Top 10 Films of 2019

It seems like just yesterday that I wrote my list of Top 10 Films for 2018. Nevertheless, another year has come and gone. Annually, I enjoy reflecting on every film I watched that was released in a given year and determine my ten favorites. This is my list of subjective favorites. They may not be the "best" of 2019, but they were the ones that stuck with me most in the 365 days. This probably won't match your own selections because we all have different tastes.

This year I saw 100 new 2019 releases in total, which is a record high for me. Therefore, several films I was sure would top my list earlier in the year were relegated to honorable mentions or barely missed that criteria. Chances are if there's something you're surprised I didn't mention, it narrowly missed being an honorable mention. As always, there were still some films which alluded me, but I'll be sure and catch those soon before determining my favorite films of the decade. 

If you read most of my reviews, some of these selections may not surprise you, but I think there are a couple choices that people won't see coming. Like always, I've noted some honorable mentions and will write a brief blurb about each film to justify its place on my list. I uploaded reviews for everything here, so if you're interested and haven't done so already, you can read my more in-depth thoughts by clicking the blue title or image once you're done perusing my list. 

Top 10 Films of 2019

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical order): A Vigilante, Ad Astra, Avengers: Endgame, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, The Farewell, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, Joker, Ready or Not, Toy Story 4, and Us.

10. Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood

Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is unlike anything else in Quentin Tarantino's filmography. This docile, nostalgic love letter to a bygone era of Hollywood is perhaps the most casual film of the year. It's very laidback and relaxed, slowly immersing viewers in the atmosphere of 1969 Los Angeles. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt prove to be one of the best onscreen pairings of the year while Margot Robbie's Sharon Tate is treated with the utmost respect. It's the type of movie that harkens back to simpler times and doesn't get made too often. I can't help but relish in that rarity. 

9. Knives Out

Rian Johnson's dunnit again. The writer-director continues to prove himself as one of the most capable creative minds out there. His entertaining ode to the work of Agatha Christie is a gripping, original murder mystery with a razor-sharp screenplay and an incredible all-star cast. Those don't come around too often, but Knives Out is guilty as charged.

8. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is one of the year's quintessential endings. It brought the trilogy full-circle and stuck the landing. In a year stacked with franchise finales, that speaks volumes. It remains my favorite animated film of the year with an abundance of visual splendor and a rich musical score from John Powell. Few other films this year possessed the gravitas, emotional heft, and high-flying adventure as this terrific trilogy capper.

7. Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waititi accomplished the impossible and made an anti-hate satire about Nazis that was profoundly moving, and hysterically funny. Waititi deftly balanced the extremes of slapstick satire and bleak consequences of Germany's Nazi regime. For a farcical comedy, Jojo Rabbit is surprisingly mature with an essential message about recognizing immoral authority. It also introduced the world to Roman Griffin Davis and Archie Yates, for which I'm eternally grateful.

6. The Irishman

Martin Scorsese's three and a half hour long mobster epic quietly contemplates morality and mortality. In many ways, it's the culmination of his storied career as a pensive meditation on life's inevitabilities. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci each operate on drastically different wavelengths but are uniformly exceptional. As one comes to expect from a distinguished auteur, the craftsmanship is impeccable. It will be dissected for years and years to come. 

5. 1917

Sam Mendes' one-take First World War epic is a technical marvel by all means. Every technical aspect of this production is incorporated to the fullest, culminating into an experience that's explosive, immersive, and intimate.

4. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is an imperfect finale to my favorite franchise, but I cherish it nonetheless. In relation to the greater saga, I love how it unifies the distinct approaches of all three trilogies. It operates on the operatic level of Revenge Of The Sith, is as adventurous as the Original Trilogy, and mythic as The Last Jedi. There are certain things I'd tweak about it, but I don't have any ownership of this story. Since my first viewing, I reconciled most of the choices I wasn't initially thrilled with. At this point, I've seen it seven times, and the ending remains just as fulfilling. 

3. Portrait of A Lady On Fire

Céline Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire is seared into my memory. Every frame of this film is picturesque and utterly breathtaking to behold, often resembling eighteenth-century paintings. The intimacy and attraction that slowly builds between the painter and subject, as played by Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel, feels remarkably sincere. I was transfixed before the sparks began to fly, and have remained spellbound long after the credits finished rolling. 

2. Parasite

Bong Joon Ho's commentary on classism is simultaneously sophisticated and straightforward. There's an abundance of subtext to savor with successive viewings. Still, first-time audience members will be equally riveted by Bong's engrossing narrative without reading into it. Once you're comfortable yielding to the story's rhythm and feel confident in predicting the outcome, Bong pulls the rug right out from under you. As I saw it for the first time, Parasite stealthily infiltrated my mind and has pervaded there ever since. The less you know, the more blown away you'll be. Trust me.

1. Marriage Story

No film resonated stronger with me this year than Marriage Story. Not even the ending of the episodic Skywalker Saga. Shocker? I know. I'm sure being a child of divorce had something to do with it, but I must give credit where credit's due to Noah Baumbach. The crushing realism with which Baumbach depicts the calamity of divorce makes Marriage Story so resonant. Baumbach wisely observes the couple from an objective viewpoint to discourage the audience from choosing a side. Deeply affecting and littered with profound messaging about the nature of love, Marriage Story is one of the year's best films that will move even the most steadfast soul. You'll laugh, and you'll cry, often at the same time.

'1917' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director; Sam Mendes, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Original Score.

Won: Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound Mixing.

Synopsis: Two young British privates during the First World War are given an impossible mission: deliver a message deep in enemy territory that will stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap.

Runtime: 118 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for violence, some disturbing images, and language)

Who should see it? Adults who are interested in war movies or technical filmmaking.

Inspired by stories from Sam Mendes' grandfather who fought in World War I, 1917 is directed by Sam Mendes, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Krysty Wilson-Cairns. The film's defining feature is that it was shot and edited to resemble a single continuous take from start-to-finish. The one-take approach has been implemented before (most famously in Birdman), but never quite like this. Though the technique may seem like a cheap gimmick, what Sam Mendes and his crew have accomplished is nothing short of incredible and unlike any war film I've ever seen. As Christopher Nolan did in Dunkirk, Mendes seems keen on ushering in a fresh perspective on the war genre.

Now, I feel it's important to note that this film isn't literally filmed in one-take. There are some hidden edits along the way, just as there were in Birdman, and one clear cut that's remarkably effective. That said, renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins and Nolan's frequent editor Lee Smith found some very creative ways to maintain the illusion that everything was filmed in one go. Even though I recognized the filmmaker's cheats around shooting an actual one-take, I couldn't help but be awestruck by the craftsmanship on display. Every technical aspect of this production is incorporated to the fullest, culminating into an experience that's explosive, immersive, and intimate. Maneuvering the camera through such a long stretch of land as it's forced to follow the subject every step of the journey is plenty impressive. But as I considered the nitty-gritty contributions required to pull that off, my appreciation grew substantially.

An element of 1917 that's being somewhat overlooked is the production design. Due to the nature of the one-take, the filmmakers can't cheat by hiding incomplete pieces of the set. Everything is on display. Visual effects were likely used to extend portions of the set. Still, practically an entire battlefield had to be constructed with careful consideration for blocking actors and guiding the camera to pull this off. The claustrophobic and chaotic conditions of the trenches make this feat all the more outstanding. Considering George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman sustain performances for such lengthy periods, their work may not garner the attention it deserves either. The supporting cast is excellent as well, but none of them face the same challenge to the rigorous extent that MacKay or Chapman does.

Additionally, there's the matter of lighting. Roger Deakins had to factor every inch of the set into his layout. Though Deakins has the advantage of select edits, there are still lengthy sequences filmed in a single take with specific lighting demands for the entire duration. Whereas Birdman was mostly confined to a theater and the streets of New York, Deakins is forced to reckon with a sprawling tapestry that's ever-changing. To no one's surprise, Roger Deakins rises to the task and meets the impossible demands, cementing himself as one of the greatest living cinematographers. And I can't conclude this review in good conscience without applauding the versatile score composed by Thomas Newman. Newman's music ranges from bombastic to ethereal, underscoring the frenzied state of war and the serene moments whenever soldiers Lance Corporal Schofield and Lance Corporal Blake can catch a breath in their hurried quest.

If it weren't already clear, director Sam Mendes manages the ambitious production without a single misstep. A few plot conveniences aside, I fail to think of a single issue that plagued me after sitting on my thoughts for nearly a month. Everything works. I hesitate to call it a masterpiece, but Sam Mendes' one-take First World War epic is undoubtedly a stunning, cinematic tour de force! Above all, it serves as a stark reminder that filmmaking is a coordinated effort. And when everything comes together this nicely, something extraordinary is born that'll inspire generations to come.

Film Assessment: A+