Best Movies I Watched in 2019
- Guava Island (2019)
Synopsis: On an island controlled by a despotic textiles dynasty, a musician named Deni Maroon (Donald Glover) wants to put on a festival that the textile magnate (Nonso Anozie) is worried will lead to no one showing up to work the next day. So he threatens to kill Deni. Because that’s a proportional response.
Guava Island is a beautifully simple short film and a 50-minute long music video. It’s an earnest artist’s statement and marks the death (so to speak) of that artistic identity. If it fails it’s largely due to the expectations that were projected onto it, and I think that’s a shame, as it deserves to be appreciated for what it is. The film’s version of “This is America” alone is worth the watch, as it adds a whole new layer to that song. All that being said, I do have one significant problem with the story: the stakes don’t match. The relatively small stakes of people taking a day off don’t seem to match the life-or-death stakes that are put up against them, and it makes the weight of the ending feel a little unbalanced. - Ocean’s Eight (2018)
Synopsis: Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) puts together a crew for one last heist. It’s a heist movie. There’s a heist. That’s the entire plot.
I mean, all it had to be was entertaining, and it was. Sure, there were some plot holes, some “that looks cool but people definitely saw that” moments, and there’s the fact that this was clearly two heist movies spliced together, but what the hey, it was fun.
Incidentally, I can’t stop thinking about James Corden starring in a Columbo reboot. I would definitely watch that. - Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Synopsis: Cassius Green (LaKeith Stanfield) starts to climb the ranks of his telemarketing firm, but his success puts him at odds with his girlfriend (Tessa Thompson), his best friend (Jermaine Fowler), and the other oppressed workers he’s left behind. Then things start to get weird.
Insofar as I didn’t like the movie it was less about the quality of the film and more about me not liking body horror. Stanfield is great, and the film is really well-made on both a technical and creative level. The surrealism of it is brilliantly handled, especially in how it’s juxtaposed with things that are realistic but really shouldn’t be. A cogent critique not just of capitalism but of those who benefit from it despite knowing better, and the price they ultimately pay. - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Synopsis: Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) gets bitten by a radioactive spider, and when he returns to the scene of the crime, he witnesses another crime, namely the murder of Peter Parker (Chris Pine). But then later he meets another Peter Parker (Jake Johnson). Then things start to get weird.
The best first Spider-Man since the third first Spider-Man. Reminded me of some of the Animatrix shorts, both in terms of specific aesthetic choices and more generally in its willingness to go crazy with an existing property. Also, probably the most narratively efficient superhero movie ever made. Also, in all the exciting high drama and superhero antics and mindblowingly good animation, this’ll probably be overlooked, so I just want to highlight it: When Miles is told for the second time that his shoe is untied and he says, “I’m aware—it’s a choice,” that’s probably the best line in the whole movie. The writing, the directing, the delivery, how it all informs the character, it’s just perfect.
My only big problem is that I didn’t like Peter Porker as much as everyone else apparently did. - Stand By For Tape Back-up (2015)[It’s on Vimeo, you can watch it for free, and you should]
Synopsis: Writer Ross Sutherland takes us on a guided tour through a VHS tape he inherited from his grandfather. Things start out pretty weird.
A mad, sad, dizzying ride through the mind of a genius. I was not prepared for this, and I still haven’t quite recovered. Probably the best multi-media spoken word project I’ve ever watched. If you like this one, also check out the piece he did for the BBC, “Missing Episode,” which uses a similar technique.
Best Movies I Rewatched in 2019
- Castle in the Sky (1986)
Synopsis: A young girl named Sheeta (Anna Paquin) falls from the sky into a small mining town, saved only by a magical necklace with a connection to the mystical floating city, Laputa. Chased by the military and a band of pirates, she enlists the help of a boy named Pazu (James Van Der Beek) whose father was the last person to see Laputa.
If you’re ever trying to decide how to introduce someone to Miyazaki, go with Castle in the Sky. It’s basically Star Wars with airships (it’s even got Mark Hamill), and the familiarity of the fun adventure story keeps people from getting confused by the plot and lets them focus on the aesthetic and thematic qualities that make Miyazaki a master.
Honorable Mentions
- Shazam (2019)
- Almost Famous (2000)
Certain of Eventual Failure 