The Most Impressive (and Most Disappointing) Films of 2019
- Courtney Hayes
- Jan 26, 2020
- 6 min read
While 2019 may be over, 2020 begins with a mad rush of eyes upon Hollywood as Award Season takes over. While the televised award season is more about famous people patting themselves on the backs for a job well done, it does offer us an opportunity to gather our own thoughts and opinions about what we saw in 2019—and also hear about other amazing works of art that we’ve missed out on.
I saw a lot of films in 2019. I find it incredibly hard to simply sort them as good or bad, and it’s almost impossible for me to pick a favorite or even a least favorite. That being said, I do have some pretty strong feelings about which movies blew past my expectations, as well as those that fell incredibly short of the finish line. There were some really great films like Marriage Story, which tackled a topic that could have been boring if not for such amazing writing,. And then there were films like Cats, which was a purr-fect disaster that could have benefited from some more time thinking of a good way to tell the story and less time working on CGI fur. But for this list I’m only going to include movies that I expected to be pretty good that ended up being pretty bad, and movies that exceeded my expectations even if they were already pretty high.
Let’s get the bad ones out of the way first.
The Most Disappointing:
1. Brightburn
A movie about an evil Superman? Sign me up! …And then quickly take me off the list because this movie was terrible. The superhero-goes-dark story is something that’s gained popularity in recent years and Brightburn lined itself up to be a frontrunner in the genre, but it turns out it was its own kryptonite. Other than some good gore (if you’re into that) this movie was incredibly boring, had very weak characterization of every character, and a sub-par plot. My biggest issue: the kid had no build-up to becoming evil. It came out of nowhere, we didn’t understand him as a character, and he was more like a robot than a hero or villain.
2. It: Chapter 2
It: Chapter 1 quickly became one of my favorite horror movies. It was unsettling, different, beautifully shot, well-acted and well-written. I was really looking forward to the second and final chapter, but I left the cinema disappointed and not even a little creeped out. The characters splitting off to find their tokens was a mess and it made the movie seem like it had an unclear direction. It also made it feel unnecessarily long. The best part of the film was the acting, and while I was entertained enough during the movie, it really didn’t stick with me in any way—besides still feeling unsatisfied.
3. Lion King
Ah, another live-action Disney remake. Except this time it’s all CGI. So…I guess some of the background is live-action? Well, CGI can do a lot, and I liked The Jungle Book remake, so I went into this one hopeful that it would capture the childhood magic of the original. But it didn’t. Not even close. While I did enjoy a lot of the music, the CGI characters lacked so much personality. Keeping the faces almost emotionless didn’t work well, even if they were supposed to look like real animals. It just made the film lack all the fun of the original. It tried too hard to be serious. Meanwhile, Aladdin was another Disney live-action that came out this year and I loved that one. Will Smith really captured the personality of Genie and the movie was just a good-time. I wish I could say the same about The Lion King.
4. Frozen II
I already wrote a review about this one, but I had to include it because it was just…sad. So much beauty from the CGI animation. Some really, really good songs. But a boring and unnecessary plot that made me kind of lose hope for future Frozen films. I honestly don’t mind when a good movie turns into a franchise, but when I see the lack of love the sequels sometimes get, it just reminds me that they’re trying to make as much money as possible and not create art. Yes, it’s a business, but I think Frozen should have been treated better.
5. Us
Us was not a bad movie, let me start by saying that. And after Get Out, I realize that Jordan Peele had a lot to live up to and maybe I wouldn’t be including this on the list if it wasn’t his movie. But Peele being tied to the project plus the amazing trailer really made me excited for Us. And a majority of the movie is really, really good. It’s creepy, the acting is incredible (especially from Lupita Nyango), and the cinematography is amazing. But the last quarter of the film just ruins it for me. It was predictable and turned what was creepiest about the movie into something that was too realistic and raised too many questions. I don’t like to pick too hard at movies, but Us swerved away from a really ominous concept and then tried too hard to make social commentary. I love a movie with a social message, but after Get Out was so successful at making its message come across, I was disappointed that Us tried to do the same thing in such a lazy way.
Dishonourable mentions: Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Charlie’s Angels, Pet Semetary
And now for a pallet cleanser.
The Most Impressive:
1. 1917
If you asked me a year ago if I was looking forward to 1917 I wouldn’t have even known what movie you were talking about. Usually I try to stay up to date with upcoming releases but 1917 stayed off my radar until it premiered. Filmed to seem like one continuous shot, this movie is one of the most beautiful and interesting things I’ve seen this year. But it was also absolutely horrifying. It was tense and terrible just as much as it was heartwarming and hopeful. It was raw and emotional, incredibly designed, and very well paced. All of those involved worked really hard to create this film, and it shows.
2. Jojo Rabbit
I’m a big fan of Taika Waititi so I’ve been excited for this film for a while. But there was a lot of controversy surrounding a film that might seem to make light of the Holocaust. While I do get the hesitance, I don’t think you can judge before you first see the movie and realize how incredibly emotional, well-rounded and respectful the film really is. I laughed hard more than once, but I also teared up more than once. I think Waititi is becoming one of the greatest directors out there right now. He’s a comedian at heart and he really highlights how comedy should be used as an extension of humanity. Definitely check out Jojo Rabbit I you get the chance.
3. Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood
That. Ending. Okay, I won’t spoil anything if you haven’t seen it yet—which you should—but the ending of this movie was one of the biggest surprises of the year. I knew this film was going to look gorgeous. And it impressed me with the usual Tarantino flair. And of course, you expect a movie with both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio to be successful. But that ending just floored me and transformed the movie from good to great. The 60's homage to LA is wonderful and though the Hollywood movie industry is giving it extra attention because it’s related to their home and industry, I think it’s definitely deserving of all the buzz it’s getting.
4. Midsommar
I love weird movies, and Ari Aster immediately impressed me with Hereditary. When I saw that he was doing another horror film, I had to see it. This movie isn’t traditional horror. It’s super unsettling and creepy but it’s also really, really beautiful and there’s not a single stereotypical jump scare in the whole movie. The acting by my favorite breakout star of the year, Florence Pugh, is phenomenal. I encourage you to see her in Little Women as well. But the best thing about this movie is how Aster is able to create such a gorgeous piece of art that is so incredibly out there but also deeply rooted in relatable human emotions and expression. I’m so excited for his next project.
5. Parasite
There are so many things to say about Parasite. This movie came out of left field and is suddenly a favorite for all of the awards. Bong Joon-ho creates a complex study on human hatred and class warfare. The acting is wonderful and the twists in this movie are enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. This movie somehow manages to be funny, scary, deep… I could honestly just keep naming things and this movie would check off all the boxes. Joon-ho is a master at storytelling and I honestly don’t think there’s anything he can’t do. If this movie even gets half the credit it deserves during award season, I’ll be happy, because I think the entire Western world needs to open there eyes to other amazing foreign films.
Honourable mentions: Joker, Knives Out, Little Women, Spies in Disguise
Did I leave any of your favourites (of least favourites) off my list? Let me know in the comments! And be sure to throw in any 2019 film recommendations you have!
Comments