Top 10 Films of 2019
The magic of movies was on full display in 2019 as filmmakers were given creative freedom to bring their visions to life.
Despite the copious amounts of big, made-by-committee blockbusters that are overtaking the multiplexes, 2019 will be a year known for its filmmaker-driven cinema. This was the year that multiple auteurs were given the creative freedom to bring their unaltered visions to life, and were rewarded at the box office because of it. Films this year were diverse both behind and in front of the camera, and the types of stories being told varied tremendously. If you look past the big franchise films that seemed to come out every week, there were some wonderful films playing in the smaller theaters. Below, you’ll find my — entirely subjective — list of the best films of 2019.
10. Blinded by the Light
Gurinder Chadha brings the true story of a Pakistani teenager falling in love with the music of Bruce Springsteen to fruition beautifully in Blinded by the Light. The film tackles heavy topics such as racism and recession, but always manages to stay positive and hopeful, utilizing some of The Boss’ best tunes in ways that bathe them in a different light. Viveik Kalra gives a star-making performance as Javet, a young man at odds with his family and friends, and of course, the film has a killer soundtrack. There is no other film this year that has captured the feeling of inspiration the same way Blinded by the Light does. It’s truly the feel good film of the year.
9. Doctor Sleep
It’s a miracle that Doctor Sleep is as good as it is. Being both an adaptation of the Stephen King novel and a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s wildly off-source adaptation of The Shining, it seemed doomed to fail. Yet, once again, Mike Flanagan shows his incredible ability to tell terrifying tales backed with raw emotion. Ewan McGregor inhabits the role of Dan Torrance effortlessly, selling the character’s battle with addiction and a haunted past. Pulling off what may be one of the greatest balancing acts in cinema history, Flanagan reconciles Kubrick and King in one of the year’s best horror films. That’s not even mentioning Rebecca Ferguson’s solid gold performance as the villainous Rose the Hat.
8. Hustlers
This is one I almost skipped, simply because the trailers did nothing for me. Then, reviews started rolling in, Jennifer Lopez was singled out for an Oscar-worthy performance, and I had to buy a ticket. I was blown away by Hustlers, which is so much more than its promotional material suggests. It’s a story equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, revolving around a group of strippers who revolt against the wealthy society that oppresses them. Lopez is the shining star of the film, but Constance Wu quietly gives the best performance of the A-list cast. I’ve heard Hustlers compared to Goodfellas, but that’s not entirely accurate. These women are the antithesis to Henry Hill and his colleagues.
7. The Dead Don’t Die
Jim Jarmusch’s deadpan take on the zombie comedy is definitely not for everyone, and split critics down the middle. It’s a grumpy little genre film that shakes its fist and yells at the audience about climate change, consumerism, and racism with little subtlety. The deadpan comedy, delivered mostly by Bill Murray and Adam Driver as two small-town police officers dealing with the impending zombie apocalypse, is dry to a fault. Yet, The Dead Don’t Die is a beautifully shot, deliriously silly film that I can’t help but keep revisiting time and time again. It just works for me on every level.
6. The Irishman
Martin Scorcese kickstarted an illustrious career with violent, shocking films about bad men. In doing so, he invited criticism for glorfying amoral behavior, a criticism that can’t possibly be thrown at The Irishman. It’s Scorcese’s meditative take on the genre he helped popularize, grappling with the sins of the past. Joe Pesci came out of retirement for a career-best performance, playing against type as Russell Bufalino. It’s a film that delivers all the hallmarks of a classic gangster film before pulling back the curtain on the consequences of living a violent, sinful life. Scorcese really outdid himself this time around, crafting a deeply emotional cinematic experience.
5. Us
Jordan Peele definitely avoided the sophomore slump with his follow-up to Get Out. Us is a nerve-shredding horror film that leans into the genre even more so than its predecessor, delivering one of the most chilling films of the year. The makeup design of the disfigured doppelgangers is terrifying in the best way; as soon as they appear, the tension never lets up. Lupita Nyong’o deserves awards recognition for her dual performance, which was physically exhausting to watch, let alone perform. Peele delivers gorgeous camera work, biting humor, and memorable set pieces, proving that he’s an auteur worth following.
4. Knives Out
Knives Out is the best theater experience of 2019; I dare you to find a crowd-pleaser as good as this one. Both paying respect and slyly subverting the murder mystery genre, Rian Johnson’s whodunit delivers the goods while playing out in an entirely unexpected way. The A-list cast elevates this movie, but the stand out is relative newcomer Ana de Armas, whose performance is the beating heart of the film. Johnson didn’t even settle for delivering pure entertainment, using the central mystery to tell a story about the prejudices that immigrants face. Without going into spoilers, the last three minutes of Knives Out are the most pleasing three minutes of any movie of the year.
3. Midsommar
I still haven’t made it through Ari Aster’s Hereditary; it’s simply too dark for me too enjoy. But the trailers for Midsommar piqued my interest, and the reviews praising it for humor convinced me to buy a ticket opening night. What I witnessed in that theater was a masterpiece that evoked a strong physical reaction from me; I was trembling when the end credits finally rolled. Aster’s film is genre-defying, being a romantic comedy, horror film, and fairy tale all at once. The truly shocking and gruesome moments are used sparingly for maximum effect, and Florence Pugh delivers one of the best performances of the year as the grieving Dani. I haven’t watched it since I saw it opening night, but Midsommar burned its way into my psyche.
2. Rocketman
Telling the story of Elton John’s career through the lens of a fantasy musical seems like a no-brainer in retrospect. Dexter Fletcher’s Rocketman is every bit as exuberant, tumultuous, and indulgent as its subject. Having John be a producer on the film could have been a hinderance, but Rocketman makes good on its “tell all” promise. There are entire sections of the film that paint its subject in a very unflattering light. Capturing the highs and lows of a legendary performer has never been as engrossing and unique as it is here, and it all works because of a transformative performance from Taron Egerton. The soundtrack is also the best of the year, reimagining John’s greatest hits as bombastic musical numbers sung by the cast.
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino has always been a big softie, but he usually hides his more heartfelt tendencies under a barrage of bloody violence. In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, that violence is (mostly) stripped away, leaving his bleeding heart exposed. Set in 1969 with the looming shadow of the Manson family throughout, the film follows an actor in the twilight of his career and his stuntman as they grapple with a world leaving them in the dust. It’s a melancholy rumination on the past, but it still has that classic Tarantino humor throughout. The three leads — Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie — are luminous, bringing their characters to vivid life. Not another film in this decade has been as meticulously crafted as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, with era-accurate radio ads peppered into the soundtrack and a jaw-dropping in-camera recreation of LA circa 1969. The third act of the film is both riotous and melancholy, presenting a glimpse of what could have been had history only played out a little differently. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is not only Tarantino’s best, but it’s the best film of the year.
