Hello. I watch too many movies to keep it to 10. MoviePass came and went in 2017/18 but then AMC A-List took its place in the latter part of 2019, meaning... lots of movies. A great year for a wide spectrum of genres and stories. For the first time, I have a (sole) comedy as my top movie of the year. Plus a ton of other fun and interesting stuff. Here we go.
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I'm here for the Lego movies. Smart and bursting with references.
I enjoy the Marvel movies. And Brie is always wonderful. Hoping for more from this branch of the franchise.
This movie is messed up. Horrific violence wrapped up in a sunny Swedish village. As far as horror goes, this one sticks with you.
Um, I laughed a lot at this movie. That's mostly it.
I devoured the book in a day or two, loving the creativity in writing and delivery. The movie doesn't quite hit with the same punch but still had me in my feelings and Cate Blanchett does her thing.
I think I'll follow Rebel Wilson anywhere. I'm here for her brand of humor. Isn't It Romantic leveled up from her many others in theme and pulling off a pretty solid rom-com while simultaneously spoofing the genre.
18. Always Be My Maybe
I think I'll also follow Mindy anywhere. She's funny and I'm along for the ride.
The culmination is here. A number of old favorite characters show up in ghost form and that describes the movie pretty well. It pays tribute to the franchise as a whole, with lots of call backs. Otherwise, the new era leading cast is solid, the visuals are on point, and (surprise!) there are some pretty good action sequences.
17. Always Be My MaybeA standard rom-com with a few flourishes. Mainly, Randall Park's rap band. And Keanu Reeves supporting role. Ali Wong holds her own as well.
Despite the glut of Marvel and Avengers movies, Endgame is a standup culmination of the Avengers franchise. Heroism, sacrifice, comedic relief, and lots of battle scenes.
Good to be back with Downton Abbey friends. With a similar plot line as many of the episodes, there's much fuss and ado with a visit from the queen. Many of the characters are given ample screen time. Good to be back together.
Part Wes Anderson Moonrise Kingdom, part Holocaust movie. The concept and delivery on this one are unique, to say the least. Taika Waititi (writer, director, co-star) is someone who brings something different with each project. Jojo is enticing in its story-telling, with the vantage point of a child in the Nazi Youth. (The lead child actor is wonderful - the movie would flop otherwise). I get queasy whenever there's someone in a systematically evil role who is set up as a "good person caught in a tough situation." But I think Jojo faces some consequences for his actions and beliefs, moving beyond the lighter coming-of-age tale and lands at the seriousness of the historical setting.
Quentin is still doing his thing. Pitt and DiCaprio are solid. 1950s Hollywood is gorgeous. The usual bloody Tarantino finish.
This is Lulu Wang's story. Her and her family's, that is. It's a beautiful and uncomfortable one that effortlessly incorporates internal cultural divisions and how they're played out with one's family. Thank God for Awkwafina as she elevates the movie to a higher level.
Marketed as a "black Bonnie & Clyde story," it is tragic and compelling without being hopeless. With Lena Waithe behind the screenplay, the movie felt current, aware of present racial societal woes. Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya carry the lead performances well and, ultimately, are just so cool.
I'll repeat many movie-goers and critics by saying: avoid reading recaps or plots-points ahead of time as this is a fantastic thriller with a handful of left turns. All one needs to know is that it is funny, deals with economic class very well, and gets dark.
Every time I saw the trailer of this movie, my response was, "who is this movie made for?" For pre-teens (like the lead actors)? For college bros? For adults? Welp, turns out it's made for me. The raunchy buddy-comedy has reached pre-teen boys. While I have a few general philosophical issues with that as a genre, the movie stayed at the pre-teen boy level, honing in on their insecurities, friendships, naïveté, and humor. It was sweet and it was funny.
Waves is a beautiful story of a suburban Florida family. The movie is honest in its emotional representation of youth culture and doesn't pull any punches. The music selections are spot on. Sterling K. Brown tends to annoy me with his baritone voice serving as stand-in for gravitas but he's perfectly cast here as well-meaning but overbearing father. Ugh, this movie got me. Despite getting positive reviews, I feel as though it's gone under the radar of many/most. Check it out.
I'll credit Hustlers for making me a J. Lo fan. The ensemble cast, including the always solid Constance Wu, brought their A-game. The movie is as fun as any heist movie, obviously told through a feminist lens. Never leering, always empowering, the movie felt like a celebration of women making it work.
I want Jordan Peele to write/direct horror forever. Throw in a comedy here and there. While I don't have the same attachment and astonishment to Us as I did Get Out, Us brings so many iconic images and grizzly situations to the table. The concept of the movie is so intriguing and Lupita Nyong'o kills it in her two performances. I was riveted the entire viewing and had such a good time.
As always, it's good to be back with the Toy Story gang. Going into the movie, I was reading for a new chapter and I that's exactly what Toy Story 4 delivers. New child, new adventures, new characters, and the classics keep moving on. The animation is wonderful to look at, the jokes are as funny as ever, and there's just as much heart as I've come to expect from the beloved franchise.
Tom Hanks? As Fred Rogers? It felt like a little much. But the movie smartly centers on real life journalist Tom Junod (though the movie names him Lloyd Fogel) writing a piece on Rogers. Thankfully, the movie is not a rote bio movie (we already have the wonderful Won't You Be My Neighbor for that) but rather allows the sincere and counter-cultural impact of Rogers to be felt by both journalist and movie-viewer. And, of course, Hanks does a standup job as Mr. Rogers. BONUS POINTS: I saw the movie twice and teared up both times the kids/group start singing on the NYC subway.
This was a fun movie. Twists and turns. Fantastic performances by so many. Unexpectedly woke in its plot and characterization. A whodunnit that feels very today.
I had mixed emotions going in. I love me some Greta Gerwig (director) and Saoirse Ronan (as Jo) plus a stacked cast. I know Little Women is a cherished book with many beloved film adaptations. But I also tire easily with period pieces. But this was done with perfection. The movie jumps back and forth chronologically, both helping with the pacing of the movie and reinforcing many of the plot points. The movie delicately and powerfully explores the experience and options for women in the late 19th century (many still current), doing so while acknowledging the complexity of humans and the multitude of female experiences. The movie is also perfectly scripted, acted, costumed, and shot.
1. Booksmart
Oh, what to say? This movie is funny front to back with a killer soundtrack perfectly scoring the ride. The general setup of the movie is fairly basic with two high school students reaching the end of their high school career, realizing that they perhaps focused too much time on building their academic resumes and not having fun like the rest of their classmates. Like any teen comedy would posit, they set out for a party to make up for their missed memories. So, while the bones of the movie don't reinvent the genre, everything else does. The two leads are young women, played perfectly by Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever. The side characters are fully formed, moving beyond stereotypes of their introduction. Queer people exist. Social media is used appropriately, as a means of communicating and not as a punchline in itself. Malala Yousafzai, RBG, Sasha Obama, and Rosa Parks are referenced. I've watched the movie four times thus far and it will go down as one of my all-time favorite movies/comedies.
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Honorable Mention (alphabetical)
Ad Astra, Apollo 11, Brittany Runs a Marathon, Charlie's Angels, El Camino, Dolemite is my Name, Frozen 2, Harriet, High Flying Bird, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, It Chapter Two, John Wick 3, The King, Klaus, Last Christmas, Long Shot, Marriage Story, Noelle, The Report, Rocketman, Someone Great, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Velvet Buzzsaw
Highly Anticipated (alphabetical)
1917, Bombshell, A Hidden Life, Just Mercy, The Lighthouse, The Nightingale
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