We have reached the end of a fantastic year for cinema! This list was much harder to compile than in 2018, since there were simply so many films I adored that it was difficult to parse it down. Without further ado, here are my ten favorite films of the year!
(See my #25-11 picks here!)
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10. Uncut Gems
The Safdie Brothers have outdone themselves with yet another heart-attack of a movie, this time set in NYC’s Jewelry District. Adam Sandler gives probably his best performance ever as a compulsive gambler chasing the “big win” that will give him that thrill he’s been seeking all his life. It’s a character study unlike any other, one where we find the character in question to be utterly repulsive and unrelatable and yet so compelling that we simply can’t look away. It’s a train wreck of a movie (in the best way), one with an ending that shook me at first but makes perfect sense in hindsight. It’s the only way things could have ended, and I admire the Safdies for fully committing to the gamble and giving Howard the send-off he deserves. One of my favorite singular characters of the entire decade.
9. Marriage Story
A story about a divorce could have been a thoroughly depressing tale, but Noah Baumbach infuses it with uncanny humor to highlight the absurdity of a nasty industry: family law. We can’t help but to laugh at our characters’ misfortune as they are dragged through the mud – not because they wish each other ill, but because that’s the only way to get what you want in the 21st century. It features some of the best ensemble acting of the year, surprisingly-clever cinematography (uncommon for a Baumbach feature), and a lovely little Randy Newman score. Everything comes together for a virtually flawless experience with a lot to say about an aspect of life most people don’t want to think about. I still haven’t made up my mind whether Adam Driver or Joaquin Phoenix gave the better lead performance, and honestly I’m not thinking too hard about it…I’m just glad we get so much great acting in one year!
8. Little Women
I’m not really a fan of biopics, and this didn’t look that appealing to me as a guy. But man, did Greta Gerwig craft something special that feels so unique from every other adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s famous novel. She manages to fuse Alcott’s story into her own, with a very “meta” take on the story that examines Jo March for what she truly is: a compromise that was necessary to get the book published in the first place. It also gives far more characterization to certain characters who are oft overlooked in adaptations of the work, especially Amy and Meg, who get their chance to express their desires and justify their fates. I suspect this one will only get better with time, as any faults I had with the nonlinear storytelling will fade away in favor of the film’s aching passion for the source material and masterful storytelling from one of the decade’s most exciting new filmmaking voices…female or otherwise.
7. Joker
I thought nobody could ever hold a candle to Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker, but Joaquin Phoenix proved me wrong. His committed, full-body transformation into the Clown Prince of Crime is like a train wreck: twisted and horrifying yet so compelling that you just can’t look away. This is a well-crafted descent into madness, taking the classic character and morphing it into a cautionary tale about the stratification of wealth and the disenfranchisement of society’s lower class. It isn’t “dangerous” or “irresponsible” to sympathize the audience with such a demented character: to understand is not to condone. We recognize Arthur’s rage as a manifestation of his frustration with a broken system, a rage that could have been avoided with a bit more compassion, and we are left with a desire to treat one another better and avoid such a monster being created again.
6. Waves
Trey Edward Shults’ stunning third feature was one of the hardest films for me to assess my feelings about this year. At times it feels very try-hard and crams in so much style that it can feel overbearing, but it is also one of the most emotional movie experiences I’ve had in years. People have been debating whether the first or second half is better, but to me they are perfectly complementary: it’s a story that builds up to a terrible decision, then shows us the messy aftermath that the other characters must reckon with. And the ultimate message of openness, forgiveness and healing is an effective and resonant one that stuck with me. Rarely do we get human stories like this one, that portray the human condition in all its nuance and moral complexity, and do so in such an entertaining and effective manner. I’ll be thinking about Waves for a long time, which is more than a lot of films from this year can say.
5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
After stumbling a bit with The Hateful Eight in 2015, Tarantino has returned to form with this gorgeous love letter to old Hollywood. While the pacing felt sluggish on my first watch, subsequent rewatches have allowed me to soak in the slow, leisurely pace and simply enjoy all the subtle interactions between the fantastically-drawn central characters. It is the ultimate “hang-out” movie, allowing the world Tarantino created to breathe and immerse the audience in its meticulous vision. DiCaprio and Pitt turn in two of my favorite performances of the year, perfectly cast to embody the roles of the crisis-actor-in-decline and cool-under-pressure cowboy with apparent ease. I hope to God we get a Netflix extended edition someday, because I would watch another three hours of footage with these characters in this world without reservation.
4. 1917
I’m still raw from my first viewing of this war juggernaut (the very last film I saw this year), but I already want to watch it again…and again and again. We already know how spectacular the work by Roger Deakins is behind the camera, and how impressive the one-take structure is, but goddamn if this isn’t one of the most affecting and emotional theatrical experiences I had all year. It’s achingly beautiful not just in style but in theme, barraging us with the horrors of war but interspersing them with the natural beauties of the world that war tends to erase from our memory. It’s about the humanity within the cruel nihilism of warfare, while also serving as a gripping thriller the likes of which we have never seen (and may never see again). It’s easily the best war epic of the decade, and perhaps enters the all-time pantheon of war classics.
3. Jojo Rabbit
Every film Taika Waititi makes feels like an improvement on the last, with ever-sharper insight on society and particular focus on how children fit into it. So much could have gone wrong in a Holocaust satire with a Nazi protagonist and his imaginary friend Hitler…but this is still somehow a heartwarming and completely arresting tale of love triumphing over hate. The command Waititi has over audience emotions is magical, guiding us from laughter to sobs to fear and back to laughter at the drop of a hat. Such a difficult feat, but one Waititi manages with ease…the mark of not just a master comedian, but a master filmmaker. Once removed from the awards season conversation and the toxicity of Film Twitter hot-take culture, I think this film will be mentioned in the same breath as other great WWII comedy classics like Life is Beautiful.
2. Monos
Monos absolutely blew me away. This is a stunning exploration of humanity in the wilderness, drawing on influences like Lord of the Flies and Apocalypse Now to examine how we behave when stripped of societal expectations. With minimal exposition, we come to care for each individual teenager in the central crew and yearn for them to make the right decisions in less-than-ideal circumstances. The film is impeccably shot with some of my favorite cinematography of the decade, and uses editing and sound design as storytelling devices better than most films I’ve seen in recent memory. The acting is also flawless, and with an ensemble cast of central characters a single weak link might have derailed the experience…but there wasn’t one. I was riveted from the opening scene and it never relinquished its grasp on me, never faltering or taking a false step to break the immersion – a rare feat for such an ambitious film. Absolutely brilliant!
1. Parasite
What else is there to say that hasn’t been said already about Bong Joon-ho’s stunning magnum opus? It’s simply perfect. Every scene, every shot, every frame is carefully cultivated for maximum emotional impact. It is thoroughly unpredictable at every step, though a sharp eye will be able to recognize subtle foreshadowing and other Easter eggs to reward careful attention to detail. To this day I’m still noticing tiny details that further the themes and wink at the audience for paying attention! The character work is fantastic with each individual feeling like a living, breathing human, aided by fantastic acting by some of the best South Korea has to offer. And on top of all that, it’s just a brilliant deconstruction of income inequality and the ignorance of the rich towards the plight of the poor. To weave such complex themes into a captivating thriller tale is a towering achievement, and I loved every second of the ride Bong took me on. Another year, another Palme d’Or winner claiming the top spot on my list!
Thanks for joining me for another quality year of cinema! This wraps up my exploration of 2019 – or does it? Check out my Top 100 Films of the Decade list! That’s right, every film released from January 1, 2010 to today is under consideration, and I can’t wait to debate the placement of particular films and how likely they are to endure in cinematic history. See you there!
-Austin Daniel
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Scriptophile 
Great list, and I’m in full agreement with Parasite being the #1 movie of the year. However, I can’t get behind Joker at #7. To me the movie just felt empty and lacking in any thematic depth, despite a towering performance from Phoenix. I left the theater really underwhelmed and disappointed, and it had nothing to do with the depiction of a ‘dangerous’ lead character. Some other movies I really enjoyed this year were The Farewell, The Irishman, and The Last Black Man in San Francisco. You can check out my top 10 list here: https://spgetch.wordpress.com/2020/01/05/best-movies-of-2019/
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Fair enough. I don’t think Joker is perfect by any means and the story has some holes, but I thought it had an electric energy that few other films could match this year. I love me a good gritty character study when done properly. Plus every aspect of the craft is phenomenal!
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