2019 Year-End Moviepalooza!

It has been 16 months since I've written in my movie blog.  In that time a lot has happened in our lives, which explains the absence.  However, as our infant son is sleeping and I am not, I thought I'd take advantage of the time to write up a little somethin' somethin'.

Firstly, I'll try to write up my thoughts about the movies of the past decade sometime soon.  Wrapping my head around this year if about all the task I'm up to right now.

Secondly, as I think about the movies of the year I'm reminded of some recent online interactions. I've been gently taken to task for my use of the word "love" in reacting to movies.  From statements implying that I "love" every movie I see (patently untrue) to others indicating that one can't "love" imperfect movies.  I'd counter that loving a movie is more about a visceral emotional connection to the film.  Besides, thank heavens that love is capable even in the face of imperfection.  Otherwise, none of us could be loved.

I can see the imperfections of a movie and still love it.  I freely recognize that The Last Jedi has a B-story that is completely superfluous to the plot and really just exists as socio-political commentary.  It also has surprising moments unlike anything expected or previously seen in Star Wars movies.  I still love it.  I'm also aware that there are flaws in the original trilogy.  I still love them.

Lastly, I should offer a reminder that my favorites are just that - favorites.  The following list is not really a "best of" list.  While I critique films based on the same criteria as others (artistry, story, theme, character development, etc.), I also consider re-watchability.  While I can freely acknowledge that Schindler's List is arguably Spielberg's best film, I can also honestly say that I'm far more likely to revisit Close Encounters of the Third Kind or Jurassic Park, therefore I can't really say that Schindler's List is among my favorite Spielberg films.

Because of this, there may be critically-acclaimed, award-winning films from this year that aren't on my list.  That's not to say I didn't see them, nor that I don't appreciate their artistry, they're just not my favorites.

In addition, I haven't seen all the movies because I'm not paid to do this.  There are great movies that I'm sure could have ended up here if I had seen them, including Just Mercy, Dark Waters, and A Hidden Life.

With that said, here we go!

Honorable mentions: The Farewell, Missing Link, The Kid Who Would Be King, Yesterday, Captain Marvel, Ad Astra - all good movies that just didn't crack my top 20.

20. Lady and the Tramp

Disney released four live-action (or heavily CGI'd to look live-action) remakes of their classic animated films this year.  Some were entertaining, some were utterly soulless, but the best one is the one they didn't release to theaters.  Lady and the Tramp was released on Disney's new streaming service Disney+, which might lead one to believe the studio didn't have faith in it.  If that was the case, they were wrong.  Lady and the Tramp is possibly my favorite of the Disney remakes.  With just enough change in focus and theme to justify a re-telling, while keeping all of the heart and charm of the original, it is an easy recommendation and a film I'll revisit often.

19. Downton Abbey

It's easy to dismiss this as a two hour episode of the t.v. show, but I think it would be more accurate to say the t.v. show consisted of several 50-minute mini-movies.  It has always had the care and gloss of a feature film and it translates to the big screen seamlessly.  It has all of the cinematic grandeur of a Merchant/Ivory production from the 90s, with a strong injection of humor and a dash of soap opera theatrics.

18. Judy

On the surface, this is a standard celebrity biopic, not unlike Bohemian Rhapsody.  Also like Bohemian Rhapsody, it's raised to greatness by a singular and undeniably transformative performance. Renee Zellweger has never been better and that's saying quite a bit.  In her performance as Judy Garland, she simply becomes the tragic superstar.  Her mannerisms, her speech patterns, even her singing are not mimicry, but a truly enveloped realization of the great actress.  However, be warned: you may not be able to watch The Wizard of Oz in quite the same way again.

17. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

This is the first of the new Star Wars "Skywalker Saga" films that hasn't cracked my top ten.  It's not to say it isn't good or enjoyable, it's just that it's not quite as seamless as those other films.  There was a last minute change in writer/director, a debatable need to address the divided response from fans to The Last Jedi, and an overall feeling that the production was a tad too hurried.  That having been said, there's a lot to love about it.  It is not as surprising as it could have been, but it does have a nice sense of symmetry when aligned with the saga as a whole, truly beautiful visuals, and some wonderful character moments.  Suffice to say, I'll still watch this one more often than the prequels.

16. Klaus

In receiving a surprise Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, Klaus bumped another film that I thought was slightly more deserving off the list (I'll get to that later), but the nomination was still welcome for this unexpected delight.  A far different take on the Santa Claus story, it manages to be fresh, risky, and yet still filled with heart and an ending designed to make the most hardened Ebenezer get a little misty-eyed.  What I thought would just be a nice way to pass some time during the holidays will definitely become a yearly watching tradition.

15 Spider-Man: Far From Home

After giving the entire world of fandom a collective heart-attack by announcing Spidey was done with the MCU, Tom Holland came to the rescue by pleading the case with Bob Iger, the head of Walt Disney Studios, and a new deal was reached between Marvel and Sony allowing the web-slinger to stay in the fold.  That's welcome news to all because, while there are things to like about all the other Spider-Man movies (especially the Sam Raimi trilogy), the MCU Spider-Man films just get the character in a way the others didn't.  By keeping him a teenager and not rushing him into adulthood, not to mention casting an extremely relatable Holland, the writers have found that sweet spot between coming-of-age comedy and flat-out action/suspense that the comics excelled at producing.  Far From Home takes the action to Europe, addresses the emotional fallout from Avengers: Endgame,  and introduces Jake Gyllenhaal (having the time of his life) as the enigmatic, and aptly named, Mysterio.  It's fun, it's well-paced, and it's proof that Marvel studios are the best at producing films about Marvel characters.

14. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Much like Disney/Pixar's Toy Story films, the How to Train Your Dragon series is one of those rare franchises that not only manages to maintain a high quality throughout, but actually improve on itself in progressing installments by leaning in to character arc.  The Hidden World ends the series in grand fashion, with dizzying artistry, heartfelt relationships, and a genuinely thoughtful look at the bittersweet concept of growing up and moving to new stages of life.  This easily stands as one of DreamWorks best films.

13. The Peanut Butter Falcon

Oh, how easy it would have been for this concept to go horrifically wrong. Hollywood has a history of turning characters with special physical or mental needs into unrealistic saintly figures in films dripping with sentimentality. However, by framing this story of a young man with Down Syndrome who wants nothing more than to runaway and join the professional wrestling circuit as a modern Huckleberry Finn fable, it allows the characters and the plot to keep the rough edges that help the proceedings to avoid getting maudlin.  In addition, it's nice to see Shia LaBeouf continue to evolve as an actor and prove himself to be more than a self-parodying meme.

12. The Aeronauts

I admit, I did watch this one on Amazon Prime, but this is the sort of movie that begs to be seen on the big screen.  A huge, sprawling epic about two people's efforts to risk life and limb in a balloon all in the name of better weather forecasting (however, based on the snow days that were supposed to happen this past week, I'm not sure their efforts have been well-represented by modern meteorologists). While both Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne, who both received accolades for the Stephen Hawking biopic, The Theory of Everything, do fine work, it's Jones who deserves the most praise.  She turns in the kind of grueling physical performance that usually wins awards, although she has been woefully overlooked this season.  The Aeronauts is a beautiful, harrowing, and inspiring film.

11. Blinded By the Light

Somehow an 80s nostolgia film, a look at the harshness and pointlessness of racism, a coming-of-age comedy, and a tribute to the transformative power of music (in this case, the music of Bruce Springsteen), Blinded By the Light could have lost it's way by trying to do too much.  However, thoughtful direction by Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham) and a grounded, highly likable lead performance from newcomer Viveik Kaira keep the proceedings fleet-footed and thought-provoking.  Yes, it does deal with father/son relationships with every Hollywood cliche in the book, but the focus on how music can heal and inspire keeps the film afloat.  The very definition of a "feel-good" movie.

10. Frozen II

Full disclosure:  I'm not the world's biggest Frozen fan.  I've always felt like it's a good message and great song wrapped up in beautiful animation and waaaay too much filler.  Until this year, Tangled was really the only new Disney animated movie that I thought stood well next to the 90's renaissance titles.  Boy, did Frozen II surprise me.  The animation is still amazing and, while none of the songs are going to reach "Let it Go" levels of iconic status, they are beautiful and, in the context of the story, powerful.  It's a darker and more character-based film, with an ending both surprising and inevitable. Plus, those obnoxious little troll people are relegated to a small seconds-long cameo, so that alone elevates this over the original.

All joking aside, this should have been nominated for an Oscar last week.  The filmmakers clearly did their very best to honor the characters while letting them grow and expanding their worldview.  It deserves all of the success that it has received.

9. Jojo Rabbit

The commercials for this one left a lot of people feeling uncomfortable, and with good reason.  A quirky comedy about a boy who has Adolf Hitler as an imaginary friend doesn't scream good taste.  However, what the commercials don't tell you is that it's really about how a child, being a child, would deal with the horrific reality of living through the events of the second world war.  The tone is sometimes jarring, shifting from childhood whimsy to stark brutality, but that's the point of the film: Children will still long to cling to their childhood fantasies and simplistic world-views, even in the face of realities designed to shatter them.  The performances across the board are fantastic, with Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of a tough and loving mother a particular stand-out, as well as the film's writer/director's (Taika Waititi), taking on the role of imaginary Hitler with a goofiness that slowly transforms to genocidal insanity as the boy begins to better understand what's really going on in the world.

8. Apollo 11

Wow.  Just, wow.  Utilizing newly released and refurbished footage from NASA, this documentary chronicling the Apollo 11 space mission is a stunner.  By removing any narration at all and using original television footage and audio of the crew, both in space and at Cape Canaveral, the film simply plops you down in the middle of all that history.  It is a beautifully breathtaking look at the heroic nobility to be found in the explorer instincts of mankind.  A remarkable film.

7. Ford v. Ferrari

The rare "based on a true story" film that takes as few liberties with history as possible, Ford v Ferrari is a fast-paced winner.  Telling the events that lead up to the 1966 "24 Hours of Le Mans" race in France, the movie is an entertaining examination of what happens when talented, focused, and, to be honest, truly difficult people can do when brought together in a common goal.  In addition, it serves as a statement on the power of strong familial support, with the rare representation of a family that is highly functional, even when in disagreement or turmoil.  A great movie, with strong performances and clear messages.

6. Little Women

...and the world cried, "Do we really need another version of Little Women?!?"  Turns out, the answer was a resolute "yes."  After watching Greta Gerwig's adaptation, which manages to be both faithful and somewhat revolutionary, I watched a terrific video from the Be Kind Rewind youtube channel, which you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJGZoecSmrA . It carefully examines the place that the four major film adaptations of Little Women hold in historical context and shows quite clearly how each film is a product of and for its time.  With that in mind, Gerwig's adaptation follows a non-traditional narrative that connects events in the book more by theme than by chronological accuracy, zigging back and forth across the lives of the characters to emphasize different characters and themes.  In addition, it has an ending that, while not completely in keeping with the book, is, as detailed in the above video, completely faithful to author Louisa May Alcott's intentions in writing the book. A terrific movie that proves truly timeless literature can speak to countless generations.

5. Toy Story 4

In 2010, the Toy Story franchise ended with one of the most perfect finales ever put on film.  Every critic praised it for bringing such a heartfelt and poignant close to this beloved story.  Then, Pixar announced Toy Story 4 and the world uttered a collective, "huh?"  The assertion that they had a great idea for a Toy Story romantic comedy didn't help matters.  The story ended!  Let it end!

Well, crow has been eaten, because Toy Story 4 is not only a terrific movie, but it shows that the finale in the previous movie was really for Andy's character, not the franchise's central character, Woody, the cowboy doll (once again, perfectly voiced by Tom Hanks).  Also, it continues to look at the existential dilemmas inherent in a world where toys are actually alive.  What loyalties do toys have to kids?  Is it possible for a toy to live their life just for themselves?  How does a child gluing squiggly eyes to a spork give it life?

While I'm certainly hoping that Toy Story will let these beloved characters get some highly deserved R&R, I'm glad they went back to the well for one more laugh-inducing, tear-jerking romp.  

4. The Two Popes

Given the controversies that have been associated with the Catholic Church over the past decade, I can understand audiences, both Catholic and not, being a little stand-offish of this film. However, it is, quite simply, the most fascinating character study of the year and a very uplifting look at the power of communication and forgiveness.  Imagining a fictitious meeting between Pope Benedict and Pope Francis before Benedict abdicated the papacy, The Two Popes is a quiet and thoughtful examination of what makes one a true follower of Christ without attempting to give a definitive answer to that question.  Instead, it looks the differences in focus between the two men that, while seemingly incompatible, are bridged with communication and thoughtful humility.  One of the most lovely films of the year.

3. Knives Out

Is this an Agatha Christie-style whodunnit?  Well, yes.  Is it a spoof of such stories?  Um, kinda.  Is it a social/political satire?  Yep.  Is it one of the most wildly-entertaining movies of the year?  Absolutely.  With an extraordinary cast and clever writing and direction from Rian Johnson (he of The Last Jedi acclaim/infamy, depending on your point-of-view), Knives Out is one of the most engrossing films of the last year, maybe the decade.  Set in an old Southern mansion and centered on the death of an eccentric author, we're introduced, one by one, to a squabbly family, each member with motive and secrets.  Our guide through the maze of infighting and lies is the kind of detective usually best left to pulp novels, but brought to giddy life by Daniel Craig.  Every conjecture laced with homespun colloquialisms drips like molasses as he uses the house nurse (winningly played by Ana de Armas) as an assistant and guaranteed teller of truth (I'd tell you how he knows she tells the truth, but it's one of the movie's best gags.....literally).  This one is going to be in regular rotation viewing in my home when released to home video.

2. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Last year, my favorite movie was the documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor, a thorough look at the life and legacy of Fred Rogers.  It is quite possibly the only documentary I've ever seen that left me not only emotionally moved, but personally changed with a new determination to be the good I want to see in the world.  While this film, which also uses the philosophies of Fred Rogers as its core, gets there in a much different way, I feel similarly toward it.  Rather than just giving us a dramatic biopic, director Marielle Heller makes the central protagonist a caustic and cynical reporter who is forced to do a fluff piece about Mr. Rogers for an issue about heroes.  Some liberties are taken with the reporter's personal life, but it's all based on the real experience of writer Tom Junod who wrote a piece about Rogers for Esquire Magazine entitled "Can You Say...Hero?" and how meeting Rogers changed his perspective about life.  By putting the focus on another character with Rogers (nicely played by Tom Hanks) serving as a catalyst for change, it allows the film to show the power of Mr. Roger's simple, but powerful life views.  In a world filled with doubt, anger, and selfishness, it's not just refreshing, but vital that humanity be reminded of the strength to be found in guileless love, forgiveness, and humility.  A film that leaves the viewer and, indeed, the world improved by the closing credits.

1. Avengers: Endgame

There have been recent controversies surrounding disparaging remarks about Marvel films by some of the greatest filmmakers of all-time.  The crux of it being that they believe these films are amusement park rides, not "cinema."  However, after the staggering achievement of Avengers: Endgame, I can only come to the conclusion that these comments are based more on the perception of what the films are than actual experience with them (never-minding the fact that the usage of the word "cinema" in this context feels awfully pretentious).  So let's forget the staggering feat of wrapping up the character arcs and plots of 21 different films without making any of them feel cheapened or slighted.  Forget the cast that looks more like the line-up for an Oscar retrospective than the players in a comic book movie.  Forget the writing achievement of making characters from a talking raccoon to a partially cybernetic alien/assassin relatable and emotionally grounded.  Contrary to the specific talking points in quotes from Martin Scorsese, this is absolutely the "cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being." This is a big-budget popcorn movie that spends the first hour using its diverse cast to explore the varied ways people deal with horrific and tragic loss.  It's practically a text-book examination of differentiated personalities going through, and in some cases getting trapped in, the stages of grief.  

By the time we get to the finale, which contains some of the most powerfully cathartic images and plot elements of modern film history, it's clear that these films, and this one in particular, have been deeply human films with specific commentaries about the human condition.  Go ahead an call the Transformers movies "amusement park rides" all you want.  It's apt. However, Avengers: Endgame is a mammoth and singular achievement that deserves accolades as a work of cinematic art, not just another junk movie.  Frankly, I doubt we'll ever see it's like again.

So, those are my favorites. Sometime soon, I might get around to doing a decade-end retrospective.  I definitely have favorites (*ahem* Inside Out) and thoughts about the decade as a whole.

If you've made it to the end, thanks so much for reading.  I promise I'll try to write more often.

Thanks!