The typical end-of-year practice for most film writers is to compose a "best of the year" list, and that's entirely fair; everybody loves a good ol' classic ranking, so they can get mad that their favorite movie doesn't make it, or that a movie they don't like does. But personally, I've never found them all that satisfying. I end up publishing a list of 10 films and then, the next day, wishing I'd rearranged them or included something else.
I simply find it too limiting a way of recognizing all the films I admire, especially when there are so many different elements to admire (or not admire) about any film in particular.
So in looking ahead to my end-of-year article, I tried to find a way to summarize my year at the movies that might be more fulfilling for me, and perhaps more interesting and distinctive for readers. If you follow film-related accounts on social media, you'll see countless Top 10 articles in your feed; I see very little reason for me to contribute to that.
If you do want a more standard-format list from me, check out my ranking of every single film I saw this year, or scroll down to the bottom where I have some of it listed. It's completely subject to change every time I look at it.
But for a formal write-up, I found an alternative: The Andy Awards.
It may sound narcissistic, but I couldn't settle on any other name for it that appropriately conveyed that this is nothing more than *my* opinion. I've formatted it like any regular awards show — multiple categories, each with a number of "candidates" for the crowning title, with only one "winner" — but don't let it fool you; the nominees and winners were all determined by a committee of one.
Alright, getting started: Under the name of each award, I will describe the category so that it's clear what aspect of film I'm rewarding. The number of candidates in each category is determined entirely by me and how many films I felt like recognizing in said category. One winner per category, and I will briefly articulate why that winner is my favorite in that category. The non-winning candidates will be ranked in ascending order from least worthy to most.
The 1st Annual Andy Awards
(you can call them "the triple A's")
Best Leading Actor
The most engaging, convincing, and/or impressive lead performances from men this year.
Ray Romano, Paddleton Daniel Craig, Knives Out Matthew Rhys, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems Robert Pattinson, The Lighthouse Runner-up: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Winner: Adam Driver, Marriage Story
When I watched this movie, it was like Driver was no longer in it, and I was just watching this guy named Charlie, whom I'd never seen before in my life. To do that with such a "normal," down-to-earth character was that much more impressive to me. Just incredibly real, from the laughs to the tears, and everything in between.
Best Leading Actress
The most engaging, convincing, and/or impressive lead performances from women this year.
Kaitlyn Dever, Booksmart Awkwafina, The Farewell Emma Thompson, Late Night Ana de Armas, Knives Out Honor Swinton Byrne, The Souvenir Runner-up: Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Winner: Lupita Nyong'o, Us
I'm not sure I've ever felt worse for a character in a horror/thriller film than Nyong'o's Adelaide Wilson in Us. Or characters, rather. I feel bad for Red too.
Best Supporting Actor
The most engaging, convincing, and/or impressive supporting performances from men this year.
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood Timothée Chalamet, Little Women Mark Duplass, Paddleton Alec Baldwin, Motherless Brooklyn Sam Rockwell, Richard Jewell Runner-up: Sterling K. Brown, Waves
Winner: Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse
Believe it or not, he actually plays two characters in this film: 1) a towering, eldritch being residing in a human body, and 2) a senile, frail old coot. Both are equally astounding turns from Dafoe.
Best Supporting Actress
The most engaging, convincing, and/or impressive supporting performances from women this year.
Anne Hathaway, Dark Waters Beanie Feldstein, Booksmart Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers Naomi Watts, Luce Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell Runner-up: Taylor Russell, Waves
Winner: Laura Dern, Little Women AND Marriage Story
Two killer supporting roles in the same year. One as a manipulative and opportunistic jerk, another as one of the sweetest mothers ever put to screen. Not enough people are talking about the latter.
Best Ensemble
The most engaging, convincing, and/or impressive performances from an entire main cast this year.
Avengers: Endgame The Irishman Little Women Parasite Luce Booksmart Marriage Story Runner-up: Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
Winner: Knives Out
It's not really a contest. This gang just runs with it. They're all so clearly having a good time, and yet, I lose most of them in their colorful personas.
Best Voice or Motion Capture Performance
The most engaging, convincing, and/or impressive voice-acting or motion capture performances this year.
Mark Ruffalo, Avengers: Endgame Vic Mignogna, Dragon Ball Super: Broly Mark Hamill, Child's Play Runner-up: Rosa Salazar, Alita: Battle Angel
Winner: Josh Brolin, Avengers: Endgame
I wish I'd done this awards thing last year so I could give Brolin this award for Infinity War, because he had a lot more to do. Even with a reduced role in Endgame, he still brings everything he brought to the character initially that made him so captivating. I love that I can look at a giant purple alien warlord and see Josh Brolin's face coming through in the animation.
Best Character
An award for the creation of a well-defined, memorable, and/or affecting on-screen character
Talos, Captain Marvel Joni Thrombey, Knives Out Howard Ratner, Uncut Gems Moondog, The Beach Bum Gabe Wilson, Us Runner-up: Benoit Blanc, Knives Out
Winner: Thomas Wake, The Lighthouse
HAAAAAAARRRRKK!
'Nuff said.
The Gut-buster Award
These are the funniest films of the year, or those with the most or best laughs. These aren't necessarily the "best films that are in the comedy genre," but rather those that made me laugh best.
The Fanatic The Intruder Long Shot Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood Jojo Rabbit Knives Out Runner-up: Booksmart
Winner: Between Two Ferns: The Movie
I may have had a somewhat unfairly positive experience with this film, watching it with half a dozen friends who are perfectly wired for Ferns humor. But it doesn't change the fact that this film had more laughs in any 5 minutes of the film than most comedies this year.
The Tear-jerker Award
These films made me cry at least once, broke my heart, and/or left a heavy cloud of melancholy over me after leaving the theater.
Booksmart Avengers: Endgame Jojo Rabbit Waves Runner-up: Marriage Story
Winner: Paddleton
I legitimately bawled at the "big scene" toward the end. Just the fear, uncertainty, ugliness, and love surrounding the subject of terminal illness. I don't think I've full-on wept at any other movie this year.
The Head-scratcher Award
Regardless of quality, these films each beg the question, “Who thought this was a sensible idea?” For better or worse, these movies are perplexing anomalies of cinema. This is not a measure of quality, but of absurdity. Some are great; some are not.
Jojo Rabbit Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw Tall Girl The Beach Bum In Fabric Runner-up: The Fanatic
Winner: Cats
Just about everything worth saying about this film has already been said. Having said that, I do think too much of the public befuddlement and criticism is being lobbed incorrectly toward the film as its own entity, rather than at the original stage abomination by Andrew Lloyd Webber. If we're threatening to take Tom Hooper's Oscar away (which I'm not opposed to), we should also be looking to take away some of Webber's cred as well.
The most baffling thing about this movie is that anyone thought it was a good idea to adapt it for the screen. In defense of the stage production, there's more reason to sit through a technically impressive live version of "Cats" than a film adaptation shot on a soundstage and patched up with nightmarish CGI.
Most Worthless Film
This is given to a film that displays an all-around lack of competence, moral or cultural regression, or concepts that are not worth subjecting viewers to. These films also may or may not also promote ideas and filmmaking practices that hurt the integrity of the industry and media on the whole.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile Glass Cats Runner-up: Tall Girl
Winner: The Fanatic
Someone referred to John Travolta's character, Moose, as an example of "weaponized autism." I think that's about right. This movie can't decide what it's demonizing, so it demonizes it all — people with autism included.
The Underdog Award
Given to an exceptional film that was not seen or talked about by many; one that perhaps had a smaller release and little press recognition or marketing. Or, if they were talked about, they were not praised as highly as they deserve.
Cold Pursuit Sword of Trust High Life Peanut Butter Falcon In Fabric Runner-up: Paddleton
Winner: Luce
I can't get over how clever this movie is in every way. The writing, the editing, the performances. No other movie had me repeatedly alternating between empathy and distrust toward pretty much every character the way Luce did. Additionally, it presents one of the more nuanced conversations about identity, race, and the modern family in contemporary media. I really appreciated that. People need to see this movie.
Best Musical Score
Given for exceptional creation and use of original music in film.
Max Richter, Ad Astra Daniel Lopatin, Uncut Gems Randy Newman, Marriage Story Cavern of Anti-Matter, In Fabric Michael Abels, Us Runner-up: Alan Silvestri, Avengers: Endgame
Winner: Hildur Guðnadóttir, Joker
Haunting, sad, and ominous. Perfect for the grimy and neglectful world that Arthur lives in.
Best Choreography or Action Design
Given for exceptional design and/or choreography of dance, action, or stunts.
Zombieland: Double Tap Alita: Battle Angel Ford v Ferrari Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 1917 Runner-up: Avengers: Endgame
Winner: John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Even when it gets a tad overwhelming and tough to follow toward the end, John Wick 3 is far and away the most impressive example of choreographing human movement through space this year. Just the sheer amount of in-camera action in this movie is staggering.
Best Production Design
An award for the overall "look" of a film. Set design, costuming, hairstyling, makeup, character design, etc.
Motherless Brooklyn High Life In Fabric Ford v Ferrari John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum Parasite Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood Knives Out Runner-up: Ad Astra
Winner: Jojo Rabbit
I'm going to do this movie no justice by describing its production design. It's just really pretty, and incredibly appropriate for every scene and mood change.
Best Cinematography
An award for exceptional visual storytelling and beauty through camera work, composition, and lighting.
Jojo Rabbit Knives Out 1917 Parasite High Life The Last Black Man in San Francisco Runner-up: The Lighthouse
Winner: Ad Astra
One of those movies where I'm transfixed by essentially every shot in the movie. I have my problems with the story and script, but I was never turned off by what I was looking at.
Best Sound Design
Take the Academy Awards for Best Sound Mixing and Sound Editing, and combine them, because I've never been entirely sure of the difference between the two, and I know the Academy members aren't either.
1917 Avengers: Endgame Ford v Ferrari The Last Black Man in San Francisco Parasite Us Runner-up: In Fabric
Winner: The Lighthouse
I never thought I'd see an auteur director apply shitpost-esque sound editing to a film, and make it actually work. It doesn't just work; it absolutely shakes you.
Best Visual Effects
For exceptional use and quality of visual effects to expand and embellish the story.
Alita: Battle Angel The Irishman Spider-Man: Far From Home Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Runner-up: Ad Astra
Winner: Avengers: Endgame
This was a really big movie. Lots of crazy spectacle happens. It all looks really good. Endgame and Infinity War both put comic book imagery on the screen better than any other comic book film in history. The impeccable visual effects and design are largely responsible for that.
Best Animated Feature
These are not only great stories, but they maximize the medium of animation to their advantage.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Runner-up: Klaus
Winner: Dragon Ball Super: Broly
This is a high-octane, musclebound acid trip. Dragon Ball fans will, no doubt, have a wild time with the return of an old favorite character (now vastly improved), and the story is simple enough and the characters clearly defined enough to allow even the completely uninitiated to bask in its brutal, fast-paced visual glory. This is action anime cranked all the way up.
Best Director
These are the directors that most impressed me with their filmmaking craftsmanship and storytelling ability.
Greta Gerwig, Little Women Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Avengers: Endgame Claire Denis, High Life Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story Marielle Heller, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Rian Johnson, Knives Out Runner-up: Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse
Winner: Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
This is just a masterwork of navigating shifts in tone and maintaining viewer interest second by second. Absolutely thrilling filmmaking.
Best Writing - Original Screenplay
The best-written films of the year, specifically those that were new stories. These writers were able to grip me with their mastery of language and communication.
Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won, Parasite Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, Katie Silberman, Booksmart Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story Runner-up: Robert Eggers, Max Eggers, The Lighthouse
Winner: Rian Johnson, Knives Out
Knives Out might be the densest script of the year. The amount of humor, plot progression, commentary, and character embellishment going on in basically every line. Johnson is a genius.
Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay
This award represents the same as the above, but specifically for film adaptations of other works or real-life events.
Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Jason Keller, Ford v Ferrari Lorene Scafaria, Hustlers Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Joe Talbot, Rob Richert, Jimmie Fails, The Last Black Man in San Francisco Greta Gerwig, Little Women Runner-up: Taika Waititi, Christine Leunens, Jojo Rabbit
Winner: Julius Onah, J.C. Lee, Luce
Basically for the same reasons I gave it the Underdog Award.
Best Original Vision
This is my way of recognizing films that offer an incredibly unique cinematic experience, in which all elements of filmmaking and storytelling are especially innovative or distinctly unified to create a cohesive vision clearly from the director’s mind.
Alma Har'el, Honey Boy Trey Edward Shults, Waves Rian Johnson, Knives Out Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit Joe Talbot, The Last Black Man in San Francisco Peter Strickland, In Fabric Runner-up: Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Winner: Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse
I don't know how he came up with this movie. I don't really want to know. But he put that idea on screen straight from his brain, and I'm glad he did.
Best Film
These are the films that I think are the absolute best of the year. I loved all of these and highly recommend them.
Waves A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Peanut Butter Falcon Avengers: Endgame Little Women Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood Luce Knives Out The Lighthouse Booksmart Runner-up: Marriage Story
Winner: Parasite
Funny, sad, terrifying, anxiety-inducing, and constantly gripping. This movie practically defies genre labeling. Every inch of this movie is given to creating a cohesive atmosphere, so that you buy every absurd moment of it. Definitely the most constantly surprising movie of the year, and always in a good way.
Movie of the Year
In 2018, the Academy proposed a “Popular Film” category — an award given to a movie that made waves in the public consciousness and/or had widespread popularity and influence on pop culture. This is my version of that award. To me, these are the movies that defined the year, made a major impact culturally or financially, and will likely not soon be forgotten.
The Lion King Cats Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood Jojo Rabbit Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Midsommar Us Runner-up: Joker
Winner: Avengers: Endgame
Everyone saw this movie. Everyone talked about this movie. Everyone memed this movie. It's a monumental milestone in franchise/series filmmaking. It's fun, rewarding, and even challenging in ways no one could have expected it to be. It's the biggest movie of all time, and it somehow managed to never forget the real reason people keep going to see these movies: the characters.
My Personal Ranking
As I said above, this list changes all the time, and probably always will. It's completely subjective and based on my personal opinions and preferences. I saw 98 new films in 2019, and here's how I'd rank them:
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL RANKINGS
Note: When you follow the link to my full ranking, if you navigate to the upper right menu, you can switch between Grid view (as seen below) and List view, which will allow you to see my five-star ratings and individual notes on films.)
