controlled under a stoic veneer, but it's one of his best performances.
5. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood. For film fans, the release date of a new Quentin Tarantino movie is a date to be circled on the calendar. Like Christopher Nolan or Steven Spielberg, he's a director whose next work is always highly anticipated. Easily one of the most inventive, daring and brilliant filmmakers who ever went behind a camera, QT created an entire genre. He has always dealt with criminals and lowlifes and mixed graphic violence with offbeat comedy, but this is his lightest and funniest film. This film never takes itself too seriously and contains some uproarious sequences. Marvelously quirky and inventive, this movie was a blast from start to finish.
4. Marriage Story. Like "The Wife," this movie is all about the acting. It demands the full talents of Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, neither of whom have ever been better. The film's subject matter, which is a no-frills look at divorce, will turn off a lot of people. It's not an easy subject to confront and for many people it will be too painful. And in many instances "Marriage Story" is not comfortable to watch. But the film is so absorbing and made in such a way that it allows us to deal with this subject from a place of safety. If nothing else, the fact that this film takes no sides allows us to understand how hard separation is. Even when there is no shortage of love.
3. A Silent Voice. I'm going to state this right here and now: this movie can be excruciating to watch. This film's portrayal of bullying and the scars it leaves is without compromise. The words, gestures and situations are so on target that the effect becomes visceral. Director Naoko Yamada shows no fear and spares the audience nothing, for to do so would cheapen the film. Yet that pain is precisely why the film works so well. Venturing into such dark territory makes Shoya's path to redemption that much more meaningful. Ultimately this is a story of healing, and the emotions it generates are earned with honesty. It's been almost six months since I've seen this movie, and I haven't forgotten it. It lingers.
2. Waves. Like other movies on this list, "Waves" is challenging cinema. It asks questions about the nature of guilt, family and personal responsibility. At what point does personal responsibility collide with protecting someone else? How do the sins of one person affect another? This is a rich, visually dazzling family drama that illustrates how quickly life can change even when you have all the odds stacked in your favor. This not an easy film to watch and not predictable. But it affected me deeply and I was glad I saw it with a friend so I could talk about it afterwards.
1. Parasite. It was an easy pick for the top prize. "Parasite" is a film that is constantly taking chances, daring the audience to follow its crazy twists and turns. Yet the film never cheats. Everything in this movie feels like a logical extension of what came before. Or at least it did at the time, which is the same thing. It's some kind of miracle, actually. How can a movie be this funny, this violent, this twisted and this tragic? As if it weren't enough, it has strong character development and acting, and is at times blisteringly satirical. It's one hell of a ride, and is easily the best film of 2019.
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