Best film of 2019

[ska invita]

I don't think I've seen a single film this year...any recommendations for something recent and genuinely very good? I get more in the mood for films during winter months

I've heard the Lighthouse was great...same director as The Witch (Robert Eggers), which I did rate.

I remember people liking that other black and white one set in Cornwall - googled it - Bait. That would make a good double bill with the Lighthouse perhaps. Simliar look at least

On a shlockier level I saw a poster for a crocodile film that looked quite fun - Crawl

(ETA just realised Lighthouse and Bait aren't on DVD yet, so no good torrents till January )

 

[Flavour]

probably Midsommar for silly horror laughs. Parasite was quite good but not film of the year.

 

[Spandex]

The only 2 films I've seen this year are Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon and The Secret Life of Pets 2, both of which were better than their predecessors. There's talk of watching Frozen 2 this weekend.

I have a suspicion that I may be missing out on some films...

 

[Orang Utan]

Seen a LOT of films this year and these were my highlights:
Bait
Adam
Beanpole
Greener Grass
Monos
Hail Satan!
Thunder Road
Booksmart
Mid90s
Amazing Grace
Beats
Being Frank
That Teddy Pendergrass doc
Maiden
Us
Border
Stan & Ollie
The Rider
Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse
If Beale Street Could Talk
Aniara
The Raft
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
First Reformed
The Favourite
Three Identical Strangers

If I had to pick a favourite, I'd go for Beats, but that's because it's so personal and speaks to my misspent youth

 

[Reno]

Really looking forward to The Lighthouse, it’s only just coming out in Germany and I may make a rare visit to the cinema for it. Crawl was watchable but after a good set up, it hits all the expected beats. The Australian Rogue from 2007 still is my favourite giant croc movie.

On the whole I haven’t been that impressed by the films of 2019 but then there are a lot of acclaimed films like Parasite which I haven’t yet seen. A lot of the smaller films get released in Germany months after they’ve come out everywhere else and then I’ll have to get myself to a cinema where they don’t play a version which isn’t dubbed.

I liked Midsommar a lot but not as much as Ari Aster‘s previous film Hereditary.

The new film which so far has impressed me the most this year is S. Craig Zahler‘s Dragged Across Concrete, a better Tarantino movie than the actual Tarantino movie of 2019. It’s a controversial film which walks up right to the edge and casting Mel Gibson as a racist, abusive cop who occasionally has a point, is a deliberate provocation. It’s an impressive piece of filmmaking though and ultimately its redeemed by the fact that the movie ends up rooting for its two main black characters the most. The movie features several catchy songs which I assumed were vintage soul classics from the 70s that I’d just never heard before, but they were written and performed especially for the movie by The O‘Jays and the director.

My absolute favourite movies were all old films which I’d revisited after a long time. Highlights were Klute, two early Wim Wenders films Kings of the Road (that one I’d never seen) and The American Friend, the 70s Canadian thriller The Silent Partner and the Josef von Sternberg movies with Marlene Dietrich, especially Shanghai Express and Dishonoured.

 

[Reno]

Seen a LOT of films this year and these were my highlights:
Bait
Adam
Beanpole
Greener Grass
Monos
Hail Satan!
Thunder Road
Booksmart
Mid90s
Amazing Grace
Beats
Being Frank
That Teddy Pendergrass doc
Maiden
Us
Border
Stan & Ollie
The Rider
Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse
If Beale Street Could Talk
Aniara
The Raft
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
First Reformed
The Favourite
Three Identical Strangers

If I had to pick a favourite, I'd go for Beats, but that's because it's so personal and speaks to my misspent youth

I saw Can You Ever Forgive Me ? last year but it was probably my favourite movie of 2018 after Roma. I can’t remember two characters I’ve identified more in recent years (the bitterness of queer middle age) and some of it was shot in my favourite New York bar.

 

[Pickman's model]

the best film i've seen this year was a documentary, 'we intend to cause havoc'

 

[The39thStep]

Being Frank -touching , superbly put together labour of love about Chris Seivey/Farnk Sidebottom
Sword of Trust - dry , funny offbeat tale about a conspiracy theory
The Man who killed Hitler and Bigfoot- myth, memories and a relationship that could have been
Stan and Ollie - poignant well acted and very enjoyable

 

[ska invita]

Anyone see the new Ken Loach, Sorry WE Missed You?

 

[ska invita]

Seen a LOT of films this year and these were my highlights:
Bait
Adam
Beanpole
Greener Grass
Monos
Hail Satan!
Thunder Road
Booksmart
Mid90s
Amazing Grace
Beats
Being Frank
That Teddy Pendergrass doc
Maiden
Us
Border
Stan & Ollie
The Rider
Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse
If Beale Street Could Talk
Aniara
The Raft
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
First Reformed
The Favourite
Three Identical Strangers

If I had to pick a favourite, I'd go for Beats, but that's because it's so personal and speaks to my misspent youth

which of those are documentaries? I saw The Raft as it goes...that was really interesting

 

[Orang Utan]

which of those are documentaries? I saw The Raft as it goes...that was really interesting

Three Identical Strangers
Maiden
If You Don't Know Me
Being Frank
Amazing Grace
Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse
Hail Satan!

(one of these is a lie)

There was also a very good film on Ursula Legion, which I think is on iplayer right now

 

[killer b]

It's a toss-up between Bait and Diego Maradona here. Both were pretty exceptional.

 

[Nanker Phelge]

Bait
If Beale Street Could Talk
Hitsville: The Making of Motown
The Irishman
IT MUST SCHWING! (story of blue note records)
Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse
Amazing Grace
Inna Da Yard
Stan and Ollie
Three Identical Strangers
Joker

 

[wiskey]

The only 2 films I've seen this year are Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon and The Secret Life of Pets 2, both of which were better than their predecessors. There's talk of watching Frozen 2 this weekend.

I have a suspicion that I may be missing out on some films...

Trust me frozen 2 isn't going to win this thread, unless you are under 8.

 

[8115]

Booksmart.

And an honourable mention for Judy and Punch.

 

[Reno]

Trust me frozen 2 isn't going to win this thread, unless you are under 8.

Not just 8 year olds. Frozen has a large queer following and Elsa is often understood to be coded as gay. She is the only Disney princess not to have a love interest and the whole thing about her having to be in the closet about her powers is played like a metaphor for being queer. The most famous scene of the movie basically is a coming out moment, complete with a fabulous make-over. This has created a lot of online debate and controversy and Jesus freaks have called for boycotts.

Disney's Frozen is 'very evil' gay propaganda, says Christian pastor

 

[wiskey]

Frozen 2 doesn't expand on any of that stuff though, and it doesn't have any catchy music (this could be considered a positive).

 

[Reno]

Frozen 2 doesn't expand on any of that stuff though, and it doesn't have any catchy music (this could be considered a positive).

I didn’t think it would and I’m ok with that. I read reviews which disagree on the lack of catchy music though.

 

[Fez909]

Only film I've seen this year was a documentary. It was really good

 

[D'wards]

I've liked this year;

Joker
Rocketman
Midsommar
High Life
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

I loved Roma but not sure when it came out.

I think it hasn't been a vintage year cinematically

 

[ska invita]

Loads of goods music docs this year judging by the lists on here

I spot:
Lisbon Beat
Amazing Grace
Inna Da Yard
Hitsville: The Making of Motown
We Intend To Cause Havoc
Being Frank
Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don'T Know Me
Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes
That 50 years of Blue Note documentary

Also
Rocketman
Was the Freddie Mercury thing this year?

 

[Detroit City]

Booksmart.

And an honourable mention for Judy and Punch.

I wanted to see Judy but a friend saw it and said it was depressing so I didn't go see it

 

[Orang Utan]

I wanted to see Judy but a friend saw it and said it was depressing so I didn't go see it

That's Judy not Judy & Punch.
It's not depressing though.

 

[Virtual Blue]

For me this was the best film I saw this year .

 

[Fez909]

Loads of goods music docs this year judging by the lists on here

I spot:
Lisbon Beat
Amazing Grace
Inna Da Yard
Hitsville: The Making of Motown
We Intend To Cause Havoc
Being Frank
Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don'T Know Me
Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes
That 50 years of Blue Note documentary

Also
Rocketman
Was the Freddie Mercury thing this year?

There's also the Beyonce (Homecoming) and Kanye (Jesus is King) documentaries. No idea if they're good...or if they're even documentaries.

A fella I work with said the Kanye one was confusing and he didn't really get it. He said it's like an extended music video.

 

[nogojones]

Only film I've seen this year was a documentary. It was really good

Where would I be able to see this? Can't see any torrents or streams.

 

[Fez909]

Where would I be able to see this? Can't see any torrents or streams.

I saw it at the cinema. Not sure where it's on/going aside from that, sorry!

 

[nogojones]

I saw it at the cinema. Not sure where it's on/going aside from that, sorry!

Always my downfall. Never together enough to check what's on in the cinema and actually go. Seems well beyond our planning capabilities.

 

[Fez909]

Always my downfall. Never together enough to check what's on in the cinema and actually go. Seems well beyond our planning capabilities.

I've just messaged Rita Maia and asked her where you can watch it

 

[Sue]

My top 10 (in no particular order):

Sorry to Bother You
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Happy as Lazzaro
Eighth Grade
Birds of Passage
Transit
Bait
Midsommar
Monos
Us