JOKER’S WILD
Comic-book movies ruled the box-office again in 2019
10 Toy Story 4 Released: June
Fans fearful this“fourquel”wa sac ash-cow could rest easy as it more than earned its place in the franchise.
It was great seeing Buzz, Woody and the gang back – alongside Keanu Reeves’hilarious Duke Kaboom – and there were tons of feels to be had.
7 Shazam! Released: April
Zachary Levi finally got the star-making role he deserved in one of the DCEU’s best entries.
Shazam! was popcorn filmmaking at its best with heart and charm aligning with super set-pieces.
Helmer David F. Sandberg crucially never forgot to keep the tone light and emotional depth at the forefront of his family-friendly adventure.
4 Us Released: March
Jordan Peele’s socially charged horror-thriller was worthy of comparison with his superb first flick Get Out.
Paranoia was the abundant theme as a family came face-to-face with their dopplegangers; Peele supplied moments and images that stayed with you for days.
9 Crawl Released: August
Terrifying alligators made their presence felt during a series of terrifically tense sequences as they targeted a high-octane, never-better Kaya Scodelario.
The pace was breakneck and, clocking in at less than an hour-and-a-half, Crawl was one of 2019’s breeziest, boldest and bloodiest flicks.
6 Spider-Man: Far From Home Released: July
Spider-Man is a role Tom Holland was born to play and his reluctant hero was everything a teen thrust into imposing responsibility should be.
This fantastically fun sequel’s big bad was an ingenious creation and a wonderful fever dream-like segment was one of the best sequences ever in a comic book movie.
3 Midsommar Released: July
Ari Aster followed Hereditary with another slow-burn, tension-riddled terror trip.
While slightly too long, the acting – especially from lead Florence Pugh – was first rate and the sharp shocks played out in blinding daylight.
The Haxan Cloak’s fierce musical score bombarded the eardrums.
8 Knives Out Released: November
An old school murder-mystery tinged with quirkiness and modern touches held your attention across its two-hour-plus running time.
The huge cast played off each other well and it was fascinating to see the likes of Daniel Craig, Chris Evans and Michael Shannon share a screen.
5 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Released: December
This new Star Wars trilogy hasn’t been for everyone, but I was a huge fan – and The Rise of Skywalker was a fantastic way to round off this part of the sci-fi saga.
Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren was as engaging a character as any in the Star Wars universe and J.J. Abrams delivered stupendous set-pieces shrouded in drama and mystery.
2 Avengers: Endgame Released: April
Endgame was an incredible, unforgettable experience that acted as the perfect closure to this particular chapter of the MCU.
The three hours flew by in a tornado of laughs, shocks, tears and fears.
Loyal MCU viewers were rewarded with fan service of an almost farcically excellent standard.