The Best Movies of 2019
It’s been a great year for film. With epic blockbusters, heartfelt indies, and intense dramas, there’s been an incredible amount of diversity in theaters. While I wish I could’ve seen more movies, I got the chance to see a decent amount this year – some of which blew me away. There were movies that stuck with me, made me think, made me incredibly excited for the future of the industry, and reminded me why I truly love seeing movies. Here’s my ranking of all of the films released this year that I’ve seen (worst to best). I’ll be rating these using the Anthony Fantano rating scale: a 1-10 scale which sometimes includes a description like “light", "decent,” or "strong" to further expand on my opinion. Note: this article might contain spoilers (made visible by bold font).
20. The Art of Racing in the Rain
While not the main reason, part of why this movie is at the bottom of my list was because it was not my choice to see this film; my mom enjoys seeing movies when she can, and one weekend, she got to pick what movie to watch. So, she picked the dog movie. Now, this wasn’t too horrible of a movie, but it felt like a pretty stereotypical animal film, hitting a lot of the clichè plot points and getting you to cry by the end. One aspect I did like was the racing storyline, which added a refreshing take to the classic dog story and kept me in the film. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s not for me. I’d give it a 4.
19. Escape Room
I’m not a huge horror fan (although recently, I’ve been interested in getting into the genre), but this movie felt pretty generic and stereotypical. The characters were boring, made dumb decisions, and I didn’t really feel attatched to the film. It was also pretty forgettable. That alone puts it near the bottom of my list. I’d give it a light 4.
18. Yesterday
I was really hopeful for this movie. Right from the first trailer, the premise hooked me (especially since I’m a huge Beatles fan): a world where everyone’s forgotten about the Beatles except a single musician who decides to expose the world to their life changing music by claiming them as his own. And, it was great... until it wasn’t. The acting was decent, the music was great, but what could’ve been a really awesome film seemed to turn into an average romcom. For some, that’ll satisfy them perfectly, but I really wanted more from this. I’d give this movie a 6.
17. Captain Marvel
I’m a Marvel junkie. I’ll get that out of the way. That being said, I normally get hyped for every Marvel film. I was hyped for this film, but maybe not as much as others because this was the film right before Avengers: Endgame, which was way more anticipated. But nonetheless, I was excited for this. And it was a good movie! It didn’t blow me away, but it didn’t bore me either. It was a solid, mid-level Marvel film in my opinion. I personally thought Brie Larson did a good job with the character, and I loved seeing her interactions with a young Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson). Overall, it was a good film that established the character well but wasn’t a game changer. I’d give it a 7.
16. The Farewell
This was another movie my mom picked out. Yet, this one surprised me. The premise was slightly interesting from the start, but turned into quite an entertaining and funny film. It had great acting, great storytelling, and heavy hitting moments. At times, I felt like it dragged, but the director filmed long conversation sequences between characters in a way that still kept it engaging – something I found really cool. I’d give this film a light 7.
15. John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch
I loved the John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City special, so I was excited for this too. I saw some promos for this so I knew a bit about it, but was still a little confused on the premise...and I still am but in a good way. It was unexpectedly charming and fun, and the songs were actually pretty good too, to my surprise. The singing was great and while the lyrics were pretty simplistic conceptually, that’s honestly what made it good. And Jake Gyllenhaal was great as always in his role, and was one of the funniest parts of the special. And Tyler might be my favorite kid of the bunch. All in all, a strangely fun experience, though I’m still not quite sure what it was. I’d give it a light 7.
14. Knives Out
I’d heard really good things about this movie from friends who had seen it. And, it was good! It didn’t blow my socks off, but it was definitely entertaining and fun, which is honestly what makes any movie good. Daniel Craig was great, and the movie was actually really funny at times. It felt classic and cliche, like your classic murder mystery, yet fresh and inventive as well. I liked how the movie subverted your expectations from the beginning. When witnesses gave their stories, there were already contradictions between the details, and they’d show the same scenes from the night of the murder, but with different things happening and different people during that time. Additionally, the idea that us as the audience was given details on who actually committed the crime near the beginning, and having us think we clearly know that Marta did it from the start (which ends up turning out to not be the case) was a clever and intriguing twist on the genre. All in all, I was happy to enjoy this movie. I think Rian Johnson actually did a really good job with it, and I would honestly love to rewatch it one day and see what details I could find that maybe hinted at the end. I’d give it a light 7.
13. Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
It was not sure what to expect going in. I heard good things from some, bad things from others, and the IMDB score didn’t look so good either. I ended up thoroughly enjoying it a lot, and I’m pretty satisfied with how it ended. The beginning was thrilling, there were a ton of super neat callbacks to the older films both musically and in the story, and some the characters arcs ended incredibly with deserving destinies. A lot of my issues with the film came from watching it. While viewing it for the first time was great during the movie, I found that there were a lot of things I didn’t like about it after I left the theater. And one seen really didn’t feel right to me; it felt super out of place and unnecessary. Part of this is because I’m a mega Star Wars fan and hyperfocus and examine all the details in any movie in the series. However, it’s higher on this list because I’m a Star Wars fan and felt a lot of nostalgia in this film. Regardless, it was enjoyable, it felt like a satisfying end to the saga, and I’d probably give it a light 7.
12. Shazam!
I love DC. I won’t say I’ve loved all of their recent movies, but as a franchise, I love their characters and stories. While they’ve had some hiccups in their films, I personally feel like they’ve been making a comeback. Wonder Woman and Aquaman, their films prior to this one, were really fun and entertaining adventures. I was excited for this move because it seemed to diverge from the dark nature of the previous DCEU (DC Extended Universe - the shared cinematic universe for DC characters) with a funnier tone. It was great! It was the right mix of comedy, adventure, and fun. At times, it felt like it hit a lot of the beats of a stereotypical superhero film, but it was a great time nonetheless. I’d give it a light 7.
11. Spider-Man: Far From Home
This movie had big shoes to fill. It was the first movie in the MCU to follow the monumental and gigantic Avengers: Endgame. And, while it was definitely not as big or flashy as Endgame, it was still a great film. It incorporated some of my favorite parts and storylines about Spider-Man, had great character development all around, and featured an amazing performance by Jake Gyllenhaal (who I find to be a talented and underrated actor) as Mysterio. With two end credits scenes that gave nods to the past and vision to the future, it did a great job of getting fans to want more even after the conclusion of Endgame. I’d give this a strong 7.
10. Uncut Gems
What a good movie! Adam Sandler was really really good in this, it was nice to see him in an intense role versus a lot of the more goofy comedic films he’s been in. He killed it. Also, Kevin Garnett was actually pretty good! Fun to see the basketball player doing well on the big screen. The movie had such an intense vibe to it. A lot of times while “the main” conversation would be going on, there would be a lot of things happening in the background whether it’s a song at a club or multiple conversation. Additionally, there were a lot of “arguing” scenes where each person would talk over each other and interrupt, which also added to that chaotic tone. The whole film felt suspenseful and kept me on edge. The ending was pretty shocking, and while I didn’t see it coming and it surprised me, it feels fitting. He was living life on the edge and after many close calls, the consequences caught up to him. All in all, a good film with some great acting and a pretty good arc and intriguing message. I’d give the film an 8.
9. Ford V. Ferrari
I had seen many trailers for this movie before I saw it, and thought it looked interesting, yet I didn’t have too much of a drive (get it?) to go and watch it. I ended up being invited to see it, and it exceeded my expectations. It had amazing performances, a great story, and the driving sequences gave me a twisted feeling of suspense in my stomach that I haven’t felt from watching any other movie. This one is definitely worth the watch, and rarely had any slow moments. It takes a bit to pickup, but once it does, you won’t want to let go. I’d give this film an 8.
8. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
I was so excited for this. I had just finished Breaking Bad recently, which was one of the best TV shows I’ve ever watched. It was incredible, and I was so excited for this sequel/followup that was being made 6 years after the show ended to tell audiences what happens next to Jesse. I’d say it didn’t leave me with an “oh my god that was amazing” reaction like a lot of Breaking Bad episodes did, but it was really really good! It was nice to see where he ended up, and to see some familiar faces too. Mike, Badger, Skinny Pete, WALT, and even Jane! It was a nice ending to this saga, and it was good. It definitely felt different from Breaking Bad, but I’d say that was good. It’s Jesse’s story this time, not Walt. And the tie backs to the original show with things like the Spider, the vacuum guy, the junkyard guy, and some flashbacks to events that took place during Breaking Bad, which was really cool. Overall it was really good and I’m quite happy with it. I’d give the film a light 8.
7. Rocketman
Fresh after the success of the celebrated Bohemian Rhapsody, I was worried this would just be another copycat biopic about a famous music star who overcomes obstacles in their life and influences the world. I was wrong. This movie, in my opinion, was way better than Bohemian Rhapsody. Instead of being a biopic that incorporates songs by the artist into the film, this movie took Elton John's songs and weaved them into the story, making this film a musical of his life using his music – I think it works incredibly. Taron Egerton gave an outstanding performance as Elton John and even re-recorded all of the songs himself, which sounded amazing (unlike using the original music like Bohemian Rhapsody did). While the category for best actor is really competitive this year, I really hope he’s at least nominated for the performance he gave. Additionally, unlike Bohemian Rhapsody, this film was rated R, allowing it to be more explicit and go into more depth on some of the heavier subjects like Elton’s drug and sex addition; this, in turn, made the film feel much more “real.” All in all, it was an incredible experience that shook my expectations in almost every way. I’d give this film a strong 8.
6. Toy Story 4
I’m biased on this one because even though I can’t help it, nostalgia plays a huge role in my rating of this film. These movies are a part of my childhood and will always have a special place in my heart. From the classic “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” feels, to the wonderfully developed characters who I’ve grown an attachment to over the years, to the incredibly unique premise of these films, I’ve always enjoyed the Toy Story movies. But, I was worried about this one. Pixar really struck gold with Toy Story 3. It was made 11 years after it’s predecessor (Toy Story 2), yet proved to be one of the best ones. It had some of the most emotional parts of any of the Toy Story movies (or really any movie). It seemed to have the most heartwarming and satisfying ending, so I was concerned when a 4th film was announced. I went to see this movie, and by the end, I was relieved and definitely not disappointed. The animation was gorgeous (it even seemed photorealistic at times, especially during a rain sequence towards the beginning of the film) and the story was just as fresh and fun as the originals. The ending almost brought me to tears because it was my childhood I was seeing unwravel and conclude in front of me, but I loved it. Even though a certain creative decision slightly contradicts a plotpoint from the 3rd film, this movie was still as enjoyable and fun as the other three films. It made me feel like a kid again. I’d give this film a strong 8.
5. Marriage Story
I went into this film knowing that some hype and Oscar buzz was surrounding it. That’s part of the reason why I wanted to see it, in addition to the stars being two of my favorite actors: Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. The movie did not disappoint. It exceeded my expectations. The characters were incredibly well-developed and compelling, the story was believable and incredible, and the acting was some of the best I’ve seen all year. One thing that was done extraordinarily well was the way the movie began. It throws you for a loop by starting sweet and funny with their compliments on each other, then transitions immediately into their divorce counseling, setting the tone for the film. To comment more on the acting, the first scene that blew me away was a 5-10 minute monologue by Scarlett Johansson, talking about her story in this divorce, all done in one continuous take. Her acting was convincing and emotionally powerful. Additionally, Adam Driver was amazing, especially with his complex facial expressions during emotional scenes, and his outbursts during “the argument” scene. Also, the small details stuck out to me and made this great. For example, in their complimentary opening monologues, Nicole (Johansson’s character) talks about how voracious of an eater Charlie (Driver’s character) was, yet during their lawyer meeting he can’t seem to figure out what to eat in a moment of silence and emotion. Another one was that of Halloween. They made a point to emphasize Charlie’s love for Halloween, showing him getting decked out in his Invisible Man costume and custom designing a Frankenstein costume for his son, which his son rejects for a store-bought ninja costume by his mom. Later on, when it’s the next Halloween a year later, he’s not eager to get into a costume; it’s like he’s lost a part of himself in this process. And when he does dress up, he wears a sheet and is a ghost, covering up himself, and probably his emotions. It’s a parallel that hit me heavily. Overall, an incredibly emotional, powerful, and engaging film with tremendous acting all across the board. This one gets a 9 for sure.
4. Joker
Again, this was another movie I was worried yet excited about. It seemed strange that DC was moving forward with a Joker origin film that was unaffiliated with the DCEU after having just introduced Jared Leto as a new Joker. Additionally, one of the most enticing parts about the Joker was the fact that you knew almost nothing about him; his identity was a mystery, and that added to the fear and power of the character. However, from the trailers, I could tell this movie was striving to be different. And it was. Joaquin Phoenix knocked this performance out of the park. (I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he won the Oscar for best actor in a leading role.) The movie was compelling, haunting, complex, and beautifully made. It had gorgeous cinematography and lighting, and an equally beautiful soundtrack that sent chills down my spine during some sequences. Additionally, it affirms my feeling that DC has a bright future if it keeps it up with these great movies. I’d give this film a strong 9.
3. Jojo Rabbit
I was excited for this movie even after watching the first trailer. It was directed by Taika Waititi and I was incredibly impressed by what he did with his previous film, Thor: Ragnarok (he completely turned the Thor franchise around and produced one of the most entertaining and fun movies in the MCU). Additionally, the premise was incredibly unique and intriguing: a World War II film about a young German boy in the Hitler youth who discovers that his mom is hiding a jew. This boy’s imaginary friend is none other than Adolf Hitler (played by Taika Waititi himself), and the movie documents his journey of confronting his blind German nationalism. This movie blew me away. The acting was incredible, the story was fantastic, and the tone was amazing. It was the perfect combination of satire/comedy and drama and did an amazing job dealing with the sensitivity of some of the darker moments that happened during World War II. When reflecting back on this movie, one of the standout moments was the pairing of the Beatles song “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” (the German version) with videos from the film Triumph of the Will – a Nazi propaganda film which featured footage of Hitler landing in Germany and being greeted by screaming crowds. That juxtaposition makes an eerie comparison and might remind people of when the Beatles first landed in the JFK airport and were greeted by screaming fans. It’s the small yet extraordinary details like that which add to the film’s authenticity and greatness. I’d give it a very strong 9.
2. Parasite
I was interested in this film after my friend showed me a few trailers, but it didn’t hook me like some other trailers have. For one, the film was entirely in Korean (which isn’t necessarily bad, but meant I’d need subtitles to understand the film), and I wasn’t quite sure what the movie was about from the trailer – something I later found out was done on purpose to reveal as little as possible about the movie. As the director said in an interview with talk show host Jimmy Fallon, “the film is best when you go into it cold.” He was right. I was hooked from the opening shot to the end credits, and this movie hit different. It left me completely shocked, and in awe of what I had just watched. I haven’t felt that way about a movie possibly ever. The cinematography is something worth celebrating and rewarding, the acting is outstanding, the story is masterfully written, and the subtitles added no hindrance to the story at all. It was quite funny at times too, and was entertaining from start to finish. The best part about this movie was that you expect it to be one thing at the beginning, but it slowly morphs into something completely unexpected yet believable. It’s a masterpiece with bold statements about society, class, and desire. One of the best juxtapositions in the film was during a scene with torrential downpour. The upper class sees the rain as beautiful and wonderful from the comfort of their homes, while, for the lower class characters, the rain completely floods their home as they’re forced to literally swim through the streets in an intense and suspenseful sequence. This movie will stick with me for quite some time. This one is absolutely a 10.
1. Avengers: Endgame
I was struggling a lot when choosing my top film of the year. Mainly, it was between this film or Parasite. Parasite was amazing because of how great of a standalone film this was, both as a story and as a technical work of art. Avengers: Endgame, however, was something different. It’s easy to say that this was my favorite movie of the year just because I’m a big Marvel fan, and that’s true. Part of why I loved it was because I love Marvel. But, this movie was more than just another movie. Marvel has been doing unprecedented work with their shared cinematic universe, and this was the culmination of 11 years of character development over 21 films. It was especially anticipated due to the shocking cliffhanger ending of Avengers: Infinity War which concluded with the death of half of the heroes and life in all of the universe itself when the villain Thanos wins. Marketing and promotion for the film was heavily monitored in order to preserve the experience of watching the movie; Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige claimed that footage from trailers would most likely be only from the first 15 to 20 minutes of the film. The movie was released, and took the world by storm. On July 20th, at San Diego Comic Con, a mere 85 days after it’s release, it took the crown from James Cameron’s Avatar to become the highest grossing movie of all time, making around $2.798 billion. If you can’t already tell, I was beyond excited for this. In order to avoid spoilers, I deleted instagram a week before the movie’s release, and avoided watching any Marvel related YouTube videos that might have contained spoilers. And it worked. I saw the movie, and experienced it in all its glory without knowledge of what would happen. It was worth it, and the film did everything I wanted it to. It was successful at concluding 11 years worth of storylines and incorporating storylines for an obscene amount of beloved characters in one film – an almost impossible task. I have a lot to say about this movie, so strap yourselves in.
This film is littered with references to the past Marvel films, Easter eggs and set ups for the future, and extraordinarily well-written and deserved conclusions to some amazing character arcs. Let’s talk about Captain America first. Ever since his introduction in Captain America: The First Avenger, he’s been holding onto his love for Peggy Carter. From the compass with her picture in it that he’s held onto, to the visions of his desires in Avengers: Age of Ultron, it’s clear he hasn’t let go of her, even if she is 70-80 years in the past. This movie didn’t ignore that love. Due to the inclusion of time travel in this film, Cap was able to remain in the past at the end of the film, and live out the life he always wanted to – just him and Peggy. At the very end of the movie, we see him as an old man after a lifetime of new adventures, and as he describes it, “it was beautiful.” It was the perfect end to a complex and conflicted character that finally got the happy ending he deserved.
We can’t move on without talking about Iron Man either. He was another character who had internal battles of his own. Having experienced a lot of struggles with accepting his father and finding out more about his past and his morals, time travel allowed Tony to meet his father. After spending time with his father and having a conversation, Tony was able to receive the closure he always needed. Arguably, one of the best scenes of the film comes from the end, when Tony ends up making the sacrifice to snap the Infinity Gauntlet to defeat the enemies, ultimately taking his life as the cost. For me, this best part isn’t the epic nature of the scene, or how he says, “And I... am... Iron Man” to Thanos as he snaps, relating to the iconic quote that ended the first MCU film Iron Man. It’s the most subtle but most impactful character development that makes this scene extraordinary. In the first Avengers film during an argument between Cap and Tony, Cap says to Tony that “The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you...You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero.” To that, Tony responds “A hero? Like you? You're a lab rat, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle!” Both of these foreshadowing elements come full circle in this film. With Cap, he proved to Tony that there was more to him than just super strength. In Avengers: Endgame, he is able to wield Thor’s hammer in a plot twist that garnered some of the most incredible audience reactions to a scene that I’ve ever experienced. The trick with the hammer is that only those who are worth may wield it. Cap proved that he was more than just a lab experiment and that his true worth and potential came within, not from his powers. For Tony, initially willing to make the sacrifice in Avengers when he guides a nuclear bomb into space, and again in Avengers: Endgame with the snap of a finger (literally). It shows how, over the course of several years, the selfish and egotistical Iron Man we knew grew into a man who cared for those he loved – enough to lay down his life for them and the rest of the universe to carry on.
Additionally, the film did an incredible job at setting up the future of the universe in subtle ways that weren’t too reliant on cliffhangers. To list just a few, it foreshadowed Falcon as the next Captain America when Cap gave Falcon the shield; it set up Valkyrie as the new King of Asgard; it set up Thor’s new adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy; and it set up Spider-Man having to deal with the trauma of life without his mentor (this was dove into in Spider-Man: Far From Home).
I’ll admit that at times, the movie was purely fan service. As a Marvel fan, I can’t complain about this – it was awesome! From Captain America wielding Thor’s hammer, to the time travel element allowing characters to revisit previous MCU movies from different perspectives, to the most incredible team up at the end with every MCU character we’ve ever seen in one shot, it gave nerds like me something to think about forever.
It included callbacks and references to the previous Marvel films of the saga, and felt like a well deserved tribute to the legacy it left upon cinema. Here are a few other neat callbacks:
The elevator scene was a reference to the iconic Captain America: The Winter Soldier showdown and the iconic “on your left” line uttered by Falcon as the fallen heroes re-emerge onto the battlefield was a reference to the same film.
As Captain America plans to travel back in time to return the infinity stones, he says to his best friend Bucky, “Don't do anything stupid until I come back,” to which Bucky responds, “How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you.” In Captain America: The First Avenger, Bucky says the same thing to Cap as he leaves to fight in World War II, and gets the same response then, too.
Iron Man’s daughter has a love for cheeseburgers, which is a subtle but heartfelt reference to her father’s love for the same.
The young boy who starred in Iron Man 3 made an appearance at Tony Stark’s funeral.
Captain America calls Spider-Man “Queens,” just like he did in Captain America: Civil War. In that same movie, Hawkeye said to Black Panther, “I’m Clint,” to which Black Panther responds “I don’t care.” At the final battle in Avengers: Endgame, Black Panther says to Hawkeye, “Clint, give it (the gauntlet) to me.” He remembered.
One of the most memorable parts of the film was the credits. For the last 6 actors and actresses featured, they focused on the original 6 Avengers, and gave them flashy credit sequences highlighting their most iconic scenes and ending with the actor’s signature on the screen. That gave room for some of the loudest applause and cheering I’ve heard in a movie. And finally, the movie ended. No end credits, no last minute teasers, only the sound of Iron Man’s clanging hammer – the ultimate callback to the first film of the MCU, bringing this epic journey full circle. The list goes on, but this film will always stick with me as one of the most incredible experiences of my life. It’s undoubtedly cinema, and it’s a 10, in every single way.
If it hasn’t been clear, I love movies. This year has been a great year and while I didn’t get to see every movie I wanted to, the ones I did see were some of the best I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year. Cinema has a bright future. Here’s to the amazing movies we’ll see in 2020.