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.

'Parasite' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best International Feature Film, Best Director; Bong Joon-Ho, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Production Design.

Won: Best Picture, Best International Feature Film, Best Director; Bong Joon-Ho, and Best Original Screenplay.

Synopsis: All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes a peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Park family for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.

Runtime: 132 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for language, some violence, and sexual content)

Who should see it? Adults who don't mind reading subtitles since all of the dialogue is spoken in Korean.

Parasite is the latest offering from South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho. You may have heard rumblings about Parasite considering it won the Palm D'Or (grand prize) at the Canne's Film Festival, remains one of the year's best-reviewed films, and also finds itself primed to be a major awards contender in the coming months. There's been a lot of chatter and buzz surrounding Parasite, but the less you know beforehand, the better your experience will be. To aid in preserving the mystery, I've provided a streamlined synopsis and will carefully avoid discussing the plot in too much detail. Though I first watched the film over a month ago, I've patiently bided my time before writing this review because I wanted to do Parasite justice with my analysis. And the flurry of significant November releases caused me to postpone time and time again, which lent me the benefit of a second viewing and plenty of time for reflection.

Co-written by Jin Won Han and director Bong Joon Ho, Parasite comments on classism in which the disparity between social classes is emphasized by differences in attitude and elevation. The filmmaking and storytelling are deceptively simple, but there's an abundance of subtext to savor with successive viewings. If you see it again, the stark contrast between the rich and poor families becomes increasingly apparent as you catch onto more parallels distinguishing the two. Otherwise, the narrative's quite engrossing as shocking plot-twists will secure every audience member's undivided attention in addition to drastically altering their perception of the onscreen events. 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.

Recently, it's become trendy to belittle clever twists as an act of "subverting expectations" for the sake of surprise. However, these twists aren't implemented for the contrived purpose of shock-value. Bong Joon Ho stealthily lays the groundwork, but it's easy to overlook seemingly insignificant details on first viewing, provided nothing's been spoiled. Since all of the dialogue in Parasite is spoken in Korean, I suspect a subset of potential viewers may deter from watching. With that in mind, it's worth noting that Parasite is very accessible. Reading subtitles will quickly become a subconscious act as you're drawn in by a story that's equal parts funny, suspenseful, dramatic, and insightful.

Concerning craftsmanship, the Park family home created by production designer Lee Ha Jun is particularly impressive. The set is immaculately detailed, to the degree that the Canne's jury of directors was also duped by their illusion. Bong and Lee considered several factors into planning the layout, including blocking and a minimalist approach. Once Bong establishes the geography, he stages elaborate sequences that are heightened by the viewer's familiarity with this space. Meanwhile, the cinematography, editing, and score work in tandem to further supplement Bong's vision.

At its core, Parasite is bolstered by a sublime ensemble. Across the board, the cast is expressive, employing universal mannerisms, and wonderfully communicate the emotion of the scene in spite of a language barrier. Their performances never verge on overacting though, teetering between subtle and articulate. The Kim family portrayed by Song Kang Ho, Chang Hyae Jin, Choi Woo Shik, and Park So Dam evoke the genuine chemistry of a tight-knit unit. On the flip-side, the Park family is distant and aloof, as depicted by Lee Sun Kyun, Cho Yeo Jeong, Jung Ziso, and Hyun-jun Jung. The contrasting family dynamics lend additional weight to Bong's class commentary. Lee Jung Eun also deserves recognition for her humorous stint as the Park's housekeeper, a role that differs significantly with subsequent viewings. 

Aptly, Parasite is one of the few films which successfully infiltrated my mind this year. In the time since I've seen it, my thoughts often dwelled on the intriguing narrative threads that were meticulously unraveled by ace filmmaker Bong Joon Ho. If it wasn't clear already, I echo the sentiments of surely everyone who has seen it... See Parasite ASAP!

Film Assessment: A+