My Top 25 Films of 2019 (Thread)

Better late than never

25.) Midnight Family
Director: Luke Lorentzen

It's a documentary about a family who runs a privately-run ambulance, showing their struggle in making ends meet. It also exposes the neglect and corruption of the Mexican government; they only have 45 ambulances for 9 million people

24.) The Art of Self-Defense
Director: Riley Stearns

It's a fascinating deconstruction of hyper-masculinity, often incorporating dry humor that works most of the time. Jesse Eisenberg's performance here is very spot-on, as he transforms from being timid to convincingly dominant.

23.) And Then We Danced
Director: Levan Akin

It's a Swedish-Georgian drama with dancing as its focal point. It's part family drama portraying everyday struggle, and it's also part romance between two male dancers, interweaving into a tale of embracing one's femininity.

22.) The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Director: Joe Talbot

The film follows the story of a person reclaiming his childhood home, and it's quite the bittersweet journey. It's packed with powerful performances, intimately beautiful cinematography, and a melancholic soundtrack.

21.) Marriage Story
Director: Noah Baumbach

It's a well-executed account of a marriage fallout that doesn't feel one-sided. The tension is there regularly, and it's filled with emotional moments. Both Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson delivered career-defining performances.

20.) The Lighthouse
Director: Robert Eggers

It's a weird film but in a good way. It follows two individuals in their descent into madness, in the bleakest and most nightmarish way possible. The ending is arguably the most horrifying and memorable thing I've seen in recent memory

19.) The Irishman
Director: Martin Scorsese

It's over three hours long, but trust me, it's worth the watch. It's not Scorsese's best film or even his best mafia-themed film, but it's nice to see that he still can put out a good project so late into his career.

18.) Booksmart
Director: Olivia Wilde

If there's a moral lesson to this story, it would be the cliched "Don't judge the book by its cover," but it presented it refreshingly. It's a coming-of-age tale that's humorous and heartwarming, plus it has an impressive playlist soundtrack

17.) Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Director: Celine Sciamma

An intimate romance between two women that's fleeting yet emotionally potent. It's a masterful work of art that's sensual yet melancholic, beautiful yet bittersweet. It's disappointing that it didn't get Oscar-nominated.

16.) The Farewell
Director: Lulu Wang

This family drama hits different not only because it's about a Chinese family, but it effectively portrays their cultural and generational divide. It also deals with the issue of impending death, which is heart-wrenching to think about.

15.) Pain and Glory
Director: Pedro Almodovar

It's an incredibly sentimental and nostalgic piece of a fictional memoir of a director, detailing his career and relationship with various people, presented in an impressive back-and-forth montage of both the past and present.

14.) Ad Astra
Director: James Gray

This movie effectively channels depression to the infinite void we know as outer space. It's a cosmological journey that leads to an immensely fulfilling catharsis. Brad Pitt's performance here is one of his career's best.

13.) Klaus
Director: Sergio Pablos

This animated film caught me off-guard with how surprisingly good it is. I expected a generic family-friendly watch, but I ended up with a feel-good experience that's a much-needed optimism pill once in a while. It's just genuinely fun.

12.) Hail Satan?
Director: Penny Lane

This documentary is a major vibe check to America's practice of religious freedom. It's just fun to see conservatives lose their shit without really understanding the Satanism movement. It's insightful, funny, and also surprisingly wholesome

11.) One Child Nation
Director: Nanfu Wang, Zhang Jia-Ling

This documentary looks into China's one-child policy and how it negatively impacted its population. From forced sterilization to human trafficking, this is an incredibly eye-opening watch.

10.) Us
Director: Jordan Peele

Some may prefer Get Out over Us, but I'm the opposite. I find this film more fascinating, albeit it's not that scary for a horror flick. It has a lot of things going on that made me think, especially the conclusion which occupied my mind for days.

9.) Knives Out
Director: Rian Johnson

It's an enjoyable family drama framed as a comedic mystery thriller. Its approach to aesthetics and storytelling reminds me of a lot of Wes Anderson films, but it has enough unique quirks going for it that can stand apart from its influences

8.) For Sama
Director: Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts

It's a personal documentary of Waad al-Kateab, as she details the conflict that's happening in Aleppo, Syria. It's a horrifying account of the war, but also a love letter to her daughter Sama, who became their symbol of hope.

7.) Jojo Rabbit
Director: Taika Waititi

It's framed as a satirical comedy, but I find it a really endearing watch. I enjoy its absurd moments but gravitate more toward its more serious moments. It's just a weird feel-good film packed with emotionally compelling moments.

6.) A Hidden Life
Director: Terrence Malick

It's a story set during World War 2 about a man who refused to fight for the Nazis and the struggle that came along with it. It's 3 hours long but time feels irrelevant when you watch it thanks to its dream-like cinematography

5.) Long Day's Journey Into Night
Director: Bi Gan

This is a Chinese arthouse film about a man searching for the woman he loved in the past and has never been able to forget. Its non-linear plot will boggle your mind, but it's nevertheless a dreamy, melancholic experience.

4.) Parasite
Director: Bong Joon-ho

Seriously, if you haven't managed to watch this yet despite the countless online discussions it sparked, do yourself a favor and watch it. It's still a damn great, enjoyable watch despite being hailed by the normies as their go-to "woke" film.

3.) Midsommar
Director: Ari Aster

There's just something about this film that I find profound. It's generally accepted that this is a metaphorical tale of grief and romantic fallout, but I find it more of a tale of finding a new family that accepts you, even though it's a cult.

2.) Little Women
Director: Greta Gerwig

I may not have watched the previous iterations, but I'm satisfied with this modern take on the beloved tale. Watching this is like sitting down in front of a fireplace. It's incredibly warm, and there's beauty to be found in it. (1/2)

You'll find yourself looking back at your own memories, both happy and sad. It will compel you to reflect on those thoughts.

It is a period drama that empowers women through its characters. It will make you laugh and cry and leave a big smile on your face once it's over. (2/2)

1.) I Lost My Body
Director: Jeremy Clapin

Surprisingly again, my film of the year is an animated film, but I have my reasons.

I never thought that a story about a severed hand would emotionally affect me so deeply. Its bleak and melancholic tale of loss devastated me. (1/3)

But more than that, it's also about coming to terms with that loss and moving on the future, in which the film effectively built that up to its powerfully cathartic finale. There's profoundness found in it, and I had trouble sorting out my thoughts after watching it. (2/3)

As someone who is quite experienced with watching animation, I know how far the medium can go with its storytelling. This film easily stands out among the rest of its peers as something worth remembering years from now.

To conclude, I Lost My Body is my favorite 2019 film. (3/3)

If you managed to reach this far, thank you for reading this thread.

-end of thread-