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Opinion | Best of 2019: How a little film with a big heart stole the top spot

To quote Sinatra, it was a very good year at the movies. I could put 15-20 movies here and be content. But these are the best I saw this year, and I watched a lot.
Credit: Roadside Attractions, A24, Marvel

ST. LOUIS — Best of lists are incredibly difficult to comprise, but 2019 was something else. Before I get into the details of this top movies list, let me just inform you of how good a year it was at the movies.

I could easily pack a healthy 15-20 movies here and not feel an ounce of regret in clicking send. 2019 provided an invigorating display of filmmaking that had been missing for many years. So complete and fulfilling. It wasn't just a few good flicks; there were many expertly crafted movies by a versatile array of veteran and relatively new directors.

This was the year Adam Sandler joined the "not messing around" list. The year where Jennifer Kent reminded you how chilly and true a revenge film should feel. The year where The Safdie Brothers became true players. Where The Russo Brothers designed the most epic finale. Where Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson reminded you that a budget doesn't define a performance. To quote Sinatra, it was a very good year at the movie theater.

With that, let's begin. The top ten movies of 2019, a list as hard to craft as a Star Wars ending that satisfies everybody. And away we go!

10) Yesterday

How good was 2019? Danny Boyle's Beatles deleting fantasy drama was formerly among the top three movies I had seen as the summer closed its doors. Talk about taking a big chance with a story. Boyle's tale sunk its teeth into a world where the famous British pop band's tunes never existed ... except to one struggling musician named Jack Malik. The music was brought back to vivid life by Himesh Patel, the acting was superb across the board, and there were at least three jaw-dropping moments in this big swing cinema experience. I left humming the songs with a smile on my face while wondering what I would do if I woke up tomorrow and coffee never existed.

RELATED: 'Yesterday' Review | Enchanting Beatles ‘what if’ tale is one of the best movies of 2019

9) Joker

Todd Phillips did his way. He took an iconic comic book villain and painted him as a mentally-unhinged loner who fought the world and lost, so he goes mad instead. Ripped from the headlines? Sort of. Riveting and assured from start to finish? 100%. Joaquin Phoenix re-imagined the clown of chaos with a performance that made you hurt for his Arthur Fleck. Through weight loss, mannerisms, and a laugh that rung the hollows halls of your mind long after the credits, Phoenix went all the way. The production design and sound were flawless. The grimy look of a decaying Gotham matched with the horn-fueled rhythms of chaos unfolding at a slow boil. It wasn't made for everyone, but by the end, it passed the one billion mark, proving there's a place for serious R-rated dramas that started in the pages of comics.

RELATED: Review | Thanks to Joaquin Phoenix's masterful work, Todd Phillips' 'Joker' will morally rock you

8) Uncut Gems

Watching this film was akin to riding a roller coaster that lasted over two hours. You followed a self-destructive yet talented jeweler in New York named Howard pour gasoline all over his life inside a stretch of time that seemed to last a month yet probably only covered a week. Sandler and The Safdie Brothers reminded you why going to the movies can be a full-bodied experience where you rediscover amazing things about art and creation. They also made you root for the bad guy. Kudos to the Josh and Benny for giving Kevin Garnett a juicy supporting turn, and for putting thrilling talent like Keith Williams Richards and Julia Fox on the big screen for the first time. This movie made you uncomfortable in all the ways a thriller should, one that is unsure of its destination. By the end, you were spent and exhausted-but riveted to the no end. This wasn't just a great movie; it was full blown engrossing white knuckle entertainment.

RELATED: Opinion | 'Uncut Gems' - You've never seen an Adam Sandler movie quite like this

7) Ford v Ferrari

James Mangold's racing biopic did something extremely rare: it was a highly entertaining, crowd-pleasing film that also carried Oscar-weight to the experience. Real high wire filmmaking that included one of the film's finest duos in Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Playing car-making genius Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles, the two actors shared a chemistry that enlivened the film and elevated it to another level, especially Bale. The Welsh actor continues to amaze with his screen transformations. Along with Tracy Letts and Caitriona Balfe, the cast was excellent, and the editing was flawless. You'll be hard pressed to find more fun at the movies than this amazing true story.

RELATED: Review | 'Ford v Ferrari' is a rare breed of Oscar-caliber film that's both entertaining and enlivening

6) Avengers: Endgame

Take some notes, Star Wars people. This is how you wrap up an epic saga. You don't have to move the goal posts or rupture what a previous film decided; just be true to the characters, story, and scope of the tale. Anthony and Joe Russo shouldn't pay for a drink ever again after what they were able to pull off with their quadruple delight. Capping off a story that commenced with "Winter Soldier" and hit a climatic gut-wrench with "Infinity War," they brought the house down with "Endgame." You weren't just entertained or visually pleased; your emotions went through the roof. A three-hour film that felt like 90 minutes due to how exhilarating it was. The acting, especially Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, reminded you that a comic book film doesn't entrap a performance. I saw it four times, cried every single time.

RELATED: 'Avengers: Endgame' Review: Spectacular, soulful, rousing finale is an infinite success

5) Queen and Slim

Out of all the films on this list, I'd call this film the most unlikely of entries. I wouldn't rule that preconception on account of Melina Matsoukas's direction or Lena Waithe's script, each of which were exceptional. I simply didn't see the impact of this Bonnie and Clyde meets Romeo and Juliet tale getting so close to my heart. I needed a moment before I left the theater. Here's a film that set out to do something-tell a timely tale with huge amounts of style and passion-and succeed on every level, right down to the pulse-pounding climax. It had it all: romance, action, thrills, comedy, and most importantly, heart. Matsoukas and Waithe need to work together more often, and Jodie Turner-Smith has my full attention.

RELATED: Review | 'Queen and Slim' is a masterpiece, a thrilling ride only fit for the bold

4) Marriage Story

Two people who previously fell in love, had a kid, and made a life have suddenly decided to break it all into pieces. What happens next? That's divorce in a nutshell and what writer/director Noah Baumbach does here with his Netflix Original is tell it from both sides with compassion, wit, and blunt honesty. No cinema shortcuts or trickery included, this movie rocks you to your core, whether you are a product of divorce or even notice the ripples from afar. It's just a true masterpiece, a movie that grows more precise with each viewing, from Randy Newman's wonderful score to its sharp editing tactics and point of views. Driver and Johansson are acting giants, but they are matched by Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and even Ray Liotta out of nowhere! This film wasn't really about divorce; it's about how a family stays together after divorce. The difficulties and raw artifacts of looking at your past in order to design a future. Hard-hitting film.

RELATED: Review | Noah Baumbach's ruthlessly honest 'Marriage Story' is one of 2019's best films

3) The Irishman

Martin Scorsese was arguably the greatest living filmmaker ... and then he made this Netflix Original. There's so much to adore about this film: the top rate performances from the magnetic trio of acting giants; Robert De Niro's title character, Al Pacino's Jimmy Hoffa, and Joe Pesci's Russell Bufalino. When they share scenes together, the screen sizzles and the dialogue crackles right before our eyes. The thing, though, that stunned me about this decades-spanning tale is the heartbreaking sadness that Steve Zaillian's script injects into the final third of the film, where all the skeletons of regret sneak into Frank Sheeran's life. This is where Scorsese finds poignancy in a newfound place and De Niro puts on an acting showcase. This film sticks with you long after you leave it-and it's not the stylish gangster violence that digs into you. It's the tragic comeuppance that awaits these killers that the director finds a way to make us feel for. Sheeran tells us we all have a date once we are put here, when we will depart. This movie doesn't have a date; it'll live on forever as one of Scorsese's best.

RELATED: Review | 'The Irishman' is a towering achievement for Martin Scorsese

2) Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino loves the movies, their history, and how it shapes the world that we live in today-but we haven't exactly seen that admiration put to complete use in his films. This late 60's glimpse of the movie world changing its scope finally provides QT with the landscape to dish his most complete film since "Pulp Fiction." Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt are better than ever as Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth, a movie star/stunt man team who also happen to be best friends. It's that friendship that serves as the secret ingredient in Tarantino's tale that connects the fictional duo's adventures to the Manson murders. Pitt's Booth is the highlight here, an old school screenshot of a lost art that still doesn't get the appreciation in the game 50 years later. It's all signature work with a hypnotic pulse set to one of Tarantino's classic soundtracks, a gathering of artists you haven't heard in sometime but know well and come to love. It took two viewings for me to fall in love with this movie, downloading all its idiosyncrasies and sophisticated details. Once it hit me, I was flush with affection and wanted more time with Rick and Cliff.

RELATED: 'Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood' trailer burns bright with cool, promise and Tarantino bliss

1) The Peanut Butter Falcon

Quite honestly one of the most complete and wholly satisfying films I've seen in years. I can only recall "Silver Linings Playbook" and "Chef" making me feel this good after a movie that I instantly wanted to rewatch. In the span of two months before its release, I watched the screening link for Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz's film four times, and that wasn't enough. There's something sweet yet brutally honest and provocative about TPBF, which lays into you with emotion that is earned over its 90-minute running time. Shia LaBeouf's huge year started with this portrayal, playing a complicated young man that holds a few of the same cards from the actor's real-life troubles. Zack Gottsagen, whom the writer/director team met at a workshop for actor's with Down Syndrome, astonishes in his first role. Dakota Johnson proves her career has plenty of legs, and old pros like Bruce Dern, John Hawkes, and Thomas Haden Church make gold out of their small screen time. This isn't just a feel-good flick, yet one that has so much quiet power to it. There's "Huckleberry Finn" and "On The Road" vibes mixed with a wrestling soul (Jake Roberts cameo!) and a lovely take on friendship working like a drug. This is a sweet ride with a huge payoff.

RELATED: Review | Why 'The Peanut Butter Falcon' is a tremendous journey into the human spirit

Honorable Mentions:

"Deadwood: The Movie"

"Klaus"

"Parasite"

"El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie"

"The Two Popes"

___________________________

There were some bad ones, but why hamper the best of list with the ones that should be forgotten? These are the films that made me feel alive and well in love with film.

A beautiful slate of movies that made this list hard to conjure. But that's the way it should be.

Thanks for reading.

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