Manuel’s Top 10 Films of 2019
Within a decade that has shaped the entertainment industry now and forever, for better and for worse, lies a library of wonderous filmmaking that has appealed to a diverse range of audiences, and 2019 has been a worthwhile year to close out a breathtaking decade of cinema. 2019 was a big year for the Hollywood blockbuster because it marked the end of many of our favorite big-budget franchises, but to mixed results. As a matter of fact, with a few exceptions here and there, there wasn’t a whole lot 2019 had to offer in terms of high-quality, pristine, and timeless blockbusters like in previous years. While there were plenty of admittedly “very entertaining” or “very good” spectacles pieces this year, barely a few made a lasting impression. But despite all of that, there’s no question that 2019 still gave us a diverse and pleasant palette of cinematic experiences to discuss and debate, especially within the independent circles.
It should be noted that I haven’t seen everything the year has to offer, unfortunately, either because of scheduling conflicts, a lack of release, or some other factor. So it’s sad to say films like 1917, Waves, and a multitude of others couldn’t make the cut. But never fear, for there were still a large amount of exciting, joyful, heartbreaking, suspenseful, hopeful, and beautiful films that helped make 2019 a solid year to end the 2010s on.
But before we begin to discuss the ten films that brought me the most pleasure and excitement, there were still a lot of films that were just as brilliantly told and masterfully crafted that unfortunately couldn’t make it onto the list, as painful as it was to leave them off. But they are still worth discussing and should be mentioned, for they provide breathtaking experiences in their own right.
So before we get to my Top 10, here are a few of my honorable mentions:
UNCUT GEMS: The Safdie Brothers develop a nail-biting and harrowing journey of deception, greed, fury, and treachery with an outstanding display of emotional desperation and self-destruction by Adam Sandler at its center.
BOOKSMART: Olivia Wilde makes her directorial debut memorable and worthwhile with smart, sharp, and hilarious coming-of-age story about two best friends trying to make their final day in high school meaningful.
PARASITE: The elegance and illustrious craft of Bong Joon-Ho continues to shine through in a poignant, sharp, and thrilling lecture on class and income inequality that manages to balance enough laughs, thrills, twists, horror, and commentary to make it one of the most unique and essential thrillers not just of the year, but of the decade.
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME: Eddie Murphy stars in the comeback of the year, if not the decade, as he gives life, warmth, energy, and heart to his role as blaxploitation icon Rudy Ray Moore in a story about his love for his work and how his work touched the communities around him.
AVENGERS ENDGAME: A decade’s worth of storytelling and world-building comes together and culminates into a satisfying, rapturous, and epic conclusion that manages to balance enough character, story, and heart to properly and beautifully celebrate what Marvel has been working towards since the release of Iron Man in 2008.
MIDSOMMAR: The perception of what is considered horrific and spine-tingling is taken in a fresh and unique direction as we enter a twisted, maniacal, and anxiety-filled Wonderland of radiant sunshine and fanciful fields of flowers all the while Florence Pugh endures agony and isolation in a standout performance.
Now it’s time to take a look at the ten films that I considered to be not only immensely entertaining at the theater, but also a collection that perfectly captures the spirit and heart of what made cinema in 2019 as powerful and poetic as it was.
10. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino shows a tender side of his Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood that we don’t often get to see from him in his films. His remembrance of, passion, and affection for a since bygone era, of a Hollywood that was considered the stuff of dreams and fantasy, is ever-present with every frame and every shot. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt grab every chance they get to chew the scenery and show exactly why they’re some of the biggest and most talented “movie stars” in Hollywood. Together, they make for an incredibly dynamic and charming duo as they traverse the ever-changing and diverse landscape of 1960s Hollywood. But at the end of the day, it’s Margot Robbie’s honest and endearing portrayal of Sharon Tate, and Tarantino’s loving tribute to the deceased young star, that truly sells the magic of what this film has to offer. In fact, one of my favorite scenes of the entire year is Sharon Tate sitting in a movie theater as she watches herself in a movie. It’s scenes like that throughout the film that perfectly encapsulate how the story is a love letter not just to this since deceased era of cinema, but to cinema as a whole.
9. The Irishman
If Martin Scorsese were to announce tomorrow that he is officially laying his director’s hat down for good and retiring, The Irishman would be an immensely satisfying and wholeheartedly poetic conclusion to his illustrious contributions to cinema as a whole. Now, even though he’s by no means retiring any time soon, the film nonetheless evokes the kind of “with age comes wisdom” ideology that you could only hear from someone with decades-worth of experience and life-choices. The Irishman is far more than another run-of-the-mill gangster flick from the king of gangster flicks. It’s a story of morality, choices, legacy, consequences, and time. Robert De Niro’s character is empathetic, but not sympathetic. He and his “friends” make choices throughout the story that eventually culminate into a third act that emphasizes how our choices have a great impact on our futures. In the case of a story about gangsters, those choices will lead to drastic consequences, socially, politically, and personally. Even though the film runs for over 3 hours, the sharp editing, powerhouse performances, and impeccable script never cease to diminish the immense entertainment value it has. It won’t be Scorsese’s last hoorah by any means, but it definitely feels like something only a veteran of their craft can bring to life.
8. Us
Jordan Peele is rising to become a powerful and popular voice in horror, and Us continues to show just how talented he’s become as a director, which is especially impressive given that it was only a few years back that Peele was best known for his comedic talents. While not as intricately written as Get Out, Us still makes exceptional use of Peele’s creativity and unique horror vision as he successfully writes a story about class inequality, race, and our treatment of those less fortunate than us. The film also stands out with its introduction of The Tethered, a horrific yet immensely entertaining group of villainous and animalistic doppelgangers who perfectly stand in for the side of America we treat with disrespect and ignorance. But the real power that comes through the picture are the strong performances from its cast, especially Lupita Nyong’o. Most, if not all, of the actors we see in the film are meant to play both their original characters as well as their doppelgangers, and every one of them does an exceptional job portraying both of their respective roles, but it’s Nyong’o who goes far and beyond with her dual performances. She turns out two very different personas enough to create to distinct and identifiable characters. While she’s strong, charming, and emotionally charged as Adelaide, her emotional and physical transformation into the devilish Red is what sells her candidacy for awards season.
7. Ford v. Ferrari
Even though we got plenty of blockbusters filled with monsters, superheroes, and aliens, Ford v. Ferrari was one of the most exhilarating and dynamically engaging experiences I had in the theater. James Mangold directs an admittedly uber-masculine “dad’s favorite” racing drama that never lets loose on its energy and emotion. Matt Damon and Christian Bale pull out all the stops and make for an endlessly charming duo that successfully build the emotion all the way to the finish line. The film offers plenty of technical jargon about cars, engines, speed, wind resistance, and so forth, and I myself am not that experienced when it comes to the mechanical workings of cars, especially from the 1960s, but I never lost a single drop of interest in what was being presented to me. The racing sequences are some of the most heart-pounding, invigorating, and thrilling action sequences of the entire year, whether Mangold puts you directly in the driver’s seat as we race alongside Bale’s Ken Miles down the track or witness from the stands with Damon’s Carroll Shelby. The film exhibits a kind of energy that never slows down and keeps your interest high and your heart rate fast. But most of all, it’s a tale about achieving one’s dreams while putting aside one’s ego and self-interest in service of those around you.
6. The Farewell
Lulu Wang makes a personal effort to discuss her experiences with her family and successfully brings it to life in The Farewell, one of the most uniquely heartwarming and charming experiences of the year. Having seen it a number of times, my perspective on what love and family mean has greatly expanded beyond what I considered them to be. Awkwafina turns in a strong and vulnerable performance that diverges from her typically comedic persona, and Zhao Shuzhen makes for a loving, hilarious, and charming Nai Nai. But what makes the film work so beautifully is how it passionately lectures you on what it means to be a family in the East vs the West. It focuses heavily on the collectivist ideology that is ever present in Eastern philosophy, compared to individualism in the West, and by doing so, it expands your knowledge of what it means to care for your family and to love your family. It’s not trying to say whether or not that philosophy is superior to any other philosophy regarding familial relations, but it does help you get a broader understanding of what love looks like. If anything, this film is a perfect way of presenting the age old idea that love takes many forms, and while we may not agree with all of them, that love is still there and going strong.
5. Jojo Rabbit
Taika Waititi had a balancing act to accomplish by turning the war crimes and atrocities committed by the Third Reich into a source of comedy and satire. But somehow, Jojo Rabbit manages to be an uplifting, heartwarming, and sometimes dark satire that also happens to be the funniest experience I had in a movie theater this year. It’s no question that the comedy and satirical humor dominate a lot of the film, and that is in no way an insult or criticism, but what makes the movie as successful as it is is how Waititi never loses focus of the profound emotional weight the story has. It has a boat-load of hilarious one-liners and hysterical hijinks to give, but it also ensures it takes the time to truly take in the harsh reality of its setting as well as give its characters enough breathing room to beautifully capture our attention with their depth and emotional complexities.
With all this together, Waititi crafts an endearing and utterly sweet tale about a boy, played brilliantly and hilariously by Roman Griffin Davis, growing up in a world he at first considers just and righteous but learns about the power of love over hate. His growth over the course of the story exemplifies the fundamental purpose of the film, which is to show why it’s better to spread love and not hate, to bring together instead of tearing apart. It’s the kind of story that helps restore my faith in humanity, and with today’s current climate, that is something we desperately need, now more than ever.
4. Marriage Story
Looking back the entire year, you cannot get an experience more personal or intimate than what Noah Baumbach did with Netflix’s Marriage Story. Hollywood loves to build drama around divorce. Often we see heroes and villains, good and bad, screaming in court rooms, and climactic revelations or story points. But in Baumbach’s take on divorce, all we see is a heartbreaking disintegration of a marriage between two deeply flawed yet sympathetic characters who try to make the best out of a heartbreaking situation. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver excel from beginning to end, the former putting forth a career-best and the latter giving what might be my favorite lead performance of the year, which is a great compliment given how stacked the category is.
With both actors, Baumbach tells a honest and human story where divorce is not treated as some grandiose battleground of heroism and villainy, but as something that takes great strength to get through the pain and discomfort, whether with the lawyers, the arguments, the custody battles, or whatever else may be thrown their way. But at the same time, underneath all the drama and heartbreak, Baumbach ensures that the love Charlie and Nicole have for one another is strong and ever-present. Even with everything happening around them, the ex-couple continue to exhibit great care and love for each other. It’s the end of a marriage, sure, but their love is always there and always persistent. That’s what makes it not only a great story, but also a human story, arguably the most human story of the year.
3. Knives Out
You know what, in the midst of all the big-budget blockbusters and spectacles we got this year, I never found myself having as much fun and enjoyment as when I was watching Rian Johnson’s wickedly sharp and endlessly charming whodunnit Knives Out. It doesn’t shy away from paying its respects and homage to the classics that have come before it, but Johnson succeeds in putting his own spin on the genre and crafts an intricate and immensely intriguing murder mystery that continuously peels back layer after layer until it reaches its irrefutably satisfying conclusion. Underneath all the lies and deceptions and proclamations of innocence and/or guilt, however, is a piece of social commentary that delves into the privilege and fortune gifted onto white, wealthy Americans, their personal economic egos, and their relationship with those who are less fortunate than them, but may be more deserving of their success.
The wide array of incredibly talented actors and actresses strewn throughout the film is what makes Rian Johnson’s directing skills so notable and worthy of praise. Despite a relatively large ensemble, Johnson ensures everyone has a moment to shine and/or steal the spotlight, even for a moment. Whether it’s a single bit of hilarious one-liners or a poetic monologue, everyone gets their moment to chew the scenery, even just a little bit. But no one gets a bigger bite out of their role than Daniel Craig as Detective Benoit Blanc, and he is just an absolutely delightful and effortlessly charming character to watch on-screen, especially as he gets closer to the truth. But a lot of credit has to be given to Ana de Armas who is basically the soul of this movie. It’s a movie that is precisely configured to be seen on multiple viewings, and as such, it never loses its fun or brilliance.
2. The Lighthouse
Robert Eggers is becoming as much of a guiding light within the horror community as the titular lighthouse in his follow up to 2015’s The Witch. The film is relentless in its pursuit of a spine-tingling, nail-biting, and ominously discomforting experience that will leave you guessing what happens at every second. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe let loose as they muster up enough paranoia, desperation, anxiety, and some surprisingly worthwhile comedy to make for some of the strongest performances I’ve seen all year. But of the two, Dafoe makes every scene count as an old sea dog who doesn’t hold back on his old sea shanties or his rousing delivery of Shakespearean monologues.
The Lighthouse is a movie that is designed to make for a discomforting and sinister environment, and much like with what he did with The Witch, Eggers takes full advantage of the setting and production he’s given to create an ominous atmosphere of claustrophobia and megalomania as both Pattinson and Dafoe compete to see who remains on top of the other. All of it culminates into a bizarre, otherworldly, and invigorating trip through a story of biblical proportions and Lovecraftian design that eventually cements its surreal and nightmare reputation with one of the most disturbing and haunting final shots of any movie this year, or even of recent years.
1. Little Women
As someone who is familiar with Louisa May Alcott and her works, but has never read any of them, I never expected Greta Gerwig’s modern and unique rendition of Little Women to sweep me off my feet so gracefully and effortlessly. This is the eighth adaptation of Alcott’s beloved and revolutionary feminist tale, and yet it feels completely of its own merits and style. Gerwig gives a fresh update to the classic novel and plays with its structure like it’s her own little sandbox, making for a story that feels vintage yet of the present. Everything about it, the production, acting, writing, cinematography, and musical score, interweaves together so beautifully to create a mesmerizing, heartfelt, and joyous portrait of the complexities and societal complications of being a woman in America during the 1860s. At the same time, it’s also a story about 4 sisters growing up together before they have to leave childhood, and all of its illustrious memories and pleasantries, behind for good. We witness their strengths and follies, their hopes and desires, their highs and lows. No one is narratively left behind or to the side, and we feel equally empathetic for Amy, Meg Beth, and Jo, as well as the rest of the supporting characters.
The stellar and upbeat ensemble cast never disappoint, and everyone gets a chance to truly impress and astound. Saoirse Ronan continues to rise to the top within the indie landscape after her debut in Gerwig’s previous outing Lady Bird in 2017, Timothée Chalamet proves why he and Ronan make for such an endearing paring, and Florence Pugh exceptionally concludes what has been an outstanding year for her. But it’s Gerwig who truly shines through in the end. Her remodeling of Alcott’s narrative structure paves way for a story that is up to date and modern, but still retains the heart, soul, and spirit of Alcott’s novel. It’s enchanting, wonderous, heartbreaking, tragic, and hopeful, and all of it is tied together into a pretty little Christmas bow, making for a story Alcott herself would be proud of.