10 Best Films Of 2019

PM Film Critic Sean Collier counts down the 10 best films of 2019.

December 18, 2019

By Sean Collier

PHOTO COURTESY A24

As the decade turns, we find ourselves surveying a remarkable and vibrant cinema landscape.
If you’re a movie lover, there is an awful lot to love.
10 — ParasiteBong Joon Ho’s gripping work of genre defiance is as powerful as it is wry.
How to See It: “Parasite” is now playing in select theaters.
9 — The IrishmanIf Martin Scorsese’s elegy to mob movies weren’t almost absurdly over-indulgent, it would probably rank higher on this list.
How to See It: “The Irishman” is now streaming on Netflix.
8 — Little WomenGreta Gerwig’s masterful adaptation of the classic novel is a warm and comforting embrace.
How to See It: “Little Women” opens in wide release on Wednesday, Dec. 25.
7 — Ad AstraJames Gray’s somber, atmospheric sci-fi marvel easily topped my rankings when I saw the film back in September. It has slipped a bit in the intervening months;
How to See It: “Ad Astra” is available on Blu-Ray and digital services.
6 — The FarewellIngrained cultural differences are difficult to dramatize, which makes Lulu Wang’s semi-autobiographical narrative all the more impressive.
How to See It: “The Farewell” is available on Blu-Ray and digital services.

PHOTO BY CLAUDETTE BARIUS / UNIVERSAL PICTURES

5 — UsJordan Peele followed “Get Out,” his earthquaking debut, with a sophomore effort heavier on the horror and rife with evocative symbolism.
How to See It: “Us” is available on Blu-Ray and digital services.
4 — 1917“American Beauty” director Sam Mendes takes one of the showiest concepts in filmmaking — the (apparently) one-shot feature — and uses it to make a thrilling and bold war epic.
How to See It: “1917” enters limited release on Dec. 25 and is scheduled to expand to Pittsburgh on Jan. 10, 2020.
3 — The Last Black Man in San FranciscoJoe Talbot’s fable of gentrification is a sobering portrait of life pushed out from the roots
How to See It: “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” is available on Blu-Ray and digital services.
2 — A Beautiful Day in the NeighborhoodI promise: This is not a hometown pick. I didn’t include last year’s Mister Rogers documentary among my year-end selections, and I didn’t anticipate that “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” would impress me as much as it did.
How to See It: “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” is now playing in wide release.

PHOTO COURTESY NETFLIX

1 — Marriage StoryOn its surface, “Marriage Story” is a somewhat simple film; it’s the story of two people going through a divorce and custody battle.
How to See It: “Marriage Story” is now streaming on Netflix.
Honorable MentionsAvengers: Endgame; Booksmart; Her Smell; High Life; Jojo Rabbit; Pain and Glory; Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am; Queen & Slim; Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; Waves

Source: The Top 10 Films of 2019 | Pittsburgh Magazine