The 92nd Academy Award Nominations: Ranking the Oscar Nominees

Best Picture

1. Parasite ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
2. Little Women ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
3. 1917 ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
4. The Irishman ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
5. Jojo Rabbit ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
6. Ford v Ferrari ⭑⭑⭑⭑
7. Marriage Story ⭑⭑⭑⭑
8. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ⭑⭑⭑⭑
9. Joker ⭑⭑

A pretty great lineup with one ugly fly in the ointment. As expected the epic grandeur of The Irishman, and 1917 made it in, and I'm so glad as they're fantastic entries into the gangster and war film genre respectively. Parasite too got in with ease which I couldn't be more overjoyed about. South Korea's first ever successful Oscar venture results in a Best Picture nomination, talk about making a splash! If you haven't seen it, less said about what happens in it the better. Also love that Taika Waititi's unique brand of comedy is being recognised by the Academy for the wonderful, heartrending Jojo Rabbit.

In my humble opinion, Marriage Story and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood are imperfect films, but I still liked both a great deal and it's nice to see them get recognition; and I'm definitely in the minority here but while Ford v Ferrari may not be as awe-inspiring or unique as some of the other nominees, as a racing biopic it more than does the job as a fun, entertaining flick. As for Joker...I wish I could say I wholeheartedly embrace this lineup but I'm afraid I can't, and Joker is the reason why. Be warned if you're a Joker/Todd Phillips stan, it's about to get ugly. 

Best Director

1. Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
2. Sam Mendes, 1917
3. Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
4. Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
5. Todd Phillips, Joker

Four of these nominees were pretty much locks prior to nomination day, and all deserving of their nods. Bong's terrific, tone-bending work on Parasite that's easily the best of the year, Scorsese doing what he does best but in an altogether more sobering and contemplative rumination on the gangster genre, and Mendes' powerful epic rendition of WWI in 1917 creating such a pulsating non-stop journey through the horrors of WWI. QT's loving tribute to 60's Hollywood is far from my favourite directorial work of his but he does have some great scenes in it like the Charles Manson sequence and the Bounty Law sequences to make up for it.  Todd Phillips' direction of Joker is essentially a BTEC Scorsese film school project that gets by through blatant plagiarism and EdGInEss. Just a piss poor nomination especially when they could've nominated Greta Gerwig , Noah Baumbach, or Taika Waititi.

Best Actor

1. Adam Driver, Marriage Story
2. Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
3. Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory 
4. Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes 
5. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

It's the Driver v.s. Phoenix showdown now for performances worlds apart in terms of style and intent. I vastly prefer Driver's powerful understated turn as a self-interested director struggling to come to grips with his impending divorce than Phoenix's overly actor-y and bombastic turn which frankly pales in comparison to Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning work in the same role. But the latter has the higher ground now in terms of awards wins so...fuck. 

Sad to see Taron Egerton miss out for Rocketman. and very surprised that Christian Bale wasn't the surprise nominee from Ford v Ferrari but Jonathan Pryce and Antonio Banderas certainly give two very good performances and aptly rewarded veterans of the silver screen, and Pope and film director struggling with addiction are two Oscar friendly roles to be sure. DiCaprio makes his return to the Oscars after winning last time round for The Revenant, this time for a decidedly more lighthearted, breezy turn courtesy of Rick Fucking Dalton. I'm glad he got in since I'm always a big fan of when Leo relaxes and nourishes his great talent for comedy. 

Best Actress

1. Saoirse Ronan, Little Women 
2. Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story 
3. Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
4. Renee Zellweger, Judy
5. Charlize Theron, Bombshell

You've got the biopic love for Madams Theron and Zellweger and Megyn Kelly and Judy Garland, respectively, with the latter being close to a runaway winner this awards season. They're good but not great performances, which I'm not displeased got in, but there were so many more deserving candidates, I'm particularly vexed that we were deprived of what I think would have been the first Asian American nomination in the category for Awkwafina in The Farewell. 

On the plus side, Scarlett Johansson was an expected nod but every bit as deserving as Driver for her powerful portrayal of an actress struggling to get out the shadow of a constraining, unhappy marriage of unequal compromises. Erivo was a surprise for her performance as Harriet Tubman but I'm glad she was a double nominee tonight, it's a strong biopic performance that deserves the acclaim and support she's gotten for it. And lastly, my favourite actress working today Saoirse Ronan once again knocks it out of the ballpark in Little Women and I couldn't be happier. She is perfection as Jo March. 

Best Supporting Actor

1. Al Pacino, The Irishman
2. Joe Pesci, The Irishman
3. Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood
4. Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes 
5. Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 

Okay, so Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins are two actors I do like a great deal, but neither of them give performances which I'd rank among their best here. Pitt is funny and entertaining as a mysterious stuntman particularly in his tripping on acid scene, and Hopkins is his usual dependable self as one half of the duo of popes, with his 'confessional' scene being pretty great. They're good performances but in a year with as many strong contenders I need more than 'good' to be happy with the nominations.

Pacino and Pesci are both sensational in The Irishman, the former giving an incredibly bombastic, thoroughly entertaining yet pathos-filled turn as larger-than-life Jimmy Hoffa and the latter delivering such cold menace as mob boss Russell Bufalino. Then there's Tom Hanks opposite these morally corrupt turns as ultimate nice fella Mr Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood. Suffice to say he nails it and it's a welcome return to the Oscars after a nearly two-decades long drought. 

Best Supporting Actress

1. Florence Pugh, “Little Women”
2. Scarlett Johansson, “Jojo Rabbit”
3. Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”
4. Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell”
5. Margot Robbie, “Bombshell”

Laura Dern is going to sweep. Fine, it's a more than decent performance but I can't say it was my main takeaway from the film. Good performance, great actress, but there's so many other more deserving performances. I honestly wasn't that impressed by Robbie in Bombshell, a lesser turn from her even though she's still more than adequate. The writing is somewhat to blame for the haphazard writing behind her character, but it's definitely a far step down from her portrayal of Tonya Harding. Scarlett Johansson getting two nominations is something I'd have never predicted this time last year, but she definitely deserves it, anyone who's seen Jojo Rabbit will agree with me that she is just a wonderful motherly presence in the film and makes my heart just feel warm thinking about her performance. 

Equally pleased with breakout star Florence Pugh for Little Women, her tricky balancing act of young and older Amy March was just magnificent and I love to see her nominated for her terrific work here. Absolutely shocked that Jennifer Lopez missed out for Hustlers and have to say that Kathy Bates for Richard Jewell is just a very standard filler Oscar nom. Decent motherly portrayal but I would have much rather seen Lopez or Zhao Shuzhen for The Farewell get in.

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. Little Women 
2. The Irishman
3. Jojo Rabbit
4. The Two Popes 
5. Joker 

All I have towards Joker's screenplay are negative thoughts so I'll just leave it at that. Irishman and Steven Zaillian making his way through this category once again. He's an awards darling and this is a brilliant screenplay, the fact it's not my favourite in the category is testament to the strength of Gerwig's work on Little Women which is just outstanding in her taking the wonderful, classic source material and making it her own with a unique narrative structure, a real understanding of the characters, and such beautiful little touches of her own style.

I'm so glad Taika Waititi is finally a nominee for one of his screenplays, especially one with a history as long and tumultuous as this one, and while it's not his best work to date, I'm glad its ambition and daring was acknowledged, as well as just being one of the funniest scripts of the year. And another year, another Anthony McCarten biopic screenplay, though I will say this one is more than decent as a very low-key character study/two-hander drama between, well, two popes. Looks like that little hand-slap fiasco didn't kill its chances in the end. 

Best Original Screenplay

1. Parasite 
2. Marriage Story 
3. 1917
4. Knives Out
5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 

Hate that The Farewell got snubbed here and that's the last time I'll mention that film (still fuming though). Marriage Story and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the locks for category are strong works by Noah Baumbach and Quentin Tarantino, the former being possibly his best work despite the presence of some truly unfunny caricatures, granting a truly vivid, often funny and often heartbreaking, and most importantly even-handed look at divorce proceedings. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is actually rather on the lower tier of Tarantino screenplays, in my opinion. Having said that it's still well-written, punchy, plenty of colourful characters, but is somewhat forgettable especially when compared to say, The Hateful Eight which was snubbed couple of years ago. 

Knives Out is a fun mystery film that pieces together its tricksy little puzzle rather well and is full of laughs and memorable lines. It's not one of the all-time great mystery film screenplays but it's very good. Parasite's screenplay is a brilliant puzzle put together in such an unassuming way that's hysterical and haunting in equal measure though not in the way you'd expect, with such a strong vein of social commentary implemented so seamlessly into the narrative. So much life found not just in the characters themselves but in the margins of the plot, so much going on and is all pieced together in the end so beautifully. And lastly, 1917 is a film where it's easy to overlook the screenplay but it's great work in itself in granting such a vivid realism to the exchanges between the soldiers and its tight knit plotting which is essential to the film working as well as it does.

Best Cinematography

1. 1917
2. The Lighthouse
3. The Irishman
4. Joker
5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Just two years after winning for Blade Runner 2049, 1917 brings Roger Deakins back to the Oscars with a resounding bang. Marvellous work that like his work on 2049 is both beautiful to look at and essential to the film's storytelling technique. There's so much to commend firstly in the camera movements conveying the film's 'continuous shot' intentions, which always feels natural and immersive to the experience, and when he gets his chance to tip his hand a bit and 'show off' so to speak, we're conjured up with some downright gorgeous scenes. On that note I hated Joker but I will admit that Lawrence Sher's cinematography is absolutely outstanding, even if its purposed for some fairly unengaging scenes the colour palette is outstanding in every frame.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is not Robert Richardson's finest hour, it's good don't get me wrong, but lacks a bit of that extra panache I've come to expect from Tarantino's work, especially in the use of colours and lighting which is definitely a step down from their previous collaborations in that it just doesn't feel as dynamic, like I'd say I much preferred the palette for Django Unchained and especially The Hateful Eight if I'm honest. Likewise for Rodrigo Prieto and The Irishman though his work on it is still very strong, particularly when it comes to the camera movements and some standalone shots like that final scene, but I'd say with both films the set design, costumes and really everything within the frame is what captures your attention more than how the film is framed itself. Lastly, The Lighthouse. I'll discuss this more in depth in the near future as so much of it ties into how well it amplifies the performances and the atmosphere of the film but here's an inspired nomination that beautifully shows just how to pull of the Gothic. 

Best Film Editing

1. Parasite
2. The Irishman
3. Ford v Ferrari
4. Jojo Rabbit
5. Joker

Parasite is easily the best edited film of the year, as is customary for Bong Joon-ho it's firing on all fronts in this regard particularly in each and every beautiful montage. 'Belt of Faith'. Each scene is just perfectly paced, constructed, goes together so well. Likewise for The Irishman which is deliberately paced very slowly through the nostalgic lens and it's really grand in that regard, I absolutely love some of Thelma Schoonmaker's more overt touches this time round with the jarring cuts which are often brilliant. Jojo Rabbit is a very well paced film, unshowy in this regard but very good, and Ford v Ferrari is sensational in its racing sequences particularly the Le Mans sequence entirely, even though the film on the whole definitely could've been trimmed down a bit. Again Joker is BTEC Scorsese and that extends to the editing which is BTEC Schoonmaker. Not good work. 

Best Costume Design

1. Little Women
2. Jojo Rabbit
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
4. The Irishman
5. Joker

I have to say this is a pretty good lineup, can't complain too much, particularly with the gorgeous period costumes of Little Women and the crazy zany takes on various outfits in 1940s Germany for Jojo Rabbit, which make for some great gags across the film as well as just looking splendid. Likewise Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, everything the characters wear 'in character' or in 'real life', and this is one unimpeachable element of every Tarantino film. Joker has good costumes too, his final outfit is pretty great. 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

1. Bombshell
2. 1917
3. Joker
4. Judy

Haven't seen Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and nor do I intend to. That's that. 

Bombshell definitely deserves this for its very accurate recreations of Megyn Kelly, Gretchen Carlson and Roger Alies from the team behind Gary Oldman's makeup in Darkest Hour. Joker's makeup is...fine I guess? As far as Jokers go I'll admit to always having an added bit of affinity for more daring takes that payoff like Heath Ledger's grungy makeup and hair design which this does feel a bit derivative of. At least Phoenix didn't have DAMAGED tattooed across his forehead and his final 'transformation' is well done. Judy is solid biopic work, I appreciate they didn't try to do too much to Zellweger like Rami Malek's mouthpiece last year for Bohemian Rhapsody, settling for some fairly straightforward but good makeup and hairstyling to recreate her likeness. And 1917 is just great straightforward war film work with the wounds and scars, great stuff. 

Best Production Design

1. 1917
2. Parasite
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
4. The Irishman 
5. Jojo Rabbit

The nominees all create their respective environments so wonderfully well, whether by set craftsmanship or location work. Adored 1917 in its amazing detailed look at warfare and the ruins of No Man's Land, the destroyed village, honestly everything the camera looks over is terrible, and I mean that in the greatest complimentary way. Parasite is all about creating that class divide between the impoverished basement and the wealthy house, and each is crafted magnificently by the set design, while The Irishman too has such memorable mobster hangouts in each locale.Once Upon a Time in Hollywood too is grand from the streets of Hollywood to the recreated sets, and I do have a particular affection for the creepiness created by the design of Spahn ranch. Jojo Rabbit's set design is probably the least impressive of this lot but still great, in particular the household of Jojo and the use of colours to contrast with the grey of the streets. 

Best Sound Editing

1. 1917
2. Ford v Ferrari
3. The Rise of Skywalker
4. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 
5. Joker

Best Sound Mixing

1. 1917
2. Ad Astra
3. Ford v Ferrari
4. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
5. Joker

It's a shame that the amazing work in The Lighthouse couldn't get into the categories here but 1917 is more than an adequate recompense for that snub, as it goes beyond the call of duty for even a war film to grant such an immersive, thrilling ride through Schofield and Blake's ears. Likewise for Ford v Ferrari and how each race pulsates through your ears so wonderfully. Star Wars getting in agin, okay, fine, it's dependable Star Wars work as usual, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Joker have okay-ish sound work that's far from prime QT in this regard (nothing on par with the equivalent work in say Basterds or the Kill Bill films), and Joker I honestly think the awards in this regard have gone to its subway scene which is a great sequence in that regard, otherwise I don't see why it's nomination was needed. Ad Astra is a pleasant surprise as it achieves the usual expected excellence of a space film sound mix and nails it. 

Best Visual Effects

1. 1917
2. The Irishman
3. Avengers: Endgame
4. The Rise of Skywalker
5. The Lion King

1917's immaculate visual effects work is so good you couldn't tell it was there and you really feel you're in the war zone with every plane crash, and all that. It's great that The Irishman was recognised here for its excellent, if still not flawless, ageing/de-ageing effects, particularly for Pacino and Pesci. Endgame and Rise of Skywalker are all decent standard Disney visual effects levels with a few faults here or there but nothing I can criticise too much, and while I wasn't a fan of the overt photorealism of The Lion King but I do have to commend the VFX animators for trying it out. Much preferred the approach in The Jungle Book a few years previous. 

Best Original Score

1. 1917
2. Little Women
3. Marriage Story 
4. Joker
5. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

HELLO NEWMAN! (note: the only way I know this Seinfeld reference is from an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm). I swear, I swear if Thomas Newman doesn't win his well-deserved first Oscar for 1917, I swear...it's magnificent grandiose work, particularly in that amazing 'Sixteen Hundred Men', and the quieter tracks are all brilliant too. Marriage Story is pretty much a Randy Newman Toy Story score implemented into a live-action film. Now that could come across as overly saccharine but frankly I thought it was a great choice, as essentially 'comfortable' and often sweet music to accompany a range of emotions, and while I do think Noah Baumbach could've held back on its use in certain scenes it did give me an emotional kick. Hildur Guðnadóttir's work on Joker is undoubtedly a solid score, atmospheric and does actually help to convey a lot more substance than the film actually has. Having said that I don't think it's a great score, particularly when it comes to its implementation within the film, and I have to say it does pale a bit in comparison to Zimmer/Newton Howard's work on the Joker score in The Dark Knight. And Alexandre Desplat's work on Little Women is playful, fun, and just outright loveable and a very deserving nod in a great year, and drew a laugh, a tear, on several accords. As for Star Wars...okay. The main Star Wars theme is great as always and that's that. 

Need to see/hear more from Best Original Song (though so long as either Elton John and Bernie Taupin get to strut onstage, or Cynthia Erivo completes the EGOT, I'm happy. Both songs are just wonderful 'end credits' tributes to their respective films, catchy and vibrant and upbeat with regards to the former and rather powerful and heartrending with regards to the latter), Best International Feature Film, Best Animated Feature Film, Best Animated Short Film, Best Documentary Feature (though Apollo 11 was snubbed), Best Documentary Short Subject and Best Live Action Short Film before I can comment fully. 

Reel and Roll's Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2020

Honourable Mentions: The French Dispatch; Last Night in Soho; True History of the Kelly Gang; Da 5 Bloods; Cherry; The Trial of the Chicago 7; Coming 2 America 

10. Minari 

What's it about?: David (Alan S. Kim), a 7-year-old Korean-American boy, gets his life turned upside down when his father (Steven Yeun) decides to move their family to rural Arkansas and start a farm in the mid-1980s, in this charming and unexpected take on the American Dream. - Letterboxd

Why should you be excited?: It's being distributed by A24 which at the risk of simplifying things, is usually a good sign for such small-budget indie fare. Steven Yeun's proved himself to be quite the talent over the past few years and this sounds like a promising roles, and films from the child's POV always open up so many possibilities of new means of approaching subject matters.

9. Blonde

What's it about?: Based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel of the same name, Blonde tells the story of Marilyn Monroe (played by Ana De Armas) through a fictional lens. - The Playlist

Why should you be excited?: Blade Runner 2049 and Knives Out have proved that De Armas is quite the formidable onscreen talent; Monroe will be a difficult role to emulate for sure, but I have faith. Add in the return of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford director Andrew Dominik to the area of nostalgic historical eulogy genre amplifies my interest even further, and I love that Netflix is continuing to fund such ambitious projects. 

8. Top Gun: Maverick

What's it about?: The need for speed continues with Tom Cruise as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell taking on as instructor for a young generation of Top Gun recruits, including the son of his late best friend Goose, Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw (Miles Teller).

Why should you be excited?: Aside from the little nitpick of Miles Teller not really looking much like Anthony Edwards, the whole idea of implementing the Creed formula to this franchise is definitely tantalising, particularly since the original is a true 80s classic and it'll be interesting to see how they change it up for the modern day while retaining what fans loved about the original. Also, Kenny Loggins is writing up a new version of 'Danger Zone'. Are you not entertained?

7. Next Goal Wins 

What's it about?: Dutch coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender( attempts the nearly impossible task of turning the American Samoa soccer team from perennial losers into winners. - Letterboxd

Why should you be excited?: Well Taika Waititi's been on quite the roll recently and this seems like subject matter that very much suits his particular style, I suspect we'll be getting our usual dose of hilarious hijinks with heart, what takes my interest a bit further is that this will hopefully give Fassbender, who's been in a bit of a critical rut with his recent filmography, some juicy material to chew one. 

6. Bill & Ted Face the Music

What's it about?: The boys are back in town! Now middle-aged and with families of their own, William 'Bill'  Preston (Alex Winter) and Theodore 'Ted' Logan (Keanu Reeves) still need to write the hit song that will save the universe. 

Why should you be excited?: In this day and age we should all take a page out of Bill & Ted's books to be most excellent to one another. I'd argue that both Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey are kind of underrated in their own right, they're not just very funny films there's also something to their sincerity and earnestness that's quite timeless. Here's hoping this threequel will prove to be great, and no matter what it'll be great to see these two fellas together again. 

5. I'm Thinking of Ending Things 

What's it about?: An unexpected detour turns a couple’s road trip into a terrifying journey through their fragile psyches.

Why should you be excited? Director and writer Charlie Kaufman is truly one of a kind in his style, writing brilliant films such as Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and directing hidden gems like Synedoche, New York. This latest venture seems like it will delve into the horror and psychological terrors of a collapsing relationship which I have to say sounds bleakly fascinating area to apply Kaufman's style too. Let's hope it works out. 

4. Mank

What's it about?: Screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) works on the tumultuous development of Citizen Kane.

Why should you be excited?: Gary Oldman and David Fincher as a pairing should be enough to tantalise, add in a fascinating real-life story and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross returning for some 1940s-era instrumentals? Sign me up - it's been too long for Fincher, who made the creation of Facebook into such a fascinating drama, to put his talents to use in unexpected areas.

3. Dune

What's it about?: Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel, about the son (Timothee Chalamet) of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset, and most vital element in the galaxy.

Why should you be excited?: Denis Villeneuve. Sci-fi. Grandeur. Also, Chalamet stans rejoice!

2. Tenet

What's it about?: Who knows at this point.

Why should you be excited?: Because Christopher Nolan, and quite frankly these teaser trailers have only served to further excite me for Nolan delving back into what appears to be the sci-fi thriller genre. Who knows what he has up his sleeves this time around? Plus John David Washington looks extremely promising.

1. Wendy 

What's it about?: Re-imagining of Peter Pan from the POV of Wendy Darling finding herself in 'Neverland'.

Why should you be excited?: Director Benh Zeitlin directed the masterful Beasts of the Southern Wild which is one of my all-time favourite films, and it's been 8 years since he's released anything new. The story of Peter Pan is tried and tested territory for cinema but Zeitlin's vision and that teaser trailer have me properly psyched up for it all.

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 +