Just a quick Happy New Year to everyone who has spent even a little time supporting this little site of mine. Wishing for a fantastic 2020 for each of you and your loved ones. And here’s to another fantastic year of movies. I can’t wait to watch and talk about them with you throughout the upcoming year. Cheers!
Can you believe another year has come and gone? And you know what that means – it’s time for the obligatory (but admittedly fun) end of the year Top 10 list. 2019 was a peculiar year at the movies. It started slow but really picked up steam before ending with a bang. From a handful of blockbusters to several strong indies, 2019 offered quite the variety of memorable movies. So let’s get going.
As always I’ll begin by showing love to the fine movies that just missed my top 10. Here are my #11 – 20 picks:
#10 – One of the most criminally overlooked movies to come out in 2019 was Julia Hart’s “Fast Color”. It’s part dystopian science-fiction and part superhero origin story. But at its core it’s a touching family drama about three generations of women, the conflicts that tore them apart, and the bonds that bring them back together. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is terrific, once again showing she’s an actress deserving of more attention. The same could be said for the film itself, a victim of a botched distribution but one that should be seen.
#9 – This may be the the most authentic portrayal of divorce and it’s many devastating complexities ever put on screen. “Marriage Story” is driven by Noah Baumbach’s dense and emotionally detailed script along with two powerhouse performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. They give us characters we genuinely care about which makes watching their relationship disintegrate a heart-wrenching experience. It’s Baumbach’s best movie to date and one that packs a real wallop.
#8 – One of the biggest treats I discovered out of awards season was this brilliant sci-fi debut from Andrew Patterson. Plucked right out of 1950’s small-town Americana, the movie embraces its influences (“The Twilight Zone”, The X-Files”, etc.). But the film audacious visual approach reveals its own distinct identity. Armed with dense, rapid-fire dialogue from the writing duo of James Montague and Craig W. Sanger and a central friendship brought to life through two fabulous performances from Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz). Don’t let this small gem slip by.
#7 – I have to admit, I loved the look of “Jojo Rabbit” going into it, but I never expected to be so affected by Taika Waititi’s wacky yet intensely moving “anti-hate satire“. The film walks the tightrope of taste while being both hilarious and heartbreaking, joyous and appalling. And it’s filled with such rich performances from a totally game cast. Youngster Roman Griffin Davis is a revelation while Thomasin McKenzie earns every ounce of empathy. And Waititi bounds it all together with a beautiful and timely message of hope.
#6 – I dare anyone to try and put Bong Joon Ho’s latest movie in a box or make it fit neatly into any one genre. “Parasite” is filled with delicious black comedy, scathing social commentary, some surprising jolts of heartfelt emotion, and a violent throat punch when you’re least expecting it. The story moves at such an intoxicating pace and just when you think you know where it’s going Bong pulls the rug right out from under you. It’s one heck of a ride and it’s a movie unlike anything else I saw in 2019.
#5 – Who knew we needed another adaption of “Little Women”? Greta Gerwig convincingly makes the case with her fresh and utterly enchanting version of Louisa May Alcott’s perennial classic novel. This is only Gerwig’s second film behind the camera but you would never know it. She captures every ounce of energy, personality, and period appeal while putting her own impressive stamp onto the story. The film also features one of the best ensemble casts of the year led by Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, and Chris Cooper among others.
#4 – Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaker who makes movies I almost always find myself wrestling with. But with “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” I was hooked from the very start. In many ways this is Tarantino’s most mature film to date. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t given those wild flourishes of style and that sharp sense of humor he’s known for. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt are outstanding and Margot Robbie’s vision of Sharon Tate provides a ray of light Tarantino’s movies often lack. This is the filmmaker at his very best.
#3 – The year of Brad Pitt reached its apex with his stellar lead performance in James Gray’s cerebral space adventure “Ad Astra”. This fresh and thoughtful slice of science-fiction is uniquely its own thing and doesn’t pander to any particular genre norm. Better yet it’s a technical marvel rich with evocative imagery and with potent themes of introspection, forgiveness, and individuality. “Ad Astra” may not be for everyone, but I love it for its meditative pacing, stunning visuals, and terrific lead work from Pitt.
#2 – I never dreamed that a Todd Phillips movie based on the most recognizable villain in DC comics history would come close to my Top 10 list. Yet here we are with “Joker”, not only one of the biggest surprises of the year but for me one of the best films of 2019. Driven by an incredible lead performance from Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker” is a movie that demands more than a simple surface reading. It is perpetually bleak and our interpretations of it say as much about us as it does Arthur Fleck. A menacing score and gritty visuals are just icing on the cake.
#1 – Terrence Malick set a high bar for himself with 2011’s “The Tree of Life”. He hasn’t been able to hit that mark since, at least not until now. “A Hidden Life” is a remarkable accomplishment. It takes the very best things from the two sides of Malick’s filmography (the early narrative-driven stories and his later evocative visual meditations) and melds them together in one beautiful and inspirational experience. He tells the story of Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector who refused to fight for Hitler. Even more, it’s a soulful exploration of faith in the face of unspeakable evil. This is Malick at his very best and it’s the most captivating movie I saw in 2019.
I’m taking one day away from movies to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I’ll be spending the day enjoying family, exchanging gifts, and of course eating a lot of food. It also gives me yet another opportunity to thank you all for reading, liking, commenting and supporting this little ol’ site of mine. It means a lot.
Merry Christmas and God bless.
Without question there is no other movie set for 2020 that excites me more than Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet”. I think it’s safe to say I’m a genuine Nolan fan. This is no exaggeration, his last five films all ended up being my #1 movie for their respected year. So it goes without saying that I’m all over anything he does. And after much not-so-patient anticipation on my part, Warner Brothers has finally dropped the first full trailer.
Nolan knows how to tease his movies and this one is no different. The trailer offers so much mystery and intrigue without spoiling a single ounce of plot. John David Washington looks right at home in Nolan’s twisty, time-altering world and several other great faces are scattered throughout. “Tenet” has been called Nolan’s most ambitious film to date and our first look at it shows us that we have a lot to look forward to.
“Tenet” is set to release July 17, 2020. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it (I hope you will) or taking a pass.
The “Star Wars” fanbase has never been short on strong opinions and impassioned points of view. Sometimes that can be a wonderful thing. Other times, not so much. That has never been more true than with Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” and more specifically its handling of the iconic Luke Skywalker character. And with the Johnson-less “The Rise of Skywalker” about to hit theaters and Last Jedi apologists already sharpening their blades, what better time to look back at one of the film’s biggest stirs.
“The Last Jedi” has been criticized for a number of issues, and in many cases deservedly so. But no issue has infuriated a portion of the fan base as much as the film’s portrayal of Luke. The meat of the argument revolves around how different Luke is in TLJ compared to where he was at the end of the original trilogy. Many feel it completely butchered the character and killed any semblance of the Luke they grew up with. I actually see it a little differently.
“Star Wars” was a huge part of my childhood and my passion goes back to 1977 with the release of the original film. So I’m not some “lightweight” or “casual” fan. While I respect those who feel differently, personally I had no problem with how Luke was handled and here’s why. First of all it treats Luke like a human being who despite having immense powers still has genuine and relatable feelings. It’s tempting to look at him as an unshakable superhero of sorts and I suppose Johnson could have made him a dry old sage spouting the same Jedi wisdom. But clearly a lot has happened in his life since the end of “Return of the Jedi” and his bitterness and frustration is a very human reaction.
And remember, the Jedi’s track record isn’t exactly spotless. It was the Jedi who allowed (among other things) the rise of Anakin (a.k.a. Darth Vader) right under their noses. Yes I know he was eventually instrumental in bringing balance, etc., but the Jedi made some pretty bad calls that carried some hefty consequences. Now combine that with Luke’s own tendency to be both emotional and impulsive. Once again, you can imagine a scenario where frustration and bitterness could set in.
Then you have the big revelation. Let me go ahead and say right here [SPOILERS ARE AHEAD]. Many people hate the very notion that Luke would strike down a young Kylo in cold blood. I get that but that perspective overlooks something critical – the revelation is told twice through two very different perspectives. In Kylo’s version we see a cold and determined Luke who is only stopped by Kylo’s quick reaction. But in Luke’s telling we learn that he stopped before going through with it. He caught himself and you can instantly see the shame and remorse on his face. As he himself said “It passed like a fleeting shadow.” And remember what I said above – he has a history of being impulsive. He did the same thing with Vader on the Death Star, coming mere inches from destroying his father in a rage only to catch himself and come to his senses.
I do agree there are some things about Luke in TLJ that confuses and other things that deserve more satisfying answers. TLJ throws out some ideas but doesn’t exactly go far enough with them. Yet ultimately I liked the complexity TLJ brought to Luke’s character. He isn’t a one-dimensional carbon copy of other Jedi who have come before him. He’s still passionate, at times borderline impetuous, but steadily moral and upright. He’s no coward. He has simply lost faith in the Jedi way and one could argue for good reason. But as the wonderfully wise Yoda reveals, even the best of us can still learn and grow. It’s part of being human.
But what would I know. I always was a Han guy.
Now what say you?
While she has received a fair amount of critical acclaim over her 15 year career, I still feel Carey Mulligan is an often underappreciated actress. A quick look over her filmography reveals a fairly diverse selection of roles. But her new film “Promising Young Woman” sees her tackling something unlike anything she has played before and I’m pretty excited.
The first trailer for the film dropped recently and it leaves quite the impression. It looks to be putting a unique spin on the revenge thriller genre and it comes from first time writer/director Emerald Fennell. Mulligan seems to be exploring some pretty dark territory but there also seems to be a touch of pitch black humor as well. I’m really anxious to see how this thing turns out.
“Promising Young Women” is set to debut at Sundance in January. Then look for it to hit theaters April 17, 2020. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
