THE BEST MOVIES OF2019
10 | Avengers: Endgame Sending a salute to the cinematic Goliath! The superhero extravaganza, which featured appearances from roughly 158 MCU characters, carried a ridiculously high degree of difficulty and succeeded on all counts. It even had true emotional heft. Stan Lee must be smiling somewhere. 9 | The Farewell
This deeply felt tale of a family trying to hide a health secret from their grandmother in their home country of China (starring a Golden Globe-nominated
Awkwafina) transcended all ages, races and cultures. If you didn’t cry in the final scene, you’re dead inside. (Kidding!) 8 | Bombshell
Sure, the performances were fantastic, especially Charlize
Theron as Megyn Kelly. But the explosive story at the center — a female-led takedown of Fox News’ toxic male culture — was the real reason this sizzler stood out.
7 | Knives Out
Who killed a family patriarch on his 85th birthday, and why? The supreme delight was in the how — as in, how all the stars (Daniel Craig, plus Chris Evans and his chunky sweater!) turned on the cheeky charm in this devilishly clever story.
6 | A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Tom Hanks is the only living actor who, like Fred Rogers himself, owns a special place in the hearts of all Americans (of a certain age, anyway). Nobody else on Earth could have played this cherished children’s television host, let alone embody his kind spirit in a drama that wasn’t so much a biopic as it was lovely illustration of a hero’s unparalleled empathy toward others. 5 | Hustlers
Where were you when you first saw Jennifer Lopez poledance? The mega-superstar personified flash and brash in a gloriously empowering truecrime drama about a group of strippers who swindled their jerk clients out of moolah. 4 | Parasite
This is a wildly original parable about two South Korean families on the opposite ends of the class spectrum. The brilliant and furious commentary on the social pressures of the
haves versus the have-nots wasn’t easily shakable. 3 | 1917 Wowza. This wartime opus, which chronicled two British soldiers (George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman) tasked with crossing enemy lines to deliver a message, was a true feat of immersive moviemaking. The camera never leaves the point of view of the main characters, making for a stunning and breathless visceral experience. It’s as intimate as it is grand.
2 | Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
The leisurely epic lacked a steady narrative, if not an urgent takeaway, but there was something intoxicating about Quentin Tarantino’s wistful ode to his ’60s California roots — maybe because we got the privilege of riding with Brad Pitt and Leonardo
DiCaprio as they cruised down Sunset Boulevard.
1 | Marriage Story
A devoted couple (an equally brilliant Adam Driver and
Scarlett Johansson) on the decline must learn how to rise anew. Writer-director Noah
Baumbach took us along on the emotionally complex journey — yet the shattering devastation was balanced with poignant hilarity and hope.