All of 2019's top-grossing films were either superhero blockbusters (Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home) or Disney reboots (The Lion King, Toy Story 4). And as thoroughly enjoyable as many of these were, they tended to suck up all of the air out the room, leaving less room for original stories to shine.
Luckily, some great movies still managed to cut through the noise. Films like Midsommar and Booksmart became word-of-mouth favourites, proving that audiences and critics still had a thirst for inventive storytelling with heart, while Parasite and The Last Black Man in San Fransisco gave necessary voice to hot-button political issues. These are Exclaim's 15 Best Films of 2019.
A couple of these films also appear on our list of the 30 Best Films of the 2010s.
15. Crawl
Directed by Alexandre Aja
A divorced dad trapped in a flooded crawl space, looters getting mauled by gators during a Category 5 hurricane — Crawl is basically a "Florida man" meme come to life, as an estranged father and daughter attempt to survive a storm while being hunted by a pack of hungry reptiles. It's a totally unpretentious, old-school creature feature (and it kicked the shit out of Godzilla: King of Monsters when it came to 2019's best lizard-based thriller). Scorsese probably doesn't consider things like this "cinema," but it's as much fun as we had at the movies all year.
Alex Hudson
14. The Farewell
Directed by Lulu Wang
So much of The Farewell's premise seems too over-the-top to be true — a family refuses to tell their beloved matriarch that she's been diagnosed with cancer — but it's a common occurrence in many Chinese families, including director Lulu Wang's own, and she uses her latest feature film to share her family's story with a broader audience. The film balances cultural commentary with drama and humour for a heartfelt story, but while lead actor and comedic breakout Awkwafina delivers a rare dramatic turn, it's in the humour and splendour where the film really shines.
Matt Bobkin
13. Knives Out
Directed by Rian Johnson
Rian Johnson pairs clever writing, meticulous direction, brilliant characters, and a large sense of fun with a cast any movie would die for. Knives Out channels the whodunits of old and updates the genre for the modern world, where everyone is a suspect and no one is free of guilt. There's a human story that drives underneath it all, of how kindness and goodness can win the day. It's a message we need — and for it to come in a murder mystery film with so much to say already, it makes Knives Out a must-see movie of 2019.
Kevin Lever
12. In Fabric
Directed by Peter Strickland
In Fabric was terminally underseen, but that's not your fault. The film first debuted in the fall of 2018, then played festivals in perpetuity before finally receiving a release in December 2019. But while it's playing hard-to-get, the film is one that you should definitely seek out. Peter Strickland (The Duke of Burgundy) has maintained his knack for stylish storytelling, but In Fabric ramps up the camp. The result is a truly bizarre comedy that obfuscates fast-fashion behind quirks that are genuinely unique. Plus, there's a vampiric cum shot.
Josiah Hughes
11. The Beach Bum
Directed by Harmony Korine
Now that Adam Sandler is cool again, someone needed to step up and make uncool Adam Sandler movies. Leave it to one of the coolest directors around — Harmony Korine. The Beach Bum is exuberantly stupid, a grinning shitpost of a movie that sees Matthew McConaughey deliver the worst Matthew McConaughey impression as a Jimmy Buffett-type who moonlights as a beloved American poet. He smokes weed with Snoop Dogg, performs cunnilingus on Isla Fischer, moshes to Creed with Zac Efron, and goes dolphin watching with Martin Lawrence. It's just dreamy enough that you could wax bullshit about the meaning of it all, but ultimately The Beach Bum is just a joyfully moronic romp. In other words, it's precisely what we needed.
Josiah Hughes
10. Us
Directed by Jordan Peele
Us, Jordan Peele's second horror film after the groundbreaking success of Get Out, proved that Peele isn't just good at "socially-conscious horror," although Us touches on everything from performativity to race and class. It demonstrated that he's just as adept at good old-fashioned scares via murder, mayhem, and ratcheting tension. Even if it gets lost in its own mythology towards the end of the film, it's still imaginative, unique, visually striking, and wildly ambitious, with an incredible performance from Lupita Nyong'o, who's given the difficult task of having to play the hero and villain of the film at the same time.
Laura Di Girolamo
9. Booksmart
Directed by Olivia Wilde
High school is nearly over, and with one foot each out the door, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) are breaking from their nerdier sides to have one big blowout amongst their peers before college. It's a coming-of-age story that has been done again and again — and yet Olivia Wilde's Gen Z take on the teen buddy comedy format sets itself apart from the Millennial classic Superbad or Gen X's Dazed and Confused before it. Its use of the same teenage tropes and roster of archetypes aside, the film touches on something comedy rarely does in this much depth: female relationships. Paired with an updated arsenal of socially conscious gags and sexualities, Booksmart breathes new life into a genre beaten nearly to death.
Allie Gregory
8. Honey Boy
Directed by Alma Har'el
What could've been a massive eye roll ended up being a powerful tearjerker as Shia LaBeouf turned the lens on himself in more ways than one. Honey Boy was written by Shia while in rehab, and it's really about three Shias. There's the child Shia, the adult Shia and the actor Shia's father (played by Shia). It's a meta mess on paper, but the film itself is a stunning and profoundly personal look at a troubled upbringing made all the more powerful thanks to Alma Har'el's directorial magic. You may go into this film still thinking it's about Shia the meme, but you'll leave with a deeper understanding of Shia the man.
Josiah Hughes
7. The Lighthouse
Directed by Robert Eggers
Though its premise of two gruff labourers trapped on a New England island by the elements leaves little question that it will lead to blood-curdling madness, Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse draws out this inevitability for all of the tension, comedy, pseudo-romance, and stomach churning horror it is worth. An aggressively textured film which envelops you entirely into its diabolic Lovecraftian rhythms through Eggers' formal design, the film is held down by enrapturing performances by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, who come across as coarse as the space they inhabit, while they probe the ugliness of man's very soul over one too many swigs of liquor. As haunting, harrowing and downright repugnant as this maritime hell might get, The Lighthouse is still one of the most raw and entertaining films of the year.
Chris Luciantonio
6. Midsommar
Directed by Ari Aster
At once nauseating and exhilarating, Ari Aster's latest film is a psychedelic-fuelled descent into the demonic rituals of a Nordic pagan cult. Adopting the folk-horror genre, Aster's Midsommar is essentially a breakup movie but with extra steps — and gore. Young partners Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Raynor) enter the film bound together by their own emotional trappings, but they soon take a trip that will tear them apart forever. At over two hours long, the movie is saturated with all the elements that make for great horror: psychological conflict, suspense and betrayal. In its hefty runtime, Midsommar dismantles preconceived assumptions about culture, gender, relationships, academia and more with ferocity — never straying away from the unsettling or animalistic. And it does so on the backdrop of cartoonishly beautiful folk art and wildlife, proving that Aster is just as adept at fantasy as he is at horror.
Allie Gregory
5. Jojo Rabbit
Directed by Taika Waititi
There was a time where one could lampoon Nazis with abandon (see: The Producers, Inglourious Basterds) but that's over, thanks the resurgence of white supremacy into mainstream politics. And yet, Jojo Rabbit — where director Taika Waititi explores the mindset of a Hitler Youth cadet by portraying a buffoonish, imaginary version of the dictator — succeeds by juggling over-the-top gags with a touching story of familial love and compassion. With a wholly original concept and fresh take on enduring themes, Jojo Rabbit delves into the mindsets of Nazi sympathizers and dismantles them with the power of good ol' fashioned character development, heartfelt storytelling and silly jokes.
Matt Bobkin
4. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Directed by Céline Sciamma
The romantic mythos of Orpheus and Eurydice, the tale of a man who tried to bring his wife back from the dead with music, is symbolically referenced throughout director Céline Sciamma's latest work. Weaving this Greek tragedy of love and loss into Portrait of a Lady on Fire makes it one of the best and most beautiful films of the year. This star-crossed love story is a rarity, as it relies solely on the female gaze. Its technical achievements and romantic imagery perfectly capture the collaboration of creator and muse. It feels like something out of the Louvre.
Sara Clements
3. Marriage Story
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Marriage Story isn't always fun to watch. It chronicles a divorce that goes from amicable to tense to cutthroat, as successful couple Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) are pitted against one another by their ruthless attorneys, while their young son becomes a bargaining chip in their legal drama. We see how a difficult situation can bring out the worst in two otherwise decent, reasonable people who used to be in love. And yet, for all of the heartbreak and frustration, audiences come out the other side with genuine catharsis. Much like a real breakup, Marriage Story is an emotionally fraught journey that that's ultimately cleansing.
2. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Directed by Joe Talbot
Not everyone wants to be rich. Some just want to live a rich life.
A spiritual successor to last year's surreal satire Sorry to Bother You, Joe Talbot's debut feature film The Last Black Man in San Francisco tackles similar themes, like racial identity and the homogenization of once-working-class neighbourhoods in the Bay Area and beyond. But it's also a beautiful film about two lifelong buddies trying to do what's right for each other, no matter the cost.
It's a rare but welcome respite from today's divisive society and a reminder that friendship takes many forms.
Matthew Ritchie
1. Parasite
Directed by Bong Joon-ho
In 2019, amidst news story after news story about one-percenters who use their wealth and privilege for evil, amidst diminishing affordable housing, stagnating wages, cuts to health care and childcare, amidst cries of "eat the rich," came Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. The winner of this year's prestigious Palme d'Or at Cannes (ironically, one of cinema's most elitist festivals), this hilariously fucked-up thriller about an eccentric lower-class family who scheme their way into working for the South Korean elite resonates so powerfully in a world where the divide between rich and poor grows wider every day.
Bong has touched on class warfare before, most recently in his 2013 English-language debut Snowpiercer, but the sharp, satirical, perfectly paced Parasite is on another level entirely. Parasite's central heist builds from low-stakes schemes (stealing free Wi-Fi from the neighbourhood cafe) to sociopathic ones (deliberately staging a peach-induced allergy attack for job-stealing purposes).
For a while it's diabolically fun to watch this family of ragtag misfits con the rich...until things start getting extra weird. It's relentless, ferociously funny and fascinating, laddering up to an inventive twist that drives home the film's central thesis about the desperation of the poor and the clueless cruelty of the rich.
Laura Di Girolamo
Check out more of Exclaim!'s Best of 2019 lists here.
Luckily, some great movies still managed to cut through the noise. Films like Midsommar and Booksmart became word-of-mouth favourites, proving that audiences and critics still had a thirst for inventive storytelling with heart, while Parasite and The Last Black Man in San Fransisco gave necessary voice to hot-button political issues. These are Exclaim's 15 Best Films of 2019.
A couple of these films also appear on our list of the 30 Best Films of the 2010s.
15. Crawl
Directed by Alexandre Aja
A divorced dad trapped in a flooded crawl space, looters getting mauled by gators during a Category 5 hurricane — Crawl is basically a "Florida man" meme come to life, as an estranged father and daughter attempt to survive a storm while being hunted by a pack of hungry reptiles. It's a totally unpretentious, old-school creature feature (and it kicked the shit out of Godzilla: King of Monsters when it came to 2019's best lizard-based thriller). Scorsese probably doesn't consider things like this "cinema," but it's as much fun as we had at the movies all year.
Alex Hudson
14. The Farewell
Directed by Lulu Wang
So much of The Farewell's premise seems too over-the-top to be true — a family refuses to tell their beloved matriarch that she's been diagnosed with cancer — but it's a common occurrence in many Chinese families, including director Lulu Wang's own, and she uses her latest feature film to share her family's story with a broader audience. The film balances cultural commentary with drama and humour for a heartfelt story, but while lead actor and comedic breakout Awkwafina delivers a rare dramatic turn, it's in the humour and splendour where the film really shines.
Matt Bobkin
13. Knives Out
Directed by Rian Johnson
Rian Johnson pairs clever writing, meticulous direction, brilliant characters, and a large sense of fun with a cast any movie would die for. Knives Out channels the whodunits of old and updates the genre for the modern world, where everyone is a suspect and no one is free of guilt. There's a human story that drives underneath it all, of how kindness and goodness can win the day. It's a message we need — and for it to come in a murder mystery film with so much to say already, it makes Knives Out a must-see movie of 2019.
Kevin Lever
12. In Fabric
Directed by Peter Strickland
In Fabric was terminally underseen, but that's not your fault. The film first debuted in the fall of 2018, then played festivals in perpetuity before finally receiving a release in December 2019. But while it's playing hard-to-get, the film is one that you should definitely seek out. Peter Strickland (The Duke of Burgundy) has maintained his knack for stylish storytelling, but In Fabric ramps up the camp. The result is a truly bizarre comedy that obfuscates fast-fashion behind quirks that are genuinely unique. Plus, there's a vampiric cum shot.
Josiah Hughes
11. The Beach Bum
Directed by Harmony Korine
Now that Adam Sandler is cool again, someone needed to step up and make uncool Adam Sandler movies. Leave it to one of the coolest directors around — Harmony Korine. The Beach Bum is exuberantly stupid, a grinning shitpost of a movie that sees Matthew McConaughey deliver the worst Matthew McConaughey impression as a Jimmy Buffett-type who moonlights as a beloved American poet. He smokes weed with Snoop Dogg, performs cunnilingus on Isla Fischer, moshes to Creed with Zac Efron, and goes dolphin watching with Martin Lawrence. It's just dreamy enough that you could wax bullshit about the meaning of it all, but ultimately The Beach Bum is just a joyfully moronic romp. In other words, it's precisely what we needed.
Josiah Hughes
10. Us
Directed by Jordan Peele
Us, Jordan Peele's second horror film after the groundbreaking success of Get Out, proved that Peele isn't just good at "socially-conscious horror," although Us touches on everything from performativity to race and class. It demonstrated that he's just as adept at good old-fashioned scares via murder, mayhem, and ratcheting tension. Even if it gets lost in its own mythology towards the end of the film, it's still imaginative, unique, visually striking, and wildly ambitious, with an incredible performance from Lupita Nyong'o, who's given the difficult task of having to play the hero and villain of the film at the same time.
Laura Di Girolamo
9. Booksmart
Directed by Olivia Wilde
High school is nearly over, and with one foot each out the door, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) are breaking from their nerdier sides to have one big blowout amongst their peers before college. It's a coming-of-age story that has been done again and again — and yet Olivia Wilde's Gen Z take on the teen buddy comedy format sets itself apart from the Millennial classic Superbad or Gen X's Dazed and Confused before it. Its use of the same teenage tropes and roster of archetypes aside, the film touches on something comedy rarely does in this much depth: female relationships. Paired with an updated arsenal of socially conscious gags and sexualities, Booksmart breathes new life into a genre beaten nearly to death.
Allie Gregory
8. Honey Boy
Directed by Alma Har'el
What could've been a massive eye roll ended up being a powerful tearjerker as Shia LaBeouf turned the lens on himself in more ways than one. Honey Boy was written by Shia while in rehab, and it's really about three Shias. There's the child Shia, the adult Shia and the actor Shia's father (played by Shia). It's a meta mess on paper, but the film itself is a stunning and profoundly personal look at a troubled upbringing made all the more powerful thanks to Alma Har'el's directorial magic. You may go into this film still thinking it's about Shia the meme, but you'll leave with a deeper understanding of Shia the man.
Josiah Hughes
7. The Lighthouse
Directed by Robert Eggers
Though its premise of two gruff labourers trapped on a New England island by the elements leaves little question that it will lead to blood-curdling madness, Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse draws out this inevitability for all of the tension, comedy, pseudo-romance, and stomach churning horror it is worth. An aggressively textured film which envelops you entirely into its diabolic Lovecraftian rhythms through Eggers' formal design, the film is held down by enrapturing performances by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, who come across as coarse as the space they inhabit, while they probe the ugliness of man's very soul over one too many swigs of liquor. As haunting, harrowing and downright repugnant as this maritime hell might get, The Lighthouse is still one of the most raw and entertaining films of the year.
Chris Luciantonio
6. Midsommar
Directed by Ari Aster
At once nauseating and exhilarating, Ari Aster's latest film is a psychedelic-fuelled descent into the demonic rituals of a Nordic pagan cult. Adopting the folk-horror genre, Aster's Midsommar is essentially a breakup movie but with extra steps — and gore. Young partners Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Raynor) enter the film bound together by their own emotional trappings, but they soon take a trip that will tear them apart forever. At over two hours long, the movie is saturated with all the elements that make for great horror: psychological conflict, suspense and betrayal. In its hefty runtime, Midsommar dismantles preconceived assumptions about culture, gender, relationships, academia and more with ferocity — never straying away from the unsettling or animalistic. And it does so on the backdrop of cartoonishly beautiful folk art and wildlife, proving that Aster is just as adept at fantasy as he is at horror.
Allie Gregory
5. Jojo Rabbit
Directed by Taika Waititi
There was a time where one could lampoon Nazis with abandon (see: The Producers, Inglourious Basterds) but that's over, thanks the resurgence of white supremacy into mainstream politics. And yet, Jojo Rabbit — where director Taika Waititi explores the mindset of a Hitler Youth cadet by portraying a buffoonish, imaginary version of the dictator — succeeds by juggling over-the-top gags with a touching story of familial love and compassion. With a wholly original concept and fresh take on enduring themes, Jojo Rabbit delves into the mindsets of Nazi sympathizers and dismantles them with the power of good ol' fashioned character development, heartfelt storytelling and silly jokes.
Matt Bobkin
4. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Directed by Céline Sciamma
The romantic mythos of Orpheus and Eurydice, the tale of a man who tried to bring his wife back from the dead with music, is symbolically referenced throughout director Céline Sciamma's latest work. Weaving this Greek tragedy of love and loss into Portrait of a Lady on Fire makes it one of the best and most beautiful films of the year. This star-crossed love story is a rarity, as it relies solely on the female gaze. Its technical achievements and romantic imagery perfectly capture the collaboration of creator and muse. It feels like something out of the Louvre.
Sara Clements
3. Marriage Story
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Marriage Story isn't always fun to watch. It chronicles a divorce that goes from amicable to tense to cutthroat, as successful couple Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) are pitted against one another by their ruthless attorneys, while their young son becomes a bargaining chip in their legal drama. We see how a difficult situation can bring out the worst in two otherwise decent, reasonable people who used to be in love. And yet, for all of the heartbreak and frustration, audiences come out the other side with genuine catharsis. Much like a real breakup, Marriage Story is an emotionally fraught journey that that's ultimately cleansing.
2. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Directed by Joe Talbot
Not everyone wants to be rich. Some just want to live a rich life.
A spiritual successor to last year's surreal satire Sorry to Bother You, Joe Talbot's debut feature film The Last Black Man in San Francisco tackles similar themes, like racial identity and the homogenization of once-working-class neighbourhoods in the Bay Area and beyond. But it's also a beautiful film about two lifelong buddies trying to do what's right for each other, no matter the cost.
It's a rare but welcome respite from today's divisive society and a reminder that friendship takes many forms.
Matthew Ritchie
1. Parasite
Directed by Bong Joon-ho
In 2019, amidst news story after news story about one-percenters who use their wealth and privilege for evil, amidst diminishing affordable housing, stagnating wages, cuts to health care and childcare, amidst cries of "eat the rich," came Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. The winner of this year's prestigious Palme d'Or at Cannes (ironically, one of cinema's most elitist festivals), this hilariously fucked-up thriller about an eccentric lower-class family who scheme their way into working for the South Korean elite resonates so powerfully in a world where the divide between rich and poor grows wider every day.
Bong has touched on class warfare before, most recently in his 2013 English-language debut Snowpiercer, but the sharp, satirical, perfectly paced Parasite is on another level entirely. Parasite's central heist builds from low-stakes schemes (stealing free Wi-Fi from the neighbourhood cafe) to sociopathic ones (deliberately staging a peach-induced allergy attack for job-stealing purposes).
For a while it's diabolically fun to watch this family of ragtag misfits con the rich...until things start getting extra weird. It's relentless, ferociously funny and fascinating, laddering up to an inventive twist that drives home the film's central thesis about the desperation of the poor and the clueless cruelty of the rich.
Laura Di Girolamo
Check out more of Exclaim!'s Best of 2019 lists here.