2019 Ranked Films
The ranked list of 2019 films that I have seen so far.
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- DirectorTodd PhillipsStarsJoaquin PhoenixRobert De NiroZazie BeetzDuring the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.10/10
A masterclass technically, narratively, and headlining a spellbinding performance from Joaquin Phoenix, Joker is horrifying and darkly funny at the same time, wholly cinematic. - DirectorSam MendesStarsDean-Charles ChapmanGeorge MacKayDaniel MaysApril 6th, 1917. As an infantry battalion 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.10/10
Breathtaking cinematography and a profound sense of urgency giving it dramatic heft, 1917 is one of the most harrowing war stories ever told, a major triumph for Sam Mendes. - DirectorNoah BaumbachStarsAdam DriverScarlett JohanssonJulia GreerNoah Baumbach's incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together.10/10
Perhaps Noah Baumbach's strongest writing-directing effort to date, Marriage Story is a poignant and passionate familial dissolution narrative that gets two powerhouse performances out of Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. - DirectorBong Joon HoStarsSong Kang-hoLee Sun-kyunCho Yeo-jeongGreed and class discrimination threaten the newly-formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.10/10
Hysterically biting in its themes of class disparateness, Parasite is a madcap, striking riot that finds Bong Joon-ho ratcheting up tension with aplomb. - DirectorSebastián LelioStarsJulianne MooreJohn TurturroCaren PistoriusA free-spirited woman in her 50s seeks out love at L.A. dance clubs.10/10
Led by an enchanting Julianne Moore performance, Gloria Bell is a layered, dreamlike, visual masterpiece courtesy of Sebastián Lelio. - DirectorRobert EggersStarsRobert PattinsonWillem DafoeValeriia KaramanTwo lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.10/10
Starkly surreal and with striking cinematography, The Lighthouse finds writer-director Robert Eggers traversing some psychologically unnerving territory with an added mix of old-timey panache. - DirectorCéline SciammaStarsNoémie MerlantAdèle HaenelLuàna BajramiOn an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.10/10
All the pathos being conveyed through the subtleties and nuances of its lead performers, Portrait of a Lady on Fire says more in silence than most films can say in a thousand words. - DirectorMarielle HellerStarsMatthew RhysTom HanksChris CooperBased on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Lloyd Vogel.10/10
Headlined by an endearingly earnest performance from Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood finds a never-better Marielle Heller navigating some heavy yet relatable themes with aplomb. - DirectorLulu WangStarsShuzhen ZhaoAwkwafinaX MayoA Chinese family discovers their grandmother has only a short while left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding to gather before she dies.10/10
Balancing themes of family and tradition in an honest light, The Farewell is a relatable dramedy with grounded performances and a fluid screenplay from Lulu Wang. - DirectorRian JohnsonStarsDaniel CraigChris EvansAna de ArmasA detective investigates the death of the patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.10/10
Powered by a dynamite screenplay from Rian Johnson and a sharp cast, Knives Out subverts and redefines the murder-mystery subgenre as we know it. - DirectorTyler NilsonMichael SchwartzStarsZack GottsagenAnn PierceDakota JohnsonZak, a man with down syndrome, runs away from a residential nursing home to pursue his dream of becoming a wrestler. Later, he meets with an outlaw who becomes his friend and coach.10/10
In what is perhaps the feel-good movie of the year, The Peanut Butter Falcon has an admirable sense of adventure as it crafts a wholly endearing and unconventional friendship. - DirectorDerek TsangStarsDongyu ZhouJackson YeeFang YinWhile she copes the the pressures of her final examinations, a bullied teenage girl forms an unlikely friendship with a mysterious young man who protects her from her assailants.10/10
A modern-day tragedy, to be sure, Better Days deftly details the stark realities of bullying and societal pressures upon youth. - DirectorEricson CoreStarsWillem DafoeJulianne NicholsonChristopher HeyerdahlThe story of Togo, the sled dog who led the 1925 serum run despite being considered too small and weak to lead such an intense race.10/10
Inspiring and riveting in equal measure, Togo will go for the familiar heartstrings but play them beautifully at every turn. - DirectorOlivia WildeStarsKaitlyn DeverBeanie FeldsteinJessica WilliamsOn the eve of their high-school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.10/10
Bold comedic chemistry between stars Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein and a wild yet mature narrative all boils down to Booksmart being an auspicious directorial debut for Olivia Wilde. - DirectorAlma Har'elStarsShia LaBeoufLucas HedgesNoah JupeA young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.10/10
Humbly rendered and inhabited by writer and star Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy is a poignant and affecting retrospective on a father-son dynamic. - DirectorJames MangoldStarsMatt DamonChristian BaleJon BernthalAmerican 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 1966.10/10
A well-oiled machine of a biographical racing drama, Ford v Ferrari finds director James Mangold utilizing every tool in his proverbial belt to find itself in the winner's circle. - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroAl PacinoJoe PesciAn illustration of Frank Sheeran's life, from W.W.II veteran to hit-man for the Bufalino crime family and his alleged assassination of his close friend Jimmy Hoffa.9/10
One of Martin Scorsese's more quietly intense crime epics, The Irishman confronts a hefty narrative with the right cadences and a staunch leading cast. - DirectorStephen MerchantStarsDwayne JohnsonLena HeadeyVince VaughnA former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.9/10
A rousing sports drama in its own right, the backbone of Fighting with My Family resides in strong character work and a genuine passion for its subject. - DirectorGalder Gaztelu-UrrutiaStarsIvan MassaguéZorion EguileorAntonia San JuanA vertical prison with one cell per level. Two people per cell. Only one food platform and two minutes per day to feed. An endless nightmare trapped in The Hole.9/10
Meticulously crafted in its themes of socioeconomic disparity, The Platform is a bleak and visceral sci-fi/thriller that leaves plenty of food for thought. - DirectorJulius OnahStarsNaomi WattsOctavia SpencerKelvin Harrison Jr.A married couple is forced to reckon with their idealized image of their son, adopted from war-torn Eritrea, after an alarming discovery by a devoted high school teacher threatens his status as an all-star student.9/10
Neatly written and rounded out by a bevy of talented thespians, Luce is thoroughly unpredictable and gets by on some highly hearty intellectualism. - DirectorDexter FletcherStarsTaron EgertonJamie BellRichard MaddenA musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Elton John's breakthrough years.9/10
It follows familiar biopic beats, but a soulful performance from Taron Egerton and plenty of reverence for its subject help Rocketman lift off regardless. - DirectorJosh CooleyStarsTom HanksTim AllenAnnie PottsWhen 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.9/10
Arguably the series needed not a new installment, yet Toy Story 4 continues Pixar's knack for stunning animation and affecting themes on identity and purpose. - DirectorRiley StearnsStarsJesse EisenbergAlessandro NivolaImogen PootsAfter being attacked on the street, a young man enlists at a local dojo, led by a charismatic and mysterious sensei, in an effort to learn how to defend himself from future threats.9/10
Its brand of dark humor will come off a bit tepid for some, but The Art of Self-Defense is too confident to pass up, to say nothing of a commanding supporting turn from Alessandro Nivola. - DirectorGreta GerwigStarsSaoirse RonanEmma WatsonFlorence PughJo 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 her own terms.9/10
Little Women is an oft-told tale, though thanks to the efforts of a sharp Greta Gerwig and a personable cast, this adaptation does a tremendous job at making a classic feel contemporary. - DirectorSergio PablosCarlos Martínez LópezStarsJason SchwartzmanJ.K. SimmonsRashida JonesA simple act of kindness always sparks another, even in a frozen, faraway place. When Smeerensburg's new postman, Jesper, befriends toymaker Klaus, their gifts melt an age-old feud and deliver a sleigh full of holiday traditions.9/10
Structurally familiar but endlessly enchanting, Klaus is a vividly spirited reconstruction of the Christmas mythology.