2020 is here!! 2019 is done! Now that I’ve had a few days to sit on the New Year, I’ve decided to compile a list of my favorite movies from 2019.
The wonderful thing? I think I saw at least 20 movies that I illegitimately loved in 2019.
Keep in mind that this list could change, as I’m sure I am forgetting things. Also, there are still many movies that came out last year that I have not seen yet, but I really want to! Plus, as I re-watch things in the future, my opinions tend to change.
The Upside- I’m a sucker for movies where two people come together, bond, and then help each other become better people. This film is exactly that. It shows what genuine friendship can bring to our lives. That made me really happy!! If you are like Buddy the Elf and smiling is your favorite, this is a good one to watch.
Happy Death Day 2 U- 2017’s Happy Death Day was a movie I thought looked really dumb. In fact, I didn’t watch it until last year! I’m glad I did. Because after seeing it, I sought out the sequel faster than Hollywood greenlights them! Both of these films are surprisingly fun. They could’ve just been cheap horror films. But instead they are a really unique takes on the formula of Groundhog Day. Yes! The Bill Murray one. That Groundhog Day! The sequel expands upon the ideas of the first, to the point where it becomes part sci-fi film. By the end of it, I was grinning ear to ear. These films are way more fun than they should be. The film’s star Jessica Rothe should get more attention for these movies too. And I’m dying (Haha) to see a third!
Spider Man: Far From Home- I absolutely loved Spider Man: Homecoming. So, naturally I was excited for this movie. I think it delivered not only as a follow up to Homecoming, but it also put a nice punctuation mark on the events of Avengers: Endgame. Tom Holland is a great Spider Man. It just fun to watch him interact with the world and other characters. I hope we see in the role for many films to come. Also….that post credits scene! Wow! One of my favorites in all of the MCU!
Yesterday- As much as I loved Yesterday. I honestly thought I would like it more than I ended up liking it. The film’s first trailer absolutely blew me away. I remember thinking….. “this looks like it could be my favorite movie of 2019”. While I can’t say it’s my number one movie or anything, I still really enjoyed it. The concept alone is fascinating. What if only one person remembered The Beatles? While this film could have done more with that idea, I found everything it offered to still be very interesting.
Fighting With My Family- The WWE is very foreign to me. But after I saw “Fighting With My Family,” I had a whole new perspective about professional wrestlers. This movie shows what people who have dreams of going to the WWE have to go through. If you aren’t a pro wrestling person, I say watch this movie. I did, and I loved it.
Ready or Not- Ever wonder what it’s like to marry into a rich family? How about on top of being rich, that family loves to play games, especially hide and seek. Oh, and they are crazy too. “Ready Or Not” will let you experience all those things and more through film! How exciting is that? Very! The ending of this one is bonkers too. Without spoiling it, I’ll just say I didn’t think the filmmakers would go there. But they do.
Blinded By The Light- Do you remember how you felt the first time a song or artist impacted you? Like really impacted you? This movie perfectly encapsulates that feeling. See it. It’s Amazing.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World- I think all of the installments in the “How To Train Your Dragon” series have unexpectedly become my favorite animated movies of all time. When the first one came out in 2010, I loved it. Way more than I thought I would. Same goes for the two sequels. “The Hidden World” is a nice closing chapter for these characters. I found myself getting really emotional by the end of it. We are talking Toy Story 3 levels of emotion! I can easily put this trilogy up there with some of the best animated films ever.
Joker- A dark descent would’ve been a perfect subtitle for this movie. Because man oh man. Parts of it are very hard to watch. It made me feel uncomfortable at so many points throughout. But…I found myself finding sympathy for the Joker in this movie too. How crazy is that?!?! I think the big reason behind that is how incredible Joaquin Phoenix is in the role. I know everyone says that, but it is so true! He just won a Golden Globe for this movie as I’m writing this, and I really hope he wins the Oscar. I think the thing I love about this movie most though is how much deeper it ended up being. Parts of this movie are mind bending. There’s stuff I’m not sure if it happened or not. Who knew a movie about a comic book character could be such a great psychological character piece? I think it just goes to show that there is so much more to do with the Comic Book movie genre.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: I love anything Star Wars. Some of the best movie going experiences I’ve ever had have come from Star Wars movies. When this movie was getting mixed reviews before I saw it, it made me nervous. Maybe I’m a sucker, but I have to say I don’t get those negative reviews at all. Not saying there aren’t plot holes in this movie. Or that it isn’t overstuffed. But I think I just had such an amazing time watching it I didn’t care. In fact, I think I liked it even more the second time.
Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood- This movie is a pretty slow burn for the first couple of hours. After that it hits a point where things just go boom! I loved all of it though. Quentin Tarantino is so good at writing characters, and this movie shows that talent off beautifully. The movie may bend the truth of what actually happened in Hollywood way back when. But I didn’t care. I hope Tarantino does more movies in the future that bend history. I’d love to see his take on lots of historical events! Heck, I’d like to see his take on about anything!
Shazam!- Did you ever wonder what it would be like if they crossed over the Tom Hanks classic “Big” with a superhero movie? Well, that’s what “Shazam!”Is! This is the kind of superhero origin movie I love. It is full of wonder, and moments of a regular person discovering they can do extraordinary things. This film has so much heart The Tinman from The Wizard of Oz would be very envious. The best thing? It never comes off as sappy. It could’ve easily too with a story like this. This film could quite possible be the most re-watchable on this list too.
Crawl- See ya later alligator! A movie like this probably shouldn’t stick with me the way it has. I’m not really sure why that is either. Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen a really good movie like this one in a while. Or maybe it is because this movie knows exactly what it is. A suspenseful alligator teeth chomping good time!
Toy Story 4- Before seeing the latest installment in the Toy Story franchise, I decided to revisit the other three. The third film seemed to end the series on a perfect note. And while I was still really excited for the fourth, souring the ending of the trilogy was a worry in my mind. I’m proud to say this movie didn’t ruin anything for me. In fact, the fourth film I think is a perfect encapsulation of where Woody’s character arch was heading. The first three movies seem to tease it. The crazy thing is, I’m not sure Pixar even meant to do that. The final words of this film really get me too. What a line to close out on. Bravo once again Pixar!
The Peanut Butter Falcon- Not only is this movie probably one of the biggest surprises of 2019. It’s also one of the most beautiful and heartwarming. I hadn’t heard about this movie at all until about a week before it came out. It’s one of those movies I could’ve missed really easily and I’m so happy I didn’t. I also feel like this is one of those movies that’s for everyone. Anybody can watch it and get something from it. It made me want to break out and go on an adventure!
JoJo Rabbit- Who knew that a movie that takes place in Germany during WWII could be so touching? Director Taika Waititi has been on my radar for a couple of years now with movies like “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Thor: Ragnarok.” I feel this is the movie where he really shines as a director. Not enough people are talking about how he took such a serious backdrop and snuck in many great comedic and heartwarming moments. But that’s not to say this movie doesn’t get serious. When it gets sad, it rips your heart out. The best movies make you feel a million different things. This one does just that.
Knives Out- Who done it? You’ll have to watch this movie to find out! What a ride it is too. While this movie could be seen as just another mystery, I think it’s much more than that. I found the set up to be quite unique. The way it is structured plays with the murder mystery genre quite a bit more than I expected it would. You find out things about the story early on that you think should be revealed later on in the film. But there is a reason for that! A very good reason indeed. Love the whole cast too. Especially, Daniel Craig (What a southern draw he has in this!), Chris Evans (What a jerk he plays!) and Ana De Armas (She’s a future star!)!
Avengers: Endgame- This was my most anticipated movie of the year. Actually, I would even go to say I’ve never looked forward to a movie as much as I did for Endgame. While there are plot holes in this film, I still absolutely love it. I’m thankful that over the last ten years we have had the chance to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe grow. It’s been an exciting ride. This movie somehow encapsulated all of that excitement and shot it off like a firework. Many parts of it still give me goosebumps. Will we ever see a movie like Endgame again? Maybe we will see something in the same realm, but I think this movie is really special.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood- Mister Rogers is a personal hero of mine. The 2018 documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” was perfect. I have to say, I found this movie to be on that level as well. I’m so happy we can live in a time where we have not only one, but two really great movies about Fred Rogers. I’m not sure which I liked better. They both touched me in different ways. I thought “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” was powerful because it had a lot to say about feelings and how we deal with them. Mister Rogers Neighborhood was all about that. I was really happy this film capture that theme. Also, some of the stylistic choices in this movie really surprised me. Especially the beginning. The movie starts like an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood. What a brilliant way to frame the rest of the movie! Also, I think Tom Hanks should keep playing iconic people for as long as he wants to!
Ford V. Ferrari- I’m a racing fan. I’m a movie fan. So naturally, I was born to love “Ford V. Ferrari.” Truth be told, I ended up loving it even more than I thought. We are talking favorite racing movie of all time levels with this one! The racing scenes are so well filmed. I felt like I was in the car. Even if you are not a race fan, I think you will really, really love this movie. It has a lot about to say about a person’s drive (no pun intended) to do something they love and work against the forces that hold them back.
