Another year, another list! This year I didn't really keep up with my movie blog, but that doesn't mean I haven't been writing about films this whole time! Due to time constraints, now I pretty much exclusively write reviews on my Letterboxd profile - so please feel free to follow me on there for my up-to-the-minute opinions.
Besides that, 2019 was a great year for movies! Making this list was difficult, and I tried to only pick movies that I have either seen more than once or have tried to convince others to see! I can't detect any overarching themes that apply to all the films, but one that sticks out this year are movies about outsiders. Many of these films reflect the dangers of our current polarized world.
Besides that, 2019 was a great year for movies! Making this list was difficult, and I tried to only pick movies that I have either seen more than once or have tried to convince others to see! I can't detect any overarching themes that apply to all the films, but one that sticks out this year are movies about outsiders. Many of these films reflect the dangers of our current polarized world.
10. Lords of Chaos
Jonas Åkerlund
For those not up to speed on their Norwegian Black Metal history, in the 80s, the band Mayhem quite lived up to their name. At only 17, their lead singer, Euronymous (Rory Culkin), used increasingly shocking publicity stunts to put their name on the map. However, when he started to cross the line - I'm talking breaking some serious laws - some bandmates left while others, like "Dead" (Jack Kilmer), reveled in their newfound notoriety and "evilness." Lords of Chaos does a fantastic job conveying the idea that adolescents will do anything to fit in or seem cool, but deep down they're just trying to cover up their individual insecurities. It's a disturbing film, but totally reflects our current age of disgruntled male youths.
9. One Child Nation
Dir. Nanfu Wang & Jialing Zhang
From 1979 to 2015, China implemented a one-child policy in an effort to control the ever-growing population. Unfortunately, the enforcement of this law had some horrific ramifications. Director Nanfu Wang uncovers how the Chinese government relentlessly produced propaganda to brainwash and shame the public into embracing the policy, as well as the widespread state-sanctioning of sterilizations and child kidnappings. This personal journey is scary and mind-blowing. And despite the fact that this policy is now "over," it still reflects the loss of control women still have over their own bodies today.
8. Fyre
Dir. Chris Smith
The Fyre Music Festival was a trainwreck waiting to happen. A complete sham concocted by Billy McFarland, the CEO of a music talent booking app called Fyre, and rapper Ja Rule, the festival was hyped up on social media as being the party to end all parties: a luxury, expensive weekend full of music and models. However, McFarland neither had the know-how nor means to pull this off, resulting in a disaster of epic proportions. It's fascinating to watch how McFarland used his pure, salesman-like charisma and relative wealth to convince himself and others to keep going as scheduled - at a certain point it seems he'd rather be arrested than stop his plan.
7. Paddleton
Dir. Alexandre Lehmann
It's a little embarrassing to bring up, but if I'm being 100% honest, my favorite film of all time is Dumb and Dumber. But not just because of the jokes - it's my favorite because to me it's one of the great films ever made about friendship. By the end of the film, neither Harry nor Lloyd get the girl, the money, or even the car... they literally have nothing left but each other, and that's OK! I think the reason Paddleton resonated so much with me is that it evoked that same feeling of eternal friendship.
This under-seen Netflix gem follows two neighbors, played by Ray Romano and Mark Duplass. Like Harry and Lloyd, they're a little odd, but have a strong bro-mance, always eating pizza and watching kung-fu movies together. However, their relationship takes a dark turn when one of them is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Paddleton is their emotional journey together to the end - and I was not ready for the "feels" it evoked! This movie balances oddball comedy with devastating sadness to create an honest, beautiful depiction of friendship.
6. Brittany Runs a Marathon
Dir. Paul Downs Colaizzo
Let's face it: most of the time the #1 thing getting in the way of achieving our goals is ourselves. Brittany Runs a Marathon is a delightful, surprisingly poignant dramedy about an overweight, unemployed New Yorker who decides to transform her life by training to run a marathon. Jillian Bell plays the title character, who often uses snarky jokes to mask her insecurities and deflect the shame she feels.
As someone who has struggled with body image and weight issues in the past, this film hit a chord with me - Bell captures all those feelings of self-doubt so well. Although it uses a formulaic "sports movie" narrative, Brittany Runs a Marathon has a wonderful message about self-love without being too corny or light.
5. Marriage Story
Dir. Noah Baumbach
Although titled Marriage Story, this latest film from Noah Maumbach is really about the painful experience of divorce. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver deliver the performances of their careers as a stage actress and director who are splitting up. This film doesn't choose sides, giving each character legitimate perspectives, and it's also a harrowing look at the personal and legal ramifications of divorce. Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, and Laura Dern are all great in supporting roles as very different divorce lawyers who escalate and magnify all the problems in their marriage.
While it's a sad film, it's also weirdly hopeful and funny in parts; Marriage Story is one of the best depictions of a disintegrating relationship I've ever seen!
4. The Farewell
Dir. Lulu Wang
The Farewell is centered around a "white lie": A Chinese family's beloved grandmother (Zhao Shuzen) only has a few weeks to live, but they are purposely keeping it from her in order to enjoy these last days without the pall of death lingering in her mind. However, Billy (Awkwafina), visiting from America, feels conflicted about not telling her, and the film surrounds their wonderful, awkward, loving, melancholy relationship. This is one of the best movies about the bond between a grandchild and grandparent I've seen, and this very personal film from Lulu Wang - who almost gave up on filmmaking because at first no studio would greenlight this movie - will make you cry, make you laugh, and warm your heart.
3. Joker
Dir. Todd Phillips
Joker is one of the most controversial movies of the year for a number of reasons. Its release literally put the military on alert for potential "incels" inciting violence in movie theaters. Especially in the wake of the Aurora, CO shooting, some thought that because it depicts the rise of a mentally ill, lonely, violent man into power, that people in similar situations would feel vindicated to shoot up those theaters. However, in my mind, this film actually discourages violence, instead offering a mirror up to Americans today, showing the tragic results of an uncaring world.
The Joker is routinely abused and overlooked - a mentally ill reject of society that is not getting any help - and so when he does start committing his acts of violence, as an audience member you can actually empathize with him. It makes you uncomfortable and reflect on society in a way reminiscent of Taxi Driver, an artistic height few comic book movies even try to achieve. Joaquin Phoenix and Co. simply knocked it out of the park on this one, setting a new standard for what the comic book genre can do.
2. Parasite
Dir. Bong Joon-ho
Bong Joon-ho is among my favorite filmmakers working today, with his last four films being flat out masterpieces (Mother, Snowpiercer, Okja, and now Parasite). His latest Korean thriller is about a down-on-their-luck family, all unemployed. Struggling to make ends meet, the family manages to figure out how to manipulate their way into the lives of a wealthy family and earn money.
Parasite is a film filled with twists and turns. The first half is mostly made up of watching a fun con movie, but the latter half turns dark, putting the family in unexpected and dangerous situations. I loved how this movie makes you really feel for these characters doing "bad" things, because they see no other option.
1. Jojo Rabbit
Dir. Taika Waititi
Unfortunately, Nazis have made sort of a comeback lately. When footage of the tiki-torch alt-right rally in Charlottesville, VA surfaced in 2017, I could not believe what I was watching! Such blind hatred was disturbing to see, in America no less. Clearly, the US needs a refresher course on not hating their fellow man for no reason. To me, Jojo Rabbit is an antidote for that infantile mindset.
This dark comedy follows a lonely Hitler Youth who views Hitler as a superhero - so much so that he has a Harvey-esque imaginary führer friend. However, soon enough young Jojo finds a Jewish girl hiding in the attic, and slowly we see him start to confront his blind fanaticism and grow up. This movie feels very much in the spirit of Mel Brooks or Monty Python. Comedy is used as a weapon, exposing the contradictory, nonsensicality of Nazi ideology. It perfectly balances humor, drama, and suspense to create a totally entertaining anti-hate satire.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME: Eddie Murphy is back! This is the blaxploitation version of Ed Wood, full of laughs and heart.
HONEY BOY: Shia LeBeouf autobiographically acts as his own abusive father - a unique use of film-as-therapy.
LITTLE MONSTERS: Hilarious zombie comedy starring Lupita Nyong'o as a teacher trying to stay bright and bubbly for her kiddos during the outbreak.
LUCE: A morally-complicated thriller with a stacked cast, including Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, and newcomer Kelvin Harrison Jr. (who also killed it in Waves).
THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON: A young man with Down Syndrome runs off to chase his dream of becoming a wrestler. His odyssey feels like a modern-day Of Mice and Men!
RICHARD JEWELL: True story of a security guard who was railroaded by the FBI and news media after a bombing, trying to make him the perpetrator.
YESTERDAY: A Beatles-themed Twilight Zone episode!
TOP TEN 2019 - STATS AND COINCIDENCES:
- Two films starring Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit)
- Third time a Bong Joon-ho film has been on my Top Ten list (Snowpiercer, Okja, Parasite)
- Second time a Taika Waititi film has been on my Top Ten list (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Jojo Rabbit)
- Two films about disgruntled people turning violent after putting on white face paint (Lords of Chaos, Joker)
- Three films primarily set in Asia (One Child Nation, The Farewell, Parasite)
- Two films starring Shia LaBeouf in Honorable Mentions (Honey Boy, The Peanut Butter Falcon)
- Three movies with a rich-vs-poor theme (Fyre, Joker, Parasite)
- Two movies involving funny, but dark, opening-a-door scenes (Marriage Story, Joker)
- Three movies distributed by Netflix (Fyre, Paddleton, Marriage Story)
1917, A Hidden Life, Honeyland, Hustlers, Judy, Pain and Glory, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, The Report, Tigers are Not Afraid, Transit
And that's a wrap! Thanks for reading! Let me know in the comments what some of your favorite movies of the year are!
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