Col Needham’s Best Movies of 2019
I am the Founder and CEO of IMDb and here are my choices for the 10 best movies of 2019.
This is drawn from a longer list of all my 9/10 and 10/10 movies from 2019 (choosing just 10 is really difficult) and I also have a few hotly tipped 2019 movies left to see, notably Little Women (2019).
A companion list contains my Hidden Gem Movies of 2019.
If your IMDb vote history is up-to-date then you can see your own list via these search results.
This is drawn from a longer list of all my 9/10 and 10/10 movies from 2019 (choosing just 10 is really difficult) and I also have a few hotly tipped 2019 movies left to see, notably Little Women (2019).
A companion list contains my Hidden Gem Movies of 2019.
If your IMDb vote history is up-to-date then you can see your own list via these search results.
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- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsLeonardo DiCaprioBrad PittMargot RobbieA faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.#1 This is my favourite movie of 2019 and also replaces Pulp Fiction (1994) at #8 in my All-Time Top 10 Movies list such is my love for it. We saw it completely spoiler-free at its world premiere at The Cannes Film Festival in May (seated with Timothée Chalamet). It is dripping in 1960s nostalgia and I immediately built a playlist of all of the songs featured on the soundtrack via Amazon Music which ran on repeat for weeks. The cast, the writing and the (for me, literally) jaw-dropping final 35 minutes make this something special which only Quentin Tarantino could create. Watching it felt like I had time-travelled back to 1969.
I also took the IMDb team in Bristol to see it and then I have seen it one further time; each viewing reveals more. Best seen knowing a little history around the events of 8 August 1969, trust me, this will not spoil the film.
"Naturally, we never succeed, but it's the pursuit..that's meaningful." - DirectorTom HarperStarsFelicity JonesEddie RedmayneHimesh PatelA balloon pilot and a scientist find themselves in a fight for survival while attempting to make discoveries in a gas balloon in the 1860s.#2 Director Tom Harper follows-up my favourite movie of 2018, Wild Rose (2018), with an entirely different kind of story. This is a thrilling balloon adventure set in the 1860s and stars my favourite living actress, Felicity Jones, along with Eddie Redmayne. Inspired by true events, the action takes place almost in real-time and, on my first viewing, I learned the origin of the phrase "sitting on the edge of my seat" during a particularly tense scene. Amazing cinematography by George Steel combined with VFX from Louis Morin give the film an exceptional look; one of the four times I have now seen this was in IMAX and it is simply stunning in this format. Steven Price's atmospheric score adds to the tension. Great character dynamics between Felicity and Eddie too and another exceptional performance by Felicity, naturally.
I was fortunate to be able to do a set visit back in August 2018 to watch Felicity and Vincent Perez shoot a key scene.
I saw the movie at a special preview; at its Toronto Film Festival premiere; at the BFI London Film Festival European premiere; and then at a public IMAX screening in London. - DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansMark RuffaloAfter 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.#3 As Tony Stark says, "Everybody wants a happy ending. Right?" I always enjoyed the MCU movies, but I did not start out as a super-fan until all of the pieces of the (11-year) puzzle started to fit together and Black Panther (2018) made my Top 10 of 2018. The scene was set with Avengers: Infinity War (2018) for a tremendous pay-off in this one.
I saw it on opening day in the UK and then again two days later with the IMDb Seattle team, both screenings packed to the gills and with excellent audience ambience adding to the fun. - DirectorRian JohnsonStarsDaniel CraigChris EvansAna de ArmasA detective investigates the death of the patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.#4 I grew-up in the era of star-studded Agatha Christie adaptations and, outside of the Christie movies, an early VHS favourite of mine was The Last of Sheila (1973) which we recorded from TV in the 1980s. Director and writer Rian Johnson creates a clever and witty whodunnit in the same mould and I loved every second of it. A movie with a cast to die for!
Seen at the UK premiere as The American Express Gala at The BFI London Film Festival. - 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.#5 Céline Sciamma writes and directs with style in this fascinating story of deception. We also saw this at its world premiere at The Cannes Film Festival where it later won the best screenplay award. The small cast (it's mostly Noémie Merlant & Adèle Haenel) and remote locations make for a great period piece.
- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsHimesh PatelLily JamesSophia Di MartinoA struggling musician realizes he's the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles after waking up in an alternate reality where they never existed.#6 There is pure movie magic in play in this fantasy which has one of my favourite scenes of the year (look at the name of the boat in the background when Jack visits you-know-who or read the spoiler here).
I am longtime fan of both Richard Curtis' writing and Danny Boyle's directing so I was excited as soon as this was announced. Once again Lily James is a delight to watch and Himesh Patel is perfectly cast.
Seen in the UK during its opening weekend and then later with the IMDb Seattle team.
"You want a good life? It's not complicated. Tell the girl you love that you love her. And tell the truth to everyone whenever you can." - DirectorGurinder ChadhaStarsBilly BarrattRonak Singh Chadha BergesViveik KalraIn England in 1987, a teenager from an Asian family learns to live his life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of American rock star Bruce Springsteen.#7 This is a great nostalgia trip back to the 1980s UK through the lens of the music of Bruce Springsteen. Inspired by the true story of Sarfraz Manzoor with a screenplay co-written by Sarfraz with director, Gurinder Chadha, and her husband, Paul Mayeda Berges. The movie is both fun and inspiring with some serious themes addressed along the way.
We saw this at a raucous world premiere at The Sundance Film Festival in January and then again over the summer at a special screening with The BFI.
"Who's that? / The Boss / Whose boss? / The boss of us all." - 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.#8 Much has been written about the sheer technical brilliance achieved in how this was made to appear as one single long take, however, even leaving this aside, the movie is itself still brilliant. Krysty Wilson-Cairns has crafted an exceptional script along with director Sam Mendes. The cinematography by the legend Roger Deakins is already the stuff of legends (!!) and the music by Thomas Newman adds a sense of urgency. The amazing supporting cast is phenominal, but this is George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman's movie all the way.
We attended the world premiere in aid of The Film and Television Charity. - DirectorMike FlanaganStarsEwan McGregorRebecca FergusonKyliegh CurranYears following the events of The Shining (1980), a now-adult Dan Torrance must protect a young girl with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot, who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.#9 Stanley Kubrick is one of my favourite directors and The Shining (1980) is my favourite horror movie. I loved this follow-up and director Mike Flanagan just hit the tone perfectly in that it is both a fitting sequel and yet still its own movie. The casting of Rebecca Ferguson & Ewan McGregor helps and the iconic location (and recreation) are the icing on the cake.
I saw this at a public screening here in the UK. - DirectorDexter FletcherStarsTaron EgertonJamie BellRichard MaddenA musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Elton John's breakthrough years.#10 IMDb hosted an interview studio at The Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar viewing party back in February. We saw Elton John & Taron Egerton perform "Tiny Dancer" as a duet at the after-party and knew there was magic to come in this movie. We were not disappointed a couple of months later at the world premiere at The Cannes Film Festival.
Director Dexter Fletcher delivers an energetic film from Lee Hall's script along with beautifully staged songs from Elton's extensive repetoir. Another excellent cast and Bryce Dallas Howard is a stand-out as Elton's mother; look fast for the talented Ophelia Lovibond as Arabella.
At the after-party following the world premiere, Elton & Taron once again performed duets on almost the exact spot where the music video for "I'm Still Standing" had been shot some 36 years earlier. My Top 10 is themed with nostalgia this year.