By Zach Hester | @hestzach

If you think 2019 was a bad year for movies…you didn’t see the right ones. The first half of the calendar year might have been underwhelming save for a few gems like Jordan Peele’s Us, Guy Ritchie’s gorgeous Aladdin remake, and of course, the iconic end to Marvel’s Infinity Saga, Avengers: Endgame.

Since July, 2019 in film has taken a dramatic turn for the better. Exceptional movies have crowded my weekends and since that halfway mark, they’ve only gotten better.

Unfortunately, I missed out on seeing 1917, the World War I epic, due to a late limited release date and Nadav Lapid’s French-Israeli flick Synonyms because of the lack of showtimes in my area.

Another major miss-out is Portrait of a Lady on Fire, another French film that only saw a teeny, tiny limited release in New York and California in December. The wide release is coming in March…so expect to see it on my best of the best list for next year if it holds up.

In spite of missing these three films, this was still an extremely impressive year. These are my favorite films of 2019.

Honorable Mentions

Booksmart, directed by Olivia Wilde. In Wilde’s directorial debut, she upends the “high school teen movie” trope with a hilarious story starring Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein.

directed by Olivia Wilde. In Wilde’s directorial debut, she upends the “high school teen movie” trope with a hilarious story starring Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein. The Farewell, directed by Lulu Wang. Lulu Wang’s second feature film is a personal look at her own life story involving her grandmother’s illness and the feeling of ethnic identity. Awkwafina shines in the lead role.

directed by Lulu Wang. Lulu Wang’s second feature film is a personal look at her own life story involving her grandmother’s illness and the feeling of ethnic identity. Awkwafina shines in the lead role. The Irishman, directed by Martin Scorsese. The Irishman is one of the best combinations between Scorsese and Robert De Niro of all time. It hurts to not place this amazing film in my top 10, but it’s still worth its extremely long runtime (almost four hours).

directed by Martin Scorsese. is one of the best combinations between Scorsese and Robert De Niro of all time. It hurts to not place this amazing film in my top 10, but it’s still worth its extremely long runtime (almost four hours). The King, directed by David Michod. In this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henriad, Timothee Chalamet stars as the titular monarch and slowly ascends from a fresh-faced prince to a full-fledged ruler. The film suffers from no wide release (it would look so much better on a big screen), but after several viewings, I can confirm it’s well worth a watch no matter where you are.

directed by David Michod. In this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henriad, Timothee Chalamet stars as the titular monarch and slowly ascends from a fresh-faced prince to a full-fledged ruler. The film suffers from no wide release (it would look so much better on a big screen), but after several viewings, I can confirm it’s well worth a watch no matter where you are. Pokemon Detective Pikachu, directed by Rob Letterman. This one hit me in the nostalgia really hard. Pokemon is something that I have a special place in my heart for, and this film was a near-perfect live-action adaptation.

10. Us

Release Date: March 22

Director: Jordan Peele

Starring: Lupita Nyong’O, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex

In 2017’s Get Out, Jordan Peele examined modern race relations through the lens of a horror flick. In this year’s Us, Peele does the same thing with class relations. This film is a thrilling feature that bends genres and explores the struggle between the undervalued against the overprivileged. Lupita Nyong’O delivers TWO Oscar-worthy performances as Adelaide and Red.

Now that we’ve seen what Jordan Peele is capable of in two different kinds of horror films, I cannot wait to see what’s in store for his future in the movie industry.

9. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

Release Date: July 26

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

The further away from Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, the more I love it. Despite some tedious bits that bloat the film to an almost three-hour runtime, the movie’s ending is a great payoff. Every actor in this movie is a star. The commentary on fame and how to navigate relevance in the entertainment business is greatly shown through the eyes of DiCaprio’s character.

Pitt will almost certainly earn his first Academy Award for his portrayal of stuntman Cliff Booth, and he will 100% deserve it.

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood is an ode to the Golden Age of film. The ensemble cast can seem crowded at times, but in spite of its small flaws, I seriously hope that this won’t be Tarantino’s penultimate film.

8. The Lighthouse

Release Date: October 18

Director: Robert Eggers

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe

Robert Eggers is two-for-two on weird, but beautifully cinematic horror. After 2015’s The Witch, I was intrigued. After his new film The Lighthouse, I am invested.

While there’s plenty to praise, the cinematography takes the cake. The black and white, almost square aspect ratio makes for a movie that feels as claustrophobic as the titular lighthouse itself. The production team did an amazing job by creating this encapsulated world that feels so distant that it could very well be on an entirely other planet.

Both performances by Pattinson and Dafoe are some of the best of their careers. Both portray insanity at its finest and are deeply invested in their characters.

The Lighthouse proves that Eggers’ films are impossible to predict. It never leads you directly to a checkpoint, so be prepared to stay on the edge of your seat for its entire runtime.

7. Aladdin

Release Date: May 24

Director: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Will Smith

If you had told me at the first of the year that the live-action Disney remake I’d have on my “Best of 2019” list was Aladdin and not The Lion King, I’d call you a liar.

This movie came out of nowhere. I didn’t even intend on seeing it; however, I’m really glad that I did. The movie is charming and exhilarating in the same breath and perfectly represents its message, “Be true to yourself.”

From the costumes to visual effects, the movie is a technical masterpiece. The racially authentic casting is great. It’s really exciting to see an entire cast of people who actually look like the characters they’re meant to be playing. It is proof that on-screen representation matters and that it can earn $1 billion at the box office.

6. Blinded by the Light

Release Date: August 16

Director: Gurinder Chadha

Starring: Viveik Kalra, Hayley Atwell

Blinded by the Light is the most non-musical musical that has ever existed on the big screen. The movie pays perfect homage to “The Boss” in every way. It sees the characters have these larger than life moments, sometimes with dancing involved, but stays away from having the characters outright cover Springsteen’s songs. It does make me wonder what a Springsteen musical would sound like though.

Viveik Kalra’s lead performance is the brightest star in a sea of shiny objects that I could discuss about the film. He’s vulnerable when he has to be and serious when the role demands it, but more than those things, you can just tell that he’s having fun in Javed’s shoes. The genuine joy on his face during the “Born to Run” sequence, my favorite of the entire film, will demand a smile as you sing along.

Unfortunately, I don’t think enough people saw this fantastic movie. Despite a small, but still profitable box office, this explosion of optimism didn’t catch enough eyeballs on the big screen. Definitely check it out on streaming or via the Redbox.

5. Knives Out

Release Date: November 29

Director: Rian Johnson

Starring: Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans

An all-star cast, exceptional production design, and expert editing. When you sit down to watch Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, you get every bit of that on top of the mystery twisting its way through the pages of the script.

Every player involved is at the top of their game. Daniel Craig, doing his best Foghorn Leghorn, excels in the lead role of a classic crackpot detective. He’s a perfect foil to the egotistical Thrombey family, portrayed by the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, and Michael Shannon, among others.

It’s hard to discuss this film without spoiling the entire thing. Just get out and see it already. And then see it again with someone who hasn’t, just to watch the story unfold on a fresh face.

4. Joker

Release Date: October 4

Director: Todd Phillips

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz

Send in the clowns…just not the crazy, murderous ones.

It’s impossible to talk about this movie without stating this fact: there’s not one actor alive today that can match Joaquin Phoenix in terms of dedication and talent to this role. I firmly believe that. The entire film hinges on the power of his performance. In the shoes of this madman, he excels.

This isn’t your typical comic book film in any way, shape, or form. It’s a psychological thriller through and through with elements of drama added to Joker’s backstory.

The biggest takeaway from this film is this: never put yourself in a box creatively. Todd Phillips made the Hangover trilogy and now he’s won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival with this. Do with that information what you will.

3. Parasite

Release Date: October 11

Director: Bong Joon-Ho

Starring: Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam

Parasite is impossible to predict, always interesting and completely insane by the end. It’s one of those movies that make it hard to nail down exactly what genre it is as it shifts from satire to drama and finally, thriller.

It has some of the best production design of any movie made this year. From the slums of Seoul, South Korea to the beautiful Park family mansion that was built for this film, the director has made an immersive experience that allows you to experience the horror that ensues.

There’s one scene in this film that won’t leave my head. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say it’s universally known as “the ghost scene.” It’s horrifying in a non-jump scare way and the image of it scares me every time I think about it.

Bong Joon-Ho has created a social satire on class that does the theme better than any movie I’ve seen in a long time. It reinforces the feeling that money doesn’t determine inherent evil or good

2. Marriage Story

Release Date: December 6

Director: Noah Baumbach

Starring: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson

Marriage Story is way more than a modern-day Kramer vs Kramer.

The story isn’t “will they get back together?” It’s “how will they handle this separation, and what will things look like on the other side?” With this concept in mind, director Noah Baumbach takes you on a journey based on his own divorce from Jennifer Jason Leigh. It’s his own personal story and you can tell.

Over the course of the story, you get a chance to demonize and sympathize with both characters’ points of view. The lead performances by Driver and Johansson make the film feel real. There isn’t just one or two tearjerker scenes in Marriage Story, there are multiple spots that make you feel what they feel. Their Oscar-worthy (and hopefully Oscar-winning) performances are aided by the excellence of Laura Dern and Alan Alda as the couple’s attorneys.

However, both get the best scenes when they’re on screen together. During the largest, longest, one take verbal war between them at the film’s climax, both share their true feelings about one another. This is easily the best acted scene of the year. It’s a gut punch.

All of this mixed with Baumbach’s direction and script, and a beautiful score by Randy Newman, make for a captivating story that could define love and loss for our generation.

1. Little Women

Release Date: December 25

Director: Greta Gerwig

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep

There was never any doubt that Greta Gerwig’s Little Women would find a place on the “Best of 2019” list. It’s the film I was looking forward to all year, and boy did it hold up to my hype.

Set against a backdrop of Civil War Massachusetts and Alexandre Desplat’s beautiful score, Little Women is a carefully crafted, compelling story that both honors its time period and updates it for the modern era.

Greta Gerwig is 2/2 on amazing films. In 2017’s Lady Bird, she explores her own story of individuality and here, she tackles the creativity and self-expression of the four March sisters. Unlike previous adaptations, which have almost exclusively featured Jo March, Gerwig’s take is much more even-handed and every character gets to play their part. In an abundant cast of stars, the best performances for me came from Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh (could gush about her forever), and my current favorite actor, Timothee Chalamet.

In an age where female filmmakers are extremely underappreciated, Greta Gerwig shines. Her script has realistic dialogue, you really feel like the characters are just living their lives and you’re peering into their world. It’s easily the best adapted screenplay since Call Me By Your Name in 2017.

Go see Little Women. Support female filmmakers. Support great movies.

To see my full list of every movie I watched this year, check me out on Letterboxd here.