Colin Tobin
2019 was an amazing year for movies, and I had a really tough time making this list. Before I start with my list, I wanted to give credit to some honorable mentions. These are movies that I really loved but I just couldn’t fit into the top 10. They include: “Honey Boy,” “Little Women,” “The Lighthouse,” “Avengers: Endgame” and “The Irishman.”
10. “Ford v Ferrari” – I honestly didn’t expect to like this movie as much as I did. The stakes in the race at the end feel so high because you become so invested in the characters.
9. “Joker” – This film takes the comic-book genre and flips it on its head. The Joker’s morally ambiguous origin story lends itself well to the “Taxi Driver”/“King of Comedy”-esque narrative. Joaquin Phoenix’s performance and Hildur Guðnadóttir’s score are two of the year’s best in their respective fields. I hope DC contin- ues their trend of taking risks and giving directors creative freedom.
8. “Rocketman” – “Rocketman” is a wholly original take on the mu- sic biopic infusing the normal ele- ments of a biopic with fitting mu- sical numbers. It never holds back in its brutally honest portrayal of Elton John’s life and never would have worked without the acting and vocal talent of Taron Edgerton.
7. “1917” – This is one of the most technically impressive films I’ve ever watched. Just trying to think of how to direct, create sets for, write and edit a movie made to look like one continuous shot gives me a headache. If Roger Deakins doesn’t win an Oscar for his cinematography, the entire voting process is a sham.
6. “Knives Out” — I think it’s really cool when you’re able to notice that everyone involved in a movie had a really fun time making it, and “Knives Out” is a perfect example in its finished product. By the end, the film knows how clever it is, and it’s almost showing off. All in all, just a great time at the movies.
5. “Jojo Rabbit” – I never thought I’d see a day where a story following a boy in the Hitler Youth with Adolf Hitler as his imagi- nary best friend be one of the funniest and most heartfelt films of the year. Director Taika Waititi finds the perfect balance of come- dic and genuine human moments.
4. “Parasite” – This is a powerful, suspenseful and darkly comedic commentary on the wealth gap in South Korea. The way that the events of the sto- ry unfold are extremely clev- erly written and to quote the film: “It’s so metaphorical!”
3. “Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood” – Even my fourth or fifth favorite Tarantino movie is still one of my favorites of the year. The plot is less about reaching some sort of end-goal than it is just hanging out with DiCaprio and Pitt’s characters. Both DiCaprio and Pitt are hilarious together in what might be my favorite roles from each of them. It also features possibly my favorite ending to a movie this year.
2. “Uncut Gems” – The Safdie Brothers have crafted an intense environment of high-anxiety, adrenaline-fueled chaos with its sound design and editing. By the time the film was over and I was leaving the theater, I felt like a hostage being freed from cap- tors, in the best way possible. Besides, Adam Sandler deserved way more recognition than he got; he’s genuinely fantastic in this movie.
1. “Marriage Story” – I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me. But seriously, the last five minutes is what made this my #1. Its portrayal of divorce shows how in the aftermath, the worst can be brought out of both people, de- spite there still being love between them. It really bums me out that Adam Driver is (probably) going to lose Best Actor to the clown.