The Top 10 Films of 2019

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Movie wise, 2019 has been very fulfilling. I set myself a goal in January to watch all 41 films that I had in my Netflix queue for over a year, and I did that. I saw Avengers: Endgame opening night at the legendary TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles and it was by far the coolest movie going experience of my life. I also got to visit the EYE Film Museum in Amsterdam when director William Kentridge's short films were in residence and enjoyed learning about and seeing the work of a new to me director.

  In total I saw 217 films for the first time. And now I bring to you the best of those films! Aside from Avengers: Endgame being at the top - because that truly is my favorite film of the year - the rest are in no particular order. Following that are my favorite performances of the year, plus a few other favorites (and fails)














Just missed:  El Camino,  A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, 1917

Honorable mentions: Them That Follow, How To Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World, Unicorn Store, Honey Boy, Official Secrets, The Report

Best Cinematic Example of "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong" - I thought we were just celebrating the love and long life of two people! Not well...that. - Midsommar

 Cleganebowl GET HYPE Award for - you guessed it - maximum hype - "Avengers....assemble." *cries in perfect fan service*

 Star Trek Into Darkness Award for "Fuck you, I loved this!" - Jake Gyllenhaal being limited by critique in Velvet Buzzsaw

 Martha Award for Best Unintentional Laugh - Ma running over Mercedes as she's jogging in Ma. That character was written as such a bitch that I actually snorted when she got ran over which you know is not the desired reaction.  

"I know a guy" Breakout Side Character Award - The Trolling Seagull in The Lighthouse.

 "You didn't see that coming?" Award for the film that surprised me the most - Ready or Not
Rooney Mara Stress Eats a Pie Award for "This Scene is Going on Way too Long" - The Noah's Arc story in Light of my Life, aka that time when an editor is supposed to tell the director to cut something. 

 Best Actor in a Lead Role
Adam Driver - Marriage Story
Eddie Murphy - Dolemite Is My Name
Roman Griffin Davis - Jojo Rabbit
Jimmie Falls - The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Adam Sandler - Uncut Gems

Best Actress in a Lead Role
Lupita Nyong'o - Us
Cynthia Erivo - Harriet
Florence Pugh - Midsommar
Saoirse Ronan - Little Women
Jessie Buckley - Wild Rose

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Shia LaBeouf - Honey Boy
Tom Hanks - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Rob Morgan - Just Mercy
Kang-ho Song - Parasite 
Sterling K. Brown - Waves

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Shuzhen Zhao - The Farewell
Da'Vine Joy Randolph - Dolemite is my Name
Margot Robbie - Bombshell
Taylor Russell - Waves
Yeo-jeong Jo - Parasite

Best Director
Marielle Heller - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Taika Waititi - Jojo Rabbit
Rian Johnson - Knives Out
Bong Joon Ho - Parasite
Lulu Wang - The Farewell
Actors and Directors who are not in my Top 5 but deserve mentions:
Samara Weaving - Ready or Not
Taron Edgerton - Rocketman
Bradd Pitt - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Jennifer Lopez - Hustlers
Sam Mendes - 1917
Alma Har'el - Honey Boy
Scarlett Johansson - Marriage Story/Jojo Rabbit
George McKay - 1917
Awkwafina - The Farewell

Comments

  1. Often Off TopicJanuary 21, 2020 at 7:31 AM

    Yaaaas for all these movies! There's only 2 in your Top 10 I haven't seen yet. Super jealous about how you watched Endgame! That must have been amazing <3

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 21, 2020 at 2:04 PM

      It was so cool, I'm glad I went as I probably never will do something like that again.

      Delete
  2. keith71_98January 21, 2020 at 8:20 AM

    LOTS of movies and performances that made my list(s) as well. 2019 was such an odd movie year IMO. It started really slow but all of a sudden it exploded in the second half. I actually gave three 5 star ratings (something I've never done in a year). Also more 4.5 ratings than I ever have (I think). Anyway, have a great 2020. Can't wait to read your thoughts throughout the new movie year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 21, 2020 at 2:04 PM

      It really did. I was calling it a "weak year" in my head until this fall, then it felt like we got 20-30 amazing movies all at once.

      Delete
  3. Drew TylerJanuary 21, 2020 at 8:23 AM

    That's a strong list. I haven't seen probably about half of them but I've heard a lot of good things about all of them. Great to see a nod to Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems. It might not be saying much but that is my favorite movie of his in a long time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 21, 2020 at 2:03 PM

      It's my favorite of his too. I haven't liked his acting in anything since Spanglish.

      Delete
  4. BirgitJanuary 21, 2020 at 9:15 AM

    I have to see a lot more films since I was bad in seeing any movies in the theatre. I don’t know if I will see Us or Midsummer because they look scary. I love your second part and now want to see Ma because it looks so over the top. I loved Rocketman and Once Upon a Time... which I just watched and loved both of them.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 21, 2020 at 2:02 PM

      I wouldn't call Midsommar or Us "scary" but they are quite disturbing. Ma is so fucking ridiculous lol

      Delete
  5. s.January 21, 2020 at 11:25 AM

    YEY for Ready or Not love! I'm so glad at least Endgame worked for you as much as you wanted!

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    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 21, 2020 at 2:02 PM

      I am too! Even if I didn't *love* everything about it, the experience was what I wanted.

      Delete
  6. Ronyell (a.k.a. Rabbitearsblog)January 21, 2020 at 2:53 PM

    Awesome list! I loved watch Avengers Endgame! It was such a fantastic conclusion to the Avengers story lines! Now I need to watch the rest of the movies on this list!

    ReplyDelete
  7. thevoid99January 21, 2020 at 3:42 PM

    You saw 50 more first-timers than I did. That's awesome.

    The moment Cap says "Avengers... assemble" was big as the audience I saw it were like "say it, say it". When he says "assemble" the cheers were fucking loud. I love it. You can't beat moments like that and it pisses me off that it didn't get enough love at the Oscars. Same with Knives Out as that should get more love as I saw it with a smaller audience but it was obvious that everyone was having a good time laughing and such.

    The Oscars' lack of balls and diversity is upsetting as let's just give them a big shit sandwich to eat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 21, 2020 at 7:01 PM

      Same. There was so much chearing during Endgame.

      It really is. There are so many wonderful performances out there, it's not hard not to just pick white people lol

      Delete
  8. Chris WiddopJanuary 22, 2020 at 9:29 AM

    Love seeing Endgame at the top here. So glad that one delivered in such a big way. :)

    Also happy to see you give a shout out to Sterling K. Brown's performance in Waves. I was literally just talking to someone else on another forum how I felt he deserved to be mentioned among other notable names who got snubbed hard this year. Thought he was fantastic in that film.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 22, 2020 at 4:20 PM

      Me too! Sterling really was, Waves seemed like massive Oscar bait, I have no idea why A24 didn't push it. They would've had a great campaign.

      Delete
  9. Courtney YoungJanuary 22, 2020 at 4:51 PM

    Holy cow you've seen a lot!!! I just got screeners of a handful of films that I just missed (Uncut Gems, Knives Out, etc). I'm hoping to complete my list next week :)

    Also, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the Awkwafina snub...

    ReplyDelete
  10. GetterJanuary 25, 2020 at 4:40 AM

    Just saw Ready or Not a few days ago and it was beautiful! Amazing concept and well executed, definitely makes my top 10 too.

    I still need to watch so many movies though so it's like.. when will I ever get to my best of 2019... never probably :D

    Nice to see Endgame love. I somehow feel like it came, it blew us away and then the morning sort of... everyone kind of forgot about it. Including the Oscars..one nomination... fml.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 25, 2020 at 7:13 AM

      The Oscars are an embarrassment at this point. Showering Joker with love instead. Yikes.

      Delete
  11. GeektellerJanuary 27, 2020 at 3:41 AM

    Great list, loved that you included Dolemite is my name and Knives out, both wonderful movies, in my opinion! I really need to see Jojo Rabbit and Last man in San Francisco soon!

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    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 27, 2020 at 3:35 PM

      They really are and should've each had far more Oscar nominations.

      Delete
  12. epileptic.moondancerJanuary 31, 2020 at 1:17 AM

    I'm with you on a number of these, Parasite, Knives Out and especially Midsommar will be in my top ten when I get around to bloody posting it! I loved Marriage Story too. I enjoyed Jojo, tho I found it underwhelming compared to Wilderpeople. I might go catch it again, its still playing down here.

    Did you see The Lighthouse??

    Never heard of the last black man film though, that one flew past me. And you're not the first to have positive things to say about Dolemite... I guess I should probably give that a whirl!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 31, 2020 at 6:48 AM

      I did see The Lighthouse and I didn't care for it. It's beautifully shot, but was so dull.

      Delete
  13. epileptic.moondancerJanuary 31, 2020 at 1:20 AM

    I missed your mentions, Them That Follow is another I haven't heard of. I gotta get onto that.

    As for 1917 I think that's a 2020 film really. It didn't open here until the 15th I think.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 31, 2020 at 6:47 AM

      I count it here only because it's qualifying for this year's Oscars. It technically had a limited release in 2019.

      Them That Follow is good, I hope you can find it!

      Delete

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