At the end of a year in which we witnessed box office records shatter and acclaimed auteurs make a comeback, our Culture & Entertainment editor narrows down the very finest films of 2019…
We’re well into December and the end of the decade is mere weeks away, leaving many to consider what their favourite movies of the 2010s were. While this is definitely an exciting question to ask, it’s important not to forget to weigh up this year’s best films in particular – especially in light of how significant 2019 has been for the big screen.
Cinema takes a step forward every time we circle the sun, but this year seems like a stride when you look back on highlights such as how millions of viewers were united by the new all-time-highest-grossing blockbuster Avengers: Endgame, or how we’ve had surprise gems like El Camino delivered straight to our TVs via Netflix. Yet, despite how enjoyable they were, neither of those two examples have made this list – the films that follow are leaps and bounds above the rest, and our top picks for 2019’s very greatest.
5. Joker
Director: Todd Phillips
In spite of mass media concerns surrounding copycat violence and long-time DC Comics fans’ fears that it’d just end up like showing how the sausage is made, Joker well-and-truly took the world by storm. Everybody who cares about movies in the slightest was talking about this grimy, biting reinvention of the origin story – and it’s still blowing minds now as the billion-dollar-earner remains in theatres.
With its tragic (or comedic?) story, chilling soundtrack and the most gruesomely gorgeous version of Gotham City yet, Joker is a masterclass in gritty filmmaking. Of course, the thing that really got our hearts pounding was Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as Arthur Fleck – nobody is going to forget that pain-filled cackle any time soon.
4. The Irishman
Director: Martin Scorsese
If anything on this list is likely to become an “instant classic”, it’s The Irishman: the long-anticipated Scorsese picture that united and digitally de-aged cinema’s biggest mob icons for a three-hour epic centred around the disappearance of union boss Jimmy Hoffa. The fresh-faced trio of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino made their way straight to Netflix after a brief theatrical release, and it was nothing short of a cinematic event.
Scorsese utilises perfectly-composed cinematography, excellent music choices and on-point pacing to frame the multi-decade-spanning character study of Irish wiseguy Frank Sheeran. The specifics get a little tricky to follow if you’re not well-versed in American politics, but the phenomenal portrayals from the ensemble cast convey all of the vehemence you need to be completely absorbed in this immensely powerful saga of loyalty and deception.
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Eight iconic movies in, it’s fair to say Quentin Tarantino is at a point in his career where he can do whatever he damn-well pleases and film fans will still flock to theatres and lap it up. But his penultimate picture offered something a little different and more nuanced to what everyone expected as we follow a has-been actor and his stunt double searching for fulfilment in the twilight of Hollywood’s golden age, with Sharon Tate living right next door.
Featuring career-best performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, this dialogue-heavy story is about all kinds of things, including the film industry, the sixties, and whether we ever really realise what our purpose is in life. The screenplay, camera-work and soundtrack are some of the sharpest you’ll ever find, and even if you don’t initially understand why Tarantino chose to conclude it all like he did, the subsequent few weeks of this film running through your mind will help you figure it all out.
2. Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Everyone had their eyes on Jordan Peele after his 2017 directorial debut, Get Out, which bagged him Best Original Screenplay and a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars. Peele’s follow-up, Us, ended up being just as relentlessly terrifying as we watched him weave the sinister tale of a family coming face-to-face with shattered reflections of themselves.
Right from the opening credits sequence featuring the nightmarish main theme, up until the gut-punch of a plot-twist and the haunting final shot that follows, Us is a horror masterpiece through-and-through. You’ll be looking over your shoulder for Lupita Nyong’o’s scissor-wielding Red as the credits roll, but it’s the things that this film makes you wonder about yourself that really shake you.
1. The Last Tree
Director: Shola Amoo
In a year where the silver screen has been dominated by star-studded casts and famous filmmakers, this picture went largely unnoticed during the mere weeks it appeared in cinemas. The Last Tree is a semi-autobiographical story of a boy named Femi taken into care at a young age, only to return to his mother’s home in London and reject the Nigerian culture she struggles to introduce him to. Time passes and we see Femi at the crossroads of his life, sinking gradually into a life of crime as he yearns for the sense of belonging he lost years ago.
Every beat of this poetic coming-of-age story is perfectly in sync with its innovative cinematography, dreamlike original score and grounded acting – without the need for a voice-over, we share all of Femi’s thoughts, feelings and fears for the future. Sam Adewunmi tackles his first lead role flawlessly, tying everything together to make The Last Tree the most profoundly engaging film of the year.
By Jamie Morris