Saturday, February 15, 2020

Top 20 Movies of 2019

This is the latest an annual movie list of mine has ever been.  But I wrote before that there were films I wanted to see first before I could comfortably assemble my top 20 movies of 2019, and I’ve just recently finished that task.

So, without further ado, here are my favorite films of 2019… 
20.) How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
“…for me, the runner-up… for greatest animated film trilogy ever is How to Train Your Dragon.  The Hidden World has made sure of that.”
Click here for the full review.

19.) Quezon’s Game
Quezon’s Game did to Manuel L. Quezon what Heneral Luna did to Antonio Luna with regards to improving his stock as a Filipino historical figure.”
Click here for the full review.

18.) Little Women
“Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen are terrific as the March Sisters.”
Click here for the full review.

17.) Alita: Battle Angel
“But, despite its imperfections, it has succeeded in doing the job of translating a manga/anime into a Hollywood blockbuster film with a generally favorable outcome.  In fact, it’s arguably the best example of such to date.  It’s a solid benchmark for Hollywood for its future anime-adapting endeavors.”
Click here for the full review.

16.) Penguin Highway
“…can be seen as a movie about puberty… leaves a resonating message for the audience, especially young people, to chew on.”
Click here for the full review.

15.) Weathering with You
“…a beautiful, technically outstanding anime film…”
Click here for the full review.

14.) Ford v Ferrari
“…it’s not necessarily a film that will only please those who are interested with racing and cars.  For the drama at its core is universally appealing…”
Click here for the full review.

13.) Joker
“[Joaquin] Phoenix delivers a master class in acting in this movie…”
Click here for the full review.

12.) Knives Out
“…has an appealingly old-school, Agatha Christie vibes to it… [but] it’s not a conventional whodunit at all.”
Click here for the full review.

11.) Code Geass: Lelouch of the Resurrection
“It was just gratifying to see Lelouch back again and be in new situations where he could showcase how much of an utter boss he is when it comes to strategy and tactics.”
Click here for the full review.

10.) John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
“…the merits of its style more than make up for any deficits in substance.”
Click here for the full review.

9.) Toy Story 4
“So, from the very start, I was expecting Toy Story 4 to be extremely worthwhile.  And as it turns out, it absolutely is!”
Click here for the full review.

8.) Peanut Butter Falcon
“…the most sanguine, most heartwarming movie I’ve seen in 2019.”
Click here for the full review.

7.) 1917
“The one-shot filmmaking is not just a gimmick.  It really adds artistic value, and makes the film feel more personal and stirring.  It infuses a sort of poetic flair and fluidity to it.  And it’s the crux of why the film is so visceral, spectacular, tense, and immersive.”
Click here for the full review.

6.) Jojo Rabbit
“…could be [Taika Waititi’s] best [film] yet.”
Click here for the full review.

5.) Spider-Man: Far From Home
“…truly captures the essence of what a Spider-Man story should be.”
Click here for the full review.

4.) One Cut of the Dead
“Clever, original, immensely fun, and even inspiring, it’s definitely an instant classic.  If there’s a Japanese film deserving of Parasite levels of hype, it’s One Cut of the Dead.”
Click here for the full review.

3.) Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is like a long-winded, elaborate joke that has a punchline that will blow your mind and leave you gasping for air from laughing so much.  On top of that, the film is also a love letter to the tail end of the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood.
Click here for the full review.

2.) Parasite
“… unpacks several intelligent and jaw-dropping layers to be enjoyed.”
Click here for the full review.

1.) Avengers: Endgame
“…arguably the GOAT of superhero movies.”
Click here for the full review.

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