Must-see movies of 2019
From blockbuster superheroes to indie Oscar contenders, here are 19 movies destined to make their mark at the cinema this year. Michael Doherty reports
Financially, 2018 was Hollywood’s most successful year ever, with the US box-office topping $12 billion for the very first time, thanks to a combination of hit blockbusters (Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, A Star is Born), hugely popular indies (Crazy Rich Asians, Bohemian Rhapsody, Halloween) and left-field smashes (A Quiet
Place, The Meg, The Nun). It was also a year to savour from an Irish point of view, with such gems as Rosie, The Breadwinner and Michael Inside finding their way to our multiplexes. So what’s in store for Irish moviegoers in 2019? Michael Doherty previews some of the key movies heading our way in the coming months
Stan & Ollie
(Dir: Jon S. Baird) Who’s in it? Steve Coogan, John C. Reilly, Shirley Henderson. What’s the story?
It’s the poignant story of the relationship between legendary comic duo Stan Laurel (Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (Reilly) as they embark on their final, sometimes gruelling, music hall tour of Britain and Ireland at the tail-end of their career. When will we see it?
January 11
The Front Runner
(Dir: Jason Reitman) Who’s in it? Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, JK Simmons. What’s the story?
Senator Gary Hart was a possible Democratic presidential candidate hotly tipped for the White House in 1988 until the tabloids began investigating an extra-marital relationship and he was forced to withdraw his nomination. This is the story of that fateful campaign. When will we see it?
January 11
Beautiful Boy
(Dir: Felix Van Groeningen) Who’s in it? Timothée Chalamet, Steve Carell, Maura Tierney What’s the story?
Based on the best-selling memoirs of New York Times writer, David Sheff, it’s the moving story of the relationship between a father and his son, as the former helps the latter cope with his growing drug addiction. When will we see it?
January 18
Vice
(Dir: Adam McKay) Who’s in it? Christian Bale, Sam Rockwell, Steve Carell. What’s the story?
Christian Bale takes his weight gain to new heights (or should that be new widths?) for this portrayal of US Vice President Dick Cheney, the man who had the ear of President George W. Bush and became, arguably, the most powerful and influential Veep in US history. When will we see it?
January 25
Green Book
(Dir: Peter Farrelly) Who’s in it? Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini. What’s the story?
Set in 1962, this is the true story (it’s all about true stories at the cinema this year) of the relationship between a working-class Italian-American chauffeur (Mortensen) and a highly educated African-American pianist (Ali), as they embark on a concert tour of the racially divided Southern states. When will we see it?
February 1 Green Book
Boy Erased
(Dir: Joel Edgerton) Who’s in it? Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe. What’s the story?
Another powerful true-life drama, actor Joel Edgerton (Loving) writes, directs, produces and co-stars in this story about the gay son (Hedges) of a Baptist pastor (Crowe) who is outed to his parents and forced to attend a conversion therapy programme or be permanently shunned by family and friends. When will we see it?
February 8
If Beale Street Could Talk
(Dir: Barry Jenkins) Who’s in it? Dave Franco, Regina King, Finn Wittrock. What’s the story? Following his success with the Oscar-winning drama, Moonlight, Barry Jenkins delivers his eagerly awaited adaptation of James Baldwin’s best-selling novel. KiKi Layne plays a pregnant teenager in 1970s Harlem whose boyfriend is in prison awaiting trial for a rape he didn’t commit. When will we see it?
February 8
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part
(Dir: Mike Mitchell) Who’s in it? Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Nick Offerman. What’s the story?
The original LEGO movie (2014) pulled in more than $470 million at the global box-office. This sequel reunites all the familiar and popular characters to tell a story about the citizens of Bricksburg, as they face the threat of Lego Duplo invaders from outer space. Watch out for our upcoming interview with Nick Offerman (Metal Beard). When will we see it?
February 8
The Hole in the Ground
(Dir: Lee Cronin) Who’s in it? Seána Kerslake, Eoin Macken, Simone Kirby. What’s the story?
Following a series of well-received shorts, Cronin has delivered a debut Irish feature that is eagerly anticipated by horror fans and drama aficionados alike. Seána Kerslake plays a young mother whose son disappears behind their home (where a sinkhole lurks), only to return a seemingly changed boy. The Hole in the Ground was shot on location in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. When will we see it? March 1
The Aftermath
(Dir: James Kent) Who’s in it? Keira Knightley, Alexander Skarsgård, Jason Clarke. What’s the story?
Produced by Ridley Scott, this heady drama follows the fortunes a young British couple (Knightley and Clarke) in Hamburg in 1946, who end up sharing the home of a German widower (Alexander Skarsgård) and his troubled young daughter. In this highly charged postwar atmosphere, enmity and grief give way to passion and betrayal. Watch out for our man, Fionn O’Shea, in a supporting role. When will we see it? March 1
Captain Marvel
(Dirs: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden) Who’s in it? Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law. What’s the story?
This is the 21st film but the first solo female-led title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain Marvel is set in the 1990s and stars Brie Larson (who spent nine months learning judo, boxing and wrestling for the role) as Carol Danvers, a former US Air Force fighter pilot who becomes one of the galaxy’s mightiest heroes. The starry supporting cast includes Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou and the peerless Annette Bening.
When will we see it? March 8 Dumbo
(Dir: Tim Burton) Who’s in it? Colin Farrell, Eva Green, Michael Keaton. What’s the story? Everybody remembers the Disney cartoon about the baby elephant with the big ears that learns to fly. Tim Burton brings the story to live-action life with the help of some advanced CGI and a top-notch cast including circus owner De Vito; his former star turn, Farrell, and money-loving entrepreneur, Keaton. When will we see it? March 29
Avengers: Endgame
(Dirs: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo) Who’s in it? Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo. What’s the story?
At the end of Avengers: Infinity War, 50% of all sentient creatures (including a selection of superheroes) in the universe were wished out of existence by the Marvel uber-villain Thanos. This sequel will, we guess, explain how some or all of our favourites are resurrected so they can get back their own franchises. When will we see it? April 26
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
(Dir: Michael Dougherty) Who’s in it? Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Sally Hawkins. What’s the story?
The third story in Warner Brothers’ cinematic MonsterVerse, following Godzilla (2014) and Skull Island (2017), this one features everybody’s favourite giant lizard squaring off against an array of Titans, including Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidora, the three-headed monster. When will we see it? May 31