When it comes to pulling together this list I've concluded the criteria that a film has to be released in the UK / somewhere in the world during the year has to be relaxed permanently for films seen at festivals. Since 2015 the London Film Festival has become a major feature of my year and usually at least half the films I see want to be on my end of year list – it's impossible to ignore their inclusion even if they aren't actually released in that year. This year four of the films on this list have a 2020 UK release date and two of those aren't released anywhere in the world until 2020.
As usual, all the films I watched this year are listed in order here – letterboxd.com/davidhunt14/list/2019-films-watched/ – which numerically looks like:
185 - total films watched (+34% YOY)
48 - films watched at the cinema (+20% YOY)
58 - films released in 2019 watched
4 - films to be released in the UK in 2020 watched
0 - films watched more than once in 2019
Here is the list of 10, presented alphabetically. As ever, this is a subjective list of my favourites, not a list proclaiming what is "best" (however you might quantify that!). Enjoy!
Ad Astra
A big budget existential space story about an astronaut looking for his father, with shades of 2001: A Space Odyssey about it. It won't be for everyone but it had me from the get go. Brad Pitt is that astronaut and he feels perfectly cast doing his more silent than talking thing, as he navigates himself to Mars and then beyond. The near future setting and the way it's shot and directed feels both stark and enticing, especially throughout the first half of his mission. The story does weigh heavily on "daddy issues" which is somewhat affecting whilst frequently seeming overwrought. But that said it looks and sounds incredible and was a journey thoroughly worth taking.
Captain Marvel
I've said it so many times before but Marvel is at its best when telling origin stories, and so here we are with Captain Marvel which does a thoroughly satisfying job of bringing a new character into play. Being partially set off-Earth adds to the interest level – think how well that worked in Guardians of the Galaxy and the Thor films – and the nineties setting is a huge plus allowing for some fun nostalgia based comedy alongside a great soundtrack. Having a younger Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in tow as a sidekick is intriguing if a little jarring at first due to the de-ageing effects, but of course the main reason it works so well is Brie Larson, who makes the Captain Marvel / Carol Danvers character so easy to root for and engaging to watch. She has a casual charm that makes you believe she's the best at everything she does. Why it took Marvel 20 films before it made one with a female lead is a mystery, but Captain Marvel was my favourite superhero film of the year because it was fun and great escapist entertainment. Oh, and lets not forget that cat!
Color Out of Space
A lot of people are going to want to see Color Out of Space because of perceived similarities to Mandy, but forget about that great film when going into this. It's mostly far more conventional in that it tells of the strange goings-on after a meteorite lands on a family's land, but it builds and builds into its own weirdness, which is to be expected as it's based on an HP Lovecraft story. Nicolas Cage brings the entertainment value as his usual self, although it's the two younger cast members who are more interesting. Director Richard Stanley has returned from a near thirty-year self-imposed hiatus determined to set the screen alight, as we get gradually more and more bathed in overwhelming pink and purple light, whilst Colin Stetson's great soundtrack makes the atmosphere even more disconcerting. It's a thrilling trip.
Doctor Sleep
We never really needed a sequel to The Shining and Doctor Sleep does a great job reiterating that point. Yet it's on this list, so how does that work!? That's because the first three quarters of the film are really rather good, telling a fascinating story that takes its time with the characters and slowly builds atmosphere and intrigue. The casting and acting helps a lot, most notably Rebecca Ferguson who is one of the best villains seen all year, and it's so easy to lose yourself in this story which, mostly, feels only tenuously linked to The Shining (if you forget who the main character is!). Where it falls down is the finale which deeply intertwines itself with the original story, pulling you out of this new world in a really jarring manner. Still, great work Mike Flanagan at creating a damn good film that works because it stands on it's own feet.
In Fabric
In Fabric is batshit crazy. When I came out the cinema it probably wasn't on this list, but six months later I've had time to dwell on it and here we are. This is a film about a killer dress. Yes, you read that right, a blood red killer dress. But this is a Peter Strickland film so you've got no right to expect an easy ride. The dress is passed between different people with terrible consequences, but all roads lead back to the department store of its origin. There's clearly something evil at play here with a highlight being the coldly malevolent staff working at the store. Everything about the film feels quintessentially British but in an off-kilter manner that suggests the pits of hell might suddenly open. It's like watching a lost 1970's horror film that's also kind of funny. Kudos to Strickland for continuing to make uneasy, weirdly hallucinogenic films.
Jojo Rabbit
Trying to describe Jojo Rabbit and make it sound appealing is something of a challenge – German boy joins Nazi youth camp and has an imaginary friend in the shape of Hitler. Oh, and it's partially a comedy. However, it's directed by Taika Waititi so that gives some indication of where this is going and as a result totally works. The comedy is off-the-wall but importantly it knows when to reign in the zaniness for moments that are genuinely moving. The message may be glaringly obvious but it's all performed with such zeal by the cast, especially Roman Griffin Davis as the titular lead. The fact that it delivers such a wide range of emotions is a huge credit, and besides, it's only Maori-Jew Waititi who could convincingly pull off playing an equal part comedic and terrifying version of Hitler with a Kiwi accent.
Knives Out
Knives Out is one of the most enjoyable films watched this year. It doesn't set out to reinvent the wheel or break barriers, instead it hearkens back to the classic whodunnit, a genre we see all too infrequently these days. By assembling a superb cast and creating a fantastic set in the form of a creaking old mansion, Rian Johnson crafts a mystery that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat until its final resolution. Ana de Armas is particularly engaging as the real lead amidst the cast of stars, plus it's full of neat little touches, such as the interviews at the start and the introduction of Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc character. There's definitely scope for more films based around Blanc so fingers crossed that happens!
The Lighthouse
Fair warning, The Lighthouse is not an easy watch. Shot in black & white and tightly framed in 1.19:1 ratio, it's an intense and claustrophobic experience, made all the more challenging thanks to the true to the time mariner dialogue and an overwhelming score. If that doesn't sound like too much it's also offers an acting masterclass – Willem Dafoe is award-worthy as the seasoned and salty lighthouse keeper and Robert Pattinson is almost as good as his younger apprentice. It's shot through with an altogether too human horror as the last vestiges of sanity slip thanks to the isolation and savage conditions. Robert Eggers marked himself as a director to watch with The Witch and he proves himself yet again.
Midsommar
Just a year after the release of Hereditary, my favourite film of 2018, writer/director Ari Aster was already providing a new offering. Midsommar doesn't live up to that previous film but it's a different beast – light vs the darkness. Okay, so light might be a bit of a misnomer, but it's almost entirely set in the Swedish countryside at a mid-summer festival and mostly during day time. There's a slow sense of unease that begins to build and sits just underneath the surface, although because of the prevalence of daylight it never feels quite as unnerving as it otherwise might, but then that is one of the reasons why the film is so interesting because it adds to the sense that there is no escape from this place. It also makes the brief bloody moments all the more visceral. Hopefully Aster keeps twisting his stories in interesting directions.
Synchronic
Benson & Moorhead are on a roll. Back in 2015 Spring was on my best of the year list. In 2017 The Endless was one of the stronger films I saw. With Synchronic, their latest film, it feels as if they've refined all that good stuff and this time have a bit more budget to play with. In short Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan play paramedics who are having to deal with some weird call-outs thanks to a new designer drug. To say more would ruin the fun of the plot, but the pair are making a name for themselves by pulling in an edge of sci-fi and horror into their films (the former in Synchronic) which not only elevates them, but leaves you guessing as to where the story is actually going. My only real complaint is it's not longer and there's not more of it! [Note: look out for it in 2020/2021]
