Reel and Roll's 20 Best Films of 2019

Still quite a few films to see from the backlog of 2019 releases I've yet to had access to via cinema, festivals or online streaming, and have a fairly hectic late December and early January in store; but for the timebeing I can field a fairly strong field of 2019 releases as my top 20 so, why not? Full list of all the 2019 films I've seen so far here: https://boxd.it/4mnf0

Honorary Mentions: Ready or Not, Honey Boy, Pain and Glory, Marriage Story, Dolemite Is My Name, Hustlers 

20. Monos 

This Colombian entry to the 2020 Oscars is quite the lurid war drama, essentially Lord of the Flies if those kids were a bit better organised in their antics, focusing on a bunch of young commandos watching over a POW (Julianne Nicholson). Unsettling and grim throughout without much levity, this is not the most pleasant viewing experience but it definitely is an achievement in atmospheric filmmaking, drawing you into this starkly unpleasant little bubble of its guerrilla soldiers and slow-burning in its escalation of the stakes. I wouldn't recommend it to a casual viewer but it's certainly an interesting experiment that's worth a try if you're looking for something a bit different.

19. Wild Rose 

Jessie Buckley in a few years span has gone from BBC talent show contestant to starring in everything from stellar supporting roles in the hit series Chernobyl and War and Peace to her incredible leading turn here in this musical drama. The film is pretty much a showcase for her talents not just as an actress but as a country singer, playing a Glaswegian ex-convict and single mother of two pursuing her dream of Nashville, and she delivers with a true star making turn that dominates the screen every time she's on, and the film itself does a good job within the expected formula, avoiding the romanticisation of Rose's artistic plight, and the various covers of songs and the original song 'Glasgow (No Place Like Home)' are all highlights.

Direction: B
Acting: A+
Screenplay: B
Cinematography: B
Editing: B
Music: A +

18.  Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 

Surprisingly low on the list perhaps, but I'll admit that I was and still am somewhat disappointed with this film, being a massive Tarantino film buff and all, but that doesn't mean it's a bad film, far from it. It's entertaining throughout, solid performances across the board with great chemistry between DiCaprio and Pitt, and some brilliant sequences like QT dabbling in horror with the Manson family and that glorious, cathartic revisionist history showdown. On the whole however it just lacks that extra bit of something special to its screenplay and execution that makes most of his other work click, and in fact I'd say it's the weakest of his most recent work in that it does feel a bit overlong and indulgent in places. It's admirable to see QT change up the pace of his work to something more subdued but where that side of him is concerned I greatly prefer say, Jackie Brown to this, as it's really in the more 'ridiculous' bits that I think this film truly clicks.

Direction: A -
Acting: A 
Screenplay: B 
Cinematography: A -
Editing: B -
Music: A

17. The Nightingale

Warning: this is perhaps the most disturbing film I've seen all year. Australian director Jennifer Kent does NOT hold back in this nightmarish tale set in a 19th Century British penal colony where an Irish convict (a very impressive Aisling Franciosi who you may remember for her brief appearance on Game of Thrones as Lyanna Stark) suffers great injustices by some nasty British officers and proceeds to seek revenge with the help of a Aboriginal tracker (newcomer Baykali Ganambarr). Occasionally steps too far into 'exploitative shocks' territory but when the story really gets going so does the film, with some brilliantly horrific sequences and equally tender moments that create an uneven, but consistently compelling narrative. Could easily move up the list with a re-watch,

Direction: A
Acting: A 
Screenplay: B +
Cinematography: A -
Editing: B 
Music: B +

16. A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood 

Tom Hanks as Mr Rogers is the main selling point for Marielle Heller's latest, and he is indeed perfection in the role, exuding that very particular sort of affable charm and sensitivity to the man while also delving into how he's also very human and one of us in many ways. Outside of him I'd say this is a good film, innovative in its narrative structure and while the central storyline of reporter Lloyd Vogel (an excellent Matthew Rhys) is a tad bit predictable, it is well done in its predictableness. It's not a groundbreaking masterpiece or anything but a sweet little film that never steps into overt saccharine territory.

Direction: A -
Acting: A +
Screenplay: B 
Cinematography: B
Editing: B +
Music: B +

15. Us 

I'll admit that I've developed some reservations for Jordan Peele's sophomore effort with regards to its screenplay, which is unfortunately just not as taut and effective as Get Out, floundering a bit with the points it tries to make and the eventual resolution. Having said that it's still a very good, occasionally great, horror/thriller with some great shots and welcome shots of comedy, a brilliant score that incorporates rap and horror music, and above all an amazing performance by Lupita Nyong'o who in a deserving world would be the top contender for Best Actress.

Direction: A 
Acting: A +
Screenplay: B -
Cinematography: A
Editing: A -Music: A +

14. Rocketman 

How annoying is it that this wonderful, delightful biopic of Elton John has been overshadowed by the hype of the far lesser Bohemian Rhapsody? Taking the style of a heightened musical, fitting for the larger than life figure himself, this is in many ways your standard musical biopic, but with just so much enthusiasm and energy led by the terrific Taron Egerton pouring all his soul into the role. It's a bundle of joy that to its credit doesn't shy away from John's demons and makes use of his music as an invigorating storytelling device, with the uses of 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' and 'Rocket Man' being particularly outstanding.

Direction: B +
Acting: A -
Screenplay: B
Cinematography: B +
Editing: B +
Music: A +

13. Love, Antosha 

The death of actor Anton Yelchin is one of the saddest Hollywood tragedies of recent times, passed away at the tender age of 27 due to a freak vehicular accident. This documentary makes for quite the emotional, cathartic experience as it follows, through interviews with his parents, friends, and artistic collaborators, his journey as the son of Russian immigrants into child actor to burgeoning star in the making. It is a frequently tough watch, yet also in its own way inspiring insight into his unique creative process. A wonderful documentary that makes use of footage, excerpts from Yelchin's journal and his effect on the others around him to create a compelling narrative of a young man living life to its fullest.

Direction: A -
Acting: N/A (though you get some clips of Yelchin's wonderful personal short films)
Screenplay: N/A
Cinematography: N/A
Editing: AMusic: B +

12. Knives Out

Perhaps the ultimate crowdpleaser of the year as I've yet to meet anyone who didn't at least enjoy this modern day twist on the whodunnit. Rian Johnson's follow up to The Last Jedi is perhaps even more daring and mostly lives up to its ambitions, a fun and thrilling ride with an all-star cast led by terrific turns from Ana de Armas and Daniel Craig (who's having the time of his life). It's a gorgeous film to look at too, with grand sets and fast-paced editing and its tongue firmly in cheek. It's just a throughly fun murder mystery, accessible to all and a guarantee of a good time.

Direction: A 
Acting: A Screenplay: A  Cinematography: A
Editing: A +Music: A 

11. Apollo 11

I unfortunately did not get to catch this in IMAX but from what I've heard it's quite the spectacle on the big screen. Whatever medium you're viewing it on, this compilation of archive footage and audio recordings from the first spaceflight from which astronauts walked the moon is a thrilling, immersive experience that is a technical marvel, particularly in its amazing craftsmanship of syncing the footage together to create the experience of the takeoff, space, and the moon. The choice to vary from the usual 'talking heads' approach of the documentary format was a fantastic choice as it lets the images, graphics and sound design speak for itself and draw you into the experiences of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

Direction: A 
Acting: N/A Screenplay: N/A  Cinematography: N/A 
Editing: A +Music: A 

10. Ford v Ferrari 

Also called Le Mans '66 in many markets (which is probably the more apt title for the story it's telling), this is probably sitting pretty at the top of many dads' Best of 2019 lists. This is in many ways your conventional racing biopic in a nutshell, with a few of the weaker elements in an unnecessary cliched executive antagonist, but otherwise the execution of the tried and tested formula is fantastic. Each racing sequence with Ken Miles (Christian Bale having the time of his life) is incredible on all fronts, and I grew to love the central dynamic that develops between him and Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), in fact I will say that I was surprised by how much I cared for Bale by the film's end. I will say that it slightly misses the opportunity for one of the best endings of the year had it ended a couple of minutes earlier, it does have a pretty good one in itself.

Direction: A 
Acting: A Screenplay: B  Cinematography: A 
Editing: A +Music: A -

9. El Camino 

I should note that Breaking Bad is required viewing for this film to work, as it's really more of an extended episode , than a standalone film. Vince Gilligan, like with the excellent Better Call Saul manages to make an addition to the great television series without compromising its perfect conclusion, by giving us what is essentially a fitting epilogue to Jesse Pinkman. Aaron Paul hasn't missed a step with the character after all these years and all the callbacks and closure to Breaking Bad threads are great and feel fitting. It's a very satisfying closure to the character but also just a very entertaining film in itself too.

Direction: A 
Acting: A Screenplay: A Cinematography: A 
Editing: A +Music: A 

8. Luce 

Part intelligent assessment of racial representation in America and part revenge mystery, this is a somewhat unwieldy film that sometimes tips the scales too far into the overt, but Julius Onah nevertheless treats us to one of the most intriguing films of the year, with a fascinating titular protagonist. Kelvin Harrison Jr. is excellent as the high school all-rounder whose pitch perfect image comes under pressure from his history teacher (Octavia Spencer), unravelling an increasingly disturbing series of events to his adoptive parents (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth). It works as a taut thriller, but even more so a a commentary on racial identity and the pressures placed upon people through institutions and stereotypes.

Direction: A -
Acting: A Screenplay: A +Cinematography: B +
Editing: A -Music: B

7. The Farewell 

Skilfully avoiding most of the 'indie family drama' tropes that befall its kin, Lulu Wang's semi-autobiographical dramedy is funny, moving and surprisingly complex in its exploration of the clash between Western and Chinese values. With poignancy and humour in equal measure it captures the cultural divide and struggle of its protagonist Billi (a wonderful, against type Awkwafina) and the familial dynamics so beautifully with the endearing ailing grandmother 'Nai Nai' (a fantastic Zhao Shuzhen) at the centre of it all. It may not be your conventional tearjerker in its approach, but be warned that you may well up a bit at certain points. 

Direction: A -
Acting: A +Screenplay: A +Cinematography: B +
Editing: A Music: A

6. A Hidden Life

Terrence Malick is undeniably an indulgent talent, and one can often tell in his films the need to kill off more than his fair share of darlings, but even if it could've been trimmed down by about 40 minutes or so this is a grand return to form for Malick. The story of Austrian conscientious objector Franz Jaegerstaetter is told with a more intimate scope than he's used in awhile, and the film is at its best when it hones in on him and his wife Fani and the loving relationship that is the core of the film. August Diehl and Valerie Pachner are terrific together and while I'll reiterate that there are sequences that are indulgent and overlong on the whole it is outstanding, all strung together by career-best work by James Newton Howard which has been disappointingly disqualified from Oscar contention. 

Direction: A 
Acting: A +Screenplay: A -Cinematography: A +
Editing: B
Music: A +

5. Avengers: Endgame

Well that payoff was certainly worth it, as the decade-long buildup to this grand finale was more than worthy of the grand cinematic universe created by Feige and Co. I have to commend the Russo brothers for pulling out all the stops to making this perhaps the ultimate Marvel film and in my opinion, the magnum opus of the MCU. The three acts allow for the fallout of tragedy, the fun of time travel and the stakes of the final showdown to all get their due, as well as just about every key player to have their own moments. Any little nitpicks I might have had with the film frankly evaporate as you marvel at how the film makes use of the extended universe, the devoted performances, the humour and heartbreak, and that 'Portals' scene is a crowning moment for all involved, Alan Silvestri in particular.

Direction: A 
Acting: A Screenplay: A Cinematography: A 
Editing: A Music: A +

4. Jojo Rabbit

Set in the waning days of Nazi Germany, Taika Waititi's latest is first and foremost the tale of young Johannes 'Jojo' Betzler (a phenomenal breakout turn from Roman Griffin Davis) as he haplessly navigates his way around ineffectual training camps with the help of his imaginary friend Hitler (Waititi himself) - and discovering a secret hidden from him by his loving mother (an immeasurably loveable Scarlett Johansson). As a comedy it certainly hits all the marks with some very funny and downright hilarious sequences that toe the fine line between absurdity and sincerity with gags and puns aplenty. What does take it a step further is that this is also occasionally a very dark, and frequently heartrending film. The film doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of the material, and there's one sequence in particular which hit me harder than any other this year in its sheer visceral impact; yet is also very optimistic and sensitive in its approach to it.

Direction: A 
Acting: A +Screenplay: A +Cinematography: B +
Editing: A Music: A +

3. The Lighthouse 

The most bonkers film of the year and I'm not sure it'll be topped, Robert Eggers' follow-up to The Witch is a beautiful nightmare in the best possible way. With the black and white cinematography and narrow aspect ratio creating the atmosphere of a 20s/30s horror film, Eggers runs with this idea in the deceptively simple yet mad tale of two lighthouse keepers (Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe) stationed on a remote island. You can feel the nauseating claustrophobia, the grimy environment in every frame and the burgeoning madness of Pattinson's character swell up, plus some of the best sound design of the decade to amplify these sensations. And it has to be said that the central dynamic of the two characters is just outstanding, with Dafoe in particular giving what could be a career-best turn, which is really saying something.

Direction: A +
Acting: A +Screenplay: A +Cinematography: A +Editing: A +Music: A +

2. The Irishman - review

The final product of years of development hell, including much talked about VFX de-aging (which ends up being an effective enough tool, has resulted in quite the worthy passion project from Martin Scorsese. What The Irishman does for the gangster film genre is looking at the criminal underworld through a different lens by emphasising a slower, more brooding pace and the choice of a relatively passive protagonist, Frank Sheeran: a mob muscle taking orders and taking part in some key moments in American history at the behest of bigger personalities. It should not be taken for granted how brilliantly mounted the film is in every regard, flitting between timelines and tones  through Thelma Schoonmaker's characteristically adept hand, a stunning visual palette and phenomenal performances across the board. The holy trinity of De Niro, Pacino and Pesci is just as good as advertised, with the former two giving their best work in years and the latter skipping nary a beat with his big screen return.

Direction: A +
Acting: A +Screenplay: A +Cinematography: A +Editing: A +
Music: A +

1. Parasite 

It gives me great pleasure to award best film of 2019 honours to yet another Bong Joon-ho home run. The Korean auteur's one of a kind grasp of tone is evident as ever with a thrilling, twisty tale of two families. With a layered screenplay and a watertight acting ensemble, and technical perfection on just about every technical level, particularly with regards to the editing and production design. What's even more impressive is that as it takes you into such unexpected directions, every re-watch grants new perspectives on the story Bong has constructed here as he invests you so much in a story that seamlessly integrates social allegory and dark comedy with a genuine emotional investment in the material, resulting in quite the cinematic concoction. I'm glad it's making such an impact internationally and the awards season as it really deserves it, although it's still crazy to me how South Korea has yet to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language film.

Direction: A +
Acting: A +Screenplay: A +Cinematography: A +Editing: A +Music: A +