Best of 2019: The best films of the year

2019 was an amazing year for movies. From rousing franchise blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame to moving intimate dramas like Waves and Marriage Story, there was an incredible slate of offerings this year, many of which debuted on streaming services like Netflix. That led to endless hand-wringing about the loss of the theatrical experience, but on the flip side, movies like The Irishman became available to millions of viewers around the world at the same time, all of whom could then complain en masse about how long and boring it was.

Although the summer releases were fairly forgettable (apart from Tarantino’s latest), the sheer amount of great titles released (or screened at festivals) between September and the end of the year is astounding. You could easily put together a Top 10 of just titles released this past December (actually, someone likely has by now). So without further ado, below you’ll find our 10 favourite films of the year, along with a slew of honourbale mentions. What were your favourite films of the year? Head to our Facebook page or the comments below and let us know!

10. Marriage Story
Divorce is hell. Writer-director Noah Baumbach’s latest is a deeply upsetting look at the dissolution of a marriage, and how the process of divorce is set-up to churn people out while extracting as much money (and misery) as possible. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson both turn in career-best performances as the doomed couple, though Laura Dern steals every scene she’s in as a smoothly calculating lawyer. While Marriage Story could have easily devolved into 2+ hours of misery porn, what’s most surprising about the film is just how funny it is, which provides a much-needed respite from the pain at the heart of the story. Watch with your partner at your own risk.

9. Waves
Waves is a film that slowly washes over you (sorry). The film focuses on Tyler Williams (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a popular Florida high school wrestler pushed to succeed by his controlling father (Sterling K. Brown). Tyler’s life begins slipping out of control after an injury leads to an addiction to painkillers, which kicks starts a series of terrible decisions that forever shape the rest of his life. If that sounds intentionally vague, it’s only because Waves hinges on a single moment that completely shifts Tyler’s life, affecting all of those around him, especially his younger sister Emily (the revelatory Taylor Russell). Director Trey Edward Shults shoots Waves in a unique way; the camera is constantly moving, taking in the surroundings in a way that feels unnatural at first, but becomes more engrossing as the film goes on. Waves is a real gut punch; it shows just how quickly life can spiral out of control, especially for the young and vulnerable.

8. Midsommar
Ari Aster’s follow-up to Hereditary may be one of the most visually striking horror films ever made. Shot almost entirely in daylight, Midsommar is a hallucinogenic descent into madness as a way of coping with grief and heartbreak. With wild camera work and an incredible performance by Florence Pugh (MVP of 2019?) at its center, Midsommar once again proves that Ari Aster has a unique ability to twist the pain of personal relationships into true horror.

7. Us
Jordan Peele’s follow-up to the smash hit Get Out, Us is a remarkable leap forward that places Peele among the greatest horror creators of our time. With an unforgettable dual performance from Lupita Nyong’o at its core, Us is a film about the haves and the have nots that perfectly fits the cultural moment we are having right now. It’s a strain that runs through a number of films this year (Joker, Parasite, Knives Out), but no other filmmaker has taken that divide to the extreme that Peele has with this film. While the exposition-heavy latter half of the film ruins some of the mystery, there are moments in Us that rank among the best horror scenes in recent memory, and the film’s massive cultural impact earlier this year can’t be denied.

6. The Art of Self-Defense
No other film this year spoke to the notion of toxic masculinity quite like Riley Stearns’ The Art of Self-Defense, a black comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg as Casey Davies, a timid accountant who falls under the spell of a demented martial arts teacher after being assaulted. From having the right sort of dog to listening to metal instead of his beloved adult contemporary, Casey’s sensei molds him into the sort of delusional alpha-male that seems to proliferate so easily all over the internet (and unfortunately in real life as well). With drastic tonal changes and a script that constantly surprises, The Art of Self-Defense is a film that should really catch on once more people have a chance to see it via streaming services (it’s on Hulu now). One of the most welcome surprises of the year. You can read our interview with Riley Stearns here.

5. Little Women
Louisa May Alcott’s classic novels have been adapted for the screen before, but director Greta Gerwig has brilliantly played with the chronology of the story here, which makes the well-known material surprising and revealing in a number of ways. The story of the lives of the Marsh sisters in the years surrounding the Civil War, Gerwig frames their relationships with each other, their mother (the incredible Laura Dern), their suitors, and their small community in ways that should speak to any generation, regardless of one’s familiarity with the story, which Gerwig subverts in a couple of welcome ways. Featuring what might be the best ensemble cast of the year (including the 2019-owning Florence Pugh), Gerwig’s film might prove just as timeless as the novels that inspired it.

4. Uncut Gems
Watching Uncut Gems is an experience. The Safdie Brothers’ latest film is akin to an extended panic attack; with its over-the-top synth score, constant noise and chatter and nail-biting storyline, Uncut Gems is an exhausting but thrilling journey. Adam Sandler turns in a moving and sympathetic performance as Howard Ratner, a New York City jewelry salesman constantly on the lookout for the next payday or unconventional gambling opportunity. It’s a tragic but endearing role; you can’t help rooting for Howard even as his increasingly erratic and dangerous decisions keep pushing him further down the rabbit hole. With its pulse-racing pacing and enveloping soundscape, the Safdies have created a remarkable film about compulsion and greed that truly feels like an immersive experience. It’s an incredibly stressful, but like the best amusement park rides, you’ll want to get right back in line once it’s over.

3. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino’s ode to the cinema and TV shows of his youth, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is his most reflective movie. Like Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, this isn’t a film Tarantino could have made earlier in his career. It’s a nostalgic look back at the Hollywood he remembers from his youth, from the hokey TV westerns to the glamorous cars and fashion styles. But in this fairy tale look back, the 60s doesn’t have to devolve into violence and paranoia; a simple act of chance can save certain characters from the cruel fate that awaited them in the real world. With riveting performances from Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie (a performance is not simply the number of lines an actor utters on-screen), this is a wistful and touching look at the era that formed Tarantino’s legendary passion for pop culture, which we’ve been reaping the rewards of for nearly three decades now.

2. Parasite
There is a lot to said for going into a movie completely cold. With the year-long deluge of trailers and media blanketing, it often feels like you’ve seen and digested a movie entirely before it even hits theatres (Joker was a prime example of that this year). Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a film that plays best the less you know about it. At its core, the remarkable film from South Korea’s master filmmaker is a darkly comic look at income inequality and its potential ramifications. Joon-ho expertly ratchets up the tension throughout the film, while still allowing time for moments of black comedy and moving character moments. This is a film that will stick with you long after the credits and plays even better on a second watch when you can really pay close attention to how Joon-ho meticulously choreographs all the film’s moving parts.

1. The Irishman
Martin Scorsese returns to the genre that he’s most known for with The Irishman, a 3-hour+ epic that feels like a commentary on all the cinematic blood and violence that preceded it. With an incredible cast including frequent collaborator Robert De Niro as hitman Frank Sheeran, Al Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa (!), and an understated performance by Joe Pesci as mob boss Russell Bufalino, The Irishman reunites the cinematic mob royalty for an engrossing saga unlike anything Scorsese has done before.

Unlike the way the mob is portrayed in Goodfellas or Casino, hitman Frank Sheeran’s work is dreary and lonely. Weaving in the history of the mob’s involvement in organized labour and politics throughout the decades, Scorsese seems to be lifting the veil of mystery and intrigue around men like Sheeran; the film demonstrates that the mob has existed in American life for decades, and the violent actions of its members have become interwoven into the very fabric of American society to the highest possible levels. Yet for all the bloodshed, what do people like Sheeran have to show for it? What sort of redemption is there for someone who’s lived a life like that? With The Irishman, Scorsese is wrestling with the very human, humdrum, and often lonely way most of us close out our days, regardless of how we lived them.

Honourable mentions: 

Pain and Glory
Avengers: Endgame
Long Shot
Hail Satan?
Booksmart
The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil
Knives and Skin
Daniel Isn’t Real
Ready or Not
Luce
The Farewell
Knives Out
Blood Quantum
The Lighthouse
Doctor Sleep
Apollo 11
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Queen & Slim
Ford v Ferrari
Wild Rose
The Souvenir
Atlantics
The Two Popes
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Wounds
Hustlers
Joker
Bliss
Nail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro
Ad Astra
The Deeper You Dig
Dolemite is My Name
The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open
Bacurau
The Twentieth Century