Daniel's Top Movies of 2019

Daniel's Top Movies of 2019

What a wonderfully mixed bag of movies this year. I was able to see more than I thought because of AMC A-List. Sure, it doesn't cover as many movies, but its ease of use and ability to book tickets & seats in advance made using it less anxiety-inducing than MoviePass ever was.  Personally, I just need to get better at seeking out harder to see movies. I found a theme in my top 12 this year: Real, flawed, good characters.  Seriously, do a shot every time you read the word "real."

Anyway, here's my list of my favorite movies of 2019.  As always, the order changes depending on my mood. 

12. Luce: "When I first met my mother, she couldn't pronounce my name. My father suggested that they rename me. They picked Luce, which means light." - Luce

This is the first of two films starting Kelvin Harrison Jr. that made it in my top list. He's billed with top actors Octavia Spencer, Tim Roth & Naomi Watts. He's not only able to keep up with them, but carries the film as the titular character. A less intelligent screenwriter might have made this story black and white with definitive good guys and bad guys, but Julius Onah, doesn't do that.  Each character has their flaws & strengths and sometimes those flaws & strengths are muddled.  You never know who to believe and that's okay - because nothing in this movie is one-sided.  The story is gripping with interesting, complex characters.

11. Brittany Runs a Marathon: "I think you totally missed the point of those Dove ads," -Brittany

to her clueless Doctor

I always have a spot on my list for a feel-good movie, and this was a pleasant surprise.  But the best part of watching this film was finding out that it was way more than just a feel-good movie. Brittany represented all of us.  She's not a perfect individual; she's very much flawed but she's real.  She's a product of her surroundings without giving up her individuality.  She almost made me want to start running.  It's a well-executed film, pleasantly paced - like a  marathon instead of a sprint. *I'm sorry.*

10. Where'd You Go, Bernadette?: "I'm not good when exposed to people," -Bernadette

The quote above is an understatement.  Bernadette doesn't like being around people.  She has anxiety and panic attacks; she's socially awkward.  What's most interesting about this film, though, is how she's perceived by other people. Her neighbors think she's snobby; people in general think she's odd. The film shows an interesting perspective: how mental illness makes other people feel; how they are put off, without really knowing why; how they assume the worst; how they behave towards people they don't understand. It's sad but also enlightening. Cate Blachette gives a flawless performance, as usual. It also didn't hurt that every time they mentioned a fact/showed Antarctica, I almost yelled - I KNEW THAT/I'VE BEEN THERE.

Me, Antarctica, 2015

9. Frozen 2:  "I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you." -Lyrics from Into The Unknown, Elsa.

Samantha?

I wonder if the above quote is what the creators of Frozen were thinking.  It's always risky to follow a great movie like Frozen with a sequel. I was worried, going in, knowing how much I loved the original. I'm happy to say, the movie exceeded my expectations and quelled my fears. The movie didn't follow the usual tropes of a sequel - it felt like two halves of a large story in the lives of these characters.  Unlike most animated sequels, the characters grew and changed while discovering new challenges. The songs were just as amazing and the animation just gets better.  

This is Bailey, my parents' dog.  This is her face when I belt out Into the Unknown.  Look at that face. Lookit.

8. Ready or Not?: "If it will help your family accept me, I'll play the shit out of checkers" - Grace

Narrator: It wasn't checkers. I included this film because of how fucking fun it was. There's a great balance of horror and comedy that plays off each other well, a cleverness in the way it's presented & an explosive third act that will have you thinking about it for a long time after.  The actors all really play the hell out of it and you can tell everyone involved had an amazing time. It's definitely a film that I need to see again and soon.

7. 1917: "I hoped today would be a good day. Hope is a dangerous thing." - Colonel MacKenzie

I've never been big on war pictures, so I was wary going in. 1917 is intense and non-stop with good actors and fantastic direction.  The sets are spectacular and the visual effects are even better. I can't imagine the amount of technical preparation and rehearsal that must have gone into this film. You're with these two soldiers the entire time; it feels like you're part of their journey. Possible directional spoiler: The film feels like it's done in two very long takes, which is an amazing feat considering everything that's going on.

6. Doctor Sleep: "The World is a hungry place, a dangerous place, and a dark place." - Danny Torrance

I always found the Shining (both the book and the movie) fascinating, and I always wondered what happened to Danny after leaving the Overlook hotel.  I got my answer a couple of years ago when I discovered Doctor Sleep, even though it'd been out since 2013.  When I heard they were making a movie, I was worried.  How would it start? Would it follow the events of the previous book or the movie?  When I heard Mike Flanagan was directing, some of my fears were alleviated. He had made one of the best horror movie mini-series I'd ever seen. (Seriously go watch Haunting of Hill House on Netflix). Without giving away anything, Flanagan found multiple perfect ways to satisfy fans of both the previous film & book while still being good.  The film is intriguing, well acted, and beyond creative. Ewan McGregor plays the perfect Adult Danny, Rebecca Ferguson is scary & newcomer Kyleigh Curran steals scenes as Abra.

5. Waves: "All We Have is Now." - Ronald

As promised, the second film with Kelvin Harrison, Jr.  Like Luce, he plays a talented high school kid with troubles - but the character couldn't be more different, which really show's Harrison's range - definitely one of the performers of the year. Waves is told in a unique stylistic way with interesting very complicated characters.  Like other movies on this list, the characters are flawed but real (a phrase I seem to keep using this year.)  It's not just a movie about tragedy and strife, but how we react to and recover from that. It's a troubling story but one that doesn't leave us hanging.

4. The Art of Self-Defense: "I realize now that her being a woman will ever prevent her from being a man." - Sensei

I have never laughed so hard, uncomfortably or otherwise, with a group of people than watching this movie in the theaters. It's almost completely satirical while tackling real life toxic masculinity. The actors are always in the moment.  Throughout all the ridiculousness, the characters take themselves and their environments seriously which makes it all the funnier.  It's a fun, tight film whose message we desperately need in 2019.  Jesse Eisenberg was brilliant, even if I did think he was Michael Cera most of the movie.  Sorry, Jesse Eisenberg.  If it helps, I thought Michael Cera's  had grown as an actor.

3. Parasite: "She's nice because she's rich.  Hell, if I had all this money, I'd be nice, too!" - Chung-Sook

I didn't know what to expect going into Parasite and that feeling didn't lessen as I was watching the movie either.  It was a mishmash of genres that all worked together: comedy, thriller, drama.  Even when it sometimes felt over the top, the characters still resonated as real people (are you drunk yet?) - This movie just kept on surprising me.  It's very smartly written. And everything is absolutely beautiful too.  I found out later that writer/director Boon Joon Ho pretty much created an entire street/neighborhood from scratch.

2. Midsommar: "So we just gonna ignore the bear, then?" - Simon

After last year's Hereditary, I expected a lot from Ari Aster & he delivered.   You can feel the tension in the audience in both of his films. He's a master of mood. While most horror films are covered in darkness, he created a world that's just as terrifying in the extreme light which is incredibly impressive. He also shows you that horror can come from anywhere: both his films include grief as important themes and how we react and deal with it.  In Midsommar, we're introduced to a community that deals with emotions in a unique and empathetic way.   It's shown so deeply through our protagonist's eyes.  Florence Pugh deserves an onslaught of awards for her absolutely raw and emotional performance. (The bigger award shows usually ignore horror which is an absolute travesty especially in this case.)



1. Jojo Rabbit: "You look a tiger in the eye. And trust without fear.  That's what it's like to be a woman."

You know what else I keep writing in these reviews? "I didn't know what to expect and then..."  Call it repetitive, sure - I call it a theme.  I want movies to surprise me - in a good way.  And that's definitely what Jojo Rabbit did for me. It was beautiful and satirical at the same time. It was fun yet meaningful.  I was lucky enough to see this with director Taika Waititi doing a Q&A afterwards.  Someone asked about his research on the role of hi*ler. He said, "Someone gave me a book about him. I read the back cover. He doesn't deserve research."  And that pretty summed up how I felt as I was watching it.  This wasn't about getting a historical figure right, it was about mocking a monster who deserves nothing more.  And the movie wasn't really about him anyway; it was about a struggle in a real time.  It shows how easy it is to grow up in a hateful society and think of that as normal; what it's like to have to choose to be a good person when your government is telling you not to be.  Pretty applicable now.



Honorable Mentions: A few of these almost made my top list.  On another day, they may have.  Movies depend on your mood.  Here's some more great ones:

Shazam!: In a Marvel world, what a nice surprise to see a fun, well-written, light & adventurous DC movie.
Us: Another great horror from Jordan Peele. Crazy scary and inventive.
Brightburn: Tight horror twist on a narrative we know.
Ma: A fantastic performance by Octavia Spencer made this thriller a highlight of the year
Rocketman: A fun and creative biopic.  Weird, like its subject.
Toy Story 4:  It was a perfect trilogy, and I think it should have ended as one. Still, it was an impressive film both in story and visuals.
Child's Play:  I really didn't expect to like this as much as I did - remakes only work if you have something new to say - and this one did.
Portrait of a Woman on Fire:  Fantastic gay-themed foreign film.



Here are all the 2019 movies I saw in 2019.  My list comes from all the movies I saw this year that came out this year.

1.       Escape Room
2.       Down
3.       Velvet Buzzsaw
4.       The Prodigy
5.       The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
6.       Cold Pursuit
7.       Happy Death Day 2 U
8.       Treehouse
9.       Greta
10.   How to Train Your Dragon 3
11.   Captain Marvel
12.   Us
13.   Gloria Bell
14.   Dumbo
15.   I’m just F*cking with you
16.   Pet Semetary
17.   The Wind
18.   Shazam!
19.   Missing Link
20.   The Curse of La Llorona
21.   The Long Shot
22.   Avengers: End Game
23.   Her Smell
24.   Booksmart
25.   Little
26.   Detective Pikachu
27.   John Wick 3
28.   The Silence
29.   Aladdin
30.   Brightburn
31.   All that We Destroy
32.   Ma
33.   The Hole in the Ground
34.   Rocketman
35.   The Perfection
36.   Men in Black
37.   The Dead Don’t Die
38.   Late Night
39.   Toy Story 4
40.   Ever After
41.   Child’s Play
42.   They Come Knocking
43.   Yesterday
44.   Midsommar
45.   Spiderman: Far From Home
46.   Annabelle Come Home
47.   Crawl
48.   The Lion King
49.   The Art of Self-Defense
50.   The Farewell
51.   Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
52.   Culture Shock
53.   Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
54.   Where’d you go Bernadette?
55.   After the Wedding
56.   The Peanut Butter Falcon
57.   High Life
58.   Ready or Not
59.   Transit
60.   School Spirit
61.   The Souvenir
62.   Blinded by the Light
63.   Brittany Runs a Marathon
64.   It: Chapter 2
65.   Official Secrets
66.   Hotel Mumbai
67.   Hail Satan?
68.   Hustlers
69.   Downton Abbey
70.   Judy
71.   Abominable
72.   Joker
73.   Pain and Glory
74.   The Addams Family
75.   Fast Color
76.   In the Tall Grass
77.   Fractured
78.   Parasite
79.   El Camino
80.   Little Monsters
81.   Last Black Man in San Francisco
82.   JoJo Rabbit
83.   The Laundromat
84.   Apollo 11
85.   Alita: Battle Angel
86.   Zombieland 2
87.   Sell By
88.   Then We Danced
89.   Tu Me Manques
90.   Motherless Brooklyn
91.   The King
92.   Terminator: Dark Fate
93.   Luce
94.   Doctor Sleep
95.   Harriet
96.   Ford v. Ferrari
97.   Waves
98.   Frozen 2
99.   Knives Out
100.  The Irishman
101.  Pure
102.  Uncanny Annie
103.  The Good Liar
104.  J’ai Perdu Mon Corps
105.  Marriage Story
106.  Klaus
107.  Pilgrim
108.  A Nasty Piece of Work
109.  Portrait of a Woman on Fire
110.  Bombshell
111.  A Hidden Life
112.  Richard Jewell
113.  Star Wars: The 9^th one
114.  Uncut Gems
115.  The Two Popes
116. Cats
117. 1917
118. Little Women
119. Midnight Kiss

Daniel's Top Eleven Films of 2018

Daniel's top eleven films of 2018

Well this was a whirlwind of a year.  With moviepass imploding, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to watch as many movies as usual.  I tried, though - and AMC's A-List certainly helped in the end.  It was a decent year for horror and quiet understated films - sometimes both at the same time. This was also a record-breaking year for me to see documentaries in the theater.  All-in-all, I was definitely able to see a fair amount of good movies in the theater this year.  As always, the order is how I feel at the moment.

11. Hearts Beat Loud

"Every song is a love song....technically"

At least one nice feel-good film always makes it on this list every year. What makes them good, though, is that their primary focus shouldn't be "let's make a nice feel-good film."  Hearts Beat Loud has a nice story, great writing and unique characters.  It follows a close relationship between a single father  (a very subtle portrayal by Nick Offerman) and his daughter (rising star Kiersey Clemons) through trying times.  The film has an LGBT lead character, which is rare - but what's even more rare is that coming out and dealing with being gay isn't the film's focus. While struggles all over the US and the world are still very real and important to show, it's still nice to see a young teen in a film who is comfortable with who she is.

10. The Miseducation of Cameron Post

There were two films out this year (that I know of) about the horrors and dangers of conversion therapy. This one was definitely less known than Boy Erased. While I thought both movies were very good, I thought Miseducation edged out Boy for a few reasons.  This film felt more intimate - as if I were going on this journey with Cameron through her experience.  While Cameron was conflicted, she definitely knew who she was.  It all painted a very real picture of who all of these people were, the good and the bad. This is also Chloe Grace Moretz's best performance to date.  She's gives a subdued performance here, showing Cameron's frustration but also displaying her sense of humor.

9. Overlord

Some argue what genre Overlord falls into - It's part war picture, has a nice mix of horror, sci-fi with a little adventure thrown in. It's scary, creepy, well laid out and very well directed with surprises and reveals thrown in every which way. If the horrors of World War II weren't enough, Overlord tosses in a lot more.   The movie felt very Carpenter-esque, with its own unique takes.  Definitely good gory, suspenseful, nazi-punching fun with a great cast.

8. Spiderman-Into the Spiderverse

There were a lot of good animated films that made my honorable mentions, but this one topped them all. It's clear it was made by fans of the Spiderman universe and all its aspects. Comic books that have been around a long time have a complicated canon where alternate universes and timelines exist, and heroes sometimes get replaced.  Comics still have a long way to go as far as  diversity and representation goes, but glad to say this movie embraces it.  It's also just a good story, well-written, funny and heartwarming and just all around fun.

7. Annihilation

What a gorgeously filmed experience - and Annihilation can definitely be described that way - it's an experience.  A sci-fi movie, that can be labeled horror at times is led by an all powerful, all-female cast. (We need more of that, please.) Nightmarish and beautiful, it's also incredibly thought-provoking - especially on how we perceive would-be aliens, not unlike 2016's Arrival (although the aliens themselves, vastly different.)

6. A Quiet Place

Shhhh

Incredibly well directed,  atmospheric, and frightening, A Quiet Place throws you into a world you immediately cling on to, learn the rules of, and want to survive.  Unlike some horror films, the characters here are intelligent and learn how to navigate in this new world.  They're also likable and you root for them (quietly) from beginning to end.  I love when a director can create a world that makes me think: "How would I survive in this world?" "What things would I do the same/differently than these characters?"  A good horror film will make you think those things for a long time after watching it, and A Quiet Place did just that.

5. Tully

Tully is just a wondrous and wonderful story about an overworked and overtired mom who needs a little help. There's a lot more to it than that, but I feel like I'll spoil it if I say anything more.  It's a sweet, not-quite-simple and uplifting tale with an excellent lead performance by Charlize Theron. It's written by Diablo Cody who, as always, injects humor into a dramatic story in just the right ways.

4. Three Identical Strangers

This is probably a record year for me seeing documentaries in the theater.  There were a lot of really great ones this year, but this one blew me away.  It's a surreal story that pulls you in from the very first moment and continues to surprise you up until the very end.  The pacing is perfect, revealing key aspects of the story at just the right times.  It's surprising and funny, heartfelt and kind of horrific all at the same time.

3. Hereditary

*tongue click*

The horror world seems to be divided on slow burn horror.  To me, it depends on if it's done right.  There's a difference between slow burn and just...slow.  I saw this on opening night and while it had some critic buzz, the audience hype wasn't quite there yet - so I was able to watch it without any preconceived notions.  The audience was also incredibly into the film - they were there to see good horror and Hereditary didn't disappoint.  Some of the fun of Hereditary was feeling the tension build, not just in the film, but in the audience: hearing soft gasps, uncomfortable laughter at times and even the lack of sound of an entire group of people holding their breath.  This wasn't just a horror film; it was a film about grief and family dysfunction. Hereditary is like a roller coaster that builds tension as you're going up and up and up the track and then delivers the scares as you plummet down.  And not to just throw this in - but another perfect performance by Toni Colette. 

2. The Favourite

Where to begin.  This film was fun, funny, dramatic, riveting, had beautiful chemistry between its amazing actresses, thoughtfully directed - I can go on and on.  Olivia Colman is an underrated gem who has spent a lot of her career being a female "that guy".  She's fabulous in everything she does and will be immediately more recognized after this stunning and hilariously droll performance. Rachel Weisz, also great in Disobedience this year, is amazing as always. And Emma Stone gives her best performance to date. Yorgos Lanthimos, who directed my favorite film of 2015, The Lobster, uses a different style here than his last two films which works out marvelously.  

1. Blindspotting

I don't understand why this film isn't getting more awards buzz than it is.  I left the theater feeling breathless, thinking about it non-stop.  I got the DVD for Hanukkah this year and rewatched it to make sure it held up.  It did.  Daveed Diggs, of Hamilton fame leads the cast as a soulful guy caught up in circumstance.  Also incredibly impressive were relative newcomers Rafael Casal & Jasmine Cephas Jones.  All three deserve acclaim for their performances. Diggs & Casal have wonderful chemistry as best friends.  (They're friends in real life and you can see them here bringing Calvin & Hobbes comics to life.)  The film meticulously blends buddy comedy with a focus on important issues like police prejudice and accountability, the perils of gentrification, how white privilege affects the justice system, and the fear of raising a black child in America.  If that wasn't enough, the language is some of the most poetic I've heard in modern film.

Honorable Mentions: Some of these would definitely have made it into my top list, depending on the day.  I believe you're generally affected by movies depending on what's going on in your life and in the world in general.  In no particular order:

RBG/On the Basis of Sex - These go together because they feel like companion pieces - one, a documentary, the other a feature, both do justice to their subject - as does Felicity Jones who plays Ruth Bader Ginsberg in the latter.

Thoroughbreds - Total dark comedy, two sociopath teenagers bond.

Game Night -It's rare when I include straight-up comedies on my lists of 'best of', but this smart one had me laughing non-stop

Black Panther - More than just a marvel movie, it created a whole world.

Love, Simon - Probably not as good as I think it was...it was just nice to see a gay teen romantic comedy in a world of hetero-normativity.

BlackKklansmen - Great true story brought together by two great leads

Ralph Breaks the Internet/Incredibles 2 - Two amazing sequels that may not live up to their respective originals, but were fantastic, nonetheless.

Bird Box - A netflix original, likened to A Quiet Place - creepy and well done.

Eighth Grade - A vastly original & heartwarming film by Bo Burnham & what it's like to be an introvert in the age of social media.

Searching - I wasn't sold on the style of this thriller until I finally watched it.  It uses its premise expertly.

Mary Poppins Returns -  This movie did what it was supposed to - it captured the magic of the original without trying to get rid of its ideals or style.

Green Book - A nice tale of burgeoning friendship brought together by its two leads.

Here are the 2018 Movies I have seen this year (note...not all the movies I saw in 2018)

1.       Insidious 4

2.       Paddington 2

3.       Mom and Dad

4.       Cloverfield: Paradox

5.       The Ritual

6.       Black Panther

7.       Early Man

8.       The Open House

9.       Annihilation

10.   Game Night

11.   Red Sparrow

12.   Thoroughbreds

13.   Strangers 2

14.   Gringo

15.   Love, Simon

16.   A Wrinkle in Time

17.   Unsane

18.   The Death of Stalin

19.   Ready Player One

20.   A Quiet Place

21.   Isle of Dogs

22.   Truth or Dare

23.   Chappaquiddick

24.   Ghost Stories

25.   Beirut

26.   Disobedience

27.   Avengers: Infinity War

28.   The Rider

29.   Tully

30.   Bad Samaritan

31.   Beast

32.   The Seagull

33.   Deadpool 2

34.   Revenge

35.   Solo

36.   Future World

37.   First Reformed

38.   Upgrade

39.   Hereditary

40.   Ocean’s 8

41.   Incredibles 2

42.   Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

43.   Damsel

44.   Hearts Beat Loud

45.   Three Identical Strangers

46.   The Cakemaker

47.   The First Purge

48.   Ant-Man & The Wasp

49.   Sorry to Bother You

50.   Skyscraper

51.   Eighth Grade

52.   Mama Mia: Here we go again

53.   Blindspotting

54.   Christopher Robin

55.   The Miseducation of Cameron Post

56.   Alpha

57.   Scotty & the secret life of Hollywood

58.    BlackkKlansman

59.   Crazy Rich Asians

60.   The Nun

61.   A Simple Favor

62.   Assassination Nation

63.   Searching

64.   Hellfest

65.   The House with a Clock in its Walls

66.   A Star is Born

67.   The Hate You Give

68.   You Might be the Killer

69.   No Escape Room

70.   First Man

71.   Bad Times at the El Royale

72.   The Old Man & the Gun

73.   Halloween

74.   RBG

75.   Can You Ever Forgive Me?

76.   1985

77.   Boy Erased

78.   Border

79.   Making Montgomery Clift

80.   Bohemian Rhapsody

81.   Suspiria

82.   The Girl in the Spider’s Web

83.   Overlord

84.   Life of the Party

85.   Tag

86.   Ralph Breaks the Internet

87.   The Favourite

88.   Anna & The Apocalypse

89.   Green Book

90.   Ben is Back

91.   The Wife

92.   Widows

93.   Roma

94.   Mandy

95.   Dumplin’

96.   Beautiful Boy

97.   Spiderman – Into the Spider-Verse

98.   Mary Poppins Returns

99.   On the Basis of Sex

100.     If Beale Street Could Talk

101.     Mary Queen of Scots

102.     Private Life

103.     The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

104.     Bird Box

105.     Leave No Trace

106.     At Eternity’s Gate
107.   Vice
108.   Destroyer
109.   22 July
110.   Shirkers
111.   Bandersnatch
112.  Stan & Ollie
113.  Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
114.  The Body
115.  Flesh & Blood
116.  Pooka
117.  New Year, New You
118.  Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot