The 19 Best Movies I Saw in '19
MY FAVORITE MOVIES OF THE YEAR
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| THE LIGHTHOUSE (2019) |
I made a similar list last year since I had watched a lot of movies released in 2018. I didn't think I'd do it this year, since I haven't watched nearly as many from 2019. However, I couldn't help myself because this was such a good year for movies! The world somehow keeps getting worse each year (socially, politically etc) as we near mankind's extinction at a faster rate than ever. On the bright side, the movies seem to be as good as ever, especially the ones that aren't as sanitized like certain 'theme park' entries.
Last year, I observed that many of the movies I listed as my favorites were 'concerned with the effects and aftermath of authoritarianism'. Well, this year is not very different. As multiple countries (including mine own, of course) are turning towards right wing fear mongering governments I don't expect such movies to stop being made anytime soon.
Although there are a TON of movies that I plan to catch up on, I wanted to write at least about the movies that I saw in 2019.
So, here goes:
THE IRISHMAN
I walked into The Irishman expecting to see a great Martin Scorsese movie that would probably be one of my favorites of the year. I ended up watching the best Martin Scorsese movie and the best movie of the year. It's a gangster movie to end all gangster movies. It is extremely grand and incredibly personal at the same time. Like the characters in the movie it feels like Scorsese is reckoning with his past. He continues to make us look at ourselves through these terrible men who do terrible deeds. Mortality, friendship, loyalty and ultimately the actions and inaction that lead us to be borne back ceaselessly into the past - and perhaps an unsavory future - is what forms the entirety of this sprawling masterpiece. It's usually hard for me to pick a favorite from a year of good films but this is definitely it.
I walked into The Irishman expecting to see a great Martin Scorsese movie that would probably be one of my favorites of the year. I ended up watching the best Martin Scorsese movie and the best movie of the year. It's a gangster movie to end all gangster movies. It is extremely grand and incredibly personal at the same time. Like the characters in the movie it feels like Scorsese is reckoning with his past. He continues to make us look at ourselves through these terrible men who do terrible deeds. Mortality, friendship, loyalty and ultimately the actions and inaction that lead us to be borne back ceaselessly into the past - and perhaps an unsavory future - is what forms the entirety of this sprawling masterpiece. It's usually hard for me to pick a favorite from a year of good films but this is definitely it.
TUX AND FANNY
The best David Lynch movie not made by David Lynch. With a simple pixelated animation style Albert Birney made a sweetly existential movie constructed of the adventures of the eponymous Tux and Fanny. Their lives seem comfortable but something is always discomfiting and out of place... or gets there eventually. They somehow always find themselves in situations where an existential pith (or two) occurs to either of our heroes (usually Tux) and can sum it up (or not). It was a strange comfort watch for me: considering it is so good at creating unease.
AD ASTRA
A quietly hypnotic space odyssey about daddy issues? Sign me up! James Gray created a weird mix and it worked out really well in my opinion. Fortunately I was the only one in the theater at this screening and I felt wrapped by its ridiculous grandeur. I'm a sucker for movies set in space and this was very much my cup of tea.
THE FOREST OF LOVE
THE FOREST OF LOVE
This is my first Sion Sono film and definitely won't be the last. It's a long movie that doesn't feel like it, as its demented story unravels at breakneck speed and twisted abandon. There may be different ways of interpreting this tale of sex, violence and depravity galore, but I found myself seeing a link to fascism. A character in the film (you'll know who) appears as a charismatic leader who does not shy away from intimidation and domination and hijacking the endeavors of his subordinates and perverting them to a degree of horrid unrecognizable mush. Maybe it's because of the times we live in that I interpreted it this way, but anyway you take it, this is a real rip roaring ride, one that I would highly advise anyone to give a try at least. It's on Netflix so you can always turn it off. NETFLIX AND CHILLS RUNNING DOWN MY SPINE.
This is my first Sion Sono film and definitely won't be the last. It's a long movie that doesn't feel like it, as its demented story unravels at breakneck speed and twisted abandon. There may be different ways of interpreting this tale of sex, violence and depravity galore, but I found myself seeing a link to fascism. A character in the film (you'll know who) appears as a charismatic leader who does not shy away from intimidation and domination and hijacking the endeavors of his subordinates and perverting them to a degree of horrid unrecognizable mush. Maybe it's because of the times we live in that I interpreted it this way, but anyway you take it, this is a real rip roaring ride, one that I would highly advise anyone to give a try at least. It's on Netflix so you can always turn it off. NETFLIX AND CHILLS RUNNING DOWN MY SPINE.
SONCHIRIYA (THE GOLDEN BIRD)
You don't really expect to see a Mexican stand-off in an Indian movie...especially if said Indian movie is an indictment of the oppressive caste system that has plagued the country for literal ages. It even goes further to explore the prevalent sexism and police corruption among other things. It is set in the state of Madhya Pradesh (MP) in India, where dacoity used to be a common phenomenon. Some of our (anti)heroes are dacoits themselves. Their portrayal is pretty accurate according to my parents who come from MP (my father has even met one). This was a real shot in the arm for Hindi movies (and Indian movies in general). As is usual with good Indian movies, it did not fare well at the box office but I'm pretty sure scores of Indian cinephiles won't let it vanish from memory.
You don't really expect to see a Mexican stand-off in an Indian movie...especially if said Indian movie is an indictment of the oppressive caste system that has plagued the country for literal ages. It even goes further to explore the prevalent sexism and police corruption among other things. It is set in the state of Madhya Pradesh (MP) in India, where dacoity used to be a common phenomenon. Some of our (anti)heroes are dacoits themselves. Their portrayal is pretty accurate according to my parents who come from MP (my father has even met one). This was a real shot in the arm for Hindi movies (and Indian movies in general). As is usual with good Indian movies, it did not fare well at the box office but I'm pretty sure scores of Indian cinephiles won't let it vanish from memory.
UNCUT GEMS
Although I didn't find it as anxiety inducing as the Safdie Brothers' Good Time, Uncut Gems is still an insane ride to take. Every moment is chaotic, every scene has Adam Sandler in it (even when he's not there, he is a phone call away as the Safdies pointed out in a podcast), who is firing on all cylinders here. A film about exploitative materialism that in recent years can only match the wicked energy of The Wolf of Wall Street, it also serves as a great example of the intersection of ethnic minorities (BLACK JEW POWER!) and an all-round Good Time.
ENQUANTO ESTAMOS AQUI (WHILE WE ARE HERE)
A beautifully made movie about immigrant lovers separated by borders. We don't see their faces clearly throughout the movie but the structurally unique nature of this movie makes sure that isn't a problem. A dream-like look at a nightmarish situation, it is meditative and slow and yet with a less than average runtime.
A beautifully made movie about immigrant lovers separated by borders. We don't see their faces clearly throughout the movie but the structurally unique nature of this movie makes sure that isn't a problem. A dream-like look at a nightmarish situation, it is meditative and slow and yet with a less than average runtime.
NO DATA PLAN
The paranoia and anxiety of an illegal alien told in first person (by Miko Revereza, the director) on a single train ride. Added to this are revelations about Revereza's family and the possibility that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are ready to pounce at every station. The train steadily chugs on and so does the movie, a reflective piece that immerses the audience in the tension masked in the everyday of an immigrant.
THE LIGHTHOUSE
the unbearable fondness of lobster
The story of two lighthouse-keepers set in a 'rusty, dusty, musty' atmosphere (as described by director Robert Eggers) and how their descent into madness is aggravated by things both within and beyond their control. It is at once devilishly humorous and shockingly tragic, with mythological and industrial elements circling the plot and delivering a final product that Benjamin Christensen (Haxan) and F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu) would have claimed influence over.
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| the unbearable fondness of lobster |
기생충 (PARASITE)
who's the real parasite
I can't really say much about this movie that you may not already have heard. A tragicomedy that sets out to scrutinize class relations in South Korea, it may not capture capitalist economic exploitation of the workers as well as people gushing over it would have you believe, but it does provide a stunning thriller that should leave most viewers with a yearning for societal change at the very least.
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| who's the real parasite |
I can't really say much about this movie that you may not already have heard. A tragicomedy that sets out to scrutinize class relations in South Korea, it may not capture capitalist economic exploitation of the workers as well as people gushing over it would have you believe, but it does provide a stunning thriller that should leave most viewers with a yearning for societal change at the very least.
Дылда (BEANPOLE)
A postwar movie as miserable as (in)famous classic Russian novels, Beanpole is named after its protagonist, an unnaturally tall ex-soldier who suffers from a unique condition caused by head trauma. She and her fellow ex-soldier friend share a tragedy that perversely unites them and unfolds a beautifully depressing tale of the Western world getting back up on its feet.
A postwar movie as miserable as (in)famous classic Russian novels, Beanpole is named after its protagonist, an unnaturally tall ex-soldier who suffers from a unique condition caused by head trauma. She and her fellow ex-soldier friend share a tragedy that perversely unites them and unfolds a beautifully depressing tale of the Western world getting back up on its feet.
ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH
A devastating documentary about how humanity has ravaged the planet. Not much hope is offered here, except for the stand Kenya has taken against the ivory trade that results in the poaching of thousands of elephants. There are some incredible scenes here and almost every shot is perfect and manages to capture the incredible hopelessness of the future and the giant hole that humanity has dug itself into.
A devastating documentary about how humanity has ravaged the planet. Not much hope is offered here, except for the stand Kenya has taken against the ivory trade that results in the poaching of thousands of elephants. There are some incredible scenes here and almost every shot is perfect and manages to capture the incredible hopelessness of the future and the giant hole that humanity has dug itself into.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
Quentin Tarantino's love letter to '60s Hollywood (though not as wide in scope as Scorsese's Hugo perhaps) finds the director at his most self indulgent since the Kill Bill movies. His love for movies, violence and feet is on full display and more gorgeous than ever as this sprawling dramedy rewrites history (though not as wide in scope as his own Inglorious Basterds) once again. Told through the eyes of a (fictional) once-famous TV star and his stuntman/friend/confidante played with relish by Leonardo Dicaprio and Brad Pitt respectively, the movie breezes through the large runtime as we navigate the streets of Hollywood and the Manson Family HQ among other places, making most of us nostalgic for a place we never knew.
Quentin Tarantino's love letter to '60s Hollywood (though not as wide in scope as Scorsese's Hugo perhaps) finds the director at his most self indulgent since the Kill Bill movies. His love for movies, violence and feet is on full display and more gorgeous than ever as this sprawling dramedy rewrites history (though not as wide in scope as his own Inglorious Basterds) once again. Told through the eyes of a (fictional) once-famous TV star and his stuntman/friend/confidante played with relish by Leonardo Dicaprio and Brad Pitt respectively, the movie breezes through the large runtime as we navigate the streets of Hollywood and the Manson Family HQ among other places, making most of us nostalgic for a place we never knew.
I LOST MY BODY
A severed hand travels through Paris to locate its owner/body, a young man who has suffered a great tragedy as a child and now wanders through life without a purposeful direction as his past and present unfurl before us with the emotional intensity that came as a pleasant surprise for me. The gorgeous animation is a major virtue of course.
A severed hand travels through Paris to locate its owner/body, a young man who has suffered a great tragedy as a child and now wanders through life without a purposeful direction as his past and present unfurl before us with the emotional intensity that came as a pleasant surprise for me. The gorgeous animation is a major virtue of course.
ISLAND OF THE HUNGRY GHOSTS
The sorry state of refugees on Christmas Island, Australia is explored through this moving documentary. We see some of it through the eyes of a counselor appointed for the refugees who have been detained in a high security facility. The hell that these people have been through we can only imagine as they describe it to her, but the hell they find themselves in now is right before our powerless eyes.
THE SOUVENIR
The sorry state of refugees on Christmas Island, Australia is explored through this moving documentary. We see some of it through the eyes of a counselor appointed for the refugees who have been detained in a high security facility. The hell that these people have been through we can only imagine as they describe it to her, but the hell they find themselves in now is right before our powerless eyes.
THE SOUVENIR
Joanna Hogg's semi autobiographical portrait of young love in quiet disarray is one of the most refreshing movies of the year. She always manages to ferret out authentic performances from her actors to match the authenticity of her storytelling style. It is as apparent here as any of her previous three movies. An absolute treat.
Joanna Hogg's semi autobiographical portrait of young love in quiet disarray is one of the most refreshing movies of the year. She always manages to ferret out authentic performances from her actors to match the authenticity of her storytelling style. It is as apparent here as any of her previous three movies. An absolute treat.
A HIDDEN LIFE
A HIDDEN LIFE
Terrence Malick is back and this time he gives us a linearly narrated picture about the devastating consequences of an Austrian farmer who refuses to enlist as a Nazi soldier. Details of how the fascist state tries to batter him and his family into submission as the country that they thought they knew turns on them and their fellow men are not spared. "What has happened to our country", he writes in a letter to his wife, a question that many citizens of various nations find themselves asking increasingly every day. A timely film and a triumphant return to form from the reclusive auteur.
Terrence Malick is back and this time he gives us a linearly narrated picture about the devastating consequences of an Austrian farmer who refuses to enlist as a Nazi soldier. Details of how the fascist state tries to batter him and his family into submission as the country that they thought they knew turns on them and their fellow men are not spared. "What has happened to our country", he writes in a letter to his wife, a question that many citizens of various nations find themselves asking increasingly every day. A timely film and a triumphant return to form from the reclusive auteur.
10 YEARS WITH HAYAO MIYAZAKI
10 YEARS WITH HAYAO MIYAZAKI
The most famous name in Japanese animation, director Hayao Miyazaki, can usually be seen in images as a sweet, cheerful old man. However, we see his multi faceted life in this movie as he grapples with age, family problems and painful memories to write and create the movies that the world has come to know and love. To see him struggle behind the scenes even with a movie as breezy as Ponyo (2008) is like a spiritual experience. A portrait of an auteur beloved by kids and adults (many who grew up on his movies), this multi part documentary does not fall into the trap of over-reverance of its subject and provides as fascinating look at the arduous process of the beautiful hand drawn traditionally animated features from Studio Ghibli, and was one of my favorite movie experiences of 2019.
The most famous name in Japanese animation, director Hayao Miyazaki, can usually be seen in images as a sweet, cheerful old man. However, we see his multi faceted life in this movie as he grapples with age, family problems and painful memories to write and create the movies that the world has come to know and love. To see him struggle behind the scenes even with a movie as breezy as Ponyo (2008) is like a spiritual experience. A portrait of an auteur beloved by kids and adults (many who grew up on his movies), this multi part documentary does not fall into the trap of over-reverance of its subject and provides as fascinating look at the arduous process of the beautiful hand drawn traditionally animated features from Studio Ghibli, and was one of my favorite movie experiences of 2019.
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
A romance almost as doomed as that of Eurydice and Orpheus, this powerfully moving tale of a short-lived love whose memories inflict as much pain as joy is one of the most unique movie experiences I've had. Thankfully there is not much physical presence of male characters as much as the interference their presence outside of the canvas of this movie brings. An unlikely relationship that develops between the painter and her subject form the core of this movie and give us a glimpse into a passionate tryst that most of us will never know. Luscious and heartbreaking.
A romance almost as doomed as that of Eurydice and Orpheus, this powerfully moving tale of a short-lived love whose memories inflict as much pain as joy is one of the most unique movie experiences I've had. Thankfully there is not much physical presence of male characters as much as the interference their presence outside of the canvas of this movie brings. An unlikely relationship that develops between the painter and her subject form the core of this movie and give us a glimpse into a passionate tryst that most of us will never know. Luscious and heartbreaking.
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