The Best Movies Of 2019

The Irishman. Image courtesy of Netflix.

It was a pretty strong year overall for movies. Once again, Netflix proved that it's capable of bankrolling some of the best filmmaking out there - and let's hope that it will continue to provide theatrical releases to at least some of its high profile movies.

Some of the year's best films were comeback stories (my number 3 of the year), while others acted as career summations (my top three). More so than any other recent year in memory, my top 10 was crowded with great international films - only four films from the United States cracked that list.

There are still, unfortunately, a handful of highly acclaimed movies that I've yet to see. For example, Celine Sciamma's "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," which has landed on more top 10s than I can count, doesn't spread out until mid-February.

A few others I missed include Nadav Lapid's "Synonyms," Edward Norton's "Motherless Brooklyn," Carlos Reygadas's "Our Time," Melina Matsoukas's "Queen and Slim," Jessica Hausner's "Little Joe," Ira Sachs's "Frankie" and Sheng Qiu's "Suburban Birds."

Without further adieu, my best of the year:

Ten Runners Up
20. Non-Fiction (Olivier Assayas)... Reviewed here.
19. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Marielle Heller)... Reviewed here.
18. Ad Astra (James Gray)... Reviewed here.
17. Uncut Gems (Joshua and Benny Safdie)... Reviewed here.
16. Us (Jordan Peele)... Reviewed here.
15. Atlantics (Mati Diop)... Reviewed here.
14. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (Joe Talbot)... Reviewed here.
13. 1917 (Sam Mendes)... Reviewed here.
12. The Lighthouse (Robert Eggers)... Reviewed here.
11. Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story (Martin Scorsese)... Reviewed here.

Top Ten
10. Little Women (Greta Gerwig)... Reviewed here.
  9. Ash is Purest White (Jia Zhangke)... Reviewed here.
  8. Birds of Passage (Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallego)... Reviewed here.
  7. Transit (Christian Petzold)... Reviewed here.
  6. Parasite (Bong Joon Ho)... Reviewed here.
  5. Long Day's Journey Into Night (Bi Gan)... Reviewed here.
  4. Marriage Story (Noah Baumbach)... Reviewed here.
  3. Pain and Glory (Pedro Almodovar)... Reviewed here.
  2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino)... Reviewed here.
  1. The Irishman (Martin Scorsese)... Reviewed here.

Review: The Two Popes

Image courtesy of Netflix.

Fernando Meiralles's "The Two Popes" is the Pope Francis origin story you never knew you needed. Depicting one of the most pivotal moments in the Catholic Church's history, the picture is an impressive character piece featuring two examples of exemplary acting - Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis and Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict, previously known as Cardinal Ratzinger.

The film opens with the death of Pope John Paul II, a consequential but extremely conservative pope who often waded into what could best be described in the United States as "culture wars." Ratzinger, a German cardinal who wanted to take over as the church's leader, seems to be an obvious choice to follow John Paul II. He's also very conservative and is dedicated to the church's dogma.

Benedict is chosen as the next pope, but only after several votes, during which Cardinal Bergoglio (Pope Francis) draws a surprising number of votes. When Pope Francis comes to visit Benedict at his Italian summer getaway home, he arrives with the intention of retiring. As he tells Benedict, who feels attacked by his visitor, he no longer agrees with the church's mission. It has, he says, lost touch with an ever-changing world, and become more insular.

Bergoglio also feels uncomfortable with the manner in which the church has addressed its scandal involving pedophile priests. Once again, Benedict feels as if the criticism is a personal attack. But once the two men spend time together and get to know each other, Benedict will learn that Bergoglio has his own secrets and feels shame about an incident from his past in Argentina in the 1970s when a coup took over the government.

Meiralles's film takes a "My Dinner with Andre" approach to the material - although the two popes move freely about, rather than being stationed at a table. But the concept is built around the conversation between two men - in this case, two who wield great power. Their discussion focuses primarily on how to use that power - to protect the institution of the church or to reform it and take more compassionate views toward issues about which the church had previously been strict.

Hopkins is reliably great here, and his stature and sense of gravitas is put to great use. However, it's Pryce who has the meatier role, and he gives one of his best performances to date. Pope Francis has been lauded by many as a man of determination, but here he's also portrayed as a man who struggles - with his duty, his past and the role he should play in the church. "The Two Popes" is thoughtful, often funny and well acted - and also the best film from Meiralles, who burst onto the scene in 2003 with the incredible "City of God," in some time.

Review: Little Women

Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

Making a classic story that's been told many times before feel fresh again is something of a feat, but that's exactly what director Greta Gerwig does with her second feature - a buoyant, generous retelling of Louisa May Alcott's beloved 1868 novel "Little Women."

Although I was immediately sucked into the film, it took me a while to recognize why some reviewers have described the picture as audacious. Having not reviewed the material - either through reading it or watching the 1994 film version of the story - for many years, it didn't occur to me until after having watched Gerwig's picture that her version begins more than halfway through the novel, reframing the story so that its focus is on Jo March's (Saoirse Ronan) struggle to tell her own stories as a novelist in her own way.

Gerwig has also chosen to tell the story in her own way with two separate timelines via flashbacks, during which each period of time has its own palette - the past has a rosy visual hue, while the present is more drained of color. The film also has what must be one of the best ensembles I've seen in some time - the excellent Ronan is joined by Emma Watson (as Meg March), Florence Pugh (as Amy March), Eliza Scanlen (as younger sister Beth), Meryl Streep (as the fussy Aunt March), Laura Dern (as Marmee March), Timothee Chalamet (as multi-sister love interest Laurie), Chris Cooper (as warmhearted Mr. Laurence), Tracy Letts (representing the patriarch as a publisher who rolls his eyes at Jo's writing endeavors), Bob Odenkirk (as Father March) and Louis Garrel (as Friedrich Bhaer).

Much has been written about women's role in positions of power in Hollywood in recent years, and it's a well known fact that a majority of filmmakers in the studio system are men. Gerwig made a stunning debut a few years back with the wonderful "Lady Bird," which quickly added her to a short list of women who make high profile films and earn awards for them. That list also includes Sofia Coppola and Kathryn Bigelow.

So, it's fitting that Gerwig's second feature as a director finds her telling a story - albeit a classic one refitted for a modern take - about a young woman who wants to be a storyteller and must find her own voice in a world in which men think women shouldn't be doing such a thing. Ultimately, Gerwig's version of "Little Women" primarily focuses on two things: Jo's growth as an artist and the bond she shares with her sisters - Meg, the oldest sister; Amy, with whom Jo occasionally has a fraught relationship; and Beth, the baby of the family.

Gerwig doesn't drop the romantic elements of the novel - Meg struggles with her marriage to a man she loves, but who has little money, Jo has a blossoming romance with Bhaer and at least two of the sisters become somewhat entangled with the love-struck Laurie. And while the film ends with a character rushing to stop another at a train station - an often used cinematic trope - much of the film finds Jo rolling her eyes at the concept of women serving the sole purpose of being wives and mothers. When she finally decides to pursue romantic love, it's on her own terms.

Gerwig's "Little Women" is what I'd call a generous film. Each character is given the attention required to make them feel fully fleshed out - Bhaer gets slightly less than in the novel, but this is made up for in the film's final scenes - and there's a fair amount of warmth one can recognize that Gerwig has for the characters. Even the sour Aunt March is given the humanistic treatment in the hands of Gerwig and Streep, who portrays her as a dispenser of tough love, so that her nieces have better lives.

The film is an emotional one, but without overdoing it - take, for instance, a powerful use of matching shots when Jo in the past descends a staircase to find a group of people having breakfast at a table, and then Jo in the present descending that same staircase to find a different scene. "Little Women," much like "Lady Bird," is a deeply felt and personal film about the lives of women who are not interested in fulfilling roles assigned to them, but rather following their own imaginations and pursuing their own dreams. This is a lovely film.

Review: Uncut Gems

Image courtesy of A24.

Josh and Benny Safdie's gritty and haunting 2014 film "Heaven Knows What" followed the story of a drug addict's downward spiral, and their follow up, the somewhat controversial "Good Time," was a crime story about a guy whose life spiraled out of control for other reasons. They combine those storylines in their latest - "Uncut Gems" - which is also their best film to date.

In the picture, Adam Sandler gives a powerhouse performance as Howard Ratner, a New York City diamond dealer whose addiction of choice isn't drugs, but excessive gambling, and when we first meet him, he's already in deep to a number of shady characters, including his own cousin (portrayed by Eric Bogosian).

Howard's wife (Idina Menzel) hates him and his girlfriend, Julia (Julia Fox),  who's also a co-worker, has seemingly roaming eyes, despite the fact that Howard pays for the apartment in which she lives. Howard's business appears to attract a decent amount of clientele - for example, he strikes up a business relationship with basketball player Kevin Garnett (who, along with singer The Weeknd, is among several celebrities who play themselves in the film) - but he quickly squanders whatever he earns on high-risk gambles.

Much like the Safdies's previous films, "Uncut Gems" moves at a breakneck pace, has an often scuzzy vibe and features a fair amount of intense close ups and shaky camera work. And it's mostly held together by Sanders's extremely committed performance. Although the actor often gets associated with the silly comedies he cranks out - most recently, for Netflix - people forget how good he can be when given the right material - such as "Punch Drunk Love" or "The Meyerowitz Stories." Here, he's very good.

"Uncut Gems" is often a frustrating viewing experience - but I don't mean that as a criticism. Watching Howard make the same horrible mistakes one after the other, and then rinsing and repeating involves a certain amount of gluttony for punishment from viewers. But while the character is frustrating, the moviegoing experience is invigorating.

The Safdies's previous movie, "Good Time," was similarly well made and stylish, but I took some issues with the ways in which the filmmakers appeared to want to push buttons merely for the sake of pushing them. Thankfully, none of that is on display in "Uncut Gems," which is disturbing in its own right, but in a way that serves the story.

The film opens with a series of two odd shots and ends on another that is clearly meant to bookend the picture. The opening shot goes deep into a mine in Ethiopia where miners are digging out gems - one of which is the opal diamond with which Garnett becomes obsessed and lands Howard into trouble.

The next shot, oddly enough, is the interior of Howard's rectum as he gets a colonoscopy. This may sound like an odd juxtaposition, but I don't think it's without purpose. Howard's obsessions run deep and can't be separated from the person they control. "Uncut Gems" is a frantic and inventive crime and addiction drama that features one of the year's most memorable performances. Give yourself over to it and it'll probably leave you feeling exhausted.

Review: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.

There are some criticisms of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," the last in the nine-part series of blockbuster films, with which I can, unfortunately, agree. There are also some complaints I've heard with which I don't exactly concur. For starters, I agree with the majority opinion that this third film in the latest "Star Wars" trilogy, which finds J.J. Abrams back in the director's seat after Rian Johnson's more ambitious and much better "The Last Jedi," is the weakest.

On the other hand, I don't necessarily subscribe to the opinion that it's weak overall. There are some flaws - including a plot twist involving Rey's (Daisy Ridley) birthright and the reintroduction of a major character from the original series (and no, I'm not talking about Billy Dee Williams' return as Lando Calrissian, which is, to put it mildly, delightful) - and the entire film often feels like a compilation of the greatest hits of "Star Wars" slapped together as a movie to pay the ultimate fan service to those who love the series. In other words, it lacks in originality.

That being said, it's still a pretty fun film filled with some great moments - a terrific duel between Rey and primary villain Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) on a crashed Empire vessel floating on water - and there's a nice chemistry between Ridley and Driver that almost makes up for the fact that so many other characters - Oscar Isaac's Poe, John Boyega's Finn and pretty much everyone else - get the short end of the characterization stick. It's also odd that Keri Russell is added to the cast, but we never see her face, although Richard E. Grant's addition as a snippy general is pretty fun.

The "Star Wars" fan base has become somewhat fractured and "The Rise of Skywalker" is proof of it. Abrams makes the mistake of trying to please everyone - utilizing time-honored cliches of the series, featuring lots of outer space battles and erasing some of the concepts of Johnson's film - and as a result might have not exactly pleased anyone. Then again, the film bids farewell to some iconic characters - what else could have happened considering the death of Carrie Fisher a few years back? - and the final scene of the movie hits the right emotional notes.

The first line on the picture's opening scrawl says "The dead speak!," and in the case of this film, there are one too many resurrections. One of the primary villains from the original "Star Wars" movie returns with a not-particularly convincing explanation, a beloved figure is believed to have died during one moment in the film only to have him reappear a few moments later, a character killed at the beginning of this new series returns in a semi-dream moment, another who sacrificed himself last time around pops up as a Jedi spirit, and even the lead character is thought to be dead at one moment, only to be brought back to life.

I know it sounds as if I primarily have complaints about the film - but that's not the case. "The Force Awakens" was a nostalgia trip, but a very well executed one, while "The Last Jedi" took the series in a different direction and presented the audience with a new view of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill, who briefly reprises his role here).

"The Rise of Skywalker" isn't nearly as good as those two previous films in the series, but it's still an enjoyable blockbuster. It might not be the series finale you were looking for - to quote Obi Wan Kenobi - but it provides some closure to its characters and to an extent embodies the spirit of the series. It's more fun that not, despite some strange creative choices.

Review: A Hidden Life

Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Some have called "A Hidden Life" Terrence Malick's return to form and his best work since 2011's towering "The Tree of Life," which I recently named my favorite movie of the decade. It's true that "A Hidden Life" is the most focused and least free-form film by the director since that movie. It's better than "Knight of Cups," "Voyage of Time" and "Song to Song," and about comparable to "To the Wonder."

And yet, "A Hidden Life" doesn't rise to the level of the enigmatic filmmaker's best pictures. It's often visually breathtaking, from the gorgeous Austrian vistas Malick captures to the director's typical stylistic choice of a swirling camera, and more emotionally gratifying than some of his more recent, and less focused, works.

It's also more grounded in narrative, and based on an apparent true story - that of Franz Jagerstatter (August Diehl), an Austrian farmer who decided during World War II to become a conscientious objector because he couldn't swear an oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler. You can imagine how that went for him.

Franz lives on a farm with his three young children and wife, Fani (Valerie Pachner). They take part in a quiet, simple existence that involves a lot of hard work. Much of the early scenes involve Franz and Fani toiling away the days on their farm. One day, a plane is heard overhead, signaling intrusion from the outside world. Sure enough, word of war spreads and Franz's fellow villagers quickly begin spouting Nazi talking points, much to his dismay. His neighbors take a disliking to his refusal to give the Nazi salute and his criticisms of the fuhrer.

Malick's films are often period pieces - for instance "Days of Heaven," "Badlands," "The New World" and portions of "The Tree of Life" - and this isn't the first time he has tackled war - recall his great "The Thin Red Line." This is, however, the first time I can recall one of his films having an overtly political message. There are moments during which Franz speaks of his anguish at the troubled state of the world, and much of what he fears feels similar today, especially his fellow villagers' hatred for foreigners and immigrants.

While "A Hidden Life" is often beautiful to look at and emotionally affecting, it's also much longer than it likely need be, frequently repetitive - we get patterns of shots of men wandering a prison yard, shots of their cells and then cut-backs to Franz and Fani's farm - and slightly vague in its characterization of some figures - for example, the actor Matthias Schoenaerts pops up in a cameo and I'm not exactly sure who he's supposed to be.

That being said, "A Hidden Life" is an improvement over the meandering "Song to Song" and the slightly better, but unfocused, "Knight of Cups." "The Tree of Life" was a high watermark for the filmmaker - and for 2010s filmmaking in general, in my opinion - and I've yet to see him regain the spark that made that film so fascinating and ambitious.

His latest picture is visually stunning, and the nature of its story makes for some powerful storytelling, but while it's good, it doesn't reach the heights that Malick proved he can reach earlier this decade. "A Hidden Life" is worth a look for viewers with some time - and patience - to spare.

Review: In Fabric

Image courtesy of A24.

Director Peter Strickland's latest giallo-inspired horror-comedy mashup, "In Fabric," is an example of a movie that's almost successful, but not quite. It's often visually stimulating, frequently funny in an absurdist type of way and stylish. Its performances - especially one from Marianne-Jean Baptiste - are good, and it's quite unlike anything else you'll likely see this year. Did I mention that it's about a haunted dress?

In the film, Baptiste plays Sheila, a bank teller with a not-so-enviable life. She's newly divorced and lives with an inattentive son, Vince (Jaygann Ayeh), and occasionally his irritating girlfriend, Gwen (Gwendoline Christie), who makes her hostility toward Sheila obvious. Sheila goes on dates with men she meets online, the first of whom is an insufferable bore, but the second of whom strikes her fancy.

Sheila also suffers through a ridiculous work environment, where she's frequently subjected to hilariously awful job reviews by two of her bosses, who criticize her handshake, which they say isn't "meaningful," as well as her taking bathroom breaks before lunch and waving at her boss's mistress. During one particularly absurd meeting, they ask her to describe her dreams.

Almost equally as ludicrous is her interaction with Miss Luckmore (Fatma Mohamed), who runs a mysterious clothing store where the haunted dress lies in wait. Miss Luckmore's sales pitches and descriptions of retail transactions are delivered in cryptic dialogue that is almost as preposterously silly - and purposefully - as that of Sheila's bosses.

Sheila learns that the dress's previous owner died mysteriously, and soon after she buys it she notices some odd things - for instance, a rash on her body when she wears the dress and the piece of couture's capacity for making washing machines violently explode. Much like Strickland's previous films, "In Fabric" utilizes stylistic tics that were common in 1970s giallo movies, and its soundtrack bears resemblance to European horror movie scores from that decade.

But much like Strickland's previous movies - the better "Berberian Sound Studio" and the sadomasochistic "The Duke of Burgundy" - the style only gets one so far. I liked "In Fabric" up to a point - namely, the midway point, when suddenly the narrative takes off in a new, and less interesting, direction. Halfway through the picture, we leave Sheila to follow the story of a dumpy mechanic and his girlfriend who come to possess the dress. What follows isn't as compelling - or stylistically entrancing - as the first half. The film ends on a note of anarchy, although most viewers will likely be left wondering what the hell exactly happened.

There's a fair amount to praise in the film - its direction, Baptiste's strong performance, the mordantly absurd humor, a sly anticapitalist critique, some gorgeous shots and haunting music. But its somewhat lackluster second half detracts from the overall film.

Those who seek out oddball horror movies will likely want to give "In Fabric" a go, but with the caveat that the picture isn't quite able to retain its momentum. Regardless, the film is unlike any other horror movie of recent memory - that is, other than Strickland's other bizarre giallo tributes.