After
looking at what a great decade this was for film, you simply can’t leave out
how strong it ended with 2019. 2019 may had some rocky points here or there,
but there is no denying how many great films have come out. This was the year
where a lot of films have become better the more you reflect on them. They’re
the ones I couldn’t stop thinking about and it would be great to honor some of
the very best of them. Without further ado, here are Pineda Phoenix’s Top 20
Favorite Movies of 2019.
20. ‘1917’
On
the surface, a World War I drama that’s simple and typical with big action set
pieces. In actuality, while still simple manages to excel even more with such
good talent behind it and a relatively quieter movie that felt more intense. 1971 is a beautifully directed film that
even with it now being as memorable from a story perspective, it’s direction by
Sam Mendes elevates it to being a memorable experience all the way through.
With so much craftsmanship here for a genre as tired as the War movie genre, 1917 is a refreshing change of pace.
19. ‘Booksmart’
One
of this year’s funniest films, Booksmart is
the High School coming of age comedy that really works. It’s leads are likable,
it’s humor, extremely fast paced, and it’s energy, full on extreme. It’s
everything you could ask for in a comedy and with some fairly poignant themes
of living life, Booksmart is one not
to miss out on.
18. ‘Frozen 2’
The
odd thing is, between all the live action Disney remakes out there and wanting
for Disney to create incredible animated movies, Frozen 2 became my most anticipated film of the year. It seemed to
be a film that was going to truly do something spectacular for Disney. The
movie itself was not quite the next level Disney masterpiece I was quite
expecting, but like a lot of films this year, it was one where I looked back on
very strongly as time goes on. Even with its rushed story elements, Frozen 2 was an animated Disney movie
that tried and cared about making something worthwhile. SO much effort and
passion was clearly here with this sequel and while it may not be as good as
the first, it certainly serves a good follow up to Frozen. If anything else, this may feature one of the best
sequences I’ve seen in any film this year with Show Yourself. Frozen 2
might not have been perfect, but gets a strong A for effort.
17.
I Lost My Body
An
experiment executed well, I Lost My Body
seems like a premise that would work more so as a short film than a feature
length one. However, due to a very well done French animated film did a little
more. It provided us a fascinating adventure movie told visually and even ends
up being a very emotional teen drama as well. I Lost My Body is clever concept that is brilliantly told through
the art of animation that certainly should not go unnoticed.
16.
Once Upon A Time in Hollywood
On
another film that has gotten better with age, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is another great film by Tarantino.
While it still can be a bit indulgent at points, how the film immerses you in
the late 60s through Tarantino’s excellent direction and it’s entertaining
story about a variety of different stars more than makes up for it. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood may not be
the best film from iconic director Quentin Tarantino, but it is a good attempt
of recapturing that magic that he provided with Pulp Fiction.
15.
Little Women
Greta
Gerwig brought a ton of charm to what is ultimately another adaptation of a
famous novel. Little Women is an
incredibly humble film that still is a typical period piece at points, but it
elevated by it being a very well-directed film from Gerwig. Add in some great
performance by practically every actress in the film and a good commentary of
having voices and stories be told, Little
Women ends up being a very important and incredible sweet film that 2019
offered for us.
14.
Missing Link
Another
film that has progressively gotten better for me as time went on. Missing Link was ultimately overlooked
in terms of major films of 2019, but those who saw it witnessed a very charming
but also really smart adventure film from Laika. It’s an animated film that
isn’t primarily for kids and works very well due to some very likable leads and
some incredible stop motion animation. While I felt it was a good film on the first
watch, giving it a second chance, really made me realized how rather smart the
film is in regards to both its message about realizing your place in the world
while not being overly kiddie about it. Missing
Link serves as another great stop motion work from one of the best
animation studios working today.
13.
Midsommar
A
truly unique horror film from 2019, Ari Aster did something very creative, by
not simply attempting to recreate the same experience he did with Hereditary.
Rather than making another typical horror film, Midsommar serves as a good art house horror piece not relying on
horror movie clichés and yet still manages to be incredibly disturbing. It’s
look on cults is very unsettling even without the excessive jump scares or dark
scenery. Add in some very well done directing and acting, Midsommar serves as one of the most unique experiences to come out
of 2019 for sure.
12.
Parasite
Many
are helming Parasite as one of the all-time
best films from not just this year but also this decade. While I wouldn’t quite
go as far and say Parasite is the
very best of the year, it’s hard to deny how clever and well-crafted of a film
Bong Joon Ho gave us. It’s intelligent message on classism and mixing of genres
serves it as one of the year’s most original films. Being well shot, acted and
edited as well, you can truly see why Ho
has been getting so much praise for this film and Parasite ends up being a masterwork of filmmaking that nearly
anyone can enjoy.
11.
Uncut Gem
Adam
Sandler’s best performance in years, Uncut
Gems is a fascinating look at one of the year’s most interesting
characters. The Safdie Brothers delivered a film that isn’t as high octane as Good Times but still is an intense and
engaging experience. All of it is elevated by a fantastic performance by Adam
Sandler who is not delivering a performance out of his comfort zone but also
just a well written and fascinating character that is nonstop extreme. For lack of a better term, Uncut Gems is truly one gem of a film
from 2019 that should not be overlooked.
10.
Jojo Rabbit
A
surprisingly poignant film from Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit is an incredibly funny and strong comedy. On the
surface, it is that but thanks to a powerful message about hate and how one can
reflect and change their own worldview. During a time where many are feeling a
ton of hatred, Jojo Rabbit gives a
great perspective on how things could change for the better and can learn how
to be more accepting. All done in Taika Watiti’s bizarre sense of humor, Jojo Rabbit is one of 2019’s best films
for tackling these issues in a very refreshing way.
9.
Toy Story 4
This
is one of the main films of this year that many were skeptical on, only to end
up surpassing expectations. While it can be argued that Toy Story 4 is unnecessary and it still doesn’t hold a candle to 3,
this fourth installment of the beloved series serves as a great epilogue. Even
with a few moments of filler here and there, the film still makes it a good
character piece about Woody to the point where I wished this was just labeled
as a standalone Woody film instead of a Toy
Story sequel. Never the less, Toy
Story 4 is a great follow up filled with a ton of emotion and characters
that it’s hard not to appreciate. Add in maybe the best looking computer
animated film of the year, then Toy Story
4 serves as one fine animated picture from Pixar in 2019.
8.
How to Train Your Dragon 3
While
Toy Story 4 was still a great sequel
to an iconic animated franchise, How To
Train Your Dragon 3 had more justification for existing and was an all-around
better finale. This franchise has been consistent ever since it started in 2010
and the third and final movie was a proper send off. It dived into its
characters very nicely and still felt as grand as the previous two Dragon films. Despite a few rushed story
elements here and there, Hiccup and Toothless final adventure was an
emotionally satisfying one that showcase the talent DreamWorks animation has to
offer.
7.
Knives Out
By
far the biggest surprise to come out in 2019 as I initially did not know what
to expect from Knives Out, especially
after Rian Johnson’s last work with Last
Jedi. Fortunately not only is it a mass improvement from The Last Jedi, but it might as well be
Rian Johnson’s best film so far. Knives
Out is a gripping and exciting take on the who done it genre that is filled
with so many unexpected twists and turns. It rewards the viewers by being
refreshingly original while also giving audiences a neat insight on those who
are easily screwed over. It serves as one of the most refreshing and
entertaining films of 2019 and hopefully Johnson will have another fantastic
film for us in the near future.
6.
Marriage Story
Genuine
and emotional, Marriage Story is an
excellent film showcasing one of the roughest moments that could occur in anyone’s
life. It also works as a really good reflection on two characters and how
completely relatable both sides of their relationship can be. It gives the
audience a look at each side of their situation without fully committing to one
person being completely in the right. It helps Marriage Story be a more realistic film in a sense. Elevated by two
terrific performances by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story is one of the must watch films of 2019 for its honest portrayal
of life.
5.
Avengers Endgame
By
far the biggest film of 2019, Endgame
surpassed my honest expectations due to how it practically did the impossible.
While it is still a weaker film compared to Infinity
War, Marvel made something that was years in the making and the wait paid
off. It’s an entertaining blast of a film from beginning to end but it is truly
the spectacular finale that makes this truly an event to behold. It wraps up
the MCU so nicely that it’ll be quite some time until they top a film as grand
as Endgame. You may have already seen
it, but it is definitely proof to why it makes its way as one of the very best
films of 2019.
4.
Shazam
While
Endgame may arguably be a more epic
film, Shazam might as well be the
most fun I had watching a comic book movie all year. Shazam works so well as a solid throwback to 80s movies without
being a revival of an old property. It has every bit of humor and character
that other great comic book movies but elevated even further by having a
surprising amount of heart. Shazam is
filled with some of the funniest and most entertaining moments to appear in a
film all year for me, and thanks to David F. Sandberg’s great direction and
writing, it’ll be remembered for sure. It makes you feel like a kid again watching
it, making it a guarantee fun time from 2019.
3.
Klaus
If
this is the beginning of hand drawn animation returning, then this is a
fantastic start. Klaus is not only an
incredible animated film that completely reinvents hand drawn animation, but it
also serves as an excellent Christmas movie that will go down as one of the
very best Holiday films. It truly understands the notion of kindness being such
a heavily influence in our lives while also being a creative and grounded
retelling of the Santa Claus mythos. Hopefully SPA Animation will continue with
even more ambitious and beautiful projects like Klaus in the future.
2.
The Lighthouse
A
modern day horror classic, Robert Eggers delivered a truly fantastic work of
art. The Lighthouse works so well as
a horror film because it truly immerses yourself in it’s dark and grim
atmosphere thanks to some incredible cinematography making it feel older than
it truly is. Not only that, but it is a visually enticing film that subtly
gives you some complex themes in the vein of an experience like 2001: A Space Odyssey. Add in some of
the best acting from this entire year by both Robert Pattinson and Williem
Dafoe, The Lighthouse is an
unforgettable film experience that needs to be seen to be believed.
1. Joker
Even
with all the jokes made about this film, I haven’t loved a film this year as
much as Joker. It serves as a truly
spectacular retelling of one the all-time greatest villains by giving audiences
a true villain origins story. Not to mention, it also serves as an interesting
take on classic comic-book movie tropes, be a commentary on classism, and is a
very well executed drama with an incredible leading performance with Joaquin
Phoenix as the Joker. Add in some incredible cinematography and an amazing
score, makes Joker without a doubt
the most memorable film experience I have had all year. 2019 was spectacular
and the fact that a Joker movie
turned out as good as it was, is one of the many reasons why this was a
fantastic year for movies. Here’s hoping for more great films in the future.
Honorable
Mentions: Rocketman, Weathering with You, The LEGO Movie 2, Ford v. Ferrari, and Spies in Disguise
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