Strat's 20 for 2019

And just like the end of each of the past two decades, 2019 did not disappoint.  The year was filled with great cinema from beginning to end, making this list a more arduous task than in year's past.

20. Bombshell (Drama) A tour de force cast where they disappear into extremely well-executed makeup and a scathing hit on the culture in a high profile workplace.

19. Yesterday (Comedy) One of the sweetest movies of the year that makes you wonder two things - were the Beatles THAT good and how thin the narrow line is between mega success and complete anonymity in art.

18. Good Boys (Comedy) This film has no business being here with a single setup for the jokes again and again, but that just goes to show how well done the premise really is.

17. Always Be My Maybe (Romantic comedy) Best rom-com in awhile. The cameo work in this is outstanding as is the performance and clever writing by Ali Wong.

16. Ford vs Ferrari (drama/sports) Making a movie about race cars running in the middle of the night and transcending the David v. Goliath theme for something fresher are just two of the obstacles this film manages to avoid.

15. Spider-man: Far From Home (action/adventure) The aftershock to Endgame is pretty solid and starts to unravel some of the more sci-fi aspects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

14. Terminator: Dark Fate (sci-fi action) It's been so long since I've seen a really good Terminator movie. Like before, it stays formulaic, but ads some significant wrinkles to keep it fresh and fun.

13. The Art of Self Defense (comedy/drama) One of the most overlooked films of the year. It's sort of a Karate Kid movie but meets Aronofsky's Pi

12. The Irishman (crime drama) A master film by master craftsmen. It's a film best watched in a single uninterrupted setting. This is the most spiritual of Scorsese's gangster films.

11. Jojo Rabbit (comedy) The satire on Nazi's is on point and the ability to blend the dark of WWII with a child's perspective is second perhaps only to La Vie et Bella.

10. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood (drama/comedy) A stylized film which is less about story and more about musings about interesting characters. But the execution works effortlessly in a way only QT could create.

9. Toy Story 4 (animation/adventure) This franchise has no good reason to be this good this late into it's run. The addition to Sporky is not only welcome but invites many questions about the mental state of the filmmakers.

8. The Two Popes (drama) I didn't believe this movie would be that funny. I wasn't sure what to expect storywise, but the casting in this film is fantastic.

7. Avengers 4: Endgame (action/adventure) The culmination of a 20+ movie arc into a Game of Thrones-like ending in the year of Game of Thrones ending like was incredibly likely. Fortunately, it doesn't disappoint. It's pretty amazing in scope of storytelling more than anything.

6. Joker (Drama) What happens if you infuse a Scorsese-like characterization into a 1970s Scorsese like film and throw in DeNiro as a supporting character to boot? One of the most haunting comic book films of all time.

5. Knives Out (mystery/comedy) Rian Johnson is at his best when he alone controls the movements of the pieces on the board and is able to expertly craft moments and scenes that are as sharp at the titular objects.

4. Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (drama/comedy) I don't recall a film that so effortlessly gets you to cry over not so sad stuff at such a regular clip as this one. Viewer beware. After a few minutes, you forget that Tom Hanks is there in the iconic supporting role.

3. The Farewell (drama/comedy) This is the most "indie" film on the list as it takes a slice of a foreign culture and explores is for all it is through the lens of one of the best lead actress performances in the past 5 years.

2. American Factory (documentary) This is the film you constantly ask - "How did the documentarians get that on camera?" The commitment to a story of both the labor force and employer sides in a workplace study is unparalleled.

1. Parasite (drama/suspense) One of the few times the Academy gets it right and rewards the best film. Many of the competitors will pass into oblivion, but this one sears your mind with indelible images and characters.

Augustx's Top 20 for 2019

My personal picks for 2019, in no particular order. My theme for this list? Upended expectations. Such is life lately:

Blinded by the Light -- A modern-day fable addressing racism, classism, and the power of art to provide much-needed escapism.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood -- What a long, strange trip it's been. This is classic Tarantino, so expect his signature pacing. There's plenty you won't expect, too.

Uncut Gems -- My expectations were low and I went in not knowing much. I'm frankly not a huge fan of Sandler normally. But something about the frenetic pacing drew me in.

Hustlers -- The all-female Magic Mike? Maybe. Again, my expectations were exceeded.

Toy Story 4 -- Pixar's always-excellent writing means adults will always be laughing, even in movies that are (ostensibly) geared toward kids. 

Judy -- I repeated throughout the course of this movie, "Renee Zellweger deserves everything for her turn in this movie." Thankfully, the Academy agreed. (Again, totally upended expectations.)

Parasite -- A truly jaw-dropping class parable. 

Harriet -- Powerful, intense, and your FitBit will probably show your heart rate going up a number of times as you watch this.

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood -- Walk in thinking this is a movie about Fred Rogers and walk out thinking about redemption. A masterfully well-told story.

Marriage Story -- If you know the type of movie you're getting into when you see that Noah Bambach is directing (and I do, as he's one of my favs), see it. Understand that there's going to be uncomfortable dialogue and intense character scenes, because that's what he does. (Some of us find it weirdly therapeutic.)

Lion King -- Maybe it's my nostalgia talking, but I'll take your live-action-style remake and I'll raise you Pumbaa.

VHYES -- The medium truly is the message in the offbeat vignettes of VHYES. Quite possibly one of the strangest films you'll ever see...in a good way.

Knives Out -- A fun game of Clue come to life.

Shazam -- Clever without being cloying--a hard-to-find combination these days.

Bombshell -- John Lithgow's playing a villain? Sign me up.

On the Basis of Sex -- A beautiful tribute to the life of Ruth Bader Ginsberg (long may she live -- start that prayer circle now, gang).

Redemption Square -- The only short on my list, this documentary focuses on the life of those living in and around Downtown Los Angeles' Pershing Square. 

Booksmart -- It took years to get these kinds of movies made, with queer teenage love being portrayed without it becoming a morality tale or a Lifetime movie. And hilarious to boot.

Good Boys -- From the marketing, it's easy to think this is a gross-out film about oversexed teenage boys. But you'd be mistaken -- the teenage actors are fantastic, and it has a ton of heart.

Rocket Man -- Here's the thing: If you're expecting a biopic, this is not your movie. It was marketed as a biopic, but it's a flat-out musical. However, if you're into musicals, this is frankly one of the best you'll see. Not into musicals, but appreciate dazzling visuals and incredible showmanship? Give it a chance.