Carson Timar's BEST OF 2019

2019 started off a bit weaker but by the end, it became one of the best years of the decade. It was also deeply important to me, being the first year I really started to get opportunity as press, covering multiple film festivals and conducting my first interviews with directors and producers. It marks the end of the decade, the decade I got into film and talking about them. Where it was a year of reflection for me, it was also a year of some really great movies, so here are my top 10. 

TOP TEN FILMS OF 2019

10. And Then We Danced

Easily one of the most beautiful love stories of the year. With breathtaking performances by both Levan Gelbakhiani and Bachi Valishivili, this is a sweet and emotional look at desire, love and the consequences it can bring when society around you rejects your love. It is moving and powerful, sure to leave audiences in tears.

9. Little Women

Greta Gerwig’s sophomore outing with Little Women was something truly emotional. With an A+ ensemble and iconic dialogue that read almost like poetry in some scenes, there was a moment during my viewing of the film where I started crying simply due to the power of the movie I was watching. Some minor issues with the editing and structure of the film holds it back from moving higher on this list but still, it would be criminal for me not to include Little Women somewhere on here.

8. The Farewell

Originally, I thought The Farewell was a really good movie. On a rewatch, however, it jumped up in my rankings, definitely deserving a place as one of the best films of 2019. Not only is the story deeply emotional but the acting in every scene is just incredible. Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen have definitely dominated the awards conversation thus far but the work from actors like Tzi Ma and Diana Lin especially are right up there as far as quality and emotional impact. This film has so much passion and rawness behind it. This is powerful cinema and deserves to be seen by all.

7. 1917

Sam Mendes is back with a bang. 1917 could easily have been a film whose only notable aspects would be the gimmick it brought with it — basically Ang Lee’s previous few projects — but it was so much more. Not only is the premise intense, two soldiers having to travel alone through enemy territory with 1,600 lives at risk if they fail, but the emotional core of this movie surprised me. There is so much depth in these characters and how they view their situations. Both Dean Charles-Chapman and George MacKay give performances that should be in the awards conversation yet sadly have been overlooked so far. The film is also a technical marvel, with some of the best production design, cinematography and editing of the year.

7. Ad Astra

 Finally, after years of delays and waiting, Ad Astra was released and it absolutely delivered. Despite being a huge CGI-fest, the story was shockingly raw and grounded, looking at a relationship between father and son that really spoke to me. Brad Pitt delivers some of his best work here and the film carries the same meditative feel that a film like The Tree of Life thrived with. Every piece of this movie came together to create an emotionally raw and powerfully cinematic experience that was definitely under-appreciated when the film was released.

5. Portrait of a Lady on Fire

 No other film was as haunting as this. For days after seeing the film, my mind wandered to its almost poetic and painful story of a love that could never be. The visuals and score are some of the most proficient of the year and the beauty that comes from the story is undeniable. It truly is poetry put on film, not just in the beautifully crafted dialogue but in the concepts of the events also. Just trying to describe the events of this film, especially towards the end, really reveals their beauty. 

4. The Lighthouse

 With almost nuclear buzz coming from the early screenings of The Lighthouse, it quickly became one of my most anticipated films of the year and fully lived up to my expectations. This is a film that grabbed my attention and kept me thinking about it long after I got out of my first viewing of the film, pulling me back into theaters to see it again just a few short days later, taking notes and trying to crack its mysteries. Enough cannot be said about the performances given by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, with Dafoe especially giving such a physical and brash performance that is sure to stick out in his already incredible filmography for years to come. The visuals and directing from the mind of Robert Eggers built a world that perfectly allowed this tale to come to life and created a theater experience unlike any other this year had to offer.

3. Parasite

Bong Joon-ho has been destined for a true classic and finally he found it with Parasite. All year, this film has maintained its buzz from winning the Palme d'Or in May to becoming a potential front runner for Best Picture now in the middle of awards season. The story is layered and deep, mixing drama and powerful emotion with shocking twists and turns as this film evolves into something completely different as it plays out. These characters are not only just well layered but are perfectly set up to provide meaningful commentary and exploration of the films themes. The film is so well crafted and built, it is easy to see why so many are falling in love with it and it is clearly deserved.

2. Paddleton

 Despite falling under most people's radar, it turns out NETFLIX released one of the best films of the year back in February called Paddleton. Following a friendship between two older guys named Michael and Andy, who all-day, every-day just hang out with each other and the turmoil that comes when Michael develops terminal cancer. He decides he wants to get the medication to end his own life before it becomes too bad and obviously, Andy wants to be supportive but he also doesn’t want to accept losing his best friend. As they travel to get the medication, they have time to really explore their feelings. The emotions present in the film are so complex and hard hitting. This film left me in the most tears of any film this year and is one that everyone should check out. This deserved to be an awards push for both Mark Duplass and Ray Romano from an acting perspective as well as the screenplay but sadly, with the small release on Netflix not only did it not get an awards push but most didn’t even see this work of art. For those who have seen it, though, it has made its impact felt and held the title as my #1 film for for 8 months of the year. 

1. The Irishman

 I thought for sure Paddleton would hold the #1 slot for the entire year but then The Irishman came along. Getting to see the film in theatres allowed me to focus my attention and get sucked into this film and its deeply impactful themes and messages. Following a man through his entire life, The Irishman carries a weight to it that no other film in recent memory has been able to match. At three and a half hours, the film is able to build and build onto its plot, making you feel like you have been on a huge journey with these characters. The weight of this film comes from a man reflecting on his life and the consequences he faces from it. By having us spend literally hours with this character, that reflection becomes so much more impactful as we have experienced the life with him. The acting is incredible, with classic actors making appearances around every turn, and there are some truly shocking and emotionally powerful twists and turns. The visual effects also are just incredible, after the first ten minutes where it was a bit uncanny, they start to blend in and feel natural, never taking away from the story and becoming a true showcase of what these effects can do. The Irishman is a cinematic experience unlike any other and it is one that will stand out for years to come.

BEST PERFORMANCES + FILMMAKING OF 2019

BEST ACTOR - ROBERT DE NIRO (The Irishman)

The sheer size of the performance that Robert De Niro gives in The Irishman is enough for it to be impressive but the craft and skill he brings to it pushes it to best actor of the year level. Having to act as the character Frank Sheeran throughout a large portion of his life during the three and a half hour film, De Niro gives a performance filled not only with charisma but depth and emotion. His performance is strong and bold, enough to work with the mob life that Frank is joining but also is raw enough to allow the audience to explore the emotions and regret that Frank faces, especially later in his life. This is a massive performance that has so many elements to it but in each instance, De Niro delivered — becoming my favorite male performance of the year.

BEST ACTRESS - SAOIRSE RONAN (Little Women)

Where I have loved Saoirse Ronan in past films like Brooklyn and Lady Bird, her take on the classic Jo March might just be my favorite performance of her career. It is brash and charismatic but also has these intense sequences of great emotion and anger. There is a real soul behind this performance; you can tell that Ronan is not just reading her lines but truly engaging with the material. This is one of those iconic performances that will always stand out against Ronan’s already incredible filmography.  

BEST DIRECTOR - MARTIN SCORSESE (The Irishman)

After so many classic films, it is easy to think that Martin Scorsese has done it all but then he puts out something like The Irishman. This movie would not have had the same power or depth if it was not three and a half hours long and honestly, Scorsese is probably one of the only working directors who could pull off a movie like this or even attempt to. Scorsese has such a firm grasp on the flow that this movie takes and what he wants to accomplish with each and every scene. It is a masterclass of filmmaking and is just another reason why Scorsese is one of the best directors of all time.