2019 Movies Summary

Top Movies

In this list I note the 10 best new releases I saw during 2019. This is why I still take the time and trouble to go see a movie now and then, this is why I will always be on the lookout for another good movie - it's awesome to discover great movies.

Knives Out (4/4 stars)

Rian Johnson has scaled back from Star Wars to make another marvellous mystery movie reminiscent of his 2005 effort Brick, and as fantastically plotted as his 2012 sci-fi hit Looper, this time with a stellar cast to boot. Daniel Craig is a Piorot type detective consulting on the investigation around the death of the patriarch of a devious family. The story runs deeper that just the investigation though, and is at its beating heart about kindness to those who need it most, all this while also being immense fun.

Parasite (4/4 stars)

There wasn’t much between Knives Out and Parasite, and I still feel they are more of a combined number 1 movie for 2019. Korean director Bong Joon-ho shows up all of Hollywood with a movie where even the title goes through levels of Inception as the story keeps surprising and shocking and mesmerising the viewer. Definitely one of the more entertaining movies I’ve seen in many years.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (4/4 stars)

This is my favourite animated trilogy, Toy Story included. I’ve enjoyed every instalment as much as the previous one, and the heart presented on screen is simply magical each time. Nothing feels diluted, nothing feels artificial, and nothing feels forced - quite a mean feat considering this movie is about Vikings and Dragons co-existing.

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (3,5/4 stars)

Quentin Tarantino can spin an entertaining yarn, and he is back on top form with Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Seeing Leonardo Dicaprio and Brad Pitt play off each other as they do here, combined with the creative license taking in the “retelling” of historical events a la Inglourious Basterds, is a blast. You don’t even realise the movie is almost 3 hours long, as everything keeps you one hundred percent focussed.  

Avengers: Endgame (3,5/4 stars)

Avengers: Endgame is probably one of the BIGGEST movies ever made: bringing together such an enormous cast of heroes, giving each at least some time to shine, while also bringing the third phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a satisfactory close. Big departures done surprisingly well also carries some emotional punch, even while the battle rages spectacularly. And a cherry on top for me is also the time-travel story that does make sense and isn’t instantly a plot-hole engine.

Toy Story 4 (3,5/4 stars)

After the absolutely perfect ending of Toy Story 3 (my second-favourite Animated trilogy), you could be forgiven for thinking that a fourth movie might be a little excessive. In fact, I was fighting exactly this feeling during the first 30 minutes or so, but Pixar got me around to rooting for Woody and Buzz yet again. Toy Story 4 may not be entirely as good as #3, but it comes pretty close to it, and it’s pretty entertaining all the way - special mention goes to Duke Caboom, voiced by Keanu Reeves, a very entertaining Evel Knievel type stuntman.

Ad Astra (3,5/4 stars)

Ad Astra is a visual treat, and even though it is relatively slow (my wife couldn’t stand the slow pace), the slow burn story together with the beautiful cinematography kept me glued to the screen. Brad Pitt’s understated acting is fantastic, and he carries the movie with his portrayal of the incredibly stable Major Roy McBride, tasked with finding out what is the cause of catastrophic power surges from space endangering humanity and with potentially finding his long-gone father in outer space. While the movie’s pace may turn some down, the moon surface chase sequence on its own is worth the price of admission to me.  

The Irishman (3,5/4 stars)

If you are hoping for another The Departed from Martin Scorsese in The Irishman, you should know that’s not what The Irishman is. It is however a beautifully crafted semi-historical mobster drama telling a somewhat dramatised story of true life events from the perspective of mob hitman and fixer Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro). At 3.5 hours, there is ample opportunity to tell the story of a lifetime, and it does, from a de-aged De Niro involvement in WWII, to an elderly, wheelchair-bound Sheeran remembering his life story. Slow paced but expertly presented, The Irishman is another home run from Scorsese.

Angel Has Fallen (3,5/4 stars)

Yes, this movie is not the typical kind of movie you usually find on Top 10 lists, but as a guilty pleasure I can’t exclude it from this list. Gerard Butler is beginning to get typecast in this kind of role, but it is for a reason. The action was great fun and a pretty cool continuation from the previous two instalments. This is one sort of action I enjoy, and I so wish Hollywood can make a few more like this every year.

Roma (3/4 stars)

Filmed in Black and White, with dialogue in Spanish and Mixtec, Roma is a heartbreaking and personal account of a slice of life of a domestic worker in Mexico City. The cinematography is crisp and beautiful, and the honest acting by a group of mostly unknown actors truly pulls the viewer into the simply story of everyday events with personal impact for Cleo the main character, played by Yalitza Aparicio, making her acting debut in this film.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (3/4 stars)

I both enjoyed and was disappointed by the the final entry in the Skywalker Saga. Despite the fact that JJ Abrams effectively reversed the very interesting and refreshing direction Rian Johnson took the saga in with The Last Jedi (according to me, the best of all Star Wars movies) to pander to the worst kind of internet “fans”, the movie was still a truly enjoyable blockbuster with marvellous visuals and great action and adventure sequences. 

Worst Movies

In every batch of movies there will be great movies, which I've listed above, average movies, which just float by into yesterday, and these: the ones that felt like time and money wasted. The ones that make you afraid to see new movies and may sway you towards rather re-watching old classics. These are the 7 movies from 2019 that I would like to unsee, that I won't ever recommend.

The Great Hack (2/4 stars)

Even though the subject matter of this Netflix documentary is scary to say the least - it tells of Cambridge Analytica’s irresponsible and devious use of Facebook users’ personal data - everything else about this documentary is simply bad. Every person involved seems incompetent, from the perpetrators to the investigators to the snitches to the filmmakers. The feeling I got was that if even one person in all of this was more competent, everyone else would have been done for. This is an important documentary, but unfortunately those involved just make it painful to watch. 

Earthquake Bird (2/4 stars)

This part English, part Japanese movie, set in Japan and following a strange love story/love triangle, is just boring. And it has no point. It simply felt like a waste of time.

6 Underground (2/4 stars)

Now this was a waste of time. It’s almost as if Michael Bay has gone full retard. He has made some pretty entertaining movies over the years, but this was just excess for the sake of excess in every possible way. I like some of the actors involved in this abomination from somewhere else, but I just don’t get the point of this movie - and I’m baffled with all the online praise I’ve seen for it. Just plain nonsense.

The Wandering Earth (1,5/4 stars)

A Chinese version of Armageddon, just more ridiculous. The sun is busy dying (I’d rather watch Sunshine again 1,000 times), so the earth’s scientists install engines all over the planet to fly earth (yes, the entire planet) to a different solar system where a relatively young sun awaits a new beginning. While some of the visuals are impressive, I simply can’t handle the way the story is told, as if a concerted effort was made for a general feel of slapstick comedy, even during more serious parts, and the acting feels similar to that of an episode of Barney the Dinosaur’s. This is China’s third highest grossing movie of all time, and I can’t understand why.  

Glass (1,5/4 stars)

I absolutely loved Unbreakable, and then Split sort of had me on the fence - leaning towards liking it - with the ending connecting it to Unbreakable. Unfortunately Glass couldn’t really pull it off, being merely a bland continuance of both Unbreakable and Split, leading into an anti-climactic end that undoes the entire trilogy. I’ll hold on to Unbreakable and forget the rest for future reference.

Unicorn Store (1/4 stars)

Brie Larson, Captain Marvel herself, wrote and directed Unicorn Store, a light-hearted little tale about a childlike adult woman who just doesn’t want to grow up. Oh, and she gets the opportunity to buy a Unicorn (yep), but first she must prepare for its arrival. I can’t really remember this movie very well, it was a bit strange and boring and not very magical at all.

Rim of the World (1/4 stars)

I don’t know what the market is for this movie. Is it a kids’ movie, as the main characters who save the world from alien invasion are all children? Surely not, as the movie simply contains too much foul language and semi-adult situations and references. An adult movie then? Nope, too juvenile. It’s for no one, unless it’s used as punishment.

Only seen now

Of course no one can watch all the new releases every year without fail. There are movies that slip through the cracks, that you feel the need to catch up on, for better or worse...

Micmacs (2009, 4/4 stars)

Jean-Pierre Jeunet seems to have a way of entertaining me, and Micmacs is no exception to this rule. I adore two of his other movies: Amelie, and A Very Long Engagement and list them as some of my all time favourites. The same now goes for Micmacs, which I rate as the best movie I saw during 2019, ten years after its original release. It's in French, it has subtitles, it's whimsical, and it's very entertaining - I love it.

Eye in the Sky (2015, 4/4 stars)

pThis is such a great movie, capturing the tension, the tragedy, and the absolutely ridiculous banalities of drone warfare perfectly. If you can catch this anywhere I highly recommend you see it, anyone will enjoy this tight thriller, it is highly enjoyable. 

The Usual Suspects (1995, 3,5/4 stars)

Yes, I admit it, it's taken me 24 years to see this. Since 1995 the only thing I knew about this movie was the details of the final twist reveal, and maybe I was jaded a bit, thinking the movie had been spoiled because the surprise would have been lost on me. Well, I finally decided to just watch it, and even though it has perhaps not aged well, it is brilliantly told, and I wish I could have seen it without knowing the ending beforehand.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016, 3,5/4 stars)

Every now and then a movie comes along that you hear about on Twitter and other internet chat platforms, that people can't seem to really forget about, that has a sort of a cult following, and when Hunt for the Wilderpeople was released on Netflix, I immediately watched to see whether the rumours where justified, and believe me, they were. 

American Made (2017, 3,5/4 stars)

Tom Cruise simply manages to find ways to entertain with a higher frequency than most other actors (he however still has his duds, see The Mummy for a bad one). American Made is fun, and the energy of the movie is infectious, even more so when reminded that this is based on real events!

The Big Short (2015, 3,5/4 stars)

Another movie based on real events which seem so outlandish that even a simply the retelling of would be entertaining. The way Adam McKay puts this movie together with all-round excellent acting from big name actors takes it up several levels above merely entertaining.

The Edge of Seventeen (2016, 3,5/4 stars)

Anyone can enjoy this movie, whether you are at the age of the main character, brilliantly played by Hailee Steinfeld, and can identify with the struggles, or whether you're older (any older age) and can reminisce on some level. A funny and relatable view of social awkwardness.

Human (2015, 3,5/4 stars)

This is an astonishing documentary, with a very simple premise. Documentary Filmmaker  Yann Arthus-Bertrand mixes beautiful landscapes with one-on-one interviews with a diverse group of individuals on being human. This documentary is incredible.

Rush (2013, 3,5/4 stars)

Rush is a magnificent sports movie focussing on the world of Formula One racing in 1976, in particular focussing on the rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda for the championship title. The characters are larger than life and the races are marvellously recreated. Anyone with even a passing interest in racing can definitely give this one a go.

La La Land (2016, 3,5/4 stars)

I am very apprehensive when it comes to musicals, as I'm usually on the negative side of the review column (I did not care for Chicago one bit, which is how I feel about most musicals, but Moulin Rouge will always remain a firm favourite). La La Land had me wondering whether I should continue during the first two minutes' overpass song and dance sequence, but it was so vibrant and joyful that it quickly convinced me to stay on. And I'm glad I did.

The Dark Tower (2017, 1,5/4 stars)

This is the one movie I caught up on during 2019 that I should rather have just let go. I've read all the books, devoured them to be precise, and this is no Dark Tower story. It's a weak imitation of a hacked reboot of the story. Just let it die.

Revisits

What is any year in movies without revisiting some old favourites? You may find that your tastes have changed or that you have simply grown out of some movies, but there are some others...

Inglourious Basterds (2009, 4/4 stars)

In my humble opinion, Ingluorious Basterds remains Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece - he even said so right at the end of the movie via Lt. Aldo Raine. The tension when Shoshanna meets Hans Landa will forever remain as one of the tightest scenes I've ever experienced in cinema, and that is but one scene in a movie chock-full of fantastic scenes. Oui Shoshanna...

The Fifth Element (1997, 4/4 stars)

The Fifth Element may be my most-watched movie. I've watched it close to annually since it's release, and I simply don't tire of it. It is an absolutely perfect sci-fi action adventure comedy. 

The Rock (1996, 4/4 stars)

The Rock is Michael Bay’s only truly great action movie. Perhaps because it is strongly rooted in realism, perhaps because Nicholas Cage, and Sean Connery, and Ed Harris simply dominate the screen. For many years this was my one answer when asked about an all-time favourite movie, and while there is now not just one at the top, The Rock is still in the vicinity - always will be.

Die Hard (1988, 4/4 stars)

Die Hard may be the best Christmas movie of all time, and it definitely is the best Christmas action movie of all time. Bruce Willis' John McClane is a simply sublime character, one that’s been returned to four times since. Nakatomi Plaza (Fox Plaza) is instantly recognisable even now, over 30 years later, simply because of how fantastic Die Hard is.

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995, 4/4 stars)

This was a golden age for action movies, all the best ones were released between the late 80's and late 90's (later well-received action movies were never really the same type of action movies as these ones, there was something definitively different to action movies since around 2000). Die Hard with a Vengeance introduces us to another Gruber brother as the villain, and it seems that these villainous brothers bring out the best in the Die Hard movies. Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson play off each other brilliantly.

Super 8 (2011, 3,5/4 stars)

JJ Abrams does know how to make an entertaining movie, and Super 8 is no exception. I think the makers of Rim of the World (worst of 2019, above) was aiming (but terribly missed) for something like Super 8, a completely engrossing alien attack movie with stunning visual effects supporting an engrossing story.

Fight Club (1999, 3,5/4 stars)

After having The Rock as my sole all-time favourite, Fight Club held that position for many years. Watching it again has revealed to me that I have started to outgrow it though. While I still loved the movie and probably always will, my 2019-specific rating for the movie has now fallen by half a star. I enjoyed many other movies I saw during 2019 more than my 2019 viewing of Fight Club. I still hold a place for it among my lifetime favourites though, and always will.

Bad Boys (1995, 2,5/4 stars)

Part of the golden age of action movies, Bad Boys was Michael Bay's first movie. It was a lot of fun at the time, and while I still enjoyed it this time, it has aged badly. This was the last time I'll watch Bad Boys, as I wasn't expecting it to be so much more... average this time 'round. It is unfortunate that we outgrow our old favourites…

Bad Boys 2 (2003, 2/4 stars)

At the time in 2003, I thought Bad Boys 2 was an improvement on Bad Boys. How wrong a little age has proven me. This movie is crass and excessive, much like Michael Bay's latest effort, 6 Underground. It is definitely unfortunate to outgrow old favourites.