The 10 Best Movies of 2019

          2019 was an interesting and contradictory year for film. On one hand we had more of the Hollywood Disney/Marvel sameness, and on the other hand we had some unique new releases by some of my favorite directors of all time. This list took a great deal of contemplation, because 2019 had some wonderful releases, and I hope 2020s list is even more challenging. Unfortunately, 2019 had a lot of great movies I didn't get around to watching in time for writing this list (Uncut Gems and Knives Out, to be specific), but you can expect full reviews for both of those movies in the future.
          Also, Cats gets a shoutout for making me physically ill with its grotesque imagery. Congratulations on feeling three hours longer than you really are. 

10. The Lighthouse
horror, directed by Robert Eggers

          Robert Eggers is singlehandedly responsible for absolutely horrifying me with his phenomenal 2015 release The VVitch. He's also notorious for keeping every detail in his films perfect as possible, and The Lighthouse is no exception. Actor Robert Pattinson complained about having to walk along the shoreline fifty times because Eggers needed his stride to be absolutely perfect. The silverware used by Dafoe and Pattinson is authentic 19th century silverware used by sailors in Maine, all for the sake of realism. Lighthouse is strange and grotesque, but at the same time it's enchanting and strangely beautiful. From the mesmerizing shots of the waves to the weird depravity its two characters slip into, the entire film feels like a retelling of some long lost 19th century fable. The consistent references to Greek mythology throughout only solidify the sense that The Lighthouse is a story we should already be familiar with.

9. Doctor Sleep

horror/fantasy, directed by Mike Flanagan

          While IT Chapter Two struggled to keep a forward momentum going and treated audiences to the same scene replayed again and again, Doctor Sleep keeps a firm grasp on an entertaining fantastical plot from start to finish. As someone who has never read the book, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the movie felt like reading a Stephen King story. It kept the heart of his work while also containing plenty of fun nostalgia fodder for die-hard Shining fans such as myself. Ewan McGregor is a wonderful actor who's always fun to see on screen, and casting him as Danny Torrance was an absolutely brilliant decision. The villains were fun, the violence was fun, the whole movie was just fun.

8. The Irishman

drama, directed by Martin Scorsese

          I have a soft spot for Martin Scorsese, and not just because of his statements on superhero movies taking over Hollywood box offices (I mean, he just said what I've been thinking). The Irishman is yet another demonstration of what makes Martin Scorsese an incredible filmmaker - he knows how to tell a story. There were some simple yet beautiful shots throughout this movie that made me gasp. I absolutely adored the apathetic way the camera occasional pans past scenes of extreme violence, as if it's as numb to the gore as the men responsible for the bloodshed. The Irishman is a gangster movie with incredible character development, and one of the most poignant final sequences seen this year.

7. Once Upon a Time In Hollywood

drama/comedy, directed by Quentin Tarantino

          Tarantino won me over yet again. While this movie certainly isn't Inglourious Basterds it was still fun to watch. In a way Once Upon a Time In Hollywood is like reading Tarantino's Sharon Tate fanfiction, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I loved Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio's characters, they both give great performances as an aging movie star and his stunt double. The soundtrack, the cinematography, the cars, it's all just a big love letter to the 1960s. Sure, it's a romanticized version of the year, but it's a version that Sharon Tate deserves. Some of my favorite moments are the lengthier and quieter scenes that let the actors and the film breathe. I loved watching Brad Pitt's stunt double character drive back to his trailer with the radio blasting, then feeding his dog and sitting down to watch television. It's the quiet moments that really make the film's ending memorable, after all.

6. Joker

drama/thriller, directed by Todd Phillips

          It's difficult to find things to say about Joker that haven't already been said. Joaquin Phoenix was incredible. The dark and gritty tone was well executed and didn't feel like an uncomfortable and forced attempt at putting superheroes in a more realistic setting (but there weren't any superheroes, thankfully). I loved Joker because at it's core it's not a superhero movie, and it's certainly not a Batman movie. Instead, it's a movie about the suffering of the disenfranchised. It shows the plight of the mentally ill, and how others severely underestimate the importance of medication. Without pushing too hard for sympathy from its audiences, Joker earns it with ease. 

5. Marriage Story

drama, directed by Noah Baumbach

          I love Adam Driver, I'll admit it. He's fantastic in this movie, and the movie itself is just plain fantastic. It's heartbreaking, well-paced, well-executed, and really captures the complicated feelings that come with the ending of a relationship. I've already written on this movie in greater depth, so I'll keep this brief. It's available on Netflix streaming, and is well worth a watch if only for the fantastic performances given by its two leads.

4. Jojo Rabbit

drama/comedy, directed by Taika Waititi

          There was a time when I really disliked Scarlet Johansson. I dismissed her as an actress who always played the role of the tough silent woman (she even does it in Under the Skin a movie I love!). Jojo Rabbit showed another side to her, a side with depth and feeling. Taika Waititi is a wonderful director, and Jojo Rabbit is a fantastic film which takes a Wes Anderson-esque glimpse into the world of WWII Germany. Despite the tough subject matter, the humor comes across and genuine and doesn't stray into purposefully offensive (or "edgy") territory. The movie doesn't punch down at the suffering, and it successfully shows how not understanding another group of people is the root behind all prejudices.

3. Parasite

drama/mystery, directed by Bong Joon-ho

          Parasite is half farce, half drama, and a whole lot of social commentary. There were certain aspects of the film I was unaware of due to being an American (like a character being asked to make a dish which combines the expensive meat eaten by the wealthy with the cheap fifty-cent ramen eaten by those living in poverty), and now that I understand those details I've only grown to appreciate this movie even more. I've been a longtime fan of Bong Joon-ho's work, and Parasite only further illustrates the running theme of class warfare which his films often discuss. It's perfectly executed, wonderfully acted, and a great example of why Americans need to venture out into watching more foreign films.

2. The Peanut Butter Falcon

drama/comedy, directed by Tyler Nilson & Michael Schwartz

          The Peanut Butter Falcon is a loving combination of the writings of Mark Twain with the films of the Coen brothers (O Brother Where Art Thou? in particular). It communicates backstories and ideas visually several times throughout, rather than having characters outright say what's going on or why they feel a certain way. I know, I know, showing instead of telling is a pretty basic rule of filmmaking but plenty of other movies this year felt the need to include exposition regardless. I loved the world of this movie, I loved the characters who felt as vibrant and eccentric as the characters throughout the movies of the Coen brothers, I loved the way the story contains flickers of the world of Mark Twain's writings. It's really just a wonderful and simple movie about an outcast of society struggling to belong.

1. The Art of Self-Defense

drama/thriller, directed by Riley Stearns

          This is yet another movie I've written extensively on. The Art of Self-Defense is many things. It's bizarre, funny, disgusting, upsetting, and wonderfully surreal. In some aspects it's similar to Fight Club, and in other ways it's the absolute furthest thing from Fight Club. The film delivers some excellent commentary on what exactly toxic masculinity is, it features wonderful deadpan comedic acting, and it puts a cocky face to the imaginary peak of masculinity which so many men waste time, money, and energy to reach. The Art of Self-Defense is my favorite film of 2019, it succeeds in every way possible and carries an important message which left me thinking for days.