My Top Twenty One Films of 2020

OK, so that was a… let’s just say a strange year, to say the least, and though not important at all in the grand scheme of things (I hope you are all doing well and weren’t fucked by the year too much), films were also affected. A lot of the films I was hoping to watch didn’t come out, so I was watching a lot more “smaller” and interesting films this year. I managed to watch 111 films (over many different platforms) from the year 2020. This surprised some of my friends (yes I have friends and they consider themselves truly blessed be thought of as so), who didn’t think that many films were released in 2020 and yet still somehow considering how much more time I was spending at home, I watched fewer films than I did last year. A full list of all the films I saw is published at the bottom, with a basic rating, in case you are interested. Again some of the films listed as watched here might have been released in 2019 elsewhere. Also unsurprisingly this year’s list is not comic book/superhero heavy for once.
 
So how was 2020 for films? I would say it was quite a good year, there were a lot more films that I rated Good or Excellent, than there were ones I rated Bad or Awful, however, there were also quite a lot that I would just rate as Meh.
 

Also, please be aware that this post might contain unintentional spoilers

The Top Twenty One

21) The Vast of Night
This debut film from director Andrew Patterson, a simple science fiction story set in a small town during the 1950’s, the film sees a teenage disc jockey Everett (Jake Horowitz) and his friend a switchboard operator named Fay (Sierra McCormick) attempting to piece together mysterious happenings one night, such as a mysterious audio signal and a mysterious phenomenon in the sky, it’s all very mysterious. Great performances from the young leads, this film also has one of the greatest walk and talk sequences since the West Wing. Terrific storytelling, that conveys a real sense of claustrophobia & paranoia.
 
20) Palm Spring
A quirky time loop comedy (not the only one I watched this year), starring Andy Samberg as Nyles a man stuck reliving the same day over and over again, at the wedding of his girlfriend’s friend. Having lost all hope of escape he has made his peace with being stuck forever, however during one of the loops he attempts to seduce the sister of the bride Sarah (played by Cristin Milioti), and pulls her into the loop with him. This film somewhat follows the rom-com tropes, though the inherent nihilism of the leads does give this a non-traditional leaning. The fact that you are routing for the two of them at the end of the film, is a testament to their performances.
 
19) Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
This is the only comic book film in this list this year, although I did watch quite a few of them, this is a really fun film with great performances from all the cast. The standouts being Margot Robbie, who seems to have nailed the Harley Quinn character, and Ewan McGregor with his fantastically over the top performance as Roman Sionis (aka the Black Mask). The film see’s Quinn breaking up with the Joker and then having to make a deal with Sionis for protection, as now everyone whom she has wronged in the past, want’s to kill her. She is tasked with retrieving a diamond that has been stolen by a young pickpocket, Cassandra Cain. Things take a turn though when Harley bonds with Cassandra, and ends up teaming up with a vigilante called Huntress (an excellent Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Sionis’ new driver Dinah Lance, and cantankerous police detective Renee Montoya (trust me if you are a comic fan, these names will mean something to you), to protect Cassandra and takedown Sionis.
 
18) On the Rocks
This film may get compared to Lost in Translation, as it is directed by Sofia Coppola and stars Bill Murray, however, this comedy-drama is a slightly different beast, with Murray’s Felix helping investigate whether the husband of his daughter Laura (played by Rashida Jones), is having an affair with his colleague. At the same time Felix’s own infidelities haunt the background of his relationship with Laura. Murray and Jones are great together, with a lot of the film being Felix meditations on his philosophies about life and love, thinking he is providing deep insights into women, and Laura sitting there looking bewildered about how anyone can talk such rubbish.
 
17) Why Don’t You Just Die
This bat-shit crazy Russian film may not sound very appealing but trust me everyone I have recommended it to has loved it so far. The film’s premise is very simple, Andrey (Vitaliy Khaev) a policeman in Moscow, receives a visit from Matvey (Aleksandr Kuznetsov) claiming to be the boyfriend of Andrey’s daughter Olya. Unknown to Andrey, Matvey has been sent to kill him by Olya. What follows is a violent game of cat and mouse, mostly between the two men, but with others joining in at different points. Definitely worth a watch if you are in the mood for something a bit different.
 
16) Gretel & Hansel
This atmospheric reimaging of the classic fairy tale is visually stark, yet still utterly stunning, with understated performances from its cast. Sophia Lillis is mesmerising as Gretel and Alice Krige is terrifying in the role of the witch. You should all know the story; young brother and sister are thrown out by their stepmother and lured into a witches hut. This film however also gives a look back at the witches story, which might not always be a good thing, but here is done with a deft touch.
 
15) Onward
I started playing Dungeons & Dragons a couple of years ago (and you thought I couldn’t get any cooler), but that is not the reason, this film made my list (well not the only reason). It is a fun adventure film taking place in a fantasy world where technology has overtaken magic and adventure, making this world full of fantastical creatures, more mundane. We follow two elf brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt) attempting to bring back their dead father for a visit, using a magic spell so Ian can finally meet him. Pixar has produced another classic family adventure, with a wonderful emotional core.
 
14) You Cannot Kill David Arquette
Be warned this documentary will not be for everyone. In the year 2000 during publicity for his comedy film Ready to Rumble, the actor, and huge wrestling fan David Arquette, was against his better judgement talked into becoming the WCW Champion. Arquette’s brief reign was seen at best as a joke, at worse as an abomination by other wrestling fans. It is also considered to be a factor in film makers not taking this once rising star, seriously as an actor anymore and harmed his career. This documentary follows Arquette returning to Wrestling after 18 years, to try and gain some measure of respect in the wrestling community. It is an amazing journey of redemption, which sees Arquette literally putting his life on the line, for something he truly loves still.
 
13) Bill & Ted Face the Music
For a long time throughout the year, this had a very good chance of being my favourite film. I think it came along just at the right time when the world needed some cheering up, and cheer me up it definitely did. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves return to these iconic characters after 29 years, and they are still as goofy and lovable as ever. That is not to say that there has been no character growth, this film follows a slightly more world-weary duo, who still have not produced the song that is to usher in that most excellent future that they have been told is their destiny, and time seems to be running out. Bill and Ted travel to various points in their own future, hoping just to take the song from future versions of themselves. While there music obsessed daughters (played very well by Samara Weaving & Brigette Lundy-Paine) travel throughout history picking up musical geniuses, to be the backing group for their father when needed. Lots of fun for fans of this series, and of course we get William Sadler returning as Death, which is totally Non-Bogus
 
12) Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
This film has the last live action performance of Chadwick Boseman, who sadly passed away in August, and what a performance it is. Based on a play by August Wilson, the film see Boseman’s ambitious young trumpeter, waiting for the titular Ma Rainey, a real-life singer of the time, known as the "Mother of the Blues," (played by remarkable Viola Davis), with the rest of her band. They spend the time talking about a wide range of subjects, race, religion, artistic exploitation, and of course music. A film full of outstanding performances, definitely worth a watch just for those.
 
11) Little Woman
This is a brilliant adaption of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel, though it has been adapted many times before for film, this latest version directed by Greta Gerwig plays around with non-linear storytelling, and the film is so much the better for it. Saoirse Ronan is the stand out as Jo March, however, the film is filled with tremendous actors putting in superb performances. Telling the story of four sisters, growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil war, while their father is off at war. The film does an excellent job of portraying the sisters, struggles with life, love and loss.
 
10) Da 5 Bloods
This is the second Chadwick Boseman film on this list, which just goes to show what a great talent he was (as if there was any doubt). This Spike Lee joint tells the story of four black Vietnam vets, returning to the country to retrieve some gold they stole from a CIA drop-off during the war and to retrieve the body of one of their fallen comrades. Another film full of amazing performances, special mentions should go to Delroy Lindo as Paul, and Clarke Peters as Otis, two of the four ‘Bloods’. They portray the characters in both time periods (without any de-aging), with Boseman playing Norman the 5^th blood, who died whilst taking the gold originally. Like a lot of Spike Lee’s films this film has a lot to say on a variety of subjects, with it dealing with themes of war, brotherhood, race, politics and PTSD.
 
9) 1917
This is an old fashioned war film; however it is elevated by phenomenal filmmakers (the director Sam Mendes & cinematographer Roger Deakins) and by the top-notch performance by the cast. Telling the story of two British soldiers (played by Dean-Charles Chapman & George MacKay) during the Great War, tasked with delivering a message to call off an attack on the Germans, as new information shows that it is a trap and that the Germans will overwhelm the attacking force. One of the soldiers delivering the message has the extra incentive that his brother is one of the soldiers who will go over the top in the attack. Beautifully shot in long takes, this tense film is able to portray the bleakness of the First World War, as well as having some incredible action set pieces.
 
8) The Trial of the Chicago 7
Based on the true story of the trial of a group of anti-war protestors charged with conspiracy and inciting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, again sorry to harp on about this but this is a film full of wonderful performance, in fact too many for me to point any specific ones out. Throughout the trial the  defendants must contend with a government out to make an example of them, an extremely prejudice judge and attacks on their civil liberties. This is a fantastic courtroom drama that was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, which unfortunately with the cases of police brutality we see and the reaction to the protests that follow, have as much relevance to the present.
 
7) Rocks
This is a remarkably simple yet still wonderful film, which on the surface would sound depressing. A black British teenage girl called Olushola "Rocks" Omotoso (played by Bukky Bakray in her debut performance), comes home to find that her mother has abandoned her and her younger brother. Rocks tries to take care of her little brother, and stay away from the authorities who would split them up. She does so with some help from her school friends and their families, and that is what elevates this film from a sad drama, the true heart of the film comes from the relationships between the girls and community that tries to look out for each other in times of need.
 
6) A Hidden Life
As we have come to expect from Terrence Malick, this film is visually stunning. Based on the true story of Franz Jägerstätter an Austrian farmer living an almost idyllic life in his a small village, with his wife and three daughters, the family’s life is turned upside down when during the Second World War, Franz becomes a conscientious objector and refuses to swear an oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Ostracised by his neighbour, Jägerstätter is arrested and put on trial, however does not break and turn his back on his principles, even at the cost of his own life. Beautifully shot, August Diehl’s portrayal of Jägerstätter is a masterful depiction of quiet courage.
 
5) The Invisible Man
After the debacle that was the Dark Universe (which they attempted twice), Universal seems to have finally got something right in regards to their monsters franchise, they are letting people who actually know horror, work on them. Though roughly based on the H. G. Wells novel and the previous Universal monster film from 1933, this one also adds the extra dimension of domestic abuse to the story, with the titular Invisible man (Adrian Griffin) being shown to be a monster long before he goes invisible. Elizabeth Moss who is excellent as always portrays Griffin’s abused partner Cecilia, who at the start of the film escapes from his clutches. Griffin then using technology turns himself invisible and proceeds to stalk and gaslight Cecilia. Director Leigh Whannell has made a truly scary and suspense-filled film, which fills empty spaces with almost unbearable tension.
 
4) Kajillionaire
Evan Rachel Wood plays Old Dolio Dyne, the emotionally stunted daughter of two small-time con artists, played by Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger, who treat her more as an accomplice, rather than a daughter. During one of their cons, they meet a young woman named Melanie (Gina Rodriguez), and the parents take her under their wing, leading to feelings of jealousy in Old Dolio. To be honest, I’m not sure how to categorise this film, it’s listed as a comedy drama, however I don’t feel it fits, I mean it’s quirky but not overly so. In fact I don’t even really know why I like this film so much; I just know that I really do.
 
3) Mank
In lesser hands this film, a biographical depiction of Herman Mankiewicz, the man who wrote Citizen Kane, shot in the style of Citizen Kane itself,  could have come off as cheesy and gimmicky, however, David Fincher has produced a fantastic film. Going through key point’s in Mankiewicz’s life leading up to the writing of the script, including Mankiewicz’s work in the studio system, his friendship with Marion Davies, and through her, his relationship with William Randolph Hearst (the main inspiration for the character of Charles Foster Kane), as well as dealing with the actual process of writing the script and the reaction of the people around him to it. Gary Oldman is a tour de force as Mankiewicz, however the supporting cast is also superb, with a special mention deserved by Amanda Seyfried playing Marion Davies.
 
2) The Personal History of David Copperfield
There have been many film adaptations of the novels written by Charles Dickens (approximately 56 if you are interested), but I cannot think of any others that have been this energetic or fun. Considered somewhat autobiographical, this is the story of the fall, rise, fall, and rise again of the titular David Copperfield (played by the superb Dev Patel), from his childhood when he is sent to the workhouse by his stepfather, to escaping to live with his eccentric great-aunt, to his friendships and loves, this is a wonderful film, peppered full of great performances from the cast made up of some of director Armando Iannucci’s regular collaborators. Special mention should go to Tilda Swindon playing the aforementioned great-aunt Trotwood, and Hugh Laurie as her equally quirky lodger, Mr. Dick.
 
1) Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Be warned this is not a cheerful film. At points it is devastating; however, it is a wonderful film even if it will leave you looking for the nearest box of tissues at some points. The story of 17-year-old Autumn (an excellent Sidney Flanigan in their film debut) who finds out that she is pregnant, finding it hard to get an abortion in her Pennsylvanian town, as when she visits a crisis pregnancy centre they are more interested in burdening her with guilt by showing her an anti-abortion video and giving her literature on adoption. After trying to resolve the issue herself in one of the many heartbreaking scenes in this film, she tells her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder), and they decide to travel to New York to get the help she needs, without having to get parental consent. A poignant look at the issue of women’s reproductive rights and of abuse that a lot of women suffer in silence, this is a must watch especially in light of what has happened in Poland this year.

And my worst film of the year for 2020 is.........

Cats
Come on, was there ever any doubt? There were a few really awful films this year, but nothing came close to this monstrosity. I have no idea who thought this was a good idea, or what they were on when they thought it, but there is no reason for this film to exist other than to fuel the nightmares of anyone that has watched it. So just don’t even bother.
 

Complete list of Films I watched in 2020

Ratings
Excellent = Must watch
Good = Should watch
Meh = Fine
Bad = Can be avoided
Awful = Avoid
 
1917 - Excellent
A Hidden Life - Excellent
Alive - Meh
An American Pickle - Meh
Another Round - Good
Artemis Fowl - Awful
Bacurau - Good
Bad Boys for Life - Meh
Bill & Ted Face the Music - Excellent
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) - Excellent
Black Bear - Meh
Bloodshot - Meh
Bombshell - Good
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm - Good
Boss Level - Good
Brittany Runs a Marathon - Good
Cats - Awful
Chick Fight - Good
Color Out of Space - Bad
Come Away - Good
Come To Daddy - Meh
Countdown - Good
Da 5 Bloods - Excellent
Dolittle - Awful
Downhill - Meh
Ema - Good
Emma - Excellent
Eurovision Song Contest the Story of Fire Saga - Meh
Extraction - Good
Fantasy Island - Meh
Fatman - Good
Freaky - Good
GodMothered - Meh
Greed - Meh
Greenland - Meh
Gretel & Hansel - Excellent
Greyhound - Good
Guns Akimbo - Good
Hamilton - Excellent
Harriet - Meh
Honest Thief - Meh
How to Build a Girl - Meh
Irresistible - Meh
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot - Good
Jiu-Jitsu - Awful
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War - Good
Kajillionaire - Excellent
Last Christmas - Meh
Legacy of Lies - Bad
Let Him Go - Meh
Little Woman - Excellent
Love and Monsters - Good
Ma Raineys Black Bottom - Excellent
Mank - Excellent
Military Wives - Meh
Misbehaviour - Good
Mortal - Excellent
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge - Meh
Motherless Brooklyn - Meh
Mulan - Meh
Never Rarely Sometimes Always - Excellent
On the Rocks - Excellent
Onward - Excellent
Palm Spring - Excellent
Playing with Fire - Meh
Possessor - Good
Project Power - Meh
Rebecca – Good
Rocks - Excellent
Sonic the Hedgehog - Bad
Soul - Good
Spenser Confidential - Bad
Stardust - Bad
Superintelligence - Bad
Superman Man of Tomorrow - Meh
Superman Red Son - Good
Sylvie’s Love - Meh
Tenet - Good
Tesla - Meh
The Banker - Good
The Broken Hearts Gallery - Meh
The Call of the Wild - Meh
The Devil Has a Name - Good
The Gentlemen - Good
The Grudge - Meh
The High Note - Good
The Hunt - Meh
The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud - Bad
The Invisible Man - Excellent
The King of Staten Island - Good
The Midnight Sky - Good
The New Mutants - Meh
The Old Guard - Good
The Outpost - Bad
The Personal History of David Copperfield - Excellent
The Secret Garden - Meh
The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Excellent
The Vast of Night - Excellent
The Way Back - Good
The Witches - Meh
The Wolf of Snow Hollow - Meh
Train to Busan 2 Peninsula - Meh
Uncut Gems - Good
Underwater - Meh
Vampires vs. the Bronx - Good
Vivarium - Bad
Why Don’t You Just Die - Excellent
Wolfwalkers - Excellent
Wonder Woman 1984 - Good
You Cannot Kill David Arquette - Excellent
You Should Have Left - Meh

My Most Anticipated Films Of 2020

This is a bit later than I would have liked, and considering I didn’t do it at all for the year 2019, a lot later. Well better late than never I suppose? So 2019 was a great year for films both the quality of films released and the quantity of films watched by yours truly (124 if you need reminding), and though I will endeavour not watch as many films this year (I really need to get a life or something somewhat resembling a life at least), here is hoping we can at least get close to the quality of last year.  Be warned a lot of the films on this list are either sequels to other films I have enjoyed or are the works of directors whose work I adore, so it might not be to everyone’s taste. Also the release dates may vary I have taken a best guess using IMDB.

A Quiet Place Part II [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: March 19^th
I’m not a huge fan of horror films but the first film was a well filmed, atmospheric story, with a good cast, following one family as they try to survive after most of the human population of earth has been taken out by aliens, who are attracted to noise. The premise lead to a lot of tense scenes, as well as some really moving moments. So I am looking forward to this follow-up by John Krasinski and Emily Blunt.

Bill & Ted Face the Music [imdb]

Release Date: August 21^th

If you have read any of my previous blogs, you will know I am a huge fan of one Keanu Reeves, and I love the previous 2 Bill & Ted films, so obviously this was going to be on this list. Hopefully Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter can reproduce their previous chemistry.

Black Widow [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: April 30^th                                                                                I was surprised when I heard that this film was coming out, especially after what happened to the titular heroine in Avengers: Endgame last year. However the trailer looks great, there is a good supporting cast and both the character of Natasha Romanoff and actress Scarlett Johansson have deserved this film for a long time now.

Death on the Nile [imdb]

Release Date: October 8^th
I may have mentioned previously that I love a good mystery (films and books), and I was a big fan of 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, so am glad to see Kenneth Branagh bring back his version of Poirot and his fantastic moustache. The film’s stellar cast should provide some good performances and the film it’s self should look gorgeous at the very least, if Branagh’s previous films are anything to go by.

Eternals [imdb]

Release Date: November 5^th
I am a huge Comic Book and Comic Book Film fan, and this is probably the Comic Book Film I am most looking forward to this year. I’m not super familiar with the Eternals, however I wasn’t super familiar with the Guardians of the Galaxy before I saw that film either. Added to that this could be based on a run of the comic book series that was written by one of my favourite writers Neil Gaiman, so I am definitely intrigued.

Free Guy [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: July 2^nd
I had not heard about this film until the trailer was released late last year however it looks like a lot of fun and Ryan Reynolds is usually very likable.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: July 9^th

This film will definitely be pulling on the nostalgic strings of my heart (yes I have a heart (I assume)), and though I would have been happy with a continuation of the 2016 reboot, I can’t wait to see this return to the original series of films either (yes I’m fickle that way).

Guns Akimbo [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: February 27^th
Another film I had not heard of before I saw the trailer, however the trailer looks bat shit crazy in the way the Crank films did over a decade ago. So hopefully should be a fun watch.

In the Heights [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: July 2^nd
I have heard a lot of good things about this musical, and have enjoyed some of the other works of Lin-Manuel Miranda, so this will probably be one of my dark horse picks of the year.

Jungle Cruise [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: July 23^rd

Though this is not a film I would usually look forward to, especially after the diminishing returns of the Pirates of the Caribbean, the last film series based on a Disney ride. However I find Dwayne Johnson charming and am a fan of Emily Blunt’s other works, enough so that I decided to add this film to my list, and hope it will be more akin to the new Jumanji films, than the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels.

Last Night in Soho [imdb]

Release Date: September 24^th
I’ve been a huge fan of Edgar Wright ever since his work on the excellent TV series Spaced, and his film output The Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Baby Driver and the criminally underrated Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, have all be stylish and funny, so I am interested to see what he can do with what seems to be his first full out and out horror film

Mulan [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: March 26^th
The live action remakes of Disney’s classic animations have been a mixed bag so far, however this remake of the 1998 original looks gorgeous and seems to have some fantastic action and martial arts set pieces.

Next Goal Wins [imdb]

Release Date: TBC
A fictional film based on one of my favourite documentaries (Next Goal Wins from 2014), about my favourite sport, football (Soccer to all you weirdos), and being written and directed by one of my favourite directors Taika Waititi, so this being on this list should not come as a surprise to anyone.

Onward [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: December 24^th
I play Dungeons and Dragon, (yes I know, you didn’t think I could get any cooler), so this Pixar fantasy film will be right up my alley.

Soul [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date:  June 18^th
It’s another Pixar film dealing with the afterlife! Last time that they delved into this topic (the brilliant Coco) things worked out fantastically for them. Here’s hoping that they can achieve something similar this time around.

Tenet [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: July 16^th
I have no idea what this film is about, however when Christopher Nolan is given carte blanche to bring his vision to the big screen, the results tend to be interesting and somewhat on the spectacular side.

The French Dispatch [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: July 23^rd 

I hugely enjoy the works of Wes Anderson, I love his quirky style, his brilliant soundtracks and he always seems to put together a fantastic cast, and all of the above seem to be present in his latest film.

The King's Man [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: September 17^th
I love The Kingsman series, and though I would love a continuation of the series with Harry and Eggsy as the main protagonists, this prequel set in World War I looks like it could be a lot of fun, and it has a really good cast to boot.

The Personal History of David Copperfield [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: May 7^th
Armando Iannucci is persons whose work I really admire. His work on TV, The Thick of It, Veep and his new show Avenue 5 are fast paced full of wit and satire. His Jump to film with In the Loop and the Death of Stalin have shown more of the same, so I am very interested in seeing his take on this Charles Dickens classic, especially with the excellent cast he has assembled for it.

The Tomorrow War [imdb]

Release Date: December 31^st
I don’t know much about this film, other than it involves scientists drafting soldiers from the past to fight in a future war against an alien race. Sounds like an interesting idea and Chris Pratt is usually fun to watch.

Wonder Woman 1984 [imdb] [trailer]

Release Date: June 4^th
Wonder Woman from 2017 was the first truly good film from the DCEU, and Gal Godot was excellent as Diana/Wonder Woman, so I am definitely looking forward to what she and the director Patty Jenkins will bring us in this second instalment, as they go to the 1980’s this time to fill in the history of what Wonder Woman was up to in the years between World War I and the godawful events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

My Top Twenty One Films of 2019

And here we are again at the start of another year. I watched 124 films from the year 2019, within the calendar year itself. Yes I know that might be a bit excessive but what can I say, I’m probably compensating for not being hugged enough at some point. A full list of films I saw is published below, with a basic rating, in case you are interested. As you know I live in the wonderful city of Prague, and excellent as it is, the release dates for some films may differ from other countries, hence why some of the films listed as watched here might have been released in 2018 elsewhere, and some films from 2019 have not been released here yet (i.e. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot), and will therefore be in next year’s list (if I get down to watching them). Beware as usual this is a superhero/comic book film heavy list.

So how was 2019 for films? I would say it was quite a good year, there were a lot more films that I rated Good or Excellent, than there were ones I rated Bad or Awful. Also this was a fantastic year for music in film, both the use of pre-existing songs and with soundtracks in general.

Also please be aware that this post might contain unintentional spoilers

The Top Twenty One

21) Happy Death Day 2U

This was a great sequel to the horror comedy Happy Death Day from 2017, this time we not only get an explanation (well science mumbo jumbo) about what caused the time loops in the first film, we are also introduced to multiple universes created by diverging timelines, which strangely is my jam. Jessica Rothe is again immensely watchable as Tree Gelbman, the girl who got stuck in a time loop previously where she was constantly murdered. I can’t think of any actress who I have seen acting exasperated as well as I have seen Ms. Rothe, at least not recently, and I know a thing or two about exasperating people.

20) The Peanut Butter Falcon

This was an enchanting film, following Zak (Zack Gottsagen) a young man with Down syndrome, who escapes from the retirement home, where he has been placed, in order to attend a wrestling school run by his favourite professional wrestler “The Salt Water Redneck” (Thomas Haden Church). En route he meets up with Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) a man on the run from two crabbers he has wronged. Tyler takes a shine to Zak and decides to help get him to his destination. This is a slow moving film as Zak and Tyler first walking towards their destination and then raft down the backwaters, chased by both the crabbers and Eleanor (Dakota Johnson) a social worker who cares for Zak and is trying to bring him home. LeBeouf is at his most likable in this film and shows a quiet tender side that you don’t usually see from him.

19) Jumanji: The Next Level

A brilliant follow up to the 2017 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, this time we see Spencer (Alex Wolff) from the previous film having a very rough time of it, and deciding to fix up the console he and his friends destroyed at the end of the last film, in order to enter Jumanji so he can feel the confidence of being Dr. Xander "Smolder" Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson) again. His friends thinking he may be in trouble, decide to go in and rescue him, however as the console is not functioning properly, it also pulls in Spencer’s grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito) and Eddie’s frenemy Milo (Danny Glover) in with them, assigns the characters randomly, and puts them into a completely new adventure. This film is full of impressive performances from the actors playing the characters within the game having to take on many different personalities, and though Dwayne Johnson acting as Eddie is fantastic, the MVP is definitely Kevin Hart playing a super slow talking and meandering Milo.

18) Ready or Not

This is another fantastic horror comedy from this year. Grace (Samara Weaving) a bride on her wedding night, is told of a family tradition, that any person marrying into the board game dynasty, has to play a randomly picked game on their first night, what she is not told is that if she get the game Hide and Seek (which she obviously does), then she must hide, while the remaining family members hunt her down. They do this as they believe that one of their ancestors made a pact with the mysterious Mr Le Bail (possibly the devil or a demon), and if a sacrifice of the hider is not made by daybreak then they will all die. This film is a lot of gory fun, with as many laugh out loud moments, as moments that will make you wince. It possibly also has the best last line of any film this year.

17) Ad Astra

Some people thought that this film was a bit slow, however I really enjoyed it (I mean it made this list). I found Brad Pitt’s subdued performance intriguing as an astronaut going out into deep space to try and find his father, who had long been thought dead. Beautifully shot, and superbly acted, this film is filled with metaphors about sons and fathers, and moving on. It also has space pirates, laser fights and super scary space baboons. So something for everyone.

16) Rocketman

After 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody this biopic of Elton John could have been seen as a cash grab, however in my not so humble opinion this is a superior film. It integrated Elton John’s music in interesting and fun ways throughout as a fantasy musical numbers. It also did not shy away from the uglier parts of Elton John’s life such as his drug problems and abusive relationships. I was a bit sceptical about the casting of Taron Egerton as Elton John, however his performance won me over and the scenes between him and Jamie Bell playing Bernie Taupin, Elton John’s long time songwriter are really touching. Also though he doesn’t sound like Elton John, Egerton actually singing the songs himself added something real to his depiction of Elton John.

15) Hail Satan?

An excellent documentary following The Satanic Temple as they try and assert their own freedom of religion and bring light upon the issue of religion (Christianity) creeping its way into government Institutions of America. This documentary tries to expose the hypocrisy within a society that is supposedly built upon the separation of church and state. The film also charts the creation of The Satanic Temple and its key tenets, their campaigns to have religious iconography (specifically Ten Commandments monuments) removed from state government buildings, as well as their other community works, such as promoting women health rights and charity drives. Definitely worth watching, even if it’s just to give you a new perspective on a much maligned group.  

14) Spider-Man: Far From Home

How do you follow up the biggest film of all time? Not only did Avengers Endgame bring together almost every hero in the MCU together to fight Thanos and his army, it also successfully capped off a story arc going back 21 other films. Well Marvel went the correct route and bought everything down to a smaller scale, focusing on Peter Parker (Tom Holland), as he deals with the aftermath of Endgame, trying to get away from Spider-Man and just have a normal summer on a class trip around Europe, maybe tell MJ how he feels. All this of course is set aside when Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) pulls him in to help with a potentially world ending crisis. Though everyone is again great in this, special mention must go to Jake Gyllenhaal playing the mysterious Mysterio (see what I did there), who is able to pull off being super likable and/or sleazy and detestable at the moment’s notice.

13) Shazam!
In comparison to the MCU, The DCEU (or whatever dumb thing they are calling it currently) films have been very disjointed and inconsistent. You’ve had the good one’s (Wonder Woman and Aquaman), the bad one (Suicide Squad), the really awful ones (Batman vs Superman, Justice League) and the OK one Man of Steel. So going into Shazam! I wasn’t sure what to expect, and though not a perfect film by any standards (awful CGI villains is a regular DCEU issue), this comes the closest to bringing an actual DC comic book to the big screen. All the actors here are good in their roles, Zachary Levi is charming as ever as the eponymous hero who is really a child in an adult body, and has fantastic chemistry with Jack Dylan Grazer, playing his foster brother and almost as big a superhero nerd as yours truly. The film finally brings some joy to the DCEU, hopefully this trend will continue when needed (Batman doesn’t need joy).

12) Yesterday
I am a huge fan of the works of Richard Curtis and Danny Boyle (Sunshine is a super underrated film) and the music of the Beatles, so a film combining all three was obviously going to appeal to me. Jack Malik (Himesh Patel in his big screen debut) a failed musician, wakes up after an accident in a world where the Beatles never existed and their songs were never released, though he still remember them. He of course takes advantage of this to help launch his own career by releasing their songs himself. This is a sweet and funny film which sees Jack dealing with feelings of guilt and being a fraud, as well as finally realising his love for his best friend Ellie (Lily James) and coming to terms with his career driving them apart. Though I found Kate McKinnon as a ruthless music agent over the top and slightly distracting the rest of the cast were great, special shout out to Joel Fry as Jack’s friend/roadie Rocky.

11) Dolemite is My Name
Even at the start of 2019 if you had told me that one of my favourite films of the year would be an Eddie Murphy led vehicle, about a 1970’s musician/comedian/Blaxploitation star who I had not heard of, I probably would have said “Okaaaaaay?” while backing away slowly. However if such a series of improbable events had taken place, I would have been mistaken (but they didn’t so I wasn’t). Based on a true story this is a fantastic film, Murphy is astonishing as Rudy Ray Moore, a down on his luck middle-aged man who by the sheer force of his will makes himself a star. This is a true underdog story and I am glad that Murphy told it and I’m glad to have Murphy back to his best.

10) Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Though this is not my favourite of Quentin Tarantino’s films (Jackie Brown in case you are interested), this is still a fantastic film. Set in 1969, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) a Hollywood actor whose career is in decline, and his best friend is his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) are the main protagonists of this story. Tarantino bring late 60’s Hollywood to life, with many cameos by actors and actresses playing famous people of the era. At the fringes of the story is the spectre of Charles Manson and the Manson Family, with the murder of Sharon Tate seemingly the ultimate destination of the film. This film has all the style and verve of a classic Tarantino film along with a killer soundtrack, as well as performances of the highest order from the entire cast.

9) Knives Out

I love a good mystery film, and this is a really good one. This film is an old school detective story akin to the best episodes of Poirot or Columbo. It introduces us to an original private detective Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig playing with the most fascinating accent you will have heard in 2019), as he investigates the suicide of an 85 year old mystery writer Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) on the night of his birthday.  The suspects include the pit of vipers that is the Thrombey family, most of whom are hiding secrets and have reasons to want to off the patriarch. A story full of twists and turn, and another great ensemble cast. I am hoping that Rian Johnson will make some more of these, we definite need some more Benoit Blanc.

8) Captain Marvel

Yes this film only came out in 2019. Now even though I am a huge comic book fan (I might have mentioned his once or twice), I have to say that Captain Marvel has never been a character I have been interested in, mostly because I tend to prefer DC, Vertigo and Image comics to Marvel, so I went into this film with the most basic knowledge of the character, and I left the cinema wanting to read everything I could featuring her. Brie Larsson is fantastic as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel as a super-powered being from the planet Hala, who ends up on Earth in the year 1995, following Talos (A brilliant Ben Mendelsohn) and his group of Skrull terrorist, though things may not be what they first appear to be. I loved this film, Brie Larsson kicks ass as the eponymous hero, Samuel L Jackson is the best version of Nick Fury we have seen so far and the 90’s soundtrack rocks. The other thing that endears me to this film is that it has my favourite of all the MCU Stan Lee Cameo in it, as he plays himself preparing for his role in Mallrats (meaning both Stan Lee and Kevin Smith exist in the MCU Yay!).

7) Blinded By the Light

This is probably the film that I related to most this year. Based on a true story, it follows Javed Khan a British-Pakistani teen in the 1980’s, who is struggling with the conflict of having his own aspirations and the more traditional desires of his family. Feeling alone and misunderstood, Javed finds solace in the music of Bruce Springsteen, and it opens up his world. This is a film about the effect music can have on you, to lift you up and to comfort you in solidarity. Though not exactly my experience (I’m of Indian origin and about 5 years behind from the events of this story), I also went through a similar phrase and therefore this film really spoke to me. Though it doesn’t sound very funny it is full of some quite humorous moment. It also does an excellent job of portraying how the song lyrics relate to what Javed is going through at time, especially that moment that he first hears Dancing in the Dark.

6) Joker

Not a traditional interpretation of the Joker, this film is grim to say the least. Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, possibly the most down trodden person in the history of comic book cinema, he is a mentally ill man in 1980’s Gotham, who makes his living as a clown, but dreams of being a stand-up comedian. He is constantly beaten down both figuratively by the system that is unable to provide for him and his ailing mother, and literally by people who attack him physically. That is until one night when he just snaps and commits and act of violence himself. What follows is Arthur’s decent (rise?) through madness. As he starts to turn more confident and sinister, the city around him reacts to his actions lauding him and turning on the upper crust of society. The actions taken by Arthur and his followers are extreme to say the least and Arthur should in no way be seen as a heroic figure. Phoenix’s performance is exceptional, the film is shot beautifully and Hildur Guðnadóttir’s soundtrack is magnificent.

5) John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

It’s God Damn John Wick! Again like Chapter 2 this film expands the John Wick Universe (The Wickerverse?), this time on a global scale, as John (Keanu Reeves) attempts to dodge what seems to be all the assassins, and make amends for his transgression in the previous film. The remarkable world building this film doesn’t come at the expense of the action and fight scenes either, in fact it actually has more action than the previous film and a larger variety of it too. At various points in the film you have book-fu, horse-fu and dog-fu, as well as other great fights. This is not a one man show though, this film has a great ensemble cast, with Ian McShane, Lance Reddick and Laurence Fishburne returning and the excellent addition of Halle Berry, Mark Dacascos and Asia Kate Dillon. I had assumed before going in that this would be the end of a trilogy, I left impatient for the next chapter.

4) Avengers: Endgame

I mean obviously this was going to make my list, though some may be surprised that it is as low on my list as it is. Well in my opinion as awesome as this film is (and it is awesome), at successfully juggling the huge number of characters in it, and how gracefully it capped the Infinity Saga, I probably didn’t enjoy it as much as Avengers: Infinity War (Shock! Horror!). I think that after the last film, this one suffers from not having enough Thanos (Josh Brolin) in it. Thanos was the most compelling character in Infinity War. Don’t get me wrong, I will re-watch this film over and over and over again, especially the last hour (Fucking Portals Hell Yeah!) and the fight against Thanos and his forces, had some truly classic comic book moment in that (Captain America fighting with Mjolnir!, Captain Marvel going toe to toe with the big purple one), however in Infinity War Thanos was a fully fleshed out character, whose motivations were well intentioned, not matter what you thought of his methods. In Endgame he is relegated to almost being a moustache twirling villain. Having said that the Russo brothers and Kevin Feige should all be congratulated for what they have accomplished here.

3) Booksmart

This was definitely the best out and out comedy I saw this year, and was top of my list for a huge chunk of the year. Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) are best friends, who on the last day of high school find out that while they have worked super hard, alienating all others to achieve their goal of getting into Yale, all the other students have also gotten into good universities (or careers) and they have also had fun throughout high school. Molly and Amy decide to cut loose and make up for as much of the missed fun they can in one night. This leads to much hijinks. There are many males focused coming-of-age comedies out there, so it is good to see a female focused one, it is even better to see a coming-of-age comedy that is actually very funny and is this smart, no matter what the gender of the protagonists. The two leads are fantastic, and though I can’t speak from experience I have heard that this is very accurate depiction of female friendship, and first time director Olivia Wilde (yes that one), does a great job.

2) Jojo Rabbit

Taika Watiti is one of the most interesting writers and directors currently working in the film industry, he’s not a half-bad actor either. In this comedy he plays Adolf Hitler as the imaginary friend of a 10 year old boy living in Germany at the later stages of World War Two. The boy Johannes “Jojo” Betzler who lives with his loving mother (Scarlett Johansson), has grown up in the shadow of the Nazi propaganda machine and has complete faith in it. That is until he discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in their home, and though at first it confuses him, as the film goes on he starts to question, what he has been bought up to believe. Now there have been some concerns bought up that the portrayal of Hitler and the Nazis in this film will make them seem not as bad as they really were, however I believe that the film attempts to depict how a 10 year old boy in that situation would see the world, and this well might be how that boy would understand his world. Also Nazis are fucking assholes, and mocking them can never be a bad thing. Great performances throughout, though a very special mention should go to Archie Yates, who play Yorki, Jojo’s best friend, whenever he is on screen, he steals the scene.

1) The Farewell

This bittersweet comedy based on a true story (a few of those in the list this year), sees Billi (played by Awkwafina), a Chinese-American writer, who is told that her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) is dying of cancer, and then is told that her family are not going to tell Nai Nai that she is dying, instead they are putting on a fake wedding for Billi’s cousin as an excuse for the entire family to all go home and spend some time with Nai Nai before she passes. There are no antagonists in this film, (well unless you consider cancer the antagonist, Fuck you cancer!), it is just about a family dealing with an awful situation, and the conflict Billi is finding between at her western ideals pushing her to tell her Grandmother, and the families more traditional values of taking the emotional pressure away from Nai Nai and taking it upon themselves. Everyone is brilliant in this, and their portrayal of a family is very believable. And yes I know what you are thinking, this film doesn’t sound funny, but it is. It might not be as laugh out loud as some of the other films in this list, but it does have its moment. I would definitely recommend it. Be warned a lot of it is Mandarin.

And my worst film of the year for 2019 is.........

6 Underground

Apparently this is what happens when you give Michael Bay carte blanche, this film is truly abysmal. There is a kernel of a good idea here, and the cast is made up of some good actors. However the characters, the dialogue, the attempts at humour, the way the film is cut and the general look of it is awful. At points it is actually jarring to watch, and that starts within the first few minutes. Also I say this as a huge fan of the female form, Michael Bays attempt to shoehorn in women in bikinis and lingerie is just sad and detracts from what little storyline is actually happening. Also if you are going to call your film 6 Underground not having the Sneaker Pimps song in it, just seems wrong to me. Give this a miss, even if you already have a Netflix subscription and have watched everything else on it.

Complete list of Films watched in 2019

Ratings

Excellent = Must watch

Good = Should watch

Meh = Fine

Bad = Can be avoided

Awful = Avoid

6 Underground - Awful

A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood - Good

A Score to Settle - Meh

Above the Shadows - Meh

Ad Astra - Excellent

Aladdin - Good

Alita: Battle Angel - Bad

Always Be My Maybe - Good

Amazing Grace - Excellent

Anna - Meh

Arctic - Meh

At Eternity's Gate - Good

Avengers: Endgame - Excellent

Batman Hush - Meh

Blinded by the Light - Excellent

Booksmart - Excellent

Border - Meh

Brightburn - Meh

Bumblebee - Good

Captain Marvel - Excellent

Captive State - Bad

Code 8 - Meh

Cold Pursuit - Good

Crawl - Meh

Dark Phoenix - Awful

Deadwood the Movie - Meh

Doctor Sleep - Good

Dolemite is My Name - Excellent

Doom Annihilation - Bad

Downton Abbey - Bad

Dumbo - Awful

El Camino A Breaking Bad Movie - Good

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw - Good

Fighting with My Family - Good

Ford v Ferrari - Excellent

Free Solo - Good

Frozen 2 - Good

Fyre - Meh

Gemini Man - Bad

Glass - Awful

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - Bad

Greta - Meh

Hail Satan - Excellent

Happy Death Day 2U - Excellent

Hellboy - Meh

Hustlers - Good

I Am Mother - Meh

In the Shadow of the Moon - Bad

It Chapter Two - Meh

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum - Excellent

Jojo Rabbit - Excellent

Joker - Excellent

Jumanji: The Next Level - Excellent

Klaus - Good

Knives Out - Excellent

Knock Down the House - Excellent

Late Night - Good

Little Monsters - Excellent

Long Shot - Good

Men in Black: International - Awful

Midsommar - Meh

Miss Bala - Meh

Missing Link - Good

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Excellent

Paradise Hills - Awful

Parasite - Good

Point Blank - Meh

Pokémon Detective Pikachu - Good

Ralph Breaks the Internet - Good

Rambo: Last Blood - Bad

Ready or Not - Excellent

Rocketman - Excellent

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark - Meh

Shaft - Bad

Shazam! - Excellent

Shiny Shrimps - Good

Slaughterhouse Rulez - Awful

Sometimes Always Never - Meh

Spider-Man: Far From Home - Excellent

Stan & Ollie - Good

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Meh

Stockholm - Bad

Stuber - Good

Teen Titans Go Vs Teen Titans - Good

Terminator: Dark Fate - Good

The Addams Family - Good

The Aeronauts - Meh

The Art of Self Defense - Meh

The Beach Bum - Bad

The Best of Enemies - Good

The Curse of La Llorona - Bad

The Day Shall Come - Good

The Dead Don't Die - Meh

The Death of Dick Long - Awful

The Farewell - Excellent

The Favourite - Good

The Highwaymen - Good

The Hustle - Awful

The Irishman - Good

The Kid Who Would Be King - Meh

The King - Meh

The Laundromat - Bad

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part - Meh

The Lighthouse - Bad

The Lion King - Meh

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote - Meh

The Nightingale - Good

The Old Man and the Gun - Excellent

The Peanut Butter Falcon - Excellent

The Professor and the Madman - Meh

The Two Popes - Good

The Upside - Good

Tolkien - Meh

Toy Story 4 - Good

Triple Frontier - Bad

Triple Threat - Good

Us - Good

Velvet Buzzsaw - Bad

Welcome to Marwen - Meh

Where'd You Go, Bernadette - Meh

Wonder Park - Meh

Wonder Woman: Bloodlines - Meh

Yesterday - Excellent

Zombieland: Double Tap - Good