Top 25 Movies of 2019: 11-25

2019 turned out to be one of the best movie years since I started writing (mediocre) film critique many moons ago. In fact, I’d wager in that in seven years of Mad About Movies, this is probably the best set of films we’ve had the privilege of covering. I confess, I couldn’t have seen that coming when I watched blockbuster after blockbuster fall in the fake of Avengers Endgame and fail to reach anything resembling the magic I associate with big tentpole movies. Lo and behold, though, somewhere toward the end of July, 2019 found itself and the remainder of the year was outstanding. Making a top ten list is difficult even in bad years but a great year like this? Well, this is the kind of traumatic event they don’t warn you about in Part Time Movie Podcasting and Writing School. My co-hosts and I recorded our annual year-end wrap-up episode this weekend (releasing tomorrow) but as a precursor for the ten films I put on my final list, here are my picks for the rest of the best of 2019.

25. Doctor Sleep
In what was a sea of unnecessary and/or unwanted sequels this year, I couldn’t have guessed that Doctor Sleep, a sequel to The Shining, would be one of the few that broke through the malaise. Ewan McGregor is reliably excellent and the surrounding cast, including Rebecca Ferguson in a very slick-but-creepy role and newcomer Kyleigh Curran, add great depth to the events. It is the expansion on the world set out in The Shining, however, where the movie really excels.

24. Rocketman
The trailers for Rocketman made it look like the Across the Universe-Bohemian Rhapsody hybrid I very much did not want in light of the latter’s mindboggling success with both audiences and critics (not to mention Oscar voters) alike. While that recipe was, in fact, a good summation of the film, the stylized elements, headed by director Dexter Fletcher, worked far better here than it did in Across the Universe and Taron Egerton’s excellence put Rami Malek’s work as Freddie Mercury to shame. A couple of weak numbers here and there (particularly the opening 15 minutes) hampered the returns a bit for me but overall, this was a smashing success.

23. Us
The difficulty Jordan Peele faced in following up 2017’s Get Out cannot be overstated but Us is no sophomore slump. This had one of the most effectively terrifying trailers I can remember; so terrifying, in fact, that I refused to see the movie in a theater. When I caught up via streaming, however, I found the film to be less scary than anticipated but, in true Peele fashion, much more socially and culturally relevant. Even still, it’s Lupita Nyong’o’s unbelievably great work in a dual role that carries the movie to its highest heights.

22. Togo
I do not care for Willem Dafoe or dogs dying in movies (or in real life, to be clear) but apparently the combination of the two works for me. Togo tells a compelling story in a concise but sophisticated way, sets the record straight regarding a great injustice in Dog History, and, most importantly, puts a very good doggo on full display for all the world to see and compliment said doggo for what a good job he did. In related news, Balto is cancelled.

21. Abominable
Sasquatch/yeti/bigfoot content is very big in kid’s movies these days, but this is an Abominable household. Written and directed by Jill Culton (with a co-director credit for Todd Wilderman), this is a sweet, heartfelt movie with slightly different animation from the norm and great creature design on Everest (the yeti, duh). It’s a beautiful film and the scene in which our heroine rediscovers and plays the violin her father left behind is one of my favorites of the year.

20. Uncut Gems
I’m lower on this than my co-hosts and many of its bigger supporters but it’s still a very good and incredibly intense movie that explores several lesser-known worlds (the jewelry trade, sports betting) within a well-known one (Manhattan). Uncut doesn’t entirely land for me but Adam Sandler is genuinely terrific in what should have been an Oscar-nominated performance.

19. Spider-Man Far from Home
A smidge lesser than its predecessor (Homecoming) and perhaps suffering a bit from Post Endgame Syndrome, Far from Home is, nevertheless, a very good superhero movie featuring our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man doing fun things. I hope that non-Avengers Spider-Man films are allowed to be a little smaller in scale as Homecoming was a great respite from “End of the World Fatigue” but even on a larger scale, Tom Holland is great in both parts of his role and this movie serves as a strong stepping stone to the next phase of the MCU.

18. Honey Boy
Perhaps the second-toughest watch on my list (see the next entry), Honey Boy is nonetheless a well-crafted film that deserved a spot here despite the fact that I will likely never see it again. A semi-autobiographical film written by Shia LaBeouf about his life as a child actor starring himself as his drunk, abusive father, it’s hard to describe how difficult some segments of this film were to sit through. And yet, the combination of Alma Har’el’s direction and LaBeouf’s intense on-screen dynamic with newcomer Noah Jupe gives a sense of hope to the movie and you leave in a better place than you began, against all odds.

17. Marriage Story
Hoo boy. As difficult as Honey Boy is to get through, it pales in comparison to Marriage Story. Its opening scene is an absolute gut punch and Noah Baumbach’s writing and direction never lets up from there. The performances, highlighted by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, are some of the best of the year and the delivery by both of them in the more difficult scenes adds to the weight of the film and the devastation that each scene leaves in its wake. It’s magnificent as a film and I will never, ever watch it again.

16. John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Perhaps strangely, given my love for and loyalty to the Fast and Furious series, I haven’t always been fully on board with the John Wick movies films. This one, though, hit the mark and re-cast the entire series in my mind. Parabellum adds intrigue to this universe by expanding upon the world in which it takes place (which is very stupid; that should not work in a movie about an assassin who goes on a rampage because someone kills his dog) without losing the ingredient that makes the movies work in the first place: Keanu Reeves doing extreme Keanu Reeves things. So, so stupid, and yet so, so fun.

15. Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker
I feel like I am in the vast minority in that I have liked/loved/enjoyed all of the Disney Star Wars movies and do not carry great angst toward any of them. Wait, no, stop, please stop hitting me with stones! I have qualms both big and small with Rise of Skywalker (which mostly relate to how it does and does not cooperate with Last Jedi) but for me, none of them overshadow the better elements of the movie. Daisy Ridley’s superstardom are on full display here and there are many, MANY scenes that stand out as triumphs. We used to live in a world in which the prequels were the last Star Wars movies and we did not know who Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, and John Boyega and now we do not live in that world and we are better for it. Also, on a personal note, any movie the rights the wrong inflicted upon Chewbacca by denying him a medal of bravery 42 years ago is a good one in my book.

14. The Peanut Butter Falcon
The second movie in this year’s Shiaissance to make my list, Peanut Butter Falcon is much more pleasant and easier to watch. Also, this might be controversial (controversial amongst the eight total people who saw both of these movies), but I think this was the better of his two very good performances on the year. I’m a sucker for the mentor-mentee/father figure/buddy-buddy trope but LaBeouf is exquisite as the mentor (of sorts) to Zack Gottsagen’s breakout performance as the mentee. I particularly love how gracefully the movie handles Gottsagen’s disability and uses him not as a plot device but as an actual character (shocking, I know). Peanut Butter Falcon is a misstep in the final five minutes from a top-ten film and one that I’ll watch many times over.

13. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I love this series. While the first film came out before I had a child, this trilogy has become one of my kid’s favorites and I’m here for it pretty much anytime he wants to journey to the Island of Berk to hang out with Hiccup and Toothless. Hidden World was one of the more satisfying conclusions to a beloved series in recent memory and absolutely wrecked me in its final moments.

12. Just Mercy
I’m a bit biased here in that I’m well aware of the work that Bryan Stevenson (the man who Michael B. Jordan plays in the film) and his non-profit, the Equal Justice Initiative, take on each day but regardless, I found Just Mercy to be an outstanding film. Jordan is so perfect in this role and embodies all of the emotions that every viewer of this film ought to have. Jamie Foxx delivers one of his best performances as well in a sobering, subdued portrayal. Maybe the best thing about the movie, though, is writer-director Destin Daniel Cretton’s ability to illustrate the macro awfulness of our justice system in a micro setting. Just Mercy doesn’t let the audience off the hook easily and the camera lingers in spots where you might instead see a cut but Cretton makes his moves with subtlety and invites the audience to be outraged not just by an event that did happen but by something that is still happening, over and over, on a daily basis.

11. 1917
I feel a bit weird leaving this film outside my top ten as it is a masterpiece of filmmaking and one of the most memorable theater experiences I have ever had. It was just an incredible year for film, and I do wonder if in five years I will still appreciate this movie as a film and not just as an experience. Regardless, the quality of 1917 is unassailable and Roger Deakins’ cinematography will be used in film class for decades to come. George McKay and Dean-Charles Chapman do yeoman’s work in extremely important but thankless roles and it is their humanity, bad decisions and all, that keeps the movie grounded in reality even beyond the jaw-dropping camera work.

Top Ten of the Decade Part XIII

2020 brings with it the conclusion of the previous decade and the beginning of a new one. In celebration of this transition, I asked our contributors to put together lists of their respective top ten films from the previous decade (2009-2019). I left the definition of “top” to each individual in order to create more diversity in the lists; some of our writers used the term “best”, some used the term “favorite”, and some (like me) attempted to blend the two. We’ll be publishing these lists over the next two weeks and at the end of it all, Kent, Richard, and I will be releasing our own lists in podcast form. Enjoy today’s entry by Josiah Knor and make sure you check out all of the lists over the coming days. -BG

Movies really are the love of my life. Whether it’s the epic 2001: A Space Odyssey, the jazzy Manhattan, or even the weirdly violent The Thing, I couldn’t imagine going even a single day without them. That being said, each of those films all came out well before I was born and, although they have played a significant role in my life, the movies of the 2010’s have played a role in my upbringing that those of the past could never achieve. Here is my list of my favorite movies that I’ve grown up with over the course of the last decade. 

10. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy is far and away my favorite Marvel movie as it compiles everything I love about great blockbusters perfectly. The characters are hilarious, the setting is fun, and the soundtrack is as good as it gets. Chris Pratt and Bradley Cooper have great chemistry and most of the jokes land perfectly, all of which lend to this movie being one of the funniest of the decade. The humor isn’t the only stand-out portion of the film, however; there are also some remarkable action sequences that help to make the movie not only a good laugh but a good time as well.

9. The Descendants (2011)
It should be known that I am a MASSIVE George Clooney fan. He just has a charisma that emanates off the screen in a way that is unparalleled by any other actor, past or present, and it can almost carry a movie completely on its own. Thankfully, in The Descendants, it doesn’t have to. With stellar performances from the cast and a nice Hawaiian soundtrack to compliment it, this dramedy has enough humor and emotion in it to balance out “family affair” story.

8. The Martian (2015)
Ridley Scott has always been hit-or-miss for me but when he got up to bat for this one, he knocked it out of the park. Scott finds a way to encompass everything you could want in any sci-fi blockbuster into just Matt Damon, a camera, and space potatoes. Damon is utilized perfectly and always provides just the right amount of humor to take a slight load of the stress (that constantly builds throughout the film) off your shoulders. You love how hard he works to keep himself alive, you really want to see him rescued, and, in the end…well, I won’t spoil it.

7. Whiplash (2014)
When I think “jazz”, I think of soothing feelings, freedom, and relaxation, none of which are represented in this insanely intense film about jazz drumming. From the moment this movie puts its foot on the gas it only seems to keep pressing the pedal harder and harder until you finally feel like you can’t take anymore. This level of intensity that director Damien Chazelle puts on the audience can also be paralleled in the way the main character is rigorously and violently trained by his aggressive teacher, played masterfully by JK Simmons, until he, just like the viewer, inevitably snaps.

6. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Although its portrayals of some mental illnesses are questionable, I can’t help but love this awkward mess of a rom-com-dram (which is a new word I just now made up and quite enjoy). Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert DeNiro headline the movie’s fantastic. Each of them bring their own manic but lovable characters to life in a collection of whirling scenarios that include bipolar disorder, trying to “fix” a restraining order, and, of course, football. Overall, it’s a fun and emotional romantic movie that even makes me tear up a bit in the end. 

5. La La Land (2016)
At first I had this movie a bit lower on the list but as I thought about it, I started to remember a few songs, then visualized the various scenes that occurred during said songs, and eventually I even started to full-on sing some of them while I brushed my teeth. It made me remember how much charm this movie emits and even though it’s bittersweet at points, it still seems like love is present the entire time. It’s a magical movie with magical songs and magical colors, all of which help to make it my favorite musical of the decade and potentially all-time. 

4. Django Unchained (2012)
Django is an action-packed unbridled take on the spaghetti western with what I believe to be career best performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx. The chemistry between the actors is off the charts and helps to make the audience engage with the story and characters in a weird way that only a master like QT could pull off. (It was also the first movie that the MAM boys ever reviewed so that’s an added plus.) 

3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
OUATIH takes my usual enjoyment of Quentin’s “exotic” characters to a whole new level. If this list had instead been my favorite characters of the decade, Cliff Booth, one of the most relaxed and naturally cool characters I’ve seen on screen in a long time, would be right at the top. In addition to its strong characters, it also has some of the greatest scenes of the decade. When Leo pulled out the flamethrower, my theater erupted in a way I have never seen before (and don’t expect to see again). Couple moments like this with a compelling story, characters you love, and a bit of Tarantino weirdness and you get a great film.

2. The Social Network (2010)
At this point it should be expected that The Social Network will find a way into pretty much everyone’s top ten of the decade and for good reason. It’s phenomenal. Between Jesse Eisenberg's wicked good performance and David Fincher's incredible vision for the film, this movie takes a story you might expect to be boring and flips it on its head into one of the most fascinating and exhilarating movies I’ve ever seen. 

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
As a whole, the movie feels like art in the best sense. Its beauty is apparent throughout, from the rich, creamy red in elevator shot to the quirky and poignant score from Alexandre Desplat. Every aspect of this movie is completely on point from start to finish. And who could forget Ralph Fiennes’ incredible performance? In its entirety, Budapest is a humorous, visually stunning, and brilliantly made film all of which led to it being my number one of the decade and easily in my top ten of all-time.

Top Ten of the Decade Part VII

2020 brings with it the conclusion of the previous decade and the beginning of a new one. In celebration of this transition, I asked our contributors to put together lists of their respective top ten films from the previous decade (2009-2019). I left the definition of “top” to each individual in order to create more diversity in the lists; some of our writers used the term “best”, some used the term “favorite”, and some (like me) attempted to blend the two. We’ll be publishing these lists over the next two weeks and at the end of it all, Kent, Richard, and I will be releasing our own lists in podcast form. Enjoy today’s entry by Shane Bierley and make sure you check out all of the lists over the coming days. -BG

Well MAM Fam… here we are: the end of the decade. 10 years and (approximately) 5,280 films to sort through. Finalizing this list was very tough to say the least… so many hard cuts! But I managed to do it somehow and I’m excited to finally share my list with you. Please note: these are my favorite films of the decade, not what I consider the “best” films, since art is subjective and excellence is hard to quantify.

OK, here we go!

10) Paddington 1 & 2 (2014 & 2017)
I know, I know… It’s cheating a little bit to squeeze two together. But since the release of the second film, I almost always watch these two as a double feature and find it impossible to separate them now. Why these films, you may ask? Let’s face it: this decade has been fraught with some pretty horrifying events and the news can always seem bad. So, it feels wonderful to get lost in the delightfully colorful, Wes Anderson-esque London of these films where the characters are all so cheerful, earnest and just nice to each other. The screenwriting and direction of these films is SO much better than it has any right to be, and Ben Wishaw’s Paddington is so heart-warming that I want to reach through the screen and hug him every time. The end of the second film always makes me cry and reaffirms my faith in the inherent kindness of people.

9) The Avengers (2012)
I don’t think my anticipation for this film could have been any higher. As a lifelong comic book reader, and a big fan of the first four Marvel films that came before it, my expectations were pretty high. Making the first big budget “superhero team up” movie was an insanely difficult challenge and by God did Joss Whedon pull it off. It felt like a comic come to life. The film was so action-packed, fun, and well-crafted that every movie studio, Disney included, has been trying to recapture the magic of this film ever since. The Avengers went off like a bomb across the cinematic landscape and instantly became a cultural touchstone, as it was the first movie to ever cross $200 million at the box office on opening weekend and was all anyone talked about for weeks after. Many amazing Marvel films have come since its release, but this film is still one of a kind.

8) The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Simply put, this is Leonard DiCaprio’s best performance of all-time and Martin Scorsese’s best work of the decade. Although it is three hours long, this movie stays razor sharp, focused on the rise and fall of an empire (Scorsese’s favorite story arc). In this case, it is Jordan Belfort, the greedy Wall Street trader, who goes from rags to riches to jail, in a story that captures excess, and the perils of it, better than perhaps any other movie ever has. The Quaalude/Lamborghini scene alone cements this flick on my list, but overall this film is an undeniable masterpiece.

7) Chef (2014)
As a proud Los Angeleno and an obsessed foodie, this movie was already ‘preaching to my choir,’ if you will. But when the lights dimmed in my theater, I was not prepared for just how genuine of a look this film would take at the nature of criticism vs. creation. The scene where Chef Casper (Jon Favreau) goes off on the critic for misunderstanding how molten lava cake is made? I felt his righteous anger in my bones. I’ve been on both sides of that equation and this film is a welcome reminder that it is always much harder to create something than it is to criticize it once it’s done. I also love how this film tackles the subject of regaining passion. For those of us lucky enough to make a career out of doing the things we love, it can be easy to eventually take it for granted. Watching Chef Casper regain his passion for feeding people good food, as well as learning a healthy work-life balance, is simply sublime. And I’d be willing to bet there isn’t anyone who isn’t DYING for a Cubano sandwich by the time the credits roll. (Bonus: Props to Jon Favreau for cashing in his “showbiz favors” by casting Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johannson, Dustin Hoffman, and many others for whom the clearly did not have the budget. That’s indie filmmaking, folks!)

6) The Social Network (2010)
“A movie about Facebook? Ugh! Why?” is exactly what I said when this film was announced all those years ago. But then Aaron Sorkin, a brilliant screenwriter, signed on. Then David Fincher, the greatest working director, signed on. And this film quickly became one of the best films of the decade, if not all-time. Every element of the filmmaking process (directing, writing, acting, editing, score, etc.) plays together in an effortless, perfect harmony to tell this tale of success, betrayal, and corruption. It is truly Shakespearian in its reach and execution. The Social Network stands as a master class of filmmaking and its resonance echoes still with each new friend request you receive on Facebook today.

5) The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
More than any other title on my list, this film feels like it was written for me. Specifically. It was almost unsettling. My wife initially didn’t believe me when I told her I didn’t have anything to do with this movie; that’s how perfectly fitting it felt. Yes, this movie has a delightfully silly plot about Batman stopping the Joker, and I could easily write a few hundred pages about how clever, colorful, and subversive it all is, but ultimately this film is a powerful reflection on the nature of fandom in general and there is no better way to drive that lesson home (for me) than through the lens of Batman. Through his history, the character has had some ups (2008) and some downs (1997, among many, many others…) but in the end, I love it all. I am a ride or die Bat-fan and this film helped me understand that it’s okay to love something wholeheartedly and poke fun at it at the same time, which is something I think a lot of other fans from other franchises (**cough** Star Wars **cough**) should learn. “Batman is very wise. I also have huge pecs and a nine-pack. Yeah, I've got an extra ab. Now, let's start the movie. “

4) Inception (2010)
What more could you possibly want from a film? This totally original, engaging, action heist film epic from a once in a generation auteur that deals with the nature of dreams, and as a result, filmmaking itself, is (pun intended) mind-blowing. Inception, as far as I’m concerned, is everything a movie should be: It’s smart, thrilling, fast-paced, fun, grand in scale, and wildly inventive, escapist entertainment. A master class in directing, writing, cinematography, and (shout to Hans Zimmer) composing, this flick should be studied in film school for decades to come. Is the top still spinning? That, dear reader, is up to you.

3) Steve Jobs (2015)
While composing this list, one thing became very apparent: Aaron Sorkin is my favorite screenwriter of the decade and, furthermore, this film might be his magnum opus. A brilliant reflection of the nature of a true genius and the toll it usually takes on the people around said genius, this script feels effortlessly vibrant and sharply poignant. It is pornographic poetry. More than any other film this decade, the dialogue in Steve Jobs soars off the page via the actors like notes from Yo-Yo Ma’s cello. It is a virtuoso performance in almost every aspect of filmmaking. Yes, I still wish the version with Christian Bale as Jobs and David Fincher as director went through, but this version of the film is magnificent enough as is. Movies are all about succinctness, and I would be remiss to not mention how powerfully this movie summarizes its entire thesis in three perfect lines of dialogue in the third act:

WOZNIAK: “Your products are better than you are, brother…”
JOBS: “That’s the idea, brother. And knowing that? That’s the difference.”
WOZNIAK: “It’s not binary! You can be gifted and decent at the same time.

2) Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
I left the theater breathless. Literally. I was so blown away by this movie’s ingenuity and visual acumen that there is no other way to describe it: I was #shook, MAM Fam. I cheered; straight up hooted and hollered through-out this film, which I almost never do. I couldn’t help it... the film is so raw and powerful that it invoked a visceral reaction from me. And the second the credits rolled, I wanted to watch it again. And again. And again. The story, the directing, the editing, the score…all game changing. George Miller may have very well re-invented the action film as we know it, we’re all still struggling to catch up. This movie blasts like a shotgun out of the mind of a brilliant maniac and I can’t get enough, all these years later.

1) Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
As a die-hard fan of Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi masterpiece, I was very skeptical that Blade Runner needed a sequel, or that if one was made, it could come close (quality-wise) to the original. I was delighted to be proven wrong. So very wrong. To say director Denis Villeneuve delivered with Blade Runner 2049 is a gross understatement. He knocked this one out of the park. The film picks up 30 years later in a somehow even more dystopian and desolate Los Angeles as we follow Officer K (a replicant himself) in Rick Deckard’s old job of hunting down out of date replicants. The script pontificates huge questions about the nature of humanity and the right to have a soul, and it is backed up by incredible performances, a great score, and some of the most visually jaw-dropping images ever filmed. (Seriously: ANY frame from this movie could be printed out and hung in the Guggenheim.) Debates will be had for years to come if this film is one of the greatest sequels of all time, but, at least for me, there is NO debate: Blade Runner 2049 was the best film of the decade.