10. Knives Out
Rian Johnson is a filmmaker known for making bold choices. So, it is no surprise that the follow-up film to his polarizing blockbuster STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI would be something very different in scale and tone. KNIVES OUT is just that. It is a return to the sensibilities of Johnson’s early films like BRICK and THE BROTHERS BLOOM. The film is driven by sharp dialogue and dense plotting that delivers thrills with plot twists and reveals instead of kinetic action.
The film is a clear American-style homage to classic Agatha Christie mysteries and her most famous character, the proper but good-natured detective Hercule Poirot. Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc is the southern stand in for Poirot in this story that finds him investigating the possible murder of successful novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) on the night of Thromby’s 85th birthday.
Good performances and confident direction, which the film has in spades, do not mean much for a mystery film if the actual mystery itself falls apart on closer inspection. Thankfully, KNIVES OUT has an intriguing central mystery that is densely layered enough that even when the audience feels like it might have the whole thing sorted, the film still surprises in unexpected ways. It also never cheats for shock value and is crafted with a clockwork precision that happily encourages the audience to put the pieces together themselves as the film goes along or to see how expertly they are placed and paid off when an inevitable second viewing occurs. Most importantly though, Knives Out is simply fun and when you couple that sense of breezy enjoyment with quality craftsmanship in every aspect of the production, you have a film not to be missed.
More info about the film can be found here: IMDB
To find out where this film is available to stream, click here: Just Watch
9. The Lighthouse
Writer/Director Robert Eggers, the creative force behind the 2015 Puritan horror film THE WITCH, has returned with another meticulously researched historical drama that collides headfirst with the horror genre to create a film that feels wholly original. Set in the late 1800s, THE LIGHTHOUSE stars Robert Pattinson as an apprentice to a lighthouse keeper, played by Willem Dafoe, working on a small island off the coast of New England with no other inhabitants. The two men toil in their daily routines but before long the isolation takes its toil and dark events begin to unfold.
Eggers’s commitment to period-accurate details and slow-building dread mixed with surreal, nightmarish Imagery make THE LIGHTHOUSE a film that will be hard for some audiences to get into. The adventurous ones who take a chance on the film though will be rewarded by top-notch performances by Pattinson and Dafoe, beautiful black and white Cinematography, and a darkly comedic script that surprisingly contains nearly as many laughs as it does haunting moments.
It’s amazing to me that a hard to classify genre-defying films like THE LIGHTHOUSE exists at all. The fact that every aspect of it is so masterfully crafted is just a wonderful bonus.
More info about the film can be found here: IMDB
To find out where this film is available to stream, click here: Just Watch
8. John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum
Simply put, there was no better pure action film in 2019 than JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3: PARABELLUM. The series has been Considered the high watermark for American action films Since the first entry caught audiences and critics alike by surprise five years earlier. So now three entrees in, how is the series maintaining such a high level of quality? Consistent talent both behind and in front of the camera is the main ingredient as the director, writer, and main players have been present for each film. Also, the series has been very careful about how much of John Wick’s world of secret assassins is revealed in each entry. That choice keeps the film’s ideas feeling fresh.
The final piece is a dedication to always having the action sequences as the focal point. The story is enjoyable. The characters are interesting. The main draw though will always be a sharply dressed Keanu Reeves, as the titular Wick, dispatching wave after wave of bad guys with well-placed headshots and inventive bits of choreographed violence. The plot of “Chapter 3” has the entire assassin community after a high dollar bounty placed on Wick’s head. So, the film has ample opportunity to indulge in this aspect.
JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3: PARABELLUM compliments all its mayhem with strong direction, beautiful lush cinematography, and a wonderfully eclectic supporting cast. Speaking the cast, I have to make special mention of Mark Dacascos as John Wick’s rival but also his biggest fan, the master assassin “Zero”. It’s an unbelievably fun performance that serves as a reminder of just how great Dacascos can be when given the spotlight.
Word is preproduction has already begun on the fourth chapter and if the series keeps up this level of quality then it’ll be a strong contender for my “best of” in 2021.
More info about the film can be found here: IMDB
To find out where this film is available to stream, click here: Just Watch
7. Jojo Rabbit
One of the simplest ways to stand up to evil is to mock it. Charlie Chaplin realized that in the time leading up to World War 2 when he satirized Adolph Hitler in THE GREAT DICTATOR. The film was used to hurt the Nazi movement by preaching tolerance… and showing Hitler and his followers as the buffoons they were. Well in the late 2010s, that hateful group has reared its ugly head again and surprisingly gained some traction. So, another funnyman has stepped up to take the piss out of them. This time it’s filmmaker/actor Taika Waititi. His latest film, JOJO RABBIT, is about a young German boy, Jojo, who is growing up in the last days of the Second World War. He’s a good kid and just wants to fit in but he lacks self-esteem. He spends most of his time daydreaming and talking to his imaginary friend- Adolph Hitler.
I know… I know. It sounds questionable at best. The thing is, Waititi makes it work by immediately establishing that our young protagonist has no idea that Hitler is a pathetic monster. The role of Hitler is played by the Jewish Waititi as a child’s idea of maturity and masculinity. The two characters share a very “Calvin & Hobbes”-like relationship until Jojo discovers that his mother is helping to hide Jewish refugees from capture. He then starts to learn the ugly truth of his misplaced, innocent hero-worship.
JOJO RABBIT should not work as well as it does but Waititi and his cast; which includes Thomasin McKenzie, Sam Rockwell, and Scarlett Johansson- do an astounding job of balancing humor with pathos. There were many times during the film where I was laughing and then crying all within the same scene. Its a masterpiece of a film that I don’t think any other group of individuals could have pulled off.
Chaplin’s THE GREAT DICTATOR ended with the legendary silent film actor speaking his first audible lines on film: a monologue advocating for racial tolerance and kindness. I think if Chaplin had seen Waititi’s JOJO RABBIT, he would have appreciated its tale of love and decency persevering in the face of bigotry and evil.
More info about the film can be found here: IMDB
To find out where this film is available to stream, click here: Just Watch
6. Dolemite Is My Name
Wow. I was not expecting this to be as great as it is. A true return to form for Eddie Murphy, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME is a joy to watch. The film tells the origins of comedian Rudy Ray Moore’s character “Dolemite” and the making of the 1975 “Blaxploitation” cult classic of the same name is a beautiful story of underdogs making a name for themselves in an industry that doesn’t want them. It’s a truly uplifting film… that also happens to be vulgar and hilarious.
The film, directed by Craig Brewer, moves along at a great pace and it expertly avoids all the clichés you expect from a Hollywood biopic. I cannot imagine a more perfect film about Rudy Ray Moore and his lasting legacy as an entertainer than this one.
In a year filled with strong comedies, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME is without a doubt the funniest film of 2019.
More info about the film can be found here: IMDB
To find out where this film is available to stream, click here: Just Watch
5. Tigers Are Not Afraid
I first saw TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID in 2017 at Fantastic Fest and it has been an excruciatingly long wait for the film to receive an official US release. It finally happened this year as the streaming service “Shudder” picked up the film and gave it a brief theatrical release before making it available online to its subscribers. I am ecstatic that people can now finally see the best film I saw at that festival. A film that easily ranks as one of the best of that year, 2019, or any year in recent memory.
TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID tells the story of several children in Mexico, who after being orphaned by drug cartel violence, find themselves living on the streets with only each other to rely on. It then subtly morphs from being a touching tale of survival into a dark fairytale as supernatural things begin happening around the children.
The film calls to mind the Spanish language films of Master filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro (PAN’S LABYRINTH) and that is high praise. It is an emotionally devastating film with gorgeous direction by filmmaker Issa López (who also wrote the screenplay). The film is a towering achievement in every way that is made even more miraculous by the fact that all of her child performers had no prior experience with acting before the film.
López has begun working on her next film, which fittingly enough is being produced by Del Toro. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us.
More info about the film can be found here: IMDB
To find out where this film is available to stream, click here: Just Watch
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