It’s December 2019, and yes, the year and the decade are nearly over. Well, any new year (or decade) conjures up hopes of new beginnings and quiet moments of reflection, so before we all step into 2020, when flying cars will be all the rage and parachute pants make a triumphant comeback, let’s enjoy a few moments to revisit the best movies from 2019. Here are my top 20 films of year.
Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker’.
20. “Joker” – Director Todd Phillips takes a stark departure from comedies, as he ventures into a dark, dystopian 1981 Gotham City to tell the origin story of Batman’s foremost nemesis. Filled with crime and grime, Gotham is a miserable, hopeless mess, and so is Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a man suffering from mental illness and surrounded by negative influences and triggers in all directions. Arthur eventually cracks, and in turn, Joaquin should break into Best Actor Oscar-status with his hypnotic performance. Quite frankly, another actor will have to give a superhero-like effort to wrestle Oscar gold away from Phoenix.
Mads Mikkelsen in ‘Arctic’.
19. “Arctic” – Mads Mikkelsen plays the lone survivor of a plane crash who is stranded in a freezing, desolate anti-wonderland, and the aircraft’s carcass serves as his only indispensable refuge. Like “127 Hours” (2010) and “Cast Away” (2000), the harsh environment forces our solitary hero into resourceful ingenuity, but unlike those films, director Joe Penna doesn’t flashback to leisurely moments or feature stretches of screen time in urban civilization. His movie – filmed in Iceland – is always on location, and it’s up to Mikkelsen to carry the torch throughout the picture.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Alexa Demie in ‘Waves’.
18. “Waves” – An affluent, hardworking family appears to have all the answers, but one’s teenage years - no matter how much support is felt - are anything but straight-forward. Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is a high school wrestler and his life is falling into place, but after an initial misstep, he takes a much larger plunge. Writer/director Trey Edward Shults (“Krisha” (2015), “It Comes at Night” (2017)) pushes a modern score, and his free-flowing camerawork dives into the characters’ souls, as they struggle for answers. This heavyweight drama packs a wallop.
John Chester in ‘The Biggest Little Farm’.
17. “The Biggest Little Farm” – Santa Monica residents John and Molly Chester left their careers and the Los Angeles life to start a 200-acre organic farm in nearby, but comparatively very rural, Moorpark, Calif. They take an altruistic approach to connect with nature, but this also creates a steady stream of seemingly impossible struggles, which certainly shakes the Chesters’ original vision. John and Molly, however, are infinitely likable, and we become emotionally invested in them, their plants, trees, animals (i.e. their pig Emma and family dog Todd), and every inch of Apricot Lane Farms. This is a hopeful documentary in several ways, and if every couple supported each other like John and Molly do, the world would have a zero percent divorce rate.
Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas in ‘Knives Out’.
16. “Knives Out” – An extremely clever and entertaining whodunit! Writer/director Rian Johnson thought up this murder/mystery about 10 years ago, and after creating “Looper” (2012) and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017), he saved his best for last. Crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) dies on his 85th birthday, but master detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) arrives on the scene to assess any foul play. Johnson turns the genre on its head a bit and keeps us guessing, laughing and gasping in suspense, while Toni Collette, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, and Ana de Armas seem to be having as much fun as the audience.
Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce in ‘The Two Popes’.
15. “The Two Popes” – Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI have personality and philosophical differences that reach a mile-long, but they both share the same job title and therefore, are card-carrying members of a most exclusive club. Director Fernando Meirelles (“City of God” (2002)) gives us an insightful look at these two men through Anthony McCarten’s script, one that is conversational in nature. Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins play Francis and Benedict, respectively during the Vatican’s transition of power in 2013, and the two Welsh actors should share numerous exchanges at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020.
Taika Waititi, Scarlett Johansson, and Roman Griffin Davis in ‘Jojo Rabbit’
14. “Jojo Rabbit” – Growing up in Germany in the 1930s and 40s, Jojo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) loves his mom (Scarlett Johansson) and hangs out with his best friend Yorki (Archie Yates). In many aspects, Jojo is a typical 10-year-old boy, except for one glaring difference: he’s a proud Hitler Youth member. Jojo, however, begins to question everything, when he discovers that his mom is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their home. Director Taika Waititi also dons a Nazi uniform to play Adolf Hitler, so he pushes boundaries, but with hilarious slapstick, sarcasm and delicate touches of humanity. Really? Ja.
Lupita Nyong'o, Evan Alex, and Shahadi Wright Joseph in ‘Us’
13. “Us” – When the Wilsons’ vacation takes a stop at a Santa Cruz boardwalk, the matriarch Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) becomes visibly nervous, and deservedly so! She suffered a traumatic experience at the aforementioned beach spot as a little girl, and 30+ years later, her worst fears – and more – come roaring back. This time, her entire family (Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex) and she have reasons to worry. Writer/director Jordan Peele’s follow-up to his 2017 smash “Get Out” descends into a most unique and bizarre vision that frightens as well as poses provocative questions about our country’s haves and have-nots, and you cannot say U.S.A. without “Us”. The best horror film of the year.
Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, and Azhy Robertson in ‘Marriage Story’
12. “Marriage Story” – Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) - a successful and loving New York City couple who care for their young son and each other - seem to have it all. Unfortunately, “all” also includes the strong possibility of divorce. Writer/director Noah Baumbach pulled material from his parents’ divorce (as well as his own), but he broadens this most challenging experience with many, many universal stops on the road to Splitsville. “Marriage Story” rarely gets explosive except for one signature scene, and the couple’s imperfect-but-agreeable bliss painfully shifts into something else. Something more distant. More clinical. More transactional.
Tom Burke and Honor Swinton Byrne in ‘The Souvenir’
11. “The Souvenir” – Set in Sunderland, England during the 1980s, writer/director Joanna Hogg’s picture purposely feels like a hazy dream. A look back to yesteryear, in which the film’s individual scenes seem to reveal themselves as separate recollections with little connective tissue, although collectively, this story of Julie (Honor Swinton Byrne) and Anthony (Tom Burke) is linear and whole. Hogg’s autobiographical tale reveals a poisonous relationship, where Anthony repeatedly cuts into Julie’s wide-eyed, naive devotion, and in the end, “The Souvenir” is a toxic keepsake that serves as an awfully important teaching moment.
Tzi Ma, Shuzhen Zhao, Han Chen, Aoi Mizuhara, Hong Lu, Diana Lin, Awkwafina, and Yongbo Jiang in ‘The Farewell’
10. “The Farewell” – Writer/director Lulu Wang’s film is about family. For those who advocate to write about what you know, Wang took those words to heart. “The Farewell” is a personal story, and as noted in the opening credits, this particular life-chapter is based on an actual lie. Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen), a spunky, spirited grandmother, contracts lung cancer and only has three months to live. Her family, however, doesn’t tell her, so she can enjoy her remaining days free from worry. Awkwafina – who plays Nai Nai’s granddaughter – and Zhao anchor the film through their deeply-relatable, soulful performances, and all the supporting players flawlessly fit as principled, imperfect beings.
Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever in ‘Booksmart’
9. “Booksmart” – Upon the eve of high school graduation, Molly (Beanie Feldstein) discovers massive regrets over never attending a wild party after studying nonstop for four straight years, so she talks her best friend Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) into an evening of hopeful debauchery. Even though the girls’ trek towards social-nirvana makes highly memorable stops along the way, their friendship is paramount, and first-time director Olivia Wilde (yes, that Olivia Wilde) never loses sight of that emotional bond. A bond wrapped in sidesplitting comedic timing, fresh surprises and brilliant adolescent foolishness.
George MacKay in ‘1917’
8. “1917” – British General Erinmore (Colin Firth) gives Lance Corporals Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) an order to cross No Man’s Land and beyond to warn their fellow soldiers of a lethal German trap. Well, director Sam Mendes straps us to our theatre chairs, as his camera follows Blake and Schofield on their harrowing journey that appears to be one continuous shot over 118 cinematic minutes. In reality, “1917” is a series of long takes, but the result is a unique war experience that captures a first-person’s perspective through an unworldly nightmare. Part frightening, part courageous and wholly unforgettable.
Hatidze Muratova in ‘Honeyland’
7. “Honeyland” – Documentary filmmakers Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov trek to a remote North Macedonia spot that time forgot to meet Hatidze Muratova. A beekeeper by trade and by love, Hatidze spends her waking hours tending to her tiny, friendly yellow and black companions and her woefully sick mother, but a family of nomads unwittingly disrupt her daily rituals and livelihood. Kotevska and Stefanov spent a remarkable three years filming on location, and as Hatidze’s story unfolds, their film feels like a feature rather than a doc. Intimate and heartbreaking, Hatidze explores unexpected internal spaces in a vast countryside rarely visited by anyone.
Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in ‘The Irishman’
6. “The Irishman” – The boys are back! Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci reunite, and they include Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, and Al Pacino. Frequent Scorsese favorite Harvey Keitel makes a brief appearance too, in a sprawling, infectious mob movie centered around Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a driver turned hitman. The narrative transpires over decades, so the filmmakers employ a remarkable de-aging technology that allows De Niro, Pesci and Pacino to act throughout the film. As a satisfying side effect, this also transports Scorsese fans to fond memories of “Goodfellas” (1990) and “Casino” (1995). Although not as explosive as those pictures, “The Irishman” delivers big rewards. Speaking of rewards, Pesci deserves the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
Adèle Haenel and Noémie Merlant in ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’
5. “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” – As a silent protest to her upcoming, unwanted and arranged wedding, Heloise (Adele Haenel) refuses to pose for a portrait which greatly displeases her mother (Valeria Golino). La Comtesse (Golino), however, takes a different approach. She hires a new painter Marianne (Noemie Merlant) and asks her to befriend Heloise, rather than reveal herself as an artist. Marianne will then paint Heloise’s portrait in secret. Writer/director Celine Sciamma and cinematographer Claire Mathon are masterful celluloid illustrators, as they fashion a breathtakingly gorgeous picture - set in 18th century France - that glows, breathes and lives on the coast of Brittany, and like the small, needed nuances that help define a particular painting, Heloise and Marianne communicate so much – to each other and to us - through the subtlest of expressions.
Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski in ‘Transit’
4. “Transit” - Writer/director Christian Petzold’s movie is a surreal puzzler that begins two moves ahead of us, and then we play catch-up for most of the 101-minute runtime. Georg (Franz Rogowski) is on the run. He’s a German living in Paris, but he needs to quickly flee the city and country. He’s close to his escape while hiding in Marseille and waiting for his getaway-ship to arrive. As Georg lingers in this seaside city, one might wonder why the events occur during World War II, when everything on-screen looks like 2019. Meanwhile a mysterious woman (Paula Beer) repeatedly appears in his life for a few seconds and then scurries away. It is not important to actively investigate your questions during Petzold’s film, but rather, let the narrative run through you.
Adam Sandler in ‘Uncut Gems’
3. “Uncut Gems” – Adam Sandler takes a departure from comedy and becomes one-man car crash, as a New York City gem dealer with a horrible gambling addiction in the white-knuckler of the year. Directors Bennie and Josh Safdie (“Good Time” (2017)) shadow Howard Ratner (Sandler) to his jewelry shop, trips to see his bookie, and semi-insincere pitstops at home, but an unsettling aura of doom – no matter where he is - constantly chokes him. Howard doesn’t partake in (or seem to accept) any moment of peace, and since he lives on the edge, his every move becomes unpredictable….and so is this movie.
Kang-ho Song, Hye-jin Jang, Woo-sik Choi, and So-dam Park in ‘Parasite’.
2. “Parasite” – When Ki-woo (Choi Woo-sik) scores a part-time job teaching English to Da-hye (Jung Ji-so), a high school girl from a well-off family, other opportunities suddenly present themselves in the most surprising ways. It difficult to classify director Bong Joon-ho’s movie. It’s a comedy, a caper film, an emotional drama, a thriller, and throw in a dash of horror, but ultimately “Parasite” is a biting social commentary on wealth and poverty, and Bong chooses two families on opposite ends of the monetary spectrum to make his point.
1. “A Hidden Life”
August Diehl and Valerie Pachner in ‘A Hidden Life’
Franz Jagerstatter (August Diehl) enjoys a beautiful life with his wife Franziska (Fani) (Valerie Pachner) and their daughters in the quiet, hidden Austrian village of St. Radegund, but trouble begins when World War II breaks out, and he refuses to pledge loyalty to Hitler. Writer/director Terrence Malick offers his organic filmmaking perspective and embraces the true story of the Jagerstatters by reaching to nature, classical music, and Franz and Fani’s actual letters that gel into both haunting fragments and dreamy concoctions of operatic majesty.
Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic. Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.
