2019 Year in Review

When I began writing this post, I had seen exactly zero of the nine best picture nominees. Now, that may say something about the nominees or something about me. In either case, I usually have some interest in at least one or two of the nominees, but this year, I just didn’t have a ton of interest or time. I cannot wait until I finish this MBA degree and have all my time back to me!  I’m tired of homework getting in the way of my movies! Ha!

In any case - I unashamedly love the summer tent-pole popcorn-flick blockbusters. Based-on-a-true-story character-driven acting-powerhouse independent-style quiet award-movies are not my cup of tea. I can absolutely acknowledge the brilliance in the craft, the superb performances, and fantastic direction, but I just have little to no interest in watching them. I would rather watch movies that are super fun, non-committal, and a bit of an escape from some of the real life drama and drudgery. That being said, there are some beautifully crafted movies nominated this year.  Here are the top 17 movies the academy thinks you should see.  Why 17?  Because those are all the movies that got more than 1 nomination – Plus one bonus with one nomination – because I actually saw it. Italics blurbs are from IMDB.com, because you needed the taglines on some of these. Trailers are off Youtube, and ScreenJunkies provided the Honest Trailers. 

*Update – I have now seen three of the best picture nominees – it took me a while to write this one!

18. Hair Love (1 nomination): This is former NFL player Matthew A. Cherry’s story about a father doing his daughter’s hair. Now, that may sound simple, but as with all excellent animated shorts, it tells the story with very few words and movingly beautiful animation. Cherry has been awesome for a long time and it is wonderful to see more people start to realize that and get on board with his craft.

17. Toy Story 4 (2 nominations): When a new toy called "Forky" joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy.  Are we already on the 4^th of these? I definitely missed a couple.  Pixar makes quality animated movies and this is no exception. Chances are if you liked the first three, you’ll like this one. Entertaining with the added bonus of Keanu Reeves as Canadian Stunt Toy Duke Kaboom – this is the first of several mentions of Keanu in this post. 2019 was definitely a Keanussance of sorts and hey, the third Bill and Ted movie is out later this year.

16. Pain and Glory (2 nominations): A film director reflects on the choices he's made as past and present come crashing down around him. This movie is directed by Pedro Almodovar, who has worked with Antonio Banderas quite a few times over the years. Here, Banderas plays a version of Almodovar as he flashes through some of the moments in his life. It’s supposed to be beautiful and touching.  

15. Judy (2 nominations): Legendary performer Judy Garland (Renée Zellweger) arrives in London in the winter of 1968 to perform a series of sold-out concerts. The academy loves a bio-pic, and Zellweger has been cleaning up this season.  She’s your safe bet for best actress this year.  The movie follows Judy Garland in the last year of her life when she relocated to England for a few shows. Here’s a bit of business for you to impress people at your Oscar party – Judy’s birth name was Frances Ethel Gumm.

14. Honeyland (2 nominations): The last female bee-hunter in Europe must save the bees and return the natural balance in Honeyland, when a family of nomadic beekeepers invade her land and threaten her livelihood.  This is a movie directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov.  The lead beekeeper begins in the remote mountains of North Macedonia and deals with her interactions with the new arrivals next door.  It covers climate change, biodiversity loss, consumerism, and the exploitation of natural resources. Fun fact - It was originally planned as a documentary short about preserving the land around the river Bregalnica. Well, maybe not a fun fact, but a fact.

13. Harriet (2 nominations): The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.  This story is incredible and deserved to be a giant movie and the biopic has been in the works for years. I love Cynthia Erivo, and am happy that she will probably EGOT (not this year), but were there not any American actresses that could play this incredible American action hero?  Keep in mind it is a movie, not a documentary, so the story is not completely accurate, but still, a good movie.  Reminder, if you haven’t see the episode of Drunk History where Octavia Spencer plays Harriet, watch that, it’s pretty epic.

12. The Two Popes (3 nominations): Behind Vatican walls, the conservative Pope Benedict and the liberal future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church.  I remember it being mentioned many times how much Pope Francis looked like Jonathan Pryce when he first got the job, not really a surprise he’s playing him here.  This movie is a lot of sitting and talking, as a heads up. Not sure if you were expecting the two popes to go on a treasure hunt together.  Now, that’s a movie I would watch. 

11. Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (3 nominations): The surviving members of the resistance face the First Order once again, and the legendary conflict between the Jedi and the Sith reaches its peak bringing the Skywalker saga to its end. So here’s the first one on the list that I have seen. I loved this movie, I thought it was a good conclusion to the new trilogy and had some really wonderful moments. It had some iffy moments too, but on the whole, pretty fantastic.

10. Bombshell (3 nominations): A group of women take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network. I was confused by the marketing of this movie – it almost made it look like a comedy. Which it is not.  I just finished watching it and it was really good. It’s a rough topic, but the movie manages to really clarify why it was so difficult for these women to come out with their stories, what it means for them, and how it can affect others. The performances are all great, and yes, this team is walking away with the Hair and Makeup Oscar with little to no competition. 

9. Ford v Ferrari (4 nominations): American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference and the laws of physics to build a revolutionary race car for Ford in order to defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. This movie covers a situation where the Ford company built a new racing car with the potential to beat the top of the line Ferrari racing car.  No part of that sounds interesting to me, but the production on this is supposed to be great.

8. Parasite (6 nominations): All unemployed, Ki-taek and his family take peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks, as they ingratiate themselves into their lives and get entangled in an unexpected incident.  Creepy and weird, an amazing statement on the desperation of classism. It is expertly written, brilliantly directed, and excellently performed.  Definitely should win best picture, but probably won’t – will definitely win best International picture. Haunting. Haunting is the word. It sticks with you for a while after watching it.

7. Marriage Story (6 nominations): Noah Baumbach's incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together.  I made it through almost all of this movie. Now, whether you think Baumbach drew from the dissolution of his own marriage to Jennifer Jason Leigh or not, the movie does depict a divorce between a working actress and stage director as they try to make it work between New York and L.A. And perhaps because its tangentially about ‘the business’ is one of the reasons it is getting so much award season love (the academy loves to honor itself and those that love it). It’s well-acted, feels very theater-y for lack of a better term, and is very depressing – especially once the lawyers get involved. Honestly, the best part of this movie is the memes that have come from Adam Driver's performance mashed up with The Child from the Mandalorian.

6. Little Women (6 nominations): Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters - four young women each determined to live life on their own terms.  Louisa May Alcott’s novel was first published in 1868 - a coming of age story about the four March sisters in Cival War times.  There have been countless adaptations: a silent film in 1917, three TV movies in the 40s, mini-series, and radio dramatizations. There are also musicals and plays.  There were three movie versions in the last two years. I suppose when the source material is good – why not make it over and over again. This version directed by Greta Gerwig leans into the money and economic independence subplots heavier than others – giving it a relatable touch for modern audiences.

5. Jojo Rabbit (6 nominations): A young boy in Hitler's army finds out his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home. Taika Waititi’s absurd anti-hate movie that is the most unique movie of the year. The movie is drawing some ire for ‘softening’ Nazis – but I think we can still all agree that Nazis were and are scum-of-the-earth evil, and should be eradicated.

4. The Irishman (10 nominations): A mob hitman recalls his friend Jimmy Hoffa. I haven’t watched this because it is three and a half hours long and I typically do not like Scorsese’s movies.  If you do, this is supposed to be one of his best as DeNiro plays DeNiro through several decades recalling his interactions with Pacino (Hofffa). 

3. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (10 nominations): A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles. Quentin Tarantino finds a new way to put feet on the screen.  This would be another one where if you like Tarantino movies, you will probably like this. Featuring what is supposed to be excellent performances from DiCaprio, Pitt, and Margot Robbie.  Pitt is going to win for best supporting actor. It’s a love letter to old Hollywood, which the academy loves, so I am actually a little surprised it’s not projected to win more.

2. 1917 (10 nominations): April 6th, 1917. As a regiment assembles to wage war deep in enemy territory, two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message that will stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap. Sam Mendes directed this movie to look like a complete single shot as a man struggles to warn another group of soldiers. That’s technically very impressive and is supposed to be one of the most immersive movies ever. So, if you want to be immersed in World War I, here’s your film.

1. Joker (11 nominations): In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker. Seriously, this got the most nominations? Whatever. I’m of the opinion this is in general an unnecessary movie, but mainly because I believe the Joker should only exist as the chaos flip-side to Batman’s order side of the coin. He’s just the Joker, and giving him a backstory or character development humanizes him. I prefer psychopathic clown murderers not get humanized, but hey, whatever. As much as Ledger was great with the character, Mark Hamill is my preferred Joker – from the show, but mainly the Arkham games. The absolute glee he takes in being pure and uncalculated chaos is perfection.

So there you have it, I’m now up to 5 of these 18, but that is counting the one short as a full watch. Hey – it counts!  By way of comparison – or, in case your movie tastes are more similar to mine, or in case you are just curious what I enjoyed this year – here’s my top 15.  There are 2 that crossover, but it should have been at least four, and perhaps 6 if visual effects and special effects were separated to two categories.

15. Last Christmas: Kate is a young woman subscribed to bad decisions. Working as an elf in a year round Christmas store is not good for the wannabe singer. However, she meets Tom there. Her life takes a new turn. For Kate, it seems too good to be true. I know, I know, this was trite and superficial and just another rom-com. I can’t help it – I really liked it. I think it was charming and redemptive. I like the twist, which I spotted just moments before it was revealed. I also loved all the George Michael music, which was lovely. Plus, Henry Golding doing a full out Bond impression. Someone let that dude play Bond already.

14. Stuber:  A detective recruits his Uber driver into an unexpected night of adventure. This movie felt like a throwback to dumb 80s buddy cop flicks. Dave Bautista and pre-jacked Kumail Nanjiani play the leads. The story is simple, the action good, and the chemistry between the two of them fun. What more do you want? No, wait, don’t answer that.

13. How To Train Your Dragon The Hidden World: When Hiccup discovers Toothless isn't the only Night Fury, he must seek "The Hidden World", a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel finds it first. I like this one so much better than the second one but still not as much as the first.  The Vikings are still Scottish for some reason, but the animation is so incredibly lovely. Seeing it in 3D really helped with the flying sequences. The reveal of additional Night Furies and a true place for Toothless to belong was just beautiful.

12. Shazam!: A newly fostered young boy in search of his mother instead finds unexpected super powers and soon gains a powerful enemy. Entertaining and fun nearly all the way through. Zach Levi was born to play a kid in an adult’s body.  The theme of family being who you choose and who loves to choose you rather than necessarily the blood you are born with was wonderful. Can’t wait for the sequel.

11. Hobbs & Shaw: Lawman Luke Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) and outcast Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) form an unlikely alliance when a cyber-genetically enhanced villain threatens the future of humanity. This is just pure over the top nonsense and would have cracked the top ten if they could have gotten the editing under control. If there’s one thing I learned from Wesley Snipes (there are several, in fact), it’s that you always should shoot your hand to hand combat sequences in a one-shot from a distance so that the audience can see and appreciate the fight choreography. This movie has two action-capable leads and about a thousand cuts per fight. Aside from that, it is really big time summer blockbuster nonsense fun. There was rumored Keanu in this one, but it didn’t develop – maybe in the sequel.

10. Hustlers: Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.  Listen, I’m not that big a JLo fan, but how she did not get nominated for this is a little puzzling. She does an incredible job playing the mother-hen stripper who teaches the up and comers how to get what they want. They’re so caught up in how successful they are that they don’t even notice when they start to cross the line and consequences begin to catch up.

9. John Wick Chapter 3 Parabellum: John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassins' guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head, he is the target of hit men and women everywhere. There are less cuts in the fight sequences here as Keanu bulldozes his way through hit-people here and abroad. Halle Berry and her two dogs were incredible and so was the fantastic Mark Dacascos who is literally all of us when interacting with Keanu.

8. Godzilla King of the Monsters: The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. Loved the monsters in this but could have used less of the people. The idea of releasing all the slumbering kaiju in an attempt to re-balance the environment is an interesting idea. Godzilla looks amazing – especially after leveling up, Mothra was stunning, even Ghidorah’s alien self was impressive. I can’t wait to see Godzilla take on Kong – still team Godzilla on that one.

7. Spider-Man Far From Home: Following the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.  Whichever MCU movie followed Endgame was going to be tough but this one was able to do it with an accurate sense of the trauma from that movie and a sense of fun that is appropriate for Spider-Man and his first trip to Europe. Also, really great portrayal of Mysterio, which was a surprise to me!

6. Always Be My Maybe: Everyone assumed Sasha and Marcus would wind up together except for Sasha and Marcus. Reconnecting after 15 years, the two start to wonder - maybe? This was an exceptional rom-com that showed up on Netflix last year and began the Keanussance of the year. He shows up as a new boyfriend for Sasha just as Marcus wanted to tell her how he felt. Keanu steals the movie, but the very best part is Randall Park’s song over the end credits about punching Keanu.

5. Dolemite is My Name: Eddie Murphy portrays real-life legend Rudy Ray Moore, a comedy and rap pioneer who proved naysayers wrong when his hilarious, obscene, kung-fu fighting alter ego, Dolemite, became a 1970s Blaxploitation phenomenon. Another Netflix entry, this biopic traces Rudy Ray Moore as his takes Dolemite to the big screen. I loved this movie so much! It’s a tribute to believing in yourself and a love letter to movies that are made for and by the fans. It’s hilarious, touching, and genuinely funny. Be sure to check it out, mostly for Wesley Snipes’ over the top performance.

4. Knives Out: A detective investigates the death of a patriarch of an eccentric, combative family. I knew this would be good and it still didn’t disappoint. Once the old man dies, the family stumbles over one another to prove they didn’t do it, but they all look guilty. It’s a classic who-done-it that never takes itself too seriously. I wish Patrick Wilson had played the Daniel Craig role, but hey, you get what you get.

3. Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. I had been waiting on this one a long time and again – did not disappoint. Carol Danvers can be a tough character, as she is not particularly likeable. Brie Larson did a good job in making her confident, qualified, and no-nonsense. The final ‘fight’ sequence with Jude Law’s character and the acknowledgement of ‘I have nothing to prove to you’ was epic. Plus, Goose the flerken was fantastic, and Samuel L. Jackson getting to cut a little loose as a younger, pre-Avengers Nick Fury was great.

2. Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker:  I’m saying the same thing here, but I really appreciated this as the end of the saga. It managed to take the new characters, incorporate the old characters, and wrap everything up tightly. Read my post on it if you want more detailed thoughts. Most of it made me really happy.  Love the new characters, love the ends for old characters, and appreciate that Rey was able to write her own destiny and choose her own family, despite the efforts of everyone around her attempting to tell her who and what she was meant to be.

1. Avengers: Endgame: After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe. What is there to say about this one? It’s the culmination of 10 years of movies that managed to tie everything together and provide perfect endings for the characters that needed them while simultaneously creating launch points for others. I can’t wait for the next phase of MCU flicks, but this one will never be topped. Avengers, Assemble.

And, because it’s always more fun, here’s my worst of the year – honestly, not too bad this year. Nothing I straight-up hated, which means I was either better about going to the movies and seeing only things I was interested in, or that movies in general were better! Either explanation is fine with me!

5. The Hustle: Two con women - one low rent and the other high class - team up to take down the men who have wronged them. I remember not really liking Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, so it would make sense that I wasn’t all that fond of this remake. Anne Hathaway is not one of my favorites and while I enjoy Rebel Wilson, she wasn’t at her best in this. Also the tag line is misleading, there’s not really any revenge at play, there’s just con-artisting.

4. Men in Black International: The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization. This wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t great. I think that’s the issue, it could have been better.  The original was so interesting, different, and filled with practical effects.  This one is CGI heavy and not as well put together. Had some good moments, but a little uneven.

3. Us: A family’s serene beach vacation turns to chaos when their doppelgangers appear and begin to terrorize them. Now, maybe this shouldn’t be on the worst list and Lupita definitely needed an Oscar nomination for her dual portray of both versions of the same character. When I saw it, it was fine. Then, the more I thought about it, the more holes and questions appeared. It starts to fall apart the more you think about it, which is not typically an issue I have with a movie – but this one felt like it was trying to make a statement. Maybe it was a commentary on classism, materialism, wealth, separations, duality? In any case, the message was not clear and there were way too many rabbits being eaten alive. That gets you on my worst list.

2. Terminator Dark Fate: An augmented human and Sarah Connor must stop an advanced liquid Terminator, from hunting down a young girl, whose fate is critical to the human race. Well, they tried. And parts of this are great! Okay, Linda Hamilton is great! The rest is a little sloppy.  I enjoyed the new characters, but maybe they would have been better off just creating a new sci-fi action flick instead of trying to tie another Terminator movie into the series.

1. X-Men Dark Phoenix: Jean Grey begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix, causing the X-Men to decide if her life is worth more than all of humanity. And here we are, down to my least favorite movie of last year. It’s really not their fault – it’s mostly my fault. I love the 90s cartoon so much and their take on the Phoenix saga was so good, there was no way this could live up to it, and I knew that going in. It just feels like so many of the actors in this did not want to be there. Jennifer Lawrence looked genuinely excited to be getting killed off early. It slogs through flashbacks, poor action sequences, iffy dialogue, disinterested performances, and a random Dazzler cameo.  Maybe just let the X-Men chill for a bit until the MCU is ready to incorporate them?

There you have it – my exhaustive take on 2019. More than you wanted to know! Good luck in your Oscar pools, and let me know what you thought of the year in movies!