The Best of the Year - 2019

This year has been a rollercoaster for a lot of us, but one thing that kept us calm was the number high number of great movies.

We saw the Avengers assemble, the Joker turn mad and Pennywise’s return. It was a great year for Hollywood, Disney broke their own records, the Marvel Cinematic Universe became the highest grossing franchise and Avengers: Endgame became the highest grossing movie of all time

It is hard to pick only ten movies that stood out over the year, but the next ten definitely made a big impact. These movies might not necessarily have high scores on Rotten Tomatoes or are not even Oscar contenders, but they definitely won over audiences all over the world.

The top 10 are in no particular order, as it is impossible to choose one top film. Here is ten of the best movies of 2019:

10. It: Chapter 2

Pennywise returned 27 years later and the people from Derry had to face him once more. The original cast returns, with a stellar group of actors playing their adult roles. The movie might not have been as scary as the first one, but they definitely amped up the comedy. In the movie the Losers’ Club reunite to once and for all destroy It, Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

9. Dolemite is My Nam

Eddie Murphy is back with a bang and movie lovers missed him. Staring as performer, Rudy Ray Moore, Murphy did an excellent job. It was the role of a lifetime and things could not have gone better. The movie is set in the 1970s and focuses on Moore’s role as the iconic pimp, Dolemite.

8. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

The final film in the franchise takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Hiccup is now finally the big leader of his people, Toothless found a mate and the rest of the cast is funnier than ever. This movie really is a good sent-off for all the characters. In the movie Hiccup must find a new home for his people where they can freely live with their dragons.

7. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

This one is not only for fans of Breaking Bad, but can also serve as a standalone film. It would be better to watch the show first to get the full narrative. The show felt complete after its ending, but this movie gives fans an even better closing. The movie follows Jesse Pinkman after his escape from captivity, throughout the film he comes to terms with his past in order to create better future.

6. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

When you see Quentin Tarantino and Leonardo DiCaprio work together you know they will produce something legendary. The director takes us back to the 1950s and to a time when Hollywood was booming. The film centres around Rick Dalton an actor who wants to make his Hollywood breakthrough and on Sharon Tate who would become one of the Manson Family’s murder victims.

5. The Irishman

This is not a film for everyone, but it was perfectly crafted by Martin Scorsese. It is not a heavy hitting blockbuster movie and it probably will not be watched over and over again, however it is a masterpiece. The movie is more than three hours long and revolves around Frank Sheeran, a truck driver who gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family.

4. Toy Story 4

Woody, Buzz and rest of the toys are back for what might be one of the best finales in cinematic history. Fans of the franchise thought Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending for the toys, but Pixar had something special up their sleeves. The movie is funny, fun and something that can be enjoyed by the whole family. The movie centres around Woody who is trying to make Bonnie’s new handmade toy, Forky, feel like part of the gang.

3. Spider-Man: Far From Home

This might just be the best Spider-Man film ever made. It pits Spidey against a foe he never expected. The main character is also far from his usual battleground and has to improvise to make sure he does not lose. During Peter Parker’s relaxing vacation he is called into action by Nick Fury to help him stop the Elementals.

2. Joker

There was a time when a movie about a superhero’s foe could not stand on its own, but Joker won everyone over. Thanks to great filmmaking by Todd Phillips and perfecting acting by Joaquin Phoenix, the story of Arthur Fleck is something many people can relate with. What will happen to you when you face one bad day?  The movie is about Fleck’s slow descent into madness after facing various traumas and this leads him to become the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.

1. Avengers: Endgame

The highest grossing movie of 2019 is also the highest grossing movie of all time and it is one of the most loved Marvel movies. This movie is the perfect closing to a story that started in 2008. The heroes united the Avengers and the audience all at once. In the film the Avengers must figure out how to bring back half of the population after Thanos snapped them out of existence. Fuelled with new hope, the Avengers take on the Mad Titan one last time.

Honourable Mentions:

Ad Astra

Marriage Story

Booksmart

Midsommar

Frozen 2

Hustlers

Us

The Lion King

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Alita: Battle Angel

Doctor Sleep