Top 20 of 2019
It seems as if it gets harder every year to distill my favorite movies back to a manageable list of 20. I had a shortlist of about 40 this year, and sadly had to say goodbye to quite a few gems. The Irishman - loved it, but a bit too long for me to consider it a masterpiece, although it is to Scorsese's credit that I can't point out a specific scene that he should have dropped; Green Book: great movie, but a bit too much by the numbers; Rocketman: nice and imaginitive, but it lacks that big Bohemian Rhapsody finale. Sorry Marriage Story, Knives Out, Ford vs Ferrari, Frozen II, The Two Popes and Midsommar, the list simply wasn't long enough.
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- DirectorTodd PhillipsStarsJoaquin PhoenixRobert De NiroZazie BeetzArthur Fleck, a party clown and a failed stand-up comedian, leads an impoverished life with his ailing mother. However, when society shuns him and brands him as a freak, he decides to embrace the life of chaos in Gotham City.One of those rare movies that gets just about everything absolutely right: balanced script with room for ambiguity, steady direction, wonderful sets and a great cast, with frontman Joaquin Phoenix doing the impossible: sharing the spotlights with Heath Ledger as everyone's favorite villain, who is the sad result of a rotten and indifferent society. Accusations of glorification of violence be damned: this is a perfect super-villain movie. Oscar please, loads of them.
- DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansMark RuffaloAfter the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe.The promise made by Avengers: Infinity War was a huge one, but Endgame delivers on it. Following one of the grimmest twists in movie history, the makers succeed in creating a worthy follow up that sees the survivors prepare a heist that can only be done in a superhero movie. Making great use of a legacy of previous Marvel films, it is just slightly less than its illustrious predecessor due to the relative absence of some of its more colorful characters. But with a combination of smarts, a devastating finale and some emotional send-offs, this movie again proves that big-budget superhero movies can be real films (sorry Mr Scorsese...)
- DirectorAdam McKayStarsChristian BaleAmy AdamsSteve CarellThe story of Dick Cheney, an unassuming bureaucratic Washington insider, who quietly wielded immense power as Vice President to George W. Bush, reshaping the country and the globe in ways that are still felt today.If Green Book was a beautiful color-by-numbers portrait, then Vice is a magnificent impressionistic masterpiece. Adam McKay already made the bank crisis of the 2000s palatable to the economical dummies like me, but here he takes his viewers on a metaphysical and satirical trip through America's dark political landscape. It shows again that dark comedy can be more effective than straight-up drama, but leave it to Chris Bale to also show the man behind the monster that is Dick Cheney, especially in his daughter's coming-out scene.
- DirectorFlorian Henckel von DonnersmarckStarsTom SchillingSebastian KochPaula BeerGerman artist Kurt Barnert has escaped East Germany and now lives in West Germany, but is tormented by his childhood under the Nazis and the GDR-regime.Although actually called 'Work without Author' in German, the international title Never Look Away also works. A stunning movie about art and political repression, where the artist and the repressor unknowingly play major parts in each others' lives. Layered around this is a story about the dark parts of Germany's history, something that director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck is known not to shy away from. Some may find this movie too full of ideas, but with all the character and story arcs coming nicely together in the great cinematography by Caleb Deschanel, this is a great combination of a history lesson with a tale of how an artist finds his own signature.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsMatt DillonBruno GanzUma ThurmanIn five episodes, failed architect and vicious sociopath Jack recounts his elaborately orchestrated murders -- each, as he views them, a towering work of art that defines his life's work as a serial killer in the Pacific Northwest.Lars von Trier makes 'interesting movies' that often fall on either side of the spectrum for me, and it was more out of morbid curiosity than genuine interest that I watched his last movie that had reportedly caused mass-walkouts at Cannes. Imagine my surprise at how alternately pleasant, dark, funny and surreal this movie turned out to be, as von Trier follows the routine of unsung hero Matt Dillon as an almost sympathetic serial killer. This is as much a look into the troubled mind of the killer as von Trier's own inner world, a bold, controversial and unapologetic singular vision of art created out of destruction. You'll never drink wine the same way after this.
- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaOscar IsaacThe surviving Resistance faces the First Order once again in the conclusion of the Skywalker saga.After the divisive Last Jedi, it was noticeably hard for J.J. Abrams to get the sequel trilogy back on the path he had steered it to in The Force Awakens. To get the obvious criticism out of the way: yes, Rise feels rushed at times, and the death of Carrie Fisher created certain limitations. So let me show my appreciation at how well Abrams managed to end the trilogy on his terms, despite the setbacks. Violent clashes, epic battles, but also calm spiritual and emotional moments in old and new places, surrounded with enough mystery and further exploration of the mythology to make this a worthy closer of 42 years of movie history.
- DirectorYorgos LanthimosStarsOlivia ColmanEmma StoneRachel WeiszIn early 18th-century England, the status quo at the court is upset when a new servant arrives and endears herself to a frail Queen Anne.A deliciously devious and cynical period piece about two leading ladies who fight for the favors of the queen. Although Yorgos Lanthimos stages these events wonderfully, this is really an actors' movie. Olivia Colman should share her Best Actress Oscar with both Emma Stone and especially Rachel Weisz. Too bad none of the other nominations were redeemed (especially Best Screenplay), and I really can't find any good reason why Nicholas Hoult wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
- DirectorJon WattsStarsTom HollandSamuel L. JacksonJake GyllenhaalPeter Parker, the beloved superhero Spider-Man, faces four destructive elemental monsters while on holiday in Europe. Soon, he receives help from Mysterio, a fellow hero with mysterious origins.Perhaps not as groundbreaking as Into the Spider-verse, but this second MCU movie centered on our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man brings back a lot of the fun from the first movie (especially in the wake of the grim Avengers Endgame) while simultaneously upping the stakes, as a good sequel should. Add Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio and some nice elements from the Iron Man mythology, and you have yourself a great time again.
- DirectorBong Joon HoStarsSong Kang-hoLee Sun-kyunCho Yeo-jeongGreed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.The Best Picture Winner at Cannes is a movie that takes the world by storm, and it is easy to see why. Even though it deals with a typically Korean social-economic situation, a world where the divide between rich and poor becomes wider every day is a universal issue. Director Bong Joon-Ho has dealt with this subject matter in his great sci-fi drama Snowpiercer, but places it in a contemporary setting to great effect. As an audience, we feel instant connection with the poor family that lies and cheats its way into the home of a rich one, but Joon-Ho is smart enough to present no easy villains in this wonderfully structured story that expertly combines elements of satire, drama, dark comedy and slapstick.
- DirectorChad StahelskiStarsKeanu ReevesHalle BerryIan McShaneJohn Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassins' guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head, he is the target of hit men and women everywhere.This is a masterclass in how to direct martial arts and gunfighting without getting boring. Keanu Reeves is still perfect as the stoic hitman of few words who needs to keep half the underworld off his back, which, as always, is organized to almost ridiculous levels. The key to success is still an insane level of fight choreography, great set design and photography, tight editing, and some dark comedy in the action and dialogue to soften the often bone-crushing blows a bit. Substitute pain was rarely so intense.
- DirectorAnthony MarasStarsDev PatelArmie HammerNazanin BoniadiThe true story of the Taj Hotel terrorist attack in Mumbai. Hotel staff risk their lives to keep everyone safe as people make unthinkable sacrifices to protect themselves and their families.It is quite exceptional to see a dramatized version of a terrorist attack that doesn't focus primarily on Western victims. This could have easily become an unwatchably dark and relentless drama, but the makers manage to find the humanity in between all the mayhem and bloodshed, with equal focus on rich American guests and hard-working Indian staff members who need to work together to survive the bloodbath. The positive note on which the film ends is another ode to human resilience.
- DirectorJosh CooleyStarsTom HanksTim AllenAnnie PottsWhen a new toy called "Forky" joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy.The ultimate proof that a sequel that wasn't particularly necessary or demanded can still be a great and inspired movie. Although some of the film's themes about abandonment issues and insecurities have been tackled before, and the movie sometimes seems to recycle some familiar plot elements, only Pixar can manage to produce genuine thrills and move the heartstrings with kids' toys, from the emotional prologue to the tearful finale. No idea if this was intentional, but with Bo Peep, Pixar has succcessfully re-invented one of their characters in a powerful icon of fempowerment. Give them enough time, and Toy Story 5 is an option.
- DirectorBarry JenkinsStarsKiKi LayneStephan JamesRegina KingA young woman embraces her pregnancy while she and her family set out to prove her childhood friend and lover innocent of a crime he didn't commit.A loving portrait of two young loved ones, torn apart by hatred and racism. Like Barry Jenkins' previous movie Moonlight, the movie addresses the social issues of discrimination, but never loses sight of the loving portrait of family that it really is. His love for close-ups of faces has never been more clear. A great character piece that is only hampered somewhat by the one-dimensional depiction of Ed Skrein's racist cop, but otherwise a true gem.
- DirectorHans Petter MolandStarsLiam NeesonLaura DernMicheál NeesonA grieving snowplow driver seeks out revenge against the drug dealers who killed his son.This underrated movie seems like a perfect example of how foreign movies can get away with much more than American ones, judging by the fact that the original Norwegian "In Order of Disappearance" (Kraftidioten) gets a 7.2, and this American remake (by the same director no less) a mediocre 6.2. Or was fans of the original punishing Hollywood for its endless cycle of remakes? Whatever the case, you rarely see crime-dramas with such deliciously black humor as these. The American version benefits from a cast that seems to appreciate the black comedy elements even better than their Norwegian counterparts, with a scenery-chewing Tom Bateman who can't be praised enough.
- DirectorRuben FleischerStarsWoody HarrelsonJesse EisenbergEmma StoneColumbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.This one got a little bit under the radar, which is unfortunate, because you rarely see an inspired comedy sequel that works so well as this one without losing steam. Filled from beginning to end with self-referential gags, meta-jokes, pop culture nods, gross humor and dark comedy, as always delivered by a great cast with total conviction. Why this one got so little attention in a world filled with mandatory lacklustre sequels is anyone's guess.
- DirectorGene StupnitskyStarsJacob TremblayKeith L. WilliamsBrady NoonThree 6th-grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party.It was the year of underappreciated comedies, also for Long Shot which unfortunately didn't make this list. But Seth Rogen did manage to produce this great coming-of-age story, where three young boys learn about grown-up stuff the hard way, in the best South Park tradition of children being oblivious to things of a sexual nature. I was literally floored with laughter (tip: watch with a child of the boys' age) and will never look upon a CPR doll the same way again.
- DirectorJordan PeeleStarsLupita Nyong'oWinston DukeElisabeth MossIn order to get away from their busy lives, the Wilson family takes a vacation to Santa Cruz, California. At night, four strangers break into Adelaide's childhood home. The family is shocked to find out that the intruders look like them.Jordan Peele shows that his talent for causing discomfort with Get Out wasn't a fluke. Although more straight-up horror and less social commentary than his Oscar-winning predecessor, Us takes a crazy thought experiment as the basis for an equally crazy premise that successfully mixes the governmental conspiracy genre with a spin on the doppelganger horror á la Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I Got Five On It never sounded more ominous than in this soundtrack.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsLeonardo DiCaprioBrad PittMargot RobbieAs Hollywood's Golden Age is winding down during the summer of 1969, television actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth endeavor to achieve lasting success in Hollywood while meeting several colorful characters along the way.As always, QT's odes to ancient moviemaking are beautiful to look at, and spectacularly acted. But he also tests our patience with his capacity to drag it out while seemingly going nowhere to the max... until those unforgettable final 25 minutes, where it becomes clear that this is a wishful thinking fantasy, where QT laments how the 70s got off to such a bad start. Watch it again and you'll see the brilliance of his mental history revision unfold. Frontrunner for Best Art Direction Oscar, and nominations for Brad and Leo, please.
- DirectorAndy MuschiettiStarsJessica ChastainJames McAvoyBill HaderTwenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.Some people may say that 3 hours was too much for a simple horror movie, and all those flashbacks only served to get get to that length. Not me though. Getting a peak into the lives of these characters was a real treat, and I wasn't bored for a second. The jumpscares and Pennywise's horrible antics did the rest.
- DirectorHalina ReijnStarsCarice van HoutenMarwan KenzariMarie-Mae van ZuilenIn spite of her expertise and experience, a seasoned psychologist is completely infatuated by the sex offender she is treating in a penal institution.Carice van Houten and Marwan Kerzani take a break from the big budget movies for an intimate thriller that shows the struggle between the professional persona that we keep up, and our almost animalistic side that comes out when we lose control. This directorial debut of Halina Reijn makes a valiant attempt to dive into the complexity of female sexuality, which is something that society has always struggled with, especially now in the wake of the #metoo discussion. And I think it is something that should be debatable, unless we want to turn back the clock on 50 years of sexual liberation.