Here are the five movies that mattered most in 2019. They were original, stood on their own, and let us know just how broadly drawn, intimately insightful, and consummate in their use of cinematic techniques mainstream filmmakers can be. In no order, they are:
1. Booksmart. The year's best comedy with one of the best comedic screenplays in a long time. This film contained wall-to-wall laughs with great performances and brilliantly shaped scenes start to finish.
2. Uncut Gems. The Safdie brothers craft one of the most original movies of the year with music, laughs, and a steady thrum of urgency. Adam Sandler leads a cast that embody their roles and keep us in their taut worlds.
The Irishman. Martin Scorsese's epic seized on Charles Brandt's book with screenwriter Steven Zaillian and the two, with cinematographer Rodriego Prieto, created the best historical drama in years. It contained the actor's finest performances tailored to the story.
Parasite. Bong Joon-Ho's film was culturally specific and universal in its appeal, showing a society through three families. It was expertly paced and crafted with not one false move on all levels of filmmaking.
Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood. Quentin Tarantino shows again how fresh and exhilarating he can be while structurally throwing curveballs at the audience. He got brilliant performances that walk the line between camp and the seriously dramatic, all while sticking to a story and keeping the audience guessing for nearly three hours.
1. Booksmart. The year's best comedy with one of the best comedic screenplays in a long time. This film contained wall-to-wall laughs with great performances and brilliantly shaped scenes start to finish.
2. Uncut Gems. The Safdie brothers craft one of the most original movies of the year with music, laughs, and a steady thrum of urgency. Adam Sandler leads a cast that embody their roles and keep us in their taut worlds.
The Irishman. Martin Scorsese's epic seized on Charles Brandt's book with screenwriter Steven Zaillian and the two, with cinematographer Rodriego Prieto, created the best historical drama in years. It contained the actor's finest performances tailored to the story.
Parasite. Bong Joon-Ho's film was culturally specific and universal in its appeal, showing a society through three families. It was expertly paced and crafted with not one false move on all levels of filmmaking.
Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood. Quentin Tarantino shows again how fresh and exhilarating he can be while structurally throwing curveballs at the audience. He got brilliant performances that walk the line between camp and the seriously dramatic, all while sticking to a story and keeping the audience guessing for nearly three hours.
