Yearly Catch Up - 2019 Edition

Throughout the year, I wasn’t able to watch all of the movies I initially intended to (I had to cut down my watchlist to less than 100). Either due to work, personal reasons, or simply because the theaters didn’t provide decent sessions (it’s very difficult to watch the original version of an animated flick), I had to skip some films I was really looking forward to.

Besides that, there are a few movies coming out on these last two weeks of 2019 that I won’t have time to write a full review, so I’ll just insert them here as well. Go through all of them because there are a few Top10 contenders and A+ scores in here.

With that said, this article contains spoiler-free mini-reviews of The Two Popes, Honey Boy, The Report, The Nightingale, Ford v Ferrari (aka Le Mans ‘66), and The Irishman, The Farewell, The Good Liar, Jojo Rabbit, and Uncut Gems.

PS: if you’re on mobile, please turn your phone into landscape (horizontal) mode, so you can read my thoughts on each movie.

The Two Popes (2019)

Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce deliver two award-worthy performances, elevating a surprisingly humorous story about religion. Not a fan of the editing and the film goes on for a bit too long.

Rating: B

Honey Boy (2019)

Alma Har’el delivers a beautifully-directed, therapeutic story that a lot of people will be able to connect with. Shia LaBeouf shines as both screenwriter and actor, but Noah Jupe proves that he’s one of the best young actors working today. It’s a bit repetitive and heavy to watch, but it’s on the top 1/3 of 2019.

Rating: B+

The Report (2019)

I love watching true stories when they’re able to tell what actually happened in a compelling way. Scott Z. Burns offers the uncomfortable truth about CIA’s denial of using inefficient torture methods, and has Adam Driver proving once again why he’s such an acclaimed actor. Restricted by the genre’s cliches and formulaic issues, The Report is still an important film that mainly Americans should sit down and watch.

Rating: B

The Nightingale (2019)

Jennifer Kent delivered one of the best horror movies of the decade, The Babadook. With The Nightingale, only her second feature film, she offers one of the most visually brutal, shocking, jaw-dropping, violent revenge stories ever. This movie is the definition of “not for everyone.”

Rating: A-

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

I never expected a sports film, let alone one based on a true story, to impress me so damn much. James Mangold offers one of the best, if not the best sports movie ever. With award-worthy performances from both Christian Bale and Matt Damon, Ford v Ferrari (aka Le Mans ‘66) has characters so exceptionally-written and so emotionally compelling that I felt like crying by the end of the film. The races are riveting and entertaining, but it’s the beautiful screenplay that gets me. Definitely, one of the movies of the year!

Rating: A+

The Irishman (2019)

It might not be Martin Scorsese’s best film yet, but it’s one more proof that he’s one of the most talented filmmakers ever. With Robert De Niro delivering his best performance of the decade, Al Pacino going crazy, and Joe Pesci brilliantly coming out of retirement, The Irishman is a wonderfully-written, (very) long story about friendship and life. The best editing (Thelma Schoonmaker) of the year makes the runtime smoother, but it still drags on for too long. I also feel that Anna Paquin’s character should have had more impact. The de-aging VFX is mind-blowing, even if it takes a few minutes to get used to it.

Rating: A-

The Farewell (2019)

Lulu Wang shares an emotional part of her personal life by delivering a beautiful, heartfelt story about her grandmother. Even though The Farewell sticks the landing perfectly, not all of the second act’s storylines captivated me, especially the whole wedding narrative. However, Awkwafina offers a fantastic performance, as well as the rest of the cast. Alex Weston’s score elevates a lot of moments, just like the comedy which is able to get a few chuckles.

Rating: B+

The Good Liar (2019)

Exquisite performances from two all-time greats: Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren. They carry the whole film on their shoulders, and it’s mostly due to their extremely captivating displays that I genuinely enjoyed this movie. Unfortunately, its screenplay lacks believability and some creativity since the key components of the story are predictable from the get-go.

Rating: B

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Taika Waititi delivers one of those films I absolutely love for the exact same reasons some people deeply hate it. His seamless balance between comedy and war drama makes Jojo Rabbit a thought-provoking yet hilarious depiction of how ridiculous Hitler’s followers were. Roman Griffin Davis offers one of the best young performances of the millenium, and the rest of the cast is pitch-perfect. There’s a lot of laughs, but also a lot of heart. Still, be warned: if you’re easily offended, this movie isn’t suited for you. Either go in with an open mind or don’t go in.

Rating: A-

Uncut Gems (2019)

The Safdie brothers are known for their anxiety-inducing films, and Uncut Gems follows that tradition. It’s definitely a movie meant to be divisive. At several points during the film, all a viewer wants is to yell “shut up” to everyone on screen. The frenetic pacing, the overwhelming dialogue, and the loud score serve as both praise and criticism. Adam Sandler gives a career-best performance, but the narrative never quite grabbed me, being too repetitive and possessing a predictable yet impactful ending.

Rating: B