It’s been over 2 years since I last visited this blog, an unfortunate consequence of having started work and having to pick between this and my other passion – illustration. However, with every new film I saw in 2019, I got that tingling feeling to write again, what with the long list of amazing films the year has gifted us, from all around the world. Especially at a time when the real world seems to be diving headfirst into the apocalypse – whether that be through genocide, disease or climate change – cinema as our most powerful art medium serves an important purpose, not just in opening up windows of escape, but also to make us feel more connected to each other.
This shouldn’t have to be stated, but let me be clear that this is a list based purely on my enjoyment of these films, which reflects my subjective experiences and what resonates most with me. You may not love all the films here as I do, but all I ask is that you give them a fair shot before dismissing. Without further ado, here are my honorable mentions:
RAFIKI (dir. Wanuri Kahiu)
If you thought being queer in Kenya was difficult, try falling in love with the daughter of your father’s biggest rival in the elections. Rafiki is a bittersweet story of two souls caught in love and life by the bigoted minds of the society around them, and the difficult decisions they are forced to make when their loyalties conflict. As vibrant in its storytelling as the colors that leap off the screen, this film speaks paragraphs of emotions without having to add any words explaining them. At a time when LGBTQA films are moving away from tales of oppression, Rafiki is testament to the fact that with every other culture, comes another kind of struggle.
Watch it for: The magic that the colors in this film casts on your mind.
BOOKSMART (dir. Olivia Wilde)
In her directorial debut, Olivia Wilde brings us this generation’s Superbad, minus the overwhelming sexism and general political incorrectness. If you’re someone who enjoys coming-of-age stories or, more specifically, stories about the last party of school (weird that there is an entire genre dedicated to this), this is the movie for you. Booksmart follows Amy and Molly, whose shocking discovery that their partying classmates got into the same colleges they did, pushes them to go all out on the last night of high school. Filled to the brim with bizarre characters, intoxicated capers and bucketloads of heart, this film is a perfect pick-me-up.
Watch it for: The fresh creative voice of Olivia Wilde that perfectly captures teenage in 2019.
JOKER (dir. Todd Philips)
Perhaps the most talked about movie of 2019, Joker is what you get if you take the most popular comic book villain of all time and inject him with a pathos that adds fuel to the fire of white male disgruntlement. Taking more than a few pages from Scorcese’s earlier work, Todd Philips takes an experimental line in navigating a character arc which has the right idea, but stumbles in its messaging which has potentially disastrous effects on conversations around mental health (something that I too failed to notice until a second watch). However, it earns a place in this list simply for the performance by Joaquin Phoenix, that manages to hold its own against Heath Ledger’s iconic turn back in 2008.
Watch it for: Joaquin Phoenix. That’s it.
DEERSKIN (dir. Quentin Dupieux)
I wasn’t sure if I had read correctly when I first saw the one-liner for this film – a story of a nameless man in love with his jacket. While that may turn many audiences off as pretentious garbage, the film increasingly makes sense as you dive deeper, and see the layers come off. Saying too much about the plot of Deerskin would be a disservice to the experience of watching it, so I’ll just say that it’s a film about a man with a mysterious past who lands up in a strange place to start over, except in the most unexpected way.
Watch it for: Jean Dujardin’s performance, especially in any scene where he’s trying on new clothes.
AVENGERS: ENDGAME (dir. Joe and Anthony Russo)
Martin Scorcese and the rest of old Hollywood may call this genre of film theme parks or rides not fitting the title of ‘cinema’, but you would be a fool to deny the pure emotional impact the Avengers saga has had on the world at large. The very pinnacle of what is possible through a narrative running across films, Endgame closes the chapter on what was perhaps the most ambitious project Hollywood ever witnessed. With the sturdy hands of the Russo brothers at the wheel, and the iconic performances by Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans driving the film, this was truly a community theater experience.
Watch it for: The satisfaction of that last battle scene, intersecting the arcs of so many characters over so many films.
I LOST MY BODY (dir. Jeremy Clapin)
If you know me, you know I love a good indie animated film. I Lost My Body is told from the perspective of a severed hand, as it sets out to find its body. Jeremy Clapin takes a very absurdist base concept and grounds it with characters that feel more real than many I’ve seen in live action. The animation is also very fluid and top-notch, especially considering how it’s hand drawn, and it keeps us rooted in the shoes – or fingers, rather – of the silent protagonist. With visuals as powerful as this, it might as well have been a silent film – very rarely does is the audience allowed to miss a beat.
Watch it for: The scene where the hand falls into the rail tracks and has to fend off a pack of rats will have you flinching with every move.
And now for the best of the year, counting down:
15. ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (dir. Quentin Tarantino)
While I have issues with Tarantino as a person, there is no doubt that he is a director who gets better at his craft with every new film. Don’t go into this one expecting a ‘Tarantino film’, as it is as far from his iconic work as you can get. Also, don’t go in expecting a movie about Sharon Tate, as it is much more a screen capture of Hollywood on the last leg of its golden age, as its players scramble to adapt to the changes. Leo and Pitt play a washed up actor and his stunt double, and it is the chemistry between the two that drives the life of this film. The biggest issue with this film is the amount of homework it expects from its audience, which you’re unlikely to be familiar with unless you are interested in Hollywood history.
Watch it for: Pitt fully embracing his golden god image, and that last scene. I won’t say more.
14. KNIVES OUT (dir. Rian Johnson)
Rian Johnson is one of the most interesting creators in cinema today, taking on traditional genres and giving them his subversive spin. This is also what makes him an odd choice for helming a Star Wars sequel, but perfect for a genre film like Knives Out. There is a certain strain of murder mystery which I thought had been left in the past – the kind you might be most familiar with in Agatha Christie’s novels – into which Johnson has breathed life I previously thought impossible. This is not a one man act either, with the murderer’s row of characters adding depth and parody to their characters in equal measure. If Parasite has the best cast this year, this one comes a close second, with veteran actors like Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Shannon delivering scene-chewing performances, while clearly having as much fun as the audience does.
Watch it for: All the actors playing against their type, with Daniel Craig’s eccentric Detective Blanc standing out above the rest.
13. SUPER DELUXE (dir. Thiagarajan Kumararaja)
I love a good anthology film, and that is precisely what Thiagarajan Kumararaja gifts us with in Super Deluxe. Weaving together four tales of characters trapped by their situation, this film is testament to the fact that you can take on serious issues without losing out on mass entertainment. While the themes explored range from the mundane to the vividly absurd, they are all connected by the power of human connection and the will to live.
Watch it for: The pure emotion in Vijay Sethupathy’s portrayal of Shilpa, a transgender woman returning to her family.
12. JOJO RABBIT (dir. Taika Waititi)
At first when I heard about this film, I had to take out an hour to research and confirm that it was real. I mean, what would you think if you heard they were making a comedy set in Nazi Germany, following a 10 year old who has Hitler as his imaginary friend? Jojo Rabbit is many things – a hilarious dark comedy, a moving love story, a sharp political satire and damning proof that if you hit a Marvel movie out of the park, Hollywood will let you do anything. Speared by a spectacularly silly Waititi as Hitler and perhaps the best performance from a child actor in many years, this film uses comedy like a knife to slice into the jingoistic ideals that many continue to buy into, even today.
Watch it for: Come on, it’s obviously Taiki Waititi as imaginary Hitler.
11. LITTLE WOMEN (dir. Greta Gerwig)
Little Women might be a story you’ve read or seen several times, but never like this. What Greta Gerwig brings to this age-old classic is not just her signature style of spirited dialogue and a quirky camera, but a narrative lens which places the story within its time, and even addresses the true story behind the book. Little Women contrasts the two books within it, by jumping back and forth to contrast the idyllic to the cynical, and in doing so, is able to pronounce the consequences past actions have on their lives in the present. Saoirse Ronan is increasingly proving herself to be Gerwig’s muse, with a protagonist who serves her relationship to her sisters as well as her relationship to her work. Nothing more needs to be said about this cast than the fact that it brings together the best of actors across the years, from the inimitable Meryl Streep to the dynamic Florence Pugh.
Watch it for: The clever narrative style that never loses its audience, and the meta-commentary this allows for the story of Louisa May Alcott and the censorship of the time.
10. 1917 (dir. Sam Mendes)
Back when I saw Birdman in 2015, I thought no one could put the often-gimmicky trope of the ‘singular shot’ to better use. As the camera followed the protagonist through narrow trenches, open warzones and rumbling waters in 1917, I found myself crossing out that thought. Roger Deakins and Sam Mendes prove their worth in overflowing measures, calculating every movement of the camera and the players to breathtaking effect. This is not a film original in its plot, characters or themes – but stands out above most war films for its visceral portrayal of actually being on the battlefield.
Watch it for: The ‘singular shot’, if that wasn’t obvious already.
9. THE FAREWELL (dir. Lulu Wang)
The Farewell is the story of Billi, a woman caught between her inherited Chinese heritage and her adopted American one, as her family gathers under the guise of a fake wedding. Thing is, everyone but the grandmother knows that she has been diagnosed with terminal cancer with only a few weeks left. Having experienced a very similar farewell to a family member in my childhood, this movie resonated with me on a deep emotional level. Lulu Wang brings her own experiences as a Chinese-American to show us a truthful portrait of collision between cultures and conversation, drawing out laughs and tears with every scene. Awkwafina is just perfect as Billi, embodying her character’s internal conflict with every look and word. What you’re left with at the end is an incredibly sweet yet tragic story that is relatable to anyone who has ever been part of any family gathering.
Watch it for: The unique blend of hilarity and heart in the scene where the ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ are forced to smile for the pictures as they watch in terror at Billi and Nai-Nai having a conversation.
8. US (dir. Jordan Peele)
Jordan Peele’s new feature may not be as on-point with its message as Get Out, but it knocks the ball out of the park as a horror movie. Driven by a powerhouse performance from Lupita Nyong’o, Us pulls out all the stops to have us questioning each character and their motivation. In the midst of all this terror, the film also sows enough seeds of social commentary to leave us lost in thought for days afterward.
Watch it for: Lupita Nyong’o. She got robbed of an Oscar.
7. THE IRISHMAN (dir. Martin Scorcese)
Scorcese, Pacino, Pesci and De Niro – do you really need another reason to see The Irishman? For those looking for another Goodfellas or Casino, this isn’t that, but what you get instead is a bookend to go with the decades of mob movies Scorcese has given us in the past. Steering alongside the veteran director are the measured yet fitting performances from the main three, with Pesci stealing the show. Stewing in self-reflection and allowing the years to sink in, The Irishman is the antithesis to Goodfellas, shining light on the people and lives that pass you by while on your bloody journey.
Watch it for: Powerful shots that speak of decades of experience, like an assassination scene where the focus is shifted from the shooter and the victim to the many hands grabbing at the hand clutching the gun.
6. JALLIKKATTU (dir. Lijo Jose Pellissery)
Ever since his showstopping Ea Ma Yau, I had been dying to see what Lijo Jose Pellissery hits us with next. If the synopsis of a village chasing a loose buffalo confuses you, that’s because it would require an essay to capture the layers of masculinity and abstract ‘humanity’ hanging in the air of this film. Couple that with a camera that shows no limitations to its spectacle, and you’ve got yourself a true roller coaster of a film. With meat and bloodthirst as its language, Pellissery and his rampaging buffalo drags ‘man’ down to his most base animalistic tendencies and leaves no holds barred as it builds up to a terribly breathtaking image.
Watch it for: Almost every shot is a spectacle.
5. MOOTHON (dir. Geetu Mohandas)
If you’ve ever felt Nivin Pauly to be an overrated actor (like I used to), watch this film. What Geetu Mohandas brings us with Moothon is a tragic tale of two siblings torn apart and flung into a grimy world filled with drugs, sex and violence. Working off this premise, the film in its second half goes into even deeper questions of gender and sexuality which, especially for characters such as these, are fated to remain unanswered. The striking contrast between the almost dreamlike Lakshadweep and the nightmarish Kamathipura hammers home the message that no matter how bad things seem now, it can always get worse. But the little time we spend on the island fuels the heart of the film, which explores questions of identity and acceptance that are bound to extend their reach beyond the theater.
Watch it for: Nivin Pauly’s almost dual performance.
4. MARRIAGE STORY (dir. Noah Baumbach)
If one film were to represent the feeling of intimacy in human relationships, Marriage Story is a pretty great candidate. Strange, considering how it is literally a story about a couple going through divorce. However, Baumbach used divorce as a lens through which to tell the relationship between Charlie and Nicole, which seems all the more real in its dying breath. With the exceptional cast giving the most authentic performances of their careers, Marriage Story truly makes you feel like you’re peering through the screen into the rooms of this relationship.
Watch it for: The deceptively simple writing.
3. KUMBALANGI NIGHTS (dir. Madhu C Narayanan)
If the previous film on my list leave its audience with an unmoving lump in their throats, this debut film from Narayanan leaves you with hope for humanity even in the darkest of times. Simultaneously a cathartic family story and a case study on masculinity, Kumbalangi Nights has something to offer everyone, which transcends culture and language. While this tale of redemption for a family down on its luck makes you fall in love with its main characters – four estranged brothers – it’s the inimitable Fahadh Faasil who steals the show.
Watch it for: The climactic scene. No spoilers.
2. PARASITE (dir. Bong Joon-Ho)
Satire alone is something most films struggle to strike the right note with, and here come Bong Joon-Ho with a masterpiece that weaves satire, comedy and thriller so effortlessly that you never question the absurd tonal changes. Parasite is the best yet in Bong’s body of increasingly relevant-for-the-times work, which tackles class struggles and the rat race like never before. Each new twist makes you lean in closer, and puts you deeper in the shoes of its characters, to the point where you cry out in desperation at the injustice of it all.
Watch it for: The absolutely unpredictable twists.
1. THE LIGHTHOUSE (dir. Robert Eggers)
Unpredictable and chaotic as the ocean around the eponymous location, The Lighthouse marks a brilliant second film from Robert Eggers, the horror mastermind behind The Witch. Claustrophobia hits the audience from three angles here – the 1.19:1 screen ratio, the layout of the musty building and the primitiveness of the era it is set in. Add to this a rising crescendo of its only two characters doubting and doing in each other, and what you have is a movie that makes you forget to take a breath or close your jaw until the credits roll.
Watch it for: The jaw-dropping final act.
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