Well 2019 has come and gone, and we have seen many movies both good and bad throughout the year. As the new year dawns on us, I like to take this time to reflect on the films that really stood out to me in 2019. Just like with anyone’s list this is entirely subjective. People’s taste in movies all vary to some degree, so I don’t expect you to completely agree with everything here. All I ask as you read this is to keep an open mind and understand that you might not see a movie you love on this list because either I didn’t see it or I don’t feel as strongly about as you do. I’ve tried to see as many films as possible from 2019 before making my list, with some of the films featured here not having a proper review from me, which is why I release them later than other critics. If there’s a film I might’ve liked enough to be on this list then feel free to message me about it, and if you see a film here that you haven’t heard of then I highly encourage you to check it out for yourself. With all that being said, here are my picks for the top 10 best films of 2019:

10) Apollo 11

Director: Todd Douglas Miller

Starting off the list is a very unique documentary from director Todd Douglas Miller. Yes, documentaries are films too, deal with it. Documentaries are just like any other film genre; they can contain incredible narratives just like the best narrative films can, and like mainstream “regular” films documentaries can paint an incredibly complex portrait of its characters. This film is unique in the fact that it features no traditional interviews of people talking about the subject matter like most documentaries. This documentary consists entirely of archival footage from NASA detailing the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, and the filmmakers were able to string together the footage and make it feel like an actual narrative film. The score from Matt Morton gives this film personality, the archival footage is surprisingly very well shot, and the film does an excellent job showcasing the quieter moments of the mission. I regret not being able to experience this film on the big screen, but it’s a very interesting documentary to check out nonetheless.

9) Little Women

Directors: Greta Gerwig

Well this film came out of nowhere; I didn’t expect to love this film as much as I did. Gerwig’s take on the classic story is one of the most likable films of 2019. The performances were all spectacular, the writing is clever and modern without compromising the source material, the music from Alexandre Desplat was great, the editing was great, and the characters are not only memorable but also deeply layered. Gerwig did a fantastic job giving a classic tale a contemporary and modern makeover while being as deeply faithful to the source material as possible. This was one of the most likable films I’ve seen in 2019 and is a film I can see pretty much anyone enjoying in some way.

8) Honeyland

Directors: Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov

Hey look another documentary! And it’s a foreign one at that! Like Apollo 11, this film is presented in a manner that isn’t like most documentaries. There are no interviews anywhere in this film nor does the filmmakers themselves say anything informational at all; this film follows one lone beekeeper and treats her story as a narrative film. There was a lot of incidental conflicts between the main subject and her neighbors that made this documentary even more like a narrative film, and the best part of it is that nothing in this film is staged. These are real world events involving regular people, and the film does an incredible job telling an engaging and emotional story with them. The shots were gorgeous, the subject matter is interesting, and the message is incredibly relevant today, this film proves that documentaries can be considered art too. It’s a fascinating watch that should definitely be checked out.

7) The Irishman

Directors: Martin Scorsese

The Scorsese mob film to end all Scorsese mob films, the acclaimed director returns with a three and a half hour crime epic that feels like a personal goodbye to the genre, and it’s about as good as you can expect from Scorsese. Despite its monstrous run-time it wastes no time establishing its complex characters and showcasing Scorsese’s expertise in filmmaking. Robert De Niro was great, Joe Pesci gives a very unique performance, and Al Pacino was a blast to watch. The direction was solid, the writing from Steven Zailian was fantastic, and the last hour of this film ties everything together beautifully. If you have the patience then you’ll be rewarded with one of the most memorable films of 2019.

6) Monos

Director: Alejandro Landes

This little gem was a film I almost missed out on and boy am I glad to have seen it now. This film from Colombian director Alejandro Landes is one of the most disturbing films I’ve seen in a while. The visuals is both haunting and dream-like, the music was uniquely its own, the message and metaphors give the audience much to think about, and the characters were all distinct from one another. Moises Arias, who incidentally people might remember from Hannah Montana (lol), gives a incredibly layered performance, Julianne Nicholson was great, and all the young actors were great in their own right, with newcomer Sofia Buenaventura being one of the best in the bunch. This film was a very unique and deeply dark experience that will stay in your mind long after you watch it.

5) 1917

Director: Sam Mendes

One of the last films to be released in 2019, and what a way to end the year. This was an intense cinematic achievement from Sam Mendes. The cinematography was mind boggling, the editing successfully pulls off the one-take look of the film, the action was intense and seat-clenching, the performances were stellar even for the actors that appeared for one scene only, and the story was simple yet incredibly engaging. I know it’s cliched for me to gush over one-take films like this one but I really can’t help but give credit where it’s due, and this film pulls off the one-take gimmick better than others. This was one wild ride from beginning to end and was one of the best experiences in a theater I’ve had all year.

4) The Last Black Man in San Francisco

Director: Joe Talbot

The most A24 movie to come out from A24 this year. This film was just gorgeous to watch, boasting some of the best cinematography I’ve seen in 2019. The performances all around were fantastic, with Jonathan Majors giving one of my favorite performances of the year, the direction is something else entirely, the music is incredibly atmospheric and perfectly complements the film’s dream-like visuals, the message is resounding, the story is surprisingly engaging, the characters are interesting, this was one of the most underrated films of 2019, and a very impressive directorial debut from Joe Talbot to boot. This film needs to be seen by more people so check it out and see for yourself.

3) The Lighthouse

Director: Robert Eggers

This was one of those movies that got better the more I think about it. I was a little lost on my initial viewing, but after revisiting this crazy story again it aged beautifully and turned into a contemporary masterpiece. Both Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe give career best performances and the chemistry and tension the two have with each other makes this a blast to watch. The cinematography is unique, the aspect ratio and black and white imagery cleverly helps set the film’s dark tone, the dread is consistently present, it’s even funny at times, this film is definitely one of the most memorable films of 2019, and time will tell if it’s going to be a true classic.

2) Marriage Story

Director: Noah Baumbach

The best film to come out of a streaming service in 2019, this film was incredibly close to being my pick for the best film of 2019. This film boasts arguably my favorite screenplay of the year; every line of dialogue feels natural coming out of the actors’ lips, while at the same time being incredibly clever and funny throughout the film. The performances here are all fantastic, with both Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver giving some of the best acting in their entire careers. Baumbach’s direction was solid, the cinematography and editing was great, Randy Newman’s score was one of my favorite of the year, this was a fantastic movie. If you haven’t checked it out yet the film’s now available on Netflix so I highly recommend you check it out.

1) Parasite

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Yeah this was pretty much a given. The Palme D’Or winner was easily my choice for the best film of 2019. Everything about this film was phenomenal. The acting was great, the direction was fantastic, the story draws you in and builds to an explosive climax, everything about this film was sublime. This is a film that anyone can watch and enjoy regardless of language. You don’t need to know every little thing about Korean culture to follow along the film’s deceptively simple yet incredibly layered plot. This film has the potential to become a cinematic classic in the coming years; I can’t keep singing this film’s praises enough. It’s a worthy winner of the Palme D’Or, a rightful front-runner for the Oscar’s Best Picture award, it’s my favorite film of 2019.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Avengers: Endgame
The Farewell
Joker
Midsommar
Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood
One Child Nation
Us
Uncut Gems
Waves