As expected, 2019 brought an incredible end to a decade that saw so much change in regards to the film industry, both in terms of the stories told and the people telling them. Independent cinema finally began to earn the acclaim it deserved, with films like Moonlight, Birdman, Spotlight and 12 Years a Slave winning major prizes, along with many other films varying in scope that helped define the past ten years of filmmaking. I started this website in 2012, so I’ve been carefully observing how the industry has changed since then, and not only have we seen representation and inclusion not only become encouraged but entirely mandatory, has opened up many opportunities for so many filmmakers who had previously not been given significant platforms in the past to have their voices heard. 2019 was a year where we saw great strides taken to have a wider diversity in our cinematic storytellers, and while the problem hasn’t been entirely solved, we are well on the way to achieving it. However, even beside the more inclusive growth of the industry, we also saw many astounding films achieve enormous acclaim and adoration, with every continent represented with indelible works of art, carefully crafted by the hard work of various filmmakers, whether seasoned auteurs or ambitious newcomers and curated by studios and distributors who understood that importance of getting films seen as widely as possible, not only for the financial gain but also to inspire and captivate a global audience. Cinema is a universal language, as evident by these films that I’ve chosen as being the best representations for why the past year was one that was truly impressive in so many ways.
As per tradition, we’ll start with the honourable mentions (presented in no particular order), before moving onto the ranked list of the fifteen best films of 2019.
Honourable Mentions
The Farewell
Her Smell
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Les Miserables
Give Me Liberty
Little Women
In Fabric
Marriage Story
The Best Films of 2019
#15 – Ray & Liz
“A picture is a secret about a secret – the more it tells you, the less you know” – these immortal words by legendary photographer Diane Arbus are embodied in Ray & Liz, the audacious debut of Richard Billingham, who revisits his own family secrets and memories, bringing them to life in this harrowing but delicate portrait of an ordinary working-class family doing what they can to survive in 1980s Britain – not only the brutal social turmoil caused by Thatcherism but also their own personal quandaries that prevent them from ever moving on. It’s a stark portrayal of family life, delivered with the uncompromising beauty of Billingham’s photography, his camera capturing every detail with a profound sense of wonder and bewilderment, as he reveals his upbringing to us with such an exceptional honesty. It’s a harrowing work and one that will most certainly intimidate the viewer, who will find themselves hypnotised by this intensely personal work, voyeurs to a deeply truthful portrayal of a family desperately trying to overcome, and then eventually accept their various dysfunctions.
#14 – Little Joe
Jessica Hausner has made the most terrifying non-horror film of the year, an unsettling tale of, above anything else, the pursuit of endless happiness. Caught somewhere between a social drama and mysterious science fiction odyssey, Little Joe is a powerful film about the extent of human perseverance, where the limits of our faith is challenged, especially in the presence of something that may be influencing how we interact with each other. The film is a marvellous work of speculative fiction, featuring extraordinary work by Emily Beecham and Ben Whishaw, who work exceptionally hard to bring this extraordinary film to life through their complex characters. It isn’t a film that evokes much warmth or joy, despite the premise, but its a masterful example of the perfect collision of narrative and style, where they engage in a form of artistic symbiosis that makes this such an extraordinary piece of contemporary storytelling, and a truly captivating work of science fiction that provokes many deep and unsettling questions about our own species through engaging with the literal and figurative roots of another one altogether.
#13 – I Lost My Body
Animated films are a fascinating form of artistic expression, mainly because the market for mainstream animation is so saturated due to the presence of big studios intent on capitalizing on the success of previous works, there is always the opportunity for another smaller film to emerge from the shadows and blow us away. I Lost My Body by Jérémy Clapin is one of the year’s most breathtaking films – a very simple, but extraordinarily moving, drama about finding yourself in a world that just does not make sense. Clapin constructs a gorgeously experimental film, taking elements from surrealism and magical realism in his compositions for this piece, where time and space blend together in absolutely astounding ways. We are all searching for something – whether tangible or abstract, there’s something missing in all our lives, and this film demonstrates that the lessons we learn along the way sometimes mean more to us than the eventual satisfaction of achieving what we set out to do. It’s a film that is beautiful both in its appearance (rendered with some of the most exceptional animation of recent years) and narrative, there are few works this year that are quite as touching as this one, and just further proof that animation can bring otherworldly wonder when done right, and when emotion and story is prioritized over the spectacle.
#12 – The Death & Life of John F. Donovan
Xavier Dolan’s status as a wunderkind of modern filmmaking is not unearned – he has amassed an incredible set of films before the age most other directors even make their first – films like Mommy and Laurence Anyways have helped define the current decade, and he has shown absolutely no signs of intending to slow down anytime soon. The Death & Life of John F. Donovan is one of his most daring projects, a social odyssey that touches on the theme of family, fame and individuality in a way only Dolan seems to be able to do, with the director venturing deeper into the collective soul of an entire generation, provoking some of our most profound existential enigmas. The film’s ambition far outweighs some of its narrative inconsistencies, with the film ultimately being pure audacity distilled into a single narrative that manages to be a profoundly moving exploration of the human condition, done by a director who has constantly delivered resonant stories about life and its idiosyncrasies. It’s a dark and heartwrenching tale of the rise and decline of one person, but a beautiful manifesto about those around him, and how they are influenced by our choices, and how our legacy will ultimately be here long after we depart.
#11 – The Souvenir
Joanna Hogg has done something seemingly impossible – she has made the rare kind of autobiographical film that is not self-indulgent or the project of vanity, but rather a profound exploration of the human condition and the growth of an artist (a quality this film shares with another one appearing later on this list). Hogg finally breaks through and receives the acclaim she has been so overdue for since making her debut many years ago. A raw, visceral character study about a young woman navigating adulthood, it’s a profoundly moving, but shockingly unsentimental, portrait of the challenges that we all face in the transitive years between adolescence and adulthood, as told through our most formative memories. Honor Swinton-Byrne commands the screen with a sincerity that most actors would find difficult to even conceive of, and whether acting across from the formidable Tom Burke, or her iconic mother Tilda Swinton, she delivers one of the year’s most impressive debuts, embodying the psychological growing pains Hogg conveys in the film. The Souvenir is a relentlessly fascinating film about feminity, independence and the artistic process, and stands alongside many of the other coming-of-age tales of an individual realizing the catharsis that comes with channelling your own experiences into beautiful art.
#10 – Varda by Agnès
2019 saw the film industry lose one of their most iconic figures – Agnès Varda was a revolutionary, being someone who not only predated the French New Wave but also outlasted it. In her towering final work, Varda by Agnès (which is less of a farewell and more like a soaring coda to a career that has inspired so many people), Varda reflects on her long and tumultuous career, the work that influenced her, and most importantly, the people who inspired her to forge a truly legendary cinematic career. It’s a devastating but beautiful work, with Varda speaking from the heart and exploring many of the recurring themes present in all of her great work, and how they fit into the broader tapestry of her work as an artist. This is a poignant and sentimental ode to celebrating life when confronted with an imminent demise, one that is simultaneously filled with heartwrenching melancholy and the gentle wit Varda always exhibited throughout her life and expressed in her extraordinary work, with this final piece being a potent reminder as to why she was so widely adored for over half a century, and someone whose legacy will continue to inspire countless others to live their lives with the relentless joy that she did.
#9 – The Lighthouse
Two men in the 1800s, stranded on an island and forced to endure each other, with an omnipotent sense of existential and supernatural dread starting to encroach on their psychological state – this is already enough to make The Lighthouse one of the most audacious films of the year. Add in the fact that it hails from the beautifully demented mind of Robert Eggers, and stars two of the finest actors of their generation in the form of Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, and you have an utter masterpiece and a dreadfully brilliant ode to madness. Dark, foreboding and incredibly hilarious, Eggers has crafted one of the most outrageous dark comedies of recent years, a sinister tale of greed and masculinity that leads the audience down a path of complete uncertainty, taking us on a journey into the mind of two incredible enigmatic characters as they slowly descend into insanity. The two leads give some of their finest work in this chillingly intimate character study, one of the only films that intend to pay tribute to the concept of madness itself, resulting in a truly extraordinary, and undeniably unsettling, experience that viewers will struggle to forget, regardless of how much we try to.
#8 – Parasite
Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite is a work of uncategorizable anarchy – featuring elements of dark comedy, psychological thriller, social drama and unhinged horror, its a powerful deconstruction of class inequality, delivered by a director who has always had a particular talent for challenging conventions through presenting resonant stories in the most unexpected ways. It’s a meticulously-constructed film that doesn’t so much lead us into a conspiracy-laden plot filled with terrifying surprises, so much as it thrusts us in, without any hope of escape. We are forced to endure this horrifyingly comical tale of two different families in conflict, divided by economic status, united by their shared compulsion to survive in an intimidating world. Bong’s work here is unquestionably strong, with the director delivering some of his most acidic commentary to date, deriving exceptional performances from a fantastic cast and telling a story that will both delight and unsettle audiences in equal measure.
#7 – Dolemite Is My Name
Comebacks are always wonderful to see, especially when it comes in the form of some of that particular individual’s finest work to date. Eddie Murphy proves that he still has the dynamic energy that made him such a beloved movie star in the force place, and reminding us what a comedic force of nature he can be when he puts in the effort. The protagonist of Dolemite Is My Name is less aligned with some of Murphy’s more outrageous roles, but still allows the actor to take on one of the most eccentric characters of his career, blaxploitation legend Rudy Ray Moore, whose journey from poverty to cult fame is not only outright hilarious but also very moving. An upbeat film that may follow a familiar formula (especially when contrasted with films like Ed Wood and The Disaster Artist, two films that are almost identical in structure and thematic content to this), but manages to be a truly heartwarming adventure into the life of one of entertainment’s most enigmatic figures, told through compassion and good-hearted humour that makes this one of the year’s most endearing films.
#6 – Under the Silver Lake
It’s easy to get intimidated by David Robert Mitchell’s Under the Silver Lake – after all, this is a film that was seemingly produced by the collision of Thomas Pynchon, Franz Kafka and Hunter S. Thompson, with a panoply of other sources thrown in for good measure. However, in the midst of this extreme paranoia that the film is built upon, we find a truly touching story about a young man going on a voyage of self-discovery, exploring the world and coming to learn of its many complexities, even if it’s through the guise of an absurd premise that makes liberal use of conspiracy theories, and even borders dangerously close on launching the viewer into an existential crisis. It’s a labyrinthine adventure filled with twists and turns, relishing in its ability to keep the audience guessing, and providing us with one of the most unexpectedly intelligent satires of recent years, and a film that goes to some unexpected places, all for the sake of exposing a deeper understanding of our shared cultural conventions.
#5 – The Irishman
Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman is a towering work that sees the acclaimed film icon exploring the depths of humanity through the guise of an absurdly dark comedy about one man’s journey from obscurity to infamy, and the various individuals he met (and occasionally “took care of”) along the way. An ambitious project if there ever was one, and featuring career-best work by Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and a long-anticipated return to the screen for Joe Pesci, with this formidable trio commanding a large ensemble of veterans and newcomers, all of which take the opportunity to do their part in bringing this audacious crime odyssey to the screen. Far more than just a gangster film, The Irishman is a fierce meditation on life and death, and a shattering portrayal of existential issues that everyone, even your local mafia hitman, tends to experience from time to time. Gorgeously-composed by a director who continues to show a sense of maturity, reflecting on many of the themes he explored earlier in his career, looking at them through a more experienced gaze, and delivering a profoundly moving film that tends to linger on with a sense of unimpeachable sorrow.
#4 – Pain and Glory
Pedro Almodóvar has been making films for a very long time, and quite a few of them have seen the director infuse them with some aspect of his own life, even if only slightly. Pain and Glory is the first time he has been completely comfortable exploring his own experiences at the forefront of a film and is perhaps his most personal film to date. Filled with a beautiful sense of melancholy and longing, especially in how Almodóvar explores the concept of desire, as represented in the protagonist, Salvador Mallo, searching for satiation – whether it be carnal lust or the glory that comes with realizing your artistic ambitious. It is a heartbreaking work that sees the acclaimed director openly exploring his own past, not necessarily solely as a filmmaker, but as a man yearning for his youth once again. The film weaves through the years as Salvador ruminates on his experiences, trying to atone for his past mistakes and rebuild his relationships with those that he lost in his pursuit for glory, as a way of mending the pain, both physical and psychological, that he’s acquired over the years. Sentimental without being overwrought, and utterly captivating in the way that only someone with the wisdom and ambition of Almodóvar could have possibly put together with such elegance and heartwrenching beauty.
#3 – Uncut Gems
Josh and Ben Safdie continue to prove themselves as being directors who are going to define the next generation of filmmakers with Uncut Gems, a harrowing dark comedy about greed and the corruption of the human spirit, funnelled through the story of one man who cannot muster the strength to give up his vices, being addicted to the sensation of winning, even when it gets him into serious trouble. Adam Sandler gives the performance we’ve been waiting three decades for, and officially confirms that his previous dramatic work was not accidental – he’s an extraordinarily gifted actor when given the material, and his collaboration with The Safdies is nothing short of revelatory. Anxiety-inducing, extremely unsettling and executed with a sense of complete controlled chaos, this film is a daring psychological excursion into the mind of a man whose carnal desires overtake his logic, to the point where it isn’t a matter of winning anymore, but rather of surviving.
#2 – The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Watching The Last Black Man in San Francisco was no ordinary experience – this was a film that not only blew me away, but it also reaffirmed my love for cinema, being composed of many awe-inspiring moments that reignited the passion that comes when watching a truly special. There’s no doubt that Joe Talbot and Jimmie Fails collaborated on what is most certainly one of the year’s most important films, a soaring story of identity and individuality, and a steadfast manifesto to the undeniable might that comes with having conviction and fighting for what you believe in. It’s a daring film that challenges everything we thought cinema could be, shattering the boundaries between reality and fiction in such an audacious manner. Gorgeously-filmed, heartbreaking in the story it tells, and truly compelling based on the incredible emotions Talbot and Fails infuse into this film, there’s very little doubt that this film is going to be a generation-defining masterpiece, just as soon as a wider audience discovers what an absolute marvel of a film this is. It’s the kind of work that makes us reevaluate everything we hold true about artistic expression, showing the incredible power of words and images to not only move us but also change our perspective on the world around us.
#1 – Portrait of a Lady on Fire
There is not a single frame that’s out of place in Céline Sciamma’s searing period drama, Portrait of a Lady on Fire. It is almost astonishing just how perfect this film is – whether it be through the incredible performances given by Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel, or the gorgeous cinematography by Claire Mathon, or the general atmosphere of insatiable desire that pervades the film. This is not merely a period drama – it’s a powerful story that focuses on the intricate intersections between art and desire, and the process through which they tend to draw inspiration from each other. Its a film of contradictions – there’s much that can be said about this film, yet there’s a great deal that just defies any coherent explanation, with Sciamma leaving so much of the beauty of the film unsaid, relying on the extraordinary power of a quick glance, a subtle expression or a single movement in telling the story, which could be possibly one of the most daring romances committed to film in the last decade. There’s a certain underlying beauty to this film that just escapes words, with the true brilliance of this film resting in how it burrows itself into the heart and mind of the viewer, allowing us to witness the unfolding of this gorgeous love story between two women who find themselves fighting against a social system that forbids their love. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is breathtaking, elegant filmmaking that leaves one extremely exhilarated, but not without being utterly devastated after having undergone this emotional journey into the heart of desire itself.
2019 has brought an end to a truly impressive decade of film, not only for the stories told but also the people behind them. The upcoming decade appears to be well on the way to achieving even more of this wonderful sense of inclusion and diversity in the art being created. The eclectic nature of cinema is allowing more unique voices to be heard, and there’s very little doubt that we’ll continue to see magnificent collisions of style and substance in future filmmaking, where movies aren’t only there to entertain, but also to inspire, and as evident by the films listed above, and the many incredible works that unfortunately could not find a place on my list, this is not only becoming a trend but an indelible quality that is changing cinema and the way we perceive it – and it’s about time.
The Postmodern Pelican 
A Different Perspective on 2019
(Alphabetically)
Clemency
Les Miserables
Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Retablo
What a terrific year for cinema!