By Brett Blake After having been dramatically underwhelmed by 2018, 2019 rebounded and produced a crop of very fine films. Character dramas, crime thrillers, science fiction spectacles, comic book adaptations, and other assorted genres were well-represented this year, and even though I’m only selecting ten movies to highlight here, the next tier right below them is large and full of good stuff. In the interest of full disclosure, here are some of the notable films from 2019 that I haven’t yet seen: 1917, UNCUT GEMS, LITTLE WOMEN, RICHARD JEWELL, PARASITE, JOJO RABBIT, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 10. AVENGERS: ENDGAME (Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo) Purely for what this movie represents -- the culmination of 11 years of interconnected storytelling across 20+ films -- it deserves a spot here. That it was able to (mostly) stick the landing and provide both genuine thrills and genuine character work is impressive. 9. US (Directed by Jordan Peele) While US is unquestionably weaker on the script level than Peele’s previous, GET OUT, it’s also better-directed, with Peele showing a real flair for crafting effectively tense suspense sequences. Lupita Nyong’o, in a dual role, delivers some of the best acting of 2019, as well. 8. DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE (Directed by S. Craig Zahler) A brutally uncompromising crime drama, this is perhaps the most deliberately provocative film of the year, offering up a bleak interpretation of the classic “cops and robbers” genre that punches you in the face and presents no easy answers or platitudes. 7. TOY STORY 4 (Directed by Josh Cooley) A heartfelt epilogue for the already-perfect TOY STORY franchise, this is so much better than it probably should have been (and certainly could have been). Funny and utterly sincere, this is just a delightful confection. Quality cinematic comfort food. 6. MARRIAGE STORY (Directed by Noah Baumbach) Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson turn in two of the year’s very best performances, and in conjunction with Baumbach’s very sharp writing, they present a nuanced and unexpectedly warm portrait of divorce in which all of the parties are presented in extremely sympathetic ways. 5. AD ASTRA (Directed by James Gray) Some legitimately stunning science fiction visuals underlined by some big (if familiar) ideas in service of a fascinating character study. Its themes are fairly classic sci-fi fodder, but they’re presented here in a fresh, incisive, and even quite artful way. 4. FORD V FERRARI (Directed by James Mangold) An often thrilling movie that supplies not just a crowd-pleasing sensibility, but also some genuine depth. The editing, cinematography, and (especially) sound are all Oscar-worthy, and I also think a case must be made for Christian Bale’s performance as one of the year’s strongest. This is a big, glossy, satisfying slice of studio filmmaking. 3. JOKER (Directed by Todd Phillips) A stark, harsh, and extremely hard-hitting picture of a city in a state of utter decay and one increasingly-deranged individual who wants to see it pushed over the edge. Joaquin Phoenix is a powerhouse here, charting his character’s journey from mentally-unwell to full-on maniac in a way that is chilling and magnetic. 2. THE IRISHMAN (Directed by Martin Scorsese) Scorsese’s definitive final statement about organized crime and the ultimately devastating and soul-damning effects it has on those who come into contact with it. A host of terrific performances and excellent pacing (especially for a 200+ minute movie) contribute to this being unquestionably a powerful and engrossing work that perfectly closes the book on Scorsese's crime films. 1. ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD (Directed by Quentin Tarantino) A film that’s grown on me continuously since my first viewing, I now find this to be Tarantino’s most sentimental, bittersweet, and funny film. It’s constantly engaging on nearly every level -- the performances (Brad Pitt, particularly), the writing, the visual approach -- and as its title implies, it showcases an almost fairy tale-like vision of a bygone Hollywood era. It’s simply a fabulous entertainment, and Tarantino remains one of the few filmmakers whose new movies are still truly “events.”
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