2019
2019 has ended (thankfully) and thus it is time for a "Top 10"movie list. I saw 139 [41 more than last year] “new movies” (feature length movies seen this year that have come out in the past 18 months). Obviously I am going to continue , but this is what I have so far as I continue to pour myself into the movie screen hole.
Favorite Feature Films of 2019:
Parasite - 9
Last Black Man in San Francisco - 8
Uncut Gems - 8
1917 - 8
Monos - 8
Marriage Story - 8
Avengers: Endgame - 7+/8-
I Lost My Body - 8-
Little Women - 7+
The Lighthouse - 7
The Farewell - 7
Dolemite is My Name - 7
Midsommar - 7
Honorable Mentions:
Toy Story 4 -7
Hustlers - 7
Knives Out - 7
The Gangster, The Cop and The Devil - 7
Booksmart - 6+/7-
Awards nominees from last year that I saw this year but are excluded:
If Beale Street Could Talk - 7
Shoplifters - 8
Cold War - 8
DOCUMENTARY of the year:
Apollo 11
Worst of the Year:
The Fanatic - 2-
Cats - 2
The Silence - 2+
Godzilla: King of the Monsters - 2+/3-
Serenity - 3
Aladdin - 2+/3-
Hellboy - 3+
Movies that didn’t work for me but everyone else loved:
The Irishman - It was a well-made but empty effort by Scorsese, playing with his favorite toys in his sandbox. I get the point of what he was saying with the film, but I didn’t care or really enjoy it.
Joker - Nope. It was a wonderful acting performance and some solid-but-unspectacular cinematography, but a poor film with an awful purpose. I still can’t understand the love.
High Life - Good but just too distant. It never clicked like I wanted.
Once Upon A Time in Hollywood - I couldn’t get on board with this Tarrantino stroking off to his love of old Hollywood while shaking his fist at the youth on his cinematic lawn. It has some terrific bits, but overly long and gratuitous in every way.
Blindspot of the Year -
Martyrs (2008) - 5/10 - It is an experience, but I finally caught up with this horror/torture icon. Fascinating in a way but undoubtedly difficult to watch..
Films that won’t make end of year list, but you should check out:
Her Smell - A terrific Elisabeth Moss performance in this manic rock pic.
Bumblebee - Don’t be too shocked but this was an actually good Transformers film.
General Magic - Fascinating documentary about the precursor of the smartphone.
Hagazussa - A stylistic creeping joy; beautiful and desolating.
Hail Satan? - A cool and super engaging documentary about Satanism. Watch it!.
I am an amateur, so I missed a bunch of films. Need to and hopefully I will see them in the future... :
Waves, Forest of Love, Last Breath, Atlantics, In Fabric, The Report, Aniara, An Elephant Sitting Still, Climax, Burning, Shadow, Long Day’s Journey into Night, among many many others…