I’m not going to babble on and try to somehow tie the movies of 2019 into a common theme or something. These are the best movies of the year.
Avengers:Endgame
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most ambitious movie franchises of the 21st Century. Endgame nicely wrapped up the current phase of the story while balancing dozens of characters. And while being entertaining.
Joker
Unfortunately this movie is being taken the wrong way by a lot of people. But Joaquin Phoenix as the emotionally disturbed Arthur Fleck was the performance of the year. His transformation from someone just trying to get by to the super-villain Joker, is both tragic and believable.
Parasite
The film of the year. There are elements of con movies, black humor, social commentary, and horror in this movie. They are all balanced perfectly. And Director Bong Jong- Ho perfectly builds the suspense throughout. You can’t look away from this movie.
Star Wars: the Rise of Skywalker
Don’t listen to the haters. This was a great Star Wars story with plenty of fan service. It effectively bridged the discrepancies between the Force Awakens and the Last Jedi and was a fitting end to both the sequel trilogy and all nine Star Wars Episodes. Like the best Star Wars films it had memorable friendships, exciting action scenes, and introduced us to new favorite characters.
Us
This is another “social” horror movie from Director Jordan Peele. The tension stays with you throughout the entire movie. And the twist is quite a surprise. An incredibly effective horror story.
Honorable Mentions – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Captain Marvel, Knives Out, Marriage Story,Midsommar, Missing Link, Spider-Man: Far From Home
Notable Misses – Bombshell, Harriet, How to Train Your Dragon:The Hidden World, Klaus, Pain and Glory, Richard Jewell, Shaun the Sheep:Farmageddon, Uncut Gems
Good Movies Featuring Asian Americans! Always Be My Maybe, The Farewell, Hustlers