Best Movies of 2019

By Tom Pacak

2019 cinema had a lot to offer for those who love cinema. We had two beloved directors (Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese) make films that reflect the past and how much it’s helped their careers. Bong Joon-Ho is breaking prescient by having his foreign language film (Parasite) be a front-runner for Best Picture.  Avengers: Endgame also became the highest-grossing film ever with a box office of $2.798 billion (take that Avatar). 2019 also gave us a last impression of what film is like in the 2010s. There was a lot of great cinema this year and 2019’s great films should make you excited for what’s to come next year. Here are the ten best films of 2019! 

1.     Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Quentin Tarantino is a director who loves cinema more than most directors. You can tell watching a Tarantino film that this is a guy who loves the craft and takes it very seriously. Timothy Olyphant even confirmed that Tarantino has a strict “no phones during filming” rule on set. His nostalgic masterpiece "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is my favorite movie of the year.  

This buddy comedy is centered around two Hollywood losers Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt, the front runner for the best-supporting actor Oscar) as they navigate through the 1960s looking for work in an industry that has forgotten them. Lurking in the background is the creepy Manson cult. Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) is Rick Dalton’s neighbor who is shown as a metaphor for Hollywood’s lost innocence that was taken during that terrible night on August 8^th, 1969. The fitting title is perfect as the film shows a fairy-tale dramatization of those terrible events. 

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is also Tarantino’s most relaxed film. Watching it, you get a sense that this a director who is in full control of his craft and knows the story he’s telling. It’s also pure cinematic excitement watching a legend like Tarantino play in his toyshop. Tarantino litters the film with 1960s film references, cool cars, and even a 1960s soundtrack filled with commercials from back in the day. This is a movie film buffs shouldn’t miss.

2.     Parasite: This great class warfare satire is gaining strong momentum as the best picture front-runner for this year’s Oscars. After seeing the film, the momentum is justified. “Parasite” is a flawless film that you need to unpack, watch again, and then watch again to truly get the messages and even jokes the film throws at you.  In my first viewing, I totally missed the scene where one of the central characters starts to eat dog jerky. This is the type of movie you’re watching. 

“Parasite” is that rare film that’s two films rolled into one. It starts as a great con artist film that revolves around the Kim clan playing on the obliviousness of the rich Park family. The Kim’s slowly start planting themselves in the Park’s family until everything spins out of control. It’s a film that’s both hilarious and sad as it shows what people will do in the name of greed. The film is a foreign language film set in South Korea but its message applies worldwide. Bravo to Bong Joon-Ho for making American audiences embrace subtitles and creating a story that’s very thrilling, challenging, and entertaining as hell.

3.     Uncut Gems: “Uncut Gems” is one of the best films in recent memory to depict the addiction to risk. The Safdie Brothers put everything on the table by making funnyman Adam Sandler the leading role in their Jewish odyssey and I’m here to confirm the bet paid off. Adam Sandler gives one of his best performances as Howard Ratner, an annoying gambler that nobody really likes but people tend to put up with anyway. “Uncut Gems” isn’t a thriller or horror film; the film is intense due to the countless bad decisions Howard makes throughout the film. He owes money to his mobster brother-in-law and even has an interesting run-in with Boston Celtics player Kevin Garnett. Adam Sandler runs away with the role by just being Adam Sandler. He’s funny and vulnerable to the point where you’re left wondering how this guy is still alive after making these stupid bets. The Safdie Brothers end their story on a cautionary note that even when you have your big win, the big losses will always creep up on you.

4.     The Irishman: Martin Scorsese got himself in a lot of trouble with the film world by expressing his strong disdain for Marvel films. Scorsese argues that the films aren’t cinema but are instead just theme parks that leave you with nothing to ponder. I am a fan of Marvel films but Scorsese has devoted his whole life to the medium and knows a thing or two.

2019 also saw Scorsese come back to his gangster roots with his new gangster classic “The Irishman,” the story about hitman Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) who starts working for famous Teamster Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino, doing his first Scorsese movie). Jimmy Hoffa’s big ego clashes with famous gangster Tony Pro (Stephen Graham) and Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci, back in top form). One key detail I love is how Martin Scorsese made Pesci’s character look exactly like him. You can tell watching this film that everybody involved had a good time making it. A hilarious scene with Graham, Pacino, and De Niro arguing about tardiness is proof that Scorsese can do comedy better than most comedy directors.

“The Irishman” is also Scorsese’s slowest gangster film. His landmark films like “Goodfellas,” “Casino,” and “The Departed” use more fast-paced music and include the normal Scorsese traits like jumpy music and quick cuts. “The Irishman” doesn’t include any of that. Scorsese made “The Irishman” slow as a snail for a reason. Those other films listed showed the glamor and fame of living a life nobody should want to live. “The Irishman” shows the downfalls of living that life. Towards the end of the film, Frank is alone. His daughter (Anna Paquin) wants nothing to do with him, all his other gangster buddies are dead, and he lives by himself in a depressing nursing home. There’s a final scene where Frank picks out a casket for his upcoming death. “The Irishman” is Scorsese picking out his casket for a genre he’s helped create and a farewell to the good old days. 

5. Us: Horror master Jordan Peele went two for two this year with his new horror classic “Us.” Despite lacking the cultural impact of “Get Out,” this film manages to stand on its own as a positive portrait of the American family and a thought-provoking horror film about what it means to be an outsider in America. Lupita Nyong’o gives this year’s best female performance as Adelaide Wilson, a traumatized woman who has to encounter her doppelganger (also played by Nyong’o) after a group of doppelgangers start wreaking havoc in Santa Cruz. Jordan Peele's blend of horror and comedy managed to give us a film that shows we really are our own worst enemy.

6.     Knives Out: The whodunit genre in film and literature is one of my favorite genres to indulge in. It’s fun eliminating the usual suspects then seeing the motive behind the killer. Rian Johnson helped create one of the best movies of the year with his all-star cast in “Knives Out.” Daniel Craig shows up having a blast playing an Alabamian detective named Benoit Blanc. Blanc is sent to the Thrombey residence to solve the murder of famous crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). What makes “Knives Out” really fun is how you already know the twist halfway through the film but still manage to be entertained and excited to see where the film takes you.

Rian Johnson also gives us a look at class divide in America and hilariously depicts the Thrombey family as awful. (Spoiler Alert) One of them is a murderer, one cheats on his wife, and one even embezzles money given to her by Harlan. Even if it was just one person who killed Harlan, you still root for the Thrombey family to fail. The last shot is one of the most satisfying shots I’ve seen this year.

7.     Marriage Story: This modern-day take on “Kramer vs. Kramer” gave an ugly look at how horrible divorce really is. This is a very personal story for writer-director Noah Baumbach as he was going through a divorce as well. He manages to craft an important story about two decent people stuck in an ugly situation. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson work wonders as the father and mother getting the divorce. Noah Baumbach makes it really hard to root for one over the other due to the fact that they both have their flaws and reasons for going through this process. The always amazing Laura Dern shows up as the divorce lawyer for Johansson’s character. She shows the shadiness and terrible tactics divorce lawyers use to help their clients win the case. Although this isn’t Laura Dern’s best performance ever, I think this is Dern’s year to win at the Oscars for Best Supporting Actress.

8.     The Farewell: I was actually surprised this heartwarming story is based on a true story. Awkwafina shows real acting chops as Billi, an aspiring writer who goes through emotional turmoil after finding out her Nai Nai (a term used to mean ‘paternal grandmother’ in Mandarin) is diagnosed with lung cancer. Director Lulu Wang plays with the idea that it’s better to live a fulfilling life than stress out about impending death. Billi’s family decides to keep the secret from Nai Nai and what we get as a result is a funny and touching film about the importance of family.

9.     Midsommar: One director who knows how to play with horror and the psychology of losing someone is newcomer Ari Aster. His directorial debut “Hereditary” is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. His new horror film “Midsommar” is more weird than actually scary. Ari Aster this time around plays with the strangeness of Pagan cults. I know Ari Aster’s next film won’t be a horror film but I sure as hell hope he doesn’t give up making them.

10.     Pain and Glory: Another personal story from a beloved director is Pedro Almodovar’s semi-biographical “Pain and Glory.” Antonio Banderas and Pedro Almodovar reunited for this story about a famous film director in a creative crisis. The film is told through a series of flashbacks as Salvador Mallo (the director) reflects on the present, past, and future of his career. This is a film that Pedro Almodovar fans won’t want to miss.