Rachael's Top Fifteen Movies of 2019
2019 was probably my craziest year yet. Between writing when I could, working, moving across the country and ultimately working two jobs, things have been hectic and finding time to even watch a movie is a crunch. For that, there’s no hiding how much I have missed in 2019 when it comes to film releases. I missed a lot, but tried to get in as much as I could before writing and accumulating my favorites. There are still some big boomers in my eyes that I’ve wanted to see but never caught like The Farewell, Hustlers, Last Black Man in San Francisco, Atlantics and/or The Souvenir. By all means, I will get to these, but clearly it will be delayed and sadly not included in the list.
With each year, I stray from rating or ranking films because it does nothing but get people flustered thinking their opinion is high and mighty and better than another’s. So for that, I stopped caring about having that star rating on Letterboxd and delegating movies to a ranking. So here you have my favorites of the year! I still feel like I'm missing some, but let’s just roll with this!
Little Women (dir. Greta Gerwig)
If Greta’s name is attached to a project, there’s a large chance that I will be watching it as soon as possible. Has this story been adapted over and over again? Sure it has, but I’m not sick of them! I love a great female cast paired with a wonderful director. This version of Little Women was everything and more. Emotional and empowering, Greta was able to bring Little Women to life again. Saiorse Ronan has been nothing but a powerhouse in everything she’s been in and it’s not different in this film. There is a vital scene towards the end that fills me with happiness and determination. I truly hope Greta continues to employ Saoirse because at this rate they’re the power director/actress I need.
Fighting With My Family (dir. Stephen Merchant)
Just like the story, this film was the underdog that surprised me and left me cheering by the end credits. As many know, when Dwayne Johnson is in a movie, there’s a possibility that it won’t be the best. We’ve all been there. Yet here I am, dropping down to his beck and call to watch a movie he’s a part of. I was hesitant for the choice of Merchant as director, but I was so pleasantly surprised. Based on the true life story of WWE’s Paige, Fighting With My Family brings sibling rivalry to the table when Paige’s brother doesn’t get chosen for the WWE and she does. Florence Pugh owned 2019 and it all started here. Just like Little Women, this movie gave me motivation to complete goals in life. If you haven’t seen this movie, definitely check it out!
A Hidden Life (dir. Terrence Malick)
Disney did this distribution dirty and it’s a shame. Thank goodness I was able to watch this at Telluride with the addition of my heart shattering into a million pieces. A husband and wife face life altering changes when the husband refuses to fight for the Nazis and is up for execution. After the decision of refusal is made, we watch the heartbreaking aftermath. While we watch the husband imprisoned for standing up for his beliefs, we see the hatred put upon the family and how it turns their life upside down. Neighbors scoff at them and income is slighted due to this. It hurts and shocks you that these things ever really happened. Just like The Irishman, Malick makes the runtime for A Hidden Life seem like a walk in the park. I’ll just say, I didn’t have a dry eye come end credits.
The Irishman (dir. Martin Scorsese)
So do I really have to write on how amazing this film is? Three and a half hours of intoxicating cinema. Martin Scorsese somehow managed to make those hours fly by so quickly that rewatching the movie immediately after seemed like a good idea until you actually saw what time of day it was. It was so amazing seeing all the big hitters in one movie together making their acting seem seamless. Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, and Harvey Keitel can do no wrong. Personally, crime dramas can be convoluted at times, but The Irishman is smooth like butter. The suaveness and mastery of Scorsese’s cinema cannot be matched.
Doctor Sleep (dir. Mike Flanagan)
Truthfully, Mike Flanaghan has to be one of the biggest contenders in horror working today. What a blaze of entertainment and fright with everything he’s been making lately. The Haunting of Hill House blew me away so when Doctor Sleep came around, I knew I was in for it. The homages and flashbacks to The Shining are nostalgic to see, but the real craft comes from everything Flanaghan added in. Rose the Hat is an absolutely terrifying villain who added to some stunning visuals in the movie. Alongside of that, I think Flanaghan filmed the most gut wrenching scene of the year. For those who have seen it, you know the one. I adored this sequel and new additions to the story of The Shining and need to see that Director’s Cut!
Uncut Gems (dir. The Safdie Brothers)
If you can visually describe a caffeine rush or chugging Four Lokos, Uncut Gems would be it. From beginning to end there is no stopping, the latest from the Safdies goes from 0 to 100 lickety split and puts you on the edge of your seat. After seeing its premiere at Telluride Film Festival, I don’t think I’ve stopped thinking about it. To have such a mish mosh of cast work so perfectly together is outstanding. Who knew I’d love an Adam Sandler performance again after Punch Drunk Love? Not me, that’s for sure! However, the newcomer on the scene that blew me away was Julia Fox. What an absolutely stunning performance. It’s a shame that Uncut Gems wasn’t even given the chance to be a contender for any category for the Oscars because if there’s one movie that deserves it, it’s this one. The Safdie brothers are talented and over the top and exactly what we need.
The Lighthouse (dir. Robert Eggers)
I love when directors take the step to making their films black and white. We could use more of it! For a film that starts out slow, the energy and claustrophobia build until Eggers takes a 180 and goes all out in a Lovecraftian thriller mind bender. Multiple accounts I’ve heard people say “what was that about” and that’s the beauty of the movie. You can’t stop thinking about it and picking it apart until you think you have an answer, but it may not even be the one Eggers was shooting for. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson work so well off of each other and their manic demeanors make the film all the better. I have a feeling on a rewatch I’m going to find things I didn’t realize on first watch and I can’t wait for that!
Pain and Glory (dir. Pedro Almodovar)
Alright, I must confess, this is my first time seeing an Almodovar film and I fell madly in love with it. So much that I haven’t stopped thinking about it since September when I first saw it. What a marvelous reflection of life and love acted superbly by Antonio Bandares. Probably one of my favorite things I’ve seen him in. It’s amazing how colorful and beautiful Almodovar can make a film with such a dark connotation attached to it through drug abuse and heartbreak. But the glisten of hope shines through and Almodovar is able to give the viewers some much needed happiness towards the end. I can guarantee I’m going to be looking into the rest of Almodovar’s filmography and can’t wait to see what he does next.
Once Upon A Time …in Hollywood (dir. Quentin Tarantino)
I honestly cannot believe a Tarantino film is in my tops of the year, truly. If you know me, you know that I’m not his biggest fan, but the way that he delicately treated the subject matter of this film made me extremely happy. He thwarted the story of Sharon Tate but did it with respect and care. I found the rest of the film so entertaining and the performances blew me away. The attention to detail was phenomenal and I can’t help but be sucked in to anything of that era, from the music to the overall vibe, it’s fabulous. To me, this is one of the better things Tarantino has delivered in awhile and it feels very mature and not as brash as previous works. Very interested to see how Tarantino moves forward from this.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (dir. Celine Sciamma)
Can we take a moment to appreciate the unbelievable chemistry and dynamic between the two leads? Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel in short, are perfect. You believe in them, their desire, their love, and even in their heartache. Then there’s THAT scene. If you saw it, you know, but I’m giving away nothing. It’s that good and if it doesn’t simultaneously tear your heart out and make it grow, I don’t know what will. This stunning film was written and directed by Sciamma and stars mainly women. Only minutely does a male character show up. For me, it was everything that Blue is the Warmest Color wishes it could have been but couldn’t accomplish because of the brashness of a male director. Sciamma explores the female gaze delicately and sensually without being overly crass. Superb work!
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (dir. Marielle Heller)
If Marielle Heller did biopics for the rest of her career, I’d be one happy camper. After last year’s captivating Can You Ever Forgive Me, I was beyond excited to hear that Heller was doing another biopic. To top it off, Tom Hanks would star in it. It’s like a recipe specifically made for me! Growing up watching episodes of Mister Rogers, the warmth that exudes from this film was endearing and nostalgic. It balances out the grief and depression we feel from Lloyd Vogel’s (Matthew Rhys) storyline. What Marielle Heller accomplishes through this film is what the television show did. It makes you self reflect and question things in your own life. Albeit, in the end, it’ll be alright.
Ford v Ferrari (dir. James Mangold)
If Ford v Ferrari is a dad movie then just call me Papa. Truth be told, there’s something exhilarating about racing movies of this stature and this one provides from beginning to end. It may be because earlier in the year I watched a boatload of racing movies and documentaries, but I loved this movie. Especially in a loud theatre. It’s deserving of that sound system and having your seat shake during the 24 Hours Le Mans race. This true story of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles is a rough ride as they battle Henry Ford and his higher-up employees. It’s a fight between corporate who thinks they know what’s right and what should be done to win and beat Enzo Ferrari in the race of a lifetime. Don’t let the extensive runtime turn you away from watching something this exciting.
Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho)
Ok, is anyone surprised? This film rocked the world, and rightfully so. It was my first night in Telluride and this was my first screening. I recall leaving the theatre thinking ‘Oh my God, the director of The Host did THAT!’. The intertwining of stories and the metaphorical parasite of a family weaving their way into the home of someone else to enhance their lives is outstanding. One lie after another builds and builds until all hell breaks loose when secrets are revealed. Jaw-dropping is an understatement. Parasite deserves every award it has gotten so far and I hope it rakes in all the awards and breaks records at the Oscars. I couldn’t be happier if that happened.
Diego Maradona (dir. Asif Kapadia)
If there is any working documentarian that I believe is the best in the game right now, it’s Asif Kapadia. His style is extraordinary, detail-oriented, and informational. There aren’t interviews shown and everything is told by footage from/of his subject for the film. After seeing Senna earlier in the year, there was no way I was going to miss Diego Maradona. The craziest thing for me is, with Kapadia’s documentaries, I don’t even care about the subject matter going in, but by the end of it, I feel engrossed in his topics and filled with knowledge I never had before. For that, I will absolutely watch anything he creates.
Marriage Story (dir. Noah Baumbach)
Baumbach knows how to film life, whether comedic or not. Have you ever watched a film where it makes you feel uncomfortable? That’s the exact feeling I got while watching Marriage Story while also being blown away by the whole thing. The realistic arguments between separated spouses are so loud and in your face that you feel like you’re in the room with them. Johannson and Driver deliver some of the best performances in their careers, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t really care for Johannson. Not only that but the costars in Marriage Story are ones to mention too with Laura Dern, Merritt Wever, Ray Liotta, and Alan Alda co-running this ship. By no means is this movie an easy watch, but it puts it into perspective the things that can happen and go wrong in a relationship, and how an easy separation, in the beginning, can turn into vile hatred to the point of complete destruction.
Other notable films in 2019 that I loved are John Wick: Chapter 3, Apollo 11, Honeyland, Toy Story 4, The Art of Self Defense, The Two Popes, Knives Out, Depraved, Dolemite Is My Name, High Flying Bird, and Deadwood: The Movie (how could I pass that one up). So many good movies came out last year, which makes it so hard to narrow down concrete favorites. I could go on and on about how many movies I loved from 2019 but I’ll keep it to that large list I already gave. So sayonara 2019, let’s bring on 2020 movies! My eyeballs are so ready!
