At long last, 2019 is over. I, personally, had a big year last year, graduating high-school, getting my first job job, starting college and even getting published in a newspaper! But you don’t give a sh*t about my life. It is the movies last year that were amazing – and so I’d like to celebrate my favourites from what I saw.

Like years’ past, this is based on UK releases/films-I-got-to-see-in-2019 – meaning The Favourite is here while Parasite (because I haven’t seen it yet) is not. And with that criteria set, I saw 130 films in 2019 – starting with Welcome to Marwen and ending with Spies in Disguise. There were some certainly rough ‘uns in there, and the day I cease to hate the new Lion King is not yet foreseeable in mortal calendars. However, it’s been a good year – for horror and comedy; action and drama; blockbusters and indies alike. And hopefully, 2020 will be just as good, if not better!

Here’s to a great 2020!

[AUTHOR’S NOTE]: If you have seen the film, skip the Italics. If not, read for them for the plot.

Honourable Mentions (ALPHABETICAL)

Can You Ever Forgive Me?, DIR: Marielle Heller

Crawl, DIR: Alexandre Aja

Doctor Sleep, DIR: Mike Flanagan

Spies in Disguise, DIR: Troye Quane and Nick Bruno

What They Had, DIR: Elizabeth Chomko

#25 Rocketman

DIR: Dexter Fletcher

Never Seen It? – Rocketman tells the story of acclaimed rock musician Elton John (Taron Egerton), chronicling his start as an artist, his rise to acclaim, the lovers he quarrelled with and the addictions that nearly ruined his life.

This dazzling display of deviously decadent spectacle is among the best musicals of the decade. It transforms an otherwise depressing story into a rousing fairy-tale almost solely through the power of music (and enough gaudy costumes/shiny sparkles to outdo the gayest of Gay Pride parades). Taron Egerton is fantastic in the lead role and the insight Fletcher gives into John’s life is firm but fair and startlingly moving. Plus, once the titular banger bangs… it’s hard not to sing-along.

#24 Toy Story 4

DIR: Josh Cooley

Never Seen It? – While on a road trip with recently-born toy Forky (a spork with googly eyes, voiced by Tony Hale), Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks) reunites with the former love of his life Bo Peep (Annie Potts), causing him to question his own desires as a toy.

Heartwarming and breaking in equal measure, this could be the most emotional Pixar film to date. It is, of course, a technical marvel and a comedic inspiration, but the heart of this timeless tale remains its greatest ally, even with Keanu Reeves (the internet’s God of niceness) in the cast. These toys will forever be plastic and their lives, regrettably, fictional, but the hearts that drive them are human – and real – to the core. And if this is to be their last rodeo, then it was one hell of a rootin’ tootin’ final ride to go out on.

#23 Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

DIR: Quentin Tarantino

Never Seen It? – Fictional actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his best-friend/stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) are washed-up has-beens hoping for a career resurgence. Meanwhile, in the house next to Dalton’s, real-life actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) is living life large, unaware of the Manson Cult that may soon end her life.

Simultaneously an ode to the bygone New Hollywood era and a noble attempt at revenge-fantasy catharsis, this could be Tarantino’s most Tarantino film to date. His flashy style and passion for music shines through most, of course (the 1960s + Hollywood = a very happy Quentin) but its the undeniably fun characters (as portrayed by a stellar cast) and utterly balls-to-the-wall explosive climax that make this, the ugliest acronym of the year (OUATIH?), into a hugely entertaining thrill ride.

#22 John Wick Chapter Three – Parabellum

DIR: Chad Stahelski

Never Seen It? – Legendary hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) must flee for his life now that an entire world of assassins is hunting him down, their eyes fixated on the $14 million bounty sitting atop his head.

Parabellum is a movie in which Keanu Reeves beats a man to death with a book before galloping like a giddy psychopath through the streets of New York on a horse. Both these events, by the way, are in the opening act. And the adrenaline only escalates from there, with Stahelski and Reeves pushing the scope of their spectacle, as well as the breadth of their world-building, to its absolute limits – which, in turn, does the same for the star’s physical abilities. Reeves – like Tom Cruise – is insane and does his own stunts, which does scare me for his health… but also gave me the phrase “Keanu Reeves on Horseback”, so I’ll let it slide for now.

#21 Spider-Man: Far From Home

DIR: Jon Watts

Never Seen It? – Teenage superhero Spider-Man, aided by otherworldly hero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), must fight against the villainous Elementals – highly dangerous monsters deriving from fire, water, earth and air – all while trying to enjoy his summer vacation mere months after his friend and mentor, Tony Stark (formerly Robert Downey Jr), sacrificed his life for the universe at large.

If Avengers: Endgame was Denial-through-Depression of the Grief wheel, then Far From Home is the climactic acceptance. Quite possibly, it is the funniest MCU movie to date; but also has some of the most heart and soul, dealing with the ramifications Endgame‘s endgame left on the world. Tom Holland, as per usual, is fantastic and Jake Gyllenhaal – again, as per usual – gives it his all. Plus, it has arguably the best non-Avengers action scene in any Marvel movie… and that deserves commending… ‘cos Thor (the 2011 one…)’s lethargic bridge duel was hard to top!

#20 Hustlers

DIR: Lorene Scafaria

Never Seen It? – [BASED ON A TRUE STORY] After working as a stripper to make ends meet, Destiny (Constance Wu) teams up with extravagant stripping-expert Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) to swindle Wall Street higher-ups in a post-financial crisis world.

In lesser hands, Hustlers would have been wasteful porn – just strippers stripping down stripper poles, with not much depth to elevate it. Luckily, under Scafria’s delicate hand, Hustlers is a gem of a film: a concurrently empowering and extravagant yet gritty and humanised visual-essay on greed and general douchebaggery. Lopez is on fire in the supporting cast; the opening long-take is great and deftly establishes Scafaria’s decadent flair; the total lack of objectification is a truly commendable feat. I had zero expectations going in – but left completely floored.

#19 The Irishman

DIR: Martin Scorsese

Never Seen It? – [BASED ON A TRUE STORY] Truck driver Frank Sheerhan (Robert De Niro) gets involved with Crime Boss Russel Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and starts rising through the ranks as the crime family’s number-one hitman.

Scorsese and De Niro’s legacy comes to a head through The Irishman: it’s the swan-song to conclude, spiritually if not tangibly, their illustrious careers. Each of the three male leads – De Niro, Pesci and Al Pacino – are all fantastic, while Scorsese – in a very-rare career first! – actually directs the movie pretty well… who’d have thunk? It’s an emotional journey that earns every aching moment of its run-time. No-one here is at their utmost best, but no-one shows their age (as I said in my review, their total age is 308) either. It’s a powerful statement on both legacy and time: and I doubt any team of legends could have done it better.

#18 Little Women

DIR: Greta Gerwig

Never Seen It? – Four sisters (Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen), each with a different artistic passion, try to live their lives to the fullest, no matter how hard societal norms may try to push them down.

The warmth of Little Women is what makes it so endearing. It’s a feature-length hug. A delightful, sweet and utterly charming hug, administered by four fantastic female leads (of which Ronan and Pugh are the standouts) and one of the most talented female directors working today. The themes within are universal and the emotions that drive Little Women are stronger than ever, regardless of era, sex, race or sexual orientation. Because, no matter where you fall in any of those categories, you still get the warm hug, and that’s what matters most.

#17 Knives Out

DIR: Rian Johnson

Never Seen It? – Following the death of acclaimed mystery novel writer Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), infamous private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is hired, anonymously, to tackle the case.

Smart, flashy and fun to its core, Knives Out is an absolute blast to watch. The mystery running through it is ripe with twists and turns while the electric cast breathes life (Plummer only temporarily, granted) into Johnson’s quirky cast of weirdos. A la his standard, every trope here is subverted to the point of surprise while remaining its core values in tact. The humour is on point and the commentary ultra-sharp, perhaps even sharp enough to kill with… how wonderfully ironic.

#16 Hail Satan? [DOCUMENTARY]

DIR: Penny Lane

Never Seen It? – Harassed largely on the title of their religion alone, the ultra-progressive Satanist movement provides their stance on issues of equality and justice, especially within the laws of the US Constitution.

Penny Lane (Yes. We all know its a Beatles’ song. Moving on.)’s wonderfully weird documentary, Hail Satan?, offers insight into the much maligned Satanic Temple, shedding light on their progressive attitudes and ideals without immediately mocking their horned poster-boy. It challenges societal conventions unabashedly and never disguises its true intentions. Yes, we all know what Satanism implies (Death Cults. Sacrifice. Dodgy sex things.), but watch Hail Satan? and reconsider. It never, directly, asks you to perform its titular action… but the chances you do will be much higher after watching.

#15 Benjamin

DIR: Simon Amstell

Never Seen It? – Aspiring filmmaker Benjamin (Colin Morgan)’s emotional life is thrown into turmoil after he meets French musician Noah (Phenix Broussard) but is unable to make a human connection

Unseen by everyone, loved by mainly just me, this, my annual “Cute LGBT movie”, is, indeed, cute. It’s a very sweet and tender love-story with a fantastic lead performance (Morgan) leading its earnestly awkward charge. Much of the humour works and every emotional beat hits. Plus, there is a lot of sex (of the homosexual variety, just FYI) in it… so there is that… if that appeals to you… yeah. Moving on.

#14 Midsommar

DIR: Ari Aster

Never Seen It? – Struggling couple Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor) retreat to a Swedish festival with the goal to relax and enjoy themselves. What begins as quirky, but harmless, fun, however, soon devolves into a flurry of death, drugging and pagan-driven ritualism.

Following up Hereditary well was a near-impossible task but boy-oh-boy did Ari Aster do it and then some. This bizarre – let me continue: weird, offbeat, zany, backwards, idiosyncratic and f*cking mental – relationships-drama is great on its own merits: with fantastic themes and two great lead performances (Pugh, especially, is marvellous). However, it’s also a horror movie – and an insanely effective, endlessly disturbing and uneasy, one at that. To summarise: this film is “f*cking mental”… go see it.

#13 Stan & Ollie

DIR: Jon S. Baird

Never Seen It? – [BASED ON A TRUE STORY] Legendary comedic actors Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly) try to get their dying career back on track by performing live in a series of British theatres. Past tensions and health problems soon arise, however, making the duo’s already wobbly future all the more uncertain.

As my original review of this film was the review that first got me published in a newspaper (yay! Applaud Me!), it holds a very special place in my heart. And looking back on my review, I stand by it: this is a very funny, very well acted, very well shot and very, very moving ode to some of the greatest cinematic legends there have been. It’s a beautiful standing ovation to the stars of old and that’s all there is to say. Baird let Stan & Ollie take a bow, and so now I present the stage to him.

#12 Le Mans’ 66 (Or: Ford V. Ferrari)

DIR: James Mangold

Never Seen It? – [BASED ON A TRUE STORY] American car enthusiasts Carol Shelby (Matt Damon) and Ken Miles (Christian Bale) unite to, at the 1966 24-hour Le Mans race, make a Ford beat a Ferrari, a feat deemed impossible… without the right driver on the track.

Easily the best non-Avengers (just wait… its-a coming) popcorn flick of the year, this racecar-reinvention of the Western standoff is an irresistibly entertaining rollercoaster ride. Christian Bale and Matt Damon give it their all as our incredibly charming leads while Mangold, in the metaphoric driving seat, keeps the energy of his beast going far above 200mph at all times. Like Dodgeball (but better), this is a true underdog story – one well worth seeing on the big-screen for the racing alone, even if you hate the actual sport (a la moi!).

#11 Pain and Glory

DIR: Pedro Almodavar

Never Seen It? – Ageing director Salvador Mallo (Antonio Banderas) reconciles with the flaws in his past – former feuds, past lovers, parental problems etc. – so the artistic voice within him can be reawakened.

Undoubtedly the most personal film on this list, Pedro Almodavar’s self-reflection, as told through Pain and Glory, is a challenging masterclass in telling a damn good story. Antonio Banderas is the best he’s even been (Citation Needed, but yeah – I’m right) and the emotions, from the uncertain opening act to the brilliantly bittersweet closing flourish, run high, high, high. A la a Moonlight, or a Call Me By Your Name – there is raw and personal quality to the movie that makes watching it feel almost like eavesdropping. And achieving that, effectively, is near impossible – so that, ergo, is among the highest praise I can give.

THE TOP TEN

#10 Ad Astra

DIR: James Gray

Never Seen It? – Roy McBride (Brad Pitt), a fearless astronaut, embarks on a perilous journey to save his long-since-missing father Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones) after a mysterious surge threatens the fate of the Earth.

Quite poetically, “Ad Astra” means “to the stars”. This is both a real cool – in the wrong hands pretentious – movie detail, and a quintessential encapsulation of the film itself. Brad Pitt is the best he has been in years; the cinematography is among the best of the year; Gray’s flawless writing and direction are stuff to be commended. To say Ad Astra never reached for the stars is a fallacy: this is one of the most ambitious and bold films of the year. It doesn’t just “reach for the stars”, it far surpasses them.

#09 The Farewell

DIR: Lulu Wang

Never Seen It? – Aspiring Chinese-American writer Billi (Awkwafina) returns to her home in China to bid farewell to her dying grandmother, Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzen), all without ever properly saying goodbye – as informing the ill of their illness defies Chinese tradition.

Put simply, the mere premise of this movie was enough to make me choke up. And when I saw it, I did just that and more. Zhao Shuzen’s wonderful performance steals the show and defines the emotional arc of the movie: if she doesn’t sell the role, the movie doesn’t sell. And as I cried, I’d say she sold it better than Jordan Belfort ever could. Alas, misery never defines this film, and that’s why I love it. The passionate refusal to give in – the celebration of familial bond and life’s many wonders – is what makes The Farewell a treasure. Yes, I cried. But I laughed a lot, too. The former is more impressive, but the latter is what we need to celebrate now more than ever.

#08 Booksmart

DIR: Olivia Wilde

Never Seen It? – On the eve of their graduation, renowned teacher’s pets Amy (Kaitlyn Denver) and Molly (Bernie Feldstein) decide to show the world just how well – and hard – they can party, with the hope that one last ride can ensure their teenage years weren’t wasted.

Wow is this film raunchy. It’s also rude, vulgar, crass and crude – but wow, is this film funny. Wilde, in just one movie, has established herself as a fantastic comedic writer, as have our wonderful leading ladies as comedic actors. It’s one laugh after another for 90 glorious minutes until the hankies come out and you realise “wow, is this film emotional/unique/fearless/bold!”. So, to summarise: “wow, is this film great!”.

#07 The Favourite

DIR: Yorgos Lanthimos

Never Seen It? – [BASED ON A TRUE STORY… I THINK?] Set during the early 18th century, two ladies (Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz) compete for the frail Queen Anne’s favour.

The second film I saw in 2019 was also the weirdest: and yet, oddly, one of the best. It features rabbits, speedy ducks and the immortal, ingrained in the stones of Olympus, line: “I like it when she puts her tongue inside me”. Lanthimos’ style, now quite infamously, reeks of weirdness… and I love it. It was robbed, regrettably, of many potential awards this past Oscar season… but I am sure its placement here is a worthwhile consolation prize. You’re welcome, Yorgos – thank me later.

#06 Fighting With My Family

DIR: Stephen Merchant

Never Seen It? – [BASED ON A TRUE STORY] After inheriting her parents love of wrestling, future-WWE-champion Paige is successful in applying to be apart of the WWE training program. Alas, her equally enthusiastic brother fails to get in – causing a rift in the family.

Listen, I couldn’t care less about wrestling. Alas, Fighting With My Family is not a wrestling movie. It’s a fantastic comedy/family-drama that, by coincidence, has a bit of wrestling in it. Florence Pugh, in her third film on this list, rocks the leading role with ample fire and sass, while her fellow acting brethren – or “family”, as some would say – do their bit as well. And as a self-proclaimed weirdo (I’m currently writing about movies on the internet instead of being a normal teenager and getting my stomach pumped: just tattoo “Loser” on my forehead already), I appreciate the “embrace yourself” message. It’s a very sweet and very funny film – and only further solidifies my belief that British comedy trumps American comedy any day of the week.

#05 Avengers: Endgame

DIR: Anthony and Joe Russo

Never Seen It? (How?) – After suffering a crushing defeat in which alien Thanos (Josh Brolin) obliterated half of all life in the universe, the remaining superheros – including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and many others – band together to Avenge those that have fallen.

This movie is good because… it made money? No. This movie is good because… superheroes and spandex? No. This movie is good because… I have no taste and only like blockbusters? Adamantly not, but sure. No, no, no: Avengers: Endgame, in this humble guy’s opinion, is good because it is among the most exhilarating spectacle events I’ve ever attended in my life. No movie before nor since nor likely yet to come has made me laugh, cry, gasp and feel goosebumps akin to a Frozone-administered massage like Endgame did. It was a movie of pure fan-service: made by fans, for the fans and adored, for the most part, by fans worldwide. And I’m a huge fan! The MCU, for better or worse, is my “Film Snob Achilles Heel”. I love this universe and this film delivered tenfold. It was a superlative piece of spectacle entertainment (with great visuals, performances, humour, emotions and action to boot) – and I ate every bit of it up.

#04 Marriage Story

DIR: Noah Baumbach

Never Seen It? – A stage director (Adam Driver) and his actress wife (Scarlett Johansson) are pushed to artistic and personal extremes on account of their gruelling divorce.

No word of a lie, the opening ten minutes to this movie nearly made me cry. The last ten minutes, on the other hand, fully made me cry. Marriage Story is a beautiful and subtle middle-finger to not divorce but the lapse of love in a couple. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver are perfectly cast, as is the very-likely future-Oscar-winner Laura Dern. It’s a movie that makes me hate divorce, uniting Driver and Johanson – without picking a side – to the ideology that losing love sucks. It’s a beautiful and bittersweet story, one as subtly funny as it is broadly heartbreaking. Also: Adam Driver singing… just… broke me.

#03 Jojo Rabbit

DIR: Taika Waititi

Never Seen It? – Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) is a far-right child-soldier trainee, whose imaginary best friend is Hitler (Taika Waititi) and who believes, firmly, in the teachings of Naziism. This changes, however, when he meets Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie), the young Jewish girl camping in his attic, who is not quite the monster he has been led to believe.

Man is Hitler funny. That sounds wrong but it is right. Taika Waititi’s rendition of Hitler in this film is hysterical; a side-splitting-ly funny mockery of history biggest d-bag. And the humour doesn’t stop there. It has, arguably, the best ensemble cast of any film in 2019 – and strikes a precise balance between humorous and harrowing, with the latter having one of 2019’s biggest gut-punches to its name. I think Waititi said it best when he described the film as an “anti-hate satire” – because man does it hate hate, and man is Adolf satirised every which way possible.

#02 Eighth Grade

DIR: Bo Burnham

Never Seen It? – Kalya (Elise Fisher) is an introverted teenage girl who, ironically, posts self-confidence advocacy videos online. And as her last week of eighth grade slowly arrives, she decides its time to begin exiting her shell.

There is a recurring theme here in that I like funny movies with ample heart and a strong emotional core. Eight Grade is that to the letter, with Burnham’s comedic roots shining through to make our earnest lead effortlessly lovable and his surprise emotional prowess demonstrating just how horrifying being a teenager is. Eighth Grade is a ballad on anxiety that also dabbles in consent, social media obsession and identity, with cringe powerful enough to topple the Roman Empire and themes relatable enough to make me weep… hard. I said in my review, early in 2019, that, with Eight Grade, “my film year [had] officially peaked”. Film #1 proves otherwise… but damn did it have to fight to get there.

#01 Luce

DIR: Julius Onah

Never Seen It? – The attitudes of a liberal minded couple (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth) are challenged when their seemingly perfect black son, Luce (Kelvin Harrison Jr), is found to be harbouring illegal fireworks.

Coupled with a breathtakingly unique score by Ben Salisbury and the year’s single most underrated performance courtesy of Kelvin Harrison Jr, Luce is a bold, provocative and, in some ways, genius attack on faux-liberalism. The themes on offer are powerful; the cast is incredibly strong; the cinematography, courtesy of Larkin Seiple, is stunning: it’s a masterwork in craft and ideas and no-one – God Dammit! – is talking about it. I’m not promising you’ll like it but at the very least you should be challenged and intrigued. Nowhere does Luce offer answers to its grand questions: that part, my friend, is up to you.