Flickering Myth's Top Ten Movies of 2019

The Flickering Myth writing team present our top ten movies of 2019…2019. A year that has seen Disney dominating the multiplexes, the Mouse House setting records left, right and centre (not least Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, which dethroned 2009’s Avatar to become the highest-grossing film of all-time). It’s seen legendary filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese making the jump to Netflix while trashing Marvel Studios for not being “cinema” enough. It’s seen a comic book movie becoming the first R-rated release to break a billion dollars at the box office, whilst simultaneously picking up the kind of critical acclaim that puts it right in the mix for Oscar recognition. It’s seen the end of the Infinity Saga, the Skywalker Saga, and Fox’s X-Men saga, and it brought us Cats…As another year draws to a close, the writers here at Flickering Myth have been casting our votes for our favourite movies of the past twelve months, which we’ve aggregated to compile our list of The Top Ten Movies of 2019. So, let the countdown begin!10. Once Upon a Time in HollywoodWritten and Directed by Quentin Tarantino.Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Kurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Luke Perry, Margaret Qualley, Mike Moh, Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Lorenza Izzo, and Maya Hawke.In at #10 this year is Quentin Tarantino’s ninth (and reportedly penultimate) film, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, the iconic filmmaker’s love letter to the final days of the Golden Age of Hollywood.“For those that love cinema, well, considering the plot dealing with fading popularity and father time (not to mention the leading stars themselves opening up winding down and how acting is a young man’s game), this could be perceived as Tarantino’s swansong and him leaving behind a goldmine of knowledge for the next generation of filmmakers. If they ever want to make a movie half as good as Tarantino has ever made, they will study Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood ears wide open and eagle-eyed.” – Read our full review here.9. The LighthouseDirected by Robert Eggers.Starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.At #9 is The Lighthouse, the second film from The Witch director Robert Eggers, which sees Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson delivering outstanding performances as two lighthouse keepers on a remote island who find themselves plunging into the depths of madness and desperation.“The Lighthouse is a tale of madness that, while laden with symbolism and the fantastic, is incredibly realistic. The horrifying truth is that these events can happen to anyone, and sometimes actually did. It is the fear of being alone which drives men mad. This may not be the horror movie we expected or the horror movie we wanted, but by Jove, it’s the horror movie we desperately needed and the horror movie we deserved. The mind is a horrific place without the light of humanity that shines upon it.” – Read our full review here.8. UsWritten and Directed by Jordan Peele.Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Evan Alex, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Kara Hayward, Anna Diop, Cali Sheldon, Noelle Sheldon, Madison Curry, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.After enjoying crticial and commercial success with his debut feature Get Out (our #3 pick for the best movies of 2017), actor and comedian turned filmmaker Jordan Peele delivered another superb slice of psychological horror this year with Us, our writers’ eighth favourite movie of 2019.“Forget all the talk of which prestigious filmmaker Jordan Peele is going to replace, as that’s an insult to his talent; he’s the first Jordan Peele, a superb filmmaker that can blend different styles of horror and social commentary distilled with his own trademark brand of humor. Us is both gruesome and challenging, the kind of movie worth dissecting on multiple viewings and one that demands to be instantly reanalyzed upon its ending… A phenomenal piece of work that will leave you pondering it long throughout many nights, and assuredly with the lights on.” – Read our full review here.7. John Wick: Chapter 3 – ParabellumDirected by Chad Stahelski.Starring Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Anjelica Huston, Saïd Taghmaoui, Mark Dacascos, Lance Reddick, Jerome Flynn, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tiger Hu Chen, Asia Kate Dillon, and Jason Mantzoukas.Three entries in, and the John Wick franchise continued to go from strength to strength as director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves served up more spectacular action with Chapter 3 – Parabellum, our #7 movie of the year.“If George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road was the legendary filmmaker showing youngsters how it’s done, this is Chad Stahelski firing back. Much like Chapter 2, Chapter 3 leaves you begging for more. At this point, the John Wick movies are becoming a new drug, so go get your fix. Prepare for more than war, prepare for constant exhilarating anarchy.” – Read our full review here.6. JokerDirected by Todd Phillips.Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro, Brett Cullen, Frances Conroy, Douglas Hodge, Shea Whigham, Marc Maron, Bryan Callen, Bill Camp, Josh Pais, Glenn Fleshler, Dante Pereira-Olson, and Brian Tyree Henry.DC Films’ resurgence continued this year as they stepped away from the DC Extended Universe with Joker, The Hangover director Todd Phillips’ ‘gritty character study’ which saw Joaquin Phoenix delivering an unforgettable turn as the Clown Prince of Crime.“While Phillips is no Martin Scorsese, he certainly came to this project with something to prove, and the result is a shockingly measured and formally precise piece of work, operating in tantalising tandem with one of our greatest living actors… Sure to ignite fierce debate on both ends of the political spectrum, Joker is bold and provocative in measures that make even the grittiest superhero tentpoles seem safe. Joaquin Phoenix is a revelation.” – Read our full review here.Click below to continue on for the top five…5. Knives OutWritten and directed by Rian Johnson.Starring Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, LaKeith Stanfield, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Christopher Plummer, Michael Shannon, Jaeden Martell, Riki Lindhome and Katherine Langford.Heading into the top five now, we come to Knives Out, director Rian Johnson’s star-studded murder mystery, which topped two of our writers’ individual lists of favourites.“The film’s true pièce de résistance is Rian Johnson himself. Furnishing Knives Out with all manner of innovation and whimsical homage, this is a filmmaker at his most buoyant, his most creative, his most playful. Despite the occasional sag during the film’s middle section, this is a wonderfully entertaining tale weaved together with intricacy, eccentricity and more twists than you can shake a blade at. Sharp, smart and stylish, few films this year will have you feeling quite as giddy. For Rian Johnson, the knives are well and truly out, and he is taking great pleasure in slicing up the rule book.” – Read our full review here.4. Avengers: EndgameDirected by Anthony and Joe Russo.Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, and Chris Pratt.Marvel Studios’ only entry in our top ten this year is Avengers: Endgame. The superhero epic topped three of our writers’ individual top tens to claim fourth place overall (its predecessor, Avengers: Infinity War, was named Flickering Myth’s favourite movie of 2018).“Audiences who have been along for the ride will find it easy to connect with the plot and character arcs of Avengers: Endgame. While it may not be quite as exciting as its predecessor, the Russo Brothers made a more than worthy follow-up and conclusion to the MCU’s Infinity Saga. None of the characters are lost in the shuffle and their emotions are given prominence over the spectacle. Downey, Evans, Johansson and Hemsworth give great performances that cap off their journeys while the rest of the cast are equally as great in their roles. Even with a couple points that slow down the story a bit too much, Endgame is a rousing success that will have fans happy.” – Read our full review here.3. ParasiteDirected by Bong Joon-ho.Starring Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-shik, Chang Hyae-jin, Park So-dam, Cho Yeo-jeong, Lee Sun-kyun, Jung Ziso and Lee Jung-eun.South Koren filmmaker Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or-winning Parasite was the personal favourite of four of our writers, leading more individual lists than any other film this year, but a one-two punch from Netflix means it has to settle for third place in our countdown of 2019’s best.“With films like The Host and Snowpiercer, Bong has shown himself to be a master of creating art in the world of genre. Parasite is the latest example of that deft touch and it’s one made with consummate style and a series of unforgettable images. Its horror lingers in the memory, for sure, but it’s the intricately crafted and universal social commentary that truly resonates in our modern times.” – Read our full review here.2. Marriage StoryDirected by Noah Baumbach.Starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern, Ray Liotta, Alan Alda, Merrit Weaver, Wallace Shawn, and Mark O’Brien.At #2 is Netflix’s Marriage Story, writer-director Noah Baumbach’s semi-autobiographical study of a marriage breaking down, complete with career best performances from its two leads Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson.“Some moviegoers want to escape reality, well here’s one that suffocatingly enriches reality with its perspicacious dysfunctional home analysis. It presents the question as to if true love ever really dies. I don’t have the answer, but my adoration for Marriage Story will forever be eternal. Till death stops Noah Baumbach from crafting delicate works of art, both emotionally arresting and frolicsome. Marriage Story is his most accomplished work to date.” – Read our full review here.1. The IrishmanDirected by Martin Scorsese.Starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Jesse Plemons, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Stephen Graham, Anna Paquin, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jim Norton and Jack Huston.And capping off an exceptional year for Netflix, our pick for the best movie of 2019 is Martin Scorsese’s mob epic The Irishman, a decades-spanning tale exploring the story of hitman Frank ‘The Irishman’ Sheeran and his involvement with the Bufalino crime family. The most expensive (and the longest) of Scorsese’s films to date, it’s also among his very best.“The Irishman, a film that tracks the lives of its central characters across six or seven decades and the culmination of those experiences, is far and away the most ambitious thing ever put the screen. The Irishman is a showstopper for different reasons altogether, and story beats within the movie itself hint at the iconic filmmaker genuinely afraid about losing history to time. Fortunately, The Irishman likely won’t be lost to time; hey Martin Scorsese, I heard you like Oscars.” – Read our full review here.Click below for our writers’ individual picks, and the films that just missed out on a place in the top ten… The films just missing out on a place in the top ten were…11. Honey Boy12. Doctor Sleep13. Midsommar14. Uncut Gems15. Toy Story 416. Starfish17. Spider-Man: Far From Home18. Little Women19. Ford v Ferrari20. Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerHere are our writers’ individual favourites…Robert Kojder – Marriage StoryShaun Munro – The IrishmanEJ Moreno – ParasiteTori Brazier – The IrishmanMatt Rodgers – Marriage StoryEammon Jacobs – Knives OutJo Craig – JokerLiam Hoofe – ParasiteLaura Jorden – Avengers: EndgameGeorge Nash – Eighth GradeHasitha Fernando – ParasiteHarrison Abbott – Knives OutMillicent Thomas – Avengers: EndgameEric Bay-Andersen – Avengers: EndgameRachel Bellwoar – AtlanticsDan Sareen – Marriage StoryErika Hardison – John Wick: Chapter 3 – ParabellumRafael Motamayor – ParasiteOur previous Top Tens…2018 – Avengers: Infinity War2017 – Blade Runner 20492016 – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story2015 – Ex Machina2014 – Guardians of the Galaxy2013 – Gravity2012 – The Dark Knight Rises2011 – Drive2010 – InceptionWhat are you favourite movies of 2019? Be sure to let us know in the comments below, or on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…Gary Collinson

Flickering Myth’s Top Ten Movies of 2019

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