Did I write this blog on December 21? Heck no! Am I still going to write one and hope I can pick back up with this daily blogging thing after the chaos of the holidays? Heck yes!
So everyone else is doing year-end (and now decade-end) posts. I'll jump on board and tell you my top 20 movies that I saw in 2019. Doesn't mean they came out in 2019, just that I saw them this year.
20. Miss Saigon (2015). A filmed production of the stage musical, which is not without its problems but has some truly gorgeous performances.
19. Finian's Rainbow (1968). What a weird little movie, but gorgeous cinematography that really makes the most of its musical numbers.
18. Dead Ringers (1988). Easily my favorite Cronenberg so far, I think. Dark and unsettling but so compelling.
17. Kuroneko (1968). I'm finding I really love Japanese folk horror, and this is a great example of it.
16. My Name Is Joe (1998). A thoughtful and touching drama. The same director did another film much higher on my list that I'll point out when we get to it.
15. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1968). This title is so apt, because this movie just oozes loneliness. And what a great performance from Alan Arkin.
14. Romeo and Juliet (1968). I love theater but not always Shakespeare, as even professional performances of his works so often feel stilted to me, like the actors are still wrestling with the speech. This is natural and lovely.
13. Woman in the Dunes (1964). The images from this film continue to haunt me. (In a good way.)
12. Dreams (1990). A strange little anthology film from Akira Kurosawa, and while they vary in terms of quality, it's so fascinating.
11. The Cameraman (1928). This is such a charming and funny little film. Keaton's eye for gags is so perfect.
10. Shoplifters (2018). I haven't seen a lot of foreign films from last year, but this one is such an interesting, touching story.
9. Broadcast News (1987). Pretty sure I just want to be Holly Hunter's friend in this movie. She's so relatable.
8. Knives Out (2019). A gloriously classic whodunnit that still feels seamlessly modern. That's an impressive feat.
7. The Seventh Continent (1989). Oh, OOF. My heart was punched out of my chest with this one.
6. The Kindergarten Teacher (2018). Maggie Gyllenhaal is a terrifying villain in this story, and you see her self-justifications every step of the way. What a powerful performance.
5. A Simple Plan (1998). A crime story that surprisingly roped me in from minute one. The build of tension is perfect.
4. Eighth Grade (2018). What a ridiculously relatable movie.
3. Mirai (2018). One of the most sweet and charming films I've ever seen about childhood. It captures the infuriating powerlessness of being about three years old.
2. Kes (1969). By the same director as My Name Is Joe (my #16). It's a sad and beautiful story of a young boy's relationship with a falcon he manages to train.
1. Us (2019). I think I like this even better than Get Out. Jordan Peele continues to knock it out of the park.
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